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E xeposé Bradshaw Holds Exeter
Monday May 10 2010 Week Twenty Five
Free and Impartial. Your paper, your views, your voice.
Ellie Busby News Editor
BEN BRADSHAW has narrowly held on to the Exeter seat for the Labour Party with 38.2% of the vote. Ben Bradshaw will be representing Exeter for the fourth time since winning the Exeter seat in 1997. Exeter is one of only four Labour seats in the South West. In the early morning of May 7, it was announced in the Exeter Corn Exchange that Labour won by a reduced majority of 2,271 votes, with a Conservative swing of 6.0%. Hannah Foster, Conservative candidate, received a respectful 33.0% of the vote. It was ultimately a two horse race between the Labour and Conservative parties, as Graham Oakes, Liberal Democrat candidate, obtained only 20.3% of the vote. Before the results were announced, Ben Bradshaw recognised that it was a close competition between Labour and Conservative. He stated, “We have a real fight on our hands.” Hannah Foster was optimistic about the way her campaign had gone. She said, “I am proud of my campaign and I feel we did everything we could.”
“We have a real fight on our hands” Ben Bradshaw The two candidates have been campaigning hard in Exeter City and around the University campus. Ben Bradshaw did not campaign nationally for the Labour Party and chose to only campaign locally in Exeter. In his winner’s speech he claimed, “I will always fight for the city’s interests to the best of my ability.” Students consist of 15% of the voting electorate in Exeter, which made them an important target for the local candidates. Both Labour and Conservative candidates have campaigned hard to try and encourage students to vote for their parties. Hannah Foster told Exeposé that she had attempted to increase political interest in the student body. She claimed that she had challenged
Exeter University Polsoc to not “just talk about politics, but do politics.” Exeposé asked Ben Bradshaw how his success will benefit students, and he claimed, “I have encouraged close relations between the University and city. I have worked closely on development plans and areas of interest concerning the University to ensure it goes from strength to strength.” In regard to the potential rise in tuition fees, he stated, “I am reluctant to support anything that will deter anyone of low income families to go to university.”
2,271 votes Labour won by a reduced majority Students have shown an active interest in the general election, which was evident from the high attendance of Exeter students at the Lemmy Election Sleepover on Thursday night. Students watched the results attentively on a big screen, cheered their parties on and one group had even created a cardboard cut-out of Lord Mandleson. The atmosphere became more rowdy between the politically divided students as the night went on. Labour Students Society have been passionately campaigning for Bradshaw. Tristan Pithers, Chair of the society, said, “I am absolutely delighted about the local result. Ben Bradshaw is an excellent constituency MP.” Conservative Future Society have also been enthusiastically campaigning around campus student halls. Eleanor Hulse, Chairman of the society, said, “We are proud of cutting Bradshaw’s majority by such a large proportion. It has been a huge challenge.” On a national level, it would seem that there is a fairly negative response to the result of a Hung Parliament. Pithers remarked, “I feel it is bad for the country that we are in such a state of limbo.” Whilst Hulse agreed that, “no one wanted this outcome.” See page 6 for the election round-up analysis.
Ben Bradshaw faced tough competition to retain his seat in Exeter.
Photo: Henry White
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May 10 2010
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Making the headlines for 20 years Issue 565 Week 25 2010 Editors Tristan Barclay Andrew Waller editors@exepose.com Deputy Editors Rachel Bayne Jennifer Seymour depeds@exepose.com News Editors Ellie Busby Charlie Marchant news@exepose.com Features Editors Columba Achilleos-Sarll Anna-Marie Linnell features@exepose.com Lifestyle Editors Laura Le Brocq Clare Mullins lifestyle@exepose.com Music Editors Ellie Bothwell Ben Murphie music@exepose.com Books Editors James Henderson Jacob Moffatt books@exepose.com Screen Editors Calum Baker David Brake screen@exepose.com Arts Editors Rosie Scudder Ellie Steafel arts@exepose.com Videogames Editors Daniel Burnage Alice Scoble-Rees games@exepose.com Sports Editors Alexander Cook Andy Williams sport@exepose.com Photography Editor Henry White photo@exepose.com Advertising Joanna Bowery j.c.bowery@ex.ac.uk (01392) 263579 Exeposé, Cornwall House, St German’s Road, Exeter EX4 6TG (01392) 263513
The opinions expressed in Exeposé are not necessarily those of the Exeposé Editors nor the University of Exeter Students’ Guild. While every care is taken to ensure that the information in this publication is correct and accurate, the Publisher can accept no liability for any consequential loss or damage, however caused, arising as a result of using the information printed. The Publisher cannot accept liability for any loss or damage to artwork or material submitted. The contents of this, unless stated otherwise, are copyright of the Publisher. Reproduction in any form requires the prior consent of the Publisher.
Forum Project disrupts students Hannah Sweet Reporter THE first key developments of the Forum Project have already become an inconvenience to students during the exam period. Over the Easter break, preparation began in and around the Main Library which has led to the movement of NatWest Bank to the temporary facilities in the Queen’s car park. Deborah Brett, Senior Project Manager, said, “the contractors have made significant progress in the first few weeks of their appointment. The erection of hoardings and the adjustment to access routes are progressing as agreed with the University. Revised campus signage is in hand and the initial works to Devonshire House are nearing completion.” There is no through route past the old shops opposite the Main Library as they are being prepared for demolition. Chris Jennings, a first year student living on campus, feels that the Forum Project has made access to certain campus facilities more difficult.
“The project is on track” Nick Mather, Project Manager of Davis Langdon – Global Construction Consultants
Forum project causes inconvenience to students at start of the third term.
He said, “they’ve closed off a lot of the paths and walkways around campus, making getting to places like Devonshire House and NatWest a nightmare. You have to trek to get somewhere that might have taken five minutes to reach before.” Before Easter it seemed that the Forum Project building works were behind schedule. However, Nick Mather, Project Manager of Davis Langdon, made it clear that there is no unnecessary or unscheduled
disruption and reassured students that, “the project is on track and what the campus is seeing is entirely expected. Activity will ramp up on a week by week basis as we move forward.” The library in particular is now in the midst of considerable building work, which has caused disruptions to students over the revision period this term. Steve Vinall, University Communications and Marketing Manager, said “we are working
Students run half marathon for charity
Photo: Henry White
closely with the contractor to minimise noise and other disruption to library users, especially during the pre-examination and examination periods.” Other changes to take place this term are the creation of a temporary basement entrance to the main library for use from June 14, as works starts on a new access road for construction traffic to come in from Prince of Wales Road.
Teachers’ efforts rewarded
Emma Vince Reporter
Tristan Barclay Editor
MANY Exeter students participated in The Great West Run for charity on Sunday May 2. More than 2100 participants set off on the 13.1 mile course through the streets of Exeter to raise money for South West charities. The annual Buy With Confidence Great West Run is now in it’s 26th year. The half-marathon course, consisting of two laps through and around Exeter City centre, saw a close finish with just three seconds between the top places. This year’s winner, Tom Merson, completed the course in 70 minutes. The closed streets were lined with Exeter locals and students encouraging the runners, turning the sporting event into a community effort. Despite the early start, Pinhoe Road saw groups of pyjama-clad students banging saucepans in support of their friends. Mike Crook, a Psychology student, who was running for Amnesty International, agreed that, “It was great to have the support; it keeps you going when it gets tough.” Siobhán Anderson, a second year student, also ran for Amnesty International and described the turnout as having, “An amazing atmosphere.”
Devonshire House played host to Exeter University’s first ever teaching awards on Wednesday May 6, as dozens of staff and students attended an awards ceremony in the Long Lounge. Seven categories were contested at the evening event, with awards recognising lecturers, tutors and support staff. 1,843 nominations were made by 1,166 individual students, with all subjects at the University represented. Llywelyn Morris, Guild Education Officer, organised and hosted the event. He said, “We all love good teachers, that’s why we’re at the University of Exeter. The evening was a barnstorming success.” The winners were: Innovative Teacher of the Year, Karen McAuliffe (Law, Cornwall); Tutor of the Year, Avril Mewse (Psychology); Feedbacker of the Year, Alex Thompson (Business); Support Staff Member of the Year, Jay Pengelly (HUSS, Cornwall); Lecturer of the Year, Richard Winsley (SSHS). The subject with the best employability support was Business, and the subject of the year was Drama.
Great West Run through Exeter City.
She added, “ I feel really proud to have raised so much money for Amnesty.” In addition to the runners, several students got involved by marshalling the race as part of the University’s Sports Volunteering Scheme, which also counts towards the Exeter Award. Lori, a fourth year student and marshal for the event, was impressed with the
Photo: Ellie Waller-Arnott
runners who had donned costumes and were carrying around heavy buckets for donations. Tom Baker, a University student, said the experience “wasn’t as painful as I feared! I’d definitely do it again.” Online entries for the 2011 Great West Run are already open. See page 32 for runner profiles.
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Exeposé Week twenty five
news@exepose.com
Summer Ball cancelled
News Police ‘burglaries’ cause controversy
Natasha Gilborson Reporter
Sophie Broom Reporter
EXETER University students are disappointed to discover that their Summer Ball has been cancelled. Joanna Bowery, Guild Marketing and Communications Manager, said the cancellation is due to the “extensive construction projects on campus.” The closure of the Great Hall, the normal location for the ball, has restricted the available areas in which events can be held. However, the cancellation of the Summer Ball has not affected the planned Students’ Guild Arts and Activities Week, which will start on the week of June 6. The Guild is currently in the process of organising a programme of live music and arts events which will take place in the Ram beer garden and the Lemon Grove.
LOCAL Exeter police have been criticised over their new, less than orthodox approach to preventing crime in the area. The recent operation in which officers ‘burgled’ homes in order to raise awareness of lax home security caused much controversy amongst Exeter residents. Student homes were among the houses in the St James area of the city that were subject to police intrusion. The group of officers gained access to homes through open windows and unlocked doors, leaving bags of ‘swag’ - valuable items such as laptops, fridges and even rugby balls - for the residents, with the aim of encouraging tighter security within properties. Andy Nordqvist, Neighbourhood Team Sergeant, commented that the operation was necessary to tackle the rise in burglaries in St James student accommodation. Questions have been raised about the legality of the initiative. Nigel Lyons, a partner at Foot Anstey solicitors, was shocked that such an “outrageous” operation took place. Police would usually have to gain permission from a magistrate’s court to enter a property.
“St. Lukes are still having a Summer Ball, it seems unfair that we can’t have ours” Exeter student Joanna Bowery also said that the Student Guild are supporting the annual Beach Break Live event which she argues will fulfil “students’ appetites for live bands and music”. Although the Summer Ball will not be
Great Hall closure has led to cancellation of the Summer Ball.
taking place this year, the Graduation Ball is still going ahead at Westpoint Arena. Many students have expressed their disappointment over the cancellation of the Summer Ball. One student told Exeposé that as, “St. Lukes are still having a Summer Ball, it seems unfair that we can’t have ours.” Another student commented that she “didn’t understand why the Guild could not
Photo: Henry White
have found another venue.” However, some students are more optimistic about the prospect of an Arts Week, as they feel more students can get involved because it is a cheaper alternative. Although the Summer Ball will not be taking place this year, the Students’ Guild is looking at the options for balls and large-scale events for the next academic year.
There has been further controversy over the ‘burglaries’ since it has emerged, following a request under the Freedom of Information Act, that the police entered properties accompanied by a civilian.
“It’s an invasion of people’s privacy that seems unethical and unjustified. It’s just too far” David Brake, Exeter student The operation was undertaken by a group of 15 staff: a number of police officers supported by a Crime Prevention Officer and Police Community Support Officers. On hearing the recent controversial activities of the police, David Brake, first year student, said, “For a police initiative that’s really extreme. It’s an invasion of people’s privacy that seems unethical and unjustified, it’s just too far.” Joanna Bowery, Guild Marketing and Communications Manager, urges students to think about the safety of their accommodation and to be proactive at raising any concerns about their property with their landlord. If students have further issues with safety, they should contact the Guild.
Geldof awards aspiring entrepreneurs Ellie Busby & Charlie Marchant News Editors
SIR BOB GELDOF rewarded entrepreneurial students at the University of Exeter this week. The competition was organised by the Exeter Entrepreneurs Society, which was recently founded by Harry Cott and Amanuel Burhan. Sir Bob Geldof, a serial entrepreneur himself, has agreed to be the patron of the society for a period of two years. The ‘Exeter Apprentice’ competition challenged student teams to set up a profit-making enterprise over six weeks with just £100 seed money. Sir Bob Geldof presented awards to the winning Exeter Apprentice teams last week for categories such as: Most Profitable Group (The Exeter Pint Glass); Most Original Product (The Brief Encounter, which sold Exeter-branded underwear); and Most Socially Responsible Team (P.A.L.S, which sold fruit on campus). The teams managed a total profit of over £1500, a 75% rate of return.
“To hear Bob’s entrepreneurial journey in such depth and in an intimate setting was more than I ever thought I would get to hear at my time at university.” Jack Bennett
Exeter Entrepreneurs Society meets Bob Geldof.
It was stipulated in the rules that students’ would get to keep 80% of their profit and were asked to donate the other 20% to Geldof’s chosen charity, BandAid. This has meant
that Exeter Entrepreneurs were able to donate £303 to BandAid. Amanuel Burhan, Exeter Entrepreneurs President, said, “One of our core aims at the beginning
Photo: Gerry Cott
was to give students opportunities to engage in enterprising activities. The event has achieved this wonderfully.”
Geldof also gave a speech to the Exeter students. Jack Bennett, Exeter Entrepreneurs Social Media Manager, said, “The speech was inspirational. To hear Bob’s entrepreneurial journey in such depth and in an intimate setting was more than I ever thought I would get to hear at my time at university. However, what really struck me was the strong, but also relevant, link to rock and roll that was consistent throughout.”
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News
may 10 2010
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Student protest against call to raise tuition fees Charlie Marchant News Editor
EXETER students joined Town Takeover on March 29 as part of a national student protest against a proposed rise to their tuition fees. The Browne review, which will assess university tuition fees, is being conducted in light of public spending cuts. Though it officially reports after the General Election, indicators suggest that there will be an increase in fees to between £5,000 and £7,000. Currently, students pay annual fees of £3,225, which has been the case since 2006. Many students find it hard enough to pay such high fees and face large debts, at an average of £20,000 after university. Town Takeover was a campaign started by the NUS across big university towns in the UK to raise awareness about a potential rise in fees. Around 40 Exeter students adorned red t-shirts and carried a mass of red balloons through the city
centre. Holding up banners heralding “education is not for sale,” they talked to the locals of Exeter and acquired almost 500 signatures against a rise in student tuition fees. One local resident commented that the prospect of a further rise in fees “is just appalling.”
“Another £2000 a year would be crippling” Exeter Student
Rachel Bayne, a first year student, said, “a raise in tuition fees is unfair. It would mean university was only available to the affluent members of society.” Another first year student who attended the town protest commented, “the price I pay for tuition is ridiculous as it is, another £2000 a year would be crippling. I wouldn’t be able to attend university at that price.” Though the cost would be high, those students needing financial
support would continue to be subsidised by grants and bursaries. As Steve Smith, Exeter University Vice Chancellor and President of Universities UK pointed out, every extra £1 that students have had to pay has been another £1 spent by the Government as a subsidy to students. This is reflected by Exeter University, who annually pay out £5.2 million in bursaries. Around 55 students turned up to the local parliamentary candidates panel debate on Streatham campus. Each political party agreed with Steve Smith’s assertions that, “the interest of the students has to come first,” but could give no definite answers on the future of university fees. Labour and the Conservatives agreed not to include discussion of university tuition fees in their manifestos, meaning students would be unable to vote on the issues that matter most to them. More should become apparent now the election is over.
Students protest at Town Takeover.
Photo: Henry White
Lecturers face redundancies over finances
Adam Walmesley Senior Reporter
POPULAR lecturers have left their jobs following financial troubles in a prestigious University department. Eight Modern Languages staff members, including two Professors, have vacated their posts in the wake of a £350,000 annual departmental deficit. The redundancies were agreed over the summer, and will come into effect from July.
Five staff members have taken voluntary redundancy, including French Professor, James Kearns, and German lecturer, Helen Bridge. Additionally German Professor, Lesley Sharpe has taken retirement, and French lecturer, Tom Wynn has transferred to Durham University. The department hope to employ two new staff members next year, including a Director of Languages and a second lecturer in Translation. Students were notified of the changes over the Easter holidays. Dr Katharine Hodgson, Head of Modern
Languages, assured students in a departmental email that the changes would not affect their degrees. She said, “A number of colleagues have volunteered to leave their posts in order to help the Department achieve efficiency savings that are required to keep it in good financial health.“ Joanna Duvigneau, a third year French and Russian student, said, “I am rather annoyed that all this chopping and changing is happening in time for my final year of university. It is significant that several senior
ExeLets experiences slow trade
staff figures are leaving as it gives off the impression that our Department is falling apart.” She added, “Lecturers and teachers have to be the most important element of our classes, therefore to reduce the number of them, including removing a number of influential senior ones, does not appear to be an act in our best interest.” Laura Le Brocq, a first year French and English student said, “Why is Modern Languages in such peril? It’s fair enough to have the cyclical
XTV clean up at NASTAs
Hannah Brewer Reporter
Felicity Stone Reporter
EXELETS, the “hassle-free letting agency for students across Exeter” run by the Students’ Guild, has had a slow first year in business. ExeLets has only managed to fill two houses and five rooms in the last year, despite the advantages of having a clear website design, central office location, and reduced agency fees. It is thought that ExeLets faces a loss during its first year in operation. Richard Stearn, Guild President, vowed to improve the student housing experience in Exeter in his election manifesto last year. He said that the primary task of ExeLets’ first year was to raise awareness among landlords and to compete with rival agencies, such as Star and Cardens, in order to get high quality Exeter properties onto their books. Some Exeter students attribute the unpopularity of the service to a
A TRIUMPHANT XTV has walked away from this year’s National Student Television Awards with a record haul of six awards. Held at the iconic Oran Mor, the University of Glasgow played host to the 38th annual awards, which saw the Exeter Students’ Guild television station compete against a record number of fellow student station nominations. Cameo: Top Ten Films of 2009 fought off stiff competition from 21 rival stations to win the coveted Best Light Entertainment award and Exeter Uncovered was presented with Best Title Sequence. Highly Commended awards were given for Best Factual (Cameo: BFI 53rd London Film Festival); Best Video to Music (A Message); and Best Documentary (Ben White Investigates: Exeter University Estate Patrol) Judged by industry professionals working for the BBC and Sky News, XTV were proud to receive the
Photo: Students’ Guild
lack of advertising. Olivia Seeley, first year student, claims to “never have heard of ExeLets”, after recently securing a property with Carden’s Student Letting Agency. Stearn says, “As with any new venture, the first year is always challenging. However, the Guild is very pleased with the progress
ExeLets has made since opening in October and we are looking forward to announcing exciting developments in the coming weeks.” He added that, “ExeLets is run with student interests at the heart of its operations. It is currently finalising a large-scale deal with a private accommodation operator.”
process of expansion and contraction, but this is not what you’d expect from a top ten university.” One Russian student added, “Two (Russian) professors is just not enough! We have a very poor choice of modules; combined honours students only have a choice of two and single honours students no choice at all. The Russian department should be expanding not shrinking.” French, German, Italian and Russian are ranked in the subject top ten in The Times Good University Guide.
Highly Commended award for Best Broadcaster, a first in its broadcasting history. Dan John, Station Manager, said, “It is a sign of how far the station has come in a relatively short space of time,” with this award crowning XTV the UK’s official second best student television station. Dan John also praised the efforts of XTV’s work, saying, “the spread of awards really reflects the dedication put in by so many of our members to make varied and quality programmes.” Jamie Walters, fellow station manager, added, “I am very proud to have led the station in a year where we have not only done well at the awards, but gained recognition from our peers in the world of student television.” Speaking of the future of XTV, Dan John commented on the newly appointed Station Managers, Rosanna Brook and George Mason. “They have a fresh team of new XTV faces with a lot of enthusiasm and new ideas to work with, and I know that they are going to keep going from strength to strength.”
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6
may 10 2010
Election 2010
Exeposé
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At the time of going to press...
Commentary Andrew Waller Editor
Well how exciting was that? For the politicos out there, it does not get better than this: public brinksmanship hides private compromise as men in suits tussle for the right to set the national agenda. But for many, the one thing that is clear from the 2010 election is that Britain’s electoral system is far too confusing. With all the uncertainty the pound fell sharply on Thursday night. But the truth is Britain has nothing to fear from a hung-parliament. Coalitions run local councils up and down the country. Indeed Scotland has functioned with a minority government since 2007. In all it was a rather fitting end to a spectacular campaign and one thing seems certain, British politics has reached a turning point. The debates are surely here to stay but, even before the results came out, they hinted that the British system of government is in desperate need of an overhaul. Not because of the performance of a certain Nicholas Clegg, but simply because they were the most obvious example yet that, as personality becomes increasingly important, the role of Prime Minister is fast becoming that of a Presidential Statesman. Cameron did all he could to emulate Barack Obama. And weren’t those young, ethnically diverse audiences waving Cameron 2010 placards cute? The biggest disappointment must go to the Liberal Democrats. After a thrilling campaign Clegg
can be proud to have enthused vast swathes of a disenchanted electorate. To do so well in the pre-election polls but not translate it into seats is not an indictment of the credibility of the party, it is a symptom of a broken electoral system. We should not be surprised, it happened in 1992 when many promised to vote Labour but did not put out on the day. One might even argue that the reverse happened in 2005 when an electorate infuriated by Iraq let Blair back in fairly comfortably. The Conservatives may have climbed an electoral mountain to get to the seats they did, but even the most consummate debater in the Tory camp is going to struggle to justify this as a victory for the current electoral system. With the largest share of the vote the Tories have the strongest mandate to try and form a Government, but it is no mandate for the ‘elective dictatorship’ they so desired. At the time of going to press it looks likely that, despite their electoral disappointment the Liberal Democrats could still have an important say in how the next government takes shape. So how about this for an accumulator: Cameron with the help of the Lib Dems takes over Number 10. Electoral reform? You must be joking. But as Europe descends further into economic crisis, Vince Cable finds himself strolling out Number 11, battered briefcase in hand to deliver the most austere budget in recent history. Meanwhile a carefree Mr Brown saunters of to an ashstrewn sunset with no strings, or microphones, attached.
Students await results under the watchful eye of David Dimbleby.
Election breakdown.
National share of the vote (%) :
Other Conservative
Lib Dem Labour
Con: 36.1 Lab: 29.0 Lib Dem: 23.0 Other: 11.9
Share of seats: Lib Dem
Labour
Con: 306
Other Conservative
Lab: 258 Lib Dem: 57 Other: 28
Ones to watch... Caroline Lucas
Penrith and the Border
Brighton Pavilion
Soldier, Diplomat, Royal Tutor, Harvard Professor. Mr Stewart once walked from Turkey to Bangladesh and governed an Iraqi province. Surely his C.V. warrants a place in any new cabinet. So just how secure is Hague in that Foreign Secretary spot?
Whilst Exeter incumbent, Ben Bradshaw retained his seat it came at odds with the national mood. A 5% swing from Labour to the Conservatives manifested in widespread losses for the Labour Party. Their share of the vote fall by 6% with a net loss 91 seats. The Conservatives gained 100 seats and attained 36% of the vote but fell just shy of being able form a majority government. Whilst the Liberal Democrats performed well throughout the campaign and increased their share of the vote, they still suffered a net loss of 5 seats. In a election that gripped the nation throughout April the national turnout was higher than previous years at 65%. Many students watched the results anounced live in the Lemmy.
Wish me luck...
Rory Stewart Conservative
Photo: Tristan Barclay
Green
Miss Lucas is one of Britain’s most left wing politicians in recent history and with such a close balance of seats she may find herself with a disproportinate level of power. But could Zac Goldsmiths greenfingered charm win her over to the right?
The Miliband Brothers Labour
Vince Cable Liberal Democrat
South Shields, Doncaster North
Twickenham
If Brown goes, a power struggle could send the Party underground. Arguably the most able Labour politicians of the day, could these telegenic brothers emerge as the Cray twins of British politics?
Ian Hislop recently said that he would vote for the “Vince Cable for Chancellor Party.” One time lecturer in Economics, Cable is perhaps the best qualified for the Treasury. Can Number 11 do without him?
Chancellor of the Exchequer is often touted as the worst job in Government, but what about Home Secretary? Former Secretaries, Charles Clark and Jacqui Smith both lost their seats. Lembit Opik also lost out in one of the biggest turnovers in British political history. Lucky Labour improved job prospects for the unemployed...
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Exeposé week twenty five editors@exepose.com
Tristan Barclay and Andrew Waller
editors@exepose.com Dear Exepose
Reference: History
I wish to draw attention to the appalling referencing system employed by the History Department because it fails its students. I currently have been working on my third year dissertation and relying, as per guidelines and actual rules, upon the Undergraduate History Handbook. In there are examples of referencing the department wishes its students to use. Simply put this referencing ‘guide’ is incomplete and unprofessional. For example the system has no example of how to reference a Law Case or many other documents, when I asked for guidance I was told to ask my supervisor or look in a secondary Sir, I was on the loo at the time. I was glad to be sitting down to receive the shocking news. I could have stayed there, fumbling around to find the handle – a simple flush, a few uncomfortable moments of gargling and it would all be over, the pain would go. But I’m British, not a ninny, so I stand up tall, wash my hands, puff out my chest and march out, red faced into the kitchen to discuss the bombshell I have just heard about. I am referring to the news that Mattel, which owns the rights to the board game Scrabble in the UK, is introducing a game this summer called Scrabble Trickster. The game will include cards that allow players to spell words backwards, steal letter from opponents, place unconnected words next to each other and allow for proper nouns to be played, all of which were previously banned, bar a few exceptions. I have also learned that a version of Scrabble Trickster will not be launched by Hasbro in the US, the place where New York architects Alfred Butts invented and refined the game in the 1930s and 1940s. Hasbro respects the traditional American following, but such a respect for the UK Scrabble palate has been completely disregarded. Am I the only one to feel incensed? Why this news upset me and other wordsmiths so much is that scrabble is a game of word knowledge and strategy. Perhaps the reason has such a following is because of the competitive intellectual stimulus. While most of us would be comfortable using , ‘woof’, ‘gargoyle’ ,‘kerplunk’ ‘hammock’ and ‘wobble’, the real spods may come
Opinion
source to see how they had done it. This expresses the incompetence of the department, not only could different lecturers provide students with a different recommendation on how to reference this source but secondary sources would also differ. One book may use the Chicago referencing style whilst another the Modern Language Association’s guide. With the existence of world wide recognised academic referencing systems I am at a loss as to why a ‘top ten University’ is making use of an internal, third rate referencing system. It is beyond my understanding as to why a world wide recognised system with a complete handbook is not used. I hope for the benefit of future students you very
seriously reconsider your position on the matter. Furthermore I wish to clarify; I’m not out to gain apologies or just be a problem because I couldn’t do things “my way”. I would have happily submitted, no complaints, to the system of choice, if it were a complete system. It is not. I genuinely want future students to have a better experience and graduate knowing a better recognised system. A system that actually is used throughout the world and not just at this single university would be a good start.
up with ‘pyxidium’, ‘weta’, ‘moujik’ , ‘zo’ and ‘squiffy’. However, up steps Fred Blogs, he doesn’t really know the game (which isn’t a problem in itself), and under the new rules he could put down virtually anything: his home town, a celeb, or a particular shop he buys clothes in. ‘Beckham’ for example, scores 20 points and ‘Branjelina’ 18. Land ‘Jay-Z’ on a triple word score and you’ve got a whopping 69. Now, my fears were slightly allayed when I found out that Mattel were introducing this new board game separately. The traditional version is not affected, they say. However, to my mind, it still boils down to some hapless corporate apparatchik putting next year’s sales before the integrity and rigour of this great game. It is the challenge to Scrabble’s intellectual soul that worries me. Until now, one has had to dredge the linguistic reservoir of the mind, not simply skim the wide shallows to pick up easy points with place names, people and companies. It’s not about Lilliput, Federer or Kraft, it’s about the words our minds knit together to form language. Its proponents argue that Scrabble Trickster will provide a level playing field for less able and encourage younger people to play, apparently adding yet more popular culture to children’s lives. They can bog off. Actually, as one blogger said, Mattel can now ‘sell scrabble to stupid people as well...huge market there’. He’s right. What I fear under the new rules is that the challenge of the game will disappear and with it, any interest in language; the game loses its essence. As a young whipper snapper, I was rubbish at scrabble and thick
as a plank when it came to words, I hated the game. Nonetheless, when I played Scrabble I was made to think and was pushed intellectually. After years of mental huffing and puffing I was eventually able to use good words and subject my father to horrendous defeats on a lazy Sunday Afternoons. For me, there is no greater feeling in the world then casually laying an absolute blinder of a word down over an attractive red triple word score tile and watching my father’s reaction: his lips tighten, his eyes fill with poison under a pair of menacing eyebrows, his face turn the colour of a beetroot, and all that can be heard in the whole of the household are the words ‘YOU REVOLTING LITTLE BOY!’ That’s how exciting the game can get. I don’t mean to lambast the changes in a stuffy conservative way. Indeed, it would be wonderful to see more children and families taking an interest in words. But, I am concerned that this new game promotes interest in a false concept of language, a ‘hollow’ learning experience allowing words which I do not think lend themselves towards what I think the original Scrabble does best. To a certain extent I have underestimated how much Scrabble can contribute to learning. When I think about it, I owe a great deal to Scrabble for allowing my affair with the English language to blossom. Personally, I will always prefer a ‘gerund’ to a ‘Gerrard’, a ‘keloid’ to a ‘Kellogg’ and a ‘clog’ to a ‘Clegg’. Whether right or wrong on this issue, I will never be lost for words.
Sincerely Dominic Small
Yours, Max Norman
Welcome to the Third Term
Tristan Barclay Editor
A new term starts and, like every other society in Exeter, Exeposé has an entirely new committee. And, like students across the city, Exeposé editors returned to university a fortnight ago to face the terror of the third term. These seven weeks could, quite possibly, be the most important of a student’s life. Whether you have a dissertation to hand in, final exams to sit, or a new society to set up, the final term brings with it real responsibilities and decisions. Gone is the problem of whether to do Arena or Mosaic on a Monday; in its place might be a decision over a job. However, 2010’s third term is as much a transition term for the University as it is for its students. Take a quick walk around the Streatham campus and you’ll see the now towering shell of the INTO Centre on Stocker Road, the newly fenced off Great Hall, the gated Main Library and the system of trenches surrounding Lafrowda. It’s funny how things change. What was once a campus of greenery and trees is now a campus of cranes and workmen. The sound of drilling pierces the library walls, whilst nearly every road is guarded by a man in a fluorescent jacket. With exams and dissertations on the minds of students, these building works are, needless to say, unwanted distractions for the people that the University serves. This is not to say that Exeposé disapproves of the ultimate goal of the huge investment in the Streatham campus. If this university is to cement its reputation as one of the country’s leading institutions, it certainly
needs improved facilities. The Main Library is currently too small, teaching rooms in certain buildings are tatty and lack equipment, and there are never enough computers and printers when large essay deadlines loom. Undoubtedly the Forum and associated new buildings will benefit all who join the University in the future; it’s just a horrible shame that the current student body is suffering as a result. Coupled with the distraction of construction work is the experiment of Exeter’s first seven week term. After a month of vacation, we return to find our exams crammed into the final weeks of May, with subjects such as History having their first exams just four days after dissertation deadlines for third year undergrads. All in all, this is not an ideal year to be a final year student at the University of Exeter. When the dust of exams settles, it is quite likely that Exeter will revert to its holiday, ghost town-like state even earlier than normal. With friends leaving for internships and holidays abroad, the summer social scene might well disappear, leaving just Wimbledon, the football World Cup and a television for entertainment. But that’s a morbid thought. This being Exeter, I don’t really expect these problems to spoil our summer fun. Although people have work to do, there are still a lot of things to enjoy; the beach, the Lemmy pool, picnics on the Cathedral Green, and the Touch Duckes rugby and rounders festival. So good luck with the exams, hopefully the dissertations went in ok, and with a bit of luck there will be enough time left in early June to celebrate the end of it all.
Thanks to all those who helped proofread this issue: Alex Moss, Ellie Busby, Charlie Marchant, Ellie Staefel, Rosie Scudder, Calum Baker, Rachel Bayne, Dominic Small, Alice Scoble-Rees, David Brake, Zoë Dickens, Laura Buttrick, Ellie Bothwell, Jacob Moffatt, Laura Le Brocq, Henry White, Adam Walmesley and Columba Achilleos-Sarrl.
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may 10 2010
Exeposé
www.exepose.com
Features Delivering Democracy live on television
For the first time in history, the leaders of the main political parties have allowed themselves to be streamlined live on television. Kate Davison discusses.
WORLDWIDE, 10.4 million ‘I agree with Nick’ t-shirts have been sold and, thanks to the PrimeMinisterial debates, no one is in doubt as to which ‘Nick’ these t-shirts refer. The debates have changed the face of British politics, as two became three in the race for Government Office. Just 90 minutes of prime time television undid almost five years of David Cameron’s modernisation efforts to get his Party’s nose ahead of the pack. A 12-point overnight swing in the polls saw Nick Clegg’s Liberal Democrats brush past
Labour to take second place, just three points behind the Tories. The debates have become the campaign. They dominate the news cycle, so that after a weekend of analysis of the last debate, the new week brings build-up to the next. It seems less of a campaign and more of a drama, played out in hotly anticipated weekly episodes. Speaking in 1963, Conservative Minister Alec Douglas-Home, suggested that television debates would turn our politicians into actors. His words, in some respects, seem strikingly prophetic. The Thursday night clashes have underlined the importance of a politician’s public role, where their ability to communicate with voters has been reinforced as a bastion of their power. The high stakes demanded a rigorous rehearsal and each leader stockpiled an armoury of set pieces, phrases and quips; honed and readied for tactical deployment. But there is an interest in identity that runs far deeper, and which preceded the debates. In the mass media age, the struggle to project the right image has gone
from Harold Wilson and his pipe, via Mrs Thatcher’s ‘iron lady’ alter ego, to today’s leaders’ clash over, of all things, biscuit preference. Surely they know that even the most diehard digestive devotee, would waive in a potential Prime Minister, a penchant for the humble hobnob? The seemingly endless post-debate punditry reflects this image fixation, with analysis of everything from hands in pockets to ‘lip-licks’, though it remains unclear whether either precludes PrimeMinisterial aptitude. There are, in this campaign, issues of far greater
Money makes the world go round
importance, and, let it be said, of far greater interest to voters. But this is where the debates have played their strongest card. For once a week, our leaders discuss policy. They refute and engage arguments, and ideological differences emerge. It is easy to be cynical. A healthy scepticism might be useful; these men are adept at framing their answers in terms of the policies they want to get across. But there is too much cynicism. The leaders speak directly to the public and their words are unfiltered by the media. In a world of second hand knowledge, the chance to listen to what a party leader says, and make a decision based on that and not on how a journalist has told us to interpret something, is valuable. Beyond their position on issues, the debates meet the public desire to judge the candidates’ competence, performance and personality – all of which might reasonably suggest how they would operate in office. Arguably, this is justified as part of the campaign, as the public should be informed about factors on which it bases its decisions. Perhaps what we want in a
Prime Minister is changing. Perhaps the debates have turned British politics presidential. Perhaps there will be people in the 643 other constituencies wondering why Brown, Clegg and Cameron are not on their ballot papers. But still, informing the electorate just before the election the debates represent a service to democracy. They have revived an interest in politics and engaged people with the election. Not unlike another drama that plays out on prime-time TV, ‘Everyone’s talking about it’.
Sion Davies discusses the new and most effective fast-track to getting the job of your dreams
STUDENTS graduating over the next few years face a job market entrenched in the worst recession for decades. Internships, the prize of the fortunate few, carry more clout than ever before. A successful placement can assuage fears of undergraduate unemployment - or so the glossy graduate recruitment websites of global firms would have us believe. Over the past year a worrying revelation has come to the fore: firms are auctioning off their placements. An internship at Rothschild investment bank will cost £1,500, whilst another at Christie’s auction house went for £4,600. The fact that doting parents will go to such extremes, paying anything up to £8000 per placement, to give their children a head start is a worrying sign of the times. The Daily Telegraph estimated
in 2009 that the numbers of placement purchasers are well in to the hundreds. Placement selling is fast becoming a lucrative business, hinting that such morally dubious practice could become even more widespread in the next few years. Current leader of the field is the idealistically named ‘University of Dreams’. The ‘University’s’ sole promise is to remove all conventional barriers to work experience, such as tests of aptitude and talent. Their customers gain the hot positions, at the expense of those possibly more skilled, but also more financially modest. A quick scan of the ‘University of Dreams’ website, and you could be forgiven for thinking you are asked to choose a summer holiday. Visitors are invited to ‘select your destination’ from a list of exotically presented business locations.
Placements are available on a plate, at the click of a button, and utterly divorced from the gritty reality that accompanies most graduates’ scramble for work. The site owners do seem to be living in Dreamland; perhaps it is more aptly named than first given credit. One company eulogised that “UoD has consistently found us amazing and talented interns. These individuals had so much energy and passion.” So passionate, energetic and talented were these individuals, they had to pay businesses to take them. Maybe such criticism is a little harsh. Given the concern that most parents share for the welfare and future of their children, it could be argued that to buy placements is a natural response. The blame for imbalance lies elsewhere: with the firms themselves. Graduate recruit-
ment websites paint an idealised portrait of a perfect prospective employee: smart, pragmatic, confident, the list is endless. The hypocrisy of such multinationals is both obvious and baffling: their stance seems to be that you should be this person, or give a few grand and that’s fine too. In fairness, one look at the culprits involved in such underhand practice and should we really be surprised? One of the key examples used here is Rothschild’s: an investment bank, and hardly a beacon of moral fortitude in our society. Perhaps the best advice for students and NEETS (not in education, employment or training) to heed is honing those skills employers really want. In the end, businesses might end up paying you – and not the other way round!
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Exeposé Week twenty five features@exepose.com
The spread of infectious disease
Features
Research shows that human activity plays an increasing role in the spread of infectious disease. Tom August, a PhD student in the school of Biosciences, explores.
IN 2009, the world was unexpectedly hit by the rapid spread of swine flu, a highly infectious and contagious influenza virus, for which there was no vaccination. Although the virus has a very low mortality rate due to the number of people that were infected, the death total rose close to 18,000. However, swine flu is not the only disease to have unexpectedly jumped the species barrier to humans. In 2003, Serve Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) emerged in Guangdong province, China. The subsequent epidemic spread to 26 countries infecting over 8,000 people, which resulted in the death of one in ten of those who were infected. In Malaysia in 1999, workers on a pig farm began exhibiting flulike symptoms which later progressed to neurological symptoms and caused death in up to 70% of cases. T h e local pig population was found to be infected with a disease called Nipah virus and the entire pig herd, estimated at a value of $120million (£79.5 million), was slaughtered in an attempt to stop it spreading further. The outbreak was contained, but the cost both economically and in human life was high. All diseases have evolved to successfully infect their chosen host and consequently are highly specialised. These diseases, which cause organisms such as viruses and bacteria, acquire genetic mutations hundreds of thousands of times faster than humans. These mutations allow the diseases to evolve quickly which increases
their chances of jumping the species barrier. This is not the only trick up their sleeve. Certain viruses, including influenza and coronavirus (the virus responsible for SARS,) are able to swap large segments of their genetic code with other related viruses in a process called reassortment. By swapping genes, these viruses are able to change dramatically to infect new hosts whose immune systems are ill prepared to combat them. It was this biological reassortment process which caused pig, bird and human influenza viruses which resulted in swine flu. We can speculate
that this same process may have contributed to the Spanish flu outbreak in 1918 which caused the death of up to 40 million people. The disease, however, is only half of this complex biological story. In the case of SARS and swine flu there is another important factor at work. For a disease to physically get from one host to another it needs the appropriate contact. For example, many human viruses are transmitted in droplets exhaled when we cough or sneeze. Normally, contact between humans and wild animals is limited which reduces the opportunity for diseases to jump ship. However, in recent
times this has started to change. In China, SARS is thought to have originated through bats infecting animals kept in cramped conditions at markets. Firstly, the disease spread across just the animals and their handlers. Within months, it then spread globally through our increased modern transport systems. Swine flu, on the other hand was made more likely to circulate freely through the use of intensive farming procedures which bring the domestic pig population into regular contact with humans. These are not the only examples of human activity contributing to past zoonoses. The list goes on: El Niño is thought to have been a factor in the emergence of Hantavirus from rodents in North America, deforestation has caused increased h u m a n malaria in the Amazon b a s i n , f o r e s t
fragmentation resulted in higher levels of Lyme disease in the USA and changes in agricultural practices have led to a increase in cases of schistosomiasis in western Africa. Continued research into wildlife diseases highlights the increasing role we play in their transmission. Although not all zoonoses can be attributed to humans, a more responsible approach to forest management, land development and intensive farming may help reduce the rate at which these diseases emerge. It is also hoped that increased surveillance of wildlife populations for diseases, will give us an insight into what the next zoonoses might be. This will hopefully help us take preventative action, and prepare in case the disease begins to spread.
Our Top Ten Stories
1. General Election 2010 It has been one of the tightest and most controversial election contests in history, with live televised debates broadcast for the first time. What with ‘bigots’ for Brown, £2.50 cake tins for Clegg and an egg chucking for Cameron, the campaign has not lacked drama. Massively increased exposure for Nick Clegg has elevated the Liberal Democrats to national prominence for the first time in years, and more first time voters are expected to have voted in this election than ever before. 2. Legal High Upgraded The popular party drug Mephedrone, once easily available online, was reclassified to become a Class B drug in April. This was despite the resignation of Dr Polly Taylor, who became the 7th government adviser to quit over rows about drug use in England.
3. Volcanic Ash and Mass Disruption For the first time in history, British airspace was closed after volcanic ash from an Icelandic volcano filled the skies. The disaster caused havoc for Easter holiday-makers and cost airlines over £100 million a day. 4. Polish Plane Crash Kills President On April 10 the President of Poland, Lech Kaczynski, was killed in a plane crash along with eighty nine of the country’s political, military and financial elite. The controversial right-wing President and his entourage were travelling to commemorate the Katyn massacre in Russia. The new Polish Presidential elections will no doubt be affected, as Kaczynski’s Law and Justice Party seek a new candidate and go head to head with Donald Tusk, who represents the Civic Platform Party. 5. Collateral Murder Video Released By Wikileaks On April 5 2010 Wikileaks released a sought-after video which the US military court had previously tried to suppress. The video showed US soldiers mistakenly gunning down Iraqi civilians and two Reuters employees, when they believed themselves to be under attack. Reuters had requested the video after the incident occurred in 2007, using the Freedom of Information Act, but had permission denied by the US authorities. When the video was released, Wikileaks was declared to be a threat to national security and threatened with closure.
6. Nuclear Anxiety Thaws for US and Russian Relations On April 8th, President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a nuclear-arms agreement which stated both powers would slash their nuclear arms capacity by a third. This paved the way for the conference to discuss the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which will be held in New York over May. The conference is being attended by the Iranian President Ahmadinejad, who has criticised US nuclear arms policy and defended the Iranian right to rearm. 7. Greek Economic Crisis As the drastic extent of Greek national debt is unveiled, German Chancellor Angela Merkel steps in to help the economy on behalf of the EU. 8. Louisiana Oil Slick Following an explosion on a BP drilling rig, millions of gallons of crude oil have leaked into the Gulf of Mexico. 5,000 barrels of oil a day are being released into the sea and it could take weeks to recover the escaped oil. The US administration have stated that BP is ‘ultimately responsible’ for cleaning it up. Catastrophe for the marine wildlife looks set to be inevitable and BP has had $20 billion (£13.7 billion) wiped from its market value. 9. Hopes for Unification Of Cyprus Shattered by New President In the election of April 18, rightwing hardliner Dervis Eroglu was voted into office as President of the unrecognised Turkish republic of Cyprus. Analysts speculate that Erodglu may block United Nations negotiations to resolve the island’s status. This could reverse all previous efforts to unite northern and southern Cyprus. 10. Five Years Since Birth of YouTube Within five years, YouTube has progressed from a small business run by the efforts of Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim, to streaming more than one billion videos globally. On April 23 2005 ,Karim uploaded the first YouTube Video: a 19 second clip ‘Me at the Zoo.’ The site is now owned by Google.
Break free
with a postgraduate degree
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Exeposé week twenty five features@exepose.com
A lesson in political rhetoric from Michael Gove
Features
Michael Gove, Conservative MP for Surrey Heath, spoke to Columba Achilleos-Sarll, Features Editor, about his political career, tuition fees and the role of students within the political arena.
In the middle of a frenzied and hotly contested election campaign, the then Conservative Shadow Secretary for Children, Schools and Families, Michael Gove, agreed to speak to Exeposé. Composed, confident and charismatic, Gove talked openly about his own political career, tuition fees and the role of students within the political arena. The son of a fishmonger, who went to both state and private schools, Michael Gove is not what you might expect from your average Conservative politician. Ever since Gove was unexpectedly elected MP for Surrey Heath in 2005, his career has taken off with amazing rapidity, and has become a prime member of David Cameron’s team. Gove is happy to admit that he first got into politics because of a dare: “I think the main instigation [for becoming a politician] was the fact I had been a journalist for a while, and had spent quite a lot of time
shouting from the sidelines,” Gove says. “I was someone being paid to be opinionated.” Then several of his friends, already in politics, presented Gove with a challenge: “They said if you feel so strongly about these things, why don’t you put the rest of you where your mouth is, instead of just raging from the sidelines? “ “You know, if someone dares you to do something like that, it seems cowardly not to.” With that, Gove was
propelled into his political career. Since getting involved with politics, Gove has become increasingly interested in the implementation of policy – or, “the nuts and bolts of how you bring about change.” Yet, the ease with which Gove says he embarked on a political career seems a far cry from today’s student realities of economic doom and gloom, unrecognisable from the fierce competition for graduate jobs and internships. Gove advises any student interested in a political career to gain work experience alongside a local MP, think tank, advocacy group or charity, saying we live in a, “realistic environment.”
“Being an MP means being given the chance to be a voice for the voice less and vulnerable, an advocate for the powerless and overlooked” “I think the critical thing is to spend time within an environment where enough of your idealism finds an outlet, but at the same time in a realistic environment so that you can see there is always an element of drudgery, but certainly hard graft alongside the excitement, fascination and the capacity to make a difference” . This, Gove continues, “will give you a glimpse into the lifestyle, and you can decide if the mix of both the boring and fascinating aspects of a political career is sufficiently enticing”. Gove’s answers do exude withering intellect and a clear passion for politics. He believes fervently in the political system and maintains that, “being an MP means being given
the chance to be a voice for the issues, like the free world versus voiceless and vulnerable, an communism, the miner strikes advocate for the powerless and versus Thatcherism.” overlooked.” However, I was not With the troubles of the current sure how far his party politics economic situation, Gove knows would encourage such optimism there may not be much for students in the rest of us. Neither the to shout about. Whilst he seems to Conservative nor the Labour empathise with graduates in their manifestos during the election early twenties, Gove’s policies campaign have stated what will towards university education happen to tuition fees if they take lack qualification. He states: office. The Liberal Democrats, “We have to be honest. Students with their intoxicating and hopeful from wealthier backgrounds will declaration that they will phase find themselves paying more for out tuition fees within three years, university tuition, which I think is have far outweighed anything sad but unavoidable.” Gove also Labour or the Conservatives seem claims it is important “that no to offer in this policy area. Gove poorer student feels inhibited from describes party policy on these going to university as a result of issues as, “a very difficult puzzle lack of resources.” However, such that needs to be unpicked.” general statements do not give a However, surely the time for firm stance on whether he agrees party policy puzzles to be unpicked with the current government should have come long before the bursary schemes, and whether he election campaign commenced; would keep them. this is when policy aims should “Election campaigns are be cemented, crystallised and never the best time to transferred into a statistically have sustained political supportive doctrine. Gove conversations: an elecdisagrees: “Election campaigns are never the best time to have tion campaign always sustained political conversations,” has a bit of theatre and he states. “An election campaign drama” always has a bit of theatre and drama about them.” To redirect the conversation, This is followed by a hasty Gove claims that it is wrong to regression and the admission that: segment students too rigidly “I think there probably hasn’t been when vying for votes“. Of course enough effort and there should be students are going to be worried more, but it takes a bit of time.” about the cost of higher education, Still, for the two major political but they are also going to be parties to circumvent issues worried about campus issues, like important to students, including free speech and personal security. tuition fees, could be seen to shut Issues important to us all,” he down our voice. “We mustn’t shut says. out the voice of students,” Gove I could not help but wonder agrees. However, he highlights whether this was part of a the difficulties in tapping into congenial cocktail of political the student market. “Students rhetoric, or if Mr Gove truly have in many cases two bases; the believes he could stand up to the parental home and where they are scrutiny of those he considers the studying,” Gove says. “Should ‘Godfathers’ of politics: Abraham you reach students as members of Lincoln, David Lloyd George and their extended family, Winston Churchill. or as students?” Profile Before leaving him to At the same time, his young family and Gove recognises • Brought up in Aberdeen the birthday dinner the potential of of his wife, Sarah political activism in •President of the Oxford Vine, I ask whether universities, using Union he represents the face his own experience of change, or whether as a basis. “Student • Journalist for The Times he is simply wedded political life is quite and The Spectator to a particular intense. One of the Conservative ideology. things I remember • Chairman of think tank I did not catch his as a student in the Policy Exchange answer. ‘80s was that student politics were quite • Elected MP for Surrey Heath alive. There were big in 2005
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Exeposé may 10 2010
Lifestyle All the Fun of the Fest!
www.exepose.com
Your Ultimate Festival Fashion Guide, compiled by Ellie Bothwell, Music Editor.
RAISE a glass, scream until your lungs give out, hug the nearest person/tree/library book because, my friends, the festival season is upon us! Hoorah! Squelching through muddy fields, living in wet, festering clothes for days on end, and seeing great bands has got to be the best way to spend your summer. Yet, it does not come without its difficulties. “What should one wear for such occasions?”, I hear thee cry! Well, not to worry, here is your official guide to exactly that: what to wear at this summer’s festivals.
denim will transform your jeans from part of an outfit to the key piece of an outfit. However, jeans + rain is never fun, so if the weather is not looking too good go for a distressed denim jacket instead. Denim Hotpants: Whether you want to don some high-waisted cut-offs or some hipster turn-ups, hemlines are
Topman, £14
Trilby: It’s a handy sun-shield and man of the moment Matt Smith was pictured wearing one at Coachella a few weeks ago – need I say more? Rolled-up Chinos: The ultimate casual trousers. Keep it simple and stylish by opting for a dark grey.
Print/slogan T-shirt: A great way to show your inner feelings; Henry Holland opted for a sleeveless one which read: ‘PRAY FOR FASHION’ last month. If a cheeky slogan isn’t your thing, go with a print tee instead – Topman have some rather fetching animal print t-shirts if stags or alligators are your thing, or otherwise American Apparel is always a failproof bet. Distressed Denim: Unless you’ve been locked away in a cupboard for the past four months, you’ll realise that denim is everywhere. Distressed
The iPad? I’d tap that.
Summer Hat: A floppy seventies style Miss Selfridge, £18 Topshop, £22 s h o r t and sweet this season. You can even make your own out of a pair of old jeans (just remember to fray them). They’re ideal for getting a tan and a great way of avoiding overheating, they are a win-win situation. Army Shirt: A shirt is a great way to cover-up at a festival stopping sunburn during the day, and keeping you a bit warmer at night. And an
Clare Mullins, Lifestyle Editor, tries out the latest Apple gadget.
WITH the launch of Apple’s latest offering, the iPad, the most frequently asked question has been ‘why?’ Why would you need one? To owners of the iPod it’s a media player without the easy portability, to fans of the iPhone it’s an app player without the main attraction. The only people it is guaranteed to impress are those without the nimble fingers and good eyesight that Apple’s more compact gadgets require. The problem Apple is facing is that it is too successful for its own good. Each product is efficient, multifaceted and technologically innovative leading to fears that Apple has filled every gap in its own market. Critics were quick to point out faults, such as the incompatibility with Adobe Flash Player, and condemn the iPad as simply another tablet PC doomed to fail. However, as sales figures in America show, where one
army style one is bang on one of the biggest trends this season: military.
million have been sold in the four weeks since its release, the iPad has defied critics and proved that Apple is not losing touch. Over the Easter holidays I managed to find one to test out. As an Apple novice who practically has ‘I am a PC’ tattooed on my forehead, the iPad was an eye opener. What some Apple users may take for granted, but still has the power to impress any newcomer, is how usable the interface is. The years and months that Steve Jobs
and his team put into developing and refining the ‘user journey’ is one of the main reasons for the company’s success and army of loyal customers. My own Dad, a man who ordinarily has to have his text messages typed out for him, was flicking and tapping his way around the iPad within a few hours. It is simply enjoyable and easy to use. The main selling point of the iPad is an obvious one but it’s not to be underrated: the size. While the
sunhat or a modern straw number are both hot looks. Whatever you choose keep the colour neutral with either stone or mushroom. Boots: Riding boots or wellies are the best festival footwear as, let’s face it, Britain’s not blessed with the best summer weather and trench-foot is definitely not a strong look. Happy festivaling!
dimensions of the gadget may make it more inconvenient to travel with (you’d need pretty big pockets) , the size is also the primary appeal. Against the iPhone it provides a bigger and better screen for the bored commuter to watch films on, surfing the internet is a hundred times easier and the awkward one-finger typing is replaced by touch-typing straight onto the screen. Yet, not only does the iPad retain some of the best features the rotating screen, turning on at the tap of a finger - it also comes with its own Apps, the second major selling point. Whilst (and as an English student I feel obliged to say this) the e-book will never replace a good old paperback, it is liberating to be able to access an entire library in your palm. Although the iPad may be out of reach for the average student budget (I had to give mine back
Alexa Chung.
at the end of the week) it, like so many Apple gadgets, manages to seem indispensable within a very short space of time. The iPad might not have such a clear objective as previous gadgets, nor be quite so groundbreaking, but it has, without doubt, been executed with the efficiency, creativity and flair with which Apple has come to be associated. The iPad Clare tested was the 16GB, WiFi + 3G model. Weight: 0.73kg Display: 9.7 inch (diagonal) Battery: up to 10 hours The iPad is available to preorder online from Today. Price to be confirmed.
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Lifestyle
Exeposé week twenty FIVE lifestyle@exepose.com
Matt, Meerkats and Me
Esme Owen gets to know the real stars behind the advert. MY obsession with meerkats started after Aleksandr Orlov graced our TV screens last year; his furry face, cheeky accent and serious dislike for people confusing a comparison website with his own got me hooked, and I was instantly dying to see a real Aleksandr, or assistant Sergei! Having received a voucher for a ‘Meerkat Encounter’ from my younger brother for my birthday, I decided this Easter was a good time to put it to use. On April 13 at Paradise Park in North London, my family and I arrived at the zoo, where we were greeted by Matt, (or Meerkat Matt as he became known to my younger cousins and myself) and I was handed a bowl full of diced vegetables, a crunchy dog-food type biscuit and live mealworms. As eager as I was to get into the enclosure, I made it very
clear that I would not be touching the bugs - at all. Matt laughed and reassured me that I wouldn’t have to touch them, and unbolted the door to the enclosure. Stepping in, a crowd of furry creatures swarmed at my feet, and I perched on a rock whilst ‘Captain’, the Alpha meerkat, made himself comfy in the bowl I was holding, and chowed down, snarling and snapping at the other meerkats if they attempted to join him. With full tummies, the meerkats lazed in the sunshine, reclining on their hind legs to stare at planes flying overhead, and attempted to climb into my hood. Matt told me and the scores of gawping visitors some interesting facts about these crazy critters, for example, that they cannot focus on things up-close, and are able to stare almost directly at the sun.
The meerkats were very light in weight, with soft wiry fur and dainty paws, each one identifiable by the tip of their tail. What I was most impressed by was that they were actually a lot smaller than they appeared on-screen! But, in my opinion, my real-life Aleksandrs were all the more adorable for it. I was overwhelmed and didn’t want to leave. A few bites, scratches, and snuggles later, my hour was up and I had to say goodbye to ‘Captain’, ‘Picasso’, ‘Bitey’ and the gang, and to Matt the zoo keeper, who was helpful, informative and friendly. All in all, it was an amazing experience that I would definitely recommend and not only will I treasure the photographs, but the certificate that I received for doing it. New favourite brother? I think so!
Esme Owen meets the meerkats of Paradise Park, North London.
Out on the Lamb
Georgie Klein takes up an unconventional hobby.
Georgie Klein makes the most of Exeter’s oppurtunities.
I OFTEN hear people saying, “I do Community Action! I’m the President of International Society! I have 163 hours of labs to do EVERY week!” and undeniably there is a big proportion of the University that does launch itself into a dazzling array of extra curricular activities. Yet I wonder how many of us would raise a hand and admit to spending a lot of time doing a lot of nothing. This ‘nothing’, which bizarrely can make us feel simultaneously busy, tired, happy, and sad, has a way of consuming the lives of those with too much time on their hands. People such as these may, on occasion, overlook many of the opportunities that are available to them because they are too solidly rooted in an existence of the familiar. I recently had the opportunity to visit one of the many farms located just outside Exeter in time for lambing
For Richer, for poorer, we’re in it together
season. I’d been sitting stagnating in my living room with a blanket and cup of tea when an offer to help with the lambing came hurtling my unsuspecting way. Before I had time to escape I found myself agreeing to face a long night in a cold barn with rowdy sheep and messy births – something that sounded a little too much like the Nativity to me. I donned my spotty wellies and a warm hat and went on my way, adopting the mentality of, “I’ll give it a go!” Once out of the city, I was shocked as my dreary Exeter attitude disappeared to be replaced by feelings of elation. The farm was vast, beautiful and owned by probably some of the nicest people in the world. I could feel my cynicism slipping away as I realized I was enjoying myself. The weather wasn’t even particularly cold and the sheep were even – dare I admit it – kind of cute. Admittedly, when it
came to bottle feeding the lambs, they were about as eager to co-operate as children generally are, and I wound up with more milk formula over my knees than they did in their bellies. Unfortunately the story ends without any lamb births and I can admit my disappointment. However, this whimsical little experience has altered my perception of how I’m using my time, or not using my time, enough for me to realize that there are better things to do than sit around watching Hollyoaks re-runs. So I implore all of you: break out of the box, bubble, beer can or whatever it is that you find yourself stagnating in and investigate ways to stimulate your brain. There are plenty of things out there to do; pick something crazy and get involved. It will make your university experience a whole lot more memorable!
advantage of Sainsbury’s three bottles for £10 deal, and even buying a cheeky bottle of Smirnoff. Life wasn’t as clearly separated as those with money and those without. My rather wealthy flatmates seemed to live off a staple diet of eight pence noodles and got up heinously early everyday without fail to make it to breakfast. Although I often overheard comments such as, “Our mothers met at their monthly ladies luncheon in Mayfair, what a coincidence...” they tended to be closely followed by, “Let’s hit Mosaic before 9pm, it’s free entry.” The truth is, living in Holland Hall is somewhat like living in a parallel
universe where students have no qualms spending £60 on a pair of Jack Wills leggings, and yet will walk home up the gigantic hill that resembles Mount Everest at 3am (well, 1.30am, this is Exeter after all), to save £1 each for a cab. Unless my tired eyes deceived me, I definitely witnessed a red Ralph Lauren jumper-clad lad, wearing an orange boiler suit and purple high heels skip up the hill to avoid paying for the blister-saving, foot-friendly service that is the Exeter taxi. And so in keeping with this paradoxical existence, I write my final thought to you with a Tesco biro, sitting at my desk in UGG slippers.
An anonymous student discusses life in Holland Hall.
WHILST perusing Facebook recently in my standard pre-essay procrastination routine, I came across an amusing comment in the group “Overheard at Exeter University.” One rather witty student had written: Student 1: “Rah rah?” Student 2: “Rah rah rah rah.” As droll and light-hearted as this commentary was meant to be, it did get me thinking about the students of Exeter University, and in particular, Holland Hall. Since moving to Exeter, my home friends seem to never tire of cracking jokes about farmers and crops, and
tend to begin sentences addressed to me with “Alright my lurver?” However, the real truth is that here in the West Country I’m more likely to wax lyrical about bow-side rowing and white collar formal wear than start singing The Wurzels’ ‘Combine Harvester’. Initially, I thought Holland Hall would be split into two types of people: those who drank Tesco Value Vodka and those who preferred a 1965 Bordeaux. As a Value girl myself, I would not say that the people reflect the tipple, cheap and nasty, but are merely more conscious of their bank balance and live life on a budget.
Having arrived at university, the first few black tie formals did little to change my opinion of the privately educated residents of Holland Hall. I quickly learnt that it was always a ‘dinner jacket’ and never a ‘tuxedo’ (a coarse American word apparently), and the answer to the question “Where is your dress from?” is likely to be responded to with “A boutique in West Kensington.” It was difficult to compete with that sporting Hennies. However, as time went by, I came to realise that these Moet et Chandon drinkers did not display continual allegiance to their chosen brand, there had been sightings of shoppers taking
Graduate study at Maastricht University:
Dreaming spires without spiraling debt
The Times recently described studying at Maastricht University as ‘life amid the dreaming spires of Maastricht’ and rightly made the link to the famous UK universities that share this characteristic. At Maastricht University students can expect to follow Masters programmes which are excellent in terms of research and education and rated accordingly in various international publications. Indeed the University could be called a Ratings high flier rising as it did 60 places in just one year in the Times Higher Education Supplement of the top two hundred universities. The university leaped from 172nd position in 2006 to 116th in 2009. This year our School of Business and Economics was rated by the Financial Times as the 29th best Business School in Europe for the management programmes offered.
The university is international in location and in terms of students and staff. It is situated in the heart of Europe and attracts students from all the surrounding countries and much further afield. Most of the Master courses are in English and take place in small groups following the innovative Problem Based Learning method of teaching which fosters teamwork and leadership skills. Employers value Maastricht students highly for their knowledge and ability to work together constructively in teams. Academic and Career prospects are excellent for our students. There are still places available at the university for a range of Master courses. This is expected to be a stark contrast to the UK where the economic crisis is leading to dramatic increases in postgraduate applications. In addition to the high standard of our education and research the fees charged by the University are only a fraction of those charged by UK universities. The Dutch government sets the fee levels that universities can charge. Many Master courses in the area of finance and management in the UK cost between 8-18,000 pounds per year whereas they cost 1620 Euros at Maastricht. Students can expect proven research and educational quality at the university without the debt mountain that they would have after studying in the UK.
Simon John Burns, PhD student “Prior to my arrival in the Netherlands, I had only ever come across the name ‘Maastricht’ whilst studying the EU as part and parcel of my undergraduate degree in Political Science. I had no idea it also played host to a University whose academic reputation was gaining in stature, year on year. The cities association with the infamous EU treaty played no small part in my decision to enroll on the European Studies Masters Programme; a course which thoroughly prepares students for the trials and tribulations life outside the classroom inevitably entails. Throughout my time here, I myself and my fellow students have been introduced to modules concerning law, economics, politics, sociology and history. This interdisciplinary approach to teaching ensures students are well versed in the process of producing written and oral work of a high standard, by the time preparation of an MA thesis begins in early May. This 15000 word piece of independent research allows the student to apply the analytical tools gained throughout the year and put them in to a practice, studying a topic which is of particular interest to them. I myself believe that the unique blend of both independent and group work practiced within courses here at Maastricht, provides students with a far more rounded educational experience than they may otherwise receive at Universities that do not pursue the innovative, ‘problem based learning approach’ of studying. The vast majority of Masters Courses here at the University are taught in English, and adopt the same philosophy with regards to how best prepare students for life after graduation as I myself have experienced within my own area of interest. Attending Maastricht University has without a doubt represented a fantastic venture for me, as I feel vindicated in my decision to think outside the box a little, and follow an educational route often avoided by my national compatriots. In light of my own experience, I encourage students to also embrace the array of opportunities available this side of the English channel!“
English-taught Bachelor’s and Master’s Programmes: Internationally recognised and renowned Enjoy Maastricht’s beauty and student life Competitive tuition fees: € 1672/year 2010 Single year Master’s programmes For further information or to receive one of a range of brochures, please contact us via:
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16
may 10 2010
Exeposé
www.exepose.com
Music Upcoming
10/5 - The Swellers & Paddy Johnstone, Cavern Club 11/5 - The Futureheads, Cavern Club
12/5 - Ellie Williams, Francis & The Drakes, plus DJs Loic & Alex, Mama Stones 13/5 - Sound of Guns & Sancho Panzer, Cavern Club 13/5 - Luka Bloom, Exeter Phoenix
14/5 - Sandi Thom, Exeter Phoenix
14/5 - Kids In Glass Houses, The Lemon Grove 14/5 - The House Band featuring Kat Savage and Kat Marsh, Mama Stones 15/5 - Mad Dog Mcrea plus Roger Styles, Mama Stones 16/5 - Dan Crisp plus Jam Night, Mama Stones 16/5 - Trembling Bells, Phoenix, Voodoo Lounge
Exeter
16/5 - Tommy Castro Band, Exeter Phoenix 17/5 - Metal Mondays! – Vanadium / Cambion / These Ruins / Caesura, Cavern Club 17/5 - Young Devon Event, Mama Stones 19/5 - The Damned, Exeter Phoenix 19/5 - Richard James, Mama Stones 21/5 - The Martin Harley Band, Exeter Phoenix 21/5 - The House Band featuring Paul Avez & Kat Marsh, Mama Stones 22/5 - Zero 7 & The Herbaliser (DJ Sets), Exeter Phoenix 22/5 - Graffitti plus Willie & The Bandits, Mama Stones 23/5 - Dan Crisp plus Jam Night, Mama Stones
MUSIC COMPETITION
Win the chance to interview a festival headliner for Exeposé.
This summer, expect the serene fields of Cumbria to be invaded by one of the UK’s most exciting music festivals, Kendal Calling. Celebrating its fifth birthday this year, the line-up boasts Doves, The Coral, Calvin Harris, Badly Drawn Boy, British Sea Power, Wild Beasts, The Futureheads, OK Go and The King Blues. From the same team is also born Standon Calling, the fancy dress festival for alternative music lovers. The theme this year is ‘Murder on the Standon Express’ and the line-up is truly to die for. It includes Buena Vista Social Club, Liars, These
New Puritans, Gilles Peterson, Joe Gideon & The Shark and A Hawk & A Hacksaw. Exeposé have two tickets to giveaway for each festival. Just answer one of the questions below and you and a friend could be going to Kendal Calling (July 30 - August 1, Lowther Deer Park, Lake District) or Standon Calling (August 6-8, Standon, Hertfordshire) to interview one of the headliners for Exeposé. Send your entry to music@exepose. com. Only one entry per person and each person must only enter for one of the festivals.
For Kendal Calling: Which city are OK Go from? a) New York b) Los Angeles c) Chicago OR
For Standon Calling: What is the name of Liars’ debut album? a) Liars b) They Threw Us All in a Trench and Stuck a Monument on Top c) And Then We Went to the Library and Drank Green Tea
MUSIC INTERVIEW
Ellie Bothwell and Ben Murphie, Music Editors, talk to Bombay Bicycle Club about their new acoustic album, Beyoncé, and why “Indie’s kind of dying, yeah.”
Bombay Bicycle Club have risen to prominence over the last year after the release of debut album, I Had the Blues But I Shook Them Loose. Following successful appearances at Reading and Leeds music festivals, they have fast become the darlings of the indie music scene. We spoke to guitar player Jamie MacColl and bassist Ed Nash mere hours before their gig at HMV Forum. Starting out as what Jamie refers to as “your standard indie-pop” band, they have moved on from writing about “teenage trials and tribulations” and have developed a sound which has become more refined. It is for this that readers have voted them ‘Best New Band’ at the NME awards this year, with NME also inviting them on their Shockwaves tour, along with The Maccabees, The Big Pink and The Drums. Jamie talks of how “it was very different to everything else we’d done before tour-wise. It was quite nice to be surrounded by a lot of people and not just your band.” They particularly enjoyed The Maccabees, who they have “talked to a few times since” and from the tour found they “appreciate The Big Pink a lot more,” saying “a lot of people have just heard ‘Dominoes’, and there’s more to them than that.” Cutting their teeth in Crouch End they grew up listening to “stuff like The Strokes, and quite a lot of American/Canadian indie, like Broken Social Scene and Modest Mouse.” Their tastes have stayed the same but the scene has changed and they “don’t really listen to [...] contemporary British indie music”
at the moment. “After big bands like Razorlight and Bloc Party came out, after the first wave, there was like a second wave of shit,” Ed says. “Indie’s kind of dying, yeah.” Jamie reflects how part of this comes from a new found respect for pop music: “I think people like Beyoncé [...] raise the bar so much higher than a lot of indie bands. Where you had [...] Bloc Party and the Kaiser Chiefs sort of in the charts [that] was a really bad time for pop music.” As the nephew of Kirsty MacColl, most famous for singing ‘Fairytale of New York’ with The Pogues, we wondered whether this was a big inspiration for Jamie as a child. “If anything, it’s probably made me not want to do it and I definitely didn’t want to be a musician when I was
younger and I still don’t know if this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.” Music is not “the sole focus of any of our lives.” He’s also interested in Classics and earned a place at Exeter University. “It looks really nice, it’s cool.” Do you think the music industry has changed? “Yeah, it’s really hard to make money in it now, to make a living [...] you only really get one chance. I think [...] you don’t really get a chance to evolve or anything now. It’s not a good time to be going into the music industry. The future is very uncertain.” They tell us about the new acoustic album to be released in July, which is “just an off-shoot” of what they’re doing, buying them “a bit more time to make a very good second album.” It is made up of songs that
Ed says, “we’ve always had [...]flying around, and we thought we’d do something special with. Jack’s also a very prolific, acoustic songwriter,” he adds. All that remains is choosing a title: “Got any suggestions? We’re kinda struggling.” With lots of dates confirmed on the festival circuit this year, Ed is particularly excited about Ibiza Rocks, “because… it’s in Ibiza.” They’re not so enthralled, however, about the Glastonbury line-up, with Jamie dubbing “U2 and Muse, a bit uninspiring.” Their tour ends with gigs planned in more alternative venues, including their favourite venue, the Union Chapel in London. Last year they “tried to do like a small acoustic tour where our fans chose the venues. We played at the most interesting ones. We played at a Norwich puppet theatre, and this one guy was like, ‘yeah, I run this mine’,” remembers Ed. “It was like this weird 19th century replica village,” Jamie says, “the mine was part of that, and we got to dress up as…” “You were a miner and I was a sailor,” Ed quips. Despite their love for the eccentric, playing in such unusual venues does have its drawbacks; “I didn’t have anything to play, I played the egg-shaker for four days!” Ed reminisces. Understandably, they still enjoy playing to larger crowds as “sometimes it’s nice to have a big ego boost and play in front of two or 3,000 people.” Yet, only a year ago they “were playing to 140 people or something like that. It’s good to think about it because it keeps you grounded.”
17
Music
Exeposé week twenty five music@exepose.com
FESTIVAL PREVIEWS
Ellie Bothwell and Ben Murphie, Music Editors, take a look at this summer’s hottest festivals.
Isle of Wight Festival, 1113 June, Seaclose Park, Newport
The Isle of Wight Festival has one of the most exciting lineups of this summer: The Strokes, Jay-Z, Paul McCartney, Blondie, Florence + The Machine, Doves and Biffy Clyro all take to the stage for what promises to be a truly memorable three days. For New York rockers The Strokes, this will be their first performance in four years – expect classic indie anthems such as ‘Reptilia’ and ‘Last Nite’ exploding from speaker stacks all over hordes of screaming hipsters. For hip hop fans, Jay-Z is set to swagger on stage, and after his now legendary 2008 Glastonbury performance, his set is bound to impress. If that’s not enough for you, Isle of Wight is going back to its 1970s roots with style icon Debbie Harry and rock legend Paul McCartney adding a touch
of retro glamour. If you are looking for a great way to spend the summer whilst chilling out to your favourite tunes get your Weekend Camping tickets now, disappearing fast for £150 a piece. Remember, ‘all you need is love’, but if you want to go a bit further this summer, go to The Isle Of Wight Festival.
Beach Break Live, 14-18 June, Pembrey Country Park, South Wales
With only 17,500 tickets making for an exclusive beach party setting, look forward to seeing Vampire Weekend, Chase and Status and Plan B so close you can see the sweat dripping from their brows. You’ll also find Ellie Goulding and Dan le sac vs Scroobius Pip at Beach Break Live this year, as well as Exeter’s very own talent show winners Schmoks and Yoks. If raving it up to the sound of
great bands on a beach sounds like your idea of fun then this is the festival for you. You can’t afford not to go with student tickets going for £89 each!
ALBUM REVIEW
Goldfrapp - Head First
Following on from four trend-setting releases in the last decade (Felt Mountain, Black Cherry, Supernature and Seventh Tree), Goldfrapp return in 2010 with their take on the current 80’s revival: Head First. Unlike previous releases from Goldfrapp, Head First is jumping on a bandwagon rather than creating one. The ‘80s influence of the album could not be more obvious; ‘Rocket’ sounds like Pat Benatar and Van Halen’s ‘Jump’ had a child whilst the rest of the album wears its ‘80s influences on its sleeve. The problem is that
because the influences are obvious, the tracks are not as inventive as on previous Goldfrapp albums. Songs such as ‘Alive’ and ‘Believer’ are nice to listen to, but each are fairly plain pop songs and do not have the sufficient hook to make the lack of innovation worth it. Lead single ‘Rocket’ does rectify this problem somewhat with its massive swooping chorus which is undoubtedly one of Goldfrapp’s catchiest ever, and ‘I Wanna Life’ and ‘Shiny and Warm’ both add a dose of much needed energy as the album draws to a close. However, where Goldfrapp always have, and continue to shine on Head First is with their slower, more atmospheric tracks. ‘Dreaming’ and ‘Hunt’ both show a different side to the album, as their production has more depth, and the tracks don’t rely as much on ‘being ‘80s’ as others, which
Creamfields, 28-29 August, Daresbury Estate, Halton, Cheshire
ing its 13th year, the UK’s biggest dance festival has previously played host to Primal Scream and Dizzee Rascal. Never one to rest on their laurels, this year Creamfields have raided the dance cookie jar to bring you David Guetta, Deadmau5, Kissy Sell Out and Ms Dynamite. Even if the thought of a tent doesn’t enthrall you, Creamfields offers a range of structures to pass what little time you won’t be partying. From mini yurts to poppads you are guaranteed time to chill-out away from the 48hr non-stop summer clubbing experience. With several DJ-only arenas, as well as the main stage, and weekend camping costing only £100, you can have a great time without bleeding your student loan too much. Don’t forget to pack glow sticks and UV paint!
If God made dance music, Creamfields would be his church. Reach-
SINGLE REVIEW is bound to give them more longevity. It is, however, the title track which is the stand-out on the album along with ‘Rocket.’ Alison Goldfrapp’s vocals are like an instrument in that they don’t solely sing the words, they also add an extra layer to the song; and after a few listens, ‘Head First’ is the track that reveals itself to be the most interesting. The album closer, ‘Voicething’ does exactly what the title would suggest: Alison’s vocals are used as an instrument. The song has no words and instead relies on using several layers of various noises to build the song up. Although it is different and inventive, it doesn’t seem right that on an album which only has nine tracks, a song such as this deserves its place. Even with its weaknesses, it is impossible to say that Head First is a bad album. It might not be up to the standard of Goldfrapp’s previous releases, but it is an extremely fun album, and quite possibly might be one of the best things to come out of the ‘80s revival. There are enough hooks to please those into more mainstream pop music, but also enough innovation in the production for those into more alternative music.
matt eustace
Foals - This Orient
At Underage festival in 2008 I managed to catch part of Foals’ set in a tent that couldn’t cope with the size of the crowd. When lead singer Yannis Philippakis calmly leaned to the mic and in an unassuming tone said “This song is called ‘Cassius’,” it was like splitting the atom. It was the first time I had heard them or the song, but it seemed like everyone knew it and everyone loved it. By the time the song had finished, I too was converted.
However, later that same evening I listened to the song again, and whilst still catchy, it was missing that killer element. It became apparent that the riveting energy of the live performance gave the song its impetus, which unfortunately could not be captured when recorded in the studio. And that’s the main problem with ‘This Orient’, the lead single from their forthcoming second album Total Life Forever. It feels like somewhere underneath there might be a good song, but it doesn’t come across. Despite an exciting stop-start intro, it quickly descends into boring vocals and unadventurous drums, and the potential for redemption with a big chorus is not taken. A more worrying casualty of the recording process is that half the time you can’t hear the instruments. It displays a lack of confidence in their composition, a confidence that made previous songs like ‘Balloons’ and the aforementioned ‘Cassius’ still sound decent on record. ‘This Orient’ just feels halfhearted, unrefined, and most damagingly, timid.
paul williams
18
Books
MAY 10 2010
Exeposé
www.exepose.com
BOOKS FEATURE
Bored of ‘reading Politics’? James Henderson,Books Editor, argues the case for reading for pleasure amidst revision.
Yes, it is true, that when contestants on University Challenge announce they are ‘reading’ their degree, they really mean it. Degrees, now more than ever, incorporate a phenomenal amount of reading, regardless of subject matter or module choice. But where does that leave eager ‘normal readers’? So, the question arises, how is there time to maintain the hobby amongst the work and why, after hours of subject reading, would you like to do more? During this stressful exam and revision period however, even where the outlook of non-fiction readers and readers for pleasure seems darkest, there is hope. Where revision seems like forever, hope does spring eternal. Firstly, one must tackle the issue that after hours of revision reading, you probably feel like anything but picking up another book. However, this is actually a great time, as reading is and has always been an escape, certainly for me. As you become caught up in the interesting plot twists and the novel’s excitement, or perhaps even shocked by the troubles of a teenager’s vampire filled life
(we’ll say no more), you escape that exam stress, and the feeling that you should be revising and you become calm. Not only does this mean you can have a bit of ‘revision break enjoyment’ that isn’t marred by guilt but it is also a great way to ready yourself for further work, to approach with a fresh mind.
remembering of course that one man’s pleasure is another man’s poison here. If, like me, you are used to seeing 2am tick by and are not sure if 8am still exists as it did when you were young, then before bed is your time. Reading helps to relax the mind and will probably see you asleep much
“Reading is and has always been an escape, certainly for me.”
Of course, what you expect at this point is the repeated student refrain: ‘anything but more revision.’ Undoubtedly, reading for pleasure is better than reading for revision and it can help you out as well, as we have seen already, which leads nicely to the second issue to tackle. When can you get any reading done with all this work to do? Well, this is where the benefits that extend even beyond being able to fit in your usual reading for pleasure become apparent. Furthermore, these solutions can, again, actively help revision. The start and the end of the day are both great times to fit it in,
earlier than you usually would be, whilst having enjoyed the process, and enables you to wake fresh and early the next day for some good solid work - excellent! After all, the real battle during revision time is to fool your brain. If you read in bed, you have not gone to sleep, but you are in bed and unlikely to get back out. Brain fooled. Alternatively, for you crazy morning people, reading can be a great thing to do first thing. Just after breakfast, a few chapters of a good book will wake your mind up and ease it into a state ready for the drier academic readings ahead.
The Good Man Jesus and The Scoundrel Christ Phillip Pullman
If neither of these are for you, then try times that are not good for revision concentration. If you have sat a three hour exam in the morning, not much useful revision is going to be achieved immediately afterwards, especially not with the post exam Ram possibilities. The same goes for after mealtimes, as your body, to deal with the meal, enters (as I am reliably informed by my biology-keen friend) a socalled ‘rest and digest’ period - the operative word being rest. Blood is diverted away from the brain to aid the digestive process, thus trying to revise is futile. The myth that ‘I could always do more revision’ is here quashed. As long as you take the pause in the right places then you need not feel guilty. Further, the meal itself gives you the time to avoid plunging straight from your
“Whilst revision seems like forever, hope really does spring eternal”
BOOKS COMPETITION
ISBN: 1847678254
Possible to read in less than a day, it quickly becomes obvious that Pullman has an agenda in writing, as he states on the cover, this is a STORY. No doubt this is to remind the reader that his book is not a de facto version of the life of Jesus but, after finishing it, I wondered if he’d also placed it there to ensure he was not attacked or sued by one of his pet hates, the Church.
You might be forgiven for expecting Philip Pullman’s new book to be as decadent on detail and phenomenal on plot as his famous His Dark Materials works. This is certainly what I was anticipating when I impulsebought his new book, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ.
“One of the most unique and unusual stories to be produced in recent years”
The story is simple enough. I would not be surprised if some fans of his books were disappointed with the simplistic writing style and short chapters. Similarly, some Christians may find this book
offensive - at one point I found myself literally gasping at the audacity of Pullman’s opinions, given form by the character of no-one less than Jesus himself. No doubt his book is designed not to entertain but to provoke. Evident from the title, the book follows both the life of Jesus and his twin brother, Christ, one healthy and spontaneous, the other weak and philosophical. This in itself is contentious enough, but Pullman skilfully interweaves real Gospel events into his story, making it very believable as well as radical. Coupled with this, however, is Pullman’s own cynicism and bitterness where the Church is concerned, something that becomes more and more apparent as the book progresses to its tragic climax, manifested by the sinister unknown “Angel” who visits Christ in secret and eventually turns him against his own brother. The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ is by no means
textbook into a novel. After meals then, would be a great time to catch up on your current classic or new novel, as no really useful revision time is wasted. In terms of after exams, reading offers an escapism you have to concentrate to read, unlike watching television for example, and it allows you to avoid the usual post exam stress. The wonders of the currently hugely popular Stieg Larsson, for instance, would prevent you having to remember all the things you could have written in your exam and the thoughts that you might have ‘done it all wrong’ are forgotten. I finish as I started: YES, the amount of reading needed during the revision period is ridiculous, but use your hobby to help ease the pain and even to aid you. Indeed, do not forget it, because there is definitely such a thing as revision overload. Reading for pleasure should not be slain, despite the hardcore revision that inevitably must be done, even by the most notable of procrastination masters.
Pullman’s best work, or, I can imagine, the one he will be most remembered for. Despite this, it is most definitely one of the most unique and unusual stories to be produced in recent years. The combination of Gospel fact and creative license comes together in the most controversial and bombastic way possible in this book. Through it, Pullman is commenting not only on Christianity’s origins and ideals, but on the present-day corruption and issues facing the Church. It is very easy, as with most of Pullman’s books, to forget that this really is just a story, and I have no doubt that this will only strengthen his image as some kind of religion-hating anti-Christ. If you can read this book without any preconceptions however, you will find it both interesting and thought-provoking. EMma Pritchard
For our first and thus best competition of this year’s Exeposé team, we are giving you the chance to win a copy of Peter Vegas’ absolutely hilarious coffee table must-have sketch book Badly Drawn Planet. All you have to do is draw a funny doodle or sketch depicting or mocking the horrors of exam revision, and send it to books@exepose.com. The funniest entry wins, simple as that! Closing date for submissions is Tuesday May 18. Good Luck!
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Exeposé WEEK Twenty five books@exepose.com
Lolita
Vladimir Nabokov ISBN: 0140264078
Lolita, Lola, Dolly, Dolores Haze… a 12 year old object of desire and Nabokov’s masterpiece. Lolita is the tale of one man’s infatuation with pre-pubescent girls, ‘nymphets’, and one in particular, Lolita, the daughter of his landlady.
Due to its controversial nature, the novel was difficult to publish in 1959; to this day its topic remains as possibly the last taboo. The story is narrated by the man in question, a European intellectual in America, who refers to himself by the pseudonym ‘Humbert Humbert’ and is writing his memoirs as a sort of witness statement to the “ladies and gentlemen of the jury.” As such, we are put in the position of the jury, free to judge him, and yet hear only his version of events. He charts his life from his first infatuation with a ‘nymphet’ when he himself was just a boy in Switzerland, up to the point when, middle-aged, he meets Lolita. Extremely manipulative, Humbert Humbert goes on to marry Lolita’s mother, in order to get close to her
offspring. With the mother soon out the way, Humbert’s attempt to seduce his stepdaughter is intensified as they set off on one of the great American traditions - the road trip. Lolita is beautifully and poetically written; as Humbert puts it, “you can always count on a murderer for a fancy prose style,” and offers a fascinating insight into a troubled mind. Humbert is offensive in every way, but his ‘memoirs’ are brilliant and funny – paranoid yet seemingly guiltless at the same time, they explore so many mixed feelings and ideas. Although Humbert knows that society would condemn him, he never excuses himself and doesn’t really believe that he lacks a conscience – he is simply “an artist and a madman.” He justifies his
crimes so eloquently that at times we almost fall for his pretext, which is of course his aim as the novel is supposedly his defence in court. The occasional flashes of guilt Humbert experiences are exposed in the varying depictions of Lolita: she shifts periodically from temptress to helpless victim. As the two travel crosscountry, Humbert journeys deeper and deeper into mad never-ending lust, as Lolita goes from forbidden, to possession, to loss. Although its story is well known, with multiple film variations around, there is much more to Lolita than this. The text is so rich and beautifully crafted, and its characters so iconic, that it deserves to be read and re-read.
refuse the dare and made sure I finished every final word. The secret is that once you get started, it’s not so difficult to finish. In fact, it’s a genuinely enjoyable and rewarding experience. While it is a work far too broad and lengthy to summarise, or even to focus on a particular character, it’s certainly one which deserves the breathless reverence many literary critics seem to bestow upon it. At its centre is the story of Natasha Rostov and Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, overseen by Pierre Bezukhov, though the main thread stretches as far as Napoleon himself on several occasions. Romance, secret societies, and even a few misty eyes at its climax. Yes, it’s a marathon in paper format, but by the time you collapse at the end of the novel,
gasping for breath, it’s impossible not to feel as deeply involved with the events of Russia in 1812 as the characters themselves.
through them it’s not as if anyone will ever know. Of course, if you’re in search of a light read, you might want to think twice before flexing your muscles and heaving War and Peace off the shelf. It does take some commitment, as well as a great deal of bribery in the form of chocolate to get past the denser sections. If you’re looking for dramatic relationships, bloody, passionate battles and policemen tied to bears, however, don’t let its resemblance to a hefty brick turn you off. Even if you don’t finish, you’ve probably managed to get further than the majority of the population - and you’ll have a menacing projectile into the bargain.
author of the heartbreaking story The Notebook. Romantic and yet heart-achingly tragic at the same time. The prologue sets the mood and you begin reading with the knowledge that it will not be a fairytale ending which, yes I will admit, I always hope for in the ending of a novel. However, what this novel does do is blossom into a story of enduring and unselfish love which does give an uplifting feeling by the end, even if it is not the happy ending the reader obviously roots for. Completely lost in knowing what to do with his life, angry rebel John Tyree enlists in the army straight out of high school. However,
a chance encounter with Savannah, ‘the girl of his dreams’, causes his life to turn upside down and here introduces the two main characters of the novel. They fall in love and when John returns to finish his tour of duty, Savannah vows to wait for him. However, 9/11 occurs and the prolonged distance and time apart puts a toll on their relationship, and the questions of ‘what if?’ begin. From this point onwards, things start to go wrong and John must choose between love and serving his country. By the end, the novel demonstrates how love has changed John through his understanding of selfless love: “I finally understood what true love meant... love meant
Emerald Maxwell
Condensed Classic
War and Peace Leo Tolstoy
books
Bestseller List 1. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest Stieg Larsson Blomkvist, Salander et al fight political corruption.
2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Stieg Larsson Computer hacker and journalist investigate a cold case.
ISBN: 1853260622
War and Peace. The book everyone owns and has every intention of reading, but finds far too useful as a doorstop to begin the project right now. When I was generously given a copy, I couldn’t
Dear John
Nicholas Sparks ISBN: 0751539260
From the moment I began reading, I knew this was going to be a typical Nicholas Sparks novel,
“Don’t let its resemblance to a hefty brick turn you off” Rather than the dramatic finale readers might expect, Tolstoy instead crowns his masterpiece with an essay on his theories of the eponymous themes. For some, this might seem a poor reward for the time taken to reach the end, but as an intellectual insight into an author renowned across the world these closing words are priceless. Besides, if you skim
Lyndsey TucketT
that you care for another person’s happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choices you face might be.” Cue Sparks’ trademark heart-wrenching ending. Overall, I would describe Dear John as a light read which I did enjoy but it is not challenging and is definitely no Tolstoy or Emily Brontë in the making. The first half of the story is great and I was completely engrossed but when the ‘Dear John’ letters begin, it does start to slide slightly. However, with summer close approaching it is the perfect beach read which will give you a few hours to escape into innocent love, if nothing else. Emma Pritchard
3. Hard Girls Martina Cole DCI Annie Carr and Kate Burrows pursue a killer targeting prostitutes.
4. The Girl Who Played With Fire Stieg Larsson When Salander is framed, Blomkvist tries to prove her innocence.
5. Roadside Crosses Jeffery Deaver Cyber stalker creates memorials that reveal his murderous intentions.
The Times Bestseller List
April 25 2010
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MAY 10 2010
screen Competitions
We have goodies.
KNOWING people like free merchandise, our good friends at ODEON Exeter have given us three pairs of tickets to give away, to be used at any time for any film. That’s not even all. We’ve also got six sets (one for each ticket) of ‘80s merch courtesy of 20th Century Fox, whose Hot Tub Time Machine is currently showing across the UK. We’ve got legwarmers, wrist bands and neon sunglasses (pictured below) - all of which need another resurgence! Want your tickets & ‘80s accessories? Just think up the funniest answer to the following: What would you do with a Hot Tub Time Machine? E-mail your answers to: screen@exepose.ex.ac.uk anytime before Monday May 17.
Who saw it coming?
Lizzy Quinlan checks out the development of the great Doctor.
So. When the hell did Doctor Who become cool? Genuine question. It wasn’t that long ago that the title alone was enough to conjure up images of snorting, mouth-breathing übernerds, huddled round flickering ‘60s TV sets shouting equations at Tom Baker and feverishly hoping to catch a glimpse of the female assistant’s bare ankle. Ooh yes, ‘scifi’ was a dirty word, the bleeping, impenetrable preserve of the tragically over-educated and socially underdeveloped. It’d have been more socially acceptable to pump a goat full of laxatives and unleash it into a crèche than to casually drop the c-word into conversation (and I’m referring to ‘cybermen’, you filthy-minded scum). Not in these progressive times, however. Somewhat unexpectedly, in recent years the programme has enjoyed a massive popular resurgence, courtesy of a bigbudget BBC primetime reboot. Now everyone’s lining up to shower it in astronomically hyperbolic praise. Suddenly, no-one’s favourite poorly-dressed-eccentric has been reinvented as a swashbuckling action hero - brandishing his sonic screwdriver with all the slightly camp bravado of Bond with a Beretta, he hurtles through space-time, scores of women (‘companions’) hopelessly lusting in his wake. He’s even kissed Kylie Minogue, for Christ’s sake.
Seems that lick of CGI and a betterlooking cast has worked wonders for the good Doctor and, frankly, it’s bloody weird. It’s a bit like the nerd from secondary school turning up to sixth form in a leather jacket; acne, brace and inhaler mysteriously absent. Creepy, and deeply suspect, but even you can’t deny its sudden appeal. Ugh. Well, that’s my excuse anyway, because, shamefully, this year I’ve gone and fallen for the ex-nerd. Despite having previously avoided the programme like a coughing Mexican pig (a desperate bid to stave off my own inevitable descent into geekdom), I’m now shunning my usual Saturday-night social whirlwind in order to nail myself to the sofa and gawp mindlessly at the series like some gurglesome village idiot. It’s embarrassing, really. Not even the looming prospect of a James Corden supporting role is enough to dampen my newfound ardour. Take that, cosy misanthropic worldview. As it happens, this year actually marks a bit of a seminal moment for the franchise, as Saint David Tennant has finally moved on, leaving a nation of hormonal housewives sobbing into their Brita
‘It’s the f***ing ‘80s... ... we had, like, Reagan and AIDS.’ OPENING with a puerile dog crap gag and eventually closing on an affable toast to close friendships, I have to say that Hot Tub Time Machine is full of surprises – not least (as many critics have noted) that it’s much better than the title would suggest.
Exeposé
www.exepose.com
The film is based on the titular absurd concept as three old friends – Adam, Lou and Nick (John Cusack, Rob Corddry and Craig Robinson) – and Adam’s nerdy nephew Jacob (Clark Duke) find themselves stuck in 1986, an important year for the three older men. Naturally, Adam, Lou and
filters and unleashing a torrent of spluttering outrage from fanboys everywhere. The current series, therefore, has been subject to some fairly vicious criticism from fans of His Over-Exposedness even prior to airing, and there’s a palpable sense of it having something to prove - not least in the almost totally revamped cast. First in the firing line of course is the BBC’s desperate attempt at a replacement, the somewhat selfconsciously ‘zany’ Matt Smith. However, despite possessing a face that somehow manages to look both attractive and hideous, he’s actually turned out to be quite good. This has forced the online Bastard Brigade to sheepishly retract most of their pre-emptive shrieking and focus instead on the shoehorned-in romantic subplot with perma-pouting new companion, Karen Gillan (a ‘ten’, as Smith huskily informed us on Jonathan Ross back in March). There’s even a kissing scene, which has particularly infuriated them. Oh and, of course, the Daily Mail, who helpfully published a series of grainy frame-by-frame screengrabs of the offending segment in case anyone failed to grasp the full extent of its shocking depravity first time
round. Anyway, I digress. The acting from both leads is excellent, and, sub-romcom level ‘smouldering banter’ aside, the writing this series is also otherwise exceptional. Sound like I’m gushing yet? Good, because I am. In fact, sod it. I’ll just go straight out and say that the 2010 incarnation of Doctor Who is actually, in general, not bad. And occasionally, it’s even rather brilliant. So frankly, when given the choice between watching this or Amanda Holden pretending to cry as another belly-dancing Liverpudlian relates their tragic lifestory, the Doctor gets my vote every time. That’s not to say this series is perfect. It’s got its fair share of flaws, poking out from amongst the glowing brilliance like a headlice infestation in a halo. For instance, it seems the regeneration wasn’t quite thorough enough for the Doctor to kick his habit of periodically descending into all-out boggle-eyed irritant mode. Oh, and the monsters aren’t actually that scary either... But, let’s face it, all that is fairly negligible when the series as a whole is this... well, odious as it sounds, this fun. Yes, I’m disgusted with myself for saying that too. But it’s true. Get on iPlayer now, you newspaper-reading fool. Quickly. Then at least we can all be snorting, mouth-breathing übernerds together.
Hot Tub Time Machine
Dir: Steve Pink Cast: John Cusack, Clark Duke, Craig Robinson, Rob Corddry (15) 100mins
Nick find themselves able to change their futures by meddling with the past. Like all time-travel stories – including the similarly-plotted Back to the Future – everything has to be kept exactly the same in order to avoid major rips in the space/time continuum. Unlike many of these other movies, however, the characters, and eventually the audience, want nothing more than to alter their deadbeat futures. Hell, they actually try to do so. Nick, having abandoned his popstar dreams, has become a henpecked, and cuckolded, husband; Lou is an alcoholic still clinging onto the past; and Adam, played so reliably sympathetically by Cusack, has just split up with another girlfriend, something which resonates later (or is it earlier?) as he ponders whether or not to repeat the past and dump his lover of ’86.
This is the thing: it has a bit of a teen comedy tone, but through some great direction from long-term Cusack partner Steve Pink (writer of High Fidelity and Grosse Point Blank) it manages something sweeter. Amongst a great deal of merely smirk-worthy mainstream-comedy jokes involving sex, bodily functions etc., there are some laugh-out-loud absurd moments and, pervading the madness but not overtaking it, there is the question: would you change everything? This is all played through fantastically by the cast. The four leads create such well-defined characters, with the three older men suitably nostalgic for their younger dreams of the future. Duke provides an entertaining, pragmatic foil to all three whilst Crispin Glover appears in one of the most entertaining
supporting roles of the year; his every appearance becomes truly hilarious as we wait for a certain grisly fate to befall him. Let’s summarise: the picture, similar to many Apatow films, plays as a middle-aged riff on movies like American Pie but with more substance than the arguably similar The Hangover. Which is funnier? Couldn’t say; don’t need to. This is absolutely worth seeing and, thanks to such strengths in every area from writing to acting, directing to soundtrack (Talking Heads, Tears for Fears,) comedy to emotion, Hot Tub Time Machine is a unique oddity amongst other comedies released this year.
calum baker screen editor
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Screen
Exeposé WEEK Twenty five screen@exepose.com
The Disappearance of Alice Creed
Dir: J. Blakeson (18) 100mins Cast: Gemma Arterton, Eddie Marsan
STELLAR performances from the underrated/underused Marsan and Martin Compston complement the dramatically-smudged makeup and weeping of Arterton - who graduated from St. Trinian’s with surprisingly edgy aplomb. Tense, genuinely thrilling thriller that doesn’t shirk on realism; tightly-written, tightly-shot with beautiful little details to catch. Though only three characters and a couple of locations used, it’s far from boring; enough unexpected twists that will keep you guessing. Then second guessing. Then guessing again. Not a date movie, but try not to miss it.
Furry Vengeance
Dir: Roger Kumble Cast: Brendan Fraser
(PG) 92mins
THIS is not a niche porn film, rather a pro-environment film with anthropomorphic animal police. Fraser is a developer for a building company, which is building on a wildlife reserve (a location scouted by a yuppie killed by an animal coalition). Because animals can understand human speech (work with me), they learn this and make Fraser’s life hell; ludicrous slapstick ensues (think skunks!) I sympathised with Fraser as he accidently tripped on some ‘mushroom tea’, feeling, as the footage borrowed from Braveheart, mild racism and full cast musical
Reviews
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Dir: Samuel Bayer (18) 95mins Cast: Jackie Earle Haley
number lurched across the screen, that there was more than popcorn in my popcorn. Blatant continuity errors occur throughout, a bed morphs magically into a sofa and scariest of all Fraser’s trousers disappear from the lower half of his body (are these simple mistakes? I think not), the film becomes a test of your sanity, making you question your very senses; sympathies pass once again to Fraser as he sits speechless in a shrink’s chair, only able to make hand signals to emphasise that a racoon is jacking his car! If Al Gore were dead he would be spinning in his grave.
SOME watchable acting from the (sigh) once Oscar-nom’d Haley complementing fluid, assured direction from Bayer; unfortunately it’s all so clichéd, so pointless, and the ‘shocks’ come so thick, fast and milked that by the ‘last scare’ it all seems more than a little blasé. Nothing on Wes Craven’s original, but then that man had intelligence (Scream, New Nightmare). I suppose you know what the film’s about Freddy Krueger is murdering the usual crop of screaming teens in their dreams. Want to know what I really thought? Quelle ironie: Reader, I fell asleep.
NO STARS ALICE SCOBLE-REES, VIDEOGAMES EDITOR
Iron Man 2
OLI CAREY
CALLUM BAKER, SCREEN EDITOR
Dir: Jon Favreau (12A) 124mins Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Mickey Rourke, Scarlett Johansson There’s something distinctly uncanny about Iron Man 2. Perhaps it’s the pacing of the movie, which begins excellently but proceeds to sag drastically under its own weight. Perhaps it’s the unsatisfactory script, which provides us with two massively underwritten villains. Perhaps I popped one too many Clarityns that day before entering the cinema. Either way, to say Iron Man 2 is a bad film would be erroneous. To say it was a disappointment, however, would be wholly warranted. The film follows swaggering playboy industrialist Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.); a wisecracking borderline alcoholic who has just revealed to the world that he is in fact the eponymous Iron Man. Unfortunately for him, lank-haired gulag-dweller
Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) also has knowledge of the Iron Man technology and partners with Stark’s cocksure rival Justin Hammer (Sam R o c k w e l l ) to destroy both him and Iron Man. The film’s predecessor had as its charismatic centrepiece the wonderful Downey Jr., and it’s fair to say that he by and large carries the film, especially in his banter with token love interest Gwyneth Paltrow. Indeed, the cast is generally good; Rourke’s presence, though frankly bizarre, is certainly welcome as he brings some physical menace to the character of Vanko where the script does not. Rockwell, too, delivers a far better performance than his part deserves, perfectly
nailing the part of Stark’s foil and stealing most of the scenes he’s in. However, the film’s script is sorely lacking, particularly with regards to the antagonists, who never truly seem to be anything other than an irritation to Stark. V a n k o s p e n d s most of the film
Classic Films #1: Oldboy (2003) Dir: Park Chan-Wook (18) 120mins Cast: Choi Min-sik, Yu Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jeong
Oldboy is the best South Korean film I’ve ever seen. Okay, that’s not hard as I’ve only seen two - but Oldboy is as good as any of the best Hollywood thrillers. The task of describing the film is, however, particularly difficult. Not because it is too complicated or existential but because it is such a thrill-ride of unexpected twists and turns that any review, synopsis or snapshot would detract from the immensely original and horrifyingly fulfilling experience that is Oldboy. I fear I’ve already said too much. So I’ll go on. Our hero, Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik), is snatched, drugged and wakes up in a private prison cell, oblivious as to why he is there or when he will be released. Dae-
su, over 15 years of incarceration, gradually, and understandably, descends into madness. One day, with no explanation, he is released onto a rooftop, leading him to begin his search for the man who had him imprisoned and, most importantly, the reason why. Dae-su faces insurmountable odds and braves the limits of human depravity in his quest for an answer. A film like no other, Oldboy boasts some truly inspired scenes that would be unthinkable in a Hollywood blockbuster. The ingestion of a live octopus, before a bit of amateur dentistry (with a hammer!), followed by a now infamous, single-take, graphically violent corridor fight scene, is all in a day’s work for Dae-su. The
hanging around in dimlylit rooms hacking away on keyboards like a ‘90s savant, whilst Hammer is merely… annoying. Neither ever pose any real threat, robbing the film of any suspense and undermining Stark’s vulnerability. Certainly, despite a showstopping opening which perfectly matches the spirit of the first film, from thereon there is simply too much happening, very little of it particularly interesting; particularly Scarlett Johansson’s appearance as a mysterious assistant to Stark, which can best be described as ‘feisty’ and ‘T&A’. One hates to incite the mantra of Spider-Man 3, however the film is far too busy and works best at its quieter moments (the underdeveloped plot thread of Stark’s relationship with
his father, for example, resonates far more than the underwhelming effects-filled finale). Suffice to say, Iron Man 2 is worth your time; it has some great set-pieces, fun action and a likeable cast. However, when viewed in the light of its lofty predecessor, it feels very much like one step forward and two steps back; a simpler, more streamlined storyline could have made this one of the best films of the year. Jon Favreau take note.
JAMES MCMEEKIN
“Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone.” octopus scene is all the more impressive in the knowledge that the beast was all flesh, no CGI. Choi had to swallow four of the unfortunate octopi to get the scene right. Choi Minsik is outstanding in a role that required a certain emotional, physical and intestinal strength and his excruciating madness is wholly convincing. Yu Ji-tae is brilliantly chilling as the villain and Kang Hye-jeong as Mi-do, Dae-su’s sidekick and anchor to reality, is excellent. To focus solely on the individual, shocking aspects of the film, though entertaining, would be a mistake as what makes Oldboy truly outstanding is the strength of the plot and the stylish, emotive way in which
it is told. Director Park ChanWook’s attention to detail and knack for storytelling is what makes this film a giant of South Korean cinema and arguably world cinema in general. Though an extreme film, it has more in common with films like Se7en or Pulp Fiction than Hostel, in that any violence used is a necessary narrative device, an embellishment, an expression of the film’s themes rather than its own gratuitous point. A bonecrunching, tooth-shattering, cephalopod-consuming tale of revenge, Oldboy is constantly shocking, always original and a fantastic, relatively little-known classic. NICK RISLEY
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May 10 2010 Exeposé
www.exepose.com
arts
Any Questions About the Arts?
Ellie Steafel and Rosie Scudder, Arts Editors, and Adam Walmesley talk to Jonathon Dimbleby about the University’s new Arts and Culture Strategy.
Left to right: Professor Geoffrey Crossick, Alan Rivett, Jonathan Dimbleby, Professor Raj Isar, Camilla Hampshire, Professor Nick Kaye.
ARTS FEATURE
Arts and Culture Strategy Launch March 29 Northcott Theatre
INTEGRAL to the country, the region and our everyday lives, the arts have held a longstanding tradition in Exeter. From fourteenth-century performances of mystery plays by the Skinners’ Guild, to the latest Footlights spectacular Guys and Dolls, the arts have historically proved popular. The University has now launched a three-year Arts and Culture Strategy, designed to create a regional ‘cultural hub’ in Exeter. Promising to be ‘imaginative’, ‘vibrant’, and ‘cutting-edge’, the project is intended to improve the University’s global standing, and of course secure the shaky future of the University’s Top Ten signposts. Supported by respected broadcaster and writer, Jonathan Dimbleby, the strategy was launched on March 29 at a special “Any Questions About the Arts?” event. Dimbleby, an Exeter honorary graduate who now lives in Devon, spoke to Arts immediately prior to the launch. Dimbleby was keen to discuss his involvement in the project, as an advocate of the region’s artistic
prowess and promise: “The arts are extremely important in the broader sense for the cultural and social life of the region. Given its potential, Exeter and Devon as a region have a long way to go.” The Arts and Culture strategy was launched at Exeter’s Northcott Theatre. The event provided a platform for a lively discussion about the arts in Exeter, giving an audience of local residents, students and academics the opportunity to put their questions to a panel of well-qualified individuals. Dr Corinna Wagner, of the University’s Department of English, highlighted the issues facing academics in Arts and Humanities departments, “On the one hand, whilst we accept that engineers and scientists have expertise in their fields – expertise that the general public does not have – we in the arts must constantly defend our knowledge, our skills and our research. In other words, the idea is that everyone ‘gets’ art so why do we need experts to explicate it?” As arts students, we identified with Dr Wagner’s concerns and
by the Arts and Culture Strategy which aims to provide support and funding in both a public and academic capacity. In order to bridge this divide within the arts, the relationship between the University and the South-West region needs to change, something universally acknowledged by the panel. Dimbleby reiterated this point to us, “By bringing people together, by developing the synergies you can have, by having new centres, you create the necessary core around which much can develop.” Dimbleby speaks passionately about the need for the arts. He envisions them as a self-educating toolbox: “The arts are an incredibly important way of re-engaging socially with your environment and are extraordinarily important in developing your own talent, your curiosity, discovering about yourself.” This mantra seems key to a university experience. However, the strategy seems to pay precious little attention to the student population, which surely should be
“The project is intended to improve the University’s global standing and secure the shaky future of the University’s Top 10 signposts”
have experienced first hand the contradiction between cultural and academic engagement with the arts. The challenge of getting people to acknowledge this is confronted
at its heart. Although the strategy promises to enhance the “campus experience” for students “leading to improved returns in satisfaction surveys,” it fails to mention
how it will include the students’ prolific artistic talent. Instead there is a worrying sense that this project, along with the ongoing Forum project, focuses on future “improvements” whilst neglecting the interests of the current student body. Dimbleby, however, eyes the project in a wider context: “If we can bring forward the potential
Photo : University of Exeter Press Office
there’s a will, there’s a way. You can’t afford to have the Northcott close.” As an experienced political commentator, Dimbleby is well aware of the need in the current economic climate for savings in the public sector. He expects a funding squeeze to the arts budget, but anticipates that the “guillotine” approach of the past won’t be
“Students bring something very important, and if the university is doing its job properly, then it should be encouraging, inviting and wanting that in a whole variety of ways”
artistically and the resources that there are in this part of the world, then in ten, twenty years time people will be saying “wow, I was a part of that.” He also acknowledges the artistic energy and diversity which current students bring to the city, “students bring something very important, and if the University is doing its job properly, then it should be encouraging, inviting and wanting that in a whole variety of ways, exploiting young talent to the benefit of everyone.” This encouragement of students has come under scrutiny in the past few months as the financial fragility of Exeter’s main professional theatre threatened several student societies. Yet, Dimbleby is keen to diminish fears over the Northcott Theatre’s future: “It would be a tragedy if the Northcott disappeared, but I don’t think it will for a moment. Where
necessary. “To say we’ll chop the head off the arts or we’ll chop the legs off, is probably too brutal nowadays. And if we do see that, it would be a devastatingly wrong decision.” As the Forum Project steps up a notch and the Arts and Cultures Strategy has its sights firmly set on the future, a general feeling of resentment is spreading around campus. Many feel as if our university experience is being tarnished as Exeter desperately clings to its Top Ten status. Though it seems that most current students won’t directly benefit from these plans, Dimbleby reiterates its wider relevance to all. “If you care for your university today, you will want it to be something tomorrow, and you’ll want it to be something in a decade’s time.”
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Arts
Exeposé WEEK twenty five
arts@exepose.com
ARTS DANCE
EDge 2010
May 10-11 Exeter Phoenix
READY to push the boundaries of dance once again, EDge will be celebrating its 10th birthday with a diverse selection of performances from three international artists, three up-and-coming choreographers and nine exceptional dancers. Through company classes, EDge utilises and encapsulates the style of contemporary dance pioneer Merce
ARTS POETRY
Poetry Underground March 28 Bikeshed Theatre
SUNDAY March 28 was cold, rainy and brimming with endof-term blues. The first Poetry Underground provided the perfect escape from late March miseries with an interesting night of recitals at Exeter’s Bike Shed Theatre. Nestled between two of Exeter’s better-known landmarks, Rococos and Mosaic, The Bike Shed Theatre makes for an exciting visit. Open only since February, the venue is a valuable addition to Exeter’s eclectic arts scene. An intimate and cosy performance space, it was the perfect setting for this new event, which is designed to encourage new writers in a friendly atmosphere. Poetry Underground is to become a monthly event, and was organised by Exeter student, Katy Lewis, to provide an opportunity for budding poets to step forward and share their work. A great range of writers took to the stage: from students to local residents, teenagers to the greyhaired and balding. Some firsttime readers seemed nervous, but in the friendly and informal
Cunningham. They draw upon ‘release technique’, which minimises tension to find clarity and fluidity within the movement. From solos to full company works, Eleanor Sikorski, EDge company dancer, explains that the dancers embark on a rhythmic journey through spouts of “improvisation, soft quality gestures” and carefully constructed sequences.
atmosphere everyone soon loosened up. Some fantastic pieces were read covering a variety of themes, but interestingly it was often the students’ poetry that had a slightly more depressive tone.
“Poetry Underground, provided the perfect escape from late Marchmiseries”
The event is designed to be an exploration of new talent and different styles, so admittedly not all of the poetry was entirely polished. Criticism could be levelled towards some poets’ treatment of the subject of class later in the evening. A few of the speakers seemed extremely self-conscious of their middleclass status, and some of the selfdeprecating humour they used felt forced and somewhat awkward. Still, as a whole the evening provided a refreshing and diverting change from the usual. Poetry Underground offers a fantastic opportunity for new writers to get involved and produce some really thought-provoking material. It will be held on the final Sunday of every month at The Bike Shed Theatre and I, for one, would really recommend giving it a go.
Anna-marie linnell features editor
According to Sikorski, each artist embraces a different style of choreography which has taken the nine dancers through an organic movement process. Wally Cardona, Sikorski says, is “philosophical in his approach” and addresses issues such as “the relationship between the dancer and the audience”. Whereas Frauke Requardt, through his choreography, “creates a strong sense of location” within the dancers and their autonomous space on stage, “it’s like watching your garden come to life.” Sikorski elaborates that Frauke “did not necessarily lead us into the movements himself,” instead he constructed his piece “like a puzzle, where slowly the movements emerged.” Sikorski notes, however, that no matter how different the artists’ visions were, they all had logic behind their creativity. The 2010 tour takes the nine dancers and the six choreographers all over the country. Sikorski says that by performing in smaller and more obscure locations, EDge is able to bring contemporary dance to
ARTS EXHIBITION It, Heat, Hit March 6-May 2 Tate Britain
ON visiting the Tate Britain it is nice to see some Modern Art that is actually refreshing and engaging. Alongside the extensive paintings of landscapes by Constable, the portraits of great men and mythical women, you stumble upon the Art Now Light Box. This may be but a small corner within this prestigious London gallery, but it goes a long way in fighting the cause for contemporary art. It exhibits the work of upcoming, living, breathing artists alongside the old greats. The assumed distinction between the Tate Britain and the Tate Modern is here challenged; the ‘proper’ art melds with that which is typically regarded by some as outrageous or ridiculous. Laure Prouvost stands as the most recent contributor to this fantastic project. A graduate of Central St Martin’s and Goldsmiths College, she initially appears a clichéd candidate to be selected to exhibit at the Tate. However
a wider audience. Sikorski explains that although it is, of course, “rewarding to perform in the big London theatres to an often informed audience, it is also exciting to dance to a fresh audience not tainted by any pre-conceived notions.” With so much energy, talent and sheer hard work, EDge is set to
“It is exciting to dance to a fresh audience not tainted by any p re - c o n c e ive d notions.”
produce a show sure to set the stage alight and with this, I leave you with the words of Merce Cunningham: “you have to love dancing to stick with it, it gives you nothing back, nothing but that single fleeting moment when you feel alive. It is not for unsteady souls.”
Editors’ Top 10 1.
Elegance:Two
2.
Grace Kelly:Style
3.
Columba Achilleos-sarll features editor Prouvost’s work is turbulent and absorbing. It speaks for her talent and matches the acclaim of her credentials. Her piece is named ‘It, Heat, Hit’ and is something of an audiovisual slap in the face. Drumbeats and short clapping sounds like a gunshot make you jump whilst instructions in Prouvost’s sexy French accent act as the only guide through the juxtapositional maze of images. The combination of the sound and images is at times witty and elsewhere tormenting. The pace is dizzyingly fast, and the narrative is unclear, but that’s the point. As Prouvost refuses to give anything away in terms of her intention, the film becomes a play on the malleability of meaning. The film undoubtedly grows more intense across the six minutes running time, but towards what climax exactly the audience is uncertain. The voice of Prouvost addresses the viewer directly throughout and at the end the audience is told that it has ‘let them down’ and they must ‘leave the room’. This surreal twist leaves the audience with a sense of guilt and unease. Laure Prouvost and the other artists set to grace the Light Box with their contemporary art are a fantastic connection between the old and the new. The work shown is an accessible hit of really great contemporary art and I hope that it will encourage more people to dare to cross the Thames and see what the Tate Modern has to offer. zoe bulaitis
hundred years of dressing to impress Exhibition March 10-October 31 Killerton House
Icon Exhibition April 17-September 26 V&A Museum, London
Women Beware Women
A Play by Thomas Middleton May 5-July 4 National Theatre, Ldn.
4.
EDge 2010
5.
Clockwork
6.
7.
Dance Showcase May 10-11 Exeter Phoenix Adaptation of Philip Pullman’s novel May 11-22 Bikeshed Theatre
Theo Jansen Exhibition May 15-July 3 SPACEX
The Sam & Dave Show Sketch Comedy May 21-22 Exeter Phoenix
8.
Poetry Underground
Live poetry evening May 23 Bikeshed Theatre
9.
Love and Understanding Play by Lean Beggar Theatre Company May 15 Exeter Phoenix
10. Artful
Encounters
Photography Exhibition May 4-17 Exeter Picturehouse
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may 10 2010 Exeposé
Videogames Newsbyte
Gaming News
Those of you that enjoy multiplayer zombie killing or Team Fortress 2 matches, but also opted to sell your soul to Apple - Rejoice! The release of a Mac-friendly Steam has finally been dated. Just a few days left until May 12, when you can join in with the rest of us. Get some target practice in.
This is doubly true in the light of Valve recently releasing Left4Dead 2: The Passing, a new add-on that sees the undead slaying teams from the original Left4Dead and its highly acclaimed sequel meeting up. Twice the limb hacking action, perhaps. Not to be outdone, the guys over at Xbox and Bungie have shipped out the Beta for the Halo: Reach multiplayer. Reviews so far have been mixed, but it’s a Halo game, so you and I both know it’s probably going to do well however the finished product turns out. Similarly the Modern Warfare 2 ‘Stimulus Package’ that went live for the Xbox 360 at the end of March has finally been released for PS3 users, close on the heels of the announcement for Call of Duty: Black Ops. Black Ops will be the seventh game in the Call of Duty series and, as the name implies, it looks to be heavily stealth orientated, with missions taking place behind enemy lines. I myself have been more excited by the prospect of the new Spiderman game. The artwork for Shattered Dimensions is now being released in earnest and some of the content is looking pretty slick. I’m thinking in particular of the Spiderman-noir black and white 1930s parallel universe. Even if it’s bad, it can’t be any worse than Web of Shadows, right? To end on a lighter note, a game for the hit movie Kick-Ass has hit the PSN, and whilst we’re talking videogame/movie tie-ins, let’s not forget that the release of Jake Gyllenhaal’s Prince of Persia effort is creeping ever closer. These two developments should at least prove hilarious, even if they’re not any good.
www.exepose.com
Interactive Literature
Laura Buttrick analyses videogames as the new text of the 21st Century.
Videogames are a form of literature. I suppose, now I’ve made that somewhat melodramatic entrance, it would be more accurate to say “videogames have the potential to be a form of literature.” Equating Tetris with the Bard? Perhaps a bit much just yet. We are getting there, though. Videogames are advancing far beyond Pac-Man’s steady mantra of “wakka wakka wakka” into full blown sagas that span entire game series and involve the player as much as any book or film, if not more. The American Writers Association officially has a Best Videogame category amongst its ranks. At last, we are validated. But I feel like being demanding. I feel like asking, if you can read a book, and if you can read a film (which, as far Exeter University is concerned at least, you can), then why can you not read a videogame?
“Games are only getting better at what they do.”
In the last few years some academics have done exactly this. For starters, Barry Atkins has written the marvellous More Than A Game which panders to my every need as an English student who also salivates over the window displays of GameStation, giving an analytical “reading” of Tomb Raider and Half Life that treats the games as a form of literature. His reading illustrates wonderfully how games are on their way to becoming their own literary medium, although admittedly they are still in a highly infantile stage. He highlights the way a story can be told well, or told badly, based on the skills of the player, and scrutinises the balance of authorship versus readership. It makes for a fascinating read and comes to a modest but hopeful conclusion about the future of the videogame as fiction. More Than A Game was written in 2003. It’s now 2010, and games are only getting better at what they do. I am prepared to be snubbed by both gamers and non-gamers regarding this issue. Some gamers are fully prepared to write off the story of a videogame in exchange for decent gameplay, because a good balance between the two is so rarely found, and their choice when forced to decide between the two is understandable. Non-gamers often meet any positive claim made on behalf of videogames with derision and disbelief, because the media is incredibly skilled at bending everyone out of shape over their
Videogames are becoming recognised as a new kind of literature alleged links to violence and youth disillusionment. To them, we’re still playing with toys, and dangerous toys at that. I am adamant that both parties need to concede because to ignore the potential that videogames have as a literary medium would be a terrible mistake. They offer a form of literature not yet encountered - a form of literature that responds as it is read. But that’s not the whole story. If we’re going to pursue this, and videogames are going to have standing as literature, then good writing needs to be involved. I’ll put my hands up now and admit: there isn’t much of it going around at the moment. In the past, videogames have been notorious for their laughably bad scripts and voice acting. Good writing is often betrayed by poor translation and localisation. The situation is improving but more needs to be done. The reason games more often than not end up with sloppy dialogue or embarrassingly clichéd scripts is that they’re not written by writers, they’re written by developers trying to shoehorn in a plot before the game is shipped. But Uncharted 2 winning an award for its script is an example of what skilled writers can achieve through videogame narration if they get it right, and it needs to happen more often. With the number of unimaginative sequels being churned out by the games industry, and the number of gimmicks blighting innovation in hardware and software alike, more good writing might be just what we
need to breathe some much needed fresh air into a slowly stagnating pool of mediocrity and bland repetition. It’s also just what we need for videogames to be taken more seriously as a literary form - a stepping stone into deconstructing videogames as literature in their own right. If the industry can start producing works of critical acclaim, then perhaps the great eye of literary criticism can turn its gaze upon the realm of videogames as a whole. We can then work towards accepting that the study (and indeed the playing) of these games is a worthwhile and rewarding pursuit that thus far has been wrongly disregarded as the haunt of ill-educated young men with questionable standards of hygiene. In Valve’s 2007 title Portal, the writing tied so tightly to the
“Games like Portal have been scripted and woven by words.”
gameplay that it was a vital part of its life force. The lone protagonist in a maze of test chambers, you topple towards the endgame with a portal gun, guided only by the oddly cheerful tones of the orchestrating AI GlaDos. The dark humour of her one liners as she narrates your progress is just one piece of the puzzle. At a certain point in the game, the player is called upon to destroy their only ‘friend’ - the Companion Cube.
Photo: Henry White This action is scripted and vital to the game’s progression, but it is carried out by the player alone. It is a heart-breaking act of betrayal. Another step in the development of videogame writing, one of many more steps to come. Games like Portal have been scripted and woven by words; they have been skillfully crafted. And they can be skillfully picked apart again, if we’re prepared to sharpen the tools of the literature trade and use them to slice fresh meat, as well as crafting new tools with which to dissect and explore the innards of the great beast that is the videogame. Am I being presumptuous when I say that videogames could be literature? I hope not. My enthusiasm for videogames may occasionally get the better of me, but what I am saying here is something that I sincerely hope to be true. Playing a well written game is like reading a well written book (rather, it should be noted, than watching a well written film) and I like to think that such an idea will appeal to potential future readers. Videogames may not yet have their Ulysses, but this text did not pre-existed the medium which it has come to define. If we let videogames grow, and nurture them with good writing, with high standards, then one day perhaps we’ll be able to sit down and say “I like to read videogames,” not just, “I like to play videogames.”
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Exeposé WEEK twenty five games@exepose.com
Pokémon: HeartGold and SoulSilver Nintendo: Nintendo DS
If you’re entirely new to the world of Pokémon, you could do worse than pick up a copy of Gold or Silver as a starting point. The well worn Pokémon series sees the player travelling the world catching and battling pokemon in order to become a Pokémon Master. With a turn based combat system established in its earliest predecessors, this system reboot remains true to its bloodline while giving the series a much needed breath of fresh air. The joy of playing the game is however induced by throwbacks to the original Gold and Silver games, rather than the extra bells and whistles that have been stuck on as an afterthought. Fans of the original games will be relieved to know that everything is still here. The PokéGear, The Ruins of Alph, the Pokémon lottery, the Apricorns, the Radio Tower, the Hairdresser, the Kanto map and all the other little flourishes that gave the games their brilliance make a welcome return. The music is more polished but essentially identical, tickling the nerves of nostalgia with its familiar tunes. The world of Pokémon feels as alive and dynamic as ever before, with all its nuances and quirks propelling the player through what feels like a very personal adventure. Unfortunately, the negative: taking a leaf out of the Nintendo
Yoshi’s Story Retro
Cute, adorable, awooshawooshawoo. These are three words I’d probably use to describe a Yoshi while gleefully tickling his stomach and feeding him fruits. Mario’s loyal dinosaur friend hit the N64 in a blaze of colour, eggs and Shy Guys in possibly the most endearing side scrolling platformer I have ever seen. The idyllic little islands of the Yoshis has been turned into a storybook by the spiteful Baby Bowser, not to mention he’s gone and stolen the Super Happy Tree that makes the Yoshis so nauseatingly cheerful. Six lone eggs remain, and they hatch into the six Yoshis you will guide
Book of Touch Screen Gimmicks, the Pokéathalon Dome has been introduced as a means of getting the player to engage in a more tactile and “DS” experience. As an addition to a game already teeming with far meatier bits that were already present back in the days the GBC, it’s a poor effort.
A touch which is a tad more charming is the inclusion of detailed artwork every time the player enters a new area - an aesthetic decision that speaks volumes on behalf of the world being explored. Aesthetics seem to matter most in HeartGold and SoulSilver - in a shout out to Pokémon Yellow, where the
through the story in order to retrieve the Super Happy Tree. In each level, you must locate and consume 30 fruits before being allowed to progress further - and the difficulty of the next level you encounter depends on how many hearts you can retrieve. There are four unlockable levels of difficulty on each page, with level one unlockable if you found one heart, level two if you found two hearts, and so on. The Yoshis each have a favourite fruit which will max out their health bar, a little dog to show them hidden goodies, and they can throw eggs at the enemy Shy Guys or, if preferred, they can just eat them. There’s plenty here to keep a player occupied. It’s all cutesy good fun until you realise that Yoshi’s Story houses a gamer’s greatest fear: permadeath. Beneath its sugar-sweet coating lies a game of devilish difficulty if you strive to unlock the harder levels, and when it’s game over,
Videogames
Final Fantasy XIII
Square Enix: PS3, XBox 360
player could have Pikachu walk behind them, the player can now have any of their pokemon walk behind them as they stroll about the game world. The Pokéwalker, a basic pedometer, is the main selling point of this Pokémon generation but not one worth giving much air time. With each copy of the game the player receives a Pokéwalker which they can sync their Pokémon to. With every step they take their Pokémon gains an experience point and it can level up once per walk they take with it. It’s even tackier than the Po k é a t h a l o n , with the entertainment value running pretty low. D e s p i t e the flashier graphics, at their heart these are the same games as their GBC incarnations. Your money would be better spent locating an original Gold or Silver cartridge on the cheap and taking that for a spin - the best parts of this game are all present in the originals, and anything extra the DS version has to offer falls short of the high standards which Nintendo deservedly hold over this franchise.
7/10 Laura Buttrick
it’s game over. Your saved data is wiped, and you’re forced to start again from the very beginning. If your health depletes entirely or you fall into a pit, one of your Yoshis is kidnapped. You have six Yoshis, and so six chances before the big G-O, so tread carefully. You can locate White Shy Guys if you look hard enough, and successfully leading one to a chapter’s conclusion will allow you to retrieve one kidnapped Yoshi. This dynamic adds an extra layer of depth to a deceptively simplistic game. If you’ve got an N64, try and grab a copy of Yoshi’s Story from a second hand store or online, or if you have a Wii you can download it from the virtual console.
Laura Buttrick
Final Fantasy XIII raises a tricky question, one that ideally has to be answered before you can write a review on it. Is ‘it gets better later on’ a valid part of a recommendation or not? This is such a thorny problem because in FFXIII’s case it well and truly does. Much better, in fact. Perhaps even fantastic. Once it hits its stride, both the story and gameplay are some of the best to emerge from a JRPG. The big problem is that this is a Final Fantasy game with all the associated trappings, including an epic multi-DVD-spanning length (at least on the 360, playing poor cousin to Sony’s sleek black Blu-Ray beast). Getting to the heady heights of ‘later on’ will require the investment of somewhere in the region of 24 hours of your life. An entire day in which, all things considered, you won’t be having that great of a time. Okay, I’m possibly being a little bit too harsh here. There are two big extenuating factors that FFXIII can use at its appeal hearing, the first of which is that the much-maligned first day of play isn’t actually that bad. Describing ‘play’ as ‘not that bad’ is a somewhat questionable act in itself, but in this case it happens to be true. Whilst far from excellent, the opening few hours are entirely serviceable JRPG goodness that probably wouldn’t have received anywhere near so much stick if not for the revered title scrawled on the box. The major problem is that everything progresses so God. Damn. Slow. Ly. It is teeth-pulling for the brain, with every new plot point and game mechanic revealed with all the haste of particularly lazy syrup. This is tied into the second excuse for a day spent in mild apathy, which is that FFXIII is, in both story and gameplay, staggeringly complicated. The developers, it seems, realised this early on in the process, and tried to counter the potential mind-melting confusion by carefully and deliberately spelling every little detail out. In their attempt to avoid this, however, they murdered the pacing and created a difficulty curve which, whilst not exactly flat, is so stretched out it’s hard to tell the difference. Which isn’t to say that the game is easy, by the way. Indeed, once it gets into its swing this is probably the most challenging Final Fantasy in recent years. Every battle (instigated by running into an enemy roaming the environment as opposed to oldschool randomness) is self-contained, so every opponent poses a genuine threat rather than simply grinding you down slowly between save-points. The combat is a curious blend of traditional turn-based action and the more handsoff MMO-style system seen in FFXII. Whilst it is possible to command your character directly, in the vast majority of situations the ‘Auto-Battle’ AI will do things with greater skill and speed than your fleshy mind-sac could ever hope to achieve. In any case, what you’ll spend most of your time and effort on is setting-up and changing your party’s paradigms,
the somewhat bizarre term given to different combinations of classes adopted by your three-man team. This may sound like a minor thing to be the focus of combat, but it soon becomes extremely involving. At any point in battle, a tap of LT/LB will bring up the paradigm menu and let you choose from a short list of templates. These vary from the hyper-aggressive - such as two combo-charging ravagers paired with a damage-dealing commando - to rock-hard defensive teams of medics and super-tough vanguards. You’ll need to learn to switch rapidly between different tactics over the course of a battle, as even a moment’s lapse in concentration can leave your main character dead and the game over. Fortunately though, that isn’t the problem it once was, as battles can be re-tried as many times as needed.
Other than combat, the other big draw of a Final Fantasy game is the story, and FFXIII doesn’t disappoint. Much. By which I mean, it gets bett... Oh dear, I’m beginning to sound like a broken record here. The thing with the story is that it’s fairly ambitious for a videogame, and not in a tedious ‘tits and swearing means mature’ way either. You are thrown into a world with very little explanation of what’s going on or who’s who, with details explained organically over the course of the entire adventure. The problem is that we simply aren’t used to this in gaming, and it’s not always elegantly done. To make things worse, FFXIII runs into the common JRPG issue of several characters being fingernailsdown-blackboard annoying. This lessens considerably as you get to know them better, but for maybe a dozen hours the mere hint of the disgustingly perky Vanille made me shudder with pent-up horror (though she’s usually counter-balanced by the excellent and wonderfully-acted Sazh). Overall, Final Fantasy XIII is a damn good game with lots of positive points, but they all come heaped with that qualifier of ‘it gets better later on’. If you have the time and effort to push through that first bit of grind then you will be rewarded handsomely. If, however, you just want some immediate fun and/or find the idea of ploughing through something mediocre in the hope of later reward too hard-going, this is not the game for you.
8/10 Richard Jansen
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Sport
May 10 2010
Murray’s Musings...
Exeter bounce to BUCS Win Trampolining
AU President Tom Murray
DESPITE most of Exeter’s students being away over Easter, sport was still very much full steam ahead. Exeter has had a very successful start to our cricketing campaign, with our first team posting two excellent wins against both Cambridge and Bath in the premier BUCS cricket league. This gave them excellent preparation for Cricket Varsity which took place on Monday May 3. The day was a huge success seeing over 500 supporters coming to the County Ground for a sun filled day of cricket. Timepiece were there in force as well, with a hog roast, Pimm’s tent and DJ to make sure the event was an awesome success. Unfortunately the off-field success wasn’t reflected on the pitch, with Exeter bowling well to restrict a competitive Cardiff side to 233 runs from their 50 overs. The batting display wasn’t quite as impressive with the Exeter side ending the game on 161. A great day was had by all, and credit must go to the whole Cricket Club
Exeposé
wwww.exepose.com
who laid on a great day for all the University. Our Athletics Squad had their most successful BUCS outdoor championship over the May Bank holiday. Karla Drew was placed 6th in 100m hurdles final and 2nd in High Jump while the Women’s relay teams came 6th in the 4x100m final and 7th in the 4x400m final, a huge success for Dan Strang and all his team. Well done to everyone who took part. Sports scholars Ben Muskett, Dan Schieber, Tom Mallindine and High Performance Program sailor AJ Dawson won the BUCS Bronze medal for the Match Racing 1st team on the weekend of April 24 in Cowes on the Isles of Wight. The team quickly took the event by storm, winning nine of their ten races during qualifying, leaving themselves with the highest win ratio in the fleet going into the semifinals on Sunday. Over the course of the semi-final they were narrowly beaten by the eventual winners, Southampton. Timepiece nights this term will be back as usual, with Wednesday night being packed full of your favorite drinks deals and all the best TP music. Please get along and support the AU! If you want to follow Exeter Sport on Facebook, log on to www. facebook.com/exeterau Have a great sport filled week! Tom Murray au@ex.ac.uk 01392 263573
Photo: Henry White
Fred Campbell-Jones Trampolining Correspondent THE University’s trampoline team tasted sweet success as they competed at the BUCS finals in Sheffield. February saw 31 Exeter University Trampolinists go to Plymouth for the Southern round of the BUCS trampoline qualifiers. From there, 11 competitors qualified to go to Sheffield for the finals. This year, Sheffield and surrounding Yorkshire venues were host to the annual British University and Colleges Sport (BUCS) championships. Our competitors joined over 6,000 of the best student athletes competing across 26 different sports for championship titles. The trampoline competition took place at the internationally recognised Hillsborough Sports Centre in Sheffield on March 14 2010. With international standard judges and top of the range trampolines the nerves were running high. Representing Exeter at BUCS level four ladies, were Steph Dodds and Rosemary Chester both of whom performed extremely well with Steph winning a Gold medal and Rosie coming 10th. Alex Boud, Exeter’s team Captain and the source of enthusiasm in the club came in 9th at Mens level four. At level three we had Laura Drewell and Karla Ratcliffe both of whom despite minor slip-ups, at the end of their routines walked away with 10th and 11th respectively. At level two Ladies, Jen Wing fought off 50 Continued from page 28 The first semi-final was between the Exeter 1sts and the Somerset Vikings. There were great performances by both teams but it was the reigning champions, the Exeter 1sts, who moved onto the final with a win of 40-6. The second semi-final was between Exeter Centurions and Saracens RFC. The score was close but Exeter Centurions won by 10-4,
other advanced competitors to come 15th, Emily Watts came 30th and Helen Isgar 48th. In the Mens level 2, after winning last year’s level 3, Fred Campbell-Jones managed to surprise the opposition and come away with a Bronze medal. At BUCS level 1, Phil Chester competed in his first BUCS finals against some ‘Team Great Britain’ trampolinists to come 11th and Rhys Goodhead pulled off an amazing voluntary routine encompassing eight double somersaults getting him 17th overall. At the end during the awards ceremony, Exeter Mens trampoline team were surpriseed to hear they came second in the ‘Mens team’ category. Congratulations to Fred Campbell-Jones, Phil Chester and Rhys Goodhead for winning five BUCS points for the University. To end the trampolining season on a high, the following Thursday Exeter’s Athletic Union held the AU dinner in the Great Hall where
the trampoline club received three award nominations. Steph Dodds was nominated for ‘Sportswoman of the Year’, Fred Campbell-Jones was nominated for ‘Sportsman of the Year’ and the Men’s trampoline team was nominated for ‘Team of the Year’. This was the first year in the trampolining club’s history that they have received three Athletic Union nominations. The team captains, Alex Boud and Georgina Hetherington, said: “We are so proud of the effort and dedication that all our trampoline club members have shown this year. Well done”. Thank you to all the Exeter University trampolinists for making this year one of the most successful years the club has ever had.
Photo: Fred Campbell-Jones which meant a repeat of last year’s tournament final. The game was very intense with the Exeter 1sts emerging victorious. Despite the score of 44-6, Exeter Centurions played a tough game but were no match for the speed and strength of the Exeter 1sts. Cormac Healy, a first year student at Exeter University was the man of the match and Josh Jones, a second year student at Exeter University, was the
top try scorer. All in all the day was a lot of fun and very successful as the tournament raised more than £200, which will go to the charity ‘Help4Heroes,’ a worthy cause indeed. There was some smashing rugby played and enjoyed by cheering family and friends, a stellar barbecue and a cosy bar; what more could be asked for?
Photo: Ivan Singh
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Exeposé week twenty five sport@exepose.com
Seventh Heaven for Exeter Chiefs The heavens opened shortly after a David Jackson penalty for Nottingham on 23 minutes, and as a result the game became scrappier and more emphasis was placed on kicking. Exeter handled the conditions better and intelligent kicks from Steenson and Dollman earned the Chiefs sustained possession in Nottingham’s 22. Similar to the second score, Hoani Tui’s try on 36 minutes was the consequence of a maul, though this time Nottingham were unable to bring it down. Steenson converted Tui’s score and then slotted a penalty just before half-time to extend the lead 27-3. Nottingham winger Andrew
What happens on tour... goes in Exeposé Andrew Vickers Tour Correspondent
Some say that the best way to spend BUCS downtime is with a relaxed getaway, or some much needed sports rehabilitation. Clearly those people have never experienced an ‘I Love Tour’ extravaganza; a five day fun-fest in the sunny climes of Salou. In spite of the infamy surrounding ‘Saloufest’ whipped up by the national press, Exeter students managed to combine a tour of sporting excellence alongside a well deserved break. With that challenge in mind, five top AU clubs set forth to conquer Salou. A much needed appreciation
goes to Will Baker for allowing Exeter the use of his bus company ‘Baker’s Dolphin’ and the Tour started with EULHC and EUWRFC clambering onto the early bird bus at 8.45am. The later bus consisted of EULFC and EURL, with EUAFC scamming their way onto a bus with Plymouth’s netball, dance and cheerleading squads. An opening night saw the parttime student community of Salou engage in some banterous frolics the likes of which had never been seen outside the big top of Moscow State Circus. The second day saw the ‘green machine’ roll out into the playing fields of Salou and take a clean sweep of the day’s play, winning twelve out of twelve
games, with the highlights being a Sarah George double and a singlehanded performance that saw Stacey ‘Welshy’ Jones pick up a trophy on the first day of play. The final day’s competition saw EURL force a tight finish, possibly due to the previous night’s activities, but come out successful in the end, setting the rest of the watching students into hysterics. EUAFC grabbed a handful of victories, but were eventually outclassed as they failed to keep focused when it mattered most. EULHC and EUWRFC came away with some trophy performances and particular mentions go to Kate ‘Frigers’ Olingschlaeger and Sarah ‘Brooksy’ Brooks for EULHC, and Kathryn ‘Dulux’ McGonigle and Sarah ‘Passionate’ George for EUWRFC - all of whom played out of their skins, Brooksy even came back from injury. Finally, EULFC showed the heart that comes with playing women’s football and although they had their fingers on the trophy, couldn’t keep hold of it, eventually being punished for sloppy finishing. So, a fine performance from Exeter’s ‘green machine’ once again showed that you can take the Exeter Alumnus out of Exeter but you can’t take the Exeter spirit out of the Alumnus. Photo: Ivan Singh
Savage was sin-binned on 42 minutes after yet another rolling maul was brought down. Despite the main advantage being in the backs, it was the Chiefs’ forwards that continued to dominate as they have done for most of the season. The 14 men of Nottingham had their pack sucked into two marauding Chiefs’ mauls on 46 and 50 minutes, and on both occasions the home side were able to score after peeling off the back. First Tom Johnson ran in unopposed and then Matt Jess scored after Haydn Thomas offloaded. Steenson converted both scores to stretch the lead to 41-3 and ensure another blistering start. Mark Foster scored following neat hands out wide on the left on 59 minutes. The winger beat two tacklers before a typically clinical finish in the corner. Steenson missed his first kick of the match from a tight angle, though at 46-3 the game was sewn up. The Chiefs’ last try of the match was scored by Phil Dollman on 67 minutes. The full-back capitalised on a favourable bounce from a Danny Gray kick which fooled two Nottingham defenders and left him with the simple task of trotting to the try line and placing the ball under the posts to allow Gray to convert. Nottingham finally scored
a try on 74 minutes to avoid a whitewash. After a maul was brought down illegally, referee Sean Davey awarded a penalty try which Jackson converted to bring the visitors’ score up to double figures. Chiefs fans will have been delighted to see Gareth Steenson back to his majestic best after an injury lay-off; he orchestrated proceedings and kicked seven out of eight attempts at the posts, while the pack once again showed they can dominate every area at this level. Baxter has rotated his squad well all year and it appears that his key players are finding form and fitness at just the right time, he was even able to rest captain Tom Hayes and Supporters Player of the Season Chad Slade in the second half. Exeter Chiefs’ semi-final against Bedford was played on Saturday May 8. The final will be played over two legs on May 19 and May 26, with the home leg being on May 19. Go to the Chiefs’ website for fixtures, result and ticket information: www.exeterchiefs.co.uk
No. 8 by Tristan Barclay
As Exeter Chiefs defeated Nottingham 53-10 last Saturday to ensure a tie against Bedford in the Guinness Championship playoffs, the emphatic result moved Devon’s premier club a step closer to promotion to the Guinness Premiership. Exeter have enjoyed an outstanding season thus far. They finished second to promotion favourites Bristol in the league phase, winning 19 from 22 fixtures, while last week’s result means they topped their promotion play-off group. In outscoring Nottingham by seven tries to one, Rob Baxter’s men guaranteed that the semi-final would be played at Sandy Park, where they have only lost once in 14 outings this season. The winner of the Exeter vs Bedford game will face either Bristol or London Welsh in the final to decide who takes the one promotion spot available. Baxter’s side flew out of the traps and rewarded a passionate crowd for their vocal support with a try after just three minutes. Hooker Neil Clark charged down a kick on the visitors’ 22 and showed great pace to get to the ball just before it crossed the dead-ball line. The returning
Gareth Steenson converted easily. It was a typically impressive start by the Chiefs pack as they consistently outnumbered their opposition at the breakdown to secure a quick ball for the back-line. A Steenson penalty put Chiefs 100 up inside six minutes to secure a magnificent start against opponents who they lost to just a few weeks back. Having twice opted for lineouts when earning penalties from kickable ranges, captain Tom Hayes’ attacking ambition was rewarded after a brilliant driving maul was hauled down illegally resulting in a penalty try on 17 minutes. Steenson added the extras once more.
exeposé crossword -
Joe Ridge Chiefs Correspondent
Sport
Across
1. Brittle transparent substance (5) 5. Leavers’ Ball (4) 6. Type of small onion (7) 8. Dec’s other half (3) 11. Student Bar (3) 12. Evergreen climbing plant (3) 14. Popular music concert (3) 15. Search Engine (6) 17. Tree with silvery bark (5) 18. Life story (9) 20. A hard smack (4)
Down 2. Meeting of students for discussion (7) 3. Padded sleeveless jacket (5) 4. Upper class or genteel (4) 7. Headwear (3) 8. Look on with wonder (6) 9. Curved surface of liquid (8) 10. Inflatable rubber mattress (4) 13. A muddy winter sport (5) 16. Low guttural sounds of anger (5) 19. Block of paper (3)
28
monday maY 10 2010
sport
Chiefs romp into semi-final
Exeter’s BUCS Trampolining Success - page 26
Exeter Chiefs breeze past Nottingham to reach the semi finals of the Championship play-offs
Page 27
Great West Run Heroes Running Alexander Cook Sports Editor
A Number of Exeter students took part in the Great West Run on Sunday May 2 2010. Owen Pinnell and Roger Morton tell Exeposé of their experiences of the race.
Photo: Ivan Singh.
EURL Festival Triumph Rugby League
Ivan Singh EURL Publicity Officer
THE South West Rugby League 9s tournament was held at Saracens RFC on May 5 2010, organised by Tom ‘Bean’ Williams, a third year student at Exeter University. The event was a success as the day was blessed with sunshine despite the approaching rain clouds and chilly winds.
There were seven teams in total at the tournament including three Exeter University teams: Exeter 1st, Exeter 2nd, and the Exeter Old Boys. Each team had the goal of winning the tournament in sight. The reigning champions, the Exeter 1st were hoping for a repeat of last year’s performance but had strong competition in the likes of Saracens RFC, Somerset Vikings and a combined team of the North Devon Raiders and Plymouth Titans. The second group consisted of the Exeter Old Boys, Exeter
2nd and Exeter Centurions, who were the runners-up the year before. The top two teams from Group A were Exeter 1sts and Saracens RFC who moved onto the semi-final, and in Group B the top team based on try points due to all three teams winning a match was Exeter Centurions. To get the 4th semi-finalist the 3rd placed team of Group A and the 2nd placed team in Group B played a match to see who moved on. This was between the Somerset Vikings and Exeter Old Boys.
The Somerset Vikings won and moved on to the semi-final, beating the Exeter Old Boys. The two teams who unfortunately came last in the group stages were the mixed team of the North Devon Raiders and the Exeter 2nd. They played in the wooden spoon match; the game was very close with the Exeter 2nd coming out on top with a win of 22-16. Continued on page 27
“We signed up to the Great West Run in an act of sheer recklessness, but the idea took on a new significance when Roger also recklessly committed himself to building water facilities in Uganda over summer with Engineers Without Borders. It then became a great fundraising opportunity! The race itself was unforgettable, with a real sense of community bringing the city to life and making the agony worthwhile!”
Simon Derrick (below), a postgraduate student and stalwart member of the PGU, also completed the race. For further coverage of the event , see page 2.
No.86
No. 87 GRID 3: FIENDISH
Fill in the grid so that the numbers 1 to 9 appear in each row, each column, and each 3x3 box
GRID 2: MEDIUM
GRID 1: easy
No.85
exeposé sudoku
Exeposé
www.exepose.com
Photos: Craig Strachan and Owen Pinnell
Quite Interesting....
What students think about the General elections and the recent teaching awards 2
Students’ Guild Best Bar None Some of this year’s award-winning achievements 2
Blowing your top?
MONDAY 10TH MAY 2010 ISSUE 25
Some stress busting tips for the exam period 3
What are the Forum Elections and why should you vote 2
SHAPING THE FUTURE.
Campaigns Diversity & Equality Postgraduate Students St Luke’s Ethics & Environment International
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Shaping the Future
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Having elected the four new Sabbatical Officers and AU President in February it is now time to select the rest of the Student Forum Officers. X. caught up with Richard Stearn, Students’ Guild President to find out what it’s all about and why you should care.
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to update each other on their progress. The six part time officers will each chair their respective committees made up of Student Representatives who are also being elected now! In all there are 32 positions to vote for including 12 Guild councillors, 4 Student Trustees, Arts Chair, Societies’ Officer and the student reps which will include the Mature Students’ Representative, Disabled Students’ Rep and Students Abroad Rep. In addition to this, postgraduate students can vote for their PGU committee for next year.
Quite Interesting? Our fortnightly column of interesting facts and statistics about Exeter University and its Students.
This week we give you facts from the town takeover and the teaching awards.
1844 1166 5 150
the total number of nominations for acedemic staff in this year’s Teaching Awards students nominated their lecturers this year.
the number of people debating at the Town Takeover, including Steve Smith, Vice Chancellor of the University turned up and took part in the debate
500
people signed petition postcards against a raise in tuition fees
635
Exeter students filled out voter registration forms for the General Elections this year
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Why is it important? What is the Student Forum? The Student Forum is the new representative body for the Guild. We created it through a referendum to tackle the fact that the Guild is at times disconnected from certain groups. The officers who serve on the forum each have a specific concentration that has either been previously ignored by the Guild or not given enough attention. Who are they? The Student Forum consists of the four full time sabbatical officers that have already been elected and six part time officers. These student officers and Representatives are current students who are giving
International Students’ Officer Postgraduate Students’ Officer Equality and Diversity Officer Campaigns Officer Environment and Ethics Officer St Luke’s Officer How will it work? The Student Forum will meet together on a monthly basis to discuss any current issues and
Best Bar None
The Student Forum is vital because it allows the Guild to represent previously marginalised disparate groups more effectively. This is central to the Guild’s mission. It’s important that you vote because these officers will be given significant power, budget and training specifically to improve your experience as a student both on campus and nationally. How can I vote? All you need to do is visit www. exeterguild.org and follow the links to the voting page or go straight to www.elections.ex.ac.uk/guild. Please remember to vote for all the positions and use the single transferable vote to avoid a hung parliament!
Gemma Richens, FATO tells us about the Students’ Guild’s achievements this year
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he university of Exeter Students’ Guild has had one of its most successful years to date. Not only did we win a silver Sound Impact award, we also achieved gold in the prestigious Best Bar None award. Sound Impact is an award designed for Students’ Unions to encourage good environmental practice. This year we hit all the criteria to reach Silver, achieving a total score of 504, improving on last year’s Bronze score by exactly 100 points. The average score of the 83 unions in the award was 433.
Tell us what you think about X. Email your thoughts to: communications@guild.ex.ac.uk
up their time to represent you alongside their academic studies. They are out there with you on campus all day every day and will experience the same problems and have the same concerns as everyone else. The six roles are:
“We achieved gold in the prestigious Best Bar None award” Each target is scored out of 10 based on the environmental benefit and the difficulty to
put into action. For example, having a simple cartridge recycle scheme in the Print Shop bagged us 2 easy points, however actively lobbying the University on environmental issues such as cycle parking and recycle bins gained us 9 points. Our other awardwinning success this year was Best Bar None. This is an awards scheme for licensed premises based on how well they look after their customers and the consideration they give to their local communities. We were 1 of only 8 student unions in the whole country to receive a gold award this year for The Lemon Grove, making it the only licensed premises in the area to achieve this standard. This has had a positive impact on our relationship with the local police and residents of Exeter. Due to this success, we’ll be able to explore new possibilities for the venue in the future such as longer opening hours and a more varied entertainment programme. Faced with issues such as
climate change and responsible drinking, the Students’ Guild is consistently showing its ability to stay ahead of change and be proactive.
“We were 1 of only 8 student unions in the whole country to receive a goldRecently award” we have
also achieved the Investors in Volunteers standard for Community Action. In the not too distant future we hope to add to our collection the Students’ Union Evaluation Initiative award and an NUS award in our efforts to become recognised as the leading students’ union in the UK.
Your Daily TV Guide What’s on telly when you need that all-important break
Daily:
3pm 4pm 6pm 6.30pm 8pm
Weekly: Mon Tues Wed Thur Fri
Diagnosis Murder Top Gear The Simpsons Hollyoaks Friends
BBC 2 Dave Ch4 Ch4 E4 E4 Dave Ch4 E4 Ch4
9pm 9pm 10pm 9pm 11pm
Glee QI Desperate Housewives Big Bang Theory Peep Show
Upcoming Film Releases
Saving You From the Boredom of Revision Welfare Officer, Matt Richards gives some tips on how to beat the boredom and stress of exam revision. He also tells you why you should pick up a copy of ‘Relax- a guide to Exam Stress’ coming out soon around Campus
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evision time is one of the most stressful periods you will have while at University and although it is vital to revise as much as you can, don’t forget that having a break once in a while is just as important. Studies have shown that after an hour, your brain stops taking in new information, so it’s better to take regular breaks. This will not only help your revision, it will also keep you calm. This year, to help you combat
the stress of exams, the Students’ Guild has produced a booklet full of useful tips and techniques not only for revising but also for relaxing. There’s also a handy eye chart so you can test how tired you are and if it’s time to get some rest. To give you a taster of the guide and also tell you what’s coming out on the big screen over the next month, this week’s X includes a TV and film guide, and some simple exercises.
Don’t forget your student discount! Hot Tub Time Machine
May 7th 5 Guys in a hot tub, which turns into a time machine. What more could you ask for?
Robin Hood
May 12th Russel Crowe, Ridley Scott, basically Gladiator in Tights.
Prince of Persia
May 21st Jake Gyllenhaal leathers up in Disney’s follow-up to Pirates of the Caribbean.
Black Death
May 28th Sean Bean gets the plague and hunts the one man who can save them all.
Desk Exercises
Simple exercises to help keep you awake and stop any aches and pains from sitting at a desk all day
Head tilt: Keeping your back straight and your shoulders still, slowly tilt your head from side to side, then backwards and forwards, stretching your neck.
Ankle rotations: Keeping your back straight and your torso still, lift one foot and rotate it, working the muscles in the ankle and lower leg. Repeat with the other foot.
Produced by Stuart Smith and Meredyth Wills. © 2010 University of Exeter Students’ Guild.