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Tuesday 12 November 2013 • Issue 616 • www.exepose.ex.ac.uk • Twitter: @Exepose • www.facebook.com/Exepose

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Council plans cap on student housing areas

Uni quiet on EDL security measures Owen Keating News Editor

Photo: Niklas Rahmel

Louis Doré News Editor THE NUMBER of student houses permitted in areas local to campus is due to be restricted under current plans proposed by Exeter City Council. These caps, combined with the continued expansion of the University of Exeter, could result in students who rent being spread further away from

campus in future years. The number of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), a category under which student lettings fall, will be restricted in some areas close to campus by the proposed amendments to the Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). These proposals aim to spread the concentration of students renting from letting agents and landlords further across the city, to address what the council deems an “issue of imbalanced

Music: Chat to Welsh band The Blackout on tour- PAGE 20

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communities in Exeter”. The Council have defined the issue as “over concentrations of flats, self contained bedsits, HMOs or student housing that would change the character of the neighbourhood or create an imbalance in the local community”. According to the Council, the issue has arisen due to “a significant increase in shared student houses as a result of expansion by the University of Exeter”. The expansion of the Uni-

Put Assassin’s Creed III to the sword - PAGE 33

versity could result in the catchment area of the student body being greater, following the model of University cities such as Leeds and Nottingham, whose councils have already adopted policies similar to this. In an amendment report published by the council, it has stated that it is “aware that the University’s recent five year plan envisages an expansion to about 18,000 full time education students by 2018/19 which is likely to CONTINUED PAGE 2

Sport: Interview Hockey coach ahead of Varsity Match - PAGE 36

THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER have declined to confirm if there will be any additional security on campus this Saturday 16 November, when the English Defence League (EDL) hold their national demonstration in Exeter. The University have, however, emailed all students to tell them that the march is taking place. When contacted by Exeposé regarding security on campus this weekend, the University did not confirm if there would be any additional staff on campus, or if protestors would be allowed into any buildings on campus. The University has been directly cited by the EDL as a primary reason for their national demonstration being held in Exeter. In an article on their website titled “Why we are going to Exeter”, the EDL cite the University’s longstanding interest in the study of Islamophobia as a key reason for Exeter being chosen as the location for the march. In addition, the far-right group mention the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies and the funding it offers for PhDs in Islamic Studies, as well as the Forum, which was in part funded by a £5 million donation from Muhammed al-Qasimi, the ruler of Sharjah, an emirate which the EDL calls: “one of the most conservative[...]in the United Arab Emirates”. The University responded to these accusations, saying: “The Arab and Islamic world is a subject of academic study at the University in the same way as Physics, History, French or English”. CONTINUED PAGE 3 FIND US ONLINE AT

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 lead to a take up of slack in the market and further pressure of growth in HMOs in popular student areas”. The new amendments, if approved, would mean only 20 per cent of the houses in newly affected areas would be permitted to be HMOs. Parts of the Duryard, Newtown and Pennysylvania wards would be capped to 20 per cent, alongside the already capped areas of St. James, Polsloe and St. Davids. The previous Council policy from 2008 used a threshold of 25 per cent Class N exemptions as a basis of resisting further HMOs within three areas of the City. The SPD adopted in July 2011 imposed a threshold of 20 per cent in selected areas such as St. James, Polsloe and St. Davids. The reason these wards currently retain a percentage higher than 20 per cent is because all HMO’s can keep their licenses under the current legislation, regardless of percentages, unless being converted back into private houses. It is also evident in the diagram (right) that notable areas with high student housing numbers such as Victoria Street are being treated as outliers in these figures and are not subject to the restrictions. The Council have determined a course of action including undertaking “public consultation on the proposed amended SPD”. These consultations include discussions with “interested parties and a more targeted consultation through posters on lamp posts and in any public buildings and contact with any residents groups in the four areas directly affected”. Stuart Franklin, Director of Communications and Marketing for the University, clarified that the “University has been working closely with the City Council over many years on the issue of student housing”. He stated there are already plans in the pipeline for further student accommodation expansion, with “153 beds at Portland House currently under construction to facilitate further growth in student numbers”. Mr. Frank-

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lin also explained the University “will be discussing this latest issue with the City”.

We want to reassure students not to worry about this when looking at housing Chris Rootkin, VP Welfare and Community Stuart Franklin went on to discuss the University’s plans for expansion, commenting that “it’s worth adding that whilst there will be some further growth in student numbers over the next five years, it is not the University’s intention

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Louis Doré & Owen Keating news@exepose.com JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé News to massively expand”. Rory Cunningham, Community Liaison Officer, commented: “The University has a positive relationship with local residents and resident groups. The University’s Community Liaison Officer and the Student Community Wardens meet regularly with community partners to explore issues of concern and to develop projects to help bring students and permanent locals together”. He noted that “serious complaints are rare and the majority of students have a positive relationship with their neighbours”. Chris Rootkin, VP Welfare and Community, stated: “We want to reassure students not to worry about this when looking at housing and not to feel rushed into housing choices over the next couple of years. Properties with existing HMO licenses won’t be forcibly taken off landlords. Furthermore, current supply of HMO housing currently out-

strips demand – even before we consider purpose-built developments such as the Print Works and Unite. “What it will prevent though is additional HMO growth in some parts of the city in the future. To ensure this doesn’t become a problem down the line, we want to meet with the University, Exeter City Council and Devon County Council and meaningfully plan where and how students will be accommodated in the long term”. A third year English student expressed concerns on the proposal: “It’s understandable that the Council might not want too many students concentrated in certain areas, but even in my first year looking for a suitable house close to campus was a struggle. I can see this proposal complicating house searching, especially if you want to live close by to friends in other houses”.

>> The new council proposals for HMO restrictions

XpressionFM strike silver amongst alleged sexism at Student Radio Awards Jon Jenner Editor XPRESSIONFM, the University’s student radio station, celebrated an award at this year’s national Student Radio Awards. The station won Silver in Best Entertainment Programme for its hugely popular weekend show “Wake and Bake”, hosted by Gareth Jones and Laurence Foreman. The presenters told Exeposé: “We are thrilled to have won this award, it’s incredible to receive national recognition for a show that started off as an idea on a year abroad and became something very close to our hearts. To every listen-

er and baker, thank you for making the show what it was, and to XpressionFM we will never forget your unwavering support of sunshine vibes and delicious pastries!” XpressionFM were also nominated for Best Marketing and Station Sound, as well as being in a two-university shortlist to hold next year’s SRACon, an illustrious conference that brings professional and student radio stations together. Unfortunately, Xpression were narrowly beaten by Newcastle Student Radio. Hazel Morgan, XpressionFM’s Head of Station, said: “Although we’re disappointed not to be hosting the conference this year, it was a huge step for Xpression to even put in a bid for the

first time in our history. It was also a massive achievement for us to be short listed along with one other university. It’s a shame that what let us down was the fact we couldn’t hold the conference at the weekend, which was a part of the bid that was completely out of our control”. The awards ceremony was held at the IndigO2 in London, with BBC R1 DJ Greg James hosting the event. DJ Tim Westwood provided entertainment later in the evening, and was once again accused of making sexist comments by a number of students, including “if you’ve got a flat arse shake your tits instead girls”. The event was also opened with Vegas-inspired dancing girls. Elia Shipton, XpressionFM’s Head

of News, said: “It was a shame in a way that the event organisers decided to use half-naked women to open the show. I think it was something inspired by ‘Vegas’, but as Chris Smith [of R1’s Newsbeat] pointed out, most universities are currently debating whether ‘Blurred Lines’ should be endorsed by their SUs, so why would you start the show with half-naked dancers? “It was also strange to see Tim Westwood being given centre stage after the controversy he’s caused at universities; especially as he continually called out derogatory comments to women throughout his set. It would have been good to see the event engaged the current gender equality issues that student radio is facing”.

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“Spotted” Facebook page continues despite University intervention Owen Keating News Editor A NOTORIOUS Facebook page which came under scrutiny from the University earlier this year has continued to publish posts by students, despite concerted efforts by the University to shut it down. The page has attracted over 4,800 likes from students.

The management of the University is understandably very sensitive about the reputation of the University Internal email between two University staff, sent in January 2013 The ‘Spotted in the Forum’ page allows students to anonymously comment on other people they have seen in the Forum, considered by many to be the central hub of the University. Recent comments have included one user telling a “studious blonde” that “if you were my coursework I’d be doing you right now all over my desk”. The page is a remnant of a social media trend from earlier this year, where students from universities

across the UK would take to Facebook to anonymously comment on the appearances and actions of other students on campus. Many pages were closed down, including one site in Birmingham which was deleted after a student used the page to confess to committing a serious sexual assault during their time as a student. A request lodged under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) earlier this year shows the lengths the University went to try to minimise the fallout from these sorts of pages. The request, which asked for all internal email correspondence about the pages, shows that University staff considered disciplinary and legal action in a bid to curb what was described as “dubious student antics” in an email from 15 January. Internal communications between staff also criticised the Spotted pages, saying that the pages have a “tendency to stereotype women as sexually available”, as well as commenting to the owner of one of the pages that “the management of the University is understandably very sensitive about the reputation of the University”. The University told one page owner, in a conversation on 15 January 2013, that: “the University is worried that the Spotted page will put people off visiting the Forum if they think their appearance, dress sense, or sexual availability is going to be discussed in front of thousands of people”, as well as telling the page administrator

that “there is no room for debate in this matter”.

It is unsettling to know that I could theoretically be being watched and commented upon as I go about my day to day business A third year English student A third year English student said: “I regularly use the Forum, as do many other students, and it is unsettling to know that I could theoretically be being watched and commented upon as I go about my day to day business. It’s disappointing to see that the University’s earlier efforts to stop the page have clearly failed”. A Students’ Guild spokesman said: “Whilst these types of pages can start with good intentions they can quickly become offensive and hurtful to some members of the campus community. The Guild will support any student who feels aggrieved by these pages to take the appropriate action should they ask for it”. When asked about the page’s re-emergence by Exeposé, a University spokesperson said: “We asked for last year’s batch of ‘Spotted’ sites to

be taken down because some of the comments made were quite personal, sometimes verging on harassment, and we received a number of complaints. If students feel uncomfortable about any comments that appear on this year’s sites, they should contact the Univer-

sity and we will take appropriate action”. The administrator of the ‘Spotted in the Forum’ page could not be reached for comment.

City prepares for EDL national demo >> An EDL member during a 2011 ‘Ban the Burqa’ event in 2011

Photo: E&E

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “It doesn’t follow that just because we have an academic specialism that the University is sympathetic to any particular cause. “Yes, we have accepted donations from people and institutions in the Middle East for the pursuance of research or teaching, as we have from the UK, the US and Europe. All large donations are ethically checked before they are received. “Saudi Arabia is the UK’s biggest trading partner in the Middle East and designated a ‘High Growth Market’ by UKTI, as is the Emirates, of which Sharjah is a part. “We are not expecting the march to come near the University”. Hannah Barton, Guild President, also added: “The University of Exeter provides a wealth of exciting opportunities to study various cultures, societies and religions – and the study of the Middle East is no exception. “There is great value in studying all cultures and the Students’ Guild is proud that our University offers such a diverse programme of courses. We continue to celebrate diversity amongst our students and the community. “The city of Exeter, the University and the Students’ Guild enjoy a unique community feel and this is in part due to our multi-cultural, multi-racial and mul-

ti-faith population”. The EDL have announced that they are marching through Exeter on the afternoon of Saturday 16 November. There will also be a number of protests against the EDL’s presence in the city, as the Exeter Together group are lead-

The University and the Students’ Guild enjoy a unique community feel Hannah Barton, Guild President ing a protest which starts in Belmont Park at 10.30am, culminating with a rally at Bedford Square at 12pm. Several groups, including the English Disco Lovers, and United Against Fascism (UAF) are also expected to contribute to this counter-march. The EDL march route has not yet been confirmed, as part of a police strategy to avoid flashpoints between marches. This is not the first time that the EDL have protested in Exeter. In June of this year, the Exeter division of the EDL organised a vigil in memory of Drummer Lee Rigby, who was brutally murdered in May. However, no-one attended the vigil. A previous EDL march in Exeter,

organised as part of a campaign to “Ban the Burqa”, was also sparsely attended; only 15 people eventually turned up, in contrast to approximately 300 people who attended a celebration of diversity in the city centre on the same day. Turnout for the national demonstration is expected to be significantly higher than previous EDL events in Exeter; at the time of going to press, the Facebook event for the demonstration has over 300 people “attending”. Clara Plackett, a third year English student, told Exeposé: “Because of the relatively large numbers potentially involved in both the demonstration and the march opposing it, I would like to know what measures the University will put in place to ensure student safety in the event of any disturbances. As it is, I’ll be working at home on the 16th, and not on campus”. Hannah Barton, Guild President, stated: “We are working closely with the University and Police to ensure that the safety of students remains a constant consideration throughout planning for the day. The Guild is confident that they will work to ensure the safety of all students in the City centre and on campus, however we would encourage all students to consider the impact that the march may have on their plans for the weekend”.

NEWS

National Student News York’s Conservative Society cancels ‘Fox Hunting” social after protests Owen Keating News Editor THE UNIVERSITY OF YORK’s Conservative Society was forced to cancel its annual “Fox Hunting” social after “militant” protests from other student groups. The social, which traditionally involved female members dressing up as foxes, and being “chased” around bars and clubs in town by male society members, who would dress as hunters. A number of students complained, with Ali Ryland, the chair of York’s Vegetarian and Vegan Society, commenting: “VegSoc will endorse anyone protesting the social, red paint encouraged”. Members of the York Tories have defended the event, claiming that the protests against their social left some students claiming that they “felt unsafe” attending. Sarah Ralphs, the external Vice Chair of the York Tories, claimed that no offence was meant by the event: “We outlined in the event description that the allocation of gender-based roles was purely a suggestion and the individual is entirely free to select their own role”.

First prize Student Twin Towers fancy dress causes media storm Alexandra Lapshina News Team TWO University of Chester students, Annie Collinge and Amber Langford, wore matching Twin Tower outfits for a Halloween fancy dress competition to Chester’s nightclub Rosies. The duo won first place and £150 cash prize, causing controversy in the National media and widespread criticism. The girls’ outfits, marked ‘North Tower’ and ‘South Tower’, depicted burning planes and head pieces with smoke and victims jumping off the skyscrapers. Spokesman from Stonegate Pub Company, which runs the nightclub, has said: “There was a serious error of judgement made on the evening by a contracted DJ to award such a prize,” adding “a full investigation by the company is taking place”. The University of Chester and Chester Students’ Union said in a statement: “We utterly condemn the appalling photos which have been shared on social media” and the girls are now subjected to an urgent investigation by the university and may face disciplinary actions. The girls have since apologised for causing offence saying that “it was not intended”.

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Ottery Marshal hit by St. Luke’s development car; 16 treated for burns stalls after traffic issues Jon Jenner Editor A MARSHAL was hit by a car at this year’s Tar Barrels event in Ottery St Mary, which was attended by hundreds of students from the university. The marshal, a 59 year-old volunteer at the event, was hit by the car after instructing its driver not to drive down a closed road at around 6pm. The woman driving the vehicle ignored him and drove through cones blocking the road and into the marshal. The driver sped away as the marshal rolled off of her bonnet without stopping to check on him or report the incident, despite the marshal receiving visible injuries. Police later arrested a 37 year-old woman on suspicion of the crime, who was subsequently released on bail.

The Tar Barrels Event is held every year in nearby Ottery St Mary. Men, women and children born in the town carry barrels soaked in tar through the town in a tradition stretching back to the 17th century. This year’s event was attended by over 15,000 people, including hundreds of students from the University, many of them attending as part of a social with various societies. 477 people attended with RAG, raising £762.83 for their nominated charities. The event as a whole passed largely without incident, with 16 people being treated by St John’s Ambulance for minor burns. One person required hospital treatment. Olivia Gale, a second year Business and Marketing student, said: “It was a great night and I am glad that I attended. The crowd at some points was claustrophobic but I would definitely go again”.

Photo: www.otterytarbarrels.co.uk

Clara Plackett Deputy Editor PLANS to create a four-storey office block at St. Luke’s Campus have been rejected by highway bosses. The university had aimed to convert and extend a former accommodation block into offices for its medical department. Hundreds of staff would be based at the site, however Exeter’s planning committee has deferred its decision after the highways authority recommended refusal as a result of the University failing to provide a transport assessment. In its report to the committee, Devon Country Council said: “It’s pretty clear that anything of this size should be accompanied by a transport assessment but the applicant has not even provided a transport strategy to clarify additional car-borne trips that it is expected to attract”. Richard Westlake, county councillor for Newtown and Polsloe, added: “I would like to see the University develop a rigorous transport plan that would include walking, cycling and park and ride which would significantly reduce the number of vehicle movements in the area and I would like them to provide rigorous monitoring to make sure that their plans are being adopted. “Councillor Branston and I have been receiving, over the 12 months, a significant number of complaints from residents of commuter parking in residential areas”. Richard Branston, city councillor for Newtown, also addressed a meeting on behalf of residents opposed to the scheme, and claimed that car parking on the site is already at capacity.

Bob Alcock, Special Projects Director, Estate Development Services, at the University of Exeter, commented: “Our proposal to redevelop South Cloisters will mean a significant upgrade for teaching and learning spaces at the St Luke’s Campus. The proposal is currently going through the planning process, but if approved, the four-storey extension will provide 224 learning and teaching spaces for students, while the Giraffe House refurbishment would provide 120 student study spaces. The University is committed to providing the best possible student experience across all campuses, and this upgrade reflects that drive”. Another representative of the University of Exeter also told the Echo that the University already operates a green travel plan which strives to reduce single car journeys, and subsidises buses from the University to the town. However, members of the planning committee also heard that the University had plans to develop other parts of the St Luke’s site, and felt that it would be better to take an overview rather than decide this planning application in isolation. The plans would add another floor to the current building which runs along part of College Road opposite bungalows. Cllr Branston said that it would be better to adapt College House, a building on campus which is set well back from the boundary walls and which would not have as great an impact on local residents. The committee deferred its decision so that a transport assessment and the master plan for the rest of the site could be provided and a consultation with residents could take place.

Students start petition to renew University lecturer’s contract Hannah Butler News Team A PETITION has been set up to push for the renewal of Dr Matthew Hayler’s contract with the College of Humanities. The renewal of the popular academic’s contract is currently under question by the College. The petition, currently running on the Students’ Guild Have Your Say webpage, voices concerns that the modules Dr Hayler convenes may be unavailable to future students if his contract is not renewed. Heather Tarplee, English Society Co-President, told Exeposé: “Every English student that I’ve spoken to is dismayed at the prospect of Matt leaving. He’s a favourite with everyone and I’ve regarded him as a crucial member of staff since the beginning of my studies”. Francesca Platt, English Society Academic Secretary, noted: “Matt’s modules and his teaching interests are some of the most forward-thinking areas of study for English students at Exeter”, adding, “it would be a shame for us to lose one of

the department’s most innovative lecturers”. When contacted, Dr Hayler told Exeposé: “I’m really humbled by the whole thing, and if it contributes to my being able to stay at Exeter then I’m beyond grateful”, expressing his “huge thank you to anyone who has signed the petition”. Dr Hayler emphasised that the support “means a lot, whatever the final outcome”, voicing hopes that his research and teaching “have a place at Exeter”, and promising that if his contract is renewed he will continue to teach in “as accessible and interesting a way as I can”. Alex Louch, VP Academic Affairs, said: “Matt is a fantastic teacher, and the incredible number of nominations which he has received in the teaching awards clearly illustrates how important he is to Exeter. The petition actions me to lobby the department to renew Matt’s contract, and that is what I will do in the current weeks, to make sure that when decisions on the contracts are made Matt is fully considered, so that one of Exeter’s best teachers doesn’t go elsewhere”.

>> Dr. Hayler’s contract is currently under review

Photo: @cryurchin

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Xpression FM undertake University doctor ‘Bigger Broadcast’ for charity designs cancer Christopher Bateman News Team THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER’s Xpression FM will be broadcasting continuously for 30 hours in order to raise money for the charity Children In Need. Xpression FM will be providing live coverage of their fundraising efforts on the 30 hour run up to the 2013 BBC Children In Need appeal being hosted in Falmouth. The ‘Xpression FM Bigger Broadcast’ will have Nikki Lloyd and James Hitchings-Hales presenting the show throughout, which begins at 12pm, 14 November. James Hitchings-Hales said: “The ‘Bigger Broadcast’ is a great chance for us to raise a lot of money for a very worthwhile cause and show everyone at Exeter the great variety of presenters that make Xpression FM what it is”. Xpression will be broadcasting live from the Exeter University Forum on Thursday 14, and on Friday 15 from Exeter University’s Falmouth Campus. Matthew Bate, Xpression’s Deputy Station Manager, will be helping the fundraising efforts by cycling the 100 miles between the Exeter and Falmouth broadcasts in an event called the ‘Great

British Bate Off’, providing live updates throughout the show. The ‘Bigger Broadcast’ has a wide range of content for the 30 hours, including guest slots for Xpression’s best presenters, a live music set from indie-rock band The Beacons, a Sports Team sprint up Exeter’s ‘Cardiac Hill’, and a ‘#LetsGetGrimmy’ Twitter campaign to attract the attention of BBC Radio 1 presenter Nick Grimshaw. Everyone involved in the broadcast will also be dressing as superheroes to

help raise awareness for the event, making those involved recognisable around campus. Xpression will continue broadcasting after the ‘Bigger Broadcast’ has ended to cover the BBC Children In Need appeal live from Falmouth at 6pm. Nicholas Lawley, Xpression Sports Team, said: “It’s going to be a lot of fun and a lot of hard work for all involved, but I hope our efforts show by helping to make a significant donation towards Children In Need”.

detection app Amy Snelling News Team DR WILLIE HAMILTON, of the University of Exeter, has designed a computer app for GP surgeries that is able to improve the detection of cancer symptoms in the early stages, potentially saving thousands of lives.

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GP surgeries trialling the app

>>Xpression’s Big Broadcast last year

Photo: Xpression FM

The app, costing £50, works by recording a patient’s symptoms upon each visit to the doctors. If, over various visits, a patient is showing a mixture of otherwise harmless symptoms, which together, could be an indicator of cancer, a warning will appear on the doctor’s computer. Dr Hamilton states, “If, for example, a patient comes to see me with one symptom such as nausea or sickness [...] Then three weeks later they come back and say they’ve had trouble swallowing, the computer will automatically ping up with an alert to say their

risk of oesophageal cancer is over seven per cent which will alert me to refer the patient for tests”. The app is able to identify the symptoms of six forms of cancer, which have previously been particularly hard-to-detect: lung, bowel, ovarian, oesophageal, pancreatic and stomach. It is currently on trial at 160 GP surgeries nationwide. Increased early detection could help doctors in their battle to fight cancer. Dr Hamilton informs Exeposé that he “started [...] as a humble GP” with an “idea that we could identify cancer risks by looking at the case records of patients”. He joined the University in 2011 to continue his innovating research on cancer diagnostics. He adds, “The University of Exeter have been really helpful in supporting this work for me and my team. It’s so lovely working in a research field where you can see the results of your work in front of your eyes. I’ve been really lucky in this project, in running it through all stages – the initial development, the application, and now the e-version. Shame it’s taken a dozen years, but that’s life – apparently most medical advances take twice as long!”.

South West Water criticised University hosts Diwali celebration Laura-Jane Tiley for potential price hike News Team Owen Keating News Editor THE GOVERNMENT have urged South West Water against a price hike that could see over £20 being added to students’ water bills. South West Water’s average charge is £111 - £499 above the national average, despite a £50 Government subsidy for consumers in the region. Owen Paterson, the Environment Secretary, has written to all UK water companies to ensure that they maintain an awareness of the degree to which their prices are increasing.

There is a lot of speculation at the moment over water bills mainly caused by political jockeying ahead of the General Election South West Water Ofwat, the regulatory body for water and sewage providers in the UK, have estimated that over £750 million could be saved on bills if refurbished Victorian-era facilities were used. Water Minister, Dan Rogerson MP, whose constituency is in North Cornwall, has urged Ofwat to get “under the skin” of the water companies during negotiations, as he claims that the Gov-

ernment is providing “political cover” for Ofwat to “get tough” with the water companies. South West Water commented to Exeposé: “There is a lot of speculation at the moment over energy/water/cost of living and bills mainly caused by political jockeying ahead of the General Election and the need to fill the 24 hour news cycle”. The utility company stated they would be announcing the 2014/15 plans and outline proposals for investment and charges between 2015 and 2020 as part of their Final Business Plan. South West water stated: “The truth is we have not made a final decision on bills for next year”. South West Water acknowledged the high cost of water to students, stating, “We are very mindful of the need to keep bills affordable which is why we campaigned for the £50 Government reduction for householders which came into effect this April and will continue until 2020”. The company advised students to “check whether you are getting the £50 reduction as the named billpayer or if paying for water through a landlord that they are passing the discount onto you”. South West Water also advised looking into saving on a meter, as well as “some simple water saving devices”. A second year student commented: “Coming to study in Exeter, we knew that the costs of living would be a big problem”.

DIWALI celebrations took over Streatham campus on Sunday. The festivities, which mark the beginning of the Hindu New Year, were organised by the Student Guild’s Asian Society, with support from the University. The Asian Society’s dance troupe also performed. Drumming, face painting, Bollywood acting and henna tattoos were amongst the free activities available to students and members of the public who attended. The Great Hall played host to market stalls selling food delicacies

>>Diwali celebrations in the Great Hall

from each of India’s regions. These were prepared by Dana Pani, Exeter Hindu Temple’s Indian restaurant. A fireworks display concluded the Diwali celebrations, which also commemorated the Hindu Festival of Light. Viewed from the back of the XFI building on campus, the fireworks lasted for around ten minutes and followed a procession from the Forum. Diwali or Deepavali is the most important festival of the year for Hindus; attending students and families were given an opportunity to experience the rich culture and heritage of India. Second year Business and Economics student, Natalie Anderson, com-

mented: “The event was very successful with lots of people from both the student and Exeter community coming along. The highlights of the event for me were the food, henna and the fireworks – even though it was raining. The event as a whole was really interesting, as it gave a great insight into another culture and their traditions”. Ravi Nathwani, the Hindu Chaplain for the University of Exeter, said: “As a place of learning, with thousands of overseas students, the University is the right place to celebrate Diwali, as it is also a time to get together and enjoy and build inter cultural awareness and relationships”.

Photo: Shikhar Suman Bassi

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Currently, the student experience of living offcampus is a convenient one The potential, then, that finding somewhere to live in Exeter will become increasingly difficult over the next few years, is cause for concern. Exeter Council are proposing to bring the percentage of HMOs down in areas surrounding campus - meaning that in the next few years, the St James, St Davids and Pennsylvania areas of the city will all likely have less houses available for students. For anyone that knows Exeter, these are the most popular areas in the city for students living off-campus. Certain parts of these areas can almost feel like living in halls, as so many of the houses and roads are occupied by students that your friends are rarely more than five minutes away. This sense of community is also coupled with these areas being mostly less than fifteen minutes from both the town centre and the heart of campus. Currently, the student experience of living off-campus is a convenient one. The worry is that this will all change in the next few years. As the

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Less than accommodating ASK any student and you’ll be told that housing is one of the most important issues in their university life. Whether it’s questions around where you’ll live or who you’ll be living with, the issue of housing is a constant source of stress until it’s sorted out. Particularly at this time of year, as letting signs spring up across the city and the Students’ Guild’s Housing campaign begins to gather momentum, sorting out your living situation for the following year can seem even more daunting than looming deadlines.

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Council themselves state, the University is set to grow even further in the next few years. And if the Council are aiming to bring down the concentration of students in the areas close to campus, where are the inevitably increased numbers of students looking for housing supposed to live? Exeter’s students could find themselves becoming increasingly spread across the city, dramatically breaking the holy trinity of convenience that currently exists of campus, the town centre and friends’ houses. It’s not inconceivable to envisage the student experience at Exeter becoming more like that of Warwick or Nottingham, where students have to take a 20 minute bus journey for any hope of making their 9am lecture. Currently, Exeter’s public transport would struggle to support that. In terms of the student houses that will remain close to campus, they will become increasingly sought after by students, meaning that the rush for housing will start earlier and the prices will rise. The Council’s concern that communities are becoming “imbalanced” by the amount of students in certain areas is certainly a valid one, as, in good conscience, students should do their best to fit into the community. It will be up to both the Students’ Guild and the University to work with the

Exeter’s students could find themselves becoming increasingly spread out across the city Council to ensure that this doesn’t have a negative impact on the student experience, as the enormous convenience factor is such an attractive asset of the university for prospective students.

Thanks to those who helped proof this issue: Vanessa Tracey, Lauren Swift, Charlotte Earland, Alex Hall, Fiona Lally, Sophie Harrison, Ben Pullan, Natasha Montague, Isobel Burston, Sabrina Aziz, Jessica Thomson, Ben Crick, Emma Lock, Bethany Hichton, Thomas Davies, Tristan Gatward, Amrita Pal, Maddy Everington and members of the Exeposé editorial team

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Life beyond the large corporation “I remember that horrible feeling ... trying to juggle studying for a degree, whilst at the same time attempting to find a job to follow it”

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Vanessa Windsor, Alumna and Recruitment Consultant THIS article is aimed at any business school students out there who are feeling the pressure and the competition of securing themselves a job after they leave University. I graduated from Exeter University in July, with a 2.1 in Economics & Politics. I was lucky enough to leave Uni and go straight into a job. I am now running the commercial desk for a medium sized Recruitment Consultancy in Exeter, and loving life. I remember that horrible feeling, trying to juggle studying for a degree, whilst at the same time attempting to find a job to follow it. You look at your options in the business school, and you see three obvious paths – it’s either banking, accounting or investment. Location wise, it’s probably got to be London… and in terms of company, you’ve got KPMG, Ernst & Young, PwC or Deloitte. And that’s it – that’s the choice. My message to you is to broaden your horizons and look beyond the ‘Big Four.’ Look beyond London and widen your job search. Don’t think of success as getting in with a multinational corporation in the Big City. That’s just one option out there, and my god, is it competitive. For every large corporation out there, there are hundreds of small-and medium-sized firms. These are the firms that can’t fork out the cash to advertise themselves through the University. They don’t have the money to fill students’ pockets with endless supplies of branded pens, bouncy balls and bookmarks… and they can’t afford to lose a couple of employees

for the day to attend university career fairs. But the point is, that doesn’t mean they don’t exist, and more importantly, it doesn’t mean they don’t need employees. The advantages of working for

Look beyond London and broaden your job search. Don’t think of success as getting in with a multinational corporation in the Big City. That’s just one option out there, and my god it’s competitive a small/medium-sized company are huge. Firstly, you have more of a say. When you’re one out of thousands of employees working for a large firm, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to get your voice heard. On the other hand, in a smaller firm, you are often in regular contact with management and your opinion counts for more. You are valued on a more personal level, as opposed to simply how much money you rake in each month. It’s more about what you can do for the business as a whole. Secondly, life is less cutthroat. Don’t get me wrong, I would describe myself as highly competitive in nature, but I have a job where I’m not constantly assessed and if I fall short of a target one month, I’m not shown the door. Thirdly, probability of career progression is much higher. In a larger firm, competition for promotion is insanely high and

working your way up the ladder is no easy feat. The final thing I would say about the benefits of working for a smaller firm would be that there is something quite satisfying about working for a company that is growing, with potential, as opposed to a more established company. Having the opportunity to contribute towards this is highly rewarding, both in terms of personal value, but also financially. The endless networking events, interview technique classes and talks I attended in my last year of university, all had one thing in common – how to win; how to beat your competition and make it to the end of what is often the most gruelling of assessment processes. Well, I’m telling you that you don’t have to compete, you just have to be tactical. Rather than sitting there for hours on end, filling in endless application forms for companies you don’t actually want to work for, but simply feel you should apply for, be more proactive. Choose a location, and research firms in the area that are of interest to you. And even if they’re not advertising on their website for a vacancy, approach them. Tell them you want to work for them – that’s how I got my job. So – Ness’ top tips: 1. Big isn’t always better (winky face) 2. London is not the be all and end all 3. Make the first move – go to the firm, don’t wait for the firm to come to you When it comes to success, there are no shortcuts. As clichéd as it might sound, you make your own luck. Open your eyes to what is out there and go find what you want.

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Exeter Together’s Counter Demo: The Debate Bryan Toh

AS November 16, the date of a planned English Defence League (EDL) march in Exeter, draws closer, much notice has been brought to Exeter Together. Since its conception in October, the anti-EDL group has garnered mounting support, and is seeking to run a counter-demonstration against the EDL’s on the same day. Despite the good intentions of Exeter Together and my disdain for the EDL’s anti-Islamic sentiment, I am unsure if holding a march against the EDL’s own is the most productive way to express opposition to the controversial group. Religion can polarize opinion, but in a multi-cultural, modern, and tolerant society like the United Kingdom, it is rare to hear extremist views like the EDL’s on the matter. To me, organising a march against them gives them

exactly what they crave: attention. It draws the limelight onto them, and gives them a platform to shout out their message of hate, which would otherwise be nothing but a whisper. This not only risks putting more people in distress, but also increases the chances of someone hearing, and getting misled by the EDL’s message. As with any two opposing protests, emotions will run high. Should any sort of violence erupt between the EDL and Exeter Together, it will again just be playing into the EDL’s hands, and providing them with fodder for future protests. Additionally, a counter-demonstration is unlikely to deter a group as convinced of its message as the EDL. They will most likely proceed as planned, trumpeting their right to do so under the law. I say don’t give the EDL what it wants; instead, just ignore them. Some might call it meek, but I believe it is simply the more efficient way to deal with such groups. By showing via our everyday actions that Exeter is a community that celebrates diversity,

AGAINST

Joshua Mines

I DOUBT there will be many reading this who need much persuading about the reasons why we should disagree with the EDL. An organisation known for aggressive xenophobia and racism, and a party so radical that their own founder, Tommy Robinson, resigned as leader early in October for the reason: “He recognised the dangers of far right extremism”, that the EDL, even for him, had gone too far. The unfortunate fact of democracy, however, is that they are still well within their rights to protest peacefully, a right they intend to put into practice soon. However, it’s also a right we own and a right I feel that every student, or more broadly every rationally minded person, should uphold.

Protest puts into action the ideas that are on everyone’s mind, and gives weight to the words that are on everyone’s lips behind closed doors. An opportunity for the EDL to take to the streets and get red in the face is equally an opportunity for everyone else to show the EDL for what they are: a minority. A small amount of closed-minded, angry people venting their blaze of rage and bullying a section of society they see as lesser than themselves. Showing up in number will show the country and any far-right sympathisers that the majority disagrees with this venomous wing of thinking, and that we will stand up for the multinational heritage of Exeter, the University and the town, that has existed for years and continues to thrive in our city. Though counter-protest is more likely to draw the eye to Exeter, and thus to the EDL’s activities, this is an opportunity we should embrace. More attention again offers us a chance to show that in Exeter, acceptance and diversity will always prevail over hate

FOR

and ignoring the noise made by the EDL, we send a strong message that their skewed beliefs have no place among us. Should they decide to push certain boundaries in pursuit of the attention, I have faith that the local authorities will react accordingly. Having been privileged enough to grow up in a culturally inclusive

Organising a march against them gives them a platform to shout out their message of hate, which would otherwise be nothing but a whisper country like Singapore, and then study in another, I am all for religious equality, and so give the likely Exeter Together march my fullest backing. I just feel that giving the EDL the cold shoulder would be an easier, and more effective approach.

and discrimination. What I’m peddling may sound cheesy, and in a time when UKIP boast higher numbers in the opinion polls than the Liberal Democrats it may sound as if I’m undermining the growth of far right ideas in this tough economic

This is an opportunity we should embrace. More attention again offers us a chance to show that in Exeter, acceptance and diversity will always prevail over hate climate. But regardless of these conditions, morals and values stay the same and we should strive to uphold them. I believe in protest, and I believe in diversity as an integral part of modern Britain. We all have a voice, and on the 16 November we have the chance to shout to the country, to Exeter, and to ourselves, what we believe in.

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“WHAT the hell is going on at our University? I need to go to the toilet. I am human after all” Will Kelleher, Sports Editor WHAT the hell is going on at our University? As you can see by my title above, I’m the Sports Editor so I spend quite a lot of time in and around campus, especially on my press day. Sometimes, and I’m afraid this is going below the belt quite early, I need to go to the toilet. I am human after all. So I venture down to the Ram gents, you know the ones, not actually in the Ram itself but near enough. Between the Ram and Costa. Right, great, you’re with me. I open the door, everything seems to be ok. Urinal. Check. Sinks. Check. Taps. Check. All seems normal. Might just go into one of these cubicl … HOLD THE F*CKING PHONE!!!!! This is where I am presented with the horror-show before me. Don’t worry, no-one has left a present for me… Let me take you from right to left as I’m looking. Toilet one. Seems perfect, apart from the fact that it’s occupied. Not to worry, I’ll just pop into numero dos. BUT NO, I CAN’T. Yep, this toilet

is preposterous. The lock. A joke. I’m lucky I’m tall and can just about position myself on the throne whilst holding the door closed at full stretch, fearing that moment that an unsuspecting toilet-goer will burst in due to Toilet Two being impossible to lock, finding me trou down, groping for the door. Okay, so Toilet Two is a no go. But then we get to the mind-numbing ridiculousness

Do they expect us to be so laissezfaire with our defecating that we’d prefer it to be in the open? of Toilet three, furthest from the door. Let’s cut to the chase. IT. HAS. NO. BLOODY. DOOR. It hasn’t done for AGES as well. What is going on? Do they expect us to be so laissez-faire with our defecating that we’d prefer it to be in the open? At least the unlockable Toilet Two has a pissing door!! Has the Uni spent so much that these are the cutbacks!? What the hell is going on!?

“Where are my ‘mid-term blues’ ? Utterly non-existent, and they have never materialised” Zoe Jones

SO this is an article about the socalled ‘mid-term blues’, a condition from which we all apparently suffer from about midway through a term. Symptoms may include: feeling a little frazzled, a dawning realisation that the amount of work you actually should be doing to earn your degree is insurmountable, an occasional twinge of homesickness or a growing underlying feeling of animosity towards your flat mates as you realise that the annoying habits that they warned you about in Freshers’ Week really are that annoying.

I prioritise, work and procrastinate in equal measure and this seems to keep me sane So where are my ‘mid-term blues’? Utterly non-existent, and they have never materialised throughout my previous three term at university either. I don’t really understand this phenomenon; I feel great! My first lecture this term, an hour of Ancient Greek at 9am, hit me in the face like a sledgehammer. It’s now week seven and I find that I can do more than just recite the alphabet. I’ve submitted my first essay of my second year, remembering to write down the page numbers when taking notes and

how to construct a coherent argument. Rather than sighing over the sheer amount of work I have to tackle I seem to have got into a routine and my reading week, though an absolute blessing (Classical Studies is, after all, a course which entails an awful lot of reading) it may even have tripped me up a little and upset this rhythm that I’d cultivated with such success by this point in term. At the start of September I had a lit-

I miss my family but I embrace my independence tle panic about how much work I should now be doing this year, but I prioritise, work and procrastinate in equal measure and this combination seems to keep me sane. Of course I miss my family but I embrace my independence and love the freedom of living in a house full of friends, so there’s usually an underlying reason for my very occasional trip home. As for irritating flat mates, you should probably be comfortable enough by now to say something, and if not then I would argue that you can probably write that relationship off for good. ‘Mid-term blues’ are unfathomable to me. But the cure? Maybe having a weekend at home is the answer. You’ll return, wondering how you could be irritated by your flatmates after dealing with your siblings for two days, and having realised that your workload is chronic and inescapable. Mid-term blues, be gone.

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“I didn’t come here to do a degree. I came here to start a business”

How did four Exeter undergraduates go from meeting each other over a drink to becoming the team that won $50k from Microsoft for coming up with the next world-dominating app? Alex Carden, Features Editor, finds out The trouble with Aaron Sorkin’s TV, as anyone who has ever watched The West Wing or The Newsroom will know, is that real life never lives up to the fast-talking, uber-competent, slick efficiency you see on the screen. It can leave one feeling a bit depressed, when you don’t have the energy or the time to even approach the higher, faster form of life that it feels like you should be aiming for. Now of course, The West Wing and The Newsroom are both fictional, both written in a hyper-real style. But even The Social Network, based on real events, still seems to exist in a realm of superhumans; of an elite doing things that most of us couldn’t even dream of. But when I sat down with Ed Noel, and started to interview him about the story behind the headlines you might have seen about four Exeter students winning an entrepreneur competition in Russia, the story he told sounded as if it could have come straight out of The Social N e t w o r k , superhumans and all. The

guy who sat across from me was a regular third-year, like me, who, when we finished up, was busy worrying about his coursework, but the story of him and his mates spanned Exeter, London, St Petersburg, Atlanta and

They met, appropriately, because they all sat at the table nearest the bar. And while the other teams began planning immediately, they had a few drinks back again, into a world of Red Bull and patent law, of millionaires and actors and Exeter University. The story started in February of this year, no more than five meters f r o m where

I’m interviewing Ed, in Exeter’s own A and V hub, at Microsoft’s Imagine Cup Hackathon, a 48-hour challenge to create an app, and a business around it. Unlike the other teams, from Exeter and the other south-west universities involved in SETsquared, a partnership designed to promote entrepreneurial talent, Ed and his teammates went along separately, and for fairly lowkey reasons, dragged along by friends, or rocking up because they were bored and had nothing else to do. They were also from very different backgrounds, in a competition dominated mainly by coders and software developers; Ed is a Mechanical Engineer, Rob Parker is a Maths and Computer Scientist, John Neumann studies History and is originally from France, and Alex Bochenski, from Hong Kong, was the only business student. They met, appropriately, because they all sat at the table nearest the bar. And while the other teams began planning immediately, they had a few drinks, and fell into a team together. Although they dismissed it at the time, an augur of their future success came in the form of a program called ‘Saberr’, a team analysis tool

based on psychological testing, developed by a Southampton student a few years older than the guys. The software tracks your responses to 42 questions (such as ‘would you sleep with someone you just met on a night out?’ – clearly aimed at Exeter students in particular) and measures them against your team-mates to produce a picture of how well your team will work together. To their surprise, the four of them, randomly thrown together by the placement of the bar, scored very highly indeed on the test. At the time though, their pressing concern was to come up with a winning idea. The competition was certainly worth winning: the possibility of $50k if victorious in the international finals. But at 2am, midway through the competition, surrounded by crumpled Red Bull cans, dark outside, and trying to decide between an app for managing junior league football teams or one for a calendar function that turned out to be already offered by Outlook, it must have seemed quite a long way off. Trying to keep their spirits up, they tried to play music through a laptop speaker. And when that wasn’t loud enough, they started to try and play the sound through all their

laptops, and all stopped and looked at one another. Idea. And thus, SoundSYNK, an app to enable one track to be played simultaneously through several phones, was born. Next up was prototyping. I asked when they did this, assuming it would take a few months to work on the app in between university life. “No no,” Ed said, “it was the next morning, after some snatched sleep, that the prototype, website, and business plan had to be done, to be ready for the end of the competition a few hours later”. So they just got on with it, and got it all done, in a few short hours before presenting it to the panel of entrepreneurs judging the competition. And won. Whilst many of us would be content to take our win and rest on our laurels, the guys headed straight for more funding, and to patent lawyers to get the legal side of things sorted out. The attitude of the judges (all entrepreneurs themselves) to the app had been unanimous; that their idea was a good one and they should run with it. Ignite, the Guild’s entrepreneur support unit, gave them £1000, which was crucial for the legal and material preparation for the second round, and another confidence booster. A couple of other competitions, which the team won again despite stiff competition from other Exeter and international teams, sometimes up to 200 of them, provided further funding to get their scheme off the ground, and prepare it for the national Imagine Cup final. There, again, they were incredibly successful, coming first and with another Exeter team coming in second. Ed is quick to give the credit of the continuing success of their team to more than just their idea. Indeed speaking about it now, he’s quite quick to dismiss it. They’ve had hundreds ever since working together, have even taken another one, an image-sharing app, and run with it until it’s nearly ready to launch alongside SoundSYNK (which has since been renamed) early next year. He maintains that in fact the idea was very much second to the team, and it was more important how much the four of them clicked, as well as the different skills they brought to the table, whereas most of their opponents were teams of only developers, with less

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business understanding. This and their ability to work together so effectively, as Saberr had predicted (indeed Saberr also predicted accurately the winners and runners up of every competition the guys went to), that really got people interested in the project. Interest in the team came from a combination of support from the University, the Ignite and Innovation Centre and through Setsquared. It was both finance and education based. Mentors at the Innovation Centre played devil’s advocate with their business plan un-

SETsquared sent them to MIT, in the US, for a crash course in how to start a company. When Ed skyped them, they said the guys in the dorm next to them were billionaires. This was the kind of world they were about to jump into til it was watertight, and SETsquared sent Rob and Jon to MIT, in the US, for a crash course in how to start a company. When Ed skyped them while they were over in the US, they said the guys in the dorm next to them were billionaires. This was the kind of world they were about to plunge into. Before they headed to Russia came a period of intensive redeveloping of the app, of pivoting it from a ‘gimmick’ to a music-sharing system with far more of a social network feel. Despite how much he’s credited the support they received and the randomness of their success so far, it’s clear that Ed really knows his stuff. Coming out of what has the faint notes of a well-polished but very knowledgeable pitch, with discussions of inherent virality and pricing models, is a brief sentence on how Instagram and Twitter got huge, with a ‘tipping point’ when they reached a critical mass of users and really started to take off. I have to stop him. “Are you comparing your app with Instagram and Twitter?” I ask, “Oh yeah” he says, blandly. They’re looking for a million users by the end of year one, and thirty million by year two. This isn’t a boast, but part of a discussion of viral strategy. I’m stunned. I had imagined that this was an amusing project which had taken them further down this one competition than they’d expected. But actually, they are out to make the next big thing. This is not an idle distraction from University, or CV-fodder. These guys are out to change the world, Zuckerberg-style. I don’t use that particular phrase in front of Ed – frankly I’m still reeling a little. I’m not sure whether he’d appreciate it or not. The judges in Russia were from the web giants that these four students were regarding as their competitors; Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft and a couple of others had all sent senior guys to judge. “Walking around the giant venue”, Ed says, “was like a weird techy Disneyland; people dressed up in Imagine Cup gear, with a massive party going on while simultaneously hundreds of people hunched over their laptops coding away. It made us feel thick just walking around.” So they stopped walking, and crashed on beanbags af-

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ter finding a drink. It seems, like their beginning, appropriate. When it came to presentation in front of the judges, it was their solid business savvy, thanks to drilling from the Innovation Centre, that played so well with judges that were more business that software-focused, as well as a confident polish and a fast tongue that Ed says “is the mark of a great many Exeter graduates”. Regardless of how laid-back they were about the whole affair, they still say that when they saw Matt Smith, who was giving away the prize (Doctor Who to anyone who doesn’t know), grin and do a silent fist-pump when he read the envelope, and realised that he was cheering a British team winning, and that they were the only British team there, they were really unable to believe it. From there, it starts to get really Social Network-y. After handing over the cheque for $50k, Microsoft flew the guys to Atlanta, gave them enough spending money to deck themselves out in the latest Hollister gear, and invited them on stage in front of fifteen thousand Microsoft employees. It was when the wall of sound hit them that the guys really began to feel like rockstars. When you raise your arms and fifteen thousand cheering people cheer even louder, you’ve gone beyond being four Exeter students and seriously entered the big leagues. The world they entered then, after coming offstage and being in the centre of a giant party in Atlanta’s Olympic park, where more people were interested in them than Pitbull performing on stage, begins to resemble a completely different level of human interaction. Maybe they didn’t see it that way, but to hear Ed describe it, it sounds like the world of professional entrepreneurs is an extraordinary one. They met guys who had made and lost small fortunes, who had received multi-million dollar offers for their companies and rejected them, only to watch their company collapse in front of them. Guys who were

They are out to make the next big thing. This is not an idle distraction from University, or CV-fodder. These guys are out to change the world, Zuckerberg-style doing this because they refused to grow up, and didn’t want to work for anyone, who didn’t really care about the money and who bought peanut machines with their first million, because why not? They don’t have to be geniuses, in the conventional sense; many are dyslexic, like Ed himself. They don’t have to be genius coders either, who can always be brought in later. But they do need confidence; they need to go for it, and they need to lose the fear of failure, and sometimes, given Ed’s example of a woman he met who gained investment from confidence alone, is enough. For entrepreneurs, failure is something to laugh about, even show off about, but above all something to recover from nearly instantly and start again. If one in ten companies succeed, they say, then start ten companies. And when they suffer a setback, it’s their team that helps them get back up, not a new idea. The example they used was the firm

behind ‘Angry Birds’, who made 49 failed apps, and kept going, before they hit the jackpot and became possibly the world’s favourite game. The offices they moved to after Atlanta in London, again courtesy of Microsoft, no strings attached, were open plan, with 20 companies sharing the same space, sharing problems and solutions and ideas, and then going to parties in Shoreditch full of more of these business jet-setters to talk about it some more. The contacts they made, senior personnel in some of the world’s largest companies, they could ring, whenever, to have a chat about problems they were stuck on.

Microsoft flew them to Atlanta, and invited them on stage in front of fifteen thousand Microsoft employees. It was when the wall of sound hit them that the guys really began to feel like rockstars. When you raise your arms and fifteen thousand cheering people cheer even louder, you’ve seriously entered the big leagues It’s the lack of contacts, not a lack of talent, which keeps young entrepreneurs back. And Ed is keen to share his success and his contacts in particular with others in Exeter. He’s already campaigning for a space for Exeter entrepreneurs on campus, where the shared atmosphere from Atlanta and Shoreditch can be replicated. If they make any money, or perhaps when they make money, he says a lot of it is already earmarked for Ignite and the Innovation centre, who can use it to help the next generation and create a cycle of talent and money that will keep feeding back into the university. Exeter, he says is perhaps one of the best universities for start-ups (although not because of the Business school, which he says is mainly for established business, and has a lot to learn about entrepreneurship, nor for the Career Zone). He talks, convincingly, of the belief shared by some companies in the area, that Exeter is well-positioned to become a European Silicon Valley thanks to its laid back atmosphere, and high quality of life, and that all that remains is for the University to be convinced of this. That is if Exeter wishes to be be the place in Europe for start-ups five years down the line. The four of them still have a way to go before they launch, and a lot of technical details, which Ed can’t discuss, to work out before they do. We’ll have to watch and wait to see whether or not they are successful. But if they aren’t now, the impression I get is that they will keep picking themselves up, keep spurring each other on, and using their network in this new elite, this class of hyper-competent and energised and almost unbelievable young people, who don’t want to work for anyone else, who are doing what they love, and changing the face of business while they do it.

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In the final instalment of his tales from Tajikistan, Robin Butler tells us about sleeping under the midday sun, scrambling to the mountain’s summit and Tajik monobrows... SO here we were, high in the Fann Mountains of Tajikistan. Our only link with the outside world was a frightfully swanky satellite phone which was becoming increasingly useless as the battery died. Despite this we were confident. As the third morning dawned, we shouldered our packs and strode up the valley towards the Dukdon Pass. As we worked our way along one side of the stream, a couple of shepherds passed down the other, a reminder that we weren’t the only humanity traversing these mountains. What research I had done before the trip suggested this pass was not a formality in any w a y, but evidently achievable for anyone with a vague level of fitness and skill. We didn’t think that anything could really slow us down or force us to question our ability to complete our trek. Rounding the bottom of the glacier’s remnants, we reached a stunning mountain meadow, chequered with wild flowers and the local marmots. The view back down behind us was, in my opinion, the most beautiful we saw. However, we’d already been walking for a couple of hours and here we were, only at the bottom of the pass proper. Little matter though; we were stocked up on water and a few boiled sweets to keep morale high. Five minutes in and our different tactics became clear. Freddie powered on, trying to clear as much ground as possible before stopping for a long break. I, on the other hand, went for the ‘little and often’ strategy. Both were effective, but it was the mountain that really began to take its toll. At only a few hundred metres below the 4000-metre mark, oxygen felt like it was at a premium and my legs began to really ache. As the path clung to a scree-face, bending its way ultimately towards our goal, we hit the first patches of snow. Even though we were on the exposed south-facing side, the midsummer sun had yet to clear the way fully. Nervously, with Freddie in front, we edged our way across, all too conscious of the 50-metre slide down sharp scree that awaited us were we to slip. Another snow patch was coming up. We successfully ground our way across, our legs really aching now. It seems as though the pass is a matter of metres away, and yet it never seems to get any closer, until finally, we are there. There is no more up, no more traversing to be done, just a bracing wind. We would have loved to stay there a little longer, but as our chests heaved to suck in what oxygen there was, we opted instead for a quick photo and a charge down to the heavy air of lower climbs.

Slipping and sliding down the other side of the pass, we both started to get a little grumpy under the midday sun as blood sugar ran low. Eventually, to our immense relief, we found an overhanging rock and collapsed asleep in the shade. Rejuvenated, but still with several hours hiking to do, we heaved the packs back on. This in itself was becoming a problem for Freddie as his pack was starting to come apart in many places. The bottom zip had broken halfway up a scree slope and was now held together with cable ties, creating a certain sense of trepidation every time he picked it up. Nevertheless, we carried on down this new valley. It was strikingly different to the one we had just left. Gone were the barren scree faces and mountain meadows, to be replaced by smaller bould e r s

ent and past. We planned, down to the most minute of details, Freddie’s 20th and 21st, as well as my 21st, and our respective careers. Remarkably there was little else of much note, other than the banal conversation that fails to stick in the memory. That morning the hours quickly flicked past, as the day warmed up. At one point Freddie got a little over-excited by a sophisticated irrigation ditch (he does ‘geographical science’, as he likes to call it) that led eventually to a group of huts. We were able to help them in a small way with a few Nurofen for a girl’s sore tooth, giving a bit back to the people who had helped us so much. Apart from that we were making serene progress, or at least that’s what we thought. We knew there was a river that signposted where we had to turn off this valley

tossed around by forces long since gone and woodland of gnarled little trees that writhed out of the ground. It was beautiful, and promised a fire for the evening when we found somewhere to set up camp. Our roles by now had become well defined: I dealt with the language side of matters and got us from A to B; Freddie entertained the inevitable gaggle of children and was designated Fire Master. This campsite was his greatest hour, fashioning a huge fire that must have been clear to see for miles around. A hot meal resting inside us, we settled down to enjoy the view of the mountains and appreciate quite what we had achieved that day. Day four. In theory a simple day of flat that would get us to the base of the Munora Pass, the second of the three passes between the Seven Lakes, our final destination. We’d slept well - Freddie’s tendency to hug things in his sleep only disturbing me once. the goats keep The beauty of having 5kg of ration flock rests packs was that every day got lighter as we got fitter, and the mornings were always the best. You might be wondering what we actually talked about with only each other as company for so long. There was a lot of debate over girls, both pres-

towards the pass. However, our ‘trusty’ map let us down again. We ended up caught halfway up a slope on a path that suddenly disappeared under the weight of a scree slide. Turning back wasn’t an option, so we very gingerly slipped and slid down this steep slope, silent in our concentration on not falling to a very painful landing. Reaching the bottom matched the relief of cresting the Dukdon Pass, and we were prepared to sleep there and then. But again, the Tajiks came to our rescue. A lonely farmer had seen us being such idiots in our route and he soon arrived at our resting spot, a grin of knowing on his face. Tired as we were, he beckoned us to his little house, braying donkey standing guard outside. Inside we flopped onto some cushions and were accosted by a little kitten. As we began to relax

guard as the rest of the

our saviour put on the kettle, produced some delicious bread and beckoned for us to start. Aside from the hiking, one thing I had been interested to discover was whether the Tajiks were as diligent in their observance of Ramadan as the Jordanians, who I had spent the previous three months with. This man was the first we came across who was staying true to his religion, and it was hugely impressive to see given his hard life working the mountain. He had a mobile phone, one of the few signs of the modern world around, but it was a six hour round hike to reach somewhere that he could charge it. Back to the hut and with the sugary tea coursing through to our dehydrated muscles we quickly dozed off, happy to be out of the midday sun. An hour or so later and we were ready to head off. Our saviour kindly walked us to exactly where we had to go, clearly not confident after our earlier exploits that we would find our own way. Full of gratitude we bid him farewell and climbed up towards the base of the pass. The sun was begin-

the lake shimmer our penultimate

Good Night,

Exeposé

| WEEK eight

ing to dip in the sky and we knew that we had to put our heads down and crack on if we were to reach the base of the pass. Coming round a bend we came across yet another little group of huts and the requisite gaggle of children. Conscious of time and slightly intimidated by the guard dog that didn’t warm to us quite so much, we made it clear that we had to keep going as they invited us in for the customary cup of tea. Impressed by their level of hospitality yet again, the head of the family gestured to follow him up the valley to a good campsite used by the shepherds as base for tackling the pass. At a slow and steady pace we trudged behind him, weaving along goat tracks to a small clearing alongside a small stream, a perfect campsite if ever there was one. Here we pitched the tent, took another very brisk bath in a deeper pool and hunkered down for the night. As the sun set we knew that we were coming to the final stage of our hike and it felt a little strange that soon we would be coming across proper civilisation. There were still a couple of days’ hiking left, and still many memorable experiences in front of us. Content with what we had already achieved and intrigued by what was to come, we slept well that night. Our second pass, with the somewhat mystical name

ers on the morning of day

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Munora, was within sight of our campsite on the sixth day. Nestling to the right of a towering mountain and laced with goat paths, it seemed easily within reach. Our guide from the night before clearly knew his thing, because although the ascent was steep we were soon cresting the first false summit and within touching distance of the pass proper. Logistically this was a tricky moment as our platypus water carriers could only hold two litres each, so as we approached the thin line between sky and grass we sucked dry the final dregs. Not to fear, we thought, as every time this had come close to happening before we had always stumbled handily across a little stream to replenish our supplies. So onward we pushed, sucking diligently on boiled sweets to moisten our mouths and bolster blood sugar. The final 100 metres were a gentle amble compared to everything before, and so it was in high spirits that we scrambled on top of the cairn that marked the summit, keen for a photo or two. Unlike the last moment of triumph, this one was far more enjoyable given the greater abundance of oxygen to replenish our lungs. Looking back after the trip, we both agreed that this was the most beautiful of the three passes we conquered. Perhaps it was the weather at the top, or the

feeling of accomplishment without the absolute pain of the Dukdon, but either way our grins were face-wide. Descending down the sharply winding path that led towards the valley floor, we fortunately found a brook just as our final water bottle ran dry. Restocked, we powered on forward with a real sense of purpose. As we rounded a little knoll we were confronted by a large herd of goats and sheep, guarded by some very officious hounds that certainly didn’t take a liking to us. Skirting well round the side, we rested for a while under our tarpaulin to avoid the midday sun. Snoozing contently away, the dogs were fortunately not to be seen again. Conscious that the previous day had been a lot tougher than we expected, and keen

to reach the base of the Tovasang Pass before nightfall, we strode on through a steep-sided ravine that opened up into rolling grass meadows dotted with reclining cows. Spying the path that would lead us to our night’s sleep, we passed through yet another village where we (very self-consciously) turned down the myriad offers of yoghurt, tea and a full-blown meal. I can’t stress enough how generous these people are with their time and food, however precious it may be to them. As we carried on up a new path, giving way to a couple of oncoming cows keen to be back home before nightfall, we reached another village. Here we had different ideas; whilst Freddie wanted to carry on to the true base of the pass, I was happy to accept their kind offers of shelter. Thankfully my idea held through, and we were sitting down in the tent as the family busied themselves about the fire preparing dinner. In one of the more bizarre moments, one of the children had acquired a couple of Tajik/Russian-English phrasebooks, and was impressive in what he could say even from that. He was also very proud of his donkey that we both had a ride on. His other defining feature was most definitely his truly outstanding monobrow. The monobrow is in fact a sign of beauty in Tajikistan! A s d u s k drew in, the clan gathered

der the Freddie gees up the donkey un watchful gaze of the brow

, Tajikistan!

round the fire to feast on mounds of ‘plov’, the renowned regional dish. It was delicious, although very filling, and our appetites were hardly helped by the fact we were in need of a quiet loo break but felt too embarrassed to ask. Finally convinced that we had eaten our fill, Freddie was able to make his excuses and retire to our little yurt that had been vacated by the women of the village to make room for us. I remained for a while, happy to laugh away as they tried to marry me off to one of the daughters. Prominent monobrow aside she was rather attractive, but I felt that was not something I should bring back from my travels. Brimming with tea I drifted off to our yurt, very full and very happy. Snuggled up under a weight of blankets, Freddie conceded it was a good call to stay here. Then we fell sound asleep. Bidding farewell to our hosts, I managed to press a little gift on them by insisting that it was for the baby. Any attempt to pay them directly was flatly turned down and ignored, so I was happy to find a way round this stubborn hospitality and give a little bit back. The final pass was something of a formality now that our packs were markedly lighter and our legs fitter. Reaching the summit within a couple of hours, we got our first bit of phone signal in over five days. Happy as we were to get back in contact with the world and confirm our survival, it had been rather nice ignoring everything for a short while.

The monobrow is a sign of beauty in Tajikistan! Below us was Marguozor Lake, one of the stunning Seven Pearls of the Shing. Each of these lakes is a different colour, and folklore has it that those who reach the final lake are enlightened. Marguozor was only the sixth lake and so we may not have achieved enlightenment, but camping on its shores that night was a beautiful end to the most incredible trip, and the perfect way to say goodnight to Tajikistan.

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All the single ladies

Susan Dowell argues that with cats and company, the single life isn’t so bad Tweet us @ExeposeLStyle Floe Greatrux @flo_m_g Not cut out for third year, you’re expected to work and sort your life out but still party #whatisthis Russel Roe @Russ_95 Listening to Chopin < Writing Essays Louis Alexander Dore @LouisAlexanderDore I am having serious reservations about going as a powerpuff girl to Halloween now @owenkeats @JonJenner Sophie Davies @sophie_ dave1993 Finally made it to lights on in TP. Sarah Gough @sarahgough I’m impossible to date, like Beowulf. Sarah Smith @smmmithy What 9am lab? Slept straight through it like it was nothing. Eszter Jendruszak @ejendruszak Fake blood won’t come off my face #awkward #post-halloween Francesca Platt @francesscaplatt On my way to a tutor meeting about soap opera followed by one about Bridget Jones… how I love my degree sometimes Lauren Hill @laurenlouhill 2000 words later, the hilarity of writing ‘great tits’ in an essay is starting to wear off #psychology #animalbehaviour Francesca Barberis @FranBarberis Having a library day today. If you spot someone looking semi-suicidal at about 4pm do come and offer me a hug – or a biscuit will suffice. Imogen Watson @immicatherine First time in the Lemmy ever, and I’m stone cold sober and in a suit… Emma Renshaw @emr_louise2 Just created a job folder… it’s empty, but it’s a start! #movingforwardwithmelife

WEDNESDAY night. My three male housemates were, respectively: in London with the girlfriend, on a plane to visit the girlfriend and on a date with a potential girlfriend-to-be.

This realisation prompted a woeful exchange of ‘forever alone’ memes on Facebook Us single girls, meanwhile, had just finished re-watching The Perks of Being a Wallflower cuddled up under slankets (ultra attractive), and were lying to each other about snacking because (and I quote a housemate) “I’m not hungry, but I want to eat”. And then it dawned on us. All the menfolk were off enjoying romantic relationships in various fun-filled locations and where were we? We were in the kitchen at half past one in the morning, making full use of Morrisons sandwich fillers eating sandwiches and listening to love songs. This realisation naturally prompted a woeful and self-piteous exchange of ‘forever alone’ memes on Facebook, sitting alone in our respective rooms. Good times. My singleness has been life-long, and I suppose on the whole it’s not all that bad. I don’t have to worry about how my choices might affect a partner. I don’t have to deal with dramatic fights. And I can solely focus on what matters to me (food, friends, food, family, reading, films, food). That said, I must admit that I’ve

come to university with a husband-hunting mind-set. Most of it is just joking, of course, when I sadly announce to chums that today was not the day that my eyes and the eyes of my soul mate met (miraculously) through the colossal midday crowd in the Ram. Yet there’s a small percentage of desperation mixed in there too, so that upon meeting a lovely new chap I genuinely do evaluate him for husband material. I know what you’re thinking. Husband? Shouldn’t you maybe focus on just getting a date with someone before you set your eyes on matrimony? The harsh truth is that, like my idol Miranda Hart, I am completely lacking in the allure department. Flirtation is an alien world to me, along with the entire process of being asked by or asking a guy out on a date. Don’t even get me started on navigating the mysterious world of ‘sticky eyes’.

Today was not the day that my eyes (miraculously) met with the eyes of my soul mate across the colossal midday crowd in the Ram Nope, I reckon the only chances I’ve got are: a) Meeting a guy on the exact same level of social awkwardness as I am, so that we bond forevermore in mutual embarrassment. b) Meeting an affable, laid back

Photo: justjared

bloke with high levels of tolerance, who can be easily-swayed into marriage. (“Fancy getting hitched?” “Sure, why not?”) c) Meeting the only other survivor in a post-apocalyptic Britain and becoming, by default, his perfect match. These options aside, there is of course the remote possibility that over

Surviving the friend zone

Ronnie Henderson contemplates the perils of catching up with coffee and drowning in friend lagoon

THE FRIEND zone. There is nowhere less desirable to be found in Exeter, except maybe Arena on a Saturday. For those who have been lucky enough to

have avoided this dreaded location, an explanation is necessary. The friend zone is where you arrive when a lady you have taken a fancy to (or even taken on a few dates) decides that she ‘doesn’t really see you in that way’ or ‘doesn’t want to complicate things’ but she will ‘definitely stay in touch’ and you can ‘still go for coffee, just as mates’. I have inhabited the friend zone on a couple of occasions and hence the quotes above are all fatal blows which I have been dealt. Not that I’m bitter. At all. I was somewhat glad to learn that I have a fair few companions also chilling with me in the friend zone (or friend lagoon as it is sometimes called). They have also had sim-

ilar experiences to myself. We were agreed on the stock phrase which all friend zone speeches feature: “You’re a really nice guy but...” This, ladies (for it is the fairer sex who are the main advocates of such prose) is quite possibly the worst thing you can say to a man, especially one you are turning down. Would you call Tom Hardy ‘a

Even if you only see the poor bugger as a friend, don’t tell him that nice guy’? Is Ryan Reynolds ‘a really nice bloke’? Would you refer to Ryan Gosling as ‘just nice’? The answer is

my coming years here at Exeter I may just naturally become close to a guy whose weirdness is mutual to my own. For the meantime, however, I shall soldier on and continue to snigger weakly at loner memes with my fellow singles. And no, before you ask, our wish to get pet cats next year is in no way related to this. no, no you certainly wouldn’t. Why? Well it’s because these men are rugged, chiselled Adonises – they’re what most men aspire to be like, or at least aspire to have their pulling power.

Would you refer to Ryan Gosling as ‘just nice’? The answer is no

So, what I am trying to illustrate (aside from my deep rooted envy of the above gentlemen) is to avoid putting future suitors in the friend zone, however tempting that may be. Even if you do only see the poor bugger as a friend, don’t tell him that. Instead, lie and say that you think you can pull the 1st XV’s number 8 kor you’re sleeping with the Boat Club captain. What it all boils down to is this: a man can accept losing out to another chap, just about. He can’t accept being no more than ‘a really nice guy’.

lifestyle

12 november 2013 |

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Exeposé

No strings attached

In this issue, Naomi Poltier and Georgia Dawson offer their different views and try to answer the age-old question: is it possible to separate feelings from sex? IT doesn’t matter whether you’re a guy or a gal, gay, straight or somewhere inbetween: it’s possible to separate sex from feelings, though the general consesus seems to be that it’s a lot harder to grasp for girls. Last week I told a friend to think of it this way: if you go skiing with someone you barely know, it’s going to be fun, but if you go skiing with someone

Understand the distinction and know that midnight fun with an acquaintance is not less fun than with a partner. It’s just different that you’re in love with, it’s probably going to be a lot more fun as you’re already in the position to have a laugh with them. The same can be applied to going all the way. If you come to uni and you’ve just come out of a deep and meaningful relationship then you can’t expect all the sumptuous feelings you’ve associated with recent sex to come back to life when you meddle around with someone new, and who you potentially don’t know very well. The two types of skiing are completely different - while one is going to stay engrained in your memory for a much longer period of time as absolutely magical, the other is going to provide you with wonderful short-term fun. I think it’s important for all the emotionally-oriented people out there to understand the distinction and know that midnight fun with an acquaintance

Eat sleep bake repeat Now that the series has come to an end, fill the Great British Bake Off shaped void in your heart with our collection of oven-friendly recipes. On your marks, get set, bake!

is not less fun than with a partner. It’s just different. Now, this doesn’t mean that you can go to Arena and try out every one in there ‘just for jokes’ and remain emotionally intact. You wouldn’t hit the slopes with every single person you met and not get drained of energy. I think the last ingredient to staying on top of your emotions with the dirty deed (or happy deed as I have often called it) is to know what you want and what you’re doing. I think it’s important to realistically understand the kind of relationship you find yourself in with another person. If you have feelings and it’s clear they don’t, don’t go there. You’ll do yourself no favours by texting them the next eight nights with “Are you out tonight?” when all they wanted was one off fun. Real life is not like Friends With Benefits. Often you find yourself with Acquaintances-with-benefits. You simply can’t expect a deep emotional connection, or for someone to be your best friend just because they stayed over the night. If you do want to get emotionally close to someone as their friend and perhaps someday something more… their bed probably isn’t the way to their heart. I suppose that once you’ve got

Their bed probably isn’t the way to their heart that all sorted out in your mind, being single at university can be a lot of fun - it can actually be a very chilled and controlled part of university life which you don’t need to pour all of your emotions into. NP Wholemeal ‘Hawaiian’ Carrot Cake This is my favourite carrot cake recipe, based on the one my mum makes at home. The ‘Hawaiian’ elements may seem strange at first, but the resulting cake is super juicy and sweet. And with oat bran, pineapple, sultanas, coconut, and the eponymous carrots, its ingredients are quite healthy! I made this for a cake party at the beginning of term and it disappeared quite quickly. I have never before received so many recipe requests. Ingredients 240g whole wheat flour 110g oat or wheat bran 1 tsp baking powder 2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp salt 325g demara sugar 150g sultanas 100g shredded dried coconut 200ml vegetable oil or melted butter/ butter spread 3 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 275g whole carrots

CAN you separate sex from feelings? Yes. Of course you can. If you’re a man. Apparently. Stereotypes like this are still present today, just look at the LAD culture. There are several other common myths associated with attitudes to sex and relationships. Girls – only want commitment, safety, and financial security. Guys – don’t care as long as there are boobs involved. But are these stereotypes really true? Of course they’re not. When I posed this question to a mixed group of friends, the responses were incredibly varied. The traditional view seems to be that girls are less able to separate feelings from sex, but when discussing casual sex and one night stands with my housemates this didn’t seem to be the case. One housemate stated that it was easy to separate feelings. The essence for her to be able to do this seemed to be, that has to be something inherently unattractive about the guy this means there’s no worry of wanting to date them in the future. This is a slight variation on the guys attitude towards casual sex. They said that lust and feelings are very different: you can sleep with someone simply because they’re attractive and not get any feelings for them. It seems girls need more of an incentive not to like a guy they sleep with in order to prevent feelings, whereas the boys don’t have that same problem. This is something I think many girls would agree on and certainly of those I asked it was unanimous; sex is less intimate than the base system. For those of you who’ve lived under a rock your entire life the base system works as follows: 1st) kissing, 2nd) involves hands, 3rd) oral, 4th) sex. It seems that

the common feeling amongst girls is that 3rd base is way more intimate than

Approximately 175-200g drained crushed pineapple or drained pineapple chunks Approximately 4-6 tbsp pineapple juice (reserved from the tins)

Hand mixer Large mixing bowl Measuring spoons Liquid measuring beaker

Equipment Baking dish of choice (either a 20x30cm baking dish, two 8” round tins, two loaf tins, two 12-cupcake baking trays, or a combination - say one loaf tin and one cupcake tray)

Girls only want commitment, safety and financial security. Guys don’t care as long as there are boobs involved sex. Certainly most girls I spoke to are uncomfortable with the idea of a guy going to 3rd on her during a one night stand. Sex is easy to separate feelings from because it’s more carnal, based on lust more than anything. The guys don’t seem to have this same issue with the bases. Maybe it’s a social stigma that makes girls feel that it’s more of an intimate thing. Either way, out of those I spoke to, more girls had had casual sex than guys, showing that clearly they are capable of separating feelings and aren’t abiding by the typical stereotypes. Just as many of the guys I spoke to didn’t condemn the idea but preferred relationship sex for the addition of feelings. Of course, everyone feels differently about this and I’m sure there are some #LADS that scoff at the idea of guys having any form of sensitivity towards sex, just as there are girls that blush at even the thought of a one night stand. What I’ve found from asking around is that these stereotypes can’t be generalised to everyone. There are plenty of girls who can have emotionless sex and plenty of guys who can’t. GD

Method 1. Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease and flour your baking dish. Wash, trim, and peel the carrots. 2. In the large bowl, mix the flour, bran, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, sugar, salt, sultanas, and coconut in order given. In the small bowl mix the oil/butter, eggs, and vanilla and then add to the dry ingredients. 3. Combine well, then stir in carrots, pineapple, and pineapple juice. 4. Spread into the prepared tin. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 45 minutes, or until the centre springs back when lightly tapped. The baking time will vary depending on the type of baking dish used; cupcakes take about 25-30 minutes, sheet cakes or rounds 40-45, and loafs 45-50. 5. If desired, frost with your favourite cream cheese frosting. CARMEN PADDOCK

Exeposé

| WEEK eight

lifestyle

Monthly Makeover www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

Every month Exeposé Lifestyle gives you the opportunity to try out a new look. This issue, Emily-Rose Rolfe, Lifestyle Editor, restyles the lovely Kate Hynd Photos: Niklas Rahmel

Before

WE set off with an £80 budget, an over excited Lifestyle Editor, and a vast array of high street stores to explore. What does Kate Hynd, our first girl to be Restyled, say about her experience? Why did you want to be Restyled? I thought it would be a fun experience to let someone else pick out items of clothing which I would probably never try on otherwise. I felt I needed more colour in my wardrobe so it was a great opportunity to learn which colours suit me best. How would you describe your usual style? I don’t really know how to summarise because it tends to change quite frequently! I don’t really follow the trends as such; I tend to pick clothes with feminine prints that are unusual but not too flamboyant.

She reassured me that it was important for me to feel comfortable in my new clothes How did shopping for the outfit go? It was really good fun! My stylist was lovely and so I instantly felt comfortable for her to take charge deciding what items to pick out for me. I didn’t anticipate how tiring trying on clothes could be, but a coffee break boosted my energy levels to power through!

Victoria Sponge – Man Style Despite what you might have heard, the kitchen is a man’s domain. There’s nothing that reinforces your masculinity like producing baked goods for your less open-minded mates from rugby/ football/pole dancing and silencing their foolish banter in one simple flourish of a cake. Shit you have to buy A fuck-tonne of butter or margarine (scales are for bellends with money to burn) The same amount of caster sugar 4 of your flatmate’s eggs while he’s not looking 2 tsp vanilla extract Shit loads of self raising flour Milk Jam Icing sugar The balls to bake like a man Plan 1. Bench for half an hour. Things are going to get intense in that kitchen; a ripped torso and trained deltoids might mean the difference between loaf and

death. 2. Turn off Radio 4. Pump out some serious bass. 3. Preheat the oven til it’s absolutely blazing. 4. Grab the butter. Grab the sugar. Cram them together so hard they start making sweet sugary babies. 5. Smell that shit. Phwoar. 6. Seize the eggs in your meaty hand. Squeeze hard, pretend like you’re breaking hobbit skulls. Yeah, you’re a

Were there any major disagreements with the stylist? No major disagreements. There were some outfits which I thought didn’t suit me, but that my stylist liked. However,

I thought it would be a fun experience to let someone else pick out items of clothing which I would probably never try she reassured me that it was important for me to feel comfortable in my new clothes, so the search continued until we found one we both quite liked. What do you think of the new outfit? I can safely say it is something I would never typically go for as I hardly ever wear trousers. I love the colour and print of the trousers and think the grey jumper makes the outfit warm and less formal! Do you think you’ll dress differently now you’ve been Restyled? I’m not sure if it’s going to have a dramatic effect on the way I dress but it has definitely encouraged me to experiment with different colours - definitely what the Restyle is all about! What’s the most embarrassing thing in your wardrobe? Probably my Mathsoc white T-shirt from last year’s white T-shirt social (not

man. The kind of man who has no self-consciousness about his ability to get erections. 7. Combine the eggs and vanilla extract into the bowl, all the while making sure you don’t get any of the mixture on your Abercrombie and Fitch wife-beater. 8. Fold in the flour to get a soft-drooping batter. Look at that batter, so soft and droopy. Thank god you’re a fully functioning man who doesn’t have problems like that, eh? 9. Whack that shit in two cake tins. Or, if you’re not the kind of effeminate dude who owns two cake tins, put it in a cleverly constructed kitchen foil tin and hope for the best. 10. Take it out when it has the same firm, stiff texture that you’re definitely, without a doubt, certainly able to achieve during sex. 11. Watch it fall apart before your eyes. 12. Cry masculine tears and scream for your female housemate to come and help you. 13. Tip so much icing and jam over the finished product that no-one will know

really sure why I’ve still got it...) – it’s got inappropriate math jokes scrawled all over it... Not one to wear in public.

After

How else would you style the pieces you picked up from the Restyle? I think my new outfit is very versatile. I could see myself wearing it out to go for dinner with a friend by adding some bits of bling and pieces of jewellery and a blazer. Alternatively, I could transform it to suit day time by wearing the trousers with pumps and a plain T-shirt. Does your style suit your personality? I think so. I like to think I’m quite a creative person and my experimentation with different prints reflects this! What would you rate your new outfit? 7/10. Any other comments? Thank you to my stylist! Jumper, Topshop, £32.50. Trousers, Oasis, £31.99 (both prices include student discount). Shoes, Kate’s own. Have a rubbish relationship with your wardrobe? Fancy trying out a new style, or something you wouldn’’t normally be willing to part with your precious pennies for? Just email lifestyle@exepose. com with the subject ‘Makeover’ and you could be the next student to be Restyled, receiving up to £80 worth of clothes to keep!

if you throw it at a passing bus in a fit of rage. JOSH GRAY MUSIC EDITOR Mary Berry’s Triple Choc Cookies This recipe is one of Mary Berry’s own, and I found it to be a simple and effective way of making yummy triple chocolate cookies. The recipe is easy to follow and produced great results; it’s definitely a cheap and easy option for students wanting to give baking a go! Ingredients 225g unsalted butter at room temp 200g light brown muscovado sugar (I discovered caster sugar worked fine!) 1 egg lightly beaten 220g plain flour 3 tbsp cocoa powder 3/4 tsp baking powder

200g white/milk chocolate pieces Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/gas mark 2. Mix butter and sugar in bowl until creamy, smooth and fluffy. 3. Add egg and beat well, sift in flour, cocoa and baking powder. When completely brown, add in the chocolate pieces until evenly distributed. 4. Dip your hands in cold water and shake off drops, then shape the dough into ping -pong sized balls. Place the balls on baking trays covered in a sheet of greaseproof paper. 5. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes until slightly darker around the edges. Leave to cool completely before removing from the sheets. 5.Enjoy! ISOBEL BURSTON

lifestyle

12 november 2013 |

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Exeposé

Photo: Young Ones

Tonight, we are Young Ones

Lara Isaac speaks to Chris Rea, Exeter alumnus and co-founder of Young Ones, about being cool and comfortable around dragons CHRIS REA graduated from Exeter last year and with the help of his business partner, Tom Carson, has succeeded in setting up an innovative onesie company that focuses on university student trends. Buoyed by their recent success on Dragon’s Den, where Duncan Bannatyne invested £75,000 for a 40 per cent stake in the business, Chris discusses the evolution of the brand. How would you summarise the Young Ones brand? It’s very much a young, fun brand for students. We’re going for the sort of American College vibe of baggy crew neck jumpers and things – we’re a lot more fun than companies like Jack Wills. Where did the idea come from? I was in my first year at Exeter and noticed that there were lots of very ex-

pensive onesies being sold. Tom and I wanted to create something more affordable: premium onesies that were still high quality. Initially we had some samples made up and started selling them by word of mouth and through our website. However the bulk of our income came from Countrywide Snowsports clubs. It was this that really kick-started things and gave us the money we needed. How did the University help you take your business to the next level? The Innovation Centre was very good. We told them about the money we had made in the early stages. We had really useful meetings with them where they helped us think about where the brand would be in five years’ time. They encouraged us to look beyond the present and think about the long term vision, to

set trends. This helped us to think not just about onesies but how we were going to build our brand. They also gave us advice about accountancy and how to really run a business; as a student there are lots of things you don’t really think about. The Innovation Centre knows how to identify longevity in the ideas people present them with. What was it like going on Dragon’s Den? Surreal! Growing up watching the show and then actually going on it - I was starstruck. It was an amazing experience. It was pretty nerve-wracking but also so rewarding. It has given us so much exposure that our contacts have really improved. It’s great talking to people who already know what your company is all about. Were the dragons as terrifying as

Sorority sister Our columnist, Holly Alsop, is studying for a year at the College of William and Mary, Virginia. Get ready for a spooky read... WHEN people warned me Halloween is big in America, I didn’t realise how big. Finding three outfits for the whole Halloween weekend has gotten the better of me and I’m not sure my heart can take any more shocks. People seem to think it’s funny to disguise themselves and hide in bushes around campus only to jump out and scare poor, unsuspecting freshmen. Then one of my friends had the bright idea to read out two

You reach for a light switch, but a hand is already there... sentence horror stories from the internet when we were deep in the hidden bowels of the library alone and out of hours. So here’s a treat: you get home, tired after a long day’s work and ready for a relaxing night alone. You reach for the light switch, but a hand is already there… I’ve been of a few ghost tours which were terrifying. I am too afraid

to enter the English building where all my classes are held, Tucker Hall, which may prove problematic because a suicidal murdering ghost who flunked her exams likes to wreak revenge on us. Then there’s the most haunted house on the East Coast that sits just metres from my dorm, Randolph House. Some Frat boys were forced to enter its cellar a couple of years ago as part of their initiation and have never been the same since. Police men found them rocking back and forth on the floors in tears. But the most frightening experience so far has been when one of my pre-med friend took me down to see the cadavers that she chops up for class. I’ve never seen a dead body before and was strangely curious. They were tinged blue and peaceful looking; this was before the chopping, but gave me the creeps and I shan’t be returning. Honestly, what sort of college keeps dead bodies on campus? A few of my professors have gone to great effort to show us their Halloween spirit. One gentleman dressed as a dinosaur for his lecture and another woman made a great robot. I can’t tell

if it’s one student or a few but the iconic red and white striped Wally, or Waldo as the Americans call him, keeps popping up on my newsfeed and around campus. I have played the part of a zombie invading campus and been shot by one

What sort of college keeps dead bodies on campus? too many nerd guns, lost a pumpkin carving contest, donned some devil horns, watched such classics as ‘Hocus Pocus’ and ‘Halloweentown’ and discovered that when Cady says that “Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it” she’s not entirely correct, at least not at William and Mary.

people think they are? Not really. If you know your figures then they won’t get annoyed with you (and Tom and I did, luckily). You’ve just got to be honest and be yourself. Kelly Hoppen gave us a bit of a hard time but it was all constructive and we took what she said on board. Deborah Meaden was definitely the nicest though.

It’s very much a young, fun brand for students What’s your next big goal for Young Ones? Our aim is to become the next big brand for 18-24 year olds. Companies like Jack Wills and Superdry have all been and gone really. People are look-

ing for something different. We’re working on our brand image generally and employing the help of designers. We also want to get more involved with retail stores as we are all online at the moment. What advice would you give current students with an entrepreneurial idea? I’d suggest talking to close friends (not to everyone as you don’t want people to steal your idea!). Your friends and family can critique your idea and give you new perspectives. If you think your idea has potential then write up a business plan and contact the Innovation Centre or Start-up Loans. Just keep thinking because your first idea won’t always be the one that takes off. Your student years are the best time for opportunities like this though so definitely give it a shot.

Fast Charity

Charlotte Earland inspires you to go hungry for a day for Syria WHEN we first come to university, we feel a rush of freedom and independence blow across our face. At the same time, it’s like we’re constantly under an umbrella; the outside world just dribbles off the top and we continue living in our bubbles of work and social lives, rarely having to venture outside the city limits. Some of the hardest dilemmas we face are managing essay deadlines and declining bank balances after a night out in Arena. As part of UNICEF UK’s campaigning for children affected by the on-going conflict in Syria, I decided to sign up for a 12 hour sponsored fast organised by the University’s UNICEF on Campus, where we were only allowed to drink water. The event was in honour of World Food Day on 16 October, so all the money raised went to providing food and water for the Syrian children. At first I was very excited about the challenge, to put myself in someone else’s shoes and contemplate the bigger picture. But as the day dragged on my scratchy throat and my rumbling stomach became harder to ignore. Whilst trudging through a seminar, a study group, and essay research in the library, my concentration began to dwindle and my energy began to waver. This was only the beginning of a way of life

for many people. For the children in Syria, hunger and thirst is not a choice; it’s a reality, one that is hard for them to escape. They are children who need proper nutrients to grow and develop physically and mentally, but they don’t have them. How could I complain about being hungry for hours when children are going hungry indefinitely? Opportunities through the University’s societies are a way not only to contribute to a wider cause but also to develop as a person. You can be active and challenging, or you can attend events to raise awareness and support other members. You can dedicate your time to single, one-off causes, or become more deeply involved in a programme that runs throughout the year. No matter how you want to get involved, we can help others to gain and maintain those things that we easily take for granted, and take our university experiences even further. Get involved with UNICEF on campus by coming along to the debate on Child Soldiers in Post-Conflict Nations on 12 November, to a talk by inspirational speaker Kirsty Schneeberger on where she thinks she will be in 2050 with regards to climate change on 22 November, and by signing up to the primary school scheme launching next term.

GO FURTHER, FASTER

EY graduates like Abi are part of a global organisation advising big businesses on issues critical to their long-term success.

Opportunities in Advisory, Assurance, Corporate Finance and Tax. Find out more and apply at ey.com/uk/careers

If you have the ambition, EY will give you the training and experiences you need to help grow our worldwide business and build a better working world.

Music

12 november 2013 |

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Exeposé

MUSIC EDITORS

Magda Cassidy & Josh Gray music@exepose.com JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé Music

Listings Tue 12 November Chase & Status Plymouth Pavilions Fri 15 November Future of the Left Thekla Sat 16 November Disclosure Bristol O2 Sun 17 November ExTunes Live Firehouse Sun 17 November Bellowhead Great Hall Mon 18 November Gabrielle Aplin The Great Hall Thu 21 November Hacktivist Cavern Sun 23 November Mallory Knox Phoenix Wed 27 November The Lumineers Plymouth Pavilions Sat 30 November The Wurzels Lemmy Mon 2 December Don Broco Lemmy Tue 3 December Palma Violets Bristol O2

One to Watch

50 Shades of Blackout Lewis Norman finds Welsh band The Blackout in jubilant mood on their cheeriest tour so far AS a rule of thumb, I’m the kind of guy who will listen to anything prefixed with the label ‘Indie’. So why was I so excited about seeing six formidable Metalcore lads from Mer-

We never thought we would ever get the chance to make an album, and, if we did, it would be a crappy one thyr Tydfil? The answer to that lies in their live performance. The Blackout packed out Exeter’s Cavern, squeezing a crowd of sweaty, tattooed bodies and one awkwardly placed reporter into the small space and slipped into their niche, putting on a fervently fiery live performance.

“We’re all about being the best live band we can be,” lead vocalist Sean asserts in our interview. “We never thought we would ever get the chance to make an album, and, if we did, it would be a crappy one we put together ourselves, so our main priority was putting on an amazing live show.” The boys did not disappoint. From the opening overdriven crunch of ‘I’m A Riot, You’re A Fucking Riot’, Sean muscles his way through the crowd to get close and personal with his dedicated fans. “We used to go to live shows together and think ‘we want to take the good things about this band and put it together with this band’, and that’s where the Blackout came from really.” Sean tells me, “We are really inspired by bands like Limp Bizkit and Lostprophets. We figured that we only live ten minutes down the road from them [Lostprophets] so if they can make it

then so can we!” The Blackout’s fourth album Start the Party came out this January. “I think the difference with this album to our last three is that we were happy for once. We don’t really go into practice sessions with a plan, we just turn up and jam and see what happens.”

Sean stops talking at this point to have a glance at one oblivious woman’s backside “It has actually been a relatively quiet year for us”, bandmate Gareth chips in. “Main stage at Reading Festival was definitely a highlight, but I think our most memorable experience was in Australia. We just enjoyed scar-

ing them a bit by getting up in their faces and screaming and just generally having a great time.” “I think there are two reasons why Australia was so good” says Sean, “The two Ws – women and weather.” he stops talking at this point to have a glance at one oblivious woman’s backside. So, what can we expect next from the Blackout? The Final Party Tour is underway and runs all the way up until Christmas but what does 2014 have in store for them? “We’ve got a few ideas for a new album next year and we’ll definitely tour that. But after that I plan to win the lottery and ditch these losers,” says Sean. “And when I win I’m going to sit there and make them watch me glug two litre bottles of coke when I only need a can!” Slightly odd, but that’s all part of the Blackout charm.

Mascara Martyrs: Exeposé Music gives you the four most emossential albums... Paramore - Riot

Biffy Clyro - Blackened Sky

Fall Out Boy - Infinity On High

Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American

Who said that emo had to be depressing? This is a pure blast of joyful pop-punk that’s bound to get the straighteners and guyliner our for the first time since Year Ten.

They’re now thought of as bombastic stadium rock and Matt Cardle’s muses, but back in the 90s the Biff were responsible for laying the foundations of modern emo.

If you never sang along to the mega-tunes that were ‘The Take Over, The Break’s Over’ or ‘This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race’ you never truly lived.

If you only remember this album for its appearance on the Cinderella Story soundtrack, shame on you. Bleed American is arguably one of the greats of early 00s.

Bellowhead @The Great Hall Fun, folky and suprisingly danceable; anyone who knows Bellowhead’s branch of singalong shanties will be certain this is not a show to be missed.

Exeposé

| WEEK eight

MUSIC

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

Obituary: A Tribute To Lou Reed Rhys Laverty mourns the recent death of Velvet Underground singer Lou Reed LOU REED, leader of The Velvet Underground and alt-music pioneer, died this week aged 71. Regarded as the father of alternative music, for nearly half a century he created some of the most daring, groundbreaking music in rock history, and some of the worst (even in death Metal Machine Music and Lulu can’t be forgiven). His work as lead singer and songwriter for The Velvet Underground is where his greatest contribution lies; over four consistently acclaimed albums, including their legendary, Andy Warhol driven debut he was behind one of the most influential, though commercially unsuccessful, artists in history. The combination of this lack of commercial success, and subsequent influence on bands such as Nirvana, The Pixies, R.E.M. and many more, has led it to be said that everyone who bought one of the original 30,000 copies of their debut went on to form a band. His solo work after their split in 1970 was often inconsistent, but albums such as the classic Transformer secured his reputation as one of the most audacious artists of his age. The genderbending ‘Walk on the Wild Side’ and the oft-covered ‘Perfect Day’ are perhaps

his most famous works and capture the dualism of a man who was at once an adventurous, boundary-pushing lyricist and a singularly talented songwriter. Never a particularly gifted singer or instrumentalist, Reed instead used his pioneering instinct to craft the half sung, half spoken vocals and wavy, alternately biting and dreamy guitar that would raise standards of alternative and indie music for decades to come. Once quoted as saying that “One chord is fine. Two chords are pushing it. Three chords and you’re into jazz.”, songs such as the seminal ‘Heroin’ made up in drama and lyrical power what they lacked in intricacy or technical virtuosity. His mix of dark poetry, avantegarde music, controversial subject matter and often outrageous (though always cool) appearance bridged the divide between art and music that artists such as Kanye West (whom Reed was a great admirer of) and Lady Gaga (who stole his shades) have been crossing ever since. In the days since his death, tributes to the death of a man whose musical influence places him amongst the likes of Dylan, Bowie and Lennon have flooded in from all corners of the arts.

Lewis’s Love It or Loathe It Columnist Lewis Norman tackles this week’s releases

“Ah, when the heroin is in my blood And that blood is in my head Then thank God that I’m as good as dead Then thank your God that I’m not aware And thank God that I just don’t care”

V For Vagrancy

Arcade Fire : Reflektor This is an album that displays the genius song-writing of Win Butler. Standout tracks ‘Reflektor’, ‘Joan of Arc’ and ‘Normal Person’ demonstrate the intricate interweaving of melodic lines which create a rhythmic and hypnotic sound unlike anything that the band have offered us before. It may not be a step up from their previous efforts but Reflektor does cement Arcade Fire’s legendary status and shows us that they can put their hand to almost anything and pull off something great. Icona Pop : This Is If you want to hear 11 slightly-worse versions of summer craze ‘I Don’t Care’, then this is the album for you! Icona Pop are 2013’s queens of cheese, recycling boring basslines that you have to be brutally intoxicated to enjoy. The album would not be half as bad if they didn’t sound like two angry mothers bickering in LIDL and I test anyone to listen to this album and find ten seconds of pure, unaltered singing. Armed with lyrics dripping with cringe, Icona Pop are the Cheeky Girls of this generation – just not quite as ridiculous and not nearly as entertaining.

Song Re-Definition

Alex Hall chats to up and coming crossover kings Hacktivist

THE future of Milton Keynes Djent/ Rap band Hacktivist isn’t to be underestimated as they embark on their first big headline tour following a stream of festival dates and recent support tour with Enter Shikari. Bassist, Josh Gurner, explains how they are “excited to get stuck in” and see if their hard work at festivals across Europe has “converted those people who saw us into fans who will come out to shows and buy our EP”. Having had a relatively short but eventful career thus far, Hacktivist aim high, with their sights firmly set on future festival dates, especially outside of the UK, as “ t h e r e ’s a lot

more of the world to explore”. One highlight of the band’s summer was playing Rock The Beach in Finland, which Gurner describes as possibly

We’re excited to make people feel something strong enough that they’ll go on Youtube and slag us off one of the best shows they have ever played as it “was actually on the beach in Finland”. The band formed in 2011 almost by accident after rapper J Hurley recorded vocals over vocalist Tim James’ demos. This crossover genre has polarised a number of music fans, a fact which Gurner explains isn’t necessarily a bad thing, “I think we like splitting opinion” he announces; “we love when people like it but we’re also excited to make people feel something strong enough that they’ll go on YouTube and slag us off or sing our praises”. Hacktivist aren’t content with being another nu-metal crossover band, “we’re definitely trying to find something that’s not

really been done that much. We’re trying to discover new sounds and progress. It’s all stuff that derives from fairly new styles of metal; I guess we’re just trying to push it a bit further in different directions”. This musical blend is reflected in their individual influences which range from Limp Bizkit, Deftones and Red Hot Chilli Peppers to Skepta and Eminem. One demonstration of their musical direction is the band’s cover of Jay Z and Kanye West’s song ‘Ni**as in Paris’. After releasing an official music video for the cover, Hacktivist are in danger of becoming known for the song. Gurner, however, disagrees with this outlook for the band’s future, “no one wants to be the band that does that cover. I like to think if it has helped us gain a few more fans then I’m all for that, but I’d like to think that if they get themselves down to a show, or if they

No-one wants to be the band that does that cover check out the EP or the album when it comes out, hopefully they will find that there is more to us than just that cover”. Although describing the genre may be difficult, high energy with a bit of controversy is what should be expected from the upcoming tour, and if previous nights at The Cavern are anything to go by, their gig on November 21 is not to be missed.

Matt Lovett reads his own message into Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ YOU all remember that scene in Reservoir Dogs, the one where Quentin Tarantino explains the true meaning behind “Like a Virgin”. If you don’t, I suggest you read up on a thing called popular culture. If you do, then you’ll hopefully see what I’m trying to do here. I am here to offer an alternative, ‘True’ interpretation of a popular song, in this case Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Don’t know the lyrics? Well I’ll tell you, they aren’t quite what you think. In short, this song, ladies and gentlemen, is about the slave trade. Let’s start with the chorus. Humour me, and let’s assume our setting is a slave market, somewhere in eighteenth century West Africa. Now read those repeated, “Hellos” again, in a Victorian British accent if you would. That would be the slave dealer, examining the slaves on sale. Then he lists what he sees: a mulatto (someone of mixed race) and an albino. Our cheery narrator also notes ‘A mosquito’, an insect common to West Africa, and ‘My libido,’ perhaps a reference to the sexual exploitation of slaves. ‘Here we are now, entertain us,’ takes on a far more menacing twist now, doesn’t it. ‘Load up your guns, bring your friends,’ our opening line, also becomes a chilling image.

You see where I’m going with this? Furthermore, not only is our narrator a slave dealer. He has malaria. Aside the talk of a mosquito, he says, ‘I feel stupid and contagious’. Symptoms perhaps? We then come to the third verse, when he claims to ‘forget why I taste,’ and ends on the truly poetic ‘Oh well, whatever, never mind.’ He’s losing his mind to malaria, so much that he forgets what he’s saying mid-sentence. Incidentally, this could also explain Cobain’s characteristic slurred delivery. What of the title, you say? First, we must assume teen is a misspelling; the word we’re looking for is tin. Now tin spirit, or Stannic Chloride to you chemists, is a chemical which gives off a stinging odour. When our narrator finds these slaves, chained up in darkness because ‘With the lights out, it’s less dangerous,’ this is what he notices. Our charming protagonist doesn’t bat an eyelid at the horrific human suffering before him. He just notes it ‘smells like tin spirit.’ So there you have it. The anthem of every rebellious teenager is actually a musing on one of the darkest periods in our history. Think about that next time you request it in The Cavern.

Music

Arcade Fire Reflektor Merge Records .......................

MY initial response to Arcade Fire’s new album, Reflektor, was “what on earth is Jonathan Ross doing on there?” At first it was a somewhat surprising artistic choice to use Ross’s vocals from the 2007 show on which they appeared; however it then rekindled memories of Win Butler ending the set by smashing the camera lens. In the song ‘Flashbulb Eyes’ they ask the question, “What if the camera really does take your soul?” It all seems to fit harmoniously, incorporating the dark nuances of a fame-obsessed world that are present throughout so much of the album. Having spent a lot of time in Haiti, you can see, and even hear, a lot of Haitian influence. The Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice is also prevalent on Volume II of the album – the band recently posted a version of their song ‘Afterlife’ paired with a montage from the 1959 film, Black Orpheus. The band had been posting teasers

Pearl Jam Lightning Bolt Universal .......................

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

and short videos on their Facebook page in the run up to the new release, making us all wait in eager anticipation. Many were sceptical over the ‘Arcade Fire-ness’ of their new work; whether it would be as good as their previous music, or if it was just going to be a disappointment like so many other bands we have seen after moving further in their careers. These sceptics can believe what they want because Reflektor is all in all, exceptional. It edges on pop for the most part, steering away from the much darker and sombre tones of ‘Funeral’ and ‘Neon Bible’, but this is in no way a bad thing! In the midst of this poprock-with-an-electro-LCD-twist album we hear some Haiti-inspired drum tones in ‘Flashbulb Eyes’ and ‘Here Comes the Night Time’, and a short punkish intro to ‘Joan of Arc’. But ultimately, it does not, in any way, sound like anyone other than Arcade Fire. Their previous album, The Suburbs, seems to have been the perfect transition into this new sound. There have also been a few famous faces joining the band with David Bowie singing backing vocals on the single ‘Reflektor’. James Murphy, formerly of LCD Soundsystem, also helped to produce the album, inspiring some its more electronic tones. Overall, it is a brilliant album, but the one thing I must recommend is to listen to it as loud as your speakers and neighbours allow; it will take you into a strange trance-like state from which you just won’t want to wake up.

AMRITA PAL future. Other highlights include the feel-good title track or the experiment-heavy ‘Pendulum’ which shouts out to the best days of U2. ‘Infallible’ is another addictive song which sounds like nothing they have ever done before. The album’s second half isn’t as good, but still provides for some above-average listening experience (especially the gorgeous ‘Sleeping by Myself’, which is a full-band version of the same song from Vedder’s ukulele album).

M.I.A. Matangi N.E.E.T. .......................

AFTER releasing the hugely divisive MAYA back in 2011, Mathangi ‘Maya’ Arulpragasam, or M.I.A., has returned to the sound that gave us the brilliant Kala. The problem with MAYA was that, whilst it contained inventive ideas and political messages, these were untranslatable to the listener because of the, frankly annoying, industrial sound. It’s a relief to say that Matangi is an easier listen, but not an easy listen in general - if it was, it wouldn’t be M.I.A. M.I.A. is at her best when she’s being politically tongue-in-cheek on Tamil and Bollywood samples, which made ‘Bad Girls’ the best single she’s released since ‘Paper Planes’. She continues this streak in seventy-six-second track ‘Boom Skit’. It’s easily one of the best tracks here, with her lyrics ranging from her experiences of being Othered in America to her infamous Super Bowl appearance – it’s just a shame that it’s so short. ‘Double Bubble Trouble’ perfect-

Eminem The Marshall Mathers LP 2 Shady Records .......................

The album really sounds like they’re playing in your living room FOR quite some time now, a new album by Pearl Jam has meant overall disappointment for fans and critique alike. But old loves die hard, so naturally I was, as ever, filled with hope upon hearing the two pre-album singles. And what singles they are this time! From the punk/metal riff-o-rama that is ‘Mind your Manners’ to the heart-melting ballad ‘Sirens’ (or ‘Black vol. II’ as some people rather annoyingly call it), I couldn’t help but pray for an album that could get near the quality of beloved classics such as Ten and Vs. While Backspacer did have some great songs, as an album it was average at best. With Lightning Bolt, Pearl Jam have finally produced a record which can stand proud in their discography with the aforementioned giants. The album opens with a trio of hard-hitters, all of which are bound to feature in the concert setlists in the

Each member of the band seems in top form. Especially enjoyable were Matt Cameron’s inventive drum beats and some unusually tasty bass lines from Jeff Ament. Best of all, Eddie’s voice sounds great not only in the studio, but also in clips from recent concerts. Produced and mixed, as always, by Brendan O’Brian, the album really sounds like they’re playing in your living room, if you’ll pardon the cliché. The bumped up bass guitar is a very pleasant surprise, as Pearl Jam’s sound has sometimes suffered from lack of solid low frequencies. The greatest advantage of Lightning Bolt is that it works as an album. While some tracks stand out more than other, I always end up playing the entire record over and over again. And I see no reason why you shouldn’t do the same. PAVEL KONDOV

AFTER two or three frankly terrible releases from Eminem since his crowning achievement that was The Marshall Mathers LP, I’d given up hope. That’s it, I thought, he shot up fast and burnt out hard. I had him written off, but seeing that his new effort would be called The Marshall Mathers LP 2, I was intrigued. Eminem laid down the gauntlet, and he was going to attempt to live up to the greatest album he’d ever produced. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Eminem clarified that calling it The Marshall Mathers LP 2 was “more about the vibe … more about the nostalgia” and less about “continuations of every old song”. So did I feel a Marshall Mathers LP vibe? I reminded myself of songs like ‘The Real Slim Shady’, ‘Stan’, ‘Kill You’ and ‘Remember Me?’ and pressed on with his sequel, holding high expectations. It’s fair to say he wasn’t lying. The

ly mixes its reggae introduction with a wicked bass drop, whilst the genre and tempo-switching on ‘Only 1 U’ encapsulates M.I.A.’s experimental concepts, only just verging on the edge of jarring. However, this constant experimental assault leaves many songs on this album unremarkable. Title track ‘Matangi’ starts as a driving force with its pounding drums and incessant bells, but its repetitive nature and M.I.A.’s monotonous tone soon make it forgettable. Its only redeeming features are the harsh vibrations, The Weekend-like screams and the glitchy Bollywood-sampled ending.

M.I.A. is at her best when she’s being politically tongue-incheek There is also the question of why both ‘Exodus’ and ‘Sexodus’ are included, as they are the same song with slightly different introductions. Both sample The Weeknd’s ‘Lonely Star’ and it is precisely this which makes this slow-burning song so strong, despite the lack of screeching synths that are interspersed throughout other tracks. However, it is also The Weeknd’s contribution that holds this track back, for he sets a certain haunting mood to his songs that M.I.A. can’t escape from, meaning that she never really makes either version of the song her own. Whilst Matangi is somewhat repetitive, at its core it is barely controlled chaos wrapped up in experimental hiphop – it’ll leave you exhausted, but, for the majority of the album, it’ll be worth it. LOUISA LING vibe, the nostalgia, the throwbacks are all undeniably present. In songs like ‘Bad Guy’ and ‘Asshole’ it’s the energetic fury in his delivery, hardly dampened by his being 41 now (13 years older than when he released the first Marshall Mathers LP). In ‘Legacy’ it’s far more obvious. Seriously, listen to ‘Stan’ and then ‘Legacy’, I’m pretty sure he uses the exact same rain sample, with just a slight pitch shift. I’m not convinced it quite tops its predecessor though. The atmosphere is there, but the story isn’t quite as grabbing and insistent. This is my main struggle with this album. Does it have that same raw urgency that thrusts at you and forces you to listen, to be drawn into the psychotic world of Slim Shady? Eminem has matured, naturally, over the years of drugs, albums and tours, and so have we as listeners. In many ways, this makes the music on his latest release better. It’s more refined; cleaner. He has more experience and it shows in his lyrics and technical skill (see ‘Rap God’). However, I can’t help but feel that The Marshall Mathers LP 2 is lacks the edge that the original had. The album is full of solid songs, but I doubt it will have quite the same longevity as the first. All comparisons aside, The Marshall Mathers LP 2 comes up as a pleasant surprise. Eminem has shown that he still has it in him. But by titling the album as he has, the bar was set high. The Marshall Mathers LP 2 is a worthy successor, and well worth a listen whether you are familiar with the first Marshall Mathers LP or not. Slim Shady is back. DOM FORD

12 november 2013 |

Exeposé

THE FIRING RANGE Bombay Bicycle Club Carry Me EVERYONE’S favourite non-offensive indie rockers Bombay Bicycle Club are back with a new single and according to frontman Jack Steadman, “a brave step in a new direction”. Carry Me is the first track to be unveiled from the bands fourth album, due to be released in 2014. Upon first listening to the track, I fail to recognise this brave new direction, instead experiencing more of the dreamy synths and soothing vocals that made 2011’s A Different Kind Of Fix such a success. Nevertheless, Carry Me does have a more dancey and electronic feel to it than previous BBC tracks. An evolution rather than a revolution. JAMES BEESON

Fatboy Slim and Riva Starr Eat Sleep Rave Repeat SO there was this DJ who was like kicking off. I don’t know what he was doing but it was sick man. Like, he was like, hands in the air. Like penis out. Like fucking. So like this clown started covering us in silly string and we were all like writhing around on the floor. At least I thought we were and then his cat walked in.You know, not like a cat. Like a feeling cat. Like a real, like you know. Like you know what I’m saying dog. This mind fuckery of a song continues for more than 5 minutes. By the end, the chances that your bleeding ears would actually want to put this on repeat are slim. KITTY HOWIE LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Editors Honesty MOTHER of God, when did Tom Smith learn how to sing? His flights of falsetto combined with a newly found range for his gruff bassy voice help to power this otherwise average song into something pretty, um, pretty. The liberally applied string section covers up the fact that guitarist Chris Urbanowicz flew the coop last year. The Johnny Greenwood-esque twin violin riff is particularly nice, and slides in and out of the ear like a velvety eel. It’s not a very memorable song, but it’s an impressive release from a band most of us thought we might not hear from again. JOSH GRAY MUSIC EDITOR

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Bring your talent and passion to a global organisation at the forefront of business, technology and innovation. Collaborate with diverse, talented colleagues and leaders who support your success. Help evolve organisations and communities around the world. Sharpen your skills with industry-leading training and development, as you build an extraordinary career. Discover how great you can be. Visit accenture.com/graduateevents

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Date: 21st November 2013 Time: 6:30pm Location: Abode at The Royal Clarence Come to an evening with high performers at the Abode at The Royal Clarence to discover how you can evolve yourself with a career in consulting. Accenture excels at helping its clients achieve higher performance. It’s why we’re recognised as one of the leading management consulting, technology services and outsourcing companies in the world today.

It could be an introduction that evolves your career.

Of course, you can learn a lot about Accenture on our website, in our graduate brochure and from your careers advisor. But we think nothing beats a first-hand introduction from someone who already works here. That’s why we’d like to invite you to join some of our people for dinner. It is a chance to meet potential colleagues and mentors, ask questions and discover more about life at Accenture.

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12 november 2013 |

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Newsreel Joe Cornish sought for Star Trek 3 Now that J.J. Abrams has been set with the monumental task of directing the next Star Wars trilogy, Paramount Pictures have turned their attention to securing Cornish’s talents. No formal offer has yet been penned, but with films such as the cult-hit Attack The Block already under his belt, the studio has made it clear that the director is their top choice for the project.

Jason Bateman confirmed as The Family Fang director After a year in limbo, the upcoming adaptation of Kevin Wilson’s highly-acclaimed novel has finally found a director and co-star in the form of Bateman. Working alongside actress Nicole Kidman, who bought the film rights back in 2012, it is hoped that the collaboration will prove to be just as successful as Bateman’s recent Bad Worlds, which received rave reviews at the recent Toronto Film Festival.

Daniel Radcliffe to play Sebastian Coe Reuniting with The Woman in Black director James Watkins, BBC Films have announced that Gold, a sporting biopic charting Coe’s life in the run up to the Moscow 1980 Olympic Games, is now in production. Having originally been planned to coincide with the start of London 2012, the film is expected to release sometime in 2015, with filming starting in 2014.

Campus Cinema Week 8-10 Programme Tuesday 12 November The Way, Way Back 6:30pm & 9:00pm Sunday 17 November Filth 6:30 pm & 9pm Tuesday 19 November Machete Kills 6:30pm & 9pm Sunday 24 November About Time 6:30pm & 9pm Campus Cinema can be found in the M&D room in Devonshire House

“They’re not here to fish” Maddie Soper dives into the Oscar worthy waters of Tom Hank’s Captain Phillips Captain Phillips Director: Paul Greengrass Cast: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Michael Chernus 134 mins (12A) THE LATEST offering from Paul Greengrass tackles the real-life events of the 2009 hijacking of US freighter Maersk Alabama by Somali pirates. With Captain Phillips (Hanks) taken hostage, it is only the loyalty and quick thinking of his crew and his own strength of resolve that ensures his survival. In an industry saturated with action flicks, Captain Phillips is a real triumph. Intelligent, unbearably tense, and filled with stellar performances from the entire ensemble, Greengrass has produced an intriguing and raw account that goes

beyond a simplistic hero/villain dynamic, and invites the audience not only to empathise with impossible situations, but question the very nature of heroism. Billy Ray’s screenplay, adapted from Phillips’ own personal account of the events, is fast-paced and drawn-out in all the right places, following men at the mercy of forces beyond their control.

Abdi is layered, nuanced and deliciously chilling The heightened tension and claustrophobia as the film seems to fall inevitably towards its climax is as palpable for the audience as it is for the characters. The slowly unravelling relationships between Phillips’ captors is translated

superbly, and is riveting to watch. To share screen time with Hanks in arguably the best performance of his career and to not be overshadowed is quite some feat. Barkhad Abdi’s portrayal of pirate ringleader Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse is layered, nuanced and deliciously chilling. Working as a chauffeur before shooting this film and with no prior acting experience, his performance is shockingly good, and provides insight into the oft-neglected Somali perspective of the piracy phenomenon. One aspect that is somewhat neglected, however, is the perspective of Phillips’ family throughout the ordeal. Catherine Kenner as Phillips’ wife Andrea is snubbed of sufficient screen time, appearing only in the film’s opening. Nevertheless our primary concern remains riveted to the unfolding action

Headshot: Tom Hanks ONE glance at Tom Hanks’s IMDB page reveals the complete impossibility to adequately summarise a career spanning four decades, 67 awards and performances that could be said to define recent cinema. His impressive credits in acting and producing almost certainly ensures him a place in film history. After roles in the 1980s cult classics Splash and Big, Hanks starred in a slew of career-defining films in the 1990s and early 2000s - Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, Saving Private Ryan, The Green Mile, Catch Me If You Can, and Charlie Wilson’s War - winning the Best Actor Academy Award for the former two films. These six movies reinforce Hanks’s trademark character: the ordinary man caught in extraordinary circumstances. Perhaps no film cap-

tures this better than Cast Away (2000), the tour-de-force portrayal of a postal agent stranded on a deserted island and his desperate mental and physical transformation in hopes of survival. Hanks, however, does not stick exclusively to these roles. He has been the heartthrob in two Meg Ryan romcoms - Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail. He became Dan Brown’s historical detective Robert Langdon in adaptations of The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons, with an upcoming reprisal in The Lost Symbol on the horizon. And he has won the hearts of young and not-so-young alike as Woody in the Toy Story franchise. If this astounding acting career is not enough, Hanks has produced several acclaimed television programmes.

The 1999 miniseries From the Earth to the Moon chronicles the space race from Mission Control’s view. Band of Brothers (2001) and The Pacific (2010) are sweeping portraits of WWII: one on the European front, the other in the midst of island warfare against the Japanese. And HBO’s John Adams (2008), a big-budget look at the second US President, was lauded for its historical accuracy. With the well-received release of Captain Phillips, one hopes that Hanks will not be leaving the screen anytime soon. CARMEN PADDOCK

itself: the oft-unbearable tension and the sharp focus on the dynamic between captors and prisoner ensures this oversight is of little consequence to the movie’s overall quality. There was a danger that a film that depends so completely on its central performance’s conviction could weaken as a result, but Hanks is nothing short of spectacular throughout. His depiction of Phillips’ fear, conviction and utter despair at times is astonishingly powerful, yet never ventures into over-acting. The raw power of emotions and acting prowess Hanks displayed in the final sequence will undoubtedly have both you sobbing, and the Academy knocking.

Exeposé

| Week eight

SCREEN

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

Are you still afraid of the dark?

Sophie Parkin looks at the decline of the traditional horror film and what the genre is doing today AS the dark nights set in, it’s the perfect time of year to watch a scary movie, hide behind the sofa and inadvertently throw your popcorn in the air as your housemate walks into the room. But this year the number of horror films gracing our screens seems somewhat limited. Gone are the days of classic British horror epitomised by the likes of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing’s adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. But therein lies the problem; the audience of 2013 would merely sit and laugh at the now comical ‘bat on a string’ that, in its day, terrified a generation. It seems that the current call is for gore, blood, flesh, and lots of it. The more gruesome the film, the more it seems to fit the needs of the modern horror audience. Yet I would argue that the true essence of a horror film lies in a slow moving plot line that is able to build a sense of unease and discomfort amongst its viewers. Take the 1978 John Carpenter classic Halloween, a slow moving thriller teamed with a chilling score and very little gore. Nevertheless, the story, centred on Michael, an escaped psychiatric pa-

Thor: The Dark World Director: Alan Taylor Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston 112 mins (12A) IF nothing else, Thor: The Dark World has ambition in abundance. For all of its tonal and structural shortcomings, Marvel Studios’ latest superhero film has the audacity to aim higher than the vast majority of its competitors, no doubt spurred on by the vast success of Marvel’s Avengers Assemble last summer. The pseudo-Shakespearean fantastical realm of Asgard is rendered gloriously, as are the piece’s various intergalactic conflicts. Splendid effects are prominent these days, so other elements must take critical precedence. Take, for instance, the various muddled character arcs which are clumsily distributed amongst the core narrative strands. Fans will be enthralled by the reunion between Chris Hemsworth’s muscular, oft-shirtless hero and his girl-next-world Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), but their charming, once-intricate romance and a possible challenge from Asgardian femme fatale Sif are sidelined quickly. Instead, Loki takes centre stage. To his credit, it’s Tom Hiddleston’s best performance in the role yet, but the narrative focuses so

heavily on his skill of deception that it becomes increasingly simple to predict his ploys by the movie’s final act. That is, of course, if the viewer can actually comprehend what exactly occurs in the aforementioned climax. If rumours of a 30-minute cut of the original running time are to be believed, then the effects of this reduction are profound. It renders Christopher Eccleston’s Malekeith as a one-dimensional antagonist, offers minimal resolution for Thor and Jane and thus leaves a sense of neglected closure. Even beyond the editing room, Taylor’s direction is underwhelming- generic desolate wastelands, alight forests and Greenwich courtyards

shortcomings only compensating to an extent. In a year that’s offered contemplative drama regarding technological over-dependence in Iron Man 3 and high-blown action spectacle in Man of Steel, Marvel’s second adaptation of the Mighty Thor comic-book inherits an awkward middle-ground, failing to sufficiently live up to its hero’s epithet. Marvelites will prosper from checking this out thanks to Hemsworth’s accomplished performance and two post-credits prologues to 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, yet it’s hard to shake the sense that this is filler content. With a little more care and attention, Thor: The Dark World might have proved a well-rounded watch, but as it is, the convoluted plot wraps up far too abruptly to justify its departure from the compelling, restrained human drama of its predecessor.

TOM BUXTON all feel uninspired, the hilarious comic dialogue often used to satirically reference such

tient, managed to frighten cinema goers and had babysitters locking doors and windows for years to come. In a modern world where this villain would be deterred simply by double glazing and a house alarm, people seem disengaged with the thought of fear of the real-life, masked killer.

The more gruesome the film, the more it seems to fit the needs of the modern horror audience Instead, we turn to the sudden abundance of ‘found footage’ films. With the likes of Paranormal Activity and The Fourth Kind focusing on ‘real people’ being terrorised and tormented by paranormal entities, there has been a major shift in the focus of the genre. However, the seemingly random footage of furniture bouncing around rooms lacks any real fear factor. Fear of the unknown is paramount to the

makings of a successful horror movie and the endless remakes of classic horror films and the repetitive nature of the ‘found footage’ films seems to beg the question; has the industry simply run out of ideas for a good horror movie? Hopefully the answer is no, but what film makers seem to have forgotten is that the formation of a villain that can truly terrify is vital. The faceless spirit entities in the likes of Paranormal Activity are not the sort of villains that keep you awake at night and grasping for the bedside lamp. The notorious characters of horror – Michael, Jason, and Freddy - are so because they had the ability to unsettle an audience and make them fear that the terrifying acts they saw on screen could happen in their own homes. It’s safe to say that, despite the lack of innocence in the modern generation, there is still a call for a gritty horror film in the 21st century. What Hollywood needs to grasp onto is what truly terrifies people – the fear that their own lives could portray the horror story that they see on the big screen.

Screen Asks This week, Screen asked: if you were kidnapped by pirates, which film star would you want to rescue you? Keira Knigtley, thank you very much. PAVEL KONDOV I’d like Christopher Walken to save me from walken the plank. CHRIS DAVIES I’d have to say Haken Hakenson from that classic ‘Shipwrecked!’ since he’s been through a similar experience and was an inspiration to my childhood. ELLI CHRISTIE BOOKS EDITOR

Nic Cage, but only if he turned up wearing a bear suit and punched a woman in the face. JESS O’KANE ONLINE SCREEN EDITOR Arnold Schwarzenegger could just distract them with endless one liners. KATHERINE PERRINGTON Tom Hanks. Because that’s a topical answer and I want to maximise the chances of this getting printed. MADDIE SOPER

Vin Diesel, for his ability to ignore blatantly lethal injuries and inconvenient laws of physics at will. BEN CRICK

Johnny Depp...nothing wrong with being rescued from a pirate by another pirate. NATALIE GARCES-BOVETT

I’d like to be saved by the entire cast of Saved By The Bell. Ain’t no rescue like a nostalgic rescue. OWEN KEATING NEWS EDITOR

Tom Hardy, because just LOOK at those arms.. MEGAN FURBOROUGH SCREEN EDITOR

As Hot As... the hot or nots of this week’s film news DEADPOOL..-..Now..approaching its 100th year in the pipeline, Ryan Reynolds has stated that the film has taken “small tiptoes forward”. With the likes of X-Men and Batman on the horizon, it’s honestly hard to get excited.

Captain Birdseye

ENDER’S GAME - It may have topped the US Box-Office, but that will never quite mask the fact that it has launched to mixed-reviews and negative press. The film certainly isn’t terrible, but it could have been so much more.

LONDON HAS FALLEN - The sequel to Olympus Has Fallen is to enter production next year, with Gerard Butler and Morgan Freeman both on board. It may have the talent, but will it improve upon its underwhelming predecessor?

THE LEGO MOVIE - LEGO, Will Farrell Batman, Morgan Freeman; the most recent trailer has provided more than just a few cheap chuckles, and we’re certainly hoping that the film can live up to the brand name.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY - It’s back! The hilariously dark series is to hit the bigscreen as a 3D animated film. Details may be scarce but the idea of hanging out with the Addams again has us suitably sombre (with delight).

Captain Phillips

Exeposé

| WEEK eight

Books

Book Shelf WITH the month of NaNoWriMo upon us we pass on some of the writing techniques of the great and famous: 1. Jack Kerouac Kerouac has long been known for typing out On The Road onto a 120 ft scroll in one sitting fuelled not only by drugs but also his by copious notes of the travels he had taken over previous years. However, apparently he was not best pleased when someone pointed out the difficulty of editing a scroll to him. 2. Truman Capote Among Capote’s unusual writing habits was a refusal to begin or finish anything on a Friday, a compulsion to only have three cigarette butts in the ashtray (keeping the rest in his coat pocket) and the fact that he wrote everything lying down on a sofa, with a glass of sherry in his hand. 3. Virginia Woolf As part of a long running sibling rivalry, Woolf refused to write standing up, since she thought this would make her profession less serious than sister Vanessa Bell’s painting. At her three and a half foot desk, Woolf had colour-coded pens depending on her activity. 4. Alexandre Dumas Dumas was also partial to colour-coding his work, although he separated his poems from his letters and novels using a variety of coloured paper. During one trip abroad he finished his blue (novels) paper and was reduced to writing on cream, which he insisted altered the finished work’s quality. 5. Dan Brown By following a routine that is admirable in its precision, Brown has been able to make himself a millionaire as his books reliably become bestsellers. Rising at 4am Dan Brown writes for an hour, timed by an antique hour glass, and then jumps up to do a round of press ups. He then begins the routine all over again. 6. Victor Hugo An impressive, albeit hardly repeatable feat, that Victor Hugo performed was to write The Hunchback of Notre Dame in under six months. In order to do this he bought a pot of ink, made his valet remove all his clothes so that he could not leave the house and wrote non-stop in a knitted onesie. He finished with several weeks to spare. ELLI CHRISTIE, BOOKS EDITOR

BOOKS

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Hilary On History Emma Holifield, Books Editor, and Sophie Beckett, Online Books Editor, talk with double Man Booker prize winner and Exeter visiting professor Hilary Mantel as she returns to give her second talk at the University Hilary Mantel, the bestselling author of Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, came to Exeter University on 29 October to talk about the challenges of writing historical fiction. Exeposé Books: How does it feel to be returning to Exeter? Hilary Mantel: I’m now officially a visiting professor, so hopefully this will now be the start of something I’ll enjoy and the University will enjoy. At the moment I’m having a very, very busy year, but I’m hoping that when I’m less bound by other people’s schedules, I’ll be able to contribute more.

You have to scrape away all the accretions of the tourist trade EB: How is the final book in your Cromwell trilogy progressing? HM: The Mirror and the Light is going to take me another 18 months to two years. Then comes the afterlife of a book. There will certainly be a great deal of publicity. I don’t know yet whether it will go into other media. I’ve spent most of the last year working with the RSC on the stage plays, and that’s been the equivalent of writing another novel in terms of the time taken. The TV series is going into production next spring. So at the moment I’m on a kind of loop; every time I try to get beyond the summer of 1536 I have to come back to deal with stage and TV. It’s really pleasurable but it does mean that if The Mirror and the Light follows a similar path there will be years of work at the other side of it. EB: You’re the only woman to have

‘Vacant Possession: The Houses Where the Dead Live’ Hilary Mantel The very title of Hilary Mantel’s talk evoked a slightly ominous sense that what was to be discussed would send a shiver down spines in the Alumni Auditorium. For me, it certainly did. Mantel’s aptitude for keeping the audience hooked stemmed from her obvious belief and passion. Beginning with a photo of her great-grandmother, Mantel drew us into the world of the past. She created empathy and a desire to know more about this figure, and awakened an understanding of her own curiosity. This image, a personification of a now unreachable past, added weight

won the Man Booker Prize twice. Do you feel any pressure for the next book? HM: I think that kind of pressure comes at a certain stage in a book’s life, well after publication. The pressure at the moment is the pressure of internal expectations. I feel that everything is riding on this third book for me, in that it has to contain the books that went before; it has to answer them. So there’s a great weight of expectation that’s self generated, and a certain amount of pressure from readers as well. As far as the time pressure is concerned, I’m determined to resist that, I’m just not going to rush it. When you sit down to write I find prizes are the last thing on your mind. EB: What are your thoughts on opening up the Man Booker prize? HM: I don’t have any quarrel with it in a literary sense. I don’t think it means British and Commonwealth writers are going to lose out. Of course it’s worth saying that the Americans will not do the equivalent. I worry about how it’s going to work administratively; the appointed judges read everything. There’s a limit to human capacity. I think we’ll just have to see how it works out, but having seen it from both sides of the fence (having been a judge and having been shortlisted) I know just how tricky it is. EB: I come from Ipswich, which appears in the books. Have you been to any of the places you’ve written about? HM: There’s not much of Wolsey left in Ipswich; there are very few places that are preserved intact from this era. A lot of early Tudor houses were made over extensively by to a rousing and thought-provoking talk about breaking down barriers between the dead and living. Mantel’s assertion that the dead never really leave us forced me to suspend personal beliefs. This proved liberating, allowing me to lament the destruction of the past. The insights into Mantel’s writing

the Elizabethans, and then again a couple of centuries later. When you go to somewhere like Hampton Court you

Every book you read is a building block in making you a writer have to wear blinkers, cut out all the Georgian stuff and the tourists and just see Wolsey’s court. I find it difficult because before I turned to this project I was an 18th century fan. I had perfected the art of seeing only what dated from about 1750 to 1800. I’ve had to learn to start seeing everything from between 1450 and 1550 instead. Your feet are walking the pavements at a different level. You have to scrape away all the accretions of the tourist trade. EB: How do you juggle research and writing? HM: It’s very intertwined as a process and I can never really say I’ve got enough. When I come to write a particular scene, I lay out everything I’ve got for that scene. I want to look at all my own notes, and pick up all the contradictions and possibilities. Then I go to the sources and read them again, and if necessary put all the historians’ accounts side b y

side. When it becomes a thorough muddle, that’s when its time to write. EB: Tell us about your writing day. HM: I think three hours of new work is a good day’s work. In the closing stages of a book you just work all the hours it needs; you’re immersed in it, you’re living inside it. In that sense it’s a 24 hour job. I never really understand how people can do this nine to five business. What do they do if they wake up in the middle of the night, do they just say, well five o clock is gone now? You’re not a machine. Having said that, I think it’s important to put the hours at the desk in. Sometimes it feels like the opposite of inspiration, it just feels like some kind of horrible mechanical grunt work. Every writer knows there’s periods where it feels as if you will never really be able to capture what you had only yesterday. But you will always break through. EB: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers? HM: The important thing is to produce a lot of words on the page, you’ve got to take your critical faculties off at the beginning of a project. Then you can hack away at it rather than sitting there figuratively chewing your pencil. If you’re going to cut and shape there’s got to be the material there in the first place. It is also absolutely vital to become a creative reader. Sometimes you read an author you don’t like to find out why. You have to be more open in your embrace of books than if you were just studying them academically. When you think ‘I can’t stand this’, then you’re on your way to a valuable discovery. You investigate that sharp reaction, and ask yourself what you want to do differently. I think that every book you read is a building block in making you a writer. process were also captivating. As discussed in the Q&A session following the talk, historical novels encounter various dilemmas with boundaries between fact and fiction. Mantel negotiated the issues raised with tact, honesty and humour, leaving audiences feeling a new affinity with this celebrated and inspiring writer. HANNAH BUTLER

books

12 november 2013 |

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Exeposé

The Fellowship of the Word

With essay deadlines looming, Exeposé Books speaks to the University’s Royal Literary Fund Fellows Michael Jecks and Jane Corry who offer all important writing advice

If you’re currently struggling through an essay, you’ll know the feeling of having read a piece so many times that it no longer makes any sense. Words that once conveyed meaning jumble into one incomprehensible mass, so that even working out where to insert commas into the garbled mess becomes a truly mammoth task. Enlisting the perspective of another person can be all it takes to regain some sort of clarity and help you to look at your piece with fresh eyes. Such help is especially useful if that person is an expert in writing. This is the aim of the Royal Literary Fund, which employs Fellows throughout the country to help students sharpen their writing. Exeter has two Fellows: Jane Corry and Michael Jecks, who are available by office appointment to help both undergraduates and postgraduates at the University. They offer advice relating to all aspects of writing. From planning to editing essays, they can cast an expert, impartial eye over your work. Both Jane and Michael stress that

it is a confidential service that operates independently from academic tutors. “It’s really worthwhile having someone who’s entirely impartial read over your work,” Michael told Exeposé Books. “This means students can be a bit more relaxed about coming to us. As we’re not tutors, we’re outside the normal battle-ground.” Jane further stressed the importance of finding the right person to look through your work. “It can be quite dangerous to read your work to a friend,” she said: “It would be easy for someone to say ‘That’s brilliant’ when it actually needs some shape.” Although the Fellows are not connected to specific academic departments, and are therefore unable to offer advice on essay content, both Fellows can really improve students’ writing. As prolific published authors, Jane and Michael are experts in the writing process. Jane’s background is in journalism: over the last thirty years, she has written for a host of well known publications, from The Times to Good Housekeeping. She now focuses on writing family comedies and historical novels besides short stories and non-fiction books that offer writing advice. Michael has also produced pieces on the writing process, as well as working extensively in the historical fiction genre. Indeed, his 30book Templar series, exploring local crime in the early 14th century, is the longest running crime series of any living author. Jane notes that novelists are chosen as Fellows due to their awareness of their own writing style. “One thing I do as a novelist, like many others, is to revise several times,” she said. “It’s not a good idea to send something straight

off to your agent as soon as you’ve written it. Much better to put it away for a bit and then come back to it. The same applies to an essay.” Michael also notes how his profession can help him offer advice to students. “We can help as we’re communicators, that’s what we

The RLF help you understand how you can improve, rather than just amending your work, which is useful in the long-term are good at,” he said. The Fellows often encounter students who are having difficulty expressing their ideas clearly. For instance, Michael points out that his role as a writer can help students to “turn convoluted language into something pretty and understandable.” Jane further pinpoints this as a common essay problem. “Sometimes there is a great temptation to use very clever words because you’re at university and therefore feel you have to impress everyone,” she told Exeposé Books. Many of you will recognise this need to fill your work with complicated synonyms in the hope of sounding more intelligent. However, you may also recall how ignorant Joey from Friends sounds when he overuses a thesaurus, including signing his name ‘baby kangaroo Tribbiani.’ To avoid misusing language, Jane believes that using simpler words can make an essay much clearer. She advises asking yourself “What do you mean by that sentence?” to get to the crux of your argument and putting this forward in a clear manner. When asked to give their most important writing tips, both Fellows are keen to stress the importance of reading your work out loud. “When you do this – ideally from the printed page and not

the screen - you can check the rhythm of the writing,” Jane told Exeposé. Michael concurs: “When your mouth’s involved you stumble over things that don’t sound right,” he said. “When you read it aloud you suddenly discover all the errors that creep in.” The Fellows stress establishing positive essay writing habits. Planning your work in advance may seem like a hassle, but it helps to avoid the common pitfall of launching straight into an essay without a clear structure. Both Jane and Michael cite this as a common problem for students. “A lot of my novels I haven’t planned are the best,” Michael admits. However, although this can help his stories develop, he points out that “with an essay argument, this doesn’t work as well.” Michael highlights that being a Fellow has helped his own work. “Getting out of the office and talking to people is actually no end of help,” he said. Although he stresses that he would never create a person in one of his books that entirely resembles a student, talking to new people gives him “ideas for new characters. You notice little things like mannerisms that you forget when you’re in an office.” Ultimately, the most important thing is that the Fellows have witnessed a vast improvement in students’ work after only one or two sessions. Indeed Jane recently felt “buoyant and optimistic” after reading someone’s essay for a second time and seeing that “the structure was much tighter with fewer repetitions.”. If you’d like to gain access to this highly worthwhile service, make sure that you sign up for an appointment. Visit Room 237 in the Department of

English, Queen’s Building or telephone 01392 722450. Ensure that you email through your piece of work at least four hours in advance for the Fellows to read through.

NaNoWriMo-Mania

Dannee McGuire talks about the intense experience of writing a novel in a month Alongside your average essay word count of 2,000 or 3,000 words, could you imagine writing 1,667 extra words a day... For 30 days? That’s what NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, is all about: challenging people to write a 50,000 word novel over the course of November. I’m about to embark on this challenge for the third time. NaNoWriMo began in 1999, surging from 21 people to over 260,000 as of 2013, under dynamic founder Chris Baty. NaNoWriMo is for anyone who has ever thought fleetingly about writing a novel. The website offers prospective writers the infrastructure to track and display every word they add to their fledging masterpieces, with certificates offered to those novelists who finish by 23.59 on 30 November. My first NaNoWriMo experience was in 2006. Having found out about

the competition half way through November, I ran helter-skelter into it on the 12th, enthusiastically scribbling over 3000 words a day as I nudged my heaps of GCSE coursework out of the way. 18 days later, with a not so insignificant bout of Repetetive Strain Injury, I was the proud owner of my first novel. If

It offers a foot in the door and confidence you could call it a novel. It was a topsy-turvy jumble of scenes, prospective opening lines, snippets of character development plots, all out of sequence, and not proofed in any way. After completing it, I looked at it in despair and shoved it into the bottom of a baseless folder, never to see the light of day.

Yet that’s the whole point of NaNoWriMo. It doesn’t promise its writers a perfectly crafted work of art by the end of the month, but instead offers a foot in the door and a boost of confidence to tackle what many consider as the most inhibiting factor of a writer’s life: writing anxiety. “NaNoWriMo is an unbeatable way to write the first draft of a novel because it’s such a powerful antidote to that horrible foe of creativity: self- doubt,” says Grant Faulkner, Executive Director. “NaNoWriMo is a rollicking conversation about all aspects of writing, and an invitation to dare to do what seems impossible.” My second novel, completed in 2007, was a slightly calmer affair. Yet since then, I’ve been hindered by the second, twinned Achilles heel of the budding novelist: procrastination. That’s where the collaboration side

of NaNoWriMo comes in. The website offers a comprehensive forum for writers to find answers to all their questions, post their daily targets and gather writing research. For those who prefer more instant forms of communication, there are chatrooms and other forms of live chat for ‘word wars’ (the term referring to intensely writing as many words as possible within twenty minutes). Face-to-face options are also available. NaNoWriMo have local meetups within Exeter, where writers can meet for a coffee or a drink. But more instantly for students, the Exeter Creative Writing group since last year has supported NaNoWriMo writers. Every weekend from 2-4pm, you can find a flock of students taking over a table in the A&V Hub armed with their laptops. Biscuits and tea are available for members to join, although

the society kindly requests for people to bring their own mugs. With such a strong local and global support system, NaNoWriMo looks set to make another 341,375 or more writers into novelists this year, as they did in 2012. With no plot or ideas, I’m all set to spend 30 minutes a day scraping together another haphazard novel this year (1667 non-academic words per day really doesn’t take too long!). Who’s up for joining me on the challenge?

Exeposé

| WEEK eight

BOOKS

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

Creative Writing: Rebel in the City Exeposé Books gives you a taste of Exeter’s talent with an abridged short story by Natalie Clark

EMILY drifted in through the door, her faded shirt just covering the top of her bare, wobbling legs, the round thighs dimpling and prickled with goosebumps.

“Smells like a cat died in here,” she said, opening the window to release a smell I’d only just become aware of. A gust forced its way through the small gap, tossing a pile of ‘Final Demand’ notices into the air. I saw her raise her eyebrows at the splash of red that now carpeted the floor, but she said nothing. They were addressed to Hattie. The fresh air hit me, “Time to go?” I asked. “Give me five, could you find the car keys Ayla? I think they’re in the kitchen.” Sitting in the passenger seat of Emily’s crumb infested Ford I nervously tapped my foot. The mirror hung off its hinges, displaying in full glory my disheveled hair, tied back tight, with wisps of frizzy dark hair springing from the sides. My dark skin was plain, my lips absent of the familiar slick of Chanel lipstick. “Which one is it tonight?” I asked. “You know, so I don’t call him by one of the others’ names.” I sometimes wish I could have as many girlfriends on the go as she did boyfriends. “How could you say that?” Emily frowned as she checked her mirrors. “They all look really similar. Even more so when you have enough Cosmos in your system.” “They do not,” she paused for a moment, as we stopped at some lights. “Oh! It’s Alistair tonight. He still thinks I’m studying first year law by the way.” Emily had in fact studied first year Law, as well as first year Business and was currently in her first year of International Relations, ‘studying’ in the city before she’d inevitably get bored. I stared at the puddles of white light at the base of a biker’s wheel, punctuated by black shadows and the dispersing circles of distortion. Hattie rode a bike to work, every day.

Your carbon-footprint was always a subject on the tip of her tongue. The glass was bubbling, and I could see the lines around the biker’s eyes as he squinted against the rain. His helmet strap was clipped tight under his chin, leaving a fine red line, and his clean-shaven skin had a jaundice glow from his fluorescent jacket.

Strangers shone a thousand shades of colour Droplets had settled on his smooth, hairless legs. Then they kicked into action, and he turned off down the other road, disappearing. As we entered the third store Emily began muttering imaginary scenarios to herself, “Make my legs look so long. Imagine that cute Australian, hands tight around my waist…” “I thought Alistair was out tonight?” I asked. “Lawyers always leave by two a.m. And I’m not going home with him tonight.” Smirking, I kept my bare lips firmly clamped shut. Hung on the nearest rail was a black jumpsuit, simple with a high neckline and a little silver thread on the hem. “Lush!” She rushed over and let the dark material fall through her fingers. “You’ll be sorted with a few glittery accessories.” She beamed at me. True it wasn’t my normal style, which was all sequins, glamour, with plenty of thigh and cleavage. But simple suited me just fine at that moment. Luminous blue numbers read 23:37 as we clambered into the yellow cab. Emily sat with her legs crossed in an effort to make them look thinner. Tugging at the threads on the hem of her hot pink lace dress she made a vague attempt to pull it further down her bare thighs, stuck tight together. Auburn light struck across my face, flowing down to stream across my lap and cold folded hands. Deep sapphire disguised my nails and swimming orbs of white covered the ceiling as I moved the silver clutch. At the window the street flew by as a stream of thick, multi-hued paint. And, as I cracked the window to relieve the

tightness in my ribs, the buzz of the city hit me. The drunken laughter, the echo of stilettos and stifled music. Emily was slurring in the space beside me, and I strained to make some sense out of her ramblings. The fourth and fifth drink had pushed it a bit. Suddenly Emily threw herself across me and pressed the window down. “James!” she yelled, interspersed with hiccupping chortles. Anxiously I fumbled with the button, trying to heave the slurring mess off of me. I searched the faces outside for her ex to establish how greatly she’d humiliated herself. Hattie. There was the mane of honey-blonde, wavy hair looking white against the grunge of the flaming lights, the petite, olive green biker coat pulled tight around her curves. Her sheer black tights, always with a hole at the bend of the right knee, and her flat, silver-studded going-out boots. My hands clasped the window edge, flattened white. I saw the embroidered ring I’d bought for Valentine’s Day, stripes of pink, orange, azure and jade. I saw the scar on the knuckle of her right hand. I traced the thin, silvery, bruised purple line, curved like a crescent moon.

face

There he was, finally a familiar

Shoving at the door I pulled on the clip, it clicked and squeaked until the driver released the locks, shouting obscenities. Tumbling, I threw out my hands onto the slimy tarmac, littered with the smoothness of gum and the butts of cigarettes. She was gone. The crimson glow of swirling letters shone through the cab as we pulled up outside Rebel. I paid the cabbie and gripped Emily’s elbow tightly. I stood her upright, pulled her dress down and put my arm around her waist. “ A c t sober!” I said through gritted teeth. Acting as casually as

Ch out C eck Frid reative ay ever s online y we ek!

possible I tried to walk her in without the bouncers realising how far gone she was. I prayed they didn’t ask for ID. Despite the fact she was 22, Emily was no taller than a sixteen-year old. The blueness enveloped me as we entered, strangers shone a thousand shades of colour, but always reverting to a matt cobalt blue. I let the strobe lights disorientate me, and pulled Emily along to the bar. There he was, finally a familiar face. I unloaded Emily on Alistair, but his gaze remained fixed upon me. “What’s this?” He pulled my hand towards him and pressed his empty glass to my grazed palm. Only in the light of the bar could I see the red pricks, the heavily chipped nail varnish. Pity filled his eyes, I must have looked stunned. I pulled away to order a Sex on the Beach. Emily threw her arms around his neck and kissed him full on the mouth. Then, I saw his lips mouthing her name. Hattie. Ayla’s dead girlfriend. They tended to say that a lot. The red bled into the orange, chucking out the straw I took a few deep gulps and ordered a double vodka and lemonade. Musing at the bottles hung upside down, but with the labels the right way up, I tapped my chipped nails on the sticky bar. I posed laughing with a drunken Emily for the typical candid shot. Squeezing my hand she pulled me onto the dance floor as Alistair found a fellow lawyer. I’d missed this. Quietness surrounded me, my thoughts couldn’t fuse, unable to unify. The bass operated on my form, and all I felt was Emily’s hand and the occasional shove from another clubber. We returned to the bar and ordered another cocktail, she’d found Alistair again – at least our drinks would be cheaper. As I pressed the pink straw between my lips I caught the eye of the brunette at the other side of the bar. Emily smiled, and tugged Alistair along in the other direction.

Any Last Words? This week we gave you the opportunity to write your own novel at the slightly-less-than-NaNoWriMo challenging length of ten words Money. Knives. Nightclubs. Money. Murder. Dinner. Murder for Dinner. Bateman. OWEN KEATING

Pooh finds some honey, parties hard deep into the night. ROB HARRIS

Boggis, Bunce, Bean - BURROW! Stumpy sneaky thief: FEAST TIME. Fantastic. SUSAN DOWELL

Prince dresses in black and debates killing uncle and/or self. CARMEN PADDOCK

Elizabeth inevitably loves Darcy. We still read to the end. KATE EVANS

Any Last Words is a quick and easy way to get into the paper - answer our fortnightly question on the Exeposé Books Facebook group!

ARTS

Arts

Arts Diary Our regular Arts Diary column shows you all the important events going on in Exeter this week...

Art What do you Collect? Cooking the Books @RAMM 5 November- 2 Feburary

Comedy Lee Nelson @Exeter Corn Exchange 13 November Paul Foot: Words @Exeter Pheonix 17 November Stephen K Amos @Exeter Corn Exchange 20 Novemeber Improperly Comedy @The City Gate Hotel 21 November

Dance Shobana Jeyasingh: Strange Bloom and Configuartions @Exeter Phoenix 19-26 October

Theatre Rhum and Clay @The Bikeshed 5-19 November Footloose @The Barnfield 19-23 November

12 NOVEMBER 2013 |

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

Exeposé

ARTS EDITORS

Sophy Coombes-Roberts & Ricky Freelove arts@exepose.com JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP Exeposé Arts

Funny Women? What a Joke

Can female comics compete with their male rivals? Pavel Kondov argues that women comedians simply aren’t amusing COMEDY, as no saying goes, is in the ear of the beholder. In his allegedly outrageous comment, Lee Mack claimed women aren’t cut out for comedy, going to such lengths as to try and prove it with evolution. While I’m no Richard Dawkins to take on the evolution bit, I think he may be right about the rest. It would be wrong of me to try and persuade you that men are objectively fun-

At the risk of sounding simplistic women on TV don’t crack me up half as much as the men do nier than women, not only because there is no such thing as objectivity in humour, but because I do not believe it. When it comes to the business of comedy, however, I do find myself following almost exclusively male comedians and cringing ever so slightly whenever I hear the name Shappi Khorsandi. Statistics tend to support Lee Mack’s claim. Data varies, but generally speaking, Sarah Millican and Miranda Hart are the only women to find their place in the 20 highest-earning comedians. Whilst ticket and DVD sales don’t amount to actual funniness (yes I’m

looking at you, Peter Kay), they are an accurate measure of success. The discrepancy is even more startling when one looks at television. Almost half the episodes of shows like QI, Mock the Week and Have I Got News For You feature no women at all. Does this mean that the current female comedians aren’t as funny as the men? I believe it does. The panel game format allows for quickness of wit (or lack of such) to shine through, which, naturally, turns them into a rather competitive state of affairs. Not a competition for actual points; they, as Drew Carrey famously said, “Do not matter”no, the competition is for laughs. This is the only real barometer for comedians, and at the risk of sounding simplistic, women on TV don’t crack me up half as much as the men do. It is by no means true that women don’t get the chance to appear on panel games. Many get invited, but few make a second appearance. It is the same with men – if you don’t deliver, there are others who would gladly replace you. This is generally why comediennes like Shappi or Jo Caulfield, for example, get a gig or two on certain shows, don’t get much good material in and as a result, disappear. Admittedly, panel games can be a shouting fight for attention and love. But that epitomises the cutthroat nature

of the comedy circuit. So if someone as deadpan and quiet as Richard Ayoade can become a captain on a panel game, then no amount of shouting can stop you if you’re quick and witty enough. Our society is striving to stop the separation of people by their gender, so we might as well apply this to the entertainment business. Laughter is possibly the most spontaneous reaction of all, and no amount of prejudice could stop you from enjoying a funny joke by a woman. I laugh just as much at the funny things girls around me say in everyday life, but this is because I do find them funny! The same applies to whenever I put the TV on or see a show. My simple demand is to be enter-

tained by professional comedians – male or female, and if it just so happens that the ones who make us laugh harder are men, then it may well be true, that the business of comedy is better suited for men. As to whether men generally are funnier than women, I for one am none the wiser. Wait, you didn’t tell us which panel game has the most women on, I hear none of you complaining, because this is not how newspapers work at all. It is the work of comic brilliance that is Celebrity Juice… I rest my case. On a side note in the interest of balance and avoiding a completely nihilistic conclusion, I reccomend keeping an eye out for new face Aisling Bea. She is an excellent female stand-up and delivered a great performance on 8 Out of 10 Cats.

Four Women Walk into a Bar

Hannah Butler takes a look at the most successful female comics on the circuit at the moment

SARAH MILLICAN’S stand-up success began in 2008, upon winning the If.Comedy Best Newcomer Award with her debut show Sarah’s Not Nice. Millican has since appeared on numerous television shows, including Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Would I Lie to You?, and QI. Her stand-up achievements however remain prominent; as well as releasing the biggest-selling DVD of all time for a stand up comedienne with her debut, Chatterbox Live, Millican was crowned The People’s Choice: Queen of Comedy at the 2011 British Comedy Awards, has appeared on the Royal Variety Show, and performed to over 200,000 people in two sell-out national tours.

IRANIAN-BORN Shappi Khorsandi pursued a career in comedy after graduating from King Alfred’s College in 1995 with a degree in Drama, Theatre and Television. A successful stand-up career ensued, from her sell-out 2006 show Asylum Speaker, to achieving Best Breakthrough Act at the 2007 Chortle Award, and performing Carry On Shappi at the Fringe. Gaining international repute from shows in the United States, Middle East, Australia and Amsterdam, Khorsandi is also a prominent figure on television and radio, contributing regularly to BBC Radio 4’s Quote… Unquote and appearing on programmes such as QI and Live at the Apollo.

ALONGSIDE a successful career in stand-up comedy, Canadian-born Katherine Ryan has won acclaim for her work as a writer and actress, appearing on Channel 4’s Campus, as well as BBC2 sitcom Episodes. Despite being a relative newcomer in stand-up comedy, Ryan’s stand-up achievements include the Nivea Funny Women award, and her position as a runner-up in the 2008 Amused Moose Laugh-Off competition. Her career as a television comedienne has seen her appearing on Mock the Week, QI, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and 8 out of 10 Cats among others, and Ryan appeared on the 2013 Let’s Dance for Comic Relief.

JO BRAND’S transition from psychiatric nurse to BAFTA-winning comedienne began with a series of gigs in London’s alternative comedy clubs and appearances on Saturday Live. Becoming a regular panellist on the BBC’s The Brain Drain in 1993, she then launched the Channel 4 series Jo Brand Through the Cakehole, collaborating with writer Jim Miller. Brand’s television career continues to thrive, with regular appearances on panel shows QI and Have I Got News For You, alongside numerous BBC Comic Relief appeals. Brand’s role in the BBC Four sitcom Getting On won her the 2011 Best TV Comedy Actress BAFTA award.

Exeposé

| WEEK eight

www.exepose.ex.ac.uk

ARTS

This is a Mack’s world

Lucy Porter analyses Lee Mack’s latest comment that women are not cut out for comedy LEE Mack has been a little bit silly. Not only does he think that women “aren’t cut out for comedy” but he actually went and said it. On the radio. If he’d saved it for a written interview he could have at least hidden behind the excuse of evil, misconstruing journalists after the inevitable uproar. Doesn’t he know he’ll have more to deal with than angry bloggers when his viewers decide he isn’t funny anymore because, well, neither is sexism? Unfortunately, Mack’s going to have to put in a few more hours at the office to convince us that he himself is cut out for it (at least beyond making petty generalisations about the capabilities of others - good luck with the scrutiny Lee!). But on the other hand, by focusing on one bigoted comment and attacking its architect, we could actually be missing the bigger picture of what’s happening in our entertainment industry. Taken alone, Mack’s comment seems outdated and prejudiced. However when you look at the dearth of women in comedy he could actually

be backhandedly touching on a very raw nerve. In a Western society which prides itself on equality, there was a rather surprising amount of media coverage circling Kristen Wiig’s Bridesmaids as it proved, like Tina Fey’s Mean Girls before it, that women can

Exeter Revue

thing all girls in the audience identified with immediately. However, ‘girl talk’ was hardly the topic of conversation as much to the amusement of the men, they proceeded to debate the pros and cons of Steven Gerard, the 4-2-3-1 formation and RVP’s stellar striking leaving the females in the audience bemused whilst the other half were in stitches over the paradox.

Exeter University

3 November 2013 HONESTLY, I did not know quite what to expect from the new comedy club on campus, Exeter Revue. Oh so often student comics fall into the trap of miserably mimicking material performed by the big names on the comedy circuit, or expecting their first attempts at standup to go down a storm. However, Exeter Revue’s success was wholly due to the innovative nature of their show solely made up of short original sketches, quite literally delivering a laugh a minute. The hour long debut show began with Easy Jet air-host Stephano, whose blatantly camp demeanour set the comedic tone from the start. Introducing the action to come, Stephano quickly established himself as a narrator of sorts and was the only character that remained consistent throughout. The first sketch which followed was undoubtedly one of the funniest of the night. A group of girls arrived on the stage to conduct their weekly catch-up – some-

He could have at least hidden behind the excuse of evil, misconstruing journalists actually be funny too! If we’re going to pretend that we’ve moved on from the prejudices of the past, then why are we still shocked when female comedians produce material that actually makes us laugh? What does our well-intentioned surprise really say? Pat yourself on the back girls, you rose above the patriarchy, here have a cookie for throwing off the humourless shackles of womanhood!

Void of awkward silences and dodgy jokes the show was undoubtedly a success Other laughs arose from a skit detailing a terrorist attack, two very average radio hosts who captured the glamorous life of a regional DJ almost too easily and an incredibly funny encounter between a middle-aged sex shop owner and man making a cheeky purchase for his wife. However, I was most impressed by their refusal to resort to simple slapstick humour to ensure easy laughs. Instead many of their sketch-

This ultimately begs the question – are women naturally not cut out for comedy or has the lack of female comics actually got its ugly gnarled roots tangled deep in the attitudes of society? This is certainly the opinion of comedian Jo Caulfield who believes that the lack of female stand-ups simply “reflects the world we live in – which is still basically run by white middle-class men”. She went on to suggest that the gender difference lies in comic style, self-deprecating stories versus “boring old pub jokes” (ouch). Perhaps, then, the relative lack of success on the part of comediennes is due to our perception of “what is funny” being shaped by our experiences. Comedians thrive off the ‘that’s so true!’ reaction of their audiences, and whilst repeated exposure to penis jokes means that the ‘male style’ appeals to pretty much anyone, the same can’t really be said of Caitlin Moran’s hilarious account of es conveyed true Exeter intelligence, namely one detailing a play within a play within a play, confirming surprise after surprise. Nevertheless, the highlight of the evening was easily society founder Edd Cornforth’s one man guitar solo. Introducing it as a message to his recently divorced wife, the song was quite simply a masterclass in musical comedy and received the biggest reception of the night. On Sunday night this newly-formed group proved that there truly is a place for a student comedy club here in Exeter. Devoid of awkward silences and dodgy jokes, they managed to exceed expectations and produce a solid success. Admittedly, there is still huge room for growth and improvement, yet this is only to be expected from a society formed a mere seven weeks ago. With more experience and time under their belts, I am eagerly anticipating their next performance to put an end to the Winter term.

SOPHY COOMBES-ROBERTS ARTS EDITOR

Recommend Union Road Radio Show

Every Wednesday 5:45

ON turethe Xpression evening FM of hasOctober had in terms 20, of at Road’, a ceremony so there at arethe certainly Guildhall enough scripted radio.

voices to cover the upcoming charac-

in theBased city of on London, Exeter’s ‘Union it was Road’, announced ters. that The Bike Shed the radio soap begins with the death of

Graham Eveleigh, the writer of Arts that, firm who leaves behind four children “a soap is ideal for student radio. As “INWelcoming a little street like Theatre this you’ll Award. find all of whom compete against one an- our actors are students with essays and everyone sort of intertwines. Good luck other to own the firm. deadlines, characters can dip in and out keeping Situated your at skeletons the end in of andanyour alley inThe thesoap heart has of 12 regular Exeter, characters, it is a hidden to accommodate treasure of for the theircity. academic cupboard doors closed!” with plans to extend the cast by intro- work”. With As of a1360November seat subterranean a new radio auditorium ducing the regular and characters’ adjacentfamilies vintage cocktail The 15-minute tavern, soap thewillvenue be broadhas soap will be taking to the airwaves of and to feature many guests throughout. casted every week and repeated again Xpression performances FM. This is nearly the first every of its night Xpression of the FMyear. received Championing over 40 emails new on the work following and Sunday innovation, at 11am.the The kind to be broadcast on the Univer- from student actors expressing their first episode will air onWednesday 13 sitytheatre radio station has previously and the biggestgained ven- interest national in joining acclaim the cast for for its ‘Union shows, November. winning a Peter Brook Empty

Theatre Mr Lazenby, is thethewinner owner ofofa the solicitors My Theatre ‘Union Road’ Matters! told Exeposé Most

her first period. So before we decide that women don’t have what it takes, maybe we should consider the issue from a different perspective. Forget the female “incapacity”, I’d argue that society isn’t cut out for the job.

What the Frock? Exeter Phoenix

26 October 2013 WHAT the Frock! is an all-female comedy night, but does banning the men mean banning the laughs? Upon entering the Voodoo Lounge in Exeter’s Phoenix, I was greeted by a friendly female and offered various harmless looking promotional material, such as flyers, pamphlets and even a badge emblazoned with the show’s name. The badge, albeit charming, struck me as potentially problematic and brought to the fore all my doubts concerning an all-female comedy night. At an event founded upon gender politics, can we escape gender, judge purely upon hilarity and take off our feminist badges? But on the basis that positive discrimination is as patronising and as offensive as negative, here is my review. The pressure of representation might have been too much for Laura Lexx who delivered a nervous performance that largely failed to impress. Many of Lexx’s jokes, one focusing upon the most recent Flora butter advert, felt over-stretched and frankly not worth the effort. Similarly, the headliner Alice Frick was largely underwhelming and lacking in comedic

Banning the competition made the event somehow uncomfortable timing at points, but her relation of coming out to her religious grandma won a very warm response. Viv Groskop was a welcoming host and inspired many a titter from the audience, and even whole-heartedly participated in a zombie makeover. However, the

most successful act of the night was undoubtedly Cerys Nelmes who delighted with her West Country accent by delivering an excerpt from Fifty Shades of Grey and then topped it off by reading her own attempt at an erotic novel, much to the audience’s amusement. Nelmes’ ponderings upon internet dating and her relationship with her pubescent son also led to much audience interaction and many subsequent laughs. Overall, two out of four acts went down well and all acts deftly dodged vagina and menstruation material, a common complaint registered against female comics.

Positive discrimination is as patronising and as offensive as negative discrimination Would an injection of testosterone have improved the night? Yes, but not because men are ultimately funnier than women, but because banning the competition made the event somehow uncomfortable. Viv Groskop’s declaration that What the Frock! is not man-hating set the event’s tone as painfully self-conscious, highlighting women’s general lack of success and representation in comedy. It was impossible not to feel a moral obligation to laugh. The night seemed to bracket female comics, and the question we have to ask ourselves is: ‘Are we supporting them or are we trapping them in their own separate genre?’ Because if we’re guilty of lumping all female comics together, it’s definitely an injustice; on the basis of this night, some female comics are a great deal better than others.

LAURA CHRISTOPHER

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Shiver me timbers! Will Black Flag rake in the loot or be made to walk the plank? Exeposé Games swings aboard to find out Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Ubisoft

Xbox 360/PS3 Out Now PIRATES are cool. Everyone likes pirates. But not everyone likes Assassin’s Creed, especially since last year’s disappointing, but not terrible, journey into Revolutionary North America in Assassin’s Creed III. So lukewarm was its reception with both the hardcore fans and the general media, it’s not surprising that Ubisoft clambered on the post Pirates of the Caribbean bandwagon (or ship?) with the franchises’ latest instalment. The game follows Edward Kenway, a cocky Welshman who journeys to the Caribbean in search of fame and fortune as a pirate captain. A far more charismatic character than Assassin’s Creed III Protagonist Connor, Edward has just

the right mixture of arrogance and rugged charm to make him an appealing lead, and his initial disinterest in the ongoing Assassin/Templar war is certainly refreshing. Largely ignoring the series’ convoluted plotlines works in Black Flag’s favour, sidelining the mysticism of the First Civilisation for a more straightforward story about 18 century piracy, featuring legendary figures such as Blackbeard and Captain Hornigold. It’s not the best story ever written, but is certainly engaging enough to keep you gripped for many an hour. And there’s plenty to do in those hours. Assassin’s Creed has always been stuffed full of mini games and pointless collectables which more often than not result in tedium. However, Black Flag reinvigorates the collectable craze by tying everything nicely together into the games’ economy and upgrade system. It is simple, easy to get to grips with and, more importantly, useful for story progression. Need to earn some gold fast? Use treasure maps to hunt for

hidden chests on deserted islands. Need to upgrade your armour, ammo pouches, or weapons? Hunt animals on land and harpoon creatures of the sea to gain skins for crafting. Need to upgrade your trusty pirate ship? Board enemy vessels and steal their cargo of metal, cloth and wood for construction.

In land based segments the game fails to innovate Sailing out onto the open seas is the breath of fresh sea air that Ubisoft’s aging franchise needed to stay afloat. Taking command of Edward’s ship, the Jackdaw, allows the player to sail over the huge expanses of Caribbean ocean from island to island; exploring jungle ruins, darting through immense storms, riding huge waves, diving sunken shipwrecks for treasure, and engaging heavily defended sea forts and Royal Navy convoys. The naval combat is

hugely improved over ACIII. Aiming up cannon and mortar shots is always immensely satisfying, and swinging on board an enemy galleon and engaging in a ferocious and bloody swordfight is a never ending pleasure, born right out of all childhood pirate fantasies. Edward can explore the beautiful cities of Havana, Kingston, and the pirate republic of Nassau, each with their own atmosphere and architecture, and each as large as any previous AC city. The land-based gameplay still features the smooth free-running established in the earlier titles, and it’s as fluid as usual to sprint across rooftops, bound through the trees, and scramble up huge towers. Stealth has been revamped: players are now able to hide in bushes, cupboards and the usual inconspicuous bales of hay, blending in with courtesans, drunken pirates and passersby down in the bustling streets. Sadly, though, in these land-based segments, the game fails to truly innovate, sticking closely to the established

Creed formula which, whilst still enjoyable, is beginning to show its age. The mission structure is becoming similarly outdated, which again adheres to the tailing, eavesdropping and killing objectives of the franchise’s past; pretty lazy on the part of the developers, who obviously put a lot of effort into rendering a vibrant tropical world. Despite its uninspiring mission structure, and often awkward stealth mechanics, Assassin’s Creed IV is one of the best games in this long standing franchise. The new protagonist, the well developed naval combat, and the vibrant Caribbean setting keep things fresh, but the series needs to seriously change some of its bad habits, and pull off something other than graphical upgrades, in order to stay exciting and relevant as the next generation approaches.

ANDY OWENS

From Saracens to swashbuckling It’s not always been plain sailing...Thomas Davies tells the colourful history of the Assassin’s Creed series UBISOFT Montreal. It’s a name that instils pride across the gaming world, but go back a decade and you’d hardly know it. The fledgling studio produced Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time in 2003, which became one of the standout games for the PS2. Emboldened by success, Ubisoft tasked Patrice Désilets, designer of Sands of Time, with creating a new Prince for the next generation. Désilets found himself drawn to a cult of Muslim assassins who operated during the Crusades and quickly found the new project too realistic for Prince of Persia. Thus, by chance, Assassin’s Creed was born. When it was released in 2007 Assassin’s Creed divided critics and gamers

alike. Many praised the game’s visuals, open world and animations but others found the missions repetitive and limiting. Despite criticism, it became the fastest-selling new title in U.S. history. However, with mixed signals from the press, much work was needed to secure the series’ longevity. Assassin’s Creed: Altair’s Chronicles for DS, in 2008, indicated the high hopes for Ubisoft’s new project. After tripling its development team and buying a motion capture studio, Ubisoft released three Assassin’s Creed titles in 2009: Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines for PSP, Assassin’s Creed II: Discovery for DS and Assassin’s Creed II for PS3,

360 and PC. Every aspect of the previous game had been improved upon: no more repetition! With loveable new protagonist Ezio Auditore, and a bold pristine setting in Renaissance Italy, it was the game that made Assassin’s Creed as a franchise. Sure enough, Ubisoft were gearing up for more. Ubisoft would then follow Activision in releasing their main titles yearly, and they wanted multiplayer. No small task, but Désilets seemed genuinely excited about telling the story of an older Ezio rising to ‘masterhood’ in Rome. That made his departure in March 2010 all the more shocking. While officially he was taking a ‘creative break’, the

overnight nature of his leaving raised a few eyebrows. Still, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood was released in November that year, again to critical acclaim. The conclusion to the Ezio trilogy, Assassins Creed: Revelations, began life as a DS game that quickly expanded to become Brotherhood’s successor. With new director Alexandre Amancio it was released in 2011, with success, but by now the problems with developing new games yearly became noticeable. It was seen as reiteration rather than revelation, as it didn’t add much to what Brotherhood had already achieved. Fortunately, the fifth game in the main franchise had been developing

secretly since ACII. Developers produced a brand new setting, Revolutionary America, with two new assassins in Connor Kenway and Aveline De Grandpre, and a whole host of new additions. Assassin’s Creed III hit the shelves in October 2012 alongside Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation for PSP and they brought life back to the series. The core gameplay remained, but adding hunting and naval combat made III a significant step in open world gaming. The series has come a long way since its breakthrough in 2007, and has become one of the standout franchises in the gaming world. Never underestimate an assassin.

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12 NOVEMBER 2013 |

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Exeposé

Pick ‘n’ mix: Platform Edition Not ready for next-gen? Want more customisation? Or does the thought of shooters, role-playing games, or Mario Kart make your head spin? Jacob Wellman and Jessica Thomson discuss alternatives to the console behemoths

ON the surface, a games console seems the logical choice when looking for the best gaming experience. After all, it’s a machine devoted to playing games. No pesky worries about whether my system can handle a game, no inopportune intrusions from the real world, like Adobe trying to update for the fifth bloody time today. Anyway, all the big games these days are made for consoles and then adapted for computers. So we’ll get the best experience, right? Man, consoles are the best. Except, they’re really not. And, oddly enough, this has to do entirely with the very things that make them so attractive in the first place.

sential features like the operating system. This facet of the gaming experience is so well supplied that it’s practically a hobby in itself, and the healthy market means prices are always competitive? Don’t mind if I do. What’s more, this modularity in PC games extends to the gaming experience itself. Because your average games console is only meant to play games, consumers aren’t left with many options when it comes to altering the games they buy. They can play the game as it was designed, but no more than that. On PC, however, any schmuck can go under the hood of their favourite game and start mucking around with the assets to create a different experience - although this isn’t necessarily advised, at least not without backups. The fantastic thing is that this is often supported by developers. Even two years after its release, Skyrim has a flourishing modding

Any schmuck can go under the hood of their game For a start, the computer industry is one of the fastest developing sectors the world has ever seen. What this means is that if you set your design specifications in stone upon release, as with PlayStation and its ilk, you’re also preventing any updates. It’s the same problem faced by the cartographers of the Ordinance Survey Maps, except you don’t have to fork out £300+ every time you want a new map of Dartmoor. But wait, what’s that I hear? PCs are designed to be modular, so you can phase in new components as and when required or desired, even including es-

community, thanks in no small part to the release by Bethesda of the Creation Kit software. Valve released the source code for their flagship game, Half-Life 2, resulting in amateur free titles like Underhell or Cry of Fear. This kind of investment in the medium simply isn’t available in the current ‘shut up and play’ console gaming model, which severely limits the voice of the consumer. That’s all well and good, you might say, but what if all I want to do is play the game the developers have made? Once more, I’d say, PCs beat consoles handsdown. Why, you cry, why? Well, it’s because most big games are shooters of some description. It makes much more sense to operate these with a mouse, because you’re pointing rather than steering. What’s more, the lack of buttons on a controller, versus a keyboard, can result in clunky mechanics. Every time you want to switch weapons in Bioshock, for example, the console version has to pause the game and bring up a clumsy radial wheel, undercutting the otherwise fast-paced combat. On PC, you just use hotkeys, and the experience retains its pacing and immersion. The fact is, PC’s can do everything consoles can. What’s more, they do it faster, prettier, and more naturally.

JACOB WELLMAN

Horror-fically Sad Katherine Perrington asks if there’s any hope left for the horror genre I’LL asmit to having a troubled love/ hate relationship with the horror genre as a whole. The amount of mediocre and recycled zombie games which flood the market year after year are hardly inspiring to the seasoned gamer. Personally I look for something new and exciting, something that genuinely terrifies and leaves you wondering if you will ever muster up the courage to

Zombie games flood the market year after year return to the game. Dead Space, released in 2008, was truly terrifying and original. Put in control of an engineer named Isaac Clarke, you were forced to confront Necromorphs (reanimated and transformed human corpses) aboard an interstellar mining ship, the USG Ishimura. Not knowing what was around each corner really put your nerves through their paces, as well as the surprise attacks which left me a stuttering and swearing mess.The two follow-up games failed to thrill half as much as

the original, which left me wondering whether sequels were a good idea for all horror games, despite the commercial successes of the Silent Hill and Resident Evil franchises. There is something engaging and inspiring about an original horror concept which cannot be easily achieved with sequels, prequels or follow-ups. Despite developers efforts to spruce up tired games series with new combat and environments most of us are not fooled and realise that the storyline does matter. It is painfully obvious when plots and story-lines are weak, and while I hate to pick on the zombies again, haven’t we had enough of the outbreak/apocalypse theme? Of course, some horror games arrive which are masterfully crafted original works that cannot have enough praise lavished onto them. I am an ardent believer that a horror game has not succeeded until it has left you wondering if you have the nerve to continue, and makes you question your sanity if you proceed further. Enter Amnesia: The Dark Descent, released in 2010. This game scares me like no other and is without a doubt the

most difficult and draining experience I have ever had in the gaming world. You control Daniel as he searches for pieces of his lost memory in an old medieval castle. You have no weapons, only a lamp to keep your sanity, and when faced with the monsters that stalk the game your only choice is to run or hide. It revealed to me a completely new concept in horror gaming. The absence of something to defend yourself shatters that veil of safety you used to feel while gunning down droves of the undead in Resident Evil. Downloadable horror games like Slender: The Eight Pages are booming in popularity; packed with jump scares and original ideas, this could be the future of horror gaming and its a hell of a lot cheaper too. With the release of Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs and Outlast over the summer, it seems like the market is ready for something new. Online and downloadable horror games offer a rich selection and though I refuse to give up entirely on console horror games, I fear that I may be waiting in vain for something genuinely mind-blowing and compelling to arrive on the scene.

I HAVE never been a particularly avid fan of gaming. I was coerced into playing various gun-related games when growing up, simply because I have a younger brother obsessed with every sort of game. But I was always much happier with a book in my hand. As recently as six months ago, I would have still had a fierce disdain for gaming had anyone asked, much to the disgust of my FIFA-obsessed boyfriend. No longer. An Xbox may not have pride of place in my room and my shelves may be chocker block with books as opposed to games, but I have, to my horror and shock, become addicted to gaming. Just a rather different sort of gaming. After purchasing an iPhone a couple of months ago, I soon set about loading the customary apps. You know the ones. The names of popular games such as Temple Run, Angry Birds and Doodle Jump have been on everyone’s lips for years, I’m just slightly late to the party. Angry Birds and Doodle Jump amused me for a bit, but it was Temple Run that I became addicted to. It was just such an easy game to play when I had a spare minute. Watching adverts on TV is hardly fun; trying to beat

my high score on Temple Run seemed a good way to pass the time. Sure, I’m not quite in the league of my housemate who has a high score of around 30 million, but I’m not terrible. But why do these games appeal to me when the thought of picking up a Playstation controller fills me with dread? Is my spurning of an Xbox simply a stubborn refusal to conform to the technology of the times? I’d like to think that isn’t the reason. I think I just missed the gaming hype because I was too enthralled with books, and I would rather watch television than play games. Starting a game of Call of Duty or Mario Kart meant dedicating myself to spending at least half an hour playing it, and I wasn’t really keen enough on the idea of doing that. But phone gaming isn’t like that. I can spend a minute or two on a game whilst taking a break from revising, or being a typical girl and waiting for my nails to dry. It might not be in the same league as the big console games; it’s hardly as complex and I’m sure not as satisfying to complete. But when I have a spare minute, I can simply turn to my phone and entertain myself for a bit. That’s why I hope that app gaming will stay a bit longer.

Mob

ile

JESSICA THOMSON Photo: pastemagazine.com

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Feature

Sporting profile: Simon Tyson With the Hockey Varsity against Birmingham pushing back on Saturday, Will Kelleher, Sports Editor, chatted to 2nd XI Coach and Sports Office Alumni Manager, Simon Tyson What is your role at the Hockey Club? I coach the Men’s 2nd team. I played throughout my three years at Exeter. I did the AU President role for a year and I’ve been working in the Sports Office since. In that time I’ve slowly transitioned between player and coach, not neccessarily by choice at first. We’ve got quite a fluid structure of selection between teams. So I’ll liaise often with Nick [Beasant] and Chris [McInroy] about selection. With that job, quite a lot of your team will have aspirations to break into the 1st team, so it can be quite a hard team to manage in terms of the dynamic, I would imagine. How do you manage that atmosphere? In many ways I’ve got the easiest job on campus. As the number one ranked Hockey university in the country, we attract lots of very talented players. We have guys in the 2nd team who would play in the 1st team at any other university. This brings some challenges as a lot of players have aspirations to play for the 1st team. My job is to mould them into a structure so that the 2nd team can perform to the best of their abilities. What do you feel the sporting philosophy at our University should be? As a University, I think we’ve got a responsibility to ensure we offer sporting opportunities for all students, regardless of experience or ability There

are just under 6,000 members of sports clubs, one of the highest participation rates of any UK university. The AU do a fantastic job to cater for all students and at the same time the High Performance Unit ensure our elite athletes are able to fulfil their potential both during and after their time with us. A number of our alumni have gone on to compete at the highest level; we had four competitors at London 2012, for example.

We’re the number one ranked Hockey university in the country. I’ve got guys who would play in the 1sts at any other university Exeter is certainly known for its prowess in Hockey, is there a pressure to maintain performance at a high level? The 1st and 2nd teams have been in BUCS/BUSA finals in the last few years more often than they haven’t been on the national scene so certainly our competitors expect us to be up there. There is an element of pressure but we thrive under it. I think most students have that expectation before they even arrive at Exeter; they come here to improve as individuals, win trophies and have a great time while doing it.

Is there anything you do to keep things fresh and improve year on year performances? It’s one thing to win a title but it’s a completely different challenge to retain it. A few years ago we won the BUCS/ BUSA Trophy three years running and do to that we had to ensure that we kept challenging ourselves and improving as individuals and as a squad. With the 3/4 year student turnover, we often have big personnel changes; at the beginning of this season, eight of my 16 were Freshers so it’s important we instil the values and expectations of the team in them from day one. We use a few novel training techniques that we’ve borrowed from other sports. We have a punishment dice that is rolled when someone contravenes one of the rules that we agreed as a squad at the beginning of the season. We’ve borrowed this idea from our Golf Club. It’s important to keep things fresh because playing high level hockey at Exeter is a big time commitment; every week we have two pitch training sessions, two matches and then run fitness sessions on top. We spend a lot of time with each other and it’s my responsibility to ensure we remain motivated throughout. At the beginning of the season we sat down as a squad and the guys set out their targets for the year, the rules for the team and the punishments they’ll suffer if they break a rule. They drew up a player contract, signed it and are now living by it for the season. We’ve

got a talented group of players this year and I want to be sat with them at the End of Season Dinner having achieved our targets this year. There are a few senior players in the team; one is studying for his PhD and was only one year below me! He’s the only person in the team that knew me a student and it’s great to still have him around. Do you feel like having been a student yourself helps you connect with the team? Very much so. In my playing career at Exeter I played in the 1st and 2nd teams so that helps massively. As a student, I played for four seasons and reached four BUSA/BUCS finals, winning three Golds and a Silver. That Silver still grates me, I still look back at that game and know we should have done more against a less talented opposition, but that’s sport. My role now is to ensure that none of my team feel that way about a final in a few years time. I think my experience of playing here is invaluable in this role; I couldn’t imagine coaching the team without it. I like to think that the boys believe I know what I’m talking about. It especially helps with man-management. I can sit with one of my players that wants to be in the 1st team and know exactly where they’re coming from - I was in their shoes just a few years ago.

How are the Varsity preparations going? Really well. The 1st and 2nd team do a lot of training together. They’re certainly looking forward to the game. Birmingham will be a challenge but I think our team has developed a lot since the start of the season. I think we’re ready to hit the ground running in the game against Birmingham. I’m looking forward to it.

Varsity will be a challenge but I think our team is ready to hit the ground running. I predict 3-1 to Exeter You’ve been scoring plenty recently, do you think the attacking prowess is the main strength of the team? We’re a dangerous team going forward. Beyond that, I think a key strength of ours is that we play as a unit and rely on every man to do his job. It was quite a proud moment for me a few weeks ago against Indian Gymkhana when, of the 11 on the field at the time, nine had previously been in the 2nd team so it was nice to think so many had come through Tyson’s nursery! And finally… a prediction for Saturday? [A long pause] 3-1 Exeter.

Basketball Women well beaten by South Bank Women’s Basketball Emmott Leigh Sports Team

EUWBC 31 London S. Bank 53 EXETER Women’s Basketball side were valiant to the death in a gutsy performance against a fierce South Bank outfit but ended up on the wrong side of a 31-53 loss to London South Bank University. Despite trailing for much of the game, they kept clawing their way back into contention, but were ultimately outfought in a spirited contest. The first quarter was a tense exchange, with neither side seizing the

initiative. Exeter were rather unfortunate in failing to score at least ten points more, however, before the first time-out, a whole host of attempts rattled off the rim or span around it. Meanwhile, the fast counter-attacking approach of the London side paid off, as they converted almost all of their limited chances. As time passed, however, it was clear that the attacking intent of South Bank was starting to grind its way through the Exeter defence. Through individual excellence rather than teamwork, they established a deserved, if limited, lead. By the end of the second, the scoreline read 16-23, and it was a fair reflection of the closeness of the con-

test. Exeter seemed a little hesitant in the opposing D- a weakness which was picked up by their head coach.

South Bank were prepared to blitz through Exeter’s defence with destructive runs “We need more than 16! Keep shooting! Be offensive early!” he urged his players. This approach was only limited in its effectiveness in the third, where some impressive three-pointers were being landed from all around Exeter’s

D by the Londoners’ taller athletes. In fact, their aggression did seem to separate the two sides in class; South Bank were prepared to blitz through Exeter’s defence with destructive runs, whereas Exeter’s methodical passing approach did not pay dividends. By the end of the third quarter, the coach was regularly hopping out of his seat in frustration as Exeter’s passes failed to reach hands, several penalties were dished out and classy three-pointers were netted against them. It seemed that the floodgates were about to open, and so it proved; as Exeter tired, the lean athletes from London took the initiative and broke their spirit, widening a seven-point gulf of 29-36 at the end of the third to 22 points at the end of the fourth.

In fact, Exeter only managed to scrape two points in the fourth period, which did not reflect their resiliencethe earlier quarters.

Exeter’s methodical passing did not pay dividends

Their coach lamented: ‘We just weren’t attacking quickly enough.’ It has been a tough season so far for the Women’s Basketball team. They find themselves rooted to the bottom of Premier South, with three losses out of three. Next week they face second placed Southampton Solent.

Exeposé

| WEEK EIGHT

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Selected BUCS Results

Basketball Men’s 1sts Bournemouth 1sts

92 82

Women’s 1sts London South Bank

31 51

Football Men’s 1sts UWE 1sts

2 3

Men’s 2nds Bristol 1sts

0 2

Men’s 3rds Winchester

6 1

Men’s 4ths Bournemouth 2nds

0 5

Women’s1sts Uni of South Wales

1 1

Golf Mixed 3rds Hartpury 1sts

3 3

Mixed 4ths Bournemouth 4ths

2 4

Hockey Men’s 1st Bath 1sts

0 0

Men’s 2nds UWE 1sts

5 2

Men’s 3rds Southampton 1sts

4 0

Men’s 4ths 9 UWE’4ths 0 Women’s 2nds Gloucestershire 1sts

2 1

Women’s 3rds Cardiff Met

0 5

Lacrosse Men’s 1sts Bristol 1sts

8 3

Women’s 1sts Cambridge 1sts

11 14

Rugby Union Men’s 1sts Hartpury 1sts

11 9

Men’s 3rds UWE 1sts

17 9

Men’s 4ths Bournemouth 1sts

55 17

Men’s 6ths Bournemouth 2nds

50 0

1st XI edged out 3-2 by UWE Men’s Football Sam Buxey Sports Team

EUAFC 1st XI UWE 1st XI

2 3

A TIGHTLY fought game at Topsham was settled by slightly bizarre circumstances, as Bristol UWE edged out Exeter University in a five goal thriller. The game was like a pendulum, where both teams had noticeable periods of dominance, but one can argue that the key difference was UWE’s ability to score goals, despite Exeter being the better side. The beginning of the game saw UWE start the brighter, with the centre back pairing of Jesse Wilson and Jim Micklom dealing well with UWE’s early attacks. The first real chance of the game fell to Exeter ten minutes in, where Toby Yeates’ cut back was blazed over wastefully by Tom Male from close range. This arguably sparked UWE into life, and Exeter had goalkeeper Christian Briggs to thank as he made two superb one-on-one saves in the space of five minutes. The second of the two chances came from a highly contentious refereeing decision, where Exeter were caught out by a quick free-kick. Briggs’ goalkeeping however proved important; as Exeter cranked up the pressure, they deservedly took the lead half an hour into the first half.

Photo: Niklas Rahmel

Miles Blenkinsop’s corner was headed onto the post by Lewis Aimson, and Tom Male was alert to nod in the rebound. Straight from the restart, Exeter were almost 2-0 up as Josh Higgins forced a strong save from the UWE goalkeeper, whilst good play between Higgins and Blenkinsop almost forced an own goal from the UWE defence. The failure to make anything of these chances proved costly, as UWE got themselves back into the game with a long range effort from Andy Devine

UWE should be credited for closing the game out and taking the three points. Exeter needed more concentration that could only be palmed in by Briggs. This goal in fact allowed UWE to turn the screw, and they soon found themselves 2-1 up in quite bizarre fashion. As UWE pressed the Exeter defence to clear their lines, they forced Nick Thompson to play a 35 yard back pass that caught Briggs completely out of position and spectacularly found the net. Another crucial save from Briggs just before half-time prevented Exeter from falling further behind, and at the interval they were quite unfortunate to be 2-1 down.

The second half started how the first ended, with Briggs making another excellent save from a speculative long range effort, before Blenkinsop also forced the UWE keeper into an equally strong save of his own. From the resulting corner, UWE’s failure to clear their lines saw Blenkinsop float in a delicious cross that Captain Jesse Wilson powerfully headed home to bring the scores deservedly level. The game continued to swing both teams’ way, with Micklom defending excellently in a one-on-one, whilst Wilson was also very close to getting his

second goal of the game after a superb corner from Lewis Aimison. Despite there being chances for both teams, it was UWE who took the lead through Junior Ndlov, who beat Micklom for pace and slotted past Briggs to take the lead once again. Unfortunately after this, the game lost its spark. UWE should be credited for closing the game out well and taking the three points. Speaking to the management and left-back Lewis Aimison after the game, they all agreed that Exeter needed to show more concentration throughout the game.

Rosanna Riding High 15 medals for Fleet Team

PhD STUDENT Rosanna Walters-Symons became Britain’s youngest ever World Championship medallist in carriage driving as she won silver at the FEI World Combined Pony Championships in Pau, France. The competitive sport of horse driving trials is a three-phase competition based on eventing, with dressage, cross-country marathon, and cones elements. Rosanna travelled to southwest France as the youngest person ever even to represent Great Britain in her sport at this level. In the first phase of the competition, dressage, Rosanna was the penultimate competitor to go out of a class of thirty of the world’s top single-pony drivers. Rosanna and her pony, Dabernon Tiger Woods (Bailey), produced their best ever display to wow both the crowd and the judges for a score of 45.06 and fifth place. Day two brought the marathon phase and arguably Rosanna’s strongest throughout this season. Both she and her

back-stepper, Exeter Accounting and Finance graduate Ben Freer, had walked the eight marathon obstacles countless times in the preceding days to ensure that they could save every fraction of a second around the course. Whilst the later obstacles weren’t quite as quick as the start, the overall time was the fifth fastest. Rosanna moved up to third place in the overall classification. Asked if she was nervous before the cones discipline, Rosanna said: “Yes, a little, but surprisingly not as nervous as I thought I was going to be. I was just so focused on driving the course well.” Rosanna drove a confident and clear round with 4.33 time penalties, which instantly meant that she had done enough to at least hold onto her third place. The overnight leader, Martin Holle (HUN), however, drove one of the best rounds of the day to hold onto his lead and win the Gold Medal. “My aim was to finish top ten so to win silver is just incredible!” she commented.

Photo: Sailing Club

Sailing Tamsin Davies Sailing Club

A COLLECTION of Gold, Silver and Bronze BUCS medals marks a successful first weekend of competition for Exeter’s sailors. BUCS Fleet Racing Nationals took place on the 2 and 3 November, and a 16 strong team travelled to Plymouth to join the 107 boats and 188 sailors competing. An unfavourable forecast was agonizingly confirmed when Saturday’s racing was cancelled, with winds exceeding forty knots. After some impressive reorganisation (and a slight drop in the wind), two races were sailed on Sunday, enough for an overall result. Martin Evans made a strong start in his Laser, securing first in race one. In the sizeable Firefly fleet, a confined race area made starting very difficult.

Exeter achieved two top ten finishes in the first race, remaining on form for race two with Tarra Gill-Taylor and Tamsin Davies finishing third, and Louise Latham and Ellie Gadd fourth. The wind continued to build as the handicap fleets launched. Nia Jones and Ed Riley sailed well to finish third in their first race followed by an outstanding win in race two. RESULTS: Gold: Jones/Riley (slow handicap) Silver: Evans, Jones/Riley, Gill-Taylor/ Davies (Open team) Bronze: Latham/Gadd, Ella Whitely/ Alice Butler, Pippa White/Emily Bland (Ladies team) Exeter finished second overall for a third successive year, narrowly missing out to hosts, Plymouth.

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In the news... Last gasp Adeniyi-Jones Ben Pullan Sports Team

Cricket

EUMCC welcome a new coach onto the team – Jack Bradbury, a graduate from Cardiff Met – to assist with the coaching of the 2nd and 3rd team. After watching an initial training session, he commented: “Things are shaping up really well for this season. I would like to think that all of the squads will be strong contenders in BUCS this year; last year the 2nds, 3rds, and 4ths all won their leagues, which will be a difficult act to follow, but if the players work hard, I have no doubt that they can repeat that performance”. As well as welcoming new personnel, EUMCC has acquired a brilliant new piece of equipment, ‘Merlyn’, the bowling machine that contributed so much to England’s demystifying of Shane Warne in the 2005 Ashes. Able to replicate Warne’s flipper, Murali’s doosra or Swann’s arm ball, this new piece of kit should have an immense

Golf Chris Fleming EUGC

THE EUGC 1st team started the defence to their BUCS Southern Premier League title with a tough away trip to New Buckinghamshire. On a damp Wycombe Heights Golf Course, the EUGC went on to record 3 comfortable wins out of the first 4 matches. The points came from Tom Thornhill, Laurie Potter & Joe Davis. Howev-

Lucy Gibson

Polo

EUPC Publicity Secretary EUPC began this year’s Varsity season last Saturday when two novice teams took on traveling teams from Royal Holloway. The first match started well with Exeter leading after the first chukka 5-2. Both teams were equally matched throughout, with Ringer and Van Vlaanderen providing strong play at the back. However the more experienced Royal Holloway side narrowly beat them in the last chukka. The second match saw Amy Lewis, Alex Wharton and Lucy Gibson, in their first outing as a team, take to the

Ultimate Frisbee Thomas Cartwright EUUF

EXETER’S Ultimate Frisbee Club won their regional qualifiers comfortably against some tough opposition and came away as Western University Indoor Regional Champions, whilst also qualifying for Division 1 nationals, giving them the opportunity to win BUCS points. In Exeter’s pool were Devon rivals Plymouth, Varsity rivals Bath and also Swansea. Exeter cruised their way to the top of their power pool with three wins out of three, thanks to some slick offense and high intensity defense. Topping the power pool put Exeter straight into the

effect on the club’s ability to play spin bowling. On hand at the delivery of ‘Merlyn’, which cost around £14,000, the club’s Director of Cricket, Julian Wyatt, commented: “This is a real landmark in the history of the University Cricket Club. Very few clubs in the country are lucky enough to have access to one of these machines. “Batting against spin has long been an area that we have wanted to improve, and I am now confident that we have the tools to do this. “‘Merlyn’ will essentially provide an unlimited number of spin variations for our batsmen to practice against, which will help them to learn to read the spin and bounce of the ball”. So whilst most of the cricketing fraternity are beginning a long period of hibernation (and Ashes watching), EUMCC – equipped with new coach and kit – are about to embark on an extensive program of winter training, in the hope that, come April, they will be ready to compete at the very highest level in the BUCS Leagues.

er, the match-winning point was proving a tight affair. After some solid golf from his opponent, James Roberts lost on the last to a birdie. This meant it was left to Chris Fleming and an up & down from 20 yards for birdie on the par 5 17th was enough to clinch the point needed for the victory. The final match result was 4-2 (Tom Thornhill W4&3, Katie Bradbury L3&2, Laurie Potter W7&6, Joe Davis W3&1, James Roberts L2 Down, Chris Fleming W1 Up). arena. With Gibson and Wharton linking well at the back, attacking up to Lewis at the front, they played well throughout, showing a maturity in their formations and set plays. Despite this, Royal Holloway again had the lucky run of form and just about came out winners at the end of the final chukka. The 23/24 November sees EUPC take on Bristol in a huge varsity weekend, encompassing novice, open and alumni matches. This is followed by a UWE varsity, away varsity at ULU and a mixed ability Christmas tournament at Druids Lodge Polo Club. semi final on Sunday, against the runner up of the other power pool, Bristol. The game started incredibly well for Exeter, racing into a 5-1 lead maintaining the high intensity defense that they kept up across the whole tournament. Exeter held their nerve and held onto the game, winning 10-4, and progressed to the final to play Southampton. Similarly to Exeter, Southampton were also winners of their powerpool and overcame Bath in a close semifinal. Exeter went 2-0 down within the first 5 minutes, before clawing back to a 3-2 lead. The game was then ‘traded out’, with Exeter winning the game 5-4 and also winning the Regionals for the second time in three years. Congratulations go to Greg Mann who won player of the final.

Men’s Rugby Union

Ben Pullan Sports Team

EURFC 1st Hartpury 1st

11 9

A 78 minute try from Adeniyi-Jones ensured that Exeter scraped a close-fought victory in the Hartpury grudge match. Prior to this, Exeter had been behind throughout the game, but they left the field with an unbeaten record at home, and the knowledge that they had beaten a team who had probably played the better rugby on the day. It is in games such as these when the true mettle of a team is tested, and for this reason, the 1st XV deserve great credit for staying in the game and then

taking it when the chance was presented. The early exchanges indicated that Exeter would have a game on their hands. Though they were not the biggest, the Hartpury forwards made an instant impression with their aggression in the contact zone; time and time again, the Exeter pack were getting outrucked by their powerful counterparts. It did not take long for Hartpury’s dominance in this area to be rewarded, as a penalty in the fifth minute gave them a 3-0 lead, and meant that Exeter were behind for the first time at home this season. Nevertheless, Exeter came back at their opponents hard, with No. 8 Ben King making several high impact runs, and created a chance to level the scores, which Chisholm, unfortunately, missed. In windy and wet conditions that,

prior to this game, had not been seen this season at Topsham, the aerial battle was always going to be a key facet of the game, and both teams deployed the up-and-under to good effect. Even more important though was the scrum, which Hartpury’s impressive pack dominated throughout; on their own ball, they sought to retain control for as long as possible, looking for a penalty, and on Exeter’s, they would disrupt. This ensured that the 1st XV’s exceptional back line struggled to get front foot ball. This came to the surprise of everyone; in this Hartpury pack, Exeter had more than met their match. Nevertheless, Exeter kept battling hard, and had another good chance to level the scores after Hartpury conceded a penalty via a high tackle deep in their 22. Chisholm was still searching

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| WEEK EIGHT

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s try seals 1st XV win

Crossword No. 54 by Raucous

Photos: Niklas Rahmel

Across 1. Cooing bird (6) 4.“How do you like them ______?”(6) 7. Uprising (6) 8. Pictures (6) 9. Rent (4) 10. Pen point (3) 12. Describing (9) 14.Woman who ate one of the 4. Across? (3) 15. US President (4) 16.Vote (6) 17. Approved (informal) (6) 18. Unproven argument (6) 19.Wage (6)

Down 1. Buy (8) 2. Question mark (7) 3. Satin iota line (anag) (13) 4. Complete destructions (13) 5. Performed by lumberjacks (7) 6. Groups (4) 11. Annual celebration (8) 12. State (7) 13. Sport (7) 16. Lightning flash (4)

Sociology and Anthropology Careers Talk With Dr Mark Kilgallon

for his accuracy, and the score remained 3-0. Hartpury then launched their own attack, once again testing Exeter’s defence with some old-fashioned brute force. The constant bludgeoning eventually paid off, as Hartpury’s goal-kicker did what Exeter’s could not, thus doubling the lead. After a frenetic last play, in which Exeter – and Ali Chisholm in particular – threw everything at Hartpury, seeking a score before half time, both teams readied themselves for the next 40 minutes, knowing that the game was in the balance, and that a titanic battle awaited them. Exeter looked like the team more up for the challenge. In an ideal start to the second half, Hartpury fumbled the kick-off, ensuring that they were camped deep in their own 22. In the passage of play that followed,

there were close attempts on both wings – Treharne’s particularly so – but the away team still remained intact. At last, in the 55th minute of the game, Exeter got those first points they so deserved, as fly-half Gillies grabbed his chance to prove his goal-kicking ability. Hartpury retained absolute dominance in the scrum, and in a moment of forward-play perfection won a penalty in front of Exeter’s posts, as the Exeter pack crumbled. The home side were once again six points down, and tension levels were increasing both on the pitch and on the touch line. Bringing on Alex Ross’s big left boot was a good move at this stage to settle a few nerves and gain Exeter some much-needed territory. As the game entered the final ten minutes, Gillies showed his class, first

by knocking over a key penalty to put Exeter once again within three, and then placing the most delicate of kicks, resulting in a knock-on almost on Hartpury’s try line. Though another superb scrummage from the Hartpury pack ensured that Exeter could not convert this chance, they came back at Hartpury time and time again. Finally, in the 78th minute of the game, with Hartpury having dictated the course of the match, they collapsed. An opening in their back line ensured that back row replacement Adeniyi-Jones could complete a thrilling 11-9 victory for Exeter. After 80 minutes, amidst jubilation from the Exeter supporters, both teams came off battered and muddied, knowing they had taken part in a truly memorable game of rugby.

A talk on how Dr Kilgallon has used his degree in Sociology and PoliOcs from Glasgow University and PhD from UCL in Social Anthropology to further his career.

Date: Thursday 14th November Time: 6.15pm Where: LT1, Queens Building ANYONE WELCOME!

• Metropolitan Police Service – serving officer •  Researcher for the Commissioner’s Office on the Stephen Lawrence Report • Bramshill Policing College -‐ in charge of design and delivery for the strategic command course – the most senior policing course in the UK. • Member of the associaOon of Chief Police Officers Ethics Commi=ee • Footdown Group Leader for the Ascot 15. • Start-‐up leader of the Soho 15 • Established Policing MaXers, which focuses on execuOve development, coaching and provision of academic programmes at post-‐grad level.

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EUMHC ready for Varsity Photo: www.pascoemorrissey.co.uk

Men’s Hockey Thomas Appleby EUMHC

THIS Saturday, two of the nation’s premier sporting universities, Exeter and Birmingham, will compete in the annual BLP Hockey Varsity. With the floodlights primed for this hugely anticipated evening game - pushing back at 6pm - it is expected that Varsity 2013 will be the most successful yet. The two sides go into the fixture separated by just two points, with Exeter sitting 5th in the Men’s Conference West, and Birmingham just two points behind them in 6th place. In their most recent fixture, Exeter played out a frantic 3-2 win against local club Isca in front of a crowd well into the hundreds, and they will be hoping for an unprecedented level of support up at the Sports Park on Saturday.

The two sides go into the fixture seperated by just two points, with Exeter sitting 5th, and Birmingham in 6th, in the Men’s Conference West Having won three of their last four games in the league, Exeter will be hoping to string together consecutive victories to help them climb up the table. However, their home form has been disappointingly inconsistent. They recently squandered a two goal lead against Indian Gymkhana, losing 4-3 in a highly controversial game that saw Exeter goalie Jack Banister receive his second yellow card of the season. Birmingham, meanwhile, have themselves been struggling for consistency, and after two consecutive defeats their most recent win - a comprehensive 6-2 defeat of Cheltenham - will have done much to build their confidence going into this University clash. The visitors, however, have strug-

Ones to Watch

Nick Cooper

Ian Haley

Andrew Ross

The forward is the league’s top goal-scorer. With a handy turn of pace and a clinical finish, Cooper will be looking to build on his impressive goal tally and out-skill a few Birmingham defenders in the process.

Ever fancied watching an Olympian play hockey at Exeter? Having represented South Africa at London 2012, Haley is one of Exeter’s best players. A fiery competitor with rapid acceleration, Haley is not one to take your eye off!

The right-back is an integral part of the Exeter side. Able to launch a huge aerial and sling a dangerous drag-flick, expect Rooster to bomb up and down the right-flank for the full seventy minutes.

The Hockey Varsity will be one of the highest-quality displays of university sport anywhere in the country gled for form on their travels. Picking up just one point from their three away fixtures, and with the worst goal difference when playing away from home,

Exeter will be looking to capitalise on this defensive frailty. Indeed, in Nick Cooper the home side have the perfect man for the job. The talismanic forward is the current top goal-scorer in the league, netting 9 times in the opening seven games, including a hat-trick against Indian Gym. Under the leadership of captain and midfield enforcer Ben Upton, Exeter will be desperate to secure a valuable win against Birmingham. A high scoring encounter is all but guaranteed given Exeter’s prolific front line, and Birmingham’s somewhat leaky defensive record. One thing is for certain, the Hockey Varsity will be one of the highest-quality displays of University sport anywhere in the country. Exeter and Birmingham finished first and second respectively in BUCS hockey last year, and are both vying for promotion into the top hockey league in the country. With such an impressive level of sport on your doorstep, this Saturday is not one to miss. Of course, Varsity is about more than just the hockey. Last year the crowd were treated to an array of entertainment, including a cross-bar challenge that pitted spectators against one another in a piece of half-time entertainment that was admittedly low in quality. This year we’ve got even more lined up to entice a huge crowd. We’re talking: giveaways from YoungOnes and Woodworm; a chance to win a Timepiece Goldcard; goody-bags from Spotify worth up to £80; RedBull giveaways, and a delightful array of food available. Oh, and a premier sporting event. Men’s Hockey West Conference

Bath Buccs Cardiff & Met Havant Indian Gymkhana Exeter Birmingham Fareham Cheltenham Isca Guildford

P 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7

W 5 4 4 4 4 3 2 3 1 1

D 0 2 1 1 0 1 3 0 0 0

L 2 1 2 2 3 3 2 4 6 6

Pts 15 14 13 13 12 10 9 9 3 3

>>Correct as of 8 November

The Hockey Varsity will be one of the highest-quality displays of University sport anywhere in the country. This Saturday is not one to miss. Proceeds from the day are going to the Devon Air Ambulance, and tickets will be on sale around campus in the build up to the event. So, 6pm on Saturday, at the Sports Park, bring some noise and cheer on the Green Army in this year’s Hockey Varsity!