No Cuts Down in Pasty Town / FXU Officer Elections / Artwork in Library / House Defeated in Library Debate / A Riot Too Far / Opinion, NUS Demolition Report / USA swings right / If you’re not religious for gods sake say so / 28 days later: the new problems faced by the 33 / We’re gunna need a bigger sofa / Yours in coconut flapjack / THE SOCIAL NETWORK / EAT, PRAY, LOVE / THE WALKING DEAD / THE TRIP / WHITE NOISE / ANGELA’S ASHES / FABLE III / STAR WARS: THE FORCE UNLEASHED II / GET CAPE. WEAR CAPE. FLY. /EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN / Building A Lifestyle / An Alternative Insight / Here Come The Girlboys / StreetChic / Sinead Williamson / Lust / Lullaby / Haematoma / Youth / Debris / Gallerist Francis Mallett discusses his art world: past, presCorruption C.C.C / Football Roundup / Hockey Round Up / Rugby Round Upent and future / Sandra Juto / No Cuts Down in Pasty Town / FXU Officer Elections / Artwork in Library / House Defeated in Library Debate / A Riot Too Far / Opinion, NUS Demolition Report / USA swings right / If you’re not religious for gods sake say so / 28 days later: the new problems faced by the 33 / We’re gunna need a bigger sofa / Yours in coconut flapjack / THE SOCIAL NETWORK / EAT, PRAY, LOVE / THE WALKING DEAD / THE TRIP / WHITE NOISE / ANGELA’S ASHES / FABLE III / STAR WARS: THE FORCE UNLEASHED II / GET CAPE. WEAR CAPE. FLY. /EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN / Building A Lifestyle / An Alternative Insight / Here Come The Girlboys / StreetChic / Sinead Williamson / Lust / Lullaby / Haematoma / Youth / Debris / Gallerist Francis Mallett discusses his art world: past, presCorruption C.C.C / Football Roundup / Hockey Round Up / Rugby Round Upent and future / Sandra Juto / No Cuts Down in Pasty Town / FXU Officer Elections / Artwork in Library / House Defeated in Library Debate / A Riot Too Far / Opinion, NUS Demolition Report / USA swings right / If you’re not religious for gods sake say so / 28 days later: the new problems faced by the 33 / We’re gunna need a bigger sofa / Yours in coconut flapjack / THE SOCIAL NETWORK / EAT, PRAY, LOVE / THE WALKING DEAD / THE TRIP / WHITE NOISE / ANGELA’S ASHES / FABLE III / STAR WARS: THE FORCE UNLEASHED II / GET CAPE. WEAR CAPE. FLY. /EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN / Building A Lifestyle / An Alternative Insight / Here Come The Girlboys / StreetChic / Sinead Williamson / Lust / Lullaby / Haematoma / Youth / Debris / Gallerist Francis Mallett discusses his art world: past, presCorruption C.C.C / Football Roundup / Hockey Round Up / Rugby Round Upent and future / Sandra Juto / No Cuts Down in Pasty Town / FXU Officer Elections / Artwork in Library / House Defeated in Library Debate / A Riot Too Far / Opinion, NUS Demolition Report / USA swings right / If13 you’re not religious for gods sake say so / 28 days later: the new problems ISSUE faced by the 33 / We’re gunna need a bigger sofa / Yours in coconut flapjack / THE SOCIAL NETWORK / EAT, PRAY, NOVEMBER ’10 LOVE / THE WALKING DEAD / THE TRIP / WHITE NOISE / ANGELA’S ASHES / FABLE III / STAR WARS: THE FORCE UNLEASHED II / GET CAPE. WEAR CAPE. FLY. /EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN / Building A Lifestyle / An Alternative Insight / Here Come The Girlboys / StreetChic / Sinead Williamson / Lust / Lullaby / Haematoma / Youth / Debris / Gallerist Francis Mallett discusses his art world: past, presCorruption C.C.C / Football Roundup / Hockey Round Up / Rugby Round Upent and future / Sandra Juto / No Cuts Down in Pasty Town / FXU Officer Elections / Artwork in Library / House Defeated in Library Debate / A Riot Too Far / Opinion, NUS Demolition Report / USA swings right / If you’re not religious for gods sake say so / 28 days later: the new problems faced by the 33 / We’re gunna need a bigger sofa / Yours in coconut flapjack / THE SOCIAL NETWORK / EAT, PRAY, LOVE / THE WALKING DEAD / THE TRIP / WHITE NOISE / ANGELA’S ASHES / FABLE III / STAR WARS: THE FORCE UNLEASHED II / GET CAPE. WEAR CAPE. FLY. /EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN / Building A Lifestyle / An Alternative Insight / Here Come The Girlboys / StreetChic / Sinead Williamson / Lust / Lullaby / Haematoma / Youth / Debris / Gallerist Francis Mallett discusses his art world: past, presCorruption C.C.C / Football Roundup / Hockey Round Up / Rugby Round Upent and future / Sandra Juto / No Cuts Down in Pasty Town / FXU Officer Elections / Artwork in Library / House Defeated in Library Debate / A Riot Too Far / Opinion, NUS Demolition Report / USA swings right / If you’re not religious for gods sake say so / 28 days later: the new problems faced by the 33 / We’re gunna need a bigger sofa / Yours in coconut flapjack / THE SOCIAL NETWORK / EAT, PRAY, LOVE / THE WALKING DEAD / THE TRIP / WHITE NOISE / ANGELA’S ASHES / FABLE III / STAR WARS: THE FORCE UNLEASHED II / GET CAPE. WEAR CAPE. FLY. /EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN / Building A Lifestyle / An Alternative Insight / Here Come The Girlboys / StreetChic / Sinead Williamson / Lust / Lullaby / Haematoma / Youth / Debris / Gallerist Francis Mallett discusses his art world: past, presCorruption C.C.C / Football Roundup / Hockey Round Up / Rugby Round Upent and future / Sandra Juto / No Cuts Down in Pasty Town / FXU Officer Elections / Artwork in Library / House Defeated in Library Debate / A Riot Too Far / Opinion, NUS Demolition Report / USA swings right / If you’re not religious for gods sake say so / 28 days later: the new problems faced by the 33 / We’re gunna need a bigger sofa / Yours in coconut flapjack / THE SOCIAL NETWORK / EAT, PRAY, LOVE / THE WALKING DEAD / THE TRIP / WHITE NOISE / ANGELA’S ASHES / FABLE III / STAR WARS: THE FORCE UNLEASHED II / GET CAPE. WEAR CAPE. FLY. /EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN / Building A Lifestyle / An Alternative Insight / Here Come The Girlboys / StreetChic / Sinead Williamson / Lust / Lullaby / Haematoma / Youth / Debris / Gallerist Francis Mallett discusses his art world: past, presCorruption C.C.C / Football Roundup / Hockey Round Up / Rugby Round Upent and future / Sandra Juto / No Cuts Down in Pasty Town / FXU Officer Elections / Artwork in Library / House Defeated in Library Debate / A Riot Too Far / Opinion, NUS Demolition Report / USA swings right / If you’re not religious for gods sake say so / 28 days later: the new problems faced by the 33 / We’re gunna need a bigger sofa / Yours in coconut flapjack / THE SOCIAL NETWORK / EAT, PRAY, LOVE / THE WALKING DEAD / THE TRIP / WHITE NOISE / ANGELA’S ASHES / FABLE III / STAR WARS: THE FORCE UNLEASHED II / GET CAPE. WEAR CAPE. FLY. /EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN / Building A Lifestyle / An Alternative Insight / Here Come The Girlboys / StreetChic / Sinead Williamson / Lust / Lullaby / Haematoma / Youth / Debris / Gallerist Francis Mallett discusses his art world: past, presCorruption C.C.C / Football Roundup / Hockey Round Up / Rugby Round Upent and future / Sandra Juto / No Cuts Down in Pasty Town / FXU Officer Elections / Artwork in Library / House Defeated in Library Debate / A Riot Too Far / Opinion, NUS Demolition Report / USA swings right / If you’re not religious for gods sake say so / 28 days later: the new problems faced by the 33 / We’re gunna need a bigger sofa / Yours in coconut flapjack / THE SOCIAL NETWORK / EAT, PRAY, LOVE / THE WALKING DEAD / 1
NEWS
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on’t bring cuts down to pasty town”. The battle cry epitomising what Tremough Campus students think to the “Con-Dem” government cutting Education budgets. I was one of the 160 who attended the demonstration in London from Tremough on Wednesday November 10th 2010, and the strong sentiment of 50,000 likeminded, politically aware students took part in the largest student demonstration in a generation. I’m using this opportunity to say that the Government is correct in cutting budgets. The nation can’t hide the fact that we are in debt. But what we all should be aware of, and especially Falmouth Students, is that in light of this Budget cutting; cutting absolutely funding to Arts and Humanity subjects, is reminiscent of a dictatorship. You’ve had the opportunity of free thought, and free expression, this opportunity may not be available to future generations, your children. Rather, the Government is favouring funding for Maths / Science subjects, furthering the idea that the Nation become robotic in thought, and that there is one way to do things. Falmouth University is set to lose 100% of Government funding as a result. The value of a discipline should have no relation to its ‘utility’, and Education should be a right for all who want it, not just a privilege for those who can afford it. Adding to this, supporters of this Government needn’t fall into 100% following this Government.
Every principle outlined by Government won’t suit everyone. So those who are following this Government 100%, (and with regards to Education Budget cuts), these followers are either doing so blindly and following like sheep under the guise of “I’m following a leading party therefore I agree with everything they say”, or doing so because they can gain from the opportunity. It is quite ironic how those who follow the government are already indoctrinated into their chain of thinking by purporting that Budget cuts to free thinking subjects is “for the good of the nation”. Enough pressure needs to be applied by students and leaders to coerce Government into a solution that will please all. The actions that students are undertaking now are part of the changing face of Education. If you’re unsure of where you stand in this argument, think and act quickly, and get involved one way or the other. If you merely stand by and watch the portrayal of news reports, you’re playing game to what the government would want. Enjoy this issue of FLEX, and our final issue is a Christmas themed issue, due out Monday December 6th. Managing director
ello, welcome to Issue 13 of FLEX! What I would like to highlight this issue is a cause close to our hearts here at FLEX. We watched in amazement as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was released on 13th November, after her latest stint of 18 months under house arrest. She has been detained in her home in Rangoon for more than 15 years. Many of you may not have heard of her, or of the junta’s brutal regime in Burma, but it is an issue that students should pay attention to. One week before her release, the government held a sham election, and the pro-junta USDP inevitably won by a landslide, gaining around 80% of seats. Burma Campaign UK states, ‘the military have brought in a new constitution which renders parliament powerless to bring
in genuine democratic reform without military consent’.It is not an issue that we can ignore, because as we are the next generation of journalists, politicians, artists, activists and of course much more, it is an issue that we must learn about. As Paul mentioned in the last issue, you can find out more about Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma and the 2,202 political prisoners of conscience who are still not free on www.burmacampaign.org.uk Look out for our special feature on Burma in Issue 14 of FLEX.
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iscussing the tuition fees rise, the comedian and writer Stewart Lee, an Oxford English graduate from the days of free university education, claimed this week that the attempted commercialisation of degree courses by the government “deliberately [...] produces a generation of people who feel that the only purpose of education is to earn money”. In a year that has seen The Poly - an institution whose sole aim is supposedly to “provide an arts, science and educational space for the people of Cornwall” - all but wiped out for commercial reasons and in a week when big business has flocked to Tremough’s Careers Fair, it is easy to see Lee’s concerns in action. One of the biggest problems with the fees debate is that so much of the battle has been fought on the commercial terms dictated by the government. Almost all mention at the moment of the ‘value’ of a degree seems to refer to the financial value – something that is actually a fairly recent concern. For hundreds of years countless major developments in arts and science have been made as a result of intelligent people being given the opportunity to further their knowledge for the benefit of the world without having to submit to pressures which increasingly (pharmaceuticals companies being a good example) dictate the nature and direction of that study
Ian Pogonowski,
Chief Editor
Seren Adams to push for the best financial outcome. On a larger scale, there are major problems with many of the funding cuts being proposed and implemented in the UK. Whilst the financial problems faced by the country are no doubt great, it is too easy for wholesale cuts to be made, unquestioned, under the guise of financial necessity. Repeatedly in the past nations have been forced to submit to the same selling off of public services, believing that it is the sole way out of a difficult situation only to realise later on that their country’s infrastructure has been bought up by big business. The upshot is – as seems to be happening with degrees in the UK – that what used to be a right becomes an expensive privilege. So whilst there is no denying that the UK’s financial situation is poor at the moment, it is vital that if cuts have to be made they are questioned every time they are suggested, and if necessary challenged with the passion and intelligence shown by the vast majority of the 50000 students who marched in London on November 10th. Chief Editor
Paul Tucker
FLEX STAFF Managing Director / Chief Editor Ian Pogonowski- 07854 087536 imp202@exeter.ac.uk Chief Editors Seren Adams - sa118778@falmouth.ac.uk Paul Tucker - pt249@exeter.ac.uk Graphic Designers Omari McCarthy- Design ManagerMorwenna Smith Nadya Pandelieva Rachel Maria Smith Guro Lindahl Flåten Lou Robinson Henry Brown Photographers V. Gopi Mohan Emily Whelan Jack Scott Michael Etherington Will Bunce
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Edmond Wong Jennifer Wheeler News - news@flexnews.co.uk Anna Casey - ag335@exeter.ac.uk Lifestyle - lifestyle@flexnews.co.uk Hannah Banks Walker - Lifestyle Editor - hb264@exeter.ac.uk Features - features@flexnews.co.uk Mark Burton - Features Editor - mb349@exeter.ac.uk Sarah Stevenson - Features Editor - SS121826@falmouth.ac.uk Art & Design - arts@flexnews.co.uk Seren Adams - Art & Design Editor - sa118778@falmouth.ac.uk Rhiannon Williams -Illustration Editor rhi_u_williams@hotmail.co.uk Jemma Green - Creative Writing Editor jemmaruthgreen@googlemail.com John-Paul Somerville - Fine Art Editor jpsomerville@msn.com Kayung Lai - Photography Editor - kl119169@falmouth.ac.uk
Reviews - reviews@flexnews.co.uk Dora Eisele - Reviews Editor - de224@exeter.ac.uk Alex Raffle - Reviews Editor - alex.raffle1@gmail.com Emma Thompson -Reviews Editor - et246@exeter.ac.uk Sports - sports@flexnews.co.uk Chris Rushton - Sports Editor - cr267@exeter.ac.uk Proofing Team Charis Bryant - Copy Editor Anna Grant Casey- Proofing Manager Kathryn Hosking Dominique le Grange Anna Kilcooley Emma Chafer Samantha Webster Becca Hadfield Marketing Kaylie Finn - kf228@exeter.ac.uk
news@flexnews.co.uk
No Cuts Down In Pasty Town Text Charlie Derry
Around 52,000 students took over the streets of London in protest against education cuts and rise in tuition fees. One hundred and fifty students from University College Falmouth and University of Exeter Cornwall joined others in the national Demolition protest on Wednesday 10th November, making it one of the biggest student protests in a generation. “Today, we have taken to the streets of London in unprecedented numbers with the biggest student demonstration this century, to tell politicians that enough is enough,” said the President of NUS, Aaron Porter. “This is the fight of our lives.” The protest was organised by National Students Union (NUS) and University and College Union (UCU). It was set up to show the resistance towards government plans to raise the cap on tuition fees from £3,290 to £9,000. MA photography graduate at UCF Gopi Mohan said: “There are so many students who are poor, working their way through university and struggling to study as it is. “Rich or poor, everybody has the right to learn and not even the government should have the right to deny anybody of that.” Colleges and universities from towns and cities all over the UK took part in protest. NUS reported that the turnout for the protest was over 52,000. “There are thousands and thousands of you here to say “No” to fees going up to £,9000, “No” to cutting EMA, “No” to the cuts in education and “No” to a government that breaks its promises,” said Sally Hunt, the General Secretary of UCU. “Education is a right, not a privilege. No government will take this away from us,” she added. Deputy General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC)
Frances O’Grady said: “I want to bring a very clear message to the government here today - We are going to fight these unnecessary, these vicious, these right-wing anti-logical cuts, and we are going to win.” “Don’t dare tell us we all in this together…punish the bankers, not the students,” she added. The crowds cheered, showing the government their disagreement with their wide ranging cuts programme and the direct assault that they are making on further and higher education. “This isn’t just about an assault on our education system,” said O’Grady. “This is about turning our colleges and universities from places of learning and opportunity into a finishing school for the rich.” “We’ve got a big fight on our hands,” she added. “We know its going to be tough, but I’ll tell you this - we are determined to expose these government cuts as unfair and unnecessary.” Nearing the end of the rally, student made videos were shown, expressing their opinion about the cuts. Many were disappointed with MP Nick Clegg’s ignorance after promising to make sure a rise in tuition fees wouldn’t happen. “Together we are the new coalition,” said O’Grady. “We will not put up with these half truths and lies anymore.” Students felt a great success from the day and all felt optimistic that their voices had been heard. Kristy Wallace, FXU’s Exeter President said the demonstration was “a massive success for FXU! Our students endured one of the longest journeys from those in attendance and were still in high spirits for the protest. We were loud and managed to get in every picture possible. It’s an awful shame that the attention has only
focussed on the negative of the day, but overall, for FXU, I say a job well done!” “Seriously, I feel like I’m part of something,” said 2nd year Film student, Kate Linnell. “I really feel that I can make a difference now.” Although a minority of students headed to the Millbank office when the rally came to an end, UCF students remained peaceful in their protest. “I think the protest went well, showing the power of students and strength of the student population in the UK,” said Gopi. “It proved that even we can make things happen if we stand united. We showed the government that no matter what happens, we will stay strong on our point and will fight for our rights and for the rights of every other student in the country.” The next national protest against the cuts, organised by TUC, will be held on 26th March 2011 in Hyde Park, London. We will protest again and our voices will be heard, so put the date in your diaries. We asked
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NEWS
Artwork in Library Text Ian Pogonowski Located in the passage way between the group study and quiet study area, a wall of artwork entitled “End of Shame” can be seen. The Artwork is part of nine English with Creative Writing BA student’s module “Gender and Language”. End of Shame creators said, “We wanted to make a big statement with our work, and we wanted to get a message across”. The big difference can be seen on the wall now, and don’t be ashamed of stopping and looking to see what is involved. End of Shame came up with the idea as part of discussion about the body, and from there, they explored “uninhibited discussion” about the physical self. The aim is to create new ideas and ways of thinking about the body, and this is hoped to pass on to fellow students. End of Shame wanted to expose the myth of the “Perfect Body”, and highlight that everybody is flawed and not perfect, but perfect for that reason. End of Shame chose to display their work in the densely populated area with the ambition to “attract as much attention as possible” to the work. The aim is to receive feedback from students and staff at Tremough on this project. FLEX asked End of Shame about any other plans to put artwork up around campus elsewhere? “At the moment we’re waiting to see what comes of our display in the library, and of the zine style leaflets of creative work we left with the display, more of which we intend to produce since there has been lots of interest”. Falmouth students have been known in the past to express interest for more ways to display their creative works, and this is one example of a success for students. FLEX asked if the artwork had created any controversy. “Not yet, but we intended to shock a little, and there’s nothing wrong with a little controversy, so here’s hoping!” End of Shame would love to hear your responses to their leaflet and display. This can be creative responses, criticism or anything else. You can contact them at endofshame@gmail.com.
House defeated in abortion debate Text Joella Hawley Abortion has remained limited to 24 weeks after the Debating Society was denied “abortion on demand” last Wednesday. The second debate of the term: “This House would allow abortion on demand” saw debaters May Tsang and Siobhan Pyburn defeated by opposition members Owen Hind and Sarah Scriven, after each team argued their opinions for just under half an hour. Both sides then faced the audience as the floor was opened for questions, where the biggest concern seemed to be the potential for promiscuity and a reduction in the use of contraception if time restrictions were lifted. This opinion weighed against the proposition, despite their best attempts at refuting it, right up until voting time: 11 votes to 34 in favour of the opposition. Nimra Zaheer said “Both sides were really good. The Proposition was stronger in their views and characteristics. But I’m for the opposition as women shouldn’t have the lack of responsibility”. This debate saw many members of the local community also attend alongside students, including Sister Veronica of the Chaplaincy Team who raised concerns over the lack of acknowledgement of alternatives to abortion, such as adoption. Proposition debater, Siobhan Pyburn, said: “I suspected that it would be a losing battle and not just because the other side had clearly done their homework. Still, what can you do? I thoroughly enjoyed it.” Jungi Shafi, the President of the Debating Union said: “It was a very enjoyable debate; congratulations are in order to all of the debaters. Both teams put forward sound and well structured arguments”. For more information, check out the Facebook page and if you’re interested in debating yourself or you just want to watch, the next debate is: “This House would leave the European Union”, and it will be held at 18:00 on the 24th November, in De Maurier Building, Lecture A. Come and have your say!
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news@flexnews.co.uk
FXU OFFICER ELECTIONS Text ian Pogonowski
Iyanu Idowu-Adiga
Siobhan Pyburn
Anton Constantinou
Beth Windsor
Insa Burch
Samuel Phillips
Henrik Hildre
Tom Phillips
FXU recently held their Officer Elections and the winners were announced Tuesday 9th November . The FXU Officer positions are there as a part-time job whilst studying for your degree. The roles include Campaigns Officer, RAG Officer, Environment and Ethics Officer, and Events Officer. With these roles, students should be seeing events, campaigns, and happenings around campus that are in the student interest. FXU would like students to get more involved with activities organised by their team, and the officers should be proving this to you by the events they put on. Despite near national record-breaking elections last year, the officer positions were heavily undersubscribed. This is why FXU have held the elections mid-term this term. 329 students, or 6% of the student body, voted in these officer elections, which is the largest ever for FXU Officer Elections. Typical campaigns such as spray painted T-shirts were seen around town on nights out in the hope to get votes, plus the usual poster displays around campus. The results are, and the below will be joining Samuel and Tom Phillips as sports and societies officers:
Campaigns Officer – Iyanu Idowu-Adiga, campaigns@fxu.org.uk Community Action Officer – Siobhan Pyburn, communityaction@fxu.org.uk Entertainments Officer- Anton Constantinou, ents@fxu.org.uk RAG Officer- Beth Windsor, rag@fxu.org.uk Environment and Ethics Officer – Insa Burch and Henrik Hildre, environment&ethics@fxu.org.uk Sport and Societies Officer – Samuel and Tom Phillips, sports@fxu.org.uk societies@fxu.org.uk Community Action Officer Siobhan said she is “passionate about volunteering and not letting the grass grow beneath me, so I’m looking forward to sharing that enthusiasm with others”. Siobhan is working toward setting up a “support group for survivors of child abuse on campus, as a way of bringing my former campaign efforts to uni”. She added that “I also intend to find out what kind of volunteering students think they would be interested in taking part in”. Siobhan wanted to say to other students that through “ dedicating your own free time to truly helping out other people – is well
worth the investment”. Siobhan’s advice is to “Get involved basically”, everyone will care about Community Action! Anton, the Entertainments Officer said he is “passionate about the entertainment scene in Falmouth”, and that he is in a position to “radically diversify the variety of entertainment in Falmouth, integrating the International community better with events, in celebration of different countries and cultures”. Anton also said he is working towards the betterment of the relationship between “students and locals”. Anton’s advice: “ Be imaginative! Entertainment should be about escapism, of leaving the world of work behind to transcend to different places in sound, space, and time.” Beth is FXU’s first ever RAG Officer. Beth wants to “involve more fundraising events on campus”, “there is so much we can do on this campus to help raise money for worthy causes”. “I’d like to arrange a big Stannary event which would raise a lot of money for a popular charity of the students’ choice”, but Beth would also like to do small-scale events both on and off campus. Beth’s advice: “Just get involved! We have the ability to help, so why not?”. “Let’s put the fun back into fundraising!” Environment and Ethics Officers Henrik and Insa are going to “make sure the uni is running as ethically and environmentally sound as possible”. They stated that they are “really passionate about the environment and are really excited to start getting things going”. Henrik’s and Insa’s advice: “We need your support and help”, and thanked everyone for voting. Iyanu, the newly-appointed Campaigns Officer, wants to “create a campaigns committee, formed of students to help drive campaigns issues forward” and he wants to “find out issues concerning students directly”. Iyanu’s advice: “be proactive, bring an issue to my attention, and help me make a positive change in this role.” This positive outlook by the candidates represents what FXU aim to do: represent the student interest with a passion. FXU’s Representation Co-ordinator- Janice Mitchelson commented that “FXU part-time officers play such an exciting part of student life. The newly-elected Officers have some great ideas in their manifestos so they’ll be getting to work on them asap! Any students wanting to get involved in helping out or giving ideas, the FXU Team would love to hear from you!” If you would like to get involved with anything FXU related – contact them through their website: www.fxu.org.uk
LIGHT A LANTERN FOR LIFE Text Charlotte wood
Over a 100 students gathered on Gylly beach to light a lantern in aid of World Water Works. A total of £553 was raised for the charity to help people in need around the world. Rebecca Seller a third year broadcasting student at University College Falmouth (UCF) came up with the idea for her course. World Water Works concentrates on providing people in poverty and disaster areas with water sanitisation kits. Over 300 million people world wide lack access to clean water and 450 million have inadequate sanitisation. “The idea behind the lanterns was because I thought they represented hope and that is exactly what the people need that have lost everything,” said Miss Seller. Rebecca says: “As part of our third year broadcasting assessment we had to be involved with filming a media event, so we contacted the local newspaper and the BBC to promote further awareness of the charity.” Other members of the team included Annabel Clarke, John Jones and Adam Reincke, all who contributed to making the evening a
success. “I felt the night was a great success and has gone towards a very worthy cause, it is good to see so many people here to support it,” said Patrick Mc Kenna, a broadcast student at UCF. “The event did take a lot of organisation the police were involved and St John Ambulance service, we also had to do hours of risk assessment with the local Council about potential hazards,” said Miss Seller. The night despite the large amount of preparation was worth it and created a scene with hundreds of lanterns floating out to sea. “There is a high fire risk and the possibility of people tripping over, but it is a really good cause and a fun one, it gives us a chance to get involved,” said Sarah Ive, a member of St John Ambulance. “It is a very worthwhile cause that has been excellently organised and supported by the students and the local community,” said PC Andy Hocking. *For further information on the World Water Works charity visit the website http://www.worldwaterworks.org
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A Riot Too Far Text Charlie Derry
The work of 50,000 demonstrators at the student fees protest is overshadowed as a violent group of protestors cause a riot at the Tory HQ. A group of demonstrators broke into the Millbank building, smashed the windows and set fire to their banners outside; a peaceful protest had turned into a violent riot. One protestor threw a fire extinguisher off the roof the building. They may now face a charge for attempted murder. “This was not part of the plan,” said Aaron Porter, President of NUS. “This action was by others who have come out and used this opportunity to hijack a peaceful protest.” At the end of the Demolition protest against education cuts, a group of protestors headed back to the Tory HQ. Some made their way into the building and onto the roof whilst
others lit fires outside and started banging on the glass chanting “Tory scum” in a violent break-away from what, until then, had been a good-natured protest. The organisers of the protest commented: “We did everything we could to organise a peaceful and responsible action, but sadly it was hijacked and our press coverage overshadowed.” Equipment from the office was used to destroy the room whilst masked and hooded protestors smashed in the windows of the Millbank office complex. Placards were thrown onto the fire outside and chants became aggressive as a crowd gathered outside the building. Police were unprepared and hopelessly outnumbered. Armed with truncheons and shields, they did their best to keep the situation under control, though many sustained injuries.
Missiles began to fly towards the large plate glass windows across the front of the building, which was only protected by a thin line of police, standing with metal truncheons raised. Although some believed their actions were in spite of the protest, those on the roof only provoked boo’s from the crowd below. Student leaders condemned the violence as “despicable”. Most of the students who took part in the protest did not intend on pursuing in any violent acts to get their point across. Gopi Mohan, MA Photography graduate at UCF, said: “The riot was a major let down. The protest had a very good reason but the riot did not have any. Whatever the reason for the people who started it, it was not fair and I hope they are not proud of what they did.”
Opinion, NUS Demolition Report Text Alexander Cosh
It is of course no surprise that both the NUS leadership and pretty much every person with a significant public voice has univocally condemned the destruction of the Tory party HQ- the nucleus of not only education cuts, but cuts all across the public sector which will cost jobs and in the case of the NHS, lives. But is it really fair to write of these militant protesters as a minority
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gang of hardcore anarchists? Last I looked; five thousand willing demonstrators could hardly be written off with such a phrase. These were ordinary students and university workers justifiably taking action against the barbaric and far-right economic measures under this mark two thatcherite coalition. But surely damaging of property is bad for the publicity of the
movement? Well exactly who are we trying to appease? The Daily Mail? David Cameron? Bringing about the change we fundamentally need will be brought about by winning over ordinary workers and students with the same concerns as ourselves and these were the people standing shoulder to shoulder refusing by direct action to accept these unjust measures. Demonstrations and marches may be good for the newspapers, but alone are utterly ineffective. Two million people marched ‘peacefully’ in 2003 against the Iraq war and were quite simply ignored. We only have to look at the poll tax riots in 1992 to see that physical action gets results. Not only was the tax completely abolished, but the hated Tory government was crippled with a loathed legacy it still barely manages to shake off. I am not proposing that a few bricks through the Millbank windows alone are enough to create a fair and just society. First and foremost we must be looking to establish united campaigns in all local areas to fight this government and to establish a new political movement that represents the voice of the millions not the millionaires, accompanied by bold and direct action on the streets.
features@flexnews.co.uk
PRINCESS PAVILLIONS Text by Julian Munday If Music be the Food of Love, Here’s the Menu The Pavilion prepares for a musical love affair as it welcomes three brilliant young acts to Falmouth and looks forward to a week of first class music. We’ve heard about all the established music acts, but there’s nothing quite like discovering an up-and-coming musician or band for the first time and being swept off your feet into a musical love affair. Suddenly the band you’d never heard of becomes your favourite band of all time and you’re insatiable for their back catalogue. How pleased you were that you went to that intimate gig before they got too BIG. First up is Newquay-based, Ruarri Joseph. Understated, charming and a brilliant song-writing talent, who in his own words, “Writes about the little things, the tiny details that make people unique.” Joseph’s music has been described as laid back acoustic rock, but there’s a real labour of love going on behind that messy hair, flip-flop style. It’s deeply poetic, heart-on-the-sleeve stuff that embodies the humble fragility found in the songs of John Martyn or Nick Drake with just a sprinkling of Glen Hansard and Paul Weller. After two previous albums, Tales of Grime and Grit (2007) and Both Sides of the Coin (2009), his third album, Shoulder to the Wheel was released in front of a sell-out audience at the Pavilion earlier this year. After a busy summer playing shows with the likes of Paolo Nutini and David Gray, Joseph culminates his Shoulder to the Wheel tour back at the Pavilion. For the second course there’s a real treat in store as Angus & Julia Stone return to the Pavilion supported by Norwegian artist, Moddi. Angus & Julia Stone sound as beautiful as they look and will melt your heart with folk voices which are as authentic as they are enchanting. With millions of hits on Youtube, their music speaks for itself and with a profile that’s rapidly on the rise across Europe with hits like Big Jet Plane - a monster radio success in France. Plus they have a big wooden chest full of brilliant songs including Mango Tree, Silver Coin, Yellow Brick Road and it’s hard not to fall in love with the tiny elephant that walks along the neck of Angus’ guitar in the video to Just a Boy. No surprise then they sold out the Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London earlier this year and play the Royal Festival Hall the night before Falmouth. If that wasn’t enough for Friday night, ‘quietly intense’ acousticfolk artist, Moddi will be supporting the Stones (no not the rolling ones, pay attention). Scandinavia has produced some fabulously quirky acts over the years and the relatively unknown, Moddi has all the ingredients to become a huge star. With his smouldering strings and haunting Norwegian-accented voice, he’ll be performing songs including the stunning Magpie Eyes. Finishing off this music box extravaganza, we’ll see Nerina Pallot performing songs from her latest album, The Graduate as well as music from her back catalogue.
LIVE MUSIC, DRAMA + ENTERTAINMENT Saturday 4 December
Ruarri Joseph Shoulder to the Wheel Tour Friday 10 December
New album Down the Way Supported by Norwegian folk artist, Moddi
Saturday 11 December
NERINA PALLOT Songs from the new album, The Graduate
PRINCESS PAVILION FALMOUTH TR11 4AR Tickets for all shows: 01326 211222
+ www.princesspavilion.co.uk + www.hallforcornwall.co.uk / 01872 262466 + www.seetickets.com / 0871 2200260 Princess Pavilion is on Facebook. Join our fan page to receive regular news and make sure you don’t miss out on hot gigs
Fresh from song writing successes with Kylie Minogue and Diana Vickers, Nerina is probably one of the best exponents of quirky, catchy stay-in-your-head pop songs. There’s also a country/rock feel similar to Sheryl Crow to some of her older songs. Nerina charts seeing Kate Bush performing on television as the catalyst to her own platinum-selling music career. And she has since progressed to enjoy success with songs like, Everybody’s Gone to War and Sophia and has been nominated for both a BRIT award and an Ivor Novello. Well there you have it one week of fall-in-love with somebody, something, everything music. Don’t say we didn’t warn you. And one last thing music-lovers please join the Princess Pavilion Facebook fan page for updates on gigs and tickets.
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FEATURES
American Midterms: USA SWINGS RIGHT Following on from last issue, Nicholas Barrett details the aftermath of a very bad night for the democrats.
The morning after America rejected the Obama administration in the midterm elections a humble president stated that: “…we were in such a hurry to get things done that we didn’t change how things got done”. That quote encapsulated that nationwide apathy that saw his base stay at home. Gone were the passionate crowds holding the “change we can believe in” signs. Jobs had been too slow to materialise and economic growth too slow to be appreciated. So in an election with foreclosures at the top of the agenda Obama, like many so many Americans before him, lost the house. If you’ve been following politics across the pond then you will know why Obama’s popularity had declined. He compromised with Republicans on the big issues and failed to promote his achievements and live up to the hype of his 2008 campaign. The media has done a good job of covering this so all that’s left to ask is what will happen next? The future is of course impossible to predict but if history is any indication the parallels of the Clinton administration are worth looking into. In 1992 Bill Clinton ran on a platform of government reform. He promised to change the healthcare system, create jobs and lower taxes on the middle class. However two weeks prior to Clinton’s inauguration he was visited
by leading economists who told him that his reforms were impossible. George Bush Sr. had left the nation almost $300billion in debt and if Clinton wanted to borrow any more it would panic the markets and lead the crisis. If he wanted to pay for the reforms he had promised he would have to abandon his tax cuts for the middle classes. When Clinton faced up to the midterms in 1994 the middle classes who had voted for him felt betrayed and switched sides, the republicans won both houses in a landslide. Having lost both houses Clinton was now unable to make progress with the reform he wanted despite sacrificing the tax cuts to pay for them, not only had he lost his support but he had also lost the power to win them back. Now does that sound at all familiar? Instead of pursuing the reform he had promised Clinton became a populist, to save his presidency he hired marketing companies to phone thousands of households across America and asked what they would like from government. His political ideals were shelved and he pandered to the desires of swing voters. Computer chips in TVs would stop children from watching pornography and school buses would have mobile phones onboard but healthcare was dropped. Bill Clinton went on to govern for another six years but he did so at
the expense of his ideology. So are Obama’s ambitions of real change dead? Can he win in 2012 without selling out his principles? Yes he can. If you want to know how then you have to look back not to 1996 but to 1936 and do administration of Franklin D Roosevelt. In 2010 the Republican Party has been allowed to frame the debate, the talking point is how big the government should be. If Obama attempts to sell himself as a man of small government he will further alienate his base and gain almost no support, and if he tries to go the other way the Republican will filibuster him. Basically he can’t win. What do you think of the GOP successes in the States? Join the debate, @flexfeatures
If you’re not religIous, For god’s sake say so With the 2011 UK Census approaching, Claire Shaw hails the importance of an honest answer on religion.
When approached with the question: ‘What is you’re religion?’ What is your instinctive answer? This simple question has provoked a national public awareness campaign to ensure the nation answer this question correctly in the 2011 Census in March. The implications of an individual’s answer are greater than one may expect, as the data collected will determine how the government’s and tax payer’s money is spent. The Census Campaign encourages people to tick the ‘no religion’ box in the 2011 Census, in the aim of challenging religious privilege in Britain. The campaign claims that ‘the Census cuts the number of non-religious people in half, [and] also inflates the number of religious people, especially the number of “Christians” in the UK’. The British Humanist Association launched this campaign in order to target the people who tick the ‘Christian’ box regardless of admitting to not actually practising their religion. This result was further displayed in other accurate surveys which produced shocking statistics, proclaiming that only 6.3% of the population attended church, despite the results from the 2001 Census confirming 72% of the population to be ‘Christian’. Over the last 10 years, public figures have shown the majority of people in Britain are religious, which in theory justifies the money from the government and taxpayers being spent on: An increase in faith schools Public funding of religious groups Keeping Bishops in the House of Lords as of right The continuation of compulsory worship schools An increase in religious broadcasting However, when the British Social Attitudes survey was carried out in 2010, results confirmed that a staggering 43% of the population were ‘happy to self-identify as non-religious’ and that ‘an even higher number of people do not describe themselves as religious’ leaving only a small minority of people claiming they attended church regularly. Therefore, one is forced to question the reliance on this Census and the way Britons identify themselves. Through ticking the
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‘Christian’ box, one is contributing to important data which may disadvantage non-religious people, through the unequal allocation of resources to those perceived to be religious. It is important to recognise that the public funding of religious groups goes towards promoting their faith and funding for their own sect’s faith schools. An overwhelming 80% of the primary school system is controlled by The Church of England, yet only 2% of the actual number it represents, weekly attend its churches. The wider picture presents a huge problem, where state schools are being closed down due to the lack of funding, as more and more religious schools soak up the public’s money. Is this not discriminating against those who are not religious? An ICM opinion poll revealed that 59% of people believed that school should be for everyone, regardless of religion, which in theory should place faith schools in the minority.
An overwhelming 80% of the primary school system is controlled by The Church of England,
In the 2001 Census, 37.3m people stated their religion as Christian, compared to approximately 13m (22.9%) who either did not want to answer the question or were non-believers. This is a significant percentage of people who claim to be religious, yet the figures do not match up when comparing with the amount of people who regularly attending church. The question: ‘What is your religion?’ on the Census has been ridiculed by many stating that the Census encourages people to claim a religious affiliation without actually acknowledging if they believe or even practice it. There are also concerns about the placement of the question being straight after the series of questions on ethnicity, which may encourage people to base their answer on their race or culture rather than their actual belief. What is worrying are the 390,127 people who participated in the
2001 Census, stating ‘Jedi knight’ as the answer to what their religious affiliation may be, actually forming a larger group than many of the ‘main religions’ such as Buddhism and Sikhism. Does this reflect a society that is politically unaware of the further implications their answer has on the way data is used? This statistic reflects a society who dismissed the question as one being of significant importance, and this is what needs to change. Before writing your answer, consider the financial consequences your response will have on the way Britain is funded, and whether you are happy for your money to be used in this way. Whether you have previously attended a religious school or annually attend midnight mass, it is important to question whether you actively practice and believe in a religion. Society has the power to control how and where the government spends our money. Which box will you tick? Let us know @flexfeatures Image Courtesy of KateMonkey/Flickr
features@flexnews.co.uk
28 DAYS LATER: THE NEW PROBLEMS FACED BY THE 33 Following on from one of the most remarkable rescues in living memory, Kimberly Tomlinson reflects on the rigours of the operation, and the struggles facing the new international celerities.
Image credited to Hugo Infante/Government of Chile http://www.flickr.com/photos/rescatemineros
The account reads like the storyline of a Hollywood film: a group of miners trapped two thousand feet underground, faced with almost seventy days of survival in the hope of rescue. What began as a normal working day for those now known as the ‘thirty three’ ended with disaster as the copper and gold mine they worked within suffered two collapses, blocking their exit routes and entombing them inside, enclosed by granite, almost half a mile below the surface. It’s the story of ordinary men facing an extraordinary ordeal, and the efforts of those who worked twenty four hours a day to reach them. Almost a month on from the rescue of the 33 miners of the San Jose mine, and the story that could have been an unshakeable tragedy has proved to warm hearts and minds everywhere. Its trials and tribulations have been felt not only by those who moved their lives to Camp Esperanza, otherwise known as Camp Hope, in support of their loved ones, but also within the country of Chile and indeed around the world. The event had an unbelievably resounding effect internationally, with numerous press groups and correspondents travelling to the barren landscape of the Atacama Desert to report upon the rescue of the thirty three men, ages ranging from nineteen to sixty four, after their sixty nine day ordeal underground. After surviving for seventeen days on rations the miners were discovered with the simplest of notes attached to a rescue probe, reading: “Estamos bien en el refugio los 33” meaning “All 33 of us are well inside the shelter.” This news sent jubilation to those friends and family who had waited over two weeks for news of their loved ones. What followed was truly one of the most difficult rescue missions to date, requiring drilling through 2300 feet of granite rock for to reach them. Once provisions of food and fresh water had been sent down and communication established with the miners, the operation to reach them with effective means of rescue began.
The drilling operation involving three different drill sets began on day twenty six of the miner’s time underground. Five weeks later, on day sixty five, the raise-bore system reached the miners first, enabling rescuers to break through to the miners and widen the shaft. Four days later, after the first section of the mine had been stabilised and the winch and pulley operated capsule tested, the first rescuer went down into the mine to reach the men. At three in the morning of Wednesday October 13th the first miner, Florencio Avalus, returned to the surface, sparking scenes of wild jubilation.
“I personally want to ask you to have a lot of patience with us”
By any measure, this was an extraordinary feat. In order to ensure their sustained health and morale both those inside the mine and those above ground had to work unforgiving hours and overcome the extreme difficulties that such a rescue operation poses. But in addition to this the loved ones of those trapped add to this incredible story in their unshakeable support and devotion. Following the accident friends and families of those within the mine congregated at the area at the surface soon to be known as Camp Hope, in an effort to be close to their husbands, sons, fathers and friends. Described as a ‘village’, this camp made up of tents and marquees sought to support those trapped below and for two months was home for those such as Alfonso Avalos, whose two sons Florencio and Rosen were among the thirty three trapped in the mine. Banners and flags riddled the camp with photos of the miners and words of hope and promise, the overall message to those trapped below being, as the BBC’s Tim Willcox described, ‘you may be underground but you will never be defeated’.
Aside from the enormous challenge involved in the drilling of the three shafts, smaller but still crucial efforts were made to upkeep the morale of those inside the mine and make their ordeal as painless as it could be. Communication allowing relatives to see those trapped below and weekly eight minute video links gave families a chance to see each other again. Small comforts such as camp beds, electric lamps and cigarettes were sent down to the men, despite the rescuers best attempts to wean them onto nicotine patches (in hindsight perhaps not the best time for cold turkey). Perhaps one of the more sentimental feats was the transportation of a projector down the shaft to the men in time for them to watch their national football team play against Ukraine in a friendly match on the 8th of September. Via a fibre optic cable the miners were able to follow their country’s game on a 50 inch projection against an underground wall, and were seen to be singing along to the Chilean national anthem by their relatives at the surface within the camp. Luck was yet again against the miners as Chile in fact lost 2-1, nonetheless this simple but poignant act highlights the amazing human effort made in supporting these men during their horrific experience. So now, as the miners move on from their ordeal the question is how do these men return to reality? With film proposals, interviews and the attention of worldwide media battling down upon them the thirty three are the focus of the international camera lens, and despite the immense support of their families and indeed of each other they face enormous pressure to tell their story. One of the miners, Mario Sepulvelda, emphasises this in his appeal to the press stating “I personally want to ask you to have a lot of patience with us”, a fair request it would seem after more than two months spent entombed half a mile below their family and friends. One hopes that, after reaching the fresh air and space of the Atacama Desert surface only a month ago, these men are not enclosed once again by the attention that inevitably accompanies celebrity status.
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FEATURES
WE’RE GUNNA NEED A BIGGER SOFA Sarah Louise Stevenson talks to four of the five men behind Small Sofa – Jake Wright, Ollie Ramsey, Simon O’Neill and Tom Bull (Sam Lynas couldn’t make it) – about the unique Falmouth-based business. The four young men are clearly passionate about what they do; it is evident they have invested copious amounts of time, energy and effort into the project. Wearing beaming smiles and, ironically, sitting on small sofas in the Stannary, they talk of how Small Sofa came to be, what they are working on, and how they’re looking to the future.
J: At the moment we’re not making a profit. O: If anything we’re losing money! S: It’s just nice having people coming to student nights with other students, where there is a nice atmosphere about music and events. It’s all about a lot of students with similar interests coming together. J: And widening that alternative from what’s already out there.
So tell me, what is Small Sofa? Simon: We’re a group of students who have been putting on events in Falmouth for just over a year. We started in the Upper Stannary with the NASA party, which was a good success, and we’ve just done Hallowe’en here too, which was great as well. How did Small Sofa start? Ollie: I’m a newbie. Jake: We just signed him. S: Yeah, it was just we three – Jake, Simon and Tom, and Sam, who couldn’t be here today – to begin with. J: Simon has taken the bull by the horns. When he first came down here he was DJ-ing at Shades. We were chatting last year and thinking that to start up something like this would be a good idea. At the time there wasn’t really anything else like this. We knew a lot of people in our year and we thought promotionally it would be quite easy to get people to attend events. Do you run alongside other organisations, like the FXU, instead of them, or do you collaborate? S: We’re completely separate to the FXU. We’re not trying to compete with them. Tom: The FXU is useful to us. They’ve asked us to do stuff for them, like the NASA party and the Jungle party, so it’s half and half. O: Recently it seems that the ball is rolling a lot quicker; there are so many great events – Durty Disco, DubstepCornwall; there’s all sorts of events going on.
Would you say that Small Sofa is alternative? J: I wouldn’t say alternative. It’s about the people we know, what we hear from people, and what we think they want; we don’t think those kind of nights have existed before. So we’re trying to cater for that audience based on what we’ve heard from people. O: It’s difficult in this industry to define alternative. If we were completely different it would be difficult to be successful. Our ideas come from what we think will suit people here in Falmouth. If it were to move we would adapt ourselves to a different place. If we were in London, for example, the themes we come up with down here wouldn’t work, on the whole. J: If we could bring it to a bigger city, we wouldn’t go in halfheartedly; we would go all the way with it. Is that something you want to do? S: We’ve talked about it a little bit. T: It’s more of a pipeline dream at the moment I think. J: The thing about Cornwall is that it’s such a good testing ground to try things like this. S: We [Tom, Jake and Simon] are third years, so we’re going to be thinking about moving away and getting jobs, so at the moment the idea of what we’re going to do in the future is very fluid. Can you sum up the ethos of Small Sofa in a sentence? Stunned silence. You can have four sentences if you like; a sentence each.
What are you working on at the moment? S: We’re DJ-ing at the charity event on Tuesday at Mango Tango’s for Alzheimer’s – Memories Matter – and at the end of this month we’re doing a free event at Underground called Willy Nilly’s. Why ‘Small Sofa’, as a name? O: That’s got to come from the oldies. S: Well, obviously we needed a name to go with our brand. T: Our old flat was tiny, and the sofas in there were really small, so it seemed like a natural thing. J: So when we chatting through ideas we were all perched on this tiny sofa and Tom said, “I think we’re gunna need a bigger sofa,” which became our tagline. So we thought, why not call ourselves Small Sofa? Is Small Sofa profit-centred, or is it more for fun? T: Obviously we need to generate turnover to put on the events. O: You need a business head. S: We need the money to run the events; we’re not doing it so that at the end of a gig we can say that we’ve all got £300 each. The money that we generate goes into Small Sofa’s bank account, which then goes towards the next DJs or event or flyers or t-shirts, or whatever we need.
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T: Don’t do that to us; we’re not that creative! O: From my perspective, I don’t know if this would be the same as everyone else – hopefully it will! – and I won’t be able to do this in a sentence, but we always chuck the phrase ‘clean-cut’ around, because that’s really what we want to achieve, with our promoting, flyers, posters, and the event itself. Just a really nice, fresh, tight, clean night, with good house tunes; people can turn up, have a good time and a few drinks. J: I wouldn’t say bringing class to these events, more like a good festival vibe. Rather than going to a place where you may get
in a fight, we want people to be hanging out with their friends, having a good time, with good music. S: I think the reason why it works is because it so neutral. So many nights are orientated around a culture and a style, but with us everything is really neutral and you can take it from any angle. T: We want to bring people together - our mates, mates of mates, everyone – just having a good time. I think that’s probably the biggest thing for us, to make sure that with whatever we’re doing we’re getting groups of people who appreciate what we’re trying to achieve. Do you each have individual roles, or do all work as a group on projects, and Small Sofa as a whole? S: We all know people and we all have PR skills so it’s more that together we bounce ideas around, rather than creating a structure. T: We’re all a good bunch of mates, so that’s helped in what we want to do and where we’re trying to take it. J: Everyone has a key part to play. There may not be specific roles but we all get together in terms of ideas. Everyone can promote, everyone can write a press release or whatever is needed. O: I’m quite happy, being a newbie, as I love the DJ-ing side of it, and playing with Simon. T: … DJ-ing, nothing funny though. O: I like to contribute wherever I can, but I’ll hopefully be up there playing. Do you want to do your own nights, or collaborate more? T: What we’re trying to do at the moment with Underground is see if it works really. So we can see if it’s successful, and if they’re happy with the idea that we’ve come up with. J: We’ve been talking to one of the girls who helped to re-open the Poly and discussing the potential of putting on some events in their bar upstairs. We’re just seeing how it all goes because we’re still very new and we don’t think we’re above our station. In the future we’ll look back on these years and just be glad that we did something like this, even if the end just comes at the end of the year. How big is your furniture? Have you ever started a promotions company based largely around the dimensions of your décor? Let us know! @flexfeatures
features@flexnews.co.uk
YOURS IN COCONUT FLAPJACK Just what are the dos and don’ts when it comes to emailing? Richard Shepherd delves into the confusing world of web etiquette.
“Dear Margo, Just writing to let you know that your chickens have escaped their hutch again and are pecking my radishes to pieces. I don’t wish to cause offence but this is the second time this week and my vegetable patch looks like the Battle of the Somme. Harold is out there now with the rake but your chickens are tenacious little creatures and they won’t leave off. Please sort them out you haggard old witch. Yours in neighbourly disagreement, Susanne.” What is Susanne thinking? You can’t sign off an email like that. I know the chicken thing must be frustrating but really, it’s social suicide. Susanne won’t ever be able to hang her washing out again for fear of being pelted by an over ripe pumpkin from over the garden fence. Showing her relatives the newly laid rockery will almost certainly end up with Susanne hurling herself in front of her Uncle Gary’s newlywed daughter, Debbie, screaming: “Taaaaake cover.” The e-offence is sure to provoke. It’s fascinating what impact the ‘signature’ on your emails can have on your recipients. Of course my Susanne/Margo face off is fictional but in everyday life working out how to lay out an email, what sort of language to use and crucially how to ‘sign off ’ it seems the rules have yet to be written. Since January this year I have received 3015 emails and sent 1863. Each one has a unique make up of paragraphs and signatures. Some begin ‘Hi’ others ‘Dear’ and occasionally the writer doesn’t bother saying hello at all. Rather they get straight in there with ‘Richard, what the fudge is going on.’ This often means I’m in trouble. Sign offs are equally as random. ‘My thanks’, ‘Kind Regards’, ‘Cheers’, ‘All the best’, ‘Take Care’, ‘Best Wishes’, Don’t eat all of it at once’. The variety is staggering and what is perhaps more staggering is the time I find myself agonising over which sign off to use. Working out what my sign off says about me. It used to be easy of course. Dear Sir/Madam. Address in the top left hand corner. Sign off with ‘Yours Faithfully’ or, if you started ‘Dear Insert Name’, finish with: ‘Yours Sincerely’. The rules for formal letters set out with red brick authority. With emails though, it’s not so clear. The social-networking, email-reliant, wireless-internet-glugging professional of today may not have such a clear set of rules to follow. Do they teach email writing in schools? I bet they teach letter writing, but emails are the future so you see the problem… Friends are easy. They usually go with whatever in emails and take little offence either way: “Hey Sam, my guinea pig needs his exercise ball back, is your gerbil finished with it yet? See you in the pet studies lecture later, cheers, Fred.” Or: “Seville, get your backend over here for the party of the century right now. Alapeesha’s says you suck if you don’t. WOooowOWOoo Beatch. Chaz.x.” Or even: “Tod, I think cricket is off tonight old chap, sorry to disappoint. I know you’d just finished polishing your balls but they’ll be alright for the Yorkshire match? See you next week old fruit, Brimbles…”
Your lecturers require a different tack perhaps, something more formal: “Hi Tim, Having trouble with this essay, can’t seem to put pen to paper if you know what I mean. Would you mind meeting me to discuss? My thanks in advance, Harry.” But ‘Hi’ isn’t formal, is it? Yet every email I’ve ever sent to someone of a higher authority than myself has started with ‘Hi’ and come back with ‘Hi’ at the top. Perhaps ‘Hi’ is the new ‘Dear’. In May 2009 the Radicati group (a technology market research firm) released an email statistics report that estimated: “Worldwide email traffic will total 247 billion messages per day in 2009. By 2013, this figure will almost double to 507 billion messages per day.” Imagine an inbox with 507 billion messages in … actually don’t. The point is emails are quick, disposable and efficient and are favoured by busy people for their immediate effect. Press send and it’s gone. People abbreviate, write one line messages, often less. Sometimes you get cool guys who just go with the first letter of their name at the end of their email as if typing the whole thing is somehow unnecessary. Perhaps with such a staggering amount of email traffic floating about in wires under the street and in wireless above our heads no one has had a chance to pin down just what an email should look like. Then there are the seriously cool, I mean ice cold, dudes of the online community that like to put little quotes and animations on their emails. If ever there was such a thing as streetcred there is certainly such a thing as emailcred. Check out these funky bopping cartoon heads and waste some more of my time. I’ll tell you what to waste: waste trees and print out six copies of this message to flutter importantly around the classroom. Just leave me alone! When a telecoms company write to you with details of your next water bill, or Truro Crown Court invites you up for jury duty you don’t get a little quote along the bottom of the page that reads “Point the finger, lock up a minger.” Or “Download free telecommunications emoticons. Now.” At least I don’t think you do… It’s a minefield of communication protocol and it is only going to get more interesting.
By 2014 the Radicati group reckon that there will be 3.4 billion instant messaging accounts registered worldwide
which shows a: “Strong growth of Instant Messaging.” A somewhat obvious observation certainly but it is true. Instant messaging is yet another forum for discussion. I know ‘Cheersen mooseface’ works for my mate Dave when we’re instant messaging and I know that ‘Heya Megan, hows things?xx:-p’ works when I need to ask Megan what’s mystic in her ball this week on Facebook but quite how I would ‘IM’ a colleague or tweet my boss I’m unsure. I have, however, decided to stop struggling with what to put at the beginning and what to put at the end of my emails, instant messages, tweets and texts. With all the billions of
emails we send we are the internet generation and therefore pioneers in the field of electronic communication making up our own rules. Experimentation is taking place. I use a completely different sign off from one contact to the next depending on their personality and it seems you just have to try things until you find one that fits the bill. Females tend, in my experience, to favour ‘best wishes’ while the chaps go for ‘cheers’ and ‘all the best’. We are making up the rules - if rules are what we want - as we go along. One piece of golden advice, however, that I will impart to you now, and hopefully contribute to the continued research, that we are continually doing, into what exactly is best to put on the end of an email, is exactly how not to sign off an internet based message: “Hope to hear from you soon, Yours in Coconut Flapjack, Richard.” This sweet treat orientated signoff did not illicit a response although I did once receive an email that read thus: “Yours Cardboard Boxically, Mark” Now I quite like Mark but I’m not sure what to think now! Well, we learn by our mistakes don’t we? Mark and I are perhaps adventurers into uncharted territory. Treading where no email writer has trodden before and, in this search for the answer, you are bound to come back frostbitten and disheartened if what you found does not
seem to be the righteous way forward. We should continue our venture back out into the cold ether, ever fearful of not knowing and one day maybe we will work out just how to sign off an email… Tread carefully guardians of future internet etiquette, Magnificent and musingly yours forever in quiet fluorescent mittens, Richard. What’s the best/worst piece of emailing you’ve come across? Let us know now @flexfeatures. Yours festeringly, Mark and Sarah
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reviews
FILM THE SOCIAL NETWORK Text Charlie Dale Despite what the posters and trailers might suggest, The Social Network is so much more than ‘Facebook: The Movie’. It is, instead, both a creation myth for the digital world in which we find ourselves – liberated or trapped, depending on your worldview – and a powerfully human drama about disaffection, ambition, friendship, and rebellion. The trials and tribulations of Mark Zuckerberg, (arguable) founder of Facebook and the world’s youngest billionaire, have been well-documented elsewhere. It will suffice to say here that the film charts the protracted genesis of Facebook, the accusations that Zuckerberg stole the idea for the site from fellow Harvard students, and the resultant legal battle in which he was sued for implausibly large sums of money by both his best friend and a set of Olympic rower twins. Facebook is not, however, the principal concern here. Aaron’s Sorkin’s fantastically cerebral script instead deconstructs the human condition in the digital era and lays bare the isolation born from the migration from real life to online life with a wry, dark humour. Under David Fincher’s direction, the pithy dialogue is delivered at breakneck speed from start to finish. The rapid cuts between time periods - from Zuckerberg’s dorm room in 2003 to two separate 2007 cases brought against him and back reflect the fleeting attention spans that Facebook has supposedly caused us to develop . That aside, in purely dramatic terms, the
unrelenting pace of the film is such that even computer code becomes exciting. The incredible writing and direction are, thankfully, complemented by some spectacular performances. Jesse Eisenberg portrays Zuckerberg as an utterly lonely young man whose creation is born out of a contemptuous assessment of human nature rather than a desire to bring people together. Justin Timberlake’s turn as Napster founder Sean Parker is equally complex, segueing between anarchic cool and narcissism. Zuckerberg’s identical nemeses, the Winklevoss twins, played by a single actor thanks to the use of technology adapted from ...Benjamin Button, are the antitheses of Zuckerberg and Parker. Seemingly born into not only privilege but also popularity and acceptance, they symbolise the patriarchal, conservative side of Harvard culture which Zuckerberg hates for alienating him but desires nothing more than to be a part of. Morally ambivalent, absorbing, and compelling, The Social Network certainly ranks among the best of Fincher’s films. The irony that something that, according to its homepage, ‘helps you connect and share with the people in your life’ leaves us isolated and divided is in the foreground throughout, but is shown most poignantly in a simultaneously tender and tragicomic final shot that will undoubtedly be familiar to just about anyone.
EAT, PRAY, LOVE Text Chloë Young Personally speaking, I expected somewhat more from this film. Acquiring a legendary status back in 1999 when Roberts starred as Erin Brockovich, I think her fans would be expecting an equally outstanding performance. Don’t get me wrong, Eat Pray Love is a beautifully filmed adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir; however it seems to be lacking the meat and emotional depth of the novel, securing it a place among her other substandard roles. Co-written and directed by Ryan Murphy, the film follows Liz Gilbert (Roberts) as she embarks on a spiritual and emotional (if a little typical) path of self-realisation. Beginning in New York, feeling as though she has hit a brick wall in the wake of this ‘mid-life crisis’-she leaves America to find who she really is. Her voyage of self-discovery takes her initially to Italy, where learning to appreciate real food she adapts to the lifestyle, allowing herself the luxury of being able to savour a moment. Next stop India, where she spends what seems like an eternity (to those having paid £7.50 to watch this at the cinema) trying to gain some sense of wellness from prayer. Seeming highly false – seeing as there is no impression made in the rest of the film that she is at all religious, I began to feel Gilbert was just following through a mid-
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life crisis typecast. Finallly reaching the final section of the film, Liz journeys to Bali where she finds what I think we are meant to look upon as true love, in Felipe (Javier Bardem) and herself. This again, seems slightly strained. At no real instant could I pinpoint and think of as the climax of the film. So although Gilbert sets out to determine whether there is more to her than just a wife, lover, writer or friend (and she supposedly does discover this), there is no exact point where I could identify the transformation. I found Liz Gilbert a difficult character to warm to; her self-absorbed attitude and fairly callous disregard for her husband left me cold. I think if her character is supposed to encompass the traits of a modern woman role model, then Murphy has done injustice to Gilbert’s novel, as Roberts plays the role as a slightly superior and overly moneyed spoilt woman who feels that she is owed more than she deserves. Other than the annoyance the character of Gilbert brought to my viewing, I thoroughly enjoyed the two hours I spent watching Eat Pray Love. The spectacular cinematography and general aesthetic pleasure the film gave at least partially made up for the lack of depth and the superficiality of the lead character. Worth seeing, but perhaps more as Saturday night DVD material rather than a cinema epic.
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TV THE WALKING DEAD Text Paul Weedon Given the recent slew of second-rate straight-to-DVD films and the innumerate video games that have been popping up recently, it’s fair to say that the undead have had something of a resurgence of late. But given the zombie genre’s extensive heritage on the big screen it’s something of a surprise that it’s taken nearly fifty years for an American network to cotton on to the idea that a TV series was going to work. After all, aside from Charlie Brooker’s superb Dead Set, broadcast on Channel 4 back in 2008, zombies have had virtually no presence on the small screen until now, but thankfully that’s where AMC have stepped in, and now that’s all about to change. Overseen by The Shawshank Redemption director Frank Darabont and based on Robert Kirkman’s graphic novel of the same name, The Walking Dead chronicles the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse, following a small band of survivors, lead by Sheriff Rick Grimes (England’s very own Andrew Lincoln), across a decimated America in search of survival. As the group makes their way across America, Rick continues to search for his wife and son, but as the chances of survival grow less and less and the situation continues to worsen, the survivors are forced to make some devastating decisions. Taking more than a few cues from the likes of 28 Days Later and George A. Romero’s early offerings, everything about Darabont’s adaptation reeks of quality. From frequent Romero collaborator Gregory Nicotero’s superb special effects to the dark, brooding atmosphere and its impressive casting which favours lesser-known character actors, the show more than delivers on standard genre content, with shocks and gore aplenty. The first two episodes alone have proven themselves infinitely more compelling than Romero’s recent cinematic efforts, which come as a damning indictment for
the man responsible for kick-starting the genre in the first place. Nevertheless, it’s hugely refreshing to see the project helmed by someone who clearly has an enormous amount of affection for the source material, not least because Darabont relishes the opportunity to embrace the horror genre as evidenced by 2007’s exceptional The Mist. Whilst the show may be constrained somewhat by the limitations of television, The Walking Dead’s scope is easily on a par with any of the recent
great American TV successes you’d care to list, and that’s thanks in large part to its cinematic aspirations and a downright jaw-dropping level of polish paralleled only by Hollywood. In short, The Walking Dead isn’t just the TV series the zombie genre has deserved for nearly half a century, it’s the best thing to have happened to the genre since Romero’s original Dawn of the Dead. And that’s very high praise indeed.
THE TRIP Text Stan Denning For the first time since 2006’s A Cock and Bull Story Steve Coogan has teamed up with his occasional collaborators Rob Brydon and Michael Winterbottom. Surprisingly for such a well known and respected trio (and much to my annoyance, as a vocal proponent of their relatively little-known previous effort) this completely passed under my radar until about half an hour ago when I stumbled upon the first two episodes on BBC iPlayer. Maybe it’s because I don’t watch television (which perhaps I shouldn’t be admitting whilst writing as a TV critic) or maybe because no blogs I frequent really cover British media happenings. Rather than drum up as much hype as possible before the release of a new programme, as they do in America, the Beeb tends to relegate news of in-development shows to a footnote in the back of the Radio Times. Really though, whatever the reason is it’s not important, because now I’ve found it, and it’s good. Really good. The premise falls close to A Cock and Bull Story, although without such a heavy dose of postmodernist meta-narrative. It plays out like Curb your Enthusiasm crossed with a rainy weekend in the lake district, with both leads playing versions of themselves nearly identical to their characters in their previous collaboration. The story goes that Steve is commissioned by The Observer to do a tour of several restaurants, reviewing them as he goes. Originally
planning on taking his ‘competent foodie’ girlfriend, his plans are thrown into disarray when she moves back to America. After trying some other friends and colleagues Steve recruits Rob, and they end up driving the length and breadth of the country, whilst blithely attempting to apply critique to a subject about which they know next to nothing. It’s the chemistry between the two actors that makes this programme special. Rob Brydon plays his usual naïve, yet charming Welshman, whilst Steve Coogan returns to his sardonic, grumpy, put-upon persona. One scene that seemed to go on for around ten (hilarious) minutes pretty much just dealt with the two comparing impressions of Michael Caine, Coogan’s character barely masking his contempt at Brydon’s whilst getting thoroughly put in his place, then relishing in his superior Anthony Hopkins. I rarely watch something for the first time without having heard or read a little bit about it, and Coogan is unfortunately by no means a reliable indicator of quality these days, but after checking out the credits I couldn’t resist giving it a go, hoping for some more great moments of chemistry between Coogan and Brydon, coupled with Winterbottom’s low-key, yet gloriously well-honed direction, and I was not disappointed. Anyway, check it out.
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BOOKS
reviews
WHITE NOISE Don Delillo Text Zoë Hazel Thomas For a novel that deals almost entirely with death, Delillo’s White Noise is an immensely uplifting read. Refreshingly honest, Delillo’s humour cleverly highlights the absurdity of late twentieth century America in a maelstrom of junkfood, supermarkets and airborne toxic events. With such beautiful diction, Delillo entices the reader into the dark recesses of main character Jack Gladney’s thoughts, where life is the slow process of dying and existence is a simulation, constructed through layers of representation. Perhaps on the surface, White Noise reeks of post-modern smugness: a self-consciously hyperbolic self-evaluation of the futility of modern existence where words are hyphenated, everything is ‘ironic’ and the reader is made to feel unworthy of such ‘deep’ and ‘meaningful’ ideas. Thankfully Delillo manages to touch upon specialist critical theories without alienating the general reader. White Noise remains an entertaining text in its own right, and the reader is not required to be the next Baudrillard to enjoy it to its full and flourishing potential. The narrative follows Jack, Professor of Hitler studies, as he questions the meaning of life and the inevitability of death with his wife Babette and colleague Murray. Interspersed throughout the
narrative, Delillo presents the idea of a ‘steady stream of traffic’, whether in the form of the voices from the TV echoing through the house, or the sounds of the cars in the distance impinging on Jack’s sleep. It represents a consumerist world, constantly active and present but simultaneously distant and detached; background noise that subconsciously influences decisions. Here Delillo raises some interesting questions regarding the effects of television. For example, the Gladney family have a partiality for the ‘disaster channel’, a programme broadcasting images of large-scale natural disasters for the pure enjoyment of American families as they sprawl on sofas eating take-away. Here death becomes mere entertainment: the glass of the screen separating them from the truth of what they’re really watching. When real disaster hits the town, there is a sense of that same careless detachment, a sense that no-one really believes anything is happening. The children watch through the car window as a colossal cloud of toxic gas approaches the town, just as they might watch a TV screen. Does our exposure to television dilute ‘reality’? Have we reached a stage where reality and simulation are so intertwined they are indistinguishable? This is but a fragment of Delillo’s complex yet
ANGELA’S ASHES Frank McCourt Text Alex Blakeman This book is quite old now. It must have been at least seven years since I have read it cover to cover. The narrative stays on with me, which is why I decided to review it for the newspaper. New books are great and all but they aren’t the only ones worth reviewing. Sometimes an oldie is most definitely a ‘goodie’. ‘Angela’s Ashes’ is a memoir, written by Frank McCourt, about his childhood in Limerick during the troubles of the 1930s/40s.There is no doubt that the novel is uncomfortably poignant at times. Frank’s infected ‘burning’ eyes, Malachy’s destructive alcoholism and Angela’s super-human tolerance, all come together to make this story of human endurance and survival under the most desperate circumstances. I always remember the line from the first page, ‘It was, of course, a miserable childhood: the happy childhood is hardly worth your while’. Despite the apparent bleak outlook, McCourt maintains a humble position throughout; his prose never wallows in its own self pity. McCourt was born in Brooklyn and he narrates the family’s move to Ireland at the start of his memoir. His impoverished childhood and the misery suffered by the family is largely due to a Catholic upbringing. The Catholic Church imposes on the daily sufferings
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of the McCourt family, the catechisms oppress any hope of escape that Frank might harbour. The book also describes McCourt’s sexual awakening. Surrounded by inappropriate examples of sexual relationships in his childhood, McCourt crumbles under the burden of Catholic guilt during his stage of sexual experimentation. To what extent this suffering and death is a true representation of McCourt’s life, is an insignificant question. McCourt’s evident concern about growing into his father’s likeness pervades every page. This is a narrative of intense guilt and concern over an existence that seems to lack any kind of salvation, both literal and theological. It is a weepy one. I dare anyone to read it with more than an arm’s distance between the book and the tissues. If you have seen the film, then do not be put off reading the book. In my opinion the film enshrouds the McCourt family in an inescapable blanket of despair. True, the plot is one of misery and strife but it is definitely worth a read to experience the insightful, evocative words of a man who survived and permeated his own tale of penury and hunger.
accessible investigation into life, death and consumerism. White Noise is a true a privilege to read for so many reasons, the paramount being that Delillo’s intense questioning of modern life is admirably softened by a truly hilarious edge (rendering this book unfit for reading on public transport). Post-modern it may be, but smug- it is not.
GAMES
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Fable III is surrounded in controversy as it both achieves and fails at being a good game. Followers of the Fable series will be used to the shortcomings of certain aspects and will see a repeat here. New comers have a perfect entry point though, as Fable III is easily the best so far, however, some knowledge of the past storylines helps, but is not essential in following what’s going on. The land of Albion is ruled by the Tyrant King Logan. The people are unhappy and look for new leadership in the player, who takes on the role of Logan’s younger sibling. Choosing to be either a male or female character, the player must start a revolution against his or her brother by rallying people to the cause. The game is split into two parts, the first three quarters sees the rise of the rebellion, leading to a climactic fall of the King. This isn’t much of a spoiler as the much boasted last part of the game has the player taking on the role of King or Queen. This portion of the game is a new step forward for RPGs, giving players controls over the state of their land. However, it’s not all black and white as sometimes some of the bad decisions are done for greater reasons. This is what makes Fable III’s morality system tougher than previous instalments. While players can choose to be “good”
or “evil” people, becoming a ruler can be tackled from different angles that make choices fall into the grey area of morality. The combat is simple and repetitive which can make it boring at times, however the system has improved and can result in some fun and dramatic battles. The scale of fights usually feels right until the “big battles” of the game when it doesn’t pull off the feeling of epic magnitude. Interaction with people is much more involved with the “touch system”, a way that allows players to touch other characters in the game, intensifying the feel that you are part of the world. This doesn’t always work though as sometimes bugs can cause no actual contact between the player and the character, taking away from the reality. With some great scripting, amazing voice acting (including John Cleese), moral decisions, entertaining combat and a beautiful world to explore, Fable III is perfect for new gamers as well as lovers of RPGs and fans of the series. If you’ve never picked up an RPG before, this would be a great place to start. One word of advice; play Fable III as yourself and see what sort of ruler you would be, it’s not always as easy as you think.
STAR WARS: THE FORCE UNLEASHED II PS3/ XBOX360/ PC/Wii Text ryan Cope If you weren’t a fan of the first game, then you’re sure not going to like the sequel. Star Wars the Force Unleashed filled in some of the gaps in the overall Star Wars story line, while at the same time allowing players to truly wreak havoc with the full powers of the force. It was a wonderful story with strong characters, masterful scripting, charming voice acting, gorgeous scenery and some impressive combat. The Force Unleashed II fails to live up to that standard, massively. Taking place many months after the first, the player once again takes on the role of Starkiller, the secret apprentice, as he tries to come to grips with his existence. In doing so he breaks free of Darth Vader’s (his previous master) leash and sets out on a journey to find the woman he loves, Juno Eclipse. With the help of his old Jedi mentor, General Kota, Starkiller’s path sees him travel to iconic Star Wars locations such as Dagobah and Kamino. While the story fits in with the previous game and acts as the Empire Strikes Back part of the tale, it is little more than a short expansion on the original. The Force Unleashed II feels more like an extended episode of downloadable content rather than a well thought out sequel. The story is ridiculously short and can take a mere five hours to complete. It is quick and snappy, jumping from
one thing to the next without ever really gaining depth. While Starkiller’s character evolves and grows, supporting characters like Kota and Juno have no real development whatsoever. Not to mention that there are several random cameos from the likes of Boba Fett and Yoda that, although fit the part, seem like they are out of place and were only thrown in there as an excuse to use them. The combat is just as entertaining and spectacular as before, this time however, Starkiller wields two lightsabers. The force powers have been amped up and with the exception of a few new ones, there is relatively little no change. Force Push, Lightening and grip are to name a few. The enemies are few in types and require certain tactics to beat, such as some can only be killed by a lightsaber while others by force powers. This makes the combat rather repetitive and annoying, especially since some types, that appear often, are a pain in the arse to kill. Overall, the Force Unleashed II is entertaining for a few hours of mindless button mashing but fails to really capture the player’s attention with a story that is engaging, dramatic and worthy of the Star Wars name.
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reviews
MUSIC GET CAPE. WEAR CAPE. FLY, Princess Pavilion October 8th Text Tom Murphy
At first glance, the likes of a band such as Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. playing a stage such as our humble Princess Pavilion as their landing show of the tour to support their new, self-titled album, is something indie fans surely would have lapped-up and asked for seconds. However, on the night it wasn’t as easy getting there as some might have suspected. First up to face the crowd was Josie and The Lovecats. Spouting their ‘Blondie-meets-Courtney Love’ attitude rock, they battled with a half-empty, but slowly filling hall, trying to get everyone in the gig-mood. Kudos to them though - they gave it a good go. But it seems their particular style was not what ticket holders came to see. Although those who paid attention found the band’s own enjoyment in their music, (and it doesn’t hurt to have a few singa-long choruses too), pretty infectious. Their successors, Tellison, are a band of some anonymity but, based on this performance, are heading for bigger things. They made light work where Josie and The Lovecats fell down. Clad in what seemed to be Futurehead hand-me-downs, thankfully
the same could not be said of their music. With clever hooks and intelligent lyrics, Tellison pulled the crowd away from the bar and onto their feet. Backed-up with technical skill and a spillage of originality, this is a band everyone needs to hear. When Get Cape’s front-man Sam Duckworth walked out on stage, (sporting so many different coloured clothes he gave the lighting a run for its money), the party really got going. They raced through new songs such as ‘Collapsing Cities’ and ‘The Plot’ with all the confidence of older classics, such as ‘Glasshouses’. A short interval where Duckworth gave a rousing speech of his anger towards the BNP not only served as a powerful rhetoric but gave the crowd a chance to catch their breath before jumping, and at one point moshing again for another solid 40-minute stint. The absence of their biggest hit ‘War of the Worlds’ did not take away from a night where Get Cape were kings, leaving a stream of checkered-shirted-indie-goers soaked in sweat ; Proof enough that they didn’t just fly tonight: they soared!
No Age Text Aisha Nozari LA Duo, Randy Randal and Allen Spunt, aka, No Age, are back with a vengeance. A brand-spanking-new-one. Their new album, “Everything In Between”, is much more mature than their previous work. Three tracks in particular seem to show that No Age have, in a sense, wiped their old lo-fi slate clean. ‘Glitter’, ‘Common Heat’, and ‘Dusted’; ‘Glitter’ is very aptly named, as it actually seems to sparkle, and it differs so much from their previous material. It’s unusually cheerful, jam-packed with delightful little electric squeals and light distortion. It’s a real treat of joyous noises, entwined with delightful yet subtly dark lyrics such as, “I want you back underneath my skin.” Another remarkable newbie is ‘Common Heat’. Again it seems unusually light; you might even say it’s “easy listening”. Once again, the lyrics seem to have much more depth than we’re used to, although the unmistakable drone of Randy’s voice means that this song still has an edge – just give the lyrics a close listen and you’ll soon realise this is a powerful little number – Now we come to our final surprise on the album, ‘Dusted’, which is a truly outstanding instrumental piece. With what can only be described as a floaty sound and moaning synths, it seems that No Age are finally reaching out for those elusive emotions, and they got them. Another thing that you’ll notice when listening to this album is, its bang-up to-date, in terms of fashionable contemporary music. You don’t need to listen very carefully at all to pick out the sounds of chum’s Vivian Girls on ‘Chem Trails.’ A fairly poppy track, and very much similar to Vivian Girls’ ‘Moped Girls’, (except for the
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fact that No Age do it better), it’s nevertheless not too poppy; the harsh beat of the drums seem to even everything out. There’s some Fuck Buttons in there too; in fact, it’s impossible not to liken ‘Skinned’ to Fuck Buttons’ ‘Ribs Out’ with that characteristically animalistic beat. Of course, there are plenty of tracks that sound like the old No Age: ‘Life Prowler’ is a fuzzy track with that gorgeous lo-fi twang, and ‘Fever Dreaming’, (no doubt the most popular track), is pure No Age; it’s loud, fast and with plenty of screechy goodness. In ‘Depletion’ it’s again made apparent just how much the duo has matured. Their various instruments are played beautifully, with catchy little riffs from Randy, and quick and heavy drumpounding from Allen. The album also features plenty of bizarre sounds that somehow the band manages to blend into their distinctive sound, and they really make it work. Take ‘Valley Hump Crash’, for example, and think ‘nails on a blackboard’, in a good way. Then take that and throw in the sound of the sea. Do you reckon it would sound so psychedelic it would blow-your-mind? It does. When listening to ‘Shed and Transcend’, you simply can’t help but relate it to Scooby Doo. Take it’s eerie-cartoon-pop theme tune and throw in a typical No Age sound and you have ‘Shed and Transcend’. Let’s hope for a Scooby Doo 3, with a brand new theme tune… The only way to really describe this album is: New, (And maybe mature). Oh yeah, and really, really good.
COMPETITON Of which fellow Victorian novelist did Elizabeth Gaskell write a biography?
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NEWS/FEATRES/ARTS/LIFESTyLE/SPORTS/REVIEWS
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ART&DESIGN
Sinead Williamson Text by Kayung Lai Sinead Williamson uses objects that are indicative of her Indian heritage to explore ideas of her dual nationality. She has isolated these Indian bangles from their everyday context to portray a sense of displacement within her identity.
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ART&DESIGN
arts@flexnews.co.uk
Creative Writing All poetry by Emma Preuss
Creative Writing Editor: Jemma Green
Lust
Youth
Haematoma
Velvet to the touch And silk against the skin Voluptuous in the feather touch While the sensual sweat Cloys as it tightens The velvet roughens Against the skin White from lack of sun And the silk snags Upon your nails And screams
we’re the thorn in the side of the nation a generation lost to apathy
There’s a twist and A hole A knowledge that The binaries Are flawed The focus of those Thoughts is slanted And misty vague Unperceivable shapes Beyond dimension And comprehension Lie in fumbling Twilight greys
Lullaby
you waste of space stuffing fast-food into your ungrateful gob they mutter again
Let me take you where I know the sky And the elegant weaving of aeroplane trails Let us go little child to the shadowy trees And watch the world go by With night-time stories of the dead We’ll wander the hours away But first the roots of the hollow tree Shall serve us both as bed Let me dream with your heart in my hand And candles in the night Like butterflies they’ll guide us Until our ship has reached the land
the indignation of our elders and betters who caw at the words and fetters they build to keep us down labels are easy youth, hoodie, yob get a job
of the apparent decline because everything was fine back in their day do we get a say? do we get to define what we are?
Debris 1: All dressed up somewhere to go I painted my toenails gold seems long ago when I smiled that camera smile 2: A snowfall of paper And a cluster of pens for a hundred notes blue-tacked to disorder 3: The 1.99 ASDA clock measures cheap seconds and restlessness 4: Coasters and rings evidence from several nights in sat by the glow of the computer screen 5: A pencil sketch of a woman I can’t be half-shaded with longing she looks me but I have no answers
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ART&DESIGN
Sandra Juto Text and Interview by Rhiannon Williams
Flex: You have said that you didn’t always feel that you’d be able to make a living from your creativity, and originally studied to be a translator. What advice would you give to creative students leaving university, and trying to make a place for themselves in the industry? Sandra Juto: Growing up I had no idea one could work as a creative person, if it wasn’t as a hairdresser. Everyone around me was working and no one was educated. I felt weird for wanting to go to university, which I’m happy I did, although, most of what I’ve done creatively I did at home hiding from the teachers. My advice is to do what you truly believe in - I truly believed in living from my creativity. It’s not a job that gives me much money, but it’s a job that gives me a sense of being free to do what I want (although more money would of course help me to feel more free, but that goes for everyone in every situation). F: You take beautiful photographs. What is it that you love about photography?
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SJ: Thank you! I love taking photographs because it helps me to notice the good things around me - not just the beautiful things - I hope to find something good in (almost) anything. Taking pictures has helped me to be more open and positive in general; my photos open my eyes.
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Sandra Juto is a freelance illustrator, graphic designer, and artist, living and working in Gothenburg, Sweden. Her playful illustrations have appeared in several books such as The Ark Project, Sundays are for Lovers, and Lemon Poppy Seed, and she has worked for clients including Nylon Korea, Motorola, and Uppercase Gallery.
I truly believed in living from my creativity.
F: Could you tell us what medium you use when creating your illustrations? What is your favourite brand of paints/ sketchbooks? SJ: I take whatever paper is lying around - I always wanted to have a certain sketchbook but they always end up empty. I love Copic Markers because of the huge selection of beautiful colours. F: What artists/ designers/ blogs do you admire? SJ: My friend Lisen’s. http://www.lisenadbage.com/blog - she’s so great!
arts@flexnews.co.uk F: Do you find it difficult to make time for your blog and to create your work? SJ: No, it’s what I do. I don’t believe in finding time, I believe in taking time. Time is there and you choose what you want to do with it. F: As a child you wanted to be a fashion designer, and often use crochet and knitting techniques in your work. How important is textiles to you, and would you ever consider extending your illustrations into fabric prints? SJ: It would be fabulous! Have to find the “right” way for me to do it, it’s a great idea, thank you!
F: Tea or coffee? SJ: Tea at home and coffee if it’s made by someone who’s really good at making it. F: Sweet or savoury? SJ: Savoury. Thank you Sandra! To see more of Sandra’s quirky illustrations and photography visit www.sandrajuto.com or her flickr page www.flickr.com/ photos/cloudberryterrier To buy some of Sandra’s knitted wrist worms, prints, calendars, and other goodies, visit: http://sandrajuto.bigcartel.com
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I hope to find something good in (almost) anything.
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F: How do you like to relax? SJ: To take a walk with my camera, it’s the best way to relax and clear my mind.
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ART&DESIGN
Gallerist Francis Mallett discusses his art world: past, present and future. Text by John-Paul Somerville
“Changing tastes in interior design, for sure. Once they had bought their first property and acquired some disposable income, none of the post-sixties generation wanted Victorian paintings in gilt frames over their fireplaces. But gradually the realisation dawned that serious money was there to be made in the art world. Artists became celebrities and ‘Art’ moved into the high street and appeared regularly in trendy magazines and on TV screens. The rock music industry had provided a successful role model. Neil Young was famously sued by his record company for making ‘uncommercial’ records that didn’t sound like Neil Young. The lesson was learned: don’t rely on the artist’s whims. It made much more sense to manufacture your own ‘artists’ that could be depended upon to produce the right product for your market. Art could be a product like any other. And, crucially, business principles could be applied.”
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I could intervene here with some attempt at wit but I think I’ll just let him continue, it’s rude to close a vent in full flow. “The insidious infiltration of the language of the business and marketing men always gives it away. Art trade magazines now discuss brand images, product ranges and trend awareness. I’m constantly approached by new artists who seem to believe that the only criteria is whether their work will be commercially successful.”
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It may not make you a fortune overnight but, first, take time to learn your craft.
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Continuing the theme of ‘industry professionals’, I’ve been corresponding this week with Plymouth-based gallerist Francis Mallett. Francis runs a successful gallery tucked neatly away in the cobbled complexity of the Barbican. Shoulder-to-shoulder with fudge shops and gin distilleries, tea rooms and fortune-telling gypsies, a promenade overflowing with freshly-landed seafood, and pubs overflowing with freshly-fallen sailors, The Barbican is a place that actively refuses simple categorisation. It was here that Francis opened New Street Gallery, twenty-four years ago. The Barbican is now host to numerous galleries, almost all of them shamelessly commercial summer tourist traps. In the mid 80s, however, Francis remembers a different place: “no gallery dealing in contemporary art had ever lasted for any length of time”. Perhaps it was the humble ethos that broke the cycle, “the gallery shared a common purpose with the artists we showed – to do something interesting for oneself and to try to survive. Selling a painting was a minor miracle, and became a genuine cause for celebration”. Humility is one theory for the gallery’s success, a backbone of major swingers and shakers from the post war movement in St. Ives is another- a movement responsible for the Tate’s presence in St. Ives. It would not be uncommon to hear in anecdotes from this time, Bacon mentioned in the same breath as Lanyon, Gabo with Hepworth, or Rothko with Nicholson. Francis remembers a story from the early days, “I approached Fred Yates to exhibit in my first ‘St. Ives ‘87’ exhibition, hearing that we were including Heron, Frost, Wynter etc, he asked me ‘You’ve got all the famous names – what do you want me for?!’” Nostalgia submits to the present and Francis is thinking again, “now works by all these artists are fetching extravagant sums of money and galleries selling contemporary art, which is often a third-rate-look-alike of those artists, have spread like wildfire”. As I sit here typing this article in Woodlane library my mind is starting to wonder. I’m thinking about Sir Terry Frost, about the plaque outside commemorating his opening of this very building, and the new art and design studios opposite in 1993, and Francis telling me that in the 80s he was struggling to make a living without his teaching. I’m thinking with pride of the artistic heritage that we have here in Cornwall, and shame at how long it’s been since I showed interest in it. I’m also thinking of some of the gallery display windows I pass on the high street. It’s an unbalanced equation in my mind. So what happened? Luckily, Francis is more inclined to viper-tongued rants than mid-morning day dreams, and has a theory to share;
Careful not to keep the argument purely on the business side of the bridge he goes on to say, “In the more rarefied publicly-funded sector of the arts, a combination of social, political and economic agendas have created Kafka-esque bureaucracies to ‘facilitate arts practitioners’ in order to ‘unlock financial support’, ‘develop professional skills’ (business skills, naturally) and ‘form long-term sustainable networks within the creative industries.”
That is a lot to process, a panoramic view of some issues which aren’t currently affecting me in any way that I can’t childishly ignore. That said, four weeks into a thirty week year, the final year, and that privilege is dwindling. I feel like I’m being poked by a hazy stick from the future. Now what I’m really interested in is some practical advice, an old-fashioned push in the right direction. I beg the question – as an artist, what to do? “It may not make you a fortune overnight but, first, take time to learn your craft. Be honest and critical with your own work. Realise that today’s fashions in art will disappear as quickly as New Labour. Make work that reflects your own experience rather than topical issues – you’re not a politician, social worker, or philosopher. Then try and find a gallery that shares the same approach – if they still exist. It’s not me anymore, but they must be out there, aren’t they?” I’m not sure, but we’ll know soon enough.
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WE MARCHED!!! A big hello from all of the 159 of us that joined the march to represent Falmouth. Even though we had a long bus journey we performed amazingly and with such energy. We where part of the vast majority of 50,000 students and staff that drove to make our voices heard as a loud, inspiring and peaceful protest. We where on the front line and I am sure that you will find pics and vids of our FXU and Cornish flags waving above our painted faces. I am sure that everyone has heard about the violence that arose. The NUS, all students’ unions and the vast majority of students feel disappointed that those very few chose to act so. It is my hope, and I’m sure I can speak on behalf of many, that the this has not clouded the true spirit of the protest. Let us not forget why such a massive number of people made the effort to travel as far as Cornwall, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and abroad. It was to voice their anger, frustration and concern that was caused by the cuts. To get the answers and wade through the lies and broken promises. It was to let this government know that they are taking a stand. This is not purely an argument of politics but a fight against damaging, self harming cuts on such a vital part of our future. Further more it is for student rights and a fair education system for all.
Tim Port, FXU Welfare President It’s two weeks into the Movember and you can already see some impressive and some not so impressive mustaches but with two weeks to go we have a lot in store. Join the banter in the Stannary on Friday the 26th, 11am-3pm. We are doing charity leg waxing, armpit waxing and a Dominos pizza eating contest with prizes to be won. PRIZES: 1 x 18 pint poly pin voucher 1 x brewery tour voucher for 4 people. Sponsorship for the armpit and leg waxing is £3 per strip. It takes around 4 - 6 strips for the armpits and around 8- 12 for the legs, complete guess. Entry to the Dominos Pizza eating contest is £5. One prize shall be given to the winner of the Pizza eating contest and one to the person who raises the most money for the waxing. Sign up for the leg waxing, armpit waxing and Dominos pizza eating contest by contacting FXU. Email: Timothy.port@falmouth.ac.uk / Tel: 01326370774 24
FXU School boy error!
We hosted an online Freshers 2010 survey, posted October 19th to get feedback on what you thought of this year’s freshers fortnight. We had promised entry to a free draw to win 2 Snowball tickets by completing the survey. All you had to do was complete the survey with your name and email address. SOMEONE (Andy, shown in the picture on the right) who put together the online survey had forgotten to put in the box in where you would put your name and email address. This was only just brought to our attention via the last edition of Flex and we still have the 2 Snow Ball tickets to give away. We would like to offer the chance for you to grab one of these tickets. All you have to do now, is email “Andy.edmonds@falmouth.ac.uk” with the Subject “Snow Ball” and give him some advice on how to put together a survey. Deadline is 12 noon, Friday 26th November.
FXU Student Council The FXU Student Council needs more student reps! Academic reps, Postgrad reps, Halls reps and a UCF International Rep are all still needed! Nominations have reopened for the currently unfilled positions. You can find the nomination forms on the FXU website in Representation and then student council. Deadline for nominations is 12 noon Fri 26th Nov 2010. The first FXU Student Council meeting for this year took place on Monday 8th November - the notes from the meeting will be posted on the FXU website shortly. The next student council meeting will be: Wednesday 8 December 2010 3pm-5pm in Woodlane Boardroom
Paid Design Opportunity FXU would like to invite students to apply for one of the most important design opportunities in FXU history. ‘Future of FXU – You Decide’ is a referendum open for one week for students to vote on how they want their students’ union to be governed. Design an overall theme for the ‘Future of FXU – You Decide’ week that can be incorporated into posters (A0 to A4), web ads and any other promotional material such as flyers (A6) promoting the governance models. We would also like a quiz to be designed. If you are interested check out the design brief on the FXU. org.uk and go to Representation and then Future of FXU You Decide. Alternatively you can contact the the student rep coordinator on repcoordinator@fxu. org.uk. Students can apply as individuals or as a group. Please send your design ideas to repcoordinator@fxu.org.uk by 12 noon Monday 29th November 2010. There will be a reward payment of £150 for all design work and to include any alterations to design work through the process.
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LIFESTyLE
LIFESTyLE
THIS MONTH
Listen Eat Drink Wear Watch
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..to 10 year old Willow Smith’s debut single ‘Whip my Hair’. Yes, it is completely immoral to enjoy this song, but once you hear it, you won’t be able to get it out of your head! ..these delicious cake pops from popbakery.co.uk- at only £2 each, they make an original (and adorable) gift, or just a yummy treat for yourself!
..mulled wine as the festive season rapidly approaches. Nothing tastes more like Christmas!
..a LRD. Red is the colour of the moment, and never fails to make you feel effortlessly glamorous!
..The Tourist. This remake of the French film Anthony Zimmer stars Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. Out on December 10th, this will definitely be pleasing on the eye...
arts@flexnews.co.uk
LIFESTyLE
An Alternative Insight Text lydia gilroy Imagine something which could bring you back to life, bring out the best in you, and bring clarity to your thoughts and a spring in your step. For me, this thing was Health Kinesiology. Through the teenage years, the majority of people go through periods where they feel the pressures are just too much: work overload, friendship squabbles and arguments with the parents. When I got to this period in my life, I was somewhat lost and confused by many a thing and couldn’t bring myself out of it. At the age of 16 I started with anxiety and panic attacks, unaware of what was causing them and at first, had no idea what was actually happening to my body. I spoke to my parents about how I felt, and then I visited the doctors around three times, which did not help. I was then put in touch, by my Dad, with a Kinesiologist… I hadn’t a clue what I had gotten myself in to. I can remember it so vividly; 17th September 2008 was my first appointment for Health Kinesiology. A wonderful woman was my Kinesiologist, so helpful and kind hearted. I hadn’t a clue what was happening but I soon realised if I invested my trust in this woman then it may just be possible to feel like myself again. As soon as I got home that evening I started to do my research looking at what this Health Kinesiology actually was and how it would help me. What I found out was that Health Kinesiology is a Complementary Therapy- it treats the body as a whole on all levels of mind, body and spirit. Health Kinesiology is a combination of ancient Chinese medicine and modern technique of
muscle testing. The muscle testing allows the practitioner to test what is stressing the body. It works like a binary system; the arm muscle which is used will only respond to yes and no answers, meaning that the questions asked need to be precise. If the muscle relaxes and ‘gives way’ this is interpreted as a ‘NO’ response. If the muscle remains strong and rigid, this is interpreted as a ‘YES’ response. During the session, the practitioner will use essential oils and magnets, and will ask the client to think a particular thought or hold acupressure points. Health Kinesiologists do not diagnose you but instead find the root of the problem and see, using your body’s own inner wisdom, how you can be bought back in to balance. During the two years of having Health Kinesiology, not only did I learn to control my panic attacks, but I saw changes in all aspects of my life. I now feel as though it has brought clarity to my thoughts and made me feel a lot healthier inside and out. I feel as though whatever comes my way I’ll be able to fight it. I feel strong and just generally well, which are both highly powerful things. It has allowed me to recognise when things are not right in life and to generally be more self-aware. I’m still having treatment two years on, and my anxiety is more controlled. Most people are sceptical about these types of things; I definitely was at first, but my personal experience has taught me to always give things a go, as they might just surprise you!
Here Come The Girlboys Text michael swann
Some know them as ‘The Ladyboys’, and to some they are “confused”, to many they go unknown, and to those who know them well; they just wanna have fun (letting it all hang out, as it were). Yes, these are the boys MEN of the future; unfazed by gender stereotypes, untouched by humiliation or shame, they preach the word of the metro sexual, and they preach it in high heels. They may well have different methods of dressing up for an
average night out from most men, but what if these guys are actually incredibly close to the mark when it comes to the future of men’s fashion? We are now well into the cooler seasons and with this shift comes the standard selection of winter warmers- we expect plenty of scarves, hats, coats and gloves. But what about skirts? That’s right men, skirts. And what’s more, to wear underneath the skirts we have (brace yourself ) black tights, and on top of the tights go black sandals. This is men’s winter fashion according to Riccardo Tisci, creative director for Givenchy. Tisci has never been a man to sit back and let fashion float along; his often completely bonkers ideas have made him a name that stands among the most successful fashion designers in recent years. Either Tisci has completely missed the mark here, or in a few years, men the world over will be dressed something a little reminiscent of the boys above. While most men will find this idea completely ludicrous, I must warn, the future looks even more vivacious. A vibrant prospect comes in the form of a risky collection from Dino Alves, whose A/W collection shown in Lisbon didn’t just shove a few men in skirts. Here we witnessed men in heels, blouses, drag make-up, lace tights and pencil skirts. It may sound like a disaster, but giving the pieces a proper
look reveals an incredibly well thought out collection that provides some interesting insights into gender and social restraints on what we can and cannot wear as males. Perhaps this is what men’s fashion needs, a new angle, because we seem to be stuck in a cycle while women’s fashion has the ability to branch out to all corners of the fashion globe. The man who cares about what he wears only has a few base options, and when these options are messed with too much, and a little too much creativity goes into the outfit, people start to stare. Of course, there are those that don’t care about the beady glares of the on-lookers, and dress in all sorts of weird and wonderful things; every once in a while you find a maverick figure on a blog like lookbook. nu or the Sartorialist that rocks a skirt in a gothic fashion, and looks like something that resembles “good”. But hey, are skirts really that bad? Well in this day and age, while the fashion industry is still aimed almost completely at women, men’s fashion isn’t left much room to evolve, and it’s the forward thinkers such as Dino Alves and Riccardo Tisci that aim to move men’s fashion on from the same old same old it has been in the past. Looking at the collections shown in Milan/Paris in June, the majority echoed one another and at times were completely indistinguishable.
It just so happens that the 4 or 5 outfits pretty much repeated throughout were great, but Men’s fashion needs shaking up, it needs experimentation, individuality; it needs a chance to stand-out. But will High Street clothing ever embrace the crazier ideas the designers have to offer? This seems incredibly unlikely, and, let’s face it, how can you blame them? A skirt for men would never sell. H&M released pleated skirts for men this summer; did YOU see any men rocking this style? So, who’s the problem here? Riccardo Tisci and Dino Alves for suggesting something so outrageous, or the men of the world for not embracing the chance to stand-out and push boundaries? Tisci and Alves aren’t the only designers that have tried the man skirt, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Yohji Yamamoto, Alexander McQueen and Yves Saint Laurent all tried to push it, and maybe not surprisingly, all have failed. Yet outside of the Western world, skirts for men are common practise. It was mighty stylish among the punks back in the day, let’s bring it back! Men, we need a fashion revolution, we need to break down these social walls of public decency and create a new image for the 21st century male. Whose with me?! ... No one? Well, I’m not doing it on my own, I’d look a fool.
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LIFESTyLE
LIFESTyLE
Building A Lifestyle... Text jenny gramnes
Matthew Bochenski and Danny Miller told us the success story of Little White Lies and The Church of London in the Media Centre on 2nd November in front of a student-packed cinema. Just the day before, at Helen Gilchrist’s lecture about her Stranger Collective, students actually lined up afterwards to chat or leave their contact details in hope of picking up some work experience. It just goes to show that students here in Falmouth have an understanding of the importance of branding, communication and PR. The Church of London, Little White Lies and Stranger Collective are all brands that have worked their way up to respected positions in the magazine and marketing industries through their constant reinvention of branding strategies and seriously attention-grabbing magazine covers. For the guests from London, things started picking up when Danny found Matt a work placement at the surf and lifestyle magazine Adrenalin (now relaunched by the pair as HUCK Magazine). The idea of creating a film magazine which incorporated other forms of art as well grew in their minds for quite some time before they finally went ahead and just did it. They called the beautifully designed magazine Little White Lies. “I don’t believe in a target audience and I don’t worry about things like that”, says Matt. “ I want to create a magazine that I actually want to read myself so I guess I’m my own target group”. Founder of Stranger Collective, Helen Gilchrist, also came from a background of working at Adrenalin but unlike the men, Helen decided to move away from the big city and instead to go back to Cornwall to set up her own lifestyle magazine, Stranger. Stranger featured a mix of music, surf, environmental issues and contemporary culture with impressive illustrations and a high-quality format. While working with the magazine, Helen continued with her freelance journalism and copywriting work to make ends meet which evolved into a separate strand of the business, creating websites, brochures and magazines for other companies. “Brand extension is very important”, Helen underlines. “Under the banner of the magazine, we arranged events like snowboarding trips, parties, tree planting events, exhibitions and a monthly live music event in Falmouth. We also had a website that, when it launched in 2007, really was top of the line. This helped strengthen the brand and give us more work with a range of clients”. Stranger magazine is unfortunately no longer in print, but creative communications
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and marketing agency Stranger Collective continues to go from strength to strength. The Little White Lies film and lifestyle magazine, despite being so popular and influential, is similarly dependent on a symbiotic relationship with the Church of London’s other design, editorial and marketing services for its survival. “Little White Lies almost works as our CV” Danny tells us. “We make our money from other projects but the reason we get many of those other jobs is because of the magazine”. Having their own standpoint on the subject of film and investing in a unique design of the magazine has been crucial when it comes to setting them apart from other actors on the market. Finding your own voice and believing in something is vital to being successful, as Matt asks: “Otherwise, what’s the point?” he asks. “And ideas are the most important thing we look for in new writers as well. We don’t want what’s going to be the most obvious connection. If you take your first, second and third idea and scrap them and then start working with the ones to follow, that’s probably going to be a much more interesting idea from a publisher’s point of view.” Helen and her Stranger Collective has now worked with giant corporations such as iTunes, Coca Cola and Sony
Helen Gilchrist with some previous issues of Stranger magazine
BMG as well as leading organisations closer to home like University College Falmouth, Dott Cornwall and Eden. They also collaborate with a number of charities, such as ShelterBox for whom they recently produced a range of Christmas cards by world leading illustrators in order to raise money. Stranger Collective proves that PR companies don’t need to have their offices in capital cities in order to be successful; it is possible to operate even from a town the size of Penryn. It now also offers an opportunity for students to get some experience as Helen encourages those who are interested in doing some work for her to get in touch. “There is an opportunity to help us with things such as: writing for our website, doing reviews, working with us on promoting Cornwall Design Season or The Poly for example.” If you would like to do this and further you personal brand on the job market, email: hello@stranger-collective.com. Stranger’s Christmas cards for ShelterBox are available from http://shop.stranger-collective.com
arts@flexnews.co.uk
FASHION
Street Chic Text sophie Hives-wood
Christmas is just around the corner. With presents to pay for, travel plans to arrange and party’s to attend, there isn’t much time or money to think about what to wear to the Christmas family soiree or the girls Christmas night out. Every girl in the world struggles when it gets to December, but being a student with not much loan left and nothing new to wear for Christmas Eve clubbing makes matters so much worse. As a festive gift, therefore, we have discovered how to get two outfits for under £30…
out with the girls No matter how many dresses or sparkly tops you have in your wardrobe, a girl always wants a brand new outfit for the last night out with the ladies before Christmas. So here’s a little something that’s cheap, but looks good enough for your friends to ask if they can borrow it for the New Year.
A stylish animal print dress with ruffled sleeves looks amazing with a shiny pair of leggings and your favourite black heels. It’s perfect for a girl’s night out; its pink and it’s sexy! Add a pretty clutch bag, a touch of girly nail polish and some jewellery and you’ll look fabulous with your girls whilst being ready for Christmas celebrations. For just £22.99 from new look, it’s a good buy and there’s no need to buy anything else because all you need are some black leggings and some stylish black heels which I’m sure all of us have hiding in the back of our wardrobes.
To make this outfit an even better buy, you can also easily wear it as a day outfit. Add a stylish military jacket, your favourite pair of dolly shoes and a warm scarf to keep you toasty! Perfect for Christmas shopping.
£12 in the River Island sale, this pink ruffle mini dress will be perfect for a Christmas party and will look good if you pair with some leggings and either a military or denim jacket for the daytime.
Christmas party December is absolutely the craziest month of the year with so many parties to go to and so little money after the big Christmas shop. Whether it’s a house party, a girls night out, a night out with the boyfriend, or a family gathering you need the right outfit for every occasion which is a difficult task to achieve whilst living on a student loan and on a tight budget. However, it is possible. Here, we have a smarter and classier look, perfect for a family gathering or a Christmas party and it still looks gorgeous enough to wear on a night out with friends. Wear it with your favourite heels and some gorgeous accessories and you’ll be ready to start your celebrations. For £22.99 from New look it’s a good buy and it’s a dress that can be worn again and again.
It even looks amazing as a day outfit with the classic military jacket and every girls favourite; some comfy ugg boots. Add some leggings to keep those pins dry and warm and maybe a scarf to hide away from the wind and you’ll look gorgeous and stylish.
The classic LBD can never go wrong for Christmas. This pretty option is only £27.99 from the New Look sale.
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BUS STOP BREKKIE
Breakfast In a Box only
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ask about our student discount
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LIFESTYLE
In the historic Port of Penryn, on the award winning Jubilee Wharf, you will find the quirky Miss Peapod’s kitchen cafe. Located on the estuary with lovely views, this gorgeous little place is a hidden gem. They have been open 4 years now and have collected numerous awards including Silver from Taste of the West and won, GOLD BEST CAFE 2009 from the Cornish tourism Awards. They strike a balance between the comfort of home cooking and Mediterranean sensibilities- so they make their own pasta and bread and exploit all the seafood brought to them from a local fisherman. Expect specials like crab ravioli and fresh Sardines , King prawns grilled in caper, chilli and parsley butter but, for people with more simple tastes they have homemade burgers with chips and toasted ciabattas with fillings such as roasted seasonal vegetables and homemade butter bean hummous. They do food every day except Monday and evening meals on Fridays and homemade Pizza on Sundays from 7pm until 9pm.On Sundays, they have a legendary Roast supplied by Cusgarne Organic Farm. Saturday nights are reserved for live music - an eclectic mix ranging from Syrian rappers via London electro poppers to gentle folk . A refreshing alternative to town, this where students mix with locals and people from Penryns art scene and the river boat folk. On the first Saturday of every month are the Peapod Sessions ( www.peapodsessions.co.uk -a multi-media music event, showcasing local bands, who are filmed and recorded live. This is Free entry to all students and a chance to catch the best of the local music scene. look out for listings and other events on www.misspeapod.co.uk Sundays evenings are special as they are designed for chilling out, with your knitting or for playing games. Either rummage in their retro game box or try your wits on the ping pong table. There is also a Mini Magpie Market between 6-8pm which is aimed at creatives and micro-makers who have a few bits and pieces to sell. Stalls are free but have to be booked in advance (info@misspeapod.co.uk)
Also starting up once a month on the last Sunday, is a Pic ‘n’ Mix Open Mic night but with a difference, curated by the good people of Live at the Round room fame in Dartington, this is not only for muscians, but poets, stand up comedians, dancers and film makers, really just anyone who has a need to perform! Nicely uniting all the different corners of the campus.
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BUY ONE GET ONE
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10/9/10 15:49:29
SPORTS
SPORTS Corruption C.C.C
Text Chris Rushton
It was August 2010 when news first broke in the News of the World of the alleged spot-fixing that took place during the Pakistan cricket team’s tour of England. The accused players, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Amir and Salman Butt were reported to have accepted bribes from agent and bookmaker Mazhar Majeed to purposefully under perform at certain points in the 4th Test at Lord’s; the information then being used by gamblers on the illegal South Asian betting markets to make significant profits, believed to be upwards of $2 billion annually. The scandal has arisen again recently with the revelation by wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider that he and his family received death threats after he spurned the advances of an illegal betting syndicate hoping to fix matches. Haider fled to England on the 8th November and is staying in an unspecified address. Being suspicious of the team management, he had asked for his passport from the Team Manager under the pretence of buying a new SIM card for his phone. All the signs point to a man fleeing in sheer panic, fearing what may happen to him and his family. Yet the reaction from those connected with the inner workings of Pakistani cricket has been less than complimentary. Pakistan’s Sports Minister Ijaz Hussain called Haider “a weak and scared person”. Former Pakistan Captain Imran Khan called his exit to Britain “shameful”. The Pakistan Cricket Board suspended his central contract and labelled Haider an “embarrassment”. Further to this, the ICC distanced itself from Haider, claiming “this is in the first instance a team matter for Pakistan cricket…but the ICC is willing to provide assistance to the PCB and the player”. If the level of corruption within Pakistani cricket is so insidious, it is baffling that the ICC has chosen to let Haider – a potential first-hand witness to that same corruption that the ICC is hoping to stamp out - slip by the wayside. It is also understandable why Haider fled to England as opposed to going to the Pakistan Cricket Board. Instead of promising a full investigation into the alleged corruption, the chairman of the PCB - Ijaz Butt - accused England’s players of being paid “enormous amounts of money to lose the match” in reference to the one-day international on the 17th September. It is a culture of defensive posturing rather than determination to stamp out the problem of corruption and Haider has become a human victim in this blame game, being shunned by the very country he tried to defend by not accepting any price to throw a cricket match whilst representing his nation. The rotten nature of Pakistani cricket is perhaps best represented by the figures of Hadir and, more glaringly, the young Mohammad Amir. At the age of 18, he had played in 14 Tests and 15 one-day internationals. A growing reputation coupled with the naivety of youth made him a prime candidate to be approached and seduced by the illegal betting syndicates. Or perhaps ‘seduced’ is not the right term. The corroded foundations of Pakistani cricket meant he had no one to turn to after being approached and potentially threatened, as Hadir was. He was surrounded by others who had fallen victim to the bookies and who were veterans of more than 20 tests each; Butt was captain. That isn’t to say that Asif and Butt weren’t also threatened, but we should assess the actual no-balls bowled. Amir’s foot is a laughable distance over the crease, almost indicative of one not as practiced as the other two. It seems as if being a ‘team player’ means succumbing to the pressure of conforming to the same immoral mentality as those senior players. That two players can feel so distanced from the team and the authorities highlights the corrupt nature of Pakistani cricket at the moment. It is reminiscent of the scandals that enveloped cricket in the Nineties, culminating in South African captain, the late Hansie Cronje being banned for life for matchfixing in conjunction with an Indian betting syndicate. The overhaul that was promised then appears to have never taken place. We mustn’t just isolate the PCB and Pakistani cricket in general, but the public nature of the case paints them as a case study. We have to be honest in acknowledging that illegal betting
36
will continue as long as there is money to be made. We also have to acknowledge that more can be done to prevent the syndicates tapping into the huge market of players in the international game, from both the Cricket Boards and the ICC. The heads of those organisations need to be receptive to change, and perhaps an overhaul of personnel should be instigated from those wielding the power to do so. Whilst not being a definitive conclusion – I don’t believe one exists - if the change never takes place, then we risk losing the game to an insidious nature; one that revolves around mistrust and personal greed.
sports@flexnews.co.uk
Hockey Round Up
Rugby Round Up
Football
Saturday 6th November CSM First 1 - 5 Exeter D
Saturday 30th October CSM First 13 - 12 Cornish Pirates Amateuers
Text Matt Dugay
Text Jono Harris Text Graham Barclay Welcome back to another edition of CSM hockey! The one team, the only team that is worth even considering! The newly joined Freshers are now fully integrated into the club and making a huge difference, whilst James Rough (who has been compared by some to Churchill, Jesus and Fergie) and Seb “Arnie” McClay continue to run their teams with maturity and pride! Scores on the doors for the last couple of weeks. Seen by many to be the biggest league game of the year saw the 1st team do battle with the ‘main campus’ boys! A game that is always hugely competitive unfortunately saw CSM going down 5-1. A frustrating result, but a game that despite the score highlighted the real talent within the 1st team.
Saturday 6th November CSM Seconds 1 - 1 Plymouth University Due to various key players missing (Sam Greggory being dragged off by his bird to Portugal, Jake Morell visiting his only male friend back home and myself being caught somehwere between York and Durham), the 2nds put out a slightly weaker team! During the game however there were no signs of this and we fought to the end, taking a 1-1 draw against the resilient Plymouth Uni.
Saturday 13th November CSM Firsts 6 - 0 Mid Somerset Coming off the back of their defeat to the main campus equivalent, the 1sts were determined to smash some CSM magic back into the league! Mid-Somerset may as well not have turned up, with School smashing 6 unanswered goals
Saturday 13th November CSM Seconds 1 - 2 Bodmin A past the team, hyping the boys up nicely for our evening social! Bodmin A is certainly one of the toughest games of the 2’s season, and this became clear after they scored 2 very shabby goals! This stirred the ‘Wildcats’ into life, as we brought back 1 goal from my own short corner special! Despite our best efforts, the game ended 2-1 to Bodmin, but the passion showed by CSM stands us in good stead for our upcoming fixtures!
The hype surrounding the scale of this match infected the mind of every Camborne School of Mines rugby player. The Pirates Amateurs were, up until this match, the hailed, unbeaten tabletoppers of the Tribute Cornwall League, and the very real prospect of beating them filled all players’ blood with adrenaline in the final moments before kick-off. CSM missed the presence of their esteemed captain Tom Davies for this momentous showdown, but acting skipper Alex Cox did an excellent job in his absence. Perhaps most crucial for School to conquer the Pirates was the necessity for them to conquer themselves. This was superbly achieved through the inspirational pre-match team talk of Alex, who fired up every single man wearing a CSM jersey with the message of a calculated balance between brawn upfront and brains out wide. With precision, CSM practiced what had been preached by suffocating the Pirates assault in defence, and breaching its blockade in attack. As a result, CSM pulled into the lead with a well worked try from Will Mason. This proved to be a lead School would maintain, although not with the greatest of ease at times. Yet for the full 80 minutes, the lads matched and furthermore dominated the Pirates with superior rucking and handling. Once again, the dangerous fluidity of play between both backs and forwards that has come to epitomise CSM this season became too much for the Pirates. School’s prospects of becoming the most feared team in the league have been helped by the outstanding performances of Freshers making their debut. Against the Pirates it was Callum Jones, who played commendably and earned himself Man of the Match, along with the torturous row of complimentary drinks that go with the honour. A solid, proud and rewarding victory was enjoyed by CSM and as a result, optimism has embedded itself in the entire fabric of the squad.
Saturday 6th November CSM First 21 - 9 Bodmin Text Graham Barclay CSM continued their unbeaten streak at 21-9 win over an astute Bodmin side. With a growing reputation as THE side to beat in both the League and the Cup, CSM had a lot to prove going into this match, and despite missing some top players like Pete Deboo and Tom Davies, the lads walked onto the pitch with confidence. For the first 20 minutes the game was held at grid-lock, due to a tight game up-front and a blitz-defence from the opposition. However, Ewan broke through the Bodmin ranks to score a cracking try in the corner to give CSM a 5-0 lead. Bodmin answered by relentlessly probing School’s defence, which although came to no try, gave them 3 points through the goalposts. This only spurred CSM on further, and with that lethal combination of powerful momentum in the forwards and precision in the backs, Bodmin tired quickly, allowing School to ply on the pressure and earn another try scored by Ewan. This point in the game symbolised the CSM game plan of ‘60-20’, whereby hard graft in the first 60 minutes allows points to be scored in the final 20. Subsequently, Bodmin only came close to scoring once and the game became sealed shortly afterwards by School with a well worked team try was finished with individual excellence by Nathan. A good, solid performance all round with impressive debuts from Justin and Max in the forwards. For now, CSM’s dictatorship of the Cornwall League is firmly in place, and with the inevitable physical confrontation looming next week against Perranporth, the squad are confident that their supremacy will continue.
Saturday 6th November: CSM 5-2 Kernow Storm
Coming off the back of an 8-1 defeat, CSM took to the ‘top pitch’ knowing that a win against bottom of the table Storm was vital to their chances of consolidating a place in Mining League I. On a blustery, grey day it was Storm who took the lead, with poor defending from a corner allowing a toe-poked shot to nestle in the corner of the net. This prompted CSM to spark into life, taking advantage of abject defending – and specifically shocking goalkeeping – to surge into a 4-1 lead by half-time, helped in due part by a comical own goal headed past the flailing Storm goalkeeper. School predicted a rout, yet it was not to come. Chance after chance fell to CSM head and feet yet they could not find a way through the now surprisingly resolute Cornish defence. After Storm’s winger, who I shall christen ‘The Slowest Man Alive’, managed to swing a hammy leg and score an unwarranted second, impressive debutant Ben Vidler showed the rest of the CSM team how it should be done; a mazy run followed by a finish driven straight into the side of the net was much deserved. Despite the realistic prospect of scoring double figures not being as much of a formality as School had hoped, the impressive domination showed the side that they do belong in the top division, and provided confidence going into the game against Three Milestone. Near misses, abject refereeing, ridiculous 40-yard goals, a capitulation.
Saturday 13th November: CSM 4-5 Three Milestone Text Matt Dugay This game had everything for the neutral, salvation for Three Milestone and heartbreak for Camborne School of Mines. Under a clear blue sky, a real six-pointer manifested itself in one of the tightest games of the season, and one won in the cruellest of circumstances. Three Milestone won the toss and kicked off, but were immediately forced into riskily playing the ball around in their own half. Tension crept into the Three Milestone ranks, and the pressure paid off. A swift passing move spread the ball out wide, and the cross found Stephen Divers unmarked in the centre who stuck the ball into the open goal. Three Milestone attempted to fight back immediately, and were only denied from a freekick on the edge of the area by a flying, fingertip save from Chris Rushton. (Yes, that is me. No, I’m not exaggerating…much). A war of attrition proceeded to take place, until the floodgates opened for CSM. First Will Jenkinson hit a swerving volley into the roof of the net, then Dan Rose (aka, ‘Parky’) rifled a shot in off the post from the tightest of angles. Finally, Jimbo Williams, spotting the goalkeeper off his line, dinked the most ridiculous chip into the corner of the net from an audacious 40 yards. When the whistle went for half-time, CSM found themselves 4-0 to the good and determined not to let complacency set in. And for the first 20 minutes of the second half, it didn’t, with the defence holding tight in the face of heavy pressure. Three Milestone proceeded to chance their luck, entrenching their left back in the CSM half and even forcing their centre back to continually venture forward. The sustained onslaught eventually paid off, a ball into the back post being prodded home by the unmarked winger. This was a time for conciliation for School, yet it didn’t go to plan. Another scrappy goal after a goalmouth scramble and Three Milestone were back in the game. The referee took the spotlight by penalising Calum MacDougall in what was a fair challenge, giving Three Milestone a free-kick that was headed in by the centre back. With the game poised deftly in the balance, 9 minutes of injury time were signalled by the referee, leaving School players and those on the sidelines stunned. Three Milestone threw almost everyone forward, at times leaving only one player back in defence. Last ditch defending became the norm, but CSM could not hold out. Another prodded finish at the near post levelled the game, and with time running out, a deflected strike found its way into the School net off the inside of the post. At full time, the team were deflated, and will have to bounce back next week if we are to assert ourselves in Mining League I.
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HOROSCOPES Your Outlook for this month... Text & Images Faye Simms | www.candyflameyeah.blogspot.com | All origianl paintings for sale £25 | Concatc 07531871860 or Here and Now gallery
Aries: Do not be too prompt to give an opinion, listen attentively to friends, and all will be good.
Libra - Don’t forget about your friends or family. If you are worried, you can always turn to those people.
Taurus - Perhaps you should be improving your health... A holiday may feature in this change.
Scorpio - Be thrifty with your money. Things might get tight, so spend wisely on you and not others.
Gemini - Money and emotion will play an important part of your life. Don’t be misled by rash judgements.
Saggitarius - Someone will ask for your advice, but be careful as this may turn out to be a trap.
Cancer - Focus your attention away from work, enjoy time with friends and de-stress.
Capricorn - Your words will be taken seriously. Be sure to add context to them to make them go further.
Leo - Make time to do things what you like, not what others always want you to do.
Aquarius - If you’re expanding goals, don’t do these so fast. Build up a base before expanding.
Virgo - Be sure to cover all bases, and think about making Pisces - The exotic can feautre a decision, this can prove in your life. Channel your succesfull. desires in the correct direction.
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