Forge issue 56

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The independent student newspaper of the University of Sheffield. Est. 1946.

Issue 56 Friday March 1 2013 @ForgePress /ForgePress

Sport talk:

Varsity boxing as the punches flew, p.32

Features meet:

Lifestyle find:

The student minds behind Platform festival, p.16

Ally buckles up as new SU president

Can a student cope without caffeine? p.20

Union break Israeli boycott referendum 4 Disgraced Veolia invited

by Union to Ultimate Fair

4 Breaks boycott backed by over 2,000 students Jonathan Robinson

Photo: Lauren Clarke Forge Press Ally Buckle took the Students’ Union presidential title last night in a landslide victory, winning by almost 2,000 votes.

Buckle won 58 per cent of the vote, compared to his only rival Olly Clay’s 35 per cent.

All referenda were passed, and Jessica Ennis was invited to be the Union’s next honorary

president.

As the champage flowed, Buckle and his new team took to the stage, leaving their competitors to be consoled by their campaign teams who filled Bar One. Buckle, who won with his ‘Buckle Up!’ campaign, said: “I’m looking forward to celebrating!”

Students crowded in Bar One erupted into cheers as

the new officers discovered their fate after a fierce week of campaigning.

The development officer results started off the night and went to third-year Politics student Sam Neagus, who quickly took to the champagne.

With one of the largest margins of the night, Neagus stormed to a 68 per cent share of the vote.

The biggest win of the night went to new women’s officer Kat Chapman.

Chapman, who won 76 per cent of the vote, was flocked by supporters who told Forge Press: “We love her very much – she deserves it because she’s an amazing person and she’ll represent women properly.”

Full results on p.4-5

The Students’ Union broke its own End the Israeli Occupation policy by inviting a company with links to building illegal trams in Palestine to its Ultimate Fair, Forge Press has found.

Veolia, a French-owned multinational company, was invited by the SU to its own event on February 6 despite the company breaching the Union’s boycott of companies complicit in Israel’s occupation of Palestine.

The company’s transport subsidiary helped build a tram network to connect Israeli settlements to occupied Palestinian territory in east Jerusalem - an act which the UN’s Human Rights council declared illegal in 2010. The Students’ Union’s invite breaches the result of a referendum which was backed by 2,194 students last year.

Continued on p.3

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Step-by-step: Students race up Arts Tower for heart charity Aidan Phillips

Aidan vs the Arts Tower

Over 100 Sheffielders put on their running shoes for the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) annual Take The Stairs challenge up the Arts Tower on Sunday.

In only its second year, the event saw students and locals racing up 40 flights of stairs in the 78 metre tower to raise money to help fight heart disease.

The event raised £300 on the day through last minute registration fees and sponsorships, with money from websites still to come. One runner has raised over £1,000.

Sheffield major events committee chair for the BHF and founder of the event, Stuart Heslington, said they were on track to reach the £6,000 target for this year.

He said: “This year’s event’s been really successful. Not only have we had more runners, we’ve also had a strong backing from the University of Sheffield and local companies SIV, Sainsburys and Loch Fyne.

“I came to the BHF events committee last year with the idea for a stair run. As a Sheffielder I knew it was something I could organise and that would raise a lot of money.

“At 15 I lost my dad to a heart attack, and after a few years started doing a few bits for the BHF. “I thought that instead of asking people for money, I could set up my own event and get hundreds of people involved so we could raise a lot more.”

University of Sheffield student Arron Dougan said the money raised was very important for his and his friends’ society: “We’re

I started to regret the hangover by about floor twelve.

The two-step jump technique I’d perfected as an eight year-old held me in good stead for the first twenty flights, but after a while I was panting like a dog after a long walk. Having a notebook shoved in my sock didn’t really help.

We’d set off at intervals to avoid anyone being crushed under a stampede, following a group warm-up session .

Having been too busy interviewing nervous looking people to do the warm-up, my legs were about as stiff as a concrete when it was my time to go. Still, I managed to overtake a few people on the ascent, although they had slowed down to the point of effectively limping. I think they’d underestimated how tough it would be. Come to think of it, I think everyone had.

A giant heart and Sheffield United’s mascot Captain Blade were there to meet us at the top. I went to put my arm around the captain for a picture and accidentally punched him in the face – must have thought I was a Wednesday fan.

One of the volunteers lifted a shutter for me so I could get a photo of the view. It really was a stunning sight.

If anyone loves aerial views of cities, and has a few thousand calories to burn off, I’d recommend taking a trip up there and seeing it for yourselves.

The descent back down was far more relaxing. That is until I realised I’d only got one photo of the view, which feels like a waste.

Which means I have to go back up there again. Hope they’ll let me use the lift this time.

Students celebrate reaching the top part of the Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (MBB) Society, and its charities like the BHF that fund our research.

“Heart disease affects us all, so we thought we would show our support.”

Student and Learning Services staff member at Sheffield Hallam University Natalie Brownell said the run was harder than she thought it would be. “I’ve been

practising on the stairs in the Owen building during my lunch hours, but this has been tougher.”

Timed to coincide with February being national heart month, the event raised £4,000 in its first year.

The runner who has raised the most money will receive a meal for two provided by local restaurant Loch Fyne on March 22.

Girl’s Holocaust diary translated into English Clare Mattin An account of an eight-year-old girl’s life during the Holocaust has been translated into English by an academic from the University of Sheffield.

The diary, which takes readers inside a World War II concentration camp, will be published by Penguin later this year.

The diary has been translated from Czech by Professor Neil Bermel, Head of the School of Languages and Culture at the University of Sheffield.

Of the 15,000 children brought to Terezin and deported to Auschwitz only 100 survived – Helga Weiss was one of them.

Helga uses her diary to document the Nazi invasion, social isolation and eventual confinement suffered by her, her family and all 45,000 Jews living in Prague at the time.

Once she and her family were sent to Terzin concentration camp, Helga recorded their daily life – including moments of both

dark suffering and hope.

In 1944 Helga was sent to Auschwitz and left her diary with her uncle, who bricked it into a wall to preserve it for posterity.

On arrival at Auschwitz and just 11-years-old, Helga was able to convince Josef Mengele – a man famed for his ruthlessness and known as the Angel of Death – that she was older and able to work.

Compiled of original notebooks, a later interview and Helga’s childhood paintings, Helga’s Diary is a comprehensive depiction of life during the Holocaust.

Helga, now 83, said: “I am very happy with Neil Bermel’s responsible, clear and precise translation.

“Thanks to his work, I hope that my diary will speak to many people and that through my story they will learn something of the truth of the Holocaust.

“I believe this to be important in order that we not forget the past and can prevent such a thing ever happening again.”

Editor

alisha.rouse@forgetoday.com

Alisha Rouse

DEPUTY EDITOR Rowan Ramsden Managing Editor Mikey Smith WEB EDITOR Adam Harley fuse editors fuse@forgetoday.com Arnold Bennett Coral Williamson Head of Visuals Adam Harley News news@forgetoday.com Lauren Clarke Jessica Pitocchi Jonathan Robinson Comment comment@forgetoday.com Martin Bottomley Hamilton Jones LETTERS & COFFEE BREAK letters@forgetoday.com Holly Wilkinson Features features@forgetoday.com Sophie Allen Lizzy Jewell Nicola Moors Lifestyle & travel lifestyle@forgetoday.com Olivia Adams Laura Davies Sport sport@forgetoday.com Adam Hancock Will Aitkenhead Matthew Smith Music music@forgetoday.com Amelia Heathman Lianne Williams Games games@forgetoday.com Kaz Scattergood Andrew Smith Screen screen@forgetoday.com Phil Bayles Dan Meier Arts arts@forgetoday.com Olivia Middleton Elsa Vulliamy COPY EDITORS Ally Christodoulou Ellen Jurczak Lizzie Palmer Matthew Smith Matt Voice Elsa Vulliamy

Above: Helga Weiss now Below: A photograph of Helga before her first day at school Left: Notes from the original diary Professor Bermel said: “For a translator, a work like Helga’s diary is a tremendous opportunity and responsibility.

“Your goal, first and foremost, is to convey one person’s account of events in a faithful, readable form and in your language, but, of course, this is a story that unfolds against the backdrop of a horrendous chapter in human history and that’s always at the back of your mind.”

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Clegg, coffee, pizza and pens: a breakdown of officer expenses Jessica Pitocchi Union officers have claimed money back on food, drink, stationary and a life-sized cardboard cutout of Nick Clegg during their time as SU representatives, Forge Press has found.

In response to the cutout , which cost around £60, development officer Sara Moon said: “It is a valuable piece of campaign material that has been used for the ‘reclaim your education’ campaign.”

According to a Union financial breakdown, £135 was spent on business meals, £42.70 on pizza and almost £10 on coffee.

Stationary and printing totalled just shy of £200 and £533 respectively.

Caroline Lee from the Union finance office confirmed this figure is from individual officer orders and spending, and not from a separate general fund which is for things such as paper and envelopes.

The eight Union officers have a budget of around £10,000 which is to be divided amongst them.

This funding is to cover any business travel and accommodation incurred to do with their officer role.

Officers collectively claimed £1,453.94 on business travel and £257.90 on accommodation in Premier Inns and hostels.

The Union officers also have a shared objectives fund of £9,690 which is to be spent as and when on the fulfilment of both the

individual officer and team officer manifesto promises.

Women’s officer Amy Masson bought toys when holding an event at Coffee Revs last year for young parents to bring their children along.

Activities officer Tom Dixon used part of the funding on a choreographer for the big society flash dance which took place on Saturday December 1.

The main team objective for the officers was the NUS demonstration that took place in London on November 21 against the rise in tuition fees.

The officers spent £1,715 on

coaches which turned up to the University late and meant the 200 Sheffield protestors joined the demo two and a half hours late.

The expenses for this objective also included cakes costing just shy of £30 and post-protest pizzas and other food for students on their return to Sheffield costing £172.10.

Moon also added: “I think we have taken the duty of upholding policy very seriously and ensured the issues students care about - as voted in - get the financial support and attention they deserve.”

SCIENCE & Technology

SHEFFIELD NEWS Human heart develops much later than previously thought Research by scientists at five UK universities, including the University of Sheffield, has revealed new information about human heart development.

Observations of living foetal hearts have revealed they do not become fully developed until the 20th week of pregnancy much later than predicted by other models created using the hearts of other mammals such as pigs.

Although the heart looks fully developed, the tissue in the inside walls does not become fully organised until the final stages of pregnancy.

Simulating the development of hearts in the womb will provide models of normal heart development.

The hope is that these models can be used to detect heart abnormalities during pregnancy.

Emily Berry

WORLD NEWS Sweatband remote control

Photo: Jessica Pitocchi

Union breaches its own Israel boycott after shamed company attends Ultimate Fair 4Fury as Veolia allocated a stall opposite the Uni’s Palestine society

The Canadian firm Thalmic Labs has announced the launch of a gesture control device, Myo. Looking like a sweatband, it will allow a person to control and interact with technology around them, including video games, by the movement of forearm muscles.

Myo works by electrodes within the band reading the electrical activity involved in your muscles as they contract or relax in a gesture.

The first generation of Myo can recognise around 20 gestures, including the subtle movement of the tap of a finger.

It is expected to cost around $149 and will be released later this year.

Emily Berry

Continued from p.1 Two-thirds of students who voted in the referendum supported the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction campaign against Israel, which calls on the Union to end all associations with companies ‘complicit in the occupation of the Palestinian territories.’

Development officer Sara Moon said Veolia was invited to the fair by mistake.

She said Veolia - which also has a waste management subsidiary - attended the fair to “raise awareness about local recycling.”

Moon said: “Unfortunately those organising the fair made an honest mistake, and did not know about Veolia’s involvement in the Occupied territories and therefore that the company are boycottable.

“I am personally very sorry this happened, and have spoken to Palestine society to address their concerns.”

Members of PalSoc have spoken out against Veolia’s attendance at the Ultimate Fair, and were further angered when their stall was placed directly in front of the company’s stand.

Omar Jadallah, president of PalSoc, said: “When we first saw [the Veolia stand] in the fair right in front of us we were very confused and extremely frustrated but we did not take it out on the employees. We called our SU president and they investigated what went wrong.

“The Union officers have apologised to the Palestine society formally twice, and they promised that nothing similar should happen

NEWS

Photo: Jonathan Robinson again.

“They also told us that they will work on educating the next set of officers about the situation in Palestine.”

It comes after Union officers had spent months lobbying the University to terminate its own contract with Veolia - the company currently collects the University’s bins and recycling.

The University has agreed to end its contract with the company, following pressure from Moon and Union president, Abdi Suleiman.

A new tender for waste management has started, after a request detailing the terms of the University’s contract was sent out to prospective companies. Organisations are able to bid for the waste collecting rights.

The University has granted Veolia a short-term extension to the existing student residences contract until Friday May 17

so that the new tender complies with EU environmental laws that require a threemonth phase out period.

A spokesperson for the University of Sheffield said: “The University formally started a tender process for waste management services on Monday January 7 2013. This process will take approximately four months to complete, taking into account both the requirements of the EU Public Procurement regulations and the complexity of the requirement.

“The requirement of the tender is for waste management services for both the main campus and the student residences, with phased start dates to take into account the differing end dates of each of the existing contracts.”

Moon said: “Abdi and I have been working closely with the University on this issue. The contract is due to end in March and a tender has gone out to interested parties to see who could deliver the new contract. “[We] have been voicing our concerns to the University about Veolia’s involvement in Israel and the Occupied territories.”

The Ultimate Fair is organised annually by the Students’ Union, bringing together national companies, local business and University societies to help students gain career advice and experience.

For comment, see p.9

FACT OF THE FORTNIGHT Glow in the dark shark

The velvet belly lantern shark is less than 60cm in length and lives 200 to 1000m below the surface.

The shark possesses a surprising combination of luminescent features including a set of spines down its back, important for self-defence.

Bioluminescent arcs on the shark’s dorsal fins faintly illuminate the shark’s spikes.

Like other animals at this depth, the shark possesses a glowing underside, this helps to hide the shark from predators below by blending in with the light filtering through from the surface.

Victoria Stanway

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Sam Neagus, the new development officer, celebrates after winning Photo: Josh Rock

Corks pop in Bar One as new officer team is elected Continued from p.1 The new women’s officer beat out her only rival, Delia Wang, with 4,711 votes to her 970.

Replacing Richard Alderman as education officer is English Literature and Theatre councillor, Sam Rae. Rae received 4,466 votes, beating his only rival, Aaron Kulakiewicz, by over 2,000 votes.

International officer, where three of the nine candidates

Ally Buckle

were beaten by RON (reopen nomination), went to Alex Kohnert.

Kohnert’s nearest rival was Wenhui Wu, who took 1,429 votes to the winner’s 1,644.

Kohnert said: “I’m looking forward to getting into the nitty gritty. I want to thank my campaign. They are all wonderful.”

Another hotly contested position was sports officer, where Emily Dibble took the crown with

4391

Votes

32 per cent of the vote. Dibble flew past her five rivals, beating her nearest contendor by 556 votes.

An emotional Dibble said: “So much hard work has gone into this. You’re out of the house from eight till 11 and when you get home there’s still things to do. It was most definitely worth it.”

With only 430 votes seperating first and second place, the new activities officer is Alice Lord, who narrowly beat Mary Smith and her ‘Mary had a little plan’ campaign.

Lord said: “I’ve had no more than six hours sleep for about a month, I didn’t think it was possible to do so much work.”

Replacing Jon Gleek as welfare officer is Becca Barnes, who

58%

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International students’ officer, Alex Kohnert

Development officer, Sam Neagus “I can’t wait for this to start, to be honest this feels surreal. I will definitely celebrate tonight by drinking responsibly.”

“I’m looking forward to getting into the nitty gritty and finding out what I’ve got myself into! It’s obviously wonderful.”

President, Ally Buckle

Education officer, Sam Rae

“I’m feeling pretty good. Looking forward to celebrating and talking to my friends.”

“I don’t know how I feel,” he tells us,

“Is that a good enough answer?”

Well no, not really, but it’s the only one we’ve got.”

Women’s officer, Kat Chapman “I suppose the first thing I’m going to do is work out how to do the job.

I’m joking!”

Welfare officer, Becca Barnes Activities officer, Alice Lord

“My long suffering boyfriend threatend to leave me several times, so it has been a hard time, but so worth it.”

“I’ve had no more than six hours sleep for about a month so I’m really excited to go to bed! I didn’t think it was possible to do so much work. It feels so amazing.”

ran a campaign based on her experience as a medical student.

Barnes beat her closest competition Charlie Wren by 514 votes, with Anne-Marie Allan in a close third place.

The number of people who voted in this year’s elections reached a new Sheffield high, as the Union narrowly fell short of 9,000 votes by just four votes.

Abdi Suleiman, the SU current president, said: “I am most surprised by the turnout.

There was 700 more students who turned up to vote for less candidates.”

Jessica Ennis was voted the Union’s next honorary president, following Eddie Izzard, Nelson

Mandela and the Dalai Lama.

Ennis will be formally invited to take the position, but she may decline. Ennis beat education rights acitivist Malala Yousafazi and journalist Owen Jones, who said on Twitter this week that he wanted Yousafazi to take the title. The Olympian won a huge 60 per cent of the student vote.

The referenda also passed, meaning the Union will remain affiliated to the NUS, and the constitutional review was accepted.

Only four per cent of students voted to disaffiliate from the NUS. The new officers will take their positions in July.

35%

7%

Votes

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Election coverage by: Lauren Archer, Eve Betts, Lauren Clarke, Adam Harley, Jessica Pitocchi, Lisa Preece, Rowan Romsden, Jonathan Robinson, Alisha Rouse, Josh Rock

Olly Clay

RON (Reopen nominations)

NEWS

Sports officer, Emily Dibble “You’re out of the house from eight till 11 and when you get home there’s still things to do. It was most definitely worth it.”

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NEWS National news Summer born students least likely to get Oxbridge place The probability of getting a place to study at Oxford or Cambridge University can be influenced by your birthday.

In 2012 applicants were 30 per cent less likely to gain admission if born in July rather than October.

Research has always suggested that summer born children are at a disadvantage in terms of early development and achievement but there is less focus on the later life implications.

Oxbridge candidates may unknowingly be at a disadvantage if born in summer rather than autumn or winter.

In fact last year they would have been 25 per cent less likely of a place.

Hannah Boardman

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Rat infestations shut down three fast food restaurants Laura Drysdale Three Sheffield fast food restaurants have been forced to close due to rat infestations.

The food outlets were all closed down last week after environmental health officers spotted signs of rats and mice.

Popular student takeaway, Wardey’s, on Glossop Road, was amongst those shut down.

When inspectors visited, a rat was seen running across the floor and droppings were found in the kitchen and customer seating areas.

Rats were also found at Red Sea Continental food store, at Burngreave, and mouse

The Royal Bank of Scotland has recorded an annual loss for the fifth year in a row.

The bank, which was rescued by the government in 2008, made a pre-tax loss of £5.17bn.

The figure is up from the £766m that the bank lost last year - a result of a £5bn charge for loan impairments.

In a turbulent year for the bank, RBS has had to deal with the mis-selling of PPI, interest rate swaps and a fine for attempting to fix Libor.

Jonathan Robinson Councillor resigns after disability comments A councillor who said that disabled children should be “put down” because they cost too much money has resigned.

Colin Brewer, an independent at Cornwall council, made the controversial comments to a disability member in Truro in 2011.

Mr Brewer said: “I was wrong, I admit it.”

He was forced to apologise in writing after a standards committee upheld a complaint.

Jonathan Robinson

Cllr Colin Brewer

salmonella.

Health experts believe the cold, wet weather is encouraging the pests to move indoors for food and shelter.

A spokesperson for Sheffield city council said: “We have enforced these closures in the interest of public safety. We only consider closing any premises if it presents an imminent risk to health.

“On the grand scale of things this

scenario is generally uncommon.

The vast majority of food premises in Sheffield are broadly compliant with food law, with 89 per cent achieving a rating of three or higher on the national food hygiene rating scheme.

“We work with all businesses to improve standards, and so far this financial year we have seen significant increases in the number of premises rated four and five, and a reduction in the premises rated two and below.”

What’s on your mind?

Comment on this article: @forgepress

Graduates staying in Pie and peas: St Luke’s Sheffield, report says fundraiser launches Lauren Archer

RBS records fifth annual loss

droppings were spotted by officers at Palmyra, a Mediterranean restaurant on Wicker.

P u b l i c h e a l t h inspectors made the decision to close all three businesses as they believed there was an imminent risk to the health of the public.

Rodents carry and transmit diseases, including

A new report into Sheffield’s culture and economy has praised the city for being “vibrant and resilient”.

State of Sheffield 2013, the latest in a series of detailed reports released each year by the Sheffield First Partnership, states that residents of the city benefit from a high quality of life.

According to the report, much of Sheffield’s success comes from the high number of graduates who chose to continue living and working in Sheffield after finishing their degree.

It is Sheffield’s diversity and independence that encourages young people to stay, the report says.

Despite national austerity measures, the writers of the report go on to say that employment levels in Sheffield are better than the average for the UK’s biggest cities.

68 per cent of working-age men

and 60 per cent of working-age women are in employment and developments in manufacturing and big business are set to create a further 58,000 jobs in the next three years.

Of the 20,000 businesses in the city some 80 per cent employ 10 or less people – suggesting that continued austerity and globalisation has been met with admirable resilience by Sheffield’s small businesses.

The report states: “There are more young adults living in the city thanks to the excellent offer of the city’s two universities and college and those looking for jobs that a modern and inclusive city attracts.”

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Comment on this article online: www.forgetoday.com

DOT COM

Eve Betts Volunteers at Sheffield’s St Luke’s hospice will launch ‘The Great Pie and Peas Up’ today to help raise £5 million to build a new in-patient unit.

The campaign encourages people to register to host their own pie and pea meals at home, in their workplace or in the community to raise money.

Each diner is encouraged to donate £10 to the hospice.

St Luke’s hospice provides compassionate care for 14,00 people a year suffering from life-long illnesses and gives bereavement support for family and friends.

Judith Park, deputy chief executive at St Luke’s said the money raised would go towards the building of a new in-patient unit.

She said: “The care patients receive at St Luke’s is exemplary.

“We have over 500 volunteers supporting 170 members of

staff but we could not carry out brilliant care for patients without the money we receive from the people of Sheffield.

“We have so far raised £2.8 million towards the unit so we still have some way to go before reaching our target of £5 million.”

The new in-patient unit, which started construction in June, will provide patients with 14 single rooms with en suite, two three-bed shared rooms, a bed lift to allow patients access to the hospice garden, a mortuary, lower chapel and viewing room.

The pie campaign will run throughout March.

South Yorkshire police chief slammed after ‘ill-judged and offensive’ Hillsborough email Neelam Tailor The most senior police official in South Yorkshire sent an email to staff last year which implied a campaign group representing those who died in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster was not telling the full truth.

Chief constable David Crompton said in the email that “the media ‘machine’ favours the families and not us… in fact their version of certain events has become ‘the truth’ even though it isn’t.”

Margaret Aspinall, whose son died at Hillsborough, described the letter as a “disgrace”, and said she did not accept Mr Crompton’s public apology in which he said: “It was never intended to cause any offence.”

IPCC commissioner, Nicholas Long, said the email caused concern and that it was “at best ill-judged, and at worst offensive and upsetting”. He wrote to Mr Crompton to express his views.

The Hillsborough Independent Panel for Justice is yet to give their reaction to the email but Long said it had a serious impact on public confidence in the police.

In the email, Mr Crompton talked in detail of the media war that the police appeared to be losing - he described it as them “missing a trick” for public support.

The home secretary has ordered a new inquest into the disaster after an independent report revealed police reports had been altered in order to conceal misconduct.

As part of police preparation for the release of this report, South Yorkshire chief constable David Crompton sent the email internally to his assistant chief constable and the head of the force’s media team.

This email was released due to a freedom of information request made by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

96 football fans were killed at Hillsborough.

Chief constable David Crompton

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SteelHouse’s lap dancing licence rejected by councillors

NEWS World news

Beer company accused of watering down drinks Beer drinkers in the US have filed a multimillion dollar lawsuit accusing a major drinks firm of watering down its beer.

Consumers are taking out a lawsuit worth $5m (£3.3m) against Anheuser-Busch on the grounds that 10 of their beers, including Budweiser and Michelob, have a lower alcohol content than advertised.

The suit follows AnheuserBusch’s merger with BelgianBrazilian company InBev in 2008.

Anheuser-Busch InBev have called the claims – which are based on information from the breweries’ former employees “completely false”.

Peter Kraemer, vice president of brewing and supply at Anheuser-Busch said: “We proudly adhere to the highest standards in brewing our beer.”

Lauren Archer

Protestors gathered outside Town Hall Photo: Chloe E Lee Chloe E Lee A planning application to transform SteelHouse into a lap dancing venue was rejected at a planning committee meeting this week.

A total of 165 objections were made to Sheffield city council against the West Street nightclub gaining a sexual entertainment licence – including many religious leaders, politicians and residents.

Residents in Sheffield expressed their concern through Peter Sephton, the chairman of Sheffield city centre residents’ action group. He said: “The establishment of such a venue would not only lower standards in the city’s key areas but also reduce the public perception of Sheffield as a caring city.

“The proposed venue is a clear representation of current exploitative sex industry that undermines the dignity of women.”

Organised by local feminist Rosalind

SteelHouse applied for a sexual entertainment licence.

Photo: Jonathan Robinson

Wollen, Maureen Storey of VIDA (formerly known as the Sheffield Domestic Abuse Forum) and Cllr Jillian Creasy (Green, Central), a protest took place in front of the Town Hall before the planning committee meeting began.

Protestors were holding banners and chanting “women are not sex objects”, “keep our streets safe” and “no more lap dancing clubs.”

During the protest, Wollen talked about how sexual harassment and crimes against women are more prevalent around venues such as the proposed lap dancing club.

Cllr Creasy criticised councillors in the area for not having set licensing policies that could have prevented ‘dangerous proposals’ such as the one made by SteelHouse.

She said: “City centre is home to lots of people and we do not want it to become a playground of people engaging in antisocial behaviours and dangerous activities.

“A lap dancing club is not just private

matter for the men and women directly involved. It is a public matter we should all be concerned about.”

Attended by the press and public, the planning committee discussed the potential consequences of passing the application.

After about 20 minutes of discussion, councillors found strong enough planning grounds to reject the application.

Councillors found that unacceptable harm would be caused to local residents and businesses.

Since the venue is close to tram and bus stops, it was viewed that passing the application would worsen the current noise problem around West Street and possibly cause more crime in the area.

With strong pressure from the public, the application was rejected with six votes for, one against and two abstentions.

However, SteelHouse can appeal against the decision.

Taxi drivers could be forced to install CCTV in cabs - and they’ll have to foot the bill Huang Yanlin A union are campaigning against Sheffield city council’s decision to make all private hire and taxi drivers install CCTV cameras in their cars.

The council hopes the cameras will reduce assaults, however the taxi firms will have to pay for CCTV systems at about £500 each.

GMB union have written to the council to suggest that the cameras should be voluntary.

A spokesman for the union said: “If we cannot revisit the decision with the council we will consider a legal challenge once we have received advice from our solicitors.”

Peter Davies, GMB regional officer, said the union encouraged the use of CCTV to improve both driver and customer safety, however said that the council should not force taxi drivers to install CCTV cameras in their

cars.

Davies said: “The council seems to be approaching the policy with a ‘we know best and you will do as you are told attitude.’ Well maybe they don’t and maybe we won’t.”

Sheffield city council argue that there has been an increase in the number of taxi drivers being attacked and “enough is enough”.

Cllr John Robson (Labour, Arbourtorne) said that attacks, verbal abuse, and the number of people running off without paying had reduced significantly in taxis that had installed the CCTV systems.

Hafeas Rehman, chairman of the Sheffield taxi trade association, previously said cameras help drivers, but “should not be mandatory”.

A further Sheffield city council meeting will take place with drivers in May to discuss how to implement the new policy.

Homeless man rewarded after returning engagement ring A homeless American man will soon have over £98,000 after he returned an engagement ring to a woman who accidentally dropped it in his cup earlier this month.

S a r a h D a r l i n g ’ s engagement ring was found by Billy Ray Harris,.

Her fiancé set up a website seeking donations for him, who frequently begs in Kansas City.

Over 6,000 people have donated online so far.

Lauren Clarke Marijuana cannon firing into US seized by police in Mexico A powerful, modified cannon which has been used to launch bags of marijuana over a border fence into California has been recovered by police in Mexicali.

The device was constructed using a crude metal tank, which ran using compressed air from an old car engine, with a plastic pipe on top to fire barrels of the drug weighing as much as 13 kilos.

It was confiscated last week after US officers told Mexican police of the large number of drug packages they had seized which seemed to have been coming from across the border.

Mexican border police have recovered several similar devices in previous years.

Jessica Pitocchi

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COMMENT

Veoliating our own policy SU officers need to take responsibility for Ultimate Fair mess Jessica Pitocchi The Union officers’ response to the foolish mistake of inviting Veolia to the Ultimate Fair earlier this month was just not good enough.

Development officer Sara Moon said: “Those organising the Fair made an honest mistake and did not know about Veolia’s involvement in the occupied territories and therefore that the company are boycottable.”

‘The Union, including the officers, were well aware of the boycott’ Back in November, the Students’ Union demanded ACS end their contract with Veolia because of its links to building tram networks connecting Israeli settlements to occupied Palestinian territory in east Jerusalem.

This means the Union, including the officers, were well aware of the boycott and should have ensured all of its policies, as with Nestlé and

the Sun ban, were circulated and communicated to all of its employees.

Obviously, this was not the case when the Union employees were organising the fair.

Last year, two-thirds of students voted to support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction campaign against Israel, which means the Union will end all links with companies “complicit in the occupation of the Palestinian territories.”

The Union officers should know the importance of communication and should have ensured this policy was known inside out by all those involved with the Union.

To add insult to injury, the Veolia stall was positioned opposite the Palestine society at the fair.

The defense of this mess was even worse. The phrase “honest mistake” is banded around a lot these days, and usually translates as something the lines of: “I wasn’t thinking and did something stupid.”

But as paid, elected and trusted representatives, a mistake of this

proportion is utterly absurd and should not have happened.

The Union officers have succeeded in putting pressure on the University to make the decision to finally end their contract with Veolia in May this year, but have undermined their own cause by allowing the Union to have further dealings with the company.

‘As elected representatives, a mistake of this proportion is utterly absurd’ While not a malicious mistake, it was a mistake nonetheless and the officers need to take on responsibility for their own failings - but in this, they have let us down.

Photo: codepinkphoenix/Flickr

It’s high time the Union increases drug awareness Tom Schneider I won’t lie, when I was choosing where to spend three years of my life, I did try and ask a few esteemed elders already at the nirvana that was university what the nights out were like.

Students at Sheffield reported that Union nights out were not just palatable, but genuinely popular and enjoyable.

However, as a fresher, my Union experiences have been limited to the cavernous and characterless atmosphere that permeates every corner of the Octagon Centre.

Apart from nostalgic second and third years, most of us have been turned off the Union nights to such an extent that we are flying the nest, but are our Union parents

doing enough?

When the University in its infinite wisdom comes to reflect on its decision to update its £5m investment into the Union only 12 months later, it will surely see that Foundry and Fusion has not been adequately replaced.

As we drift away to the other sights and sounds of Sheffield, we find ourselves further from such safety precautions as the women’s minibus and the Union’s relatively stringent alcohol policy.

Corporation, to name an infamous example, does not abide by the Union’s commitment to only serve spirits in single or double measures.

However, with the plethora of advertising and information plastered all over the Union and its website, it is undoubtedly doing a good job in replacing the institutionalised alcohol know-

how that is possible with popular Union nights with a personal know-how that can be taken to town.

Where the Union parents fall down however, is outside the mono-drug obsession it has with alcohol. Even a baby-faced fresher doesn’t have to look far to see that other drugs are out there and there is no absence of events (legal or otherwise) to try or continue doing them.

A quick group text to a few friends reveals that they think that raves and the associated drugs are on the rise in Sheffield this year, and although it is a stretch to think that the folk who are not going to the Union nights have seen a rave as the natural substitute, there may be more than an iota truth in it.

So surely the Union has more of an obligation than ever to provide information for its maturing

offspring?

A quick trawl through Google finds that most of our competitors (for example Leeds, York, Newcastle and yes, Sheffield Hallam) have extensive information on specific drugs. Our own Union provides a skeletal webpage on advice on drugs and alcohol in general.

For me, the Union must use its status as a trusted source to take part in a little myth-busting.

Inexperienced freshers are doubly at risk of making uninformed decisions due to a lack of nostalgia for the safer Union nights and a general relative lack of exposure to drugs.

As we are forced to fly further from the safety nest of the Union, our alcoholic know-how appears sufficient but our drug knowledge is still dangerously reliant on ‘Trainspotting’.

Photo: divya_/Flickr

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60 seconds: Is that it?

SU election hustings was a massive flop

Jonathan Robinson Being sat five metres away from the stage should be the best seat in the house as officer hopefuls stand nervously in the spotlight at Interval.

With candidates due to face probing questions and what can only be described as an intimidating crowd, this should be one of the finest nights in Union politics - an opportunity for Sheffield to showcase how we do officer elections.

Like a geek, I had been looking forward to hustings for weeks.

However I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Instead this year’s officer hustings turned out to be a disappointment.

Rather than being a thoughtprovoking night, it turned out to be nothing more than a meeting of likeminded individuals intent on

shouting the loudest and clapping the fastest.

Easily three quarters of the hustings crowd was made up of whistling followers of candidates, who naturally donned matching colours and slogans. You would have been hard pressed to find a neutral there or anybody who left Interval with a different outlook on the world.

Most students at hustings had made their minds up on who to vote for long ago. Most people in attendance at the event were merely there to support their candidate friend (and be a shoulder to cry on in some cases). This really annoyed me - why weren’t undecided voters there?

Did they not know about the event? Or did they just not like the format?

Annoyingly, each candidate was given just 60 seconds to make their case, and a further 60 seconds each to respond to a generic question.

Blink and you would have missed it. This is nowhere near enough

time.

In amongst the back patting and jovial banter, I couldn’t help but think this night could have been so much more. Surely we can do better.

‘Most people at hustings had made their minds up on who to vote for long ago’ 8,543 students voted at last year’s Students’ Union elections (a figure most other unions would kill for) so student engagement in politics is clearly high.

I must question why this engagement didn’t transcend on hustings night. Why didn’t people turn up to hear students talk about issues that genuinely affect them and their peers?

Maybe it’s just because I’m a fan of the BBC’s Question Time but surely a format where ordinary

students can question, challenge and probe would-be officers is preferable. At least this way candidates won’t spew out line after line of rehearsed script.

Take away the predictability of it all and we might just have an interesting debate on our hands.

The success of the Forge TV debates showed this could really happen. The Union needs to organise a similiar event, but on a much grander scale.

Unlike the majority of students, I appreciate the manic leafleting, the 9am lecture shout outs and the concourse resembling a cardboard graveyard. It shows me that candidates do really want the position.

I instead believe potential SU officers need to be provided with a much larger platform to voice their ideas - and to open them up to debate.

Although I was virtually within touching distance of this year’s collection of candidates at hustings, there was also one more

problem – the distant chatter, drunken shrieks and constant murmur drowned out the words of wisdom from the candidates. Some more cynical individuals might argue that was a good thing.

However, I can’t help but feel that Interval was not the ideal venue to hold this event. It needed to be bigger, involve more people and not have a bar conveniently placed within walking distance.

This year was my first experience of hustings and I had been promised so much. But unfortunately the lack of candidate drilling and audience disengagement with most of the candidates turned the night into a sober affair.

Sadly, the only cheers were made by the overly enthusiastic followers of candidates or the drunken revellers in the corner.

Join the Conversation: @ForgeComment on Twitter facebook.com/ForgeComment

Google Glass: Here’s looking at you, kid – and recording a video Charlie Richiardi Tech fans will be thrilled to hear that the long-rumoured Google Glass has been officially announced this week with the opening of an ‘explorers’ application process. A selected few will be able to purchase the heads-up display glasses as part of an extended development process, but predictably, questions of privacy are hampering any real excitement.

Genuine as these concerns are, the lack of any substantial technological revolution and the impracticality of Glass make any anxiety entirely misplaced.

Google Glass is the next logical development in wearable computing, a field that has grown from digital watches to Bluetooth

headsets and now to ‘augmented reality head-mounted displays’.

That’s smart glasses to you and I, or the nearest thing to Iron Man’s JARVIS currently available.

‘Glass is at best a new platform for existing capabilities, but mainly just a gimmick’ Through voice commands, head movements and a touchpad frame, Glass is capable of doing pretty much everything your smartphone can do, including query response (think Siri) and Google-associated tools such as navigation and translation services, all of which is displayed in a semi-transparent box in the corner of the wearers eye, just beside a near clandestine

camera.

Clandestine cameras you say?

How can we possibly stop people capturing videos of us and the subsequent online spectacle when we can’t even see them do it? Well it’s not quite as covert as appearances suggest, and far less so than secret camera apps already available. Users still need to make audible commands or reach to the side of their head to initiate the camera, quite as noticeable as raising a smartphone and thus just as preventable if you’re unhappy being digitally captured.

What’s more, I anticipate that society won’t be as accommodating as Google expect.

Whilst businesses will ban them for fear of illicit recordings, social norms will dictate Glasses use in public in a similar manner to how using Bluetooth headsets is still unpopular outside of a

business environment. Far from a technological revolution into privacy intrusion, Glass is at best a new platform for existing capabilities, but mainly just a gimmick.

However, Google’s intentions are admirable. The concept is to put the user back in touch with life again, ending the continual distraction of technology, whilst it operates inconspicuously.

A rather rosy idea; but as yet nothing more than that. Aside from underestimating the distraction of an ever present display, the inability to record video for longer than ten seconds will have users continually speaking or tapping commands, far more distracting than setting up a conventional camcorder.

More fundamental is the lack of internal storage, relying entirely on cloud connectivity. Once Wi-

Fi is not an option (e.g. skydiving, or mountain biking as Google’s promotional video suggests), users must initiate a Bluetooth connection with their smartphone and start piggybacking 3/4G. By this point, surely it would have been less distracting to use the smartphone?

I’m all for a personal JARVIS, and we should all want technology to integrate more seamlessly into our lives.

I’m also confident that if that day comes, society will adapt to counter any privacy issues that will emerge, but for now, technological inability does that for us.

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COMMENT Editorial

Photo: wheelzwheeler/Flickr

SU elections are over, microwaves aren’t that big a deal, and Forge Media are wonderful

The Starbuck stops... where exactly?

Patrick O’Connell The House of Commons is considering a ‘name and shame’ policy of dealing with tax avoiders.

Tax avoidance, unlike tax evasion, is legal, and costs the treasury billions every year, and now the public accounts committee believes revealing the identity of tax avoiders is the answer to its problems.

To a politically disillusioned general public, the idea of MPs naming and shaming the UK’s tax avoiders fits awkwardly.

The public’s perception of MPs is hardly that of whiter-than-white, holier-than-thou trailblazers desperate to fight for a fairer tax system.

‘The public’s perception of MPs is hardly that of trailblazers’ The fallout from the parliamentary expenses scandal of 2009 has not quite slipped out of the collective memory of the British public just yet – dishing out judgements on the topic of morals and money could easily backfire into a public relations catastrophe.

There is no denying the immorality of tax avoidance

when some of the UK’s poorest individuals pay more in tax than millionaires. Legal tax avoidance costs HM Revenue and Customs approximately £5 billion a year.

Tax avoidance is not just a scheme used by individuals, but by major corporations too: Since its launch into the UK market in 1998, Starbucks managed to pay a paltry £8.6 million in corporation tax, a miniscule fraction of its profits. For global companies, twisting the system to suit their advantage is unethical, however if tax avoidance is so morally bankrupt then perhaps MPs, as legislators, should be attempting to tighten the loopholes, not pursuing a name and shame policy.

The fact is, revealing the banking details of a few celebrities is nothing more than a government propaganda drive. The public’s knowledge that comedian Jimmy Carr had been avoiding taxes by exploiting the tax haven of Jersey has not filled the treasury’s coffers.

The problem costs HM Revenue and Customs faces is arguably sincere – the solution planned is certainly not; steps should be taken to introduce new laws, not crudely attempt to whip up some form of moral panic with naming and shaming.

David Cameron himself has lambasted tax avoidance as “morally wrong”. Of course, this seems painfully ironic judging by the fact that the prime minister’s father, Ian Cameron, exploited this

perfectly legal system for his own financial gain.

David Cameron’s late father created a network of investment funds in tax havens across the world such as Panama and Geneva.

I wonder if his name will appear on the list of the UK’s legal tax dodgers.

‘David Cameron’s late father created a network of tax havens’ MPs should tread carefully if they are to persist with this; in this day and age politicians are not exactly known for their saint-like reputations, and the effect of this proposed idea may result in MPs appearing hypocritical.

Naming and shaming certainly seems like a fairly media-friendly policy, though one that will not accomplish anything of real significance. It is a poor substitute for a genuine attempt to tackle the problem at hand.

Got an opinion on the topics discussed this fortnight?

Contact letters@forgetoday.com

We can all breathe a sigh of relief as the tranquillity of our 9am strolls to lectures are no longer ruined, by hoards of people brandishing leaflets and obnoxiously happy faces. But on the plus side, didn’t they all do well?

Another crop of candidates have been given the brilliant opportunity to put off getting a proper job for another year.

We saw the highs, we saw the lows, and we saw the grown adults crying in their droves, sinking jagerbombs into their campaign leaflets and contemplating the strenuous task of applying for a job.

Meanwhile, we were locked in the Media Hub, producing this paper and definitely not drinking wine. We definitely are not playing Blink 182 and considering heading to Sainsbury’s for our second bottle of Merlot as this gets written.

The main news of the night for us, is that finally the officer team has a 50/50 gender split, disparaging rumours that women simply aren’t cut out for all this campaigning malarkey. While there was not a huge choice of particularly inspiring candidates,

but an abundance of truly awful YouTube videos, at the very least our Union is still progressing.

On the other hand, the most heart warming news is that students aren’t actually that bothered about microwaves.

Which is lucky, considering the chances of ACS and the University agreeing to lose profit all in the name of cheap microwavable meal deals was extremely low.

A massive congratulations also needs to be given to the whole Forge Media team. Our live coverage was groundbreaking in terms of student media, and our 50-strong team on the night proved that an independent, converged media format is the best way to deliver high quality journalism, while providing the best training for the BBC tech crews of the future.

On behalf of the whole of Forge Media, we’d like to thank Mikey Smith, our student media coordinator, for his abundant patience, enthusiasm and knowledge. Without him we really would just wander around in circles, with our legs tangled up in a sea of wires.

Alisha Rouse & Rowan Ramsden Forge Press editor and deputy editor editor@forgetoday.com

D.A.R.T.S.

Forge Press takes its satirical aim

Website of the fortnight:

Quote of the fortnight:

Somebody has dressed up their pug. Repeatedly.

“Enjoying the last few weeks of being able to sit in the IC without a bloody microwave going BING every 2 seconds.”

http://tinyurl.com/ pugdressup

- @GuidoForge

Cat potty trainer: will your catnip to the toilet?

and really what could be more hygienic than practically rubbing bums with cat? Nothing, probably.

Have you ever found yourself annoyed that your cat can’t use the household toilet? No? Well somebody has, and they have taken it upon themselves to set up and manufacture a product that guarantees to tackle this issue in only eight weeks.

Jo Lapidge, from Sydney, Australia, first came up with the design by putting together plant pots and toilet seats to train her cat, Moggie, to use the toilet.

Some time down the line Moggie now no longer uses a litter tray, in fact it has gone from the home, she’s a toilet only kind of gal.

Her prototyped product, LitterKwitter, is now selling worldwide, and we at Comment approve of its fantastically bad pun of a name.

The box claims the product to be “more hygienic than a litter box”,

Our predictions for the officer elections By the time you, dear reader, hold this in your hand, the most momentous occasion of the century will have happened, and you’ll know what went down at the officer elections. Still, here’s our ill-founded and probably slightly incorrect predictions: Olly Clay loses, and sets his fiery orange beard aflame in protest.

Ryan Jinn is named ‘most fancied among the Forge team’.

David Lodge transforms into a giant, murderous android and assaults Rory the ROAR tiger.

Alice Lord is voted activities officer, but doesn’t want to go onstage and has to be urged on in her quest by her loveable sidekick.

Mary Smith is arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty.

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@forgepress /forgepress letters@forgetoday.com

Your comments on www.forgetoday.com to: Students’ Union Council, 21/2/13: Save The Sun, NUSSL Muscle and the Israeli occupation If there’s no clear cut decision on whether or not to hold a referendum, then that means we definitely have to have a referendum, as opinions are so strong and majorities so hard to come to.

Look at it another way – in terms of fair, democratic, representative governance, what’s gained from not having a referendum? From not engaging the student body? Anything?

Leon Derczynski I agree completely, Leon. What could have been a “Win-Win” situation (the students have a referendum, the Sun is banned) has been so poorly handled that the Union Council has lost a lot of credibility, the student body has been completely divided and a lot of the students are furious that their right to a referendum has been taken away from them by people who are supposed to be representing them. Plus, last week, the agenda for banning the Sun was not made known to a lot of students. Very sly, and very sneaky.

Rob

LETTERS

The Lib Dems have been supporting equal marriage before the Commons Dear Forge Press, I was dismayed to read Richard Walker’s comment piece about Equal Marriage failed to mention the good work that Lynne Featherstone and Nick Clegg did in Government to even get Equal Marriage to the Commons.

The Liberal Democrats were the first major political party to back

equal marriage and Nick Clegg was the first party leader to back it publicly.

I hope that you’ll bring this to the attention of your readers.

Thanks, Harry Matthews Second Year Physics

Your comments on www.forgetoday.com to: Women of Steel: £150k statue appeal launched to finally recognise Review: Black Mirror: Season 2, Episode 2 – White Bear wartime heroines

Your comments on www.forgetoday.com to:

I have shared your article with my mother who worked at the Tinsley Wire Works throughout the War. Not only did she sacrifice her youth but also her sight as whilst making submarine nets she was hit in the eye by a flying piece of metal and almost lost all the vision in it. She has never had compensation for her accident or even any form of thank you for her sacrifice. She is but one example of many from that time who are unsung heroines.

Revd Christine Pennock

Very unpleasent viewing. This goes way too far for me, the crowd are more evil than even the main character, being truely terrorised is something more evil than the fear of being murdered these days. Said it before and I’ll say it again, there’s a real lust for having someone to hate and hurt that I just cant understand in society.

Prefers arts and crafts

Your comments on www.forgetoday.com to:

Your comments on www.forgetoday.

Today’s graduates are the future: Give them the jobs they deserve com to: This is a terrible article. Instead of looking for a solution, you’ve just sat here berating everybody for their “worthless, time-waster degrees.”

I don’t think you should be denigrating cleaning/restaurant/supermarket jobs either. This is the reality for many people, and your snobbishness does nothing to help the situation.

The Sun ain’t gonna shine anymore. So what?

Basically a hissy fit of “I don’t like it so no one else can like it.”

Adam

I didn’t know the term “Mickey Mouse degrees” was even in currency any more.

Foz

Suprising how any self respecting journalist, let alone editor, can defend the censorship of a national newspaper in a university.

Peter

Your comments on www.forgetoday.com to:

“We aren’t going to sell X” isn’t comparable to state censorship. As I’ve said elsewhere, you can go and get 500 signatures and send it for referendum - infinitely more directly democratic than the House of Commons.

Cult Corner: Croc – The Legend Of Gobbos I just wanted to say a real quick thank you so much for this, I’ve spent days trying to remember what this magical game was called.

Croclover No problem mate! Everyone should play this game. It’s an absolute classic!

(I actually find the idea of running SU’s via direct democracy interesting, whether it’s through regular online voting or through assemblies or whatever. I know that the SU has to pay a company to use the election software each time, which is why they do them all at once, so money could be an issue there.)

Furby

Kieran Dean Yes! Croc is and always will be my favorite game of all time.

Lisa Lee

Your comments on www.forgetoday.com to:

Penises and pompoms: the Sun is banned, but look what you can STILL buy at the Union With all due respect to the editor, and this newspaper (that I was once a part of), this article is not where it belongs.

“If the 4.3 per cent of newspaper buyers in the Students’ Union that go for the Sun really value their beloved pile of dumbing-down idiocy, rampant bigotry, shameless lies and Murdochian political agenda that much, they can buy it elsewhere, bring it into the cosy warmth of Coffee Revs and read it there. The rest of us will just reserve the right to judge them for it.”

Lol, you live in your own little bubble, mate. Journalism students need to buy it, which is why it’s sold there. I don’t see why I should have to go out of my way when in the Union to have to go to another shop to buy it, thus inconveniencing me on the say-so of obsessive people. I don’t like the Sun or Star, but I don’t like the Guardian either as it’s anti-semitic. Why not just ban everything?

V

This is not “news” for several reasons. First, it’s comment because it’s obviously biased and calling it news would disgrace the word.

Second, going to the union shop to see what is on sale there isn’t compilling news, it’s compilling inflamatory material on your way to lectures.

Third, it’s not ‘news’ because anyone can go to the union shop and see what’s happening. Which is why this type of ‘information’ is used for comment pieces, because everyone already knows, but it is used as an argument as opposed to a fact.

Please review your news agenda. Best of luck, Nicole

Your comments on www.forgetoday. com to: Living on the streets

This is heart breaking to read, but the fact that Claire is working for a better future inspires me. streetlevel

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Drugs on Film Words: Lizzy Jewell Artwork: Matthew Burnett

O

@forgefeatures /forgepress features@forgetoday.com

xford University Press have been publishing the Very Short Introduction series since 1995, boasting sales figures of over 5 million copies worldwide and spanning 25 different languages.

They provide exactly what the declarative title says; accessible, introductory books presented in slim little volumes so a complete novice can begin to become acquainted with big topics. From Vikings to the Renaissance, dinosaurs to existentialism, the Very Short Introductions provide a solid starting point.

In 2012, the Very Short Introductions project teamed up with the Guardian, launching a competition exclusively for students and their budding ideas. The brief was simple: to create a short film on a subject that they were passionate about, introducing a popular audience to the concept or idea.

Aside from this, the competition guidelines were extremely broad; the film could be about any topic, provided it is 60 seconds or less in length.

The entries themselves are extremely varied, from battling sexism to campaigning for equality, for religious, ethnic and sexual identities, or explaining and sharing views on ideological, philosophical and cultural grounds.

Some of the finalists’ films are relevant to big debates going on in our current contemporary climate, others on the cutting edge of research in their respective fields.

The editor of the Very Short

Introductions series, Andrea Keegan, remarks that on the whole, the calibre of the work was seriously impressive.

“I thought condensing a large topic into 35,000 words, as we do in the Very Short Introductions books was difficult enough, but I think that this challenge was even harder. I was very impressed with the quality and variety of videos which were submitted.”

Abridging big topics into bite size chunks is no small task, but the competition was aimed to challenge; to urge students to create something engaging that would “inform and inspire”.

The subject matters in the long listed entries vary widely, and so do the students who presented them.

Spanning the length and breadth of the country, students from various academic disciplines contributed their introductory thoughts on issues and subjects that they are passionate about.

The entries are creative and astute, clever and funny, and include a contribution from a film studies student – a degree subject which must put them at a bit of an advantage.

The long list is available on the Guardian website and is open to public vote; the top four then shortlisted by the public vote will go through to a final judged by experts in March.

Auspiciously, one of the students who made it to the long list was from the University of Sheffield. Matthew Burnett presented an introductory video on thoughts linking to his pioneering research topic, developing medicinal therapeutic drugs from new, cheaper sources.

The research itself at a glance may

sound in-depth and complex, but the videos all have an element of the Very Short Introduction that inspired the competition.

Forge Press caught up with Matthew Burnett, currently an MSc biological and bioprocess engineering student at the University of Sheffield to find out more about him and his topic.

“

Imagine what I could have done with a minute and a half!

Matthew Burnett

”

Selected from thousands of entries, we interviewed Burnett to hear about his inspiration, his passion for his subject, and how the competition impacts his present and future prospects.

The short films are seriously short, and provide no more than the broadest introductions to the research and hard work behind the topics of the films. Intrigued by his 60 second video, we interviewed Burnett to get a little

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more acquainted with him and his research.

The one minute format was certainly restrictive to Burnett’s ideas and broader themes in his research, but he enjoyed the challenge this presented.

“I even had time for some credits”, he says, an aspect which none of the other videos in the list contain, “Imagine what I could have done with a minute and a half!”

Funnily enough, Burnett was already familiar with the format of the Very Short Introductions series.

“I think the writers of the series would be the ultimate dinner party guests, they have such a breadth of knowledge on subjects from angels to game theory.”

Although the constricting limits of the 60 second film are daunting, especially when engaging with subject matter heavy in specialist knowledge and scientific language, Burnett embraced the challenge of presenting his field to a wider audience.

“It is very easy to get caught up in the jargon of your subject,” he agrees, “But I really enjoy trying to explain the things I am passionate about to my family and friends.”

Burnett’s film is called Manufacturing Drugs and provides an overview of how medicine is changing from biological to chemical processes, which will make them cheaper and more readily available.

“I think that given more time I would spend it on explaining things a bit more clearly, but I just didn’t have time to make it as accessible as I would have liked,” Burnett told the Guardian.

“I felt that in a minute it would be very hard to explain my research in enough detail just using speech, and it would be difficult to demonstrate or act out.

“I simplify difficult concepts for myself by drawing diagrams, often spending a lot of time on them. For me it is the most enjoyable part of learning, and so I thought it would be fun to draw an animated video.

“If I get the chance to do it again I think I’d use lots of colours.”

Burnett used his entry in the competition to talk about his passion for science in a way that is accessible to those outside his academic field.

In Manufacturing Drugs, Matthew outlines his scientific research, breaking up the scientific jargon with hand-drawn illustrations.

“I definitely think the illustrations made the video,” he says. “It would be easy otherwise to portray this subject in a boring way.

“And without time, money or expertise to create fancy graphics, I felt that drawing was my best option. It was really fun to make!”

Embracing the challenge of fitting masters level scientific research into a minute long summary, Burnett describes how he compiled his ideas into such a short video.

“After filming a few runs of an introductory sequence in the lab, I put pen to paper and drew out the plan of the video.

“It would have been very difficult to explain the concepts behind my research verbally, so I decided to illustrate the explanation.”

Burnett has always enjoyed drawing; as well as having a penchant for science he studied “a bit of art” at university in America, and relished the opportunity to combine his two passions.

The film-making process all took place in our very own University buildings; from Burnett directly addressing the camera, clad in lab coat, to the animated explanations.

Matthew also did his BSc study at the University of Sheffield: “I am grateful for the opportunity the University have given me to do this research, and I would be nowhere without the knowledge I have learned at the University of Sheffield.”

Burnett is keen to point out that, despite the ideas and illustrations and ideas being his, he could not have done it alone. In fact, his friend and collaborator Louise Essam is credited at the end of the video.

“I could not have made the video without the help of my friend Louise. She worked really hard on the filming and editing.”

Burnett’s research is cutting edge, and central to a wider quest for cheaper and more readily accessible medication.

“Most of the drugs in development are ‘biologics’, that is, they are produced in a biological process rather than a chemical one.

“The current methods for this are really, really expensive and a year’s treatment with one of these drugs can cost £15,000.

“I’m doing a research project on moving the drug production process into bacteria, which would cut costs massively, but there are a number of hurdles that need to be overcome before this could happen.”

Further to his MSc work at Sheffield, Burnett discusses his future prospects, and the doors that could be opened by winning the Guardian competition.

“I would love to get involved with science education, either in university or on TV.” Winning the competition is a truly prestigious achievement; the accolade for first place is a cash prize towards tuition, a sum that would go a long way in the current climate of education fees and cuts.

“I would be thrilled to win, I think it is an achievement I could be really proud of.

“Whether or not I win, it might open some doors into the world of science education and the media which I would love to get involved with.”

Not a bad effort for a filmmaking debut, gaining exposure in a competition run by two such reputable organisations.

Manufacturing Drugs is Burnett’s first film: “But I had a lot of fun making this one!”

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Friday March 1 2013 FORGE PRESS

Words: Kirsty Moyse Photo: Platform

w

E

arly spring is certainly a wonderful time of year: getting out of bed in time for 9am lectures now means seeing the sun rise and even the laziest amongst us have finally acted upon those elusive New Year’s resolutions and are feeling, if not looking, much better for it. Also there’s the prospect of Easter just around the corner.

Daffodils can be bought in the supermarket and, for the thrifty, there are some excellent bargains to be had on excess Christmas stock chocolate in the discount stores in town. The average student could want little more.

With these motivational thoughts in mind, involvement in the events and activities going on around the University and in Sheffield need no longer be seen as obstacles coming between you and your duvet. Exam season is safely behind us, and results publication not quite close enough for concern: now is the ideal time to act on your intention to do more stuff this side of January. If that ‘stuff’ be arts or performance based, luckily for you Sheffield is an obliging city; a quick scan of both Forge and more city-orientated publications such as Now Then magazine will indeed yield ‘stuff’ galore awaiting your involvement.

Most already know at least a little something about the annual Fringe festival in Edinburgh-

whether this be knowledge of the iconic city, the crowded Square Mile, eccentrically dressed street performers, or simply consumption of as much haggis as possible while taking in the up-and-coming comedy and performance art. Somewhat closer to home, however, is Sheffield’s Platform festival.

This year taking place over the weekend from April 19-21, Platform has similar themes of grass roots performance, theatre and comedy.

Yet just like the city in which it takes place, the festival is more distinctive in its blend of originality, resourcefulness and creativity.

Considerably less haggis is involved, too.

In 2013, Platform festival will be in its fourth and truly sensational year. Organised, run and enacted entirely by students at the University of Sheffield, previous Platforms have given the University’s student community the means to present their performance based talents in a three day long extravaganza. This has included theatre, stand-up comedy, dance and sketch shorts- tightrope walking has also been considered. Probably the most appealing aspect of Platform is its inclusiveness: neither previous involvement with the University’s theatre or drama groups, nor the department you belong to determine participation in Platform.

What is essential, however, is motivation, enthusiasm and fresh ideas. As committee chair Alex Marshall emphasises, ‘people

“

Seeing Cavendish at work first hand helped the committee see how important Platform is in raising money Alex Marshall, Platform committee chair

”

who don’t get to take to the stage very often perform in whatever capacity- the weekend is a fantastic opportunity for people to both take part in and watch more diverse performances and talent’.

It is hard to explain exactly what you will end up seeing or doing if you attend a Platform performance- or, most importantly, participating in one. The sky really is the limit here, as the diversity of past performances shows: recent Platform-associated productions have included the stunning ‘Bear with Snow’, which some of you may have attended in the weeks before the end of the autumn semester. A hidden spectacle of evening entertainment performed in rooms throughout the Bank Street Arts gallery in Sheffield city centre, ‘Bear’ featured the jubilant use of shredded essays and revision notes for the snow of the piece’s title. The story of a young boy whose parents own a circus which is thrown into chaos after the disappearance of its star performer in a snowstorm is a far cry from other equally ambitious Platform shows.

Considering their favourite productions from previous years of the festival, Platform’s committee chair and vice-chair cite last year’s ‘Shakespeare for Breakfast’ performance of Twelfth Night in Interval, which managed to include the remarkable feat of one of the cast eating two tins of baked beans in 10

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FORGE PRESS Friday March 1 2 0 1 3

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minutes.

On a somewhat less eccentric note is the DanceSoc’s 2012 show, which both committee chair and vice chair agree on as being consistently excellent, despite having to be adapted to the slightly awkward performance space of ‘Raynor Lounge, with a big old pillar in the way’.

As these examples would suggest, there is so much more to putting on a performance within the scope of Platform than being an actor or performer. Creating a production from scratch incorporates scriptwriting, set and costume design, production and publicity- so you need not be up on stage under some form of spotlight in order to make your particular contribution to Platform.

Whatever you bring to the festival, be it your self-taught scriptwriting skills, ability to perform synchronised dance movements or comedic talent, all participants will get a great awareness of those timeless CV classics: experience of teamwork, self-motivation and time management. A hint- think back to the New Year resolutions and commitments we mentioned at this point!

It is important to recognise, however, that Platform is considerably more than the means to jazz up a lethargic Curriculum Vita. Pointing to the ‘community atmosphere which springs up over the three days’, vice chair James Travers indicates people ‘spending 12 hours

at a time in the Union, and asking each other how their shows have gone’ as testimony to the truly open spirit which the festival grows amongst those who participate in it.

This is one aspect that you will be sure to treasure as much as, if not more than, an extra bullet point on your CV. Not only do participants get the buzz of creating a performance from scratchscript, costumes, fliers, and the odd eyeliner moustache- but the knowledge that the money raised through ticket sales for performances and the fundraising events taking place will go to the deserved cause of Cavendish Cancer Care. Cuts to local services are not news to many, and the South Yorkshire area is representative of the situation throughout the country. ‘‘Cavendish really struggles with funding’’, states committee chair Alex Marshall. ‘‘We went as a committee to meet some of the staff that worked there earlier this year. It was really interesting to see first-hand how Cavendish help people with cancer and their families through the most difficult time in their life, and I think it helped the whole committee see how important Platform is in raising money to help Cavendish keep its doors open.’’

Last year’s Platform managed to raise a fantastic £2,000 for Cavendish. When you consider that this was all generated through

the initiative and dedication- not to mention the baked bean-eating capacities- of the Sheffield student community, the genuine potential the festival has to give back to the city you live in and love becomes clear. This year, hopes are high to smash this record, and James has his tactics planned. ‘‘This year we’ve been much better at doing alternative fundraising before the festival, in terms of selling Krispy Kremes, or glowsticks at Union nights. There’s a bit of competition between those of us who are on committee this year and last year’s committee, so it would be nice to be able to say we’d beaten them- especially as last year’s chair is now activities officer’’.

However, competitive banter aside, the main aim remains to help such a deserving charity as Cavendish, no matter how much money is raised.

To summarise: involvement in or attendance of performances at this year’s Platform festival is something you really should consider as relevant to you. As James affirms, participation in these kinds of dynamic activities is infectious: ‘‘I first got involved co-writing and directing a show in my first year, and enjoyed it so much I’ve been on committee in the two following years. It was amazing to have a chance to do something like that in my first year, and I really wanted to help facilitate similar opportunities for other people.’’

The range of talents required and exhibited at Platform are as diverse as the students who participate. All you need is inspiration and energy, and the sense of community the festival creates is a great space in which to meet people you wouldn’t necessarily come across in your ‘extra stuff’-less schedule.

What’s more, you will get to add to both your CV based and your real-life experience of working as part of a team to fixed deadlines: undeniably essential skills. At the very least, your attendance of Platform performances will contribute to the breaking of last year’s £2,000 fundraising record.

So, begin your participation in this year’s Platform now, by cutting out this article and sticking it to the fridge in your flat- advance publicity is very much appreciated! Buy the next Krispy Kreme or glowstick you are offered on the concourse or at a union night, and be happy in the knowledge that you are indeed beginning to ‘do more stuff’, as the days slowly get longer and warmer and those duvet days become a distant memory.

Whether the weekend of April 19 - 21 finds you chugging beans or weaving last minute props in Coffee Revs, you can be sure that it will be for an excellent cause- and that it will be excellent fun.

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Friday March 1 2013 FORGE PRESS

vb

Inspiration & Co Martin Bottomley looks into

Inspiration & Co, a programme of talks by some of the University’s most inspirational speakers

@forgefeatures /forgepress features@forgetoday.com

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T

he murmuring subsides. Short introductions are made. Dramatic spotlights, video cameras and photogra phers flitting around lend the Students’ Union auditorium a certain buzz, while the audience is assured that this talk has been hotly anticipated and prompted a “flurry of emails” to education officer Richard Alderman’s inbox.

The main actor, Dr. Sam Ladkin of the Department of English, takes the stage, and in dulcet tones begins his talk: ‘The Art of Masturbation’.

Those expecting a Karma Sutra of self-abuse are likely to be disappointed, Ladkin warns.

Instead, the audience can look forward to a comparative reading of the Civil War poetry of Walt Whitman with Rob Halpern’s 2012 poems of 21st century war and alienation, Music for Porn.

Finding theoretical grounding in the works of French critical theorists Jacques Derrida and Maurice Merlau-Ponty, he explains how in these poems - as in other famous works of art - the artist mediates between the present and the absent, and how the ambiguous relationship between the representation of an object of love and the lover thus makes the poet assume the role of a masturbator.

The lecture is part of Inspiration & Co., a series of lectures from academics that were nominated and voted for by the student body to share some of their cuttingedge research with students and the general public alike. Intended to spread knowledge, insight and titular inspiration to people outside of the topics’ subject matter, it’s billed as an opportunity to witness ‘mind-expanding talks’.

The idea’s in the name, explains Christopher Howett, marketing director of the Students’ Union and entertainment and one of the main figures in bringing the lecture series to life.

“The ‘Inspiration’ stands for the core of what it is, and the ‘Co.’ for the collaborational, co-operative aspect of it. We struggled on the name for quite a while. ‘‘We wanted to give the idea of a virtual curiosity shop, where you can shop around and mooch around on the shelves, pick out little trinkets.”

Inspiration & Co. is a curiosity shop full of ideas, allowing you to stumble across many trinkets of knowledge.

And indeed, anyone going to the trouble of visiting each and every talk would easily find themselves a more learned person for it: from quantum optics to the ethics of a fragmented world, from language to inspiration from a gender perspective - the talks present an eclectic mix of topics that are challenging, curious, but always intriguing and enriching. This is not just a pastime for idle dreamers.

As Howett points out, “Steve Jobs is a famous example of someone who dipped into various courses unrelated to his core course, like calligraphy, and learned much from it.”

Howett describes the long-term plan of Inspiration & Co., lectures available online as being part of the learning revolution powered by conferences like TED, whose main audience by now is not the few paying the hefty attendance fee but the millions consuming the hundreds of short-form talks online.

Featuring the tagline ‘Ideas worth spreading’, it shares much in the spirit of Inspiration & Co., and Howett calls it a “shining beacon for us all”.

But the Sheffield-based lecture series takes its own inspiration from a similar programme, ‘The Best of Bristol’, started at the University of Bristol. Conceptualised by a thenundergraduate keen to enable students to learn things outside of their chosen field, it is part of an increasing trend of learning opportunities made available to all.

“We essentially transported the idea from Bristol to Sheffield,”, says education officer Richard Alderman, “And the University has been very keen on this project and hoped for a sort of halo effect.

“

Knowledge isn’t a download

Dr. Sam Ladkin, department of English

”

“The University wants the students to engage more with their research, look at other subjects, make the links in their programmes.”

The emphasis on making connections between departments is not just something the University of Sheffield has been eager to promote.

Alderman argues: “It’s not seen as a normal thing for a French student to just sit down in a Geography lecture. We wanted to open up all the information available in this university. There’s a big push towards interdisciplinary studies, so it seemed like a way to take this forward.”

Howett points out that this is not just another trend in academia, “Global challenges can’t be addressed by one discipline alone anymore. So we have a desire to open stuff up.”

The University of Sheffield has already achieved much in this area, says Alderman.

“They’ve done things like Festival of the Mind, encouraging academics to take their research out into the open. At the same time, on an international level, you’ve got things like Coursera and FutureLearn, which Sheffield is kind of behind the curve on, in all honesty.”

Indeed, the internet has transformed much about learning.

“For things like social sciences and humanities, a lot of information you would learn at university is now available freely online, so what is it uniquely that a university has to offer?

“The value of university education is to have discussions, and that’s the thing about Inspiration & Co.: it’s not just about the lecture, it’s also about the ability to ask questions at the end.”

Advertised heavily via Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, Inspiration & Co. pursues a strong social media strategy, overseen by English Literature student Adonis Leboho.

“Social media’s been the key. Just

looking at how an image of, for example, the hadron collider gets shared, retweeted, reblogged, gets a conversation going.”

The interaction doesn’t end in social networks though; students were able to nominate and vote for the lecturers they thought inspired them most. The conversation of learning involved from the start - and still involves - students and their potential to contribute to what Leboho calls a “cross-pollination of ideas.”

For Sam Ladkin, Inspiration & Co. is not just useful knowledge.

Having participated in a prior event arguing ‘Against Value in the Arts and Humanities’, he does not believe in the use of education merely to teach skills such as critical thinking.

However complex the elationship between academia, arts funding and inspiration, the event argues that “the end-point of education (knowledge) cannot (must not?) be determined in advance.”

Consequently, Ladkin’s talk takes a rather loose interpretation of “inspiration” - how has inspiration manifest itself in poetry?

Responding to the question of how his topic fits the idea of inspiration, he argues, “Part of what I want to do in this research is contemplate models of sociability and generosity even within what’s taken to be a solipsistic pastime. So masturbation as an expression of vulgar kinds of inspiration seemed an apt topic.

“I guess I’m trying to think of some vulgar kinds of inspiration, though I’m not in any way condemning when I say vulgar.

I’m thinking through some of the more self-aggrandising or the more insipid examples of lyric love poems in a Petrarchan tradition, with the forever chaste love-interest casually chopped up into bits to be more elegantly praised, hair like this, eyes like that, etc.”

These poets, he argues, are obsessed by this beauty because they’re both “a bit hot under the collar”, and “showing off” to the audience how broken they are by this erotic intensity.

Walt Whitman’s Civil War poetry similarly featured an erotic streak, Ladkin argues. Trying to be a poet of the masses, a poet who celebrated the multitudes of proud individuals in a democratic system, Whitman found himself unable to engage everyone individually. Instead, he described his energy and affection that he spread out to the masses.

Ladkin explains, “Peter Coviello argues that ‘To be properly American is thus, as Whitman conceives it, to feel oneself related in a quite intimate way to a world of people not proximate or even known.’ Now, he doesn’t go quite so far as to describe that intimate affection to unknown others as onanistic, but I do.”

Striking a bridge from the 19th century into the present day, Ladkin traces Whitman’s influence in contemporary poet Rob Halpern’s 2012 collection Music for Porn, where the masturbatory imagery is even more readily apparent.

A meditation on neo-imperialist America, what it means to be a soldier, and the alienation of this condition expressed in the mass consumption of pornography, it’s a complex answer to the adolescent energy of Whitman’s poems.

“If Whitman had been right, and love for others depended on love for self, then our culture saturated by pornography and masturbatory energy would be more, well, benign.

That doesn’t seem to be the case.

“Halpern’s poetry is concerned with alienation, with the ways in

Photos: Tobias Kingsley Terpilowsky-Gill

which people’s lives are purchased for certain kinds of work. In his book Music for Porn, the figure of this alienation is a soldier, sometimes a wounded soldier (as it was for Whitman in his civil war poems), and that soldier is paid to put his body in danger, and to put his intellect and emotional life at the service of murderous intent, on behalf of the military wing of a neoconservative state.”

The talk became a discussion of how the very nature of art and poetry has incorporated a kind of masturbatory function. How this very same function contests hierarchies of nature over culture, presence over absence, by contesting the primacy of sex over masturbation.

By the end of the presentation, there’s a sense that the audience has been thoroughly overwhelmed by a trip into stratospheric flights of thought.

So how will this sledgehammer of a literary crticism talk translate into inspiration? What will people take away from the talk? Ladkin says he doesn’t want to be too prescriptive.

“Knowledge isn’t a download; you take what you can at the time, and you perhaps find something bobs up from your murky memory later on.

“I’ve been to plenty of talks and read plenty of essays that I couldn’t do much with at the time, and then six months later, strangely, up pops an idea. I’m sure in my talk I didn’t get it right, but hopefully it was an interesting failure.”

Leboho explains that it’s not just about the ideas themselves: “When you pick a topic like ‘The Art of Masturbation’, it’s part of the wider conversation on learning for learning’s sake.”

So maybe these “interesting failures” are the best way to encourage learning, knowledge, and a love of everything new. Even if only a fraction of the talk is understandable to an audience of strangers to the field, the grain of knowledge that stuck may well prove the seed to not only great ideas and interdisciplinary work - it will inspire people to think about what it is to learn.

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Friday March 1 2013 FORGE PRESS

Fashion Food & Drink Health & Fitness Travel Giving Back Sex & Relationships Technology

Lifestyle & Travel WHAT NOT TO MISS THIS FORTNIGHT

Lifestyle’s pick of what’s on in Sheffield CITYSCAPE CINEMA

By Laura Heffernan

IVFDF FOLK FESTIVAL

Saturday March 2, 6-8pm at the Park Hill Amphitheatre (above the Train Station).

This year’s Sheffield Adventure Film Festival (from March 1-3 2013) features a new experience - the opportunity to watch an amazing double bill with premieres of two of the year’s most anticipated extreme sport films followed by a question and answer session with world class freerunner Ryan Doyle.

Located above the Sheffield train station, Cityscape Cinema will overlook the stunning evening skyline for one night only.

With free entry and food, this is definitely worth a visit! Check out: www.shaff.co.uk.

March 1-3 at City Hall

IVFDF is the UK’s longest running folk festival based around traditional forms of music and dance.

The festival is run by a different university each year and this year Sheffield will be hosting it for the eighth time.

Expect Ceilidh’s, concerts, Scottish dance and workshops, as well as indoor camping. A weekend ticket for students costs just £18 for three whole days of nonstop music and dance, and tickets for individual events within the festival start from £6.

ARTIST DANNY ABRAHAMS

the thing about psychopaths

March 8 - May 11 at Heartbeat Gallery

March 11 - 12 at Studio Theatre

If you have a spare moment, pop down to the Heartbeat Gallery and check out some of the work of Danny Abrahams.

He was born in Bradford and as a true Yorkshire man he has taken much of his influence from the beauty of the everyday images within northern landscapes.

You don’t have to pay a penny to attend the exhibition so there’s no reason not to go and have a look at his breath-taking landscapes.

For two nights only, the people of Sheffield have the opportunity to go and see Ben Tagoe’s new play, The Thing About Psychopaths.

Set in modern day Britain, Noel hits the big time at one of the country’s largest financial institutions but becomes out of his depth when he gets caught up in corporate fraud.

The big-boys make the rules, whether in prison or a corporation, and only the fittest survive the game. The Thing about Psychopaths asks important questions about power and empathy in modern Britain. Tickets cost £12.

Food & Drink

Student Life

Sinead Graham Like most people I enjoy a hit of caffeine in the morning, be it tea or coffee, I don’t have a preference.

It was this liquid kick to the system that I missed most during my five days of abstinence.

I found myself, not due to a craving, but because of my normal routine, turning on the kettle.

By the time the water was

boiling I really did want a hot drink especially as the weather was so bitter.

Instead I replaced my tea and coffee with hot juice and I felt like a little kid.

The biggest trial of my five days was day three when I went to a gig and found that I had to replace my usual tipple of vodka coke with vodka lemonade.

Don’t get me wrong the change was quite pleasant and lemonade will occasionally replace coke from now on.

It was more the fact that I am so used to making my drinks order that I found myself stumbling over my words like an under aged teen.

As the night progressed jägerbombs were thrown into the mix and unfortunately I had to sit that round out.

The following day was also not a pleasant experience.

I had university and work and I certainly needed caffeine to keep

Going Local: eating to support independent businesses Lifestyle investigates the locally sourced goods at PJ Taste

Hazel Thorp Heard of PJ Taste? No, neither had I, which is surprising once you consider its prime location on West Street.

Located just a short walk from the IC, I think I may have found the perfect place for when work is getting a bit too much (so I’ll be there a lot then.)

The café has a focus on ‘seasonally inspired local food’ which means you can treat yourself to something different without feeling guilty.

It was refreshing to visit somewhere in the knowledge that I was contributing to the local economy at the same time as getting a good deal for my pockets and tastebuds.

Peter is the man who runs the business. When I went to talk to him I could tell how passionate he was about locally sourced food.

He tells me that since the doors opened seven years ago, PJ Taste has grown and grown, but they’ve stuck by their founding ethos of local food being the responsible way forward.

The menu in the café changes according to what’s in season, with different salads appearing every day.

But don’t worry carnivores, there were plenty of meatilicious meals to sink your teeth into.

The venison burger was a particular highlight, being succulent and just the right size for lunch or even a substantial afternoon snack if you’re feeling a bit piggy.

My favourite of all snacks was the ‘Sheffield Egg.’ It was a bigger and much better take on the Scotch egg.

I absolutely loved it.

85 per cent of all of the food sold comes from Yorkshire and we were told that they are always trying to raise this percentage while maintaining the highest standards of quality and authenticity.

Take the example of their coffee.

Italian coffee has always been prized for its quality and PJ Taste in the past concurred with this impression.

This was until they found a supplier based in Yorkshire that is just as good as well as having a carbon neutral manufacturing process.

‘Our Cow Molly’ is the milk of choice, and is fresh every day; maybe we should spare a thought for the poor p e r s o n getting up at 2am to milk the cows next time we complain about a 9am lecture.

Now, let’s get down to the pennies.

Prices are re a s o n a b l e but there is quite a gap

between the cost of eating in and taking away. I’d say it’s well worth eating while you walk or when you get back to the IC to avoid the extra cost if you’re on a tight budget.

You still get to stretch your legs which is what most of us need the most.

When PJ Taste is compared to the IC Café there is a clear winner.

A meal deal of a sandwich, snack and drink costs £3.50 from the IC in comparison to as little as £2.95 from PJ Taste.

This is also competitive with Sainsbury’s and Tesco. While some things on PJ Taste’s menu are more expensive than this, they are also a lot more varied and interesting than the IC’s offerings.

Although I’m not sure I can eat another pepperoni panini from there. Just, too, much food. But I’m pretty certain it beats what most of us put in our lunchboxes too.

And while it may be cheaper to do that, everyone has those days where they forget funds, or run out of time to make lunch and snacks. Time for PJ Taste to step in.

All in all, the small independent business is the place we would all have been going to, if only we’d realised it was there sooner.

Personally, I’m quite gutted that I will only have a few months with it on my all-important snacking radar. No need for sympathy though, I will certainly be making the most of it in the coming months.

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FORGE PRESS Friday Marc h 1 2 0 1 3

@forgelifestyle /forgelifestyle lifestyle@forgetoday.com

5 Day Challenge

Review

Could you cope without caffeine?

The Dam House

Laura Davies me going.

In fact I needed it to get me started, so I found my eyes dropping at several times during the day.

However, a positive effect of having a non-caffeine night was that I didn’t have that post-Red Bull fast heartbeat.

But, I would not advise anyone to try a caffeine free hangover day as it was certainly a trial.

One thing that I realised about my caffeine habit during my refrain was how having a brew is something that fills time in my life.

It’s what I have on my break at work, whilst I’m making my breakfast, or to accompany the TV. It was at these times that I would find myself wondering what to have instead.

I actually did some university reading whilst on my break instead of counting the minutes until I had to get back to work which was quite

helpful.

I won’t be renouncing caffeine again, it’s not that I am addicted more the fact that I enjoy the occasional caffeine fix.

Also, there is no point in denying myself one of life’s little pleasures, especially when, in moderation, it is not massively detrimental.

Health & Fitness

Battling the revision bulge

Mariyah Mandhu Feel like those jeans are a little bit tighter from the ‘I just don’t care’ attitude during the revision period?

With exam period over, we no longer have the excuse of fueling ourselves with cheeky ‘revision snacks’ and unhealthy convenience foods.

Chocolate bars and bags of sweets may have seemed like a good idea during the early months of the new year- but really they have just helped to pile on unwanted pounds.

If you are feeling a bit sluggish and bloated, here are a few tips to get you back into shape, and kickstart semester two.

We are all aware that exercise is key to keeping our bodies in good shape.

To put this into practice however, proves difficult once we take into consideration the student lifestyle.

So the key is to exercise as and when you can.

It is recommended that we should exercise for an hour a day but short, vigorous exercise three or four times a week is just as effective. To be most productive however, you need to be exercising regularly but also allowing your body to rest.

Swimming and running are both great all-round body workouts which will tone up leg, arm and core muscles.

T h e g r e a t t h i n g about both is that you can ease yourself into workouts two or three times a week, interval training

if need be, and then work your way up to constant exercise.

Experts also say that exercise is most effective in short bursts.

You can mix and match repetitions of different exercises to make up ten-minute circuit plans.

Full body circuits could comprise of: one minute plank, three (three x eight repetitions) sets of sit ups, three sets of press ups, squats and lunges.

Adding weights for extra resistance will speed up weight loss too.

There are a few other tips worth mentioning.

Firstly, increase your water consumption.

Drinking six to eight cups of water a day is essential for flushing out all those toxins and keeping your body hydrated, particularly during exercise.

Secondly, get exercise in where you can.

Swap bus journeys for walking, online food shops for trips to your local supermarkets and green grocers, and even get your flatmates involved in activities that you can all participate in.

Of course, exercise does not have to be boring or prescriptive - take up something new from the University’s ‘Give It A Go’ activities: salsa dancing or exploring the peak district are both fun ways of incorporating exercise.

The benefits of exercise are endless – it makes you feel good, you will look better and is a great way of de-stressing.

Give your body that well deserved detox and wave goodbye to that muffin top and bingo wings.

Exercise, eat well and stay hydrated - a recipe for success.

I have fond memories from May of 2012, mostly spent sat with a chilled pint of fruity cider on the banks of the lake in Crookes Valley Park, munching on a burger from the BBQ at the Dam House.

From the daily crowds, it was obvious that the Dam House had reopened at just the right time of year, post-exams and in the sunniest weeks we had seen in ages. But little has been heard since.

Last week, Lifestyle headed down to check out the menu and investigate what’s going on at the Dam House these days.

It was a quiet night at the Dam House, despite cheap drinks and a nice interior. Perhaps this can be blamed on it’s tucked away location, hidden down Mushroom Lane.

On first glance, the menu seemed pretty ordinary; a standard selection of burgers, chips, pizzas and so on.

A wise food critic once told me that you can judge a restaurant on the quality of it’s burgers, so after picking a bowl of nachos to share as a starter (£3.95), I went ahead and ordered the aptly named Dam House Burger for my main (£8.95).

The nachos arrived in a tall bowl, admittedly a very messy way to eat nachos, but it was a generous portion and even more generous was the cheddar cheese, melted all the way through the layers of crispy tortilla, salsa and a delicious guacamole.

Shortly after the starters our mains were delivered to the table by a smiling (and very chatty) waitress.

The Dam House Burger was served on a chunky piece of slate, slightly inconvenient to fit on a small two-person table, but a nice presentational touch.

Layers of rocket, a perfectly cooked and juicy burger, grilled bacon and homemade onion rings, oozing with cheese and served in a

‘rustic roll’.

One word: delicious. Served with a salad of olives, rocket, tomato and cucumber, and a big bowl of chips, I’m ashamed to say that the Dam House Burger defeated me, despite having starved myself all day.

The second main was a bowl of steaming cheesy lasagne, with garlic and rosemary bread and a salad garnish.

Clearly freshly cooked and not just zapped in a microwave, this lasagne was a nice change to the usual pub-style grub.

Our only complaint would be a lack of garlic on the bread, it seemed that the chef had forgotten that key ingredient.

Other than that, the lasagne was another success for the Dam House kitchen.

After all those carbs, yes, you guessed it, we found room for pudding.

Recommended by the waitress (apparently the manager is addicted to them), we both chose the lemon posset (£3.95).

Served in a tall champagne glass, this was a tricky one and we watched with fingers crossed as the waitress carried them over.

Luckily, they made it to the table

Food

intact.

Topped with a slightly bitter fruit compote, on first mouthful we were wary.

However, as soon as we delved into the creamy lemony dessert, we were also addicted.

Not bad, Dam House, not bad at all. With great views over Crookes Valley Park and tasty food, if only that summer atmosphere could be captured year-round, then we would have a winner on our doorsteps.

Phone: 0114 266 8041 www.damhousesheffield.com

Lifestyle’s Cheap Eat Chorizo & Cheddar Frittata

Ingredients (to serve two): -Four eggs

-One courgette (grated) -One onion (chopped)

-Two cloves of garlic (crushed) -One chilli (sliced)

-50g chorizo (chopped into chunks) - 50g cheddar cheese (grated) - Vegetables

Method: 1. Throw the onion, garlic, chilli and chorizo into an omlette/deep oven-proof frying pan and cook until soft.

2. Whisk the egg with the courgette and half of the cheese.

3. Pour the egg mix into the pan and stir until the consistency is like scrambled egg.

4. Leave until just uncooked on the top, then sprinkle on the remaining cheese and put under the grill until golden brown. A splash of Henderson’s Relish is optional.

Friday March 1 2013 FORGE PRESS

22

Lifestyle & Travel Beauty

Fashion Food & Drink Health & Fitness Travel Giving Back Sex & Relationships Technology

Introducing the beauty vending machine One has been spotted in Harvey Nichols and more may be popping up across the UK, but will they catch on?

Laura Heffernan A vending machine seems to miraculously turn up whenever you happen to need a quick fix, but forget about your mere Kit Kats and Crunchies; the BeautyMART team have given your average vending machine a fashionable upgrade.

Standing on the fourth floor of Harvey Nichols London is a vending machine which is full to the brim with bags filled with all of your beauty essentials. The contents of each bag has been selected by Anna-Marie Solowij (former Vogue beauty director) and Millie Kendall (Rubie and Millie cofounder) and prices range between £3.95 and £98 depending on what it is you want to get your hands on (whether

that is a pricey GlamGlow face mask or a bag of fancy tampons…).

Although the vending machine is exclusive to Harvey Nichols for the time being, it has been reported that the pair intend to introduce these machines to train stations, art galleries and nightclubs but will swapping sweet treats for girly bits and pieces ever catch on in practice?

In theory, it sounds fantastic.

Although it is commonly believed that much of a woman’s life is contained within her handbag, I still never seem to have a lip-balm or a nail file on me when I need one. If I happened to walk past a machine that could produce one for me in a matter of seconds, how could I possibly resist? There would be something oddly hypnotising about this stroke of luck, which

consequently would render me powerless. I'm also sure that most British women would appreciate an emergency make-up supply that's on guard in case of any surprise rain/sleet/snow attacks.

There are two problems: products and price. If my nails are chipped and I see some bottles of nail varnish stacked up in a vending machine, Hallelujah, that's awesome. However, the BeautyMART vending machine also stocks some pretty expensive stuff.

Honestly, who's going to buy high-end cosmetics from a machine that usually flings coke cans at you (especially when you're in Harvey Nichols (an actual shop) or at a train station which probably incorporates a Boots store)?

Besides, vending machines tend to

be for more spontaneous purchases and it's unlikely that many people will be buying Kahina Argan Oil on a whim. Even those that might fancy a spontaneous splash-out would be better off looking elsewhere because the novelty of buying from a vending machine could see the price of a product rocketing to at least £10 more than its RRP. If these beauty vending machines are strategically placed, they could spark interest, but only if they stock basic beauty essentials.

Even though the prices may be slightly higher, I think girls could go for it in their times of trouble provided that the cost isn’t

totally obscene. For your high-end products you’re better off sticking to the high street; it’s cheaper and gives you the chance to shop around.

stylist.com

How do you beat the student feelings of fatigue?

Most people feel weary as the semester ploughs on , but help is at hand Ben Catherine

123rf.com

I am always so full of good intentions at the beginning of each semester, but as it drags on I do struggle to keep lively and awake.

I have to admit that after a few days into the week I am shattered. I can't be sure whether it is the shear physical exertion of getting up for a 9am lecture, but I know I am not alone in saying that even when we don’t do anything I feel tired.

I normally get my daily fix of caffeine on my walk down to university to wake me up, but it has actually been proven to do the opposite. Apparently the caffeine dehydrates you, so after a few hours the boost in energy is replaced by fatigue and I’m considering going back to bed half way through my

first lecture.

The lifestyles us students live doesn’t exactly help the cause.

Alcohol consumption mixed in with a varied diet consisting of alcohol and processed foods doesn’t help the tiredness.

In order to combat the fatal feeling of fatigue, there are a few ways that this can be banished.

Instead of that cup of tea or coffee in the morning, try a glass of fruit juice or water with a piece of fruit.

Always have breakfast, even if it’s a slice of toast or a cereal bar. Once you’ve been fed you’ll slowly wake and feel all alert for that looming two hour lecture.

Exercise can help improve your feelings of tiredness. You don’t have to commit to being a runner or enrol in gym membership, but even walking to and from university

instead of getting the bus home can help.

The fresh Yorkshire air, especially on a chilly morning, is Mother Nature’s way of waking you up plus you’ll save on the bus fare as well.

Of course this is all well and good saying it on paper, but I do encourage you to try and avoid the bad student habits because it really does hinder your enjoyment of university life.

Running for mum

Our regular Lifestyle writer Louise Kirby tells us of the sadness she has experienced recently, and calls for support for her new challenges in her new blog Louise Kirby If someone had said to me this time last year that my life would have changed so much in such a short space of time, quite frankly I would have laughed in their face.

Yet if someone had informed me last May that in a year, I will be running a half marathon, I would have also giggled and quickly told them that they’ve got the wrong person.

However, both of these realities are things that I am now faced with.

In the space of nine horrible months, myself and my wonderful family have been put through more than I’m certain some families go through in a lifetime.

On June 3 2012, my two sisters, my Dad and I lost our wonderful Mum and wife, Angela.

She was 56 years old and suffered from mitral heart valve disease. We were blissfully unaware of this, following successful major heart

surgery in February 2012.

She died suddenly and tragically yet peacefully at home.

Following an unbearable few months, returning to university to complete my final year seemed inevitable yet impossible.

They say when times get tough, just get the hell on with it. And that’s really what we’ve had to do.

Christmas came and we decided as a family we would spend it on the Canary Islands, removing ourselves from any traditional festivities and celebration.

After returning home from what was a bearable Christmas period, my inspirational Dad was diagnosed

with advanced bowel cancer which had spread to his liver.

For this reason, I have decided to don my running shoes and get my jog on. The Sheffield Half Marathon, taking place on May 12 2013, is to be my outpour of frustration and energy as well as being the catalyst for fundraising my end goal of £5000.

This money will be divided between charity donations to Beating Bowel Cancer as well as helping to support my Dad and my family during this extremely difficult time.

I am formulating a blog-style diary of my training progress, kind of a ‘Secret Diary of a Rubbish Runner’ sort of thing.

So, please keep your eyes peeled and I hope my campaign can be of some interest to some of you.

I am so grateful for the continuing support and generosity that is coming my way – bring it on.

From now on Louise’s blogs will be published on forgetoday.com To sponsor her go to: www.gofundme. com/ray-all-the-way

23

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@forgelifestyle /forgelifestyle lifestyle@forgetoday.com

Travel

Unusual city breaks Forget the overpriced and overdone, Lifestyle discovers two unique destinations

Ben Cathrine At the start of the year, most societies send out the invitation for a weekend away to a European city consisting of the mixture of sightseeing and an epic night out.

But looking at the different societies, they all tend to go to the same cities. Whether this be Paris, Amsterdam, Prague, Berlin, or Dublin.

But behind the capitals of choice within a bus journey’s radius of Sheffield, there are a few cities within easy reach of the UK that offer just as good time, if not even better.

After recently coming back from a Geography weekend to Rotterdam, I would vouch for that.

Giving Back Rebecca Brings Recent intentions to change the organ donation regulation have triggered continuing discussions.

But what are the pros and cons?

Is it an honorable way of giving back, or has it become an ethical obligation?

According to the National Health Service Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) 96 per cent of the UK’s population believes that donating organs is the right thing to do, yet only 31% are registered.

In order to reduce this discrepancy, the Welsh government introduced a bill to change the current ‘opt-in’ system.

Rotterdam Being Holland’s second city, Rotterdam often gets dwarfed by its larger neighbour Amsterdam but instead has a distinctive modern charm about the city.

I’d recommend staying in the Stay Okay Hostel in the famous Cube Houses (rooms start from €21.00 a night.)

The Cube Houses are iconic to Rotterdam and are definitely a landmark themselves. The central location of the hostel proves an advantageous location to explore the city.

The hotel offers the opportunity to rent bikes for €9.50 for the day and is good value when a metro travel card is €7.00.

The city is designed with the cyclist in mind with separate cycle lanes weaving to all parts of the city centre and suburbs.

The waterfront proves a focal point for the modern architecture of the city, but nestled in between the high rises are historical wharfs reflecting on the historical importance of the port in the role of the city.

If heights are your thing, then head up the Euromast Tower, (€9.25) and on a clear day you can get views of the city and to Antwerp 100km away.

If politics and history interest you more, then Rotterdam is situated close to Den Haag, (The Hague) home to the International Court of Justice with easy access by bike of half an hour’s ride on the train.

For any university student, the nightlife is a crucial tipping point for any decision for a weekend away.

There are ample bars all offering different atmospheres. One bar was kitted out in the theme of a ski resort next to an 80s/90s bar. I think this proves there is something for all tastes.

Rotterdam is more accessible that you may think. There is the P&O overnight ferry from Hull (£200+), the Eurostar from London (approx £140+ and connecting in Brussels) Flying to Amsterdam was the cheapest with EasyJet (£60+) and taking the half hour train south to Rotterdam.

Cologne Being Germany’s fourth largest city, there is a distinct charm about the city located on the river Rhine.

Cologne for many years has been a firm favourite with those going inter-railing with its excellent rail connections to neighouring European cities.

The city can be reached by Eurostar from London (£135+ with a connection in Brussels) or a short EasyJet flight from Gatwick or Germanwings from Heathrow or Manchester.

Hostels are pretty cheap as well, with prices ranging from £13.00 upwards staying in the German hostel chain Meininger.

Once in Cologne, the riverside location proves picturesque for taking walks along the Rhine being overlooked by the magnificent Cologne Cathedral.

There’s even a cable car to take you across the river and offers panoramic views of the city. After all that walking, something sweet is in order and the perfect excuse to visit Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum (Chocolate Museum) with its exhibitions devoted to everyone’s guilty pleasure.

With its three metre high chocolate fountain it is understandable why it’s in the top 10 of Germany’s most popular museums.

There is also a medieval aspect of the city to be explored with the wide array of avenues leading to

medieval gates and walls; a stark reminder of the city’s past.

Every winter, the city is struck by Christmas market mania, receiving hundreds of visitors annually savouring the Christmas spirit.

The cold weather in the winter makes is perfect for a crepe or mulled wine. When it comes to nightlife, there is an abundant choice of bars and clubs to choose from, and I couldn’t think of anywhere better to savour the world famous German beer.

Rotterdam and Cologne are only two of the many choices of alternate city break to choose from. So why not break away from the crowd and experience a more authentic experience in one of Europe’s undiscovered cities.

Organ donation - is it the right thing to do?

When this becomes law, as it is planned for this year’s summer, the UK will have its first ‘opt-out’ system.

This simply means that everyone who doesn’t want to donate their organs after death has to actively opt-out.

Pro-Organ donation campaigns are numerous; they don’t skimp on moral pressure when attracting with success stories and grateful words by beneficiaries.

NHSBT states on their website that: “More than 10,000 people in the UK currently need a transplant.

Of these, 1,000 each year – that's three a day - will die because there are not enough organs available”.

Unfortunately, this unilateral

policymic.com

awareness has a flipside. Many people don’t know that the key prerequisite to be qualified as a potential donor is the ‘Brain or Circulatory Death.’

Organs from dead people are in fact unusable (except the cornea,) as they have to be supplied with blood.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines brain death as “irreversible damage to the brain and brainstem resulting in loss of the ability to respond to stimuli and of cranial nerve reflexes and spontaneous muscular activity”.

Circulatory death is caused by the irreversible loss of function of the lungs and heart. Both have to be diagnosed by two independent doctors.

Yet how dead the person really is, is not entirely known. But cases, as happened in Erlangen, Germany in 1992 where the foetus of a brain dead announced mother lived for another five weeks give rise to sceptical voices.

However, the brain death is not the only issue donation adversaries are concerned with.

Vehement opponents furthermore query the benefit for the recipient, because a livelong medication is necessary to prevent graft rejection and in many cases patients suffer from depression after the transplantation.

The question to whom the donor organ belonged and what circumstances caused the death can be very burdening.

While becoming an organ donor still involves uncertainties, the advantages are undeniable.

We should not forget that organ donation enables people the chance to have a future, to live a life that otherwise had ended.

Last year statistics published by NHSBT are evidence for the success that 1,107 lives were saved in the UK through a heart, lung, liver or combined heart and lungs, liver and kidney or liver and pancreas transplant.

2,846 patients' lives were dramatically improved by a kidney or pancreas transplant, 173 of whom received a combined kidney/ pancreas transplant.

We all would wish for the possibility of rescue if someone we love or we ourselves would be in need of an organ transplant.

I think it is important to at least consider registering for organ donation, yet I believe that a profound enlightenment, without withholding significant information is the key to an increasing willingness to donate.

24

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COFFEE BREAK Optical illusion of the fortnight

Friday March 1 2013 FORGE PRESS

@ FPCoffeeBreak /ForgePressCoffeeBreak

Photograph of the fortnight: Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights

Can you see both images in this painting?

One is an old man with a beard, and the second a young woman reading a book in front of a window.

The job hunt: harder, better, smarter Nick Begley was sick.

He was sick and tired of being rejected by every company he sent his CV to, so he resorted to the completely obvious – he made his CV into a chocolate bar label.

Not just any chocolate bar either, he wrapped his new streamlined CV around a Nestlé Crunch bar, and his label laid out his credentials.

He even offered “100 per cent daily value in leadership, creativity and business acumen,” which is more than you get in a 100 per

cent beef burger (horse, anyone?).

Amazingly, it worked, and Mr. Bedley was offered a job with

Have you seen it yet?

Random Fact of the Week:

YouTube it:

A full 12 per cent of sighted people dream exclusively in black and white, the remaining 88 per cent dream in full colour.

Ever seen a man swimming on top of a car? In the hail?

Whilst we may all know someone a little too attached to their car for comfort, this man’s love stretches even beyond infatuation.

During a particularly heavy hail storm in Argentina, the dedicated man was recorded flailing around on top of his car, in a desperate bid to protect it.

Resembling rather too closely, the favourite swimming style, breast stroke, he frantically sweeps the lumps of ice off of his darling motor.

YouTube search: ‘GRANIZO FUERTE MAR DEL PLATA’

It is unknown whether the impact of a dream relating to violence or death is more emotionally charged for a person who dreams in colour than one who dreams in black and white.

Coffee Break’s Word of the Fortnight: Acephalous, adj.

1. Also, acephalic; Having no head; headless 2. Having no chief or leader

Origin: 1725 - 1735 via Medieval Latin from Greek aképhalos.

New York-based Sportsvite.

However we have his wonderful friend, Mr. Eli Langer, to thank for sharing this CV with us via Reddit.

A minor one-CV wonder superstar, Mr. Begley told ABC News that “People are either going to love it or hate it. My focus was to find an organization that would embrace it because if they weren’t open to that kind of out-ofthe-box thinking, that wouldn’t be a company that I would fit in well with anyways.”

Duh.

E.J. Peiker was given his first camera when he was just seven years old, a 126, squareformat, Kodak Instamatic.

It kicked off a love affair that has spanned over 50 decades, and taken him from the Grand Canyon, to the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, and he has visited six of our seven continents.

Gaining a Bachelor’s Degree in electrical engineering and completing graduate studies in microelectronics and semiconductor physics, Mr. Peiker then worked for the Intel Corporation for 27 years, and after four working for the web-based magazine NaturePhotographers. net.

He is now senior technical editor and co-founder of the world’s premier nature photography web site NatureScapes.net.

Should have gone to Specsavers?

The well know catchphrase became ironically literal last weekend, when a car careened into a Specsavers shop front.

However, the real mystery was the distinct lack of driver.

Yep, the Herbie car of Sevenoaks, Kent has revealed itself?

Philip Holland and his wife, Frederica, came upon the scene whilst strolling down the highstreet, and Mr. Holland

thought that “it may have been a runaway car, perhaps someone d i d n ’ t put on the hand b r a k e properly.”

W h e n pondering upon the strange liquid that was spilt all over the pavement, the astute M r .

Holland had the answer to that too: “The red fluid is almost certainly engine coolant, as the radiator was ruptured when the car hit the store window.”

The Naked Man – it works two out of three times Many of us have had the dream. You know the one, the one where you are about to declare to the world that you have cured cancer, or solved world poverty? And suddenly you’re naked on stage? On television? In front of everyone?

Well one poor chap had a similar experience, and was unfortunate enough to be captured on CCTV. It started innocently enough, creeping out of his hotel room the naked man checked to see if the coast was clear (why he is was naked at this point remains bafflingly unclear).

Having found the corridor to be completely empty he tiptoes out of his room to put his room service tray on the floor outside and turns round.

The despair on his face as he realises the door has shut is embarrassingly hysterical, especially when it is followed up with a desperate lunge at the door handle.

To make matters worse a pair of men then proceed to walk past

him as he tries to nonchalantly lean up against his door and protect his dignity. Then, faced with no other

choice the man grabs two metal objects, covers his ‘areas’ and then toddles off in search of reception.

Scaring a mother and her son in the lift, and then a burly man

(who after trying to change direction has to settle with staring out of the window with steely determination), our hero eventually arrives in the lobby.

Approaching the desk stoically (I think he’s almost revelling in his nudity by this point, there can be no further shame) he asks the receptionist for a key to his room. After she summons the manager, he repeats his request.

But fate has one more log to throw onto the metaphorical fire.

The dear manager, being his usual efficient self, asks the poor man for ID. Oh Life, what games you play with us.

Trying to indicate that he is naked and therefore isn’t currently carrying any ID on him, the man’s words fall on deaf ears.

“I just need to see your driver’s license” demures the manager.

The Naked Man has no choice no, but to point out the shamefully obvious, “how can I have a driver’s license if I am naked, man?”

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FORGE PRESS Friday March 1 2 0 1 3

COFFEE BREAK

@ FPCoffeeBreak /ForgePressCoffeeBreak

Puzzle Page: sudokus E

with Holly Wilkinson

H

M E

A

A

D I

S

R

U Y

D

M Quote of the fortnight

“

Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.

”

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

French aristocrat, writer, poet, and pioneering aviator

lecture puzzle This line of puzzles, inspired by the artworks of the Dutch artist Piet Mondrian, consists in dividing the large square board with straight lines along the small chequered squares in order to partition the board into squares so that each square holds exactly one red star.

Across: 1. Head and neck warmer (9) 7. Sudden, quick movement (4) 8. Basic, essential (9) 9. Fleur-de-lis (4) 10. Jewish feast of Passover, Christian festival of Easter (6) 11. Balmy, ludicrous (6) 14. Lazy, trivial (4) 15. Calmness, keeping a cool head (4-5) 16. Elaborate vocal melody (4) 17. Northern French port (9)

Down 2. An arena, large oval stadium (12) 3. A monastery, convent (5) 4. Identifier, tag (5) 5. Handsome youth (Greek mythology) (6) 6. Used to measure alcohol content (12) 12. French brandy (6) 13. Extremely cold, opposite extremes (5) 14. US state (5)

Friday March 1 2013 FORGE PRESS

28

SPORT

@forgesport /forgepress sport@forgetoday.com

Matchdebating

Debate: Racism In Football: An over-hyped non-issue or an epidemic sweeping the game?

The English game has Racists cannot hide improved immensely behind poor excuses

Adam Hancock Sometimes in football, all perspective can get lost in the over-hyped coverage that comes with the game.

Comments are blown out of proportion and very often taken out of context.

A measured interview becomes a ‘rant’ and a passing remark on an opponent can turn into a ‘stinging attack.’

In relation to sensitive issues, this crazed media coverage goes into overdrive.

Everything becomes a storm in a teacup.

Now let me be clear.

Racism is not acceptable in any way, shape or form. It’s disgraceful, indefensible and there is no place for it in society, let alone football.

“Atmosphere has changed immeasurably in the last few decades” The ‘lost in translation’ excuse for racism doesn’t wash either.

Whether you’re from Uruguay or the United Kingdom, everybody knows that racism is wrong and certain remarks cross the boundaries.

However, judging by recent media coverage of the English game, one would believe that we are living in the dark ages of English football.

There is no excuse for those involved in recent

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incidents of racism in England, but the atmosphere has changed immeasurably in the last few decades.

Compare the English game to Russia and it doesn’t take an expert to realise that we are on the right track.

Recently a group of Zenit Saint Petersburg supporters called for nonwhite and gay players to be excluded from their team.

In the modern English game, this is unthinkable.

The English media appear to have lost this perspective.

Rather than focus on the huge improvements which have been made, they prefer to blow non-events out of proportion.

Take, for example, the accusations of racist abuse

by Chelsea against referee Mark Clattenburg. The media coverage of the case hung him out to dry. Guilty before proven innocent.

When no evidence appeared the case against Clattenburg was dropped.

This media scaremongering was also evident when Oldham Athletic faced Liverpool at Anfield in last season’s FA Cup. Oldham player Tom Adeyemi appeared distressed during the game and made a complaint of alleged racist abuse against Liverpool supporters.

Journalists, hungry to build on the Suarez-Evra case, rolled out opinion pieces claiming that racism is destroying the English game.

After an investigation from Merseyside Police, no charges were upheld with no evidence found.

Undeniably there is an issue. When a former

England captain is banned for racist abuse, things aren’t fine and dandy. Yet this doesn’t mean that we are staring into the abyss.

The English media will always sensationalise stories, as crisis sells newspapers. If you read between the lines, however, you’ll begin to realise that it isn’t all doom and gloom.

Black players are comfortable in the English game as incidents of racism remain isolated.

There may never be a day when the English game is fully rid of racism, but we should focus on the improvements and responsibly report alleged incidents waiting for the full story.

HOCKEY Women’s 3rds, Abbeydale Sports Club, 12noon, £3

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Sports

RUGBY LEAGUE Abbeydale Sports Club, 2pm, £3

Danny Armstrong The language of football is often seen as a universal language understood by all. A language able to break down barriers and bridge gaps so much so that during World War I football was played along the Western Front between allied and central powers during the ceasefires of Christmas day 1914.

But what happens when that language can be construed to be racist? Can there be a defence used that the meaning of those terms can be lost in translation?

My viewpoint is no. Even if it is broadly or

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affectionately used, there can be no defence for a racist expression. Recently, Milan vice-chairman Paolo Berlusconi, when introducing a candidate for his brother (and Milan owner) Silvio’s right-wing People of Freedom party to the ‘family’, said of new signing Mario Balotelli: “We are now going to see the little black boy of the family” to rapturous laughter from the crowd.

“There can be no defence for a racist expression” Normally in such a case, the dumb and tired defence that certain words are not thought of as racist by certain cultures rears its familiar head. That defence can be discredited thus: any term meant to cause ridicule or laughter at someone else’s expense is offensive. If that refers to someone’s skin colour, then that is racist.

No concrete racist term therefore has to be used.

It is the mere reference to it that is racist. Any reference to Balotelli’s skin colour undermines his footballing ability, creates a label for him and upholds an obstacle between races however it is translated.

It is irrelevant if Berlusconi meant them to be directly racist or not. His remark was certainly tactless, flippant, unnecessary and highly out of touch but essentially offensive.

If Milan had signed Balotelli’s former teammate Edin Dzeko, I

would be prepared to wager a large sum that Berlusconi would not have referred to him as ‘the family’s little Bosnian’. This is because ‘little Bosnian’ is not a term of ridicule and he would not have procured the required chortles from the audience.

When Luis Suarez was accused of using racist language towards Patrice Evra, Suarez claimed his words were conciliatory rather than acrimonious.

This argument was rejected on the grounds that the atmosphere between the pair at the time was heated but the base of his argument is a familiar one.

The photograph of Balotelli and Berlusconi greeting each other warmly, although contrived, taught us one important thing: Milan realised the need to circulate a symbol of solidarity and eradicate any murmurs of animosity or racism.

By this token we can assume that Berlusconi knew the rest of the world had found the remarks unacceptable and needed to show amends being made.

But if that realisation is genuine then this attitude should have been taken before the incident.

In a world where football is universal, homely dialects and customs can no longer be used as a shield behind which to hide when a slip of the tongue lands someone in hot water.

If the language of football has taught us anything from the days of the Great War, it is that football has in itself a lot more power to break down barriers than to build them and so our accompanying spoken language should conform to those ideals.

Tuesday March 12

WATER POLO Women’s, Ponds Forge, 1.30pm-2.30pm, Free

NETBALL 1sts, 2nds & 3rds, EIS, 12noon-6pm, Free

Men’s, Ponds Forge, 2.30pm-3.30pm, Free

CRICKET

SWIMMING Ponds Forge, 10.30am-1pm, Free

Sunday March 10 RUGBY UNION

Graham Solley Centre, Free Men’s 2nds: 2pm Women’s: 3.30pm Men’s 1sts: 5pm

Wednesday March 13

Women’s, Don Valley Stadium, 3.30pm, £3

FOOTBALL Women’s 1sts, Hillsborough, 2pm, £5

Men’s 1sts, Don Valley Stadium, 6.15pm, £3

Men’s 1sts, Hillsborough, 6pm, £5

CYCLING Downhill. Location 10am, Free

TBC,

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Get to know this year’s Varsity heroes

Varsity 2013 is already underway and on Wednesday, it will swing fully into action at Hallam’s Abbeydale sports centre.

Thousands of Uni students will be there in support, but will they know the people they’re supporting? Forge Sport sent Matt Godden to meet some of the club captains to find out a bit about these wannabe heroes.

Women’s hockey captain Jess Braddock Describe yourself in three words.

A complete mess.

Why should people take up playing hockey?

It’s a great way to stay active at uni and has a very competitive nature. You become very close to your team, making friends for life. We’re a very friendly club and would really welcome new people!

the highly competitive BUCS fixtures, enough to allow any player to fit into the club, even if they have never played before.

If you could be anyone else who would it be?

Leigh Halfpenny How are you looking for Varsity?

It’s always a closely fought battle with the men’s hockey varsity, particularly with the 2s and 3s.

We just need to make sure we are the better side on the day by turning up with the right attitude and with our game heads on.

Golf captain Tom Shiels When did you start playing golf?

At the age of 11, my dad encouraged me to start, saying it was a game for life. Despite wanting to play all sports at school he was right.

If you were going to a fancy dress party what would be your costume of choice?

Borat is one of my favourite movie characters, I’d love to adopt his persona for a night out and see what happens.

How are you looking for Varsity?

With the team in the middle of their most successful season ever, and with Hallam currently without a team it’s safe to say we are looking pretty strong. I have been reassured by Hallam that

they will be able to get a team out despite withdrawing in previous years after last minute nerves got the better of them!

Netball captain Naomi Parton If you could be anyone else who would it be?

Beyoncé!

Why should people play netball?

It’s a great sport for meeting lots of new people and working as a team, netball is all about team work and you just become a little family. It is hard work, but so much fun!

Can anyone play your sport?

How are you looking for Varsity?

We won two out of our three games last year and this year we will have the full house! We’re going to be doing lots of fitness, lots of training and lots of team building. Hallam won’t know what’s hit them!

Korfball captain Laura Flight Describe yourself in three words.

Laura Gillian Flight!

When did you start playing sport and why?

Wanted to get involved with more sport at Uni and having played netball from primary school Korfball was something new but developed the skills I already had.

Can anyone play your sport?

Yes! I had never even heard of Korfball before I started Uni and this is the case for most of our members so most people start off as total beginners.

If you could have a superpower what would it be?

The ability to stop time, there’s definitely not enough hours in the day!

Why did you want to become your sports club captain?

After being treasurer on committee I wanted a chance to try out some of the new ideas I had for the club and continue the hard work of other captains.

How are you looking for Varsity?

The strongest we’ve looked in year. Hallam should be worried.

Men’s Hockey captain David Orr Describe yourself in three words.

Sporty, laid-back, funny.

Can anyone play hockey?

Yes! Hockey is open to players of all abilities. We have matches ranging from intra mural to

Yes, even guys can play in the intra mural league!

Uni’s hockey 1sts on their way to victory last year

Photo: Nurul Liyana Yeo

How are you looking for Varsity?

After close games in the last two years we are determined to defeat Hallam. We are training hard and getting ourselves geared up for the weeks ahead!

Trampolining jumping for joy after BUCS Nationals successes Trampolining BUCS Nationals Grace Burke University of Sheffield Trampolining Club had a very successful weekend at the BUCS Nationals winning medals in two individual and team competitions.

With the event being hosted in Sheffield, home advantage arguably helped the club’s success during Saturday’s qualification day with 12 of the 21 competitors placing high enough to compete again the next day with competitors qualifying in every category entered and Bryony Page, Ashley Payne and Jake Bedford finishing in first place.

Strong performances were put in again on the Sunday with many high finishes culminating

in individual medals for Ashley Payne who came second in BUCS 3 Men and Bryony Page who came first in BUCS 1 Women.

Team medals were also gained in both the women’s and men’s teams with second place for the men’s team of Dave Mason, Ashley Payne and Nathan Bunch and third place for the women’s team of Bryony Page, Meg Baker and Emma Street.

Speaking of her victory, Page was happy to have retained her title from last year. She was also grateful to all the team who stayed to watch and cheer everyone on over the whole weekend.

The success of the BUCS weekend will hopefully be replicated during Varsity which Uni beat Hallam at Trampolining for the first time last year.

The team is still recruiting for Varsity, and those interested are encouraged to contact the club.

The successful trampolining club with their medals on Sunday

Photo: Dave Mason

Forge Sport’s Heroes and Villains of the fortnight Bradford City Fans

Ronnie O’ Sullivan

French Rugby Team

Arsene Wenger

Their team may have been battered 5-0 in the League Cup final

by Swansea City, but the maroon and gold followers are a credit to English football.

Snooker is much poorer without The Rocket, and his decision to defend his world title is superb news.

Once the dominant force in European Rugby Union, the frogs sit rock bottom of the Six Nations after three successive defeats.

Once the most respected boss in Europe, Gunners fans are losing the faith after defeat to Bayern Munich and that press conference rant.

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Rugby League roar past Lancaster into cup last eight Rugby League BUCS Trophy Round of 16 University of Sheffield University of Lancaster

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Jack Taylor Sheffield had a hard fought victory over Lancaster in the last 16 of the BUCS Trophy at Norton on Wednesday.

Both sides came into the match on tremendous form as league winners in their respective divisions. However, the game started slowly for Sheffield as they were rocked by a Lancaster try on 15 minutes after ill discipline allowed Lancaster to have two consecutive penalties, before racing into the corner for the first try of the game which was converted giving Lancaster a 6-0 lead.

It didn’t take long for a response from Sheffield. Following a Lancaster knock on, Sheffield made them pay as Sam Wilson ran from deep to score under the posts, allowing Richard Veazey to add an easy two points and level the scores. But it wasn’t long until Sheffield were back under the cosh as some free flowing rugby

from the opposition saw them take the lead once more, with a try in the corner, the conversion missing, 10-6 to Lancaster.

Sheffield needed to up the intensity and did so when Nic Pluskota made a fabulous break, showing his pace to power away from the full back and score under the posts allowing Richard Veazey to convert to make it 1210 to Sheffield at the break.

With the half time team talk still ringing in their ears, Sheffield showed the desire and intensity called for. Firstly, Sam Wilson showed flair to race away from the Lancaster defence for his second of the afternoon to make it 16-10. Then came the try of the day as Nic Pluskota shocked everyone with a high kick, which was allowed to bounce

by Lancaster, an error pounced upon by Steve Wilson, followed by a successful conversion to make it 22-10.

One slight setback came in the form of a Lancaster try straight from the kick off as Sheffield fell asleep, but the home team remained strong adding a final try of their own, this time Richard Veazey using his strength to bully his way to the try line.

Photo: Will Aitkenhead

Sheffield overcame tough opposition at Norton

Liverpool leave it late to snatch win Bore draw Men’s Rugby Union BUCS Northern 1A University of Sheffield 1sts 29 University of Liverpool 1sts 31 Danny Armstrong

Andrew Magowan launches a Sheffield attack

Photo: Will Aitkenhead

The University of Sheffield let a lead they held for much of the game slip as they were beaten in dramatic fashion at Norton on Wednesday.

The match started with Liverpool applying strong pressure and taking an early lead but Sheffield were quick to reply from the restart and a try from Jonny France meant both sides were level after five minutes.

After regaining some composure Uni then went in front with Tom Maynard touching down.

Liverpool, although displaying good hands in going forward, ultimately had their attacks thwarted by solid Uni defence.

Matt Clark hobbling off late in the first half after playing his part in spoiling Liverpool’s charges was a sign of Uni’s unwavering tenacity.

Andrew Magowan converted a penalty from wide on the left just outside the Liverpool 22 with the last kick of the first half.

The second half began with Liverpool putting pressure on the Uni last ten and scoring after a scrum.

Uni though were undaunted and kept in front with help from Magowan’s wand-like left boot.

Maynard then squeezed home his second try of the game after some intelligent play by Sheffield.

The last ten minutes of the game saw a dramatic end as Liverpool scored three unanswered tries to take the lead.

Uni were guilty of giving away soft penalties which didn’t aid their response as Liverpool snatched a win despite a late Sheffield try from the Pat Hardy.

Popoola keeps his cool-a for Sunderland Men’s Basketball BUCS Northern 2B University of Sheffield University of Sunderland

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Thomas Asker The University of Sheffield faced Sunderland having triumphed 79-68 in the away fixture earlier this season.

Sheffield entered the game with an opportunity to maintain pressure on the league leaders, Northumbria.

Sunderland’s performance was spearheaded by their three stars Popoola, Gouda and Shalaby who combined to score 53 points. The rest of the team only managed a further nine points but this was enough to see them past Sheffield.

The home side began the game with intense defence that took Sunderland by surprise. It took until the second quarter for them to reach double digits.

A play that summed up Sheffield’s workmanlike performance in the first quarter saw Andrew Chirigu steal the ball and assist his teammate Joseph Bossley on a gorgeous fast break lay-up. Bossley led the team with 15 points.

In the second quarter the momentum shifted and Sunderland’s efforts on the offensive boards paid off.

They tied the game through a three-pointer from Oakley but Sheffield hit back immediately with a Reddington steal and three point play.

However, the visitors maintained their composure.

Popoola and Shalaby on Sheffield’s misses drives to the hoop shooting.

Sunderland’s ball

capitalised with hard and silky movement

was impressive and they were rewarded by taking the lead in the third quarter. Sunderland then held out to take a close win.

Sheffield block Gouda’s way to the net

Photo: Matthew Smith

for Blades Football nPower League One Sheffield United Leyton Orient

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Jack McGregor The Blades came into this game in very good form after four consecutive wins with three clean sheets which put them at the top of the league. However, they could only acquire a point in tonight’s game after a frustrating evening for both the players and the supporters.

In the first half, both teams had some good opportunities to break the deadlock with Poleon just missing the target from inside the box and Shaun Batt forcing a save from home goalkeeper George Long who had a good game. Arguably the best chance of the half however fell to Maguire in the 12th minute when a corner was flicked onto him inside the box but he could only scuff his shot wide from eight yards out.

The second half had to be better from the hosts and they did create a great chance when Poleon got away from the Orient defence after a good chipped ball into the box from McDonald but while his shot beat the goal keeper, it went wide of the far post. However, George Long had to make a great double save to stop Vincelot’s shot and the follow-up from Mooney from close-range.

After the game the United manager Danny Wilson praised Orient’s game plan and said it would have gone even better had it not been for Long’s superb save.

Of the 16,540 fans who attended the game, it is the 163 Leyton Orient fans who will have gone home feeling the most pleased.

United are now second, overtaken by Doncaster Rovers who beat Shrewsbury Town 2-1.

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Punch drunk Uni: Hallam win Varsity Boxing Boxing Varsity 2013 University of Sheffield Sheffield Hallam

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Danny Armstrong Sheffield lost a close and spirited affair to Hallam as they went down 2-1 in varsity boxing.

With Sheffield world-title contender Kell Brook ringside, the action came alive in correlation with the stinging atmosphere at the Octagon.

The first bout saw Charlie Salmon take on Jack Garety in a light-middlewight contest.

Both boxers worked well behind the jab in the first round, Salmon came out with intent and even found time to showboat with bolo punches.

The Uni crowd reacted and the first round ended with Salmon apparently exuding calmness and soaking up the pro-Uni atmosphere.

In the second Salmon dictated the pace with clever lead rights and head movement, and a right from Salmon brought about an eight count and then again with a straight left.

The bell to end the round couldn’t have come early enough for Garety.

All out war erupted in the third, but Salmon was getting the better of the exchanges and a third standing count brought an end to the contest to rapturous applause from the Uni section of the crowd.

When asked about the fight Salmon said: “I felt I could get the better of him with the lead

rights so I just stuck to that. The atmosphere was brilliant.”

Rhys Johnston took on Shay McCarthy in the second Varsity match Johnston started well with good head movement and intelligent combinations but the Uni boxer neglected his defence by leaving his hands low.

McCarthy found success with the right hand in the second landing a bomb to Johnston’s right cheek and then four unanswered seconds later.

Johnston’s stamina ultimately let him down throughout the rest of the fight as he was given a standing eight count and had a point taken off for a low head.

Johnston threw everything at his opponent in the third but was beaten by unanimous decision.

The third and final fight had Uni’s Simon Hind face off against Tom Housley.

The smarter work came from Hind who staggered the stockier Housley who swung wide from the outside. Hind staggered his man in the second but a sucker punch right brought about an abrupt end early in the third, the referee waving of the contest as Hind speared unhurt.

The Uni crowd voiced their discontent, whilst the Hallam fans celebrated raucously.

Ultimately, it was Hallam who walked away with the victory.

However, Uni still hold an early lead in this year’s Varsity.

They are currently 5-3 ahead, with plenty of sport to play.

The result unfortunately mirrors last year’s trial event, where Hallam won 2-1 after Uni won the opening encounter of the night.

Photo: Will Aitkenhead

Simon Hind fought well for Uni and was unlucky to lose the crucial bout

Uni cycling are wheely great Crosscountry Cycling Varsity 2013 Richard Simpson

Charlie Salmon preparing for action

Photo: Andy Chubb

In the first cycling varsity event of this year the University of Sheffield got off to the perfect start, and continue their dominant Varsity form after winning all five cycling events last year.

The sun was shining over the cross country course at Grenoside Woods, which was six laps of a difficult three kilometre course with technical descents and steep ascents.

Uni fielded a strong team of 16 riders, while Hallam only managed to bring seven riders to the race, with one of their riders finding the start line twenty seconds after the race had begun.

From the off, it was clear that those seven riders in burgundy would find it difficult to keep up the pace that the Uni riders were putting in.

Pete Crawford led round the first lap, shortly followed by seven other riders, six of whom were in black and gold. The complexity of the course was, however, clearly evident with riders falling off continually, and even a couple of them making wrong turns, which lost them valuable time.

Shortly into lap two, the

Uni were dominant in the Peak District University favourite to win, Tom Stewart, took the lead. Although he had taken a wrong turn in lap one, he quickly moved from eighth to first and put half a minute between himself and second place.

The racers, having started off in a tightly knit group, were soon spread out along the course.

By the end of the second lap, a Hallam rider dropped out, clearly unable to keep up.

At the front, university riders continued their blistering pace through laps three and four, lapping many, and forcing others to retire as they could not keep up.

By lap five, however, Tom Stewart, who had built up a two minute lead, did not re-appear. A

Photo: Duncan Philpott

mechanical problem forced him out of the race, just as it had to many other riders. But, despite this, Uni showed its strength in depth, with Andy Nichols taking up the mantel.

By lap six, Uni were the clear winners of the cross country varsity. The first four riders had lapped all but one of Hallam’s riders, giving a collective race time of 275 minutes, compared to our rival’s time of 284 minutes (plus a penalty of three riders being lapped).

Hopefully, the Uni cycling team will be able to continue their winning ways in Time Trial, Hill Climb and Downhill that are all coming up in the next two weeks.

Friday March 1 2013 FORGE PRESS

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Varsity boxing: in-depth analysis inside

Uni freeze out Hallam in winter Varsity win Snowsports Varsity 2013 University of Sheffield Sheffield Hallam

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Gillian Finnerty The combined efforts of the skiing and snowboarding clubs were enough to bring the winter varsity title home to Uni, as they thrashed Hallam to make the overall score 4-2 to University.

Snowsports Varsity kicked off with the racers. The Uni B board squad lost two out of three races to Hallam A team. Uni A board team won two out of three races against the Hallam B team. This meant the board racing final was Uni A versus Hallam A. In a very close encounter, Uni won 2-1, with Hallam disqualified in one of the races.

In the Race Skiing, Uni swept the board, with Hallam coming up short. On one occasion, a Hallam racer fell in the final metre of the course - a clear sign it was going to be Uni’s day.

After the races, skiing and snowboarding lined up for the freestyle event. This event involved competitors performing as many tricks and skills as possible on a range of obstacles, and three jumps.

Uni suffered a rare setback on the largest jump, with Andy Dods suffering a bruised spine.

However, the Uni team as a whole proved far too strong for their cross-city rivals, out doing Hallam with their more technically difficult tricks.

In snowboarding, the four best boarders from each university.

Uni, represented by Gillian Finnerty, Charlie Williams, Lewis Ashworth and Alex Horner, each had two runs. The best score from each Uni would be the one that counted.

The event was won by Ashworth, a first year making

his Varsity debut, with a run including a perfect 360 on one run and a backflip on the other.

Finnerty won out of the girls.

The rout was completed by the skiing freestylers, with high scores by Richard Quirke and Bethany Lilly. Quirke’s stomped backflips proved too much for Hallam to handle.

The magnitude of Uni’s success was increased by the surface - Swadlingcote Dry Ski Slope, a third-choice venue after the Sheffield Ski Village burned down last year, and Castleford Xscape was deemed inappropriate for spectators.

Hallam train on the dryslope every week, which Uni do not.

Some of the Uni racers and freestylers hadn’t even ridden on that surface before, however these proved no obstacles to Uni, as they retained their title.

This result ensured that the University of Sheffield claimed victory in winter Varsity, despite losing both of the ice hockey fixtures. Uni won winter Varsity 4-2 in total.

Will Aitkenhead

Varsity: Results so far Ice Hockey: Uni 1s 4-5 Hallam 1s Uni 2s 1-7 Hallam 2s Snowsports: Uni 4-0 Hallam American Football: Uni 40-20 Hallam Boxing: Uni 1-2 Hallam Overall score: Uni 5-3 Hallam

Sports win for Dibble

Skiiers assemble and (above) Quirke back flips

Photos: Ellie Lynch

An emotional Emily Dibble described it as “completely surreal” after she was voted in as sports officer for 2013/14 last night in the officer elections.

Dibble, who won with the slogan, ‘Dabble in sports with Dibble,’ is a member of the sports committee and a very active participant in all areas of sport at the University.

Having admitted that she has hardly slept for three weeks she said, “So much hard work has gone into this,” says Sports Officer Emily Dibble, “You’re out of the house from 9 until 11 and when you get home there are still things to do.

She went to add, “It was most definitely worth all the hard work,” having secured the job that she admits she has wanted since her first year at the University.

She secured nearly 32 per cent of the vote ahead of Jess Braddock who was second. When asked about her key aims for the next year she said, “Helping to publicise all the access sport that goes on at Goodwin, that needs to be put out there more and I want to see if it’s possible to do more with coaches and get specialised coaches for each teams.”

Sport has clearly meant a lot to Dibble, who is the women’s cricket club captain, describing it as, “Everything, it’s been my whole Uni career way more than my degree!”

Dibble, a final year biology student, will take over from current sports officer Luke MacWilliam at the end of the academic year.