The independent student newspaper of the University of Sheffield // www.forgetoday.com
Issue 29 // Friday November 19 2010
Worst. Games. Ever. Fuse pages 6-7
March, shout, burn: demo ends in flames
Flags wave for Queen’s first visit in 56 years
450,000 students protest on streets of London over fees 4Tory HQ invaded by small number of radical activists
Photo: Jack Gilbert
4Police not prepared for violent outbursts Nicole Froio Violence broke out during an NUS march in London, when a breakaway group from the otherwise peaceful demonstration attempted to storm Conservative Party HQ. The protest began peacefully in Whitehall, where over 50,000 students, lecturers and members of the public, including a group of 600 from the University of Sheffield, gathered to protest against cuts to higher education. They marched past Downing Street and Parliament, before gathering to hear speeches from NUS president Aaron Porter and other union leaders. Protesters chanted “No ifs, no buts, no education cuts” and “You say cut back, we say fight back”. On arrival in London, Education Officer Joe Oliver said: “Two local
Tom Wright
schools are sending buses and I’ve had a huge number of calls, texts, tweets and Facebook messages and e-mails from people say they’re coming here. “So I’m really, really happy with the turnout; students are really showing they care about the issue.” At around 2pm, a small group of protesters entered the office building at 30 Millbank, which houses Tory HQ. In the hours that followed, the group swelled to an estimated 1000 protesters in the courtyard. Around 200 protesters entered the building. Some smashed the windows. and roughly 100 broke into the roof. They used a fire hose from inside the window to spray the crowd below and a fire extinguisher was thrown. Continued on page 6
Photo: Nicole Froio
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Your dumpster is their dinner table Features pages 13-15
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The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visited the University of Sheffield for the first time in 56 years yesterday to officially open its new Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN). They unveiled the £12 million facilities and met scientists in charge of the project in a special ceremony. The Queen, wearing a red outfit and red hat, met South Yorkshire dignitaries as she toured the centre. Her Royal Highness and the Duke also saw award-winning projects at the Cathedral led by Sheffield Volunteering, a scheme based in the University’s Students’ Union. The showcase included the Flourish project, where students work with brain injury sufferers and the Lego Club, where children and their parents participate in imaginative play sessions. The University hopes the new centre will make it the world leading researcher into causes and cures of Motor Neurone Disease. Later the Queen wore 3D glasses to remotely activate a digger as she helped launch the building work on the new Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre. Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, Professor Keith Burnett, said: “It is an enormous privilege for the University to be welcoming Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to our campus.” Continued on page 3
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NEWS UNIVERSITY
Comedy cash goes to local charities
Fund raises over £30,000 in memory of medical student
David Parker An award-winning comedy troupe is set to donate £1,500 to local causes after hosting a comedy festival. The Shrimps, a student comedy improvisation group, raised the money at the Sheffield Student Comedy Festival in March, which attracted over 200 students and 20 acts from around the country. The money will be given to South Yorkshire Eating Disorders Association (SYEDA), a charity that provides support and advice for people with eating disorders, and Sheffield Nightline, a studentrun telephone-listening service, which offers advice, information and counselling for students at the University of Sheffield. Sheffield Nightline used their share to fund an awareness week, as well as to help publicise the service and provide extra training for its volunteers. Long-serving Shrimps member Simon Reed was pleased with amount of money they raised. He said: “The event was a massive success. Next year we’ll aim to get it bigger and better than ever. It was a great success for the amount of money we put into it.” Next year’s festival will be held from February 25-27, and plans are in place to make it even more of a success than this year’s event. Reed said: “We’ll get more acts in, more people involved, bigger crowds. A lot of last year’s acts will be returning. We’ve got some big names lined up, if we can agree to get them involved.” The festival could feature on television, as Reed is currently in negotiations with Comic Relief, who are interested in featuring the festival as part of their televised charity event. He said: “The event is held about a week before Comic Relief takes place, so we’re hoping to get the BBC down to film it.” Last year’s event was organised by former Shrimps chairman Daniel Pennells. He said: “The festival is a brilliant event and one of the best parts of it is that we can raise money for charity at the same time as hosting great comedy. This year’s festival raised a massive £1,500 and we are so proud of this amount.” “The festival is about getting as many students involved in comedy as possible and I feel that we really achieved that this year. I want to make sure it keeps going.”
Carri-Ann Taylor A memorial fund has been set up to commemorate the life of a Sheffield medical graduate who was killed in a road accident last month. Dr Ian Noble died when his scooter collided with a car. The 26-year-old was taken to King’s College Hospital, where he had been training on an academic foundation programme, but colleagues were unable to save him. A 31-year-old man was arrested at the scene of the crash on suspicion of dangerous driving. The Dr Ian Noble Memorial Fund will provide bursaries for students who wish to intercalate a BMedSci into their medical degree, but who cannot afford the
extra year at university. Miles Stevenson, Director of Development in the University’s Development and Alumni Relations office, said: “Already over £30,000 has been donated to the fund, which demonstrates the deep affection that people had for Dr Noble. “We hope that this bursary will act as a living tribute to his memory.” Noble, who studied for a BMedSci in Sports Injuries as part of his course, was an energetic campaigner for widening participation in medicine, and believed that entry to medical school should be based on aptitude and ability and not affordability. The memorial fund has been set up by his parents and his partner Annabel Scott, who is
also a junior doctor. In a statement, the family said: “Ian realised he was lucky to have the moral and financial support from his family to enable him to study for an extra year. “If helping others to undertake an intercalated degree has the same effect on them as it did on Ian, then the bursary in his name will have achieved much.” The bursaries will be awarded to Sheffield medical students who demonstrate enthusiasm, passion, a caring personality, who have good communication skills and appreciate the impact of science on clinical practice. Professor Nigel Bax, Head of the Academic Unit of Medical Education, said: “Recipients of the awards, will, like Ian, be engaging, engaged, committed, passionate, resolute and
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principled. “They will have the capacity for inspiring and leading us in the future, just as Ian would have done. “Ian caused us to rethink many of the ways in which the profession behaved. “He led us in a way that was unique and which we will cherish forever. “Complacency was not something that he allowed, he was a man for whom mountains moved in advance of being so instructed.” British Medical Association council chairman Hamish Meldrum said: “Ian was a bright, intelligent, engaging young man, with a maturity and wisdom beyond his years. “He had already given a lot, but had so much more to offer.”
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Dr Noble (inset) was training on an academic foundation programme at King’s College Hospital.
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3
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Crowds flood Sheffield as Queen visits University for first time in 56 years Tom Wright Continued from front page
The Queen and Prince Philip opened the new SITraN building and visited Firth Court.
Photos: Jack Gilbert
“Her Majesty will be able to see at first–hand some of the University’s many accomplishments – from a worldleading medical research centre, to our cutting-edge research facility to our nationallyacclaimed volunteering projects.” Professor Mike Hounslow, ProVice Chancellor for Engineering at the University of Sheffield, said the project signalled a continuation of the city’s manufacturing: “We are honoured to be able to demonstrate to Her Majesty that this reputation lives on at the cutting-edge of research.” Dr Janine Kirby from SITraN said: “It was amazing to have the Queen to come and open the centre. It was a wonderful opportunity to highlight the work being done here.” Later the Queen was served a lunch of Chatsworth lamb at the University’s Firth Court with members of the University, Union, and Sheffield public figures. Hundreds of students waited outside as they arrived. Electronic Engineering PhD student Yizhen Tong said: “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the Queen.” Second year Biochemistry students Fiona Smithyes, Haroon Khan, Sarah Reynolds, and Andy Zarb said they were excited to see the Queen at their department: “It’s exciting, it’s really good. We’re definitely glad we came down.” The University has a strong historical connection with the royal family. The Queen’s last visit in 1954 was part of the University’s Jubilee celebrations. King Edward VII, her grandfather, and Queen Alexandra opened the University in 1905. See more of Jack Gilbert’s photos at ForgeToday.com
Law student acquitted of assaulting Deaf adults see better police officer on night of Carnage than hearing peers Matt Burgess A law student has been cleared of assaulting a woman police officer while taking part in a Carnage event February. Jamie McGregor was involved in a struggle with officers where it was alleged he assaulted a police officer occasioning actually bodily harm, on February 21 this year. He was taking part in the Cops and Robbers themed Carnage event while celebrating his 20th birthday dressed in an orange jumpsuit. A jury of six men and six women at Sheffield Crown Court unanimously agreed a not guilty verdict after four hours of deliberations. McGregor was accused of assaulting Sgt Katherine Wallis who suffered facial injuries, a broken tooth and a dislocated knee. Police arrested him after seeing him involved in a heated debate
with bouncers outside Player Bar on West Street. McGregor told the court: “I was being dragged across the road by police. “I heard a lot of shouting and that was it. “I was confused to as what was going on.” McGregor, originally from Stockport, said the police were “heavy handed” at the Carnage event. Third year Politics student, and friend of McGregor’s, Alexa Fullerton told the court she saw police officers kicking McGregor while he was on the floor. She said: “The police were sort of kicking and using their feet.” He started his degree in 2008 and was in his second year at the time of the incident. His studies were suspended when the University was informed of the alleged assault. He is now retaking his second year. Over 2,000 students attended the Carnage bar crawl.
Alexandra Rucki
McGregor on the way to court.
Deaf adults can see better than hearing people, according to new research from the University of Sheffield. The University’s Ophthalmology and Orthoptics department tested how peripheral vision develops in deaf people from childhood to adulthood. The study, funded by the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID), is the first of its kind. The research, led by Dr Charlotte Codina, found that children who are born deaf are slower to react to objects in their peripheral vision compared to hearing children. But by the time they are 13 and 15 deaf children react more quickly to objects in their peripheral vision in comparison to their hearing peers. The study tested profoundly deaf children aged five to 15 years old using a self-designed visual field test.
The test, called the Star Catcher, was designed like a computer game and used LED lights which the children had to react to using a joystick. The researchers could make sure the child had seen the light and not just guessed, which other experiments in the past had failed to resolve. Dr Codina said: “As research in this area continues, it will be interesting to identify factors which can help deaf children to make this visual improvement earlier.” RNID´s Research Programme Manager, Dr Joanna Robinson, said: “This research shows that adults who have been deaf since birth may have advantages over hearing people in terms of their range of vision. “For example, deaf people could be more proficient in jobs which depend on the ability to see a wide area of activities and respond quickly to situations, such as sports referees, teachers or CCTV operators.
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4
NEWS LOCAL
Troubled bar reviewed by Council
Four years behind bars for DQ manslaughter perpetrator
Hannah Frost Councillors have allowed a city bar to remain open despite doubts over its history of problems with violence. Empire Bar, in Charter Square, had its licence reviewed on Tuesday, after police voiced concerns about the level of crime the bar has seen in recent months. They claimed there had been a “significant increase in serious incidents”. However, councillors were satisfied with new conditions imposed in the period leading up to the review hearing. New measures include extra door staff and customers entering through a metal detector, proved to be enough to stop any further incidents. These measures will remain under the new conditions, with the time of last entry pushed back from 1:30am to 2:30am. Councillor Clive Skelton, chairman of Sheffield Council’s licensing board, said that Empire Bar’s owners, H and J Management, had agreed to follow the “Challenge 25” policy often seen in supermarkets, following an incident in which a 17-yearold girl was allowed entry. Skelton said: “Our main concern which still needed to be addressed was the fact an underage girl had managed to get in.” The bar will also now remain open until 4:30am, rather than 4am. Concerns were raised about crime and disorder at the bar when police were called to the venue six times from September to October. Incidents include large-scale brawls of up to 30 people, a stabbing which left a man with three knife wounds, and underage drinking. Five men were also stabbed outside the bar in July. Neighbouring nightclub Niche closed last month following concerns that it’s “bassline” culture attracted out of town criminal gangs. This week also saw the sentencing of Adam Stott, 27, who will be jailed for four years for killing Nathan Bagley outside DQ Bar on Fitzwilliam Street last month (right).
Nathan Bagley (left) died after an attack outside DQ nightclub. Photo: Matt Burgess massage parlour on Stanley scale, but especially callous and of this in a public place.” Sarah Bramham Bagley’s family said in a Street.. cowardly acts like this. She said the following day he “Today’s outcome at court again statement that he was due to work A Wakefield man has received behaved “entirely as normal” and proves that we will do everything in Australia with his girlfriend. a four year prison sentence for even bought a car, before handing we can to bring offenders to They said: “His driving test manslaughter following the death himself to police after seeing justice. was due on the 16th of November, of Nathan Bagley outside the DQ reports that Mr Bagley had died. “Nathan’s family are devastated after which he would have set off nightclub on Sunday October 17. In police interviews Stott said and it is no consolation to them for Oz. How long he would have Adam Vincent Stott, 27, he had “no idea” how much he had that Adam Stott made an early stayed there is something we will pleaded guilty at Sheffield Crown drunk that night, but had been plea of guilty.” never find out. Court on November 10 for the drinking double vodka shots. “The Stott family and his friends Judge Roger Keen QC, manslaughter of Bagley, 31. Defence Judith Seaborne said sentencing, said: “It is perfectly can gain some comfort from the Police said Bagley was that Stott was “deeply sorry” for clear Nathan Bagley was a fact they can visit him. As a confronted by Stott, who was what had happened. loving, decent man who did result of Stott’s attack on Nathan, with a group of five others, as he Senior Investigating Officer nothing to aggravate or provoke we were denied the opportunity left the club. of saying our goodbyes. Detective Superintendent Colin the incident. Bagley suffered serious head Fisher said that Bagley had died “Nathan was a gregarious “You have destroyed a good injuries and was taken to the in a “vicious and unprovoked life and permanently damaged young man with a dry sense of Northern General Hospital where attack.” humour and a big beaming smile. friends and family. he later died at 12:30pm. “Violence happens outside “No sentence can rectify what He was a handsome, thoughtful, DQ closed that evening as a nightclubs every now and then. loving and intelligent young you have done. mark of respect. “This was a sickening attack; “Despite the fact that he gave man. Prosecutor Elizabeth Martin made worse as there was simply every indication that he didn’t “His family, girlfriend and said that Stott made no attempt no motive whatsoever. wish to get involved in violence, wonderful group of friends are to offer Bagley help after the “South Yorkshire Police does you swung one blow that missed struggling to come to terms with incident. He then visited Caesar’s not tolerate violent crime, on any before inflicting the fatal one - all life without him.”
Supertram crash causes road Sheffield over-50s battle high unemployment levels chaos along Langsett Road Mitya Pearson
Empire Bar at Charter Square.
Sheffield has one of the highest rates of unemployment for the over-50s, a recent survey has found. The employment rate of over50s in Sheffield is only 31.6 per cent compared to the national average of 38.1 per cent The BBC commissioned the poll, conducted by public sector analysts Experian, to examine how different areas of England will be affected by the growing ageing population. Prime, a charity that helps over50s set up their own business, says that nationally the over-50s unemployment rate has risen by 51 per cent. This is compared to a 36 per cent rise among the under-50s. Prime say that the number of over-50s out of work and claiming Jobseekers’ Allowance has risen by 22,000 over the past 12 months. Sheffield resident Tony Igglo, 50, said he has been searching
for work since he was made redundant over a year ago. He says that Sheffield’s job prospects have worsened over the last year: “A couple of months ago I was doing a job search for basic jobs such as warehouse work, but not one thing came up for Sheffield. “That has not happened to me in all my life and I’ve been unemployed four times. “It was shocking. “I work on the bottom of society’s jobs and I’m never going to get to a stage of having enough money to retire. “I need to be employed to survive from day to day.” Sheffield College have started a training scheme to help unemployed people find work. 117 of the 702 who enrolled since August 2009 are over 50. Director of Planning and Performance Bill Jones said the scheme is for those who have been unemployed for at least six months to learn new skills so they can fill gaps in the job market.
Tom Geddes Supertram services to and from Hillsborough were suspended last Friday after a serious accident between a tram, car, van, and digger. The collision took place on Langsett Road near the Hillsborough Interchange around 15:30 on November 12. The road, one of the busiest in Sheffield’s public transport network, was closed in both directions as emergency services dealt with the crash. South Yorkshire Ambulance Service sent eight vehicles for the rescue operation including a Hazardous Area Response Team. Four people were taken to hospital after the accident although none were seriously injured. Hundreds of commuters were stuck in gridlocked traffic. Langsett Road reopened at 18:03 once the damaged vehicles were removed and investigations carried out.
Sheffield Supertram in the city.
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5
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Muslim leaders warn fees hike could defy Islam finance beliefs
Members of the University Islamic Circle say they fear fee changes could deny Muslim students a university education. Katie Davies Islamic leaders say that changes under the Browne Review could stop Muslim students going to university by creating student loans they cannot use. The new tuition fees of up to £9,000 include higher interest rates on student loans. The Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) says that this would break Islamic rules on finance which do not allow interest. Nabil Ahmed, President of FOSIS told the BBC: “Many Muslim students are averse to interest due to teachings in the Islamic faith - such interest derails accessibility to higher education.” The University of Sheffield’s Islamic Circle said: “The rise in fees will undoubtedly affect all potential students in the years to come. We believe it will have detrimental implications on working class families, which
many Muslim families come from. “It will bring financial strain to students and their families as well as deterring many people from even applying to university.” The Islamic Circle said that some Muslim scholars say that Muslim students can use loans as a last resort as long as long as interest rates remain in line with inflation. They said if interest rates are set above inflation they will cause a huge problem for Muslim students: “We hope that these proposed changes do not materialise.” Students’ Union Finance Officer Tom Hastings said: “The Federation of Islamic Students have made a really powerful point, showing that the Browne Review, amongst many other failures, has disregarded the interests of our Muslim community. “It’s vital that members of this community join in the debate on how higher education should be funded, making their voices
heard. The Students’ Union will be incorporating this issue into its campaign around the funding of higher education.” Currently student loan interest is linked to inflation. The Browne Review proposals mean graduates on higher incomes could pay interest of up to 3 per cent above inflation. Only those earning below £21,000 a year will avoid interest charges on their loan repayments. A University spokesperson said: “Prior to the Higher Education bill, the University of Sheffield will continue to consult with our students and staff on what the proposed changes will mean for our University and the quality education we are determined to preserve. “We firmly believe that any changes to the funding system should not be a barrier to any student wishing to come and study at the University. “We anticipate the Government will provide clear guidance to all students on where they can obtain
Enterprise students reach SIFE World Cup semi-finals in USA Nicholas Carding Members of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) enjoyed a record success at the three-day SIFE World Cup in Los Angeles. The group from the University of Sheffield reached the semifinals, finishing in the top 16 of the 1500 participating universities worldwide. They presented the events and activities they had carried out in Sheffield to a panel of representatives from companies including HSBC and Wal-mart. The University of Sheffield SIFE were the second UK university to ever reach the semifinals. They were beaten by finalists Loyola College from India. The winners at this year’s World Cup were the French University in Egypt. Executive Director of Sheffield SIFE Amy Brereton said: “It was fantastic to reach the semi finals. “We had a great time.
“We took 20 people, stayed for 10 days, and met so many different people from different cultures who all shared the same ideal of helping the underprivileged.” SIFE organisations organise commercial projects to help poor people get involved with activities and work. They strive to improve as many lives as possible through a variety of events. “In a sense it’s harder for UK universities to achieve a high finish at the World Cup simply because people in Britain generally have a high quality of life whereas other universities in Africa and Asia have the chance to help people much worse off than back here,” said Brereton. Sheffield SIFE currently hosts over 27 events for people in need across the city. In a recent project, students taught homeless people how to make and sell jam for profit. Other projects include helping teenage mothers set up their
own businesses and teaching old people computer skills including online shopping. Sheffield SIFE has raised over £28,000 for the society over its projects. It is part of the wider SIFE organisation which helps university students become involved in business projects to benefit disadvantaged members of society. They are currently trying to help homeless charity St. Wilfrids’ Centre win a £50,000 grant from ITV/ Lottery charity People’s Millions. Ben Manuel, SIFE Associate Social Director, said: “On November 25 they are competing on ITV in a telephone vote. “We would like to raise awareness among students of the charity and competition.” SIFE has 1500 teams in 39 countries across the world and this year its members have raised $12.8million worldwide. Sheffield SIFE has raised £28,5570 so far this year.
loans and funding, including specific guidance for Muslim students and their families, alongside any changes made to Higher Education funding.” Shahnaz Ahsan, Student Engagement Manager from the Coexistence Trust, which works to bring Muslim and Jewish students together, said: “It could have serious implications for the participation of Muslim students in higher education. “As many Muslim students come from some of the most disadvantaged communities in the UK, and for some the proposals go against their adherence to Islamic teachings where interest is prohibited.’’ First year English Literature student Camilia Khan said: “I do think it’s unfair that the government failed to consider Muslims, the second largest religious population in the UK, whilst making these hasty financial decisions. “It did not really surprise me considering the coalition
Photos: USIC
government has not considered anyone in this proposed unfair system. “In Islam, interest is one of the worst sins that one can commit. I personally would not be willing to take out this kind of loan due to the great guilt I would feel in disobeying this clear command. “I know many who would agree with me on this as most of us hope to be earning over £21,000 a year when we graduate.” Muslim leaders have also argued that the wider idea of increasing debt for students is unethical, with graduates not paying off their loans until in their fifties and perhaps also being expected to support their own children at university. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “Our reforms will give our universities financial stability. Graduates will pay each less each month than they do today. “And the poorest graduates will pay considerably less than they do today.”
UK students ‘reluctant to go abroad’ says British Council David Parker Fewer than half a percent of UK university students studied in another European country last year, according to a recent report by the British Council. Only 0.46 percent of undergraduates took part in the Erasmus scheme, which lets students across 31 European countries study abroad as part of their degree. By comparison 1.31 percent of French students and 1.24 per cent of German students went abroad. The average number of students who go abroad on Erasmus schemes is 0.91 percent. Martin Davidson, Chief Executive of the British Council, said: “At a time when higher education has become borderless, it seems our students are becoming ever more inwardlooking. “We now face the contradiction of having world-class universities
with networks of international partnerships populated by students whose horizons are limited. “It could be argued that Britain’s economic future depends in part on our students leaving the country.” The UK is second to the US for attracting overseas students. The British Council has warned this leading role may end as other countries expand their degree options. Students’ Union International Officer Mina Kasherova said: “I think it’s worrying that more British students don’t see the academic, self-development and employability advantages of spending part of their degree in another country. “Studying abroad through programmes such as Erasmus helps students become more self-reliant, have greater understanding of different cultures and can help them develop an impressive network of contacts from across the world.”
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6
NEWS NATIONAL DEMO What are the chances of stopping Higher Education cuts? Aaron Kulakiewicz Labour Students representative
Arrests then apologies from the Met in wake of student march
“Realistically, the chances are very low. But that does not mean we should not do everything in our power to try and stop these cuts. We really need get public support on our side to start a backbench rebellion to get the Lib Dems to honour their pledge.”
Sam Mannion Labour Students representative “I believe we do have a good chance in stopping the majority of these higher education cuts because the parliamentary maths is incredibly close. So even if we lose the vote in the Commons, the closer we make it in the Commons, the more likely the Lords are to reject it.”
Chaz Lockett Socialist Students Society representative “If it is possible for the students and the NUS in particular to forge a broad based resistance to all cuts, not just on higher education fees, including trade unions and general member of the public I think it’s genuinely possible.”
Rob Thornton No political affiliation “It’s definitely possible because at the end of the day it is down to the last few MPs who we need to convince to stick to their pledges and vote against this issue as a whole.”
Alex Erdlenbruch No political affiliation “If we stop t u i t i o n fees then universities will make sure that the cuts to higher education will not happen and then we will have won this debate. But it is very hard, we need ordinary students, ordinary member of the public so we can exert pressure on the MPs.”
Forge Press invited the Conservative Future Society and the Liberal Youth to express their views but neither of the committees were available for comment.
Left: One of the many signs at the protest. Right: Paul Blomfield MP marches with Sheffield students. Nicole Froio Continued from front page. Student Edward Woollard of Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge was arrested five days later and charged with violent disorder for throwing the extinguisher. In total, 54 people were arrested, two of them from Yorkshire. Metropolitan Police have issued a public apology for being under prepared on the day of the protest. Sir Paul Stephenson, Metropolitan Police Commissioner said that
the police response was “an embarrassment” and promised an enquiry into why the violence was not anticipated by Scotland Yard. Only 225 officers were deployed to control the mile-long march. Sam Crowder, a third year History and Politics students said: “I believe we need to be heard by this government, in particular coming from Sheffield where Nick Clegg has the audacity to go prancing around with this idea that he’s never going to raise fees. “He gets people’s votes based on a lie and then turns around and
National Demo
Bonfire at 30 Millbank
Nicole Froio NUS staff were shouting at the protesters to keep on track of the peaceful march and avoid 30 Millbank. But the patio of the building was already full of angry protesters circling a bonfire and roaring every time a window got smashed. Breakaway protesters invited the people in the peaceful march to join them in the occupation. We had arrived in London on the coaches from Sheffield but it was only a matter of minutes before we were lost amongst 50,000 protesters. Somehow we managed to reach Millbank. The building had been completely taken over. Roars were coming from the patio, where at least a hundred people were huddling around the bonfire, climbing the walls and shouting as loud as they could. I had never witnessed such anger or passion. It was everywhere. Hundreds of cameras of all kinds pointed everywhere. It was a competition to get the best shot. There was a crash and
everyone cheered on whoever was smashing another window. It was almost impossible to get through the crowd, but some how I managed to reach the heart of it. I snapped a quick picture of the bonfire before my friend pulled me back and said we had to go. We heard sirens. Quickly we broke away from the crowd and stood at the border of the riot, where we could still see the smoke rising up in the air. The students’ chants of “You say cut back we say fight back” were accompanied by a band of samba drums. They showed no signs of backing down. Despite the sirens, there was no sign of the authorities. The police was nowhere to be seen. The situation was completely out of control. A massive blaze went up in the air somewhere in the patio and there was more cheering. A police van finally arrived at the site and we decided it was time to leave. We left at around 4pm, whilst the violence in 30 Millbank was still ongoing.
gets into bed with the Tories. “I think it’s abhorrent and I think that’s the reason why every student in the country should be supporting the demo.” Despite the riot in Millbank, the Sabbatical Officers feel the protest was not in vain and that the message was passed. Welfare Officer Nikki Bowater said: “Tens of thousands of students protested peacefully to say that the government needs to abandon their regressive policy on higher education funding and reverse the cuts it has announced. “Furthermore, there was a
Photos: Nicole Froio and Jo Wendel message particularly aimed at all the MPs who signed the pledge to vote against any rise in fees that we will hold them to account on this issue - a pledge is a pledge! “Despite being the product of an incredibly small minority the violence clearly illustrated the strength of feeling on this issue. “The violence was however deeply disappointing since we feel that it has undoubtedly distracted the media’s attention from the issue at hand.” “But in the next few days, people will forget about broken windows and remember broken promises.” Forge Press reports from the ground:
Shout with the crowd Jo Wendel The smell of sausage sandwiches was thick in the BarOne air as we arrived. The day had started at 6am, with coaches bound to be leaving from 7.15am, but the image could be mistaken for an evening in the Union. Outside it was still pitch-black, but inside the excited chattering of six hundred students was filling the air. Only the stewards in high visibility vests gave away that this was not a night out. On the coaches, the limited Union budget became apparent. One coach looked straight out of the 70s, with an orange and brown colour scheme and matching carpet on floor, walls and ceiling, and a toilet signposted “out of order”. M1 provided plenty of cross-road banter with fellow protesters on coaches from across the country. But getting through the congestion-filled streets of London as dozens of coaches with the same destination wasn’t as easy. After half-an-hour of hardly moving an inch, our coach
stewards rebelled and asked the driver to open the back doors. Armed with placards, megaphones and the sheet of chants we had been given on the bus, we marched towards Trafalgar Square where we met up with Sheffield students from the other nine coaches. The sound of whistles, shouts and “Nick Clegg – keep your pledge!” showed us the way. We arrived late and had to join the march at the end. The atmosphere was vibrant; at times it seemed more of a carnival than a protest. Helicopters were circling overhead, but the police presence seemed minimal. The streets were so crowded that after two hours, we hadn’t even reached Westminster, let alone the end point by Millbank. But the protest was disbanding and our coaches were due to leave. As we left the protest and made our way along Southbank where leaving students were gathering, we noticed flares going off across the Thames. People seemed to have broken onto the roof of a building and were stood waving flags.
FORGE PRESS Friday November 19 2010
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LETTERS
Have your say Sex ed - how was it for you?
Students need to speak out Dear Forge,
Dom Ronan Biomedical Science Second year
Jack Gilbert Maths Third year
If you’re open about it, it’s not a big deal. If you make sex something people don’t want to talk about, people will want to do it!
It should be made less taboo. In places like Amsterdam, people are more liberal and more open about it so kids know the dangers.
Kirsty Newson Speech Science First year
Sarah Kelly Law and Criminology First year
Parents should be more involved to give them more of an education of how to teach their own children about it.
My teachers were pretty good about it. The teacher makes a big difference, especially if you can’t talk to your parents about it, you need something there.
Write: Forge Press, Union of Students, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TG Email: letters@forgetoday.com Please include your name, course and year of study. We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity and space.
The ‘pledge’ to students not to increase tuition fees was one of the policies that saw me vote for the Liberal Democrats as a real alternative to Labour – who, at the time I was very dissatisfied with. The promises of a ‘liberal’ approach won my, and many other thousands of students’ votes - believing you could bring change. That change was for the better, and not for the reality of the changes we are currently facing which are seemingly for the worse. A week ago, I wrote a letter to Nick Clegg, who I personally voted for regarding the current situations that students across the country find themselves in: and I want to tell any student to do the same and to write to their MP. The plan to raise tuition
Star letter is sponsored by The Wick at Both Ends
The winner receives a free meal for two fees will be, in all honesty, discriminative to those of us from poorer backgrounds. University is a privilege that should not, under any
circumstances be for those who can afford it, but for those of us who are naturally clever and work extremely hard for this reward; for those of us who have something good to contribute to the world of academia and for those of us who can, and will benefit the economy - bringing something good to Britain. In this sense, I see your government as nothing more than a discriminatory body that has done nothing but impede the development of the country as a whole. The Students’ Union is giving us all a chance to quickly and easily write to our MPs on their website – and it’s an opportunity we should all take. Yours, Adam Lamb BA Modern Languages Second Year
Corrections and clarifications In our November 5 issue a subbing error led to us misrepresenting the sentiments of a letter by Sam Browse. The headline read: ‘The government is investing in higher education’, but should have read: ‘The government is not investing in higher education’. In our report of the Union Council election results (Issue 27) we stated that the Biomedical Science councillor position had been won by Mursheed Ali. Our maths was incorrect, and BMS will actually be represented at Council this year by Amrit Bhambra.
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COMMENT
Debate: Are students right to use direct action in their protest against cuts and tuition fees?
Mass march is Rioters are sulky only a display of kids who should potential arms know better Alyesha Ingrouille
Jo Wendel
Wouldn’t it be awesome if we lived in a world where people could just have a nice march and then the government went: “right you are, we’ll not do that anymore!” I do not believe that a simple A to B march will ever change anything. In 2003 31,000 students marched in London against “top up” fees. It was a peaceful march, backed by the NUS and it was completely ignored. Five years later even the NUS chose to drop its opposition to tuition fees. Nor do I think that this is merely a numbers game: 31,000 people wasn’t enough, but oh, they’ll definitely listen to 52,000. Well, over a million people peacefully marched against the Iraq war in 2003, and what was the reaction? The government completely ignored them. Because of this I think that direct action, civil disobedience, breaking the law, whatever you want to call it, is both justified and necessary. I didn’t come to this decision just because of some fetish for masks and molotovs. Historically speaking it has been the diverse movements, ones who used every trick in the book, both peaceful mass support and direct action which have been the most successful. The Suffragette’s movement, the Chartists,
I’m all for direct action in a totalitarian society, or a society which allows you no legal methods to get your message heard. But in modern Britain, I think direct action is completely unacceptable, and unnecessary. There are plenty of other possibilities to broadcast a protest message, and the people who climbed onto the roof of Millbank can hardly claim to have exhausted all other ways of getting heard. Besides, they were hardly doing it in sacrifice for the greater good. More likely because they are petulent children who wanted to ‘make a stand’. They probably figured it would be a bit of a laugh, and make a great Facebook profile picture. From across the river, I watched as protesters on the lower part of the roof climbed onto the top part, to have their pictures taken in a victorious position with their arms up in the air. I bet their friends think they’re well hard. Luckily, very few people got hurt during the latest protest, but the amount of fear and terror created by direct action was significant. When protesters stormed a Millbank building, they weren’t only storming Tory HQ, but also lots of other company offices. Although I oppose tuition
the Civil Rights movement in the US, the gay rights movement, opposition to the Poll Tax - all of these used direct action, and all of them won. There is of course a place for peaceful protest. The march last week was a positive thing and kudos to every single one of the 52,000 odd people who went on it. It showed how much and how many people care about this issue and everyone on it should feel proud of themselves.
“Direct action isn’t some fetish for masks and molotovs”
But what is a mass march except a display of arms? A warning to the government that there are 52,000 very pissed off people out there. If those people aren’t prepared to do anything further if they are ignored then ultimately what was
the point? This is where direct action comes in. This is not to say we should just start mindlessly rioting through the street. “Violent” direct action should not be preferred to nonviolent action, and an important distinction needs to be made between inflicting economic damage by destroying property, and violence towards people. Though if someone is to engage in property destruction then it is important that the right property is targeted. In special regards to the Millbank protesters, let me finish with a quote which sums up my argument, from Emmeline Pankhurt, who fought so that 50 per cent of our population could vote: “There is something that governments care for more than human life, and that is the security of property, and so it is through property that we shall strike the enemy... Those of you who can break windows - break them.”
fees and cuts to higher education, I wouldn’t consider it important enough for someone to storm a building and cause significant fear and distress among people who have absolutely no involvement in the issue. That’s effectively terrorism.
“I bet their friends think they’re well hard” It feels like direct action or civil disobedience are just intellectual ways of dressing up vandalism, trespassing and threatening behaviour. Obviously crimes against property aren’t as severe as crimes against human beings, but at the end of the day, money doesn’t grow on trees and ruining someone’s financial situation may well ruin them. The individual decides
which side of the law they want to be on, and just because they’re in a crowd, that doesn’t make it any less their own personal decision. And they should be punished accordingly. The collective impact of their individual actions may cause media attention, but in this case the march was all over the news before anyone decided to start kicking in windows. The coverage that the media had planned, including debates with professors and students about tuition fees and cuts, was partly exchanged last minute for debates on activism and rioting. This may be an interesting debate to people who are keen on direct action but the rest of us would rather have seen the real issues of the march being debated. Perhaps the media are just falling into the “if it bleeds, it leads” trap, but in that case I think it’s time for activists to become more media-savvy.
Catering for minorities isn’t top priority in a recession Nicholas Carding The Islamic Circles from 44 universities in Britain recently published their reaction to the Browne Review. They say that if the changes suggested by Lord Browne go through, thousands of Muslim students will not be able to go to university because it will compromise areas of their beliefs. The main problem are the interest rates. Lord Browne wants to
restructure the repayment system by making higherearning graduates pay back loans at up to three per cent above inflation. But muslims generally do not believe in paying interest as they consider it a prime contributor to social inequality. The government say that they already heavily subsidise student loans and that the loans are not a form of commercial lending that they profit from. According to Islamic Circles, the changes in interest rates “ignore the sensitivities of many Muslim students and
greatly restrict their accessibility to higher education”. Personally, I don’t believe in cutting education. Students, are the future. E v e r y o n e should be given a chance to get the best education possible with m a x i m u m government support. But I am glad that we have a government which
is
brave enough to take a tough stance on cutting the economy. It is impossible for the government to take every minority i n t o account w h e n desperately looking for plans to save Britain from drowning in a wave of debt. Undoubtedly the Browne Review is going to cause
problems to lots of Muslim students. Breaching rules in one’s faith is a very hard thing to do, but it is ultimately their choice. Does paying interest contribute to social inequality? Should every student who is reliant on student loans drop gout of university because the financial system promotes unfairness? Somehow I think Britain would be much worse off if they did. At the moment, Muslim students are able to defend their loans as long as the interest rates are in line with inflation rates. This
is obviously relatively speaking a dream scenario, but we have just been through a major recession. Concessions have to be made. We have to build our economy back to a positive figure before taking the luxury of broadening financial alternatives for minorities. I do feel for the Muslim students who will potentially opt out of university because of the interest rates. It is a real shame that a multicultural society can’t make a system where everyone’s needs can be taken into account, but this is the reality of today.
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COMMENT
Celebration of gay icons is great but enough with the negativity
Elliot Pettigrew Billed ‘an introduction to historical gay culture for non-gay audiences’, the University of Sheffield’s Gay Icons project clearly has noble intentions. It is a celebration of Sheffield’s gay community, offering talks on prolific characters in art, music, politics and fashion. The prolific characters chosen, however, are all wrong. You could certainly never accuse the organisers of selling-out to popular culture as the selection is definitely varied. I would certainly never have expected to see David and Jonathan (apparently they’re the Bible’s token gay couple) sharing pages with Alexander McQueen. But, like it or loathe it, sometimes gay culture does go hand-in-hand with popular culture and gay icons undoubtedly reflect this fact.
More importantly, any celebration of LGBT life should be positive. However, the ‘Icons’ chosen to be celebrated in this project don’t always fit this description. We need to celebrate those icons who touch the lives of everyone, gay or straight. But for example, who’s heard of Winnaretta Singer? I take myself to be an educated gay man who knows his gay history but this 1930s musicians’ patron, who is to be celebrated on November 30, doesn’t ring even the faintest of bells for me, let alone qualify as an example of a musical gay icon.
“Shouldn’t the project be promoting openness?”
My suggestion is to ditch Singer and get something organised to celebrate Kylie Minogue instead. She has done more to support
the gay community than Singer ever did. I don’t imagine we‘d see Singer marching in a gay pride parade, on stage at G-A-Y or performing with halfnaked men and wearing pink feather wings on stage. But that’s not all Minogue does. She also proves that gay icons are still relevant in this “enlightened” age of homo equality. Not because of the practical support she gives us, but because of the natural affinity many LGBT people feel for her. It’s clear to see why this is the case just by looking at her lyrics and her life. Minogue has been through tragedies, such as cancer and the death of a lover, and come out the other side even stronger. She also empowers her listeners through her songs. “Spinning Around”, for example, can definitely be interpreted as a song about coming out: “I’ve got nothing left to hide… the truth’s given me a new freedom inside”. Not all LGBT people lead
tragic lives, far from it, and not all of us need this empowerment, but she has sure helped me learn to live as the gay man I am. I’m not saying every teenage gay man in this country goes through a ‘Kylie’ stage, but hands up if you don’t know a gay man or woman who has idolised someone like her. The beauty of the Gay Icons project is that it does have “icons” from every walk of life. Music icons are my thing, but fashion icons, arty icons and icons who have had a social impact are equally as popular for gay inspiration. Unfortunately, a lot of these other categories are full of the wrong gay heroes. Alexander McQueen is a case in point. Yes, he is iconic in the fashion world. Yes, he was a gay man. And yes, his work is even part of popular culture. But he does not deserve the title of gay icon. His sexuality did not impact his designs. The fact that he was gay and well-known does not mean
D.A.R.T.S.
the gay community should be idolising him. On the contrary, the path he chose is one to be avoided. Someone who committed suicide is not a positive role-model for gay men and lesbians, and likewise it is not helpful to present him as such to straight people. We should not be perpetuating the idea that gays are dysfunctional.
“McQueen’s sexuality did not impact his designs”
Some of the gay icons chosen for this project also tried hard to be discreet about their homosexuality. To me, this defeats the purpose of the celebration. Shouldn’t the project be promoting openness about our sexualities? Instead, choose an inspirational fashion figure like Jean-Paul Gaultier. His partner died from AIDSrelated complications, and so he began raising
money to fight the battle, recruiting Madonna to walk bare-chested down a catwalk for the cause. His gender-bending catwalk shows and previous unisex collections have embraced skirts for men, perhaps a nod in the direction of those who identify as trans. Just look at his homoerotic perfume adverts and you will see that Gaultier is a gay man living without shame, just as he should be. I applaud the Gay Icons project for what it has set out to do. The organised events look to be slick and well-researched. The partnership with the Showroom Cinema should open up the project to a wider-audience, and the club nights at Dempseys and Climax will please the gay crowd. My only wish is that this opportunity had been used to shine a light on more positive icons who really matter: ones that are visible to everyone, regardless of sexuality.
Forge Press takes its satirical aim
Taking to the Yellow Pages
Best Demo Placards ‘10:
Quote of the fortnight:
Scrambling for ideas on how to draw attention to your cause without setting off flares from a roof top? When marching the streets doesn’t help, some say direct action is the next natural step. But if you’re too busy to sit around your MP’s constituency office all day, try sending him or her your weight in Yellow Pages instead. It’s the heavy weight alternative to spam emails,
First no letter from Hogwarts, now this!?
“Police told us to stay off the pavements to allow for disabled access and 50,000 people went out of their way to stay off the pavement to help disabled people. That was the extent of our civil disobedience.”
and they’ve got no filter to stop you. And if you don’t pay the postage, the recipient has to. Our Students’ Union is campaigning for you to write a letter to your MPs and encourage them to vote against a rise in tuition fees. But try Yellow Pages for a real effect. You could always attach a post-it note with your vital tuition fee message.
- As seen carried by a girl on the NUS demo. Forge Press shares your pain.
- Union Councillor for Physics and Astronomy Gary McGuinness explains what most of the University of Sheffield delegation got up to at the NUS national demo in London on November 10, eliciting giggles and applause from fellow councillors.
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COMMENT
Paper for the young is an insulting idea
Tom Geddes
You can’t get away from it these days. It’s everywhere, literally everywhere: railway stations, pubs, Scotland. There is no escaping it. The news will find you, wherever you are, whether you want it to or not. i then, the new publication from the people behind The Independent, seems a little unnecessary. Advertised as “all you need in the time you have” the paper is aimed at re-engaging the younger generations. It’s for people who’ve stopped paying attention to traditional news media. Snappy articles and pop journalism sound all very well, but I fear The Independent are missing the point with i. Just because the young aren’t buying newspapers, it doesn’t mean we’re ignorant of the world around us. It’s a very stereotypical approach to journalism by those at The Independent. I am not aware of any over 60s alternative: extra large founts and dribble-proof page. There’d be a public
outcry. Yet a publication aimed at 18-34-year-olds, with cartoon characters and monosyllables goes unnoticed by society. We may be young, but we’re not brain dead. From a company only too familiar with the dwindling newspaper market, a new publication seems an odd step. As modern technology plays an ever increasing role in the distribution of news, this commitment to the traditional seems like a step backwards for The Independent. It is commonly accepted that the market is too crowded, and one of the major dailies will soon have to fold. The Independent
needed to make some move to reverse their recent problems. I just feel the i is not the right one.
“I’m not aware of any over 60s alternative”
It is not clear who the newspaper is really for: it’s obviously not aimed at the disinterested young. It has no nudity in whatsoever, and the crossword even requires general knowledge. Yet it isn’t for the intellectual young either. We already have other
newspapers which aren’t too difficult to read, and covers much more than its younger brother. Considering its only real selling point appears to be its cut-down size, I can only imagine it’s aimed at the physically weak. Call me arrogant, but I’ve never had any issue with the weight of any daily newspaper. I don’t like to boast, but I can pick up with relative ease even the rather substantial Sunday Telegraph. It appears I am not the only one who’s confused by the i. Three weeks in and circulation figures do not read kindly. Of the 100,000 who read daily, many appear to be exIndependent readers. The new sibling is favoured for its price. It is a real shame that this is the direction news reporting is taking. Even if the i continues to struggle, its very existence tells us a lot about the future of journalism. Quality and quantity have lost out to speed and convenience. Where news was once a delicacy to be enjoyed, it is now a fast food to be consumed as quickly and as effortlessly as possible. The i is just the tip of the iceberg.
Editorials Our Students’ Union must not follow the NUS blindly It’s a very weird time to be a student; the mixed feelings of relief that the tuition fees hike won’t hit existing undergraduates are coupled with the horror of the unfolding government cuts. Stranger than fiction, the short-sighted idiots in power really are in charge and can do what they like. It’s terrifying to think of what will result from this strangulation of higher education. The National Union of Students (NUS), the individual students’ unions, and those who caused havoc at Millbank during the National Demo in London are universally united in their hatred of the government’s plans. But deciding what to do, and the best way to go about it, has seen cracks in that unity. It was beyond disappointing to see and hear NUS president Aaron Porter condemning the students who were involved in the ‘rioting’ in the international media. No matter your opinion on those students’ actions, disassociating himself from the very people that he receives a salary to represent was an appalling move. Porter has not been a student in the ‘studying’ sense of the word since 2006. He has been paid to represent students at various levels for four years, after three years as an undergraduate at the University of Leicester. His own student days are long behind him, and it appears that Mr Porter has political stars in his eyes. Blocking those who criticised him on Twitter, and putting a barrier between himself and members of his own union - he’s a media-savvy operator, and appears to be acting with his own career prospects in mind. Don’t worry, sir, it seems certain that you’ll follow your predecessor Wes Streeting into a paid position in the Labour party. But our own Students’ Union cannot follow in Aaron Porter’s footsteps without doing what the NUS president seems unable to do himself. Our sabbatical officers must do what they were elected and are paid to do; they must listen to University of Sheffield students, and act in accordance with their desires. The Union will be unable to partake in the NUS’ Right to Recall campaign if it shows that, legally, its charitable status stops it from being party political. But there are other ways, and the Sabbs must be prepared to say no to Porter and co. if that is what Sheffield students ask of them.
Forge Press Editor, Media Hub, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TG, forgepress@forgetoday.com
Let’s talk about sex, baby, Staying at home doesn’t for the sake of the future make you less worldly Hannah Frost According to a recent study, up to 80 per cent of teachers don’t feel comfortable teaching the one subject that is inherently hilarious, according to a recent article in The Daily Telegraph. As one of the most prudish European countries, we boast some of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy around. It’s clear we’ve gone wrong. It seems that we’re all too British to talk about sex. As the winner of an “Effort and Progress” Award in Personal, Sexual and Health Education (PSHE) - essentially for being well behaved enough to not set fire to the desks I consider myself an expert when it comes to bad sex education. The tragedy? We never even got to put a condom on a banana. It started with the cringeworthy “when a woman and a man really love each other...” By the age of 12 we’d watched cartoons bonking,
followed by full on up-skirt footage of a woman given birth. One of the boys in the class fainted. When we arrived at high school it was evident that standards had risen. We’d been rewarded for our maturity. Now, we watched even more videos. It continued for four years. The highlight of this socalled education was when we got to make posters (we did that a lot) for different types of contraception and my group got the vasectomy. I still have the A1 sized drawing, and it still makes me chuckle. And this is why teachers are too embarrassed to teach sex education. Sex is funny. Pupils are always going to laugh at it. My darling
mother is in her 50s and she still giggles at immature jokes. In the face of inevitable guffawing, it’s no surprise that some teachers shy away. But perhaps it isn’t all their responsibility. Someone who signed up to educate youngsters about history probably isn’t all that suitable to spend their days talking about erections. The alternative? The parents who are so adamant that it’s important should try it themselves. We’ve all had “the chat”, and we all know how hideous it is. It’s not so much the education but the culture that needs to change. Sex education can only work when people are open and honest.
Katie Davies British students are jeopardising the country’s economic future by refusing to study abroad, according to the latest study by the British Council. Less than one in 200 British university students spend part of their degree in another European country. This is almost a third fewer than in France or Germany. The British Council is meant to build educational and cultural links between the UK and other countries, but has now warned universities that there is a “real risk that the UK’s competitive edge could be eroded by graduates with little experience of other parts of the world.” Unfortunately, the British Council are overexaggerating and refusing to give us the real picture. Maybe we do have less students studying abroad in other European countries, but what their statistics don’t mention are all the
students going to other non-European countries. There’s nothing like a bit of stereotyping, and the British Council are just putting students into two categories. The students described as able to “build cultural fluency, work in differing environments” because they’ve spent some time living abroad, and the other students labelled as “inward-looking,” with limited horizons, because they spend their entire degree at a British university.
“If you left ignorant you’ll probably come back the same”
Living in another country is not a magic way of turning students into better people, or giving you the power to understand everyone from every culture. It may open your eyes to a different way of life, but equally, if you left Britain ignorant and unaccepting, you will probably come back exactly the same.
In the middle of an economic crisis when people are struggling to come to university at all, we should help students become wellrounded people here at home, not making them feel guilty for not going abroad. Nobody should be thought less of because somebody doesn’t have the money to study in the far flung corners of the world, or has to go home every weekend to work in their local supermarket to earn the money to live off. There are many opportunities in Sheffield to get involved with the world, to meet new people and to see things a different way. A quick look at the A-Z of student societies at our university will show you that.
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FEATURES
Sheffield’s bin raiders Forge Press investigates the moral and ethical motivations for freeganism Words: Lauren Merryweather Picture: Harriet Di Francesco
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FEATURES
I
FEATURES Clockwise from left: a student rummages through bins for free food; a box of fruit and vegetables abandoned by a supermarket; unopened bread rolls salvaged by Forge Press
t’s teatime. Luke opens his cupboard to find a lone red onion and half a jar of Marmite. He glances out the window to the bitter, drizzly night before throwing on his duffle coat and heading off to the shop for something to
eat. When he gets there, he strides straight past the warm, bright supermarket entrance, stacked high with alluring offers. At the end of the row of shops he slips down an alleyway, leading to a damp courtyard lined with industrial waste containers and that lingering stench of bin juice. Here is dinner. Luke isn’t homeless; he’s not even poor. He’s a primary school teacher, a history graduate, and lives in a cosy studio flat. He is what is more commonly termed a freegan. In other words, whilst you’re raiding the fridge for dinner, he’s raiding supermarket bins. “It makes sense,” says 23-year-old Luke. “It might sound daft but the amount of waste we produce and the impact of that plays heavily on my conscience. I feel a responsibility to do something about it.” This is the rebellion against the consumer paranoia defined in every Panorama special investigating where your food comes from, where it’s been, what’s in it. But as he delves into the bins, it can’t be ignored that surely, this can’t be good for you? “I’ve never had food poisoning from doing this; everything is usually bagged up and protected. Also shops quite often throw out food that might be slightly out of date but it’s actually perfectly fine to eat,” Luke says. “It’s a misconception that the useby date should be stuck to completely. It’s only a guide. If it looks good, smells good it’s likely it’s ok.” He may have been lucky in this sense, but rifling through a bin isn’t exactly a pleasant experience; to do it out of choice is curious. There could be all sorts in there. “It doesn’t bother me at all. I’ve not really had any bad experiences. One time a rat jumped out at me. That was a surprise. “It’s kind of fun, you never know what’s going to turn up.” The term freegan is a straightforward combination of ‘free’ and ‘vegan.’ Broadly speaking, it’s the scavenging of rejected food, discarded by supermarkets, cafés, bakeries, restaurants. “I don’t consider myself a freegan as such, it’s a label the media use mostly. It’s a practical way of life that I guess some people have fallen into. “If the freegan label must be used, I guess it also has a deeper meaning. It doesn’t only mean ‘free of charge’ but ‘free from the culture of consumerism.’” Our obsession with buying, our dependence upon it, is the underlying motivation for Luke and others who share his ways. Britain throws away 20 billion tons of food every year; a statistic that evokes all those environmental, ethical arguments. The main motivation for freegans is that much of this produce may be fit for consumption but has to be thrown away due to company regulations. Company regulations could ban anything from the shelves that differs from the perfect products a customer would hope to expect. An abnormally small tomato or a dented box of cereal might go straight to the bin. All of the major supermarket chains have recently pledged to change this. Luke believes there is no need to be
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It’s not all about taking things for free. It’s about everything you believe in, a way of life I suppose for the sake of our environment Luke, local primary school teacher
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If the freegan label must be used, I guess it also has a deeper meaning. It doesn’t only mean ‘free of charge’ but ‘free from the culture of consumerism’ Luke, local primary school teacher
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a vegan to be a freegan. This idea most likely stems from practical reasons; eating dodgy meat probably isn’t a great idea, so tends to be avoided, but is fully advocated where possible. “If meat is thrown away, it’s an insult to an animal’s life, so it’s better to use it.” According to Luke, there are other ways to source food that would otherwise go to waste. “Fruit trees are a nice option in the autumn. Apples, plums, blackberries are all really versatile to cook with,” he says. It doesn’t end with food either. ‘Skipping’ is another ethical, money saving pastime. The clue is in the name. Luke has a table, radio and bookcase that he’s found on his scavenging travels. Some may ask: is this anti-consumer culture just an excuse for not spending any money? “It’s not all about taking things for free. It’s about everything you believe in, a way of life I suppose for the sake of our environment. Having a strong support for recycling and giving things back is important too.” Whilst researching freeganism in Sheffield, it was rumoured that a local store was discarding bin bags full of sandwiches every day. There is definitely an air of controversy when sneaking round the back of the car park in the darkness. Surprisingly, Forge Press discovered two University of Sheffield students, Ben and Sophie, rummaging through supermarket waste. Although reluctant at first, they proudly presented their small haul: four pre-packed sandwiches and two cartons of out of date orange juice. The students gave us a candid explanation about why they were there. “All that environmental stuff is a load of bollocks,” says Ben. “We live next to a supermarket that throws stuff away every day - we’d be mugs not to take advantage. We’re here on the off chance; it’s all about getting here at the right time,” he adds. “They threw out a crate full of Milk Tray last Christmas. That was Mum, Gran and the sister’s presents sorted.” The last thing that seems to be on the minds of Luke, Ben and Sophie is the question of whether this is even legal. Technically, whilst on privatelyowned land without permission, freeganism is a form of trespassing. Removing anything from the premises could be considered stealing. However, there is a legal ‘grey area’ with regards to bin-rummaging. No individual has ever been prosecuted in the UK on the grounds of taking food from waste bins; waste is generally thought of as abandoned goods and thus cannot be stolen. A lot of shops have caught on. Bins are now locked away, hidden from view to any passers-by who may be tempted to dip in. Many of the bins themselves are bolted shut too. There is talk on internet forums that some supermarkets even purposely spoil their waste food so people can’t salvage it after it’s been thrown away. The trip to the bins proved a bit disappointing, only producing a sixpack of bread rolls on the brink of breaking out in mould and hardly enough food to survive a day in the I.C. Inappropriate for human consumption, it was the ducks at Endcliffe Park that polished them off. Is freeganism a worthwhile means for rebelling against our consumer society? There’s no definite answer to that question. It seems for some, ‘waste not, want not’ is quite literally a lifestyle choice.
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FORGE PRESS Friday November 19 2010
FEATURES
Friend or foe?
Student house dynamics can be tricky. What makes the ideal housemate?
Words: Jonathan Robinson Pictures: Michael Westwood
L
ooking for a house is a staple part of university life. Very soon the latest wave of house hunting will commence as a tsunami of first year students scurry for friends to share with and houses to live in. Frantic last minute decisions, debates over bedrooms, quarrels about washing-up. Students can never really escape the tribulations of sharing a house with their peers. Judi James, best known for her psychological analysis of contestants from the ultimate house sharing experience – reality TV show Big Brother - reveals people with less in common can often be easier to live with. “It’s common for people to look for housemates that are a mirror image of themselves, i.e. similar in age, attractiveness and tastes. This can be the most volatile mix.” She says sharing with a friend results in much higher expectations, meaning the fall from grace can be brutal. “It’s like getting married then finding out all those annoying little habits once you’re living together. We’re much less likely to be tolerant about someone who we assumed would hold the same values as ourselves than about someone where we were expecting differences and braced to be flexible.” James’ analysis suggests living with strangers broadens horizons and helps when compromising, persuading and negotiating. She adds: “Friends with different backgrounds and career prospects often end up keeping in touch and
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It’s like getting married then finding out all those annoying little habits once you’re living together Judi James, Psychological analyst on Big Brother
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networking for years after they leave university. The same can be true for friends in similar careers but the scope is much smaller.” James uses the analogy of the American sitcom Friends, where the integration of different characters makes up a less toxic blend, to exemplify her thinking. From halls to seven-bedroom terraces, students are plagued by persistent doubts over which group to live with. This is a process that can test existing friendships. Perhaps the copy of Student Housing 2011/2012 thrust under my door is an omen of the stresses to come. Declaring that: “bright students look early”, one flick through is enough to make you squirm a bit. Having only just settled into the first semester, surely this is all too premature? In the relative solace of universityowned halls, students experience a safe haven with welcome third party control over nasty nuisances including bills, electricity and maintenance. Not all students will struggle to recruit future housemates though. Some lucky ones may have a definite picture of with whom they want to share a house or flat. Deciding on these people often involves searching for our own qualities in others, whatever cocktail that might be. As James pointed out, our ideals are usually just a manifestation of ourselves. Although some may sail through three years of blissful companionship, this is rare and the picture is often highly distorted. Many friendships turn sour whilst sharing a roof. Research commissioned by
Endsleigh, the student insurance company, identified the biggest problems students experience with housing. Over half of the 2000 people questioned in the survey admitted to having fallen out with friends whilst living together. Whatever poisoned the relationship, from rotting food to toilet seats left up, Endsleigh concluded that virtually no household is immune from fallouts. With friends knowing exactly how to hurt their companions in an argument, established relationships can make situations far more volatile. “Living with friends is a bit awkward at times,” says Hannah Louise Pearson, a second year Journalism student. “We have a lot of arguments about food, when people don’t pay, say for milk or bread, which we’ve already bought or don’t want to split the cost. There’s a grumpy sort of tension about it all.” Since moving into her property in Crookes with three other girls, Pearson has encountered both sides of living with friends. “I wouldn’t let the people on my course, who I don’t know as well as my flatmates, see me when I’m walking around at 7:30 in the morning with Coco Pops spilt down my dressing gown. In that way it’s more relaxed.” Pearson explains she didn’t know her future flatmates fully when they signed on the dotted line. However, this allowed them to connect more easily. “You don’t have to be best friends when you sign the house lease together, it’s not going to be amazing straight away – it does take some teething,” she says.
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FEATURES
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You don’t have to be best friends when you sign the house lease together, it’s not going to be amazing straight away Hannah Louise Pearson, student
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What psychologists call ‘free child state’ (the group’s initial unity and excitement over freedom from institution rule) is in fact impractical. This means that house-sharing with friends does not always meet expectations. According to the Endsleigh study, the primary cause of friction is untidiness with 73 per cent of those assessed having fallen out over it. Issues with landlords will often add pressure to the intimacy of a household. Pearson told Forge Press that landlords can be quite haphazard, and aren’t always willing to assist when moving in. “There’s added stress that we didn’t have in student halls. Quite a lot of things were really dirty and broken. [The landlord] got all the cheap things sorted out fast like the carpets, but not the heating, things like that.” Not all accounts of house-sharing are so disastrous. Jayne Carroll, a second year Physical Geography student, enjoys the newfound interplay between studying through the day and socialising in the evenings. “After the first few weeks it felt like we knew each other for ages. We’ve got that bit more responsibility here now. I think you see both sides of people.” Carroll also thinks that devising a cleaning rota and distributing the chores was a wise move. “Most of the time we split things up between us. Because everyone is friends, everyone is more considerate. It’s a bit strange at first; people come from different backgrounds and lifestyles.” A surfeit of studies on what constitutes the best combination of housemates exists, with the major players in the behavioural expert world eager to comment. Although somewhat idealistic, this illustration represents how people who live completely separate lives can still maintain - at least most of the time - a successful living cohesion. Despite this, the thought of voluntarily living with a group of walking paradoxes couldn’t be any less appealing to most of us. Besides the communication barrier, there’s always the fear of developing a malign relationship with your new housemate. Not many have softened to the idea of using speed-dating as a method for housemate recruitment. However the research by Endsleigh suggests this may be a good idea, as they generate a lottery of diverse characters, which are more likely to form dissimilar roles. Mixed sex houses were found to provide more stable structures, since they facilitated a balance for gender competition. This may, for example, provide an ‘alpha male’, forming a house hierarchy and which can act as a mediator. Out of those interviewed, 54 per cent would recommend a gender mix. Likewise both Pearson and Carroll recommend having a subject mix when sharing, finding it easier to separate university work and social lives. “You don’t want to be too similar, as similar people tend to rub each other up the wrong way,” says Pearson. This obviously creates a dilemma for students; on the one hand, staying with friends seems like the ideal and an opportunity to relish student life, but living round-theclock with them can be a big step up from the jovial like affairs in halls. Unfortunately decision-making isn’t as easy as a game of snap. Getting an identical match isn’t always a winning hand. Choosing housemates is no easy feat. Whatever the combination of friends, classmates or strangers, no one is guaranteed to avoid the trials and tribulations of shared accommodation.
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FEATURES
Career conundrums Looking at the link between your chosen degree and the career it leads you to, and how this might not be the path you expect Words: Katie Taylor Pictures: Kristel Schoonderwoerd
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ne in four lap dancers has a university degree, according to a recent study. Some people have very set ideas about their future. With their lives mapped out in front of them like a well organised travel itinerary, their degree is the first step toward securing their dream career destination. For others, a degree is taken as an end in itself, with the hope that it might lead to a career at some point. In the majority of cases the choice of subject is made based on interests, rather than career goals. Hilary Whorrall, from the University of Sheffield Careers Service, says that “the notion of having one job for life is not how it is for many people.” As over 60% of graduate positions are open to those from any degree discipline, the options can be daunting. The online ‘iPersonic Career test’ claims to help you choose your career through a set of personality tests. The tests involve asking you whether you agree with such statements as ‘my feelings are like me – lively and spontaneous’, making you an extrovert. Or ‘my idea of a dream holiday is going to a lonely island’, making you an introvert. Alternatively, you might be the ‘intuitive type’, agreeing with the statement ‘I prefer to work roughly – but the result is usually still ok’ (maybe not something to put on a CV). The emphasis in this case seems to be on which career suits your personality as a whole, rather than just your degree. But how do successful people think their degree has influenced their career? The producer of Channel Four’s Time Team, Tim Taylor, did an English and Sociology degree before getting into filming. “The ability to write and communicate ideas effectively, which I learnt from my degree, is an important part of my job,” Taylor
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The ability to write and communicate ideas effectively, which I learnt from my degree, is an important part of my job Tim Taylor, producer of Time Team
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says. “Making pitches to television executives for programmes involves taking an archaeology related subject and putting it into a language suitable for them, rather than archaeologists.” Taylor puts this ability to switch between registers and audiences down to studying English, where he was always interested in the audience of a text or play. This has transferred into a talent for writing books, such as The Time Team Guide to the Archaeological Sites of Britain and Ireland. Taking part in drama at university also contributed to Taylor’s confidence when presenting his ideas to a group of executives in a meeting. “I often stand up, they always seem to be slightly shocked by that.” Taylor puts his career success partly down to not having an archaeology degree, as this enables him to see things from a different perspective to the archaeologists. Instead, he is able to consider how things will work for a television audience. Taylor’s degree influenced his career in a way that he didn’t anticipate. He says that “you never quite know until you’re 40 or 50 exactly what you have got from your degree: you go to university to get an education.” According to Taylor, therefore, a degree should not dictate your future choices. Elizabeth-Jane Baldry, a concert harpist, read Music at Exeter University. After she graduated, she opened a dressmaking shop for a while. “I foolishly thought I would be able to support my family better with a dress shop than I would with playing my harp, but in fact this wasn’t true,” she says. “I worked such long hours at the shop that in the end it was more practical and enjoyable to have a career as a musician.” Although Baldry gained knowledge of traditional harmonies that help her in playing and composing, she
FORGE PRESS Friday November 19 2010
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FEATURES
uses her Music degree very little in her career. Instead, she relies on years of consistent and devoted harp playing. Caroline Howkins is a housewife who left work at the age of 28 to have children. “I knew when I was five-years-old that I wanted to be an accountant, get married and have two children,” Howkins says. She studied Economics and Accounting at university, then joined one of the top eight accountancy firms in London. Howkins passed her accountancy exams to become an Associated Chartered Accountant, enabling her to become a senior accountant and run her own audits, which involved checking the accounts of large companies such as McDonald’s. She left work a month before she got married, and hasn’t returned. Her firm career plan, of which her degree was a necessary part, incorporated the fact that she wanted to have children, a realistic consideration for some women. It seems that a certain degree will influence your future career in a valuable way, whether directly or indirectly. A recent graduate, from the University of Birmingham, got a job in the Ministry of Defence. Her job involves going to meetings, conducting research and writing reports, usually on political or regional groups in other countries. After receiving a 2:1 in French and Italian, this graduate didn’t have a career plan, applying for many different jobs at the end of her degree. In fact, the choice was between the MoD and a job in advertising. “Unfortunately,” she says, “I don’t use my languages in my job, but the transferable skills gained from my degree, as well as having the ability to speak another language, is useful in any job.” She didn’t consider employment prospects when choosing her degree subject, but she says that “employers seem to like language degrees, but it was more of a bonus rather than a deciding factor.” For entry into her job, there was a long assessment process, involving competency tests, role playing and mock exercises, which were “probably not related” to her degree. She doesn’t know how long she is planning to stay in this job, and may do something completely different afterwards. One Computer Science graduate from the University of Bristol was recently employed to monitor internet technology uptakes and test the security of websites, for which his degree gave him the technical knowledge. He was head-hunted by the company after he won an award for one of the highest grades in the department. “My resumé of successful online web projects in my spare time really impressed my employer. Your degree tells people what you could be successful at, your past experience shows that you will be successful,” he says. However, this job is not his ideal one: he wants to have a well-paid, stable job to pay off his university debt, before moving into the video gaming industry in the future. Zoe Livingstone, a graduate of
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I knew when I was five that I wanted to be an accountant, get married, and have two children Caroline Howkins, former accountant
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Portsmouth University, studied International Business and now has a job at Vodafone. Besides the fact she is fluent in Spanish, Livingstone says that her placement year in industry played a huge role in getting her the job. Livingstone’s first year in the role will involve experiencing how different aspects of the company work, from retail to corporate sales. “I hope to remain with Vodafone for the foreseeable future, and would love the opportunity to work internationally within a Fast Moving Consumer Goods market.” There is little doubt that a degree helps on the way to a successful career, but other factors gained whilst studying, such as language skills and industry experience, are important too. Graduate jobs are also being regarded as a stepping stones to something different later on in life. Sarah Nicholls, a second year Biomedical Science student at the University of Sheffield, says that her degree is definitely part of a long term career plan. Nicholls hopes to enter into the field of medicine or research. “I couldn’t see myself not doing anything Biomedical Science related, as my degree has made me realise how worthwhile science is,” she says. Even when a degree appears unrelated to a career goal, it can still provide the necessary skills to make a graduate suited for the job. Amy Vivyan, a second year Philosophy student at the University of Sheffield, is considering doing an MA in Social Work after graduating. “I wanted to do an undergraduate degree that I would enjoy, and that would give me transferable skills, and then specialise later in a more practical area,” she says. Ed Howkins is studying Classics at Reading University, but has a firm career plan to work in investment banking, as this sector recruits from a wide range of degree subjects. “I wanted to do a subject that I thought would be a good academic choice, but my ideal job would be a Merger and Acquisition Investment Banker,” he says. Heather Holcroft-Pinn is in her final year of an English Literature with Creative Writing course at the University of East Anglia. “I chose my degree because I wanted to write and be recognised for writing. But, as my tutors assure me, unless you are JK Rowling there is no money in it,” she says. So she is considering possible careers that would compliment writing, such as working in community arts, or as a librarian - “a sexy librarian, not an uptight one.” It appears that some students chose their degrees because they enjoy the subject and wanted to experience university life. Others have a more set career plan. In the long run, however, what a student studies is often a far-stretch from their career further down the line. By no means does a degree seal anyone’s fate. It is telling to note that Mick Jagger read Accounting and Finance at the London School of Economics. Sacha Baron Cohen read History at Cambridge University, and one lap dancer, with a degree in Journalism, now earns over £40,000 a year working as a dancer in London’s East End.
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Lifestyle
Fashion Food & Drink Health & Fitness Technology Sex & Relationships
HEALTH
The will power drug
Picture: Marleena Cronvall
Kate Lloyd Have you heard of Champix? Probably not as it’s a stop smoking aid that has only been available on the NHS in recent years. An alternative to other aids that usually act as a replacement source of nicotine, the drug reduces smokers’ cravings for nicotine by binding to receptors in the brain, reducing the withdrawal symptoms as well as reducing the satisfaction received from smoking a cigarette. Trials showed that 44% of smokers who tried to quit with Champix succeeded compared to 11% taking a placebo, so why isn’t it more widely advertised? James Parn, a third year Philosophy student and a smoker for six years, tried the drug and found out why. A heavy smoker, consuming
around 20 roll-up cigarettes a day, he had tried to quit numerous times before and hadn’t succeeded. He found that nicotine substitutes helped with cigarette cravings but couldn’t replace smoking. “I could last all day in the library with a super strong nicotine patch, but the second I walked into my house and got the kettle on I would find it impossible not to have a cigarette. “The more you give in, the more you just think - screw it,” he said. James found out about Champix when he visited the smoking cessation nurse at the University Health Service. “The nurse was really nice and offers a lot of support. “She told me that Champix was a new alternative, describing how it acted like your own personal aversion therapy.
“She mentioned that there were some side effects and that there had been a few issues elsewhere in the world. “Cases of depression; even one suicide in Australia were linked to it, although I’m not sure whether they concluded the drug was solely responsible. “Aside from the rare and extreme side-effects, it did sound a bit too good to be true, but nothing else had worked and the fact that the Champix would make me want to stop after about two weeks really appealed”, he said. James started taking the drug, planning his quitting date, as advised, for two weeks after he had started. “I took one tablet a day for three days, then stepped it up to two per day for the rest of the first week. “For week two, I was still taking two tablets but the strength doubled, and by this point I’d had enough of Champix. “The first three days were fine, there was no real change. “By about day five it was starting to make me feel pretty dodgy. “I’d feel sick about an hour after taking it, and it would just kill my appetite. “I wouldn’t want to eat for fear of throwing up in lectures. “Day eight, and nursing a particularly bad hangover, I decided I could not face taking my morning tablet and came to the conclusion that smoking was not as bad as Champix and that, if I really wanted to give up I’d have to do it the hard way.” NHS information says that one in ten Champix users suffer from bad nausea. It is one of numerous side effects, of what is otherwise a very effective drug. Despite not suiting James, Champix may be right for other quitters. Smokers should consider all their options when deciding how to quit. For help quitting smoking visit smokefree.nhs.uk
FOUR OF THE BEST
Winter knits on campus Festive
Accessories
Joe Caine, a first year Economics student, opts for a seasonal approach to the jumper look in his evergreen and crimson get-up. It’s bus-pass chic with a hint of golf club casual. Nice.
Liz Wood, is in her second year of Psychology. Her chunky knit, hooded scarf is everything a good ol’ woollen should be; casual, comfortable and cool - whilst the wearer stays perfectly toasty.
gothic
statement
Jenny Atkinson is in her first year and studies Japanese. She looks sinisterly saccharine in this gothic piece of ladies’ skull-patterned knitwear: to die by cashmere is such a heavenly way to die.
First year Medical Physics student, Aidan Boulter, would catch the gaze of any hawk-eyed fashion spotter in his streamline piece. It’s understated edgy grandfather chic. Compiled by Eabha Doherty
FORGE PRESS Friday November 19 2010
This fortnight on ForgeToday.com... Beg, borrow or steal? Holly Smith offers her guide to the etiquette of ‘borrowing’ your housemates’ prized possessions
HOME
How to sp
Amy Larkin Looking for a student house for the first time can be both a daunting and
stressful experience, and something which many students worry about for their next year. Wandering up and down Sheffield’s many hills looking for houses can be
RELATIONSHIPS
We know you like eac ever heard of private m Charlotte Green “X is in a relationship with Y.” When it first pops up in your news feed you may well feel happiness for your friend. One thing is for sure though, you’ll soon be plain annoyed at the never ending stream of statuses declaring their undying love for each other, their gag-inducing pet names and about how hard it is to go longer than a few hours without seeing each other. I’ve unfortunately known many repeat offenders over the years. Starting off with one cute photo of them kissing is fine, a whole album amounting to soft porn isn’t. One girl I know became a laughing stock when she constantly updated her status about how much she missed her ‘Tigger’: just don’t. When you can’t go through your news feed without constant bombardment of updates about
their Miss/Mr Right your cursor moves ever closer to the ‘hide’ button on Facebook to remove their posts altogether. Or if you’re feeling really harsh, deleting them as a friend. Recent research by the University of Colorado even found that out of the top ten reasons for ‘defriending’, number two was the user posting too many updates, mainly about their relationships. Of course it’s not just those lucky ones who have found the ‘love of their life’ who fall foul of this. Those in apparent despair about their lack of love life also constantly harangue our news feed with invariably depressing statuses bemoaning their lack of romance. Getting off Facebook and into the real world might be a good start. While of course even the most cynical of people are generally glad their friend is happy, there is a time and a place as our mothers always used to say. When the occasional blunt friend
FORGE PRESS Friday November 19 2010
This fortnight in the news... Harry Potter is back! The latest instalment of the movies - The Deathly Hallows Part One comes out on November 19.
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This fortnight in Sheffield...
Christmas Lights switch on X Factor winner Joe McElderry switches the lights on. November 21, from 3pm by Barkers’ Pool.
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This fortnight in on campus...
Its the No Limits Film Trail on the 21st At 6pm in Ponderosa Park you can watch a film for free powered, amazingly, by people riding their bikes.
pot a house of horrors
Pictures: Holly Smith something many dread, along with deciding who to live with, when to look, and where. But the whole experience can be made a lot easier and much less
stressful with a few simple tips that will hopefully help you on your way to finding a great student house. Choosing who to live with is an important part of the process. It is important not to feel too pressured into signing a contract or deciding on who to live with too early on. The people you live with now do not have to be the people you live with next year. Only knowing a group of people for a few months in the intense social setting of university can be very different to actually living and sharing a house with them, and your new best friend could be very different come next September. It appears Sheffield is one of the earliest university cities to start looking for housing, and during November there seems to be a massive rush to find properties. Nikki Bowater, the Union’s Welfare Officer, suggests that the hysteria surrounding house hunting is not necessary: “It is important for students to take their time and to make sure they are making the right decisions. “There is ample student accommodation in Sheffield and it is not necessary for students to start looking now.” Even though it is not essential to start looking right this minute, if you are a large group, it may be worthwhile seeing what is out there earlier on. There is limited housing for larger groups, as my current housemates and I found last year.
After originally being quite nonchalant in looking for houses, when we finally got round to it, we realised a house for eight would not be the easiest thing to find. We eventually stumbled across a big house that we liked and signed for it, but not before having a group falling out, then cramming into the back of my housemate’s car and driving erratically to the estate agents to sign the contract, (whilst another group was not far behind, willing to offer more money to the landlord than us). That was definitely one of the more stressful parts of my house hunt. However there are many solutions for larger groups, like finding two or more houses next to each other and splitting into smaller groups. Try and meet the landlord, who may show you round the house, or if not, ask the estate agents a bit about him or her. Whilst some landlords will be easygoing and leave you to your own devices, many are not so keen on leaving their house in the not so capable hands of a group of students. My current landlord, who will remain unnamed, insisted on giving us tutorials on how to clean the oven hobs, the best way to use our pinboards, and makes spontaneous visits to clear away our washing on the banisters, which apparently “looked tacky”. Keep an ear out for any landlord anecdotes – it may lead to you having a more peaceful year than others.
Location is also an important thing to take into account. Issues like; how close the pub is or how late you’ll be able to leave for a 9am lectures should also be balanced with bigger issues like value for money. Venturing further afield may mean cheaper rent. Similarly, the quality of the house is also an important factor as, even though the house may only be five minutes away from the Arts Tower, that growing mould in the corner of the ceiling won’t be much fun by Christmas. Don’t compromise quality for location. The final part of your house hunt will culminate with the signing of the contract and the handing over of the dreaded deposit. Only sign the contract when you have read it properly, and maybe even let a family member or the Union housing adviser have a look. “Contracts are very difficult to get out of once signed for,” advised Bowater. It is important to take your time when finding a house, not feel too pressured to agree to anything too quickly, and then hopefully you will find a great student house in which to enjoy your next year in Sheffield. For more advice on the dos and don’ts of student house hunting, visit: www.shef.ac.uk/union/advice/ housing Photos: Harriet Mulcahy
Masking tape: for holding a door in place, obviously
Always essential in a student home: mushrooms
Here are a few of our favourite examples of couples oversharing, as seen on Lamebook.com:
ch other but messaging?
Boy writes on girl’s wall: “Baby just please give me a chance, I can make things good again!!!! Baby, u talking crazy, let me come over . . .” Taken from a very long conversation on his wall: Boy: “We belong together baby. You’re the one person I would do anything for you. I would literally die for you.” Girl: “I would never let you die for me cause I could never live a life without you.”
has brought up the subject around these constant posters, their usual response is that they thought we wanted them to be happy. Of course we do, but we also want to keep our dinner down. Yes a status update saying happy anniversary is lovely, however those of us without those delightful rose tinted glasses often see the harsh reflection it has on our own lives. You’re happy, we get it, but maybe we are still trying to find ‘the one’, and you rubbing it in our faces isn’t making it any easier. Facebook is a great wonder of the modern world but as with all great things in life, less is most definitely more.
Girl’s status: “Watching the hottest guy ever check my tyres. I’m so glad I can kiss him any time I want! I love my man!”
Caption on the photo of a couple looking into each others’ eyes, surrounded by blossom on trees: “Our love is blooming, never dying . . .”
As much as these people are annoying, we all enjoy talking about them.
If you haven’t already seen it, have a look at www.lamebook.com; a site full of shameful Facebook updates and embarrassing comments.
The bathroom: not complete without a lovely damp patch
Art: Michael Westwood
Girl writing on boyfriend’s wall: “I’m so so in love with you that I’ve woken up three times tonight just to look at some pictures of you baby.”
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FORGE PRESS Friday November 19 2010
Lifestyle
NOT YOUR ORDINARY STUDENT
A NIGHT OUT WITH... the Police
Ed Money
Magician
Natalie Thomas “This is Natalie, she’s on training tonight,” PC Bhatti jokes as I’m introduced to five officers in the back of the police van. I get uniformed up in a reflective jacket. ‘Training’ starts here. One of the officers pulls two see-through bags from the front of the van. He’d just been to collect confiscated drugs from several night clubs. The bags are filled with an assortment of pills in little packages, all labelled up. It’s quite a collection. We drive to a club where PC Bhatti needs to collect some CCTV footage from an incident a few nights before. Everything seems pretty calm then an emergency call comes in: “Can you make your way round to the bus station? There’s a white male and a black male and they’re threatening to stab somebody. I’ll get you some back-up.” The officers scramble into the back of the van. Radios crackle as the engine roars and the siren goes on. Seconds later we’re at the bus station. The officers chat to Patrick - a man who is friends with the two men they’re after - and sit him in the back of the van with us. Patrick is given an exclusion notice meaning he has to leave the city centre for seven hours. We drive to the other side of the bus station where we see the two men – one with his shirt off. About three officers hold one of the men against a wall to search him. “He’ll kick off that one,” says Patrick about his shirtless friend. Sure enough, the man becomes violent. With pepper spray in his eyes, he’s pushed to the floor, restrained by six officers. His legs are strapped together and he’s handcuffed while his pockets are searched. He’s arrested and put in the back of a waiting van. I am told the man is an army deserter, and that the military police will be coming for him in the morning. The other man is handcuffed and begins to protest quite aggressively. He is put in the cage in the back of the van I’m sat in. I hear a sprinkling sound. He’s decided to go to the toilet. Great. Next, Patrick gets out of the van and begins to walk away, but there’s a commotion and he’s back in the van, with pepper spray in his eyes as I’m told to get in the front. Patrick claims all he has done is to stick his tongue out at an officer. We drive to the police cells, where the three men are booked in and locked up for the night, as I head home after an actionpacked 90 minutes. What an eventful start to my ‘training’.
professional magician and perform at weddings, bat/bar mitzvahs, corporate events, end of year society balls and restaurants.”
“My stage name is Money on Magic. “It’s a little corny, but it does the job. “Whenever I perform to a table, I always introduce myself as Ed.”
“I seem to have developed my own catchphrase. “I always say at the end of my performance: ‘that’s just a little bit of what I do.’ “It wasn’t really a catchphrase when I started but I just keep saying it so I guess it has become one.”
Each fortnight Lifestyle speaks to a member of the University of Sheffield’s diverse student body who isn’t quite your stereotypical student. This issue we spoke to Ed Money, a third year Environmental Science student, who is also a magician, specialising in close-up magic.
Katie Davies “It all started when my friend showed me a card trick at school. “I was 15 and a friend brought out a deck of cards in a school break time and showed me a trick. My face lit up - I had to know how it was done. “I immediately researched other
TECHNOLOGY
card tricks and performed them for my class mates. “They all had the same reactions as I had that day, and from then on I became hooked.”
“I don’t really like the idea of the stereotypical top hat and cap. “However, I do always wear a smart suit to gigs. I’m now a semi-
“Getting heckled on stage got me my first job as a magician. “When I was 19, I spent a ski season in Canada. “I got on stage at an open mic night in a local bar, where most people played guitar and sang. “As my magic is very close up, no one could really see what I was doing except for the two audience members I had invited on stage. “Eventually one guy in the back shouted “play the music”. “I felt pretty embarrassed at the time but the bar owner was impressed with my guts and gave me a job doing table magic.”
“My favourite magic tricks involve coins. “Seeing as my surname is Money, I thought it would be appropriate to get involved in coin magic. “I like the idea of making something so generic as a coin disappear into thin air. “One of the main magician rules is never reveal your tricks, but anyone who has lived with me eventually sees the ins and outs of certain tricks.” “I have used magic in the past as a way to start up conversations
Smartphones: are they always a smart purchase? Alex Holbourn In a digital age where we’re all so obsessed with all the wondrous things that we can do with technology in our everyday lives, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to take a step back and ask why we do them in the first place. Ten years ago, a mobile phone was just that - a phone. A handheld device that made calls and held a handful of contacts. Five years ago, it would be unthinkable to film a video of a concert, flash mob, or a drunken friend falling over and share it with all of your friends within seconds. Now, with the advent of iPhones and Androids, the possibilities seem endless.
Want to see where your mates are pre-drinking tonight? Well now you can. Want to check the weather forecast in Tahiti? There’s an app for that. As joyful as all this might be, this compulsion to own such shiny things can have serious financial implications on a demographic who have an established stereotype of not being trustworthy with money. Just ask my flatmate who recently lost her uninsured £400 Nokia on a messy night out. Having expressed my concerns about her taking her mini-PC out drinking with her, it took every bit of my resolve not to say “I told you so” when the bubble burst. Although it sounds incredibly patronising coming from someone in their early twenties, I guess balancing consumer lust and
common sense is something that comes with age and experience. At any rate, Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, and technogeeks worldwide are positively bursting with excitement over the prospect of a new shiny rectangle to make their lives that extra bit special. What with so many smartphones now available, all carrying a rather large price tag - if you want to keep your finger on the digital pulse and be the envy of your peers, it’s about time to start drafting that letter to Santa. Alternatively, you could stick with your MP3 player, buy a Nokia 3310 for the price of a supermarket sandwich, and wait until you get home to tell the world that you just ate a burrito. It’s your call.
with girls. “Although generally it’s something I leave until later, when I know the person a bit more. “Pretty much all my mates enjoy the fact that I am a magician, it helps to break the ice in some situations but one of my house mates hates that I sometimes bring cards with me on nights out.”
“People approach me and ask me to show them some magic.” “As I‘m becoming more and more recognized as a magician around Uni, I tend to get approached and asked to perform - so cards are always an easy way to go.” “My third year work load means I’ve been practicing less. “This is as much of a problem for tricks that I have perfected but more problematic for new tricks which require time to practice. “But as I get more and more of the deadlines out of the way, I can begin to start practicing again.” “It’s important to perform magic tricks your own way – don’t just copy others. “Always be yourself. Study magic, learn the sleights but perform it in the way that suits you and not how it has been shown to you otherwise it comes across false and incongruent. “And always try new magic on your friends and family first, then move onto people that you don’t know.”
“You might find me performing tricks in Interval. “Whenever I have a new trick that I want to try out, I always go to Interval on a night which isn’t too busy and see how it plays in front of a crowd that I don’t know. “This is where you really begin to learn how the trick should be done in terms of timing and angles.” Ed’s next gig is the Sheffield Medics Black Tie event, November 20 www.moneyonmagic.com
We look at just a few smartphones on offer: BlackBerry Torch 9800 A lot of people have experienced trouble with their BlackBerrys. Will the Torch, which has both a QWERTY keyboard and a touch screen, live up to the hype? From £30 a month
Nokia E5 Looks like a BlackBerry, and does much the same thing, but considerably cheaper. It’s receiving praise for its good camera and long battery life. From £15 a month iPhone 4 The latest of the iPhones to be launched. This one promises to be pretty durable, so hopefully less cracked screens! It also has an HD video camera. But very pricey. From £30 a month
FORGE PRESS Friday November 19 2010
www.forgetoday.com // travel@forgetoday.com
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TRAVEL
How not to be piste off sloping off for less
With the ski season well and truly upon us, we take a look at some of the ski holidays on offer and see which ones really do give you value for money THE PACKAGE DEAL
Resort: Risoul, France Holiday type: Package deal arranged through travel operator, Student Travel Tours. Approximate cost: The basic price of the trip is £279 which includes return transport to the resort from London, full ski area lift pass, seven nights slope side accommodation and drinks discounts. On top of this, you need to account for the additional extras such as ski hire (if required), food, drink and general personal spending (around £200). Organisation: This trip doesn’t require much in the way of organisation. All you have to do is book the holiday through the Student Travel Tours website (www. studenttraveltours.co.uk )
and sort out your own travel to and from your home to London, where the coach leaves from. This season’s trip is scheduled for March 25 through ‘til April 3 2011. It fills up quickly so try and book as soon as possible. Extra information: Travel to the resort is by coach and ferry so the journey is definitely not a short one. The resort itself is fairly small with limited runs, which could put off more serious skiers. The nightlife isn’t very extensive either - there are a few bars but be prepared for the extortionate drinks prices. Verdict: The price of the trip is excellent and so if you’re simply looking for a budget ski holiday and are willing to go anywhere, I would highly recommend it. The online booking system is easy and the company sort everything out for you so it is pretty much stress free. Once you arrive, you are free to do as you like when you like so it’s not your typical regimented tour. The main negatives though are the long, tedious coach journey and the lack of substantial après-ski, which is usually the highlight of any good ski trip. Claire Haines
THE D.I.Y TRIP Resort: Borovets , Bulgaria Holiday type: D.I.Y – booking accommodation, flights and lift pass separately. Approximate cost: A week’s half-board accommodation in early January at Hotel Samokov in Borovets Village costs around £120. Guests also benefit from discounts on ski hire, fitting services and optional ski school (all facilities are located within the hotel). Flights from London Gatwick to Sofia vary but on average cost about £100 with Thomas Cooke. You will also need to pay £25 on top of this for the one hour return transfer trip by coach from the airport to the resort. Additionally, you will have to pay out £120 for a six day lift pass. Then try and budget roughly £80 for lunches, drinks and nights out but Bulgaria is exceptionally cheap and this money will go far, unlike in the resorts within the Eurozone. Think along the lines of £2 for a beer. Organisation: You need to be prepared to spend time scouring the internet for cheap deals and don’t be afraid to book at the last minute - this guarantees good prices for Borovets (and means you can also keep an eye on the snow report). Try www.travelocity.co.uk for excellent accommodation offers. Extras information: Borovetz is not short of good cafés, bars and restaurants. There are also plenty of opportunities to take a day trip to the country’s capital city of Sofia if you fancy a change of scene from
the slopes. The sociable atmosphere of this resort makes it really stand out from the more standard European ski destinations. Verdict: Overall Borovets provides a refreshing alternative to skiers wanting to spend a little less money – perfect for students! Getting the opportunity to ski in a more unusual setting is an added bonus. It is wise to check the snow report because, being a smaller resort it is far less equipped to piste if there isn’t much snow, so in this situation they are forced to close some of the lifts. And a lack of snow is certainly not unheard of.
The slopes are probably best recommended for beginner to intermediate levels as advanced skiers may find the number of slopes a little limited by the end of the week. Katy Mack
The Ski Club Holiday Resort: Les Arcs 1800, France Holiday type: Package deal with the University’s Ski Club. Approximate Cost: The trip costs £369 and includes the return coach journey, accommodation for six nights in a self-catering apartment, a six day lift pass and full evening après-ski schedule. You will need to put aside extra money for ski hire if you need it and you are also given the choice to sign up to evening meals in a local restaurant. If you tick both these options, you are looking at spending at least another £100. However, you can keep the costs down by making your own meals in your apartment kitchen and pre-drinking there too - there are supermarkets within the resort. Organisation: This is organised for the University Ski Club by the group trip organisation Outgoing. All you need to do is pay, get your stuff together and turn up on the day ready to ski! The holiday runs from January 1 until January 8 2011 and you can book through the University Ski Club’s own page at: www.outgoing.co.uk/student-ski/ trip/2848/ Extra information: Outgoing has already arranged lots of après-ski activities for you to enjoy so you are guaranteed a lively nightlife. You can even join in with a typical French mountain meal and ski down to the resort by torch light. It is important to note that you don’t have to be a member of the Ski Club to go on this trip and it is not
restricted simply to skiers. Boarders and freestyle skiers are more than welcome too and the resort offers them plenty of facilities including a snow park and half pipe. You do only have until November 27 to book so get online as soon as possible.
Verdict: The basic cost of the trip is fairly reasonable but once you’ve added on all the extras, and spending money, it can get quite pricey. Think hard about signing up to the meals, especially if you are a vegetarian as a lot of people who have been on the trip report that the food often isn’t worth what you’re paying for it. On the other hand, this is a really sociable trip with a packed aprèsski schedule and extensive runs for skiers of all abilities, as well as the chance to ski through to other resorts. Do expect Ski Club nudity... and lots of it. Possibly not one for the faint hearted. Hannah Walker
Alternatively...
If you don’t fancy dedicating an entire week of your life to snow sports, then there are still options open to you aside from Sheffield Ski Village. Chill Factore is an artificial ski village in Manchester with ‘real’ snow and the longest slope in the UK. It is open all year round and is a great alternative to a ski holiday, especially when funds are tight. Although a few hours skiing isn’t massively cheap, it definitely beats going abroad on the price front. Students pay £32 for a four hour lift pass at peak times (after 6pm on weekdays and all day at weekends) and £28 for an off-peak pass. There are also shorter time slots on the slope available and discounted prices for groups. You don’t even have to miss out on the après-ski experience, as there are several bars and restaurants to choose from within the centre. Most of these stay open until 11pm. Chill Factore can be accessed from Manchester city centre by bus, tram, and taxi, and the journey takes approximately twenty minutes.
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FORGE PRESS Friday November 19 2010
PUZZLES & HUMOUR
Coffee Break overheard in sheffield
SUDOKU
In The Western Bank Library: Student 1: “I have the potential to be an amazing boyfriend.” Student 2: “Hitler had the potential to be an amazing person ...and look how that turned out.” Girl and guy walking down Division Street: Guy: “So you got chased down the street by a goose?” Girl: “Well, yeah... but that happens to everyone. I mean, geese are chase-y kinda birds...” Sainsbury’s in Crookesmoor: Two girls looking at Hallowe’en stuff reduced to clear: Girl 1: “So... what exactly makes these cakes spooky.” Girl 2: “What?” Girl 1: “ Well they’re called ‘spooky cakes’...what’s spooky about them?” Girl 2: “I dunno... maybe they give a fright just before you put them into your mouth” Girl 1: “I once had a boyfriend with a similar problem....” Walking past Firth Court: Girl: “She is naturally pretty as well... But a bit of a slag.” During a lab practical: Boy: “Why does ethanol smell like alcohol?”
ANAGRAMS
WORDSEARCH Find the Beatles’ songs:
Rearrange the letters to reveal Sheffield related words...
ANOTHER GIRL ASK ME WHY BIRTHDAY BLACKBIRD CRY BABY CRY DAY TRIPPER DEAR PRUDENCE DIG A PONY ELEANOR RIGBY FIXING A HOLE FLYING GET BACK GETTING BETTER HELLO GOODBYE HEY BULLDOG HEY JUDE HONEY PIE I ME MINE I WILL IF I FELL IN MY LIFE JULIA LADY MADONNA
1. Rob Hill Om 2. Cradle Locales 3. Ed Forefeet Unify Hilts Shiv 4. Streets Wet 5. Cavilled Fee Fling 6. A Cad Repellent High Mops Own
LOVELY RITA MICHELLE NO REPLY OH DARLING PLEASE PLEASE ME POLYTHENE PAM SEXY SADIE SOMETHING SUN KING TAXMAN TELL ME WHY THE END TICKET TO RIDE TWO OF US WAIT YER BLUES YESTERDAY
The real news this fortnight WORK FOR DOMINO’S AND EARN £19,000 AN HOUR One lucky job seeker will get the chance to work for Domino’s Pizza for a total of one hour and receive over £19,000. The pizza chain is marking 25 years in Japan and to celebrate the occasion, is offering 2,500,000 yen in return for one hours work.
4.WEST STREET; 5. ENDCLIFFE VILLAGE; 6. MEADOWHALL SHOPPING CENTRE 1. BROOMHILL; 2. ECCLESALL ROAD; 3. THE UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD;
JACK RUSSELL TERRIER CONFRONTS LION A 150lb mountain lion met its match in the form of Jack, the 17lb Jack Russell terrier. Jack’s owner, Chad Strenge, found the large male lion clinging to the top of the tree as the dog barked from the bottom.
mOST POPULAR web CONTENT 1: “Racist” face paint row brought back to life. 2: Police crash kills student 3: Student cleared of assaulting police officer 4: Live updates from Demo 2010 5: Plop tarts 6: Student protest turns violent 7: Union President meets with Nick Clegg 8: Appy Feet: Meadowhall’s foot loving fish 9: Big wheel leaves Sheffield 10: Demo 2010 in pictures
PRESIDENT OBAMA SHOWS HIS SEXIER SIDE President Barack Obama has been photographed grinning amongst an array of sex dolls - he’s one of them of course! The Obama doll wore a dark blue suit, red tie and had Mr Obama’s face screen-printed onto its head. The doll was exhibited at the recent 8th Sex Culture Festival in China. SNIFFED OUT TROUBLE Giant African rats have an acute sense of smell and are therefore being trained to identify the scent of explosives in land mines. They are small enough not to detonate the mines and every time they detect TNT, they make a clicking sound and receive a bit of banana as a reward.
THE SINKING FEELING The 40 metre wide crater appeared around 3am in the town of Schmalkalden, Germany after a resident had reported hearing “unusual noises.” The sinkhole was around 20 metres deep and around 25 people had to be evacuated from their homes. It was unclear precisely why the sinkhole had appeared, but according to a local geologist the underground rock formations had been broken creating a cavity beneath the area. Thankfully, despite the large area the sinkhole affected, no one was injured.
FORGE PRESS Friday November 19 2010
25
www.forgetoday.com // sport@forgetoday.com
SPORT
Scrutineering
BUCS Fixtures
Jack Burnett
Grumble in the jungle
Badminton
F
Women’s 1B Firsts v Leeds Uni. Firsts Wednesday November 24, 13:30, Goodwin
rom the way it was advertised, you could have been forgiven for thinking that David Haye’s fight against Audley Harrison was going to be quite possibly the defining event in the history of boxing. Rumble in the Jungle? Thrilla in Manila? Forget them all, the promoters pretty much told us, this was going to be a fight that not even a fun little rhyme could encapsulate the excitement of. Except it turned out, to almost nobody at all’s surprise, to be quite a mundane affair. Haye won, just as everyone expected. Harrison threw only one punch, which, to his credit, was one more than everyone expected. And both walked away with fatter pay cheques than lips. Harrison and Haye were, had you believed the hype, ‘the best of enemies’. So what happened that could make them hate each other with such passion? What made Haye tell Harrison that he was going to violate him in the ring? Had Harrison violated his mother, killed his father, or both? Er, no. They used to spar together and were kind of friends, and then when Haye got better than Harrison they didn’t like each other so much. Hardly the stuff of legend, but when it comes to promoting boxing, it’ll do. What looked a lot like feigned animosity between the pair before the fight was cringeworthy stuff; not the legendary lip of Muhammad Ali, or even the swagger of Drederick Tatum from The Simpsons. It was just plain and simple loud-mouthing and, particularly from Harrison, exaggerated hype (Harrison called his ‘the greatest comeback story in British sport, bar none’) in order to put bums on seats and tempt viewers to make the all too easy decision to press one button on their Sky remote
Fencing
Football Men’s Cup, First Round Firsts v St. Mary’s Firsts Wednesday November 24, 14:00, Norton Men’s Cup, Second Round Seconds v Newcastle Thirds Wednesday November 24, 14:00, Norton Women’s Cup, Second Round Firsts v Hull Seconds Wednesday November 24, 14:00, Norton
Hockey Men’s 1A Firsts v Durham Seconds Wednesday November 24, 15:30, Goodwin Women’s Cup, Second Round Firsts v York Firsts Wednesday November 24, 15.30, Goodwin
Lacrosse Women’s 2A Firsts v Manchester Seconds Wednesday November 24, 14:00, Norton
Netball BUCS Cup, Second Round Firsts v Huddersfield Firsts Wednesday November 24, 18:00, Goodwin
and shell out 15 quid for it on Box Office. Not that there’s anything wrong with that on their part. Boxing is their profession, and naturally they’re going to want to secure that big payday. The problem is that one question remains: without that faked hype, without any of the press conference bravado, how many people would have watched it? Obviously boxing has had its infamous squabbles in the past that saw fans watch in their droves, like Ali versus Frazier
and Tyson versus Holyfield. But that’s okay when it’s a genuinely world class fight, or one of the boxers is mad enough to bite the other’s ear off. When it’s someone old and washed up against a champion who knows he should be fighting someone better instead, it feels a bit like a betrayal for them to tell us it’ll be genuinely unmissable; a bit like if Bolton versus Blackpool gets advertised as ‘the Matthews Final II’ (which it probably will). It seems as though this problem of over-promoting is only really endemic in boxing, though.
Give us a fight that makes you salivate at the prospect of it, like Manny Pacquiao against Floyd Mayweather - when Pacquiao isn’t too busy being a congressman and singing duets with Will Ferrell, that is - and you can feel free to promote the hell out of it. But Audley Harrison against David Haye? Really? If they’re not careful, it’ll get to the stage where no one will want to watch a fight unless the boxers have threatened to kill each other. And unless they’re deadly serious, no one wants to see that.
Blades searching for home comfort It might be a little too early in the season to be talking about relegation six-pointers, but Sheffield United’s Championship fixture with Crystal Palace on Saturday evening certainly carries a ‘must-win’ tag. The Blades enter the match just three places and two points above the drop zone, where their London opponents currently languish. Manager Gary Speed will be hoping his side can carry some of their resolute away form, which has delivered seven points from 12 on the road, into the Bramall
Women’s 1A Firsts v Leeds Uni. Firsts Wednesday November 24, 14:00, Hillsborough Leisure Centre
Lane contest. The Welshman’s acumen in the transfer market began to pay dividends last weekend, when Sunderland loanee Andy Reid scored the winner in a 1-0 away win at Millwall. This came just three days after a topsy-turvy encounter against Leicester City, in which winger Mark Yeates was both hero and villain in a 2-2 draw. His first-half brace had set the Blades on course for a muchneeded victory at the Walkers Stadium, only to concede a stoppage time penalty for
handball and undo his own good work. On Saturday, United weathered long spells of Millwall pressure – during which Steve Morison and Danny Shittu missed clear openings – after Reid had fired in off the underside of the bar after 29 minutes, following a counterattack. Speed told the club’s official website: “I have just emphasised to the lads that we must now build on the win. It would have been nice – and deserved – to have got six points from the two away matches, but four is good
and the thing now is to follow it up at the Lane on Saturday. “It is no good doing well away, getting momentum and then losing it again, so I have given them a couple of days off to rest up and then come back with their minds set on beating Crystal Palace.” United have not won at home since September 18 and have lost to Ipswich Town and Coventry City in their last two Lane outings. Adam Shergold
BUCS Cup, Second Round Thirds v Leeds Trinity College Firsts Wednesday November 24, 16:00, Goodwin
Rugby League Men’s N1 Firsts v Northumbria Seconds Wednesday November 24, 14:00, Norton
Rugby Union Men’s 1A Firsts v Liverpool Firsts Wednesday November 24, Norton Men’s Cup, Second Round Seconds v Newcastle Fourths Wednesday November 24, 14:00, Norton Men’s Cup, Second Round Thirds v Leeds Fourths Wednesday November 24, 14:00, Norton Women’s Premier North Firsts v Edinburgh Firsts Wednesday November 24, 14:00, Norton
Squash Men’s Cup, Second Round Seconds v Keele Firsts Wednesday November 10, 13:00, Fulwood Squash Club Women’s 1A Firsts v Lancaster Firsts Wednesday November 24, 14:00, Fulwood Squash Club
Table Tennis Men’s 1A Firsts v Liverpool Firsts Wednesday November 24, 14:00, Goodwin
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www.forgetoday.com // sport@forgetoday.com FORGE PRESS Friday November 19 2010
SPORT
Perfect preparation Ennis shortlisted for athlete of the year for Sheffield in home tournament
Sheffield Wednesday given breathing space
Korfball Hopes were high going into Sheffield’s annual tournament, which see universities from across the country travel to South Yorkshire to practice before the regional qualification tournaments. The Sheffield first team was a mixture of last year’s BUCS Championship winners, new recruits and some old second team players moving up to the first team. The tournament could not have started better for Sheffield as they easily dispatched a Snakebite team 11-0, Hallam firsts 8-0 and Leeds University 6-2 in the group stages. Sheffield won their group and were matched up against an experienced Birmingham University team in the knockout round, coming away with a deserved 2-1 win after defending for long periods. The semi-final was against Manchester Hawks who started brightly, but Sheffield pulled away as the game went on to win 5-2 and progress to the final. Here, Sheffield faced up against a Leeds University team they had beaten earlier in the day. Leeds appeared to have changed their game plan after their loss in the group game, and the game was a lot tighter. Time expired with the game at 5-5, and five minutes golden goal was played. Both teams enjoyed prolonged attacks but neither could find another goal, so it went down to penalties. With the teams equal after the first five penalties, it went to sudden death, and after Leeds missed their second penalty, Sheffield claimed a victory which stands them in good stead for the upcoming regionals and ultimately the national Championships in March. Dan Brooks
BUCS round-up The football firsts gained crosscity bragging rights after beating Hallam 2-1 on Wednesday afternoon, taking them second in BUCS League 1A with two wins from three. A 15-7 success away to Newcastle University continued the rugby firsts’ fine start to the league campaign, with the team having now recorded three wins from four. The men’s hockey side bounced back from recent disappointments with a 2-1 win on the road at Yorkshire rivals Leeds Met while the lacrosse boys continued their 100 per cent start with a 19-4 trouncing, also of Leeds Met. The women’s hockey firsts’ impeccable start to the season continued with a 3-0 home win over Leeds uni. Seconds, making it four league wins from four. And women’s football have an identical record after Wednesday’s easy 3-0 away success at York St. John. The women’s tennis team are hot on the heels of Hallam after a comprehensive 10-2 away win against Durham thirds. They’re just a point behind their neighbours in League 2B. Adam Shergold
Adam Shergold
Former University of Sheffield psychology student and world champion heptathlete Jessica Ennis, pictured with elite student athletes, has been shortlisted for the IAAF World Athlete of the Year award. Ennis made the list along with
four other athletes, including American Allyson Felix, following an online public vote. The winner will be announced at the 2010 World Athletics Gala in Monte Carlo on November 21. Adam Shergold
Doubles strength not enough for tennis side Men’s Tennis Firsts BUCS League 2B University of Sheffield Leeds Met Seconds
4 8
Oli Moody The injury-hit men’s first team fell at home to Leeds Met Carnegie on Wednesday, with a performance that brought both their strengths and weaknesses into sharp focus. After dominating the doubles ties, winning both in straight sets, they failed to win any of the four singles matches and took just one set between them. Despite missing six of the eight highest-ranked players in the squad and facing a team second in the table, Sheffield showed they were no pushovers with a scintillating performance in the doubles matches. Number one Chris Harrison and playing partner David Charlton broke their opponents twice to win the first set 6-2. They were made to work much harder in the second, with Leeds Met forcing them to a tie-break and then taking a 3-0 lead, but the pair roared back to win seven unanswered points, taking the second set and with it the match. On the other court, Jamie Williams and Simon Witts, called up from the second team due to absences, had to wait until the 11th game before breaking. They held their own serve to win the first set and carried that
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form into the second, storming into a 4-0 lead that proved too big a mountain for Leeds Met to climb. They held their two remaining service games, giving them a 7-5 6-2 victory. Unfortunately, this was not a sign of things to come in the singles. Harrison and Williams were both routed 6-0 in their opening sets while Charlton also struggled, going down 6-2 despite breaking his opponent’s serve. The resilient Witts kept his opponent in check for the first ten games, but then hit into the net to go a break down and couldn’t break back in the next game. Three matches were decided in straight sets, as Charlton, Williams and Witts were all defeated comprehensively. The trio won a combined total of just five games from their second sets. However, only one singles win was needed to give Sheffield a draw, and when Harrison took his second set 6-3 to level the match, there was hope that they might get something from the meeting. But it was not to be, as he went down by the same score in the decider. It was disappointing end to an afternoon that had seemed so promising, but after back-to-back promotions and with so many of their top players missing, the strong doubles performance was a fantastic achievement against a side hoping to win the league. Team captain Harrison acknowledged Leeds Met’s superiority in the singles, saying: “We set ourselves up to win one of our doubles, so when we won both we thought we were in with a shout. “We’re good at doubles, so taking both wasn’t completely unexpected. But they proved a lot stronger than us across all four (singles) matches.” On the team’s aims for the season he remained confident in spite of the result, stating: “We’re looking to consolidate this year, and overall we’re still heading for a mid-table finish.”
Sheffield Wednesday have 28 days to find new owners and clear £27 million worth of debt after the High Court granted the club an adjournment on Wednesday. The judge said the Owls had been trading insolvently as they fought a winding-up petition from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) over an unpaid £1.4m tax bill, but granted the extension because of exceptional circumstances. It means the Owls avoid administration for the time being and the automatic tenpoint deduction that would have sent them second bottom in the League One standings. Four potential investors, three based in the UK and another from the Middle-East, remain in the running although an eleventhhour takeover could not be struck before time ran out on Tuesday. Reports suggested one of the UK-based businessmen interested in buying the club was Milan Mandaric, pictured, the Leicester City chairman, although he was unable to strike a deal with Dave Allen, the former Wednesday chairman, who is still owed £2.4m by the club. Mandaric reportedly offered Allen £250,000 and the CoOperative Bank £8m, as well as making offers to directors and former board members. Mick Wright is leading a group of six current and one former directors still owed money by the club, while another bid is fronted by Spencer Fearn, a Rotherham businessman, and John Roddison, a Sheffield accountant. Little is known about the Middle Eastern bid, although it is not believed to be the Certified Oil Rentals group led by former player and manager Chris Turner which pulled out of a takeover last month. The club’s main creditor, the Co-Operative Bank, is owed £23.5m of the debt and has maintained a firm line that it will not bankroll the League One side. It paid off a £1.1m tax bill to fend off another winding-up petition in September, believing that a takeover was imminent. Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister and Sheffield Hallam MP, and David Blunkett, MP for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, urged the parties
Wednesday were granted a reprieve in the High Court.
involved to come to a sensible compromise. Chief Executive Nick Parker, who represented the club in court, said: “I am very relieved, but more importantly I am angry because this club should not be where it is today. “Do not believe 28 days, the real deadline is December 1st when the extra petition comes on board. “The reason I am angry is because there are people out there who go to the media when they should not. There are people out there who say they have money when they do not. “It is now time for investors to step forward in private and do a deal with the bank. “The bottom line is that any investor will not get a better deal by the club going into administration.” The off-field problems contrast with more encouraging news on the pitch. Wednesday followed up progress in the FA Cup and the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy with a 2-0 League win at home to Rochdale on Saturday. Giles Coke opened the scoring with a fine shot from the edge of the area just after the hour and Tommy Miller’s lob secured the crucial win eight minutes from time. Alan Irvine, the manager, said: “I am delighted. That was our third game in a week and our third win so I can’t really ask for much more.” The Owls travel to Milton Keynes Dons this Saturday in League One, before hosting Walsall on Tuesday evening.
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Leeds ease to win Women’s Netball Firsts BUCS League 2B University of Sheffield Leeds University Seconds
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Jack Burnett The University of Sheffield’s netball firsts slipped to a comprehensive defeat to Leeds’ seconds at Goodwin, with the visitors finishing the game 11 points up on their hosts. The result means that Leeds leapfrog Sheffield in the league table, who before the game were second behind city rivals Hallam having triumphed a week earlier away to Hull. In truth, Sheffield struggled to get going, and despite intermittently creating problems for the Leeds defence, they did not lead at any point throughout the game and found themselves chasing shadows for much of the contest. Leeds took an early lead moments after squandering an easier opportunity, only for Sheffield to equalise through Sally Essex, who converted after a wonderful pass from Natasha Dawson had transformed defence into attack. The ball hardly found its way into Sheffield hands for the remainder of the first quarter, at the end of which they trailed 11-5, with their goal shooter Kaytee Beardsmore netting most of the chances that found their way to her in the goal circle. Sheffield appeared to have been rejuvenated by the break and no longer appeared to be on the back foot, at one point reducing the
deficit to only two points during the second period of play thanks to some gritty defending and the increased influence of centre Charlie Whale, whose end-to-end running proved problematic for her opponents. Coming out for the third quarter at 19-14, Sheffield failed to sustain the energy levels that had momentarily pegged the visitors back, despite a number of substitutions. Leeds hit a hot streak in the fourth quarter to confirm defeat for Sheffield, netting four without reply for the second time in the game, though it could have been more were it not for some firm resistance from goal defence and goal keeper. Sheffield’s captain Jessica Bloom admitted that an 11 point margin of defeat was probably a fair reflection on the game, saying: “I thought we fought hard but we gave away lots of points ourselves. I think we’re actually fairly even teams, which was reflected in the first half. At times we were strong and played some quite flowing netball, but at other times we just weren’t supporting each other. We sometimes struggled to cope with the pace they played at when they got an interception; a lot of the time they were just running away with it.” Bloom paid tribute to the part played by her side’s defence, who she thought managed to keep the score more even than it could otherwise have been. “I thought our goal keeper Sarah Smith did really well to cope with their tall shooter, as did Natasha Dawson. Charlie Whale was also extremely strong in the centre,” she commented.
Seven in succession for Steelers
The Steelers demolished the Stingrays in a repeat of their classy display against the Vipers. Photos: Sheffield Steelers
Hull edge basketball Women’s Basketball Firsts BUCS League 2B University of Sheffield Hull University Firsts
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Dave Cooper Despite a tip off delayed by 40 minutes, coupled with a malfunctioning scoreboard and a kit clash that meant the home side had to play in white, Sheffield’s women’s basketball team and Hull managed to serve up an entertaining game at Goodwin on Wednesday. Hull, unbeaten so far this season, were never going to be easy opponents but Sheffield were confident coming into the game on the back of a 76-40 victory against York St John’s and the previous week’s cup win against Durham Seconds. Sheffield started the game well, and at the end of the first quarter had a 14-11 lead. However, despite their coach’s calls for improved defensive intensity, Sheffield’s commitment to attack left them exposed to turnovers and at half time Hull were leading 24-26. Hull’s taller team won the majority of the rebounds but couldn’t always capitalise on this advantage and Sheffield worked hard to make life difficult for
them under the basket and in the key, Nerida Peever in particular performing well in defence when outnumbered. Going into the final quarter Sheffield looked to have a chance of getting a result when captain Danielle Berry scored after a good run through the Hull defence, but the away side soon established an ultimately unassailable 13 point lead. Despite the loss there were good points to be taken from the performance. Ellyn Carnall led the scoring with 12 points and Themesa Neckles added a useful focal point to the attack while the team produced some useful combinations when in possession. Sheffield’s passing around the key was generally good, as was their pressuring of the ball when Hull were in possession, although they sometimes looked vulnerable to runs through the defence towards the basket. After the game, Coach Shannon Schneider said: “We worked hard, but lost out on the turnovers and mistakes cost us, but we’ll work on that and get better. “It’s a close league this year, which makes it more of a challenge and leads to tighter games.” Sheffield travel to Newcastle to play their firsts next week in the second round of the cup, having narrowly lost the same fixture in the league last month.
Ice Hockey Elite League Jack Burnett and Rob Cox Sheffield Steelers continued their fine run of form with a 7-0 drubbing of Hull Stingrays. The win came just ten days after the Steelers had put eight past Newcastle Vipers without reply. Their seven successive victories leave the Steelers in third place
in the Elite League, though they have games in hand on the Belfast Giants and Nottingham Panthers, who occupy the places above them. Ex-NHL Steeler Rob Globke netted twice against the Stingrays in another excellent performance from the winger, who had scored half of their goals against the Vipers. In that display, the American had opened the scoring with a wonderful strike unassisted
and direct from the penalty box, before later grabbing a goal from a powerplay and then completing his destruction of the opposition with another two goals in the last eight minutes. In the Steelers’ latest outing against the Stingrays, Canadian left-winger Neil Clark also bagged a brace, with the other goals coming from player-coach Ben Simon as well as Joey Talbot and Tom Squires.
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BUCS Wednesday Pages 26-27
FORGE PRESS Friday November 19 2010
28 days for Owls Page 26
Gone in 60 minutes: dominant volleyballers blow St John away
Sheffield, in yellow, were far too strong for York St. John on Wednesday and won in straight sets Photo: Anthony Hart
Men’s Volleyball Firsts BUCS League 3B University of Sheffield York St John Firsts
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Anthony Hart The University of Sheffield men’s volleyball firsts produced a dominant display as they beat York St John firsts in straight sets at Goodwin on Wednesday. The match was completed in just one hour as Sheffield notched
up their second league win of the season and keep in touch with the top of Northern Conference Division 3B. Uni sit in third place in the standings, on six points, three behind Northumbria and Bradford. Uni’s team hadn’t made the greatest start of the season, with a four set loss at home to Bradford and then a straight sets defeat away to Northumbria. However the team had started to turn things around with a win at home to Sunderland in the first round of the BUCS Cup. That was a comprehensive victory, achieved in straight sets. A week later, the University of Sheffield team beat Sunderland
again, this time on their own patch. It was a much closer encounter with league points at stake but the away side came through in five sets, giving them confidence going into this match. Meanwhile, York St John sat at the bottom of their division, having lost all of their games so far this season. The home side took the first set with a 25-6 score line, looking the much better side. They settled far quicker than their oppponents, looking composed and with Pascal Lemesre serving exceptionally well. If that felt like a beating, it was only about to get worse for the team from North Yorkshire, as Sheffield moved up
yet another gear. They annihilated York St John by a rarely seen score of 25-1 in the second set, making the task virtually impossible for the visitors. The match was then put to bed, despite an improving York St John’s, as Sheffield claimed the third set 25-11 to finish off a comprehensive victory. Lemesre was the star of the show for Uni, going on to serve a total of 18 points, while Jack Paveley was also a key player in Sheffield’s performance, impressing with a strong allround display throughout the match. After the match, University of Sheffield team captain Ramon
Husein was satisfied with the performance and the how the team dealt with opposition. “It was a pretty straightforward game, it required more focus and concentration, although I think we came out with the focus necessary to win and we came out with the three set victory,” he said. Sheffield now turn their attentions to the BUCS Cup, when they travel to the North East to face Northumbria University’s firsts in a second round match. After a trip to Bradford in the league, they then face Northumbria again, this time in a home league match on December 1.
National medal success for Jiu-Jitsu club Adam Shergold The University Jiu-Jitsu Club won two silver medals at the 2010 Atemi Nationals event in Sheffield last weekend. Liam Lees, a final year medical student, and Senh-Phu Ung, a former Sheffield Chemical Engineering student (both pictured), finished second in the individual purple belt and dark blue belt categories respectively. Lees is the first student from this University to win a medal in the Atemi Nationals for four years, collecting three BUCS
points for the University. Neville Boon, of the University of Surrey, took the gold medal in Lees’ category. The University of Bath’s Jonathan Garner-Richardson, won the light blue category, picking up four BUCS points. The event, held at Ponds Forge and in the city for the first time in seven years, was spread over two days with the first round staged on Saturday and the finals on Sunday. On both mornings, senior instructors from the Jitsu Foundation held training sessions for the hundreds of participants,
drawn from universities and clubs throughout the country. In both rounds, approximately 50 purple belts and 30 dark blue belts undertook a ‘V’ and a ‘gauntlet’ against attackers that were either armed or unarmed with grade appropriate weaponry. A ‘V’ tests improvisation and ability under pressure and involves defending yourself from a continuous cycle of attackers, whereas a ‘gauntlet’ tests control, skill and fluidity. The University’s jiu-jitsu club train every Wednesday and Thursday between 8-10pm in the