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The independent student newspaper of the University of Sheffield. Est. 1946.
Issue 67 Friday February 21 2013 @ForgePress /ForgePress
Lifestyle celebrate: The most inspirational women of the 20th century, p. 20
Screen predict:
The comeback of the Disney fairytale, Fuse, p. 5
Features reveal:
The hidden talent behind your favourite wildlife shows p. 14-15
SU workers ruled out from using women’s minibus Photo: Aidan Phillips
The ‘unlawful’ policy that could stop you graduating
Read the full story on p. 3
4 University of Sheffield denies students the chance to graduate if library fines are unpaid Nicola Moors University rules that enforce academic sanctions on students could breach consumer protection law, according to research by a government department. The Office for Fair Trading (OFT) has revealed that 75 per cent of UK universities have terms and conditions that prevent students from graduating or enrolling onto the next academic year if they owe nontuition fee debts, such as university accommodation or library fines. In their research they said the “terms and practices considered in the investigation may be open to challenge as potentially unfair and/or otherwise unlawful.” The Office for Fair Trading said they consider “the blanket use of academic sanctions in such instances, regardless of the circumstances, could breach consumer protection law.” The University of Sheffield deny students the chance to graduate if they owe library fines, according to their website. Andrew West, director of Student Services at the
University of Sheffield said: “As of yet we are not aware of any direct contact to the University from the OFT. Our staff have taken note of the issue and will take action as appropriate.” Nisha Arora, senior director in the OFT’s Services, Infrastructure and Public Markets Group, said: ‘Preventing progression or graduation not only affects students’ educational experience but could also significantly harm their future employment prospects and ability to pay off their debts.” The OFT believes that university rules and regulations that govern the relationship between the university and students are “likely to form part of a contract for the provision of educational services. “The terms set out in the rules and regulations are likely to be subject to the test of fairness under the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 (UTCCRs).” Regulation 5(1) of the UTCCRs says that a term is unfair “if, contrary to the requirement of good faith, it causes a significant imbalance in the parties’ rights and obligations arising under the contract, to the detriment of the consumer.” Continued on p. 3
Munya with Conor Maynard at the Brits
Munya goes to the Brits Read the full story on p. 3
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Nicola Moors
DEPUTY EDITOR Jessica Pitocchi Managing Editor Mikey Smith fuse editors fuse@forgetoday.com Amelia Heathman Karen Scattergood HEAD OF ONLINE matthew.smith@forgetoday.com matthew Smith News news@forgetoday.com Lauren Archer Patrick O’Connell Neelam Tailor Elicia Chester Sophie Broadbent Tasmin Wade Comment comment@forgetoday.com Tom Schneider Ben Scull LETTERS & COFFEE BREAK letters@forgetoday.com Lucy Copson Features features@forgetoday.com Martina Danelaite Ina Fischer Elsa Vulliamy Lifestyle & travel lifestyle@forgetoday.com Ellie McCaldin Hannah McCulloch Sport sport@forgetoday.com Joseph Bamford Thomas Pyman Jack Taylor Music music@forgetoday.com Nicky Crane Rachel Smith Games games@forgetoday.com Joanne Butcher Reece Nunn Screen screen@forgetoday.com Kate Lovatt Will Ross Arts arts@forgetoday.com Camille Brouard Lizzie Hyland COPY EDITORS Rosanna Austin Chloe Chloeman Samantha Fielding Polly Quinn Elizabeth Richardson Matthew Smith Medi a Hu b, U n io n o f Studen t s, We s t e r n Bank , S hef f i e ld, S10 2T G 0114 22286 46 // f or gep r e ss@f o r g e t o day.co m
Student activists dressed as vice chancellor Keith Burnett pose with a novelty cheque, wads of paper money and cigars to protest against his recent £105,000 pay rise
CRIME
Police searching for burglars who stole disabled boy’s wheelchair Nicola Moors Police are searching for burglars who stole a family’s mobility car that contained their severely disabled son’s wheelchair. Jonathon Fahey discovered that his car had been stolen outside his home on Peterfoot Way on the morning of February 13. The vehicle contained his son’s specially-adapted wheelchair and specially-designed rear seat worth several thousand pounds from national charity, New Life. Six-year-old Oliver Fahey, from Carlton in Barnsley, has suffered
from Angelman Syndrome, an incurable neuro-genetic disorder, since he was a baby. He currently can’t talk, walk, is fed through a tube and suffers seizures. The car, a black Nissan Qashqai, was used to take Oliver to regular appointments at Sheffield Children’s Hospital and the family GP. It is believed the burglars entered the home through a conservatory window some time after 10pm and searched the ground floor. They stole the car as well as two iPads which both contained apps
For ge P r e ss is pu blish e d by the Un io n o f St u de n t s . Vi ew s e x pr e sse d a r e n ot nec ess a r ily t h o se o f t he Uni ver sit y, t h e Un io n o r t he edi t oria l t e a m . I n t h e f i r s t i ns t an c e a ll c o m pla in t s shoul d be a ddr e sse d t o t he Manag in g E dit o r, a lt h o ug h a f orm al pr o c e du r e e x is t s .
to help with Oliver’s development. The car was found burnt out nearly seven miles away from their home in the New Crofton area of Wakefield the same day. “This has made me sick to the stomach,” said Mr Fahey. “I’m totally disgusted by what’s happened. I only buried my father on Tuesday so it’s been a hard enough week without this. “I could understand if they’d stolen the car and stripped it of parts, but just to take it and burn it out is unbelievable.” South Yorkshire police Detective Inspector Gary Askew
said: “This is a heart-breaking example of how a criminal act can have a resounding impact on the victims’ day-to-day lives.” Mr Fahey said Oliver was still able to attend school as they had hired a car. “Oliver really enjoys school and everyone is brilliant with him. “Thankfully he’s not missed any as an assistant took him yesterday and now we have a hire car and another chair from wheelchair services.”
YOUR UNION
Animal tested products no longer stocked Tasmin Wade
Forge Press is printed on 100% recycled paper
Photo: Lauren Archer
Products tested on animals will no longer be stocked in the Students’ Union outlets. The animal testing policy was last week passed with a unanimous vote from the Students’ Union Council. The policy, introduced by president Ally Buckle, requires products stocked in Union outlets to comply with regulations set out by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV), who campaign against all testing and experiments involving animals. The animal testing policy will mean that any cosmetic or household products must be checked and adhere to these regulations before Union outlets can stock them.
The BUAV express its disappointment at the government failing in its pledge to “work to reduce the use of animals in scientific research”, at a time when animal experiments in the UK are at an all-time high since 1986, according to BUAV. The number of animals used for scientific experiments peaked in 2012 at over four million. The University of Sheffield continues to use animal testing in its scientific research. The website states that while they are “committed to finding alternatives”, studies involving animals “play a vital role in developing drugs and treatments for pressing health problems including cancer, deafness, heart disease, Parkinson´s and muscular
dystrophy.” Jacob Hebditch, ethical and environmental councillor, also discussed the issue of vegan labelling in Union outlets at the Union Council meeting last week. He described the current system as “all wrong”, with cheese sandwiches and milkshakes being listed as vegan, and no ingredient lists on many products.
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SU staff can’t use women’s minibus
SCIENCE & Technology
Scientists discover a new, simple way of creating stem cells
Photo: Aidan Phillips
Women’s minibus on the SU concourse Lauren Archer Women working in the Students’ Union are not allowed to use the women’s minibus to get home after work, something women’s officer Kat Chapman said is “not the SU’s responsibility.” This includes women working at Interval, Bar One and Fusion & Foundry, who may not finish their shifts until the early hours of the morning. The staff handbook, a copy of which is given to all casual staff members, reads: “Staff are not allowed to use the women’s minibus as we are not permitted by equal opportunities legislation to provide any conditions of
employment which are only open to one sex. “The women’s minibus is a Students’ Union initiative, whereby a minibus collects women from the Students’ Union or Information Commons library and takes them to their door for £1.50.” It says that women workers are not allowed to take the bus home on any working day, even if they go out socially after their shift. A number of women working in the SU have approached Forge Press because they are unhappy with the situation and feel that being banned from the minibus makes their journeys home from
Fines deemed ‘unlawful’
continued from p. 1
Nicola Moors In their research the OFT discovered that if universities were unable to use academic sanctions to recover debts, then alternative measures could be used, including eviction from university accommodation or a greater reliance on commercial debt collectors. The OFT said: “Whilst we recognise the arguments put forward and potential difficulties faced, we consider that terms that allow the university to withhold graduation or progression or otherwise exclude students from tuition for non-payment of ancillary services (such as accommodation and childcare), in a blanket fashion and regardless of the circumstances are potentially unfair, and the use of such terms and practices may amount to unfair commercial practices. “The OFT is not suggesting that students should be absolved of non-tuition fee debts that are legitimately owed to the university, but that students
should not be subject to academic sanctions which may be considered disproportionate.” The OFT has written to 170 universities across the UK to urge them to review their practices. They have the powers to stop universities from using unfair terms in contracts with their students. In their letter they said: “We are recommending that universities review their rules and regulations, other terms and conditions, and practices in light of the OFT’s views outlined in the report, and make amendments as necessary. “We are writing to all universities across the UK in the same terms and we are not singling out any specific institution for special attention. We consider that our report is relevant to every university. We are also writing to other higher education institutions, as the report is also likely to be of interest to them.” The OFT began their investigation in July 2013 following a complaint from the National Union of Students.
work unsafe. Chapman said: “I don’t really have any idea whether I’m allowed to get the bus home. “Employers don’t have a responsibility to make sure staff get home safely. It’s not the Union’s responsibility to make sure anyone gets home.” But Women’s Committee member Yael Shafritz told Forge Press that committee members are concerned about the rule. She said that the safety of women students is WomCom’s “number one concern,” and added that, as a values-led institution, the safety of students should be the SU’s main priority.
“If something in a contract is actively harming women students then this should be looked into,” Shafritz said. SU president Ally Buckle said: “It is regrettable that our women staff can’t be assisted in getting home by the minibus but I am glad it is there for stduents.” Buckle advised anyone concerned about getting home to contact their line manager.
SOCIETIES AND ACTIVITIES
Forge TV presenter takes to red carpet after winning Brits comp Patrick O’Connell Forge TV presenter and third year psychology student Munya Chawawa presented on the red carpet at this year’s Brit Awards. After being shortlisted from thousands of entrants who made a one-minute video on YouTube for the TransBRITer competition, his audition video received the most likes and secured him a place at the Brits. He spent the night mingling with celebrities, including the likes of Nile Rodgers, Passenger and Lily Allen. Munya said: “For everyone who has ever believed in me, thank you. It was the best night of my life “Also, a statement: you don’t have to like me, but respect that I love what I do and I do it with swag.”
Munya with Nile Rodgers, Neon Jungle and Lily Allen (top to bottom)
View the whole night in pictures at http://bit. ly/1gLNuwT
Scientists have converted mouse blood cells into stem cells by bathing them in a weak acidic solution for half an hour. The acid shocks them into transforming back into pluripotent stem cells meaning they can become any cell in the body. Previously pluripotency could only be achieved by extracting them from early embryos, a controversial procedure or by genetically manipulating adult cells. Experts were shocked by how simply and cheaply these cells could be produced. Excitement is building at the prospect of doctors taking small skin samples to generate stem cells that could be injected back into the patient to mend damaged organs. Connor McCarry UK surgeon successfully implants 3D printed Pelvis In a world first orthopaedic surgeon successfully implanted a 3D printed titanium pelvis into a patient suffering from bone cancer. The man, in his sixties, was suffering from a rare type of bone cancer that is resistant to radiation therapy, resulting in the complete removal of the right side of his pelvis. After three years the patient has suffered no major complications and is able to walk unassisted. 3D printing is one of the most exciting new fields and has the potential to revolutionise healthcare. Its potential applications include prosthetics, dentistry, and perhaps one day 3D printed bio-tissue and organs. Daniel King New drug reverses autistic behaviours in mouse models Bumetanide is a diuretic medication capable of reducing the amount of chlorine in cells and reversing the effects of a mutation responsible for autistic behaviours in rodent offspring. Like autistic patients, these rats have higher levels of chlorine and increased neural activity in the hippocampus. Neurons in this region are stimulated by the neurotransmitter GABA which ordinarily plays an inhibitory role. The offspring of rodent mothers exposed to bumetanide displayed fewer autism-related behaviours, higher levels of GABA and lower levels of chlorine. Children with less severe autism have already benefited from the drug; however the current clinical trials in Europe will ascertain its usefulness as a treatment for autism.
Victoria Stanway Photos: Twitter/ @TransmitterTV
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UniNEWS Sheffield students form University Challenge team
Interesting stories from other universities around the country
Student posts Instagram selfie with corpse A student has caused outrage after posting a selfie onto Instagram with a corpse in a university biology department. The student, who has not been named, posed in a smiling photo with a cadaver at the University of Alabama. The student, on a school trip from Clements High School to the university, had been made explicitly aware that no mobile phones were allowed to be taken into the facility.
Patrick O’Connell
Tasmin Wade The team from the University of Sheffield have made it through to the first televised round in University Challenge. The team will begin filming for the popular television show in a few weeks, having made it through to the final 28 of 140 universities who applied. Team captain Jonathan Cunliffe said: “Obviously it's a huge honour to have made it through, and we're all really excited to be competing on the show. “Meeting Paxman will be great fun, but
we're under no illusions about how difficult it will be. It's all still a bit surreal.” The team of five Sheffield students is made up of four medical students: Jonathan Cunliffe, Nate Aspray, Clare Greenwood, and Andrew Trueman, and reserve History student, Joe Elliot. They have succeeded in assessments such as timed tests, individual tests, and interviews with the production company to make it to this point. Cunliffe says that the team were surprised to have made it to this stage in the competition, and they are unsure about how they will fair up on the show.
He said: “We'd all probably agree that while we feel we have reasonable general knowledge, we'd have never put ourselves in the same league as the kind of geniuses that you watch on TV, but we'll do our best and see how it goes! “You never know what might happen.” The series is due to be shown on BBC2 in summer. Last year, the University of Sheffield team were unsuccessful after failing to qualify for the TV show. Photo: Jonathan Cunliffe
Sheffield’s University Challenge team
STUDENT LIVING
Photo: Wikimedia Commons Whistleblower elected to university post Edward Snowden has been elected as student rector of the University of Glasgow. Snowden is residing in Russia after fleeing the US following his leaks of surveillance details of the National Security Agency. The rector is the students’ elected representative and serves a term of three years. Snowden is the first American to be elected to the post. Previous rectors in recent times include Winnie Mandela and former Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy. A rector’s duties are to attend the university court and bring student concerns to the attention of management, though Snowden is not expected act as a working rector.
Patrick O’Connell Outrage as women stripped on stage for fundraiser St Andrews University, Scotland’s oldest university, featured a ‘Mr St Andrews’ charity night which has become the centre of controversy after stripping women of their clothing on stage. The event “went way too far” after challenges involving sex toys and nudity were involved. A challenge in which male contestants battled over who could strip a woman to her underwear fastest resulted in one woman being accidentally stripped naked in front of the entire crowd.
Patrick O’Connell
International students feel unwelcome, study shows Huang Yanlin The majority of international students studying in the UK feel unwelcome, a new survey published this month. They would also not recommend UK universities to their peers. An attitudes survey of 3100 international students by the National Union of Students shows more than fifty per cent believed they were either “not welcomed” or “not welcomed at all” by the UK Government. When asked what troubled them the most, 74 per cent of students said that the introduction of the NHS levy would make it more difficult to study in the UK. But 40 per cent declared concern over the possibility of their legal status being checked
by landlords. “Many international students feel unwelcome in the UK as a result of the government’s hostile and overzealous policies,” said Daniel Stevens, the NUS International Students’ officer. “The immigration bill’s proposals are set to create new barriers to international students at the same time that our global competitors are welcoming them with open arms.” Other student leaders have described the results of the NUS survey as “extremely worrying”. They emphasise the estimated £7.9 billion contribution from international students to the UK economy. In a joint statement the Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Keith Burnett and Students’
Union President Ally Buckle said: “Our deep concern is that the UK’s reputation as a welcoming host for international students is being damaged by negative messages associated with concerns about immigration more widely. “This is both unjust and unhelpful. “International students as a body are an asset to this country, and their economic benefit dramatically outweighs any costs. In Sheffield, like many other cities across the UK, international students form a bedrock of economic stability for local businesses and organisations alongside their British colleagues.”
YOUR UNION
Lads’ mags no longer sold in the SU shop Patrick O’Connell Lads’ mags will no longer be sold in the Students’ Union. The decision was made at the latest Students’ Union Council after an online petition was launched by women’s officer Kat Chapman, calling on the Union to end its sale of five publications Loaded, Front, Zoo, Nuts and FHM. In her petition, Chapman said the magazines were “celebrating the objectification of women” and “poisonous to the portrayal of women in our society.” Chapman’s proposal also suggested that LGBT publications such as Gay Times, Attitude and Diva should also be removed from sale. LGBT councillor Phillippa Peal said at the council meeting: “It’s really good that we can sell magazines aimed at LGBT people, even if they do contain
questionable content. “For many LGBT people, these magazines are their first point of information.” Natalie Paul, chemistry councillor, argued that failing to include LGBT lifestyle magazines in the proposed ban would mean that the policy would become a “specific attack on straight men.” The council voted in favour of withdrawing lads’ mags from sale in the Students’ Union shop, but decided the ban would not extend to LGBT magazines. International students’ officer Alex Kohnert stated that, considering that the five publications removed from sale had combined annual sales of only £25, regardless of moral opinions, the removal of the magazines made economic sense.
STUDENT LIVING
‘More STDs than GCSEs’: Sheffield’s sexist chants Jo Gallacher A University of Sheffield research fellow has published a new paper demonstrating the sexist nature of sporting chants from Sheffield students. Researcher Dr Matthew Cheeseman said in his paper, which studied sports chants from both the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam, “Sheffield students (particularly women) are portrayed by Hallam as ugly, sexually inexperienced, and arrogant, whereas Hallam students (particularly women) are portrayed by Sheffield students as sexually attractive, but permissive, stupid and poor”. A 2013 NUS report described ‘Lad Culture’, a phrase used to describe the culture of young males overtly expressing their masculinity, as being rife in UK universities, and arguably the
reason behind the misogynistic attitudes expressed in sporting chants. Rhys Handley, a first year Journalism student said “I see a lot of guys treating female students like nothing more than objects, especially when I go out drinking. “More should be done to raise awareness of sexism and misogyny, because a lot of guys aren’t even aware that their behaviour is wrong.” This research was among several other pieces discussed at the symposium ‘Laddism and Higher Education’ held in London last week. Dr Cheeseman, who has been collecting his data since 2005, also found evidence of chants referring to class divides and Hallam’s former polytechnic status. Sheffield Hallam was granted university status in 1992.
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MONEY
At least £80bn in student loans ‘will never be repaid’ Keri Trigg Government predictions on the amount of money lost to student loans that will never be paid back are likely to be underestimated, latest figures have shown. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has predicted that the amount owed is set to rise from its current total of £46bn to £200bn by 2042, but warns that the government is consistently overestimating the amount that will be repaid each year by eight per cent. The government presently assumes 35 to 40 per cent will be written off, meaning £16bn to £18bn of the current figure, and £70bn to £80bn of the estimated value by 2042. However, in a report published last week, the PAC has warned that they are: “likely to be underestimating the value of student loans that will never be paid back.” At present, students who started their course since September 2012 do not have to begin paying back their loans until they are earning over £21,000 a year, and any remaining debts are written off after 30 years. There are various other funding sources including grants, bursaries and scholarships that are not required to be paid back, although students who leave courses early are still required to pay back loans.
In order to avoid losing the amount of money predicted, the PAC has recommended the publication of an annual report to clearly outline the amount due to be repaid that year, with explanations of subsequent differences to the amount actually collected. The PAC has also called for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to improve its model for forecasting the amounts to be repaid each year, and focus more efforts on securing repayments from graduates who now live overseas.
2042 £200 bn PAC estimate of amount owed
£? bn
2014 £46 bn
Current amount owed
Photo: Nicola Moors
Amount that y will currentl n e tt be “wri g off”, accordin nt to Governme estimates
£16-18 bn
£70-80 bn Amount that will be “written off”, according to Government estimates
MONEY
STUDENT LIVING
Plan for student flats for Hallam Lauren Proctor Plans to build more student accommodation in Sheffield are expected to be approved, following major changes to the original designs. Changes were initiated after planning committee members urged developers to reconsider elements of their proposal last year. Town Hall officers have recommended approval for the the £25 million student housing complex built in place of the current workshops and offices on the site. Sheffield Hallam University issued an objection to the plans, however, stating Sheffield already has an “excessive amount” of student accommodation. The developers wish to move away from their original decision to create communal blocks of shared flats, and are
instead planning to construct a series of one-bedroom apartments and studio living spaces. A report from planning officers describes the alterations as “sufficient to overcome previous concerns” by providing a “more varied mix” of accommodation that will attract young couples, business professionals and students. The site in Wybourn is located just under a mile from the Sheffield train station. This location means it is likely that the accommodation will be of greater appeal to Sheffield Hallam Students. But, developers have insisted the site is no further from the University of Sheffield campus as the Ranmoor and Endcliffe villages. The plans also include the development of several retirement apartments and a care home.
In reality, the amount of debt “written off” will be far more, PAC estimates predict
Study backs minimum alcohol price Beth Cunningham The introduction of a minimum alcohol price would significantly reduce the number of premature deaths and hospital admissions among heavy drinkers, according to a study by the University of Sheffield. Last July, the government abandoned plans to implement a minimum price of 45p per unit of alcohol, citing concerns this would penalise moderate drinkers. But, the study has found that minimum unit price
would have the greatest effect on heavy drinkers on the lowest incomes. It estimates that heavy drinkers would reduce their alcohol consumption by nearly 300 units per year. Annually, this could prevent 860 deaths and 29,900 hospital admissions. Researchers also say that effects on moderate drinkers would be small, with the average person only spending 78p more on alcohol per year. Students have mixed views on whether minimum alcohol pricing would be effective.
Medical student Andrew Keslake, 20, said: “I think it would be a positive thing. “At the moment, people can buy enough alcohol to kill themselves for under £5. That’s not the best scenario for a modern country such as the UK.” History and Sociology student Liam Liburd, 21, said: “Whilst preventing illness and early death is a good thing, this would just tackle a symptom of a bigger problem. We should focus more on solving the issues which cause people to turn to alcoholism in the first place.”
Doctors urge yellow fever jab
Antibody therapy developed for fibrosis
Arrested journalist speaks to Sheffield students
Hallam announce Tour de France partnership
Students planning on travelling to Africa or South America are urged to have a jab against yellow fever, after doctors in Sheffield have received a rare batch of a vaccine. Doctors at Sheffield Travel Clinic, based at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, have gained access to the drug which is due to be scarce elsewhere in the country until the end of the month. Yellow fever is transmitted through mosquito bites, and kills eight out of 100 people who contract it. A single dose of the vaccine protects against yellow fever for at least 10 years. Symptoms of the condition include high temperature, headaches, vomiting, muscle pain, and jaundice. Appointments for the vaccine will be available 1pm-3pm on Wednesdays over the next two months.
Researchers at the University of Sheffield have developed a ground-breaking form of antibody therapy targeting the progression of kidney fibrosis. The therapy involves blocking the action of a key enzyme and is believed to also be effective for lung, liver and heart fibrosis. Professor Tim Johnson, co-leader of the research team, said: “The development of these therapeutic antibodies is the culmination of 20 years work to identify the role of a key target in the tissue scarring process where it is possible to understand its mechanism of action and then develop a way to specifically target it.” Fibrosis is the primary cause of organ failure and a complicating factor in diseases such as diabetes.
Sheffield journalism graduate Kieran Bryon, who was one of the ‘Arctic 30’ arrested by Russian authorities onboard a Greenpeace ship, came to speak to students last week at a guest lecture event. The talk, which took place on Tuesday February 11, covered Kieran’s experience in video journalism, his work with Greenpeace and his eventual arrest and imprisonment. His lecture to University of Sheffield students is his first public appearance since his release. He told students: “At the time there were two things going round my head. The first was: this is insane; they’ve sent a helicopter and men with guns. “The other thing was: this is the coolest thing I’ve ever filmed.”
Sheffield Hallam University will partner with the Tour de France and will become the race’s first academic sponsor. The deal was agreed during talks with the race’s organisers Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO). Sheffield’s tourism authority Welcome to Yorkshire announced the agreement yesterday. Unique volunteering opportunities will be made available to students as a part of the deal. A series of public events will also take place showcasing the University’s sport research. The Tour de France will come to Sheffield in July during stage two of its Grand Départ route.
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YOUR CITY
Controversy over benefits assessment for disabled Neelam Tailor Protesters chanted “Atos scum, shame on you” outside the Atos assessment centre in Sheffield, over protests against the mistreatment of unwell patients. Around 30 people gathered in Hartshead Square at 11am on Wednesday February 19 to show their support for the resistance against Atos. Demonstrations also took place in numerous other cities throughout the country. The private company has been contracted on behalf of the government to assess whether unwell or disabled people are fit to work. The system has been criticised as a “15 minute checkbox exercise” instead of a qualified medical consultation. Following the implementation of the Welfare Reform Act 2012, disabled people who apply for
welfare benefits are subjected to rigorous Work Capability Assessments (WCA). Atos carries out these assessments on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions and provides them with advice on welfare entitlement. Large numbers of unwell and disabled people have been falsely declared fit to work by Atos, protesters claim. A representative from Unite said: “150,00 people have been wrongly assessed by Atos as fit to work...penalising people for something that is not their fault.” Matthew Reeve from the South Yorkshire People’s Assembly said: “There are people that have been diagnosed with terminal cancer who have been told that they are totally fit for work and can do a 40-hour-a-week job.” The protesters laid flowers
on the steps of the Atos Sheffield Assessment Centre in commemoration of the deaths related to the private firm’s assessments. They also held a one minute silence at 1pm in their memory. Speaking at the protest, Mhari-Anne Lowrie, who suffers from Myalgic Encephalopathy (ME) said: “I loved my job, if I could do it, I bloody well would! “It’s important that we are together and fight this deeply unjust law which persecutes sick and disabled people. “Ian Duncan Smith and Cameron - they’re the scum bags, this is their fault” Protester Tim Jones, expressed his outrage and said: “The government are legislating picking on the vulnerable in society. I want the government to amend this policy, because it is barbaric.”
Demonstrators at Hartshead Square
Sheffield’s traditional Mulberry Tavern restored after years as gay bar Affinity
Neelam Tailor
Sheffield’s second oldest pub has been transformed from a gay bar back to an “olde” style traditional pub. But there is a new feature. Upstairs is the traditional Mulberry Tavern pub in the city centre, complete with cask ales. Downstairs will be a new live music venue, which hopes to open on March 15. With open mic nights, comedy clubs and local live bands, it is appealing for an array of people to come together, especially students, and student bands. The renewed Mulberry Tavern has been renovated by the new landlord Fiona Poole who values the traditional community pub atmosphere. The first recorded landlord of the Mulberry Tavern was in 1847 and it has had a fruitful history in Sheffield. Fiona said: “It’s had a lot of different owners and different looks since then, but I’ve had so much positive feedback from locals who are thrilled to see us going back to our roots - with a traditional bar, pool tables and local ales.” Fiona chose the Mulberry Tavern because of it’s central location in the heart of the city centre on Arundel Gate. She said: “with the bus stops in front, the O2, and the Crucible, it’s a great location.” She and a team of friends renovated the premises in under two weeks. She said “It only got done so quickly because of all the support from friends”. “People who walked in at the beginning said ‘I don’t think that’s going to happen’, and then they walk in after and are amazed. It’s totally transformed from the gay bar Affinity.” Because the pub is a free house, it can serve any alcohol; it therefore houses many guest and local ales that surrounding pubs cannot. The local community are in praise of the renewed pub, and their Facebook page received 1000 likes in three days. Fiona expressed her surprise at how important the Mulberry Tavern was to many local people.
Photo: Patrick O’Connell
YOUR CITY
Student sex workers ‘need more support’
Lauren Archer
Students’ Unions and universities are failing to support the increasing numbers of student sex workers, a prostitutes collective has claimed. The English Collective of Prostitutes, a group of sex workers who campaign against the laws criminalising prostitution, are arguing that the National Union of Students (NUS) needs to do more to support students in the sex trade. Sarah Walker, who works at the ECP, told the Huffington Post: “Universities and colleges, and the National Union of Students (NUS), seem more aware but much more is needed.” The NUS is working with Swansea University on a project
looking into the real number of students working in the sex trade. The research is expected to take two years. The project will also look into how universities and students’ unions can support student sex workers, offering them advice and legal help if needed. A recent investigation by the Liverpool Echo found that the number of student sex workers at Liverpool University has trebled within the last year.
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DOT COM
CRIME
Man jailed over death of 2-year-old Lauren Archer
Fiona Poole outside the tavern
Photo: Neelam Tailor
A caretaker has been jailed for manslaughter through gross negligence following the death of a two-year-old girl who fell from a balcony in Sheffield city centre. Robert Warner, 45, of Shirehall Crescent, Lower Shiregreen, was found guilty on February 15 after a trial at Sheffield Crown Court. Ryaheen Banismuslem fell 60 feet from the fourth floor of the North Bank apartments on Wiley Street, Sheffield city centre. Ryaheen was with her family on a garden area on the fourth floor balcony, when she fell through a gap left by a glass panel that Warner had failed to replace. A post mortem found that
Ryaheen died as a result of head and spinal injuries. The prosecution said that her death was caused by Warner’s “negligent conduct”. The court was told how Warner, who was contracted to carry out maintenance work at the apartment complex, removed the panel to replace another that had been broken. But he failed to replace the panel and did not cover up the gap. Detective Inspector Sean Bird, who lead the investigation, said: “The guilty verdict of gross negligence and manslaughter today will be of little comfort to Ryaheen’s family, but I hope that the decision allows them to move forward from this very painful chapter in their lives.”
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NEWS
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World Week selfie scheme launched Patrick O’Connell A project highlighting the cause of “undervalued” international students is to be launched at the University on World Week. Foreign students studying within the UK have been subjected to “anti-migrant talk and policy” from the government, according to Ally Buckle, president of the Students’ Union. After petitioning MPs and Lords over the treatment of international students, the University of Sheffield and the Students’ Union have jointly created the scheme, encouraging students to take selfies. The campaign, named We are International Selfies, urges students to take selfies with friends whom are international students accompanied by a brief explanation of their friendship. The photographs will then be used in the campaign to display to the government the positive contributions made by countless international students. The selfies will be displayed on the University and Union websites, on the Union building big screen, as well as on social media outlets. The campaign “will tell
Extreme tattoo removal A London woman cut off a tattoo of her ex-boyfriend’s name and posted it to him. Torz Reynolds, 26, used tweezers and a scalpel to remove the patch of skin, placing it into a jar and decorating it with a bow before mailing it to her former lover. Reynolds found out that Stuart ‘Chopper’ May had been cheating on her and didn’t want to wait to book an appointment with a laser technician before removing the tattoo reading ‘Chopper’s Bitch’ from her arm. Reynolds said: “Posting the tattoo to Chopper sent a clear message. Now he knows never to mess with me again.” Jaewon Yoo and Adam: just one of the selfies taken for the scheme the politicians that for every international student or staff member that they undervalue, there is a UK friend that is willing to fight their corner” Buckle said. Campaigners have argued that international students have proved beneficial for the city, both culturally and economically. The University commissioned an
independent report into the net economic impact of international students in Sheffield, which revealed that international students make up 10 per cent of all inward investment into the city. The Students’ Union president and international officer have previously lobbied
Photo: Adam Chapman
parliamentarians about the case for international students and have highlighted the impact of the controversial Immigration Bill – which includes proposals for mandatory visa checks by landlords of anyone who appears to be foreign. World Week will run from February 22 until March 2.
POLITICS
Allowing hunts a ‘backward step’, says Sheffield MP Lauren Archer
Photo: Wikipedia
Animal rights activist and Sheffield MP Angela Smith thinks the repeal of the Hunting Act would be a “backward step for a civilised society”. Smith, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, recently attended a celebration at the House of Commons to mark the 20 year anniversary of the campaigning that resulted in the Hunting Act 2004. The 2004 Act outlawed the hunting of wild animals, including foxes, deer and hares, with dogs. Campaigning around hunting began in 1994, led by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), the League Against Cruel Sports and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). Farmers have recently called for the law to be repealed, but Smith said: “In common with
the majority of the British people, I believe any repeal of the Hunting Act would be a backward step for a civilized society. “Hunting is something which the vast majority of the British public opposed and continue to oppose. “In fact, many hunts still meet but use artificial scents to trail hunt – something which doesn’t result in the needless deaths of wild animals and is something we welcome. “However, we still need to remain alert to those who attempt to break the law making sure such acts are reported to in the same way as any other allegations of crimes against animal welfare.” A recent survey found that 80 per cent of people in Great Britain think that fox hunting should remain illegal.
YOUR CITY
Sheffield raises eating Peace in the Park returns to Ponderosa disorder awareness Tasmin Wade Various events are taking place in Sheffield at the end of February in aid of Eating Disorders Awareness Week. The week, which was organised by Beat, has been backed by Sheffield Health and Social Care. The campaign will also see the South Yorkshire Eating Disorders Association taking over a window display in the city centre for a fortnight. Eating disorders include conditions such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating. They affect 1.6 million people in the UK, claiming more lives than any other mental illness. Clinical Service Manager of
National News
Sheffield Health and Social Care told the Sheffield Star: “Eating disorders are a complex illness, but, as with many other mental health issues, people often find it difficult to speak up and access services, compared with those suffering from physical conditions. “We hope these events can help shine a light on the impact of eating disorders on people in Sheffield.” Nationwide fundraising campaigns running in aid of Beat include a competition to win a visit to dance studio of Britain’s Got Talent winners Diversity. The week will take place between February 24 and March 2.
Patrick O’Connell The Peace in the Park festival is to return to Sheffield following its cancellation last year. Organisers decided to postpone the event in 2013 after failing to raise the £20,000 required to hold the free event, with funding falling short by an estimated £8,000. Event planners defended their decision as being “prudent and financially responsible”. Organiser Barry Harris said it would be better for the event to take a year out than risk bankruptcy. The music festival is financed entirely by advanced fundraising, donations and revenue generated
throughout the event weekend. Organisers are confident that £12,000 needed to run this year’s festival will be raised, with over half the sum of money already in place. The three-day festival, which included live music, dance and arts, began in 2003 as an antiwar protest and continued until 2012. It was attended by approximately 8,000 people in 2012. Harris said he was “absolutely delighted” with the news. Peace in the Park is scheduled to returning to Ponderosa Park on June 14.
Lauren Archer Cats at high risk of being blown away Cat owners are being warned to keep their feline friends at home to avoid them being “blown away” by strong winds. The RSPCA have issued a statement warning pet owners to keep cats inside in the case of “extreme” weather. RSPCA companion animal scientist Alice Potter said: “It might be necessary to keep cats inside if the winds become very extreme. “People should remember to make sure they have everything they need, especially places to hide.” The RSPCA also warned that dogs should be accompanied at all times, in case they were swept away by floods.
Jessica Pitocchi
Picture: @DueDil Doge in the Guardian An unexplained doge meme in the Guardian’s financial pages was put there for the “lulz,” according to data company DueDil. The company was given a free quarter page advert in the national broadsheet when they won a Small Business Networks competition. The meme, which has become hugely popular on the internet, typically features a photograph of a shiba inu dog and nonsensical phrases in colourful comic sans. DueDil posted a statement regarding the advert on their blog. It reads: “We tried a traditional advert, which was nice, but then we remembered we’re not a traditional kind of company.”
Lauren Archer
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Don’t be lead ashtray:
a drag
Following the legislation banning smoking in cars with children, Holly Barrett and Leo Crolla debate the merits of the next step: a blanket smoking ban Holly Barrett There is a deadly drug that kills half of those that use it regularly. But far from being outlawed, it is available in every supermarket and convenience store across the country. The drug in question is tobacco. It is responsible for 100,000 deaths in the UK a year; more than obesity, alcohol, road traffic accidents, illegal drugs and HIV combined. The sale of tobacco should be made illegal as lives should not be cut short by a preventable cause.
“Studies show that young people can display signs of addiction within four weeks of their first cigarette” Those who oppose a blanket ban on smoking say it restricts people’s freedom to smoke if they choose to. This assumes people are well informed of the negative effects of smoking, and know exactly what they are getting into. Yet it is hard to find smokers who say they are glad they chose to start smoking. Around two thirds of adult smokers started before the age of 18, and 80 per cent before the age of 20. Alarmingly, studies show that young people can display signs of addiction within four weeks of their first cigarette. It becomes clear that, in many people, the choice to start smoking was really a choice to experiment as an impressionable teenager, which leads to their lives revolving around satisfying their nicotine addiction, or battling to free themselves from it. The sale of a substance with such rapid addiction potential, which tobacco companies must surely celebrate, therefore restricts freedom. Some argue that if smoking was banned, a tobacco black market would develop. Banning drugs with effects such as euphoria hasn’t caused people to stop taking them, but tobacco has little to no entertaining properties. As an ex-smoker, I believe that the calming effect of cigarettes is illusory.
Cigarettes calm the addiction smokers develop yet also fuel the addiction further. With proper help to quit, there would be no need for smokers to resort to the black market if smoking was banned. Arguably, the vast majority of smokers want to stop, but find it hard to when temptation surrounds them. It is likely that making tobacco unavailable will give people the boost they need to quit, rather than drive them to the black market for their fix. This sentiment is echoed in many online comments from smokers who push for a ban, saying it would save their lives. While a ban on smoking in public has encouraged more people to try to quit, only 15 per cent of quitters in 2013 remained smoke free one year later. The amount of smokers that were able to quit long-term falls from between two and three per cent. By hindering access to cigarettes, and giving adequate support, these numbers could be increased significantly. However, it is essential that smokers be treated and not criminalised, and only tobacco sellers be prosecuted. B a n n i n g tobacco is the best solution to ensure future generations are not trapped by trying out smoking and that the maj or ity of today’s generation escape its constraints for good.
Leo Crolla In the last few months, we have seen two similar interventions in two very different countries. Recently, we’ve seen the British Prime Minister pushing through a mandatory filter on internet service provider (ISPs), which aims to block internet pornography, as well as sites about file sharing, breastfeeding and anything else deemed vaguely seditious by an undiscerning computer. This demonstrates an alarming fact: the government can make bad laws, and thereby trample over any civil liberties they so choose, channeling its inner Helen Lovejoy and pleading for someone to “please, think of the children.” The latest example of this is the recent change in the laws surrounding smoking. This week, a bill banning people from smoking in cars with children in them was passed in the commons. The phrase ‘Nanny State’ is second only to ‘political correctness gone mad’ in the list of phrases most overused by frothing Ukip members, but one may be excused for thinking it here. The changes we have seen around smoking in the past 20 years have broadly been good; it is now seven years since the smoking ban came into effect, and it is easy to forget it was ever different. It is very odd clubbing in Europe, surrounded by cigarettes on the dancefloor and it is generally assumed that restaurants and pubs have been immeasurably improved by being able to eat and drink in peace and go home not smelling like death.
With the latest piece of legislation, however, we are dangerously close to crossing the line of ‘protecting others from smoking’ into ‘protecting people from their bad decisions,’ which is a drastic change in the function of the government. Going any further and banning smoking completely would be a massive violation of freedoms. Practically, such bans are ridiculous. It seems pointless to ban parents smoking in a car with children when doing so in a onebedroom flat is acceptable. It will also cost a lot of money, paperwork and police time on what is a relatively minor problem. Even leaving aside the complete unworkability, it boils down to a law which bans parents from doing something which is harmful to their children. How far can this ideal go? Why is it legal to drive children to McDonalds for the fifth time this week? Why is it legal to circumcise children for nonmedical reasons? The current state of affairs is completely inconsistent.
“It seems pointless to ban parents smoking in a car when doing so in a one-bedroom flat is acceptable” Yet the best argument against a blanket ban is that the ‘war on smoking’ is already well on the way to being won. There is no law against people smoking during pregnancy yet it is very rare because of the level of social pressure which did not exist 50 years ago. Better education and science, combined with restricted advertising and the near absence of smoking on television means that, according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), smoking has halved in the last 40 years. This soft approach works far better than arbitrary gesture politics and we should resist the slide towards having such decisions made for us.
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Government action needed to end FGM Beth Cunningham Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a process by which a girl’s genitalia are deliberately surgically altered for non-medical reasons. Sometimes her clitoris is pierced or completely removed, and her labia are cut. In its most extreme form, the skin around the vagina is sewn together, leaving only a tiny opening. According to the NHS website, it is usually performed without anaesthetic by someone with no medical training. It may be distressing to imagine, but this is the very real experience of an estimated 140 million women across the world.
“Anti-FGM charity, Daughters of Eve, estimates that 24,000 British girls are at risk each year” FGM is practiced by several ethnic groups across Africa and Asia as preparation for marriage and sexual maturity. Some believe it will prevent premarital sex. However, FGM causes persistent infections, kidney impairment, complications during pregnancy and a greatly increased risk of infertility. Urination, menstruation, sex and childbirth are all horribly painful. Mental illness is also
a major issue, as the process is extremely traumatic. But this isn’t some far off problem we don’t have to deal with. FGM is happening right here on our doorstep. Over 66,000 women in the UK have been ‘cut’ and antiFGM charity, Daughters of Eve, estimates that 24,000 British girls are at risk each year. This month, 17-year-old Bristol student Fahma Mohamed launched a campaign calling for head teachers to train teachers and parents about FGM. With nearly 200,000 signatures on her petition and a meeting with Michael Gove planned, it looks likely that Fahma will achieve her goal. This would be a fantastic step forward, as it would allow teachers and parents to more easily assist girls in danger. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. If we are to end FGM in the UK, our government has to take a stronger stance against it. FGM has been illegal in this country since 1985, but in nearly 30 years not a single conviction has been achieved. Abroad we’re seen as such a soft touch that practising communities in Europe often send their girls to the UK to be ‘cut’, avoiding tougher penalties in their home countries. This simply isn’t acceptable. By ignoring this problem, we are letting down thousands of girls who will have to spend the rest of their lives dealing with the consequences of FGM. Some argue that FGM is a cultural practice that those of us outside of these communities can’t
COMMENT
possibly understand and that we shouldn’t dictate their choices. This would be fine if it were adult women choosing to undergo this procedure but it’s not. Most girls are ‘cut’ between the ages of four and 10. In our multicultural society it is important that we respect the beliefs of others, but we can’t let the fear of appearing culturally insensitive bar us from protecting children from this traumatic and damaging practice. We wouldn’t turn a blind eye to any other form of child abuse and FGM shouldn’t be any different.
“Better education on the subject would be a positive move forward” FGM is a horrific form of abuse with terrible long term physical and psychological effects. Better education on the subject would be a positive move forward, but real change can’t be achieved until our government recognises the full extent of the problem and makes steps to eradicate FGM from the UK for good.
Got an opinion on the topics discussed this fortnight? contact us letters@forgetoday.com
Photo: www. dommckenzie.com
Our system means the electorate always lose Tom Schneider The race to the 2015 election is unpredictable. There are few certainties in a contest showing just two points between the parties, the uncertainty of an unconventional political force in the form of Ukip and the likely demise of a party that last time won 25 per cent of the popular vote. One of the few assurances is the voting system. When Britain went to the polls in 2011, first-past-thepost was comprehensively seen as preferable to a more proportional system. But the system is still broken. The 2010 election represented a small rally against the seemingly indomitable trend of decreasing turnout. It seems unlikely that over 50 per cent of the population will be voting for much longer. People are getting bored. Strangely,
a solution to that apathy seems to be intrinsically dull: change the voting system. Our system, first-past-thepost, has always been hugely undemocratic. In my case, I can either vote in my home constituency of Devizes in rural Wiltshire or here in Sheffield Central. Either way, my vote is irrelevant. Nigel Farage will go to a psytrance festival before Devizes votes anything but Conservative or Sheffield Central plumps for anything besides Labour.
“Britain sends election observers to countries with fairer voting systems” This has been the case for decades. Not only is our voting system unfair, but it’s getting less fair by the year. The problem is that our voting
system is an anachronism. During the ‘50s, the heyday of the two party system, 94 per cent of sitting MPs had secured the vote of over 50 per cent of their voting constituents, whereas the figure today is a depressing 32 per cent. This means that, in the vast majority of constituencies, most voted against the incumbent. Britain sends election observers to countries with fairer voting systems. The reason the system no longer works is because the Britain of today is different to the Britain of two generations ago. Food rationing, casual racism and listening to Cliff Richard are all, thankfully, no longer social norms. Britons are now better educated and our political loyalties are more fluid with the result that politics is now a life or death game with all parties in the centre ground bidding for those tiny percentage increases that decide the next five years of governance.
Moving towards a proportional voting system is not a panacea but it does allow the political class to redefine what they consider fair. Our system has the fairness of the primitive hunter-gatherer: I eat what I kill and leave only scraps; I refuse to negotiate with others; my party and I won this election; the State is ours. We shall now feast until the next election. This is no longer our conception of fairness. The world is too complex and the challenges too difficult for one party to claim a monopoly of right by offering an endless stream of populist policies designed to persuade that crucial centreground. Next year is going to be an exciting election. Picking a winner is fiendishly difficult at this stage. The only thing you can predict with some confidence is that less people than ever before will vote for the largest party in Westminster: fewer voters than ever will have picked the ‘winner’.
In order to persuade people that politics is exciting, we have to get boring. The 2011 referendum was not only infected with the tidal wave of anti-Cleggism but also was an alternative in the way that having four quad vods is an alternative to having six.
“Our system has the fairness of the huntergatherer” Neither is particularly ideal. I sincerely hope that whoever wins the 2015 election offers a real alternative and in this way, allows the electorate to be winners again. Talking about voting systems is boring, and for this, I apologise, but I really feel like it’s the only way to get people excited again.
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Neknominations: defending our right to be stupid taste of alcohol and I’m about as laddish as Ed Miliband. But if I ever was to down a pint of Strongbow while running naked through a corridor and lighting fire to my trousers, it would have been as a result of my own choice. It would have been a stupid choice, one I would later regret when I have to explain to an employer why the online evidence of my flaming testicles proves I’m the perfect applicant for an internship at the Guardian. But it would have been a product of my free will none-theless. So all this talk of encouraging people to binge drink and worsening an already alcohol-heavy culture falls flat at the first hurdle. No one is forced to take part. Peer pressure and ‘it’s the fashion’ are not excuses – anything below being put on a rack and being told to chug, and the consequences are your own fault. Students should have a weaker argument than most, for if you’ve proved yourself intellectually capable of dragging yourself through 12 years of education you should have worked out by now that draining a mixture of hops and barley at breakneck speed isn’t going to leave your body in the pristine shape of Jessica Ennis on the eve of the Olympic finals. The fact that students will drink
Aidan Phillips Many great activists have fought for human rights in the past. Martin Luther King fought for universal civil liberties. Gandhi rallied against the British Empire for the right to be free. Every student who has ever done a Neknomination has made a stance for the right to be stupid. Now this isn’t going to be one of those ‘bloody ‘elf n safety, oh look what a nanny state we’ve got’ kind of rants. I’m all for people giving advice on how to survive on a daily basis, especially when it’s chugging alcohol at alarming speeds while simultaneously embarrassing yourself on camera.
“Clamping down on such trends comes across as a little patronising” But when we get to the point of saying such trends need to be clamped down on because they’re endemic of a binge drinking culture, it comes across as a little patronising. Personally, I will never do a Neknomination. I don’t like the
copious amounts of alcohol, whether they’ve seen a YouTube video or not, makes these complaints fall even faster. Brits don’t drink lots because they watched some guy on a screen do it – they do it because they feel incapable of losing their inhibitions while sober. The issues are psychological and sociological, and run far deeper than a 568ml glass.
“The issues are psychological and sociological, and run far deeper than a 568ml glass” If you want to crack down on the damaging social, health and criminal results of binge drinking then focus your attention on upbringing and education. Until then let adults make their own decisions. But still feel free to call them stupid.
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Editorial
Why I reckon student media is the best Hello and welcome to another edition of Forge Press. Hopefully, you all had a relaxing break and exams went without too much of a crisis. I’d like to welcome the new members of our editorial team - I promise you’ll have lots of fun! If you’re thinking about joining Forge Press, whether it be writing, taking photographs, doing artwork or simply pitching ideas, then now could not be a better time as the AGM is coming up soon. As if you needed more persuasion to join Forge Media, check out our story on page 3 of Munya Chawawa (Forge TV’s assistant station manager) who presented on the red carpet at the Brit Awards. He met the likes of Lily Allen, Conor Maynard and Keith Lemon - mega jealous. But national awards are no stranger to Forge Media. Back in November, Forge Radio won the bronze award for Best Student Radio Chart show. While ex-Forge Press editor Alisha Rouse and ex-news editor Jonthathan
Nicola Moors - Forge Press editor
Robinson won student reporter and runner-up respectively at the Guardian student media awards. Although no experience is necessary in order to get involved with student media, the more practice you get, the better for your CV. You hear time and time again of graduates who are unable to get into their chosen fields, and I reckon that student media is an exciting and really easy way of making you stand out from the crowd. It is also that time of year where candidates nominate themselves to be next year’s Students’ Union officers. If you are unsure whether to run, just do it - and of course, Students’ Union council is a neverending barrel of joy (I joke, the biscuits are pretty tasty!). Speaking of Union Council, I just wanted to set the record straight for those of you who read Forge Press’ Union Council live blog - the biscuit-throwing was a friendly gesture, although admittedly another councillor was caught in the crossfire. That’s all folks.
nicola.moors@forgetoday.com
D.A.R.T.S.
Forge Press takes its satirical aim
Impotent MPs of the fortnight http://bzfd.it/1gpR1yI
Headline of the week ‘Sewer blocked by large Pooh’
‘There’s not much that British politicians can do about the floods. That isn’t stopping them having a look’. The floods have pretty much stripped the news of any chance of being interesting or entertaining. Day after day, we are told that politicians are pulling out all the stops to influence the flow of hot water from the Gulf of Mexico. Question Time has been reduced to weather forecasts without the predictive element as politicians lament past precipitation. Luckily, Buzzfeed highlights their impotence with a series of photos of the lesser spotted MP in wellies. Check out Nigel’s waders.
The BBC is not normally known for headlines which appeal to our most childish sense of humour but the most read story in the early part of this week was an exception. Along with the Winnie the Pooh toy, a fax machine, a bike and a snake were found in Scotland’s sewers last year. Chris Wallace was heard channelling his inner Eeyore when he moaned that ‘only poo from the toilet’ should be flushed down drains.
Quote of the fortnight: “I hate the paper. I really do” Lauren Archer, news editor
Putin on the Ritz Never underestimate how addictive it is looking at half-naked autocrats riding a Ritz cracker bareback with a remix of a 1920s popular song in the background. Never.
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COMMENT
Your comments on www.forgetoday.com to:
Your comments on www.forgetoday.com to: Masking-up: a defensive tactic
Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent
Are we really supposed to sympathise with students who not only restrict our learning, but also dress like EDL members? Andrew
None of the examples of protest that you mentioned included violence Dario (at least, not on the part of the protestors themselves). I feel that this article may be slightly misdirected.
The comparison to the EDL is absurd as they are a fascist, racist bunch and those who occupied the arts tower are defending rights to free education and better wages. We live in the most heavily surveilled nation, where protecting one’s identity as an activist is crucial to protecting one’s autonomy as a citizen and student. Machonne ‘Defend’ free education? We don’t have free education! I think if you didn’t have anarchy signs then maybe you wouldn’t feel under such threat to conceal your identity. I don’t know what kind of movement advocates a stateless society and also advocates educational reform - seems a bit counter productive. jej I remember seeing the masked up students on the day and was admittedly slightly taken aback - it’s not every day that you see such a thing at university. I did support the strike, but I didn’t really know what to think of this. But this has gone some extent to convincing me of the reasons behind doing it. If activists are really being victimised in the ways explained above then it is an understandable precaution. Simon I do not see why the disruption to learning, and intimidating appearance are the correct way for these people to get their point across, it strikes me as student activism for the sake of it, rather than the intelligent discourse you say it requires.
KT “Whenever we resort to violence against somebody, and in a context of academia preventing the sharing of ideas is perceived as a form of violence’. I hope this makes it clear that I am not referring to physical violence - I don’t think we’ve seen any instances of that from anybody. Dario Coincidentally, I just finished reading Foundation for the first time last week – great to see you quoting it here. However, in the book Asimov appears to have a much narrower definition of violence than is adopted in this article. (Specifically, his character is arguing disapprovingly against war and/or bloody coups as instruments of politics.) Indeed, Asimov’s characters are glamourised throughout the book for undertaking activities that are disruptive, deceptive, and even downright treacherous – all in the name of a greater political cause in which they believe. Indeed, Asimov’s intent in using this quote as a key plot point, and his definition of violence as use of force, appear to be in stark contrast to the way you use the term here. Brian I agree to a certain extent. In my original version of the article the quote was just referred to, and not even mentioned. Through the editing process, it somehow became the headline. I appreciate that Asimov and I use the sentence in different contexts - fair enough. However, I have made it clear that it is a very specific type of ‘violence’ in a very welldefined context that I am addressing. I definitely wouldn’t want to do a straightforward comparison of a futuristic sci-fi environment and a 2013 UK University setting.
You do not create a right by doing a wrong, and I would suggest forcing the closure of a university building in a widely disliked move to be a severe wrong.
Dario
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Fr i d ay Fe bru ar y 21 2014
Unexplored Sheffield
Although many have studied and worked in Sheffield for quite some time, there are places which remain unknown to most. Vicki Crowe explores the many vintage shops and cafes in the south of the city
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ou probably spend most of your life in the university areas, rushing up Glossop Road to lectures, ambling down West Street to Basement (so sticky) or walking up those great big hills to get to Crookes. You know all about what Eccy Road has to offer, but there are parts of the city which are totally unfamiliar for whatever reasons, be it the fear of the unfamiliar or sheer laziness. Venture a little further south of the main university campus and you will find a whole world of antiques and homely tea shops waiting to be discovered. If you are looking for retro clothes, furniture, crockery and accessories, you will be delighted to explore the Sheffield Antiques Quarter. The Quarter straddles Abbeydale Road, Broadfield Road and parts of London Road and Queens Road. The Medina Mosque, which you can see from the train into Sheffield, towers over this part of the city. It is a hint of the multicultural feel of the areas which are Heeley and Nether Edge. It’s very different from other parts of the city - vintage tables and reclaimed sofas spill out of antiques vaults, right next to Middle Eastern convenience stores and betting shops. Sheffield is not London and this is not Portobello Road, so don’t expect to walk past some Made in Chelsea types. This area is visibly less affluent, but with the antiques, artsy types and cosy cafés mixed in, it is very friendly and welcoming. You can easily walk through the area by foot and explore it in an afternoon. Yet if you wanted to, you could spend entire days here, browsing the endless heaps of old-fashioned stuff and discovering tiny cafés tucked into darkened corners of impressive buildings with Victorian arches and columns. Undoubtedly, there is a village high street feeling in the Antiques Quarter with the Peak District in the distance solidifying that rustic vibe. The Vault on Abbeydale Road, which takes up what seems like hundreds of floors arranged in a haphazard manner, even has a little dog wandering around on the ground floor among paraphernalia covering all eras. Black and white photos of the city are right next to china dolls and reclaimed painted furniture adds a kitsch style to the building. Closeby is another antiques centre - Vintedge. It sells refurbished guitars, reclaimed tables and chairs, Victorian brooches, fur coats - you name it and they probably have it somewhere. As well as the piles of bric-a-brac in the shop, there is also a beer store called Hop selling more varieties of beer than you would have thought existed. To top it all off, there is a lovely place to grab a bite called the Electric Candelight Café. It leads
Photo by Caroly n Cole s o n Flic kr
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into the rest of the antiques centre, while resting comfortably in its own space, with retro tea cups and the obligatory electric candles on each table. The décor is a mix of retro furnishings with 70s style chairs, gerberas dyed blue and red with food colouring and elaborate Victorian sugar bowls. It feels like sitting in a mum’s living room, very homely and friendly. The prices are extremely reasonable, the tea is tasty, the setting is beautiful and the brownies have a gold leaf on top. The café is so in keeping with the retro feel that getting out a smart phone to take a picture of the royal brownie to upload to Instagram would be totally out of place. Even the till is an antique cash register that cha-chings when you get your change. Giving the customers everything under one roof, a mix of m emorabilia to browse through and a home cooked meal, seems to be really popular in this area. If discovering great food is more your thing than looking through antiques, the Quarter is peppered with coffee shops, bakeries and specialty shops. There are no Starbucks or Costas. Most businesses here are independent, run by couples, families, friends or neighbour collectives. There are many more places to grab a bite or a drink each as quirky as the next – you will be spoilt for choice. The Rude Shipyard is the type of place that holds anti-Valentine’s festivals “to poke a bit of fun at the commercial beast”, as they put themselves. It is a bookshop come café selling chocolate Guinness cake, as well as savoury mains, and a wide range of teas and coffees all with free access to wi-fi; basically student heaven. Okeh Café is in keeping with the 60s retro style, complete with its own jukebox and Grease style decor. But if you’re more of a pie and pint type of person, the Broadfield Ale House, which is next to the Electric Candlight Café, serves hand pressed pies and gives students a real taste of a proper Yorkshire pub. There is also the Forge Bakehouse selling artisan bread and pastries which they display in their window, and Filthy Gorgeous, which sells organic fruit, vegetables and wine. Sheffield has a lot more to offer than what is available on West Street and Division Street and you shouldn’t be afraid to stray from the familiar to explore the city fully. The Antiques Quarter must be the place you visit before you leave. Even if you are not into antiques or vintage clothing, it’s a very different part of the city and it offers a perspective of Sheffield that many have not experienced and might find refreshing. So one day when you are lying around on the sofa watching Homes Under the Hammer, why not use that time to stray outside and take in a part of the city which is both unique and wonderful. Maybe you could even score that cute vintage bedside table for a tenner and make your room stand out from the dozens furnished with pressed-sawdust IKEA pieces.
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Chris Watson “The main difficulty is that animals don’t always
Words: Ina Fischer Photo: Jo Stevens
D
avid Attenborough is a household name in Britain, with young and old equally enjoying his wildlife documentaries such as Frozen Planet. But part of the success of these films is owed to a man who has largely stayed out of the spotlight. Sheffield-born Chris Watson has worked on many projects with Attenborough, capturing the mesmerising soundscape that accompanies images of spectacular sceneries and fascinating flora and fauna. Watson started experimenting with sound recording as a young boy. Armed with an ordinary tape recorder, he would go out into woodlands near his family home in Totley to record bird songs. Since then, his work has taken him around the world. For the production of Frozen Planet, he travelled to both the North and South Pole. “It was a particularly memorable moment, being at either end of the planet and listening to how things sounded from there,” he recalls. Over 30 years later, the BAFTA Award winner returned to his hometown for a special project.
Inside the Circle of Fire
Commissioned by the Millenium Galleries, he produced a sound installation that maps the sounds of Sheffield: Inside the Circle of Fire. Watson used waterways to guide the acoustic journey, which starts off in the heather moorland. Returning to that same place where he made his first recordings as a teenager was a sentimental experience for Watson: “The birds are still there, the wildlife is still there. Unlike a lot of other places, it hasn’t been polluted by noise from other environments. I’m really grateful for that.” Although Watson allowed his roots to inspire him, he emphasises that the project is not a nostalgic one.
“I had this idea of the sounds I remembered, and was quite keen to rediscover them for the 21st century. To make a piece that was contemporary to Sheffield now in 2013.” Because Watson hasn’t lived in South Yorkshire for over 30 years, he put a call out for current residents to record the sounds of ‘their’ Sheffield. All submissions were used in the installation, including the chant of a Buddhist choir. “I think one of the reasons it’s been so successful is that everyone can hear something they’re familiar with and that they can identify with, and it helps them engage with the sounds of their city,” Watson says about the finished product. The sound journey terminates in the bustling city centre - or below it, to be precise. Located underneath the train station, the Megatron is an old flood relief system which has attracted many urban explorers over the years. They come wearing waders and carrying expensive photography equipment to capture the eerie atmosphere of this underground cave. Watson is one of the first who came for the sound. He says it’s a fantastic place to record because of the vaulted ceiling, which gives it a beautiful, cathedral-like acoustic: “When you’re standing down there you can hear the thunderous rhythms of trains overhead going down to London, and the sort of muffled announcements. You get these amazing subterranean atmosphere acoustics.” Watson doesn’t distinguish between noise and music. All sounds are music in some way, he says. Cabaret Voltaire springs to mind, a new wave group that Watson was involved with as a keyboard player in the 70s. Their experimental electronic music explored a sound that many people might dismiss as ‘noise’ at first listen. Similarly, Watson’s Sheffield soundscape includes audio recordings that one has to really ‘listen to’, and not just hear, in order to appreciate them.
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“The waterwheels, steam engines and forge masters, and even the central station… They’re very varied and rhythmic and inherit musicality in much of the industrial and built environment, just as much as in the natural world,” he muses. Typically, Watson’s work focuses less on machinery and more on nature, which he says is a lot more challenging. Fortunately, equipment is very reliable these days. “The main difficulty is that animals don’t always read the script,” he chuckles. But that is the beauty of working with nature, according to Watson. Sometimes, unexpected things happen and yield surprisingly good results.
Working in nature
To Watson, the most important thing about working in tropical places like Africa and South America is treating the environment and animals there with respect. The self-confessed animal lover has rarely encountered a really dangerous situation because he mostly works with wardens or scientists: “You do have to be careful. But I just do as I’m told and listen to them.” And listening is certainly something he’s an expert at. For Watson, the ability to listen carefully is something anyone can learn. It’s a case of making the choice to tune into a particular sound or environment. “The difficulty is that most of our lives we are plagued by noise pollution, so we tend to shut out sounds. We use our ears and brain to do that which takes up a lot of processing power,” he says. Instead, Watson tries to put his often very tiny microphones in places where they will pick up only those particular sounds he wants to hear. “Then listening becomes a creative activity, rather than something that is negative and should be filtered out,” he explains. In order to get the sounds he is looking for, Chris often spends many months recording in the same environment. How does he entertain himself while he’s
FO R GE PRESS Fr i d ay Feb ruar y 21 2014
n read the script” waiting around somewhere – potentially for hours? “I don’t need to. It’s not productive to detach yourself from that environment. I sometimes close my eyes, and I get myself in a position where I’m relatively comfortable. I don’t regard it as an activity that requires patience, or distraction. “In fact that’s quite dangerous. As soon as you’re distracted, you miss something.”
Journeys
For someone who has travelled to the remotest corners of the earth in search of fascinating animal and plant life, choosing a favourite location for recording could seem daunting. But not for Watson, who replies instantaneously: “Iceland.” The land of ice and fire is a mere two-hour plane journey away from the United Kingdom, and Chris speaks enthusiastically about what a unique place it is. “It’s so rich and dynamic and varied from spring to winter. I love it.” Chris Watson’s recordings, whether they are used in sound installations, documentaries or radio shows, always take the listener on a journey. Sometimes they take us to colourful, faraway countries that we’ve never seen or even heard of before. Others lead us on an exploration through environments we thought we knew, but never took the time to discover properly. It says a lot then, that Watson, when asked about his favourite sounds, chooses two that aren’t reminiscent of his extensive travels. They lead back to his home in Newcastle and his family: “One of my favourite animal sounds is a blackbird that actually sings in my garden in Newcastle,” he says. “I’ve got a very personal favourite sound as well, a recording of my children laughing. I use it as an alarm clock on my phone, so when I’m away I can hear my kids laughing, and sort of wake up to it, which is really nice.”
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Who cares? Young people in care are more likely to go to prison than university. Elsa Vulliamy asks why
I
n recent years, attending university has gone from being an upper-class privilege to a step that the majority of young people are encouraged to consider. Having a degree is now a requirement for the majority of secure, well paid jobs. According to a 2010 study by the Complete University Guide the average graduate earns a staggering 85 per cent more than a non-graduate in their lifetime. Unfortunately, for young people in care, the likelihood of going to prison is greater than that of going into any kind of higher education. Government studies show that only six per cent of the 91,000 young people in care will attend university, compared to the 7.9 per cent who will be convicted of a
I was never encouraged into higher education
crime. As a result, care leavers make up 47 per cent of the prison population, and only one per cent of the people going to university in the UK. This has an adverse effect: one third of care leavers will be unemployed and out of education or training at any given time. There is no way that these statistics could be down to the individual young people, so there must be a systematic process which is responsible. The problem starts early; almost half of young people in care leave school without qualifications, including GCSEs. This is the result of a combination of factors. A difficult home life can seriously affect attendance, behaviour and concentration. Children in care are also more prone to suffer from low self-esteem and mental health problems, this can result in them lacking ambition and
motivation. Another issue is that children in care will receive less encouragement and advice than those living with their families. Young people need encouragement and guidance if they are to set high goals for themselves, sadly this is not always available in care. Not only will they not have the same encouragement as others, but children in care may receive the wrong advice about their studies. As University of Sheffield student Luqman Samiruddin says “I was never really encouraged into higher education. Instead, there was always an environment and expectation of me to follow a vocational career path... I was always told of the benefits of a BTEC course to study in college and how they are equivalent to A levels, which they are most definitely not.” As a result of this, Luqman had to take a foundation year at university. Without receiving the right advice that many of us take for granted, he was unable to enter university at entry level because he had BTEC qualifications instead of A-levels. He says “I think a lack support and misleading information was the main obstacle for me.” The other obvious problem is the financial aspect. Without having the security of a family who are able and willing to provide financial support, keeping up with living costs can be a challenge. As well as this, when they leave university care leavers cannot rely on having a secure home to go to which will provide the funds they need before they can get a job. By the time they graduate, they will be too old for foster care. Graduating with a steep student debt and potentially no immediate source of income or support can be extremely daunting without a family to support you until you get on your feet. It is not surprising that many people opt for the safer option of searching for immediate employment, hence the fact that many young people in care choose vocational qualifications over A-levels. Thankfully, care leavers are not completely without support. The charity Buttle UK, which aims to help vulnerable children and young people, have established the Quality Mark for Care Leavers. It is awarded to universities that show commitment to supporting young people in care access higher education. The University of Sheffield was awarded the Quality Mark in 2007. Young people
leaving care are entitled to a first year fee waiver of up to £9,000, a university bursary of £1600 and an additional care leaver bursary of £1000. This can help to reduce student debt, and eliminate money worries while the student settles in to university life. “Without the financial help,” says Luqman “It would be impossible for me to fund my studies as I am estranged from my parents.” The University also has two designated care leaver contacts who are there to provide support for care leavers attending the university. For these young people to truly have equal access to opportunity, the government need to make big changes in how they manage those in care, both when they are young and in school and when they reach university or employment age. The amount of people going to university is, overall, on the rise. Having a degree is expected when applying for the majority of secure jobs. If care leavers are unable to keep up with the general population when it comes to higher education it could severely disadvantage them for the rest of their lives. Although government policies have a long way to go, many universities are doing what they can to provide both financial and emotional support for care leavers. Hopefully this support will become more available in the future as Buttle UK encourages universities to commit to the cause.
Six per cent of the
91,000
young people in care will attend university
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Image: Cranium Fitteds
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Moor Market Enjoy fresh value everyday from our bakers and butchers, organic local produce and artisan food. Taste authentic dishes from around the world, Jamaica to Russia, China to Thailand and back to the UK. Look out for the Student Discount signs displayed on many stalls, bring your NUS card when you visit.
Open Mon-Sat 8.30am-5.30pm Facebook/moormarket @sheffieldmkts 0114 273 5281 www.sheffield.gov.uk/markets Sheffield City Council • This poster is printed on paper from a sustainable source
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LIFESTYLE&TRAVEL
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WHAT NOT TO MISS THIS FORTNIGHT by Rosie Carter-Rich
draiser the park fun in e ac Pe e Th
Photographi c Society E xhibition
Friday February 21, Riverside Live S3 8EN. Tickets: £4/£6 otd
Exhibition ends Sunday February 21, Showroom Cinema. Entrance: free
Peace in the Park is a festival that takes place in Ponderosa that celebrates Sheffield through art, music and the spoken word. The whole event is run by a not for profit collective. Even better, the festival is completely free. It had to be cancelled last year due to a lack of funding, but organisers are determined to bring it back this year through hosting a fundraiser at the Riverside Live on Mowbray Street. Artists include the Renegade Brass Band, Balkan Bandits and acoustic blues act Carl ‘On fire’ Watkins.
This year Sheffield photographic society is celebrating its 150th birthday with a fantastic collection at the Showroom cinema. Catch the end of the exhibition that showcases over 200 winning and selected photographic print images. All photographs were taken by society members, the likes of which include professional, semiprofessional and talented enthusiasts. With skilled photographers such as the emerging Stephen Elliott attending to discuss their work with visitors, this year looks to be a great celebration of Sheffield’s photography community.
Last laugh com edy club
Saturday March 1, 9pm at Sheffield City Hall. Tickets: £10 students Presenting: Toby Foster, Radio Sheffield’s resident comedian who you may recognise as Les from Peter Kay’s Phoenix Night; Mike Bubbins who has recently supported Rhod Gilbert on his sold-out national tour; Paul Pirie who was runner-up in the Scottish Comedian of the Year; and Dave Fulton who has been said to get the audience ‘laughing whether we want to or not’. It is a great line-up and cheaper than your average club night with a student ticket. Well worth a visit.
Fashion
Lifestyle loves
by Ellie McCaldin
blic Speaking Women’s Week: Pu
Monday March 3, 4pm-6pm. Venue: TBC Saturday March 8 is International Women’s Day, so why not honour it by taking part in some of the events put on by the women’s committee in the week leading up to the day. If public speaking is your worst nightmare then this could be the event for you. Sheffield debating society is running a special session for self-identifying women who want to improve their public speaking and debate skills. The session will be led by Kitty Parker Brooks, World Universities Debating Championship 2014 Finalist and Winner of the English Mace 2013.
Sport
Top four: Sochi protest campaigns by Mollie Carberry
With the Winter Olympics being held in Sochi this year, Russia’s anti-gay laws have suddenly been catapulted to the forefront of everyone’s minds, causing many major organisations to put their power to good use and pull some brilliant gay rights campaigns out of the bag.
Gay Mountain If only one anti-Putin ad has caught your attention this month, it will most likely have been this one. Set to the tune of the Russian national anthem, the Channel 4 advert shows drag queens, camp men and a Putin look-a-like singing and dancing, rife with glitter and sparkles. Brightly coloured and firmly tongue-in-cheek, Gay Mountain is an upbeat and optimistic way of conveying support for the LGBT community involved in the Winter Olympics. The advert however, has not been short of criticism. Branded too stereotypical and relying heavily on offensive clichés, many viewers have voiced their disgust, stating that it is vulgar and derogatory. However, isn’t that very reliance on camp stereotypes exactly what Channel 4 was trying to convey to mock Putin’s close-minded and old-fashioned perception of homosexual men and women? Either way, the ad has certainly got people talking, so if the aim was to cause a stir then it couldn’t have been more successful.
Google In direct contrast to the previous flamboyant display of Channel 4, Google’s contribution to the cause is slick and concise. The logo shows six sportsmen and women against a rainbow backdrop, with an apt section of the Olympic charter underneath stating: “The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind.” The message is clear yet subtle, and though it perhaps isn’t as daring as Channel 4’s offering, Google’s stance is equally poignant.
BrewDog’s protest beer Scottish brewery BrewDog are no strangers to controversy, having previously experimented with packaging their beer in roadkill bought from a taxidermist. Their involvement in the anti-discrimination campaign is one of the most hilarious and imaginative; the protest beer is titled ‘Hello my name is Vladimir’, and is covered in neon, Warhol-esque pictures of Putin wearing make-up. The description reads: “I am 100 per cent hetero and will pass laws to prove it. Drinking me gives you energy, ignorance and dogmatism required to shoot a deer (with your top off) and pass internationally denounced, discriminatory legislation (top optional) before you've even had your caviar breakfast." BrewDog even sent a crate to the Kremlin, but, unsurprisingly, heard nothing back. NUS ‘Sports Gay’ The National Union of Students also chipped in with their offering to the cause, with a sweet and thoughtful protest. Taking place last week outside the Russian Embassy in London, the NUS called for as many people as possible to come along dressed in brightly coloured sportswear, as sparkly and cheerful-looking as possible, to indulge in some traditional PE class games and sports reminiscent of a school sports day. The protest was understated and all-inclusive, and although it was perhaps less publicised than the other more controversial campaigns, it was arguably the most effective at promoting unity and equality. It didn’t rely on mockery or a big budget campaign to convey its message; it was simply a fun afternoon of games and activities, and emulated the team spirit of the Olympic Games perfectly. Images: Channel 4 and brewdog.com
This week at Lifestyle we are loving the latest offerings from lavishalice. com. Perhaps not as well known as online giants Asos or Boohoo, Lavish Alice’s strength lies in its reliance on quality over quantity. It is perfect for those tired of searching through websites with endless options but not many statement items. Particular highlights are the excellent selection of pastel and collared pieces. Other favourites included a gorgeous cream structured floral playsuit for £42 and a green tartan skater pinafore dress for £16. The sales are also decent, with this amazing velvet green playsuit currently reduced from £38 to £22. The only issue we found with this website is that the returns process is fairly stressful . All unwanted products must be sent back within 10 days and the website will only agree to pay shipping costs if there is a fault with the item. Make sure you check the size guides to avoid having to send items back.
Image: lavishalice.com
Lifestyle’s cheap eat
Goat’s cheese and vegetable risotto by Sarah Jepson Cost: approx. £2.00
A risotto is the simplest way to use up any odd veg that may be hanging around in your fridge. This recipe uses minimal ingredients but still achieves maximum flavour, with the addition of the goat’s cheese to enhance the creamy texture of an original risotto. Ingredients Arborio risotto rice (around 100g per person) 1 red onion 1 green pepper 300ml vegetable stock ½ goat’s cheese log Olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Rocket/spinach to garnish Method 1. Roughly chop the red onion and green pepper.
2. Heat a splash of olive oil in a deep pan. Fry off the onion on a medium heat until it slightly browns, add the pepper and fry for a further 2 minutes. 3. Add the rice, dry fry for 1 minute stirring continuously to ensure it doesn’t catch on the pan and burn. Then, pour enough stock to cover the contents of your pan and turn up the heat slightly. 4. Add the stock part by part and stir, each time waiting for the rice to absorb the water until the rice has swelled and lost its bite. This should take 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, the consistency of the risotto will have gradually become creamier.
5. Taking the pan off the heat, stir in the goat’s cheese until it melts through. Serve with a garnish of rocket or spinach. Image: Sarah Jepson
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LIFESTYLE&TRAVEL
Chicago: Summer in the second city
Travel
by Emma Obank
When you think about a getaway trip to the United States there are probably a few destinations that spring to mind: New York, Hawaii, Las Vegas. Well, instead of partying it up with Paris in Beverley Hills, I decided to spend my summer learning improvised comedy and sketch writing in Chicago.
I signed up to take a two-week intensive immersion class at the Second City; a training centre that honed the crafts of Tina Fey, Steve Carrell, Amy Poehler, Mike Myers and pretty much any other comedian that you’ve seen in an American sit com over the past decade. The Second City is the go-to place for big-shot producers to pick up new talenteven Saturday Night Live head honcho Lorne Michaels visited during my stay. Although tiring, learning at the Second City was the best experience I’ve ever had. Being taught in the same classrooms as some of my comedy idols and getting to watch their private archived materials was incredible.
In the morning I would spend three hours prancing about and improvising scenes
with my classmates. We’d then break for lunch and grab a burrito downstairs. I found the afternoon classes the most daunting as I had three hours of sketch writing. We’d each have to perform our sketches that we’d written the evening before. Some of mine were a hoot, but others completely flopped as I had to write to strict themes. For example, one day I had to write a ‘fish out of water’ sketch which completely baffled me. I therefore wrote a last minute scene about a man who had been reincarnated as a grain of grass. I know. Awful.
As I was at school everyday from 10am5pm I felt as if I had been born and bred in the Windy City. Naturally, as a student, having to pay tuition fees for the course, I was a bit strapped for cash. It was only after my time at the Second City that I realised I could have applied for a scholarship. I therefore went for the cheapest option when it came to choosing accommodation: the Hi-Hostel located at the heart of The Loop. Admittedly, after a fairly turbulent flight (where the man next to me collapsed), I wasn’t really feeling the whole musty vibe that this hostel had to offer. However it was in a
Fashion
great location with the Millennium Park, Magnificent Mile and Willis Tower all just a stone’s throw away.
After a couple of sleepless nights in the hostel, I was fairly agitated to learn that some of my friends were living the highlife over the road at the University Center. They had rented dorm rooms from Cornell University for the same price I was paying to slum it in an eight-person dorm.
Fortunately for my stomach and I, the Taste of Chicago festival happened to be on in Millennium Park during my stay. This outdoor event has lots of different stalls showcasing the best grub in the city. With each coupon valuing 50 cents I decided to buy 30. I think I initially underestimated just how much food that would buy me. I was stuffed. Throughout the day I devoured peach cobbler, nachos, lime chicken tacos and a hot dog served Chicago style: without the sauce! Any trip to America isn’t complete without going for Sunday brunch. I don’t recall the name of the bar I went to but I remember it being somewhere off the
beaten track. I had waffles and mimosas. We stayed there for the whole day. I felt like I was in an episode of Cheers as the barman made small talk with us whilst wiping down the bar. He was enthralled by our English accent, and for every drink we bought he gave us another one for free! Chicago is the heart of comedy, so one thing you must do is go and see a show. The three best theatres are the Improv Olympic, the Annoyance and, of course, the Second City. You also need to go and take a selfie by a stainless steel structure in Millennium Park called The Bean that reflects the Chicagoan skyline. As for my Chicago bucket list, there was one thing I didn’t get to do: order a hot dog from the Weiner Circle. This hot dog stand isn’t renowned for it’s culinary excellence. It is famous for the abuse that its servers hurl at their customers. There is a bit of an urban myth that if you order a chocolate milkshake and tip $20, by decree the servers have to flash you. Perhaps I’ll give it a try next time I’m there.
Concourse Couture by Niki Kesharaju
Emily Ballard First year, Psychology Wearing: coat from Urban Outfitters, jumper from her Dad, boots from New Look, Satchel from LYDC
Jack Johnson Fourth year, History and French Wearing: scarf from Urban Outfitters, coat from Barbour, jeans from Topman, boots from Clarks
Liz Sheldon Fourth year, French Studies Wearing: coat from Freshman’s Vintage Clothing, boots from Office, bag from New Look
Sam Peacock First year Maths and Philosophy Wearing: coat from a vintage shop,trousers from Topman, beanie from Milletts
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LIFESTYLE&TRAVEL Gerda Taro
by Isabel Dobinson
She may not have been a Nobel prizewinner or a former Queen of England but there is no doubt that Gerda Taro, the first female war photographer to die on the front lines deserves a place among the world’s most inspirational women. Taro risked her life documenting the heart of the Spanish Civil War, the conflict which ruthlessly divided the country from 1936-1939. Whether it was photographing family life in Barcelona, the ruined childhood of Spain’s youth or the action on the front line, Taro captured the brutal reality of modern warfare on film for the world to see and preserve, and tragically died while doing so. Now, 70 years after her death, Taro has emerged as “the forgotten photojournalist killed in action.” She has finally gained the international recognition she deserves, as one of the world’s first female war photographers and inspirational women of the 20th century.
Beyoncé
@forgelifestyle /forgelifestyle lifestyle@forgetoday.com
by Julia Anduiza
Beyoncé’s songs expose the societal pressures women face today; her music inspires me to strive for independence and success without following the traditional paths women are expected to stick to. Her record-breaking self-titled album of 2013, and sold out world tour reaffirm her dominance in the music industry. The lyrical promotion of feminism and empowering beats make Beyoncé a modern and accessible role model. As Beyoncé dropped her visual album, a precedent was created, encouraging fellow artists to follow in her footsteps in the new year.
Malala Yousafzai
by Beth Cunningham
In the Swat Valley in northern Pakistan, 11-year-old Malala Yousafzai found herself at the centre of Taliban efforts to ban girls from attending school. She began writing for BBC Urdu, documenting life under Taliban rule and her views on promoting women’s education. As years passed, she became well known in the debate surrounding girls’ rights to education. In 2012, the Taliban attempted to silence her with bullets. They failed. Malala raised her voice even louder, speaking with the United Nations and world leaders, and founding a campaign to ensure every girl has access to learning. At just 16 years old, Malala brings issues of gender and education into the spotlight, recognising their power in the fight against poverty, bigotry and discrimination.
Caitlin Moran by Rae Delanie Passfield Caitlin Moran is a brilliant writer. Whether it’s her columns, tweets or books, her comments are always hilarious. She’s fearless and frank, a modern feminist, with big hair and quick wit. Despite her working class background – eldest of eight, she was raised and home-schooled in a three bedroom council house – Caitlin became a published writer when she was just 15 years old. She has since gone on to receive awards for both her book How To Be A Woman and her weekly columns for the Times. Caitlin ended 2013 with the pilot of her semi-autobiographical sitcom, Raised By Wolves, and plans to publish another novel and tour the country in the year ahead. You go girl. Image: deviantartWorryStoneKey
Tina Fey
Image: pt.wikipedia.org
International Women’s Day 2014 To celebrate women’s day on March 8 we asked you to send in your stories of your female role-models. To see the full list of our inspirational ladies log onto www.forgetoday.com
Warsan Shire
by Mollie Carberry
For me, Kenyan born Somali poet Warsan Shire, the current Young Poet Laureate of London, is an inspirational woman. At the age of just 26 she has already published a poetry collection titled ‘Teaching My Mother How To Give Birth’, had her poems featured in Poetry Review, Magma, Wasafiri and the Salt Book of Younger Poets, and won the Brunel University’s renowned African Poetry Prize. However, all of the aforementioned accolades are not the reason for her inspirational quality. Her poems are beautifully written, rife with stunning images of her African roots and pieced together with fragmented memories. Her ability to paint a picture so vivid and raw it almost feels as though you have been there yourself is what makes her inspirational. Her world-weary wisdom feels as though it transcends her 26 years, and I can only hope that in six years’ time I can write half as well as she can.
Natasha Devon by Emma Obank
In 2004, a movie about teen clique culture hit the big screen. This film would have audiences reciting classic quotes such as “if you’re from Africa…why are you white?” for the next 10 years. Yes, Tina Fey is indeed the genius behind Mean Girls and she is also the creator of the multi award-winning sitcom 30 Rock. As the first female head writer of Saturday Night Live, Tina is the woman who inspired me to enter into the boy’s club that is comedy. She’s already kicked off 2014 by hosting the Golden Globes and, with her production company churning out countless scripts, we’re likely to see a new sitcom or two with her name on them airing this year.
by Katherine Hockley
Natasha Devon is the face of the educational side of the organisation Body Gossip. She runs workshops at schools aiming to help teenagers understand why they should love their bodies, regardless of its shape or size. She is also a journalist and often appears on This Morning to talk some sense into the idiots of the world. Natasha is inspirational because she’s spreading her positive message across mediums that teenagers will actually come across and is probably the first feminist many of them will encounter. She’s both accessible and likeable, and it’s people like her that will be directly responsible for younger girls investing in some good old fashioned girl power.
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LIFESTYLE&TRAVEL
Spotlight on: TNB Indie Arcade By Caitlin James Dust off your mother’s old Levi jeans, grab your childhood Mary Janes and head straight for TNB Indie Arcade. Sheffield’s own time capsule is hidden in the quirky area of Kelham Island, in the Nichols Building, only a 10 minute walk from the IC. Put down that dull Topshop fur coat you’ll no doubt awkwardly see someone else wearing the next day. Go clothe yourself in history. TNB Indie Arcade has made the old become the new. TNB houses rack after rack of authentic and immaculate vintage gear. Their collection ranges from military trench coats, jersey shift dresses and embellished evening gowns of the 1940s to puffball and ra-ra skirts, oversized shirt dresses and vivid tartan, stripes and dogtooth of the 1980s. Not to mention classic pieces such as psychedelic A-line shifts, matching PVC numbers and sparkly space age looks from the 1960s. For all you first-hand lovers, TNB also
offers a selection of contemporary custom made designs such as Mrs Prestige and The Seam, which use vintage patterns and fabrics. These tick all the retro boxes but without the trademark old-perfume scent only genuine vintage musters. TNB have many diverse traders that sell uniquely designed items. These include Tea Wear jewellery, who craft unique pieces from Sheffield steel cutlery, As Cute as a Button, who supply the most idyllic jewellery, cards and frames often using scrabble pieces and Twiggeez who make eco-friendly recycled jewellery and accessories But it doesn’t just stop there. TNB Indie Arcade has a wide selection of pristine furniture, hard to find when looking for genuine vintage. A lot of the furniture is upcycled including brands such as Nanny B & Grumpy, TweAk and U-Shade-PVC Ltd and Geoff Lane from Luxury Lanes, so that means no wear and tear and unwanted injuries to your new furnishings but still keeping that retro charm. With TNB, vintage has never looked so fresh. You’ll find a range of items from mirrored dressers, cocktail cabinets, rare sets of drawers and wardrobes worthy of Narnia, from the most popular brands such as Ercol and G-Plan. Not to mention the grand piano at the entrance of the store, yet there’s still more. I advise you to forget those worn out record shops; TNB has a wide selection of vinyl from the 1950s onwards. Throughout the store individual traders set their own prices depending on the item, however you’ll find some real bargains for quality rare antiques or handmade items in comparison to the city centre.
Open since July 1 last year, Matt Abbott and Gillian Wilson have admirably and successfully provided a platform for Sheffield’s independent artists and businesses to unite in their celebration of vintage. The store caters for everyone, recently introducing their very own Man Cave, which is full of oversized grandad knits and retro tan brogues. There’s even an old-fashioned poker set. This place is so trendy it definitely deserves a stamp of approval… or maybe a tattoo of approval? With their very own Little Pink Ink tattoo studio run by Tracy White in a 1970s foldout caravan, TNB could become timeless with a story to tell the grandkids. With a diverse range of traders, the possibilities for what you might find (isn’t rummaging through the best part?) in TNB Indie Arcade are endless. Supplying wonderfully bizarre items, from a pair of retro quad roller skates, an old casino slot machine to a duck shaped vinyl clock. I can tell you this for certain; you’ll be spoilt for choice.
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COFFEE BREAK TWEETS OF THE FORTNIGHT
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When coming back to Sheffield, most of us would have preferred to return to this snowy scene. Instead we’ve been greeted with gale force winds and rain that wouldn’t be out of place in the tale of Noah’s Ark. Not the warmest of welcomes. This picture, taken by Kaz Scattergood (see Fuse for more of her work), reminds us exactly what we’re missing.
Photograph of the fortnight: Weston Park in the snow
Photo: Kaz Scattergood
I Just Can’t Stop Loving You A group of five Michael Jackson fans have been awarded damages for “emotional suffering” they experienced after the pop star’s death. A court in the French city of Orléans saw the unusual case of 34 fans suing Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray - jailed for two years for Jackson’s involuntary manslaughter - for the emotional distress they claimed to have endured. Five of the fans were ruled to have proven emotional suffering. The fans, part of the ‘notoriously fanatical’ Michael Jackson Community, provided medical reports and emotionallycharged witness statements to support their claims against Murray. Although they were successful in their case, the damages they were awarded came to just €1
(83p) each, and the fans will not be attempting to claim them from Murray. Although the damages are symbolic only, this ruling may have paved the way for more cases of this kind to be filed across Europe. “As far as I know this is the first time in the world that the notion of emotional damage in connection with a pop star has been recognised,” said Emmanuel Ludot, the claimants’ lawyer. “They have been subjected to ridicule and I am delighted their suffering has been taken seriously by the law.” Mr Ludot added that the victory had been hard fought considering the amusement that the case had seemed to cause both the court and the French media. “I respected the suffering of the plaintiffs, but the process wasn’t easy because of all the sniggering.”
Word of the fortnight Psithurism, noun: 1.The whispering of wind through the trees. 2. Leaves rustling in the breeze.
...
now k u o y id
D
The Anglo Saxons called February ‘Sol-monath’ (cakemonth), because cakes were offered to the gods during that month. February was also known to the Saxons as ‘sprout-kale’ from the sprouting of cabbage or kale.
January and February were the last two months to be added to the Roman calendar, since the Romans originally considered winter a monthless period that did not deserve to be named.
Bringing home the bacon A pig is a man’s new best friend - or at least, man’s new surfing buddy. Kama the surfing piglet has made big waves in Hawaii with his newfound skill. The piglet’s talent was unearthed when he accidentally fell into the pool in the back garden and his owners discovered he could swim: it was a natural progression to bring him along to the beach and try him on a paddle board. “I think he enjoys it. It seems like he’s having a good time when he’s out there. I think it makes him happy.” said Kai Holt, the lucky owner of one surfing pig extraordinaire. “You know surfing is Hawaii’s gift to the world. It’s like true happiness, you know, that’s what this guy does. Everywhere he goes he just makes people smile and laugh. He just brings joy to the world.” Kama was named for the trickster god Kamapua’a, a hogman superhuman in Hawaiian mythology. The superhuman or should we say superpig - part certainly seems to have come true. Surprisingly, Kama is not
the first pig to catch the waves. New Zealand piglet Zorro was also filmed last year planting his adorable little hooves on a surfboard. But he can only stay on for a few seconds before losing his balance and tumbling off into the shallows, and he gets a bit scared of bigger waves. Not at the level of professional piggie Kama quite yet. If you’re reading this article and are full of concerns about pig welfare - worry not. Holt and Kama have become so inseparable that they even sleep in the same bed at night.
Kama’s loving owners have even promised that he will never see the inside of an imu (a Hawaiian underground oven). Roast pork won’t be on the menu any time soon. Check out Kama’s Instagram account for more pictures of a ridiculously cute piglet on a surfboard at: http://www.instagram.com/ kamapighi
Photo: WAFB
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@FPCoffeeBreak
COFFEE BREAK
/forgepresscoffeebreak
Puzzle Page: sudoku Medium
Easy 5 2
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Quotes of the fortnight
“
The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.
”
Amelia Earhart
“
I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.
Michael Jordan
”
dingbats
Dingbats are visual word puzzles from which you must identify a well-known phrase or saying. 1. Across:
Down:
1. February’s birthstone (8) 5. Useless bits of printed material (informal) (4) 8. May’s birthstone (7) 9. 200th anniversary (of an event) (12) 11. Send someone away as an official punishment (6) 12. January’s birthstone (6) 15. Theological movement named for its understanding of God as one person (12) 17. Immediately relevant to current events (7) 18. July’s birthstone (4) 19. Person or institution to whom money or services are owed (8)
1. Assist a criminal (4) 2. Blissful (7) 3. Circumstance happening by chance (12) 4. Protective covering for a blade (6) 6. The quality of faithfulness (8) 7. Reborn in a new body after death (12) 10. Kidnapper (8) 13. Newly developed, displaying signs of future potential (7) 14. In media, material existing outside the story arc in order to pad out a series (6) 16. Impoverished (4)
2.
Find the answers to this fortnight’s puzzles online at: www.forgetoday.com/category/coffee-break
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Matchdebating
Is Peyton Manning the greatest quarterback of all time?
His stats speak for themselves
Montana’s magic leaves Manning behind
Rob Milne
Anthony Phillips
Before Super Bowl XLVIII all the talk in the NFL was of Peyton Manning as the greatest quarterback in the history of the game and despite the gruelling loss, this should not change. Of course names like Joe Montana, Tom Brady and Troy Aikman connote success in the biggest game on the American sport calendar but the number of times you lift the Lombardi Trophy does not always signify an ‘elite’ or ‘great’ quarterback. Look at Peyton’s brother Eli Manning; he has managed to win two Super Bowls but is viewed as a poor quarterback, if we are basing greatness on championship wins then even Eli’s name should be thrown in the hat. That’s not to say that Peyton Manning has been unsuccessful in the playoffs and the big game. He has taken two teams to the play-offs, both to the Super Bowl, played in three of them and grabbed himself one championship ring for the Indianapolis Colts in 2009. Manning has always been a team leader, a man who runs his offense from the line and could probably achieve it without any coach-led plays. He is brilliant in the no-huddle offense and better than any player in his position in history. His true success comes in the regular season. It cannot be denied that he has the best stats of all time and last season was the leader of the Broncos record setting offense. Yes, it is a team game, but an average quarterback
would not have broken all the records Manning did in 2013. The Manning-led offense holds the record for most touchdowns, most passing first downs, most passing yards, most 50+ point games and Manning passed for over 400 yards four times in the 16 regular season games. His stats secure his legacy and put him as the greatest of
the perfect quarterback. Unmatchable in my view across history, after all, the stats speak for themselves.
Following the conclusion of the 201314 NFL season in which Peyton Manning set single season quarterback records in the number of passing yards (5477) and touchdowns (55), there were some calls by analysts and former players that he was the greatest player in the history of football. The ‘greatest player of all time’ debate is contentious and although Manning deserves to be in the conversation, he cannot be regarded as the greatest of all time. The problem with Manning lies with his post-season play. Although he has assembled an outstanding record in the regular season, his post-season record should be better considering the type of player he is. Manning holds an 11-12 losing record in the play-offs, and with three Super Bowl appearances and only one victory, questions of his legacy are undoubtedly raised in comparison to his rivals. Indeed, his play in Super Bowls, only three touchdowns and four
“Manning has always been a team leader, a man who runs his offense from the line”
all time. There isn’t a player in the world who would have come back from a potentially career-ending neck injury to enjoy that record-breaking season, where he led the league in every category. He one of the most decorated players ever with 13 trips to the probowl and has been league MVP five times over his career, the highest number for any player, at any position, in the NFL. Since being drafted with the first overall pick in the draft the pressure has been on Manning to succeed and he has achieved that at both of his teams. The centrepiece of the Colts for 13 years and now at the Broncos for his twilight years, he is still showing the league how to play the position properly. Peyton Manning is the greatest of all time. He holds every personal record that counts and has led the greatest ever NFL offense. He has won the Lombardi before and personifies the game of American football,
Peyton Manning in full flow
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
Forge Sport awards
interceptions, highlight a weakness in an otherwise glittering career. If greatness is to be defined by the amount of Super Bowl rings and the ability to perform in the biggest game of them all, Manning falls flat. The fact that Manning was the number one pick in the 1998 NFL draft shows he was destined for greatness. This is in comparison to his rival and current New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Brady was the 199th pick in the 2000 NFL draft and was not destined to become a starter in the NFL. Yet Brady has shown himself to be an impeccable quarterback with three Super Bowl wins out of five appearances and being the first quarterback in history to lead his team to an unbeaten regular season record in 2007. This has mostly been done with a collection of wide receivers far weaker then anything Manning has had. Indeed, this past season Brady led the Patriots to the AFC championship team against Manning with a collection of low draft wide receivers and nobodies, in comparison to the star studded receiving corps Manning was able to throw to. Brady’s play in his five Super Bowls, nine touchdowns and two interceptions shows that he has ability to perform in clutch moments and can be regarded as a great quarterback. The greatest of them all however is a no-brainer, San Francisco 49’ers quarterback Joe Montana. With four victories and three MVP awards in the Super Bowls, Montana can be seen to be the greatest
player of all time simply due to his play in the greatest game of them all. Montana never lost a Super Bowl, and his performance in the 1989 Super Bowl, in which he led a 92-yard game winning drive to defeat the Bengals 20-16 with only three minutes left on the clock rank as one of the greatest clutch performances in history.
“With four Super Bowl victories and three MVP awards... Montana can be seen to be the greatest player of all time” It’s hard to imagine that Manning would have been able to do the same had the Broncos been in a similar situation in the recent Super Bowl. The fact that Montana was playing in the 1980s when the league was a rushing and not a passing league only cements his legacy as the greatest quarterback of all time, whilst Manning will have to settle as one of the best.
This week’s contributors Jack Taylor Joe Bamford Tom Pyman Philip Carpenter Robert Milne Anthony Phillips David Conway Kam Sangha
Forge Sport editor Jack Taylor chooses his heroes and villains of the week Lizzy Yarnold
üü Yarnold became only the 10th British athlete in history to win a gold medal at the winter Olympics, destroying the rest of the field in the Skeleton.
Curling
ü
Captures the imagination like no other sport. There’s always a British buzz around curling during the winter olympics.
Jose Mourinho
û
The Chelsea boss caused a stir this week when he controversially said that legendary Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was a “specialist in failure.”
Weather
ûû
Storms have caused havoc but no more so than at Augusta as stormy winds caused damage to the iconic Eisenhower tree.
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Varsity: The story so far University of Sheffield take a 3-2 lead in the race to Varsity glory
Hallam hang on Varsity 2014 American Football
University of Sheffield Sheffield Hallam
6 8
Anthony Phillips On the day the Super Bowl was played, both of Sheffield’s universities hoped to recreate their own footballing contest in this year’s annual Steelbowl which kicked off Varsity 2014. A large crowd gathered at Hallam Sports Park on a chilly but clear winters day hoping to see a great spectacle. Not only was the match important for bragging rights of the city, it was also important for the rankings in this year’s BUCS Conference. The University of Sheffield Sabres entered the game unbeaten, holding a 4 and 0 record in comparison to the 4 and 1 of Sheffield Hallam University Warriors, and were hoping to leapfrog their rivals in the upper tiers of the conference. The match, however, was a very scrappy affair. The first play of the game resulted in a fumble by the Hallam quarterback and numerous offside penalties cost both teams early on as nerves shone through. The only major offensive play of the first quarter was a nice 30 yard gain by the Hallam running back who seemed content to run and grind down the Sabres defence. The second quarter brought much needed emphasis to the contest with the Warriors quarterback taking the ball himself 40 yards for the games first touchdown, a two point conversion was swiftly added afterwards to make the score 8-0. However the Sabres offence began to show sparks of life
and an impressive 25-yard throw by Sabres quarterback Jacob Hardy gave the Sabres great field position. Hardy, who threw beautifully all day, then connected a stunning 15-yard touch down pass to Sabres wide receiver Nooya Misu to make the score 8-6. The Sabres attempt at a two point conversion to level the score was unsuccessful after a great goal line stand from the Warriors defence, leaving the score 8-6 at the half. This missed opportunity told the story of the Sabres day. With the defence continuing to stop the Warriors from increasing the score, the offence, which had showed great variety in play calling, were unable to penetrate the Warrior defence. Numerous dropped catches on long throws by the Sabres wide receivers meant the score remained untouched and the contest became something of a punting contest. Nevertheless towards the end of the third quarter, the Sabres were in the Warriors redzone on a fourth down. Instead of kicking a field goal to take the lead, a Hardy throw was intercepted by a Warriors linebacker. The interception highlighted the Sabres inability to convert the numerous chances they had been given. Late on, with frustration running high, a Sabres defensive player was ejected from the pitch due to throwing punches. The match came down to the final play of the fourth quarter, with the scores still at 8-6, the Sabres had a chance to seal the victory with a 30 yard field goal. The attempt narrowly dipped under the goalposts and caused much celebration within the Warriors ranks whose players ran on the pitch in joy as they celbrated taking this years Varsity point.
Glory in the Alps Varsity 2014 Winter Varsity University of Sheffield Sheffield Hallam
3 1
Jack Taylor
University of Sheffield Quarterback Jacob Hardy Photo: Philip Carpenter
Snowboarding freestyle takes centre stage
Photo: Papercut Media
Following the arson attacks at the Sheffield Ski Village last year the venue has closed and therefore a new venue was needed for the competition. After a huge amount of organisation it was decided that Alpe d’Huez was the place for Varsity to get underway and over 400 students packed their bags and headed for the French Alps. The event would be split into four categories each worth one Varsity point each. The scene was set and a snow park was created specifically for the event as the races took place under the floodlights helping to create a great atmosphere. The first event was the snowboard race and University of Sheffield took an early lead with a dominant run. University of Sheffield then doubled their lead when both the women’s and men’s ski races were won by those in black and gold. And the dominance continued as the freestyle events began and in the snowboarding Dave Shaw took the victory ahead of Hallam’s Josh Clarke. In the final event Hallam managed to gain a point as Will Thompson took ski freestyle victory but it was too little too late and University of Sheffield took the victory 3-1 in front of a passionate crowd.
Cup heroics set up potential steel city derby FA Cup fifth round Sheffield United Nottingham Forest
3 1
Jack Taylor Sheffield United became the lowest ranked team to reach the FA cup quarter finals since 1990 as the League One side stunned Nottingham Forest at Bramall Lane. In front of a jubilant crowd in excess of 25,000 the Blades produced a stirring comeback to seal their spot in the next round and a potential home clash with local rivals Sheffield Wednesday, whose game with Charlton was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. Forest came into the game on a 16 game unbeaten run and looked the more assured in the early stages as former Walsall forward Jamie Patterson put them in front with near post header from an Andy Reid cross. United did have a great chance
to get back into it before the break, when Jamie Murphy ran powerfully down the flank and crossed for Jose Baxter who set up new signing Stefan Scougall but Scougall’s shot wasn’t good enough to beat the experienced Dorus De Vries in the Forest goal. As United trudged off for half time the news had broken that the cup draw had potentially pitted United and Wednesday together and this certainly gave the season’s record crowd something to shout about. After the break, Billy Davies’ men came out the stronger of the two sides and quickly quietened down the Bramall Lane faithful. Only two fine stops from Mark Howard stopped Forest doubling their advantage and this was exactly the incentive United needed. United’s pace in wide areas had caused problems all afternoon. It duly paid off when full back John Brayford got forward to good effect and put in a cross, which was inexplicably spilled by De Vries allowing on loan Liverpool
midfielder Conor Coady to fire into the empty net to make it 1-1 Both sides continued to push for a winner and Howard was once again called upon as he stopped a fine free kick from Reid. However, it was United who would have the final say. As the clocked ticked over into the final minute Murphy once again caused chaos down the United left and his cross hit the arm of former Blade Greg Halford allowing Michael Oliver to point to the spot. Substitute Chris Porter who had only been on the field three minutes stepped up and held his nerve to put United 2-1 ahead with only stoppage time to play. It could have been a nervy final few minutes for the home side had it not been for Jamie Murphy’s pace and power allowing him to get to the byline and pull back a cross for Porter to stab home from 4 yards and send the crowd into pandemonium and a place in the FA cup quarter finals.
Sheffield United’s home, Bramall Lane
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
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Saints hold off famous fightback Women’s Netball BUCS 2B
University of Sheffield 1s York St John 1s
39 42
Philip Carpenter Wednesday’s game against York St John’s, gave Sheffield the chance to avenge the 37 – 75 defeat that came just two weeks previous. The tone of the game started as it meant to go on, at a ferocious pace and with an air of bitterness that saw a fair amount of frustration boiling over in some regions of the court. St John’s came out firing in the first quarter, picking off points on the counter attack, though possibly suffering for their pace with their centre going off injured. Fortunately the visitors’ first quarter dominance did not
continue as Sheffield piled on the pressure, slowly bringing the score back from 6 – 15 to 19 – 24 by the end of the second. The fight back continued, eventually tying up the score part way through the fourth quarter at 34 a piece but St John’s ultimately closed out the game 39 – 42 to take the points and ensure their place at the top of the Northern 2B league. Sheffield can be proud of their performance as they held the league leaders to their second smallest margin of victory all season. They must surely be eying a move up the table to finish above rivals Hallam.
More articles online Read more reports, fixtures and features online all fortnight
DOT COM
Newcastle get back to stop yet another Sheffield attack
Hockey held by defensive display Men’s Hockey BUCS Northern 3B University of Sheffield 2s Newcastle Univeristy 2s
1 1
Joe Bamford
Strong defence from Sheffield
Photo: Philip Carpenter
Photo: Joe Bamford
Sheffield welcomed Newcastle to Goodwin on Wednesday with the chance of stretching their lead at the top of BUCS Northern Division 3B. Sheffield played some tidy hockey in the opening minutes and got their reward with an early goal from Tim Anders. Despite this, Newcastle didn’t shy away and had chances of their own, although they struggled to test home keeper Andy Parton. Parton was then finally forced into his first save as Newcastle came back into the game, some pressure telling when Newcastle won successive short corners. The first was saved by Parton onto a Sheffield foot, but the second was dispatched by the Newcastle forward.
This served as something of a wakeup call for Sheffield and after a defender was robbed of the ball, the Newcastle keeper was forced into a fine save. Newcastle were determined not to lie down and continued to create chances of their own, their organisation frustrating the home side. Newcastle were breaking at pace and nearly snatched the lead as another short corner drifted narrowly wide. The Newcastle counter attacks became fewer and further in between, and Sheffield were taking control. They had another chance in the form of a short corner after Sam Bromage was fouled in the D; a slick Sheffield routine was stopped well by the away goalkeeper. The second half started much the same as the first ended Sheffield pressure leading to a short corner. After a retake, it came to nothing as the Newcastle keeper saved both the first and second strike. Sheffield were dominating, Rafael Castelo forcing the first of
two saves in quick succession. A Newcastle pass then went astray leaving Alex Tate through on goal. However the move broke down when he was forced wide and lost the ball. Sheffield nearly paid for their profligacy as Newcastle broke upfield and forced a short corner of their own, home keeper Andy Parton keeping the score level. This was one of few forays forward for Newcastle, though, as the chances continued to fall to Sheffield sticks. A low cross trickled agonisingly along the goal line with four Sheffield attackers running in, and incredibly none were able to convert. Chances continued to go begging, as Sam Philpott then had a shot saved at the near post. Sheffield cranked the pressure up another notch in the final minutes; however the game ended level, with Sheffield left to rue a host of missed opportunities.
penalty and the women were able to recover and kick the ball downfield. Sheffield’s first try came on an exhilarating passage of play. A huge gap in the centre of the field between the Glasgow backs was exploited before quick passing by the Sheffield scrum half led to outside centre Lucy Oakton running in on the wing to make it 5-0, with the conversion missed. Glasgow’s poor play and high turnovers presented Sheffield with two more clear cut try scoring chances but unfortunately the ball was dropped on both occasions by Eleanor Moss on contact yards away from the line. A further try was added taking the score to 10-0 and then Sheffield began exploiting the wings. Pacy winger Emily Topping gaining huge distance before handing off to Lucy Oakton for her second try of the match to make the score 15-0 at the half.
Minutes into the second half, a Glasgow kick was superbly returned by Sheffield for the games fourth try. Quick passing and an avoidance of tackles stopped the ball from becoming dead and huge breaches in the Glasgow defence allowed Eleanor Moss to run in for the try and gain validation following her two mistakes in the first half. Continued pressure from the Sheffield defence meant that Glasgow were never able to get the ball past the game line. During the entire second half, only once did Glasgow get beyond the halfway line. This pressure continued to force turnovers and Suki Young on her return from injury was able to score the games final try following a Glasgow line out and a easy two on one situation. Sheffield will again face Scottish opponents in either Dundee or Aberdeen in the quarter finals of the cup competition.
Scots shocked by slick Sheffield Women’s Rugby BUCS Trophy University of Sheffield 1s University of Glasgow 1s
25 0
Anthony Phillips
Shooting during the comeback
Photo: Philip Carpenter
The match started slowly with both teams struggling to adjust to the boggy pitch and a referee who was too keen to blow his whistle. With a lack of rhythm in the contest, both teams traded sloppy passes and the continuing stoppages resulted in the centre of the field becoming compact, as Sheffield were unable to exploit the wings. In a rare moment of attack, quick passing by the Glasgow forwards moved the ball from the halfway line to within touching distance of the goalposts. However resolute defending from Sheffield forced a Glasgow
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Sunderland slam dunked by Spartans
2s edge six-goal thriller Men’s Football BUCS Northern 4B
University of Sheffield 2s Newcastle University 2s
4 2
David Conway & Kam Sangha
Sheffield Spartans in action
Men’s Basketball BUCS Northerm 2B University of Sheffield 1s 79 University of Sunderland 1s 68 Rob Milne University of Sheffield Spartans claimed a hard-fought victory of 79-68 against second in the table, Sunderland. It was a must-win game in the Northern 2B, with third in the table Sheffield looking to take advantage of their two games in hand, and reduce the nine-point difference between themselves and Sunderland, who had come out on top in the reverse encounter between the two. In a game plagued with foul trouble, the Spartans’ offense came out to take the game to Sunderland with Pierre Michelot putting down long-range threepoint shots and leading his side to a 15-10 lead. Soon enough, the Sheffield defence started to control the game, making the Sunderland attack look very poor. The resurgent defence did not allow any open shots and forced the opposition to work hard for every point with their physicality in
Photo: Danny Armstrong the paint, including some eyecatching blocks at the basket. Going into the second quarter the Spartans’ intensity outplayed Sunderland’s, helped by the dominance at both ends of the floor by Andrew Chiguri, who finished with 14 points. Sunderland were unable to resist his power in getting to the rim and finishing plays, and his monsterous, athletic block on defence set the tone for the quarter. Sheffield’s aggressive play and domination on rebounds led to a 32-25 lead at half time, leaving a very irate Sunderland coach courtside. The game looked to be won in the third quarter. Coming off the bench Akin Lisk-Carew was a real force, a deep three and pinpoint assist to Chiguri for the lay-up. The two were particularly impressive the entire contest. Lisk-Carew continued to drive to the basket and pick up points, putting Sheffield in a dominant position at the end of the third quarter. Sunderland had a lot to do in the last quarter with a 17-point deficit but still gave the Spartans a scare. Michelot and Hazem Hashem ran the fourth with a slick passing game and some swift
opportunist plays, like Michelot’s steal for the lay-up. The visitors proved they were no pushovers by bringing it back to a five point game, as the Sheffield dominating defence started to tire and foul trouble became an issue. At one point Sheffield fouled three times in 30 seconds. Hashem continued to keep Sheffield ahead with clutch plays and a well deserved 79-68 victory
after a nervy final few minutes in a captivating basketball game at Goodwin.
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Sheffield secured a 4-2 victory over a struggling Newcastle side in the Northern 4B league. The early exchanges saw Sheffield dominating possession and looking to exploit Newcastle using the long ball as Sheffield were winning the aerial battle. Tom Richardson created Sheffield’s first real chance of the game with a darting run from left back, but he dragged his shot just wide of the goal. Sheffield’s pressure soon paid off when a cross field ball was played to Daniel Kandola who composed himself and put a low driven cross into the box which struck a Newcastle defender for an own goal. Sheffield continued their dominance, with striker Josh Thompson coming close to doubling the score after a great ball down the line by Richardson. Thompson found his range soon after, with a left foot piledriver on the edge of the area giving the keeper no chance. Sheffield went into half time with a comfortable 2-0 lead, though it could have been more. Although Newcastle started the second half showing signs of promise, there was no real threat to Sheffield’s defence in the final third. Sheffield’s Tom Hesketh missed a glorious opportunity from a dangerous corner to put the team three goals ahead but his header narrowly missed the target. Newcastle capitalised on Hesketh’s miss, when right back Joey Lavor went on a searching run taking on two Sheffield defenders and beating the keeper at his near post. Newcastle gained confidence from the goal and not long after they equalised through a precise chip ball to Alan Owen who calmly side-footed it into the right hand corner. The away side almost went ahead after Owen tried to lob the goalkeeper who anticipated the shot, sending out for a corner. Sheffield reacted well to a resurgent Newcastle and took the lead again, Jamie Evans strike proved too powerful for the goalkeeper to handle. The home side rounded off the game with a superb individual effort by Evans who turned his man and placed it into the top left hand corner of the goal. For the final few minutes of the game Sheffield had opportunities to extend their lead but were satisfied with the 4-2 victory. Next up for Sheffield is a home game against leaders Bishop Burton 1s.