INSIDE: JOHN TERRY/EUROGAMER/THIS MANY BOYFRIENDS/ARTS FUNDING SLASHED/ERASMUS The independent student newspaper of the University of Sheffield. Est. 1946.
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Features discover: The secret world of sugar daddies, p.16
Comment discuss: Fear and Loathing in Brighton, p.9
Professor’s Hillsborough alcohol report ‘flawed’ Lauren Clarke A professor at the University of Sheffield has been criticised for his part in the Hillsborough disaster inquests. Dr Jonathan Nicholl’s investigation into the relationship between blood alcohol levels and time of entry into the football stadium by those that died has been described as “flawed” by the Hillsborough Independent Panel report, the latest report investigating the causes of the Hillsborough disaster. The research was carried out under direction of the coroner investigating the deaths of those killed in the disaster and was a recurring feature of the inquests and media coverage of the tragedy. 96 Liverpool fans were killed in the crush at Sheffield Wednesday Football Club’s stadium in Hillsborough in 1989. The causes of the disaster were originally investigated in the Taylor report, which was published in 1990. The investigation was reopened in 2009, on the 20th anniversary of the tragedy because it was widely felt that the full facts of the tragedy were not made available to the public. The Hillsborough Independent Panel released a new report and made all the original documents public in September this year. The research originally carried out by Dr Nicholl, made a connection between the time of arrival and alcohol intoxication, suggesting that latecomers to the stadium were more likely to have higher levels of alcohol in their blood. In the original investigation, the Coroner used Nicholl’s report to interpret the significance of alcohol into the deaths at Hillsborough.
Dr Nicholl’s findings have been placed in doubt by the Hillsborough report, which said, there were “six significant problems” with his report. These include the “flawed” categorisation of the groups which entered the stadium leading to “results that are likely to have arisen through chance alone.” The Taylor report, which referenced Dr Nicholl’s report, found that the disaster was blamed upon “a lack of police control” and “aggravated by drunkenness, ticketlessness and violence.” The Hillsborough Independent Panel report states that “there was no attempt to assess whether the results had any significance for the individual or for the occurrence of the disaster.” However, “It is clear from the coroner’s summing up that he placed emphasis ...on Dr Nicholl’s findings that those who had entered the ground after 2.30pm were more likely to have a raised blood alcohol level.” The new analysis of Dr Nicholl’s research has brought into question the reliability of his evidence to the inquests and according to the Hillsborough Independent Panel report, no link between the time of arrival and alcohol level could be deduced. Forge Press contacted the University of Sheffield and Dr Nicholl, but they were unavailable for comment. South Yorkshire police said, “It is not appropriate for South Yorkshire Police to comment at this time while the Force is reviewing a wide variety of matters raised in the report of the Hillsborough Independent Panel with a view to making a referral to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.”
Screen find:
Screams on the big screen, Fuse p.4
‘Pimps and Hoes’ bar crawl condemned by city council Jonathan Robinson Councillors from three political parties have joined forces in voicing their concern over a controversial ‘Pimps and Hoes’ themed Carnage bar crawl, branding it “inappropriate” and “offensive”. The fancy dressed themed night, to be held on Monday October 8, was criticised unanimously by members at Wednesday’s full council meeting in a motion which condemned the theme as sexist and derogatory towards women. This year’s theme of ‘Pimps and Hoes’
has led to criticism from politicians and women’s groups. Coun Shaffaq Mohammed, leader of the Liberal Democrat group in Sheffield, supported the motion. He told Forge Press: “[Carnage] have gone deliberately out of their way to cause controversy. The word ‘hoe’ is not a term that we want to describe anyone. “All the council have united in saying that we think this is inappropriate. “This is a commercial organisation using [the theme] for their own gain. We hope that the motion has been seen and heard.” Continued on p.5
Photo: Sam Bennett
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Out of this world student poetry launched into space A Winning Poem Window seat on a night flight Beneath the sight-stealing white mist, the lines of light that mark the land are burned, like sun spots, into my eyes until the horizon smudges out. So this grid of humanity below has me puff and sigh, full of wonder as crystals of water chillingly robe lives that span the globe and days that cross continents. I dream until descent of posted parcels, Army boys coming home, the debris of broken homes being flung across the sky, now strung – just like these lights- crosswise above the earth below my eyes.
Prof Vanessa Toulmin, Alex Baker, Prof Simon Armitage and Chris Rose launch the balloon Ben Scull As part of the University of Sheffield’s 11 day Festival of the Mind, internationally renowned poet and writer Simon Armitage has launched two poems into space in conjunction with two PhD students.
The ‘Out of this World’ poetry competition saw more than 170 people of all ages submit spacethemed poems. The winning literature was blasted into space by a helium balloon created by mechanical engineering students Alex Baker and Chris Rose on
Thursday September 20 from the roof of Western Park Museum. The balloon reached heights of 37 km where it captured breathtaking images before parachuting back down to earth. The competition was judged by the University’s professor of poetry, Simon
By Lykara Ryder
Armitage. Professor Armitage said: “In the age of the email and the text message and the tweet, we wanted people to reconnect with letters and the shapes of words through their handwriting, to take their time, and to think
of the poem as an act of communication.” Ecstatic winners of the competition were students Lewis Haubus and Lykara Ryer. PhD English student Lykara said: “I was so shocked to win the competition and the idea of my poem going into space is tremendous.”
Bee-onic breakthrough Chloe Chen
Photo: Staflo/Flickr
Scientists from University of Sheffield and Sussex are teaming up to meet one of the biggest challenge in modern science: building a robot brain Flying robots are known to be big, inflexible, and relying on preprograming on supercomputers, while honey bees are well known for their agility and ability to find their way back to the hive. Now, scientists are working on a project that would enable new flying robot to sense and act as autonomously as a honey bee. The project ‘Green Brain’, led by Dr. James Marshall from the University of Sheffield, will study how the brain of honey bee works. That knowledge will then be used to produce a simulated bee brain for a flying robot, enabling it to sense the world and move on its own. If successful, the bee robot could be used to carry out complicated tasks from rescuing and searching missions to artificially pollinating crops, a solution to the declining bee population. A high-performance processor
called GPU accelerator is used to model the honey bee brain. The processor is so powerful that it allows the scientists to do the massive calculation on a standard PC, and build brain models that are “faster than ever before”, Dr. Thomas Nowotny explained, the leader of the Sussex team. These processors are provided by NVIDIA, a computer hardware manufacturer. They are also used to generate 3D images on OC or game consoles. Scientists also expect to gain more insight on the understanding of human and animal cognition. According to Dr Marshall, the honey bee brain is “smaller and more accessible” than brains of any vertebrate, so they hope to produce an “accurate and complete model” that will be used on flying robot. The project is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), which provides government funding for researches in engineering and physical science.
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alisha.rouse@forgetoday.com
Alisha Rouse
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Eight in 10 students expect free textbooks as part of fees
Number of ‘serious’ plagiarism cases falls
Jonathan Robinson
Jonathan Robinson
Eight out of 10 students want textbooks to be provided for free from their university as expectations rise from the tripling of tuition fees. A joint survey of 1,600 students by the NUS and Coursesmart found 81 per cent of respondents felt their university should offer textbooks for free as part of their fees. The cost of buying textbooks on top of tuition fees has attracted much criticism, with the NUS identifying it as one of the most expensive “hidden costs” to higher education. Currently, the University of Sheffield guarantees that all ‘essential’ reading required by students in a classroom is provided by the necessary academic departments. Richard Alderman, education officer at the University of Sheffield Students’ Union, said the interpretation of what is essential reading and what is highly recommended was down to “semantics”. He said: “Most books are optional reading and can be sourced from the library, so are regarded as ‘optional extras’, but the Students’ Union did get a guarantee from the University that where books are regarded as essential and that students must have a copy in the classroom, then these should be provided or loaned by the department. “A key is the semantics whether a book is classed as essential or highly recommended - and so departments were issued with new guidance this summer.” Richard told Forge Press he is encouraging faculty librarians to attend departmental student-
The number of students in breach of the university’s most serious cheating guidelines has halved in the past two years, according to figures obtained by Forge Press. In the last academic year, fourteen cases of plagiarism were reported under the University of Sheffield’s student discipline regulations. The worst offending departments were the Management School and Computer Science, which both identified three cases. Automatic Control and Systems Engineering, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Information Studies, Law, Materials Science and Engineering, Politics, ScHARR and Sociological Studies all recorded one case of student plagiarism each. The total amount of cases is a fall of 50 per cent from 2009/10 when a high of 28 cases were recorded. The Management School and Computer Science are the only departments to have had at least one case of reported student plagiarism in the last five academic years. The figure does not include cases where action has been taken by individual academic departments, under the University’s Guidance as to the Use of Unfair Means.
81 per cent of students want tuition fees to cover essential textbooks staff committee meetings so that if books are regularly unavailable then course representatives can report this. Research by the NUS in 2010/11 estimated students on average spent £978 per academic year on books, field work and other related course materials. A spokesperson from the University of Sheffield said that there were no plans for textbooks to be included in tuition fees, however that efforts were being made to improve access to books by increased library funding and by financial support for poorer students. “In general, the University believes that it is a better use of funds, and better in terms of encouraging wider reading, to enhance the library’s budget than to give a very small number of textbooks to every student. “The University is committed to providing all students with the support and guidance they need, including support on financial matters. Once students have registered with the University
we give them the opportunity to apply for additional funds and allocate this funding following an assessment of an individual’s situation and background.” Fionnuala Duggan, managing director international of Coursesmart, the world’s biggest provider of eTextbooks, told Forge Press that more universities could invest in digital course materials as a cheaper alternative to paper textbooks. She said: “I don’t think that any student imagines that in 10 to 20 years we aren’t going to see a substantial increase in the use of digital course materials or even 100 per cent usage of it. “A digital textbook offers students an alternative. A student can bookmark parts of the book, detail notes, prepare for exams and organise revise plans.” She said students of subjects which require greater investment in textbooks including Law and the sciences were subscribing to more digital services, as eBook rental prices can be much lower.
Vote online Vote in our poll on whether textbooks should be free www.forgetoday.com
Textbooks: Should they be included in course fees?
Charlie Ashworth, First-year Business Mgmt
Janan Kothari, Second-year Biomed Science
Ben Newley, First-year Comp. Sci & A. I
Katie Whitford, MA Law
“I’m on a £60 a week budget with my student loan - take the cost of a book out of that and I’m getting into my overdraft.”
“They should be included in the fees because a regular book for a single module costs £40-£50 - it can get really expensive.”
“Yes, when we are paying for our education. If books are required for your course, they should be included in the price of your course.”
“When students have to pay £9,000 a year for around six hours of teaching per week, I think the cost of text books should be included.”
Living Wage campaign targets Sheffield Trading Services Aidan Phillips The Labour Student’s Society’s Living Wage Campaign is extending its aims to include pressurising subsidiary company Sheffield Trading Services (STS) to pay at least the living wage to all of its employees. This additional course of action comes in light of evidence that the company, set up by Accommodation and Commercial
Services (ACS) earlier this year, will be exploiting a legal loophole which will involve reducing wages for the sector’s lowest-paid staff. Women’s Officer Amy Masson, from the Students’ Union, said: “The campaign has taken on a new significance with the University’s decision to set up Sheffield Trading Services, and is now more important than ever.” A representative for the
University of Sheffield said: “The establishment of STS will enable the creation of new jobs within the city. “Whilst the casual rate of pay is lower than that offered by the University, it is the same as that available in the Students’ Union and generally slightly higher than other Sheffield hospitality and retail industry employers.” The Living Wage Campaign was started in March to increase
pressure on the University to pay all of its employees at least the living wage in light of findings that nearly 350 of its staff members were being paid below the rate. This wage was set at £7.20 per hour by the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University.
University falls in national rankings Rowan Ramsden The University of Sheffield has dropped five places in the Sunday Times University Guide 2013. It was placed at number 18 in the UK, compared to 13 last year. The institution is ranked fourth in the north of the country. The league table is drawn up from criteria including student satisfaction, teaching and research quality, entrance qualifications held by new students, degree results achieved, student to staff ratios, graduate unemployment levels and university dropout rates. This year Sheffield Hallam University has risen from the 72nd place to 64th in the UK.
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Forge in brief
Peace day celebrated at Union
Union tops satisfaction poll The University of Sheffield Students’ Union has been rated as the best in Britain for student satisfaction in a major national survey. The Union gained the highest score of any university in the latest National Student Survey, with a 95 per cent satisfaction rating. SU President Abdi Suleiman said: “Our Students’ Union has succeeded in creating a community capable of winning changes from the university and beyond, adding to an active student experience and contributing to the local society. “That is why 95 per cent of the University of Sheffield students genuinely appreciate the Students’ Unions contribution to their time at university.”
Jonathan Robinson
Photos: Miriam Dobson
Jonathan Robinson
Call for sperm donors The Assisted Conception Unit at Jessop Wing is suffering from a huge fall in local sperm donations. This year, there have been no donations received in the city, and the Jessop Wing has had to rely on donations from America in order to carry out the IVF treatments. The unit offers £35 per visit, and the process of donation would require around 10 to 15 visits. Potential donors must be between the ages of 18 and 40 and in good health. Neelam Tailor
Sheffield prepares for Off The Shelf 2012 The well-loved Off the Shelf festival is back, and is celebrating its 21st anniversary. This coming of age is marked by the showcasing of exciting and unique writing talent in 80 venues city-wide from October 13 to November 3. The festivities include workshops, readings, exhibitions, talks, storytelling, poetry, walks and much more. This year’s festival focuses on giving a voice to young people, in view of that one of the most sought after events is the innovative Poetry Slams as well as the readings of Benjamin Zephaniah and Jackie Kay. For a full programme go online: bit.ly/offtheshelffest. Llinos Evans
Sheffield joined students from across the world in celebrating Peace Day as the Union organised a string of events to showcase the city’s humanitarian work. Hollaback!, Sheffield, Oxfam, STAR, Fund Education Not War, Windows for Peace, Speak and the Palestine Society spoke about their campaigns in an open mic session at the event on September 21. Music was provided by Soukous Revelation, a Congolese band whose lyrics tell the story of how the group fled the horrors of the war torn Demoratic Republic of Congo. Sara Moon, Development Officer at the Univeristy of Sheffield Students’ Union, said: “We often think war is something far away, but the victims and survivors of terrible persecutions are right here in our city and we must look after them. “From helping asylum seekers in Sheffield to campaigning against the trafficking of women all over the world, there is a great mass of people spending a lot of time whilst they are at university trying to make the world a better place.”
17-year-old accused ‘mugger’ appears in court Lauren Clarke A 17-year-old man has been charged with a series of robberies in broad daylight involving students in Sheffield. The youth allegedly approached
three students with a knife and on two occasions took items of value, including mobile phones and student ID. The robberies took place between 10am and lunchtime on Monday September 24 and
Tuesday September 25 2012 in the Crookesmoor area of Sheffield. The youth appeared at Sheffield Magistrates Youth Court on Wednesday. He was represented by John
Booth, with Christopher Paul Ridley prosecuting. Chair of Magistrates Miss A E J Arundale denied the defendant bail. The case will continue at Sheffield Crown Court.
Located on Ammassalik Island in southeast Greenland, Mittivakkatt Gletscher has been analysed annually since 1995 to study the effects that global warming is having on the area. Visiting last August, Edward Hanna, from the University of Sheffield’s Geography department, said that three out of the four highest annual losses had occurred in the last four
years. His research found the important relationship between changes in temperature and the condition of Greenland’s ice sheets. Dr Hanna said: “The observation program for this glacier is unique as it is a relatively inaccessible and difficult place in which to do fieldwork. “What we’re trying to do is
to understand more about the response of small glaciers around the edge of Greenland to ongoing climate change, as apart from our observation programme there is precious little information.” Dr Hanna discovered that the lower end of the glacier has retreated nine metres since the measurements were last taken in 2011. He said this was mainly due to the increasingly warm temperatures in the Arctic over the past few years caused my decreased rainfall in the area. This has caused the melt rate to, at times, double what is has been previously. Dark patches of firm ice along the glacier also indicate that the glacier will continue to retreat in such a fashion. The project was undertaken by the University of Sheffield, Aarhus University and the University of Los Alamos, with funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme.
Researcher finds Greenland glacier shrinking faster than thought Harriet Brooke Greenland’s longest observed glacier has shrunk at its highest rate in history, a climate expert from the University of Sheffield working with a team of Scandinavian researchers has found. Above average temperatures in Greenland have had harmful effect on the glaciers there.
Dr Edward Hanna at the glacier in Greenland
What’s on your mind?
Off the Shelf cultural events take place across the city
Comment on this article online: www.forgetoday.com
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Councillors unite in criticism of ‘Pimps and Hoes’ bar crawl Continued on p.1 Coun Harry Harpham, Deputy Leader of Sheffield City Council and Cabinet Member for Homes and Neighbourhoods, put forward the motion. He said: “I am extremely concerned about next week’s themed event and believe it is completely inappropriate and offensive to women. “I would encourage Carnage to refocus their approach based on a more responsible model and to take into account local feeling about their events.” All Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green party members present at the meeting endorsed the motion. At Carnage UK events, students pay £10 for a T-shirt for free entry to several bars and nightclubs, many of which offer cheap drink promotions. Up to 2,000 students are expected to attend this month’s event in Sheffield. The council supported comments made by Amy Masson, Women’s Officer at the University of Sheffield Students’ Union, who has called on Carnage UK to change their theme. Speaking about the decision, Masson said: “I am delighted that the City Council has passed a motion urging Carnage to change this theme. “On the evening of the Carnage bar crawl, I will be joining members of Stop The Traffik society and Women’s Committee for a peaceful protest raising awareness of the issues surrounding pimping and prostitution. “Having worked in a refuge for women trafficked into sexual slavery, I feel this theme utterly
trivialises violence against women, specifically violence against women in the sex industry.” A Carnage spokesman told Forge Press that the theme was decided via a student vote. He said: “The fancy dress themes for our events are chosen by the students and not by us. This is a fancy dress student event, nothing more. “A simple search of Google for similar events will return a large volume of results both for universities and night clubs, which includes a high number of ‘Pimps & Hoes’ themed events. “Purely as an example, we refer you to Paris Nightclub in Sheffield who recently advertised a ‘Pimps and Hoes’ themed event. “Why haven’t the elected councillors or the Students’ Union taken up their grievances with the organisers of that event, given that the fancy dress theme is the same? “If Coun Harpham had bothered to contact us in the first place, we would have entered into meaningful dialogue with him.” Carnage UK attracted controversy three years ago after a student was photographed urinating on the war memorial in Barkers’ Pool during one of the firm’s pub crawls in Sheffield. Sheffield Hallam University student Philip Laing, then aged 19, was sentenced to 250 hours of community service in 2009 after pleading guilty to a charge of outraging public decency. Following the incident, calls were made for future Carnage events in the city to be banned, however organisers said they did not promote excessive drinking and did not condone Laing’s actions.
Former news editor, Katie Davies
Photo: Sam Bennett
Jo Black, Third-year Management
William May, First-year Economics
Hannah Dormor, Third-year Philosophy
“I’m a fan of fancy dress and I’ve been known to don a risqué costume, but they could have been more inventive than ‘pimps and hoes’.”
“I don’t really have an opinion, I just hate Carnage. It promotes bad drink culture, especially with everything that happened with the war memorial.”
“I think it is just harmless fun. Other themes might have been better but it’s just fun. No-one is forced to take part.”
“It’s offensive. It’s really not cool and to be honest I don’t really agree with it. If they are being ironic then ok but I doubt they are.”
University opens its doors to the public on Researcher’s Night The University of Sheffield joined 800 other institutions in opening the doors of its libraries, laboratories and lecture theatres to the general public for Researcher’s Night 2012 on September 28. The evening kicked off with a liquid nitrogen demonstration that occurred simultaneously across 32 European countries, from Serbia to Spain. Visitors were able to learn about microbes falling from space and the nonsense poetry of Edward Lear. Meanwhile, children created kitchen carnage by turning marmite white and setting fire to scouring pads with batteries. The University of Sheffield was only the sixth UK institution to have ever participated. Jenna Carpenter
£1.9 million drugs bust in disused nightclub Almost 2,000 cannabis plants with a street value of £1.9 million have been found by police in Sheffield during a raid on an empty nightclub. 1,966 plants were found by officers in the former Fontana Club on Attercliffe Road, Attercliffe, on the morning of
Sheffield students up for top media prizes
Jonathan Robinson
Stephanie Mullins, Third-year Journalism
Friday September 28. Inspector Glen Suttenwood, who leads Sheffield’s Gang Enforcement Team, said: “This operation was sparked by members of the community voicing concerns about the strong smell of cannabis in the area. “Drugs crime is taken very seriously by South Yorkshire Police, and we are dedicated to
Forge in brief Students from the University of Sheffield have picked up six nominations for this year’s Guardian Student Media Awards. Alex Chafey received two nominations for Columnist and Critic of the Year, Tom Banham is nominated for Feature Writer of the Year, David Rhodes is nominated for Broadcast Journalist of the Year, and Sheffield Unchained will contest Student Website of the Year. Last year’s Forge Press news editor, Katie Davies, is up for Student Reporter of the Year. Speaking about her nomination, Katie said: “Making the short list is great. I’m very proud of all the work the Forge Press team did last year, and I couldn’t have done this without them.”
‘Pimps and Hoes’: Is it offensive or harmless fun?
Rachel Dixon
NEWS
tackling those responsible.” Following one of the county’s largest drug raids, one of the city’s top judges has issued a stark warning to anyone growing cannabis that ‘immediate prison awaits’. During a guideline case at the Court of Appeal earlier this year, Judge Goldsack said: “Cannabis is a dangerous drug and those
who bring it into existence must be punished.” He continued: “Ruled sentences for cannabis growing should always result in immediate imprisonment unless there are exceptional circumstances.” Two men from Sheffield have been arrested and are in custody.
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NEWS National news George Galloway sues NUS Respect MP George Galloway is suing the National Union of Students for libel after it labelled him a “rape denier”. The NUS passed a motion banning the Bradford West MP, last week, after his remarks on the allegations made against Julian Assange. The action will see Galloway banned from speaking at events affiliated to the union. Galloway was quoted as saying the Wikileaks founder was accused of nothing more than “bad sexual etiquette” and his actions “don’t constitute rape.” A spokesman for the MP said the NUS’ comments were “defamatory” and “offensive” and Galloway was “absolutely clear that no means no” and “non consensual sex is rape”. The NUS said it was yet to hear from Galloway’s lawyers and would not comment until it had. Rowan Ramsden
Men banned for eating too much - at an ‘all you can eat’ Two men have been banned from an all you can eat restaurant for being greedy. George Dalmon and Andy Miles, both 26, have visited Gobi, in Middle Street, in Brighton twice a month for two years to take advantage of the £12 meal. However, on their last visit were told they were no longer welcome. The restaurant’s owners say they are fed up with the pair’s lack of manners but Mr Dalmon and Mr Miles claim it is simply because they eat too much food.
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Rotherham children let down by police and social services Salma Haidrani South Yorkshire police and social services have withheld information of the widespread use and sale for sex of underage girls by networks of men in Rotherham, confidential documents have revealed. The documents, which comprised of correspondence between South Yorkshire police and social services, revealed that social services held detailed knowledge that the girls were being targeted for sexual exploitation in Rotherham and Sheffield as far back as 1996, but did not acknowledge the problem. Among the crimes for which no action was taken to protect the children included a 14-year-old girl being forced to perform sex acts on five men, four Pakistani and an Iraqi, and a 13-year-old female. Denis MacShane, Labour MP for Rotherham, has condemned South Yorkshire police and social services’ silence about the sexual exploitation: “It is clear that the internal trafficking of barely pubescent girls is widespread and I regret that the police did not tell Yorkshire MPs about their inquiries “We need to bring a system of guardianship so that there is individual supervision of the most vulnerable of these girls.” Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families Services Paul Lakin, said Rotherham Council are to invest extra resources into tackling allegations of child sex abuse in the town: ‘There is no question that we will do whatever we can to protect our young people from harm in whatever form that threat takes. “We have pledged our commitment by prioritizing the amount of money being put into
safeguarding services along with prevention and early help work with families to help ensure they get the support they need. “We have worked closely with communities and community leaders across Rotherham in recent years to enlist their support in helping to tackle some of these issues and to educate people about sexual exploitation.” Only one prosecution of sex grooming gangs of males aged from mid-20s to late 50s exploiting young females of has taken place in South Yorkshire. In 2010, Sheffield Crown Court imprisoned five men from Rotherham for a total of 11 years after being found guilty of sex offences against vulnerable underage females, some as young as 12. Many victims had troubled family backgrounds but most were not in care. Some were the daughters of middle-class professionals. The grooming and abuse was said to be systematic, tactical and repetitive. In a report by Force Intelligence Bureau, South Yorkshire police noted how the defendants used networks of younger males to develop relationships with victims often posing as older boyfriends. Similar crime networks have flourished during the past 10 years across the North and Midlands. University of Sheffield’s Women’s Officer, Amy Masson, shares Rotherham Safeguarding Children Board’s reluctance to define the controversial case as a race issue: “I am disturbed by attempts by the right wing press to define these sexual abusers as ‘Asians’ or ‘Muslims’.” A report by the Times identified how: “Most identified child-sex offenders in Britain are white men, acting alone.”
South Yorkshire Police chief constable, David Crompton is to be quizzed by MPs over the case
COMMENT Alisha Rouse This upsetting case not only highlights the appalling treatment of young girls by the police force, their unwillingness to take vulnerable, suffering children seriously and instead leaving them open to abuse we cannot even imagine, but has effectively shown the extent right-wing press will go to to appeal to reactionary views on immigration. The Daily Mail didn’t skip a BNP beat before mentioning the offender’s race, immigration status and making sweeping assumptions about an entire ethnic group. The cusp of the issue is that these men were bad people, terrible people, willing to exert their power and dominance on vulnerable young girls, their race is of no relevance to anyone but Nick Griffin’s press office. The fact that so many national media outlets jumped upon the
opportunity to make this case a race issue demonstrates perfectly their equal unwillingness to take issues of rape, sexualisation and women’s issues seriously. What should stand as a testament to the culture of victim blaming and rape negligence, simply became a spectacle to demonstrate the problems of Jeremy Clarkson-style ‘political correctness gone mad’ and the assumed failings of multi-cultural Britain. This broken Britain narrative stands, not because multiculturalism has failed, but because society is so willing to ignore what is an issue of longstanding partirachical views within the police force, in favour of a more reactionary narrative. These young girls endured months of unimaginable abuse at the hands of evil men, and even when the story finally broke, their plight and the potential plight of hundreds of other girls and young women, was lost amidst an attempt to demonise an entire religious and cultural group, leaving no hope to tackle the real-life causes of such atrocities.
Fire stations face huge closures
David Ewing
Alisha Rouse
Sir Jimmy Savile rape claim The late DJ and TV presenter Sir Jimmy Savile has been accused of a series of sexual assaults throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Surrey Police have referred a historic rape allegation to the Metropolitan Police Service and it has come to surface that past allegations against Savile were dropped due to lack of evidence. Fresh claims came to light in an ITV documentary broadcast on Wednesday, which aired allegations that Savile abused underage teenage girls. Savile was never charged with any abuses during his lifetime. Alice Burrow Photo: South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue
Concerns have been raised by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue that funding cuts could force them to close up to seven fire stations across the county. Chief fire officer, David Courtney, has said that if the government increases the cuts in December, up to seven of South Yorkshire’s 23 fire stations could close. Cuts of £4.7m have already been made to the service, and further cuts could threaten 150 jobs. This is on top of the 108 fulltime jobs lost earlier this year with the closing of four stations, and opening of two new stations at Birley and Sheffield Parkway. Courtney said the cuts could have “very serious implications” and that less fire stations would raise the service’s response time. A spokesperson for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said:
“In the first round of ground cuts 2011-13, the budget for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue was cut by 4.7 million. “This meant less money for firefighters and essential equipment. If that level of cuts is repeated in December there will be serious implications. “In the worst case scenario seven fire stations will face closure. We will continue to lobby the government for a fairer funding settlement.” The cuts in March for £4.7 million were intended to save £10 million. The decision was met with regret by many local councillors, including Graham Kyte, councillor for Royston, who said: “In my view the cuts are unjustified and unnecessary.” Any further changes to their budget will be known in December.
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NEWS World news
Romney ‘wins’ US TV election debate Republican candidate Mitt Romney has won the first of the three TV debates against President Barack Obama, polls and commentators say. After a 90 minute debate concerning taxes, the deficit and healthcare, polls gave Mr Romney a 46-67 per cent margin with Mr Obama trailing with 2225 per cent. According to analysts, Mr Romney appeared in command while Obama was hesitant. President Obama has led American national polls and surveys in the swing states that will decide the November 6 election. Rachel Dixon
Children’s hospital plasters city in launch of £20m appeal Rachel Dixon Sheffield Children’s hospital has revealed that the mystery giant plasters around the city are marking the launch of its biggest ever fundraising campaign. The campaign is run with help from one-year-old Rio Vicary, a current patient, who was born with Angelman’s Syndrome, and Ben Abbott, whose life was saved by the hospital 89 years ago. The charity is appealing to
the people of Sheffield and across the region to support the transformation of the hospital and help ‘Make it Better’. The campaign is aiming to raise £20 million towards the £40 million planned transformation on the current site. The charity hopes the local community can raise £10 million over the next three years and hopes to seek the other £10 million from national sources. David Vernon-Edwards, director of the Children’s
NUS survey reveals Lib Dem unpopularity with students Rachel Mantock Nick Clegg’s apology for signing a pre-election pledge not to raise tuition fees has failed to redeem the student vote, according to an NUS survey of 25,000 students. They found that 46.9 per cent of students are less likely to vote for the Liberal Democrats in the next election as a result of the deputy prime minister’s apology. While just one in 10 students (11.1 per cent) are more likely to vote for the Liberal Democrats following Nick Clegg’s broadcast apology. NUS president Liam Burns said that students felt betrayed by Nick Clegg’s decision to backtrack on his promise to vote against a rise in tuition fees as voters in university seats were won over by anti-tuition fee rise promises. He said: “Nick Clegg actually won students’ votes by signing the pledge. It is clear he has lost them by breaking it. “This attempted apology has created more confusion than clarity. Mr Clegg must now make
amends by changing his policies.” Burns has also expressed his support towards comments made by the Lib Dem party president Tim Farron. He feels Clegg should have “fought harder” to keep his promises. Burns added: “He and those of his colleagues who voted for a rise in tuition fees should not be apologising for making a pledge which reinforced the Liberal Democrats long standing and fully costed proposal to abolish tuition fees.”
Students aren’t convinced by ‘sorry’ attempt to regain support
Hospital Charity, said: “Throughout its history, our hospital has depended on the support of the community. That support is more vital now than ever before. “We’re appealing to the community to please help us secure a better future for our children and their children.” Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, will be funding the main build through government
funding but the appeal is needed for the enhancements that will transform the building into a state-of-the-art facility. These will include: Single rooms and en-suite facilities, a special play tower, gardens, specialist medical equipment and artwork. Patrons of the Children’s Hospital Charity including Jessica Ennis, Michael Vaughan, Michael Palin and Lee Westwood are also backing the appeal.
Students targeted by ‘hugger muggers’ Tom Vigor Thieves in Sheffield are employing a new tactic to part students from their possessions, South Yorkshire Police has warned. Opportunistic muggers have been targeting new students and approaching them under the guise of a friendly hug, stealing valuables from their victims in the process. “These so-called huggers are something new for Sheffield,” said Simon Torr, chief superintendent of South Yorkshire Police. Officers made four arrests on Thursday September 27 after spotting four men hugging strangers on West Street. However, all have now been released on bail pending further enquiries while officers investigate more allegations of theft. There have also been further reports of two women ‘huggers’ stealing from people in the city. Students are warned to be aware of people employing this tactic. Extra officers are on patrol in the city centre, around
university buildings and in popular student areas giving out crime prevention advice. South Yorkshire Police are using Twitter to get crime advice across to students.
Desmond Tutu awarded $1m Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been awarded $1m (£620,000) by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation for “speaking truth to power”. The Foundation based in London described the cleric as: “one of Africa’s great voices for justice, freedom, democracy and responsible, responsive government.” The veteran peace campaigner won the Nobel peace prize in 1984 for his campaign against the apartheid. Archbishop Tutu celebrates his 81st birthday on Sunday October 7. Rachel Dixon
Bicycle sales soar in Italy More bicycles were sold than cars last year in Italy for the first time since WWII. A change in the Italian lifestyle resulted in 1,750,000 bicycles bought in 2011 compared to 1,748,000 cars. For a country that has one of the highest car ownership rates in the world with around 60 cars for every 100 people, the figures come as a quite a shock. Old bikes are being brought back into use and more and more Italians have stopped driving to work, choosing to cycle instead. Jodie Gadd
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With their heavy presence during Freshers’ Week, Forge Press asks:
Should the Officer Training Corps be allowed to advertise on the Union concourse?
It’s healthy, fun and good The OTC’s glorification for the national spirit of war is dangerous
Photo: Alisha Rouse
William Swain Of course it is right that the Officer Training Corps (OTC) advertises around the Students’ Union. In fact it is worrying that people have objected to their doing so during this year’s Freshers’ Week, for it demonstrates a mindset that is not only sceptical of the British military tradition, but sceptical of the values which that tradition holds and defends. As a society we should be embracing the OTC as an essential part of our student environment and encouraging it, like any other Student Society, to advertise itself to us all.
‘The Armed Forces are a bastion of British identity. Let’s embrace it for once’ The OTC acts as an extremely good character builder. Through military exercises, adventurous training, community projects and expeditions, participants learn to act with discipline, work as a group, develop their leadership and further their organisational ability. They learn practical skills, improve their fitness and enjoy themselves. Furthermore, it is through experiencing tough situations together, be it a brutal trek in thunderous rain or playing out a military scenario in which men are lost, that a character is fostered that says no to being beaten, that understands the power of camaraderie and recognises achievement comes through hard work. The character building of the OTC, not dissimilar from that gained by playing in a sports team, should not be glibly dismissed but recognised as hugely beneficial to the
individual and society as a whole. In a nation that broke out into shameful rioting during the summer of 2011, the army ethos is a healthy thing to promote. The OTC does just that. However, the OTC is not just some student organisation that hangs independent of everything else. It is an extension of the British Armed Forces. It is an extension of our great military tradition. Thus an OTC presence at our university serves to remind us of an institution that is too often forgotten or even slandered. The armed forces are the ultimate guarantors of British sovereignty and security. They defend our nation, our people and our values. The men and women of the armed forces risk their lives and in some cases make the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of this nation. These things should not be forgotten. The armed forces should not just be thought about during Remembrance Sunday, but should, as we have seen this year during the Olympics, be revered in society always. The OTC’s presence in universities, like that of the Army Cadet Force in schools, helps maintain the presence of the armed forces in our society. A healthy reverence for the armed forces reminds us that the values of liberal democracy and the security of our friends and loved ones are not a given. They are not guaranteed. They exist because of an earlier and a continued willingness to fight for them. An admiration for the Armed Forces also instils a sense of patriotism into a society which has too often felt nervous about flying the Union Flag. The Olympics showed that people have a pride in being British and being part of something beyond themselves. The armed forces exist to protect Britain and as such are a bastion of British identity. Let’s embrace it for once.
Tom Schneider As a fresher of ‘down it freshaaaaaa’ fame, I became wearily used to various garishly coloured flyers being thrust into my hand last week. Some were useful (free Domino’s!), some were less so. But as far as I can remember, only one handout made me think beyond my most basic instincts: the one advertising the University of Sheffield Officer Training Corps. Universities across the country, such as the University of Manchester and the University of London, have recently tabled motions proposing to ban the Corps from recruiting outside student unions. Other universities, for instance the University of Stirling, have succeeded in passing these motions. It’s no wonder: universities are fundamentally modernising institutions who aim, through their research and teaching, to be at the cutting edge of societal trends and have historically led the way on such topics as gender equality and the acceptance and indeed celebration of difference. How then can the University of Sheffield justify allowing an organisation that only allows women to apply for 67 per cent of posts and, lest we forget, only allowed homosexuals to join the army a mere 12 years ago. Their record on minority recruitment is equally unimpressive: even today just 9.4 per cent of the army are from an ethnic minority (compared to the national average of seven per cent). Clearly this is an organisation at odds with our University’s stated aims to embrace and realise ‘the benefits of difference’. It’s rather disturbing that while I would struggle to talk about army-related matters without using the words ‘soldier’ or ‘army’, but the Corps’ leaflet manages just fine
without them. It simply talks about the benefits of leadership and the wonderful ‘social events’ and ‘community projects’ that come with the plan. This disassociation from the brutal realities of war is a blatant glamourisation and glorification of said topic and is potentially dangerously misleading. There is surely a chance that new ‘recruits’ will be ushered through three years of fun before finding themselves faced with the possibility of being ordered to kill another human being. The British Army of course denies there is any obligation to join the army after the end of the course, but I would presume that it looks more tempting than normal if your only experience of ‘the army’ so far is a spot of kayaking and classy parties in country manors, if the pictures on the handout are to be believed.
‘Disassociation from the brutal realities of war is a glamorisation of the topic’ It would have been terribly easy to accuse everyone in the army of being murdering thugs, but that view would betray ignorance on the part of the proposer. The army can be a liberating influence, which topple corrupt governments and provide hope and liberty to oppressed peoples across the globe. However, the woeful record on equality and diversity and the Lord Kitcheneresque, to quote the TUC, ‘marketised fiction’ of the advertising are enough to make the University of Sheffield look again at the possibility of leading the debate and taking a strong stance against the Training Corps advertising in Freshers’ Week. The last nationwide strike against army presence on campus was against the ban on homosexuals joining the army. We led the debate in 2000, and we could and should do the same again.
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COMMENT
L I B E R A L D E M O C R AT PA R T Y C O N F E R E N C E 2 0 1 2
NICK CLEGG and the
BAD SEEDS of
DOUBT Photo: Liberal Democrats/Flickr
Jonny Coverdale Party conference season was in full swing, with the Liberal Democrats closing up their annual conference on Wednesday last week. But after a series of speeches and debates about the future of the party, fresh Lib Dem policies were pretty scarce, mostly re-enforcing their commitment to typical ideas they had already flirted with, such as the wealth tax, green energy and support in education for disadvantaged children. This isn’t terribly surprising. The Lib Dems were bound to use this opportunity to try and set the record straight on their actions whilst in power. This was initiated before the conference by Nick Clegg’s public apology on the
tuition fee U-turn, now heading to the top of the charts after being brilliantly Auto-Tuned by The Poke. Clegg’s speech itself, though, was a rather dull affair and lacked the soundbites of the Blair years. However, he did seem to strike an interesting tone in his speech that may signify a change in coalition politics: Clegg and others seemed to remain committed to the coalition, whilst also talking more toughly on issues of real importance to the party, such as green energy, the 45p tax rate and rejecting the government’s planning reforms. Perhaps this shows that the Lib Dems are strategically planning to change the stakes in the coalition, by being more robust and not allowing the Conservatives to completely overpower them on the issues that matter most to them -
two years too late, considering that Lords Reform has been dumped, along with the party’s credibility. It will be interesting to see how Cameron reacts to this at the Tory conference in Birmingham in a couple of weeks time.
‘Clegg’s speech was a dull affair’ Party conference speeches over two and a half years before the next general election are mostly in vain and minimal in effect when it comes to determining the electoral success of the mainstream parties. A stark improvement in the economy is the only way that the Lib Dems will avoid electoral wipe-out, and at the moment, this isn’t looking promising at all. With their brand heavily tarnished after U-turns and broken promises, poll
ratings continuing to dive and with their leader facing severe internal criticism over his leadership, economic recovery may well be their only saving grace. Only in a time where the economy is more stable and prosperous can the Lib Dems really add meaning to the argument that they went into coalition “for the good of the country.” The Lib Dems still need to redefine themselves before 2015 with a clear new vision alongside a strong strategy which they can use to achieve their aims. Questions remain as to whether changes in personnel are required: Is Nick Clegg still the man to orchestrate this change? Possibly not. Publicly most of the party support their leader. However, Vince Cable’s speech earlier in the week was a clever, subtle defence of his own actions
in government while also making fun of his opponents wherever possible, easily charming the crowd. He still remains the most popular Lib Dem in government, and as business secretary he is championing policies to stimulate economic growth, something the whole country will endorse. Unlike Clegg, he also leaves the door open to a possible Labour-Lib Dem coalition post 2015, which may be a real possibility. Nick Clegg clearly isn’t the only one who may want to lead his party in 2015, meaning Clegg should start working on a new record, and fast. Got an opinion on the topics discussed this fortnight? Contact letters@forgetoday.com
Reclaim the Night: Misogynists are asking for it Ella Wildin Our Women’s Officer, Amy Masson, is organizing a Reclaim the Night march in Sheffield for November 30. For those unenlightened individuals, Reclaim the Night is a nationally held march in which self-defining women come together to speak out against all forms of male violence towards women, to show that women should not have to be afraid to walk by themselves at night and to assert that women should not be
blamed for male violence. Although, to most selfrespecting students these seem like obvious and valid concerns to harbour, sadly there are still people who think that a woman who goes out wearing a short skirt deserves to have her body violated.
‘Rape culture is a worrying reality’ At a previous Reclaim the Night (RTN) march, a young man had the insight to point out to me that leaving the house wearing revealing clothing and audaciously assuming you will not get raped
is like “leaving your bag on the pavement and expecting it not to get nicked.” Only, my body is not a bag (or any other receptacle for depositing demeaning comparisons/ undesired organs) and should be allowed to roam where it likes, adorned in whatever it likes free from fear of violence or harassment. Another damaging implication of these victim blaming, fearinstilling messages is the patronizing image they scrawl of men. They suggest that men are all primitive, sex crazed psychopaths who can’t catch sight of a woman’s
ankle without humping it like a horny Yorkshire terrier. This is just as spectacularly unfair as suggesting that a woman wearing heels is ‘asking for it’. The conviction of Sheffield United player Ched Evans for rape, and his disgraceful disciples who responded by insulting, belittling and threatening the victim on Twitter have made the situation very clear to Sheffield. Rape culture, an environment in which sexual violence is accepted or excused, is a worrying reality. The Reclaim the Night march in Sheffield would address this by demanding that male violence against women be taken seriously,
but not by telling women to lock themselves indoors until a male companion can escort them outside, or by depicting men as dangerous ogres who can’t control their wild, excessive desires. It would do this by bringing together self-defining women who are appalled and angry at being made to feel fearful of male violence, and by walking through Sheffield’s streets, defiant, unafraid and never, ever to blame.
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Editorial
Goebbels’ love letters: They’re not a commodity Jade Gradwell
rather than something to exploit. Evil is fundamentally immoral and as this is the collection of one of the most evil men in history, then selling his personal collection is surely immoral? Taking into account that neoNazis and historians had been offered the collection before it was put up for auction, this was the only option to allow members of the public to own a piece of history or keep this fascinating if controversial discovery hidden. The owner of the auction house Bill Panagopulus doesn’t see his decision as questionable, as his father’s hometown had been destroyed by the Nazi’s during the German
On September 27 2012 at the Alexander Historical auction house, the love letters and other pre war-writings of the former number two man in the third Reich, Joseph Goebbel failed to sell, despite a $200,000 estimate. These included poems, school essays, letters from relatives, friends and girlfriends, with even the future Nazi chief of propaganda writing a dissertation. The discovery documents harrowingly the nature of pure evil starting in childhood, giving us a rare historical and psychological insight into a child who grew up to be a lunatic. The findings are shocking and would be more so, if only less than ninety per cent were left untranslated due to difficulties with the handwriting. The remainder still shows Goebbels’ self-centred, controlling behaviour even as a young man, documenting his inner workings from the period of childhood to before he joined the Nazi party in 1924. The owner of the auction house Bill Panagopulus aptly states that “it shows how this rather simple, shy and lovestruck college student became radicalised.” Last year, the same auction house auctioned journals of the Nazi death camp doctor Josef Mengele which has been the target of much criticism from a holocaust survivor group, for daring to make profit from Nazi memorabilia. Menachem Rosencraft of the American gathering of the Jewish holocaust strongly argued that it would be better in archives for historians to use Photo: tristessedeluxe/Flickr
occupation of Greece in World War two, on which grounds his “morals should not be questioned”. Included were over one hundred letters to Anka Stalher reported to be the first love of his life, when this ended in 1920 in his last letter, Goebbel wrote, “If I had you here with me I would grab you and force you to love me, if only for a moment then I would kill you”. His next girlfriend revealed she was half Jewish and showing his true nature, he wrote in his personal diary, “She told me her roots, since then her charms have been destroyed for me” he was clearly showing anti-semitic tendencies in private before he displayed them so publicly. From a Freudian perspective, the more love is inhibited and repressed the more we mould ourselves to obedience which may explain his eagerness to succumb to the Nazi regime. In the end, it’s no wonder the letters didn’t sell. Goebbels was disillusioned, cold, cut off from reality and lacking compassion and basic human emotion. When his sister died, responding to a letter from a teacher expressing condolences, he stated that the death of a loved one is ‘minor’ compared to the loss of ‘our fatherland’. A statement he stayed true to when he and his wife fellow Hitler worshipper Magda Quandt killed their six children with cyanide tablets, before killing themselves the day after the Nazi leader committed suicide. Ending an innocent life is the definition of pure evil and why the letters failed to sell.
Wage war: Living Wage campaign oversimplifies Liane Lau Students have it all. We choose when to roll out of bed, which value brand of vodka we want to tempt fate with, and when to stick our heads in the sand amidst a double dip recession. We may feel shielded from the real world, but how tough is the economic climate right now? It was recently announced that the national minimum wage would receive a paltry 11p increase from October 2012, and with a never ending optimistic outlook from the Chancellor, we may as well forego the luxury of central heating and live in our old ski jackets for the duration of winter. Next month the national minimum wage is set to increase from £6.08 to £6.19. Taking inflation into account the
proposed minimum wage is not entirely worthless, but worth less. After all the necessities have been paid for, any money left over simply doesn’t stretch that far nowadays, which is why the Sheffield Labour Students have launched a campaign for all university and Students’ Union staff to receive a living wage of £7.20 an hour. Calculated by The Living Wage Foundation, it provides an incentive to work, a crucial element given recent cuts in government benefits.
‘Considering students don’t have to deal with these problems, this is the best time to be a student’ Granted, the combination of an hourly wage of £7.20 and low cost of living in Sheffield would enable people to live more
comfortably for the same amount of hours worked as say, someone in London. Nevertheless, the cost of living in Sheffield is on average 25 per cent lower than London. So what about our southern counterparts? Highlighting wages in Sheffield can bring a positive change but realistically, this is more of a problem in London - the current living wage is £8.30, where rent and even travelling to work eats into monthly wages. An adequate standard of living is the bare minimum a worker wishes for, and large companies do have the capital to take on this financial change. Yet, this might not be possible for smaller or newer businesses. Whatever the outcome, there will always be an area where someone loses out. The most we can do in this current climate is adapt. Students don’t have to deal with these kinds of problems whilst at uni, so this is probably the best time to be a student.
Student journalism, experience and Students’ Union council Welcome to the first issue of Forge Press in which many of you will be seeing your name in print. We’ve had an overwhelming response from new and old students, and hopefully one that will continue throughout the year. In journalism, attempts rarely arise to write about something meaningful or tangible. This is where student media comes into its own, allowing young writers to explore and express the issues they care most about, with an occasional story about a bionic bee thrown in for good measure. Now comes a plea to ensure you vote for your department’s councillor, Students’ Union council is one of those things I seem to spend my entire life explaining to my friends,
especially the significant imperative decisions it makes on behalf of the student body. If you think the bottled water ban is ridiculous, or Chris Brown should, for moral or musical reasons, never be played in the Union again, then this is the place to watch and scrutinise to ensure your views are heard and expressed by those chosen to represent you. Disenchantment is to be expected, but with the Reclaim your Education campaign in full swing, and an open Students’ Union council, there is no excuse to sit back and complain at the decisions affecting you, made on your behalf.
Alisha Rouse - Forge Press editor alisha.rouse@forgetoday.com
D.A.R.T.S.
Forge Press takes its satirical aim
Rejected headlines for this issue
Bee-onic robot bees are spies of the future
Contrary to what the casual reader might think, we at Comment don’t just sit around on our arses, lazily commissioning articles on half-arsed topics while, once a fortnight, getting drunk and making up some inane trite to fill the D.A.R.T.S. section. It takes commitment, passion and an eye for an eye-catching headline to come up with the worthiest titles for the truly humbling writing our contributors labour to submit every week. Sometimes, we come up with absolute duds, which would be far too offensive and tasteless to print, as I’m sure you’ll agree: For the article on the HM the Queen, we frowned at: - ‘You make me dizzy, Miss Lizzie!’ - ‘We are not amused at your antics, Lizzie’ - ‘Queeny: At least she’s better than Cleggy.’ For the article making a noble case for the OTC, we heartily condemned: - ‘The OTC: It’s jolly good!’ - ‘... Britannia rule the social activities’ - ‘Young man, there’s a place you can go...’ For the Goebbels piece, we smacked the guy who suggested: - ‘When Goebbels met Magda’ - ‘Death Camp for Cutie’ -‘Fifty Shades of Brownshirts’ - ‘Bullet for my Valentine in a Polish forest’ Thankfully, good taste prevailed.
The Universities of Sheffield and Sussex have been working on recreating a honey bee’s brain in robot form. This new and bizarre form of artificial intelligence could see little flying robots that can work autonomously. Researchers hope that they will be able to create a brain that is parallel in complexity to that of a real bee’s brain. They anticipate it will be able to perform tasks such as smelling odours and sourcing flowers. In the future these bee-utiful little creatures could be sent on reconnaissance for the military, spy bees! We at Comment are very proud to attend a university that is actively engaged in creating robotic bee overlords.
Artist’s impression. Photo: Gamewallpapers.com
Quote of the fortnight:
“Nick Clegg’s ‘apology’ is like apologising for getting married once you’ve had an affair.” - @Jon_Gleek, Welfare Officer at Sheffield Students’ Union
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COMMENT
The Queen needs to decide whether she is a symbol or a politician David Slade I’m a republican. I believe that the idea of royalty is archaic, that the monarchy is a testament to darker days, and that we should’ve followed the example of other prominent European countries by abolishing them long ago. Having said that, I’m in no way a militant, and I don’t think Elizabeth is really that bad. She’s a source of pride for her subjects, of intrigue for foreigners, and as long as she stays out of the policy and decision making better left to our elected Parliament, I don’t really care who our technical head of state is. So when I heard that our beloved monarch of 60 years had broken the royal rule of remaining neutral in current affairs and had lobbed the Home Secretary over Muslim cleric Abu Humza, who is pending extradition to the United States over alleged affiliation with terrorism, I was quite upset. Now I could go on and on about how much I hate Elizabeth’s opinion on Humza, how I don’t think the he will be given a fair trial in the US, and how he shouldn’t be condemned to a life of solitary confinement over suspicion that he might have done something wrong. But I think the real issue here has nothing to do with him, but rather to do with Elizabeth.
What I really want to talk about is how Elizabeth’s political views shouldn’t be public knowledge, and why they should remain out of earshot of not just ministers, but of everybody else as well.
‘I don’t want my home associated with what Elizabeth thinks‘ It’s not a problem that Elizabeth has a political stance; actually, it would be a problem if she didn’t – I’d rather our sovereign wasn’t an oblivious zombie. Everybody has their own views on politics, whether they be MPs, mechanics or Mrs Jones the housewife, and Her Majesty is no different. It’s wrong to think of Elizabeth, as Guardian journalist and member of the Republic pressure group Roy Greenslade so elegantly put it, as a “political eunuch”. Royalty or not, she is a human, subject to the rule of human nature, and it’s part of human nature to be political. The problem with Her Majesty expressing her political views in public is that she’s Her Majesty. Elizabeth is the head of the nation, and no matter how much we fancy ourselves as progressive and modern, a lot of people still look up to her for guidance. The sad, unfortunate truth is that too many people in Britain share Elizabeth’s views already, and I’d rather see these people in the
minority. When I first heard what Elizabeth’s thoughts on the Abu Hamza case, I couldn’t help but think it would be something my dear old nan would blurt out after a few glasses of wine at dinner. The difference between my nan and Elizabeth is that my nan isn’t the Queen of England. So I would also say that the BBC, more specifically, Alan Gardner, were also in the wrong. There’s no doubt that the topical issue of the day in Britain is the question of Islam, and it wasn’t a good call at all to reveal Elizabeth’s views on it. I can’t/don’t want to stop the Queen from having political views, but they shouldn’t ever be made common knowledge, especially when they’re as controversial as the Abu Humza case. The BBC had to apologise, not to Buckingham Palace for breaching royal protocol, but to us. Elizabeth isn’t a politician, she’s a Queen, and to many she’s our national identity. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my home associated with what Elizabeth thinks.
Got an opinion on the topics discussed this fortnight? Contact letters@forgetoday.com
Page 3: We might as well embrace it Rachel Mantock In the 1900s we were seen and not heard, breeding babies until our dying day. In the 1920s we were having a bit more fun with alcohol but on the whole, still breeding babies until our dying day and looking pretty in the kitchen. The 1960s came around and slapped a bit of life into women, the flower power era, we were losing the plot, burning our bras and having the time of our lives. The 70s gave way to the extension of the Baird Act which enabled more use of the pill, naturally of course, we all went sex mad. Today erotica novels are flooding out of book shops, read by mums all over the world. The sexual liberation of women has come a long way since the dark days of ‘get back in the kitchen’. Now we are everywhere, half naked on the front cover of every magazine, outrageously behaved and loving every minute of it. Up pops ultimate drip, ex-MP
Evan Harris, ready to rain on our parade, booming all over Britain that the Sun’s Page 3 must be banned as it’s absolutely necessary in our battle against “the projection of women as sexual objects.” Simply put - sex sells. The Sun is a profit generating business, banning Page 3 would be a damaging business decision, especially at a time when newspaper sales are rapidly declining. The Sun’s editor, Dominic Mohan is very aware of this and has shown no interest in plans to abolish Page 3 as of yet. Page 3 is a long-standing British tradition, “as British as fish and chips”, as Kate Allen puts it, who is in full support of the ban. “Page 3 is odious, ban it!” she says, viewing it as a symbol of male dominance inspired by Naomi Wolf ’s book, The Beauty Myth. In the book, Wolf states, “Beauty is a currency system, like the gold standard. Like any economy it’s determined by politics, and in the modern age in the West it is the last, best belief system that keeps male dominance intact.” But unfortunately, men of today have bigger concerns than deciding what objectifying way
to dominate women next, like marvelling over the newly released FIFA 13. Today’s women use sex as a way to enhance rather than hinder their lives. We live in a society where the highly erotic, très risqué, Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy flew off the shelves, sparked a world wide phenomenon, and increased sex toy sales by sky rocketing percentages and from this Harris derives that it’s a fantastic time to ban Page 3. Society of today is over-sexualised, sex-crazed and sexually notorious, it has been for a long time, it’s largely an accepted notion, a mere banning of Page 3 will not spark an earth shattering change in the ways of mankind. Sex is everywhere, it’s the epitome of modern culture, every music video, every advert, every billboard, every catwalk – embrace it, and don’t ban our beloved Page 3. Join the Conversation: @ForgeComment on Twitter facebook.com/ForgeComment
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LETTERS
Buried secrets finally exposed in ‘Arms trade protest’ comment article misunderstood the point Hillsborough Documents Dear Forge Press,
As someone who grew up in Sheffield I appreciated your attention to the local and national news story ‘Hillsborough Documents “Deeply Distressing”’. This was not just about the keeping of secrets but the making of deliberate lies about the events here in Sheffield in April 1989. It’s relevant 23 years on, partly because the truth’s only just come to light. Even more so, though, it’s because the story tells
us how ordinary people in one city hid their own culpability in the deaths of other ordinary people from another city.
Whatever was thought of Liverpudlians by Sheffielders back then, I know it will have been different to what Sheffield police, coroners, emergency service managers and press agencies might have constructed if the deaths had happened to people from our own city. This academic year, in a colosally diverse university
community with students from over 130 countries and staff from over 80 and new home students from all points in Britain and Northern Ireland, I’m hoping that the way each of us senses who our neighbour is will not be diminished by the relative distances we’ve each travelled to be welcomed into this institution. Yours sincerely, Revd Dr Jeremy Clines Anglican Chaplain University of Sheffield
Shame on the University Dear Forge Press, Your recent scoop regarding Sheffield University cutting workers’ pay exemplifies the importance of independent student journalism. The moves taken by ACS and the University to restrict the distribution of your newspaper in light of the exposé also highlights a wider issue that students should recognise all over the country. Journalism is currently under the spotlight. The phone-hacking scandal and the recent announcement regarding Hillsborough have poured scorn over our national red-tops. But we should never forget the absolutely vital role ethical and professional journalism plays in our society to expose wrongdoing, impropriety and to inform the public. Indeed, the phone-hacking scandal itself was uncovered not by the police, but by the press. As student journalists, we have a similar role to play within our university
bubbles. Publications owned by Students’ Unions are often nothing more than a public relations arm where proper journalistic practices are restricted and stories that bring institutions into disrepute are pulled by Union sabbaticals. Independent publications are the way forward. Forge Press, York Vision, Cherwell, Epigram, the list goes on; these are all fantastic newspapers with editorial independence. Having edited Loughborough Students’ Union’s magazine, Label, I deemed it right to launch the university’s first independent newspaper this summer so interference could cease and journalism could thrive. You should be extremely proud for standing up to the university authorities in your last issue and for upholding your independence. On the other hand, the University of Sheffield should be ashamed for attempting to curb the freedom of the
Firstly, who has the right to say at what age someone should have a child? Yes having a child at the age of 13/14 may not be ideal, but everyone has different situations, and who are we to judge how another person chooses to live their lives, and to suggest that these young mums should have their babies adopted is ridiculous; you cannot make suggestions about
what somebody should do with their life until you have walked in their footsteps and understood the situation they are in. By suggesting that a young person is incapable of looking after a baby because ‘she will be at school for most of its waking hours’ shows a lack of understanding of today’s society, where most mums cannot afford to stay at home, and so many parents, irrelevant of age, will be employed full time. I can honestly say that, as a child of someone who gave birth to me just four days after her 20th birthday, I couldn’t have asked for a better upbringing.
I am writing in reply to the ‘Arms trade protest: A bit silly’ article in the comments section of Forge Press issue 14/09/12. In brief, the article argued that whilst the arms trade treaty is an important issue, the stunt organised by Oxfam Sheffield a couple of weeks ago was a ‘waste of time’ because the UK government is already a supporter of the treaty. I’m glad the writer was so supportive of the ATT itself but his conclusion that the protest itself was ‘silly’ seems to have arisen from a misunderstanding between campaigning for a token arms trade treaty and one that will save lives. The article begins with
press. It seems to me that there is an interesting debate as to the detail of the story in question. What is not in question is Forge Press’ justification in printing it and ACS’s unjustified moves to ban distribution, albeit until their backtrack. Thankfully, it seems that their actions have backfired spectacularly. Lets hope they and other university and union authorities around the United Kingdom wake up and respect the right for student journalists to do what they do best. Maybe they will also realise that a vibrant and free press at whatever level is crucial for a free society - something many take for granted. Yours, Jago Pearson Editor-in-Chief of The Epinal Loughborough’s Independent Student Newspaper
It takes two to make a baby In response to Dale G’s letter regarding the article ‘Fighting the stereotypes: the teenage mum vs. the working mum, I am confused as to if his letter was a joke, or whether someone can really be that shallow minded.
Dear Forge Press,
Although my mother may have been young and had several jobs at once, I was always given the love and attention a child needs. Also, to say ‘no parent teaches values’ is quite a big generalisation, that I believe a huge proportion of the student population will disagree with. Finally, for so many reasons, I feel quite angry about the statement that ‘GIRLS, need to know about waiting for the right person.’ Just to clarify, it takes both a female and male to make a baby. Danielle H.
the fact that two bullets are made for every person on earth each year. Under the current draft of the ATT, this would be allowed to continue because there is no regulation on ammunition. Control Arms are campaigning for a more robust ATT - there are still crucial loopholes that need to be closed. One being the lack of ammunition regulation, another is the absence of a requirement for public reporting. Without transparency the industry will remain faceless and parliaments around the world will be unable to effectively scrutinize arms transfers. We need a ‘bulletproof’ ATT that includes everything necessary to put a stop to violations of human rights and poverty
that is perpetuated armed violence.
by
It’s easy to assume that the government’s support of an arms trade treaty is enough, job done. Unfortunately it’s not. If we want an arms trade treaty that will save countless lives then the control arms campaign must continue to raise awareness and gain support over the duration of the UN General Assembly in October. A weak version of the treaty will cost lives, a strong one will save thousands. Every minute spent campaigning on this vital humanitarian issue is a minute well-spent. Yours, Ellen Rignell Chair of Oxfam Society
Your comments on www.forgetoday.com to: Nick Clegg’s apologies will never be enough
Riddled with errors and misconceptions. I can’t be arsed to read the whole thing because you are clearly very ignorant, but here are a few things you forgot to check the facts on: “every Liberal Democrat candidate pledged to scrap tuition fees” - not all Lib Dems signed the pledge. So “few Lib Dem’s voted against tuition fees” – actually more than half voted against or abstained. A Someone
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Friday O c tober 5 2012 FORGE PRESS
Words: Lizzy Jewell Artwork: Geo Law
@forgefeatures /forgepress features@forgetoday.com
W
hether you realise it or not, when wandering Sheffield it is difficult to avoid the doodles of graphic designer Geo Law. Covering and decorating walls from Sheffield’s best pubs and bars, to the chalkboards in the Gallery of our very own Students’ Union, Geo’s murals are all over the place. His doodles gracing posters, flyers and some pretty lovely t-shirts, Geo is taking the city of steel by storm. Geo Law, unsurprisingly not his genuine identity, discloses that his real name is George Law, Geo being a nickname he acquired at school that stayed with him throughout his years at university. As his career began, and the time came for him to choose his artist alias, he chose Geo over George. “Thought it’d make me sound a bit street” he quips, “a bit cheesy right?” A street artist, and quite determined to sound like one, Geo started fresh out of university designing for friends and associates. “My work spread around the city purely because Sheffield is a small place and if people do interesting stuff, it gets talked about”. Claiming that a magnificent combination of word of mouth and sheer luck helped him gain eminence around the city, he recalls his innocence in the early days of his career. Working freelance, his “naivety probably masked a lot of anxiety about where work would come in”. Clearly, Geo must have done something right, as he has now designed for venues and companies across the UK, Europe and America. Although he attained GCSEs, A Levels and a degree in graphic design, Geo feels that he didn’t learn a lot from school. “A lot of what I do, I feel like I’ve taught myself in some sense”. Instead, Geo claims that his passion for drawing stems from when he was extremely young. “I started
drawing right from when I was a nipper, my aunt would look after me when my parents worked. Crayons and paper and various pens were my toys.” An appetite for leaving his mark on his surroundings was prevalent from the very beginning, he recalls that he “ruined a few walls and leather couches when I was a kid. Come to think of it, I must have been a nightmare as a child”. But doodling on furniture as a youngster has paid off, as Geo has perfected a distinct style over the years that is now extremely prevalent across the city centre. After a hiatus from Sheffield to attend university, and then to complete a work placement as a graphic designer at Evocreative in Prague, Geo returned. “I decided to give drawing pictures a go, and with luck on my side, I’m still doing so now”.
“
My work spread around the city because Sheffield is a small place and if people do interesting stuff, it gets talked about
”
His clothing label HANTU Collective was then established and his reputation across the city spread. “HANTU is all about letting images do the talking and having your imagination on your sleeve.” For those of you unacquainted with the work of Geo Law, he describes his unique style as “naive doodling with strong references to Japanese cartoons and old school video games”. It also features some seriously impressive linework and pretty adorable creatures honed to the mural’s location. The critters in West Street’s coolest salon Hair Kandi are brandishing combs and hair dryers, the ones in the waiting room of the Children’s Hospital are nursing black eyes and bandages, and gracing the walls of Cow is a stylised Sheffield cityscape. It is extremely hilly. Geo’s style has been acutely observed as being “illustration with its head in the clouds but feet on the ground”. Peppered with whimsy, Geo’s work is always witty, uncommonly detailed and infused with pop culture references. Impressively, his murals are also predominantly freehand. Geo practises a “notion of planning”, but mostly wants “the murals to be drawn organically”. He works on a whim, as “it keeps
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FORGE PRESS Friday O c tob e r 5 2 0 1 2
Street Law Lizzy Jewell speaks to Geo Law about his work, street art, and the city of Sheffield my mind active and imagination flowing. Sometimes new ideas will pop into my head as I’m drawing and I’ll think on the spot to integrate it into my mural. “I rarely pencil on to the wall as it slows the job down and I don’t like tracing over pencil lines as it becomes tedious”. However, the perils of the lack of pencil are always nearby, as mistakes can happen. “Luckily enough, my style is not something that’s built on totally perfect proportion and scale, my doodle style allows me to make some mistakes but more often than not I find covering mistakes quite easy.” Playfully, Geo challenges us to go and seek out the mistakes, if they are actually there. “Next time maybe you can see if you can spot any in my murals around Sheffield.” Answers on a postcard, please. When asked about the artists that he admires, Geo says that “A lot of people inspire me from the local art scene in particular.” He cites Pete McKee as one of his local favourites; McKee’s work captures memories of Sheffield and its community, and he opened the ‘Month of Sundays’ gallery in June 2010. Situated on the very lovely Sharrow Vale Road, McKee’s online biography claims that the gallery has “become an eye-catching addition to an already bustling High Street.” Tucked behind Ecclesall Road, Sharrow Vale Road is a goldmine for independent businesses, shops and cafes. Geo also draws inspiration from other local artists Nick Deakin and Kid Acne. Amongst other things, Deakin has designed the murals on the walls of Division Street’s Great Gatsby bar, and Kid Acne’s enormous ‘Everyone’s A Winner’ graffiti spanned the edges of the building site on the Moor. Well, it did, before it got awkwardly disassembled and put back up in the wrong order. According to Geo, these artists are “the main players around Sheffield … I like their outlook on their work, their approach and attitude to the arts”. The Sheffield art scene is ever changing and very much alive, and a walk through the city centre provides an experience that galleries alone cannot match. The art in the streets alone encompasses a very real feeling within Sheffield, the arts fuelling a community spirit based on an affection for Sheffield and a love of creativity. Geo Law claims that the city “has its pockets of places where
there are little circles that work off each other. “It’s these circles that support each other and it builds a community spirit of a different sort”. In particular, the Devonshire Quarter and Sharrow Vale areas are centres of creative output.
“
It’s encouraging to see people’s reactions to the work as I’m doing it, and even better if people have something constructive to say
”
It appears that Geo’s creativity is based on two central pillars; his confidence in his own work, and his constant desire to improve it. “I’m quite confident in what I do because I’ve done it so long”. He openly accepts comments and criticism, and enjoys hearing what his audience have to say about his work, as often with his murals, you can directly witness their creation. Geo Law recently collaborated with Toms Shoes, constructing a huge mural in full view of the recent, and manically busy, Meadowhall Student Lock-in. “It’s encouraging to see people’s reactions to the work as I’m doing it, and even better if people have something constructive to say”. When asked about his ambitions, Geo does not think small, wishing to eventually expand beyond murals, and beyond the hills of our beloved Sheffield. “I’d love my characters to become a franchise of cartoons, computer games, that sort of thing”. He is also
fanatically using social networks to expand his fan base beyond his Sheffield audience. With almost 1,500 followers on Twitter, his reach is expanding worldwide. “Another ambition would be for my work to take me places outside of the UK, for example shows in New York, Tokyo, Paris. One can dream, right?” Geo imparts some wisdom to students or aspiring artists. “I always made it my aim to let my work do all the talking for me rather than to spread my own word at the start. “Always use what common sense you have in approaching people for work”. Geo’s attitude shows a real dedication to his craft, and after sweetly sweeping a c r o s s Sheffield, shows no sign of stopping yet.
Visit www. getaloadageo. co.uk to view a selection of his work, and to keep updated with his projects through Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. More importantly, keep your eyes open, as Geo Law’s work is pretty much everywhere.
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Friday O c tober 5 2012 FORGE PRESS
Who’s your sugar daddy? Words: Salma Haidrani Images: Sophie Allen
Salma Hadriana investigates the surprising new trend of female students joining a controversial website where it’s your wallet, and not your compatibility, that really counts
@forgefeatures /forgepress features@forgetoday.com
features
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FORGE PRESS Friday O c tob e r 5 2 0 1 2
I
s that new online dating site you recently signed up to not quite working out? Do you wish you could forego that awkward, but essential, first date dinner conversation probing your date about their interests, hobbies and career ambitions? Do you agonise over the uncertainty of paying the bill or going Dutch? A new dating trend is leading some women to turn their back on a romantic world filled with t h e s e anxieties, instead looking to a website where cash is the biggest attraction. Seeking a life partner is considered to be a common anxiety for many. The stereotypical concept of dating, where a man would ask a woman to drinks, dinner at a restaurant, or maybe to see a film, remains a modern rite of passage for many of those looking for love. The process involved in the search for a soulmate has since evolved, however, in the 21st century from this idea of traditional courtship. There has been a record increase in online dating memberships in the last decade, with 25 million users around the world at present using dating websites. With a recent survey by scientists at the University of Rochester, New York, revealing that online dating is now one of the most common ways for couples to embark on a relationship, it would initially appear that although dating norms have changed, the search for a potential love interest is far from declining. However, a new website suggests that in the minds of some women, this aim no longer takes precedence in their search for a partner. When the then newly-elected coalition government unveiled their intention to increase tuition fees by up to £9,000 annually in late 2010, perhaps the most astounding and unforeseeable consequence was not the dramatic decrease in applications for undergraduate study in 2012/13, but the increase in female undergraduates registering to ‘sugar daddy’ internet dating websites, seeking to meet wealthy elderly males to alleviate their financial struggles. With debt for students starting university this academic year estimated to total an astounding £53, 400, substantially greater than the £26, 100 debt that students who commenced undergraduate study in 2011 will inherit, it’s unsurprising that a plethora of these dating sites, most notably seekingarrangement.com, have reported an unprecedented surge in their female student memberships. At present, such students constitute 35,000 of the 50,000 UK members of seekingarrangement.com, on the premise that older wealthy ‘sponsors’, predominantly bankers and entrepreneurs with an average six figure annual income, will fund their tuition fees. On the surface, seekingarrangement.com, which boasts a million members in the United States, bears a resemblance to online dating websites such as match.com and e-harmony. co.uk in that a considerable percentage of its users seek a soulmate. However, unlike its online matchmaking rivals, seekingarrangement.com acts as a service where older affluent men, ‘sugar daddies’, and considerably younger women, ‘sugar babies’, engage in no-strings-attached economic transactions. In stark contrast to its online dating counterparts which require users to create an online profile detailing personal information, such as physical attributes and their occupation, hobbies and interests, seekingarrangement.com requires the user to detail ‘the arrangement’ that they are seeking. ‘The arrangement’ entails the amount of money that the ‘sugar baby’ expects their ‘sugar daddy’ to bequeath to them in the form of an allowance. This amount is typically around $1,000 a month, although seekingarrangement.com claims that some women can receive up to $10,000 to assist with bills, tuition fees, or just lavish gifts, first-class travel and fine dining. These funds are provided in exchange for companionship and, in almost all cases, sexual favours, and such arguably sordid arrangements are found across the website. Take, for example, a site user and 49-year-old male who identifies himself on his profile page as ‘Mr Fashionista’. In the ‘arrangement that I’m seeking’ section, Mr Fashionista, a hedgefund manager with an annual income of £160,000 - £190,000, details that his budget for an ‘arrangement’ with a prospective ‘sugar baby’ is between £650 and £2,000 a month. Said ‘sugar baby’ is required to be a ‘very stunning, beautiful girl or woman, in great shape, slim and/or athletic
(busty is good, but not necessary) who is somewhat of an extrovert, yet easy-going and laid-back at the same time. Someone who can adapt easily to sudden changes in schedule... Ages 18 to 32. If you are in college, or went to college, that’s also a big plus’. Other ‘sugar daddies’ are even more forthright than Mr Fashionista. 61-year-old retired businessman Mike, whose budget for an ‘arrangement’ is once again between £650 £2,000 a month, seeks a ‘part-time arrangement: an intimate travel companion and lover... to enjoy romantic holidays together, all expenses paid’. The girl required must be ‘slim, 24 to 40-years-old and able to hold a good conversation’ and should also be ‘conservatively dressed’ but ‘sensuous and sexual in private’. It’s perhaps unsurprising that seekingarrangement.com has acquired controversy since its launch in the UK in May 2012, most notably because such ‘arrangements’ are tantamount to prostitution; the website has recently been equated to an online brothel. The U.S based multi-millionaire founder of seekingarrangement.com Brandon Wade, remains unperturbed by this allegation, asserting that these women are not vulnerable and exploited, but are intelligent and ambitious, exercising their right to an alternative means for monetary gain. “I think a lot of people feel [that] these sugar babies are looking for a man with money because they have no other option, that they’re being exploited” says Brandon. “But if you look at it, over 80 per cent of female members online have a university degree – these women aren’t dumb. “In the United States, education is very costly, and that has driven a lot of sugar babies over to the website to search for a sugar daddy to pay for university, and since the UK government instituted a policy increasing the cost of university, that’s actually driving a lot of women to the website to do the same.”
“
When I stumbled across seekingarrangement.com... it was because I had a genuine penchant for an older, sophisticated man with wisdom and panache.
Helen Croydon, University of Sheffield graduate
necessary skills to obtain a career in television. In a time of high levels of graduate unemployment and austerity, it is unsurprising that women such as Croydon are resorting to such measures. Wade is more than content with the unprecedented influx of such women, remarking that “a lot of beautiful, highly educated women [are now] joining us after finishing their studies. They are forced to take internships or jobs which are very badly paid as they start out on careers. They need a generous sugar daddy to help them through this time. “They get taken to places they could never afford in a million years and receive financial help through what can be a difficult time in anyone’s career.” Certainly, the financial capabilities of the ‘sugar daddies’ of seekingarrangement.com is plain to see. According to the founder, the website at present boasts two members of the Forbes 400 list of billionaires, several members of the Sunday Times Rich List, and even a member of parliament. But, ladies, although seeking the company of older wealthier men in exchange for exotic vacations, endless shopping sprees and vast sums of money may seem the ‘easy way out’ to clear substantial amounts of student loan debts, there is no such need to resort to such measures. Sending out innumerable CVs in the mere hope that someone will take pity and hire you may seem like a lengthier and more time-consuming route than receiving extortionate amounts of money, but what could be more satisfying (and empowering) than achieving economic independence? Even Croydon would not advocate using ‘sugar daddy’ websites solely for monetary gain: “When I stumbled across seekingarrangment.com, which I based my book on, it was because I had a genuine penchant for an older, sophisticated man with wisdom and panache. OK, these websites are not about looking for a full-time committed relationship but nor are they about soul-less sex and a quick cash exchange. “If you’re a student and you don’t genuinely find an older man attractive and interesting, then you are compromising your own sense of self and being unfair to the men. The men may not be looking for a wife, but they do want to be with someone who wants to be with them. Yes, I ended up accepting material gifts over time, but I stumbled across those benefits by surprise. The monetary gain was a side effect of my adventures - never my main motivation.” So what is the future for modern dating for the female student? Perhaps the era of traditional courtship for the female student is consigned to the history books. And with similar sites surfacing every month as a consequence of the success of seekingarrangement.com, from diamonddaddy. com to seekingmillionaire.com, it would seem that the trend for substituting relationships based on economic transactions for those with emotional investment. Perhaps Wade wasn’t too far from the truth when he claimed earlier this year that seekingarrangement.com was irrevocably shaping the future of modern dating.
”
It seems that some British female undergraduates share 42-year-old Wade’s outlook. Earlier this year, the site revealed that some of the most prestigious universities in the UK have seen an influx of female students subscribing to the site, with University of Nottingham and University of Cambridge, voted the best university in the world, witnessing 61 and 46 student signups respectively. And it’s not merely cash-strapped students who have foregone men their own age in return for economic support from affluent older men. One such site member is University of Sheffield graduate Helen Croydon. Author of the best-selling autobiographical account of dating affluent older men, Sugar Daddy Diaries, and self-proclaimed veteran of seekingarrangement.com, Croydon recounted her 18 month experience of the dating site as a whirlwind of “all-you-can-buy-shopping-sprees, meals at the best tables and first-class travel”. Saddled with substantial amounts of student loan debts while she struggled to forge a career in television, sugar daddies ‘sponsored’ the former Japanese Studies student whilst she acquired the
What do you think? Potential new trend, or just a hive of exploitation? Email us your views! letters@forgetoday.com
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Friday O c tober 5 2012 FORGE PRESS
Fashion Food & Drink Health & Fitness Travel Giving Back Sex & Relationships Technology
Lifestyle & Travel WHAT NOT TO MISS THIS FORTNIGHT
Lifestyle’s pick of what’s on in Sheffield
By Jasmine Franklin
THE NEXT BIG THING - HEAT ONE
OFF THE SHELF
Friday October 19, O2 Academy, tickets £6 advance or £9 on the door. Doors open 6pm.
Saturday October 13 to Saturday November 3
Support local, unestablished artists trying to break into the industry by heading to the 02 Academy where a battle of the bands competition will be taking place. The first of four heats includes a variety of different and talented bands including ilovecolour, Idiots in Stereo, Utopia Lost, ASHBY, Severed Ties and the Sonik Seed, who will be battling for three places to perform in one of two semi finals. The audience gets their say by voting for one of the winning bands, so if you think your know your music or just enjoy watching live bands, this is definitely not one to miss.
Off the Shelf is a literary event like no other with over 200 different activities to take part in; readings, debates, workshops, poetry, storytelling and much more. Highlights are the book swap and Live Words & Dead Poets Open Mic on October 13, a chance to meet Jamie Woodhead as well as a ‘novel slam’ and Sheffield’s Shocking Past on October 15. Paul Torday and Stephen May will be there on October 16 and Richard Wilson on October 17. An Audience with Dan Snow is scheduled for October 18, and New Writing and Anti-Slam Sheffield the following day. This is guaranteed to be a jam-packed event for lovers of literature.
5 Live’s Octoberfest
Oxjam Steel City Takeover
A free, three day festival will be coming to Sheffield soon, run in partnership with BBC Radio Sheffield, headlined by deputy prime minister and MP for Hallam, Nick Clegg, who’ll be live on October 12 to answer questions about the coalition government. Richard Bacon will host his show live from Sheffield on the first day, then Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo will present their Film Review on the 12th. Colin Murray hosts Fighting Talk from the Crucible Theatre on the concluding day, featuring Sheffield’s leading sports stars. A 5 Live activity ‘Igloo’ will be set up in Tudor Square over the three days where visitors can have fun presenting news, sports and weather.
The month-long festival Oxjam is coming to Sheffield in mid-October to raise money for charity Oxfam so they can continue to fight poverty and save lives around the world. The event is organised by local volunteers who have chosen four city centre bars, Green Room, the Great Gatsby, the Washington and the Bowery, to host the event. Cool Beans will be performing at the Great Gatsby, whilst Banana Hill will be filling the Bowery with their eclectic mix of soul, house and techno, with more acts to be announced soon. You can have a fun night of entertainment as well as helping raise money for a worthwhile cause.
Thursday October 11 to Saturday October 13
Review
Alex Gemperle While sun and surf are not exactly what come to mind when one thinks of Sheffield, California Fresh, a casual little restaurant located at 257 Glossop Road, just across from the University tram stop, offers good food while bringing a beach vibe to the city. The surfboard tables, whitewashed signposts and Beach Boys blasting from the speakers create a laid-back atmosphere, perfect for grabbing a bite in between lectures or re-hashing the previous night’s misadventures. Co-owned by an American who lived in California, the restaurant’s specialty is a kind of burrito that originated in the mission district of the Golden State, larger than its Mexican counterpart and with a wider variety of contents. As its name suggests, the food at California Fresh is made on-site daily with fresh ingredients, while the beans, salsa and guacamole are all homemade. Stuffed to the brim and securely wrapped, these massive burritos are assembled right in front of customers and include a broad range of ingredients. I went with the Chicken Teriyaki Burrito recommended by the woman behind the counter, which includes onions, olives, chicken and the freshest rice, seasoned with teriyaki sauce and wrapped up tight in a soft flour tortilla. For about £5, it was more than just satisfying - I had to save the last of it for later since it was so filling. The menu also includes new twists on other American classics such as the Philly Cheese Burrito, made of onions, rice and quality steak, slathered in cheese and topped with a sauce of the customer’s choice. The freshness of the ingredients is what sets these burritos apart;
Sunday October 14
California Fresh t h e y ’ r e a lot less greasy (and a lot less messy) than the usual Tex- M ex burritos. While the burritos are great if you want a hearty meal or are working off a hangover, California Fresh also offers lighter dishes. Instead of a burrito, customers can choose to have a salad, nachos or a tortilla bowl. There are also various vegetarian options, the most popular being the Beantown, a combination of cheese, sautéed onions and peppers, black beans and coriander rice. If nothing on the menu particularly appeals to you, you can always ask the staff for a recommendation - they’re really friendly and knowledgeable about what’s on offer. California Fresh also lets its customers get creative and choose from the long list of ingredients to come up with their own dishes, so there’s something for even the most particular eater. When you’re done sampling the savoury stuff, you can also try one of California Fresh’s cupcakes to satisfy your sweet tooth. They’re freshly baked and taste just as good as they look. These little bites of creamy deliciousness, paired with a cup of coffee to perk you up from a foodinduced coma, would be the perfect way to end your meal.
Student Life
Miriam Denis Le Sève The University of Sheffield offers an expansive Study Abroad programme which is going to be heavily promoted during this semester. This is an account of an unforgettable year studying in Singapore , taking the plunge into the heat and humidity and discovering the delights of the ‘Little Red Dot’.
Life in Singapore
Even though Singapore lacks the zesty unpredictability of its neighbouring countries, it is successfully shedding its strict reputation. Get over the squeaky cleanliness (and the accompanying hefty fines for littering, drinking or eating on the MRT, and even for chewing gum) and you will discover a vibrant, cosmopolitan city. Iconic architecture like Marina Bay Sands and its infinity pool, the Singapore Flyer and Esplanade contribute to the impressive skyline which can be marvelled at from 1-Altitude, the world’s highest al fresco bar. Singaporeans are of Chinese, Indian or Malay heritage and one of the ways which the government manages multiracial diversity is through ethnic enclaves like Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam.
These burst into life during festivities such as Chinese New Year, Diwali or Hari Raya with each showcasing their finest cultural delights. Feeling homesick? Take the bus to Holland Village, dubbed ‘a little taste of Europe’ to mingle with expats in Western style outlets. With an eclectic mix of ethnicities comes eclectic cuisine and believe me, the food in Singapore is amazing. It is the country’s national pastime so come prepared to eat large and often. Must eats include: fried carrot cake (actually a radish omelette) BBQ Stingray and chilli crab (do not underestimate the ability to tackle this with chopsticks). For limitless temptation, hawker stands and food courts offer around 15 different stands - from Korean to Indian, from Laska to pig organ soup. Here a £4 meal is considered expensive. Eating has huge social importance so use the opportunity to impress the locals with some Singlish. I would personally go for “this char kway teow is damn shiok, man”. Failing that, ask where to find the best chicken rice and you’ll be plunged into a debate of equal proportions to that over the state’s use of the death penalty. Finish off with a rite of passage of a dessert, durian, a fruit with a putrid odour and an equally repulsive flavour which tourists
www.thestar.co.uk
Despite all the fantastic food choices available, I was left wanting more refreshment options. With a name like ‘California Fresh,’ I was disappointed to find that there weren’t any fruit smoothies, freshly squeezed juice or fruit shakes, since these are typical beach staples. These would be welcome additions to the menu, as well as complementing the savoury flavours. That aside, California Fresh is a great place with fantastic staff, and is located perfectly for students at the University who want to enjoy new and different kinds of food at good value for their money. So if you need somewhere to grab a bite, chill out and escape from the gloomy English weather, California Fresh brings good food and a little slice of sunshine to brighten up Sheffield, no matter what the time of year. Tel: 0114 258 3775 257 Glossop Road
Student Life Amy Larkin Returning to Sheffield after a year abroad filled with lots of sunshine, travelling and new experiences, can seem quite bleak.
Just as you had to adjust to your host country, the ‘new you’ will have to adjust back to home cultures and the way of life that was so familiar
just 12 months ago, but may now seem slightly alien and strange. Reverse culture shock is a common feeling many people experience when returning home and to university. There are so many things to readjust to; ranging from getting used once again to the very unpredictable British weather, to the changes in food, lifestyle and people. Of course, reactions to returning to normality vary for everyone, and many may feel a sense of relief and happiness at once again being back on home soil. Perhaps it’s the familiar faces and having your home comforts so close to hand. However, just because your year abroad is over does not mean it has to be the end of your inter-cultural experience. Keeping up the valuable language skills you acquired in your host country can easily be done, with
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A year abroad in Singapore will hate but Singaporeans adore. Singapore, much to the annoyance of its tourist board, is often used as a leap pad to explore the rest of South East Asia, and budget flights and favourable exchange rates mean that students can backpack on a shoestring. Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Myanmar were great places to spend weekends, holidays and reading weeks!
Other ‘Study Abroad’ types went further afield, to Japan, China, Australia or New Zealand.
Life on Campus
The National University of Singapore prides itself on being ‘a leading global university centred in Asia, influencing the future’. It is a very large campus but frequent air conditioned b u s e s shuttle you to lectures, the library, numerous sport facilities and to the halls of residences. I stayed in Prince George’s Park Residences in a flat which became home to a cacophony of cultures (Filipino, Thai, Canadian, Chinese, Russian and more) coming together for the residences’ culinary festivals where the British trifle became
a classic dish. A big difference was the campus’ no alcohol policy. This put quite a spin on Freshers’ Week where one of the main events in halls was a postcard making session. The fun didn’t end there: there was the free open air Olympic sized swimming pool and the £15/year gym. In accordance with the competitive mentality of the University and its students, NUS’ societies are pretty intense. The climbing club (motto: EAT. SLEEP. CLIMB.) required try outs, training one and a half days a week and commitment to regular competitions. Instead I joined the morning tai chi sessions in the park, Buddhist meditation and the host family programme where the free food opportunities were a ‘freegan’s’ wet dream. Signing up for the organised tours of Singapore made meeting other exchangers easy, as did making Wednesday nights on the bridge at Clarke
Quay a weekly commitment. The NUS geography department is wild about group projects and I had nine over the year. Although they, at times got pretty frustrating, they were an invaluable chance to get to know the geographically enthused from the other side of the world. Projects included work on Bangkok’s transport system, hydropower on the Mekong, the elderly in Japan and Singapore’s red light district. Gaining different perspectives on current issues which are encouraged by the less Eurocentric curriculum was a fantastic way to really get under the skin of a new region. The lecture lay outs are very similar to here and we even had a couple of professors from the UK. So there you go. A little flavour of what it was like to spend a whirlwind year studying in Singapore. If you are a fresher and fancy uprooting yourself after settling into first year, I would fully recommend looking into the Study Abroad Program. If not, be a tourist, loosen your belt and visit Singapore. Can la!
Turn your October Friday’s pink!
Nearly 12,000 people die from breast cancer in the UK every year. To raise awareness, Breast Cancer Care UK are holding Breast Cancer Awareness Month. To get involved, why not turn your Friday’s pink, and get sponsored to wear something pink to lectures, or even to the gym. Or, if you don’t fancy donning your best fuschia garmemts, why not grab something pink to eat? How you turn your Friday pink is up to you. It doesn’t matter if you raise £20 or £200, as every penny will help Breast Cancer Care UK to support more people affected by breast cancer today. Find out more information at: www.breastcancercare.org.uk
Food
Lifestyle’s Cheap Eat Chili Con Carne
This is a dead easy dish to make and tastes great! Serves up to four in 30 minutes!
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil 1 diced onion
1 chopped clove of garlic
300g beef or lamb mince (£1.25 for 500g, Asda)
½ / 1tsp chilli powder
1 tin kidney beans (18p, Aldi)
1 can of chopped tomatoes (31p, Aldi) Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. Heat the oil in a frying pan, chuck in the onions and garlic and fry until soft. 2. Add the mince and cook until brown.
Life after a year abroad
Adapting back to life in rainy northern England many foreign students being based in Sheffield with who you could form a tandem partnership. Perhaps you could join a foreign society and start meeting
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
for lunches, just to get some conversation flowing. There are also lots of opportunities to get involved with Erasmus events going on around
Amy on her Year Abroad in Seville
the University. Joining the Erasmus Student Network in Sheffield can be a great way to maintain links with foreign students, and hold on to that year abroad feeling for just a little bit longer. Even though it may take time to re-adjust, coming back home after a year away can make you appreciate home culture more and see it in a new light and from a new perspective. You may have found a new career interest, have increased drive and motivation which can be carried into your studies for final year, or have found a new interest or hobby which can also be a good way to distract from any post year abroad blues. After coming across and making friends with so many people from across the world, you may find yourself abroad again before you know it, so staying positive is key.
3. Mix in the tin of chopped tomatoes and kidney beans. Then add chilli powder, salt and pepper to taste. 4. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for around 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Serve with rice, jacket potato, spaghetti, pasta, crusty bread – it’s your choice.
Meera’s tips: * Freeze a few tubs for a quick and tasty meal after lectures. * Leftovers taste better with age. * Grate on some cheddar for extra flavour. * Like it hot? Add some more chilli powder for an added kick. * Make a big pot to last a few days or fatten up your whole flat.
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Lifestyle & Travel Relationships
Fashion Food & Drink Health & Fitness Travel Giving Back Sex & Relationships Technology
Long distance love - can it survive? FOR
Lydia Silver There are few ideas scarier than the idea of a long distance relationship. Everyone has a horror story of friendships ruined and perfect couples turning into lifelong enemies. The reality is the opposite. A long term relationship can bring you more happiness than a conventional one ever could. When I first left for university, I had been with my boyfriend for almost two years. I knew that we were strong, but I didn’t know whether we could survive being apart and living separate lives. In Freshers’ Week I alternated between feeling smug that I had something that everyone seemed to want, and feeling incredibly alone. I know as well as anyone that a long distance relationship is hard work. But if you can’t imagine your life without someone, surely it is much better to see them occasionally than not see them at all? Despite my worries, I realised that I would regret not giving a long distance relationship a try, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. In a conventional relationship, couples argue constantly. Little things can easily escalate into full blown arguments. In a long distance relationship, you tend to
AGAINST
focus on the good things. Your time together just isn’t long enough to waste it on petty disagreements. It’s easy to ignore small problems because you are hugely wrapped up in each other. The more you ignore the little issues, the more you realise that they just don’t matter. The idea that a long distance relationship is lonely simply isn’t true. In the past, people had to rely on letters which could take days to arrive. Now we can text, we can ring, we can even Skype and see the person we’re talking to. If you want to hear from someone, a reply can be almost instant. For a relationship, this means that you don’t have to miss out on what’s happening in your partner’s life. I often ring up my boyfriend just to say goodnight and to catch up on his day, and because he isn’t with me all the time, he is genuinely interested in my news. It’s ironic but also comforting that the times when we listen closest to each other are the times when we are apart. A long distance relationship won’t work for everyone. If there are cracks in your relationship when you are together, moving apart will widen them into chasms. But love is a powerful glue, and if you are strong together then you can grow even stronger apart.
www. worlds-of-april. tumblr.com
Hanna Davis I love you. How wonderful it is to have those three little words whispered softly in your ear. There is nothing more romantic, nothing more desired. Oh wait, there is. Granted, I love you face-to-face is the sweetest thing, but what if it’s over text? “I luv u” Where do I start with that one? Surely correct grammar is a must when declaring how you feel. What happens when you return the love just to find out it was his or her flatmates having a laugh? Always an awkward moment. Now I know advances in modern technology has given us Skype. You can be miles apart yet in the same room. But Skype is a pathetic substitute for actually touching the one you love. The above are just geographical problems, a more important question is can you really trust the one you love? The answer is probably not. As the majority of us found out, university is a boiling pot of hormones, alcohol and the want for new experiences. Now, I’m not saying that your loved one is a cheat, but I am saying that they probably have considered it.
I’m also guessing those of you reading this who are in a long distance relationship, have considered it too. Considering the ‘Bro code’ (article 22 claims that there is no law that prohibits girls from being bros) what your other half does not know, will not hurt them. But contrary to what some reports may say, cheating in a different city is still cheating. I may come across a little cynical, but loyal long distance relationships simply do not exist. I personally know of many long distance relationships, one of which I was unfortunately a part of, and of these there has been 100 per cent fail rate. A fail is one of the following: 1) A break up. 2) One or both parties cheating. 3) Someone throwing in The University of Sheffield towel and moving closer to their other half because being apart was so unbearable. Give me a bloody break! So why waste your time? If you are in a long distance relationship, just give up now. It won’t last, you’re probably being cheated on, or you’re currently a victim of degree homicide to spend time with someone who is miles and miles away. Believe me; absence does not make the heart grow fonder. Absence makes the fond heart wander.
www.racetozero.net
Giving back
Become a blood donor and help save a life for free this fortnight Kate Lovatt This fortnight we’re looking at giving something back to the community, in this case, quite literally, by giving blood. The reactions that surface when this topic emerges in conversation range from mildly squeamish to horrified. This likely explains why the National Blood service collected from just 1.6 million donors last year. While that may sound like an impressive number, it accounts for only four per cent of the population giving two or three times a year. Although, for many, it may seem like an ordeal, signing up can be done on the website, and donating takes less than 15 minutes. After having a small blood sample taken from the index finger to test haemoglobin levels and make sure you aren’t anaemic, 470ml is taken from a vein in your arm of choice. Although that seems a lot, it’s actually less than 13 per cent of
a person’s blood volume and is replaced quickly by the body. Before and after the session, water is supplied to aid the replenishment and there are free biscuits to boot. Each disadvantage to giving blood has an overwhelming advantage that outweighs it. For those afraid of needles, there’s an anaesthetic available by request so you won’t feel a thing. For those that don’t like the sight of blood, the bags are kept below bed level so you won’t see it unless you’re daring enough to sneak a look. For those unsure about going alone, the nurses are fully trained and treat patients with a care and respect that is unique to the service, and I’ve yet to come by elsewhere. I can attest to this first hand having recently gone for my fourth donation over the summer. While still a relative novice, I find giving back to the community in this manner to be a rewarding experience because of the knowledge that one unit of blood can save the lives of up to three people.
I will unabashedly admit that I do prefer to go with my parents for moral support.
free, which is always good news for students. The University of Sheffield’s Octagon Centre holds donation session every few months, with the most recent held on Monday this week.
Having grown up going with them to donor sessions, sitting on the edge of the bed, and stealing biscuits, giving blood seemed perfectly natural to me, and they’re definitely part of the reason I originally signed up. Anyone over the age of 17 can become a donor, and it’s completely
The location is ideal for students wanting to drop in between lectures. Marie Wallace, a donor relations assistant for Sheffield, is urging younger people to go along and sign up: “99 per cent of those who go to the Octagon sessions are students and tutors, so there are lots of like-
minded people and it’s very sociable. “Men can donate four times a year and women three, but with less than 5 per cent of the eligible population doing so, it’s like constantly trying to fill a sink with the plug out”. The National Blood service is also encouraging young people who are uncertain about the process and simply want to know more, to go along to a session and watch. “Most of our donors are older, so we need younger men and women to fill the gap that will be created when they finish”, Wallace added. By looking online you can find full details on different types of blood groups, a virtual tour that explains the donation process, and read some incredible stories about individuals whose lives have been saved by donated blood. There’s nothing to lose from taking up this opportunity, so if you do one good thing this fortnight, go and give blood. For more information visit: www.blood.co.uk
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Technology
The top six phone apps for students We are officially in the modern age where Snake on the classic Nokia is not the game of the school playground, but rather, the generation of the smartphone has somehow managed take over just about all the shelves of the Carphone Warehouse and bought about a new age of procrastination and gaming, especially amongst students. With the new term starting, and this phenomenon still improving steadily, let’s embrace this new age and be making the most of the apps that are available to us one click, or touch away, whatever the smartphone provider has decided to give you.
at home, if you have this you will never find yourself wondering again.
2. WhatsApp
Now, we are all on a budget, and our phone bills are the last thing that we want to be worrying about. WhatsApp is a money saver, and also a social maker. It is an instant message service for all forms of smartphones. Organising a night out never became so easy either. Although evening outs are a major part of uni life, this app can also be useful when needing help with your course. If you have a general question, pop onto WhatsApp – on the group you made and simply ask them. It’s a simple concept, but an effective one.
3. BBC News
The average dictionary has 2,400 pages in, a little impractical to be carrying around university don’t you think? But now, the innovation of the Dictionary. com app from the widely used website is a student must have. I’m not sure about you, but I often find myself wanting to improve the literary terms being placed into work. The thesaurus aspect (developed from www.thesaurus.com) of the app offers a concise, broad word bank. The dictionary, like one of a book form, offers a coherent definition. The app requires no internet connection, so whether you need on the go, in lectures or
With Evernote, the task is brought to the 21st century. An excellent cataloging system allows for easy digital note and annotation organisation, which is perfect for written text, photos, and even mp3 files produced by the integrated dictaphone. Compatible with all platforms, access your beloved notes for free anywhere in the world, and know that no matter how much beer you spill on your notebook, your revision material can always be where you need it.
Richard Taylor
4. O2 Priority Moments
Harriet Morgan
1. Dictionary.com
which actually makes accessing the news a lot easier than it used to be. The ever-present eduroam wi-fi throughout the University campus also means that catching up on your daily dose of world news won’t result in your burning through your data limit on your tariff. The BBC News application is one of impartiality, and offers succinct information for the UK and worldwide.
A lot, if not all of the courses that are on offer at this University require us all to keep up to date with the current affairs. To be honest, the likelihood of the average student carrying around a broadsheet newspaper is highly unlikely.
Yet, the chances of us being with our phone are very, very high. We seem to have this relationship with our phone that never needs any form of ‘space’,
And another two we agree on:
Those readers who are O2 customers, perk up your ears, O2 finally have an offering to rival and defeat Orange Wednesdays. O2 Priority Moments, the app, allows users to find excellent deals in the nearby region using location based searches, and also check for top name brands using a standard search. Current brands in Sheffield using the service include Dominos, Pizza Hut, Ask Italian, Bodyshop, WHSmiths, HMV, Odeon, National Express coaches and the Handmade Burger company. With fresh exciting deals every day almost
Absolutely perfect for audio capturing difficult lectures, and for use in conjunction with other software, such as Dropbox.
6. Hungry House
No student passes time in Sheffield without succumbing to the need for a calzone from Padrinos. Now, this is made even more convenient with the free app, allowing students at all levels of inebriation to order their favourite midnight feast. With location based searching, and restaurants ranked by review, this is a decent piece of software.
everywhere, this is certainly not one to be missed. Download now for free.
5. Evernote
Taking notes in lectures and seminars can be a real bore.
1. iSheffield
2. Dropbox
This is a really useful app, made by our very own CICS. It enables users to quickly locate an available PC in the IC, a task which students previously had to log into MUSE to do. Helpful for freshers is the campus map, no more walking round the block five times. So if you’ve literally flung yourself out of bed, and haven’t a clue where you should be going, but you are already half way to uni, then this is the perfect app. Students can also access lecture and exam timetables, which is definitely useful to confirm that you have to be in at 9am tomorrow. Available across platforms, iPhone users get the additional feature of locating nearby friends, although perhaps if one relies on this feature one’s friends may be less interesting than one believes. Although mostly academic based, it also keeps up to date with events the Students’ Union offers, socialising has never been so easy.
Need to share files with friends or staff? Store content online? Keep timetables handy for mobile use? Look no further. Dropbox is a free service, providing 2GB free online storage of files, compatible with Mac/PC, iOS, Android and Blackberry. It allows users to upload a plethora of formats, meaning no more expensive printing of slides and handouts, as students can check powerpoints and practical class handouts on the bus, in the union, or at home, all for free. Additionally to this, it means that all of your work is backed up further. As the old saying goes, it is better to be safe than sorry. Simple to use and with a quick ‘upload’ button means that it’s exceedingly efficient, exactly what you need.
Get involved:
Tuesday October 23, 11-4pm in the Geography Cafe. Located in the heart of Sheffield on Orange Street (just off West Street), Ben’s Centre is a refuge for homeless street drinkers. The centre is funded entirely by charity, which is now in need in need of a major boost. The University of Sheffield Geography Society are holding a Clothes
Drive and Tea Party in a bid to support Ben’s Centre. It will be held on Tuesday October 23 in the Geography Cafe from 11-4pm. A two pound donation (either on the door or in advance from any member of the committee) will get you a ticket, to be
swapped for a freshly baked cupcake and a cup of tea. But don’t come empty handed, raid your wardrobe and dig out all of those garments you’ve not worn since the 90s, because Ben’s Centre need them. Fleeces, jumpers, tops, jeans, but particularly trainers and dressing gowns, are all desperately needed. So bring your unwanted clothes and come and enjoy a good old fashioned tea party.
Want to write for us? Email us at lifestyle@forgetoday.com and we will add you to the mailing list so you can find out more about our meetings, stories to be written and other opportunities.
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COFFEE BREAK overheard
in sheffield
On the Uni Tram Stop crossing: Girl: “Excuse me, but who was the monarch at that time?” On Leavygreave Road: Fresher Girl: “I’m just going to go home and watch the Twilight Saga.” - £9,000 per year going to a worthy cause
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Hero Pig saves a Gymnastic Catkin the goat’s daily show goat from drowning Henry the horse, was bought camera. A little piglet swam to save a small goat who had become trapped in a pond. The pig can be seen swimming across the pond and pushing his friend to safety before they graze together. Coffee Break is sad that no one helped the little guy, but thank the Bean that Hero Pig was there. Watch the cute video by searching YouTube for ‘pig rescues baby goat’.
by Karen Newman six years ago as a companion her 45-year-old horse Whiskey. However, Henry has struck up a relationship with Catkin the goat, and they now perform a daily routine a little out of the ordinary. Catkin takes a running jump onto the back of the Shetland pony, and proceeds to proudly stand there for some time before nimbly dismounting. Ms Newman, after being initially surprised by the show now considers it “quite normal”. Henry seems to show no discomfort and appears quite happy with his best friend on his back, even giving Ms Newman time to run back home to find a
On This day 223 yEARS AGO:
The Women’s March on versailles
Photograph of the Fortnight: Fabian Oefner’s Dancing Colours
crowd surrounded the palace and successfully pressed their demands upon King Louis XVI. Their conditions came together and they demanded that the king and his court, as well as the Assembly, to move to Paris to reside among the people. Then the foreign soldiers would be expelled, food be reliably available, and France served by a leader who was “in communion with his own people”. The next day, the crowd compelled the King, his family, and most of the French Assembly to return with them to Paris. The march effectively ended the independent authority of the King, and symbolized a new balance of power that displaced the ancient privileged orders of the French nobility and favoured
the nation’s common people, collectively termed the Third Estate. It marked the end of the King’s resistance to the wave of reform, and he made no further direct efforts to prevent or slow down the French Revolution.
Have you seen it yet?
Random Fact of the Week:
Tuxedo Stan: philanthropist, politician, celebrity, campaigner and pet cat
YouTube it:
A 27-year-old heir to a sausage empire was handed a ticket for £116,000 for driving at 80 km/hr in a 40 km/hr zone.
The Women’s March on Versailles, which began on the morning of October 5 1789, was one of the earliest and most significant events of the French Revolution. It started in the market places of Paris where women began rioting due to the unaffordability and scarcity of bread. Their demonstrations quickly became entwined with the actions of revolutionaries, who were in quest of liberal political reforms and a constitutional monarchy for France. The market women and their allies developed into a mass of thousands and, incited by the revolutionary activists, they plundered the city armoury for weapons and marched to the Palace of Versailles. The
“Boil ‘em, mash ‘em, stick ‘em in a stew”
With The Hobbit coming out soon, who can help but indulge in some quality Lord of the Rings reminiscing. Whether you are planning a trilogy marathon, or just scared that two weeks of lectures have already passed, put off reality for a little longer. Annoyingly catchy, you may not like it but it’ll be stuck in your head for days, and who doesn’t like accidentally asking a randomer “What’s taters, Precious, what’s taters?” YouTube search: ‘boil em mash em stick em in a stew’
This is because the speeding tickets in Finland are based on how much money a person makes.
Coffee Break’s Word of the Fortnight: Persnickety, adj.
1. Overparticular; fussy. 2. Snobbish or having the aloof attitude of a snob. 3. Requiring painstaking care. “The point here is to make your animal understand that its upstairs neighbour is exceptionally persnickety about territory.” - Yann Martel, Life of Pi
Tuxedo Stan, feline and politician extraordinaire, is campaigning to “improve the welfare of felines in the Halifax Municipal Region because neglect isn’t working”. The nominated candidate for the Tuxedo Party, Stan wants to raise awrtareness about the unacceptably high number of stray cats in the region. Supported by his thousands of Facebook fans, with a poster campaign across and the motto ‘A chicken in every pot & a litter box in every house’, Tuxedo Stan hope that he can change the lives of his fellow feline Halifax compatriots. He even has his rivals quaking in their human boots, with Halifax councillor candidate Wayne Mason, tweeting “I’m just glad I’m not running against Tuxedo Stan. He is everywhere these days.” Stan understands that he is fortunate, and that his fellow cat kind don’t share his lucky start in life. He wants better opportunities, and better living conditions for his ‘people’.
Prince Pyotr Alexeyevich Kropotkin, one of the world’s foremost anarcho-communists described the march as “one of those defeats of royalty from which it never recovered”.
“Henry and Catkin get on really well,” explained the 35-year-old. “I don’t have a clue why Catkin jumps onto Henry’s back, maybe it’s some sort of game. “I suppose it must seem a bit strange to people without goats but to me it’s quite normal now.”
“I feel very fortunate to live in Catopia,” he is quoted as saying on his Facebook page. “I’ve never known hunger, cold or abuse. I sleep in a warm, cosy bed every night.
“I get to play in a safe fenced yard every day. Unfortunately, there are cats all over the world who aren’t so lucky. “You can help by donating money or time to a local rescue group.”
The photographer, Fabian Oefner, has a gift for capturing moments that last a fraction of a second. Injecting vivid colours, and drawing inspiration from the scientific community, Mr Oefner produces breathtaking photographs. His recent series titled ‘Dancing Colours’, captures sound waves by using dyed table salt on top of a set of speakers. The results are astounding, beautiful and dazzling. Inspire yourself, fuel your curiousity and visit Oefner’s website: www.fabianoefner.com
Municipal law bans animals from holding office, but as Stubbs, the honorary mayor of Talkeetna in Alaska has shown, even an honorary position can change a town. The Alaskan feline celebrated his 15th year as the honorary mayor earlier this year, which makes him one of the longestserving mayors in America, with his huge popularity worldwide helping boost tourism in the area. It seems cats are better at maintain their popularity polls than their human political counterparts, and also more adept at utilising social media for their political campaigns. Coffee Break isn’t saying we should let politics go to the dogs (or should that be cats?) but maybe there is a lesson here. Equality in living conditions, looking after those that struggle the most and caring for more than yourself? They sound as good as most of the empty promises made to us through countless elections. After all, most of our candidates, parties and representatives aren’t as clear as black and white.
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COFFEE BREAK
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Puzzle Page: sudokus E
with Holly Wilkinson
H
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M Quote of the fortnight
Trending
It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.
Thorpe Park are planning on breathalysing students on entering, if over the limit they will be directed to The Swarm - where apparently the speeds of over 62mph will speed up the rate of sobriety, seems reasonable.
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Albert Einstein, 1921 Physics Nobel Prize Winner
lecture puzzle Across: 1. Heavy material used to stabilise a ship (7) 4. Style of 1890s art and architecture (3,7) 8. Vincenzo ____, 19th Century Italian opera composer; champagne cocktail (7) 9. A deficiency of red blood cells (7) 11. An offensive or indecent word or phrase (9) 14. An instrument for determining the weight or pressure of the atmosphere (9) 18. Ten hundred (8) 19. Owner of a rented property (8) 20. Vessel that links arteries to veins (9) 23. Able to resist the explosive force of shells (9) 27. Rare solar event that occurred most memorably in 1999 (7) 28. Italian city buried by a volcanic explosion from Mount Vesuvius (7) 29. Smother, suffocate (10) 30. A state of lawlessness (7)
Down 2. Lover from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (8) 3. Matter, concern, cheating (on someone) (6) 4. Slaughterhouse (8) 5. Thomas ___, 16th century English composer (6) 6. The bone of the forearm on the side opposite to the thumb (4) 7. An angel of the second order, a sweet baby (6) 10. A footrace of 26 miles 385 yards (8) 12. To ensnare, entrap (6) 13. At a distance, but within view (6) 15. Imperturbable poise; perpendicular, or vertical position (6) 16. The vein in the centre of a leaf (6) 17. A medical facility (8) 20. A stimulant (8) 21. scholarly but lacking in worldliness (8) 22. Organized alliance of criminal enterprises in Japan (6) 24. Swelling from excessive fluid (6) 25. African antelope (6) 26. Volcano in Sicily (4)
Hot
Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith is being released on October 11 in 3D - for what reason is unknown
There is 80 days left until Christmas Day 2012 - is this good news or reason to start panic buying? Reproduce the puzzle on a square sheet of paper. By ingeniously folding it, it is possible to align the nine dots in a straight line. Find the answer online at: www.forgetoday.com/category/ coffee-break
Apple products are priced beyond the cash sphere of most students, but a £20,000 18-carat iPhone 5, complete with 53 flawless diamonds is just taking the mickey.
Cold
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FORGE PRESS Friday O c tob e r 5 2 0 1 2
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SPORT
Matchdebating
Debate: Having been found innocent in the High Court, is the FA’s punishment of John Terry harsh?
Going over the judicial The FA’s sanctions are system is ridiculous not tough enough Max Bell John Terry is modern football’s byword for controversy. He’s significantly more divisive than any other character within our beautiful game, for unlike such devils as Sepp Blatter and Joey Barton, there is fierce debate from both sides of the numerous divides encircling Terry. The entire façade has been engaging to all fascinated with the role football plays within society, but the length of time it has stretched on for
‘Charging him pleased the press, but it was a shocking decision’ has been comical. Indeed, whether or not John Terry can fairly be described as a ‘racist’ and all inter-feeding issues have been the summer’s hot topic. Yet that begs the question , were the FA right to issue proceedings against John Terry, when he was found not guilty in a court of law for the identical offence? The answer simply has to be
Select BUCS fixtures October 10:
RUGBY UNION Men’s 1sts at home v. Bishop Burton College 1sts, Norton Women’s at home v. Cheshire 1sts, Norton RUGBY LEAGUE Men’s at home v. Bradford 1sts, Norton
no. Stamping out racism is admirable, and any reasonable attempt to do so is better than no attempt at all – but thankfully this is not the 1980s, and the horrific incidents that Blissett and Barnes were forced through are rare. Racism, whilst a disgusting blight in our society, is no longer the scar on football’s conscience it once was. Indeed, from my own experiences of watching football live, it is abundantly true that fans care much more whether you’re fat and slow, rather than where you or your parents are from. Yet despite all this, the idea that the Football Association, a glorified kangaroo court, knows better than the oldest continuous judicial system on the planet would be laughable, if it wasn’t so serious. For even with the proceedings taking place at a lowly Magistrates court, once you read the evidence, not just the headline bile, a Not Guilty verdict was inevitable. We’ve all seen the footage, and no matter what you think of it, as soon as Anton Ferdinand admirably confessed that he didn’t hear it at the time, it was an inevitable victory for the defence. The ‘Look, Ashley Cole is my friend, I can’t be a racist’ card was a tad crass; but a Not Guilty
October 17: FOOTBALL Men’s 1sts at home v. Hull 1sts, Norton
verdict was the only one that could reasonably be given. No matter what our judgements on his defence, it was more than enough for a reasonable doubt. So the question is, what should the FA have done next? Whilst deciding to charge him anyway certainly pleased certain sections of the tabloid press: it was a shocking decision. They should have brought forward anti-racism proposals that would help, not empty platitudes.
Subsequently, having found Terry guilty of a similar offence to Luis Suarez last year, the FA proceeded to hand him a ban of half the length, and a fine similar to one week’s wages, for ‘abusive and insulting words...which included a reference to ethnic origin”. If they are serious about stamping the last remnants of a thankfully disappearing blemish on the national game at high
‘I say the punishment isn’t severe enough. It’s time to punish the racists’ levels, the punishments need to be stronger and more consistent. Eight games for a first offence. Six months for the second. Third strike should trigger a life ban. The ban wasn’t even stringent enough, the judicial process so slow, that Terry was still able to play the weekend after being found guilty, helping Chelsea to a crucial away win at Arsenal. This is no deterrent, particularly at grass-roots level, where racism is for many still a clockwork occurrence every weekend. The FA have not thought about the impact
Newcastle 1sts LACROSSE
GOLF
Men’s 1sts away v. Durham 1sts
Away v. Durham 1sts
BADMINTON
BASKETBALL
HOCKEY
Women’s 1sts at home v. Sunderland 1sts, Goodwin
Men’s 1sts at home v. Durham 2nds, Goodwin
VOLLEYBALL Women’s 1sts Newcastle 1sts
away
v.
NETBALL
Men’s 1sts away v. Leeds 1sts
1sts at home v. Sheffield Hallam 1sts, Goodwin
TABLE TENNIS
TENNIS Women’s 1sts away v. Leeds Met 2nds
After 11 months of rumours and refused handshakes, solutions have finally been reached in the John Terry ‘saga’. People argue that the four-game ban and £220,000 fine are the FA acting beyond its remit, going above the Court of Law. I say the punishment isn’t severe enough. Anyone who watched that video of the sordid event in action could see from Terry’s twisted face, the direct bile at Ferdinand for an offence long forgotten today, could tell that there was something badly wrong with what the then-England captain was saying. The FA needed only to prove on balance of probability that Terry abused Ferdinand. This they did - which, given that the judge in the High Court trial said that Terry had probably abused Ferdinand, but there wasn’t enough evidence - was an obvious decision to make.
Men’s 1sts at home v. Northumbria 1sts
Women’s 1sts at home v. Leeds Met 3rds, Norton
Women’s 1sts at home v. Liverpool 1sts, Goodwin
Matthew Smith
Women’s 1sts at home v. Leeds 1sts, Goodwin Men’s
1sts
away
v.
Men’s 1sts at home v. Leeds 2nds, Hillsborough Women’s 1sts away Sheffield Hallam 1sts
v.
FENCING Women’s at home v. Durham 2nds SQUASH Women’s at home v. Bradford 1sts Men’s rugby at Norton.
on the junior level of the game - surely a severe punishment for such a flagship figure could deter some kids for life? On the pitch, one of the biggest results of the damage is that Terry has retired from international football. This has been met with horror from those with a purely footballing perspective, and those who saw Terry’s brave leadership and commitment at the last two major tournaments will not disagree with this reaction. However, it also gives England a great chance to move on in terms of preparation for future tournaments. The universal rhetoric surrounding the national team for years has been about introducing new blood, getting rid of the underachieving ‘Golden Generation’. Terry is a member of that generation. At 31, his best years could very reasonably be said to be behind him. It’s time for the LescottJagielka partnership to be nurtured into bloom. It’s time for the likes of Gary Cahill, Terry’s club partner, to take his chance. It’s time for youngsters like Smalling and Caulker to be moved into the spotlight of the world stage. It’s time to punish these offences properly.
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Steelers suffer double defeat to Owls sneak point after six-goal thriller Nottingham and Coventry Sheffield Wednesday proved they have the fighting spirit necessary for the Championship after coming from behind three times to draw at Turf Moor. The Owls had lost all six games in September to produce genuine fears of a relegation scrap. However they ended that slump with a battling display, which manager Dave Jones praised: “I thought we deserved to win”. Burnley opened the scoring at the mid-point of the first half, former Manchester City trainee Kieran Trippier delivering a perfect cross onto the head of Charlie Austin, who beat Chris Kirkland. The visitors were behind for less than a minute. Chris O’Grady netted his and his club’s first of the night with a tidy headed finish. The game was entertaining for all to see, with both sides making good chances all the way through.
Burnley were the stronger side in the first half, and went in front again on 38 minutes, Austin with a poacher’s goal to ensure the Clarets went in at half-time in front. They shouldn’t have been though, with Ross Barkley being denied well by Lee Grant once, before he skewed a shot wide from six yards. Fortunately for Wednesday, O’ Grady was in a much more clinical mood, and after 64 minutes he was fed by former England international Jay Bothroyd and finished well into the bottom corner. Both teams continued to seek the win, and Burnley must have felt they had found it in great style when Austin completed his hat-trick with a goal from 20 yards. But once again the home fans’ celebrations lasted less than 60 seconds, as Mickael Antonio scored the best goal of the game, a 25-yard rocket that left Grant with no chance. Wednesday remain 21st in the Championship after this thriller, and will hope to win for the first time since August as they face Hull City at Hillsborough on Saturday afternoon.
Dave Kitson heads United in front
the poor quality of football and Photo: Blades Sport Photography
Football nPower Championship
Ice Hockey Elite League
Burnley Sheffield Wednesday
David Street & Danny Armstrong Steelers’ fans have had their early season joys dented after two defeats in a weekend. They arrived at the Motorpoint Arena knowing victory against their bitter rivals Nottingham Panthers would reinforce their position at the top the league. However they were to go home disappointed as the Panthers sneaked victory after a tense shootout. The first period was a cagey affair, indicative of a game in which both teams struggled to convert their chances. Sheffield arguably had more possession but the Panthers undoubtedly had the best chances. In the second period Nottingham wasted no time in seizing the initiative. Jordan Fox received the puck and his rasping shot whistled past John DeCaro to send the Panthers 1-0 up. After the restart, both teams created several chances. Four minutes from the break, from the tightest of angles, Jeff Legue stroked the puck across goal and in off the left hand post. The third period was more open and Sheffield finally found some form. Thomas forced a good save from Kowalski and a few minutes later Shields and Fata also had decent chances. Crucially, no further goals were scored. With the score tied, the game entered five minutes of overtime. However, the perfect goal never materialised. In the best-of-three shootout Shield and Legue both missed for the Steelers, whilst the Panthers scored both penalties, to win the game 2-1. The next day the EIHL frontrunners entertained Coventry Blaze, this time losing 4-3. Steelers’ first league defeat of the season less than 24 hours prior to the match had so far been the only blot on their league record. The game began well for Sheffield with Tait and Michel linking up to keep opposing goaltender Peter Hirsch busy. Tait had two efforts saved in the first minute but it was Michel who opened the scoring on 5:52 when captain Jonathan Phillips centred for the Canadian to finish into the roof of the net. Coventry failed to keep up with the early pace and a Tait goal on
3 3
Matthew Smith
Jeff Legue in action against Nottingham Photo: Dean Wooley 9:55 put Sheffield 2-0 up. However, any momentum gained in the first twenty evaporated when Coventry’s Greg Leeb broke and fired past DeCaro only 82 seconds after the restart. Coventry, buoyed by the early goal and tenacious in attack, Football equalised seven minutes later nPower League One when captain Shea Guthrie set up Gerome Giudice. Hartlepool United 1 Coventry grabbed the lead Sheffield United 2 when Mike Schutte showed clever close puck control to weave Matthew Smith past Steelers’ defencemen and scoop it past DeCaro. Sheffield United remain unbeaten Although Sheffield managed to after ten games in League One, equalise through Legue, Fata’s but avoided a seventh draw of the clash with Benn Olsen just before campaign with a late win in the the break attested Steelers North East. frustration at throwing away a Paul Gallagher, who is only at valuable lead. the Blades on a one-month loan The start of the third period from Leicester City, slammed mirrored that of the second Ryan Flynn’s cross home from 12 Schutte netted his second of the yards on 89 minutes. game after only 76 seconds to They had initially gone in front regain the lead. after 27 minutes, when Dave The Steelers, hoping to Kitson, who is also currently a precipitate a comeback, short-term resident at Bramall dominated most of the third Lane, with a contract only session. until January, heading in Tony However, when Pecker McMahon’s cross. departed for a five minute Hartlepool were excellent after penalty for butt-ending with the interval however, Anthony three minutes left to play, with Sweeney striking the bar, and him went any hope of a Steelers they continued to go close until turnaround. there were just twelve minutes to Corey Pecker was released by go, when former United forward the club on Monday. Steve Howard scored.
Blades remain unbeaten after last gasp winner from Gallagher
But it was Gallagher who found the winner late on. Danny Wilson, the Blades manager, called the game “confrontational”, in regard to
the inclement weather, but also gave high praise to his teams efforts: “From our point of view, it’s a terrific three points”.
Heat is on the Sharks as they suffer third straight loss Basketball BBL Championship Sheffield Sharks Surrey Heat
69 81
Phil Blackley Sheffield Sharks looked to get their first win of the BBL Championship campaign when they faced visitors Surrey Heat on Sunday. Having lost to Leicester and Manchester already this season, the Sharks needed no added
motivation for this match. The Heat, on the other hand, were unbeaten after resoundingly dispatching the Mersey Tigers. Despite getting the opening points of the game on the board early on, the Sharks then took a while to settle into the game. They failed to capitalise on good spells of possession, and missed baskets often lead to a swift Heat counter attack. After several exchanges of 2 pointers, Heat led at the end of the first quarter 18-25. Sharks Head Coach Atiba Lyons injected life into his team
in the break, and Sheffield enjoyed a better second quarter. Captain Michael Tuck led his team fantastically, and playmaker Gage Daye controlled, scoring seven himself, and forcing turnovers for the likes of fan favourite Olu Babalola to score. Despite the best efforts of Surrey forward Samuel Cricelli, and with Martelle McLemore constantly attacking the basket, Sheffield held onto the lead going into the halftime break at 42-41. It was a shame they could not continue in this vein after the broke though and Surrey Heat
dominated the third quarter. The Sharks simply didn’t turn up and Surrey made the most of the home team’s lacklustre play. Chavis Holmes was explosive, drawing fouls to set up Cricelli and the giant Peter Cimek countless times. Sheffield were ultimately their own worst enemies, being caught short on the break, or getting turned over far too cheaply. Sheffield Sharks only managed seven points for themselves all quarter and trailed 49-65 with the last to come. Daye and Babalola combined
well at the start of the final quarter to suggest a comeback was on the cards. But Surrey’s Julius Joseph and McLemore kept the scoreboard ticking over; by the time Tuck sent McLemore crashing through the advertising boards with an intentional foul, the game was out of sight. It was a brave performance from a Sharks team who were left to rue the disastrous third quarter, and Surrey Heat comfortably ran the game clock down to secure victory.
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O’Malley’s volley good show Sabres star in GB call Will Aitkenhead
The GB volleyball team failing to make it out of the group stages of this year’s Olympics did not detract from University of Sheffield graduate Kieran O’Malley’s experience this summer. O’Malley who studied Management at the University, spoke exclusively to Forge Sport and told us that, “The whole thing was absolutely amazing. ‘There are no words to sum up the experiences I had over the three weeks we were there. It’s something that will definitely stay with me forever.” O’Malley went onto highlight the Olympic ceremony as a particular high point as well as taking to the competition court at Earls Court for the first time. “That’s a feeling I can’t describe, to have so many people there with such enthusiastic and motivating support. One of the best moments of my life.” O’Malley also spoke fondly of his time at the University, highlighting the influence of Andy Cox as being crucial in
helping him juggle his training commitments and academic requirements. He looked back fondly on his playing days for the University, with the BUSA Trophy win in his first year being the highlight. In particular he enjoyed the social element of University sport, “We had so much fun as a club and it was great to get outside the intense training environment I was used to and to enjoy just playing the game.” There was no rest for the Volleyball men as they went straight into the qualifying process for the European Championships in 2013. They made it through to round two and travelled to Istanbul to take part in the next stage against Portugal, Turkey and Belarus. However, they finished bottom of their group. Beyond this O’Malley has plans outside of volleyball, “I’m not going to try and make the Rio games, I’ve decided to step aside after the London Games and to start to work my way up the professional career ladder.” But he hopes that London 2012 will have a lasting effect on the
sport. “The crowds we had at the games were unlike any other volleyball has ever seen in the UK, and it was a great opportunity to showcase how exciting the sport can be at the highest level. “Friends who run clubs tell me that memberships have increased which is what it’s all about.”
competitions for the first time, and small-side hockey making its debut at this level. This year, Forge Sport hopes to bring fortnightly round-ups of the competition in all three of the major sports. Intra-Mural football will also make its debut at Varsity in 2013. Those who could previously only dream of playing in the year’s biggest sports competition will get their chance when trials
are held this November. Walker returned to his hometown to help promote the league. Born in Sheffield, he started his career at Sheffield United, before moving on to Spurs with great success, via a loan spell at Aston Villa. Along with Sport Sheffield’s Simon Frost and Head of Intra Mural Greg Unwin, they launched a brand new system, providing students with competitive sport.
After missing out on the Euro Championships due to a foot injury, Tottenham Hotspur and England footballer Kyle Walker spent time at the University’s Goodwin Sports Centre over the summer. Whilst at Goodwin Walker visited the newly installed 3G football surfaces. Walker was suitably impressed with the quality of pitches available to our students, but that is probably not surprising given that the University now boasts a range of professional standard pitches, which are similar to those recently installed at Tottenham Hotspur’s training facility and St George’s which is the FA’s new HQ. The five-a-side leagues are available to all staff, post-grads and students, and the leagues start the week commencing October 8. They are available Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursday evenings. Sign up is already underway, and will carry on until the leagues are full. This year, Intra-Mural has undergone a significant revamp, with a new Elite League being introduced for societies, in football, hockey and netball. These leagues will see official refereeing introduced to the
Thomas Malagodi, Defensive Lineman for the Sheffield Sabres, University’s American Football team has been chosen to play for Great Britain. Malagodi decided to attend the Southern trials, despite only beginning the sport in late September, after reading about them on-line. Malagodi attended trials held in Hertfordshire in January this year, with his performance in individual drills and scrimmage impressing the coaches. Following further training
camps throughout 2012, Malagodi performed well enough to remain in contention, as well as playing in progressively intensifying play-off matches, that led to the Sabres securing the BUAFL Challenge Trophy for the first time last year. He received the good news of his selection to play for his country and represent the Sabres on a national level. “I’m proud to represent my country and club”, Malagodi told the Sheffield Sabres website. A statement on the Sabres page said: “Congratulations Thomas from Sabres old and new”.
O’Malley Photo: British Volleyball
Intra-Mural set to kick off Matthew Smith
Matthew Smith
Kyle Walker promoting the league
Photo: Sport Sheffield
Silver medalist helps out Jack McGregor The University of Sheffield Canoe Club had the honour last night of training with Jamie Thomson, who won a silver medal in the Canoe Polo World Championships in Poland in September. He was helping with a free training session at Goodwin pool, with the aim of helping new members getting to grips with the basics. The event was well attended with around 50 members undertaking the training. Thomson is the Canoe Club’s polo captain after having come to the University to sign up. He agreed to take a few moments to discuss his success at the World Championships and his role with the Canoe Club. Thomson said that although it was disappointing to lose in the final of the World Championships against France, he was very happy to have won a silver medal: “I will never forget the experience of standing on the podium. It’s the highest point in my 12 years of canoeing.” He has achieved a bronze medal at the 2010 World Championships, becoming Great Britain’s highest ranked player under the age of 20. He got into the sport through his family; “my father and brother
had already started canoeing”. Thomson’s accomplishments achieved press coverage in his hometown of London, no mean feat given canoe polo’s low profile. Thomson is now training for the European Championships in 2013 and is hoping to be captain of the team. After the Canoe Club achieved an impressive silver medal at the BUCS championships last year, Thomson is hoping for the team to be able to go one better and win the gold next year, as well as winning Varsity against Sheffield Hallam University. The future looks bright for the University of Sheffield Canoe Club.
Canoe polo.
Photo: Kester Gunn
Forge Sport’s Heroes and Villains of the fortnight EUROPEAN CUP TEAM
RYDER
The ‘Miracle of Medinah’ was pulled off after a sensational comeback inspired by the late Seve Ballesteros.
LAURA ROBSON
The youngster became the first Brisith woman to reach an WTA final since 1990 and is now targeting a place in the world’s top 50.
GENE WOJCIECHOWSKI
This ESPN columnist prematurely wrote off Team Europe’s Ryder Cup hopes, the day before that comeback.
JOHN TERRY An FA charge for using racist language is the latest in a list of misdemeanours by the disgraced Chelsea captain.
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Eagles soar to national title after dramatic final
Sheffield Eagles celebrate Taulapapa’s winning try (top right), which sparked wild celebrations and (inset) our Forge Sport exclusive from March 2012
Rugby League Championship Grand Final Featherstone Rovers Sheffield Eagles
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Adam Hancock Sheffield Eagles produced one of their finest displays in their history as they defeated reigning champions Featherstone in the Co-operative Championship Grand Final. The Eagles won their first major trophy since their 1998 Challenge Cup win over Wigan. The result stunned Featherstone, who had finished first in the regular league season. Sheffield, who came fourth in the league, scored four tries at Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium. Scott Turner, Quentin LaulaTogage, Dane McDonald and Misi Taulapapa provided the tries for the Eagles as they surprised Rovers. Last March, Forge Sport featured the Eagles and
highlighted how they are aiming to one day reach the promised land of the Super League. The Eagles were out to gain revenge after losing last season’s final to Featherstone and they started brightly, with Scott Turner scoring an early try. Featherstone hit back, with Ian Hardman sprinting over the try line. A Liam Finn conversion put Rovers in front. Rovers then thought they had gone further in front, but the referee adjudged that the last pass to Tommy Saxton had gone forward. This didn’t deter Rovers, however, and Finn converted another penalty after Alex Szostak was called for a high shot. The first half remained tight until Sheffield went back ahead with a fabulous try from LaulaTogage. After some impressive Eagles build up, Turner passed the ball inside to Laula-Togage who ran 50 metres, avoiding the desperate Featherstone defence. Simon Brown converted to give the Eagles a 10-8 lead at half time.
Both sides shared tries after the break, with Sheffield substitute Dane McDonald touching down before Rovers loose forward Jonny Hepworth crossed to keep the match tight. It was now a tense, edgy affair with both sides understanding the significance of the occasion. The Eagles, who were five matches unbeaten ahead of this game, knew that they had the chance to gain revenge on Featherstone. They duly took this chance. In the 57th minute, Misi Taulapapa scored the decisive try of the match. He raced on to a fantastic kick by Dominic Brambani and flew across the try line. A conversion by Brown gave the Eagles a four point leading margin. The match ended in incredible tension, with Brown squandering a kick which would have gave the Eagles more of a cushion. It wasn’t to matter, as Sheffield held on for a famous victory. Rugby League in Sheffield once consisted purely of the famous Challenge Cup triumph by the Eagles, but this victory can be
spoken about in the same breath. Shortly after the final, the Eagles announced the signing of Colton Roche from Leeds Rhinos. The Eagles have signed Roche on a 12 month deal. The 19 year old is very versatile and usually plays in the back row either in the second row or prop forward positions but can also play at centre. Roche signed for the Leeds Rhinos academy in 2009, having previously played for Headingly Hawks. The Leeds born youngster has also won representative honours with Yorkshire in 2008 and England U16s in 2009. He is highly tipped within the game and the signing is a show of intention by the Eagles after their Championship triumph. Speaking of the signing, Eagles Head Coach Mark Ashton said: “I’m highly delighted Colton has decided to join the Eagles for next season, he’s a big, powerful player who I believe has a big future in the game. “I’m sure one day he will be playing in the Super League and
Sheffield Eagles with the Championship trophy and (right) Bradley Wiggins with Eagles chairman Ian Swire and centre Menzie Yere
Photos: Rob Speed hopefully that will be with us here at Sheffield Eagles. “It shows again just what a good system we have got at the club for developing young talent and excellent young players like Roche are coming to us because of that.” Roche also played for Championship One side Oldham Roughyeds for a short period of time in 2012 on a dual registration deal with Leeds Rhinos and will become a full first team Eagles player from the start of the 2013 season. The club are hoping to increase their popularity with the student community and hope their Championship winning feat will be a step forward in promoting their brand. At an end of season awards ceremony on Monday evening, the club was joined by Tour de France winner and Olympic gold medallist Bradley Wiggins. He congratulated Eagles chairman Ian Swire and Papua New Guinea international Menzie Yere on his terrific season for the Eagles.
Photos: Rob Speed