Forge Issue 92 by Forge Press

Issue 92 Friday 12 Februrary 2016

2016 Ones to Watch Music look at the artists to watch in 2016 and predict the shining stars over the next year MUSIC P32

New Year, New Room Features looked at how to decorate your halls this New Year to brighten things up FEATURES P18

Review: Dad’s Army The new Dad’s Army film is described as “very enjoyable if slightly creaky” SCREEN P39

Hallam Snatch Varsity Point Hallam take half of the Winter Varsity points in Tignes in a dramatic turn of events SPORT P48

DOCTORS DAMNED DESPITE PROTESTS

Lisa Latham Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced that his new contract imposing longer working hours and lower pay on junior doctors will be forced forward and become affective from August 1 2016. The decision was finalised following months of

negotiations with the British Medical Association that failed to produce a settlement. Hunt argues that the implementation of the contract is crucial in achieving a seven-day NHS by 2020, a key pledge of the government’s manifesto, and in reducing risk of patient death with more weekend staff. The initial preposition of the

contract in September 2014 has since sparked several nationwide strikes with the doctors’ union claiming that an increase in working hours could lead to overexertion in junior doctors and compromise the welfare of patients. On Wednesday 10 February almost 3,000 minor hospital operations were cancelled across the UK due to a

second 24 hour doctor strike. Sheffield’s student doctors and medics gathered on Weston Bank road to protest against the unfair and unsafe conditions they say the terms of the new contract will create. When asked about the implications of the contract, Continued on page 7....

NEWS

In Brief... Sheffield’s Real Barbie Girl

Friday 12 February 2016 | Forge Press

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No more ‘Keeping up with the Khans’ Channel 4’s new documentary ‘Keeping up with the Khans’ was on TV last week, focusing on the rise in immigration to the area of Page Hall right here in Sheffield. However it was met with some very angry proud Sheffield-ers, who said the show concentrated too much on the extremes.

Harry Harpham dies Labour MP and avowed socialist Harry Harpham died this week at the age of 61. He’d served only nine months as MP for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough before losing his battle with cancer. Harpham succeeded the former Home Secretary.

Seven Hills Cycle in Sheffield

Inevitably as my final semester at Sheffield begins, the impending doom of ‘real life’ is looming over me, and I’m trying not to be upset that our current team only has four issues left. Some weird preemptive nostalgia is setting in, and I’ve been recently reflecting on my

relationship media.

with

student

There are the obvious things, the same experience that everyone involved in a University society enjoys; getting to spend your spare time doing something that you love, but also feeling productive, meeting so many like minded people that inevitably become your best friends, and that all important ‘experience’ that everyone at University bangs on about. But student media offers something different. It offers you a kind of freedom. I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to provide a platform for those who deserve it. Despite how many people actually read what we write, we’re able to create something that is entirely our own, and we’re able to select our own content based on whatever it is that we feel passionate about. Being involved in student media has given each of us

After being a hit with the national press at 2015’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Joe Lycett brings his side-splitting tour to the University of Sheffield.

Crookes has been picked as a filming location for ITV’s new comedy drama, Brief Encounters, which is based on the rise of home-selling. The filming will take place on Woodfield Rd. The series focuses on four women striving to find lasting happiness in the 1980s.

EDITOR editor@forgetoday.com Polly Winn

HEAD OF ONLINE ned.westwood@forgetoday.com Ned Westwood

DEPUTY EDITOR chloe.coleman@forgetoday.com Chloe Coleman

NEWS news@forgetoday.com Keri Trigg Will Morgan Lisa Latham DEPUTY NEWS news@forgetoday.com Jess Davis Nathaniel Robinson Ellena Rowlin

There’s been a lot of debate surrounding Universities ability to ‘no platform’ people over the Christmas period. Personally I think this debate has become tired, and I don’t see what my input could add that is of any value. But I will say that just because we don’t give something a platform, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist. The best defence against ideas that we think are unfair, wrong or immoral is to educate, and provide a convincing and accessible counter argument.

Wed 17 Feb 19:00-22:00 Tickets: £14.00 (through Leadmill) Octagon

Sat 20 Feb 5-7pm

Give it a Go Salsa

Brief Encounters in Crookes

a small spotlight that we can shine on whatever we choose. Whether it is Union policy, local charities, artists, events or just issues that we care about, having the ability to create a conversation about something new is exciting.

What not to miss this fortnight Joe Lycett - That’s the way Aha - Aha

Cycling lovers are set to take on Sheffield’s notorious seven hills at next month’s Outdoor City. Weekender festival. The aptly named ‘Magnificent Seven’ is expected to attract cyclists from all across the country to the three-day festival, which starts on March 11.

PICTURE EDITOR dan.west@forgetoday.com Dan West

always think February is an exciting month. It’s when the new year properly starts, because it always takes half of January to shake off the complete lethargy you feel after the stagnant Christmas and New Year period. Exams are over and you’re ready to face the new year head on… maybe. In the media hub we’re getting back to it with a newfound zest for student journalism, and everybody has put together some really great content for this issue. It seems like we’ve had a very extended break, and Forge is almost a sweet release from the monotony of exam period.

University of Sheffield student is being called Britain’s first human Barbie. Her doll-like proportions, including a tiny 22-inch waist and affinity for contact lenses, pink wardrobe and big lashes. Hannah’s appearance has helped her build up over 18,000 followers on Instagram.

DEPUTY EDITOR OF ENTERTAINMENT fuse@forgetoday.com Kazuma Osaki

Editorial

“Dancing in the clubs, it’s okay. But where’s the style?! Where’s the romance?! You need something a bit different, a bit Latin: Salsa! Let Salsa Society teach you some moves. For all levels!”

Festival of 10bn A festival of interdisciplinary events focused around the question of “how will we cope with a population of 10bn?” With everything from debates and lectures to open mic nights and poetry readings, there’s something for everyone

COMMENT comment@forgetoday.com Robin Wilde Chris Saltmarsh COFFEE BREAK press.coffeebreak@forgetoday.com Adilah Hameed FEATURES features@forgetoday.com Sheena Sidu Anna Gillies Hallam Roffey LIFESTYLE lifestyle@forgetoday.com Mojo Abidi Mared Gruffyd

Tickets: £4. Meet in the Raynor Lounge. Please wear comfortable clothing and shoes.

Mon 14 - Thurs 18 Feb 10am onwards All across the Students’ Union and University

SPORT sport@forgetoday.com Ed McCosh Rob Milne Anthony Phillips MUSIC music@forgetoday.com Tara Hodgson Charlotte Pick GAMES games@forgetoday.com Moya O’Rourke Ash Emritte

ARTS arts@forgetoday.com Joshua Hackett Jo Gallacher SCREEN screen@forgetoday.com Rhys Handley Luke Baldwin COPY EDITORS Sophie Cockett Bethan Littley Emma Quigley Harriet Hales Joanna Booth Lotte Dobson

Forge Press | Friday 12 February 2016

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Sheffield sixth highest for animal testing Will Morgan Following a Freedom of Information request by Cruelty Free International, it has emerged that the University of Sheffield has experimented on 67,236 animals in the last academic year. This is the sixth highest figure for any university in the United Kingdom, with only Oxford, Edinburgh, University College London, King’s College London and Cambridge beating it. Combined, the top 5 tested on almost one million animals in a year. On the university’s website they say that “the majority of research at the University is carried out using non-animal techniques, including computer modelling (sic), tissue culture, and study of samples from humans. “However there are some cases where there is currently no complete substitute for animals. Where the use of animals remains essential, the University of Sheffield is committed, where possible, to using species of the lowest neuro-physiological sensitivity.

Fish, for example”. The University of Sheffield used 44,306 fish in experiments in 2014. Director of Science at Cruelty Free International, Dr Katy Taylor said: “The public will be shocked to learn that five of the UK’s leading universities are responsible for testing on almost one million animals, despite an increasing number of universities recognising this isn’t the way to do research. “We urge them to leave this archaic practice behind and move towards developing innovative and humane research methods for the 21st century.” A spokesperson for the University of Sheffield said: “As part of our efforts to remain at the forefront of medical and scientific advances, which results in lifesaving treatment for people with chronic and degenerative diseases, we conduct limited research using animals. “This research contributes to ground breaking developments in understanding and treating major diseases such as cancer, deafness, heart

disease Parkinson’s and other neurological conditions which devastate millions of lives every year. “Wherever possible the University of Sheffield is committed to using species of the lowest neuro-physiological sensitivity and zebra fish are

increasingly being used in pioneering research instead of mammals. “Our scientists are fully committed to finding other alternatives to research which is currently dependent on animals.”

Vice Chancellor Keith Burnett is the 12th highest paid out of 159 UK institutions. The University and College Union (UCU) sent out Freedom of Information requests to 159 UK Higher Education Institutions (HEI) and received responses from all but 18. The University of Sheffield Vice Chancellor’s £385,000 income was the 12th highest out of the UK institutions, coming in before the Vice Chancellors of University College London and London School of Economics. This is the second report that the UCU has released regarding the pay and expenditure of Vice Chancellors. The Union state in their report that the investigation is part of an “ongoing campaign for greater transparency in higher education, including the rationale behind senior pay rises.” UCU submitted their FOI requests in Summer 2015, and have investigated five key areas of HEI expenditure from the year 2014/15; flights,

hotels, personal expenses, residential accommodation and management consultancy, as well as a list of the highest earning Vice Chancellors. The University of Sheffield Vice Chancellor Keith Burnett had the sixth largest flight expenditure out of the 141 institutions that responded, spending £31,873.95 on flights in the 14/15 period. All of the flights declared in the Vice Chancellor’s expenditure were of either business class, or first class. With an average flight from London terminals to Nanjing China costing approximately £1,800 at business class and £4,200 at first class, the flights exceed the cost of many students’ loan allowance for a semester. Vice Chancellor Keith Burnett was also revealed to have the 11th highest residential cost, with the market sale value of his accommodation that is either owned or rented by the HEI totalling £1,080,000. The Vice Chancellor received a 1 per cent pay rise in line with the national pay award in August 2015, which the

SCIENCE & Technology

Zika virus outbreak

An outbreak of the Zika virus, transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, is causing babies of affected mothers to be born with a serious birth defect, microcephaly. Symptoms include: a rash, fever and conjunctivitis. Symptoms are usually mild and last for 2-7 days. However, health authorities recently reported that the virus could live up to 2 weeks in semen after the patient has recovered. GM mosquitoes, engineered with a “kill-switch” to prevent offspring from reaching maturity, may solve the crisis but until something is done, women in affected areas are advised to delay pregnancy. Ellen-Marie Smith

Treat depression with Ket

University Chancellor 12th highest paid in UK Polly Winn

NEWS

University have said is the same as all other members of staff at the University. A spokesperson from the University of Sheffield, said: ““The Vice-Chancellor’s

Ketamine, animal tranquilliser and illegal party drug, has shown “exciting” promise in a recent trial for treating depression. The trial included 28 patients, some of which suffered with depression for up to 20 years, and were resistant to other treatments. However, the side effects of the drug are still a problem, and the duration of the effect varies between patients. Although Ketamine won’t replace conventional drug therapies, it opens up a new avenue in the treatment of ‘incurable’ mental illness. Ashley Carley

remuneration reflects the huge responsibility of leading a large and complex organisation with an annual turnover of around £600m and an international reputation and reach.”

Inaccurate tracking apps

Fitness trackers, gadgets that supposedly monitor your activity and calorie expenditure, might not be all they claim to be. Accuracy is a big problem. Recent research has found that energy expenditure is calculated inaccurately. This leads to problems, such as over or under eating; which brings forth a range of health issues. Even products from bigname manufacturers get it wrong too often and a quality brand may not necessarily produce an accurate product. Katharina Vogt

NEWS

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UniNEWS Best election video ever? A University of Exeter student has made a parody of Adele’s ‘Hello’, Macklemore’s ‘Thrift Shop’ and Bruno Mars’ ‘Uptown Funk’ in a bid to become the University’s student president. Whilst donning an oh so fitting fur coat, Toby Gladwin sung along to his own version of the hits, rewording them to promote all of his proposed policies, including more study spaces, free cash machines, and more space to put your bike around campus. Toby, who is currently in his third year of Ancient History, spent three days filming the pretty hilarious promo, and edited from 8am to 2am. That is dedication. Ellena Rowlin Webbed toes woes A student from the University of East Anglia discovered a picture of her webbed toes on a foot fetish website after googling herself. Alice Cachia, aged 21, said the worst part was the 2.5 star rating they had received. Alice had written an article earlier on in the year about the struggles of having webbed toes, where she had included a picture of the beauties. This was a decision she immediately regretted as she came across the very same picture on WikiFeet, whilst scrolling through online articles she had written as part of a job application. Ellena Rowlin

Tory voting change disenfranchises students Lisa Latham Approximately 800,000 people have dropped off the electoral register since the introduction of individual voter registration in 2014, according to the Labour Party. The decision to switch from the previous system of household registration aimed to prevent “phantom” voters and electoral fraud. With little preparation and awareness of the change, many voters have failed to register under the new system. A total of 1.8 per cent of the population is believed to be missing from the new register, with poorer communities and areas of high student density being hit the hardest. Labour fears that large blocks of likeminded people will lose their voice, swaying the results of future elections. The Electoral Commission warned the government in December against rushing into the registry change, estimating that around one million voters will be missed from the system should they fail to address the

takes

the

The University of Exeter spent £6,000 on biscuits last year, a Freedom of Information request has found. The overspending on the sweet snacks was to provide treats for customers at various events in Exeter in 2015. The University responded, saying that with thousands of events across campus every year “Occasionally…some small offer of light refreshments may be provided.” As we all suffer in the times of maintenance grant cuts, this news could be somewhat hard to digest(ive).

Ellena Rowlin

potential risks. Since it was estimated that younger and predominantly working class voters would be worst affected, it is the belief of Labour that “the Tories’ rush to fully implement Individual Electoral Registration by December is a cynical attempt to rig the system.” The party speculates that students are at particular risk of losing their vote, after analysis revealed that some university cities have seen roll

reductions of up to 13 per cent. Gloria De Piero, the shadow minister for electoral registration, has cited the University of Sheffield’s opt-in initiative as a model for other institutions. In a letter to constitutional reform minister John Penrose, Ms De Piero said: “The University of Sheffield has seen outstanding results by integrating voter registration into the enrolment process.” De Piero urges other

universities to encourage their students to register, and says: “This would be an important step forward in rectifying the big drop in student registration and representation resulting from the government’s rushed changes to voter registration.” The government and other third parties have embarked on voter registration campaigns to rectify the issue of missing voters before the local elections in May.

of the most successful grime artists of all time, with multiple gold and platinum selling albums. The 31 year old rapper will be joined by local star DJ Toddla T, Trash, Goldie and Hinds amongst others. Tickets will be £46 including

booking fees, a sharp rise from the £30 of last year’s festival. In 2015 the headline acts were Wu-Tang Clan, who dropped out at the last minute to be replaced by De La Soul;,Basement Jaxx and The Charlatans. Second year Chemistry

student Josh Lawlor said of Tramlines 2015: “Hopefully this increase in price will translate into venue improvements as last year the queues to get into many of the venues meant missing acts I wanted to see.” Last year saw the main stage move from Devonshire Green to Ponderosa Park in Netherthorpe as the festival expanded. The organisers of Tramlines are also running a brand new one day winter festival this month, 27 February 2016. The event will feature underground and breakout artists like Pins, Saif Mode and Skinny Girl Diet. The organisers said that there will also be a chance to “check out a bumper crop of pop-up film screenings, sample the wares of some of Sheffield’s independent food and drink experts and pick up some exclusive artwork by local illustrators.” Tickets for Outlines are currently £27.50 and can be purchased online or at The Harley, 02 A cademy and Plug.

“Holiday” Fest Tramlines’ new “Bonkers” line-up Will Morgan

That really biscuit

Friday 12 February 2016 | Forge Press

Dizzee Rascal has been announced as a headliner for the Sheffield city festival Tramlines. The festival runs from 22 to 24 July. Dizzee Rascal is one

Forge Press | Friday 12 February 2016

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Northern Powerhouse to move to London Keri Trigg A Sheffield student has gathered over 4,000 signatures on a petition against the government’s plans to move the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ office to London. The petition, started by third year Journalism student Robin Wilde, calls for a U-turn on the proposals, which would see the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills close down its Sheffield office, resulting in almost 250 job losses in the city. A London-based firm was paid £200,000 to reach the conclusion that the government should relocate the department, which is partly responsible for overseeing the latest ‘Northern Powerhouse’ developments, to the capital. “Our economy is far too weighted towards London,” said Robin. “This is another kick in the teeth for the north by the Conservative government. “I started the petition because I was quite shocked to see that the department responsible for the so-called ‘Northern Powerhouse’ has decided to abandon even its rhetoric.” The petition, started on February 3, reached 3,000 signatures within a week and has gained the backing of local MPs Paul Blomfield, Louise Haigh and Michael Dugher. It urges the government to backtrack on the announcement made on January 18 that the BIS Department would be closing down its largest office outside

London. If implemented, 247 Sheffield jobs could be lost by the time the office shuts its doors for the last time in January 2018. Sheffield’s position as the second ‘Northern Powerhouse’, behind Manchester, was announced in October 2015 by Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne. To flip-flop on the concept

of the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ in such a short time might be indicative of the government’s attitude towards northern England. Robin added: “Hundreds of people’s jobs are on the line, as are the livelihoods of their families and the people helped by their service. “The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Sometimes you can’t make it up. The Government is closing the Sheffield office of the department responsible for the “Northern Powerhouse” and moving 247 jobs to London. It hits the local economy and removes choices for Sheffield graduates. Thousands of people have signed a petition, started by a Sheffield student, against the decision. The Government say it will save money, but how on earth can an office in London be cheaper than Sheffield? I’ve asked them to publish the figures, but they’ve refused. While London’s overheating, our other cities need quality jobs. And not everyone wants to live in the capital – with

Oh! You not so pretty thing Ellena Rowlin After the tragic death of music legend David Bowie, tributes poured in, and most strikingly, thousands gathered at the mural of the man at Brixton, where he was born. Sheffield graffiti artist, Trik09, tried to recreate the Ziggy Stardust look on the mural in Brixton with the lightning bolt as depicted on the album cover of Aladdin Sane. However the tribute on our very own Division Street has failed to impress both fans of the star and members of the public who cannot recognise it as him. The street art which was painted over a picture of Mick Jagger, is 7ft tall, and was revealed last month, receiving most of its criticism on social media. Holly Brown, a second year Journalism student, said: “He’s replaced a picture of Mick Jagger with this rubbish! It can’t be a tribute when it looks nothing like him.” Artist, Trik said he found it all “fun”, but he might now paint over the picture. The 25-year-old self-taught artist told the BBC: “I’m looking at the reaction right now, It’s not very nice to see people talking about me as an artist.”

Physicists discovery century

hail the

Joshua Hackett

Your MP says... Paul Blomfield

should reconsider this decision as soon as possible – as the voices of thousands of people on this petition have shown.” At 10,000 signatures the petition will earn a response from the government, and if it reaches 100,000 it will be debated in Parliament.

NEWS

its ridiculous rents, long commutes and high prices. There’s another problem. Decision-making in the UK is dominated by people who see every issue through their personal experience of living, working and bringing their families up in London. But the rest of the country is different. We need that different perspective reflected in Government decision-making more. Keeping the Business Innovation and Skills Office in Sheffield saves money, benefits the local economy, offers job choices and makes for better decision-making. If you agree, please sign the petition here: https://petition.parliament. uk/petitions/120406

Scientists have announced the discovery of gravitational waves, confirming a key prediction of Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity. The discovery was announced at a press conference in Washington.“We have detected gravitational waves. We did it,” said David Reitze, executive director of the Laser Interferometer GravitationalWave Observatory (LIGO). The signal detected by LIGO was caused by a pair of colliding black holes. Discoverers are saying that it “opens a new window on the universe”. Dr Ed Daw from the University of Sheffield’s Department of Physics and Astronomy said; “Discoveries of this importance in Physics come along about every 30 years,” he said. Physicists have been searching for gravitational waves for over fifty years.

NEWS

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Three bottles of vodka and seven lines of coke Ellena Rowlin

The man who stabbed a fresher and two other people at a Sheffield nightclub has been jailed for five years. Sheffield Crown Court was told that Taukeer Hussain, 24, had downed three bottles of 40 per cent vodka and snorted seven lines of cocaine on the night of the attacks. Hussain stabbed Curtis Mitchell, a first year medical student who was out celebrating his birthday with flatmates, at Viper Rooms on Carver Street on 29 September 2015. The court heard that he also stabbed another male, and a female University student and that all three victims required treatment in hospital. Hussain, of Fieldhead Road, Lowfields, pleaded guilty to unlawful and malicious wounding and possession of a bladed article. Hussain was described as acting aggressively in the nightclub before he committed

the attacks, and had been staring at the female victim when she confronted him. A victim impact statement, she said that her studies had

been affected by the attack and has been left with a scar to her groin which has left her insecure. Judge Michael Murphy

QC, sententencing Hussain, branded him a “danger to the community”.

£8 million towards latest campus development Polly Winn Work has started on an £8 million development, the latest project to be included in the campus masterplan. The work hopes to transform the public spaces around the Diamond, Jessop West and Leavygreave Road to make it more accessible to both students and local residents. Streets in the area will be pedestrianised and new seating, public art and plants will be added to the area to make it more welcoming for people in the city. The work is being completed in partnership with Sheffield City Council and has received £2.9 million from the Sheffield City Region Investment fund, the University is providing the rest. The new plans aim to make the campus safer for students, and better connected with the rest of the city. Keith Lilley, Director of Estates and Facilities Management at the University of Sheffield, said: “This is a fantastic development which will transform the campus environment and support the University’s links with the city centre. “The improvements,

including the pedestrianised streets, will make the campus much easier and safer for our staff and students to get around and better connect the University with the city. “We want to encourage the people of Sheffield to enjoy and use our campus whether it’s to have lunch in one of our cafes, cycle through the campus area up to Weston Park, or just enjoy sitting and relaxing in one of the new greener, safer places that will be created through this development.” The University’s campus masterplan has extensive plans for University developments over the next five years. Most of the plans, including the developments on Leavygrave Road, are intended to be finished by the Summer of 2016. However, plans to convert the old Henderson’s Relish factory, and developments on the concourse and by the arts tower have not yet been released in detail. While work is underway, the University have provided a check my route service which has information about improvements, and alternative routes that students can access.

Award for safe nights out Julia Hodder A scheme that hopes to maintain safe nights out in Sheffield has won two awards at the Best Bar None Awards. On 13 January, Sheffield won a national award for its Good Night Out scheme which has been in place since 2009. The scheme collaborates with 40 nightclubs and bars across Sheffield as well as both of the universities to prevent crime and the abuse of drugs. To achieve this, the Drug Alcoholic Coordination Team (DACT) who are responsible for the project, have created a downloadable app giving students tips on how and where to have a safe night out. Since the creation of the scheme, statistics show that overall there has been a significant reduction in the crime rate at night. According to South Yorkshire Police, in 2012-2013, 169 incidents were recorded. In the following year, this dropped by 5.9 per cent. In 2015, the number of rape crimes tripled, which brings into question Sheffield’s safety on nights out, particularly students who are disproportionately affected by these crimes.

Sheffield gets food donation from refugees Keri Trigg

Sheffield food bank has A received a donation from an unlikely source – the Calais refugee camps. When fundraiser Fran Belbin drove a can of supplies to the camps, she did not expect to be re-loading with a new stock of supplies to bring back to her home city. The haul included a supply of inappropriate food, as well as impractical items that were of no use to the refugees. The camps at the French port – housing thousands of displaced migrants fleeing the ongoing conflict in Syria – are unable to accept donations of food in glass jars due to waste disposal issues, and cannot take food that requires boiling such as pasta and noodles as water is limited. These were just some of the items that made up some of the ton-heavy load Fran drove back to Sheffield after her trip, and while Burngreave Food Bank was grateful for the donation she is keen to educate well-wishers on the kinds of things they should be donating to ensure it does not go to waste.

Forge Press | Friday 12 February 2016

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Hunt imposes contract on junior doctors Lisa Latham

...continued from front page Junior doctor and Sheffield graduate Sam Meadows said: “What [Hunt] is proposing is just ridiculous to be honest. You’re hitting an already demoralised group of people while they’re down and just making us feel less wanted. The morality in our profession is at an all-time low.” Around 400 doctors and medics gathered throughout the day and basic life support courses were offered to parents free of charge at two sites in Sheffield. Meadows said: “This will show the public that this isn’t just a selfish strike. “No one is asking for money or anything like that, we’re offering a fair deal for doctors to keep the NHS thriving.” Public support for the protest was high, and SU President Christy McMorrow said: “It’s a spectacular turnout. The clear support from the amount of people honking horns is fantastic and the amount of students here is great to see as well.” Figures calculated from the second doctor strike show that turnout was lower than

the previous one on January 12, with around 72 per cent of combined doctors and consultants turning up to work and completing their shifts. However the decision to forward the contract despite national protest has the potential to incite more serious strikes and put emergency care services at risk of desertion. Junior doctors have reacted angrily to the announcement

with some threatening to quit work for the NHS should the changes be implemented. The BMA has assured Hunt that they will continue to oppose the introduction of the contract and have branded him a “bully”. Dr Johann Malawana, chair of the BMA’s junior doctors committee, said: “The decision to impose a contract is a sign of total failure on the government’s part.

“Instead of working with the BMA to reach an agreement that is in the best interests of patients, junior doctors and the NHS as a whole the government has walked away, rejecting a fair and affordable offer put forward by the BMA. “Instead it wants to impose a flawed contract on a generation of junior doctors who have lost all trust in the health secretary.”

First Dates for Washed up whales Sheffield Students moved to Sheffield Molly Kerkham At the end of this month, the Students’ Union will welcome First Dates. On 29 February, 60 lucky singletons will be selected for a blind date in INOX Dine. Like the hit Channel 4 TV series, diners will be matched by a team of experts. Fred Sirieix, the maitre d’ who stars in the show, will greet the daters and show them to their seats. The SU expects over 1,000 online applications. For those who miss out on a date, there will be an opportunity for photographs with Fred on the concourse on the day.

The three course meal, provided by INOX Dine, will include aperitifs and a red carpet experience. Afterwards, the guests will pay what they think their food was worth. All of the funds raised on the evening will go towards Sheffield RAG. The dates will be followed by an interview, which will be filmed by the university’s own Forge TV. The footage of these and the dates themselves will be aired at the SU and the residences a few weeks later. For those interested, an online sign-up form can be found on the SU website.

Chloe Coleman Whales that washed up on the east coast have apparently been moved to a landfill site in Sheffield. Three dead sperm whales beached on the Lincolnshire coast and were removed from the site in Skegness and supposedly transported to Sheffield in a five-hour overnight operation. Contractor Jan Smith told the Star: “It’s gone very well really. The last one where the flaps had been cut open for the autopsy was hard work. “You can’t really plan what you are going to do because you don’t know if they are likely to blow up or something. “All that you can do is treat

them with the utmost respect.” The whales were covered in sand and tarpaulin before being moved to landfill sites in Sheffield, Didcot and Oxfordshire. However, it was reported in the Star that the whales may have not been transported to Sheffield, but instead to Penistone. Whales have also washed up on beaches in Hunstanton, Norfolk, and Wainfleet, Lincolnshire and are believed to be part of the same pod of whales. Hundreds of people visited the site to see the whales in the town of Skegness before they were transported to the landfill areas.

NEWS

NATIONAL NEWS Dog owners: don’t throw sticks The president of the British Veterinary Association has spoken out on the dangers of stick-catching for dogs. Sean Wensley called the popular activity “potentially life-threatening,” but was keen to stress that the Association doesn’t want to stop people from playing with their dogs, but instead wants to promote “safe dog toys.” The vet charity PDSA says that they deal with stickrelated injuries regularly across their 50 hospitals. The danger comes mainly from splinters, which can become lodged in soft tissues like the mouth, chest and abdomen. Dogs may also swallow splinters, causing serious infections. Makers of squeaky plastic toys were reportedly ecstatic at the news.

Lords to stop writing on dead cows All legislation approved by Parliament will be printed on normal paper for the first time, starting in April this year. Previously, calfskin vellum was the preferred medium, in a tradition started over 1,000 years ago. Famous texts such as the Domesday Book and the Magna Carta are all printed on calfskin, but cash-strapped Lords are eager to see the £80,000 per year savings. MPs are worried that while cheaper, standard paper will only last a few centuries, while the sturdier vellum will last thousands of years, but ancient laws mean that the House of Lords has the final say on the matter. Paul Wright, the only vellum maker left in the UK, said: “The un-elected Lords seem to be making the decisions, be those decisions great or small. “What they have decided is that future generations will be denied the privilege of touching history and no man has the right to make that decision.”

NEWS

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SU President forgets Union constitution

Joshua Hackett

Christy McMorrow, president of Sheffield Students’ Union, has leaped into action to secure a referendum on whether the SU should campaign to stay in the European Union. McMorrow, who admitted having forgotten that referenda must be proposed two weeks before SU council meetings, has been aiming to gather at least 1000 signatures by Thursday 11 February. McMorrow said, “Having put in a motion to Union council to try and get a referendum on whether we should campaign to stay in the EU, I discovered that motions can’t actually be sent to referendum.” “Only policies can be sent to referendum, and they take two weeks. Therefore, it wouldn’t make the deadline for it to be included.” “So I’m having to go the other route the constitution gives me, which is to get 1000 signatures by Thursday.” McMorrow was optimistic the campaign would succeed,

saying, “If I can get people to vote for me, I hope I can get them to vote for a conversation on the EU.” After attaining 700 signatures by Wednesday 10 February, McMorrow found out that he now has until Friday 19 to reach his target. Referenda are voted on at the same time as the annual officer elections, which are being held in early March. The results will be announced from Foundry on the 10 March. The Conservative party manifesto promised that the UK would hold its own referendum on whether to stay in the EU before the end of 2017. Prime Minister David Cameron reiterated that promise after the general election in May. Some prominent figures in student politics have already come out in favour of staying in the EU, including NUS president Megan Dunn.

Legal highs seized in Sheffield

A stash of ‘legal highs’ worth around £2,000 has been seized by Sheffield police in a raid on a local shop. The raid took place as part of a new council initiative to stamp down on new psychoactive substances (NPS) and illicit cigarettes. The joint operation, carried out by Trading Standards and South Yorkshire police at an unnamed shop, seized cash, illicit cigarettes and 99 packets of NPS. A working group is tackling the issue of ‘legal highs’ in Sheffield after their use was deemed harmful enough for action to be taken. Young people have been assessed as particularly in danger as they are more likely to experiment with unfamiliar substances or might believe them to be legal as they are sold in shops. The council will find seizure of NPS easier with the New Psychoactive Substances Bill 2016 is passed by Parliament, banning the sale of so-called ‘legal highs’. Rhys Handley

Ball-out in style at Sheffield’s first ever charity ball Rhys Handley The University of Sheffield’s first ever charity ball now has less than 100 tickets left up for sale. The ball, set to take place in the Student’s Union’s Inox Dine on the evening of Saturday March 12, is being organised

by third year politics student Sam Webster. Sam said: “Putting the whole thing together has been pretty stressful and time consuming for me, but we’ve crossed almost all the barriers now and it’s actually been a really rewarding experience. “I’m really excited for the

night and, from the way the tickets are selling, it seems everyone else is too.” The black tie gala has a capacity of 216 and is sponsored by the Sheffieldbased website consultancy company SEO Works. It will include a full threecourse meal, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, as well as a live jazz band and a photographer throughout the evening. The ball will raise funds for five charities: Sheffield Mind, Unicef, Oxfam, Amnesty International and Student Action for Refugees (STAR), as well as encouraging awareness for their causes. Politics student Anna Berestova, who works with Unicef and Amnesty in the SU, said: “The societies that I work with have both actively contributed to the planning process. “It is one the largest projects either society has undertaken in recent years and it’s very exciting to help create the University’s first ever charity ball from scratch.” Sam is also social secretary for Mental Health Matters,

the Sheffield SU society promoting awareness and destigmatisation of mental health problems. He was inspired to organise the charity ball after the success of Speak Your Mind, an evening of music and poetry organised in aid of mental health charity Sheffield Mind. Sam said: “Speak Your Mind went so well, and we raised a really good amount for Sheffield Mind. It made me think what the next step was, what could be bigger and better?” Sam’s work to promote and organise the event is being supported by the SU’s welfare officer Gabi Binnie. She said: “The Charity Ball will not only be a fantastic event but it is an amazing example of what student societies can achieve when they work collaboratively. I hope it will be first of many for years to come!” The remaining tickets for the ball cost £30 and are available from the Student’s Union box office. Non-students are welcome.

Greg James in Shef triathlon BBC Radio 1 DJ Greg James has completed a triathlon in Sheffield on 11 February. This is due to him raising money for Sport Relief by doing five triathlons in five days. He was joined in the latter stages by Example and other DJ Nick Grimshaw. He swam one mile in Ponds Forge, cycled 45 miles and ran 10 miles. At the time of writing he has raised £308 000. His day didn’t get off to the best of starts as he managed to fall off his bicycle early on in his ride. The locations of his triathlons match five of the six places hosting a Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games where members of the public can swim, cycle or run to raise money for Sport Relief. The Games take place between 18-20 March. Dan West

Forge Press | Friday 12 February 2016

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Treegate

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NEWS

A tale of council incompetence and extreme politicking in Europe’s leafiest city Will Morgan Sheffield has a long history of civilian protest. From the coal and steel strikes of the 1980s to the seeming constant protests against Israeli apartheid now, the steel city seems to thrive on loud opposition. The latest struggle for Sheffield’s civilian activists follows in a similarly counterhegemonic vein, as they fight against Sheffield City Council’s tree felling plan. The plan, called

Streets Ahead, involves the examination and potential felling of 36,000 of Sheffield’s 2,000,000 trees, or just 1.8 per cent of the tree population. Whilst local citizens’ anger at the felling of their local trees is understandable, the widespread disagreement, as shown by the 22,000 strong petition, is somewhat less comprehensible. Thankfully Forge Press has a handy guide for you to get to grips with this very strange political and environmental battle.

2009

• Liberal Democrat controlled Sheffield Council approves plan that will lead to felling.

2011

• Labour regains control of council from Lib Dems.

May 2015

• Following a disastrous defeat in the General Election, the Lib Dems begin sending out leaflets on the felling. Without their party logo on it. • Petition gains thousands of signatures. • As the council flounders on whether or not to treat this as an issue, public opinion turns against them.

Basic facts: • • • • • •

Name of campaign: Sheffield Tree Action Group (STAG) Proposed percentage of ill Sheffield trees: 75 per cent Number of trees felled: 3388 Number of trees replanted: 3618 Proposed cost of saving and not felling the trees: £26 million Cost of Streets Ahead Project: £2bn

November 2015

• Council set up ‘Independent Tree Panel’ to review trees before they are cut down. • Local music legend Toddla T releases rap video in support of protesters.

February 2016

• Campaigners are granted three month reprieve from felling by the High Court, Sheffield City Council will challenge this ruling. • Nick Clegg calls Treegate “national scandal”. • Treegate reaches national headlines on the BBC and Daily Mail.

Forge Press’ take:

To any normal human being, a few trees in a big city being cut down would seem like a minor issue, not a cause for major protest. Indeed how this story has managed to dominate publications like The Star for the best part of a year does seem like some weird satire of nit-picking local political journalism, when in reality it is a consequence of Lib Dem politicking. A sly move to embarrass the council they once controlled and potentially harvest the phone numbers of the politically active for their next attempt at electability. Out of this banality has grown an environmental movement that highlights Sheffield City Council’s blasé attitude to the opinions of its residents,

as well as showing its attempts at placating residents with an “independent” tree panel, selected by the council, to be shoddy. Obviously replacing a hundred year old tree with a sapling is no environmental equivalent in a city with such poor air quality. The triumph of the campaign in the High Court shows the surprising power of these protesters. Supported by their narrative of political disengagement, and personal attachment to trees, they have achieved success where the majority of Sheffield’s other campaigns haven’t. The steel industry remains dead and Israel continues to practice an apartheid system, but at least the axes have stopped falling.

Friday 12 January 2016 | Forge Press

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Climate Protestors by the Arc De Triomphe

Decolonisation is essential to climate justice activism

Michael Kind

limate Change is racist and climate change is colonialist. Yet the response to human and ecological destruction ravaging our planet is the literal embodiment of neocolonialism. Climate Change has been, and still is, perpetuated by the Global North (economically dominant countries in the northern hemisphere). Historically it has driven carbon emissions. Today it continues to implement and maintain capitalist models of consumption and production which prioritise maximal profit over responsible use of resources and sustainability. This economic model collides with any attempts to meaningfully tackle climate change. Despite being driven by the Global North, the effects of climate change are felt overwhelmingly by the Global South (economically vulnerable and exploited countries in the southern hemisphere). Having geographical and infrastructural weaknesses, it is these people, who did not contribute to the climate crisis, that are the first to suffer from its effects of flooding, drought, and extreme weather. Colonialism is the systematic exploitation of the Global South for the benefit of the Global North. We must recognise that we cannot separate climate change and colonialism. So why doesn’t our response match up with this? Our collective attitude to climate change is infiltrated by colonialism. The normalisation of white supremacy and the subjugation of

people of colour leads us to frame threats in terms of their effect upon the privileged. Too often, we talk about climate change as if it is as future threat that we have time to push to the end of the agenda or does not have to be a top priority. We argue in scientific jargon over how much global average temperatures can be allowed to rise before climate change becomes destructive and we decide to do something about it. This discourse obscures the fact that climate change is a crisis that is destroying lives now. Climate change is wreaking human and ecological havoc, now. But why don’t we talk about this? Because the lives that are lost are rarely white and rarely in the Global North. This is a reproduction of the colonial narrative which sacrifices the Global South for the avaricious Global North. The Global North has the time and infrastructure to adapt to extreme changes to the climate. Yet it continues to pursue destruction in exchange for profit with this in mind at the expense of the lives and livelihoods of indigenous peoples and the already vulnerable communities on the front lines of climate change in the Global South.

“Climate change is wreaking human and ecological havoc, now.” We have two problems which we need to address: climate change and colonialism. Without addressing both, a just solution cannot be found. We need to decolonise our mindsets. The UN-led and corporate-influenced COP process (Conference of the Parties - the annual climate change conference)

does not treat climate change with this urgency. Its solutions entail non-binding mechanisms that, even if im-plemented properly (doubtful as that is), are predicted to do be of little meaningful effect. Moreover, COP allows for explicit colonialism as it permits richer states to purchase land in less well-off ones in order to offset rather than tackle emissions; a frequent side-effect being the expulsion of indigenous peoples from the land they have tended for centuries. These solutions are false, and are a direct reproduction of a colonial attitude. A facet of racism that is little discussed in climate change rhetoric is the silencing of non-Western and nonwhite voices. COP is guilty of this – suppressing the worries of African and island-states in particular. The low-lying island nation of Kiribati has for years warned that the COP process is not acting fast enough to literally prevent it from being entirely submerged – and yet COP has not acted on this. However, climate change activism is complicit in this too and takes it further – silencing and appropriating the agency of those from the Global South. Indigenous peoples and frontline communities have been dealing with climate change for far longer than most activists. They are affected first and worst because they live most intimately with their environment, so are disproportionately affected by changes to the climate. Thus, it shouldn’t surprise us that indigenous peoples hold many of the answers that escapes our tunnel-vision. As Nancy Turner has written, we need a paradigm shift to tackle climate change, and in affecting this we have a lot to learn from indigenous peoples’ way of life. Moreover, as those primarily affected, they should be placed first in the struggle and their voices should be amplified. This has not been the case. Groups with a focus on decolonisation and

composed of non-white ac-tivists such as ‘The Wretched of the Earth’ were displaced from the front of the London climate march in November by bigGreen NGOs. This happened despite them originally being given the right to lead the march. In Paris for COP21in December, tens of thousands of activists converged from all corners of the world but indigenous groups were excluded from the planning of the culminating D12 demonstration. Why? Perhaps for organisational reasons but its difficult to not see race factors at play. Environmental author Naomi Klein recently expressed shock at the lack of indigenous and representation in the UK climate change movement. I don’t think its wrong to claim that it suffers from a lack of empathy with those on the front-lines now.

the Global South and reproduces a narrative which places the Global North as in possession of power. This feeds in to our collective mindset of white and Western supremacy, and as a result we continue to frame issues as they pose a threat to us – as we silence those who are suffering now. What we want is a just climate solution that recognises the intersections between climate change and colonialism, in order to act now and prevent a much human and ecological destruction – irrelevant of colour or nationality – as possible. By not giving space to indigenous peoples and front-line communities we reproduce colonialism. How can we hope to find a just climate solution – which requires a rejection of colonialism – if we do not embody this rejection ourselves?

“What we want is a just climate solution that recognises the intersections between climate change and colonialism.” Climate change activism from the Global North continues to subjugate those from the Global South who daily have to contend with the climate struggle. In addition, ideas and rhetoric have been appropriated from indigenous groups without crediting them for their innovation or amplifying their voices. The en-vogue ‘keep it in the ground’ narrative originated from indigenous groups and has been adopted – without recognition - by big-Green NGOs . This attitude silences voices from

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Facial Fuzz Feels Fearful and False

A respectful, well groomed and productive member of society.

Robin Wilde

hey say history repeats itself - first as tragedy, then as farce. But this quote appears not to have been heeded by its source, the mightily bearded Karl Marx. The increasing preponderance of beards among the student population is not a trend we haven’t seen before. Indeed, the standout image of the 60s student is wearing a donkey jacket and a full beard, with long hair and complaining about something or other. How little things change. But there’s something behind the beards which must be appealing, because nobody can possibly believe they’re an attractive facial feature when worn half-formed on barely post-pubescent philosophy students. It emphasises an attempt by the beardee to stand out as newly masculine and independent. Also, it has to be said, to mask a certain lack of personality. But there might be more at stake from the growth of facial growth than the profits of Bic and Gilette. The new rise of beards coincides with the new, higher rates of tuition fees, a lack of graduate jobs, and increasing crises of mental wellbeing among the student

population. It’s no surprise with few prospects and a mountain of debt that the people on the razor’s edge of a harsh world would fall back on a small achievement they don’t have to do much to achieve. It may be we’re overthinking it. Fashion runs in cycles, and beards were popular in the past, too. But if you think of those times, the 1960s and 1980s, students were in a similar bind - enjoying what was supposed to be a privileged status but gliding along on a thin layer above an economy not geared to serve them well. Some trends - a general inability to wash, a lack of timeliness and a political outlook one couldn’t exactly call well thought through are longstanding traits of students, attracting the ire of the adult world for decades. And don’t get me wrong - it wouldn’t seem right if students all became suit-wearing, door holding, three-timea-day brushing robots. Our scruffiness is part of the Ikea furniture. But it’s a shame that this column is possible, and we can read so much into a small gesture of appearance. If there’s something unpleasant going on behind your face, don’t cover it up. Tell someone.

The exam period chips away at the soul

chris saltmarsh

stopped studying for exams in the Information Commons. It was too hot, grey, and full to the brim of students disciplined enough to leave their bed early enough to get a seat. Not my kind of place. I started spending most of my exam-prep time in the Students’ Union (just like where I spend the rest of my time). Its more colourful, less swelteringly hot, and my friends are usually there, which is an improvement. But this usually vibrant and energetic space was colonised by the misery of exam period. Everywhere you looked were broken students, buried in their books or notepads or laptops. Alone. Or sometimes with comrades in the seemingly never-ending struggle, but rarely conversing. They exuded a feeling of bland greyness, in stark contrast with the shockingly bright sofas on the gallery. Though they study in the Union, they are atomised by the individualism of the modern university. What a painful irony. For some reason, when exam period comes around, it takes over as our collective priority. Exams, and preparing for them, become the defining event in every student life. Even those fortunate enough to not have to bear their brunt are defined by being so lucky, and by the envy of every other student. Preparing for exams is miserable, and when it becomes the dominant focus of our lives, our lives become miserable. Exam period and collective misery may as well be synonymous. But why must we put ourselves through this ordeal twice a year? Why must this time be so destructive to the souls of otherwise energetic, creative, inspiring students? I only had two exams to prepare for, both Philosophy: Feminism and Ethics. These are two of my favourite subject areas, and the prospect of devoting large periods of time to criticising liberal notions of reform to the family with radical socialist feminism would usually excite me no end. But put that in the context of preparing to write an exam on it, and my heart sinks. Exams suck the joy and the creativity out of learning. The pressure is on. You have one chance to get this one right and its worth so much of your degree. You

know you’re more than competent in the subject, but it’s a whole different ball game showing that to the dispassionate (and presumably equally alienated) examiner. Criteria are a tyrant. I enjoy thinking about my subject, discussing it, collectively coming up with new ideas and criticisms, but when it comes to preparing to succeed in an exam - what’s the point? I know I’m good at philosophy. I also know that the University’s metrics of success are warped towards a specific type of learner (which I and many others are not) and those with specific sets of ideas and assumptions (which I and many others do not hold). Their metrics of success are ableist. They are sexist and they are racist. I have no respect for them. So how can I motivate myself to tick their boxes and jump through their hoops? Fuck their hoops. Exam period amplifies for me the understanding that universities do not work for their students. They destroy their morale and keep them down trodden. Every January and every June. Every essay deadline. Those in the liberal media who like to criticise students for ‘stifling free speech’ claim universities are sites of ‘lively open debate’ and that they should stay that way. They’ve clearly not spent much time around students recently, or are looking back at their time as a student through rose-tinted glasses. There is no lively open debate during exam period. There is lethargic atomised slogging. Universities are sites of repressed creativity, conformity and collectively and constantly diminishing mental health. Not intellectual flourishing. The exam period is now over, but in future occurrences will surely chip away at our individual souls, as well as our collective resolve. But we can get through it and come out on the other side. Just look after each other, stay healthy, put exams into perspective and don’t take them too seriously. Who cares what some ‘academic’ in their ivory tower thinks about your work? Whatever number they arbitrarily and dispassionately assign your work, its no reflection on either your personal value or your intelligence.

Friday 12 February 2016 | Forge Press

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Harry Harpham: A loss to a movement

Tridentity Crisis Melissa Matos

ast year, Jeremy Corbyn caused an uproar when he stated in an interview with the BBC that he would never use nuclear weapons if he were prime minister. Certain newspapers had to pick their jaws up off the floor after the shock of hearing that Corbyn would rather not obliterate another country by detonating warheads eight times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, subsequently causing World War III and most likely the end of the world. Chief of Defence Staff of the Armed Forces, General Nicholas Houghton, consequently criticised Corbyn for undermining the credibility of Britain’s ‘deterrent’ Trident nuclear weapons system. This ‘deterrent’ comes at a rather large price. Given that replacing Trident when its current submarines retire in 2028 will cost an estimated £100 billion over its lifespan, one can be forgiven for despairing if you consider that this figure, according to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, could fund A&E services for up to 40 years, employ 150,000 new nurses, build 1.5 million new homes or 30,000 schools or cover tuition fees for four million students. Nauseating figures given the current climate of austerity cuts. So is Trident really necessary or is it an obsolete weapon? Why do nations around the globe insist on investing in nuclear weapons if this colossal waste of money could simply wipe out the globe if they were ever actually used? Finally, is it really so outrageous for a potential future prime minister to admit that he would never actually use them? Nuclear weapons are the keystone of a strategy known as Mutually Assured Destruction. One country is

rather put off attacking or invading another if it knows that it will be destroyed in retaliation. Hiroshima and Nagasaki act as examples of this, and it seems logical in making sure leaders with expansionist ambitions, such as Hitler, are put off in future conflicts. After World War II, the arms race which ensued between Russia and the US meant both countries had such an arsenal of nuclear weapons, they decided never to use them based on the basis that it would entail global suicide. But it wasn’t just the two superpowers who built their own arsenals. It seems easy to understand why a country would want to protect itself from the threat of nuclear weapons - not least because they allow small nations to punch well above their weight militarily. In a utopian world, every country would disarm themselves of nuclear weapons and save themselves a huge amount of money and risk in the process. It is easy to suggest this in hindsight, but now that humans possess the requisite knowledge to build these weapons, universal disarmament would be impossible. It might even be dangerous it would only take one state to go rogue or fall apart into civil war to become a major threat. As history tells us, human nature takes bringing ourselves to the edge of mutual destruction to realise that some threats must always linger to keep us from crossing the line. Yet, just because the likes of the US, Russia and China have nuclear weapons doesn’t mean we automatically need them. Ultimately, Britain’s Trident system is a leftover from the Cold War era. Nowadays, Russia still presents itself as a rather erratic player given the situation in Ukraine and Syria, while China is another superpower with whom the west also have a rather shaky relationship (although for now they are so codependent on one another economically that any war seems distant). These are two principal reasons why we still have Trident; since we played such a prominent role in 20th century international politics and conflicts, our empire mentality has carried through along with the feeling that we need to protect ourselves. Yet, the problems we face in the present

day are not helped by Trident. I am principally referring to ISIS - their power in Syria and Iraq and the power of their ideology to radicalise people across the globe and to encourage high-density, small area terrorist attacks. Generally, we in Britain have a rather militaristic mentality; we love to remember war and celebrate victories. We still see ourselves as one of the strong, major players in the international arena, when in reality, despite a still reasonable economy, we are now seen as nothing more than a small island by much of the world. Disarming ourselves of nuclear weapons seems like we are taking a step down from our international position, yet other countries such as Japan, Norway and Sweden do not possess any nuclear capabilities. At present, Trident is an attempt by Britain to stay relevant. That said, nobody can predict the future and nobody can predict in which way international politics will turn. Trident is a comfort blanket for the British public and allows them to feel protected, even if it is illogical. Jeremy Corbyn proved that he does not understand this when he claimed that he would not ‘press the red button.’ It is refreshing to hear a politician honestly speak his mind, but if he were to have any hope of becoming prime minister he should not reveal his cards as it makes him appear weak and incompetent both nationally and internationally. As to the question of Trident’s renewal, if Britain’s peace of mind alone is worth £100 billion then Trident must stay. If not, we have to question our place in the world and Trident’s value to new problems we face. Currently it is not easy to offer a yes or no answer to Trident, but what we must do is evaluate our contribution to international conflicts- are we involved because we need to be or because we’re always trying to catch up with the big players? We need to push to change our mentality and take heed from more pacifistic countries before we can accurately assess the need for Trident.

robin wilde

never knew Harry Harpham well. We met once or twice, at some Labour event or another, before he was elected. We had the usual political small talk - “Oh, you’re the candidate, how’s it going?”, “Yes, nice work up in Loxley” - and were never close in any meaningful sense. So it seemed unusual at first how his death from cancer at age 61 affected me so much. Of course, there are obvious connections. My dad suffered a similar illness at a younger age, and although he thankfully lived to tell the tale, it’s an experience that’s hard to forget. Knowing that Harry Harpham leaves behind a big family, I couldn’t begin to imagine how they must feel. It’s also the unfairness of the timing. Harry had a long and distinguished career in local government, having served as a councillor for 15 years and as Deputy Leader of Sheffield City Council. But he had only been elected to Parliament in May, filling the boots of David Blunkett, without doubt a political giant. Given time, Harry could have been remembered just as fondly. His death won’t just affect those who knew and respected him, but all those who need stability and reassurance in one of the city’s most deprived seats. After the by-election to fill the seat, Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough will have had three MPs in the space of a year, something that can’t augur well for constituents who need their casework processed and questions raised in the house. Harry was very likely the last deep coal miner to be elected to Parliament - after the SNP’s destruction of Labour in May and Dennis Skinner’s advanced age, the number left there can be counted on one hand. He will be remembered for his politics, but it has to be remembered too that those politics came from a job which was dangerous, unpleasant, dark and cold, and for the year Harry was on strike to protect it and beyond, under threat. Politics was once the plaything of the upper class in this country, largely because they had the franchise and most others didn’t. For some time, this appeared to be changing - first with the extension of the franchise to working class man, and then to women. In the post-war elections, over 100 manual

workers were returned to sit on the green benches, and brought with them experience of the dangerous conditions in factories, mines, mills and shipyards that resulted in first nationalisation, then the Health and Safety at Work Act. In 2010, the number of former manual workers in Parliament was just over 20. With Harry Harpham’s loss, so goes more of that experience. It’s the mark of a changing world in some ways. Globalisation, geographic concentrations of resources and differences in workers’ rights have made the loss of heavy industry somewhat inevitable, but at the same time it bears the mark of the Thatcher, Major and Cameron governments. The current abandonment of the steel industry - the final issue Harry raised in Parliament - is emblematic of the apathy Conservatives have shown towards hard, dangerous jobs. The danger is that with the loss of their former workers among their ranks, the Labour Party loses its historical connection there too. It’s been widely reported that new members of the party are overwhelmingly young - too young to remember mines or shipyards - middle class and urban-dwelling. Membership has shot up to 9,000 in the Islington constituencies - around six per cent of the total electorate on their own - while in seats like Oldham West it sits at a rather less impressive 700. It can be tough for people at university - who are generally of relatively comfortable backgrounds - to understand the lack of interest in politics that exists among huge swathes of the population. Understandably, they’re mostly busy working, raising families, thinking about their holidays. So it’s an opportunity to grab with both hands when someone like Harry appears, who knows the situation of people throughout our society and works to change it. It’s in memory of Harry, and hundreds of thousands of people like him who weren’t fortunate enough to become MPs, that the representatives of working people and their families should be drawn from among their ranks. As the man himself put it: “Working people have never been handed change, we’ve had to fight for it.”

Forge Press | Friday 12 February 2016

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t’s going to be a great year, 2016. Part of the reason it’s going to be great is the superb advice we’re going to offer in answer to your problems.

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One year since CHarlie Hebdo, where do we stand now?

Michael Chilton

fter 12 were killed and a further eleven injured in the incident perpetrated by two gunmen identifying themselves with the Islamist terrorist group Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Paris has since felt the impact of further Islamic extremist attacks in the past year. The attacks in November as has the rest of the world with recent attacks in Jakarta in Indonesia proving that this is not only a problem consigned to the West. Indonesia being the biggest Muslim country on earth shows that Islamic extremism and its terrorist acts don’t just have an agenda against the West but one that targets Europeans, Christians, Muslims, Syrians, Iraqis and Americans alike. But to focus this comment piece on the Hebdo attacks and the issues concerning of freedom of speech with this background. “Je suis Charlie” was of course the mantra in response to these vicious attacks for depicting and subsequently satirising the Prophet Mohammed, I for one was not particularly fond of it. I am not for one moment suggesting that the attack was anything other than barbaric, it truly was a disgusting incident committed by heartless killers. However what I objected to was the exaltation of Charlie Hebdo as the champions of free speech for the free world. This was acutely reminded for me this past week when reading about the publications latest cartoon. It is not just for those of you who were following the ongoing refugee catastrophe who remember the image of the three year old Syrian boy, dead face down on a Turkish beach. It did and still does epitomise the ongoing refugee crisis, in the Mediterranean especially. This image however was taken by the aforementioned Charlie Hebdo last week and used in a cartoon hypothesising that had the three year old grown up he would have been a “Ass groper in Germany”, of course referring to the mass sexual assaults in Cologne. I wonder if those proclaiming “Je suis Charlie” would still be doing so now? The broader context of the

publications content seemed to be forgotten after the attack last year. The truth is Charlie Hebdo publish repugnant cartoons that are tailored for an outraged reaction rather than standing for any deeper freedom or value. We all know there is more to freedom of speech than the ability to offend. By all means these individuals and publications are allowed to do so but we shouldn’t be equating offense with the best and noblest use of freedom of speech. If people want to proclaim “Je suis Charlie” they should also be proclaiming “Je suis Katie Hopkins”. Over the past decade we have seen dissidents from regimes all over the world speaking out against corruption, tyranny and repression; Malala, Snowden, Aung San Suu Kyi are but three of those who I would personally exalt and respect for their commitment to freedom of speech far more than Charlie Hebdo. In this grand scheme of things offense is such a petty reason to say something compared to these three cases above. So why is it the case that we wish to view Hebdo with such esteem when there are individuals like Malala in the world who are using their voice to right a deep injustice and try and make the world a better place? It’s not that we shouldn’t mourn and recognise the atrocity that was the Hebdo attack but rather that we should not allow it to propel the magazine into freedom of speech sainthood. The occurrence of a tragedy like that of a year ago doesn’t make the victims saints, only the perpetrators villains. So a year on after these attacks the message I have taken from it is a simple one. Freedom of speech manifests itself every day and in all our lives. In these instances it should be defended absolutely, including the cartoon that caused the attack in Paris a year ago. However it is not a contradiction to defend the right for Hebdo to publish but detest its content. We should not get carried away with the notion that the magazine is a great bastion of our freedom because it is not. Hebdo publishing repugnant cartoons doesn’t guarantee or mandate our own freedom of speech to remain intact. And most importantly society must defend Charlie Hebdo because it is our duty to do so, not in virtue of what they publish. So let us remember and mourn the Hebdo attacks but not exalt the magazine because of it.

ichael Chilton writes that the French satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo, should in fact not be exalted as a ‘champion of free speech’ because of its ‘repugnant’ cartoons and penchant for causing offence. Chilton’s article is a splendid example of everything that is going wrong with free speech amongst students and student activists today. They are a minority, but a damaging minority that is leading to national media lumping all students as one big regressive generation. There was a time when students were the absolute defenders of free speech and the right to cause offence. They fought against an ageing, censorious and illiberal establishment - see some of our forerunner DARTS from the 1960s for an impression. Now students have become illiberal. We condemn and attempt to censor or erase anything perceived to be even in the slightest bit offensive. It is a concerning trend. Chilton describes how a recent Hebdo cartoon that suggested Aylan Kurdi, the three year-old Syrian child whose lifeless body was photographed washed up on a Turkish beach, would have grown up to be ‘an ass groper in Germany’ - a reference to the Cologne attacks. In criticizing the cartoon, Chilton misses the point of it spectacularly. His knee-jerk response was not untypical, however. The Twitter-sphere rushed to condemn it as ‘disgusting’ and ‘putrid’. Yet the cartoon was saying quite the opposite to what these critics assumed. It was not itself saying Aylan would have grown up to be an ‘ass groper’. It was satirizing sweeping stereotypes about migrants, and highlighting hypocrisy of those who one minute express heartache and anger at a young, innocent and dead refugee child, and the next minute are painting all migrants and refugees with the same ‘ass groping’ brush. Googling it only takes a few seconds. The illustrator’s point and intentions aren’t too difficult to grasp, providing you spend more than two seconds thinking about it before smashing your keyboard to pieces in a fit of outrage on Twitter just because you like to get mad at things. If this is what you did, it is your own fault. Think more. Engage. Research. You only have to look through some past Hebdo covers and articles to see how favorably the benefits of immigration are treated. But when it comes to satire, you have to think a little. Our value of freedom of speech

Hallam Roffey

seems to be dropped when offence enters the equation. Chilton goes on to say Hebdo’s repugnant cartoons do not stand for any ‘deeper freedom or values.’ This is a peculiar statement that to many will hopefully seem somewhat counter-intuitive. Freedom is literally what those cartoons are about. They are about the freedom of good-humored ridicule towards all, the freedom to mock any political or otherwise figure, the freedom to treat any and every religion with caricature and disdain if you so wish. The value of free speech is fundamentally upheld by the freedom to cause offence. When students today attempt to slowly abrade and censor everything, it is down to shock tactics like those of Charlie Hebdo to act as a stark reminder that the right to cause offence is a paramount principle of our society that keeps free speech above water. Shock tactics are sometimes necessary to remind people that we have the right to express ourselves in words and drawings exactly how we wish. Yes, there is more to free speech than the right to offend. But free speech cannot exist without that right. Offence is not a ‘petty reason’ to say something, because people don’t say it purely with the aim of causing offence. They say it because they believe it, and should not have to worry about being censored, threatened, shot or blown up because of it. ‘If people want to proclaim “Je suis Charlie” they should also be proclaiming “Je suis Katie Hopkins’. Yes. Absolutely. Damn right. Do I agree with most of the things that Katie Hopkins says? No. Do I absolutely defend her right to say them, and to use words she does? Until the very end. Je suis Katie Hopkins. Je suis absolutely everybody who has something to say and wants to say it. Malala, Aung San Suu Kyi, Snowden are all commendable, yes. But they are no more valuable than Hebdo, which, contrary to what Chilton may try tell you, is indeed a bulwark of freedom.

“My colleagues are mocking me for drinking blackcurrant Ribena” - Bobin Fylde

obin, I’ll be honest and say that I do sympathise with your colleagues criticisms of your drinking habits. Blackcurrant Ribena may be one of the most juvenile drinks known to humanity. I don’t know anybody over the age of 6 who drinks it, and nor do I want to. That said, I am also sympathetic to defending the right of adults to revel in the nostalgic pleasures of childhood. Far too often, they are the only glimmer of joy in our pathetic, bleak excuse for a society. If Blackcurrant Ribena is what gets you through the days, Bobin, then solidarity with you. We must fight for our right to drink the juices of our childhood. So offer you colleagues some just desserts and poison their boring adult drinks like tea and coffee with the sweet, pre-pubescent taste of blackcurranty Ribena goodness. That’ll show ‘em Bobin. That’ll show ‘em... Yours, Chris

“My housemate is trying to get me evicted over my bathroom habits” Ian Peter Frealy

ou could always try asking your housemate how they’d feel about you doing your disgusting business somewhere other than the bathroom. If that fails, there’s always the IC. Hey, you pay for it. That said, I’m sure you can probably think of annoying habits of theirs which drive you up the wall. Maybe you could counter-evict them. Remember, endlessly escalating revenge is a healthy and productive way to spend your time. You take down their clock from the kitchen wall, so they hide all your cutlery on a high shelf. At some point someone’s bed gets set on fire, which is good - you get a new bed out of it. Until then, Ian, do try to use all the bathroom appliances for their proper functions. It’s only polite. Yours, Robin

Friday 12 February 2016 |Forge Press

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Is love in the air? Or just on the air?

Forge Press| Friday 12 Febuary 2016

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Being raised on endless Disney films that drove the message of ‘true love’ it is no wonder that my allfemale house and I cannot help but will the romances shown on these programmes on.

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It’s Saturday evening and my seven other female housemates and I are gathered around our television, glued to this week’s dose of Take Me Out. After the hour of ladies looking for love is over, we switch to watch Take Me Out: The Gossip, the spin off show that goes behind the scenes of the dates that those matched together have gone on. Dirt is dished on how the couples got on and they even reunite the couples after a few months to see if any of them sparked a romance with longevity. So why is it that when Jack from Essex, who appeared to get on well with Danielle from Manchester, reveals he hasn’t spoken to her since their date on the show, do my friends and I feel cheated, unsatisfied, and that little bit more detached from the

idea that love truly exists? That’s clearly an exaggerated response. In reality we groan and share a sadness that things didn’t work out, but we remain able to continue with our day-to-day lives without thinking of what could have been for Jack and Danielle. That said, there is something about the promise these shows bring us of finding love that, as an audience, we feed on. When it comes to shows that try and encourage the blossoming of love, Take Me Out isn’t the only culprit. First Dates is a show that’s popularity has soared in recent years. Even the University of Sheffield is doing its very own version, complete with the show’s one and only relationship guru, everybody’s favourite Frenchman, Fred. Each week, new couples, and some returning faces, experience a blind date at a buzzing London restaurant, complete with an awkward face-toface analysis of how each party felt the date went at the end. The most exciting part of the show is the final two minutes where an update of each couple’s current status is revealed. We wait to see the visual proof that our favourite pairings are still in touch and witness the disappointment of those who are still on the lookout for love. What is it about this show format that has become so popular and has its viewers so invested? Shows like these have a unique ability t o

attract and maintain its audience. It is no secret that as a society, we become invested in romance and love stories. Novels and films for years have capitalised on the human ability to root for love and that ‘happy ever after’, no book or movie is complete without the guy getting the girl. For our generation, being raised on endless Disney films that drove the message of ‘true love’ and finding a Prince Charming, it is no wonder that my all-female house and I cannot help but will the romances shown on these programmes on. The reality TV element of shows like Take Me Out and First Dates makes the romance genre all the more realistic. When rooting for a couple in a movie, there is always that element of fantasy. It’s not real, and so we become able to withdraw from it. Think of the euphoria when two on-screen co-stars are discovered to be dating – the on screen romance is translated to real life and the fantasy world of film and fiction, becomes reality. The appeal of the ‘real people’ featured on such dating themed TV shows as Take Me Out and First Dates, that have risen in popularity in recent years, is utilised by the shows’ producers. The filming process ensures that we grow to love these personalities and are invested in their happiness. We feel Emily’s pain when Darren doesn’t want another date and

thinks they’d be better as ‘friends’, most of us have been there and know the feeling all too well. The beauty of the reoccurrence of guests on First Dates is that we can share in their journey and the obstacles they face, and relate them to our own experiences. When the first date doesn’t go well, it only heightens our need to see those featured find happiness, and when they do – we feel all the more satisfied. When eccentric, oddball characters like some we see on these shows find love, it sparks a hope in us all that it is in fact possible for us all. Producers have cashed in on the perfect format – real life fairy tales that we all want to find the ending to.

Anna Gillies explores our obsession with shows that set out to match up compatible companions and bring love to the nation.

Friday 12 February 2016 |Forge Press

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The Features Guide To Coffee Here it is. The ‘Features Guide To’ you’ve been waiting for. A handy manual to everything you need to know about coffee, including a very breif overview of its history, the process of making coffee from tree to cup, an outline of what separates your cappuccinos from your macchiatos , and a guide to some of the best coffeeshops here in Sheffield. Hallam Roffey tells all.

How It’s Made A lot of coffee is hand-picked, as coffee trees flower irregularly. The exception is Brazil where coffee is generally harvested en masse, leading to a culture of quantity over quality. A good picker can average 100 to 200 lbs of coffee cherries a day. Once picked, all the fruit is screened by a machine which retains just the ripe (red) fruit. The processing of coffee varies hugely depending on the region and farm the processing is taken place. There are two main processing methods however: The dry method and the wet method. In the dry method the picked cherries are spread on huge surfaces to dry in the sun and are raked and turned throughout the day. In the wet method the harvested cherries are passed

through a machine to separate the skin and pulp from the bean. The bean is then passed through a water channel. Lighter beans float to the top and heavier (ripe) beans sink to the bottom. After this separation beans are transported to water-filled fermentation tanks. When fermentation is complete, the beans are rinsed and then dried, either by the sun or by machine driers. After this, milling takes place. A machine removes the parchment layer (endocarp) from the processed coffee, and the coffee is then graded and sorted, before being reviewed for imperfections. Defective beans are removed by hand or by machinery. The beans (now called green coffee) are exported and tasted. Once approved, the beans are roasted, transforming the green coffee into the brown beans we are familiar with (different temperatures provide different ‘roasts’). Beans are then ground into a powder and this powder can then be used to make a cup of coffee, either through an espresso machine (Italian), a drip pot (French), a percolator (French), or a plunger (Italian).

Know Your Drinks The drinks are all made in the espresso tradition of adding a shot of espresso to milk. The Latte Latte means ‘milk’ in Italian. It is basically just espresso topped up with milk. Lattes are supposed to be less foamy than cappuccinos, but often the differentiating factor is simply the quantity of milk used to dilute the espresso. The Cappuccino The cappuccino actually has its roots in the Kapuziner, a drink popular in 19th century Vienna. From the 1950s, there are references to the cappuccino as a foamedmilk and espresso based drink. Back then the cappuccino was described as being equal parts espresso and milk. This is problematic, as it is unclear how much milk and how much foam there should be. Most baristas are taught the rule of thirds: equal parts coffee, milk and foam.

The Macchiato The Macchiato is essentially a small amount of milk added to an espresso. It provides a quick hit without the strong taste of pure espresso. The Flat White The flat white has a history dating back to 1980s Auckland and was basically just black coffee with milk. A flat white is a white coffee with no foam on top. The milk should be textured but not foamy.

Forge Press| Friday 12 Febuary 2016

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Coffee Facts •

An enormous 300 tonnes of coffee is consumed worldwide every year.

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1600 million cups of coffee are consumed a day.

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It is the world’s second most popular drink, after water.

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125 million people depend on coffee for their livelihoods.

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Coffee fit for commercial use only grows between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.

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Per capita, the most enthusiastic coffee drinkers are Denmark, Norway and Finland.

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40 coffee beans are needed to make just one shot of espresso.

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Trees evolved caffeine as an insecticide in order to kill insects eating it.

Local Cafés Tamper

With a shop at both Westfield Terrace and Sellers Wheel, the charming Tamper coffee shop is owned by Jonathan, a trained barista from New Zealand, where he spent four years working with the finest coffee bean roasters.

Steam Yard

You can find Steam Yard in Aberdeen Court on Division Street. It is laid-back and serves the famous ‘Steve McQueen’ (coffee and a doughnut). Steam Yard’s house blend is from Square Mile Coffee Roasters.

Upshot Espresso

Situated on Glossop Road, the friendly Upshot Espresso offers a choice of house and guest blends.

Marmadukes

You can find Marmadukes on Norfolk Row. It has a rustic ‘shed’ feel with lots of wood panelling and workbench-type tables. Its coffee is sourced from the Workshop in Clerkenwell.

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A Brief History About 2000 years ago a tribe living in what is now Ethiopia moulded the leaves and fruit of the coffee tree into a gum that could be chewed on. In the seventh century, interaction between the peoples of Ethiopia and Yemen, coupled with the rise of Islam, saw coffee spread into the Middle East. For the Arab nations, coffee became an important commodity. By the end of the 15th century, it is thought the first coffee houses had appeared in Yemen. When Ottoman Turks took over Yemen in 1517, strict laws were passed on the export of coffee. References to coffee start to appear in European literature towards the end of the 16th century. At the start of the 17th century, the popular drink of ‘Coffa’ and its plant had aroused the interest of many Europeans. Around the same time the coffee bean made its way to Britain, with the first European coffee house opening in London in 1652. The house, run by Pasqua Rosee, was extremely popular and soon expanded. Within a decade, 100 shops had opened in London and some had begun to open in Cambridge and Oxford. By the 18th century the number was in excess of 1000. Coffeehouses were extremely significantly socially, culturally, and politically. For the first time people were gathering and, rather than drinking depressants that made them drunk, they drank a stimulant – coffee. Coffee began to provoke discussion and debate. There were no class prejudices in coffee houses. Men sat as equals (although women were still generally not allowed). Political discussion was rife. Charles II even placed spies in coffee

The Coffee Belt

houses. Coffee houses began to breed new ways of scientific and philosophical thinking, with some specialized for specific fields, such as business or arts. Adam Smith’s immensely important Wealth of Nations was written from the cozy comfort of London Coffee shops. In 1773, a group of traders established a coffee shop, New Johnathan’s, named after Jonathan’s, a preexisting shop. It became known as the Stock Exchange. It is now the London Srock Exchange.

“Coffeehouses were extremely significantly socially, culturally, and politically. For the first time people were gathering and, rather than drinking depressants that made them drunk, they drank a stimulant – coffee.” Other organizations and publications were born from the development of coffee houses, including Tatler, The Spectator, and The Guardian. Café Procope in Paris became a famous meeting place of the French Enlightenment, and was visited by Roussea, Diderot, Volatire, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. The first

American shop was opened in Boston in 1671. In the seventeenth century, worried about the reliance of imports, European nations began to cultivate their own coffee around the world. The Dutch, for example, grew seedlings in India and then in Java. The French cultivated coffee on Martinique and coffee plantations grew around the Caribbean and Central America, especially in Brazil. By 1920 Brazil supplied 80 per cent of the world’s coffee (now it is 35 per cent). This narrative however is also one of slavery and inequality. Colonialism crippled development in much of the Americas and the African nations. Many countries, notably Rwanda, became over-reliant on coffee, which was problematic during periods of ‘coffee leaf rust’. Coffee consumption grew and grew in the 20th century, with more people buying pre-roasted and instant coffee. In the 1950s, it was the Italian espresso culture that took over. This laid the foundation for the modern coffee café that we are all familiar with today.

Friday 12 Febuary 2016 |Forge Press

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New year, new room Sheena Sidhu writes about the different ways you can spice up your room this year.

Forge Press| Friday 12 Febuary 2016

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I hope I don’t get the rubbish room” one of my future housemates said as we sat slumped on the sofas around Notty House’s makeshift table. The four of us had finally decided to draw lots to decide who was getting which room when we eventually moved out of student accommodation and into our second-year house. As is the case with most houses, there’s always one particular room that everyone wants, or in our case, one that nobody particularly wanted to move into. I lucked out and ended up with the room that I wanted - lots of windows and plenty of space. However, that meant that one of us obviously got stuck with the room right next to mine which was significantly smaller, not to mention that its already limited space had been further compromised by the diagonal tilt of the ceiling due to it being an attic room. That being said, one semester into our occupancy and my friend has quickly turned her room into the coziest in the house. It’s a testament to how tiny, seemingly inconspicuous tips can change the feel of any room. For starters, and this may seem an obvious one, mirrors are borderline magical when it comes to creating the illusion of space. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to purchase a giant mirror to seemingly double the size of your room though. A tiny mirror, just big enough to see your face in, can bring about the impression that you have an extra window, and create the feeling of openness in what may otherwise be a rather claustrophobic environment. This applies to student accommodation as well. While rooms tend to generally be around the same size, my flatmate and I found out that not all rooms are created equal when she came into my room one day last year and realized that I had nearly double the space between my desk and my bed than she had in her room. “This isn’t fair, you could host a slumber party in here!” She did well to make her smaller room work for her though, although this did involve her spending a significant part of her student loan on lights. Fairy lights, lamps… anything that would brighten up the darker corners of her room so that no space would go to waste in a room

that was already tiny enough. For good measure, she even positioned a mirror behind her lamp to double the light it was producing. You can probably see a theme evolving here: light is good. Keep your curtains open, and opt for lighter colours when you’re picking out your bed sheets. Bright colours may be nice every once in a while, but they tend to create a messy vibe, especially when, as most of us do, we forget to make our beds. I’ve had friends say that they prefer darker colours because you can go longer between having to wash your bed sheets, but I’d argue that’s gross- you should really go and do your laundry. When it comes to getting rid of clutter, the holy grail of most student rooms lies under the bed. However, there is a difference between chucking everything you don’t quite have a place for beneath your mattress and actually keeping track of what you’ve got stored there. I spent much more money than I should have on social costumes in first year because I hadn’t realised that I actually have a masquerade mask, a feathered boa and a golf visor hidden somewhere in the abyss beneath my bed. Should you run out of space under your bed, do not resort to stacking things up on your desk. Despite our best efforts, our carefully arranged stacks of items towards the back of our desks that we vow will not deteriorate into a table-engulfing mess ever again, will become exactly that the second we decide we need to look for something there. Instead, keep in mind that if you could stack them away, you probably don’t need them just now, and put them back in your suitcase until you do. It’s ridiculous how most people don’t make use of the insides of their suitcases as storage space until the time comes that they need to pack up and go home. Another extremely underrated item that a surprisingly few number of students choose to invest in is a shoe rack. Perhaps this only applies to people who own more than a couple of pairs of shoes, but with the different seasons calling for different types of footwear, not to mention the fact that the majority of students participate in some form of physical activity that requires sports shoes, it is safe to say that a shoe rack would prove useful.

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This is because the tendency when most of us kick off our shoes is to leave them sprawled out around our room, and few things can make a perfectly organised room look messier than an array of footwear scattered all over the floor. Now this isn’t to say that a shoe rack would magically solve this problem. After all, the hassle of picking up your shoes and putting them where they are supposed to be can often be a task far beyond any student, but for some at least, it would certainly help. Pegs and hooks can also be a godsend when it comes to our efforts to keep our rooms borderline presentable. If the grueling task of grabbing a hanger out of your closet to put away your coat seems too much, a conveniently positioned coat hook just as you walk in the door means said coat doesn’t end up in a crumpled heap on your bed that you slide into the next time you need to emerge from your cave. Perhaps this part applies more to girls but it is also a foolproof way to prevent your necklaces from getting as tangled as they do when you keep them in a purse or jewellery box. And lastly, when it comes to moving out for the summer, save yourself the trouble of trawling through a million bags and suitcases for that one shirt that you need for going out and celebrating being back home. Take a picture of each box before you seal it up so that you know exactly where everything is if you need something quickly and you don’t quite have the time to fully unpack yet. Or you could just dump everything out on the floor and sort it out when you get home. Whatever floats your boat.

Friday 12 February 2016 | Forge Press

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Moon Unit’s Tea Emporium

By Mared Gruffydd

Indian Chai and even Chocolate. Emily says that adding rum or gin to these brews when cold create the perfect cocktails, and rum with the chocolate flavour is apparently especially good. “Moon Unit’s ‘Special Hot Chocolate’ is the perfect drink to start your night out as it wakes you up,” Emily adds. Customers can also choose from spirits to add to their tea and Emily is at hand to recommend which spirit is the best to have with which brew. Moon Unit’s drinks are so unique and delicious that Emily had a stall in Glastonbury last year, and from that got a job serving her brews at two weddings.

Since its opening last November, Moon Unit’s Tea Emporium has been a popular spot for students and locals who enjoy their various kinds of tea as well as unique cocktails, served all day until 7pm and until midnight on a Friday and Saturday. Located above the Harley, this tea room is very different to any other of its kind in Sheffield as it is the only one which serves tea and alcohol at the same time. Its manager, Emily, started out by developing and mixing different drinks, designing new creations for customers to try out and say what they think. The different types of teas are laid out artistically on the counter in big jars which are often open for people to smell the delightful aromas. Moon Unit gets their tea locally, from the Northern Tea Merchandise in Chesterfield, and the choice varies from regular flavours like Cuban Mint and Earl Grey to more adventurous tastes like Sencha Cherry,

events, such as the Christmas market back in December where independent, local companies sold crafts and artworks.

Moon Unit is hosting their official launch week this week, starting from Tuesday 9 February. The first night will be an evening of poetry, followed by a film screening on the second night, the third a clothes swap and an opportunity to have a henna However, tea and booze are not the only tattoo for only five pounds, and then the things on offer at Moon Unit, as they also next night there will be a jewellery sale, serve crumpets and cupcakes, as well as providing jewellery from the local company, Norbu. On Saturday there will be afternoon tea, followed by live music and karaoke, and finally on Sunday, a day of relaxing, customers will be able to experience an Indian head message from only five pounds. The week is set up to be a great success and many people have expressed their interest on the Emporium’s Facebook page. A mixture of culture, fashion and music, with tea and booze at your fingertips, each evening is the perfect way to finish off your day. The best thing about Moon Unit’s Tea Emporium is that it is so unique and different to any other tea room. This is the only place in Sheffield where you can treat yourself to tea and alcohol at the same time various knick-knacks which are displayed and at any time of the day. around the room, from African glass to jewellery to framed insects, which sound bizarre but are strangely very interesting and artistic. The company which creates these unique artworks are based in Sheffield and also makes jewellery out of butterfly wings. Moon Unit’s Tea Emporium is a relaxed space where everyone is welcome. Seen sitting on the cushioned wooden benches next to the low, circular tables are students meeting up for a catch-up, colleagues talking over a handful of papers and notes, and even people with laptops as there is free WiFi available. The space is also used for various

Forge Press | Friday 12 February 2016

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LIFESTYLE

Interview: Brendan Lai

The university’s Fashion Society is currently run by third year International Relations and Politics student, Brendan Lai. Lifestyle caught up with Brendan for a short interview to ask what kind of things the society does. What kind of activities or events has the society organised so far? The society has organised many events throughout the year, such as tie dye and t-shirt printing workshops, shopping trips, a secondhand shop and our biggest event this year is the modelling competition. All our events are very fun and open to students of both sexes. Tell us more about the modelling competition. The modelling competition involves three stages: Casting, Photo-shoot and Catwalk Competition. The idea is inspired by the popular modelling reality show America’s Next Top Model and I hope to bring the same level of professionalism and entertainment to our students. It will take place on 13 March at 6:30-10pm in Players Bar, Sheffield. We have selected 11 models out of 30 from the casting and they have done the photo-shoot which will be printed in our promotion flyers.

Are you interested in fashion yourself? Yes, I’m interested in fashion! I love to style myself and get inspired by catwalk and street-style. How would you describe your personal style? I love to play with fashion. I believe that fashion has no boundaries and people should wear whatever they like as long as they are happy, confident and comfortable. I don’t dress in a particular style because I style myself according to my mood and the fashion trend. Fashion is part of your personality and how you want to represent yourself as an individual. I think if you dress well, you feel good, and fashion can definitely make you feel more confident. What trends do you think will be popular this spring? SS16 is all about the 90s. Soft materials such as slip dresses will be very popular and ruffles is a key detail trend.

Concourse Couture: Fashion on Campus Photos taken by Anna Whittaker

Judy Post graduate, Landscape architecture student. Dress and jacket: Topshop, Shoes: Clarks

Jaakko Third year, Law student. Jacket: Marimekko, Jeans: Selected, Shoes: Zara

Fiona First year, English Literature student. Shoes: vintage, Skirt and top: Topshop, Coat: French connection

Matias Fourth year, Law student. Outfit from Finnish shops

Friday 12 February 2016 | Forge Press

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Society spotlight: Save Our Sandwiches Michael Kind talks to Forge about S.O.S, the society that are redistributing the wasted food on campus to those in need. Save Our Sandwiches is a group of volunteers at the University of Sheffield who endeavour to collect and redistribute surplus food from University food outlets and events! Every friday we run Day Zero, a day of zero food waste across campus, and we do collections from outlets on every day of the week. The next Day Zero of the year is today, the 12th February. If you want to get involved, or just to find out more, we’ll be in the SU Activities Zone between 16:00 and 18:00. We often also collect leftover food from from conferences and events in the SU and University!

Since the start of this academic year we have saved approximately 5,000 items of food from waste! Since the project started this time last year the number is close to 10,000! The food we save is mainly donated to the Salvation Army - who run a homeless cafe daily for breakfast and dinner. They’ve even been able to start giving out lunches thanks to our donations! We have also donated food to pay-as-youfeel cafe’s in Sheffield such as Foodhall and the Real Junkfood Project who also provide free meals for the homeless. Getting involved is easy! Volunteers sign up to do a collection from a University outlet on our rota on our Facebook group, turn up at the outlet just before closing time and inform staff that they’re there to collect any leftovers. Anyone is welcome to help out and no training is required - you can even get HEAR recognition for volunteering with us!

The future looks exciting with more and more collections planned! We’re even organising live music nights in support of Foodbanks, so get involved! Get in touch with us on our Facebook page (facebook. com/groups/saveoursandwiches/), on our twitter (@ saveoursandwich) or by email (saveoursandwiches@gmail. com).

Etsy bans the sale of vagina cleansing herbal pearls T he internet recently erupted in horror after companies began selling “herbal womb detox pearls” designed to “cleanse” the uterus. These controversial tiny balls of herbs wrapped in gauze (not too disimilar from a teabag) are intended to be inserted into the vagina—for three days—to “cleanse” or “detox” the womb. The women selling them are convinced they work, but medical professionals are sceptical. Seller Embrace Pangaea sold the largest variety of herbal pearls that each promised different effects. The little balls of motherwort, angelica,

borneol, or rhizoma are not only supposed to clean your “womb” of infection but also shrink your fibroids; treat your endometriosis, bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease, or even tighten your vagina. More importantly, they will rid the uterus of all the emotional and mental stress that women tend to carry around in there. According to Embrace Pangaea’s Youtube channel, the main causes of a ‘’womb imbalance’’ are improper consumption, past abuse and a lack of self-love. “When people lack self-love, they normally try to seek it out from outside sources,” one video explains. “Inevitably, they end up filling that void with false love from someone else, mainly in the form of various sexual partners. Engaging in sexual acts with various sexual partners has a negative effect on us because we are a vessel that was created to receive [the ‘seed’ from men] and carry [a baby through pregnancy].”

This leads women to then, in turn, receive and carry “different energies” that “confuse” the womb. In other words, the detox pearls can help cleanse you of the promiscuous behaviour that can lead to an unhappy womb and unhappy life. Herbal detox pearls were scrutinized by several medical proffesionals, but the treatments’ most vocal critic was San Francisco gynecologist Dr Jen Gunter, who wrote a blog post warning women that they were not safe. “Your uterus isn’t tired or depressed or dirty, and your vagina has not misplaced its chakra,” Gunter wrote. “These mesh ‘pearls’ will just be a nidus for infection.’’ Gunter explained that the vagina and uterus are not only self-cleaning organs, but will also warn you with irritation, abnormal discharge, or discomfort when something is wrong. What’s more, leaving a mesh ball of materials inside your vagina for three days could cause toxic shock syndrome and disturb all the positive, anaerobic bacteria that are present in the vagina. While some may argue that this conflict between gynecologists and herbal pearl pushers is a difference of cultural beliefs and traditions in medicine, others say the trend is based more on a dangerous combination of a growing fixation

By Mojo Abidi

on “natural” health, a lack of education, and the frustrations of having to cart around such a delicate, infection-prone organ as the vagina. “Some people are truly looking for fast fixes, so they believe the hype,” Dr. Gunter said. After all, vaginal disorders—and other issues like yeast infections, recurring UTIs, or bacterial vaginosis—are usually difficult to diagnose and treat. Wouldn’t it be so much simpler if you could just flush them out? My attempts to access herbal womb detox pearls for sale on Etsy directed me to a page that reads, “Uh oh! Sorry, the item listing you are looking for does not exist.” An Etsy representative has

responded: “We can’t comment on individual sellers or shops. We are currently researching the safety and legality of these items. Right now, they are able to be sold as long as the listing does not make medical claims and meets our other guidelines for selling.” The herbal womb detox pearls do not meet those guidelines, which state that the sale of medical products that claim “a causal relationship between a substance and the prevention, healing, or treatment of a physical condition or disease” is prohibited. Various brands of herbal womb detox pearls are still available on Amazon and eBay, but it’s unclear how long that will last.

Forge Press | Friday 12 February 2016

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LIFESTYLE

Weekend escape to Phuket Phuket is a large island – so large that it doesn’t really feel much like an island at all. Its size means there is always plenty to see and do, and as such it is a popular destination for all types of holidaymakers. Madeleina Kay tells us what she did during her three days in Phuket.

The recent death of a 36 year old British tourist in Thailand, who was trampled to death while on an elephant trek, felt particularly shocking after my recent holiday in the country. The tourist was thrown off the elephant after it turned on its handler, an incident that animal charities claim highlights abuse in the wild animal trade. A spokeswoman from World Animal Protection said: “Elephants are cruelly abused to tame them enough so they give rides and perform in shows.” While on an all-too-short three day trip to Thailand, I also had the amazing opportunity to ride on an elephant as part of an allday wildlife tour offered by a local business, Island Safari. However, my experience of the trainers and their treatment of the animal performers was different to what I expected. My dad and I planned to spend a weekend on the island of Phuket, as part of a two week trip to Asia. We took a cheap, no-frills, flight from Singapore on Friday afternoon

and arrived around 4pm. We were determined to make the most of the brief, but amazing opportunity to visit the renowned holiday destination. I picked up a handful of leaflets from the airport and meticulously planned out the next 48 hours. However, the weekend began rather badly with an ill-informed decision to take a minibus rather than a taxi to the hotel. The minibus driver didn’t speak a word of English and had no idea where to take us. He even stopped at a sales office en-route to try and sell us tourist package tours. Overall, the journey took twice as long as the drive back - where we sensibly opted for a taxi. A word of warning: Phuket’s road infrastructure is extremely poor, the traffic is horrendous and the drivers are, in general, complete maniacs (there appears to be two speeds: accelerate or brake). You also have to be wary of scooters which are the main mode of affordable transport for most families, who crowd

as many as two adults and three children on a single bike and rarely wear helmets. Last year alone, there were 280 road deaths in a population of 380 000 (which compares to 1,713 in Britain with a population of 64,100,000). So where you can afford it, I would advise taking the most efficient and safe mode of transport available – taxis. When we finally arrived at the Novotel Phuket Resort Hotel the sun was setting over Patong Beach and I managed to capture some stunning photos of the amazing views. However, in Thailand, the day is far from over when dusk falls, and Phuket has a buzzing night life, it felt like the island was actually vibrating. After we arrived I immediately trekked into town to book the safari tour for the following day. There were restaurants, bars, tourist offices, shops, markets, fruit-sellers, karaoke and dubious looking “massage” parlours open late into the night (but don’t expect them to be open until noon the following day.)

The hotel had a three-tier swimming pool, gym, spa and a buffet breakfast served until 10:30am. Our twin room had a private balcony and a stunning mural across one wall, and oddly, a glass window in the bathroom wall, so you can lie in bed while watching your roommate take a wee. On Saturday, the Island Safari tour turned out to be a brilliant choice. The whole day was incredible, apart from having to make another precarious journey across Phuket in the back of a minibus. The Island Safari is a relatively new enterprise, employing local staff, many of whom don’t speak English but have a deep knowledge of the local culture.

Recipe corner: Broccoli and stilton soup Ingredients (Serves four): • 3 tablespoons of olive oil • 6 spring onions finely chopped • 2 teaspoons of dried thyme • 1 kilogram of frozen broccoli • 1250ml of hot vegetable stock (from concentrate or stock) • 200 grams of crumbled stilton cheese • 1 long fresh red chilli pepper (deseeded and finely chopped • 1 slice of bacon chopped into chunks • A handful of croutons

Method: 1. Put the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat, add the chopped spring onions and cook for a couple of minutes. 2. Add the thyme and the frozen broccoli, and stir in the pan for a minute or so. 3. Add the hot vegetable stock and the crumbled or chopped stilton and bring to boil, then lower the heat and clamp on the lid and cook for five minutes. 4. Liquidize in a blender (or failing that a processor) - in batches - then pour back in the pan and heat if it’s cooled too much while blending, and add pepper to taste. 5. Scatter with a confetti of the red chilli, croutons and bacon pieces on serving.

We enjoyed a diversity of cultural experiences, including; river canoeing, rubber tapping, Thai boxing, a fish foot spa, elephant trekking and an ox-car ride. We also saw a monkey show, a Thai cooking demonstration and a baby elephant show where I volunteered to play football with the baby elephants and receive an “elephant trunk back massage’’. The handlers had a deep respect for all the animals involved and they looked well cared for in a rustic, rural environment. On the Sunday, I made the most of the gorgeous beach and filled my suitcase with souvenirs from the markets before heading back to the airport. It was an incredible experience

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ENTERTAINMENT

THIS FORTNIGHT... A

Ai Weiwei sparks controversy...again

s a contemporary artist and activist, much of Ai Weiwei’s work is controversial and his latest piece is no different. Laying face down, eyes closed on the shore in Lesbos, Ai powerfully recreates a photograph of drowned Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi. Critics have branded the piece a politically insensitive bid for publicity, but given Ai’s ongoing assistance with the refugee crisis, it is hard to accept the work comes

with a malicious agenda. Ai recently installed a studio in Lesbos where he will create a series of artworks centered on refugees and continue to document their journey via Instagram (@ aiww). Despite the continuing efforts of volunteers, international support has dwindled and the piece denotes Ai’s frustration at the inadequate political response to the crisis. Shot in black and white with a

darkened sky, Ai’s piece has a sinister and slightly unnerving feel.

“The border is not in Lesbos, but in our minds and hearts” The continuous absence of colour portrays a sad truth that

at times, the land can be as bleak and unforgiving as the sea. The original image was shared as a way to humanise the crisis and spread unity - this piece will do the same. It may not align our views, but it will unite our attention onto the crisis. As such, Ai’s work is not a cheap imitation but an important political and humanitarian message – we have a global duty to act. CLARE MATTIN

The new age of consumer responsibility

ince the explosion of both crowdfunding and alphafunding in PC gaming, gamers have had to pay much greater attention to where they decide to put their money. Steam’s Early Access model has allowed indie developers to get on their feet, but the market is based on promises. Developers must convince gamers to put their trust, and their money, into the future of a game that will most likely remain an unfinished

ributes have been pouring in for weeks as the world continues to mourn the passing of musical icon, David Bowie. We’ve seen countless celebrity tweets, street parties in Brixton, constellations named in his honour, and dozens of public murals commemorating the great man in street art. Unfortunately, this has put our lovely city in the spotlight for the wrong reasons, as a controversial mural on Division Street has gone viral and divided opinions, to say

product for a long time. But this logic of ‘alpha-funding’ seems to have had a bad impact on the gaming industry at large: big developers feel the pressure to release a new game every single year. This model has worked for some games though. Darkest Dungeon is the most recent success story, receiving a plethora of high review scores. However there are some games that just feel like they were made to exist in early access

forever. Day Z is such a game, it has been in early access since its launch in 2013. The fact that its head developer left to work on other projects hasn’t helped the situation much either. Allegations of irresponsible developers have flooded games journalism a lot in recent months, Ant Simulator’s developer has been accused of spending money on ‘liquor and strippers’. The problem with a lot of alpha-funding models is that

when games are released in an alpha state to the consumer, they are priced as a full game. The majority of gameplay satisfaction, or dissatisfaction, is likely to occur throughout its development. Although these models give indie developers a chance, they flood the market with unfinished products. Consumers must be vigilant now more than ever. NED WESTWOOD

David Bowie... or Pat Sharp?

the least. While well-meaning in intent, the portrait of Bowie has the problem that it doesn’t really look anything like him - and the internet has naturally taken hold of it with mocking glee. Users have said the mural looks more like Pat Sharp, Ben Stiller, or Dennis from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (the latter gets my vote), and many have asked if the artist – local Trik09 – has ever seen a picture of Bowie. Is this all a bit harsh, though? The

jokes circulating are fun, but the artist behind the piece meant well, and there’s a fine line between light-hearted and mean-spirited criticism. In Trik09’s defence, his other work is great (see his Instagram), but not the kind of art that would suit a portrait. It seems that the blame lies less with the artist and whoever commissioned the mural. In hiring an artist whose style clearly wasn’t appropriate for this piece, they have made themselves, and Sheffield, look a bit silly.

And while the mural is a great visual representation of a poor Bowie tribute, there are even more half-hearted attempts going around - I’ve noticed clubs have been offering “Bowie tribute nights” that are essentially a normal DJ set with ‘Let’s Dance’ and ‘Under Pressure’ thrown in. In my mind, that’s far more disingenuous than a wonky mural. SAM KELLY

Making a mess of things?

he greatest stories are often those our interactions unwittingly create. These are intimate, unapologetically human tales, the sincerest reflections on life itself; emotive experiences that resonate with in ways a feature film can only dream of. Some of these stories evolve even with the telling. And these are perhaps the best examples of the medium, but can also be the most controversial.

Any modern documentary is a mix of journalistic process and engaging direction. Often, the issues arise from the disparity between these two worlds. After all, investigative media has never been known for its empathic respect for the lives on camera. But the production team need as much quality footage as possible to work with. If the drama doesn’t unfold in a screen-friendly way, the team must delve deeper for intrigue or excitement. Most

importantly, these findings must be presented as an observation, in an unbiased, emotionally removed manner. Between these two approaches, the respect for the people in the story can be lost. Hard questions and personal scrutiny from exhaustive research is clearly expected and encouraged, with the financial value of the documentary quietening moral obligations. It is a fallacy of documentary

storytelling that the real story is the truth. It makes sense that the search for this truth would result in uncomfortable or insensitive levels of investigation. Sometimes the final product pushes further; maybe unwittingly, maybe for money. Whatever the reason, this disregard for human decency can enhance the story being told. And the storytellers know it. NICK BURKE

Friday 12 February 2016 | Forge Press

GAMES

ARTISTIC OPPRESSION

THE GAMING INDUSTRY

William Elmer casts an eye on the state of the game industry today, looking at industry politics and the desire for profit over creativity. Art has been one of the most influential and iconic characteristics in the development of the human race. As humans evolved with time so did their understanding of the world around them, experimenting and learning the fundamentals of survival. With understanding came communication, through communication bore communities which in turn manifested into societies. Political and religious constructs were established as a way to maintain both loyalty and devotion to society, reaching a consensus that order and continuity are imperative for survival. With time these ideals allowed for further development, increased education and especially, art. Inspiration can come in many forms be it from the terrain around them or the through creativity encouraged upon hearing stories from others. This newfound ability has evolved into one of the most diverse, passionate and inspirational activities to showcase one of man’s greatest achievements. From simple drawings on walls by cave men to ancient pottery of Han dynasty China, art has continued to expand its influence, reaching every continent in the world. Art reached its pinnacle through Renaissance Italy, birthing to some of the greatest minds in history. Brilliance from Giotto in his work Lamentation being one of the pioneers of early Renaissance Italy, leading to the works of Michelangelo and his legendary fresco piece The Creation of Adam. Inspired by religion, Michelangelo illustrated the biblical creation narrative of god breathing life into Adam, the first human as his centrepiece. By the late 20th century, the encouragement of technological advances bore the creation of computers. This new model enabled individuals to utilize software to preserve both knowledge and imagery, storing said information on these computers. Eventually individuals were able to use coding through this new outlet, creating the first forms of video games

modern gaming which can be a testament to its business based foundations.

“This innovator unfortunately has become a dying breed in modern gaming” which in turn birthed a new art form. Through computer programming, individuals are able to create motion, audio or literary art. With this technological triumph a new gateway was opened into the luscious landscape of the art world. Writers whose work did not fit the mould of the conventional author could now produce their work through this medium with the help of illustrators and programmers, creating a visual embodiment of their work. No longer did the writer need to be the next Orwell or Tolkien to get published, if you have the right team, your work will become reality. Same went for the illustrators and musicians. Becoming the next Beethoven or Michelangelo were a thing of the past, their work could be appreciated and immortalized in its own way. An example is the genius of Ken Levine, lead writer to one of the greatest games of all time, Bioshock. Creating a gripping story of an underwater society set in the 1950’s-60 led by a visionary, driven to the point of

madness, class division and exploitation. Stringing the player down this path of insanity and civil unrest, revealing how one man’s utopia is the world’s dystopia. Another notable individual in the gaming industry is Danny Baronowsky, known for his eerie yet brilliant music in The Binding of Isaac or his entrancing techno melodies in Crypt of the Necrodancer. His work would have most likely gone unnoticed if it weren’t for the gaming industry, depriving the world of some of the most atmospheric music I have ever heard. By the mid 90’s, the gaming industry was brimming with talent and innovation, producing some of the most iconic studios of its industry, Naughty Dog (Crash Bandicoot), Psygnosis (Destruction Derby) and Rare (Goldeneye) to name a few. Amongst these studios were bigger, more imposing companies such as Nintendo who dominated the market. This is thanks to the contributions of Sataru Iwata with his programming genius and playful personality, ensuring all his games contained genuine humour, quirkiness and above all, fun. This innovator unfortunately has become a dying breed in

“Artists are fighting for their livelihood

With the influx of game designers the floodgates opened and now these artists are fighting for their livelihood. In order to survive, these studios are merging with bigger, more financially stable companies in order to continue their existence. This is where the artistic disconnect occurs. Publishers have decided that income has precedence over quality using their yearly profits as the platform for their company’s product, spearheading a campaign of mediocrity and subjugation. The contrasting features between modern day gaming and the mid 90’s is both impressive and alarming. 90’s gaming usually consisted of small studios working intimately as a unit, while modern day publishers have numerous branches in the different parts of the world containing multiple studios. Globalization acts as testament to the popularity and monetary value of the gaming industry, but once a company tastes the sweet elixir of money, they want more. EA is one of the biggest gaming publishers in the world renown for creating high grossing games like Mass Effect, The Sims and the Fifa franchise. They have expanded to the point where they have over 8,000 employees and own three esteemed studios, Visceral, DICE and Bioware. Recently the quality produced under EA has come under scrutiny for their “lazy” attempts at game design. Fifa has been ridiculed as a game that has not seen a major overhaul since it implemented the Ultimate Team game mode in Fifa 09, relying on micropayments to carry income over units sold. While my stance on micropayments is generally positive, this attitude is drawn towards mobile games studios rather than AAA games. The idea that a company can charge £50 a year for a glorified roster update and then have the audacity to hold their

Forge Press | Friday 12 February 2016

GAMES

their name and department named and shamed on loud speaker. Game designers considered inefficient are even relegated to demeaning jobs like cleaning toilets or fixing pachinko machines.

hand out for more money is sickening. What makes it worse is Fifa is a 3+ game with a mode that relies on pack opening which is essentially gambling, this is not a coincidence. EA have figured out that small impulse purchases will go a long way. An example of this is Youtubers doing pack openings, spending up to £100 in one video means that EA have pretty much gained the amount of two more purchases. You would think that with all this money they would allow for better funding towards their games studios, sadly, you would be wrong. All the money goes back into the pot while the consumer has to stomach another mediocre game in the hope “next year might be better” knowing it won’t. While EA are one of the culprits of this micropayment culture, the theme has bled into other big publishers work. Ubisoft, known for their Assassins Creed franchise managed to go from making a fresh new IP about an assassin’s bloodline to a stale, convoluted plot based third person adventure. They too felt that applying micropayments for frivolous items higher priority than to give the game studio more time to make the experience more enjoyable. Maybe they felt influenced by EA’s approach? After all, from 2004-2010 EA owned 19.9% stakes in Ubisoft after a “hostile” purchase of shares.

worse than EA or Ubisoft. One that has gone to extreme lengths to subjugate and even humiliate its work force into following a strict, controlling regime, the company is Konami. Back in August, according to the Japanese financial newspaper Nikkei, Konami have reportedly

subjugated its work force into unethical work conditions. Employees are not allowed individual email addresses in an attempt to prevent communication with the outside world so no information can be leaked. If an employee wants a lunch break they are timed until they return, those who are late will be humiliated via having

“The company has gone to extreme lengths to subjugate and even humiliate its work force”

Many games journalists have compared it to Orwell’s 1984 due to the controlling nature of its board. This environment has had an adverse effect on the workforce causing stifling conditions for the development teams. The biggest kick in the consumer’s teeth was Konami’s decision to get rid of their golden goose Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill). Kojima was their biggest asset in game design and story development but due to him not being cost effective (spent $80m making MGSV), he is no longer valuable, and they even axed the new Silent Hill game out of spite. As long as these companies continue to generate mass income through this bullish marketing practice, then it looks like dark days for the consumer until a company comes out and proves it’s not all doom and gloom.

Now it’s time to look at a company that is even

For more of William Elmer’s Politics of the Game Industry, with an article every Friday, visit the games section at: www.forgetoday.com

GAMES STAR WARS: BATTLEFRONT

A’s Star Wars: Battlefront has some big shoes to fill, there is no doubt about that. Being the spiritual successor to the critically acclaimed Star Wars: Battlefront II – a first-person shooter that sees the player take on the role of various foot-soldiers and pilots in the Star Wars universe – fan’s expectations of the game have running high since its first announcement. But does the finished product really live up to the hype? Let’s find out. The first and most striking feature of Battlefront is, unfortunately, a negative one. From simply scrolling through the menus, it becomes quickly apparent that there is a distinct lack of diversity and content. There is no single player campaign, no choice of character classes, and only six heroes. For comparison, 2005’s Battlefront II has five classes, more than fifteen heroes, and a single player campaign, as

Friday 12 February 2016 | Forge Press

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well as a more strategic ‘Galactic Conquest’ mode. And while the EA title does offer quite the number of character skins – too many for me to warrant counting – these skins are only cosmetic and have no effect on gameplay. Space battles are also amiss from this latest title, which for a Battlefront game seems

in episodes I-III that would have served as other potential heroes. Darth Maul. Anyone? Granted, EA promises to remove these content issues with their ‘Season Pass’ of DLC, but this is clearly just a ploy to lighten the wallets of their customers. At roughly the same price as the game,

galaxy far far away). Battlefront does however, have one major – and I mean major – saving grace, in that no game thus far has managed to capture the essence of the Star Wars quite as well as EA’s Battlefront. Sure there are only eleven weapons, but I really do feel like a Stormtrooper

inexcusable. One other content issue that I have with the game, albeit one that some may disagree with, is the lack of any material from the prequels. Listen, I dislike the prequels as much as the next person, but that does not mean that they were bad in their entirety. There were at least a handful of characters seen only

and with less content – only four extra heroes and four new game modes – even the complete set of DLC seems merely to bring the level of content up to what would be expected from a base game. It used to be the case that DLC was released to offer something new; to bring a new dimension to a game. But that was a long time ago (in a

when I use any one of them – although with my (lack of) skill and aim, that comes as no surprise. Moreover, although EA may have limited us to only six heroes, but they all feel unique and interesting. Personally, I find nothing more satisfying than frying a whole squad of rebel scum with The Emperor’s chain lightning.

JUST CAUSE 3

I CULT CORNER NEVERMORE

ou will ask yourself “What is the point of this game?” more than once over the brief but leisurely in spirit two minute journey from the beginning of the game to the end. Gold coins, coloured a stoneygrey, so in fact not gold at all, tempt your desire to seek out a purpose. You walk, you jump, you occasionally click away to get at them, but your heart should sink when you realise that they are of no value. The stones/coins are not the point of this game. There are no monsters, no villains, no bad guys to overcome. There are even no objectives. So, we return to that good old question, the only question perhaps, that this game throws at you. And you start to wonder: “Maybe that’s the point of this game? To question the point

of this game?” The game is too short to find any answers. You will be left cold and miserable in your attempts to find a purpose. Your brain will be on the verge of exploding. Can’t hold it back anymore? Let it go. Once you do, something pretty magical happens. If you haven’t already left to go cry in a dark corner or to seek warmth and solace after being confronted with such bizarre placidity, you’ll play the game again. Maybe you missed something. And you did. This time, you’ll enjoy it, somehow. In a genre which is, perhaps quite wrongly, known for being all guns and explosions, here you’ll find a sense of relaxation, as you walk past some beautiful artwork. But it is of the moment. The game denies you the ability to move back. If you rush, you will be denied its treasure. If you fly through it, it’ll have been a waste of time. You walk. You pause. You admire and reflect. It’s weird. It’s absolutely bloody weird. ASHFAQ EMRITTE

t’s the latest in a chaosworshipping, explosion-loving series of B-movie tributes and Just Cause 3 wholeheartedly embraces the if-it-ain’t-broke-thendon’t-fix-it philosophy. There’s not much new here, but everything has be inflated with more fire and more knee-jerk action. Grizzled and vaguelyMediterranean protagonist Rico Rodriguez returns again, somehow more ridiculous than ever. His job this time around is the usual: Rico must overturn the rule of dictator Di Ravello, undo his evil plans of world domination, and save his own home-nation of Medici.

Gameplay has changed very little. The huge sandbox world has got a little bit bigger, the explosions more vibrant and the base liberations have increased in numbers. But it’s still the same formula; kick off a revolution by blowing up stuff with vehicles and explosives. Just Cause succeeds where it always has done. It’s just pure hedonistic fun. It understands that video games, unlike many other mediums, give you the opportunity to embrace the most chaotic and

ridiculous fantasies of destruction and power that you can imagine. There is something intrinsically fun about tethering an NPC to a rocket cannister and watching them zoom off into the air. There is something uniquely therapeutic about watching entire bases erupt into domino explosions. And there is something awfully harmonious about hearing Rico’s awful list of action one-liners. A welcome new addition is the inclusion of more than one grapple, which can now be manipulated to pull things on their own.

This provides an extra level of creative chaos, allowing multiple enemies, vehicles and objects to be tied together in an unforgiving needles of destruction. Also, there is a new wingsuit which facilities swift escapes by air, o r awesome cliff dives. It’s a shame that it handles like an overweight albatross. The graphics are good and bad on different levels. The beautiful colours and striking vistas make the panoramic views look stunning,

This emersion and successful recreation of the spirit of Star Wars comes down mostly to the highly detailed textures in the game’s maps, as well as the partially-movie original score that accompanies battles. The presentation stands well above the gameplay which, though different enough to make the game a little more than just a re-skinned Battlefield 4, does not stray too far from the standard FPS mechanics; a neutral point, but one I feel should be made. On a smaller note, I have yet to have a single crash or major bug on the PS4 version of the game, which always helps. On the whole, Star Wars: Battlefront is an enjoyable game. However, the serious lack of content makes this enjoyment short lived. For hardcore Star Wars fans: this is not exactly a must-buy, but the level of detail that has gone in to making the game feel like the original trilogy makes it a should-buy. For those who have no interest in Star Wars: there are better FPS games out there; buy one of them instead. JAMES TURNER

but detail down on ground-level is muddy and unfocused, and probably belongs with the last generations. Just Cause 3 simply adds more to the power trip that was Just Cause 2 and for a series as extravagant as Just Cause, more is almost never a bad thing. JACK STACEY

Forge Press | Friday 12 February 2016

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KING CHARLES III

f Queen Elizabeth died tomorrow, what would happen? That’s the question posed by King Charles III, which imagines the first few months of the Prince of Wales’ reign. Charles wastes no time exercising his power, refusing to allow a particular Act of Parliament to become law. It all spirals downhill from there. For the first 40 minutes, you find yourself wondering what King Charles III is trying to be; a satire, a serious drama, a comedy? After an impressive opening funeral scene, the first act is mainly held up by cheap shots at Harry’s parentage and Charles’ delayed shot at the throne, but once this is out of the way, the play matures into something much more interesting. It becomes clear that the play is a reimagining of classic Shakespeare plays. Anyone who’s studied a Shakespearean history or tragedy will recognise the components; political intrigue, family drama, jealousy, love, vengeance and levity. King Charles III’s pedigree also comes across in the classical verse used in its dialogue, but this makes the modern profanity lacing the script unintentionally comedic. A subplot involving Harry’s romantic entanglements with a commoner is well-conceived and adds levity to the proceedings, but once Charles’ feud with Parliament

ARTS

and the Prime Minister heats up, it ends up being more of an unwelcome distraction from the political intrigue at the heart of the play. Robert Powell’s portrayal of the beleaguered monarch brings the gravitas and well-meaning interventionism the role demands. Surrounded by crumbling ancient stone walls, he comes to embody an institution in potentially terminal decline.

“Charles comes to embody an institution in terminal decline.” The decision to place the nation’s beloved; William and Kate, as the Machiavellian villains of the piece, is nothing short of inspired. The portrayal of the Duchess of Cambridge as cunning and ambitious is a great fit for the modern age, along with harkening back brilliantly to classical manipulators such as Lady Macbeth. Infused with elements modern and traditional, King Charles III is a complex, delightfully imagined play, let down by a weak first act. Once we push into the substance of the plot, it becomes a very satisfying production, asking difficult questions about the future of the British monarchy. JOSHUA HACKETT

BOOK CORNER STASILAND: STORIES FROM BEHIND THE BERLIN WALL By ANNA FUNDER

S A RAISIN IN THE SUN

he American Dream tied in with racial prejudice, makes Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun just as relevant today as it was half a century ago. The play looks at an AfricanAmerican family who are desperately trying to lead a respective life, balancing work, raising a family and remaining in employment. Lorraine Hansberry has successfully managed to depict the struggles that were facing so many Black Americans in the 1960s due to severe racial prejudice. A Raisin in the Sun makes the

issues more authentic and the audience soon begins to realise the harsh realities of the situation. The scenes intensify as the drama moves on, each depicting how the family’s dreams are consistently quashed. The motif of the American Dream is used as a catalyst throughout the play. Walter Younger (Ashley Zhanganza), is the head of the household, proudly stating throughout the play that he wants to open up a business to prove that he can be as successful and rich as the white people in his town. His sister, Ruth Younger (Susan Wokama), hopes to become a doctor and Mama (Angela Wynter) wants to buy a house for the family to live happily all together. The set, designed by Amanda

Stoodley, reflects the minimal, poverty-stricken life of the family. Its simple layout of only a kitchen and living room with appropriate 1960s furniture, helps to transport the audience back half a century.

“Family pride remains, and is worth fighting for” The story hits its dramatic climax

when Karl Lindner (Mark Burnside), the representative of the housing agency from where Mama bought her house, offers the family a large sum of money in order to persuade them not to move in. The family

are racially segregated within their community, and are inevitably forced to believe that they are inferior. Walter Younger is then tricked by his supposed business partner into investing in a company which does not exist- leaving the family shattered and poorer than ever. A Raisin in the Sun gives us an important lesson that when all is lost, family pride remains, and is worth fighting for. The play ends with a powerful monologue from Walter that he will always fight for the sake of his family. JULIA HODDER

tasiland tells the true stories of how the Berlin Wall and the Stasi regime shaped East German lives. Anna Funder met a variety of people, including former Stasi members and those who suffered under the Stasi, by putting an advertisement in the newspaper. The contrasting impacts under the same regime were extraordinary. The heartbreaking story of Frau Paul stuck in my mind the most. She told Funder how her son was born with a ruptured diaphragm and internal bleeding in 1961 and had to be treated in West Berlin. But, as the Berlin Wall went up in August 1961, Frau Paul was separated from her baby and this led to their failed escape attempts and later the arrest and imprisonment of Frau Paul and her husband. This book is definitely worth a read if you’re looking for something interesting and historical. Funder tells the stories in a chatty and engaging way, whilst still keeping you on the edge of your seat. Although this book is a great source of entertainment and intrigue, not all the information should be taken as factual: some of Funder’s German history is not as accurate as she would have us believe. AISLING POWER

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2016: ONES TO WATCH

The new year might be well under way, but 2016 still has plenty of talent waiting to spread their wings. Tara Hodgson takes a look at some of the hottest bands on the scene right now.

HINDS

aving been on most people’s radar for the latter part of 2015, Hinds released their debut album, Leave Me Alone, at the start of this year. Sounding like a female, Spanish version of Palma Violets writing songs for a Quentin Tarantino film, 2016 is looking like the quartet’s biggest year to date. Hinds’ music derives firmly from their Spanish roots, with sunshine seeming to emanate from every note. Yet the retro edge to the vocals recall a Strokes-y feel, and the punky riffs pay homage to the

Libertines.

“The retro edge to the vocals recall a Strokes-y feel” Waving the flag for female musicians on male-heavy festival line-ups, Hinds are already on the bill for Reading and Leeds, as well as Sheffield’s own Tramlines. Add this to an extensive UK tour this spring, there’ll be plenty of opportunities to see the band live over the coming months.

RATBOY

rojecting an image of the happy-go-lucky scamp, Ratboy seems far too busy causing mischief to make much in the way of music. Presently, the Essex indie-rapper (apparently there is such a genre) is busy tearing up and down the country on the NME tour, and at only 19 years of age, shows no signs of letting up just yet. With songs that aim to take the Jamie T crown, Ratboy is firmly heading into mainstream territory. An album is yet to be released, but tracks such as ‘Sigh On’ are already being given a lot of radio air time,

SUNFLOWER BEAN

his NYC trio are being lauded as the next big thing across the music press, and it’s easy to see why. Their glittering, psych-influenced indie has seen them being compared to Tame Impala, yet with a sharper, Blondiestyle edge. One part grunge, one part psych and one part dreamy pop, Sunflower Bean’s music comes out in blissful waves, making the trio especially alluring. Boasting support slots for the likes of Wolf Alice, the Vaccines and DIIV, Sunflower Bean are set to embark

“One part grunge, one part psych and one part dreamy pop” on their first UK headline tour this month, in the wake of the release of their debut album, Human Ceremony. Check out our review on page 35.

and the singer’s booked in for plenty of festival slots this summer.

“Ratboy is firmly heading into mainstream territory” It’ll be interesting to see where 2016 takes him, and what identity he’ll begin to forge for himself to reject those naysayers who say he’s just a Jamie T cover act.

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THE BIG MOON

them forge a space for themselves in the guitar band scene. Add to that frontwoman Juliette Jackson’s insightful yet darkly coated lyrics, and there’s something inherently exciting about this band with their ability to tell a story through their music.

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THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS

ight years after their criticallyacclaimed debut, The Age of the Understatement, Alex Turner and Miles Kane are back with their sophomore effort this spring, Everything You’ve Come to Expect. While the duo’s day jobs are on indefinite hiatus, the Last Shadow Puppet’s string-heavy, crooning swirls of music have been able to return. Despite lead single ‘Bad Habits’ dividing the crowd, it seems

safe to say that no one but the Last Shadow Puppets could have penned such a track. With a short run of sold out UK dates set for the spring and summer months, you’re a lucky fan if you’ve managed to bag yourself a ticket. The charismatic chemistry that the duo display makes for an enrapturing performance, and the full orchestra taken on tour will be sure to make these shows ones not to be missed.

nother band receiving a lot of press attention, the Big Moon are set to make a splash in 2016. Having supported the likes of the Vaccines, the Maccabees and Peace, and adding an extra adjective to their name, the London quartet have made quite a name for themselves over the past year. While an album is still in the works, the Big Moon’s steady release of arching, sultry singles have seen

THE MAGIC GANG

f bright, jangling guitar-based pop is your sort of thing, then the Magic Gang are the band to keep your eye on over the coming year. Their retro, 50s inspired indie makes for an instantly summery feel, regardless of what the weather might be doing outside the window. Having toured with the likes of Wolf Alice and Swim Deep last year, the Magic Gang have released a self-titled EP and embarked on a headline tour, all without the help of

“Arching, sultry singles” The Big Moon are touring with Ezra Furman this year, making a stop at the university’s Foundry, as well as playing Sheffield’s inaugural Outlines this month. Worth checking out.

“Shimmering, breezy music matched with despondent lyrics” a record label. Channelling a Morrissey-Marr vibe in their shimmering, breezy music matched with their despondent lyrics, the Magic Gang are a band of contradictions. Yet somehow they manage to work. Biding their time, it won’t be long until they’re signed and we’ll be hearing a lot more from the gang.

LION BABE

n up-and-coming neo soul duo who have just release their debut album, Begin. Hailing from NYC, Lion Babe create R&B that with it plethora of orchestral instruments mixed with futuristic synths, sounds like a hybrid of the past and future. Although Lion Babe boast elements of typically 21st century house music, they have an unmistakeable 80s disco vibe, making them perfectly suited for the dancefloor. Add to this, vocalist Jillian Hervey has a voice to give any soul diva a run for their money.

“An unmistakeable 80s disco vibe making them perfectly suited for the dancefloor” The duo haven’t announced many tour dates yet, but are set to play London this summer. Yet, with tracks written with a mind to be chart toppers, we’re sure to hear a lot more from Lion Babe over the coming months.

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SINGLES BEYONCÉ - FORMATION

Q VILLAGERS @ LEADMILL

t’s never easy to entertain a crowd when the music you play is very introspective, and not the kind of that gets people bouncing on the dancefloor. Luckily it comes naturally to Conor O’Brien, a.k.a. Villagers. In fact, after a rather mellow half hour in the company of support act Holly Macve, Villagers are able to rouse the audience within just a couple of songs and acquaint them with the new tunes coming straight off the last album Where Have You Been All My Life? released last month. Villagers performance starts a bit on the sly, as if he is checking the waters, but it quickly becomes bolder and bolder, his voice backed up by the instruments which compose the band – contrabass, a

delicious harp and trumpet, just to mention those that really highligh his performance, and help to recreate the eerie atmosphere that we typically find in Villagers’ songs. As O’Brien starts cracking the

“You know you’re listening to something genuinely enchanting”

random joke with the audience, and gets more acquainted with the people who have gathered at Sheffield’s Leadmill to listen carefully to his storytelling, we reach the highest moments of his gig. With the greatly applauded ‘Everything I Am is Yours’, and ‘My Lighthouse’ which raises the hair at back of the neck and sends those

pleasurable shivers down the spine. That’s a hallmark of quality; that’s when you know you’re listening to something genuinely enchanting. You release you’re in front of a real artist when, even when he slightly changes his own songs, he manages to make them better and make the most out of his band: this is the case for ‘Waves’ and ‘Set the Tigers Free’, which garner the giggest applause during the whole set. Yet nothing can beat what happens when Villagers plays the widely anticipated ‘Courage’, that shows everybody one more time the undisputed ability of Conor O’Brien to pluck the right strings not only of his guitar, but also of the souls of those who are there to listen.

ueen Bey is back. The marketing-savvy star conveniently ‘dropped’ her new single ‘Formation‘ the day before she performed at the Superbowl 50 half time show. Classic Beyoncé branding. But this time, it feels like she has something she really wants to get off her chest, and not just explicit details about her sex life (which is totally cool, too). Formation unequivocally explores the current state of race relations in America and its many issues: police brutality, identity, victimisation: “Earned all this money but they never take the country out of me”. It’s refreshing to see that she’s not just proud, but is in fact relishing in

ANNA SANTAGOSTINO

oing to a Matthew E. White show is like walking into the theater to see your favorite fantasy novel’s film adaptation – you know they can’t possibly filter such an extravagant universe onto the screen, but you’re curious anyhow. Matthew E. White’s recorded tracks are some of the most highlyorchestrated pieces of 70s-inspired soul rock out there right now. Lush with everything from horns and strings, to key boards and gospel backups. But the question is, how do you convert such sumptuous music to Plug’s format? The answer becomes quite clear when White with his guitar and his three-piece support take the stage and slowly begin to perform a guitars only rendition of

‘Tranquility’. The Virginian crooner’s resonant mutter accompanied by the sweet and sometimes-mysterious guitar lines steadily indulges the urban venue into a calming oasis. As the first chorus ends, the rest of the band joins in with a robust groove of ferocious and swelling throbs from the drums and pummeling surges of funky beats from the bass. A night of raw, stripped-down vintage soul jamming has begun with a Jesushaired humpty Matthew E. White at the helm. Matthew E. White’s charm isn’t however just about his gentle rendition of his ballads – his between-song banter is begrudgingly entertaining. Finishing his first three songs, White begins to talk about his revelation when he saw a moor for the first time, as he “thought a moor was just a backyard”. He tells us that he loves venues like Plug, saying, “I feel like you can do anything in them because they have nothing.” But the

dapper looking quartet in fastidious suits goes on to jam out their mildtempo shimmers intermixed with friendly exchanges with the quirky Yorkshire crowd. The band admittedly struggles with its limitations in the face of the opulent and maximal recordings, but nevertheless, they deliver magical moments of superb jamming, with Parker’s ferocious swoon on his pedal-steel guitar in ‘Fruit Trees’ and Chanselle’s sultry groove in ‘Holy Moly’, being highlights of the night. Although the performance is startling compared to the studio recordings, the night turns out to be a delightful diversion; perhaps the Virginian singer-songwriter would shed his overly orchestrated aural backdrop and pursue a more elemental live-friendly sound next time around. KAZUMA OSAKI

JO GALLACHER

THE CORAL ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS

t’s been 15 years since the Coral first broke into the British guitar band scene with their potent swirl of folk-tinged psychedelia. Speaking ahead of new release The Distance Inbetween, keyboardist Nick Power can assure fans that they are more comfortable in their own skin than they have ever been.

MATTHEW E. WHITE @ PLUG

her cultural heritage. Admittedly, the song take a while to get in to. The lyrics are interesting, but the song still has to be good for anyone to take it seriously. The beat bounces along, and you begin to wonder when the archetypal catchy chorus will appear. It never really does. Yet, after a few listens, it begins to get under your skin, and it becomes engrossing. A once notoriously quiet Beyoncé is now gradually moving from entertainer to political activist. If she coughed, she would start trending on Twitter, so why not use her self-made brand to push forward political motives? ‘Formation’ screams the usual themes of self-affirmation and empowerment which has become typical of her back catalogue. She’s still “slaying”, but now she’s angry too.

On the five-year hiatus between 2010’s Butterfly House and their impending release. “The important thing is to know when to step back from it, and that’s what we did. It felt like a burnout, and rather than just release something for the sake of it, we’d rather not release anything - we didn’t really have anything to say at the time.” What’s changed in that time? “In five years, so much happens to you and the world, you have all these different experiences, which sometimes you wouldn’t be getting if you’re touring and rehearsing. Going back into normal life again – that’s where all the tragedy and beauty happens.” Who/what made the decision to end the hiatus? “It was the first single, ‘Chasing the Tail of a Dream’ - James came up with that. It just sort of snowballed from there, there was no real decision to make an album until we were about 8 songs in.” Lyrics are a big theme for the Coral. “It’s a big one for the band. Everyone’s real big movie heads. Literature, art - I don’t see any sort

of boundaries in that. It makes it easier to make your song subjects a bit more interesting, pulling ideas in from weird places.” What are your thoughts on the current musical climate? “It’s on its head, almost 180 degrees, because of the internet. I don’t think its worse, in some aspects, it’s a hundred times better. The ransom the record company could hold you under has been exposed. There’s a lot more freedom to put more experimental stuff out, and there’s a lot more freedom to hear it.” You’re encouraging fans to take part in your ‘Cassette Tape Amnesty’, asking fans to send in forgotten mixtapes which will then be taped over with The Distance Inbetween, before being returned to their owners - what was the thinking behind that? “So there’s this sort of original cover on it, and it becomes collectable. We just thought it would be funny really. We always liked making tapes for each other. Every album we did, we’d pass compilations round. We always liked the sound of cassettes - Oasis tapes, Britpop tapes. We grew up just after vinyl.” HARRY CHAMBERS

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SUNFLOWER BEAN: HUMAN CEREMONY

eeting expectations of accumulated hype is often a looming omen that can force fledgling bands to crack. However, the dreamy psychrock which greets you upon listening to Human Ceremony, definitely goes some way to suggest that the New York trio have the potential to light up the music scene in 2016. Dabbling with a range of different

DIIV: IS THE IS ARE

ew York shoe-gaze savant Zachary Cole Smith fell off the radar after dropping his DIIV project’s sharp, rewarding 2012 debut Oshin. He returns on elusively-titled Is the Is Are, ready to expunge the spoils of his turbulent four-year odyssey. Caught with $2,500-worth of heroin and sent for a stint in rehab, Smith’s 60 plus minute double album comes off introverted and weary. His musical imagination crackles as it did on Oshin and the process of exorcising his demons is captivating, if overindulgent. The album opens with a dynamite seven-track run – the very best of

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sounds has led to the creation of an album that’s teeming with various blends of alternative rock, whether that be hazy psychedelia, or the heavier riffs that can be found on ‘Creation Myth’. The glossy vocals of singer-bassist, Julia Cumming, add a delicate glaze to some of the more rugged material, which typifies the experimentation of genres throughout the LP. Such psych infusion is evident on title track ‘Human Ceremony’, as Cumming and singer-guitarist, Nick Kivlen, float their way through a spectrum of hazy strings; although Kivlen, at times, seems to take away

some of the mystique provided by the lead singer. ‘Come On’ flits between stages of softened grunge rock and dreamy pop, which sets the tone for the ensuing tracks that also follow this absorbing coalescence. The infectious ‘Wall Watcher’, which is the band’s most wellknown single, offers little in the way of showcasing what the rest of the album has to offer, with the frenetic drum beat and repetitive “watching, watching, watching, watching you” being an anomaly amongst a collective of lyrically rich pieces. Sunflower Bean’s ability to

hybridize their sound is evident, and the introduction of a keyboard on ‘I Want You To Give Me Enough Time’ is charmingly coupled with a duet between Cumming and Kivlen, to create a sugary coating. Such dainty touches are also applied to ‘Easier Said’, as Cumming tenderly croons her way through a cluster of dusky sounds. However, any notions of recurring sweetness, so to speak, are shattered with ‘Creation Myth’. At surface depth, it appears to be another fuzzy tune, before it descends into a murky mire of gritty riffs that would be more appropriate at a Metallica

gig, rather than in the midst of adolescent grainy psychedelia. With Human Ceremony being so diverse, you may expect the contents to be a mismatch of strangely assembled bits and pieces. However, the band succeed in being able to produce an album that’s rich in assortment, while still maintaining a steady level of calibration. A dainty debut for one of the hottest bands on the scene right now.

Smith’s vision. The moody wall-ofsound opener ‘Out of Mind’ fizzles into the swirling shine of ‘Under the Sun’, whose echoey guitars mask a giddy paranoia. Elsewhere, the druggy, depressed dirge of ‘Bent’ is simultaneously an admission of, surrender to and defiant stand against addiction, laying Smith’s turmoil bare musically and lyrically. Smith’s synth-popstar girlfriend Sky Ferreira lays down stark imagery in a taunting whisper on ‘Blue Boredom’. Their shared experiences provide the song’s dramatic twang with depth. The strong opening half sees expertly deployed throwbacks to downbeat greats Sonic Youth, Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana. Smith’s voice captures Kurt Cobain’s defeated, pained slacker vibe,

channeling it through his own desperate, husky whisper. But the doomy expressionism threatens to go off the deep end in extended depression session ‘Take Your Time’ before the title track sweeps up spirits with a driving guitar line backing up a soulful, shining vocal. From the album’s midpoint – the directionless ‘Mire’ – it’s clear Smith’s indulgence goes too far and it’s easy to feel isolated as the melodies lose coherence. It takes a 20-second blast of snappy terror on late-album interlude ‘(Fuck)’ to regather both listener and performer for a more focused closing run. A looped riff leads mournful, Bunnymen-esque ballad ‘Healthy Moon’ before the shimmering promise and positivity of ‘Loose

Ends’ restores clarity to Smith’s vision. A therapeutic exercise for Smith, Is the Is Are comes off at 20 minutes too long – many gems are obscured by the album’s excess. “It’s no good”, he moans on closer ‘Waste of Breath’, which breathes choral sighs before kicking a stomping, distorted riff into gear. The instrumental outro plays like a groan of relief as Smith gladly turns his back on the woes he has faced. His cathartic journey presents a fascinating, misshapen, puzzling challenge to the listener.

CULT CORNER

RHYS HANDLEY

LEWIS EVANS

DAVID BOWIE: DAVID BOWIE

is talent was multi-faceted, as illustrated by his ability to encapsulate the revolutionary ideas he held in his various styles and personas, as well as in his captivating music. Before The Thin white Duke and Ziggy Stardust came in to existence, however, there was an aspiring artist from South London who was eager to exhibit his talent. In 1967, Deram records released the eponymously named debut album, David Bowie. Having released various singes prior to the album release, his first album allowed the phenomenal voice of Bowie to be heard. Bearing little resemblance to the folk rock style found in albums like Hunky Dory, and the glam rock essence of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust, David Bowie is composed of tracks that follow a town-hall music theme. Songs such as ‘Maid of Bond Street’ and ‘Uncle Arthur’ demonstrate the unique charm of Bowie, and contain the earliest examples of his separation from mainstream music. However, the track that makes the album so identifiable with Bowie’s lasting legacy is ‘When I Live My Dream’, in which his lyrics emphasise the traction of his music and individuality. Even at such an early stage in his career, Bowie was clearly attempting to stand out from the crowd, and present this individuality as something that is positive and aspirational. Although David Bowie is perhaps not as exhilarating to listen to as his later albums, it contains the artistic origins of the musical legend that is David Bowie. BETH ANDRALOJC

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WHY

WHITE?

For the second year in a row, every acting nomination at the Oscars has gone to white performers With the 88th Academy Awards on 28 February, several key Hollywood figures have expressed their outrage and intend to boycott the event Rosalie Davidson takes a look at why this is happening in a Hollywood desperate to stay relevant and what it means for actors of colour working today

Actors of colour (left to right): Morgan Freeman, Lupita Nyongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;o and Halle Berry. All three have won acting Oscars in previous years, but no others have been nominated since Nyongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;o in 2013

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t’s fast approaching the annual celebration of the most coveted in Hollywood - the Academy Awards. Oscars are bestowed on the very finest of the film industry, or so we are lead to believe. This year, controversy has interrupted normal proceedings in the form of #OscarsSoWhite. Despite humble beginnings as a hashtag, it has a weighted power in the media. It duly noted that this is the second year running where only white actors have been nominated for the four acting categories. This has prompted industry figureheads to speak up. The Academy is made up of nearly 6,000 members and to become a member you must first be nominated by the Academy. These members decide who is awarded an Oscar. The problem is that the Academy is largely composed of white males, which has been criticised before but never quite to this scale. This does shed light on the biases that will inevitably occur during the decision process. In the wake of the uproar, Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs said that she was both ‘heartbroken and frustrated

with the lack of diversity’. Apparently, amendments are being put into place to try and correct the lack of diversity within both the Academy, and the nominations of coming years. It is no surprise that there is so little diversity when the dominant number of members that control the decision making are white males. British actor Charlotte Rampling, who has been nominated for her performance in 45 Years, has voiced her opinions on the matter by claiming that the #OscarsSoWhite proponents are “racist to whites”. Her interviewer on French radio continued to probe, asking if there should be a quota so as to improve diversity for minority groups. She replied flippantly that nowadays everyone is more or less accepted. Rampling exemplifies the ignorance that is so often coupled with white privilege and the imperialistic system that perpetuates it. Not surprisingly (and thankfully) masses of people took to Twitter condemning her comments. Oscar winner Michael Caine also offered his view, claiming that you can’t vote for actors just because they are black.

However, he did note that Idris Elba should have been nominated for his performance in Beasts of No Nation, refering to the bigger problem - the lack of opportunity for black and ethnic minority (BME) actors. Again unfortunately, Caine is an example of the ignorance that accompanies white privilege. His argument being that you cannot vote for an actor just because they are black casts light on the fact that there are not enough roles for black actors to play, therefor no real opportunities to gain a nomination. The lack of opportunity for leading and supporting roles for BME actors is especially apparent when characters of colour are played by white actors. This occurs in Ridley Scott’s fairly recent Biblical epic Exodus, in which Christian Bale plays Moses, who is historically Hebrew and from Egypt. This is a serious problem from an industry that claims to be liberal and representative of its audience. Lack of equal opportunity in roles was brought up in Viola Davis’s acceptance speech for her Emmy in TV series How to Get Away With Murder. In her speech, she praised the show’s

producer Shonda Rhimes for redefining what it truly means to be a leading black woman on TV. She made history by being the first black woman to win an Emmy and left the audience stunned, with the notion that BME actors cannot win awards if the ‘roles aren’t there’. She received a standing ovation. It’s perplexing that it’s the case in 2016 that a black actor winning an acting award is breaking new ground. Equality cannot proceed if there is no opportunity to open the door. Comedian and actor Chris Rock will be presenting the Academy Awards ceremony on 28 February, despite the uproar and the handful of black actors boycotting the event. It has been rumoured that Rock’s script is packed with discussion of white privilege, making jabs at fundamental problems in the film industry. It is the perfect opportunity to generate awareness for the white privilege that encapsulates Hollywood. Among those boycotting are Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-

Smith who ignited much discussion with their decision. When her husband did not receive a nomination for his performance in this year’s Conscussion, Pinkett-Smith spoke on the matter, saying that Hollywood does not reflect the natural beauty of America, referring to the lack of diversity in casting. 12 Years a Slave director Steve McQueen compared the Academy to MTV in the 80’s when they would only show black artists past 11 o’clock at night. According to McQueen, this is the same situation and that it will be looked back on in disbelief in twelve months’ time. This all emphasises the fact that racism is so potent within the film industry. There is serious lack of opportunity for actors of colour in so many groups, including BME, Hispanic and Asian circles. Actor Ellen Page said that by only focussing on white stories, we are not telling the truth of the ‘human experience’. By limiting ourselves like this, can we really achieve all that can be wonderful about cinema?

If people of colour are only cast as window dressing for films about white protagonists, how can there be a real variety in nominations at award ceremonies like the Oscars? Surely we should be putting them at the centre of their own stories too. This is not the only industry in which white people are dominant. Another in support of the #OscarsSoWhite is actor Mark Ruffalo who has also received an Oscar nomination for his role in Spotlight. In an interview, he points out that isn’t just a problem in Hollywood but that this white privilege is prevalent in the American criminal justice system, education and all over the Western world. He closed the interview by expressing support for racial equality movements such as #BlackLivesMatter which white individuals rarely participate in. As much as there is an extreme lack of racial diversity and equality within the film industry this issue is systemic to Western culture and a problem we all need to talk about to find a solution.

White British actor Eddie Redmayne (main photo) won Best Actor at the last Oscars for playing disabled scientist Stephen Hawking in 2014’s The Theory of Everything and has been nominated this year for playing trans woman Lili Elbe in 2015’s The Danish Girl. Meanwhile none of the acting nominations this year have gone to actors of colour in successful 2015 films like Beasts of No Nation (Idris Elba, above left), Dope (above centre) or Sicario (Benicio del Toro, above right)

SCREEN TRUMBO

hen does a supposedly free society stop being free? Jay Roach’s biopic Trumbo questions this through the perspective of its titular subject; communist screenwriter Dalton Trumbo (played by Bryan Cranston). The film catalogues a dark period in Hollywood history in which hundreds of left-wing entertainment figures, including writers and actors, were blacklisted from the industry, largely as a result of the ‘Red Scare’ atmosphere that dominated American society at the start of the Cold War. Consequently, blacklisted screenwriters were forced to send scripts to studios under pseudonyms to avoid detection; Dalton Trumbo, registered member of the Communist Party USA, being the most notable for having penned classics such as Spartacus and The Brave One. Despite the legality of affiliation with the Party, the careers of many screenwriters were irreparably damaged, and in some cases, particularly Trumbo’s, hard time was served in the so-called ‘Land of the Free’. The somewhat bleak subject matter is a marked shift for Roach, who is best known for directing comedies such as Meet the Parents and Austin Powers, and it shows. The film has many light-hearted, whimsical moments with a number

Friday 12 February 2016 | Forge Press

@ForgePress /ForgePress of eccentric characters, such as the bombastic Frank King (John Goodman), who is rather fond of crude humour and baseball bats. Another amusing juncture comes in the sequence preceding the introduction of Kirk Douglas (Dean O’Gorman), in which you will be silently asking yourself ‘Will they get the chin right?’. Nevertheless, where the humour succeeds (albeit mildly), the drama falls flat. The ‘heated’ exchanges between Trumbo and his friend Arlen Hird (Louis C.K) feel forced and hollow, to the point where you begin to wonder if what they are

comedic flair is under-utilised. The film splices in old, real-life footage of Congress meetings regarding the sinister Communist influence on Hollywood among reenactments. Far from being interesting staging, you end up just wanting to watch a documentary. Again, the film fails in comparison, this time to its fascinating historical context. Despite this, excellent performances from Cranston and Helen Mirren save the day. Cranston expertly captures the existential conflict Trumbo faces, while beautifully portraying his

discussing is enough to justify a blazing row. The reason for this is twofold; the script, and C.K himself. Films about acclaimed artists will always be subject to comparisons with the artist’s original material. In the case of Trumbo, the highlights of the dialogue are soundbites lifted from Trumbo’s own writing, as he wrote letters extensively. The rest is generic biopic stock; nothing really seems to stick out. Ironically, the film suffers due to the incredible talent of its titular character. As for C.K, he never quite manages to capture the intensity that the drama requires, and his

rage and frustration in the face of his threatened career. An Oscar nod well deserved. Mirren plays villainous commiehating columnist Hedda Hopper, the yin to Trumbo’s yang, who is hell-bent on purging the lefties. The cold, harsh ruthlessness of Hopper is subtly revealed by Mirren, specifically in her devilish eyes. While Trumbo can be lacking and uneven, it is nonetheless thoughtinspiring, featuring a masterclass in acting from Cranston. If there was ever an example of an actor surpassing their film, this is it.

“The highlights of the dialogue are soundbites lifted from Trumbo’s own writing while the rest is generic biopic stock”

BILLY GEESON

CULT CORNER

SMALL SCREEN

GARTH MARENGHI’S DARKPLACE

DEUTSCHLAND ‘83

show for those that either love or loathe the overt corniness of 1980s cinema, Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace is an undeniable cult classic. Crafted by the incomparable Richard Ayoade, (Moss from The I.T. Crowd), and Matthew Holness, it parodies ‘80s cinematic cheese, from dodgy scene cuts to ghastly costumes. Its only series, aired in 2004, follows fictional writer Garth Marenghi, portrayed by co-creator Holness, as he guides the viewer through the making of his beloved television drama, Darkplace - a show within the show. Each episode follows the storyline of Dr. Rick Dagless, played by Marenghi, as he fights the forces of evil while also completing his doctorial duties. Alongside Holness, Ayoade delivers a brilliant performance as Dean Learner, Garth’s publisher, and Matt Berry’s actor Todd Rivers, who played Dr. Lucien Sanchez, gives Darkplace a hilarious charm. The commentary enables the show to satirise the self-importance of writers and actors that is as prevalent in modern cinema as much as it was in the 1980s. As a result of its gloriously unique style, Darkplace is a beautiful mixture of silly and sharp humour, a concoction that resonates in the alternative comedy of today. BETH ANDRALOJC

erman Cold War thriller Deutschland ‘83 takes place when tensions between the Soviet East and capitalist West were ramping up at an alarming rate. The frictions could overboil into nuclear annihilation at any moment. The first episode begins with then-US President Ronald Regan’s infamous “Evil Empire” speech, providing a menacing frame for the events to come. The speech lingers in the background throughout the episode, as characters on either side of the Berlin Wall discuss the threats and hyperbole of their

political threats. In between politicians’ discussions over nuclear strikes from the West, Martin attends parties. It brings to attention that while momentous events took place on the world stage, most people went about their lives as usual. What ‘usual’ really means is very different on either side of the Wall. Upon arriving in the West, Martin is baffled by technicolour supermarkets and the telephone network, struggles with a new vocabulary, and gets an Americanised makeover. There’s also the more serious implications of spying on the West. Martin’s colleague Tobias (Alexander Beyer) hasn’t been home since he began as a doubleagent over a decade ago - a reminder of the devastating effects on individuals of the conflict.

“The show’s focus on the everyday creates a gripping contrast with the serious political threats taking place on the world

governments’ announcements. Deutschland ‘83 stars Jonas Nay as Martin Rauch, an East German soldier (and Owen Jones lookalike). It also stars Moritz Stamm, a West German soldier, who looks eerily similar to Martin. Here’s the twist: Martin and Moritz are the same person. Martin is reluctantly recruited as a doubleagent, posing as a member of the enemy army and sending military secrets over the border. However, Martin is more interested in getting back home to his girlfriend (Sonja Gerhardt) than becoming a hero. The episode’s focus on the mundanity of everyday life creates a gripping contrast with the serious

Another delight is the unexpectedly lighthearted soundtrack, including the presumably obligatory ‘99 Luftballoons’. The contrast between the bubbly ‘80s pop tunes and the stern events depicted on screen is surprisingly effective. If you’re really getting into it, the soundtrack for each episode conveniently has a Spotify playlist available online. Deustchland ‘83 cleverly mixes the tension of a high stakes thriller with a more jovial tone - a sign that the rest of this series will keep you seriously entertained as well as on the edge of your seat. MOLLY KERKHAM

Forge Press | Friday 12 February 2016

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SCREEN DIGITAL LAZER TEAM

he first feature film from pioneering studio Rooster Teeth, creators of the longestrunning web series in history Red vs Blue, is a remarkable delivered crowd-funded project. Director Matt Hullum creates an action packed adventure for all the conspiracy theorists, enthusiasts of extra-terrestrial life and those

DAD’S ARMY

nother in a long line of film versions of British comedies, Dad’s Army is a surprisingly enjoyable remake of the classic 70s TV series. Set in Walmington-on-Sea, the film follows the exploits of a Home Front regiment in 1944 with the D-Day landings drawing near. It packs in a search for a spy, two or three love stories, a coming of age tale, a search for man’s morals and a soldier reflecting on lies from his past. First off - I saw this at a screening entirely filled with people three times my age and they loved it, so no matter what I say, it did its job. Dad’s Army is filled with jokes in many guises, from slapstick to innuendo, from stupidity to sarcasm, allowing everyone to find at least some aspects of the film hilarious. I was genuinely surprised how much I enjoyed the film, as I was

who merely enjoy sci-fi comedy. He captures the viewer’s imagination with the sophisticated use of computer-generated imagery, which brings to life a supersonic cosmic world. The team is made up of Hagan (Burnie Burns), Woody (Gavin Free), Zach (Michael Jones) and Hermann (Colton Dunn). All four actors have predominantly starred in comedies, most notably Dunn, and it shows. Comedic timing is spot on throughout, but serious dialogue can sometimes fall somewhat flat. The humour itself is generally quite good, but occassionally the

film panders to existing Rooster Teeth fans despite efforts to write jokes accessible to a larger audience. The cast is supported by Alllie DeBerry as Hagan’s daughter, Mindy and Alan Ritchson, playing the chosen champion of Earth who is trained from childhood to be a mean lean fighting machine. His upbringing is like that of a Spartan child in the movie 300 only this time, the setting is contemporary and the threat is from a different dimension. In the heat of an argument, four low life citizens of a small town somewhere in the US accidentally

never a huge fan of the original, and I also dread film adaptations of TV shows, but this didn’t overexpand its horizons in scale or themes. The casting director is arguably the star of the show as the choices were all superb, with virtually all players matching the parts exactly rather than just playing caricatures of the original TV series’ characters. Toby Jones is the best in terms of similarity, capturing the self righteousness yet uselessness of Captain Mainwaring. Michael Gambon is brilliant as the awaywith-the-fairies Private Godfrey but my personal favourite is Bill Nighy as Sergeant Wilson, with the endearing reluctance of a man who knows he’s having no impact on anything. I always find Nighy incredibly watchable and funny without really being able to explain why. All of the film’s characters are very well served, with all having proper character development, and purpose in the overall narrative without feeling shoehorned in. The male dominance of the TV

show is also impressively reduced, with a solid cast of female characters introduced. Catherine Zeta-Jones keeps up with the men admirably. The look of the film is a mixed bag; some shots are impressive and expansive, while others are remarkably cheap. The CGI is laughable and it has the most English Nazis ever put to film, but they are funny if you’re laughing at the film rather than with it. The film at its worst when trying to be like the original series, mainly by trying to cram in as many catchphrases as possible, even when it doesn’t make sense in the context. Corporal Jones (Tom Courtenay) is very annoying - out of date as a character and tiresome to watch. Dad’s Army is a very enjoyable, if slightly creaky, replica of the original TV series which tried to become a modern film, but just can’t let go of its past. DAN WEST

shoot down a long awaited alien spaceship. Onboard is an important cargo from a friendly alien race that had been protecting humankind over the years. Upon investigating the crash site, the team discover an alien

“Lazer Team will abduct your mind”

battle suit. While the unlikely team try in vain to get rid of the alien suit genetically bound to each individual’s limb; Hullum adds an alien touch to the task ahead for the team. The foursome have to put

13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI

isaster-porn maestro of Transformers fame, Michael Bay’s latest offering is an action/war film telling the story of the 11th of September 2012, when American diplomats found themselves under attack by extremists in Benghazi, Libya. Visually, 13 Hours is everything a multi-million dollar Hollywood production should be - an actionpacked feast loaded with tension and dramatic explosions. The violence of war isn’t sugar-coated. Unfortunately, the film’s execution renders it another opportunity for Americans to smother and silence enemies with stars and stripes and to bask in their own self-certified supremacy. The oiled up, all-American CIA agents are heroes who have left home behind to “fight for their country” while Libyans are all portrayed as savage, gun-toting

SCREEN

their differences aside in order to forge a formidable team capable of defending Earth. The film’s relatively low budget is spread well across the film, however it’s humble beginnings as a crowd funded campaign is sometimes evident from the special effects. The foursome may not be the smartest bunch nor do they inspire confidence but together, they are the formidable Lazer Team. This funny, laser packed sci-fi will abduct your mind and only the Lazer Team can save you. MWAI DAKA

lunatics hell-bent on murdering innocent Americans. While it is only natural that the audience should be invited into the lives of the characters and be made to sympathise with their pain and loss, is it necessary to ignore the suffering of civilians in Libya? While the US citizens are fleshed out, particularly Jack Da Silva (John Krasinski, or Jim from The Office), ordinary Libyans are left nameless. 13 Hours is a prime example of how Muslims suffering in war torn countries and ‘failed states’ such as Libya are silenced. The film ignores all of the political and religious complexities which helped to make Libya the ‘failed state’ that it is today. Instead it blames Libyans for the situation they are in. It prefers to dehumanise them and portray them as uncivilised, mindless animals rather than taking the opportunity to tell their story to the rest of the world. It is part of the disease rather than the cure. MELISSA MATOS

Friday 12th February 2016 | Forge Press

COFFEE BREAK

Valentinesand chill. It is the most romantic time of year and here are some last minute ideas if you have nothing planned

Go Ape It probably is not the most romantic setting, but it could be a good icebreaker if it is a first-date! Ice-Skating It might seem like a standard thing for ‘couples’ to do, but who doesnt love holding hands with their lover? Outdoor Cinema Watch a movie with your lover (althought the time of year would mean you would have to wrap up) but who doesnt love a good snuggle? Baking Sugar and spice and all things nice? No need to explain.

Dingbats LAW ON

don’t klat

TENT GENT

Quote of the fortnight: “For love for you I would even do the thing Meat Loaf wouldn’t do” Unknown

Photograph of the fortnight

Caption: Taking a photo before refreshers week with your flatmates

Places to eat in Sheffield:

Lucky Fox: American diner located in the heart of Division Street, where you can get scrumptious fried chicken and waffles with syrup. Akbar’s: Right next to Vodka Revolution, this award winning restaurant is the place to get a curry in the Steel City. Bloo88: Located on West Street, indulge yourself with two for one pizzas and cocktails. The Great Gatsby: Located on Division Street, this bar, named after Fitzgeralds famous book, has classic cocktails and a range of pies, burgers, and bar snacks.

Forge Press | Friday 12th February 2016

Sudoku Easy

COFFEE BREAK

Hard

Medium

Crossword Across

1 Increase by two (6) 5 Kettle (6) 8 Formal service (8) 9 Route (4) 10 Ground - soil (4) 12 Cold dairy product (that can[â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;t] be licked?) (3,5) 14 Motive (for doing something) (6) 15 Commend (6) 17 Sun (and rain?) shade (8) 19 Net (a fish) (4) 20 Crustacean (4) 21 Type of lizard - with pail (anagram) (8) 23 Protect - guard (6) 24 Rubber (6)

Down

Answers

Credits for the crossword: Matthew Sapsed

2 Perform surgery (7) 3 Insect (making honey?) (3) 4 Passionate - to lone aim (anagram) (9) 5 Make a purchase (3) 6 Significant (9) 7 Additional (5) 11 Sexy (man or woman) (9) 13 Highlight (a point in a lecture, e.g.) (9) 16 Beach (7) 18 Parade - spring month (5) 21 Marry (3) 22 Hot drink (3)

Down: 2 Operate, 3 Bee, 4 Emotional, 5 Buy, 6 Important, 7 Extra, 11 Desirable, 13 Emphasise, 16 Seaside, 18 March, 21 Wed, 22 Tea. Across: 1 Double, 5 Boiler, 8 Ceremony, 9 Path, 10 Land, 12 Ice cream, 14 Reason, 15 Praise, 17 Umbrella, 19 Trap, 20 Crab, 21 Whiptail, 23 Shield, 24 Eraser.

Forge Press | Friday 12 February 2016

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SPORT

Forge Press Sport Awards 2015 Anthony Phillips dishes out the awards for some of the weird and wonderful sporting moments of last year

Say What?

Best sporting achievement

Nominees: Jordan Spieth, Serena Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Bradley Wiggins, American Pharoah

Ed McCosh selects some of the best quotes of 2015

What can be said about Jordan Spieth? The young Texan had one of the most dominating seasons in professional golf. The 22 year old won five tournaments and rose to number one in the world rankings, winning a PGA record $12m in the process. Honourable mentions go to Novak Djokovic, who won three of the four tennis majors, and Serena Williams, who held all four women’s majors at the same time in 2015. Lewis Hamilton romped to his third F1 World Championship, Bradley Wiggins was in world record-breaking form in setting the hour record, while American Pharoah became the first horse ever to win America’s fabled Grand Slam.

Villain of the Year

Underdog of the Year Nominees: Michelle Payne, Tyson Fury, Japan, Holly Holm, Stuart Bingham Australian jockey Michelle Payne pulled in one of the biggest upsets of the year on her horse Prince of Penzance when she became the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup. The win was even more of an upset as Payne had odds of 100-1 before the race and narrowly defeated Max Dynamite ridden by world famous jockey Frankie Dettori.

Sepp Blatter Who else?

Tyson Fury must also deserve praise for his heavyweight victory over Wladimir Klitschko, whilst Japan caused one of the greatest rugby upsets of all time when they defeated South Africa 34-32. Stuart Bingham could also afford to buy many chicken dinners after winning the World Snooker Championship and Holly Holm caused a huge upset when defeating UFC champion Ronda Rousey.

Best comeback

Nominees: Jessica Ennis-Hill, U.S Solheim Cup team, Seattle Seahawks, Borussia Dortmund, Fabio Fognini Jessica Ennis-Hill wins best comeback of 2015 after securing her second world championship gold in the heptathlon. The victory is even more impressive considering Ennis-Hill missed the entire 2014 season due to pregnancy. EnnisHill also won the British sportswoman of the year and was also nominated for IAAF athlete of the year. The US women’s Solheim Cup team went from 10-6 down on the second day to win 14.5-13.5. In the 2015 NFC Championship game, the Seattle Seahawks came back from a 16 point deficit against the Green Bay Packers to reach a second successive Super Bowl, though they went on to lose against the New England Patriots. Borussia Dortmund started 2015 bottom of the Bundesliga but a fine late run saw them finish seventh. Italian Fabio Fognini stunned tennis legend Rafael Nadal in the third round of the 2015 US Open by coming back from two sets down to win. Jess Ennis-Hill (below). Winner of Best comeback, not Biggest disappointment...obviously.

Best rags-to-riches story

Nominees: Jamie Vardy, Tyson Fury, Bournemouth, GB Davis Cup team, Dele Alli Jamie Vardy is having a party. The former Stockbridge Park Steels striker had a sensational 2015, scoring in 11 successive Premier League games to beat the mark of nine set by Ruud Van Nistelrooy in 2003. Great Britain won the Davis Cup five years after falling into the second lowest tier in the competition. Tyson Fury shocked boxing by becoming world champion. Dele Alli has also rose to prominence in the Premier League despite having a harder upbringing than others, including being given up for adoption at the age of 13.

Biggest disappointment

Nominees: England, Mayweather-Pacquiao, Justin Gatlin, Chelsea, United Passions The English Rugby Union side were the biggest disappointment of the year after becoming the first hosts in the Rugby World Cup to crash out of the tournament before the knockout stages. Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao faced off in one of the most anticipated fights of the last decade but the fight was a dud, with Mayweather winning on points. Justin Gatlin was expected to defeat Usain Bolt at the World Championships but finished second in both the 100m and 200m. Defending Premier League champions Chelsea have found themselves marooned in the bottom half in one of the worst title defences in recent history. United Passions earns a special mention for biggest disappointment. The movie chronicling the origins of FIFA now holds the world record for the lowest box office opening ever, grossing 918 US dollars against a budget of 32 million USD.

“I think you are an ostrich. Your head must be in the sand. Is your head in the sand? Are you flexible enough to get your head in the sand? My suspicion would be no.” Nigel Pearson with one of the greatest rants of the year. Or ever, maybe. “Winner winner chicken dinner.” Essex’s own Stuart Bingham gives his unusual take on becoming snooker world champion. “Did you hear (AP) McCoy is retiring?” An oblivious taxi driver in Dublin delivers an excellent ice-breaker to his passenger, who turned out to be McCoy himself. “I had him by the b******s but I just didn’t squeeze.” Phil Taylor gives us much too much information after a 7-5 defeat to Gary Anderson in the Darts World Championship final. “You can support Manchester United, the Windies and Team GB at the same time. Of course, I’d rather you supported West Ham.”

“Envy is the biggest tribute that the shadows do to the man.” Jose Mourinho with a bizarre swipe at pundits Graeme Souness and Jamie Carragher. “I’m like Benjamin Button, getting younger. The wolverine blood kicked in.” Ireland No.8 Jamie Heaslip had time for plenty of movies while recovering from injuries, clearly. “The doctor asked me a few questions, my name and stuff. I said I’m Chris Froome” Geraint Thomas sees the funny side after a painful crash in the Tour de France. “It is like kissing your sister.” We hope South Africa coach Heyncke Meyer is arguing against a World Cup third place play-off... “That’s the closest I’ll ever come to knowing what it’s like to have a baby.” Bradley Wiggins has time for sympathy after his world record-breaking exploits.

A gaffe from confused Aston Villa supporter and Prime Minister David Cameron.

“I am the president now, the president of everybody.”

“Be quiet.”

Sepp Blatter slightly overstates the importance of winning the Fifa presidential election.

Three year old Riley Curry admonishes father and NBA star Steph Curry before crawling under the table. Still not the most immature reaction in a press conference... “I am here only because of the rules. I have to talk with you. Merry Christmas. Enjoy the wine and a mince pie. Goodbye.” Louis van Gaal proving my point nicely there. “I have twitched my ass on the bench because we were out of balance.” Man Utd manager Van Gaal had us all shifting uncomfortably in our seats with this one.

“I am a mountain goat that keeps going and going and going, I cannot be stopped, I just keep going.” Disgraced Fifa ex-president Blatter rails against his detractors by comparing himself to the mightiest of beasts, the mountain goat. “Time to remove every item of clothing and run through the streets of Glasgow.” Andy Murray plans Davis Cup celebrations and plants a disturbing mental image in all our minds.

SPORT

Friday 12 February 2016 | Forge Press

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Forge Sport looks ahead to the highlights of the 2016 sporting calendar

Olympic Games

he 30th modern Olympiad takes place in Rio de Janeiro between 5-21 August, as the biggest carnvial of sporting talent arrives in a city that is certainly no stranger on the party scene. More than 10,500 athletes from 206 nations will take part in the games, with golf and rugby sevens added to the Olympic roster this year. British hopes will lie with Mo Farah, Greg Rutherford and Sheffield cult hero Jessica Ennis-Hill, stars of London 2012’s famous ‘Super Saturday’, as they look to to retain their gold medal. The British team will also hope to equal their third place finish in the medal table or hope to better the 29 golds they won in London. International fans will clamour to see if Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps can add to their already impressive medal collections. In the Paralympics, held from 7-18 September, British hopes will rest on Dame Sarah Storey, Jonny Peacock, Ellie Simmonds, David Weir and many more who will be hoping to help Team GB match their impressive 120-medal haul from London 2012 that saw them finish third in the medal table. In terms of international para-athletes, Australian Jacqueline Freney will hope to become the most successful Paralympic swimmer of all time after winning eight golds in 2012, while home favourite Alan Oliveira will be expected to match his gold medal in the 200m T44.

Ryder Cup Since 2002, Europe have won six of the seven editions of the Ryder Cup. In 2014, it was a mere procession, a dominant 16.5-11.5 win as disparate from the 2012 ‘Miracle in Medinah’ as two Ryder Cup matches could possibly be.

World T20 Cup The sixth edition of the ICC Cricket World T20 Championship takes place in India from March 8 to April 3. 16 teams take part in the tournament with the hope of being crowned champions.

This September, Darren Clarke’s side travel to Hazeline in Chaska, Minnesota, with the hope of retaining their title for a fourth successive time.

Minnows such as Ireland, Scotland, Oman and Hong Kong will hope to cause major upsets against former champions India, Pakistan, England, West Indies and Sri Lanka.

This time around though, things may be different. A new generation of golfers on both sides, such as Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Danny Willett and Matthew Fitzpatrick, are sure to have an intense battle in one of the hardest Ryder Cups to predict in a long time.

Five different nations have won the World T20, and astonishingly none of them have been Australia. So dominant in all preceding forms of the game, the Baggy Greens must now claim the T20 format as their own. Despite difficulties in the past year, they enter the tournament as clear favourites.

America will be hoping to reclaim the cup on home soil. Ask any US player competing, and they would tell you it’s about time.

The West Indies, with Chris Gayle leading the line, can never be ruled out, while the hosts are old hands at winning on home soil.

Forge Press | Friday 12 February 2016

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SPORT

Euro 2016

or the first time in the competition’s history, 24 teams will compete for the European Championships. Thanks in part to this new change, the home nations are out in force, with Wales, England, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland all playing in France this summer. Germany go in to the tournament as the favourites. Joachim Löw’s world champions were not excellent in qualifying but excel on the big stage and have the strongest squad in the competition. The French team rivals the Germans for pure talent but expect resurgence from the Spanish, who will look to put the disappointing 2014 World Cup behind them, dependent on if they can fit Diego Costa into the puzzle. As for England, they will compete with the likes of Belgium with a good blend of young talent who will look to take some scalps as they make a meaningful run in the tournament. If Roy Hodgson’s squad can go unaffected by injury and their young stars can hit their stride, they may have a chance, but by no means are they front runners entering the tournament – despite one of the most impressive unbeaten qualifying campaigns in recent memory.

Big Leagues The Premier League title race enters its final stages, as fans worldwide wait with bated breath to see if Arsenal, Manchester City or even Spurs will spoil unfancied Leicester City’s tilt at glory. Yorkshire will hope to defend their County Championship cricket title, though the T20 Blast will once more draw in the big crowds. Surrey Storm will be favourites for a repeat of their Netball Super League title win as the sport comes much more into the TV spotlight. Finally, in Rugby Union’s Aviva Premiership, Saracens have strengthened since last season and look a good bet to take the title. Unbeaten in Europe and with eight players in the England squad - it will be a shock if any team challenges them.

Snooker World Championship It is hard to see past Ronnie O’Sullivan when the World Championship arrives in Sheffield this April. The Crucible Theatre will once again host snooker’s greatest tournament and O’Sullivan will have one eye on winning the biggest prize in the sport after securing his sixth Masters title, romping to a 10-1 victory over Barry Hawkins. ‘The Rocket’ looks to be in imperious form and it will take a bit of luck and some snooker magic for anyone to stop him from taking home the World Championship trophy yet again. World number one Mark Selby and Neil Robertson both have the potential to upset Ronnie, and Stuart Bingham will be keen to defend his title, but once again O’Sullivan is a shoe-in for the win.

Major Events

ovak Djokovic will be looking to continue his fine 2015 form this year as he defends three tennis majors - the Australian Open, US Open and Wimbledon. Serena Williams too holds three major titles, and the American will be after all four in 2016. Golf’s majors will also attract a great deal of attention, with Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Jason Day forming an exciting young triumvirate set to battle for every title this year and beyond. In darts, can 16-time world champion Phil Taylor claw his way back to the top after a barren 2015, or will this year herald a new generation of stars? 2016 could be a year of consolidation or revolution.

Varsity 2016

Two universities. 33 sports. One trophy. Clearly the biggest event in 2016. Will the University of Sheffield make it four Varsity wins in a row?

SPORT

Friday 12 February 2016 | Forge Press

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Hallam snatch Varsity point Snowsports

1 1 Rob Milne Sheffield Hallam snatched a unexpected Varsity point, before the second day of Winter Varsity was cancelled due to poor conditions. The show-piece event in the University Snowsports calendar was held in the Alps this year. The freestyle events, planned to be held on the second day, were forced to be rescheduled after officials deemed weather conditions too dangerous to compete in. Around 600 students from both universities went to the

Alps to compete and spectate. This year marked the third ‘Ashes to Alps’ event, with both sides having a valuable chance to gain an early Varsity lead. The University of Sheffield secured the Ski racing point, with a team including Ali Miles, Lawrie Campbell, Kai Hayes, Georgie Beer and Lewis Garland. But the Snowboard race team were unable to build on that lead, falling just short with Hallam winning the point. Miles, race captain for the Ski team, told Forge Sport: “Everyone did so well and even the people we didn’t know were necessarily good, in teams and on snow were

really, really good. “At the start it was quite powdery and cut up, and like rutty, putting a lot of marks in snow, which is difficult. “It got quite icy toward the end, so that didn’t help either.” Despite the tough conditions, Miles’ skiers claimed their Varsity point for the race event with ease. “As you can tell everyone did really well, so we’re all good,” added Miles. Officials have identified 12 April as the provisional date of the rescheduled freestyle Winter Varsity competitions, but the date is still yet to be confirmed. The trip to the Alps is very much a social event as well as a sporting contest, with competitors and spectators enjoying the winter festivities out on the slopes. Ben Court, SheffSki social secretary, praised the atmosphere in the Alps: “Both universities were in really high spirits with hundreds coming down to support. “You could really feel the passion and desire to win from both sides with so much on the line.” In last year’s winter event, the University of Sheffield teams romped to a 5-0 victory, and will hope to

secure the remaining points when the freestyle events are finally contested. Next up for Varsity is the Boxing on 9 March at the Octagon, as both universities continue the battle for the coveted Sheffield Varsity trophy. The Boxing event is expected to sell out and rival the Ice Hockey for most sought-after ticket of Varsity again. Varsity week begins on 13 April at Hallam Sports Park, and concludes a week later on 20 April with the Ice Hockey 1s competing at Sheffield Arena.

Images: Tom Mason