Impact Magazine - Issue 213 - November by Impact Magazine

ISSUE

213

NOVEMBER

2011

WWW.IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM

THE SECRET OF THE STREETS IMPACT EXPLORES THE CHANGING FACE OF PROSTITUTION

SMILE FOR THE JURY FROM COURTROOM TO CELEBRITY

SEXISM SELLS IS IT OK TO MAKE FUN OF MEN?

EDITORIAL The phrase ‘playing Devil’s advocate’ always elicits some rather strange imagery in my mind. Most of the time, I am picturing Keanu Reeves with a pitchfork, gently applying red-face paint for his next stint as a nakedly uninspired Hollywood cliché. Or sometimes, even worse: the Murdoch clan’s PR person, a job description that simply oozes satanic allusions. Anyway, as I let my imagination run amok, I tend to forget that this phrase really just means ‘not conforming’; if you think about it hard enough, the fact that this has been thrown into a fiendish light by the mere virtue of an idiom is quite frankly disconcerting. Is it that awful to be challenging the dustridden doctrines of our forerunners and to be thinking of an alternative, if only to inspire debate? Is it not by considering the very opposite of what has been accepted as the norm that we sometimes find the solution that we have been desperately looking for? I guess this phrase has slipped into everyday usage without using sparing even a second to think about the implications it carries for free speech. But at least, at university, everyone gets to have a go at being a bit metaphorically devilish, before society tries to turn us all into bovine

conformists who slurp instant coffee and laugh hollowly at their bosses’ unfunny jokes. University is all about being a bit edgy and controversial, simply to get people thinking outside of their well-formed, parentally reinforced boxes; the degree certificate is just for decoration. Nevertheless, I want you to consider how short and precious your time as responsibilityfree students truly is. Soon as we step into the Real World, we bid farewell to the days of blue-sky thinking within the safe confines of academia, of drinking too much and smoking something illicit while pondering over the metaphysical ramifications of trees falling in forests with nobody around to hear them do so (see Arts for more on this conundrum). As you flick through this humble, little student publication, think about how important it is to enjoy these privileges while you still have the chance. Impact is here to give us students a voice, a platform, when the outside world is constantly trying to shut us up. We shouldn’t let ourselves be intimidated. We should speak out and be heard; never again will be allowed to debate and discuss controversial matters so freely.

And on this rather sombre note, I would like to remind you that the holidays are coming. You’re not alone if you’re not feeling particularly Christmassy right now, what with the looming insomnia epidemic that is the January exam season; nevertheless, I wish you all a very happy Christmas and a wonderful new year (even if it turns out to be just as apocalyptic as the Mayans and Roland Emmerich predicted).

E.J. (PS: Congratulations to URN for winning big at the Student Radio awards. Well done, guys!)

WE WROTE, YOU RESPONDED ‘randy mathew’ on The Unknown Killing Fields: Looking into the Sri Lankan Civil War Both sides in the conflict committed human rights violations. Frankly I see no difference between the tigers & the so-called government of Sri Lanka – both are a bunch of terrorists.

‘Kat’ on London Film Festival Blog – Day 1

‘Rationalist’ on The Big Question: Explicit or implicit consent?

It’s so cool that you ran into Chris Eccleston…who is his girlfriend btw? Do you know for sure if that’s his significant other or just a female companion? Is she someone famous like him?

I must applaud Impact for their principled stance in keeping this article on the website. So often as journalists we kow-tow to censorship operating under the guise of the so-called progressive movements. At the worst of times, our voices are all that we have. Never let them be silenced.

Join the discussion at www.impactnottingham.com...

ISSUE 213

CONTENTS 213 NEWS

IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM/NEWS

404TH SU COUNCIL REPORT Latest democratic reforms approved Council has passed the latest motion on SU Democratic Reform, which will alter the current organisation of The Exec — subject to student approval in a referendum due to be held between the 23rd of November and the 7th of December. The reforms were proposed in response to the 2010 ‘SU Big Review’ and after direct consultation with students carried out by the Exec. The proposal will see the SU Exec reduced to five officers, from its current total of nine, with the roles being redefined and several key areas eliminated. The surviving Exec positions will be President, Education, Welfare & Community, Activities and Athletic Union officers. The roles of Accommodation, Democracy & Communications, Environment & Social Justice and Finance & Services officers will be entirely eliminated. In addition to this, Equal Opportunities will be removed from the Welfare remit and will cease to be an Exec position. However, the Exec stressed that they would remain in close contact with the student representatives that this role directly liaises with and represents. Another controversial element of the motion were changes to the SU constitution that will allow Exec officers to run for second terms. Concerns were raised about the potential for a reduction in Exec personnel turnaround; at present, a minimum of eighteen different individuals serve on the SU Exec over a two year period, whilst under the proposed system as few as five could do so in the same time period. Members of Exec assured the SU Council that they had no intention of using the new rules to attempt to stay in office, but they also sought to

emphasise the benefit of allowing an experienced and effective team to stay in office. The proposals also state that a mixture of elected and appointed students will be added to the Board of Trustees. However, there are at this time, no planned procedures for the selection of appointed members. Democracy & Communications Officer Danny Barry told Impact that answers to these issues will be available by the time the motion comes to referendum. Barry was keen to emphasise that he saw the proposed reforms as a step forward, stating that they are “something I feel would hugely benefit students”. He added that the intentions behind the reforms are to make the purpose of the SU exec more representational, leaving the everyday running of the SU to paid professionals. The numbers of necessary staff that will need to be hired, and the cost to the SU, is currently unknown. However, Barry stated that he hoped the move would be revenue-neutral, facilitated by the reduction in the number of paid sabbatical SU Officers. If the reforms gain the support of students in the upcoming referendum, the Exec hopes to implement the changes for the 2012/2013 academic year. Yet, they also stressed that further consultation with students will occur over the next few months to fine-tune details.

James Rathbone

Support for funding cuts

protests

against

A motion to back student support for national demonstrations against higher education funding cuts has been passed. The motion was proposed by Education Officer Elizabeth Goddard, in line with her election promise to improve academic equal opportunities and in response to the University’s announcement in April that tuition fees will be raised to £9000 from 2012. The motion was seconded by the SU president Alex Corck-Adelman and passed with no opposition. The Higher Education Funding Policy motion includes two main elements. The main focus of the motion was to secure support for a national campaign against further fees increases, but it also mandates some important alterations for the University of Nottingham. The SU will demand better value for money and an enhanced student experience in order to help justify such a significant increase in fees. Specifically, value for money will be delivered through a Student Charter, which outlines the rights and responsibilities of students studying at the university. An enhanced student experience will begin with the SU working with the University to provide “the best careers service in the country.”

with the new systems of democratic governance to be introduced to the SU.

Week One tickets forged

causes of forgery was the extent to which tickets for each event were limited. Aaron Calvert, Week One Rep for Lincoln Hall, said that a lot of people felt “cheated or left out” by the UV Rave event due to a shortage of places. However, Ancaster Hall Rep Jessica Croucher commented that this kind of behaviour did not happen everywhere, and stated that although some paper tickets are easily replicated, the use of coloured paper this year avoided some cases of forgery.

Ticket forgery was in operation at many of this year’s Week One events, according to reports from SU Council. There were no reports of over-crowding at any club venues, indicating that the numbers were on a relatively small scale. However, there are concerns that forgery is on the rise and Week One co-ordinator Chris Hodgkinson confirmed that it is an annual occurrence.

The motion was passed to show that the SU are opposed to any action that could have a negative impact on educational quality for its students. The motion argued that the vast majority of University of Nottingham students are against increases in the cost of higher education, and in recognition of this, the SU aimed to offer support to any students wishing to attend the NUS-supported National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts, which was held on 9th November in London.

Tickets ranged from £4 to £7 pounds each, with the exception of the finale event which cost £28, but ticket prices are not thought to be the reason for the problem. One of the suggested

Natalie Cameron

8 Comment

4 News

10 Sport

404th SU Council Report

In the motion, Goddard argued that nationwide increases to fees is “the biggest barrier to students from lower socio-economic backgrounds” in their decision to attend university, and that “financial incentives should not be a factor in a student’s educational choices.” To deal with potential changes in University policy in the future, the SU will petition for a referendum among students on any changes to the level of fees, in line

ISSUE 213

SPORT

What made you choose Nottingham Uni?

“As I was born in Bury, Nottingham seemed the logical choice due to the close proximity. My dad was a salesman, and he pushed me into it. He felt a more vocational degree would give me a better chance finding a job in industry. So my course was Industrial Economics, a more vocational, practical form of an Economics degree. So it was that, along with the distance from home, which persuaded me.”

“In my final year at University, Radio Trent, which is no longer around, came on air, and I used to go down to the studios when they were being built and make a nuisance of myself to the programme controller, whose name was Bob Snyder. “About three weeks before I sat my finals, I was sitting in my house just off Lenton Boulevard, and received a telephone call from him, and he said ‘how would you like to come and work for us?’ I began to work there the day after my finals, involved with doing voiceovers and running a late night rock show.

Did you enjoy student life? What were your fondest memories? “First year, I lived in X19 Hugh Stewart and then 10 Church Avenue, a little cul-de-sac just off Lenton Boulevard. I used to go to the Savoy Cinema often, and to Dunkirk Chippy far too often! I took every opportunity to get involved with the media. I wrote a column for the newspaper, supposedly a witty one! I used to write very edgy pieces about the Vice-Chancellor. I was also involved heavily with Dram Soc, mainly with the reviews, and was Social Secretary in my last year. Through these reviews, I managed to get some contacts at BBC Radio Nottingham. So although I was doing an Industrial Economics degree, I was really edging my way towards a

“But I was always getting involved with the football. There was only one full time member of the sports staff though, and

they realised after a few months that they needed a second, so I got moved to the sports department. I’d done a deal with my dad that I’d give this a go for a year. If it didn’t work out, I’d become an accountant, but he soon saw how much I was enjoying my job.” And for a man who has commentated on so many important matches, can there be anything left for you to achieve? “Well, I enjoy my job and my life immensely, so I’m quite happy to carry on doing that. I succeeded the late, great Brian Moore at ITV in 1998 when he retired and he was very good and very inspirational to me, as was Reg Gutteridge, the boxing commentator. Both the guys engendered a warmth and trust in their audience, so I think that whether I’m a good or bad commentator — and that’s always going to be a matter of opinion — to actually delight by engendering that warmth and trust in an audience, that can only be done over a period of years. Instead of trying hard to find the right words — and I know myself that my biggest failing is being a smartarse at times — just be yourself, be honest and be passionate about your job.And I hope that when I eventually retire, that warmth and trust that has been established would be my greatest epitaph.” See http://www.impactnottingham. com/section/sport/ for our views on a host of commentators.

Steven Allweis

With the Olympic Games in London only 9 months away, there has been a lot of talk about who will be appearing at the Games. Usain Bolt, Chris Hoy, and Tom Daley are names that will be mentioned countless times over the coming months. However personalities such as Dwain Chambers, David Millar and, more recently, the American sprinter LaShawn Merritt, will cast aspersions over their integrity. Only recently the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned Merritt’s ‘lifetime’ ban on competing in future games, which rather than restoring faith in Merritt and the sport as a whole, has proceeded only to cast a bigger shadow on them. Given this precedent, Chambers, who tested positive for the steroid THG in 2003, and Millar, who admitted to using the banned drug EPO in 2004, could similarly succeed in ending their lifetime bans from the British Olympic Association. But the debate remains; are their appeals in the interest of the BOA? The answer is complex, as there have been numerous cases of ‘doping’ that have received only mild punishments throughout the sporting world, whilst quite minor cases of drug abuse have been ruthlessly disciplined, sending a damning message to professional athletes who were thinking of following in their colleagues’ footsteps. This is

to the point where I said, ‘I don’t care anymore’… [I]was depressed about life, period.” Despite this, the various governing bodies of athletics, above all the International Olympic Committee, regard the consumption of drugs by professional athletes as an extremely unethical act that jeopardises the equality of opportunity for competitors, irrespective of whatever reason the athlete may give. It is therefore contentious to see how Merritt has managed to overturn his ban by claiming that the steroid in his blood had come from a “penis elongation” drug, whereas David Millar — who has been a relentless campaigner against the use of

performance-enhancing drugs since returning to cycling in 2006 — received no such reprieve. The BOA are not wrong in maintaining his lifetime Olympic ban, but one might still question the fairness of this decision in light of Merritt’s reinstatement. It is certainly good that the BOA sends out a firm message to athletes concerning the use of these drugs; however, it seems rather hypocritical that the Court of Arbitration for Sport preaches fairness amongst athletes then allows one athlete guilty of doping to compete in the Games, but not another. These organisations deny their lack of judgement, but there is no denying that if this keeps happening, doping could become more widespread.

It seems that there are two excuses that arise when drug users in sport are questioned. Unsurprisingly, the most common one is the desire to play well and win, as exemplified by Rodriguez claiming that his decision to take steroids was an unavoidable consequence of the “enormous amount of pressure” on him to perform. The second recurring explanation is that the athlete feels that there is nothing left for their career or for themselves to bother playing by the rules. Justin Gatlin, who won the Olympic Gold medal in the 100m at Athens had reached the peak of his success in sprinting in 2004, yet, he confessed that he “got

Michael Timbs Image: Charlotte Albert & Emma Charalambous

ISSUE 213

NOVEMBER 2011

16 Prostitution

27 Israel/Gaza

19 Power of Petition

28 Mind the Gap

20 Boys Don’t Cry

29 Morning After the

The Secrets of the Streets

Impact Signs Up

PROSTITUTION

There are 80,000 prostitutes in Britain, all together earning around £770 million a year. Strictly speaking, the exchange of sex for money is not a crime. However, there are so many laws criminalising acts that surround the soliciting of sex that it is relatively difficult to conduct any form of sex business completely legally in the UK. In 2003, it became an offence to “cause or incite prostitution or control it for personal gain”, and in 2009 it became illegal to pay for sex with someone who “has been subjected to force”, even if you didn’t know. There are also laws in place which means sex workers are not allowed to solicit or advertise, and their customers (‘punters’) are not allowed to kerb-crawl.

“

Enforcing these laws in our city is Nottinghamshire Police’s On Street Prostitution Team which was set up in 2004. In 2008, they launched a campaign to try to stop taxi-drivers from being used to pick up prostitutes, stressing severe consequences for both the taxi driver and the passenger. By June last year they had arrested their 1000th man for kerb crawling. Then, in September they arrested fifteen more kerb crawlers over two nights when a female officer posed as a regular resident, acting in a way “that any

The results look good, but it does seem that the police in Nottingham enforce the laws in order to respond to residents’ complaints, rather than for the safety and protection of prostitutes. Consider the Stable Door Initiative, which was set up in January of this year. It’s all about finding ‘prostitution hotspots’ and trying to get rid of them by improving street lighting, installing gates, and encouraging residents to lock them. They mention one success story as that of “cleaning up and securing a vacant and derelict property on Woodborough Road which had a courtyard used by prostitutes and drug users.” However, as will become increasingly apparent, these individuals did not then go and get a more socially acceptable job; they just went somewhere else.

There are 80,000 prostitutes in Britain, all together earning around £770 million a year.

“

Impact’s Samantha Owen and Rose Bewick explore the changing nature of prostitution and the dangers constantly facing those that work on the streets of Nottingham.

kerb-crawling in the city were local, meaning that Nottingham is not a nationally renowned vice destination.

The Team has also made more than 1,000 arrests or cautions for prostitution or soliciting, further to which a number of women have received ASBOs last year, banning them from loitering for prostitution and soliciting, and forbidding them from entering Nottingham’s vice area between 5.30am and 5.30pm daily. Richard Antcliff, a Neighbourhood Enforcement Officer for Community Protection, said of one woman that her behaviour “negatively affects local residents and their families” and that by issuing the ASBO they were “protect[ing] our local communities.”

Earlier this year, This is Nottingham reported that such orders had been reached 171 times in the past year. Nonetheless, they still cite reason for the police to congratulate themselves, stating that, “the number of prostitutes working the streets of Nottingham has fallen by nearly 75 per cent in the last five years... There were 57 women working on city streets last month, compared to 80 last year and 217 at the same stage of 2006.” Interestingly, police had also said that 85% of men caught

A Personal Perspective on Male Depression

Being able to access these women is of utmost importance for these organisations. According to the latest figures, roughly 90% of prostitutes also are addicted to drugs. It is evidently crucial that these women have as much access to these charities as possible. Emily*, an ex-sex worker who is still using drugs, told us of her battle with addictions. She explained to us that she got into prostitution and drugs from a very young age. “I was 7 when I had my first fag, and when I first got drunk on vodka,” she said, “I was taking drugs by the age of 9 and started prostitution when I was 12.” Astonishing as this may sound, this is the reality of some of the girls that are involved in the industry. Hannah also had a brief experience with drugs. “I was on them for about 6 months. It was the worst thing I’ve ever done and I would never do them again.” Hannah is clean now and told us, “I got off *These interviewees’ names were changed to protect their identities.

ISSUE 213

NOVEMBER 2011

I was in a bar, having a nice drink with my boyfriend when a man looked at me from across the room. Suddenly, I exploded into a tirade at my boyfriend about how men are sleazy, stupid, ignorant and how women are by far superior. I eventually stopped and realised that I’d been ranting like this for a good twenty minutes. My boyfriend blinked at me, bewildered. Poor bloke; he’d only come out for a pint.

Tom Gamon

“

hanging off their arms, so they fulfil this fantasy by...seeing several girls at once.” In a recent issue, they published a feature titled Inside Men’s Minds: Confessions of a Love Rat, which offered polemics such as “good cheats, like good criminals, don’t get caught”.

IT REINFORCES THE STEREOTYPE That men are “dirty” and “disgusting” THAT MEN ARE ‘SIMPLE-MINDED’, is discussed with free reign in the notorious ITV show Loose Women, WHEREAS WOMEN ARE MORE such as when the subject of sharing GRACEFUL AND INTELLIGENT

“

The age-old stereotype that men are cheats or love-rats who can’t keep wandering eyes at bay is made explicit

That night I realised that I was a sexist: a proper sexist, which is as bad as any racism or homophobia. I, along with every female I’d ever known, had my own tales of man-woe, but it goes deeper than being stung by men. Within society, there is now a new and permissible form of sexism — that of anti-male sexism, which is purporting subconscious ideologies within society that men are less emotionally (or otherwise) intelligent, and that they are generally inferior to women.

in Cosmopolitan magazine, which states on its website that: “Most men dream of having a string of women

a bathroom with a male spouse was raised: “I cannot bear sharing a bathroom with a man!” “Oh no.”

“That’s disgusting!” Furthermore, in some adverts, men’s apparent stupidity, immaturity and ignorance is fully played up in order to juxtapose the intelligence and composure of women, such as in the Bachelors ‘Soupfuls’ adverts, in which two men duel like children, falling over and breaking things. The woman sits calmly and maturely, and eats the soup so that by the time the men have stopped messing around they realise that there is none left. In the Belvita ‘Breakfast Biscuits’ advert Lisa Snowdon patronisingly talk about the “breakfast biscuit” to Johnny Vaughan. The advert ends with him accidentally spilling too much sauce on his breakfast, thereby ruining it, and Lisa laughing at him. It reinforces the stereotype that men are ‘simpleminded’, whereas women are more graceful and intelligent.

“

for me please?”, but without even so much as a protestation, he climbs the tree to fetch the leaf. The adverts are intentionally comedic but in spite of the humour there is still the explicit notion that men will do anything for a pretty face and a fluttering of the eyelashes. Superdrug, hot on the heels of their competitor, clearly knew a good thing when they saw it and followed with their own man-bashing adverts, such as the one in which a man sees a picture of himself in his girlfriend’s wallet and exclaims, “It’s a picture of me isn’t it!?” The woman and the checkout girl smile insidiously at each other and the man follows his girlfriend out of the shop reassuring

ALL OF THESE SEXIST MEDIA COMPONENTS MAY BE LIGHTHEARTED, BUT IT’S IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER WHAT THESE MESSAGES ARE DOING TOGETHER

One of the most recent — and yet pervasive — negative gender stereotypes is that women have control over men. Rochelle Wiseman of The Saturdays states on Glamour.co.uk that: “In every solid relationship that I’ve been in or been around, the man thinks he’s holding the reins, but the woman really is”, while one of the lovely Loose Women — still on the subject of sharing a bathroom with a man — cackles to the other, “do you still make him poo in McDonalds?”

himself, saying “It is!” It’s important to note the songs played in each of the adverts, ‘Here Come the Girls’ from the Sugababes and ‘She’s So Lovely’ by Scouting for Girls, for Boots and Superdrug advertisements respectively. The songs kick in at the punch line of the advert, when the man does something wrong or the woman shows him up.

Boots seems to be by far the worst culprit in sustaining the idea of the woman having control over the ‘ignorant’ man. In one advert, the husband stands at his front door gratefully thanking his wife for ‘allowing’ him to go to the football match. She slams the door with a “You go darling” and then heads for some pampering in the bathroom, laughing to herself. In another Boots advert, one woman points to a leaf in a tree, exclaiming that she’d love the colour for her hair. Her male companion looks pained when she widens her eyes and whimpers at him “will you get it

It’s not just pop culture that is to blame: anti-male sexism pervades all aspects of media. In a recent BBC World Service programme, the female host, upon introducing the only male on the panel, says: “And we have a man here…you’re our token male”, which is followed by chortles from the other female panellists. This was in all probability an innocuous statement yet the situation would be different if the guest in question was the ‘token black’, the ‘token gay’ or indeed, the ‘token female’ surrounded by a panel of guffawing males.

Should They Just F*ck Off?

Individually, all of these sexist media components may be light-hearted, but it’s important to consider what these messages are doing together, to our collective mind. It all boils down to the fact that just because a group of people are not part of a minority who are discriminated against, it doesn’t justify their being ridiculed, mocked or discussed in a derogatory way. There appears to be a consensus in society that the ‘non-discriminated against’ can be objectified. So, men have become an easy target. Apparently, sexism sells.

“

SIAN BOYLE CONFRONTS THE NEWFANGLED TREND OF FEMALEON-MALE SEXISM IN THE COMMON MEDIA

Ofcom investigations and public outcry.

Educational Disadvantage

24 New Sexism

In researching this article I came across a thread on The Student Room forum titled ‘Sexism Towards Men’. One user wrote: “In the eyes of society, sexism towards men is acceptable but sexism towards women is wrong/ taboo/ sexual harassment and unacceptable because [sic] the way women have always been seen as the ‘lesser’ gender”, while another commented: “I believe sexism exists in society against both males and females, but I do think that sexism against females is decreasing and against males it is increasing.” On Glamour.co.uk, under the feature ‘Is it Ever OK to Makeover Your Man?’ (which goes on to list celebrity men who are ‘better’ after their girlfriends have changed them), one astute reader comments: “Try to turn the headline around: ‘Is it okay to makeover your girlfriend or wife?’... the answer is quite simple, most of us will loathe to be told how to look or act so why in the world would anyone think we have a right to makeover our man?” Beware of the media’s messages and think about how they affect your thoughts. You may be a sexist without even realising it.

Is It Ok to Make Fun of Men?

For more from Sian, please visit her blog at www.impactnottingham. com/section/features/the-pen-ismightier

Sian Boyle

ISSUE 213

NOVEMBER 2011

WEEK ONE 2011

One You’ll Want to Forget

To Protest or Not to Protest?

31 Wave Your Rave/ Vent your Spleen

26 Lights, Camera, Order! 32 Week One From Courtroom to Celebrity

IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM

Night Before

22 Controversial Speak- 30 The Big Question ers on Campus

THE NEW SEXISM

Without even exploring child custody rights, pension ages, paternity rights or woman-instigated domestic violence, the evidence for maleoppressive sexism is rife within the media, which is usually the primary factor in influencing any cultural ideology. Advertisements, television programmes and magazines are full of (sometimes not so) subliminal messages that advocate derogatory behaviour towards men. Through the following examples of anti-male sexism in media, I challenge you to revert the roles of the men and women and then try not to picture the ensuing

From Both Sides of the Blockade

THE SECRETS OF THE STREETS

Just 3 miles from University Park and a 30 minute walk from Lenton, lies Nottingham’s Red Light District. Based on Mapperley and Forest Road, Nottingham’s Red Light District is a well known hive of prostitution and unsolicited activities. Back in 2004, the Kerb Crawling Taskforce, part of Nottinghamshire Police, were aware of roughly 300 girls working in the area, but have since claimed that a clampdown has seriously reduced numbers.

Interviewing Clive Tyldesley

FEATURES

IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM/SPORT

FROM NOTTINGHAM TO THE NOU CAMP

University Parking Charges

NOVEMBER 2011

From the University of Nottingham to commentating at the Nou Camp, it has been quite the journey for our very own Clive Tyldesley. Being the voice of ITV’s football coverage and a commentator recognised as a consummate professional, it might have been easy for Tyldesley to forget his roots, but he was more than happy to reminisce about his time at the University from 1972 to 1975 with Impact’s Steven Allweis.

2 Editorial

Emily Tripp Image: Hannah White

IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM

Memories in Images

James Boucher Emma Charalambous

John Bell

REGULARS

Sophie Fairweather Matt Whiteley John Bell

Troy Edige

John Bell

Emma Charalambous

Matt Whiteley

Helen Miller

Troy Edige

Helen Miller

Matt Whiteley

Troy Edige

Jaiwei Fu

James Boucher

ISSUE 213

NOVEMBER 2011

35 Film

52 Music

39 Style

56 Science

44 Travel

59 Food

48 Arts

62 Are you Sur-Real?

Leading British Actors

THIS PAGE: Nic wears; Coat, Uniqlo; Shirt, Zara; Cardigan, Uniqlo; Tie,Gap;

Farewell to Festivals

Trousers, Zara; Shoes, Ted Baker; Belt, Ted Baker Charlotte wears; Coat, Zara; Skirt, American Apparel; Blouse, Zara; Tights, Primark; Shoes, Russell and Bromley. OPPOSITE PAGE : Nic Wears; Jacket, River Island; Jumper, Asos; Jeans, Topman; Shoes, Air Max 1. Charlotte wears; Jumper, Gap; Belt, Topshop; Leather Shorts, Topshop; Bowler Hat, Asos;

The Ugly Side of Fasion Collabs

Leopard Print Boots, Topshop; Watch, Toy Watch. Styled and Directed By: Emma-Jane Steele and Hannah Donald

Controversial Science

Photography By: Matthew Whiteley and Helen Miller Nic & Charlotte en couple depuis 18 mois

ISSUE 213

Photo editting: Alix Blankson Models: Nic

UoN Kooples

Hayman and Charlotte Nieto.

FOOD

IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM/FOOD

A LITTLE COMFORT FROM THE COLD As we move into the winter months, sunglasses are being left at home and it’s time to don your hats and scarves and battle the cold weather. But these well-loved items of knitwear aren’t the only way to warm up this winter. There are plenty of dishes to warm your soul too. For students, cost is always a consideration, but never fear — there are plenty of low-cost hearty meals that are quick and easy to prepare. No longer should you have to open the fridge, stare blankly at what is presented to you and feel somewhat disappointed with the outcome. So here are some practical suggestions for your culinary mind block over this season.

1 onion peeled and finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 450g minced beef or Quorn mince 1 tablespoon plain flour 450ml beef stock (use beef stock cube in boiling water) 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced 125g button mushrooms, sliced 1kg potatoes, mashed Optional salt and pepper to season

For Sharing: Why not try cooking cottage pie or a vegetarian equivalent? This is the perfect dish to share with your friends at the end of a frosty day. This dish will take around 20 minutes to prepare before you can pop it in the oven for another 20 minutes — enough time to update your Facebook status to inform the world of your skills in the kitchen!

Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onion. Fry on medium heat until soft, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Boil potatoes in a pan until cooked; this should take about the same amount of time as cooking the mince filling. Once soft, mash the potatoes with some butter, a pinch of salt and a dash of milk. Preheat the oven to 200º C (180 º C fan oven), gas mark 6. Meanwhile, add the mince to the garlic and onion and stir until browned. Stir in the flour and stock; cover the pan and bring to the boil, before adding the carrots and mushrooms. Spoon the filling into an oven proof dish and top with the mash, then cook in the oven for 20 minutes.

Cottage Pie: Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil

The Sugar Fiend: If you don’t really do savoury, let’s just skip to dessert! There are plenty of sweet things that don’t

The Early Bird: Why not swap your standard bowl of cereal for a bowl of porridge with a handful of dried fruit or another favourite topping? If this doesn’t tickle your fancy, how about scrambled egg on toast or treating yourself to a bacon sandwich to kick start your day?

have to cost the earth. Apple crumble is good for using up old apples in the fruit bowl. However, don’t feel limited to apples; almost any fruit can be stuck in a crumble to make a thoroughly enjoyable dessert. Apple Crumble (for two): Ingredients: 2 apples (of any variety) 110g plain flour 50g butter 60g sugar (or more if you like the crumble topping very sweet) Pre heat the oven to 180º C. Peel and slice the apples. Place in a small oven

Open up a menu and you are sure to be delighted by a smorgasbord of orthographic interpretations. You will inhabit the mind of the author as he tapped out each delicious word with a reckless abandon that says, “fuck you” to the establishment, whilst inviting the openhearted customer into a familiar world of Asian phonetic bliss.

vent suppressed anger. They bring to the surface a latent spelling-centric indignation, cultivated toward our Anglo-Frisian Germanic language via years of failed school spelling tests. They rise up in peaceful rebellion. Theirs is a noble act that demonstrates solidarity not only between restaurant and customer, but also between all purveyors of Asian cuisine. Despite great variety in the gastronomical experiences offered under the ‘Asian’ umbrella, you can count on one similarity — a liberal serving of misspellings — to accompany your meal. It is this example of metacultural unification that must be upheld as a model of the global unity that we so ardently desire in contemporary Western society.

Begging: The Question

the ‘chickin’, the subtle rebelliousness emanating from the ‘noodel’ soup and the pure joy passed on in the ‘porn crackers’.

proof dish with a small amount of water to moisten. Put the flour, butter and sugar together in a bowl and rub together between your fingers until it is the consistency of bread crumbs. Pour the crumble topping onto the apples and cook in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until the apples are soft. Enjoy!

Emma Drabble

Fiona Churchman

Why not have a go at making this delicious wintery drink to lift your mood? It’s easy to make and can be adapted depending on what goodies you and your housemates have in the cupboard! It only takes about five minutes to make, and the orange, vanilla and chocolate flavours combine well to make a comforting, warming treat! You will need: - 2 large marshmallows (or a handful of mini marshmallows) - 1 shot of orange liqueur (this could always be substituted; for example for a shot of Baileys, Amaretto, or other flavoured liqueurs that complement the chocolate and milk taste!) - 2 tbsp. vanilla syrup - 200ml milk - 100ml double cream - 2 heaped tbsp. sifted drinking chocolate

Image by Shannon Straney - 1 tbsp. sifted cocoa powder 1. Begin by making the vanilla cream. You do this, by combining the vanilla syrup and double cream in a jug, and stirring to mix them together. 2. Next, make up the hot chocolate, by heating up the milk in a saucepan on a low heat, and gradually stir in the hot chocolate powder. 3. This drink can be served either in a heatproof mug, or (if you want to be

Comfort Foods

Image by Camy Aprile

I compel you to delve beyond the deep fried on your next Asian food encounter. Taste is one thing. Of far greater note is the political complexity embodied in

Symonne Torpy

IN GOOD SPIRITS

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My titillation is spelling related.

It is also via this phenomenon that Asian restaurateurs allow us to healthily

If you watch British cookery programs on TV, then you might have noticed that they rave about seasonal foods quite extensively. If you haven’t, then let me fill you in: it is so much cheaper to buy fruit, veg and meat that are in season. This is because buying foods that coincide with natural British seasons means that less energy is needed to grow them (unlike ‘out of season’ products), meaning we get charged less. And, don’t forget that if you buy seasonal British foods, you can help reduce your carbon footprint and help out our farmers at home!

really flashy) a tall latté glass. Put the orange liqueur (or other substitute of your choice) into the glass, along with the marshmallows. 4. Next, pour in the hot chocolate mixture on top, making sure that all the powder is mixed in, and it is at a good hot temperature. 5. Following this, float the vanilla cream on the top of the hot chocolate. 6. Finish by dusting with sifted cocoa powder, and serve immediately, whilst hot. 7. If you want to give it that extra special finish, as you sprinkle the cocoa powder on the top of the drink, carefully hold a lighter about 10cm above the mug or glass, and it will catch the cocoa powder alight as it falls onto the vanilla cream, adding a delicious glazed chocolate topping to your drink — just be very careful with the flame!

Aimee Creasey

NOVEMBER 2011

Interviewing ‘Some guy’

Sarah Wants to Eat Your Food NOVEMBER 2011

NEWS

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James Rathbone

Support for funding cuts

protests

against

IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM/NEWS

with the new systems of democratic governance to be introduced to the SU. The motion was passed to show that the SU are opposed to any action that could have a negative impact on educational quality for its students. The motion argued that the vast majority of University of Nottingham students are against increases in the cost of higher education, and in recognition of this, the SU aimed to offer support to any students wishing to attend the NUS-supported National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts, which was held on 9th November in London.

Natalie Cameron

Week One tickets forged Ticket forgery was in operation at many of this year’s Week One events, according to reports from SU Council. There were no reports of over-crowding at any club venues, indicating that the numbers were on a relatively small scale. However, there are concerns that forgery is on the rise and Week One co-ordinator Chris Hodgkinson confirmed that it is an annual occurrence. Tickets ranged from £4 to £7 pounds each, with the exception of the finale event which cost £28, but ticket prices are not thought to be the reason for the problem. One of the suggested

Emily Tripp Image: Hannah White

NOVEMBER 2011

NEWS

NEWS ROUND-UP Karni keeps a Nottingham School on the road The SU’s student-run charity Karnival has made a donation of £2,000 to St. Augustine’s Primary School in Park Avenue. The donation was made after a local MP asked for help to save the school’s bus service, due a cut in funding. This was causing problems for parents and forced several students to leave the school. The donation will be used to keep the bus service running for longer, giving parents and the school extra time to finalise a long term solution to the problem. Karni Director Chris Bowman said, “It’s just fantastic to be able to help and make such an immediate difference.”

Nottingham scientists break the records The 2012 Guinness World Records confirmed that the University of Nottingham holds the record for writing the world’s smallest periodic table. The experts at the University’s Nanotechnology and Nanoscience

Centre used a beam of accelerated gallium ions and imaging technology to engrave the table on a single hair belonging to Green Chemist Professor Martyn Poliakoff. Professor Poliakoff said that he was “delighted” and that the award was “a tribute to the University’s Nanotechnology Centre.” A video of the teeny-tiny periodic table can be found on YouTube.

Malaysian Gold for NUBC Nottingham University’s Boat Club have become the Malaysian Varsity Champions for the second year in a row. The week-long event took place at the Putrajaya Rowing Course near Kuala Lumpur. Our Nottingham team scooped gold and silver medals in the four and eight-man, heavyweight and lightweight categories of the Concept2 Ergo Competition, gold medals in the Single and Double Sculls events, and a bronze medal in the Coxless Fours race.

Katie Dolamore

Nottingham MBA joins global elite Nottingham University Business School has been ranked in the top 100 in the latest international league table of full-time Master of Business Administration programmes. The table, published by The Economist, places the Nottingham School amongst some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, including Dartmouth College, Harvard and Stanford.

Crime-fighting advice available Students at Nottingham are working with the police to reduce burglary in the city as part of the ‘Love Your Stuff’ campaign. Students are advised to close all windows and lock all doors before going out, put all laptops and valuables out of sight, and to use the free services made available via the campaign to mark property so that it can be traced. More information and advice can be found at www.easilydone.co.uk.

UBS ‘ROGUE TRADER’ – NOTTINGHAM FRESHERS’ WEEK CO-ORDINATOR In September the Swiss bank UBS announced that it had lost over two billion dollars, as a result of unauthorised trading performed by ‘rogue trader’ Kweku Adoboli. Images of the Nottingham graduate being led away into a police van hit the front pages and have led us to question what the rogue trader was like during his time at Nottingham. Described by his school friends as a “computer whizz”, former head-boy Adoboli graduated with a degree in Computer Sciences in 2003. During his time at Nottingham, he participated in student life and was a Freshers’ Week Coordinator. Adoboli appeared in a Sky News interview about Freshers’ week claiming it was a unique week full of a “jamboree of parties”. He described how by the end of Freshers’ week many of the friendships formed in the first few days would have ended; this must have had resonance at UBS where Adoboli’s actions left his friends and colleagues at risk of losing their jobs.

Faisal Shariff and Helen Trimm

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IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM/NEWS

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS Good News for… Potatoes

Astonishing news has surfaced from the Liaoning Province in North East China, where 64-year-old farmer Mr Ma Xiuling was catapulted to stardom after digging up something rather unique. Whilst farming vegetables, Xiuling unearthed a dog-shaped potato, the size of a two-week-old puppy, in his field in Yanji. With two indents appearing to be eyes and four outward circular growths representing arms and legs, neighbours could not ignore the extraordinary season’s growth. The unusual crop initially had a tail, which fell off when Xiuling drew it out of the ground. Villagers, astounded by this potato, have paid visits to see it. “Neighbours all feel surprised when seeing the weird-shaped potato,” Mr. Xiuling said. His new-found fame might not last but we say, enjoy your fifteen minutes sir; you’ve earned it.

Dammy Ikeola

Bad news for… Marathons

Upon reaching the 20-mile point of the Kielder marathon earlier this month, one runner, Rob Sloan from Sunderland, decided that he had had enough. He hopped on a passing bus, getting off and hiding behind a tree before finishing the end of the race and claiming third place. Genius, you cry. Not when the bus he chose was full of spectators heading to the finish line, and not when the person who had been in third place for the entirety of the race hadn’t noticed being overtaken — and was a policeman. Organisers of the race smelt a rat when they realised that Sloan was the only person who managed to complete the second half of the race faster than the first half. Sloan was disqualified from the marathon and the medal presented to its rightful winner, Steven Cairns, in a ceremony in Edinburgh that smacks of salt in the wound: on top of an opentop bus. Poor Sloan. Perhaps we should give him the benefit of the doubt and suggest that he misunderstood the marathon-training manual when it talked about making good use of personal coaches.

Jennifer Newbold

And in other news… An Ass of a Mayor

The election for mayor of Varna, a Bulgarian seaside resort, is heating up. The Society for a New Bulgaria Party caused a stir when they announced that their candidate to challenge the incumbent mayor, Kiril Yordanov, would be a donkey. Angel Dyankov, head of the campaign headquarters justified ‘Marko’s’ appointment, stating that “Unlike other candidates and politicians, Marko has a strong character, doesn’t steal, doesn’t lie and gets the work done”. Marko is seen as an ideal alternative to the current mayor by party members who declared that Marko would run a “positive campaign aimed at demonstrating that there is no difference between him and incumbent Mayor Kiril Yordanov, when it comes to obeying the orders of the master, Prime Minister Boyko Boriso”. Supporters claim that Yordanov has made Marko’s life difficult “because the green areas in the Bulgarian sea capital are disappearing”. Yordanov was less than impressed, refusing to share the stage with his challenger. Despite Marko’s valiant efforts, Yordanov is still well-placed to win re-election, but don’t count Marko out of it yet. After all, who doesn’t love an under-donkey?

Alexander Barker and Daniel Fine

Image: Callum McLarty

NOVEMBER 2011

COMMENT THE UNIVERSITY’S CONTROVERSIAL NEW PARKING POLICY Nottingham has always been one of the few universities that doesn’t charge staff and students for car parking; however, September this year saw the introduction of a new car parking policy across the University’s campuses. Students once eligible for a free parking permit will now be charged and the University’s pay and display facilities have been expanded. In addition, the Security Services have begun to enforce car parking regulations more strictly and, according to the Head of Security, there have already been a “good number of students who have received notices for unauthorised parking on campus.”

students don’t feel safe walking or cycling onto campus at such times, especially during dark winter months, and repeatedly travelling by bus to campus can get expensive. Is it really fair that the University has forced students to pay car parking charges on top of rising petrol costs, rising tuition fees, and a rising cost of living? Furthermore, those who are now facing charges when they park at the gym and swimming pool have already

Only those living 15 miles away or further can qualify for a permit. Students who are not eligible for a permit and are facing increased charges have voiced their concerns, claiming that the changes are unfair and merely another means of making profit: “I just see it as another way for the University to get money out of us — they’re already putting fees up to £9,000 next year!” A sign in the security office’s window suggests that the staff have received several complaints about the changes, as it states that the new charges have been known for about 12 months and that abuse at the counter will not be tolerated. As unpopular as the costs of a permit may be, the security staff are merely performing their daily duties, and can do little if anything to influence the University’s policies. However, are students’ protests actually warranted? Students who own cars often use them, not as an alternative to walking or catching the bus to lectures, but in order to travel to the sports centre or library in the evening or at the weekend. Many

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Image: Tom Gamon paid £199 for a gym membership. Why are those choosing to keep fit, and perhaps actively training whilst representing the university in various sporting fixtures, being punished for driving to train for such events? The University’s apparent justifications for the new charges are tenuous. An article in the car parking section of the University’s website states that it is partly due to the costs of the pending City Council Workplace Parking Levy. The Levy, which will be introduced in April next year, is an annual charge

made for each parking space that the University provides to its employees. However, these costs are being met by the money raised by staff parking permits rather than student permits; the full year permit charge for Nottingham staff exactly equals the cost of the annual levy. Expanding the University’s environmental agenda is a further justification given by the University for the new charges, yet Nottingham’s green credentials are among the best in the world, having recently received second place in a league table of the world’s most environmentally-friendly higher education institutions. The majority of students we spoke to claimed that the new charges will not result in their leaving their cars at home as they need to use their cars to attend sports fixtures and commitments on campus, and they will simply have to pay the new charges. So why has Nottingham really introduced these new policies? Perhaps those students who suspect that they are merely a way for the University to make some extra cash are right. In order to keep teaching standards high and general University facilities topclass, Nottingham obviously needs income. However, whilst even just one £50 parking ticket would be a significant inconvenience to a hardup student, it is a relatively meagre amount when compared to the £20 million the University is spending on a new eco-friendly hotel, or even the thousands it will be raising from the increased tuition fees next year. The University’s first responsibility is to its students; surely it should prioritise their quality of life over raising a negligible amount of money.

Sabreena Zuleika and Shane Higgins

IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM/NEWS

AI WEIWEI ON THE ISSUES OF MODERN CHINA Ai Weiwei is the famed artist behind the 2008 Olympic Stadium, ‘The Bird’s Nest’, as well as the ‘Sunflower Seeds’ exhibition in the Tate Modern last year. His work is recognised around the world as displays against the Chinese Government; his seminude self-portrait ‘Grass Mud Horse’ in particular was interpreted by many in the upper echelons of the Government as a mutinous display against them. In April, Weiwei was arrested on charges of tax evasion, which many suspect was a cover for the Chinese government to end his rebelliousness. Following 3 months of captivity, arrests of those close to Weiwei and an extensive campaign to set him free, he was finally released on 22nd June. The conditions of his freedom were that he could not leave Beijing for a year and that he must stop publicly speaking out against the Government. He has since broken these terms, appearing in a number of worldwide publications to condemn the Chinese government; so it would seem that the imminent future for Weiwei is bleak.

Weiwei feels that he must speak out against the changing face of modern

China and highlight the issues which are being set aside by the leaders of his country. He says that “Beijing is two cities. One is of power and of money. People don’t care who their neighbours are; they don’t trust you. The other city is one of desperation. I see people on public buses, and I see their eyes, and I see they hold no hope.” His opinions were proved tragically correct last month, by the horrifying story of Wang Yue, a two year old toddler involved in a hit and run. CCTV footage of Yue being run over by two different vehicles emerged on the internet. She then lay in a puddle of her own blood for ten minutes while 18 passers-by walked straight past her. Eventually 58 year old scavenger Chian Xianmei pulled her out of the road and went for help, but by then it was too late. Yue passed away a week later. The story was met with shock and anger in China, with many blaming the spiritual vacuum created by its rapid expansion and modernisation, which has led to the country’s people competing to climb the economic and social ladder. Yue’s story will not have come as a surprise to Weiwei, who has spoken out against modernisation stating that “You don’t see yourself as part of the city — there are no places that you relate to, that you love to go. No corner, no area touched by a certain kind of

light. You have no memory of any material, texture, shape. Everything is constantly changing, according to somebody else’s will, somebody else’s power”. Weiwei’s opinions may represent the apparent undercurrent of disillusionment running throughout contemporary China. Or he may in fact merely be a public voice representing a minority of the Chinese population, who feel their heritage is being erased in the interest of modernisation. However, so little is truly known about the public opinion in China at present due to the strict nature of the Chinese Government, and perhaps this is the largest issue of all, one Weiwei is highly aware of. “No one is willing to speak out. What are they waiting for?” Whether Weiwei is the voice of a silent people, or an anti-authoritarian radical, he still represents the West’s growing curiosity in the secrecy of modern China; although, his continuing appearances in Western media means that he is likely to be back in prison soon. It has also recently come to light that the Chinese Government are still holding Weiwei for his apparent tax evasion and are demanding ¥12 million (£1.18 million) for unpaid taxes and fines. Weiwei is desperately attempting to get the money together, but even if he is able to, the future still seems dark for him, and the resilience of the Chinese Government could mean that Weiwei may never escape this constant game of cat and mouse. As in his own words, “Cities really are mental conditions. Beijing is a nightmare. A constant nightmare.”

Ben James

NOVEMBER 2011

SPORT FROM NOTTINGHAM TO THE NOU CAMP From the University of Nottingham to commentating at the Nou Camp, it has been quite the journey for our very own Clive Tyldesley. Being the voice of ITV’s football coverage and a commentator recognised as a consummate professional, it might have been easy for Tyldesley to forget his roots, but he was more than happy to reminisce about his time at the University from 1972 to 1975 with Impact’s Steven Allweis. What made you choose Nottingham Uni? “As I was born in Bury, Nottingham seemed the logical choice due to the close proximity. My dad was a salesman, and he pushed me into it. He felt a more vocational degree would give me a better chance finding a job in industry. So my course was Industrial Economics, a more vocational, practical form of an Economics degree. So it was that, along with the distance from home, which persuaded me.” Did you enjoy student life? What were your fondest memories? “First year, I lived in X19 Hugh Stewart and then 10 Church Avenue, a little cul-de-sac just off Lenton Boulevard. I used to go to the Savoy Cinema often, and to Dunkirk Chippy far too often! I took every opportunity to get involved with the media. I wrote a column for the newspaper, supposedly a witty one! I used to write very edgy pieces about the Vice-Chancellor. I was also involved heavily with Dram Soc, mainly with the reviews, and was Social Secretary in my last year. Through these reviews, I managed to get some contacts at BBC Radio Nottingham. So although I was doing an Industrial Economics degree, I was really edging my way towards a

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career in radio or television. “I’m afraid you only remember the bands and the girls! Seeing Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band in Freshers’ Week was an incredible experience. In my first term at the Uni, there was an occupation of the Trent Building, which I was involved in; part of that was only because there was a girl I fancied who took part and I thought it would be a plan to join her. It didn’t get me anywhere!” How did you first make it into the media industry? “In my final year at University, Radio Trent, which is no longer around, came on air, and I used to go down to the studios when they were being built and make a nuisance of myself to the programme controller, whose name was Bob Snyder. “About three weeks before I sat my finals, I was sitting in my house just off Lenton Boulevard, and received a telephone call from him, and he said ‘how would you like to come and work for us?’ I began to work there the day after my finals, involved with doing voiceovers and running a late night rock show. “But I was always getting involved with the football. There was only one full time member of the sports staff though, and

Steven Allweis

IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM/SPORT

ADDICTION IS DAMNATION not to say that doping should not be punished ortaken seriously, because it should, but rather that the severity of the reprimand should reflect the drug’s purpose. Clearly, in sports that place a premium on incredible athleticism, like sprinting and cycling, the cases of performance-enhancing drug usage are numerous, just as the list of proven and suspected drug With the Olympic Games in London only 9 months away, there has been a lot of talk about who will be appearing at the Games. Usain Bolt, Chris Hoy, and Tom Daley are names that will be mentioned countless times over the coming months. However personalities such as Dwain Chambers, David Millar and, more recently, the American sprinter LaShawn Merritt, will cast aspersions over their integrity. Only recently the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned Merritt’s ‘lifetime’ ban on competing in future games, which rather than restoring faith in Merritt and the sport as a whole, has proceeded only to cast a bigger shadow on them. Given this precedent, Chambers, who tested positive for the steroid THG in 2003, and Millar, who admitted to using the banned drug EPO in 2004, could similarly succeed in ending their lifetime bans from the British Olympic Association. But the debate remains; are their appeals in the interest of the BOA? The answer is complex, as there have been numerous cases of ‘doping’ that have received only mild punishments throughout the sporting world, whilst quite minor cases of drug abuse have been ruthlessly disciplined, sending a damning message to professional athletes who were thinking of following in their colleagues’ footsteps. This is

offences in all sports is comprehensive. Andre Agassi, widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, famously confessed in 1997 to using crystal meth. Alex Rodriguez, who is held in similar esteem as Agassi but in baseball, conceded that he used steroids early on in his incredible career. Edgar Davids, the former Dutch international, was banned by FIFA in 2001, after being found guilty of using nandrolone, an anabolic steroid. Three different sports, yet all three cases resulted in the same disappointment for fans. It seems that there are two excuses that arise when drug users in sport are questioned. Unsurprisingly, the most common one is the desire to play well and win, as exemplified by Rodriguez claiming that his decision to take steroids was an unavoidable consequence of the “enormous amount of pressure” on him to perform. The second recurring explanation is that the athlete feels that there is nothing left for their career or for themselves to bother playing by the rules. Justin Gatlin, who won the Olympic Gold medal in the 100m at Athens had reached the peak of his success in sprinting in 2004, yet, he confessed that he “got

Michael Timbs Image: Charlotte Albert & Emma Charalambous NOVEMBER 2011

SPORT

“I’ve played here as an opposition and a home player”, Jon Walters explained after Stoke City’s defeat of Besiktas at the Britannia Stadium in this season’s Europa League, “The fans really get behind us…that cliché about them being the twelfth man is true”. Lauded as the ‘lifeblood of the game’, fans are undoubtedly fundamental to football functioning. To put it in crude commercial terms, the sport wouldn’t exist in the same capacity without the demand of its customers. Whilst it would be foolish, therefore, to disregard the significance of the growing worldwide audience, it is interesting to consider the impact that football’s globalisation has had on traditional fandom: namely, can attendants at any match really make a difference in the age of billionaire oligarchs and global fanbases? In short: yes, supporters are important, but not to the extent we often think. Players and managers talk of the crowd as an attribute of value equal to that of a striker’s pace. However, it is unimaginable that a few thousand middle-age Potters enthusiasts can regularly affect the performance levels of highly skilled athletes through vehement warbling. Indeed, there is no evidence to suggest that home advantage – arguably the greatest enigma in the world of sport – is affected by the size or bombast of the people in attendance. In English football, home teams win around 60 per cent of the points available; this figure has remained consistent for decades, regardless of the division or attendance level in question. Interestingly, it appears that football

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fans do exert influence over the referee. A study from the University of Wolverhampton found that officials watching a Premier League match with background noise, were more uncertain in their decision making, awarding sixteen per cent fewer fouls against the home team, than those watching in silence. Thus it is tempting to conclude that spectators can swing the result. Whilst this is true to an extent, it is risky to exaggerate their impact: the same investigation shows, for example, that referees were no more likely to penalise the away team whether they could hear the boisterous home crowd or not. Business wise, fans in attendance remain imperative. Prior to TV deals and stadium sponsorship, Match Day revenue accounted for nearly all club income; this generally remains to be the case the further down the football pyramid you travel. However, even at the top of the game, payments garnered from home games continues to be vital. Real Madrid, who top the 2011 Deloitte Football Money League, collected thirty per cent of their earnings from contests at the Bernabéu in the 09/10 season, whilst at Manchester United, the highest ranked English club, Match Day proceeds accounted for thirty-five per cent of total returns. Despite not making the top twenty clubs overall, Glaswegian giants Rangers and Celtic were present in the top twenty Match Day revenue-generating clubs thanks to their impressive attendances, which frequently exceed 45,000. Arsenal earned £91 million from 09/10 matches at the Emirates, almost seventy per cent higher than five years ago. This is why

clubs continue to convert large, modern arenas; if finances could be extracted from other sources alone, relocation, which often involves planning difficulties and initial high costs, would be deemed unnecessary. Liverpool’s desire to build a 60,000 all-seater ground in Stanley Park shows that even a club of European-Cup-winning stature with supporter groups worldwide, requires a steady stream of income on a Saturday afternoon. Indeed, Liverpool obtained just £42 million from this source in the 09/10 campaign, a staggering £50 million less than Arsenal. Stadium emigration has been mooted by Manchester City and Chelsea in recent months, a sign that Match Day revenue is vital even to those teams bankrolled by billionaire owners. It appears therefore that the importance of football fans today is quantifiable in pounds rather than goals. Home support may aid a side, but the actions of the crowd are unlikely to consistently effect results; conversely, loyal followers who continue to pay extortionate admission fees still contribute massively to the running of their club. As Stoke City continue their European adventure, they will hope to retain their disciples’ loyal backing. Deep down, however, it is probably their cash they crave the most. Maybe Jon Walters was right, just not quite in the way he meant it.

Greg Lea

IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM/SPORT

IMPACT’S RUGBY WORLD CUP REVIEW Coach of the Tournament: Whilst an obvious choice would be Graham Henry for successfully steering New Zealand to a World Cup under the pressure of the ‘Choke-O-Meter’, the wealth he has at his disposal must be remembered. Therefore we have chosen Warren Gatland, who inspired the Welsh to a record-equalling World Cup showing, that could have been so much more, if it wasn’t for Warburton’s Semi-Final dismissal. Overachievers: Despite a brilliant display in the final, France, in typical laissez-faire fashion, did not seem interested until it really mattered. They limped through the tournament, benefiting from other teams’ misdemeanours and misfortune. Underachievers: Though England faltered early and Ireland never regained the level of performance they reached against South Africa, The Tournament as a whole can be seen as the biggest disappointment. With kickers miscuing and a disappointing 16 tries in the knockout stages, the 2011 Rugby World Cup never got going. Team of the tournament: New Zealand finally lived up to expectations and deserve plaudits for the strength of their squad, especially considering their fourth choice fly-half kicked the deciding penalty, and their sheer attacking intent. Samoa earned praise for their brilliant displays against Wales and South Africa, both games in which they deserved to get something out of and could well have done, if it was not for the poor infrastructure in Samoan rugby. Player of the Tournament: Israel Dagg, impervious under the high ball and magnificent in attack was perhaps the pick of a powerful All Black side. Notable mentions go to the All

Black back three of Kaino, Read and captain McCaw and the powerful Jamie Roberts, who never seemed to fail to break the gain line. Top Tweets: Samoan and Gloucester centre, Eliota Sapolu Fuimaono made the headlines with astonishing complaints about the World Cup Scheduling, calling the IRB “unjust” when Wales got seven days off and Samoa got three. This was exacerbated as he described the treatment as “like slavery, like the holocaust, like apartheid.” Sapolu later went on to accuse the referee, Nigel Owens, of being a racist, resulting in a six month suspension, which could well lead Sapolu to turn his back on the game. Flop of the Tournament: “Public Enemy number one”, Quade Cooper, always knew this tournament would come with a huge amount of pressure as not only was he the talisman of an exciting Australian side, but also is of Kiwi origin. Cooper, who usually shines in the limelight, found this tournament a stretch too far and after a string of poor performances, was finally put out of his misery when he limped off the pitch in the third-place play-off. Ones to Watch: George North was perhaps most emblematic of Wales’ exciting running rugby. The 19 year old who stands at 6ft 4, whilst also being the fastest member of the squad, has even been hailed as the ‘new Lomu’. Actions off the pitch aside, Manu Tuilagi still proved a bright spark in a faltering England side, his direct and physical nature providing the team with the greatest attacking threat. James O’Connor, whilst already a recognised figure in the Australian side, is still only 21 and after his rumoured move into the centres, he could become an even more pivotal figure.

Bow out, Give up: The proverb “good players don’t always make good coaches” rings true in regards to Martin Johnson, whose selection and tactics left a lot to be desired and whose laxness in disciplining England’s tearaway squad was perplexing. Also on the England scrapheap is Nick Easter who was completely outclassed by France’s Imanol Harinordoquy in the Quarter Final and who now lacks the pace for the international game. Finally, let us hope that ITV do not regain coverage of the World Cup as their commentators, most notably Phil Vickery, made England’s languid performances even more painful to watch. Best Celebration: The greatest expression of passion did not come as New Zealand finally lifted the World Cup or after a match-winning try, but when Tonga beat France. Whilst unable to qualify despite their win, the Tongans earned a lot of renown for their historic win, pointing to the growing strength of Tier 2 nations.

BUCS Big Fixtures: 23rd November @ Highfields —Men’s Rugby 1st XV vs. Mens Rugby 2nd XV. 7th December @ Sports Centre — Women’s 1st Netball vs. Birmingham

Will Cook, Tom Rowe, Matt Williams, Jake Batty

NOVEMBER 2011

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! s t n u o c e t o v r u Yo

PROSTITUTION

But what do those figures really mean? Do they really go any way to telling the whole story behind the sex workers that are living only a tram ride away? Statistics aside, we remain naïve to the reality of their existence. Impact’s Samantha Owen and Rose Bewick explore the changing nature of prostitution and the dangers constantly facing those that work on the streets of Nottingham. There are 80,000 prostitutes in Britain, all together earning around £770 million a year. Strictly speaking, the exchange of sex for money is not a crime. However, there are so many laws criminalising acts that surround the soliciting of sex that it is relatively difficult to conduct any form of sex business completely legally in the UK. In 2003, it became an offence to “cause or incite prostitution or control it for personal gain”, and in 2009 it became illegal to pay for sex with someone who “has been subjected to force”, even if you didn’t know. There are also laws in place which means sex workers are not allowed to solicit or advertise, and their customers (‘punters’) are not allowed to kerb-crawl. Enforcing these laws in our city is Nottinghamshire Police’s On Street Prostitution Team which was set up in 2004. In 2008, they launched a campaign to try to stop taxi-drivers from being used to pick up prostitutes, stressing severe consequences for both the taxi driver and the passenger. By June last year they had arrested their 1000th man for kerb crawling. Then, in September they arrested fifteen more kerb crawlers over two nights when a female officer posed as a regular resident, acting in a way “that any

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woman going about her normal business in the area would behave”. The point was that any woman walking home in the Arboretum area would have been asked for sex from these passing vehicles, which, as Sergeant Neil Radford points out, “can be distressing for women and is totally unacceptable.” The Team has also made more than 1,000 arrests or cautions for prostitution or soliciting, further to which a number of women have received ASBOs last year, banning them from loitering for prostitution and soliciting, and forbidding them from entering Nottingham’s vice area between 5.30am and 5.30pm daily. Richard Antcliff, a Neighbourhood Enforcement Officer for Community Protection, said of one woman that her behaviour “negatively affects local residents and their families” and that by issuing the ASBO they were “protect[ing] our local communities.”

are 80,000 “ There prostitutes in Britain, all together earning around £770 million a year.

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THE SECRETS OF THE STREETS kerb-crawling in the city were local, meaning that Nottingham is not a nationally renowned vice destination. The results look good, but it does seem that the police in Nottingham enforce the laws in order to respond to residents’ complaints, rather than for the safety and protection of prostitutes. Consider the Stable Door Initiative, which was set up in January of this year. It’s all about finding ‘prostitution hotspots’ and trying to get rid of them by improving street lighting, installing gates, and encouraging residents to lock them. They mention one success story as that of “cleaning up and securing a vacant and derelict property on Woodborough Road which had a courtyard used by prostitutes and drug users.” However, as will become increasingly apparent, these individuals did not then go and get a more socially acceptable job; they just went somewhere else.

Modern prostitution is being forced underground, into areas that are far more dangerous, making the sex workers a lot more vulnerable. The difficulty with analysing facts and figures is that they cannot tell the whole story. So whilst statistics may indicate a reduction in street prostitution, the reality is that the women just relocate; either to other cities, offstreet locations or even crack houses. Impact spoke to Hannah* who used to work on the street in Nottingham; she said, “…they shouldn’t make them go underground more because they can’t be protected so much. The girls probably don’t want to go to the police. It’s more unsafe for the girls.” Her worries were mirrored by the many organisations Impact spoke to regarding prostitution. A spokesperson for Prostitute Outreach Workers (POW) explained, “They are pushing prostitution underground and pushing it back into the poorer neighbourhoods and into the crack houses. It’s a massive problem in trying to access these areas. It’s difficult as well because the police used to monitor the beat, but now when they come round, the girls aren’t there. Out of everybody’s sight, it’s difficult to reach them and access them.” Being able to access these women is of utmost importance for these organisations. According to the latest figures, roughly 90% of prostitutes also are addicted to drugs. It is evidently crucial that these women have as much access to these charities as possible. Emily*, an ex-sex worker who is still using drugs, told us of her battle with addictions. She explained to us that she got into prostitution and drugs from a very young age. “I was 7 when I had my first fag, and when I first got drunk on vodka,” she said, “I was taking drugs by the age of 9 and started prostitution when I was 12.” Astonishing as this may sound, this is the reality of some of the girls that are involved in the industry. Hannah also had a brief experience with drugs. “I was on them for about 6 months. It was the worst thing I’ve ever done and I would never do them again.” Hannah is clean now and told us, “I got off

*These interviewees’ names were changed to protect their identities. NOVEMBER 2011

it; there was a drought on drugs so I was getting less and less. So I worked myself down, not even really meaning to. But that was it; once I was off I was off.” Beyond the dangers of drug abuse itself, the motive of attaining drugs causes some women to sell their services for alarmingly low prices. According to a spokeswoman for The Nottingham Women’s Centre, “The going rate is about £5-£8 on the street. If they can buy a bag of heroin, they might do something like a hand job for £7.” Other hindrances facing these women derive from the domestic aspects of their lives. A surprisingly high number of prostitutes in the local area started off in care homes; many were victims of domestic violence and several have had children taken from them by the social services.

going rate is about “The £5-£8 on the street. If they can buy a bag of heroin, they might do something like a hand job for £7

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Emily told Impact about her upbringing. She said, “my life was a real hard drag back then honestly, I’ve been in care from eighteen months old and I’ve not really had much to do with my family. I went from foster care into a children’s home; didn’t like it.” When explaining how she got involved in the industry, she said, “they put me in a room with a girl that used to self harm. She was a heavy drug user and prostitute, and, went out for a walk with her one night, too young to know the danger of it.” So it seems, that based on anecdotal evidence from Nottingham, there is a worrying connection between prostitution and the care system. Whilst the government may be working to get prostitution off the streets, they could be far more successful in working on the reason why these women enter the

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industry in the first place. If these claims ring true on a national scale, then there seems to be a genuine lack of support and education in these state-funded children’s homes. Hannah suffered from domestic abuse whilst in the midst of prostitution. “I left my partner. He beat me with a belt and that was it”, she recounted. “I decided to change my life.” At one point Hannah said, “I did quite well, I used to make 100 pound a night and then go back in. It was 20 a punt so that was 5 punters.” Hannah’s partner, however, used to take her earnings from her, which often made life difficult. “I used to make sure I had enough to put a meal on the table but it was hard.” Clearly, the actuality of a life on the streets is harrowing. Those that choose to enter prostitution obviously do so for a range of reasons. And whilst some can afford the luxury of operating from up-market apartments or brothels, the damning reality is that for many, poverty, abuse, and drugs are all part and parcel of working in the sex industry. So it is more important than ever that sufficient support for those who need it is as readily available as possible, and there are a range of charities and organisations in Nottingham (some of which we have already alluded to) that work hard to help prostitutes in a variety of ways. The aforementioned Prostitute Outreach Workers (POW) are often the first port of call for prostitutes. Abiding by a strictly no-judgement policy, the organisation offers prostitutes everything from a place to shower, eat and work-out, to serious drug and GUM clinics. POW deal with a variety of women in very different stages of their lives, some of whom are still happy to remain as prostitutes but simply want to make sure that they are doing it safely. A spokesperson for POW explained, “…women, who are in such a vulnerable state; they need non-judgemental help. All of POWs staff have personal experience of prostitution, prison, or drugs.”

Jericho Road and 58i’s Aspire Mentoring scheme, both run by the Christian Centre, are faith-based charities which aim to help women with serious problems, offering them the support that they need to make more positive lifestyle choices. One of the support workers from 58i said, “Our role would be to help people through their treatment journey, trying to give people a bit more support than they would normally get. We’d obviously encourage a positive lifestyle, but for a lot of them it’s a very difficult thing to come out of.” Another key organisation equally involved in helping prostitutes is The Nottingham Women’s Centre, which houses the Changes programme. Changes works to support women who have been through the criminal justice system in the last 5 years. Whilst these organisations go out of their way to help a variety of women, they do still face challenges in engaging individuals. The Changes team stressed the difficulty in trying to reach out to women in prostitution. A spokesperson admitted that “they are the hardest group to reach; they don’t trust a lot of services. They have been let down a lot and experienced a lot of prejudices. They have a lot of barriers to engagement.” The lives of prostitutes are littered with challenges from every direction. Strict laws make it nearly impossible to make a decent living from prostitution in any legal form; and prejudices from a naïve public and uninformed government mean that all prostitutes are tarred with the same brush. Consequently, even organisations designed to help sex workers struggle to reach those most in need, and without support from such centres, recognising alternative lifestyles, let alone realising them, seems wholly unlikely. What is really necessary is a proper state investigation into the lives of those in the prostitution industry. This is the only way real solutions can be achieved for these very real problems.

Samantha Owen & Rose Bewick

THE POWER OF PETITION

Amongst the excitement of Freshers’ stalls, on-campus gliders and Domino’s staff dressed as pizza boxes, one may find a few who use the hullabaloo of Fresher’s Week to draw attention to a situation they are eager to change. As crowds flock to them, they simply ask you to type your name onscreen and become part of their e-petition, their petition for something we all value – human rights, justice or freedom. Yet in this feel-good motion for change that takes only seconds, do we ever stop to ask: to what extent can a digital collection of names really change the world? In August this year, the Government introduced an e-petitions page on the Directgov website which allows any person on the electoral roll to create and sign any petition their heart desires. Those highly supported petitions with over 100,000 individuals clicking on in agreement, if considered appropriate, will then be debated in the House of Commons, potentially leading to the passing of a bill. It all seems so simple, with the website itself describing how, “it’s an easy way for you to influence government policy in the UK”, and the concept seems to encompass all that the petition and even democracy stands for – with enough backing, each individual can get their voice heard. But how successful has the site proven to be? Political parties were hesitant as to how sensibly people would approach the idea, with Labour claiming that “crazy ideas” would end up having to be discussed by MPs. Labour MP Paul

Flynn seemed to view the notion as idealistic, describing it as “an attractive idea to those who haven’t seen how useless [it] has been in other parts of the world…”. Yet, if one examines the site now, it is not filled with requests for threeday weekends, John Snow for Prime Minister or rocket-bottom petrol prices. In fact, most petitions have turned to be deadly serious. At the time of going to press, 22,370 are currently campaigning for the reintroduction of capital punishment, almost 31,000 have signed a counter petition to this motion. Other popular demands are for the teaching of evolution and not creationism, more basic prisons, greater policing and the ending of the ban on gay blood donation. Since the riots, nearly 250,000, have petitioned for London rioters to lose all benefits, and the website affirms that this notion will be considered for parliamentary debate, as promised. However, the cynic might say that since the decisions are ultimately down to the few in power; the public can never have that much influence, petition or no petition. As students, we only have to think of the uproar surrounding the rise in tuition fees to lose confidence in our say. Despite the extent of the protesting, and the firm opposition to the idea in universities across the country, there was very little one could do to amend the oncoming bill and all remonstrations were futile. A petition

simply reaching the ears of those with influence is hard enough, without it immediately being disregarded. And if it is so hard to make our own Government listen, we surely cannot expect foreign governments to alter their policies and laws just because a number of people disagree with them from a great distance away. Yet, it is a well-known aphorism that the first step to solving a problem is to admit to having one, and if people are simply unaware of an immoral practice, it cannot be expected to stop. The chances of effecting change with a petition are low, but the chances of change without one are undoubtedly lower. It seems that the awareness created by a petition has value in itself. Change.org, a site in which individuals are invited to sign online petitions for a variety of causes, claims to have many success stories. A restaurant in Arizona agreed to stop selling lion meat burgers, Obama agreed to impose sanctions on whaling, and in the biggest change. org campaign in its history, the South African Government agreed to help change the practice of ‘corrective’ rape, in which homosexual women are raped in an attempt to make them straight. It’s a website, which describes itself as an “online advocacy platform” that highlights the power of the petition and the power of the people, with both local and global issues finding resolution.

Tanya Rosie Image: Sophie Fairweather NOVEMBER 2011

Image: Michelle Kaigee Phua

BOYS DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T CRY: A Personal Perspective on Male Depression I, like most people, have begun to regard adverts on YouTube with little more than disdain, a tedious necessity that must be endured as a penalty for watching any halfdecent free show. However, lately, an advertising campaign featured on the website has caught my eye. Time for Change, an organisation designed to tackle the issue of mental health discrimination has launched a new set of TV and radio adverts, which are aimed at raising awareness of problems that

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the term â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;mental healthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; can evoke in modern society. Still, this does raise the question as to why it has taken so long for mental health problems to acquire mainstream media focus. Contrary to popular belief, mental health problems are in fact more common in students than in the general population. Indeed, the Association for University and College Counselling (AUCC), which represents 530 counsellors and 120

higher education institutions, says 3-10% of the student population will have contact with their counsellors in a single year. Inevitably though, there will be some who slip under the radar, those who progress through the higher education system without receiving any help with mental health difficulties. Indeed, I was almost one of them. In 2008, after long periods of almost continual low mood, I was diagnosed as suffering from depression. This marked the

start of a journey that would see me brush with self-harm and eventually leave me contemplating suicide. In my case, the fact that I was male made it difficult for me to open up about my problems. I was worried that I would be perceived as weak or vulnerable. Men are supposed to be able to cope and feeling like I couldn’t made me feel very inferior. Gradually though, the strain of dealing with the illness alone began to take a firm hold of me. It was as though every piece of feedback I received regarding anything I did would first pass through a filter, allowing me to interpret the information only in a way that was harmful. Despite my increasing desperation, I told nobody about my problems. Seemingly every aspect of my life was being affected and by December, I’d had enough and was ready to quit university. It was around this time, that I began to selfharm. In the UK self-harm rates are among the highest in Europe and depression is the most common psychiatric disorder in those who report deliberate self-harm. The difficulties I had in telling people about my problems were still essentially based on the contradiction they made to the typical male stereotype. However, the worse my situation got, the greater the risk I was running by not telling anybody. The watershed came in January 2009. After a series of panic attacks, the self-harming spiralled out of control to the point where I was seriously contemplating suicide. One night after being found bandaging my newly inflicted wounds, I realised I could no longer go on living like this and decided to seek professional help. I first saw Rob Sharpe, at the time the university’s only male counsellor, in February. Initially, he encouraged me to talk about my problems. Sessions lasted an hour and for the first three, I talked almost non-stop. By being allowed to speak freely and openly without being judged, I was able to identify patterns of thinking

that regularly purveyed the cycle of pessimism that had been so hard to break on my own. The benefits were such, that I became able to rationalise my addiction to self-harming. I began to recognise that the external wounds were a mechanism to try and attract attention to the suffering I was experiencing, since, because it was essentially emotional, no one could see it. Despite continual progress throughout my weekly sessions, I was in no state to sit examinations. I applied for a resit of the year and thankfully received it. Having spent much of my time at the Doctor’s surgery, or in counselling on Uni Park, I decided to go back into halls. That was probably one of the best decisions I made. I had a totally fresh start. Among new friends I began to push myself to get the most out of a University career again. I volunteered to help the Women’s football club, joined URN as a Sports Presenter and became the Sport Secretary of Nightingale Hall. Suddenly, I’d met lots of new people, and had plenty of places to be. I was finally able to have the University life that I had wanted. Overall, my time at University was something of an emotional rollercoaster ride. I think that ultimately it can be for everyone. It’s part of growing up. The fact is that mental health shouldn’t be a slogan to be afraid of, or something to avoid talking about. The only person I ever harmed throughout the entire time was myself. I never wanted to be defined by having depression; indeed, if you’d brought it up with me I would probably have been at least as embarrassed as you were. However, the fact that someone noticed and appeared to care would still have been important, at a time when I could find no value in myself.

a hospital analysis to see whether I should be sectioned. Self-harm and feelings of desperation would have all been avoidable, if I’d had the courage to go against convention and admit I was in trouble. But I couldn’t get over the embarrassment. Was it entirely my fault? I don’t think so. Depression is an illness, not a lifestyle choice. I was a university footballer, something I had aspired to be before I arrived in Nottingham. There is a conception that those who appear to have “nothing to be depressed about” cannot be depressed and to be so is simply self-indulgent. But depression can hit anyone, regardless of how desirable their life appears to be. With graduation from University come new beginnings. I now have the life I desired. I was able to make the best of my situation and get a 2:1 in Psychology. I live on the Malaysian Campus working as a Sports Development Officer, which is a dream come true. Late last year, I was contacted to be told that I had won a prize for services to the Student Union and that they wanted to make a graduate profile on me, based on my new job. Considering where I’ve been, it still bewilders me that things could turn out this well. Mental health is not something to be afraid of. If you’re suffering, tell someone. There is help out there but no matter how hard it may seem, you have to be willing to help yourself. If you think someone is suffering, tell them you are worried about them, and refer them to a counsellor. Don’t be afraid of what they will say and don’t be embarrassed. You might just save a life.

Ed Tarlton

Though there are provisions in place at our university to aid those who are suffering, responsibility should also be divisible between the individual and the wider community. I never sought out help until I was at breaking point, by which time I’d even undergone

NOVEMBER 2011

SHOULD WE ALLOW CONTROVERSIAL SPEAKERS ON CAMPUS? Impact’s Izzy Scrimshire believes censorship isn’t the answer: “In the fight against extremism and the spread of misinformation, we need more voices, not less.” Hearing the word ‘student’ inevitably gives rise to a number of wellestablished stereotypes. These range, of course, from old-standards (the trouble-makers, the militant-politicos, the overachievers etc) all the way to the fledgling new-breed of privatelyeducated ‘rahs’ and North London Princesses. But what many may not appreciate, or indeed acknowledge, is that students in this country enjoy a privileged position relative to the residual population (hint: it’s not that they don’t pay income tax.) Surprisingly, in spite of the constraints of their course and the pressure to attain that proverbial 2:1, UK students are, in a fundamental sense, freer than everyone else. Under the status-quo, the free flow of ideas within UK campuses is rendered mostly unmitigated and uncensored by the forces which modulate external debate. But these rights and principles, when dealt into the wrong hands, are susceptible to exploitation. When faced with the presence of extremist or radical speakers on our campus, should we respect their same rights to freedom of expression, or should they face censorship? Universities can be said to warrant an exceptional circumstance in the tired ‘first amendment’ debate. For even within the most reactionary communities, they play an invaluable role as centres of progressive and liberal values. In the 1950s, the lugubrious former Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, in a rare instance of hyperbole, regarded Oxford’s venerable debate chamber as “the last bastion of free speech in the Western World”. Accordingly, like no other institution, universities operate within an academically-assured walled-garden which protects them to some extent from extraneous political influence,

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and engenders an equitable, nonintrusive learning environment. Even outside the towers of academia, the campus milieu serves as a free-market forum for the mutual exchange of ideas and beliefs. A cursory glance at the wide variety of networks, groups, and societies that operate under the banner of the S.U. shows the benefits we reap from this inalienable right to free-expression. So, on matters of society speakers this issue of freedom of speech inevitably comes into play. But with such an abundance of free speech comes the potential for misuse, and there are arguments to impose stricter regulations on who is or is not granted a platform for their ideas on university grounds. The Secular Society has criticised religious groups on campus for their unsavoury choice of speakers and scabrous publications. I asked President Geraint Thomas if he thought religious groups, in particular those with social and political agendas to push, would exploit the university’s policy of tolerance, and even use it to defer criticism against them. “Yes, there is a danger of that”, he says, “and I believe any trend in that direction should be fought to the nail.” In recent years, critics have directed their polemic mainly at university Islamic Societies, noting their particularly poor track record for radical speakers. In 2008, the Centre for Community Cohesion released a comprehensive study on radical Islam on UK campuses. The document was immediately marred by controversy. Representatives decried it as a fallacious work intended to pathologise the Muslim community. Granted, the study did not mince words, pronouncing that “students [...] active in their university

Islamic society were twice as likely as non-members to hold extreme views”, and that Islamic societies had become breeding cultures for radicalism. Within the C.f.C.C.’s “comprehensive list of extremist speakers who have addressed audiences on British campuses”, London universities came out worse, amassing twelve separate incidents of radical Islamic speakers at University College London (UCL) alone. Nottingham came out better by comparison with only one notable incident occurring in the past decade. In 2003, Al-Qaeda recruiter Anwar alAwlaki served as a “distinguished guest” for the Federation of Student Islamic Societies’ annual conference; other speakers included Azzam Tamimi – a votary of terroristic martyrdom – and Ismail Patel, chairman and co-founder of the ‘IslamExpo’. Patel’s bizarrelytitled event has been described by many as facilitating the legitimisation of Islam by providing a platform for both moderate and radical speakers. But are Nottingham and other universities doing the same? Or are we, in the words of Macmillan, the “last bastions” of free expression? An incident with the Christian Union (C.U.) however, demonstrates that societies cannot always control what speakers say at their behest. During their series of lectures held last semester, the C.U. invited Leeds University Professor Andrew McIntosh to speak on the subject of science and religion. Prof. McIntosh instead delivered an anti-intellectualist diatribe, stating that the earth has existed no more than 6000 years, that human beings and dinosaurs co-existed peacefully, and that millennial-aged fossils can be explained away by the intense pressure exerted by the Biblical Flood.

Image: Elliot Ledger Prof. McIntosh’s intransigence knew no bounds when, afterwards, he contended that the field of science is by nature conspiratorial, that everything is decided by researchers in advance, and that the Bible, in fact, is the most direct route to scientific truth. I spoke to the former C.U. committee member who chaired that discussion, Peter Grier. He told me that the C.U. had no consensus on creation, adding that, two weeks following the incident, a speaker, who was an “open advocate of Darwin’s theory”, was invited to chair a meeting in the Physics Building. So embarrassed were the C.U. by McIntosh, a representative was obliged to add a postscript to the event distancing the organisation from the opinions expressed. What this incident serves to show is how certain speakers who opine on the fringes of reason and democracy will often exploit the munificence of the S.U. and the naivety of student-run societies to secure an unregulated rostrum for their libellous misinformation and radical ideas. Interestingly, both the society representatives I spoke to didn’t object to inviting speakers who hold

controversial beliefs on principle, only that they should not be permitted to digress onto certain contentious topics. When questioned about the appropriateness of having a creationist like Prof. McIntosh speak at an academic institution, Geraint from SecularSoc conceded that he doesn’t expressly object to the presence of people like McIntosh; he just believes that they shouldn’t be allowed to talk about creation (or whatever pseudoacademic field they ‘specialise’ in). Perhaps, in the wake of this, the particular mode of free speech permitted within an academic institution should be more concentrated, providing scope only for ideas which adhere to the conventions of the academic process. Geraint adds dryly, “Perhaps, someone needs to explain to these people how science works.” But this response is only applicable when speakers are voicing ideas that are intellectually subversive, not morally or ethically so. The question of racist and radical speakers cannot be dismissed as blithely.

no matter how bilious or militant the argument, it should have a right to be expressed. Across the threshold of faith and disbelief, I found in people a shared, fundamental agreement that freedom of speech ought to prevail in most, if not all, circumstances. And, while the beneficence of this right is open to abuse and maltreatment, this has always been so and, insofar as democracy prevails, is destined to remain so. Intellectual freedom is ranked among the pantheon of Enlightenment values because its principle function is to allow reason to prevail. To conquer the malignant forces of radicalism and extremism, we need more voices, not less. So, be it in response to the spreading of intellectual misinformation or that of supremacist dogma, as students, our responsibility is to speak up in support of our principles, not to silence those that oppose them.

Izz y Scrimshire

But still I feel that out-and-out censorship isn’t the answer. Part of me can’t shake the conviction that NOVEMBER 2011

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SIAN BOYLE CONFRONTS THE NEWFANGLED TREND OF FEMALE-ON-MALE SEXISM IN THE COMMON MEDIA I was in a bar, having a nice drink with my boyfriend when a man looked at me from across the room. Suddenly, I exploded into a tirade at my boyfriend about how men are sleazy, stupid, ignorant and how women are by far superior. I eventually stopped and realised that I’d been ranting like this for a good twenty minutes. My boyfriend blinked at me, bewildered. Poor bloke; he’d only come out for a pint.

Image: Tom Gamon

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Ofcom investigations and public outcry.

hanging off their arms, so they fulfil this fantasy by...seeing several girls at once.” In a recent issue, they published The age-old stereotype that men are a feature titled Inside Men’s Minds: cheats or love-rats who can’t keep Confessions of a Love Rat, which wandering eyes at bay is made explicit offered polemics such as “good cheats, like good criminals, don’t get caught”. IT REINFORCES THE STEREOTYPE That men are “dirty” and “disgusting” THAT MEN ARE ‘SIMPLE-MINDED’, is discussed with free reign in the notorious ITV show Loose Women, WHEREAS WOMEN ARE MORE such as when the subject of sharing GRACEFUL AND INTELLIGENT a bathroom with a male spouse was raised: in Cosmopolitan magazine, which “I cannot bear sharing a bathroom states on its website that: “Most men with a man!” dream of having a string of women “Oh no.”

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NEW SEXISM Furthermore, in some adverts, men’s apparent stupidity, immaturity and ignorance is fully played up in order to juxtapose the intelligence and composure of women, such as in the Bachelors ‘Soupfuls’ adverts, in which two men duel like children, falling over and breaking things. The woman sits calmly and maturely, and eats the soup so that by the time the men have stopped messing around they realise that there is none left. In the Belvita ‘Breakfast Biscuits’ advert Lisa Snowdon patronisingly talk about the “breakfast biscuit” to Johnny Vaughan. The advert ends with him accidentally spilling too much sauce on his breakfast, thereby ruining it, and Lisa laughing at him. It reinforces the stereotype that men are ‘simpleminded’, whereas women are more graceful and intelligent. One of the most recent — and yet pervasive — negative gender stereotypes is that women have control over men. Rochelle Wiseman of The Saturdays states on Glamour.co.uk that: “In every solid relationship that I’ve been in or been around, the man thinks he’s holding the reins, but the woman really is”, while one of the lovely Loose Women — still on the subject of sharing a bathroom with a man — cackles to the other, “do you still make him poo in McDonalds?” Boots seems to be by far the worst culprit in sustaining the idea of the woman having control over the ‘ignorant’ man. In one advert, the husband stands at his front door gratefully thanking his wife for ‘allowing’ him to go to the football match. She slams the door with a “You go darling” and then heads for some pampering in the bathroom, laughing to herself. In another Boots advert, one woman points to a leaf in a tree, exclaiming that she’d love the colour for her hair. Her male companion looks pained when she widens her eyes

and whimpers at him “will you get it for me please?”, but without even so much as a protestation, he climbs the tree to fetch the leaf. The adverts are intentionally comedic but in spite of the humour there is still the explicit notion that men will do anything for a pretty face and a fluttering of the eyelashes. Superdrug, hot on the heels of their competitor, clearly knew a good thing when they saw it and followed with their own man-bashing adverts, such as the one in which a man sees a picture of himself in his girlfriend’s wallet and exclaims, “It’s a picture of me isn’t it!?” The woman and the checkout girl smile insidiously at each other and the man follows his

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ALL OF THESE SEXIST MEDIA COMPONENTS MAY BE LIGHTHEARTED, BUT IT’S IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER WHAT THESE MESSAGES ARE DOING TOGETHER

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“That’s disgusting!”

girlfriend out of the shop reassuring himself, saying “It is!” It’s important to note the songs played in each of the adverts, ‘Here Come the Girls’ from the Sugababes and ‘She’s So Lovely’ by Scouting for Girls, for Boots and Superdrug advertisements respectively. The songs kick in at the punch line of the advert, when the man does something wrong or the woman shows him up. It’s not just pop culture that is to blame: anti-male sexism pervades all aspects of media. In a recent BBC World Service programme, the female host, upon introducing the only male on the panel, says: “And we have a man here…you’re our token male”, which is followed by chortles from the other female panellists. This was in all probability an innocuous statement yet the situation would be different if the guest in question was the ‘token black’, the ‘token gay’ or indeed, the ‘token female’ surrounded by a panel

of guffawing males. Individually, all of these sexist media components may be light-hearted, but it’s important to consider what these messages are doing together, to our collective mind. It all boils down to the fact that just because a group of people are not part of a minority who are discriminated against, it doesn’t justify their being ridiculed, mocked or discussed in a derogatory way. There appears to be a consensus in society that the ‘non-discriminated against’ can be objectified. So, men have become an easy target. Apparently, sexism sells. In researching this article I came across a thread on The Student Room forum titled ‘Sexism Towards Men’. One user wrote: “In the eyes of society, sexism towards men is acceptable but sexism towards women is wrong/ taboo/ sexual harassment and unacceptable because [sic] the way women have always been seen as the ‘lesser’ gender”, while another commented: “I believe sexism exists in society against both males and females, but I do think that sexism against females is decreasing and against males it is increasing.” On Glamour.co.uk, under the feature ‘Is it Ever OK to Makeover Your Man?’ (which goes on to list celebrity men who are ‘better’ after their girlfriends have changed them), one astute reader comments: “Try to turn the headline around: ‘Is it okay to makeover your girlfriend or wife?’... the answer is quite simple, most of us will loathe to be told how to look or act so why in the world would anyone think we have a right to makeover our man?” Beware of the media’s messages and think about how they affect your thoughts. You may be a sexist without even realising it. For more from Sian, please visit her blog at www.impactnottingham.com/ section/features/the-pen-is-mightier

Sian Boyle NOVEMBER 2011

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ORDER! Last week Kenneth Clarke announced that the 85-year-old ban on filming in British courts is to be lifted, allowing judges’ sentencing to be broadcast, starting with the court of appeal with further scope to include the crown court. Jurors’, witnesses’, offenders’ and victims’ remarks are not to be captured in order to avoid jeopardising a fair trial. The announcement has sparked debate regarding the apparent utility of this information for the general public; those in favour argue that the broadcast of verdicts will act as an educative tool into legal practices and “improve the transparency in public services.”

and hiss when prompted by the press. ‘Foxy Knoxy’ — we’ve all heard the nickname, and it’s not just the tabloids that use this epithet to grab attention; a recent article published online by The Telegraph asked “Amanda Knox: Who is Foxy Knoxy?”. The question is rhetorical; the name itself depicts a sexobsessed, seductive, party girl, whose “good looks and enigmatic behaviour thrust her to centre stage.” The notion of performance here is clearly implied. Only friends and family can truly answer the question, “who is Amanda Knox?”

Image: Magdalena Steflova However, recent high profile cases have illustrated that courtroom broadcasting can lead to highly publicised spectacles of legal dramaturgy and in turn irreparably tarnish the reputation of the accused even if they are acquitted. This poses the question: can a ‘not guilty’ verdict really exist when the whole world is your jury? The trial of Amanda Knox for the murder of Meredith Kercher shows just what can happen when footage of those involved is easily accessible; the press feast on the material, publishing sexedup, sellable stories, without the threat of injunction. We live in a society that glorifies the celebrity and where reality television reigns supreme. High-profile televised court cases are therefore bound to turn into pantomimic performances where the general public are persuaded to pick a side and boo

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But most people have an opinion, and whether negative or positive, our opinions are solely based on what we’ve seen on TV or read in the newspapers. The reaction of the crowds outside the court on 3rd of October 2011 when Amanda was acquitted of all charges after four years of imprisonment, clearly illustrated how emotionally involved the public had become in the case, booing and name-calling as the Knox family left the courtroom; the public had evidently passed a judgement of their own and ultimately this is the jury that Amanda Knox will now have to face for the rest of her life. What the British and Italian media have done to Amanda Knox is nothing compared to the complete obliteration of Casey Anthony by the American press. Casey Anthony stood trial for the

murder of her 3-year-old daughter Caylee Anthony this year and was eventually found not guilty. Following her release she then went into hiding after receiving death threats and being declared “the most hated person in America”. The Orlando Sentinel website (the primary newspaper of Orlando, Florida) features not only videos from the courtroom, but also videos of visits from Casey’s family, her reaction when the remains of her daughter’s body were found, the audio of her first telephone call from the Orange County jail, letters written and received by Casey and text messages from her phone released by the state attorney’s office. The release of these documents into the public sphere via the media surely constitutes an unwarranted invasion of privacy and prevents Casey Anthony from leading a normal life following her not guilty verdict. My argument is not that Amanda Knox or Casey Anthony are innocent; what matters is that the jury declared that both of these individuals were not guilty of the crimes for which they were tried. However, due to their coverage in court and the lack of restrictions on what the media can print, they are now so infamous that their ability to live normal lives, as ruled by law, is impossible. Does this indicate devolution of power towards the people, who thanks to such freedom of information, are able to form affective judgment of their own, thus rendering the courts verdict somewhat redundant? Although the introduction of cameras into courtrooms in Britain currently only includes the filming of judges verdicts in the court of appeal, it suggests that we are moving in the direction of the American media and ultimately this could lead to the degeneration of the justice system into another form of primetime entertainment for the public.

Megan Lathwood

ISRAEL AND GAZA

F RO M B OT H S I D E S O F T H E BLO C K A D E In October, the Union’s Debate Society invited Ben White, a Pro-Palestinian freelance writer for The Guardian and New Statesman, and Ran Gidor, an Israeli Embassy Attaché, in to discuss issues in Israel. After the debate, Impact’s Oscar Williams and Dan Fine caught up with the two speakers for an interview. The following is a small extract of the discussion. The full version can be found online at www.impactnottingham.com. Firstly, how damaging do you think the Gilad Shalit deal will be to Abbas and the Palestinian Authority? BW: Well, they’re both claiming some gain. There is a good case to be made by Netanyahu himself; you can see why Hamas would say that too. It’s probably easier to identify one loser which is Abbas. An Israeli newspaper this morning had an editorial saying the swap was massively at the expense of Fatah. Netanyahu’s popularity will go up but I think equally Hamas will get credibility. RG: It’s too early to say. I think that is one of the considerations that delayed the deal for quite some time because we always realised that striking a deal with Hamas could end up strengthening Hamas at the expense of Abbas. However, at the end of the day we had to get Gilad Shalit back home. So I think if both sides, namely Israel and the Palestinians, manage it in a clever way we could minimise the political repercussions for Abbas. Why did the deal happen when it did? Was it at all related to the application for statehood? BW: From Hamas’ point of view? Possibly yeah. I think it was also a good point made related to the regional changes (with the Arab Spring). So Hamas has been feeling pressure related to what’s happening in Syria as well. I’m sure the ‘why now thing’

actually is a response to pressure that Hamas is feeling from the UN bid and also pressure Netanyahu is feeling related to his popularity too because over the summer the protests that took place related to socio-economic changes really damaged Netanyahu’s popularity. RG: So much of the negotiations have been shrouded in mystery and in secret so that all I can do is offer speculations. According to opinion polls in Gaza, we know Hamas felt threatened by the fact that Abbas took the initiative in seeking UN recognition for statehood. Also, we know that Hamas has been threatened by the Arab Spring. Suddenly, all these millions of people across the Middle East are demanding to have civil rights that are denied to the people of Gaza. Thirdly, the Hamas headquarters has been based in Damascus. And of course we all know what has been happening in Syria over the past six, seven months. So it’s fairly likely the Hamas leadership will have to relocate. The only viable alternative as far as they’re concerned to Damascus is Cairo and the Egyptians are pressing Hamas to reach a deal with Israel and Gilad Shalit. So this could be another possible explanation. Do you think Netanyahu and Abbas are the people to bring peace to the region?

BW: On both sides, no. I mean it does need a change of person because you need the right person to reframe it really fundamentally, in my opinion, where the focus is much more on rights so the starting positions are realistically reflective of the fact that Israel has not been interested in creating a Palestinian state ever since it occupied the territories in ’67. It’s gotta reflect the fact that even focusing just on the post-’67 occupation ignores the seminal events of ’48 which culminated in the expulsion of the Palestinians. So in other words, the current framework to do with the negotiations between two parties that aren’t equal is heavily flawed. RG: Again, we are venturing into the realm of speculation. What I can say is both leaders have enjoyed popular support. Both leaders were voted in and this means at the very least they have the mandate from their respective electorates. Whether or not they do so depends not just on themselves but on the extraneous forces and elements, for example, Iran has been doing everything in its power to sabotage relations between Israeli and Palestine. So it’s not just down to Abbas and Netanyahu, but it’s also down to extraneous circumstances.

Dan Fine and Oscar Williams NOVEMBER 2011

MIND THE GAP ‘Fairer Society’? As the cuts continue, will the gap in educational attainment keep growing? “Just 16 per cent of pupils who are eligible for free school meals progress to university in comparison to 96 per cent of young people educated in independent schools.” This may sound like a statistic from decades past, yet it is shocking to realise that these figures were published in 2010. Family income

Image: Adrian Barrow remains the most deciding factor in children’s educational attainment. Whilst the government continues to take austerity measures such as removing funding from education culminating in the rise of tuition fees and the removal of the Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA), we all ask ourselves this one question: will this problem not worsen the situation rather than leading us towards the ‘fairer society’ which Conservative rhetoric proposes? Having come from a state school, to date the range in achievement from my first primary school class is vast. From a class of 28, we have one boy at Oxford studying Maths, around a quarter of us at university, the rest presumably in work whilst

ISSUE 213

two boys are in prison, having not completed their final years of compulsory education. For our year, the theory applies; those of us from the slightly higher-income families proceeded to higher education. Others sadly did not have the same opportunity. Fortunately, I was one of the lucky ones, but the fact that this discrepancy still exists is horrendous. It has been reported that the recent removal of EMA will only continue to exacerbate the problem. £30 a week may not have kept the boys from my class out of prison, but nonetheless, the prospect of no financial support through sixth form, the increased costs of living, and the sight of tripled tuition fees could, not surprisingly, curb the enthusiasm and expectations of the average pupil. Working for minimum wage in an average 30 hour week, an 18-21 year old could earn £24,601 before tax. By comparison, the same three years spent at university could land them with the prospect of £53,000 worth of debt as estimated by the BBC. We all know, and hope, that having a degree will increase our earning potential regardless of the debt; however, the statistics are undeniably daunting. With continuing negative news headlines and statistics, what will it take to convince children from poorer backgrounds that education may be their route to success? I spoke to Nasria, a student from a local Nottingham school that had a high number of students eligible for free school meals. She told me about the effect an inspirational teacher had on her aspirations and the attitudes of her class as a whole. “For most of my time at school I was completely unaware of the opportunities I had to continue with education. For me, I assumed that those who progressed to university did so because they were cleverer than me and there was nothing I could do about it. However,

during year 12 I had a teacher whose lessons were innovative, exciting and interactive. He actually engaged with the class and got us excited about Chemistry. As a passionate teacher, rather than being loud and chatty the class became absorbed by his lessons.” When asked if she thought this teacher had affected her aspirations she said that he had “inspired” her to continue with education when she had previously not thought it possible. “As a child I never would have dreamt of going to university and with the recent rise in fees and general financial situation I was definitely deterred. However, my Chemistry teacher encouraged me to apply. I am about to enter the application process. I am so excited.” In times of economic struggle and widening social divides, inspirational figures should not be the only remedy to the issue of educational disadvantage. Teach First is an independent educational charity that is striving to break the link between family income and educational outcomes. Their unique Leadership Development Programme seeks to take exceptional graduates and place them in schools facing challenging circumstances, to serve as inspirational figures for the students. The programme was founded in 2002 following a report which highlighted the correlation between income and educational achievement, so evidently this problem of social stratification was equally present in the ‘boom’ years, and while funding for this kind of project may run out, the demand for inspiring teachers will not. It may seem that ‘everyone’ goes to university these days, but it is not as natural a progression for all sectors of society, least of all those who endure the most financial hardships.

Elizabeth Hill

T HE MORNING AFTER T H E NIG HT B EFOR E Do you smell that? It’s called tequila and shame. Get used to it; this is the scent you will wake up to every weekend for the next three years. You started the night washed and dressed like a Christmas ham and now you’ve woken up with no clothes, leaves in your hair and the nickname ‘the Logger’. While the humiliation still burns with the power of a thousand suns, put on your proverbial sunglasses and get down to business.

Image: Sophie Fairweather Piece together last night. Think of it as a game of Cluedo, except the rope is a bottle of Glen’s Vodka, the ballroom is a terraced house in Lenton and Professor Plum is a bearded man who has potentially given you a venereal disease. YOU NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT IS IN THAT ENVELOPE. Pity party. Prepare to wallow. Now you have looked through your sent messages and grimly smile through various wildly inaccurate impressions of you taking a call on your shoe; you have a general idea of who to apologise to, which bars you will not be given entry to again and how much to hate the person who sold you that much tequila. Hint: a lot.

Damage control. Isn’t it sweet when old people learn to use the internet? Oh nana, look, you can text, you email, you’ve got Facebook — wait. Move quickly; people who masquerade as your friends will now be tagging pictures that make you look like a tranquilised donkey. Wait for the inevitable phone call and do the right thing: lie like you’re an athlete at an unscheduled drugs screening. “No, grandma, that isn’t me. Sure, she is wearing my clothes but it’s actually my flatmate, Sarah. She says she’s part of Christian Youth. Yeah, I was at Model United Nations last night arguing the case for a reformation in Darfur when this happened. I am as disgusted as you are”. Done. Acceptance. Party’s over, people! Realise that this is just another hilarious anecdote and treat yourself with a celebratory sandwich. Realise this is too soon and retch. Go on Facebook and find that one girl who lives your last night, EVERY NIGHT. You know the one; she’s got three counts of indecent exposure, is not allowed within 300 feet of Burger King and has a folder dedicated to “table dancing with ma gurlz”. Oh look, there she is passed out on a lion in Trafalgar Square. Doesn’t that feel better? Feel a warm sensation. No; it’s not vomit. This is superiority. Embrace it. Now wash, rinse and repeat. If you can’t act like this here, where can you? Magaluf. But flights are expensive! So instead inflict this on your friends and neighbours and revel in the fact that these are the only years when we can get away with this; enjoy it while you can. It is one of our only perks of voluntary poverty. When we do it now, it’s hilarious. It’s when you become THAT forty year old with a perm and eyes as dead as your liver, still grinding on freshers at Cr-isis, that you know the party’s over. Now let’s drink to that.

Phoebe Harkin

Impact’s Columnist

Tom Clements

PEACE IS HARD In one of the most lopsided prisoner exchanges in Israeli history, Gilad Shalit was released from captivity in exchange for 1,027 Palestinians prisoners. After an emotive 5-and-a-half-year saga, it was hard not to feel moved by scenes of a young man reunited with his family. But does such a conciliatory gesture really represent a symbolic step towards peace? Well, I for one am extremely doubtful. Though many Israelis and Palestinians have reacted sympathetically to the exchange, opinions about the realistic significance of the event in the overall peace process are justifiably negative. Many view the deal as short-sighted in that it will only embolden the Islamist Resistance Movement, an organisation which regularly defiles its honourable cause by blowing up buses and murdering innocent civilians. Such an exchange of convicted criminals will surely only rouse the group to increase its status and outstrip the potentially diplomatic partner Israel has in Mahmoud Abbas. Many also see the deal as nothing more than a thinly-veiled PR victory for Israel. Indeed Israel’s key tool in presenting this narrative has been the use of the press, with the main emphasis having been on the release of the one Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldier. The 1,027 Palestinians on the other hand, are merely portrayed as faceless trade objects. The only real way for peace to occur is for the equality of both peoples to be upheld as sacrosanct, because with inequality comes resentment, anger and terrorism; indeed when you treat people as hostile, they will in turn react with hostility. For this reason, I don’t see attacks on Israel’s southern border stopping any time soon, and I can’t therefore see Israel ceasing its military incursions on the Gaza strip either. Let’s be clear about this. Israel is not going away and neither is Palestine, but this one single event should not be viewed as a boon to reducing extremism and therefore achieving peace between the two. In order for genuine peace to occur, Netanyahu desperately needs to start acknowledging the wider issues, otherwise this intractable problem may simply never be put to bed.

NOVEMBER 2011

THE BIG

QUESTION

“In the last 12 months, we have seen the full force of revolution. From the revolution in Libya, to student tuition fees protests, and national riots: the news has been consumed by political and social unrest. So, is revolting the most effective way to generate change?”

“Revolutions may not always achieve their end goals of remarkable, historic change” From the English revolution of the 1600s, to the recent uprisings now referred to as the ‘Arab Spring’, revolution has always been a dominant factor in political histories, but can we see any real advances made as a direct result of these, or any other, uprisings in the past? The answer is simple — yes we can — and no, I’m not simply uttering another Obama rhetoric. I really do mean it. Revolutions may not always achieve their end goals of remarkable, historic

“Only when the revolutionaries are knocking on their door do leaders take notice” Throughout 2011 hardly a week has gone by when some sort of protest hasn’t dominated the news. It appears people suddenly feel protest is an effective way to achieve regime change. Protest is not a new phenomenon; throughout history people have used it to achieve institutional change. Undoubtedly though, there is a new energy in the idea of protest. People have been mobilised by social networking sites and inspired by other protest movements. But how effective have these revolts actually been? Of course it depends on what you deem effective. With the London

change; the Bolsheviks didn’t manage to install Lenin’s vision of communism, nor did the IRA claim victory over a united, free Republic of Ireland, yet no one could argue that either of these revolutions failed to accomplish change. If you are one of the many who argue that revolutions have very little tangible effect, then I urge you to consider one huge area that they always impact on: the human psyche. Laugh all you want but consider this — in what country has any positive political or societal change been actualised without the widespread support of the people? Exactly none. The fact that Egypt, Tunisia and Libya riots there was no apparent goal; they instead seemed to be about some kind of emotional self-expression, but other protests this year have had a focus and therefore more potential for success. Undoubtedly the Middle Eastern uprisings have successfully overthrown several repressive leaders, but still the question remains whether the revolutions will actually achieve civil liberties for the people. History suggests that when violent revolution removes one tyrannical leader it is often replaced with another. In countries like Libya and Egypt it is obviously too soon to say whether real change will reach the everyday lives of its citizens Violent protest to overthrow a regime has clearly been successful this year, but what of single-issue protest, within a regime?

actually achieved change after their uprisings is just bonus to the fact that the Arab world recognised such huge cries for change under governments that in some cases don’t allow opposition parties to exist. Revolutions might fail to achieve changes in constitution or undermine the government of the day, but more often than not they allow the public to discover their rights; their rights to opinion, their rights to choice and most importantly their rights to change. If the psyche of the people isn’t an effective mechanism for change, then I don’t know what is.

Katerina Grass Is protest ever actually listened to by government? Should governments bow down to mob rule anyway? In Britain it would appear that the government doesn’t listen. The student protests were bigger than anyone had anticipated. It was the most mobilised young people had been in a generation. Yet tuition fees are still set to rise from September 2012. It seems that protest is effective when government can no longer ignore it. Only when the revolutionaries are knocking on their door do leaders take notice. Other than that, rightly or wrongly, politicians like David Cameron seem to view protest in the way the rest of us view The Jeremy Kyle Show; irritating but still on TV.

Megan Ballantyne

In the next issue we will be debating.... “Following the recent developments of the Euro and the European Union, the government is split over whether it is in Britain’s main interest to remain part of the EU. It has proven to be a divisive issue, with the Prime Minister backing the continuation of our affiliation with the European Union and with as many as 80 Conservatives taking the opposite stance. Should Britain remain part of the EU or is it time we forged our own path?” Please send your answers to features@impactnottingham.com.

ISSUE 213

WAVE YOUR RAVE FORTUNE BOY Monday morning, the most painful point of the week where everything seems more of an effort: getting out of bed, picking out an outfit, showering and blow-drying hair, and worst of all, having to prepare a packed lunch. Now I can’t solve all of these, but I can do something about the latter in the form of a Sunday night Fortune Boy. Instead of putting together my usual tuna, cheese and cucumber sandwich, I simply grabbed my leftover chicken balls and chow mein out of the fridge and headed to uni, anxious to make it to a time of day when it’s acceptable to start eating lunch (I almost made it to midday). Not only did I have a delicious dinner cooked and delivered

straight to my front door (slightly lazy I know when I live only a couple of roads up from Lenton Boulevard, where Fortune Boy is located) but I got cold Chinese for lunch, and you just can’t beat cold Chinese lunch. If for some inexplicable reason you are not a fan of cold Chinese lunch, then you can still stretch one order out to cover more than one meal. When you’re getting ready for a night out cooking dinner wastes valuable prelash time and you’re inevitably going to buy food on your way home anyway so in the interest of saving some time and even some pennies, order food in and instead of leaving any leftovers up for grabs for your housemates, just put them in the fridge, go to Ocean, come

home, heat up and enjoy. Food always tastes better at three in the morning after a few (or plenty) drinks anyway and ultimately it’ll make your friends jealous when they’re tucking into their excuse-for-a-pizza which looks great, but actually has no taste and you’re whipping out the aromatic duck pancakes or some crispy chilli beef. Everyone has their favourite takeaway haunts back home but after a year of Fortune Boy my regular Chinese just didn’t make the cut; my first Chinese on my return to Nottingham lived up to expectations and didn’t disappoint!

Ellis Schindler

VENT YOUR SPLEEN ROGUE LANDLORDS After living in catered halls for a year where dealing with incessant fire alarms, horrific food, and limited living space became integral to everyday life, the prospect of finally qualifying as a proper ‘adult’ with my own house, was a heart-warming thought indeed. That was however, until we were introduced to the terrifying concept of The Landlord.

turned out) my mother could be seen swooning with fear. Swooning rapidly transformed to deathly faint on the discovery of dirty pants nestled cosily inside my bed. Complemented by dirty socks in the wastepaper basket, peeling wallpaper, a hole in the wall, a floor enmeshed in dirt, hair and debris; my jaw was clenched, hackles raised and I was raring for a fight.

Having never encountered this particular breed before, my overtly naïve expectations of being adopted by a big, benevolent angel, who would watch over our Lenton household with the utmost diligence, came crashing all too rapidly to the ground.

Thinking perhaps the rest of the household would be in a better state of repair, we ventured forward with baited breath, only to be met with abject and bitter disappointment. The toilet basin was splattered in old vomit, the toilet lid was unhinged, the shower blocked, kitchen cupboards broken and various ominous brown stains meandered along the walls of the house. Shudder.

On arrival at our domestic haven (or not so much haven but hovel as it later

The fundamental question therefore seems to be; if you are a student, are

you subjected to inferior treatment by landlords? The answer is strikingly clear. A landlord would not offer such a flea-ridden house, boasting such an abysmal hygienic standard, to a family or a couple in their thirties, and expect to get away with it. So why students? We should not have to be reduced to a subhuman level. Unfortunately the word ‘student’ is associated with slovenliness and messiness; and while this is true for a certain number of us, we do not all deserve to be branded under that same label. So for those in catered halls this year wishing they had their own home; hold your horses and devour with ferocious appetite the joys of functioning heating, a spacious bedroom and a set of four complete walls.

Helena Murphy

NOVEMBER 2011

WEEK ONE 2011

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ISSUE 213

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FILM THE NAME’S FASSBENDER, MICHAEL FASSBENDER

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While re-watching Steven Spielberg’s World War II opus Band of Brothers, I was surprised by how many big-name, British talents are to be found in the American TV miniseries: James McAvoy, Simon Pegg, Stephen Graham, Tom Hardy and Michael Fassbender. All had major roles and are now all over our film and television screens, ten years on from being cast together. British actors seem to be in far higher demand now than for quite a while, so why is this? Tom Hardy was first seen in Band of Brothers, and has since had an incredibly diverse and critically acclaimed career, taking on all kinds of roles, from Handsome Bob in RocknRolla, to Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights, to his breakout role as Eames in last summer’s Inception (for which he won the BAFTA rising star award). He recently turned in a stellar performance in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, and will next be seen playing villain Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. Another young Brit whose stock is also rapidly rising is Andrew Garfield; he has worked with directors such as David Fincher and Terry Gilliam, and will next summer be appearing as the new Spider-Man. Amongst these fellas, however, there is one actor who is leading the way in cinematic talent at the moment…

Originally from Heidelberg, but raised in Killarney, Ireland, Michael Fassbender seems to be an unlikely fit for the leading British actor, but as he currently resides in London, often plays Englishmen and is, at time of writing, the frontrunner to succeed Daniel Craig as James Bond at the next re-boot, we can feel comfortable claiming him as one of our own. Thus far Fassbender’s biggest roles have included Magneto in the most recent X-Men film, and Archie Hicox in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds. Fassbender has made canny career choices, picking his projects wisely, and his CV is a long list of engaging and compelling films (300 aside). His breakthrough role came in 2008 with Hunger, in which he played IRA volunteer and prisoner Bobby Sands, who died as a result of the 1981 ‘Dirty Protest’ and hunger strike. It is a powerful, bleak and challenging movie, built entirely around Fassbender’s incredible performance, for which he won Best British Actor at the British Independent Film Awards, amongst other widespread critical acclaim. For the role he went on a crash diet, living on just 600 calories a day in order to appear as emaciated as Bobby Sands did before his death. Shortly after Hunger, he appeared in two lesser-known but undeniably brilliant works, firstly the disturbing hoodie-horror Eden Lake, then council estate drama Fish Tank, which won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Nevertheless, it is only in 2011 that he has properly ascended to the level of full-blown, headlining star. In June, he starred as mutant Magneto in Matthew Vaughn’s X-Men: First Class, and a few months later as Rochester in Jane Eyre. These two films are really the first that the wider cinema-going public will have seen him in and in both he puts in performances that arguably surpass the overall quality of the films.

Historically, in Hollywood at least, British actors get cast as the villain (Alan Rickman, Gary Oldman, Anthony Hopkins etc), possibly due to a sustained sense of resentment towards the oppressive colonial force of the late 18th Century, which may or may not still reside in the psyche of American casting directors. However, it seems that with a new wave of young, British actors leading the way in films from both sides of the pond (with only the likes of Ryan Gosling being a currently comparable Stateside actor) the talent of these men is finally and rightly being recognised. Fassbender, with a seemingly relentless output, will be seen in numerous upcoming works. Of particular note is Shame (also starring Carey Mulligan, perhaps Fassbender’s female equivalent), which was greatly received at the London Film Festival. Furthermore, there’s A Dangerous Method, directed by David Cronenberg, about the relationship between Carl Jung (Fassbender) and Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen) and their conflict over the affections of a female patient. And finally there’s Prometheus, Ridley Scott’s Alien prequel/ re-boot/ parallel storyline. I would say remember the name, but quite frankly, I don’t think you’ll be able to avoid it.

David Bruce

NOVEMBER 2011

FILM

SCANDINAVIA REMADE so brilliant that they’ve warranted English adaptation.

Steig Larsson, Niels Arden Oplev, Noomi Rapace and Tomas Alfredson — not exactly the names you would expect to have a lot of resonance in the world of cinema or television. After all, more often than not foreign film is the exclusive refuge of avid fans in search of something exotically alien yet cruelly ignored. Män som hatar kvinnor (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Låt den rätte komma in (Let The Right One In) and Forbrydelsen (The Killing) are but a few of the recent success stories that have been

Still, attention must be drawn to some of the questionable adaptations of these Scandinavian masterpieces. Let The Right One In was initially a minor cult hit that achieved its eventual success because of its captivating narrative revolving around bullying, family separation and alienation. However, Matt Reeves’ Let Me In concentrated far too heavily on the vampire element, rather than the simple innocence of childhood that came to define Let The Right One In. Moreover, the USproduced The Killing took broad, simplistic impressions of the originally multifaceted characters. That is not to say that these versions are bad; rather that they’re just clunky, and detract from the joy of the original material. Though, with David Fincher at the

helm of the latest adaptation of the phenomenon that was The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, we may well get to see a film worthy of our attention. Overall, the recent interest from the English-speaking film and television community has demonstrated the wealth of quality within foreign media. Arguably, this quality is not exclusively reserved to Scandinavian countries — every country enjoys this experience, whether it is French New Wave cinema or Japan’s Anime films. Scandinavia it would seem has for now found its niche with these dark, unsettling dramas that have captured the avid interest of critics and audiences alike, and rightly so.

Ben James

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE LONDON FILM FESTIVAL 2011

This year’s BFI London Film Festival was a procession of interesting films, events and celebrity spots. Here’s a rundown of the highlights… The best film on show was Shame, Steve McQueen’s follow-up to 2008 Irish political drama Hunger. Like the latter, this story of a New York sex-addict stars Michael Fassbender, a man who has quickly become one of the year’s hottest commodities after parts in X-Men: First Class, Jane Eyre and A Dangerous Method. A superlative exploration of a little-known condition, the film chews you up and spits you out as a different person on the other side; and the unrelenting downward spiral of Fassbender’s character may be tricky to watch but it is absolutely riveting. A close second was Michael Hazanavicius’ silent movie homage The Artist.

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This inspired gem, which is set during the transitional era between the silent pictures and ‘talkies’, is a brilliantly clever hark back to the ‘Golden Age’ of Hollywood, filmed entirely in black & white. You’ll find yourself laughing out loud on numerous occasions, and perhaps welling up at the more dramatic moments; it’s highly unlikely you’ll have much more fun at the cinema this year. Moving onto specific categories, two documentaries stood out as highlights. Firstly, Dragonslayer, the story of a washed-up skateboarding pro, was a touching piece of factual filmmaking. With a wonderful balance between fun and intrigue, this cracking flick was one of my favourites of the festival. Secondly, Dreams of a Life: as the story of a well-liked woman who died alone on her sofa, with her body not being discovered for a staggering six years, this was not an easy watch, but a greatly affecting one. It ends on a beautiful and haunting note that may leave you in tears.

In the realms of foreign language cinema, the social drama The Kid With a Bike was a big audience hit, and the Austrian redemption story Breathing blew me away with its flawless production and pacing as well as its immersive understated nature. Other notable mentions: 50/50, a mainstream ‘cancer comedy’ that beautifully pitches humour and drama. The Ides of March, a chilling and brutal political drama directed by and starring George Clooney. The Descendants, Alexander Payne’s follow up to the brilliant Sideways; didn’t reach the lofty peaks of its predecessor but was enjoyable. Dendera, a completely bonkers gory Japanese film about bear-fighting elderly women. Best event – George Clooney did an immaculate press conference for The Ides of March and Seth Rogen was hilarious in the 50/50 Q&A. Finally, best celebrity spot – Michael Fassbender stood next to me at the BFI.

Tom Grater

IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM/FILM

THE ONLY WAY IS CHELSEA SHORE As I found myself discussing the relationship status of Mark Wright, star of The Only Way Is Essex, during a lecture on the crisis in Libya, it dawned on me that somewhere along the line, I had grossly misjudged my priorities. Why was it that the love life of a man I had never met was absorbing my attention over such pressing, socio-political affairs? Being a politics student, I felt understandably guilty, yet it led me to question what exactly it is that has drawn us to the ‘stars’ of reality television. These shows are unavoidable, whether you enjoy them or not, permeating our lives at a rate that’s virtually impossible to keep up with. No longer are we satisfied with reading a weekly magazine or a tabloid; now The Only Way is Essex, Made in Chelsea and Geordie Shore allow us unparalleled access into the lives of their ‘characters’.

not reality, but rather a television programme that has brought people and situations together in order to create watchable television?

Our fascination with the lives of people we have not met is by no means a new phenomenon; during the period of the Romantics, for example, we had Lord Byron, arguably the first ‘celebrity’ in the modern sense. Humans by their nature seek escapism and a distraction from their seemingly mundane lives. In the current economic climate, it is unsurprising that we turn to those who we perceive to be living a life more glamorous than our own. Yet, despite what your housemates might say, to what extent do we actually watch these shows ironically? In the knowledge that what occurs is in fact

Has this new wave of reality television gone too far? Geordie Shore in particular has provoked outrage from many, who called it borderline pornographic, as well as an unfair portrayal of Northerners. Has our fixation upon that which is not real drawn us away from what is truly important, or should we embrace these shows for what they are – harmless and light hearted entertainment? Whichever side of the debate you may fall on, I must shamefully confess that when the 10 o’clock News starts on Sunday night, my television will be firmly set on ITV2 and The Only Way is Essex.

Florence Keen

SWEEPING CUTS HIT THE BBC Due to the fact that the licence fee has now been frozen until April 2017, the BBC is facing major cuts of up to 20% in its budget. As a result the BBC needs to make significant savings, and some programmes will see a reduction in their budgets while others will be cut completely. So how are we, the licence fee payers, going to be affected by these cuts? Fans of Escape to the Country and other such shows are likely to be disappointed as repeats of factual programming will gradually take their place in the daytime schedule. Prime time drama and comedy, however, are being protected and more money will be available for serious factual programmes on BBC Two and BBC Four. The BBC News division has not been as fortunate: of the two thousand jobs that will be lost, several hundred will be from News. The BBC has been criticised by some for the impact these cuts will have on local news agencies,

Image: Adrian Barrow

particularly as there will soon be fewer bulletins and neighbouring regions will start sharing current affairs programmes. Staff at BBC Nottingham, the home to East Midlands Today, said the cuts “will hit local broadcasting disproportionately”. A BBC spokesman responded by saying “We are seeking to achieve these savings at times which will have the lowest impact on audiences.”

Some have argued that the BBC shouldhave simply sacrificed a channel, maybe BBC Three or Four, but both are often the site of new, interesting and refreshing programming; indeed BBC Four is receiving more funding to further this. All in all it seems that the high quality drama and factual programming that the BBC are associated with will remain untouched for now, but the future remains uncertain for the rest of the Corporation.

Edward Haynes NOVEMBER 2011

FILM

STAFF SCRAPBOOK: 80’S MOVIES Hollywood has recently taken to remaking the films that defined the 80s. Whatever you think of the new versions, the originals were undeniably great films. Here are three of our favourites.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

Katherine Dixon

Freddie Krueger – the man you’ve seen in almost every horror parody; burnt face, creepy smile and gloves with kitchen knives for fingernails. This early slasher is truly sinister, hunting teenage girls in see-through nightgowns around their neighbourhood and whispering sweet death-threats into their ears. A fear of being killed in your nightmares is timeless, alongside the ageold disbelieving-parents-who are-more-concerned-about- teenage-sex-thana-killer-on-the-loose stereotype. Plus, it’s hilarious. Brought to you by the man who directed all four Scream films, the balance of tongue-in-cheek comedy and grizzly murders means it’s gory enough to make you wince but not so much you’ll lose sleep over it. Johnny Depp makes his debut as a babyfaced jock, appearing in twenty-five more films before his first appearance as Captain Jack Sparrow. Seeing such an acclaimed actor in his first film complete with eighties hairstyle and a two-dimensional character is brilliant fun. The retro feel and cheesy acting is what early horrors are all about.

Footloose

Samantha Driscoll

In 1984, a film about teenagers fighting the censorship of music and dancing in a town called Bomont, emerged. It shot Kevin Bacon to fame and the soundtrack knocked Michael Jackson’s Thriller off the top of the charts. While the initial reception was mixed, it became the film of a dance generation, getting just about everyone to “kick off their Sunday shoes”. Joining 1983’s Flashdance and ushering in 1987’s Dirty Dancing, it was among the first proper teen flicks and one of the original modern dance films. Close to three decades later, it’s being remade. The film that defined music and dancing for a stifled generation, reproduced in an era with virtually no barriers to break. The generation gap was core to the story of Footloose; will the same gap between its original audience and its new audience ironically be its un-doing?

The Thing

David Smith

Released in 1982, it takes place in an Arctic research station, where The Thing, a bloodthirsty, parasitic, shape-shifting alien, attacks Kurt Russell and his team of doomed researchers. Upon release the film was a financial disappointment, but has recently been elevated to the status of cult film, now cited as one of the greatest horror films ever made. Persistently placing in top 100-horror film or scariest moment lists, it was also selected in 2008 as one of Empire’s 500 greatest movies. So what is it that made The Thing, like a whole host of 80s films, become such a hit more than 2 decades after its release? For me The Thing remains one of the scariest films I’ve ever seen. If you haven’t watched many horror films, or perhaps have only seen Paranormal Activity, this film is a must-see as one of the defining works in the gory-body-horror genre. It’s most definitely a horror classic; I can see no reason why it should disappear from our late-night TV screens any time soon.

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STYLE

STYLE CLOSET

Throw this outfit on for something cosy and casual. This winter is all about textures, so give your summer wardrobe some extra mileage by layering up delicate lace and sequin tops with your chunky woollen knits. Tuck this shirt into the skirt and throw the jumper on, ensuring the beaded collar is peeping out at the top. We would team this outfit with a black brogue or Chelsea boot and some matt black tights for warmth!

What would Lauren do? by Lauren Sanders

For an evening look I would lose the jumper and add these Astrid Platform boots from Topshop. They are pricey, but for me they are the ultimate Christmas boot and can be worn over and over again. This bag is a fun addition as well, adding texture and a playful touch to your outfit. Also, try adding some elegant and soft gold jewellery to lighten the rest of this bold look.

Alexa Chung was spotted in a pair of Miu Miu’s glitter shoots, very similar to these. Bag – www.topshop.co.uk - £50

Boots – www.topshop.co.uk - £80

What would Hannah do? by Hannah Wilkinson

Whilst the weather may be dull and gloomy, in the world of fashion, gone are the dark hues of winter! Why not throw a splash of colour into your wardrobe and swap flats for some vibrant, jewel-coloured platforms? I would also lose the jumper, add this beautiful vintage ring and combine it with a richly coloured fur bag for the perfect evening look.

Ring - www.rokit.co.uk - £15 Shoes – www.misselfidge.co.uk £58

1. Jumper – www.nostalgianow.co.uk £10 2. Shirt – www.missselfridge.co.uk - £39 3. Skirt – www.rokit.co.uk - £25 4. Slipper shoes – www.topshop.co.uk - £28

Being practical is not always number one on our agenda when purchasing that must-have item. So the Style team have selected a few key pieces to transform this outfit with very minimal effort.

Bag – www.topshop.co.uk - £38

NOVEMBER 2011

STYLE

STAFF SCRAPBOOK: 80’S MOVIES IS THERE STILL A SIZE ZERO DEBATE?

NO!

Dress sizes are forever at the heart of the debate concerning the ‘irresponsible’ image that is projected by the ubiquity of very thin models in the fashion world. This, however, is a suggestion that can be rebuffed with ease. In response to the death of size zero model Ana Carolina Reston in 2006, Milan Fashion Week officials banned size zero models from their shows, proceeding from autumn/ winter 2007 collections. A ripple effect immediately took place, with fashion houses Prada and Versace joining the campaign. With such high-profile pressure, it was inevitable that healthier models would start to appear. Now we can see Adele gracing the cover of the October issue of British Vogue, discussing how she’d never sell her name

YES!

Many are convinced that the fashion world and its elite finally have a handle on this sensitive subject which continues to dominate fashion headlines, rather than the fashion itself. On the contrary, size zero very much appears to continue to be the LBD of clothing sizes. Flipping through the pages of Vogue or watching a fashion show almost becomes indoctrination as the models seen before you, wearing the season’s must-haves, appear firstly as regular women, until you snap yourself out of a clothing-induced haze and realise that these girls are far from normal. The Erdem show, which took

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to a product “unless it was full-fat-Coke”; this is followed by Rihanna covering the November issue. Both women are a far cry from size zero. Similarly, TV personality Kim Kardashian, when promoting the Kardashian fashion line with Sears department store, preached that “skinny is a style of jeans, not a goal”. Concerns about models’ health are also often exaggerated or fantastical. An assumed diet of salad leaves, energy drinks and the occasional hit of something more illegal is enough to make most casting agents scoff in amusement. Beauty starting from the inside is more applicable than ever in the modelling business. A model’s health defines his or her employability; if a malnourished model looks unattractive, they won’t be hired. Model Daisy place in February of this year, was heavily criticised for its use of painfully thin models. It is this bizarre championing of the prepubescent form which many in the fashion world continue to lean towards. By using child models in an adult-focused industry, such as Lena-Rose Blondeau, the ten year old who was featured in French Vogue, the ‘old’ models have little choice but to compete and lose the little weight which makes them healthy. A recent novelty, as a response to the use of such skinny girls in fashion, is the launch of amateur modelling competitions for ‘plus-size’ women. I say ‘plussize’, but these women are UK sizes twelve to fourteen. How this is considered large, I will never understand, and if that is the case, myself and the

Lowe recently commented on just how much of an ‘athlete’ you need to be to survive Fashion Week. The long hours and excessive travel needed to take part in up to 15 shows require excessive energy, therefore a well-balanced diet is necessary. Furthermore, the prejudice against models is clear, since the same regime is used by professional ballerinas, gymnasts and athletes yet it is their career achievements that remain the focus of the media. When discipline is mistaken for starvation and judgement becomes the norm, we need to correct the errors. It’s time to stop talking about size zero; if we don’t talk about it, critics can’t listen and this storm-ina-teacup can dissolve just as quickly as it developed.

Rosie Feenstra

Fashion Fox Pas

JAMES FOX’S GUIDE ON WHAT NOTTS TO WEAR:

Leavers hoodies with denim skirt: I would fund a Notts leavers ‘11 hoodie and have people who wear them leave campus right away! Jeggings: If you’re donning jeggings, ‘jeg’ on mate!

majority of my friends are all apparently on the bigger side of the clothing rack. Two main players in the fashion industry, Lara Stone and Adriana Lima, were both hailed as being a retaliation to the extreme size zero image requirements sought after by fashion photographers, editors and designers. I feel this is somewhat ridiculous as I fail to see how either of these women could possibly be called ‘curvy’.

Plunge Neck t-shirts: JLS?! More like lameLS

You know the situation is serious when women such as Erin O’Connor, who loves fashion and is actively involved in advocating the industry, described models backstage at London Fashion Week as having “the dimensions of a reed”. That says it all really.

Pauls Boutique Bag: When you took the rubbish out this morning you forgot to put your trash bag in the bin.

Abiie Robinson

ESPADRILLS: Espabrilliant in summer but would you wear moon boots in August? Carrot Leg Trousers: You would probably look better if you were a carrot.

SuperDRY T-Shirt: By name and by nature.

IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM/STYLE

SHOP, COLLABORATE AND LISTEN Emily Tarbuck

Missoni for Target, 2011

Matthew Williamson and H&M,

Valentino for Gap, Giles Deacon and New Look…the list of low/ high-end designer collaborations is seemingly never-ending. It has now become almost impossible to think of a designer brand that hasn’t created a hybrid collection for the high street. The latest fashion romance, Versace for H&M, perfectly encapsulates the concept of designer and high street collaborations, an iconic brand offering their designs to the masses, at a (supposedly) affordable price. The collection does contain some standout pieces that are quintessential of the Versace aesthetic, such as, cutaways and numerous gold studs, but with cheap-looking prints and some very questionable leggings, one can’t help but think that if the Versace name weren’t attached, this collection wouldn’t be getting nearly as much attention. Fashion collaborations have been alive and thriving for years, and H&M have been host to some top guest designers from the outset; Karl Lagerfeld and Comme des Garçons in 2004 and 2008 respectively. However their insight comes into question when you recall their ‘Waste’ collection – a line made from left-over fabric from the Lanvin for H&M collaboration, designed by H&M’s own designers but still priced far above the average item found in the store. Triumphant and inventive collaborations are unfortunately in the minority, with collections

often falling into the overpriced, poor quality and over-hyped category. Some critics argue that high street stores often just use the association and iconography of the designer in order to charge extortionate prices. The other form of collaboration that has become infamous in recent years is that between brand and celebrity. Some celebrities seem to think that their stardom entitles them to become a quasi-designer, but judging by the collective efforts from the likes of Avril Lavigne for Kohls and Sarah Jessica Parker’s ‘Bitten’ line for Steve and Barry’s, perhaps the designing is best left to the professionals.

Success stories aren’t impossible to find though, from huge financial gain for H&M and affordable luxury for the public thanks to Karl Lagerfeld’s collection, as well as the surprise hit of TwentyEightTwelve by Sienna and Savannah Miller. However, with the great unfortunately comes the downright weird, seen in the Armani/ Reebok line which contained odd hybrids of business shoes turned trainers and Cynthia Rowley for — wait for it — Pampers nappies. When talking about designer collaborations, it is very much a case of the good, the bad and the ugly, with occasional lines breaking the mould to create some truly aweinspiring pieces. Collaborations are undoubtedly now part of the fabric of fashion retail. However, with this come its unfavourable consequences, of often poor quality and uninspiring clothing, huge mark-ups of items on eBay and pandemonium when the latest hits the stores. All this has led me to question whether the popularity of collaborations has gotten out of hand and whether they are really worth the expense.

The very authenticity of such collaborations is also regularly called into question, namely with Lauren Conrad’s uninspiring clothing line, which was surrounded by rumours that she didn’t design a single piece herself, or fashion’s darling, Alexa Chung’s 2009 collection with New Look, where you’ll notice how her personal style isn’t reflected in the items whatsoever. Despite the clothes often falling short of expectations, the designer/ high street collaborations draw eager crowds of thousands and often sell out within days. Retailers are keen to promote these collections as opportunities for the average shopper to own a piece of (almost) designer clothing, but for the companies they are just a shrewd business move. It’s easy to see why retailers and designers keep churning out collaboration after collaboration; for the designers it is widespread media exposure and profits that are too good to decline in a time where mass merchants like Topshop and H&M rule the consumer market. Karl Lagerfeld for H&M, 2004

NOVEMBER 2011

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UoN Kooples

THIS PAGE: Nic wears; Coat, Uniqlo; Shirt, Zara; Cardigan, Uniqlo; Tie,Gap; Trousers, Zara; Shoes, Ted Baker; Belt, Ted Baker Charlotte wears; Coat, Zara; Skirt, American Apparel; Blouse, Zara; Tights, Primark; Shoes, Russell and Bromley. OPPOSITE PAGE : Nic Wears; Jacket, River Island; Jumper, Asos; Jeans, Topman; Shoes, Air Max 1. Charlotte wears; Jumper, Gap; Belt, Topshop; Leather Shorts, Topshop; Bowler Hat, Asos; Leopard Print Boots, Topshop; Watch, Toy Watch. Styled and Directed By: Emma-Jane Steele and Hannah Donald Photography By: Matthew Whiteley and Helen Miller Photo editting: Alix Blankson Models: Nic Nic & Charlotte en couple depuis 18 mois

Hayman and Charlotte Nieto.

TRAVEL

BEGGING:

BEGGING HELPS THE LOCALS When travelling in third world countries, the swarm of beggars on the streets with cupped hands outstretched, children pulling at your clothes, mothers crying whilst sickly babies barely stay upright on their shoulders and old men and women diseased and doubled over, is a common sight. How could anyone shun these people? Guilt is a major reason why tourists from around the world give money to beggars on the streets. It may be a selfish motive but sparing a few pennies for people, who have nothing, when travellers often have everything they could ever need, seems like a very small donation. When in India this summer, I paid for a meal in a restaurant, but after seeing a mother with two children begging outside the window I immediately asked for the

food to be wrapped up and given to them. Money is clearly not the only solution. I do not wish to support the ‘begging mafia’ but sometimes donations are needed. Senegal is a country in western Africa that is not the typical tourist destination. Those that do travel here witness the 100,000 child beggars, most of whom are in the capital, Dakar. Some of these children are forced to beg by their teachers and can be beaten if they do not bring enough money back to their school. This is what is meant by ‘begging mafia’. But if a few of our pennies can stop children being abused in such a horrific way, then it is definitely a worthy cause.

In Cambodia there are thousands of blind, disabled and terribly disfigured people, young and old, who have no means of earning money. Blind parents are led around hand-in-hand by their children and their disfigured faces will stay with you for life. Countries like this do not have a good welfare system for people in this situation – begging is the only answer. If we do not give them money, then who will?

Victoria Mcdowall

Often people have no choice but to beg.

BEGGING HINDERS THE LOCALS As a tourist in South East Asia, it is inevitable that one will be consistently bombarded with pleas for money. This is due in part to the wealth inequalities that exist in this region, but also in my opinion, that in many cases people choose to beg tourists for money instead of bettering themselves with education and jobs. On the principle of trying to discourage them from begging, my friends and I therefore decided not to give money to each and every beggar that we saw. In Vietnam, we encountered a teenage boy trying to guilt-trip us into giving him money in order for him to go to school the next day. But it occurred to us: why, in a country where education is free, wasn’t he there already? We decided that the best thing to do was not to be taken in by him, as by giving him money we might actually be encouraging him to beg more and thus

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he would continue. If we didn’t, then there might be no other alternative for him than to go to school, apart from perhaps getting a ‘proper’ job instead. In Cambodia, many of us found it particularly difficult to refrain from giving money when confronted with very young children beggars, some of which didn’t even have mothers with them and were simply wandering the streets on their own asking for money. The main thing that prevented us from succumbing to our guilt was the fact that having travelled around SE Asia for several months, we had been confronted by hundreds of beggars, and it is simply impossible to decide who is worthier of your money. We found this hard, especially in Cambodia when you can see several beggars on one street; you simply couldn’t give to one and then ignore the others.

Image: Elliot Ledger

It was for these reasons that we decided instead to give money to those who were attempting to better themselves in life, even by doing the simplest things such as tours and selling tea or souvenirs. We decided that those who were trying were more deserving of our money and that perhaps that would help to encourage others to follow their lead.

Victoria Bell

IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM/TRAVEL

THE BIG ISSUE BEGGING IN THE UK Why is it that in the UK we are so quick to believe that the beggars on our streets are there out of choice but when it comes to abroad we feel that they have no other option? Controversially, in 2003 the government made begging a recordable offence. This was an attempt to tackle anti-social behaviour with the government claiming, “some aggressive beggars…can intimidate the public”. Is begging a problem of anti-social behaviour or of social exclusion? When looking at Asia, almost all of us would say that it was a problem of the latter. The homelessness charity Crisis estimates that over 80% of beggars in the United Kingdom have nowhere to live. Officially there are 1,247 homeless people in the UK but charities estimate the figure to be at least ten times higher than this. Shockingly, the government

has been reported to often not count people as homeless unless they are lying down asleep. In a stark contrast to official figures Centrepoint claims, “80,000 young people experience homelessness in the UK each year”. Of course in places such as Asia this figure is inordinately higher, reaching in to the millions, and yes, the beggars in third world countries suffer from higher rates of poverty and disease than in our own country. However, it’s all relative: Asia takes up 30% of the Earth’s surface and has a population of almost four billion people whereas the UK takes up only 0.16% of the Earth’s surface and has a population of approximately only sixty two million people. Comparatively, the differences between the people begging in this country and the general public are just as stark as the differences between

the beggars in Asia and the general population there. Despite a popular feeling in recent years that beggars in the UK are driven by greed not need, begging at home occurs just as much out of necessity as it does abroad. Once homeless, it is extremely hard to receive benefits or get work; there is no other source of income for these people as with beggars that we sympathise with overseas. Although the problem may seem worse abroad than here in the UK, we have to remember how small the UK is as an entity and that to have, as estimated by homelessness charities, tens of thousands of people sleeping rough and begging is just not acceptable. In my opinion, this issue can be tackled by supporting charities such as Crisis, Shelter and Centrepoint.

Charlotte Neales

Image: Shannon Straney

NOVEMBER 2011

TRAVEL THE INAUTHENTIC HILLTRIBE EXPERIENCE Having devoted a considerable proportion of summer 2010 to reading On the Road and The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac, my spirit had been suitably roused for a whirlwind adventure. Fortunately, those dreams were realised this summer when armed with travel buddy, backpack and camera, we jetted off to absorb the culture of East Asia. After researching essential ‘must see attractions’ in Thailand we decided to head off to the remote mountainous areas of Chiang Mai to visit the Akha, Hmong, Lisu and Long Neck Karen tribes. Having built up an imaginary scenario in my mind’s eye of becoming bosom buddies with the hill tribe members, gleaning stories of their experiences and generally sharing smiles all round, it became apparent that my expectations were to be rapidly deflated

as the ugly reality reared its head.

of their ‘cultural experience’.

We immediately found ourselves asking the pivotal question; has it reached the stage where travellers are interrupting and even insulting indigenous cultures, rather than exploring and developing cross-cultural relationships with hill tribes?

Not ones to admit defeat, we proceeded to wander through the villages observing the handcrafted jewellery, the embroidered bags and clothing with respectful admiration and smiles. However, when I stared into each person’s face, I could detect no trace of hospitality or even curiosity; only boredom and disinterest as they swiped flies from their skin.

After paying an astronomical fee of 500 baht (the equivalent of £10) for entrance to the hill tribe villages, it was instantly evident that these villages and their local natives had become little more than human zoos, fed and maintained by a flood of eager western tourists. Travellers and families were to be spotted brandishing cameras without modesty in the faces of the native people in the most insulting manner, clamouring for the capture of a prize photograph, which would be the trophy

In short, the afternoon left me feeling awkward, uncomfortable and wishing that I had never ‘toured’ through villages, which dehumanise people in such an obvious manner. It is sad to realise that such cultures now sell their traditions to tourism and have unfortunately become objects of amateur anthropology.

Helena Murphy

DIRT, DEATH AND DISSERTATIONS Feeling courageous or foolish, this summer I embarked on a two-week trip to Varanasi to undertake research for my dissertation… and I travelled alone! Varanasi, Shiva city, the beating heart of Indian Hinduism, known once as the ‘City of Life’, (ironic perhaps as it’s also a city of considerable death), is by far the most relentlessly indiscreet place I have ever been to. The tangle of tiny galis (alleys) are overflowing with chai stands, trinket sellers, temples, cows, and hundreds of pilgrims…not to mention the draped corpses that wind their way through the back streets of the old city. Although prepared for many a close encounter with dead bodies, I never expected them to be floating past my balcony face down in the Ganges, nor did I think I would find myself stepping carefully around

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the severed leg of a baby. But this is the norm in Varanasi; no one even flutters so much as an eyelid. To add to the countless corpses and copious amounts of cow dung lining the streets, was the unrelenting attention I received from touts, beggars and local men alike. In other circumstances, I might have been flattered by the ceaseless stares and swooning but when trudging through the less than fragrant back alleys, at times knee deep in dirty water, a new boyfriend was not what I wanted. The same was true of my lovely little hostel where massages were not only offered, but obligatory, where wandering hands crept up from behind and knocks on the door for naked massages became commonplace. And not a woman in sight. I have never really considered myself

foolish or easily taken in, but somehow on my penultimate night in Varanasi, I found myself sitting cross-legged in the house of a holy Baba, wearing the old man’s lungi (read loincloth) and nothing underneath, and ended up paying thirty pounds for the privilege! You may be wondering how this happened, but the honest answer is, I don’t really know! An unfortunately timed downpour, a particularly pervy Baba and a desire to have my life story told, ended up as what was to be the most uncomfortable and indiscreet hour of my life. The entire week had been an assault on practically every sense in my body. Needless to say, I departed earlier than planned.

Claudia Baxter

IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM/TRAVEL

“WHAT DO YOU THINK OF CHINESE GIRLS, SIR?” It was early in the morning, and I had heard a quiet knock at the hotel room door. Haggardly rising from a jet-lagged slumber, I opened it and was confronted by a small Chinese woman who barged her way into the room. She told me in quick, heavily-accented English that I was teaching in one hour, and I would have 3 lessons in a row. The topic would be myself.

Image: Ellis Schindler

Before I had time to protest that I’d only arrived earlier that night, had zero teaching experience and didn’t even know where exactly in the city of Hangzhou I was, she was gone. This was it, the deep end, I thought to myself as I rushed around, fumbling for a paper and pen to plan the first lesson, wondering what I could possibly say about myself for an entire hour that would keep 30 or so Chinese teenagers entertained. After a few days in bizarre limbo, teaching at a summer school just down the road, I was put on a bus along with some similarly confused English teachers, and sent to a small provincial town on the outskirts of Hangzhou where we would spend the next month.

Image: Claudia Baxter

As with most things in China, first lessons with a group of students would always be eye opening, slightly embarrassing but always interesting. As soon as I entered a new classroom, there would be a flood of questions from the mundane to the outrageous. The first would always be: “Do you have a girlfriend?” followed by loud giggles from everyone, before someone asked, “What do you think of Chinese girls?” or pressured me for an opinion on Justin Bieber. Inevitably, I was then asked how tall I was. Being 6ft 4 in a class of 5ft teenagers left the students both amused and scared of my comparatively towering height. Compared to university life, the teaching job was hard work and full-on, with almost no guidance from the school. Compared to the students however, our workload was relatively light. For us the day started at 9am, ridiculously early for someone used to rolling out of bed for a midday lecture. For the Chinese students the first lesson began at 6am and they didn’t get to bed

until long past 10pm, with a meagre hour and a half for lunch and a further hour for dinner. The boys would even skip meals to play sports, running round in the blistering tropical summer heat in their precious time off before sprinting off to their next lesson. I found my position in the school unique; the foreign teachers were someone the students could talk to, albeit brokenly, about their school woes and we spent many a lesson ranting about their daily life, the fact they were at school during their summer holidays, the bad food and the strict rules enforced by their merciless headmaster. But all of them were full of hope. Their goal was university, which would bring them a freedom they’d never yet experienced. Freedom from home and from the relentless Chinese education system. They knew that they would have to work exceptionally hard to get there, with the country’s huge population limiting opportunities for further study, but they all had exceptional drive and motivation, something I found both inspirational yet at times slightly terrifying. Spending my summer in China was by far one of the more constructive options I could have taken. Aside from the costs of flights, everything was paid for by the school and I even received an unexpected pay check at the end which I put to good use in the bars of Beijing. The culture and lifestyle were at times outright confusing. I would always find myself at some point in the day shaking my head and growing impatient when I just couldn’t get my head around something, be it the gratuitous consumption of chicken feet or locals grabbing me for an impromptu photo shoot in the street. It was all part of the experience though and far from alienating myself from the way of life I began embracing it, finding myself noisily slurping up noodles in backstreet restaurants and munching on chicken heart kebabs after a heavy night of homebrew drinking competitions in the local bars. Teaching in a foreign country was certainly never going to be easy, but the challenge of it made it a greatly rewarding and outstandingly eye-opening trip.

Richard Collett NOVEMBER 2011

ARTS

THE ART OF MADNESS “Insanity in individuals is something rare — but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule.”Friedrich Nietzsche From late September to mid December, we as a nation of students, live, sleep and breathe together in our own utopian version of reality. At certain times of year this student existence can feel claustrophobic and act as vacuum for time and space as we feed off each other’s apprehensions and anxieties — often resulting in a feeling of loss of control and loss of sanity, which creeps in amongst the student body and spreads like wildfire. Here and now for many students is that time of year; the clocks have changed, the days feel shorter, the coursework is rolling in, Christmas is near, yet not near enough.

representations can act as a therapy. In the chaotic and disruptive worlds created by artists and authors alike, we can also find beauty, peace of mind and a calmness to bring us back down to earth.

Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye and Plath’s The Bell Jar are both novels that resonate with isolation, futility, and the struggle to connect with one’s immediate surroundings and the people within them. Having read these in second year recreationally, they acted as a respite. It was reassuring to see written down so succinctly in

It is a well-known fact that the changing of seasons can have a positive or negative effect on one’s behaviour. And as we drive ourselves quite mad over the looming exams and constant pressures that are imposed on us students, where do we find relief from our isolation? Where do we find an outlet to help us comprehend and compartmentalise the stresses at hand? Many turn to the arts for such relief, to guide and reassure them through times of heightened stress and pressure.

black and white, emotions you could relate to and comprehend.

It is not simply an old wives’ tale but a tried and tested concept published recently in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, that involvement with the arts, be it receptively or creatively, is not only for personal satisfaction, but can act as a deterrent of anxiety and depression. When looking at the arts in the broad sense, the topic of madness, both the physical state and psychological is recurrent. For us, reflecting on these

Sometimes we are driven mad through our own making; in obsessing over the smaller things in life, they can manifest into an unmanageable monster as in Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven. We see how a seemingly simple and insignificant thing as a raven, with its constant presence pecking away over time, can tip anyone over the edge: “And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting.” Whether it is being driven to madness by the nagging knowledge that you have

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an essay to write or simply by some head-phone-wearing idiot on the supposedly silent fourth floor, who, on a phone ever flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting, I think that this sense of frustration is something we can all relate to. The tell tale signs of stress will be on many a face in Hallward in the coming weeks. An artist famous for his use of strained facial expressions is Edvard Munch, most notably his Scream. Munch admitted in an interview that he was stretched to the limit when painting and at times believed that he was going mad. The Quay Brothers similarly use distorted faces of dolls in their animations and silent films, creating visions of madness and existential distress. One of the most extreme cases of art reflecting life is found in Sarah Kane, a well-known playwright who committed suicide before the unveiling of her play 4.48 Psychosis. Throughout her life, she suffered greatly from clinical depression. The play was showcased in London 2000 and has been critically acclaimed for providing an insight into the lives of people who suffer bouts of depression, insomnia, isolation and dependency. Many artists like Kane and Plath draw upon their own problems to serve as inspiration, and although they don’t always overcome their demons there is inherent positivity in promoting awareness. In that sense, the arts can become an outlet of prevention and release.

Eleanor Boddie and Melanie Solomon

IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM/ARTS

AN INTERVIEW WITH ‘SOME GUY’…

OLIVER ROSS Impact speaks to one ex-University of Nottingham student, Oliver Ross, who has managed to become a full-fledged author just three years after graduating; his first book was released in early October this year. A Year in the Life of Some Guy is the title of Ross’ recently published novel. The book quite simply does what it says on the tin. As Ross states “there is no thick plot to it; it literally follows a year in the life of this guy”. The ‘guy’ in question is Tim Calgon, a thirty year old haplessly in-love Northerner, who lives and works i n London. Spun by his publishers as a lad-abouttown’s answer to Bridget Jones, this novel perhaps falls into the ‘dick lit’ genre of literature. Therefore be warned as “it can be quite crass and rude”. Ross feels that the book’s humour has an

“Inbetweeners kind of vibe”, and speculates that some of the funny tales Tim Calgon encounters have actually happened…though to whom we wonder? Whether to himself or his friends, Ross won’t let on!

Ross’ route to becoming a published author is testament to the fact that there is no one way of doing it; after graduating from Nottingham he moved to London for five months to intern at a number of Sports Agencies and at the Publishing House, Quercus. Neither were right for him, and at the end of the year he moved back home to Leeds. Ross wrote his first book during his degree whilst on his year abroad in Brazil. It was a young adult fantasy novel, and

he described it as “a way to test out my skills and see if I was any good at it”. Graduating in 2008, with a degree in Spanish and Portuguese under his belt, Ross made a start on A Year in the Life... “In one way [‘A Year in the Life…’] was easy to write,” claims Ross. “It took about 18 months in total”. However, the slightly blasé attitude of a published author is checked by his slightly embarrassed confession that he spent quite a lot of time on different forums whilst working on the book. Ross used Authonomy, which is Harper Collins’ online writing community for unpublished writers. “It was a bit geeky…but it was a good way to get feedback [on my writing]”. Ross knew he was onto something with A Year in the Life… when it reached number one in Authonomy’s top comedy list, which along with the comments of other users, gave him further encouragement to complete the book. As might be expected, the task of finding a publisher wasn’t quite as easy. Despite having some interning experience in the area, with no proverbial foot in the door, >

NOVEMBER 2011

ARTS Ross received many rejection letters from the 40-50 publishing houses he’d sent transcripts to. Ross admits that although the first rejection hurt quite a bit, after a while he got used to it and it wasn’t until 8 or 9 months later that he received a positive response from Austin & Macauley. Ross says that by this point he’d forgotten about it and almost given up when they came back to him. Following this, Ross was asked down to Austin & Macauley’s offices in London to meet them and, according to him, “It all went from there!” Ross’ continued commitment to his work is impressive; he has recently quit his full-time job in Leeds in order to devote himself to promoting A Year in the Life... and to writing his next book. Ross explains, “I figured that if I didn’t give publicising A Year in the Life...

my all, I’d always regret it…and I’m young enough to give it a go”. His tactics so far have been to hit social media hard; Oliver Ross is on Twitter (@TheRossman) and Facebook, and he has also launched his own website and conducted interviews with the local press, including BBC Radio Leeds. Although, perhaps the biggest PR opportunity is yet to come; Ross will be doing a book-signing at Leeds Waterstones on December 3rd and will be sharing the store with comedian Lee Evans. “I’m hoping to steal some of his traffic!” he quipped. What’s next for Oliver Ross? At the moment, as well as working as a publicity-monger for A Year in the Life…, Ross has also started writing his next book, Sex, Drugs and Camelot. “It’s going to be a lot more Monty Pythonesque, British slapstick humour in style,” Ross explained.

As the title suggests, it is to be set in Camelot and will centre on the personal quest of Lancelot, a people’s hero turned fraudster. As far as aspi rat ions go, Ross would love to see A Year in the Life… turned into a film, “I may be a bit biased, but I think it would make a really good film…I can see Simon Pegg playing the lead!”

It may not seem as though there is much of a knack to sitting down and watching a theatre performance, but there’s more skill involved than first meets the eye. As an experienced audience member myself and having committed most of these faux pas at some point or another, I pass on these simple words of advice...

you’re sitting in a comfy chair, the lights dim and it can be tempting to close your eyes, just for a second. The thing is, when every person in the audience has the same thought, the ticket you paid for now becomes an expensive group-napping session. Believe it or not, I have been to a performance where the audience simultaneously decided to have a snooze. It’s not the actors’ fault the plot is dull but it’s still painfully amusing to watch them scream their lines and exaggerate their gestures just for the audience to turn over in their seats, yawn, and fall back into their slumber.

faces when an actor directly addresses them. Yet this interaction is purely based on the actors’ terms and conditions, and any out of turn noise or disruption will result in actors and audience members alike uniting in silent disapproval — all of which includes the rustling of snack packets, mobiles going off, audience members collapsing and fist fights breaking out...well, that’s real commitment to stealing an actor’s thunder.

Arrive on Time. There is nothing more awkward than a late entrance, having other audience members glare at you as you shuffle past and block their view. After falling into their laps as you attempt to find your seat in the dark, you finally sit down, hot and flustered, knowing that everyone in the audience now hates you. Stay Awake. It’s been a busy week,

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Don’t Overshadow the Performers. I’m all for a bit of audience/actor interaction; enjoyment can certainly be found in watching the surprised

Roseannagh English and Melanie Solomon

After reading this, if you’re thinking, “Hey, I already follow all of these rules!” then you have passed this class in theatre etiquette and should give yourselves — wait for it — a round of applause.

Kiran Benawra

IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM/ARTS

WELCOME ARTS STUDENTS OF 2011! YOUR DEGREE IS MORE THAN A PIECE OF PAPER…

IT’S SEVERAL PIECES OF PAPER! The University of Nottingham has always claimed to pursue the unanswerable and to foster the dreams of young minds. Of course, whilst dreaming big is free, the dreams of today entail student debts, a vicious battle for internships and leave students shackled to two-minute noodles. So, with the expensive and expansive qualities of our dreams in mind, I decide to be ambitious. Armed with the knowledge imparted by a University Arts degree, I grapple with an age-old philosophical problem: “If a tree fell in the woods and there was no one there to hear it, would it make a sound?” From the positivist school, I have a definitive “yes”; the world exists whether or not we are acting within it. It would be human-centric to suggest otherwise. In fact, the sun does not orbit the earth, the apocalypse will not neatly fit into the prescriptions of the Gregorian calendar, and the tree does not bow to the sensory existence of man. However, delving deeper, I find my research somewhat narrow. I stumble upon the interpretivists. They are questioning whether ‘sound’ is merely a figment of our exclusive human reality. Is ‘sound’ thus something completely different within a world no longer shaped by our presence? The philosophers question whether the tree exists at all, the anthropologists wonder where all the humans went and the political

economists question whether the tree really ‘fell’ at all, or whether it was merely going through a slump period. The Marxists question whether the tree is a member of the proletariat or the bourgeoisie to determine whether or not it has already lost its voice. The international relations students will first analyse the tree as a symbol of the globalising

environment, then question if it is ‘owned’ by the nation state or the global citizen, and debate whether the tree’s death has implications for the ‘cosmopolitan space’. To them also, it is unclear whether or not the tree will make a sound. It is when wallowing within a sense of my own epistemological doom that I come to my conclusion. Yes indeed,

even if this hypothetical tree in this hypothetical wood is isolated in a vacuum far from human contact, for all Nottingham Arts students, the tree has generated sound. It is the sound of a thousand students speculating upon its existence, its motives and its global positioning, through speech, through the sound of scratchy pens to exercise books, and the sound of MacBooks whirring into action. The positivist will spend two years on an honours thesis, the Marxist will found the ‘Tree Society’ for research into the tree’s ‘feelings’ and the international relations student will come to the conclusion that it is irrelevant whether or not the tree exists within the national and global space, and decide to transfer to Law. Perhaps if we thought less about that one lonely tree, we might give more consideration to the hundreds of trees felled to print off notes required to study these seemingly answerless subjects. However, acknowledging the fact that the University has existed since 1881, and has far from discouraged a flagrant disregard for paper recycling for just as long, that may just prove useless. The student collective speaking out against mandatory hard copy notes – a voice almost as impossible to hear as a tree falling in the woods.

Symonne Torpy NOVEMBER 2011

MUSIC

Re-Vinyl -ised “The music industry is dead!”, “Mp3’s have bled record labels dry!” and “record sales are at an all-time low!” are the outcries of cynics when talking about the music industry. The rise of the Internet, file-sharing and the i-podled many to believe that the music industry is dying, if not dead. However, I can assure you that it is still quite alive and kicking. As you may have heard, record sales are up for the first time since 2004 and perhaps more importantly so too are Vinyl sales for the fourth consecutive year. Vinyl Sales in the UK are up 55% and in the US by 41%. Radiohead’s ‘The King of Limbs’, Adele’s ‘21’ and Fleet Foxes’s ‘Helplessness Blues’ are the three highest selling vinyl releases of the year. Radiohead’s ‘In Rainbows’, Arcade Fire’s ‘Funeral’ and surprisingly Neutral Milk Hotel’s ‘In The Aeroplane Over The Sea’ are the 3 highest selling vinyl releases of the last ten years. Audio Puritans have seen to it that the aesthetic authenticity of vinyl releases has enjoyed something of a renaissance. Mp3s may still be the format of choice for the modern music lover, but when fans want to buy something more ‘real’, more tangible, they continually turn to LPs. Coupled together with the growing success of ‘Record Store Day’ —a holiday dedicated to buying limitededition vinyl releases from your local independent record store — the musical community is battening down the hatches against the looming threat of musical piracy. All of this holds heavy implications for the music industry and the musical community; independent record labels, online ‘webzines’ and online retailers have all been directly influenced and in turn had the recent success of vinyl.

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Independent record labels such as Sub Pop, Domino, Warp, Matador, 4AD, XL, DFA, Rough Trade, and countless others share a communall spirit with their fans and artists, who reward the brave decisions made byy these labels. You only need to look at the reaction to the PIAS fire during the London Riots this summer and the subsequent outpouring of support within the independent community to see how active and supportive this industry really is. The Internet houses all of the platforms for musical interest and discussion, as well as diligent support for independent artists and their releases, and it is in these more niche areas that these labels and their vinyl releases are able to make gains. Magazines have to worry that an overwrought review or article can alienate their readership and lose them business, whereas Internet based publications or forums enjoy significant freedoms over printed magazines and can promote independent labels and releases endlessly. Nowadays, the modern music industry is a cross between the old and new. Vinyl, a format that was once thoroughly declared defunct, has seen a huge resurgence in recent years. For instance, music retailers InSound.com sell not only Mp3 and CD formats of the latest releases, but vinyl as well. In fact, more often it is the vinyl sales which perform the best for the website. Moreover, the marketing of new releases has evolved; the Internet is essentially a marketing tool which can make or break an artist. The recent success of acts such as The XX, James Blake and Odd Future, have all largely been based on using the Internet as a means to generate interest. Ironically, vinyl has ensured that we

have reached a position that artists have always longed for, in effect creative freedom. Artists can record and release whatever music they wish to without the consequences of failing to meet sale expectations. The counter-culture movement of the 1960s, the Punk movement of the 1970s and the Indie movement from the 1980s onwards have lamented the constraints of music as a business, not a creative process. Now, thanks to the interest in vinyl and the eccentricities of the Internet, the apparent harbinger of death for the music industry, independent artists have the ability to release the music they want, on whatever format they want and are being rewarded by the music community, which respects this boldness and in turn invests in these artists and their labels. It would seem vinyl is here to stay; the same cannot be said of the CD, which occupies an awkward middle ground between vinyl and Mp3, and as the music industry wrestles with this realisation, independent artists will continue to enjoy their vinyl renaissance.

Ben James

Grace McLaughlin

IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM/MUSIC

You heard me right. They’re over. No longer will we have that one time in the year where the sound of live music sends everyone nearby into a responsibility-free frenzy of moshing, mud, beer and really bad food. That is, according to the legendary creator of Glastonbury Michael Eavis anyway. Glastonbury is “on its last legs” with only “another three or four years” left in the game, Eavis told The Guardian in July 2011. If one of the UK’s pivotal festivals is supposedly on its way out, is this heralding a depressing future for all festivals in general, or is it simply a lull for the enigmatic ritual of the English festival season? We must first look at the season that just passed— it was poor. Reading and Leeds have been a bastion of the British festival scene over the past few years and are notorious for selling out annually in a matter of minutes. This was not the case this year, however, as tickets were being sold from the official website for months after their release date. This was a common occurrence around the country, with major festivals such as Latitude and Wireless struggling even to sell all of their tickets. Up to 300 smaller festivals and events were also cancelled. What has happened to the UK’s beloved festival season? Eavis cites economic reasons, saying that with the current financial situation and the rise of tuition fees, the British simply don’t have enough money. DJ Rob da Bank, the curator

of Bestival, has admitted that in the summer he received many tweets and Facebook messages from fans with comments about the government and their wages. Understandable, since as students we can perhaps sympathise with this economising attitude. When we are skint, we have to be choosier about where our money goes, especially in the summer. Eavis also blames the general public’s apathy for the decline of festivals. We are “increasingly bored of seeing the same acts rotating around the festival circuit every year,” Chris Salmon reported in The Guardian in September of this year. Indeed, it is true that Muse, the headliner of Reading and Leeds this year, have played at eight major festivals since 2004. Creamfields is another culprit, repeatedly showcasing acts such as David Guetta and Swedish House Mafia year after year. Perhaps we are just craving new material. The UK market is saturated with so many festivals, each competing for the best and often very similar acts, that it can be difficult to decide which one to go to if you can only afford one festival outing that year. Moreover, UK festivals now have to contend with the increasing attraction of sun and sand that European festivals such as Benicassim offer for cheaper prices, perfect for the bargain hunting and slightly escapist British public. UK festivals with their reputation for chronic rain have little chance of success it appears. With this gloomy picture, however, we must not forget the successes of

2011. V festival’s decision to include more urban rap acts this year, in particular Eminem, meant that its 85, 000 capacity was sold out in a matter of hours. Kendall Calling had a ‘”fantastic year”, according to its director Ben Robinson, by keeping the weekend tickets down to an affordable £95 and having such acts as Blondie and Chase and Status, who have a much broader appeal, headline. Perhaps it is an example of what could happen if festivals start to branch out from their regulars. In addition, despite Glasto apparently being “on its last legs”, it still managed to sell out several months before the line-up was released. This was perhaps due to the magic atmosphere of the festival itself, and the hedonistic revelry which is associated with its name, rather than the attraction of the line-up, but either way it puts Eavis’ depressing prediction at strange odds with the figures. There is always the possibility, of course, that 2011 was just a blip. Besides, 2012 is going to be an interesting year as the biggest competition, Glastonbury, is taking a break. This means a whole 135, 000 customers and many major acts are potentially freed up for the other major festivals. One must also remember that the very concept of music festivals fits succinctly with the bizarre idiosyncrasies of the British Summer and our romantic love affair with them has existed for decades now. One bad summer does not mean we have fallen out with them yet.

Emily Shackleton NOVEMBER 2011

MUSIC

IMPACT INTRODUCES 1. You Cry Wolf After playing popular venues such as Rescue Rooms and Spanky van Dykes, You Cry Wolf are beginning to establish themselves as the ones to watch on the Nottingham music scene. The unsigned, Brighton-based 4 piece draws influences from all manner of the arts to create an original, danceable, eclectic sound. You Cry Wolf ’s melodious lead vocals (provided by the University of Nottingham’s Owain Arthur), catchy riffs and pithy song lyrics are a perfect combination for a band who are easily accessible and have a very wide appeal. The band’s growing following is already familiar with their recently released songs including ‘Venetian Chrome’ and breakthrough track ‘Transatlantic Tendencies;’ a definite crowd favourite and great way to end a set on a high. Check out the band’s myspace page or website www.youcrywolf.com for more information about upcoming gigs and events. You can also find them on Spotify and iTunes.

Riana Sadrudin 2. RedKites Having just recorded a demo at Curly Lead Studio, Nottingham, RedKites could well be on to the start of bigger and better things. The band formed last year, after meeting at school in Essex, and are starting various university courses. Bassist and backing vocalist Oskar Pimlott is currently studying among us here at Nottingham University, and describes his band as the love child of “Pixies, Nirvana, and Queens of the Stone Age”. The rest of this rock band includes lead singer and guitarist Robert Leedham, guitarist Thomas Went, and drummer Cameron Griffiths. Their first music video for ‘Say It Like You Mean It’ was posted in September on YouTube, and is being acclaimed by many online reviews. Since one of

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their most recent gigs was at Oxjam Lincoln in late October, I’m sure we’ll be hearing much more of their eclectic and melodic sound in the coming months.

Ellen Newton Forgotten classics R.E.M. – New Adventures in Hi-Fi As news of R.E.M.’s retirement broke, many were quick to sigh with relief and question why Stipe and co. had kept at it so long. Admittedly, being the forerunners of American alt-rock throughout the 1980s, their later offerings have been banal at best. In many ways, their tenth album ‘New Adventures in Hi-Fi’ marks the end of an era for the band — their last truly great album as well as the last they recorded with their long-term producer and original manager, Bill Berry who, as a founding member and the man behind the ‘Everybody Hurts’ melody, was more than just the band’s drummer. ‘New Adventures in Hi-Fi’ is certainly not what you’d expect based on ‘Losing My Religion’ or ‘Shiny Happy People’. It’s a dark, brooding record and with much of it recorded live on 8-tracks during stadium soundchecks, it has an epic quality which is far from the jangly, Johnny Marr guitars you might expect. Despite its darker, slower sound, the album is held together by Stipe’s unmistakable vocals and marks a transition between the chamber rock of ‘Automatic for the People’ and the largely electronic ‘Up’. Opening with the syncopated drums and jagged guitars of ‘How The West Was Won And Where It Got Us’, it only gets

better as the storming ‘Wake-Up Bomb’ kicks in, full of sneering lyrics and a giant glam-rock chorus. The album’s central piece is ‘Leave’, which starts with a delicate acoustic intro before an insane siren synth begins (continuing for the rest of the song) and the electric guitars crunch in with a hook that could catch a Great White. The ensuing ear-hammering sounds unattractive on paper, but is simply genius. Elsewhere there’s the Nirvanaesque ‘Undertow’, lead single and Patti Smith duet ‘E-Bow The Letter’ and fragile closer ‘Electrolite’, which bears more than a passing resemblance to ‘Nightswimming’. Whether you think R.E.M. subsequently faded away or are still mourning their passing, New Adventures is a hard album to ignore.

Kat Rolle

IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM/MUSIC

LIVE REVIEWS Bon Iver @ O2 Academy Leeds 10/11/11 At the O2 Academy Leeds, throngs of peoples stood side by side, all in a state of nervous and patient excitement to hear the melancholic music of a band and a man who have plied at the heartstrings of so many of us over the past few years. Following on from the more-thancapable support act, Kathleen Edwards, the Bon Iver contingency strolled on to the stage and took their positions to universal applause and exclamations of joy. Immediately, many individuals in the crowd were met with surprise as they weren’t expecting a nine-piece band, which included two drummers, a strong brass section and numerous other instruments. This was not just to be Justin Vernon’s show, but a performance from a collection of exceptionally talented musicians who played together as if they were one. It was, however, Vernon who kicked things into gear with his trademark opening guitar chords of ‘Perth’,

swiftly easing us into a set of amazing music. The set started with the first few tracks from their new eponymous record, each song building up to a grandiose crescendo of a unified mini folk orchestra. At times, the band erupted into improvised interludes with a constant exchange of instruments, which was a testament to their respective skills and talents as musicians. At other points, the sound was stripped back, with Vernon coming on for a solo rendition of ‘Re: Stacks’ to exemplify his genius and mesmeric voice. His song-writing prowess also seemed to be augmented by the live show. ‘The Wolves’ built up from humble beginnings to a triumphant finale and it was amazing to see how Vernon was able to connect the whole crowd to his personal tales of affliction and heartbreak. Following on from a colossal sing-along of the resounding lyric, “What Might Have Been Lost,” an encore of ‘Skinny Love’ and ‘For Emma’ was perhaps the perfect close to an almost faultless show.

Jack Gilbert Girls @ Rock City 12/11/11 For those unfamiliar with Girls, they are an Indie Rock outfit from San Francisco drawing from the Psychedelic and Garage-Rock heritage of the city. Their latest album, ‘Father, Son, Holy Ghost’, took their sound to a much grander plateau and is a favourite of 2011 for both fans and critics alike. On record, Girls have beautifully incorporated a more vocally expansive approach; on tour however, the band have dropped the expanse in vocals and picked it up

with instrumentation. Childhood opened the night, delivering their brand of hazy- indie rock to set the mood nicely for the evening. Girls took to the stage soon after, opening with fan favourite ‘Substance’ followed by the infectiously sweet ‘Laura’ and ‘Lust For Life’. The set then developed into an intimate groove with ballads such as the minor epics ‘Vomit’ and ‘Saying I Love You’. ‘Alex’, ‘Die’ and ‘Honey Bunny’ took the set in a more driven direction, complete with lengthy solos and screeching feedback, before moving into the tranquil sway of ‘My Ma’, a shoegaze/post-rock reworking of ‘Hellhole Ratrace’ and jaunty closer ‘Heartbreaker’. For the encore, the band went for a climactic end to the show with ‘Forgiveness’, an eight-minute progressive acoustic ballad which transformed into a thunderous Classic Rock finale. Girls tread the precarious line between reinvention and imitation, one-part nostalgia, one-part irony; they take a direct influence from Classic Rock, but stamp their identity onto that sound. It was an evening that did not fail to deliver; Girls demonstrated that they are one of the best live acts of late. The atmosphere of the show was one of pure captivation; this wasn’t an all-out, fist-pumping rock show, nor by any means a quiet affair. Girls have demonstrated their capability as a live band, a quality that strengthens the creative output on ‘Father, Son, Holy Ghost’ and places them as one of my favourite acts of 2011.

Ben James

NOVEMBER 2011

SCIENCE

LET’S TALK ABOUT GONORRHOEA Gonorrhoea is increasingly becoming one of the most prevalent STIs in the 16-25 age group. The main symptom of this infection is a burning sensation whilst urinating; however, around 50% of people with this STI have no symptoms. Worryingly, it is also becoming the hardest infection to treat. Gonorrhoea used to be easily cured with a simple shot of penicillin, but the heavy use of this drug has meant that this bacteria has since developed resistance to it. The list of drugs that fail to treat gonorrhoea is rapidly increasing, and the possible targets to treat it decreasing. Soon we may find that gonorrhoea will be an incurable disease. Primarily, first-line antibiotics are used to treat gonorrhoea. If these fail, then a more potent drug is administered or a higher dose is prescribed. Guidelines set by the WHO (World Health Organisation) suggest that the firstline antibiotic should be changed when it fails to treat 5% of cases. Now, however, it has been found that even the third-line antibiotic for gonorrhoea is on the brink of failing.

How do bacteria become resistant? As you are reading this, there is a race going on. Pharmaceutical companies are speeding to develop new drugs, which will combat bacterial diseases. However, they are at a major disadvantage. Bacteria are able to replicate exponentially. With such a high rate of growth, mistakes are made in the bacterial genome, producing mutations. These mutations can be beneficial for bacteria, as they can in some instances lead to the development of antibiotic resistance. Selection pressures (i.e. an antibiotic) will cause all but the bacteria with an advantageous mutation to die. The bacteria then pass their genetic superiority on to their daughter cells.

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‘‘ MAINTAINING

A SAFE SEXUAL LIFESTYLE BECOMES EVEN MORE IMPORTANT ’’

To make matters worse, bacteria can also undergo a process called horizontal conjugation, or ‘bacterial sex’. Through direct contact, they are able to share genetic information with each other, allowing one resistant bacterium to pass its resistance on to others. Thus, it seems that bacteria have multiple systems in place to win this fight. The HPA (Health Protection Agency) have recently published findings, which suggest that gonorrhoea is becoming resistant to most of the antibiotics that are used to treat it. Tetracycline and ciprofloxacin have both been added to the list of drugs that gonorrhoea has now developed resistance for. Throughout the history of treating it, this infection has repeatedly managed to evade treatment. According to Dr Magnus Unemo, from the Swedish Research Laboratory for Pathogenic Neisseria, ‘This bacterium has shown a remarkable capacity to develop resistance mechanisms to all drugs introduced to control it.’ What else is being done to cure/ prevent gonorrhoea? Scientists are currently looking to develop new treatments by studying

the way gonorrhoea wards off antibiotic treatments. Gonorrhoea has an additional outer cell membrane made up of phospholipids and lipopolysaccharides. This outer membrane provides an extra defensive barrier against antibiotics, which pharmaceutical companies are trying to target to cause cell death. But if we can’t cure gonorrhoea, then we must prevent it from spreading in the first place. At a time where STI’s are developing resistance to the drugs used to treat them, maintaining a safe sexual lifestyle becomes even more important. As most of you will know, the most reliable way to protect against an STI is to use a condom. There is a government scheme that gives 16-25 year olds access to free condoms. You can get a C-card from Cripps Health Centre, located on University Park campus, and the Student Services Centre on Jubilee and Sutton Bonington campus. The C-card will allow you to pick up a box of free condoms from Cripps Health Centre and the student service centres.

Deepa Divakaran

IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM/SCIENCE

BRITAIN’S NEW FUNDAMENTAL SCIENTIST? Some readers might remember the London School of Economics’ (LSE) controversial evolutionary psychologist, Satoshi Kanazawa, who is perhaps best known for his blog, the Scientific Fundamentalist. With titles ranging from “Why beautiful people have more daughters” onto “Why all women are prostitutes”, Kanazawa managed to become Psychology Today’s most read contributor. After a post from Kanazawa suggested that black women are less physically attractive than other females, the University of London Union unanimously agreed to campaign for Dr Kanazawa’s dismissal. There were some academic defenders of Kanazawa, who argued that Kanazawa was a “pioneering researcher working in a difficult field”. They also defended his right to free speech as a tenured academic, something even Kanazawa’s harshest critics have agreed with. Nevertheless, Kanazawa was eventually disciplined by the LSE, and banned from publishing in non-peer reviewed outlets for twelve months. Kanazawa’s recent retirement from the public eye raises serious questions: who will be Britain’s next controversial psychologist? Professor Simon BaronCohen, the Director of Cambridge University’s Autism Research Centre, might on the surface appear to be an unlikely candidate. He has contributed substantially towards the identification of autistic traits and the broadening of the autism spectrum. With this, he has attracted both substantial media attention and has been given numerous committee positions, which have allowed him to significantly shape policy concerning autism and other related disabilities. Yet, studies on autism are perhaps even more controversial than Kanazawa’s version of evolutionary psychology. Andrew Wakefield’s speculative, yet

very damaging claims that the MMR vaccine causes autism are probably the most prominent example of this. In a broad sense, the so-called “autism spectrum” is defined by disadvantages in social interaction, which present to varying degrees, from the non-verbal onto those who are articulate and highly intelligent, yet can still suffer greatly in the context of relationships. This diversity has led to a conflict between those advocating for the more severely affected, which included a lavishly funded campaign that revolved around ransom notes; the response to this was an emergent self-advocacy movement led by Asperger’s Syndrome sufferer, Ari Ne’eman, who now serves as a senate-appointed member of the Obama administration. This new environment has led to a wide-ranging ethical debate, centred upon the issue of whether or not autism should be cured, or simply seen as a different form of the human mind. However, this discussion is now moving fast into social and ethical issues. Baron-Cohen is perhaps most famous for his pilot study, which he and many other researchers claim demonstrates that autistic children lack a “theory of mind”; he later extended this into an assertion that autistic people intrinsically lack empathy as part of his ‘empathising-systemising’ theory. Though he has no direct evidence of this, he does explain in a piece published in Cognitive Neuropsychiatry that “having spent over 20 years studying this tiny corner of human nature, I feel that this theory has a very good chance of explaining the core aspects of autism”. The idea that people on the autistic spectrum lack empathy has upset many, especially given that BaronCohen now suggests that this removes the onus of responsibility from autism sufferers (therefore generating fears

in relation to rights). Baron-Cohen also makes the extraordinary claim, without any reasonable evidence, that empathy can actually be detected in an MRI scanner. This is far from the only controversy surrounding him, as he also publicly supports the position that innate sex differences lead to the social disparity between men and women; partly this is predicated on another one of his beliefs, that autism represents the “extreme male brain”. Some of Baron-Cohen’s colleagues have extended his theory to argue that the “extreme female brain” is psychosis. Ultimately, what we have here is largely pseudoscience, which is being used by Baron-Cohen and others as a basis for decision-making in relation to disabled people, without their consent. Perhaps most interesting are the similarities between Baron-Cohen and Kanazawa; both have developed upon previous ideas, and extrapolated them wildly and probably inaccurately to yield issues far outside their research backgrounds. Kanazawa has publicly pushed controversial theories in relation to race without scientific backing and has been rightly vilified for doing so. Meanwhile, Baron-Cohen has done the same relating to disability, but instead of being duly disciplined, he is shaping disability policy and winning plaudits for his work, as well as being seen as an authority in the field.

Reuben Kirkham NOVEMBER 2011

SCIENCE

A SPACE ODDITY

Bethany Moos, Impact Science Columnistt

CLUB MED – BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT… Forget the MED-iterranean — join me on my journey as a MED-ical student as I make the transition from lecture theatre to operating theatre and plunge headfirst into my first week of cardiothoracic surgery.

Since the re-entry of NASA’s Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) last September, a number of journalists have written articles which read like the plot summary of Deep Impact. But does returning space debris really pose a threat to us? With around 1,000 operational spacecraft currently in orbit, it’s important to note that re-entry events are a frequent occurrence. On average one piece of space debris returns to Earth each day, though not all are as big as those associated with the reentry of NASA’s UARS. Granted, the thought of a 6 tonne satellite plummeting towards the ground with no one knowing where or when it will ‘land’ is unnerving. However, the reality of the re-entry of the UARS was quite different. It is thought that only 532kg of the satellite made it to the Earth’s surface, with the single largest piece of debris estimated at 160kg. Considering that approximately 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by ocean, and much of the land mass is sparsely populated, the risk to human life was small (NASA calculated that the risk of human injury was 1 in 3,200 and the risk for one human was 1 in 21 trillion,

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subject to your position on Earth). NASA’s inability to accurately predict the time or location of the satellite’s reentry caused some anxiety. However, given the low risk this seemed somewhat unreasonable. Predictions are complicated primarily by the effects of variations in solar activity on the Earth’s upper atmosphere (thermosphere). When solar activity is high, ultraviolet radiation from the Sun heats and expands the thermosphere, increasing atmospheric drag and the orbital decay rate of spacecraft, and thus causing early re-entry. If you are still concerned about future re-entries you could avoid falling debris altogether by travelling away from under the satellite’s orbit (or ‘ground track’). For the UARS, this would have meant, you would have had to travel further north or south than 57 degrees latitude (the Portland Building is 52.94˚N). Taking everything into account, my advice is the same as that of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: DON’T PANIC.

James Gordon

I was thrilled to finally see surgery after years spent in front of various medical dramas on television. I spent my first morning watching the replacement of a human heart valve with a valve from a pig’s heart. This initially seemed like an alien concept, but is in fact a very common and successful operation, with over 200,000 carried out worldwide every year. It did, however, make me see a bacon sandwich in a slightly different light. It wasn’t until the end of the week that I finally got the moment I had been waiting for – the chance to ‘scrub in’ and see surgery up close. In reality, the scrubbing process involves a lot more soap than depicted in soap operas. In fact, it’s so meticulous and time-consuming that on one occasion the operation was over by the time I made it into the theatre! The equipment is wrapped away in a sterile pack and must be put on very carefully so as not to touch anything. However, the first thing I did was to trail my unsterilized mask across the clean pack, in front of the esteemed surgeon who had been instructing me. Much to my embarrassment, I had to throw the whole pack of equipment away and begin the whole procedure again. The afternoon improved significantly as I set off on an anatomical expedition into the inner depths of the chest cavity. The heart was still beating when the surgeon grabbed my hand, placing it around the organ. It was a real moment of awe, as I literally felt life pulsing though my hands. This heart, however, had a problem – some of the arteries supplying it had become blocked. The task faced by the surgeon was to remove arteries from other places in the body and graft them on to bypass the obstruction. Time passed with unnerving speed as I watched the surgeon use all his skill to stitch the tiny arteries together. And so the first week of clinicals passed in a blur of stitches and seconds. I wasn’t sure what could top that first week…join me next issue to find out!

FOOD ANTS ANYONE? PASS THE BEES PLEASE? Fancy some deep fried locusts with a side of sautéed crickets? Scorpion soup with toasted ants anyone? It may sound like something from a ‘Bushtucker trial’, but it actually could become reality — or so the EU hopes. Having recently invested £2.65 million in a project promoting the eating of insects, the EU is investigating the practicalities of insect cuisine. Although this may seem rather farfetched, it is just one of the new measures the EU is considering to solve the problems of food shortage. With populations continuing to rise and costs of meat ever-increasing, our sources of protein are becoming limited. A food crisis could very well turn into a reality within a few years, since as a population our demand for food, and for good food quality, increases each year. In terms of UK meat production, costs for farmers are mounting, making it very difficult to keep the prices of meat on our supermarket shelves low. I have always been a huge believer in ‘buying British’ wherever possible, and transporting meat from countries outside the UK is simply not an environmentally sustainable option. The UK, like many EU countries, therefore, faces a dilemma; as you can see, eating our insects might be the most logical option. We are all very much aware of the fact that there are bugs aplenty throughout Europe, so could this really be a solution for our food problems? For one, unfortunately no matter how much you dress it up or word it, insects will always be insects, the creepy crawly things we don’t really like. Although it might be daring or amusing to try it once or twice, realistically most of you will never opt for a grasshopper sandwich over a burger. Furthermore the logistics of having the nation frequently eat insects are not ideal. To have insects as a genuine alternative

to meat here in the UK would mean setting up insect farms on a vast commercial scale. Needless to say, if insects such as locusts escaped, they would be impossible to roundup and could easily devastate the local area and crops. Also, in terms of food standards and safety, insects often carry more diseases than cattle, which could lead to health problems in humans. In department stores and high-end food shops, insects and other such creepy crawlies have been available to buy in the UK for some time, mostly in the form of sweets and snacks. These are generally marketed as novelty gifts and have never been close to becoming popular in the UK or reaching the general consumer market. However, in other parts of the world insects and the like are often considered to be delicacies. For example in China,

bee larvae (deep fried with salt and pepper) are a favourite local snack, and are the equivalent of popcorn in rural China. Hugely popular in South Korea is the street snack, stewed silk worm pupae, which apparently have a nutty flavour. Deep fried tarantulas feature in Cambodian cuisine and are described as “pleasantly gooey”, tasting like a cross between cod and chicken.

It still might not be sounding delicious enough to switch your steak for; however, the health benefits of eating insects as opposed to meat cannot be denied. A portion of deep fried grasshopper in a Chinese dish contains 60% RDA of protein with only 6% fat, much healthier than a hamburger, which on average contains only 22% protein and a huge 37% fat. Insects also release far less carbon dioxide than cattle and need less food, making them an environmentally friendly option. Professor Marcel Dicke from Wageningen University in the Netherlands (which specialises in food research) said: “By 2020 everybody will be buying insects in supermarkets. We will be amazed that people in 2011 didn’t think it was going to happen”. So brace yourselves for the insect taste sensation that we will experience.

However, those of you who are yet to be converted might be interested to know that bugs and insects accidently slip into our food system all the time, and when added up this is as much as 500g of insects eaten by every person every year. That’s two bags of Haribo full of locusts, ants and spiders to snack on while you are in Hallward.

Rebecca Cranshaw NOVEMBER 2011

FOOD A LITTLE COMFORT FROM THE COLD As we move into the winter months, sunglasses are being left at home and it’s time to don your hats and scarves and battle the cold weather. But these well-loved items of knitwear aren’t the only way to warm up this winter. There are plenty of dishes to warm your soul too. For students, cost is always a consideration, but never fear — there are plenty of low-cost hearty meals that are quick and easy to prepare. No longer should you have to open the fridge, stare blankly at what is presented to you and feel somewhat disappointed with the outcome. So here are some practical suggestions for your culinary mind block over this season.

Cottage Pie: Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil

The Sugar Fiend: If you don’t really do savoury, let’s just skip to dessert! There are plenty of sweet things that don’t have to cost the earth. Apple crumble

is good for using up old apples in the fruit bowl. However, don’t feel limited to apples; almost any fruit can be stuck in a crumble to make a thoroughly enjoyable dessert. Apple Crumble (for two): Ingredients: 2 apples (of any variety) 10g plain flour 50g butter 60g sugar (or more if you like the crumble topping very sweet) Pre heat the oven to 180º C. Peel and slice the apples. Place in a small oven proof dish with a small amount of

water to moisten. Put the flour, butter and sugar together in a bowl and rub together between your fingers until it is the consistency of bread crumbs. Pour the crumble topping onto the apples and cook in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until the apples are soft. Enjoy!

Emma Drabble

A QUICK BITE If you watch British cookery programs on TV, then you might have noticed that they rave about seasonal foods quite extensively. If you haven’t, then let me fill you in: it is so much cheaper to buy fruit, veg and meat that are in season. This is because buying foods that coincide with natural British seasons means that less energy is needed to grow them (unlike ‘out of season’ products), meaning we get charged less. And, don’t forget that if you buy seasonal British foods, you can help reduce your carbon footprint and help out our farmers at home!

Fiona Churchman

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IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM/FOOD

‘ASHUN’ RESTAURANTS I derive a particular pleasure from dining at Asian restaurants. As I walk through China Town, torn between the smells and sounds emanating from the bowels of each kitschy establishment, my mind whirs with anticipation. It is not the prawn crackers, nor the delicately perfumed Jasmine tea, that have this effect. My titillation is spelling related. Open up a menu and you are sure to be delighted by a smorgasbord of orthographic interpretations. You will inhabit the mind of the author as he tapped out each delicious word with a reckless abandon that says, “f*ck you” to the establishment, whilst inviting the openhearted customer into a familiar world of Asian phonetic bliss. It is also via this phenomenon that Asian restaurateurs allow us to healthily

the ‘chickin’, the subtle rebelliousness emanating from the ‘noodel’ soup and the pure joy passed on in the ‘porn crackers’.

Image: Camy Aprile

I compel you to delve beyond the deep fried on your next Asian food encounter. Taste is one thing. Of far greater note is the political complexity embodied in

Symonne Torpy

IN GOOD SPIRITS Why not have a go at making this delicious wintery drink to lift your mood? It’s easy to make and can be adapted depending on what goodies you and your housemates have in the cupboard! It only takes about five minutes to make, and the orange, vanilla and chocolate flavours combine well to make a comforting, warming treat! You will need: - 2 large marshmallows (or a handful of mini marshmallows) - 1 shot of orange liqueur (this could always be substituted; for example for a shot of Baileys, Amaretto, or other flavoured liqueurs that complement the chocolate and milk taste!) - 2 tbsp. vanilla syrup - 200ml milk - 100ml double cream - 2 heaped tbsp. sifted drinking chocolate

Image: Shannon Straney - 1 tbsp. sifted cocoa powder 1. Begin by making the vanilla cream. You do this, by combining the vanilla syrup and double cream in a jug, and stirring to mix them together. 2. Next, make up the hot chocolate, by heating up the milk in a saucepan on a low heat, and gradually stir in the hot chocolate powder. 3. This drink can be served either in a heatproof mug, or (if you want to be

Aimee Creasey

NOVEMBER 2011

GRATIS

OVERHEARD IN HALLWARD I’m not good with grammar and stuff, I know a noun’s a doing word but what’s a verb? When you go to France, a lot of the toilets are multisex…it makes you not want to go! Oh my God…that’s what Pete Burns looks like now?! That is so horrible I smell like an old, dead person She tried to walk away, so I tried to grab her and get behind her I definitely prefer having sex than having a moustache, sorry Movember I didn’t think this floor would have books on it… I would own a sex droid if I could keep it in the basement and it didn’t develop human emotions But what does ‘frigid’ actually mean? I was in this guy’s room, and he was determined to make a video I have 2 days to write my dissertation. 10,000 words, easy I actually prefer to keep my chest quite wet Is it ‘unicorn’? I always thought it was ‘uniquorn’ It sounds like they’ve just given a load of people a different instrument and have said ‘Play’ I should definitely get at least over 70%, if not it’ll be ridiculous because they would have made it too hard Kylie singing ‘I should be so lucky’, you just can’t beat it If you’ve overheard something funny on campus and would like to get it featured, don’t hesitate to email editor@impactnottingham.com or to post it on the ‘Heard in Hallward’ Facebook group.

ARE YOU SUR-REAL?! Food Envy In the words of Will S (That’s Shakespeare, not Smith), jealousy is “the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on”. Yes it certainly is Will, especially when that piece of meat is your friend’s 10 oz* flame-grilled ribeye steak when you’re staring down at an ‘Oh-I-can-get-a-steak-anytime, -this’llbe-nice-because-it’s-a-bit-different’ culinary choice of an Edamame and Tofu Thai Salad (“What sort of restaurant sells both Edamame beans and steak?”, you’re probably thinking…well that’s not the point, so don’t be pedantic). Food envy is an all-consuming plight that affects each and every one of us. First is The Fear. What if I make the wrong decision?! Next comes Excitement, the prospect of your chosen dish and the windows it will open for you for the future. Now that I’ve tried artichokes, I might never look back. Then finally is REGRET. Parma ham and mozzarella might have seemed like a great idea at the time, but it was foolish, it was reckless, it was unfounded. Now all I want, all I need in life is chicken and broccoli pasta bake al forno. Ah the bane of human existence, always wanting what you can’t have.

ISSUE 213

Even in the most trivial circumstances, the green-eyed monster rears its ugly, chicken-wing-shaped head. As you sit upon one of those sought-after round tables in Mooch, you throw your jacket potato a resentful, disinterested glance as you stare longingly upon the Wings of Fire Platter, tantalising you a mere 30cm ruler’s length away. Cheese and beans just can’t fill the void in your stomach, a void screaming out for wedges, fiery chicken wings, onion rings and an assortment of dips. There comes a point in everyone’s life when they have to take responsibility for their actions and stick by the decisions that they have made. But let’s be honest, if my mate had a pile of radioactive goo on their plate with pencil sharpenings as a side dish and a pint of Bisto to wash it down with, but they then said ‘Mmm this is delicious!’ upon trying it, I’d probably want it. So I conclude this seemingly ridiculous rant with a more poignant message: food envy is unavoidable. You should stick to your guns and be sure of yourself rather than doubting your decisions, and always remember that it’s not the end of the world; you can always come back to Nandos and try Mango

and Lime another time. Now, shut up and eat your Lemon and Herb. If you can think of any more suitably hard-hitting journalistic topics you’d like me to cover (bearing in mind I’ve already done iPhone applications and food envy, so your choices are somewhat limited), please feel free to email me at editor@impactnottingham.com.

Sarah Dawood

IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM

EDITORIAL TEAM EDITORIAL

SECTIONS

Editor-in-chief Eric John Editor Sarah Dawood Associate Editor Victoria Urquhart

News Editors Fiona Crosby Daniel Fine Helen Trimm Sports Editors Jake Batty Matt Williams Features Editors Settit Beyene Samantha Owen Oscar Williams Film&TV Editors Tom Grater James McAndrew Style Editors Hannah Donald Emma-Jane Steele

MANAGEMENT Managing Editor Daniel Gadher PR, Distribution & Social Secretaries Deborah Murtha Nicola Murray Advertising Manager Oliver Elia

DESIGN & IMAGES Design Editors Elise Silsby Luke Taylor Associate Design Editors Alix Blankson Sophia Hall Image Editors Emma Charalambous Troy Edige Helen Miller

WEBSITE Web Editor Ben McCabe Associate Web Editor Divya Bhatia

COVER IMAGE Photography: Emma Charalambous, Troy Edige & Helen Miller Model: Dafne Morroni

Published by The University of Nottingham Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union

THANKS Art Editors Rosie English Melanie Solomon Travel Editors Claudia Baxter Ellis Schindler Music Editors Jack Gilbert Rebecca Hutter Science Editors Daniel Anderson Bonnie Brown Food Editors Miles Harrison William Robertson

CONTRIBUTORS Steven Allweis, Megan Ballantyne, Alexander Barker, Victoria Bell, Kiran Benawra, Rose Bewick, Eleanor Boddie, Sian Boyle, David Bruce, Natalie Cameron, Fiona Churchman, Tom Clements, Richard Collett, Will Cook, Rebecca Cranshaw, Aimee Creasey, Deepa Divakaran, Katherine Dixon, Katie Dolamore, Emma Drabble, Samantha Driscoll, Rosie Feenstra, James Fox, James Gordon, Katerina Grassi, Phoebe Harkin, Edward Haynes, Shane Higgins, Elizabeth Hill, Dammy Ikeola, Ben James, Florence Keen, Reuben Kirkham, Megan Lathwood, Greg Lea, Victoria Mcdowall, Beth Moos, Helena Murphy, Charlotte Neales, Jennifer Newbold, Ellen Newton, James Rathbone, Abby Robinson, Kat Rolle, Tanya Rosie, Tom Rowe, Riana Sadrudin, Lauren Sanders, Izzy Scrimshire, Emily Shackleton, Faisal Shariff, David Smith, Emily Tarbuck, Ed Tartlton, Michael Timbs, Symonne Torpy, Emily Tripp, Hannah Wilkinson, Sabreena Zuleika

To POW, the Womensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Centre and the Christian Centre for helping us with our research on prostitution. To everyone who contributed to our photographs of Week One 2011.

APOLOGIES

To Features, for missing them out last time! To Malcolm Remedios, for removing his article at the eleventh hour. To Toby Visholm, for wrongly crediting his picture.

CONTACT Please contact us via email, at magazine@impactnottingham.com. Impact Magazine Portland Building University Park University of Nottingham Nottingham, NG7 2RD Tel: 0115 8468716 Email:

chief@impactnottingham.com editor@impactnottingham.com managingeditor@impactnottingham.com website@impactnottingham.com features@impactnottingham.com images@impactnottingham.com design@impactnottingham.com news@impactnottingham.com sports@impactnottingham.com style@impactnottingham.com arts@impactnottingham.com travel@impactnottingham.com food@impactnottingham.com music@impactnottingham.com science@impactnottingham.com film@impactnottingham.com prdistribution@impactnottingham.com

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NOVEMBER 2011

Looking for a house for next year? Here’s our guide to the tenancy process:

Book a viewing at SweetSpot.com to go and see one of our fabulous SweetSpot homes.

6 Add your guarantors

Everyone submits their rent guarantor’s contact details. We use your holding payment to check their suitability.

View the property ...and if you love it then the rest of the process is all done online via your SweetSpot dashboard. Easy!

Sign on the (virtual) dotted line We prepare your tenancy agreement for everyone to sign online.

Make a small holding payment Reserve the property by paying a non-refundable payment of £50 per room - this takes the property off the market for you. (We use this payment to fund your guarantor checks).

Set up the rent payments Everyone pays their share of the security deposit, their 1st month’s rent in advance and sets up their regular rent payments.

Add your housemates Let us know who you’re going to share with (they will all get SweetSpot dashboards too). Hey Roomies

IT’S YOURS! The keys will be delivered to you, so you can move in! Remember to talk to us about booking a van to help move your things - or indeed about anything else you may need!

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