Impact Magazine Issue 235 by Impact Magazine

IMPACT “CHILDREN ARE OFTEN THE HIDDEN AND UNHEARD VICTIMS OF AUSTERITY” INVESTIGATING CHILD POVERTY IN NOTTINGHAM

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

STUDENTS’ STI STORIES HUMANS OF NOTTINGHAM INTERVIEW WITH PEACE WWW.IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM

ISSUE 235

WELCOME

EDITORIAL The end of the academic year is creeping up on us all; and for third year students these next few weeks in education may well be our last. However, whilst most students will graduate with a degree that they are proud to share with future employers, and many will graduate with fond memories of their time at university, many female students will also graduate with memories of some of the worst experiences of their lives. According to a survey conducted by The Telegraph, a third of female students will be sexually assaulted during their time studying at university. Sexual assault is a grave spectrum, with a depressingly farreaching arm. Every student has the right to feel safe on campus, on nights out, and in our own rooms. This is not a privilege set aside to a certain demographic of students, this is something we are entitled to and something that we must demand. Perhaps more disturbingly, a survey published by American scientific journal Violence and Gender found that 31.7% of male participants would have sex with a woman against her will if it was a guaranteed “consequence-free” situation. This is rape, and this shows how rape culture is perpetuated; many rapists do not understand what constitutes rape, or they simply choose to ignore it. It is this ignorance that leads to such horrifying statistics and high victim rates. From the week that students arrive at Nottingham they are faced with sexism; one need not look any further than the chants taught to students in Week One or students’ own experiences shared via the NottsSexism Twitter account to see that this is the case. Rape culture is perpetuated across campus and university life, and only providing a part time Women’s Officer position is not enough to combat this problem. Our SU could do more; they need to do everything within their power to challenge this culture and help current and students face university life free from sexual assault.

SARAH DEAR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

INSIDE ON THE COVER

NEWS INVESTIGATION

“A THIRD OF CHILDREN ARE LIVING IN POVERTY” Impact investigate Nottingham’s austerity victims

10 COMMENT

DISILLUSIONMENT AND DISTRUST

Why are young voters unwilling to engage?

12 FEATURES

“HE SAID HE COULDN’T FINISH BECAUSE HIS PENIS WAS HURTING SO MUCH” Investigating students’ STI stories

20 TRAVEL

SPOTLIGHT ON: VIETNAM

Is Vietnam on its way to joining the wealthy Asian elite?

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MAGAZINE

26 SCIENCE

THE SONY HACK

GAMING

CROWDFUNDING AND VIDEO GAMES What can be achieved?

Speculation and accusation

FILM The significance of the biopic

GRAB IT AND RUN!

Nottingham’s best takeaways

MUSIC

Get the 70s Look

“TO US IT SEEMS MORE POP” We interviewed The Cribs’s Ross Jarman

STYLE

PSYCHEDELIC PRINTS

WE ALL LOVE A HERO

FOOD

ARTS

CRAPPER LAUGHS

When does comedy go too far?

48 EXPOSURE

HUMANS OF NOTTINGHAM Telling the locals’ stories

SPORTS

MEET THE SUPERHUMANS

We spoke to Team GB’s paralympic medalists

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“CHILDREN ARE OFTEN THE HIDDEN AND UNHEARD VICTIMS OF AUSTERITY, THE RESULTS OF WHICH MAY BLIGHT THE LIVES OF AN ENTIRE GENERATION” IMPACT INVESTIGATES CHILD POVERTY IN NOTTINGHAM

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Children in an Age of Austerity, a report produced by the Advice Nottingham Policy and Campaigns team, showed that 24% of children in the Nottingham South parliamentary constituency, which includes Lenton and Dunkirk, live in poverty. Haleema Wahid, a former legal researcher at the University of Nottingham (UoN), co-authored the report on behalf of the consortium. Wahid stated that the report “brings to light the real-life cases and stories of children in Nottingham, who are experiencing adversity as direct result of benefit changes”. Released in 2014, the report aims to show how children can be excluded from the discussion concerning welfare changes, and subsequently raise awareness within the public and policy-makers.

THE ISSUE: “IN NOTTINGHAM CITY ALMOST A THIRD OF CHILDREN ARE LIVING IN POVERTY” The Children in an Age of Austerity report uses the European Union's definition to explain child poverty, which sets the international ‘poverty line’ at below 60% of the median income of a nation. Therefore, in the UK, where the median household income is £22,880 per annum, a child is in poverty if their household income is below £13,728 per annum before tax. According to the Nottinghamshire County Council website, "poverty damages childhoods - some families cannot, for example, afford to keep their homes warm or pay for basic necessities and activities, such as three meals a day, school uniforms or social outings. Children who grow up in poverty lack many of the experiences and opportunities that others take for granted, and can be exposed to severe hardship and social exclusion. Their childhood suffers as a result and this is unacceptable".

“CHILDREN WHO GROW UP IN POVERTY LACK MANY OF THE EXPERIENCES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT OTHERS TAKE FOR GRANTED” Across the UK, 21.3% of children are living in relative poverty. The average for child poverty in Nottingham is significantly higher, with 32% of the child population living in poverty, with an average household income of £10,843 after tax according to the Office for National Statistics. The Children in an Age of Austerity report indicates that Lenton and Dunkirk fall within the 20% highest rates of child poverty in the city. Unipol found that, in 2011, 65.7% of the population in Dunkirk and Lenton were students. Thus, in these areas, students live side by side with families struck by poverty. The report detailed the negative effects of poverty on children being educated in Nottingham; "all schools [they spoke to] reported that welfare reform [has] had a negative impact on children in their schools". Furthermore a 2014 report, written by the New Policy Institute and published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, revealed that the prospects of these children’s education and employment are significantly lower than children born into a financially stable and nonimpoverished family.

THE CAUSES UNDERLYING CHILD POVERTY IN NOTTINGHAM: “WELFARE REFORM REPRESENTS A STEADY ATTACK ON LIVING STANDARDS” Professor Aoife Nolan, who coordinates the University of Nottingham Children and Childhood Network, as well as being an active member of the Children’s Commissioner for England’s Child Rights in Higher Education Advisory Group, emphasised to Impact the importance of noting that "all children aren’t equal". Prior to welfare reform, there was evidence to suggest that certain groups were more strongly represented in child poverty cases than others, namely BME (black and minority ethnic), children with disabilities and single parent families; those that in the past were more vulnerable are also more likely to be poor as a result of recent changes.

“51% OF PARENTS SAID THEY HAD CUT BACK ON CLOTHING, FOOD OR HEATING TO AFFORD SCHOOL COSTS” The introduction of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 by the coalition government is outlined in the report, as well as the economic recession, as regressing the efforts that have been made in safeguarding the future of children across the country. Criticism of the Welfare Reform Act has been widespread; Wahid claims that “by 2020, it is anticipated that a fifth of all working age parents and their children will be living in poverty”. She also believes, "[the] bedroom tax [introduced under the coalition in 2013] is the most punitive tax. That’s probably the one that’s hitting people the most”. Advice Nottingham’s report reveals that in Lenton and Dunkirk, 76 homes have been affected by the ‘spare-bedroom tax’, costing them an average of £14.40 per week. Despite already high levels of poverty, families are being forced to redirect money, which could be spent on food, clothes or other necessities, towards a ‘punitive’ tax that causes financial hardship. A case study in the report reveals that Simon and Kate*, who have two children, are forced to pay £10 per week for an unused room, which will be used in the future once their children reach the age of ten and no longer share. In the report, Advice Nottingham criticizes the ‘spare room subsidy’ because it causes unnecessary “upheaval and trauma” if families are forced to move, while their children may also have to change school, impacting on their education at an important stage in their lives. Furthermore, across Nottingham, parents who claim benefits have experienced a number of sanctions imposed by government. Such sanctions include the freezing of child benefit from 2011; the cutting of financial benefits for childcare costs, forcing some parents to pay up to an extra £1,560 for childcare; lone parents are also required to sign onto jobseekers allowance once their child reaches the age of five, and actively look for work in addition to caring for their children. According to Professor Nolan, child poverty was improving prior to 2010, for much of the period of the previous government. She explained that while the ‘bedroom tax’ has had a very clear impact, particularly on families with disabled children, it is not necessarily one measure that causes the increase in child poverty but the broader welfare agenda. Nolan told Impact that "welfare reform has created

NEWS

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a perfect storm for child poverty"; it is the accumulative impact of a series of measures that results in multiple changes that families can struggle to adapt to and accommodate without dropping below the poverty line.

“24% OF CHILDREN IN THE SOUTH OF NOTTINGHAM, WHICH INCLUDES LENTON, LIVE IN POVERTY” Impact also spoke to Lilian Greenwood, Labour MP for Nottingham South, who addressed child poverty in her constituency work: "I see a lot of cases in my advice surgery, particularly through families who are having a very difficult time as a result of changes to the welfare system whether its through cuts or the bedroom tax. I’m extremely concerned about that. I have been working closely with Advice Nottingham and dealing with individual cases so it does need tackling. It is very shocking that a lot of those children are actually from working houses, its not just about people on benefits - its also those on low pay as well as those reliant on welfare support". Chris Dearden, Policy and Campaigns Officer at Advice Nottingham, outlined responses to the report by the local authority to Impact: "the council hasn’t agreed to extend the hardship payments to parents, who have been sanctioned, which was one of the things that I hoped would happen. I understand their reasoning, that they have a limited amount in their funds. Most of the others would actually be a wish list to central government. There has been no shift though in central government, in respect to welfare reform. Labour has said it would get rid of the bedroom tax, but the Conservatives standpoint is that the bedroom tax would stay".

THE CONSEQUENCES OF CHILD POVERTY: HEALTH, WELLBEING AND EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES Dearden went on to describe the experiences of families in poverty to Impact: “There comes a point when they can’t cut back any further and it is not unusual for parents to do without, mothers in particular, in order to let their children eat. Also, you can see the evidence in the report [Children in an Age of Austerity] of some children going to school hungry, having had no food at home”. He went on to comment: “At the moment free school meals make a significant difference. But you will find that some children are doing without, there is less food, less money; families are likely to be in debt which means overall that more most money goes on debt repayment, so is not available for other needs such as adequate clothing and heating in the home. Parents have to cut back where they can, so they prioritize food over clothing".

“CHILD POVERTY WAS IMPROVING PRIOR TO 2010” The Child Poverty Act was passed in 2010 and set a national target of 10% however, the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, concluded in 2013 that the 2020 child poverty target was likely to be missed by a considerable margin, and that progress on social mobility could be undermined by the twin problems of youth unemployment and falling living standards. Furthermore, Professor Nolan highlighted the renegotiation of obligations established in the Child Poverty Act which instilled basic duties for local authorities and national government, which is “nothing to do with the economic crisis… [it] is hard to see any justification for that”.

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MAGAZINE Professor Nolan also told Impact about the changes in the approach of community groups and organisations: “Historically [we] haven’t heard of poverty been described as a human rights issue in the UK and it is very interesting that post the economic crisis and welfare reforms in particular, you are seeing that language being used”. Nolan went on to state that prior to these events such groups did not want conflict in order to collaborate with the government, but the change in discourse "gives you a sense of a certain desperation in how serious child poverty has become, resulting in a willingness to use any tools available”. Work conducted and commissioned by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner between 2011 and 2013 involved interviewing a number of young people about poverty. Children told interviewers about the experiences faced in relation to health, education, discrimination and stress. One interviewee commented on how people in poverty “can’t afford healthy foods, so they just won’t eat healthily”, while another revealed how a child’s education can also suffer in terms of access to resources that enable students to work: “in our school you have to buy your own pens, otherwise they say you’re not ‘ready to learn’… if we haven’t got a pen and pencil, we’d just sit there, schools are [also] becoming computer-oriented, and it can be a problem if you haven’t got that access, or you’ve got very limited access". Those in authority were also criticised: "A lot of teachers just can’t be bothered… a lot of [students] are violent and don’t care about working… it’s linked to poverty, and people not caring… if something bad is happening, everyone just turns a blind eye". Furthermore, child poverty can result in other personal problems: “If you’re in poverty, or you don’t have much money and you’re just trying to get by, you suffer mentally, because you get bullied unless you are strong enough to shrug it off”. Another child commented: “without having any space really you tend to go out more, you just go out and do nothing on the streets”.

“THE GOVERNMENT IS FAILING TO MEET ITS COMMITMENTS UNDER THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD”

UON SOCIAL MOBILITY POLICIES: “WE AIM TO RAISE ASPIRATIONS, ATTAINMENT AND PROGRESSION TO UNIVERSITY" The University of Nottingham’s outreach programme provides students with the opportunity to go into the local community. This is done through a number of initiatives for most schools and colleges within an hour’s commute of the University and a free scheme for students in years 9-13 called ‘Ambition Nottingham’, which offers a range of experiences to prepare children for higher education. Emma Szembek, the Schools and Colleges Manager of the programme, told Impact: “we are tasked with improving educational opportunities for the community, and that can go some way to breaking the cycle of child poverty”. She went on to add, “there is no direct correlation between the activities we provide and breaking child poverty but we can work on a small aspect of [child poverty] and like to think we make a contribution.” Szembek believes that "the University [of Nottingham] has actually been forward thinking with opening up access", but that now, due to fee rises, “there’s been more of a guaranteed funding stream for the work that’s happened through the offer and access agreements that we have to write”. In addition, the Student’s Union (SU) works to aid child poverty in the local community. The SU’s Community Officer, Mike Abiodun Olatokun, told Impact: "the SU run campaigns to reach out into the wider community... specifically [to] 16 and 17 year olds in order to prevent them from falling into poverty or aid them out of poverty. Nottingham Citizens [a community organization alliance] and I are campaigning on issues in Nottingham to target problems such are child poverty”. The University is also backing research in the area of child poverty; the University of Nottingham Children and Childhood Network combines the knowledge and skills of over 180 academics from across 30 different Schools. Kate Morris, director of the Centre for Social Work, is leading the University of Nottingham’s contribution to a newly announced major UK wide study into the relationship between the level poverty and deprivation, and care and protection intervention (which has received a £550,000 grant from the Nuffield Foundation). Morris told Impact that: “in two years time [we] hope to make a real difference to families’ lives, particularly where professional intervention [is] involved”.

These testimonies are backed up by a report by the Children’s Commission on Poverty, titled At What Cost? Exposing the Impact of Poverty on School Life, which was supported by The Children’s Society. A third of children who said their family is ‘not well off at all’ have fallen behind in class because their family could not afford the necessary books or materials. 51% of parents said they had cut back on clothing, food or heating to afford school costs and 27% of children said they had been bullied as a result. In addition, the UK is a signatory of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which includes the commitment to an adequate standard of living, health and health services, social security and leisure, culture and play. However, Nolan stated that "there is a wholescale violation of children’s rights. All actions of the state, including economic policy, need to be taken with the interests of children in mind". Maggie Atkinson, the Children's Commissioner for England, supports this view; their report "concludes that the Government is failing to meet its commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which compels signatories to protect children, and in particular, the most disadvantaged groups, from the adverse effects of economic policies”.

WORDS BY YASEMIN CRAGGS MERSINOGLU AND JONATHAN MCALLISTER IMAGES BY EMILY MORGAN *NAMES CHANGED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY 7

COMMENT

IS PATRIOTISM AN ADMIRABLE QUALITY? FEELINGS OF NATIONAL PRIDE HAVE BEEN PRESENT SINCE THE BEGINNINGS OF CIVILISATION, BUT ARE THEY MISGUIDED? RACHEL LEWIS AND CALUM RUTTER DEBATE ON WHETHER PATRIOTISM IS A QUALITY WORTH HAVING.

YES NO

We need to stop viewing patriotism as a negative word. Yes, it has connotations of outlandish Americanism and British colonialism. But we’re always being told to be proud of who we are, so why should we not be proud of where we come from?

It’s not fascist - it’s caring about the environment and society that you have grown up in. It’s not confessing an undying love for the Queen and all her men - it’s being proud of a shared national identity. It’s not suddenly upping arms and joining the military - it’s showing a gratitude to the state that has funded your education and healthcare.

“IT’S NOT SUDDENLY UPPING ARMS AND JOINING THE MILITARY - IT’S SHOWING A GRATITUDE TO THE STATE THAT HAS FUNDED YOUR EDUCATION AND HEALTHCARE” In fact, those that care the most about their country can often be those who speak out against authority when they believe politics to be contrary to the good of the nation. If more of us demonstrated patriotism by voting in elections, politicians would then gear their policies in a direction which could help us all. Even without politics, we should take pride in our country’s achievements. We take delight in celebrating our sporting stars - the 2012 London Olympics, Tour de Yorkshire, Andy Murray’s Wimbledon victory; as well as our award winning arts and film culture, from Harry Potter to Blackadder to Trainspotting. It was our nation that gave the world the internet! Shakespeare, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, John Lennon. Why should we be scared of calling ourselves patriotic when it means that we are proud of achievement? Appreciating who you are and using that as a drive for success is not a bad quality. After all, no other territory in the world affixes the word ‘Great’ to its name, and there should be no shame in being patriotic.

WORDS BY RACHEL LEWIS 8

Pride in one’s country is misplaced. Birth is a random event, more so its location, and this means that to take any pride in having been born in the same place as Shakespeare, for instance, is the most extraordinary conceit. To be proud of something, one should have had at least some part in its design. Liking The Beatles is not equivalent to being patriotic. We can all choose elements of culture from our country that we like, and this is no bad thing, but in order to truly say you love the country, rather than just these elements, you surely have to take the bad as well as the good. Take the United Kingdom, for example. For every great band, there has been a terrible war. For every fantastic actor, there has been exploitation of another country. For every lauded poet, there is an awful consequence of the oppressive class structure. The real problem with patriotism is the danger it poses. Consider this question: what benefit has ever resulted from patriotism that could not have also been brought about by an elementary sense of human solidarity? Now consider this: what bad things that patriotism has caused could have been avoided by the same?

“FOR EVERY GREAT BAND, THERE HAS BEEN A TERRIBLE WAR” The ways in which patriotism manifests itself are harmful to peace and democracy. One needs only to look at the self-identifying patriots in this country to solidify this view; how does Britain First (incidentally the most ‘liked’ UK political party on Facebook) contribute to anything other than division? It is important to question who stands to benefit from patriotism. It is not the ordinary person who feels a genuine respect for his countrymen; it is the establishment that wants us divided and pitted against one another. It is the arms manufacturer that wants to maintain popular support for corporate-colonial wars. It is the opportunistic racist that wants to halt immigration. Solidarity with all people is the better path – the one that we must endeavour to tread.

WORDS BY CALUM RUTTER IMAGE BY JONNY KARLING

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VOX POP WHAT DOES FREE SPEECH MEAN TO YOU? WHILST BEING WHAT WE CONSIDER A BASIC RIGHT, FREE SPEECH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE. HERE, CONTRIBUTORS DISCUSS THE FREE SPEECH QUESTIONS WHICH MEAN SOMETHING TO THEM.

13 JOURNALISTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN KILLED IN 2015

“THESE LIMITS MAKE A MOCKERY OF THE ACTUAL NOTION OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH”

Raif Badawi of Saudi Arabia is receiving 1000 lashes and a prison sentence of 10 years for merely publishing articles under his ‘Liberal Saudi Network’. Two Al-Jazeera journalists are still in custody in Egypt for apparently ‘disseminating false news’. These are only two examples of a divided world when it comes to freedom of speech. Reporters Without Borders claim that 13 journalists have already been killed in 2015, with a further 165 imprisoned. Far too often, we, in the supposedly liberated western world, take it for granted that we can type and express whatever we desire. However, our responsibility towards freedom of speech should be its internationalisation.

In recent months, the debate about the merits of free speech has been reignited. While world leaders and regular citizens alike have united in condemning violence, different governments have also exploited the discussion to further their remits. David Cameron has put forward a renewed proposal for the Snoopers’ Charter to monitor social media. Political support for the National Security Agency has suddenly shot up across the pond. Meanwhile, the Bangladeshi government recently implemented a short-term mass media blackout with little to no denunciation. Not only do these limits make a mockery of the actual notion of freedom of speech, but the politicians who are imposing them are actually undermining our security by taking away our rights to expression and privacy. Giving in to our fear and looking at these complexities as a simple “security-versus-free-speech” binary have led us down this route. It is time we correct that. Ibtisam Ahmed

We must remember that freedom of speech is not just a construct for the western world and there are those who face barbaric conditions whenever they seek the right to an opinion. Our whole world needs freedom of speech. Abdul Muktadir

UNIVERSITY IS SUPPOSED TO BE A PLACE FOR INTELLECTUAL DISCUSSION AND DEBATE University campuses have traditionally been the backbone of freedom of expression, thought and behaviour. Recently, however, I feel that this has been compromised, especially here in Nottingham. Here, our own SU have boycotted The Sun and Daily Star from being sold on campus; Trent SU’s No Platform policy, meanwhile, bans certain speakers and advertising on campus. University is supposed to be a place for intellectual discussion and debate. As far as I’m concerned, no idea or person should be excluded from that. Some say that antidiscriminatory policies on campuses restrict that freedom, and I can’t say that they shouldn’t be in place. However, in an environment where we should all be clever enough to respect one another, we should have freedom of language, thought and expression. Let’s not forget that notions once deemed radical, such as minority rights, were first nurtured and supported on campuses across the world. Rachel Lewis

JOURNALISTS, AS WELL AS THE ORDINARY PEOPLE, CAN REALLY HAVE THEIR SAY Social media has seemingly provided a platform which gives everyone a public voice and the chance to share and discuss their opinions with other people from around the country and even the world. The development of online, democratised journalism means freedom of speech is less elitist, and that journalists, as well as the ordinary people, can really have their say. Brilliant. What worries me, however, is the social media mob mentality which is developing. This can lead to online attacks on individuals in the public eye, who may have made a controversial comment. A case can be made that people should have the right to express their opinion - on other people’s opinions. However, when numerous individuals have been made to publicly retract such ‘controversial comments’, does one person’s freedom of speech begin to impinge on another’s? Where exactly do we draw the line? Maddie Waktare IMAGE BY ELENI PHILIPPOU 9

COMMENT

DISILLUSIONMENT, DISTRUST AND THE MYTH OF VOTER APATHY AS THE GENERAL ELECTION APPROACHES, YOUNG VOTERS ARE INCREASINGLY SUSPECTED OF BEING UNWILLING TO ENGAGE. IS THIS REALLY BECAUSE OF APATHY? Have we succumbed to voter apathy? The figures from May’s European elections would certainly suggest so: at 43.09%, it was the lowest UK turnout in a European election ever. The apathy narrative is one which has been seized upon by the media: voters, especially young voters, no longer seem to particularly care about the future of their government. Whether we should accept this, however, is debatable. In fact, waves of protests, including student protests, would suggest that low turnout isn’t because of apathy, but anger. This is by no means new, with YouGov polls showing that, even in the post-WWII “golden age” of voter participation, only 36% of respondents thought politicians were trying to do what was best for the country. However, it seems to have come to a head lately.

“VOTERS ARE FINDING THAT THEIR PROBLEMS DON’T SEEM TO GET SOLVED – NO MATTER WHO THEY VOTE FOR” Partially, this is due to partisan politics in an age in which our society is somewhat at the mercy of external factors, like globalisation. For a politician to admit this, however, would be tantamount to admitting defeat. Instead, partisan politics are used to foist the blame onto whichever party happens to currently be in power. This is problematic: it leads to a situation where it’s optimal for politicians to use policy as a cheap, short-termist ploy to placate the electorate; an OECD report, for example, found that only 1/10 of the education policies implemented by its member countries were ever actually assessed for their impact. Rather than take any sort of evidence-based or even ideological stance, parties are instead pandering to the will of the ‘median voter’, maximising their votes, and becoming all but identical in the process. Meanwhile, voters are finding that their problems don’t seem to get solved – no matter who they vote for. For disillusionment to arise seems only natural. Documentary maker Adam Curtis has taken this a step further. In a series of short films which are chilling in the familiarity of their stories, 10

he argues that politicians, aided by the media, have created an account of society and the economy which is self-contradictory and incoherent. Not only does this thwart any attempts to form a strong counter-argument, but it leaves the electorate confused and unsure of how to react, paralysed instead by what he calls ‘oh dear-ism’. Research by UoN’s Steven Fielding finds that even fictional media has aided in this: blurring the lines between fact and fiction, dramatizations of UK politics on TV have sustained a confirmation bias. The public’s prejudices of politics as self-interested and ‘sleazy’ are reflected, and subsequently consolidated, by shows like Yes Minister and The Thick of It. However, disillusionment is only dangerous in that it leads to a lack of action. To the cynic, we seem to be mired in a first-past-the-post system which keeps practically identical mainstream parties in place. Worse still, it’s this establishment which dictates the terms of electoral reform. Voting, in such circumstances, seems hopeless. It is this sort of mindset which has led to the unlikely rise of Russell Brand as an apparently anti-political figure. This label is misleading: Russell Brand is in fact intensely political. Brand advocates a more devolved system: centred around the needs of the community, rather than the elite, this system’s success wouldn’t be measured in terms of economic indicators, but more holistic measures of well-being. If this sounds naïve, it’s worth noting that the importance of economic development, and of measures of happiness, have been acknowledged by mainstream economics for some time. What’s more, Brand’s ideas, however blue-sky they sound, are distinctly free from the Oh-dearism which pervades all other critical descriptions of politics. It’s worth noting that it’s not all or nothing; non-mainstream parties, like the Greens, do exist, and do provide some relief from the current paradigm. Regardless, the myth of apathy should be discarded: it dismisses the very real, strongly political feelings of an entire generation, and risks resigning them to continued inaction. Oh dear.

WORDS BY PRIYA THETHI IMAGES BY MAYU AMANO AND BEKI HOOPER

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ARE GLOBAL UNIVERSITY RANKINGS REDUNDANT?

THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM HAS SLIPPED FROM THEIR TOP 75 POSITION IN THE QS WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS: LOUISA CHENCINER QUESTIONS WHETHER RANKINGS MATTER, OR WHETHER THEY ARE JUST AN ARBITRARY FORM OF ACADEMIC SELF-GRATIFICATION. As you stroll onto University Campus, through the esteemed North Entrance, the familiar mossy green signs of The University of Nottingham greet you: A Top 75 QS World University. Well, used to be. The university has tumbled a mere two places, down to 77th and alas the aforementioned badge of honour has been covered over with a less excitingly stickered claim. What does it mean, however, to enter the ‘top 75’ class of higher education? Reviewing the methodology of the QS World Rankings does little to further inform the eager prospective student. Indeed Simon Marginson, professor of higher education at the University of Melbourne and a member of the Times Higher Education editorial board, stated in 2012; "I will not discuss the QS ranking because the methodology is not sufficiently robust to provide data valid as social science".

“REVIEWING THE METHODOLOGY OF THE QS WORLD RANKINGS DOES LITTLE TO FURTHER INFORM THE EAGER PROSPECTIVE STUDENT”

fascination with lists". He talks of the obsession with what may be measured rather than what is relevant and important. In David Blanchflower’s eloquently named article, The QS World University Rankings are a load of old baloney, the QS rankings were condemned as they "underweight the quality of research and overweight fluff". Those institutions occupying the upper echelons of the world rankings still retain a collectively sought after allure. Reports from last year, describing the generation of a French mega-university, reflect this obsession with world rankings. In the most recent QS World University Rankings there were no French universities in the top 20 and only two institutions in the top 100. As a result, the government has funded the fusion of 19 institutions into a single structure, the Paris-Saclay, which will aim to compete against big players like Harvard or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dominique Vernay, president of the new institution, declared to the BBC: “my goal is to be a top 10 institution”. He went on to argue that “the essence of the plan is that we are missing growth in France. It’s not the big companies, what we’re missing is the new technology, those small companies that grow very fast and become new players”. The economic agenda behind the development of the Paris Saclay arguably reflects a new wave of European higher education.

The methodology weights academic peer review by 40%, student faculty ratio by 20%, citations per faculty by 20%, recruiter review by 10% and international orientation by 10%. The use of peer review has been heavily criticised as it relies on online participation of academics, who nominate their choice of the thirty best universities, from a preselected list. The distribution of this survey is considered to be deeply flawed, as it relies on the use of purchased mailing lists, applications and suggestions.

The 2013 study by High Fliers Research, however, found that the University of Nottingham is the first choice among the UK’s top graduate employers. And so perhaps students at the University of Nottingham should not be too disheartened by the loss of the Top 75 crown, as Dr Paul Greatrix raved to The Guardian (2013) “the University of Nottingham is delivering the global graduates that employers are looking for”.

In 2008, David Woodhouse, a former academic at La Trobe University in Melbourne, described how the world rankings exemplify a "human

WORDS BY LOUISA CHENCINER IMAGES BY UONOTTINGHAM VIA FLICKR 11

FEATURES

“IN THEORY, YOU’RE SLEEPING WITH EVERYBODY THEY HAVE EVER SLEPT WITH” IMPACT INVESTIGATES STIS AMONGST UON STUDENTS University is often portrayed as a period of hedonism and promiscuity and for many students it is their first experience of living independently, this often results in boozy nights and subsequent sexual encounters. “There is no way I would bring someone back after a night out at home as I live with my parents, but living at uni with friends gives you a certain freedom”, Peter Ashton* tells Impact.

“10% OF UON STUDENTS HAVE HAD AN STI AT SOME POINT, WITH 7% ADMITTING THAT THEY CONTRACTED THE INFECTION WHILST AT UNIVERSITY” However, with this new freedom comes new risks, and for some students this is in the form of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). A recent Impact survey found that 10% of UoN students have had an STI at some point, with 7% admitting that they contracted the infection whilst at university. 2% admitted that they currently have an STI. “There’s a real risk but sometimes you just forget and aren’t quite as careful as you should be, especially after a few too many”, Claire Reeth*, tells Impact. “I think it’s just standard that a high proportion of students have had STIs, some wear it almost as a badge of honour”, she adds.

While this certainly portrays an alarming picture, it is important to take into consideration the amount of students who may currently have undiagnosed STIs. “I’ve never been tested but I know I’ve put myself at risk of contracting one and I potentially could have an STI unknowingly”, Claire tells Impact. Fortunately, the majority of students surveyed claim to have had an STI test, with 62% admitting that they have been tested at some point. However, since 80% of UoN students surveyed admitted to having had unprotected sex, it does raise the question of just how many students have an STI without even realising it. For Tom Hunts*, the lack of symptoms from his STI meant that he didn’t realise that he had one: “The only unprotected sexual encounter I had was about 6 months before the symptoms of the genital warts appeared. The most recent [protected] encounter was at least a month earlier, so it was hard to be sure which experience caused them due to the fact that they are transmitted through skin to skin contact condoms won't always help, especially when they can be invisible/near invisible yet still transmittable. They are, however, quick and easy, if not entirely painless, to get rid of”. Impact found that the most common STI amongst UoN students was chlamydia, with 9% of students admitting to having contracted the infection. This is unsurprising, given that it is the most widespread STI in the UK, with 208,755 diagnoses made in 2013 as reported by gov.uk.

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“I was diagnosed with chlamydia after I felt pain during sex. I’m not sure which person I got it from, but I think it was my ex. When we first started having sex, he said he couldn’t finish because his penis was hurting so much. He went to the doctor and had some antibiotics. I didn’t have symptoms for a while and I’m still not too sure if it was from him”, Kath Bassett* tells Impact. Like Tom, it was the absence of immediate symptoms that meant that Kath didn’t realise that she had an STI. This perhaps alludes to a worrying trend, particularly as chlamydia is the most common STI, and yet one of the least symptomatic. The NHS estimate that symptoms are dormant in 70-80% of women and around half of men. Dave Collins* is another UoN student who contracted chlamydia whilst at university. He tells Impact: “I caught it first in October and have no idea who from. I ordered the treatment online and self-diagnosed chlamydia. It cleared up, then I got it again in December when the condom came off with one of the girls I had slept with before I got it the first time”. Aside from chlamydia, genital warts was the second most common STI with 3% of those surveyed having had the infection, followed by herpes (2%), gonorrhoea (2%) and crabs (2%). “I’m currently waiting on results to check gonorrhoea has been fully cleared from my system”, one UoN student told Impact.

“WHEN WE FIRST STARTED HAVING SEX, HE SAID HE COULDN’T FINISH BECAUSE HIS PENIS WAS HURTING SO MUCH” Ben Rose* contracted chlamydia and gonorrhoea at university. He tells Impact: “I had a few symptoms, they weren't pretty. I got it checked at the GUM clinic. The staff were lovely, they were so friendly and helpful. I’m all clear now but due for another check-up”.

While the risk of catching an STI is prevalent in Phil’s mind, some students don’t have the same concerns when it comes to unprotected sex. Second year student Emily Sweeney* tells Impact: “I've never had an STI but I should really get tested as I have had unprotected sex multiple times after nights out. I usually wake up regretting it but usually I'm too drunk at the time to care or even realise. I know I'm putting myself at risk but if I'm honest it's the potential of pregnancy that scares me much more than STIs. I’ve never really considered whether someone has one before sleeping with them after a night out”.

“ONE STUDENT HAD CONTRACTED CHLAMYDIA ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS FROM ONE NIGHT STANDS” Emily’s attitude is concerning, yet not uncommon as 45% of UoN students admitted to not using protection during a one night stand. One student even told Impact that they had contracted chlamydia on three separate occasions from one night stands. Chloe Averill, the SU’s Welfare Officer tells Impact: “Many students may have concerns over their sexual health due to the nature of university, so it is essential that students are having sexual health checks as often as appropriate for them. We have a great service at Cripps health centre where students can access sexual health screenings and we run c-card clinics where students can sign up and have access to free condoms”. There is no doubt that STIs are common amongst the student demographic, but so long as care is taken for one’s own sexual health it is possible to stay safe and STI free. “It just really isn’t worth it to take such a gamble with your health”, Claire tells Impact. “I regret having unprotected sex with someone I didn’t really know. I hope I’m lucky but sometimes the consequences outweigh the benefits”.

From the comments left on Impact’s survey, it transpired that the most common way students had caught STIs was from one night stands. “You just don’t know who you are sleeping with. In theory, you’re sleeping with everybody they have ever slept with, and considering the fact that many STIs are the result of one night stands it’s hard to know whether they’re lying or not, especially if you have just met them that night”, Claire tells Impact. Many students are putting themselves at risk, such as Phil Drake*, who tells Impact: “Last year I was seeing two people at the same time and terribly not using protection with either. Quite a few of my friends were in the same situation”. “I get tested quite regularly, I’m super paranoid about having an STI alongside getting someone pregnant. I've only ever done the standard test but my brother has done the swab and it’s meant to be incredibly painful”, he adds.

WORDS BY NATASHA GREGSON *NAMES CHANGED TO PROTECT IDENTITY SURVEY CONDUCTED JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2015, 367 RESPONSES.

FEATURES

“I AM THAT PRICK THAT FILMS HIS MATE WHEN HE’S BEING SICK BECAUSE HE’S DRANK TOO MUCH” SEANN WALSH, STAND UP COMEDIAN, TALKS TO IMPACT ABOUT ALWAYS BEING LATE, FEELING LIKE AN AIR STEWARD AND WANTING TO BE A SEAGULL YOU ARE KNOWN FOR YOUR ENERGETIC PRESENCE ON STAGE, HOW DO YOU KEEP IT UP? It’s just how I am. I don’t smoke any more which means I have a bit more stamina but am less happy. DO YOU ENJOY BEING ON STAGE OR IS IT STILL QUITE NERVERACKING? I love being on stage when it’s going well, which is more often than not nowadays. But when it’s bad, I feel like an air steward doing their health and safety bit when no one’s watching. Poor sods. YOUR HAIR IS SOMEWHAT ICONIC, WHAT’S YOUR SECRET? Don’t wash. YOUR PREVIOUS TOUR WAS TITLED ‘THE LIE-IN KING’, DO YOU STRUGGLE TO GET UP IN THE MORNING LIKE US STUDENTS DO? Always have done. Always will do. When I used to work in the pub, I used to be late for my shift because I was still in bed. I started at 7pm. Seriously.

WATCHING YOU PERFORM STAND-UP IS INFECTIOUS, HAVE YOU EVER HAD ANY CRAZY FAN EXPERIENCES? Some people draw me and send their pictures in. Someone drew me during my show the other night. They said they loved it. It’s not a great sign that they were drawing during the show. Bring crayons people. THE ARTWORK FOR YOUR LATEST TOUR IS PARTICULARLY BRILLIANT, WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND IT? Just thought it was funny. Some people don’t know the reference so it just looks like I’ve become THAT comic. Or they think I’m Tim Minchin. ARE YOU A BIG ADELE FAN THEN? I like that song. You know the one. YOU’RE OFTEN ON PANEL SHOWS LIKE 8 OUT OF 10 CATS WITH VARIOUS OTHER CELEBRITIES, IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LEAVE YOU SPEECHLESS? I met him. Charlie Austin. QPR striker.

AS A COMEDIAN YOUR JOB IS PRETTY MUCH TALKING NON-STOP, DO YOU EVER FIND YOURSELF LOST FOR WORDS? uuuuuuummmm uurrr hhmmmm yes.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR STUDENTS LOOKING TO GET INTO THE ENTERTAINMENT AND COMEDY BUSINESS? Take your time. Don’t do anything I did.

YOU’RE NOTED FOR YOUR CLEVER OBSERVATIONAL HUMOUR, WHAT’S YOUR INSPIRATION? DO YOU JUST LIVE A FUNNY LIFE? No, I think I live quite a normal life, it’s just I find “normal” life funny.

LET’S GET PERSONAL

DID YOU FIND YOURSELF FALLING INTO COMEDY OR WAS IT ALWAYS A PASSION OF YOURS? It was always a passion. I’ve wanted to do it as far back as I can remember, which isn’t that far due to 10 years of binge drinking.

WHAT’S THE FIRST THING YOU DO WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING? Pray for world peace. Don’t you? WHAT’S YOUR WORST HABIT? Not listening.

AS A TEAM CAPTAIN FOR VIRTUALLY FAMOUS, YOU’VE SEEN YOUR FAIR SHARE HILARIOUS MATERIAL ON THE WEB. WHAT’S THE GREATEST YOUTUBE CLIP YOU’VE EVER SEEN? I’m not really a fan of internet clips. I don’t really spend any time watching that sort of thing BUT Virtually Famous allows me to go and take the piss out of them, which I do enjoy.

IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY SUPERPOWER WHAT WOULD IT BE? Cook really good food by just thinking about it.

HAS THERE BEEN A TIME WHEN A CLIP HAS JUST BEEN TOO FUNNY ON THE SHOW AND YOU’VE COMPLETELY LOST IT? I can’t remember now. It was so long ago. But I am that prick that films his mate when he’s being sick because he’s drank too much. I thought I’d grown out of it as I got older but I think It’s getting funnier. Now it’s like “this man is being sick in a bin and he has a mortgage”!

IF YOU COULD BE ANY ANIMAL WHAT WOULD IT BE? What? Oh, definitely a seagull so I could shit on people.

IF YOU COULD ONLY EAT ONE FOOD FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Chips.

WORDS BY CHARLOTTE MCINTYRE

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NOTTINGHAM MYTHS

TRUE OR FALSE? IMPACT FEATURES INVESTIGATES THE MOST COMMON MYTHS ABOUT NOTTINGHAM 1. MOST EXPENSIVE SAINSBURY’S? FALSE

After first year, most students move to Lenton. It is also the first time many have to cook at university. Sainsbury’s Local on Derby Road, the social hub of student living, is well-positioned but falls foul of the repeated claim that it is the most expensive Sainsbury’s in the country. Danny McAlinden, Customer Manager at Sainsbury’s confirmed to Impact that “the price of items in our Nottingham Park Street Local store is the same as the prices in our local stores across the UK. Our local stores tend to have higher operating costs than our superstores as they are located in more expensive locations and have longer opening hours”.

2. KIMBOLTON AVENUE MOST BURGLED STREET IN BRITAIN? FALSE On a similar note, Lenton is known as a target for burglaries. But Kimbolton Avenue is not actually the most burgled road in the country. While in 2006 it was labelled the most burgled street in Britain by two national newspapers, there were no official statistics to back this up. In addition, moneysupermarket. com found that four Nottingham postcodes were in the top twenty in Britain for insurance claims in 2009 but none of these were near Lenton. A spokesman for Nottinghamshire police disputed the results: “We view this as a rather unscientific study which appears to be unfair to the areas it has identified within Nottinghamshire". Inspector Wilson told Impact that: "Crimes in the student areas are continuing to be low during the current academic year. There is need for continued vigilance in the student and wider area by the Police, partners and student communities, but Kimbolton Avenue and many other streets nearby are good places to live”.

3. MORE GIRLS THAN BOYS? FALSE

The rumour that the University of Nottingham has a 1: 5 male to female ratio has got so out of hand that it has been addressed in the ‘Offer Holders’ Newsletter’. The real undergraduate population is almost even, 49% male and 51% female. However, according to the ‘Annual student diversity report’ 56% of taught postgraduates are female while 44% are male in comparison to research postgraduates of which the males in the majority, at 54% and 46% are female.

4. NO NORTHERNERS? TRUE

Despite being in the Midlands, you’re more likely to hear a Southern accent. This has proved to be statistically correct because according to the University of Nottingham’s website, only 17% of domestic undergraduates come from various places in the North in 2014/15! Those from the South East make up the highest proportion at 26% and unsurprisingly greater London are next at 18%.

5. NOTTINGHAM PUBS ARE THE OLDEST IN ENGLAND? FALSE

Three Nottingham pubs claim to be the oldest in England; Ye Olde Salutation Inn, the Bell Inn and Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, which has even painted this on its wall. However, a little digging by Dr David Cross, who runs Tours of Nottingham, has unfortunately proved that no Nottingham pubs can rightfully claim to be the oldest, he told Impact: "In the 1997 Guinness Book of Records, there are four pubs outside Nottingham that have good claims to be the oldest pub/Inn in England. These beat the three Nottingham contenders by up to 500 years. It therefore seems highly unlikely that any of our Nottingham pubs could claim the title of ‘oldest Inn in England’, based on either the age of their building, or the use of that building as a pub”. WORDS BY YASEMIN CRAGGS MERSINOGLU IMAGES BY ‘PODOBOQ’, ‘MOLLYBOB’, ALEX TORRES AND CHRIS GOLDBERG VIA FLICKR 15

FEATURES

HOUSEMATES

FROM HELL FROM THE OVER-SHARING OF SEXUAL FETISHES TO CREEPY-CRAWLY COLLECTIONS, IMPACT INVESTIGATES WHAT GOES ON BEHIND THE DOORS OF LENTON’S STUDENT HOMES Students’ stories of their housemates range from the weird to the downright wacky. Though living in a house with friends conjures up images of cleaning rotas, house parties and everybody getting along perfectly, the reality may not always be so blissful.

‘BONDING’ WITH MY HOUSEMATES Amy Matthews* got more than she bargained for when she shared her curiosity as to the contents of a mysterious bag. She tells Impact, “my housemate and their then-significant other had brought over a rather large and bulky duffle-bag. Curious, I asked them what was in it. This was a big mistake, as they are exceptionally blunt and don't do subtlety. They cheerfully opened it up to show me various BDSM paraphernalia and even went on to explain how some of it would be used. That, combined with the noise emanating from their room that night, scarred me for life”. Amy’s story proves that sometimes you really don’t want to know what goes on behind closed doors.

“THEY CHEERFULLY OPENED IT UP TO SHOW ME VARIOUS BDSM PARAPHERNALIA” 16

THERE’S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING Most inhabitants of a student home will have several alcohol-induced yet very entertaining stories. For one unlucky student, however, drinking was something yet to be experienced. Chris Thomas* shares his story with Impact: “an international housemate had just been drinking for the first time in their life. To make things more interesting, they had gone to the pub on an empty stomach”. “When they got back, having consumed copious amounts of vodka and rum, they crawled up the stairs, giggled at lights being switched off and actually fell asleep standing up. They forgot most of the evening

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the following morning, though their first experience of a hangover was amusing”, he adds. Though it may not have been the introduction to the Nottingham nightlife that the unfortunate student had anticipated, it was certainly a night to remember for the whole house.

“THEY CRAWLED UP THE STAIRS, GIGGLED AT LIGHTS BEING SWITCHED OFF AND ACTUALLY FELL ASLEEP STANDING UP” ABROAD BUT NOT FORGOTTEN Everybody has the odd gripe with their housemates. For Daniel Riley*, however, one fellow student was a constant nightmare. He reveals to Impact, “my housemate was a bit of a nightmare to live with. He never washed up, never cleaned anything and used to wake us up at 3am shouting on Skype. A girl he was sleeping with would come round a lot, traipse around in her dirty shoes, blast her rock music out of our speakers, eat our food (seven bowls of cereal in total over three days), shower for half an hour at a time and then walk around naked. They would also have sex so loud it woke most of the house and broke the bed”.

house and he kicked off. He told us he had never liked us and would be better off living alone. Then he informed us he wouldn't be paying the bills for December because he didn't want to. So we had to cover that £40”, Daniel adds.

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS A rather clichéd but very prevalent type of housemate is of course the dirty, unhygienic kind that hasn’t heard of washing up or cleaning. Many Nottingham students have experiences with this particular sort of ‘housemate from hell’, including Emily Leese*, who tells Impact, “my housemate doesn't understand the concept of food hygiene and leaves the kitchen in a terrible mess. She doesn't do her washing up or sweeping, and she never takes the bins out”.

“I SHARED A HOUSE WITH A GUY WHO USED TO COLLECT DEAD SPIDERS”

Yet this is only half the story. He continues, “when a friend asked if she could move in with us next year, we started looking for a new house. We all found one we loved, but he didn't like it. We waited so long for him that we lost the house. Tensions rose because every time we found a house we liked, he hated it. Then, the night that someone else was signing for our current house, he announced he had found other people to live with this year. He had totally stitched us up and luckily we managed to re-sign for our current house, but only by begging the landlord and paying £1000 upfront”.

Danielle Evans* has shared a similar story: “last year my housemates were extremely disgusting; they never cleaned dishes or washed anything, even to the point where they had mould growing on their plates. Also, one of my housemates used to leave his dirty boxers in the bathroom all over the floor, and didn't know how to use a toilet brush either”. Danielle’s story also features a housemate with a rather unsettling hobby… “In my second year I shared a house with a guy who used to collect dead spiders”. In addition to the masses of dirty boxers, that’s enough to give anyone the creeps.

“A GIRL HE WAS SLEEPING WITH WOULD COME ROUND A LOT... EAT OUR FOOD, SHOWER FOR HALF AN HOUR AT A TIME AND THEN WALK AROUND NAKED.” “It was made worse when, two days before the end of term, he announced that he had found someone to live in his room when he went abroad this semester. Having never even spoken to this person, we said that we didn’t feel comfortable with a stranger living in our

WORDS BY RACHEL HARRISON IMAGES BY ‘SARAHFAITHX’, ‘MIKE’, ‘SHIRA GAL’ & ‘BWILLEN’ VIA FLICKR *NAMES CHANGED TO PROTECT IDENTITIES 17

FEATURES

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

OTHER

UKIP

WHO GETS

42%

16%

YOUR VOTE?

GREEN

LABOUR

IMPACT ASKED YOU WHO YOU’RE VOTING FOR IN THE 2015 GENERAL ELECTION. HERE ARE THE RESULTS.

28%

CONSERVATIVE

OF YOU ARE PLANNING ON VOTING

WHO YOU THINK SHOULD BE PRIME MINISTER

36%

34%

15%

DATA COMPILED BY NATASHA GREGSON | SURVEY CONDUCTED JAN - FEB 2015, 326 RESPONSES INFOGRAPHIC BY HARRY DINSDALE | IMAGES BY ‘NUMBER 10’, ‘JONANAMARY’, UON, ‘EUROPEAN UNION 2012’ AND ALEX FOLKES VIA FLICKR

TRAVEL Despite a decade of brave and persistent growth, Vietnam's future now hangs in the balance. Increasing pressure to reach the next level of economic development has prompted talk of a need for reform as experts suggest that the country is in danger of losing momentum after recent economic inefficiency and high levels of inflation. The latter is generally considered to be the result of a long established existence of structural issues, such as inefficient public spending and local credit fuelled growth, buried at the core of the Vietnamese economy.

“THERE SEEMS TO BE A STRONG SCENT OF PROGRESS ACROSS MUCH OF VIETNAM” Vietnam's trade deficit is also still a thorn in the side of the nation, while a curiously high level of financial fraud runs parallel to this, deriving mainly from high interest money games and risky equity speculation. Many cite a lack of business education as the catalyst behind such problems with firms making the same fundamental mistakes over and over, through simple ideas like cost-benefit analysis and business operation principles being overlooked.

VIETNAM IS A RISING STAR; AN ECONOMIC GIANT TOWERING TALL OVER ITS NEIGHBOURS LAOS AND CAMBODIA, AND ONE OF SOUTHEAST ASIA'S MOST DETERMINED GROWTH ENGINES. AFTER A DECADE OF STEADY SUCCESS, THIS DIVERSE COUNTRY OF ALMOST 90 MILLION NOW WISHES TO CAPITALISE ON ITS MIGHTY STATUS, SETTING ITS SIGHTS ON OFFICIALLY BECOMING A DEVELOPED COUNTRY BY THE YEAR 2020, IN A BID TO JOIN THE LIKES OF WEALTHY ASIAN ELITE SUCH AS JAPAN AND SINGAPORE. BUT IS THIS AMBITION ACHIEVABLE? Vietnam carries a troubled past, bursting with hostile wars and communist rule, producing not only human loss, but a devastated landscape splattered with lethal mines, crushed forests and chemical contamination. Poignantly, beauty still lingers in the country through a crossroads of ancient heritage, tropical landscapes and glistening modern services, that has catapulted the nation to a global tourist hotspot. As the political system gradually becomes more open to the outside world, there seems to be a strong scent of progress across much of Vietnam, and with an economy slowly opening its eyes to capitalism through sequenced trade liberalisation, a large middle class population has emerged itching for comfortable lifestyles and consumer goods. In 1993 the nation had a poverty rate of 58%, this is now less than 15%. Export of globally competitive niches such as coffee, from cultivated highlands, and rice from fertile lowlands, have enhanced Vietnam's GDP, seeing it fly from one of the world's poorest nations to a lower middle income country. Massive improvements in health and education have also occurred, along with social safety nets for more of the population than ever before. The inclusion of women and achievement of many of the Millennium Development Goals ahead of the UN's 2015 deadline has also earned the nation international praise. 20

Worryingly, disparities in wealth are also growing, especially geographically – between the rural poor and wealthy urbanites. Increasing discontent at this socioeconomic gap threatens future political stability, with a possible rise in strike action, like that seen between 2006, when 400 strikes took place, and 2011, which witnessed a shocking 978 strikes in total. Where tourism is concerned, Vietnam's mix of vibrant urban centres and rolling rural landscapes captured the attention of over 6 million visitors in 2013, with many of these deriving from global powerhouses such as Russia and the US. But even with record levels of visitors, the industry still faces challenges; such as a bizarre level of incomplete documentation on Tourism Law, difficulty in preserving natural resources and problems implementing sustainable development. Admirably, Vietnam is dealing with such pressures efficiently by putting monumental energy into the promotion and investment of natural resource value and focussing on the development of sustainable eco-

IMPACT

MAGAZINE falling behind more liberal economies. For example, certain regulations demand that content administrators must have university degrees, while others require digital providers to have contracts with Vietnamese companies or set up payment systems specifically within Vietnam. But critics suggest that this is a necessary effort by the government to protect domestic business, and especially Vietnam's telecommunications sector that has been adversely affected by foreign firms. Whatever the reason, complex regulation makes Vietnam less attractive for international tech firms, leaving many drawn to more liberal nations like Singapore. Vietnam is a diverse and radiant country; a visual spectacle of golden coastlines, blue waterfalls and thick green mountains, and although this landscape has given birth to a colossal level of potential for tourism and resources for export, it cannot single handedly push Vietnam to the next development stage. Rather, it is the relationship between economic growth, political change and social stability that will determine the future of the country and its people. Whether the nation will achieve significant progress in the coming years remains to be seen; the gap between searing urban wealth and desperate rural impoverishment needs to be addressed while the regulatory environment must be improved to attract vital foreign investment. tourism. Meanwhile the volume of UNESCO World Heritage sites has also increased, with national treasures like the old town of Hoi An and the Thang Long Imperial Citadel gaining global recognition.

What is certain though, is that this small yet tenacious country has put up a roaring fight for its success over the last decade, and it doesn’t show any signs of stopping just yet.

Coupling this with a new tourism development strategy for 2020 that aims to see between 10-15 million foreign visitors and 40-45 million domestic arrivals, producing a turnover of $18 billion, Vietnam appears to be carving out an appealing future where tourism is concerned.

WORDS BY CAITLIN KELLY IMAGES BY ALEX BRIGHT

To cater for the projected rise in visitors, Asian carrier Vietnam Airlines has become the latest long-haul carrier to switch its London flights from Gatwick Airport to the capital's largest flight hub, Heathrow, after finally securing suitable operational slots.

“VIETNAM APPEARS TO BE CARVING OUT AN APPEALING FUTURE WHERE TOURISM IS CONCERNED” Vietnam Airlines currently runs two flights per week to the UK capital from Hanoi and two from Ho Chi Minh City. These will move to Heathrow from March 30th 2015 and a third weekly rotation on the Hanoi route will commence from July 4th. Yet where one sector thrives, another suffers. In the technology industry, there exists concern that steep governmental regulation on what digital companies can do with their content may hold back innovation and foreign investment. The Vietnamese technology sector has grown in recent years due to enhanced internet infrastructure, high volumes of smartphone sales and a wealth of skilled coders and designers willing to work for low wages. High growth areas have appeared in e-commerce and mobile games, yet Vietnam's regulatory systems, both in place and proposed, threaten to quash this growing sector, leaving the country at risk of

TRAVEL

RETROSPECTIVE TOURISM Around the world today, there are some destinations known for their glitz and glamour, for celebrity spotting and super-yachts. Places such as St Tropez, Cannes, Monaco and Lake Garda spring to mind and for most of us as students in our twenties, these places seem to have always been in vogue. 50 years ago however, there were a different set of ‘it’ destinations. While tourism has always been about finding the next big thing, with places falling out of fashion all the time, there are some ex-tourist hotspots that have been devastatingly destroyed by war and poverty; unrecognisable from the celebrity-filled destinations they once were. One such destination is Beirut. Known in the 60s as the ‘Paris of the Middle East’, Beirut was once the home of the jet-setting elite, a city lined with luxury yachts, waterfront cafés and bustling markets. International film stars could be seen walking Hamra Street, Beirut’s very own Champs Elysées, while the surrounding mountains allowed the super-rich to both swim and ski in the same afternoon. The 60s was Beirut’s golden age, Lebanon had gained independence in 1943 and business was thriving due to the strong trading links with the West.

“IT WAS A DESTINATION FAVOURED IN PARTICULAR BY ELVIS PRESLEY AND EVEN J F KENNEDY HONEYMOONED THERE” With architectural influences from the French and the Ottoman Empire, the city’s rich history provided plenty of culture for enthusiastic tourists. The likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton were known to visit the legendary St George’s Hotel, an establishment at the centre of the glamour boasting perfect views of the bay. Las Vegas-like shows were held most nights and American and French tourists would visit 22

world famous nightclubs, such as ‘Les Caves du Roy’, situated in the lavish Hotel Excelsior. Yet, this glamorous era lasted until only 1975, when civil war broke out throughout Lebanon and destroyed much of Beirut. The war lasted for 15 years and divided the city. Now, picturing Beirut conjures up images of destruction. Visitors report bullet-ridden buildings and harshly modern skyscrapers that have replaced the previous Ottoman architecture.

“THE WONDERFUL ROMAN RUINS REMAIN, FLOODLIT IN THE HOPE OF TOURISTS RETURNING.” Afghanistan followed a similar course. In the 1970s the country was famous for being a hippy stopover from Europe to India. Visitors were stunned by the country’s stark natural beauty; tourists from around the world visited snow-capped mountains and gorgeous lakes in an era when Afghanistan was riding on a ‘wave of freedom’. The country was attractive due to its unique culture, with 2000-year-old Buddhist statues and hidden caves, wonderful mosques intricately decorated with mosaics and colourful bazaars. Of course, war hit Afghanistan as well; the Soviets invaded in 1979 and almost four decades of destruction have followed since. War is not the only factor that can deter tourists from a destination. In the 1950s Hollywood stars and millionaires would fill Acapulco, Mexico, a beach resort visited for its nightclubs and luxurious hotels. It was a destination particularly favoured by Elvis Presley and even J F Kennedy honeymooned there. While it is still popular among Mexican tourists, Acapulco has experienced problems with drug trafficking, gang fighting and gun violence, a far cry from the dream destination it once was. Will these destinations ever return to their glory days and make the top 10 lists again? For Acapulco, this seems unlikely. The resort’s crime

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levels may decrease in the future, but it is doubtful that Hollywood’s A-list will ever return. Acapulco has suffered the fate of many popular destinations: becoming overdeveloped and over-polluted. The city has also been hit by hurricanes and flooding, leading to a struggling tourism industry. While many architectural attractions in Afghanistan have been destroyed, there is some hope that the stunning landscapes and natural beauty of the country will encourage tourists to return one day. The culture of the people is another reason for visiting; in its heyday Afghanistan was known for its friendly and welcoming atmosphere. The Foreign Office currently advises against all travel in most parts of Afghanistan, yet there are a handful of tour operators that give tourists the chance to explore more remote parts of the country, from trekking the Wakhan Corridor to visiting the stunning natural Band-e Amir lakes.

“TOURISTS VISITING THESE RETRO DESTINATIONS ARE ‘TAKING HOLIDAYS IN OTHER PEOPLE’S WARS’” There is also hope in Beirut, where tourists are reportedly starting to return as the city slowly recovers. New hotels are being built and although there is some element of destruction - the old Holiday Inn can be seen covered in bullet holes and bomb craters - these add to the charm and interest of the city itself. Places such as Gemmayzeh, apparently somewhat like a Shoreditch of Beirut, is now packed full of hipster bars. Work has been done to restore the churches and mosques and the wonderful Roman ruins remain, floodlit in the hope of tourists returning. The city is far from being the perfect tourist destination; the British Government currently advises against travel to the southern suburbs of Beirut, but it is a place that is working hard to return itself to its former glory.

Perhaps one of the biggest concerns in the travel community is that tourists are not returning to visit these destinations for the right reasons. Some critics suggest that wealthy tourists visiting these retro destinations are ‘taking holidays in other people’s wars’ and are not travelling to simply witness the beautiful landscapes, buildings and culture that each country holds. Websites exist offering war zone tours in places including Beirut and advertise the chance to be educated in what is really happening in countries that are being torn down by war. Customers can see ‘behind the headlines’, with tours including sites of terror attacks and car bombings. Although this can be called educational, and perhaps it is true that the media can negatively skew the state of a country, there is something not quite right about making money out of the devastation of others’ lives. If the glamour of the 60s is to return, tourism must develop in a respectful and sustainable way. Around the world there are examples of places that have recovered from war and where tourism is now thriving. Berlin is a perfect example of an old tourist destination that was hit horribly by war but which has now almost completely recovered. The culture of Berlin has been preserved, with grand opera houses, stunning parks and a worldrenowned nightlife attracting tourists from across the globe. Yet, at the same time the city has embraced its history and a presence still remains of the previous wars - the memorials dotted around the city have become tourist attractions in themselves. Croatia has also seen a similar transformation; war ended only 20 years ago and yet the country now attracts more than 10 million visitors per year. It seems clear that destinations can recover and it will be interesting to see whether the likes of Beirut, Afghanistan and Acapulco will succeed.

WORDS BY JOANNA HILL IMAGES BY TODD HUFFMAN AND ‘PRAYITNO’ VIA FLICKR 23

TRAVEL

THE COST OF TOURISM ON MACHU PICCHU

Machu Picchu is a sight to behold. That much is undeniable. But when witnessing such beauty means jeopardising the preservation of breathtaking sites, does that make it worth it? And more importantly, should it be allowed? The price of tourism is a high fee to pay; when American explorer Hiram Bingham stumbled upon the 15th Century ruins in 1911, Machu Picchu was largely untouched. He’d found a lost Incan City sitting proudly at 7,970 feet, deep in the heart of the Andes it was a secret he felt no one would believe.

“THE PIQUED INTEREST OF TRAVELLERS POSES SEVERE LANDSLIDE RISKS” Today we are a world of believers. Machu Picchu is not so hidden; there’s no hint of mystery or secrecy left in the Incan treasure. The magical lost city has become a bucket list essential for many avid travellers, gap year-ers and those wanting to fulfill romantic ideals. Instead, the dissemination of Machu Picchu’s secret is constantly expanding, whispered to more and more people each year. 2002 saw 300,000 visitors gazing upon the Peruvian national treasure and by 2008 the secret had been told to roughly 800,000 people. Hyperbolic newspaper headlines may inflate the severity of the impact of tourism on Machu Picchu’s infrastructure, but that shouldn’t detract from warnings issued by heritage experts, especially when propositions of new airports at Cuzco are in the pipeline. The piqued interest of travellers poses severe landslide risks, which have the potential to send masses of rocks tumbling into the Urubamba River below the Inca Trail. One solution has been to redirect interest towards less trodden areas. As a result, Choquequirao, also known as the “Cradle of Gold,” has been championed as an alternative tourist destination - although it remains equally under preserved. The ever growing landslide fears envelop the Peruvian tourist industry, creating tensions with UNESCO. 24

A further solution is to introduce cable cars to ‘lighten the load’ on the sacred Incan ground, yet UNESCO understandably refutes such propositions due to the inevitable and unsupportable increase in tourism, as well as the risk of cars spoiling the undulating, natural vista. Unfortunately, the problems don’t end there. Local families get stung through loss of land, water contamination and inflated food prices. Sadly, it seems that the rich are getting richer whilst the poor get poorer as the profits of the rapidly increasing tourism are injected directly into luxury hotels in Cuzco, the beautiful Andean town used as an acclimatisation station before the Inca Trail begins. On the flip side however, more than half of Cuzco’s population works directly in the tourism industry The picture looks bleak. Obviously there’s no quick and easy solution to the complex debate of tourism vs. preservation, especially when the Peruvian economy benefits from such growing tourism. Although immediate effects may not be overt, Peru has seen a 9% economic growth rate in recent years, something that may alleviate poverty in one of South America’s most impoverished countries. Instead of shutting the site, careful management of the area must be implemented. Current plans propose the termination of independent hikes, porters are no longer allowed to carry more than 20 kilos, the trail must be shut for one month a year for maintenance, and groups are not allowed to stay longer than four nights on the section of the Inca Trail that lies within the Machu Picchu sanctuary. Visitation restrictions are paramount. It is our duty to ensure this slice of Peruvian history is preserved indefinitely. But we must not forget that Machu Picchu is one of the new Seven Wonders of the World and closing the site for preservation purposes would render it non-existent. We cannot forget it is a secret that belongs to the world.

WORDS BY HANNAH JEFFERY IMAGES BY RODRIGO ARGENTO VIA WIKIMEDIA

IMPACT

MAGAZINE

THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE MISSING MALAYSIA PLANE

It is difficult to comprehend that in an age of rapid technological advancement it is possible for a plane to simply disappear into thin air. However, this appears to be the case an entire year after the Malaysia Airlines MH370 flight vanished with 239 people on board in March 2014. The plane left from the capital of Kuala Lumpur and was bound for Beijing when communications were lost across the Indian Ocean. It seems as though the Malaysian Government has now lost hope of finding the passengers and crew alive as the Department of Civil Aviation Director General, Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, declared on the 29th January 2015 that the flight disappearance was an accident and those on board are now considered to have lost their lives. Malaysian Airlines are now beginning a process of compensating those on flight MH370. However, the search to find the remains of the plane continues with an extended investigation of the Indian Ocean. So what actually happened on March 8th? It is now widely believed that the wreckage of the plane is at the bottom of the Indian Ocean, but we cannot know this for sure as no evidence of this theory has been identified. The world is still clueless as to what caused the plane to supposedly plummet into the ocean midflight and this lack of certainty has lead to a multitude of explanations and conspiracy theories following the crash. Theories range from alien abduction, CIA involvement and the Illuminati. Other conspirators link the missing plane to another flight catastrophe involving Malaysia Airlines. In this case a plane was shot down over Ukraine, killing 283 passengers and 15 crew members in July 2014. This theory states that there is a conspiracy at the heart of the Malaysian Airlines company. In fact these casualties are unfortunate coincidences that have caused the company to endure huge losses. Horrifically, it is possible that the relatives of those onboard may never discover the truth of what occurred in March. The complete passenger

list that has now been released shows that although many of those on the plane were from China, there were also passengers from countries worldwide, including France, Australia and the USA. Paul Webbs, a father from New Zealand messaged his wife Danica just minutes before boarding the flight, entirely unsuspecting of what was about to occur. This is a recurring case with the flight; none of the passengers seemed to suspect that anything was amiss. It is true that two passengers on the plane were travelling with stolen passports; Mehrdad and Reza were both Iranian nationals, but despite them not being considered to be part of any terrorist group, their presence has lead to theories suggesting that the plane was hijacked. The Malaysian Government has not ruled out the possibility of this theory, because the plane's systems were gradually switched off, rather than suddenly, which would seem to rule out an out of the blue mid-air incident. 2014 was the deadliest year for airline crashes in 9 years, with not only two disasters for Malaysia airlines, but an AirAsia crash where 162 people perished and an Air AlgĂŠrie crash in Mali where 116 people were killed. Airline safety is constantly improving with regular safety checks, reviews of pilot training and advancements in tracking technology. What is paramount to recognise though, is that following the tragedies of 2014, airlines and governments worldwide will be all the more dedicated in ensuring that flights are as safe as they possibly can be. Hopefully, 2015 will be a more positive year for airline travel and one where the public finally finds out what happened to the missing MH370 flight. WORDS BY PRIYA THAKRAR IMAGES BY LAURENT ERRERA VIA WIKIMEDIA 25

SCIENCE

THE

SONY HACK IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR, SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT WAS ATTACKED BY A NUMBER OF VERY SERIOUS HACKS, RESULTING IN THE LEAKING OF THOUSANDS OF CONFIDENTIAL EMAILS, AND PERSONAL DETAILS SUCH AS SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS AND PASSPORT INFORMATION. THE SUSPECTED CAUSE OF THE HACK WAS BY NORTH KOREA OVER THE FILM THE INTERVIEW. It all began on November 24th, when computers nationwide at Sony Pictures Entertainment started to display an ominous graphic toting "Hacked by #GOP", "This is just a beginning", and how they have "your secrets ... [that will be] shown below to the world", with links to a number of zip files which contained only a list of files that the hackers had stolen. Originally reported on the social networking and news site Reddit, reports spread, including the fact that a number of Sony's systems had been completely taken down, making their internal networks all but unusable. However, this was only the beginning for Sony's coming ordeal. On November 26th, torrent links were added to torrent trackers, containing four unreleased Sony movies, which had been reported to have been downloaded more than 100,000 times within a couple of days. It was on December 1st that NBC News reported the FBI were investigating the hacking, and that there was a possibility that North Korea was behind the attack. This was due to the fact that Sony was 26

releasing a movie called The Interview, where James Franco and Seth Rogen travel to assassinate Kim Jong Un, under the guise of interviewing him for their TV show. Due to North Korea making a statement in June where they explicitly stated that releasing the film would be an "act of war that we would never tolerate", not investigating North Korea for involvement would indeed have been irresponsible on the part of the FBI.

“A NUMBER OF SONY'S SYSTEMS HAD BEEN COMPLETELY TAKEN DOWN, MAKING THEIR INTERNAL NETWORKS ALL BUT UNUSABLE” On the same day, The Guardians of Peace (GOP), the hacker group who claimed to be behind the attack, started to release the first wave of data they had stolen from the Sony servers, in the form of 25GB of almost 50,000 Social Security Numbers, as well as 3000 email addresses, salary details, contact details, and even copies of passport information. A few days later, Sony confirmed that the leaks were authentic, and as the media were trying to comprehend ramifications and attempting to sift through the data, GOP had another gift for them. They released nearly 500 credentials for social media accounts, external-facing file servers, major news and media sites, as well as technical details about internal and external sites. The following day analysis began, both for journalists and Sony, mining the files to work on damage control.

IMPACT

MAGAZINE

On December 5th, the LA Times reported that a few hours before the latest leak was released, a number of Sony employees were sent emails in "broken English", which threatened employees with the fact that "not only you but your family will be in danger" if they did not sign a statement to disassociate themselves with Sony. On December 8th, GOP released emails from a number of senior staff at Sony, for the first time linking the attack to that of the launch of The Interview. Emails from the Sony Pictures Television President, Sony Pictures Entertainment Co-Chairman, and Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group were released, indicating a number of internal operations, talk and deals on upcoming movie and business deals, and personal emails. Coincidentally, Sony PlayStation Network started to undergo a large Distributed Denial of Service attack by a group called the Lizard Squad, although Sony did not publicly state this was the issue. Attacks continued sporadically over the holiday period until ending on Christmas Day.

In the lead up to Christmas, Sony announced that it would not be showing The Interview in cinemas, but that it would instead stream it online on a variety of services such as Youtube - which grossed $15 million online in the first four days alone. Although the major cinemas would not show the movie, 331 smaller cinemas showed it around the United States, which was heralded as a move for freedom of expression and speech. However, many believed that it was a PR stunt for the film, due to the fact that it built up a lot of hype for the movie. However, the fact that such a vast amount of sensitive data was leaked was purely for the gain of one movie is very questionable.

“SONY CONFIRMED THAT THE LEAKS WERE AUTHENTIC”

So who is actually to blame? Originally the main suspect was North Korea, but the FBI redacted that statement, stating "there is no attribution to North Korea at this point". There are a number of factors that have since come to light that suggest it may have been North Korea all along. One such piece of evidence references that an attack launched on South Korea in 2013 holds a number of similarities, from the actual defacement message, to the operations of the malware that was used in the attack on Sony. However, the malware that was used in 2013 has since been used in a number of other incidents by various groups. After multiple investigations by different cybersecurity firms, no real evidence has been found, raising the worrying fact that we don't actually know who staged the attacks. If we believe that North Koreans were behind the attack, we don't even know whether they were doing it on their own, as an act of patriotism to try and have their country unbesmirched, or if they were state-funded as many believe.

On 10th December, more emails were disclosed, this time focussing on previous Sony hacks, including, ironically, a great deal of depth into their protocols and processes to attempt to track down members of another hacking group, Anonymous, during their raid in #opsony in 2011/2012. Other emails of interest included 10,000 emails, names, payment details and phone numbers of customers, and discussions of uploading fake torrents. The next day, a new batch of emails was released, this time resulting in a large amount of celebrity drama, involving "I'm not saying [Kevin Hart's] a whore, but he's a whore", for wanting more money to promote a movie on social media, but much more embarrassing was a number of racist remarks the Co-Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, Amy Pascal, and producer Scott Rudin made about Barack Obama. Among this, there was also a collection of celebrity phone numbers, email addresses, copies of passports and aliases used while travelling.

“ATTACKS CONTINUED SPORADICALLY OVER THE HOLIDAY PERIOD UNTIL ENDING ON CHRISTMAS DAY”

WORDS BY JAMIE TANNA IMAGES BY AMY RAINBOW

SCIENCE

WHAT CHEMICALS ARE IN OUR EVERYDAY PRODUCTS? Have you ever wondered if there are any harmful chemicals lurking in the products you use everyday? Reports conducted by the World Health Organisation have shown the presence of hormone altering toxins called endocrine disruptors in many everyday products, including receipts, fragrances and non-stick cookware. These toxins can cause your body to increase production of certain hormones or compete with essential nutrients that the body requires. Toxins include Bisphenol (BPA) which is a synthetic hormone present in the lining of canned goods, plastic bottles and shopping receipts which has been linked to cancer, reproductive problems and heart disease. Newborns and pregnant women are the most at risk, and the toxins can lead to behavioural, brain and prostate problems. People are strongly encouraged not to heat food in plastic containers as BPA can be released into food. Some plastic bottles are also incorrectly labelled as BPA free. Dioxin is a carcinogen released by industrial processes and found in soil, surface water, plants and animals. It is passed on from eating contaminated foods such as meat and eggs. It accumulates in fatty tissues and acts as an endocrine disruptor which can affect oestrogen and progesterone in the body and is linked to breast cancer, immune system and reproduction problems. Pregnant women are advised to avoid eating too many animal products to limit exposure to the chemical. Many of these toxins are found in pesticides and herbicides such as Atrazine and Organophosphate pesticides, so the best way to avoid them is to eat organic foods or even filtered water. Glycol ethers are found in cleaning products, paints, liquid soaps and perfumes where they act as solvents. They can cause cell death, nausea, anaemia, kidney and liver damage. Plastic food containers and toys such as those made from PVC have been found to contain a chemical called Phthalates. Humans can be exposed to this chemical in a number of ways including in the 28

air, ingestion and skin absorption. Phthalates make plastics more flexible and can also be found in toothbrushes, cosmetics and insect repellents. As endocrine disruptors they mimic male and female hormones and can lead to testicular and breast cancer. To avoid Phthalates it is best to use microwave-safe containers and wrapping.

“99% OF AMERICANS HAVE TRACES OF THEM IN THEIR BODIES” Mercury is another common contaminant which is mainly released into the air and oceans through burning coal. Mercury has been shown to damage pancreatic cells and is a danger to pregnant women. Dental fillings contain 50% mercury and there have been reports that they can give off mercury vapour, however not at a level to be harmful. There have been links to seafood, such as canned tuna, shark, and king mackerel, being contaminated with the potentially poisonous mercury and it is recommended that people eat sustainably sourced food. Lower mercury fish sources include salmon. Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) are found in non-stick cooking ware and water resistant coatings. They are resistant to biodegradation and it is thought that 99% of Americans have traces of them in their bodies.They have been linked to kidney and thyroid disease and animal studies have shown they have negative reproductive and developmental effects. They cause particular problems when the pans are heated and when they are scratched as they are more likely to release PFCs. It is surprising to think just how many different chemicals are contained in items we use every day, from tin cans to non-stick frying pans.

WORDS BY JESSICA HEWITT-DEAN IMAGES BY ‘THEGREENJ’ VIA WIKIMEDIA

IMPACT

MAGAZINE

MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL, WHY DOES TIME MAKE NO SENSE AT ALL? Brand new research published in Physical Review Letters outlines the idea of a ‘mirror universe’ which may have finally solved a question that physicists have been asking for years – why does time only move forwards? This may seem like an odd question. However, the fundamental laws of physics, such as relativity and gravity, work if time goes forwards or backwards. So, why can time only go forwards? To physicists, it’s as confusing as a universe where we could only move to the right. The current theory blames entropy for this one way time street. Entropy is an odd property to define. It is often described as ‘disorder’. The second law of thermodynamics states that entropy must always increase with the progression of time. This means heat will always move from a hot to a cold object over time and that your perfectly coiled headphones go into your pocket and emerge an hour later in an impossible knot.

“THE FUNDAMENTAL LAWS OF PHYSICS, SUCH AS RELATIVITY AND GRAVITY, WORK IF TIME GOES FORWARDS OR BACKWARDS. SO, WHY CAN TIME ONLY GO FORWARDS?” Just after the Big Bang 13.8 billion years ago, the universe was a big ball of expanding energy. Over time, particles, atoms, stars and planets were formed – the universe grew more disordered. This would imply that the second law of thermodynamics drives time forward. There is, however, a problem with this idea because it requires the universe to be incredibly ordered at the beginning – like a perfect sphere, making the Big Bang very unlikely to occur. The new ‘mirror universe’ theory sets out to solve this problem. Julian Barbour (Visiting Professor in Physics at Oxford University) and his team of theoretical physicists have run simple simulations of the

beginning of the universe involving 1000 particles. These particles were very simplistic, only being affected by gravity (omitting electric and quantum forces). When they ran the simulation, the Big Bang occurred as expected, forming the building blocks of our universe. However, another universe was also created with time running backwards. This may seem like a strange concept but any sentient beings living there would think they were moving forwards in time and that we were the ones travelling backwards. The universe created would be similar to ours, because the same laws of physics (such as gravity and electromagnetism) would apply but it wouldn’t be exactly the same, which makes the name ‘mirror universe’ misleading. Whichever way they set up the simulation (different numbers and configurations of particles for example), the mirror universe was still created. This makes this theory more believable because it wouldn’t require very specific conditions for the universe to begin. As ever, more research is needed before this theory can be accepted by the scientific community. Although it seems mind-bending, it does solve a few problems with the Big Bang theory but by no means all. There is still no answer to the fact that the laws of science break down in in the first short moments after the Big Bang as the universe seems to have expanded at faster than the speed of light, exceeding the universe’s speed limit. This is just one of many problems that no theory has yet been able to resolve completely, yet this new ‘mirror universe’ theory may be a step in the right direction.

WORDS BY JOANNE BLUNT IMAGE BY ‘K PUTT’ VIA FLICKR 29

SCIENCE

IMPACT SCIENCE DISCUSSES THE POWER OF CELEBRITY IN SCIENCE

“IT CAN BE EASY TO FORGET SCIENCE’S ARRAY OF HIDDEN GEMS” With powerhouse names like Feynman and Turing to compete with, it can be easy to forget science’s array of hidden gems; researchers and academics who have slipped through the public radar of ‘celebscientists’. One such example would be the unrecognised contribution of chemist Rosalind Franklin towards the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of the double helix structure of DNA and the role of nucleic acids. The famous ‘Photograph 51’ detailing the x-ray crystallography image of DNA was taken with tools modified specifically by Franklin herself in 1952, providing fundamental information and paving the way for the development of a sound structural model. Notorious for her experimental rigour and thorough method, Franklin’s work in x-ray crystallography and her strenuously long imaging process of the helical shape should have earned her far more credit than was given at the time, as later admitted by Nobel-prize winner Dr Watson, himself.

“LOOKING INTO THE SCIENTIFIC HISTORY BOOKS UNEARTHS A GOLDMINE OF INFLUENTIAL, YET UNKNOWN, SCIENTISTS AND WORKS” Looking closer to home, Nottingham itself has hosted Nobel-Prize winning research in the not-so-distant past. The 2003 prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Dr Paul C. Lauterbur and Sir Peter Mansfield for the discovery of MRI – magnetic resonance imaging. Using the behaviour of atomic nuclei in strong magnetic fields and resonant radio waves, fundamentally physical concepts were used to image biological matter to high accuracy. Whilst this may not be news to current students of the University, how many could say these names were familiar without the many UCAS talks name-dropping Sir Peter Mansfield or the various posters and building names referring to him? MRI has allowed physicians to probe sensitive parts of the body, such and the brain and spinal cord, without the risks brought by invasive surgical methods. It is then something of a shame to think more members of the public would have more to say on Kim Kardashian’s attempt to break the internet than something which saves countless lives every day. 30

UoN Science Park’s very own George Green is also something of a local ‘unsung hero’. With the Encyclopedia Britannica lauding his work as ‘the beginning of modern mathematical physics in Great Britain’, Green’s application of mathematical theory to physics concepts expanded fundamental rules of electricity and magnetism, and has provided the foundation for much progress in this arm of physics. The publication of his most well-known paper on the ‘application of mathematical analysis to the theory of electricity and magnetism’ is held in high regard as a fusing of mathematics and physics, but the most astounding part of his life is that much of his education was selftaught.

“THE SOCIAL SKEWS OF BY-GONE ERAS AND THE CUT-THROUGH NATURE OF MODERN CELEBRITY HAS EDGED OUT COUNTLESS SCIENTISTS FROM THE PUBLIC LIMELIGHT” Looking into the scientific history books unearths a goldmine of influential, yet unknown, scientists and works - Russian psychologist Ivan Pavlov is held in high regard for not only his work but also for the legacy left by his devotion to transforming education institutions of psychology and the scientists it nurtured. Similarly, the recently observed Higgs Boson has underpinned theories on our very existence for decades and Lise Meitner was one of many to lose against sexism and racism when, in 1945, credit for her work towards the discovery of nuclear fission was completely ignored. The social skews of by-gone eras and the cut-through nature of modern celebrity has edged out countless scientists from the public limelight. So let’s take a moment to applaud those that have helped to shape the world of science as we know it today, and its many arms, for they have provided us with our understanding of the building-blocks of life.

WORDS BY SINTHUJA VIYASAR

IMPACT

MAGAZINE

“FAME THROUGH SCIENCE COMES NOT THROUGH WHAT ONE ACHIEVES BUT WHAT ONE CHANGES” Before the 1800s, scientific experimentation was mostly carried out by bored aristocrats or dignitaries who were referred to as ‘Natural Philosophers’ rather than scientists. It is also difficult to link use of the term ‘scientist’ to the start of the peer review process, which may have started in 1731 with the journal Medical Essays and Observations, but was first recommended in the 10th century by Turkish physician Ishāq ibn ʻAlī al-Ruhāwī. In the 21st century it is much easier to categorise scientists as those carrying out research in university departments or in scientific industries such as nuclear power and pharmaceuticals. Taking the above definition as a benchmark, famous scientists would include Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Marie Curie and Carl Sagan, who each revolutionised an aspect of science and technology. It appears fame through science comes not through what one achieves but what one changes.

“IT APPEARS FAME THROUGH SCIENCE COMES NOT THROUGH WHAT ONE ACHIEVES BUT WHAT ONE CHANGES” Particularly in the 20th and 21st centuries, a common thread that can be applied to famous scientists are their tireless efforts in the popularisation and dissemination of scientific information to as wide an audience as possible. Stephen Hawking released the bestselling A Brief History of Time in 1988 and David Attenborough has been the naturalist expert and narrator of BBC documentaries for decades. Younger, more contemporary figures such as the rock-star turned physicist Brian Cox and Jim Al-Khalili take time from their professorships at Manchester and Surrey respectively to write popular science books, develop documentaries and give talks. Prominence, however, comes in different guises. Robert Oppenheimer, central to the Manhattan Project in developing the atomic bomb, arguably lives more in science infamy than as positive inspiration. He himself used the Bhagavad Gita quote “now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds” to sum up his guilt of creating one of the world’s most destructive weapons. Richard Feynman (also of Manhatten Project infamy) is a prominent figure remembered more for his

work in the field of quantum mechanics and as a personality than for his attempts to appeal to the layman. Aside from his prescience in predicting the rise of nanotechnology, his personal life involved an array of marriages and the frequenting of topless bars, indeed testifying in court the necessity of a particular establishment near Caltech. It appears that even science is not immune to goings-on that would not be incongruous amongst the pages of tabloid journalism.

“EVEN SCIENCE IS NOT IMMUNE TO GOINGS-ON THAT WOULD NOT BE INCONGRUOUS AMONGST THE PAGES OF TABLOID JOURNALISM” It is comforting that in an epoch dominated by dubious celebrity there is still room in public consciousness and popular culture for those that discover and articulate ideas in ways that inspire and advance understanding of ourselves and our place in the universe. Indeed, it is highly probable that at the 87th Academy Awards, a film which celebrates the achievements of a 20th century scientist will be recognised. The performances of Benedict Cumberbatch and Eddie Redmayne as Alan Turing and Stephen Hawking respectively have been nominated in the best actor category, and both The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything will do battle for best picture too. Clearly there is a place for the admiration or otherwise of those individuals in a field considered as complex and esoteric as scientific discovery, despite jostling against footballers, politicians and Big Brother contestants for exposure in our technology dependent era.

WORDS BY STEPHEN KENNY IMAGES BY ‘LWPKOMMUNIKACIO’ VIA FLICKR AND ‘GIANCA97’ AND PAUL CLARKE VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS 31

GRAB IT AND RUN!

LITTLE BLACK BOOK

A DODGY TAKE-OUT CAN LEAVE YOU WITH SOUR MEMORIES OF A NIGHT OUT, OR AN ODD FEELING IN YOUR STOMACH… WHY RISK IT? HERE’S YOUR GO-TO GUIDE:

FOOD

THE ORIGINAL SHALIMAR TAKEAWAY Monday to Saturday 5pm - 11pm Free delivery on orders £10+ 0115 9865566, or order online

NATASHA PADGITT / FLICKR

When you’re craving Indian cuisine Impact Food rates The Original Shalimar Takeaway as number one, in terms of both taste and price. They offer an array of delicious dishes for great prices, including Tandoori Chicken for £3.50, Korma curries from £5.25, and set meals from £19.95. Grab the orders of your housemates because Shalimar also offers 20% discount on orders over £20 (ordered online at Hungry House), or if you'd rather a feast for one, get free home delivery on orders over £10. Heather Corser

FORTUNE BOY

Monday to Sunday 5pm - midnight Free delivery on orders £15+ 0115 9865566

ANDREAS BILLMAN

Situated on the lifeline that is Lenton Boulevard, Fortune Boy is our go-to when only a Chinese will suffice. This renowned take-out establishment offers an extensive menu of favourites as well as a selection of must-tries. Whatever your taste, be sure to take a look at the ‘dinner box’ options: enjoy a main, such as beef in black bean sauce or lemon chicken, plus a portion of egg fried rice for an incredible £4.30! If you’re making a night of it, upgrade to a ‘special set dinner’ to add prawn crackers and a starter to your feast, and cost your pocket a mere £6.40, or £10.50 for two! Fortune Boy do big quantities for very few pennies.

ARCO PIZZA & FISH BAR

Lauren Wilson

Monday to Sunday 5pm - midnight. Delivery available. 0115 950 1119, or order online.

ANDREAS BILLMAN

Located on Lenton Boulevard, Arco's Pizza & Fish Bar is a perfect post-hallward drop in point. Serving everything from pizza to kebabs, and southern fried chicken to fish and chips, Arco's certainly has a lot to offer. Expect friendly staff, hot and fresh food and generous portions; a definite positive for superscrimping students! Prices are also great - you can grab a tray of fish and chips from £3.50, southern fried chicken from £1.30 or a kebab from £2.50. Heather Corser

Monday to Saturday 5pm - 3:20am Sunday 5pm - 1:50am Order online via JustEat. Free delivery on orders £8+

ANDREAS BILLMAN

If you’re in the heart of Lenton, D2 won’t be more than 10 minutes away! Hiding on Ilkeston Road, this take-out favourite offers a wonderfully cheap and cheery end to your post night out food hunt. Whatever you’re craving at 3am, you’ll definitely find it on the extensive menu. Pizza lovers will be delighted that D2 offers fantastic deals on its pizzas, which are rumoured to be the best in the area - just two 9” for £10. If it’s a kebab that your heart desires, prices start at £4 and are topped with an impressive sauce selection. Dessert is also a possibility - fancy a pot of ice cream with that late night film? D2 is the place to host your post night antics, serving classic no-nonsense fast food in your local area. Isabel Jury

IMPACT

RAPID RECIPES

MAGAZINE

BEST OF BRITISH… SWEET TWISTS

VICTORIA SPONGE… BITES

A PARTY SIZE TWIST ON THE ORIGINAL BRITISH CLASSIC 150g of butter 150g of caster sugar 3 eggs 1tsp of vanilla extract

150g of self raising flour 300ml of double cream 10tsp of strawberry jam icing sugar (for dusting)

Heat the oven to 180 degrees/Gas Mark 6 for 20 minutes. Add the butter and sugar into a mixing bowl until smooth and creamy. Add the flour, eggs and vanilla extract as well. Now pour the cake mix into 2 separate cake tins that have been greased. Place it in your pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. While they’re baking, whip the double cream until it starts to peak. When the tops of the cakes are golden and they have been checked by inserting a skewer into the cake and removing it clean, take them out of the oven and leave to cool. Then use a small cookie cutter to create rounds of cake. Top one rounds with jam and the other with cream. Sandwich a ‘jam’ with a ‘cream’ and then sprinkle with icing sugar. Images & Words: Isabel Jury

‘JEPPESTOWN’ / FLICKR

SUMMER PUDDING… JUST FOR YOU

FOR WHEN YOU WANT A WHOLE DESSERT TO YOURSELF 500g frozen mixed berries 5 slices of old white bread

90g caster sugar

Place the caster sugar and 2 tablespoons of water into a large pan. Gently heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil for 1 min, then tip in the frozen fruit. Cook for 3 minutes over a low heat, stirring constantly until the fruit is soft. Put a sieve over a bowl and tip in the fruit and juice, squeezing out any excess juices with a fork. Keep this juice. Line 4 cappuccino or tea cups with cling film. Cut the crusts off the bread and then cut the bread into 8 rounds. Four should measure the circumference of the top of the cup, the other four should be the size of the bottom circumference. Chop the crusts so that the crusts are roughly the depth of the cup. Dip the smaller rounds of bread into the excess juices and press one into the bottom of each cup. Dip the crust pieces in the juice and press around the sides of the cup. Spoon the fruit into the centre and press down with the back of a metal spoon. Dip the larger bread rounds into the remainder of the juice and press on top of the fruit. Place the cups into the freezer for 20 minutes and keep any left over juice. To serve, loosen the top of the puddings using a table knife, hold a dessert plate over the pudding and turn upside down, shaking well. Remove the clingfilm. Serve topped with any additional fruit, juice and cream. Remi Gianquitto

APPLE CRUMBLE AND CUSTARD… MUFFINS COMFORT FOOD FOR YOUR LUNCHBOX MUFFINS 1 large apple, chopped into 5mm cubes small pot of ready made custard 85g light muscovado sugar/ light brown sugar 2 free range eggs

½ tsp ground cinnamon 80g butter, melted 1tsp vanilla extract 250g plain flour 1tbsp baking powder pinch of salt 90ml milk

CRUMBLE TOPPING 75g golden caster sugar 40g plain flour

25g butter 15g oats (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees/Gas Mark 4. Peel and chop the apple. Coat in the ground cinnamon to prevent browning and set aside. Make the crumble topping by rubbing the butter, flour and sugar into breadcrumbs. Add the oats and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the melted butter, eggs, sugar, milk and vanilla extract. In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Sift the dry mixture over the liquid and fold the dry ingredients into the wet mix. Add the cinnamon coated apple while there are still some lumps of flour and stir until a lumpy mixture is formed. Divide half the mixture between 12 muffin cases, make a well in the centre of each. Add a tsp of custard to each and cover with the remaining mixture. Top with a generous sprinkling of crumble mixture and bake for 20-25 minutes until the crumble topping is golden and the custard oozing... Image & Words: Lauren Wilson / Adapted from a recipe by Rachel Davis.

SALLY CUMMINGS / FLICKR

TRIFLE AU CHOCOLAT!

YOU DIDN’T THINK TRIFLE COULD GET ANY BETTER, THEN WE ADDED CHOCOLATE Chocolate brownies, homemade or shop-bought 150g plain chocolate, melted and cooled

500g mascarpone cheese, room temperature 350ml whipping cream, whipped 30g plain chocolate, grated

1. For the chocolate mascarpone, beat together the mascarpone and cooled melted chocolate. 2. Layer half of the brownies, half of the chocolate mascarpone and half of the whipped cream into a trifle bowl or glass serving dishes. Repeat layers. 3.Garnish with the grated chocolate and refrigerate for 2 hours. Heather Corser 33

FOOD

TASTES OF ADVENTURE FROM THE GOOD TO THE BAD, TO A PLATE OF GOAT’S HEAD... IMPACT FOOD HAVE PUT TOGETHER YOUR MOST MEMORABLE FOODIE CULTURE SHOCKS!

DINING WITH THE DUTCH Whilst studying in Amsterdam, I realised there is no dish more Dutch than the traditional boerenkool met worst – which is basically a Dutch take on the classic sausage and mash. The Dutchies knew about kale before it was cool as they incorporate it into their mash (maybe that’s why they’re so tall). Add a somewhat dubious, processed and peculiarly pink looking sausage and a copious amount of gravy and tuck in! Although comparatively dull in comparison to the Amsterdam nightlife, boerenkool gives the strength needed for all that partying and cycling. As the Dutch say, eet smakelijk! Emily Howard

TRY BOERENKOOL FOR YOURSELF! INGREDIENTS 3 lbs potatoes, diced 2 large onions, diced 1 bay leaf 1 lb kale, sliced 1 pinch salt and ground pepper 1 lb smoked sausage 1/2 cup milk 2 tablespoons butter

METHOD 1. Put potatoes, onion, kale, bay leaf, salt and pepper into a large pan of boiling water. 2. Cover and boil gently for 25 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, steam the smoked sausage for 25 minutes. 4. Remove the bay leaf, drain the vegetables and mash whilst adding milk and butter. 5. Serve with the steamed sausage, and enjoy! Heather Corser IMAGE: ANNELIES BANEKE

A BOWL OF COUSCOUS AND A SIDE OF GOAT’S HEAD PLEASE! At the heart of Marrakech is Jemaa el-Fna, a square in the city’s medina, which is filled with snake charmers and fresh food stands during the day. However, the square really comes to life at night time, where there are rows of food stalls as far as the eye can see. There are huge plates of couscous, pots of tagine and even chopped up goat’s head on offer: a truly unique experience. Words & Images: Mike Winnington 34

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GET ME A SNACK... AND MAKE IT SNAPPY! Whilst aimlessly wandering through heated sticky food markets in Phuket I found myself immersed in a variety of tastes, smells and flavours. I was struck by the perfect blend of Thai spices and started daydreaming about how each would taste. This dream was rudely interrupted by a small, barking old lady sticking what seemed to be a skewer of old grey fish under my nose. Blocking my path, she insisted I taste the mouldy looking thing, claiming it was ‘super special’ and ‘fresh meat’. Failing to argue in Thai, I took a bite of what I thought was going to be my last meal. The grey rubbery thing had a slightly more robust texture than chicken, and was vaguely fishy, but not in an unpleasant way. After some more attempts at communication, the lady offered me an explanation through a sophisticated gesture: clapping her hands together, she sang “snap snap, snap snap!” before shrieking with laughter. I had just eaten crocodile. I slowly moved away from the stall, back into the comfort of the sweet smelling spice market. The crocodile lady faded into the distance but the memory of crocodile meat remained. Remi Gianquitto

IMAGES: ANNELIES BANEKE

WOULD YOU LIKE THAT ON WHITE, BROWN OR PINEAPPLE BREAD? Buns and bread are everywhere in Hong Kong. It is easy to find nine-to-fivers commuting to work with a pineapple bun in hand. It tastes nothing like the fruit, but the physical resemblance is uncanny. The sweet crust is made of sugar and flour and the bun gets its name because of the golden brown colour of the baked sugary crust as well as it's checkered pattern: the rugged skin of a pineapple! Enjoy hot with a cup of milky tea like a Hong Kong local! What better way to snack than to savour culture between your lips? Malena Wong

IMAGE: LAUREN WILSON

IMAGE: ISABEL JURY

MENU? SHMENU. “WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WE ORDERED... BUT IT WAS AMAZING!” A trip to Germany is incomplete without trying Currywurst: a strange fusion of Indian and German. Classic German food can be starchy, fatty and very meaty. Currywurst is no exception. In Berlin there’s almost always a Currywurst within walking distance. The first time we tried it, we had no idea what we ordered - I just asked the chef to give us something cheap and tasty, which seemed to translate as a weird jalfrezi-curryketchup-with-sausages-and-fries. I assumed it was going to be a bit of a disappointment, but was pleasantly surprised. If you’re ever in Berlin give it a taste! Isabel Jury 35

STYLE

THAT 70’s SHOW

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CHINA – BODYSUIT: ASOS, £35 FLARED TROUSERS: ASOS, £25 SHOES: DIESEL, £60; CLARA - JUMPER: ZARA, £19.99 SHORTS: URBAN OUTFITTERS £40 THIGH HIGH BOOTS: ASOS £55; KATIE – TOP: MISGUIDED, £14.99 TROUSERS: MISGUIDED, £25 BOOTS: PUBLIC DESIRE, £35.

STYLED AND DIRECTED BY SHOPE DELANO AND TARA BELL. ASSISTED BY RAPHAELA RING. PHOTOGRAPHED BY ANDREAS BILLMAN. MODELLED BY CHINA CHAPMAN, CLARA O’SHEA AND KATIE VILLIERS-SMITH.

STYLE

DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR CLOTHES COME FROM? IMPACT STYLE INVESTIGATES THE MORAL AND ETHICAL CONCERNS THAT ARE RIFE WITHIN THE GLOBALISED FASHION INDUSTRY. For most of us, brands like Topshop and Zara are go-to places if we want to look fashionable on a budget. However, with cheap price tags come a long list of moral implications: starting with the production of the textiles and ending in the inhumane working conditions for sweatshop workers. We have effectively discarded our moral compass when it comes to cheap fashion; instead of being horrified over a £10 dress made in Cambodia, we get excited and call it a ‘bargain’. Somehow we have told ourselves that the workers “are used to it” and “don’t know it any better”. A job is still a job, isn’t it?

“WE HAVE EFFECTIVELY DISCARDED OUR MORAL COMPASS WHEN IT COMES TO CHEAP FASHION” These were the words of Anniken, Ludvig and Frida – three Norwegian fashion bloggers - at the beginning of their mini-series Sweatshop – Dead Cheap Fashion. They were sent to Cambodia where they lived with a sweatshop worker, worked in a factory and then had to try to live on the money they earned ($3 a day each). The three bloggers quickly learned that the workers are far from content: the money barely covers rent, water and food, let alone the ability to indulge on consumer goods. They talked and worked with men and women, boys and girls, who had worked at the same factory for over 10 years, sewing the same seam every day of their lives in conditions where workers die of starvation, injuries and pure exhaustion. To make matters worse, the women working in sweatshops or in cotton fields often don’t have a choice. The UoN ‘Stop the Traffick’ society is currently involved with a project attempting to stop the illegal trafficking of young girls for work in the clothes production industry. Why, if we are all aware of this, is this man-made inequality still going on?

“IS IT JUST TOO EASY TO FORGET ABOUT THOSE STRUGGLING FOR OUR LUXURIES IF THEY ARE FURTHER AWAY?” With Whistles’ infamous ‘This Is What A Feminist Looks Like’ t-shirts sewn by women who allegedly get paid 62 pence an hour, and people still content with shopping at Primark after the Rana Plaza factory collapsed and killed over 1000 workers, we are forced to question how far we, as a Western society, believe that human rights somehow apply to us more than they do to others. Is it just too easy to forget about those struggling for our luxuries if they are further away? According to the Ethical Fashion Forum, an industry body for sustainable fashion set up by fashion designers and business people, hourly wages in garment factories, particularly those in developing countries, can be as little as 50p an hour. Additionally, information on the organisations website, ethcialfashionforum.com, includes a testimonial from Phan, a 22-year-old machinist in a Thai garment

“MORAL FASHION WILL NEVER BE CHEAP AND CAN NEVER BE CHEAP”

IMPACT

MAGAZINE

factory who speaks not only of poor wages and unsafe working conditions, but also of the extensive overtime hours enforced during peak season, where factory workers often work from 8am until 2 or 3am the next day. The sad truth is that our worst estimates of what life is like in these factories is probably still better than some of the conditions. As dire as the situations seems, it appears nearly impossible for us to help. There are brands out there that are trying to turn things around, but the reality is that the brands themselves can’t always be 100% sure of the working conditions unless they have their own factories, like clothes brand Reformation. But producing in Los Angeles costs money and that cost is inevitably transferred to the consumer. Buying a simple striped jersey dress costs £10 in H&M but $100 from Reformation. The leap in price is simply not affordable on a student budget. You might be willing to splurge on statement pieces but who really wants to spend $88 on a plain tee? Although not particularly cheap, Reformation’s ‘Obvious’ range at least gives us the option to shop morally. The bottom line is that moral fashion will never be cheap and can never be cheap. It is our job to decide whether we are willing to pay a higher price for fashion that is not exploiting others. Reformation calls itself a “sustainable fashion producer” which means that it doesn’t just provide fair wages and working conditions but also uses materials that are environmentally sustainable. The fashion industry is the second largest polluter of clean water, with the chemical production of dyes and detergents frequently using a chemical called ‘nonylphenol ethoxylates’ which can degrade itself into ‘nonylphenol’ (NP). NP is known to be persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic to the environment. In a recent study, Greenpeace found traces of NP in clothes made by a variety of brands, which suggests the chemical has been used in the manufacturing of the fabrics. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter whether brands have an easy or a hard time gathering data on their supply chains, but they are, and should be, held responsible for the

sustainability of their production and it is our job as consumers to force them to do so. Just standing by and letting it happen is the equivalent of condemning women to the mistreatment of the consumer world and sewing your new shirt for the small change that you have found at the bottom of your bag. As much as our slavery to the latest trends relies on major high-street brands like Zara and Topshop to offer us fashion at a price that won’t rob us of our rent, we need to consider whether it’s worth it. I am realistic enough to know I won’t be able to stop shopping at those brands completely but there are ways you can reduce your reliance on them: buy less for more. Although sustainable and ethical brands like Riyka and Reformation are undeniably expensive, you are buying quality and uniqueness so you won’t just be on the moral but also on the fashion high ground. Check your label. Where does your garment come from? If your clothing tags read like a cliché gap year, your clothes are likely to have been made in sweatshops. Maybe it’s time to rethink how you are buying clothes, especially basics: sometimes one or two quality plain tops will last you longer, fit better and be more ethical than twenty £3 Primark ones. And last but not least, shop more diversely. Shop at charity shops or buy online at ‘ASOS Marketplace’. Reuse and recycle! At the end of the day, it shouldn’t be as difficult a choice as it is. Fashion is meant to empower people, meant to give you a voice to show who you are to the world. Your empowerment should not be the reason other people and the planet are suffering. Think before you buy. If we all care a bit more we can force the brands to do the same.

“IF WE ALL CARE A BIT MORE WE CAN FORCE THE BRANDS TO DO THE SAME”

WORDS BY RAPHAELA RING IMAGES BY SWEATSHOP: DEAD CHEAP FASHION, LANCE LEE FOR GREEN PEACE 39

STYLE

OH SO RETRO! SKIN PREP: BEFORE APPLYING MAKEUP, USE A SCRUB OR GENTLE EXFOLIATOR TO ENSURE A SMOOTH SURFACE. APPLY A MOISTURISER FOLLOWED BY A PRIMER.

60’S GLAM • • • • • • • •

Apply foundation and concealer where needed to cover any blemishes or discolouration on the skin. Apply a primer to the eyelids followed by a white or cream matte eye shadow all over the lids. Use white eyeliner to line the bottom water line. Using a black liquid or gel liner, line the top of the eyes from the base of the lashes to the outer corner, creating a cat-like flick. Apply two or three coats of mascara to both the top and the bottom lashes to further define the eyes. Using Vaseline as an adhesive, apply glitter underneath the eyes, below the lashes, from the inner corner of the eyes to the end of the flick. Add to both the top and bottom lashes for an extra pop (optional). For this look, keep the lips subtle and neutral by adding a sheer nude lip colour.

Product recommendations: Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner, MAC lipstick in Smutt.

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70’S HIPPIE • • • • • • • • • • •

For your cover up you will need your exact colour foundation and a concealer one or two shades lighter. If you want a better finish, apply a setting powder. Apply foundation with a brush or fingers, heavily conceal under the eyes and blend with a beauty blender. Sweep a dark bronze below the cheekbones and blush on the apple of your cheeks. For the dramatic look on the eyes, use a combination of blue and green eye shadow. Adding water to your eye shadows will give them a more vibrant effect, which is key for this look. Use the blue all over the eyelids stopping at the crease and blending upwards. With an applicator brush, dab the green on the corners of the eyelids and into the crease. Define the brows by applying a pigmented eyeshadow on the brow bone. Using a liquid eyeliner, follow the lash line all the way to the end and create a smooth flick. Apply false eyelashes or simply use multiple coats of mascara on your top and bottom lashes for a dramatic effect. Define your brows by colouring in gaps with a brow pencil and finish with brow mascara. Line the lips with a brownish pink colour and apply a nude lipstick followed by a frosty colour of lip gloss to the centre of the lips.

Product Recommendations: Seventeen Eye Shadow in Green, Eylure False lashes in 107, Nars Lip gloss in Turkish Delight.

STYLED AND DIRECTED BY SHOPE DELANO AND TARA BELL. PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHOPE DELANO. MAKEUP BY EVIE SAMUELS AND CATHERINE CASTELO CRUZ. WORDS BY EVIE SAMUELS AND CATHERINE CASTELO CRUZ. MODELLED BY CHANELLE OLALEYE AND MADDY MUIRHEAD. 41

STYLE

THE ‘NEW’ BODY: LATEST FASHION FAD OR EVIDENCE OF A CHANGING INDUSTRY? IMPACT STYLE QUESTIONS WHETHER THE RISE OF THE ‘PLUS SIZE’ MODEL TRULY CHALLENGES BODY IMAGE OR SIMPLY REINFORCES MODERN SOCIETY’S STANDARDS OF BEAUTY AND OBSESSION WITH THE LABELLING THE FEMALE FORM The issue of body image is not only something intrinsic to the aesthetically oriented fashion industry, but is also an increasingly dominant concern in Western culture. For as long as we can remember, there has only been one sort of body type propagated by the media - being the woman who is super toned, lean yet somehow curvy in all the right places. However, recent developments show the emergence of a ‘new’ body: a ‘healthier’ and more ‘realistic’ representation of women which comes in the form of the questionably labelled ‘plus size’ model. As expected, controversy over the introduction of the plus size models has been extensive, leading us to wonder just how ready modern society is to accept a more diverse range of body types. Are we as guilty of perpetuating unachievable ideals as the fashion industry? So how does one define a ‘plus size’ model? In fashion’s terms, a generic model is typically a UK size 2-8, with anyone who lies outside this bracket considered to be ‘plus size’. According to these standards, the majority of women would be considered ‘plus’ - a word with undeniably negative connotations. Such a label implies a body being ‘more than it should be’, with excess seen as something that is almost always undesirable. One only has to take a glance at the world of fashion and its presence in the media - magazines, adverts, films or television - to find a plethora of examples that enforce these notions. Whether it’s high-street brands or high-end designers, we live in a world that undeniably, and unashamedly, promotes these ideals; perhaps it is the fact that these stereotypes are so obvious and so all-encompassing that we have become increasingly inclined to accept them. This is not to say, however, that we have become immune to their effects: the subtly pervasive filtering of these images into our everyday lives not only affects the way in which modern society perceives the female form but, more importantly, how women evaluate their own bodies and, subsequently, themselves.

“IN FASHION’S TERMS, A GENERIC MODEL IS TYPICALLY A UK SIZE 2-8” Over the last couple of months people haven’t simply been sitting back and passively consuming these images and accepting them as they have in the past, but have started to take issue with the prescriptive body ideals persistently churned out by the fashion industry. The world’s most famous lingerie brand, Victoria’s Secret, caused a stir with their ‘Perfect Body’ campaign, presenting advertisements featuring the brands most esteemed models, aptly nicknamed the ‘Victoria’s Secret Angels’, who are arranged in a line, flaunting their toned physiques. Victoria’s Secret, championing itself as having “the world’s best bras. The sexiest lingerie. The most beautiful Supermodels”, has not been exempt from criticism in the past, with many drawing attention to their use of shockingly skinny models, both on the catwalk and in their advertisements. In a desperate attempt to justify their choice, Victoria’s Secret proudly produced the ‘Train Like An Angel’ video tutorials featuring their most famous models’ exercise and eating tips, as a way of insisting that the ‘Victoria’s Secret Angel’ body is entirely achievable through healthy means.

“WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT UNDENIABLY, AND UNASHAMEDLY, PROMOTES THESE IDEALS” 42

IMPACT

MAGAZINE However, the ‘Perfect Body’ campaign has been criticised for taking this a step too far, sparking mass hysteria and backlash as well as several counter campaigns. As well as the ‘#IAmPerfect’ social media movement against Victoria’s Secret’s ‘body-shaming’, 26,000 people signed a petition against the advert on Change.org, which called for the company to “apologise for and amend the irresponsible marketing of [its] new bra range”. In the new version released early last November, the background image remains the same but the slogan accompanying it has changed: rather than ‘The Perfect Body’ it has been replaced with the line ‘A Body For Every Body’. Though the ‘Body’ actually refers to the style of bra worn by the models, the play on words combined with the image makes implicit claims on women’s bodies and what we should be striving towards rather than reflecting the multitude and variety of body types that exist.

Similarly, it has been announced that Sports Illustrated’s highly anticipated Swimsuit Issue 2015 will include an advert featuring plus size model Ashley Graham. Graham fronts the ‘#curvesinbikinis’ campaign for the plus size swimwear brand Swimsuits For All. Though the issue is yet to be released, the brand has created a teaser video featuring the model parading around in a bikini for a group of admiring men who gasp in disbelief as they look on. While Sports Illustrated have been applauded for their decision to allow this advert to make the pages of the magazine, something previously unheard of, there is something highly patronising not only about the video, which implies that, shockingly, plus sized women can be attractive too, but about the supposedly moral high ground that the magazine seem to have adopted. If they were trying to challenge body image and beauty standards, they would have included Graham as one of the models in their infamous shoots rather than merely agreeing to publish the advert, which acts as a form of appeasement to an ever-concerned body-conscious public.

“THE FASHION INDUSTRY IS A NOTORIOUSLY FICKLE AND SUPERFICIAL ONE”

Other designers seem to have taken note of the increasingly politicised stance of body image in the media and have made a conscious effort to distance themselves from these idealised standards. For example, earlier this month iconic designer Diane Von Furstenberg wrote an open letter to the fashion industry that addresses these concerns, stating “beauty is health and health is beauty” and that “it is also important to remember that beauty is diversity and, as an industry, we stand by these two principles”. In a more tangible display of resistance, long-standing underwear designer Calvin Klein included up-andcoming ‘plus-size’ model Myla Dalbesio in an advert last November. The model, categorised as a UK size 14, has spoken out about the brand’s decision to include her, noting how it veers from the norm. In an interview with Elle she reveals: “I’m not the biggest girl on the market but I’m definitely bigger than all the girls [Calvin Klein] has ever worked with, so that is really intimidating”. The images, which form part of Calvin Klein’s ‘Perfectly Fit’ campaign, not only added to the debate over what it means to be ‘plus size’, but simultaneously contributed to further scrutiny over the female form. The controversy and hype generated by such a decision simply highlights the obsession we have with body image: rather than allowing Dalbesio to be treated as normal working model, she was elevated in the media as being an ‘innovation’ and a ‘spectacle’ to be gawped at and discussed rather just letting her do her job in advertising Calvin Klein’s underwear.

Though the introduction of ‘plus size’ models in major ad campaigns for the world’s biggest brands help set a positive example, they function as more of a publicity stunt rather than a genuine desire to represent a range of women. The fashion industry is a notoriously fickle and superficial one, with the ‘plus size’ model occupying a similar position to that of the latest designer darling or must-have trend. However, without brands paving the way by using these women in their campaigns, we will continue to have a warped perception of women’s bodies and strict ideas over what is deemed attractive in society. By only portraying a particular type of body, that body becomes normalised and is the only body to aspire towards. Anything else is conveniently hidden away or somewhat condescendingly ‘celebrated’ as a novelty when is does manage to push past the boundaries and surface in front of our unaccustomed eyes, giving it that ‘shock’ factor. The destructively labelled ‘plus size’ women are models like any other, yet they are ostracised and separated from their counterparts, not so much by the designers, but by us. The change not only needs to come in the diversity of models working in the fashion industry and thus represented in the media, but more importantly in our desperate desire to obsess and analyse every aspect of the female form, forcing it into distinctly labelled categories, rather than embracing it and the beauty of its versatility.

“BY ONLY PORTRAYING A PARTICULAR TYPE OF BODY, THAT BODY BECOMES NORMALISED” WORDS BY TARA BELL AND ZOË WILLIAMSON IMAGES BY ‘VICTORIA’S SECRET’, ‘CALVIN KLEIN’, ‘SWIMSUITS FOR ALL’ 43

STYLE

THE SPRING TRANSITION... THE JUMPSUIT, £115

An investment jumpsuit is non-negotiable when it comes to entering the spring season. This luxury silk option from Topshop is undeniably versatile. You can wear it alone, or layer it on top of a button up shirt, for a more preppy look.

THE LIGHTWEIGHT JACKET, £75

As the warmer weather creeps in, a lightweight bomber jacket is the ideal cover-up. This Weekday jacket with zip detailing and a geometric print is a great way to spruce up any casual, every-day outfit.

THE SUEDE BOOT, £45 We blame the infamous Isabel Marant ‘Dicker’ boot for making the suede boot a Spring must have for anyone who is remotely sartorially conscious. A more quirky, and purse-friendly alternative is this two-tone pair from ASOS. Adding a leather panel into the mix adds a subtle but praiseworthy detail.

THE RIPPED MOM JEAN, £40 Topshop are well-known for their vast array of jeans styles, and this pair are perfect for the spring months. These MOTO Ripped Mom Jeans, featuring a tapered leg and distress detailing, are ideal for those who value comfort whilst also maintaining an effortlessly cool vibe.

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THE DAINTY NECKLACE, £10 Layering dainty jewellery is one of the most effective ways to accessorise the lighter fabrics that we will be sporting as we begin the spring transition. This necklace from River Island contains three necklaces in one, making for both a functional and tasteful way to add to your look.

THE BB CREAM, £29 BB creams have dominated talk in the beauty world over the last couple of years due to the multitude of skin benefits they boast. A much lighter alternative to foundation, coupled with SPF 35, ensures that your skin will have a chance to breath in the fresh spring air whilst keeping it protected from any harmful rays. Though a tad on the pricey side, this BB cream by Bobbi Brown will do wonders for your skin and is definitely a worthwhile investment.

THE PEACH LIP, £4.99 It’s time to swap those dark winter lipsticks for something more conducive to the spring season; so why not go for this peach lipstick from Sleek? The shade, aptly titled ‘Peaches & Cream’, looks almost good enough to eat, and will add a subtle hint of colour to your lips this season: pair it with a fresh face and minimal eye-makeup and you’re good to go.

THE PALAZZO PANT, £35 70s fashion is big for this season, but don’t worry, one can embrace the style without looking like an extra from a bad 70s sitcom. These Palazzo pants from River Island are bang on trend with their psychedelic paisley print, whilst their wide leg shape and nipped-in high waist ensures a fabulously flattering form.

THE FEDORA, £28 This oversized Fedora from River Island is the perfect accessory for transitioning your wardrobe from winter to spring. Hats are a simple way to make any outfit look stylish without trying too hard. The colour of the Fedora is light and playful but it will keep you warm whilst the weather is still chilly.

WORDS BY SHOPE DELANO, TARA BELL AND CHANEL JONSSON 45

EXPOSURE

IMPACT

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SHOWCASING THE WORK OF UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM STUDENTS, IMPACT EXPOSURE BRINGS YOU IMAGES FROM PHOTOGRAPHERS ALEXANDRA FARZAD AND MAYU AMANO.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR IMAGES FEATURED IN EXPOSURE, GET INVOLVED WITH THE IMAGES TEAM! IMAGES@IMPACTNOTTINGHAM.COM

EXPOSURE

"What's the biggest culture shock you've had since moving from Georgia?"

"It's a very traditional country. Everybody lives together, children, parents, grandparents. So it can be a bit more lonely over here."

TO FOLLOW HUMANS OF NOTTINGHAM SEARCH FOR IT ON FACEBOOK

“50 years ago this place was completely different. People say that in Russia there was an oppressive government, but in Britain it was worse! During the 70's things started to change. They came from America and started spreading a new mentality, freed from British hypocrisy.” “'They' who?” “Me, for example. When I was your age I left home and I went to study in America. That place was... Wow. There I had some problems with the police... I've also been in jail. Then, they sent me back here. And now? Now the situation is almost as bad as 50 years ago.”

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"I went travelling... some stuff happened with my job when I came back... and now I support myself by music. It pays for my food and everything."

"I probably would have done medicine instead of pharmacy if I had been a guy."

“Don’t necessarily plan something for a career. I think its best to arm yourselves with the ability to question and make your own decisions in life. I’m talking about education being real education as opposed as a way to get something after. I see my grandchildren being steered into a direction. And I’m thinking why are they doing this to this child!?” 49

GAMING

GTA V FOR PC It is almost certain PC gamers were not expecting to wait two years for GTA V to come out on PC. GTA V has now had three final releases in three separate years and gamers are rightly sick of waiting. After Rockstar's previous game Red Dead Redemption failed to make it onto PC, many were convinced that GTA V wouldn't ever appear. Now that it has a hopeful release date, we question why it took so long, and why PC gamers would rather wait.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;DEVELOPERS THEREFORE RATHER PUBLISH ON CONSOLES THAN PC, SINCE THEY KNOW EXACTLY HOW FAR THEY CAN PUSH THE CONSOLEâ&#x20AC;? The biggest issue for developers trying to publish games for PC is that every computer is built differently. This is because when computers are built, the quality of the parts used will change depending on the cost and specifications the owner wants, and can be changed at will. In comparison, gaming consoles will keep the same parts for their entire lifespan. An Xbox 360 bought on release day in 2005 would be no different from one built in 2014, so those specifications become the benchmark for developers to create games. Developers therefore would rather publish on consoles than PC, since they know exactly how far they can push the console. On PCs, developers are forced to give options to improve or decrease the graphics and quality depending the choice of parts, making it extremely difficult to find the limitations. Fallout New Vegas' lacklustre PC version struggled with this, with many gamers claiming that the game felt too empty, even though every character claimed that the main city (New Vegas) was a buzzing metropolis. The issue was that although their computers were able to include more people, the game was built originally for consoles which could not. Adding to the many 50

bugs that come from using different parts, many developers would rather not bother or at the very least delay their game far after the original release. Even so, many gamers would rather be stubborn and wait for GTA V on PC. The capability of GTA V on PC is so much greater than even the modern console versions, so naturally the expectations for amazing graphics and a widely populated city are high. The exact reason why developers hate publishing for PC is often the main reason for people wanting to play games on PC - they can push the game design to surprising limits. This leads to a far more immersive experience. The ability to play the game with multiple monitors and even the Oculus Rift means many in the PC gaming community are willing to wait to experience bank heists and carjacking on their preferred platform. The anticipation for some spectacular modifications is another reason people would rather wait for a PC version. Modifications (Mods) are non-developer groups that change settings or the design of the game in an interesting way. GTA IV had a tsunami mod which had large waves crashing through Liberty City, raising cars and flooding the streets, making being chased by the police or going bowling all the more interesting. There is a lot of anticipation for this in GTA V as the roads will have so much more traffic than in GTA IV. The creativity of the modding community will be astonishing to see and makes waiting palatable.

WORDS BY TIM SPENCER IMAGES BY SCOTT FRANCIS VIA FLICKR

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Announced earlier this year, the HoloLens is a 3D head mounted device in development by Microsoft that can produce holograph like images, blending physical and virtual realities in a skilful flourish using its dedicated visual display. If you’ve ever seen Google’s own technology, Google Glass, then you know just how impressive this hardware can be. Since the kit can, in addition, track your head movements and gestures, this opens up a whole new realm of possibilities for players to interact with the digital world around them. Some genres seem to be born for Microsoft’s latest gadget, potentially being completely revolutionised by the innovative hardware. Here are some possibilities that, if developers are given the right tools, could soon become a reality.

“IMAGINE YOUR LIVING ROOM TRANSFORMING INTO AN ARENA, WITH ADVANCING ARMIES FLOCKING TO EACH OPPOSING WALL, EAGERLY AWAITING INPUT FROM YOU: THEIR COMMANDER” Real time strategy games (RTSs) have long been a staple of the PC gaming library, with the mouse and keyboard combo offering immense versatility when selecting units or using hotkey combinations to construct buildings. While some RTSs have made their way to console, like Ensemble Studios’ Halo Wars, the controls didn’t feel as natural as with their PC counterparts. The HoloLens could change that. Imagine your living room transforming into an arena, with advancing armies flocking to each opposing wall, eagerly awaiting input from you: their commander. The head mounted display would give an ideal vantage point, allowing the player to sweep gracefully across the map from end to end, while the gesture controls, if used correctly, could make unit and resource management a breeze. Everyone will have grown up with, or at least heard of, the cartoon series Yu-Gi-Oh!, where ‘duellists’ battle out their wits using trading cards, from which spring forth fiendish traps and ravenous holographic monsters. Whilst games such as The Eye of Judgement for the PS3 have tried to ape the exhilaration at seeing your cards come to life,

the HoloLens could finally be the key to bringing this fantasy into our homes. The device could perfectly replicate each iconic card in fully realised holographic splendour, augmenting trading card games that are already a lifestyle for some avid fans. Integration with popular card games such as Magic: The Gathering could be the innovative leap that becomes a dealbreaker for many gamers. And these examples are just counting single-player experiences for the most part. If developers could effectively network each headset, imagine how chaotic the multiplayer could be. Large open spaces could be used to accommodate gargantuan augmented reality skirmishes or, for more intimate sessions, this could be scaled down to provide an equally exhilarating experience: sofas and doorways could become cover from gunfire, or two jumpers could become virtual goalposts. The creative realisations are potentially endless. If Microsoft gives the HoloLens the attention and support it would need to thrive, surely developers (or even players) could innovate even more experiences, revolutionising tropes built up over many years within the gaming industry to refresh the appetites of gamers everywhere. The HoloLens is set to be enabled with a multitude of creation tools, empowering developers and gamers alike to create content for the machine, or simply their own amusement. Since this device is still very much in development, it’s likely we won’t be seeing it grace our humble abodes anytime soon. However when it does, it could be a game changer.

WORDS BY STEPHEN HILL IMAGES BY MICROSOFT 51

GAMING

CROWDFUNDING Crowdfunding is, put simply, the use of online donations from members of the public to help fund both artistic and purely commercial endeavours. Almost everyone will have heard of Kickstarter projects being used to release an album, a film or a video game with the backing of various investors. So, what is a winning formula for games when using programmes like Kickstarter? What are the controversies which have arisen in this area? And do the potential rewards outweigh the risks for the actual project creators?

“WITHOUT A TRADITIONAL PUBLISHER ONE CAN “DELVE INTO MORE MATURE SUBJECT MATTER” AND THEREBY RAMP UP THE STORYTELLING ABILITY” A very successful example of games and crowdfunding is Pillars of Eternity (previously known as Project Eternity), a fantasy RPG which is yet to be released. A caveat should be included here as Pillars is a larger scale project than most as it was organised by Obsidian Entertainment, who previously developed triple-A games like Fallout: New Vegas in the traditional manner. Regardless, a legitimate record of over $4 million in donations was set. One of the heads of production, John Sawyer, spoke insightfully of Kickstarter’s benefits here, namely that without a traditional publisher one can “delve into more mature subject matter” and thereby ramp up the storytelling ability. It is a commonly cited reason for raising funds through crowdfunding: certain themes, ideas and directions perhaps ordinarily thought to be unsavoury can be freely tackled. If creators exploit this key advantage of crowdfunding and produce a unique take on a beloved genre, as Obsidian have done here, then it seems you are onto a winner. A similarly impressive, and more classically eccentric, crowdfunding effort was David Braben’s Elite: Dangerous. An audacious idea centred on players’ exploration of real areas of the Milky Way obviously grabbed potential investors’ attention enough to eventually raise 52

almost £2 million via donations. Braben pointed out that for publishers “there has to have been a sufficiently similar game in the near past to base the forecast upon”, and as a result the market can become saturated with clones. Call of Duty’s effect on military action games and first person shooters in general are an example. Therefore, successful crowdfunding projects can also be viewed as part of the antidote to a wider problem for which the independent gaming development community in general has concern in addition to being fun in their own right. The aforementioned games are situations where everything goes right i.e. there is a great concept led by determined artists and funded safely and appropriately. Sadly, this doesn’t always happen and for every success story there are countless others which either just don’t make the cut or are subject to foul play. One of the most notorious crowdfunded games stories occurred in 2014 when popular YouTube channel ‘Yogscast’ began developing a sandbox game of their own which raised around $500,000 before being halted and subsequently decommissioned entirely. Contributors were not given compensation and it remains a gloomy mystery. Crowdfunding and video games is a potent combination which can yield wonderfully innovative creations. But one should always bear in mind the risks involved: using the internet to obtain funding without guarantee of a product’s success is more than just a role of the dice. It requires hard-work, integrity, determination and financial responsibility before you have even considered the creative facets required to make a good game. There are legal pitfalls and monetary traps aplenty here but creators who enter into crowdfunding with some sense and for the right reasons should always be applauded. They are at the sharp end of a group effort to diversify the marketplace for those of us who love games and it is truly difficult to fault their efforts.

WORDS BY TOM WELSHMAN IMAGES BY CHRIS GOLDBERG VIA FLICKR

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FILM & TV

HEROISM IN THE BIOPIC Biopics, or biographical films, utilise the form of film to tell worthwhile stories about the lives of actual people. While an active form of filmmaking since the early 1900s, over the previous year a number of biopics have garnered widespread commercial, critical and ceremonious popularity, with their immense success during the 2015 awards season. But, why are audiences so drawn to fabricated films that dramatise real lives?

feature films: globalised commodities where the audience can connect to the visual, aural and sensual qualities to learn about key figures, unparalleled by any other form.

"WE ALL LOVE A HERO"

The Hollywood style of distribution allows these well-researched, detailed and important films to reach a mass audience. The realism of biopics enables them to be used as a teaching tool, imagining heroes from the past and bringing them back into relevancy. Ava DeVernay's Martin Luther King, Jr. biopic, Selma, is particularly poignant as its release coincided with the discussion of systematic racism in the US, with protests in Ferguson and across the nation late last year. Selma adds, not only, to the conversation about American race relations and how biopics have the ability to bring key issues to the forefront through representational heroism, but also to the celebration of key figures in history.

Biopics can be seen as a way of celebrating the diverse ways people may be perceived as heroic. And we all love a hero. The goal-orientated narratives of Hollywood cinema lend themselves to developed heroic figures that emerge over a three act structure, evident in the increasing presence of comic book adaptations. But these fictional heroes usually possess something super, and thus superficial, and this is where the biopic excels against them. By taking the lives of real people, who have been hailed as heroes, biographical films prove that ordinary people with extraordinary willpower may too be exceptional. This universal ideal of heroism is furthered by the intrinsic reality of a biopic. The shocking nature of films, such as 127 Hours, or the heartbreaking 12 Years a Slave, are accentuated by the understanding of audiences that these films ‘address the truth’; that these were real people, facing real problems, in the real world. In Wild, Reese Witherspoon is no longer simply an actress playing a fictional character, but is Cheryl Strayed, a woman seeking redemption after facing challenging tribulations in her past. The reality offered by the biopic means that in the face of adversity, every triumphant action taken by the film's subject carries greater meaning than other forms and genres. Of course, not all biopics feature heroism at their core, for example Foxcatcher, was described as “a tale of murder and mental illness” by The Telegraph (January 2015). It demonstrates that the breadth of the biopic can extend beyond other forms and genres. Unlike television documentaries, museum exhibits, textbooks or a webpage, biopics are 54

"THESE WERE REAL PEOPLE, FACING REAL PROBLEMS, IN THE REAL WORLD"

Biographical films are experiencing popularity because heroes are found everywhere. Biopics are suited to being an expressive form of significant storytelling because they are accessible, entertaining, and, most importantly, capable of demonstrating to a vast demographic how anybody can be a hero. Whilst some consider biographical filmmaking an easy option for producers, their aura of honesty, undoubtedly, makes the scheduled releases for the coming year an exciting prospect. And so, let us contemplate the amazing and true stories of everyday heroes that will be told next.

WORDS BY ABIGAIL HOUSEMAN IMAGES BY STEFAN ABGEWICKELT VIA FLICKR

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BIOPIC SCRAPBOOK

REAL HEROES OF THE SCREEN CONTINUING ON WITH OUR BIOGRAPHICAL THEME, OUR WRITERS DISCUSS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SOME OF THE MOST HEROIC BIOPICS

SCHINDLER’S LIST (1993)

MILK (2008)

Steven Spielberg's Schindler’s List is not only a powerful biopic, but a key landmark in Holocaust cinema. Oskar Schindler, played by Liam Neeson, leads a task force to save over a thousand Jewish refugees from the Nazis, by employing them in his factories. Whilst his initial exploits are anything but heroic, his acts to make the prisoners' lives better justified his status as a hero. Furthermore, some Jewish authors and individuals have commended the scale of Spielberg's celebrated film.

As soon as Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) and his partner Scotty (James Franco) open up a camera shop in the “progressive” city of 1970 San Francisco, they are subjected to homophobic abuse. This incident, and threats to their business, motivates Milk to begin a life of political activism. He attempts to get rights granted for homosexuals, or in some cases, to prevent pre-existing rights from being repealed, across the United States. Sean Penn shows Harvey Milk’s life as one of importance and one which was worth living. The audience is forced to care about the man and his campaign, his personal life and political campaign. Gay rights and attitudes towards the LGBTQ community have progressed a lot since the 1970s, but Milk shows that the campaign was not just for the right to have sex with who you want, but the right to love whoever you want.

Neeson’s emotional performance resonates with the audience successfully over the film's necessarily long running-time, leaving the audience feeling touched and struck with awe. If Neeson's performance was not enough, Spielberg incorporates a framing device around the film to integrate feelings of realism into the immersive, non-fictional storytelling. The denouement displays the actors accompanied by their real life counterparts (the Schindlerjuden, literally translated as Schindler’s Jews) to demonstrate the impact Schindler has on screen, and in history. Schindler, a member of the Nazi party himself, is an unlikely hero, but the choices he made turn him into a figure audiences can root for. George Driscoll

RAY (2004) Before he became an international rhythm and blues phenomenon, often referred to as “The Genius”, Ray Charles was simply a kid with an ear for music. In the title role that earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor, Jamie Foxx superbly portrays the vulnerability and strength of the man who would not let disability or hardship stop him from achieving his dreams and becoming a household name. Ray flits between scenes of Charles’ childhood and adulthood, to show how his mother’s strength of character shaped him later in life. Her guidance was instrumental to Charles, as she helped him adapt to a life of blindness at the age of seven, shortly after the traumatic death of his younger brother. Her loving support instilled a fierce work ethic and sense of independence into her son that inspired him to pursue a career as a musician during a time of segregation and adversity: themes powerfully presented in this biopic. Sabrina Barr

Michael Wood

MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM (2013) 2013’s Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, in which Idris Elba delivers a dignified, plaudit-worthy performance as the titular figure, chronicles the extraordinary life of the man who challenged Apartheid and unified South Africa. From his initial support of non-violent action and his brief, desperate flirtation with violence, up to his prison years and eventual embrace of peaceful negotiation, we experience Mandela’s regrets, his pain and his triumphs in unflinching detail, and see his wisdom increase with age. The film’s admirable decision to show Mandela as a flawed hero only makes the audience feel closer to a man who has suffered so much, and induces euphoria when everything comes to fruition. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom gradually becomes a very human triumph, and a moving tribute to a man who, despite many hardships, walked tall and fought tirelessly for his beliefs. It’s a long journey, grand in scope, but one worth taking. Alex Nicholson

IMAGE FROM SCHINDLER’S LIST - UNIVERSAL PICTURES 1993 55

FILM & TV

From The Lion King to Mulan, The Iron Giant to The Fox and the Hound, animated films have made a lasting impression on our generation, encouraging children all over the world to develop positive attributes, such as courage, integrity and kindness. However, despite the principles grounded in these images, there remains a negative stigma attached to animation.

“COMPLEX ANIMATION PROCESSES DO NOT RECEIVE THE LEVEL OF RECOGNITION THAT THEY DESERVE” Animated films are often grouped together as one subpar genre, as opposed to a plethora of films that encompass several, such as action, comedy and romance. The months of complex animation processes do not receive the level of recognition that they deserve, particularly when held up against the acknowledgment of diverse live action productions at award ceremonies. Critics also have a tendency to employ the pejoratives "kids movie" or "family film" when describing animation, which appropriates a patronising stigma that is reinforced in the wider public rhetoric. Consequently, animation is perceived as an inferior medium, resulting in many adults feeling too embarrassed to enjoy animated films. Animation is an an art form that requires magnitudes of talent, skill and devotion. The Pixar Story is a 2007 documentary that sheds light on the trials and struggles that Pixar founders had to endure in order to make Pixar Animation Studios the iconic creative institution that it is today. Individuals such as John Lasseter, Pixar co-founder and visionary, championed the development of CGI animation with enthusiasm and ingenuity. Lasseter’s desire to add a greater sense of dimension and visual depth to animated films had been a dream of animators since the age of Walt Disney. The first feature-length computer animated 56

film, Toy Story, directed by Lasseter, was released in 1995 to universal acclaim, raising the bar for all animated films to follow. Public perception of animation has begun to shift in recent years due to the immense success and influence of recent releases. Frozen stands out as the prime example of an animated film that has taken over every facet of popular culture and is regarded by many as possibly the best Disney film since the Disney Renaissance (1989-1999). Using a similar technique to the team behind Tangled, the animation in Frozen was developed by combining CGI with traditional hand-drawn animation. Walt Disney Animation Studios not only released the catchiest song of the 21st Century, but also created groundbreaking new tools to realistically capture the magic and beauty of the snow, and the way the characters interacted with the scenery. By returning to the basic foundations of animation in order to create a new and unique artistic style, the art of animation has been revitalised as the public and critical sphere begins to show an indiscriminate appreciation to these films typically considered "for kids".

“ANIMATION IS PERCEIVED AS AN INFERIOR MEDIUM” The blood, sweat and tears required to conceptualise, develop and create a film of stature is incontrovertible. The same goes for animated films, possibly more so. Detail is key, as animation creates worlds from scratch which are imaginary yet believable. The diligence of animators is often overlooked, as we live in a period in which technological advancement is frequently taken for granted. Animated films should not be regarded as a single genre, just as live action films are not merely ‘live action’, but categorised into a range of different genres. Thanks to the release of new and exciting animated films, the craft is evolving and enticing new audiences of all generations to revel in the artistry and innovation of these cinematic masterpieces. WORDS BY SABRINA BARR IMAGE BY VANCOUVER FILM SCHOOL VIA FLICKR

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WHY DO STREAMING SERVICES REALLY EXIST? Netflix, Amazon Prime, Sky Go, BBC iPlayer and 4oD are just some of the streaming giants we are bombarded with online. Do they exist to offer us a simpler way to stream our favourite TV shows and films? Or are they a sinister cog in the capitalist machine designed to keep the public numbed to their money making schemes? Either way, they are here to stay. But why is that?

“STREAMING SITES ARE SEEN AS A KEY WEAPON AGAINST PIRACY” TorrentFreak recently reported that Game of Thrones was the most pirated show for the third year running. Television behemoth HBO (creator of GoT) has stated they are producing their own standalone streaming service. Is it at all surprising that companies develop streaming facilities in order to keep the public using their services, to profit and keep their property from becoming free? The goal is inevitably to decrease piracy figures and this aim looks within reach as torrenting heavyweight, The Pirate Bay, recently had its owners arrested and servers shut down as part of the ongoing copyright war across the western world. Sites like this are often still accessible through other means such as proxies, so will streaming even have an impact? Streaming sites are seen as a key weapon against piracy, but if free methods of accessing media exist some will choose those instead. When discussing streaming, most people think of Netflix, the popular site that charges a monthly fee to watch unlimited film and TV from its library. As of October 2014, Netflix reported they had 53 million paying subscribers worldwide. Their service relies on fees, as opposed to streaming sites like 4oD, which make use of adverts in their programmes and ancillary sales to gain revenue. Producers would likely prefer other sales over ad revenue, but if they did not offer a streaming service they would fall behind the competition, and

in today’s industry companies cannot afford such a luxury. In this respect, streaming services like BBC iPlayer, ITV Player and 4oD exist to ensure their shows are being watched on their platforms and for ease of access for viewers. Notably, BBC executives think that streaming is of such significance that they have planned to move all BBC3 content over to iPlayer under their proposals to take BBC3 off air. One complication that arises with streaming is the localisation of content. Shows released in America before the rest of the world are usually pirated more as a result of increased demand. Netflix have just issued a statement stating they are cracking down on ‘VPN Pirates’ who circumnavigate the country’s restrictions and watch shows illegally through their legally bought streaming service. The argument could be made that if one is going to offer a streaming service it should be without restrictions, otherwise this will push people to piracy and could force profit declines. Streaming services offer a new technologically focused method of spectatorship, with the potential to replace DVDs. Whilst some still prefer to own physical copies and have domestic libraries, it is becoming increasingly popular, due to the aforementioned sites, to maintain your library online so as to access it wherever, whenever. There is no denying that the rise of digital downloads and streaming services take advantage of this by offering more original content, such as Netflix’s own upcoming Marvel’s Daredevil series. With incentives like these, streaming is designed to bring film and TV into the current technological climate, whilst retaining profit and making visual media accessible to a much larger audience than ever before.

WORDS BY GEORGE DRISCOLL IMAGE BY AL IBRAHIM VIA FLICKR 57

FILM & TV

IS LINEAR TV STILL RELEVANT TODAY?

LINEAR TELEVISION (TRADITIONAL LIVE AND SCHEDULED BROADCASTS) HAS BEEN CHALLENGED OF LATE BY NEW MEDIA PLATFORMS SUCH AS ON DEMAND AND STREAMING SERVICES. WITH THIS IN MIND, OUR WRITERS DEBATE WHETHER LINEAR TV IS REALLY STILL RELEVANT TODAY

YES, IT IS RELEVANT

When entering into a conversation about television most are interested in what one watches rather than where, when or with whom. However, those latter three W’s can be as equally integral to the viewing experience as the former. Why? Well, as a primarily domestic medium, TV watching traditionally serves a communal purpose, shared between family, friends and even strangers. The linearity of scheduled and live broadcasts has provided people with a sense of collective identification with what they witness, leading to a nationalised, shared understanding of events. Linear television schedules provide a sense of structure and commune unattainable with the temporally disorientating Personal Video Recorders, on demand and streaming services. In other words, when viewers compartmentalise their consumption of TV through new media by watching alone on different devices at different times in different locations it will cease to become a social medium. This is because not only are people not watching together, but they're unable to engage in a discussion about their favourite programme until everyone has caught up. Watching scheduled broadcasts maintains a sense of liveliness and keeps the viewers in the present. New media can spoil so much of a programme in terms of scores, events and plotlines before you've even watched it, meaning even today we can only form our judgments of programmes by experiencing them as they are meant to be, live and preferably offline. Yet, one must accept that the relevance of linear television's fundamental social role is slowly conceding to new media alternatives, in a world where future technologies will only increasingly distance us physically. Nevertheless, the community experience offered by traditional viewing will remain relevant for as long as TV remote users appreciate the benefits of linear programming, which they are of course doing, or else scheduled broadcasts would not exist today. The medium of television still relies on popular relevance to survive.

WORDS BY BHARAT SAMRA 58

NO, IT’S IRRELEVANT

We live in a generation characterised by impatience. Vines have made it difficult to endure videos any longer than seven seconds, communicating across several different social media platforms at once is the norm, and we carry the Internet in our pockets. We are of the Digital Age and, as such, TV has evolved to adapt to our demands.

"THERE’S NOW NO NEED TO PLAN YOUR EVENING AROUND YOUR TV SCHEDULE. YOU ARE IN CONTROL" It started with the ability to pause, rewind and record TV. Need a tea break? Pause to your heart’s content – your TV show isn’t going anywhere. Your TV programme starts half an hour before you return home from work? No problem – it’s recorded and ready for your enjoyment and at your leisure. There’s now no need to plan your evening around your TV schedule. You are in control. Way back in 1997, before the release of the iPod or the conception of Facebook, Netflix was born. On demand and streaming services such as Netflix, Sky Go and 4oD give people even greater access to the shows and films that they love, whether they’re in bed or making the daily commute. Laptops and smartphones have become substitutes for TVs, as they can do everything a TV does and more. There is a certain novelty to watching linear television. It feels nostalgic, like revisiting a fond childhood memory of sitting in the living room with the family to watch Blind Date. Live TV is predominantly reserved for special occasions: the Wimbledon Final, the Queen’s Christmas Message and the BAFTAs are prime examples. However, in spite of its perks, live TV has lost its relevance in today’s society. With binge-watching on the rise, the public would rather watch twenty episodes in a row than have to sit through four infuriating advert breaks. C’est la vie.

WORDS BY SABRINA BARR IMAGE BY JAMES GOOD VIA FLICKR

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TAKE 5

TV QUIZ

IN THE LATEST OF OUR SERIES OF TRIVIA CHALLENGES, WE’RE TESTING YOUR KNOWLEDGE ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS AROUND TELEVISION IN OUR TV QUIZ. HOW MANY QUESTIONS CAN YOU ANSWER CORRECTLY?

1. In what year was the first ever public broadcast of mechanical television? 2. Which English actor has had a leading role in both The Inbetweeners and Fresh Meat? 3. Name the 1990’s US comedy show whose famous theme song has the title character "Chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool". 4. Which weekly television series on NBC was the first to air completely in colour in 1959? 5. In April 2014, which American sitcom did First Lady Michelle Obama guest star in? 6. Which cast member of the BBC’s Robin Hood went on to star in Peter Jackson's Hobbit films? 7. First broadcast in 1953, name the world’s longest-running current affairs TV programme? 8. Fox Mulder and Dana Scully were the main characters in which popular sci-fi television series? 9. Ken Jennings, a contestant on which popular quiz show, won over $2.5 million in 2004, and holds the longest winning streak on the show (74 games in a row)? 10. Almost all of location shooting for the mystery drama Lost (2004-2010), including the enigmatic island, was filmed in this tropical location. 11. Last year, who was the series five winner of The Great British Bake Off? 12. Which series finale remains the most watched finale in American television ratings history?

Answers: 1. 1928, 2. Joe Thomas, 3. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, 4. Bonanza, 5. Parks and Recreation, 6. Richard Armitage, 7. Panorama, 8. The X-Files, 9. Jeopardy!, 10. Hawaii, 11. Nancy Birtwhistle, 12. M*A*S*H – "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" IMAGE BY JAMES GOOD VIA FLICKR 59

MUSIC

IT MUST HAVE BEEN A WHILE SINCE YOU PLAYED RESCUE ROOMS? RJ: Yeah! I feel like it was 2006, or 2007 even? That doesn't seem that long ago but that's like 8 years ago now. Crazy. A couple of years ago it seemed like things were fading for The Cribs you were saying you weren't really sure what was happening - now it seems like it's gone in the other direction? RJ: Yeah, I think because we'd done five albums and then the compilation record, it kind of rounded things off. You know like, what are we going to do next? We had to figure out what we wanted to do, stylistically. We didn't really know what we wanted to do, the label changed as well, so we basically just went home and took time to decide where we wanted to go. That was after the compilation record came out. So yeah, we didn't really think much was happening. Then all of a sudden we just started writing again, like you do when you're first in a band. Just three brothers playing together in the garage, all of a sudden we just started writing this pop record, so we were like, let's keep on with that! That's where we're at today now really. WITH THE CHANGE OF THE RECORD LABEL, FROM WICHITA TO SONY, DO YOU THINK IT'S A NEW CRIBS ERA? RJ: Maybe, it's nice to switch things up. To be honest it hasn't felt very different because all of the rest of the team is exactly the same - there's a guy we've known for years who does the press, you've got your radio guys, you've got the management, publishers and everything..., and it's just me, Gary and Ryan as well. The crew is the same too, we have been using them for years. The roadie that's here tonight is our tour manager now, but when he first started he was a friend and he just drove us around. I remember him stood on the balcony at Rescue Rooms drinking, and that was the night Ryan snapped a string on stage for the first time. We asked him whether he minded putting a pack of guitar strings in his pocket the next night - just in case. Then he got into tech and he's been doing tech with us for five years now! It all started with Rescue Rooms when we asked him to put a pack of strings in his pocket...

“TO SOME PEOPLE IT WILL STILL SEEM LIKE PUNK MUSIC, BUT TO US IT SEEMS MORE POP”

IMPACT INTERVIEW

THE CRIBS THE JARMAN BROTHERS KICKED OFF THEIR UK TOUR IN NOTTINGHAM’S RESCUE ROOMS, BOTH A SWEATY AND LIVELY EVENT, IT WAS THE SORT OF SHOW THE CRIBS HAVE BECOME DEFINED BY. SIGNED TO A NEW LABEL AND RELEASING THEIR NEW ALBUM ‘FOR ALL MY SISTERS’ IN MARCH, WE SAT DOWN AND CHATTED WITH ROSS TO CHECK IF THE BAND WAS CHANGING. WORDS BY IAN FILLINGHAM AND SARAH DEAR 60

CAN WE EXPECT A CHANGE IN SOUND ON THE NEW ALBUM? RJ: I guess so yeah, it's weird because the band has always had this thing where we think of ourselves as fundamentally a punk band because that's what we grew up liking. But we've got a lot of guilty pleasures, like the Bee Gees and Queen for example, so we've always had that pop sensibility. It has always been a balance, there has always been a devil in one ear and an angel in the other one, one wanting us to be pop, the other wanting us to be really punk rock. I think on this one, we just ended up embracing the fact that a lot of people like the band for writing pop stuff. I use the term pop, but it's certainly no Lady Gaga record or anything like that! To some people it will still seem like punk music, but to us it seems more pop. YOU’VE SOLD OUT MUCH BIGGER VENUES THAN RESCUE ROOMS, DO YOU PREFER MORE INTIMATE SHOWS? RJ: I wouldn’t say I’d prefer it… we’ve got this reputation for doing smaller venues, but when bands get into the bigger venues it’s way easier to just play them. You don’t have to tour in the back of a van. We’re back in our own van again today, and our crew is just a small number of people that have been with us for years. If we’d booked larger venues we could have more luxuries, travel in a nicer way and stay in nicer hotels. But we’ve always liked doing small stuff; just because you can play bigger venues doesn’t mean you should forget about some of the smaller cool ones…

IMPACT

MAGAZINE YOUR NEW ALBUM ‘HAPPY PEOPLE’ IS OUT NOW, WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY PEOPLE? DB: As cliché as it may sound, doing this really is the thing we enjoy the most. Being on tour, doing gigs. We had about three weeks off at Christmas, went on holiday and obviously had a great time but we get the most happiness from this. MOST SURREAL MOMENT FOR YOU SO FAR? DB: It kind of always works in hindsight, it’s never really when you’re there doing it. I suppose Reading and Leeds Main Stage has got to be up there, pretty surreal; and actually I say hindsight but that’s an example when it hit me in the moment. I walked out on my own and started the set just drums, walked out to thirty-odd thousand people. That was pretty cool. That was probably one of the biggest moments.

“IT WAS NEW AND EXCITING AND WE WERE INCREDIBLY BLISSFULLY IGNORANT” DO YOU NOTICE DIFFERENT VIBES IN DIFFERENT CITIES? DB: There are definitely differences, the Midlands, especially Birmingham and Nottingham have always been really, really good for us. I think you’re a rowdy bunch. Also up North, the further North you go the crazier they are. We've always got on well in Nottingham, love partying and playing here, it’s good fun. DID YOU FIND RECORDING HAPPY PEOPLE A MUCH DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE TO IN LOVE? DB: It was fun in different ways. The first album was really fun because it was new and exciting and we were incredibly blissfully ignorant. We had no idea what we were doing, but this time round it was a bit more to the point, it was fun as we were exploring things we didn't know much about last time and we were trying things we didn't know were available to try last time. So we had fun in that respect. It was less throwing shit to the wall and seeing what stuck and more to the point. THE VIDEOS FOR THE NEW SINGLES HAVE BEEN REALLY INTERESTING. WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST ONE TO MAKE? DB: ‘Lost On Me’ was a fun day. That was totally surreal for us - we had never done anything like that. We had a really great choreographer, which is a very weird sentence for me to say, we took to the dancing quite naturally… destined to be a boy band. WHO WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO PERFORM WITH, DEAD OR ALIVE? DB: Probably Led Zeppelin cause they are my all time favorite band, but then it could be quite fun to do something contrasting like supporting Stevie Wonder. IS THERE ANY ADVICE YOU WISH YOU WERE GIVEN WHEN YOU WERE FIRST STARTING OUT? DB: I feel like a blessing for us was being so misguided and ignorant. I feel it is when people start over-thinking, that stuff can potentially go wrong. We just played as much as we could, wherever we could for as long as we could. Just play as much as you can, get good at playing your instrument and then it will follow. FAVOURITE VENUE TO PLAY? DB: Rock City is definitely up there, I do love Rock City. I really like the old kind of sleazy working men clubs vibes too. All these small venues have got far more character, which you do kind of lose in the academies and purpose built venues, nothing more exciting than playing venues like this.

PEACE

IMPACT INTERVIEW

PEACE’S EAGERLY ANTICIPATED SECOND ALBUM, ‘HAPPY PEOPLE’, WAS RELEASED ON 9TH FEBRUARY. THE BAND HAVE JUST EMBARKED ON A UK TOUR, INCLUDING THREE SOLD OUT NIGHTS AT THE BODEGA, AND SO WE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK DRUMMER DOM BOYCE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. WORDS BY CHLOE LOIZOU IMAGE BY HARRY DINSDALE 61

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“I SAW THEM BEFORE THEY WERE FAMOUS…”

DISCOVERING THAT AN ARTIST, WHO ONCE PERFORMED TO YOU AND A COUPLE OF OTHERS IN A SMALL VENUE, HAS NOW SHOT TO FAME PROVIDES A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BRAG. IMPACT ASKED SOME OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN NOTTINGHAM’S MUSIC SCENE WHAT THEIR BIGGEST CLAIM TO FAME IS. THE CHAMELEON: DANIEL OVERTON (VENUE OWNER)

“There’s one in particular that comes to mind… Sleaford Mods. They pretty much started out as one [guy] at first… they actually met here. This is kind of their home, they’ve played here loads of times. I actually played here with them once. It was around two years ago, there was no one here. There were about three people here. Last time they played, just over a year ago… it was the fullest I’ve ever seen the place. Over a hundred people. As to how that happened, I’ve got no idea, no idea whatsoever”.

JAM CAFE: BRADLEY RICE (VENUE OWNER)

"This one night; there was a group of lads hanging around outside, smoking and drinking with their hoods up. I told them they were not allowed in without ID and explained that they would have to leave as I’d seen them drinking outside; it looked bad on the venue. One of them came up to me, said he wasn’t looking for trouble, wasn’t drinking but just wanted to perform at the open mic night. The lad wasn’t allowed entry until his performance slot came up and borrowed a guitar from one of the event runners... we all thought it was going to be a disaster. Somebody hanging around with a dodgy looking group of teenagers, it looked like he hadn’t even prepared for a performance - he asked to borrow a guitar! But he stood there about 16 years old, in his tracksuit bottoms and was completely amazing. Now Jake Bugg has gone on to support the Rolling Stones and headline his own gigs all over the world”.

RESCUE ROOMS: DANIELLE SORSBY (EX-MANAGER)

“I met Jake Bugg when I was organising Acoustic Rooms [at Rescue Rooms] and one of my jobs when he was playing was to look after him so he didn't drink since he was underage. He was only sixteen at the time. He was with his manager and everyone was told to keep an eye on him. We knew by then that he was going to be big so we did what they said”.

THE BODEGA: JESS HOPKINS (BAR STAFF)

“I saw George Ezra play here [The Bodega] early last year and then he started playing festivals and just shot up. I saw him play at Glastonbury later on and everyone knew all the words to his songs. The earlier gig at The Bodega was pretty busy but The Bodega is wicked because it is pretty intimate - its quite different from Glastonbury”.

ROUGH TRADE RECORDS: JACK GAROFALO (BAR STAFF)

“I saw Ed Sheeran three years ago in 2001. He played to about twenty people at Dot to Dot festival in Nottingham. When I finished college we went to Stealth and saw Tinie Tempah before he was famous. In terms of bands, my Dad saw Nirvana when they played at Rock City. He also saw Thin Lizzy in Nottingham too. Indiana played here at Rough Trade and she was really good. She played to about 70 people. I think she is going to blow up soon. She’s downstairs looking around [the Rough Trade shop] now actually”. WORDS BY RISHI MISTRY, KIERAN HALLAM, IAN FILLINGHAM AND DAISY FOSTER IMAGES BY ANDREAS BILLMAN AND MAYU AMANO 62

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HEADLINER HOGGING IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH HUGE AND HAS BEEN ARTISTS MONOPOLISING THE HEADLINE SPOTS AT ALL OUR FAVOURITE FESTIVALS?

YES NO

Granted, the purpose of a ‘headline’ spot at any festival is to attract a bigger crowd, to give the people what they want. “Another stultifying performance of the same old big-hitters from Blink 182 for me please” cry the swathes of welly-clad festival-goers, to whom a decent line up at a festival is usually second to scoring dodgy pills and celebrating the irreverent anarchism of a three day free pass to act like a character from Lord of the Flies.

“IT’S STUNTING OUR INTEREST IN FINDING BRILLIANTLY INNOVATIVE, MARVELLOUSLY IMAGINATIVE MUSIC” It would be senseless, of course, for Swindon’s latest underground teenage DIY hip-hop- cum-jazz fusion trio to take to the Pyramid Stage of a late Friday evening. I’m not saying that, just how about a little variety? Yes, the biggest (and somehow therefore best) festivals have to compete commercially. They can’t have their rivals showcasing the titans of popular music like Arctic Monkeys or Mumford & Sons when all they have to show is some cruddy arty nonsense, trying to “challenge the form” or whatever. And yes, there are smaller festivals cropping up all over the place where you’re more likely to do away with the rampant commercialism of Glastonbury or Reading and Leeds Festival and actually stumble across something new and exciting. But the whole culture of headline fanaticism, the misinterpretation of the ‘recognisable’ as the ‘good’, the emphasis on the big, flashy, catchall pop acts, it’s stunting our interest in finding brilliantly innovative, marvellously imaginative music. Isn’t that what a festival is all about? You can listen to Calvin Harris on the radio, on Spotify, on every other TV advert or episode of TOWIE for fuck’s sake. In the arena that was designed to promote new music, why not have the guts to let the little guys have their chance in the limelight? WORDS BY JAMES NOBLE

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man/woman (postmodern journalism folks) in possession of a good fortune must be in want of good festival headliners. And ‘fortune’ is the apt word.

“BRITISH MUSICAL CULTURE PRACTICALLY DEIFIES FESTIVAL HEADLINERS AND IN MY MIND THAT’S EXACTLY HOW IT SHOULD BE” It costs approximately two million pounds to buy a weekend pass for your standard British festival these days and for that price you get a muddy bed, over-priced quinoa and warm cider. So, for a pass costing so much, forgive me for wanting some pretty big names at the drug infested mudbath of my choice; it’s my prerogative. There is, of course, a place at festivals for the lesser known artists; new and unheard bands provide welcome entertainment for (a) the indie embittered types who wish they could physically remove Beyoncé from Somerset themselves and (b) men in bucket hats off their tits who’ve lovingly stumbled across a tent where they can safely face plant into blissful oblivion. By hiring The Artic Monkeys or The Rolling Stones, however, you get so much more bang for your buck. There are few other examples of being able to see such absolutely massive names in music in the same weekend with all your mates and hundreds of thousands of other over-excited music/beer/life fans. What’s more, these bands have earned their place on the bill as headliners. They’ve toured the world for years doing all sorts of both shitty and awesome gigs, and now it’s their time to say a big ‘screw you’ to all the venues and record labels that turned them down in the past. British musical culture practically deifies festival headliners and in my mind that’s exactly how it should be. Viva la Pyramid Stage!

WORDS BY LIV CLARK IMAGE BY MAXIME RAPHAEL VIA FLICKR 63

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FESTIVAL INFOGRAPHIC IMPACT ASKED YOU ABOUT YOUR FESTIVAL MEMORIES

HAVE YOU EVER THROWN A BOTTLE AT A FESTIVAL? Nope 61% Yes, an empty bottle 29% Yes, with drink in it 7% Yes, with piss in it 3%

“PISSED IN A BOTTLE… CHUCKED IT NOT VERY FAR AND GOT CHASED BY THE PEOPLE IT LANDED ON”

“SHE ENDED UP BECOMING MY GIRLFRIEND”

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A ONE NIGHT STAND AT A FESTIVAL? Yes 11% | No 89% DO YOU SHOWER AT FESTIVALS? Yes 22% | No 78%

“IT'S BRITAIN SO AT SOME POINT IT WILL RAIN. GRAB THE SOAP AND STRIP OFF FOR A FREE SHOWER! ...IN GENERAL IT'S ALL ABOUT BABY WIPES”

HAVE YOU MADE MONEY ON A TICKET YOU HAVE SOLD LAST MINUTE? Yes 7% | No 93%

“FOUND AN ENVELOPE WITH 4 WEEKEND TICKETS IN BUT WAS TOO DRUNK TO GO SELL THEM TO A TOUT” 64

ET ON K C I T A T “BOUGH AY BEFORE ED EBAY TH HE PRICE” FT FOR HAL

HAVE YOU EVER RELIED ON BUYING TICKETS FROM TOUTS TO GET INTO A FESTIVAL? Yes: 5% | No: 95%

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“I LOST A FRIEND WHO WAS PRETTY ANNOYING SO I DIDN’T REALLY CARE, TURNS OUT THEY WERE ON A DRIP IN THE MEDICAL TENT ALL NIGHT”

“THIS BOY TRIED TO COME ONTO MY FRIEND. LITERALLY” HAVE YOU EVER COME BACK TO FIND A STRANGER IN YOUR TENT? Yes 11% | No 89%

“MY TENT BLEW AWAY AND I SLEPT IN THE MEDICAL TENT FOR THE REST OF THE WEEKEND”

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN THE MEDICAL TENT? Yes, for myself 10% Yes, looking after a friend 19% No 71%

PORTALOOS OR THE 'PIT-LATRINE'? Portlaloo 73% | Pit-latrine 27%

“READING 2012. VERY FUCKED AND SHAT MYSELF WHILST PISSING IN THE BUSHES. HAD TO WADDLE OVER TO THE 'LATRINE' AND USE MY SOCKS AS TOILET PAPER” WHEN IT COMES TO TAKING DRUGS DO YOU … Buy Inside: 16% Bring your own: 38% Stay well away from them: 46%

“IT REALLY SHOWS THE CURRENT STATE OF BRITAIN WHEN YOU CAN'T FIND A GOOD OLD HONEST DRUG DEALER”

“WENT TO THE TENT TO GET A COAT, WOKE UP HAVING MISSED PULP, THE SOLE REASON I BOUGHT A TICKET” HAVE YOU EVER MISSED AN ACT YOU PLANNED TO SEE BECAUSE YOU WERE TOO DRUNK?

Yes 48% | No 52%

INFOGRAPHIC BY HARRY DINSDALE SURVEY OF 124 UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM STUDENTS 65

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IMPACT ARTS’ TOP 5

ARTS FESTIVALS OF 2015

MISSED OUT ON GETTING THAT GLASTONBURY TICKET? UNIMPRESSED BY THE LINE-UPS FOR LEEDS AND READING THIS YEAR? JUST WANT TO TRY SOMETHING NEW? IMPACT ARTS SUGGESTS WHICH ARTS FESTIVALS YOU SHOULD KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR IN 2015

FORMAT INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL DERBY | 13TH MARCH – 12TH APRIL

Halfway between the Edinburgh Fringe and Frieze Art Fair, the FORMAT Photography Festival (this year hosted in and around Derby QUAD) presents a great opportunity to see something different so close to Nottingham. As the UK’s leading contemporary photography festival, FORMAT has been subject to wide international acclaim. This year it will envelop 30 key sites throughout the city, using each to exhibit an innumerable amount of works by hundreds of photographers from around the world, all under the theme of ‘evidence’. With each major biennale the festival adopts a core theme around which an open call is made and works are created – this year’s makes reference to the widely discussed idea that photography, in its relationship to science, may be used as truthful and factual evidence. Public events are also organised in relation to the works on display, with ‘evidence’ having informed a call for academic papers, debates, panel discussions and further commissions, all of which are available to the public. Derby will soon become an accessible and intense platform for international artistic, social and political debates, so if photography interests you this is definitely not an opportunity not to be missed. Aaron Shaw

UEA LITERARY FESTIVAL

UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA, NORFOLK | 25TH FEBRUARY – 29TH APRIL With seven fantastic writers waiting to reveal their most intimate of literary innovations and secrets, the University of East Anglia’s (UEA) Literary Festival is not to be missed. Following on from its last 22 years of success, the 2015 Spring festival promises an insight into life, loss and the fundamentals of nature. Helen Macdonald, winner of the 2014 Samuel Johnson prize for her novel H is for Hawk, is first in the line-up. Her talk during the festival will surround the deep-seated question of the universe: “can we unite life and death?” Running from the 25th February until the 29th April, UEA’s Literary Festival will present writers such as Alan Johnson, Julia Blackburn and David Nicholls. These writers bring their own life experiences to their works, fictional or factual, and intimately address their audiences. Entertainment will be brought through the exploration of the nature of storytelling, art and truth. If you’re searching for a little bit of fun alongside dramatic, poignant literary subjects, this festival is ideal. Spring 2015 tickets cost £35.00 for students. Individual tickets cost £7.00. Vicky Lorriman 66

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MAGAZINE FRINGE ARTS BATH

BATH, SOMERSET | 22ND MAY - 7TH JUNE In unusual ways and in unexpected places Fringe Arts Bath (FaB) emerges from the city’s street corners and shops as their only annual visual arts festival. Promoting and celebrating contemporary local art, artists and volunteers run a series of events and workshops in which they create an enriching and interactive experience without any muddy feet or expensive tickets. As the self-declared “cheeky little sister” to the Bath Fringe Festival, FaB is a supportive environment for emerging artists, allowing audiences to experience their work in unique alternative exhibition spaces and even get involved in producing some art themselves. Their famous Photomarathon is set to continue in the 2015 festival on 2nd May. This event starts before the festival, and challenges its contestants to “1 city, 10 hours, 20 themes, 20 photographs”. No editing allowed; the snaps must be taken within the time limit and follow a specific order of themes. The event becomes a process of discovery which leaves the end results to chance: the city becoming both subject and venue for this great festival. Bath itself is a creative and beautiful city, and so alongside the already intellectually stimulating Jane Austen museum and Roman Baths, FaB is the perfect excuse to take a trip there this summer. Antonia Hodges

FESTIVAL NUMBER 6

PORTMEIRION, WALES | 3RD – 6TH SEPTEMBER

Festival Number 6’s catch line “a festival like no other, in a place like no other”, succinctly optimises the picturesque venue and unique performers at the arts festival that runs from the 3rd to the 6th of September. The upcoming venue of the small scenic Welsh village of Portmeirion exudes an Italianesque, yet authentic and credible ambience. For those who can’t make the whole weekend, day tickets are also available at a reduced price. This year the festival is partnering up with Virgin Trains, which gives easy access to the remote location from stations all around the country. Why should you check this one out? In the past, the festival has been a creative platform for the likes of Caitlin Moran, author of How to be a Woman, and this year features such artists as Stornoway, Rae Morris and Ghostpoet, as well as the Young British Artist Gavin Turk. Over the past couple of years it has received the Best Small Festival award from NME magazine, and a five star rating from The Telegraph, The Independent and The Times. Festival Number 6 should be your number one choice! Hattie Hughes

GREEN MAN FESTIVAL

BRECON BEACONS, WALES | 20TH – 23RD AUGUST Set deep in the Welsh countryside against a backdrop of rolling hills and expansive forests, the Brecon Beacons will again become host to the unique, and often overlooked, Green Man Festival this summer. Presenting fresh new faces from the world of music, 2015 promises to beat last year’s line up of acts, which included Daughter, First Aid Kit and Beirut. It’s largely folksy vibes stray far from the likes of Leeds and Reading, with the festival promoting ‘60s free love’ and a return to nature as the flavours of the day. This ethos extends to Green Man’s wider support of emerging poets, comedians and performance artists, many of whom are to be found on stages spread throughout the valley’s fields and forests. Through this eclecticism, no two days are ever the same. Spend the night drinking craft ales whilst listening to your favourite new band, ease your hangover with some outdoor yoga, grass between your toes, as the world moves around you. The festival culminates with the ritual burning of a larger-than-life Green Man statue at midnight, accompanied by fireworks in a spectacular end to an unforgettable weekend. If you’re looking for something different this summer, festivals don’t get much better than this. Aaron Shaw 67

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CONTROVERSIAL COMEDY

IT’S ONLY A JOKE - RIGHT?

CONTROVERSIAL COMEDY IS FUNNY, RIGHT? BUT WHEN DOES IT CROSS THE LINE FROM BEING A FORM OF LIGHT HUMOR TO JUST OFFENSIVE? AND SHOULD WE STAND FOR IT? SCARLETT WHITE DEBATES THIS TRICKY TOPIC In a society where the freedom of speech reigns supreme, the medium of comedy in recent years has become a taboo-riddled minefield of controversy. While you can still find and enjoy the Michael McIntyres and Peter Kays of the stand-up world, with their jovial smiles and man drawers, an edgier style now seems to dominate the comedy scene. Supposedly ‘pushing the boundaries of comedy’, comedians, such as Russell Brand, Frankie Boyle and most recently Dapper Laughs (a.k.a Daniel O’Reilly), have scandalised the media with their controversial stand-up routines. Rape, disability, and race are among a few of the topics merrily handled by these comedians, often in a style that most people can agree lacks both decency and taste. Some believe that in comedy there should be no limits. But shouldn’t a line be drawn somewhere? Which leads to the bigger question: where should that line be drawn?

followers on Vine and 370,000 on Twitter, resulting in the offer of his, for want of a better word, ‘dating’ show. An extension of his brand of crude misogynistic humour, the show essentially promoted the type of lad culture that feminists are currently fighting to eradicate.

“Go down the shops, get some rope, bit of duct tape, rape the b**ch”, was a line that turned out to be one of the final nails in the coffin for the comedy character Dapper Laughs. After joking a woman in the audience of a stand up gig was “gagging for a rape”, ITV2 finally made the decision to cut short the comedian Daniel O’Reilly’s five seconds of fame and discontinued his dating show Dapper Laughs On The Pull. O’Reilly initially found fame through a series of laddish Vines, revolving mainly around shouting sexual advances at unsuspecting women and comments on the size of his penis. Hilarious. However, this virtual ‘geezer’ persona attracted an online following of around 600,000

The widespread negative reaction to the character, resulting in a 68,000 signature strong petition to kick Dapper Laughs of our screens, demonstrates the consequences of comedy taken too far. The degradation and mockery of women is thankfully perceived by the majority as neither big, nor clever, and certainly not funny. However, with Vines such as “Just show her your penis. If she cries, she’s just playing hard to get”, it is difficult to understand how this character was granted a public platform in the first place. Shouldn’t the media moguls at ITV2 have drawn the line in the sand before it got to blatant rape skits? The defence offered by the channel for their promotion of

“WHEN SEXUAL HARASSMENT BECOMES ‘BANTER’ AND SEXISM BECOMES NORMALISED, THE ‘IT’S ONLY A JOKE’ ATTITUDE BECOMES POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS”

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Dapper Laughs was that “comedy is subjective”. And that, it seems, is where the problem lies in terms of offensive comedy. There will always be the people that say “oh it’s only a joke” or “he obviously didn’t mean it – lighten up”. And yes it is only a joke. And I’m sure that Daniel O’Reilly doesn’t honestly believe that rape is okay. But when sexual harassment becomes ‘banter’ and sexism becomes normalised, endorsed by such an influential mainstream channel, the ‘it’s only a joke’ attitude becomes potentially dangerous.

“THERE'S NOTHING THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER JOKE ABOUT BUT IT DEPENDS WHAT THAT JOKE IS” Dapper Laughs, however, is only the most recent example of a comedian making the headlines. Scottish comedian and writer Frankie Boyle is one who regularly pops up in the tabloids for his controversial and offensive material, the most well-known of which being a joke made concerning Katie Price’s disabled son Harvey. He is another comedian that divides opinion; while some find his jokes outrageously offensive, others take the stance that while his comedy can be extreme, he is also uncompromising, challenging and, above all, extremely funny. While some of Boyle’s jokes can be intelligently crafted and made within the correct context, within recent years he has slipped further and further into shock comedy. Lines tumble from his mouth that are designed to cause controversy and discomfort, rather than to entertain. A clear example of this was his 2012 Channel 4 show, Tramadol Nights, which was axed after only one series due to complaints. When comedy is made with the wrong intent, be it sheer pig headedness or for shock purposes, it begins to overstep the line. Dapper Laughs is not pushing any boundaries by objectifying women

in his brash manner, he is only reinforcing them. Frankie Boyle, by making cutting remarks about a known disabled child, obscures any other point he may have been trying to make. The balancing act between offensive and funny will always be a difficult one. For while there are people who find a subject amusing, there will be those who are offended. The ‘censorship’ of comedy is regarded by some as a slippery slope; a product of an overly PC environment where more and more subjects will eventually become taboo. Ricky Gervais, another comedian known for his controversial humour said that “there's no line to be drawn in comedy in the sense that there are things you should never joke about. There's nothing that you should never joke about but it depends what that joke is”. This, I believe, is the closest that we can get to a clear rule on potentially offensive humour. Controversial topics in comedy, when engaged with using intelligence, sensitivity, and the correct intent, can be funny. However, obviously distasteful, roughly crafted material broadcasted by mainstream, popular channels is inappropriate. If people want to watch this kind of material they should go and seek it out themselves via Twitter, Vines and stand up comedy gigs. The rest of us should be left out of it.

WORDS BY SCARLETT WHITE IMAGES BY BRETT SAYER VIA FLICKR

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IS OPERA STILL RELEVANT TO MODERN SOCIETY? CAN OPERA TRULY BE RELEVANT TO OUR GENERATION, OR HAS ITS ROLE IN UPPER-CLASS SOCIETY LABELLED IT AS A FORM OF ART ELITISM? EMMA LAWTON AND OLIVIA ROOK DEBATE THE ISSUE.

YES NO

Opera is elitist; opera is irrelevant; opera is fat women singing high notes. Just a few of the common themes many express when asked what opera is, and whether it’s relevant in today’s society. I could not disagree more. Like any other mode of art and performance, opera does have a relevant place in modern society. The BBC Proms series, which broadcasts a great variety of opera and classical music across multi-platforms of radio, television and online each year, demonstrates clearly how relevant opera is. Why would the BBC spend so much money on this series every year if opera is a waste of time?

“OPERA IS A MODE OF PERFORMANCE WHICH ENGAGES WITH, EXPRESSES AND EXPANDS THE EMOTIONS OF THOSE WHO WATCH AND PERFORM IT” Further, opera is no longer the domain of the stuffy classical singing teachers we found at school. Gareth Malone, with his infectious and exuberant style, has swung open the gates of opera to the younger masses. In his TV series, Gareth Malone goes to Glyndebourne (2010) Malone took a group of unruly teenagers and led them to perform the opera Knight Crew at Glyndebourne’s hallowed opera house. Showing a clear disregard to the tired cliché that opera is elitist. Knight Crew is a modern retelling of the King Arthur story, and many of the teenagers involved in the project felt they related with the gang rivalry prevalent within the opera. Performing in Knight Crew gave them the opportunity to express their feelings toward this unavoidable aspect of society in a positive and productive way. Many of opera’s most well-known plots feature gang rivalries, violence, deceit and betrayal. Something many young people can relate to all too well. Opera is not about getting dressed up and pretending to understand some foreign warbling. Opera is a mode of performance which engages with, expresses and expands the emotions of those who watch and perform it. Opera is definitely still relevant today. WORDS BY EMMA LAWTON 70

I saw a performance of The Phantom of the Opera at age 10 and, to date, it remains the closest I have ever come to seeing a ‘proper’ opera. This is not because I am uncultured; I have experienced everything from ballet, to musicals, to straight acting. Why is it then that opera has escaped my notice? In a recent episode of BBC One’s The Voice, operatic singer Lucy O’Byrne made her debut and, whilst the judges admired her talent, they acknowledged their difficulty seeing her within the popular music industry. Opera struggles to find a place in modern society because it only seems to reach a very specific audience, unlike celebrated musicals of the West End. After all, who hasn’t seen The Lion King? The particular demographic attracted to opera reveals the class divisions associated with the art form. Those who attend performances must dress the part, wearing cocktail dresses and tails with a glass of champagne in hand. This impressive, yet exclusive, image suggests that opera is designed for an elite group rather than the masses. This clique is also decidedly rooted in the older generations, with Peter Gelb, general manager of the Metropolitan opera house in New York, stating, "there aren't enough new audience members replacing the older ones who are dying off”.

“ATTENDING THE OPERA SEEMS TO BE MORE A CASE OF SURVIVAL THAN ENJOYMENT” With some operas being known to last hours on end - such as Wagner's five hour (at least!) epic Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - as audiences are bombarded with indecipherable words in a foreign tongue, attending the opera seems to be more a case of survival than enjoyment. Even with the addition of subtitles and grand gesticulation, it is a trial trying to keep up with the fluctuating voices on stage. Perhaps one day, when I have learnt German and watched a version on YouTube, I will have the courage to experience Wagner’s work first-hand. Then again, I might as well go and see The Lion King for a fourth time. WORDS BY OLIVIA ROOK IMAGE BY ‘TPSDAVE’ VIA PIXABAY

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TOWARDS THE END OF LAST YEAR, THE HIGH COURT DECLARED WHAT HAS BECOME KNOWN AS ‘THE PRISON BOOK BAN’ AS UNLAWFUL. ILLUSTRIOUS WRITERS, INCLUDING J.K. ROWLING AND JEFFREY ARCHER, WERE EXALTED BY THE CRITICISM OF NEW PRISON POLICIES THAT PREVENT INMATES FROM RECEIVING SMALL PARCELS. DESPITE THE UPROAR CAUSED, JUSTICE SECRETARY CHRIS GRAYLING CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THESE RULES. YET READING IS KNOWN TO BE BENEFICIAL AND CAN ACT AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL IN THE REHABILITATION OF PRISONERS. The policies were introduced in November 2013 throughout England and Wales under the ‘Incentives and Earned Privileges Scheme’ (IEP). The aim was to significantly cap the amount of items, including books, which prisoners could receive inside parcels from the outside. The only way that detainees can obtain small parcels is if they qualify for ‘exceptional circumstances’, such as a recognised medical condition, or if they earn the privilege to access books and other items. The Justice Secretary insisted that the policies were to prevent drug smuggling and to control behaviour. However, following the changes, Barbara Gordon-Jones – a 56-year-old convicted arsonist, in HMP Send Prison, Surrey – challenged the restrictions in court. She won the legal battle after Mr Justice Collins, the judge, ordered that the new section in the Prison Service Instruction (PSI) should be amended. GordonJones, with a doctorate in English Literature to her name, explained the helpfulness of books in her fight against depression. Nevertheless, the Ministry of Justice has only started loosening the limits on parcels in February of this year. This delay was more than likely a way to avoid dealing with an overload of parcels, rather than taking into account the immediate believed benefits to inmates. Public outrage has been supported by several high-profile writers, including Carol Ann Duffy, David Hare and Philip Pullman. Pullman commented “I’m very glad that the courts have seen through it, and stated that reading is a right and not a privilege”. Indeed, reading is an incontestably useful tool in self-improvement and, therefore, the rehabilitation of prisoners. The ban on the receipt of small parcels by inmates, until February 2015, meant that prisoners could not receive gifts from family and friends; invaluable objects that could have reduced emotional trauma in times of stress. Reading can be incredibly inspiring for those undergoing rehabilitation: novels of redemption for past sins, of discovering faith, of building self-confidence and of determination are exceptionally useful. Most importantly, reading establishes and ingrains certain rules of life, good-naturedness and civility that are essential in an inmate’s re-adaptation into society. Liberal Democrat justice spokesman Julian

Huppert tweeted (February 2015): "I'm very pleased that prisoners will now be able to get books. We should be encouraging prisoners to read and study". It is, therefore, evident that prisons must be rehabilitative not punitive to reform convicted individuals.

“READING CAN BE INCREDIBLY INSPIRING FOR THOSE UNDERGOING REHABILITATION” In previous years, the government has allowed for the accommodation of higher numbers of books in prison cells. In addition, prison shops and library services do provide some access to literature. However, stock is limited and staff are not always available to accompany detainees to the library. Considering that books are both vital in teaching people to empathise, and in education – another basic right that has been denied most prisoners until February – they should certainly not be available under a privileges scheme alone. Education and escapism found in books could aid in reducing suicide and self-harming rates, both of which are augmenting in increasingly overcrowded prisons. According to the Ministry of Justice, 84,865 inmates were recorded to be imprisoned in January 2015. 84 people committed suicide in custody last year in England and Wales: the highest figure in 7 years, and self-harming has risen by 5%. Banning books, then, only “add[s] to the stress and strain of imprisonment while doing nothing to promote rehabilitation”, said Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust. Prison must not be entirely based upon incessant punishment, but self-improvement. Denying inmates the right to books until February unlawfully denies them education, self-help and rehabilitation: rights that prisons should lawfully fulfil. WORDS BY VICKY LORRIMAN IMAGE BY ALEXANDRA FARZAD 71

ARTS

THE JUKEBOX MUSICAL

HAVEN’T WE HEARD ALL THIS BEFORE? The ‘Jukebox Musical’ takes the music of existing bands and churns them out on the West End stage. Has this led to the death of originality in musicals? When we think of musicals we think of the soundtracks we all know and love, from the upbeat Hairspray and Grease, to power melodies in The Phantom of the Opera and West Side Story, to the Disney musical, in the likes of The Lion King. With each of these scores came notable composers and lyricists: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Rodgers, Hammerstein and Bernstein, to name but a few. These are the people who made the musical what it is, giving each work a unique style and sparkle. After all, through its definition, a musical is nothing without its original and captivating score. But what happens when the score isn’t original and purposely composed for the musical, meaning the lyrics aren’t created specifically for the stage? When the score is already written, the lyrics may be permanently fixed long before the musical takes shape, before the concept is developed by producers. But, then surely some of that originality, that identifying factor, combined with an excitement of hearing a new score, is lost. If we have already heard the sounds so many times before, then where is the anticipation in that? Sadly, this is what some musicals have done. It is a common modern phenomenon that rather than create a soundtrack specifically for a new musical, they will adapt a soundtrack that already exists. This is often in the form of using an existing artist’s repertoire of work, and forming a plot and design through their discography, with pop artists having a backlog of their hits re-imagined for the public in a shiny new musical format. To elaborate, whereas previously the soundtrack was written to fit the musical’s story, now the story is being written around the soundtrack, around the hits that already exist. This can make the plot less believable with a plot loosely connected to the songs that are sung, rather than through a clear, strong narrative structure. One notable example of such an occurrence is MAMMA MIA!. The release of the musical coincided with the boom of jukebox musicals which linked together a cult following and built on one of the most commercially successful bands ever: ABBA. Based entirely on ABBA’s repertoire, the musical was created by two of the band members, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. The story weaves around the music, with tenuous links between the songs and the narrative. Perhaps one of the only saving graces of MAMMA MIA! was the show’s costumes completely lived up to the ABBA wardrobe. Another clear example is We Will Rock You. Again drawing on the global success and 72

hugely loved songs of the band Queen, this was less a show for musical lovers and more a show for Queen fanatics. You cannot say that the allure of these musicals lies in their strong storyline, unlike musicals like The Sound of Music, which have been ingrained into our memory through careful storytelling. Having said this, most artist based musicals are undeniably a feelgood, fun-loving experience with amazing high-scale productions. The stage work is mind-blowing, the energy pulsating and you can guarantee you will have a fantastic evening enjoying tunes you know and love. For fans of the artists, it offers unique possibilities to hear their favourite songs re-imagined. Some musical fanatics would even go as far to say that they prefer the MAMMA MIA! soundtrack to the original ABBA songs due to their new theatricality, emotion and believability combined through both lyrics and performance. Similarly, it is fantastic to celebrate artists, such as Queen, on new platforms which bring their music to brand new younger audiences, who perhaps would not have had as much respect for their music beforehand. The stage work that goes into creating new musicals is huge. Dreamboats and Petticoats thrives on its amazing 50s and 60s costume design and nostalgic plot lines. Musicals like Moulin Rouge are all about the huge production, fantastical sets and elaborate costumes, giving new life to songs reaching new audiences. Another advantage to the jukebox musical is the star studded cast that often features within them. It is a huge selling point to audiences that their favourite star is now involved. This could be seen in the likes of The Bodyguard’s hiring of Beverley Knight to perform the infamous Whitney Houston songs, which meant that the singer stole the show. Indeed, the covering of classic songs provides an opportunity for the audience to hear old music being sung in new ways. Moreover, The Bodyguard, following Houston’s tragic death, is the one of the only ways fans can celebrate her music live, the stage version becoming a remembrance and memorialisation of Houston’s achievements. So what’s the verdict on jukebox musicals? Yes, the storyline can sometimes be forced around existing songs, the narrative failing to carry through into the soundtrack. However, these musicals breathe new life into older hits and help these records reach new audiences. The overall performance provides the audience with the opportunity to witness exhilarating stage productions and a fun evening at the theatre. WORDS BY MARY STRICKSON IMAGES BY ‘ALEXISRAEL’ VIA WIKIMEDIA

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RESTORERS HAVE BEEN FIXING PIECES OF ART WHICH HAVE SUCCUMBED TO THE EFFECTS OF TIME FOR CENTURIES. SOMETIMES, RESTORERS HAVE PROGRESSED TO FORGERS AND, ON OCCASIONS, VALUABLE PIECES OF ART HAVE BEEN LOST FOREVER AS A RESULT OF ONE CARELESS MOVEMENT. OTHERS SEEM TO THINK THEMSELVES BETTER EQUIPPED AT PAINTING THAN THE ORIGINAL PAINTER, BUT SOMETIMES, SOMETHING INCREDIBLE CAN BE REVEALED. A famous, but not particularly spectacular, painting of Sir Arthur Hesilrige by Robert Walker has been a part of English Heritage for almost 400 years. Recently, however, it came to the art world’s attention in the intriguing discovery of a painting of Oliver Cromwell, hidden beneath that of Hesilrige. Infra-red technology revealed the hidden portrait during restoration, and the two paintings now hang separately, but side by side in the National Portrait Gallery in London. It is believed that Walker painted the portrait shortly after Cromwell’s involvement in the beheading of Charles I, and was then painted over at the time of the Restoration of the Monarchy and Cromwell’s (posthumous) fall from favour circa 1660. This is not the first time that restorers have made an unexpected discovery in the painting they’ve been assigned. One of the more unusual discoveries is perhaps that of the woodworm, found perfectly preserved in the varnish, using X-Rays in Hans Holbein the Younger’s painting of Edward VI.

“SOMETIMES, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC DECIDE TO TAKE RESTORATION INTO THEIR OWN HANDS, WITH DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES” Sometimes, members of the public decide to take restoration into their own hands, with disastrous consequences. Cecilia Gimenez, of Zaragoza, decided to restore Ecce Homo (Behold the Man) by Elias Garcia Martinez, after years of frustration at its decline in quality. Despite supposedly being given permission by the priest, Ms Gimenez’s amateur abilities have left the painting in a worse state than it was found in, though thankfully not beyond repair. Originally depicting a delicate portrait of Jesus Christ, Ms Gimenez’s updated version was quickly nicknamed Ecce Mono (Behold the Monkey), which in itself is an extreme indicator that this particular restoration should not have taken place. While the fresco was not particularly valuable, and the restoration provided the world with a chuckle or two, Ms Gimenez’s

botched job is proof that the decision to restore a piece of artwork is not always the right one.

“STUMBLING ACROSS A NEW DISCOVERY IS ONE THING, BUT USUALLY HAS LITTLE TO DO WITH THE THE SKILLS OF THE RESTORER THEMSELVES” Stumbling across a new discovery is one thing, but usually has little to do with the the skills of the restorer themselves. But what about when restorers think they can paint better than the original portrait? A painting of Elizabeth I, painted on wood, enabling us to use treedating technology to date it to 1604, received an intense 18th century airbrush, with the aim of ‘beautifying’ the picture. X-Ray technology shows that the original contained large wings painted behind Elizabeth but, when these went out of fashion in the 18th century, someone decided to paint these wings out .This modification of art, where the painting has been altered merely to accommodate contemporary tastes, rather than to improve the quality or fix damage, is arguably not a restorative act. True appreciators of beauty and art wish to see the original in all its glory, not the version modified for the tastes of the shallow-minded. Restoration, therefore, in its original sense, lends itself to the discovery of fantastic features, and there should be no room for the cosmetic kind of restoration which certain members of the profession choose to adopt. Nor should there be room for amateurs to practise their ‘art’, but the presence of insects (eager for their future limelight) can sometimes be an amusing discovery. WORDS BY ISLA MCLACHLAN IMAGES BY ‘USCAPITOL’ VIA WIKIMEDIA 73

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SPORTS EDITORIAL Normally by March, football fans turn their focus to the run-in for the Premier League title. However, this year, it is the cup competitions that have generated the most excitement. Chelsea and Liverpool’s two-legged tussle in the League Cup semi-final was arguably the most absorbing football produced this season. The FA Cup has taken an unexpected course following the elimination of Chelsea and Manchester City; it would appear to be a three way fight between Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United to lift the trophy in May. Champions League knock-out stages are also back with some mouthwatering ties. Spare a thought for Stuart Pearce, who recently departed as Nottingham Forest boss. After three wins in 21 games, there can be few complaints, but it was sad to see the clearly affectionate relationship between him, the club and the city break-up.

“IT LOOKS UNLIKELY THAT THEY WILL HAVE EITHER THE QUALITY OR THE CONFIDENCE TO CHALLENGE FOR THE TOURNAMENT” Across the pond, Super Bowl 49 saw the New England Patriots overcome the ‘deflate-gate’ controversy and defeat reigning champions, the Seattle Seahawks, 28-24. Among the shark costumes and expensive adverts, Tom Brady was named MVP and joined Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw as the only starting quarterbacks with four championship rings.

In rugby, the Six Nations could well be the most important in years for England, as they try to battle significant injury problems and finalise preparations for the World Cup on home soil later this year. Speaking of World Cups, England’s cricket team are in Australia and New Zealand for the ICC Cricket World Cup. Similar problems persist in England’s ODI form, and it looks unlikely that they will have either the quality or the confidence to challenge for the tournament. Elsewhere, Rory McIlroy picked up where he left off last year with an early season victory in Dubai. This golfing year looks as if it may have been another false dawn for Tiger Woods, with incessant back problems forcing another withdrawal from a tournament. In the university sports sphere, IMS fixtures are back underway as halls and society teams seek bragging rights after the winter break, while UoN’s BUCS squads prepare for the Varsity Series that kicks off against Nottingham Trent in April.

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SPORT

DOES ANY SKILLED, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY MAKE THE CUT AS A ‘SPORT’? IMPACT INSPECTS

DARTS Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James, Gary Anderson. A star-studded line up from the realms of international sport, yet at second glance - who is this Gary Anderson? Beating Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor 7-6 in front of 50,000 fans at London’s Alexandra Palace (Ally Pally), Anderson was the overall winner in the final of the PDC World Darts Championship on the first Sunday of January. But did you know that?

“OFTEN SEEN AS A PUB GAME, DARTS’ SPORTS STATUS IS QUESTIONABLE” Arguably the biggest event in the darts calendar alongside the BDO World Championship, the entertainment of darts is unquestionable. However, its sporting status is debatable when compared alongside the world’s best of football, cricket and basketball. In terms of viewing figures, England vs. Uruguay’s World Cup group stage match was the most watched programme of 2014 with 13.7 million optimistic hearts being shattered in mid-June, according to ITV. Sky reported their coverage of the PDC championship at around 1.7 million in January. Not even close - but why? A quick look in the dictionary reveals ‘sport’ as ‘an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against others for entertainment’. Does darts involve physical exertion? The obvious answer is no, although the skill requirement to compete at the highest level is clear. Often seen as a pub game, darts’ sports status is questionable, and the TV coverage shows this. BBC Football reported that the Premier League’s 2012/13 to 2015/16 TV deal reached a monumental £3.018 billion. When compared to Sky’s 2012-17 PDC coverage deal of £25 million, these figures also don't even come close.

FORMULA 1 Formula One is classed as a sport and it will always be classed as a sport. There is too large an audience and too much money invested for this to change. However, the lack of human agency involved in determining the outcome of races forces one to conclude that Formula 1 drivers should never be classed as elite sportsmen. The sport is a festival of engineering, it’s too close to be an exact science; the exact opposite of what sport should be. True enough, driving a car around tight bends at high speed is a skill which involves some amount of talent. One might also be forced to acknowledge that Lewis Hamilton is the best in the world at doing this. But don’t compare him to Muhammad Ali, Pelé or Tiger Woods for goodness sake. Hamilton may well be the best in his field, but if a rival manufacturer discovered a new innovation for their car that put them ahead of the field, he would be left for dead.

“F1 IS TOO CLOSE TO BE AN EXACT SCIENCE - THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT SPORT SHOULD BE”

Darts is more of a game than a sport. Yet to match the popularity, financial status or physical requirement of other sports, it can only dream of joining the pantheon of elite sports we watch.

Sport is about the extraordinary achievements of human beings; in F1 the human element is far too small. The likes of Ali, Pelé and Woods had only their wits and physical talent to rely upon; with the same boots, gloves and clubs as everybody else. There was never any question about how much credit they should be due for their victories. In Formula 1, this question will always linger over its champions.

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WORDS BY DAN ZEQIRI IMAGES BY ‘MORIO’ VIA WIKIMEDIA

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CHEERLEADING Cheerleading is often perceived to be just a bunch of girls in skimpy outfits prancing around in front of footballers - think of American high school films where cheerleaders do just that. This is where people get the wrong impression of cheerleading ‘sport’ status.

“COMPARED TO MORE SEDENTARY SPORTS, CHEERLEADING IS MUCH MORE PHYSICAL AND ACTIVE” Consider the factors that sports are categorised under: does cheerleading make you out of breath? Tick. Does it rely on teamwork? Tick. Do you need agility, flexibility and muscular endurance? Definitely. Compared to more sedentary sports, such as dressage or darts, it is much more physical and an active way to get fit. The definition of sport is competing against other people and having a goal. Think about the intense cheerleading competitions that teams have against other universities and clubs. These require hours of practice, dedication, hard work and skill. Similarly to any other sports team at the University, such as rugby, football and lacrosse, UoN Cheerleading have practices at least twice a week, represent Nottingham in a positive light and stand as good role models for other students. Becky Stevens, UoN Cheerleading Vice President, said in response to the suggestion that cheerleading is not a sport: “surely the definition of a team sport is an event that brings people together in a positive collaboration to achieve sporting success. Sport should physically challenge an individual and constant training should result in improving an individual’s skills. Cheerleading involves all of these factors”. Furthermore, Cheerleading won ‘Best Sports Team’ at the Sports Ball in 2012 – so clearly our University considers it to be one of the most prestigious sports at the University. Changing people’s opinions of cheerleading will take time. It is not until Sky Sports televise a cheerleading competition when people will realise the skill, effort and teamwork required to compete at a high level. Until then, people assume the function of cheerleaders is to make other sports look good when, in fact, they are pretty impressive themselves. WORDS BY GEORGIE LACK IMAGES BY ‘SD DIRK’ VIA FLICKR

DRESSAGE Let us be clear. No person sacrificing a monumental amount of time to a particular endeavour should be ridiculed. Equally, just because an activity is mentally and physically draining does not automatically earn it the title of a ‘sport’. In particular, an instance such as chess has its own world championships and requires mental dexterity that has only been attained by some of humanity’s finest minds. Artistic exploits similarly have their own competitions (e.g. the Leeds Piano Competition) but would hardly be considered sports. The main issue here is how a sport is defined. This, by all accounts, is somewhat subjective. For consideration, the scoring system must firstly be absolute. In dressage there are a set of objective guidelines but, by the simple reason it is judged by humans, automatically brings scepticism. While football is judged by a referee, the scoring system is absolute - no matter how poorly judged. Nor does requiring a degree of athleticism justify its place. I am reliably informed by practitioners of dressage that the core muscle strength required is obscene. Against this, mountain climbing is probably one of the most physically exerting pursuits on the planet, needing the entire body’s muscles to be honed. Yet it has no place at the Olympics.

“IT APPEARS THAT DRESSAGE IS MORE OF AN ARTISTIC-MEETS-ATHLETIC HYBRID” Revisiting the music comparison, it appears that dressage is more of an artistic-meets-athletic hybrid somewhat akin to gymnastics, though this comparison is unfavourable to gymnasts, who pursue one of the most taxing Olympic endeavours of them all. It would be easy to mock dressage for its bourgeois, aristocratic aesthetic, but this argument does not hold for its consideration as a sport. What does hold, however, is that sports such as squash, with their absolute scoring system and levels of athleticism that would make a marathon runner weep, sits on the side-lines. Dressage, meanwhile, hobnobs around the world in its 20mx60m arena. WORDS BY STEPHEN KENNY IMAGES BY BOB HAARMANS VIA FLICKR 77

SPORT

THE MEN BEHIND THE MEDALS

PARALYMPIC AND COMMONWEALTH STARS TALK TO IMPACT THE CITY OF NOTTINGHAM HAS BEEN HOME TO A LONG LIST OF SPORTING GREATS. WITH YOUNG PARA-ATHLETES OLA ABIDOGUN AND MATT ELLIS WINNING BRONZE MEDALS AT LONDON 2012 AND THE 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES RESPECTIVELY, IT LOOKS SET TO GROW. NICK LAWRENCE SPOKE TO THEM ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES AND ASPIRATIONS... WHAT WAS IT LIKE REPRESENTING TEAM GB AT THE 2012 PARALYMPICS? Representing Great Britain at major games is, in simple terms, an emotional rollercoaster. Some athletes rise and some athletes fall but only one person can win it all at the end of the day. It all really came down to finding a safe place… I found it hard dealing with mistakes that I made in prior events and I just tried to pick myself up and learn as I went, to better prepare myself for biggest games of my life. WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER OF THE T46 100M FINAL IN LONDON? Not much actually, I was only running for a combined total of 46 seconds across 3 different events (one 200m race and two 100m races). There wasn’t a lot to remember to be honest, it all happens so fast and you tend to zone out - this really helps me to deal with the pressure. I do, however, remember the build-up and reaction to the games and all the good stuff in-between. I’ll never forget that. WHERE DO YOU KEEP YOUR PARALYMPIC BRONZE MEDAL? My parents keep it at home with the rest of my medals that I’ve acquired over the years! YOU'VE COMPETED AT COMMONWEALTH GAMES, WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AND PARALYMPIC GAMES - WHAT'S YOUR NEXT CHALLENGE? ARE YOU AIMING FOR RIO 2016? The Rio Olympics in 2016 is the next big challenge, but I don’t like to think about it. I much prefer to carefully plan everything until then. End goals are important but the things in-between are what get you the final result. TELL US ABOUT YOUR TRAINING REGIME. Nothing that special really, I just go down to the track twice a week, go to the gym within the week and on the road the other five days. HOW DO YOU JUGGLE YOUR TIME BETWEEN UNIVERSITY STUDIES AND TRAINING? The juggle hasn’t been too bad so far. I have a rather well-spaced timetable, but at times it can get rather busy. In order to deal with it I try to prepare well in advance to reduce the stress. WHO HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST INFLUENCE OR ROLE MODEL? I haven’t got one actually, which I know is a boring answer... WHAT'S THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING AN ATHLETE? Nothing in particular - the training is pretty difficult and painful, losing is really bitter and injuries are genuinely heart-breaking. But the winning is highly rewarding. I wouldn’t say any of the negatives make being an athlete ‘hard’ because I enjoy every moment of it. If I didn’t, I wouldn't do it. 78

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HOW DID YOU GET INTO CYCLING? I was undertaking a gym instructing course at college, which involved a lot of fitness testing and group activities. From there my tutor noticed I had a good level of fitness and strength and referred me to a cycling coach for a taster session down in Newport. WHEN DID YOU REALISE YOU COULD REACH THE TOP OF THE SPORT? It must have been the 2nd year of my cycling career when I really stepped up my training, making sure I turned up to all my track and gym session and putting 100% effort into everything I did. That's when I saw my times come down to an elite level, which motivated and drove me more to get quicker and quicker.

“IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST FEELINGS BEING ON THE PODIUM, KNOWING THAT ALL THE HARD WORK OVER THE PAST YEARS HAD PAID OFF”

WHAT WAS IT LIKE COMPETING AT THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES? It was awesome. Being selected for the team was such an achievement on its own, never mind going on to get a medal in the 1k time-trial. The whole experience was just brilliant. This was my first major event, so it was pretty overwhelming at first being in the limelight of the media and being on live TV. As soon as I stepped on the track however, all my focus was on the effort ahead and to deliver the best performance. Overall, it was one of the best feelings being on the podium, knowing that all the hard work over the past years had paid off. It gave me a lot of great memories to look back on in the future too with a Commonwealth medal by my side. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT CYCLING? I love going fast on the track, whether it be cycling or sprinting. I love speed. I also love the gym work that accompanies my training. WHAT'S YOUR NEXT CHALLENGE? ARE YOU AIMING FOR RIO 2016? My next challenge is getting into Team GB with athletics. Hopefully I’ll make the World Championships by the end of this year, which will line me up for Rio 2016 if I’m successful. WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR YOUNGER SELF IF YOU COULD? To find a sport I enjoy and just have fun - that's the most important thing, especially when you’re a youngster. Just love what you do and the rest will follow.

HOW IS YOUR TANDEM PILOT SELECTED? A lot of mixing and matching goes on to find out who I work well with in a pair, as a stoker and a pilot. Both pairings have to be the same nationality. The two strongest cyclists are not necessarily quicker overall - it's a case of working well as a team and being efficient, delivering smooth power and being in sync with each other. That's the key to becoming a good tandem pairing and, trust me, it doesn't come overnight. TELL US ABOUT YOUR TRAINING REGIME. This varies on a daily basis depending on what element we’re working on. Whether it’s working on our starts, lactate tolerance or easy rides to get the volume work in. My favourite part of training has to be strength and conditioning in the gym. As a sprinter, gym work is crucial. This is how we develop our core strength and power, which then needs to be transferred onto the bike, making sure all the power is transferred in a 360-degree motion.

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SPORT

VARSITY ALL YEAR ROUND

COMPARING US COLLEGE SPORTS WITH THE UK Leaving the university sport scene in the United States was one of the toughest things about leaving to study abroad in September. Since coming to the UK, I have familiarised myself with the way university sport works here. It may not have the glamorous appeal of big college games in the US, but it does have an appeal of its own. Both systems differ in many ways and, while neither is better than the other, there is a definite distinction.

University sport in the two countries kicked off in a similar way with the rivalries of their most famous schools. It started in the UK with Oxford and Cambridge in the 1820s. In America, the rivalry between Yale and Harvard began the trend of serious university sport competition in the 1840s.

“VARSITY FIXTURES CONTINUE TO FLOURISH IN THE UK THOUGH, AND A TREND TOWARDS THIS STYLE OF MASS STUDENT FANDOM CAN BE SEEN” After this, the differences are evident from the administrative side to the fans themselves. Starting at the top of the spectrum with the athletic departments, the athletic director in the US or Director of Sport in the UK have essentially the same role. Lower down, the departments differ. In England, the next level is split up by job: for example, the development staff works with the development of all sports and the participation staff works with participation for all sports. In the US, however, the coach of each sport runs the entire programme. This means that they deal with the development, participation, recruiting and everything else involved in their sport. Impact spoke to Phil Wood, the current Club Development Coordinator and head coach of American Football at the University of Nottingham. 80

Before coming to Nottingham, Wood spent time coaching in Pennsylvania and Michigan and has put extensive effort into recruiting in America to bring athletes to the East Midlands. The wide range of sports teams available at UK universities compared to those in the States is one of the biggest differences that he notices between the two countries. "In the States you have fewer sports at university, which is a massive contrast”, Wood said. “In America you're talking 20-24 teams. Here, we’ve got 72".

“US COLLEGE STARS IN THEIR EARLY TWENTIES CAN BE INTIMIDATED BY THE CONSTANT SCRUTINY” This factors into the differences of the administrative structure. American universities can afford to have a full-time coach for each sport, but that would be impossible to do within an institution that sponsors 72 different sports. Another huge issue that differs in university sport is the added media attention in the US. Sports like American football and basketball bring in enormous amounts of money through television contracts. They can often bring in enough money to supply the rest of the athletic department as a whole. According to businessinsider.com, the American football programme at the University of Texas generated more than $95 million in 2011, the most of any US college. These revenues come largely from broadcast rights, ticket sales, alumni donations and merchandising. In the UK, the difference is blatant with hardly any university sporting events receiving mainstream sports media attention. British universities can also often struggle with getting university alumni involved in bringing money back into the set-ups. This is another huge source of revenue within US colleges, as the ‘family

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bond’ they attempt to portray brings in many donors. Sporting scholarships in America, consequently, are much more lucrative than in the UK. Many athletes receive full tuition through their sport-related scholarships. This compares to just a couple thousand for British student athletes.

“THE AMERICAN FOOTBALL PROGRAMME AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS GENERATED MORE THAN $95 MILLION IN 2011” For the governing bodies of sport, here we have British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS), while across the Atlantic there is the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). BUCS is, effectively, a young version of the NCAA. Last year the NCAA made more than a billion dollars through TV advertisements alone during the college basketball tournament. This is a disputed topic in the US, as the student athletes at the heart of it all don’t receive a dime. There is also much debate around whether the intense media attention is a good thing for students. It can be a great way to be featured and have an amazing experience, though US college stars in their early twenties can be intimidated by the constant scrutiny. The coaching approach too can differ between the systems. Take the amount of pressure and media attention which Premier League managers must cope with. Those same struggles are part of coaching at a big-time university programme in the US. With this intensity, there tends to be less focus on the players themselves and more on winning. In contrast, coaching is usually a part-time profession at the university level in the UK. Coaches here can spend much more time with students who may not be star players or even first-team players. Coach Wood added: "As a player [in the US], if you get injured they don't have time for you - it's on to the next guy up. Whereas here, coaches will be more supportive. In the States, the constant pressure can make that harder to do.” UoN exchange student Ben Selbo plays American Football in Nottingham after passing up the opportunity at the American collegiate level. Given his experience of the sport growing up, it worked in his favour to join the team here.

“I figured that I would have a bigger chance here in playing a sport I know a lot about”, he said. “It’s also much less of a time commitment than in the US, since I practice three times a week instead of all the time”. Furthermore, how top athletes push towards the professional level varies between the countries. In the UK, many top sports like football will take the best athletes when they are 16, so no time is spent in further education. In the US, most sports have rules dictating that one must at least spend some time learning and playing at university level. This means that there can often be a higher level of competition in the US with top athletes playing in college before taking the sport on professionally. Of course, the fans are a significant aspect of this UK/US difference. Imagine Nottingham’s own Varsity Series fortnight with Trent occurring all year round and across the country. That is what it’s like for students in America. Student sports and their tailgating, community culture are as big a part of the American college experience as lectures themselves. American university sports are spectator-driven (as that's where the money is to be found), whereas British university sports are focused on competition (since the lack of attention brings little revenue in). There are some American college football stadia that hold over 100,000 people - that’s more than double the average Premier League ground. Varsity fixtures continue to flourish in the UK though, and a trend towards this style of mass student fandom can be seen. Students are guaranteed to be in attendance en masse at the Nottingham Varsity match-ups, ready to root for the green and gold. Ultimately, America is the place to go to college if you are a top athlete in your sport. For athletes who want the ‘university experience’ and enjoy sport competitively, the British system may be more suitable, though it is becoming more ‘Americanised’. How far this trend continues is yet to be seen. But whether you’re in the UK or the US, a simple fact remains: college kids love sport.

WORDS BY BEN HARRISON IMAGES BY ‘CHENSIYUAN’ AND ‘THEVERAVEE’ VIA WIKIMEDIA 81

SPORT

WHAT’S AT YOUR UNI?

SNOOKER & POOL IMPACT TALKS TO STEPHEN MASON, PRESIDENT OF UON SNOOKER AND POOL, TO CLUE YOU UP ABOUT CUES HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN THE SNOOKER AND POOL SOCIETY AT THE UNIVERSITY? The society is currently made up of about 100 members, about 20-25 of which regularly take part in our practice sessions and tournaments. WHAT SORT OF BALANCE IS THERE BETWEEN SNOOKER AND POOL IN THE SOCIETY? The society meets twice a week at Rileys Sports Bar, once on a Wednesday between 6pm and midnight, and once on a Sunday between 1pm and 5pm. Wednesday is dedicated to pool, whether that be a few social games with mates or practicing for an upcoming tournament. Similarly, Sunday is when we run our snooker sessions. IS PRIOR EXPERIENCE A REQUIREMENT OF JOINING THE SOCIETY? The society welcomes anyone of any skill level, whether you've never held a cue in your life or you can regularly knock in centuries on a snooker table. There is a very social feel to our weekly meetings so anyone who wants to come and knock a few balls around is more than welcome. That being said, we do have experienced players who are willing to teach rules, tactics and generally give tips on improving your game. HOW SHOULD A PERSON INTERESTED IN SNOOKER AND POOL GO ABOUT JOINING THE SOCIETY? If someone is looking to join our society, we can be found with a quick search on the Students’ Union page where membership can be paid. We do allow potential members to come to a free session to see if they like the look of what we get up to, so there is no commitment to something that might not be for you. 82

ARE THERE ANY COSTS? Membership costs only £5 for the whole year. This allows free use of the tables at both sessions (on the agreement we all buy a drink throughout the night) and also permits you to play in a range of tournaments throughout the year. These are often paid for or heavily subsidised by the University. DO YOU COMPETE IN ANY TOURNAMENTS, LEAGUES OR COMPETITIONS? Each year we have seven competitions that we take part in. Some are organised by the society and are specific to UoN students. Others, such as BUCS tournaments, are on a national scale and involve weekends in Great Yarmouth and Leeds, which are always a good laugh. We have recently returned from the Midlands Cup, a snooker tournament in Nuneaton where our 1st team just missed out on a place in the semifinals. DOES THE SOCIAL SCENE MATCH THE FAMED EXTRA-CURRICULAR ESCAPADES OF JIMMY WHITE OR ALEX HIGGINS? I'm not going to be the one to ruin the ‘gentleman's sport’ image, but I can safely say that we aren't a bunch of Peter Ebdons.

WORDS BY DAN ZEQIRI IMAGE BY MAYU AMANO

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