InQuire visit our website at - www.inquirelive.co.uk
Free
Meetings Mondays 6.15pm SMC
got: rape is rape
comment - page 7
city sound project reviews
iq entertainment - page 17
kindle vs. book
iq culture - page 19
Issue 10.1
top revision hotspots
iq features - page 11
23 May 2014
team kent upcoming events
sport - page 23
marking boycott called off
Charlotte Amelia Smith
THE proposed marking boycott, threatening the degrees of thousands of final year students across the UK, has been called off. On 1 May, the University and College Union (UCU) voted to accept the Universities and Colleges Employers Association’s (UCEA) offer of a pay increase of 1% with the understanding of an increase of 2% the following year. With a 52.6% turnout, the results were 84% vote in support of accepting the renewed offer. On 2 May it was announced that the marking boycott had been officially called off, much to the relief of students all over the country. As a result, there will be no further action taken regarding the national pay scale until 2015/16. While this issue has been resolved for the time being, further talks continue regarding the gender gap, disability leave, the work load and hours, measures to prevent redundancies, and conditions for the hourly paid staff and other forms of casualisation in the sector. The cause of the proposed boycott began last year over disagreements related to university lecturers’ rates of pay. Three unions - UCU, Unison, and Unite - were dissatisfied with the UCEA offer of a pay rise of just 1%. The UCU stated that since 2009 lecturers have received a real terms pay cut of 13%, taking into account the
Lecturers’ taking part in a day long strike earlier this year. Photo by Chris Heron
rate of inflation. The proposed action has resulted in students all over the country fearing how this could affect them in the most important time of year. Tom Russell, a University of Kent Digital Arts student, said: “When paying £9,000 I hold an expectation that when I submit coursework, the university will uphold their end of the deal and allow this year’s marks to contribute to my final grade.”
The boycott, which would have included lecturers refusing to attend preparation meetings in the lead up to exams, would have resulted in great disruption during exam time, and would have left final essays, coursework and dissertations unmarked. This could have potentially resulted in delayed graduation times, running the risk of ‘devalued’ degrees and late final classifications, a particular
concern for those in need of final grades for confirmation of job offers, places on postgraduate study or years abroad. In early April, Kent Union opened a referendum over whether or not to support the marking boycott. The results of the referendum were an overwhelming 640 votes against, compared to only 121 votes in favour. The UKC ‘Stop the Boycott’ online campaign, despite
claiming to sympathise with the position of staff, implored students to vote against the referendum, arguing that “the ramifications of a marking boycott are disastrous to students’ and that it ‘oversteps the line of support Kent Union can lend”. The ‘Fair Pay in Kent HE’ campaign ran alongside ‘Stop the Boycott’ but focused primarily on increasing pay in line with inflation.
News
2
Editor’s Note Hello dearest readers, This is my first issue of the year as Newspaper Editor, in the new Student Media Centre above Venue. Dare I say it, it’s looking great! Find out a bit more about the new InQuire team and all their quirks in the Editorial section. Exam season is ongoing so read through the IQ section for original revision advice, tips to improve your organisation and achieve the best results you can, and finally how to celebrate once all is over. Emma. InQuireMedia
2014/2015 Editorial contacts: Natalie Tipping - Chair chairwoman Emma Shelton - Newspaper Editor newspaper.editor Emily Adams - Website Editor website.editor Newspaper: Ruby Lyle- News newspaper.news Ginny Sanderson - Comment newspaper.comment Katyanna Quách - Features newspaper.features Julia Mitchell - Culture newspaper.culture Meg Weal - Entertainment newspaper.entertainment Dan English - Sports newspaper.sport Website: Georgina Coleman- News website.news Dave Cocozza - Comment website.comment Cerys Thomas - Features website.features Chris Heron - Entertainment website.entertainment Natalie Turco-Williams Culture website.culture Henry Sandercock website.sport
number of part-time students in decline Natalie Tipping Chair
THERE has been a decline in the number of part-time students in the UK due to the rise in fees and subsequent economic instability a report published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has recently shown. The report announced that the number of part-time students entering higher education this year was 120,000 less than in the 2010/11 academic year. Prior to the announcement of a tuition fee rise in 2011, the number of part-time students in 2010/11 was 259,000, whereas in 2013/14 it dropped to just 139,000. Reacting to the report, NUS Vice-President for Higher Education, Rachel Wenstone, said that despite the coalition government stating that the new system would benefit part-time students, “they have instead allowed a crisis to occur [...] we have witnessed a shocking decline in part time student numbers and a massive hike in tuition fees”. She continued
that the number of part time students eligible for loans to cover the costs was as low as a third. The HEFCE also suggested in their report that there is a strong relationshp between unemployment rates and the take-up of higher education, with unemploymet rising and part-time student numbers falling. In previous years, some part-time students had been funded by their employers, with 40,000 students being funded in this way in 2011/12. This has also fallen however, with only 23,000 students being supported by their employers in 2012/13. These figures come alongside
another HEFCE report which stated that the number of international students coming to study in the UK has also declined for the first time in almost three decades. In the 2012/13 academic year, the number of students from EU studying full-time undergraduate courses in England fell by almost 25% from the previous year. Students from the EU on fulltime undergraduate courses have to pay the same level of tuition fees as UK students, which can be seen as one of the reasons for this decline in entrants. In contrast, many EU countries have much cheaper or even free education, as is the case of Sweden.
Photo by Queen’s University
european opportunities with erasumus+ scheme Velma Dinkley
THE Erasmus programme has re-launched itself with the title Erasmus+. Although Erasmus+ officially came into operation in the New Year, it is currently being opened in each country across Europe. On 28 April, London played host to the UK’s unveiling of Erasmus+. Erasmus+ has been designed to tackle the problem many students face post-graduation – a lack of training and skills required by their chosen field. The aim of the new system is to fill in missing areas of necessary experience in the workplace
and create a more employable European youth. The primary difference between Erasmus and Erasmus+ is that rather than students learning only in universities, they are also put into work placements related to their course. This enables the students to learn both in theory and on in practice while gaining valuable experience. An additional benefit from Erasmus+ is that students will be able to improve their linguistic skills. The programme, which is to run between 2014 and 2020, is planned to aid four
million students in Europe. The UK is expected to receive funding to reach a quarter of a million students. Transnational associations in education, training and youth institutions are to be supported by Erasmus+, while 150 international Knowledge Alliances are to be set up. These Knowledge Alliances will be between universities and businesses across the EU which provide work placements for university students, allowing students to not only gain further skills outside of the traditional university setting and in the workplace, but to
Irene Antoniou Distribution distribution LaShanda Seaman Promotions and Events events Tina Stavrianou Photography design add @inquiremedia.co.uk
Despite this fall in EU students coming to study in the UK, a survey by the British Council recently showed that more and more British students are looking at studying abroad. In a survey of 2,630 students, 37% of them were considering studying abroad. The main reason for this exploration overseas was found to be the rise in tuition fees. 57% of those considering studying abroad gave tuition fees as the primary reason for their decision. In her comments on the part-time students report, Ms Wenstone says, “We need a collaborative response between the government and institutions to address the challenges that students are facing head on”.
Photo by Teddy-Rised
build upon their linguistic skills and increase cultural understanding. Androulla Vassiliou, the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism, Sport, Media and Youth, stated that, “investing in education and training is the best choice we can make for Europe’s future and our young people”. Erasmus+ has gained an increase in funding to 14.7 billion euros (about £12 billion) over its predecessor, Erasmus. This equates to an additional 40% of funding compared to the 2007-2013 programme, indicating an increased level of importance placed on an educated and easily employable young workforce. Education and training are to take the lion’s share of the budget at 77.5%, with youth then gaining 10%, the Jean Monnet Programme 1.9%, sport 1.5%, and areas outside of these categories receiving 8.8%. With the new seven year programme, the Erasmus+ scheme is intended to have a far reaching impact with an increased level of transnational cooperation.
News 3 stephen’s inspirational story raises millions for cancer charity Julia Mitchell Newspaper Culture Editor TEENAGER Stephen Sutton captured the hearts of the nation through his relentless battle against cancer and inspiring fundraising campaign. Stephen sadly passed away on Wednesday 14 May having raised over £3 million. The money, which has been raised for the Teenage Cancer Trust, has been collected on Stephen’s Just Giving page,
with donations initially being pledged after his cancer was diagnosed as incurable. The teenager also published an online bucketlist, which included challenges such as skydiving and crowd surfing in a rubber dingy, many of which Stephen has completed. Initially aiming to raise £10,000 for charity as a part of the bucketlist, Stephen swiftly beat his target, which has since snowballed dramatically and prompted further targets to be
set. His focus is now not on the list, but on raising money for charity and helping as many people as he possibly can. It was on the 21 April that Stephen posted an official farewell in response to the deterioration of his condition, unable to reach the 1 million pound target that now seemed “just one hurdle too far”. This development provoked celebrity interest, most notably the comedian Jason Manford who began the hashtag
#thumbsupforstephen. In a trend that is reminiscent of the ‘no makeup selfie’, publicity spread quickly and Stephen’s Just Giving page soon exceeded his final target. Manford also organised a charity gig in aid of
the cause, which sold out in just four minutes. Stephen’s campaign has been praised for its determination and positivity, operating under the slogan, “this is not a sob story, this is Stephen’s Story”.
Photo by Elliott Brown Teenage Cancer Trust head office
oxford university su freer mp replaces pickles at kent freedom to act as they wish if have always been used as a hold nus referendum Ruby Lyle Matthew Gilley
FOR the first time, students at Oxford University decided in a referendum whether their Students’ Union (OUSU) will be affiliated with NUS. Between 19th and 21st May students answered the question: “OUSU is currently affiliated to the National Union of Students (NUS). Should it continue to be affiliated: yes or no?” The no campaign was fought under the banner Believe in Oxford. They called a no vote “A strike on our payment to the NUS”, referring to the affiliation fees that students’ unions pay. A post on Believe in Oxford’s website reads: “The cosy status quo suits the NUS leadership very well. They’re not going to do anything to disturb it unless they have to.” Tom Rutland, OUSU president and leader of the Oxford Yes to NUS campaign, countered: “I strongly believe that Oxford students benefit by being a part of a national union. With a seat at the table, we can influence NUS policy and ensure that we have a national union that is fighting for students’ interests.” All students’ unions have to decide whether to re-affiliate with NUS each year. At Oxford,
this decision had previously been taken by OUSU, but a change in their funding from the University led to it being opened up to all students. OUSU now has discretion over funding that had previously been earmarked for NUS membership, and they decided last year to hold the referendum instead of keeping the decision with their Union Council. The decision over whether Kent Union is affiliated with NUS is taken each year in its Annual General Meeting. Outgoing Vice-President Education, Alex Murray, said the decision had never been sent to a referendum “because people have generally seen the value in the affiliation, both financially and to us as a campaigning body”. He continued: “This year they [NUS] have helped organise a campaign that helped save over £300 million of the student opportunities fund and challenged incoherent policies from the UK Border Agency to name just a few. “We're a lot stronger working collectively than by operating in isolation.”
Newspaper News Editor
ON 8 May the Kent University Conservative Association (KUCA) featured Mike Freer MP, who presented a speech followed by an extensive and diverse question and answe (Q&A) session. Originally Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, was due to be present at the university but unfortunately was unable to attend at short notice because of an “urgent issue in his constituency”. The event had already led to a degree of confusion when only a few days before, and under the request of Pickles, the talk was to be restricted to members of KUCA and the Conservative Party only. However, with the replacement guest speaker of Mr Freer, the event was once again opened to the entire community. In relation to student and university life, Mr Freer believes in paying what your degree is worth rather than a set fee. The MP also believes in an abolishment of student quotas so to allow universities further
they can hold the additional students. He also stated that while EU students were studying in the UK they should be exempt from immigration, but if they were planning on remaining in the UK postuniversity then they should take part in the immigration process. Mr Freer invited questions throughout which displayed his beliefs on a range of subjects from the question of an independent BBC (it should be), to the minimum pricing of alcohol (not a great fan, but a light touch from the government would be best for the safety of the public). On the topic of the internet, Mr Freer took the position that net neutrality should not be a consideration, and that instead providers should be able to act and charge as they wish. When asked about data mining the MP was of the viewpoint that if an individual has nothing to hide, then the individual has nothing to fear. With the European elections around the corner the Conservative MP was also asked about his predictions regarding results. He answered that the European parliament elections
form of protest and that while UKIP will gain some seats, the Conservatives will remain in a strong position. The main body of Mr Freer’s speech revolved around the perception of the modern Conservative Party. Mr Freer paid particular note to Cameron and denounced perceptions of the Prime Minster as pseudo liberal and insisted he is following in Thatcher’s footsteps. Mr Freer argued Cameron is very much a Conservative who is socially liberal and fiscally conservative. He continued that accusations towards the contrary are due to his presentation of core Conservative values in modern language designed to connect more keenly with the contemporary electorate. The remainder of the presentation was designed to a Conservative audience which affirmed that the ConservativeLib Dem government is a great success. Mr Freer cited the “transformed” transport system and how the UK’s educational system has sixth place in the world as examples of such success.
For updates and the results of the referendum, go to inquirelive. co.uk/news.
Oxford University Photo by Steve Evans
Photo by Lina Borovinskaya
4
News
one in five graduates become millionaires, says ons Sarah Jane Smith
A university degree may allow you to join the ranks of the millionaires of the UK according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Since 2010, the total number of British millionaires has risen by 50%, with the majority holding a degree. Currently, 20% of university graduates hold millionaire status meanwhile only 3% of the population without degrees are in the same financial sphere. Overall, a tenth of the population possess assets valued at £1 million and upwards. Following the release of these statistics, David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science, stated: “It shows why it’s fair to ask graduates to pay back the cost of their higher education, and why increasing the number of people who go to university will spread wealth and opportunity.” In the UK, the top earning university degrees are Medicine, Law, and Engineering. Each degree makes £340,000, £245,000, and £245,000 more
than the average income of those without a university education respectively. To further display the income disparity, in 2008 Prospects.ac.uk reported that those with a degree at the ages of 21 to 22 earned on average £17,472 while those of the same age without a degree earned £15,912 per year. While this gap is small, it increases drastically with time. For instance, while in the 32 to 33 age range, degree holders could expect to earn £28,860 while others gained £21,268. These statistics support those given by the ONS in their assessment of the increased likelihood of university graduates having assets worth £1 million over those without degrees. A further contributing factor towards the rise in those of millionaire status is the overall wealth increase nationwide in spite of the 2008 financial crash and subsequent recession. For instance, although factors such as mortgages and credit card bills aren’t taken into consideration in these statistics, total household wealth rose
between 2006/08 and 2010/12 by 12% according to ONS. To focus on a particular area, wealth in London increased by 31% in the time period. In practical terms, the ONS data’s impact can be seen in 11% of the nation owning a second home, the average household wealth of the South East in 2010/12 being £309,700, and 2% of the population claiming home contents worth over £100,000. At this time the richest 10% control 44% of the total wealth while the 50% with the lowest income has 9%. Beyond university degrees and the upward trend in personal wealth, there are further socioeconomic factors influencing millionaire potential. For example, the under 35 age range has the lowest level of income with 14% of those between 16 and 34 living in households with a total wealth of £12,500. In contrast, 16% of those who are 55-64 have assets of at least £1 million. Another positive influence upon economic success appears to be marriage, 14% of married men and 13% of married women are
graduate employment prospects increase Fred Jones THERE has been an increase in work opportunities for university graduates according to figures released on 13 May by a UK job website, totaljobs.com. The company reports an increase of 11% in the number of jobs available compared to the year before and that there has been a drop of 22% in the number of applications for each job. They also report an increase of 8% in jobs nationally, with areas such as education having grown rapidly by 22%. For instance, there is a growing demand for work in areas such as oil, gas and the alternative
energy sector which has gained a further 24% of applications upon the 2013 statistics. This promising outlook provided by totaljobs.com is further corroborated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) which states that unemployment figures have reached 6.8% this year, their lowest point since 2009. In the same time period, youth unemployment has dropped by 48,000, indicating positive futures for graduates should the trend continue. The graduate director of totaljobs.com, Mike Fetters, said: “Things are really starting to look up for young people, who
were hit hard by the recession.” Despite these positive signs, the UK is still not out of the woods as jobs in areas such as catering and hospitality have fallen by 10%. Although there has been a 351,000 increase of those in work from March of last year, it has been suggested that a large number of these opportunities come from work with a low income or are temporary. Samuel Tombs at Capital Economics states: “The share of part-time workers who would like to work longer hours and temporary employees that would like a permanent job both remain very high.”
Photo by Stephen Train
millionaires. Additionally, 14% of the self-employed succeed in holding £1 million upwards in their lifetimes. From this, it seems the
highest chance of becoming a millionaire falls to those who have studied medicine, are male, married, and middle aged or over.
Comment 5
what has happened to venue?
Walter Heisenberg
ALTHOUGH I’m only a second year, I already know a lot of people who are getting sick of Venue because they aren’t satisfied with its dull and predictable nature. For some, the choice between the UK Top 40 every Wednesday and Saturday or deep house on a Friday at #Trend means avoiding Venue altogether. The tedious playlists and embarrassing school disco classics makes Venue unattractive and bad value for money. Every week people are complaining because they feel that paying £5 to get into their student union is too much - and I agree with them. No one wants to get to Venue before 10:30pm for an affordable entrance price but desolate dance floor. Venue might look like a nightclub, smell like a nightclub and have the sticky floors of a nightclub but it’s still a Student’s Union. A lot of students can also find Venue an intimidating place, one example being because of its purpose built ‘cattle-holding’ layout. My friend Emily said, “I think
the worst thing about Venue is there is nowhere to escape from the noise; you need to be a smoker to have somewhere to go that provides a break from the sensory overload if you need to use your phone, or just have a conversation.” This breeds an environment where the way you look and your body language is the only way you can communicate, so if you don’t turn up looking like a product you’re not included in the discussion. I have another friend who told me they think ‘Vensday’ can be anti-social because of the cliquey atmosphere created by male and female sports teams. She said: “One night loads of guys from a sports team were rating girls based on their appearance, the guys then bet who could get with the supposed ‘ugliest’ girls, get them to come over and lead them on for a joke. “I later heard a girl in one of my seminars talking about when this happened to her and needless to say I don’t think she found it funny.” Why would people want to go to ‘Vensday’ when, if you’re not part of a society or sports
team, you’re considered less than human? The culture that has evolved at Venue has meant it’s become repetitive and un-inclusive if you don’t fit the mould of a stereotypical student. However, complaints cannot be made about Venue’s drink prices. Nowhere else will serve you a pint for £2.30 and that’s the truth. I also think being able to get a double of any branded spirit for £3.90 is really affordable and unbeatable by
can be rectified by simply exiting the EU. Through this departure we will also be able to “tell the European Court of Human Rights where to go” AND “save enough to mend our economy for our children” it detailed. To a large proportion of the UK’s electorate, right-wing UKIP offers a reasonably alluring batch of policies in exchange for seats in the House of Commons and representatives in the European parliament. A pretty good deal, eh? Simply elect UKIP and we will all be richer; I mean that is all we ever wanted right? Just deny innocent individuals access to our country and, in turn, we will be become richer. Instead, these immigrants, who are often highly qualified and attractive to the UK’s businesses, are forced to live elsewhere. What is wrong with that? Everything. Manipulating another person’s social situation for personal financial gain is disgusting. Would you be
satisfied if you were prohibited from immigrating to a country with a strong economy, such as Germany, merely so the country could save money? I do not think so. (For the record, Germany introduced new immigration legislation in 2005 to attract valuable foreign professionals). It is easy to become seduced by the promise of a better financial position and forget about the consequences for the fiscal loser. Anyway, who is to say that we will have vast quantities of money when or if we shut down immigration? However, I do not want to be seen as staunchly disagreeing with Farage on every policy. The European Union does have a reasonably tight grip over a large amount of British law, which has proved to be occasionally problematic when the European court has overridden the British court’s decision and thus made our judicial power seem relatively weak. So, to an extent, I agree
most other bars in Canterbury. Not to mention that Venue also offers multi-buy drink deals such as pitchers for £8.00 and all ‘bombs’ 2 for £5. Ultimately, Venue exists to cater to a certain type of student and that’s not good enough. I think instead of playing S-Club 7 & Busted at 90’s nights they should play real 90’s club classics and play more hip-hop and RnB. There should be more theme nights and less money spent
on unpopular acts like Rough Copy. That money could be put towards more freebies and funding for theme nights so that students start to feel rewarded by being part of Kent Union and going to Venue again. Who doesn’t want free stuff for going out to their student union? Whether or not they take my advice, we all know we have a love/hate relationship with Venue because at least it’s somewhere we can all afford to get drunk.
why we should be careful with ukip
Jack Hadaway-Weller
“ONLY UKIP will take back control.” This is what greeted me one Wedneday morning in the form of a brightly coloured yellow and purple flyer urging me to ‘get our country back’ on 22 May, the date of the European election. Displaying the grinning face of Kentish-born Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, the leaflet made clear that we have an uncontrollable immigration problem which
with Mr. Farage that our relationship with the European Union sometimes does not work favourably at all times. I think of it like my boss in my supermarket. Most of the time he will support my decision, and we are perceived as a strong and united team, which is great. Occasionally he chooses to disagree with me and I come across as a bit inferior to him and this annoys me. But, in the end, I can often see where he is coming from. You might be wondering why on Earth are people talking about this party. The answer to that is simple: fear. On the one hand, many voters are selecting Eurosceptic UKIP as an alternative to the three major parties, due to their tough regime on halting immigration into the country. To put it plainly, some voters fear immigrants. It is these xenophobes that are an integral part of UKIP’s supporting base and they are indeed garnering influence.
In the last general election UKIP secured over 900,000 votes, while the BNP attained over 500,000. With UKIP actually seeming like a feasible representative in the 2015’s general election, what is going to stop BNP voters from defecting to UKIP? Hopefully they will have an epiphany and vote for a party which does not scaremonger voters with shoddy immigration statistics. Truthfully, I am talking about UKIP also due to fear. I am concerned about the rapid rate at which the party is expanding and where they will venture next. I am scared that voters are being lured by the thought of financial gain and misinterpreting the terms on which UKIP stand. Even worse, I fear that many voters correctly interpret what UKIP are about and are still choosing to vote for them. A vote for UKIP is a vote for discrimination, and we have already got far too much of that thanks, Farage.
6
Comment
facebook protest isn’t enough Charlotte Amelia Smith TO ‘protest’ is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “expressing an objection”. However, it seems like over the past decade our methods of expression have had a noticeable transformation. Nowadays, we live out our lives through FaceBook. What was once simply a forum to chat with your friends and share personal news and photos has become a necessary medium of communication, and has an ever increasing presence in our society. We all know those shocked and confused expressions which follow when someone says they don’t have Facebook. It’s a necessary evil, and one that is responsible for bringing out the worst in us. We’ve all got those signature Facebook friends; the one who continually posts emotionally charged statuses with melodramatic tags like ‘feeling lost’ or ‘feeling worthless’; or that angry keyboard warrior ranting about things they’d never have the courage to say to the person face to face. The
safety of hiding behind an online persona; behind that flattering selfie, is a method of distancing ourselves from reality. The recent ‘no makeup selfie’ campaign for Cancer Research seemed to suggest that there may actually be potential for social media to have some kind of positive influence, in the form of online activism, since the campaign did undeniably have a huge impact, raising an incredible amount of money in a mere few days. With all the publicity this garnered, we could be fooled into thinking that maybe online activism is the way forward. But in reality, this is all nonsense. The success of the ‘no make-up selfie’ campaign is an exceptional case, part of a minority of very few social media campaigns that have this level of success. Let’s face it, the majority of online petitions that appear on your newsfeed you scroll right past. Most online campaigns have a questionably limited impact. We’ve all been taken in at some point by the emotional blackmail of the phenomenon of ‘If you care about leukaemia
you’ll put this as your profile picture for an hour’. I’m sure those leukaemia sufferers really appreciated it; that ’share’ made a real difference. What’s more, Facebook and Twitter have the same effect as a game of Chinese whispers between millions of people.
Century Britain, men and women are not viewed as equals. Inequality in our society is seen through culture, the workplace, religion and in particular, in the growing scene of ‘lad culture’, where men deem it acceptable to live up to the expectations of conforming to the stereotype of being a man. This culture is boisterous and intimidating as, for instance, men gain respect from other men by the number of women they’ve managed to sleep with that week. There is a pressure to be like it as well, which can lead to men feeling left out just because they do not want to conform to this stereotype. If you are not a part of the ‘lad culture’ there must be something wrong with your masculinity. In addition, what makes this saddening is that, if a woman decided to ‘be part of’ this ‘lad’ culture and sleep around, she would be treated with contempt and most probably be called a slut. If at university, this could taint her reputation and
self esteem for the rest of her degree. This misogyny has been perfectly summed up by Laura Bates and her Everyday Sexism Project, where she encourages women to write in sexist incidents they have experienced. Laura is an attractive, intellectual feminist writer who is engaged, so before any man claims that she is a raging, man-hating feminist
There is a huge opportunity for misinterpretation and exagerration, so using social media as a method of raising awareness and to get out important factual information can even be as dangerous as it is ineffective. Social networking sites are
great for the fast spread of information, but the notion of replacing real active protest with online activism is extremely worrying. It is not only due to its ineffectiveness, but also because it numbs us to the causes we are fighting for through the distance to reality provided by social media, and the removal of the integral element of actively going out and making a real change. I look at it like friendship; just because you’re Facebook ‘friends’ with someone doesn’t mean you have a relationship with them. Liking their pictures and tagging them in posts is not enough to maintain a real friendship, just as spreading Facebook posts and trending a cause on Twitter can be helpful addition to a protest, but it’s simply not enough. So, call me old fashioned and cynical, but we’d all be far better off if we spent less time in our online worlds of inactivity and empty words, and more time going out and actually doing something about the things we complain about. That’s the real way to stage a protest.
uk lad culture is unacceptable Imogen Duffin
MANY of you will have seen the news surrounding the Facebook page, Women Who Eat on Tubes and, as many have stated, it was demeaning towards women. Some people would argue that it constitutes a form of cyber bullying, as men posting pictures of women who are eating and others commenting on this ‘hilarious’ spectacle could promote paranoia and self-consciousness among those targeted. One journalist, Sophie Wilkinson from The Independent, commented when discovering herself on this page that she, “felt hurt and humiliated”, echoing these feelings. One could argue that it is only men ‘having a little bit of fun’ and, if it were the other way around, there would have been no remarks about it. Yet, when women are the target, they are told to ‘calm down’. This, sadly, is just one demonstration that, in 21st
for creating this project, please think again. She promotes equality within our society. Some of the many comments on the page include girls not “being allowed to wear short shorts at school on a boiling day, but boys can wear graphic T-shirts of naked women”, and a girl wearing a skirt meaning that they are asking to be ‘grabbed’ in the club so the woman should not get angry.
But of course when rejecting a man it means that the girl is ‘friend zoning him’ not that she may have standards! This is disrespectful and boils down, yet again, to the inequality in our society. Some men may think that it is right to do this, because society allows you to. It should stop. Stop objectifying women and stop normalising this culture, for the benefit of men and women.
Comment 7
game of thrones: rape is rape
Charlotte Amelia Smith
WARNING: SPOILERS! It’s common knowledge that Game of Thrones is not for the faint hearted, however the recent season four episode ‘Breaker of Chains’ contained arguably one of the most distressing scenes of the series to date. This scene witnesses character Jaime Lannister’s attempt to comfort his sister and lover Cersei over the death of their son, culminating in him raping her whilst their son’s dead body lies near. For obvious reasons, this has sparked a lot of controversy. However, the most disturbing thing about this scene has been the comments made off-camera by director Alex Graves, who has denied it as a rape scene. Despite clearly showing Jaime forcing himself on Cersei, Graves says of the event depicted in the scene that “it becomes consensual by the end, because anything for them ultimately results in a turn-on,
especially a power struggle”. I suggest you take a moment to digest that. This association of a power struggle with arousal, and the implication, whether this was the director’s intention or not, that you can force a woman to be turned on or change her mind through unwanted dominance embodies everything that is wrong with the way society perceives consent, and feeds the problem of blurred lines where sexual assault is concerned. Graves’ careless and ignorant words echo those common among British lad culture, which at its most extreme trivialises rape. Perhaps as a result of this, rape allegations have become a huge taboo. In January 2013, figures released by the Ministry of Justice, Office for National Statistics, and the Home Office in a joint official statistics bulletin revealed that 85,000 women are raped on average in England and Wales every year. The organisation Rape Crisis reports in conjunction with the
survey that only 15% of women who experience sexual violence reports it to the police. I don’t mean to totally villainize Graves, and to say that the director is encouraging rape might be an unfair exaggeration, but his comment both represents and encourages an attitude that is arguably a huge contributor to these statistics. One positive that has come out of the scene, is that it has raised awareness of and provoked discussion about the subject of
rape within relationships, and Graves’ careless comments have highlighted the need for clearer defining lines when it comes to what constitutes sexual assault. To me, if a woman says no, you stop, end of story. It does not matter who the victim is whether they’re your partner or a stranger. It doesn’t matter what they’re wearing, what her voice says is the only message you need to listen to. It doesn’t matter if they’ve lead you on, the moment the word “stop” comes out their
mouth, you stop. The fact that in the scene the character Cersei protested and was ignored makes it an indisputable rape scene, so it is difficult to identify the thought process behind Graves’ comment; to say it was thoughtless would be an understatement. I’m certainly not trying to approach this from an extremist feminist point of view. It should be acknowledged that one of the reasons that rape allegations are treated with such interrogation is due to incidents where false allegations of rape have been made maliciously against innocent men, but this is still only a fraction compared to the number of legitimate complaints. But, if there was more dialogue, education and awareness on what constitutes rape, then maybe there’d be less room for ‘misinterpretation’ of events, as seems to have occurred with Graves’ comments, and we might see a reduction in these horrific rape figures in real life.
russell brand course is what we need Ginny Sanderson Newspaper Comment Editor A new A-level for English Language and Literature, which features Russell Brand’s testimony on drug use, has been denounced by the Department for Education (DfE) as “rubbish”. Well, you know what’s rubbish? A DfE with out-oftouch leaders who don’t want to stick with the times. The course, which also focuses on Dizzee Rascal’s Newsnight interview and Caitlin Moran’s Twitter feed, has been bravely set by OCR to feature a diversity of texts, including more ‘conventional’, orthodox texts. The DfE complained that pupils’ chances of getting into “good universities” may be at risk should they take the A-Level. Maybe they’ve been listening too much to Education Secretary Michael Gove, who’s stuck in the 20th century and believes we should only learn Shakespeare. The reaction to this course is one instance of education’s
snobby and perhaps motivated obsession with the past and aversion to the present. Why is it that we never study contemporary issues or figures in A Levels or at school? How strange is it that the average child can tell you how Henry VIII’s wives died, but not what political parties stand for now? The University of Kent’s English and American Literature BA, which I am studying (no bias whatsoever),
is one of the only Literature courses in the country with a Contemporary module. In education, we are taught about Shakespeare’s fairy queens and Wordsworth’s daffodils because it is tradition and ‘canonical’, as the world’s Goves and DfEs would tell you. But it’s also (sinisterly) more convenient to learn about vague things in the past than to start questioning the present. In Shakespeare’s time it was
similarly more opportune for playwrights, such as the bard himself, to set his work in the past so as not to offend the contemporary monarch. He was probably (understandably) afraid of having his head cut off for sedition. But what are we afraid of? Why don’t we know what’s happening in our own time? Who has the authority to decide what is good literature and what is bad, or even what
is literature? Apparently, and sadly, the crusty Goves of the world have you believe that the power is theirs. Perhaps this highlights a bigger issue, one which the ‘rubbish’ Russell Brand actually recently brought to attention: the apathy of the younger generation, when it comes to politics. Yes, it does have something to do with the younger electorate being sick of the homogenous bullshit which politicians churn out, their parties seemingly interchangeable. But I would argue that it is also significant that education fails to educate when it comes to politics, which means people will either be ignorant (and vote UKIP, for instance) or indifferent, and let other people have more of a say in the running of the country (perhaps by voting UKIP). Learning that language and literature is continuing to develop on platforms such as Twitter is not rubbish. Suggesting that contemporary formats are not as classy as Shakespeare, however, is elitist and ultimately dangerous.
8
Editorial
meet your new inquire editors
Natalie Tipping Chair
Emma Shelton Newspaper Editor
Emily Adams Website Editor
The only time I’ve been to Chemistry a friend accidentally bottled me and I left with a black eye.
In Egypt, on a tour, I jumped out of a moving bus without thinking, simply because my ticket flew out my hand.
I once went to Venue dressed in my best OAP fancy dress outfit. Shame OAP night was the week before.
Ruby Lyle Newspaper News Editor
Georgina Coleman Website News Editor
Ginny Sanderson Newspaper Comment Editor
Dave Cocozza Website Comment Editor
Katyanna Quách Newspaper Features Editor
I was once taken to a ruby wedding anniversary celebration for the novelty value.
A few years ago, I used to do competitive roller skating in local competitions back home.
I once ate mealworms and a scorpion for charity. They’re not as bad as dogfood.
I once went to Amsterdam on a whim, booking the flight three hours before take-off. Spontaneity is fun!
My name is completely made up! It has no meaning or history behind it.
Cerys Thomas Website Features Editor
Megan Weal Newspaper Entertainment Editor
Chris Heron Website Entertainment Editor
Julia Mitchell Newspaper Culture Editor
Natalie Turco-Williams Website Culture Editor
Hi I’m Julia and I love to spook people by sitting in trees after dark!
As a dare, I went into a supermarket dressed up as Scooby Doo and asked the manager for Scooby snacks.
Feed me spaghetti and sangria till I spew and my heart will be yours.
I love music, I broke both my wrists on Friday 13 and one of the coolest nights ever was interviewing The Vaccines.
When alone working on the paper, I have been known to play and sing along to S Club 7 very loudly.
Dan English Newspaper Sport Editor
Henry Sandercock Website Sport Editor
LaShanda Seaman Promotions and Events
Irene Antoniou Head of Distribution
Tina Stavrianou Head of Photography
I once was stabbed, accidentally, with a pencil in Year 4, and the pencil lead is still in my leg!
I got backed up by England Rugby captain Chris Robshaw when someone started having a go at me.
When I started playing the saxophone, I couldn’t blow properly and looked just like a puffer fish.
When I first came to Uni, I spent the first two weeks hiding in my room.
In London, I almost got hit by a car because I was trying to get a picture of a person on the other side of the road.
it’s finally here! welcome to the student media centre! InQuire’s Website Comment Editor Dave Cocozza had a quick chat with Kent Alumnus Charlotte Green, radio broadcaster, during the opening of the Student Media Centre.
Charlotte Green
Photos by Hetty Sieling
Ginny Sanderson Newspaper Comment Editor
The Student Media Centre (SMC) is finally open! The new epicentre for all things Student Media (KTV, CSR and of course InQuire) is better than we could have anticipated. Situated above Venue, myself and a number of equally inquisitive InQuire people, popped along to the SMC to celebrate its official opening. The champagne was flowing and the canapés were a cascade of delightfulness (I should know – I returned for seconds and thirds) as we welcomed the arrival of our Student Media Centre among many guests. These included former students, KIC Awards judges, InQuire publishers, Keith Mander, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Kent, and Tony Logan, director of Operations at UKC. I had a chat with Tony, who is the summer ball organiser, about the preparations for this year’s Party in the Car Park and it sounds fantastic. But the celebrity guest of the event was
Charlotte Green, Kent Alumnus and current Classic FM host, whose voice is also used on Southern Railway Train announcements and on BBC Radio 5 Live to broadcast football scores. The InQuire team discussed with her the newspaper’s history, including its old copies Kred (Keynes, Rutherford, Eliot, Darwin – clever huh?) which date back to the ‘70s. We also celebrated the new and improved facilities on offer for us to make the paper. Whereas in the previous ‘Foakes’ room there was only access to four computers, we now have a stunning range of double that at our disposal. This means each editor will be able to manage their section (news, comment, features, etc.) without impinging on others - and will consequently be able to make the best newspaper possible. The event was a flurry of alcohol, food and joviality, an appropriate welcome for our new SMC! Thanks to everyone who came along.The SMC will be open to general public on weekdays from 9h5h, so do feel free to check it out.
You were here in the 70s, how has student media developed since then? I don’t think I could have ever foreseen how incredibly it has developed and how professional it is now. It was really very basic when I was in Eliot College. There were two studios[for the student radio], both quite small, in fact very small and cramped! Basic soundproofing – we had egg boxes on the walls – but, nonetheless, I still felt the real excitement of it and I loved being a part of it. It was a turning point for me – I realised those moments were among my happiest at University, and I realised that was what I wanted to do with my life. What was your transition from University into your career in broadcasting? I was very lucky, I graduated in the summer, and joined the BBC in the October of that year. I came in as a studio manager, which is a very good grounding in all aspects of radio broadcasting and production, and a really good teaching. So, did you have any professional voice training? No! Not at all – I’d done a lot of acting, at school and a little bit here [at Kent], but no specific professional training – One of the happiest days of my life was when I got into Radio 4 presentation and I’ve really never looked back, I’ve just been so happy in that world of
broadcasting and presentation and it’s lovely to come back and see students so committed, and so enthusiastic – that enthuses me to see how people evidently love what they are doing here. Do you credit part of your success to what you have been involved in here at Kent? Very much so – it was definitely the starting point for me. Had there not been a student radio station I probably would not have gotten involved in radio, or maybe not to the same degree. And was it a degree related to media that you studied here? I did English and American Literature, but I just knew that I wanted to get into the BBC and I was lucky enough to go through the process and get in! How can students here replicate your successes? I think the level of commitment and enthusiasm goes a long way – that’s what they’re looking for, when they initially interview you. It’s important to never give up. If you have a dream, and this sounds AWFULLY clichéd, FOLLOW IT. And, in the process, have fun. To read more of the interview and listen to the audio file, head to inquirelive.co.uk .
SMC launch Friday 16 May
Photo by Tom Turner
IQ Features 11
top 5 revision hotspots
Natalie Tipping Chair
So it’s everyone’s favourite time of the year – exam season! Unless you’re extremely lucky, you’ll currently be lying in bed reading through your notes, or cramming in the library while the realisation that you should have paid attention earlier in the year slowly dawns on you. Why not escape to somewhere new and inviting? I’m not telling you to run away from Canterbury and all your revision woes, but a change of scenery could do you good. Here’s my pick of Canterbury’s best tea rooms and cafés for you to snuggle up in with your books and get some work done. CJ’s
Lloyds bank and Hotel Chocolat), opposite Waterstones bookstore, CJ’s offers a friendly atmosphere and great food. The last time I was in there they were serving roast pork and crackling baguettes that were sooo delicious! There’s plenty of comfortable seating for you to curl up with your books, but the shop does get quite busy over lunchtime so don’t spread out too much. Open Monday-Saturday 9am-5:30pm, Sunday 10:30am-5:30pm Willows Secret Kitchen
Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday Closed. Chocolate Café Let’s be honest, is there anything that makes you feel better during stressful times more than chocolate? No, I didn’t think so. Why not head to the Chocolate Café, where you can binge to your heart’s content in the comfort of knowing that everyone around you is doing the same. No judgement here for chocoholics! There is plenty of seating available for you to spend as much time here as you want, and it’s even open late into the night for those last minute cram sessions. Just try not to eat so much they have to roll you out of the door. Open every day 8:30am-11:30pm
as the tables are organised for four or five people to occupy them. There is a delicious range of cakes available for you to stem the revision stress with, all of which are homemade. A good one for all history students as well, as the tea room is located in a Tudor style building at 67 Burgate, right near the Cathedral. Open weekdays 9am-5pm, Saturday 8am-5pm, Sunday 11am-5pm Brown’s Coffeehouse Brown’s Coffeehouse is the perfect setting for anyone who wants to sit in peace and read through their notes, or relax with a good book. The beautiful chesterfield sofas draw you in to a world of complete comfort. The coffee is excellent as well for anyone desperately trying to stay awake through all the studying. Open Weekdays 8am-5pm, Saturday 9am-6pm, Sunday 10am-5pm
Photo by Sian Pratley
Photo by Sian Pratley
If you haven’t been to CJ’s yet, where have you been? Tucked away down St Margaret’s Street (turn right past
Willows is definitely a secret kitchen, offering much the same style of food and atmosphere as CJ’s, but sitting much further from the town centre – located quite far down Stour Street. Willows doesn’t have a great amount of seating available, but due to its out-oftown location, it rarely gets completely crammed either. Open Weekdays 8:30am-4pm,
Photo by Sian Pratley
The Moat Tea Rooms This is more of a group study area,
Photo by Sian Pratley
avril lavigne’s hello kitty racist? Ginny Sanderson Newspaper Comment Editor
Avril Lavigne’s new music video for the song ‘Hello Kitty’ has been branded racist, but if you ask me that’s not the only way it’s offensive. The video showcases Lavigne frolicking around, pointing at the camera aggressively, and pretending to play guitar. Already, what’s to like here? Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, there are allegations that it uses its Japanese girls and theme to perpetuate cultural stereotypes. Said Japanese girls consist of Avril’s four backing dancers, all dressed the same, with the same wigs, who at one point Avril, with great hilarity, takes of photo of as though they’re her imaginary friends. They have the same expression; she’s thrilled; they are indifferent. The independent has described the dancers as “four props” who are “robotic, expressionless, and made up to look completely interchangeable”. You can’t really argue
with that summary. But I do take issue with the use of the word prop. Since when have backing dancers ever had back stories or deep, nuanced personalities? Normally, they tend to be homogenous just so the singer stands out, kind of like bridesmaids.
Photo by Gergely Kondas
This controversy echoes the reaction to another recent music video, Lily Allen’s Hard Out There, which featured
black backing dancers. Similarly, these dancers were argued to be used as “props” for the white lead singer. Here, Allen is clearly satirizing average music videos - “if you can’t detect the sarcasm then you’ve misunderstood” she sings. I’m not sure Avril, or whoever was in charge of her car-crash video, had considered any layer of meaning beyond I’M EATING SUSHI AND DRESSED LIKE A CUPCAKE. Besides the girls, the stereotyping of Japanese culture - the Hello Kitty, bright colours, sushi – is perhaps problematic. But, it has to be said, cultural appropriation in the music industry isn’t just limited to Avril’s Hello Kitty and Gwen Stefani’s Harajuku girls. Remember Jai Ho? When Pussycat Dolls thought it would be fun to wear bindis and dance all Bollywood. Was that racist or just stereotyping? Or perhaps it’s ‘celebrating’ the culture, as they would probably call it. A euphemism for commodification? Perhaps. Is Katy Perry’s Black Horse video, along with
allegedly being islamophobic, dissing Egyptians? WHERE IS THE LINE DRAWN? I personally would draw the line at Lady Gaga’s #burqaswag, which encouraged her fans to don a hijab, essentially trivialising such a contentious issue. What I would really like to see is how other cultures would stereotype America. Would the dancers be obese, wearing McDonalds uniforms? Anyway, Avril’s response was as immature as you’d expect; “RACIST??? LOLOLOL!!!”, the 29-year-old brayed, “I love Japanese culture”. Thanks Avril, that’s settled then. The video’s not intentionally racist, it’s just really stupid. But anyone expecting something intelligent to go alongside a song with the lyrics “major rager OMFG” needs to be tortured with Clockwork Orange therapy for watching that video on loop. It is up in the air whether Lavigne’s video was racist, but it is 100% certain that it is bad.
12
IQ Features
news in failed digital detox science Emma Shelton Newspaper Editor
So I’d like to say I haven’t been on Facebook during this revision season, that I have been working really hard and steadily for my essay and two exams, so hard that I have left no room for distraction… but that would be lying, wouldn’t it? In fact, during a period of intense work and stress, I still feel able to waste precious time scrolling through pages on Facebook, usually of people I don’t even know, because all the friends I do care about are not posting anything: they are working, precisely what I should be doing. You know it’s getting bad when you scroll up for new stories and there’s only been one addition since you last looked. That being said, I wouldn’t call myself a social media addict (or is that called denial?). Heck, I don’t even have Twitter. I find it very easy to switch off entirely during the holidays, but a lot harder during term time. I think, exam season or not, it is virtually impossible not to use Facebook, when nowadays, it is the simplest way of chatting to friends and organising social gatherings. Nevertheless, social networks are definitely seen as a distraction that must be avoided at all costs. And yet, it is only distracting if used excessively or at the wrong time, which I am totally
guilty of. Unless there is a really solid reason, that I can’t really think of right now, blocking your Facebook or twitter accounts seems pointless and redundant because it will only make you find a substitute. I agree that during a time of revision, they should not be at the top of your priority list, but without any usage, you feel completely out the loop, and when socialising is already at a bare minimum, you need some kind of contact to keep you going (physical is certainly preferable). In my case,
Photo by Mehfuz Hossain
it becomes somewhat depressing when I feel more up to date with Lady Macbeth’s emotional state than with my family and friends’. A good idea during revision is meeting up with people. This allows you to use Facebook wisely, for organisational purposes if anything. Then grab a coffee over revision, and have the contact you miss through social media in person. You guys don’t even need to be doing the same course but that physical presence working beside you will energising. Cutting out the good things and guilty pleasures in your life for the purpose of work is exactly the opposite of what you should do; it would be unhealthy and undoubtedly counter-productive. Learning to balance is what exam season is all about and if you want to check Facebook, then do it without feeling guilty. I do not know anyone who has the stamina to work for long periods of time without some kind of break, whatever it may be, except Architecture students who are simply machines. The only time I would advise to block your accounts or avoid social networks altogether is when depressing messages along the lines of “I’m done” or “Enjoying the sunshine #over” start appearing on your newsfeed, and you know it’s about time you went back to work.
Katyanna Quach Newspaper Features Editor The Secrets to Longevity
Scientists have come closer to understanding longevity thanks to supercentenarian Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper, who donated her body to Science after her passing in 2005. She lived to the age of 115 making her amongst the top 25 oldest verified people ever. Although very fragile, she was still reported to be relatively healthy both in the mind and body towards her last days. Hedrikje still had good cognitive function and was able to hold a conversation. By analysing her blood and other tissues, the secret to a long life was found to be stem cells. Stem cells create white blood cells needed for the immune system, which is responsible for fending off diseases. At the time of Hendrikje’s death, her source of white blood cells originated from only two stem cells. In addition, the telomeres on her white blood cells were 17 times shorter than those found in her brain.
inquire sudoku Can you solve these brainteasers..?
Photo by Maurizio De Angelis
Telomeres act as a protecting barrier on the end of a chromosome guarding it from deterioration. As cells die and replenish, the length of the telomere ends get increasingly shorter and thus their protective ability weakens. Scientists conclude that the limits to life depend on the number of stem cells and their ability to continually replenish. Already there are ideas of the possibility of extending life further by saving one’s stem cells and storing them away for future use, when they can be injected back into the body when supplies are running low.
IQ Features 13
recipe unorthodox revision tips of the week Julia Mitchell Newspaper Culture Editor
Natalie Tipping Chair
Toad in the Hole Recipe Is there anything better than a good ol’ bit o’ comfort food when you’re stressed after a day in the library? Here’s a recipe that is not only incredibly easy, but is also cheap and can make multiple portions at once! Ingredients 8 Cumberland Sausages 285ml of Milk 115g of Plain Flour 3 Free-Range Eggs 1tbsp of Olive Oil Instructions Put the sausages in a deep baking tin, prick holes in them, and drizzle with the olive oil. Place in an oven heated to 240°C. Make the batter, to do this simply sift the flour into a bowl or mixer, add the milk and eggs, and mix until well combined. Add a pinch of salt. When the sausages are lightly browned and the oil is very hot, take the tin out of the oven. It’s necessary for the oil to be hot, otherwise the batter will not rise. Carefully pour the batter over the sausages. It’s likely that the sausages and oil will spit as you pour, so be careful. Put the sausage and batter mixture back into the oven and don’t open the oven door for at least 20 minutes, or the batter may sink. When the batter is crispy and the sausages are browned nicely, remove from the oven and serve. Depending on how hungry you are, either have two or three sausages and the surrounding Yorkshire pudding mixture. Serves 3-4
Photo by Natalie Tipping
Revision sucks. It’s boring, tedious and always leads to some form of horrific exam, when instead we could be spending our time sunning ourselves outside in the glorious Kent sunshine. Alas, as university students, we all (or most of us at least) have to engage in this soul sucking activity, that’s if we actually want to graduate one day. It’s all so repetitive, but really doesn’t have to be. I’ve got a few new revision techniques for you to try and, I swear, they’ll help you stay a little more sane and on track for those approaching exams.
Photo by penguino k
The Kitten Reward System No I’m not giving you permission to browse Reddit in the middle of your revision session (although that does make a good study break!) Actually, I recently stumbled across
the website ‘Written? Kitten!’, which provides you with an online kitten reward system. You just type your work into the box on the screen and every 100, 200, 500 or 1000 words (you choose the number), and you’ll be rewarded with a new picture of an adorable kitten. What other motivation do you need, eh? In fact, I’m using it right now… Talk to Yourself This one is really useful if you’re an auditory learner and enjoy listening to the sound of your own voice. All you need to do is record yourself speaking your notes out loud, and then play it back over and over again. It’s simple, but effective and you can do it almost anywhere. The Gift of Dance A method that should never be underestimated, the gift of dance can transform your chances of exam success. Choreograph your own silly routine and associate the different moves with facts that you need to memorise. If you get stuck in the exam, run through the routine in your head, just try not to pirouette in the exam hall. Stick up Your Notes EVERYWHERE And I mean everywhere. In the shower, above your bed, and on the
inside of the toilet door for while, you know, have to sit for extended periods of time. As an extension of this, you could even whack sticky notes onto the doors and cupboards in your home, the trick being that you have to learn the fact before you can use the door.
Photo by Michael Arrighi
Osmosis Arguably the easiest revision technique of them all, simply sleeping on your notes enables your body to absorb the information through osmosis. Absolutely foolproof, this method ensures that you’ll never forget a thing and also catch up on your beauty sleep at the same time. Because that’s how science works, right? Okay, maybe this one isn’t entirely reliable. There we have it, the secrets to not boring your pants off this exam season. If you grasp these tips and run wild with your revision, you’ll be sure to pass your exams with your soul intact. You’re welcome.
primark opening in canterbury Georgina Coleman Website News Editor
As students, we’re expected to fork out a lot of money: textbooks, accommodation fees, bills, food shopping and new clothing when we feel like we deserve a treat. Yet, with a selection of slightly pricey and upmarket clothes shops in Canterbury, such as French Connection or Jack Wills – a more affordable clothes retail store was always going to be very welcome, especially considering the nearest Primark is based in Margate and is in serious need of updating. So, excellently timed, Primark is set to open in Canterbury this summer. It was revealed shortly before Christmas that Primark had signed a deal with Whitefriars Shopping Centre to open a 40, 300 square foot, three level store on the corner of Whitefriars Street and Whitefriars Passage, where BHS used to stand. As the opening day looms closer (19 June), the excitement and anticipation builds. The opening of Primark and its affordable prices means it’s sure to
be a big hit with students from Kent, Christchurch and UCA, who are all keen for a bargain. Additionally, Primark features not only an array of trendy fashion items, but also homeware accessories too, perfect for decorating student houses on a budget. Whereas BHS was targeted primarily to middle aged customers, Primark appeals to both the young and old. When asked what she thought of the emergence of a Primark store in Canterbury, one Kent student said: “I know most people are excited about it as it’s a cheaper place to go shopping – although that could mean the little
shops with the low prices could go under.” It is true that the opening of a hugely successful retail store such as Primark could impact on the smaller, lesser known shops by taking away their customers. However, Primark’s appearance is sure to attract more visitors into Canterbury in general, hopefully enticing new customers into the smaller shops situated around the city centre and Cathedral area too. Primark is surely going to be hugely popular when it finally launches in Canterbury. So brace yourself for a long queue outside the store on 19 June, and grab yourself a few bargains!
Photo by Adam Wilson
IQ Entertainment 15
film
the revision playlist
snozzcumbers and frobscottle: what next?!
Julia Mitchell Newspaper Culture Editor
The days are getting longer, stress levels are running high and the library is more chock-a-block than you’ve seen it all year. With summer fast approaching, it’s clear that the dreaded student exam season has rolled around once again. Never fear, InQuire is here to soothe your woes with the ultimate revision playlist, a compilation of chilled out tunes designed to boost your levels of productivity and chances of exam survival. Note: Don’t be expecting any club tunes here; dodgy dancing does not equal revision. You’re welcome. •Concerning Hobbits- Lord of the Rings Soundtrack •Old Pine- Ben Howard •Hoppípolla- Sigur Rós •Skinny Love- Bon Iver •Quiet- This Will Destroy You •Until the Colours Run- Lanterns on the Lake •Faults and Fears- Luke Jackson
BFG
Dave Cocozza Website Comment Editor
Just a few weeks ago, acclaimed Director Steven Spielberg announced plans to adapt the Roald Dahl classic BFG, or The Big Friendly Giant, into a film – and I for one cannot be more excited to hear about this. I’ll be even more excited if Robbie Coltrane is chosen to play the BFG – let’s face it, the role is perfect for him! The story follows a little girl called Sophie who is carried away by a giant to his home in Giant Country, and the adventure full of strange vegetables and drinks and uncontrollable flatulence ensues. It’s quite humorous, trust me. This got me thinking, however – what other children’s books would be great to see as movie adaptations? So, at 2 in the morning when I probably should
have been doing coursework or revision, I decided to unleash myself onto the internet and think about my top 3 choices for adaptation: 3. The Very Hungry Caterpillar – Eric Carle, 1969. Let’s face it, if you weren’t get read this story as a child, then your life was probably rather sheltered and boring. Recently voted the Number Two children’s book of all time by School Library Journal (cor, what a read that must be!), who wouldn’t love to see Tom Hanks play an orangescoffing caterpillar in a Zucker brothers comedy? Or, why not get J.J. Abrams to direct it and turn it into a sci-fi horror film, where a genetically modified caterpillar grows to giant size and terrorises New York City and raids Whole Foods Market for snacks? I’d watch it. 2. Flat Stanley – Jeff Brown, 1964 A timeless classic we must have all read growing up, but seem to forget about. Stanley wakes up one morning to find a notice-board has landed on him in the night, leaving him just half an inch thick. I’d like to see this turned into a Seth McFarlane comedy, a-la‘Ted’, with Rowan Atkinson playing a clumsy half-inch boy being whisked
the return to the galaxy, far, far away
•Swords Crossed- Klaus Badelt (from Pirates of the Caribbean) •I Will Write Peace On Your Wings and You Will Fly Over The WorldSleepmakeswaves •Heart’s on Fire- Passenger •My Love Is Like a Red Red RoseJosienne Clarke and Ben Walker •The Ring Goes South- Lord of the Rings Soundtrack Now stop procrastinating and get back to your revision… but maybe read the rest of the paper first! To listen to the playlist, follow the QR code below.
away by the wind on an adventure. Need I say more? 1. The Queen’s Nose – Dick KingSmith, 1983 An amazing TV show that ran for 7 seasons from 1995-2003, based on the book where a young girl finds a magic 50p coin that grants her seven wishes. I mean, just think of where this could go. American-Pie style comedy? Bedazzledesque dark humour? Or let’s give this one to Spielberg as well and have Mila Kunis running away from an evil £1 coin, voiced by Morgan Freeman, which controls her life. Hollywood, take my wallet and get that film going!
The cast of Episode VII
Robert Wilcock
I have long believed that it is foolhardy to write about what we love. To rationalise why we enjoy anything from ice cream to films can prove more challenging than first imagined. This is true for me and Star Wars. But on the announcement of the stunning new cast for Episode VII, which is due for release in December 2015, somehow I couldn’t contain myself. As for millions of people, the Star Wars universe was an integral part of my childhood, often mixing with Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter to create Star of the Potter Lord. You can only dare to imagine the costume for that dress up game. Stop me if I am wrong,
but the idea of new Star Wars films stirs up childhood memories of lightsabers and video games. A world of endless possibilities and a catalyst for our own creativity: how can the re-emergence of such a legacy ever be a bad thing? I hear ‘true’ Star Wars fans crying out “what about the prequels?!”, as for many they were less than perfect. Yes Jar Jar Binks could be held responsible for the creation of the Empire, leading to countless deaths throughout the galaxy. But by these standards the original films are hardly perfect either. Why did Ben Kenobi never tell Luke Skywalker his father was actually Darth Vader? The key with Star Wars is to go with it and enjoy the films for what they are, it’s a chance to leave our own
reality and follow a tale as old as time about good eventually conquering evil, simply in a more epic way. As for the sequel plot, the only detail that has been revealed alludes to a 35 year time gap between Episode VI and the latest instalment. It is quite perfect for the reintroduction of the Han, Luke and Leia who drew us in with their vulnerabilities, charm and determination. Any film starring C-3PO, R2D2, and of course the legendary Chewbacca will make for amazing viewing too. It will be fascinating to see their character development, and where darkness now lies in the galaxy. I have great faith in the film’s director J.J Abrams who is also writing the screenplay with Episode V and VI writer Lawrence Kasdan. Abrams has been responsible for the highly successful reboot of Star Trek, so let’s hope he can do the same for Star Wars. This will only be enhanced with the addition of Gollum actor Andy Serkis and the phenomenal Max Von Sydow, amongst others. All this contributes to make the perfect fusion of past and future for the franchise. It might soon be time to get that Star of the Potter Lord outfit out again...
16
IQ Entertainment
tv & radio Listen, watch, follow & play
Chris Heron Website Entertainment Editor Listen: A Sky Full of Stars, Coldplay I’d love to post something a bit less predictable, but in a time of revision and exams, sometimes familiarity is the safe option. As such, Coldplay’s new single A Sky Full of Stars is my choice, which combines some of their most recognisable sounds. Listen to it and get Viva La Vida flashbacks, which is no bad thing when forcing your way through 12 weeks of lecture notes. Watch: Brooklyn Nine-Nine – E4 (Thurs, 10pm) Starring Andy Samberg of Lonely Island fame, this sitcom is based upon the happenings of a police station in Brooklyn. Imagine one of the seven billion cop shows in existence, but actually funny. A couple of the episodes are over on 4oD, so its definitely worth checking them out if you need a half hour break of chuckles. Follow: @usasoccerguy
your top 5 tv shows to watch after exams Natalie Tipping Chair
As exam season starts, it’s easy to think that you’ll never actually be done for the summer, that there is no world outside the Templeman, and that nothing will ever wake you from your exam and revision stupor. Don’t fear! The end is in sight! Once you’re done with exams, what better way to relax than by catching up on all the great TV you’ve missed while you’ve been studying so hard?
House of Cards
1. House of Cards I’m not sure I need to give you any other reason to watch this show other than telling you that Kevin Spacey is in it. I mean seriously, Kevin Spacey. The show is set in Washington DC and centres on Frank Underwood – played by KEVIN SPACEY – and his struggle to attain a position of power. What more could you need than a load of men in sharp suits being completely ruthless and manipulative? And did I mention Kevin Spacey is in it? 2. Game of Thrones
Play: FTL: Faster Than Light PC, iOS This game describes itself as “a spaceship simulator real-time rouge like-like” and it’s an incredibly difficult game. You travel through space, attempting to save the federation from the rebel scum. Star Wars analogies aside, this game is well worth picking up.
for any girl afraid that their post-uni life may not be all that they hoped. 5. Orange is the New Black
Girls
Now that this show’s second season closes in on us, more and more people are becoming aware of its existence. The series follows a group of female prisoners, and the anarchy which is created by their differences. I’m not going to give anything away, but the ending of the first season has definitely made me excited to see what happens next, bring on the release of the second season on 6 June. Just when you thought you’d have nothing to do once exams were over, now you’ve got over ten series of TV shows to watch! You can thank me later.
Orange is the New Black
summer is here and the sun has got his hat on
With the end of the football season at hand and the World Cup next month, nothing will make you laugh as much as commentary on foot-to-ball whether you care about it or not. An example: “EQUALIZATION GOALSHOT! That bus just got rammed out the way by the Athletes as they try & get on the highway to Euro soccer glory.”
If like me, you haven’t watched this yet, you will have done well to miss spoilers. I think the only reason I’ve managed to avoid them is that I’ve been in France on my year abroad, and the series doesn’t seem to have such a huge fan-base in Paris. With four seasons already released, this one is bound to take up a lot of my summer. I’m trying to resist starting it until after exams. Kevin Spacey isn’t in it though. 3. American Horror Story Having watched the first couple of series of this show over the Easter break, I didn’t get all that much work done. Each season follows a different plot line, but with many of the same actors and actresses appearing in different roles. The first season centres on The Murder House, which has seen the death of many of its inhabitants, while the second season is based in an asylum. The storylines are intriguing, and definitely worth watching, making the show perfect for distracting you from any post-exam concerns. 4. Girls Granted this show has been around for a while, but I’m absolutely appalled by how few people have heard about it. Incredibly funny and heart-warming, Girls has been hailed as the Sex and the City of our generation, and indeed it may well be. This is the perfect show
David Lowe
Henry Sandercock Website Sport Editor
Summer is here and the sun has got his hat on. That is unless you are BBC Radio Devon DJ David Lowe, who is now living under a pretty dark stormcloud having been sacked from his job. Why? For playing a 1932 version of The Sun Has Got His Hat On, which contained a racist expletive. Now, I am not condoning racism in any way, shape or form, but you do have to feel sorry for this man, who has become the latest victim of the politically-correct brigade. He offered to give an on-air apology and, I believe, genuinely meant it when he said that
he was unaware of the expletive in the song. Being a broadcaster for 32 years and a member of the BBC Radio Devon team for 14 of them, David Lowe was evidently a good DJ and ought not to have been sacked for what appears to be his first offence. This incident really shows us the double-standards that are at work at the BBC. In the same week, they sacked a man who had never had a previous offence, for a racist term and have given another man, Jeremy Clarkson, nearabsolution for the same offence despite it being his umpteenth misdemeanour. These double-standards are also at work in society where it is deemed fine for the n-word to be bandied around by the ‘hippety-hoppety’ brigade and yet disgraceful for it to appear in any other public situation. It is a derogatory term relating to a dark period of history and therefore should not appear in the public-sphere. Back to David Lowe. Obviously he should have listened to the song before he played it to make sure that it did not contain any expletives, particularly seeing as his show ‘Singers and
Swingers’ covers a period where the n-word was bandied around as freely as words like ‘hamster’ and ‘fence’ are today. But it should also have been the responsibility of his production team to make sure that the record was clean. So, the public are due an apology from Lowe and his assistants, but he too is due an apology from the BBC, the board of which were rightly told to “go down to Devon to apologise in person, and at their own expense” by Boris Johnson. Amidst all the controversy, Lowe was actually offered his job back but declined the BBC’s offer. Ultimately, however, I believe the BBC board should apologise to us, the public, for encouraging the double-standards that we should be eradicating from society. Until that day, the sun should not put his hat on.
IQ Entertainment 17
music
albums on the go Amy Bliss Luminous - The Horrors The 15 month push back of this album was painful, but it was definitely worth waiting that little bit longer. Luminous is a tantalising, sonic, shoegazing adventure. The Horrors have continued to push boundaries with the ways that their instruments create lucid, euphoric sounds, playing with music in such a way that it sounds nostalgic and futuristic all at once.
city sound project: the weekend round-up
City Sound Project was back this year for a two day show on 3-4 May and roaming reporters Chad Greggor and India Bottomley review the weekend’s lineup. For the full review and a gallery of images, head to inquirelive.com/entertainment. Photos above by Hetty Sieling. Day 1 Project promised to be a great close evening so the crowd took a little while to the festival, with headliners such to get into it, but the performance India: This was my first experience as Bipolar Sunshine, George Ezra was super energetic and ensured that of City Sound Project and day one did and BTraits. We began the afternoon everyone was having a good time. not disappoint. I kicked off my tour of with Bipolar Sunshine in The Lounge. Canterbury’s venues at The Jolly Sailor Then it was time to go to The Lounge The talented songwriter and vocalist to see Coco and the Butterfields. The to see George Ezra, but not before appeared alongside a band of multiaudience were treated to an energetic nipping into the Ballroom to check out instrumentalists, sporting a range of set of “Fip Fok”, an innovative genre Coasts’ Secret Set. excellent haircuts. Their music was that the band is renowned for. Chad: George Ezra had the crowd poignant yet optimistic. ‘Love More Chad: Waze & Odyssey were swooning with his prodigiously deep and Worry Less’ was a perfect example performing at Cuban at 5pm. Not voice, performing alone onstage. His of this contrast and ‘Where Did the averse to a daylight rave, we headed lead singles Cassy O and Budapest Love Go’ another highlight of their set, down to the set. The pair of DJs played seemed a little lacklustre without the featuring a soaring chorus. their chilled, piano chord based funk band to back him up, but the catchy India: I kicked off day two with a trip to a packed house, suiting the sunny songwriting shined through regardless. to the Marlowe’s outdoor stage which afternoon perfectly. BTraits performed later in The Lounge was playing host to a DJ set. There was Meridian Dan, who has recently to an entranced and festival-weary a fairly decent sized crowd gathered seen success with breakthrough single crowd, playing a selection of heavy, around the stage that appeared to be ‘German Whip’ (most notably receiving bass driven house. After this, we visited spilling out from local bars and pubs, an elephant rewind on Huw Stephens’ the silent disco at The Old Brewery. a mix of CSP wristband holders and Radio 1 show) appeared on stage at A new feature for City Sound Project, ordinary citizens, who were making The Penny, dressed in blue. The outfit it provided a nice break from the live the most of the Bank Holiday weekend matched his style: a cool, calm, almost acts, all the punters dancing oblivious sunshine. transcendent delivery about owning to how ridiculous they looked, myself I then headed off to Club Burrito German whips, coming from London included. City Sound Project this year where I saw Riskee and the Ridicule and friends that get too drunk has been bigger than ever, and shows before going to the Penny Theatre to huge potential for years to come in this Day 2 see Coasts, who were on my must-see innovative and growing small festival. Chad: Day two of City Sound list. The band were the first act of the
Sheezus – Lily Allen The woman who ditched the music industry for motherhood is back. Clearly not content with keeping her opinions to herself, Allen is sometimes cringingly outspoken going on lyrical rants. The album itself is a contradiction, preaching feminine unity on the title track then ripping into a number of girls on Insincerely Yours. It seems like Lily has lost that sharp lyrical humour and charm she once had, attempting to claw back some of that limelight by having an opinion on everything. I Never Learn - Lykke Li Sad pop is a pretty saturated genre, so it takes something pretty special to cut above all the whining out there. Lykke Li’s third album sees the Scandinavian singer-songwriter present an emotional, honest account of heartbreak that makes you want to go out and live rather than wrap yourself up in a quilt and cry. Lykke Li has managed to create an exposed, organic sound that stands out from all the heart break centred albums that flood the industry today. The New Classic - Iggy Azalea The much anticipated debut from the FauxAmerican accented Australian Iggy Azalea fails to live up to the potential that the Ignorant Art EP teased us with. Gone is the raw Iggy of before, replaced by an unusual, perfectly produced sound. Not that this album isn’t good, it just could have been better. Full of catchy playful, pop songs that are sure to be hits, Iggy has created something to enjoy. A new classic? No. Worth a listen? Certainly.
18
IQ Culture
cultural events calendar Sun 25th May Darwin Summer Fete Darwin Rose Gardens Sun 25th May onwards The Lunchbox The Gulbenkian Cinema Mon 26th May Café Live - The Bills The Gulbenkian Fri 30th May Café Live - Plantec The Gulbenkian Fri 30th May-Tue 3rd June Tracks The Gulbenkian Cinema Sat 31st May The Marlowe Comedy Cabaret The Marlowe Studio Sat 31st May Robin Hood The Gulbenkian Cinema Sat 31st May-Sun 15th June The Whitstable Biennale Various Locations in Whitstable Mon 2nd-Sat 7th June Pygmalion The Marlowe Theatre Tue 3rd-Wed 4th June Dumbstruck The Marlowe Studio
youtube’s rise into mainstream
James Shinnie
A lthough once perceived as merely another obscure facet of the internet, since 2012 YouTube has grown into a household name accompanying sites such as Facebook and Twitter as the forerunners of the online media revolution. As an advertising platform YouTube has found its niche as a cash cow, with partnerships providing a legitimate source of income for successful channels, the most popular vloggers being offered up to £20,000 to feature an advertising banner on one of their videos. The closeness of those producing the content for their audience provides the most obvious explanation for the site’s popularity, with fans able to dictate what they want directly to vloggers with no intermediary means, who by being constantly in touch with their viewership have a very clear image of what they want. While traditionally YouTube has been a platform for subcultures without mainstream representation, such as video gaming and underground music communities, recent years have seen a rise in the popularity of vloggers with a much more widespread appeal. Channels such as those belonging to Zoe Suggs and Alfie Deyes have become the acceptable and flawless faces of YouTube’s move into the mainstream. While the content of these channels is decidedly innocent and light hearted, featuring fashion advice and funny challenges not unlike those which could
be found in television aimed at young teens in the recent past, the revenue available to these vloggers is far more impressive. Public appearance charges run into the thousands of pounds, and the asking price for a product placement in a video or Instagram/Twitter post being upwards of a grand.
While not always recognised by mainstream audiences, video bloggers have recently been noticed by well known media heavyweights such as Simon Cowell. In a feature running from mid-2013 named ‘The You Generation’, the harsh-but-fair face of the X Factor has master minded a cloyingly sweet alliance between popular vloggers and the biggest names in mainstream culture, with Cowell’s expertly crafted money making super group One Direction meeting Zoe Suggs in it the second most popular video.
The similarities between these seemingly very different types of celebrity heralds the rise of YouTube as serious media outlet, with its crucial advantages of accessibility, and most importantly, its lack of viewing charges. However while the titans of the mainstream, such as Justin Bieber and One Direction, are shaped by an industry expert in catering to its audience, the most recognisable names who found fame through YouTube are overwhelmingly self-made. Those creating the content and those viewing it are connected very closely, a large amount of the appeal of vloggers such as Zoe Suggs being in their similarity to the average teen viewing their material. Whereas other mainstream figures had their talent shaped by an industry to be presented to fans, YouTube has shaped them through its fans, and is only now being grasped by more traditional medium. In its simplest terms the rise of these popular vloggers goes to show YouTube’s development into a media equal to television, their growing following depicting the entrance of every type of person into areas of the internet more traditionally dominated by frequent users.
best places to study on campus Caitlin Webb
So it’s that time of year, where stress is at its highest and everywhere you go people are walking around with their clear pencil cases. Where can you go to avoid the constant reminder of exams and get some of your own work done on campus?
1. Library toilets Since that’s one seat in the library that will actually be free.
2. College computer rooms I’m not going to be prejudiced to a particular place but I am Darwin ‘til I die. 3. Senate lawn With a beer in the sunshine - not sure how productive it is but you’ll feel better while you’re getting vitamin D and not stressing! 4.Rutherford Study Hub Formerly a bar, Rutherford study hub is a new area suitable for studying alone or in groups. Open from 7am until midnight, this little area is a great place to get some work done.
5. Colyer-Fergusson building You can get a nice coffee at the Gulb and then sit on comfy seats to chill out and revise.
6. Red Room in K-Bar It’s the room next to K-Bar that is usually empty and you can’t really hear the music of K-Bar from the booths. If you’ve had enough of campus, there are also many cafés, bars and libraries in town, but with the help and advice as well as the support of friends, campus is where it’s at this revision season.
IQ Culture
how to survive your exams
Caitlin Webb
It’s exam period again, when all of your hard work is going to be tested in a two hour slot sitting in a hall with 200 other nervous wrecks. At least with these five tips you should be more prepared. This should help you through and I know after years of studying to get to university, you’ve got this.
1. Get rid of distractions Block Facebook with extensions like Concentrate on Google Chrome. Put your phone on silent and get out of the social area. 2. Let yourself procrastinate Occasionally (and yes that means I’m allowed to write this article). It’s good for your creativity, enhances focus
and Oprah swears by it. However you need to do it right. Constructively procrastinate, don’t just waste time. Constructive procrastination: writing an article, reading the news, watching a TV show, turning on the radio, playing one level of a game. Wasting time: watching a whole series on Netflix, completing a whole game on your phone or getting lost for hours on YouTube. 3. Actually read your notes Rather than make new ones, you might have written something important
Photo by Ross Websdale
down. 4. Get the crayons and felt tips out It’s the one time of year that I resort to being a school child again and my pages
are rainbow-coloured, it helps your visual memory and equations, policies and timelines are prettier in colour
The Kindle is a fantastic invention. You could be reading 50 Shades of Grey – hey, I don’t judge - and, for all anyone else knows, you’re intellectualising on Ulysses. It’s also fabulous if you’re a Humanities student, like myself, and you have a mountain of books to buy (YEAH, THANKS ENGLISH DEPARTMENT) – you can grab a version of the Canterbury Tales for 73p,
Photo by Andy Forgrave
about the same price as a chocolate bar. If you are a proud owner of a Kindle, or any of its rip-offs, you have access
to a library that is as visually deceptive as the Tardis or Hermione’s handbag. It’s practically like being Doctor Who, people. You’re also pretty much singlehandedly saving the planet, as you have cut down on your paper usage. You’re welcome, mother earth.
However, having experienced life after physical books, there are also a few niggles. Not sure if this is true for every model, but my Kindle didn’t find it necessary to have page numbers, or line numbers for poetry. Fun times referencing that! Instead we are given a percentage of how far through the text you are. This may sound helpful when you’re trying to race through a book for tomorrow’s seminar, but if you’re wrestling with a big mother like Dickens’ Our Mutual Friend, which advances 1% every, say, twenty pages, you will want to commit atrocities (such as changing to a Science).
society spotlight Kent Rock Society Jack Hadaway-Weller Hi, I am the current Tech Officer for The Kent Rock Society which is a group dedicated to providing a diverse range of live music events, pub socials and meet-ups for musicians.
rather than drab, boring grey-scale. It’s a win-win situation. 5. Have some order You’ve sat exams for over 10 years. Since primary school you’ve been tested and challenged, you’ve done this before and you’ve got yourself to university. You should know what works best for you by now. So even if it means talking to yourself, covering your walls, making a song or poem; just have some order and structure otherwise you’ll lose track of what you have revised. You’ll forget what you wanted to remember to remember. Good Luck!
technology versus tr adition
Ginny Sanderson Newspaper Comment Editor
19
Furthermore, when you get to said seminar, and your leader says “turn to page 34”, this is very humiliating. You can’t just skim through pages, either. And you can’t commit the heresy of folding down pages, or – heaven forbid – highlighting good quotes. Come on, we’ve all done it.
Our society caters to people whose musical preferences are a little bit more alternative. We hold weekly meetings on a Monday at 6:30pm in GS3 where we discuss ideas, arrange events and after we often hang out over a few drinks. We put on a large music event at least once a term where we invest in bands from all over the country to come down and play for us. The committee is currently deep in preparation, organising a huge Alternative Summer Ball for 6th June. This term we have been successfully linking up student musicians of varying experience with one another in order to create bands, teach and improve musical techniques as well as experimenting with something different. If you have got time during in your hectic revision schedule and want to make some new friends then feel free to come and see what the RockSoc is all about and join our Facebook group.
Photo by Mike McCune
And, for god’s sake, where is the satisfaction of closing the book, having finally completed it, sighing, and reclining back into your armchair with cup of tea in hand? Not quite as dramatic with a Kindle (I’ve tried). So, having measured the pros and cons of both parties, I have come to the conclusion that, though a Kindle has its uses, books prevail. While I said that before a Kindle likens one to the Doctor, possessing a heap of dusty old books is like being Dumbledore. What’s more, you simply cannot beat the experience – the smell! the clean pages! - of a crisp new book.
Contact us if you would like to see your society in this column!
20
IQ Culture
words of wisdom Motivation “No, I will not stop. For every minute of the rest of my life, I will fight.” Rapunzel, “Tangled” “The starting point of all achievement is desire.” Napoleon Hill “And bad mistakes I’ve made a few I’ve had my share of sand kicked in my face - but I’ve come through.” Queen, ‘We are the Champions’ “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out.” Robert Collier “Stop looking down at the ground, pick it out in the clouds.” Newton Faulkner, ‘Clouds’ “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” John D. Rockefeller “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.’ Albert Einstein “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Kelly Clarkson “I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” Thomas Jefferson
sounds new festival review
Matthew Gilley
Canterbury was treated to yet another exciting and eclectic Sounds New programme earlier this month. The annual contemporary music festival kicked off in an understated fashion with the opening of a special exhibition in the Sidney Cooper Gallery. A new installation from prominent British sound artist Janek Schaefer was at its heart, responding to the music of Robert Wyatt, an influential prog rock musician and singer/songwriter from Canterbury. In Schaefer’s installation, a collection of vintage radios were arranged in the middle of the room, receiving signals from three transmitters playing excerpts of Wyatt’s music. Heavy with static, the resulting sound was quietly dense and enveloping, the emissions of each radio largely blending into the next and just about rising through the buzz of the substantial crowd – which is probably quite appropriate, given Wyatt’s relative lack of fame despite his widely acknowledged influence on other musicians. The following Tuesday, Robert Stillman gave a performance (with his band) of Leap of Death, a suite of music he wrote based on the lost silent film 4 Devils, by F. W. Murnau, probably best known as the director of Nosferatu. In a silent film, the music has to shoulder more of the narrative burden.
Here it had to take almost all of it. Appropriately then, Leap of Death was wonderfully evocative. It whirled with the protagonists, wept with them and, at the right moments, the undercurrent of dread was unmistakable. Aside from Stillman himself, on the saxophone, the star of the show was drummer James Maddren. His real highlight, and the highlight of the whole performance, came as the music reaches crisis. The rest of the band kept a staccato pulse in 9/8, muted yet insistent, whilst Maddren skittered all over the kit, perfectly capturing the jittering of nerves in bursts of arrhythmia. It was a technical marvel as well as perfectly pitched emotionally – the frantic motion building in intensity to a brilliant anti-climax. Closing the festival in mesmerising style was Wajahat Khan, a master of the Indian classical instrument the sarod. It’s hard to describe the instrument to anyone who hasn’t seen it, but it has a lot of strings, a metal, fretless neck and a banjo-like skinned body. It also occasionally sounds a little bit like a banjo when it twangs, but that comparison still feels forced. Mostly, to these ears at least, it sounds like Sufi chanting, an ancient Islamic style of warbling, yearning singing. The similarity was reinforced when Khan actually sung some Sufi chants, the two sounds complimenting each
other personally. Khan’s playing was mesmerising, mixing soulful, sliding melodies with expansive resonations and explosions of breakneck rhythms. There was a wonderful moment when one of these rhythms was passed between Khan and his accompanying tabla player like trading gunfire.
The Sarod, photo by Jean-Pierre Dalbera
Khan comes from a family of musicians stretching back 400 years, and his playing is steeped in tradition. But still it felt utterly contemporary. Not because the performance was especially new, or ‘modern’, but because, on a Friday night in a renovated church, it felt absolutely alive, electric. So, what could have seemed like a strange choice of finale for a contemporary music festival, turned out to be just right, a celebration of sound that, however old, still manages to resonate in a present moment. Next year’s moments are very much looked forward to.
stealing banksy controversy
Ruby Lyle Newspaper News Editor
At the end of April it was announced that an exhibition entitled, ‘Stealing Banksy’ was to take place at Me London on the Strand. Consisting of seven pieces, the auction was estimated to potentially sell for up to £3 million. The organisers, the Sincura Group, claim that the pieces were removed at the request of building owners where Banksy’s work was on display. The company continued on to state that the pieces were ‘sensitively salvaged’ and reject accusations of theft. In response, the artist (not formally known as Prince) himself put out a tongue in cheek statement on his website, both removing himself from association with the exhibition and saying it was “disgusting” that people were ‘displaying art on walls without… permission’. While Banksy is classed as a graffiti artist, he is also considered a modern national treasure and one of the leading forms of income for Covent
Garden stalls. As such, his words have predominantly been taken to be light hearted. However, should the removal of his work still be considered theft (especially when they were put there without the consent of building owners to begin with)?
There was recent controversy over the removal of Mobile Lovers by Dennis Stinchcombe in the hopes of the piece aiding towards the Broad Plain Boys’ Club remaining open.
Bristol’s mayor disputed Stinchcombe’s claim towards the piece as he believed it belonged to the people and as such was moved to the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery until the matter was resolved. Banksy, however, resolved the case of supposed theft by giving permission via letter to Mr Stinchcombe to do with the piece as he wished to aid the club. Perhaps the best way to examine the standpoint of the artist on the matter is to take note of the quote he included within his letter by Abraham Lincoln “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left behind by those who hustle”. It seems there is a growing trend of Banksy art being removed and sold, as was the case of ‘Stealing Banksy’, but does this really count as theft as Bristol’s Mayor, George Ferguson, infers or should the art be considered for sale? I side further with Ferguson and believe that the work should be left for public consumption as intended, after all, that’s why it was created in the first place.
22
Sport
ayrton senna - formula one remembers George Dagless
THE 20th anniversary of what is considered one of the most tragic events in the history of Formula 1, the death of three time World Champion Ayrton Senna, was remembered on 1 May. In already sombre circumstances, following the death of Austrian Roland Ratzenberger in the previous day’s qualifying, Senna lost control of his Williams and hit the wall at the tamburello corner at the Imola circuit. However, whilst his death will be remembered by many, what should not be forgotten is the fact that he was one of the greatest drivers to ever sit behind the wheel. In his 11 season career Senna amassed 80 podium finishes of which 41 were victories. Added to this, he scored a record 65 pole positions; it is no wonder Senna is regarded as a ‘great’. In an era that saw turbo charged Formula 1 cars and no
driver aids, Senna’s car control was second to none, blitzing the field on innumerable occasions, a field which contained the likes of four time champion and Senna’s great rival Alain Prost. Teammates at McLaren in 1988, Senna completely left the rest of the competition in his wake as he qualified a full one and a half seconds faster than second placed Prost, despite having the same car. A time gap of this magnitude in F1 terms is almost other worldly. Senna didn’t just lead from the front. When engaged in a battle for position he was as tough as they came. The Brazilian didn’t always have the best car but the performances he could squeeze out of them were nonetheless mesmerising; the 1992 Monaco Grand Prix illustrates this perfectly. Holding off Nigel Mansell, who would go on to win the title that year, in the closing laps despite an inferior McLaren car and tyres that were shot
to bits, Senna took the fifth of his eventual unparalleled six Monaco victories, one of the most notorious circuits on the F1 calendar. For many though one race in particular sums up the genius of Ayrton Senna. In 1993 at the European Grand Prix Senna lined up fourth on the grid at a rain saturated Donnington
Park. After the first corner he had dropped to fifth but what followed was Senna’s skill in a first lap nutshell. Regaining fourth from Michael Schumacher, he then relieved Karl Wendlinger of third place before ousting Damon Hill from second place at turn seven. Senna reeled in his old
adversary Prost, who was in a superior Williams, scything through the rain and snatching the lead at the penultimate corner of lap one. It really is one of the great F1 drives, words do little justice in trying to fully transfer how good it was, but then that rather suitably reflects Ayrton Senna. Indescribable.
tiger faces lengthy lay-off
selby seals maiden snooker win
Rosetta Stone
Percival Kleft
GOLF star Tiger Woods faces another period away from the sport after suffering yet another injury set back. The American, whose World Number One spot has been jeopardised by his injury, has admitted that he is unsure about his return to the fairways will be, as his recovery from back surgery is a “very slow process”. Woods, who has 14 majors under his belt, missed April’s Masters Championship in Augusta for the first time in his
professional career, and also looks set to miss the forthcoming US Open, on 12 June and the Open, in Liverpool, on 17 July. Tiger wrote on his website: “Some people heal up in three months, some people take four, some people take longer. “As for my return to golf, I really don’t know. I’m doing everything I can and listening to my doctors.” Woods will be hoping that his comeback is rapid, with a huge number of players looking to take his top spot from him, most notably, Adam Scott.
MARK Selby shocked the snooker world after beating the seemingly unstoppable Ronnie O’Sullivan 18-14 to clinch his first ever World Snooker Championship trophy in a thrilling encounter at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre. Selby did it the hard way though, after trailing ‘The Rocket’ O’Sullivan 10-5 at one stage, before embarking on a magnificent ten-frame winning run to take a 15-12 lead. Despite a sluggish performance in the first two sessions, Selby, who was a beaten finalist in 2007, managed to get the better of the pre-tournament favourite O’Sullivan, who was going for his third successive World title, and his fifth overall. It was a match for the purists, with tactical safety shots being integral to the outcome and delighting the crowd. The defeat for O’Sullivan, his first in a World final, leaves him two world titles short of Stephen Hendry’s record of seven in his quest to become undoubtedly the greatest snooker player of all time. Not only did Selby pick up the trophy, but he also won a
£300,000 cash prize, the most ever in snooker, and became the ninth player to win the Triple Crown, having won three Masters titles and a UK Championship. Speaking of his victory, Leicester-born Selby told BBC Sport: “Every time I got a chance, I felt like I was capable of scoring, but on Sunday I was missing balls because of tiredness. “But towards the end, when Ronnie came back to 15-14 and asked me the question, I probably played my best snooker of the final in those last three frames. I needed to attack him and I did.”
There was slight concern regarding the psychological state of O’Sullivan, which had become public knowledge throughout his career. Bsut after working with renowned sports psychologist Dr. Steve Peters, O’Sullivan remained upbeat despite his defeat. Snooker so desperately needed a gripping final to draw back audiences to the sport, and this year’s delivery certainly did not disappoint. In a sport dogged with corruption and betting scandals in recent years, the positives shone through for a sport that so badly needed them.
Sport 23
why david moyes was doomed as man utd boss Dan English Newspaper Sport Editor
FIRSTLY, let’s get one thing straight, the way in which this situation has been handled by Manchester United has been nothing short of disastrous. But Moyes had to go. United fans will tell you that the warning signs began to flash almost as soon as Moyes walked through the door. For me, Moyes took over the job too late. He should have entered the club the day it was announced that he was taking over from Sir Alex Ferguson, rather than waiting until July 1st (when his Everton contract ran out) to do so. The first transfer window was wasted; it’s as simple as that. Moyes, and Executive Vice-Chairman Ed Woodward, dithered for too long in the market, with United not officially getting anyone through the door at Carrington until almost midnight on transfer deadline day in the shape of Marouane Fellaini. United lost three of their first
six games, including defeats to rivals Liverpool and Manchester City and even a humiliating 2-1 loss at home to West Brom, with cracks beginning to show in United’s hierarchy. Questions were constantly asked about Moyes’ tactics, and his lack of touchline presence. United fans were used to seeing Ferguson barking orders on the touchline, especially if they were being beaten, but Moyes looked lost, and lacked that demeanour he had at Everton which brought him some top finishes season upon season. United needed a big January transfer window to bolster the side for the business end of the season. The title, an alien concept to Red Devil fans, looked surrendered by New Year’s, and so big signings were needed in order to push for a top four finish. Moyes seemingly pulled off a huge move then, when he signed Chelsea’s Juan Mata, their player of the season for the last two campaigns, to the delight of the United following.
But results failed to improve and the hammer-blows came in March, when two home defeats to Liverpool and Manchester City, both 3-0, saw the divide between fans and manager really open up. There was the infamous plane fly-by arranged by some fans sporting The Wrong One – Moyes Out, a throwback to a banner at Old Trafford
championing the Scot as ‘The Chosen One’. Despite these defeats, and United languishing in 7th place, the Glazers championed Moyes as their man. He was going to be the man to spend their £200+ million warchest in the summer, in what looks as though it’ll be one of the biggest rebuilds in United’s history.
But this came to a shuddering halt when Moyes and his side were well beaten by his former side Everton at Goodison Park, mathematically ending (although hopes had died well before then) the chance of a Champions League place for next season. Moyes sat slumped in his dugout whilst his Assistant Manager Steve Round flicked, embarrassingly, through a file of set plays their United side failed to complete. So, it’s not hard to see why Moyes has been removed from his position. Perhaps he deserved more time, and perhaps he needed one more transfer window to get it right, but the Glazers appear not to be willing to gamble once again with their club, and so the only solution appeared to be to sack the Scot. Moyes is a good manager, his track record proves this, but, crucially, he wasn’t a United manager. For United, the imminent arrival of Louis Van Gaal opens another chapter in the history of the club.
a summer of team kent fixtures who’s the best boxer? David George TAKE time out from exam preparation throughout this summer term and cheer on Team Kent at a variety of sporting fixtures to end the academic year. The summer term sees more Varsity fixtures taking place, including Cricket and Athletics. As well as this, for the first time ever, there will be a Team Kent Charity Darts event. The Athletics Varsity, 18 May, unfortunately took place after this edition went to print,
but a full round-up of all the events that took place across the fixture is available on the InQuire website. On Friday 23 May, attention will turn to cricket, with the annual Varsity fixture between Team Kent and Canterbury Christ Church getting underway at the St. Lawrence Ground. The fixture, formed of two Twenty20 contests, will see the Women’s match start at 3:30pm, and the Men’s at 6:30pm. Kent’s Women’s side will be looking to avenge their eight-
wicket defeat last year, whilst the Men’s will be hoping to retain the trophy they eased to with a 48 run victory 12 months ago too. Attention will then turn to the inaugural ‘Let’s Play Darts’ charity event at Venue on June 3rd. With the atmosphere of the World Darts Championship set to be recreated in Venue, this is not an event to be missed. So don’t just bury your heads in your books this summer, get out and roar Team Kent onto victory.
Stuart Smith FLOYD Mayweather Jr’s record in professional boxing stands at 46 wins, 0 losses and 0 ties. On 3 May of this year, Mayweather did what he was expected to do and beat Marcos Maidana on points after the Argentinian put up much more of a fight than expected. Floyd’s unblemished record has put him amongst the sports icons but claims he’s the best boxer to have lived is a little overzealous. The most obvious claim to the title of ‘Best Ever Boxer’ is that of Muhammad Ali. The American boxer is very likely the sport’s most famous figure as a result of his unorthodox style in the ring, and his eloquence out of it. His wit and self-confidence was unmatched during his time; you could call him boxing’s Joey Barton (Ha!). “I am the greatest,” Ali said before his fight with Sonny Liston in 1964 but Ali has since claimed that he is not, and he gives that honour to one Sugar Ray Robinson. The Middleweight was the
reason why sportswriters created the “Pound-for-Pound” comparison. A total of 200 fights in his career saw him win 173 of them with 108 of the being by KO. While the win percentage is nowhere near Mayweather’s 100% success rate, competing in more than 4 times more matches completely nullifies that stat. Sugar Ray truly had it all. He was agile, and not only were his punches very quickly thrown, but they had an unbelievable amount of power behind them as well. Mayweather handed Britain’s Ricky Hatton his first defeat (ending Hatton’s 46 fight winstreak) but in my opinion any claims of being the best-ever are premature until he’s squaredoff against Manny Pacquiao. Egos are everything in sport, and Maywweather Jr. has his in abundance, which makes him either a like him or hate him character. Personally, Ali is my greatest ever, but he believes Sugar Ray Robinson is and who am I to argue with such a legend of a man?
visit our website at - www.inquirelive.co.uk/sport
InQuire sport man city clinch title on final day
George Dagless THE dust is beginning to settle on one of the closest fought premier league seasons. A season which combined a brutal relegation scrap with a title race not settled until the final day. The title race boasted four sides until Arsenal’s customary breakdown left us three sides from early March. Arsenal’s drop coincided with Liverpool’s rise to the top of the Premier League tree. A renovated Liverpool side attacking with abandon, yet it seemed defending had also been abandoned as Steven Gerrard’s now infamous slip opened the door for Manchester City. Then, tie in their eleven minute cave in against Crystal Palace and the door had been blown off its hinges. City were now in the
driving seat and did not look back, ruthlessly claiming the title after seemingly letting it go at Anfield merely weeks before. Chelsea meanwhile lurked in the shadows. Jose Mourinho’s ‘little horse’ stayed until the final furlong but, distracted by a run to the Champions League semi-finals, could not last the distance. And what of Manchester United? A title race without the Red Devils is unheard of yet this season threw that in too for good measure. David Moyes endured a torrid time as the theatre of dreams became a pantheon of nightmares. The Scot succumbed to the sack after defeat at previous employers Everton. If the battle at the top seemed close, the struggle at the bottom was infinitely tighter, as half
the teams in the league spent the season looking over their shoulders. Eventually Norwich, Fulham and Cardiff were sucked into the Championship vacuum, all three sides bringing in inexperienced managers at one time or another put pay to their Premier League status. Norwich sent Chris Hughton packing with four games left, Fulham excused Martin Jol and Rene Meulensteen before picking Felix Magath, like Norwich, far too late a decision. As for Cardiff, trying to work out Vincent Tan’s ideologies is one of the season’s great mysteries. If changing kit colour wasn’t enough for the fans then removing favourite Malky Mackay for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was. Stability is an all too important factor in
relegation dog fights and so it proved as old heads, Steve Bruce, Sam Allardyce and Tony Pulis, guided their sides to safety. Pulis pulling off a miracle as Crystal Palace, who were cannon fodder at the start of this campaign, finished an astounding eleventh. The ongoing soap opera at Newcastle rumbled on as the magpies entered free fall at the turn of the year, with Alan Pardew losing his head against Hull City. North East rivals Sunderland turned into the Harlem Globetrotters on their way to safety as they drew at Man City, won at Old Trafford and broke Mourinho’s undefeated record at Stamford Bridge, not bad for a side with Jozy Altidore on their books. Mark Hughes rebranded Stoke
and took them to a solid ninth place, West Brom’s decision to bring in a foreign manager just about worked and for Aston Villa the season ended at just the right time. Swansea put faith in former player Garry Monk which proved to be the right call and Tottenham also called on the services of a former player, Tim Sherwood. If one team and manager were to reflect the season and us as fans it would be Spurs. Flattering to deceive often, Tottenham would get hopes up one week and then bring them crashing down the next, all with the on looking Sherwood throwing his coat around in unbridled fury, a feeling felt by thousands for 90 minutes every week. More of the same next year please.