InQuire Issue 13.11 by InQuire Media

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InQuire The University of Kent’s student newspaper

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11 May 2018

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Issue 13.11

Review: Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo

Inter-Korea Summit: A Korean View

From Tourist to Homeless: A Canterbury Tale Lifestyle Page 27

Opinion Page 7

Culture Page 13

Kent Down 19 Places in University Ranking By George Knight Writer

he University of Kent has dropped 19 places in the Complete University Guide League Table for 2019. Falling from 25th in 2018, to 44th in the most recent release. This is the lowest position the University has held in the past decade. This news is the first and only result yet received about the University’s overall rankings for 2019, as other prominent League Tables likes the Guardian and the Times Higher Education have yet to be released. The Guide’s rankings are based on 10 measures, including

research, student satisfaction, and graduate prospects. Whilst American Studies, Art & Design, Iberian Languages, Linguistics, and Marketing are still ranked in the top ten for those fields in the U.K, subjects such as Chemistry, Drama and Dance, and Economics dropped in rankings. The reasons behind this fall is, according to Paul Greatrix of the University of Nottingham, ‘due to an increase in StudentStaff Ratio’, suggesting that the universities had fallen due to a larger group of students relative to each member staff. The Universities current studentstaff ratio, according the CUG collection, is 18.4, meaning that

for each staff member there are currently 18.4 students. Although these figures suggest that each student would have less contact time with staff, the CUG states in its criterion that ‘A low student–staff ratio does not guarantee good quality of teaching or good access to staff.’ Many ranking tables even dispute the necessity and impact of this feature, with the Guardian arguing that the ‘ratio of the number of staff to students does not accurately reflect teaching intensity and does not reveal who is performing the teaching.’ Kent’s research and teaching intensity is still high, ranking 0.85 out of 1.00, its teaching

quality is ranked as ‘Gold’ by the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) and its graduate prospects is rated 82.4 out of 100.0. Comparing Kent to other universities both higher and lower in the ranking, highlights, as the Guardian suggests, how the ranking system does not necessarily reflect quality. The University of Lincoln which now sits one place above Kent on the table has lower Graduate Prospects at 76.0 and St George’s University of London, placed at 52nd, has Graduate Prospects of 93.6. St George’s is an enlightening comparison to Kent’s recent development. Despite falling from 34th place in 2014 to 52nd in 2019, the University’s quality has not fallen as a result. Kent is not alone in this development. Hull has had a similar fate, dropping from 74th to 94th place. In responce to the 2019 league rankings, A University of Kent spokesperson said: ‘The University has achieved a top 10 position in five subject areas and a top 20 position in 15 subject areas in the latest

Complete University Guide. It has also increased nine places to 16th for Graduate Prospects. However, we have undertaken an alignment of our staffing load calculations, which has ensured parity between all staff groups but meant that our overall position has dropped this year. This change in the calculations did not impact on the delivery of our teaching either in terms of the number of contact hours delivered or class sizes.’ The University’s 2020 plan is to secure a position as a top 20 UK university.Many students have been particulary vocal about the University’s drop in ranking. Maisie Golding, Communication Manager for KTV has called on the university to focus ‘giving brilliant teaching and having amazing admin staff’. Other universities have also had drops for other reasons. Both Falmouth University and City, University of London have fallen between 24 and 27 places respectively, along with Middlesex which had the most severe drop of 32 places, all due to ‘a decrease in Graduate Prospects.’

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Sport

Animal Testing at Kent is Up By Emma Leach Science Correspondent

he use of animals in science experiments is an outdated research model. That is the claim that UKC animal rights activists put to the University of Kent last month with their protests outside the UKC science labs. Students from the Animal Rights Committee and Animal Justice Project stood outside of the Jarman Plaza in fully black clothing, demonstrating against the University’s use of animals in scientific tests and experiments. Security was heightened around Stacey and Ingram buildings during the protest, with campus security being placed at the doors and students advised by email to bring their student IDs if they required access to the buildings. The march comes after a Freedom of Information request revealed that animal testing had spiked in the last year. Figures from 2017 show that 476 mice were used for research purposes, compared to only 76 in 2016. Of the 476 mice used in regulated procedures during 2017 at the University, 170 of these mice were used within the School of Biosciences. At present it is not clear in which departments the remaining 306 mice were used. Claire Palmer, of the Animal Justice Project, stated: “One of our questions to Kent University is, can they tell us, can they justify, the huge increase in

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Sarah Reed, the Science Support Manager for the School of Biosciences, told InQuire that: “Some animals are used in the study of circadian rhythms, and also to investigate how sperm determine sex-ratio, a study that we hope will eventually lead to a significant reduction in culling and wastage of animals in farming. “Yes, some of the reported “experiments” refer to the breeding of geneticallyaltered animals (these animals show NO adverse effects as a result and are only classed as experimental because the law requires it). All the animal use by Kent is classed as ‘Mild’ or ‘Sub-threshold’.” According to advisory notes on recording and reporting the severity of regulated procedures from the Home Office, mild procedures are: “Procedures on animals as a result of which the animals are likely to experience short-term mild pain, suffering,

or distress, as well as procedures with no significant impairment of the well-being or general condition of the animals.” The classification of mild pain is equated to pain caused by a conventional injection. The definition for subthreshold severity procedures is as follows: “It is possible that procedures authorised under a project licence could result in below threshold severity. These will be few, but will occur when it was considered that a procedure might have caused above-threshold pain or suffering, but in retrospect this did not occur for some or all of the animals involved. “Examples will be the breeding of genetically altered animals under project licence authority but without a harmful phenotype or dosing with a compound in feed where the animals ate normally and suffered no consequences of being dosed.”

Venue to Trial Anti-Spiking Kit By Jordan Ifield Writer

James Bayliss

newspaper.sport@inquiremedia.co.uk

mouse use?” “We do know from our own research that they are doing work on circadian rhythms; we know they are breeding transgenic mice and we know that they are causing injuries to mice as well.” Further concerns were also expressed that the University was planning to begin research on rats in the future. Statistics on Scientific Procedures on Living Animals in Great Britain from the Home Office revealed that in 2016, 1,215,921 of experimental procedures carried out in the UK were performed on mice, which is 72.8% of all procedures. The report for 2017 has yet to be released. Criticisms have been raised about the University’s lack of communication between themselves and student groups, with the UKC Animal Rights Committee having unsuccessfully requested talks with the University since September 2017. When asked what the University could do to improve their openness on the use of animal experiments, the group said that they could sign the Concordat on Openness on Animal Research, with institutions such as the University of Cambridge and Cancer Research UK already signed to the concordat. They also expressed a wish for the University to have a debate with Dr André Ménache, a veterinarian who provides scientific advice to multiple animal rights groups.

he club scene is important to students on campus, allowing them to let off steam, but it comes with its threats—

one of the scariest of which is having your drink spiked. To counter such a serious threat, and to make the club safer, Kent Union have announced a new pilot scheme, allocating 500 drink spiking detection tests to Venue over the summer term as part of their Zero Tolerance campaign. Spiked drinks can incur loss of balance, visual impairment, nausea, vomiting, and most disturbingly, loss of consciousness. If you think your drink has been spiked, immediately make someone you trust aware of what has happened. The kits are

being held under review for the next academic year, but once the drink spiking detection kits are implemented, you’ll be able to test your drink and find out. These detection kits have the potential to prevent countless criminal acts and will make clubbing and partying safer for students. Tests will be carried out randomly by staff, and your drinks may be replaced for no additional cost. The scheme is expected to be put into action at Summer Ball 2018, an event that could be pivotal in deciding if the kits will be used next year. A usual kit will consist of an

object that can be placed into the drink that will react, in some way, to any drugs that have been added e.g. straws that change colour. Despite this speculation, it is currently unclear what kit will be used at Venue. Drink spiking is a serious crime, but neither the police nor the University record statistics on it. Its relative prevalence on campus, therefor, is unknown. But this pre-emptive strike by the Union against such practices is a good step in combating potential dangers for students on nights out.

Friday 11 May 2018 InQuire

UCU Suspends Pension Strikes Over Summer Term

News

By Bill Bowkett Website News Editor

urther strikes at UK universities have been postponed a year after members of the University and College Union (UCU) voted to accept new proposals aimed at resolving an ongoing dispute over pensions. Over 50,000 UCU members, a record turnout for the union, voted by a margin of 64% to 36% to accept a new proposition made by Universities UK (UUK)—the representative organisation for the UK universities—to end the ongoing industrial action. A joint expert panel will now re-evaluate university staff pensions schemes, provided through the University

Superannuation Scheme (USS). The dispute began after UUK proposed to change the pensions of staff on the USS, which the UCU claimed would leave lecturers £10,000 a year worse off in retirement. The prospective changes to pensions prompted 14 days of industrial action at 64 universities in February and March, and more strikes were planned to go ahead during the summer exam period. However, the news of an agreed settlement between the two parties has resulted in the suspension of any further strike action. A spokesperson for UUK said: “The decision by UCU members to support the creation of a Joint Expert Panel means that

strike action is immediately suspended. “This gives students important reassurance that they won’t be affected by further disruption during their summer study and exam period. “Reviewing the methodology and assumptions in the current valuation will build confidence and trust and increase transparency in the valuation process. “It will provide an opportunity to consider the questions raised about the valuation by scheme members and employers. “Working in partnership with UCU, we will now appoint a jointly agreed chair for the panel as soon as possible before developing its terms of reference, order of work and

timescales.” Sally Hunt, the UCU general secretary, said: “The union has come a very long way since January when it seemed that the employers’ proposals for a defined contribution pension were to be imposed. “Now we have an agreement to move forward jointly, looking again at the USS valuation alongside a commitment from the employers to a guaranteed, defined benefit scheme. “We hope this important agreement will hearten workers across the UK fighting to defend their pension rights and was won through the amazing strike action of UCU members.” The decision to suspend industrial action was also welcomed by the National

Union of Students (NUS). “We are pleased to see a deal has been reached,” said Shakira Martin, NUS president. “Students have wholeheartedly chosen to support their staff during this dispute, and we have seen inspiring displays of solidarity on campuses across the UK since day one.” University of Kent ViceChancellor, Karen Cox, assured students via email that “We will continue to focus on minimising the impact of the past strike action and will continue to update you as more information becomes available.” The Office for Students has urged universities to make clear what impact the strikes had and how any related disruption will be handled in the future.

News

Mosque on Campus Sent Letter of Hate Containing Itching Powder

By Bill Bowkett Website News Editor

n Wednesday May 2, the Imam of Canterbury Mosque was reportedly injured, after being sent a ‘letter of hate containing itching powder’. A member of the Mosque, who at the time did not want to be revealed, told local media that the attack on Imam Ihsan Khan was related to the April 3 ‘Hate a Muslim Day’. ‘He opened the letter, and there was a powder that came out which made him start scratching,’ said the unnamed source. Kent police confirmed on the day that the Markez property received a suspicious package containing white powder on Giles Lane, Canterbury, at 12.23pm on Wednesday 2 May 2018. Officers arrived at the scene, along with crews from Kent

Fire and Rescue Service and the South East Coast Ambulance Service. Paramedics were also present at the scene, reportedly treating Mr Khan. A cordon was set up to ensure public safety, and Canterbury police sealed off Giles Lane leading towards the mosque, reopening the road the following day. The pathway leading towards Parkwood was also shut, and people that were present in the mosque were evacuated. The powder was tested and turned out to be a harmless substance. By 16.20pm, the police had cleared the area and reopened the road to the public. Canterbury Muslim Community England issued a notice at the time on its Facebook page on the day, calling the attack a “failed attempt to terrorise the Muslim Community.”

They added that this “will not prevent Muslims from practising Islam freely in Canterbury. Insha’Allah the perpetrator will be caught by the police and punished according to the law. Please make due for brother Ihsan and the Muslim community. May Allah protect us.” The police are investigating the possibility that two other antiislamic letters sent to mosques in Maidstone and Gravesend were linked to the Canterbury Mosque hate mail. Kent’s police and crime commissioner, Matthew Scott, says he was ‘utterly appalled’ by the suspected attacks. He vowed to do what he could to unite the local community to take on those who perpetrated racially-motivated attacks. “Let me be clear: incidents like this are as cowardly as they are terrible. We must not allow a small number of people

to succeed in trying to divide us on the grounds of hate. The community must stand together against hatred.

“We [will] work together for a safe, fair and tolerant society.” “I have been liaising with the police and reaching out to the community to make sure they know they have my full support and I will continue to provide extra support to the victims of crime and we work together for a safe, fair and tolerant society.”

Gurvinder Sandher of the Kent Cohesion Equality Council also condemned the attacks. “Kent is a very tolerant county and there has been tremendous amount of work to foster good race relations here. “The evidence speaks for itself; generally we have very good race relations. I am really pleased with the pro-active response from Kent Police and the positive messages from the crime commissioner. It is important people realise that we are not going to be divided by extremists who are trying to create discord in Kent.” In 2016-17, police recorded 902 hate crimes in Kent - up from 696 the following year. Speaking for the first time since the insident, Mr Khan said the community would “not respond to hate with hate”. “This is the first time our mosque has suffered anything like this but I am aware of others

Friday 11 May 2018 InQuire up and down the country which have been threatened, “ he said. “To be honest, we just didn’t expect it because Canterbury is such a peaceful area and we have very good relationships with the local community. “To be honest, I thought the powder was something like salt at first but the police said we can’t take any risks and I co-

News

Contents of Hate Letter ‘BANG! YOU’RE DEAD!’ ‘As you can see I have acquitted a weapon and I am more than more than prepared to use it on you and members of your Masjid (well I WILL use it on you, what I am saying!). So, my plans for 3 April (Dylann Storm Roof’s birthday*) did not go quite as expected, that’s no problem there’s still time.’

“We won’t let it affect our daily lives”

‘WAR IS COMING’

operated fully with them. “They were extremely professional and dealt with it in the best way possible for which I thank them and we are grateful for all the messages of support we have received. “We won’t let it affect our daily lives and I have notified every that the mosque is back to normal again and that we shouldn’t be alarmed and behave as we usually do and not respond to hate with hate.

‘SOME PICS OF THE MOST AWESOME KILLERS THIS DECADE ***** AND FILTHY *****BEWARE THE EXTERMINATION CREW ARE COMING FOR YOU!’’

Photo by MEND

* Dylann Storm Roof, is an American white supremacist who killed nine people at a Methodist Church in South Carolina

University to Review College System By Bill Bowkett Website News Editor

he University of Kent is to partake in a formal review of the college system, alongside senior members of staff and students, following an open letter submitted on behalf of the college committees. Vice Chancellor Professor Karen Cox has asked the Director of Student Services and Senior Master Dr Wayne Campbell to lead the review of the role of colleges at the University. Dr Campbell has appointed an external consultant who will be conducting focus groups, with College Committees being one of the first groups of students who will be approached during the review process, as well as any students who would like to input into this review. Kent Union said that they will be taking steps to address the issue alongside the review with a detailed action plan that outlines the following: 1) Kent Union have said that they will conduct separate exit interviews with all members

of the College Committees, that will be conducted by both a member of Kent Union staff and a full-time officer. These interviews will ask committee members about their experience in their respective roles, as well as capturing their views on how support and future improvements for college committees can be made. 2) Newly elected committee members of the college committees will be provided training where the expectations of their roles will be outlined, which will include a handover event between the old and new committees, giving new members the opportunity to meet their respective College Master and the Director of Student Services. Kent Union go on to say that this event will be replicated later on in the year for when the Kent Graduate Student Association (KGSA) holds their elections. 3) The duality of the committees working with Kent Union and their College Masters will mean that these relationships will be defined in the future. Kent Union say that they have already engaged with the College Masters who are

aware of these issues; they have received the details of the new college committees and they look forward to working with them in the forthcoming year. Kent Union writing: “When

finish by the review

has been completed and recommendations have been made, we will ensure that we will be involved, working alongside the college committees, to see through these changes and enhancing the student experience.”

What is the college system? When students join the University, they automatically become part of a college community that provides a support network; offering a range of support services and social activities. The six colleges at Kent are each named after distinguished British figures – Darwin, Eliot, Keynes, Rutherford, Turing and Woolf (the postgraduate college). Each college consist of a Committee made up of students who are nominated by fellow college students each year. They are responsible for arranging social events, like Keynestock and the Darwin Summer Fete, and they play a key role in student welfare. As well as a Student Committee each college has a Master’s Office, who is the first port of call for questions students have about University life. They are also responsible for ensuring safe student conduct and enforcing University regulations.

At a Glance InQuire wins ‘Excellence in Media’ at Student Activities Awards The judges recognised the paper for its comprehensive coverage of Varsity, both in print and online. ‘It was fantastic to see InQuire creating such strong and comprehensive coverage of Varsity 2018. The broadening of their reach with new social media channels, as well as their comprehensive interviews, photos and articles made them stand out winners.’ Other nominees for the award included KTV for their coverage of the Kent Union Elections and CSR’s West African Union Show. InQuire won for their cover of InQuire Varsity. Universities which ‘no-platform’ speakers will face Government intervention University Minister, Sam Gyimah, warned that universities must stamp out their “institutional hostility” to unfashionable views as he prepares to issue new guidance on free speech. It will be the first Government intervention since the free speech duty imposed on universities as part of the Education Act in 1986. Union President to Help Decide VC Pay Kent Union has announced that, from next year, the Union President will be present as a representative on the University’s remuneration committee. This is in response to the controversy across the U.K regarding the rising salaries of Vice-Chancellors, including that of Kent’s former Vice-Chancellor Dame Julia Goodfellow. The Union has also announced further representation on the University Council for a postgraduate representative, to represent the issues pertaining to PG study.

Opinion

Avicii’s Death and Mental Health Awareness By George D. Knight Writer

ith the sudden and tragic death of Tim Bergling, known as Avicii, on 20 April 2018, important questions about mental health in our modern society have been raised. Although the cause of his death was initially unknown, more recent news has revealed Avicii took his own life, which was largely attributed to his aggravated mental and physical health in recent days. One of the key themes in Avicii’s death is unseen mental health issues, especially as regards musicians in modern society. A large part of the misunderstanding over musician’s mental health likely results from their position as celebrities, as infallible and gifted individuals who embody perfection. They are figures which we aspire to follow, figures who we believe cannot possibly suffer from such problems. As Matt Medved said

for Billboard, a significant amount of this shock is rooted in the young nature of the Electronic music genre. ‘Its millennial fans are unaccustomed to burying their heroes.’ The issue of mental health, especially within the music industry, has only recently become a discussion. Organisations such as ‘Help Musicians UK’ have begun to take action to expose the reality of the music industry and the mental health problems that are far more pervasive than believed. The University of Westminster and MusicTank, in their study, ‘Can Music Make You Sick?’, has revealed that ‘71.1% of musicians are believed to have experienced panic attacks and/or high levels of anxiety and a similar number reported they had experienced depression.’ The self-doubt and anxiety problems for comedians are due to the unpredictability of work and high pressures, which increasingly led to feeling of isolation.

The most worrying findings were that many musicians failed to reveal these problems, fearing that increased support from friends and family would result in ‘feelings of guilt.’ Like many musicians, Avicii felt the increasing pressure which the industry placed upon him. He found it difficult to seek help, often avoiding ‘the spotlight’ for reasons that eventually plagued his mind. Some may argue that Avicii, a multiplatinum musician, could not face the same struggles that ‘Can Music Make You Sick?’ addresses, or at least to the extent which less established musicians would; this only goes to show that these

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issues are often difficult to spot, incredibly common and require the upmost care to ensure a balanced mental condition. The story of his

mental condition is difficult to piece together from the humble sentences released by Avicii’s family, but what is apparent is that he felt many of the same struggles which a majority of people face daily. Avicii’s story also underlines that painful experience was not an isolated case; it extends to tens of thousands of ordinary people, in all levels of society. Unfortunately, for Avicii, they were amplified by his famous position and the pressures from the industry he was in. Avicii will be remembered forever as a rising star who fell too soon. His music will forever embody a message about the dangers of unattended mental health. The music industry has been forever changed by his contributions, and his unfortunate passing has raised valuable questions about the current state of the modern music industry and social Photo by Shawn Tron | Wikimedia world.

Friday 11 May 2018 InQuire

Opinion

Inter-Korean Summit 2018: a Korean View By Maisie Lee Website Opinion Editor

t was a long night for me. Not because I was rushing through my assignment that was due the next day, but I, a kid from the generation that was born into an alreadypartitioned Korea, who was taught to accept the fate of separation caused by an unwanted war, was witnessing an extraordinary event. In the morning of the 27 April 2018, the Inter-Korean Summit was held. The leaders of the South and North have met at the South side of the Joint Security Area in Panmunjum, the infamous demilitarised border that has parted the country for over 70 years. With a bit of awe and surprise, I watched the diplomatic news break from the same news organizations that have proposed a potential nuclear war between the US and North Korea. Only a few months

later, the cameras flashed and Kim Jung Un became the first ever North Korean leader who step on the South Korean soil. President Moon Jae-In of South Korea said, “This border, Panmunjum is no longer a symbol of separation, but peace.” It was indeed a hugely symbolic moment for the international society, and of course, the Koreans, including myself. Because of how unexpected the meeting was, Korean media was buzzing with joy, anticipation, and celebration the entire day. It was not quite the same in the West, however, the brimming cynicism was hard not to notice. The internet was saturated with a concoction of curiosity and skepticism and people were questioning the intention behind Kim’s sudden pursuit for peace.

The summit endorsed a declaration that stipulates the denuclearisation of North Korea and a mutual agreement to end the Korean War. South Korean

Photo by Pool | Getty Images

foreign minister in her interview with Christiane Amanpour said, “it all happened very fast, even for the South Korean government.” This summit, however, was a destined outcome for many reasons. Kim Jong Un stands out from his paternal predecessors

with a different vision; a vision of transforming North Korea from an isolated and poor third world country, into a strong socialist economy just like neighbouring China. There has constantly been signs of change in the nation. Allegedly the majority of North Koreans have already accustomed themselves with market economy through ‘jangmadang’, the regional markets that are now spread all across the country. Kim’s discourse from the summit shows that he acknowledges this market trend and the growing reality of socioeconomic exchange with the outside world. He is willing to cast off the image of an aggressive recluse and start negotiating with the international community. South Korean president Moon’s negotiations were crucial, and cooperation between the NIS (South Korean Intelligence Agent)

and the CIA was able to ease tension by organising the joint Korean ice hockey team in the recent Winter Olympics, and arranging the NK-US summit that will take place in the near future. Trump may claim all the credit he wants—this is not about him. This is about the lives of 80 million Koreans and the families that are partitioned by the border; it’s about a divided nation that shares a single history, culture, and language. Not long after Kim crossed the border he said, “With more people crossing the border—like what I did just now—I’m sure the line will vanish, and we’ll soon reunite.” He sounded genuine to me, for he too is part of this tragedy. Many things remain unpredictable, but with a little sympathy, not for him but for the sake of the Koreans who have had to endure this sad history, why not give him the benefit of doubt?

CCTV in Canterbury: Personal Privacy at Risk By Jordan Ifield Writer The use of CCTV cameras in a contemporary society has been overlooked as a breach of personal privacy, with social media and the mass collection of data now being targeted as the main culprits for such crimes. Facebook has become the face of privacy breaches, with its selling of user data as widereaching as whether the user is a cat lover (it’s the internet, of course you are), or more disturbingly, where you live, your phone number, or even your cats name. Beyond social media’s privacy dilemma, CCTV cameras should take more focus. With the news that Canterbury has one CCTV camera for every 483 people, a wider debate on personal privacy should be encouraged. Whilst the initial debate over CCTV cameras harkens back to the era of the early 2000’s, where you had to physically stalk someone to get their phone number, the prospect of society falling into a “slippery slope” of Orwellian

surveillance may no longer be a hyperbole. Canterbury was recently put on record as having 336 CCTC cameras operating in the city, the sixth highest in the country, only one place behind Liverpool, who have a population three times greater than ours. Despite the arguably harsh reputation the northern city gets for its crime levels, the mere fact that Canterbury is only one step behind the much larger Liverpool should raise your eyebrows higher than Theresa May’s Brexit ambitions. Furthermore, the use of CCTV cameras, whilst heavily legislated on, has become a symbol of society where younger generations need not question their existence. The headline:

“Government surveillance has always been there, and you’ve never known”, followed by exclamation marks and emojis, may only be considered for a Buzzfeed article, but the underlying truth is there. It

may not be 1984, but if taken at face value, the Council, the Government, and that dodgy place you got your phone screen fixed for too much, all have video record of where you

have been. Working in retail for nearly 4 years, I have seen thieves and scammers being caught on CCTV, with their faces delightfully plastered around the internet, like a bad episode

responsible. Although I didn’t follow through with the conviction, my praise for CCTV has become naturally conflicted between personal privacy and security. Unfortunately, arriving at a compromised conclusion removes much of the suspense in an article of this nature. Personally, I begrudgingly call them “could be better, could be worse” scenarios, but one’s opinion of CCTV cameras most probably relies on age. If you were born in a time where asbestos was a good building material to work with for its insulation properties, then the presence of CCTV’s might well bother you. Whereas if you’re the sort of person that did more exercise in 2016, not because you made a New Year’s resolution to visit the gym, but because Photo by EFF-Graphics | Wikimedia Pokémon Go came out, then CCTV cameras won’t bother you. I think a compromise is of Black Mirror. And whilst possible by limiting access to having my bike stolen was the cameras. The government certainly not an experience should at least be more open I would like to repeat, the about when they are used, and use of CCTV allowed me the how easy it is to get your hands option to prosecute the person the recordings.

Opinion

Cancer Research Campaign Dissension By Miranda Thomas Writer

ancer research responded to Hagen’s tweet stating that their “campaign isn’t meant to make anyone feel bad about their weight or make anyone think negatively about people who are overweight or obese.” and that their aim is to “raise awareness of the link between cancer and obesity… as after smoking, obesity is the second biggest cause”. They also mentioned that it is their duty to “inform people about this and lobby the government on policies which will help us all to keep a healthy weight.” I also disagree with the claim that the campaign was implying or causing any kind of fat shaming of overweight or obese people and I am glad Cancer Research stood by their decision to keep the ad as it was, as it is no way a form of malicious attack on obese people and it was not created to embarrass them either (although Cancer Research decided to tone down the their campaign by amending the phrase from “Obesity causes cancer” to “Obesity is a cause of cancer”). Being underweight

or overweight comes with a lot of health risks and that is a laid out fact. Yes, it is normal that weight is perceived as a sensitive topic, however it cannot override the simple yet most important aim of the campaign which is to raise awareness of health and fight to save people’s lives. It should be noted that aside from cancer, obesity is known to lead to high blood pressure and obesity with high blood pressure can potentially lead to heart disease and further complications. Experts such as Professor Linda Bauld prevention expert at Cancer Research UK’s have explained that ‘Only 15 per cent of people are aware that obesity is a cause of cancer. Cancer Research UK has a duty to put that message in the public domain.” Surely any educational information on health and diet from experts should be accepted and shared by public. Cancer Research UK is an organisation dedicated to reducing cancer rates. Yet, they are being shamed for trying to set light on the issue by spreading awareness of obesity as one of the causes to cancer. The outrage perhaps was a bit

off taking the advertisement too personally and sensitively. All there was a mere fact and a good will to reduce cancer. Cancer research responded to Hagen’s tweet stating that their “campaign isn’t meant to make anyone feel bad about their weight or make anyone think negatively about people who are overweight or obese.” and that their aim is to “raise awareness of the link between cancer and obesity as after smoking, obesity is the second biggest cause”. They also mentioned that it is their duty to “inform people about this and lobby the government on policies which will help us all to keep a healthy weight.” I also disagree with the claim that the campaign was implying or causing any kind of fat shaming of overweight or obese people and I am glad Cancer Research stood by their decision to keep the ad as it was, as it is no way a form of malicious attack on obese people and it was not created to embarrass them either (although Cancer Research decided to tone down the their campaign by amending the phrase from “Obesity causes

cancer” to “Obesity is a cause of cancer”). Being underweight or overweight comes with a lot of health risks and that is a laid out fact. Yes, it is normal that weight is perceived as a sensitive topic, however it cannot override the simple yet most important aim of the campaign which is to raise awareness of health and fight to save people’s lives. I t should be noted that aside from cancer, obesity is known to lead to high blood pressure and obesity with high blood pressure can potentially lead to heart disease and further complications. Experts such as Professor Linda Bauld prevention expert at Cancer Research UK’s have

explained that ‘Only 15 per cent of people are aware that obesity is a cause of cancer. Cancer Research UK has a duty to put that message in the public domain.” Surely any educational information on health and diet from experts should be accepted and shared by public. Cancer Research UK is an organisation dedicated to reducing cancer rates. Yet, they are being shamed for trying to set light on the issue by spreading awareness of obesity as one of the causes to cancer. The outrage perhaps was a bit off taking the advertisement too personally and sensitively. All there was a mere fact and a good will to reduce cancer.

Photo by Sofie Hagen

Friday 11 May 2018 InQuire

Opinion

What Does UKCs Drop in Uni Rank Mean? By Matt Nutall Writer

arlier this week, the Complete University Guide released its 2019 rankings for UK universities. In the new table, University of Kent dropped from 25th to 44th, behind perceived minnows such as Nottingham Trent, Lincoln, and Strathclyde. For students this is of course concerning, but for the University it is a serious reputational knock, especially to its ‘almost Russell Group’ status. This designation has been one of the main draws for the university in previous years, but what functional meaning does it have? What is the Russell Group? The Russell Group is a collection of top universities who work together to maintain their quality. Formed in 1994, they share information on everything from staff quality to formal research in an effort

to improve their standards and, ultimately, make more money. It was not formed in order to be a group of excellent universities; rather, it’s a group of good universities who bonded together to better themselves. As such, the perception among students that the Russell Group is the cream of the crop is odd. Most of the universities in the Russell Group are indeed excellent, but not all of them. Queen’s Belfast, Queen Mary London, and the University of Liverpool do not even crack the top 35 universities in the Complete University Guide’s rankings, in spite of being in the

Russell Group. Meanwhile, St. Andrews, Loughborough, and Lancaster are all outside of the Russell Group, but are considered in the top 10 universities according to the Complete University Guide.

the Russell Group hold for potential students today? Very little. Unsurprisingly, the organisation works far better at helping its members, than it does as a metric for students, which it was never supposed to be. Cambridge and Oxford remain the undisputed gold standard for universities in the UK, but past that, whether a university is part of the Russell Group or not is mostly irrelevant. Photo by Tejvan Pettinger | Flickr Students should not bother Russell Group universities themselves too much about do tend to be good, but there it, and it should not be overly is not a particularly strong important to universities. Being correlation. in it or perceived as ‘near it’ So what real value does in the case of Kent, should be

more about the benefits gained from the group than about what the group itself signifies. Students, however, do care about it. Whether they should or not is beside the point, it matters because their peers think it matters. The aura of the Russell Group makes precious little sense, but nonetheless it exists, and universities are forced to deal with this. As such, the University of Kent falling to 44th, and so away from that ‘almost Russell Group’ bracket, perhaps matters more for perspective students than the reasons for Kent dropping in the first place. Students will be less likely to go to Kent if the university loses prestige, which will consequently lower the quality of Kent—creating a regressive cycle.Ultimately, this is a serious problem for the University, whether it ‘should’ be or not, but not necessarily for students.

Elon Musk’s Ridiculous Tesla in Space By Tiree Niven Writer

lon Musk has shot an old red Tesla Roadster into elliptical orbit around the Sun using a Falcon Heavy rocket; the floating automobile is the protagonist of a constant live-stream that will continue indefinitely, capturing surreal images of the car, its dummy passenger, our solar system, and distant stars.

Photo by Space X | Wikimedia

There is a 6% chance the car will crash back to Earth in the next million years, but it is initially meant to crash into Mars. This arguably reckless extravaganza, you might observe, is simply a concoction of a bored billionaire’s mind. I am in two minds regarding the justification of this somewhat fun ‘space exhibition’ of human

technology. I partly see it as an irretrievable and defenceless waste of resources, while demonstrating how easy it is to distract the media from more pressing news. This goading, reckless handling of money, which could be invested in cancer research, however, has reignited my interest in space exploration and discovery, with the SpaceX rockets themselves making me ever-more fascinated by space technology and how it can benefit to Earth-travel. The spacesuspended Tesla is in a timeless and repetitive orbit with no end goal. There is, in my view, a lack of purpose in its constant, unwavering circulation—it is merely a space decoration. We should be considering space more carefully, as William Morris,

a great designer, said, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful”. The same principle should be applied to the wider context of Earth and space. We would not want to see human destruction spread into space in the form of space-litter. In my eyes the Tesla is far from being ‘beautiful’, for it is, essentially, an out of date Earth technology that has become a piece of space junk; while it’s visual pollution takes away from the broad, starry spacescape. I am not convinced that the Roadster justifies a ‘usefulness’ in its new environment either. It represents a capitalist stamp on space. Musk has proposed that this event is the initiation of a ‘new Space age’ and ‘Space race’. But why would we want to replicate the past and dismiss the lessons we should take away from the history of colonisation and arms races? A race signals competition, and I’d rather see superpowers and trans-national corporations working together in a combined space initiative.

I am convinced that that would be more progressive and positive than having companies divisively competing for a bid to somehow hold dominance over Earth’s atmosphere. The intention of the project is publicity, attracting interest from the public, and media outlets, and rocketing Tesla’s brand to new heights. Nevertheless, my overriding reaction to this event is positive. I have become fascinated by SpaceX rocket technology and I am keen to see it develop. What way will the branches grow, when will they blossom, and what will the flowers and fruits created by our space age be? Hopefully this coming space age will center around a need to conquer space, for it is a shared resource and in no way should be exclusive to the wealthiest members and companies of earth. Space is to be admired in peace by the space and car-enthusiast alike; but, of course, it would be nice to see space simply existing around us without any more miscellaneous floating cars disrupting the stargazer’s view.

Friday 11 May 2018 InQuire

What’s on... BREAKFAST RAVE - ZUMBA TASTER SESSION Friday 11th May at 9am. This is a FREE event. ISLE OF DOGS (PG) Tuesday 15th May at 7pm. BREAKFAST RAVE - KENT BALLROOM AND LATIN DANCE CLUB TASTER SESSION Friday 18th May at 9am. This is a FREE event. DE-STRESS OPEN MIC NIGHT Saturday 19th May at 7pm. This is a FREE event. THE GREATEST SHOWMAN (PG) Tuesday 22nd May at 7pm. BREAKFAST RAVE - KENT BALLROOM AND LATIN DANCE CLUB TASTER SESSION Friday 25th May at 9am. This is a FREE event. RAMPAGE (12A) Tuesday 29th May at 7pm. SHARKNADO (15) Tuesday 8th May at 7pm. AVENGERS (12A) Tuesday 5th June at 7pm. BREAKFAST RAVE - KENT SALSA TASTER SESSION Friday 1st June at 9am. This is a FREE event. SCHOOL OF ROCK (PG) Tuesday 5th June at 9.30pm.

Prices Full - £8.50 GulbCard Member - £6.50 Senior - £7.50 Registered Disabled - £7.50 Student - £5.30 Student GulbCard Member - £4.30 Unemployed - £7.50

De-Stress at the Gulbenkian By Molly Hope Newspaper Culture Editor

ulbenkian will become a safe haven to get away from exam stress and deadline woes. We know this time of year can be hard, and we want to make sure there is always somewhere for you to take a deep breath and relax. Don’t worry if you are also hoping to catch some big releases, our TwoForTuesdays include Wes Anderson’s latest work of art, ‘Isle of Dogs’, on Tuesday 15 May at 7pm. University of Kent’s excellent acapella group, Jacapella, will be returning to our screen to get you in the mood for our Sing-Along screening of the feel-good film of the year; ‘The Greatest Showman’, screening on Tuesday 22 May at 7pm. As well as a new release action film that will surely give your mind a couple moments rest, Rampage is storming our screen on Tuesday 29 May at 7pm. And, of course, we couldn’t let this TwoForTuesday season pass without including a screening of the record breaking ‘Avengers: Infinity War’, on Tuesday 5 June at 7pm. We also know you may need something more than a couple hours of distraction; you might be looking for a little bit of motivation. Waking up during exam season is hard, and exercising amongst all the revision is even harder! We have you covered. Breakfast raves are coming to the Gulbenkian, and we plan to give you the immersive morning dance experience that will have you ready to face a day in the library head-on. Here is how they are going to work; between 9:00 am 1:00am grab a breakfast sandwich and cup of tea, and then escape from your worries to the discotheque with laser lights, and a disco ball to boot. We’ll have a Spotify jukebox open so you can request all your favourite songs, as well as a free taster session each morning. On Friday 11 May, Emma Cooke of Kent Sport will be bringing her high energy Zumba taster session to the Breakfast Rave. On Friday 18, and Friday 25 May, Kent Ballroom and Latin Dance Club will lead a free taster session where you will be introduced to the waltz, jive, cha-cha, quickstep, tango, and many more. And on Friday 1 June, the Salsa

Society will sweep you off your feet with a free taster session. Amongst our TwoForTuesday screenings and invigorating Breakfast Raves, we will also be hosting a few one-off events. We will be opening up our café stage for a free open mic night on Saturday 19 May at 7pm, that will see spoken word artists, rappers, singers, dance groups, and anyone else who wants a stage to perform. A couple acts are already booked in for the evening, but otherwise you’re free to rock up and sign up for a slot on the day. This event is a celebration of student talent, a perfect escape from the seasonal worries that come along with third term exams. Looking to book a slot? Please e-mail Imogen Dodds at i.dodds@kent. ac.uk. This open mic night will be fundraising charity as part of Kent Union’s IDAHO, International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia. Alongside this, we will be hosting our first ever Gulbenkian Uncovered Film Quiz! With rounds contributed by the Film Society, the Hogwarts Society and Musical Theatre as well as our own carefully curated questions. Entry will be £1 per team member, with a max of 6 people per team. Don’t worry, whether you are a movie connoisseur or a film novice, there will be a round for you. Our final event of our de-stress season will remind you, “Don’t let the man bring you down”. We will be hosting an outdoor screening of ‘School of Rock’, the story of an unemployable heavy metal guitarist starting a band of fourth-graders in an attempt to win the upcoming battle of the bands competition. We will be screening ‘School of Rock’ outdoors on Wednesday 6 June at 9.30pm. Seating will be available on a first come, first served basis. Don’t forget to bring a couple of blankets with you to keep warm as the sun sets.

Photos by The Gulbenkian

Culture

The Musical Theatre Society presents...

‘Half A Sixpence’

By Rachel Claxton Writer

he UKC Musical Theatre Society’s fantastic production of ‘Half a Sixpence’ ran for three nights at the Gulbenkian in late marh. Based on a novel by H.G. Wells, the musical tells the story of Arthur Kipps, a young man living in Folkestone during the Edwardian era. It depicts the events that ensue after Kipps inherits a large fortune, and begins his ascent of the social ladder. The plot revolves around the love triangle which develops between Kipps, his childhood sweetheart Ann, and Helen Walsingham, an educated upperclass woman. It is almost impossible to pick just one stand-out performance from the cast. Arthur was played brilliantly by Emelie Duke, a talented young actor with a beautiful voice and superb comic timing. He had great on-stage chemistry with

howling with laughter from the moment he stepped on the stage. His comic scenes were a welcome change in what was at times a highly emotional story. It is important not to ignore the contribution of the chorus in a production like ‘Half a Sixpence’. The play’s big ensemble numbers such as ‘Flash Bang Wallop’ and the finale had the audience enthusiastically clapping along from their seats. It was clear from the polished dance routines that accompanied these songs that a lot of hard work went into choreography and rehearsals. The story ended happily, with the audience left with the moral message: you can’t buy happiness. Overall, ‘Half a Sixpence’ was a delightful production, and I look forward to seeing many more MTS shows in the future.

Melissa Davis who played Ann. Their emotive duet to the title song ‘Half a Sixpence’ was one of the play’s best moments; the audience gave it enthusiastic applause. Special mention should

Photo by MTS Facebook Page

also go to Lawrence Harp, whose scene-stealing performance as Harry Chitterlow had the audience

Arts

Art Spotlight Discarded Dreams @ The Beaney

18 High Street, Canterbury, CT1 2RA Saturday 31 March to Sunday 13 May Free admission An exhibition created by the homeless to give expression to their issues, hopes and dreams. Catching Lives, Canterbury’s homeless shelter, has run a number of arts projects that draw their clients into expressing their feelings and hopes and have shown that this can give new confidence to participants. It has also been discovered that many of the homeless have latent artistic talent that is looking for an outlet. This exhibition of their work is a testimony to their imaginations and abilities.

Photo by The Beaney

Sensational Season for Kent Dance By Issey Spurway Writer

childhood sweetheart Ann, and Helen Walsingham, an educated upperclass woman. It is almost impossible to pick just one stand-out performance from the cast. Arthur was played brilliantly by Emelie Duke, a talented young actor with a beautiful voice and superb comic timing. He had great on-stage chemistry with Melissa Davis who played Ann. Their emotive duet to the title song ‘Half a Sixpence’ was one of the play’s best moments; the audience gave it

enthusiastic applause. Special mention should also go to Lawrence Harp, whose scene-stealing performance as Harry Chitterlow had the audience howling with laughter from the moment he stepped on the stage. His comic scenes were a welcome change in what was at times a highly emotional story. It is important not to ignore the contribution of the chorus in a production like ‘Half a Sixpence’. The play’s big ensemble numbers such as ‘Flash Bang Wallop’ and the

finale had the audience enthusiastically clapping along from their seats. It was clear from the polished dance routines that accompanied these songs that a lot of hard work went into choreography and rehearsals. The story ended happily, with the audience left with the moral message: you can’t buy happiness. Overall, ‘Half a Sixpence’ was a delightful production, and I look forward to seeing many more MTS shows in the future.

Photos by Kent Dance Facebook Page

Friday 11 May 2018 InQuire 13

Books

Reviews:

Culture

‘Confessions of a Sociopath’ ‘Stay With Me’ by M.E Thomas Ayobami Adebayo By Molly Hope Newspaper Culture Editor .E.Thomas is a highfunctioning, non-criminal sociopath and in her novel ‘Confessions of a Sociopath’ she writes with breathtaking honesty about her life spent trying to blend in with normal society while quietly manipulating others and wreaking havoc. I suppose I picked this book up for much the same reason as the many other thousands of people that have made this book a bestseller – because we all have a hidden and somewhat perverse curiosity about the people that society labels ‘freaks’. This curiosity can be dated back to the eighteenth century when people would turn out in droves to watch the bearded lady sing, or the bear-man dance. Whilst most of us probably consider ourselves to be slightly more civilised nowadays, the principle remains the same. Mainstream society has an innate curiosity about outsiders, perhaps even dangerous outsiders. The sociopaths – sometmes referred to as psychopaths – are part of that dangerous unknown, they’re hidden in plain sight. The author of the novel defines sociopathy as a lack of empathy and throughout the book she describes herself as constantly analysing and manipulating those around her in order to amuse herself – and often to hurt others. This concept seemed entirely alien. How could she truly not feel an ounce of guilt or compassion for those around her, even her closest friends and family? It made me feel genuinely uncomfortable to know there were people like that out there – though I suspect this was the author’s intention. I got the distinct impression that I was being manipulated through the pages of the book, going along a path she’d laid, seemingly of my own free will, but that she already planned out carefully and precisely. At the start of the book I felt like I was being let in on a secret or getting a peak at the unknown. But, by the end of the

book I felt worn out, like I had been exposed to too much information and I had begun to question society norms I had previously taken as fact. Thomas offered unemotional, objective takes on society and how we handle moral dilemmas. Human interaction, our careers, relationships and sexuality often highlighted the irrational, emotional reactions of most people that could be easily avoided by a sociopath. She was keen to promote many sociopathic traits as not only non-dangerous, but sometimes desirable – and I found myself agreeing with her. The risktaking and charisma that often make sociopaths have very successful careers are definitely traits many of us wish we could emulate. I was also struck by Thomas’ unflinching confidence and simultaneous self-awareness, she recognised her strong points and readily admitted her faults. It was a refreshing self-reflection. Thomas’ book offers the reader a unique and startling new take on what many of us do every day without a second thought. Perhaps more importantly though, it shed light on the mystery of the sociopath, and dispelled many untrue or exaggerated perceptions we have of them. It also explained some of the nastier sides to sociopathic personalities. Thomas is quick to assure the reader that sociopaths can definitely be dangerous and warns readers to be wary, but she also states that many sociopaths like herself can be normal functioning members of society who have never hurt anyone (at least physically). Sociopaths have been branded as dangerous, and been made outcasts since before the word sociopath was invented. It could benefit many people to hear their side of the story – they may have more to offer society that you might expect.

Photo by wikimedia

A poignant portrayal of a Nigerian couple’s marriage falling apart... By Emmanuel Omodeinde Writer

perspectives of the husband and wife, ublished in 1958, ‘Things Fall Akin and Yejide, and switches back and Apart’ was the first African forth to contrast their perspectives. novel to receive global attention and This technique captures how people introduced the world to the Nigerian can experience the same things and feel author Chinua Achebe. Achebe has completely different about it. However, since been deemed “the father of Adebayo’s characterisation of her modern African literature.” protagonists is sympathetic, His legacy still looms and the reader is not large over African encouraged to align literature with a particular published character; both today, and are deeply especially flawed, but on Nigerian they’re just literature. human. Taking its The title from narrative William goes back Butler and forth Yeats’s between poem ‘The 2008, the Second present Coming’, day, 1985 the novel and onwards is set in and the past. pre-colonial Adebayo subtly Igboland and brings in the follows how an Igbo political context Photo by wikimedia village is changed of the military coups when British Christian of the 1980s and 90s missionaries arrive. Six decades before Nigeria established a stable later, it has become the archetypal democracy in 1999. The politics never and most widely read work of African overshadows the love story at its centre. literature. Although I love Chimamanda Ngozi Ayobami Adebayo, an up-and-coming Adichie, and have related to characters writer, has clearly been influenced in her novels because they were by Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Nigerian, I felt a stronger connection Adichie. Her debut novel, ‘Stay With to the characters in ‘Stay With Me’ Me’, is fresh, exciting, and challenging. because they were Yoruba, like myself. It was shortlisted for the prestigious, And like Adichie, Adebayo uses her Bailey’s Women’s Prize for Fiction in native language, Yoruba, in the novel 2017.Adebayo was inspired to write making it all the more powerful. The the book after the deaths of two of her novel also brings in Yoruba folktales close friends to sickle cell anaemia, and superstitions, things I had become and the effect their deaths had on their disconnected to as a diasporic Nigerian. families. Nigeria has the highest rates It is full of drama and tension; at of sickle cell anaemia in the world – a times absolutely heart-wrenching, and quarter of the coutry either carries the other times hilariously melodramatic trait or has disease. Adebayo, now 30, like a Nollywood film. Adebayo’s use has the trait herself, and got her BA in of language is evocative, and I found English Literature at Obafemi Awolowo myself often shocked and emotional. University in Nigeria, and got an MA in Tears are to be expected. Creative Writing from the University of ‘Stay With Me’ is an impressive, East Anglia. tenderly written, debut novel. It ‘Stay With Me’ follows the marriage explores complex and difficult themes, of a Yoruba Nigerian couple, which whilst capturing one of Nigeria’s diverse begins to fall apart when they struggle unique cultures. to conceive. The story is told from the

Culture

Fiction

Consent. By Megan Warwick Writer

ll I can remember was the bottle of Smirnoff. Which was then exchanged with a drag of a cigarette. Which became exchanged for a puff of a joint. Exchanged for a white circle. Exchanged for the kiss of another’s persons lips. Exchanged for a shot, downed in half a second. Exchanged by flickering lights. Exchanged by selfies. Exchanged by drunken dance moves. Exchanged by a beat. It had begun sober. The sober became tipsy. The tipsy became flirty. The flirty became giggly. The giggly became drunk. The drunk became smashed. The smashed became trashed. That was then replaced by vomiting. Replaced by crying. Replaced by laughing. Replaced by stumbling. Replaced by slurring. Replaced by sweating. Replaced by swearing. Replaced by shoving. Which was then intervened by being thrown out of a club onto the sick

layered pavement. Intervened with by breaking a nail. Intervened by vomiting again. Intervened by your mates bursting out of the club in a cluster. Intervened by the call of a taxi number. Intervened by the price of the taxi and your only procession being a £1.99 McDonalds voucher. The voucher becomes exchanged for a cheeseburger. The cheeseburger exchanged for a high five. The high five exchanged by this morning’s breakfast. This morning’s breakfast exchanged for a glass of water. The glass exchanged for a phone to check the taxi fares, which still haven’t gone down. The phone exchanged by a handhold. The handhold is then exchanged for a tug. The tug exchanged by a railing. The railing exchanged with the ground. The ground exchanged for a tight grip. The tight gripped exchanged for a brick wall. The brick wall exchanged for a scratch. This then moves onto the sound of

footsteps. Moving onto a passer-by’s eyes averting. Moving onto being trapped in the alleyway. Moving onto hot hands, wet lips and a firm grasp. Moving onto realising the situation. Moving onto resisting. Moving onto cries out into the darkness. Moving onto a skirt hitched up. Moving onto a heartbeat increasing. Moving onto more tears of fear. Its interrupted by a noise. Interrupted by his eyes glancing up. Interrupted by a car driving away. Interrupted by isolation. Interrupted by a scream. Interrupted by his hand slamming down over peach painted lips. Interrupted by sobs. Interrupted by moans. Interrupted by tears of worry. Interrupted by the blinding of smudged mascara. He then continues. Continues to caress. Continues to grab. Continues to hitch the tight mini skirt up. Continues to pull at Calvin Klein’s. Continues to breathe grottily into a place of hearing.

Continues. Continues to push. Continues to press. Continues to touch. Continues to steal consent. He then speaks. He says to wear more clothes. He says not to walk home so late. Says not to wander the street alone. Says it’s your fault. Says you’re lucky to be touched this way. Says you’re worthless. Says you’re going to feel this for the rest of your life. Everything just stops. The climax stops. Body stops fighting. Palms stop sweating. Heart stops racing. Mind stops spinning. Body temperature stops rising. All noise stops. The groaning stops. The pounding stops. The pain stops. The fear stops. It’s replaced by numbness. Replaced by coldness. Replaced by harsh air from where his body was. Replaced by the wet ground. Replaced by a blank face. Replaced by a black shadow. Replaced by silence. Replaced by emptiness.

Friday 11 May 2018 InQuire 15

Science

Plastic-Eating Serendipity

Culture

By Emma Leach Science Correspondant

ccidental discoveries, the world of science is full of them. Every secondary school teacher will have reminded you that it’s okay to make mistakes in science, and then they’ll bring up the example of Alexander Fleming and his discovery of penicillin. That is the most famous example, but, in fact, the range of products born from accidents is shocking: from explosives to adhesives, from corn flakes to viagra, from the slinky to the pacemaker. One of the most influential scientific accidents was made in 1907 by the Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland. He was attempting to produce a replacement for shellac, a resin secreted by bugs. Due to the resin being solely excreted by South Asian beetles, it was very expensive. He tried combining phenol with formaldehyde, and managed to produce a form of plastic which became known as Bakelite. Plastic has since gone on to change the modern world, present in every

aspect of our lives, and increasingly our environment. Huge efforts have been made in recent years to raise awareness of the damage caused by plastics, particularly single-use plastics on the wider environment, and particularly marine ecosystems. 110 years after the accidental discovery of Bakelite, another accident has given a new avenue of hope for reversing some of the damage inflicted on the planet by plastic. Researchers from the University of Portsmouth accidentally made an enzyme that is effective at degrading plastic. In 2016 the bacterium Ideonella sakaiensis found outside a bottle-recycling facility in Japan was discovered to have naturally evolved to degrade a commonly used plastic. The discovery sparked interest in the potential for this bacteria to be used in the recycling and degradation of plastic waste.

It is yet to be seen whether this knowledge can be scaled to an effective form of plastic recycling, and undoubtedly reducing the use of plastics is still preferable to industrial processes, but this discovery could potentially provide an avenue for cleaning up the plastic tide in the future.

Photo by pixabay

Stephen Hawking: The Star Who Shone Light On Black Holes By Emma Leach Science Correspondant

knew who Stephen Hawking was before I understood what physics was. For many years I did not understand what it was he studied. I only knew that he was an incredibly intelligent man, and that being bound to his wheelchair did not prevent him from doing anything. His death came as a huge shock; despite being given only two years to live back in 1963, it felt like he would go on forever. He was diagnosed with ALS at the

“I have lived with the prospect of an early death for the last 49 years. I’m not afraid of death, but I’m in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first.” age of twenty-one, Stephen Hawking managed to achieve more in his seventy-six years than most would dare to dream of in a number of lifetimes.

He studied and taught at some of the best academic institutions in the world, and published papers for fiftytwo years on black holes, quantum gravity, wormholes, and various areas of theoretical figures that most of us would struggle to comprehend. He travelled widely, met presidents, appeared on TV shows and even experienced zero gravity. Sadly, he did not quite get to experience one of his greatest wishes: to fly into space. He was a man of tremendous spirit, and famous sense of humour. He was not afraid of challenging other physics giants at the beginning of his career

and he gained notoriety as a dangerous driver of his wheelchair around Cambridge University; a wheelchar, which he helped develop, that could translate his brain patterns. It allowed him to continue to live his life as full as he could make it. He continued to quench his incredible thirst for questioning how the universe works. His lasting legacy in Photo by YouTube the world of physics will probably be his theory of blackbody radiation released at the edges of black holes, named Hawking radiation. His multiple works towards unifying general relativity with quantum theory will

no doubt keep theoretical physicists busy for many decades to come.How do you honour a man such as Stephen Hawking; possibly the most widely known physicist since Albert Einstein?

“I hope I will be remembered for my work on black holes and the origin of the Universe, not for things like appearing on ‘The Simpsons’.” It would be all too easy to watch one of his appearances on ‘The Simpsons’, or curl up in front of ‘The Theory of Everything’. Perhaps it would be more fitting to attempt to read one of his books to gain a better understanding of the universe as he saw it. At the very least we should all aspire to capture a bit of his inquiring mind. His family have lost a loved one.The UK has lost a national treasure. Physics has lost a giant. The Universe at large has lost a star.

InQuire

Edgar’s Story

A young man finds himself left with few options, and decides that the only way to live his life at home was to leave. It’s the story of many Mexicans who decided to migrate illegally to the United States. Edgar is a real person. His name has been changed, but the story is his, and this is how it happened. By Jasper Gilardi Newspaper Editor

dgar was seventeen when he made his way to the United States for the first time. He hadn’t finished high school yet, but he wasn’t going to either; his dad could no longer afford to put him on the bus every day. When he wasn’t in school he’d be on the family farm tending to la milpa; the combination of corn, beans, and squash, which are the staples of the Oaxacan diet. But the farm wasn’t what it used to be. Many years had come and gone since it had last produced enough food to support the family. Some years were too dry, and he dark brown earth would crack and shrink under the sun. The plants would shrivel. Other years they would get too much rain, and the low-lying beans and squash would drown. There wasn’t any money in farming anyway. Edgar’s Mom had been injured when she was a kid, and had since endured four spinal operations to correct the damage. The medical bills were as crippling for the family as her prognosis. She can walk just fine now, but she can’t turn her head or move very fast, not that she has to. But this is a town where people work all their lives’; it’s not uncommon to see men in their late nineties, armed with hoes, doing battle with the weeds that seem to invade every year. You work ‘till you’re dead, no

exceptions. You start when you’re young too. Edgar had been helping the family out on the farm since he was a kid, and at nine years old his uncle taught him how to carve the little wooden figurines that the town is now so famous for. Back then you couldn’t make money carving, but these days it’s a different story. The way Edgar puts it, thirty years ago the town would have been unrecognizable. They’ve got cars, bikes, TVs, and cinderblock houses now, but back then they lived in their adobe houses with their goats, donkeys, and cattle. The whole family slept in one room too, all nine of ‘em. Palm mats on the dirt floors were all they had for comfort. When he could, Edgar’s dad would work construction. It payed a lot better than farming, but it still wasn’t enough. Construction and farming: those were your job options. And when there wasn’t much to be harvested, then there wasn’t much construction either. The money for new buildings would dry up with the wells. Edgar didn’t see any other options; there wasn’t a town he could commute to, or a business to start. North, it was the only option. His three brothers were already up there working in Santa Cruz, in California. When a few of them came

back to see family, that was his chance. He borrowed money from an uncle, and they went north to Tiajuana to find a coyote, one of the people-smugglers, who could get them across the border. It didn’t cost much back in those days, $300 would get you door to door. But that was six-weeks salary for Edgar if he’d had a job. But he knew that his father needed support, and he knew the pay would be good; the people who were coming back to San Martin from the States were building big cinderblock houses with flushing toilets. All Edgar’s parents had was a hole in the ground surrounded by sheet metal. Somewhere beyond the Tijuana hills he’d get a job that would pay him enough to live like that. It wasn’t hard to cross: a quick thirty-minute walk through the shrubbery with a van to pick them up on the other side. They could even see the border control agents while they crossed. They didn’t have the big spotlights or the security systems then, crossing in the dark was virtually undetectable. The van that picked them up took them to San Diego, and from there they drove the nine hours to Santa Cruz. Edgar got lucky; within his first few days in Santa Cruz he got a job. It was just two days of cutting down trees, but

he made more money in those two days than he would have in three weeks in San Martin. After that he struggled to find a steady job. Day labourers, like Edgar, will hang out in construction store parking lots waiting for people to swing by in need of workers. Edgar was young and scrawny, and he’d usually be the last in line to get picked. He also didn’t know how to use a lawn mower or a weed whacker: tools of the trade. One morning his brother, Lorenzo, got a call from a friend about a job. It payed $6 an hour. Lorenzo wasn’t interested, his restaurant job payed $10, but he asked if Edgar could do it. Friend: “Cuantos años tiene Edgar?” Lorenzo: “17” Friend: “Jovencito, demaciado joven, creo que no.” Later that night Lorenzo’s friend called back. Edgar could have the job. He woke early the next morning to catch the bus to his boss’s house, a couple who worked in Silicon Valley, but owned a little yard-working company on the side. When the wife, Karen, opened the front door they stood staring at each other. He introduced himself, and she asked how old he was, “18” he said. She didn’t believe him for a moment, but

Friday 11 May 2018 InQuire

he insisted, and she gave in. She told him he’d be working Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for the $6 an hour. He showed up Thursday anyway. And then he showed up on Friday, and Saturday, and Sunday too. From then on he worked seven days a week. The couple had one other employee, another guy from Oaxaca, just a little older. They were pretty nice to him; one day they came out with a ham sandwich and some ice tea for him. He’d never brought lunch to work before, but the couple made sure he stayed fed. He was being paid well too, making $1000 a month, and getting regular raises. Between the four brothers they were able to support the rest of the family back in San Martin. Pretty soon Karen asked him if he had a friend that could start working with them as well. The next day Edgar showed up at the front door with one of his brothers. The company kept growing until all four brothers were working for the couple. His dad joined them in Santa Cruz soon after as well. The company was growing so fast that they started calling back to San Martin for more employees to migrate up and start work. In 1996 Edgar and a few of his brothers returned to San Martin to see family. Edgar showed up in town with the new

Nikes he’d bought, basketball shorts, and a hat: branded clothes, luxury items that he’d bought in the States. It wasn’t long before realized that he’d been stupid with his money; he hadn’t saved much. Soon they were on their way back to Santa Cruz, and this time Edgar understood the importance of frugality. It was 1997 and this time it cost more than twice as much to cross, some $700. They made their way to Tiajuana again, and found a coyote. Before they started the trek, Edgar asked how long they’d be walking. The coyote told him it would be short twenty minutes. They were given a bit of bread, and half a liter of water, and started walking. The ground was treacherous. Coyotes and migrants have a name for this area, El Espino del Diablo, the Devil’s Spine: an outcropping of vertibrous ridges prone to rock slides and unyielding heat. But it was an el Niño year and the desert was unusually cold and rainy. After four hours Edgar asked again how long they would be walking, the coyote told him that they would walk through the night and then hide under rocks during the day. Border patrol would be flying over trying to spot migrants trying to cross, so they would wait until the sun fell before coming back out. By this time their teeth began to chatter. They

were out of food, and low on water: cold, and miserable. It wasn’t as Edgar had expected. They hid until the planes would be blind before crawling out of their rock caves. They reached their destination in southern Arizona later that night, and a van came to meet them in the desert. They piled in the back, but within three kilometers had were pulled over by border patrol agents. The agents gave them some food, and water, and then took them back to a detention center. They were deported the following morning. But Edgar and his brothers were determined to cross, so they reconnected with the coyote to try once more. They were caught again and again, five times, before they gave up, and went home. They just didn’t have the energy to keep trying. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise, Edgar started dating his future wife, and it wasn’t long before she was pregnant. Knowing the baby would be born out of wedlock, Rosa convinced Edgar to head north once again. He had second thoughts, but her father was going to be angry when he found out, and it was best for Edgar to be gone before he did. This time it took a few tries to cross, but in the end he managed it. It cost $1,300. It was 1999. He stayed for a couple of years. His son had been born, and since then a year had gone by. He was eager to get back and see Rosa and the baby. He also needed to speak with Rosa’s father about marriage. He got permission, and the two began their lives together. They wanted to build a house, but as there still weren’t many jobs in San Martin Edgar had to head north. It was just after the Clinton years, the economy was booming, and by this time the yardworking company had grown so large that they had two separate crews, one doing yard maintenance, and the other doing landscaping. Edgar got one of the landscaping jobs, and was soon making $17 an hour. He stayed for a year and a half; long enough for most of the house to be built. Soon after he had returned to San Martin they were t-boned by a drunk driver. Edgar, his mother, his sister, and their son were all in the car. It was a miracle that the boy wasn’t hurt, but Rosa, and Edgar’s mother, ended up in the hospital. Edgar knew that the other driver had been at fault, and so did the police who had arrived on the scene. But, this is Mexico and money makes the decisions. The drunk driver’s uncle was a local politician with some clout, and he’d convinced the judge hearing the case that Edgar had caused the accident. Edgar’s lawyer told him they’d only be able to win the case by paying off the judge, otherwise they’d have to reach a settlement with the drunk driver. The settlement offer was for 70,000 pesos. After the legal fees and the medical bills he only had 10,000 left. He gave in, and payed what he could. The money he’d saved up in Santa Cruz was finished. He and Rosa

had been building a house before the accident, and now they needed money to complete it. Rosa’s dad convinced him to head back up once more. He went back to work with Karen, this time making $20 an hour working construction. Edgar was working long days; he’d wake up at 6 am to make lunch, and then he’d be at work until 8 pm. When the guys he was working with were tired and grumbling he’d press on: “We’ll rest when there isn’t work to be done; when we haven’t got a job to do.” he’d tell them. But there never was. The company was thriving, and Edgar’s crew were moving from site to site. He knew that it would be his last chance to earn some money, the last border crossing had taken it out of him; he wasn’t 17 anymore. While he was away Rosa’s dad had given them a property in Oaxaca city. The property was just a bare patch of dirt, so they decided that it would be best for Edgar to stay in Santa Cruz a little longer. He would keep earning money so they could build a second house that they could rent out to students from the nearby university. So, Edgar kept working. When their lunch breaks came around he’d clean up the workers empty soda cans so that he could collect their redemption value from the local super market. As Edgar puts it: “I had to make sure I found a way to provide for my family back in Mexico. A lot of people who come back with a little money, or a lot of money, don’t invest it in anything, and it evaporates like water. They start to enjoy it, and they end up having to go back. The story never ends.” After 20 months he’d earned 70,000 dollars, and the house in the city was complete. It was time to head home. When Edgar saw what they’d built he couldn’t believe his eyes. He’d achieved the American Dream, but in Mexico. When he was kid he’d wanted to take Karate lessons, learn to play an instrument. He just wanted his own bedroom sometimes. He never got to live those dreams, but his kids do. His middle son is taking taekwondo lessons, and now plays the trombone. The oldest is just finishing university, and the youngest is too little to know what he wants yet, but the opportunities abound.

I interviewed Edgar as part of my dissertation. It was my last day of a three-week stint in the town, and the two of us, along with his son, had just hiked up the nearby mountain that afternoon. We were exhuasted, scraped and scratched, and it was late, but it was my last change to interview him. The thing is, Edgar can talk. We were up until the early hours of the morning chatting about his life as a kid, time in the United States, and his family’s life after he got back.

Lifestyle

‘Hold’ - the App to Stop You Using Your Phone By Victoria Rees Website Lifestyle Editor

old is an app developed specifically for university students. If you’ve found yourself struggling to work and unable to get away from the temptation of Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat then you may well benefit from Hold. The app locks your phone for 20 minutes at a time, showing only the time lapsed on Hold. When you press the button your 20 minutes begins, and you can keep the 20-minute cycles going as long as you’d like. Every 20 minutes, you are awarded 10 points. Your points add up and once you have enough, you can spend them on prizes. It works as great motivation to keep building up your points and focus on your work. Prizes include a £2 voucher for Costa in return for 1,000-points and even £5 vouchers for New Look and Amazon for 2,500. There are many more such as the free driving lesson from Midrive and a scratch and win Nike gift card for £50. I appreciated the schoolbooks, footballs, or pencils which you can donate to Unicef. Not using your phone while also working well? Sounds like a great deal to me. Getting the app was a win-win situation. Not only was I not using my phone, but getting real and usable rewards in return for it. Getting to the 1,000-point mark felt like a real achievement. Going into town to get my coffee, I felt quite proud of myself. When I tried to exchange my hard work for my chai latte (a lastminute change of heart), however, I was told that there was no money attached to the code which Hold gave me to scan. Luckily, I had enough on my Costa rewards card to get it for free anyway. Having emailed Hold to get my points back and try again, I still haven’t received a reply. Rather disappointing. The other disadvantages of the app are that it stops working after 11pm and tells you to go to sleep. I do understand its reasoning behind the curfew, encouraging students to have a healthy sleeping

Life

How Yoga Can Change Your Life By Sara Kilian Website Culture Editor

he concept of yoga in its traditional context emphasises the importance of ‘union’, or ‘connection’, and of selfawareness; among the ubiquitous definitions of this, Hatha yoga for example neatly describes the connection of the upward force (prana) with the downward (apana) that meet at the centre (manipura chakra), to master the potential of our life force. In my reading about the practice, I found that the many paths through which you can approach yoga (in that they vary in methods), they all ultimately, and hopefully, lead to an augmented union to with the self and with life, Photo by Juliette Leufke on Unsplash keep as well as gaining a higher it on to consciousness. The Indian yogi collect points Sadhguru has defined this ‘union’ as while sleeping. But I bringing a person to ‘the ultimate reality, regularly work later than 11pm and where individual manifestations of life are adjust my sleep accordingly. If it surface bubbles in the process of creation.’ shut down at midnight this would The literature on the concept of yoga is be a good compromise and also interesting particularly for illuminating make it more useful. your practice, but difficult to comprehend Overall, Hold did stop me from at times; one of the things to keep in mind using my phone for a long time if you’re on the fence about starting yoga and allowed me to get a lot of work is that you don’t have to be a spiritual done. I have found myself using person. Yoga is fantastic because anyone my phone less because of it. There can practice it, anywhere, and the things are, however, still a lot of problems with it. The prizes take a long time to get and won’t necessarily work. Despite this, I would recommend it to other students because at the end of the day I got my head down and finished my essay long before the deadline—all thanks to Hold. The app is available for both apple and android devices and can be downloaded for free. pattern and stop working at a good time and stopping smartasses like me who try

that it teaches are absolutely worth all the work. I started yoga earlier this year when a friend asked me to come along to a class, I had no expectations beside an ambivalence towards my abilities as a result of assuming that yogis were super flexible humans made of rubber (false; some people are naturally more flexible, and a lot of it is down to practice), but after one and a half hours I was convinced that I wanted to do this every week. Now, I practice every day at home when I can’t make it to a class, and encourage anyone to do so—you’ll find an array of fantastic videos online that take you through the techniques and methods. I started teaching myself through videos also so that I wouldn’t suck in classes, but I have learnt so many important things beyond just improving my positions. For example, caring about your body and practice by being patient and taking the time; the opposite of that mindset is wanting desperately to do a headstand on the first attempt and falling backwards (which wasn’t worth the pain). Yoga is challenging and honestly frustrating, but approaching it with integrity makes all the difference. The most important benefits for me are the physical strength that is builds and its help with meditation; I tried to meditate last summer, a lot, and only felt more frustrated when I couldn’t concentrate on staying completely present. Using your body and breath for this can be very helpful. Above all, it is so satisfying to notice little improvements every day, such as when you realise that your heels have come to the floor in down-dog.

Photo by Swaraj Tiwari on Unsplash

Friday 11 May 2018 InQuire

Style

Lifestyle

Convention? F*ck It.

By Connie Enzler Newspaper Entertainment Editor

Photo by Spiffster

ou know that feeling when you put on an outfit that makes everything else in your day flow perfectly? A few days ago, I wore a cropped tiedye t-shirt with high-waisted black jeans, topped off with a fantastic dark blue retro jacket. I felt confident in the originality of this outfit, which was nevertheless coherent in its matching parts and colour pattern. In other words, it was what one (and I refer to the general societal “one” that emits a unity of opinion on the matter) considers stylish: the slightest illusion of individuality within the rules of the current fashion. I was going along my usual business, spending time with the family and enjoying the newly-born spring sun when I came across… a tie. It was of an unremarkable dark blue colour, spotted with red and black ladybirds, and yellow and white sunflowers. Inexplicably drawn to this goofy accessory (the innocence of its natural drawings reminding me of the freedom to roam in the natural world) I began attempting to knot it around my neck. Finally, after many failed attempts, and my father’s experienced intervention (for it was, after all, his tie), I wore it successfully over my blue top, which was of a blue so slightly lighter than the tie that it clashed completely. My friend laughed as I exuded pride; my fantastically tacky outfit was full of colours and shapes that would normally belong in different dimensions. Yet, as I displayed it dramatically, something in the joy of

making fun of myself during a moment of ‘social energy’ produced a sense of relief as I disregarded the rules of “stylishness”; of constructed gender binaries, and overall public decency. My dad and I went to run errands and I kept the tie on; its significant remained in my attitude. I exchanged smiles with a few amused old ladies at the bank. The conversations with my father on the drive to town veered away from small talk to politely fill the silence, and into the illusionary addiction of social media, interwoven with the intentional complexities of customer-service in French enterprise. A glimpse at the rearview mirror reflected my unremarkable, makeup-less face (which I had gotten used to after deciding to ditch what had become an alternation routine, wanting to opt for real, exposed truth) sitting on top of an outfit which I found genuinely beautiful, not because I was oblivious to the apparently un-matching parts, but because of the various colours, patterns, and textures that, despite their seeming controversies, coexisted wholly on my person. As a social experiment, and making sure to express the delight what I was wearing was bringing to me, I sent a picture to a few friends. One of them replied: “Connie, I love you, but why are you wearing a tie?” and another,

“pls remove the tie asap thx”. But I didn’t. Those with a passion for fashion profess that the beauty of style is that it enables you to externally display your inner character. In theory, this motto should encourage the acceptance of diversity and originality. And still, convention casts it dark, suppressive shadow over sunflower fields: You’re not hipster enough to pull off those glasses; This shirt is too shapeless and masculine; that one is more flattering, it accents your curves. Why, oh why, are you, Connie Enzler, twenty-year-old blonde female, wearing a tie? Because, dear friend, life is too short to cover my own body with what suits other people’s impression of my character. It happens often: you come across a coat, or a scarf, that your friend immediately dismisses as ugly or weird, but to which you are inexplicably drawn. Perhaps it makes you nostalgic because it reminds you of an oversized jacket your mother used to have. Perhaps its fabric is soft, and the birds on it remind you to focus on the little things – even if it is poo coloured. Or perhaps wearing a tie over a tie-dye shirt makes you feel both free and professional, even if it is covered in sunflowers and ladybugs.

Florals? For spring? Ground-breaking. By Heather Guthrie Writer

ow this may be hard to believe, but spring is here. I know that you’re remembering the Beast from the East and laughing at me but I assure you, it is spring. Finally the hot weather is here (or was here). Sacrifice your winter jumpers, scarves and gloves; here are the 2018 spring/summer trends according to Marie Claire, Vogue, Cosmopolitan and (most importantly) me.

Marie Claire

‘The big news, lilac, the most Queen Mums-y of shades, is set for a major comeback.’ Surprise, surprise, it’s pastels. I don’t think this comes as a surprise to anyone. Spring, the time of Easter and rebirth has become synonymous with a wash of colour reminiscent of Brighton beach huts; but feel free to shake off the pastels you bought last year and

embrace a new style. An overarching theme this season seems to be ‘ugly chic’; taking ugly sportswear and making it ‘so bad it’s good’. Think Rihanna. Mix that with 80’s vibes (fresh off that last season of Stranger Things, we all know that’s the main reason behind the resurgence of synth music and mom jeans) and you have yourself a trend. The shell suit is back people.

Vogue

Cycling shorts. I’m not joking. Vogue triumphs ‘cycling shorts’. Now I’m not here to argue with the fashion bible, I think spandex is a look. Ultimately not very wearable but sure, 80’s vibes are back. Vogue also mentions the tracksuit. ‘Try the tracksuit 3.0: A grass green pair of nylon jogging bottoms, embellished with neat racing stripes of beading,

sequins and ribbon’. You’ve heard it here first, sequined jogging bottoms.

Cosmopolitan

abundance of nylon, mesh and glitter. Overarching themes of sportswear, 80’s reminiscence and of course, pastels, reverb through these spring/summer 2018 trends. Personally, I don’t think they’re unwearable but spandex cycling shorts aren’t for everyone. Consider instead: a tapered pair of checker trousers, a chunky shoe (which are very in right now), an oversized blazer and a sheer top underneath. We can maybe leave the shorts to the Tour de France.

Photo by Taylor Harding on Unsplash

Cosmo recommends mixing sheers with solids, perhaps a mesh shirt and a black block skirt for the perfect blend. Subtly sexy with a black bra underneath. Cosmo are also reclaiming ‘rave wear’ with that 80’s disco look. Think flash dance but less hairspray. Essentially for this trend, find that Halloween costume where you damaged your hair beyond repair and put more glitter on that outfit. Disco Ball chic. Essentially, these trends seem out there and frankly flammable, with an

Lifestyle

Travel

A Weekend: By Katinka Pim Writer

rowing up as half-Hungarian, and spending a large portion of time in Hungary, I thought of myself as quite well informed about Eastern Europe, including all of its countries and happenings. However, here are some things I did not know about Serbia before going: it’s not in the EU, they use the Cyrillic alphabet (similarl to Russia), and that the majority of the country is Eastern Orthodox Christian. I went to a wedding with some friends in Novi-Sad, Serbia and so decided to take advantage of the opportunity to explore a new country. Beginning with Belgrade, I made my way through the city, a brief two-day excursion, before taking a bus to Novi-Sad, a beautiful spot upon the Danube river, where the wedding was held. One location which really sticks in

Belgrade

my mind is the Church of St Mark. We happened to be there during the Orthodox Christian Easter, which only added to our experience, especially when we went inside. We visited in the evening so the building, which is comprised of arches and towers, was lit up, providing a gentle glow on the surrounding area. Once inside, the grey of the city was left behind, as our eyes fell upon the rich architecture and colours (most prominently gold), accompanied by the soft singing, which filled the entire building. We came across the church on a walk into town, as it was such beautiful weather and we thought it better this way to see the sights. On the way, moving along a long strip downhill, we found ourselves in a scene unmistakably Eastern European, but thirty years

ago. It was as if time stood still in the childhood of our parents, shop signs worn with age, paint peeling - even the mannequins in store windows looked tired, long in need of retirement. It was a spectacular image, and quite reminiscent of my home town in Miskolc, Hungary. However, I was surprised to see a capital in this state. Most Hungarians agree that Budapest is a different world to that of the rest of the country, a city thriving and full of tourism compared to all others, neglected and left to crumble. This, I expected from most Eastern European countries, their towns and cities lacking in tourist attraction, ignored and forgotten, however it was not what I expected from a capital. Belgrade, to me was surprising. It was a capital unprepared for tourists, almost

surprised at our presence, seemingly wanting only to continue their lives, uninterrupted; and yet, they had some beautiful attractions! It wasn’t that the country was unattractive to tourists, but it seemed to be a case of governmental neglect, a lack of money, and therefore a lack of interest in the tourists who would arrive, only to be disappointed. Overall, however, Serbia is a great place for a cheap holiday in another city. Everything is affordable, with some beautiful old architecture, and culture that’s vividly interesting. Although the city was quite rundown, one cannot help but get lost in the ‘old-worldly’ feel of it and immerse oneself in the stunning Eastern European history and its people.

Photo by Wikimedia Commons

Friday 11 May 2018 InQuire

Food

Lifestyle

Healthy

Saint Smokeys: The Sweet Spot in Town

5-Ingredient Granola Bars

By Miranda Thomas Writer By Isabelle Dray-Sharma Newspaper Lifestyle Editor

ith the stress of exams, the ability to endure neverending days in the library becomes, at this time of year, a vital skill for every student. We often reach for expensive, high-sugar, full of who-knows-what energy drinks and snacks to keep us going. If you want to avoid this, try out this easy no-bake recipe for yummy granola bars which will help keep both your energy levels and your bank balance healthy.

Ingredients

1 heaping cup packed (~220 g) dates, pitted (deglet noor or medjool)* 1/4 cup (84 g) maple syrup or agave nectar (or honey if not vegan) 1/4 cup (64 g) creamy salted natural peanut butter or almond butter 1 cup (112 g) roasted unsalted almonds, loosely chopped (see instructions for roasting nuts) 1 1/2 cups (135 g) rolled oats (gluten-free for GF eaters) Optional additions: chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, banana chips, vanilla, etc.

Instructions

Process dates in a food processor until small bits remain (about 1 minute). It should form a “dough” like consistency. (Mine rolled into a ball.) Optional step: Toast your oats (and almonds if raw) in a 350-degree F (176 C) oven for 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Otherwise, leave them raw - I prefer the toasted flavor. Place oats, almonds and dates in a large mixing bowl and set aside. Warm honey and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir and pour over oat mixture and then mix, breaking up the dates to disperse throughout. Once thoroughly mixed, transfer

Photo by Drica Pinotti on Unsplash

to an 8x8-inch baking dish or other small pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper so they lift out easily. (A loaf pan might work, but will yield thicker bars.) Press down firmly until uniformly flattened - I use something flat, like a drinking glass, to press down and really pack the bars, which helps them hold together better.

Cover with parchment or plastic wrap, and let firm up in fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes. Remove bars from pan and chop into 10 even bars (or 9 squares). Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. I kept mine in the freezer to keep them extra fresh, but it isn’t necessary.

ne restaurant you can’t miss if you live in, or are visiting, Canterbury is Saint Smokeys located at 17-18 Borough. The flavour you experience from just one single bite of their chicken is why Smokeys seems to be a favourite with locals. Who knew BBQ chicken could taste so sweet yet so spicy and succulent. Although I visited the restaurant during the evening, it was still quite packed. On arrival the server welcomed us in with a warm and friendly smile and explained the process of ordering. There is something so authentic and relaxed about the atmosphere in there, it is not overbearing or flamboyant. The walls are sparingly decorated with artwork or plaques with quotes on them. Due to the amount of people in the restaurant we did have to wait 30 minutes for our food, though the wait was worth it. In general, it would be a 15-minute wait as the food is fresh cooked. When the server graced my friend and me with two large portions, little did we know that we were in for a treat. With good sized portions, Smokeys reminds me of a cross between Nando’s and the Caribbean restaurants in Brixton, London. The family run restaurant was created by a father and son who took inspiration from over four generations of Caribbean cuisine and handeddown family recipes. With this knowledge they were able to create the secret recipe for their mouth-watering flame grilled, BBQ chicken. The menu is simple and straight to the point and the prices are reasonable. The dish I ordered of quarter chicken, rice and peas, and salad cost only £7.50. The plate came with the chicken coated in the secret sauce and with the sauce drizzled over the rice and peas. I ordered extra hot, as I love my food spicy, but you can ask for variable degrees of spice. The chicken was so juicy and tender, though I was a little disappointed that the proportion of chicken was rather small. If you do decide to visit this restaurant, I’d recommend the half chicken or wing deal. I would have preferred proper forks and knives, the knife and fork provided were wooden and even the plate was bio gradable. Which is, of course, better for the environment, but not terribly pragmatic. Overall the experience was very enjoyable. I will be going back soon! If you want something different to Nando’s, but still looking for lots of flavor and spice with a Caribbean twist, be sure to visit Smokeys!

Entertainment Review: ‘You Were Never Really Here’ 22

FILM

By Mathilda Makowska Writer

he new film by Lynne Ramsay released on 9 March is exactly what its genre needed: engaging, thrilling, and a psychologically deep alternative to the action-driven and clichéd characters of more mainstream thrillers. The plot follows hitman Joe, Joaquin Phoenix, a man ] doing everyone’s dirty work, while taking care of his elderly mother in his spare time. One day, a senator’s young daughter Nina goes missing, and the father suspects that she has been abducted by a sex trafficker. It all seems pretty straightforward. Joe finds the missing girl, but things take an unexpected twist when he finds himself in an uneasy situation. Created through vivid contrasts, the film’s tone is beautifully weighted. Johnny Greenwood’s other-worldly sound design envokes mystery, and strangeness, to contrast the feeling of safety created by the vinyl tracks played by Joe’s mother. The colour scheme also correlates with both the warmness of

the family home and the coldness and brutality of Joe’s profession. Although, as is typical of thrillers, it has a dark undertone; threads of light pierce the dark to create a realistic and eerie atmosphere. Ramsay managed to pace plot points efficiently to create a packed story, which is both deeply layered and immediately engaging. The film is less than two hours long, but is neither found wanting nor overwhelming in action and dialogue. Throughout the film we see flashbacks to Joe’s past, which help form the narrative. The film is dark and brutal. It is thrilling and plot driven, yet deep and meaningful. Joaquin Phoenix’s stunning performance lends wings to the rest of the film. In fact, ‘You Were Never Really Here’ received a a seven-minute-long standing ovation at the Cannes Festival. If that does not convince you to watch it, then I don’t know what will.

‘Love, Simon’ Review By Tom George Writer

‘

LGBTQ+ relationship into this common narrative allows for some incredibly nuanced moments. The audience is offered heart-wrenching emotion including Simon coming to

Love, Simon!’ is the film currently on everyone’s lips, and why wouldn’t it be? It’s the first gay teen romance by a major studio and it’s been a lo-ong time coming.. The plot follows Simon who is balancing school, family, friends, the fact that he is secretly gay, a blackmailer threatening to out him, and a crush he has developed for an anonymous, also closeted, pen-pal at his school. The narrative itself isn’t exactly original. terms Two individuals falling for with his Photo by Amazon each other over anonymous identity email accounts with the risk and the fear that someone might show the emails of it being made public, to the whole school is reminiscent of alongside hilarious and thought‘A Cinderella Story’, and the online provoking scenes like imagining what it blog followed by all the students is very would be like if people had t o come out ‘Gossip Girl’. But, the introduction of an as straight.

Photo by Amazon

The three LGBTQ+ characters in the film each have different experiences with coming out; to themselves, their friends and family. Of course the people they tell have a range of reactions and responses. The amazing Jennifer Garner plays the most loveable, supportive, and independent mum that anyone would wish for. However, the stand-out character of the film has to be the drama teacher, played by Natasha Rothwell, who’s I-didn’t-play-an-extra-in-theLion-King-to-be-teaching-children attitude provides breaks between tense scenes, a necessary addition when dealing with such a serious issue as coming out in a teenage romantic comedy. Yet, ironically, the only place the film faulters in is the very area it tried to be best at. The film producers spent a large amount of their budget on the music with the aim of producing a soundtrack that could stand alone and that viewers would play on repeat. And while the soundtrack does match the teenage, angsty, atmosphere, it doesn’t have the gravitas the producers were going for that films like ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ have nailed. The film also sends some questionable

messages, for instance, being supportive of LGBT+ individuals sometimes gets confused with treating them like a spectacle. Despite these shortcomings, the film is a significant step for the LGBTQ+ community, and as rugby player and LGBT+ activist, Alexis Caught, has said, “there are so many fantastic, talented, out LGBT actors who are struggling for roles & to break through, and we deserve a chance to tell our own stories”. Indeed, Nick Robinson’s portrayal of an individual accepting his sexuality in an unaccepting world is beautiful and is sure to encourage those who are experiencing the same. Overall, ‘Love, Simon’ is the perfect teen rom-com: beautiful and hilarious. It will capture a special place in the viewers’ hearts regardless of their sexuality. But for LGBT+ teenagers coming to terms with their sexuality, this will film is so much more, providing comfort and solace in the fact that they, like Simon, are not alone. Hopefully 20th Century Fox has finally set a precedent for more LGBTQ+ romance led narratives, and ‘Love, Simon’ is only just the start.

Friday 11 May 2018 InQuire 23

Netflix ‘Nailed It!’ with its Funniest Series Yet

‘Love’

a Realistic Comedy

By Lisa Wehrstedt Writer

n 9 March, Netflix released a hilarious original series that instantly topped all its other comedies. Inspired by the internet trend of cake fails, ‘Nailed It!’ takes three inexperienced bakers and makes them recreate elaborate confectionery masterpieces. Over two rounds, one of the contestants will win the grand prize of $10,000. The creators of the show describe it as “part reality contest, part hot mess”. If you’re ever in the mood for some hysterical, stress-relieving laughter, I guarantee this show will not disappoint. The show’s centrepiece is its host Nicole Byer, who is genuinely the funniest person on earth. Despite frequently bellowing at the contestants, she doesn’t give off the Gordon Ramsey vibe. At the start of the second round, the winner of the first round is given a sleek, stylish, golden glittery baker’s hat, and the loser receives the much more useful Nicole Nags button – which, once pressed, Nicole unleashes her nuisance powers and

Photo by Netflix

spends 3 minutes annoying the other two contestants to distract them from their tasks. Other bonuses in the show include ‘the panic button’, which allows one of the specialist judges to give the contestant advice for three minutes – as if that would save a cake made without flour; ‘the freeze button’, which forces opponents to stop “baking” for three minutes; and the ‘pardon my french button’, which can only be pressed when an opponent is using the panic button, and forces chef chocolatier Jacques Torres to only give advice in French. Although the gimmicks are repetitive, each episode is made unique by the contestants. The prerequisites are an utter incompetence in the kitchen, and the trademark American overconfidence that prevents them from looking at the step-by-step recipe they are given. In the character introductions, we learn about the contestants’ individual relationships with baking, and hear the family and friends warn us not to eat anything these bakers make. Kyle, for example, wants to learn how to bake to “impress the ladies”, while Toni dreams about owning a great bakery, but her nightmare is the actual baking. If you want to learn snazzy baking tips to improve your own skills, this is not the show for you. Go back to watching ‘Bake Off’. But if you are looking for something bizarre and unexpected, a refreshing reality show that celebrates human failure, then definitely give ‘Nailed It!’ a Photo by Pinterest watch.

Entertainment

his March, Netflix released the third and final season of ‘Love’. The romantic comedy follows Gus (Paul Rust) and Mickey’s (Gillian Jacobs) love story with a down-to-earth look at dating in the contemporary era. ‘Love’ is an unconventional comedy. It doesn’t have the jokes and punchlines of a sit-com. The humour come from the rawness of it all. You laugh at what happens as you would laugh with your friends while catching up on your week over a drink. The general tone is that of a sad indie film about messed up individuals. Grounded and cynical, with the cast’s natural acting, ‘Love’ feels like real life – it’s not always about the romance. At the beginning of the third season Gus and Mickey are finally committed to their relationship. There’s no more of the will-theywon’t-they dynamic of the first two seasons. Over a wedding of a college friend and a family visit they find out things about their respective backstories that they weren’t aware of before. The season is about the phase in a relationship were you really get to know your partner, warts and all. It’s a matter of sticking through it, or falling apart. The relationship between Gus and Mickey seems

improbable and unrealistic. They are not in love, but that’s also why the series works. The plot of this season is a lesson the assumptions we make about characters on screen, and people in real life. Gus becomes more than just the lovable nerd. He is an extremely angry, resentful, and judgemental person. And he’s the perpetual victim of the world. But that’s alright; nobody else in the series could claim to be any better. Predictably, ‘Love’ doesn’t end with a happily-ever-after. Not all strings are resolved. The relationships that remained at the end probably wouldt last. Though we will never know; the creators decided to wrap things up on their own terms after only thirtyfour episodes. It is refreshing to see a show come to a natural ending without being dragged for countless seasons only to be closed-off in a hurried and unsatisfying manner. This is not to say that the finale of ‘Love’ is satisfying – although it is unconventionally happy for the show. I didn’t know that it was going to be the last season until I finished watching it. I was left with the desire to know what was going to happen next. The series creators knew that there could have been something more to say, but it probably wouldn’t have been fun, or particularly original. Instead they left things there: reflecting on the essential process of letting go and moving on.

Photo by Netflix

Entertainment

Fizzy Blood

Music

Kylie Minogue Returns

‘Golden’

The Alternative Scene’s Hottest New Band

By Grace Pulford Writer

Photo by Last.fm

By George Knight Writer

izzy Blood, they’re the indiealternative outfit that has risen from obscurity to become a staple in the British alternative scene. Their mixture of heavy rock instrumentation, light pop, and indie vocals, makes them a definite for everyone’s playlists, especially for the upcoming summer. Fizzy Blood’s recent accession is astonishing. Forming out of previous pop-punk act, ‘Lower Lands’, the band released their first EP ‘Feast’ in 2015, and have since played with major bands like While She Sleeps. They have also released their latest EP ‘Summer of Luv’ to critical acclaim. Having been a fan of ‘Lower Lands’, finding out about the split up was tragic, but after discovering their revival as Fizzy Bood, and seeing them play at the Boileroom in Guildford my attitude has completely changed. With a relatively small discography so far, Fizzy Blood do not have one set style. Their songs maintain different elements that give them their own individual character. For example, songs from their earlier EP, ‘I’m No Good’ for example, have some heavy instrumentation; the strong bass and intense vocals really give the song a ‘moshable’ nature, which may help them appeal to the heavier side of the alternative fan-base. However, some of their latest songs such as ‘Summer

of Luv’ and even songs from the same EP as ‘I’m No Good’ such as ‘Slither’ and ‘Cue to Leave’ had stronger popvocals; The audience inevitably starts to sing and hum along. The chorus of one of their latest releases, ‘CFO’, gets embedded in your head for days on end. It’s really catchy. Their ability to captivate the audience was evident at their Camden performance. From the very moment the band walked on stage, the audience quickly fled the bar as a herd, and formed a crowd towards the front. The anticipation for their performance suddenly transformed in movement and everyone began to dance. Unlike their warm up act, Forever Cult, Fizzy Blood did not get off stage and interact with the audience during the performance, but their stage presence alone was enough entertainment. Fizzy Blood are quickly becoming one of the most prominent bands of the modern alternative scene. If you do not come across them now, you likely will sometime soon.

fter thirty years of charttopping singles, and four years since her previous studio album, Kylie Minogue is back with her latest album ‘Golden’, released on 6 April this year. The album combines Kylie’s trademark late-80s pop with surprising country vibes. I was sceptical about the combination before hearing the lead track ‘Dancing’, released in January, which managed to pull off a country style whilst maintaining the energetic electro pop that defines Kylie’s music. The guitar intro building up to the main chorus took country to the next level by blending in some electronic dance beats. Despite it being a pleasantly surprising song, the music video didn’t quite live up to my expectations. As in the classic vibes of the genre, country music always brings to mind fields and dusky sunsets. Even though I knew this wouldn’t be the case with Kylie, I still felt like it was too much of a pop atmosphere visually, and it didn’t balance her country approach effectively. On the flip side, the video has enough sparkle and glitter to last a lifetime,

and Kylie herself looks stunning as always. Something ‘Golden’ taught me is that there’s a sound for every mood, whether you’re sitting and studying, or fancy something fast-paced to get you pumped for a night out. ‘One Last Kiss’, a personal favourite of mine, starts with smooth guitar picking and subtle vocals and climbs into an addictive high energy chorus. This song shows high promise of climbing to the top, as it is already gaining so much popularity with music lovers all over. In contrast, the soothing tones of ‘Radio On’ are powerful enough to cause goose bumps of emotion. The track’s pure country style proves that Kylie is adept enough at her new choice of genre to pull it off on its own should she chose to. And after this album, I certainly hope she does! Overall, ‘Golden’ is an absolute must listen for any Kylie Minogue or 80s fanatic. I also recommend country music fans to give it a try. It may not be your classic country music but the added pop twists add some original elements despite the unconventional mixing of the two music genres.

Photo by Amazon

Games

By Lisa Wehrstedt Writer

n 20 April the much-awaited Nintendo Labo was finally released. Although in the EU we had to wait until 27 April to receive the cardboard set. And yes, for those who somehow missed the initial announcement in January, Nintendo’s newest thing is cardboard. “Make. Play. Discover.” is the Labo’s motto for the Nintendo Switch. Both kits contain a set of pre-made cardboard cut-outs and some other materials which you will need to build your very own toy-cons, small objects that interact with the console and allow you to transport your gaming experience from the digital world to the paper world. The Variety kit features two remote controlled cars, a fishing rod, a toy piano, a motorbike, and a house. Construction times range from 10 minutes for a race car, to 150 minutes for the toy-con piano. Nintendo Labo will certainly keep you busy for hours before you even start playing with it. Building it might even end up being the best part as the software that comes with the variety

Friday 11 May 2018 InQuire 25

Entertainment

The Nintendo Labo

Overpriced Cardboard or Gaming Innovation? kit doesn’t seem to have much to offer besides a few mini-games for each toy. The robot kit, on the other hand, looks prety impressive. It comes with a visor to put on your head that holds one of the Switch’s joy-cons as a motion

sensor, and a backpack that collects the ends of the strings that connect to hand and foot pieces. So, without holding the controllers in your hands, you can rampage the in-game world as a

gigantic Mecha robot. Though it all sounds rather innovative, the main criticism against Nintendo was about the cost. The Variety kit comes to £60, and the Robot kit costs £70. Unsurprisingly, many feel that

you also pay for the idea and the crazy design-efforts that went into making the Labo. Nintendo actually released printouts for the toy-cons, available online, but they are meant as replacements and can only be downloaded if you have previously bought the game, which isn’t available without the cardboard sheets. With the Labo, Nintendo has once again completely revolutionised gaming. From its very first consoles, the Japanese company has always tried to find new ways to play games. The Wii and the Switch are only the most recent ones. Some things have worked, and others – like the Wii U – definitely haven’t. But it hasn’t stopped Nintendo regularly putting out new crazy ideas. What Nintendo should be improving is its reputation as a company that makes simple games for little kids and families. Photo by Nintendo Overall, the Nintendo Labo seems to play more on the nostalgia of thirtyNintendo is trying to scam people for somethings rather than the creativity overpriced cardboard. And sure, you of kids. And the kids would probably be pay for the commodity of having it prebored after the third time using it as the cut, on the right type of cardboard, with gameplay doesn’t seem to have much to the logos and the right accessories. But offer.

Entertainment

Across: 1 Jamil, 4 Dublin, 8 Madness, 9 Henna, 10 Salt, 11 Dialogue, 14 Kos, 16 Fir, 17 SexyBack, 18 Ahab, 21 Macau, 23 Inferno, 24 Rewind, 25 Therm. Down: 1/15 James Joyce, 2 Middlesex, 3 Lees, 4 Destiny’s Child, 5 Beholder, 6 Inn, 7 Career, 12 Gift horse, 13 Djibouti, 14 Kiss Me, 19 Bloom, 20 E-fit, 22 Cue.

Crossword

4 7 2 1 9 2 3 9 7 4 1 1 7 3 9 8 4 6

4 5 3 9 8 1 6 9 5 3 7 8 9 4 6 2 1

2 5 1 8

2 5 7

Puzzles by Matthew Sapsed

Across 1/10/19/7/16/5/26/15. 2008 historical novel adapted for a 2018 film starring Lily James (3,8,8,3,6,4,3,7) 3. A portrait tacked on a wall for admiration (3-2) 6. Australian musician whose UK hit singles include Titanium (2008) (3) 8. The science and art of reasoning correctly (5) 9. Someone who helps in marshalling at races (7) 10. See 1 11. Butterfly ___, a fluttering of the eyelashes against the cheek (4) 14. The state capital of Texas (6) 16. See 1

2 5 3

9 6

Puzzles Sudoku Hard

Last Issues’s Crossword Answers

Sudoku Easy

18. In ___; informally, having been pawned (4) 19. See 1 22. 2010 comedy film starring Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis (3,4) 23. A dish of grated potatoes shaped into a pancake and fried (5) 24. About a ___, a 1998 Nick Hornby novel (3) 25. A piece of strong fibrous tissue, a tendon (5) 26. See 1 Down 1. 1 Across Daily ___, a British newspaper founded in 1855 (9) 2. Any of various large birds of prey

renowned for keen vision (5) 3. Sweets chosen from a selection of different kinds (8) 4. Gamal ___, 20thC Egyptian statesman who nationalised the Suez Canal (6) 5. See 1 Across 6. Sustained energy; staying power (7) 7. See 1 Across 12. The main plot of a novel, film, etc. (9) 13. An alcoholic drink made in one’s residence (8) 15. See 1 Across 17. Stool ___; in slang, a police informer (6) 20. 7th-6thC B.C. Greek author of Indian dress

Italian sauce

Flinch

Wonder

Fun & games Arrowword Quartet

As one

Subtlety

Small fly

Ancient Roman cloak

Part of the eye

fables (5) 21. Thirty Seconds to ___, American rock band whose members include Jared Leto (4) 22. A type of reggae music with bass and drums prominent (3)

Sound of fright

Snow leopard Epoch

13 14

Make entire Lyrical Centre poem Live (in)

Ingested

17 18

Irritable

21 22

As well

Lightbrown colour

23 Toilet Windy

Region

Stash

Middle East country

Artist's support?

Begin again Loan

Obscene

Friday 11 May 2018 InQuire 27

First a Tourist, Then Homeless A Canterbury Tale

By Jesse Bedayn Opinion Editor

n the morning of 1 March 2018, in the Catching Lives homeless shelter, Eileen Wallis reached for the hand of her son, Rob Wallis, but his hand was unusually chilly. Louise, another Catching Lives client, told me that Eileen had left the security of her home to help her son on the street, but this particular morning, Eileen woke up having lost him. She “knew he was ill,” a mutual friend told me, “but this came completely out of the blue and I am devastated.” Louise, who talked to me in the offices of Catching Lives, came back to the charity that morning to find police, and Rob’s body, stiff and cold, being taken out the back door. When Louise saw the body, she burst into tears she had known “he was not going to make it, that he was a dead man walking.” Through bursts of tears, Louise told me all about this poor lost soul. She can tell, she says again, who the lost souls are, she’s intuitive, she says. Coming to Catching Lives has shown her “the whole spectrum of homelessness: some of them lost souls, most of them lost souls, but then again, some of them will rise.” She lists names of friends she has made at the centre—Sarah, Mike, Joanna— friends who have found homes off the street. Louise

knows of the homeless world because she has had her own unexpected, traumatising experience within it. For 27 years Louise worked as a project manager in London, implementing accounting systems in Europe and the US. It was a “very interesting but very disheartening” career, she admits, and she ended up quitting and moving to Hastings with her husband. Last January, however, her husband’s father was diagnosed as having a serious heart condition, and he had to fly back to his native Brazil. While her husband was gone, Louise decided to visit Canterbury as a tourist, entertaining thoughts of a move from Hastings to Canterbury. She stayed in Canterbury for three months, “three months of joy,” she said. But when she tried to extend her stay in the B&B which she was calling home her card was suddenly declined. There had been a mistake, and £2,480 had been removed from her account by a government body. “So I was homeless, penniless, I had no friends in Canterbury; but ‘I thought, Louise, you can figure this out.’” Louise was homeless for three

weeks. She “only had a black suitcase, I didn’t have many clothes because I was going to buy clothes in the charity shop, but everything was tied up.” She lived behind Waitrose where an overhang became Louise’s shelter. She used a pallet of wood to set up a leen-to, trying to hide herself from the greater world, but she “was cold and scared by the drug dealers that frequented the area and the hysteria of the clubs.” Every day she would leave at 7am, before the shop owner appeard for work, and would come back about 6pm, when they had gone home, “spending all day at the public library with no cash, nothing.” She wasn’t begging, she was hiding. I asked her why she didn’t seek help, “I think a bit of pride.” she said, “Not pride because I am better than a shelter, but more of a feeling that I can do this.” When Peter, a Porchlight volunteer who seeks out victims of homelessness on the streets, found her, she refused his pleas to find help. But by the third week, “it was getting bitter, all my toes were black, and my feet and my legs were swollen. I had no sleeping bag, I had nothing.” She felt unbalanced, and her sight was becoming confused, “it was very strange.” Finally, Louise agreed to go to Catching

Lives. She had one final journey to make, from her rough lean-to to the Catching Lives Centre. She remembers standing 100ft from the Centre, feeling light-headed and disoriented, but convinced that she could do it. At the door her consciousness began to dim and she collapsed. “Everything was shutting down, it was three weeks of…” She wasn’t able to finish the sentence, as the emotion brought a deluge of tears. She finally stammered, with heartfelt gratitude, “They literally saved my life.” She has now found a place to live and will soon have a tax refund of the £2,480, which will allow her to resume life with her husband, in her new home. “Your life can change just like that,” she repeats, with greater emphasis, “I never planned for this, I didn’t have a crystal ball to show me I was going to be homeless.” She was not surpised when I told her that, according to Porchlight, there has been a 30% rise in

Societies

Canterbury homelessness. “I have met a lot of people here who became homeless in unexpected ways: their relationship finished or they lost their job. It can happen to anyone, and in any of many ways.” She hopes that we can all understand that we may never know the stories of the men and women we pass on the street, but we can always know that they are kin – we’re all in this together. The best thing someone can do, beyond offering a couple of pounds, is what Catching Lives, she says, does so well: “offering them dignity by interacting with them as a fellow human being.” Even though Rob, Eileen’s son, may have been a lost soul, Eileen never viewed him as lessthan: she applied to him the same unconditional motherly love he would have received as an affluent son. Louise now knows that just as important as a couple quid proffered by a sympathetic passer-by, those people on the side of the street with an open hat and no food need acknowledgment, dignity, a cup of something warm, and someone to look them in the eye. “Enough of putting them down,” Louise sternly says, “they are down enough, they are on the floor, beneath the floor they are dead.”

Classifieds

Friday 11 May 2018 InQuire

Classifieds

Sport

Kent Sport Review

One-Month Membership By Victoria Rees Website Lifesyle Editor

oing my dissertation over the Easter break has made me a hermit. Spending most of my time in my room or the library began to feel a bit repressive - sitting down and bending over a desk takes a toll. So, I figured the best way to rid myself of these cobwebs was to start a regimented exercise routine. Saving me from shelling out money at the beginning of the university term, I invested in having a bronze membership at the gym. A bronze membership means paying only £1 for the membership, and then another £4.40 every time I wanted to use the gym or any sports facilities on campus. The gold or silver memberships are far more expensive, but you get to use the sports centres as you please.

Saving me some pocket money, the bronze membership was a great alternative because I knew I wouldn’t use up the cost of a Gold or Silver membership, but it has meant that I don’t go to the gym as much as I should. Added with the approach of summer and my lack of a bikini body, I decided to motivate myself by buying the annual Onemonth Gold membership offered by Kent Sport which ran from April 1-April 30. At only £28, it was a good price for a short span of time. No university classes over the break meant that I was free to go to the gym at any time, and I definitely made the money back from if I had been paying my usual bronze membership fee all that time. Having the opportunity to exercise whilst revising over the holiday has been a good release from my work and allowed my brain to have a rest and rejuvenate. I’ve

found I have more energy and I’m more motivated to eat healthier too. The staff were extremely helpful and gave me tips and advice when exercising so that I would reduce any risk of injury. And with many students heading home for the break, it left most of the equipment free and I was actually able to find a mat. If you’re feeling groggy and your revision motivation is wearing thin, the gym also has a discounted summer offer lasting from the start of April to the end of August. It’s perfect for working on that beach bod, or for procrastinating during heavy exam periods. This summer membership can be purchased at the Sports reception or visit the Kent Sport website. Photo by Kent Sport | Facebook

ICFL Cup Fixtures 14:30 Rutherford Raiders vs Medway FC 16:15 Turing FC vs Keynes Athletic 18:00 Keynes FC vs Eliot FC 19:45

Woolf FC vs Eliot Academicals Photo by Kent Sport | Facebook

Friday 11 May 2018 InQuire

Sports Tour

101 By Megan Warwick Writer

KC travelled down to the vibrant land of Fazana in Croatia for Sports Tour 2018. A week of madness and a 28-hour coach; it was certainly a memorable trip with sports teams coming together and bonding. If you’re too scared to go on tour, or you didn’t even consider it, here are some points of persuasion, and a helpful survival guide. The Mates Playing a sport is one thing, but going on a group

holiday is a whole new level of bonding. You eat together, sleep together, drink together; it couldn’t be better. A highlight of mine was getting cheese superglued to my face, thus pulling my whole eyebrow off in the process. But, I couldn’t have got through without my friend picking, and eating, the cheese of my face in an attempt to help. It was a truly beautiful moment. The Picures You take a lot of pictures; some are blurry, others fuzzy, most unmemorable, but they tell a story about

the night before. And they make for some super adorable Instagram posts. The Clubs Dancing until 6am? Yes please. The Arena, in Croatia, was our tour’s best club experience, playing the hottest hits and jams known to man. Okay a bit extreme, but it was a fun night for all. And due to the size, you could easily find your friend amongst the crowd. The Dares Sport tour is not known for being outrageous, but do not fear, you never have to do anything you don’t want to

Photo by Wikimedia Commons

Sport

Tour Survival Guide: 1. Wear sun cream even if it’s cold There’s always one who gets burnt. 2. Carry water everywhere; tour is dehydration at its finest. 3. Say yes to as much as you can, you will enjoy it more if you’re positive. 4. Take pics 5. Bring a portable charger. 6. Go over the top on the costumes for each theme. 7. Smile and laugh – you’re there to have fun!

do. Beans sellotaped to your waist? Yup, it happened. Absolutely covered head to toe in solid sun cream? That too. Eyebrow slits? Sometimes you can opt out. But crazy things you see on the TV or read about in magazines did not happen. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. It doesn’t make it any less fun, or you any less fun. The Setting Croatia was beautiful. The sea was ice cold, but lovely to look at. The weather was pretty cold too, but we couldn’t feel it most of

the time; we were too busy having fun. Get some good snaps, and it’s worth it. The Memories Last but certainly not least, tour gives you a new trove of memories to stash away in your heart. Whether it’s laughing about the state of your eyebrows with your mates, or getting pushed in the pool for challenge, you will not forget those memories. And you will absolutely love every second – apart from eating mystery meat for dinner, because no one finds that funny.

Photo by SportsVest | Facebook

Sport www.InQuireLive.co.uk/sport

InQuire

Photo by Kent Sport | Facebook

Keynes FC Claim ICFL League Title By Kiro Evans Writer

eynes FC completed their ICFL season with a comprehensive 6-2 victory against 10-man Eliot Academicals, who made the game very tough for the titlehopefuls despite depleted numbers. The Inter College Football League Season saw the title hanging in the balance, with Keynes FC needing a draw against a side they’d lost 5-3 to back in November to confirm their status as champions. Keynes FC will have been hoping for a favour from Medway, who were up against back-toback Champions and Varsity winners; Rutherford Raiders.

Raiders came through comfortably against a Medway side also lacking in numbers on a sunny 3G pitch, meaning all eyes turned to the 3GX as Keynes FC prepared to go to war for a trophy they hadn’t lifted since 2011. Keynes FC took the lead early on through a penalty, placed cooly y Alex Mclean, who’s been reliable from the spot all season. The incident came from a through-ball into the feet of Ralph Vincent, with Acs’ players claiming for an offside flag that never came, who then was brought down by the goalkeeper, earning his side the opportunity to calmly take control of the match. Keynes FC struggled to build on this momentum and

found themselves under some pressure from the lively Acs’ side who refused to go down without a fight, and saw a shot bounce off the cross-bar and potentially over the goal-line, though the referee did not see it that way and play resumed with the blues claiming for a goal that was never given. Keynes FC solidified their grasp on the tie by taking a two goal lead, and the match was in no doubt from that moment on as Keyne FC lowered their intensity and went through the motions to see off a comfortable victory. Edson Onwumere scored a hattrick to round-off an incredible league season in which he scored 29 goals in 16 league games to take Keynes

FC to the title. Players Dany Kassir, Rory Newman, Harrison Keyworth, Gonzalo Velilla and Antonio Murugesan all got game time to round-off their impressive seasons, though the credit must go to the whole squad for their contributions to what’s been a frantic league season which saw Keynes FC win 14 games out of 18. Credit must also go to Ayman Kassir who took on a coaching an advisory role with the team, working closely with the captain to prepare tatics and matchpreparation. All attention now turns to the ICFL Cup competition which will see a quarter-final starting round between the top eight sides in the league. League champions Keynes

FC will take on 8th place Eliot FC; Woolf FC will take on Eliot Academicals; Rutherford Raiders will face Medway FC in a repeat of last year’s final, and the ever-strudy Turing FC will have a derby-day to contest wih Keynes Athletic for a place in the semi-final. The games will kick0ff on Wednesday 8 May, at the Pavlion Sport Centre. Many students will be fighting the balance of sporting responsibilities and exams as well, though the Cup has never been neglected as many senior players recognise it as one final chance to lift a trophy at their beloved club which some have spent three years playing for. Turn to Page 30 for the ICFL Cup Schuedule.