InQuire Issue 11.8 by InQuire Media

The University of Kent’s student newspaper Reporting for you since 1965

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NEWSPAPER HITS HALF CENTENARY NATALIE TIPPING EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

On 7 December 2015, the student newspaper of the University of Kent, now known as InQuire, celebrates its 50th birthday. The student newspaper has been in existence almost as long as the University itself. It was created in 1965 by Richard Hoyle and Robin Pitman, two physics students who, with the help of staff from the Kent Messenger Group, set up InCant. Speaking to Robin Pitman about the creation of the newspaper, he told us: “A high power team of Kent Messenger staff arrived at the University and spent several days in Eliot with the students, explaining in great detail and with great generosity how to run a newspaper.” Hoyle was the first editor, and Pitman was the Business Manager, and was therefore in charge of gathering advertising to fund the printing costs in the early days. In 1969, the NUS awarded InCant the title of Student Newspaper of the Year, only four years after its creation. In 1985, InCant’s name was changed to KRED, which stood for Keynes, Rutherford, Eliot, Darwin. The change into KRED also brought with it funding from the students’ union. Union-affiliation brought with it a few problems for the editors, including in 1999 when the Union attempted to remove an article about bar turnovers, which led to many editors resigning on a matter of principle and a sign of protest against Union regulation of the press. In 2006, the name changed once again, this time to

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ISSUE 11.8

FIVE security alerts have been issued by the University of Kent in recent weeks. The Templeman Library has been the focus of the security alerts three times so far, with other locations including Essentials and Drill Hall Library, based at the Medway campus. Students have been evacuated in each case. AN online petition has been launched to rename Canterbury West train station as Kanye West train station. The petition had gathered 90% of the target vote at the time this newspaper went to print. CSRFM, Canterbury’s Community and Student radio station, has found out that a German man who owns an events company called CSR Events has used their logo for his business. The man insists that his friend designed the logo for him, but it is identical to CSRfm’s logo. Unfortunately the man has even gone so far as to get the logo tattooed on him. FOUR men have been arrested following a police car chase in Canterbury on 26 November. The car chase ensued following an alleged theft of cigarettes from a trolley outside Bookers wholesale store. Police stopped a VW Golf and arrested one man, but then pursued a Ford Focus after it failed to stop. The Focus crashed into a Toyota during the chase, which caused injury to the Toyota’s driver.

InQuire. In 2015, InQuire was awarded two national awards at the Student Publication Association’s national conference, with photographer Daniel John winning Best

Student Photographer, and Editor-in-Chief Natalie Tipping being highly commended for Outstanding Dedication. InQuire now publishes 24 pages of content on a

fortnightly basis, and its website, inquirelive.co.uk, was launched in January 2008. It is run by a team of 15 editors, and a team of over 150 writers and photographers.

THE Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has condoned the use of military intervention in the fight against Islamic State. Speaking at the CofE’s General Synod, Welby said in order to create “safe and legal routes to places of safety... for refugees who are vulnerable and at severe risk”, military intervention would be necessary.

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News 2015/2016

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Editor-in-Chief

Natalie Tipping

InQuire through

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the decades...

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Newspaper Editor Ruby Lyle

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Maddy Dunn

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Dec 1967

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Are Kent students really that satisfied with their experience? Ruby Lyle Newspaper Editor

ollowing the University of Kent releasing new data about their recent investments in the student experience, InQuire submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the University, asking for statistics on areas that students are often concerned about during their time studying at university. This FOI request was submitted on 30 October 2015 at 1:08 pm. Requests are to be answered within 20 working days. The response was received by InQuire 20 working days later exactly, on 26 November at 3:10 pm. The primary focus of the request was to ask how many students complained about their university experience from 2010 to the date the request was made. The request specified complaints regarding the University itself, their facilities, their handling of situations, issues relating to students’ education and teaching (including but not limited to complaints over

accommodation, staff, sexual assault, and harassment). The full data received can be seen in the provided infographic. The FOI response provided the disclaimer that the information they provided may not be entirely accurate, as the University only established a central system for recording complaints in 2013, the Student Conduct and Complaints Office. Therefore, the data provided may be missing information before 2013, and the files may not have been given to the Office.

University Complaints Statistics Supervision

Learning and teaching

Professional service issues 2015/16 Discrimination/human rights 2014/15 Financial 2013/14 * Data before 2013 may not be accurate as the Student Conduct and Complaints Office, a central office for recording complaints, was established in that year.

Welfare and accommodation 2012/13

Did you know? There were 35 complaints submitted to the University in the 2014/15 academic year. There have been five complaints issued in the first two months of the year. In the 2013/14 academic year, there were 18 complaints issued to the University over learning and teaching. This figure dropped to 15 in 2014/15, but so far this year, five complaints over the matter

Placements 2011/12 Complaints process

Data before 2013 may not have yet been fully provided to the Office.

2010/11 Other complaints

have been submitted in the two months the University year had progressed at the time the FOI request was sent. In the University’s release regarding their investments in the student experience, they state a 26% increase in the number of academic staff at Kent, and an investment of £31 million over the last five years into learning and teaching spaces.

Did you know? There have been 40 complaints submitted to the University over learning and teaching. In the past three years, there have also been 14 complaints regarding finances. This is despite the University investing £13.5 million in scholarships and bursaries in 2014/15. Statistics regarding sexual assault and harassment have been provided by Campus Watch, rather than The Student Conduct and Complaints Office, so the data is accurate for the past five years.

Number of complaints 20

Since 2010, there have been a total of four rape cases, two of which occurred between January and 30 October 2015. Overall, there have been seven cases of sexual assault on campus, and six cases of harassment. InQuire also chose to ask the University how many students have requested refunds from Kent within the last five years. We also asked how frequently the University granted these refund requests, as well as the reasons behind the requests themselves. In all, the University has given out 11,750 refunds since 2010, but has been unable to provide the figure for how many requests have been issued. The FOI response also stated that they would be unable to provide specific reasons behind the refund requests, due to section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act. Section 12 of the act refers to the denial of requests where the request itself may cost more than the “appropriate limit”, which, for institutions such as universities, is £450. For the University of Kent, this means

that they expected that finding the reasons for any refund or rejection to a student, which may be on their file, would exceed this appropriate limit. As it is, the University

Did you know? The University of Kent issued 11,750 refunds to students between 2010 and 30 October 2015. provided general reasons for refund requests being made on the grounds of the overpayment of fees, credit on the account due to an intermission, the withdrawal of a student, hardship funds, and the adjustment of fees for reasons including compensation, reduction in fees, the refund of accommodation deposits, and the refund of a discount. The statistics provided in this article are subject to the complaints being made, therefore, the numbers could be higher than shown here, but those would be unreported incidents that the University is therefore unaware of.

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#LoveSUs takes over Twitter

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Issues Ruby Lyle Newspaper Editor

he National Union of Students (NUS) created a “day of action” in late November in response to a green paper from the government that mentioned a desire to increase the transparency and accountability of students’ unions. Using #LoveSUs, NUS campaigned to display the importance of unions to students and the wider public. Megan Dunn, the President of NUS, spoke about the green paper proposals, stating that the organisation would be examining it in detail. She argued: “Change should be driven by the people at the heart of the system – students, teachers and staff. It will not be good enough for the government and institutions to decide what is in students’ interests without asking them.” A green paper is a document that provides legislative or policy proposals. This allows the public and MPs to examine and feedback to the government thoughts and objections to any proposals. This paper was published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on 6 November 2015. It recognised the role of students’ unions in university life, the high number that exist, and paid note to the

government funding given to NUS, particularly in the form of the Campus Cohesion Fund and support for voter registration. It did, however, raise concerns over not only transparency, but how funds are spent. This is part of a wider government look at trade union reforms. The green paper, entitled Fulfilling our Potential: Teaching Excellence, Social Mobility and Student Choice, did not spend many words on the subject of students’ unions, and only posed one question for the consultation: “What steps could be taken to increase the transparency of students’ unions and strengthen unions’ accountability to their student members?” This paper has come from Jo Johnson, Universities and Science Minister. In his foreword, he stated: “Now that we are asking young people to meet more of the costs of their degrees once they are earning, we in turn must do more than ever to ensure they can make well-informed choices, and that the time and money they invest in higher education is well spent.” On 3 December, NUS held a Consultation Day in London to discuss the paper fully with students’ unions from across the country.

opportunity to realise their full potential. As part of the student media groups here at Kent, I’ve developed my skills as a journalist, gone on work experience placements, and have refined my career path down to being a print journalist, which I feel well on track to accomplish. I also Natalie Tipping feel that my involvement with Editor-in-Chief student media and Kent Union is the reason that I got on the campaign has been MA course that I’m doing this launched by the National year: Multimedia Journalism. Union of Students (NUS), Outside of my experience, but using the hashtag #LoveSUs. still just as important, is the The hashtag was very popular number of sports clubs you can on Twitter on 23 November, get involved with here. Many sports clubs compete in competitions with other university teams from around the South East. I think the main problem with Kent Union is its representative function. In my opinion, we see a pretty poor turn-out each year for Union elections, with last year only a quarter of the students voting for the sabbatical officers. This shows a disillusionment with student politics, and I also think it makes the Sabbs’ constant claims that they “represent students” seem a bit far-fetched, Photo by Kent Union since they are elected by a very small proportion of the student body. The Sabbs campaign when the campaign launched, for things that they believe so I thought I’d pitch in with would be beneficial to students, my opinion of our students’ but unfortunately it can take union. years for something to be Overall, I’d say that Kent pushed through. The 24Union gives students at hour library that we’re all the University of Kent the enjoying at the Templeman

Analysis A

now for example, had been attempted by multiple VicePresidents (Education) before Jack Lay came along and sealed the deal. Going back to the point I was making before about sports teams, academic-free Wednesdays has been a contentious issue this year, with Nina Mehmi, Vice-President (Sport) fighting hard to secure them, despite the University being against her. She has come up with multiple ways of trying to get the message across that this is what students want, with unfortunately - quite little luck so far. I think it’s because of this that the Union’s main purpose - to represent and campaign for the rights of students - often seems to have been forgotten. It’s too easy with funding issues and changes to higher education for students’ unions to become corporate bodies these days, and it’s concerning to think of Kent Union going too far down that route. After all, a students’ union that goes along with its university and doesn’t campaign or fight for anything will basically become another branch of the university, and students will feel more disillusioned than ever. Kent Union recently launched a new “democratic structure” called ChangeIt, which gives students the opportunity to put forward proposals of things they want to change at the University or campaign for. I’d love to see how many of these student suggestions the University would let through. So bring back the mass campaigns, and give Kent students their voice back!

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Christianity in the face of IS Issues

Sophie Cheraitia

peaking on 14 November, the President of France, Francois Hollande, called the terrorist attack on Paris of the previous day, which resulted in 129 deaths, an ‘act of war’. The event has sparked multiple debates concerning the power of Islamic State over the Western world, yet recently it has also made senior figures in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England make shocking statements, one of which questioned God’s existence. The recent attacks on Paris and around the world have created an air of doubt within the Church of England, leading the Archbishop of Canterbury to admit that he questions the presence of God. On Monday 23 November he told the BBC in an interview that he found himself asking “God why, why is this happening”, and further went on to say that “faith was being perverted”. This certainly does not instil any hope in our generation and throughout the Church of England as Archbishop Welby, the most senior Bishop in the Church of England, reveals he has doubts as to whether God is “there”. This was a remarkably shocking statement for many to hear from a religious authority figure, and even more so when Pope Francis also got

involved in the debate. The Pope agreed that the notion of religion is distorted, as during mass last week at the Basilica di Santa Maria, the Pope went as far as to regard religion as a “charade”. Pope Francis also stated that Christmas this year will not be the same “as the world continues to wage war”. A festive Christian holiday, which celebrates the birth of Jesus, is now stained by war due to the recent suffering in Paris, the plane that was blown up in Egypt, and the recent hostage situation in Mali. The Pope has condemned terrorist acts as being blasphemy, and this feeling of doubt in God shows a deeper level of fear being presented to us. Pope Francis adds “the world has not understood the way of peace”, which has made him doubt whether the celebration of festivals such as Christmas are relevant in these times. The Archbishop of Canterbury has since appeared to regret his interview with the BBC, saying: “Foolishly I said exactly what I thought,” reasserting for the record that he does believe in God and that his comment was merely “a moment of protest and arguing”. Not wanting his comment to be exploited by the tabloids, but simultaneously revealing that he gave his truthful answer to Songs of Praise, he leaves us all asking what role God plays within a world facing terrorism, if both the Archbishop and Pope have questioned his existence.

Analysis Connor Sturges

he terrorist attacks on the capital of France on 13 November were the worst on European soil since the Second World War. 130 people died, many more were injured and the effect it has left on numerous Europeans is very clear, as the eruption of panic only days after the attacks showed. However, it’s clear that everyday Europeans are shocked and have a large amount of questions and thoughts about the horrific events. The most powerful figure within the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, recently revealed in an interview with the BBC’s worship show Songs of Praise that events such as the Paris attack do make him question the existence of God. Welby claimed that whilst on a walk, as he prayed, he began to ask “God, why, why is this happening?”. Furthermore, he recalled once thinking “look this is all very well, but isn’t it about time you did something… if you’re there”,

something we would not expect to see from one of the church’s most prominent figures. So what? Why does it matter if a key religious figure has moments of doubt? Perhaps it just shows that he is human, like the rest of us who have doubts about religion and frequently question it. Personally, it’s scary. It shows defeat. How can the everyday person believe in a deity that allows such atrocities, such horrific acts of terror to occur when religious leaders are left questioning the existence of their own God. I’m not looking for a philosophical debate about God’s omnipotence, benevolence and so on, but I feel it’s easy to agree that firstly it’s worrying to see such figures questioning faith, and secondly that it shows the sheer power and fear that Islamic State, and indeed other terrorist organisations, can instil. In fairness, Archbishop Welby has recently made a statement on Facebook claiming that his words in the Songs of Praise interview were not a challenge to the existence of God, merely a protest to what God is allowing to happen in the world today. Of course, this was backed up with religious substance, with Welby referring to psalm 44, a psalm on protest. This may be true, but it may also be a backtrack, as Welby feared assault from Christians and other religions alike. Nonetheless, it appears to show the damage terrorist attacks and groups can have. Another religious figure who has

demonstrated the influence and grip of terror that ISIS have over the West now is the head of Catholicism, Pope Francis. The Pope recently claimed that this year Christmas is a “charade” as the world is at war. If the rise of the Islamic State requires other religious dates and institutional events to be placed on hold, does it not just show them that we are scared, that we are in a fullyfledged war with the extremist branch of Islam? Of course, it is necessary to remember that this extremist branch of Islam is just that, an extremist branch. Just as the thoughts of the Christian Church can’t be condensed down into the remarks of the Archbishop of Canterbury or the Pope, the morals and thoughts of Islam should not be linked to Islamic State. Unfortunately, as long as these terrorists continue to maintain that they are preaching the word of Allah, there will be people who continue to draw the conclusion that all Muslims are extremists. But let me ask you this, because the Pope said that Christmas is a charade, are all Roman Catholics going to boycott Christmas this year? Because the Archbishop of Canterbury said that he questioned God’s motives behind allowing these atrocities to happen, are all Anglicans going to stop believing in God? Didn’t think so. In all, these recent comments show the extent of the damage that Islamic State has done to people’s mentalities. The comments do however seem untimely, and I’m concerned that we may see more people losing hope.

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Radicalisation and Unequal Western intervention distribution of Karisma Indra

ver the course of recent years, there has been an upsurge of media coverage on radicalisation. Arguably, there are many misconceptions surrounding the term, but put ‘Islam’ or ‘Islamic’ with the word radicalisation and suddenly people are fearful. This seems to be the root of the problem; most would quite happily say that the radicalisation of the Muslim population in particular in

Islam. Yet it is highly unlikely that many of these young people, often younger than university age, have been radicalised by spiritual texts. Most probably haven’t read the Qur’an themselves or even interpreted it in a way that encourages extremism. The truth of the matter is that those who partake in extremist acts may indeed be borrowing the language of the Qur’an, but it has little to do with the material in the religious text itself. Every religious text is

and so they feel enraged and betrayed. They go under the perception that the West has detained prisoners in places like Guantanamo Bay. It is in fact the politics of the West that have perpetuated this rise of radicalism. It seems that the rise in radicalisation is not because of religion, but is a direct response to the threats posed by the West to the East. However, to say that religion is simply blameless is too simplistic a view. Many of the radical ideals touted by these

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the UK is due to the ‘radical’ teachings of Imams. There might be some truth to that statement, after all there are a multitude of different interpretations of all texts, and the Qur’an is no different. Each person can interpret sayings in different manners, and it is the same with religion; there are hardliners of every group, from Christians to Hindus and yes, Muslims. However, it is important to note here that only the Muslims seem to be penalised when it comes to ‘radical’ ideas within their faith. There is arguably less demonisation of the ‘radical Christian’. So, is the radicalisation of certain individuals of the Muslim faith currently more to do with politics and Western intervention than it is to do with religious doctrine? For politicians it certainly seems easy to blame the problem of the radicalisation of young Muslim teens on the theological principles of

filled with contradictions and arguably violence, however not every individual takes this as holy word to commit heinous crimes. It is more likely the massive rise of Islamophobia that has grown in the Western world is due to media outlets publishing untruths and spouting articles that incite fear-mongering in relation to western intervention in the Middle East. In turn, this creates tensions within society, leading to discrimination and racism. This could lead to feelings of alienation in the Muslim population, which sometimes leads to radicalisation from unfair treatment received by individuals. In addition, I personally believe that the young men that go to fight for IS or in Syria go there not because of a religious brotherhood, but more so because they feel that the West intervened and caused more problems for people in areas such as Syria and Iraq,

men who go to fight for IS or choose to plan terrorist acts, do in fact have origins within religion. The misrepresentation and misinterpretation of religious texts create a ‘legitimate’ stand-point from which these individuals can argue their views. Religion may not be the biggest cause for radicalisation, but it certainly is important in the path to it. Radicalisation is a word that many now fear, that fear is justified. This fear is pandered to by Western governments and even the media, we now fear a religion, so much so that Muslims now face mass discrimination simply for their beliefs. Whilst the root of the radicalisation may in part be due to religious teachings, the largest factor influencing radicalisation is the perceived Western threat to many Islamic nations in the East, people become radicalised in a misguided attempt at protection from the forces of Western intervention.

news coverage?

n the wake of the Paris attacks on 13 November, many have complained that the media coverage dedicated to the tragedy was incredibly disproportionate in comparison to other disasters happening worldwide. Some feel that large scale attacks which have occurred in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq have been ignored in favour of the Paris attacks. It is true that the news seems to be preoccupied with reporting the Western crisis, as opposed to the ones in the Middle East and the rest of the world. However, this is not just limited to the news, it is also perpetuated in social media. Many Facebook users changed their profile pictures into the French flag, overlaying their original photograph. The hashtag #prayforParis became a common trend, as well as many outpourings of grief and emotion that do not seem to happen every time there is an attack somewhere outside of Europe or the US. However, during the Arab Spring, for years the main news distributed in the UK, and indeed around the world, settled on the uprisings. In fact, it is only very recently that we have finally had enough and stopped reporting as much on the plight of the Syrians, who are now locked in a multi-faceted battle between feuding rebel groups and of course the forces of Bashar AlAssad. There is also significant coverage of the Gaza Strip and also of the plight of the refugees who are swarming into Europe. It is unfair and unrealistic to say that the Western world

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only reports on things directly related to them, because they do in fact spend a lot of time reporting from around the world. However, whilst Paris had 130 deaths, the reaction on social media was quick, but when larger-scale attacks happen in the Middle East and elsewhere, there is little to no outcry. Life is life, and each life, is important regardless of nationality. But this may not be because the media is distributing news unequally, but because there is more of a shock factor when things happen closer to home. As bad as it may seem, we expect, somewhere in our minds, to hear bad things happening in places like Libya, Syria, and Gaza, but not necessarily in France, a place so close to our own borders. Perhaps the West feels more sympathy for news closer to home in terms of opinions expressed, especially in social media. However, this does not mean that there is less representation of foreign countries outside the European bubble. We have had many reports of the the countless deaths in Syria, Libya, and Egypt over the past years. The focus on the Paris attacks does not stand alone in this crowd of coverage; we have had plenty of reports from other nations too. We need to appreciate the bigger picture, and Paris is merely a part of this, which all started with IS attacks over a year ago. We have had many reports from the Middle East on the same matter - so why should we complain when for a little while the spotlight settles on Paris?

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Close the borders until IS is defeated? Sibhekile Magagula

urope is currently faced with arguably the biggest issue and threat to mankind in this century – IS. The destructive and deadly attacks that this insurgency group has so disdainfully owned up to have left European citizens reeling in fear, and their governments frantically tabling solutions to this. One solution to the IS threat, specifically in the UK, which is currently being advocated for, is that of “stop[ping] all immigration and clos[ing] the UK borders until IS is defeated”. On the surface, this does seem like an auspicious idea, but it is however impractical and unrealistic if you ask me. Immigration has now become a necessity more than ever before, both for a country and its citizens. It is through open, not closed, borders that a country can trade with other countries. To me, closed borders are very synonymous to a trade embargo, though this time it would be selfimposed. There is life aside from IS. There is an economy to work on and sustain. There are goods to be exported and, likewise, imported. Trade between countries is not just

a game that has become so common that we can no longer stop ourselves from playing it. I’m no expert in economics, but I know for sure that one of the pivotal features of a sustainable economy is trade. IS, like all problems, needs to be faced, not avoided. And to face it, we need to be prepared to invest handsome amounts into strategies that will fight IS and beat it at its own game. European government leaders will be inclined to meet more frequently, and in person if they are to make their adopted coalition against IS effective. This is not something they can easily just discuss over Twitter. What further makes this looming petition to stop immigration even more impractical is the increase in, well, immigration. Students, for one, would be greatly inconvenienced. The UK has a good number of international

students studying here especially at the universities. What does blocked immigration mean then for them? They either abandon their studies and go stay at home “until IS is defeated.” Or they get stuck in the UK, since immigration would be blocked, and wait until “IS is defeated”. Neither option seems viable Photo by Wikimedia

to me. IS is not a disease whose timeframe can be estimated and monitored through some

comprehensive scientific research. This is a group of cruel, atrocious sadists who are so determined to carry out their terrorist mission until the very end. No one knows where or when that end is. It would be cheesy and cowardly then for the UK to shield itself from IS by closing borders. The question will always remain – until when, given that even that is unknown? Is the UK willing to jeopardize the economy and its diplomatic relations with other countries for an indefinite IS? This would be a huge sacrifice for the enemy as it would be a selfbetrayal. It is a welcome and understandable point that closing borders and stopping immigration in the UK is a security reason. I mean security should be the prime responsibility of a government to its citizens.

But this kind of security measure of closing borders and stopping immigration has some problems in that it is a prevention, rather than a cure. We may lock ourselves up and feel safe and warm in Britain, but we would constantly have to look over our shoulders. IS got into Paris and elsewhere. The fact that they were able to make it through without being recognized as terrorists shows that they know just how to dodge border operations, or worse still, cut through borders altogether. Closing borders then would not be the best answer to IS. I personally favour the newly-approved UN resolution, which calls upon nations to “redouble and co-ordinate their efforts to prevent and suppress terrorist attacks”. It may seem an ambiguous statement, but its meaning leans more on the military kind of “effort”, rather than blocked immigration. David Cameron would agree with me on this one since he was long prepared to extend UK airstrikes in Syria. His other European counterparts are just as hell-bent on counter-attacking IS. So yes, let’s give IS a fight of their life, and keep the borders open please, it’s hot in here.

Who should be allowed to vote in the EU referendum?

Karisma Indra

t seems that at every election the same point is raised over and over again. That point is that sixteen year olds should be allowed to vote. As the EU referendum looms ever nearer, David Cameron, is once again facing pressure to lower the voting age for the purposes of

this vote. There has been a somewhat dangerous precedent set by the Scottish referendum, which allowed for 16 and 17-yearolds to cast their vote in the ballots. Of course, there was a great voter turnout in this age group - a rather astounding 80% turned out to vote. The Guardian deemed this as “one

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of the most striking ways in which the Scottish referendum campaign electrified the more general political process”. But many argue that this was more due to the subject matter, rather than the addition of the younger voter, and is unlikely to be replicated again, especially when turned to the macrocosm of the United Kingdom as a whole. This is not to say that the idea is ludicrous altogether, certainly, 16 and 17-year-olds should have a say, it is just debatable as to how prudent the move to allow them to vote in large forums such as referendums may actually prove to be. Most people under the age of 18 are still in education, and many are still too immature to be voting in elections that could potentially change the very fabric of our economy. The EU plays an important

part in our trading life, and if young voters fail to understand the significance of what they are voting for, we may end up with a catastrophic result. Furthermore, voters under the age of 25 are notoriously the most apathetic. They tend to be the ones that never turn up to vote, or are typically the ones who spoil their ballots, or, I believe, make stupid decisions on whims. Indeed, there have been reports of students (mainly those between the ages of 18-23) simply crossing a name on the ballot paper without even thinking about who they had just voted for. Politicians are notorious for not pandering to this demographic during election campaigns, this is because they are aware of the fact that this age group is most likely to not vote. This is perhaps the cause for the apathy and alienation that the younger voter

demonstrates in their voting habits, the Conservatives for example focus their attention on the “grey vote” as opposed to the youth, because the former are more likely to vote than the latter, and tend to adhere to more Conservative ideologies. There is the feeling that those under 18 should not be allowed to vote simply because they will not exercise that right properly, and, if that is the case, perhaps they should not be allowed to vote anyway, if the vast majority are not going to take the task seriously, if they take it up at all. There is no denying the fact that 16 or 17-year-olds are given many other rights, such as the ability to give marital and sexual consent, so perhaps they should be given some political power when it comes to local issues. However, I believe the EU referendum is not the place to start.

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Surviving The best gifts come from Christmas the heart Manon Charles

here isn’t anything better than the Christmas holidays. They come around at exactly the right moment, after 12 long weeks of deadlines and partying, they signify a chance to be with family and relax for a few weeks. However, the transition from having complete freedom at university to being back at home can be a difficult one. So how do you survive Christmas? At university, you control your own schedule. You can eat whenever, sleep whenever, and see whoever you want. But at home, you’re back under your family’s rules. This can lead to tension and arguments, and sometimes not a very merry Christmas. The most important thing to remember when going home after a long period away is that your family means well. Although they may test your patience and seem as though their only purpose on this earth is to wind you, they love you. So take a deep breath before responding in a way you may regret later. While Christmas is a time for family, friends, and good will, don’t forget to take care of yourself. When everything gets a bit much and someone has asked you for the fiftieth time what you want to do with your life and whether you have a significant other, escaping may seem like the best option. Sometimes it’s nice to have a breather from all the festivities, so grab a selection box and go watch Netflix for a bit, or phone a uni friend, or anything else that makes you feel relaxed. This will make it easier to deal with those annoying questions and comments that are lovingly directed at us. Whenever I go home after a term at uni, I feel a surge of affection for my family. Unfortunately this doesn’t last very long, and by about two days in, I’m bickering with my dad over dinner and feel ready to kill my brother whenever he breathes too loudly in my presence. And just like that, I am no longer the university educated, worldly woman I envisage I am, instead I somehow revert to being 13 years old again. I find myself thinking that a month is way too long to be away from uni, however when it comes down to it, I’m always sad to leave my crazy family. So although they can drive us crazy, they mean well (most of the time). Appreciate the time you have with them, because in a few weeks, you’ll miss having your mum cooking all the Christmas favourites and cleaning for you!

Ruby Lyle Newspaper Editor

re you living off that famous student budget? Or maybe you’re concerned that your loved ones have absolutely everything? This is a common issue for many a student. But what to do? The cute and the unorthodox, of course! Homemade textiles Cushions? Toys? Patchwork anything? Fear not those of you who are more likely to stab yourselves more frequently than a bit of cotton. Glue guns are your friends! I can hear the crafty screams as I write this, but it honestly saves you an incredible amount of time. The only consideration you really need to make here is if your material is thick enough to not allow any of the glue to be seen or felt through the material. Christmas Gnomes This is an incredibly sweet gift that

my first year flatmates all received at Christmas courtesy of one kind flatmate and her mum’s sewing skills. They made incredibly thoughtful and interesting gifts. Infused vodka So maybe it isn’t the most conventional Christmas present for your dad, but my parents are pretty chill and it certainly beats a pair of socks under the tree. Pictured is a batch of cranberry and lime vodka, which you can easily find the recipe for on Pinterest. This is something that takes a few weeks to fully infuse, and a fair amount of sugar to make it palatable, ye be warned. If seasonal fruit isn’t your thing, how about some candy cane vodka? This one is much faster, you simply snap up a few candy canes, dump them in a bottle of vodka, and give them a rigorous shake every day. You can get bottles like the one shown here in Wilkos for next to nothing, so this slightly unusual gift is as easy as pie to make. Something I would recommend you keep in mind regarding your recipient: are they diabetic? Yes, this was indeed

something I probably should have considered ahead of time... Best of luck to you all in your gift hunt this holiday season!

Photo by A Healthy Jalapeño

Perfect presents for picky people Amber Murphy

hen it comes to Christmas, everyone struggles with finding the perfect gift, and if they say they don’t, they’re either lying or really creative. If you’re a panicking perfectionist then here’s a few ideas for you. Girls: Personalised jewellery - a unique gift and a thoughtful one. Jewellery stand - for all the personalised jewellery you’re buying them. Canvas quotes - from a favourite film or book. Perfume - as long as you know her favourite fragrance! Personalised/quote cushions what’s better than a pillow with your face on? Afternoon tea - there are always places to go locally, ranging in price. Spa day - every girl likes to be pampered.

Photo by Vetiver Aromatics | Flickr

Guys: PC/Xbox/PlayStation game make sure not to get one they already have. Watch - digital or analogue? Computer gadgets - always a winner, either useful or novelty. Favourite TV show merchandise a comfy jumper with a slogan perhaps. Driving experience - these can be pricy. Paintballing day - as long as you’re willing to join them! A film or TV poster - great for film fanatics. Drinking board game - any game can be a drinking game if you put your mind to it. Personalised shot or beer glass need I say more? Either: Some ideas in the girls and guys lists would be appropriate for either gender, all depending on the individual’s interests. The key to getting the right gift is knowing the likes/interests of the recipient. If they love Disney, then look

into Disney themed merchandise. Not on the highstreet.com and Wowcher are brilliant for unique ‘out of the box’, ideas and are decently priced for the personalised touch that will make your gift extra special. If you can’t think of any big gift ideas, then how about getting lots of little presents and putting them into stockings. So many shops have stocking filler ideas, and everyone loves getting cheesy gifts, and of course chocolate coins! If you want to spend that bit extra and want the perks of getting a present too, why not get tickets to see a comedy show or a concert - perhaps their favourite artist is going on tour soon. Clothes can be a bit risky, but as long as you know the person’s style and sizes you should be okay. If you want an active gift, explore places in London. It’s always a good full day out, and London has so many different things to offer, from the free, such as the sky garden (a garden 30 floors up that looks over London), to the costly, Madame Tussauds or a number of river boat experiences on the Thames.

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It’s time to deck the halls Jessica Duncan Newspaper Features Editor

t’s easy to go overboard with the tinsel at Christmas, but there are many other ways to make your house seem like a workshop for Santa’s elves. With reports claiming it will be the worst winter on record, you can’t guarantee snow, so decorations will just have to do. At this time of year, a house should smell Christmassy from the moment you open the door, and making gingerbread houses is the perfect way to do this. You could light scented Christmas-esque candles, but they aren’t as fun or tasty. Often left out until Christmas Eve and destroyed once everyone gets too hungry (if it lasts that long), the gingerbread house is great fun to make, as well as looking good once the pieces are all put together and decorated. Wrapping paper, as well as being useful, can get rather irritating when it doesn’t do what you want, often resulting in paper all over the house unintentionally. Those who have prepared early enough can wrap their presents and leave them under the tree, with the accumulation of presents being an exciting build-up during the last few weeks of term.

For the presents, you’ll need a tree to put them under. Many shops in town do these cheaply, but what you put on it is more important. You could go for the classic decorations you can buy in shops such as baubles, but you could also use chocolate coins (because what’s better than something looking and tasting good). Often found in rooms all year round, fairy lights make rooms cosy and bring the sparkle of Christmas into the home, and can also be used on the outside. Coloured or clear, these are great either around the tree or up on the walls, but make sure whatever you use to put them up won’t leave a mark on the walls.

A different way to use tinsel other than on the tree is to hang it from the ceiling in the place of streamers, taped up so that it drapes. You could also use paper chains for these that are simple enough to make and bring a bit of colour to the house, by simply linking strips of different coloured paper together. If all else fails, the go to, at whatever age, is paper snowflakes, just like you used to make in school by folding paper and cutting out shapes randomly along the folds. Stick these in your window for interesting shapes in your room from the light shining through. You never know, it might encourage snow.

s we enter the holiday season, the weather gets decidedly worse. The rain, wind and general harshness of the British climate can make for a very gloomy period. An easy way to lift your spirits is to don a festive jumper. Whether you like patterns, pictures, or slogans, there is a Christmas jumper out there for everyone! Novelty Jumpers: This jumper is the classic. Novelty jumpers can vary from festive patterned jumpers to pictures of reindeer or snowflakes. They can be as subtle or gaudy as you like, and can prove to be a classier way to show your holiday cheer. Many shops offer these jumpers, including New Look, H&M or Missguided, you can even try shops such as Sports Direct to find some real bargains. Slogan Jumper: These slogans can convey your feelings without you uttering a word. Whether they be positive or negative, there is a slogan for everyone. Whether you’re feeling witty “Express your Elf” (Matalan), or feeling like a bit of a Grinch “I donut like Christmas” (Missguided), there’s even a jumper for the singletons among us

Karisma Indra

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Christmas jumpers are back

Manon Charles

10 Useless Facts

“Mince pies before guys” (Missguided), a personal favourite rule of mine. Graphic Jumper: The graphic jumper is similar to the novelty jumper, however, as opposed to festive patterns on a woolly jumper, it usually consists of a picture on a sweatshirt. They can vary from snowscape pictures to images of wood burning fires. Primark has some very nice graphic jumpers for a very reasonable price, and ladies, we all know that there is something wonderful about a man’s jumper, so take a look in the men’s section for even more choices! Interactive jumper: These are a guilty pleasure of mine. There are jumpers out there that dance, light up, make noises, what’s not to like? I would recommend these if you want to leave no doubt about your feelings about Christmas. Whether

you wear a Rudolph jumper with a light up nose, or a singing penguin, they can brighten you up and bring a bit of joy to an otherwise gloomy day. These jumpers are particularly good if you know someone in your life who’s a bit of a Grinch and could do with some cheering up.

Photo by Jessica Duncan

1. To deliver all of the presents around the world on Christmas Eve, Santa would have to visit 822 homes a second. 2. The Christmas tradition of putting an orange or a tangerine in stockings originated in 12th century France, where nuns left stockings full of fruit, nuts, and tangerines at the doorsteps of the poor. 3. The chances of a white Christmas are just 1 in 10 for England and Wales, and 1 in 6 for Scotland and Northern Ireland. 4. “Jingle Bells” was originally called “One Horse Open Sleigh” and was written for Thanksgiving. 5. Astronomers believe the Star Of Bethlehem, which guided the wise men to Jesus, may have been a comet, or the planet Uranus. 6. Before turkey, the traditional Christmas meal in England was a pig’s head and mustard. 7. The first Christmas celebrated in Britain is thought to have been in York in 521 AD. 8. The first electric Christmas lights were used in America in 1882. 9. Kissing under the mistletoe is thought to originate as an ode to Frigga, the Norse Goddess of Love, who was associated with the plant. 10. Christmas pudding was originally a soup made with raisins and wine.

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The perfect christmas roast

Lauren Sullivan

he perfect Christmas roast is a thing of beauty and while it can be overwhelming planning your own meal, even a complete novice can pull off a cracker. Although the turkey will always take centre stage, it is important not to ignore the other components of the meal. Your Belgian flatmate won’t be too happy if you forget the Brussels. So sit back and relax, we’ve done all the hard work for you.

Ingredients: 1 large turkey crown, or breasts if you’d prefer not to have to carve. 1 bag of Maris Piper potatoes 1 bag of carrots Broccoli 1 packet of bacon rashers Cauliflower cheese Peas Pigs in blankets 1 bag of beef dripping Yorkshire puddings A large jug of Bisto gravy Sprouts (optional)

Method: 1. Prepare the turkey by covering the crown in streaky rashers of bacon. By doing this allows the bacon to crisp nicely and infuses the turkey with smoky aromas. Place the turkey onto the middle shelf of pre-heated oven at approximately 200⁰c. Cook for approximately two hours or until the juices run clear. During the cooking process, check the turkey every 30 mins and baste to ensure it does not dry out. 2. Start peeling those potatoes! Once

peeled, run them under the tap to make sure they are washed and place them into a medium sized saucepan. Add boiling water and allow them to par boil for five minutes. When the potatoes start to boil, add a generous amount of oil to a deep baking dish and place in the oven to heat. After five minutes, spoon the potatoes into the baking dish, add a sprinkle of salt and place on the top shelf in the oven. Cook for an hour, and turn after 30 minutes to ensure they crisp up. 3. Next, peel the carrots, sprouts

(if you must) chop the broccoli and along with the peas, put them all into a steamer (the healthier option!) for approximately 30 mins. Cauliflower cheese and pigs in blankets can be placed into the oven to cook for 40 mins. 4. Remove the turkey, potatoes, pigs in blanket and cauliflower cheese from the oven. Put the Yorkshire puddings in for around six or seven minutes, and boil a kettle to make the gravy. Remove the bacon from the turkey (have a little nibble whilst carving) and start plating up – enjoy!

If you don’t fancy making your own, there are plenty of restaurants in Canterbury that make a great alternative. Here are a couple: Ye Olde Beverlie, St Stephen’s Green, Canterbury Ye Olde Beverlie is a lovely little pub that has a wonderful family atmosphere, a roaring log fire and an excellent menu. For just £26, you can enjoy a delicious three course menu and are provided with Christmas crackers, festive hats and streamers to accompany your meal. Canterbury Cathedral/ Cathedral lodge The Cathedral always looks so stunning at Christmas, the perfect venue for a tasty roast. The lodge offers a spectacular menu for just £22.95 per head, so book soon as it is a very popular place for Christmas lunch. Photo by Eustaquio Santimano | Flickr

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Fun & games

Medium

Sudoku

Easy

Puzzles by Matthew Sapsed

Christmas Crossword

1 2 3 1

5 5 1 2

Last issue’s answers Sudoku

Easy solution 8 2 1 7 5 3 9 4 6

6 5 9 1 8 4 2 7 3

3 7 4 2 6 9 8 5 1

2 9 3 8 4 6 7 1 5

1 4 8 5 2 7 3 6 9

Hard solution 7 6 5 9 3 1 4 8 2

5 1 7 3 9 8 6 2 4

4 3 2 6 7 5 1 9 8

9 8 6 4 1 2 5 3 7

8 4 5 2 7 1 6 9 3

6 2 1 4 3 9 7 5 8

3 7 9 6 5 8 2 1 4

7 8 4 5 1 2 3 6 9

1 5 3 9 6 7 8 4 2

9 6 2 8 4 3 5 7 1

4 3 7 1 8 6 9 2 5

2 1 8 7 9 5 4 3 6

5 9 6 3 2 4 1 8 7

4 1

2 3 4

6 3

2 6

5 5

Across 1/16. 2009 David Nicholls novel adapted into a 2011 film (3,3) 3. Bob ___, US songwriter noted for his protest songs (5) 4. A group of persons or things (3) 5. A body of citizens sworn to give a true verdict in a court of law (4) 7. A port city in southern Ireland (4) 9. A large quantity (informal) (7) 12. Endeavour ___, fictional detective created by Colin Dexter (5) 13. A major European river; flows into the North Sea (5) 15. The joint between the thigh and shin bones (4) 16. See 1 17. 1995 Len Deighton spy novel featuring the character of Bernard Samson (4) 18. Bram ___, 19th-20thC Irish writer of the novel about Dracula (6) 5 6 20. Ted ___, English poet (1930-1998) (6) 24. Arctic animal with large antlers; called ‘caribou’ in North America (8) 26. A fertile plain on the Aegean Sea in east central 9 Greece (8) 27. The Turn of the ___, 1898 Henry James Gothic ghost story novella (5) 28. The hair growing on the lower part of a man’s face 12 (5) Down 1. 2015 US TV series starring Anna Friel and Treat Williams (7) 15 2. A string or ribbon woven with rubber threads (7) 6. A sudden strong increase (7) 18 19 8. Sir Walter ___, 16th-17thC English courtier who introduced potatoes to England (7) 10. Hard smooth-textured cheese; originally 22 made in southwestern England (7) 11. Bruce ___, entertainer and former 24 co-presenter of Strictly Come Dancing (7) 12. Tedious lack of variety (8) 14. Strong black coffee (8) 19. Capital of Ukraine (4) 21. A narrow secluded valley in the mountains (4) 22. Bruce ___, 20thC US actor who was an expert in kung fu (3) 23. 2003 film starring Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel (3) 25. The ___ Papers, 1973 Martin Amis novel (6) 26. The Big Bang ___, US TV series first broadcast in 2007 (6)

Sudoku

Turn sharply

Church seat

Round nacre

Stun

Go across

Gentle

Way to travel?

Bad actor

Fresh Tire out

Nativity

Xmas glitter? Long story

Object Xmas forest feature?

Annoy Fluff

Greek cheese

Beast of burden

Tug

Level

Clever Awaken

Ocean

Report

Beam of light

Sudoku Easy

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

21 23

Sudoku Hard 4 2 3 5 8

6 9

F I T T E R N A W N A N G F E E V E T I R S A S A

R G O M E N M I N E P L E S D T E I L I N G I D L E T E E L E A T S

2 9 2

Crossword Easy

Crossword Hard

Across 1. Plus 3. Strain 7. Taxi 8. Remember 9. Strength 10. Rule 11. Crisis 13. Wasted 15. Pool 17. Standard 19. Complete 21. Need 22. Bright

Across 7/25. Gone Girl 8. Pedicure 10. Houdini 11. Empty 12. Atlas 13. Inferno 16. Sputnik 19. Uncle 21. Rupee 23. Affleck 24. Barbados Down

23. Meet Down 1. Plaster 2. Universal 3. Somehow 4. Rim 5. Ideal 6. Drag 10. Residence 12. Suspect 14. Ernest 16. Odour 18. Area 20. Pig

3 2 7

7 8

Solution

D E T E R

Xmas giftgiver? (5, 5)

Air

Arrowword P E D G E S S T R R I A N

Arrowword

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9 5 1

1. Eggheads 2. Annual 3. Gemini 4. Pike 5. Bumper 6. Levy 9. Wilson 14. Fluffy 15. Overkill 17. Umpire 18. Krakow 20. Credit 21. Ruby 22. Elan

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Christmas films to beat those winter blues Georgia Goldsmith

was the month before Christmas and students all around, head home to their sofa and Christmas with surround sound. Your maintenance loan was spent in Freshers’ Week and your overdraft is maxed out. Deadlines are due, you’re wondering why you ever decided to move in with your housemates. One way to stay sane on a budget is to crank up the laptop and escape into the movie magic of winter nights, duvet, and chill. Classic Christmas films It’s a Wonderful Life is a perfect film if you are experiencing university blues. Re-evaluating the good points of your life is what Christmas break is all about. You can step out, take a look, and step back in for the second term. Musicals Are you pirouetting with joy at the sight of Julie Andrews on her mountain in The Sound Of Music? Or shuddering at the thought of the simpering singing youngsters from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang? December is the perfect excuse to dust off those DVDs and reconnect with your housemates. Irving Berlin’s musical Holiday Inn is sure to warm the cockles of your heart. With Fred Astaire’s firecracker solo to the dulcet tones of “White Christmas”, this masterpiece inspired hope and joy during the Second World War. You can also reminisce through Mary Poppins

and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. Create a fabulous drinking game: a sip for every mention of ‘Treguna Mekoides, Trecorum Satis Dee’ or ‘Chim Chiminey’. It’s sure to help your house reconnect. Nostalgic films For those who have the Christmas tree ready in November and their cards sent on 1 December, the Christmas films of our childhood can be dug out and enjoyed again and again. You could watch Miracle on 34th Street all year round, as Richard Attenborough’s Kris Kringle is what makes this movie magical. The 1985 classic Santa Claus explains the origin of Father Christmas to sceptical younger siblings, whereas A Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

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can separate the humbugs from the Christmas fanatics. Warring with your family? The 1994 release of Tim Allen’s The Santa Clause can help to put dysfunctional family issues aside. Modern Christmas films Those looking for romance at Christmas can rely on films such as The Holiday and Love Actually. Christmas is a time of possibility. These films can help you rekindle the romance with your sixth-form boyfriend, or realise that life goes on. On another note, after that awkward breakup you may need films like Elf or Nativity to get you laughing again. Animation Yes, it is that time of year when belting along to Frozen in a supermarket is acceptable. For those looking for cult Christmas animation however, there is Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before

Christmas. As for classic animation, if you can make it through The Snowman without weeping, you are one of those special beings among us. Robert Zemeckis’ The Polar Express stands out for Christmas artistry and sparkle, whereas Raymond Briggs’ 1991 animation of Father Christmas is for fans and cynics alike. Un-Christmassy films However, if you find yourself hating the commercialism of Christmas so much that if you see one more Santa you will launch a brussel sprout at the screen, Die Hard is the film for you. Perhaps you want to kick Father Christmas right where it hurts whilst laughing, in which case, Bad Santa is for you. But for those who want a great film for the family, weeping and comedy aligned, I recommend the late Robin Williams’ Hook. Brilliant all year round.

Mockingjay Part II: The Ultimate Review Libby Asher

’ve read the books and now I’ve seen all of the films. As a critic, I wouldn’t associate myself with the fan base perhaps, but would rather call myself an informed observer. I have to start with stating that I think that the Mockingjay films were a pointless partition of the last book, one that is most certainly for the royalties. It’s all ‘setting up’ of the plot in the first half of the Mockingjay book, so when they came to splitting it, they split it exactly where I predicted: Mockingjay Part I left the audience feeling like they’d wasted their money on a film that essentially took place in one room, District 13’s main lobby. However, Mockingjay Part 2 was ten times better than Part 1. It helps that the last half of the book is where it all kicks off, bringing the series to its climax. The film starts with our beloved, bow and arrow wielding heroine Katniss trying to speak after Peeta tried to throttle her to death at the end of Part 1 (about as interesting as Part 1 got, to be

honest). President Coin is cagey and Katniss decides to take matters into her own hands by joining the troops fighting in the Capital. The story stayed pretty true to the book, however this series is jam-packed full of symbolism, some of which was lost in the film, for example Effie Trinket is not supposed to be with the gang in District 13, she is found at the end of the last book having

seen and experienced horrors that are purposefully never explained to us, so she is a shell of a woman when Katniss sees her again. But it suits the corporate franchise that this fun and quirky character is inexplicably present in the film. The film itself was visually stunning. The destroyed, war ravaged city, coupled with the refugees being called to the centre at the end of the film definitely evoked thoughts of the war in

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Syria, and whether this was intentional or not, it worked in favour of the film. The music was brilliant; the main theme was used throughout the film series and provided continuity. The stand-out actor was Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss. She made me cry when she sobbed at the end of the film, and her sobbing was proper sobbing too: tears, dribble, snot, and moans. This was real emotion, angry tears, and devastation that her reason for doing everything, the volunteering as tribute, the killing, the filming of the ‘propos’, and the fighting, was all gone. Josh Hutcherson as Peeta was also great, as his inner turmoil of whether to carry out his Capitol training and kill Katniss or kiss her was effectively displayed. Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) had some great lines, and Julianne Moore (President Coin) played her part of the background evildoer excellently. It was also nice to see Philip Seymour Hoffman in his final work, and although there was some evident digital trickery, the finished product is a real tribute to his talent.

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n a h t s t n u o c s i d e Mor e s l e e r e anywh ourite brands on your fav

All for £12 for 12 months

nus.org.uk Musical reunions that we’d love to see Your stud ent discount card

All details correct at time of printing August 2014

Shalyia Arumugathasan

t seems that over the last couple of years, pop band reunions are the latest trend. We have recently witnessed the coming together of Busted and Mcfly with their big McBusted tour, which fans went wild for. Also, the infamous S Club 7 have done a comeback tour in the last year that every child of the 90s was ecstatic to hear about. Since all these reunions have started kicking off, it has got me thinking about which of my favourite childhood bands I would like to reunite and go on tour. The ultimate reunion would have to be the Spice Girls. The band have been

rumoured to be doing an international tour next year for the 20th anniversary of their song “Wannabe”’. But whether this is actually going to happen is another question. There is no doubt about it, many of us would die to see Scary, Sporty, Ginger, Baby, and Posh Spice back on the stage spicing up our lives with their endless hits. Fingers crossed that 2016 is the time they choose to do it. Secondly, seeing as S Club 7 got back together, we would all be lying if we said we didn’t want S Club 8 to have a cheeky one-off reunion. It can’t be denied that they were any childhood fan’s back-up after the tragic split of S Club 7, and their music did suffice for a time. Many of them have split off into different singing careers and still keep in contact, who’s to say it won’t happen? A third and glorious favourite from my childhood has to be the glamorous and sassy Destiny’s Child. A reunion tour from them would be an R&B dream. The hit “Say My Name” is a throwback song everyone enjoys and would love to hear sung live once again. Beyonce is still everyone’s girl crush today, and

to see her get the group back together would please a whole generation. The last band that may not have been everyone’s favourite but were still very well known, is NSYNC. Justin Timberlake in the early days, who

didn’t love that? They were one of the original boybands of the 90s before One Direction and JLS came about. A great band with great pop music, it would be brilliant to see JT with his wild curly hair in his leather jacket again.

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A first look at Netflix series Narcos Ellesse Cooke

arcos. If you have Netflix, you’ve likely heard of it, if not from being a viewer then from Netflix’s (admittedly very good) inescapable advertising of it. So I thought, being the critical person I am, I’d give the show three strikes, three episodes to prove that it’s worth my, and more importantly, your, viewing time. So, what is a narco? In short, a narco is a drug dealer, typically involved in a larger trafficking ring. And the plot of Narcos centres on just that. Set in late 70s to 80s Columbia, the show depicts the real life events occurring in a time where dealers were not only harder to track down, but cocaine was a new novelty, a drug few really knew about. And don’t get me wrong, I’m glad they told me that. However, I’m not glad that a large proportion of the pilot’s exposition is given through the narration of the lead, Steve Murphy (Boyd Holbrook). I don’t know about most people, but in my opinion, when the narration is on a near constant 10 minutes into a 45 minute episode, there’s a problem. I can’t help but wonder if it was to compensate for how much of the episode, even the series, is in Spanish, and therefore for most, is subtitled. To Netflix, the show creators, subtitles are ok, but if you’re that concerned, try and show more of

Songs on repeat Bethan Stoneman Justin Bieber - “Love Yourself” The once ridiculed Justin Bieber returned to the charts in 2015 in a big way with his album ‘Purpose’. The newest offering from the album, “Love Yourself”, is a slower, more soulful track, which stands out against fast bangers “What Do You Mean” and “Where Are You Now”. The song has a distinct Ed Sheeran vibe, which makes sense seeing as the British songwriter wrote it, and it is sure to be a huge hit this winter.

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going, they’re really something to see. Let’s start with Steve. He’s a drug enforcement agent, really your standard good guy, and Holbrook does manage to make him seem nice and charming. He’s likable enough, but nothing special. On the flip side is Escobar, a drug mogul and antagonist as such. Moura manages to make him as likable as Steve, if not more so. He’s just a

a somewhat crooked cop with a player edge. Then there’s a fellow mogul going by the nickname “The Mexican” (Luis Guzman), and if Escobar is a sociopath, he is something else. If nothing else, the production value on this show is impressive. In a lot of scenes, there’s a certain colour scheme, dark with bright colours, especially in bars or dark streets. It’s something of

Foals - “Give It All” The new single from the indie-rock band is a classic slow builder. Lead singer Yannis Philippakis tests his vocals and hits all the right high notes in this tune, whilst the other band mates provide a smooth beat that builds into a chilled-out banger. Definitely a song to be slow-danced to at a disco. Florence and the Machine “Delilah” After a brief break from the music charts, Florence Welch is back with her signature unusual sound. “Delilah” is a testament to the singer’s amazing vocals and her talented songwriting. With a slowbuilding beat that makes you want to start dancing, this song is a musthear for any Florence fan. Aurora - “Half The World Away” You may recognise this tune from this year’s always emotional annual John Lewis advert. The advert follows the story of a young girl attempting to contact a lonely man living on the moon, and the song fits this touching storyline completely. Originally an Oasis song, newcomer Aurora does the tune justice with her sweet vocals that convey an array of different emotions.

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the American characters. Speaking of, while the pilot episode is a very confused parallel of backstories, concerning our American protagonist Steve and the Columbian antagonist, Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura), the following two episodes seem to centre on a more continuous plot. In fact, real character development and relationships only really start halfway through the second episode. I found myself gradually getting bored up until that point, which is unfortunate, because when these characters get

badass, if a bit sociopathic. There’s no other way to put it. In his own words, his “eyes are everywhere”. When he starts pursuing politics, it’s hard not to route for him. There’s a fair array of supporting characters, all of which have their own perks. Steve’s wife Connie (Joanna Christie) is a tough nurse, supportive but with a witty streak. It’s also interesting to hear about her encounters with the cartel, such as her attempts to save a pregnant drug mule from an overdose. His partner, Javier (Pedro Pascal), is fairly entertaining as

a contrast to the more violent scenes, and beware, the violence on this show is far from rare. Even the animals aren’t safe. Meanwhile, look out for footage from the real cartel’s days, including Escobar’s real life mugshot. To conclude, Narcos kept my attention, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t have a few problems. The pilot is quite a slog to get through and even when it explored characters’ relationships, I found myself hungry for more. Still, it does feature some visually striking gems. 3/5 stars.

Jamie Lawson - “Wasn’t Expecting That” This singer-songwriter shot to the top of the charts in November with this mellow tune. The artist, who nobody had heard of before he released the single, was the first singer to be signed to Ed Sheeran’s new label Gingerbread Man Records, and it’s easy to see why. The song is beautifully written and conveys a sad story of love and loss that can be related to around the world. But don’t watch the video, it will make you cry.

InQuire Friday 4 December 2015

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It’s battle of the poets at the Gulb Poetry Slam!

Claire Still Newspaper Culture Editor

n 16 December at 8pm, the Gulb Slam returns yet again with a bang for another round of inspiring spoken word! Brought to you by Apples and Snakes, The Gulbenkian, and Wise Words Festival, the evening will consist of 10 poets battling it out for victory and a feature slot in the next Gulb Slam event in January. The Slam will be hosted on the Gulbenkian Cafe Stage by word geek Dan Simpson, and will feature acclaimed British poet Luke Wright. Wright is typically known for his bawdy bar room ballads about small town tragedies and Westminster rogues. His fast paced, witty poems are crammed full of yummy-mummies, debauched Tory grandees, maudlin commuters, and leering tabloid paps. His live shows are enjoyed by thousands of people across the world every year, where he mixes the wistful with the downright comic to take audiences on an incredible emotional journey. In 2015 his debut play (in which he also starred,) What I Learned From

Photo by Caroline Joy Watson

Photo by Christian Senger | Flickr

Johnny Bevan, won a prestigious Fringe First Award at The Edinburgh Fringe, also bagging him The Stage Award for Acting Excellence. The Metro have described him as “performance poetry’s key revivalist,” while The Independent claims him to be “one of the funniest and most brilliant poets of his generation”. Along with October and November GulbSlam winners Cal Harris and Stefan Gambrell, it is safe to say that this Gulb Slam is going to be one of the best yet! Over-flowing with talent, this event continues to recognise some of

England’s finest upcoming poets, as they express themselves through the art of spoken word. Additionally, the evening will include a musical feature from the incredible Luke Jackson, a local rising Roots singer/songwriter from Canterbury, Kent. The poets performing in this Slam will be as follows: Jocelyn Mosman Neelam Saredia Calum Collins Paul Bidois Joe Pound Alex Vellis Charlie Tolfree Amy Barnes Clair Meyrick Adam Baker. At a fiver a ticket, or just £4 for a student ticket, you would be sad to miss this exciting event full of inspiring and talented individuals. So be sure to book your tickets now! Scan these QR codes to watch some previous participants perform their poetry on Youtube!

By Emrys Plant

By Maggie Akintayo

Visit The Gulbenkian website for more information: http://www.thegulbenkian.co.uk/ contact by email: boxoffice@kent.ac.uk or call 01227 769075

Give the gift of entertainment this Xmas with The Gulbenkian Gift Voucher!

ut with the yearly sock gift and in with the new Gulbenkian gift voucher! Buy your friends or loved ones something they’ll really enjoy - a night out at The Gulbenkian! And with a wide programme of events, this gift caters for all, whether you are into films, jazz, comedy, theatre, or ballet. What’s more, it’s not just any gift voucher, it’s a proper gift pack. Your vouchers will be put into a Gulbenkian Card and envelope for that extra touch. Vouchers for specific tickets can also be requested. So if you’re stuck for a great gift this Christmas, look no further, The Gulbenkian have it sorted!

Culture

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What you’ve got to look forward to at The Gulbenkian in the New Year Drama Mind the Gap - Contained

Mon 25 & Tues 26 January

19:30pm

Contained is a vibrant, compelling, and personal new show from England’s largest professional learning-disabled theatre company.

ATRESBANDES Theatre Company - Locus Amoenus

Fri 29 Jan - 19:30pm Catalan theatre company ATRESBANDES are rapidly establishing a reputation as creators of sharp, perceptive work for international audiences. Locus Amoenus is their fourth piece together and has been created in residence at Mac in Birmingham, following the company winning the Jury Prize at BE Festival 2012.

Ridiculusmus - Give Me Your Love

Fri 5 Feb - 19:30pm The new Ridiculusmus show is about Post Traumatic Stress and the effects of MDMA.

UKC Nepalese Society present KENT ENLIGHTENS NEPAL

Sat 27 Feb - 19:30pm For the first time ever, University of Kent Nepalese Society (NepSoc) presents an Inter-Uni Nepalese Drama competition.

Poetry Cafe Live: Gulb Slam

Wed 27 January - 19:30pm GulbSlam returns! Brilliant spoken word - and you can take part.

Poetry By Heart

Mon 1 February- 19:30pm The hugely successful national Poetry By Heart competition returns to the Gulbenkian for the Kent County final.

Photo by The Gulbenkian

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The power of photojournalism

Miles Howell

urope came under pressure this year to take in a great number of the Syrian refugees fleeing the violence occurring in their homeland. Many of these people attempted to cross the Mediterranean and unfortunately drowned whilst trying to reach our shores. With this event came a series of photographs to represent their plight. One set in particular sparked a huge reflection of morality and change in opinion - images of a dead child, only three years old, washed up on a Turkish beach after his boat sank. The images of the child’s lifeless body quickly became a symbol of the movement for the EU to take in more refugees, demonstrating the power and huge impact photographs can have on us as a united people. It made people aware of the distressing truth of the situation, and forced them to see it in a different light, no matter where their moral judgement lay. With the power of social networking, the images bombarded our social media pages and were spread worldwide for all to witness, provoking thousands of shares and retweets across the globe. As a result, this attracted more aid and attention to the refugee crisis as a

whole. But this is not the only example of photojournalism causing a public outcry. Many other iconic photographs in the past have provoked such strong feelings too.

Photo by Franck Vervial| Flickr

In the Vietnam War, during the Tet Offensive of 1968, photographer Eddie Adams photographed a Vietcong prisoner being executed by a South Vietnamese police chief on the streets of Saigon. This image soon galvanised the anti-war movement, and became an iconic image of the Tet Offensive. Adams, for his part, regretted the notoriety that the photo caused on the police chief in question, as his photograph did not give the proper context to the situation at hand. Another famous photograph from the Vietnam War was taken by Nick Ut, and depicted a girl running in agony

having been severely burned by a South Vietnamese napalm attack. The image had made such an impact in the United States that even President Nixon questioned its authenticity. Ut won himself a Pulitzer Price and the World Press Photo of the Year in 1972 for capturing this disturbing event on camera. Not all famous photos in journalism need to be distressing however. One photograph in particular comes to mind – Joe Rosenthal’s ‘Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima’. Taken during World War 2 at the Battle of Iwo Jima, it

Photo by David Erickson| Flickr

depicts five men raising the U.S. Flag on Mount Suribachi, three of whom were later killed during the battle. The photograph has become one of the most recognisable images produced during the course of the war, and is perhaps the most famous photo

Photo by David Erickson| Flickr

ever taken, having been reprinted in countless publications. Due to its huge significance, the picture was also used as the model for the sculpture on the Marine Corps War Memorial at Arlington Ridge Park, setting in stone this iconic moment in history. In sum, the response to the publication of the photos of the dead Syrian child is nothing new. For years, photojournalism has depicted situations that have struck right to the heart of those viewing them at home. It continues to document important moments in history and, on reflection, we should all understand the importance of that. Although it may be cliché, it is ultimately true that an image speaks a thousand words.

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Ten top tips to getting a career in publishing

Culture Nine literary facts about Christmas!

Sibhekile Magagula & Karisma Indra

he publishing industry seems to fall behind other industries relevant to it, such as the media. Notably, however, it is actually the backbone of industries that deal with the marketing, advertising and, yes, publishing of news, consumer products, and even services of individuals, enterprises, and organisations. So if you’re a ‘let-theworld-know’ type of person, whether through print or digitally, then you should consider a career in publishing. To set you off on a publishing prospect, here are 10 tips that we’ve gladly compiled for you. Research: Thanks to technology, it has become much easier to browse, search, and surf for virtually anything you want to be informed about. The Internet has a compilation of different sites that talk about the publishing industry – its ins and outs. Definitely a good way to start. Qualification: Publishing includes such things as editing, proof-reading and just checking the quality of a product before it goes out to the public. So, we could say it is an art that demands good analytical skills, as well as an eye for errors. So for this you may want to consider a degree (or more) in the languages – English Language and/or any other language. Linguistics would also be a viable option, as much as Journalism or Literature, and all related subjects. These tend to focus on language application and usage, and also carry with them the transferable skills already mentioned, which are relevant in publishing. Consider other careers within the industry: The publishing industry does not only employ publishers; there are other roles that you can venture into, such as editing, proof-reading, marketing, designing, and many more. So don’t narrow your options down to only being a publisher. If you wish, you may even switch roles and interchange them with the different roles in the industry as you progress. Work Experience: Look for work experience in publishing bodies; it doesn’t need to be paid, or even well-known. The practical skills gained will serve you well and get your foot in the door of the industry. Or, if work experience is not something you can do, look into graduate programmes ready for when you leave university some companies such as Macmillan have graduate programmes that help

In Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Tiny Tim was originally going to be called Little Fred. There is a species of snail called Ba humbugi, named after Scrooge’s famous exclamation in A Christmas Carol. Much of our modern idea of Santa Claus comes from the 1823 poem A Visit from St Nicholas (or more commonly known by its first line as Twas the night before Christmas).

Photo by Pixabay

to boost your chances of a successful publishing career. Salary: Well, it’s a fact we can’t escape – the monetary reward does count too, besides the passion. The publishing industry is not as well-paying as we may wish. The average salary was estimated to be about £18,000 in 2004. It has obviously risen, so it is not so bad after all. But for advice’s sake, don’t expect a fat cheque, just love your job.

Photo by Jon S| Flickr

Affiliated industries: Of course the publishing industry works hand in hand with other, if not most, industries. But it is always good to know which industries are more affiliated with it. The media, for one, relies on publishing companies to get their work out. Advertising companies and/ or marketers do a job almost similar to publishing. Individuals, especially authors and writers, need publishing as well. Knowing the relevant industries broadens your expectations for the industry, and more specifically, your job and its networks. Networking: It is not enough to just surf the net, work the net – network! Orally enquire and get in touch with the relevant people, advisedly, those who are currently in the industry. You can learn more things

that the Internet may not teach you. You can ask about what exactly the industry entails, the job description of a publisher or any other role within the publishing industry. You can also find out about the working hours, if it’s a nine to five job, if weekends are off or not. Basically, just learn how hectic an industry it is. A good job is one that allows you to grow career-wise, so do ask about available opportunities such as on-the-job-training and workshops. Portfolio: Be sure to keep a portfolio of all your work; no matter how insignificant it may seem, it is always worth keeping a copy, as you never know when it may be useful. Portfolios are a great way of demonstrating your ability and passion to potential employers. Applications: In order to really kick-start your publishing career, send out lots of applications when applying for jobs, and always keep positive in spite of any rejections. These things take time, but perseverance is a vital tool in a competitive industry. Act like it: This tip can easily be taken lightly, yet it actually encompasses all the other tips already mentioned. For you to effectively do the researching and networking, you would need to feel like you’re a publisher already. It fuels your enthusiasm, and as you do your research, you won’t feel like you’re researching a Biology project. Another way to ‘act like it’ is to join societies such as the Publishing Society in order to get a near-practical look at what the industry is about. You can further include this in your CV; prospective employers will see that you are passionate about the industry.

Father Christmas made his first appearance in literature in 1616, in a masque by Shakespeare’s contemporary Ben Jonson. The earliest known use of the phrase ‘Christmas pudding’ is in Anthony Trollope’s 1858 Barsetshire novel, Doctor Thorne. The earliest known use of the phrase ‘Christmas present’ is from a 1663 entry in the diary of Samuel Pepys. The words to “Once in Royal David’s City” were written by the same person who wrote the hymn “All Things Bright and Beautiful”. Her name was Cecil Alexander. Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol in just six weeks and, despite selling 6,000 copies by Christmas Eve – five days after it was published – the book did little to solve Dickens’ financial problems. Between 1920 and 1942, J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit, wrote a series of letters to his children from Father Christmas. Some scholars even suggested that the character of Gandalf was partly inspired by the figure of Father Christmas.

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Review: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Marlowe Claire Still Newspaper Culture Editor

illed to the brim with sing-along songs, dazzling costumes, and spectacular technical wizardry, this year’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Marlowe Theatre ticks all the boxes of what a great pantomime should be. And from the roars of laughter and thunderous applause, it wasn’t just me who thought so. Everything about this festive panto sparkles with excellence, from the magnificent staging to the actors’ talented performances. From the very beginning of the show, it kicks off (quite literally) with a bang as Ben Roddy - “the fat man in a dress”, slowly descends onto the stage on a harness, having abseiled down the theatre wall on film. Roddy remains the star of the show, enlivening the audience with his endless witty comments and jokes, as he dresses as the outlandish Dame, Nurse Nellie, in an array of bright and wacky costumes (the R2D2 one being my favourite). Alongside CBeebies star Phil Gallagher (Mister Maker) as Muddles the Jester, and Lloyd Hollett as Herman the Henchman, the trio are hilariously punny throughout the show and bounce off each other excellently as they engage and get the audience participating with “oh no he isn’t!” and “he’s behind you” in the traditional pantomime manner. One of my favourite scenes is a set-piece sequence in which they pack forty-two fish puns in to the space of six minutes, including a play on words such as “it’s multi-porpoise” and “don’t be crabby about it.” Despite the traditional panto humour, the show didn’t feel too gimmicky however, as I found the trio threw in enough freshness and pantomocking jokes that this wasn’t the case, including the recurring motif “you

Fashion stocking fillers! Amy Boreham With the weeks before Christmas quickly slipping away it is important to get organised and start shopping for those all important seasonal gifts. Here is a summary of the 5 best fashion and beauty bargins on the market. Benefit is the leading make-up brand with a good reputation. Boots this year have combined some of the best loved Benefit cosmetics into a luxury gift set. Worth £52.33, this great buy has been reduced to £25! A great tip to save money at Christmas is to purchase a gift set and split the contents amongst more than one relative or friend. Another perfect Christmas gift is the Urban Decay make-up hold spray. This is a handy tool as one quick spray means your makeup is set to last throughout every Christmas party or wintery day out. It can be purchased for £21 from the Urban Decay website. Topshop have got a diverse range of Christmas themed products to fill stockings this Christmas. Topshop are stocking classic Christmas socks at only £3.50 or 2 for £8! Or perhaps some warm Christmassy slippers for only £12! Miss Selfridge are offering free standard delivery with no minimum spend. This sparkly crop top would be a great stocking filler for wearing around the festive season, or as part of a glamorous outfit for New Year’s Eve. The product is retailed at £22 but with a 10% student, only £19.80! Finally, the festive season is all about glitz and glamour. Adding a pair of false eyelashes is a good addition to anyone’s stocking this season. Creating volume and lash length in seconds, they can help to enhance and finish off anyone’s party look. The brand new Cheryl Cole range by Eyelure is perfect for a friend or relative to try out over Christmas at only £6 from Boots.

1 Photo by The Marlowe Theatre

don’t get that at the Dartford Panto” whenever they made an intellectual jest. The fabulous Rita Simmons, who plays the wicked Queen, demonstrates her amazing talent for not only acting, but singing and dancing as well, as she belts out lyrics and impresses in the dance scenes with her ghouls and in the energetic finale. Since she’s best known for her role in Eastenders as Roxy Mitchell, the panto humorously cast her Eastenders co-star Jake Wood (Max Branning) too, as the Mirror on the Wall. The rest of the cast, including Katie Monks as Snow White and Ben Carruthers as Prince Charming, also put on solid performances, while the seven short actors who portray the dwarfs steal all the scenes they appear in - a true joy to watch. The show brought some extra surprises too, with death-defying rollerskating acrobatics by dancers Valentina

Photo by Paul Clapp

Bor and Matt Edmonds - the most jaw-dropping thing I have ever seen in a pantomime! And with the magic of modern technology, a 3D experience during the ghost bench scene animated the entire theatre with shrills, as spiders and ghouls seemed to jump out of the screen. Roddy amusingly joked “It looks like a Specsavers convention out there!” While retaining the traditional elements of pantomime, the show felt very fresh and current thanks to the inclusion of contemporary pop songs, such as the mash-up between Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off” and Snow White’s “Whistle while you Work”, with further pop culture references to “hashtag awkward”, “watch me whip, watch me nae nae”, and “whistle Photo by Paul Clapp while you twerk”, throwing the young audience into fits of laughter. Not to mention the hilarious Freddie Mercury tribute act scene led by Hollet, with his terrific performance of “Bohemian Rhapsody” and other Queen classics, amid a sea of Freddie Mercury lookalikes. And of course, they could only end with one song - Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk”, which got everybody up on their feet. Overall, I believe this innovative production of the classic story of Snow White cannot be faulted - it has it all. Fun-packed from start to finish, it is sure to put a great big smile on your face. With shows running from 27 November until 10 January, tickets are selling fast, so be sure to treat yourself this winter to an unforgettable night at the Marlowe Theatre and see the sensational Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - take it from me, you will not be disappointed!

InQuire Friday 4 December 2015

Editorial

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Big brother is watching you, but should you care?

Maddy Dunn

Newspaper Comment Editor

e live in an increasingly technological age, which one would arguably say enables us to access more information to scrutinise the government, to hold them accountable, and to view government documents, however this is not the case. In theory, the government should function as the citizen’s employee, taking into consideration their will, and in turn we should be able to review their work with transparency, and yet recent discussions have debated weakening the Freedom of Information Act, an act that, in principle, serves to ensure “public bodies must release information if the public interest in doing so outweighs the public interest in it

remaining secret”, and prevent policies being passed through the back door, that would allow powers of veto over the release of information. In complete contrast to this, the government has more access into our personal lives than ever, justified through law, which arguably infiltrates our personal privacy, and our human rights, in the name of “defence”. This is a real problem that we as citizens should be campaigning against in order to secure our freedom. If individuals embrace these newly proposed laws, the foundations of the government’s systems of checks and balances would dissipate, and they would not be held accountable for their actions. Controversially, Tory MP Richard Graham has even been accused of quoting Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebells

in defence of the Investigatory Powers Bill, expressing: “If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear,” to which Theresa May agreed, a phrase also used by William Hague in 2013 to defend the actions of GCHQ. Should this worry us as citizens, that the government is adopting such sentiments and employing actions that mirror the dystopian world of Orwell’s 1984? Yes. Yes it should. The statement itself incites barriers to freedom of speech, and encourages self-censorship. Rights group Privacy International have launched an initiative to encourage individuals to fill out a form, including details about personal information, date of birth, email address, and IP address, this generates a claim that can be sent straight to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal

(IPT), which are legally obligated to review whether your details are being reviewed by GCHQ. So you still provide personal details to government entities, which is what was intended to be avoided to begin with. Having discussed this issue with many people, it is really quite startling to discover how many support this intrusion to our civil liberties in favour of national defence. This could be the result of the relentless fearmongering that litters many of our media outlets in relation to terrorism and military intervention that is digested by its readers. It somehow seems many people are distracted from this threat to freedom, after all we release so much of our personal data everyday without a thought. Whilst bills such as SOPA and PIPA may have been defeated,

concepts such as “the right to be forgotten”, along with the weakening of the Freedom of Information Act, are a very real threat to free speech, and counter our ability to act as a watchdog to those in power. We as the people can act, and there are so many mediums of protest to secure our rights. If you are interested in getting involved and making a difference, visit change.org and sign the petition against weakening the Freedom of Information Act.

Friday 4 December 2015 InQuire

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Customer Care Advisors

Top Tips Looking for a job alongside your studies? Here are Jobshop's tips for getting yourself on the path to employment 1. Finding a job can be a job in itself, so make sure you have a clear idea of what you want and need. 2. Be proactive, “good things come to those who wait” doesn’t apply in the job market! 3. Be flexible, you’ll be much more attractive to employers! 4. Get your CV checked by a professional, the Career Advisors do a great job! 5. Be persistent, you need to put in regular time and effort into your job search. 6. Stay positive, the job for you is out there somewhere. 7. Be vigilant, now is the best time to start looking. Most people look for a job change for the new year, so more jobs become available! 8. New Year, New CV, now is the best time to make sure your CV is up to date and ready for the new year!

Ref: 1535 20 positions available Part-time Meets minimum wage Based at Ashford International Train Station Do you have excellent customer service skills? Eurostar are looking for a Customer Care Advisors to work at their contact centre at Ashford International!

Male Participants Needed for Psychology Study

Ref: 1533 50 positions available £20 per experiment Flexible hours Based on campus Do you have some time to spare? Why not take part in some exciting research on the Canterbury campus and get paid for it!

Part-Time Home Tutors in All Subjects

Ref: 1172 20 positions available £15 - £25 per hour Flexible hours Various locations in Kent Would you like to share your knowledge with others through tutoring? A tutoring company is looking for skilled tutors to tutor in a range of subjects.

Java EE Developer Ref: 1527 Application deadline Thursday 31 December 2015 Salary dependent on experience Full-time Graduate position Do you have experience in java development? A startup company specialising in mobile applications is looking for a Java Developer.

Temporary Systems Administrator Ref: 1534 £7 per hour Temporary one off Based in Folkstone Are you looking to utilise your admin skills? A care home in Folkestone is looking for a temporary Systems Administrator to provide admin support to the rest of the team.

Student Viewing Guides

Ref: 1531 £10 per experiment Flexible hours, viewings usually last one hour Based in Maidstone Do you have excellent communication skills? A lettings agency based in Kent is looking for Student Viewing Guides to show students around properties in the local area.

Merry Christmas from everyone here at Jobshop TO APPLY FOR ANY OF THESE ROLES, GO ONLINE TO:

9. Get a grown up email address, make sure you have an email address that is different to the first one you created in school. 10. Create a LinkedIn profile- It’s a great way to showcase your skills and experience.

Focus Group Participants

Ref: 1532 20 positions available £20 per focus group Flexible hours Based in Maidstone Do you have an interest in Law? Take part in a one off focus group. No specific experience required!

Jobshop Temp of the month:

Rebecca Kincaid

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Mixed week in Cup matches W

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SECURITY

ith a break from league matches on 25 November, many Team Kent clubs competed in their cup matches. The results were very much a mixed bag, so here’s a round-up. Kent women’s team did well in the volleyball, with a win over UEA away, 1-3. The women’s lacrosse first team also did well, beating Royal Holloway at home by a massive 40 points to 0. The second women’s lacrosse team didn’t do so well, losing to local rivals Canterbury Christ Church 22-2. It was also a sad week for the women’s basketball team, who narrowly missed out on a win against UCL at home, losing by five points, 41-46. The men’s teams didn’t do as well as the women’s overall, with only one win amongst five matches. That win came for the men’s hockey first team, who beat Reading second team 4-3 at home. The men’s football first team

suffered a draw away at Oxford 4-4. The men’s lacrosse first team didn’t manage to get as much of an advantage over Swansea as the women’s first team got over Royal Holloway, losing 16-4 away in Wales. The men’s fencing team also came a cropper at home to the University of East Anglia, losing 112-133. Another defeat for Team Kent came to the men’s squash second side, who lost 0-3 to Brunel. These results are surely disappointing for Team Kent, who only have one more week of competition before the end of term. There is only one more week of play in the BUCS leagues before Christmas, with many teams not competing again until the new year. The new term will not only bring more BUCS games, but will also bring the annual Varsity competition against Canterbury Christ Church.

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• Don’t walk home alone. Stick with your friends or use our walking taxi service. • Don’t walk home in the dark, hop on the night bus. • Book a registered taxi to take you straight to your door. • Save Campus Security on your phone 01227 823300.

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InQuire meets: Kent Pole Fitness Sophie Waeland

here have been many fitness trends over the years, from Bikram yoga, to spin classes, to Zumba. One sport that is on the rise is pole fitness, and it’s here to stay. Many people are quick to judge pole as something you only see inside a strip club, but it is so much more. It consists of performing intricate moves on an upright metal pole to give a full body workout, improving strength, flexibility, balance, and grip. Pole incorporates elements of dance, acrobatics, and gymnastics to make a unique sport. Pole has taken the world by storm in recent years, perhaps owing to the inundation of videos – both amateur and professional – posted across the Internet, and the growing popularity of competitions and master classes. Pole schools have popped up all over the country, and many are available in cities such as London and Manchester. The International Pole Sports Federation (IPSF) is pushing for pole to be included as a discipline in the Olympics. The sport requires incredible levels of balance and coordination, and determination to improve over long periods of time. It also takes courage, thanks to its misjudged reputation as something sleazy and sexual; most contests have strict rules on not wearing heels or clothing too revealing – showing skin is necessary, however, as that is where most of your grip comes from! It is a sport that deserves more recognition and respect for those who participate, as it takes blood, sweat, and tears (literally) to progress. I spoke to Issy Riddy, last year’s President for the University’s Kent Pole Fitness society, to find out more. How did you first become involved in Pole fitness, and how long have you been doing it?

When I was 16 my mum saw an advert for a class and didn’t want to go alone so I went with her! What opportunities are there in the sport? I teach and compete nationally, there are also international championships and very successful competitors tour and teach master classes. You can also go down the circus route and perform - Cirque du Soleil has at least one pole routine currently – plus many more Chinese poles (which are rubber coated). Who can pole? How can others become involved? It is for everyone, men and women! I do it with my mum who is 50+, and when I started I had very little upper body strength. You’re never too old, too weak, too big, too small, or too inflexible. Start wherever you start and you’ll progress at your own pace! What are the requirements, in regards to equipment? It requires a pole, either a stage pole weighted at the bottom or a pole that pushes against the floor and ceiling to stay in place. Clothing-wise, beginners can wear sports shorts and a vest top, or pretty much any short-sleeved top, and the more advanced you get, the more grip you need, so people tend to

wear smaller shorts and a gym crop top. Is it a sport you can have fun with? Pole is so much fun! You can play around trying to make new moves, or freestyle routines, or play with doubles moves with friends. I really enjoy it, and it has an amazing sense of community and support. Are there drawbacks? You do get bruises, which for some people is a drawback (I wear them with pride), and it can hurt in certain moves, but it tends to be skin pain, which goes away as it toughens up. Also, judgement, I suppose, but people are a lot better than they used to be, and I’m proud enough to not be hurt by people’s judgement. They can pipe down until they can hold their entire body out sideways. In what ways has the sport benefited you? It has benefited every part of my life. I am a lot stronger and more flexible, have met the most incredible people and I have gained a lot of confidence, both socially and in myself. I want to build pole into a career, teaching and competing more than I do now, and I truly believe it can make people’s lives better. How can pole fitness overcome its reputation

as something sexual and immoral? With time; as people slowly get to know people who do pole and actually see what we do, they will understand that it is both difficult and gymnastic. I also think pole can reach a level where it is respected as a form of fitness, but also give respect to those who do it as a form of dance, because it’s also impressive and shouldn’t be looked down upon. Do you have a pole fitness role model or idol? Sarah Scott is currently one of my pole idols because of her strength and grace; I think she is incredible. I have far too many idols to name them all though, there are just too many. How can people get involved? If you would like to try pole fitness for yourself, contact Kent Pole Fitness on Facebook for a pre-membership taster. We’re always looking for new people to come and try out pole fitness. Even this far into winter term we are still getting messages from people who say they are absolute beginners but are still interested in giving it a go. It’s a great way not only to tone and build muscle, but it’s a friendly and approachable way to work out alongside people of all genders.

Photo by Kent Pole Fitness | Facebook

Fun and festive sports Annie Trafford Newspaper Sport Editor

his Christmas, why not ditch your usual exercise routine and opt for some festive sports instead? Here are some of my favourites. Christmas Eve movie marathon This has been a personal highlight of every Christmas Eve since I was a child. My sister and I would head downstairs in the early hours and put on the telly, and wouldn’t move until bedtime. A key to playing this sport well is to pick up a copy of a TV guide, and circle the films you want to watch in advance. There’s no time for any fighting over The Santa Clause or The Grinch when there’s a record to break! How many sprouts can you fit in your mouth? Pretty self-explanatory really, but this is a game that’s great fun if you have kids coming to Christmas dinner and need to keep them entertained - just don’t let the adults see what you’re doing! Last present wins Not only is this a great test of endurance and patience, but it’s also another good one to play with little kids. Let’s face it, Christmas Day is actually really long, so spacing present opening out throughout the day might seem boring, but it gives you something to do once dinner and Doctor Who are done. You could also try talking to your family of course... Wrapping paper baseball This is great fun, but should definitely not be played around your new electricals, or indeed around anything remotely breakable. All you need is a tube of wrapping paper (let’s face it, who actually uses all the wrapping paper they buy), and some balled up bits of paper from opened presents. Set up some bases around your living room and have a good ol’ game of baseball.

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InQuire Photos by Women’s Football | Kent Union

Upcoming Team Kent Fixtures 22 November 2015

Badminton Essex 1s v Kent Men’s 1s Imperial 4s v Kent Men’s 2s Kent Women’s 1s v King’s 2s Basketball Kent Men’s 1s v LSE 1s Kent Women’s 1s v UCL 1s

InQuire meets: Women’s Football

Natalie Tipping Editor-in-Chief

s part of the ongoing series of interviews with sports clubs and societies on campus, this week InQuire spoke to Emma Helland from Women’s Football, about her role on the team and how the season is progressing for them so far. Firstly, can you introduce yourself and your team? My name is Emma Helland and I am part of UKC Women’s Football. What would you say is the team’s biggest aim this season? Our main aims this season, with the help of our coach Darran, are to win our BUCS southeastern league, and to win Varsity next term. How are you guys finding the season is going so far? We have had the best start to the season we could have expected. We are currently top of our BUCS league, having won all of our games except one that we drew, and our Sunday league team has scored more goals already than they did for the whole of last season. How would you describe an average day as part of the team? An average week for the team

involves training, matches, and socials. We train twice a week on the 3G, focusing on improving our fitness and football skills. It is a very relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. We play two matches a week - BUCS and Sunday league - so that the whole team can take part. Our socials are the highlight of our week, where the whole team get together for a night in Venue. What’s been your highlight of being part of the team? My highlight so far has to be the Sunday league team reaching the cup final last season. We had never won a game last season, but we managed to make it to the cup final where we played in a stadium. It was a really enjoyable experience. A highlight of joining the football team on the whole is making some of my closest friends at university and being able to participate in sport. What would you say is the most difficult part of being on the team? The most difficult part of being on the team is finding time to play. Our university league is on Wednesday, but most of the team have lectures/seminars/ workshops scheduled on a Wednesday, so it is difficult to play in matches, which is disappointing because it

limits our ability to participate in sport. What would you say to people wanting to get involved in the club? How can people get involved? I would highly recommend joining women’s football, or any sports team. It is a great experience, you can make good friends, have fun, and keep fit. We welcome any abilities, even if you just want to train, keep fit, or socialise. To get involved you can come and join our training on the 3G pitches at

Parkwood on Monday from 6-7:30pm or join our Facebook page, UKC Women’s Football 2015-16. As the first term draws to a close, what would you say the team can improve on over the course of the next term? The team needs to continue the hard work to keep winning matches and, with the help of Darran, make sure we are ready f o r Varsity next term.

Women’s Fencing London 1s v Kent 1s Football Kent 2s v UCL 3s Goldsmiths 1s v Kent 3s Kent Women’s 1s v Herts 2s Mixed Golf CCCU 1s v Kent 1s Hockey Kent Men’s 2s v Kent 1s King’s London 5s v Kent Men’s 3s Kent Women’s 1s v Exeter 2s Royal Vet 2s v Kent Women’s 2s Men’s Lacrosse Kent 2s v Hertfordshire 1s Netball CCCU 1s v Kent 1s Kent 2s v Essex 1s East London 1s v Kent 3s Anglia Ruskin 4s v Kent 4s Men’s Rugby Imperial 2s v Kent 1s Men’s Squash Kent 1s v Reading 1s Kingston 1s v Kent 2s Tennis Royal Holloway 1s v Kent 1s UCL 2s v Kent 2s Kent 3s v CCCU 2s Kent Women’s 1s v Exeter 2s Men’s Volleyball Kent 1s v LSE 1s Editor’s Note: Please note that all match fixtures and scores are according to the website of the British University and College Sports (BUCS) website - bucs.org.uk, and are correct at the time of printing.