InQuire Issue 10.6 by InQuire Media

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Meetings Mondays 6:15pm KLT6

14 November 2014

Issue 10.6

KENT WHEEL COST £54,800 33 metres tall, 24 pod capacity, 10 minutes per ride, One extraordinary cost

• Estimated total cost of £260,300 • £54,800 spent between 24 September and 19 October • £13,700 each week on campus • Student tuition fees £9,000 per year Photo by Daniel John

Ruby Lyle Newspaper News Editor

he Kent Eye cost £54,800 for the time it was at the University of Kent. A Freedom of Information Request (FOI), submitted by the Mature Students Officer, Dave Cocozza, on 12 October, asked the University the cost of

installing the Kent Eye. The request, answered on 4 November, revealed it cost £13,700 per week. This included £8,000 for the wheel and £5,700 for other costs, including security. The estimated total cost of the Kent Eye being on campus both from 24 September to 19 October, and again when it is

due to arrive from July to midOctober 2015, is £260,300. This is the equivalent of one year’s worth of tuition fees for almost 29 students. After asking where the funds to pay for the wheel came from, a Kent spokesperson said: “The University allocated a budget of £350k for its 50th Anniversary Programme from its total

Alasdair Lawrence, Natalie Tipping Movember: what’s going on at UKC? Head to InQuirelive.co.uk for more student news.

See Page 13

annual income of over £200m (representing less than 0.2% of the total). It is not possible to distinguish one source of income from another within this overall budget.” The response to the FOI emphasised the cost of the wheel being offset by ticket sales. The University website states, on the 50th anniversary

events page, that all ticket sales went to the Kent Opportunity Fund as part of its year long campaign to raise £1 million. When asking the University for clarification, they said: “‘One of the aims of the 50th Anniversary programme is to generate funds for the Kent Opportunity Fund.” TURN TO PAGE 3

Manon Charles Native American Headress: is it fashion or racist? See Page 6

News Editor’s Note

Hey y’all, InQuire is back with a cracking issue, some shocking front page stats about the Wheel and a double page spread on the European Union, are we in or out? (pp.4-5) Also this paper, check out some great album reviews in Entertainment, an epic weird word challenge in Culture and an interview with Fencing Captain, Tom Fletcher, in Sport. Read away my friends! Emma InQuireMedia

2014/2015 Editorial contacts: Natalie Tipping - Chair chairwoman Emma Shelton - Newspaper Editor newspaper.editor Emily Adams - Website Editor website.editor Newspaper: Ruby Lyle- News newspaper.news Ginny Sanderson - Comment newspaper.comment Katyanna Quách - Features newspaper.features Julia Mitchell - Culture newspaper.culture Meg Weal - Entertainment newspaper.entertainment Fraser Whieldon- Sport newspaper.sport Website: Georgina Coleman- News website.news Dave Cocozza - Comment website.comment Cerys Thomas - Features website.features Grace Beard - Entertainment website.entertainment Natalie Turco-Williams Culture website.culture Henry Sandercock - Sport website.sport Irene Antoniou Distribution distribution LaShanda Seaman Promotions and Events events Tina Stavarianou - Design design

A Village in Syria at UKC

Ruby Lyle in conversation with Rosemary Berry on A Village in Syria

osemary Berry, a mature student at Kent, runs the charity, A Village in Syria (VIS). VIS is devoted to improving the welfare of those who have been internally displaced in Syria. The charity has gained its name and purpose from a village which once held 500 people, but grew to over 8,500 as a result of the civil war. The charity has been operating for a year and has just received a grant of £1,640 from Lush to help continue their efforts. In the past year, VIS has sent £6,500 which has been used to help the village of 8,500. With the help of two previous grants from Lush, VIS has been able to send basic welfare supplies, set up a tent school, water pumps, sanitation, and create a poly-tunnel to grow fruit and vegetables. What do you do for the charity? As I had the links with the village, I decided to take action, but could not do this by myself. Various professional people have helped us, as have other agencies. With the help of a local artist, the first Exhibition of Photographs was mounted in December 2013. In February, two of us did a presentation for UKC students. It went well, and one month later we put on our third Exhibition of Photographs at the British Red Cross, which moved to our fourth location, Canterbury Cathedral. This was superb team-building and our team of students went on to under-pin all our events and thinking. Over the summer we had emotional problems to overcome: the village was evacuated and we decided to raise money for Shelter Box, while we were in limbo. Now we have two clear projects to take us forward. I worked on the project full-time

from January to July. Now, I am trying to combine a PartTime MA with the project. Why and how did you get involved with A Village in Syria? I was working in Syria as a teacher from 2004-6. Happily (as it turned out) I hurt my leg and was given sick leave. I promptly took off, with a translator, to work as a stringer with the Farmer’s Weekly. It was a great opportunity to explore some of the more remote (and dangerous) parts of the country. What I had witnessed, and

seriously. Now we have agencies such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and Engineers Without Borders (EWB) and various departments in the University too helping too. Lush, our main sponsor, have been an absolute rock. The generosity of individual people continues to amaze me. This includes our wonderful pro bono lawyer, himself a graduate of Kent Law School, and a specialist on Syria. The indifference of others continues to shock me also. The Albanians ‘got it’ in the

Photo by A Village in Syria

experienced, left an indelible memory; I kept in touch with the translator. One year ago he told me the village of 200 adults and 300 children were looking after 8,000 IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons). What has stuck with you most through this journey? The unpredictability of human nature. Agencies I naively thought were ‘helping’, turned out to be jealous, secretive and given to spin. It was difficult to find allies initially; local artists, churches and the cathedral formed the base. We were warned to “do no harm”; it was a solemn moment and this responsibility has never left me. Other people were taking us

cathedral. They looked at our photos and said “Our village was nominated for a Nobel Prize, for taking in so many refugees”. This comment continues to inspire me. That’s what we would like to do: nominate ‘our’ village for a Nobel Peace Prize. What are you planning on doing now? Hopefully, recruiting lots of students to help us. We need people with media skills, fund raising skills, linguistic skills, and project design skills, to name but a few. We can get expert advice, sometimes from within the university, sometimes f r o m specialist agencies.

We keep in touch with alumni, now studying and working in places such as Cairo, Prague and Hong Kong. There’s a lot of work that can be done on-line, such as building a website and preparing a new power point presentation. With what you’ve experienced and learned throughout your participation with VIS, what message would you send to the general public? Don’t believe everything you read in newspapers! Remember that we are guided by very strict rules regarding counterterrorism. We are a Registered Charity and this – in the context of Syria – is a huge privilege. We work within government restrictions, we work within the law. There are a lot of people suffering out there. Many of those termed IDP’s/ refugees have fantastic talent and can lead their communities, manage projects, and act responsibly. We only get an echo of their fatigue and danger. I asked for a story about the brutality behind the psycho-social problems. I almost regretted it. These people have no training in counselling, they have more than enough experience of listening. The adults in our village listened to the stories of 8,500 IDP’s and supported them. No wonder there were tears when the IDP’s pulled down their shelters and moved on, to either Turkey or Iraq-Kurdistan. And we worry about what we are going to buy people for Christmas! How can people donate to or even participate with the charity? To donate: find us on Facebook ‘AVillageinSyria’. To participate: our next meeting is on 19 November at 2pm on the second floor of Templeman Library.

add @inquiremedia.co.uk

Photo by A Village in Syria

News

Kent Wheel cost Tuition fees

CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE

“All income in excess of costs, minus the £350k budget, will go to the Kent Opportunity Fund.” A further impact upon profits would be that the tickets initially cost students £5 but the price was dropped to £4. Ginny Sanderson, an English and American Literature student, said: “Let’s be honest, as novel as it was, the Kent Eye was rarely full. That’s probably a lot down to the pricing - if it had been cheaper it would have probably received a lot more

interest. “It was a fun idea, and impressive, but there is so much that money could have been spent on.” The University assured InQuire that 8,302 tickets were sold and they “expect the costs of the wheel to be fully covered by the income raised, so it will therefore make a positive contribution to the Kent Opportunity Fund”. Even with student tickets being priced at £5, the wheel would have only generated £41,510. This would leave a deficit of £13,290.

Daniel Hicks, a second year student, said: “The way I see it, the University is using our tuition fees to pay for a frankly unecessary wheel. Sounds like they could easily put that money to better use and not waste it on a ferris wheel.” The University has come under criticism from some students over its choice to spend such a large amount of money on the Kent Eye while funds could have been put to use in other ways. The Kent Eye is set to return to the Canterbury Campus from 1 July to 15 October 2015.

End to student loans? Chloe Bryer

he Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), a free-market think tank, released a report on the 23 October 2014 stating that students should pay for their university fees through a percentage of their future earnings rather than through the Student Loans Company (SLC). Furthermore, the IEA contend that the SLC should be scrapped as it is a failing system as many students are rarely able to pay off their university debts and is a burden for the tax payer who is financing these loans. In ‘Universities challenged: funding higher education through a free-market ‘graduate tax’’, Peter Ainsworth states that the newly proposed system would act as a direct investment

Photo by Jeff Belmonte

on the University and student’s behalf. Universities will have an incentive to invest in their students by providing high quality courses and having an active interest on the employability of their graduates, since this is the way they will be able to fund themselves. Ainsworth suggests that the

proportion of fees agreed to contribute back to the university will vary from institution and course, though these can be discussed through contacts individually.’ Overall, the report prompts for the regeneration of loan repayment and focusing on the success of the student as an incentive to invest in them.

Ruby Lyle Newspaper News Editor

student loans review has been rejected by the government. MPs have been calling for a review over the student loans system following several revelations regarding intrinsic failures. Following the tuition fee rise to £9,000 per year in 2012, students are expected to pay off their loans at a minimum of £30 each month once they start earning £21,000 in England and Wales. After 30 years of paying off student loans, the debt is to be written off. Adrian Bailey, the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee Chair, has said that this system has left the government with projected outstanding student debts of £330 billion by 2044. He continued: “With the prospect of a large potential black hole in the government’s budget figures, it is all the more alarming that the government has refused to conduct a review of the current student loan system”. The National Union of Students (NUS) said: “The proportion of graduates failing to pay back student loans is increasing at such a rate that the Treasury is approaching the point at which it will get

zero financial reward from the government’s policy of tripling tuition fees to £9,000 a year.” Another aspect of the student loans system which has been called into question is the terms and conditions. Currently, the government can change these terms at any time, without the approval of parliament. According to Bailey, this could mean “it [the government] could hike up the interest rate of their loans without this constituting a change in the ‘Ts & Cs’”. A government spokesperson said: “The government has no current plans to initiate a formal review of the sustainability of the student loans system in England. “The costs of the loan system are based on projections of graduate repayments over the next 35 years. “These projections were revised in 2013-14 following changes to the student loan repayments model, but will continue to fluctuate due to numerous macroeconomic variables, and present no immediate pressure on the system.” Although questions are being asked and pressure is being placed, the government seems to have no intention of moving back into the student loans debate at this time.

Planned marking boycott begins Jane Smith

marking boycott, sprung from changes to pensions, is underway at Kent as the University and College Union (UCU) began its period of industrial action from 6 November. The University sent an announcement to students informing them of the boycott. Jon Pink, Academic Registrar, said: “We very much regret the decision taken by UCU but it is unclear how many of our academic colleagues will join

the boycott.” Pink continued on to say: “We are at the same time working with Universities UK who are leading negotiations with UCU on behalf of universities. We are encouraging them to fully explore all the options and alternatives to the proposals currently under discussion.” The University has encouraged students to continue participating in lectures, assessments and exams as they would usually unless otherwise contacted by their school. Kent Union has responded by

launching the UCU Pensions Scheme Industrial Action Referendum 2014. The vote over whether to support the UCU or not shall take place between 19 and 26 November. A meeting to decide the referendum question was held at on 12 November in the Student Media Centre. UCU members of 69 universities participating in the industrial action, are set to continue their boycott until the pensions dispute has been resolved.

Photo by Donkey Hotey

News

The European Union: In or

InQuire fills you in on all things Europe Yes to Europe

EU and US in TTIP top shape

What is it? Patrick Kamalu

he Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is an ongoing series of negotiations between the EU and US into the removal of free trade regulations in a number of economic sectors. These include, environmental legislation and public service. It was firt revealed to the public in February 2013 when US President, Barack Obama, announced in his State of Union address that talks will commence, because “trade that is fair and free across the Atlantic supports millions of good-paying American jobs”.

Your comment Otto Ilveskero

ransatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, TTIP for short, seems to be the best-guarded public secret in Europe at the moment. Lacking openness, elements of the trade agreement have been kept secret even from Members of the European Parliament. The undemocratic EU-US deal is being negotiated in order to abolish trade barriers and regulations in the name of the corporational right to make money. In theory free market trade is all equal and held on the pedestal of Western liberalism

The main objective will be to reduce or eliminate the current tariffs and quotas on trade between the two continents, which could potentially see an increase in their combined GDP by £180 bn, and the UK’s by £10 bn per annum, according to analysts. Furthermore, it is estimated that the average European household would see their income rise by approximately £426 as the EU’s GDP would rise by 0.5% if fully implemented. Preliminary discussions have made “good progress” according to US Trade Representative, Ron Kirk and the treaty could be finalised by the end of 2014. alongside democracy. Unfortunately reality has a tendency of being not all so rosy. Multinationals are stomping on locality, and international specialisation in economics is just code language for widening division between the richest states and banana republics. Although understood as an economic agreement, TTIP is highly politicised, as it has been claimed to transfer chunks of democratic decision-making to international lawyers working on disputes over regulation. So if you are all for nontransparent, high-handed governance, this is the deal for you.

Moreover, apparently anything can be seen as a trade barrier. Let’s consider national policy for example. Included in the TTIP negotiations, Investor-State Dispute Settlements would allow corporations to sue governments over the loss of profits caused by government policies. Similar rules already exist in some trade agreements. In 2010, Argentina was concluded to owe investors a sum higher than its annual budget by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), an arbitration institute operating under the World Bank. On its website, ICSID lists hundreds of other, concluded as well as pending, cases between states and companies. Taxpayers, rejoice. Researchers have addressed that the benefits of TTIP are likely overstated. The EU has stated that it expects the deal to cause unemployment in Europe. Despite of this the forces supporting TTIP are crusading onwards, possibly because they seem to be fighting an ideological, not factual, war. Near-religious tendencies in issues like this are nothing new, and, of all people, Boris Johnson took the real moral high ground on the case by naming everyone opposing the deal “numbskulls”. Thanks BoJo.

Photo by Uwe Hiksch

Your comment

Ruby Lyle Newspaper News Editor

K parties are divided over the European Union. Labour, the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP), the Liberal Democrats, and Plaid Cymru are in favour of remaining within the Union. Despite joining the EU under the Conservatives, their coalition partners are the ones who are determined to stay. The Liberal Democrats are the most supportive of the UK political parties to the EU. In 2008, Nick Clegg even called for an EU referendum to bring an end to the euro sceptics. Labour also supports membership of the EU, but with more reservations than the Liberal Democrats. Labour

Who?

Labour The SNP The Liberal Democrats Plaid Cymru also have the largest number of MEP seats compared to other UK parties. Miliband has been forced to take a pro-Europe attitude as Cameron’s policy became increasingly pressured by the far-right into leaving. Although the Labour leader emphasised the strategic and economic benefits of the EU, he also indicated changes to the EU through economic reform, immigration, and its structure. The SNP and Plaid Cymru both see the EU as beneficial despite a few structural and fishing policy changes. Plaid Cymru is also campaigning for an independent Wales.

Comment

out? It is our time to decide

party politics, TTIP and the European bill No to Europe

Cameron and Merkel face off

What is it? Karisma Indra

Photos by Lucy Hendleman

Your comment Ginny Sanderson Newspaper Comment Editor

o who’s sceptical (to say the least) of Europe? First and foremost we have the nation’s sweetheart, the United Kingdom Independence Party, or UKIP as their fun abbreviation goes. Because they’re super down to earth and not xenophobic at all, they want OUT of the treacherous EU. The Conservative party, in what, for many, seems influenced by the surge in popularity for UKIP, have also spoken out against Europe. Most recently, PM David Cameron threw a strop regarding the European Bill, in what others may view as a misguided attempt to show a backbone. Interestingly

Who?

UKIP, The Conservatives, The BNP The Green Party enough, it was Conservative PM Edward Heath who got us into Europe in the first place. Oh, Ted. The British National Party (BNP) states on its website that the EU is a danger to our ‘sovereignty’ and says that ‘democracy is under threat from mass immigration. These European hoodlums are, according to the BNP, ruining the traditions of the UK. No, you are. The Green Party are not against the EU but support a referendum to produce radical reform. They feel it should be closer to the people, encourage peace, promote democracy and human rights.

he UK will have to pay the EU an extra £1.7 billion by 1 December. The European bill has been issued as a result of the UK’s larger than expected gross national income. This has sparked debates as for whether this is fair to the UK. Cameron is under pressure from his backbenchers to leave the EU and now he is being pushed into paying the EU an extra £1.7 billion. Cameron has stated the EU has “another thing coming” if they think that the UK will increase their payment. Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, a Vice-President of the European Parliament, said: “Europe expects the payment and that’s that”. He argued that if a country has a higher than expected national income, then they should have a higher contribution to the budget. The UK is not obliged to pay the money. Member states have been known to ignore EU demands in the past, but that there will be consequences if this course of action is taken. It has been announced that if the UK fails to make the

Your comment Priya Patel

ou might find the public has turned its back on the EU through sheer force of will rather than waiting for the opportunity for the ballot box. Understandable since the U.K was hit with a 1.7bn EU bill. The one good thing this announcement has done is provide an early birthday present for Nigel Farage, after the announcement of the bill Farage climbed 4 points in the polls. The bill is based on the UK’s gross national income figures, which showed that the UK economy had been

payment, an interest of £3.5 million will be added to the amount. Despite previous member state actions, it is illegal to ignore this demand. The former Foreign Secretary, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, said: “political negotiation and a sensible compromise” must be made, although one has yet to appear. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, revealed to Der Spiegel through her office that “Should Cameron persist, Chancellor Angela Merkel would abandon her efforts to keep Britain in the EU. With that a point of no return would be reached. That would be it then.” At the Northern Future Forum summit in Helsinki, Cameron said: “Let me be clear: We will not be paying €2 bn on December 1, nor will we be paying anything like that amount,” the prime minister said on Friday as the ministers were meeting in Brussels. “There are discussions about this at Ecofin [economic and financial affairs council] in Brussels. If these two conditions are satisfied, we will be able to make progress. If not, we’ll have a major problem.” performing better than previously reported. As a result our contributions will be increased. So it would seem the EU is punishing our economy for doing well. However, the EU has to be funded somehow, and the

terms of our contribution were agreed upon our membership. This is not something the EU configured overnight. We agreed to these terms. Refusing to pay, simply because we don’t want to, can be likened to someone who only follows the rules they want to. A refusal to pay illustrates we are reneging on our agreement and that will do nothing but tarnish our international reputation, not to mention the threat of fines being imposed on us. Also, the concept of making the wealthier pay a higher price to the less wealthy is not alien to us. The lower class threshold desires to have wealthier citizens pay higher taxes. Ed Miliband appealed to this electorate by claiming he would do just that via the mansion tax. Being an EU member provides many benefits that tend to fade in the background in the presence of anti-EU hype. This is not to say that this bill does not prove that serious change is needed regarding our membership, but this can only be done through negotiation. Yet some critics suggest Cameron’s response to the bill has been stubborn and unnegotiable, a stance he has taken due to anti-EU pressure. If we are to effectively renegotiate the terms of our membership, taking a headstrong approach to placate the eurosceptics is not going to get us far.

Photo by Number 10

Comment

Native American headdresses: Racist? Manon Charles

ultural appropriation refers to the act of picking and choosing elements of a different culture without permission. This can include religious symbols, or even dress. In today’s world, through various social media platforms, we can interact with people across the globe without ever leaving our rooms. We live in a truly multicultural world. Often, without noticing, we adopt various elements of these cultures into our own. However, where do we draw the line? During the judges houses stage of this year’s X Factor, Sinitta (infamous for her bizarre palm leaves outfit circa 2009) sauntered into Simon’s garden wearing a Native American Headress and bikini. However, by adopting this traditional Native American headdress, a symbol that plays a huge part in their culture, the question is raised – fashionable or racist? Sinitta however is not the only celebrity to be criticised for wearing the traditional war bonnet. Stars such as Pharrell Williams, Khloé Kardashian and Victoria’s Secret model Karlie Kloss have all been involved in controversy after adopting the headdress. The most recent scandal focused on Ellie Goulding,

who, for Halloween, posted a picture of herself wearing a Native American costume on Instagram. The How Long Will I Love You singer was branded “insensitive” and subsequently removed the image. Questionable fashion choices like these have become such a common sight these days that some festivals, such as Glastonbury, have banned the selling of headdresses. A Canadian dance music festival has taken it onestep further and banned the feathered headdress from their events completely.

So why is donning the Native American headdress such a controversial issue? While many just see it as a fashion statement, there is a history behind it that most do not realise. The war bonnet itself is a symbolic aspect of Native American culture, where a

male must earn respect before being given a feather. So by appropriating the headdress, the culture of the Native Americans is trivialized. Such appropriation is not only a problem for the Native Americans however, but for many cultures around the

world. For example, a common sight on a night out these days is a bindi. In this case the mimicry, once again, becomes inappropriate, as the bindi holds spiritual significance in Hinduism. By wearing these bindis

“The important thing to remember with appropriation is that the act often belittles the original culture.“ (something that is considered fashionable), young women, without even realising, are trivializing a whole culture. The important thing to remember with appropriation is that the act often belittles the original culture, by turning certain elements into nothing more than an accessory and perpetuating negative stereotypes. Although, it’s extremely important that we continue to appreciate and learn about other cultures, we must be sensitive in our use of certain symbols, or fashions. Particularly those of religious or spiritual meaning. As said by Jennie Luca, a Chicana and Caxcan: “We are people; we’re not a fashion statement.”

Photo by Brian_Tomlinson

Would you sell your eggs? Karisma Indra

any things come to mind when we think of illegal on-goings- drugs, theft and under-age drinking being a few. What does not immediately spring to mind is clever and well-qualified young women offering to sell their eggs for huge sums of money. To most, this is such a reprehensible thought that they cannot even conceive the idea, but the fact of the matter is that these women are simply following basic economics: demand and supply. The demand for egg donors is increasing as fertility treatments prove to

be successful,. As a result, there is more demand than supply. As donors get paid so little is it surprising that they wish to show a bit more entrepreneurship? One donor who, having pursued the sale through legal channels, would have made £250, instead asked for £12,000. This is a prime example of what the illegal market has coem to: young women taking advantage of desperate individuals, forcing them to pay extortionate fees, simply to be able to have the children they so crave. That is not to say that every young woman who is advertising as being a donor

of eggs is completely morally unscrupulous. The majority still go through the legal means, and even some of the women who do advertise as donors do not take advantage of prospective parents. Ultimately, for the majority of the women selling their eggs illegally, they see it as a business venture, a way of earning quick cash by selling their eggs. To third parties it may look to be morally corrupt, but is it really? If patients are willing to pay high costs then is it so wrong for the donors to want higher fees? Is it the right to sell the eggs illegally? Probably not. Will it continue? Well, it’s

Photo by Stefan

very likely if the rules aren’t changed and more money is not paid to donors. Will the illegal trade cause clinics to change the fees paid to donors to stop this illegal practice from spreading any further? Watch this space.

Do you have an opinion on this, or any of the other arguments in this section? Then join InQuire and email newspaper. comment@inquiremedia. co.uk to have your voice heard.

Comment

Breathalyzing outside clubs? Sounds like money-grabbing Avid Venue-goer and Website Comment Editor Dave Cocozza vents on the prospect of being breathalyzed before being let into nightclubs. What about pre-drinking?

eing a socialist, and someone who likes to make the majority of the decisions that affect my life by myself, I didn’t warm to the news that a trial to breathalyse members of the public before entering night-time venues at the weekend was going ahead in Loughborough, paving the way for a national programme if successful. My real problem is the fact that the establishment looks to control our existence in an authoritarian manner in every way possible. Our lives seem to be monitored by the government to try and reduce the ‘burden’ we are on society. I feel that my entire life can be watched by CCTV everywhere I go (with the exception to that being the Park Wood Path!). The last thing I want is to be

refused entry to a nightclub for being a bit tipsy, especially when you think about what is going to be sold at said building. Binge drinking seems to be an every day occurrence as a typical undergraduate student. Yes, there is a limit to how much one should safely drink - but to be told I wouldn’t be able to enter a nightclub because I was twice over the drink-drive limit is simply a ploy to encourage people to have less drinks at home, and spend more money at a business in town (from which the government can gain tax income, completing a satisfactory circle for the fat-cat tax man). Imagine the bouncers pulling this trick on students on a typical Vensday. Let’s face it,

Photo by rafarttriaes 2014

Photo by Mrrabbit

the club would be near enough empty! All the sports teams that make Vensday such a great night to go to would be left out in the cold in their fancy dress, and nobody wants to see a poor rugby boy freezing his tits off outside whilst his sober friends frolic around inside getting well - drunk. This is totally the wrong approach on addressing this issue, when there are plenty of other ways in which a binge drinking culture can be tackled. Better medical education, a

Photo by Chris JD

minimum price on alcohol, making people drink less at home and drink more out

means just one thing for me: a chunk of my student loan going to the government. No, thanks.

What Grinds my Gears

Karisma Indra enlightens us on what makes her ticked off lately, from news narratives to David Cameron

Journalists are often branded too nosey or are apparently not doing their job properly. Is there a middle ground? People need to make their mind up before they demonise them

because you aren’t reporting it, doesn’t mean that it’s not happening.

The fact that the media, especially when it comes to the news can only focus their attention on one hysteria inducing point (remember Syria, IS and now Ebola), just

Photo by Etienne

The stereo-typing of all Muslims into a collective with Anti-Muslim bigotry, trawling Facebook pages and watching the news seems to have turned a lot of people into racists. Is the chance of a terror attack on the UK likely, probably. But for crying out loud, do not take it out on the largely unsuspecting Muslim community.

Invasion of privacy. Take for example the Jennifer Lawrence situation where her nude photos found their way onto the internet after Apple’s Cloud had some problems. People seem to think that being in the public eye means that the invasion of privacy is warranted but they’re people too. Give them their privacy!

David Cameron and George Osborne, who have flirted

with the idea of removing the inheritance tax. Wake up, there’s still a rather large problem, let’s not get idealistic! There is still a deficit. I don’t think I’m asking for a lot when I say that I would like to see us ‘balance our books’, so to speak. What grinds your gears? Email newspaper. comment@inquiremedia. co.uk and let us know.

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Features

What you can do on a rainy day Shalyia Arumugathasan

t seems we have entered the dreaded seasons of autumn and winter, and although Halloween and Christmas arise and the thought of a new wardrobe does sound appealing, there seems to be one hindrance: the horrendous ‘rainy day’. It’s a day where we struggle to entertain ourselves – as whilst living in Canterbury, we must prepare for heavy amounts of rain and nothing to do! To solve this problem I’m going to suggest my three favourite ways to avoid those dreary days. Firstly, I should recommend you get on top of all that seminar reading and start those assignments early! But, I feel if procrastination takes over, there are some more entertaining things you can do. My first rainy day remedy is something everyone will agree with me on - a hot beverage or two and hours of Netflix. Now, to get the setting right you need to park yourself comfortably on your sofa or your bed; the comfier

the better! You could pick any drink that tickles your fancy, but I find there is nothing better than a steaming hot drink to make you feel that extra bit cosy. My personal choice is a classic cup of hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows. Netflix has a very wide audience, its perfect for catching up on a new series and re-watching old ones and it has a never ending choice of films. Additionally, I think some students out there wouldn’t hesitate to play on their neglected games console for an entire day as well. My second favourite way to spend a rainy evening in is food related. There are two ways you could go about this, whether you are living on or off campus. A home cooked meal made by everyone you’re living with is a good way to bond. It can be a simple pasta dish or your own À la carte menu but it needs to include dessert! The alternative for those of you who aren’t the best at cooking or don’t feel like being a chef for the night, is

a takeaway. You could pick anything from Chinese, Indian, Italian, Thai to fish and chips. Whichever way you decide to have dinner I think we can all agree it should definitely be accompanied with a bottle of wine. My last suggestion is a simple way of avoiding a night out clubbing in

the rain. All you need is some drinks, some music blasting from someone’s speakers or laptop, not too loud to disturb the neighbours though and some games - be it twister or beer pong or even just a pack of cards. This is a guaranteed fun night in with your mates.

Photo by Yen H Nguyen

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Features

The effects of Ebola extend beyond health Aodhán McGregor

s of 4 November a total of 5,000 people have died from the world’s worst Ebola outbreak on record. The situation in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone is deteriorating according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). While the world gets to grips with the deadly disease and the fear of it spreading into other areas of the globe, it’s worth remembering there can be a much bigger and realistic threat to the global economy. You’ll be surprised to know that this threat won’t come from those affected with the disease but from the hypochondriacs who aren’t. What the world has learned,

particularly when it comes to epidemics, is how social panic can generate far more economic damage than the cost of containment or treating the virus directly. We have seen this in cases such as the Chinese outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 and swine flu in Mexico in 2009. Low consumer confidence in exports and tourism from affected regions can be devastating to the most developed nations in the world. Even when these products are deemed safe, and the proper precautions are put in place, this widespread fear often pushes us to seek alternatives which can last long after the initial outbreak.

Photo by Zorecchi

Thankfully, panic levels haven’t yet elevated enough to completely decimate the economies of Europe or North America, but we can already see the effect of the public responses in the Ebola-stricken areas of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, as well as their surrounding countries. World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim said: “The primary cost of this tragic outbreak is in human lives and suffering, which has already been terribly difficult to bear. But our findings make it clear that the sooner we get an adequate containment response and decrease the level of fear and uncertainty, the faster we can blunt Ebola’s economic impact.” The World Bank predicts that roughly £20 billion will be gutted from the West African economy if the crisis continues over the next two years, most of which will come from our aversive consumer behaviour. That estimate is considered the worst case scenario for the region. Nevertheless, it is a devastating blow to countries that are already struggling to compete with the big economic giants. Liberia and Sierra Leone have both just recovered from horrific civil wars and are in the process of rebuilding their economies in its aftermath. But in the current state, it seems that a lot of the good work achieved since the conflicts may have been in vain as Ebola could lead to economic isolation. The economic impacts of epidemics are mostly analysed through airborne diseases, such as SARS and bird flu,

whose transmission rates are far higher than that of Ebola, which is passed only through bodily fluid. However, one of the biggest problems in this epidemic is the media’s unnecessary exaggeration of this disease’s ability to spread. The Guardian’s West African correspondent has used alarming language such as “new hotspots have flared up, fuelled by cross border trade”. The WHO also did its best to elevate fear, stating the virus “is moving faster than efforts to control it”, a phrase the Daily Mail splashed across its pages. What is needed is a strengthening of the African health system so that they can cope with this threat and networks to guard against future outbreaks. Right now, the economic challenges of Ebola are minimal. Let’s hope they remain that way.

Photo by Dr. Frederick Murphy

NUS leaders withdraw from march for free education Dave Cocozza Website Comment Editor

n Wednesday 19 November a mass demonstration will be held in London against tuition fees, and will be supported by the following campaign groups: The Student Assembly Against Austerity, National Campaign About Fees and Cuts (NCFAC), the youth branch of the Green Party - Young Greens and Student Broad Left. The march is under the banner of “free education: no fees, no cuts, no debt” and has over 4,000 people “Attending” on the Facebook event, which marks an escalation of opposition to the government’s programme of fees and privatisation in education. Unfortunately, the demonstration has recently come under opposition with some NUS leaders controversially pulling out from supporting the march, citing ‘health and safety reasons’ – a move which has angered those who

organised the demonstration and of those who support it. Posting on her Facebook timeline, Deborah Hermanns of the NCAFC said “I understand concerns around accessibility and safety, particularly by some of the liberation officers. But these are concerns that were either completely blown out of proportion in the last few days or are not in our power to solve or are actually being solved right now.” “What [the action] has done is two things: It has made it unsafe for students because the police [are] actually going to go harder on us (and that specifically includes disabled students). NUS has proven once again how irrelevant it is.” “The people who are relevant, who will build this movement and who will also be the ones having any impact on your beloved general election are the grassroots groups all over the country taking action on the streets against cuts

to public services.” Beth Redmond; another organiser of the march and also a NCAFC member stated: “I want to make this clear: NUS have never helped us. I wish we had never asked for their support in the first place, they have been worse than useless. All you have done is abandoned a grassroots movement and alienate a whole load of amazing activists who are the exact kind of people you should be trying as hard as we are to engage with.” The NUS state they are opposed to

tuition fees with Toni Pearce, President of NUS, saying “NUS has policy to support free education”, however this is clearly a contradictary statement. A motion has been tabled for Kent Union’s ‘Your Union’ Zone’ in which students can publically express their opinion on the march. Students wishing to find out more about the march can find the Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/ events/1438512509748733 or search for “National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts”

Photo by Chase Charter

Features

Money saving tips Jessica Duncan The student loan may seem like a lot of money when it goes into your bank account, but in reality, when going out having a good time and eating well becomes a choice. The time has come to think about budgeting. But with these tips, it won’t be as bad as you think and you’ll be able to allow yourself the occasional splurge. 1. Clubcard/Nectar card These free cards allow you to collect points when you shop and can be changed into vouchers for the next time you visit, that can be used to get money off certain products. And for those coffee addicts, the Costa card is an essential. 2. Own brand basics For things such as butter, rice, biscuits and crisps, shops own versions are just as good as well known brands, and come at a better price. Also, things such as washing up liquid needn’t be expensive, with essentials doing the same job and saving you money. 3. Use by dates If you’re a late night shopper, you may already know about the reduced section. Foods that are going out of date are often reduced that day and, if eaten that night, are fine but at a fraction of the original price. 4. Freeze Making a large amount of home cooked meals which you can divide into portions will save you both money and time. The majority of these made up portions can be frozen, and after those late night lectures, the microwave will become your best friend.

Palestine Awareness Week Ian Perrin

alestine Awareness Week unofficially started with a flash mob organised by UKC Palestine Solidarity Group (PSG) on Thursday 6 November. Students sat outside the library, blindfolded to get passing students thinking about the struggle of the Palestinian people. The week began with a talk given by Dr. Glenn Bowman on The Logic of Encystation and was followed by screenings of award-winning documentaries such as 5 Broken Cameras by Emad Burnat. Adam Lally, treasurer of PSG said: “Awareness Week serves the purpose of providing a concise overview of the conflict, including the many issues that are still present today. Through documentary/film screenings and hosting talks, we aim to create discourse across campus and increase support for our current campaigns. Awareness Week serves as a precursor for the international event; ‘Israeli Apartheid Week’, taking place next term, which will consist of a series of events that aim to draw attention to Israel’s apartheid policies toward the Palestinians.” To understand the problems more, we should start with a brief history. The history of the situation in Palestine is long and detailed but some big events are outlined as follows to help those in the dark. In 1947, the United Nations proposed a Partition Plan for Palestine that would emancipate it from the British Mandate and recommended the birth of two states in the region. This would consist of one Jewish and one Arab state, while the Jerusalem-Bethlehem area would be protected by the UN. The resolution called for British departure by August 1948. The Jewish leadership accepted this, but the Arab

Photo by Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection

leadership did not. The Arab League threatened to take military measures to ensure the protection of the rights of the indigenous Arab Palestinians, since many were of expelled or fled which is now known as the ‘Nakba’ or ‘Catastrophe’. Simultaneously, one day before the expiration of the British Mandate, Israel declared independence and its borders crossed the boundaries of those mapped out under the Partition Plan. The Arab countries declared war on Israel which sparked the 1948 ArabIsraeli War. After the war, the 1949 Armistice Agreements established the separation lines between the combatants with Israel, Transjordan and Egypt all claiming a stake. In 1967, the six day war ensued with Israel victorious, seizing the previous winnings from Egypt and Transjordan as well as the area known as the Golan Heights from Syria.

5. Discount codes For those of us who cant resist online shopping now and then, the student discount code is always good for saving a bit of money. Most online stores often entice students in with free postage and packaging or others give discount to students such as 10% off from New Look, Topshop, etc. 6. Not the card! Nights out can be the worst time for spending (often without realising), so limit yourself. Get cash out before the night out and leaving the card at home.

Photo by Daniel John

In 1974, the Arab League recognized the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the sole representative of the Palestinian population. The PLO gained observer status at the U.N. General Assembly that same year. In December 1987, a Palestinian uprising called the intifada emerged in response to military occupation, oppression and confiscation of land. From then until 1993, over 1,000 Palestinians were killed and much more injured, detained or imprisoned by Israel. In 1993, the Oslo Accords were signed which was the first direct agreement signed between the PLO and Israel. The Accords created the Palestinian National Authority as well as calling for the withdrawal of Israeli forces in parts of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The application of the accords were set back vigorously after the assassination of the Israeli Prime Minister who signed the Accords, Yitzhak Rabin. In the future, summits and proposals have been made and have been concluded with no success since. On 8 July 2014, Israel launched “Operation Protective Edge” in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip which foresaw seven weeks of bombardment, rocket attacks, and ground fighting with over 2,200 deaths. Although Palestine Awareness Week s over, the conflict in Palestine is not. If you missed any of these events during Palestine Awareness Week but are still interested in knowing more or getting involved with this cause, you can still watch the documetaries and films given on their flyer. You can also learn more and how students can make an impact to this cause by finding more about the society by visiting their Facebook page www. facebook.com/groups/kent.psg/ and going along to their other events.

Features

From peach fuzz to massive beards November is the month for facial hair! Alasdair Lawrence tells us more about how Movember started and the growing movement, and Natalie Tipping talks to Asim Janjua from UKC RaG about their plans for Movember. Photos by Medhi Abe and edited by Shufi Sufana.

t’s November again, which means Movember -the moustache-growing movement, is upon us. Pretty much anyone can tell you what Movember is about - growing moustaches and raising funds and awareness for men’s health. Less of us perhaps know the history of this movement which has taken the world by storm. Melbourne, Australia. The year is 2003. Two mates, Travis and Luke sit at a bar discussing the evaporation of the moustache’s popularity. They decide they need something to kick it back into life. Inspired by a mutual friend’s mother, who fundraised for breast cancer, they decided that the moustache’s rallying cry would be for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer. They were joined by two other friends, Justin and Adam, the four founding fathers of the moustachioed movement. In the UK, prostate cancer affects one in eight men with over 40,000 diagnosed per year. It accounts for around 30% of all diagnosed cancer per year. When caught early, it has some of the highest success rates of any cancer with statistics ranging from 81-92% of survival cases. It becomes much more dangerous once the cancer spreads beyond the prostate. This spread, however, is very slow and most cases can be caught before it becomes a problem. The most significant problem facing prostate cancer is the stigma surrounding men’s health and their unwillingness to have regular checkups. It was the goal of the Movember Foundation, therefore, to “change the face of men’s health” and raise awareness for prostate cancer. The first Movember had 30 ‘Mo Bros’ taking part, the 2004 campaign had 450 and by 2005 the movement had over 9,000 members and had become an official charity with full-time employees. Today the Movember craze has gone global, with movements in Hong Kong, Brazil, South Africa and more. The Movember Foundation’s site is translated into half-a-dozen international languages and the memberbase numbers in the millions. Those four Melbourne mates are now full-time directors of the charity and Travis and Luke are regarded as pioneers in men’s health campaigning. The movement, born of late-night chit-chat over a pint, is now a part of the cultural calendar and seeing someone sport a set of whiskers is as identifiable as a badge, poppy or the pink ribbon.

What are Kent RaG doing for Movember? Movember at UKC is an initiative set up by RaG to get everyone together to support one cause. Year on year, the cause is always men’s health. In the past, it has been prostrate or testicular cancer, but this year it’s focussing more on men’s mental health. The campaign seeks to raise awareness about problems with men’s health, so it’s not just about the money. Their branding is so key as it really creates the awareness that they’re looking for. We just want to promote the issues facing men today. How can people get involved with Movember? Firstly, they can like the Movember at UKC Facebook page. RaG is encouraging people to participate by growing a tache or just donating. Societies and sports teams can create teams. Even if you’re not a part of a society, you can get involved through joining the general Kent RaG team. Encourage people to join in and to donate. Watch out for the photo shoots as well, which are going on throughout the month to show progression of people’s taches. Is Movember only for men? No, everyone can get involved! We’ve got captains of women’s sports teams like rugby and cricket involved, they’re drawing on a tache each day. Women also have to deal with men’s mental health issues with the men in their lives so the campaign is focussing on making everyone aware. What are RaG’s Movember targets? We’re just trying to facilitate people’s involvement with the campaign. We’ve already raised £715 within the first week. It’s not about raising the money for us though; it’s about creating a strong brand that can be carried on in years to come to keep the awareness and to keep people involved with the issue. Everyone can get involved and it’s really about community spirit. People shy away because they think they look like an idiot, but the campaign is so worthwhile that people shouldn’t be scared to get involved.

From top to bottom: members of UKC Men’s Rugby, Student Media, Kent Dance and UKC RaG

What’s next after Movember for RaG? We’re working with Student Media as well on their upcoming charity event for SNAAP, a local children’s charity.

Entertainment

Striding Backwards Rebecca Fatharly

Carmela Santaniello

triding Backwards, a student-led improvisation production played by Skyward Theatre Company, tackled a subject that is only just becoming prominent in mainstream news. Sexual harassment in the workplace is ususally stereotyped with a woman as the receiver, but Striding Backwards cleverly switched this to a man receiving unwanted sexual advancement from his female boss. The play was performed in the Jolly Sailor, and all donations went to Cancer Research. Usually improvisation is seen as a comedic medium of theatre due to the instinctual actions of the actors, but Striding Backwards was a unique blend of serious drama and humour. The actors have no idea what the storyline would be before the night of the play, meaning that they have no time to prepare. The actors in this production worked very well together, managing to bounce off each other immediately when a character change, or change of plot, took place. The subject matter was an intriguing one to portray, since it has not yet been thoroughly explored in theatre. Set in a fashion business, Steve, the male victim, has been favoured over the other staff, but this makes him uncomfortable since his boss, Felicity, keeps touching and flirting with him inappropriately. Steve

Albums on the Go Hoodie Allen - People Keep Talking Up and coming indie rapper Hoodie Allen released his new album People Keep Talking which is the perfect mix of light rap and catchy melodies. The album has 14 very fresh and different tracks. This album boasts guests including Alex Wiley, MAX and our very own Ed Sheeran. The Allen and Sheeran track ‘All About It’ is one of the highlights of the album. Hoodie is one to watch out for and this album is well worth a listen.

Photo by Rebecca Fatharly

confides in his friends, Jess and Patrick, but at first they both laugh off his discomfort. At one point, Patrick tells Steve to enjoy the attention. If Steve had been a woman in this situation, a friend would never had said this. The friend would be concerned, not mildly amused, and this revealed some of the double standards of the world today. Each actor had an input in where the story went, as there were a few commands that would instruct the rest of the players. This included freeze, where all characters must remain frozen, edit, where the actors cut the scene in half and move it in a different

direction, and lastly split-screen. This last technique shows the same setting as the previous one, but with characters on each side of the stage having separate conversations. The actors all wore black, with shoe laces of various colours tied around parts of their bodies as a type of uniform. To distinguish between characters, props and costume parts were used so the audience would not be confused between multiple characters any one actor could be playing. This performance was a great debut for Skyward Theatre Company, and I look forward to future productions.

Alt J - This is all yours Released a few weeks ago, AltJ’s latest album This Is All Yours is classic Alt-J. As with most Alt-J music, as soon as you hear it you can recognise the familiarity of their distinct voices and electronic mixes. To be honest, the tracks on the album don’t seem to have the same edge as previous songs - this album just seems to lack something. There’s an unnecessarily long introduction track followed by tracks such as ‘Nara’ which although are good, each track leaves you feeling slightly deflated.

Not just another X Factor reject Swift goes from country to pop Jennifer Nee

ising to fame on the ninth series of The X Factor, Ella Henderson’s fervently anticipated debut album Chapter One has been released nearly three years later. Despite only coming 6th on the talent show, she has been more successful than the other finalists in her respective year, with lead single ‘Ghost’ storming to the top of the charts. Admittedly, I have not thought much of the artists that X Factor throws at us year after year; however, there are a few exceptions such as Leona Lewis’ impressive debut single ‘Bleeding Love’ amongst a few others. After listening to this album, Ella Henderson is also an exception with a stunning collection of self-penned songs. Joining the anthemic ‘Ghost’ and ‘Glow’ are ‘Give Your Heart Away’, ‘Empire’ and catchy up-tempo ‘Pieces’, all demonstrating her powerful emphatic vocals. ‘First Time’ demonstrates a raspy tone to her voice,

demonstrating her versatility, along with the uplifting and sassy ‘Mirror Man’. Joining these are sincere and evocative ballads ‘Giants’, ‘Yours’, and ‘Missed’, the momentous song that she sang for her first audition on The X Factor, which has now transitioned into a successfully executed piano formation. Chapter One undoubtedly showcases Ella’s talent, with her raw, natural vocals being utilised throughout. Moreover, her self-written lyrics make the album a much more meaningful endeavour which many artists lack (X Factor artists not being the only ones guilty of this). There is substance to her work, even the light-hearted ‘Billie Holiday’ is seemingly reflective of Ella’s adolescence with the use of clever, quirky lyrics that mirror Ella herself, making it all the more personal. Chapter One is an exciting and inspiring debut album, and Ella will now remain for me not only one of the more memorable X Factor contestants, but a respected artist in her own right.

Chris Chambers

aylor’s tremendous transition to pop is pure genius To describe 1989 as catchy is not sufficient warning of how mindinvading so many of the songs are. The lead single and global mega-smash ‘Shake It Off’ gives a tremendously accurate indication that this album is blessed with the sort of songs which imprint themselves on your mind for weeks. Indeed, the haunting and beautiful ‘Out Of The Woods’ is pop music at its finest, with Swift creating a repetitive chorus which still holds meaning and blending it with her trademark diary like style of singing which compels the listener to believe her narrative. Swift has an exceptional gift for song writing, and her change of genre does not sacrifice that. ‘Blank Space’ gives immediate proof of this insanely catchy, story-of-love-turning-sour, which Swift relates brilliantly the intense feelings which so often accompany young love

“so it’s gonna be forever, or it’s gonna go down in flames.” Perhaps 1989’s biggest strength lies in how coherent it is, an interesting reality to consider when the strength of its predecessor was precisely the opposite. This album is an upbeat story, and a very easy listen. ‘How You Get The Girl’ and ‘All You Had To Do Was Stay’ are unrivalled examples of how album tracks need never be fillers, whilst ‘Welcome To New York’ oozes possibility and wonder and excitement and risk in a way no Swift song has ever quite captured before. Swift’s true genius on this album, as with RED, is evident through her change of style. The singer’s “first official, documented pop album” sets her firmly apart from her competition. With the likes of Jessie J suffering from the curse of sounding the same far too much. ‘Style’ and ‘Wildest Dreams’ in particular illustrate how Swift has kept her music fresh, appropriately singing “we never go out of style” something which is certainly true of her music.

Entertainment

Starting with a White Slate Megan Weal Newspaper Entertainment Editor

n the Lumley Theatre behind the building site of the library and inside, from the shelter of the dark, rainy, November evenings, two girls are watching their visions come to life before their eyes. They laugh together, they are transfixed and they share their minds together. Their hands talk as loudly as the words coming from their mouths as they swing them around in excitement and ball them in their unease. The two girls are writer and director duo, Jenna May Hobbs and Suzanna Ward, and together they are White Slate Theatre Company. Founded by Hobbs and Ward in 2013, White Slate Theatre Company came into practice as part of the University of Kent’s Associate Graduate Theatre Company program. The program that began in 2011, allows graduates the opportunity to pitch a theatre company and its artistic works through an interview process and the company that is chosen to receive the award is consequently rewarded with the necessities needed to begin the company. In a give-and-take type scenario, the company are provided with mentoring, rehearsal space and the University’s business acumen while they are expected to scout student talent for their plays and represent the program. And represent the program is what Hobbs and Ward have definitely done. Their first touring performance Your Fragrant Phantom (a biopic following the lives of the infamous literary couple,

Photos by Daniel John

the Fitzgeralds) was exceptionally well received, being picked to be a part of the National Student Drama Festival in 2014, where Hobbs was awarded with Playwriting Commendation for the piece. So how do they make it work? How do two students from UKC make a name for themselves in the cut-throat theatre industry and still have fun doing it? Balance. As rehearsal rooms, meeting places and offices fill with laughter and ease, it’s surprising that Hobbs and Ward haven’t known each other since primary school, directing sketches to perform to their tired parents on a Sunday afternoon. But in reality, the duo only really met when their artistic visions led them away from others and towards each other. During their fourth year of Drama and Theatre at UKC, as part of the directing program they sat in their repetitive, separate friendship groups, knowing that their artistic visions wouldn’t flourish. So they joined forces.

And while friendship is a strong bond that will stay with these two for decades to come, their main focus is business through and through. Ward said, “We started working with each other before we became friends, which I think has really benefitted us.” As rehearsals for their new show Captured begin, the pair are finding their old balance. “It’s our joint artistic vision,” said Hobbs. “But Suzie’s directing and I’m writing. But then sometimes Suzie will edit and I’ll assist. We’re very happy to chop and change.” The combination of dance and theatre, natural and abstract is mesmerising even in its raw, rehearsing state. There’s a young-adult grit to Hobbs and Ward’s work that grabs you and makes you want more. A feat that can only be derived from constant stopping and starting. As the actors come to a natural stop, Ward concisely and calmly talks the actors through the importance of seating positions – a small change that makes a huge impact. The essence is in the details.

They talk to their actors as if they are their peers. The room is filled with no sense of hierarchy as Hobbs and Ward sit upright in their chairs, transfixed on the acting in front of them – smiling as their ideas are brought to life. “It can be in your head one way, but the way that you envisage it is sometimes a way that will never be able to work,” said Hobbs. “So I think that’s the beauty of how we work – there are two brains looking at it and we don’t have to compromise.” The pair continually talk to one another – never locking heads – but talking their way through visions. Asking the actors how they feel about their ideas, channeling input from anyone’s suggestions. They are by no means the same, but no great team is. Hobbs and Ward are the epitome of what can be achieved through stretching out from comfort zones and admiring the instinctive feeling in their guts. White Slate Theatre is a name you need to look out for in the future.

Chris Ramsey pops our stand-up cherry Emily Adams Website Editor

e’s the guy who got kicked off and banned from Soccer AM for talking about something a little bit naughty. He’s “The most dangerous man of Saturday morning TV”. But when Chris Ramsey bounces onto the Gulbenkian’s intimate stage, grinning from ear to ear, he looks like the least dangerous man I’ve ever seen. He’s a Geordie joker, who, as he puts it, just wants to ‘pop our stand-up comedy cherries’. Bless him. Without giving too much away, if you want to see some controversial, borderline offensive comedy, that’s not what you’re going to get. He’s no

‘opinion ninja’; his stand up is about real life everyday experiences. He wants you to remember he’s just like you… just a little bit famous. There’s something so calming about that cheeky chappie Geordie accent and someone who’s so at ease with his “gorgeous, gorgeous audience” (I don’t know who he was looking at) .You can just chuckle away, sure that he’s not going to fluff it up. And even though he did, he made it into the funniest joke of the night. Other highlights included learning a little bit more about that Soccer AM incident, (YouTube it. Go on, I dare you), a few tips for the best ways to fist bump someone (I recommend googling ‘fist bump jellyfish’ right away) and a

radical breakfast invention that went slightly wrong. Though Canterbury didn’t offer much in the way of audience participation, Ramsey somehow turned silence into raucous laughter again and again. He handled a heckler with ease (no it wasn’t me) and wrestled a man who got up to leave at the punch line. He’s not afraid to get involved and mix things up a little. And let’s not forget his support act, Mr Carl Hutchinson. Oh Carl, what a joy to watch a comedian tell cheese jokes. I’ve been waiting a long time for that to happen. He’s definitely one to look out for in the future. After the gig, Chris and Carl kindly came and chatted to us and although

I was a little busy fan girling all the way to the ticket signing table, I did manage to ask a few questions. InQuire exclusive alert: Chris Ramsey thinks Canterbury is “a lovely city with terrible phone signal”. Tell us something we don’t know. They’re genuinely lovely guys who seemed so humbled that anyone would want to see them perform. And why wouldn’t we? They’re blooming hilarious!

Head to InQuirelive.co.uk for more entertainment. Got a story? Get in touch with one of our editors.

Entertainment

Songs on Repeat Hannah Lewis Ed Sheeran - ‘Thinking Out Loud’ Sheeran continues to rollout the music from new album ‘X’. Despite being released earlier this year (18 June), ‘Thinking Out Loud’ has topped the UK Offical Charts after an immense 19 weeks in the top 40 and breaking new records as the longest climb to the top spot EVER. Ed proves that slow and steady wins the race with this softer side of life song. Hoodie Allen Ft. Ed Sheeran ‘All About It’ Keeping his fans excited after the release of his debut album, People Keep Talking, Hoodie teams up with chart-topper Sheeran in ‘All About It’. The recent release of their superhero video fits perfectly with the fun, energetic nature of the song itself. Allen just keeps delivering with his addictive mix of Hip Hop, pop and soul; he’s right, people are going to keep talking.

Contemporary Artificiality Grace Wranosky

s I sat down to watch Stopgap’s performance of Artificial Things at The Gulbenkian, I began to question how I, an avid theatre-goer yet a virgin to the world of dance performance, would be able to grasp any sense of meaning from a piece of abstract, contemporary dance. Initially, my fears began to be realised, as the group of dancers seemed to watch each other perform sections of dance without any clear link. However, once I decided to simply enjoy the choreography, I found myself being led on a journey with the dancers, exploring their vulnerability and dependency on each other. Stopgap are a diverse company who strive to “collaborate beyond ‘disability’”, as they work with both disabled and fully able dancers. It was clear throughout that the dancers’ disabilities were not being “overcome”. They were not being disguised or ignored by the dancers; instead, they were being emphasised and celebrated by the choreography and moments of frank openness. One poignant moment followed an energetic, climatic scene,

which appeared to end with a tableau of dancers centre stage, receiving a well deserved, rapturous applause. Once the audience stopped clapping however, there was no swift change into the next scene, no smooth transition. A complete silence ensued, as dancer Laura Jones, sitting on her partner’s lap, slowly tried without aid, to lift herself up and across into her wheelchair. Although it was pre-planned, this was hardly choreographed: Laura had to overcome this very real struggle in front of an entire audience, who waited in apprehension for the normality of the performance to proceed. In the moment, we as an audience were invited to witness how vulnerability is not simply being ‘performed’ by Stopgap’s dancers - it was truly being experienced. Not only was this performance special due to the openness of its dancers, but it was also packed with stunning imagery, a relentless pace and unforgettable moments. After a comedy-style scene, featuring cardboard costumes, toy cars and a very naughty, remote controlled ‘Henry Hoover’, the audience hardly

had a chance to realise the abrupt, and dramatic change in tone. The previously comical ‘leader’, now appeared more sinister, frantically repeating moves, whilst being underscored by clips from The Great Dictator, building up to his climatic death. We were left with the image of the dancer, slumped against the walls of his box, and what looked like wood chips, shooting out from inside the box and slowly covering him as they fell- a disturbingly tragic image to follow such a comedic scene. It was these moments of contrast which left the audience questioning the meaning of the piece, whilst allowing us to get completely absorbed in the stunning choreography and emotions of the dancers. Touring the UK until the end of November, it is definitely worth trying to catch this performance; you don’t often get a chance to see such a diverse group of dancers, willing to open up to their audience and create a completely unique, and utterly genuine, performance. For more details, visit stopgapdancecompany.com, where you can check out future productions and get updated about

Danny and the Champions of the World take Canterbury Shereen Lisa Dudar

They ended the night with a song of the new album called Clear Water, a perfect ending to the band’s last show of the year. The only downside of the experience was that the Festival Spiegeltent, which was a makeshift circus tent, where the show took place, was a nightmare to find and I put my life at risk running across roundabouts, but at least I now know where the Kent County Cricket Club is now.

P Photo by E. Christian Wallce

Cheryl - ‘I Don’t Care’ Whether you like her or not, but she has had the most number one singles for a UK female artist, it’s fair to say that since her fancypants X Factor peformance, ‘I Don’t Care’ has been added to the Spotify playlist. The catchy tune is fun, fiesty and full of life and quite frankly, it is a great one to have on mid essay when you really begin to just not care. George Ezra - ‘Listen To The Man’ ‘Listen To The Man’ is the latest cut from 21 year old Ezra’s hugely successful, folk-pop debut album Wanted On Voyage. The singersongwriter works with Ian McKellen in this music video adding to the quirkiness of the song. Like his other releases, it begins and ends with just his voice, it chills you out and it is most definitely a singalong.

rior to the Canterbury Festival, I knew nothing about Danny and the Champions of the World. I listened to one song, ‘You Don’t Know (My Heart Is In The Right Place)’, on YouTube and couldn’t even get through three minutes of it because I found it repetitive and boring. When I heard that same song live, however, I found the repetition catchy and poppy and actually sang along. This may be a stretch, but at some point during the performance, I found the folk rock ambiance reminiscent of Passenger’s ‘Let Her Go’. The crowd was more or less what I expected-- middle aged couples bobbing their heads and a handful of drunk people shouting at the most inapproprite times. Somewhere in between the madness, these two groups became harmonious and got out of their

All photos by Shereen Lisa Dudar.

seats and began dancing. Everyone in attendance was overcome with pure ecstasy as Danny and the Champions of the World played what they called “extended play” versions of their songs. What this entailed was 10 minute instrumentals that allowed for prolonged dance numbers. In between the music, the band (Danny primarily) would talk to the audience. I was impressed to hear that this was their 22nd show within the last month. They also shared that they were in the process of recording a new album.

Culture

Read and Avoid Shereen Lisa Dudar

Read

Persepolis by Majane Satrapi

I cannot think of a more compelling medium to tell a coming-of-age story in the midst of a revolution than with pictures. Persepolis is a graphic novel memoir that is nearly impossible to put down. Marjane goes from thinking she’s the last prophet to inflicting exile on herself in order to come to terms with herself and the world around her. She’s a stubborn spitfire with a good taste in music and a loose interpretation of her religion, but a stronghold on her culture.

Avoid

Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Samuel Taylor Coleridge is a big deal when it comes to England’s Romantic Movement, which I appreciate, however, I cannot stand him as a person. This poem is said to be the result of Coleridge’s opium induced dreams. Basically he attempts a poetic narrative about Kubla Khan and the surrounding scenery (mainly crashing waves), but ends up taking the reader into his own dreamland where, thanks to the drugs, everything is terrible and scary and leaves the reader with nothing. A major problem I have with Coleridge are the plagiarism accusations surrounding his poetry. If it was at least good, I might get over it, but it’s really not.

Why can’t I be the protagonist? We need diversity in children’s books Natalie Turco-Williams Website Culture Editor

magine every book you read growing up. What do they all have in common? Adventure and romance maybe? Well to some, the answer to this question is a white male protagonist along with a cast of other stereotypical characters that don’t represent our society correctly, or even appropriately.

Over the last few weeks #WeNeedDiverseBooks has been trending on social media as part of a campaign started by Ellen Oh, an author of young adult books, to raise awareness of the lack of diversity in children’s literature. This could be

anything from gender equality to race to people with disabilities – the hashtag is meant to be inclusive of any minority or inequality that should be represented more in the world of books. The hashtag came about in response to the announcement of an all-white-male panel of children’s authors at a major literature and publishing convention. As a few industry professionals and children’s authors began tweeting about the hashtag, this social media awareness campaign emerged and rapidly grew into a worldwide movement, that was supported not only by people in the industry but by many readers as well. Along with simply using the hashtag, a lot of people tweeted a picture of themselves holding a sign saying why we need diverse books. One father, held his son in his arms along with a sign saying: “We need diverse books so my child can learn minorities are more than stereotypes.” Early supporters of this movement quickly started up the organisation, We Need Diverse Books, with the mission to make this hashtag a reality. The group say they are: “committed to the ideal that embracing diversity

will lead to acceptance, empathy, and ultimately equality” and as part of this “recognise all diverse experiences.” To help accomplish this mission they are reaching out to the industry to make a change and encouraging literature lovers, like you and me, to support this campaign. So, how can you get involved?

Photo by Katyanna Quach

There are many ways you can support this movement, from simply spreading the word by sharing it on twitter, to making a conscious decision to purchase diverse books. For more information about the campaign visit: www.weneeddiversebooks.org.

Me, myself and Jorge Luis Borges Hannah Robbins

hen I first started reading Borges, it felt as if I had fallen down Alice in Wonderland’s rabbit hole, and I was going to find it incredibly difficult to find solid ground, let alone find the emergency exit. Jorge Luis Borges, a metaphysical writer, is well known for his boundarybreaking literary style. When it comes to genre, he seems to disentangle them as if it were mere child’s play, and reforms them into something

unique. What he concocts is an intriguing combination of fictional and philosophical views, hinting and tugging at existentialist attitudes. In this sense, he is a dreamer of essential ambiguities, ambiguities of the self – as if he has opened your skull and swirled your brain like a bowl of spaghetti. He dehumanizes and breaks down the notion of identity in his work, causing us to question ourselves: what is real and what is illusion? How do our actions sum up to ourselves? Are we

Photo by Wonderland

really who we define ourselves to be, or is there definitely much more to it than that? We are always establishing our identity and persona with the experiences we have and issues we encounter in the world around us, in school, work and our social lives. We have an ever-changing and developing relationship with the universe, as we grow and “broaden our minds” (to use Severus Snape’s own words). What surrounds his protagonists in their search for their true identity is represented through the sum of their experiences and actions throughout his literary pieces. They are left to determine between their own dreams and realities much in the way we do. In this way, Borges reflects our own identity struggles we encounter throughout our lives, each within our own worlds, our own separate realities. I guess we all wake up some days, astonished with our lives and how much more of a journey we have left to discover ourselves. “Borges, of course, is Borges, celebrated dreamer of essential ambiguities.”

Culture

Society Spotlight Aamina Mahmood

UKC Tea Society Tea. A big mug of builder’s brew, or a delicate herbal tea, the comforting consumption of a cup of stewed leaf-water is one thing which can unite us all. UKC Tea Society, now in its 5th year, brings together students from all over campus, especially Kent’s large international student community. What could be more of a typical British experience than indulging in afternoon tea? With deadlines creeping and the weather freezing, a steaming hot cup of tea, biscuits, and new people to talk to is just the antidote to the winter blues, whilst providing an alternative social event to the usual bar crawls and Venue nights. Tea Society is also famous for its social events, and we recently held our first Afternoon Cream Tea Social at the traditional Moat Tea Rooms in Canterbury. With the seasonal theme of ‘Ugly Sweaters and Moustaches’ to support Movember, it was a fabulous event which treated attendees to a full English Cream Tea, featuring delightful scones and clotted cream.

Photo by UKC Tea Society

TeaSoc meets every fortnight for #TeaTimeTuesday. To get involved and join us for a cuppa at our next event, check out www.facebook.com/ ukcteasociety . Want to see your society in this space? Contact newspaper.culture@ inquiremedia.co.uk.

Being Human: The Genius of Language Holly Welch

s part of the UK-wide Being Human Festival, The Department of English Language and Linguistics at Kent have been hard at work organising a series of events that are collectively called The Genius of Language. From 16 to 23 November 2014 various events will take place on and around campus to celebrate the origins, diversity and creativity of language. The main exhibition, also called The Genius of Language, is being displayed at The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge on 16 November. The event will consist of maps, videos, quizzes, and fun activities, and various members of the department will be on hand to provide information about the various exhibits. Dr Jeremy Scott, a senior lecturer in the department of English Language and Literature, is also running a free creative writing workshop, called Language and Creativity. The exhibit is open from 11am to 5pm, with the workshop taking place between 3pm and 4pm. Two films are also being screened as part of the week at The Gulbenkian, which explore language and linguistics in different ways. The first film, titled The Linguists, is a documentary which follows two linguists around the

globe, collecting recordings of dying languages. The second film is called Is The Man Who Is Tall Happy?, and is an animated documentary about renowned linguist Noam Chomsky’s life. Both films have been rated highly and are sure to be a great watch; the films take place on 18 and 20 November, respectively, at 6:30pm. There will also be a fascinating

about the topic. This takes place in Rutherford Lecture Theatre 1 on 19 November at 6pm. The Genius of Language promises to tackle a great deal of language-related questions, such as how language has evolved to its current form today, and why there are so many different languages present in the world. All the events above are free, which

Photo by Sarnil Prasad

public lecture on bilingualism and its importance, which will be delivered by Professor Antonella Sorace, of the University of Edinburgh (and founder of Bilingualism Matters). The talk will present the facts about early bilingualism and address any misconceptions that people may have

is an even bigger reason to attend, although the films and the workshop do require booking as there are limited spaces. Whether you’re new to the world of linguistics or just fancy brushing up on your knowledge, these events are definitely worth checking out.

History is still relevant, honest Chris Heron

don’t know if it has just been me, but 2014 has felt like a landmark year. The world is changing at an unrivalled pace, and is seemingly a different, yet increasingly chaotic, place month by month. (As I write this, I have Lorde’s cover of Everybody Wants to Rule the World playing on repeat. Oddly fitting.) Britain is an odd country. We have a culture that both glorifies history but seemingly belittles it. The number of times I’ve read the phrase ‘traditional British values’ in the past few months is practically countless, and a search on Twitter would quickly come up with someone lamenting the lost ‘glory days’. Alas, this descends into a rant as I attempt to validate my choice of degree. Remember the past and use it to impact the future. I bet you don’t get to write such eloquent, overarching statements in your subject (unless, of course, you’re another History student). November is a month of anniversaries. We have Bonfire Night, where we celebrate the failure of a plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Or rather, the failure of the xenophobic Guy Fawkes’

(whose motivation was solely that King James I was Scottish) terrorism. V for Vendetta and the Anonymous movement have changed this perception to one of anti-establishment, but the celebration is ingrained into our culture.

be disrespectful and unpatriotic. Are we missing the point? Or should we try our hardest to make sure such horrific loss of life never happens again? If there is a point to this article, then it is to remember how important our history is at defining our culture. We’re not unique in this, with unending examples of cultures looking at the past for inspiration and with a sense of nostalgia. I’m not saying you should go to a museum, or watch a Horrible Histories marathon (although I’d highly recommend the latter), but take a moment to think, and don’t let history repeat itself.

Photo by Michael Tapp

November also marks Remembrance Sunday, which has become all the more relevant with 2014 being the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War. Once again, the debate is raging over whether we are glorifying war, or that not doing would

Photo by Martin LaBar

Culture

Has Harry finally Pottered off too far? Karisma Indra

hen J.K.Rowling first wrote the Harry Potter book in 1997 she could have hardly expected it to have become a world-wide phenomenon, yet 17 years on, the world is still ‘Pottermad’. It seems with every year the obsession with the boy wizard and his world is growing.

Photo by Karen Roe

As a Potter fan myself, it is great to see the many spin-offs the series has produced, but even to me, it was a bit too much when I found out that there are Harry Potter themed hotels. I am sure that there is a market for it, otherwise it would not exist, but I really do think that it’s a spell too far.

There are fandoms for many shows and books across the world from the Whovians (fans of Doctor Who) to Sherlockians (fans of Sherlock) but the Potter fandom seems to top them all. The hysteria over Potter spin-offs is so great, that one jokey comment on social media from someone vaguely related to the franchise sends the rumour mill into overdrive. Perhaps ‘Pottermore’ was the beginning of a slippery slope. It certainly is something for the quintessential fan, but the rise of fanfiction and the growth of social media have taken the franchise to a whole new level. Admittedly, I can understand the allure of the spin-off culture, many Potter fans had been experiencing ‘withdrawals’ from the lack of Potterrelated information after the series ended in 2007, so the spin-offs seemed like a good idea to keep the world of Potter alive. Now there is another new project on the horizon, a trio of films based in the Potter world which are poised to hit our cinemas in the next year or two, the Fantastic Beasts and

Where to Find Them series is bound to be as popular as the Harry Potter films. I think that fans are incredibly reluctant to let the world of Potter go, and so these spin-offs certainly appeal to them. But to those who, unlike me, have no interest in Potter it may seem a little too much. There is a market for these spin-offs, but perhaps it is wise to remember that one should quit while they’re ahead. I fear that too much Potter mania and suddenly it may be a spin-off too many.

topping by at our very own Gulbenkian, I had the pleasure of watching Boy Blue Entertainment, as they brought manga to the stage with their electrifying production: The Five and the Prophecy of Prana. The storyline features five young criminals, soon to be known as ‘The Five’, in modern day Tokyo. We follow their transformation from unruly troublemakers into disciplined martial artists, as they’re plucked straight from the courts and thrown into Wang Tang’s compound. There, they are taught the foundations of Pih Poh Fu, the show’s own brand of Kung Fu, and play a crucial role in saving the world from one power hungry Guardian of Prana.

surprising soundtrack. Somehow, hip-hop sounds awesome with heavy Japanese influences. In order to master the Kung Fu element of the show, the cast trained with monks from the Shaolin Temple Warrior School, so it’s no wonder that the sparring scenes were particularly badass. These guys definitely fooled me

Words of Wisdom Enough positivity to carry you through essay season... “In order to carry a positive action we must develop here a positive vision.” Dalai Lama “If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.” John Wooden “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.” Helen Keller

Photo by Marie Guillaumet

The Five and the Prophecy of Prana Julia Mitchell Newspaper Culture Editor

For a performance that was very dialogue heavy in terms of moving along the plot, it seemed weird at first for it all to be played as a voiceover, with the dancers matching the words on stage. As I grew used to this, it began to feel kind of like I was reading the words inside my head, adding another layer to the manga element of the production.

“Pessimism leads to weakness, optimism to power.” William James

The Weird Word Challenge Can you slip these unusual words into every day conversation? Mimsy: rather feeble and prim or over-restrained Lollygag: to spend time in an aimless or lazy way Gapeseed: a person who gapes or stares in wonder Anatine: resembling a duck

Characterised by its fusion of manga (the popular form of Japanese art), hip-hop and martial arts, the show features dazzling choreography and is accompanied by a powerful, yet

into believing they were real experts in martial arts, despite not one of them having any previous experience. One thing that I really loved was the show’s connection to manga, and the various ways that they encorporated it into their performance. The colours were vibrant, their movements had been exaggerated, and a screen at the back of the stage was filled with manga style artwork.

Captivating both visually and through the storyline, this show is an adventurous, yet successful blend of three separate themes, in a fusion that really makes it shine. During the final scene, I felt a collective sigh in the audience as we discovered that the story was ‘to be continued’. Here’s to hoping that there’s a sequel in the works- I haven’t had enough of these five trouble makers yet!

Hallux: big toe Hempy: mischievous; often in trouble for mischief Ogdoad: a group or set of eight

Editorial

A brand new type of politician Ginny Sanderson Newspaper Comment Editor

ussell Brand has been in the public eye a lot lately. To some of you, the mere mention of his name may make you cringe, recoil, or even gag a little. What gives him the right to be mayor? What qualifications does he have to spout all this political spiel, and why on earth is he telling people not to vote? PARKLIFE. First and foremost, Brand never said he was going for Mayor of London. So calm your titties, Boris. The news story alleged that “close friends” had revealed Brand’s diabolical plan to be Mayor of our capital (next stop: the WORLD). Anyone in journalism, or with half a brain, knows that, in tabloid speak, “close friends” is a euphemism for ‘we have no evidence to back up our sensational claims’. Brand

himself denies the accusations, if you can call them that, and makes a point of this in his YouTube video: London Mayor – Good for Business, published 27 October. There has been a widespread attempt at character assassination of Brand since he started talking about revolution. The start of all this can probably be traced to that Newsnight interview with Jeremy Paxman last year, and now Brand has released over a hundred videos for his True News (Trews) Channel on YouTube, and has a book called Revolution out. In these, among other things, he discusses the inherent inequalities in our capitalist system and the need for political upheaval. But many are somewhat disapproving of Brand. Suzanne Moore, awardwinning Guardian columnist, who often criticises the government and conservatism, does not hide her disdain for Russell Brand on Twitter.

Hadley Freeman and Robert Webb are also among those outside the ridiculous worlds of Fox News and the Tabloids who don’t see eye to eye with his ideas, or just him. I can only say that, if you feel the same, can you honestly say that you have listened to what he has to say? Is there a chance that perhaps you are in fact making a call based on Brand’s public persona instead? Like Russell, I don’t claim to know the ins and outs of politics. But perhaps if it was a mainstream knowledge, more people would be saying ‘wait a second, this is unfair!’ and the ‘system’ would have collapsed long ago. I do know that in a world where the minority make filthy profits and bonuses while people starve and die, there is something wrong. I know that when politicians give themselves an 11% payrise whilst barely bothering to show up to debate living wage, there is something wrong. I know that when one man, who

has invested interests in big business and oil, owns half the press, there is an inevitability that the news narrative is going to be skewed - and that too is wrong. I know that while we debate immigration and the deficit (which was created by people playing with people’s money), the bigger crisis of climate change looms and yet we are still using unsustainable

energy. You guessed it: that too is wrong. Brand himself said: “It’s not about me, it’s about what I’m saying”. Although this may be hard to believe, considering his general attention-seeking persona (sorry Russ), I implore you to listen to what he has to say without the weight of the author on your mind. You may find he is making sense.

Photo by Duncan C/Flickr

The devolution will be televised Henry Sandercock Website Sport Editor

hinge, whinge, whinge. From July through to 18 September and even beyond, there was whinging on every form of media. Why? The Scottish Referendum was in full swing. It was deafening and it was infuriating. But it also started something astonishingly global. The Catalans and the Basque people suddenly began to pipe up about independence; Hong Kong (in slightly different circumstances) tried to make steps towards devolution from mainland China and even the BBC have been moved to run a series on whether certain parts of the country want to devolve from the Union. The Scottish National Party (SNP) and the Yes voters, in spite of their failure to gain independence, have unwittingly kicked a snowball which is fast turning

into an avalanche. Why has this all come about? For one, there is very little trust in Westminster politics. Do you go for awkward Ed, incompetent Clegg or deviating

David? And we must not forget necromantic Nigel or New South Wales Natalie. People are beginning to question whether one person, in one place, with one particular

Photo by Henry Sandercock

world view can adequately hold the threads of 65 million lives together. The truth is they can’t. One party’s policies may suit the South whilst another’s may suit the North. There is no happy medium. This is why local governments are pleading for more and more power. As revolutionary as devolution may sound, it’s a process that’s getting underway as I write this very article. Holyrood is negotiating with Westminster for more power and vice versa. In the latest Future of England Survey, five out of six wanted to eliminate the Scottish vote from parliament; this is very much English devolution as well as Scottish devolution. Recently, I read a very forward thinking article in New Scientist which proclaimed the death of the nation state. Apparently, the human race is heading towards some kind of neo-Medievalism where we’ll all live in autonomous city states connected by trade. For one, this is appealing because

it means that, theoretically, no-one will have enough megatonnage in their armoury to blow the world to bits. But it also means that housing won’t be built on flood plains because some buffoon in London who doesn’t know what a river is, says so. It means that healthcare can suit the needs of a given area. It would also mean that I wouldn’t have to hear about Scottish Division 3 football results, or see Ed Miliband’s face again. Everybody wins. Now, this is still many hundreds of years away (and that’s if it does happen) but the seeds of it have been sown in the Scottish referendum and are being sown in our long, slow goodbye from the EU (which, in terms of population, has become the world’s largest nation state in all but name). Right here, right now and not for the first time, our island is at the centre of a potential new beginning for the world. In the meantime, go and enjoy whinge-free, non-referendum television whilst you still can.

Sport

“It is as competitive as you want it to be!”

InQuire sat down for a chat with the UKC Fencing Captain Tom Fletcher to talk about the elegant and intricate sport of Fencing, and also how you can get involved. Hi Tom, could you explain to us a little bit about your role? As Captain, it’s my job to pick the team for fixtures, organise transport to and from matches, and to organise inter-club competitions. I also organise the annual fencing trip to Paris for an international university fencing competition. So tell us about Fencing, and what the different weapons you use are?

There are three weapons: Foil, Sabre and Epée. Each weapon has a different target area and way of hitting the opponent. The target in Foil is the torso; in Sabre the whole upper body; in Epée the entire body. Both Foil and Epée are point weapons – you have to jab with the tip of the weapon – and Sabre is a slashing weapon. What got you into Fencing? I started fencing in primary school when I was 10. I started with an after school course and

then went on to join the coach’s club. After that I haven’t stopped. I represented Great Britain as a Cadet when I was 16, and am regularly selected for regional (North West England) and county (Kent) teams. What makes Fencing at university so worthwhile? Fencing at university introduces you to a whole different side of fencing. It’s as competitive as you want it to be, whilst also being

Photo by Rosa Furneaux

in a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere. There are different levels of university fencers, ranging from complete beginners to international levels; the training is regular and fun, and you get to meet new people with the same interests. How is the club progressing? The club is doing really well this year. We’ve had lots of new people join, and we have a scholarship funded fencer too this year. We’re still benefiting from our coach Peter Huggins, and we’ve even got one of our alumni fencers, Christian Thorley, coming back fortnightly to coach us in Sabre. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, we have been unable to field a women’s team this year. However, we are actively encouraging our female fencers to compete through subsidised entries into open and national competitions. What are your hopes for the year, both on a personal

and on a team level? I have high hopes for the team this year. We’re currently 4th in the league at the moment, we’ve only had two matches, both a win and a loss, but I’m very confident that we’ll be able to win the rest of the year’s fixtures. As for me, I’d like to enter more open and national competitions along with other fencers from the club, as these are the best ways to put training into practice and encourage a competitive spark! One final question, where and when does the Fencing team train? We train Tuesdays 8-10pm and Wednesdays 5-7pm in Hall 3 of the Sports Centre. New people are welcome to come. For more sport news check out our website at www.inquirelive.co.uk Got a story? Get in touch with one of our editors. We’d love to hear from you!

Women’s Basketball see off UCL side Team Kent’s mixed results UKC Women’s Basketball

KC’s Women’s Basketball team edged a close victory on week four of the BUCS competition as they saw off stiff opposition from UCL 63-60.

Photo by Dan Barnby

The side had gone into this game looking for their first win of the season after losing their previous two fixtures. The BUCS 2B division matchup saw the lead bounce between the two sides, with

UKC starting strong in the first quarter to keep the scores level. UCL were more than a match though and fought tirelessly; and by the third quarter they led by ten points. It was the third quarter that proved the turning point, as UKC fought back against their opponents, and soon levelled the scores. The break between third and fourth quarters galvanised the home team who were ruthless in their attack during the match’s closing moments. Hard work and determination ultimately gave Kent the edge, allowing them to seal an important victory. The result boosted the team’s BUCS campaign, which had faltered during the competition’s opening weeks. Defeats to Middlesex and Essex Universities had left the side pointless after the two rounds. This win however has seen the team rise to fourth in the table,. Attention will now turn to their fixture against the University of Surrey.

Percival Kleft

t was another mixed bag of results for Team Kent as BUCS fixtures entered into week four. One place where a win was convincing though was on the basketball court, as the Men’s Basketball team trounced local rivals Essex 73-29. Kent’s hockey teams saw contrasting results however, with the Men’s 1s going down 3-6 to Canterbury Christ Church University at home. It was left to the Women’s 1s to give UKC something to cheer about, which they did by beating CCCU 3-1, in a gripping contest. It was brighter on the football pitch, despite a 4-2 defeat for the Men’s 1s, with the 2s drawing 2-2 with Queen Mary’s 2s. A point for Kent was secured thanks to a brace by Gabriel Odili. The 3s were up away against CCCU, and they celebrated their first win of the season beating their rivals 1-0. The Equestrian B team took part in their first competition of the season in Portsmouth, and

secured an excellent 3rd place. Lacrosse was another sport that saw victory as well as defeat, with the Men’s 1s starting the day off well with a 21-3 demolition of Hertfordshire. Unfortunately, the Men’s 2s were unable to match the superiority of the CCCU side, as they were beaten 14-0. The Women’s 2s side were unable to do much better than their malecounterparts, losing 19-4 to a dominant UCL 2s team. Racquet sports saw some success for Kent during week four too, with the Women’s Tennis team beating Imperial 10-2 away from home. It was a disappointing day for the Men’s Squash 2s though, who lost 3-0 to LSE 2s. Aside from BUCS, the Ultimate Frisbee team took part in the South East Regionals, with the 1s dominating their group winning five out of their seven fixtures. This saw them qualify for the National Division 2; a huge achievement for the team. BUCS is now fully underway so go and cheer on UKC.

Sport

The rise and fall of Harry Redknapp Joey Austin

arry Redknapp’s managerial career has been largely successful ever since his first role as playerassistant manager at Seattle Sounders in 1976. From there, he enjoyed a nine year stint at Bournemouth before becoming manager of West Ham United, where he had a hand in developing big name players such as Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard and Michael Carrick as well as giving West Ham their highest ever finish in the top flight, fifth. Redknapp spent the next seven years dithering between local rivals Portsmouth and Southampton. Promotions, relegations and allegations of taking bungs occupied Redknapp for most of this period, until his high profile move to Tottenham Hotspur, five months after leading Portsmouth to an historic FA Cup victory at Wembley. The following four years were once again filled with relative success, leading Spurs to a League Cup final, qualifying

for and playing well in the UEFA Champions League, and perhaps most notably developing Gareth Bale into the £85million player that he is. Following the surprising resignation of England boss Fabio Capello, Redknapp was heavily linked in the media to be his successor. The general consensus from fans was that the national side needed an English manager and that Redknapp was by far the best option. Various players called for the appointment of Redknapp, and the man himself refused to rule himself out of the running despite his success at Tottenham leading everyone to believe it was a mere formality that he would take charge. The Football Association never even approached Redknapp about the job, instead opting for the more mild-mannered and reserved Roy Hodgson. Here is the turning point of Redknapp’s career. After failing to agree new contract terms with Tottenham, Harry left the club and stayed away from the footballing world for five

months before replacing Mark Hughes at bottom of the table QPR. Despite spending more than ample amounts on players, Redknapp’s QPR were relegated to the Championship. The following year, QPR stumbled to promotion via the play-offs despite having the funds and the squad to walk the league. Once again, in the Premier League, Redknapp spent significant sums of money to bring in a good set of players, but QPR’s start to the season has been rather poor, leaving fans to question whether Redknapp has been tactically left behind by the ever-changing game of football. Not only has Redknapp’s tactical awareness been thrown into question over the past year, but he has become more and more like a parody of himself. The appearance of Redknapp through his car window for an interview on transfer deadline day is more eagerly awaited than anything he actually has to say. His recurring descriptions of

footballers as a “top top player” or “triffic” are frequently mocked by fans and media alike. The sheer number of staff he has in his backroom, (Joe Jordan, Kevin Bond, Les Ferdinand, Glenn Hoddle, all off the top of my head), would suggest he hasn’t much to do other than press conferences and naming the starting XI. His insistence on re-signing players – Niko Krancjar/ Jermaine Defoe - from clubs he’s previously managed

Photo by The Sport Review

Women’s Rugby come up short Danger of rug burns averted Claudia Hill UKC Women’s Rugby

fter weeks of hard work and cancelled matches, we finally started this season with our fixture against King’s College 2nds in London. Our team had been faced with injuries and most of those starting were freshers who had no previous match experience. A fantastic effort was seen, despite the first points on the board being a try from the opposition. Captain Becky Bryant made the score 5-3 with a penalty kick. Leonie Bell scored our first try with a brilliant run down the right-hand wing taking the score to 10-5 to UKC. There was great play from all and the score does not

Photo by UKC Women’s Rugby

reflect the effort and stamina demonstrated by the girls who were all on incredible form with both defensive and attacking play. The referee came under intense scrutiny for awarding some questionable penalties to King’s and the final score was 17-10 to King’s. Defeat leaves the side in fifth place, in a division blighted by postponed fixtures. Despite our opening loss, we can say we came out fighting and look forward to our next fixture against CCCU on the 26th November. The team also look forward to upcoming fixtures against second-place Queen Mary University, who will prove to be tough opposition. So come along and cheer us on!

Fraser Whieldon Newspaper Sport Editor

t the start of the month, chairmen of League One and League Two football clubs held a tied vote on whether to allow the use of plastic pitches at their clubs. As the vote was tied, plastic pitches remain on the bench. As reported by the BBC, the two main reasons why plastic pitches are still kept away from football grounds is tradition and price. The issue has proved controversial in other countries as well. Opinion amongst the higherups of the footie world is that football has been played on grass, is played on grass, and will be played on grass for evermore. Participants in the ‘Beautiful Game’ have a strong belief in the importance of history. Many a football ground is guarded by heroic statues of players and managers past. Traditional rivalries and animosities hang heavy over clubs of all divisions and

can only mean he has names and numbers in a little black book instead of actually using his scouts, and I’ve not even mentioned the offshore bank account debacle from 2012. Whilst QPR’s performances may have picked up over the last few weeks against Liverpool, Aston Villa and Chelsea, perhaps it’s time for him to fade off into the sunset with his too frequently mentioned wife, Sandra, rather than further tarnish what is a fantastic career.

leagues. The hallowed turf forms an important part of this tradition which is why many people have spoken out against plastic pitches, its artificiality symbolic of a game removed from its traditional niche in British society. Plastic pitches could also create a threat to the fairness of the game as it is believed plastic creates a home advantage for a team. Analysis in the 1990s showed that the end-of-season results reflect an advantage towards clubs with plastic pitches playing at home. Any damage done to the historic fairness and impartiality of football reflects poorly on artificial surfaces and is enough to discourage some people permanently. But that’s without taking into account the price of installing plastic pitches. The BBC estimated the price of installing a plastic pitch at between £300,000 and £500,000, which is a lot of Photo by money forsupergolfdude a smaller club.

However a plastic pitch is more durable so can be used to host live events such as music festivals and beer festivals, both always popular with the football crowd, and can help reimburse the clubs for installation and even create profit which must be a benefit for lower League clubs who do not have the cash you need to run a modern football club. All this pales in comparison to the danger that footballers may sustain or exacerbate injuries on plastic pitches. Back in the 1980s, goalkeepers used to wear long trousers to help avoid getting carpet burn from diving onto plastic pitches. Whilst the quality of the pitches has improved, so that modern 3G pitches are near identical to grass, the danger of injury remains, discouraging players and bosses from taking the risk with plastic. So price, tradition, fairness and risk: the four nails in plastic pitches’ coffin. Yet the fact the vote amongst League One and Two chairmen was tied means that there is still a chance that one day plastic pitches will be rolled out at your local club.

InQuire sport www.inquirelive.co.uk/sport

F1 zooms to exciting finish

Photo by Jake Archibald Banrika Gill

e are just one race away from another Grand Prix Formula 1 champion: Abu Dhabi. Lewis Hamilton in a Mercedes car is currently leading with 334 points, closely followed by his own teammate Nico Rosberg with 317 points. While last year saw a dominating Red Bull RacingRenault win from Sebastian Vettel, this year we see him currently standing at 4th position, only 2 points ahead of 5th position, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, yet Vettel’s new teammate Daniel Ricciardo appears to be taking full advantage of a Red Bull car by holding onto 3rd place with 214 points with over 50 points

difference between him and Vettel. However, even without the points system, there is enough excitement going on in the paddocks. Let’s take the race in Austin where only 18 cars competed because two teams – Marussia and Caterham – had gone into administration and chose not to participate, forcing the FIA to address issues regarding the high running costs of a Formula 1 team. Yet only 17 cars were actually on the grid as Vettel started from the pit-lane after receiving a penalty for a power unit change. The expectations ran high with Rosberg claiming his 9th pole of the season, yet a perpetual nose

to rear from Hamilton wins him the pole position at Lap 24. They were not the only teammates under high tensions, as Jenson Button was forced by his team to stay out of the pit until his teammate Magnussen had come in, which prompted a sarcastic comical response towards the engineer from Button when he did finally pit. We even saw the safety car come out during Lap 1 as Adrian Sutil was taken out by Perez from Force India leaving a trail of debris on the track. While that is just one race of the season, the others have been great if not more fast or more interesting, entertaining or shocking. Plus, the quieter V6 engines have caused outrage and

negative criticisms from fans and drivers, claiming noise makes the races much more fun. On the other hand, Jules Bianchi’ high speed crash which left him in critical condition in a Japanese hospital after a high speed freak accident shook the sport. Therefore, yes. This can be considered one of the most exciting seasons of Formula 1 yet due to high number of changes in rules and regulations, which are leaving the teams and drivers in a continuous limbo. Also, with the season so close to its end, it begs the question – what is in store for the future? With Vettel leaving Red Bull for Ferrari, will Alonso leave? If so, what about the other drivers

who may have overstayed their welcome in the Formula 1 circuit with nothing more to offer? The aspect that makes this season much more exciting is the “emphasis on driver ability” as rookie driver Kevin Magnussen initially stated at the beginning of the season. Nevertheless, enjoy the last race of an action-packed, engaging and competitive Grand Prix Formula 1 season. Inside: Fencing Women’s Basketball BUCS Round Up Plastic pitches Harry Redknapp