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inQuire Last gasp Kent survive the drop KENT 1st’s
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ESSEX 1st’s
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Vanessa J Richards
Rory White
Half way through the relay and it is neck and neck between the two squads
UoK draw first blood in the pool Vanessa J. Richards Regardless of the depressing weather forecasts, 2009’s Varsity kicked off on Saturday 7th February, with a smashing victory for University of Kent’s Swimming Team, beating Christchurch 81 – 47, and thereby hauling in the first point in the big event. In the last Varsity competition, Christchurch’s Squad C4 managed to scrounge a victory, winning by just one point. This year, the Swimming Club came well prepared with a seventeenheaded squad, the biggest team “It was a great day, our men’s freestyle relay B-Team actually beat the A-Team in that race” - Ollie Houghton the club has ever put together and as a result they managed to avenge their loss from the previous year in emphatic style.
The first race saw the girls shoot off across the water in the 50m Freestyle with Fliss Hawkins easing home in pole with the Women’s Team Captain Rachel Merron following home in second. The men soon followed suit, securing 12 points after the first event. Next up was Back Crawl, arguably UoK’s best stroke, as the
of wins from the opposing C4 squad, succeeding in an incredibly close head-to-head race in the 50m men’s Breast Stroke, 50m men’s Butterfly and the 4x 25m Individual Medley. However, with every point now so crucial to the balance of the match, the UoK squad upped their game during the two final events of
“We weren’t really bothered about our times, it was more important to secure points, it was a great team effort, we are very proud” - Hawkins team finished first in both the men’s and women’s races, gaining another whopping 12 points over Christchurch. In the 4 x 50m men’s Medley Relay Team Captain Aleksei Lukashkin quickly took the lead, gaining half a course length advantage for his team, pushing another triumph. At half-time UoK were already in the lead with 47 to 23 (C4) points, and spirits were high. The winning streak was broken momentarily by a series
the competition with both men’s and women’s teams registering a further eleven points upon the scoreboard after the Freestyle Relay. The excitement of the fast-paced mixed Cannon Relay comprised of eight swimmers on each team – drove the crowd into a frenzy. Glancing over his shoulder, Matt Duncan glided casually through the last leg of the relay, cheered along by euphoric team comrades and supporters alike. The overall score highlights
UoK’s vast improvement on last year’s showing with the score“Given the lack of training facilities, they are doing really well” - Former training coach Ruth Newman board displaying 81 points to 47. Samm Astbury, team captain and president of the rivalling C4 club comments: “We did well considering many of our squad were too ill to compete. We don’t do any other University galas, so in a sense this is the Uni’s highlight of the year”. The squad is now focussing on their next big event; the Sheffield Long Course, which will take place in the frame of the BUCS national Universities competitions this coming weekend, 13th - 15th of February. For further details on this year’s Varsity please contact Sports Sabbatical Cai Robbins on c.s.robbins@kent.ac.uk.
The Oasthouse pitch was prepared; lined with frost, frozen by a brutally cold wind. The setting for what was to be an extremely important game for Kent football. With the need for a win against Essex and for St. Marys to be defeated on the same day, Kent were tantalisingly close to being relegated – despite a season’s effort that deserved anything but. A crowd turned out to watch a brilliant display by the university’s finest footballers, producing a result that proved Kent’s position in the league to be unwarranted. Kent exploded into their attacking play straight from the whistle, knocking in three goals in the first fifteen minutes. Impressive midfield link up play by Kent saw Drew Walsh put one past the keeper after just two minutes, a goal that opened up the Essex defence to continued pressure. Seven minutes in, the crowd were kept warm with another excellent passage of play, leading to a wonderfully taken goal by David Stubbs. The Kent team came together on the pitch after this to reaffirm a rejection of complacency, fully aware of the situation being played out on a football pitch elsewhere. This had the desired effect, with Joe Cheeseman capitalising on a weakened Essex back line to take Kent three goals up after just quarter of an hour. Any warmth generated by copious celebration on the sideline was quickly overcome by the freezing conditions after the third goal. The game fell into a closely fought battle, with both sides having good chances to take a goal off the opposition. Kent’s defence showed great courage in fending off an ever increasing Essex attack. A burst down the right wing by an Essex winger continued on page 22
interview with double olympian mel clewlow - page 21
Free - please take a copy
February 11th 2009
Kent Union AGM
Page 3
Every year students propose and vote on motions that could ultimately shape Kent Union’s policy. We report back from the meeting and speak to students about some of the controversial topics raised this year. UoK forgets returning Recently revamped venue not attracting enough customers students
Rutherford fail to raise the bar
Tinashe Mushakavanhu
Gloda.net
SPORT Varsity opens up with a highly contested 81-47 win
e of th e c r lism sou The journa nts of best e stude y of it h for t Univers the Kent.
The stylish layout of Rutherford bar is not attracting students
Caroline Apichella and Romana Roske Rutherford bar has a stylish and modern layout but it is not pulling in enough students. Unlike the University’s other student bars: Woody’s, Mungo’s, Origins, and K-Bar, who have a constant intake of students and visitors, Rutherford bar is often empty at peak times. And despite
the change to a sophisticated venue offering a new improved menu and events, Rutherford Bar is still making only half the profit of other campus bars. In an interview with Rutherford’s Food and Management team, they openly discussed the problems, although did not want to be specifically named. The team said on average Rutherford bar bring in 40-50%
less than Woody’s, Mungo’s and Origins. The difference in profit levels was put down to Rutherford’s awkward location and the lack of students walking around the area, but also its past reputation as a ‘bar to be avoided’. Pip Marchant, a student in her final year, said “before Rutherford was renovated it was called The Atom. It wasn’t the nicest place to go, as it was like a com-
mon room. I got the impression it was only really for people who lived in Rutherford who went and didn’t mind it. Whenever we did a bar crawl around campus we always avoided it. Now that Rutherford has been done up it is fairly high on my list just under Mungo’s.” However, the Kent student said “It isn’t a ‘studentish’ sort of bar and students want
continued on page 2
The university has decided not to offer campus accommodation to returning placement and year-abroad students. Students and Accommodation officers have clashed over the move which leaves some signing contracts on houses they have not seen. The affected students feel that the university has reneged on its promises, and the withdrawal has been sudden and without due notice. Accommodation officer, Derek Goss, said that the outcry was understandable but the decision had been necessitated by difficult circumstances. The students argue that the whole basis of the provision of campus accommodation is that they don’t have to return to Canterbury to seek housing for their final year, and also that they are closer to the library, where they will spend most of their time. Goss said “In response to Government policy of growing numbers of students going to University, there has always been an over-riding commitment to offer campus accommodation to new students first, but certainly no intention to cause any year abroad or placement students excessive difficulties,” he explained. One student had a different view “It is quite obvious that the University is only concerned with getting more and more new students to enroll so they can make
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World Fest - Jimmy Carr - Basketball - £10 Challenge
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Round One £10 challenge g
UoK’s ballroom team voted this year’s SUDA
Christ Church and Kent face off in business competition
Stock Expert
£10, two weeks, what will you do?
ary and collect their £10 from the Kent Innovation Office in
the Rothford building which is opposite the Medical Centre.
This year’s twist will be a “varsity” challenge with Christ
Church University making the contest even more competitive. All those taking part will be invited to a ‘Champagne and Pizza event’ at the Orange Street Music Club on Thursday 26th February. Crowther says the winner will be awarded a trophy from Canterbury City Council business mentors. A certificate from the University will be on offer for all participants, no matter how much money students make. “Stories of success or disaster are all great, and by entering and doing something real, I think it shows some great abilities and just what people can do if they want to” reckons Tracy Crowther. The £10 must be collected between 6th February and the 23rd February deadline, when a brief statement of the business project and the original £10 must be returned. This challenge will help students make their Apprentice dreams a reality.
Rutherford bar’s renovation still failing to draw the crowds
Another slow day for the refurbished bar in Rutherford
the demands of both staff and students have been introduced with a 10am Monday to Fridays start. Croissants and coffee are now served as part of the menu and plans for new evening events
are underway. Saturday nights will see a pre-Venue night of Motown which will go on to midnight and aims to liven up the bar. ‘Pub & Club’ is another event which will allow students an au-
Miyoshi inspires epic derby win ahead of Varsity clash CHRISTCHURCH
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tomatic queue jump into Venue. Rutherford bar has improved in looks since 2008; but it will want to improve its customer numbers in 2009 in order to be students number one place to go.
Last time Kent took on Christ Church it turned out to be a violent and aggressive ordeal, a cup match in which Kent won 60 – 55. This time around, in Kent’s first match against Christ Church on Kent University ground since then, the game was a far more respectable and sportsman-like affair. Notably, this time, there were no howling and spiteful fans on the sideline urging each team on and no pressure of remaining in the cup at stake to cause such strife. From the game’s opening, Kent’s star player Miyoshi proved his worth and put Kent ahead with several impressive baskets via quick steals of the ball, some impressive speed and perfect aim. Coupled with all the free throws he put away, and his impressive play in every one of Kent’s games this season, he is certainly Kent’s most valuable asset and it is ultimately he who pushed the score enough here to give Kent the win. By the end of the first quarter the score totalled 17 – 11 to Kent, a lead which they managed to maintain throughout the next two quarters, the second ending 36 – 23 and the third ending 43 – 34. Miyoshi was substituted off for much of the second, the rest of the
team managing to maintain the lead without him; a notable effort coming from Kent’s No.21 who scored many of the baskets that kept them afloat in his absence. In the final quarter the visitors managed to pull back strongly as Kent’s nine point lead at the end of the third gradually gave way to a marginal two points come midway through the fourth (47 – 45). Multiple time-outs from both sides kept the game slowly edging along for the last five minutes. With precisely three minutes to go Miyoshi put away a great basket to many cheers in the crowd, which involved stealing possession of the ball, running the full length of the court and securing a point in style. As the score crept agonisingly along, 51 – 48, 51 – 50, and with Christ Church gaining hastily, Miyoshi delivered his final basket for a 53 – 50 lead which followed by a few others from both sides resulting in excruciatingly close score of 55 – 54 when the final claxon sounding. The game proved as nail-biting in game play as the last, just commendably without all the unnecessary drama and aggression. The match may have been a far closer affair than the last fi xture, but with Varsity edging ever closer, the win here will surely gift Kent the confidence to get another victory going into the big event. Varsity Prediction: UoK win On previous occassions Kent have shown to be the more disciplined and therefore when the pressure begins to mount during the final quarter I feel UoK will be able to cope better and get the win.
This year, led by their President Cat Arnold, and Vice President Sue Howell, the Kent team were able to bid for the chance to become one of the main associations for ballroom dancing students in the UK. After lots of hard work the Kent Team were voted as this year’s SUDA, beating an extremely good bid from the University of Surrey. SUDA is the Southern Universities’ Dance Association, which aims to promote and encourage ballroom and ladin dancing to all the students in the South of England. With this comes the incredible chance to host one of this year’s most important competitions. It is an esteemed event which students train hard for all year. The SUDC is a prestigious competition for all the Ballroom and Latin American dancing students south of Birmingham down to the south coast. There are various levels of dancing ranging from complete
beginners to advanced couples. Many universities use this as a tough practice for the next and final competition of the year called IVDC (Inter Varsity Dance
Ballroom society gaining interest
Competition) where all the Universities in the country compete against each other in Blackpool, the home of ballroom dancing. Members of the SUDA Committee have managed to secure a panel of top UK and International
Judges for the competition whilst successful attaining a demonstration from Alex Ivanets and Lisa Ivanets-Bellinger, currently ranked first in the UK for latinamerican dancing. The competition contains over 500 students from 15 different universities including the likes of Cambridge and Oxford. The competition will be held at K2 in Crawley, the new £37 million leisure complex on Saturday 14thFebruary 2009 SUDC is a fantastic opportunity for the University of Kent’s Ballroom dancers. With the help of their professional advisors, Kevin Clapson, Sarah-Jane Clapson and Leslie Dodd, a great team of Kent ballroom dancers a fantastic venue and a professional UK Latin Champion demonstration the competition will be spectacular. Not only this but let’s hope that Kent’s dance team can give the other universities a run for their money For competition ticket information and other enquiries please visit sudc09.kentblsoc.org
McCarthy lunges back into winning ways HERTFORDSHIRE
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KENT
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Vicki Phippen The return of Connor McCarthy helped inspire Kent to a home victory on Wednesday 4th February, as the side battled to a decisive 132-83 scoreline over Hertfordshire. The match started with sabre and with McCarthy supporting Tom Hipwell and Aaron Kwan, they dealt a demoralizing blow to the opposition and the score reflected this. The victory went to Kent with a stunning 45-15. Next came the foil and the home side started well and took a firm lead, 20-7. However, in the following bout Kent lost 17 points in three minutes as they held the lead by a mere point. Captain Lawrence Beadle said that in previous encounters Hertfordshire are a strong side in the foil and that to win, the team will have to play to the best of their abilities. To prove it, Hertford-
Fencing Club
Sam Wylie
continued from front page
that Rutherford bar is going to continue to make dramatic improvements to pull it up to other campus bars standards. One of these measures will be an earlier opening time. New hours to meet
UoK get ready to shoot from the free throw line
Christopher Hart
Where have all the students gone? a place that is, well, studenty”. Rutherford bar’s problems are not helped by its lack of advertising: it is not mentioned on the University’s ‘food facilities’ list and only recently signs were put up to direct students to its, almost hidden, location. In 2008 Rutherford was renovated from an unpopular bar to a full-on Wetherspoons-style destination with fine wine, cosy corners and a sophisticated, classy experience. Some students say they prefer the bar now, commenting on the more relaxed style and saying they enjoy the quieter music. Students also remark that Rutherford bar is a good place to meet groups for seminar presentations and between lectures. However there still seems to be a struggle to keep up with the other bars and bistros on campus. Whilst there has been many improvements, Kent Union are still working to awake the full potential of the Rutherford bar. The management team report
Vanessa J Richards
Think you have the project management skills and business acumen to survive in real-life situations? Well, the second edition of the Round One £10 challenge is the perfect occasion to tryout your lemonade-selling skills. Although technically selling lemonade would entail some Health and Safety issues there are many other possibilities for a young entrepreneur from organizing a quiz night to designing personalized toy charms. The entries must be legal, honest and ethical. Last year’s winner made £527.50 by selling and delivering South Asian food and there were lots of more entries who made £10 or £20. According to Tracy Crowther Student Enterprise Officer, 29 students from UoK have joined the scheme and anyone can still sign up after 6th Febru-
www.gloda.net
Alexandra Marsanu
Dan Harris
Silverpen productions
News
Tom Hipwell lunges in for a point during the foil
shire took the lead at the end of the next bout with a score of 30-28. Kent took the following bout but lost the last two. Hertfordshire won the foil 45-42. The team went into the epee needing 19 points to win the match overall. In view of this the captain changed the usual order of team members to make sure those crucial points were taken early. By the time Kent made 20 points Hertfordshire had made only six. The score at the end of the epee was 45-23 to Kent. This recent win has strength-
ened Kent’s hold on the top spot in the league with the team currently on 18 victory points with second placed Hertfordshire on nine. Kent have now got a very tight grip upon automatic promotion as it is almost impossible for another team to take as many points in the remaining matches. inQuire Man of the match: Connor McCarthy His strong performance in the sabre was first class and as a result he managed to take six spectacular victories.
Table toppers Pompy extend their unbeaten run
Varsity: The event has been moved to a new location due to the icy weather with the Parkwood pitches still deemed unsafe to play on. Rugby: The rugby 2nd’s put in a tremendous display to overhaul King’s College London Medical School’s 2nd’s 45-15 taking them to fifth in the table with 12 points.
Abigail El-Bekai UoK suffered a disappointing defeat in front of a large home crowd as they failed to hold down a rampant and clinical Portsmouth attack. The game kicked off to a slow but steady start, with Kent keeping a good defence against Portsmouth’s persistent players. Though Portsmouth were certainly unrelenting in their attempts to score, Kent’s defence proved to ride the storm. 15 minutes into the game and the crowd were treated to a controversial disagreement between the umpire and one of Portsmouth’s players, resulting in a short corner shortly followed by a green card to the away team’s number 13 for verbal dissent. Though they proved to be a cheeky bunch, what they lacked in manners they certainly made up for in skill, and in hockey, that’s certainly all that matters. After shivers of much anticipation, Portsmouth finally scored, 30 minutes into the game, gifting themselves a 1-0 lead going into half time. Despite the near freezing tem-
UoK break forward out of defence but find themselves wasteful upfront
peratures, Portsmouth were certainly on fire, scoring just a few minutes into the second half of the game. Just as you thought Portsmouth was getting too comfortable with their 2-0 advantage; Kent surprised their opponents with a sudden but beautiful goal from Alex Richardson, nine minutes into the second half, with cheers from the small but loyal crowd of hockey supporters, and shouts of ‘bring it home, Kent!’
With the score now reading 2-1, many supporters predicted a UoK turnaround but instead witnessed a Portsmouth retaliation as the away side scoring moments after the Kent comeback. Such a set-back brought about further frustration and with four minutes passing since the last score Portsmouth’s resolute squad again punished a fighting Kent gifting themselves an commanding 4-1 lead.
Scoresheet: Portsmouth: Adam White x2 Andrew Pett x2 Kent:
Badminton: UoK ladies extended their five match winning streak with a professional 5:3 win over Royal Free in the BUCS Cup. They now face a tough draw against Chichester in the Quarter Finals who came through their match 8:0.
The provocative posters were designed to attract lots of students
AGM: what do you think? Students speak their mind on divisive issues at Kent Union’s AGM GAZA
Sam Wylie
SMOKING
Kent Union’s Annual General Meeting on the 3rd February debated sending surplus education equipment to Israeli and Gazan schools, and encouraged the sale of more nicotine replacements
continued from back page was followed by a whipped cross, only to be dealt with by defender Chris McDermot - who proved to be integral for Kent in their bid to keep the ball out of the net. Oranges eaten, team talk complete, Kent made their way back out onto the pitch after managing to keep a clean sheet at the
Joe Cheeseman challenges for the ball as Essex fight back
forty-five minute mark. The game was again fiercely contested, with both teams staring relegation in the face if three points weren’t seized. Drew Walsh put the pressure behind him to put Kent four goals up, ten minutes into the second half. The injection of vitamin C at half time
helped the club chairman to see the through-ball and capitalise on the poor movement of an indecisive Essex goalkeeper. Essex however, piled on the pressure in the closing minutes, managing to sneak in a late goal that was thoroughly deserved on the back of some im-
the late postgraduate officer Jason Simpkins awarded honorary membership; this was followed by a moment’s silence as a mark of respect and in memory of him. Other issues voted on included to support Abortion Rights UK and its campaigns, maintain the men’s officer position for another year and to hold an open meeting on issues surrounding the National Union of Students (NUS) annual conference for ordinary students to consult and hold their delegates to account. The Vice-President Welfare, Tom Page, was questioned by students about new immigration rules, on campus accommodation, the labyrinth and parking permits. Tom Christian also responded to student questions on the refurbishment of Rutherford bar and listened to the feedback regarding the summer ball. He stated the 2009 ball would be better than last year.
Alex Richardson
Table tennis: UoK remain top of the table with a comprehensive 17:0 win over the London School of Economics whilst managing to avenge their previous loss to the same side earlier on in the season. Golf: A 3:3 scoreline against Buckinghamshire 1st’s helped boost Kent’s chances of survival as they now rise one point above bottom placed Royal Holloway.
At half past ten in the evening, amidst screams of delight and relief, Kent Union’s Annual General Meeting drew to a close. In the preceding four hours, students had voted on nearly 20 new pieces of legislation, the most controversial of which forced the union into a position on the Israel and Gaza conflict. The exact wording of the Middle East motion means Kent Union will campaign to “collect study materials” for those in Gaza and the Israeli town of Sderot, and to “send excess learning materials” to academic cities in Gaza and those that have been affected by the current conflict. The decision wrapped up one of the best attended AGMs in the recent years as 320 University of Kent students took part in the biggest democratic showpiece of the year. Tom Christian
stated in his presidential address “democracy is all about listening” and listen they did to the sixteen motions submitted. During the course of the night, students debated and discussed issues including supporting Abortion Rights UK, reducing the amount of tobacco Kent Union sell, changing postgraduate representation and abolishing the men’s officer. Of the sixteen motions, ten passed, and six fell. The outcome of these motions mean the union is now committed to lobbying the university to provide shelters for smokers out in the cold, improve computing and recycling arrangements and to provide better washing facilities in Parkwood. The motion extending Free Wednesday afternoons to postgraduate students also passed. Honorary and lifetime memberships of Kent Union were also approved at the AGM, with
pressive ball work on the wing. As news came in that the other result had gone their way, the Kent players showed their happiness on the final whistle at remaining in the top BUCS division for our area. Kent first team football will live on at the top for another year thanks to their efforts.
in Union shops. Here, four
students
give
their opinions on the evening’s important issues.
“The motion is a step closer to recognising that we are an international community of students who all essentially go through the same struggles and as such this motion goes far in expressing solidarity with those students in Gaza who have been victims of the recent conflict.”
Luke Walker
“First and foremost what is important to every union officer is the welfare of students at Kent. We have never taken an issue on various other issues, where do we end? These biased positions will automatically cause intimidation to certain ethnic minorities and therefore I’m against the motion.”
Zayed Zaheer
“There were no nicotine replacements available, that’s a very important point. Generally tobacco sales are decreasing, [the union] do need to take this into consideration and save themselves a headache by planning accordingly. Its inevitable, so why not act now?”
Sam Wylie
General Sports News
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Zain Sardar
Sam Wylie
Led by Steve Franks, Kent’s Squash & Racketball Development Coach, the university will provide a FREE session into the fun introduction of Racketball. The basic rules and shots will be introduced with the goal of helping all players introduce the game to friends and colleagues. The workshops will be a great way to develop aerobic fitness, and will be as challenging as the participants choose to make them. Twelve places are available on the workshops and will be allocated on a first-come-firstserved basis, so get in to the Sports Centre quick and sign up.
PORTSMOUTH 1st’s
In face of Portsmouth’s ambitious attempts at scoring yet again, Kent remained positive, and continued to fight back and fight hard; Kent’s keeper successfully denied another powerful goal attempt, keeping Portsmouth’s lead in sight. Regardless of the visitor’s lead, the home side were certainly not discouraged. 23 minutes into the second half of the game, Kent’s attempts at closing the gap yet again were denied by the umpire who disallowed the goal, resulting in audible disappointment from the crowd. The next ten minutes, Kent kept an unbreakable and rigid stance against their opponent, their defence remained strong: they were certainly not without resilience Unfortunately for the home side, their diligence was not enough. Numerous chances on both sides failed to find the back of the net. It was certainly a riveting game, a scintillating display of goal scoring and green cards. Kent remained on the back foot for most of the game, as Portsmouth condemned the home side to 4-1 defeat as their unbeaten run continues.
Record breaking g turnout at AGM 320 students witness Kent Union’s ‘democratic showpiece’
Sam Wylie
Racketball Workshops: Fri 13th February
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Tom Slater
Sam Wylie
KENT 1st’s
Vanessa J Richards
Sports Centre News
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News
Sam Wylie
Spor t
“I feel that smoker’s rights have been infringed a lot over the past couple of years. I don’t feel that smoking is in many ways different to the consumption of alcohol, I feel that both are detrimental to a person’s health and I’m reluctant to accept that they should be treated altogether that differently.” Rory Toher
News
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Returning students forced off campus
Exclusive Interview: Mel Clewlow
Placement and year-abroad students allocated houses in North Canterbury
Ex-England and British hockey star Mel Clewlow talks to inQuire about her past, the Beijing Olympics and her future with the University.
Some students may be happy with the accommodation offered, but most would prefer on campus rooms
While the returning students feel aggrieved, they have been offered off-campus accommodation arranged by the Accommodation Office. A memo from the office reads: ‘A consensus emerged that year abroad and placement students who are older
and more mature and have had experience of living independently and away from home and campus accommodation would be best suited to living off-campus.’ Some of the returning students are skeptical. Matthew Taylor, a placement student, says he is
still undecided on what to do. “The biggest issue with off-campus accommodation is that we are not able to choose the house in which we would live”. Raven Moon, another returning student, concurs when she says that, ‘The deposit of £300 for a house
I haven’t seen is a lot of money.’ Cat Symons says ‘it is a massive inconvenience for us, we’ll need the library more, and a 45 minute walk is more of a strain.’ The reserved houses are on the north side of Canterbury, but some have already made their own plans.
World Fest set to bring campus alive Drama, comedy and food form part of four day event The University of Kent boasts the title of ‘The UK’s European University’ and it’s not difficult to see why. It takes in record numbers of international students and has one of the most multicultural campuses in Britain, not to mention the campus base in Europe’s capital, Brussels. And now, a group of the University’s staff and students, including the European Office, Kent Union and the Gulbenkian Theatre, have decided that it is time Kent embraced its international community and celebrated the diverse culture all around, and so have organised a unique winter event: World Fest. With Canterbury being a city thick with English heritage, World Fest will be a chance for students and residents of Canterbury alike
Gulbenkian Theatre
Haydn Galloway
World Fest will hope to brighten dark winter days
to celebrate their ever growing international community.
Spread over four days, World Fest is a four day extravaganza,
showcasing drama, music, food, dance, film, poetry and comedy from all around the world. World Fest will be helping to raise money for international charities, such as ‘Seeds for Africa’ which aims to supply African families and communities with agricultural tools to allow them to provide for themselves. The festival will also be supporting Fairtrade by offering products at the Gulbenkian cafe. Although World Fest is a chance to embrace our multicultural community, many of our home grown students have become very involved in the planning of the event. With 4th year students offering stand up comedy, Kent music society playing lunchtime sessions and numerous Kent societies participating in a showcase, it’s a time for the University to show off our many talents. One of the highlights of the event will be ‘Accidental Col-
lective’, a drama troop of previous Kent students, who have been commissioned by the University, to create a new theatrical piece, especially for World Fest. The World Fest organisers want to recreate the popularity of Arts Fest which happens every summer. “We would like this to become an annual event, on a par with Arts Fest, so that Kent becomes renowned for hosting a great winter festival with an international theme, as well as a great summer festival. We hope World Fest will be appreciated by everyone at Kent as a celebration and a fun way to cheer up in the winter”, the organisers said.
For more news and comment go to inquirelive.co.uk
I don’t really know what I was expecting from Mel Clewlow come interview time. I had met her briefly once or twice in the past and found her to be rather withdrawn and lost in her new surroundings. On the second time of niceties I proposed the idea of a chit chat, in which she seemed rather keen but at the same time diffident, with an ‘I suppose so’ face on; if you can imagine such an expression. So I thought I knew one thing for certain on our scheduled day that I best not keep a lady with 179 England caps waiting. But despite my twenty minute delayed arrival, a sweaty and red faced appearance, not to mention the air of an unprofessional, Mel seemed surprisingly understanding when she saw me gasping for air in the sports centre lobby, she simply shook my hand, smiled and led me over to a table by the café in a motherly fashion. With my embarrassment now slowly drowning in gratitude and my sweaty odour ousted with coffee beans, I couldn’t help but notice how different Mel was since the last time we met. She sat upright in her chair proudly parading her Kent jersey to me with an expression of love and warmth for her new home; she seemed settled and comfortable but most importantly in control. I wanted to know more about Mel and her sporting background without being influenced by a poorly written wikipedia entry. She glanced around the café in a pensive manner and over the
explains, “I took up whatever I could and hockey is what
“I always tell the girls at Canterbury that a 100% perfect game doesn’t exist, whether you’re a player or whether you’re an official it doesn’t matter, it doesn’t exist and if it does then show it to me” I ended up doing. It was just one of those sports that was more organised than others.” The interview progresses to more recent events and here I ask about Beijing, she immediately perks up from her distant memories glancing up at me with delight at such a question, “Growing up I always wanted to go to the Olympics and that’s the one I wanted to go to, I think
that I am giving her, and rightly so. Her achievements with the Great British squad are quite astonishing, and it didn’t take me long to realise that I was sitting there opposite a woman who has accomplished all the things that she set out to achieve. “In Beijing I scored against Argentina when we were 2-0 down at half time and I scored to make it two all, she says modestly, “but
Clewlow gets ready to strike a shot at goal against Argentina
I remember for a long time”. Wow is my immediate reply. Now at Kent, Mel has found herself in the ‘ideal job’ despite having doubts on her chances of getting the role as Sports Development Manager, “To be honest I thought, I don’t know why I am
what is it about Mel Clewlow that sticks her above the rest? The answer – her passion for sport. “For me it’s about meeting people and seeing what drives them,” she explains. “If I can get involved somehow with coaching then I will do, but
“You have to be dedicated to what your doing, when it is chucking it down with rain and you have got to go for a run no-one likes to do
“If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, don’t do it – it isn’t for you.” screeching and whistling of the coffee machine she recited her sporting childhood back to me. “I first started playing when I was in secondary school, 11 I think, and before then I played anything and everything” Mel
ject as I notice how much she is enjoying the Olympic attention
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Adam Silver
Stock Expert
more money and meet Government targets, rather than looking after the ones they already have enrolled.” Mansoor Shar is also baffled that “the high number of students expected to join the University is reason enough to make such a big rift in policy.” Goss indicated that the university is not necessarily obliged to reserve accommodation for current students. “The University can make changes as and when circumstances arise” he said. He further explained that the allocation of students to campus rooms is planned and driven each year by the projected number of new students expected to start at the University each September and the forecasts for next academic year indicate that campus accommodation is oversubscribed. What precipitated the decision is the view that “new students who are the youngest and probably living away from home for the first time would be most suited to campus accommodation.”
JAMD
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Clewlow played a major role in Britain’s Olympic campaign
they were awarded the games when I was 14 when I was still at school and I just thought yeah, that’s the one I want to go to.” I continue to probe the sub-
it was also my 250th game, so it’s one of those things that you never expect to get 250 caps but then to score at the same time, yeah it will be something that
here, I was thinking that I’m a bit of a wild card,” as she runs her hand past her ear explaining her love for the job. She trains in her lunch hours and still is able to do what is needed with her hockey, “It’s perfect,” she exclaims, and I felt really pleased for her. “People often say if you find a job you enjoy going to then you are doing well and I get up in the morning and I don’t hate going to work, I actually want to go to work, so it is a good for me at the moment.” Our relationship seemed to be blossoming and I felt yet another wave of respect running through me. But I wanted to know more about what this lady can offer Kent. Her achievements obviously speak volumes and her C.V can only be dazzling on the eye but
for me it is more about trying to set up coaching courses, referee’s courses, so that we can try and get students qualified whilst also trying to get more people playing and using the gym, or a badminton court or a squash court.” As the interview comes to a close, it is clear that Mel Clewlow has all the credentials that Kent could ever need from someone looking to make a difference to sport at Kent. In shaking her hand I felt that it was my duty to try and write something worthy of her talents, and I here by wish Mel all the best success with her future at our university.
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Th e Strange Tale of Spaniel Popov LGBT’s ‘Stardust’ shining bright A discussion on the importance of a unique political outsider
favourite club night at The Venue above all others, providing fantas-
tic entertainment from professional stilt-walkers, bubble machines,
condoms and contact details of welfare positions on campus. Since Stardust, as Kent LGBT is an inclusive group, it has opened its door to all LGBT students across Canterbury as some of these institutions do not have an LGBT society of their own or simply do not hold the funds that Kent Union does. If you would like to check out Stardust for yourself then it is perfect timing, with the LGBT History Month taking place throughout February. Come and join in the festivities that will be occurring as LGBT and other students are brought together to celebrate the diverse community in which we all live. Stardust will be held at The Venue on Tuesday 24th Feb from 10pm. Contact unionlgbt@kent. ac.uk for all things LGBT related.
The Review: Stephen K Amos On 5th February the Gulbenkian Theatre welcomed the arrival of talented standup comedian Stephen K Amos presenting his first UK tour, ‘Find the Funny’. After dropping out of Law school to pursue a career in comedy, Amos endured years of subsidiary stand-up performance in and around London before finally finding success at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2004. Following this he appeared numerous times on the BBC panel shows ‘Have I got News for You’ and ‘Mock the Week’, as well as an exceptional demonstration of his stand-up skill in ‘Live at the Apollo’ during 2007. Though Amos’ performances on these shows thus far have been both witty and original, he seems somewhat dulled by the irritating predictability of the humour they have to offer. His excellence is only revealed through his unique character and observation which best manifests itself in the stand-up performance, as much of his panel show spontaneity goes awry and often his quips fail to hit the mark.
The message of Amos’ routine lies in the wording of its title: ‘Finding the Funny’ (which we can justifiably assume is what Amos has had to do throughout his life as a homosexual black male growing up in London), and it is difficult to suppose that this is anything but Amos’ true philosophy. Though he talks re-
Gulbenkian Theatre
J. W. Hills
currently about race and racial ignorance (which has become fairly cliché), he does so without evoking any emotional boredom and carries it well with intelligent and relevant humour, seemingly justifying each remark.
As usual Amos’ performance was sustained by the combination of enigmatic character and sharp observational comedy, though the all-too predictable misery of recycled material remained slightly too prevalent in order to label the evening as “utterly fantastic”. His interaction with the audience was more prolonged than expected and consisted mainly of schoolboy mockery at whoever was lucky/unlucky enough to be identified as an object of entertainment. This is not to say however that the comedy delivered was in anyway unsophisticated, merely that despite its profound intelligence there is certainly an element of nascency to Amos’ humour, as his ludicrous figments of imagination often stray into the realm of larks, hijinks and farcical mischief. Overall the performance was entertaining, Amos’ superb timing and sound comic acting ensuring that the transition between subjects was seamless, and the spontaneous banter both witty and relevant. The performance never seemed to tire and neither did the audience, and although there may be more to come in the future, Amos’ performance remains extremely respectable and is a clear reflection of his capabilities as a stand-up comedian.
For more information, full listings or booking please call 01227 769075 or visit www.kent. ac.uk/gulbenkian. Highlights Feb 12th: ‘David O’Doherty’: “Prepare to have your world rocked as David O’Doherty […] embarks on his first ever UK tour”, 7.45pm, Tickets £12 (14+ years). Feb 17th: ‘Simon Brodkin & Russell Kane’: “Two of the best comedy shows from the 2008 Edinburgh Festival in one fantastic evening” (The Junction), 7.45pm, £15, £10 Students (16+ years). Feb 18th: ‘Bare Bones’: “It’s about as up close and personal as dance gets” (Metro), 7:45pm, £14.
Special offer: join the GulbCineClub for just £1 during the whole of February g For more information, full listings or booking please call 01227 769075 or visit www.kent. ac.uk/gulbenkian. Highlights h Feb 13th, 15th, 17th-19th: ‘Australia’ (12A) “Luhrmann, Kidman and Jackman return to their native land for this visually stunning, romantic epic”. Feb 16th: ‘Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson’ (15) “Gonzo offers a rare opportunity to experience the man and the madness”. Feb 20th -24th: ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ (12A) “Woody Allen plays with a ménage a trois [...] in(his) most enjoyable romance movie in years” (mercurynews.com).
Zain Sardar With the March 2009 Kent Union elections at the UoK moving more and more into the forefront of people’s minds I want to ask what I consider to be an important question: can an outsider win one of the sabbatical positions this year? By outsider I mean someone not really involved in Kent Union politics; a political unknown and maverick that comes out of the blue, to inspire hundreds and win a magnificent victory. Indeed, the Union is working to get a record turnout, not just of voter turnout, but of candidates running this March. Backtrack to last March, when a little known clown, ‘Spaniel Popov’ faced up to the likes of Tom Christian (current Union President) and Simon Taylor (former Rutherford President) for Union President position. Spaniel Popov was no ordinary contender, for one thing he didn’t actually exist- he was the invention and
Spaniel Popov on the campaign trail
political alter ego of Jack Groom, a fourth year theatre studies student who spawned Spaniel
as part of his final year project. For myself, and I’m sure plenty of others, it was Jack Groom and
his incredibly entertaining and sagacious campaign or ‘odyssey’ that made last year’s elections worth taking part in. Creating a whole new persona for an election- in which Jack set out to reenergise what he thought was a union sick with deep-seated political apathy and what he saw as ‘alienation’, was an unbelievable thing to undertake. He sought to spark interest in an election many disregard as nothing more than ‘popularity contest’and tried to satirically emphasise this point in his campaign. Having interviewed him at the eve of his campaign for inQuireLive and followed him in his ‘odyssey’ I can genuinely say that I believed him when he said ‘I am an agent of change.’ I remember him showing me his ‘famous’ ball box, in which students he meet could put manifesto ideas into it. He assured me the clownish ‘persona’ or ‘image’ he’s was taking into the elections was not to ‘make fun of the union’ but a natural one, as everyone takes
on an image or persona, and he can’t be ‘singled out’. As well as painting himself in face paint, he painted himself as populist figure, an ‘outsider’ he thought could ‘relate to ordinary students’ Ultimately and inevitably, Jack Groom’s persona went on to lose the presidential race. For the most part, I think people weren’t ready for Spaniel and he was a bit too clever in his electoral satire. However, the tale of Spaniel Popov is still relevant a year on, for although he could be seen to take on a kind of persona, a kind of mask, if you will, he didn’t seem to be hiding anything. In fact after he lost the election he wrote and starred in a play about his ‘odyssey’ as part of his drama project, in which he concludes the production by warning his audience not to lose sight and control over their ‘political animal.’ For Spaniel, those who can face up to the inevitable and challenge it are heroes. Who will stand up and be counted at the 2009 Kent Union Elections this March?
The World in Focus: Zimbabwe Tinashe Mushakavanhu
I was born and raised in hardships and struggles. My childhood was a series of movements, sitting at the back of hired removal trucks with all the worldly possessions my parents had, year after year, in search of better lodgings. My parents are some of the many who have not managed to own a house in the 29 years of postindependence Zimbabwe. I have gone far and wider in search of myself. Now, I find myself in the Canterbury that Chaucer immortalized. The experience has been a somewhat mixed cocktail. It’s impossible to live in a different place and be a realist, especially when you are looking at people with different habits from yours and seeing things you had never seen before. You look and notice everything. You get so overwhelmed by contrast and colour, by every minute detail. People at the first instance, ask me about my nationality, or what my name, that they can’t pronounce means. Zimbabwe has become an anath-
ema of dictatorship because of its obviously fascist regime. I just hate the pity I get for being Zimbabwean and fleeing the wrath of an ageing dictator. Some people shame me. But I am a human testimony of what fascism and dictatorship cannot smother – the future. I am at the University of Kent to do what is impossible in Zimbabwe today: to explore the depths of my own creative and critical imagination, to broaden my worldview and most importantly to experience something other than Africa. The UK has been my first point of contact with Europe and the rest of the world. Before my whole sense of the world was landlocked Zimbabwe and my conception of Europe was formed by the imagination of writers I have encountered in the library of my youth. It sounds naïve, but the biggest culture shock for me, was Tesco, walking in this massive shop, and being over awed by rows and rows of food and other basics. For the first time, I was overwhelmed
kandel.ie
Kayleigh Mullarkey, Vicky Dubberly, Chelsie Hopkins & Jack Bowman
confetti cannons, sweets, drinks promotions, goodie bags and the resident DJ of the night Stephen Sullivan. Students have said it is nice to be in an environment where people are there purely to have a good time and can leave their problems at the door. As Stardust became more popular through word of mouth, not only have the LGBT society’s members attended but a lot of heterosexual students too. At the last Stardust of 2008 in December, the theme was ‘Winter Wonderland’ and brought together LGBT students from across Canterbury including Christ Church and UCCA. On the night - aimed at raising awareness of sexual health - guests received a goodie bag on entry which included informational leaflets on sexual health, posters, magazines,
Z.Sardar
Stardust was first brought to campus in April 2008, priding itself on being the first student only gay night in Canterbury. The LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Officer of 2007-2008, Lucy ‘Orange’ Butler, helped to organise this event, which aims to promote LGBT awareness and issues surrounding discrimination and sexual health. As the society’s Officer this year, it is great to see that Kent Union has noticed its popularity and the good message it portrays by extending the Stardust nights from once a term to once a month. The feedback I have received about the previous seven Stardust events has been overwhelming. Students have said that it is their
Dermot Cullen
Jack Bowman
Reflections of the dire economic crisis in Zimbabwe
by choice. Zimbabwe is in an economic mudslide, a land of ‘hardware stores’ – because all that supermarkets seem to sell is empty shelves. Some shops have rows and rows of toilet paper stacked on shelves labeled – SUGAR, SALT, COOKING OIL, BREAD. Who affords the luxury of toilet paper? People wipe their bums with old newspaper; they are not concerned with the preservation of what comes out but how to get
what comes in. Somewhere in the sight of my present circumstances, I am still intrigued in flirting with my new reality. My friends think I went to heaven and now walk on the streets of gold the Bible describes. I try to tell them, heaven is not what you think it is. They don’t believe me. Money requests come in dozens. They don’t understand when I try to explain how I have to work hard to get every pen-
ny. They think money grows on trees. How wrong? I look outside and there are no heavy boughs sagging with pound signs. The guys want to know if I got myself a white girl. “Get one for the boys and raise our flag up high. Life is not about books alone.” I switch off my computer. See, I can’t stand my own thoughts. My mind has this woeful capacity for the tarnished view: This is not home.
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Is there life after Graduation? ‘LIVE’ and kicking work for myself or for a large, established corporation (ok, the NHS), for which there is a shortage of and a high demand for qualified individuals, involving many of the skills and qualifications I already posses. Ideal, no?
Graduation day. Supposedly the day I had been working towards for three years of essays, exams and hangovers. To be really honest, I found it a bit of an anticlimax. I was late, it was raining, and, the robe looked slightly foolish on me, not like the dignified academic I had envisaged. As I felt a shove on my back propel me towards the outstretched hand of the Dean to accept my diploma, I wasn’t happy or proud, I was just there so my mum could have a photo of me next to the one of my brother’s graduation.
“My first job after graduation was boring, unfulfilling, and involved a long and tiring commute.”
kent.ac.uk
“I can enjoy evenings in without worrying that I should be doing an essay or some reading, but I can’t go out on the University of Kent campus without feeling like I shouldn’t be there and that I am very, very old.”
Students celebrating graduation outside the cathedral
Several months earlier, during my penultimate term at the University of Kent, I’d had a revelation by scouring the ‘what can I do
with a degree in…’ sections in a selection of careers guides. I’m not someone who has always known what they’ve wanted to be; I even took a gap year after secondary
school solely because I couldn’t decide what degree subject to do. But on stumbling across speech therapy, my decision was made. A specialist field, where I can either
Well, there were multiple shortcomings in my plan. The closing dates for applications to the few available postgraduate courses were up to a year in advance of the start date, so I would have to take yet another year out, and then study for two more years before I could actually start my career. Also, competition for places is fierce, so I would have to spend this year gaining work experience and not travelling or doing any of the cool things I didn’t do on my first gap year. I was lucky enough to have had a holiday job whilst at university, working as an office assistant (read: secretary) at the
primary school at which my dad is the head teacher. He was very excited to hire me back as soon as university was over (read: cheap labour), so I was lucky that I at least had some money coming in. Unfortunately, the job was boring, unfulfilling, and involved a long and tiring commute. Just when I was getting extremely downtrodden, hating getting up in the mornings, unable to find jobs to provide me with relevant experience, karma suddenly remembered my existence. I secured a job as a teaching assistant in the speech and language department at a primary school in Canterbury, and I heard last week that I have been accepted on the Speech and Language Therapy Masters course at City University. So far life after graduation has involved many successes and disappointments, just like being an undergraduate. I can enjoy evenings in without worrying that I should be doing an essay or some reading, but I can’t go out on the University of Kent campus without feeling like I shouldn’t be there and that I am very, very old.
“But the UK has a charming tendency to panic. 10,000 schools across Britain closed; 6.4 million people failed to turn up to work; train services interrupted; flights in UK airports cancelled. The UK went into shut down mode.” You see, I like these quirks; it’s what makes us different, after all we can’t all be the same (despite America’s attempts at moulding us into little Western miniature figurines). A Snowy day in Britain is a lot like a rainy day in the Middle East. I remember the first time
the night. Naturally a fantastic array of drink and other promotions were on offer to entice the student populace to the opening, and these will be available each and every week. Deals include two Jägerbomb’s for £3, four for three on all draught pints, Carling at £1.20 a pint and all bottled drinks (excluding Magner’s and ales) five for £10 all night. Your eyes are already bulging at the page and suddenly you can’t wait for Thursday night to come around, right? Well, to top it all off, there is more goodwill coming your way. There’s a T-shirt give-away every week, enabling the wearer the following week to choose from a selection of free - yes, FREE - drinks every hour. And if your photo pops up on the designated photo-wall space and you’re not too inebriated spot yourself, the DJ will give you a free shot. How’s that for student praise-exchange? LIVE provides the winning
Neil Davis
Jim Higham
When I first arrived in the UK, there were clear differences between Arabic and British culture, but I found it easy to fit right in. Back home, we have a “Maa’Lesh” attitude, we Arabs stress, but in the most calm way possible. Every question is met with the answer: “inshallah!” no problem, don’t stress, God willing it will all be fine. I imagine if it snowed, like it did on Monday, in the UAE (come to think of it, it did snow in Ras Al Khaimah a couple of weeks ago) we would probably just go about our business as usual. But the UK has a charming tendency to panic. 10,000 schools across Britain closed; 6.4 million people failed to turn up to work; train services interrupted; flights in UK airports cancelled. The UK went into shut down mode. With the current recession, Britain really can’t afford such a melt down. Yet what I have
I ever saw rain, I was four years old. I heard thunder and lightning and at first thought maybe the Gulf War had reached the UAE. Fortunately, it was raining. Joining me outside were all my neighbours, hands in the air, big smiles on their faces, whooping shouts of joy. If you’ve ever been to the Middle East, you’ll know what I’m talking about; 9 months of the year we have sunny blue, clear skies, and scorching temperatures of 40 °-50 °C that will surely burst your thermometer. Having lived there all my life, I’ve always craved a cooler climate. This is why the first time I saw snow, I ate some. No it wasn’t yellow before you ask; it was perfectly pristine white snow, sparkling like a white furry blanket with diamonds sprinkled on it. Next thing I know, I’m waking up in hospital with a raging fever (but it was nonetheless worth the curiosity). I can understand
Recent student-wide criticism of night-time entertainment offered by our campus venue(s) has been getting louder, gathering up speed like the many über-snowballs that were made last week. Yet there is one unlikely venue that has increased its provision of quality evening fun: K-Bar. Dirty, minimalistic, no frills K-Bar – the most ‘studenty’ of all places, for many a haven of unlimited pool playing, paninis and red velvet walls. Fans of the bar are already regulars to KAOS on Saturdays, enjoying the spoils of great House, Electro and Dub-Step music, complete with guest DJ’s doing a set or two, but now Thursdays are set to become a stand-out evening as well. On Thursday 29th January a new event was born: the LIVE launch night was a massive success, leaving students yearning
for more. Priding itself promotionally as Canterbury’s first and only night to showcase live music, live entertainment and DJing, it already has a unique selling point. And as if that was not enough, the event promises to change its face every week, keeping the audience on its toes with a wide range of performances including live drummers, breakdancers and pole dancers. Dan Cromb, creator of the LIVE night, spoke to inQuire: “As well as playing different styles of music to other nights that currently run on campus (funky, dancey feel-good music) we wanted to offer something that people can get involved with, as well as something that provided some form of visual entertainment.” Cromb’s set of “feel-good music”- a mix concocted out of recent chart hits, classics, funky House and Electro – created the happy, carefree atmosphere that was the major feature of
Will LIVE join the elite group of successful nights on campus?
formula of a cheap, entertaining evening out, and Cromb’s hope of “having a night in the K-Bar that would be the equivalent of Magic for Mungo’s and Ruby Tuesday’s for Origins, but still offering something a bit different” seems destined to come true. So if you’re
wondering what to do this Thursday, why not saunter over to KBar and let the good times roll? LIVE takes place every Thursday from 8pm until 1am and is free to attend. For students interested in performing, email Dan Cromb at lovelifelovelive@gmail.com.
The Bare Necessities: ‘forget about your worries and your strife!’
A foreign perspective on a very English response to snow always appreciated about British people is their attempt at precision; they simply take all possible precautions, something we Arabs haven’t always been good at. I often hear the complaint about British trains always being late, well, in the UAE, sometimes buses don’t even show up!
Vanessa J Richards
Lucy Porter’s Valentine’s Day treat
Winter Meltdown
Abigail El-Bekai
New event at K-Bar offers a night with a difference
Canterbury was hit by heavy snowfall last week
Britain’s excitement since most days are overcast and wet; and everyone knows the weather is a typically British topic, so conversations tend to run dry when all you talk about is what a rainy day we’ve been having in England. So while the British govern-
ment is panicking over a snowy day, we still see children, teenagers and adults alike (i.e. university students) going outside and taking advantage of the opportunity to build snowmen and have snowball fights, after all, why not?
As we begin 2009, the financial market may be crashing irreversibly into perpetual stagnation and economic apocalypse on a scale we can barely even imagine - let alone cope with - has emerged, but it has not been without a few laughs. Gracing the Gulbenkian Theatre this January were a pair of rising stars from the land of leeks and daffodils. Rhod Gilbert’s performance on the 22nd fused wry musings on Welsh stereotypes with a frenetic energy that has been described as making Basil Fawlty look as serene as the Dalai Llama. But for those that enjoy a more relaxing comedy experience, Mark Watson’s show on the 31st (modestly titled ‘All The Thoughts I’ve Had Since I Was Born’) gave us an hilarious insight into the world of a man ap-
Gulbenkian Theatre
Karen Sheppard
Dan Cromb
A reflection on the world beyond being an undergraduate
Porter, a regular on comedy UK T.V. shows, is coming to the Gulbenkian
parently terrified by everything. This February promises to be even better as top female comic Lucy Porter’s new show The Bare Necessities is coming to the Gulbenkian on Valentine’s Day. Whether you’re planning a special evening together or celebrating your enduring ‘single-dom’, it’s definitely worth going to see this lively comedian who is touring the country following wide acclaim at last year’s Edinburgh Festival. Lucy Porter, although tiny in stature, more than makes up for this in her irrepressible, buoyant, cheery stage presence. She emerged onto the mainstream comedy circuit in 2001 and has proceeded to entertain audiences with several successful nationwide tours. ‘The Bare Necessities’, dubbed by Lucy as her “anti-credit crunch tour”, gives the audience her unique perspective on the coming reces-
sion as well as a host of diverse issues such as the erosion of our civil liberties, our surveillance culture and, um, how to make a particularly good dirty martini. Unlike some more melancholic performers, her comedic style typically sees her bounding joyously around the stage reflecting on the lovelier things in life. Expect to come away from the show with that recession frown turned upside down. The performance starts at 7.45pm on Saturday 14th February and tickets for the show are £14 or £12 for concessions. Alternatively there is a special ‘Valentines Show & Supper Deal’ for those who really want to celebrate in style which includes a pair of tickets, a two-course meal and a bottle of wine for £64 per couple (advanced booking necessary); due to time restraints food orders must be between 6.30pm-7pm.
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Editorial
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What is happening to our highstreet?
Jimmy Carr Following performances in 2005 and 2007, award-winning comedian Jimmy Carr returns to Canterbury on Tuesday 17th February, with the Marlowe Theatre hosting his latest project ‘Joke Technician’. Described by the Times as “No.1 on the Comedy Offender’s list”, Carr’s often controversial humour leaves audiences struggling to maintain any sense of moral duty as they succumb to the undeniable hilarity of his mortifying one-liners. His comedy, he says, is essentially “for those without a moral compass”, and he brushes over taboo issues such as incest, paedophilia, sexism, religion, and even terrorism, with a smooth and al-
most blasé attitude. “Has anyone else seen those incredibly powerful advertisements in cinemas, where each time a famous person clicked their fingers, an African child dies?” he asks. “I watched those, and couldn’t help thinking, “well stop clicking your fingers.” Carr’s incredible wit and biting sarcasm shines to an even greater extent through his improvised interaction with his audience. Those lucky enough to have tickets to the forthcoming sell-out show should be warned: heckle at your peril. Carr is so quick off the mark that your pride is likely to be shredded in a matter of seconds, whilst the audience collapses around you in fits of laughter. In a recent show a woman called out, asking if he would have sex with her. Carr re-
plied “Sorry, but I imagine that having sex with someone who would shout that out in a packed theatre would be like throwing a sausage down an alleyway...” Of course, fans of Carr could argue that in a society which is fanatically concerned with political correctness, the comedy stage is perhaps one of the few places where social frictions can be put aside, where we can laugh not only at each other, but at ourselves. But to hell with the moral debate. The fact remains that Jimmy Carr is inappropriate, and it’s funny. “I live near a special needs school” he tells us. “There’s a sign outside that says ‘Slow. Children’. I thought that can’t do much for their self esteem”. Now if that isn’t comedy genius, I don’t know what is.
Nick Gill asks whether Britain’s best loved shops will survive
Marlowe Theatre
Fran Moynihan
The infamous Carr: dubbed the “hardest working man in comedy”
For those familiar with the Drum ‘n’ Bass scene, Nicky Blackmarket will be a name that has cropped up time and time again: at 41 years of age he may not be the freshest face around but he really has done it all, and later this month will perform a DJ set in Alberrys Wine Bar. Nicky Blackmarket was one of the original pioneers of Drum n’ Bass and has remained dedi-
cated to the genre while still experimenting with an array of different sounds including House, Hardcore and Jungle. Blackmarket’s career, spanning almost 30 years thus far, started at the tender age of 14 when he played Electro sounds at 80s youth clubs across London. Ten years on he had established himself in the music scene and even had his own shop in Soho (which still stands today), the legendary Blackmarket Records, one of the first establishments to have
Spencer Murphy
Old Skool DJ returns to Alberrys Nick Gill
Blackmarket in his record shop
Top events of the month...
a separate department catering for the emerging sound of Breakbeat, or, as we now know it, Drum ‘n’ Bass. After this, Blackmarket’s focus returned to his DJ career and lead to performances at major cities all around the world, but it seems it is now Canterbury’s turn once again. In recent times Alberrys ‘Bassment’ offering on Tuesdays really has been living up to its claim that it’s “Canterbury’s only Drum ‘n’ Bass night”, and Blackmarket’s return to the venue he played
at last year only furthers this assertion. The cave-like arena downstairs is the perfect setting for a personal DJ performance, with only a table’s width between ‘dance-floor’ and DJ. Add this to deals like selected beers £1.50 until midnight and sambuca’s for £1, it is easy to see why Bassment is popular among students. So, with Nicky Blackmarket playing a two-hour set on Tuesday 24th February until 2am and entry a mere £4, why not get down to Alberrys and make a night of it?
for more check out: www.inquirelive.co.uk
Fri 13th Feb
Sat 21st Feb
Sun 22nd Feb
Tue 24 Feb
Cirque de Glace at The Marlowe Theatre.
Annual Pfizer Lecture at KLT1.
The Dead Spies at Orange Street Music Club.
Charity Pancake Race at Herne Bay.
Come and witness this ‘eclectic spectacle’ where Russian dance meets ice.
Join Professor Tom Blundell as he discusses the challenges for industry, brought on by the discovery of new medicines.
‘Dead Spies are three anonymous individuals making unique and captivating music.’
Clay Pigeon Shooting with UoK’s ‘Do Something Different’ Scheme.
11th-15th Feb
Show times vary from Wednesday through to Sunday. Tickets £11-£25.
6pm start time, entry is free.
The night starts at 8:30, and costs a mere £4.
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Try something new and have fun, at the price of only £12.50 for the whole day.
Come and cheer on all the good Samaritans participating to raise funds for Help a Kent Child.
10am pickup at The Mandela Building by The Venue.
The race starts at 12pm and takes place on 12 Sun Street.
After reading a line from ‘Naked Lunch’ over the Christmas break I became suddenly (and unusually) patriotic and sentimental. For anyone familiar with William Burroughs’ 1959 published work about the life of a heroin addict this may be rather surprising, with words like “controversial” and “obscene” seemingly more appropriate means of description. However, bear with me because the line read as follows: “I mean they are strictly from Woolworth’s”. Whether Burroughs was
referring to that famously red and white British retail store that closed down for good just over a month ago I do not know, what I can confirm though is that after reading it my mind wandered to memories of the legendary pick-‘n’-mix the store had, or, cough, buying my first NOW CD. Yes, Woolworth’s, after 99 years of trading in stores all over the UK, has bowed out and left a hole in the make-up of hundreds of town centres, and in some cruel twist just 12 months short of its centurion year too. Add that to the news of ‘Marks and Sparks’ cutting a number of their ‘Simply Food’ chain and rumours of BHS and WH Smiths being in serious financial trouble as well, it really does make for grim reading – and not just the Burroughs kind either. The heartbeat of the traditional British high street is fading fast, and I for one am in mourning. After arriving back in Canterbury in the middle of January and stroll-
ing through the historic city-centre, I soon realised that it wasn’t just me. In the vacant ‘Woolies’ window reads a poem: “We grew up with Woolworth’s. Sweets and toys for girls and boys, every kind of Christmas joys. We grew up with Woolworth’s. […] We came back to Woolworth’s. Worked again in later years, see it close with sorry tears.” It seems that it was more than just a shop selling cheap tacky goods for 99p to most – in fact, my mum decided to steal the ‘2008 Woolworths Winter Catalogue’ which I found on our bookshelf when moving back in because she thinks it will “be worth something in the future”: I get the feeling the same wouldn’t be said of the plethora of sports shops in our midst. A lot has been made about the ‘credit crunch’, ‘economic crisis’, ‘recession’ or whatever other buzz words that the press have repeated to death when describing the current climate – see,
there’s another one – but while things will inevitably improve, the damage done may have a permanent impact on what have been the main-stay of retailing for decades. Eight years ago C&A (remember them!?) closed and to be honest I didn’t give a jot, yet now as other familiar names begin to falter it is little wonder everyone is sad to see Woolworth’s and the likes disappear. Who knows what will happen in another decade, maybe the term ‘British high street’ will mean an altogether different thing by then. On the upside maybe someone could devise a drinking game while watching BBC News 24 so every time ‘credit crunch’ is mentioned you have to do two fingers or a shot – I assume that’s what’s they mean when they say keep your ‘spirits’ up. So, cheers, and may Woolworth’s rest in peace.
Nick Gill
Stop this culture of greed It's that time of year again, and I'm not talking about Valentine's Day. This month the British financial sector has decided to reward itself for its 'sensational' performance of last year with £3.6bn in bonuses. The argument purported by the bankers is that their obese salaries and bonuses are rewards for excellence and that they need these incentives,
regardless of economic conditions, so that they are encouraged to perform at their peak. However any human being in possession of a mild rational streak will be aware that this is complete balderdash. The grotesque bonus culture has encouraged bankers to take short term risks in order to generate profit, irresponsible behaviour which would have toppled the entire banking system, had the Government not been at hand with a bailout package. Moreover, this February, banks that are now partly state-owned are lining the pockets of their employees with tax payer's money. It is absurd that ordinary people who might be worried about losing their jobs and struggling to provide for their
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families due to the recession are forced to bare the added strain of supporting the super rich. After crackdowns on exorbitant payouts have been launched in the U.S., France and Germany, the British Government has now began an investigation into the financial sector's insatiable February free-for-all, a spokesperson for the Treasury assured "There will be a tightening of the banks' purse strings. This is about keeping any rewards in line with the public mood, and the public mood is unforgiving." It is important that the government stays true to these words, as they already turn a blind eye to the proportionately small amount of tax that big businesses and their employees cough up. We need proof that our lead-
ers are unafraid of clipping the feathers of corporations to ensure the higher goal of equality. The secretary of state for business Peter Mandleson spoke cautious words before the review was launched "Obviously you have to work in a market, you've got to recruit the best people and keep the best people in place and motivate them." However the idea that these offensively huge pay packets are needed to find the best people has been proven to be redundant. The prevailing financial crisis has revealed that the bankers are not the 'best people', they are just the greediest.
Charlie Baylis
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Art IQ
IQ
Sarah Wharton Faversham Pikey Turned Artist? Demian Smith Sarah Wharton is an illustrator who has grown up in Faversham most of her life, except the bits when she wasn’t living there. I would softly describe her as a well earthed, blonde and attractive, but mildly pikey looking 19 year old. She was produced in Kent, but has moved around with her family, but “they’re not travellers, they just liked to travel”, Sarah exclaims. However, I am not convinced. In my mind if you spend any time calling Faversham your home you are a traveller, and don’t take my word for it. Just look at Faversham’s most famous resident, Sir Bob Geldof. It is a well known fact that Bob is Irish, and we all know that travellers are Irish, and we also all know Bob likes to travel. Whether it’s to ‘this famine struck country here’, or, ‘that war-torn failed state there’, Bob gets about. Sarah claims she once played with Peaches Geldof ‘over at theirs’ and while it would be unfair to tar her with the traveller brush by association she does also work under the Pseudonym White Trash Hero, and travellers and white trash are pretty much the same thing… right?! Anyway her story is not all about travel, doom and gloom, Sarah is a rare breed. While at UCA doing her foundation she was,” like, the best in her year”, and she has now broken out of the shackles of Faversham and is making good in the big ‘ol city of London, where she attends a posh school, the Camberwell College of arts, currently studying for a degree in, you guessed it, art. Sarah W. starts: “ok I don’t know if this is too wanky,
it’s a bit long but I figured you can cut shit out right?” inQuire: Yea, sure thing blondie. I’ll make you famous, don’t you worry. So tell me what are your first memories of drawing? Sarah W.: I can’t remember not drawing, it’s just something I’ve always done, and that I’ve always found enjoyable. It wasn’t until quite recently that I had decided I wanted to be an illustrator, before college I wasn’t sure what field of work I could go into, but knew I had to do art. I had spent a year working a dead end sales assistant job after dropping out of school and this is where I found my determination to carry on with my education, and also a pool of inspiration I still draw upon. inQuire: What are the most common subjects you focus your drawing on? Sarah W.: The majority of my work centres on sex, storytelling and the kind of people you see sitting in greasy spoon cafes alone with a copy of The Sun. I like to imagine what goes on in these peoples’ lives, behind closed doors. It hardly ever seems the likely choice, but
it’s interesting nonetheless. In a recent series of images I illustrated a story I had come up with about a man called Terry, who lived in Wales, worked a dull job and decided to make himself half robot. inQuire: Wow, half robot you say. Interesting! What would you say are your influences? Sarah W.: My biggest influences are the people around me, conversations I accidentally listen to and images that are around me constantly. I try and surround myself with interesting imagery, as it seems I’m running a constant brain storm for future images. I look at a lot of erotic illustration, I’ve found Holland seems to be the best source for this, and then there are also artists such as Jeremy Fish, David Hockney and Edwin Ushiro, to name just a few. inQuire: How do you approach doing a piece of work?
Sarah W.: All my work starts from my sketchbook but what goes into a final piece is usually a mixture of the spontaneous and ideas and imagery from my sketchbook, rather than a revised plan. I’ve found I find this the easiest way to work, and the most successful. If I plan a piece too much it never comes out the way I imagined and I just get severely frustrated. Most of my work is made up of ink, cheap
white paint and fine liners. I always try working on canvas but most of my final pieces are on paper or board, working this way seems so much less daunting than a huge white canvas. inQuire: What do you see as your goals for the future? Sarah W.: At the minute my goals are to get through my degree at Camberwell Art School, make a ton of work that I don’t hate, keep trying at making a great kids book (and maybe even get it published) and to carry on developing my work. I’m also hoping to be ready for a couple of exhibitions by the summer and getting some of my work sold and used commercially. inQuire: Where can Kent University students find out more about you and your artwork? Sarah W.: You can check out my Blog by visiting http://w w w.whitetrashhe r o e s .blo g s p o t .c om/. So there you have it a Faversham girl turned good. Maybe her old play pal, Peaches - always out of her face on drink and drugs, and getting married and then getting divorced, like, three hours later – Geldof should take a leaf out of her book. Come one Peaches; get off the pipe, huh!
Armoire Fashions Valentine’s Day Lady Ga Ga IQ Art Revolutionary Road Diplo Read Book Project
Views on Valentine’s Day Jess Looke
one, they like you back. The fun begins. What’s not to like about the presents, hugs (and more), country walks, and general adoration given out to you 24/7? Don’t get me wrong, I think friends are just as important as boy/girlfriends. However, when hard times hit, like when you lost your job or when Flounder the family fish died, it was your other half who gave you the comfort sex, not your best friend. Friendship can only go to a certain point without it being weird.
Another feeling you don’t get from the life as a singleton is sharing (most of the time) the same attraction between the two of you. Nothing is more attractive than being in love and contributing to a mutual feeling. Especially on Valentine’s day. Of course, there are always compromises, but since when has a good thing not had these? The fact is, although you may detest listening to her moan about her (place relevant body part here) or going to watch
him play football on a day that was meant for shopping, you share the experience together. So you see that is why I believe being in a relationship has so many more pros than not being coupled up. I do apologize for being overly soppy at times. However, it is the single people who can expect the lonely drunken stupor on St Valentine’s and me, the never-ending worship and a monster box of Thornton’s chocolates.
different. I’ve been dating my boyfriend, Joe, since September (my longest relationship apart from the three-monther and the “are we dating?” in high school and the “I really like you too” in 8th grade). Joe’s interning in Rome for the semester and I’m going to visit him the weekend after Valentine’s Day. How romantic, I know. So will I be one of the girls who eagerly awaits her singing Valentine and Build-a-Bear? Probably not. My boyfriend doesn’t seem to understand Valentine’s Day is approaching or why I just asked for his address. And I sceptically wandered into Blackwell’s, wondering if I really had to buy a £2.75 card when my presence the following weekend would most certainly be enough. Call me unromantic, cheap, whatever. I never do know what
do buy “the boyfriend” for holidays. For Christmas, we exchanged presents at my house. Since we had only been dating for three months, I assumed a casual £10 t-shirt that said “Technic” because he liked techno would suffice. Then I received his gift: Armani Code perfume in a slim, Asian-flowered bottle, lotion and the Superbad CD. I rushed out to the shops the following weekend and bought him an oxford shirt and tie for an “extended Christmas present.” So this Valentine’s Day I hope to out-do the shabby Technic t-shirt, and it will be comforting to know I’ll be receiving something too (and not just Seventeen Magazine). I guess that’s the comfort of having a boyfriend this time of the year. I could be one of those girls
snuggling with Poofy the bear and eating heart chocolates (I won’t be, though). And it’s nice to know that someone out there is thinking of you, and not just that creepy 70-year-old outside Wetherspoon’s. Being single for most of my 20 years, I never knew what the allure of having a boyfriend was. I was always the single one of my five girlfriends. Sure I was jealous when they went on dates with boyfriends to the movies and tickled each other in public, but I could flirt and mingle and do anything I liked. I don’t think I missed out on a ton, and I’m glad I developed as a person throughout all my single years. But now that I have one, it’s nice to not have to put forth the effort to flirt at clubs, or worry who I’ll impress tonight, or who will walk me home. I can
still go out and act wild, dance on tables and meet and greet, but know inside that there’s no one else I care to be with. It’s nice to be able to tell someone secrets that I can’t tell a best friend, to call at any hour, hold hands with…am I singing a musical yet? Anyway, I don’t think you can argue for being single or being “in a relationship.” It’s whatever makes you happy and what point you’re at in life that is important. Maybe you’re feeling the whole “he’s cute, let’s hook up against that brick wall” thing. Or not. This Valentine’s Day, I would gladly receive my Peppermint Patti’s in a pink bag as I always do. But hopefully, I’ll be getting something a little bit better (queue up Etta James’ “At Last”).
The American Singer-Songwriter in the 21st Century Simon Marsham Nowadays, with the likes of Sufjan Stevens becoming staple interlude filler for Channel 5’s evening forensic-fest, and (ironically lactose intolerant) Devendra Banhart providing background music to cheese adverts, it seems as though America is once more exporting its singer-songwriters en masse. Even the last Guardian Saturday supplement I opened was lauding praise and you-heardit-here-firsts upon Alela Diane
and Larkin Grimm, meaning that terms such as ‘Freak-Folk’ and ‘New-Weird-America’ will all too soon be nesting on the coffee tables of Middle England. Thus, to stay ahead of the curve, and by way of trumpeting the humble unheard, here are a few outsiders that remain secure in their obscurity. Phil Elvrum once referred to himself as The Microphones and recorded a slew of fantastic albums that culminated with 2003’s Mount Eerie, at which point Elvrum announced the
end of the project and promptly took on the Mount Eerie name as his own. 2009 will bring Wind’s Poem, a "colossal sounding new album" in which Phil will once again showcase his 'lo-fi fuzzfolk', coupled with existential and occasionally transcendental lyrics that speak of reconciling oneself in the world and feeling awe in the face of nature. Gone are the days when he hid behind a ‘Palace’-related moniker and sung about burning desires to become carnal with mountains, but with the
Mark Whiteley
So it’s Saturday, February 14th. Night time. Hundreds of hopeful students scatter the bars and clubs in the hope of finding a potential ‘pull’, maybe even something that goes further than that. I, on the other hand, sit back and relax in a state of smugness at the thought of not worrying if said pull does not ask for my number or want anything to do with me forever afterwards. This
is just one of the situations that people who are in relationships just don’t have to go through. I just don’t seem to understand the aversion there is to being ‘together’ in a couple. The mention of 14th February has forever put single people into a cold sweat, but to couples it is what Christmas is to Santa Clause. It is a day meant for us, to have an excuse to be gooey and affectionate without being hounded by shouts of ‘Get a room!’ Picture this: you like some-
A Minor Place...
Rosemary Lane
I’ve never had a boyfriend for Valentine’s Day. In fact, I’ve never had one long enough for any holiday, really. I always considered Valentine’s Day a ‘foo foo Hallmark holiday’, a chance for lucky girlfriends to receive teddy bears, red roses and Godiva chocolate, cackling gleefully and writing on their Facebook statuses about how much they love their “wonderful boyfriend of two years.” My Valentine’s Day has always consisted of my three siblings and me receiving a pink paper bag that my mom packed with pink and red M & M’s, Peppermint Patti’s and Seventeen Magazine. That was the high point of the day. But this Valentine’s Day will be
upcoming Beware album marking the tenth year and thirtiethodd release under the Bonnie 'Prince' Billy name, the intensely prolific Will Oldham seems sure to remind all that he is still an imposing creative force and a cut above all others in the alt-country/Americana vein. On the thread of pseudonyms, Oldham’s Drag City label-mate Bill Callahan is scheduled to release Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle later this year; the second album under his own name following over a decade of releases under the Smog title. Callahan possesses a dry humour like no other, his songs covering every cowboy’s favourite subjects horses, women, and whisky with a dark irony all his own. You may well have come across his deadpan baritone in the “Only Skin” track from Joanna Newsom’s last record. To quickly dispel any fears that the movement I describe speaks only to morose, intense young men, it seems prudent to move swiftly on and mention the music of Diane Cluck. Anti-folk by any stretch of the term, Cluck subverts traditional folk harmonies and embraces her own vocal dissonance, meaning that all lyrical topics seem fresh and un-broached. Next up is Julie Doiron, who cut her teeth playing bass in dream-punks Eric’s Trip. Arcadian by heritage, Doiron has released solo records in both
French and English and possesses one of the saddest voices known to humankind. She has collaborated with everyone from Herman Düne to Okkervil River, and prominently appeared on Mount Eerie’s Lost Wisdom release of last year. I Can Wonder What You Did with Your Day is out in March, and all indicators suggest a return the 'shoegazey' guitars of her past. Finally we come to Mirah, who we are often told is both openly lesbian and has a middle name that means “holy/ good day” in Hebrew. What we find by our own accord is that Mirah is gifted with a voice that could launch a thousand ships, as well as a choice talent for song writing that couples the devastatingly honest with a delivery that will melt your heart. New album (a) spera drops next month. Though they may be disparate in that all that connects the above artists seems to be geography, that they pick up a guitar on occasion, and that they do so within the history and tradition of North-American guitar music, I’m hoping to have convinced you that there is something distinct and unique about these men and women that will at the very least have you troubling Google for more information, or perhaps even coming out to see Portland’s Horse Feathers play The Farmhouse on 27th February.
Diplo Decent Work for Decent Pay Charlie Baylis Diplo, real name Wesley Pentz, is a man best known for two reasons: former boyfriend of MIA and more importantly the genius producer and rejigger of an eclectic selection of leftfield artists. ‘Decent Work for Decent Pay’ is a collection of his finest remixes and original cuts, offering those unacquainted with the globetrotting DJ a chance to catch up. The main issue with ‘Decent Work..’ is, like with most collections, a lack of cohesion - there are brilliant individual mo-
ments followed by creative dead ends. A DJ as celebrated as Diplo should be well versed in pacing, but the momentum of ‘Decent Work..’ frequently stalls, leaving an album that ends without espousing a definitive statement. Early highlights are the catchy vulgarity of Spank Rock’s ‘Put that Pussy on Me’ and the reworking of MIA’s increasingly ubiquitous ‘Paper Planes’, where Bun B and Rich Boy replace MIA’s verses with their own paean to the pleasures of theft, featuring the delightful instruction “get your Robin Hood on”. Kano’s ‘Reload
It’ just about works and ‘200’ is an enticing Diplo original but then the fun suddenly juts to a halt with Bloc Party’s second album lowlight ‘Where is Home?’, into which Diplo fails to donate any much needed urgency. After a promising opening Hot Chip’s ‘Shake a Fist’ quickly slides into irrelevance and appreciation of ‘Smash a Kangaroo’, sample lyric: “I wake up in the morning, I jump out of bed, I saw a kangaroo, I chop off his head” will depend on how well you can take a joke. ‘Decent Work for Decent Pay’ features a good fistful of inspired remixes
and unlike a legitimate album there is no guilt in pressing the skip button, especially if you hear a didgeridoo. The collection is essentially a bunch of well executed, individually commission pieces, but those wishing to hear a more
fluid Diplo should check out his mesmeric 2005 Fabric Live mix.
Realising Education, Achieving Development
IQ Review
Volunteering organisation seeks to collect and provide books Louise Phillips You may have seen our posters around and heard about our exciting events but I would like to tell you more about a new studentled charity that has been in action on campus since September. READ (Realising Education, Achieving Development) International is a charity organisation that works to distribute disused textbooks and other educational resources from the UK to regions in Tanzania where the syllabus is also in English and closely relates to ours. It all began in Nottingham where a few students sent some textbooks to Tanzania in 2003. Since then READ has been registered as an official charity and this year the READ flagship book projects are in action in 17 universities across the UK, including the University of Kent. Every book project runs semi-independently with support from a small central office
Film Review Revolutionary Road Abigail El-Bekai Adapted from the novel by Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road is based on a young couple living in the suburbs of Connecticut in the 1950s. April and Frank share an ostensibly perfect life: they have their youth, success, their dream house and kids; their life is now complete. But beneath this veneer of blissful contentment, frustration, tedium and restlessness bubble to the surface, threatening to ruin everything they have built together. This is not just a film about the oppression of women, but of individuality. With resonances of Chekhov’s Three Sisters and Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, director Sam Mendes reveals the dangers of living in comfortable torpor and monotony, especially in marriage.
The politics of sex are revealed: responsibilities, obligations, self-worth, the importance of autonomy and freedom, terrorize the relationship they had thought they had constructed, only to find out that in fact society assembled it for them. We are trapped, despite our claustrophobia, in the lives of April and Frank and it is an unsettling experience. We share their visions, aspirations and desires only to find we are just as disillusioned and disenchanted as they are. Their dreams of Paris and another life are severely shattered as the realities of life, marriage and love take root. Revolutionary Road boasts A-List actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, the reunion Hollywood has been anticipating since their collaboration in Titanic in 1997. A precarious choice on Mendes’s
part, and yet he has managed to pull it off; the characters of Rose and Jack are long forgotten; the idyllic love they shared in Titanic is offset by April and Frank’s tempestuous, hys-
terical and violent chemistry which is troubling to watch. Overall, Mendes has done a fantastic job; he leaves his audience with a profound sense of discomfort and anxiety.
Revolutionary Road is tragic, realistic and extremely riveting. You will not be disappointed or cheated by this terrific commentary on the ills of society.
Ga Ga has got what it takes to stay in our hearts (and the
tic lyrics and basic melodies fool you. Miss Ga Ga is actually a highly accomplished musician who taught herself to play piano aged four, was one of just twenty students accepted to the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU at seventeen years old and, at twenty, was signed by Interscope records. In the past she has written songs for the Pussy Cat Dolls and Britney Spears, to name a few, and it is a well known
fact that she went to school with Paris and Nicky Hilton. She is also a keen fashionista and designs and makes many of her stage outfits, citing her influences as Donatella Versace and Peggy Bundy; “I look at those artists as icons in art. It’s not just about the music. It’s about the performance, the attitude, the look; it’s everything. And, that is where I live as an artist and that is what I want to accomplish.” Her album ‘The Fame’, currently dominating the charts, is a superb convocation of dancepop, electro-pop and disco reminiscent of Goldfrapp and Gwen Stefani. With such bound-to-be hits as ‘Beautiful, Dirty Rich’ and ‘Nothing I Can Say (eh eh)’ it would appear that the name Ga Ga is one which we are not going to forget in a hurry. So order yourself a martini, apply a fresh coat of pillar box red lipstick and bask in the glory of the glittering mirror ball of light that is Lady Ga Ga because she’s here to stay.
Lady Ga Ga Poker Face Laura Harrison Venturing out in the night clubs of Canterbury at the moment, one would be hard pressed to miss the electro beats of Lady Ga Ga’s debut single ‘Just Dance’. The record has become a cult classic on the dance floors of the UK and it feels as though everyone has become ga ga for the Ga Ga. Therefore it was no surprise that Lady Ga Ga’s second single was highly anticipated amongst dance lovers everywhere. Fortunately the blonde bombshell has not disappointed. ‘Poker Face’, the second release from her album ‘The Fame’, is another incessantly catchy tune from the house of Ga Ga. Although (in true Ga Ga style) the lyrics leave something to be desired ‘cause I’m bluffin’ with my muffin’, the funky melody and edgy beats culminate to create a fantastic floor filler which is bound to be blasting out speakers up and down the country. Some
have argued that ‘Poker Face’ is simply a ‘Just Dance part 2’. Although the song does have its similarities with her previous number one smash hit, there are subtle differences which separate the two. The mantra ‘if it isn’t broke don’t fix it’ comes to mind. No one can deny that these banging electro tunes are what Lady Ga Ga does well and considering the bad press that her ballad-style song ‘Brown Eyes’ received, it is fair to say that she should stick to what she knows. ‘Poker Face’ proves that Lady
charts) for some time yet. However don’t let the simplis-
in London and we have to sort out everything from recruiting volunteers to arranging storage for all of the books we collect until shipping them out in May! Myself and four other student project leaders have been working together with our great team of volunteers to collect disused Key Stage 3 and GCSE textbooks from secondary schools in the local area. And we don't just send any rubbish! We have comprehensive sorting guidelines that help us decide what we can and cannot send to Tanzanian schools. READ only collects books from the core subjects of English, Maths, Science and Geography – no religious or historical books that may be culturally unacceptable. But our work doesn't end here. We have to meet our fundraising target of raising £7,500 by June 1st in order to be able to cover costs of getting the books shipped to Tanzania. If we don't make this
than we cannot take our books or may have to collaborate with another university book project and half the number of books and volunteers we could take. We also have drop boxes around in each of the college receptions (including Parkwood) and in the library cafe. These are part of our university book drive to collect unwanted university level textbooks which Better World Books have agreed to sell and donate money to help us get our secondary level textbooks to Tanzania. “READ works to distribute disused textbooks” Blackwells bookshop on campus have also kindly given us some university level textbooks to send off to Betterworld Books. “Education for all is important for three reasons. First, education is a right. Second, education enhances individual freedom. Third, education yields impor-
tant development benefits”(J. Daniel. UNESCO Assistant Director General for Education). We are helping young people in Tanzania to achieve development through the power of education. The Tanzanian Secondary Education Development Plan aims to radically increase the number of students attending secondary school between 2005 and 2010. However, the Tanzanian Government does not have the provisions to satisfy the demand for textbooks and READ estimates that without their intervention, by 2010 the ratio of textbooks to children will worsen significantly falling from 1:5 to 1:15. But benefits aren't just being created in Tanzania; we are promoting global citizenship, recycling, young social enterprise and student volunteering to young people in UK secondary schools in the form of school presentations that our volunteers give in return for donating unwanted books.
Get involved as a student volunteer to help us ring local schools and fundraise. You could use the volunteering hours to help gain your KSCV or V50 award for 50 hours volunteering. If you fancy driving a van around on our mission to collect as many books as possible from local schools and are over 21 please get in contact. Our next book collection week begins on Monday 2nd March. Or if you just have unwanted textbooks taking up space in your bedroom or office please take them to one of our drop boxes. Or come to our next event – ROOTS N RHYTHMS at Darwin's Missing Link on Friday 27th February – licensed bar – Reggae/Dubstep/ Drum & Bass – all entry money to go to sending textbooks to Tanzania. We meet every Wednesday at 6pm in Keynes KS6. See www.readinternational. org.uk or contact kent@readbookproject.org.uk or 07969 546494.
Capture His Hea art This Valentines
Orion Unicorn n Yellow Dress: £59
Mikey Rap
Mikey Rap
Orion Roxanne Tunic in Purple :£57
Mikey Rap
Orion Picasso Dress: £64
Mikey Rap
Orion Peacock Dress: £59
Mikey Rap
Mina Lolita Dress: £75
Mikey Rap
Mikey Rap
Orion Roxanne Tunic in Yellow :£57
Mikey Rap
Looking delicious on Febuary Febuarry 14th with the new Spring collection from Armoire boutique b on Palace Street