The Martlet - Issue 7

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NEWS

Justin Trudeau and his lessons for the Lib Dems

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SOCIAL MEDIA

Vine vs. YoutTube from the content creators

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SCHOOL

An Insight into the Yang Science Centre

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SPORT

Predictions for the Year Ahead in Sport

Abingdon School’s Leading Newspaper

AUTUMN ISSUE

ISSUE 07

TRAVEL IN JAPAN P.18i

THE GREEK BAILOUT P.5i

iJEREMY CORBYN REVIEWED P.6i

The Future of Tilsley Park Sam Chambers details the developments that Abingdon has made to the local track

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n the summer of 2014, Abingdon school acquired the 125 year lease of the Tilsley park site and all its facilities. However due to the building of the science centre, this significant event has been more or less swept under the proverbial rug, despite being an important part of the Abingdon story. So a year later with the plans finally unfolding, I sat down with the school’s finance director and OA Justin Hodges to uncover the full details of the acquisition.

Sam Chambers: Before we start talking about Tilsley park, how are you finding your job here?

Justin Hodges: I’ve been here for nearly four weeks. So, the first week of September is when I arrived and of course I feel like I’ve been here a long time, as a former pupil. The place has changed

and it hasn’t changed. Many of the buildings are still the same and much of the feel of the place is still the same. But a lot has changed. The Sports Centre is radically different to what was here before. A lot of the buildings are really quite improved. So it’s strange being back, quite surreal. I’m finding it a very familiar and friendly place, which has always been my fond memory of it, so, so far so good.

So what was the thinking behind the acquisition of the lease for Tilsley Park?

So, it’s a little bit before my time and I don’t have all the background, but what came up is that the council were running it, and, for whatever reason, decided they didn’t want to run it in the future because of the ongoing investment and the ongoing operational headache of it.

So the option came up for third parties to bid on the lease. We were obviously approached and weighed it all up and decided that for the right sort of price and the right sort of terms and conditions it would be a nice benefit for the school to have access to all those hockey pitches, the running track etc. that’s up there. And tactically, if a third party who wasn’t particularly friendly to us were to have acquired the site and restricted our access to that site we would’ve been in a worse position, so it was for a blend of reasons, both positive and slightly defensive.

How will the general use of the site change from the school’s perspective?

It’s not going to change overnight.

We have commitments in terms of the amount of time the community has access to the site. Therefore we are limited

in the amount of time the school has access to the site, so it’s not in our right to use it 100% of the time. I’ll come onto some of the things that are going to happen there with some of the new facilities but the school and the community are naturally going to want to use it more than they currently do. That shouldn’t be a problem as long as we are keeping some balance between the two to be fair and reasonable. In fact, we are committed to building up the business and community use as well as using the site ourselves even more. All in all this will mean Tilsley Park becomes a centre of excellence for a wide range of sporting events.

Will the same services still be available to the general public under the

Continued on page 2

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THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 7

News

Letter from the Editor D

ear Readers,

Welcome to this school year’s bumper first edition of The Martlet. Since our previous issue we have seen a huge increase in numbers, resulting in our largest and most diverse paper to date. There is genuinely something for everybody, so please enjoy!

Our cover story discusses an event that has been perhaps ‘swept under the rug’ in the wake of all the excitement surrounding the opening of the new Yang Science Centre, Sam Chambers writes about the acquisition of Tilsley Park and interviews the new director of finance, Justin Hodges. Incidentally, for those who have not yet had chance to see it, Dan Alcock has acquired photos of the interior building.

Nick Harris’ News section covers a selection of major global issues, with the election of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader as the centre piece (co-written by Nick, Ben Ffrench and Douglas Wilson). Ben has also written about Libya and Greece, Jacob Lillie has his say on the possible impact of ‘President Trump’ and Nick looks at the ongoing crisis of migrant workers.

Blake Jones’ Features section contains something for everybody; we have a Vine

vs Youtube debate (by Tom Buckle and Charlie Landells), while Felipe Jin Li looks at the control of technology. Piers Mucklejohn and Saul Rea investigate the evolution of Google and Jack Lester and Alex Thulin ask whether video games are still for children. Blake discusses the SCOTUS Ruling, Jonathan Lee tells us whether medicine is an art or a science and Pea Sermsuk informs us on traveling to Japan.

As usual, Dan Brown’s Sport section offers a wide range, including Jonny Allison’s F1 report and Dan himself reviewing the English cricket summer. James Morrell weighs up Wayne Rooney’s career while an assortment of writers (Dave Telling, Seb Mulford, Will Sutcliffe and Joe Delafield) combine to select the Rugby World Cup’s stand out players of the group stage. Jonny Hurrell and Freddie Bermingham preview the sporting year ahead.

The issue is rounded off by a typically humorous edition of Dudley’s Dilemmas (written by Henry Waterson and Blake Jones) and a wonderful ‘Where in the School?’ quiz by Jate Jaturanpinyo also features.

Many thanks to everyone for their hard work, particularly Henry in his excellent work as Deputy Editor, and please enjoy reading!

Toby Jupp

COVER STORY

The Future of Tilsley Park

Sam Chambers details the developments which Abingdon has made to the local track Continued from cover page changed management?

Yes, absolutely, and more. This is actually an important point: the community have got, are getting and will get more facilities, better facilities than they currently have. An example of that would be the 3G pitch. This is the latest and greatest technology in terms of artificial pitches. It can be used for football and rugby and will be there. It is a massive improvement in the provision on the site. In addition, there will be an upgraded ‘throws’ area. By that I mean javelin, discus, and hammer.However, javelins don’t work well with 3G, so there’s a throws area off to the side that we’re going to upgrade and flatten. It’ll be a dedicated, competition-standard floodlit throws area with proper fencing and great nets. Therefore, what we’re going to have at the end of all this is a site that qualifies under the athletics

body, Sport England, and as a site will be one of the top in the country. We’ll move up to a competition-standard site, such that if you throw a personal best or a national record, it will be a valid national record because you’ve thrown it at a competition site. We hope we’ll start to get athletic meets coming from around the country to Tilsley Park and the whole thing will be a fantastically exciting athletics meet and venue. In addition, football clubs and rugby clubs are using the pitch in the middle.

Are there any plans to knock down existing structures or build new ones or anything that you haven’t mentioned with the track?

No, no particular plans around the structures for the moment in terms of addition or reduction. We will, though, be refurbishing the bar and catering

areas as well as re-decorating the corridors internally.

Do you have permission to do that under the terms of the lease if it is required or if you’d like to?

There are quite strict restrictions with the site. So we can do them, but with consent, so you’d need both planning permission, as you do for a lot of things.

You also have this additional test where you need landlord’s consent to make certain types of changes. Ironically the landlord is also the council, and the council is also the planning authority.

So you need to go through the council twice, essentially?

Yes, but very different parts of the council, so it all becomes quite a bit of running around - a bit complicated.

The acquisition of Tilsley Park has been somewhat overshadowed by the building of the science centre. Perhaps it’s slipped people’s minds and certainly more attention has gone towards the science centre, so how important do you think the site will be to Abingdon School in the future, in all aspects?

I’m not sure we can even imagine how important it’s going to become. By the time we are through this initial phase of investment we’ll have built the artificial pitch for rugby and for football, upgraded the athletics facilities and potentially

the hockey and 5-a-side surfaces too, and the hockey there if we end up upgrading the surface, athletics too, and be participating as a school in national meets on our doorstep. In addition, if we end up expanding our facilities up there in terms of catering and the like, it will all add up to being a fantastic, fully equipped site. We’ve got it for 125 years under a lease. We will invest in it.

We have to balance that investment with all the other requirements and priorities around the rest of the school but I think it’s a fantastic asset now. At the moment it costs us a lot of money.

We’re investing before the good times come. We have a lot of staff costs which are keeping the lights on, but it’s a very interesting business case in its own right, and I think it’s only going to get more visible and more important for the school as we get these facilities up and running. Yes, so I think it’s going to be fantastic when we end up renewing some of the astroturf 5-a-side 3G football pitches, the 5-a-side football there, the running track around the perimeter and the one kilometre Park trail run.

There’s a lot which can be done on it, so there’s balancing; It could cost a lot of money here and there, so it’s balancing it with the community needs and engaging with the community about our plans.

Excellent. I think that ends the questions. Thank you very much

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THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 7

News CANADIAN ELECTION

What Can the Lib Dems learn from Trudeau?

Blake Jones explains what the unexpected result of the Canadian Election can teach the Liberal Democrats

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t the last general election, the Liberal party, despite being in government not long ago, was annihilated, resulting in the party having the fewest seats in Parliament it has ever had in its history.

Whilst this is true for the Liberal Democrats in the UK, the Canadian Liberal Party was also in this situation until this month. However, on October 19th 2015 Justin Trudeau, leader of the Liberals, was elected Prime Minister of Canada winning 184 seats of the 338. Only a few days before the election, very few people would have predicted his success, yet he caused a complete u-turn in the election.

If the Liberals in Canada can make such a dramatic return to power, how can that be recreated in the UK? The most notable quality of Trudeau and his party is its boldness, which we are lacking in the UK. The Lib Dems have become thought of in this country as ‘wishy washy’ and not really standing for anything. This is partially the party’s own fault, as its election campaign was focussed on being nicer than the Conservatives but more practical than Labour, whilst never outright being anything different. In the leaders’ debate, Clegg said that no one would win in 2015, so people should vote for him as someone who was quicker to negotiate. In response to this the Conservatives won the election.

However Trudeau has come forward and declared that he is different, showing that whilst being the centrist of the three main parties, he can still stand for something. He has controversially called for the right to wear a hijab at citizenship ceremonies, convicted terrorists to be allowed to keep their citizenship and marijuana to be legalised. Furthermore, he refused

environmental concerns over the Keystone oil pipeline and take in more refugees from Syria. Following this, Trudeau has already announced that he will withdraw forces from Syria. Therefore, by showing that they really mean it when they say they are different and will bring real change, the Liberals stood out from the other candidates.

The Liberals, and particularly Clegg if he was still in power, should take note of this policy of not saying sorry. The Lib Dems’ biggest controversy in government was clearly tuition fees and the mistake in raising them despite the election promises. Clegg responded to this by apologising and admitting he couldn’t have done any better. As a result of this he was humiliated across the internet. In contrast, Trudeau is a much more unapologetic and honest character. When campaigning for the legalisation of marijuana, he admitted to having smoked pot back in 2010 and then refused to apologise for it. This fearless attitude of Trudeau, represents how he is the sort of character who the country could vote for.

Besides quite simply being strong in the election, there are several other ways the Liberals won which would help the LIb Dems. Trudeau drew on the view that there was a need for change and brought up a strong anti-Harper feeling towards the incumbent Prime Minister. However, having been in coalition, it was impossible for the Lib Dems. They would struggle to oppose the government too much, since they would be blamed for not stopping what was passed. In the same way, there was very little pride which they could take in the government, since it barely represented what they had wanted.

In contrast, Tim Farron is now leader

The most notable quality of Trudeau is his boldness to allow anyone to stand as an MP for his party, if they did not strongly support the right of women to an abortion. These actions have caused him to be shunned and mocked in Canada, but in the long term he eventually gained respect for being bold and being right.

During the campaign, he promised the people that he would make the changes which they wanted to see. This includes, reducing tax for the middle classes whilst increasing them for the wealthy, address

of the Liberal Democrats and he strongly opposed the government, even during the coalition. He voted against the rise in tuition fees and should be held account much less than Clegg. So far in his leadership he has opposed nearly everything the Tories have done, particularly the Welfare Bill which Harman called for Labour to support. The confrontational and slightly more left wing approach should put Farron in a much stronger position in 2020 to give the UK a reason to vote for him.

Trudeau was also able to keep positive in the face of attacks from his competitors, and the electorate appreciated that.

In Canada, the Conservatives aired an advert which ended in ‘Justin Trudeau: he’s just not ready’ and the NDP began to play dirty as well. The fact that he was originally a teacher and was new to politics, making clumsy blunders here and there, were all brought up, yet he mimicked the polite NDP approach from 2011 and said, ‘Conservatives are not our enemies, they are our neighbours.’ This kind of underhand politics in UK is most commonly seen from the immaturity at PMQs, most recently the Conservative MPs laughing and snorting at Corbyn as he asks his questions. If Farron can show that he is above this, then he may gain respect and come across as a breath of fresh air in the Commons.

Finally, Trudeau drew on typical Liberal support – the youth vote. In 2015 it was impossible for the Lib Dems to look to young people for support following the tuition fees increase. However it was through the youth that Trudeau won.

In 2011 only 38% of Canadians under 30 voted and the Liberals sought to change that. The numbers of voters increased from 14,823,408 to 17,559,353 allowing the Liberals votes to increase by over four million. They achieved this primarily through social media. The Liberals were the most active party on Twitter and were

able to connect with their voters, whilst other parties were forgotten about. Above all, the Liberals worked to get people voting first, and then got them voting for the party. Trudeau went on VICE news and brilliantly said, ‘I’d love for you guys to vote Liberal, but I don’t even care, as long as you vote.’

The youth vote will be hard for the Lib Dems to reclaim, especially with the Green party more successful than ever before. Yet whilst 34% of the electorate still do not use their vote, bringing in new voters and getting them to vote Lib Dem is still a way to success. The young people who are fourteen years old today will be voting in the next election, and if the Liberals can get their support now they will be in a much better position when that time comes.

Overall, the success of Trudeau is remarkable and very hard to replicate. Furthermore, the Liberal Party has been in power more recently than the Lib Dems (ignoring the coalition) so has enough trust from the people already. Yet what matters here is the complete turnaround which Trudeau did and that Farron needs to do. So it will be difficult to recover from 2015 in the UK and we cannot expect a majority by the next election, but as Liberal Prime Minister David Lloyd George said, ‘Don’t be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated. You can’t cross a chasm in two small jumps.’

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THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 7

News LIBYA

Libya: a Country Divided Ben Ffrench gets to the bottom of the Libyan Crisis

with controversy, however it is crucial that they keep their eyes on the real enemy: IS. The sinister terror group that have gripped the world by storm maintains a strong presence in cities such as Sirte, Derna and even Benghazi, in many cases controlling the territory around the cities.

In February 2015, 21 Egyptian Christians were executed on Libya’s mediterranean shore, near Derna, with IS declaring to the west that they are expanding their territory. The IS leader, Abu Bakr al Baghdadi has recognised Libya and its three provinces as part of his empire, with Barqa in the east, Tripolitania in the west and Fezzan in the south. Just like in Syria, there is so much infighting between rival military groups that IS can capitalise on it. The militias must put aside their differences and fight this threat together, otherwise there is no hope.

The west must take responsibility for the situation that it has created.

The ruins of the Temple of Zeus in Libya

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he death of Muammar Gaddafi was meant to be a new start for Libya: free, democratic elections, and freedom. It wasn’t. The country is now split down the middle, tearing at the seams and vulnerable to socalled Islamic State insurgents. So where now? In this article, I intend to unravel just some of the conflicts unleashed by the aptly named Arab-Spring, in addition to the current situation and what lies ahead not just for Libya, but for the region. The future looks bleak.

Since 2014, the country has been effectively two countries or more, depending on how you look at it. The killing of Muammar Gaddafi has arguably led to a worse situation. Following the uprising, the international community recognised the NTC (National Transition Council) as an interim government.

However, discontent was clear from the start: as early as January 2012, former rebel groups began to revolt over the handling of the situation, with conflicts building, and many killed. The Government was slowly losing control of the militia groups: Tripoli’s international airport was briefly taken over, and Benghazi’s commission building ransacked. The country’s numerous militias are key to the smooth running of the country, and has become a problem, particularly after the ousting of Gaddafi.

In August 2012, the NTC handed over power to the newly elected General National Congress (GNC), with Mohammed Magarief installed as Chairman (effectively an interim head of state) and Ali Zeidan soon became prime minister. However, in May 2013, Magarief

was deposed from his position following a new law banning the office of former Gaddafi era officials. Nuri Abu Sahmein was installed in his place. Tensions flared up further, with clashes between the army and various militia. At one point the prime minister was abducted, and in December Libya experienced its first suicide attack- a car bomb in Benghazi.

But it wouldn’t be until 2014 that all out civil war ensued.

2014 was the year that Libya came apart. The tensions had been there there, but now they came to the fore. The first alarming sign came in February, when the GNC refused to disband, having reached the end of their term in power.

Protests erupted and the following month Ali Zeidan was sacked for allowing a rebel-held tanker to break through a naval blockade, replaced by businessman Ahmed Maiteg. However, he was forced to step down after a court hearing found his election to power illegal, though not before an attempted military coup by General Khalifa Haftar was prevented. Haftar claimed Maiteg to be ‘in thrall’ to the militias. This is where it all went to pieces. Libya was gradually pulled apart when the rebel Libyan Dawn militia seized control of Tripoli and most of the west, forming a government. Ansar al-Sharia took parts of the major cities, and IS have established a foothold. Meanwhile, a new government was installed in Tobruk, this one internationally recognised, with most of the east. The Tuareg and Toubou militias also have a strong share of territory in the south west. And that is how it is. Peace talks are being held

The killing of Muammar Gaddafi has arguably led to a worse situation

by the UN, with attempts at forming a reunited national government.

So what must be done? It is clear that a national government must be formed at all costs. Since 2014, the UN estimates that the Libya Dawn-Government clashes have displaced 100,000s. And Libya has become a crucial stopping point in the journey refugees take to reach Europe. Traffickers make rich capital out of them, with authorities turning a blind eye. Europe must cooperate with all Libyan administrations, get a dialogue going, and come to a joint agreement on how to tackle the crisis.

Libya must crack down its traffickers, and accept the damage they are doing. This will be difficult, but crucial. The West must accept Libya Dawn as a legitimate government, and not denounce them as terrorists as the Tobruk government have done in the past. They are vital to the stability and peace in the region, and Europe must get them on side. As the Libya Dawn’s prime minister has pointed out, the response to Libya has been poor and uncoordinated because they are not included in discussion. This will be met

It took out Gaddafi in 2011 with good reason, but the master plan has not worked out. Libya’s fragile democracy is in danger, and with military coups, terrorist attacks and militia clashes, Europe must act now. The west has no divine right to play kingmaker, especially in an increasingly fractious and complex Middle East, but it must lead the way in reuniting the country under one government, uniting and pacifying the aggressive militant militias which overshadow the country, yet are so crucial to its running and cementing its stability. Libya must be able to cope with threats such as IS in the future, as the west can’t always be there for them.

Meanwhile, the fighting still goes on.

Khalifa Haftar’s national army finds itself under strain from the threat of IS, and has been caught up in fighting for almost a year. UN led negotiations go on in the Moroccan city of Skhirat, but appear to be no closer to a conclusion. The GNC-led, internationally recognised government won’t negotiate if the fight goes on. One thing is clear: Libya needs a ceasefire.

Now.

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THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 7

News GREECE

The Bailout Betrayal

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Ben Ffrench examines Greece’s bailout woes and the sinister nature of the European Union

e was elected on a wave of hope, hope for prosperity and for a better future, one without cuts and austerity, and starkly different to the future that came true. The dream is now in ruins.

Alexis Tsipras and his Syriza government have fallen to Europe, betraying the trust their voters placed in them. In January of this year, Syriza were elected in Greece on an anti-austerity platform, promising no more cuts, and an end to the poverty and debts that have so long gripped Greece.

But in August 2015, Greece voted for and agreed on a deal much tougher than any that had come before: an 85 billion euro ($96 billion) deal that would bail Greece out, but implement much harder and more vicious cuts and taxes than any that had come before. Most of the European establishment will see this as a fantastic thing; Greece’s place in the Euro is safe for years to come. But I just can’t see it like that.

Something good was happening in Greece. With slogans like ‘hope begins today’ the feeling was positive. After years of hard austerity under the previous New Democracy government, the mood was for change. Syriza had begun as a rag tag band of left-wing organisations, but in June 2013 they merged, forming Syriza, which was looking strong. Greece was in a mess; unemployment levels were at 25%, and youth unemployment was at 50%. Stuck in a stranglehold of cuts, Greece needed someone to stand up to this. Syriza fitted the bill, and people from everywhere flocked to join the party.

And in January 2015, the opportunity arose. The ruling party New Democracy called snap elections. Syriza were given an emphatic victory, achieving two fewer seats than a majority, handing them power. Tsipras appointed radical left wing hero, Yanis Varoufakis, as finance minister, signifying his future austerity stance. But Syriza faced dark times ahead, and their struggles had only just begun.

The problems were there from the start. Syriza came into power inheriting 370 billion Euros (£240bn) of debt.

Many say that politics is a matter of power vs. principles. If this is the case, then power was triumphant. Tsipras was once defiantly against any austerity that could be put upon his country; he was now in negotiation mode, desperate to come to an agreement that would satisfy the European elite. Now negotiation is not often a bad thing, but Tsipras’ reconciliatory strategy would go on to be Greece’s downfall. In March 2015, Greece cracked; it secured a bailout extension of four months, prolonging the problem. As any historian knows, hindsight is a very beautiful thing, but at this point, I think it

is clear that Greece should have admitted that it couldn’t pay, rather than continuing the cuts. June came around, and Greece couldn’t pay up. It wanted to extend the deadline for the rest of the debt repayment and promised to pay 1.6 billion euros on June 30, a big concession considering the circumstances. But Europe wouldn’t budge; Greece was staring over the brink of Grexit.

In the end, it came down to the July 5th Referendum. Europe and the IMF had set cruel tax hikes and pension cuts as a condition for another bailout. Tsipras

August. On August 11, after hours and hours of heated discussion in a room, and a particularly tiring overnight session, Greece agreed to terms that plunged the hopes and dreams of millions of Greeks into jeopardy. In return for a 3.1 billion euro repayment costing more draconian austerity, Greece would get an 86 billion euro bailout. The Greek dream is now in ruins.

On 20 September, having resigned a month earlier, Tsipras and Syriza returned in shame to power. Their actions have cost the futures of all Greeks, and many

The dream is now in ruins put it to the people. Should they accept the conditions or not? The answer was an emphatic no, with 61% of voters against the rules. Tsipras knew the truth- Greece was subject to ‘humiliation and blackmail’ in a move violating the European rules of equality and dignity.

So the things he did next were, and still remain, incomprehensible. Sacking his heroic finance minister, Varoufakis, Tsipras continued to strike a deal, slackening his approach. And he got one.

Talks continued through July and into

have left the party. The Greek parliament voted in favour of the terms, with Tsipras having to concoct an unholy alliance with Greece’s right wing parties, as many in his own ranks stood against him. But what is still yet untold is the appalling details of Greece’s modern day tragedy.

In the referendum, Greece had said a convincing ‘no!’ to conditions far softer than what Tsipras had just agreed to.

In addition to this, Europe could have easily cancelled Greece’s debts if it had wanted to. As Yanis Varoufakis describes

it, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had two options: a yellow and a red button.

Pressing the red would cancel the debt, the yellow would mean more austerity.

She chose the yellow, as it was more in her interest. This is horrifying conduct from one who is usually compassionate, and especially bad from Germany, a country who knows the devastating effects harsh austerity can have. But the blame does not lie solely on her; it must be put on Europe as a whole. And Alexis Tsipras and his current finance minister Euclid Tsakalotos should not have given in. They knew what they were doing, and this is just wrong. But what can be learnt from this?

Britain must not consider membership of the European Union unquestionable. I am not saying that right now we should leave (I think staying in is still better) but it must not be ruled out. Of course, the danger for many on the left is to sound like UKIP. Jeremy Corbyn has been lambasted for his very reasonable stance on this. But the predatory way of Europe and its creditors is dangerous, and Britain must be wary. ‘Fiscal waterboarding’ (as Varoufakis puts it) is not a situation Britain wants. The world has seen Greece’s fate, and any anti-austerity movement should watch out. Although Nigel Farage and UKIP are derided as fruitcakes for their view of the EU, they do have a point. The EU is extremely undemocratic, and the sinister, unaccountable powers are out there, like the British establishment, and potent.

European influence has a negative tinge, no less so than in TTIP (Trade and Transatlantic Investment Partnership), a trade deal with the US. People say this will create jobs; the reality is far removed. The deal means that overseas trade will be widened, bringing the grip of globalisation and privatisation into Europe more. It affects food standards, as the US has standards far lower than Britain’s. It also means more fracking, the environment, and consumer rights. It does not bode well for European countries.

The situation is clear. Britain and others must be wary of the EU, and its predatory nature. It is probably too late for Greece, who have agreed to strict conditions at their expense. But it is not too late for others. In the near future, it is essential that we affect change from the inside. Britain has to be a voice of compassion and defend those in need from the dangers of humiliation and austerity. David Cameron is not a strong presence in Europe; it is time he forgot his qualms with Jean-Claude Juncker and others. If Merkel and co. are held to account, we can uphold the European dream. If not, Europe is in big trouble.

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News

POLITICS

Jeremy Corbyn: Left, Right and Centre

Douglas Wilson, Ben Ffrench and Nick Harris discuss the devisive new Labour leader

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eremy Corbyn as Labour leader will be an ecstasy fuelled slow motion suicide. As Abingdon’s notable schoolboy bolshevik, it may surprise you to know that I did not vote for Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader, and I very much doubt I will ever come to regret that decision. You can hold me to account in many years to come for this statement, but if Jeremy Corbyn ever becomes Prime Minister I will eat my glasses. The man is unelectable in every way, but that is also what will make his time as leader so interesting.

Corbyn’s ideas are mostly sensible but unpopular. I agree with everything he has to say on the monarchy, Israel, Trident, Syria, refugees, immigration, welfare, Ireland and Osborne’s idiotic surplus law (alongside his general approach to deficits). However, these policies, a lack

of presentation, and an extremely hostile press all add up to an unelectable Labour leader.

Corbyn’s reasons for success in the leadership election will all contribute to his unpopularity as leader of the opposition. Corbyn speaks his mind, which makes people think of him as an actual human being rather than a robot that speaks phrases conjured up by pollsters and spin doctors. Given that the current Prime Minister is being accused of molesting a dead pig, his normality seems truly bizarre yet magical. However, this leads to him saying unpopular things (like being relaxed about immigration, a logical but hated position) which will be used against him, and leads him to say things which sound bad out of context (calling Hamas and Hezbollah “friends” despite not having any links to them)

which can quickly be used against him.

Corbyn’s lack of spin also means that people won’t take him seriously as a choice for Prime Minister, and getting into power is the purpose of the Labour party.

But that’s not to say I’m not looking forward to Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, in fact I’m enjoying it already. Corbyn’s hard left perspective makes the debates in Parliament much more interesting and raises questions that wouldn’t be raised otherwise. Even the national anthem row was worth it just because it reminded the country that our anthem is about worshipping a fictional character and a spoilt vessel of an old aristocracy. Issues like the Transatlantic Trade Partnership will be shed more light on; the Prime Minister will find it harder to declare war without opposition approval and the general debate will shift leftwards, with the current Conservative party probably

moving towards the centre. His new format of PMQs is already an improvement over a shouting contest it has been for years.

However, the Labour party should get rid of him before the next election, without question. Labour should not assume that it’s current number of seats is as low as it gets, as the party’s popularity can get much much worse. Beyond the party’s weakness on the economy, welfare and immigration to most voters, the party’s reluctance to have a woman lead is becoming more and more embarrassing and indicative of the lack of women in positions of power. If the party does not change its policies to fit current opinion, it will become more irrelevant. It’s a shame that someone like Corbyn can’t get elected, but it’s the reality, no matter how much I’d like to think otherwise. Consider him a tragically unpopular visionary.

- Douglas Wilson

Jeremy Corbyn will be an ecstasy fuelled slow motion suicide

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Recent anti-austerity marches have attracted thousands of protestors Corbyn’s bold and inspiring policies have set the political debate on fire, and unlocked the electorate, particularly young people. You will have heard a lot about this, and the fear mongering from the right-wing media, but bear with me. It is no surprise that he has become Labour leader and not much less of a surprise if he gets into power. People are fed up of ‘politics as usual’ with the mudslinging and point scoring of PMQs, and Corbyn has reignited democracy again, as was clear with his first PMQs session. Instead of a basic attack on Cameron, Corbyn’s approach was far more clever, reading out questions from the general public.

Cameron promised a far more civilised and grown up debate, but he failed: after a question from Angus Robertson, the SNP Westminster leader, Cameron jumped back into attack mode, describing Robertson with a phrase much exhausted by the PM: ‘He’s frit’. With an attitude like this, Corbyn’s position looks stronger.

Many have tried to portray the debate as power vs. principles. This is untrue.

They go hand in hand; Corbyn’s principles are why he’s Labour leader. Not singing the national anthem emphasised this.

They have also tried to quote statistics supposedly showing the British public to be for austerity. Wrong again. They only say that we should be economically responsible and ‘live within our means’.

Corbyn has every intention of doing that.

Corbyn also understands the meaning of opposition. Corbyn won because there was a clear difference between him and the other candidates, particularly Liz Kendall. Many have been criticised for calling her a Tory. This is not helpful, but it may have a hint of truth. 2% defence spending, keeping free schools if they work, privatisation likewise. There is no

point trying to out-Tory the Tories, and Liz Kendall proved this, with a measly 4.5% vote share.

Corbyn’s anti-austerity stance and anti-Trident position are refreshing; there is a surprising appetite for these positions and he’s the only one in the main two parties offering it. He has also opened himself up to agreements with parties such as the Greens, which is very helpful, taking their unique positions away. The same reason for the Green surge was the reason for the Corbyn surge: a frustration with the Westminster consensus.

There is nothing extreme about Corbyn’s policies. They are backed by many economists, and they are clear. Miliband wasn’t. There’s no point trying to satisfy everyone, as Andy Burnham learned to his cost. There is, however, an appetite for bold, anti-austerity politics, as the SNP have showed.

There will also be those who say that Corbyn’s policies are logical, but don’t chime with the general public. The Labour party was set up to challenge attitudes and stereotypes common to the time, and Corbyn knows he’ll be damned if he doesn’t keep fighting the good fight.

The refugee crisis showed that this is possible with immigration, as Cameron’s focus group politics was called out, forcing him on another u-turn.

That’s all I have to say. With a convincing victory in the leadership election winning all vote categories, not just the unions, he has a mandate that will force those trying a coup to tread very carefully. Corbyn can and will win over the moderates with a prosperous, flourishing economy that gives security to all. There is no reason why he can’t do this and an election win is possible.

- Ben Ffrench

There is an appetite for bold, anti -austerity politics

It has been very easy for many Tories in the past weeks to see this Corbyn fiasco and congratulate themselves on their luck. Many even helped put the man in charge, and I am not saying it will be something they will regret, but the reason to be afraid of Jeremy Corbyn isn’t because of his quaint hard left views but because of the fact that some of them could come true - could - but will not.

There is no way the man will be elected. There is absolutely no appetite from centrist Middle England for the policies he offers, and that is where the 2015 election was won and lost. So let’s look at the real issue. The problem is that Corbyn is now, Labour leader, and it is going to be extremely hard to shift him. It is not like people haven’t been trying.

Almost everyday during the leadership contest there was yet another scandalous Daily Mail headline: ‘Corbyn condones Bin Laden’s actions’ or ‘Corbyn associates with Holocaust deniers’ and other such nonsense. You can almost see it: the entire New Labour Establishment, Mandelson and Blair and Brown, dredging up these things from his past to try and discredit him. The problem was that it did not work. If anything it played into his hands. His supporters flocked to him

even more.

So with Corbyn in, what does it mean? The answer is a revival of the Militant Tendency Tribute Band which has been playing very quietly on the Labour backbenches for the last two decades. It was almost inaudible whilst Tony Blair was still winning elections, but now it has seen its chance and is ready to rear its head again like some horrifying Greek mythological monster. The radicalism which had been simmering away has boiled over.

So what next? In my opinion, Corbyn will not last too long, maybe two or three years. He will be challenged or perhaps step down, given his age. But who can replace him? Does it even matter? What matters is that his radicalism is there now.

These ideals which we thought we had left behind in a worse past: re-nationalising energy companies, printing money, and most awful, in my opinion, was his not singing the national anthem to honour those who gave their lives so people like him could be here now. What does Corbyn mean for we Tories? Most likely re-election in 2020 and a very entertaining few years of PMQs. -Nick Harris

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News AMERICAN ELECTION

The Rise of Donald Trump Jacob Lillie looks at Donald Trump’s life and what he could mean for the US people

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s the 8th of November 2016 draws ever closer, the race to become the next President of the United States changes ever more. What once was a fairly dull race filled with unremarkable politicians has been shaken up dramatically by the addition of Donald Trump to the pool of potential candidates. Since officially launching his campaign on the 16th of June 2015, Trump’s bid has evolved dramatically from being seen as somewhat of a joke to storming ahead and becoming the frontrunner for the nomination to be the Republican candidate for the 2016 election. With an approval rating 10% higher than the next highest Republican candidate, is there anything left to stop Donald Trump from being the next leader of the strongest country on Earth?

Born in Queens, New York as one of five children on June 14 1946 to real estate developer Fred Trump and Mary Macleod, Trump has had the world of property and business hanging over him his whole life. Trump initially attended school in his local borough of Queens at the Kew Forest School until the age of 13, at which point he was shipped off to the New York Military Academy, from which he graduated in 1964 as a promising athlete and leader.

The Republican Clown Car parade by Donkey Hotey Continuing his education further, he enrolled at Fordham University in the Bronx for two years before going on to study economics at the Wharton School of Finance, University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1968. Whilst at university, Trump juggled his studies with his work at his father’s real estate firm, Elizabeth Trump & Son, where he was noted for rejuvenating the Swifton Village apartment complex, bringing its occupancy rate from 34% up to 100%.

Such business genius didn’t go unnoticed, and three years after graduating in 1971, Trump was given control of the company, which he subsequently renamed The Trump Organization, and began to become heavily involved in Manhattan real estate, jumping from success to success. Trump then went on to expand his business throughout the US, acquiring buildings in all sorts of places, whilst battling off mounting debt that threatened to pull the Trump Organization into bankruptcy. However, he managed to fight through this low and made a resurgence.

At the peak of his career in the 2000s Trump moved into other ventures such as Trump Mortgages and Trump Restaurants and more ridiculously, Trump: The Fragrance and Trump the Game. And as his wealth grew so did his

It seems that words such as “politically-correct” are irrelevant to Trump public profile. In 2004, Trump began to appear on the TV show “The Apprentice”, plunging himself into the media limelight, becoming not only one of America’s richest men with a net worth of $4 billion in 2015, but also one of its most famous.

Although less heard of, the 2016 election hasn’t been the only time that Trump has dabbled with politics. In 1999, Trump ran to be the lesser known Reform Party’s candidate for the 2000 election, winning the presidential primary for California, even though he withdrew from the race before voting began.

He has also flirted with the idea of being President in 2004 and Governor of New York in 2006 and 2014 but didn’t enter those races. However, the last time Trump made a large political

splash was around the time of the 2012 Election where he announced he would run for the Republican nomination. At one time, it seemed that he would be a serious contender; even being 1% ahead of Mitt Romney, the actual Republican candidate, for a while. However Trump’s association with the “Birther” movement, a group who believe that Barack Obama wasn’t born in the US, and not eligible for Presidency, threw his campaign into disrepute. As a result of which, he exited the race two months after he joined it in May 2011.

This time round however, he hasn’t let such things throw him off course.

Since launching his campaign on the the 16th of June, Trump’s bid to become the next President has been marred by constant controversies. Right from the start, it seems that words such as

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‘politically-correct’ and ‘diplomatic’ are irrelevant to Trump. Whist announcing his candidacy, he claimed that Mexicans coming into the US weren’t hard working people. Instead, ‘They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists’, was how he described them.

He also has a knack for arguments with fellow politicians, like when he gave out Senator Lindsey Graham’s phone number during a speech in July following Graham describing him as a ‘jackass’. This act resulted in Graham subsequently destroying his phone.

However the greatest controversy seemed to brew from a remark that Trump made after a televised debate on Fox News this August. One of the debate moderators, a lawyer turned journalist called Megyn Kelly repeatedly questioned how he had constantly in the past used words such as ‘fat pigs’, ‘dogs’, and ‘slobs’ to describe women. Whilst he seemed to hold his nerve on the debate, this wasn’t the case later on when he was on CNN. ‘You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes - blood coming out of her wherever.’ This was referencing her being on her period if it’s not clear. This comment was seen as indecent and sexist by many, even for Trump. However, Trump remained unapologetic even amidst the storm of controversy. It seems that Trump can and will say whatever he wants. That is why he is such a winner amongst the

American people.

So, what would Trump becoming President mean for the people of the USA? Well in general, it would seem that a victory for him would result in a general shift towards the right of the political spectrum, with some almost stereotypically conservative views on the majority of issues. Like most Republican Americans, he seems to have a vocal opinion around the right of Americans to bear arms, citing that he is a keen proponent of the Second Amendment. Amongst the backdrop of many past school shootings and violent attacks, is this view still really in touch with the majority of Americans? Or is it a given right that people should be able to bear arms in order to feel secure?

Unsurprisingly, he also seems to be a vocal non-believer in climate change, claiming that ‘climate change is a hoax’ in June 2015. Perhaps this stems from the fact that he has had a past steeped in so much corporate business. Furthermore, like most Republicans and patriotic Americans, Trump backs the need for a strong and developed defense, seeking to stop the US from becoming less militarily irrelevant around the world: ‘We’re going to make our military so big, so strong and so great, so powerful that we’re never going to have to use it. We’re going to have a president who is respected by Putin, respected by Iran.’

However, many really question

whether this is the best use of US resources. The US already has the strongest army in the world by far, currently spending more on military and defense than the next top seven countries in the world put together. Why is there need to increase this expenditure any more?

No sane country would be willing to draw themselves into a conflict with the US if they wanted to win, or perhaps it is there to increase the interventionist role in future conflicts.

Trump himself has proven many times that he is keen on US involvement in overseas conflicts, claiming that ‘If Obama had attacked Syria, we wouldn’t have refugees now’ and the need for ‘boots on the ground to fight IS’ in 2014 and 2015 respectively. But would it really be the best way in which to increase US international influence further?

Following on from these patriotic views is the fact that Trump would like

to see the US economy growing and remaining competitive with others for years to come. He claims that they are being outcompeted by countries such as China and Japan in terms of trade and that they should repatriate outsourced jobs in countries such as the aforementioned in order to resolve economic deficiencies on American soil.

So in reality, you can look at Trump becoming in President in two ways. Is he the patriotic American seeking to reaffirm the America’s might on the international stage whilst remaining true to traditional values? Or is he the backwards leader living in the past, unwilling to look forward to the almost inevitable social changes that need to happen? Whether all these views and policies are real and actually have any substance remains to be seen. It is now all up to the American people to decide on the future of their country.

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News REFUGEE CRISIS

How to Solve the Migrant Crisis Nick Harris investigates the various options available for Europe to solve the migrant crisis

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he images and stories that we have all heard from the Mediterranean have affected all of us, I am sure, with sorrow and grief. The acts of these brave people who decide to risk their lives and attempt to come to Europe in their pioneering pursuit of happiness are to be admired and commemorated. And yet we still have to ask ourselves, ‘Is Europe’s current approach the one to solve the problem?’ We all know that we all must do our bit and take more refugees, but is standing aside with open arms and paving the way for the best and brightest of these troubled nations to drain away and into ours the right approach?

Lets look at some facts first of all.

The total asylum claims in the whole EU thus far in 2015 have numbered just in excess of 500,000. Considering the fact that net migration to the UK came to about 330,000 last year and one twenty eighth (the number of EU members) of the migrant figure would be only be a fraction short of 18,000 people, we should be doing more. We should be taking more refugees. I do not think there is a single soul from loony left to raving right who would deny this fact. We can do more. But is it right to take the most well-off and most entrepreneurial people of these fraught countries? It would be far more effective, in terms of helping the most vulnerable, to assess those already in the camps and help them. For this is where the sick, the infirm, the weak and the endangered refugees are. To welcome those already in Europe would be depriving places like Syria and Afghanistan of their most spirited people and would be a slap in the face to the countries who most need our aid.

The key with any of these issues, however, is to think long-term. Can this approach go on forever? No. The real resolution with the migrant crisis will come when we end the reason for these people making their journeys here. For some that means working towards a diplomatic peace in the war in Syria, whilst for others it means defeating the villainous and cruel organisation which calls itself Islamic State. The point here is this. Is it better to find homes and jobs for a few thousand more here in Britain, or to find futures and lives for millions in their home countries.

What does this entail you may ask?

First of all I would support a mandatory aid budget for all EU member states which would be aimed at teaching, housing and supporting the people still in the Middle East and beyond so

Refugees passing through Hungary they can construct their own lives back home rather than seeking futures elsewhere. By spending money on this rather than on caring for the refugees here we score something of a three pointer: more pressure is removed from Europe’s already struggling migrant system, the people in the troubled parts of our world are given a comparable level of education, nutrition and training as they would be here and we foster a new generation for countries like Syria and Afghanistan in the name of Britain.

But all of this will be for nothing if we can not end the fighting, the war, and the distress which is the very reason that these people choose to take the hazardous road to Europe. This is why on top of our diplomatic negotiations with those involved in the conflict, we need to work towards a safe zone within Syria which is respected by all parties (even the Russians). We need to make this a credible idea Not just a three acre where neither anything ever grows nor rain falls or rivers flow, we need a serious full-fronted humanitarian effort to establish an area of land in which Syrians who are displaced by the fighting can go and be looked after. Although the way we combat the war in Syria and Assad’s regime is another question altogether, it is another front on which we must also double our efforts.

Although it is the Syrian refugees who are getting the most coverage,

We should be taking more refugees

many will surprised to know that the second and fourth highest countries of origin are Kosovo and Albania. Now these are countries on our doorstep and although I do not want to talk down the issues that both of these states have, I think it is fair to say that their problems are not as grave as Syria’s. Therefore, it could be that we have to start rejecting more of the asylum claims from these countries in favour of those who are truly refugees from war and terror. We must do what we can for the most vulnerable and the most needy and I think it is fair to say that we should deal with those who have the biggest problems first.

The third highest country of origin for the refugees is Afghanistan. We all know of the war in Afghanistan involving British troops, British money and British lives and so we can not allow a country which we have built up from

the ashes to fall back into the fire of tyranny once more. In the 13 years during which the coalition forces occupied Afghanistan some great steps forward were taken. But as we withdraw from Afghanistan the people follow, terrified of what may happen there, so we must also double our efforts there in every way to maintain the stability that was so hard fought for.

Britain is in the top five or so countries for giving foreign aid and that is something of which we should all be immensely proud. Those which see the £12bn we spend on it as an easy target for cuts are the same ones who turn their noses up at the migrants who come here. But overseas aid is part of the solution, not the problem, and it is time for all European countries to follow suit and combat what is in essence a European problem with a European solution.

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Features TECHNOLOGY

Be the Boss of Technology Felipe Jin Li argues that technology is taking over our lives

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have done it. You have done it.

We’ve all done it. Scrolled down our Facebook feed in silence while being with our loved ones. Watched Netflix alone at home. Taken a photo of a meal.

It’s no secret to see how our lives are being affected by our incessant use of technology. Should we feel guilty at all? It’s scary how technology is taking over our way of socialising. Our face to face conversations are being rapidly replaced by just staring at cellphones. Don’t let technology stop you from having those conversations like normal human beings.

I know you are in love with technology. You aren’t alone: everyone else loves it too. But it is a Trojan horse. You heard me right. Technology is a Trojan horse. Why? Don’t you see? Through great things like social networking, it stops you from fully enjoying your life. You can easily keep in contact with friends who live far away and you can easily battle boredom by playing Crossy Roads or watching Netflix.

Now, you might think to yourself, ‘Isn’t that great?’ Well...no. This is preventing you from enjoying life. Your life is not an electronic screen. You have to understand that there’s no need to document your life through photos or videos. Just stop it. Enjoy being with friends, enjoy having real face to face conversations and enjoy everything else in the real world.

Technology is an illusion. In fact, studies have shown that despite being more connected than ever, many people feel more alone than ever. Many people spend time measuring self-worth through

You must take control over your life. Don’t let technology play around with you

the number of likes and followers. But is that what you are really worth? No! It’s all an illusion; likes and followers mean nothing. Shockingly, some people actually pay for likes and followers with money because they really think that shows that they are popular and how much they are worth. You might think this is sad, but it is the harsh reality. So, don’t measure your self-worth through likes and followers, and live the life you really want to.

Living in a society on which the majority of people are utterly engrossed by their phones instead of the real world around them, we are slowly starting to turn antisocial alongside the rise of technologies that claim to connect us. This is sad and depressing because to a certain extent we all do this. And the effects are not looking good. Did you know that we have a shorter attention span than a goldfish? Yes, you and I. It’s all caused by technology, a Microsoft Corp. study shows. They concluded this after researchers in Canada surveyed over 2000 participants and they carefully monitored the brains of other 112 participants by using electroencephalograms.

However, there’s a way to finally live the life you really wanted. The only thing this requires is self-discipline. You have a choice. Make your decision and take control over your life. No longer let technology control you, but rather let technology be controlled by you with just one easy step: unplug. Don’t waste precious time on your phones. Go out there and have some fun with friends. It’s your choice.

You decide.

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Features SOCIAL MEDIA

Vine vs YouTube

Charlie Landells, a YouTuber, and Tom Buckle, a Viner, debate the pros and cons of each service

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ine Let’s be honest, vines are extremely easy to make. Six seconds of holding a camera up to your face is all you need to potentially make an internet phenomenon. Creating a vine requires no editing skills or expensive equipment, just a brain full of ideas.

This shows how Vine is a video sharing website for everyone, no matter how much experience of filming you have.

Because of the short length of vines, they take hardly any time to upload and you can do it straight from your smartphone. However, with YouTube, as well as having to upload all videos to a computer and then spending hours editing it, it then takes forever to upload to YouTube.

As well as not taking much time to create, they take an incredibly short amount of time to watch. One can scroll through endless loops of different content and be entertained by many different vines in a much shorter space of time than someone who spends hours glued to a screen to wait for their YouTube video to end. On the other hand with vines, because they are simply short and sharp to the point, the viewer is more likely to be entertained by a small clip that makes them laugh instantly.

As I’ve said, Vine is a video sharing website that can be used by anybody.

All you need is a smartphone, which everybody has these days, and no other equipment. A regular YouTuber needs a high-tech camera, microphone, lighting, and editing software to be able to upload consistent and high quality content. For an average person, all this will add up to

around £500. This is a lot of money! And yes, while it’s true one can film YouTube videos on their smartphone as well, the amount of film you need to fit a seven minute video will take up all of your storage and have terrible quality when watched on a big screen.

YouTube Remember when you were a kid, and you used to ride your bike with stabilisers on the back. Then remember when you took them off - you could go faster, further, and it gave you a rush of achievement. Yeah,

the occasional diamond in the rough. On YouTube, primarily because the platform is older, and if anything the ‘father’ of Vine, the process in which it selects and recommends channels has been refined to give you the very best of what you are interested in, instead of being swarmed with revines. In that way, YouTube is a far nicer platform for the watcher. And Tom, nobody’s forcing you to finish that video, if you’re not enjoying it, turn it off!

From a creator’s point of view I have to disagree with what Tom said. These days, with modern smartphone cameras (The

‘Vine is the stabilisers, YouTube is the ‘big-boy’ bike Vine is the stabilisers, but YouTube is the ‘big-boy’ bike. You’ll find that a lot more Viners start YouTube than Youtubers start Vine, primarily because it’s a step up in the creative process. The very way Vine has been integrated into social media invalidates the apps existence. You find them on Facebook and even YouTube, but do you find YouTube videos on Vine?

Nope.

To be quite honest Tom’s right - anyone can do it. But that’s not necessarily always a good thing for the user. What it means is a feed full of pretty bad videos, and

new iPhone films in 4K) the quality is astounding, and with apps like iMovie and YouTube’s very own editor, it’s become so easy to film a vlog or narrative and upload it to millions of people, whether they’re watching on a phone or a big screen. So cost really isn’t the issue here, you don’t need all those things you listed, they’re just investments. On top of this, there’s no time limit. Vines can’t carry much of a message or a plot if they’re only 6 seconds, whereas YouTube could be 6 seconds or 6 hours, it’s totally up to the creator.

This opens so many doors in the creative

industry, as the more you limit a creator, the less varied their work becomes. Scroll down any Vine feed and it’s probably all slapstick or racial-stereotype ‘banter’.

Scroll through YouTube and you’ll find new music, new documentaries, new films, and so much more. There’s no limits there, and as a creator that’s the dream.

So in my opinion, the six second limit you all rave on about is a burden, not a liberty.

Vine From both a creator’s and viewer’s point of view, I would say that since YouTube can only be done by a certain few, this means it is extremely restricting because it’s not open to everyone. Most people would want somewhere to create simple videos to practise their creator skills without needing ‘investments’, and so Vine is the answer. Yes, most Viners turn to YouTube, but that’s because they have taught themselves the skills needed and gained confidence to start YouTube videos, because you can’t get onto the bigboy bike if you haven’t used stabilisers.

You have claimed that that Youtube is the best platform for the watcher. I feel this is untrue, because what’s the first thing that you are forced to watch before YouTube videos? Adverts. These are before almost every video, and often cannot be skipped. On the other hand, there are never adverts on Vine. Surely this means that Vine is better for the viewer because they are able to scroll to their hearts content. And Charlie, they invented something to find that diamond in the rough quickly: it’s called a search button!

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Features TECHNOLOGY

The Evolution of Google

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As Google unveils its new logo and other changes, Piers Mucklejohn and Saul Rea investigate how Google has changed over its 17 years of existence

he world’s most famous search engine was not always called Google. Founders of the phenomenon, Larry Page and Sergey Brin originally called their company ‘BackRub’. This name only lasted for two years until the registered the website ‘Google.com’. Their ambitious project, which began as two college kids with a computer made up of plastic sheets and lego bricks, turned into one of the most vital tools of the modern age.

The Oxford English Dictionary has been known to add strange words into the dictionary like twerk and phablet.

However, you might not know that the verb ‘to Google’ has been added as well.

The dictionary definition is: ‘to search for information about something on the internet using the search engine Google.’ Also the word ‘Googleable’ (or googlable depending on spelling) means that something can be found on Google.

This shows that Google is not just a search engine but that it has become a word to use in everyday conversation.

Google’s first logo was very basic.

Under the logo was a basic text box in which queries could be typed. Under the text box were 3 buttons: one button allowed the user to decide how many results would show up per page, one was the ‘I’m Feeling Lucky’ button and the last one was the ‘Google Search’ button. Above the search box was the slogan: ‘Search the web using Google!’.

Now, in 2015, the ‘I’m Feeling Lucky’ button has been removed along with the ‘Google Search’ button as the search results come up automatically as you type.

There is also a set number of results per page, which is about ten. The original Google had basic search tools with the most relevant pages appearing at the top.

Nowadays, there is also Google Images, Google Maps, Google Translate and many more search tools, including voice search. The user can search depending on many things (whether it be on web search or Google Images) such as: upload date, location, usage rights and colour. Google also gives the searcher the option to search on specific sites, for example: if a user would like to search for symptoms of diabetes on the NHS website they can type: ‘symptoms of diabetes site:www.nhs.uk’ and find results only from the NHS website.

This makes searching very easy if a site doesn’t have a good search tool.

If you ask Google basic questions, such as: ‘Who is the president of the United States of America?’ you will get an answer from Google. Typing in words,

such as ‘antidisestablishmentarianism’ will come up with the definition(s) and allow you to view the origin of the word and what that word is in another language. Basic requests, such as: ‘What is 16 dollars in pounds’ will come up with the answer. Google also works as a calculator using characters such as: ‘-’ as subtract, ‘+’ as plus, ‘/’ as divide and ‘*’ as multiply. In this respect, Google has changed massively since its creation in 1998. On top of that, Google Translate (as well as being its own website) is also compatible with Google search by typing things like (for example): ‘What is hello in French?’

Google Maps was introduced in 2005, back then it was quite simple (although advanced for its time) and had lots of things to be improved. Nowadays, Google Maps is very advanced with the ability to search for locations based on postcode, name or location (for landmarks/towns/cities) and company name. Google Maps now also includes Street View and is linked with Google in such a way that finding a business on Google Maps allows you to view reviews of that company and see details such as opening hours and phone number.

It might surprise you but there were two popular search engines that have still survived until today. The first of which is Yahoo. Yahoo began in January 1994 and was the main web portal in internet browsers. Yahoo was a perfect internet hub which incorporated many features such as a search engine and news articles while keeping a simple user interface that everyone could access. Nowadays it is full of features that are not necessary and a user interface that would be more suited to its own browser.

The other old search engine was Ask. com. This is a very basic search engine as it has the least amount of options. you can find answers, photos and videos.

This was released in 1996 and was widely used. However, nowadays the only reason you could use it is by accident.

The reason that Google came out on top is a mix of good features and a great user friendliness. It combines simple functions with a simple design which results in a fast simple to use website.

Oh… There is Bing but… We don’t talk about that.

Since the day Google started they have been innovative and have led the way in terms of the internet. The company is worth 365 billion USD and is investing in a range of products from Google Glass to the driverless car; it seems like Google is unstoppable.

The Evolution of the Google Logo

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Features

SCHOOL

A Sneak Peek at the Science Centre

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Dan Alcock looks into the new Science Centre

t feels like we’ve been waiting an eternity for the new science centre, but the day for us to move in is finally here. With 21 labs and a footprint of 4264 square metres, it does not disappoint with its size. I now present to you an insider’s guide to this grand building, and a sense of the direction it’s going in over the next few months and years.

Many aspects of this huge project are impressive, and it’s obvious that the school has gone only for the best options when it comes to every aspect of the building. A real effort has been made to make good use of the £15 million that has been spent towards the centre, and you perhaps won’t even notice some of the incredible new features that make it truly unique and modern.

The design of the labs provides a good example of these features. On the outside, you can see wooden louvres around each window. These help to control temperature, as the metal panels behind these louvres can move to let heat in and out, and they open and close automatically.

Furthermore, the large windows in each lab let in a huge amount of natural light,

and the lights in the rooms are intelligent, so minimal energy is needed for the electrical lighting inside. They can detect the light with their attached sensors, and produce a lighting gradient. This essentially means that the lights closest to the windows are dimmest, and the ones to the front of the room are the brightest.

This provides an evenly lit room, with as little energy used as possible. Each laboratory features a long whiteboard across the wall, with two projectors and two speakers. This will include one fully interactive projector plus a normal one, which will be connected to an Apple TV. This provides an opportunity for not just the teachers, but also those with an Apple product to display a presentation, or video, to the entire class.

Another clever design implemented is the ‘virtual corridor.’ Remember every time you had a practical in Science, equipment would be brought in, and the person carrying it in would have to expertly navigate their way to the corner of the room and back again without making a loud noise? This was often quite distracting. However, the new science centre has an interesting new design:

each floor has the departments ‘prep room’ in the corner. This is a large area where there is a lot of space for practical equipment to be prepared. Then, it can easily be walked to any classroom, along the back of each room in this straight corridor running through all labs, along the back. Therefore you will never be distracted by this previous problem again. To add to that, there is a lot of space between the desks and chairs, and so the learning environment is incredibly pleasurable. It’ll completely change how science lessons feel as there’s so much more space for movement. All of these small, exciting changes help contribute to an entirely fresh atmosphere in the classroom.

Outside the labs, there are still many features that make the science centre truly incredible and unique. As I walked down the long corridors, I was astounded by the width and size of them. The large windows introduce a lot of light into the building, and that brings in with it a positive and peaceful vibe. Each window also

works as a seat, and they’ll have donors names engraved on them. The outstretch of department offices each have glass walls, so you can always see whether your teacher is in there. There will also be new pigeon holes outside each office for prep hand-ins. Furniture had not yet been installed when I had my tour, but I know there will be comfortable sofas and tables set up across all three floors. This means it’ll be a great location for silent study or prep, as students can feel comfortable in a new location. Boys can work at the coffee tables as part of a lesson, or in free time. A stunning three-storey sculpture will also be stationed up through the main staircase in the coming months. Each third of the sculpture represents a science, depending on which floor it’s viewable on. For example, the bottom floor, which is Biology, will have a view of roots from the sculpture. I can’t wait to see how it turns out. Downstairs, outside the labs by the staircase, there is a large area which works as an interactive classroom. There will be a flat screen TV

It’s obvious that the school has gone for only the best options when it comes to every aspect of the building

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It’s something that will be beneficial for the whole town

attached with an Apple TV, and enough seats for 16 people; this could be used for activities such as seminars. However, it won’t just be the inside of the building that’ll provide us with a location for academic studies.

The world of science is also being brought into the courtyard outside the science centre. I was introduced to plans from the Biology Department in the area.

A space has been prepared for a large greenhouse, for example. In here, different species of plants can be grown, and it’ll be much more open than the current greenhouse. Also, there is a long outstretch dug up, that has been filled with water and will be set up as the new pond.

This new pond will include different depths for different habitats, and will be surrounded by glass fencing. It has open up bays for pond filling and could potentially be used in interactive lessons. It is a brand new take on the pond compared to what we currently have. Ultimately the courtyard will feel extremely peaceful and pleasant.

An extremely impressive feature of the science centre that I did not expect is the large lab on the bottom floor. This will be the area used for public engagement events; such as science workshops with primary school children. Thus, it isn’t a lab that will be in your timetables, and we will tend not to have lessons in it.

It includes a 3D projector which will be set with 3D software, and this isn’t your normal cinema 3D. This software that comes with special glasses is set to blow us away once it’s introduced. It could revolutionise how teaching works, and will also be available in some of the labs that we’ll be taught in. These events can improve Abingdon science partnerships with other schools in the town, such as St Helen’s and St Katherine’s, Fitzharrys, or Larkmead. There is a wide space, and mobile fume cupboards that can be brought into the room, enabling many varieties of practical to be done in there.

At the end of the day, it’s nice that after all this work was put into making this huge and expensive building, that it

can be shared with the community, and become something that will be beneficial for the whole town; not just within our school. In contrast to this, there is also the ‘Project Lab.’ A smaller room on the floor of the Physics Department.

It’s a place where boys can come in and do their work, or perform small group projects. It’ll also work as a classroom of Psychology.

There are also a lot of other small details making up the science centre. The stunning main staircase rises up all three floors, and helps you feel the roaring confidence of the building. It’s complemented by two other staircases on either

side of the centre. This helps reduce the flow of students rushing to their lesson. Also, on one end there is a lift for disabled access. Most labs are identical, but slight changes do exist. Such as the fact that Physics classrooms will have a lot more sockets than the other sciences, and Chemistry classrooms will have more gas taps.

All in all, I was blown away by my visit to the nearly finished Yang Science Centre. Hopefully we will be moving into it soon after Half Term, and in three or so months every aspect of it should be complete. I know it’s going to be a great step forward for Abingdon School.

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Features VIDEO GAMES

Are Video Games Still for Children?

Jack Lester and Alex Thulin discuss whether video games are still exclusively for children

Video games have come a long way from arcades of the 80’s

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ith adult centred video games and huge sales worldwide, video games are now accepted as popular media, along with movies, television and music. A recent documentary released by the BBC delved into the world of videogames creation, focussed around the infamous world of Grand Theft Auto. The documentary titled ‘The Gamechangers’ was not approved by Grand Theft Auto’s Scottish developer, Rockstar North. The game has been known for its gang violence, prostitutes and torture amongst other things. Can the public accept adult imagery in video games, or are we still in the era where an adult playing video games is considered ‘weird’?

Adult content was unheard of in video games for over 25 years. When the video game industry first started it was considered something for children only.

Simplistic arcade games and colourful graphics in games such as Super Mario Bros. and Pacman helped portray video games as children’s toys in the 1980’s. In the 90’s video game consoles eradicated arcades and put most out of business.

The original Playstation cost almost $300 ($450 in today’s money) which was a lot more than an average christmas toy of the time. A popular game genre, fighting games became a topic of controversy with the release of 1992’s Mortal Kombat.

Mortal Kombat contained brutal death inducing finishing moves known as ‘fatalities’ involving actions such as hearts being torn out of a live fighter.

By today’s standards, the moves don’t seem that bad due to the poor graphics but

back when this was released the game’s full motion video graphics were seen as the cutting edge of realism, and controversies revolving around the game and its hyper-violent nature even got as far as a congressional hearing in the U.S and lead to the the creation of the “Entertainment Software Rating Board” (E.S.R.B), the first time video game age ratings were ever introduced. E.S.R.B is currently the American rating system, whilst “Pan European Game Information” (P.E.G.I) serves the U.K and European market.

Grand Theft Auto dominated the headlines of American news channels throughout the 2000s, with many reports focusing heavily on adult activities such as alcohol, drugs and various forms of sexual activity.

A 2005 scandal surrounded a game entitled “The Hot Coffee Mod” - a previously deleted minigame containing sexual intercourse. The related files had been inaccessible until the PC release in 2005, when Patrick Wildenborg of the Netherlands hacked the game and released a modification for it onto the internet. Soon after the Patrick Wildenborg released his creation, Rockstar Games enacted a mandatory recall of all copies of the game, despite the Playstation 2 and Xbox versions of the game containing the hidden files not being as easy to modify.

The mod itself shocked many people at the time, and several lawsuits and court cases resulted. Sexual content of this nature has never reappeared in Grand Theft Auto, and very rarely in any other.

The drowning out of adult content in video games is a far cry from the freedom

of content in late night television shows and adult movies, books and music.

These controversies are not just limited to games of the past either; the game, Hatred, which was developed by Destructive Creations and released on June 1st 2015 revolves around the central character on a genocidal rampage, murdering anyone that comes near him. The game’s announcement trailer sums it up with this quote: ‘This is the time of vengeance and no life is worth saving. And I will put in the grave as many as I can. It’s time for me to kill... and it’s time for me to die. My genocide crusade begins here.’

The trailer alone sparked massive controversy due to the hyper-violent killing of innocents and it became the second game ever to receive an ‘Adult Only’ rating from the ESRB for violence and strong language only, with most getting the rating for sexually explicit content.

The highest grossing piece of media

ever produced now sits in the hands of the video game industry: Grand Theft Auto V. The game has profited billions of dollars for the American owned Scottish game developer Rockstar North. Whilst the game was being produced, the developers used criminals recently released from prison and gang members in Los Angeles for character voices and inside knowledge. Previously, this level of realism and background knowledge was only ever found in blockbuster movies.

Many blockbuster games (also referred to as AAA games) do not contain adult content, but a growing proportion are beginning to cater for older tastes.

Adult content has long been in movies and TV shows, but the recent rise in video game popularity and adult content inside top selling games has worried many people. We believe that videogames should be accepted at the same level as any new TV drama. Video games can be played by almost anyone, but the violent games should be kept away from people who cannot be trusted with them, such as young children. For example, would you let your 8 year old watch adult films like Saw or Fifty Shades Of Grey? The answer is, of course, no so why is it not the same for video games? Why is it we manage our children’s viewing of drama or TV shows yet expect the industry to manage video games? There are still childrens’ games, just like there are still childrens’ tv channels, but children are not advised to watch shows that are inappropriate for their age. This same principle could easily be put into action if parents were better equipped to deal with a situation regarding 18 rated video games, for their underage child.

The video game industry believes strict ratings could kill the industry, but the ratings have little to no effect on persuading people not to buy games. The simpler solution is advice for those who do not play video games to help guardians decide whether their child is ready for such violence and explicit content,

Grand Theft Auto involves a scene with waterboarding used for torture

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Features

HUMAN RIGHTS

Gay Marriage?

We Didn’t Notice

Blake Jones explains why there is very little to celebrate over the US Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage

O

ver a year after Britain legalised same sex marriage, and social equality was thriving in the UK, the Supreme Court of the United States legalised same sex marriage across all states of America, even in Texas. Whilst undeniably this is progress and I would prefer the ruling to have happened rather than not happened, it is nowhere near as incredible as it is being put across to be. America is still a homophobic country. Though The Martlet previously looked at gay marriage as a whole, I intend to focus on America and whether or not equality will improve following this ruling.

The first reason why the legalisation of gay marriage means very little in that it has very little effect for many on a practical level. Firstly, it was already legal in many states. Those who lived in states enforcing the ban could try to move to a different state and get married there, though this is not the easiest solution. The main issue which gay couples faced before Obergefell vs. Hodges, was that many religions would not allow gay marriages. Whilst Judaism allows gay marriages, Catholicism, most other Christian denominations and Islam do not allow gay marriage. The vast majority of followers of a religion could not get married in the way they wanted to. Even after the Supreme Court ruling, faiths are understandably not compelled to carry out gay marriages, though this results in very little progress.

What matters with the gay marriage ruling is not necessarily the practical law, but instead the support which the LGBT+ community would get from such a ruling. Yet all the gay marriage ruling really meant was that Anthony

Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan supported gay marriage. Nine unelected members hold life peerage in the Supreme Court and five of them had the power to make this ruling. This is the equivalent of several Peers of the House of Lords scraping a majority and making a ruling over all of the country.

Whilst it may have been the morally right decision, that does not mean it can be magically passed, otherwise we would have had electoral reform by now. Unlike the recent successful gay marriage referendum in Ireland, this was incredibly undemocratic. Whilst it may not matter how it happened, providing the outcome was right, it still means that America may not have truly backed the ruling and thus it is much harder for society to accept it.

Most fundamentally though, gay marriage means little for America when civil rights are still lacking. Gay marriage has become in recent years the defining issue of gay rights campaigns, but it shouldn’t be. It is easy to see why the situation arose, because on paper the only way in which the LGBT+ are treated less fairly by the state is through not being allowed to marry someone of the same sex. If, after wanting homosexual marriage, the gay community was exactly the same as everyone else, then gay marriage would be the only issue. Yet it is more complex than that. Not only is it illegal to be gay in 77 countries in the world, but until 2003 it was illegal in the US as well. America has been making gradual progress, so I believe that in enough time these issues will be resolved.

Nevertheless, whilst ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ was repealed in 2011, trans* people are still not allowed to serve in the mil-

Despite having gay marriage, America is still a homophobic country

itary, homosexual men are not allowed to donate blood, and in 28 states you can be sacked for being gay. Furthermore, the laws imposed by the Supreme Court mean very little when there is still a very strong anti-homosexual attitude amongst Americans, resulting in mass discrimination.

Why is gay marriage important?

Because before it was legalized it was evident that the state was constitutionally against gay rights. Gay marriage was an important objective of campaigning because unless it was passed it was very difficult to promote gay rights. Only now that gay marriage has been passed is the LGBT+ community able to start pushing for true equality. It is almost as though

they have been held back in the race and only now are they allowed to start running. The future is optimistic for America. The country is becoming more and more progressive and full equal rights should soon come. Nevertheless, gay rights cannot simply be passed by five members of the Supreme Court waving their wand and instead need to be accepted by the entire country. Otherwise the prejudice will still be very strong and the country will be stuck in the awkward and tense situation of only treating each other with respect because the law commands it. Therefore, US gay equality is succeeding, but from now on the battle should not be fought in law courts, but with real people with real views.

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Features

TRAVEL

Japan: Endless Discovery Pawin ‘Pea’ Sermsuk gives an insight into the land of the rising sun

J

apan. The land of the rising sun.

And it really is the land of the rising sun, being one of the first countries on earth to see the sun rise every morning. Japan lies in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of eastern China.

The country’s mountainous landscape is due to it being in between three of the world’s tectonic plates, and as a result, it is one of the most earthquake-prone areas in the world. But despite being geographically challenged, Japan still has the third largest economy in the world and a very high Human Development Index. It is a country that relies heavily on the people, and they certainly did not disappoint.

I touched down in Tokyo early on Tues-

day morning, with loads of expectations rushing through my head. Tokyo was really the only city planned for this trip, but even a seven-day visit was nowhere near long enough. After going through immigration and all the security checks, we rushed to our hotel, which, luckily, is in the heart of Shinjuku, the main shopping district. I did not hesitate to take a long browse through this monster of a place. Many of the world’s giant companies are headquartered here, including Epson, Olympus, and instant noodle manufacturer Nissin. It also houses the busiest railway station in the world, Shinjuku Station. It was like the Piccadilly Circus of Tokyo, but much much larger and busier, with all of the Japanese main

stores like Uniqlo the well-known clothes shop, and Bic Camera, the largest electronic store in the country. There was also Don Quijote, their equivalent of Poundland, which had thousands of ‘quality’ products to choose from.

Shopping in Japan was a marvel.

What makes it so different is that it is not the usual, ‘walking-into-Burberry-thenheading-off-to-Prada’ kind of shopping.

The Japanese love their domestic goods, and no matter what you are looking for, there is always a Japanese equivalent for everything. That doesn’t mean that the quality of the product is bad. I bought a £30 electric BB gun and it is still working.

In the heart of Shibuya lies a flagship

seven-storey DIY store, Tokyu Hands.

It focuses on hobby, home improvement and lifestyle products, and is undoubtedly one of the best. Every floor specialises in different interests and I just couldn’t get enough of it. I think it is fair to say, though, that all the well-known western brands were nowhere to be seen in Tokyo.

In many ways, I like to refer to Japan as the Germany of Asia, simply because in many ways, they really are alike, which I guess isn’t much of a surprise since they were allies during the Second World War. A quarter of Japan’s national wealth evaporated during the war. By 1945, Germany was under the control of the Allied Powers in Europe: the United States, the

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A Japanese Tonkatsu Bento, with unlimited rice and miso soup refil USSR, Britain and France. Japan was occupied by the United States after its formal surrender. But no trace of the past can be seen today. Japan currently has the third and Germany the fourth largest economy in the world. Both countries have amazing social services. Public transport covers almost every inch of the country, and health care in both countries are considered the best.

Tokyo, as you’d expect, has many things to look out for. The imperial palace was the first place I visited. Luckily, I was just in time for the Sakura flowers to blossom, which only happens for around

street. The legend says that in the year 628, two brothers fished a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, out of the Sumida River, and even though they put the statue back into the river, it always returned to them. Consequently, Sensoji was built nearby for the goddess of Kannon. The temple was completed in 645, making it Tokyo’s oldest temple.

Nearby to the temple lies a huge public park. Everyone was out in the sun, soaking up the sunlight which marked the beginning of summer. As I walked along, I noticed company executives, dressed in suits, sitting round small

The Senso-ji temple in Asakusa, the oldest temple in Tokyo

Japan relies heavily on the people, and the Japanese certainly did not disappoint

seven days every year at the beginning of spring. The walkway was covered in light pink Sakura petals, like the photos on travel posters. The other well-known landmark in Tokyo is the Senso-ji temple in Asakusa. Visitors enter through the Kaminarimon, the Thunder Gate, before passing through a 200-metre shopping

square tables, conducting a board meeting. It felt personal and relaxed, certainly not like any of the typical board meetings I’ve seen, and it may well explain the well-renowned Japanese creativity around the world.

Japanese cuisine is, undoubtedly, some of the best in the world, and the

A sushi master meticulously arranging his tray of hand-rolled sushi

Rush hour at the world-famous Shibuya intersection food on this trip was no exception. I was spoilt for choice from the very first day, although the first meal wasn’t the most pleasant experience. Having not eaten since leaving the early morning flight, we headed off to a Japanese-style fast food place. There, diners had to select their food on a machine, then insert the money for it.

Starving, I pressed the first picture I saw that looked like salmon, and the machine immediately gave me a token, which I had to hand to the staff. In the end I was served a minute-sized preserved salmon which had just come out of the microwave. But despite the first impression, I tried all the well-known menus; Tonkatsu (Fried Breaded Pork), Sushi, Sashimi and Takoyaki. I can only say that the Japanese food we have in the UK is a good ‘replica’

of Japanese cuisine, but the authentic food is well beyond compare.

Tonkatsu comes in big pieces with unlimited rice and chopped cabbage. Sushi and Sashimi are made to order, with fish that was just caught that very morning. It really doesn’t get fresher than that. The sushi masters who prepare your meal must have at least two years of training with rice before they are even let loose on a slice of fish. It is a very respectable profession in Japan, and most sushi masters in restaurants have decades of experience.

Japan certainly was an extraordinary adventure. Getting to know the Japanese way of life and seeing their unique identity after years of hearing only stories felt like a very special treat. The holiday wasn’t just a normal trip; it was the first of many more to come.

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Features HEALTHCARE

Medicine: A Science or an Art? I

Jonathan Lee gives an analysis of one of the key principles in medicine

s Medicine a science or an art?

It’s a debate amongst doctors all around the world, going unnoticed amongst most people. But in reality, the way a physician interprets their practice can greatly affect the way the patient is treated, and may even decide one’s fate.

When medicine is treated as an art in practical usage, is it effective in saving lives? Most research points to the scientific point of view, that using standardized protocol guidelines set by the joint commission in a hospital are more effective in saving lives, as amateur doctors without experience are more prone to medical errors when relying on experience. In the New England Journal of Medicine, accomplished medical professor Atul Gawande said that medical errors were cut from 1.5% to 0.8% when following these protocols.

For example, the use of beta blockers (class of drugs for prevention of second heart attacks), aspirins, and other standardized drugs, is varied across the US, even though it is a standard procedure to set them. But according to The Dartmouth Institute, consistent use of these medications are, ‘shown to reduce the risk of future cardiovascular attacks’.

This shows that science beats the artistic point of view in the management of a disease in most cases.

On the other hand, when it comes to treatment of some problems, a doctor cannot be overly scientific that they lose their compassion and empathy (the artistic view). Every single doctor has either written or said something along the lines of this before or when they enter medical school: ‘I want to help people, and that is why I want to be a doctor’. But what does

Medicine isn’t the only cure

A doctor’s decision can be life threatening ‘helping’ mean? Is it only to cure the patient of the disease? The patient in their care may be getting all the treatment they are meant to, but are they happy?

the problem. Doctors who believe that medicine is an art would agree that the connection and communication between doctor and patient is the essential to the

Each doctor has their own approach

Almost all doctors in western medicine would agree that medicine is an applied science but when one deals with uncertainty (the lack of evidence), each doctor has his/her own approach to

recovery of the patient, and this was the traditional outlook doctors had all around the world at the beginnings of modern civilization. This is beautifully laid out in a quote by the 16th century Swiss doctor Paracelsus. He states: ‘the character of the physician may act more powerfully upon the patient than the drugs employed.’

A survey was given to 23 physicians in the state of Utah to find out the main cause for unhappy patients. 23% of the 105 patients surveyed gave a reason related to communication e.g. not spending enough time with patient, not taking concerns seriously, and not being completely honest. Physicians can avoid this by developing a caring attitude, and a good doctor-patient relationship by being available to meet the patient’s needs and creating a friendly atmosphere.

This happens more often when doctors approach medicine from an artistic perspective, as they are more likely to not only treat the patient, but listen to their opinions as well.

Furthermore, the relationship between doctor and patient can affect the

course of treatment. There is a case of an unhappy elderly patient, who was treated in an NHS hospital, filing a complaint about a lack of sympathy, support and compassion. The woman, suffering from a visual disability, was given proper treatment, but her pleas were ignored.

She was given tablets in a tiny pot which she couldn’t see, and wasn’t attended to.

Furthermore, there was bad handling of information, and a member of staff even laughed when the mistakes were pointed out. This shows a lack of respect, which is especially important when a patient is distressed. A patient should never be treated like this. Even though all the correct treatment was prescribed, the lack of compassion was most certainly disgraceful. This is an extreme case in which science was the sole cure, with no empathy and the artistic, caring side not shown. This does not mean that the scientific approach is not right; it just means without an artistic side, the patient will not be happy.

In my opinion, I support a science-based practice which makes the patient feel most comfortable and respected.

While many people consider medicine to be an art, the term is vaguely defined and varies in definition from person to person.

I think the aspect concerning communication can be considered art, but I would not go so far to say that the ability to make the correct diagnosis is as well. Therefore, I think a patient can experience the best care from a physician who accepts that medicine is an applied science with the addition of the art of communication. The father of modern medicine, Sir William Osler, once said: ‘The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient with the disease.’ I completely agree.

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Sport

Stuart Broad, the star man of the summer

E

ngland cricket entered the Ashes of 2015 in a state of utter embarrassment. The series was to start off the back off a 1-1 test series draw against a below par West Indies team and the previous disgrace of the the One Day World Cup. To suggest that English cricket was a laughing stock probably underestimated the sincerity of the matter.

These unfortunate results for England soon led them to appoint a new director of cricket. This job was left in the hands of Andrew Strauss, who was appointed by the head of the England and Wales cricket board Tom Harrison.

Both of these men shon new light on English cricket at young ages for their respective jobs. This was honestly to be the start of something new for English cricket (excuse the cliché).

Australia still came as red hot favourites. For as long as the Ashes exist, one single moment will be talked about from the 2015 contest. Cardiff: first morning,

CRICKET

Is English Cricket Good or Bad? Dan Brown delves into the fluctuating summer of English cricket

the match, Haddin never played another Test. 1-0.

England lost heavily at Lord’s on a belter of a pitch. An unchanged England were absolutely pummelled by Australia in the Second Test at Lords. Australia made two changes from the First Test Haddin and Shane Watson out for Mitchell Marsh and Peter Nevill. Nothing seemed to go their way, however. First, they lost the toss on a batsman’s paradise and although Moeen Ali soon got David Warner out for 38, Steve Smith and Chris Rogers quickly set about putting England

Never has a test crowd in England been more continuously enraptured by events First Test, England 43-3, another lousy start. The score had not moved on when Joe Root, on nought, flicked late at a full ball outside off. Australia’s veteran, widely admired wicketkeeper Brad Haddin spilled the chance to his right. Root went on to make a score of 134, England won

under pressure. Rogers was eventually bowled by Stuart Broad for 173. Australia finally declared halfway through day 2 on 566-8, with Broad being the pick of the English bowlers with 27-5-83-4. (27 overs, 5 maidens, 83 runs conceded and taking 4 wickets).

The English reply didn’t get off to a good start with England falling to 30/4.

Alastair Cook and Ben Stokes were together by the end of day 2 and England were a long way off avoiding the follow on. When Cook (96) and Stokes (87) were dismissed, England looked in serious trouble and indeed failed to avoid the follow-on. Although this wasn’t important as Australia decided to bat again.

In less than 50 overs, they put on 248/2, with Rogers retired from the match hurt after having a dizzy spell while at the crease. After the tragic death of Phil Hughes last year, this was the right call.

When England went to bat again they were abysmal. Once again the first four wickets went down for less than 50, (this time 48) and this collapse continued. England 101 all out, and Australia winning by a massive 405 runs. 1-1.

However, things got back on track for England. They won at Edgbaston on a green one. Never has a Test crowd in England been more continuously enraptured by events. Two passages of play endure: a partnership of 87 runs between Moeen Ali and Stuart Broad which put daylight between the sides and may have been the most crucial of the summer, and the rapid bowling of Steve Finn, effecting a personal renaissance by taking 6-79. 2-1.

And then there was Trent Bridge, the climax of the unforgettable summer. At the end of the first over Australia were

10-2. By lunch they were 60 all out, Broad had 8-15. During this remarkable game one moment stood out: the catch

by Stokes diving full length to remove Adam Voges. 3-1. Cook merely repeated what many had already stated: ‘I didn’t think we were quite ready to win the Ashes at the beginning because I thought you needed a group of players who were match-hardened. But the guys have surprised me. We have won really critical moments and the players have really stepped up which shouldn’t surprise me but it has. They have made big steps from guys with little experience to match-winners and hardened professionals and players for England.’

It was not quite over. England were hammered out of sight at The Oval. 3-2.

There was a one-day series which itself had merit. England came from 2-0 down to 2-2 before the end of the series. It was almost as if they could not believe all that had gone before, that all passion was spent, and Australia clinched the series 3-2.

There is still a crisis in English cricket.

Who knows where the domestic game is heading with the counties continually resisting the obvious change which is needed, and indeed happening in other parts of the world, (including an IPL-style franchise Twenty20). They may find that by embracing it there is a whole new world out there that can bring serious rewards.

England did. It has been outrageous.

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Sport

Sebastian Vettel celebrating one of his 3 wins so far

FORMULA 1

Formula 1 Explained

F

Johnny Allison gives an insight into F1

or those who are fairly new to the whole idea of Formula 1, it is the pinnacle of motorsport.

There are 19 races in the F1 calendar (as of 2015) and if you finish in first place you get 25 points added to your total point tally, second is 18 and third is 15. So far in the season the Mercedes-benz team have dominated with one of the two Mercedes winning 10 out of 13 grand prix, at the time of writing. Lewis Hamilton has won seven of these 10, with his team mate Nico Rosberg taking the other three. The other three grand prix have been won

by Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel. He won in China, Hungary (which was arguably the best race of the season) and most recently Singapore.

The Mercedes powered cars, such as the Mercedes and the Williams have been the fastest cars over the last couple of years due to the dominance of the Mercedes engine, however, the Ferrari engine has improved dramatically over the last year causing them to jump both the Red Bull and the Williams. The Red Bull car has had a rather torrid time this season.

The poor Renault engine has just simply been outclassed by those of the Mercedes and the Ferraris.

The other engine manufacturer in the game is Honda. There is not much to say about Honda other than: ‘what a disappointment’. The Honda engine only powers two cars on the grid and that is the McLarens of Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button. The Honda engine has broken many British fans’ hearts because Button is consistently starting from the back of the grid. Lets hope things get better for McLaren who have won 12 driver’s championships and eight constructor’s championship in their history!

The season was off to a flyer with

Hamilton gaining his first win from pole position. He led his team mate Rosberg home for a Mercedes one-two with Ferrari’s Vettel in a respectable third place.

Next came Malaysia where the first upset of the season came with Vettel coming from second place to finish first after a tactical masterpiece by the Ferrari race strategy team. China was another one-two for Mercedes which was the start of the Mercedes domination. Mercedes won the next seven races Hamilton winning at the Chinese, Bahrain, Canadian and British Grand Prixs. Rosberg winning at Spain, Austria and most spectacularly Monaco.

The Monaco Grand Prix was filled with many a twist and turn. The race was

Lewis Hamilton celebrating a race win

the race win away.

The next upset was at the Hungaroring in Hungary. It looked as though it would be another typical weekend for Mercedes after they had gone top in all practice sessions and qualified first and second. However, both Mercedes got off the line slowly whereas the two Ferraris who were sat directly behind them managed to jump both of the Mercedes moving into first and second. Hamilton, trying to quickly get back in front of the Ferrari pair, found himself off the track after pushing too hard, he got back onto the track in tenth place. Hamilton kept trying to push his car to the limits and often he went too far, causing two collisions. Ros-

F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport looking fairly routine for another classy Hamilton win, however little did he, or anybody else for that matter, know that an outrageous event was to follow. As 17 year old Max Verstappen rammed into the back of an unsuspecting Romain Grosjean, the safety car was called into play. Hamilton, whose strategists thought going in for a pitstop during the safety car was going to be something everyone would do, pitted to cover off any potential threat but couldn’t have been more wrong. He pitted and allowed his teammate and rival Rosberg and Vettel to pass him. Hamilton was furious and extremely disappointed that the team told him to come into the pits which threw

berg, on the other hand, stuck with the two Ferraris and even looked as though he could challenge for the race win when Kimi Raikonnen’s Ferrari had an engine failure. Rosberg kept pressing Vettel until he picked up a puncture and as a result of that he finished eighth and Hamilton finished sixth. Vettel brought his Ferrari over the line first for the second time this season.

The next two races sparked controversy throughout the whole of the paddock. All controversy was due to the tyre manufacturers Pirelli. At the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, Rosberg had a huge tyre explosion in the second practice which, when analysed

by the FIA, was through no fault of his own but down to the tyre not being able to cope with the extremes being thrown at it.

So into the race everybody went, this tyre explosion still hanging over the driver’s heads. The whole race went without an incident until the penultimate lap where Vettel’s right rear tyre exploded on the Kemmel Straight denying him a podium finish. Immediately after the race all the fingers were pointing at Pirelli, who in response to all this criticism said that it was down to Ferraris risky one-stop strategy that the tyre exploded. However Ferrari released data showing they did nothing wrong. On top of this Vettel said that if the explosion happened 200 metres before it happened he probably wouldn’t be standing there because it would’ve happened on the infamous Eau Rouge corner, perhaps suggesting that he could have been killed by the incident.

To make sure this never happens again Ferrari pressed Pirelli into changing the tyre pressure rules so that they need to check tyre pressures before every race.

Next came Monza where more controversy followed. Hamilton won the race with Vettel second and Felipe Massa in third.

After the race it was revealed both Mercedes were running with illegal tyre pressures. However even after a three hour meeting with the FIA, Mercedes didn’t lose their race win and got no penalties, which was incredibly lucky in many people’s eyes.

However, this doesn’t seen like it will matter too much because it looks as though Mercedes are in for another Drivers’ and Constructors’ double. In the crazy world of F1 though, nothing is for certain until the championship has been sealed.

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THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 7

Sport

Rooney trains with the England squad before matchday

Rooney: England’s best?

FOOTBALL

W

ayne Rooney recently became the first English player to reach the 50 international goals tally. But does this make him the greatest player to wear the three lions shirt? Rooney surpassed Bobby Charlton’s 49 goals in a 2-0 win against Switzerland, which also helped qualify England for the 2016 European Championships in France, putting him in the record books forever. Despite scoring more goals for England than any other player, does this make Rooney the best ever? Does this make him better than the likes of Charlton, Gary Lineker and Jimmy Greaves?

Rooney may have scored the most goals but he has also played more games than any other top five England striker and his goals per game ratio is a little lacking in comparison to most, especially Greaves who scored 44 goals in 57 appearances, between the years 1959 and 1967, which is merely half Rooney’s playing time.

In addition to this, Rooney has scored more penalties than any other England player, excluding Frank Lampard, but does this show experience and bravery or an arrogance and need for the easier goal?

Penalties are a huge part of football and the ability to time and again step up and score is commendable. However, without these goals Rooney would be the fourth top scorer and some way off from his current tally, especially as he passes the age of 30 later this footballing year.

Despite having a low goals per game ratio, Rooney has had a fantastic career for England spanning over 12 years which in itself is a noteworthy achievement, especially as he has scored each year. Ultimate-

James Morrell evaluates the lengthy career of Wayne Rooney

ly Rooney is going to be remembered for being the first player to score 50 goals. In addition to this, Rooney has performed in the Premier League every season, scoring in total 185 goals making him the third top scorer and only two goals behind Andy Cole. This clearly shows Rooney’s strength and perseverance. Lineker, current Match of the Day presenter and one of the best strikers to ever play has predicted Rooney will score 70 goals which could stand as England’s record for a long time to come.

So, will Rooney ever be caught?

Danny Welbeck has scored more than 10 goals (14) and is still playing. In addition to this, Welbeck is not manager Roy Hodgson’s first choice and he is injured until the new year, possibly ruling him out of the European championships next year if he fails to prove form and fitness with likely limited opportunities for his club side, Arsenal. Ultimately the only member of the current crop who has any chance of catching Rooney is Kane, who has a tough task of chasing down 47 more goals.

Rooney came onto the football pitch

He has had a fantastic career and is one of the best English players in the sport’s history Despite passing 50 goals Rooney has spoken out about how he still doesn’t think his place his secure due to the richly scoring young players coming through the ranks. These include Harry Kane, who has quickly moved onto three goals in four games, at the time of writing, aged only 22.

Kane grew up with Rooney as his idol and now he is playing alongside him showing the lengthy career Rooney has had.

However it is unlikely for Rooney to be caught in years to come as only one player,

extremely young aged only 16 for Everton becoming their second ever youngest player. He soon became their youngest goalscorer still aged only 16. Rooney was also the youngest ever England Player aged 17 years and 111 days and, later that year, became the youngest ever scorer. Since then Rooney has moved onto Manchester United and achieved all the great milestones that any player dreams of including winning the Champions League and playing for your country at the World Cup.

Stacked up against other players, Rooney has had one of the best careers of all time thanks to his goalscoring record for one of the best teams ever. Would Rooney have had such a glittering career if he was playing for another team or manager? In hindsight, it appears that having Sir Alex Ferguson as his manager for much of his career may have helped Rooney out a lot as he is arguably the best manager ever, having shown he could spot, develop and improve Rooney’s talent. In addition to this, playing for Manchester United could have helped Rooney out a lot more thanks to the club’s high pedigree, guarantee (at least initially) of Champions League football and being title challengers.

In brief, if Rooney stayed at Everton or signed for another club, there is no way of knowing for sure, but he probably wouldn’t have been so prolific in front of goal. There could have been a high chance Rooney would have signed for another club where the manager didn’t take kindly to his occasional temper, leaving the England international with dimmer career prospects.

In my opinion, Wayne Rooney has had a fantastic career and is one of the best English players in the sport’s history. The fact that he was the first player to pass the milestone of 50 goals goes to show his talent. However, there is evidence to support the fact that he has been fortunate thanks to no serious injuries and a number of penalty goals. Despite this, players are taught to take luck where they can and therefore I believe that Rooney can be seen as the one of the best English players ever to grace the field of play.

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THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 7

Sport

SPORT PRE

Predictions for

Jonny Hurrell and Freddie Bermingham go hea

JONNY HURRELL PREMIER LEAGUE

Chelsea The current champions have had an appalling start to the season and rivals Manchester City have been in blistering form. Despite their early woes, they have one of the best managers in the world in Jose Mourinho and the best squad depth of any team in the country. Along with the festive season comes a fixture pile-up for all squads. Injuries were problems for Arsenal and Man City last year, with both losing key players at crucial stages of the season. Chelsea’s three strikers (Diego Costa, Radamel Falcao and Loic Remy) are good enough to replace one another if injuries occur, whereas an injury to Olivier Giroud or Sergio Aguero could be costly. Chelsea’s experienced defence could work for or against them. On one hand John Terry’s excellent form from last season could be carried through to provide strength in the defence however on the other hand his lack of speed could finally start to pay and could leave Chelsea hopelessly exposed. This season’s title race promises to be another thrilling encounter between three perhaps four teams if Louis van Gaal can get his side playing the football they are expected given their astronomical prices.

SUPERBOWL

Indianapolis Colts After the drama of the ‘deflate-gate’ scandal marred the Colts’ end of season they will be chomping at the bit to go all the way this season.

Many experts are tipping Andrew Luck to win the MVP award and if he fires there are few that would bet against the Colts reaching the AFC Championship game and then the Superbowl. Pre-season roster additions have been smart, with Andre Johnson replacing the legendary Reggie Wayne. Johnson has made six Pro Bowl appearances and holds numerous franchise records at the Houston Texans including most receptions, most receiving yards and most receiving touchdowns. They have also signed Frank Gore, the experienced Running Back from the 49ers, replacing Boom Heron who was waived after injury, despite playing a major part in the Colts’ post season. If the Colts can sure up their often leaky defence they will be a huge threat to the New England Patriots’ (their opponents at the centre of the aforementioned scandal) title. In the NFC, the Green Bay Packers look to be the leading contenders to make it all the way to the Superbowl with MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Eddie Lacy getting stronger and stronger. The Seattle Seahawks should also be considered given their recent record, making the Superbowl in the last two years, mainly down to their league leading defence and ‘Legion of Boom’ made up of Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas.

RUGBY WORLD CUP

England England’s World Cup squad is perhaps not a strong as they would like, with bans to Dylan Hartley and Manu Tuilagi and injuries to Luther Burrell and Alex Corbisiero to highlight a few, they will need to use all the support from the passionate home crowd. The initial hurdle to overcome will the tricky group stage. A three way clash between England, Australia and Wales will leave one nation dissapointed with an early exit.

A series of strong results in the warm up games have set standard from England to build on. Their back three of Anthony Watson, Mike Brown and Jonny May have improved massively together. However, they do not have an established centre partnership going into the tournament. It is expected that Brad Barritt will most likely start alongside Jonathan Joseph. An injury to Jonathan Joseph, England’s best player in their recent Six Nations campaign could prove costly for the back to back matches against Wales and Australia.

UEFA EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

Belgium

Belgium are one of the most highly rated teams in the world due to their enormous potential. Could this tournament be their coming of age?

They have world class players throughout their side with the likes of Thibaut Courtois and Vincent Kompany in defence with Eden Hazard and Christian Benteke providing attacking threat. Their main drawback will be their inexperience in the latter stages of tournaments. They will also need to hope that other major teams don’t perform to their full potential, particularly Germany and Spain, who I believe will bounce back from a poor World Cup. With Kevin De Bruyne moving to Manchester City he could develop into the superb player he’s tipped to be, further improving the Belgian squad. As previously mentioned, for Belgium to win, Germany would need to falter. I can see this happening given the ageing squad, similar to Spain’s collapse in 2014. Other teams to consider include France and Italy, both have upcoming youngsters, notably Paul Pogba, who has been on the radar for major English clubs, and indeed European giants also.

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THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 7

EDICTIONS

the Year Ahead

ad to head predicting upcoming sporting events

FREDDIE BERMINGHAM PREMIER LEAGUE

Manchester City With the strong start Manchester City have made and the squad having been strengthened by signings such as KevinDe Bruyne and Raheem Sterling, I can see the club going all the way this season and again winning the League. In my opinion, the two main factors when they seem to have successful seasons are Belgium defender Vincent Kompany and Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure playing well, which they certainly are at the moment - and of course Argentinian striker Sergio Aguero being on the pitch and not on the medical table as well. This factor, tied in with the fact that they won’t be missing African players such as Toure and Wilfried Bony to the African Cup Of Nations this year, means their only main threat is holders Chelsea. However, with Chelsea’s poor start to the season and many of their key players out due to injury or not performing, such as goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and midfielder Cesc Fabregas respectively, I don’t see them catching the seemingly unstoppable Citizens.

SUPERBOWL

New England Patriots Having won the Superbowl last season with a tight victory over the Seattle Seahawks, I believe they will go on to retain the title with their main threat again being the men from Seattle. Tom Brady has had a rough offseason, hampered by the drama of deflate-gate and the antics that ensued. Tom Brady’s partner in crime, Rob Gronkowski, is widely considered the best tight-end in the league and will have a major part to play in the outcome of the Patriots’ season. His power as a blocker is expected but his technical ability as a receiver is phenomenal.

RUGBY WORLD CUP

New Zealand With New Zealand’s thumping start to the tournament against Argentina winning 54-9 and sealing the four try bonus point, you can see them going on to retain their title as world champions. However, I think the fact that they won’t be tested until at least the quarter-finals may mean they become complacent and might not be competitively ready, although I see this as being unlikely.

UEFA EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

Germany Coming off the back of a dominant World Cup campaign in 2014, I think Germany have a great chance of winning the Euros in France this coming summer. The key players likely to play a big part in their success will be the experienced and strong spine that their manager, Joachim Low, has built this team around – namely Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Philip Lahm (Bayern Munich) and Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich). With Holland failing to qualify, I don’t think many teams pose a major threat to them winning this tournament. Perhaps France with their home support and youthful but promising squad could topple the Germans, although an unlikely prospect.

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THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 7

Sport RUGBY

The World Cup So Far Seb Mulford, Joe Delafield, Will Sutcliffe and Dave Telling pick the standout players from the Group Stage of the World Cup Bernard Foley (Australia) - Fly-Half At 6 ft and weighing in at 89kg Bernard Foley has proven himself as a deadly fly half for Australia so far. He started playing for the Waratahs in 2011 and became a regular for the Waratahs in 2012. He was originally a sevens player and won the silver medal at the commonwealth games. He was named Australia’s sevens player of the year in 2011. Foley was one of the main reasons for England’s downfall. He played an important role in both of Australia’s tries and finished both of them off, putting an end to England’s World Cup campaign. Bernard Foley’s kicking skills were also a key part in Australia’s success as he scored all of Australia’s 15 points against Wales.

Dan Biggar At 6ft 2 and 89k, Biggar is a formidably large fly half. Biggar also has proven himself to be one of the best players as he is youngest player to reach 100 caps for the Ospreys.

A grand total of 620 players meaning we are spoilt for choice

Bernard Foley Nehe Milner-Skudder (New Zealand-WINGER) At 5ft 11in and 90kg Milner-Skudder is one of New Zealand youngest players at the age of 24. In his first test for New Zealand in August 2014 against Australia he scored two tries, which from the outset of his international career marked him out as ‘one to watch’. This is quite a title to have in a New Zealand team who have held the title of being the best team in the world for five years straight now. It’s also worth saying that Richie Mccaw (New Zealand’s captain for over 100 caps) is finishing his career after the world cup. He is a figurehead for rugby and will give the New Zealand players much more to play for each game. New Zealand won all of their group games with huge point margins - this gave Milner-Skudder an opportunity to show his prowess.

This was shown as Milner-Skudder scored 4 tries in 2 games using his renowned pace and stepping skills.

Dan Biggar

Stuart Hogg (Scotland-FULL BACK) At 5ft 11in and 93kg Hogg is one of the very few Scottish players to make it into the formidable Lions team. In Scotland’s somewhat limited and sometimes conservative style of rugby Hogg brings a welcomed hint of flair and pace to the side, which has stunted even the best of teams from time to time. In my view he has been the start of a new Scotland rugby team which will entail more creativity and may enable them to compete with sides such as Wales and Ireland. Hogg has lead his side against every team they’ve played against, win or lose. Before the world cup Hogg expressed his belief in the scottish team and said they stand a chance in winning the world cup if they all play their best. ‘We’re not going to a world cup thinking it’ll be fine just to get out of the pool stages, we’re going to win. Hogg acknowledges that there is some way to go but he reckons if they can get past the group stages they can really focus on progressing.

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THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 7

Humour

Dudley’s Dilemmas ADVICE

Permission to publish the following was eventually granted by Dudley, the Head’s dog, after discussions with Henry Waterson and Blake Jones

Hi Dudley!

I’m a new third year at the school and really excited to be here at Abingdon. I’m very pleased to have the opportunity to write to you, because at my old school I was a prefect but now I have no power whatsoever so I am doing whatever I can to get close to the Head and work my way up the ranks.

I am doing fourteen subjects, which includes DT and I’m not too sure why, and therefore have received lots of prep from lots of teachers. Also, there are lots of Other Half activities which I have agreed to and for some reason I’ve been handed a bassoon and told to play it in second orchestra.

Finally, I am trying to make the teacher notice me, as I’m pretty sure he once said to another teacher that we all look the same. In order to do this, I want my preps to stand out as much as possible, but I have to balance that with not looking really keen and being embarrassed by handing in a three page essay when most of the class has done a few bullet points.

Dudley, I’m having a tough time settling in. Part of me feels I should have taken the easy option and gone to Magdalen but I’m here now and need to make the best of it. How should I manage my time? Also how much work should I do for each subject? Please tell me what to do. And also if you could, please stop people from laughing at me in debating society and clapping me down because I accidentally say something racist.

Thanks, Anonymous third year Dear Client, Thank you for your anonymous letter. Like all others who resort to counselling from a literate dog, your existence is surely tormented by the most dire dilemmas. But before I weave a solution to your crisis and shine the light of truth into your troubled mind, I feel compelled to congratulate you for your assiduousness.

To be assiduous is a quality most highly prized among us Abingdonians, and a quality that you possess in great quantities: you have chosen to undertake almost every subject on the curriculum, you would seem to spend more time on prep than is mathematically possible, and after a single half term, you have qualified for enough school ties to change three times every day without running out after a fortnight. The evidence is irrefutable. You, young master, are the most assiduous of us all.

Why then, having taken this noble undertaking upon yourself, did I wake up this morning to find, lying in my basket, a letter of complaint? Surely, somewhere along the long, winding course of your studies, you have chanced upon the concept of work? I don’t care to imagine what they preached to you at the last establishment you called ‘school’, but you can forget all of it!

You do not come through our gates to ponce about and work when you fancy it, and the teaching staff are not here to listen to your whining! When Mr. Stinton hands you that bassoon, you play it! And since that concept is unfamiliar to you, what about gratitude? There are children in the world who’d give their own right arm to write another history essay! Indeed, if you had not frittered away your study periods spawning this contemptible rendition of a problem, you could have been writing your history teacher a four page essay! Carry on as you are now, and in two years time, you’ll have a clean sweep of A*s and not the slightest bit of common sense!

Now that you know where you stand, here is my advice: you must go forwards. Do not waste your time or my time asking silly questions. When you have such an opportunity served up on a silver platter, get it while it’s hot! Don’t use a knife and fork! Eat the silver platter as well! And don’t be put off by the taste.

And as for your impromptu racist outbursts, I blame your parents.

I have to go walkies.

Dudley.

Where in the School?

Below are some pictures of familiar places in the school taken at interesting angles.

Work out where in the school each photo belongs to.

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PUBLISHER Emma Williamson

HEAD OF SPORT Dan Brown

EDITOR Toby Jupp

DESIGN EDITORS Blake Jones Pawin Sermsuk

DEPUTY EDITOR Henry Waterson FEATURES EDITOR Blake Jones HEAD OF NEWS Nick Harris

WEBSITE MANAGER George Jeffreys ILLUSTRATOR Michael Man

STAFF WRITERS Alexander Thulin Ben Ffrench Blake Jones Charlie Landells Dan Alcock Dan Brown Douglas Wilson Felipe Jin Li Freddie Birmingham Jack Lester Jacob Lillie James Morrell

Jate Jaturanpinyo Johnathan Alison Jonathan Lee Jonny Hurrell Nick Harris Pawin Sermsuk Piers Mucklejohn Sam Chambers Saul Rea Seb Mulford Tom Buckle Will Sutcliffe

Contact us at martlet@abingdon.org.uk Initial design by Asten Yeo

Printed by the Newspaper Club

1) Greening Wing Round Bench 2) In front of B14 3) Amey Theatre Garden 4) Art Department 5) CCF 6) Big School - Biology Dept.

7) Mercer’s Court

8) Cotton’s 9) Café 10) Geography Department 11) Stairs in Art Department 12) Window view outside S28 13) In front of Austin