The Leopard (December 2012)

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NUS leader said: “There’s a sense of desperation that people have. They’re slowly seeing opportunities being taken away and are powerless to do anything The National Union of Students (NUS) about it.” protest to the cuts on education on the Burns added: “Most parents would 21st November disbanded with frustra- like to see him [Clegg] and every other tion and resentment. MP who broke the pledge go before According to the NUS, 10,000 people they can do any more harm to the next took part in “Demo 2012” and this was generation. WKH ÀUVW QDWLRQDO VWXGHQW SURWHVW VLQFH “As students gather in London today the cuts were made two years ago. to demand investment in education Talking to the Guardian, Liam Burns, and employment, the countdown to

the next general election has already begun. Many MPs of all party colours kept their promise, but those MPs who broke their pledge cannot wriggle their way out. They are living out their electoral lives on borrowed time.” The march, which began at Temple, followed a route that passed in front of Westminster and was designed to cross the bridge and head into Lambeth. But a large amount of demonstrators ground the protest to a halt outside Parliament to have their voices heard at

the perceived crux of the problem. “It’s a fucking disgrace – no one in Lambeth is cutting our education!” yelled one furious protester as the NUS RIÀFLDOV PRYHG LQ WR XVKHU WKH FURZG to the end of the route in Kensington – where several speakers were scheduled to address the crowd. A brief stand-off ensued between protesters and police but eventually passed without incident. (Continued pg. 3)

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The London Student has launched an attack on a Goldsmiths student after he attended The Stretch’s Halloween Club Sandwich dressed as Hitler. The article, written by editor Jen Izaakson, chose to name the student alongside a picture, a choice which Goldsmiths Students’ Union disagrees with, as a statement revealed. The statement continued, “The London Student did not contact Goldsmiths

Students’ Union before printing the article. The student in question has made contact with the SU and has apologised for any offence he caused.” 7KH VWXGHQW·V ÁDWPDWH DOVR DWWHQGHG the club night dressed as Jimmy Savile. Given the ongoing investigation into Savile’s sexual misconduct, this costume arguably had the same power to cause offence. However, he received no further criticism in the article. The article accuses the student of

having a fascist agenda, yet there is no evidence to support this. The stunt could just as easily have been a puerile prank. To publicly accuse anyone of being a fascist in such a public forum without evidence put the student at the centre of a witch hunt. The student has since stated that he “in no way upholds fascist beliefs.” (Continued pg. 11)

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holiday ideas that hopefully will put you into the spirit of winter and 6R ZH KDYH Ă€QDOO\ FRPH WR WKH ODVW Christmas holiday – don’t let those 2012 issue of The Leopard! essays bog you down! There’s nothing much to say about 2012 really. Not that it’s been bad – if it were, we’re sure the time would have passed slower. Anyway, let’s recap the events that have happened since our last issue: the NUS demo; the controversy over London Student’s Goldsmiths Nazi Party article – go on to the Comment and Opinion page for further scoop; the planned closure of Lewisham A&E; and the list goes RQ ² Ă LFN WKURXJK WKH SDJHV WR Ă€QG out more.

Speaking of essays, we would like to wish you all the best of luck with your coursework assignments. Hopefully you all have a productive holiday and won’t end up writing your paper on Christmas/ New Year’s Eve (not that there’s something wrong with it). Stay warm and Happy Holidays, Nindy and Alice

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2I[W 79 HIGPEVIW ,EPEP ZMGXSV] Following a student complaint, the SU shop has introduced Halal sandwich options to its Meal Deal. The complaint alleged that by only offering Halal sandwiches as a more expensive option discriminated against Goldsmiths’ Muslim community, as the more expensive Halal option was previously only available outside the existing Meal Deal. Following intervention from the SU President, Samson Osun, Halal sand-

Also, we have covered some fashion tips, cooking recipes, and

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As reported in the last issue of the Leopard, the Sainsbury’s Local across the road from the Richard Hogarth building has now opened and continues to divide opinion. In a recent poll on the Goldsmiths SU website, just under half of respondents are in favour of the store while around a third are against. In response, the SU have launched a campaign against the new chain store, arguing that it will affect not just other local businesses, but also the GSU shop. 68 FDPSDLJQV RIĂ€FHU &RQUDG *UDQW says, “Unlike the GSU and local shops, Sainsbury’s Local is not here to maintain the social glue of New Cross.â€? 7R Ă€QG RXW PRUH DERXW WKH FDPSDLJQ and get involved, contact conrad. grant@goldsmithssu.org. You can also cast your vote online at www.goldsmithssu.org.

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diverse range of people and traditions living within its boundaries. Similarly, $ PXUDO UHĂ HFWLQJ RQ SDVW DQG SUHVHQW New Cross has a number of extremely issues that affect New Cross and the challenging issues to face from its past local area will be exhibited at the LQ RUGHU WR DIĂ€UP D IXWXUH EDVHG RQ Stephen Lawrence Centre until January. respect, tolerance and human rights.â€? Organised by the Department of Educational studies, three mural artists from Northern Ireland (Danny 2I[W 7S QER] QEGLMRIW WS Devenny, Mark Ervine and Marty Lyons) worked with local school PMXXPI GEWL children to create the mural ‘I Am Until recently, Goldsmiths students Here’. were plagued with the unfortunate problem of having just one cash machine one campus, with the nearest The artwork draws on events of the free machine at Sainsbury’s New Cross New Cross Fire of 1981 as well as Gate. some more contemporary issues related Suddenly, Goldsmiths is under an ATM to youth and police relations in the area. deluge. On top of the existing NatWest machine, one has appeared in the street near the library, one at the new John Johnston, co-director of the Centre Sainsbury’s Local, and one at the new for Arts and Learning in the Department Santander branch in RHB. of Educational Studies, said: “The While this is a welcome removal of one overarching theme of the project was problem for most with being charged to emphasise the importance of art up to ÂŁ2 to withdraw cash being a thing in telling the story of the past while of the past, all these machines pose also casting new light on the future.â€? another issue. Who on earth has any money to ZLWKGUDZ LQ WKH Ă€UVW SODFH" “Like Belfast, New Cross is an urban centre of tremendous vibrancy with a

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Natural History Museum - A staple of Christmas, the ice skating rink at the Natural History Museum is beautiful but pricey at ÂŁ11.20 a skate.

The Christmas market that can be found among the concrete jungle in the Southbank Centre will provide all you need to get you in the mood for the holiday season, from Christmas trinkets, to boozy, spice-scented mulled wine. For cheap students, it must be noted that it is mainly the atmosphere that’s enjoyable, not the overpriced food!

The Nutcracker at The Coliseum. You can get tickets from £15 in the Balcony, and because it’s such a small venue you can still see everything.

For a cheaper, indoor option, try the Alexandra Palace rink from only ÂŁ6, about an hour away from New Cross.

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wiches are now included in the Meal Deal. “The meal deal is crucial for students saving money and this crucial opportunity should also be extended to all of our students,� said Osun. “It is important that all students feel comfortable speaking up about these things as it is very important.�

3YXHSSV 7[MQQMRK Perhaps not the most conventional of winter activities, it is nevertheless one that will be remembered. Try the Brixton Lido outdoor swimming pool. With limited opening hours during the winter months, a free winter dip might be just what you need.

A Season of Five Plays by the Michael Grandage Company at the NoÍl Coward Theatre; starring actors such as Judi Dench, Jude Law, Daniel Radcliffe and Simon Russel Beale. There’s over 100,000 tickets selling for £10, perfect for students

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Thousands marched in protest against the planned closure of Lewisham A&E and maternity units on November 24. The demonstration, “Hand Around Our Hospital” was organised by Save Lewisham Hospital (SLH) campaign and comes under the proposals made by the Trust Special Administrator (TSA) to restructure the hospitals in south-east London. The march started at around 2pm and arrived at the hospital after an hour, where protesters formed a human chain around the building.

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The stationary group began to move across the bridge, though not everyone was as willing to move. One protestor yelled at the march as it walked by pointing frantically at Parliament, ´:K\ DUH \RX OHDYLQJ" 7KH\·UH WKH ones who need to hear you!” But for many of the crowd it seemed that the common belief was no one in Parliament was listening to them either. Chants of “Palestine will be free” joined

those of “One solution: Revolution”, “Tories are scum” and “education for the masses, not just for the ruling classes” as the crowd of students crossed the bridge, walking away from Westminster. As the protest drew to a close the weather, which had been overcast and gloomy all morning, turned to heavy rain, resulting in many students deciding that the revolution could

wait until warmer weather and left via Lambeth North & Oval tube stations. However, despite the rain, the majority protesters reached the end of the route in Kensington Park to show their support for freedom of education. 7KH HYHQW LV WKH ÀUVW RUJDQLVHG VWXGHQW protest in London since a wave of demonstrations in 2010 against the plan to increase tuition fees, which led to a series of arrests.

The SLH campaign argued that the closure would lead to having one A&E between 750.000 residents. “Lewisham’s children’s wards, critical care unit and emergency surgery may close to pay massive debts at neighbouring hospitals. A&E would be replaced with an Urgent Care Centre. Maternity services could be lost too, and 60% of the hospital sold for £17million.” A TSA spokesperson said the proposals ensure “health services are sustainable in the long term”, the BBC reported. Community activists, along with local

MPs and Goldsmiths students, who have opposed the planned closure for months, supported the demonstration. Jos Bell, one of the campaigners from Save Lewisham Hospital, said: “It is not just the Accident and Emergency Unit that they are planning to close. “The highly regarded birth centre, the ICU and the paediatric wards are also under threat. It would mean people having to travel to Woolwich Hospital.” Save Lewisham Hospital campaigner, Andy Worthington, wrote after the march: “We all did our bit, this campaign is clearly bigger than all of us. I’ve lived here for 16 years, and this was WKH ÀUVW WLPH WKDW , IHOW WKDW WKH SHRSOH of Lewisham had solidarity against a grave injustice.” The Lewisham A&E department was only refurbished in April this year for £12 million. 7KH 7UXVW LV WKH ÀUVW HYHU WR JR LQWUR administration, currently losing about £65 million per year. Administrator Matthew Kershaw announced that £100 million will need to be saved over WKH QH[W ÀYH \HDUV

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Stanistreet appears to be against a conservative regulation of the media, but she supports an independent regulation, detached from the 'SRJIVIRGI EX +SPHWQMXLW government and the media industry. &] +MEGSQS 8MVIPPM Peter Oborne, journalist and political commentator, makes clear “Media and War: Challenging the Milne who started by focusing his his disagreement with possible State consensusâ€? was a one-day conference attention on how the media have regulation over the press and, in held at Goldsmiths on November 17. spread the belief across western particular, over the National Union It attempted to analyse the impact of countries that the occupation of of Journalists, because it would the media on the “War on Terror,â€? Afghanistan and places nearby will limit the freedom of expression focusing on the press coverage from lead to their liberation. However, this and generate many misinformed was deemed as completely untrue reports which would protect politithe 9/11 attack to present days. During the opening plenary: and simply an attempt to hide the cians and market’s interests. He also suggests that there are two types of “Serving the military or the public? destruction caused. The genuine aims of this war press war reporting, one that fosters Covering the war on terror,â€? speaker where our room resembled a prison Victoria Brittain, former associate therefore appear to be the control of nationalism and patriotism, genercell. However, if you’re going to spend foreign editor of the Guardian, UHVRXUFHV DQG WKH UHDIĂ€UPDWLRQ RI ating stereotypes and anger against a lot of time out of the room exploring, argued that wars play a central role western power on other countries. foreign people; another which exagthink of it more as just a place to lay in serving governments more than However, instead of showing the gerates the facts, giving too much your head at night. Using comparison anything else. She also suggested Western supremacy over the rest attention to danger and fostering a websites such as www.hostelbookers. that the expert in wars are not the of the world and its myth of being sense of terror among its readers. Finally, Stanistreet and Oborne com to pick hostels will work out media, as we often tend to believe, “betterâ€? than anything else, it seem to agree on how the media reveals its limits and contradictions. but people who have lived and cheaper - you’re able to manage \RXU EXGJHW VXIĂ€FLHQWO\ WKLV ZD\ seen wars through their own eyes. This failure of the “War on Terrorâ€? and National Union of Journalists Comparison sites are also useful for However, even if most of the citizens lead media to play a key role in (NUJ) should be independent from ERRNLQJ Ă LJKWV ZZZ VN\VFDQQHU FRP know what is happening in the war shaping a new reformulation of its the State, therefore rejecting any FDQ KHOS \RX Ă€QG WKH FKHDSHVW RSWLRQV FDPS WKHUH LV GLIĂ€FXOW\ TXHVWLRQLQJ agenda by not reporting certain government control over the press. Two workshops were held The most crucial tip to remember and threatening who is in power and facts but focusing on others. This that will make your trip less expensive LQ FRQWURO 7KH SRRU TXDOLW\ RI QHZV PLJKW EH GXH WR WKH PHGLD¡V UHĂ HF- after the conference. One about seems obvious, but plan ahead! Being reporting has been challenged by tion of what is commonly shared “Islamophobia, terrorism and warâ€? spontaneous and just “going with itâ€? independent and alternative forms of among the political elite as a way to and another on “The media and the all sounds very romantic, but it can media, that have gone into reporting LQĂ XHQFH SXEOLF RSLQLRQ 0LOQH DOVR movement: how do we change the lead to desperation and monstrous what was happening, focusing on condemned the misinformation too agenda?â€? In “Islamophobia, terrorism and RYHU SULFLQJ DV , OHDUQW Ă€UVW KDQG ,¡G true facts rather than just assump- often recycled and published as facts warâ€? professor Milli Williamson in everyday news coverage. strongly recommend using the hostel tions and fantasies. On behalf of the National Union from Brunel University held a presAnother important point was made bookers app to plan your next destinaby The Guardian journalist Seamus of Journalists (NUJ), Michelle entation on “Human rights, the tion in advance. Cultivation of Islam and Racismâ€?. What emerged here was a negative representation of the Muslim population which is often reduced into a single category, opposed to the so-called “British valuesâ€? and therefore associated with the idea of “otherness.â€? Another speaker in the panel was Gholam Khiabany, Senior Lecturer in Media and Communications at the University of Sussex, who suggested that war is often closely related to racism. The permanent state of the “War on Terrorâ€? seems to be a propaganda of hate and rage which feeds human anger towards difference, generating the belief that Islam is a cancer which needs to be defeated. ,Q WKH Ă€QDO SOHQDU\ DW 30 “Humanitarian Interventions: reframing the war on terrorâ€?, Sanum Ghafor reminds the public how the media often freely associate terrorist organisations with Islamic backgrounds even without any evidence, creating the assumption that muslims are terrorists. This fosters ‘Islamophobia’ within politics, the police, media and public opinion. The whole conference was introduced by Des Freedman, journalist and reader in Communication and Cultural Studies at Goldsmiths, whose book: “Media and Terrorism. Global prospectivesâ€? has just been published by Sage. It brings together leading academics to explore different ways in which media have LQĂ XHQFHG DQG EHHQ LQĂ XHQFHG E\ the war on terror and its role in the public sphere.

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Relaxing in the sunny South of France, and visiting some of the most historically important sites of Berlin seems like a long shot - especially for a student who’s partial to a carton of Tesco value wine before a night out. It seems equally impossible to imagine that you’d be able to travel 3 weeks around Europe for a grand. However, with careful planning, and saving from a part time job, this is more than conceivable with Interrail. An interrailing pass is the golden ticket of the traveling world - access to nearly all main railway lines, in 30 exciting European countries. Spanning Portugal to Bulgaria, this service has something to offer everyone; whether you’re looking to soak up the sun, or become immersed in the culture. Youth tickets range from ÂŁ145 for 10 days, to ÂŁ350 for 1 month. This includes your travel by train to each country, and discounted (or free) ferry travel. My train from Madrid to Barcelona could have been ÂŁ113 when I embarked on this experience, so this seems extremely reasonable. With an agreeable ÂŁ213 for 22 days, my friend and I managed to explore from Madrid to Berlin, and stop at some great spots in between - Barcelona, Montpellier, Paris and Amsterdam. Although traveling by train isn’t the most practical way to get around, it’s a lot cheaper than doing this experience by air travel, and the thought of hellishly long train journeys can be eased by choosing stops closer together. When it comes to accommodation, it’s still possible to keep the cost down. The most sensible idea is to go for hostels. It’s more economical to go for mixed dorms with a lot of people - although the idea of sharing a room with about 10 strangers does seem crazy, they are usually much cheaper than private rooms. “La Posada de Heurtasâ€?, a hostel located in Central Madrid, was one of the cheapest - we paid ÂŁ22.62 each for 3 nights (only ÂŁ7.54 a night), which was extremely cheap for such a fantastic city. The hostel was spotless, provided free breakfast and had a great atmosphere for young people. They had a lot of events and bar crawls going on, which was a brilliant way to start our trip. The hostel can be found at www. posadadehuertas.com/en/. One initial worry with sharing rooms is the safety of your possessions. During my Interrail experience this wasn’t a problem at all - most rooms provide lockers with a secure lock, and you can also request a safe in most cases. Another issue with hostels that puts people off is the lack of a “luxuryâ€? element - they’re not the most glamorous of places to stay at. This was made clear to us in Amsterdam,

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When you mention sports, electronic computer games are hardly what everyone pictures. Overweight middle aged men living in their mum’s basements are the usual stereotype, yet in only a few years electronic sports have become incredibly popular with large money incentives, free products and even extremely lucrative sponsorship deals being offered to those at the top of their game. Maybe to the average person LW GRHVQ¡W TXLWH KROG WKH H[SRVXUH \RX¡G Ă€QG LQ PRUH DFWLYH VSRUWV EXW certainly in the last few years a rapid expansion in the gaming market has opened up a seemingly niche market.

opted to stick with the originals, citing better control over the game. As you’d expect the games at the Electronic Sports World Cup focus PRVWO\ DURXQG VWUDWHJ\ DQG ÀUVW person shooters, yet responding to a clear market the introduction of Tekken and FIFA games presents are more mainstream shift that may well appeal to wider audiences. The most popular shooter games EHJLQ ZLWK QDWLRQDO TXDOLÀFDWLRQ with the winners from each country are all automatically added to the countries player list where, much like the World Cup each team must successfully progress through

To the casual gamer the introduction of Call of Duty series really EURXJKW ÀUVW SHUVRQ ZDUIDUH WR WKH living room and not surprisingly it didn’t take long for people to begin FRPSHWLQJ RQ WKH YLUWXDO EDWWOHÀHOG as a way to crush opponents and earn yourself your fallen foes loot at the same time. Yet the whole idea has become so popular often many modern day games will offer the choice of gambling your hard earned money away, with later Call of Duty games offering game modes dedicated to holding your in game credits up to the ransom of someone 10,000 miles away. The FIFA Football franchise has even started offering real cash incentives to daring enough players, although I doubt they’ll be making the same amounts as their real world counterparts. Yet these tournaments are not actually a new commodity, back in 2000 Valve software released the Half Life series, which acted as a base for the stand-alone game Counter Strike. The concept by today’s standards seems highly unimaginative but it really was ground breaking at the time, pitting the Counter Terrorists against the Terrorists. The latter’s objective was to plant the bomb without it being defused. :KDW PDGH WKH JDPH VR XQLTXH aside for the relatively now concept was the substantially more realistic weapon physics and character control methods. Even by today the game is used as a benchmark for all tournament run games, with people considering it to be one of the most challenging games available due to its easy to pick up, yet hard to master nature. It’s because of this that despite more recent versions being realised with better graphics and larger maps, many people have

the group stages. Once 10 teams have progressed they are all set in a league-based system of 5 v 5 each WLPH ZLWK D ÀQDO DW WKH HQG RI WKH tournament. This year France, America, Germany, Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Russia, %UD]LO DQG 3RODQG DOO TXDOLÀHG DQG are all currently battling it out until mid-November. Thanks to the continued exposure garnered from word of mouth and the media businesses have begun designing games around tournaments, most notably a French developer Nadeo who developed a large following after creating a video game especially for the Electronic Sports World Cup with hot wheels styled loops and jumps. Originally a relatively small company they were not long after bought out by video game giants Ubisoft and earlier this year released a high paced, adrenalin IXHOOHG ÀUVW SHUVRQ VKRRWHU WKDQ , FDQ RQO\ GHVFULEH DV ODVHU TXHVW EXW with rocket launchers. The game pits players in multiple, low intensity EDWWOHÀHOGV ZKHUH HYHU\RQH KDV WKH same weapon, because of the slow bullet trajectory a certain amount of movement prediction and unpredictability are needed to hit and avoid being hit respectively. While heavily engineered towards this tournament style the game does offer plenty of multiplayer options for those that are, like me, less than adept to the video game world. The current Electronic Sports World Cup is held in France this year with the tournaments currently being held. From the 02 to the 04 November DUH WKH ÀQDOV ZKHUH SHRSOH IURP different game tournaments will be KHOG LQ D VSHFWDFXODU ÀQDO

Goldsmiths is a politically active XQLYHUVLW\ LVQ¡W LW" %XW KRZ PXFK GR we really know; and how much do we UHDOO\ FDUH" 7KH /HRSDUG VHW RXW WR Ă€QG the answers. A survey was conducted to sample the political awareness of 50 random students at Goldsmiths. Students were asked to describe their current interest in UK politics and also their current interest in the economy on a scale of 1-5. Each student was then asked to identify: 1. The PM and the Deputy PM, 2. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, 3. The Leader of the Opposition, 4. The local MP for this constituency (Lewisham Deptford), 5. The form of government in the UK, 6. The organisation that regulates interest rates in the UK, 7. The names of the Upper and Lower houses of Parliament, 8. The year the current Government was elected, 9. The name of the investigation into the culture, practices and ethics of the British Press. The responses elicited some interesting results, as will be described below: Only 62% of respondents could name both the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister. Fewer still could correctly identify the Leader of the Opposition, with 48% of respondents correctly identifying Ed Miliband. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, was known to 28% of students. Some of the more interesting responses included: That Gordon Brown is the deputy PM of the UK, the UK is a Republic, the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Ed Balls had taken the role of incumbent George Osborne, our local MP was someone by the name of David Clegg, the current Government was elected in 1991, and, of course, that David Miliband was the leader of the opposition. The average overall score was 3.33 out of 9, with a median score of 3 and a standard deviation of 2.18. The average age of students who responded was 23.46, with a median age of 21. With 18 of the 50 respondents, the average male score was 3.86, while the average score for women was 3.03. Although this may fall within the error of this sample, it is, however, what the results show. On a scale of 1-5, where 5 is the highest, the average level of interest in UK politics was 3.19, with women being slightly more interested than men, with an average of 3.27. None of the 50 respondents were able to identify the Local MP for Lewisham Deptford (which includes New Cross). It seems that Labour‘s local member, Joan Ruddock, who has held her seat VLQFH LV D ODUJHO\ XQNQRZQ Ă€JXUH to Goldsmiths’ students. Only 12% of people were able to identify the form of government in the UK as a Constitutional Monarchy. Representative Democracy was also accepted as correct. 78% of students couldn’t identify the Bank of England as the organisation that regulates interest rates in the UK. 70% of students were unable to identify the Leveson Inquiry as the investigation into the British Press.

There were six students that scored 0 on the survey, and only one individual who achieved the highest result of 8 out of 9; a post-graduate student from the USA. There were 31 British students who gave responses, achieving an average of 3.92. The average of Continental European and non-European students was 2.83 and 1.95 respectively. On the 1-5 scale, there were only 4 students who described themselves as ‘extremely interested’ in UK politics, achieving an average score of 3.75 between them. One of whom achieved a score of 2 out of 9. For those who answered either 2/2.5 on the political interest scale, the average score was 2.17. The average score for those who answered 3/3.5 and 4/4.5 on the scale was 3.1 and 4.5 respectively. The most common course undertaken was English/English joint degrees with 10 respondents, scoring an average

of 3.05. Students in the art department at Goldsmiths had the second highest number of respondents with 8 students, scoring an average of 2.06. MA and PhD students scored relatively highly with an average of 3.92 amongst 6 respondents. Anthropology and Psychology students each had 5 respondents, scoring an average of 3.6 and 2.6 respectively. There were near-equal numbers of respondents within the age groups of 18-19, 20-21 and 22-25, and each average score fell within a +- 0.1 difference of 3.0, therefore, showing no great deal of difference between these age groups. However, for those respondents between the ages of 26-30 and 31+, the average scores achieved were 4.6 and 3.8 respectively. Considering that half marks were awarded where applicable throughout this survey, these results were lower than expected. The most common reaction received either during or after the survey was, ‘Now that you’ve asked me these questions, I am going to go and look them up.’ Perhaps this is a sentiment worth considering.

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&EXXPI SJ -HIEW SR 3GGYT] &] +MEGSQS 8MVIPPM Natalie Fenton, head of the Media and Communications department at Goldsmiths University, was invited to the “Battle of Ideas� held on the 20th and 21st October 2012 at the Barbican Centre in London. Since the Occupy movement developed in New York in the autumn 2011, it has received a great deal of media coverage. In the conference “Occupy: illusory radicalism?� speakers on the panel expressed their contrasting opinions DQG WULHG WR DQVZHU TXHVWLRQV VXFK as: what does Occupy say about the meaning of radical anti-capitalism today? Fenton takes into consideration the occupation outside St. Paul’s Cathedral (in October 2011) also known as Occupy LSX to analyse the situation. It is the current state of economic, political and social crises that underline the need for change. The Occupy movement has been a great opportunity to challenge the role of democracy, and our position in the world today. Realising that democracy is not working anymore DOVR IRVWHUHG D FULWLTXH RI FDSLWDOLVP its lack of morality and its roots in contemporary society. But what exactly was being celebrated in the Occupy phenomenon? According to Fenton, the Occupy movement could be seen as a peaceful, collective attempt to rethink democracy by saying “no� to every form of LQMXVWLFH VXFK DV LQHTXDOLW\ EHWZHHQ ULFK DQG SRRU RSDTXH SROLWLFDO lobbying and its regulations, cuts to culture and banker’s bonuses. People started rejecting their role as consumers with no freedom of

choice by rethinking themselves as “political subjectsâ€? and, therefore, rediscovering a more ethical way of living. She was then asked to express her view on the role of the media within the Occupy movement. What emerges is that the mainstream media positively represented what was going on in the protests against the current decline which started with the economic meltdown in the United States in late 2007. Therefore the whole movement received positice attention from the press, which managed to handle the entire situation well, even if sometimes some protesters were slightly stereRW\SHG DV PHPEHUV RI D VSHFLĂ€F political or ideological group. Last in the panel to speak, Natalie Fenton underlines again the positive attempt of the Occupy movement to make the world a better place. Therefore its opposition in the current political system shows a desire for change among people and their will to redistribute wealth and power. Citizens become active in understanding the problems and try to repair them. This experiment ZLOO VSUHDG TXLFNO\ DFURVV PDQ\ countries around the world generating hope for our future. For more information about Natalie Fenton’s point of view, see the article she wrote with Nick Couldry on Open Democracy called: “Occupy: Rediscovering the General Will in Hard Timesâ€? (9 January 2012).

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I took part in Movember last month. If you didn’t know, Movember is a funny little play on the words ‘November’ and ‘Moustache’. The general idea is you grow a moustache, or, if you already have a moustache, you keep your moustache. It’s to raise awareness for Testicular Cancer, or something. Originally I hadn’t planned to take part in Movember. Sure, my housemates and I made tentative arrangements, but I knew two of them wouldn’t properly take part because they have to be clean-shaven for work or some stupid bollocks like that. And the other two grow facial hair about as well as my four-year-old goddaughter so they don’t count. But then ‘ol Halloween rolled around and everything changed. Everything. After much (about three minutes) planning, I decided I would dress up as Ron Burgundy. To do this, you need a colourful (preferably red-ish) suit, and a moustache. Luckily, I live with someone who, even by Goldsmiths standards, is in possession of one of the most ridiculous wardrobes this side RI WKH 0LVVLVVLSSL VR Ă€QGLQJ D UHG VXLW took about 30 seconds. As I already had a beard, acquiring a moustache wasn’t going to be too hard either. About six hours later, my moustache and I were sitting at home. Back from what I hear was a reasonably all right Club Sandwich. We had fun, but only about four people all in all had correctly guessed that I was dressed as Ron Burgundy. Not a solid amount. Especially considering I had to drastically alter my appearance for it. Now I was just a bloke with a moustache and a semi-interesting Halloween-based story. ‘Why not just shave it off and not KDYH DQ\ IDFLDO KDLU DW DOO"¡ <RX PD\ EH asking. ‘Don’t be bloody ridiculous’, I’d reply. As a wise philosopher (my friend, John) once said: ‘A Moustache isn’t just for Halloween, it’s for about two weeks or so’.

Apart from anything else, though, without any facial hair at all, I look maximum 17 and a half years old. And I get I.D’d for Calpol as it is. So, the moustache had to stay. Initially I decided to grow other stuff around it, but then I thought I could go ahead and keep it for the month and do the ‘ol Movember thing! 6R WKDW ZDV WKDW , ZDV RIĂ€FLDOO\ GRLQJ 0RYHPEHU 7KH Ă€UVW FRXSOH RI days weren’t too bad. Mainly because I didn’t leave the house. But the 3rd of November rolled around and things started to get a bit tricky, as I had arranged to visit my family. Seeing them was lovely, of course. But, the downside is that they reside in a little place called Slough, which, apart from being an absolute hole of a place, is also the European Capital of Intolerance (probably). Slough is one of those places where you either hang out in prison, or outside of the prison, or outside the big Budgens. This time, I decided to go for Budgens. Unfortunately, it soon became quite obvious that Budgens wasn’t for me. My presence was less than welcome. People of all ages were staring and pointing at me like I’d just physically assaulted their Grandmothers. It soon became quite obvious that Slough, as a whole, wasn’t overly aware of ‘Movember’. Or maybe it was, but WKH\ GLGQ¡W VXSSRUW WKH LGHD" 7KH atmosphere was frosty to say the least and, as the word ‘tosser’ (Slough still likes to use insults from 1994) had been shouted at me four times before I’d even reached the vegetable aisle, I made the professional decision to leave Budgens. Shortly afterward, I made the professional decision to leave Slough. The following couple of moustaFKLRHG ZHHNV ZHUH GHĂ€QLWHO\ HDVLHU The threats died down, for sure. A compliment or two even cropped up on occasion (not really). People were approaching me in the street for a quick chat about moustaches and all sorts. I

even started checking mirrors again. The backend of November rolled around and, whilst in the library, my friend, Clive, enquired how much money I had raised for ‘Movember’. Âś:KDW"¡ , UHSOLHG UDWKHU WKURZQ RII Âś0RQH\"¡ ‘Money. Movember is a charity. You do know it isn’t just about having a laugh and running about with a PRXVWDFKH"¡ ‘I haven’t raised any’, I conceded. He was unimpressed. Clive gets unimpressed by stuff sometimes. I replied by smugly explaining how it’s not all about raising money, it’s about raising awareness, but I soon realised why I don’t rendezvous with Clive that much and left the room. I also realised that if you have a moustache, you need to wisely consider who to hang out with. A friend of mine once explained the concept of ‘negging’, which is giving someone a backhanded sort of compliment to try and pull them. His one usually involves telling people they have nice shoes but then asking if they got them from Primark. It turns out that having a moustache attracts a lot of that. One I’ve heard twice in the last three weeks is: ‘You look a bit like Tom Hardy!’ (I don’t) ‘Oh, sweet. Cheers!’ ‘... In Bronson’ Overall though, I would say that nothing really comes close to the exhilaration and thrill you get from having a moustache. And, the whole ‘Movember’ thing is a bloody great time to give it a go because (in theory) you can’t really receive too much abuse about it and you get to look like a charitable 80’s American Fireman, which is always a good thing. Although, I’d recommend maybe attempting to raise a bit of money with it, as a lot of people ask why you haven’t and it’s hard to come up with an excuse.

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It would be misleading to say that I have now completely settled into my new life at Goldsmiths, as this would imply a sense of peace and routine. Instead, it would perhaps be more accurate to say that I have become accustomed to an erratic lifestyle with an ever-changing sleep pattern in a world of various escapades. The only measure of routine is currently being found’ through the infamous yet inexplicable allure of Wednesday night’s Club Sandwich. I have, however, come to think of New Cross as my home. Regardless of whether it is the love/hate relationship I have towards Chick Chicken, or the late night warm embrace of the college library EHIRUH D GHDGOLQH , ÀQG P\VHOI IDVW becoming attached to this place and all it has to offer. The daily struggles with money have even led me to value and appreciate the joys of Sainsbury’s Basics shopping. A week’s supplies IRU WZR DFKLHYHG ZLWK MXVW … was a cause for celebration over HFRQRPLF HIÀFLHQF\ DV RSSRVHG WR the need to focus on the fact that we may indeed have reached the ÀQDQFLDO GHSWKV RI GHVSHUDWLRQ Money lessons may be tough, and strict cut backs are not pleasant, but nothing tastes as good as basic survival feels. Cut backs, I have now learned, are not just limited to funds, but also time and energy. It is only with the arrival of Reading Week that it became apparent to me that university life actually involves a fair amount of work. This realization, which every Fresher will have at some point throughout the year (although I’m sure most succeeded in it long

before me), has thankfully now led me to lead a new attitude and a steadfast dedication to my studies. ,¡YH IRXQG LW¡V HYHQ TXLWH UHZDUGLQJ to attend every lecture of the week and do the appropriate reading, and would very much recommend it. We are here, after all, to study, to think, and to prepare ourselves for the rest of our lives and careers. It’s a rather daunting thought, but the three or four years we spend here will be our anchor and foundations as we launch ourselves into a somewhat miserably competitive job market. , WKHUHIRUH Ă€QG P\VHOI DVNLQJ have I made the right degree choice? I feel as unsure of my future as I ever have done, yet simultaneously get the impression that society expects me to be more assertive and sure of my ambitions whilst being well on the way to achieving them. Choosing a subject to spend the rest of my life with seemed far easier when it was done in the comfort of my own home through UCAS. It is not until the experience of real university life that the harsh realities of uncertainty and doubt have surfaced. I imagine that this confusion is probably common among a lot of university students. But nevertheless, a trip to careers advice may well be in need. It is also possible that I may simply be in need of the chance to contemSODWH DQG UHĂ HFW XSRQ DOO RI P\ experiences here so far, which the approaching Christmas holidays will soon be able to offer. But in any event, the end of term break may at least do me some good by allowing me to once again feel settled (albeit EULHĂ \ EHIRUH WKH IUHVK DGYHQtures of a new year begin.

Short Stories

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The night went on and so did my life. The quaint feeling about my existence persisted and I remember some sleepless nights, but not too many. I Ă€JXUHG LW PLJKW¡YH DOO EHHQ QRWKLQJ EXW a phase, you know, the whole tortured artist kind of thing. To be fair, it had been quite a long time since I’d painted anything. I wasn’t really doing much with my life – a couple of strolls down Central, a glass of whiskey or seven per night, but nothing of great relevance. It had been a week and all had been forgotten. This one night, though, I was in the company of three too many glasses of wine and my paintbrush. I was gently tickling the canvas with it without using any colours. My eyes were closed and I was trying to establish some sort of connection with my inner self, but he just couldn’t come out. He was disappointed in me for selling out, he didn’t see himself as an artist anymore. He saw himself as nothing. I went to the kitchen to pour myself another glass and I saw him in the hallway mirror. There he was, with his brown, shriveled hair and his emotionless facial expression. He had some sort of a beard going on, but I don’t think he had grown it on purpose, I reckoned he was just lazy. I smiled at him and naturally, he smiled back. Not because he wanted to, though. I didn’t think that he’d smile at me for a long time.

Before continuing poisoning myself, I heard a loud knock on my door. I didn’t answer it immediately; I went on examining the stranger that lived inside my mirror for a couple more seconds. By the time I got to the door, the knocking had stopped. I couldn’t be bothered to answer it anymore, because the wine was clearly shouting my name, but I forced myself to do it. I gave myself a couple of slaps across the face and put on a fake smile. +RZHYHU ZKHQ , Ă€QDOO\ opened the door, nobody was there. I looked around, but there was no trace of intelligent life. ‘Mister Douglas! Sir!’ ‘Don’t ever call me Mister Douglas, Mike. We’re no strangers.’ Mike was the doorman, he seemed pretty shaken up at that time. He always did, for some reason. ‘This is from the lady that just left. She wishes you a happy birthday and so do I, Mister Douglas!’ he said as he took off. He handed me a pink package, which was very carefully wrapped. It had a black ribbon and after giving it a little shake, I could hear that there was something rather substantial inside. I stood in the hallway, with the pink package in my hands, trying to remember whether it was my birthday or not. I tried to keep my balance by holding the door knob, as I leaned to

Short Stories

see the date. 18th of September, 12:03 AM. ‘Well, happy birthday to me.’ I mumbled. I shyly got back inside my apartment and heavily made my way to the sofa. I remember crashing and laying there for a couple of minutes before unwrapping my mysterious gift. I felt knackered and the whole room was spinning with me. All that from less than a bottle of wine, what a lightweight I used to be. I took hold of the gift and saw something that had gone unnoticed GXULQJ P\ Ă€UVW TXLFN JODQFH 8QGHU WKH ribbon there was a small, white note. Dear Derek, Wish you didn’t leave in such a hurry. Happy Birthday! -A I ripped the note into tiny bits, not giving it much attention, and threw them above my head, thinking that confetti was needed for the occasion. I tore the medium-sized box apart and to my drunken surprise, inside of what used to be a perfectly wrapped, pink box, lay a pair of shoes. Not just any pair of shoes, though; my pair of shoes, the black ones with the grey laces. The ones I had left behind a week before. When it hit me what had just happened, I sobered up in an instant, grabbed my coat and started running into the warm night. Pic: Eric Magnuson

8LI 1EWXIV *MPQ 6IZMI[ &] 6IFIGGE ,YHWSR Having waited patiently to see Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest Oscar fodder Âś7KH 0DVWHU¡ LW ZDV FOHDU DIWHU WKH Ă€UVW hour that the palpable anticipation felt throughout the cinema audience as the opening credits rolled had turned to confusion and for the most part boredom.

‘religious’ foundations of The Cause is never really gained. Twisting and turning through their world, from one scene to the next it is sometimes hard to determine what the hell is going on. The masturbation scene with Peggy (Amy Adams), Dodd’s much younger wife, is particularity odd and seemingly disconnected.

meandering story punctured throughout by Dodd’s strange programming instructions to Quell, we are presumably to feel a part of their strange world, within the bosom of The Cause, away from the reality of the outside world.

Unfortunately succumbing to confusion and boredom, I was left not caring for Allegedly, though Anderson denies any character, particularity towards the WKLV WKH ÀOP LV EDVHG RQ 6FLHQWRORJ\ :KHQ 4XHOO ÀUVW VWXPEOHV GUXQNHQO\ end when its clear Dodd is a delusional and their esteemed leader L. Ron into the world of The Cause, Dodd phoney and Quell is a fuck up beyond Hubbard. In doing so The Master takes it upon himself to cure this help. In the end we’re left wondering charts the collision of a psychologically tortured soul. The scenes where they what the point of it all was. damaged ex-US navy man, Freddie ÀUVW HPEDUN RQ WKH SURJUDPPLQJ Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) and the titular sessions seem to hold a weight of sexual Phoenix is surely a shoe in for an Master – Phillips Seymour Hoffman’s tension between the two, whether real Oscar, if the Academy can get past Lancaster Dodd. or perceived there seemed to be subtle his Bane-style gruff mumbling and references to something more between his twitchy face. However, I have yet Using regressive techniques and WKHP WKURXJKRXW WKH ÀOP WR ÀQG VRPHRQH ZKR EHOLHYHV WKLV LV D programming to reach new recruits and masterpiece of cinema, as opposed to bring them into The Cause, his seminal As with most Paul Thomas Anderson WKH EHOLHI WKDW WKLV ÀOP LV PHUHO\ TXLWH religion, Dodd’s philosophy is based on ÀOPV LW LV EHDXWLIXOO\ VKRW ZLWK D VFRUH good at best, and tedious nonsense at expanding ones own human potential by Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood worst time. through past life regressions. Though underpinning the beauty in some of for the audience real clarity of the the more visual scenes. With an oddly

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0-*)78=0) '90896) %YXYQR 3YV 0SRK 0SWX *VMIRH &] ,IMHM 1EVXMR The clocks have turned back. It’s dark by half four. This year, more than ever, the twelve days of Christmas have become more like two months. Whilst children learn the nativity songs by early November, and the recently cast Mary, Joseph, and the bitter faced Inn Keeper skip out of school a matter of days later, “We wish you a merry Christmas,� turn into the parents groan.

A population who, at the start of November, probably would rather not be reminded that Christmas is lurking two months away. It is said that the average family in Britain will spend ÂŁ800 on Christmas each year, with ÂŁ200 spent alone on Christmas cards, wrapping paper and decorations. Despite Santa and his elves, statistics reveal that a parent in London spends ÂŁ164 on each child, proving that despite the current chilling economic climate, Mariah Carey greeted our ears a parents still feel the pressure to ensure matter of weeks ago; declaring that we a merry Christmas. Wish lists will have were all she wanted for Christmas. This already been sent out, pages of the was after Radio One decided that with Argos catalogue carefully folded, and two months till Christmas it was about not so subtle hints addressed to parents WLPH IHVWLYH PHORGLHV Ă€OOHG RXU IHVWLYH around the country. But does hearing hearts. Of course, this is debatable. A Wham’s “Last Christmasâ€? blast out of ZLQGRZ GUHVVHG DOUHDG\ LQ WKH Ă€QHVW shopping centre speakers just a week DUWLĂ€FLDO VQRZ IUDPLQJ D WLQVHO ODGHQ DIWHU +DOORZHHQ Ă€OO \RX ZLWK VKHHU Christmas tree, dusted from its, well... H[FLWHPHQW RU XWWHU IHDU" only ten months in the attic. We only Ă€QLVKHG RXU VXPPHU WZR PRQWKV DJR We’ve dressed up as skeletons, and shouldn’t we give autumn a chance to ZUDSSHG XS ZDUP IRU Ă€UHZRUNV DQG now, it appears, all we have left to VKRZ KLV IDFH" do is count down until the big day. Oxford Street turned on their famous Advent calendars should be sold for Christmas lights, unusual pots of gold both November and December, as after marmite suspended above the bustling we’ve eaten our entire bag of trickle VWUHHW RQ WKH Ă€IWK RI 1RYHPEHU WHOOLQJ WUHDWLQJ VZHHWV ZKDW HOVH LV WKHUH WR GR" us we either ‘love it or hate it’. Whether ,V VLWWLQJ WLJKW XQWLO WKH Ă€UVW RI 'HFHPEHU MXVW WRR ERULQJ" $IWHU WKH SXPSNLQV WXUQ they are referring to marmite itself mouldy, is it really necessary to drape or the matter of Christmas appearing our kitchens with tinsel and baubles months early is questionable. Starbucks KRXUV ODWHU" :LWK D EOLQN RI DQ H\H began their Christmas menu, with their autumn has vanished. Harvest becomes IHVWLYHO\ WKHPHG (JJQRJ ODWWH Ă€OOLQJ a forgotten tradition we only remember bright red cups ten days later. Two days from primary school, and kicking the earlier, the GB Olympics team turned fallen leaves is an act only for the playon the Regent Street lights, just a month ground. We’re becoming far too eager or so after they won their gold medals at to hurry time along. Before the leaves the summer Olympics. have fallen, we’re already eagerly DZDLWLQJ WKH Ă€UVW VQRZ

&MPP 7OMRRIV % 2I[ .I[IPPIV] )\TIVMIRGI &] +VEGI (E]XSR A new jewellery brand has been attracting the attention of public and press alike. Bill Skinner is a talented craftsman and designer who has worked for the likes of Vivienne Westwood before launching his own range in January 2012. His designs are essentially inspired by

nature – featuring oak trees, acorns, and animals of the African plains. Elements from the natural world are combined with luxurious precious metal plating and Swarovski stones to add sophisticated touches, perfect for any occasion.

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Merhaba, restless minds. Welcome to the Overthinker’s Guide, a column for those with a workaholic brain. Each month I will try to ease your analysis paralysis by sharing some tips on several life situations. This December, I’ll cover the art of Christmas shopping, which is probably the second most nerve-wracking act of love after proposing.

So: It’s that time of the year again – the consumerist bonanza that is the holiday shopping season ! This is the time when you can a) channel your inner Oprah by being Ăźber-generous and b) spend money on pretty-butunnecessary things, just cause. %XW Ă€UVW ²

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1. It’s not just shopping. Okay let’s face it, in the hyper-materialistic society we’re living in now, shopping is like an extension of the self. You are what you buy – better put some thought into it. That brings me to my second point, 2. It’s not for you. Overthinkers know that life gets pretty complicated once other people (whose brain may or may not be as preoccupied as yours) are involved. That’s why gift-giving is terrifying because although it’s not for you, still to an extent it is about you. You are making your mark in people’s minds. And you want to leave a mark, not a scar. :KR DUH WKH OXFN\ RQHV" Seriously, ZKR" :KR VKRXOG \RX VSHQG \RXU PRQH\ RQ"

beautiful in their own right. The detail in the pieces, not done justice by photography is immense, achieved by each piece being hand crafted by Bill himself before being cast. This truly is couture worthy jewellery without the couture price tag. With the start of festive advertising months ago, the Oxford Street lights illuminated and the Coca Cola ad in full swing, Christmas shopping is surely on the agenda.

With many beautiful pieces around or even below the £50 mark, Bill Skinner 6W\OHV FRQWUDVW WR ÀW DOO PRRGV DQG jewellery would make a beautiful gift personalities but are all intrinsically this Christmas.

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You’re not Oprah. And that’s okay. Maybe someday you will be able to afford giving an iPad mini or two tickets to Sydney to everyone on your Santa’s list, but until that day comes, a box of chocolate is a perfectly acceptable gift. - At the end of the day, it’s the intention that counts. A hand-written FDUG ZLOO GR MXVW ÀQH (VSHFLDOO\ LI it comes with a homemade cake – desserts always work. Just saying.

One last thing, while Christmas shopping is ideally done before Christmas, so many people are doing it on Christmas itself or even after (because most things will be on sale by then!) so there’s no need to panic if you can’t ÀQG WLPH WR VKRS $IWHU DOO ZH OLYH LQ D 4. :KDW WR EX\" Now that you have society of procrastinators and the thing WKH QDPHV DOO \RX QHHG WR GR LV ÀJXUH about procrastinating is you’re never out what they like. One way to do this ever alone. There’s always another lazy is to ask them directly, which of course, prick out there. It’s just human nature. will make things a whole lot easier. But if guessing and surprising are more your thing then you probably need to 73 6)0%< 8%/) -8 )%7= %2( +3 7,344-2+ do some closer investigation. Either way, it can be tricky. See point no. 2.

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Getting rid of the proverbial Scrooge on your shoulder can be a bit of a hassle. We still have deadlines, we don’t break up for Christmas for weeks and whilst we’re meant to have already signed, sealed and delivered our Xmas wish-lists to all and sundry getting into the spirit of things can often be a little‌ GLIÀFXOW )RUJHW WKH QHJDWLYLW\ HYHQ LI only for a day and don some clothing WKDW JHWV WKDW IHVWLYH IHHOLQJ à RZLQJ

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8LI LSPMHE] WIEWSR MW EPP EFSYX JVMIRHW JEQMP] JSSH ERH GSTMSYW EQSYRXW SJ EPGSLSP 7S LIVI´W WSQI JIWXMZI VIGMTIW TEWWIH HS[R XLVSYKL Q] JEQMP] JVSQ XLI HE]W SJ ]SYV XS KIX ]SYV MR XLI QSSH JSV WSQI JIWXMZI JYR ERH JVSPMGW &VS[RMI -R % 1YK -X´W GSPH MX´W VEMR] ERH MX´W KIRIVEPP] HVIEV] ERH HVEF )EW] XS QEOI GSQJSVX JSSH MW XLI SRP] [E] JSV[EVH - LEZI WXSPIR E VIGMTI JVSQ Q] WMWXIV [LMGL MW F] JEV XLI IEWMIWX UYMGOIWX FVS[RMI ]SY [MPP IZIV QEOI -X´W HSRI MR XLI QMGVS[EZI ]SY HSR´X RIIH E WIX SJ WGEPIW ERH MX´W PMXIVEPP] EW WMQTPI EW Ingredients: LIETIH XEFPIWTSSRW WIPJ VEMWMRK žSYV LIETIH XEFPIWTSSRW SJ WYKEV LIETIH XEFPIWTSSRW SJ FYXXIV LIETIH XEFPIWTSSR SJ GSGSE TS[HIV IKK %HH GMRREQSR KMRKIV SV RYXQIK TS[HIV JSV E JIWXMZI žEZSYV (TXLSPHQW 0EVKI QYK XEFPIWTSSR QMGVS[EZI

)RU WKLV PRQWKV )DVKLRQLVWD FROXPQ we scoured campus for the festively dressed; those unequivocally unafraid to dress suitably for the season. The RXWÀW IHDWXUHG LV SXW WRJHWKHU E\ &KDVKD Scott, a Sociology third year. Get the look: Team timeless British brands such as %DUERXU ZLWK ÀQGV IURP FKDULW\ VKRSV and vintage stores. Many high street stores now do Barbour equivalents if you’re not keen on the splurge however a Barbour, whatever style you choose, will last a lifetime. If trawling through thrift stores isn’t your thing, winter-scene knit essentials can be found anywhere from Burberry to Primani. Adding a little sparkle is easily done with a statement collar or cuffs, which is something you can customise yourself with a little time, HIIRUW DQG NQRZ KRZ )LQG HDV\ WR wear basics in places such as American Apparel which you can effortlessly team with your sparkle and Christmas knits.

Method: 1. Put all ingredients into large-ish mug and stir until completely combined 2. Place in microwave on full power for 45 seconds and stir. 3. Place back in the microwave for a fur ther 15-20 seconds. Disclaimer: I can not be held responsible for any brownie explosions.

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Have fun with what you wear this season and don’t forget the Christmas earrings! “‘Tis the season to be jolly,â€? says the song. But fashionably speaking, all I see around me so far the season goes is a miserable, drab and glum use of colour. It seems to me that the second the weather decides to get dark and broody, people do too. Summer fashion was all about ORRVH Ă€WV DQG WUHQG\ SDWWHUQV EXW ZLQWHU never fails to bring about dark pastels that are as glum as the days go by – what a shame! So, rather than falling into a deep depression, why not take winter by WKH KRUQV DQG OHW ORRVH" , KDYH VHOHFWHG some of my favourite male and female alternatives that will not only brighten up your wardrobe, but will brighten up those somber winter days.

Flare red belted coat, like the one from the ASOS Collection is an ideal piece for winter. Red is a spectacular colour that will instantly draw attention to you and it is the colour of Christmas, which is an added bonus. The smooth wool blend will ensure you are comfortable and ZDUP ZKLOH WKH ÀW DQG à DUH VW\OH ZLOO GHÀQLWHO\ JHW \RX WKH )DVKLRQLVWD VWDWXV you so rightfully deserve.

Guys tend to shy away from patterns that seem to be a little ‘outrageous’. (Questionable at Goldsmiths I know, but still true on some level). However, the Varsity jacket with tapestry panel from Reclaimed Vintage is just too good to miss! This retro jacket has a divine )RU RXWHUZHDU LW LV YHU\ KDUG WR Ă€QG FRDWV print that is reminiscent of traditional that are trendy without being too over the Middle Eastern tapestry, something that top. A coat should have an element of will surely get all eyes looking, for all class and simplicity, without being too the right reasons of course! Why wear ERULQJ DQG Ă€QGLQJ WKH ULJKW EDODQFH FDQ something boring when you can edge it EH YHU\ GLIĂ€FXOW )RU ZRPHQ WKH )LW DQG XS ZLWK D YLQWDJH MDFNHW"

ASOS: Alice Hannah Stripe Diamante Gloves ÂŁ15

ASOS: Barbour Tartan Scarf ÂŁ25

As for accessories, hats and gloves are ideal for the winter season and so much fun to play around with. For the women, Alice Hannah, have quirky and )RNS] cute alternatives that are so wonderful WKH\ ZLOO FRPSOHWH DQ\ RXWĂ€W 7KH stripe diamante gloves are a very girly choice that will ensure your hands to look colourful (and obviously warm) with its stripes of peach, mango yellow and purple. Pair it with a purple Chiffon Ă RZHU EHUHW DQG \RX¡UH VHW WR JR As for the guys, a touch of red is exactly what you need this winter. The red tartan scarf from Barbour will put you in the Christmas spirit instantly! Tartan can be questionable at times, yes, but this scarf by Barbour is just so colourful that it will no doubt lighten up your entire ensemble in an instant. There you have it. Don’t forget to keep it cheerful, creative and colourful!

ASOS: Alice Hannah 3D Chiffon Flower Beret ÂŁ23

ASOS: Reclaimed Vintage Varsity Jacket with Tapestry Panel ÂŁ60

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8,) +6)%8 ()&%8) The on-going situation between Israel and Palestine is perhaps one of the most intense and polarising FRQĂ LFWV LQ PRGHUQ KLVWRU\ :LWK D resurgence of violence erupting in the Gaza Strip this month, our contributors battle out their views. Âą-R [EV XVYXL MW XLI ½VWX GEWYEPX]² 7LPSQMI 0MFIVS[ WIGSRH ]IEV WXYHIRX This past week has seen an intense escalation of hostilities between Hamas and Israel yet again, with a seemingly familiar and largely expected pattern. 7KH Ă€JXUHV RI FDVXDOWLHV RQ ERWK VLGH FRPH Ă€OWHULQJ LQ DQG EXLOGLQJ XSRQ WKDW D GHĂ€QLWLYH FDWHJRULVDWLRQ RI WKH good and bad parties are instantaneously formed. Unfortunately this plays right into the itching hands of Hamas, who are engaged in a parallel battle: the art of controlling public perceptions. Âś,Q ZDU WUXWK LV WKH Ă€UVW FDVXDOW\¡ WKLV powerful quote attributed to Aeschylus just so naturally describes the undercurrent hand at play here. 7KH Ă€JXUHV LVRODWHG GR LQGHHG SDLQW D damning picture. Notwithstanding the IDFW WKH RSHUDWLRQDO FDVXDOW\ Ă€JXUHV RI civilian to militants are with a ratio of roughly 1:2, the lowest in history in a case of asymmetrical warfare, with over 120 of the 177 killed belonging to Hamas (recognised as a terror organisation by the EU, amongst others). Additionally, bear in mind efforts taken by Israel include placing phone calls, GURSSLQJ OHDĂ HWV HQJDJLQJ LQ SLQSRLQW surgical strikes and aborting operations when risk of civilian casualties will be high. As Colonel Richard Kemp, former Commander of British Forces in Afghanistan observed during a SUHYLRXV URXQG RI WKLV FRQĂ LFW QR RWKHU army in history has taken such care to avoid harming civilians living in the same area as that in which an enemy is operating. Regardless, deaths of civilians, even the death of one civilian, are chilling and not to be discounted, cheapened and treated as a mere number or statistic. Inevitably, war is ugly, cruel and innocents always shoulder the monstrous consequences and are the unfortunate victims. What is crucial here for the sake of self- honestly is to digress beyond petty numbers games and calculate the more salient and meaningful question; appreciating ZKHWKHU WKHUH ZDV D MXVWLĂ€DEOH FDXVH for Israel’s engagement in operation Pillar of Defence. Let’s take a step back and focus on how this explosive scenario came about. 1RY WK +DPDV Ă€UHV DQ DQWL WDQN missile onto a tank 100 meters into the Israeli border, injuring four soldiers. ,VUDHO UHWDOLDWHV E\ HQJDJLQJ LQ D Ă€UH H[FKDQJH ZLWK +DPDV Ă€JKWHUV Nov 10-12th: Israel warns that it cannot and will not tolerate having one million of its residents under constant rocket

Ă€UH 7KH UHOHQWOHVV FRQVLVWHQW DQG \HDUV ORQJ EDUUDJH RI +DPDV Ă€UHG URFNHWV LV taken up a notch and upwards of 100 rockets are rained upon the citizens of Israel, injuring 8 civilians. 1RY WK $Q DSSDUHQW FHDVH Ă€UH LV mediated between Israel and Hamas. Nov 14th: The morning, four rockets hit southern Israel. Article 51 of the 8QLWHG 1DWLRQV FKDUWHU VSHFLĂ€FDOO\ FRGLĂ€HV WKH ´LQKHUHQW ULJKWÂľ RI VHOI defence against armed attack. No other nation would tolerate incessant terrorist attacks from neighbouring territories and Israel acts decisively, taking out the military commander of Hamas, Ahmad Jabari - an individual with much blood on his hands. Jabari is responsible for a EDUUDJH RI URFNHW Ă€UH HPDQDWLQJ IURP the Gaza strip since 2006, bringing the count of rockets bombardments rained upon the citizens of Israel to a grand total of over 13,000. 7KH URFNHW Ă€UH LQWHQVLĂ€HV DQG ZLWK the assistance of Iranian imported fujr rockets, places a total of 3.5 million residents in range, having between 15-105 seconds to take shelter in a bunker at any given moment. That’s 13% of its population sleeping in bunkers at night, which is equivalent of the entire population of London. Israel DFWV WR VWHP WKH URFNHW Ă€UH DQG XQIRUtunately innocents are killed and this is where the typical rhetoric has a hollow ring of familiarity. In my view, several things are

damningly clear: Israel did not choose WKH EDWWOH Ă€HOG ,VUDHO GLG QRW FKRRVH an enemy who thinks of its citizens as expendable and has an open policy of using human shields; Israel did not choose an enemy who stockpiles weapons in hospitals, civilian resiGHQFHV DQG Ă€UHV URFNHWV IURP RXWVLGH mosques and schools; and Israel did not choose an enemy who openly boasts of its deadly weapons and loves death as much as Israel loves life. So, on behalf of the 61 dead, 1719 injured and the one in four citizens of the Israeli city Sderot suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from years of Rocket attacks, I ask: what ZRXOG \RX GR" Âą7YTTSVX 4EPIWXMRI (IJIEX -QTIVMEPMWQ² 7LYQE /LEXYR XLMVH ]IEV WXYHIRX When asked to write about the Israel3DOHVWLQH FRQĂ LFW , ZDV D OLWWOH KHVLWDQW I knew anything I did produce would be DQ HPRWLRQDO DQG Ă€HU\ SLHFH FULWLFLVLQJ the Israeli government and those who condone its actions. I have come to the conclusion the best approach would be to simply state the facts. Israel has illegally occupied, blockaded, seized, settled, destroyed, brutalised, and killed thousands of 3DOHVWLQLDQV VLQFH LW Ă€UVW IRUPHG DV D state in 1948. These unfortunately are facts and cannot be dismissed, marking themselves as central to the ‘debate’ at

hand. Israel’s military assault on Gaza in 2008-9, which saw to the deaths of 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis, was continued earlier this month. 7KH FRQĂ LFW UHVXOWHG LQ WKH GHDWKV of six Israelis and 167 Palestinians, including 103 civilians, 33 of which were children. In addition to the deaths, hundreds were injured and thousands of homes damaged. Gaza is made up of a population of 1.7 million civilians, mostly refugees, all of whom were affected by the shelling and attacks. On 1RYHPEHU ,VUDHO FRPPLWWHG LWV Ă€IWK violation of the ‘truce’ called just days prior, as another two young Palestinians were shot dead in Rafah, south of Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the military attack on Gaza was necessary, as Israel has the right to defend itself DJDLQVW URFNHW DWWDFNV EHLQJ Ă€UHG IURP Gaza against Israeli people, and US President Barrack Obama has similarly backed Israel’s right to this so-called self-defence. Justifying Israel’s counterattacks on the Gaza Strip, Obama stated that the US shows “support for Israel’s right to self-defence in light of the barrage of rocket attacks being launched from Gaza against Israeli civilians.â€? This has sparked major controversy throughout the world, making the irony of Israel’s war crimes and recent violations of the truce almost biblical. Furthermore, son of former Israeli

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Gilad Sharon, wrote in the Jerusalem 3RVW WKDW LW LV LPSRUWDQW WR ´à DWWHQ all of Gaza. The Americans didn’t stop with Hiroshima – the Japanese weren’t surrendering fast enough, so they hit Nagasaki, too,â€? advocating mass genocide and Hiroshima-esque VROXWLRQV WR EH LQĂ LFWHG RQ *D]D 7KHVH views have been coupled with those of Israel’s interior Minister Eli Yishai, who has also commented “the goal of the operation is to send Gaza back to the Middle Ages. Only then will Israel be calm for 40 years.â€? Israel has time and time again violated numerous international laws, 61 to be precise. Yet it has still defended its right to defend itself against a nation with no coherent army, no navy and no air force; a nation that has been oppressed and colonised for over 45 years based on its race. The apartheid regime being run has for so long denied basic necessities to Palestinian civilians and resulted in the killing of innocent families and children as collateral damage. All of which essentially boils down to imperialism. In any war between the oppressor and the oppressed, support the oppressed. Support Palestine. Defeat Imperialism.

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'311)28 34-2-32

0SRHSR 7XYHIRX MW ;EXGLMRK =SY 'SRXMRYIH JVSQ JVSRX TEKI The headline that The London Student chose – Goldsmiths Nazi Party (complete with SS symbol)– is arguably damaging not just to the reputation of the student, but of those who appeared in the photograph with him and indeed, the entire Goldsmiths’ student body. It is also damning to the dedicated staff of the GSU and The Stretch, in claiming that they were lacksadaisical in their handling of the situation on the night by not removing the student from the premises. Students have raised concern to the Leopard over the wording of the London Student piece which included references to “LGBTQ people� and

“the disabled�. A campaign against a student for disrespectful behaviour is one thing, but sections of our student community should be afforded the same respect. Goldsmiths as an institution has been represented as cold and uncaring and as any Goldsmiths student knows, we as a community pride ourselves on our tolerance and respect for our peers. The London Student is read on every University of London campus and has a circulation of over 130,000 readers. This gross misrepresentation of our university off the back of a single incident is completely disproportionate to our ethic as an educational institution.

Talking to the Leopard, several students have expressed surprise that this issue of London Student was allowed to be GLVWULEXWHG DURXQG FDPSXV LQ WKH ÀUVW place. Interestingly, London Student editor Izaakson has previously made a name for herself at Goldsmiths while studying Media & Communications. She was elected as the Campaigns & &RPPXQLFDWLRQV 2IÀFHU LQ winning by a narrow margin. However, it is alleged that her campaign involved rounding up students in halls of residence in the middle of the night, armed with a laptop, and at times waking them up, to gather the muchneeded votes. We also know that she resigned from her position following an investigation into questionable behaviour. This article represents the second major attack on Goldsmiths from the London 6WXGHQW WKLV \HDU WKH ÀUVW EHLQJ WKH DOOHgations of Goldsmiths’ complicity over racist connotations of its local Deptford Town Hall building on campus on the 8th October issue. The real debate with this issue is not as WR KRZ DSSURSULDWH D *HUPDQ 2IÀFHU Halloween costume is. Irrespective of the student’s folly, we still have a duty of care to all students. Risking the welfare of a student and unfairly attempting to tarnish the reputation of Goldsmiths through disproportionate misrepresentation in what is the largest student newspaper in Europe is simply unacceptable.

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(IJIRHMRK XLI 6MKLX XS 8LMRO (MJJIVIRXP] F] &EVXLSPSQI[ *SPI] +RZ IUHH LV D VWXGHQW DW *ROGVPLWKV" Should we curb our thoughts for fear RI RIIHQGLQJ RWKHUV" 6KRXOG WKHUH EH HTXDO ULJKWV IRU DOO" 5HFHQW FRQWURYHUV\ over a student dressed as Hitler while inside the Students’ Union caused the Sabbatical Team to issue a statement condemning the actions of the individual and his attire. The Leopard spoke EULHĂ \ ZLWK 68 :HOIDUH 'LYHUVLW\ 2IĂ€FHU 7DPD :KLWH DERXW WKH LQFLGHQW She gave reasoned argument about the SU’s condemnation of this incident; however, in substantiating some of her claims, she spoke alarmingly about the expression of students’ beliefs. When asked if fascist students have the same rights to speak as communists or others, she responded, ‘Someone who is here and is talking, whether they be communist, socialist, gay liberation, ZRPHQ¡V ULJKWV WKDW¡V Ă€QH ,I \RX¡UH D fascist‌ then no.’ She went on to say, ‘So we’re not going to have, even if it’s in a debate forum, we’re not going to have a fascist debating someone who’s not, because they don’t see those other people as having the right to very basic things, like their lives.’ This commentary, which acknowledges individuals that deny basic rights to others, is self-contradictory. In denying

the rights of a debate forum, whether it is political, social or otherwise, she denies another of these ‘very basic rights’, the right to free speech. It seems inconsistent that an organisation which preaches equal rights, and takes great pride in their liberation campaigns and LGBTQ society, demands fewer rights for those with whom they disagree. This is egocentrism, this is cynicism and most of all it is illiberal and inequitable. Importantly though, it is symptomatic of societal consciousness, and is something which we can extrapolate and discuss. By denying the expressions of those you despise, you act no better than them. Consider the possibility that fascists were to deny us the rights to intellectual debate on the topic of liberalism or representative democracy. We would surely cry from the heavens that our freedoms had been curtailed; we would revolt against our oppressors, even if faced with a majority. By all means, let us stand up to those who seek to propound an agenda of intolerance and violence, let us protest against them, let us show them that reason and experience is on our side. Let us not, however, do as they would GR /HW XV QRW EH WKH RQHV ZKR Ă€JKW IRU our rights to speak, only to relinquish

our opponents’ rights once victorious. /HW XV QRW Ă€JKW VHOI LQWHUHVW ZLWK VHOI LQWHUHVW OHW XV Ă€JKW LW DQDO\WLFDOO\ DQG ensure basic rights for all. Let us take no prisoners in these realms of debate and reason, but let us not suppress their ability to have their voices heard, for in doing so we betray ourselves. By controlling the freedom to think, speak and express beliefs we become our own thought police. We dive deep into the psychosis of all opinions are equal, but some opinions are more equal than others. Kenan Malik summed it up well, ‘One of the ironies of living in a plural society, it seems, is that the preservation of diversity requires us to leave less room for a diversity of views.’ By denying those of whom you deride the avenue to speak, you deny yourself a chance to prove them wrong; to show them the error of their ways. By closing the door to expression, you ensure that

an individual’s beliefs can germinate and root themselves into the depths of vitriolic conviction. By denying discussion, you achieve only the opposite of your original desire. To those who claim that these people don’t deserve our rights, let us say nay! Let us stand behind dissenting voices. Let us stand in solidarity with those like Salman Rushdie, let us support the Danish Cartoonists, and let us allow the histories of David Irving. Let us PRFN WKRVH ZKR ZLVK WR EXUQ RXU Ă DJV but let us not restrict these actions, for defending their rights doesn’t mean defending their views. Marxist comrades, I call on you to heed the words of Rosa Luxemburg, ‘Freedom is always the freedom of the one who thinks differently.’ To all liberals, I call on you to heed the apocryphal words of Voltaire, ‘I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to

the death your right to say it.’ And Mill, ‘If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind ZRXOG EH QR PRUH MXVWLĂ€HG LQ VLOHQFLQJ that one person, than he, if he had the SRZHU ZRXOG EH MXVWLĂ€HG LQ VLOHQFLQJ mankind.’ This is a rally call to all students to change the general consciousness. Let us acknowledge the freedom of others, despite our opinion of them, and ensure that we all share the same basic rights. As long as we suppress others we acknowledge our fear of them. Let us free ourselves from the shackles of single-mindedness, let us liberate ourselves from fear. Do not forget that direct intimidation, threats and incitement to violence are not ensured freedoms, but the right to think differently most certainly is.

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Earlier this year, my friend and I visited Khartoum, the capital and second largest city of the Republic of Sudan. My friend’s main purpose was to investigate the extreme censorship and how it affects the population. On the other hand, my purpose was just to document the trip through photography.

SLFWXUHV RI WKHP $W ÀUVW , thought it was only because we were inside the airport, but I was wrong; everywhere I went, I could not make use of my camera - not even in street markets! I kept on wondering why photography was prohibited, but not even one person could give me a reason. One thing for sure was that I could not (and would not) take any When we arrived at Khartoum photograph while I was there. Airport one of the policemen told me to be very careful with Being unable to use my main my camera because people skill, I was ready to come would not like someone taking back to the UK. Fortunately,

just a few days before I was set to leave Sudan, someone told me about a special trip to the Desert, where we could spend a marvelous week riding camels and enjoying the one of the most beautiful sceneries in Africa. And the most exciting part of it all: I ÀQDOO\ JRW WR XVH P\ FDPHUD These are some pictures from the communities we found during our trip into the desert of Africa. Enjoy.

Everybody is welcome to send some of their work (maximum 5 images) to photoed.leopard@gmail.com. Best work will be published in the next Leopard´s edition. Submission deadline: 23rd of January 2013.

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F] %RH] ,MPP Cambridge four-piece Alt-J are by a Q\ UHVSHFWDEOH GHĂ€QLWLRQ WKH %$1' OF THE MOMENT. Emerging only last year from the independent label scene they’ve become kings of daytime Radio One and recently swept to glory by taking the prestigious Mercury Music Prize, as well as gleaning envious attention across the pond. Andy Hill caught up with them late in the summer... The devil is, as they say, always in the detail. Alt-J are a bunch of guys, I Ă€QG (;75(0(/< NHHQ RQ GHWDLO Take the name, which is technically ´¨¾ WKH V\PERO WKDW DSSHDUV ZKHQ \RX press the Alt key on a Mac and hold - 1HDW KXK" ´¨¾ PDQDJHV WR DWWDLQ that rare and spectacular holy trinity of band-name perfection - it’s international, it looks good on a t-shirt and it reads like a nerdy social media in-joke. ´7KH QDPH Ă€WV TXLWH QLFHO\ , WKLQN with the aestheticâ€? says bassist Gwil Sainsbury “it’s often used in mathematical equations to show change.â€? That last statement, rather nicely, summarises the profound level of geekiness we’re dealing with here. I mean of course ‘geek’ in the modern sense, as in to be unspokenly coupled with ‘chic’. They’re cool. Jo Whiley said so. “Ha, that was pretty funny. We saw her the other day in the street when we were trying to hail a taxi. Would VKH KDYH UHFRJQL]HG XV" , GRXEW LW I wanted to shout out ‘HEY, WE’RE ALT-J, YOU LIKE US!â€? But no, off she wentâ€?. The band certainly don’t go out of their way to court recognition, instead, shying away from standard facial shots in all their promotional material. “We think it’s better that wayâ€? says singer and lead songwriter Joe. “It’s really embarrassing to just stand there, leaning against a wall, staring into the middle distance, looking all moody for a photo. I’d hate to see my own mug staring out at me from a record cover. No thanks.â€?

&PEGO 1ERMPE “I’m joking, they’re in America so it wouldn’t have mattered.�

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Well, steady on there Thom. Earlier WKLV \HDU WKH EDQG Ă HZ WR WKH 6WDWHV IRU a couple of showcase gigs in New York and LA, and wound up signed to heavyweight US label Atlantic. Marvels keyboardist and former choirboy Gus Unger-Hamilton - “There we were all RI D VXGGHQ LQ DQ RIĂ€FH LQ WKH PLGGOH of Mahattan, with our lawyer on the phone. They weren’t going to let us go without signing. It sounds stupid now I guess, but believe it or not, it was a pretty tedious day. All that stuff - the run up to gigs, even recording - just feels like work when you’re doing it. You’d think you’d be star-struck, but it all just feels normal. The most surreal thing of all was when we started getting played on the radio. You think when you hear a band on the radio it’s like, ‘they’ve GHĂ€QLWHO\ GHĂ€QLWHO\ PDGH LW ZRZ¡ EXW whatever Fearne Cotton says we were still all living in a 2 bedroom terraced house with my girlfriend and signing on. Of course then you go home and it all stops and you’re like, whoah, I’ve just been to LAâ€? Currently touring the UK, I’m curious how such thoughtful and introverted chaps cope with the attention of big crowds. “I don’t suppose you ever really get used to itâ€? says smiley, soft-spoken Gwil, “It’s pretty amazing though, to see two or three hundred faces just looking up at you. In Brighton they were singing all the words to (current single) Breezeblocks. I just can’t help myself laughing at the’ surrealness’ of that.â€?

“And yeah, it’s strange to be on the other side all of a suddenâ€? chimes in Gus. “When I used to go to gigs I’d make a point of picking a member then just shouting out their name again and again to get their attention. Once made Caleb Followhill out of Kings of Leon smile at me; big moment.â€? *** 6R ZKDW RI WKH PXVLF" 7KH EHVW Time has somewhat gotten away description I’ve heard yet is probably from us and I must leave the band “folk-stepâ€?; plaintive themes and sunlit to prepare for their set. Somehow, I harmonic verses give way with scant imagine as I roll a cigarette and drain notice to dirty dancehall drops and my second pint, their preparations fat beats throughout “An Awesome more run along the lines of a crate of Waveâ€?, their strange sprawling beast Innocent smoothies and a crack at the of a debut LP. “We worked really hard Su-Doku. Just saying. on getting everything perfect. We’re The venue is packed with eager competent musicians and all that, but it’s the dedication and attention to detail expectant faces, and as they take to that I think really set us apart.â€? It’s like the stage, I’m genuinely taken aback D Ă XNH PDVK XS EHWZHHQ D PRGHUQ by the fact the crowd know almost all dance record and a really good movie the words to the songs. The lads are soundtrack, which is apt because a lot LQGHHG YHU\ Ă€QH PXVLFLDQV SDUWLFXODUO\ RI WKH WXQHV UHODWH WR Ă€OPV ´0DWLOGD LV Thom on drums who uses saucepans about the movie Leon, by Luc Besson. rather than cymbals (which may sound Tesselate references The Good, The gimmicky but is in fact a welcome Bad and The Ugly, as well as being breath of fresh air, allowing the palimpbasically just a metaphor for sex. At sest of motifs weaved by the others to the beginning I went through a period really shine out). Joe as a front man is RI MXVW ZDQWLQJ WR ZULWH DERXW Ă€OPV LQ modest in his banter, but belts out the big fact we were called Films for a while, numbers with gusto, grinning almost to but we decided to change because there himself every time the crowd goes nuts. was already a band called The Films.â€? You can tell watching that the adulation Were you worried about a potential means so much to these quiet, serious OHJDO WXVVOH" ´+D ZH¡G KDYH GHĂ€QLWHO\ and unfathomably talented guys who beaten them to a pulp!â€? adds drummer just want to share their songs. The rest, Thom, with a Sheldon-from-the-Big- after all, is just detail. Bang-Theory-esque honk of laughter.

Black Manila; It’s snappy, powerful, and the name of Britain’s most exciting new band who’s intense raw energy and real rock and roll appeal has been taking London’s underground scene by a storm. Creating a buzz whilst playing a winter residency at East End hangout The Macbeth, the trio are hell bent on raising the rafters in their home country and abroad. With no one brain behind them, they collectively write their songs coming up with D PRRG WKDW UXQV à XHQWO\ WKURXJK their instruments, marking out an unstoppable tightness that engages DQG URFNV LQ HTXDO PHDVXUHV ,Q LW for the long game, so far the band have well trodden the live circuit whilst dropping a slew of decent tracks. This direct approach is sure to launch them into the lime light. The husky voiced Gareth Hoskins sings and plays guitar, whilst Conrad

Armstrong shares the vocals and plays bass, and the rough and ready Liam Ramsden is the bands assertive drummer. Together as old friends and like many young men, they have jammed in basements, shared a united love for The Velvet Underground and decided to form a band on the back of their interests.

it swings into action: rowdy vocals, crumbling riffs and a stocky rhythm section collide chaotically with one intention, to rock and roll in a way that makes good music, great. B-side Tap Dance The Hangman, plays out against a wall of fuzzed out riff’s, pricked by vocals that hook you into a mind-expanding riff.

Together the trio spark a San )UDQFLVFR WURSLFDO LQĂ XHQFH EXW with an underlining darker edge. This colourful spectrum of sound KDV FRPH WR GHĂ€QH WKHP GULYLQJ them forward and pulling together their love for American music, whilst maintaining an un-holy British swagger. Their debut single ‘June 95/Tap Dance The Hangman’ is due to drop via new label Fatal Justice Records on December 10th. If you fancy drinking yourself under the table and causing havoc then ‘June’ 95’ is the song for such an occasion. From the opening bars

At present, Black Manila are a band that don’t fuck about, everything down to their very core comes out of their pores, seeping smoothly into their instruments and standing as a sentiment to something they strongly believe in. This exact belief illuminates their music, reaps excitement in their live shows and hits out at those that listen.

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Peace are a new indie foursome from Birmingham, consisting of brothers Harrison (vocals and guitar) and Sam Kossier (bass), Douglas Castle (guitar) and Dominic Boyce (drums). The band started making their way onto the scene just this year, and released their debut single “Blood� earlier this year, sporting zingy guitar riffs and beautiful husky vocals. The fact that they’ve already supported the likes of Tame Impala and The Vaccines tells you that these guys mean business. Although sounding like a perfect cross between Wu Lyf and The Maccabees, Peace have a sound distinct enough to put

them aside from their musical peers, but still echo the Math Rock elements of the likes of Foals. Their newest track “Wraithâ€? does not disappoint - jittery guitar notions and a catchy chorus make this a must hear for the week. 6WLOO FDQ¡W JHW HQRXJK RI 3HDFH" 7KHLU EP “Deliciousâ€? is now available on Spotify. Tracks like “California Dazeâ€? give a slower, hazey sound, but still reeks with a funky guitar motif and a trance like feel. Talk of an album isn’t on the horizon just yet, but the hope of the band touring the UK in March next year certainly is.

The band celebrate the release of WKHLU VLQJOH DQG SOD\ WKHLU ÀQDO UHVLdence at The Macbeth on December 7th. You don’t want to miss it.

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How have you found captaincy so far this year? &] 'LEVPMI &VMROLYVWX 'YJJ Claudia: We’ve had a lot of new people, and it’s probably been one of the best years for recruitment so far. Hopefully it will set down foundations for future years. And vice captaincy? Jenny: It’s been really hard because we’ve literally started from scratch with only six returning members, but we hope we have a nice little legacy going. We feel we’ve got the cheerleaders better known around university now, like we’ve made it more publicised. A lot less people are asking me now “What the fuck, why do Goldsmiths KDYH FKHHUOHDGHUV"Âľ Why would you say that cheerleading FRXOG EH GHHPHG D IXOĂ€OOLQJ VSRUW" Claudia: Other team sports require team tactics and stuff like that, but cheerleading is obviously really physical, and also requires a lot of technique too. Not in terms of winning and being cunning, but in ways of working together. I guess it requires skill, technique, teamwork and strength all put together. Jenny: And you get to know people so much better because you’re with them like 24/7. There’s a nice little homely feel at training. It comes as a surprise to many to learn jumps and a very little bit of dance. How have you found joining cheerthat there is a cheerleading squad at Out of the four, the Goldsmiths OHDGLQJ DV D )UHVKHU" Goldsmiths. This is probably because Lions tend to excel in stunting which Grace: Everyone thinks it’s going of our long lasting, and rather accurate is incredibly hard work. It takes about to be pom-poms and stuff, but it’s so reputation of being a hipster Arts six months to get competition ready, much harder than that and it’s really University in which sporting comes with the training of the Lions focusing fun. You get to know people really a long way down the list of many on intense conditioning of abs, biceps, quickly because you have to, with them students’ priorities. Think cheerleading, and just about every other muscle in touching you all over! and you’re probably envisaging the WKH ERG\ ² DV ZHOO DV ZRUNLQJ RQ Ă H[What would you say was the hardest jazz hands of Bring It On and clichĂŠ ibility. There are inevitable injuries, thing about cheerleading? American high schools with bitchy IURP IUDFWXUHG Ă€QJHUV WR WKH RGG EODFN Grace: Just getting to know everyblonde girls. Nevertheless, Goldsmiths eye, but as strength and teamwork thing in the beginning, getting comfortdoes have a cheerleading squad, and a JURZV HDFK \HDU VR GRHV FRQĂ€GHQFH able with being thrown in the air. It’s successful one too, that was founded in and accuracy. not a very comfortable thing. 2008. Best thing about joining cheerleading? Last term, this training paid off and at Grace: The team! Getting to know ,W¡V Ă€UVW SUREDEO\ QHFHVVDU\ WR GLVSHO their most recent competition the Lions everyone, and making new friends. some myths about cheerleading as a stunt groups achieved second and third Being an actual team. sport. To begin with, it’s not all about place, while earlier in the year at the There’s recently been a drive to get waving pom-poms and supporting group competition they achieved a more boys involved with the sport. the local football team – In fact, the UHVSHFWDEOH Ă€IWK SODFH What would you say to any boys out Goldsmiths Lions squad doesn’t even Speaking to the new captain, Claudia there? own a set of pom-poms between them. Rose Carrington King, vice captain, Jenny: Be a man and join Instead, competitive cheerleading Jenny Rose Kendrick and one of the cheerleading! is made up of four main elements – new fresher recruits, Grace Ignacia Goldsmiths Lions train every Monday stunting whereby people are thrown in See, about cheerleading at Goldsmiths, 6 – 8pm, Wednesday 5 – 7pm and Friday the air, tumbling which is best to think a little more insight can be given into 4.30 – 6.30pm in the upper gym, inside the of punch fronts and back handsprings, the squad: design department and next to Club Pulse.

Come see ‘Sinful’ and unleash your dark side with Goldsmiths Dance! Goldsmiths Dance annual show will be taking place on December 8th in The Stretch. This year we will be celebrating all things dark and wicked in our seven deadly sins themed show. Tickets are ÂŁ5 or ÂŁ8 for two and you will get to see performances from street dance, ballet, burlesque and contemporary as well as a few songs from Goldsmiths’ very own Emily Ady. There will also be an after party for you to let your hair down at and, of course, plenty of treats for you to indulge your gluttonous desires! Doors will open at seven and tickets can be either bought in advance or on the door. Please contact goldsmithsdance@ googlemail.com for more information.

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By Olly Bellamy

By Courtney Greatrex

With only 1 game left in each of the Champions League groups managers will have to juggle struggling league performances with the glory of lifting the ultimate cup in club football. We investigate the direction some managers will take while taking a completely uneducated and random JXHVV DW WKH Ă€QDO VFRUH OLQHV Group A Analysis: After beating PSG 1 – 0 at WKH ODVW FODVK 3RUWR ZLOO IHHO FRQĂ€GHQW about retaining their position at the top of group a, however PSG hold the home advantage this time round and with only 1 point separating the two WHDPV 3RUWR ZLOO KDYH D GLIĂ€FXOW JDPH keeping the on form PSG at bay who have shown an impressive run, especially at the Parc des Princes. Expected outcome: PSG face OGC Nice on the 1st and Evian TG FC on the 8th of December, while both aren’t high table teams Carlo Ancelotti may still decide to rest some of his key players as regardless of the outcome PSG will progress through. With Porto’s less than forgiving line up we predict 1 – 0 to Porto. Group B Analysis: Both Schalke and Arsenal are both guaranteed to go through, raising the only question of who will end up top. With the reasonable assumption that both teams should win their Ă€[WXUHV 6FKDONH¡V HDUO\ OHDG PD\ ZHOO prove the deciding factor. Expected Outcome: With Schalke currently sitting at the top and Arsenal’s shaky form contributed to a unpredictable season the prediction is set Schalke to win 3 – 1 and Arsenal to scrape a 1 – 0 win. Group C Analysis: Despite losing their main playmaker to Arsenal during the summer Malaga have continued to impress internationally, while Milan are faring less than well in Serie A. With their league suffering considerably it would be a surprise for Milan to show a particularly strong line-up given their guaranteed position in the group stages. Expected outcome: Malaga to win 2 – ZKLOH D PLVĂ€ULQJ 0LODQ WR GUDZ ² with Zenit. Group D Analysis: With Manchester City out of the loop they’re unexpected to show a strong force against Dortmund, who look like strong favourites after beating Real Madrid. Dortmund’s strong and YLEUDQW OLQH XS KDV VKRZQ VLJQLĂ€FDQW breadth and versatility while Madrid are struggling to keep up with Barcelona. Mourinho will likely want to the likes of Luka Modric a start ahead of Ozil. Expected outcome: don’t expect a thrilling game between any of the group d teams. Dortmund to win 1 – 0,

In a massive 26-goal lead against SOAS on November 20, Goldsmiths 1HWEDOO WHDP KDG WKHLU Ă€UVW ZLQ RI WKH VHDVRQ ZLWK D Ă€QDO VFRUH RI JRDOV WR 9. The Goldsmiths home game, played at Haberdashers’ Aske’s Hatcham College in Brockley, left the Netball team in high spirits after their spectacular win against SOAS 1st’s team last week. 7DNLQJ WKH OHDG IURP WKH Ă€UVW TXDUWHU the huge the team’s success is highly attributed to the exceptional goal shooting by team captain Emily Davies and Annie Rouse, who managed to score spectacular, wide range goals every time. Charlotte Clerlow, centre player, who won woman of the match, also played exceptionally Captain, Emily Davies was ecstatic with the win, saying ‘As a team we really needed this, so I hope we’re able to keep the energy going.’

Real Madrid to win 2 – 0. Group E Analysis: Possibly the most room for manoeuvres. There’s still everything to play for in this group and it could be an exciting set of games to watch. Di Matteo’s dismissal was one of the most inevitable yet surprisingly cold changes in structure for some time, however despite their strong campaign; the loss WR -XYHQWXV ZDV WKH Ă€QDO VWUDZ IRU Abramovich, who has now shown his hand and will probably request his team go in all guns blazing in an attempt to still qualify. Shakhtar Donetsk have a promising set of attacking players but the form and discipline, especially along the back line of Juventus will make it a mountain to beat the Serie A giants. For Chelsea to progress Juventus must lose to Shakhtar. Expected outcome: Chelsea to win 4 – 1 through an over the top squad, with Juventus winning 2 – 1 against Shakhtar, knocking the current Champions out. Group F Analysis: A straight forward set of Ă€[WXUHV %D\HUQ 0XQLFK LV VKRZLQJ an incredible run of play so far and along with Dortmund are my hot contenders to challenge Barcelona for the Champions cup. Valencia too, are guaranteed to head through but won’t be upset coming second behind 0XQLFK D UHODWLYHO\ VWUHVV IUHH Ă€[WXUH ([SHFWHG RXWFRPH %D\HUQ WR Ă€QLVK ² 2 up playing a similar squad to previous games, may play some less experiHQFHG PLGĂ€HOGHUV 9DOHQFLD WR GUDZ – 2 with Lille in a lacklustre game. Group G Analysis: Celtics shock win against Barcelona has left the table in more of a scramble than was expected, Barcelona are guaranteed to progress and may set on the auto pilot against %HQĂ€FD 'HVSLWH WKLV LW¡V GLIĂ€FXOW WR VHH Barcelona playing anything other than fantastic football. Celtic will need to EHWWHU %HQĂ€FD¡V VFRUH DQG ZLWK 6SDUWDN Moskva out, they may be able to clinch victory from the potentially unmotivated side. Expected outcome: Barcelona to draw ZLWK %HQĂ€FD ² DQG &HOWLF WR VQDS D victory from Moskva 2 – 1. Group H Analysis: CFR Cluj would need to better Galatasarays result to ensure their SURJUHVVLRQ EXW WKH 5RPDQLDQ RXWĂ€W ZLOO Ă€QG LW GLIĂ€FXOW WR FRPSHWH DJDLQVW a team with so many players at their disposal. Both teams are desperate but it’s likely Manchester United won’t go down easily even if Cluj will enter the game with nothing to lose. Expected outcome: Manchester United to win 1 – 0 and Galatasaray to win 3 – 0 against Braga.

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Relegation is a strong term in football that to any fan denotes negative connotations. Watching your team tirelessly play, the blood, the sweat and the occasional tear shed, each a step towards their impending demotion. Every fan, no matter how high up the table, always has that thought of seeing their team relegated, even if it is a much more realistic possibility for some rather than others. In the Premier League, 3 teams are bumped down a league every year with only a handful managing to sustain topà LJKW VWDWXV VLQFH WKH SUHPLHU OHDJXHV conception. However, relegation can also serve as inspiration, as most recently displayed by Newcastle. Last year the team managed one of their best ÀQLVKHV HDUQHG $ODQ 3DUGHZ PDQDJHU of the year and secured themselves ÀUPO\ EDFN LQ WKH WRS à LJKW RI IRRWEDOO as well as a place in the Europa League. Goldsmiths 2nd team found themselves at the beginning of the season in the very position Newcastle were in only a few years ago. Having been demoted, the objective for them now ZDV WR ÀQLVK EDFN DW WKH WRS EHIRUH anybody became too accustomed to the league. This time, the pressure is on the captains to deliver a set of players, tactics and motivational techniques to get the team back to where they belong.

To say that Goldsmiths 2nds achieved this would be somewhat of an understatement with them currently sitting at the top of their division with absolutely no intention of letting anyone past. 7KH ÀUVW JDPH RI WKH QHZ VHDVRQ GUHZ Goldsmiths against King’s College London Men’s 4th with the University itself garnering a reputation in a manner of sporting disciplines. Despite the expectations Goldsmiths 2nd team ZDONHG DZD\ IURP WKHLU ÀUVW JDPH with a 6 – 0 win under the belt, dispelling any sense of hastiness in the team. If there were any inclination of luck behind the win, the 2nds dispelled of WKDW SURPSWO\ E\ ÀULQJ KRPH WLPHV against the Royal Free and University College Medical School 3rd team only a week later, leaving the goal keeper with little to do after such a dominant game. The following game proved to be a trickier encounter against University College London. 70 minutes in Goldsmiths were 3 – 1 down and had been reduced to 10 men, with seemingly impossible odds the 2nds reversed the score line in an Arsenal style fashion, ending 4 – 3 in favour of *ROGVPLWKV DW WKH ÀQDO ZKLVWOH Despite not holding quite as graceful a goal difference as the 2nds, Goldsmiths 3rds also sit at the top of their table

with 9 out of a possible 9 points accumulated so far thanks to wins against Kings College London Men’s 4th and 5th as well as Roehampton Men’s 1st. With Goldsmiths accruing an early domination over their rivals, the win from the 2nds this year against UCL ÀUPO\ SODFHG *ROGVPLWKV RQ WKH IRRWEDOO PDS 5HYHUVLQJ VXFK D GHÀFLW in score proved that even when the

mount of play is against you, with a bit of courage and sheer determination any score can be overturned. The 3rds play Kings College 5ths again on the 05 December and then University of Greenwich after Christmas, hopefully the brilliant run of form from both University teams can run into the New Year.

two penalties ending the game 37 – 7 to Goldsmiths. The team are making amazing strides in ability and newcomers to the team have been strong. There is a real feeling

amongst the team that they could create something special this year and with their back to back wins more recently over University of East London and London Metropolitan University 20 –

13 and 0 – 33 respectively, few would doubt this belief.

&VMKLX TVSWTIGXW JSV +SPHWQMXLW´ 6YKF] Leigh Simmons reports on Goldsmiths latest game against Imperial College London at the Loring Hall Sports Ground, thrashing them 37 – 7. With their recent wins Goldsmiths currently sit 3rd in their division. ,V LW D ELUG" ,V LW D SODQH" 1RSH LW¡V a Greyhound and he goes by the name of Tom Ross, or Curly as his team mates call him. Missed greatly against LSE, he came back with a vengeance and didn’t take long to make his mark on a very solid Imperial team who have had a good start to the season, winning two games already. This was also a side that the hounds struggled to beat last year and then lost in the second tie. Playing at a central position, Will Barnes made a quick dash down the wing and shipped the ball out wide, it was a move that might have made ground but would not have led to a try had Tom Ross not been there, with WKH ZLQJHU FDSLWDOLVLQJ RQ D JUHDW Ă XLG move from one side of the pitch to the other. Captain Nial added another try with a quick break before Tom Ross got his second of the day with a great run onto a loose kick from Rory Singh. Goldsmiths got a fourth with newbie Andy, scoring a well worked forward move, where the hounds drove a scrum ten yards forwards for Andy to

then pick up and drive over the line. Imperial gained a cheap try in the second half, however this didn’t stop powerhouse Nial scoring a second and kicker Daniel Armistead converting

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