The APEX November 2009 by Anglia Ruskin Students' Union

Edition 7 - November 2009

The Anglia Ruskin

Whereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s That Building Gone?

Letting Agencies Letting Students Down

Page 1

Page 4

Would you pay ÂŁ37,000 for University? Page 2

contents news

Elma Jenkins News Editor

news

1-2

Where’s That Building Gone?

lifestyle

3-5

by Lisa Pool

affairs

6-7

culture

8-12

music

13-19

reviews

20-24

activities

25-28

sport

29-31

editorial team Simon Thomas Managing Editor

Jenna Grabey Activities Editor

Richard Conway Deputy Managing Editor

Ellis Clarke Az Newman Lifestyle Editors

Lisa Pool Editor in Chief

Julia Ouzia Culture Editor

Patrick Widdess Photography Editor

Angeline Lilles Music Editor

Sarah ChanningWright Design

Cassie Andrews Reviews Editor

Elma Jenkins News Editor

Sport Editor Position Vacant

ou may have noticed a distinct lack of the Rackham building, not to mention trees, around the Cambridge Campus. Whilst you were away enjoying your summer break there were major changes made to the East Road site; including the demolition of the Rackham building, the removal of our beloved Theatre Square and, yet again, a new entrance to the library. Due to be completed in September 2011, the redevelopment will include an extension to the library, new lecture theatres and rehearsal spaces, more teaching facilities, a new International Business School and comfortable meeting places. If you were a fresher this year you should have received extensive information about the building works prior to starting the semester, however returning students were somewhat over looked. Recently the University have undertaken a series of forums to improve communication between the Estates and Facilities department of the University and students. This allowed you to put forward your views on the building works, how it will eﬀect you and what the University can do to help you. The main areas of concern that were raised in these forums were that of noise, access to the campus and the exam period. The comments are in the process of being fed back to the Estates and Facilities department so you should

see a dramatic improvement in communication including the idea of a bi-weekly e-mail newsletter to inform you of what is going on around the campus and how this will affect your teaching. In order for the University to improve its facilities building work had to be undertaken, however, how is this work going to affect you over the next two years? The back entrance to the Helmore building has already been closed off to allow for the building work to begin and this will not reopen until it is complete. There is a new fire exit due to be installed over the next couple of weeks and this will allow you to exit the building, only if the fire alarm goes off, through the current disabled toilet next to the music recital hall. For the majority of December piling work is due to take place, this is where they lay the foundations to the new building, and this can be quite a noisy process. The University have stated that measures are being put in place to ensure this work doesn’t effect exams or lectures to a great extent, however if you are studying courses that require you to record either pieces of music or performance this may have more of an impact on you. (An e-mail address is at the end of this article if you do have questions) Throughout February, March and April you will see the construction of the outside walls on this three storey build. This is where it will really start

Here at The Apex we are always looking for new people to get involved. If you would like to write for any of the sections above see

The opinions expressed in The Anglia Ruskin Apex are not necessarily those of the Editor, Editorial Team, Advertisors or Anglia Ruskin University Students’ Union. Every eﬀort is made to ensure all articles are as factually correct as possible at the time of going to print, given the information available.

www.angliastudent.com/student_ media/apex for more information or e-mail info@angliastudent.com

news to take shape and you will start to see the visuals come to life. Obviously the outer construction will be the most disruptive phase so we need to ensure that the University are listening to your comments and doing everything they can to minimise eﬀect on current students. Sometime in the near future access for students who live on campus will be easier after midnight. For students who live in the Swinhoe halls of residence a card swipe access is being installed on the gates that lead onto Bradmore Street. Students who live in Peter Taylor will still be able to access the campus through the main entrance on Broad Street. Peter Taylor can still use

2 swipe access via Broad Street. There are a number of redevelopments going on all campuses of Anglia Ruskin; including a new Post-graduate Medical Institute and new Chelmer Valley Road Junction in Chelmsford along with a new University Centre in Peterborough. The building for the Postgraduate Medical Institue is due to begin early 2010, providing planning permission is improved, and completed by February 2011. Work surrounding the new Chelmer Vally Road junction is due to begin any time now, this will allow an easier access to the Chelmsford campus and may even mean a bus route through campus – ﬁngers crossed! The

University Centre in Peterborough has been completed early and this is now open to students. As well as the bi-weekly e-mail you can keep up-to-date by visiting a website speciﬁcally developed for the redevelopments, not just in Cambridge, on all campuses. www.anglia.ac.uk/ newspaces allows you to watch the building works on the Cambridge Campus in real time through the instillation of a webcam. An e-mail address has also been set up to allow you to contact the team directly with any questions you may have about what’s going on around your campus: newspaces@anglia.ac.uk

Would you pay £37,000 for University? by Lisa Pool

n the 26th November students from Colleges and Universities in East Anglia will unite in Cambridge in a Town Takeover. The students will protest against the likely increase in University fees which will come as a result of a review of the HE funding policy by the Government. The national ‘Funding our Future’ campaign, for which this protest is in aid of, is run by the National Union of Students (NUS) throughout the U.K. Anglia Ruskin Students’ Union (ARSU), who are spearheading the protest in Cambridge, organised a ﬂashmob in the City Centre on Halloween. Students, dressed up as extras from the Michael Jackson video ‘Thriller’, performed the routine in several key locations in Cambridge. This raised the public awareness of the campaign and the importance these decisions in Westminster will have on all 7m UK students. Last year ARSU’s Day of Action saw over 200 students ﬂood the streets of Cambridge and rally to condemn both the current HE funding system and the government’s proposals. This year will be bigger and better with

the current economic climate causing more and more young people to think about how they will fund their future. The policy review in question could mean that the cap is lifted on tuition fees for University. This will eﬀectively allow Universities to charge whatever they want for tuition, which would in turn lead to poorer students being priced out of University altogether. The thought of graduating with a debt of £37,000 or even higher is enough to put oﬀ almost any potential student, forcing them to attend a university suited to their bank balance rather than on academic merit. “In the future students face being priced out of education if the HE tuition cap is lifted. Several potential students I have spoken to are now strongly reconsidering going to University solely because of the extortionate debt they would face after graduating. The proposed system would worsen inequality and curb social mobility Lord Mandelson so passionately believes the government’s new HE funding structure will help.” - Matthew East, President of Anglia Ruskin Students’ Union.

“future students face being priced out of education” Contact: Matthew East, President of Anglia Ruskin Students’ Union. 01223 460008 ext 5655. m.east@ angliastudent.com.

lifestyle

Az Newman and Ellis Clarke Lifestyle Editors

Freshers Fun by Callum McCarthy

ere begins your naive, freshfaced first year’s view of the lifestyle he just paid too much money to buy into. My fresher’s fortnight reads something like a Shakespearean tragedy. • I’ve commuted from North London for 2 weeks just to attend introductory talks and a variety of other timewasting exploits that wasted around £200 of my hard blagged money. • Student Finance England lost my passport details and my parents’ proof of income forms resulting in a bank balance that would make a vagabond laugh. • The total of interesting people I have met in this ghastly (I’ve been picking up the lingo from the locals) fortnight clocks up to a princely total of 1. • To top this series of unfortunate events with a glace cherry, my beloved local supermarket cannot ﬁnd a vacancy for me either of this city’s stores, which will force more laughter from the aforementioned vagabonds. • I have since taken up the ﬂute and sat outside a clothes shop playing the same tune for four hours (just messin’).

None of this matters though, ‘cos I’m free, free to take up every bad habit I’ve never wanted. I’ve started drinking coffee, I’ve acquired an unhealthy desire to own a boating blazer, I’m going to grow a handlebar moustache. Hell, I joined Cambridge University’s Georgian Architecture society just to see how long it will take before they notice I’m just an oik from a London suburb. I figured, I’m going to be paying off the next three years worth of cliche debauchery until I’m bouncing my offspring on my knee, so surely taking it anything less than the whole nine yards would be a wasted opportunity?

This may not be the sort of freedom that every fresher dreams of when they bid farewell to their nearest and dearest, but everyone who has come to this painfully middle class paradise will be living the dream in their own shackleless manner. Even if we are penniless, friendless and homeless, we aren’t hopeless.

Credit Crunch Lunch of The Month Peckish but impoverished? Every issue we’ll have a new, simple and delish dish for you to try out, each one carefully crafted with your purse strings in mind.

Crispy Tuna Pasta Bake Stupidly easy to make, costs under a fiver and you’re stuffed after a couple of bites. Serves 1-2 You’ll need: • 1 x 400g Can of Chopped Tomatoes • 1 x 185g Tin of Tuna • Around 200g Dry Pasta (2 mug-fulls if you’re too cheap to get scales!) • A bit of grated cheese • 1 bag of your favourite crisps • Mixed herbs, salt and pepper for seasoning 1. Preheat oven to 180°C 2. Boil some water in a saucepan and add your pasta. If you have any oil, add it to the pasta to stop it sticking together. Leave for about 15 minutes. 3. Drain Tuna and break into smaller flakes with a fork. 4. Check the pasta is soft (or at least edible if you like it chewy). Drain and put back in the saucepan on a low heat. 5. Add chopped tomatoes, herbs, salt and pepper to the pasta. Then stir in the tuna. 6. Once everything is mixed, warm and tasty, pour into an oven proof dish. 7. Cover with grated cheese and place in oven for 20 minutes. 8. Now’s your chance to wash up, you lazy student. 9. Remove from oven and sprinkle crushed crisps over the top. 10. Place under high grill for 5 minutes. 11. Serve and enjoy!

lifestyle Letting Agencies, Letting Students Down by Robin Turner

or a University Fresher, one such aspect of university life is living away from home, perhaps for the very first time. However, with the university constantly vacating campus halls during term breaks, the only option for undergraduates is to privately rent. For some, this can be a precarious and stressful time that could ultimately result in either failing their course or dropping out. A recent report from NICEIC, the UK’s leading voluntary regulatory body for the electrical contracting industry, has named Cambridge third worst university town for incompetent landlords. NICEIC’s research revealed that nearly two fifths of tenants in the area reported that their landlords had cut back on basic maintenance to save cash since the recession. According to NICEIC, rented properties are potentially more at risk than owneroccupier homes as they tend to get more wear and tear. However, despite government safety laws, such compromises in safety and maintenance have resulted in around 12,500 house fires, 750 serious injuries and 10 deaths in the home every year. Elliot Spirrett, a psychology undergrad in his third year, had experienced such difficulties when he and his friends moved from halls into a shared house last year. They became aware of a number of issues; no locks on the front door, exposed wiring and damaged furnishings. “It was a big operation” Elliot said, “we had to get a house quick because we started looking quite late into the term”, which didn’t leave the four house-mates much of choice. Getting the letting agency to carry out repairs also proved to be an arduous task. “There was even a hole in the floor of my room” said Ben Riley, Elliot’s house-mate. The four had their deposits of £475 each retained by the letting agency when moving out at the end of term. Their parents

were outraged to find they were being charged £140 each for cleaning, which all together came to £560. This was in despite of all the families involved setting about cleaning the house when leaving. Elliot’s mum, Paula said “we didn’t receive any bills or notification”. Izzy Maxwell, 2nd year Drama student, also experienced such matters with a separate landlord. She and her housemates were distressed to find that their deposits had been retained by their property management company. This was in despite of them paying off all bills when moving out. When the four girls complained in person, they were met with extreme belligerence from members of staff. Izzy said “the guy said ’oh, don’t worry, you’ll get over it. It’s only two hundred quid’”. The apparent abusive actions over tenant’s deposits can have a devastating effect. As Ben Riley explains “our deposits were needed because of the student loans which meant shortage of cash to put down on the next place.” Government legislation allows landlord’s the right to retain a deposit to cover costs for damages and unpaid bills left by a tenant. However, this does become open to abuse. In many cases where a student tenant takes care of the house when moving out, the deposit can still be retained. As Ben said “£560 is excessive, especially for even what they said it was for- cleaning an oven and a small carpet”. As Elliot and Ben’s parents found, to their dismay, court action to dispute retained deposits from dodgy landlords will cost more than the deposit itself. “We are aware of one or two companies that are taking advantage of student tenants”, says ARU Accommodations advisor John Reeve. He points out several ways a student tenant can protect themselves. First, they can request if the landlord or letting agent has a tenancy deposit scheme. This is where deposits are held by a third party, such as an insurance

company. Secondly, students can request a specimen contract when viewing prospective properties. “An Assured Short-Hold Tenancy is the most commonly used”, says Reeve. This can be examined by the advisors in the Accommodations department in the Eastings Building, to identity such issues as hidden charges. Finally, when settling into a house, the student tenant should take photos of the property, detailing any discrepancies in furnishings. This should go with an inventory list and kept ﬁled with copies of the contract. Then there is the accommodations department that is available to support the student tenant. Says John Reeve, “it is university policy to give advice and guidance to student tenants.”

“the student tenant should take photos of the property, detailing any discrepancies in furnishings” However, Paula feels the university should go further. “The university should have a process of supervision, to double check the accommodation as the student moves out”. She says of her experience in dealing with her son’s property agent was quite traumatic and will be passing on her experiences to her friends who have teenagers about to enroll as undergrads. But she is relieved that her son, Elliot and his friends have fallen on their feet. Ben says “we found a new agency with a better, more caring attitude. The staff was quite amicable”. The three firm friends returned this semester, moving into a plush affordable city house. Now, ever the wiser and with their problems behind then, they are now content with the distracting concern of the obligatory house party.

lifestyle Full Time Students and Part Time Employment by Ellis Clarke

hen deciding to become one of over 2 million that enter Higher Education in the UK, a student is being thrown in at the deep end when it comes to finances. For a typical full time student this means rent, bills and inevitable debt, the likes of which they may never have had to deal with. Now with the cost of student living rising to a total of £10.8bn a year, 4 in 10 students will have to work part-time in order to support their university studies even with the loans and grants that our generous government dishes out. It’s understood that employment is an integral part of everyday life. But just how much does it affect the student lifestyle? It is written within Anglia Ruskin’s official rules, regulations and procedures that it is advised for full time students to study for at least 35 hours a week and do paid work for no more than 15 hours a week. This leaves plenty of time to indulge in any hobbies/interests, copious amounts of drinking and even a good night’s kip but for some students part time work goes beyond these limits and starts affecting study, social life and even mental and physical health. National statistics represent how students feel as though they simply don’t have time to work since 28 per cent of unemployed men (870,000) and 18 per cent of unemployed women (840,000) cited studying as their reason for inactivity in the labour force. We also see an increase in students taking

up part time work during summer so that it won’t affect their study periods. Most students are simply unable to concentrate wholly on learning and achieving their utmost potential when they have to seek part time employment because their loan doesn’t afford what it should. Another damaging factor on the fragile student lifestyle is bullying and harassment in the workplace. For a student to take on part time work they are likely to be in quite a desperate situation making it easy for bosses and co workers to demean or overwork them. Matt King, a first year philosophy student has unfortunately experienced these circumstances while working for a supermarket chain: ‘Not only did I constantly feel as though I was being scrutinised for being a “lazy student” when I needed time off for study, they also didn’t offer much flexibility and pressurised me to do more overtime. I often had to work many more hours than I was contracted to do.’ Bullying in the workplace is becoming a widely recognised issue and many companies are now offering flexibility for students wanting to earn their keep but these stressful situations can still occur. Fatigue also affects working students particularly those employed by bars and nightclubs. Although this seems like an ideal option since it will never clash with seminars and lectures, these types of jobs offer long and strenuous hours. This can affect students in one of two

ways. Either they will become nocturnal working all night and sleeping all day (missing important classes) or they pump themselves with a concoction of red bull, coﬀee and pro plus which is completely unhealthy! Overall working and studying does have potential to become risky but beneﬁcial nonetheless. Working up to 15 hours a week on national minimum wage can earn your rent

28 per cent of unemployed men (870,000) and 18 per cent of unemployed women (840,000) cited studying as their reason for inactivity in the labour force alone and employment will always offer exciting opportunities or at the very least something to bulk up your CV. If however I have put you off the idea completely but you do need some extra dosh check out faststudentcash. com which refers you to quick, fun and easy alternatives to make money such as mystery shopping, TV extra work and product testing. If you are being negatively affected by part time employment don’t forget that friendly student staff are always on hand to give you advice at the SU Office. Remember, as Anglia Ruskin states so eloquently, ‘success as a student is best achieved when you get the right balance of study and work.’

student affairs

My time at Country Holidays for Inner City Kids (CHICKS) “Having Fun – Making Friends – Creating Memories” by Danny Mayzes - CHICKS Volunteer

t’s 7.00 in the morning and the alarm clock blares its usual rhythmic bleeping as it tries desperately to awaken the sleepy and exhausted inhabitants of the male volunteer dorm. Its efforts are successful as one by one, my eyelids open as I slowly begin to remember where I am. My mind and body suddenly begin to whirr into action as I prepare myself for another day of fun, action packed activities and memory making. I can only be in one place….CHICKS !!! CHICKS stands for ‘Country Holidays for Inner City Kids’ and the registered children’s charity does just that. Providing a respite country holiday for hundreds of disadvantaged children every year, the charity really is a worthwhile cause for ensuring that young people that normally have huge responsibilities when they shouldn’t have, are rewarded with a 6-day, 5-night holiday that actually allows them to behave like children again – a chance to sing, dance, laugh, play, make friends and have fun! The charity has two stunning locations in the West Country – a coastal resort in Cornwall and another centre in the Moorlands of Devon, two completely different and unique centres that both work towards the same, important, life-changing goal. Each camp (week) has a different theme name such as Dominoes (my last camp!) or Raspberry etc… whatever happens to be the theme for that season. Every camp has a maximum of 16 children (8 boys / 8 girls) and at least 8 adult volunteers (4 men / 4 women) which ensures that the ratio of adult to child never exceeds 2:1, allowing the children to have as much

attention as possible on their special week! Activities are designed and arranged round the children, giving each child an opportunity to try something new, face their fears or pursue a challenge. A typical week could see the children horse-riding at a local stable, dangling in mid-air from a high ropes course and watching a rather entertaining penguin feed at the nearby zoo. If that isn’t enough to even begin to tempt your taste buds, the holiday could include a day out at an adventure park, swimming at a local fun pool and body boarding off a very beautiful beach with fantastically high waves!! Each day is rounded off with activities back at camp; ranging from team games and water fights to BBQ’s and free time on either the trampolines or in the games barns. Each CHICKS week is climaxed by an evening Disco on the final night, which enables the staff, volunteers and children to dress up in their glad rags, hit the dance floor and belt out their favourite tunes. The holiday finally comes to an end, and the final morning sees all the children and volunteers receive goody-bags and certificates in a fun and funky presentation. The memory making is completed in style as each child is given a photo montage of their time at CHICKS with pictures of the children doing their activities and having fun with the volunteers, staff and other children – a piece of CHICKS that will stay with them for ever and remind them of the fun and special times that they experienced and enjoyed on their CHICKS camp. The children who participate in CHICKS holidays all come from varied walks of life and belong to very different communities across the

UK. Children of single parents who need to be given the opportunity of making new friends, young carers that provide care for disabled parents or grandparents or nurture for younger and older siblings, all deserve the break that CHICKS offers within its respite programmes. The children are referred to CHICKS by adults that work closely with them. This could include anybody from family members themselves to working professionals such as social workers, respite co-ordinators or even a teacher within the childs school. If an adult feels that the child qualifies for time away from their normal lives or a chance to be a child again and have fun, then CHICKS is a perfect opportunity to reward them with a fun, action-packed week away with other children in the same circumstances; surrounded by responsible and qualified staff/volunteers that provide the care, attention and love that they may need.

Piccture taken from http://www.chicks.org.uk.

student affairs Being a volunteer on a CHICKS camp is a rewarding and enjoyable experience. Not only is it a great way to put something appealing and recognisable on your CV or within your developing portfolio but it is also an ideal opportunity to build up experience if studying a career in teaching, youth work or social work etc. Being a volunteer for CHICKS is a cost effective way of volunteering. All accommodation, food and activities are paid for by the charity and they will even reimburse some of your travel costs getting down there. In exchange, you provide CHICKS (and more importantly the children) with your time, dedication and enthusiasm as well as more discreet assets such as energy, laughter, fun and empathy! Being a volunteer is also beneficial to you as an individual as you get to see the West Coast in a fun and vibrant way, make new friends with the other volunteers and hopefully keep in touch with them after the holiday via Facebook, email and other means – just like I am !! Volunteering and participating on a CHICKS holiday is by no means an easy or lightweight experience – enjoyable, but not easy! Emotions sometimes run high and situations can easily become out of control. One of our main jobs is to ensure that children who have reached escape velocity in both speed and volume are quickly and efficiently calmed down so that it does not have effect on the other children – otherwise, before you know it, you have 16 ticking time-bombs running around just waiting to go off !! Other duties could include comforting homesick or upset children, boosting self-esteem and confidence and encouraging them to participate and have a go at the activities they may be nervous about trying. However, an important thing to remember is that CHICKS operates a ‘challenge by choice’ policy, which means that children (and volunteers!) do not have to do anything they don’t want to. A CHICKS holiday is not all hard work, some activities with

Piccture taken from http://www.chicks.org.uk.

the children can be a very enjoyable experience; sharing special moments with the child that they will treasure forever and look back upon many times. Bouncing around on the trampolines endlessly until both child and volunteer become exhaustingly tired – a perfect time to snuggle up in the lounge and share a fairytale story. Bedtimes are also sharing occasions in which more stories are told before the children settle down to sleep before the next manic but funﬁlled day. If I had to put a tagline on the experience it would simply be ‘Go down there and do it’! Don’t even think about it until you are down there – by which time it’s too late for any mindchanging or doubting moments; but hopefully these would have been long gone as you should be having loads of fun and memory making at your chosen CHICKS camp !! If you have a spare week from University or work, or are simply taking a gap year, volunteer on a CHICKS holiday and have a fun, enjoyable week away down in the West Country whilst making a big diﬀerence to children’s lives – It really is an experience not to be missed. There

“Children of single parents...young carers that provide care for disabled parents or grandparents or nurture for younger and older siblings, all deserve the break that CHICKS oﬀers” are only a few words that can some this article up – FUN, LAUGHTER and MEMORY MAKING @ CHICKS !! For more information on volunteering contact the Community Development Oﬃce at your campus. Fac 008, Chelmsford. Volunteerchel@anglia.ac.uk Hel 108, Cambridge. Volunteercam@anglia.ac.uk

culture

Julia Ouzia Culture Editor

Dear readers, I don’t know how you felt about the 21st September 2009 but I was pretty excited – a new year, meeting old friends, making new ones and trying out new things. My name is Julia Ouzia, I am a second year psychology student at ARU and I will be this year’s editor for the culture section of the APEX. When I took over the section I was asking myself, what is culture? The dictionary defines culture as: “the quality in a person or society that arises from a concern for what is regarded as excellent in arts, letters, manners, scholarly pursuits, etc.”. So, what does that mean? To be honest, I still don’t know! As I understand it, culture is everything that defines human interaction. Therefore anything is possible in this section and that is what I love about it. I anticipate that it always will contain an article in a foreign language and a recipe, but in order to fill the rest – I need your help!!!! Email me ideas, criticism or interest and I will make sure to consider it: julia.ouzia@student.anglia.ac.uk For now, I want to thank Anja, Jess, Jesse and Nigel for making this first month of being an editor such a pleasant experience. I hope you enjoy their articles as much as I did! Enjoy! Julia

Blood, Guts and Film Stock by Jesse Wood

he Cambridge Festival has become a regular event on the film festival circuit, now running into its 29th year. The schedule is everything from Oscar winning Hollywood ﬁlm down to the cutting edge of Liberian independent cinema. However, this year the organisers decided to play a “wild card”. This came in the form of Trident Fest. Late on Friday night in September the Cambridge Film Festival was taken over by a group of horror fans, students, local celebrities and other equally bizarre people hungry for

something other than the Regal bar downstairs. These people were there for the première of Project Trident’s latest venture. Beers and wine glasses in hand the group ascended to the screening room, in a slightly inebriated rabble. Entering the room the crowd were greeted with some minor technical hitches and a lot of drunken babbling, shortly the light went out and the festival began. The opening short was the crowd favourite “Mr Silver Face”, this mix of graphic violence and absurd comedy pretty much set the precedent for the evening, suitably greeted with hooting and cheering. As the night

continued the various directors of the films delivered very impromptu introduction to the relevant shorts. Highlights of the night included the flasher mockumentary “Nope”, which was created by ARU students Alan Melia and Henry Lockyer. The real crowning jewel in the Trident catalogue were the two surrealist comedy shorts, “Stare Bear” and “Sandwiches” created by Simon Panrucker, both films were received with disgust and laughter in equal measures from the audience. Speaking to Christian Lapidge and Andrzej Sosnowski, film makers and creators of Project Trident, Andrzej

culture flew in from Columbia just to attend Trident Fest. Talking very humbly about the success of evening, seemingly overwhelmed by the public’s response, the guys described how Project Trident began. Starting from a series of short films made for friends and colleagues for private viewing, the project grew and grew, borrowing equipment and calling on friends to jump in and act and hold cameras. Through late night private screenings the powers that be of the Arts Picture House decided that the guys should put in a showing as part of the festival. Entering into a major UK film festival alongside big names and films, would seem daunting to many people, however the Project Trident boys were not fazed in the slightest. Feeling as if they had earned the right to be a part of the festival as much as

anybody else there, promoting and raising the film’s profiles themselves. Expecting possibly a few friends and family to show up, over 90 tickets were sold at the box office, the event turning into a party with the drinking and stupidity running long into the light. When reflecting on the success of the Projects first major event, the

guys seemed more interested in joking around than talking about signing onto the mainstream of cinema. There has been talk of another Trident Fest at next year’s Cambridge Film Festival, possibly a feature film. Saying this, neither of guys seemed even interested making a serious career from their films, wary of the exploitative nature of the film industry. Project Trident stands for a group of people who love film and making films for fun of it. This is not to say they are not serious about the production value, as they said, they don’t want to make a rubbish film. Essentially, the Project is going carry on making films, improving and learning as it goes, while still holding onto its DIY roots and laid back nature. In closing, these guys are really what the heart of film making is about, a few mates, a camera and a lot of fake blood and beer. You can follow up to date the exploits of Project Trident and if you missed Trident Fest watch the films at http://www.vimeo.com/channels/ projecttrident.

culture

Deutsche, Discounts und Damenfahrräder by Anja Wittig, Berlin, Germany

eine Ankunft in Cambridge war alles andere als typisch Britisch. Die Sonne schien und der Busfahrer der mich nach Cambridge brachte war ein Amerikaner. Aber was ist überhaupt typisch britisch? Baked Beans, English Breakfast Tea, trockener Humor und Dauerregen? Demnach dürften Deutsche ja auch nur Weißwürste mit Sauerkraut essen und nie zu spät kommen. Doch schon ich selbst bin kein Liebhaber der bayrischen Küche und auch nicht immer pünktlich. Meine ersten Tage in Cambridge waren dann alles andere als stereotypisch und britisch. Ich hörte mitunter häuﬁger deutsche Sätze als englische und ich dachte mehr als einmal, dass ich in Deutschland bin. Eins steht fest Heimweh bekomme ich hier auf keinen Fall, aber wird mein Semester

wirklich eine Auslandserfahrung? Das kommt im Endeﬀekt auf jeden selbst an. Denn nachdem ich die unzähligen Registrierungen und Informationsveranstaltungen hinter mich gebracht hatte, ging es mit meinem neuen gebrauchten Damenfahrrad auf Entdeckungsreise durch Cambridge. Schon in der Uni und auch beim durch die Gegend radeln ist mir aufgefallen, dass Cambridge ein Synonym für INTERNATIONAL ist. Allein die Anzahl und Vielfalt der Kirchen macht die internationale Ausrichtung deutlich. Cambridge beherbergt über 90 Gebetshäuser, wie Kirchen, Synagogen und Moscheen. Doch nicht nur die Religionen, sondern auch die Studenten aus verschiedenen Nationen sorgen dafür, dass ein Aufenthalt hier zu einem Aufenthalt in der ganzen Welt werden kann - vorausgesetzt

man will! Somit haben sich auch meine letzten englischen Kliches in Luft aufgelöst und übrig bleibt nur die Begeisterung für die süßen, kleinen Cafes, die historische Altstadt und die Internationalität. Doch aus meiner ersten Woche hier habe ich noch mehr als nur den Mut zum Rausgehen mitgenommen. Erstens, dass ein Fahrrad in Cambridge Gold wert ist (im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes – bei den Preisen für gebrauchte Alträder). Es ist mit unter das schnellste Fortbewegungsmittel, wenn auch nicht immer das sicherste. Und zweitens, dass die Engländer eine Vorliebe für Vouchers, Discounts und buy-one-get-one-free haben. Und gerade für Studierende gibt es unzählige Rabatte, also warum nicht losradeln, Leute kennen lernen und Geld sparen???

culture Dear International Freshers – Welcome to England! A tale about what you guys got yourself into... by Jess Dolby

hat defines the English culture? Well, to begin with, there probably isn’t

any. What cultures do we possess in today’s society for Christ’s sake! I hear you plea. Probably only drinking and ﬁsh and chips. And mostly the latter only is digested at the seaside. This brings me onto the coast. We British are fantastic sea side enthusiasts, travelling from far and wide when the sunshine ﬁrst breaks through the clouds, to acclaim a place on the beach. Doesn’t matter if its midsummer or Boxing Day, even if it rains or hails, once on the sand there we stay. Although even though a foreign beach may be warmer and more attractive, nothing can beat the charm of British beaches. The exhilarating air, the icy breeze and crashing waves are enough to freeze your very soul...who am I kidding! Although, when we go abroad we seem to attract very similar haunts. Even in the very southern Spain you can’t see the palm trees for Irish pubs, pie and chip stands and anything else truly English. Is this because we feel the need to recreate home from home? Maybe, dare I say, a colonisation happening even today? A typical British trait and something engrained into our culture is the fact we love that sense of control! We like to be able to acclaim power and status on things that perhaps we don’t even understand. Take curries for example. Us British love ‘em. Heralding from India, when we decided to make it into one of the country’s most loved takeaways, we decided to make one ourselves. And do it better than India. So in Birmingham, we gave birth to the Balti. Although there are English

implements and foods abroad, to help us settle in, the weather is most usually far warmer than our own. We can rest assured that back home; it will be raining, cold, grey and miserable. And we love the fact our in-laws have to suﬀer in it. Foreigners may come to England because of freedom of speech, a democracy and the ability to make money. Our culture is incredibly privileged to be able to do almost everything that we would want to. But I have heard from other people that the British are not very welcoming to foreigners, claiming that they should go back to their homeland. Because, part and parcel of English culture, we are hideously unfriendly. The land we have claimed is ours and to hell if anyone is going to take it away from us. We are more agricultural than nomadic. When we speak to other cultures, we end up pointing a lot and speaking English very slowly. Embarrassing really. We presume everyone will speak English, and so we don’t tend to learn the languages of others. And how do people from other climes see us? Well, even our biggest

buddy, America, has bones to pick with us. They adore our accents and think that we take high tea every afternoon with cream tea and scones. (Usually the case is the family hit the pub for a couple of cheeky 3pm pints). But even this beautifully traditional act does not cancel out our apparent faults- asking one American friend on what he thought of the English culture, he did not fail to give me a list. Firstly, we have Royalty and Big Ben, rain (albeit), good TV and good pubs, a general sense of snobbishness and bad oral hygiene. The latter I had a problem with- I thought bad breath was only linked to the French! So hidden underneath our underage drinking problems, the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Europe and our infamous ladettes, we actually have a country seeped in history. We may have lost our manners but our architecture is still standing! Whether we decide if being British is something to be proud of or something to keep to oneself, it’s up to the individual. I think English culture is like Marmite. People either love it or hate it. And it doesn’t go very well with hummus.

culture

For your information: Faith at Anglia Ruskin University The Cambridge Chaplaincy and international students by Julia Ouzia

ur University Chaplaincy in Cambridge offers a wide range of services and activities for all students, but it has a particular concern for students here from overseas. All our chaplaincy team members will be keen to help such students, but I would especially mention ﬁve of them: • Sheridan James is our Muslim chaplain • Julia Popp and Angelica Donner are Protestant Christians working with Friends International, an outreach organisation helping students in Cambridge • Roberta Canning is our Roman Catholic chaplain, based at the church of Our Lady and the English Martyrs (OLEM), but she is regularly on campus • Richard Blyth is the pastor of Zion Baptist Church next door to the East Road campus • (we are currently looking to recruit a Hindu or Sikh chaplain too)

• You can contact all of these via our website: www.anglia.ac.uk/ chaplaincy On campus we have two regular events that would be of particular interest to international students: iCafe: Monday 7-9pm in the Coslett Common Room This is an informal get-together, sometimes with food, where people can meet, practice their English, and meet home students from the Christian Union. Join the iCafe ARU Facebook Group. Salaam Social: Wednesday 6.30-9pm in the Coslett Common Room Another informal get-together organised by our Muslim students. At both of these events, people of all faiths and none are really welcome. Off-campus, at OLEM Roberta offers a Sunday evening meal after the 5pm Mass and a bible study on Wednesdays at 6.30pm. At Zion Baptist Church Richard offers a student cafe on Thursdays from 12.30-3 and a discussion group on Sundays at 7.30pm in his home. Zion also offers free English lessons. I am always pleased to meet international and home students. I run several activities for everyone. To find out more, please join our Facebook Group ‘Anglia Ruskin University Cambridge Chaplaincy’, or email me nigel.cooper@anglia.ac.uk. I hope to see you around. Nigel

Julia’s Food Corner Bon Appétit! by Julia Ouzia

It is 2 am, you are way behind on your reading and you need to get some sugar into your system to keep you going! However, your friends just came down for a movie night two days ago and all your snacks are gone. Question: what is probably the easiest sweet you can make with the ingredients that you usually always have in your kitchen. Answer: Scones! :-) Estimated price: £2 Estimated time until ready to serve: 35 mins Degree of difficulty: very easy 230g self raising flour 50 g butter 30 g sugar 100 ml – 150 ml milk add cocoa, dried fruit or cinnamon for flavour Preheat the oven to 200°C, mix flour, butter, sugar and milk in a bowl, form 6 - 8 little balls of dough and place them onto a baking tray. Put them into the oven for 15 – 18 mins, afterwards give them 10 mins to cool down. Serve with butter, jam and/or crème frâiche... ...Bon Appétit!

Music

Angeline Lilles Music Editor

The Cribs The Junction 25/09/09 by Adam Cowler

he crowd at the junction cast constant attentive looks towards the stage with eager anticipation for indie heroes The Cribs. The atmosphere creates a dominating hunger for possibly the most exciting musical team up of the decade with the addition of new band member Johnny Marr of The Smiths fame. For fans of the band, genre and in all fairness damn good music, tonight is a must-see and it is quite obvious why ‘Sold Out’ signs seem to be printed ubiquitously over posters inside the venue. The collaboration of an indie iconic genius and one of the UK’s most exciting bands has seen attention ﬁxed from far and wide towards The Cribs. The previous weeks have been non-stop for the band with new album ‘Ignore the Ignorant’ generating glowing reviews from the masses. Support

acts Lissy Trullie and Adam Green both make an impact, with the latter’s incredible enthusiastic dancing, adding an important ingredient to the crowd’s zealous manner. Lissy Trullie also provides extremely attractive, catchy riﬀs with a panache attitude and catchy vocal style. A familiar instrumental is heard, and after listening to ‘Bastards of Young’ by The Replacements over the sound system, (a song The Cribs have covered themselves) it’s time for the band to hit the stage. The lights shine, and a roar of applause greets the band, enhanced by the fact that they launch straight into new album opener ‘We Were Aborted’, a punchy, raw, ferocious anthem sticking two ﬁngers up at any critics doubting their ability and collaboration. Front man Ryan Jarman’s vocals are on extreme form along with twin brother Gary’s and his exceptional pounding bass lines,

whilst younger brother Ross’s emphatic drumming adds an astounding eﬀect. That’s without mentioning a certain Mr Marr’s outstanding performance who ﬁts in so well with the band. Crowd favourites ‘Hey Scenesters’, ‘Another Number’, ‘Men’s Needs’ and I’m a Realist’ are played along with the intense passion and brilliance of current single ‘Cheat on me’. ‘Ignore the Ignorant’ receives a good run out, with the album practically played in full, which the crowd lap up. The night is one to remember, with a vast array of songs. Closing number the epic ‘City of Bugs’ leaves the stage drenched in feedback and pounding drums ringing throughout the place, in classic Cribs style. This was certainly an intense and vibrant performance, leaving me just time to say The Cribs are without doubt a must-see act!

Music

Live Review Reading Festival August 2009 by Jon Hazell

s the Reading Festival just an opportunity for narcissistic hipsters to congregate in a field and pretend that they actually like music? Probably. Who cares though? It is however one of the best opportunities for us to watch some of the most diverse alternative music all in one place. With a line up covering rock, indie, electronica, metal, hardcore and punk it’s enough to keep even the most cynical music fan (me) quiet for an entire weekend. This is all provided that you’re willing to brave the ridiculous ticket prices, the £5 baguettes, the rancid toilets and the routine campsite riots. Arctic Monkeys’ Saturday night headline slot was subject to mixed opinion on the darker material from their new Josh Homme produced album ‘Humbug’. Their set also featured a bizarre cover of Nick Cave’s ‘Red Right Hand’ complete with Alex Turner’s adorable Sheﬃeld accent...I’ll leave it up to you guys to decide. Kings Of Leon provided a no thrills CD-accurate performance from the

Tennessee family who are unwittingly taking over the entire universe. One question that plagued the campsite on Friday night: What on earth possessed the band to tear up the stage at the end of the set and then middle ﬁnger the entire crowd? Allegedly the next day at Leeds Festival singer Caleb Followill explained that his annoyance had something to do with people leaving half way through their performance (after they played ‘Sex on Fire’). Radiohead. Okay, so they didn’t play my old favourite ‘Let Down’. They did however play just about everything else I wanted to hear. I’m not really sure what it is about ‘Paranoid Android’ that causes everyone within earshot to dance like a drunken uncle. You hear people say “You couldn’t get anywhere near the stage” a lot at music festivals. With The Prodigy’s set it was totally accurate. It didn’t make too much of a diﬀerence though, the faint dots on the horizon that was The Prodigy were still mindblowing. Giggling to herself down the microphone, Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ frontlady Karen-O is having so much fun she

just can’t contain herself. Matched only by the audience who were probably as perplexed by her stage presence as they were by the giant inflatable eyeballs that bounced along the arena. The scaled down version of ‘Maps’ was divine. Frank Turner demonstrated more or less a standard Frank Turner gig, but this time it was on a much, much larger scale. I don’t think it’s possible to watch him play without, at least fleetingly, having a good think about the way your life is going. Much to the dismay of many of the people around me, Noah & The Whale stuck to songs from their newest album and refrained from playing that sugar coated pop number ‘Five Years Time’. Better for it though, Charlie Fink’s songwriting plus the rest of the band’s musicianship resulted in a genuinely touching half hour. I don’t think anything could have prepared me for the astronomical flamboyancy that was Patrick Wolf ’s set on Saturday. Patrick struts on stage looking like a crazed Power Ranger then goes on to remind us how much of a talented musician he is - marvellous. Alexisonfire was a treat. The Canadian hardcore collective played both the Main Stage and the LockUp Stage. Like any Alexis gig the atmosphere was intense, with their famous gang-shout vocals multiplied by the population of the crowd. 65DaysofStatic was probably the closest thing we’ll ever get to knowing what it sounds like when the earth collides with the sun. Finally, the elusive post hardcore forefathers Rival Schools give a short set to an informed minority at the Lock-Up Stage on Saturday. ‘Used for Glue’ causes a riot at one end of the stage and a collective “Oh, I remember this song” at the other.

Music Music News by Angeline Lilles

GMT are currently recording their second album, ‘Congratulations’, due out sometime in 2010. Lead singer Andrew VanWyngarden says the album has been inﬂuenced by the band’s massive rise in popularity since debut album ‘Oracular Spectacular’’s release. He revealed: “It’s us trying to deal with all the craziness that’s been going on since our last album took oﬀ. Sometimes it just doesn’t feel natural.” Paul McCartney will headline a gig at the Royal Albert Hall in London this month in aid of Children In Need. Lily Allen, Dizzee Rascal, Muse, Snow Patrol, Shirley Bassey and Leona Lewis are also set to perform at the charity concert, organised by Take That’s Gary Barlow. Tickets will be allocated by ballot, and the concert will be aired on the tellybox the

Listings November

Tuesday 17th, The Portland Arms Keith James & Rick Foot Wednesday 18th, The Junction Two Door Cinema Club Thursday 19th, The Portland Arms Karine Polwart Thursday 19th, The Junction Gun Thursday 19th, The Junction Cambridge Jazz Festival Friday 20th, The Junction Portico Quartet Sunday 22nd, The Junction Motorhead Monday 23rd, Corn Exchange N-Dubz Christmas Party Tuesday 24th, Corn Exchange Status Quo Wednesday 25th, Corn Exchange New Model Army Wednesday 25th, The Junction

weekend before the main Children In Need Event. Liam Gallagher has shown his support for a campaign to prevent the plight of the honey bee. He became interested in the campaign after honey helped to cure a throat infection that caused Oasis to pull out of their appearance at V Festival this summer. He expressed his concern to The Sun newspaper, stating, “Without them we’re in proper bother.”

New Beautiful South & Sandi Thom Thursday 26th, The Junction Dr Feelgood & Nine Below Zero Friday 27th, The Junction Chris Difford Saturday 28th, The Boathouse

The Living Room CB2

Described by NME as “the premier acoustic night in Cambridge”, The Living Room concept showcases the cream of underrated British acoustic musicians on the first Thursday of every month. Taking place in the basement of CB2, doors open at 8.30pm with music starting at 8.45pm. Tickets £4. Next occurring on 12th November, featuring Pete Roe from Laura Marling’s band. www.myspace.com/ thelivingroomlive

Madame Tussauds are reportedly set to update Amy Winehouse’s waxwork to feature new breasts, in light of her recent enhancements, although the singer has denied having any work done.

Friday Lunchtime Concert Series Mumford Theatre, Cambridge Campus

(All start 1.10pm, admission is free) Boo Hewerdine (singersongwriter) 6th November Charles Draper (theremin) & Rupert Compston (piano) 13th November Rex Lawson (pianola) 20th November Alison Stephens (mandolin) & Anne Evans (piano) 27th November

Music

Interview Bowling For Soup 10/09/09 by Angeline Liles

owling For Soup, who formed in 1994, provided an anthem for teenagers worldwide with ‘Girl All The Bad Guys Want’. That was all the way back in 2002, and they’ve been anything but lazy ever since. With their eighth full-length album set for imminent release, we sat down to have a little trans-atlantic chat with lead singer Jaret Reddick about the new album, ‘Sorry For Partyin’’, and their upcoming UK tour. APEX: So what have you been up to in America? Jaret Reddick: I have just been getting ready for tour, working on finishing up this album and getting the artwork all together and spending as much time with the family as I can. It’s just been crazy busy. Are you looking forward to coming over here? We always have way too much fun when we come over to the UK, it takes me about a week to recover from a UK tour by the time we get home. Too many pints, too many late nights, and always a butt load of fun. So is there a big distinction between UK fans and American fans? I will say there are great music fans everywhere. Our UK fans are definitely very supportive and loyal. There’s an energy when we play in the UK…plus it’s fun to hear you guys sing our songs with your fun accents. But I guess we’re the ones with the accents because you guys created the language. What’s life on the road like for you guys as a band? Has it changed much since you first started out? Last weekend I was just saying “We’re frickin’ crazy, we’re officially nuts” because we never sleep, and we drink

way too much, and we still think slapping each other in the belly is funny. We’re still having the time of our lives and we’ve never taken it for granted. Life on the road with us is a lot of fun if you don’t like sleeping and you hate your liver. The only way it’s changed is when we started out we drove around in a van and nobody was at our shows. Now fans actually turn up at the shows and we travel in a bit better accommodation, but for us as people, we’re still the same. What’s the story behind your new album name? They are funny play on words because people are like “How can you be sorry for partying?” The story is that Chris (guitarist) got really drunk one night and the next day someone said to him “Man, do you know what you did? You threw a bunch of our stuﬀ out the window and you fell asleep in the hall and you snored all night and kept everybody awake” and Chris just goes

“Well hey, sorry for partying”. So what he meant by that was that we all do this. People pass out, everybody farts. It happens. And finally, I understand you have a documentary coming out in three parts? We are gonna do the documentary, we just got a little. It’s still gonna happen. It’s gonna be an online thing, basically a tour of our hometown, but in a really cool way. Like “Hey, this is where I went to school, this is where I had sex for the first time, where I had my first job”. It’s still gonna happen but we didn’t quite get it filmed three months ago when we set out to do it. Bowling For Soup played at the Corn Exchange, Cambridge on Tuesday 20th October. Look out for a review of this show by Jon Hazell in the next issue.

Music Interview Radio 1 DJ Greg James by James Schaitel

reg James has achieved a lot considering his young years. The day after graduating from UEA with a degree in Drama, he began working at Radio 1. He recently left his early breakfast show in favour of the early afternoon slot during the station’s first major schedule shift in five years. At just twenty-three, Greg is certainly someone to be keeping your eye on. I was lucky enough to nab an interview with him in the studio to chat about what it takes to become a successful DJ, his highlights of working for Radio 1 so far and dressing up in banana costumes. As charming in the flesh as on air, the conversation unfolded as follows… APEX: So Greg, did you always know you wanted to be a DJ? Greg James: Yes I did, ever since I was ten or eleven. I used to love watching Noel’s House Party, and then I realised he was on radio as well. So from then it was radio forced in to my head, hospital radio when I was at school and then

student radio at university and it all went form there. I’ve always known that I wanted to do it. Was your experience at university helpful for what you’re doing now? Very helpful, it was just three years of messing about on air, so I could mess up and then learn from my mistakes and try new stuff out. I also learnt different aspects of radio, as I was the station manager for one year, ran the schedule for another year, worked in the music team, the producing team and presented, you can do all sorts of stuff. It really was great experience. What advice would you give to aspiring DJs? It’s a really difficult industry, but I think you can do it if you’re determined. I always thought I’d get to Radio 1, I didn’t think it would happen so quickly, but I had always wanted to do it and I think it’s that determination that helped. If you do persist at it and keep going then you do get it eventually.

What’s the best thing about working for Radio 1? It’s the best youth station and it’s the only one I would really want to work for. You can reach so many people and it’s such a great, fun place to work. What’s your favourite memory from being at the station? There’s a lot. It’s been a really amazing, mad and scary couple of years. Probably my first Big Weekend as a presenter, I think that was my favourite. I’d been to the one the year before as a punter when I was just about to join the station, and then one year later I’m presenting it! That was an incredible moment. If you could co-host with anybody, who would it be? I did an interview with Ricky Jervais last week and I would have quite liked to have done a couple of shows with him. Personally it was great to meet him, he’s one of my comedy heroes, and it was great to find out that he’s actually nice guy, it would have been horrible if he’d been an arsehole. What’s your favourite music genre? I do genuinely love all the stuff that Radio 1 plays. I like the big pop songs and good radio records. But the thing I’d choose to go and see would be indie bands; Futureheads, Mystery Jets, Maximo Park, Kings of Leon etc. There’s a new band at the moment called Mumford and Sons who I’m obsessed with, the album is just amazing. I went to the album launch a few nights ago and it was one of the best gigs I’ve ever seen, they come alive when they perform on stage. What’s your idea of a good night out? Just getting all my mates together. Doesn’t matter if it’s a cheesy, crap club,

Music

18 All my friends to live within a ﬁve-mile radius.

A DAB digital radio, a 24 Box Set and a beach cricket set. Dogs or cats? Neither.

What do you see yourself doing in ﬁve years time? I want to be still here (Radio 1), either on this show or another.

What’s the most embarrassing moment of your life? Haha, there’s so many. Probably dressing up as a sexy, Fairtrade banana for a drama project in second year at university.

Favourite colour? Blue.

Favourite food? Pizza.

If you had one wish and you weren’t allowed to wish for a million more wishes, what would you wish for?

If you were stranded on a desert island what three things would you want with you?

just as long as they’re there. Now for some quick-ﬁre questions to conclude…

What’s your favourite festival? Glastonbury. Peanut butter or marmite? Marmite. Favourite club? Po Na Na’s in Norwich.

Interview and Live Review Mumford & Sons @ Junction 2, Cambridge 4/10/09 by Angeline Liles

umford & Sons are anything but twee. Let’s banish that word right away, because to use it in describing anything about this band would be a great injustice. There’s an unignorable, wholesome sincerity about this band’s approach to music making which is hinted at on record, but which really comes into its own during their live performances. Having only formed in December 2007, these four West-London gentlemen are fairly new to all this. The night before the release of their debut album ‘Sigh No More’, I sit down for a chat with banjo player Winston and double bass player Ted before they play to a modestly sized but sold-out crowd at Cambridge’s Junction 2. APEX: How is the tour going? Ted: We’re about three quarters of the way through. It’s been amazing. We hit a low a couple of days ago when we realised how ill and run down we were all feeling, so it got tricky but I think we’re feeling stronger now.

What inspired the idea of hosting a hoedown in a barn in Hertfordshire for the album launch party tomorrow night? Ted: We did a wedding last summer and it was a really fun hoedown and we wanted to just have a big old party. We wanted a sense of occasion; it needed to not be just a gig. Do you have a favourite song on the new album? Winston: … they’re all hits. Ted: I’m quite sentimental about ‘Sigh No More’ because that’s the song we open the live set with and it brings us all together because it’s quite a cappella and by the end of it we’re all really up for getting into the gig. What’s your writing process? Ted: It’s become increasingly a collaborative thing. It used to be just Marcus Mumford the songwriter and we were his band. But that didn’t last very long. As soon as we started writing more collaboratively we enjoyed playing the songs more because we all felt we’d equally invested in them. Most of the

words are Marcus’ apart from a couple of songs that Winston’s written the lyrics for. Songs such as ‘The Cave’ and ‘Roll Away Your Stone’ seem to have quite clear religious themes. Would you agree with this? Ted: It’s interesting because half of the band is religious and the other half isn’t, two were brought up as Christians and two weren’t. Obviously the message of the Bible is a really positive, loving message. In our songs I think it’s more of a spiritual than a religious thing. Winston: I would agree. If you’ve had spiritual moments at one time then that does affect you, it’s always an influence. Ted: Yeah, it’s an influence in song writing because we really like to connect with the people that we play music with and to. It’s a nice feeling, that community thing, with people coming together to enjoy music. There’s no religious message in our music, but there might be a sentiment grounded in spirituality.

Music Do you get a chance to listen to other peoples’ music much or go to gigs? Ted: I haven’t been to a gig in ages. We listen to a lot of music on the bus, mostly The XX, Gillian Welch, The Maccabees. I’m dying to go to a gig out of pleasure, it feels like forever. Gigs do feel a bit like work, because we don’t really do things in half measures, so when we get up on stage by the end of the ﬁrst song we’re all committed to doing our best and delivering a good show. So after a few weeks it does get a bit tiring, but it doesn’t stop being fun, and it certainly shouldn’t because it’s still early days.

First to delight the crowd is the band’s roadie and fellow musician, Pete Roe, a solitary figure complete with holey straw hat. He sings some thoughtful songs, simply constructed but prettily conjuring up scenes of a rural nature, with the lyrics delivered by a clear, mellow voice. ‘The Devil’s Dancefloor’ was particularly impassioned and shone out in his far too short set. Following Brighton-based ten-piece Shoreline’s set, it’s time for the main act. The crowd suitably warmed up, Mumford & Sons stroll onto the stage, arrange themselves into a level line at the front and swoop into the album’s title track, ‘Sigh No More’. Starting almost a cappella, it crescendos into a rousing chorale, aptly setting the scene for what is to follow. Current single ‘Little Lion Man’ has the desired affect as the crowd gleefully join in the ardent chorus, singing it was not your fault but mine/and it was your heart on the line/I really fucked it up this time/didn’t I my dear/didn’t I my dear. On stage, feet stomp and fingers work furiously at the double bass, banjo, guitar and keyboard as the song surges

to the blazing apex, taking the audience with them. The intensity steps up a notch as ‘I Gave You All’ and ‘White Blank Page’ first demonstrate the timid voice of a broken heart, and then build with heartfelt zeal. It’s not all heartbreak and sorrow, though, as the beatific ‘Winter Winds’ and ‘After The Storm’ are glistening rays of hope and optimism through the clouds of despair. The band move around the stage to swap instruments, with Mumford taking position behind the drum kit for the encore performance of ‘Dust Bowl Dance’, a bristling tale of belonging and regret. Each song seems to successfully reel in the crowd with haunting, tender melodies, then galvanise them with the band’s tangible energy and passion, then gently let them back down to earth again into the uncommonly hallowed hush that follows such an experience. It’s exhausting but gloriously therapeutic. It’s difficult not to enjoy a gig when the whole band so evidently are… it’s contagious.

reviews

Cassie Andrews Reviews Editor

Fame by Anja Wittig

ame 2009 is a remake of the 80’s musical. It’s a summary of the four years of High School at the ‘New York City High School of Performing Arts’, which shelters different characters and their story. The film is full of energy and makes you instantly whip your feet or nod your head. But besides the electrifying dance moves and heebie-jeebie-giving vocals, the film has not much of a story. You even get the impression that those tales are randomly chosen without any cohesion. For example, there is the acting couple, the highly brilliant dancer, the crazy director, the unaware talented singer and plenty more. Each story is full of potential but unfortunately director Kevin Tancharoen allows the audience an only superficial look at the surface. As soon as one of the various stories gets more detailed and, hence, more interesting the scene switches to someone else. Someone, who has been neglected for the past 10 minutes and now needs attention. However scratching at the surface leaves a lot of room for your own interpretations and dreams, as dreams are a main ingredient of this film. ‘How

big you make it, is all about how far you take it!’ In the end, you get the impression that your own story and your own dream might be the director’s concern. For 107 minutes the message that life is about accomplishing dreams, is conveyed. Finally everything is up to you!!! The characters are reaching for the stars but whether or not they make

Black Gold Rush by Cassie Andrews

he debut album from Brooklyn based duo Black Gold (Eric Ronick and Than Luu). Formed in Early 2006 it has taken them three years to record this album. Ronick’s vocals are very alike Dan Gillespie-sells (The Feeling) but that’s where the similarity ends. The album starts with a 90’s inspired

synthesized build up in Detroit, gripping the listener from the start. Unfortunately the build up is quickly met with a disappointing end, reverting to simplistic electro. This album is very easy listening, but is slightly depressing and lacks originality; they sound much alike many electro/indie bands out there at the moment.

it along the avenue of fame is left out. Consequently, the viewer misses a resolution, a scene showing that practicing hard has its rewards. When leaving the cinema you might think enthusiastically about your own plans and ideas. If the mood does not get you quite that far, you will at least leave with shaking hips and wonder about the plot.

reviews A Midsummer Nights Dream by Heather Cove

s a skeptical Shakespeare viewer, I was concerned I would be disappointed by The Loyal Shakespeare Company’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, but I was about to watch one of the best Shakespeare performances I had ever seen! In addition to this, not only was the performance the ﬁrst ever completely student run production allowed to be staged, for a fully paying public audience, but there had also been complications three weeks prior to the opening show! As I was watching the opening performance, I expected a few shaky starts, yet the actors seemed completely unfazed and put on a stunning show. Overall, the acting was at an amazingly high standard for an amateur production, but there were a few characters which truly made a lasting impression. In particular, Lewis Cooper,

Passion Pit Little Secrets by Thomas Grimshaw

assion Pit’s new song Little Secrets is a well paced song with a good mix of techno sounds with great accompanying vocals. Almost a blend of Lilly Allen meets Katie Perry in a catchy song that you will be singing for many days. A brilliant feel good song that I’m sure will feel its way into the charts without any problem. Expect it to be played in clubs and bars near you in the future!

playing the character of Bottom, put on a brilliant performance, yet, for me, it was his attention to the subtle humour, particularly within his facial expression and cheeky tone of voice, which truly made him stand out (and keep the audience in stitches!). Also, Jakup Dahl, who played both Egeus and Quince, put on a fantastic performance, not only through humour, but also due to his seemingly eﬀortless versatility between his two characters. I feel he must also be given additional credit as he was only drafted in a few weeks before the opening show! One of the main aspects of the production which really amazed me was the incredible dedication of the backstage and technical teams, throughout the rehearsal process and during the actual performances. I was especially impressed by the set and costumes for the performance, designed by Hanna Randall. The set

was simplistic but beautifully decorated, whilst the fairy costumes were fantastic, showing remarkable creativity within the design, especially due to a limited budget. Another aspect to shock me (in a good way!), was the live pianist, Nick Bryan, who not only played, but also composed the music especially for the production, and, as the main sound effect, it created a simple yet beautiful (if not sometimes sad) atmosphere to the performance. Finally I would particularly like to mention the contemporary style of the production, combining classic Shakespeare with more modern aspects, such as poi and choreographed stage combat. Overall, the performance was an amazing success, with a fantastic combination of acting and technical input, I simply cannot find a flaw!

reviews

The Holloways No Smoke, No Mirrors by Cassie Andrews

he happy-go-lucky indie folk kings are back, with brand new album No Smoke, No Mirrors, the followup to so, this is great Britain? This album is slightly more commercial than their debut album, with single Jukebox sunshine using more ‘magic’ in the recording studio than we’re used to. It is also a lot mellower than their previous album, especially in songs cool down and under a cloud. The album see’s a lot more

Regina Spektor Far by Cassie Andrews

he quirky songstress is back with her fifth album, Far, the first album for three years, and the follow up to previous hit album Begin to Hope. As shown at Glastonbury this year, Spektor has a fiery passion for music. Her alternative lyrics and ad-libbing create an authentic mix of Donovan and Kate Nash. They also hide underlying metaphors for society, ‘They started off beneath the knowledge tree, then they chopped it down to make white picket fences.’ For those who are Regina Spektor virgins, expect a concoction of balladesque vocals, tales of love, lust, heartbreak and friendship, intwined with passionate piano and electronic beats. Folding Chair and Dance Anthem of the 80’s illustrate Spektor’s now perfected art for making unique, captivating songs. In my opinion this is her best album to date, and definately worth a listen.

experimentation with sliding guitar, dischords and samba styles rhythms. The best song on the album is deﬁnitely sinners n winners holding true to The Holloways routes, lively cheerful indie with violins, acoustic guitar and even a banjo. Currently the band are on a national tour, so keep an eye out, as they are even better live!

reviews Counter Records Sampler Strike! by Stephanie Hewison

onsidering this compilation will only set you back £2.99, it’s relatively impressive. The opening track packs quite a punch ‘Oh No! Not You Again!’ by The Heavy, who feature again on track 7, and they are obviously one of the more interesting bands on the label, with a really raw sound, and a range of inﬂuences. All in all, about half of the tracks are actually worth listening to, while

the others are neither here nor there. Cougar, track 4 ‘Stay Famous’ is a great tune, and brings your attention back to the album, the two songs previous are extremely generic and a bit wet. Their second song ‘Rhinelander’, track 10, doesn’t quite match up but is nevertheless still one of the better songs on the album. The last 2 songs do somehow manage to make you forget all of the dreariness that you’ve had to endure to get there, with ‘We like To Dance and Steal Things’ by Spokes and

The Flaming Lips

Arctic Monkeys

Embryonic

by James White

by Thomas Grimshaw

he New Flaming Lips album, Embryonic, is certainly one of interest. It holds a chilled out theme with an energetic twist that hits you every now and then. With many songs having reference to star sign constellations such as Sagittarius silver announcement and Aquarius sabotage I don’t know whether it’s an album that will the brightest shining star in the charts to come but with a good reputation and fan base they should be a hit. My favourite song would be watching the planets (track 18) it’s the most upbeat song on the album and has good tempo and rhythm. So deﬁnitely worth a listen if your into white stripes come mgmt but with a raw edge much needed to bring you back out of the stars.

Cornerstone

he Arctic Monkeys new single ‘Cornerstone’ ,taken from their latest album, “Humbug’ is a relaxed and fairly slow song when compared to their previous works. Lyrically the song is relatively well constructed and challenges the listener’s attention. Usually known for their more upbeat songs it focuses on a searching for a lost love on a night out. There is great support for the single with monkeys fans claiming it to be ‘the best song ever’. However the song almost promises to explode in a traditional monkeys style, but never quite achieves this, at only just 3 minutes long the song almost needs a second part. Currently on tour in America the Arctic Monkeys will be back in the UK for a number of arena gigs in November.

‘Stockwell Road’ by John Matthias. Spokes have a really romantic sound, lots of dreamy guitar riffs and sweeping strings, whilst John Matthias finishes off the album with some strong vocals and some kooky lyrics. Counter Records boast some good bands, and if you’re a real indie nut then this would definitely be worth a buy, lots of vintage sounds, lots of brass and some catchy riffs.

reviews Zero 7

24 Codeine

Yeah Ghost

Velvet Club

by Robbie Germeno

odeine’s infectious indie rock has been assaulting our ears for a long time now, they formed in 1989 had have produced various albums which have achieved critical acclaim. Velvet club is a minor departure from the codeine of old, their sound is still characterised by their slowcore/ indie rock roots. This album is one of grandeur, an album with a magniﬁcent creative quality while still being accessible to the mass audience. At times one could be forgiven to believe this album was made in 1980’s. Even though this album has the glossy production of a modern indie rock band, velvet club smells distinctly direct from the ‘oldschool’.

eah Ghost is the forth full length album release from electro maestros Zero 7. This new release reeks of creativity, combining modern tinged electro sounds with the retro ideas of old. This provides a fascinating insight into the minds of these creative musicians. Yeah Ghost is a spectral review of where the electronic music is in 2009, the opening track Count me out draws the listener in, with a vast array of expressive spatial sounds providing juxtaposition in comparison with the later tracks. Highlights of this album includes the hypnotic seventies inﬂuenced ‘Everything Up (ZiZOU)’; this song delivers a range of vibrant organic sounds while possessing bright ambient qualities. ‘Pop Art Blue’, is a down tempo melodic which features the smooth beautiful voice of Martha Tilston a vibrant young folk singer in her own right. This song provides a pleasant mid-album chill out for the listener, while preparing the listener for the rest of the ferociously potent music which zero 7 so kindly give to the people. Although there are currently many talented electro artists in 2009, Zero 7 prove that their latest release falls only slightly short of being a Morden masterpiece, providing the world with exhilarating vibrant music while exposing the sound of today’s generation.

At points this album has upbeat ska songs with parping brass and raunchy raw vocals, while at other points the album seems relatively tame with slow droning ballads. This album is full of lush textures and smooth atmospheric sounds, which is contradicted with raw almost punk like songs. Codeine has the correct balance between old and new, tracks like ‘Vanity kills’, ‘Little sister’ and ‘Begging bowl blues’, show that the band are still well and truly on good form and ready to show you what they are made of! Although listening to velvet club makes me want to see the band play live, a place where in opinion they will succeed greatly!

student activities

Jenna Grabey Activities Editor

Jeffery Masson: The Face on your Plate by Michael Petri

effrey Moussaieff Masson (best-selling author of the books ‘When elephants weep’ and ‘The pig who sang to the moon’) spoke to members of the public and Anglia Ruskin students at the Bath House about the reality behind how meat, eggs and dairy make it to people’s plates, the devastating effect rearing animals for food is having on our planet, the health dangers of too much animal produce, and why so many people disregard the facts so that they don’t have to change the way they are accustomed to living. Jeff rey Masson visited Cambridge as part of his promotional tour for his excellent new book ‘The face on your plate’. In his talk he recognised that he realises, everyone knows that animals need to die in order for humans to eat meat, however few know the true extent of suffering animals in all forms of food production experience. Milk, which is so often classed as “natural”, requires cows to be continually impregnated so that they continue to produce milk for their calves. However the calves get none of it. Taken away within hours of birth, male calves are killed immediately or raised for veal, usually requiring long trips to mainland Europe to be confined in veal crates where they are unable to turn around, leaving the cow to mourn the loss of her child as any human mother would, often calling out for days. While, although f ree-range is certainly better than caged for egg-laying hens. The fact is that over 80% of hens in f ree-range systems do NOT go outside. They are also killed within a year or two (they should live to about 10) when they produce slightly less eggs. And every single male chick

“meat production accounts for nearly a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions”

that is hatched is killed as soon as it is sexed, often by mincing or being crammed in bags and left to suffocate or starve. The chair of the UN’s international panel on climate change Dr Pachauri states that “meat production accounts for nearly a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions”.It takes 10 times as much water to produce 2 pounds of animal protein compared to grain protein, and if everyone on the planet lived like the average European, we would need 3 planets to live on! Roughly speaking, moving f rom an average omnivorous diet to a vegan diet has the same environmental effect as not running a car every year. In terms of health, the American Dietetic Association confirm that diets which avoid meat tend to have lower levels of saturated fat and cholesterol, while having higher levels of fibre, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants (e.g. vitamins C and E). Vegans and vegetarians have lower BMI scores, resulting in lower death rates f rom heart disease, blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. There is also a lower incidence of many cancers for non-meat eaters, including prostate, colon, and breast cancer.

The only serious health concern for vegans is vitamin B12, however fortified soya milk, breakfast cereals or supplements can easily accommodate this. Despite the obvious and unquestionable animal cruelty and environmental degradation as a result of the common western diet, and since research is also beginning to elucidate the many health benefits, it is perhaps surprising that there are not more people who have removed animal produce f rom their diet, although the number is growing. Here Masson uses his extensive expertise as a psychoanalyst to explore his explanation for the apparent conundrum, namely denial. He concludes by saying: “We must remove ourselves f rom whatever blind hides our vision, and look out at the horizon to face what we see there. We owe animals no less. We also owe ourselves no less, it turns out.”

student activities International Film Festival by Jenna Grabey

he International Super 8 Film Festival can boast a possible first ever, all woman jury. Dagie Brudert a German director, presented her short films, all as premiers in the UK. There were an additional 20 film directors all presenting their films, some as UK premiers and others as world premiers. So why is Super 8 popular among film makers? In the greeting we are told “come see, have fun” and thus the mood is set for the festival. Short films of animation, comedy, documentary, drama, experimental and music, entertained and are judged by the jury and the audience at the end of each day. The Boreal Forest Expedition, produced by N&L Bradford-Ewart, told us the story of a family history, packed with emotion and pet Goffers. While Autophobia, produced by Paulo Abreu, was reminiscent of the Blair Witch, and The Eye you Lost in the Crusades, produced by Jay Eckensberger, what it lacked in plot it more than made up for in the emotional intensity it created between the viewers and the characters. The Super 8 film can do is make films appear natural; we are not bombarded with special effects that leave us feeling we have just walked out of a light show. Despite the fact in modern society, in regards to technology, we are forever seeking a smaller, easier and faster alternative. Although, Super 8 creates a naturalness making it preferable to some film makers. To find out some more information, and to answer the questions, why is super 8 still popular, I spoke to Charlie Blackfield, the producer of The Clockwork Mouse films: What are the main differences between Super 8 and digital film? With Kodak film we use single frame recording for animation, you may have

noticed a subtle graininess in the films [yes] this is something which isn’t done in digital recording but is taken advantage of in super 8 filming. Are there any “hard-feelings” between super 8 film users and digital film users? No. Not at all. In fact digital filming has helped Super 8 film users, like when we have to edit our films. What do you think is in the future for Super 8? Well, the popularity has recently picked up again, especially those in the art and experimental culture. It has been used in used in films like “The Doors” and “Natural Born Killers”. Overall the Super 8 festival attracted children the older generation and everyone inbetween, including men and women and a diversity of nationalities. Peter, from Szeged in Hungary, an ex jury member, who was also there to present films, commented that the Super 8 film festival is an excellent way to bring people together from all over the world, as “film is something we can all share regardless of what language we speak”. Since the Super 8 festival began in Madrid with Germany and Hungary showing a collection of Kodak films, the festival has picked up an international recognition and is becoming increasingly popular.

Charlie Blackfield. Image taken from www. charlieblackfield.com.

How Smart is the World? by Anne Sobotta

ou could almost feel the excitement when stepping into the Academy. In about ten minutes the room is full of British and International Students. All of them wanting to take part in Anglia Ruskin’s Student Quiz. At least since the publication of the Pisa Studies, we all know that various countries like to compete against each other in terms of knowledge. Now we are able to see if these studies are proven in reality. At the beginning it seems like the British Students are quite ahead. Probably due to the aspect that most of the questions concern British pop culture. Nevertheless, the International Students do not seem to let themselves down. They see it as a great opportunity to learn a lot more about their host country and more importantly it a great chance to get to know new people. During each quiz round everyone is able to get drinks at the bar and speak to the other people around. Even when some of the teams are not able to win, there are a lot of other possible ways to be rewarded. Funny team names as well as amusing answers have the chance to be acknowledged by the quiz teams. In the end it did not really matter which team took the grant prize home, or could be called smartest quiz team in the world (at least from the evening’s point of view), it is a great event to socialise. Still, my tip for the next time would be to look out to gather a group with people from diﬀerent backgrounds. The more diverse your team is, the more likely it will be to know the answers to the questions. Everyone who would now like to take part in another quiz night, you need to go to the: Baron of Beef, which is having a Pub quiz night every Sunday. So stop by and ﬁnd out if you can beat the rest.

student activities Workshops

Struggling to find a job? by Rachek Powell

Employability Workshops If you’re a recent graduate living in the East of England and are struggling to get a job or even an interview, Anglia Ruskin is running one-day employability workshops aimed at you. Working in small groups, the free workshop covers skills assessment, CVs, applications, job search and networking, plus you’ll get the chance to improve your interview techniques. You will leave the workshop with an action plan and signposting to relevant graduate support. The whole day is focused on helping you gain employment in today’s challenging job market. The workshop is delivered by a team from Anglia Ruskin University’s Careers & Employability Service and will be held regularly in Cambridge, Chelmsford and Peterborough until September 2010. The next available dates and locations are on the events calendar at www.anglia.ac.uk/

surviveandthrive or call 0845 234 2314. Graduate Internships After three of four years of studying, it’s frustrating when potential employers focus on your lack of work experience. If you’re living in the East of England and are out of work or in low-paid unskilled work, why not consider a six to twelve week internship to give your CV a boost. The Survive and Thrive team is working with the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) Education & Consultancy Services to oﬀer graduates internship opportunities with smalland medium-size manufacturing ﬁrms in the region, ideal for: • gaining real life work experience • increasing your business skills and • enhancing your long-term employability

You’ll earn £250 per week working on a graduate-level project in a manufacturing company for up to 12 weeks, supported with mentoring and training from the IfM Education and Consultancy Services team. Companies and projects will vary, so if your degree is in engineering, business, economics, project management, marketing, business development, management, computing, maths, science, ﬁnance or manufacturing get in touch today! If you graduated in something else, we may still have opportunities – contact us to ﬁnd out. Email surviveandthrive@anglia.ac.uk Call 0845 234 2314 Web www.anglia.ac.uk/surviveandthrive (click on ‘For Graduates’)

Publishing Industry Secrets of Publishing Success come to Anglia Ruskin by Jenna Grabey

he year 2009, the 425th anniversary of CUP, will see the launch of an MA publishing course at Anglia Ruskin. The masters class will bring a collaboration between Anglia Ruskin and the Press by inviting editors, sales and marketers, and publishers from CUP to speak in the lectures. Thus teaching will be from a primary source, who on the publishing day revealed some raw truths within our consumer society of today. The publishing industry day has attracted around 65 people, and is presented by agents, packagers, editors and authors. From companies such as Bloomsbury, the publishers of J.K

Rowlings’ Harry Potter novels, to inform us of the secrets behind such successes, and the causes of such downfalls like any book about The Clash that has their photograph on, apparently! CUP, Essential Works, Orion, Salt and Hart McLeod, where in the latter a graduate from Anglia Ruskin is now working, also spoke of the pro’s and cons of working in the publishing industry, as if it were a “sophisticated form of gambling” said by one of the speakers, where the horses to bet on would be: publisher, author, editor and readers; who would you place a bet on? Since supermarkets have begun stocking books, as the general public

we, tend to buy most of our books there rather than visiting a book store. This has had a major eﬀect on the covers of books, speaker from Essential works compared the latest Wilber Smith book to a tin of Heinz baked beans. It needs to be eye catching for us to look at it, otherwise we wont pick it up; “it is all to do with the label; books are branded just as food is”. The seriousness of this becomes even more apparent when we hear that graphic designers are asking Tesco, Sainsburys and Asda if they would stock a book with a particular cover, do they think it will sell? Will we pick it up? After all it is all very well to write a fantastic book that will touch thousands of people, but if they

student activities do not know about the book, it will be published and unnoticed, as a Salt publisher stated “many great books go unread”. Despite that we are now entering a Digital era filled with e-books and e-journals, and these only contribute to 0.5% of book sales, even the most enthusiastic American figures predict this will only increase to 5% within the next 5 years. Salt publishers state 50% of their sales still take place through their book stores, although their website continues to increase in popularity, and estimated that a review in the Guardian will provoke 20 book sales. This shows that people still enjoy the aesthetic of the Book, also referred to as a “medieval media” by one of the publishers. Books form part of our identity, when people see us with a book it says something about the person we are; what type of student we are for instance. Also work experience will be gained during the course by working with a reputable company, whether editorial work, marketing or design is the focus of interest. Furthermore students have the chance to be mentored by an individual working in the industry to ensure first hand learning, which will expose the students to the dynamics of the relationships between agents, writers and editors; this is close and so also has its’ problems, just like a married couple. The role of the author is on the change. Because of the marketing skills found effective today; authors now need to become their own celebrity since celebrity work sells. This can be supported by an impressive readership profile, as this is what any publisher looks out for, so never think something is beneath you: if your name is printed alongside your work you have begun your readership profile. This is why patience and being determined are fantastic traits especially to a writer. The MA students will hopefully attend festivals such as: Wordfest, the Hay Festival and other literary events in and around Cambridge, which are great places for networking.

Interestingly, book based festivals have not been found to be as effective within marketing as other methods, but have been found to be a great place for networking. The ideal persona of an individual contemplating the idea of this type of work has not changed at all, despite the many other changes that have taken place. To be creative, adaptable and to enjoy working with people are imperative; problem solving skills will not be ignored. As there are so many different markets for books these days there is no mainstream in the publishing industry as there is with music, so employment in the publishing industry can entertain and develop any interest you may have. However, it is a difficult industry. The cost to enter is low but it is highly practised. Hence getting to know the nuts and bolts of the trade through the MA will imperatively increase your chances of surviving. In particular, poetry, at present comes with the most obstacles, but this does not mean the situation will remain this way, as there are many poetry books to be published in 2010, such as Between Water and Song: New Poets for the Twenty-first century by Norman Minnick, How to Fall by Karen Annesen and The Bible of Lost Pets by Jamey Dunham. The MA at Anglia Ruskin is the

ideal bridge to get you into the world of publishing. There are so many books out there now on every subject you can imagine, what can possibly be added to this enormous existing collection? Thus if we are to write or publish, it must be unique. As the literary critics Bennett and Royle said “no text makes sense without other texts”. As time progresses, the meaning of texts and their signiﬁcance, will change, as time relentlessly moves there will always be something to write. Got a story to tell? Want to make students and lecturers aware of something? Need more experience on that CV of yours? Have creative tension that needs to be let loose? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, the answer is: Write for the APEX! Interested in writing for this section, then please contact me at jenna.grabey@angliastudent. com. It would be fantastic to hear from you! Jenna Activities Editor

sport Some Girls are Bigger than Others by Robert Sykes

aster Semenya is not a cheat. What she is is a young woman caught in the centre of a modern day freak show – she is the 21st century’s bearded lady. Caster Semenya is the newly crowned women’s World 800m Champion. She blew the field away to win by over two seconds, a stunning victory, made all the more stunning when considered in relation to the events which unfolded before the race. Semenya, 18, was the darling of South African sport; and in the run up to the World Championships in Berlin she had improved her best time by nearly seven seconds at the African Junior Championships in Mauritius. This, however, is where the problems began for Miss. Semenya. People were jealous of the new kid on the block, jealous and suspicious. And you may well feel that they had every right, knocking seven seconds of a personal best is almost unthinkable, surely this run was drug fuelled. In a sport plagued by drugs for over twenty years you may well feel that people were right to be asking the question. However this wasn’t the question that people were asking. The question they were asking was far snider and underhand; the media and some other athletes were questioning her gender. There is no denying that she looks somewhat masculine, the strong, powerful upper body, her prominent jaw line and tall build all added fuel to the fire. As all this was rumbling on in the background Caster Semenya went about her job of getting through the preliminary rounds of the championships. And she did so in style; after an excellent performance in the semi-final many commentators had pencilled her in as favourite to take the title.

But just hours before the final was due to take place the IAAF released a statement announcing that they were running tests to confirm the gender of a South African athlete. They did not need to identify her by name; everyone knew who the athlete was. The timing of the decision to announce the tests could not have been worse. The race suddenly took on a whole new dimension. Would the man/girl evilly cheat all the pretty athletes out of their gold? Was it safe to even be near he/she/it? The snide and nasty comments were out in the open, and with the IAAF’s justification. In a media storm Caster Semenya walked out of the changing room, ran two laps of the track two seconds faster than anyone else, and then hurried away again, denied her moment of glory, her lap of honour. The next day she climbed atop the podium, collected her gold medal, and then stood proud for the South African national anthem. She deserved it, she had blown a world class field apart and won a decisive victory. But the questions remained. It was revealed that the tests would take weeks to complete, and involve a

team of scientists and psychologists. It was clear from the outset that this wasn’t a clean cut as some had suggested. Over the next few days it became apparent that Athletics South Africa, the body which oversees South African athletics had failed in their attempts to protect Ms. Semenya. Indeed Leonard Chuene the head of ASA did not disclose that they had ran tests before the games, the results of which, although inconclusive, lead to Harold Adams, the ASA team doctor, handing a request to Mr. Chuene to withdraw her from the World Championships to protect her medical records from media scrutiny. Eventually her coach, Wilfred Daniels, resigned stating that ‘we did not advise Ms. Semenya properly.’ Despite all this she returned to South Africa to a heroes welcome, it was wonderful to see a country unite behind their champion when it could have been so easy to shun her. In early October the IAAF announced the results of the gender tests. Caster Semenya is a woman, but she has some hormonal characteristics of a man. The IAAF have had the common sense to allow her to keep her gold medal, and she is still considered to be the 2009 World Champion, and she is still listed on the IAAF website as being a woman. Where this places her future as an athlete is still up for debate. It is a problem that the IAAF cannot get wrong, given all of the previous misdeeds that Caster Semenya has been subjected to. Caster Semenya is not a cheat because she was not trying to deceive people; it is clear that she considers herself a woman, those who raised her considered her a woman, and she competed against women genuinely believing that she was facing her rivals.

sport BUCS Facebook

The World’s Greatest Footballing Rivalries

by Anon

The British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) have recently expanded their Facebook page: www.facebook. com/BUCS. The site acts as a hub for all the university sport which is currently happening. With information about various activities occurring around the country its aim is not simply to provide for the elite sportsmen and women at university level but to promote sport more generally.

River Plate vs. Boca Juniors The two biggest clubs in Argentina both hail from Buenos Aries, and when they meet a supposed class divide is what fuels the ﬁres of rivalry. Boca are considered Argentina’s working class club, whereas River are the club of the upper-classes. In a nation with a large divide between rich and poor, the Superclásico, is the sporting event of the year.

Its wall is regularly updated with events that people can sign up to, and its links to the main BCUS website were helpful. One fault that I found when accessing the site was the failure of the Events calendar. The three separate times which I tried the page simply would not load. If this can be rectiﬁed then this will be of huge beneﬁt to the site, as a calendar showing you where and when sporting events were happening would be a very useful quick reference point. There is a focus on inter-university competition, and this is understandable as the majority of sport within university is organised by societies and clubs, however it does provide a platform for the organisation of largerscale recreational sporting events. The main website is no longer simply a results service for university sport (a service which it still provides - and does so well) and the Facebook page provides a personal touch, which aids their stated aim of increasing participation in sport. So log on and get involved!

Fenerbahçe vs. Galatasaray The only football rivalry to span two continents, the Istanbul derby is legendary. When European Galatasaray face Asian Fenerbahçe many supporters consider winning this game to be more important than winning the league. Lazio vs. Roma The Rome derby pits the traditionally wealthier right-wing, northern half of Italy’s capital against the left-wing, and poorer south of the city. The ultras, extreme supporters groups for each team, often unfurl banners belittling the opposing team. One of the most infamous of these was a 50 foot banner

proclaiming Roma to be: ‘A team of blacks, followed by Jews.’ Real Madrid vs. Barcelona Probably the most famous rivalry in football is between Spain’s two biggest clubs. El Clásico as it is known has been contested over two hundred times in its relatively short history. Barcelona is the Catalan club, and Real is the club of Spain’s capital, so for many fans this game is a rivalry between nations as well as clubs. Celtic vs. Rangers The Old Firm derby has been contested 385 times, and is still one of the world’s most talked about matches. No other footballing nation is dominated by two teams in quite the same way as Glasgow’s Rangers and Celtic dominate the Scottish league. However, the two most successful clubs are divided by much more than football. Celtic’s Irish Catholic roots and Rangers’ Loyalist undertones provide the backdrop against which the 121 year old rivalry is played out.

sport Football’s Oldest Rivalry by Anon

ne of the oldest rivalries in football got its latest outing last weekend. Forget Arsenal-Tottenham or LiverpoolEverton; for the oldest rivalries in football it is to the foothills of the Pennines you must head. This is the region which contains the majority of the first professional teams. Everton, Blackburn Rovers, Burnley, Bolton Wanderers, Accrington Stanley and Preston North End all competed in the first football league season back in 1888/89. Last Sunday, when Burnley travelled down the M65 to Ewood Park, home of Blackburn Rovers, it was the first time these clubs had met in the top flight of English football for forty-three years. Such periods of separation cause these rivalries to build and fester. Beat your rival and gain years of bragging rights, lose and risk years of torture at the hands of those just up the hill; the stakes are high. An unfortunate example of this separation leading to intensified rivalry was seen earlier this season when Millwall faced West Ham in the Carling Cup when, after the game, clashes between rival supporters went on well into the night. Outside of these two relatively small Lancashire cotton towns this level of vitriol may seem unbelievable, however I can confirm, having spent the first eighteen years of my life in Blackburn, that the dislike between these two towns, and the clubs which represent them borders on hatred. As I attend my first game with my dad I was overwhelmed by all the sounds, all the colours, all the colourful language. Blackburn Rovers were playing Norwich City. I knew this because my dad had told me. Blackburn played in blue and white, I knew this because there was no-one in Blackburn didn’t know this. I knew

that Norwich were playing in yellow, because this was the colour of the shirts of the team that wasn’t playing in blue and white. There was something however that I didn’t know. I didn’t know it, and I didn’t understand it. Blackburn Rovers were playing Norwich and yet all the songs were about Burnley. Aged three Burnley was as much of an alien land as Norwich, except I remember we had to go and buy a mattress from there. Burnley was where mattresses came from. Why were they singing about the place where mattresses came from? And using all these other words which I had never heard before? I asked my dad why everyone was singing about Burnley and them being bastards and I remember being deeply unsatisﬁed with the answer, something along the lines of ‘You’ll understand when you’re older, and don’t use that word.’ I would understand when I was older? Of this I was doubtful. If I didn’t understand now how would I understand when I was older? But he was right of course. As I grew and attended more games I began to learn that in Burnley nobody had a job, and everyone stole everything they owned, oh, and that they all slept with various members of their own families. In time I started going to games without my dad, I could join in the songs, and it was all jolly good fun. But then in the 1998/99 season we were relegated from the Premier League and we were going to play Burnley for the ﬁrst time in my lifetime. In the week leading up to the game the town was buzzing with excitement. The evil team

that I had spent the whole of my life hearing about were actually coming to play us. Before the game there were more police on the streets than I had ever seen in my life. People were being herded this way and that. There appeared to be more people than ever, more ﬂags being waved, more scarves being bought, more wild predictions about how great the victory would be when, not if, it came. You felt yourself swept up in the excitement. This game wasn’t about three points, about trying to get promoted back into the Premier League, this game was much, much more important than that. On Sunday it was the ﬁrst time I’d really missed being at Ewood Park since I moved away when I was eighteen. The TV in the pub was the best that I could hope for. I wouldn’t experience the excitement of the crowd, the sights and smells. Yet I was still nervous. I didn’t drink a sip of the pint I bought. And when they went 1-0 up after four minutes I was actually angry. Luckily, for both my wellbeing, and the wellbeing of those about me, Blackburn triumphed 3-2, and our reputation is safe, for now at least. Rivalries in football are strange things, their importance blown out of all proportion by fans. But you ask any real fan of a team which game of the season is the one you simply have to win and their response will always be the same. And to any Burnley fans reading, I do now know that some of you have jobs and not everything in your house was stolen.

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