Concourse Issue Five by Keele University Students Union

CONCOURSE M

Issue Five

The World Economy collapsed; 500 Million more people; We got 8 years of Bush; Google; The Euro arrived...Britain didn’t want it; Beyonce Danced; Oil got (more) Expensive; iPod, iPhone, iEverything; MJ stopped Moon Walking; The Sims grew up; Gaza got a Wall; 9/11, Bali, Madrid, 7/7 - Strangers united; The World looked for Osama; Iran and North Korea wanted the Bomb; China Grew...alot!; Bling! Pixar; Iceland Sunk; Large Hadron Collider...It broke; EU got Bigger...than the US... Woop! Broadband; YouTube; Robots went to Mars...people were happy... Went to Iraq and Afghanistan... People weren't so happy; The O.C. Bloody X-Factor; Wenchuan Provence Quake; 90210...again; North Korea got the Bomb; Play Station 3; Morgan Freeman narrated everything; Pirate Music...Pirate DVD’s...Pirates of the Caribbean...Somalian Pirates (not so fun); Hezbollah; London got the Games; HQ Everything; Civil Unions; Skinny Jeans; SpaceShipOne; The World still can’t find Osama; Katrina killed 1000’s; Tsunami killed 100 000’s; Big Brother; EU got a President; Swine Flu; Twilight & R-Pat... I still don’t get it; Obama! Sorry about that little rant, but I was trying to see what I could remember from the last 10 years... looks like I might of skipped over a few things, guess its a good intro to this issue though. Hope you enjoy this issue of Concourse, Goodbye Noughties! Nick dvertising A KUSUMarketing sta65@kusu.keele.ac.uk 01782733712

Editorial/Submissions NickHeathVPComms vp.comms@kusu.keele.ac.uk 01782733702

Produced and Edited by Nick Heath Vice President Communication & Democracy Any views expressed are not necessarily the views of Keele University or Keele University Students’ Union. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the explicit permission of the editor

features

06...............................................Politik 08 ...............................Societies News 12 .......................................Film Review 13 ..................................Music Reviews 16 ...............................Best of the WeB

News

04 ...............................Keele KEY FUND 05 ..............Drag Day Match Report

Entertainment

10 ..................Whats on @ the Union 14 .......................Found on Facebook 15 .........................Games and Puzzles

Sport

24 ..............................match reports 24 .................2010 a sport odyssey

CONCOURSE

NEWS The Keele Key Fund Telethon What it means for You Ian Mahoney On the 7th and 8th November a team of 28 callers, plus Alex Baugh the campaign manager from Buffalo Fundraising Consultants, myself; his willing assistant, John Easom and Robin Cross from the Keele Alumni and Fundraising team, all spent 2 days in intensive training in both the Hawthorns Management Suite and the Great Hall in Keele Hall. For the following three weeks the team, based in room 47 in the basement of Keele Hall made thousands of calls, eventually contacting around 1100 alumni who between them pledged an astounding £191,000 with yet more still expected! The original target of £65,000 was smashed after just one week thanks to both the undying enthusiasm of the callers and the generosity of all of our alumni and the entire project continued to go from strength to strength breaking the £100,000 barrier the following Thursday; exactly halfway through the campaign. There was the occasional morale sapping lull when the sport was on on Saturday afternoons however the constant drive by everyone involved to succeed and the constant introduction of new targets, rewards and games to break up the calling, not to forget the sweet satisfaction of a fantastic conversation, countless offers of work experience and support, and of course the not so elusive donation from our alumni helped to keep spirits high resulting in us reaching the dizzying heights of success which have been achieved.

Students Decend on Parliment to Demand MP’s Speak Out Against Higher Fees

As a result of this, the most successful campaign so far at Keele, and also one of the best ever run by Buffalo FC, there is going to be a huge sum of money coming in to the Keele Key Fund which needs spending. The fund’s purpose is to help improve and maintain Keele and it’s facilities for us the students, and the local community through a range of schemes including bursaries and scholarships and ‘sport’s art and leisure’; providing new equipment and training to successful applicants to the fund. In previous years grants have been awarded to KUBE radio, the ICE events, GeoSoc and Keele Dancesport to name but a few. This money needs to be spent and it is there for all of us so if your society needs new equipment, training or just money to help put on a performance then get in touch and take advantage, we will never get free money so easily again! There is a disbursement committee which meets every March and October to review the applications and forms can be obtained from the Keele Fundraising Officer Robin Cross in the Marketing and Graduation Office in Darwin Building or via email on r.i.cross@kfm.keele.ac.uk so if you can think of a project that needs some funding go apply and get some free cash for it!

The two main political parties have refused to declare their position on top up fees, and have instead set up a review of higher education funding to report after the general election. NUS President Wes Streeting said:

Hundreds of students from across the country, descended on Westminster last week to demand that their MPs sign a pledge promising to vote against a rise in university top up fees. At a meeting organised by the National Union of Students (NUS), MPs will be asked to confirm that they: will vote against any increase in fees in the next parliament, and will put pressure on the Government to introduce a fairer alternative to variable top-up fees

Over 150 student leaders wrote to the Guardian warning their local MPs that students would be encouraged not to vote for them if they did not speak out against higher fees.

“The vast majority of the general public is against higher fees, and voters deserve to know where their MP stands on this key issue. Today students are making it clear to politicians that if they refuse to speak out against raising the cap on fees, we will hit them where it hurts – at the ballot box.

Only 12% of the public think MP’s should even consider increasing fees “NUS believes that a university education should be free at the point of use, with graduates giving back to the system according to how much they earn. This would give universities double the amount of funding they currently receive, while allowing the children of poorer families to go to university without the fear of debt. It would also prevent the emergence of a market in higher education, where only the rich could afford to attend our most prestigious universities.”

News Flash! Drag Day Match Report! Mens Rugby - Nil Children in Need - £1,600 Roger Weston - Vice-President Sport and Fitness As I'm sure most of you know, Keele Men's Rugby Club annually raid local charity shops and boutiques in search of some of the most hideous and grotesque clothing in the Stoke-On-Trent area. They then decide to wear this all day, parading around with not much covered up all in the name of Children In Need. This year was of course no exception, as the lads gathered in the Students' Union by 8am after waking up patient girlfiends and friends to put on their make-up. From here they spill out in search of the moneygiving Keele public. After a few hours of collecting, the traditional game of Rugby on concourse took place, with a rousing (if not slightly disturbing) version of the New Zealand Haka. Hitch-Hiking to Newcastle was the next stage of the 18 hours marathon day, where the reception is always mixed to say the least! After a couple of hours in the cold the lads

UNION

GENERAL MEETING

Issue Five

NEWS had a quick Pizza Hut buffet before hitting the streets before the end of collections in Newcastle. The collection pots were dropped off and the boys had a few drinks in town, and naturally progressed towards the Students' Union for a night in drag. The boys, dedicated as ever collected tirelessly during the night. The final total raised hasn't yet been announced, but we are certain that it has topped £1600 (with a lot of coppers still to count). We done to the Rugby Club, you make me proud year-on-year!!

Keele students clean up their act - and the local neighbourhood! Keele students got together with Newcastle Borough Council Community Warden, Joanne Morris, to help clean up an area in Wolstanton near May Bank Community Centre/Playgroup at the top of Grange Lane. Joanne provided all the equipment, including litter picking sticks, bin bags and high visibility jackets. Student volunteers then split up to collect a total of 23 bags of rubbish, debris and overgrown vegetation from where two paths lead down to the back of Wolstanton Retail Park, which Joanne then disposed of safely. Residents using the path to access the Retail Park commented on what a good job the volunteers were doing and Keele Volunteer Experience Project Leader Becky Wardell said; ‘This is a great opportunity to show that Keele students are responsible and valuable members of the community, who really do care about the local environment. It is also a great opportunity for us to work in partnership with Newcastle Borough Council who very kindly provided us with refreshments, after we’d finished litter picking of course!’ We are all responsible for the litter that we throw away, and hopefully, seeing a clean environment will encourage the litter bugs to be more respectful of the environment in future. Litter left in the streets is not only unsightly, but it can also endanger animals and wildlife, and in communal areas such as parks and walkways, can even be a hazard to humans.

December Thursday 10th 19:30 in the Ballroom

Come have Your say over Your:Union

Thanks to everyone who came along, got stuck in and really helped to make a difference. If you would like to find out more about student volunteering at Keele, contact Becky Wardell at volunteering@kusu.keele.ac.uk or Tel: 01782 733626.

CONCOURSE

Politik The Britannic Palantír

Looking Beyond the Seas Part I Michael Pickles The recent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHGM) 2009 in Trinidad and Tobago saw the acceptance of Rwanda as the newest member to the Commonwealth of Nations. This move has many implications for both the Commonwealth and the United Kingdom. The implications for Commonwealth lie on the issue of membership criteria and future purpose of the Commonwealth. The admittance of Rwanda into the Commonwealth provided Britain a poignant reminder of her role as a relevant force in international relations. Admittance into the Commonwealth is based on several legislations and international agreements. The basic criterion is that the candidate country needs to have had constitutional links to the United Kingdom. In other words, the Commonwealth was reserved for those who were once part of the British Empire. The basic idea behind the Commonwealth was to reaffirm positive ties developed during imperial times in a post imperial world. These ties ranged from the English language, development in representative democracy, and to sports like cricket and rugby. The Commonwealth is thus a free association of states and its goals in international relations are chiefly to promote world peace, democracy and development. The one exception to this was Mozambique. Mozambique was admitted under “special circumstances”. Rwanda appears to be entering under special circumstances too.

Rwanda was never part of the British Empire. However Rwanda like Mozambique was admitted due to a criterion that the candidate country had to have had links to the UK or a current member of the Commonwealth. This some believe could open the floodgates to more countries with no historic ties to the British Empire joining the Commonwealth. If more special cases are admitted then the Commonwealth loses its uniqueness; another UN? On the one hand we have internationalist goals above and on the other we have a unique commonality amongst Commonwealth members built on shared history and ties. This is where the UK needs to take leadership on the matter. History demands it. There are those who argue that the future of the UK is with the EU only. That is absolute nonsense. The Commonwealth of which the Queen is the Head needs the UK to be the obvious leader. The Commonwealth is perhaps the only international organization aside from the UN where member states are actually from different continents and regions. It is a very diverse international bloc where the UK will benefit greatly in terms of trade and forming international cooperation and alliances. There is a trend of continental political blocs forming like the EU and the AU. These blocs run the risk of being internally looking and starved of outside ideas; each bloc accusing the other of ignorance and bias. The Commonwealth avoids that sort of politics. It exhibits a wide range of culturally different countries that are independent, but united through a unique commonality mentioned above. Some people ask what the international role for Britain is after empire, well it is quite obvious. It will be most tragic and a great opportunity lost if the UK continues to face its back on the relevance and importance of the Commonwealth in favour of deeper political and economic integration with only the EU. There is so much in common in terms of history and political and cultural values between the UK and Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, The Bahamas, Botswana, and other Commonwealth states in the world. The UK must look beyond the seas and not drop anchor in the EU.

Keele Model United Nations Have you heard of the KMUN? It stands for Keele Model United Nations and it's inviting all of you to debate and discuss current affairs. It offers you the chance to step in the shoes of a diplomat of the country of your choice. The recent conference in Oxford was sponsored by the foreign and commonwealth office. It attracts prestigious acamademic institutions from around the world. A Model United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations in which the partitcipants take on the roles of UN diplomats and discuss the current affairs on the agenda. Ranging from the conflict between Palestine and Israel to intriguing story unfolding about piracy in our world today. The Model UN allows students to hone their skills in debate and diplomacy, a sort of testing ground for future leaders. I went to investigate a KMUN meeting in order to get a taste of the United Nations and the power that it holds. Upon entering the room I was offered an allocation for place on the model UN council and chose to represent North Korea. I took my seat and prepared to observe and get involved in the workings of a Model United Nations.

From the start I was impressed with the amount of work that goes into the KMUN meetings. Each member is designated a country and represents the state as an ambassador in it's best interest. During the meeting they then debate, delibrate questions, consult each other and finally develop a resolution to the problem on their agenda. It was particulary interesting to see how the delegates interact with each other. When not involved in fierce debate they prowl the room attempting to win other delegates over to their side. This is where the alliances and rivalries are formed, and it can be very entertaining to take part in. The KMUN isn't all about debate and discussion. It has an emphasis on the development of public speaking skills cooperation, diplomatic manner and critical thinking. Members get an experience of the wonders of the international governing system. Meetings take place on Fridays at 5PM in the Chanellors Building 0.060.

The 10 Most Influential Political Events of the Decade

Politik

Issue Five

Matthew Davies - Political Editor As this is the last Concourse edition of the decade, I thought that it would be interesting to look over the last ten years and see what the ten most influential political events have been. I have ordered them in their level of significance. 1) The election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America will be remembered for a long time to come. It showed that a country that has had a history of such terrible racial discrimination ever since its foundation was ready to put all that it behind it and elect a black President. Whether you support the policies of President Obama or not, there is no denying that his election on 4th November 2008 followed by his inauguration on 20th January 2009 were two of the greatest and most memorable events not just of the decade; but in history. 2) The terrorist attacks on the mainland of the United States of America on the morning of the 11th September 2001 has got to be one of the most influential political events of the last decade and for all the wrong reasons. There was the slaughter of almost 3,000 innocent people that dreadful morning and the event has set the precedent for American foreign policy for generations to come. It has included the war in Afghanistan and the creation of Guantanamo Bay. 3) The global recession was a major political event of the 2000s. America and Britain’s economies first showed signs of a downturn in 2007 and then the events of 2008 went on to shake the world economy in a way that hasn’t been seen since the 1930s. This has led to the collapse of many businesses and millions of people around the world have lost their jobs. This recession will still be being studied by economics, politics and history students in a hundred years time. 4) The Iraq war has been one of the most controversial wars that the United Kingdom has fought in. The Stop the War Coalition saw the biggest turn out of protesters onto the streets of London in the history of the country. British troops may have pulled out from military engagement in Iraq now, but whether America and Britain were right to intervene in the country and for what reasons they did so, will I predict, still be being argued over for a long time yet. 5) The war in Afghanistan has seen the worst bloodshed in terms of the deaths of British troops since the Second World War. The war may have been less controversial in the beginning than the Iraq war; however the death and casualty toll has seen the war become just as controversial. Whilst ever there are different time scales put on the amount of time Britain will be in Afghanistan for, the more controversial the war will become. 6) As well as 9/11 there have been many other terrorist attacks that have shaken the world over the last decade. These include London, Madrid, Mumbai and Bali to name just a few. These new style terrorist attacks have shaken

the world and have been followed by unprecedented levels of security in the major cities across the world. 7) The environment and climate change have been continuously growing issues in the last decade and they have now become a mainstream topic of discussion. The Kyoto agreement of 1997 is soon to expire and the world leaders will be gathering in Copenhagen in December 2009 to try and come to a new climate change agreement. History could be in the making in the next few weeks! Hurricane Katrina and the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004 are two of the worst ecological disasters to have happened in the last decade. 8) Whilst there has not been one single event that has happened in China that you could stand back and say was a major turning event, the continued rise of the Chinese economy has been a major event of the noughties. If the economic rise of China continues, then they will soon be seeking more influence on the international stage in terms of political matters. If in the next decade China starts challenging the power and influence of the only super power in the world at the present, the USA, then this will ultimately be traced back to this decade where the power of the Chinese economy grew so rapidly. 9) Expenses gate may not have been a major event on the international stage, but in British politics it has been one of the main talking points of the last ten years and has certainly been an issue that has touched a nerve across British society. Whether it was the Labour immigration minister (who is male) claiming for women’s clothing, a backbench Conservative MP wanting the public to home his ducks or the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson claiming for a trouser press, some fluffy dusters and just for good measure a packet of chocolate hobnobs, it has all made the public very angry. It will take a big effort by the next group of MPs sitting in the next parliament to begin to restore some of the public’s trust in our politicians. And finally just for fun........... The last decade has predictably some would say, seen KUSU politics continue to affect international politics in a very influential way. Keele may not have launched any independence attempts recently (although if we do the world better take note as a new world superpower emerges). However there has been some KUSU history made recently. 10) The re-election of sabbatical officers for the first time in the history of KUSU and not just one of them but three (you wait for the re-election of a sabbatical officer for 60 years and then three get re-elected at once)! I am confident that this major event in the history of KUSU will still be being talked about around the dining tables of Keele for hundreds of years to come!

CONCOURSE

Societies Keele’s Got Talent 2009 Oli Cotterill - Vice President (Finance & Activities) Well, what can I say, this was an absolutely fantastic evening of entertainment and I think we all proved that Keele definitely has a bucket-load of talent!!! This year we reached capacity with a packed out audience stunned by the sheer quality of singers, dancers, comedians and bands. Your two sexy KUSU Vice Presidents Roger Weston and Nick Heath hosted the show and did an amazing job, well done boys! Ioana Spinu (Jojo) opened the show with her stunning version of I Will Be from Leona Lewis followed by Dante Kwan’s amazing rendition of Muse’s Time Is Running Out. We then heard the soothing tones of Ben Goodfellow followed by the entertaining 4-chord medley by Dave Little and Lee Bradshaw singing 36 songs in five minutes! Next up was Keshan treating us to his version of You Raise Me Up and You’ll Never Walk Alone followed by a thoroughly entertaining South Indian dance by Sruthi! Most of the audience were left in stitches by our first comedian of the night, Billy Stephens and then were absolutely blown away by the beautiful sounds of Keele Creative Sounds Choir. Our very own door-supervisor Mr Bob Cotton treated the crowd to a monologue before we finished for an interval. The first half of the show was a knock out but the audience were to be amazed as our resident Keele band Dead Radio Society took to the stage followed by a superb dance act by Sunny Kharb. Vanessa Cortez raised the roof with her beautiful voice followed by our very own one-man-band, Daniel Elphick, singing, playing accordion and the harmonica! Our second co-

Review of “Bram Stoker’s DRACULA – Adapted by Liz Lochhead” Emma List Through the SU bar and down a dimly lit corridor hides, well, a dark, slightly dingy looking nightclub, but this was the venue for KDS’ latest performance, “Bram Stoker’s Dracula”. As you enter, the place has been transformed into Dracula’s gothic castle. Greeted by ‘brides’ the audience walk into the mysterious looking room complete with blood red lighting and strategic smoke adding to the effect and atmosphere of the play. The staging is minimal with the whole play revolving around a table, a bed and two chairs but instead of looking bare it adds to an almost Brectian feel to the proceedings. Clever lighting and subtle props are used to transform each scene and to take the audience of a journey from London, Whitby and Transylvania and back again. All of the actors contributed greatly in bringing the play to life. Count Dracula, played by Bruce Jackson, presented the perfect balance of manners and politeness with a sinister undertone throughout. Renfield, played by Matt Maddock, offered total insanity and, at times, sheer brilliance and clarity of mind to the point where his demise at the hands of the ruthless Dracula at the end was highly emotional and left the audience feeling pity for this unfortunate creature.

median of the night, Jack Thistlewood, had everybody rolling around the floor in laughter with a fantastic comedy sketch followed by Sam Fitzpatrick treating the audience to a note-perfect guitar solo leaving everybody literally open mouthed! Will Proudfoot & Vicky Bailey took to the stage with their own fantastic versions of some chart classics followed by a thoroughly entertaining performance by Vinesh Patel and some slightly over-enthusiastic audience participants! Our penultimate performance of the night came from the Dance Society with a stunning piece of hip-hop choreography followed by the beautiful sounds of Charlotte Allen accompanied by Shaun Dooley closing the show in perfect style! The five judges for the evening scored the acts based on several criteria and the results could not have been closer. We had seven acts gain between 170-180 points out of 200, the competition was literally amazing this year. We had a tie-break for 2nd and 3rd prize, each gaining 179 points and these two acts were the Keele Dance Society and Daniel Elphick! The winning act for the evening scored 180 points and they were....The Dead Radio Society! Make sure you add them on Facebook, everybody was impressed by the original material! Once again, may I say thank you to all of the performers, it was an amazing night. The judges were absolutely awesome, as their comments got raunchier as the evening progressed! May I send my thanks to the five judges, Sophie Kelland (President of KPOC), Charlotte Baxter (Vice President Keele Show Choir), Tom Sharp (08/09 Treasurer of KRAP and Runner Up of Keele’s Got Talent), Kenny Walker (KUSU Venue Manager) and Talah Omran (08/09 KUSU President). Many thanks to everybody for an awesome evening, I really enjoyed planning this event and I hope you all had a wonderful time. I hope to bring another evening of Keele talent your way sometime soon! Merry Christmas everybody!!

Adam Merrall, who played Jonathan Harker, was confident and very much the English Gentleman. He was also a braver Harker than I have seen presented before but this only added to the character and built up throughout the play that he would be a worthy adversary for the powerful Count Dracula. Justine Denning and Christine Pierson were skilfully cast as Mina and Lucy Westerman. They appeared as genuine sisters working well together and showing a whole range of emotions. Lucy was every bit the mischievous and sexually curious character that Stoker originally created and changed to the tragic victim of Dracula who meets her end at the hands of her devoted fiancé. Denning presented Mina as the over cautious and sensible older sibling who cared deeply for her wayward sister. The transitions of each scene were relatively smooth but often the lighting was not quite in the right place and left the actors trying to find their light. Also, the final scene lost its drama due to the late lighting at the very end, which resulted in a ‘dead’ Dracula getting up when it should have been the final blackout. Overall, the play was excellent and despite obvious financial constraints was a thoroughly entertaining production and an excellent début for first time director Adam Colclough. Directed by Adam Colclough and Lucy Druce. Produced by Keele Drama Society.

K U B E R a d i o

w w w . k u b e r a d i o . c o m After weeks of deliberation, KUBE Radio finally has a new logo courtesy of our very own Head of Marketing Katie Richardson and Station Manager Fadi Dada. The new gorilla branding will be the prominent feature of a revamped KUBE which will include a brand new website which will launch in the New Year.

KUBE has now teamed up with KUSU to co-host the fortnightly Sunday evening Live Lounge event. For those with Live Lounge withdrawal symptoms on the Sundays where there is no live showcase in the lounge, we’ve solved the problem! You can now catch all of the best bits from previous events by tuning in to KUBE every other week on a Sunday afternoon between 4 and 6 pm! The Live Lounge radio show will be brought to you by Allie Coombs and myself and promises to showcase Keele’s many musical talents! We’ll also be bringing you some of the highlights from the amazing Keele’s Got Talent event. Who needs Jo Whiley and Fearne Cotton to bring you live music on the radio when we do! This month Sheffield indie band The Spires also came to Keele to perform some amazing tracks for us including a very original cover of Neil Diamond and their own songs, “Fireworks” and “Fortune Favours the Brave”. You can

IMAGINE LEARNING TO FLY… FOR ONLY £12.50 PER HOUR! IT IS NOW POSSIBLE! Keele Union Gliding Society Starting January 2010 Re-Fresher’s Fair

As a special offer from Staffordshire Gliding Club Limited Spaces Available for Pre Christmas Flights At Keele Gliding Society Rates! For details contact : keeleglidingsociety@hotmail.co.uk Go Home With Something REALLY Different to Talk about this Christmas!

check them out on future Live Lounge radio shows or go to their MySpace at www.myspace.com/thespiresmusic The band were the first ever to pre-record a live session for KUBE and livened up the Bubble on what was an amazing Saturday afternoon. They have supported bands such as Idlewild, One Night Only, Iglu & Hartly and even INXS! They are tipped to be many critics to be the next big thing to emerge from Sheffield, renowned for its music scene, and after witnessing them live in session it is no wonder why! The band weren’t too dissimilar to The Editors and White Lies whilst the lead singer had the natural showmanship and vocal ability of Ed MacFarlane from Friendly Fires and a range not far from Matt Bellamy of Muse! The drummer was also a natural and the band gelled well together in the confinement of The Bubble and they delivered a truly fantastic set just for KUBE! They are certainly a hot tip for the future and by far the best new indie band I have heard for a while... Believe the hype!

Well, we are fast approaching the end of another first term here at Keele, but our last of 2009; which only means one thing here at Yearbook HQ…Christmas Grotto! As we say farewell to an amazing year, we are once again offering the yearbook at an amazing half price! Get down to our Christmas stall every Thursday before the end of term to snap up our sensational seasonal offers, and you will even get the chance to meet Santa himself. Too cold to go outside? Then simply get online and start submitting your festive photos to our many Facebook groups…Visions of Keele are hoping for lots of snowy pictures this year! While online, don’t forget to check up on the date for your block photo; as well as keeping an eye on when we’ll next be at the Union taking your Flirt! Fancy Dress photos. On a personal note, we would just like to say thank you to all those who have supported the yearbook so far, by sending us their photos, generously donating to our Children in Need efforts and, of course, buying the book itself. 2009 has been an amazing year for Team Yearbook and we have a sneaking suspicion that 2010 will be even better. Team Yearbook x x

Musings from your Lady in the Wonk... It’s almost time to say goodbye to you and see you in the next decade. You have given us some wonderful memories over the last year of you on your nights out, we hope you have lots of fond, fun filled moments to take away too. When you come back we’ve got lots in store for you in ReFreshers week so you can make the most once again of not having too many lectures! There are new club nights in store and the return of your favourites. High Contrast is back on Saturday 20th March for a late night ballroom club special. We’ll keep you up to date with what else is going on in semester 2 over Facebook and let you know what fancy dress themes are so you know what to pack. It’s not too late to suggest some themes to us, just post your ideas on our wall on face book. Well have yourselves a merry x-mas and an excellent holiday and we will see you back in the bubble soon! Jayne xxx

Are you in these photo’s? If so you’re on the Guest List for our new Wednesday Night Project just go up to the ents office to get your name down!

Still to Come this Year! Essays are almost complete, money is nearly spent and were all itching to get some of mummy’s home cooked food but wait….we still have 2 more weeks of fun planned for you courtesy of the lovely people here at KUSU so keep hording the last of your pennies, to make your last nights out of 2009 memorable. An event most definitely not to be missed is the annual ‘Winter Wonderland’ party on the 11th December. We have Radio 1’s Scott Mills wowing us on the decks as well as a host of other Christmassy delights on the night including Santa’s Grotto, a chocolate fountain, a bucking Reindeer and snow machines. Tickets are a steal at £5 and are available now from the box office. Do not leave this one to the last minute as they are already selling like hot cakes. Massive Monday will be saying farewell to 2009 with a bang on the 14th as we see the return of the ever popular Roller Disco, so don those festive neon legwarmers, grab your free bottle of Sol on entry and come down and rave Christmas stylee with the Massive Monday crew. In between these events we will have the regular Wednesday Night Project’s and Get Funked’s to look forward to, as well as a Christmas Super Quiz and a Christmas Live Lounge Special. That’s all for now! See you in 2010, Festive Love

Allie xx

Concourse

Film

Frederike DammĂŠ - Film Editor

It was the day million of girls ( and some boys) around the globe waited for. It was the day when New Moon, the second film of the Twilight Saga, hit the screens worldwide. Shaking hands would hand over the money, popcorn remained untouched and tissues came in a big box. Obviously I went to see this film, twice actually, purely professional reasons obviously... The first time I went only with the girls. Frankly, I was nervous too. I' m not a massive fan of the Twilight books. Although I read them all, they are definitely not world class literature but nevertheless quite entertaining. You could probably say the same thing about the films. They are entertaining, especially for the female population but not really among the best films ever made. I liked watching New Moon, but I also liked the fact that twenty minutes in, my girlfriends were more or less secretly wiping away tears. We were hyped afterwards and that is probably the whole secret, the feeling of being united over something rather silly. The second time, I watched New Moon with some male company and again it was entertaining to see the rolling eyes at some of the cheesy lines.'The girl has some serious issues' comment was mainly what you could hear. Thanks boys, pah, whatever! The story is quickly told and not supposed to be a surprise. Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) are madly in love with each other. She is human and he is a vampire which is a bit of a problem in their relationship. Mainly because he has to suppress the need to drink her blood all the time. After an unlucky incident, Edward leaves Bella for her own protection. Bella is devastated and falls into depression until she discovers that putting her life in jeopardy is the only way to hear Edwards voice. In addition she gets closer to her friend Jacob (Taylor Lautner) who later turns into a werewolf, biggest enemy of the vampires. Another unlucky incident and Edward thinks, Bella killed herself, so he wants to die too and travels to Italy to get killed by some

2000-2010 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; My Review of the Noughties The first decade is over and it is time to have a look back on the films and people which shaped it.

n o o M w e N t h Twilig nasty vampires called the Volturi. Bella goes on a mission to save him... You will see, this film is not about the twisting story. This film is about telling a story most people already know. Chris Weitz (About a Boy) tries his best and actually does not do a bad job altogether. The film had a considerably bigger budget than the last one. The special effects are well made, the soundtrack is nice and packed with indie-rock and the actors all give their solid but not surprisingly amazing performances. Taylor Lautner did actually surprise me by being not as half a bad actor as I thought he would be. Robert Pattinson is of course easy on the eye, but not in enough scenes to seriously judge his acting. The leading lady Kristen Stewart is able to follow her performance from the first movie. But to be honest I have seen a couple of interviews with her and I don' t know how much Bella and Kristen are actually the same person. If you are a fan of the Twilight Saga you will probably love New Moon and if you are not, chances that you won't like it are...well, big. The next film Eclipse is out in seven months. I can tell you now, the clocks are set!

Did You Know...

New Moon broke the record for the biggest one-day gross in the US with $72.7 million. Former record holder was The Dark Knight (2008).

The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003) found its way into the hearts of film lovers as well as fans. I don' t think they are many people who have not suffered with Frodo and his fellows on the endless quest to get rid of the evil and powerful ring. In the end he succeed and film history was made.

Digital Animation kicked The little Mermaid and The Lion King off their thrones. Finding Nemo, The Incredibles and Ice Age is what the kids love these days. I still like Little Mermaid!

Harry Potter (2001-2009) is another book adaption which has escorted us through our teenage years. Harry got snugged and probably so did we. At least we are at University now, while Harry is still not over the whole school business

days, has made more films in the last ten years than some people in their entire life. She was in major films like Lord of the Rings and Indiana Jones but also in smaller productions like I' m not there playing Bob Dylan or The Missing. She is breathtaking in everything!

Quentin Tarantino - the hero of the nineties, made his way back in our hearts with films like Kill Bill, Sin City and more recently Inglorious Bastards (amazing, watch it)! Good old Quentin still is the craziest thing Hollywood has to offer.

Cate Blanchett one of the most talented actresses nowa-

So people, the year is over and I hope you all enjoyed yourselves. Use Christmas to watch some the amazing films of this decade while stuffing your little faces with turkey. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2000 - 2009

An Album Selection

MUSIC

Issue Five

Andy Johnson - Music Editor Coldplay – Parachutes (2000)

The decade, scarily enough, is coming to an end. Concourse can't spare the space for a full rundown of the best records of the last ten years, so here's a whistlestop tour through a few of the records which have best reflected the musical and cultural trends of the decade.

When it first emerged, Coldplay's Parachutes made an enormous splash in the UK's musical landscape. As huge as they are now, Coldplay's debut was more sombre and introspective than it was anthemic, but with its frequently dark and morose brand of alternative rock, it reflected the sense of alienation which many British bands have since echoed.

Red Hot Chili Peppers – By The Way (2002)

Robyn – Robyn (2005)

Monstrously heavy, sometimes political, and yet occasionally also hilarious, SOAD's second album is surely one of the key American records of the decade. Not even the radio self-censorship after 9/11 could keep “Chop Suey!” off the airwaves, such was the impact that this earth-shatteringly loud and powerful album had. A major influence on the subsequent direction of 21st century hard rock and metal, Toxicity will be looked back on as a key stepping stone.

Whilst sometimes much more mellow and melodic than most of the band's previous work, By The Way was nevertheless a huge success on both sides of the Atlantic, restating the Chilis' status as one of the biggest bands in the world. Propelled by its singles like the iconic title track and “The Zephyr Song” the album brought a few retro elements into the early2000s rock market, pushing the band into a new era at the same time.

Swedish songstress Robyn emerged onto the world scene with a fourth album which summed up many of the stylistic trends of its entire era, modulating between hip hop, tender ballads, and stident electropop like the hugely successful “With Every Heartbeat”, a collaboration with hot tip producer and fellow Swede Andreas Kleerup. Challenging because of its many genres, the record is nevetheless a great document of what these years have been about, musically.

Nine Inch Nails – Year Zero (2007)

Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes (2008)

Röyksopp – Junior (2009)

Trent Reznor, the man behind Nine Inch Nails, is undoubtedly one of the most important figures in music of this outgoing decade. NIN's concept album of 2007, Year Zero was typically challenging, abrasive, machinelike and even frightening. Transposing the decade's anxieties and fears into a fictional, dystopian 2022, Reznor used his bleak and mechanical music to explore the darkest sides of soceity and human nature.

Undoubtedly the most important breakthrough album of 2008, the self-titled debut by Fleet Foxes rocked the independent music world in particular. The album doesn't sound like a product of this century at all, owing more to the folkier music of the 1960s, and especially the likes of Crosby, Stills & Nash. Whilst they confessed to not being “much of a rock band”, Fleet Foxes instead created a brilliantly retro, and yet affecting, set of harmony-laden miniature masterpieces.

Notoriously unproductive, Norwegian electronica titans Röyksopp finally got a third album out this year just in time to make the end of the decade lists! First in a twopart series of albums, Junior is a consistently upbeat album, one of the best electronica albums of recent years. One of the main themes is nostalgia for simpler times, which stands in ironic contrast to the duo's futuristic synths and the dreamy vocals by the likes of Lykke Li and Robyn.

System of a Down – Toxicity (2001)

â&#x20AC;&#x2C6; N O â&#x20AC;&#x2C6; D FOUN

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Legend has it that the Chinese made the first fireworks in the 8th century, filling bamboo shoots with gunpowder and exploding them at New Year in the hope the sound would scare away evil spirits.

The ancient Roman calendar started the year on 1 March, which is still reflected in the names of some months which derive from Latin: September (seven), October (eight), No vember (nine),December (ten).

The twelve days of Christmas are the days between Christmas Day and Epiphany (6th of January) and represent the length of time it took for the You’resourceofrandomknowledge wise men from the East to visit the manger of Jesus atKeeleUniversity after his birth.

NIKIPEDIA

5 9

Christmas trees become popular in the UK from 1841 when Prince Albert erected a tree in Windsor Castle following a German tradition. Fir trees have been decorated at Christmas time in Germany since the 8th century. 1 in 3 men will wait until Christmas Eve to finish their shopping

KUSU cryPto-QUote (Bad X-maS JoKe edition)

Saint Nicholas of Myra, the original Santa Claus, was the patron saint of children, thieves and pawnbrokers.

Each Letter has been swapped with another, work out the code to discover the hidden massage... a few have been fillout to give you a hand!

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Prepare yourself, Ebenezer Scrooge! The first ghost of Christmas will be here to Haunt you shortly! Thank you Jacob! I will use my time wisely!

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The Ten Most Influential Internet Moments of the Decade Craigslist expands outside San Francisco (2000) In 2000, the free classifieds site broadened its reach outside of San Francisco into nine additional U.S. cities, sending chills down the spines of newspaper publishers everywhere. Today Craigslist serves free listings in more than 500 cities in 50 countries, serving as a model for no-frills business and community success and the catalyst for countless jobs, apartments, and just about anything else you can think of.

Wikipedia launches (2001) Google AdWords launches (2000) With the launch of AdWords in October 2000, Google turned advertising on its head. The self-service ad program opened up the marketplace to any business, no matter how big or small, and allowed advertisers to target their customers with lasersharp precision.

Google IPO (2004) Google's IPO (Initial Public Offering), one of the largest in history, put the six year old search engine on the path to becoming the most dominant

and influential company of the decade. From gmail and YouTube to Google Earth, Google Maps, and Google Android, the Internet giant and constant innovator is the engine that powers countless aspects of our everyday lives.

Facebook opens to non-college students and Twitter takes off (2006) In September 2006, a social networking site for college students changed its user qualifications to include anyone 13 and older with a valid e-mail address. Facebook struck an immediate chord -- and almost overnight, social media went mainstream. Less than a month later, the creators of Twitter acquired the company and its assets from its investors, paving the way for the service to take off in 2007. Both companies took social media mainstream, radically changing the way we connect, collaborate, and communicate with everyone from friends to colleagues to customers.

The iPhone debuts (2007) The iPhone was released on June 29, 2007. By the end of the weekend, half a million had been sold, and smartphones had gone from a luxury item to a necessity. The iPhone inspired the development of operating systems like Google Android, as well as an app for just about every aspect of modern life. Over the next decade, it's estimated that a billion new users will come to the Internet for the first time through mobile devices.

Containing 20,000 articles in 18 languages by the end of its first year online, Wikipedia today boasts more than 14 million articles in 271 different languages. The free open-source encyclopedia epitomizes the Internet's power to bring strangers from around the world together to collaborate on projects both big and small.

U.S. Presidential Campaign (2008) The Internet altered presidential politicking in 2008 much as television had forty years earlier during the Kennedy/Nixon race. From videos like "Obama Girl" and the Reverend Wright clip shaping the debate, to social media mobilizing voters, to recordbreaking online fundraising from small donors, every facet of the way campaigns are run was permanently transformed.

Napster Shut Down (2001) Although Napster was shut down in 2001, it opened the file-sharing floodgates. Its demise sparked a wave of innovations that forever changed how we obtain and experience music and video - from Hulu to iTunes to Radiohead famously dropping its label and self-distributing their "In Rainbows" CD online for free.

Online video revolution (2006) In 2006, a perfect storm of faster bandwidth, cheaper camcorders, and the groundbreaking use of Adobe's Flash 9 video player by YouTube combined to launch the online video revolution. The trifecta led to a boom in homemade and professional content - the Diet Coke and Mentos guys, lonelygirl15, SNL's Lazy Sunday, and Senator George Allen's "macacagate" - that has reshaped everything from pop culture to politics.

Iranian election protests (2009) When Iran's 2009 presidential election produced fishy results, the opposition took to the tweets -and the "Twitter Revolution" was born. In fact, it was so vital to organizing demonstrations that the U.S. State Department asked the company to delay planned maintenance.. The protests also highlighted Twitter's key asset as a protest tool: Since most users don't access it through a central website, it's nearly impossible to censor. Information sourced from www.webbyawards.com

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TEAM : KEELE

Splish Spash - KUSC Match Report James Flanaghan - Club Captain From the 13th to 15th of November, Keele University Swimming Club took a squad of 16 competitive swimmers to take part in the BUCS shortcourse swimming competition between all universities across the country. Without a doubt, competition this year was of the highest standard seen at BUCS with a number of Olympian swimmers competing. On Friday night, after a gruelling 1500m f/c from Ian Martin, the Keele’s men 200m freestyle relay set a new Keele record of 1.42.33, with James Flanaghan, Ryan Gutteridge, Patrick Johnson and Stephen Renwick setting a new bar for Keele Swimvming club’s records. Equally as amazing was the girl’s 200m Medley relay on Saturday afternoon, with Amy Laurent taking the team out on the first leg, Kim Gentle on the breastroke leg, Rachel Russell on the fly leg and Lisa Patrick finishing on the freestyle leg, the team smashed another Keele record setting a new time of 2.17.05. Over the course of the weekend all 16 swimmers put in some gutsy swims, with plenty of new personal bests being set and some new individual Keele records being broken. Special mention has to go to Rachel Russell who managed to get into the 200m Fly final, considering the standard of the BUCS this year this was no easy feat! Placing 9th and hitting a new personal best, Rachel represented Keele brilliantly! Although the standard of the BUCS has never been higher, for such a small swimming club, Keele still managed to show that it can compete and hold its own with all the other uni’s across the country.

The Long Road Ahead Andrew Farmer - KUAXCC Club Captain On Saturday, 28th November, Keele University Athletics and Cross Country Club members past and present joined forces to run the Cheddleton 10km road race. In total, 14 runners made the short trip to Cheddleton to brave the chilly November weather and take part in this popular, well-regarded race. Some narrow country lanes and challenging hillwork make this race no cakewalk but plenty of local support and a nice long downhill stretch to the finish make this race kinder than some! Former Club Captain David Limmer recorded an impressive 38:39 and placed 32nd out of 454 runners. A number of other club members achieved new PBs. For many of our runners this was the first time they had participated in any kind of organised race. Everyone left Cheddleton in high spirits and, more importantly, in possession of a Christmas pudding for their effort! Keele University Athletics and Cross Country Club is an enthusiastic band of runners who welcome all students to join them, regardless of ability. We run Tuesdays at 5pm, Wednesdays at 3pm and Saturdays at 3pm from the Leisure Centre. Just turn up and join us if you’d like to try us out. Alternatively contact Club Captain Andrew Farmer at KUAXCC@hotmail.com.

TEAM : KEELE 2010 – A Sport Odyssey! Jon McCormack - Sport Editor You thought 2009 was a good year for sport? Well after the memories of turkey and sherry have faded, and the party poppers and paper hats have been cleared up, 2010 looks like a tremendous year for the sports fan. Here at Concourse, we pride ourselves on the community services we provide; YouTube videos, sexual advice etc. So once again we have put our bodies on the line to bring you an (almost) complete sporting calendar! Here are the key dates for the year! Get them in your diary IMMEDIATELY! 31st January – Mr Mouse’s Farm for the Unfortunates, Staffordshire: Tough Guy It’s the first event of the year, and quite possibly the most extreme event on the planet. The biggest, baddest, coldest assault course in the world once again opens its doors to the foolhardy and the insane. Hundreds of idiots participate in running through fire, climbing over electric fences, swimming down tunnels and wading through icy water every year in order to be called ‘Tough Guy.’ There are a lot of Keele students going down, and Concourse will be there to report on the event. Please check it out on the internet. It has to be seen to be believed! God rest their souls…. 7th February – Miami, Florida: Superbowl XLIV WOOO!!! SUPERBOWL!!! America comes to a standstill to sit as a nation and watch a game more complex than brain surgery. Who wins? Who cares! It’s a great chance to stay up till 4am, get pissed and make ridiculous whooping noises and shout “YOU CANT SEE ME!” every time anyone gets the ball. 12th – 28th February – Vancouver, Canadia: XXI Winter Olympics

the trophy on home soil for the first time. Twickenham Stoop will hold the final, and would be well worth a visit. Just don’t expect cheerleaders…or large crowds. 3rd – 14th October – Delhi, India: Commonwealth Games Team GB will be hoping to improve on a less-than-impressive World Championships and look forward to the 2012 Olympics with a serious medal haul. Contemplating an Indian autumn, but haven’t time to learn the language? Have no fear! The Indian government are undertaking a huge English-learning programme for the thousands of taxi drivers, waiters, hotel worker and others who will be in regular contact with tourists during the games. It’s as if the Empire never died! GOOOOAAAALLLLL!!!!!! As you will have guessed from the horribly predictable headline, there is also the small matter of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Once again, England will go into the tournament with huge expectation to finally deliver. For the ‘Golden Generation’, this will be their last chance to prove their undeniable club talent on the international stage. Spain and Brazil are currently the teams to beat, with Argentina and Portugal struggling to qualify. Thought that was it? Oh dear me, you are very much mistaken! Keele will once again attract the attention of the world for two HUGE dates that will rock the foundations of sport to its very core. VARSITY IS COMING! Those of you who have experienced Varsity know only too well how much this little word means. Sacrifice, Sruggle, Pain, Glory

Brrr… Its winter and the biggest sporting event of the year that nobody cares about is here! Everything you need to know about the Winter Olympics you can learn from Cool Runnings. Norway and Canada win everything, Eygpt don’t do so well. However, we stand a good chance of a medal in the skeleton bob. Essentially throwing yourself head-first down an ice-tunnel at 50mph on a baking tray, it is for the clinically insane. We have won medals at the 2009 world championships and in the 2006 Winter Olympics. Keep at least half an eye out then…

All these words sum up what Varsity is. Those of you who have played in a Varsity game – go now. Grab your nearest fresher and look deep into their eyes. Tell them the joy of victory, the pain of defeat. Let them understand what battles were fought. And this year, the battleground is bought to us. On Keele soil we must fight Staffordshire University for the spoils of war. The rules are simple. One match. Winner takes all…

10-24th July – Manchester, England: World Lacrosse Championships

Saturday May 7th 2010 - Keele Mens Rugby Annual Sevens Tournament:

For all you fans of Violent Aerial Hockey, this is the biggest event of the year. It’s being held at the Manchester University Sports Centre, so get down and show some support. The USA who didn’t lose a single game from 1978 to 1998 will go in as favourites, but expect a challenge from Canada and England. 20th August – 5th September – London: Women’s Rugby World Cup With England Ladies having beaten world champions New Zealand earlier this year, there is a good chance of them lifting

TO BE CONTINUED…

Held every year, it aims to raise as much money for Donna Louise Children’s Hospice as possible. There are two tournaments running side by side, touch/tag and full contact. For those new to rugby, those who never even touched a ball before, it is well worth it. Laughs, sunshine and beer is all that really matters. Entry fee goes to charity, plus any money collected on the day. Last years total came in at just over £2000 and we at Concourse hope it will beat that this year.