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Monday 3 February 2014
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Annual teaching awards are back for the fifth consecutive year NEWS, Page 3
WAS ANELKA IN THE WRONG? Sam Robinson looks at the controversial quenelle gesture COMMENT, Page 9
NOMINATION FOR UCLAN GRADUATE AND THE WINNER IS... UCLan graduate up for Oscar
WE LOOK AT DAYZ
What makes a game about zombies so attractive?
CULTURE, Page 18
>> GRADUATE’S SHORT FILM NOMINATED FOR AN OSCAR Charlotte Arrowsmith
UCLAN graduate, Mark Gill, has been nominated for an Oscar Academy award for a short-film that he directed. His film, The Voorman Problem, is one of five nominated in the Live-Action Short Films category. Gill, who graduated in 2004
NEWS: UCLan
LIFESTYLE: Travel review: Washington D.C.
with a degree in Film Production, now owns his own production company in Manchester. He found out about his nomination whilst at work. Speaking to the Independent, he said: “I was the first to find out. I shouted out. We all went a bit crazy.” The Voorman Problem is a 12 minute feature, following a psychiatrist who visits a prison inmate who believes
CULTURE:
he is a god.The Oscar shortlist isn’t the only recognition Gill has received. The film has already won 4 awards, and received a nomination at the 2013 BAFTA’s. The Hobbit’s Martin Freeman stars in the film, which Gill started making in 2008, when he met producer Baldwin Li. The 86th Academy awards will be held Sunday 8th March hosted by Ellen DeGeneres
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NEWS
02.02.2014 Contents News
Green Party Leader Visits UCLan Page 4
Features
Clarets Legend Ian Britton Speaks To Rob Watson Page 6
Comment
Who are the real scroungers in Benefits Street? Page 9
Lifestyle
Travel in America: Washington D.C.
PRESTON TO HOLLYWOOD
Kadeesha Mckenzie Deputy News Editor
THIRD year UCLan student has been accepted in to the New York Film Academy. Maria Dewhurst, who is studying Screenwriting, will be based at Universal Studios and will be taught hands on, with opportunities for networking and work experience with some of the industry’s top professionals. Speaking about her place in the academy, she said: “I’m very proud to tell you that I’ve been accepted by the New York Film Academy to attend their 8 Week Screenwriting Programme in September. I will be studying at their campus in Los Angeles.” Leading up to her accepting her place at the academy, she recently attended a BAFTA Craft Master class in London, which is specifically aimed at
young women writers and speakers. This class included Virginie Brac (Spiral), BAFTA-winning Paula Milne (The Politician’s Husband, White Heat, Small Island) and Emma Reeves (The Dumping Ground, Young Dracula). Which Maria spoke highly of, saying: “They offered me an insight into a very particular and challenging craft.” Maria who will be going on a UCLan trip to Guangzhou in China to create a contemporary portrait of life in a dynamic megacity with 12 million inhabitant, gave an insight to what life was like studying screenwriting at UCLan saying: “Every time we are taught new skills in how to present our work or formatting the scripts, I felt as though my course was taking me one step closer to making this dream. That giddy feeling has grown with each guest speaker, with each script we analyse or film we watch, that pure unadulterated joy of knowing ‘that could be me’.”
Charlotte Arrowsmith Deputy Online Editor
We Take A Look At Tomb Raider Page 18
Sport
Mens Football 1sts Smash Manchester Page 22
3 MONKEYS RAIDED.. Popular lunch time shop a target News Editor: Tom Greggan, Jess Millington
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HEADING STATESIDE... Maria Dewhurst is off to LA
>> TWO WORKERS ARRESTED IN POPULAR STUDENT SHOP
Culture
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SANDWICH SHOP RAID
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Editor-in-Chief: Michael Bailey Deputy Editor: Vacant Postal address: Pluto, University of Central Lancashire Students’ Union, Fylde Road, Preston, PR1 2TQ Phone: 01772 894848
Deputy: Kadeesha Mckenzie
THE Home Office Immigration Enforcement Team has made yet another visit to Preston, arresting two men from 3 Monkeys. Officers raided the sandwich bar after hearing a tip off, and they searched all employees for identification. Two Pakistani men were discovered to be staying in the UK illegally. One, aged 29, had breached his visa conditions, and the other, aged 26, had outstayed his visa. They are both now in detention, awaiting their removal from the UK. Assistant Director of the North West Immigration Enforcement Team, Karen McDonough said: “Illegal working has a negative impact on communities. It defrauds the taxpayer, undercuts honest employers and cheats legitimate job seekers out of employment opportunities.” Lifestyle Editors: Vacant
Gaming writer: Georgia Gregoriou
Fashion writers: Rebecca Boffey, Elizabeth Kelly, Lucy Hill, Mahaim Saud
Societies Editor: Naomi McLellan
Reporters: Jade Kneen, Kadeesha McKenzie, Tami Khramtchenko, Alex Sambrook, Rob Watson, Luke Beardsworth.
Travel writers: Anastacia Bates, Alannah Maher
Chief Sub-Editor: Jes Ostler
Culture Editors: Chris Copestake, Kristina Hall
Features Editor: Vacant Comment Editors: Charlotte Alty & Jasleen Kaur Deputy: Vacant Social Media writer: Adam Legg
3 Monkeys sandwich bar now faces a civil penalty of £10,000 per person working illegally, meaning they owe a total of £20,000. The employer now must prove that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out. It isn’t unusual for the Home Office to find illegal immigrants working in Preston. Just last year, they arrested people working at Gafoor Poultry Products, Charcoal Huts and Barbeque Place. These have all been catering businesses, but why is this? Are they too relaxed in hiring staff and carrying out right-to-work security checks? The Immigration Bill has recently been announced by the Government, which makes it easier for people to be removed from the country. If anyone suspects that illegal workers are being employed at a business, or someone is living in the UK illegally, they can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111
Romance writer: Mona Hadad
Deputy: Tony Tenev Music writers: Chelsea Harrop, Laura Brown Film writer: Jes Ostler
Deputy: Vanessa Silva Sport Editors: Joe Cooper & Steven Smith Deputy: Vacant Sport writers: Jack Wilson-Mumford, Mikael McKenzie, Bradley Poole, Andrew Bell, Matthew Hill, Lee Murphy, Mark Davies Online editor: Adam Legg Deputy: Charlotte Arrowsmith Special Thanks: Rob Watson
GOLDEN ROSES RETURN FOR ANNUAL CEREMONY IN FIFTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR PLUTO
Issue 258
Kadeesha Mckenzie Deputy News Editor
THE Golden Roses is an annual awards evening designed to recognise UCLan staff across the university and our partner institutions. The award ceremony which will be held in Preston on the 2 of April will mark the 5th year since UCLan student union established its annual awards. It still remains the only staff awards that are nominated, decided and awarded by students. Nominations for each award are collated and held until the close of nominations on March 2nd 2014. After the close of nominations a panel of student representatives including the Education Officer, School Presidents and a nominee from the University meet and using pre-determined criteria evaluate the merit of the nominations submitted and decide the final shortlist and winner for each award. In last years event, the Best course team award went to Lancashire Business school.
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There are 10 awards categories open for nominations, including: • The Outstanding Feedback Award • The Postgraduate Support Award • The Real World Learning Award • The Inclusivity Award • The Positive Impact Award • The Lecturer of the Year Award • Professional Services Staff Member • The School of the Year Award • The Best Course Team of the Year Award • The Best University Service of the Year Award • The Personal Tutor of the Year Award • The Most Innovative Teaching of the year award
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COMMENT 8-9
LIFESTYLE 10-14
CULTURE 15-18
SOCIETIES 19-20
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SPORT 21-24
STUDENTS AFFECTED BY HEALTH RECORDS ELECTRONIC CHANGE Jess Millington News Editor
THERE is increasing concern that students will not receive important information about the changes to their medical records in the light of a new NHS scheme. A new initiative called ‘Care.data’ is being introduced and the default position that medical records remain in everyone’s GP surgery has changed. From March this year, NHS England will be uploading medical records every month in identifiable form to a central system administered by the Health and Social Care information Centre (HSCIC). GPs do not have a say in the matter and have to provide the data required and if patients do not want it to happen, it is down to them to opt out. With the majority of students living away from home for an increased period of time, the worry that students will not receive this information about the changes to their records is causing concern. The data transferred will be held on the HSCIC system with personal identifiers still attached and made available in various forms to researchers, local commissioning bodies and to private com-
panies that are approved as HSCIC ‘customers’. The first datasets to go on this system will include date of birth, postcode, ethnicity and gender together with ‘lifestyle’ details such as smoking habits, obesity and alcohol use. NHS England have stressed that the data will be ‘anonymised’ but there is the worrying matter that information stored will still lead to patients being identifiable from the information provided. Campaigners did warn that members of the public would be uneasy about private companies benefiting from their health data – especially when the spread of data will not be routinely audited. Mark Davies, the Centre’s public assurance director said: “You may be able to identify people if you had a lot of data. It depends on how people will use the data once they have it. But I think it is a small, theoretical risk.” Davies said that a number of private companies – such as Bupa – already had access to some sensitive hospital data, although none had been able to link to GP records until now. He added: "I am not sure how helpful in the NHS the distinction between public and private is these days. Look at Dr Foster [which] is a private company that used data to show significantly how
IT’S BACK.. Back for 5th consecutive year
things can be improved in the NHS and revealed what was going wrong at Mid Staffs. The key test is whether the data will be used to improve patient care." NHS England said it would publish its own assessment of privacy risks this week and pointed out that one of the key aims of care.data was to "drive economic growth by making England the default location for world-class health services research." Julia Hippisley-Cox, a professor of general practice at Nottingham University who sits on the NHS's confidentiality advisory group – the high-level body that advises the health secretary on accessing confidential patient data without consent – said that while there may be "benefits" from the scheme "if extraction [sale] of identifiable data is to go ahead, then patients must be able find out who has their identifiable data and for what purpose". With these new changes, NHS England agreed to carry out a mail drop to every household in England. This is being done in the form of a leaflet. Terry Dowty, coordinator of Medconfidential said: “Because the publicity is being carried out in such a minimal way, we are very concerned that students may not see this leaflet at all. They are in a particularly vulnerable group.”
IMAGE: Providers edge
MEDICAL RECORDS... The way they are being stored is changing
NATALIE BENNETT VISITS UCLAN NEWS
Tom Greggan News Editor
Natalie Bennett, leader of the Green Party visited UCLan on Thursday to talk to members of UCLan’s Green Ladder project and the Politics Society. In addition, a Q&A session in the Opportunities centre gave students the chance to quiz her on issues such as sustainability, energy and education. Natalie introduced herself to the audience and opened by talking about her party’s policy, saying: “Our new slogan for the party is ‘For the Common Good’ and what we’re seeking to achieve is a society in which everybody has sufficient quality of life but we’re living within the planetary limits of the one planet that we have. At the moment in Britain collectively each year we use the resources of three planets. “We think it’s an absolute disgrace that Britain is the sixth richest country in the world and yet we have 20% of workers on less than a living wage. They’re not being paid enough money to keep a roof over their heads, to put food on the table, to pay the energy bills and of course one of the things that there has been a lot of publicity about is food banks. “Food banks are one of the fastest growing industries and we believe that no one should have to rely on charity for
3 February 2014
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food. We need decent wages and decent benefits for whoever needs them. We need jobs that you can build a life on. One of the things I campaign a lot on is zero hours contracts. “This is interesting because with a young audience, I say zero hours contracts and everyone nods but if I go and talk to an older audience, I have to explain what zero hours contracts are because they are very much something that younger people coming into the workforce are finding as often the only thing available to them.” The talk was chaired by Student Union President Ben Latham. He began the questioning by asking if Natalie had any suggestions to students who wanted to reduce their carbon footprint but weren’t sure how. She said: “I think there are some obvious ones from switching the lights off to trying to recycle. “What I would stress is that it’s very difficult; individual actions are useful, but individual actions are not what I’m currently concerned about because we can all do the right things, but just the way our society is organised makes it impossible to cut our carbon emissions, it makes it impossible for us to live within that one planet limit. “So one of the greenest things you can do is be willing to change things. Your own individual actions make some difference and it’s worth doing what you can. Get involved in campaigns to change things because one of the factors
is, and this is true of both economic and environmental sustainability, the way things are now is not going to continue. “We are going to see very significant radical change because where we are now is not sustainable and we need to make sure that change happens in the right direction.” Crucially for students, Natalie reinforced the Green party policy of zero tuition fees. When questioned how it would be affordable, she responded: “The short answer for that is make the multinational companies pay their taxes. There is huge tax avoidance, there is really low rates of tax. What I can do is go back to our 2010 general election manifesto and that had zero tuition fees in it and it was a fully cost manifesto. I can show to you that it did add up because I was involved in writing it and Channel 4 was interested in our cost manifesto so they actually went through it to check all the figures. “They came back to us with some questions and we answered them. And their researchers found that it added up and they didn’t run a story about it because a manifesto adding up doesn’t make an interesting story. It is financially possible, it just requires a substantial tackling of policy in our society which we would be looking to do anyway.” Australian-born Natalie also spoke at length about energy and sustainability: “I also spend a lot of time talking about energy policy and (earlier today) I was
looking at a wonderful project looking at having a community generated scheme to generate energy from the river and that’s the kind of thing we need to generate our energy from, not fracking which I know is a big issue. “We have to act on climate change. But when we’re thinking about environmental issues, it isn’t just climate change. The quality of our soils is just plummeting at an enormous rate. The quality of our fresh water, the quality of our oceans, particularly our biodiversity, are all going down very fast. “On behalf of my generation, sorry. We’ve made a right mess of things and now we’re leaving it to you to sort out.” Natalie also took the opportunity to encourage students to engage in politics and make their voices heard. She said: “I would urge everyone to get involved in politics in some way or another. But above all, please do vote. I’m not going to say vote Green, I’m just going to say vote. “Vote every chance you get and if you don’t like any of the options on the ballot paper, at least go into the station and write a rude word on the ballot paper “Your local council, Westminster, Brussels; they’re the places where the decisions get made, you really need to have a say in who’s making those decisions.” Daniel Dewhurst, Chair of the Politics Society organised Natalie’s visit and he was delighted with the event. He said: “I think the event was a massive success
LIS DELIVERS... LIS DELIV D VER RS.
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and congratulations to all those that helped out over the weeks leading up the event. “It was great to see such a large, open audience attend the event, which I’m sure will be remembered not just as the first political engagement of the new year, but also as the first event with a political party leader that was open to students. It was great to see such a senior politician answer students questions head-on.”
Source: greenwikiwikigreen
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ENGINEERING FACILITIES RECEIVE HALF A MILLION POUND UPGRADE Issue 258
Tom Greggan News Editor
sity. For example, the Media department have made use of the facilities to make new camera brackets. The facilities will also be used for extra-curricular activities such as the ‘Car for Young Drivers’ project, which the Engineering department cooperate in with five industrial partners to create a car that is cheap to fuel and cheap to insure. Specifically, UCLan’s facilities have been used for engine testing and fuel efficiency research. Graham Calderbank, an Engineering lecturer and researcher said: “It’s such a positive thing. To see the students using it so productively is brilliant. Wharf Building has also undergone a facelift with the walls being given a new lick of paint and some of the corridors have been widened. Next in the pipeline is potential work to the building’s exterior, similar to that of Edward Building.
FEATURES 6-7
COMMENT 8-9
LIFESTYLE 10-14
CULTURE 15-18
SOCIETIES 19-20
SPORT 21-24
STATE OF THE ART... The new engineering facilities are some of the best in the industry
IMAGE: Graham Calderbank
The engineering facilities in Wharf Building have been upgraded after a £500,000 investment. The investment is the first of its kind for UCLan’s Engineering department since 1973. The new facilities include a new guillotine, a £25,000 5-axis milling machine, a £70,000 CNC Laithe, and a £300,000 laser cutter that took two weeks to install over the summer. The process has been ongoing for the past 12-18 months and is close to completion. Students on the Motorsport Engineering, Computer Assisted Engineering and Mechanical Engineering courses will have the most contact with the new state-of-the-art machinery, but are also open to everyone at the univer-
NEWS 2-5
Computer Equipment ui from 39 399 99 Cr Credits redits edits
Mic Microsoft Microsoft Office fice Of Sp Specialist Qualifications Qualif ualiffications
IMAGE: Graham Calderbank
MAJOR LASER... The new £300k laser cutter was the most expensive machine
EXTRA CURRICULAR...The new facilities will be used for non-academic projects
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IMAGE: Graham Calderbank
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The most important day in the history of a football club. This event can conjure up many memories for fans, Wembley play-off wins, treble winning seasons or that local derby victory. But for Burnley it can easily be pinpointed to one specific date, 9 May 1987 – The Orient Game.
Burnley Football Club, who had been Division One champions just twenty seven years earlier were facing oblivion. Needing to win their final game of the Division Four season and hoping that other results went their way, they faced off against Leyton Orient at Turf Moor.
With Burnley in front 1-0 it was Ian Britton, the smallest man on the pitch, who rose the highest to head home a quickly taken free-kick to make it 2-0 and secure Burnley’s place in the Football League with Lincoln becoming the first ever team to be relegated out of Division Four in their place. Rob Watson spoke to the Clarets legend about that goal, his battle with cancer and his up-coming wedding. May 1987. The football league has announced the previous year that the team to finish bottom of the fourth division, (League Two for those of you with short memories), will be relegated from the Football League entirely, to be replaced with a team from the Football Conference. May 9 comes around and three teams are in contention to go down, Torquay, Lincoln or Burnley. Having been a first division, (Premier League, keep up!), club just 11 seasons previously, Burnley are a team in freefall. They stand on a dismal 46 points from 45 games, attendances at Turf Moor have dropped below 2000 and the team are low on morale. For a team that had been champions of England just 27 years before, this is a low point. More than 15,000 fans are crammed into Turf Moor. The scrum is so bad that kick-off has been delayed for 15 minutes. Play-Off chasing Orient are flying in the league. Burnley are massive underdogs. Police outside the ground have been warned that there may be trouble should the result go the wrong way. There’s no two ways about it, the Burnley fans are angry and this could be the game to tip them over the edge. Jump forward 27 years. You would struggle
to name most of the 11 who almost played a part in one of the darkest days in the Clarets history. Two spring to mind. One would be winger Neil Grewcock, who scored three minutes before half time to give Burnley a lifeline. The other, is the man whose goal was to be decisive. It would send Turf Moor into a frenzy not seen since they had won the championship more than 25 years before. That man is Ian Britton. “At the time it wasn’t important, it wasn’t until the end of the game when we realised that Burnley were going to stay in the football league.” Ian Britton is remarkably nonchalant about arguably the most important goal of his career. But of course, on the pitch the players are unaware what is going on. Around the stadium fans have their eyes glued to the game and their ears to the radios. “The Longside was all standing back then, we could see the crowd, urging forward and urging forward. We could see the referee looking at the crowd and thinking, ‘My God let’s get this game finished.’ We could feel the atmosphere, going around in our heads, but obviously the fans knew about it, we didn’t. But we knew something was happening.” Ian still lives in the town that’s always going to remember his name, in the small village of Barrowford just outside Burnley.
And once again he’s on the front pages of the local press. Now though, he’s facing a different kind of challenge to the one he faced in 1987. Last year he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Ian’s clearly upset when he’s describing to me how he was diagnosed. It came after playing the game that had made his name. “I was playing five-a-side in Colne, when I just slipped and hit my head and my coccyx. I felt a bit ill the following day so I had the day off work. “I went into the doctors and I just thought I’d injured my spine. But after x-ray nothing came back. Then three days later I got a phonecall from the doctor saying that they’d found some abnormal cells and that’s how it all came about really.” Which brings me to the reason he’s back on the front pages. Ian’s recently asked his partner Eileen to be his wife. The couple have known each other for three years, and strangely Ian’s not the only former Claret that Eileen has connections with. “Yeah Eileen’s cousin’s married to (former centre forward) Willie Irvine and her step sisters married to (former striker) Andy Lochhead. “I used to go to the games with Willie when he used to do the tours around the ground. I met Eileen separately and then took her to the game and found out that we
knew her cousin. So yeah it looks like I’m keeping it in family.” In fitting with what I perceived to be quite a reserved gentleman, there was no pomp and circumstance in the marriage proposal. “We were down in Leamington, visiting a friend of mine, (Ex-Chelsea player), David Stride. We spoke about it, and just decided it was a quite a good time.” They will hold the wedding the week before Valentine’s Day, in a celebration that’s set to last three days. And even though the cancer is incurable, Ian is unfailingly positive. “As long as my levels stay down and it’s controllable then that’s the main thing. It’s not curable but hopefully it’s controllable. And I hope to have another few good years in me yet.” So how does it feel to know that, regardless of how long he has left Ian will forever be in the hearts of the town that he has made his home? “It’s a great feeling when you go to the club and people go, ‘that’s the man who kept Burnley Football Club in the football league’, just a great feeling” And with Burnley having risen from the depths of despair in 1987 to a club that’s pushing for Premier League promotion in 2014, the feeling, I’m sure, is mutual.
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£5 Ticket
All money from this ticket goes to Preston Domestic Vilence Services Charity
THURSDAY TTHURSD TH THURS URSD RSSDDA RS DDAY AY 20TH AY 200TTH FEBR FFEBRUARY EBRUUA ARY A H UR ARRRYY ry Enttry £2 Ent egr Degr reeess £2 53 Deg gree m - 53 00pppm 77::3300pm 7:3
SHAG WEEK February 17th - 21st February 2014
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COMMENT
3 February 2014
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C O M M E N T BENEFITS STREET: WHO ARE www.pluto-online.com
IMAGE: Feral78
THE REAL SCROUNGERS? Luke Beardsworth Comment Writer
LET me throw you a concept for a television programme. Channel 4 strolls into Moor Lane and offers students the chance to be part of a new documentary which showcases the troubles a student can face with everyday life. A decent amount of students oblige and the documentary gets to air several months later. Instead of a balanced show covering the ten-pence-noodle lifestyle, what we get is a catalogue of trailer like snippets wherein the #StudentLoanStreet hashtag hovers into view ominously whenever someone does something particularly shocking. Vomiting in your toilet after a heavy night at Source? That makes it to TV, and the tweets come pouring in. We’re all tarred with the same ridiculous brush, as the prejudices of people across the country are confirmed. We’re leeches, wasting public money because we’re too lazy to go and get the job we’ll end up doing anyway. While not an entirely parallel example, this is essentially what Channel 4 has done with its wildly popular and controversial show Benefits Street. Although it may not be as bad as BBC’s Saints and Scroungers programme, Channel 4 has still created a programme designed to instigate outrage aimed at anyone who claims welfare. There is no balance to this type of documentary, only judgement from both the pro-
ducers and the viewers. It’s a ridiculous sentiment when we all receive benefits of some kind – even millionaire pensions receive their free TV licence. This demonisation of the working class is, unfortunately, hugely effective. Channel 4 has drawn in 4.3 million viewers to its spectacle, and the next time George Osbourne announces a cut or a ridiculous policy such as the Bedroom Tax, many of these viewers will agree with it as their minds flashback to Benefits Street and its depiction of poverty in Birmingham. A huge problem with this is that it paints a stick-man picture for what is a very complex subject. The following is from one Job Centre employee in the UK: “A customer of mine, a 59 year old woman, who lives on her own. Works two hours a week as a cleaner. Desperate for more hours. Applies for work on daily basis. She’s had her Job Seekers stopped by the Job Centre. The reason? Over Christmas she was unable to look for work for seven days as her laptop broke. Due to being on £55 per week she can’t afford to get it fixed and the library she could have visited was shut. She’s never missed a cleaning position in Telford since I’ve worked with her. She’s a little gem. This woman has no money and I really mean not a fucking penny. She’s applied for a crisis loan that she’s been told she might get, they can’t tell her how much or when.” Not exactly your stereotypical figure seen on Benefits Street. Even less logical is the belief that those who receive jobseekers al-
lowance are a huge strain on the country’s finances. £159bn is spent each year on benefits but of that gargantuan sum only 4.9bn is spent on jobseekers allowance. The vast majority of that sum is the £74.22bn that goes on state pensions. That’s not an assertion that we should create a programme looking at the scrounging elderly, it just offers a little perspective. The public ire is so focused on this false scapegoat of the “benefits scrounger” that they fail to see the real injustices in the country. A third of that benefits budget goes to people on an above average wage. Corporations avoid billions of tax through ridiculous offshore profiting loopholes. The current coalition rages against the type of scrounger seen on Benefits Street without a trace of irony in the wake of the expenses scandal. Luckily I’m not in charge of the budget and I don’t have to navigate the maze that is these problems. The conclusion, however, has to be that the unemployed are being wrongly targeted and stereotyped to justify the ridiculous cuts at the bottom, when far more effective cuts could be made in better places that wouldn’t affect people’s lives so adversely. While programmes like Benefits Street exist, the current government has a better weapon than any myth it can spread or statistic it can twist. They need only sit back and let the public work themselves into frenzy, turning on each other rather than those actually to blame.
#SHORT ANDTWEET
THE TAKE FROM TWITTER Jamie Angus @grvlx001
Working couple filmed extensively for Benefits St claim C4 cut them out of final shows. #r4today Paddy Doherty @ParodyDoherty
#benefitsstreet £106 a week for been depressed, really I'm depressed every morning getting up and going to work where's my £106???
HeardinLondon @HeardinLondon
The sole purpose of #benefitsstreet is for some TV folk to profit from making people hate each other. And I, for one, am simply not playing.
Katie Hopkins @KTHopkins
For people with nothing to do, their houses are jolly untidy. Smoking and drinking takes up more time than you would imagine #benefitsstreet
Amy.@thisisamy_
It's worth noting that, on average, benefit fraud is 31 times lower than MP expenses fraud. #divideandrule #benefitsstreet
ANELKA DENIES RACISM IN QUENELLE-GATE Issue 258
Sam Robinson Comment Writer
AS Nicolas Anelka tucked away his first goal for West Bromwich Albion at Upton Park against West Ham United, little did he know about the fuss he would cause with his celebration. In raising his left hand and pointing it across his right bicep, performing a gesture known as the quenelle, the French striker has created a storm of apparent anti-Semitism. The quenelle is considered to be antiSemitic by Jewish leaders, who say that it is an inverted Nazi salute. However, the 34 year-old maintains that the gesture is anti-establishment rather than anti-Semitic and was done as a 'special dedication' to his friend, the French comedian Dieudonné M'bala M'bala, who is credited with creating the gesture. Anelka is no stranger to controversy; indeed, it seems at times as though he courts it. He faces an FA hearing and could find himself being slapped with a
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long ban if he is found guilty. In the immediate aftermath of the incident, Zoopla, the property company owned by a Jewish businessman and sponsors of West Brom, took a strong stand against Anelka's actions and announced that they will not be renewing their sponsorship deal with the club when it expires at the end of the current season.
The FA would be absolutely right to ban Anelka
FIFA appear to have set a benchmark for punishments after banning the Croatia defender Josip Simunic for 10 matches after he was found guilty of leading Croatian fans in a chant that had pro-Nazi connotations after their 2-0 victory over Iceland in the World Cup Qualifying Play-Offs. The FA, too, have previously banned players for instances of racism with Chelsea's John Terry given a four match ban for using "abusive and/or insulting
FEATURES 6-7
COMMENT 8-9
LIFESTYLE 10-14
words and/or behaviour" which "included a reference to the ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race" of QPR's Anton Ferdinand in 2012. A year earlier, Luis Suárez of Liverpool was given an eight match ban after being found guilty of racially abusing the Manchester United defender Patrice Evra. If it transpires that the quenelle is a racist gesture then the FA would be absolutely right to ban Anelka, but the ban must be sufficient - unlike that of Terry. It has been a great surprise to the football community that a club like West Brom, which is well-known to have strong values, have been so insipid in their response to the quenelle. They released a statement saying that the striker will not repeat the celebration, but refused to condemn it. Perhaps the best lesson that can be learned from this situation is that politics and football are a toxic mix and should be kept well apart. Controversy is what makes football interesting, but with instances like this, it is better for the sport if its news was kept to the back pages rather than the front.
CULTURE 15-18
SPORT 21-24
WILL THEY WON’T THEY?... The FA could ban West Brom player Anelka
SINGLE SPIRIT & MIXER £1.50
Smirnoff Vodka, Jack Daniels, Gordons Gin, Southern Comfort, Malibu, Archers, Bacardi, Morgan Spiced
IMAGE: Live4Soccer(L4S)
SOCIETIES 19-20
9
IMAGE: (Mick Baker)rooster
PLUTO
10
LIFESTYLE
3 February 2014
PLUTO
L America in review: Washington I F E S T This New Year, Y Sameria hopes to L join in more E activities and Travel
www.pluto-online.com
The world is a big place, go off the beaten track and explore it
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.” - Mark Twain
Journalism student Anastasia Bates is spending her second year of study in Clarion, Pennsylvania. When she’s not studying, she’s travelling the States. Next up for her was Washington D.C.; here’s her review…
AS with many visits to a foreign country, the Capital City is quite often where tourists would want to start, the culture is expected to be the richest, the architecture the finest and the people the boldest. In some instances, as I have noticed in my time in the US, the Capital City is often interchangeable with the country, (London is England according to some people I have met and vice versa). Yet why is it, when the United States is mentioned, New York, San Francisco or Las Vegas are higher on most travelers’ bucket list than the great nation’s capital, Washington D.C. Coming from England it was inevitable to make comparisons to our capital London. London streets are bombarded with people, often in a hurry or simply capacity is too large for the space (Covent Garden tube station is a perfect example) while D.C appeared to be unnervingly sparse. London is filled with carts on every street corner selling every kind of merchandise imaginable, from cardboard cut outs of Kate Middleton, to plastic novelty red buses, while D.C. you were lucky to find a single person selling hats and scarves let alone a store. None of these differences belittle either city, and D.C can stand in its own right. The city embraces modern architecture and governmental dominance, while recognizing America’s history. The group of Smithsonian museums offers a slice of history in every interest imaginable from the historical truth of the holocaust to the Museum of Art featuring original works by Picasso and Van Gogh to the Museum of Air and Space brought to light by the blockbuster Night At The Museum 2. A visit to Washington D.C would not be complete without the symbol which defines the US democratic system, and the backdrop seen the world over. That of Capitol Hill and the White House. I would like to say that the preconceptions that the White House is much smaller than you see on television, and it is in fact a mansion built on 12 foot foundations but I would be lying. The White House is as small as you hear, however still impressive given the power that comes with its iconic status. Each individual would have their ‘must-sees’ for Washington D.C. and probably any other high profile city in the world. Something that can define history like seeing the US Constitution or Declaration of Independence, something recognizable from a movie set like the Library of Congress, or something you feel moved by from the sheer size, beauty and knowledge of events that took place there. The latter was of most importance for me, and I found it at the Lincoln Memorial. Probably the busiest place in the whole city (despite visiting while the marathon was on), the air feels thick with respect and history and is a must see, if for the beautiful sunset if nothing else. Which goes to show, that comparisons from Washington D.C can be made to London and England, or anywhere in the world, but each part of each country has a specific atmosphere that cannot be duplicated or compared too.
#SHORT ANDTWEET @ana_bates
Good bit of accent embarassment to start the day, never want to say butter again.
IMAGE: Ana Bates
ICONIC... The White House in all its glory.
make new friends.
For help accessing social activities and making new friends, visit: www.uclansu.co.uk/befriending
For more information, or to apply: Visit: www.uclansu.co.uk/befriending Email: BefriendingService@uclan.ac.uk Tel: 01772 894894
12
LIFESTYLE
Jobs
Union Elections Promotion Team A unique opportunity to be a part of something amazing!! Salary: £6.31 per hour Contract: Temporary
The Union is seeking Elections Promotion Team members to promote the up coming Union elections at stages throughout the year.
This exciting opportunity will include the main Union Officer Elections, Clubs and Society Elections and Course Rep Recruitment.
UCLan Students’ Union is a democratic body, involving students at every level of decision-making. Therefore, it is vital that there are good participation rates in all Union Elections.
The Union encourages applications for this role from all students; with applications from first year students, part time students and mature students particularly welcome.
Please note if you are a candidate or a supporter of a candidate in the elections then you will not be eligible to work on the Elections Promotions team.
Closing Date: 5th February 2014 Interviews: 10th February 2014
For an informal discussion about this position please contact Gareth Pye, Membership Services Manager on 01772 894276 For an application pack please call the Students’ Union on 01772 893000 or contact thebridge@uclan.ac.uk
Visit us: www.uclansu.co.uk
DID YOU KNOW...
The Students’ Union employ over 300 student staff
3 February 2014
www.pluto-online.com
PLUTO
Because those Source beer tokens have to come from somewhere
“Find out what you like doing best and get someone to pay you for doing it.” - Katherine Whitehorn
Sexual Health & Guidance Promotion Team
Be a part of the biggest sexual health campaign on campus Salary: £6.31 per hour Contract: Temporary
The Union is seeking Sexual Health and Guidance (SHAG) Promotion Team members to support the Campaigns Officer in the delivery of targeted sexual health initiatives and events across campus, including information stalls, events, the wrapped initiative and chlamydia testing.
All candidates will need to be available to work between the 17th and 21st February and may be required to work some evening shifts.
In partnership with the Campaigns Officer the SHAG Promotion Team will support the delivery of information stalls and events across campus; encourage participation from students in chlamydia testing and sign-up to the wrapped initiative; promotion of all activities and events held in relation to the SHAG project both face-to-face and via social networking
You will need to be comfortable working as part of a team and possess strong verbal and interpersonal skills as you will be dealing with members of the public.
An ability to work under pressure and good background knowledge of the university are also essential.
This role is available only to current University of Central Lancashire students.
Closing Date: 5th February 2014 Midday Interviews: 11th February 2014
For an informal discussion about this position please contact Sophie Bennett, Campaigns Officer on 01772 894891 For an application pack please call the Students’ Union on 01772 893000 or contact thebridge@uclan.ac.uk
Pluto Puzzle&Games Visit us: www.uclansu.co.uk
Publicity & Social Media Volunteer Salary: Volunteer Role + Benefits Contract: Flexible, around your studies
Preston Environmental Forum (PEF) is a community-based organisation that acts as a network of community environmental projects/activities in Preston, and also conducts city-wide environmental projects such as ‘Greening the City’ and Abundance Preston. PEF are looking for a volunteer or volunteers that can help publicise the activities of PEF and member groups. The role will involve documenting the activities through a variety of media – journalism, photography, film etc.
This will involve visiting activities in a variety of locations around the city to create reports, articles and other publicity that would be used as content on the Project Dirt website (www.projectdirt.com), Facebook and YouTube. Duties will include: • Creating reports and articles about PEF • Providing content and support in the production of a newsletter • Some design work or assistance with designing posters, flyers etc. • Helping to develop social media communications for PEF
Volunteer benefits:
This role may not be paid, but as a community-led organisation reliant on volunteers, PEF offers some great benefits. Volunteers will receive:
Work experience with an exciting community-led organisation Hours towards a Livesey Award provided by the Students’ Union, acknowledging your volunteer contribution Free training opportunities in a rage of environmental tasks by PEF (dates and tasks TBC) A written reference by PEF Flexible hours to suit you and your studies Travel expenses paid Networking opportunities (useful for anyone who wants to go into environmental work, community work, journalism, or social media!)
How to apply:
Please fill out all three parts of a Students’ Union application form (available from the Opportunities Centre Job Shop website) and return to TBridge@uclan.ac.uk, or deliver by hand to the Opportunities Centre before Monday 10th February at 12 midday. Interviews for this role are provisionally scheduled for week commencing Monday 17th February.
The SEX Crossword
Pluto Editors Lifestyle, Art, Deputy Online
Help create your student newspaper by joining the Pluto team today! Salary: Volunteer Role + Free Dominos on deadline day Contract: Term Time
Lifestyle Editor
Can you spot the latest trend before it goes mainstream? Do you pride yourself on wearing that chic hat before Topshop start selling it or are you a whizz in the kitchen, capable of creating the ultimate chocolate cheesecake on a budget?
If so you could be just the person Pluto are looking for. We are looking for a go-getting, self-starter to spearhead our lifestyle section that encompasses our fashion, fitness, food, health, women and romance sections. Original ideas and a desire to create captivating content that will make the lifestyle section the talk of campus is a must.
Art Editor
Can you tell the difference between your Monet and Picasso? How about the Strokes from your Saturdays? The Arts Editor is all about culture and stretches far beyond the popular conception of it being purely about paintings and museums.
At Pluto we’re looking to expand our content and in order to do this we need an individual with a critical mind, that is passionate about the arts, live-performances and theatre and be able to convey that with words.
Deputy Online Editor
Pluto-online.com has grown month-on-month since its re-launch in September 2013 and in order to keep students coming back for more we require an innovative, self-starter to join our online team.
Reporting to the Online Editor you will help curate the website and keep it regularly updated with exciting content. For an application pack please email the Media Officer, Michael Bailey at sumedia@uclan.ac.uk and state ‘Pluto Editor Vacant Positions’ in the subject line. Visit us: www.uclansu.co.uk
Spotted: Lancashire
www.pluto-online.com
Our round-up of the oddities going on in the red rose county this week.
Brewery Workers Hit Back
WITH upto sixty jobs at risk, brewery workers at Thwaites in Blackburn altered the neon ‘THWAITES’ sign on the town centre plant to read ‘TWATS’.
ACROSS 1 5 7 9 11 DOWN 2 3 4 6 8 10
Clitheroe Sheep Thinks It’s A Dog
You eat soup with these; lazy Sunday afternoon position The opposite of cowboy Member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism; straight up sex A lovely small creature; a huge vibrating, swirling dildo Mythical place that men struggle to find A mechanical device used to drive objects into the ground; an advanced sexual move that carries with it great risk The number one sexually transmitted infection in under 25-year-olds The sudden explosion of build up sexual tension The fuzz have these in plentiful supply; kinky Cheap and easy to get hold of, you should always use one Used in lots of team sports; may look like a chicken skin handbag
A SHEEP named Roy was saved from the slaughter after Clitheroe landlady, Lisa Evans, had a whip round in The Horseshoe Inn. Speaking to the Lancashire Telegraph she said: “Roy is just like a dog, I do not think he knows he is a sheep. “He follows the farmer and he rounds the other sheep up. Other farms have a sheep pig or a sheep dog, but we have a sheep sheep. “He is a lovely little lamb and he has a personality of his own.” Regulars at the Horseshoe raised £100 and Roy will now be able to spend the rest of his days as a pet.
IMAGE: Alex Martindale
MONDAY MONDAY
Source Sour ce Sports S Sports 7pm~11pm m-W Watch atch F Fo Football otball otb ll or p play lay P Poker oker
TUESDAY TUESDAY
Source Source Karaoke Karaoke 9pm~2am 9pm 2am - Sing S ng it to to Source! Sourc ur e! WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY
We We Love Lo Lov L ve Wednesday ve W Wednesda e nessda edn ednesd sday ay 7pm~Midnight Selected drinks 7pm~Midn dn nig ght - S e cted elec d drin inks £1.50 £1 0 THURSDAY THURSDAY
Throwback Thr hrowb b ck Thursday bac Thur Th rsda da ay 8pm~2am from 8pm 8 m~2 2am m - 50 5 years years rs of classics cclasssics and an drinks dri from £1.50 £1
FRIDAY FRIDAY
The Exchange Ex xchan h nge 9pm~1am 9pm m~1 1am m - The The drinks d ks price ic stock stock exchange exchang ge e where whe here you watch market make your y ou uw a ch the at th m mar kett and m mak ey our deals de
SATURDAY SA ATURDAY
Sourcey S urcey Sou cey Saturday S Sattur rda d y 9pm~4am weekend 9p pm~ ~4am m - The The h legendary leg genda ary way wa ay tto o ccelebrate elebrate the he w eeken nd
SUNDAY SUND AY
Source So ourc ce of o all ll Knowledge Kn nowledg wledg l g ledge 8pm~11pm Quiz Rock Bingo. 8pm m~11 1pm m-Q uiiz and d Ro ck & Roll Ro Bingo Bin ngo. Win prizes! Win p pizza and o other priz p ess! FOR MORE INFORMATION M INF FOR RMATION ATIO ON Be Be our friend frriend
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Nominations are NOW Annual Golden Teaching eac e eaching achi ching gA Awards. warrds ds.. Nominations ar e NO W OPEN ffor or the 5th A nnual G olden Roses T Nominations March Nominations close 2nd M arch 2014. ntribut t ib iion to your Is there a member of staff that has consistently made a positive con academic or student experience during the past year at UCLan an? n? This year marks the 5th year since esta ablished ablish UCLan Students’ Union established its annual awards which rem main the only staff awards tha at a are nominated, decided and awarded by students.
Drop nomination form into the Opportunities Centre. e
The Golden Roses is an annual awards evening where students recognise UCLan staff across the university and our partner institutions. Nominations can be submitted for any member of staff or service within the University. Full details of the awards including criteria for each category can be found on the Union website (www.uclansu.co.uk/goldenroses) Simply choose an award category for your nominee and state why you are nominating the staff member/s or service.
Nominate N ominate o online nline n now: no ow: w
Your Name:
Your Email:
Student ID:
The role or service of your nominee (eg. Lecturerr,, cleaner clleanerr,, receptionist etc):
uclansu.co.uk/goldenroses u uclansu clansu.c .co.uk/go uk/ k//g / ol oldenr denroses oses
The School service or Partnership Institution your nominee is based in (eg.School of Health):
Nominate N ominate o on nc campus: ca ampus:
Tick ONE awards category for your nomination:
Visit V isit tthe isit he lib library libr brary rar ary or or O Opp Opport Opportunities ppor ortu tunities tu unitie ess Centre C entr en tre in in th the the he Students’ Studen tudentss’ Union. Unio Uni on. n.
For F o orr mo more m orre iin info nfo vvi visit: isit:
(Usually 8 digits beginning with 20...)
Who you would like to nominate:
The Outstanding Feedback Award The Real World Learning Award The Lecturer of the Year Award Professional Services Staff Member The Best Course Team Team of the Year Award
The Postgraduate Support Award The Inclusivity Award The Best University Service of the Year Award The Most Innovative Teac Teaching of the Year Award The Personal Tutor of the Year Award
Reason for nomination (Make sure your nomination is detailed and give examples)
uclansu uclansu.co.uk/teachingawards u clansu.c .co. o.uk/t uk/ k//t k/te /te eachingawar eachinga ard dss or email or email ccoursereps@uclan.ac.uk ourser urse rss reps@uclan eps@uclan.ac n c.uk n.a uk
Nominations close 2nd March 2014 Yo ou can nominate online www.uclansu.co.uk/goldenroses Nomination data excluding personal information (y with NUS/HEA as part of a national student-led teaching awards research project
C U L T U R E
PLUTO
Issue 258
NEWS 2-5
Eureka!
Music
Album Review - Adam Legg
IT’S been a decade and a year since We Are Scientists released their debut album, now currently touring Europe, Australia and America, they’re here with their fourth one! It’s called ‘TV En Français’, and it’s also rather good. I first heard of the band back in the mid-00s with their song ‘Great Escape’. EA clearly believed that the song was perfect for wanton destruction as it featured on their demolition derby game, Burnout Revenge. Back then, the band had a more pop-rock feel about them, one which they have moved away from in recent years. ‘TV En Francais’ has a much more indie feel than its predecessors. I was wondering how I could best compare the tracks to my first impressions of the band. To do this, I booted up the Xbox 360 and whacked on Burnout Paradise. In all honesty, the album wasn’t really suited to tearing
FEATURES 6-7
COMMENT 8-9
SOCIETIES 19-20
15
SPORT 21-24
“You can't beat 2 guitars, bass, and drums.”- Lou Reed
up the city like Jeremy Clarkson’s wet dream, with only one track on the album suiting my relatively-high-adrenaline play style: ‘Dumb Luck’, their new single. For me, the single has just enough pop-rock in it to make it that little bit better, for lovers of indie however, the album’s first track ‘What You Do Best’ might be more of a favourite. It was inevitable that, with new producer Chris Coady on board, this album would sound different from the last three. “Working for the first time with Chris Coady as producer had a huge effect,” said Singer and guitarist, Keith Murray. “He has such a distinct and well-developed sense of what’s cool and what sounds good, but he’s also emphatic about keeping the rawness of the performances in there.” Now let’s feed a peanut to the elephant in the room, the album name, ‘TV En Français’.
University of Pluto Music Degree Classification
Album of the week
1st
Top of the class
2:2
Hello there Desmond
2:1 3
Fail
Close but no cigar
Must try harder
Why even bother?
What’s On
Image Courtesy of thelineofbestfit.com
When asked about the name, Murray, explained it all: “We wanted to get at the seemingly inevitable parallax that happens between two people in a relationship, that sense that you get the gist of what the other person needs and wants and how they feel about you, but only the gist — you’re relying on these broad cues a lot of the time to tell you what the hell’s going on.”
You Me At Six
2:1
We Are Scientists ‘TV en Francais’ Masterswan
Sellenium The Ferret 7th February FREE - theferret.info
David Bowie
Reverend & The Makers 53 Degrees 28th February £13.50 - 53degrees.net
(James Murphy Remix) 1st David Bowie Image Courtesy of rocksound.tv
cisms, yet that is a tattletale sign of a band’s successful transition musically. The subsequently energetic hooks of the You Me At Six of the ‘Hold Me Down’ era have faded in favour of the, although unwittingly pedestrian at times, undoubtedly much more musically revised sound, which the Waybridge fivesome are currently coining as their own. The album itself is to be considered a recollection of emotions past, which all stem from the band’s vibrant experiences of youth. The viscerallity, which encompasses Franceschi’s lyricism is throughout heartfelt and sincere, despite bordering at times on hackneyed preconceptions, overused by so many in the alternative scene. And despite portraying poignant recollection to a tee within most tracks, ‘Cavalier Youth’ fails to create a grand sense of dynamic, which was previously a trademark for You Me At Six releases. Of course a growth in lyrical aspects and a newly acquired well-roundedness in songcrafting are sure signs of musical improvement, yet the lesson to be learned here is not to make the maturity in one’s sound an excuse for imminent mundanity. Sparks should not be lost on purpose.
Music
Saxon 53 Degrees 15th February £22.50 - 53degrees.net
Love Is Lost
Republic of Music
Our guide to the best gigs in the North-West
Notable tracks for me are: ‘Dumb Luck’, ‘Take an Arrow’ and ‘What You Do Best’. Road safety officials will be happy with this album too, as, with extensive research done on Burnout Paradise, it’s a great album to listen to, but not a great album for road rage.
Single Review - Alex Grebenar
You Me At Six ‘Cavalier Youth’
The fourth full length studio effort of You Me At Six will be considered, by far, to be the band’s most mature and well-crafted musical release to date. By encompassing small bits and pieces from the band’s previously vibrant and punchy work, ‘Cavalier Youth’ creates an almost natural progression towards a more laid back and rounded sound. Despite the obvious spike in lyrical narration and production, ‘Cavalier Youth’ has left off some of the zeal of its predecessors behind, making for a more sedentary listen. From the very offset, the album creates a firm sense of maturity, previously abandoned at large in the band’s former three full length releases. Emotionally captivating pilot track ‘Too Young To Feel This Old’ breathes in a sense of maturity in the band’s sound, despite its almost ingenuous narration. A prevalent uplifting feel is further cemented with the follow ups: the upbeat and faint gliding above the cliché drenched profile of a late-in-the-career-of feel good piece, which encompasses almost every release of a band, whose had a fair share of touring miles behind them ‘Lived A Lie’ and the angsty, yet melodic ‘Fresh Start Fever’, where front man Josh Franceschi serenades the promise, interwoven within the prospect of a brand new start. Of course, being much more starry-eyed and optimistic at times in comparison to its predecessors, ‘Cavalier Youth’ is bound to be on the receiving end of numerous fan criti
CULTURE 15-18
The very latest music news, reviews and interviews
Album Review - Tony Tenev
2:2
LIFESTYLE 10-14
Image Courtesy of theguardian.com
Take the undisputed king of 21st century electronica and cross him with the grand old Duke of pop and what do you get? A match made in some kind of musical utopia. In a concept never dared to be even dreamt of before, LCDSoundsystem main man James Murphy takes on David Bowie in a collaboration that screamed 'ja!' long before the needle touched the vinyl. Packaged in a wonderful white diecut sleeve as a super-limited 5000-copy vinyl, the track starts with a round of applause before bubbling into a throbbing, pulsing, masterpiece as Bowie's iconic rasp sits over an insistent beat and doom-laden piano chords. It explodes to life as the 'Ashes to Ashes' riff springs into the action – a sucker punch for any fan of the Thin White Duke. The thin white vinyl just begs to be played and played.
Paper Aeroplanes Kazimier, Liverpool 26th February £8 - thekazimier.co.uk
Young Rebel Set The Ferret 7h March £4 theferret.info
Maximo Park Manchester Academy 15th March £18.50 - manchesteracademy.net The Young Knives 53 Degrees 23rd March £10 - 53degrees.net
Pluto Playlist What’s been played in the Pluto office this past week Arctic Monkeys Arabella
Bombay Bicycle Club Luna Jake Bugg Song About Love
Katy B Crying For No Reason
Miles Kane Don’t Forget Who You Are Nina Nesbitt Selfies
Warpaint Love Is To Die
16
CULTURE
Just Announced...
Image Courtesy of SJM Concerts
MILES Kane has announced an additional date to his huge, sixteen date, spring tour of the United Kingdom. The former Last Shadow Puppets man, who has also featured in bands such as The Little Flames and The Rascals, has announced a date at Preston’s 53 Degrees for Monday the 31st of March. The show at Preston’s premier music venue comes on the back of the hugely successful and sold out night hosting The Courteeners on the 2nd of December, a band who are close friends of Miles Kane. The Birkenhead born musician, famous for his emaculate sense of style, is currently working on the follow up album to his hugely popular 2013 re-
3 February 2014
www.pluto-online.com
lease ‘Don’t Forget Who You Are’. This spring, Miles Kane will play;
Sun 23rd COVENTRY, Kasbah
March
Wed 26th BRIGHTON, Concorde 2
Fri 14th WOLVERHAMPTON, Wulfrun Hall Sat 15th BLACKPOOL, Arena Winter Gardens Mon 17th WARRINGTON, Parr Hall Tue 18th BUCKLEY, Trivoli Wed 19th YORK, Barbican Fri 21st EDINBURGH, Picture House Sat 22nd LINCOLN, Engine Shed
@
Tue 25th CARDIFF, Uni Solus
Fri 28th LEICESTER, O2 Academy 1 Sat 29th LIVERPOOL, Olympia Sun 30th CAMBRIDGE, Junction
PLUTO
Tickets for Miles Kane at 53 Degrees will be available from the 31 of January at 9am via;
Competition Time
Mon 31st PRESTON, 53 Degrees
WIN
www.53degrees.net or www.seetickets.com
a guestlist place for you and one friend for...
The Satellite Tour @ The Ferret, Preston Monday 17th February
The 14 date, nationwide tour will feature;
Sons and Lovers The four-piece recently supported The Naked & Famous on their UK Tour. (Polydor Records) Eliza and The Bear Recently supported Paramore and have recently enjoyed exstensive Radio 1 Coverage. (Capitol Records) Fred Page Singer/Songwriter based in London. (Virgin EMI Records)
TO WIN...
Simply e-mail your name, year of study & course with the e-mail title ‘SATELLITE TOUR COMP’ to sumedia@uclan.ac.uk , EASY! Image Courtesy of Cool Delta
18
CULTURE
28 October 2013
www.pluto-online.com
PLUTO
TOMB RAIDER DEFINITIVE PURCHASE? Gaming
Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition Opinion Piece Georgia Gregoriou Gaming Editor
CRYSTAL Dynamic’s gritty action adventure reboot Tomb Raider released last year in March has returned to the limelight this year as a testament to the next generations consoles capabilities, Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The games inexperienced, ambitious and younger Lara Croft embarks on a journey with a small crew in the search for the remains of a lost kingdom on an island in the South China Sea in higher definition. Tomb Raider being classed as arguably one of the most pinnacle games released for the last generation of consoles has been remastered as a showcase of the graphical wonders the next generation gaming consoles have to offer. The fact of the matter remains however. Is it justifiable purchasing an already released game at an overcharged price for next generation upgrades and previously available DLC, which is ultimately available for purchase on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and the PC for approximately £10? Extending Tomb Raider to next generation platforms is no doubt a tactical move on potential profitable earnings at £45 for the game, and all for the opportunity of being delivered a high definition experience for those who want to play Tomb Raider for the first time, or relive the stunning RPG in all its glory at a higher definition. An intricate element of the next-gen of gaming is the consoles capacity to endure frame rate time in higher quality.
Pushing your buttons makes us happy
“There’s always a lighthouse. There’s always a man. There’s always a city.” - Bioshock Infinite
Prior to release, Square Enix promised substantial graphics upgrades in comparison to previous consoles, even ahead of the PC. A Square Enix spokesperson told Eurogamer that: “Both platforms offer the same outstanding Tomb Raider experience,” he added, “delivering the core Tomb Raider game-play at native 1080p and running at 30fps was always our primary goal given the type of experience Tomb Raider is and the exploration we want players to do. Anything beyond 30fps for this version is gravy.” Across both next-gen consoles there are the main obvious bells and whistles which have been awarded. The Definitive Edition on the PlayStation 4 delivers 1080p native output, high resolution textures while running at 30fps to 60fps, likewise on the Xbox One, graphics will be delivered at 1080p, however will only deliver 30fps. Square Enix considers Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition to be a version of the game at its ultimate peak aesthetically. Players will experience a thrilling adventure of fluid combat mechanics against a backboard of puzzle solving and three dimensional platforming levels. Scot Amos, Executive producer at Crystal Dynamics said in an interview with Eurogamer: “A key focus for Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition was on our visual storytelling. We wanted the world to feel alive – to always be moving even if you stop and look around.” “As a result of that, when we got everything aligned to do the Definitive Edition for PS4 and Xbox One, that’s when we looked at Nixxes and United Front Games.”
“We said – hey – we’ve already started on our next story, but we have some unfinished business on the current version of the story. Next-gen was a great opportunity for us to do that.” The graphical enhancement captivates the aesthetically overwhelming beauty and open-world exploration of the island which complements Lara’s phenomenal adventure, in addition to refining Lara Craft as a long reigning caricatured sex symbol over the years to a calculating fearsome warrior with raw survival instincts. Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is the same phenomenal game which was released last year however the next-gen features include the replacing of tapping a button with voice command which comes across as frivolous. Other minor embellishments on the PlayStation 4 include the use of the camera and voice command where gestures are utilized to rotate artefacts or could mean the difference between physically leaning left or right in order to alternate camera angles, which is intricately connected to the games interface. Packed with previously released DLC including bonus content such as weapons, characters, multiplayer maps and outfits. One new addition concerning single-player content involves the ‘Tomb of the Lost Adventurer’ which is a new tomb placed within the first hour of game play. Verdict: The Definitive Edition is visually vibrant, the storyline is exceptional with or without the enhanced graphics. However if you are willing to fork out the extra cash for a game that is nearly a year old, or want to experience it on either the Xbox One or PlayStation 4, the Definitive Edition is a must.
We died on top of each other as our bodies were pillaged and our pants were stolen. Cried my eyes out, it was so beautiful. 10/10.” and “I found a nude man in a hospital, he handcuffed me, and punched me to death while performing satanic rituals, 11/10.” Why have they done it and spent their hard-earned cash to be crash test dummies? Well because it is absolutely awesome that’s why. From spawning on the beautifully re-rendered shores of Chernarus and spending your first hour in complete darkness struggling to see because you don’t know how to use a torch (or because you’ve logged onto a 24/7 night server, little tip - 75% of servers named ‘Dayz’, notice the small ‘z’, are daytime, the ones called ‘DayZ’ with a capital ‘Z’ are generally set to time zones, which if you work 9-5 means you always play in darkness), to finally getting hold of that sacred M4A1 before getting mugged by a group of bandits for your pants. This is a game that allows human nature to take over in the way only a permadeath game can.Yes that’s right, permadeath. Falling through bugged ladders after fully gearing up, break your legs and die.
All gone. Start again and respawn back on the shore where, if you’re lucky, you’ll make it out alive without being force fed rotting kiwis (which there’s an absurd amount of) and disinfectant. Then you start again on your quest to survive this deserted wasteland. So what is the point in it all exactly? Where’s the end-game? What’s the Holy Grail? All valid questions and to be blunt, it’s to survive as long as possible before you do die. Because you will and you’ll rain down vitriolic spite when it happens but then you’ll go again and there’s a reason you do and it’s more profound than just survival. The best part of the whole experience is beyond the actual game itself – it’s the human interaction. A headset and microphone are essential to enjoy this game because it’s the awkward Mexican stand-off over a rotting banana or the great two hour friendship you make with a fellow survivor before you push them off the tower in Devil’s Castle. For these reasons and more, the game elevates into the brilliant category. It’s the real reason this game has taken off and it’s what will spur it on to become a truly genre defining game.
DAYZ ALPHA HITS THE MILLION MARK
DayZ Standalone Alpha Opinion Piece Michael Bailey Editor-in-Chief
WELCOME to the island of Chernarus. A small former-Soviet nation that is the centre of an epidemic which has wiped out a large proportion of mankind and left in its place mindless zombies, psychotic survivors and rotting kiwis. Now for those of you uninitiated in the world of PC gaming, DayZ is something of a big deal. Spawned out of a mod for the war simulation ARMA II, it has taken developers by surprise, breaking the one million sales mark in the space of a few weeks and all this despite still being in Alpha (Alpha testing is the first stage in game development, think game-breaking bugs, zombies that can run through walls etc.) That means that over a million people have shelled out for a game that is littered in bugs, missing lots of key features and has reviews on Steam that read: “New friend dying from thirst, on ground whispering last words when noitem super villain runs out of nowhere with haymaker to the back of my neck.
Some people will question the point of it and at times it does feel like a hiking simulator but there are moments in this game that you’ll never come across in your AAA titles and that’s why things like this: “My very first contact with a human was me running away from a guy wearing nothing but a bright red coat wielding and swinging an axe and singing out loud about how small his magical penis is. It was both the funniest and strangely most intense moment of my gaming life,” make spending that £20 all the more worthwhile.
IMAGE DayZ
IMAGE: DayZ
PLUTO
Issue 255
S O C I E T I E S
NEWS 2-5
FEATURES 6-7
COMMENT 8-9
LIFESTYLE 10-14
CULTURE 15-18
SOCIETIES 19-20
Interviewing the Burlesque Warriors Vanessa Silva
Deputy Societies Editor WE sat down with Hannah Jackson and Jodie Handley for a chat regarding the show and the hard working efforts of the Burlesque Society, who yesterday filled the top floor of 53° with both people and entertainment. So enjoy our Q&A below! How many hours a week do you practice? Normally 6-9pm on Mondays but for the past four or five weeks we have been cramming extra hours on Wednesdays and Fridays, so nine hours a week. What is your inspiration and what does Burlesque mean to you? I think a lot of people outside societies are really self-conscious but when you get up there nobody cares about what you look like. Everyone is the same in an essence, in how they feel about themselves, nobody is self-conscious and if they are; everyone supports each other and it’s a really nice little family. Burlesque is a dying art and we are trying to revive it. In the past two years it has started to boom again. It’s the art of tease, its cheeky; you get to tell stories and get to have fun. Some people are unsure but come and watch it and see what you think, then tell us your opinion. Why did you join the society? Do you love it and why? Curiosity for a lot of people. Especially the guys, there are not many Boylesques around so when there is one you get the men in the audience cheering for them ‘Yeah, come on lads!’ I love it and never want to give it up! It’s really good fun! I want to
take it on my travels. Everyone got very close, like a family. It’s the chance to be completely free with what I want to do. I saw the stall and found it pretty, after the first show I was hooked. You become more body confident. Was it easy getting males to join up? Quick answer is no. They are always apprehensive at first, they are not sure what guys would do. It normally happens with guys joining to help with props, nit picking and things but once they see how much fun we are having they join in too. At rehearsals everyone gets involved even if they don’t go on stage. You have to think about how they will move on stage. It’s a bit different with guys. Where do you get your confidence? The best piece of advice I have ever been given, ‘Don’t let your face know’ if you are nervous or scared, don’t show it. Smile through it; if you do something wrong just shimmy until you remember and the audience goes wild either way! Do you find it empowering? I do. I can go up on stage and take off my glove…then again I might not. My way of thinking is if the audience doesn’t cheer hard enough then I take nothing off. What other events do you have coming up? Our next major one is our end of year show in May. It’s going to be really geeky and nerdy. We are doing comic books, games and cartoons. The ideas are circling around stuff like Pokémon, Zelda, possibly Assassins Creed, Dragon-Ball Z and Batman. Every article of clothing is different. Where do you gethem from and is the design per-
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What else is on this week? Sci-fi & Comic Book Society Mondays 5:30-8:30pm HA338
Islamic Society Monday 3rd February: Uclan Hijab Day, stall in FB from 10am-4pm. Talk 3rd February - by Aalimah Zartashia Ahmed Harris Building at 5pm
Anime & Manga SocietyTuesdays BB016 & Thursdays BB009 5-8:30pm Japanese society Wednesdays 8pm at the Lamb & Packet. Drama society Every Thursday acting workshops in HB015a at 7pm
Pagan society HA129 every Saturday from 7 – 9.30 PM. Labour Society Every Tuesday in MR1 (in the SU) from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.
sonal choice or influenced by certain dances? A bit of both, for example Vegas Showgirls use feathers, while others prefer corsets or no corsets at all. A lot of our stuff comes from high street crawls, Primark and the like. We personalise and modify it, make it our own. EBay is great too. With creativity we can change the whole look with a few accessories. Does Burlesque affect your life? Definitely. You can hear a song in a shop and go ‘Oh my God, yes that is a routine’, and then we start dancing until we realise what and where we are doing it. It’s like having cogs working in your head. But they never stop. How do you deal with controversy, backlash etc?
L.G.B.T. Society - ‘It Goes With The Shoes’ Film Screening THE UCLan Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Society (LGBT) is a multi-award winning society providing a social, campaign and support network for LGBT students at UCLan. They cater for everyone by arranging a variety of drinking and non-drinking socials: consisting of Pool Tournaments, Pub Quizzes, Bar Crawls, Nights out in Manchester's Gay Village and many more; all within a safe space environment. Socials are every Thursday at The Assembly at 7pm. February is LGBT History Month and they are planning a screening of It Goes With the Shoes on the 6th Feb. It tells the story of gay rights icon, Bette Bourne who played a vital role in the early days of gay rights campaigning. With camp-wit and outrageous humour the film sheds light on a hidden part of gay history: from the early meetings of the Gay Liberation Front, to the first mass gay protests in Europe, to life in a gay drag commune and a European road trip with drag superstars, The Bloolips, a real-life Priscilla Queen of the Desert. The film premiered at the BFI London Lesbian
SPORT 21-24
and Gay Film Festival, where it played to sell out screens, the Sheffield Documentary Festival (also sold-out) and at a special screening at the V&A, where it became the best attended LGBT event they've ever hosted. It is telling the story of the LGBT history, but encouraging specific members to share their personal history. What did gay marriage mean to them? Some of our members grew up under section 28 – what was that like?
We have had people in the past telling us ‘Put more clothes on’ but we go ‘no’. People can be ignorant and associate with pole fitness, dancing and stripers, but it really isn’t. Everything about it is innocent, more than it is raunchy. If you get hecklers the best thing to do it make them feel uncomfortable. You stare them in the eyes and shimmy to your hearts content. Finally, any advice for prospective new comers? Especially ones who may be reluctant to do so? Come and try. There is no one in our society who will judge you. We all have aspects of our bodies that we don’t like but with Burlesque its very much ‘We don’t care’ and other people really support you.
VISIT the link to the below, to find out how! Or pop into the Opportunities Centre!
DO you have a question on running a society or who to contact? Want to give us feedback on what you think of societies and what could be improved? Give us a shout at Uclanplutosocieties@yahoo.co.uk Remember that the SU Societies family is much larger! For our full list and to sign up visit http://www.uclansu.co.uk/societies
Movies and Musicals: Burlesque Society Shows You How It’s Done Naomi McLellan Societies Editor
FEATHERS, nipple tassels, glitter and shimming. I had the privilege of going to the Burlesque Society show Movies and Musicals this past Wednesday. The big night started with a Grease performance, then we as an audience got treated to a tantalising solo to introduce us to Burlesque. A treat of naughtiness, teasing and cheekiness led to my child hood never being the same again and that makes me smile. Childhood and adulthood classics became entertainingly scandalous solos and groups performances. Burlesques, as I find out is a teasing, humorous strip show where it depends on audience participation as well as the dancer, to determine whether that glove, stocking or even bra comes off. It was the best show I have watched in a while and I would recommend everyone to go to a show, at least once in their life. And I must say the host of the show, a comedic Jack Sparrow impressionist, was really well played and his convincing performance connected the acts well and earned him some well deserved rum.
Spice up your society Life!
AFTER session pub or bar socials are a great way to get to know your fellow society members in a more informal and chilled out environment as well as supporting local businesses! CHECK out what other societies are doing, there might be a show or event open to the public which might interest your group as whole! And this way you are opening channels for future
collaborations and friendships!
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Matthew S Hill P O R T
PLUTO
Issue 258
NEWS 2-5
FEATURES 6-7
COMMENT 8-9
HELLO folks, I'm Matthew Hill and this is the first new-look Pluto punter column of 2014! My aim is to provide you with a bit of extra background ahead of your football accumulators and other sporting events, so you can hopefully turn pennies into pounds at the expense of the bookies. Everybody likes to win money, and if you've been following my picks since we began, you'd have bagged a tidy profit upto now. Let's hope we can start the new year off strongly! Aston Villa vs West Ham At the time of writing, Villa are riding high on the crest of a wave after grabbing a terrific victory against local rivals West Brom in a 7-goal bonanza. Much maligned frontman Christian Benteke bagged the winner from the spot, and seems to have re-found his goalscoring touch after a real baron run for the Villains. West Ham and Sam Allardyce have never been far from the back pages this season, and it has generally been for the wrong reasons. The stalemate with Chelsea lead Jose Mourinho to an outburst of disgust at the Hammers boss' negative tactics, but Big Sam was keen to assure fans he "couldn't care less." Although it was mission accomplished at the Bridge, West Ham will surely play a more expansive game against Villa on Saturday. Whilst the Hammers may be good value at 3/1, I'd rather plump with the in-form Benteke to score anytime at a tasty 11/8.
Plutos Plunter
LIFESTYLE 10-14
CULTURE 15-18
SOCIETIES 19-20
Oliver Roby Sports Writer
THE 19th season of Super League is set to be one of the most hotly contested in the history of the competition. Reigning champions Wigan Warriors had fortune on their side as they triumphed 3016 over Warrington Wolves in last year's Grand Final and after the loss of star full back Sam Tomkins to the NRL, could face a struggle to retain their title. St. Helens have seemingly made the most notable improvements during the off-season, adding the likes of Kyle Amor and Mose Masoe to their squad. Meanwhile, young players such as Alex Walmsley and Tommy Makinson could play a leading role after enjoying regular game time throughout last season. Leeds Rhinos will also be
Lee Murphy’s Anthony Joshua After a number of scintillating performances including winning the gold medal at the 2012 Olympics, British heavyweight Anthony Joshua has jumped straight into the professional game with huge amounts of pressure on him to succeed in the heavyweight division. His current record of 3 wins and 3KOs albeit against opponents of very little reputation showed definite signs that he has what it takes to be a world champion in the future. At 6’ 6" he has been in impeccable shape for all of his fights and proved he has plenty of power, but his defence, durability
and chin have yet to be tested and only then will we be able to tell if he is the real deal. A fight with the reformed Liverpudlian heavyweight David Price could be on the cards; however, there is a lot of respect between both boxers and they may want to avoid each other until 2015. This year I expect him to challenge for the British Title or at the very least the English Title. Ultimately it's down to him, his trainer and his promoter, Eddie Hearn to decide on what route Joshua takes.
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Swansea vs Cardiff For the other half of this week's double, I'm looking at the Welsh derby. Last time out, I boldly predicted a Cardiff win, and they duly delivered at 5/2. It's certainly been a tricky start for new boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and it is well documented that the Bluebirds have a very tough fixture run-in. The Norwegian has brought in several additions already, most notably the double loan swoop of Fabio and Wilfried Zaha from his ex-club Manchester United. It is paramount to their survival chances that the both of them settle in quickly, and show maturity expected of Old Trafford starlets. Fierce rivals Swansea are reeling in comparison to their dream campaign in 2012/13. With injuries to key man Michu and defender Chico Flores, the Swans are struggling to build any kind of momentum, and themselves will be looking over their shoulders at the dreaded bottom three. I'm struggling to split the two teams, but new managers do seem to have a solid record in derby contests. I've managed to stumble across a stunning early price for the visitors of 6/1 with Stan James only. I can only presume this is a mis-price, and would expect the off-price to be closer to 3/1 - still very generous. This could be the win that kick-starts Solskjaer's managerial tenure. Double - Benteke to score anytime @ 11/8, Cardiff to beat Swansea @ 6/1 (18/1 double)
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I'll be having a small play on the double and lumping on the Cardiff price. Best of luck with your bets, go well.
RUGBY LEAGUE READY FOR THE OFF seen as contenders. After the six times Super League champions failed to win any silverware last term, the squad will be looking to improve on a disappointing 2013. Australia forward Mitch Achurch is a player who could be set for a breakthrough season after a somewhat disappointing first season in Super League Last year's beaten grand finalists, Warrington Wolves, are another side who cannot be ruled out for the title. Tony Smith has experience of Super League success having won two titles with Leeds Rhinos in 2004 and 2007. Stefan Ratchford will benefit from featuring in the same position in the team and could be they key to their first success since 1955. Huddersfield Giants, led by mercurial captain Danny Brough, were hugely impressive during the regular season, but their lack of big game experience meant
SPORT 21-24
they fell short of the biggest prize in European Rugby League in 2013. The Giants are capable of scoring tries from anywhere on the pitch and, if they can replicate their league form from last year with one more year of experience, they are a side who have the potential to go all the way. Meanwhile, at the other end of the table, relegation has returned to Super League, and, at the end of the current campaign two teams will drop out of the division. The current favourites for the drop are cash-strapped London Broncos, however I feel they may have enough to beat relegation. The Broncos lost a huge number of first team players over the winter break, but have sufficiently replaced those who have departed with a number of impressive loan signings, while former St. Helens man Scott Moore could be vital in their efforts to retain their Super League status.
SECOND GUIDE TO FORMULA 1
F1 cars are the fastest multi-turn circuit-racing cars in the world, owing to very high cornering speeds achieved through the generation of large amounts of aerodynamic downforce. Formula One cars race at speeds of up to 350 km/h (220 mph)
22 DRIVERS
11 TEAMS
LEGEND
Michael Schumacher
He is a seven-time Formula One (F1) World Champion and holds many of Formula One's driver records, including most championships, race victories, fastest laps, pole positions and most races won in a single season – 13 in 2004. According to the official Formula One website, he is statistically the greatest driver the sport has ever seen.
CURRENT CHAMPION
Sebastian Vettel
The German driver is amongst the most dominant and successful F1 drivers of all time after winning four back to back titles and is considered as one of the greatest in the sport.
Boxing Corner
George Groves He is 25 and boxes in the super middleweight division. He has won 19 fights and won by KO in 15 of them. He gained massive respect by the general public after putting up an emphatic performance in his last fight against Carl Froch. He has huge potential and has proved he can mix it with the best after his last fight. Groves has a huge year ahead of him. Getting a world title shot against Carl Froch late last year was definitely deserved however he lost controversially in a 9th round stoppage. Groves proved his punch power by becoming the first ever person to knock Froch down
Boxers to watch in 2014
in the first round of a fight. After weeks of debate and rumours, the IBF have called for there to be a rematch within the next 90 days and Groves now has chance to set the score straight with Froch, and if the fight can be agreed, I truly believe Groves will win. His lack of experience from fighting the elite and world champions was evident in the later rounds as he abounded his slick technical tactics and became enthralled in Froch's style of boxing and stood toe-to-toe, exchanging blows which favoured Froch massively. If Groves can stick to his game plan he will become a world champion and I expect him to defend the belt for years to come.
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SPORT
3 February 2014
www.pluto-online.com
PLUTO
Steven SPORTING KEARNEY LEADS WAY AS REVVED-UP UCLAN Smith ISSUES REVEL IN DEMOLITION OF MANCHESTER 2NDS
THE world of sport never stops moving, and 2014 has been no different. This will be my chance on a fortnightly basis to look into the major issues that we see in sport everyday. The only place to start my first piece is “diving”. As the gravity-pull on footballers seemingly continues to grow, and as dramatic and quite often spectacular as it is can be, it quite often makes me cringe or nearly even cry. Oscar has been the latest player at the heart of criticism from the national press for his Hollywood stuntmen impressions, but you can’t just blame this little Brazilian as if it is not him, it is Adnan Januzaj. And if it is not Januzaj, it is Ashley Young. And if it’s not Young, it is Suarez who I would definitely award the gold medal. The list goes on, and on, and on a little more, but is there an answer to this? I think the ‘sinbin’ is something that should maybe be introduced. Putting blatant cheats in the cooler for five, maybe even ten minutes would surely discourage this behavior. The almost acceptance that dives, simulation and play-acting to feign injury are part of the modern game is not just sad, but embarrassing. Another issue in football I personally think is equally as frustrating is when a physio steps onto the pitch to treat a player when there is little or nothing wrong like a school-kid playing sick, often implemented to kill their oppositions momentum. Again I think the answer may be to sin bin these players, lets just say for two months the Premier League trials that if
Should be no laughing mattter
UCLan 1st’s
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Manchester 2nd’s
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Andrew Bell
the physio steps on the pitch to treat a player that individual must stay off the pitch for three minutes.
When Glenn Hoddle was England manager, he instructed us to go down.
Steve McManaman
But back to the Tom Daley like antics, and despite often people blaming the foreign influx of players for the troubles we see now, there is evidence support that English players, but more specifically English managers are encouraging this. However, there is no surprise really that managers are turning to these sort of tactics as in a world where every game is worth thousands upon thousands of pounds, and the intense pressure on managers to win each and every game is probably only a close second to open heart surgeons. I would like to know what you think of diving, is it that big of a deal? You can tweet me your views @media_steven or email me at sjmedia17@gmail.com to discuss the issue further.
Sports Writer
UCLAN football 1st team maintained their recent good form with a convincing 6-1 win over University of Manchester 2nd's at the UCLan Sports Arena last Wednesday. Going in to the game top of the league, having played a game more than second place, the pressure was on UCLan to beat third-placed Manchester and extend the gap between the two teams to six points. The home team got off to a flyer, winger Brian Mabhena sliding in at the back post to put away Tom Kearney's cross inside a minute. Following the early goal, UCLan dominated, with the visitors limited to counter attacks. UCLan were denied what appeared a clear penalty on 16 minutes when striker Yves Zama was brought down. The complaints didn't last long as Zama nodded in Kearney's near post corner to make it 2-0. UCLan kept up their performance and were only denied another goal by some resolute defending and a few dubious offside decisions. They eventually broke through in the 32nd minute when Mabhena beat his man down the touchline before feeding Zama, whose shot was parried leaving Mark Johnson a tap in. The fourth goal came just two minutes
6 Nations Burgers
PRECISION... Mark Johnson making no mistake from the spot
later and effectively settled the game. Centre back Andy McCreadie rose to meet yet another UCLan corner and headed in at the back post with ease. The crowd only had to wait four more minutes before cheering another goal from another corner. Kearney whipped it in and the visiting goalkeeper came to collect, only to fumble the ball and see it turned in by defender Jamie Winne. Half time came three minutes later, although there was time for Johnson to produce a lovely flick which almost released the hard-working Zama. The second half began at 5-0 and continued in much the same fashion as the first, UCLan creating chances but unable to find the final ball. Manchester winger Harry Peel gave the game a jolt on 50 minutes however when he cut inside from the left and curled a beauty in to the far top corner, arguably the goal of the game. UCLan squandered a chance to reply immediately when a defensive mix up led to a penalty area scramble that was eventually cleared. The home team kept the pressure up though and continued to create chance after chance leading to a succession of free kicks around the hour mark. They were awarded a penalty on 65 minutes when a long shot was fumbled
in to the path of the oncoming Mabhena who went round the goalkeeper only to be brought down. Mark Johnson duly converted for his second goal of the game. The hosts continued to dominate the match until the end, forcing a string of saves from the Manchester 'keeper before the referee blew the final whistle at 6-1. UCLan can now turn their attention to their trip to second-placed University of Liverpool this coming Wednesday, which could prove pivotal in the race for the league title.
FYLDE SHOW FORM TO CLIMB TO THIRD Steven Smith Sports Editor
FYLDE are flying high and are now third place in National League One, which is the third tier of Rugby Union after winning three of their four fixtures in 2014. In their latest fixture they produced some sensational free-flowing rugby against Loughborough Students at the Woodlands, notching up eight tries as they ran out clear victors 56-22. Out of the eight, six of them were beautifully constructed, providing a great advert for National One and was a performance which left former-England head coach Brian Ashton purring in the Clubhouse after the game. Given the results elsewhere in the division, Fylde have consolidated their 3rd place and are now just ten points away from leaders Doncaster Knights. Promotion is now on the cards, and with crowds hitting quadruple figures it would not be stupid for the playing staff, coaches or supporters to believe this can be their year. Fly-half Chris Johnson has been ley to that, and is superb at converting at every opportunity achieving an incredible 100% conversion rate in the clubs latest outing, while wingers Oli Viney and Oli Brennand have alsobeen in superb form
CONFIDENCE... All is going well on the coast
as of late. Stand in captain Paul Arnold is a try-scoring machine. The forward has scored an incredible twelve tries this season, accumulating a impressive 60 points, but does have the tendancy to pick up a daft yellow card now and then. Fylde’s next home game is against Fourth place Esher on 8th February at Woodlands, kicking off at 3pm and will hopefully be another spectacular showing of free-flowing rugby.
PLUTO
Issue 258
NEWS 2-5
FEATURES 6-7
COMMENT 8-9
LIFESTYLE 10-14
CULTURE 15-18
SOCIETIES 19-20
SPORT 21-24
23
SSTO HELP WARRIORS GEAR UP FOR NEW SEASON
CONTINUED FROM THE BACK PAGE
There has been a lot of speculation about this deal in recent days and so we're delighted to add Joe to our squad at last. "Joe's acquisition fits perfectly with the club's clear ethos of bringing in talented, young, hungry players with lots of long term development in them." Along with Lolley came Nahki Wells from Bradford City who twelve months previously was preparing for a Carling Cup Final appearance at Wembley. During this time, Lolley was turning out for Midlands Combination side Littleton, netting an incredible 88 goals in 83 games. Back then he could only dream of scoring a goal past little more than a man and his dog. Fast-forward to this month and there he is, stood on the pitch at the John Smith’s stadium, which holds a capacity 24,500. Whoever is writing the script of this young man’s thrilling early career, an Oscar beckons. For Lolley’s move signified the end of a whirlwind nine months, playing for both Littleton and UCLan, to representing Great Britain at last Summers’ Universiade, which led to his call up for the England University side before the Non Leaguers came knocking. When Lolley spoke to Pluto back in September he was asked about his targets this season with Harriers. Back then he clearly didn’t see what the script-writers had in store for him. He said: “From a personal point of view,
I hope to just break into the team, keep improving and hopefully score goals for the team.” He didn’t take long to break into the team, and as time wore on the goals kept coming, the name ‘Lolley’ was almost a weekly addition to the Soccer Saturday vidiprinter and had presenter Jeff Stelling licking his lips. A series of dazzling displays saw scouts from the football league take notice but at the time it seemed Lolley would see his first year out in the conference. In early January that changed. In what must have been the most bizarre ten days in his young life thus far, starting with his first competitive hat-trick in a 30 win vs Sailsbury before a miraculous display against League One Peterborough United saw the Non-League side through 3-2 in an FA Cup third round replay, with the man himself grabbing the late winner, drilling hard and low from fully twenty yards to send his side into a lucrative fourth round clash with Premier League giants Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. That goal shortlisted him as ‘player of the round’ for round three of the most famous cup competition in the world. Lolley described his winning goal as the “perfect goodbye present to Kidderminster” and he wished them all the luck in the world against their Premier League opponents as he continued on his journey. Joe’s final act had him leaving as the clubs’ joint top scorer with 11 goals. The goal had little time to sink in as
Pluto Puzzle&Games Plutoku - Down to Earth
within twelve hours he was putting pen to paper on a contact which made him a Championship player and former manager Andy Thorn who had only been in charge for a few weeks saluted Lolley as he departed. He told ITV.com “That was the icing on the cake for Joe. “It’s the worst kept secret in the world that he is moving on but he has been absolutely fantastic for us. “Joe felt he owed it to his team-mates to help earn them a great tie at Sunderland and that will be a fantastic day out.” The 21 year old joins a team with a 105 year history. This is a team which boasts illustrious former managers such as Herbert Chapman and Bill Shankly, players of the calibre of Dennis Law. They have three league titles, won consecutively between 1923 and 1926, with an FA Cup arriving in South Yorkshire a year before in ’22. The Terriers are now Lolley’s future. They are currently mid-table in the Championship with an outside chance of the play-offs. What happens between now and the end of the season is yet to be scripted. As of yet, Lolley hasn’t pulled on the blue and white strip but his time will come, imminently. Ironically had he not been cup-tied he might have already made his debut and could his talents lead to a promotion charge? This remains to be seen. But the script is a work in progress, and it’s all set for a Hollywood ending.
"I'm really impressed not only with the top quality facilities, but also with the professionalism and expertise of all the staff and students we have worked with today." The test day enabled our undergraduate Sports Science students to gain practitioner experience in working with professional athletes and gave an insight into the practical developments of elite sports players. Several students, both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, have also worked with the Super League club alongside their studies. The SSTO's Dr Steve Atkins said: "We are proud of our long-running and mutually beneficial relationship with Wigan Warriors. It provides our students with a fantastic opportunity to work with elite athletes and gain valuable experience that will be an asset when applying for jobs within the industry." The fitness tests are part of an on-going
sponsorship deal UCLan has as the 'official university' of the Super League club. The Warriors also benefit from video analysis support and a number of university degree places for its players and staff.
GERMAN FOOTBALL ON THE UP Bradley Poole
FOOTBALL clubs all over England are struggling to turn a profit financially, including some Premier League clubs. We have seen former top flight teams like Portsmouth and Coventry slip into administration, struggling to stay afloat, but all is different in Germany. The Bundesliga posted a record turnover of 2.17bn euros (£1.78bn) in the 2012-13 season to remain the second biggest league in Europe. The 4.4% rise means it stays behind only the English Premier League. Only one of 18 teams in Germany’s equivalent to the Premier League failed to record a profit. The German top division may be the second best in Europe, but it is also the most attended league in the world. However, the average attendances have slipped from last year to 41,914 from 44,293. German sides have been notoriously good to their fans in the past, for example when Bayern Munich
Plutoku - Out of this world
cut prices for a Champions League game against Arsenal to help their loyal spectators with travel cost for the trip to London. The unpredictability in the German league helps draw spectators and money into the game. Four different sides have won the title in the past seven seasons. The success of teams such as Bayern Munich and Broussia Dortmund in the champions league have helped draw in fans from all over the world with the way they play the game. The admiration for the passing football the sides play have meant television deals from all over the world to help fund the clubs, to keep them turning a profit. The league may be rated the second best in the world, but the FA and the Premier League should take note of how the league has developed and funding their clubs. The gap between the two leagues is closing quick.
Brain teasing riddles
1 - I am the beginning of the end, the end of every place. I am the beginning of eternity, the end of time and space. 2 - I move slowly but I'm dead. I leave and then I'm back. I'm clear and then I'm red. I'm many neurotics' snack. What am I? 3 - Samuel was out for a walk and it started to rain. He did not have an umbrella and he wasn't wearing a hat. His clothes were soaked, yet not a single hair on his head got wet. How could this be? 4 - I'm tall when I'm young and I'm short when I'm old. What am I?
Answer: 1 - E, 2 - A Fingernail, 3 - Samuel is bald, 4 - Candle
READY... Settled in and ready to go in his Terriers gear
IMAGE: HTAFC.COM
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SPORT PLUTO
THE PLUTO PUNTER, PAGE 21 LEE MURPHY’S BOXING CORNER, PAGE 21 FOOTBALL MEN’S 1STS DEMOLISH MAN MET, PAGE 22
UCLAN STAR MAKES CHAMPIONSHIP SWITCH TO HUDDERSFIELD
FREE ISSUE 258
FYLDE CLIMB TO THIRD IN LEAGUE PAGE 22
Mark Davies Sports Writer
“8 leagues in 9 months, don’t give up your dreams kids”. This simple tweet sums it all up; Posted by former UCLan student Joe Lolley after he completed his move to Championship side Huddersfield Town from Non-League Kidderminster Harriers earlier this month. The 21 year old from Redditch cost The Terriers a sum in the region of £250,000 and even before the ink was dry he was on the bench at Loftus Road for a league match vs Harry Redknapp’s Queens Park Rangers. Huddersfield manager Mark Robbins made no attempt to hide his feelings when it came to Lolley and he told the official HTFC website: CONTINUED ON PAGE 23
SSTO HELP WARRIORS PREPARE FOR NEW SEASON
Michael Black
HARD WORK...Wigan star Epalahame Lauakibeing put through his paces
PR & New Media for SSTO
THE School of Sport, Tourism and the Outdoors (SSTO) has been helping double winning Wigan Warriors prepare for the defence of their rugby league titles. The Super League and Tetley's Challenge Cup holders are back in training and have been put through intensive pre-season fitness tests by staff and students from our Centre for Applied Sport and Exercise Science (CASES). The Warriors players were subjected to a range of physiological checks, including the gruelling VO2 max assessment which pushes the athlete to exhaustion to test their aerobic
endurance. Warriors have visited SSTO for fitness testing for the last four years, and the session comes on the back of a demanding pre-season training camp in Florida ahead of their opening Super League game against Huddersfield on 7 February. Head Coach Shaun Wane was on hand to watch the players' assessments: “Wigan have won six trophies in four years following a very thorough pre-season fitness regime. The scientific tests SSTO perform allow us to tailor individual training programmes for the players and over the last few years we have set a very high endurance standard, which can give us an edge going into the new season. CONTINUED ON PAGE 23