THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL LANCASHIRE’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER
TIGERS
ROAR
AT NATIONALS AFTER FUNDRAISING BONANZA Monday 12 May 2014
NASTA SUCCESS FOR PSTV
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Issue 262
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Station recognised for innovation at National awards ceremony NEWS, Page 5
A YEAR AS A PLUTO EDITOR The team look back on their year as part of the Pluto team FEATURE, Page 6
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PRAYING FOR CHANGE >> STUDENT-LED CAMPAIGN WINS FIVE YEAR BATTLE WITH UNIVERSITY
Georgia Gregoriou takes a look at the Oculus Rift
CULTURE, Page 17
Kadeesha Mckenzie Matthew Murphy EXCLUSIVE
UCLAN have finally agreed to plan for a new Multi-Faith Centre, after a five-year student-led campaign. The Islamic Society (ISOC) has been lobbying for well-equipped and more adequate spaces to facilitate the requirements for all faiths, as they have been insisting that the current rooms do not provide for their needs. An example of one of their requests is for ‘quiet rooms’ in every building set aside for prayer and reflection, yet nothing has been done. Head sister of ISOC Sana Iqbal has been campaigning individually against the derelict conditions students have to pray in.
Source: Sana Iqbal
THE NEXT GEN OF GAMING
>> NEW MULTI-FAITH CENTRE PROMISED AS PART OF CAMPUS REVAMP
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 UNACCEPTABLE... Students have had to put themselves at risk to pray
NEWS: Science facility set to open in Preston this fall
NEWS: UCLan breaking new ground in China
CULTURE:
PUZZLES:
Pluto is fuelled by
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NEWS
12.05.2014 Contents News
Students shortlisted for top film award Page 4
Features
A Year In The Life Of: A Pluto Editor Page 6
Comment
Fame shame for abortion girl Page 9
Elections
All the results in our election section Page 10
Culture
The Pluto guide to the festival season Page 14
Sport
Belting success for Ju Jitsu star Naisbitt
Online Page 22
NEW SCIENCE FACILITY SET TO OPEN IN PRESTON IN OCTOBER www.pluto-online.com
Jess Millington News Editor
UCLAN have teamed up with the Royal Institution (Ri) of Great Britain to create a ground breaking new facility for young people in Preston. The two organisations are collaborating to create a Young Scientist Centre (YSC), which is the first of its kind to be outside of London. The aim is to get young people in Preston exploring all aspects of science and technology outside of the classroom. The YSC will benefit Primary and Secondary schools as well as local community groups. Workshops will be run which will become hands-on experiences that cover all areas such as Science, technology, engineering and mathematics and will cater for a wide range of ages. UCLan’s Public engagement manager Jo Heaton-Marriot said: “At UCLan we are very focused on getting students excited about how science works, and how we can then use it to change lives.”
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To advertise in Pluto or online through our website please contact our marketing manager: Nicci Proctor: 01772 894885 Printed by: TrinityMirror Printing Ltd The opinions expressed in Pluto are not necessarily those of the Pluto Editors nor the University of Central Lancashire’s Students’ Union. While every care is taken to ensure that the information is accurate, the Publisher can accept no liability for any consequential loss or damage, however caused, arising as a result of using the information printed. The Publisher cannot accept any liability for any loss or damage to artwork or material submitted. The contents of this, unless stated otherwise, are copyright of Pluto. Reproduction in any form require the prior consent of Pluto.
UCLan will play a key role in helping us achieve this mission in 2014 and beyond
She went on to add: “We designed these imaginative experimental workshops because we want all children and young people, wherever they live and whatever their background, to realise how much fun and how rewarding science can be, as well as how vital it is to our everyday lives.” The centre is due to open in October 2014 and UCLan has heavily invested in the centre already. Core funding to establish the YSC will come via the Higher Education Innovation Fund, which supports universities to promote their work in the wider community and to people outside of higher education. The future science fatality...
Dr Gail Cardew, Director of Science and Education at the Ri said: “For more than 215 years the Ri’s mission has been to encourage people to think more deeply about the wonders and applications of science, and our new partnership with the UCLan will play a key role in helping us achieve this mission in 2014 and beyond.”
PLUTO
NEWS IN BRIEF
MONEY LAUNDERING POSTMEN JAILED
TWO Lancashire postmen who took part in a £1.3 million global money laundering operation have been jailed. Shaker Javaid, 32, and Alex Stocks, 30, set up bank accounts which were used as a conduit for huge sums and conned out of more than 200 victims of internet scams from all around the world. The pair were caught after overseas students at Exeter University fell victim to a fraud in which they were swindled out of thousands of pounds they paid as deposits for non-existent luxury flats. Some of the payments were traced back to accounts run by the men from their homes in Lancashire, and inquiries then found these had been used in many other operations. Accounts in the name of Flashclaims and Global Supplies were controlled by the two men and used for the transfer of sums totalling £1.3 million from around the world.The men tried to hide their identities by using money transfer services including Moneygram and Western Union. A judge at Exeter Crown Court jailed father-of-one Javaid for seven years while Stocks received a 30-month prison sentence.
INSPIRATIONAL STUDENTS PRAISED BY TOP NATIONAL SKILLS BOSS AT UCLAN Jess Millington
STUDENTS at the University of Central Lancashire have been described as “inspirational” by the boss of a national skills organisation. Barbara Spicer, chief executive of the Skills Funding Agency, paid a visit to UCLan whilst she was in Lancashire, organised by Downtown Business. She spoke to final year business students taking part in the prestigious leadership development LaunchPad programme, a fast-track project run by Lancashire Business School providing talented students with enhanced opportunities for work experience, business mentoring and networking. Barbara said: “I’m very impressed with the initiatives in place at UCLan. The LaunchPad programme allows students to take the skills they learn during their studies and hone them in
a professional business environment giving them a competitive edge.” She added: “All the students I spoke to came across as highly motivated individuals and I found their enthusiasm to succeed very inspirational.” Mrs Spicer met representatives from the UCLan backed Call NorthWest, a scheme which supports the contact centre industry in the region, and from Innovation Lab, a project based in UCLan’s Media Factory that assists North West SMEs to utilise new approaches in creative design, new media and ICT technology. The chief executive was also told that more than 1,000 UCLan students and graduates had been helped by the Business Incubation Unit’s Northern Lights programme to become selfemployed in the last five years. John Lonsdale, head of Innovation and Enterprise at UCLan, said: “We are pleased to welcome Barbara to the News Editor: Tom Greggan, Jess Millington
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She added: “That supports the entire ethos underpinning the YSC – the earlier we can get young people engaged in the vast potential of studying STEM subjects, and the sooner they get excited by giving experiments a go, the better for all of us.” Some pilot workshops will run during summer with a local primary school English Martyrs, as well as secondary schools involved in UCLan’s Science Partnership activities.
12 May 2014
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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
Source: UCLan
University to meet some of our most talented students who are striving to be the leaders of the future.” He also added: “UCLan is consistently in the UK’s top three for the number of graduate start-ups and Barbara’s
‘Inspirational’ students with Barbara Spicer...
Source: UCLan 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
visit gave her an opportunity to speak to graduates and students who are utilising the Northern Lights programme to develop their businesses in the region.”
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
CALLS FOR NEW PRAYER FACILITIES ARE ANSWERED AT LONG LAST PLUTO
Issue 262
CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE Many students have been using alternatives around campus such as stairways, first aid rooms, and in even dangerous areas such as fire exits. Not only is there an issue with the amount of space students are being allocated, but the condition the space in the centre is in. The walls are overcome with damp, drainpipes have not been sealed off properly causing leakage, and nails sticking out of wooden panels, left recklessly in the hallway. Last year NUS started a campaign called ‘Where I Pray’, encouraging student around the UK to take pictures of where they pray, upload it to the NUS website, and describe how they feel about the area they prayed in. This has highlighted the tensions that have arisen within UCLan, with students using this campaign to display their disgust. One picture description reads: “I pray under the stair case in the library”. Another saying they pray: “wherever there’s free space that’s not obstructing students or members of staff”. Not only is this absence of space an issue for those students participating in prayer, but it seems other members of the university are taking offence, and it has been reported that the School of Pharmacy put a sign up under a staircase stating students should not pray there. This has caused great embarrassment
NEWS 2-5
from students who feel there are no other facilities available to them. Sana Iqbah, Head Sister of the Islamic Society told Pluto: “It is important to me to ensure that all students have a safe way to practice faith that does not include praying in stairwells and bathrooms. “I really hope for positive change. I am excited and optimistic for the future plans. I hope that there is more action as opposed to words unlike in previous years.” Other universities such as Leeds and Bradford, have ample praying space where students can go and pray at any time of the day in comfort. The University of Bradford’s Islamic society have their own website page where it states it has recently been refurbished with ‘wudhu facilities in both the brothers and sisters section’. It is not just Bradford University that is looking after its multicultural students. Leeds University also saw the conditions of their prayer rooms deteriorating and fixed the issues immediately to allow their students to feel at ease when at university. The master plan for the project is currently in the works. However, despite UCLan agreeing to the changes, the build may take between five and ten years to actually complete.
FEATURES 6-7
COMMENT 8-9
ELECTIONS 10-11
CULTURE 13-17
SOCIETIES 18-19
INADEQUATE... Prayer and wash rooms are not of a high enough standard
SPORT 20-24
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NEWS IN BRIEF
SUMMER SURVIVAL PRESALE SOLD OUT
PRE-SALE tickets for UCLan’s biggest end of year student event, Summer Survival have now sold out. The annual event attracts more than 1000 students and is an all-day end of year student party with a different drink offer on each hour. Pre-sale tickets went on sale on 26 April for £5 with a free summer survival t-shirt being given out to wear on the day. These pre-sale tickets have now sold out but you can still buy tickets to the event, although there will be no free tshirts. This year, there will be a bouncy castle, sumo suit fighting, a bungee run and karaoke for all to enjoy. The event is on 17 April and starts at 12pm in Source. There are still some tickets left which can be bought for £5 at Source. Hurry to get yours before they sell out!
Luke Beardsworth UCLAN Tigers showed off their talent at the University Nationals at the Telford International Centre. The cheerleading team, who performed at the event on April 17-18th, entered into five different events of the competition. They performed strongly throughout, coming third in the Level One Cheer part of the weekend.
Jo Horobin, Captain of UCLan Tigers, said: “It’s been a difficult year. Practices have been long and tiring. We’ve had people quit at the last minute but we’re really proud of everyone.” The opportunity to compete at the University Nationals is not something that came easily for the team and they quite easily could have missed out. The team raised £700 for their trip to Telford through a creative fundraising event. Jo said: “It costs for each cheerleader
to compete and then there are also petrol prices, two full days parking, one night in a hotel. It was looking like costing a lot, so we decided to have a fundraiser, not just to raise money but to raise awareness that cheerleading is one of the of the fastest growing sports in the UK. It’s not all just pom-poms and dancing.” The local community provided a lot of the goods that were raffled off at the fundraiser, demonstrating the generosity
that Preston businesses can provide. Jo said: “We had a raffle. We went round the shops in Preston and asked if they could donate things – which they all did. We had food vouchers, clothes, perfume, beauty sets and more. We also had a bake sale but made the event itself free.” It was a huge success for UCLan Tigers and their effort paid off spectacularly. They’ll be hoping they can go from strength to strength in the next year.
JOURNALISM AND MEDIA’S ITALY TRIP
Nine students and lecturer Clare Cook have been on a week-long trip to Italy. The group travelled to the picturesque town of Perugia, to volunteer for the International Journalism Festival. The students worked in various departments for the festival including press office, web magazine, photography and radio They also bookended their trip with days in Rome and Florence.
STUDENTS’ RAILWAY SAFETY FILM SHORTLISTED FOR TOP AWARD 4
NEWS
Jasleen Kaur Comment Editor
A SCREENWRITING student at UCLan has been shortlisted for the George Earle trophy for their partnership with Northern Rail. The George Earle trophy is considered to be the most prestigious safety award in the world and UCLan has been narrowed down to the top 3 out of 25,000 applicants. The Sir George Earle Trophy is an award presented by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and is internationally renowned for rewarding ‘premier performances’ in relation to health and safety.
12 May 2014
www.pluto-online.com
This news comes just months after a former student’s film was nominated for an Academy Award. Sue Moffat is a mature student studying part time for a Creative Writing and Screen Writing degree at the university. Her idea for the annual Northern Rail competition shows a man attempting to race against a train to highlight the dangers of jumping across train tracks. Having won the university’s competition, Moffat’s film will now be shot by a professional media company and shown in schools across the north. This is in addition to being shortlisted for George Earle trophy. The short film tackles important issues about rail safety while also being engaging and according to the Community
Manager for Northern Rail, ‘will be seen by millions of people’. He went on to comment that films such as these have saved lives and had a huge impact wherever they’re shown. When speaking about the achievements of his students, the Course Leader for Screenwriting Bill McCoid thanked the students and said: “You would think we might struggle to follow up an Oscar nomination, but our fantastic students and alumni have done it again.” This opportunity is another marker of the achievements of UCLan students in the media sector and displays the high standards that students are encouraged to aspire to.
PLUTO
UCLAN ANNOUNCES NEW GROUND BREAKING PARTNERSHIP IN CHINA Tom Greggan News Editor
A NEW partnership between UCLan and Hebei University in Boading, China has been announced. The Hebei/UCLan School of Media, Communication and Creative Industries is a ground-breaking partnership; it is the first British one of its kind in the Hebei Province, which has a population of 77 million. Chinese students will be able to study courses in conjunction with two schools; the School of Journalism and Media and the School of Art, Design and Performance, with the option to split their degree between the China and Preston campuses. The courses will be housed in a building that has been designed to reflect the interior of the Preston campus as closely as possible. The first 800 students will enrol in September of this year, with 200 more enrolling each year over the next four years. It is intended that 1600 students will eventually enrolled, at which point the partnership will be extended further with science-based courses being introduced. The school is to be run by a board of governors from both UCLan and Hebei University but will be run independently by both, despite being wholly owned by Hebei. Graham Baldwin, UCLan's Vice President, told uclan.ac.uk: “This is the most significant development for UCLan in China for over a decade and we are privileged to be one of the first UK universities to gain approval for a project of this nature under China’s new Ministry of Education policies. “We are delighted to be partnering with Hebei University who are the leading
university in the province and have a fantastic track record of academic excellence of their own. It has taken less than 24 months from UCLan’s first visit to HBU to gaining official approval for the HBU/UCLan School – an astonishing achievement based largely on the concerted efforts of both institutions’ staff to build this relationship. The Chinese Ministry of Education has officially approved the partnership which further cements UCLan’s presence in China. The university has been working successfully in the most populated country in the world for over 20 years. Vice-President Wang Fengming, from Hebei University, said: “The founding of the HBU-UCLan School of Media, Communication and Creative Industries is a significant milestone in the internationalization of Hebei University. It will significantly enhance the comprehensive strength and promote the future development of our institution. The establishment of this school received great support from the Chinese Ministry of Education and the provincial government and sets a good example for the educational reform of not only Hebei but also the whole of China. “The new school will fully integrate the academic advantages and educational characteristics of the two partner universities and strive to foster all-rounded talents equipped with an international outlook and well-versed in creative culture theories and modern media technology.” Once the programmes are running at full capacity, UCLan will be the third largest provider of British higher education in China and only the eighth in the UK to gain non-independent status. he university already has over 3,000 students enrolled offshore, across a diverse range of countries including China, Greece, India, Mauritius, Singapore, the USA and the Middle East.
AWARDED... The winner show off their awards
PARTNERSHIP... UCLan annlounces new partnership with Hebei University
NASTA SUCCESS FOR PSTV PLUTO
Issue 262
Luke Beardsworth News Reporter
PSTV are celebrating their success National Student Television Awards. UCLan Students’ Union TV channel won the top gong for Highly Commended in Technical. It is yet another success for the station, which also picked up several awards at the Students’ Union awards. James Milligan, Head of Technical, said: “The awards reflect the amount of effort put in by everyone on the team it's not just turning up and filming an event, it's working together weeks in advance to plan everything down to the last detail, and producing the best coverage we can. “It's fantastic to see how the station has improved as much as it has over the last two or three years, and those of us who are leaving PSTV this year can't wait to see what heights the station will reach in the future.” PSTV has been developing a number of great shows over the course of the last two semesters. Their coverage of the SU elections this year received praise across the board. Elsewhere, shows such as UCLan News and The Final Whistle have also excelled.
NEWS 2-5
Sam Walker, PSTV Station Manager, made a promise to sing karaoke if his team won an award. He said: “PSTV has grown every year and this year has seen such a huge leap forward which is something all the volunteers can feel proud of. “Receiving the Highly Commended for Best Technical Achievement award at NaSTA was fantastic in terms of getting our station’s name known throughout the country’s student television, but take nothing away from the student union awards. Student media within UCLan is often overlooked but this year has seen each area get stronger.” It is also further individual success for Milligan who, arguably more than anyone, has shined throughout his time contributing to PSTV. Walker said: “I can honestly say that PSTV would not be where it is today without James Milligan. “He is by far the hardest working member of the team and one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet as well. I look forward to the successful petition to erect a statue of him outside The Atrium.” Media Officer Michael Bailey said: “I am so proud of the work done by PSTV this year. To be recognised at a national level is a testament to the hard work these individuals put into student media in their spare time. A special mention must go out to James Milligan who has been superb.”
FEATURES 6-7
COMMENT 8-9
ELECTIONS 10-11
TEAM... The PSTV crew in Loughborough
CULTURE 13-17
SOCIETIES 18-19
SPORT 20-24
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FEATURES
F E A T U R E S
12 May 2014
www.pluto-online.com
PLUTO
A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF: A PLUTO EDITOR
With the academic year drawing to a close we took some time out from editing Pluto to reflect on the ups and downs of the newspaper. From ‘This Little Piggy Went To Popworld’ to the constant strikes, there has been no shortage of drama on campus this year. So here’s our thoughts on our time as an editor of Pluto. Jess Millington
Chris Copestake
Steven Smith
When I look back on my year as news editor, I don’t quite know where to begin. Luckily, I didn’t have to organise a team of writers all on my own as I had fellow news editors Tom and Kadeesha with me and I can honestly say I have loved every minute of it. Right from the free pizza on deadline day to lifting the lid on some sneaky stories, there’s never been a dull moment in the Pluto office. There was a certain element of investigative journalism in Pluto this year that made it all the more exciting and I think my favourite story had to be the Rugby lads and Popworld – that got everyone talking! One of my favourite parts of deadline day (besides the free pizza and company of course) was writing up headlines to go along with the stories. Online editor Adam Legg often chipped in with some brilliant headlines that made me laugh for hours (“Fowl play suspected” and “Fisting for gold” just to name a few – I’m laughing just as I type these). There were some bad times though. Namely when I thought I’d be prepared and worked on editing the news pages a few days before deadline day only to find it wouldn’t open in the Pluto office and I had to redo the whole thing again. Let’s just say It’s a good job there was free pizza otherwise I’d have been out of there. Talking about pizza, I don’t dare to think how many slices of it have been consumed across the course of the year, not to mention the amount of hours that I have put in (I’m guessing near to 100) and I’m actually really sad that my year has come to an end. Although Thursday nights were often the most stressful night out of my whole week, seeing the final product on the Monday made it all worth it, and of course the brilliant company of the other editors as the evening flew by. I hope to return as one of the news editors in my final year here at UCLan, but who knows. I would love to do it all over again so watch this space!”
2013-2014 has been a great year to be involved in Pluto. Having run the Culture section for a couple of years now, I've worked with a great team of writers, and other section editors, to not only produce a high quality student newspaper, but to have a good laugh on the way. As a final year UCLan student, it's been a tough year seeing lecturer strikes left, right and centre, and seeing much loved and respected lecturers lose their jobs. Despite this, the University continues to produce thousands of students with excellent results and personal achievements. Being so heavily involved with Pluto has been enjoyable and, at times, stressful. But, as a newspaper, we've managed to break some massive stories to students that may have otherwise slipped under the radar. Personally, my favourite story of the year has been the UCLan Rugby Union pig-gate story, purely for the magical headline brainstorming session I witnessed at Pluto HQ. A real low point of the year though for us at Pluto came when the University attempted to hide copies of our Issue 259, which broke the lecturer cuts story, from prospective students on an open day. From a personal point of view, it's been great to bring the students of UCLan mine and my team of writers' views on the worlds of music, film, gaming, comedy , art and everything in between. Hearing and publishing reviews on such iconic albums such as 'AM' by Arctic Monkeys and seeing some fantastic gigs has been great! Ultimately though, my favourite part of Pluto this year though has to be mine and Media Officer Michael Bailey's everlasting Football Manager obsession, which has seen us both lose days, all in the name of journalism (honest). It's been a great year to be involved in such a successful student media team, and it will be one of the parts of university I miss the most when I graduate this summer, without a doubt. And that’s probably because of the excess amount of pizza and alcohol that I’ve consumed in the name of putting the paper together.”
I think this year has to be considered an overwhelming success for myself personally. I have worked for a range of company’s such as The Rugby Paper, Blackpool FC, Stevenage FC, and even a stint at the Mirror. As a student though I believe the student media has only strengthened from my first year, and under the next regime it will hopefully go from strength to strength, and I hope to be part of it in some way. There is a catalogue to choose from with sport especially with us throughout the year being able to deliver a wide range of content. We have covered diversely from boxing to cheerleading, but if I had to pick an overall favourite it would have to be “Pluto’s Punter” by my good friend and Cumbrian, Matthew Hull. It has been a regular of my set up, and is something which has proven to be an extremely popular piece amongst readers. Taking the sport section of the paper to six pages was a real high for me personally as it was the first time I really saw myself engineering the direction of the sports section forward. If I take up the mantle again next year I’d like to not only maintain this but go onto improve it further by working more with the UCLan sports teams then I have this year. Which in turn would allow me to create a stronger relationship then ever between themselves and student media. This year has been a tremendous experience for me, and I feel it has given me a better prospective of the world of journalism, but if I had to pick one low it would have to be falling asleep in the library while editing Pluto in about mid-November...I was tired alright, and awoke to find the place completely deserted. If I had to estimate how many pints and pizza I’ve had this year it would be far too many. I therefore blame Pluto for my decline in fitness, and more importantly my football team, Sports Journalistico finishing at the foot of the table.”
LIS for their continued support through advertising We can stay in print thanks to our advertising partners who help fund the newspaper and website.
You, our readers, the Students’ Union and UCLan We’d like to thank both the SU and university for their support (and patience) but most of all we’d like to thank our readers. Without you none of this would be possible.
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News Editor
Pluto would like to thank...
Domino’s Pizza for feeding us every deadline day Without the continued support of Domino’s we would probably never get an edition out of the door.
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Culture Editor
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Sport Editor
Follow our editors on Twitter @c_copestake @jesss_ @media_steven
@rjshepherd94 @Tom_Greggan @atlegg
PLUTO
Issue 262
NEWS 2-5
FEATURES 6-7
COMMENT 8-9
LIFESTYLE 10-14
Adam Legg
Tom Greggan
“Well, UCLan, this year has been an interesting one! As a third year I’ve been observing student life mostly through various social media feeds from a seat inside the library wishing I was able to be as involved with stuff as I was in my first and second year. So here is my look back on the year, sat here, in the library, crying over assignments. For me, online has seen a peak this year that it hasn’t seen since I arrived at UCLan. With a fantastic group of volunteers, and a couple of big stories, we have managed to break two viral stories this year: the Rugby Union team allegedly playing around with a pig’s head and Coolio turning up in some student’s apartment. Another thing we’ve done well this year is that Pluto Online has actually managed to stay online for an entire year. Oh the joys of technology I don’t understand. My personal favourite story of this year has got to be “This Little Piggy Went To Popworld.” This year, we have seen a number of great headlines but, for me, this headline has got to be one of my favourites simply because of the catchiness of it. It is definitely a headline that I will look back on fondly. For me, a high point has been coming in and stealing the pizza on the print deadline days. Literally, all I do is wander in, look over editor’s shoulders and spout some general points about their articles. The pizza arrives just as I happen to be there and then I leave you all to starve. Sorry not sorry. Well, I haven’t quite topped last year’s low point of spending the night in the Pluto Office (because, you know, I have a life!). I think for me, I reached a nice low when I found myself spending a total of about two hours adjusting a picture so it was more in line with the text. I didn’t have OCD before I started this job, I promise. Apart from that, I have been fraped so many times from leaving my Facebook logged in in the office it hurts. The really sad thing is most of these frapes get more likes than I do with my average day to day statuses. Recently, I got a frape which claimed that I had got a job at the BBC. I cried. That was brutal. Related to this, I’ve been fraped claiming to have passed my driving test about three or four times. When I eventually got round to my driving test this year, I failed. That also hurts. I am to blame. I started it the whole thing. RT if you cried. I think I’ve eaten more pizza than I’m worth as an editor while drinking considerably more pints to drown the sorrows of third year. Cry. For most of the year I’ve had a change of clothes in the office and a remote control Mario Kart. You work that one out for yourself.
This year has been very difficult for students across the country with the national strikes over pay cuts affecting contact time with lecturers. At UCLan, this has been doubled with strikes over proposed redundancies to staff, meaning it’s not been too great to be a student at UCLan this year. My view is that UCLan should stop trying to enhance its reputation abroad and concentrate on making UCLan’s Preston and Burnley campuses the best they can be. There’s been so many good stories it’s hard to choose a favourite. However, the one that stands out is when we revealed that the School of Psychology was cutting lecturers despite them making a profit the previous year. A crucial role in any student newspaper is to hold the university to account when it is mistreating or misleading its students and we have done that a lot this year, this story being the best example. A high point of the year was the fight to get Pluto back on campus during the open day when the university had removed copies because the front cover criticised them. To see and hear of volunteers restocking the red bins with Pluto made me proud to be associated with it and shows that students do care about student media. Also, coming up with headlines for the Rugby team’s shenanigans at Popworld was hilarious. Oh and God bless Dominos! I’d estimate at about 400 slices of pizza ate, 90-100 pints drank and thousands of hours spent in that office!”
Online Editor
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News Editor
CULTURE 15-18
SOCIETIES 19-20
SPORT 21-24
Rebecca Sheperd
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Lifestyle Editor
After thinking long and hard about my commitments, in and out of university and whether I would have the time to stand in and edit the lifestyle section of the paper, I decided to do it, partly because I had lots of ideas and knew I would enjoy the role and also because I wanted to see how I worked as an editor. My view on the year as an editor and a writer is that not only Pluto but all of the student media platforms strive to do their best. All the people that contribute to the different media groups are dedicated and focussed, spending much of their time and a lot of hard work for the rest of the university to benefit from. I found it difficult at times, like my first night of editing when I had no idea what was going on, very little experience with the tools used and not a clue of the format. I’m sure I annoyed every single person in the office with my questioning and didn’t leave until around 2am to be up at 7am the next morning but what are good times when you don’t go through bad ones? Not to sound cliché or anything. The best part of the year for me has got to be the Simply Blow Bar piece. Me and four others took over the small salon on Friargate, got free treatments and cocktails. Then a couple of weeks later, when the newspaper was published the manager of the salon asked me out for a few drinks and a meal which was paid for on behalf of the company to say ‘thanks’. It felt quite bizarre to say the least!”
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COMMENT
C O M M E N T
CAMERON’S CHRISTIAN NATION 12 May 2014
www.pluto-online.com
Luke Beardsworth Comment Writer
The most obvious “please don’t vote for UKIP” plea from David Cameron yet – the UK is a Christian country. He can’t believe that himself and surely the voters don’t believe him either. Let’s get something sorted out. I don’t care if David Cameron is a Christian or not. That’s not why this is offensive. I don’t believe religious people are any better or worse than the rest of us. I choose not believe in a man in the sky with almighty power because the world is an awful place (made worse by Cameron and his ilk). My problem with it is that this is just a diluted version of what Farage and his appalling party at UKIP are offering. It is a whirring klaxon for people who are terrified of hearing foreign tongues on public transport. Like UKIP merely offer a more presentable and tolerable (to some) version of what the BNP offer, this is the Tories’ way of offering a more tolerable version of UKIP. You know what; it’s working – on my Mum…and my Nan. At a time when anti-Muslim attacks are so rife, and Islamic extremism feared so widely, I struggle to see how this can be seen as anything but callous. The St. Georges Flag has been desecrated so much by UKIP, the BNP and every other Neanderthal out there that it’s pretty much off limits. Christianity offers a much safer way to snare voters. It’s a sign of utter desperation because the UK is absolutely not a Christian
country. Skating over the commendable multiculturalism of the UK at the moment, a recent YouGov poll found that 65% of people don’t consider themselves to be religious. Who can blame them, when people are killed around the globe in the name of an ideal with no evidence to support it whatsoever?
This is just a diluted version of what Farage and his appalling party at UKIP are offering. The only way that his comments hold any weight is in how the country has become reliant on food banks – the church isn’t good for very much but their efforts here are certainly commendable. Their growing presence in the country is a result of Cameron’s government and the increased poverty that it has created. The root of all this lies, undoubtedly, at the feet of UKIP. This is a response to their growing popularity. Somehow, Farage has nabbed the protest vote and become the alternative choice for many in this country. This could’ve been the Greens reaping a positive change, but instead, it’s a racist group that has nothing to offer but exclusion from the EU and ignorant ideas about what the UK should be. This leaves me with two possible conclusions to make. The first is that the public is unaware of exactly what a UKIP
in power could mean and are merely voting out of a very understandable apathy to the three mainstream parties. The second is that UKIP have tapped into the inherent racism and xenophobia that bubbles under the surface in the country. That second idea is utterly terrifying but also the most likely in my view. There is something very wrong with this country and if you dare to identify it you are shot down as a left-wing hippy. The Daily Mail and the rest of the Tory press are winning and the country might soon resemble a caricature of itself; a self-parody of Britain where Robin Hood steals from the poor and gives to the rich. However, while the Tory press might be winning, the Tories themselves will lose out.
PLUTO
#SHORT ANDTWEET
THE TAKE FROM TWITTER Chris Lake @ChrisLake1
David Cameron : UK is a Christian country. Nope! It's a multi faith Nation with mostly non-religious people!
Marcus Chown @marcuschown Bankers Should Have unlimited bonuses. Food poverty is an illusion. I am a Christian . RT if you think David Cameron is a little out of touch
UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT Jasleen Kaur Comment Editor
It seems 2014 has been a big year for female empowerment. The year started off with the Ban Bossy campaign with the likes of Beyoncé, Jane Lynch, Condoleeza Rice and Jenifer Garner telling girls to be more confident. Fast forward 2 months and Helena Costa is the latest to declare she’s the boss. Oh and the first female manager of a major European football league. This isn’t just big news for Clermont Foot (the team in question) or even France. This is a turning point for the sport itself.
No matter how much it’s protested, women are still side lined when it comes to positions of power. It’s no secret that major league football is a boys club. Yes women’s teams and clubs exist and play successfully but no one can argue that they’re given
nearly as much importance as the boys. Anyone who tries is either ‘ignorant’ or ‘naïve’. Women have been criticised for their emotional ‘weakness’ and declared unfit for power so many times by so many American politicians that I’ve lost count. But it’s high time the ‘fairer’ sex be recognised for their contributions to the world and kudos to Clermont for taking that huge step for woman kind. Even if this is just some new publicity stunt, the feminist in me can’t help but be overjoyed at the mere prospect of a talented, professional woman being allowed to prove her worth in such a chauvinistic world as footballing. For now, the highest profile position for a woman might be the French second division but at least it’s something. Make no mistake though. This isn’t the end of the line for women demanding equality. The fact of the matter is, no matter how much it’s protested, women are still side-lined when it comes to positions of power. Feminism isn’t dead or finished by a long shot. Women may have made steps towards equality but this news just goes to highlight the power that patriarchy still holds over our society. A woman has only just cracked (not smashed or shattered) the football glass ceiling. And this is May 2014. So yes, a high profile female manager is good
PHOTO: Conservatives
It’s high time the ‘fairer’ sex be recognised for their contributions to the world and kudos to Clermont for taking that huge step for woman kind.
news, very good news. However, it’s only the beginning because with the power of media at their hands, women are only JUST starting to make their mark on the world. I’m not saying girls need to rule the world or even that there’s a superior gender. I’m saying that’s the whole point – that there is no superior gender and it’s high time this was reflected in the number of women in high profile or leadership positions. On all fields, not just the football one. Long story short, it looks like the professional world is finally changing for women. And about time too!
For more thought provoking stories visit plutoonline.com
#SHORT ANDTWEET
THE TAKE FROM TWITTER
Natter Football @NATTERFOOTBALL
Historic day for football with Helena Costa's appointment at Clermont. Certainly gives female football coaches hope. Wish her all the best. Jorge Cavazos @caballonegro
Looking Helena Costa in Google and the first thing I see are her sexy photos for Maxim and GQ. I'm still pondering about it.. Christopher Clarey @christopherclarey
I think it's a great day for all women in sport David Ginola @DavidGinolaCeze
Excellent day for football yesterday! Helena Costa appointed coach of @ClermontFoot + my 'old' club PSG @PSG_inside crowned French Champions James @jimellis123
Good news, very impressed with @ ClermontFoot making historic appointment. Would follow them next season but I'm a fan HAC
Issue 262
Megan Critchley Comment Writer
What would you do for fame? The question is very simple, would you work your way up the social ladder, or maybe join a reality TV show? Would you sell your left kidney for fame, or maybe abort your unborn baby? Shocked? So was I. So were the thousands of others, when an aspiring model, who was handed a boob-job worth almost £5000 from the NHS, decided to do just that. Abort for fame. 23-year-old Josie Cunningham was all set to terminate her 18-week-old baby just so she would not be removed from any shortlisting she may be on for reality shows that will help increase her fame. Now I am pro-choice when it comes down to the important decision for the mother and their unborn child. But it’s another thing entirely to publically announce your pregnancy over twitter with the promise of “Full details available in this week’s Closer magazine”. Miss Cunningham followed up that announcement with another about how she might have lost out on Big Brother due to the pregnancy and wanted to terminate it to ‘further her career’. Since this announcement, she’s been criticised by the British public via every social media platform; many people are
NEWS 2-5
against her decision, with some even choosing to boycott the next series of Big Brother. In my opinion this is more than fair as any company that is willing to pay a girl money to publically abort her child just so she can enhance her career should be put to shame. The public are even more disgusted due to her abortion being after the safe 12 weeks that are medically recommended. Josie is 18 weeks pregnant and even though the legal date of abortion is 24 weeks, women are encouraged to terminate a pregnancy as soon as possible. Doctors only want to carry out abortions after 12 weeks if there is going to be serious physical or mental effects to either mother or child. Some scientists believe that a foetus should be classed as a human from 19 weeks, when the baby can survive outside of the womb. Josie Cunningham seems to be too fame hungry to think about the reputation she is getting for herself and what people will think of abortions. But she should not be the reason we return to the typecast of being anti-abortions because we do not need that hit to our ever evolving society. Especially when countries, like the Republic of Ireland, are allowing abortions if there is a chance of the mother’s life being under threat. Do we really want to go back to this 1950’s stereotype of shunning women who consider getting an abortion? The simple answer is no, it is the twenty-first
FEATURES 6-7
COMMENT 8-9
ELECTIONS 10-11
century, women are almost equal to men, and we should have the right to deciding whether or not we want to keep a baby. Officials from Big Brother have now said that with a baby in question there is no way that she can appear on this series. And with that noted, her decision has twisted again, turning towards completing the pregnancy and having the child because she felt emotional when she felt the baby kicking. Personally, if someone is this unstable on a final decision, maybe the baby is not best with her. Now that she is having the baby, questions will be raised about whether she will be able to nurture and give the baby the love it needs, or will he/she be her prized possession, for the cameras. With this outbreak, the fame-hungry star has been at war via twitter with glamour model, Katie Price (Jordan) over Price’s recent marital problems and divorce. Josie has since apologised for the comments, but this behaviour in the public eye is not giving her a positive reputation. Tweeters have not been shy about voicing thier opinions about Miss Cunningham’s antics either but it seems for Josie, all attention is good attention. she’s been retweeting every comment the good, the bad and the ugly. When the baby is born, she will still sell the story, try to climb the fame ladder and not stop until she has reached the status she wants.
CULTURE 13-17
SOCIETIES 18-19
SPORT 20-24
Doctors say terminating a pregnancy at 18 weeks can be extremely dangerous
Official Of UCLa UCLan an Dissertation binding is available from UCLan Print. Print. All binding £2.50 with covers.
01772 894347 uclanprint@uclan.ac.uk uclan w library w st.peters square w preston w pr1 2he
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PHOTO: LEOL30
FAME SHAME FOR ABORTION GIRL PLUTO
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LEE MAC ELECTED PRESI
ELECTIONS
E L E C T I O N S
12 May 2014
www.pluto-online.com
LEE Macneall was elected the new Students’ Union president in dramatic style but saw his SOS slate stumble, gaining three of the five available positions. He beat off strong competition from current Council Chair, Hayley White, with 1388 votes cast in the presidential race. The winner was required to reach a quota of 694 which Lee Mac surpassed with a total of 747 first round votes to take the position. The role of Activites and Participation Officer saw the largest field of candidates competing for a place on next year’s sabbatical team. Josie Linsel took an early lead in the first round of votes and successfully beat off the competition to win with 783 votes. The runner-up, Vanessa Silva, amassed 385 votes. In the race to replace Michael Bailey as Media Officer, two student media stalwarts fought a tough battle. After Hannah Mason was eleminated in the first round, PSTV’s Head of News, Matthew Murphy went toeto-toe with Pluto’s Online Editor, Adam Legg. Victory was Matt Murphy’s after he took 61 of the re-allocated votes under the Single Transferable Voting system leaving him on a total of 584 to Adam Legg’s 388. That was it though for Macneals Save Our Students campaign as the two remaining positions went to students who were not a part of his slate. One of the most memorable campaign videos of the election was that of Chris Stevens but the Campaign of the Year winner at this
SELFIE... Stevie Seymour takes a selfie on stage after being elected Education Officer
ANXIOUS WAIT... The Atrium was filled with supporters hoping their candidate would win
President Lee Mac 747
SAC RESULTS BREAKDOWN
Campaigns
Media
Education
626
Matthew Murphy
584
Hayley White
627
Adam Legg Hannah Mason
Bronwyn Casey
RON 14
year’s Union awards failed to make it past the first round clocking up 217 votes. Those votes were re-allocated and Stevie Seymour took the lion’s share with 104 to seal his place on next year’s SAC. He celebrated with a selfie to the audience (top left) much to the delight of the audience. The competition for Campaigns Officer was the closest run of them all. Both candidates were separated by as little as four votes for most of the week and after the first round of votes, Bronwyn Casey was ahead by just two. Mark Walley was eliminated and his votes were re-allocated 52, 64 with Lucy Haigh taking the latter and with it the position to win by a margin of ten votes. In the Council positions, Mark Lee, strolled into Council Chair unopposed beating RON convincingly. Open Council saw eight individuals competeing for five roles and with 734 votes cast the quota was set at 122.33. Those to make quota were: Sana Iqbal, Daniel Dewhurst, Rachelle Cohen, Georgina Ware and Rebekkah Yates. In another series of uncontested positions, Pam Jat, was elected BME Rep; John Meghen, Disabilities Rep; Bright Morgan-Goodett, Post Graduate Rep and Emili Peake, Women’s Rep. The final contested position was for the role of International Rep where Vincent Utchay fought off the competition of Sami Alanazi to win by 351 votes to 173.
Stevie Seymour
Lucy Haigh 740
490
PLUTO
187
Mark Walley
RON 27
145
RON 18
388
Chris Stevens
217
RON 20
Adrian Juscikowski
502
IDENT AS SLATE STUMBLES PLUTO
Issue 262
NEWS 2-5
FEATURES 6-7
COMMENT 8-9
ELECTIONS 10-11
CULTURE 13-17
SOCIETIES 18-19
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SPORT 20-24
MEDIA... Stevie Seymour is interviewed by Peter Harper
Council Results
Council Chair Open Council
BME Rep Disabilities Rep Post Graduate Rep Women’s Rep International Rep
Mark Lee Sana Iqbal Daniel Dewhurst Rachelle Cohen Georgina Ware Rebekkah Yates Pam Jat John Meghen Bright Morgan-Goodett Emili Peake Vincent Utchay
TRIUMPHANT... Lee Mac celebrates on stage while host Michael Bailey consoles Hayley White
School President Results
Art, Design and Performance Forensic and Investigative Sciences Education and Social Science Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences Psychology Computer, Engineering and Physical Sciences Lancashire Law School Lancashire Business School Social Work
Theodore James Fiona Burke Abbie Bartlett Alinur Miah Carolina Carvalho Ribeiro de Almeida Emma Li Jo Schumacher Jade Cannon Jenean Laverty
Activities and Participation
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Nadean White 73
Abigail Law 94
RON 20
Vanessa Silva 385
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Issue 262
C U L T U R E
PLUTO
NEWS 2-5
Music
FEATURES 6-7
COMMENT 8-9
ELECTIONS 10-11
CULTURE 13-17
LABOUR OF LOVE
SOCIETIES 18-19
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SPORT 20-24
The very latest music news, reviews and interviews
Album Review - Chris Copestake
“Musicians don't retire; they stop when there's no more music in them.”- Louis Armstrong
SCOTTISH SINGER-SONGWRITER PAOLO NUTINI IS BACK WITH A BANG AFTER A FIVE YEAR ABSENCE Album of the week FIVE YEARS have passed since the release of ‘Sunny Side Up’, and it’s been a painfuly long five years for fans of half Scottish, half Italian singing starlwart Paolo Nutini. But, the time has come once again for Nutini’s devoted army of fans and admirers to be serenaded by his intoxicating tones and overwhelmingly stunning lyrics. ‘Caustic Love’ has alot to live up to though if the reception of Nutini’s two previous albums is to go by, with both 2006 debut ‘These Streets’, and it’s aforementioned 2009 follow up, both recieving 5x Platinum album sales in the United Kingdom. The opening track, ‘Scream (Funk My Life Up)’, which was also released as the debut single from the record in January, does exactly what is says on the tin. It opens up the record with a funky, soulful feel that is found in dribs and drabs throughout the rest of the album. ‘Let Me Down Easy’ provides a much more tender tone and feel, sharing similarities with a Daniel Merriweather-esque number. At track number 2 on the record, it is already clear that there is going to be quite an eclective mix of musical styles on display in the nine tracks that follow. The album flirts with the potential of greatness throughout its opening half, but doesn’t really quench the musical thirst until the latter
Paolo Nutini ‘Caustic Love’
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Atlantic Records
half, where Nutini explodes into musical genius. ‘Better Man’ is a beauty of a track, rolling through a majestic tale of love and the changes people make for their loved ones. Containing gorgeous lyrics, such as “She's got me feeling so much better, Oh you trade all the money in the world, Just to see this girl's smile”, ‘Better Man’ really is an exquisite anecdote.
‘Caustic Love’ shows world brilliance lyrical class throughout, and boasts one of the most stunning voices of the twenty-first century. Nutini’s touch of class continues, with ‘Iron Sky’ and ‘Diana’, alongside ‘Better Man’, providing a splendid centrepiece to the record. The former, ‘Iron Sky’, is a rousing message of strength and passion that sends a shiver down the spine. The track also contains a sound clip of Charlie Chaplin’s speech from the 1940 classic
Gig Review - Rhiannon Davison
film ‘The Great Dictator’ where he screams, “You are not machines, you are not cattle, you are men! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful,to make this life a wonderful adventure” The spine shivers continue. ‘Diana’ is again much more soulful than most of the record. A track that sounds like a collaboration with electronica extrordinare James Blake, ‘Diana’ is passionate yet painful, romantic yet sensuous and will leave you pressing the rewind button to play it over and over again. The album concludes with the simply gorgeous ‘Someone Like You’. The shortest track on the album doesn’t lack in anything but length, and is two minutes and nine seconds of pure romantic bliss. The lyrics “Someone like you wasn't meant to be defined, Or confined or even met eye to eye, Just there to be explored and then all the while adored, Someone like you, someone like you”, say all you need to know. It is a love letter in song form, a love letter that will leave you smiling on the outside and feeling warmer on the inside. A real success, ‘Caustic Love’ shows world class lyrical brilliance throughout, and boasts one of the most stunning voices of the twenty-first century. Well done Paolo Nutini.
Clean Bandit 30th April 2014
#SHORTANDTWEET @djafrojack . Apr 28
@cleanbandit rather be is best track 2014 so far
The setting allowed the crowd to feel a part of the show and as one with the band, and this really added to the ambience of the gig in its entirety. The crowd knew the unreleased songs, and this added to the performance of the band on stage. They interacted well with one another, showing a clear passion for what they do, and chemistry between them was plain for all to see.
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
Our guide to the best gigs in the North-West Music
Live @ Lancaster Library
This was the first time I had ever had the privilege of seeing Clean Bandit live, yet with only one major hit under their belt – ‘Rather Be’, and the track ‘Mozart’s House’ from several years ago. I had to admit that I wasn’t initially expecting such high standards. However, in the quirky setting of Lancaster Library, the intimate yet packed gig was both full of life and energy.
University of Pluto Music Degree Classification
This energy lifted the crowd in new songs, and everyone was singing along, dancing, and genuinely appeared to be having a great time. The only sign of people having their phones out was to video the gig. The gig was short but sweet; having them perform tracks off their album, which is due to be released on the 2nd of June this year, as well as a cover of the iconic ‘You’ve Got To Show Me Love’.
Embrace Manchester Academy 17th May £19.50 - manchesteracademy.net Roo Panes & Jess Harwood The Ferret 18th May £5 - theferret.info The Hoosiers 53 Degrees 20th May £10 - 53degrees.net Wolf Alice 53 Degrees 21st May £8 - 53degrees.net
The Ghost Inside & The Devil Wears Prada 53 Degrees 23rd May £16.50 - 53degrees.net Dead Sea Skulls The Ferret 24th May FREE theferret.info The Enemy Manchester Academy 31st May £15 - manchesteracademy.net
Pluto Playlist What’s been played in the Pluto office this past week Arcade Fire We Exist
The Black Keys Fever
Kasabian eez-eh
The Kooks Around Town
Paolo Nutini Better Man Roo Panes Silver Moon
Twin Atlantic Heart & Soul
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CULTURE
www.pluto-online.com
GLASTONBURY
SO MUCH more than simply a music festival, it's a bona fide cultural gem, and probably the best way to sum Britain up over a weekend. From the mainstream favourites on the Pyramid Stage (left) to the tents holding four people with a band powered by a bike, there really is something for everyone. It's still the biggest and best. 2014 Highlights: Arcade Fire, M.I.A, Jack White, Disclosure – although the experience itself outweighs any individual act!
PLUTO’S FESTIVAL 12 May 2014
PLUTO
OUR VERY OWN ALEX THE COMPREHENSIVE THE UK’S BIGGEST
AS THE final assignments fly in, thoughts inevitably turn to the summer. Alongside the beer garden, wet Bank Holidays, and (this year at least) England exiting a major tournament well before the final, the music festival still forms a large part of our collective cultural landscape. From the daddy of them all – Glastonbury – to the smaller local events, the UK has one of the most diverse festival programmes in the world. However, the picture appears to be changing a little. Not too long ago, the Big Rock Festivals were untouchable. V Festival, Reading & Leeds and T in the Park had top-drawer alternative headliners with understudies just as heavy, and tickets duly sold out within a matter of hours. Now, though, things have changed. Tickets for all three of those festivals are still on sale long after going on sale. Even Download, with its fiercely loyal (and picky) clientèle, has faltered. Why is this? Perhaps it's a shift in attitudes. Organisers for the most part want as much appeal as possible, which is why you now see more chart-friendly acts, such as Justin Timberlake this year, and, in previous years, Rihanna, Eminem et al., topping bills where once it might have been Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, Franz Ferdinand or even (hang your head in shame, Reading & Leeds 2007) Razorlight. Despite coming under huge flack for the ultimately successful Jay-
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THE UK'S premier metal festival is daunting for the outsider but a must for any serious fan. Don't be put off though, as there's lots of variety and the atmosphere is surprisingly laid-back – outside the moshpits, of course... 2014 Highlights: Avenged Sevenfold, Bring Me The Horizon, Trivium, Black Label Society
ULTIMATE GUIDE....... PLUTO
Issue 262
NEWS 2-5
GREBENAR GIVES YOU RUN THROUGH OF AND BEST FESTIVALS
Z headline slot, Glastonbury followed it up with Beyonce's showstopper three years later – it seems that's what the punters want too, yet not as many seem to be putting their cash at their collective cake-holes. There's also a huge recent proliferation of smaller, cheaper music festivals which seem to be encroaching on the territory of the more established giants. They certainly offer something a little different, as do the overseas festivals. As wonderful as Benicassim, Coachella, Roskilde, Exit and others sound, though, they just don't have the atmosphere that we've come to know and love in the UK. One festival seemingly immune after a slight blip back in 2008 is Glastonbury. Calling it a music festival does it a massive disservice – there's every kind of art imaginable on offer over a huge site, and a freedom unparalleled at other events (there's no distinction between an 'arena' and 'campsite' areas). Sold out this year, make sure you get your ticket for next year – it's one to tick of the list and have the time of your life doing so.
Still undecided? Here's our guide to some of the UK's top festivals...
V FESTIVAL
LAID back atmosphere with chart-friendly fodder - perfect for festival virgins. Don't expect too many mosh pits.
Highlights: Justin Timberlake, Chic, Lily Allen, Bastille
T IN THE PARK
PURE raucous Scottish revelry, now with added chart hits. Probably the most credible UK festival outside of Glastonbury. Don't miss the Scottish acts, as the locals reserve the best reception for their countrymen. Highlights: Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, Pharrell Williams, Tame Impala
FEATURES 6-7
COMMENT 8-9
ELECTIONS 10-11
CULTURE 13-17
SOCIETIES 18-19
SPORT 20-24
READING & LEEDS
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DILUTED somewhat from its prime as premier rock festival to something of a teenage rite of passage. Still attracts the big names, but no longer renowned for its atmosphere. Still plenty of variety on the bill, though. 2014 Highlights: Arctic Monkeys, Queens of the Stone Ages, The Horrors, Warpaint
KENDAL CALLING
A LEFT-FIELD gem in the Suffolk countryside with comedy, poetry and theatre thrown in for good measure. Big mix of festival goers, from young families to music-savvy teens. 2014 Highlights: Damon Albarn, Two Door Cinema Club, Mogwai, Kelis.
LATITUDE
PROBABLY the best small festival in the country, Kendal Calling seems to grow in stature every year. Fun, friendly and lively atmosphere, with a varied line-up of big names and hotly-tipped acts. 2014 Highlights: British Sea Power, Seasick Steve, Drenge, Mike Skinner (& lots of DJs!)
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CULTURE
12 May 2014
PLUTO
FREE TO PLAY: A FILM BY VALVE
Gaming
www.pluto-online.com
Pushing your buttons makes us happy
“Nothing is true, everything is permitted” - Assassin’s Creed II
Free To Play Movie Valve Georgia Gregoriou Gaming Editor
Game and software developer Valve released its highly anticipated eSport documentary against the backdrop of its distinguished ‘Multiplayer Online Battle Arena,’ Dota 2. Free to Play released on the 19 March hit the 5.5 million viewer mark on its first weekend headlining a vital chronicle in the history of eSports. The documentary accentuated the humble beginnings of the expanding subculture of eSports with one of the biggest tournaments, Dota 2: The International. The International was the largest prize pool for any professional gaming competition at the time back in August 2011 in Cologne, Germany. This tournament gave elite teams such as Online Kingdom or Natus Vincere, at the top of their game an opportunity to be the best in the world and to compete for the chance at the $1.6 million grand prize. Tammy Tang, captain of the first all female Dota2 team, ‘Asterisk’ in Free to Play, said: “We’re not just playing because we’re addicted. There’s a goal, a motive that we can reach out and grab if we’re good enough. It felt like the start of something big – a revolution.” In the last four years viewership of competitive eSports has increased eightfold. Digital Research firm SuperData reported in an eSports brief, the staggering expansion in prize pools for competitive gaming reached $25 million in 2013. Dota 2’s The International being the largest prize of $2.87 million and League of Legends Season 3 World Championship accounting for $2 million.
70% of males between 21 and 34 years old account for the 71 million spectators worldwide who tune in to eSports streaming channels such as Major League Gaming (MLG), Electronics Sports League (ELG) and Twitch TV, to watch the pros go head to head.
SuperData CEO, Joost van Dreunen in a press release said: “Large companies like Riot Games, Valve, Wargaming and Ubisoft are placing bets on the growing success of eSports worldwide. And the booming popularity of streaming services like Twitch, ESL and MLG, it is becoming easier than ever for gamers to connect with other players and form communities that culminate in competitive gaming.” Focusing on the polar differences of culture between North America, China and Eastern Europe, Free to Play showed just how high the stakes were in this new medium of sports. In any great narrative, there is always a villain, a classic tale of David vs. Goliath.
The fully funded, sponsored and managed Chinese super team EHOME were portrayed as a collective of skilled geniuses to be feared, the enemy, also picked as the favourites to win the tournament against the little guys. Free to Play’s human element of the documentaries three heroes highlighted each of their inspirational personal histories as a driving force in their aspirations to win the tournament back in 2011. Singaporean, Benedict “HyHy” Lim, struggling to juggle education and Dota 2 is weighed with the burden of failing grades against the disapproval of his family.
American, Clinton “Fear” Loomis, portrayed as the ‘Rocky’ of competitive gaming was raised by his single mother after being abandoned by his father at a young age. Fear stayed up at ludicrous hours to train with his team who were based in Europe, which resulted in getting kicked out of the house, forced to face the realities of adult life. Ukrainian, Danil “Dendi” Ishunti, suffering the loss of his father at a young age, discovered as an outlet of dealing with his grief delved into the world of Dota. Determination, skill and sacrifice are three imperative qualities in the world of eSports.
I connected with Fear the most. Even to this day with games being so prominent in our culture, the act of sitting in front of your computer and playing them is extremely stigmatized - Patrick Quintal
We’re not just playing because we’re addicted. There’s a goal, a motive that we can reach out and grab if we’re good enough. It felt like the start of something big – a revolution - Tammy Tang
As Valve pulls at the audience’s heart strings by focusing on the microcosms of three ambitious and highly-skilled pro gamers in the hopes of achieving notoriety and the chance to prove that their efforts and sacrifices were not in vain. Game designer and Dota enthusiast, Patrick Quintal said: “I connected with Fear the most. Even to this day with games being so prominent in our culture, the act of sitting in front of your computer and playing them is extremely stigmatized.” Free to Play is undeniably attempting to remove the stigma often associated with gamers and legitimize professional eSport gaming as a valid career path. Boon Yeo, Game Designer and avid Dota player said: “Free to Play makes you realize that although these gamers are extremely skilled in their field, they are still figures who are relatable. Their common goal of doing something they love and wanting to be the best resonates in this idea that everyone strives for.” Free to Play shows us that the world of eSports is thrilling, heartbreaking and inspirational, but the light at the end of the tunnel substantiates just how far eSports has come since 2011. The International altered the landscape of the gaming world, opening up potential prospects for gamers aspiring to validate themselves as professionals.
PLUTO
THE NEXT GENERATION OF VIRTUAL REALITY IN GAMING Issue 262
NEWS 2-5
FEATURES 6-7
COMMENT 8-9
ELECTIONS 10-11
Oculus Rift Virtual Reality Georgia Gregoriou Gaming Editor
Last year was a pinnacle time for gamers, as the industry’s veterans Microsoft and Sony released their cutting edge consoles, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, they ushered in the next generation of gaming. Hi-tech companies are taking the plunge in 2014 into advancing the next generation’s platform into the nexus of virtual reality (VR). The potential for virtual reality and its hype dates back to the 80s from when Nintendo released, “Virtual Boy,” but was never fully realized as a viable or successful 3D product for gaming. Palmer Luckey, the ambitious 21-yearold entrepreneur and founder of the company Oculus VR is at the forefront of the awe-inspiring revitalisation of the once buried vision for virtual reality. Luckey in an interview with Digital Trends reported: “If you look at any of those old systems back then, they weren’t anything near photorealism; it wasn’t anything consumers would latch on to.”
Mobile is the platform of today, and now we’re also getting ready for the platforms of tomorrow. Oculus has the chance to create the most social platform ever, and change the way we work, play and communicate - Mark Zuckerberg
After successfully raising a staggering £1.4 million on crowd funding site Kickstarter back in August 2012 as well as £45 million in funding from investors, the Oculus Rift has been appropriated by companies from modest indie developers such as White Paper Games to bigger scale companies like Electronic Arts. Caden Stewart, Video Game Programmer and owner of an Oculus Rift Develimpressions opment Kit said that his are very high. He said: “the lower resolution screen is its biggest drawback, but at the moment it speaks immeasurable lengths with regards to the Virtual Reality concept and development prototype, and it’s quite impressive.” The dual nature of simulation entertainment is notably trying to find its home at the centre of communication technology and will change the way people have traditionally immersed themselves in gaming and surprisingly social platforms.
IMAGE: Oculus Rift
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on March 25 its acquisition of Oculus VR in a £1.5 billion deal. Zuckerberg in a statement said: “Mobile is the platform of today, and now we’re also getting ready for the platforms of tomorrow. Oculus has the chance to create the most social platform ever, and change the way we work, play and communicate.” It begs the question: Is this Facebook’s way of competing with Google Glass? And is their vision for VR sorely misguided? In light of Facebook’s new found endeavour into Virtual Reality’s expanding market, the news has had its repercussions, sparking fury from developers and supporters alike. Markus Persson, creator of Minecraft immediately retracted his support, cancelling a deal that was to have the worldbuilding phenomenon (Minecraft) collaborate with Oculus to see a VR version hit the shelves. “Oculus Rift is dead to me,” Persson stated in his blog, “I did not chip in ten grand to seed a first investment round to build value for a Facebook acquisition.” “Facebook’s focus on social interactions rather than video games may harm the Oculus vision.”
CULTURE 13-17
SOCIETIES 18-19
Sergey Chubukov, a Kickstarter donator to the OR pledge on the website wrote: “You selling out to Facebook is a disgrace. It damages not only your reputation, but the whole of crowd funding. I cannot put into words how betrayed I feel by this.” Caden Stewart on the contrary commented: “It can’t be denied that with this amount of capital behind Oculus, they’ve got the funds to do a lot more, and have the potential of getting it out onto the market quicker. I’m cautiously optimistic about this whole situation. Facebook is something I have mixed opinions on, but how they will go about with the Oculus is something that’s still up in the air that could really go either way.” The long standing vision of Virtual Reality and its potential as a gaming platform has been building momentum with due credit to Oculus VR; it has opened up the market for competing developers such as Sony and Valve.
If you look at any of those old systems back then, they weren’t anything near photorealism; it wasn’t anything consumers would latch on to - Palmer Luckey
This was evident as Sony unveiled its three years in the making prototype, Project Morpheus at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco on March 19. The VR headset utilizes a 1080p LCD screen and offers a 90 degree trajectory of vision, creating an immersive virtual reality experience. Sony however have yet to announce an official launch date or price for their product. Stewart spoke of the Rift’s game selection and graphics capabilities stating that War Thunder and DreadHalls were two games that stood out for him.
SPORT 20-24
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The lower resolution screen is its biggest drawback, but at the moment it speaks immeasurable lengths with regards to the Virtual Reality concept and development prototype, and it’s quite impressive - Caden Stewart
“War Thunder being a flight simulation benefits greatly from a peripheral like the Rift, even with the lack of detail it’s quite an experience, even stomach churning at times. DreadHall is a particular favourite, being a small indie project focused on horror elements is something I think worked quite well with the Rift. “Save for the lower resolutions screen it was quite an involving task which in my mind is something that really highlights what the Rift is capable of.”
Pluto Playlist
Take a load off your exams and assignments Here’s what we at Pluto have been playing! inFamous: Second Son Sucker Punch Titanfall Electronic Arts
Ryse: Son of Rome Crytek Dark Souls II Namco Damdai
IMAGE: Son’y’s Project Morpheus
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SOCIETIES
S O C I E T I E S
FIRST SOCIETIES BALL A BARN-STORMING SUCCESS
Vanessa Silva
Societies Deputy Editor MARK the date 8th of May in your minds forever people because it was certainly a night to remember! 53 DEGREES hosted the very first Societies Ball in SU history with over ninety societies members and friends celebrating the amazing achievements by societies this academic year. THE wonderful night was organized mostly by volunteering students for students and included awards, nomi-
12 May 2014
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nated by the societies themselves, music, dancing and food. THE night was a perfect representation of the diversity of societies and cultures at UCLan and the SU. Under the amazing talents of the DJ Adam Legg, there was music from all over the world, from Nigeria all the way to Japan. The presenters included Sam Bloomfield, the current APO, Josie Linsel the next APO, our very own editor Naomi, Hannah Jackson and Simon Steedman. The yellow ducks of achievement will be back next year so look forward to another amazing night! IF you couldn’t make it then we difi-
Winner of Most Active Society of the Year: Musical Theatre Society
Winner of the Community Involvement Award: Nigerian Society
nitely missed you and hope you have make it to the next one. Remember you can volunteer and help it make it even better. THERE are over one thousand and four hundred people involved in sixtyfive societies. Being nominated alone is a wonderful achievement. THE photos below highlight the best moments of the night and congratulations to all the nomineed and the winners! THIS is the last edition of Pluto for this academic year and it was great to work with all the societies. THE Editor, Naomi, and I along with the whole of the PLUTO team are in-
Winner of the Best Collaboration Award: Anime and Manga Society, Film Society, Tabletop Society, Sci-Fi and Comic Book and the Video Game Society for their ‘Big Geeky Quiz’.
Winner of Secretary of the Year: Vladislav Dimitriov - Poker Society
PLUTO
credibly happy and honoured to have provided you with this platform to showcase your societies. I leave you with some photos of a great night and wishes of a likewise great rest of the year head. The Socieities pages will still be here so keep an eye out! BEST wishes to you all...Vanessa Silva signing off!
Winners of Most Charitable Society of the Year: Islamic Society
Winner of Treasurer of the Year: Nick Sanderson - Lancashire Business School Society. DISCO... Over 100 attended the first ever Socs Ball
Winner Chair of the Year: Vincent Utchay - Nigerian Society
The Duck of the Year Award: Janine Conroy
PLUTO
Issue 262
NEWS 2-5
FEATURES 6-7
COMMENT 8-9
The Challenge: Join us for an exciting FOSIS challenge this summer, as we trek England's highest summit in aid of Human Appeal International's Syria Appeal. You'll get to experience the most breathtaking scenery that the Lake District has to offer, alongside brothers and sisters from ISocs across the country- and all for a great cause. Places are very limited so don't miss out, and register your interest on the following link, so we can contact you with full details: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1zwI 90bAYKcXGussnzNgDaHkNOJU2EMrn6 oiWbVzQyCw/viewform?usp=send_for m
ELECTIONS 10-11
CULTURE 13-17
SOCIETIES 18-19
now registered as refugees and a further 4.25 million have been displaced within Syria. Camps have become a breeding ground for preventable diseases with inadequate sanitation in overcrowded shelters. An estimated 6 million people in Syria are in need of food assistance. - £25 provides flour for a family for a month - £95 can buy a family survival pack - £500 provides flour for a whole village - £1600 could provide a family of 8-10 people with shelter For further details or any queries, contact : challenges@fosis.org.uk
Registration Fee: £40 Minimum Sponsorship: £150 The Cause: Due to the on-going violence in Syria, the UN refugee agency says more than two million Syrians are
UCLAN SU Union Awards 2014
THE Union Awards is all about celebrating all efforts and acheivements of student life, representation, campaigning, socieities, and student employability. Here are the Society Winners from the night.
Congratulations to the Nigerian Society Winning the Society Of The Year!!
Congratulations to the Oxfarm Society winning the Small is Beautiful Award!!
UCLan Pole does Aerial Silks! Come and join us for a taster of this popular and majestic art from that uses silk ribbons to suspend yourself in the air.
Cost of ticket is £8 and is non-refundable 48 hours prior to the event.
What else is on this end of term?
Sci-Fi and Comic Book Society Room Ha338 5:30-8:30pm 12th May Series Mystery Science Theater 300 Godzilla Vs Megalon Film sunshine 19th May Series mystery science theater 300 space muting Film back to the future 26th May Quiz Series mystery science theater 300 - the final sacrifice Film - Alien
Never done aerial arts before? It doesn't matter! Come and join some of our members as we learn all about this beautiful skill from our qualified and experienced instructor, Serena. Price of the ticket includes transport from UCLan, to the studio and back, as well as the cost of the instructor and the hire of the equipment.
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Conratulations to the Lancashire Business School society for winning Best New Society!!
Congratulations to Islamic Society winning Best Society event of the Year for Live below the line!!
Pgan Society 17th May Faery Faith 24th May Wand Making Workshop 31th May Heka, Egypt and Modern Pagan 7th June trip and Picnic See www.Facebook.com/uclanpagansociety for place of meeting and more information.
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
S P O R T
Burnley seal return to top flight
12 May 2013
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WITH promotion in the bag, Burnley fans took to the streets in their thousands to celebrate the club’s return to the Premier League. Sean Dyche’s men capped a superb campaign with a 2-2 draw away at Reading to finish the season with a record points total for the club. Despite being tipped by many media outlets at the beginning of the season for relegation, the Clarets have proved everyone wrong with their confident displays and attacking football. A large part of that was down to the strike pair of Danny Ings and Sam Vokes with the former being named the Sky Bet Football League Player of the Year and the latter getting the Burnley Player of the Year award. Another fan favourite, Kieran Trippier, has revealed he is in contract talks with the club over a new deal while David Edgar, Brian Stock, Keith Treacy and Nick Liversedge have all been released ahead of what is bound to be a busy summer in the transfer market.
PLUTO
CAN PRESTON END PLAY-OFF HOO DOO
IMAGE: Claudia Aggett
Oliver Roby looks back at the Lilywhite’s past play-off results ahead of their Rotherham United double header IMAGE: Dave Kendall
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SPORT
PENALTIES... Striker Kevin Davies could prove invaluable if any games go to the dreaded shoot-out.
FOR many clubs, the prospect of making the play-offs is a dream, but for a select few the slightest mention of the play-offs is enough to send shivers down the spines of fans, especially those of Preston North End. The Lilywhites have experienced eight failed attempts at play-off success and will be hoping their side can put an end to their misfortune later this month. Preston fans were first introduced to the lottery that is the play-offs in 1989, with North End finishing 6th in the old third tier – a campaign which, predictably, ended in disappointment. A number of less than exciting seasons followed before relegation to English football’s fourth tier. In their first season in what is now known as League Two, Preston targeted an immediate return to the third tier and managed to reach the play-off final at Wembley where they faced Wycombe Wanderers. In what proved to be a pulsating affair, PNE began well and took the lead through Captain Ian Bryson who scored a spectacular overhead kick – but their tenacious opponents soon equalised. But North End fought back to take the score to 2-1 at half time. Despite their efforts, Martin O’Neil’s Wycombe side improved remarkably in the second half, scoring three times during an explosive second half to earn promotion thanks to a 4-2 win – and so began Preston’s play-off curse. The following season saw Preston reach the play-offs again but Bury stood firmly in their path to promotion and the Shakers won in a two-legged tie. Eventually, automatic promotion back to the 3rd tier followed in 1996 and Preston would once again reach the play-offs three years later, but they were beaten in the semifinals by Gillingham. After an unenviable record of four defeats in ten years, fans of the Lancashire club were
beginning to fear the play-offs, little in the knowledge that they would suffer the heartache of defeat a further four times. PNE’s fifth play-off collapse came at the hands of Bolton in 2001 where they reached the final at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium. David Moyes’ Preston side were hopeful of promotion going into the game but they were outplayed by Sam Allardyce’s Wanderers as the trotters ran out 3-0 winners. It was another four years before Preston reached the play-offs again. The Lilywhites reached the final in 2005 and this time fell short against West Ham with Bobby Zamora scoring the only goal of the game. Then, it was the turn of Leeds United one year later. Leeds hosted the first leg and Preston took the lead in the tie through David Nugent before Eddie Lewis salvaged a draw for Leeds. Despite a promising start to their 2006 play-off campaign, Preston fell apart once again, losing 2-0 at Deepdale thanks to goals from Frazer Richardson and Rob Hulse. Preston’s most recent chapter in their play-off nightmare came against Sheffield United three years later, in 2009. Once again, North End began brightly and took the lead through Sean St. Ledger before Brian Howard equalised to make the final score 11 at Deepdale. PNE failed to recover and their eighth play-off defeat was confirmed with a disappointing 1-0 defeat in the second leg at Bramall Lane. Having qualified for the play-offs this year, Preston fans could be forgiven for fearing the worst, but, luckily for Preston, they are one of the form teams in the division and, in Simon Grayson, they have a manager who is a specialist in achieving promotion from League One. The PNE faithful will be hoping that the former Blackpool man will be able to bring about a change as the Lilywhites’ look to put an end to their play-off curse.
Issue 262
NEWS 2-5
FEATURES 6-7
COMMENT 8-9
Five Minute Interview: Sam Holden
Pluto spoke to the Bolton Wanderers Community Trust coach about life after UCLan Michael Black Sports Writer
What have you done alongside your studies? I work part-time for Bolton Wanderers Community Trust (BWCT) coaching athletes from a variety of backgrounds. On Saturdays I shadow academy coaches to further develop myself. I've recently been accepted onto a PGCE linked with Edge Hill University where I'll teach and study for one year, which will result in me becoming a NQT in Primary education. You recently went to Spain – tell us about the trip. I travelled to Valencia with a group of BWCT with a view to developing potential international contacts and partnerships. We coached football at Lliria FC to
HOT
TEAM OF THE YEAR
SOCIETIES 18-19
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SPORT 20-24
QUESTION OF SPORT PLUTO tests your sporting knowledge
Name the year
Quickfire Quiz
1. How many players are there in an ice hockey team? 2. Who was the youngest world heavyweight boxing champion? 3. In darts, how high off the floor must the bullseye measure? 4. Who scored the winning penalty in the 2006 World Cup Final? 5. In golf, what is meant by the term 'birdie'? FUTURE TEACHER... Sam coaching youth players for Bolton Wanderers children there and helped them pick up It's also enabled me to practice different basic English language skills. The Trust coaching styles and methods which have been established through University has since decided to focus their efforts modules. locally. Finally I see children not only develop I was subsequently offered a role as Disability Coordinator as part of a three- and learn new skills but to develop as inyear project, but decided to decline the dividual people which gives me a huge offer to continue with my studies and amount of job satisfaction. Travelling to Spain was also a great exgain a primary PGCE. perience. What sort of challenges do you face What are your your long-term aspirain your role? Balancing a part-time job with study tions? I want to become a Head Teacher can be difficult. The biggest challenge I've faced is structuring and managing within either a mainstream or SEN primary school setting as soon as possible. my time properly. From this point I intend to develop a I have to make sure I organise my life new structure for primary education in order of importance and cut out anything that gets in the way of my devel- which involves tailoring each lesson toopment, to make sure I achieve my wards the individual. I also aim to highlight the importance overall goals. of Physical Education. My main objective is to inspire individWhat have you enjoyed about the uals in becoming the best they can be job? It primarily provided me with pocket and contribute towards change in education. money!
Real or no Real
1. Ben Arfa wears number ten for Newcastle United 2. The French international began his career at Marseille, playing 63 times 3. Hatem was born in Paris
Gaffer: Sean Dyche
4. Ben Arfa was eligable to play for Tunisia at the 2006 World Cup 5. He has played for his country 23 times, scoring twice
Who Am I?
Who is this mystery sports hero from Preston
1. I became a bare knuckle fighter in his twenties in Liverpool 2. I often deliver bad news 3. I was the leader of a gang called NEXUS 4. I have a degree in Marine Biology 5. I have been the Intercontinental champion 6. I am a wrestler
NOT
Manchester United youngster James Wilson scored a brace on his debut in the 3-1 win over Hull City.
French Ligue 2 side Clermont Foot named Helena Costa their head coach. A brilliant step forward for women in the men’s game.
PLUTO
CULTURE 13-17
1. Carlos Sastre won the Tour De France 2. Wales win the Grand Slam in the Six Nations 3. Tiger Woods wins the US Open, Mexico, following a play-off 4. Rafael Nadal wins Wimbledon 5. The New York Giants triumph over heavy favourites the New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl
COMBINING study with employment can be challenging, but Sam Holden is a shining example of what can be achieved through hard work and commitment. Sam will soon graduate from the Sports Development programme and is contuining his studies as he looks to progress into teaching. We spoke to Sam to find out more: Tell us your thoughts about UCLan and why should people study here? UCLan developed my passion for becoming the best person I could possibly become. Through extensive support from the tutors, to their subject knowledge and guidance they've given, I'm confident in achieving success in the future. University develops a high level of critical thinking and UCLan provides the perfect learning environment for you to excel no matter what your passion is. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
ELECTIONS 10-11
ANSWERS NAME THE YEAR 2008…QUICKFIRE 1. 6, 2. Mike Tyson, 3. 5 feet, 8 inches, 4. Fabio Grosso,5. One under par…REAL OR NO REAL 1. Real, 2.No real, 3.Real, 4.Real, 5.No rea…WHO AM I Wade Barret
PLUTO
Villarreal were fined the lowly amount of £9,850 by the Spanish Football Federation after a banana was thrown at Barcelona defender Dani Alves. A stronger punishment would have shown that the RFEF were truly committed to stamping out racism.
Defence: Kieran Trippier Leighton Baines Gary Cahill Vincent Kompany
Midfield: Adam Lallana Eden Hazard Yaya Toure
This was quite possibly chosen by a Burnley fan
Strikers: Luis Suarez Danny Ings Daniel Sturridge
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MAGPIES TAKE TITLE ON FINAL DAY OF SEASON
PLUTO
Steven Smith Sports Editor
Oliver Roby Sports Writer
CHORLEY Football Club have lifted the Evo Stick Northern Premier League title after a 2-0 win at Buxton on Saturday. The Silverland crowd at Buxton was swelled to almost 1,500 by a big following from Chorley and they were rewarded with a 2-0 victory that sees the Magpies return to the Conference for the first time in over 20 years. Two goals from Josh Hine sealed the victory which secured Chorley’s first league title in 26 years and they will now be playing in the Conference North - just two divisions below the Football League - next season, facing the likes of Stockport County and Chester along the way. PROUD
The win marks a second promotion for the Magpies during manager David Flitcroft’s four year tenure, but he was keen to heap the credit on his players. He said: “The mental strength of these players has been tremendous. I’m immensely proud of each and every one of them.”
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UCLAN student Brian Naisbitt was awarded the prestigious 1st Kyu Grade, also known as the Brown Belt, and is now helping others be successful as he begins his hunt of the illustrious black belt. The statistic within the foundation is that for every 250 people who take up the sport you will only get one Brown Belt, showing the significance of Brian’s achievement. He commented that: “I have been doing Ju Jitsu for just over three years since I started University. Fortunately I did a Foundation Degree which gave me an extra year worth of training in the same club and area, it's one of the main reason I've been able to get my Brown Belt.” The process of going for a Brown Belt within the organisation is not as straightforward as just knowing various techniques and being able to survive under pressure. There is a nomination process as well as various teaching courses, as the belt prepares the next generation of those who wish to teach and eventually wish to open up their own club. Although the thought of opening his own club has crossed Brian’s mind he revealed that: “It will depend on where I end up after University I do hope to open up my own club as this is a requirement for Black Belt, however I'm just taking it one step at a time. Looking back on his achievement it took a lot of hard work for him to get this grading, he said: “I was training about 12 hours a week in the build up to this grading, not just at the University Club but at Preston Town Club, as well as in Manchester and Liverpool” If you interested to come down and observe as he and lot of other train twice a week in Studio Blue at STFSC, Tuesday 20:00-22:00 and Thursday 18:00 - 20:00, and anyone who wants to come along and get involved or even just watch is more than welcome.
UCLAN PARTNER SCOOPS TWO AWARDS ONE IN 250... Brian Naisbitt throws an opponent to the ground.
Michael Henson Sports Writer
UCLAN Sports Coaching graduate Kieran Fletcher has been recognised for his business talents by winning two awards at the 2014 Red Rose Awards. The ceremony, held in Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, celebrates business success in Lancashire and Kieran and his colleagues from FUNDA won two awards, Caring Employer of the Year and the main prize of the night, the Publisher’s Choice Award. FUNDA is the North West’s largest children’s sports coaching and activity provider and now employs 28 full-time coaches who deliver programmes to get the most inactive children active. Kieran originally ran his business out of UCLan’s Northern Lights business hub which provides supports to fledgling student and graduate businesses. Creative Director of FUNDA Kieran said: “Both prizes were unexpected and the last one was the biggest award of the night; I wasn’t ready for it and didn’t even have chance to put my bow tie back on for the winning photos.” He added: “I would like to thank the UCLan Northern Lights Team for all their
NEWS IN BRIEF
support. The UCLan Northern Lights programme gave me the entrepreneurial desire to start up my business and without the team’s support at start-up it would have been difficult to structure my company and protect all intellectual property.”
John Duckworth, Business Advisor Northern Lights Business Support, commented: “The Northern Lights team would like to congratulate Kieran and all his staff at FUNDA for winning not one but two of these prestigious awards. “They are well deserved and reflect
FA ANNOUNCE ‘B LEAGUE’ PLANS
The English FA have announced ideas for a ‘B League’ competition as part of their four-point plan to boost English football. The plan would see the creation of a new English football ‘League 3’ comprising of 10 Premier League ‘B’ teams and 10 teams from the Conference Premier.
the hard work FUNDA has put in over the last three years to lay the foundations for future growth.” More than 1,100 high flyers of Lancashire business celebrated the awards for commerce and industry across the country at the 4th annual Lancashire Business View Red Rose Awards.
TV and radio personality Graham Liver acted as the compere for the event with awards being handed out across 25 different categories with entertainment on the night provided by the NHS 100 Voice Choir, Blowjangles and the Ian Hooper band.
WORLD CUP SQUADS TAKING SHAPE
The 32 competing nations at this years Fifa World Cup in Brazil have started announcing their squads for the illustrious tournement. England Manager Roy Hodgson is expect to announce his 23 man squad on Tuesday the 13th of May.
STUDENTS HEADING TO TOUR DE FRANCE PLUTO
Issue 262
NEWS 2-5
FEATURES 6-7
COMMENT 8-9
ELECTIONS 10-11
CULTURE 13-17
SOCIETIES 18-19
Charles Gill Sports Writer
THREE MA Publishing students, Bethanie Greenwood, Carola Kahl and Susie Bertinshaw, have launched an exciting project to cover the Tour de France 2014. These three students will be: networking, commissioning, editing and producing two books about the Tour. The students held their project launch on 28 March in the Media Factory where they held a short presentation about what the project would entail, followed by a question and answer session and some wine and cycling-related nibbles. The project aims to include the preparation and excitement leading up to the Grand Départ in Yorkshire in early July. The working party will be attending the British stages of the Tour in order to capture the enthusiasm of the British cycling community. Then a group of five students will
travel to France to follow the Tour from Saint-Etienne to the final stage at the Champs-Élysées in Paris. During this time, the group will document all aspects of the Tour and ‘Tour life’ through interviews, photographs
and detailed accounts. Press accreditation is hoping to be secured for the students so that they can get behind the scenes at the start and finish of each stage to gather material and extra information for the books. Students from
Sports Journalism and Photography will also be participating in the project. Sport, Exercise and Nutritional Sciences are also helping by documenting the students’ hopeful ascent of Mont Ventoux.
RISING STAR WIDDUP EYES 2018 Sports Writer
STAFF from the School of Sport, Tourism and the Outdoors have teamed up to offer support to a future skiing star. Colne's Bethany Widdup, a member of the England Alpine Ski Team, has been working with Amy Whitehead and Greg Littler as she continues her quest to qualify for the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. "The support I've received from UCLan has been invaluable to me," said Bethany. "Both Amy and Greg have spent a lot of time with me, helping me through some injuries and difficult psychological patches. I met with them frequently whilst in the UK and remained in contact throughout the months I've been in Europe."
Bethany was one of 14 young Lancashire athletes to be awarded a £500 grant and support from UCLan in the latest round of the Lancashire Rising Star Fund. The project, in association with Lancashire Sport Partnership, Lancashire County Council and UCLan, awards the grants to individuals to cover costs such as travel, training, accommodation, competition fees, and equipment. In addition, each recipient receives a package of support from UCLan which includes strength and conditioning services, nutritional advice and support and access to UCLan sports and training facilities. Bethany added: "Before this season I never received this kind of structural support and I can really see the benefits now. I've not been able to get this sort of thing through skiing, so I'm looking forward to continuing to work with UCLan in the future."
Pluto Puzzle&Games Plutoku - Down to Earth
CRICKET CRUSH LANCASHIRE RIVALS CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE
WELLS was later stumped for 1 but Mark Williams and Dave Steinson scored 9* and 3* respectively to push UCLan’s score to 132-6 from their allotted 20 overs. The general consensus seemed to be one of content at the break between innings as with runs on the board, UCLan knew that the gloomy overhead conditions would make the chase difficult for their opponents. Wells took the new ball and got UCLan off to the perfect start when he bowled an opener with the first delivery of the innings, eventually picking up a wicket maiden. Woods began at the other end and cleaned up the Lancaster skipper for a blob before Wells claimed another victim as batsman no.4 was caught at mid-off by Jones and when Williams ran out another, the visitors were on the ropes at 4-4 from five overs. DELAY
A brief rain delay thwarted some of UCLan’s momentum but when play resumed, Jeffery bowled batsman no.5 for 15 and Lancaster were 34-5 at the midway stage – well behind the required run rate. A 27 partnership for the sixth wicket frustrated UCLan slightly but Woods came back into the attack to pick up his second as Jones took a good catch on the boundary. Lancaster were struggling to score and never looked like threatening UCLan’s total as Wells bowled batsman no.8 for 4 to leave the visitors seven down. One batsman played sensibly for his 24* but some tight bowling towards the end of the innings restricted Lancaster to 73-7 from their 20 overs as UCLan secured a 59 run triumph. Wells was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3-8 from his four overs but Holt’s knock earlier in the afternoon set UCLan on their way to what was a thoroughly efficient team performance.
RIDDLE ME THIS... (ANSWERS BELOW)
1. What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries? 2. What can you catch but not throw? 3.What goes around the world but stays in a corner? 4.I'm the part of the bird that's not in the sky. I can swim in the ocean and yet remain dry. What am I 5.What is it that, after you take away the whole, some still remains? 6. I fly, yet I have no wings. I cry, yet I have no eyes. Darkness follows me; lower light I never see. 7. I'm light as a feather, yet the strongest man can't hold me for much more than a minute. What am I? 1. Towel 2. a Cold 3. a Stamp 4. Shadow 5. Wholesome 6. Cloud 7. a Breath
Michael Black
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SPORT 20-24
SPORT
BURNLEY BACK IN THE BIG TIME Page 20
CAN PNE OVERCOME PLAY-OFF FEAR Page 20
A TALE OF TWO VARSITIES Monday 12 May 2014
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>> LANCASHIRE CUP LOSS >> VICTORY AT EDGEHILL Michael Bailey Editor
Cricket Rugby League Women’s Hockey
VARSITY season is over and after UCLan suffered a painful defeat at the hands of Lancaster they made amends with victory over Edgehill. The Lancashire Cup, a competition that was revived by current Union President Ben Latham, saw close rivals Lancaster University make the short trip to the UCLan Sports Arena. Early kick-offs saw both sides level as; Rugby League (28-22), Cricket, Women’s Hockey (5-2) and Women’s Fencing all claimed victories. But defeat for the Mixed Lacrosse side (5-18), Men’s Fencing and both Badminton teams prevented UCLan siezing an early advantage. The pendulum swing continued as Men’s Football fell to a narrow 2-3 defeat before Ultimate Frisbee rallied, smashing their opponents 11-4 on the Desso. Thing’s took a turn for the worse as the Men’s Hockey side suffered a heavy 2-11 loss before the match of the competition got underway on Pitch Two. What looked like a one-sided encounter saw UCLan storm into the lead to take a 4-1 lead only to collapse and
Ultimate Firsbee Women’s Football Women’s Fencing
concede three goals, two in the last ten minutes, to give Lancaster a way back into the match. A last minute winner saw them snatch it 5-4 to level the Varsity 6-6. Any hope of a UCLan victory soon evaporated as the teams competeing at The Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre capitulated, with Netball, Mixed Table Tennis, Women’s Volleyball falling by the wayside. Further bad news came as both Tennis sides awarded their opponents walkovers and Lancaster won both the Men’s 10km Road Race Cycle and Women’s 5km Road Race. Final Score: UCLan 6-14 Lancaster DESPITE a loss of the final scores, UCLan managed to win a second consecutive varsity over Edgehill. The results fiasco tainted what is now becoming a regular fixture in the UCLan sporting calendar.
CRICKET CRUSH LANCASHIRE RIVALS Lancashire Cup Winners:
Alex Renshaw
Cricket Correspondent UCLan Cricket Club cruised to a 59 run victory against local rivals Lancaster, to get their 2014 season off to a flying start. The match, staged at the UCLan Sports Arena, was part of an annual event between the two Universities and also acted as a warm-up for the club’s upcoming campaign. Captain Charlie Jackson handed outdoor debuts to Josh Jones, Will Threlkeld Jonny Wells, Steve Jeffery and Jake Woods and after losing the toss, his side were asked to bat first. Adam Holt and Jones opened up for UCLan and began the innings brightly despite the overcast conditions and wet outfield. Both batsmen were finding the boundary and keeping the scoreboard ticking over but Holt was given a life in the eighth over as he teed up an elementary catch to mid-wicket that the fielder put down. The pair had made 78 together when Jones was caught in the deep for 21 but
132-6
Holt continued to kick on and reached his half-century with a well ran single. Holt was then caught for 65 before some miscommunication between Jackson and Bobby Eyes saw the latter run out without facing a ball. Jackson soon followed them back to the pavilion as he was caught for 15 and when Threlkeld was bowled for a golden duck, four wickets had fallen for just 14 runs. Wells was later stumped for 1 but Mark Williams and Dave Steinson scored 9* and 3* respectively to push UCLan’s score to 132-6 from their allotted 20 overs. The general consensus seemed to be one of content at the break between innings as with runs on the board, UCLan knew that the gloomy overhead conditions would make the chase difficult for their opponents. Wells took the new ball and got UCLan off to the perfect start when he bowled an opener with the first delivery of the innings, eventually picking up a
73-7
wicket maiden. Woods began at the other end and cleaned up the Lancaster skipper for a blob before Wells claimed another victim as batsman no.4 was caught at mid-off by Jones and when Williams ran out another, the visitors were on the ropes at 4-4 from five overs. A brief rain delay thwarted some of UCLan’s momentum but when play resumed, Jeffery bowled batsman no.5 for 15 and Lancaster were 34-5 at the midway stage – well behind the required run rate. A 27 partnership for the sixth wicket frustrated UCLan slightly but Woods came back into the attack to pick up his second as Jones took a good catch on the boundary. Lancaster were struggling to score and never looked like threatening UCLan’s total as Wells bowled batsman no.8 for 4 to leave the visitors seven down. One batsman played sensibly for his 24* but some tight bowling towards the end of the innings restricted Lancaster to 73-7 from their 20 overs as UCLan se-
STRONG START... The cricket team (above) overcome Lancaster to get their 2014 season off to a winner.
cured a 59 run triumph. Wells was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3-8 from his four overs but Holt’s knock earlier in the afternoon set UCLan on their
way to what was a thoroughly efficient team performance.
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