Issue 57
The first Sabbatical Page 5 Interview
Monday February 27th 2012
we living QM Prof Are iLives? awarded Is our species too reliant on technology? Page 16 CBE Page 7
The Newspaper of Queen Mary Students’ Union
Old Hospital, New Homes
Puss TELCO have secured over a thousand jobs for young people, as well as affordable housing on the St Clement’s site. Page 6
Police find Mile End racist Rosie Reynolds Police are appealing for witnesses to a racist attack after a woman was filmed hurling abuse at ‘foreigners’ whilst travelling between St Paul’s and Mile End stations, QMessenger has learned. The video, filmed on the 23rd of January, has been uploaded to YouTube in two parts and shows an apparently drunk young woman delivering a foul mouthed and racist lecture to the rest of the carriage on illegal immigrants. The woman directs much of her tirade towards the two Asian men she is shown sitting between. She says: "I'd like to know if any of
you are f****** illegal, I'm sure 30 per cent of you are. It's taking the f****** p***." She turns to the man sitting next to her and says: '" Hope they f****** catch up with you and shove you off...I’ll punch you in the f****** face. Ninety per cent of you are f****** illegal. I wouldn't mind if you loved our country." She realises she is being filmed not long into the seven minute video, and is even warned by the man holding the camera to “watch what you say.” She becomes more and more aggravated and then tries to physically attack the man. A police spokesperson said, “British Transport Police are aware of the videos posted on YouTube which show a woman making alleged rac-
ist comments on board a Central Line Tube train between St Paul’s and Mile End stations during the evening of Sunday, 23 January. Detectives were made aware of the videos on January 24 and immediately launched an investigation." Police put up signs at Mile End station encouraging witnesses to come forward. The incident follows a series of racist rants filmed by onlookers on London transport, the most memorable being the Croydon tram video. Emma West was taken into police custody for her own safety after the footage went viral and has since been charged with racially and religiously aggravated intentional harrassment.
Jacqueline Woodhouse has now been arrested. Image grabbed from YouTube
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QMESSENGER MONDAY FEBRUARY 27 2012
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Editorial Team: • Executive Editor - Sam Creighton vpcommunications@qmsu.org • Managing Editor - Caz Parra editor@qmessenger.co.uk • Sub Editors - Robert Pritchard, Maria Sowter and Lauren Mason subeditor@qmessenger.co.uk • News Editors - Rosie Reynolds, Kaamil Ahmed and Ariane Osman news@qmessenger.co.uk • Comment Editors - Kashmira Gander and Stephanie Rankin comment@qmessenger.co.uk • Satire Editors - Ben Richardson and Aaron Barber satire@qmessenger.co.uk • Sports and Societies Editors - Shafi Musaddique, Hollie Carter and Ashley Sweetman sport@qmessenger.co.uk • Photography Editors - Keeren Flora and Bethia Stone photography@qmessenger.co.uk
You should be writing for us. Email any of the above email addresses to sign up to our award winning team and get your career in student media off to a flying start. Alternatively find us on facebook.com /QMessenger twitter.com/QMessenger QMessenger is printed at Mortons of Horncastle Ltd, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire, LN9 6JR. Tel: 01507 523 456. Each issue has a print run of 1,000 and costs £445 to print and deliver. Established in 2008, QMessenger is the free weekly newspaper of Queen Mary Students’ Union. We are proud of our editorial independence and endeavour to always hold the College, Union and external bodies to account and to provide the best news and analysis to the students of Queen Mary, University of London. QMessenger is created entirely by students and the publication retains all copyright of design, text, photographs and graphics, along with the individual contributor. Any views expressed in QMessenger section are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the paper, the editorial board, Queen Mary Students’ Union or Queen Mary, University of London.
@QMessenger In this digital age of ours it would be remiss for us not to keep an eagle eye on our online presence. So, here are the best messages tweeted @QMessenger this week. so proud of @caztellations and @QMessenger, overheard ‘thanks so much, you’ve really made a difference in our lives’ how jounrlaism should be Afifi-Sabbet hit the nail on the when when he described @ QMSU website as a “gargantuan clusterfuck”. Wonderful journalism @QMEssenger Next week @QMessenger will be letting you all know how much the QM library is making in fines every year.
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The Cloud How you fit into the news.
The Royal Bank of Scotland has announced that it has suffered a £2 billion loss for the year 2011, which follows three previous years of losses.
Universities in the UK are in danger of putting off bright foreign talent due to new visa regulations.
A study has shown that the number of degree courses offered by UK universities has dropped by 27% in the last six years.
A study led by the University of Newcastle has found that the enforcement of a minimum price for alcohol will have “limited impact” on alcoAn inquiry has been Professor Simon Gaskell, hol abuse. launched by the Dethe Principle of Queen partment of Health into Mary University of LonResearchers have discovclaims that abortions were don has been appointed ered that people suffercarried out by doctors treasurer of the organing from cardiac arrests are with regards to the gender ization that represents more likely to die in the of the fetus. universities in the UK morning and in the evenand consist of 134 instiing when the heart betutions, Universities UK. gins to beat at an irregular heartbeat. Republican Presidential candidate hopeful Rick Santorum came under intense criticism during the latest Republican debate in Arizona for his stance on public spending. The debate marked the last effort for the candidates to win over voters before Super Tuesday American Sunday Times Rewhen 10 states will be voting porter Marie Colvin and French for their primary choice. Photographer Remi Ochlik died By Ariane Osman in Syria last week when Syrian government forces shelled Images by: a make-shift media centre they RBS by Ell Brown were staying in. Marie Colvin by biscator’s
QM lecturer says there will be no intervention in Syria Kaamil Ahmed Despite escalating violence in Syria, there is unlikely to be an internationally led humanitarian intervention, according to a QM lecturer. Dr Christopher Phillips, a politics lecturer who specialises in Syrian politics, said that he doesn’t believe there is enough political will amongst the world’s top powers to push out the current Assad regime. He said: “It’s very important to keep that region stable and the West are reluctant to launch yet another conflict in that region that could prove destabilising.” He said that world leaders recognise that Syria has a very differ-
ent political and social landscape to Libya, where the UN imposed a no-fly zone that contributed to the dending the 40-year rule of Muammar Gaddafi. “It is a far more difficult country to intervene in than Libya was. It has a much larger population for one thing, the potential for ethnic and sectarian divisions after the fall of the regime is greater and of course the geographical location is far more complicated,” said Dr Phillips. “Syria is at the centre of many of the Middle East’s conflicts, it’s bordered by Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and of course Israel-Palestine.” An earlier resolution at the UN General Assembly was vetoed by China and Russia, who are both
considered to be allies of Syria. Last week, international lead-
ers heavily criticised the Assad regime after two Western journalists were killed when the army shelled a makeshift media centre in the City of Homs. The deaths of Marie Colvin, a seasoned foreign correspondent for The Sunday Times and Remi Ochlik, a French photojournalist, led to the French president Nicolas Sarkozy angrily calling for the Assad regime to leave power as other leaders expressed concern for the safety of journalists in Syria. Dr Christopher Phillips, QM lecturer, formerly of The Economist Intelligence Unit, says there will be no internationally-led intervention. Image courtesy of Queen Mary.
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QMESSENGER MONDAY FEBRUARY 27 2012
News
NUS calls for students to boycott lectures Alannah Francis As part of the NUS week of action, a mass student walkout will be held across the country on March 14th. The walkout will see students boycott lectures and seminars, to protest on Campus instead. Joshua Snape, one of the recently elected NUS delegates, said the walkout in March would be, ‘a protest against reforms of higher education and the increase of fees, privatisation and frustration with the government over hidden course fees.’ The hidden costs, one of the issues the protest will focus on, are the extra materials that students have to foot the bill for. These additional course essentials such as textbooks and specialist materials, will be payable even with fees as high as £9000. When asked about his advice for students, Joshua, who is also a student trustee said: ‘I would encourage everyone to take part in it.’ Although he admitted that he did not expect there to be a huge turnout at Queen Mary, he hoped that students would come out and show support. The week of action which will take place from the 12th -16th March, will be a series of events in protest to the government’s higher education reform policies. The events will be the first set of major action organised by the NUS, in
Josh Thorpe
Recently elected NUS delegate Joshua Snape is calling for a walkout as part of the NUS’s week of action in March. Image courtesy of QMSU opposition to changes to higher education, since the student protests of 2010. The government announced that it had decided to drop the higher education bill and proposals to penalise graduates who started paying back their tuition fees early, last month. Despite this, Liam Burns, President of the NUS, argued that action is still necessary as; ‘Many of the most damaging of changes to
HE that are taking place don’t need stitutions to reveal upfront all any legislation and would nev- costs to students. If the NUS action is taken up er have been a feature of the long countrywide it would create a sigawaited Bill.’ Last week, the NUS launched a nificant show of defiance to univerCome Clean toolkit as part of its sities ‘hidden costs’ and the govCome Clean campaign. The toolkit ernment’s reforms. The action will culminate with aims to ‘kick start grassroots actions to get more money into stu- a lobby of parliament on the 18th dents’ pockets by tackling hidden April. Information for students taking course costs.’ The campaign calls for all uni- part in the walkout can be found at versities and higher education in- www.nusconnect.org.uk.
Can you really die from a broken heart? Vicki Cavolina To die from a broken heart has become an artist’s trope; a rather melodramatic expression of emotion, used to explain feelings that surpass a human’s emotional limits. Yet recent research by Dr Alexander Lyon, a Senior Lecturer in Cardiology at Imperial College London and a Consultant Cardiologist at the Royal Brompton Hospital suggests that the poets and musicians might not have got it so wrong and Broken Heart Syndrome, or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy as it is sometimes called, is a very real possibility. Valentine’s Day saw Queen Mary open up their Pathology Museum, an area which is usually unavailable to the public, to host an unusual event titled ‘Mending Broken Hearts’. Dr Lyon, accompanied by Samantha Warnakula, a PhD student at the University of Cambridge presented the topics of ‘Broken Heart Syndrome’ and ‘How Chocolate Can Benefit Heart Health’. Dr Lyon spoke of his research
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London ranked world’s second best student city
into Broken Heart Syndrome, coronary artery, but in this condiDespite this, there is a 100% surwhere he has discovered that in- tion we find the coronary arteries vival rate for those that have been tense feelings, whether grief, fear, are open and the blood supply is diagnosed and later discharged or joy, can bring about a large burst fine. We then look at the pumping from hospital. It would appear of adrenaline which can shock the chamber and it's paralysed, plus therefore that the human heart, heart, causing the bottom half of it's taken on a unique and abnor- both physically and metaphoricalthe main pumping chamber to mal shape; it looks like a Japanese ly speaking, can continue to surstop. The result is that the rest of fisherman's octopus pot, called Ta- prise us with its capacity for diffithe heart must compensate and is kotsubo, hence its name." culty. forced to work much harder. However, despite Dr Lyon’s discovery, it is not perhaps time for every student to run and hide from any stressful or emotional environment. Firstly, Queen Mary provides a comprehensive counselling and advice service, and secondly the research into cardiomyopathy currently suggests that of 300,000 heart attacks each year, just 2% could be associated with Broken Heart Syndrome. Additionally, of those diagnosed with Broken Heart Syndrome, a vast number, 90%, are post-menopausal women. Research continues into this condition, something which Dr Lyon suggests is particularly tricky when it is hard to distinguish from the usual heart attack. "To a cardioloShakespeare’s Ophelia from the tragedy Hamlet famously went mad and died gist, a heart attack means a blocked of a broken heart. Image courtesy of Tate Britain
London is the world’s second best student city, according to the first global student cities rankings, published recently by Quacquarellii Symonds. Dominated by European cities such as Vienna, Zurich, Berlin and Dublin – which all make the top 10 – the list sees of 20 European cities secure places in the top 50. Researchers only included metropolities with populations of more than 250,000 and home to two or more ranked universities. Amongst these factors, quality of living, affordability and the reputation of an institution were also considered in the ranking of places. On the back of these results, QMessenger spoke with first year international Film students Arianna Germini and Matous Sedlak, on what proved decisive to them when making the decision to come and study overseas. Arianna, from Rome, spoke of the romance of the city of London itself; QM’s traditional campus mentioned so much in TV series and films, whilst highlighting it’s characteristic of being a ‘’cultural environment with an electric lifestyle’’. She went on to add how a student union, ‘’the feeling of being part of a big family here at QM and the love of your own Uni, cutting-edge technology and flexibility within a course’’ were all essential in making the move from her home country Italy. She ended by telling us ‘’London is the dream city everyone wants to live in; everybody loves London. It’s architecture, the little roads, the tube and it’s multi ethnicity society’’. Matous, from the Czech Republic said he was attracted by the huge metropolis, ‘’swinging London, with all its concerts, exhibitions and mainly the people’’ – adding that ‘’it certainly is a great place to be’’. Currently studying a media-related subject, Matous feels London is the ‘’contemporary filmmaking centre in Europe’’ and that the UK is widely open and relatively not distant from his home. On asking him what is the most exciting aspect of studying in London he replied ‘’I love so many things about London, it just feels great to be part of this vibrant city and community. But if I had to choose one; meeting many new people every day from all around the world has to be the most exciting thing for me’’. London beat Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow on the top 50 list and was individuated by researchers as the only city in the world with three of the top 30 Universities, with Imperial, King’s and UCL all appearing in the QS Rankings respectively.
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QMESSENGER MONDAY FEBRUARY 27 2012
News
Queen Mary team to take on Paxo Bethia Stone This year, for the first time in a quarter of a century, Queen Mary, University of London will be represented on popular BBC2 quiz show University Challenge. Despite rumours of drunken misconduct and a decade-long ban, the simple truth is that QMUL students have either failed to qualify or neglected to even form a team for the past few years. The 2012 team was formed from the top five players after a series of knockout rounds and a general knowledge quiz. Captained by Luca Cavalli, studying a MSc in physics at both QM and UCL and captain of last year’s team also, it consists of Alistair Haigh, a biology and psychology student, Michael Hammond, a history student, Patrick Woodburn, who is studying medicine as his third degree, and reserve Ilya Kantsedikas, also a medical student. Following two further tests, the five gentlemen scored in the top 28 of 120 entrant teams to win a spot on the programme. Training for the team involved a number of pub quizzes and watch-
they were motivated largely by a lifetime of watching the show and shouting out answers to an unresponsive television screen. “My parents would've killed me if I didn't at least try out,” Cavalli elaborated. “One thing led to another and now I'm the captain!” Although undoubtedly academically inclined, the team aren't lacking in charm or good humour. Will they be drinking on their journey up to Manchester for filming? “Naturally!” jests Haigh, before launching into an anecdote about an inebriated competitor once single-handedly leading his team to victory. Which London university would they be willing to have a fist fight with? After considerable debate, the team concluded that, should it come to physical blows, they'd rather fight Imperial than Birkbeck. “[Birkbeck would] be tired because they work all day and study Your team (L-R): Ilya Kantsedikas, Alistaie Haigh, Michael Hammond, Luca Cavalli and Patrick Woodburn. all night,” rationalised Kantsedikas. Image by Bethia Stone. “That's just mean,” said Cavalli. The QMUL University Challenge ing previous episodes of the show Drapers pub quiz, not winning un- across London. with buzzer smartphone apps. They til their fifth attempt but consistAsked for an insight into their team were filmed for the show on suffered from he curse of the knock- ently scoring in the top three teams motivation for entering Universi- Thursday 23rd February. The epiout round when participating in the for pub quizzes of varying difficulty ty Challenge, the team agreed that sode will be aired in Autumn 2012.
A 2:1 isn’t enough say Traveller community protests in graduate employers Hackney against hit Channel 4 show Sao Mai Ly Queen Mary graduates may need to reinvent themselves, as the introduction of a new criteria to shortlist job applications raises questions on the importance of a 2:1 as a means of getting a job. This year will see the introduction of the Higher Education Achievement Report (Hear), which aims to offer a more comprehensive measure of graduates’ skills. Recommended by a steering group led by Robert Burgess, vicechancellor at Leicester University, Hear will complement degree grades, which are currently used as a filter for applications. It will be a document that contains much more detail of a graduates time at university, including grades and even sport and society activities. According to the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), Bernard Hodes Group and Totaljobs. com, 75 percent of employers currently use the benchmark of a 2:1 grade to shortlist candidates for a job. The integrity of the classification is however questioned, as a poll on the Guardian Careers site showed that around 60% of the readers thought that 2:1 should stop being a filter.
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With last year’s average of 83 applications for each job, Gilleard claimed that “employers have to find a way of getting them down to manageable numbers” and the 2:1 is a legal way of selecting candidates. Abigail Morris, employment adviser for the British Chamber of Commerce, stated that many enterprises do not have enough resources to use other criteria. However, they have doubts about the validity of the qualification. As Morris pointed out, “what businesses tell us is that they don’t trust qualifications as a whole. Of a survey of 6,000 businesses, only 45% said they were very or fairly confident of taking on a graduate.” Stephen Isherwood, head of graduate recruitment at Ernst and Young, claimed that a good degree is no longer a guarantee of a job. He argued: “We interview over 3,000 bright graduates every year, but only about 25% have the allround skill set we recruit for.” “To get that first step on the career ladder,” he said, “students need to be building their CVs with experiences that will help to develop their skills. This process needs to start at secondary school, rather than the last year of university.”
Rosie Reynolds The gypsy and traveller community in Hackney staged a protest last Thursday over what they have called the “stigmatising” publicity for the new series of Channel 4 documentary ‘My Big fat Gypsy Wedding’. Billboards across the UK have been emblazoned with pictures of young children and teenage girls in revealing outfits and the slogan ‘Bigger. Fatter. Gypsier.’ has been stamped across their faces. “What does “Gypsier” mean in this context and what do the images say about being a Gypsy?” asked a collective letter of complaint from the London Gypsy and Traveller Unit (LGTU) hand delivered to Channel 4’s head office in Westminster.
“The stereotype promoted is that of apparently alluring girls and young women and of menacing young men,” it continues. LGTU created their own poster of a half naked black woman draped across the bonnet of a car, complete with the words ‘Bigger. Blingier. Blacker.’ The poster was put up in Westgate Street but has since been removed. In their letter, LGTU asked if C4 would refer to other ethnic groups in a similar manner to which they refer to gypsies. They are currently investigating whether the Advertising Standard Authority codes of practice have been breached. An open letter from a seventeen year old traveller to the the My Fat Gypsy Wedding producers recently went viral on Twitter. The boy, known only as @pipopotamus,
opens the letter with “Dear C4, I am writing to you with the hope that you will stop ruining my life.” The programme often shows footage of young girls dancing in a sexually suggestive manner and wearing revealing outfits, and the traveller community has been criticised for allowing this. @pipopotamus hits back at C4, saying: “Your 'documentary' has an unhealthy obsession with little girls.” “Your 'documentary' appears to be suggesting that we are inappropriately sexualising our children, yet the only people who are sexualising our children are the viewers who watch them and think they are sexy...I would suggest you should stop filming little girls dancing if you are finding that this is turning on your viewers,” he continues.
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QMESSENGER MONDAY FEBRUARY 27 2012
News
Introducing the new Sabb team
Next year’s new sabbs talk to QMessenger - Babatunde Williams (President), Ellen Kiely (VP Welfare), Jade Lee (VP Education) from right to left. Image by Keeren Flora.
Kashmira Gander After two long weeks of campaigning and one can only guess at how much time spent behind the scenes planning manifestos, dreaming up videos, painting banners and purchasing fluorescent jackets, here they finally were. Perched on the black sofa of Queen Mary Students' Union’s (QMSU) headquarters: the new Sabbatical Officers of the next academic year. Despite the Students' Union’s concern at the lack of campaigning compared to the onslaught of leafleting in the snow the previous year, and a questionable mandate entitled by a worrying 18.7% turnout, the people have spoken: Babs Williams, Andy Smith, Ellen Kiely and Jade Williams are full of ideas and very much ready to lead QMSU next year. Now the whole ordeal is over, how did they find the election process itself? “Horrible!” Ellen, the new Vice President Welfare, cries immediately. “No, it was just really stressful because I think the more it happened the more I wanted it, at the beginning you want it a lot, then at the end you really want it. But I really liked the last day, the buzz on the last day was really good, when everyone was just trying their hardest.” Unsurprisingly, the topic of memes quickly becomes a focus. With the launch of the QMUL Meme Facebook group shortly before the election, and the incredible popularity of the internet phenomenon at universities across the country, it wasn’t long before candidates were being targeted, and some may argue, bullied.
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“I think one of the supposed low points was the online attacking” explains Jade, next year’s Vice President Education. When asked about the Students' Union’s email sent to candidates to tackle the problem, there is a decided pause. The email explained how anyone who felt harassed had the right to complain to the College. What was questioned by some was the mention of the copyright breach that memes present when using photographs without permission, hinting towards the use of a candidate’s publicity photo without consulting the photographer. “I don’t think it was really helpful,” says Ellen, breaking the silence. “I don’t think many people who felt they were hurt by it were really helped because it got so much criticism itself.” Babs continues from this, stressing that the Students' Union’s handling was unnecessary and it should have been left as it was. He outlines how he felt that the elections had become a slander campaign in a situation where most candidates wanted to win on the basis of their policies, or “popularity at the very least”. “It’s not threatening people’s education for putting up a meme, you could say its obvious bullying but you know what, grow up. You’re campaigning for a position which pays £25,000 a year, that’s a lot of money on the line, it’s a graduate job, grow up.” One thing they all agree on from the beginning is the role of the Students' Union. “Lobbying the university for better educational structures, facilitating a community structure and lobbying the university in terms of careers services,” declares Babs, who became President to much, almost
rapturously religious, applause from the audience and his committed team of campaigners in Drapers on results night. Promisingly, Andy Smith also shares a similar view, explaining it is not only the chief body ensuring students get the most of out university but a tool for lobbying the university for better services, introducing the notion of working with individual students on any issues they may be having. Ellen and Jade elaborate that it should also be a platform to represent student issues, something that some have felt has been neglected by some of this year’s Sabbatical Officers. A hot topic, certainly since the election of the Coalition government in 2010, is the cuts. Following an academic years littered with strikes and protests under the presidencies of Vratislav Domalip and Sophie Richardson, how will this year’s Sabbatical Officers react to a problem which has been thoroughly discussed and one of great contention? From the leftist stance of the Viva candidates in the 2012 election, there was strong and frequent talk of opposing and fighting the cuts. The sabbatical team, however, do not seem to necessarily share the views of their fellow students, Ozzy Amir and Ross Speer of the slate being elected into the positions they were running for. Jade emphasises the importance of making sure the students’ learning experience doesn’t deteriorate and in turn thinking of innovative ways to deal with some of the pressures that will be put on academic staff. She mentions taking a look at which areas are funded and what exactly is necessary, prompting Babs’ firm agreement. “I think there needs to be a redirection
in how we deal with cuts. There is no discussion in terms of saying, even in the good times would cutting this position be a good thing?” “I don’t think there’s actually a discussion around which cuts are necessary. A lot of people will hate me for saying that but there are certain positions on campus where we could do with getting rid of certain people and it wouldn’t be a bad thing. I don’t think that all cuts are necessarily bad.” Again, Babs and Andy mirror each other’s views, the soon to be Vice President of Bart's and The London, confirms “like it or not, tuition fees and cuts are here for next year.” He describes how next year’s issue will be managing expectation and how some as-of-yet unpublished research of his shows that first years have statistically significant higher expectations of the services and support they receive than what is actually delivered. The university will have to make sure it is using its resources effectively and ensuring students are aware of all the opportunities available to them. The two are suspiciously, and somewhat worryingly agreeable towards each other considering the historic rivalry between QMSU and it's subsidiary Association for medical and dental students. This divide is something that was well documented on the QMUL Memes Facebook group, with one depicting the scene in The Lion King where Mufasa explains to Simba that the dark, shadow ridden place behind Queen Mary is Bart's, a place where he must never ever set foot. Interestingly, one of Babs’ manifesto points asserted that he would ensure the separation between Bart's and QMSU remained.
Was he not concerned this would not always remain friendly? “I don’t see it spilling over into violence, but I think it’s sad to think that the only thing that draws us together is RAG week, Jailbreak and the Merger Cup. It’s great and its friendly. Andy and I need to support each other as sabbs, but not necessarily complement each other.” Andy’s thoughts on the divide? “It should be left well alone.” All this frivolity and nicety is all well and good, but what we all want to know is who would win a fight in the group? “Ellen!” is the resounding answer. Let’s just see if that becomes a reality this time next year.
Andy Smith, the Vice President Barts and The London for 2012/13 academic year.
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QMESSENGER MONDAY FEBRUARY 13 2012
Newsfocus
The East London Communities Organisation secure Land Trust
Community gathers to call for governemnt to create more jobs.
Kaamil Ahmed Promises to bring jobs and affordable housing to east London have often been made by politicians trying to gain the favour amongst voters in one of the most deprived parts of the country but last week a coalition of local community groups celebrated victories in its fight to provide both. The East London Communities Organisation (TELCO) enjoyed a week in which they revealed that their Olympic jobs project had found jobs for 1200 local people and the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, approved plans for an abandoned hospital near Mile End station to be turned into affordable housing after years of campaigning by the East London Community Land Trust (CLT). The Homes and Communities Agency, chaired by the Mayor, announced last Tuesday that the site of St. Clements hospital would become London’s first urban community land trust, though it was not made clear to what extent the East London CLT which had pioneered the project would be involved in the
development. David Smith, the community organiser heading the land trust project said he was delighted with the decision but admitted there was a long road ahead for TELCO before they achieved their vision. “I think there’s a long way to go before it delivers the communityled, community-designed affordable home ownership people want but this week’s been a huge step for us, so watch this space,” said Smith. “The next step’s making sure that the community that has led this campaign for eight years is at the heart of the decision-making that goes on in the next couple of months.” A day after the announcement of the housing decision, TELCO also launched a report - published jointly with Institute for Public Policy Research - showing their success in getting local people into employment for the duration of the Olympic games. The group delivered the report to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the offices of Seetec, a employment and training firm which has been contracted by the
government to provide jobs as part of its five billion pound Work Programme. A speaker said to crowd which was huddled outside Seetec’s offices in Westfield Stratford City said that the Olympics jobs project would have a massive effect on the lives of the people involved. He said: “Jobs transform lives. Jobs transform families.” Recent weeks have scene government work schemes come under scrutiny after Tesco and some other shops backed out of its highly-criticised ‘Workfare’ scheme. TELCO said they were demonstrating that finding jobs in a community-focused manner could be successful. Ruhana Ali, TELCO’s representative for Tower Hamlets, said that she would like to see the government’s programmes become more transparent. “It’s a really good excercise of our power and people are really passionate and keen to talk about this topic. The fact that today we’re delivering the report and calling on the DWP to release the figures. Everyone wants to know how much this work has cost and how much its costing the taxpay-
er. £5bn is a lot of money, Where has the money gone?” Figures had been released by the DWP last Monday, but the TELCO organisers complained that they only mentioned referral numbers and lacked many important details. The TELCO project managed to get 1280 people into jobs for the Olympics, meaning more than two thirds of those who applied through their scheme got work. They organised numerous job fairs throughout east London, including some at Queen Mary. During the action last Wednesday, many of those involved in their programme told their stories - some spoke of the jobs helping them in their recovery from drug addiction or homelessness, while some of the community workers told the audience of their pride in encouraging those lacking in confidence to participate in the scheme. Smith said that the day showed the significance of the work of London Citizens, the wider group which TELCO is a part of: “It shows the power of civil society and London Citizens hugely, it goes to show that
Image courtsey of Kaamil Ahmed. things like accountability for the assemblies. When Boris came four years ago and said we will do a CLT, because we asked he’s now had to fulfill that promise ahead of the next election.” His fellow TELCO community organiser, Ruhana Ali, also said that they had been able to display why community based work was so important. “It’s building power in the communities, its giving ordinary communities the ability to make changes in their neighbourhood and instead of people doing stuff to us, we’re doing stuff to people.” “It has been a fantastic week for TELCO, we’ve got lots of actions going on. The decision that there is going to be a community land trust, a bit unsure whether its going to be East London Community [Land Trust] but that’s an eight-year vicory to make sure that there is going to be something for the first time there, today with the jobs work and this morning we had a negotiation with Deloitte to get some of those LOCOG sponsorships for the young people in. It’s a great week.”
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QMESSENGER MONDAY FEBRUARY 27 2012
Comment
The Great Debate
Is the future of our species dependent on technology? Organise The ‘big society’ may or may not be a paper-thin facade covering a shabby attempt by a right wing government to defund public services which help those who need them most. Community organization in itself, however, is manifestly a good thing. The work of organizations such as TELCO, and indeed London Citizens more broadly, display this admirably. Britain has a serious lack of affordable housing, and Londoners in particular suffer. The difference between the needs of people and the housing that will be available in the next 10 years is striking. It’s a deficit every bit as serious as that in public spending. The East London CLT’s campaign to turn a derelict building into affordable new homes is therefore something of a marvel; it was achieved primarily through the force of local organization. Ideological divides on the size of the state aside, the models provided by organizations like these are inspirational. Banding together leads to political power. It gets things done. Without it people are atomized and alienated subjects, with it they are engaged autonomous citizens. We are QMessenger like citizens, not subjects.
What will QMSU be like next year? Now that we’ve regained flyer-free transit on Library Square some of us are already thinking about what QMSU will be like next year. There are four names we need to remember: Rory Moore, Andrea Scheel, Harriet Clewlow and Aysel Kucuksu; they’re sports, societies, volunteering and RAG officers respectively. We might even add Kaz Gander, QMG’s Executive Editor elect, to that list. Yes, everyone is talking about the ‘Big Four’, more commonly referred to as the Sabbs. However, these part time officers are our first point of contact when it comes to what a lot of students care about first and foremost, certainly the side of the union most of us are involved with. There are part time officers with huge jobs -such as the international and the postgraduate officers, who have a lot to do with regards to engagement in their areas. However, most of us are average students, who might enjoy spending our free time training with a sports club, attending a society event, doing some volunteering or writing for this paper. This is it we have our ‘Senior four’, or five if we include Kaz Gander. Now let’s make sure they deliver what they promised and demand that they are supported accordingly. Babs Williams, we’re looking at you.
Image by Maria D’Amico
Yes
Buzz Stas Technology is amazing. Besides twenty-foot cinema screens which can absorb us into 3D worlds populated by seven-foot, blue-skinned tree-worshipers, and the ability to instantly send messages, pictures and updates on the sandwich we’re eating to people across the world, we also have life-saving medical technology. But technology is yet to save our species. To say we can depend on technology to survive, we need to know what we’ll need saving from. The aforementioned blue-skinned tree-worshipers of Avatar might give us a clue. James Cameron’s vision of the future centres around humanity using up the world’s recourses to the point of crisis. Aside from the weird flying horse-things and tree-deities, this speculation is by no means unrealistic. We’re already running low on fuel, and failing to get enough food for the world’s expanding population. We’re killing the earth, and once we’ve done that, it’s not hard to see how our survival could be threatened. In many fictional explorations of this theme, humanity has relied on technology to ‘save us’: in Wall-E we all live in a giant space-ship, orbiting our toxic world, and again, in Avatar, we’ve begun plundering “less developed” worlds for recourses in giant techy spaceships. Neither of these solutions, of course, are particularly attractive or ethical, and so it seems that, although technology could probably keep the species alive in this way if it comes to it, we need a better solution. You could argue that, as it’s large-
ly technology which has gotten us into this mess, a sensible solution would be to separate ourselves from our mechanical masters. And you’d have a valid point. Unfortunately, it’s not a realistic one. Our species, especially we who live in the West, are too accustomed to driving cars, eating meat, perpetually staring into electronically powered screens, which all rely on technology for their production. Returning to traditional farming without the technology we rely on today simply couldn’t support the number of people who currently exist. What needs to happen then, is not for us to recoil from technology, but similarly not to continue our perpetual struggle to make it smaller and lighter and cooler looking, but to make it greener, on a mass scale. If we can concentrate on creating technology which fulfills our needs, but is produced and powered without continuing to destroy our already flagging world, we stand a chance of never reaching that cinematic plot point where we need technology to fly us away from our destroyed planet. Instead we’ll have a chance to create and design the technology which will really protect us, both from ourselves; our population crisis, our world food crisis, and from what ever unforeseeable threats will come in the future. So, if we continue the destructive relationship we currently have with technology, it might well quicken our species’ decline, but if we can make it greener, more efficient, technology can not only help us, but we will be able to depend on it when it comes to survival of our species. Buzz Stas is a second-year Film student and writes for the Line of Best Fit and the 405.
No
Kevin Omwenga I am not a Luddite - in fact my degree demands I prostrate myself before the altar of technology and sing its praises - but I am wary of questions such as the one above. Ours is undoubtedly the age of the silicon chip. As the amount of technology has increased so has our dependency on machines and the mechanization of labour has accelerated the extinction of traditional skills and knowledge. Now this on its own means little for our survival but coupled with the vulnerability of our precious technology and the forecast is dire. All it takes is a very large solar flare to cause disruptions to our electric grids and satellites or a particularly powerful natural disaster such as an earthquake of magnitude greater than ten to destroy servers and, with them, vital data. Should this happen, the world will descend into chaos: hospital systems, traffic lights, GPRS, the internet, automated transport systems, mobile networks, in fact everything we have built modern society around will collapse. As factories come to a grinding halt food, energy and medicine production will drastically fall leading to severe shortages and in turn the deaths of millions of people and cattle. Modern man’s reliance on technology will surely be his undoing. A second problem is that now, more than at any point in our history, we possess the capability to destroy ourselves. This could come about as a result of two factors. The first: natural disasters and human error leading to a disaster at a nuclear arms depot, modern bio-
chemical laboratory or at an equally dangerous facility. Exposure to high levels of radiation or strains of a potent synthetic virus would certainly spell out catastrophic consequences for humanity. The fact remains that we were exceedingly fortunate in that the events at Chernobyl and Fukushima did not result in as far reaching ramifications as they could have, but in the future we may not be so lucky. That our downfall may be the result of an accident is no comfort. The second factor is intention. The weapons available to the modern commander are of truly terrifying proportions. Nuclear and biochemical weapons have evolved since Hiroshima and the Vietnam War to even greater potencies mean warfare is now most likely to be the agent of our demise. Unfortunately, the leaps made in military engineering have been always too fast for medicine to catch up with. With technology new forms of terrorism have emerged such as cyber terrorism which gives those who would seek to hasten the apocalypse greater arsenal. There is no denying technology has aided our survival so far but a lot of the damage it has repaired has been that which previous reincarnations have caused. For example new, less pollutant engines and alternative energy technologies are leading the fight against climate change but it was the industrial revolution that paved the way for the environmental catastrophe we see today. It is not the technology but rather the people behind them that will determine the future. Kevin Omwenga is a second-year Aerospace Engineering student and member of the Philosophy Society.
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Comment
Sweden’s sterile little secret
Alex Samuel It is rare that transgender people make it into headlines, but recently we have managed to catch some attention from the mainstream media. This is not, however, through any doing of our own or for a reason that is in any way positive. The recent news concerning the transgender community is that a law has been passed in Sweden that means anyone who wishes to legally change their gender must undergo sterilization. I find this scandalous. As is obvious from my use of the word “we” to refer to the transgender community, I identify as transgender, so this is a personal issue. For anyone, being legally recognised as the gender you live as is important. When transgender people make this change, it can lift pressure which is on transgender people day in and day out, one of the things which makes being transgendered such a challenging state in our society. Transgender people experience embarrassment and have their identity challenged frequently, on account of not having identification which matches the gender that their appearance shows them to be. As well as this, it can lead transgender individuals to feel a lot of discomfort. It is unpleasant to have to reveal to a stranger that you were not born the gender that you are, especially as one is not always sure what their personal opinions will be. Imagine having to announce to a stranger that you had an issue with your genitals. That is what using an identification document with your birth gender on feels like to a
does not make “Ita man any less of a man if he chooses to be pregnant.
”
transgender person. So legally being the gender you identify as is important. In most countries, to legally change one’s gender, one is required to take hormones and have some kind of permanent surgery. However, this could be, for example, in a transgendered man - an example I use because it is the one which is personal to me - a bilateral mastectomy to remove one’s breasts, and testosterone injections. This therefore does not necessarily mean losing one’s fertility. A transgendered man or woman can easily be on hormones and have children. Although some transgendered people have genital reassignment sur-
gery, which does make one infertile, many choose to stay fertility. Which is a perfectly legitimate choice. Being transgendered does not take away your right to have children. I am keen to have children, and by this I mean carry and give birth to them myself, something I have wanted to do my whole life and which the realisation that I identify as male didn’t alter. The urge to have a child is a human urge and can be felt by anybody, regardless of gender. It does not make a man any less of a man if he chooses to be pregnant or a woman less of a woman if she chooses to use her sperm to have a baby. When one wants to have a child, what is important is the end product - a healthy baby. How one gets to that point is not important. Personally, I want to have a biological child and if being pregnant is the way I can make this happen then it is the route that I wish to pursue. Therefore people like me in Sweden being denied this right is sickening. It is the ultimate sabotage on one’s own person and the cruellest and most unfair choice to ask anybody to make. For me, it would be a Sophie’s Choice situation. I cannot say which I would choose. One might suggest that one could simply have children and then transition. However, this unrealistic. I will use myself as an example again; I hope to have several children but I do not wish to do this for several years, as being a student this is an impractical option. I also ideally would like to be with a partner before I start a family. By this time, I will be into my thirties and I do not wish to postpone my medical transition until then. I also feel this plan would make for irresponsible parenting - transition is not the easiest time; hormones take you through a second adolescence and surgery can be expensive. It would not only be bad parenting but also unfeasible to go through erratic hormonal behaviour and spend thousands of pounds on surgery at the same time as trying to provide for and raise young children. It makes me extremely angry that Sweden is forcing this choice on their transgender community. The decision to medically transition is hard; one gives oneself up to a second adolescence, which is a big decision. I am sure most of us, if asked at twelve if we wanted to embark on it, would say no. When you’re transgender, you have to take responsibility for that decision, without knowing what entirely what will happen. One also risks one’s fertility when starting hormones, as in some rare cases it can end ability to reproduce. Therefore transgender people already let go of so much ownership of their own bodies. To then be told by one’s legal system that one has to make this compul-
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HISTORY
QMESSENGER MONDAY FEBRUARY 27 2012
‘Gender correction without sterilisation’ - protesters at Stockholm Pride marching againt transgender sterilisation. Image courtesy of bisonblog via Flickrcc sory choice is salt in the wound. I cannot put into words how angry it makes me that Sweden’s government thinks it has a right to give people that ultimatum about their own fertility. One’s children should be one area in which one has the right to call the shots. To draw a comparison with historical issues, how would people feel if this law was made about another minority group? In the past, Sweden sterilized thousands of mixed race people. We should feel the same amount of shock and outrage about transgender sterilization as we feel about this devastatingly shocking fact. It is the same
principle. It is horrific to deny innocent people the right to have children simply because they belong to
is horrific to “ Itdeny innocent
people the right to have children because they are a minority.
”
a minority group. This can remind us how far minority liberation has
come, and this is to be celebrated, something which LGBT History Month helps us to do. However, it should also make us focus on the work that is still to be done and one thing which illustrates this to me is Sweden’s law about transgender sterilization. It is not just Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual History Month, it is also Transgender History Month, and we deserve to live our lives with as many rights and as much freedom of choice as everybody else does. Alex Samuel is a first-year English Literature student and transgender officer of the LGBT society.
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Comment
Europe’s forgotten mother Are we becoming an Christos Malikkides The economic humiliation of Greece and the reprehensible attitude of Germany, Austria, Finland, Luxembourg, Holland and other wealthy economies of the Eurozone, of the IMF and the “troika” of lenders mobilized thousands of citizens over the continent in Paris, London, Berlin, Madrid, Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Brussels, Barcelona, Dublin, Lisbon, Helsinki to send an unprecedented message of solidarity and support to Greek people, under which they proved that the strategy of economic coercion and duress unites people rather than targeting and isolating the “guilty”, which the directed European media fraudulently are broadcasting. Greek people are facing an unsustainable economic and political crisis. Hospitals in Greece are running out of medicine and nearly half of all young people are unemployed. This evidence demonstrates that while these measures may protect the interests of the rich, they just make matters universally. What is happening in Greece today we will see it in Portugal next week and in Ireland the week after. The tripartite motto of the French Revolution “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” denatured in action during the various European rallies, where protestors while armed with the label “We are all Greeks”, were
shouting slogans of the kind: “Be careful, there shall be another Athens here tomorrow”, “Solidarity for Greece and against banks.” and “ Those who have spread misery will receive anger”. Respect, however, must be awarded to the admirable initiative of two Italians mayors, Marco Galdi,
happening “What’s in Greece will happen in Ireland next.
”
mayor of the town of Cava de’ Tirreni and mayor of the town Baronissi, Giovanni Mosciatello who have offered their monthly salaries to the Greek people as a small indication of support and assistance against all these harsh austerity measures which have been imposed on them. Marco Galdi, whose monthly income corresponds €1,100, sent a letter to the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barrosso, the president of the European Parliament Martin Schulz, the Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti and the Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos announcing his decision. The Italian mayor says in his letter: “In Europe, there is a nation who claims that they do not have any brothers. In this historic moment they are right. Nobody has
anti-social society?
been acted as a brother to the Greek people, even if it is Greece that gave us philosophy and science, poetry and literature, theatre and music. Greece gave us civilization and Italy and Europe are not its brothers but its children. Europe today is being judged. If it abandons Greece it will definitively reject a certain idea of Europe, a Europe which we want and love. From this month I will give my salary to the Greek people. Also, those who hold in their hands the future of Europe and Italy; I hope they will not forget a special debt, a debt of solidarity and brotherhood.” Likewise, the mayor of Baronissi, Giovanni Mosciatello, will reinforce Greece’s economy with his monthly salary, an amount of € 780. He said: “Those who have governed over these years in Greece, they have certainly committed serious mistakes; but we would be now equally irresponsible, if we do not support with any possible way, a country which is the cradle of our civilization”. Gestures such as these will remain in history, proving to humanity that in these difficult times, where a nation is receiving such hostility and its own political identity is doubted, personal interests are set aside and worldwide citizens must be united in order to group against capitalist Is society becoming less social? and neo-imperialist policies adopted by economic dynasties.
Pippasha Khan
Christos Malikkides is a first-year Law student.
Boycotting Israel is discrimination Ryan Henson I never usually pay much attention to the Students’ Union elections at Queen Mary. I’ve never felt the urge to be patronised by an inept but well-intending group of attention-seekers. If I had I would have joined the Liberal Democrats. This year however, something caught my eye. In several posters around campus candidates degrading themselves with the tag of “socialist”, promised to boycott Israeli goods and promised to support Pal-
one proposes “No boycotting China despite its terrible human rights record.
”
estinian liberation movements – a veil often used to disguise terrorists who murder Israeli civilians. Anti-Semitism is on the increase. In 2009 the Community Security
Trust revealed that violence against Jews rose by 55% compared to 2006. Meanwhile, here at Queen Mary, attendees of the Students’ Union’s Annual General Meeting in October (you can find full details in the Minutes available online), put forward a motion calling for a boycott of all Israeli goods sold on campus. As the motion fell at the AGM, similar policies were later brought to a Student Council meeting, however they were defeated here also. A similar motion was passed by the University of London Union last May. The Queen Mary boycott was proposed alongside another motion promising “solidarity” with the people of Palestine. Apparently it’s okay to discriminate against one group of people just as long as you bend over backwards for another. The hypocrisy of those who campaign against Israel is quite remarkable to behold. For example, why isn’t there a campaign of solidarity with the people of Syria? Why is nobody proposing that we boycott real oppressors like Iran or North Korea? And if Israel is so bad, why does nobody condemn the United States, a nation which shares an almost identical foreign policy? I can’t re-
Image courtesy of patrick h. lauke via Flickrcc
member anyone ever proposing that we boycott China – despite its terrible human rights record. Israel has a duty and a right to defend its citizens against terrorism. Yet some at Queen Mary clearly believe this deserves our scorn and our anger. Instead of properly representing students, some active members of our Students’ Union have for too long, I believe, not only condoned anti-Semitism; but actively contributed to it as well. Those candidates who ran anti-Israel literature during the recent elections are as guilty as those who tabled anti-Israel motions at the AGM last October. It would be utterly wrong for us to ignore the suffering of the Palestinian people. Equally however it’s just as wrong for people to seek to degrade every Israeli citizen as punishment for a situation which Palestinian terrorists deliberately exacerbate and repeatedly prevent from being resolved. Anti-Semitism is not just abhorrent, its also embarrassing. Queen Mary should tolerate it no longer. Ryan Henson is a second-year History student and the VP of QM Conservative Society.
“Back in the day, we were able to leave the door open all day and be able to come back to an undisturbed house” is what our parents would say to us about what it used to be like. Gone are the ways of the old, in are the burglar alarms, barbed wire and BEWARE DOG signs. You’ve heard multiple stories of adjacent houses being broken into consecutively, and the warnings to take heed of gasmen and electricians alike feigning authenticity in order to get a hold of your valuable belongings. It seems that we are just unable to trust these days. With so many conmen and vagabonds running around we just can’t take a chance on our livelihood being destroyed. One mistake and we will have to pay for it. Trust the wrong person and all will go awry. This theory can be applied to many a situation but is it keeping us back? There was a time when a fight could break out in the street and your neighbour would intervene to stop it. Now they’re afraid they’ll get a knife in their back. When did we cross that line of hesitation? We hesitate to get involved, to implicate ourselves in others problems, and to actually care. On the tube how often is it that you’ll see two strangers exchange a conversation? You’ll find more of these encounters during the weekend when people are drunk enough to have passed that barrier.
Why have we put up this defence against contact with other people? If a stranger were to attempt to strike up conversation with you there would be a part of you thinking “what’s the motive?” or “Is there something wrong with this person?” It’s socially imperative that we keep to ourselves on this journey that we make. The art of conversation aside, there is still courtesy and empathy out there. No matter how much more dangerous our world may perceivably be becoming, we are still capable of proving that not all is lost. People will still hold the door open for you, with you chiming a “thank you” in response. You still see people (man or woman) offering to take a pram up the stairs in a station for a worn out mother. There are even people who brave the risks and stand up for people being mugged, sometimes ending in dire consequences, but showing that there are people who care. No matter what you decide about your community, you will always find comfort in knowing that if you were in need of help that the people around you would indeed give you that. Perhaps it’s idealistic to believe that people you have never spoken to would give a hoot about your existence, but I think that if we were all to give each other a chance, we’d come away smiling. Pippa Khan is a second-year Medical Genetics student and a member of BLAS.
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QMESSENGER MONDAY FEBRUARY 27 2012
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Comment Make like a March hare and go mad for events at QMSU next month Sophie Richardson President
March is fast becoming our busiest month of the year. When once Freshers’ Fortnight and the run-up to Christmas was our busiest time, the end of the second semester seems to be overtaking them. The start of the month sees our second Festival 51, a fantastic week-long event celebrating women and International Women’s Week. Your Women’s Officer, along with QMEquality, has put time and effort into organising events, seminars, performances and
film-screenings and all are invited to attend, more information can be found on Facebook. Go QM is a week inspired by London 2012 and launches on the 12th March. The week is going to feature activity from across the various different departments on the Union, including Volunteering and Sports. It will be a great way for you, as QM students and as locals living in the host city of the 2012 Olympics, to celebrate this exciting and once in
a lifetime event so make sure you join us. March also seems to be the month of celebrating the fabulous work you as students have all done over the year through your Students’ Union. With the Course Rep Awards Ceremony taking place at Drapers Hall, the Club Sport Awards Dinner at Proud Cabaret and the Awards and Honours taking place at Rich Mix, it promises to be an exciting month celebrating the successes of yourselves
and your fellow students. Tickets are now on sale and bookings open for the three different events so head to the Union website now to reserve your place and buy your tickets. For more information about any of the events listed above check out our latest newsletter, available from Union outlets, or go to www.qmsu. org Sophie Follow me on Twitter @PresidentQMSU
‘Our NHS’ needs consistency, how else can we prepare to be doctors? George Ryan BLSA President
The NHS is in an awkward situation. It’s been catapulted around by politicians for the last 30 years undergoing 15 reorganisations in that time, each a result of one government thinking they know better than another about the business model that will provide our nation with the most effective healthcare. In order to improve, in order to have an environment where reliable comparisons can be made to stimulate improvement ‘Our NHS’ needs consis-
tency. Firstly, it needs to be taken out of the hands of politicians and have a relationship similar to that of the BBC with Westminster. One where it is still accountable to the government but isn’t slung around the house of Lords like a tennis ball. Doctors complain that managers who know nothing about delivering healthcare have too much say in how healthcare is delivered. The same can be said for politicians except they are once more removed from
the NHS than the managers that are complained about. Senior executives, doctors and nurses should have over all say about what organisational structure will empower patients best to make their own decisions about their treatment, whilst maintaining economic stability of the NHS. If it is to be Doctors taking responsibility for the environment they work in, our experience at medical school needs to reflect this and prepare us effectively for the en-
vironment we will be set loose in as doctors. Leadership and management are intertwined, they are both expected from doctors and will be demanded even more if the NHS is to save its £20 Billion over the next few years. Medical school needs to prepare us for the challenges we will face as doctors, those challenges will be ever more business like. Slowly other schools are acknowledging this by offering SSCs and BSc’s on the topic. I hope BL can catch up!
Why do people think BL and QM Clubs and Socs need their own reps? Dom Bell VP Student Activities
Student Council is next week and I’m proposing to the Councillors that for next year we set up a Club Sport Committee and a Societies Committee. They will allow members of Clubs and Societies to actually make their own decisions in how they want to develop their own programme. There will be ten or so club and society members sitting alongside the Sport and Societies Officers making decisions on funding, affiliations, awards and more. A great win for democracy.
However, I have the feeling that my proposal will get flipped and reversed in a bad way for the development of Sport and Societies. In particular, since starting this role I’ve been an advocator of crosscampus representation, and I can safely say that Sport is no different at QM to BL. We each play the same game. Societies are also run by the same rules. So why do people think that BL and QM Clubs and Societies need their
own representatives? I know the responses. BL say that being a medic or dentist is so different to being on any other course and BL has such a tradition that it can’t have a student who doesn’t study medicine or dentistry calling themselves a cross-campus representative. Instead, because of the ‘differences’, they need a medic or dentist to represent them, whether it’s in sport, societies, or anything else. I’m not arguing here for the dissolution of BL Clubs and Societies, just
the fact that we don’t need so many representatives and a superficial rivalry getting political. What’s important here and for the Committees I want to create is not where we’ve come from but where we’re going. We want to develop Sport. We want to develop Societies. We want everyone to pitch in and we don’t want a superficial rivalry getting in the way of progress. Finally, there’s nothing wrong with a cross-campus representative. I am one. I should know.
Here’s a question: Are you a summer person or a winter person? Oscar Williamson VP Education & Welfare
I am definitely a summer person. I embrace the heat. I fight heat with more heat. When the sun peeks out one February morning, I run the gauntlet of Shorts in Winter, with nary a care for the fickle nature of the British weather. If it clouds over I eat hearty soup, and let my optimism about the impending summer be my umbrella. Some people are winter people. They are the ones spend-
ing this lunchtime in the shade, in thick duffel coats. This column is not for them. This time last year I was writing my dissertation, and my delicate heart wilted anew with each sunny day that passed me by. And then I had an epiphany: I don’t need to be sitting in the library to do work. I can go outside. My laptop battery only lasts for about half an hour with the brightness turned up, so
I HAVE to get all my computing needs out of the way before it dies. I’m writing this on a bench in library square, in shorts and t-shirt, in the sunshine. In future years I imagine I’ll be working in an office with a slightly less imaginative approach to sunny days. I am faced with an expanse of restrictive clothes, painted-up windows, and heating turned up to 11 by an unresponsive orc in a distant boil-
er room. And so will many of you, so next time you hunker down in a stuffy silent reading area to do some work, ask yourself: do I really need to be indoors right now, or could I do these case studies or equations or essays just as well in the park? Follow me on Twitter: @EducationQMSU
One election over, one about to begin; run to be an editor next year! Sam Creighton VP Communications
One election is over but another is about to begin. Wait! Before you go screaming for the hills, muttering curses about all these damn elections and how bad the millions of flyers are for the environment, this next election is a much more subtle affair. No campaigning will take place, or if it does it will be in the form of one-on-one chats. Most of you aren’t even eligible to vote BUT you are all eligible to run, and that’s what I want to write about today.
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The main SU elections just chose Kaz Gander (current comment editor of QMessenger) to be the Executive Editor of QMessenger Media Group next year. What is still missing however is her team. We need to pick managing editors for QMessenger, CUB and QMessenger.co.uk and station managers for Quest and QMTV. You don’t need any experience necessarily, it might even help if you haven’t been involved before as you’ll come with fresh eyes and
fresher ideas. If you think you have what it takes to shape one of our media outlets then I urge you to apply. The job will involve recruiting and managing a team of section editors, deciding on content and design etc and making sure everything comes together for when it needs to. You’ll need to be organised, committed, personable, imaginative and resourcesful, but it’s an amazing experience, looks great on your CV and is the perfect
opportunity to meet new people in a fun but exciting environment. All you need to do to apply is send me a email at vpcommunications@ qmsu.org saying what position you want to be considered for and attach a ‘manifesto’ (maximum 1 A4 pahe) saying what you would do if you get the job. The deadline is March 9th. If you have any questions please email me or I’m happy to chat faceto-face if you find me in The Blomeley Centre.
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Satire All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Please don’t mistake anything on this page for fact.
Finding work hard? Try work. I wish I was having a pokey-bum wank
Image by Bark, yeah that’s right its’s a stupid name. Blame his mum.
Nick Stapleton So, you’re still at university? Well, fuck you. I graduated in May 2010. I’m lucky enough to have a job now. It’s even a job I like. “You should be happy you miserable prick,” I hear you say, while you sit for 6 liberated hours pondering whether to read another page of the book you’re discussing in your one lecture tomorrow, or have yet another pokey-bum wank. We all know which you choose. See, there’s something you don’t probably don’t realise or understand, I certainly didn’t - largely because I was too busy having pokey-bum wanks. Once you finish university – that’s it. Everything you have known for the first 21 or so years of your life suddenly ceases to exist. That sense of purpose which once filled you with the desire to not read the stuff you’re meant to read for your next lecture is gone. You find yourself staring into a black and unforgiving abyss,
it absorbs you and quietly whispers, “Go and get a job, you shitfuck,” like a bailiff gently tickling the ear of a political activist with dreadlocks and rent arrears. But what job? Think of all the things you’ve ever dreamed of doing, and then instantly write them all off. Then take the degree you just spent the last 3 years doing and condense it into one sentence on your CV. That one sentence is the only significance that degree will hold for the rest of your entire living life (unless you’re a fucking Medic or an actual Physicist or something, you loser, go and have a drink). No one will ever ask you about it, unless it’s a job interview and they ask you why it’s relevant to the job, which it isn’t. Ever. Now that you’ve come to terms with the fact that your lack of purpose has left you feeling like a big, empty, useless sack of bones and sinew, think about this. Remember when you were near the end of last semester? How did you motivate yourself? “Oh it’s nearly the end of
Fact of the week
Time saving tip
Hamlets famous line “To be or not be...” was originally about deciding between a HB pencil or a 2B pencil. Fact.
Don’t read this
Aaron Barber
Joke of the week I have no friends beca() ()use of my obsession with Portal. Enyi Okoronkwo
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Note from the Ed - beware before reading on, seriously
Societies News
Gavin’s large brown eyes bore deep into mine as his firm tongue darted around my twitching clit. I bucked in convulsive ecstasy as he greedily licked my shaven snatch. Despite the expert job he was doing on my wet muff, I beckoned him to mount me and threw a mucky glance to his unsheathed shlong which had a
term, I’ve got 3 months of holiday to look forward to afterwards, can’t wait to finish.” Well, that doesn’t exist anymore either. Just consider that in the space of 3 years, you’ve gone from having about 8 contact hours a week over 9 months (if that) followed by 3 months of holiday, to 52 WEEKS A YEAR OF SOLID FUCKING WORK WITH MAYBE 3 WEEKS HOLIDAY IF YOU’RE LUCKY. FUCK YOU. EAT IT, WE CALL IT LIFE. So there you go, I guess what I’m saying is stop moaning about your essays, your lectures you don’t even have to attend, your man/woman troubles and your lack of money. It’s all fucking rosy for you so go out and enjoy it, before you inevitably become one of the bitter masses riding their little metal coffin to their fetid, grey office every morning, thinking about their man/ woman troubles and lack of money. Lastly, trust me on this one – do a PhD. shiny glob of precum glinting in its jap’s. Just as Gav was about to insert his veiny tornado he let out a loud yelp as P.C. Blake hit him in the nuts with a snooker cue and dragged him back to the kennels. It always gives me a warm feeling deep inside to know I’ve helped the force. Either training a new dog towards what will be a long and productive working life, or letting a man die lying handcuffed face down on a prison cell floor innocent of any crime. Yours, W.P.C Simmons. Leif Halverson
“Hello, I’m Toby Tompkin. Satire co - editor. I was supposed to write an article and edit today, I didn’t. I’m on holiday. Well this is awkward. Do anything nice lately? I did. I took some books to the beach and read them. Sadly the sun melted the glue down the spine and the pages got covered in sand. They’re ruined. Luckily there was a book shop nearby so I’ve just bought a load more. I’m going down to the beach to read them. This has been pleasant. Goodbye”
Pessimistic Mystic Steve The Man of the Golden Door Capricorn Dec 22- Jan 19
Most people think your personality is like the bubonic plague. They’re right.
Aquarius Jan 20 - Feb 18
The way you think you look from behind is not what you actually look like. You look like a dick.
Pisces Feb 19 - Mar 20
It’s not them, it’s you. Always.
Aries Mar 21 - Apr 19
That person you can’t stop thinking about? They feel the same way about someone else.
Taurus Apr 19 - May 20
Ambition will only result in disappointment.
Gemini May 21 - June 20 Suicide?
Cancer June 21- July 22 You’ve got it.
Leo July 23 - Aug 22
This week, you will face the realisation of just how disappointed your parents are.
Virgo Aug 22 - Sept 22
The only way to overcome your abusive childhood is to pass it on to your children.
Libra Sept 23 - Oct 22
There is one soul mate meant for everyone on this earth; yours is already dead.
Scorpio Oct 23 - Nov 21
Gloomy Sunday is ALL about you.
Sagittarius Nov 21 - Dec 21
Today, spend ten minutes looking in the mirror. Everyone has noticed. By Stephen Broderick, Johanne Hauge, Pawel Blanda Paris - Trieste - Zurich
Cross Figure
Really Difficult Bridges
Sudoku
Last week’s answers
14
QMESSENGER MONDAY FEBRUARY 27 2012
Societies
Society in Spotlight: Bart’s and The A Festival of Equality London Asian Society (BLAS) Wanda Lantern
then we have put on PLUSH Ragu Ratnakumaran nights at a variety of popular London bars and clubs. Bart’s and the London Asian ELEGANCE is the highlight of Society (BLAS) are all about the BLAS year, and the commitpromoting culture, creat- tee has been tirelessly sponsoring friendships and support- ship-hunting to ensure that this ing charity. This year’s com- year’s show can be taken to a mittee is made up of medical whole new level – not only perand dental students, who work formance-wise but also where together to make one of Lon- venue is concerned. Sponsors don’s largest charity shows! include, RPS jewellers, HealthMore than 1, 000 people turned care and Locum Recruitment, out to watch students from Tax-Link, Veenas, MPS, SnapLondon universities showcase py Snap and thanks to them their talents last year, with we are reaching enough monthe money from every tick- ey to help secure the world-reet sale going to a good cause. nowned SAVOY THEATRE on And this year, we want to make the Strand, with a date curthe event even bigger and better rently set for 4th March 2012. with acts performing Bollywood With such an illustrious stage numbers, street dance and a trib- waiting, it’s no surprise that ute to the American TV show Glee. more than 300 people audiRewind to September 2011 tioned to be one of twenty acts. when the new committee took The competition was fierce. over BLAS. We organised the A prelaunch party took place PLUSH: “Gangsters and Molls” on Thursday the 26 th of Janunight for freshers, and since ary and was a huge success with
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over 400 people turning up! Thanks to the choreographers, the committee and especially the student body of Bart’s & The London and Queen Mary’s who have made ELEGANCE 2012 a reality.This year’s show will undoubtedly be the greatest university spectacle! Ticket prices bands are £22, £25 and £30, and they all include entrance to after party at the renowned Piccadilly Institute! We must also thank all those who plan to attend the show. Without the audience, all this hard work would be wasted. With your help, we hope to raise over £30,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital, Barts and the London Charity and Kotar Pur Village Aid Charity UK. We hope to see you all at ELEGANCE 2012! Visit our website at www.blaselegance.co.uk and join our facebook group-BLAS- Barts and the London Asian Society.
Festival51 is the annual weeklong event, run and organized by QMEquality. The week is full of speakers, activities and workshops to discuss issues affecting women globally, and on campus. From anti-street harassment, to transfeminism and self defence to the Vagina Monologues, Festival51 should have something of interest for all! QMEquality is the student group dedicated to gender equality, and Festival51 partly aims to address the misconceptions of feminism. We are not man-haters and nor do we have a particular taste for burning bras. But we do believe there are gender discrepancies and un-
helpful stereotypes, which create obstacles in society. Festival51 is open to all genders and all ULU students. External guests may be welcome as long as they book a place on the guestlist. Even if you’ve never heard even heard of QMEquality before – you are welcome! You can find us on twitter (@QMEquality), on Facebook (Search QMEquality), and we also have a brand new blog which features different contributions from QM feminists (qmequality.wordpress.com). We hope to see you and remember – if you’re dissing the sisters you ain’t fighting the power! Festival51 5th – 9th March 2012, Queen Mary University Mile End Campus
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QMESSENGER MONDAY 27 FEBRUARY 2012
Sport
Uncapped duo called up ahead of the Euros completely mad, after all. There will be many empty seats of apathy. I heed the faithful to stick by for the young ones.
Shafi Musaddique That time of the year has come. No, not the flags on cars and schools closing early. Just another friendly before the Euros kick off in Austria and Hungary this summer. After riots broke out in the summer, this fixture was rescheduled in light of security reasons. Alas, it is now the security of the England national team that is being discussed on the airwaves. After Fabio Capello’s surprising exit from the set-up, it has been left to Stuart ‘psycho’ Pearce to enlist the players for Wednesday’s friendly at Wembley. Uncapped duo Tom Clevery and Frazier Campbell have been called-up, with omissions for Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand. Surely, we have a man at the helm who speaks sense, and sees a vision of the future. After Capello’s love affair with the experienced players dating back to the days of Sven one might add - Pearce has a long term objective. We as a national bemoan the lack of opportunities given to our home grown coaches. Appointing Pearce as permanent national manager could be a tactic that revitalises the team as a youth orientated project.
Goalkeepers: Scott Carson (Bursaspor), Joe Hart (Manchester City), Robert Green (West Ham United) Defenders: Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Leighton Baines (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Micah Richards (Manchester City), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur) Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Stewart Downing (Liverpool), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), James Milner (Manchester City), Scott Parker (Tottenham Hotspur), Ashley Young (Manchester United), Theo Walcott (Arsenal)
Flag waving will have to wait till the summer There is no place for Alex-Oxlaide Chamberlain, who has impressed
for his club. Pearce sighted his ‘footballing education’ would be
t ho ee t a fr ad c.uk Ge ink is ul.a h dr th t is.qm i c w .muc
Beat the Winter Blues at
w
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Netball 1st Team
damaged by cameo appearances for the first team. Psycho is not
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Upcoming Fixtures Wednesday, 29 February 2012 University of Greenwich Womens 1st
Image by scoutjacobus via FlickR CC
Forwards: Darren Bent (Aston Villa), Fraizer Campbell (Sunderland), Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United)
VS
Queen Mary University of London Womens 1st
Wednesday, 07 March 2012 University College London Womens 2nd VS Queen Mary University of London Womens 1st Venue: UCL Sports Ground (Shenley), Bell Lane, London Colney AL2 1BZ Wednesday, 14 March 2012 Queen Mary University of London Womens 1st VS King's College London Medics Womens 2nd Venue: Mile End Park Leisure Centre, 190 Burdett Road, Mile End E3 4HL
n Italian tratorria in Library Square
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n Coffee, drinks and desserts
Women’s volleyball 1st team
n Daily specials from £2.95
Wednesday, 29 February 2012 Kingston University Womens 1st VS Queen Mary University of London Womens 1st Venue: Kingston College Arena, Kingston Hall Road KT1 2AQ Wednesday, 07 March 2012 Queen Mary University of London Womens 1st
n Delicious pizza and pasta
VS
n Take away pizza available
Portsmouth University Womens 1st
Mens football 1st team Wednesday, 29 February 2012 14:00 Imperial College London Mens 1st VS Queen Mary University of London Mens 1st Venue: Harlington Sports Ground, Sipson Lane UB3 5AQ Wednesday, 07 March 2012 Queen Mary University of London Mens 1st VS University of Greenwich Mens 1st Venue: Chislehurst Sports Ground, Perry Street, Nr Sidcup BR7 6HA Wednesday, 14 March 2012 Queen Mary University of London Mens 1st VS
Middlesex University Mens 1st
sport@qmessenger.co.uk
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QMESSENGER MONDAY 27 FEBRUARY 2012
Sport
Welcoming the true ‘Theatre of Dreams’ Shafi Musaddique In the continuation towards the marathon that is the Olympic Games, Great Britain's Olympic Cyclists have sprinted their way into gold medal winning positions at the Track World Cup. Sir Chris Hoy won gold in his individual sprint, losing only once in the knockout stages. The knighted cyclist swamped his German opponent in the final 2-0, to the rousing applause of a heated Velodrome. Hoy also sprinted to gold medal in the keirin, it what is becoming a one-horse race for the sport. However, that is not to denigrate the mans achievement; to the contrary, if only GB gold medallists were assured of gold for every man and woman, that would surely be a great legacy. Hoy continues to live upto the expectation levels. If the poster boy is on fire, GB’s poster girl faltered - albeit temporarily. Victoria Pendleton could only muster fifth place in the keiren, finding herself blocked by opponents in the closing stages of the knockout rounds. She redeemed herself with an individual gold, whilst collected an-
Victoria Pendleton grabs two golds but falters toward a clean haul
Image by Velo Steve via FlickR CC
other gold in the team sprint with Jessica Varnish. Other gold medalists for the women included Lau-
the coverage, other stand out performers should not be forgotten. In an age of marketing, Laura
ra Trott, Joanna Rowsell and Dani King. Whilst Pendleton gets most of
Trott has slipped behind the public face of cycling, but should be noted down as a possible contender for stand out medallist at London 2012. The velodrome will become a key venue, perhaps even iconic for the story of sporting success. If Manchester United call ‘Old Trafford’ the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, it is safe to say the Team GB should reward our cyclists by renaming the velodrome in a likewise fashion. No doubt, there will be more attention of who will wear what kit. A mention should also go toward the Paralympic cyclists, who collected an astonishing 17 gold medals in Beijing 2008. Mark Colbourne, a relatively new entry into the sport after injuring his back in para-gliding, won gold at the World Championships in LA this month. So if you’re looking for a new sport to watch or even motivate yourself into a new year sport, take up cycling. Race your friends down the Mile End road on Boris Bikes, or go round and round in your back garden. For now, it is safe to say, GB cycling is in safe hands, continually delivering success whilst others continually fail.
Battered and Bruised, Still Unbeaten Adam McDaid Twitter was abuzz on Saturday morning in anticipation of the top of the table clash at Fortress Chislehurst. Sweetman and Lowe’s rag-tag bunch of “Champagne” 5ths came up against the table topping Kings Medics 5ths with the hash tags, #QMexpects, #gameofthecentury and #QMfootballfashionwatch all trending early in the morning, just as Andy Durr was rolling in from his romantic evening for two at Drapers. The squad was given a boost just ahead of kick off with the news that strikers Adam McDaid and Alex Cope had passed late fitness tests, Cope recovering from
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a Haye-Chisora style brawl at cheapskates barely two week previous. This aggressive attitude was taken one step further by the “Hereford horror” Mitchell Ingram, who taped ballast into the front of his antique boots to add yet more venom into the game. In driving rain, Queen Mary seemed to start the brighter but the deadly Kings Medics strikeforce managed to fire them into an unlikely early lead after pouncing on some lacklustre defending and firing past a helpless Sean Mahoney. Sparked into life, Bob the groundsman’s favourite team hit back with a sublime run and cross from Johnny “we swear he plays for us” Mallet being turned in by the new golden
boy Ariq Hussain. Hussain added to his goal tally just before halftime after being released by a superb through ball from the electorally unsuccessful McDaid. The outside of the boot pass was only matched by Hussain’s cool finish, rounding the keeper and slotting past the back tracking centreback. With the scoreline mirroring that of the Cup Classic which had taken place earlier in the season, the “Champagne” 5ths were confident of holding on to the win, regardless of the loss of the “Cherry Lambrini” 4ths striker Max “one goal” Melling. Sadly, it was not to be as huge pressure finally told on the heroes of Chissy in the 75 th minute. Perhaps it was the added
pressure of his family watching on but Tommy Huckstepp conceded what looked an extremely dubious penalty, which was duly converted by the league’s top scorers. Bob and Neil’s profanities rang out from the Chislehurst balcony yet the goal still stood. The game turned into a brutal battle as both sides threw everything at each other, the pitch showing the scars of the tremendous effort put in by the two promotion chasing scenes, yet both stood firm leaving neither side overjoyed with just a point each. Dragging weary bodies back to the safety of the dressing room, Twitter legend Ashley Sweetman decided he, Lowe, Manning, Briggs, Mahoney and Gibbs need-
ed to have a week away scouting and laying serious groundwork in Prague. Whilst not ideal at this crucial juncture in the season, it leaves QM veterans McDaid and Ingram in charge for what is sure to be another fiery clash away at Kings 4ths. Reaction after the game focused on the penalty decision, Senior Groundsman Neil commenting, “There is no way it was a penalty, no matter how clumsy that kid Huckstepp is. Nevertheless, Fortress Chislehurst remains intact and I’m sure if it remains that way until the end of the season, I will be out in Cheapskates and the Sports Café celebrating with these boys after the Sports Awards Dinner.”