QMessenger 17

QMessenger

FREE!

Pick up your FREE copy of QMessenger from QMotion and Drapersbar, Ground Coffee Shop, The Blomeley Centre, and The Village Shop. You can also grab a copy from the library.

Boat Club back with a bang

DEBATE: Should we join the EU? Back page

Page 6

17th Nov ‘09 • Issue 17 • FREE Editors Editor: Sam Cunningham editor@qmessenger.co.uk News: Sam Creighton news@qmessenger.co.uk Comment: Bradley Downing comment@qmessenger.co.uk Science & Environment: Richard Dodwell science@qmessenger.co.uk Craig Ferriman environment@qmessenger.co.uk Reviews: Rebecca Wynter reviews@qmessenger.co.uk Film: Alex MacDonald film@qmessenger.co.uk

SCIENCE : Build your own penis!

Play Suduko and Crossword Page 11

Page 13

Come clean on fees!

Nikki Lynch

Angry students marched on parliament to protest against Labour and The Conservatives’ refusal to give a stance on the possible rise of Tuition Fees before the general election next year.

The two main political parties have instead suggested they will set up a private review of higher education funding to report after the general election, but outraged students

turned up outside the House of Commons in Westminster to force an answer.

The demonstration saw a crowd of around 200 students from universities across the country holding up placards which read ‘Fuck Fees’, while chanting “Come clean with tuition fees”.

The action was provoked by a report carried out by the vice chancellor representation group, Universities UK, who found that increased Continued page 3...

2

News

Got a news story? news@qmessenger.co.uk

17/11/2009

News in Misleading new diploma ads banned Brief Hannah Cormican

QM Maths teacher YouTube sensation

becomes

QM Maths teacher Matt Parker has become the latest overnight YouTube sensation with his tonguein-cheek videos on how to apply maths to everyday life receiving several thousand hits. Part of the More Maths Grad scheme Parker explained the rationale behind his project. “I was very keen to show people how maths can be useful and get more people excited. I particularly want people who didn’t really like maths at secondary school, who were put off, to think they probably shouldn’t base their opinion of maths on when they were 14”.

QM historian wins prestigious award Lisa Jardine, Centenary Professor of Renaissance Studies at QM, has been awarded the Cundill History Prize for her book Going Dutch: How England Plundered Holland’s Glory. The book examines the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and its effects on Britain. The accolade came with a $75,000 prize and while Prof. Jardine was “ecstatic” about her success she regarded it as a “great responsibility” and saw it as the duty of historian a to “keep telling our nations about what made them, what created them and what will make their future”.

Huge rise in first wave of Ucas applications Ucas has revealed that this year has seen another huge jump in university applications by the first October deadline, largely attributable to a surge in prospective international students.

Domestic applications have risen 10.2%, those from the EU 12.4% and those from the rest of the world have rocketed a staggering 23%. This first wave of applications cover certain medical degrees and all courses for those hoping to study at Cambridge and Oxford.

Got a News in Brief story for QMessenger?

We are looking for quirky, funny and interesting short news stories. Email over a 100-200 word story, with a small picture if you can get hold of one, to news@ qmessenger.co.uk and get yours in print.

Advertisements promoting the government’s new diploma qualification have been banned after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) found them to be “misleading”.

The ASA received two complaints regarding the suitability of the radio and newspaper campaign. The radio campaign claimed the diplomas were “accepted by all universities”, while the newspaper campaign stated it “can get you into any university”. The ASA concluded listeners and readers of the advertisements would assume “all Diplomas represented a level of academic qualification that would be accepted by all universities”. The radio advertisement was found to be “misleading” while the newspaper campaign did not pass a “truthfulness” test as some universities will not accept all the diploma subjects.

The qualifications were introduced in September 2008 as an alternative to GCSEs and A levels for 14-19 year-olds. There are currently ten different subjects available and an advanced diploma is equivalent to 3.5 A levels. The government hope that they will eventually replace traditional GCSEs and A levels. The banned advertisements were part of an £11 million publicity campaign to promote the diplomas to young people.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) disagreed with the ruling, stating that they worked with universities to ensure satisfaction and accuracy with the publicity campaign. The DCSF argued that the advertisements are acceptable as “all universities have told us they will accept one or more diplomas”.

The diplomas have been the subject of recent criticism. Michael Grove, the Shadow Children’s Secretary, declared “universities aren’t impressed, teachers are confused

The government’s £11 million diploma adverts are ‘misleading’ and students have shunned the course” and a recent report from the Association of Colleges noted less able students were finding some of the courses too difficult.

In response to criticisms the DCSF revealed that they have worked closely with universities in developing the diploma and are “confident that the diploma will

equip young people with the skills they need to succeed in higher education”. Ian Wright, diplomas minister, remarked that it could be said with equal accuracy that not all A-levels were accepted at all universities. The government currently plans to expand the range of diploma qualifications and introduce seven more subject areas for 2011.

Calls for resignation of Student Loans Chief Executive Chantelle O’Connor

Leaders of key student organisations have demanded the resignation of the Student Loans Chief Executive over unprocessed applications and late payments.

Ralph Seymour-Jackson, the head of the company has received strong criticism from students as well as their parents and universities. The National Union of Students said earlier this week: “SLC bosses have sought to apportion blame anywhere other than their own doorstep. It is time for Ralph SeymourJackson to take full responsibility for this shambles and resign immediately.”

Universities have had to step in with monetary aid as well as advice and counselling to prevent thousands of students from dropping out.

Lesley Green, QMUL Bursaries, Grants and Scholarships Manager said: “38 students have received interim financial help so far this year, compared with 24 at the same time last year. We are still seeing students for emergency loans who have still not received their financial support and in addition students are coming back to us for further loans as their applications for support have still not been assessed.”

Derek Ross, Deputy Chief Exec-

utive of the SLC, admitted that some essential student documents have been “temporarily mislaid” prompting the company to launch an internal inquiry. “It’s a bit like losing your car keys – you think you have lost them, but they are in the house somewhere,” Ross told the BBC. But he pointed out that a record number of student applications were late this year and an unprecedented number of phone calls had put a strain on advisors and the processing team.

To add to this students are being told different things by different SLC advisors. When put through to the Darlington offices, a particular advisor said their Glasgow branch was sometimes incorrect in what they were telling students when they inquired about their applications.

With approximately 141,000 students nationwide still waiting for their applications to be processed, many have felt the pressure of living off an overdraft, a credit card and if they are lucky, wages from a part time job. It seems what is meant to be the best time of our lives has become a struggle to juggle deadlines with increasing debt.

University counselling services are urging students not to drop out trying to deal with this stress. SLC predict all applications will have been processed in time for Christmas and QMUL reminds students they are here to help so don’t be afraid to ask.

There are calls for the resignation of the Student Loan Company CEO

News

Got a news story? news@qmessenger.co.uk

17/11/2009

3

Students demand Labour and Conservatives give Tuition Fee stance ...Continued from front page fees are inevitable. They predicted university costs will rise from £3,000 each year to £6,500, bringing graduate debt levels up to £32,000.

Lois Clifton, a student at the LSE University in London, showed her support at the demonstration and described the proposed increases as “distressing”: “[Fee rises] will have such an effect on working class families who just won’t be able to get to university because of the costs. I’m here today because I want to show that we do care and we’re not going to allow fees to just keep rising. It’s not fair. ”

Socialist Worker representatives were also present at the event calling for students of the country to unite and stand up against the bureaucrats who are suppressing student’s rights.

Chas, a student at Brighton University and a member of pressure group, ‘Another Education is Possible’, spoke to QMessenger on his concerns with the rising fees which he said should be abolished completely. He claimed that the student union, NUS, had failed to represent students properly, effectively “selling them out” to a business model education system.

“At first the NUS were calling for no tuition fees. Now they’ve backed

down and are calling for a graduate tax. The idea that a graduate tax is somehow going to be easier to pay is a load of rubbish.”

The demonstration was followed by a Q&A session at the Houses of Parliament with the Minister of Higher Education, David Lammy.

Agreeing that higher fees could frighten away future generations from attending university, Mr Lammy spoke of the importance of university education saying, “This country needs graduates”. However, when asked by a student from Cardiff University what his views were on tuition fees in general, Mr Lammy refused to comment before an official inquiry could be carried out.

Inflated tuition for any second degrees Stephanie Aslan

Last September marked a change in the higher education system for graduates seeking to further their education. John Denham, the Secretary of State for the Department of Universities, Innovation and Skills (DIUS) directed the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to withdraw funding for institutions who accept ELQ students – those studying for an equal or lower level qualification – in order to give more funding to those who had not yet obtained their first degrees.

The rules inflated the tuition fees for students wanting to return to university to obtain a second undergraduate or master’s degree. These students can be charged a sum varying between £4000 and £8000. Those following their first degree with a medicine or dentistry course are exempt from the additional charge.

“It’s just too expensive.” says Savvas Fellas, a 26 year old struggling to complete a one-year jazz course at Goldsmiths, after being made redundant from his job in advertising. Just like Savvas Fellas, many others are giving up on returning to university.

It’s simply a luxury that cannot be afforded, even though the alternative in the current climate might well be unemployment.

“The government said

they were going to get 50% of people into university. People don’t know what they want to do at 18, but they feel pressured to go. Then, when they want to retrain and get a career, they have to pay megabucks to go back,” says Adam Kasamun, a graduate unwilling to pay £9,000 to £12,000 a year to study Optometry, after his last degree left him jobless.

Derek Aviss, principal of Trinity College and joint principal at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, says “The effect of this legislation is to take a lot of motivated people out of education in order to dish out funding according to a one-sizefits-all formula.”

A spokeswoman from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, defends the ELQs, saying, “There is money going into other areas.

It’s a difficult situation, but you can’t fund everything and if the government put money into all these areas, that’s another strain on the taxpayer. We need to make sure people get their first degree, and the funding is there for that.”

The current economic situation has choked the job market and has left few prospects for graduates – it is in the hope of finding work again that graduates return to uni-

versity, in order to evade this economic crisis and target a sector of work that offers job stability. Unfortunately, this hope is lost with the realization that money, in fact, makes the world go around.

One MP who spoke out against the changes was Labour backbencher Frank Dobson. Mr Dobson criticised the way in which fees are now imposed on students by those from earlier generations who received free education and grants: “You can’t get benefits yourself and then deny them to other people. It would make you a bloody hypocrite.”

During the Q&A session numerous politicians and MPs came forward to sign the NUS pledge to vote against the rise in university tuition fees. The union has said they will make available a list of all those who did sign the pledge and all those who didn’t.

Uni dropout rates to be made public Philip Keech

Prospective university students shall be informed of dropout rates and graduate future earnings before applying for courses, as part of a new government proposal to be unveiled

by the universities secretary, Lord Mandelson.

Proposals will be modelled on a food-labelling system: red meaning bad, amber meaning average and green meaning good. The system will include a list including: what the subject involves, how much teaching time students can expect, how often they will have tutorial and how much independent research is expected. It will also include assessment methods and frequency.

A spokesman for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said: ‘With individual fees being paid students are entitled to expect more and demand more from university. Universities owe it to students to make it clear what range and quality of teaching is being provided.’

Lord Mandelson commented students should be treated more as paying customers and given better information about the quality of their courses before deciding on pursuing a particular university.

The government is expected to review the higher education funding system – with the potential of a change in the structure and a dramatic increase in tuition fees, as a result universities are expected to set out their future priorities

with more investment in better teaching and student experience.

Many top institutions have already pressed ministers to increase fees, amidst fears British universities are falling further behind those in the U.S.A. In America leading universities can charge up to and including £20,000a-year.

It is also expected to recommend greater business involvement in universities and a new form of admission system to identify talented applicants from poorer backgrounds in an attempt to bridge the ever widening gap between middle-class students and top institutions.

However there are already fears on the clarity and accuracy of information. Wes Streeting, president of NUS said: ‘There needs to be very good data included otherwise universities will offer more hours in huge lecture halls and cramped seminars when fewer hours with smaller groups would be much better. The benefits may force universities to drive up quality but it is riddled with risk.’

The statistics will need to be marked in a consistent fashion, in order to fairly promote the university.

Dropout rates and statistics on graduate employment will be given at six months and three years after completing there course, future earnings may also be presented after a similar duration of time.

4

News

Got a news story? news@qmessenger.co.uk

Ruth Faulkner

PROVIDE volunteering is committed to supporting and volunteering our services to various charities, from our local Queen Mary charity READ which we hold close to our collective hearts, to charities whose importance is felt throughout the UK such as the Royal British Legion. So far this year we have given up our time to help an abundance of charities, but our involvement in one of the most prestigious fundraising events of this year has left a lasting effect. The Alternative Hair Show fundraising money for Leukaemia Research left our volunteers with feelings of awe and respect for a very serious charity.

I was lucky enough to speak to a representative of Leukaemia Research, Serena, who explained the importance of the event; “Following the death of his son, Valentino, Tony Rizzo organised the first Alternative Hair Show in 1983 to honour his son and help raise funds for Leukaemia Research. The show turned 27 this year and has raised a fantastic £7million for Leukaemia Research so far. We’re very proud of the show, which crowns the charity’s ‘Special Events’ season and will return in 2010!”

The importance of events such as this one mounts when you take into consideration how the money is being used ;“Money raised from the Alternative Hair Show is used to fund top quality research to improve treatments, make diagnosis more accurate and help find a cure for leukaemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers. We also provide a free information service for blood cancer patients.”

Leukaemia Research is dedicated to researching the disease amongst other blood cancers as well as supporting those suffering from it. In this fundraising and volunteer work is of considerable importance. Serena told us, “In 1960, when Leukaemia Research started, children with leukaemia had almost no hope of survival. Now, thanks to research funded by Leukaemia Research, 9 out of 10 children survive the most common form of leukaemia.”

“Also, 50 years ago treatments were very primitive and extremely toxic for patients. Even if patients responded, any improvement was short lived. Leukaemia Research has invested in clinical trials to find more effective drugs and treatments have greatly improved treatments, meaning more patients live with – not die from - blood cancers.”

“We’re convinced that we must continue to fund quality research – it’s essential lifesaving work. Leukaemia Research receives no Government grants, so we depend entirely on voluntary donations.”

Volunteering is essential to the continuation of the charity’s research, Serena is very close to her volunteers – “Volunteering is right at the heart of Leukaemia Research – we were founded by volunteers and we rely on voluntary donations and support to keep funding the research. We’re lucky to have many enthusiastic volunteers” PROVIDE believes in the importance of its volunteers and their involvement in such charities are clearly appreciated and greatly needed. If you would like to get involved with us, just register on our website and an abundance of opportunities will be sent your way – www.providevolunteering.org

17/11/2009

New government uni league table system John Smith

With another surge in university application this year it is becoming increasingly important for school leavers to be able to differentiate between institutions. Towards this end the government has proposed a league-table style system which would rank universities by student drop out rates, pass rates, employability, starting wage and satisfaction.

The report published by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (Ukces) proposed the shift in policy which would see poorly performing universities being forced to rapidly improve or face closure. The new system would also allow the government to abolish up to thirty quangos involved in planning education provision in England saving hundred of millions of pounds.

It is not only universities that come under the purview of the report, Ukces has sug-

gested that colleges should introduce tuition fees for training courses with the cost being split between student and employer. The government’s response to the proposals will be closely watched by the Conservatives who have themselves promised to scrap quangos and to introduce a new online rating system for universities.

The proposals complement the government’s promise to expand higher education, providing incentives for institutions to both run more vocational courses and to accept ‘risky’ students who might traditionally have missed out on a university place.

Critics are alleging that the government has failed to learn the lessons taught by the league table system for primary and secondary schools which has led to pressure for schools to ‘teach to the test’ at the expense of a rounded education.

Those opposed to the report’s suggestions say that the new system would lead universities to the same fate.

Opposition to research of economic value Edward Martin

Leading scientists and academics across the UK are opposing new government restrictions on funding for scientific research for fear it promotes dogmatism and stifles progress. As scientists claim that the government’s plan to rate research according to its ‘economic usefulness’ and then award funding will wipe out accidental discoveries and scientific leaps forward citing that most of these have occurred by accident.

Critics of the restrictions claim that research such as Watson and Crick’s discovery of the DNA double helix using xray, would never have received funding for their research under the new government guidelines. Issues like this and the fear that this could cause a scientific brain drain as Brit-

ain is almost globally unique in implementing these proposals have led nearly all of Britain’s leading scientific community, including such big names as Richard Dawkins the evolutionary biologist, to oppose this without, at least, a proper trial.

Although the government can claim that in times of recession, which we are supposedly leaving if you follow economic news, government funding for science must be cut and this method preserves as best they can major research which can hopefully yield results which most benefit our society. Also the government points out that only twenty five percent of all scientific funding will

be awarded in this way so a large proportion remains for all forms of scientific research.

However, if you consider that all scientific research is essentially a shot in the dark with no guarantees of success then the notion of trying to put economic viability to scientific research becomes ludicrous. As there is no way of

saying which scientific research will result in discoveries which add the most to our economy and, in a way, all scientific research will add some-

thing to the economy. This could result in the government legislation becoming ultimately meaningless except to promote research which is deemed safe with the most chance of success, which sounds a lot like how funding is awarded in the private sector, causing scientific progress to slow.

Although people should not start panicking yet, the panel deciding this issue, put forward by the Higher Education Council for England, has yet to reach a decision and contains a strong advisory section of three academics. Therefore funding being linked with how the government wants the economy to develop is still a long way from becoming a reality.

News

Got a news story? news@qmessenger.co.uk

17/11/2009

What’s going on in America?

QM’s Nick Thomson reports from across the Atlantic

Hitler referred to Neville Chamberlain as an ‘arsehole’, according to lecturer Liza Edwards

It is easy to see the USA as the lynchpin of democracy, freedom, and all those other hurrah words we like to use so much. As the first constitutional liberal democracy it has shaped most of the worldʼs political institutions. Yet despite these accolades, freedoms and all that, I have come across the rather unnecessarily heavy hand of the law on various social issues that, to me and what I am used to, are simply facts of day-to-day life. Itʼs quite an adjustment.

There isnʼt a shadow of doubt that student life, despite the higher age limit, involves drinking. However, a simple trip to the pub, or when coming home from a house party, requires a much more clandestine approach. The local police force appear to have a zero tolerance approach to the slightest scent of public drunkenness, even just a stumble and they will have you standing on one leg reciting the alphabet.

So public drunkenness is a big no-no, and unfortunately so is public urination. Its not the nicest thing in the world, but pretty likely that we have all done it at some point. And yet the consequences arenʼt simply a slap on the wrist.

No, the logical thing to do is to put you on the sex offenderʼs register, that little tinkle could then haunt you for the rest of your life and unfortunately, the likeliness of public drunkenness and public urination being independent of each other is about as likely as Ant and Deck presenting separate shows.

This is a far cry from the news bulletins on the BBC showing the cheeky shenanigans of boozed up Brits, from Geordie hen nights to the QMʼs own rugby club initiations. Public drunkenness is something we accept as a norm, similar footage on FOX, no matter how fair and balanced it is renowned for being, would most likely be about a riot, not a typical Saturday night out.

Of course such behaviour is easy to avoid, but that isnʼt the point. The fact that you have to consider that even the slightest sign that youʼve have a pint or two could mean you end up in the drunk tank, takes a little getting used to. This is why we got rid of the Puritans.

5

The Head of MI5 wrote to Neville Chamberlain and warned him that Hitler regularly referred to him as an “arsehole”, a Cambridge Professor revealed in a lecture to the Mile End Group (MEG) last Tuesday.

Professor Christopher Andrew, writer of the first authorised history of MI5, explained that Vernon Kell, the first Head of the organisation in 1909, was growing exasperated by Chamberlain’s strategy of appeasement.

“In the aftermath of the Munich Crisis, after providing Neville Chamberlain with arguments that appeasement would only encourage Hitler, he had to decide: how do you tell the truth to a power who doesn’t want to listen? He was a deeply introverted individual, but wrote to Neville Chamberlain that Hitler regularly referred to him as an ‘arsehole’. It passed through Lord Halifax who had never seen the word in print before.”

The lecture, entitled ‘100th Anniversary of MI5’, discussed more revelations in Professor Andrew’s book, The Defence of the Realm and the motivations behind producing the authorised history.

Referring to the work of Sherman Kent, an American intelligence scholar, Professor Andrew said: “Intelligence is the only profession that lacks serious literature. The methods, vocabulary, its fundamental theory, etc, run the risk of nev-

er reaching maturity. You couldn’t have economics or politics without theory and history. If you don’t know your past, you don’t know anything.

“If you leave a really important area of academic research a virgin, it will be polluted by conspiracy theorists and fantasists. Polls have shown a majority of Americans believe the CIA were involved in the assassination of John F Kennedy. Anybody who believes that may have a mental health problem”.

Professor Andrew relayed the story of a young intelligence officer who went to the depths of the third world to interview a tribal chief on official business. He presumed the chief did not know any English but was met with ‘Hello Mr Bond’.

“Intelligence is the only profession when a fictional character is better known than the real character. The British are the ‘brand leader’ of intelligence,” he said, adding “ One shouldn’t boast too much, but why not?”

Professor Andrew studied with Professor Peter Hennessey, Director of MEG, under the historian and wartime cryptanalyst Sir Harry Hinsley.

Professor Hennessey said Sir Hinsley “would not have believed this book was out and would not have approved of it,” but added: “there is real gold between the covers” for future PhD and Masters theses and he hopes that MI5 would now put successive tranches of documents in the National Archives.

Dr Jon Davis, Executive Director of MEG, said he found the lecture “fascinating” and “energetic”.

“Baroness Shirley Williams de-

Chamberlain called an ‘arsehole’ by Hitler, according to lecturer scribed the MEG as a blend of ‘inside intelligence, utter enjoyability and fearsome anecdote’. I would add that it is informal yet of the highest standard, with attendees treated as honoured guests in the old-fashioned East End manner. One hopefully goes home with the rare expe-

rience of having learnt something and enjoyed themselves.”

es that in the present financial climate, the idea of a large rise in fees is immensely inconsiderate on the part of university vice-chancellors. The UCU (University and Colleges Union) also recognises how a strategy to raise fees would only ‘damage plans to open up university to the brightest students, rather than just those who can afford tuition fees.’

Many middle class students struggle as it is to pay the ever increasing tuitions fees with the limited grant that is available to them.

It seems that the government’s plans only penalize these students, forcing them to pay for the education of their poorer colleagues,

when they can barely afford their own. With the current recession, moreover, such students are having and will have serious difficulty managing to pay off the loans they have accumulated. If anything the government’s bright idea to raise tuition fees will go on to cut off many from higher education. As stated by Sally Hunt, general secretary of UCU: “Increasing fees or the other financial barriers that so many students and parents come up against when considering university is certainly not the way to deliver a world-class university system.”

For more information on events and to view the lecture online, visit: www.meg.qmul.ac.uk.

Official figure for tuition fee rise due in Autumn of 2010

Janani Rathakrishnan

An official figure for the rise in tuition fees will not be given until autumn next year. According to the debates of MPs, however, the figure appears to be set to rise anywhere between £5,000 to £7,000 in order to not only fund research for universities, but to also financially help poorer students. If the tuition fees were to rise to £7,000, for instance, more than £2,000 of this could be used to fund students of a financially challenged background. Critics, on the other hand, argue that an increase in the bursary available to such students is not what

is holding many of them back from attending university, the top universities in particular. Rather, it is down to their own decisions and as for the latter, most do not achieve the necessary grades.

The NUS were frustrated by the notion of raising tuition fees to help poorer students. The average student debt already accumulates to about £15,000 in maintenance fees to cover the cost of living out over the three years. Such a ‘vast expense’, they suggest, may well deter students from deprived backgrounds from attending university. The president of the NUS, Wes Streeting, takes a sensible approach to the issue. He recognis-

6

Comment

Got a comment to make? comment@qmessenger.co.uk

17/11/2009

Student Comment

Got something to say? Email comment@qmessenger.co.uk

THE DEBATE: Should we join the EU? The EU, The Lisbon Treaty and Political In- The EU - The world is changing and we must change with it... tegration: Way too far, and then some...

Thomas Pursglove

The Lisbon Treaty is a disaster for Britain, having been signed up so willingly by our unelected Prime Minister.

Lisbon signifies a complete betrayal of Britain on two levels: firstly the British people were denied the referendum promised by the Labour Party in its 2005 election manifesto, while this ratified treaty now gives European bureaucrats in Brussels the power to suck up British sovereign powers, without permission and without adequate scrutiny - the dreaded European ‘superstate’ is officially here.

Integration has clearly gone too far, when the man responsible for taking brave British troops into Iraq, the man who promised the nonexistent referendum on his party’s behalf and the man who along with Gordon Brown sold our gold reserves off at ‘rock-bottom,’ ‘bargain basement’ prices is being touted as our first President of the ‘superstate’ (Tony Blair). His judgment was flawed then, so why should we trust him now?

It is in this respect that the Conservative backbenchers, unjustly vilified in the Labour-leaning press, are absolutely right to be hugely concerned by the impacts of the legislation that comes into law on the 1st December.

The ability for the EU to seize any power it wishes is a constitutional disaster for Britain and it undermines further the whole purpose of European entry to the EEC in 1973

on economic and trading grounds. It is in this sense that William Hague, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, is both courageous and vindicated in setting the Conservative Party’s sights on repatriating powers from Brussels, despite admitting: “Will we get back a bit of abuse for it? Yes, but that won’t make a difference.”

In order to achieve this, the Conservative Party has made it clear that if it wins the next election, they will prohibit, by law, the transfer of further power to the EU without a referendum, rightly making it impossible for a British government to transfer power to the EU without the British people’s consent.

Secondly, they will introduce a United Kingdom Sovereignty Bill to make it clear that ultimate authority lies in this country, in our Parliament. It is clear that these measures are essential if we are to restore public trust in politics in this country and if we are also to successfully protect

our national interests in the way that both Germany and France does, although theirs are often aided even further

by British taxpayer’s money channelled through the EU. Action clearly has to be taken if we are to reverse the damage caused to our economy and public services by aspects of European Union membership. At the same time, government has a duty to restore public faith in politicians and ensure that government has Britain’s best interests at heart. European integration has gone way, way beyond what the people of this country agreed to in 1973 and Britain undeniably needs to renegotiate its ties with the EU in order to protect both its sovereignty and its interests. It is for this very reason that time is of the essence and David Cameron’s initiatives will provide Britain with the tools it requires to ensure these much needed changes and a return of the term ‘In Europe, not ran

by Europe.’

George McFarlane

British politics has long since become a battle for the centre ground. Shorn of the class warfare so prominent in the 1970s and 80s, few issues polarise. This is not necessarily a bad thing – witness the misery caused by America’s “national conversation” over healthcare reform. Not satisfied with raising legitimate concerns about the cost and efficacy of the proposals, conservative pundits foam at the mouth with talk of NHS death panels and President Obama’s Stalinist tendencies. It is at first glance uncharacteristic that Britain’s debate over “Europe” is equally vitriolic.

The lexicon is absurd.

One is either a federalist or a little Englander; europhile or eurosceptic; pro- or anti-European. I do not fault this newspaper for seeking to present the topic in such terms – it aims quite rightly to represent the debate as it exists nationally. But I take issue with being labelled “Europhile”, as if my idea of a romantic evening is sharing a glass of rosé with José Manuel Barroso, as we leaf through an unabridged copy of the Lisbon Treaty.

The European Union is flawed. It is not democratic enough, it wastes money, it makes bad decisions and it is self-obsessed. It is, in fact, very similar to most public entities, international organisations and successive British governments. This does not mean we should throw the baby out with the bathwater by abolishing it. On the contrary, it is imperative that we make it work better.

As we mark the twentieth anniversary of the fall

of the Berlin Wall, it is clear the predicted “end of history” was not to be. Year by year, power and influence flows from West to East; to an emerging China and a resurgent Russia. These countries are not our friends and, as the United States declines in relative terms, its security guarantees and trade matter progressively less. There is a challenge common to all European nations: how to ensure that, thirty years from now, we remain prosperous, free and relevant?

It is unrealistic to suggest that this can be achieved through membership of a loose trade bloc.

The EU’s greatest strength is its ability to speak with a single voice in world affairs – would we prefer to negotiate with China (GDP $4.3 trillion) as Britain (GDP $2.6 trillion) or as the European Union (GDP $18.3 trillion)? Will the president of Russia (population 142 million) pay more attention to the UK (pop. 61 million) or the EU as a whole (pop. 500 million)?

The EU must become more accountable; the President of the European Council should not be picked in smoke-filled rooms, but voted for by citizens. It should waste less money; farm subsidies should be abolished, the outrage of the European Parliament alternating between Brussels and Strasbourg must end.

It is, however, naïve to demand a return to the model of the nineteenth century nation state; Britannia no longer rules the waves. The world is changing and we must change with it.

Comment

Got a comment to make? comment@qmessenger.co.uk

17/11/2009

Just how positive are the London 2012 Olympics?

Tom Maltby

The Olympic Games have been a cause for great and widespread jubilation across the political and economic sectors, as well as with large support from the populace. It is seen as bringing prestige and wealth, and promoting a positive element of our society; sport. Yet will London hosting the 2012 Olympic Games result in as positive a ‘change,’ as we are led to believe, or will other public projects, such as the World Athletics Championships stadium at Picketts Lock, fail?

Already, the cost of the Games itself has risen from £2.375 billion to £9.3 billion. £2 billion of this has

come from Lottery funding, resulting in significantly reduced funds available for grass roots projects such as community sport initiatives.

The stadiums are also constructed in complicated one-off designs making them more difficult to use after 2012.

It will have a negative impact on the environment. But despite promises that no public open space would be lost, the media centre has been built on 13.5 Acres of Arena Fields Public Open Space. There will also be an increasing pressure for new runways at Heathrow, Stansted and Luton airports, especially as ‘Crossrail’ won’t be ready in time. Given the environmental crisis, this must all be challenged!

It was promised, at first, that the ‘Olympics will lead to the creation of 4,000 new affordable homes for people in east London.’

In terms of housing, many people have been physically displaced from their homes to make way for building projects, and with rents set to soar this will increase due to financial affordability.

So in conclusion, although the Games promise benefit to our coun-

try, which we are constantly being informed about, it also poses difficulties. These difficulties lie in areas such as the environment, work, housing, reduction in grass root projects and injustice in the economical benefits felt, with the profit mostly going to multi-nationals. There has been little public scrutiny so far and with the project unstoppable, a clear statement must be set for any such future events: the public must

have a far greater say and be informed of far great knowledge.

Has CRB vetting gone too far this time?

Monty McShane

Vetting seems to be the watchword of the government at the minute.

All adults are seen as potential paedophiles, murderers or simply evil, corrupting influences on children.

Criminal Records Bureau checks for working with vulnerable people have become compulsory for many jobs. I’ve been CRB checked for volunteering in a primary school, which I have no problem with, but what I do have a problem with is what I see as the ineffectiveness of the system.

There has been public outrage at the conviction of nursery worker Vanessa George for sexual abuse of the children in her care. Naturally, George was CRB checked, but it did

not stop her perpetrating abuse.

The trouble with a CRB is that it only finds what a person has done, not what they may do or what they do in secret. CRB checks are fast becoming a cumbersome, expensive and ineffective way to ensure children’s safety.

The Independent Safeguarding authority has spearheaded a new ‘Vetting and Barring’ scheme which will be phased in. It looks at sources of information other than from the police, so it is seen as more effective than CRB checks. However, many parents have already voiced their opinion that the new system is far too complicated and intrusive.

Vetting has been taken to extremes in Watford, where in two open access play areas parents are now unable to play with their children. Adults are not allowed into the play areas with the exception of council-vetted ‘play rangers.’ This is a worrying step on the way to a society where no adults are trusted and the state is more responsible for child-rearing than parents.

Our government now seems to think it knows better than parents when it comes to pro-

tecting their children. As horrific as these instances of abuse and murder by strangers are, they are also extremely rare and the number remains relatively consistent year by year. Wrapping children in cotton wool and sidelining parents is not the way forward, so where do we go from here?

7

8

Reviews

Written a review? reviews@qmessenger.co.uk

17/11/2009

REVIEWS

write a review and send it to reviews@qmessenger.co.uk

Musical Theatre

Sex, sex, sex: Chicago Rebecca Wynter

Sex, sex, sex. Forget Stringfellows, head round the corner to the Cambridge Theatre. “Murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery and treachery – all those things we hold near and dear to our hearts.” The opening line of Chicago, and boy, do those sinister promises hold true to the musical’s show-stopping story.

Sassy quirky chorus girl Roxie Hart murders her lover. A series of kiss-and-tell events follow keeping her trial date top priority in the journalism height of the 1920s twilight world of ‘jazz and liquor’ gossip columns. Competing with jailbird murderess Velma Kelly for press attention, the fight for celebrity status and synthetically sincere greaseball lawyer Billy Flynn exposes the audience to the satirical realities of the gullibly puppet-strung American justice system: “as long as you keep ‘em way off balance, how can they spot you’ve got not talents?”

With a big band orchestra weaved into the minimalistic set, the ludicrously insane conductor leapt about all over the place, high on ‘All That Jazz’, reflecting the madness of the cynical tale. Dressed only in black, the chorus line is carefully choreographed using Bob Fosse’s

self-named unique dance styles oozing sexual tension and elegant seductivity.

Some theatre-goers have been disappointed by the onstage show due to their direct comparison to the 2002 movie starring Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta Jones.

The live show uses physical theatre to create the surrounds with minimalistic props and simply black costumes, unlike the full glitz and glamour of the jazz hall film set. But the lack of movie special effects is counteracted by the sheer brilliance of theatrical artform.

The ‘Razzle Dazzle’ dancer’s bending positions proved that spines can be made of putty and the ‘Seven Merry Murderesses’ provoked the audience with their iconic ‘Cell Block Tango’ chair routine.

Burlesque prison matron Mama Morton roused the crowd with her slippery take on life and undistinguished devoted husband ‘Mr Cellophane’ pines to the audience like a neglected puppy.

An amalgamation of dark humour, sleaze and a sceptical outlook on press sensationalism, the musical has dark undertones that still ring true to today’s celebrity culture obsessed society. This message punches home with energy and class, proving just why Chicago has won six Tony Awards.

With smokey eyes, stockings and slender limbs, balanced by the other gender’s tap dancing eight packs - both sexes in the upper circles will be reaching for those 50p

binoculars. And believe me, it’s worth paying extra for the closeup front row muscle definition. I’ll end on a WARNING that this musical is NOT for the sexually frustrated:

Books

Frankie Boyle: My Shit Life So Far Rebecca Wynter

“What kind of person buys the autobiography of a panel show contestant? Wake up you cunt.”; the typically blunt preface of Frankie Boyle’s new book ‘My Shit Life So Far’.

Abusively obscene, and certainly not sugar-coated, the blackest comedian from BBC’s ‘Mock the Week’ headlocks you into the most insulting memoir published this November.

Grippingly hilarious I was glued to the pages and read it in a matter of hours. Brilliantly inappropriate, Frankie writes in his trademark stand-up style merging his anecdotes with bleak dystopian rants.

Born into the “aching cement void, a slap in the face to childhood” in Glasgow’s Pollockshaw, Frankie drags you through his Catholic upbringing and teenage sexual awakenings. “In those days if you glimpsed a nipple on TV it was like porn Christmas.”

His taboo-busting humour

hits a new low when you find out his first job was working in a mental hospital proving dryly that nothing is out-of-bounds for this comedian.

Although he can speak the unspeakable, Frankie glosses over drug addictions and his failed marriage by substituting some areas of his private life with his topical comedy rants. Expect pathological views on celebrity culture, religion, homophobia, paedophilia, global warming and of course Princess Di. Continuing to earn his title as

the nemesis of political correctness, Frankie showcases his cruelly intelligent comedy in this autobiography and clearly doesn’t give a toss regarding his throttling likeability factor.

RATING: 8/10

guaranteed you will leave the theatre wanting to jump on the nearest man/woman/animal/ or battery operated device...

RATING: 9/10

Reviews

Written a review? reviews@qmessenger.co.uk

17/11/2009

Christmas

Venues

Rebecca Wynter

Josephine O’Hare

Get your skates on!

Yes its only mid-november, but the oxford street lights are on, the mulled wine is bubbling, the coca-cola advert is erupting all over – I think it’s time to strap on the skates.

With over seven different London venues to choose from, the ice rinks are the ideal outing to set the mood for the festive celebrations.

If you want to treat smaller siblings then the 1050sqm National History Museum’s rink provides a childfriendly setting. For shaky skaters, the Somerset House rink provides the cheapest student group lessons at £7.50. Slide over to the Tower of London’s rink for the grandest historical backdrop.

Or for the full-blown festive experience, Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland will deliver the santa’s sack of

Food:

goods.

For the nearest frozen fix to Queen Mary Campus – hop on the D7 or DLR to Canada Square’s rink.

Serenely glide/humiliatingly stumble around this outdoor rink surrounded by the glassy vertical towers of Canary Wharf. For the fifth year in a row, the square will be covered in ice accompanied by twinkly decor and seasonal music. The rinkside Moose bar is 50% bigger than last year’s venue, providing plenty of space for the romantic wooers and plenty of alcoholic beverages to numb the pains of the inevitable bumps and bruises.

At a student concession rate of £9, it is as affordable as any of the other rinks. Opening November 14th to February 21st you should have plenty of time to experience the spectacular sights, skates, and inexorable abrasions.

RATING: 6/10

9

Scruffy Jazz Den: Jazz After Dark More grunge then glamour, this scruffy little jazz den in the heart of Soho is an enchantment to fans of live music. A row of simple cafe tables and booth style benches line each wall, seemingly more Parisian Bistro then Soho Jazz Bar, leading to a small live stage at the far end of the room.

It is intimate. The cliental are a mixed bunch; European accents buzz throughout the front bar, chatting over the husky tones of Bob Dylan. Live music begins at nine, continuing till one thirty, and at weekends, ten till two thirty. Different jazz and blues bands play each night, the listings for which are posted on the website a month in advance. The continental, laid-back atmosphere and close quarters lend themselves to an intimate evening - a cocktail pitcher with a friend? A bottle of wine with a date? Cocktails are six quid a pop, and house wine starts from fourteen pounds – neither the classiest you’ll have tasted, or most elegantly served, but adequate and inkeeping; the unrefined quirks compile the bar’s charm.

Jazz After Dark offers food; a ‘prix fixe’ menu of three courses at £10.95 – value? Indeed. Quality? Not so much. Music, cocktails and conversation are the order of the evening, and therefore dinner or tapas before hand at one of the

many brilliant foodie joints spilling onto the pavements of Greek Street is definitely the way to go.

It’s best to arrive before the music starts, after which point it’s at least a fiver on the door. The soulful blues trio playing last Wednesday seduced the crowd with ease, occasionally turning up the tempo with some funky jazz. The venue is most famous for its gorilla gigs – Amy Winehouse pops in one Thursday a month, and Pete Doherty is a near regular.

The co-owner and exhibiting artist took great delight in showing me the contacts on his phone, but disappointingly refused my request to see if Pete was up to much that evening. Gutted. Each time I visit, a small part of me genuinely believes it’ll be a case of ‘right time, right

place’, and an impromptu gig will erupt; so far no joy, but the possibility is very real.

A word of warning: the artwork..! Impressively lifelike oil paint portraits clad all possible wall space. As much as I like her music, there’s only so many Amy Winehouse’s one’s comfortable with before things take a turn in the creepy, shrine-like direction..! However, for an evening with a twist, Jazz After Dark is very cool, providing a half way house between the raucous party atmosphere of Ain’t Nothing But The Blues Bar, and the highly exclusive, swanky Ronnie Scotts, both a stone’s throw away (and if you get the bug, both equally worth a visit too!)

RATING: 7/10

OK, this isn’t strictly a student restaurant: St. John’s

Josephine O’Hare

No, ok, this isn’t a ‘student restaurant’ – it is far, far bigger than us, (and possibly our budgets!). It is a cult classic; the Holy Grail to all foodies. It is the first, and last word on British Cookery. It’s St. John in Farringdon, and it’s ace.

Fergus Henderson and his brigade at St. John have done more for British cooking then any ecofriendly, Essex-boy-next-door, or his egotistical, adulterous archnemesis combined! He has stripped away any classical francais overtones that shadow the idea of ‘British cuisine’, and avoided the clutter of ‘fusion flavours’ (which I acknowledge have inspired beautiful, innovative foods, but are out of place at St. John).

The menu boldly celebrates our coast lines and abundance of wildlife, with gutsy and hearty flavours.

Henderson single handily popularised offal in a contempory context, bringing it into the forefront

of the restaurant scene; a concept he refers to as ‘Nose to Tail eating’ – thrifty and inspired. Why waste?

Indeed, the animal is long dead, so be economical and use all possible parts. Why stick to the popular and conventional cuts of meat, more expensive and shorter on flavour?

Such a philosophy shapes St. John’s originality and entirely unique menu; Pressed Pork and Gizzard?

Ox Heart and Chips? Snails, Sausage and Chick Peas? These dishes exemplify the ingenuity of Fergus Henderson. The restaurant’s best seller is a Roast Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad (£6.90), never to stray from the menu; char grilled toast to be spread with all the succulent buttery, crackling, roast pork flavours of the marrow... simply too good!

There utter lack of pretension in the food, is mirrored in the decor. St. John is white, and minimalist. It initially has the cold, airy feel of a dairy house, swiftly to be filled with the hot, noisy clatter of a packed bar area, where one can en-

joy starters with drink. The chatter resounds with a slight echo up into the lofty heights of the vacant space above. The simple wooden tables and chairs, and the unfinished concrete floor, enhance this feeling of space, and allow the flavours of the food and wine to speak with conviction, uninterrupted. This minimalism continues into the menu, where the items ‘do what they say on the tin’. If one orders Whole Plaice and Tartar Sauce (£17.80), that alone is what one will get - literally a whole white fish, but the freshest and firmest, simply grilled and plated, with a side of bold home-made tartar sauce.

Any delicious accompaniments must be ordered separately; Welsh Rarebit? Sprout Tops? (£3.00) My friend and I indulged in the Pheasant and Trotter Pie for two (realistically it could’ve been for three), and Oh. My. God. The gamey, autumnal smells rouse your appetite, and make your taste buds sit up and take notice; it doesn’t get more succulent then this.

To slight critical confusion St. John was awarded a star in the 2009 Michelin Guide – why?

Some would argue it has nothing in common, with those who share this honour. It isn’t ‘fine dining’ by definition, and it doesn’t pride itself in its command of classical French techniques. It doesn’t garnish with ridiculously annoying cheffy micro herbs one can’t flick off soon enough, and it doesn’t faff about with silver service or starched linen table cloths. I would argue St. John

was rightly awarded this star, because it is indeed not any of these things, yet produces some of the best food in London. It is incredibly proud of its unique values and identity and its food is perfectly executed with class. It is regional and seasonal to the letter of the law, with no frills (or nauseating celebrity status). I unreservedly give St. John a

RATING: 10/10

10

Film

Like films? film@qmessenger.co.uk

17/11/2009

What other people thought...

The Men Who Stare At Goats

Alex MacDonald

The Men Who Stare At Goats is the debut feature length film from director Grant Heslov and as far as debuts go, it’s ambitious.

The basic idea behind the film is that, in the 1970’s and 80’s, the army recruited soldiers into an experimental project investigating the use of psychic powers in warfare, with the intention of seeing the future, locating things anywhere in the world and the titular act of being able to stop a goat’s heart by staring at it. The kicker in this idea is that it’s supposedly based on a true story.

Now, this is the main issue I have with the film – I don’t know a lot about the story, although I was aware of the Crazy Rulers of the World series that dealt with the story on Channel 4. So I’m more than willing to believe that these experiments did take place – that’s believable enough. The problem comes with the way the film presents it; related by one of the soldiers recruited into the project, Lyn Cassidy (George Cloo-

ney), to struggling journalist Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor, presumably representing the book’s author, Jon Ronson) as they travel through Iraq on a “secret mission”. Like I said, I don’t know much about the topic, but I’m guessing this part didn’t happen.

The film opens with the witty title card: “More of this is based on a true story than you would think.” A clever gesture, but it still doesn’t really excuse the confusion. Still, if this doesn’t bother you, then there’s plenty to like about it – the film is hugely enjoyable.

It’s an ensemble cast – Ewan McGregor, George Clooney, Jeff Bridges (reprising his Dude persona) and Kevin Spacey; these guys couldn’t be bad if they tried, particularly when it comes to the kind of quirky satire on display here.

The film is very well written – often very funny, deadpan, sometimes quite dark. I’d also like to note that it’s the first film I’ve seen where the criticism of the Iraq war is presented through brutal, gritty, horror-of-war realism, but with a sardonic, black wit that I think actually helps hammer the point home better.

There is another problem with the film though – unevenness in tone. Half the time, the film seems to be chastising and mocking the “Jedis” (as the psychic soldiers refer to themselves) and the other half of the time it seems to be in support of them and their idealised worldview. I suppose you could say this gives the film a more diverse perspective, but it does make it confusing where your loyalties should lie. Is Lyn Cassidy a nutter, or is he a genuine “super-soldier”? The filmmaker certainly doesn’t know and neither will you, although you couldn’t really expect them to just tell you, I suppose...

Anyway, it doesn’t really change the fact that the film is fun, quirky, satirical, intelligent and hugely enjoyable throughout. It owes more than a tad to the Coen Brothers (not to mention featuring half their regular cast), but that’s no bad thing. If you just stop trying to get head around what’s “real” and what’s not, then there’s no reason you shouldn’t like this film.

STARS:****

“The Men Who Stare at Goats is pretty much what you’d expect from a film bearing that title: an oddball, off-the-wall comedy. It’s fitfully amusing, with some genuinely hysterical bits, but it’s also an unfocused, incoherent and silly mess without any real point.

Still, it’s a passable enough waste of 93 minutes, provided you aren’t too discriminating in your tastes.”

Hancock_the_Superb “I liked it, good performances and pretty funny scenes.”

Indie_Film “One of the best titles of the year actually, but the film is a mess. A well acted mess, but still a mess. It just never really took off. A few scenes were good, but it was mostly dull. I like the title for it’s humorous directness.”

El DustinD “I just came back from watching this film at my school, SUNY Purchase, and I must say I was pretty satisfied. The film is interesting and was very clever and witty. George Clooney was hilarious in his role as Lyn Cassady and Ewan McGregor was perfect for his role. Besides Clooney, my favorite character was Jeff Bridges. He hasn’t disappointed me before and doesn’t seem like he ever will. Kevin Spacey’s character kind of annoyed me and was a bit of an arrogant jerk...but... with Kevin Spacey...it should have been expected.”

Linkinpark291991 Views compiled from IMDb.com

Classic: The Great McGinty Alex MacDonald

The Great McGinty was the directorial debut of Preston Sturges, maybe the first auteur of American cinema – the first man who wrote and directed his own films and imbued them with his own personality and style.

Arguably, at least. The Great McGinty involves Dan McGinty (a very sardonic Brian Donlevy), an all-around loser who, after managing to vote

over 20 times in the city’s mayoral elections, gets conscripted into its corrupt political system and manages to make his way to governor. After building his whole career on a series of lies and deceptions, he suddenly throws it all away on one moment of honesty.

The film, like most Preston Sturges movies, focuses on the personal ambitions of small men in the crazy world in which they live – how moralities and ambitions do not

go hand in hand with success in a corrupt and cynical system.

The dialogue is witty, sharp and remarkably ahead of its time. If the style could be compared to anyone, it would be the Coen brothers, whose film O Brother Where Art Thou, was a tribute (of sorts) to Preston Sturges’ Sullivan’s Travels. If the style could be described as anything it would be existentialist screwball. If that sounds like your sort of thing – check

it out!

STARS:***

Science & Environment

Got a story? science@qmessenger.co.uk

17/11/2009

11

Build your own penis!

Tissue created in a laboratory has been successfully used to completely replace the erectile tissue of the penis in animals. The advance raises hopes of being able to restore full function to human penises that have been damaged by injury or disease.

The clan of eunoch rabbits who were given the engineered tissue by the

scientists from Wake Forest University in North Carolina had normal function and produced offspring.

Professor Anthony Atala said: “Further studies are required, of course, but our results are encouraging and suggest that the technology has considerable potential for patients who need penile reconstruction.”

In case you didn’t already know, during an erection, it is the relax-

ation of smooth muscle tissue that allows and influx of bloody into the penis. The relaxation is triggered by the release of nitric oxide from endothelial cells. Tests showed that vessel pressure within the engineered tissue was normal and that the blood flowed smoothly through it and drained away from it normally after an erection.

QM Physics continues to shine across the globe The department of Physics at Queen Mary, University of London has continued to make itself known on the world stage.

The department has been ranked at joint 8th in the UK (and 78th in the world) and the College overall has ranked at an equal 59th in Europe and joint 152nd top university in the world, placing it in the top 10 percent of higher education institutions.

The Shanghai’s Jiaotong University evaluates and ranks more than 2.000 universities around the world to compile their top 500 ‘Academ-

ic Ranking of World Universities’, as well as listing the top 100 in individual subjects.

Unlike its unreliable British counterparts, Shanghai’s rankings are based on a combined scale of academic criteria that include awards won by alumni and staff, articles published in leading scientific journals, and the number of highly cited researchers. The ranking method of the University is widely regarded as the most influential international ranking. Head of Physics, Professor William Spence praised the work of his colleagues, saying: “This is a recog-

nition of excellence and the hard work of our staff. Queen Mary’s Department of Physics is growing rapidly in strength and stature, our research is in the most fundamental and fast-moving areas, and our students are very satisfied with their degrees and their job prospects. We look forward to continuing success.”

Furthermore, Pat Power of the International Office at Queen Mary commented that “Queen Mary’s position of 152 puts us above the London School of Economics and even Shanghai Jiaotong University itself.”

Mauro Perretti, Professor of Immunopharmacology at Queen Mary, University of London, led the UK team. He said: “We have known for some time that fish oils can help with conditions like arthritis which are linked to inflammation. What we’ve shown here is how the body processes a particular ingredient of fish oils into Resolvin D2. We’ve also looked in detail at this chemical, determining at least some of the ways it relieves inflammation. It seems to be a very powerful chemical and a

small amount can have a large effect.”

“This research is important because it explains at least one way in which fish oils can help in different types of arthritis. We can also work on this chemical and see if it can be used not only to treat or even prevent arthritis, but also as a possible treatment for a variety of other diseases associated with inflammation.”

Something Fishy between Harvard and Queen Mary New research from Queen Mary, University of London and Harvard Medical School has revealed how taking fish oils can help with conditions such as arthritis. A paper, published in Nature today showed how researchers found the body converts an ingredient found in fish oils into another chemical called Resolvin D2, and how this chemical reduces the inflammation that leads to a variety of diseases.

Did you know... n Before you take off into space on your first ever commercial space flight, a change in the law is needed before Scotland can be considered as a launch site for Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic route to the stars. The firm’s president Will Whitehorn said locations in Scotland and Sweden were being considered as bases for Virgin’s European operations. But UK laws would have to be amended to al-

low space flights to take place.

The airline, or space-line, expects to start taking fare-paying passengers on short space hops in the next few years, but claims current rules would prevent launches from the UK. n A study in mice has suggested the impact that early life trauma and stress can have on genes, and how they can result in behavioural

problems. The naughty mice produced hormones that “changed” their genes, affecting their behaviour throughout their lives. This work could provide clues to how stress and trauma in early life can lead to later problems. Like Queen Mary students, the mice were separated from their mothers for long durations of time and were forced to spend hours of isolation in a sealed container every day.

QM Environment

The future’s bright, the future’s Geographicool!

Ginny Benardout

npower, one of the nation’s biggest energy suppliers, is running a competition find the UK’s greenest students. While they’ve profited hugely from our energy needs, their plan is both to find ways to curb the damage we are doing to the environment, as well as sourcing potential employees for their ever-expanding company.

So over a two-week period we will be running a recycling competition between 5 local primary schools to promote green habits in the next generation. It’s not necessarily about recycling ‘X-’amount of material though, rather about getting the next generation to change their living habits. We’ll be going to the schools, giving assemblies and handing out green goody-bags to make being environmentally friendly at home a bit more fun.

Being given the opportunity to make a difference to the local community on a significant scale is not an opportunity one gets very often, so we’re all really keen to make the most of it. Plus, let’s be honest, Tower Hamlets needs a facelift.

The team from Queen Mary (myself, Amy Ennis, Tom Langley and Sophie Webb – pictured left-to-

right in our spiffing team t-shirts) made it into the top 10 of all entrants into the competition, so were invited to a team-building weekend in the Lake District. While this was used to assess the keenness of the teams competing and some of their environmental schemes, it was also a good way to determine our chances if we were to win the prize: a trip to the Antarctic.

It has been said that to combat climate change and reverse our oilhungry ways we need a revolution equal to the industrial revolution, and the only way we can realistically achieve this is by massive numbers of people making do-able lifestyle changes.

After an amazing weekend in the Lake District (if you’re cool like us and enjoy walking 18 km a day), we were left hungrier than ever to win the competition, as not only will we be helping to change a generation’s ideas on climate change, but hopefully slowing the rate of global warming will make the Antarctic last a little longer, so someday these same children might be able to participate in a similar competition, and thus the circle is complete.

For more information on the competition, visit the website: http:// www.npower.com/futureleaders/

Sport

Interested in sport? sports@qmessenger.co.uk

17/11/2009

How to be a great team-player

McCourt’s brace separates title challengers

Deanne Roberts

Darren McGuinness

Team cohesion is the tendency for a group of people to stick together and is VERY important in determining the success of that team. Social cohesion includes those Wednesday nights, and possibly weekends, when you meet up and have a drink (or two, if you’re feeling adventurous) and generally get down and boogie. Although this activity will help you bond with your teammates, it is more important to increase your TASK cohesion levels.

Task cohesion refers to working together as a team to achieve common goals and has a very positive effect on performance levels. You’ve probably seen examples of (or been in) teams that don’t get along but are generally successful, and others that get on really well but can’t seem to do the right things during competitions.

What can team members do?

• Get to know the members of the team – the better you know each other, the more open you can be about decisions and plans for the team.

• Help team members whenev-

er possible – this will create team spirit and bring team-mates closer together.

• Give team members positive reinforcement – supporting teammates, instead of being negative and critical, goes a long way toward building trust and support.

• Be responsible – team members should not habitually blame others for poor performances. Blaming services no useful purpose.

When things are not going well, players should try to make positive, constructive changes and get themselves back on track.

• Resolve conflicts immediately – team-mates don’t need to be the best of friends to perform well, but it is detrimental to the team if negative feelings are allowed to build up.

• Give 100% effort at all times – working hard, especially during practice, helps bring the team together.

• Communicate honestly and openly with the coach or captain – the better everyone understands one another, the better the chances for team success and

Crossword No. 5

harmony.

What can the coach/captain do?

• Set challenging group goals – this has a positive effect on team performance as it keeps the players focused and gives them a common goal to strive to.

• Conduct team meetings throughout the season – this would allow positive and negative feelings to be honestly, openly, and constructively expressed. The team can then collectively decide on the best way to build on or resolve these.

• Avoid formation of social cliques – these usually benefit just a few members of the team – at the expense of alienating most other members. Cliques usually form when their team is losing, when their needs are not being met, or when the coach/captain treats team-mates differently. The coach/captain should mix-up team-mate pairings and groups during warm-ups and training, and should actively attempt to get all team-mates to attend team functions.

Hard

Dobby’s Dominatrix(-es) once again took their opponents all the way in the league as they recorded their third straight victory.

While their match was dogged with firsts, notably the first time they’ve conceded in the league this year, plus the first time Stacey Nicholl hadn’t scored for them, it was matched with more positive virginity-busters; the first time Nicholl hadn’t played for them (illness ruled her out), and the first time Kirsten Mejnertsen had found the backboard in numerous forward appearances.

They went ahead after sustained pressure through Mejnertsen, who cashed in when a shortcorner failed to be cleared, and after another similar break had seemed to lose momentum, Rose McCourt hustled her way through to claim the Leopardettes’ second.

Indeed, much like Nicholl’s goal against Hertfordshire the opposition protested, but if it wasn’t to be awarded a goal the only other option for the umpires was to award

QM a penalty flick.

The hosts got sloppy towards the end, as a good attacking move from the visitors resulted in a goal back, but at 2-1 at half time it was a justifiable scoreline. Despite this, Kent genuinely thought they were in with a shout, and it was up to Emily Dobson’s half-time team-talk to convince the hosts that defeat was out of the question.

Elaine Penniket again fired home from a short corner to restore the 2-goal advantage ten minutes into the second half, but another poor showing at the back led to a scrambled Kent score to bring the Canterbury-based outfit back to within one.

However, despite unrelenting pressure and some risky defending, Queen Mary broke in the final minute as a long pass through the vacant midfield area from Penniket released McCourt, who duly slotted home her second, and the Leopardettes’ fourth, when one-on-one with the Kent keeper only a few yards out.

The final whistle blew and the 4-2 score line somewhat flattered Kent, who barely showed resilience worthy of the brace they put past Dobson and co. at the back.

Suduko No. 9 & 10

Across 8. Attack (7) 9. Invalidate (5) 10. Name-words (5) 11. Pencil sketch (7) 12. Smallest component (4) 13. Warning (3, 5) 16. Tear down (8) 19. Past tense of bid (4) 22. Cripple (7) 23. Freely (2, 3) 24. Of first importance (5) 25. Puncture (7)

Medium

Women’s Hockey QM 4-2 Kent 2s

13

Down 1. Yard surrounding a barn (8) 2. Pretended (6) 3. Surmise (5) 4. Heavy food (6) 5. Remote (3, 4) 6. Dissimilar (6) 7. Overfill (4) 14. Quivered (8) 15. Whale fat (7) 17. One who doesn’t fit in (6) 18. Fast (6) 20. Daylong (3-3) 21. Former seaport in W Israel (5) 22. Immerses (4)

Last issue’s solution (Crossword no. 4)

Last issue’s solutions (Sudukos no. 7 & 8) Medium

Hard

14

Sport

Interested in sport? sports@qmessenger.co.uk

McGuinness’ Moment The Reading Week Blues (and yellows) Having raced towards Reading Week, the many Sports Clubs at the University had one final chance in the first half of the semester to show us exactly what they were made of. And many of them took the opportunity with both hands.

The Women’s Hockey Team won their third league game to put them top of the table, and quite deservedly won Team of the Month. The Footballers (Men’s 1s and 2s) traded 3-2 results with their opponents, the Women’s 1s recorded both a win and a loss, and the 3s, 4s and 5s were only a few goals from salvaging some pride.

The Rugby Club won one and lost one, as did the Tennis Club, the Basketballers (Men’s and Women’s) both succumbed to defeats, one far closer than the other. Regrettably, the Badminton Club both ended up on the wrong side of their opposition, but the Squash Club notched their second win of the season to pick up the points.

Barts’ fortune was mixed as well, with the Hockey Club losing 3, but the Women’s 2s secured a 9-1 win. The Netballers won a couple, though the Rugby Club faired a little worse, but the Football Club was generally successful.

While the season doesn’t always break during the middle of the term, especially in a city like London where everything’s on the go, most teams were able to reschedule their matches in order to give everyone a short rest.

It was a time for reflection.

At the start of the year I asked that we reach a number of finals or promotion battles come the end of the season, and though it’s a little early to tell whether this is going to come true, I remain hopeful that some big performances in the next few weeks will get us there.

It might be too early to think of the winter break, but all I want for Christmas is some teams sitting pretty at the top of their game. Challenge extended…

If you want to respond to anything in the Sports Section of QMessenger or would like to know how you can get involved, email the Sports Editor Darren McGuinness at: sports@qmessenger.co.uk.

Darren McGuinness

17/11/2009

Rise and shine of the QM Tennis Club Aktar Gani

After a disappointing season last year, QM Tennis Club has risen like a phoenix. The Club, managed

by Aktar Gani and Nishat Fatta, has had over 35 members joining this time around.

The Men’s 1st team, playing in the BUCS league, remains undefeated as it soars its way to the top of the table. With the unbeatable Viktor Petkov and Minh Luu, who have shown pure victory in all of their matches so far, it is no wonder that

QM Tennis is the most feared Club in their league.

However, the exciting BUCS Cup is on the way and the Men 1st Team, proving to be far too good for their current league, is yet to face tougher opponents from other leagues, to battle for the BUCS Cup 2009-10. The team faces Surrey University in the first round, and captains Ajani Lawrence and Aktar Gani are seeking to field their strongest quadrant, and have no doubt they will win again with their current on-form team performance.

This year the club has spent over £650 on club uniform, which

involves a personalised polo t-shirt for all members to play in, with their names printed at the back.

The team players are equipped further with hooded jumpers as they fight for the club name, striving through all weather conditions.

The club wishes to expand further and encourages more students to join regardless of their level. Beginners are especially welcome in order for regular coaching sessions to be set up. Additionally, as our excellent Women captains Amna Shaikh and Elle Yeung strive to strengthen our Womens 1st Team, we encourage more girls to step up

and join.

Most recently, the Men’s 1st team slaughtered the perennial challengers Canterbury Christ Church (notoriously a ‘sports University’) 8-2 on their home ground, to follow comprehensive victories in recent weeks. While the Women haven’t yet found their feet, they are well on the way to getting there.

For more information please contact Aktar Gani at aktar4@hotmail. co.uk or Nishat Fatta at nishat_ fatta@hotmail.com.

Whitewash halts perfect start to season Harvir Bhogal

Men’s Rugby CCC 1s 21-0 QM 1s The 1st XV’s three match winning streak came to an end as they were outmatched from start to finish in their away defeat in the Kent village of Stodmarsh, by a quicker, stronger, better organised, and cockier Canterbury Christ Church team.

The odds were against Queen Mary right from the start. The team bus would not start and required a scrum simulation from the forwards to push it into action. Furthermore, the team were running late for kick off, which meant that they had barely five minutes to warm up and prepare, in the incredibly cold and wet conditions.

Canterbury Christ Church clearly dominated the first ten minutes and finished the stretch of play with a try. Queen Mary indiscipline led to a penalty in their own half., which was duly was kicked into touch to give CCC a lineout ten minutes away

from the QM try line. CCC won the set piece and successfully controlled a driving, rolling maul, which ended with dive over the line and a score for a CCC forward, who was mobbed by his absolutely elated team-mates.

With the try converted, CCC gained a 7-0 lead.

Five minutes later, QM created their first meaningful attack, with the backs running the ball well from the half-way line, getting within five metres of the try line until the CCC forwards turned over the ball. The gain-line breaking runs of inside centre Simon Smallwood and no. 8 Tobi Osibodu punctured but did not completely rip through the resolute Christ Church defence, and any time QM were able to mount offensive pressure, the opposing defence nullified it.

The Christ Church team, whose confidence was now ever-increasing, stepped up with the sledging.

They did not miss a detail in doing their best to look the part either. They were sporting the professional modern day rugby attire of Nike manufactured tight-fitting jerseys, showing-off their sponsor – Maximuscle – which alluded to the

brawny muscular physique of a lot of the players in their team; one of them being an under-20 national power lifting champion according to a CCC substitute.

Five minutes before the end of the first half, CCC scored an almost identical try to their first. An unnecessary penalty was given away in almost exactly the same position as before. The penalty was kicked into the same place on the touchline.

From the ensuing lineout, the CCC forwards mounted another drive and carefully crafted rolling maul, reminiscent of the Leicester Tigers’ forward pack, and scored another try.

The conversion was taken from a similar spot, and CCC entered the half time break with a 14-0 lead.

The third try undoubtedly decided the result of the match in Christ Church’s favour. Yet it was the mishaps on Queen Mary’s part which summed up their out-of-character performance. A long CCC kick to gain territory resulted in a Leopards lineout, deep in their own half, which they won. However, Matt Bolous was not the lynchpin at fly-half that he had been in previous games and his hesitance and lack of de-

cisiveness led to his defensive kick being charged down. As a rugby ball often does, the ball then spooned up in the air and bounced awkwardly leaving an unfortunate James Tuttiett at fly half unable to defend. The ball fell into the arms of a CCC player who thanked his lucky stars and went over the third try which was converted, to take the 21-0 victory.

The QM lads hung their heads in disappointment and the looks of despair on their faces were easy for all to read. The heads of the CCC boys were not so visible however, as many of theirs were now fixated up their own backsides.

The squad will no doubt use the reading week break to reflect on this loss as they continue to move forward in their quest for the championship.

THE SECOND team, however, put one over on their rivals, the former UL member Imperial College.

The 17-12 win came off the back of a hit-and-miss start to the season, but going into Reading Week they had plenty to shout about at Hail Mary in the evening.

Sport

Interested in sport? sports@qmessenger.co.uk

17/11/2009

VP Activities Speaks...

Bergesson brilliant at Hornets’ home Ashley Sweetman

Men’s Football UCL 7s 3- 8 QM 4s

As you are all aware, for a few weeks people have been donating money and buying poppies in support of The Poppy Appeal, that annual fundraiser with which everybody is familiar. This year that appeal has so far raised £4,392,007, an amazing amount which this year is being used to help those who have served, and are currently serving, in Afghanistan as well as helping many other people in need.

This has got me thinking about charities, and the charity that I personally support, Right To Play. The aim of this charity is to help improve the lives of children who are affected by poverty, war and disease, by using sport and games to teach important skills such as leadership, selfesteem and team work - if you want to learn more go to www. righttoplay.com.

To everyone who already supports a charity, nice one, and to those people who don’t, maybe next time you go to buy an overpriced coffee at The Curve, instead of getting a large, go for a small and pop that extra 50p in some charity box – remember, every little helps. This week it’s you that makes the magic happen!

Yet again I find myself discussing topics completely irrelevant to what I’m actually supposed to be writing about. On the sporting front we are still doing pretty well (so I’m told) apart from our Netballers who cold-heartedly lied to my face about winning when they actually lost, this is simply unacceptable behaviour that will be punished!

I hope that you’re all tuning into Spooks on BBC1 – what a truly epic start to the new season. Makes me want to run around campus pretending to be a spy, I think 007 and VPSA have the same ring to it. Don’t you?

Vratislav Domalip III VP Activities

15

Queen Mary’s fourth team were back on top form for this tough away fixture, hoping to consolidate victory in their last game by grabbing another three points from the renowned UCL. Their determination served them well, QM opening up with a storm of goals against an unsuspecting UCL side. After a well-finished opener by Kenzai, onform striker Martin Bergesson slotted away five, yes , FIVE goals in a row, giving QM an almost unassailable 6-0 lead.

Having such a large lead, however, is not as easy to play with as you may think; the Leopards let themselves fall asleep for a short period before half time. UCL’s macho striker, ‘Mr Pompous 2009’,

slotted home what can only be described as an extremely lucky goal, yet the reply from QM was something quite extraordinary. Straight from the kick-off, central-midfielder Johnny Mallet struck the ball from his own half, leaving the UCL keeper stranded (and highly, highly embarrassed), giving Queen Mary the 7-1 lead they deserved at halftime!

Nevertheless, the tale of the season so far has been of the Leopards as a team of two halves, and they did not fail to disappoint, falling into a relaxed and lazy performance for the second 45. After some sloppy play, and some dodgy refereeing decisions, UCL clawed to within 4(!), but were never even close to what could be classed a comeback at Watford FC’s training ground. Strong performances from left-back Andrew Kennedy and Goalkeeper Sean Mahoney should please Queen Mary, and even with

a lack of a 90-minute performance, QM should be happy with the obvious merits of an 8-3 victory.

QM 4s 0- 4 Royal Holloway 5s Coming off the back of a convincing victory against UCL, Queen Mary 4s were looking to grab their first three points at home this season on a bitterly cold day at Chislehurst. In theory: not an impossible task. In practice: damn hard work.

Following a sluggish start, QM were caught off-guard by the speedy Royal Holloway striker, who sliced straight through the centreback partnership of Ashley Sweetman and Femi Rotimi to net his first goal. Given the quality of play displayed thus far this season by QM, a comeback was not out of the question, but despite the best rousing efforts of co-captain Andrew Kennedy, QM mustered the poorest of responses, and in truth,

the rest of the first half was spent on the back-foot, hopelessly trying to contend with the neat and tidy play of the Holloway midfield.

Going into half time with a 3-0 deficit pretty much spelled the end for QM. Even though the second half provided a much more determined and committed performance by the Leopards, Royal Holloway’s constant pressure was enough to flatten any hope of a QM revival, their fourth goal capping off a truly dismal day for Queen Mary Fourths.

In truth, no real positives could be taken from the game, other than a slightly more determined second half, which was only what should be expected from the side. However, the side are bonding, and a closeknit unit is being formed, ensuring that a positive and supportive atmosphere is maintained throughout. We win as a team and we lose as a team.

Late comeback bites Leopardettes Sarah Howell

Women’s Netball QM 1s 21-24 LSE 1s The QM Netball 1st team had quite a shake-up this week, with our regular GK, Leanne Oulton, playing out of position as GS, and lots of changing around in the centre court.

It was a close-match all the way through the game, as LSE took the lead for a while, until QM were tying, and then the Leopardettes took the lead by the end of the 2nd quarter

Boat Club are back ...Continued from back page girlfriends (Tut tut Ben!) or to the showers without waiting for the results to be announced. As Dom B and Nick de B left the showers, they were greeted by surprised looks from the local clubs. Looking at the results, the QM 1st 4+ came 4th out of 95 boats from elite to novice, won their category, and beat all the coxless 4s too. A win at docklands for the first time in five years. A fantastic result for the Club in its first event of the year and with all crews racing well and showing a depth of talent QM go into Fuller’s 4s Head on 14th November, followed by the UH Sprints on the 22nd, and then the event of the semester, ALLOM CUP, where the Club will be taking on the rest of UL and giving them the shock of the season.

and throughout the 3rd quarter. The game slipped away in the 4th quarter, unfortunately, and the score ended up 24-21 to LSE. There was some good play, but their passing of the ball through the centre court had to be much sharper and getting the ball into the circle had to be more consistent. These are things to work on for their next game, where QM hopes to get back to their winning ways!! Player of the match was Kirsty Roy.

Netball Firsts threw the game away in the fourth quarter vs LSE Firsts

QSPORT

Bringing you all the latest fixtures and results from the QM Sports teams

Sports Editor: Darren McGuinness sports@qmessenger.co.uk Sub Editor: Rebecca Ngakane proofing@qmessenger.co.uk 17th Nov ‘09 • Issue 17 • FREE

Boat Club back with a bang Nick de Bouilane

Some people may have noticed Queen Mary Boat Club has gone quiet since their busy summer.

Apart from the odd drinking mishap little has been made public. A little more time tucked away preparing ourselves has obviously been beneficial as in our first race we won fairly unexpectedly. The first race took place on our home turf and the Docklands Head enjoyed its biggest turn out in a number of years.

In the first division, QM had a mixed 8+, second and third 4+ going out and completing the 2750m race as quickly as possible. The 2nd 4+

stroked by Lewis Dixon and backed up by Michael King, with freshers Liam Barford and Allin Groom, powered through in a relatively quick time refusing to be overtaken by the QM mixed 8 (Mixture of the 1st men’s 4+ and women’s 4+), coming in 23rd and almost catching a number of our local rivals, notably Curlew Boat Club from Greenwich. The 3rd 4+ fought hard but struggled with some rough conditions as they got tired but finished in at 38th. A special mention for our old boys who took up the challenge of racing fought gamely but with less practice came in at 41st.

In the second division, a mixture of the freshers and seniors raced overcoming various problems with equipment, charged down the

course, gaining race experience. Finally the 1st 4+ raced and the crew set off at an aggressive pace of 33 strokes/min before settling down to a more manageable 30 strokes/min.

With Nick de Bouilane maintaining an aggressive stroke and doing his best impression of a game/sex face they flew down the first 1k and under the bridge to the cheers of QMBC. In the second half, the 1st 4+ worked hard to overtake a stubborn Maidstone 4 just with 500m to go.

With Sean Simpson, Dom Bell and Ben Kell backing up Nick de Bouillane, the 1st 4+ flew down the last part to collapse on the finish line.

Returning to the docks, most of the rowers drifted off to the pub, Continued page 15...

INSIDE... >>> FOOTBALL Fourth Team suffer mixed fates p15 >>> RUGBY First Team whitewashed p14 >>> HOCKEY First Team record third straight win p13