DIVERCSITY - November, 2015 (Vol. 2 Issue #3)

#DIVERCSITY RCSI Student run Newspaper and Publications

|November| |Publication Year 2015, Vol. 2, Issue No. 2|

Printed at

A Publication by

Editors’ Notes DIRECTOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

DIRECTOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CAITRÍN O’LEARY »

« NIKITA RANE

// Meet the team.

FEATURES AND DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

FEATURES AND DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ARIMIE MIN »

« IARLA O’DOMHNAILL

STUDENT LIFE

STUDENT LIFE

SAIED ALI »

« ORLA DONOHOE

ENTERTAINMENT EDUCATION

ZAHRA JUMAN »

« DEXTER SEOW

CULTURE AND LEISURE

NEWS AND RCSI EVENTS

YUSUF JALY»

« AMELIA SOOKDEO

EVENTS

EVENTS

DEENA SHAH »

« JING TING CHEAH

COMMUNICATIONS JEEVANI KRISHNAMURTTY »

COVER ART DESIGNER

ILLUSTRATOR « CATHERINE TENNANT

MUHIMMA SULAIMAN »

AISLINN KILLIAN, REBECCA JAGOO, ANU MENON, NAHEEDA RAJMOHAMED, MIA ANDREWS, AMINA MAHMOOD, CATHAL DELANEY, CYRILLE PAYNE, MOYOWA BOYO, SIMIRAAJ POWAR, DINA GHAZAL, CORMAC DUFF, YARA ZAYOUT, SU KYI NG, JIN JI LIM, RUTH EMMANUEL, SEBASTIAN GRACIAS, YASODA SUBRAMANIAN, GEORGE IKPOKOMITOP, SONIA RAMKISSOON, TENGKU NAZIM TENGKU YUSOF, COREY NIXON, MOHIT BUTANEY, STEPHANIE TUNG, CHEW JEN PIN, HONG MING, RACHEL TAN

STAFF ASSOCIATES CORRIENA BRIEN & SANDRA BONNETTO - CONTENT REVIEW, STAFF CO-ORDINATORS PROF CLIVE LEE- WRITER: ANATOMY, TANYA CHAPPLE - WRITER: SUDOKU JANE BURNS - COPYRIGHTS & PLAGIARISM ADVISER

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Editors’ Notes.

// At a glance...

Editors’ Notes

Dear Reader,

If you’d like to share your views on this or any other topic, don’t hesitate to write in to us at divercsity@rcsi.ie . Our communications officer Jeevani and the rest of the committee will be looking forward to hearing from you!

As of last month we have moved our submission process off Moodle, and are now accepting submissions via email only. All contributions are welcome, and we will also be accepting answers to the monthly Anatomy Quiz -check out page 31 for how to enter!

A TASTE OF THIS ISSUE The Running Club’s recent success in the Dublin Marathon is featured in Happenings, and Lifestyle has advice on everything from keeping warm, to avoiding social media disasters (-use this advice with care!).

If the thought of running makes you hungry, Moyowa has the run down on healthy places to eat within 10 minutes walk of Mercer library -or you can try your hand at Mia’s delicious Pumpkin Pie. Entertainment is packed with brain teasers, movie reviews, book reviews and a review of the one and only Benedict Cumberbatch as Hamlet, and if that’s not distraction enough, check out Hong Ming and Chew in the Culture and Leisure section to plan your next trip to Paris or Krakow.

JOIN THE COMMITTEE: Missed out on our summer application process? We still have a few vacant spots on our committee!

Vacancies available for: Webmaster (manage posts on Wordpress), Communications (email deadlines and check mail) and Events (help co-organise DIVERCSITY Wednesdays). We are also looking for reporters for Staff Q&A and Student News, writers for DIVERSILLY (satire), and Sports.

Drop a quick email to divercsity@rcsi.ie if you are interested! We’d be happy to meet with you and answer any and all questions!

SPECIAL MENTIONS: This month’s cover photo was created by Muhimma Sulaiman. We’d like to thank this month’s collaborators.

- NIKITA RANE AND CAITRÍN O’LEARY Directors and Editors-in-Chief

DIVE INTO

YOUR U UR AT

PASSIONS

UNIVERSITY

To join our mailing list, or for societies or general enquiries, email divercsity@rcsi.ie Read anything you love? Did we print something you hate? Have a great idea or suggestion for the paper?

Let us know how we are doing! editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie Share the excitement online, Like us on facebook.com/DIVERCSITY Join the Facebook Society Group Page for the latest updates facebook.com/groups/divercsitysignup Share and view this issue online from issuu.com/rcsidivercsity November 2015

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Features

//Raison d’ etre: Temple Bar The culture behind the attraction.

NIKITA RANE

MUHIMMA SULAIMAN

( EDITOR-IN-CHIEF )

( PHOTOGRAPHER )

T

emple bar area, infamously known for it’s night-time drinking culture is usually crowded with tourists from the early night to the early hours of the mornings.

Over the past few years, Temple bar’s changes have clashed with the cultural aspects of the area, with the Gutter Bookshop, one of the established stores in the “Old City” area being extremely vocal stating, “The opening of more fast food restaurants and generic multinational businesses also weakens what could still be Dublin’s best entertainment district. In 20 years Temple Bar seems to have moved further and further from its original concept and An Bord Pleanala’s controversial decision to overturn Dublin City Council’s objection to McDonalds appears symptomatic of a lack of vision for the area. Temple Bar retains the possibility to become a cultural centre for Dublin, appealing to both tourists and locals alike. Temple Bar should be a beacon for unique Irish businesses and groups that show what is best about Irish culture.”

Muhimma and I as semi-tourists residing in Dublin for a while, we decided to scratch the superficial facade of loud late night music, pubs pouring over priced pints and numerous little Italian restaurants to bring forth some of the overlooked and ignored aspects in the mazed streets of this “cultural quarter”.

We began our hunt on a rainy Saturday morning. // HARRY CLARKE STAINED WINDOWS (image on right) Down Asdill’s Lane hidden in the back alley next to TGI Fridays is a rare piece of art – a row of Harry Clarke stained windows. The stained art was created by the Irish artist and illustrator Harry Clarke, a leading figure of the Irish Arts and Craft Movement.

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Features

// THE ICON WALK The Icon Walk is described as a “multi-street public art installation� which showcases original artwork by many different local artists of Irish icons from many forms of media and genres including: writers and playwrights, sports icons, musicians, and actors from the performing arts. The Icon Walk Dublin is accessible and relevant, collaborative and inclusive, efficient and adaptable.

Astray from the busier lanes and alleyways, immediately behind Fleet Street, these were our first stops. Bringing together icons and celebrating music, art, literature and fashion - we felt they truly captured the cultural concepts of what Temple bar was meant to be.

The Icon Factory is a non-profit volunteer artist cooperative located in Temple Bar and helps to promote Irish art and culture. Their efforts have helped reclaim some of these lanes from unsafe activities.

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Features

// SMOCK ALLEY THEATRE Temple bar boasts to be the home to one of Europe’s oldest built theatres (Smock Alley Theatre), one of Ireland’s smallest theatres (The New Theatre), one of the best examples of a Victorian theatre (The Olympia) and one of Ireland’s best know modern and theatre spaces and arts centres (Project Arts Centre).

Smock Alley Theatre is just a beautiful space.

(History nerd alert!) Opened in 1662 as the first Royal Theatre in Dublin as part of the Restoration of the British monarchy, the building later was a whiskey store, then a church and finally returned to it’s original function as a theatre.

Last month, Smock Alley hosted many events for the Lingo festival and this month, it is where the Dublin book festival will be taking place! For more information on the DBF look at Rachel’s article on page 39.

// TEMPLE BAR GALLERY + STUDIOS

// PROJECT ARTS CENTRE

TBG+S started life as one of Ireland’s first DIY artist initiatives back in the early 1980s, and was instrumental in establishing Temple Bar’s reputation as a place for cultural activities in Dublin prior to its regeneration as Dublin’s Cultural Quarter in the early 1990’s.

Takes credit in launching the careers of Liam Neeson, Gabriel Byrne and U2. This theater on Essex Sreet East was once run by the famed director Jim Sheridan and was the site where former manager Paul McGuinness first saw Bono and the boys of U2 play.

Until a week ago, the gallery was featuring an exibition by Rhona Bryne called Huddles, an interactive installation exploring social relations and group dynamics using the yellow “huddlewear”.

They currently feature everything from visual arts to dance, music and theatre, they seem to have an exciting year-round programme and rather interesting shows coming up in the post exam months. Check out projectartscentre.ie/whats-on/ for more information.

Coming up, Temple Bar Gallery + Studios will be hosting the fifth edition of the Dublin Art Book Fair. The book fair will take place in the gallery from 19th to 22nd November.

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Features // THE MEETING HOUSE (image far left) Under it’s giant white umbrella canopy hosts numerous events through out the year, from Chinese New Year events to last month’s Halloween on the Square movie night. Be on the look out for their Christmas events coming up in December! // TEMPLE BAR FOOD MARKET ( both images ) This weekly market takes place every Saturday from 10am 4.30pm.

From organic vegetables, meat, seafood and cheeses to freshly baked goodies and hot plates of food, this has a little something for everyone. Food cuisines range from Irish pies, Chinese, Mexican and Indian, you’ll be spoiled for choices.

If you a sweet tooth, I recommend trying the cakes or the crepes.

Though I do feel the quality and quantity of stall have dropped over the past 2 years my old favorites and the promises of newer stalls always brings me back! // COW’S LANE On the “Old City” side of Temple bar is Cow’s lane which is where you will find a stores that focus on handmade crafts and Irish design and art. // FIND There is a loverly little store called Find, which has very cool vintage decorate products and objects. Discover, or should I rather say, find the sudden urge of needing a giant neon light pop art sign in your life.

Depending your taste and mostly on your wallet, you are bound to get something unique to take home. // DESIGNER MARTN (image left) Designer Mart takes place every Saturday from 10am – 5pm on Cow’s Lane which is located in the Old City area of Temple Bar. There are a couple of stalls that sell handmade crafts made in Ireland.

When we got there, we did not see too many stalls. Not sure if it was because it was just 11am and that is too early, but you can find out more about the stalls by visiting templebar.ie/markets/article/designer-mart

// TEMPLE BAR BOOK MARKET (image left) The Temple Bar Book Market takes place every Saturday and Sunday from 11am – 6pm and is located at Temple Bar Square.

You’ll find new, second hand and some rare editions of books with stalls that hold a random and large assortment of genres from history, poetry, children novels and literary books. // LIBRARY PROJECT The Library Project is a collection of contemporary publications around Photography, the core of a public resource library already holding over 1000 items from 200 publishers worldwide. There is a great selection of the latest publications, expanding its remit from Photography to all Art disciplines, and adding essential text books and magazines. You will find also framed and unframed artists prints and Irish made stationery.

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Happenings

//RCSI Running Club Taking on the Dublin Marathon Massive congratulations to RCSI Running Club on their completion of the Dublin Marathon on October 26th! Despite force 14 hurricanes on the day, 30 of us representing RCSI flew through the course with some astouding times overall.

« RUADHAN O LAOI CONTRIBUING WRITER From the females, Cassie Mac Rae smashed through the course, crossing the line in 3:39. Nuala Murphy followed swiftly, coming in at 3:48, and Emma Parker after with a beautiful 4:25. Huge props to the next finishers Ruth, Natalie, Stephanie, Posy, Maggie and Caitrin all sub-5. Siobhan swung in next just over the 5 mark, followed by Ciara, Claire, Deena, Phoebe and Christine.

From the males, Eoin Murphy sauntered across the course in 2:58. Some say he didn’t even notice he had run the marathon. Ruadhan O Laoi nipped home just after in 3:02, followed by Jit Banwait with yet another great result of 3:13. Mark, Ciaran, Kevin and Eoin Coughlan all smashed the 4 hour mark. Mohammad, Paraic, Michael and Abdullah finished well before 5 hours, followed by Jack, Aathir and Shin Loong.

Special shout out to Prof. James O’ Neill (ENT) and Bryan Sheils (RCSI Porter), our experienced staff runners who breezed through the course, both finishing around 4:30.

The whole experience overall was a fantastic experience. Obviously completing a marathon is fantastic in itself, but to do so as part of a team, representing both RCSI and cancer patients, is something else.

With burritos, pasta and pizza provided by the running club the day before, and post-marathon burgers and beers with Prof O Neill afterwards, there’s more than enough reason for everyone to get involved in future years!

F

or the first time this year, we teamed up with Prof. O’Neill and the Williiam Wilde Head and Neck Surgical Oncology Fund to help them raise money and awareness for head and neck cancers in Ireland. Between our delicious bake sale, integrating the charity name on our running tops and raising individual sponsorship for running the marathon, we generated much awareness for the cause and have raised almost 800 euro to date.

The William Wilde Head and Neck Cancer fund was established this year in Beaumont Hospital to raise awareness for head and neck cancer and achieve a greater understanding and insight into the spectrum of head and neck disease.

“In Beaumont Hospital our referrals have increased by 100% in one year and we need to offer patients contemporary oncological therapy, but also promote improved insight into these diseases at a primary care level.”

The race itself was a grand aul 42.2km course, not a bother, and the weather on the day itself was pleasant.

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Lifestyle

// Humans of RCSI ( Ireland)

« SIMRAAJ POWAR

10,000 lire and another 1,000 I was in an Italian café, paying for my panino and coffee. It’s one of those places where half the customers speak Italian, so I had ordered half in Italian, half in English. As I went to pay, the waiter totted up the bill, then announced “That’s seven and a half thousand” With a flourish, I reached into my wallet and produced a banknote that I had found only a short time before in my desk drawer: a ten thousand lire note. The waiter laughed, and called the other staff around. They all exclaimed excitedly over the old banknote - it’s only a couple of years since the Euro came in, but already people have a nostalgia for the old, extinct currencies that we will never see again.

“But wait,” the waiter exclaimed; “do you know what this is?”

He reached for his own wallet and fished out, very carefully, a scrap of blackened, fragile-looking paper that seemed more like papyrus. Carefully unfolding it just a little, he showed it to me. It was one of the old 1,000 lire notes - the ones with Giuseppe Verdi on them. There were even more exclamations from the other staff.

“This banknote,” he explained, “has the telephone number of my first girlfriend on it.”

“And you kept it all these years!” said one of the waitresses.

“But,” I said, “Where is she now? What became of her?”

The waiter shook his head.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “Many times I have tried to find her. The phone number doesn’t work anymore. I have tried people we used to know, the internet, everything. I don’t know what has happened to her.”

Do you know, whoever you are, that in a foreign country, many years later, your first boyfriend still carries that magical thousand lire note that you scribbled your phone number on, all those years ago?

Prof. Ronan Conroy, Professor of Health Research Methods

Want to be featured? Email divercsity@rcsi.ie Write your comments and opinions to the editor editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie

Sailing by…

In the summer following 4th Med, my clinical elective was in Jersey in the Channel Islands. Getting there was proving to be a problem, until I read about the Crosshaven – Jersey yacht race in the Irish Times. I contacted the race organiser and was invited down to Crosshaven to join a crew.

We were leaving Cork Harbour on a former Admiral’s Cup racer when the engine went and with it all the electrics on the boat, leaving us with dodgy navigation lights, a transistor radio for the shipping forecast and some charts.

It was an exciting race around Land’s End, across the English Channel and towards Jersey. The busiest shipping lane in the world is not the best place to be with such poor navigation instruments and tankers are really huge when viewed up close from the deck of a sailing vessel. The wind varied, requiring a lot of sail changes, but eventually we spotted La Corbière light off Jersey and crossed the finish line. It was still dark though and all we could do was tack up and down until we had enough light to find the marina which we entered under sail, much to the surprise of the locals. My final task was to jump onto a pontoon with a rope in hand to moor the boat.

The first week ashore was spent socialising with the crew and doing ward rounds in the hospital. My first patient had a black toe – so ‘What does the man from Dublin think?’ ‘Digital artery embolism’ I guessed and was lucky. The second patient was 70 years old and had an odd rash. As I had just been doing paediatrics, I suggested Henoch-Schonlein purpura and got my second hole in one. After such a start, there was only one way to go, but all in all it proved to be a great summer in Jersey.

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Prof. Clive Lee- Professor of Anatomy & Chair of Department DIVERCSITY.COM

Lifestyle

// Humans of RCSI ( Bahrain )

« DINA GHAZAL

Happy November! Or shall I say… Movember! Let the beards start growing and the stories from our fellow RCSI-ers keep going.

Enjoy the read of this month’s featured RCSI Bahrain students and staff.

E

veryone’s always scared of change. That’s why sometimes there’s negative talk about Cross Fit. But once they realize that it works for the specific goal it is catered to achieve, then I think people will slowly accept it and realize that it’s tons of fun. Even on the worst, most brutal days that we work out, we still have fun. We always want to come back and do it again. It’s a little addictive. You just kind of get together and have a common goal: to get fitter, and to do it in a safe, efficient, and logical way.

You learn to break that mental barrier that you have. You break the: ‘I can’t do this,’ or, ‘It’s impossible’.

I

never expected to be in the Middle East. I think the best doctors and the best possible candidates to practice worldwide are the ones who are adaptable and can work in any kind of environment. I think a big component of my own personal survival is the fact that I can exercise by mind, and also I guess my body using practical skills. And I don’t think a lot of people are aware of how far the human body can actually stretch in terms of getting something done. So it’s not all about good grades, it’s not just about putting your nose in the book, it’s not just about hearing and then vomiting up the information. It’s about actually modifying it because we are all always evolving every day and learning different things, so I think the most important skill we all need to learn is to adapt.

I

’m from Ireland. I grew up on a field. The nearest shop was around 2 miles away and the nearest town was 5 miles away. The nearest really big town was 35 miles away! It was a small county. It’s nice in a way because you get to know everyone. But you have to be careful what you do because everyone will know. There was no anonymity. It wasn’t a problem for me because I was a good teenager. I never did anything wrong, didn’t really get into trouble.

My mother was very strict and traditional but she understands and accepts me more now than before. She’s a great woman who inspired me a lot in my life. She recently retired from her job as a civil servant. We’re alike in some ways… We’re both stubborn.”

I

don’t like to brag but I’m a great driver. The other day, I found a note on my car from the police that read ‘Parking Fine.’

If you want to see more and stay updated, make sure to like and follow both Facebook and Instagram “Humans of RCSI” pages!

www.facebook.com/humansofrcsi humansofrcsi November 2015

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Lifestyle

« MOYOWA BOYO

The Wellness Wheel //

EAT WELL, BE WELL

W

ith the semester moving at lightning speed, don’t forget about wellness! It’s easy to fall into old routines despite our best efforts. One part of the routine that usually starts to fall apart in the lead up to exams is our eating habits. Part of this comes down to lack of planning as well as the general stress student’s face around exam time. That’s where this guide comes in handy! Here are 7 places to grab a healthy meal just 10 minutes from Mercer Library.

BLAZING SALADS

3 min

Vegetarian Salad Bar 42 Drury St, Dublin 2 Price range: € Hours : Mon- Fri 9am- 6pm. Sat 9am – 5:30pm Good for: Light lunches and early dinners. They also serve hot food, savoury snacks and sweet treats.

Pro tip: Avoid overloading on heavy carbs like potatoes and pasta that leave you drowsy at your desk. Instead, make these the smallest portion on your plate and load up your bowl with veggies, beans and healthier grains. Also, price is determined by weight so fill your box with that in mind!

Blazing Salad -totallydublin.ie

STAPLE FOODS

CORNUCOPIA

7 min

5 min

Fresh Healthy Delicious Staple Foods Curved Street, Dublin 2 Price range: €€

Vegetarian Wholefoods Restaurant 19-20 Wicklow St, Dublin 2 Price range: €€€

Hours: Mon- Sun 12pm- 5pm

Hours: Mon –Tues 8:30am- 9pm. Wed - Sat 8:30am- 10:15pm. Sun 12pm- 9pm Good for: Late night healthy meals that leave you feeling great. *Open late*

Good for: Meat eaters and veggie lovers alike. Menu is diverse and portions are huge!

Pro tip: Eat half your portion and bag the rest for dinner or lunch the next day. Two meals for the price of one!

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Lifestyle

CHOPPED

9 min

Make your own salad bar 148 Baggot Street Lower, Dublin 2 Price range: € Hours: Mon- Fri 8:00am – 5:30pm. Sat- Sun: 12pm – 4pm Good for: Picky eaters! Salads are fresh and customizable. Don’t be put off by the word salad here. Portions are big and filling and they have many different meat and seafood options.

Chopped -dublinunderground.net

Pro tip: Choose high protein fillings to stay full longer!

10 min

HAPPY FOOD Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurant 27 Camden Place, Dublin 2 Price range: € Hours: Mon- Fri 8:30am – 3:30pm. Sat 10am – 2pm

Good for: Delicious treats and hearty lunches. Soups, salads and specials change daily!

Pro tip: Sneak in a lunchtime yoga class while you’re at it! HappyFood is right inside The YogaHub.

Happy Food -lovindublin.com

BOMBAY PANTRY

delivery

Award winning Indian Cuisine 14 Rathgar Road, Rathmines, Dublin 6 Price range: €€ Hours: Mon- Sat Delivery: 5:30pm – 10:15pm. Sun 5pm- 10pm Good for: Spicy delicious Indian food! Try their superfood and paleo menu offers for a healthy dinner! *Open late* Pro tip: Grab a group of friends and order together for dinner to brighten up your nights in the library.

Bombay Pantry -eatcleanpaleo.com

SUBWAY

3 min

Yummy Sandwiches 49 Grafton Street, Dublin 2 Price range: € Hours: 24 hours Good for: Cheap sandwiches that will fill you up. *Open late* Pro tip: Go easy on extras like sauces and cheese here! Load up the sandwich with lots of fresh veggies and be adventurous and choose one of their whole wheat breads.

Subway -ratemyareacom

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Lifestyle

// White coat syndrome

ÂŤ NAHEEDA RAJMOHAMED

Together Everyone Achieves More You are on a game show.

You are playing for a chance to have an extra 30% added to your final exam results. There are 5 other students playing against you. Your task is to study a topic and create a presentation covering every aspect of the topic known to man to date. For every aspect you miss you lose 2 points. The student with the most points wins the 30%. However there is a catch, at the beginning of the show you are given the chance to attempt the game as a team or individually. As a team each of you will only receive a 5% increase in your grade if you win, whereas individually you will be awarded the full 30%.

Which do you chose?

O

n your journey toward becoming a healthcare professional and dive into the depths of the science of the human body there has always been a single constant you. No matter the subjects you have taken or the amount of work you are given, the beginning of a tertiary education focuses on your ability to manage your schedule.

You depend on you. As a result superhuman students are born! Bred with the ability to stand alone; one person against the army of academic challenges using skill and education to defeat and conquer the battle. All you need is yourself. Alone and free! Winning all prizes! Discovering new cures! Saving the world one epidemic at a time!

It’s all about the individual right?

Sorry to burst your bubble but you have been lied to.

ME A successful team project begins with you. I agree that team projects may seem like an unnecessary burden but the reality is you have to do it; so I suggest you leave your anger and anxiety at the door. A team is a group of individuals coming together to work toward a specific goal or end, if you expect your group to succeed you need to become a team player. Think of it as an opportunity to meet new people. In most cases you will not be familiar with your teammates so make sure to take some time in your first meeting to get to know them. It is also important to keep in mind that nobody believes they are a poor teammate, regardless of the amount they contribute to the teamwork. You need to be honest with your team from the start; if someone is not pulling his or her weight that needs to be said.

Avoid an argument but explain your concerns and tell them what they can do to contribute more to the project. The success of one is the success of all.

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Lifestyle

MORE TALKING Communication is key. In most cases your teammates are going to be people you have not met in the past and creating a means of contact can become difficult. You might not know their schedule or where they can be found in class. Instead of hunting them down or trying to email them, create a WhatsApp or Facebook group dedicated to your team. Make it a point to do it during your first meeting so that all issues can be sorted out then. Use the communication as a way to check up on the status of team members, post deadlines and confirm future meeting dates. This is a great tool to make sure people are keeping up with the project and ensuring everyone is on the same page. It is difficult to forget a meeting if you are reminded by your teammates ahead of time. In my experience teammates who contribute less to a project do not communicate with the team as often as they should. Make sure you know how to contact each other if your primary communication line is unsuccessful.

MEANS This is the how. In order to work in symphony, your team needs to have a game plan. This includes deadlines, rules and goals. Start with a calendar and fill in the schedules of your teammates. When are they free and when will they be unable to do work. Keep in mind your future assessments and other projects everyone needs to complete. Next put in the deadlines for the project, this includes the date it is due and the date you would like to have the project completed by. I suggest aiming to complete your project at least three days prior to the official deadline. This will act as a security measure in case something unexpected happens. The next step is to create a meeting schedule; is there a minimum number of meetings you need to have for the project? Do you need to create a report based off each meeting? Personally, I find the more meetings the better the team process. At this point you should consider the roles of everyone in the team. A minute taker, a group leader etc.; each person should have a role in the team meeting process as well as in the project. Once that is decided you need to split up the project itself and iron out the details of how much time it will take to do each part.

I find it particularly helpful to dedicate the final editing of the project to one team member. The end result should look like it was done by one person, therefore having one set of eyes make a final edit will aid in its appearance. However keep in mind that any cutting or major changes to any aspect of the project should be discussed with the author of that section before it is done. Lastly keep a log of your meetings. This will help you keep track of your progress.

MODULATE During the time between getting to know your team and meeting for your second time, modifications in the approach to aspects of the team will have to be made. You already made a plan, including the team rules and goals; your second meeting is the time you have to make sure everything is falling into place. Anything that is not working needs to be adjusted. Any communication issues, workload problems or new ideas the team wants to bring up should be a topic for discussion. No team will make the rules for their project perfect the first time. Adjustments will help bond you as a team and make the environment a more friendly and welcoming one. This is also a good opportunity for everyone to reflect on how they feel about their section of the project.

MUSE After all is done and before you celebrate, take time to think about the experience you had with your team. Ask yourself what went well? What worked for us and how did you overcome the challenges we faced? Although it may sound silly and unnecessary it will help in the future. Chances are you are going to have to participate in many different group experiences during your time in RCSI. You might have landed a good group this time but next time fate may not be as kind. If you had a good experience take note of the things you really liked about your team and try to apply them to future team situations. If your experience was less than enjoyable keep note of things that went wrong, what you would have changed and how you overcame the challenges you had. Once you know how you want your future teams to work you can begin to make it a reality in your next experience. Hopefully other teammates will have different ideas and together by sharing your experiences you can create a better team.

A team is a working machine. Every cog needs to know its role and work at its most efficient pace in order to achieve success. Without harmony the machine will fall apart and your grade will reflect your failure. As most things in university this will not be an easy task. In some cases you may never achieve the perfect project or team situation. However, you can make things easier or you make them worse. It comes down to the attitude and willingness to be a team member. You might have to work harder but once you create a working system within your team, your project and grade will improve.

Write your comments and opinions to the editor editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie

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Lifestyle

// Double C: Advice you can keep close to your chest

D

ear Cyrille, Where has the time gone? Winter is coming!!

(I can still use that phrase right? I hope Game of Thrones hasn’t copy written it). The clocks have gone back, and soon we’ll be arriving « CATHAL DELANEY and leaving the hospital under the cover of darkness, like healthcare ninjas.

To fight off the cold I’ve been starting my mornings with a pumpkin spice vanilla skinny latte, with a double shot of espresso, extra cream, chocolate shavings, a dusting of nutmeg, served at precisely 98 degrees. I have simple tastes.

However, yesterday my caffeinated ritual was thrown into consternation, as I nearly choked on a piece of paper that had been rolled up inside the cinnamon stick garnish that accompanied my beverage. I dislodged the rogue parchment from my buccal mucosa (sorry for the jargon, but I’m on ENT), and it read thus: “Dear Cathal and Cyrille, I need some advice. One of the interns on my team sent me a friend request on Facebook. What do I do?? This could make or break my career! How do I navigate social media these days? Send help quickly.

Yours, Kat Heder” Kat, I too have been in this quandary before. I reacted in a mature reasonable way by fleeing my home country, changing my name to the most Irish-y name I could think of, and coming to Dublin to start afresh. That’s always an option. I think a better plan would be to have a conversation with the friend requester just to clear the air, in an effort to prevent tension and misunderstanding. Now just to clarify, a conversation is an ancient art form by which two or more people exchange words and ideas by means of the human voice, no touch screens involved. In this setting facial expressions such as smiling or raising one’s eyebrows replace emojis and actual audible laughter is substituted for LOLing. I think this could be the next big retro revival, just like how those Fujifilm instax cameras have made polaroids a thing again.

Finding a balance on social media today is tricky. Children are logging on to Facebook at younger and younger ages. For example, only last year, after a night shift at the Rotunda, I awoke to a friend request from the baby that I helped to deliver the night before. How awkward is that? How did he hold the iPhone? Kids these days…...

I think having a screening process of what you post online is always a good idea. I try to imagine explaining pictures to my future grandchildren. I don’t want to have to justify to them the reason why my head was submerged in the chocolate fountain at chocolate ball, when I’m an octogenarian. If there’s no proof, then it didn’t happen, and I’ve destroyed all photographic copies of that incident.

D

ear Cathal,

I see you have once again neglected to ask about my wellbeing on commencing this correspondence. Just « CYRILLE so you know I am doing brilliantly. I am here with the PAYNE girls on sub-I rotation and last night we went absolutely wild. We ordered 4 pizzas, all different flavours and played UNO. I’d say by the time we went to bed it was probably 10:30. Absolute craic!

Anyway, to you dear Kat Heder, I leave the following advice.

I know as little as John Snow about the correct way to handle this matter but let me tell you what I would do. First I would immediately deactivate my Facebook account and send everyone into panic mode. Step two is create a new Facebook account with the same but slightly different name. In my case instead of Cyrille Payne I would use a name like Surreal Pain, Cereal Paine or Serial Pin. On the new account put the profile picture as that of a goat. Then re-add every single one of your friends. By doing this you achieve a couple things. One being he can never again find you. Two you can use it as an opportunity to stop any new friends you do want to add from seeing old embarrassing pictures of you without having to actually go and delete or untag each picture. Now, if said intern does mention anything in person about the Facebook request you can say “I barely use Facebook and I deactivated it recently because it was distracting me from studying.” Then when they go to check he will see that your Facebook has indeed been deactivated and your career will be saved! If, by some act of Beyoncé, this intern manages to find your new Facebook account resort to plan B. For this you need two cloves of garlic, clothes left in the anatomy room overnight, and a tuft of fur from a werewolf. Now I can’t tell you the details of how this works in this letter, but if you send me a message on Facebook we can make dinner plans and I can tell you the rest in person.

Cathal please send that message along to Kat for me. I hope that this advice is satisfactory.

By the way that IC3 album is fabulous. In fact you could probably send that on to Kat as well. If she recreates even one of the faces you made in that album no one would ever friend request her again.

When you reply to Kat let her know that my privacy settings on Facebook are strict so if she wants to send me a message to find out the rest of plan B she has to friend me first.

Until we meet again, Cyrille Payne.

Please see below some examples of photos that should not be posted, unless you are trying to avoid unwanted friend requests, then these will certainly keep people away.

Social media is the necessary evil of today’s society. It allows us to keep in contact with friends and family wherever they are on the planet, but also allows for widespread dissemination of holiday photographs that really should be kept for private consumption.

Cyrille what do you think? Am I twittering on too much or have I chatted in a snappy fashion? What is your advice for surviving social media?

Hope this helps, Kat. Yours in virtual friendship, Cathal P.S We have to talk about that album from IC3 Cyrille.

Brought to you by Cyrille and Cathal Besties who think they’ve seen it all.

Please write to us with any queries or questions that you may have and we’ll do our best to give you some nuggets of advice.

Whether you heed our counsel is entirely at your own risk.

ASK YOUR QUESTIONS, ANONYMOUSLY. Visit: divercsity.tumblr.com/advice November 2015

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Lifestyle

Think Warm Thoughts...

Yeah, Yeah, it’s cold, WE KNOW. The weather. It’s the first thing we talk about every morning. And by talk, I mean whine about and curse till we’re blue in the face. Well…blue-er. Hey there, cyanosis.

But, when an Irish person tells you that it’s cold outside and is only going to get worse, you stop for a minute. You ponder the immense ramifications of this one statement. You mull it over in that brain of yours that is currently freezing.

And you think to yourself, Well, damn.

So, to beat the cold, you know tell it who’s boss - literally defeat it in a fight to the death ninja style combat (can you tell I really don’t like the cold), here are a few tips. If you can trust the tips of a Californian. Wait, what’s snow again?

« ANU MENON

1

Wear every piece of warm clothing you own. All of it. Just pile it on. Don’t mind those haters who point out your sudden pudgy weight gain. Because you will be toastier than…toast. Yeah.

2

.…Exercise? Technically that makes you warm right? What do you mean you don’t like exercise?! You’re a medical student! Hello! Cardiovascular System! Not dying! Get thineself to yonder gym, pronto!

3

Yeah…I know I just said exercise, but let’s be real, when you’re well fed and carrying slightly more weight than usual, you are definitely warmer.

Take that former thin you!

4

Manage to always find yourself in a crowded room. Oh, and don’t think about the fact you’re basically absorbing other people’s body heat. Then it just gets creepy.

5

Scientifically speaking, you could just get over it.

Literally, just acclimatize to your environment.

We’ve all heard (and giggled at) the term brown fat – but living in colder climates increases the capacity of body brown fat stores to generate heat. Or we could all moan and fuss about the cold as we’re wont to do.

6

Continuing on with the science (Warning: this is not scientific by any means), medicine has come such a very long way. There’s a cure for male pattern baldness! Go minoxidil (to all juniors readng this, LOOK IT UP)! Triple dose that nonsense, and grow the magnificant coat of fur you’ve always dreamed of. (Sorry ladies, this may drive up the cost of your threading bill).

7

By all means, invest in one of those ridiculous made for TV items. Snuggie anyone? How about Glovers, the gloves for lovers? I can feel the romance.

8

Drink! No, not like that you goofballs! Well, I mean…maybe like that…No, I mean ordering hot chocolates and warm apple ciders. Make that coffee serve you double time, acting as both your internal blanket and also your jittery-caffeine-juice.

9

Actually helpful tips: Blowdry hair in the mornings to avoid hair icicles. Trust me, it happens.

Also, close curtains in the evening to keep out cold air emanating from windows.

10

Uhhhh, think warm thoughts?

// Library: Special Collections Archi-what?! Special Collections why?!

A few years ago a group of primary school children were asked what they thought of when they heard the word ‘archivist’. After the initial ‘an archi-what?’ was answered, the children set about compiling a list of what the characteristics of an archivist are. The list went as follows: dusty, don’t talk, don’t drink alcohol, strict, boring, old, single, perfectionists...

They don’t know how right they got it those child geniuses!! But if you ask people, young or old, ‘what does an archivist do?’ or ‘what are special/heritage col-

November 2015

lections?’, the majority of the time you will get either a furrowed brow as the inner depths of the brain search for an answer other than ‘archive special heritage stuff ’ or a completely blank look of terror. They don’t know it but they are missing out on a world of wonder!

Special collections and archives house unique one-off priceless pieces of historically valuable and irreplaceable material. This material can be made out of paper, skin, wood, bone, metal, animal – you name it and it is most likely stored away and cared for in an archive.

RCSI has such a place and it is called the Heritage Collections. The majority of the College’s historic and heritage material is held in the Mercer Library in a specially built environmentally controlled room. A very small selection of this material is on display in the newly installed exhibition cases scattered around 123 SSG. To highlight some of the other weird and wonderful material there is a Heritage Collections blog.

bledon champions, pioneering army surgeons will transport you to another time and place....for a few minutes.

See more at rcsiheritage.blogspot.com

So when the studying gets a bit too much and your mind needs a little break, pay the Heritage Collections blog (http://rcsiheritage.blogspot.ie/) a visit and who knows what weird tale of medical explorers, Wim-

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// Ask Himistu!

November 霜月 Shimotsuki : Month of Frost

O

hayo, everyone. November is here! Let us explore this month’s theme. Month eleven: Here we go!

To the Japanese, winter begins in November. We are experiencing the changing of seasons to a harsher climate. Life ceases to exist amidst the bitter cold, and, the days become shorter. However, during this season, the holidays begin. We celebrate these special moments with our loved ones, and, must learn to be thankful in times like this. This month’s issue will centre on what it means to let go of what was, accept what is, and be grateful for the blessings we have. Here’s a question I’d like to share

Hi, everyone! My name is Himitsu, and I’m here to answer your questions, as we delve into life’s secrets. After all, “secret” is what my name means in Japanese!

ASK HIMITSU YOUR QUESTIONS, ANONYMOUSLY. Visit: divercsity.tumblr.com/advice Write your comments and opinions to the editor editor.divercsity@rcsi.ie

Lots of love, - Himitsu.

Q

Dear Himitsu,

The guy I like has a girlfriend. Ugh :( We are close friends now, but I can’t let go of my feelings. I’ve become so attached to him, and, I think I love him, I love everything about him! A large part of me believes he feels something too.

What do I do? How do I get over him?

L

ots of Love,

-A Hopeless romantic

A

: I think we’ve all experienced something like this. You have to do what is best for you. It depends, can you learn to accept that friendship is all he can offer you right now? It would be a shame to lose a close friend if you can avoid it – if you can tolerate being just friends. But if being around him upsets you, then you should distance yourself. Be polite if he’s around, but don’t go out of your way to talk to him. Block him on social media if you have to, that way, you are not tempted to monitor his actions. Although this may be difficult or awkward since you say you are close friends. But you need to focus on you. You are your priority.

As far as his feelings go…even if he does feel the same, what’s the point in ruminating on it any further? He is in a relationship. He made his choice. It has nothing to do with you, so don’t feel bad. You must accept this and move on. Life will open many more doors for you. Go with the flow and don’t ever give up on yourself. You are special.

Nothing is ever set in stone. Who knows, maybe years down the road life may bring you two together, but you cannot expect this to happen.

I know it’s painful, and I’m sorry. I promise you, some wonderful things are on their way. There are so many other aspects of life worth spending you precious time on: hanging out with your friends, getting to grips with your heftly college work, joining a college club or society to explore a new hobby, enjoying nature, reading a book, learning a new skill, eating some chocolate, etc. The possibilities are endless! Be thankful for all these opportunities the universe has brought to you.

Remember that the best days of your life haven’t happened yet.

Praying for you!

L

ove,

-Himitsu

November 2015

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« MIA ANDREWS

Food Diaries // Want to request a recipe from Mia? Email us at divercsity@rcsi.ie

Pirate Spiced Pumpkin Pie For the Pumpkin Pie Filling: STEP 1. Buy Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. STEP 2. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a small bowl. Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture with the eggs. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell.

B

ecause I’m an October baby myself and I think that October should have lasted a bit longer, here is a recipe my family makes, every year, for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. A little slice goes a long way. As winter is already gracing us with its presence, a slice of this pumpkin pie will go perfectly with any hot beverage!!

Ingredients for Pie Filling

• 1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust (an alternative is making a crust out of digestive biscuits) • 3/4 cup white sugar • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves • 2 eggs • 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin (Tesco has the one that I use) • 1 (12 fluid ounce) can Evaporated Milk (Tesco has this too) Ingredients for Alternative Digestive Biscuit Crust:

• 125g finely ground digestive biscuit crumbs • 5 tablespoons caster sugar • 85g butter, melted • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

STEP 3. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce tem perature to 350 degrees F.; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. (Do not freeze.)

For alternative Digestive Biscuits Crust: STEP 1. Preheat the oven to 190 C / Gas mark

5.

STEP 2. Mix biscuit crumbs, sugar, melted butter and cinnamon until well blended. Press mixture into a tart tin or pie dish.

STEP 3. Bake in the preheated oven for 7 minutes. Let cool before placing pumpkin pie filling in.

November 2015

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Clubs & Societies

// Clubs and societies.

Chocolate Ball...

CARIBBEAN & AFRICAN SOCIETY Email: cas@rcsi.ie

“Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate!” could be the most appropriate description for the much heralded Chocolate Ball. The transformation of the Exam hall sets the tone for the night and then, of course, there is the chocolate.

Many, students and staff alike, attend. But what is chocolate ball? It is a charity event organized annually by the Caribbean African Society(CAS) at RCSI. Each year, CAS picks one deserving charity to donate the proceeds of the event to and this year we will be sponsoring ‘SIGHT SAVERS’ an international charity that helps to support and combat preventable blindness.

However, the aim is to entertain which we’ve historically done by putting on a fashion show. Last year saw us stray from the norm when we organized a pageant searching for the first ever Mr and Miss RCSI. This year promises to be even better with the much anticipated Battle of the Socs!

Expect good quality chocolate, music, food, alcohol and performances and let’s not forget the EPIC after party that ends the amazing night.

November 2015

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Clubs & Societies

Polo Club RCSI POLO CLUB Email: polo@rcsi.ie

The RCSI Polo Club started their season incredibly strongly with record attendance for the opening months. So far this term there has been lots of interest from students across all years and disciplines. The Open Day was held on the 31st of October in the beautiful Polo-Wicklow grounds and was a fantastic success with a huge turnout!

This term’s main focus is to train beginners so they are ready for the international intervarsities competition in the UK in February 2016. However before that there is the trip to the St Andrew’s university polo competition in Scotland. This takes place in mid-november and the four RCSI teams travelling over and their supporters are very excited about it! We wish them the best of luck!

Any students interested in coming to watch the polo, trying out or enrolling in lessons please send us an email at polo@rcsi.ie Looking forward to hearing from you.

Hey Societies and Clubs! Want to be share your latest events and victories in Clubs & Socieites sections? Email divercsity@rcsi.ie

November 2015

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Entertainment

// Scene it! - the word on plays and reviews ...brought to you by an untrained eye

« SU KYI NG

PART 1. GENERAL IMPRESSIONS

W

hether or not, the title ‘Hamlet’ rings a bell in your mind, the story of ‘Hamlet’ is a story you know.

In summary; Prince’s father, the King, is murdered by King’s evil brother who usurps the throne’s power. Prince is banished by the new king (evil uncle) and eventually finds his way back to his kingdom to exact revenge. “……Hold up. By any chance, does this prince go by the name, Simba, and his evil uncle, Scar?”, you ask.

Well… yes. In its most well-known adaptation, Hamlet takes the form of the Lion King.

« SU KYI NG

G: Confused by the costumes!

JP: Confused by the words!

Suka: Alas plebians, thou fail to comprehend the complexity that is hamlet. Like a calf doth not know it is being fattened for the feast.

G: #stush* JP: …. I don’t understand the language of this article…. #jonsnow (*stush- fancy/ arrogant)

The Night Alive - credit Chris Heaney

HAMLET

H

November 2015

24

Image credit Ros Kavanagh

Hamlet is William Shakespeare’s longest play and most celebrated opus, performed and adapted time and time again since 1601. Today, we bring you a review of one such adaptation. Hamlet, starring Benedict Cumberbatch is a worldwide phenomenon currently showing at the Barbican theatre in London. Of course, none of us were lucky enough to be graced by the physical presence of Ben (notable works: Sherlock, The Hobbit, The Imitation Game, Star Trek into Darkness, SHERLOCK). We were incredibly lucky to find tickets to a screening by The National Theatre which broadcasts live and encore screenings of plays all over the world (God bless them).

FAQ: Do they do DVDs of the recorded performances?

Answer: No. Trust me, I’d do many things to own a copy of this performance, but unfortunately, you’ll only be able to see this at an encore screening (see www.NTLive. com), or fly to London and book tickets at The Barbican before it ends on the 31st October 2015.Whether or not, the title ‘Hamlet’ rings a bell in your mind, the story of ‘Hamlet’ is a story you know.

In summary; Prince’s father, the King, is murdered by King’s evil brother who usurps the throne’s power. Prince is banished by the new king (evil uncle) and eventually finds his way back to his kingdom to exact revenge. “……Hold up. By any chance, does this prince go by the name, Simba, and his evil uncle, Scar?”, you ask.

Well… yes. In its most well-known adaptation, Hamlet takes the form of the Lion King.

Hamlet is William Shakespeare’s longest play and most celebrated opus, performed and adapted time and time again since 1601. Today, we bring you a review of one such adaptation. Hamlet, starring Benedict Cumberbatch is a worldwide phenomenon currently showing at the Barbican theatre in London. Of course, none of us were lucky enough to be graced by the physical presence of Ben (notable works: Sherlock, The Hobbit, The Imitation Game, Star Trek into Darkness, SHERLOCK). We were incredibly lucky to find tickets to a screening by The National Theatre which broadcasts live and encore screenings of plays all over the world (God bless them).

FAQ: Do they do DVDs of the recorded performances?

Answer: No. Trust me, I’d do many things to own a copy of this performance, but unfortunately, you’ll only be able to see this at an encore screening (see www.NTLive. com), or fly to London and book tickets at The Barbican before it ends on the 31st October 2015.

In this edition of Scene-It, we’d like to introduce guest writer/seasoned Cumberb*tch/ DiveRCSIty columnist, Chew Jen Pin, to give us her thoughts on the brilliant ensemble.

amlet. Oh my God, where do I start? I was an utter mess watching this piece. It was beautiful, to say the least, I was actually saddened by the curtain call. I thought it was brilliant. I loved it.

This version of Hamlet was all about making it easy and accessible to ears untouched by the words of Shakespeare, and sound sweet even to the most seasoned of connoisseurs. All in all, the play was so captivating; you wouldn’t have time to form a first impression in your mind. The play progressed at a swift pace, precise, and powerful. It was a play with magnificent influence over its audience. With the help of its veteran cast, the play commanded the deathly silence of captivation of its audience from the very beginning, all throughout.

DIVERCSITY.COM

Entertainment

PART 2.

THE CAST

A

PART 3.

TECHNICAL

« CHEW JEN PIN

A

n absolutely stellar performance by the one and only Benedict Cumberbatch!

Opening with an attic scene between Hamlet and Horatio reminiscing the past, the backdrop is then raised to reveal an elegant dinner table, where the drama truly begins. No expense was spared in ensuring the table where all the main players that were introduced, was fit for a king (pun intended). As much as I’d like to lengthen this article by commenting on the props more specifically, I have to remind myself that people ordinarily do not find realistic paper as fascinating as I do. The props were exactly that, realistic.

Of course, Benedict is flanked by an amazing cast with the likes of Ciaran Hinds (Claudius), Jim Norton (Polonius) and Anastasia Hille (Gertrude).

These exquisite performers breathed life into this perfectly scripted Shakespearean classic, lending a twist of modernism and peppering this severe play with unexpected humour.

The modern twist on the costumes gave the team more room for some fun.

Hamlet was truly stunning in his David Bowie T shirt and gothic inspired coat, the costumes subtly highlighting his plans to rock the proverbial boat and expose Claudius. Another stand out costume was Horatio’s, literally looking every bit the hipster traveller, like he just stepped onto stage from the nearest Starbucks in his chequered shirt, chinos, and beanie. Of course uniforms and regalia were put on by say, Polonius and the guards as required by the scenes but elaborate costumes were on the minimum, making it much easier to focus on the characters and their prose.

A particular favourite of mine was Ophelia, brilliantly portrayed by Sian Brooke. The stunning transformation of a young woman, desperately naive and in love, into a demented figure, her soul damaged and twisted by the tragic murder of her father is one of pure art.

Karl Johnson’s (ghost of Hamlet’s father, gravedigger) performance was mediocre as the spirit of the deceased and failed to impress. His performance seemed dull and lacking an element of command despite the special effects. However, his portrayal of the gravedigger was light, funny and interesting. The comic relief was graciously welcomed. There was also sass. And a lot of it. Hmm, maybe I’m just biased that way.

It’s still hard to believe the entire play was conducted in one set, with only the occasional table really counting for any set change. Lighting was used to maximum effect, setting the mood of the scenes and no corner of the set was wasted, every corridor and stairwell pounded upon by the feet of rushing actors and screaming guards. One particular challenge handled well by the crew were Hamlet’s monologues, dimming the lights on all the other characters and having them move in slow motion successfully zoomed the focus on him while reassuring the nit pickers that no, he was not spacing out at the dinner table like a medical student fresh from the library.

Overall, one could say that Hamlet is one to watch out for. The performance will leave you at the edge of your seat throughout its entirety due to its superb cast. Every single one of them irreplaceable. And let me tell you, after this, you will definitely be a Ben-addict for life!

H

ll the boring, but (hopefully) professionally sounding bits.

I walked into the cinema fully expecting period costumes, actors desperately trying to adapt us to beautifully perplexing Shakespearean dialogue, and sets utilizing copious amounts of poetic license. In the now famous, meme worthy words of Thorin Oakenshield, never have I been so wrong.

Benedict soared to new heights with his mesmerizing portrayal of young Hamlet. Possessed by his craft, he gives off a raw, emotional energy that both disturbs and captivates the viewer. Summoning tears to his eyes and an undisputable sorrow to his very core merely 5 minutes into the play, Benedict entrances his audience from beginning to end. Not only does he capture the essence of Hamlet, he adds his own personal touch to this tortured character. Long story short, this Hamlet is a sassy one! So if you should think Shakespeare is dry, think again!

PART 3. FINAL THOUGHTS

« JIN JI LIM

I enjoyed the play. Really, I did. If ever did I seem overly analytical about the state of the set or the switch from Converse to Nike by Hamlet, know that it was because of how good this play really is, that I find myself wanting more and more, like fans of Harry Potter cooking up fanfiction in between the books.

« SU KYI NG

amlet was surreal. Though we were watching a play, it felt a lot like a movie …a movie that was the love-child of Wes Anderson and Guillermo del Toro. It had the sterile, crisp, vivid quality to its visuals all the while, remaining dark, beautifully haunting and convoluted. The costumes and props that were of different eras and Shakespearean language, blended strangely well together, adding an element fantasy. It was really its own thing, and the novelty of the style contributed in making this classic feel so fresh and new. The words and sounds of Shakespearean English catch you off guard at first, however, the acting conducted and amplified the meaning behind the words so effectively, that the foreign language quickly became unnoticeable.

Hamlet, a story that’s really about death and loss, was saturated with life. Prince Hamlet was given the energy, drama, and extravagance of youth by Benedict Cumberbatch. He compounded the angst and emotion of youth into something we could all comprehend, and relate to. He was unrestrained, intelligent, witty and wild, making his adaptation of Hamlet one so close to my heart.

Hamlet, as a performance not only moved its audience but swayed and rocked the entire theatre and cinemas worldwide to the extremes of emotion. Exciting, real, raw, dramatic and best of all, hilarious… Hamlet is all the right types of unexpected you could ever wish for in a play. 10/10 would recommend.

November 2015

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Entertainment

// Photojournalist: B&W. ÂŤ YASODA SUBRAMANIAN

Photo titles, clockwise from top left: Ocean Sounds, Puddle in the Middle, Rainy Day, Halloween is Here

Do you have a photgraphic eye and are looking to be published? Submit your photography with the subject Photo Submissions to divercsity@rcsi.ie

November 2015

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Entertainment

« RUTH EMMANUEL

L

et’s get the ball rolling with a bit of fun. Answer the following riddle if you please:

‘While attending her mother’s funeral, a woman meets a man she’s never seen before.

She quickly believes him to be her soulmate and falls head over heels. But she forgets to ask for his number, and when the wake is over, try as she might, she can’t track him down. A few days later she murders her sister. Why?’ Now, on with the show. Most of us will encounter a psychopath in our lives. No, not your friend who does the most unusual things or the eccentric aunt whom you can never seem to understand. No. The real psychopath is the friendly neighbour, the brilliant consultant, the formidable lawyer, that business mogul. So, how do we spot them when they’re amongst us?

Kevin Dutton’s ‘The Wisdom of PsycopathsLessons in Life from Spies, Saints and Serial Killers’ is the official guide through the maze of a psychopathic mind. The beauty of this particular piece of work is the passion with

// Book review: The Wisdom of Psycopaths which it is written and the persistence of the author, his targeted and unending curiosity.

Dutton portrays ‘psychopathic’ as just another personality type to be delved into and analysed and he does so with some degree of obsession.

While he accedes the point that the psychopaths we know have come to light most times because they have committed some heinous crime or other, he also draws our attention to the functional psychopaths. See, when we think of psychopaths, we think of the extremists. However, the intrigue lies in the mind of the ones amongst us. Considering what they are capable of and, to some extent what they are inclined to do, how can they camouflage themselves amongst us? Dutton answers this question with enthusiasm. In fact, he dares to hypothesize that society needs our hidden psychopaths to thrive. He reveals several chilling truths and trends, some of which we might even find relatable. Perhaps this is the hook of this piece of work, its applicability.

While engrossing, this book is hardly the sort one would reach for with a cup of tea or glass of wine, when reclined to relax. However, this

author would still dare to rate it 3.5/5. It is an intriguing compilation of facts and figures wrapped up in witty naration and in-depth explanations. It provokes thought and introspection and makes a wonderful change from fiction.

Who knew facts and figures could prove quite so… well, not boring.

Based on Duttons calculations, a significant percentage amongst us as medics in training possess quite a few psychopathic traits, particularly the future surgeons. Perhaps you might be one. Why not find out?

Explanation to the question: If your immediate response was that she was hoping he would turn up at her sister’s funeral as well, then you’re well on your way to embracing your psychopathy.

Seb Says //

Artist Of The Month:

ROYAL BLOOD

« SEBASTIAN GRACIAS

Photos taken by Independent

Tune Picks Of The Month: 1) The Boys of Summer - The Ataris 2) Figure It Out - Royal Blood 3) Awkward - FIDLAR 4) TMJ - Bitch Falcon 5) Helicopter - Bloc Party 6) Mrs. Robinson - The Lemonheads 7) Fluffy - Wolf Alice 8) Little Cream Soda - The White Stripes 9) Mongoose - Bright Horizon 10) Since You Been Gone - A Day To Remember

November 2015

A

dynamic duo that creates a barrage of sound, Royal Blood formed in Brighton in 2003. The band has been described as having influences from blues, psychedelic rock and others, resulting in an artistic voice that is as unique as it is appealing.

The band is set apart by its creative prowess - in that, although it sounds like vocalist Mike Kerr is playing bass and guitar, he only plays the former. It is his secret pedal and gear setup that generate a middle guitar track from his bass lines. The mind-blowing fact of the matter is, that their tunes are the product of only two instruments.

When asked by Musicradar if any guitar overdubs are used in their material, Kerr has firmly stated that this isn’t the case, and that Royal Blood never create something in the studio that cannot be performed live by the duo. Other famous two-piece artists have included White Stripes and The Black Keys. So if you’ve heard of them, it’s definitely time to add Royal Blood to your playlist.

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// The Corzies: Movie Reviews.

ANT-MAN

« CORMAC DUFF

More Corzie Reviews at corzies.com

A

nt-Man tells the story of one man’s struggle against an evil corporation - Edgar Wright against Marvel Studios.

Most of you know Wright as the director of side-splitting British comedies, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. For his American debut, he adapted the graphic novel, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. It was a dazzling box office bomb. Universal foolishly released it on the same weekend as The Expendables. Its fate was sealed by the backlash against Michael Cera, growing since the abysmal Year One. A lifelong Ant-Man fan, Wright originally pitched the film more than a decade ago. Since then, Marvel went from fledgling film-makers to the world’s most successful, influential studio. Out of its twelve films, the studio made only one major misfire, The Incredible Hulk (2008). Production was a debacle: volatile star Edward Norton rewrote entire scenes every single day.

Co-star Tim Roth admitted he “wouldn’t even bother looking at them until I got into the make-up chair”.

Marvel left a whopping 70 minutes of footage on the cutting room floor.

Following lukewarm reviews and a disappointing box office, Marvel now keeps its directors on a tight leash.

As a result, most directors part ways after a single film.

Edgar Wright didn’t even get one film. Forced to shoot Marvel’s own rewrites, he abandoned the project mere weeks before filming. Adam McKay (Anchorman) also turned down the role. C-List director Peyton Reed stepped in at the eleventh hour, making Marvel’s first C-List superhero movie.

Ant-Man isn’t a bad movie. I enjoyed it more than the Avengers sequel, which had twice its budget. Its pace is zippy. Its tone is decidedly light. The teeny-weeny action sequences are imaginative. It foregoes Marvel’s typically overblown third act. Leading man Paul Rudd is affable. His co-stars Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lily add dramatic weight to the proceedings.

The dual father-daughter relationship is effective, if somewhat overfamiliar. (*cough* Interstellar *cough*) Amusing details are peppered throughout – listen for the whistling of a certain Disney song.

Yet the film has more than its fair share of problems.

The opening scene breaks Hollywood’s number one rule: Show, Don’t Tell. An exciting introduction was once planned: the original Ant-Man single-handedly invades a 1980s Soviet base. Instead Marvel launches with a boardroom scene, in which Douglas angrily resigns. Seriously. It’s like Steve Jobs, but with zero context and dull writing.

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Paul Rudd’s casting is spot-on. But his character is too “safe”. Yes, he’s a convicted cat-burglar. However, the film stresses, he broke into some evil, thieving financial institution. After being fired by them for whistle-blowing. And he didn’t hurt anyone in the process. And he returned all the money to its rightful owners. Dear Lord, Nelson Mandela went to Robben Island for a worse crime! It feels like a focus group smoothed down all Rudd’s “rough edges” - and his personality. Even his relationship with his estranged daughter is overly peachy. He has ostensibly been behind bars for half of her life, yet she still calls him Daddy. Wouldn’t it be more effective if she called her step-dad “Daddy”? In that case, Rudd would have truly lost everything. He would have a strong reason to go from zero to hero.

The film’s villain is a another weak spot. Corey Stoll showed pathos as House of Cards’ cowardly Peter Russo. However, he has little to work with as this one-dimensional mad scientist. He has no downfall, no descent into madness. His righteous anger is established from the get-go. It doesn’t fester or warp over time. Lip-service is paid to mumbo-jumbo “chemicals” poisoning his thoughts. But this is soon forgotten. One frankly shocking scene shows his callousness. Most others deserve a twirling moustache or a purring white cat.

Like Guardians of the Galaxy, the film sometimes feels rushed and overcut. Frenzied action scenes hurtle forward breathlessly. But comedic timing and spontaneity of humour are sacrificed in quieter scenes. I don’t know why they had to rush: more than ninety minutes

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pass before the much-hyped Yellowjacket is donned. I waited for the rug to be pulled from under me. Maybe Ant-Man would be captured? Maybe they would introduce the Wasp? Like the original Iron Man, much of the film is straight-forward and predictable. However, it lacks the buoying effect of Robert Downey Jr’s career-defining performance.

As in other Marvel films, the military industrial complex becomes the boogeyman. This makes sense in Iron Man: Stark Industries begins as a weapons manufacturer. The foes are arms dealers and terrorists. It makes sense in Captain America: Winter Soldier: the film itself is a scathing attack on the civil liberty intrusions of the Patriot Act. But in Ant-Man, it has no thematic relevance. It feels forced. Likewise, the appearance of a certain third-rate Avenger feels shoe-horned.

Overall, Ant-Man remains something of a missed opportunity. The transition between British and American humour is jarring: Wright’s wry deadpan doesn’t mesh with McKay’s broad one-liners. I couldn’t help but wish I was watching Edgar Wright’s original vision. An underwhelming box-office proves I am hardly alone.

Ant-Man is worth watching for Marvel “completionists”. But it is unlikely to win over any new followers.

An unambitious origin story, it remains one of the studio’s weaker efforts. There is certainly room for improvement in the inevitable sequel. Indeed, Paul Rudd might work better in the ensemble Captain America: Civil War. However, I expect Ant-Man to be literally overshadowed by bigger superheroes.

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AVENGERS

T

om Hardy is a rare breed of movie star: one that can act. A fresh-faced noughties, Hardy can be spotted in everything from Band of Brothers to Star Trek: Nemesis. The thespian met widespread fame playing a trio of thugs: Britain’s most dangerous prisoner (Bronson, 2009), a beastly MMA fighter (Warrior, 2011) and the disfigured terrorist, Bane (The Dark Knight Rises, 2012). This villainous performance was inspired however, failed to overshadow his seminal predecessor - Heath Ledger’s Joker. Nevertheless, DKR grossed over a billion dollars and made Hardy the world’s hottest actor.

Hardy wisely avoided these popcorn flicks – with the notable exception of the awesome Mad Mad: Fury Road. Instead, he focused on smaller projects and more challenging roles. Take Locke for instance. Who would have thought phone calls about concrete could be so thrilling?

Hardy’s latest effort is sadly much more predictable. Does the Avengers sequel live up to the original? Short answer – no.

Long answer – Noooooooooooooooooooo.

Avengers: Age of Ultron looked great on paper. Joss Whedon was back in the director’s chair. He promised a darker, more complex tale than its predecessor. Well, it is darker. It is also confusing, convoluted and cluttered. More The Matrix Reloaded than The Empire Strikes Back.

The original Avengers was elegant in its simplicity. The continuity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe let audiences jump right into the fray. We knew our ensemble cast from the five “Phase One” films. We knew the devious villain, Loki, from Thor. Even the MacGuffin had been introduced in Captain America. (The Tesseract. It took me a full hour to remember that.) We were ready to rock, even before the credits rolled.

Sadly it is this same continuity that holds its sequel back.

Multiple scenes exist solely to set up future Marvel movies.

Thor has a cataclysmal vision of Asgard in a bizarre, truncated subplot. Tony Stark and Steve Rogers lock horns – a schism develops. A contrived romantic subplot is thrown in for good

measure. It feels like a trailer reel for Thor: Ragnarok and Captain America: Civil War. As with Iron Man 2’s interminable diner scenes, the film itself becomes slow and bloated. Like an Eddie Rockets customer.

Our Fearless Leader, the eponymous Ultron is woefully underused. Recent films like Ex Machina have tapped into the public’s fears of Big Data and accompanying artificial intelligence. Ultron should have been a fantastic “Broken Mirror” villain: a dark reflection of Tony Stark’s paranoia and technophilia.

Unfortunately he is more Uncanny Valley than Silicon Valley: Ultron’s weird puppet lips are unsettling for all the wrong reasons. And his villainous scheme is relegated to the background to make room for more boring (read: dizygotic) characters.

This sequel feels stale and tired, like a franchise’s third or fourth movie. Its opening action scene is oddly lacking in energy. The much-anticipated “Hulkbuster” scene is fleeting and underwhelming. (It was probably overexposed by the film’s many, many trailers.) And our literal Deus Ex Machina is introduced far too late in the proceedings. Yet other action set pieces remain inventive – in particular, the motorway sequence. The third act is a welcome variant of Marvel’s typical fireworks display. But shooting robots doesn’t give the visceral thrill of gunning down fleshy opponents. No blood, no guts. No R-rating. No fun.

I believe Joss Whedon made the right decision in stepping down from the franchise. His witty, tongue-in-cheek quips have begun to grate. As with the underwhelming Iron Man 2, it’s time for fresh ideas. I am still looking forward to Captain America: Civil War, a.k.a. “Avengers 2½”. Robert Downey Jr’s final appearance easily makes it worth the price of admission.

Not to mention its Spider-Man’s Marvel debut. But I hope Marvel Studios will learn from this outing’s mistakes. I hope we will be pleasantly surprised – next time the Avengers… assemble.

DID YOU KNOW? « YARA ZAYOUT

1) The king of hearts is the only king without a moustache.

2) The sentence “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.” uses every letter in the alphabet.

3)There is a bar in London that sells vaporized vod ka, which is inhaled instead of sipped.

FUN FACTS

Brainy Bites //

4) American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating one olive from each salad served first class.

1)Banging your head against the wall burns 150 calories an hour.

2)A baby octopus is about the size of a flea when it is born.

3)A small child could swim through the veins of a blue whale.

4)The toothpaste ‘Colgate’ in Spanish translates to ‘go hang yourself’.

5) Every time you lick a stamp, you’re consuming 1/10 of a calorie.

6) Only food that does not spoil: honey.

5)111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

7) Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.

6)Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

8) Crocodiles and alligators are surprisingly fast on land. Although they are rapid, they are not agile; so if you ever find yourself chased by one, run in a zigzag line.

9) Only female mosquitoes bite.

10) All the chemicals in the human body have a combined value of approximately £4.00 (6.25 Euro)

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Science

// Doses of History: Anaesthesia « TENGKU NAZIM

“Gentlemen, this is no humbug!”

R

A HISTORY OF ANAESTHESIA

obert Liston was a skilled Scottish surgeon in a time before surgical anaesthesia. He was known as the ‘fastest knife in the West End’ whereby before every operation, Liston would proclaim, “Gentlemen, time me.” and was able to successfully amputate a leg in 150 seconds! Surgery was extremely painful without general anaesthesia and was considered a last resort.

Attempts to induce general anaesthesia dates back throughout recorded history. Opium, alcohol and hemp were widely used as analgesics during early civilisations. Alcohol was even used as a sedative by the ancient Mesopotamians as early as 1000 BC. By the 1830s, diethyl ether and nitrous oxide (laughing gas) were marketed as recreational drugs in America. Public exhibitions and parties where participants would inhale the gas and experience its mind-altering effects were a common and regular event. Crawford Long, a physician and pharmacist, observed that some participants of these ‘ether frolics’ would acquire bruises and have no memory of it once the effects wore off. He then theorised that ether could be used as an anaesthetic. On the 30th March 1842, Long performed surgery on the first patient under ether and successfully removed a tumour from the patient’s neck with no complications. Unfortunately, doctors at the time were skeptical of a gas that could provide pain relief. Long repeated his experiments with similar positive results but only published his findings in 1849, denying himself much of the credit for this discovery.

cian, started using chloroform as a substitute for ether during obstetric procedures. He found that patients tolerated chloroform better.

This method gained recognition when physician John Snow administered chloroform to Queen Victoria to assist her in the delivery of her son. This led to a wider acceptance of medical pain relief, as cultural belief slowly shifted away from the thought that pain was associated with divine punishment and that the only cure was righteousness.

In 1884, ophthalmologist Karl Koller first used cocaine as a local anaesthetic for an eye surgery. This led to development in the area of local anaesthesia and regional nerve blocks. Cocaine, however, proved to be very addictive in patients and had severe cardiovascular toxic effects. Thus, research was conducted and synthetic derivatives that lacked the euphoric and addictive effects of cocaine, such as Procaine and Lidocaine, were developed for clinical use instead.

Anaesthesia brought in a new era for surgery; giving surgeons the ability to buy time for the surgeries that require more precision and accuracy. It has helped revolutionise surgery from its early days of barber surgeons to the respected field that it is today.

William Morton, an American dentist, performed the first public demonstration of general anaesthesia with ether on 16th October 1846 at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. The operating surgeon, John Warren, resected a tumour from the neck of a patient that was completely unconscious. Once regaining consciousness, the patient had no recollection of the surgery to which Warren exclaimed, “Gentlemen, this is no humbug!” News of this public demonstration spread fast among the medical community. Morton quickly gained recognition for his work and was deemed the pioneer of modern surgical anaesthesia.

In December 1846, Robert Liston operated on a patient anaesthetised with ether and the patient’s leg was amputated in a mere 28 seconds! Once the patient regained consciousness, he asked, “When would the operation begin?” to the amusement of the demonstration’s audience. The patient was completely unconscious, felt no pain and had no recollection of the amputation whatsoever.

Inhalation of ether, however, does have its complications. Being a volatile drug, patients may experience irritation to the throat, vomiting and a risk of death by overdose. In 1847, James Simpson, an obstetri

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Science

Anatomy WITH Clive Lee // T

« PROF. CLIVE LEE HEAD OF ANATOMY RCSI, PRESIDENT OF THE ANATOMICAL SOCIETY.

Sir William Wilde

his year, we celebrate the bi-centenary of a most distinguished licentiate and fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, William Wilde. Born in Co Roscommon in 1815, he was apprenticed to Abraham Colles and was awarded his LRCSI in 1837 and FRCSI in 1844. Wilde’s tomb is sadly all too familiar today, as it is located directly opposite the Victorian Chapel in Mount Jerome Cemetery. On it, his family have had inscribed the following: SIR WILLIAM WILDE M.D. F.R.C.S.I. SURGEON OCULIST TO HER MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA CHEVALIER OF THE ROYAL SWEDISH ORDER OF THE NORTH STAR THE FOUNDER OF ST MARK’S OPTHALMIC HOSPITAL AND THE AUTHOR OF MANY WORKS ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES OF IRELAND BORN AT CASTLEREA COUNTY ROSCOMMON MARCH 1815 DIED AT HIS RESIDENCE MERRION SQUARE DUBLIN APRIL 1876

BE IN WITH A CHANCE TO WIN OUR MONTHLY GIVEAWAY! Winner will be announced and contacted in the next month’s issue.

Enter by emailing A, B, C, D or E with the subject Anatomy Quiz! to divercsity@rcsi.ie

------------------LAST MONTH’S ANSWER: B. Intercostobrachial

nerve, the lateral cutaneous branch of the second intercostal nerve (anterior Wilde also described an incision for mastoidectomy. One of the complications of such surgery would be damage to the facial nerve, so knowledge of its course and branches is essential.

The last branch of the facial nerve in the petrous temporal bone is: A. Chorda tympani B. Greater petrosal C. Lesser petrosal D. Nerve to stapedius E. Posterior auricular

ramus of T2)

------------------LAST MONTH’S WINNER IS: Aqeel Alameer Congratulations! You win a 15 euro voucher from Clarendon Medical.

We will get in touch with you soon!

Get the quiz question in your RCSI email when you join our monthly newsletter!

Illustrations courtesy of freepik

Email with subject Add to newsletter to divercsity@rcsi.ie

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Science

// The Medical Pulse

« SONIA RAMKISSOON

From Captain Hook to the DEKA Arm (Luke) Can you even begin to imagine the physical and emotional affliction associated with losing a limb? Unfortunately, this is a reality for many individuals in our society. If we were to historically regress, just about 3000 years in ancient Greece or Rome, amputees did not have the luxury of hope for a convenient life. On the contrary, they had no choice but to costume themselves with mechanical devices made of wood and metal. (Most of us are also familiar with Peter Pan’s fictional antagonist – Captain James Hook – who had a hook instead of an arm!) By the middle ages, the quality of artificial limbs had evolved to include pulleys and clamps.

Unmistakably, we understand the struggles that modern medicine had to overcome.

Now, there is a magnificent vision of the future for prosthetics and medical robotics. The year of 2014, thankfully heralded some hope through the arrival of the DEKA Arm (nicknamed Luke, after Luke Skywalker’s artificial hand!) In May of that year, The United States’ Food and Drug Administration announced its acquiescence to the world’s first prosthetic arm, capable of multiple simultaneous movements.

Now, his latest invention is turning heads around in the medical world, but more significantly, turning lives around.

The DEKA system is controlled by myoelectricity. In other words, EMG electrodes detect electrical activity caused by the muscle contractions taking place close to where the prosthesis is attached. Electrical impulses are sent to a computer processor (via the electrodes) within the prosthesis that translates them to a specific movement or up to ten different movements. The DEKA arm can be configured for people with limb loss occurring at the shoulder joint, mid-upper arm or mid-lower arm. Therefore, a more theoretically intuitive method of controlling the arm can be facilitated rather than relying on a haphazard pulley system.

The illustrious American entrepreneur and inventor, Dean Kamen deserves acknowledgment for this success. He is known firstly for his SegwayPT (a two-wheeled, self-balancing, battery-powered vehicle), the very same kind that mall cops are associated with.

The user simply has to think, “I am going to move my elbow/hand,” causing the nerves to fire. The arm would then adjust itself accordingly. This extraordinary degree of fine-grained control definitely sets the DEKA Arm apart from other sophisticated prosthetics. Functionality, adaptability and design definitely play a pivotal role.

Especially in an environment where visual presentation is crucial, it more closely mimics natural human function and is unlike anything the world has seen before.

//DIABETES – DIAGNOSIS MADE EASY

« GEORGE IKPOKOMITOP

Novel Biomarker to Diagnose Type I Diabetes Mellitus Found in Urine Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder affecting blood sugar levels and is characterised by inadequate insulin production, resistance to insulin, or both. There are several types of diabetes of varying prevalence in general population. The two major types of diabetes are type I diabetes mellitus (DMI) and type II diabetes mellitus (DMII).

DMI is predominantly an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas (beta cells).

Insufficient insulin production by the beta cells in the pancreas leads to poor absorption and storage and thus results in progressive accumulation of glucose in the bloodstream. The onset of DMI is usually in childhood and early adult life and this condition requires daily insulin administration. DMII is the most prevalent type of diabetes and mostly affects the older population, particularly those who are overweight. It is characterised by relative insulin deficiency. It is usually preceded by prediabetes, where blood glucose levels are higher than normal range but are not high enough yet to be considered diabetic. An estimated 382 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes. In Ireland, around 7% of the population are diabetic and 15% of these have DMI and 85% with DMII. The hallmark of DMI and DMII include unusual thirst (polydypsia), frequent urination (polyuria), unexplained weight change, fatigue, blurred vision, frequent/recurring

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infections, tingling or numbness in hands and feet, and cuts/bruises that are slow to heal.

lin-producing’-cells of the pancreas, microRNA-224 is an exciting potential solution to this problem.

Having uncontrolled high blood sugar can be very problematic; complications can occur at various sites – brain (e.g. stroke), eyes (e.g. diabetic retinopathy), heart (e.g. myocardial infarction), kidney (e.g. kidney failure) and feet (e.g. ulcers). Early recognition and diagnosis of the disease can lead to appropriate blood sugar awareness and control and thus prevent the aformentioned complications.

The availability of this biomarker in urine, is of significant clinical convieniece because urine is a stable biofluid that is easily stored, as opposed to blood draw which requires specific storage conditions. Drawing blood is also invasive and carries risk of bleeding, infection and haemolysis, whereas the collection of urine is much more simple.

A novel DMI biomarker, microRNA-224, was found in significantly high levels in the urine of DMI. Even at low levels, the molecule is detectable in urine. This is remarkable because it allows the clinician to provide early diagnosis of this disease, which in the long run could allow more proactive monitoring and management of DMI. The study included a total of 144 subjects: 44 DMI, 36 DMII, 38 HNF1A-MODY and 26 Controls. RNA from urine samples was issolated and microRNA-224 levels was detected in urine using quantitative PCR. DMI had more than twice the level of microRNA-224 in their urine compared to controls (2380 × 103 copies per 1.7 µL vs. 1180 × 103 copies per 1.7 µL, p < 0.05). Seeing that pancreatic biopsy in humans at present is impossible to perform and without any imaging techniques or biomarkers for visualising or estimating the demise of beta-‘insu-

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Culture & Leisure

// Craic in Krakow

MUST VISITS AND MUST DO’S Auschwitz-birkenau museum « CHEW JEN PIN

LOCAL GRUB AND GROG Soplica If you are an alcoholic who happens to love Nutella, then Soplica Orzech Laskowy, a gorgeous hazelnut flavoured vodka is a gift from the Polish gods. Hallelujah! Allergic to nuts? You can’t get off that easy. Soplica comes in other flavours as well including raspberry (Malinowa),quince (Pigwowa) and cherry (Wisniowa).

So there’s absolutely no excuse to miss out on this elixir from the heavens… (cue baby angels playing harps)

Pierogi

This is a sexier version of Dim Sum. Pierogi is a dumpling; but not just any dumpling! It comes in more versions than Miley Cyrus’ face. Fried or boiled, you could get pierogi filled with cheese,potatoes,apples,blueberries,mushrooms,marijuana(not really, if only). However, if you don’t want to die of starch overload, share! (They usually serve 6 per plate).

Oskypek

Sounds like an exotic obscenity. But no. It’s just salted sheep cheese. Ocypek is made from sheep milk found exclusively in the Tatra Mountains. It tastes sooo much better in the summer as the sheep produce richer milk. Eaten with cranberry sauce, it’s more spongy than creamy. And oddly filling! Talk about Polish Lembas bread…

Old Town Square food stalls Being closely linked historically with Germany, you can have decent Polish sausage-also known as Kielbasa- at one of the stalls in the old town. Get some sauerkraut and Polish kebab while you’re at it. Also, there’s this one stall that sells chocolate tools. From wrenches to screwdrivers to guns, the attention to detail is sublime.

Old Town Square food stalls

Being closely linked historically with Germany, you can have decent Polish sausage-also known as Kielbasa- at one of the stalls in the old town. Get some sauerkraut and Polish kebab while you’re at it. Also, there’s this one stall that sells chocolate tools. From wrenches to screwdrivers to guns, the attention to detail is sublime.

No visit to Krakow is complete without a visit to Aushwitz. Located about 3 hours from Krakow, a trip to Auschwitz I and II (Birkenau) concentration and extermination camps will stay with you for the rest of your life. Huge glass cases are filled with to the brim with spectacles, shoes and suitcases of the massacred Jews. There are even two gigantic ones filled with human hair. You get and up close look at the furnaces and view the horrible living conditions they were subjected to. It will definitely give you a more personal perspective on the Holocaust. This is one definitely not to be missed.

Wieliczka salt mine

Moving on to a slightly happier must-vist, Hi Hoooo! Go if you like salt or have an unhealthy obsession with the seven dwarves. Located an hours’ drive away from the city centre, the salt mine provides instant relief from a hot summers day (12 degrees celcius). Experience underground lakes (Phantom of the Opera,anyone?Anyone??), salt sculptures hand crafted by miners, stunning salt chandeliers (don’t be a Sia) and even a chamber with salt art-The Last Supper. I’m not even kidding! Famous visitors of the salt mine include Pope John Paul II and my current boyfriend, Benedict Cumberbatch.

Zakrzowek

If you aspire to be a reasonably mild badass, you should totally trespass into Zakrzowek.

Previously a limestone mine, it’s now a sublime oasis right in the heart of the city. ‘Look for the holes in the fence!’ remarks the hostel receptionist. Or you could wait for a vehicle to pass through the electronic gates to sneak in. Either way, the gorgeous lake that greets you is so worth breaking the law for.

Old town

The HUB of, well, everything! The old town square is definitely the place to be if you want to experience Krakow in all its glory. Because that’s basically it. Krakow. Outside the old town, a barren wasteland. And then you have the castle. And then more barren wasteland. Of course, I jest. In the heart of it stands a cloth hall which resembles a Turkish market.A billion overpriced cafes litter the square along with a single giant decapitated head sculpture. Clearly something else. But don’t lose your head over it!

Wawel royal castle The bones of a huge prehistoric animal were found at the grounds of the castle. Rumoured to be the bones of the Krakow dragon, Wawel castle attracts millions of visitors yearly. Also if you’re a believer, a Hindu god spread some Chakra (good vibes yo!) onto the castle grounds. Travellers go there to absorb the positive energy. Also, there’s a statue of a fire breathing dragon (like, actual flames) outside the castle. But I would recommend going there to experience Benedict Cumberbatch’s handprints on the walkway beside the river.

DAY TRIP TO ZAKOPANE Zakopane. A picturesque town located in the valley between the Gubalowka Hill and the magnificent Tatra Mountains. Teeming with fat tourists, the main shopping street or Krupowki is lined with restaurants (slightly overpriced), food stalls(get foot tall ice cream cones here!), shops and even street performers. Essentially the Grafton Street of Poland. Up the Gubalowka Hill, you’ll be greeted with a bird’s eye view of the city. You can even make out the Olympic ski-jumping slope on a clear day. Atop the hill there’s a mini Krupowki where you can satiate your tourist needs and relieve yourself of the burden that is money. There’s also an oddly located adventure park if it’s all beginning to get too mellow for you. About a half an hours’ walk or a fifteen minute carriage ride away, there’s a ski lift that can bring you down to earth once more. A great day trip for nature lovers , souvenir shoppers and food enthusiasts. What’s not to love?

OVERALL

Poland is a beautiful country to visit, regardless of the season. Also, it’s CHEAP. So it’s definitely a place to go for budget travellers. A one stop destination to mass purchase Milka chocolates, affordable alcohol and the experience of a lifetime, Poland-or should I say, Krakow-is one of the top places to travel to. Just don’t get stuff from the airport.

The Milka was triple the price. Blasphemy.

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// Game of TRAVEL: -Joli Paris!

« HONG MING

Ah, Paris! The fabled city of passionate love. The grave of Marie Antoinette and countless King Louis’s. The origin of the French Revolution. The home of spectacular monuments. The capital of fashion. The birthplace of Auguste Rodin, Claude Monet, Marion Cotillard and Emma Watson. It is so famous it is also known as the city of clichés. People from England would also know Paris as the capital of France, their historical adversary. These two countries are so similar and yet so different, entwined tightly within the flow of history. Famous people such as Ernest Hemingway, Frederic Chopin, Marie Curie and Napoleon Bonaparte, despite not being born in Paris, had found eternal fame in Paris. In this issue, I am going to introduce you guys to the wonderful city of Paris. Go to Paris for its vast history, delicious food and distinctive culture and not just taking photos of famous attractions – it would be huge waste if you do so.

Lieux d’intérêt

A thing you absolutely must bring on your trip here is an identification card with your address on it! If you are not from the EU, bring the thing you have paid so dearly for to study in RCSI – the Garda card a.k.a. your Irish Student Visa! Finally you have a use for your normally useless but expensive card! It has your Irish home address on it. These are especially important as you can gain free entry to most of the major attractions inside and outside Paris by just showing your card!

It saved me so much money, and I can visit the attractions as many times as I want for free! Esplendide! Also, Sandeman’s walking tour is here in Paris, and as I have mentioned many times in past issues, join it, preferably on your first day in Paris.

Eiffel Tower Many popular attractions in Europe, like the gondolas in Venice, are massively overrated. Not the Eiffel Tower though. In fact, it even exceeded my expectations.

It was taller and sleeker than I thought. It looks so fragile – thousands of tonnes of protective paint had been applied to the thin metal rungs to keep the metal tower from rusting and eventually toppling. Up close, the steel felt cold and imposing. As you walk under the tower, you will see lifts carry people to the middle section of the tower. You will need to pay to go up the tower, by lift or by walking. Unfortunately this is one of the very few attractions where your ID/Garda card is no use.

They need your money to pay for the paint and for maintenance. And they get a massive amount of money considering more than 15 million people go up the tower every year! Take whatever photos you like from Parc du Champ de Mars in front of the tower – just be careful of any scammers and pickpockets lurking among excited tourists. Oh don’t forget the night view of the tower is spectacular too! It is truly a veritable symbol of Paris.

Louvre Aha! Finally! Use your card to get in for free! There will be long lines at the pyramid entrance every day – it’s like queuing up at the GNIB office again ugh!

Fret not, either go in at 3pm where there are almost no lines usually, or go in via the Lion’s Gate entrance if it’s open! Last time I went in at 3pm via the pyramid entrance, flashed my Garda card for a free ticket, and voila! I am in the famous Louvre! Note that this museum is open until 10pm on Wednesdays and Fridays. I went on a Friday so I can stay until 10pm without the need of tussling with tourists like other people did in the mornings. One thing to note is that this museum is humongous! I spent almost seven hours here and I felt I have only skimmed the surface. Also, this museum houses so many famous artefacts that if you know your art and monuments like me, you would be enormously astounded by the impressive collection. Heck, the Mona Lisa is not even the most impressive thing in there – it’s only famous because it was stolen before and Pablo Picasso was accused of stealing it! Another amazing place to visit in Paris, well done les Parisiens.

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Notre Dame Cathedral This place is perfect for fans of Hunchback of Notre Dame! This attraction is free to visit, so go in at 10am in the morning to avoid flocks of Disney fans later in the day. Flash your card again for a free ride up one of the towers to experience what Quasimodo would have seen back in the days. Behind this beautiful cathedral is the smaller cathedral Saint Chappelle – also free if you use your card again.

Luxembourg Gardens Labelled as one of the top attractions on TripAdvisor, this place is a disappointment. I guess it’s just the hot weather, coupled with the annoyingly sandy ground that caused me to leave after just 15 minutes. If you like basking under the sun at 40° C in summer, stay as long as you like.

Pont Alexandre III and Pont des Arts The most famous bridge in Paris. Nothing special about the bridge except its vast history. Its sibling, the famous love lock bridge, Pont des Arts, is now covered with ugly panels to prevent people from attaching love locks on it anymore. Apparently the weight of the love locks caused the bridge to be on the verge of collapsing, and the authorities removed the locks afterwards. Interestingly, the Parisians blamed the movie Sex and the City for this love lock culture running rampant in cities across the world. The French blaming other countries for one of its clichés eh?

Musee d’Orsay If you are a true art lover, you would love this place. Flash your card and enter this renovated train station for free. There is a huge clock a la train-station style above your head when you first pass through the entrance. Nice collection of art, but obviously not as impressive as the mighty Louvre.

Sacred Heart Basilica of Montmartre

Also known as Sacre Ceur, this attraction lies peculiarly far away from the Paris city centre. The basilica is beautiful both inside and outside, and you can have a nice view of the Paris city centre from the basilica, so it is worth the trip. Unfortunately the stairs in front of this basilica is infested with scammers who will extort money from you if you are naïve enough to let suspicious people tie random strings on your wrist.

You may see these scammers in other places as well. No use complaining to local police either as they are either in league with these people or hopelessly incompetent.

You have been warned. But as long as you stay alert and clever you should be fine.

Don’t let these scammers ruin the truly remarkable experience of visiting Paris!

Palais Garnier

Arc du Triomphe

One of the most beautiful opera houses in Europe. This is also one the few attractions where your card does not work and you have to pay for entrance. I got an audio guide and spent 2 hours there. Incredible architecture with stunning grandeur rivalling that of the Versailles palace.

One of the Big Three alongside the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. Personally I think 8 euros is a silly amount of money to pay to go up to the top of this monument.

Luckily I have my nifty Garda card ready for the free ticket!

The view on top is mediocre. Staying below and looking at the monument’s sculptures is far better. At 6pm every day there will be a ceremony to commemorate the fallen French Warriors and visitors would be invited to join in this solemn ceremony.

Great chance to be on French TV if you like attention. Oh did I mention Napoleon marched under this monument hundreds of years ago after he came back victorious from a war?

Pantheon I went there because this place was used as a setting in the book The Da Vinci Code. Flash your card, get the free ticket, enter and visit the many tombs of the most popular people from France in history such as Victor Hugo, the Curies, and Alexandre Dumas.

Army Museum

Very good if you like history. Also, free entry with the now-very-abused Garda card, so why not?

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Champs-Elysees and Galeries Lafayette

Now to fully enjoy this area, the Garda card won’t help you this time. You will need to utilise your other card – the credit card. Being the poor student I am, I didn’t spend a single cent in these areas. Have fun if you have a much thicker wallet than I do *cries in a corner*.

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Nourriture et Boissons French cuisine is probably one of the best cuisines in the world, and I was very fortunate to have enjoyed some of it myself in Paris. The best deals can be found in Saint Germain des Pres Quarter, from as low as 15 euros for a 3-course meal with virtually unlimited baguettes if you are shameless enough.

Entrée

Desserts-the best part of French cuisines!

Foie Gras – Spread it on the toast and eat it!

Unfortunately many are not made with goose liver but with duck liver instead. Still one of the best things I have tried – this is saying a lot since I come from the food heaven that is Malaysia! Truly the pinnacle of French cuisine. The person who invented this should be knighted!

Quiche – Comes in so many varieties! Delicious if you chose the correct combo of fillings! I recommend Quiche Lorraine.

Mussels – Good, but Brussels have better ones.

Frog legs – These are so tiny! Sauce is good, but there is hardly any meat on it. Taste like chicken.

Escargot – Another favorite of mine! Boiled/ Steamed snails with garlic butter sauce. Looks yucky but tastes yummy! Make sure you don’t miss it!

Soupe à L’oignon – Essentially onion soup with cheese – meh. Despite being one of the commonest entrée available the quality is generally poor.

Country pate – Another meh.

Crème brûlée – The person who invented this should also be knighted! It is basically rich vanilla custard base topped with a hard layer of burnt caramel. Simply amazing. Éclair – Oblong pastry with icings. Nice.

Profiterole – Cream puff usually served with ice cream or chocolate ganache. Yum-yum!

Tarte tatin – Best upside-down apple pie I have ever tried!

Mousse – As it is a common dessert worldwide, I am not really impressed.

Parfait – The thing I have seen so often in Japanese anime! Very sweet – excellent if you have a sweet tooth or you like creams!

Main Course Rabbit legs – Very good if it comes with creamy sauce. Tastes a bit like chicken, looks like chicken legs too.

Rays – Yes, rays as in the big flat flying fishes.

Interesting dish. Taste like some kind of fish and vegetable hybrid. Not a huge fan.

Beef Bourguignon – Beef chunks cooked in red wine sauce, served with rice. Essentially the French counterpart of the Irish beef stew. Delicious!

Confit de Canard – Duck cooked in its own fat, occasionally drizzled with lemon juice. Another magnificente cuisine.

Ratatouille – For all the Disney/Pixar fans and mice lovers.

Coq au Vin – A ridiculously famous French dish known all over the world. Also ridiculously delicious if made properly. Chicken cooked in red wine sauce with bacon, butter and beef stock.

Steaks – Common but I didn’t try any since I am tired of them already.

Pastry

Macarons – Another French symbol. Expensive, but worth it if you like sweet stuff. Notoriously difficult to make at home, so make sure you try them here if you have limited baking skills.

Pan au Chocolate – Bread with chocolate fillings. Better than what we have here in Ireland.

Baguettes – Very very very common in Paris.

Usually served for free in restaurants. The ones in Dublin usually have rock hard crusts with plasticky insides. The ones in France are what I call true baguettes – soft and fluffy with crunchy crusts.

Croissants – Even the ones bought in Paris supermarkets are better than the ones sold in some of the Dublin bakeries. Vast difference in quality.

Brioche – Bread with high egg content, making it incredibly fluffy and soft on the inside. One of my favorites.

Drinks

Don’t forget the wine!!!

//Day Trips Your trip to Paris will never be complete without visiting at least one of these places just a short ride away outside Paris.

Palace of Versailles

This palace is the former residence of French Kings and Queens, and also one emperor – Napoleon Bonaparte.

Flash your Garda card and enter for free! It’s essentially your free pass in Paris – abuse it as much as you can!

Inside this palace you can see magnificent collections of furniture, clothing and works of art. Do pay a little attention to the history and my advice is pay for the audio guide to truly maximize your experience here. The audio guide is worth it, especially if you have saved 15 euros from the free entry! Behind this palace is a huge garden that you can spend the rest of your day strolling in. Do not miss this place as it is really different from palaces you see in other countries.

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Palace of Fontainebleau

More like a half-day trip than a full day trip. Compared to Chateau de Versailles, Chateau de Fontainebleau is bigger, has less tourists, but also unfortunately not as detailed. Only go if you really like castles or have time to spare. Also the Garda card is your friend here!

Disneyland

If you are not from North America or East Asia, I would recommend visiting this place as it is the closest Disneyland to Dublin and the only Disneyland in Europe. Sure it is not as good as the one in Tokyo (regarded by most as the best Disneyland in the world), but it has some really good attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean and Phantom Manor. This place is crowded almost all year long and the tickets can be pricey, so plan your Paris trip carefully if you want to enjoy this place. A nice way to conclude your Disney trip after the Notre Dame Cathedral and eating ratatouille isn’t it?

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// Discover Dublin

« RACHEL TAN

DUBLIN BOOK FESTIVAL 2015

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his festival is a celebration of Ireland’s great writers and publishers. It will be a 4 days of readings, public interviews, debates, book launches and workshops in Dublin Book Festival which takes place from 12 to 15 November 2015. This year, the organizer is making” a Winter Garden’, which consist of interactive events, launches, panel discussions & commemorations, for the young and not so young to lose themselves in the world of books. productive. Therefore, I am here again to let you know what is going on in Dublin and what events or places you can visit while taking a break.

Date: 12-15 November 2015 Location: Smock Alley Theatre, Temple Bar Ireland For more information, please visit: www.dublinbookfestival.com

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FAMILY CHRISTMAS MARKET

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his market offers high quality handmade products, crafts and a kids friendly atmosphere. Our Co-op Organic Cafe offers delicious and healthy food, coffee and home baked cakes. There will be 40 stalls selling hand-made crafts, art and local design. We prioritise fairtrade and organic products! This is a brilliant opportunity to get creative, original Christmas products and support the local crafters and artists. Entrance is free of charge!! It will be a great place to have a break from work.

Date and time: Sunday 22nd of November, 11-5pm Location: Dublin Food Co-op, Newmarket, Dublin 8

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MARY POPPINS MUSICAL LIVE!

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t is a multiple award winning musical from the walt Disney flim “Mary Poppin”. The stage production of Mary Poppins is co-created by Cameron Mackintosh and Julian Fellowes who is the Oscar-winning screenwriter and Downton Abbey creator. It has a timeless score by Richard M Sherman and Robert B Sherman including the songs Jolly Holiday, Step in Time, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and Feed the Birds with new songs and additional music and lyrics by the Olivier award-winning British team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. The producer for Disney Theatrical Productions is Thomas Schumache Dates: 3 December 2015 – 6 January 2016 Location : Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Grand Canal Square, Docklands Dublin 2 Visit bordgaisenergytheatre.ie for more info

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