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PartB: DOMINIC TIGHE’S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH BARITONE LAURENT NAOURI

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Issue 821 | 02.12.14

newspaper of the LSE Students’ Union

The City Features Repeated Lithuanian Bank Fines Diplomat Page 22 Page 24

Student Waits Year for £1.7k SU Repayment Sophie Donszelmann Staff writer A STUDENT WAS FORCED to wait twelve months for his reimbursement of nearly £1,700 from the London School of Economics (LSE) Students’ Union (SU) dragging the efficiency, or lack thereof, of the SU bureaucracy under the microscope.

On November 10th 2013 Kabu Senapitak made an outgoing payment of £1,675 in delegate fees for over thirty delegates to attend a Model United Nations conference.

Senapitak is a second year undergraduate Government and Economics student, member of the Board of Trustees, member of the Court of Governors and

United Nations Society Officer.

At the time of the initial payment, the UN Society did not have enough cash on hand to reimburse Senapitak immediately and so committee members instructed him to pay out of pocket while assuring that he would be quickly reimbursed. Subsequently, following Students’ Union procedure, the society treasurer told him that he had two options; to collect the funds from participating students directly, or to have conference participants pay the SU and to be reimbursed by the Union at a later date. Senapitak chose the latter, citing that given the large number of students to pay he thought this avenue would be more efficient- a decision he would later come to regret.

Continued page 3

Photo: LSESU African-Caribbean Society President Busayo Twins at Thursday’s ‘Justice for Mike Brown’ protest organised by ACS. More photos page 12

Comment: This Motion on Tamil Massacres Really Matters

UGM Motion on Sri Lanka will make people sit up and take notice of an horrific slaughter

Hari Prabu

President, LSESU Liberal Democrat Society

WHEN UGM MOTIONS ARE proposed on international issues, questions are often asked about the point of passing such a motion when no one of any significance will take notice of the Union’s condemnation; this week’s motion on Sri Lanka is not one of those motions.

While the international community have in the recent past

widely condemned, and the press brought significant attention to, the suffering of Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli state and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the 2009 genocide in Sri Lanka remains as forgotten now as it was widely ignored at the time.

However, after five years, there has finally been progress,

through the United Nations Human Rights Council passing a motion to order an independent international investigation into the human rights abuses that have occurred under the Sri Lankan government’s watch. It is at this key moment that we must not allow Sri Lanka to evade its obligations to its Tamil citizens and

continue to obstruct the way towards reconciliation by hiding the truth of the atrocities it has committed. It is estimated by the UN that 40,000 civilians were killed in the final stages of the conflict. We can’t let this be brushed aside.

Read LSESU Tamil Society’s Mathu Karu in Comment, p8 Alexandre Duret-Lutz

NEXT WEEK IN THE NAB: CHRISTMAS PULLOUT

Room 2.02, Saw Swee Hock Student Centre, LSE Students’ Union London WC2A 2AE

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Executive Editor Jon Allsop

editor@thebeaveronline.co.uk

Managing Editor Alexander Fyfe

Tuesday December 2, 2014

Established in 1949 Issue No. 821- Tuesday 2 December 2014 - tinyurl.com/beaver821 Telephone: 0207 955 6705 Email: editor@thebeaveronline.co.uk Website: www.beaveronline.co.uk Twitter: @beaveronline

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A Badwe, A Doherty, A Fraser, A Fyfe, A Howells, A Laird, A Leung, A Lulache, A Moro, A Qazilbash, A Santhanham, A Tanwa, A Thomson, B Phillips, C Holden, C Hulm, C Loughran, C Morgan, C Naschert, C Hu, D Hung, D Lai, D Sippel, D Tighe, D Wong, E Arnold, E Wilkie, G Cafiero, G Greenwood, G Harrison, G Kist, G Linford-Grayson, G Manners-Armstrong, G Rosser, G Saudelli, H Brentnall, H Prabu, H Toms, I Mosselmans, I Plunkett, J Allsop, J Cusack, J Evans, J Foster, J Grabiner, J Heeks, J Jackman, J Momodu, J Ruther, J Wacket, K Budd, K Kalaichelvan, K Owusu, K Parida, K Quinn, L Hill, L Kang, L Kendall, L Erich, L Mai, L Montebello, L Schofield, L van der Linden, L Weigold, M Akram, M Banerjee-Palmer, M Brien, M Crockett, M Domenech Ensenat, M Gallo, M Jaganmohan, M Johnson, M Malik, M Morissette, M Neergheen, M Pasha, M Pearson, M Pennill, M Petrocheilos, M Rakus, M Rakus, M Strauss, M Warbis, N Antoniou, N Bhaladhare, N Buckley-Irvine, N Stringer, O Hill, O Gleeson, P Amoroso, P Blinkhorn, P Gederi, R Browne, R J Charnock, R Chouglay, R Chua, R Huq, R Kouros, R O’Rourke, R Park, R Serunjogi, R Siddique, R Soni, R Uddin, R Watt, S Ali, S Ash, S Barnett, S BrS Crabbe-Field, S Donszelmann, S Kunovska, S Povey, S Sebatindira, S Thandi, T Maksymiw, T Mushtaq, T Odayar, T Poole, V Hui, Z Chan, Z Mahmod Any opinions expressed herein are those of their respective authors and not necessarily those of the LSE Students’ Union or Beaver Editorial Staff.

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Jon Allsop on why Andrew Mitchell getting his comeuppance is a victory for the press

From the Executive Editor IT’S NOT OFTEN YOU’LL find me pleased to say this, but it’s been an excellent week for the Murdoch press.

Last Thursday, former cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell MP lost a landmark libel case at the High Court after Mr Justice Mitting ruled that he probably did call a police officer a “fucking pleb” as he was asked to wheel his bike out of Downing Street in 2012. Mitchell admitted firing an intemperate outburst at PC Toby Rowland, but denied using the term ‘pleb’ and took legal action against News Group newspapers after The Sun accused of him doing so.

PC Rowland aside, I have very little sympathy for any of the parties in the case. Mitchell is clearly a vile individual, an old-school chief whip-type nicknamed ‘Thrasher’ who, according to The Guardian, once introduced himself to a female neighbour with the question “is there a husband I can speak to?”. Murdoch’s News

Group, meanwhile, is hardly a shining example of journalistic probity. The abhorrent crimes committed by writers and editors at The News of the World and The Sun, whose prolific hacking of phones ruined many lives and put former Tory spin doctor Andy Coulson behind bars, have been too quickly forgotten as the promised land of a new regulatory system has somewhat stalled in the face of continued tabloid harassment and sensationalism.

Let me be clear, however, that this result is a good one for the news media as an industry. The decision to reject Mitchell’s libel claim should hopefully show powerful rich people that they can’t throw around obscene sums of money to cow free speech. It is admittedly impossible to concretely prove that Mitchell used the word ‘pleb’ and it is also admittedly true that the toxicity of this term for the Conservative party formed the crux of this case. Mitting’s carefully consid-

ered ruling, however, shows that newspapers will still be able to inform their readers of important stories where they believe the balance of probability to be strongly in their favour.

I remain an advocate of the 2012 Leveson report and its recommendations to tighten regulation of the press. Ensuring that our press works to ethical standards, however, does not preclude the publication of good public interest journalism. The 2013 Defamation Act ensured that ‘public interest’ is now a statutory defence (albeit rarely used) against libel claims, and that for libel to be asserted, a threshold of serious harm must be passed on behalf of the claimant. In Mitchell’s case, The Sun got their story right, and as a result the MP could face a legal bill of up to £1.5 million. We live in a new media landscape. If this is an indication of its nature, then it’s a better place to be for journalists, even if there is still work to do.

From the Managing Editor Alexander Fyfe on Prince Charles’ letters and the high price of snobbery

AFTER NINE LONG YEARS, we may finally find out the contents of twenty-seven letters written by Prince Charles to senior government ministers, letters the government doesn’t want you to see. The former Attorney General Dominic Grieve has already vetoed their release once after Freedom of Information judges said they should be published immediately.

Now the case has piqued plenty of interest, it would seem pretty outrageous if the letters were not published. Clearly their contents must be pretty explosive, and given his position as a future monarch, arguably there exists a public interest in their disclosure.

Of course, the Prince does have ECHR Article 8 rights that protect his communication from public disclosure, but balancing these against the public interest and that

everybody’s communications with the government are open to Freedom of Information requests.

Vetoing publication at the time, the Attorney General said the contents of the letters would compromise the Prince’s neutrality as a future monarch and that they contained his most deeply held personal views. Really, I would argue, the Prince has already compromised his neutrality with public proclamations promoting fox hunting and alternative medicines.

It’s hard to contend that such letters could radically change our belief as to what the Prince’s political opinions are. Unless of course the letters are explosive precisely for this reason, outing Charles as a member of UKIP, or the Green Party or even the Lib Dems. Perhaps the letters reveal that Prince Charles is actaully very down to earth. Perhaps he was simply writ-

ing to remind ministers to check their privilege or promoting the interests of society’s marginalised groups.

We’re still awaiting the judgement on this case, but we do now know that snobbery is an expensive business. Firstly, Andrew Mitchell will have to cough up an estimated £1.5m for throwing a tantrum over a word he probably did say. Secondly, Emily Thornberry sunk her career after tweeting a picture of a van and some flags. Her van driving brother did not see a problem with the tweet because he knows his sister is not a snob, but then again, whilst he has a van he does not have a flag and therefore is easily bypassed by the nation’s jerking knees. Finally, David Mellor has paid the heavy price of confirming, in the public’s opinion, that he’s pretty objectionable too.

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This Week’s Contents News: 3: International students 4: Academics like vampires 5: PakSoc: Dhoom 2014 6: Halls Committe 7: Gavin Hewitt lecture Comment: 8: Tamil genocide 9: ISoc Charity Week 10: Cartoon 11: Obama’s presidency Photo: 12: ACS Ferguson protest

PartB: 14: 15: 16: 17: 18: 19:

Hybrid Revolution Original art Laurent Naouri exclusive Metallica review Carol reading list The Hunger Games

THE NAB: 21: Swing Dancing The City: 22: Bank fines 23: Gaming and blood Features 24: Lithuanian Ambassador 25: Nuclear landscape 26: Obama and immigration 27: Right2Education Week 28: Sustainable Project Fund 29: LSESU Stories Sport: 30: Mixed Hockey wins 31: Fantasy Football update 32: Triathlon team

Rachel Chua @rachel_a_chua NBD, just casually gracing the pages of this week’s copy of @beaveronline with @ rebeccawembri #ikid #pridweek LSE Students’ Union @lsesu From 1960, this remains one of the best things @beaveronline have ever written!

London Dancesport @ULDancesport Hey- did you know an LSE student’s involved in our #StrictlyComeLondon event - representing LSE Chess/ University Challenge

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News

Tuesday December 2, 2014

Section editorial: It gives me great pleasure to say I’ve been elected to become the new First Year News Editor for the amazing publication that is The Beaver! A huge thanks has to be given out to everyone who voted for me. I’d also like to take the opportunity to request everyone, especially my fellow first-years, to get writing and submit some articles! The News team loves to hear from you and so, if you have any ideas, please email us.

It’s been an action packed week, with the failure of the SU to repay a student near ly £1700 on time leading our section. One of our staff writers investigates the apparent increase in international students throughout the UK (this page) and the Pakistan Society’s desi themed event DHOOM is also explored on page 4.

Head over to page 6 to find out what your LSESU Education Officer has been doing. Tom Maksymiw discusses his involvement in issues like Feedback, Space and Academic Culture. Stick to this page to read about special training provided to students halls committees for the first time.

Our Excutive Editor covers the public lecture delivered by Gavin Hewitt (Europe Editor for BBC News) on page 7. The lecture was put together by the LSESU Politics and Forum Society.

There’s so much more in this week’s paper which I hope you’ll enjoy. Remember to send us your work!

News

Mahatir Pasha

Section Editors: Megan Crockett and Mahatir Pasha news@thebeaveronline.co.uk

Is Increased International Student Intake a Global Trend?

Kanan Parida Staff Writer The London School of Economics (LSE) has had a longstanding reputation as an institution with one of the highest percentages of international students in the world. LSE has always prided itself on its diversity, with students from more than 140 different countries.

As of statistics provided by the LSE in May 2013, the university had 9,500 full-time students in the year 2012-13, with approximately two-thirds of the student body coming from outside the UK. Considering students from outside the UK and the EU, fifty two percent of students are classified as ‘overseas students’. Hence, even as of 2012-13, more than half of the student body was international, with this percentage only increasing.

With the recent decision by Edinburgh University to enforce a policy to ensure half of the positions go to international students,

UK universities have increasingly been following a trend of accepting a higher proportion of international students.

Throughout the United Kingdom, the proportion of international students has increased from less than ten percent a decade ago to eighteen percent of the total student population as of last year.

Moreover, this increase in international student intake has resulted in nearly triple the fee revenue generated from students outside the EU in 2013-14 than in the previous decade. Nearly £3.5 billion in fees is paid to UK universities from international students, with twelve percent of the total revenue gener-

ated from fees income from overseas students.

However, are international students “cash cows”? With international student fees for undergraduates at the LSE at £16,392 and fees for UK and EU students at £8,500 a year, the fees income generated from an international student is nearly double that of UK/EU students.

Nevertheless, as of 2013, the acceptance rate for students at the LSE was 7.2 percent. More so, the university has if not remained at its global position in rankings, it has become more highly regarded. In 2013 and 2014, LSE was ranked second in the world for social sci-

ences in QS World Rankings.

Therefore, though the rise in international student intake has led to an extremely different student experience, there is no evidence to suggest that the admission of international students to the university has been due to the higher fees income received from international students.

Though there has been a trend in the UK to accept a higher percentage of international students, the LSE has always been highly ‘international’ and there is no proof that a higher acceptance of international students has diminished the quality of education offered at the university.

Student Waits Year for £1700 SU Repayment Continued from page 1 The SU later informed him that he could not be reimbursed until all the students participating in the conference had sent their funds to the SU. After being forced to take much coordination of the students himself, Senapitak got the participants to send their funds to the SU by the beginning of January 2014, two months after he made the initial payment of over one and a half thousand pounds.

It was here that the bureaucracy of the Students’ Union, an organisation that claims to improve the lives of students at LSE, becomes more impenetrable than ever. Despite the SU having received the payments from the participating students, Senapitak says that he was, for some unknown reason, not yet reimbursed. He sent the SU several emails and went to the Union in person to remind staff members of this outstanding payment. Senapitak claims that he had many fruitless encounters with a member of SU staff, who did not in his view satisfactorily specify the reasons for the delay, telling him that there were “issues with the accounts and

refunds systems.” Staff members responded to Senapitak’s e-mails by asking yet again for his bank details.

Conversely, an SU statement claims that they have no record of the form being submitted in 2013, but state, instead, that reimburse-

ment was requested in the summer term. “There were issues over the summer with a change in staffing and incorrect bank details being provided by the society in question, but staff did work to resolve it.”

This year long ordeal waiting for the outstanding reimbursement caused the student much stress, both financial and personal. Senapitak was accepted to attend the Harvard World MUN, one of the

world’s most prestigious Model United Nations Conferences, in Brussels in 2014, but as a Thai citizen, he required a Schengen Visa to travel within Europe. Due to insufficient funds in his bank account thanks to the £1,675 he was still owed, his visa application was rejected and he was barred from traveling within the EU. He claims that he also had to take time from his busy academic and extracurricular schedule, visiting and e-mailing the SU asking them to complete a task that should have already been done. Would he have been reimbursed without the consistent pestering of the SU? “Of course not! Many students face financial hardships and can’t afford to be victims of the inefficiency of the SU” Senapitak said. “The SU did not assume that I would be able to wait this long. They just didn’t care or consider my financial situation.”

On November 4, 2014, £1,675 had been transferred from the LSESU to Kabu Senapitak’s bank account. As SU policy states that invoices are to be paid “around 2 weeks” after submission of receipts and paperwork, the reimbursement

of the UN Society was 49 weeks late. November 4th was just six days shy of marking one year since the student made the initial payment.

This entire ordeal, as exaggerated as it may seem, is unfortunately not extraordinary. A captain of an Athletics Union club made a payment of just under £100 in October of this year. After a claim that was submitted before the weekly deadline, the student was reimbursed 16 days after the remuneration was requested; two weeks after SU policy states it should have been refunded and after one follow-up email. While a £100 payment may pale in comparison to Senapitak’s near £1700, this amount may still affect many students on a budget.

An organization that aims to run “for the benefit of students” appears to have robbed them of their time, funds and patience.

While the Students’ Union maintains that they did not have any records of Senapitak’s request for reimbursement in 2013, they did offer this piece of oddly familiar advice: “If there are delays happening we would request that students get in touch so this can be resolved as soon as possible!”

News In Brief LSE Nursery Mamselle jackson and her team at the LSE Nursery would like to remind students and staff of the facility’s existence.

The nursery welcomes both children of staff or students at the London School of Economics, and children of parents from outside the LSE. Staff will help your child with emotional, social, physical and intellectual development. We encourage positive attitudes, and help develop confidence and selfesteem.

By offering flexible hours and half-day care, we help parents achieve a better work/life balance.

And our central London location, in a quiet street between Covent Garden and Holborn stations and close to the LSE campus, means you can cut down on commuting time.

Research Led by LSE Cities Finds Cities are Key to Driving Economic Growth and Fighting Climate Change The world’s 724 largest cities could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 1.4 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually by 2030 through better, more efficient transport systems. This is more than the annual emissions of Japan.

This surprising figure comes from a new series of studies released by the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate, and led by LSE Cities at the London School of Economics and Political Science, which suggests how cities develop will be critical to achieve economic growth and tackle climate change.

A Warning for Ban Ki-Moon Some of the world’s top economists have warned the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, that the Sustainable Development Goals will not succeed without a stronger emphasis on the need for economic growth, in an open letter.

The letter was signed by Professor Sir Paul Collier, University of Oxford, and Professor Tim Besley from the LSE.

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Academics ‘Like Vampires’: Re-imagining Your Education Tom Maksymiw LSESU Education Officer On Tuesday November 25th, LSE students, award winning teaching staff and members of the school management met to discuss education at LSE. Tom Maksymiw, LSESU Education Officer, kicked off the discussion by asking students and staff what their expectations were before they arrived at LSE. One student described how they felt that by choosing LSE as their university they were sacrificing “a social life for a job.” Others were more positive, emphasising the international reputation of the university. Postgraduate students especially said they were impressed

by LSE’s reputation as a centre for the social sciences but felt that interaction between different social science departments at LSE was more limited than they had hoped.

Paul Kelly, Pro-Director for

Teaching and Learning, then spoke about educational changes at LSE. First he argued that perceptions of LSE as a “factory for bankers” was misleading and that actually the most common sector of employment for LSE graduates after three years is not banking or finance but international organisations, such as the UN. Kelly emphasised the importance of student engagement on educational changes, allowing the school’s view on what benefits students to be influenced

by LSE students themselves. He then argued that, despite the perception of many students, LSE academics are incredibly keen to teach students and that changing learning spaces around the school to facilitate interactive teachers would benefit both academics and students. The benefits of student interaction for academics he said, are clear - “we [academics] are like vampires, we live off the blood of the young”.

The conversation then turned to a wider one about teaching quality, and what can be done to hold exceptionally poor teachers to account. Kelly and Neil McLean, of the Teaching and Learning Centre, answered that students’ responses to internal surveys play a key part in teaching reviews and in some cases can even result in teachers being removed from teaching. Maksymiw pointed out that often students do not get much follow up on their survey responses even when they are negative and that increased publication of these results could help students to know more about a course or teacher. Kelly agreed and pointed out that some departments were now publishing these results on their course guides, but agreed that too few departments did so. Students and staff discussed what could help improve teaching standards such as increased training (currently only three and a half days) and increased preparation for classes. McLean argued that, unfortunately teaching was a skill

which had to be somewhat learnt ‘on the job’ and as such elimination of these problems was unlikely. Some teaching staff pointed out that classroom learning should be dialogue and that lack of student preparation and organisation can also be a real barrier to effective teaching.

Students and staff agreed that the extra workshops and resources offered by the Teaching and Learning Centre were hugely beneficial, although actually taking full advantage of these services was difficult especially when a student first joins the school and experiences an information overload. They also agreed that a way around this is to embed study skills within courses and that was, gradually, being achieved.

The event allowed staff and students to engage in a dialogue that does not seem to happen often on campus. Hopefully this and subsequent events will make this sort of conversation more productive and frequent.

LSESU Labour Welcomes David Blunkett Alexander Fyfe Managing Editor On Tuesday 25th November former Home Secretary, and MP for South Yorkshire, David Blunkett joined LSESU Labour for a discussion entitled ‘The War on Terror and The New Threats We Face’.

There was a wide-ranging discussion lead by Labour Campaign for Human Rights (LCHR) and LSESU Labour chairs Andrew Noakes and Samantha Jury Dada respectively. A Q&A followed this, with audience members grilling David on everything from his role in the Iraq war and the US/UK extradition treaty.

He derided Theresa May’s Counter Terrorism week as “Maxi-

mum publicity for Theresa May Week”, and mounted a passionate defence of the UK’s policy of not paying ransoms. Paying tribute to the British victims of ISIS, he extended his deepest sympathies to the families and heralded their bravery.

On the subject of home turf terrorism, he snorted at the widespread belief that radicalised jihadis were streaming into Britain after fighting in Syria. He reiterated that the best estimates were that 300500 had returned, rather than the thousands.

Blunkett shrugged off the allegation he was authoritarian, claiming it was a compliment. He was forthright in his criticism of Edward Snowden, describing him as a “criminal” and a “traitor”. He argued that CCTV in the public

arena was a necessity, yet contended RIPA should be reviewed every five years to ensure it kept pace with technological change.

He remained brusque on the topic of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, describing the biggest mistake of the Gulf war as not “finishing the job [toppling

Saddam Hussein].” On Iraq, he reiterated, “I still believe it was necessary to call Saddam Hussein’s bluff, because Saddam had called the world’s bluff.” Finally, he appealed for calm, stating “terrorism is not new. What is new is the ability to raise funds, use technology... and mobilise” in the modern world.

Sven Loach

If you are an LSE staff member, student or alumnus with an announcement to make then News in Brief wants to hear from you! Email news@thebeaveronline.co.uk

Tuesday December 2, 2014

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Tuesday December 2, 2014

Dhoom 2014: LSESU Pakistan London Uni Round-up Society Event Lives Up to its Name with Largest Turnout Yet Salman Muhajir News Reporter

balcony. The photo booth, where you could get your picture taken for free, was adorned with green and gold balloons and traditional

For the third year running, the London School of Economics (LSE) Students’ Union (SU) Pakistan Society hosted their flagship Michaelmas Term event – Dhoom – with the largest turnout to date. For £10 (£8 for PakSoc members), you were treated to biryani, a soft drink, a free photo booth, an open mic, choreographed dance performances, and a South Asian club night.

After an hour-long delay, due to some unforeseen technical difficulties with The Venue, guests entered the patriotically decorated Venue; complete with an gigantic Pakistani flag hanging from the

flamboyant, colourful Pakistani posters while the curtains onstage were made to look like a starry night with hundreds of stickers.

Of course, no Pakistani event would be complete without food.

Despite having several dozen reserve boxes, the overwhelming demand left no food leftover by the end of the night. For some the food served as the highlight of the night, when asked about what she thought of the event, Radhika Sharma could only conjure one word, “biryaniiii”.

While the open mic featured a soothingly gentle performance on the santoor by Ritish Desai and a mic-less yet still wonderful acous-

tic concert from Sadia Khan, Zainab Khan and Harris Amjad, it was unfortunately cut short due to the delay in starting the event.

The tranquil open mic soon gave way to the choreographed dances, which had the crowd excitedly cheering. Swati Utkarshini, a Master’s student at the School, reserved particular praise for this part of the night singling out the performance to ‘Breathless’, “they were really well choreographed and the girls [performing in Breathless] danced with a lot of elegance.”

With the formal entertainment finished, DJ Senator, a regular fixture at PakSoc events, opened up the dance floor for all to enjoy the music. Sana Tariq,

Vice-President of the committee that hosted the very first Dhoom two years ago and now LSE alumni, was delighted with the work of her successors, “they’ve really outdone the events of the last two years, I’m really proud of the PakSoc.” Osama Chhaya, the current President, was glad to hear the positivity, “Dhoom 2014 had a massive turnout and got excellent feedback. It feels good to know that all our hardwork paid off in the end!”

The opening delay aside, Dhoom 2014 was another rousing success from the Pakistan Society who will have plenty of expectations to live up to for the rest of their events this academic year.

LSESU PakSoc

Old Building Welcomes Art in the Form of ‘Recycled Imagery and Material’ Mercedes Doménech Enseñat Staff Writer Last Monday the entrance of the Old Building awoke with a new face. Now, students and passers by enjoy the work of award winning Recycle Group, composed by Russian Artists Andrey Blokhin and Georgy Kuznetsov.

The temporary piece is called Final Sale and explores contemporary economics and its effect on our society.

The piece was loaned to the London School of Economics (LSE) by the Gazelli Art House, free of charge, following their commitment to art education.

The LSE will be the home of Final Sale for three months, during

which anyone can visit it free of charge, right here at Houghton street.

The work created by Recycle Group is especially concerned with consumerism in current society and our obsession with material goods. Using recycled imagery and materials, Blokhin and Kuznetsov use their piece to observe ‘virtual reality’.

It is still a little early to determine the reception of the piece by the LSE community, yet the announcement statement released on Facebook by LSE currently has over 400 likes.

Although not a part of LSE’s taught curriculum, the university is a great art supporter, hosting different exhibitions across campus, concerts and competitions

King’s investment policy has been branded “wrong” by senior managers after it was uncovered that at least £1.4million of the university’s money has been invested into tobacco companies. These investments have been made despite the college’s pledge “not to make any direct investment in tobacco shares” as stated in King’s Ethical Investment Policy. The information contradicts King’s standing as one of Europe’s leading cancer research centres. Sir Cyril Chantler, a former Consultant Paediatrician at Guy’s Hospital said “the most likely explanation as it seems to me is that the people who are responsible for money at King’s weren’t aware that it was being invested in tobacco”.

ON thurday afternoon UCL Fossil Free staged a ‘diein’ outside the building where a UCL Council meeting was taking place. The protest comes as a response to UCL’s £14.5 million investment in companies such as Shell and BP. Around 70 current and exstudents pretended to be dead in the hope that UCL would divert its investments towards greener ethical companies.

Placards read “Air pollution kills 7 million a year” and “UCL stop killing our future”. The ‘dead’ also chanted “UCL, UCL, don’t put us in climate hell”, “What do we want? DIVESTMENT. When do we want it? NOW” and “UCL don’t be a loser, climate change will kill our future.”

A charity bike auction was held on Thurday at Imperial

by RAG. Around 30 bikes were sold and nearly £4,500 was raised.

Half of the funds raised will be given to the Bike Users Group (BUG), a student club that oversees students who cycle on a regular basis and the other half went to, twenty20, Kids UK and Lively Minds.

News

Tuesday December 2, 2014

The Word from Tom Maksymiw The LSESU Education Officer lets The Beaver know what he’s been up to

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Training Provided to New Student Halls Committees for 2015

The Word on Houghton Street will be back next week! Do you want to be our roving reporter for a week?

E-mail news@thebeaveronline.co.uk Feedback If there’s one thing that LSE students consistently find to be inadequate, it’s the feedback on the work they complete and that’s the thing I’ve worked most on during this term.

The first thing I’ve done is won the argument to change the school regulation so departments will soon be required to publish their minimum feedback standards on each course moodle page. This means that students will know exactly what these standards are and when those standards aren’t being met. In addition this increased transparency will mean that we can, if necessary, campaign to improve those standards where students feel they’re not as good as they should be!

Another common complaint about feedback at LSE is how it is not best linked to summative assessments (i.e. those assessments which contribute to your final mark). This would change if we got individualised feedback on our exams. Some departments already provide exam feedback namely, International History, Geography and Environment and, this year we’ve encouraged IR to offer exam feedback for their first and second years. It’s one of my main priorities to get more departments on board with offering this sort of feedback; a couple of weeks ago it was agreed that the school will start a working group with a significant student membership to look at how provision of exam feedback can be expanded beyond these few departments. If you want to help with this please do get in contact and spread the word!

Space Space is such a huge issue for LSE students and it’s only going to get bigger, or rather smaller.

Over the next few years LSE is undergoing a huge change – the East Building and half of Saint Clements’ is getting demolished

this summer to make way for the magnificent looking centre buildings. These centre buildings will be great when they’re finished but for the next five or so years Houghton Street will be a building site – not only that, but we’ll be losing the C120 study space and around 270 computers across campus. As well as this the 5th floor of the library will soon not be accessible to students, as it was during exam time last year. So as you can see student space on campus, especially study space, is going to be very tight indeed.

I’ve been working on ways to change that. One of the short term goals is finding enough space for students in the exam periods, and I’ve worked with the school to agree to booking out some permanent space for student space only throughout the summer term this year (probably in 32LIF so it will be available exclusively to LSE students).

Space in library, which let’s be honest is rammed most of the time, is another key issue here.

I personally think it’s crazy that LSE has made the 5th floor this year available not to students but for school staff. The library staff are absolutely on students’ side on this, I want that to be really clear, and are working with me to provide space where they can (for instance in the course collection area on the ground floor) but there are decisions made higher up the school that fail to take into account the incredibly high demand for space in the library from students. For instance it has long been the plan to transform the fourth floor of the library in order to provide a PhD dedicated study space as well as additional study space for all students. The school has been in long negotiations with a couple of groups, currently in standing the way this change – a handful of influential (read income generating) academic staff standing in the way of the needs of over 10,000 students! Together we can increase the pressure on the school to turn the volume up on the demands of

those 10,000 students and drown out the sound of those opposed to the change.

Academic Culture This is my final priority for the year and is the hardest to define. Basically I want to get staff and students to interact outside of the classroom. Again, some departments already do this really well (have you seen the Philosophy and Anthropology staff and student bands?!?) but I think there is a sizeable minority of students at LSE who don’t feel they have good relationships with their teachers and fellow students in their departments. This priority has been the most fun to plan – this week we had the first Re-Imagining Our Education event where award winning teaching staff, members of the school management and students shared their views on education and what factors are driving educational change at LSE at the moment. In the near future I am keen that we do more of these to discuss big educational changes (e.g. reforming assessment across the school) to make sure students have some impact on these huge decisions. On the 8th of December we’re having the LSESU pub quiz and we are also working on organising some sort of sports (probably dodgeball) competition, involving staff and students.

I think that this sort of informal contact with academics will improve the community feeling and sense of identity at LSE. So that’s what I’ve been doing so far! If there’s anything in the above that you think you could help with or you think is particularly important please do get in contact (su.education@ lse.ac.uk); in fact if there’s something you think I should be doing but am not, let me know as well!

Also add my officer Facebook account ‘Tom Education-Officer’ or watch the SU website for updates on everything.

Sebastian Bruhn LSESU Community and Welfare Officer Last Wednesday, for the first time, LSESU and the LSE Residential Services team collaborated to give the new student halls committees for 2015 official handover training, despite the committees not technically being fully a part of the Union. This project has been planned for months, with the crucial efforts of Alex Louch and Jennifer Frances. The Union’s decision to work towards and have this joint training comes after consecutive years of expressed insecurity from halls committees during the traditional handover period in late Michaelmas Term. Members, especially Presidents, have consistently voiced concerns over a lack of perceived support and communication with the central bodies on campus during the first few weeks of their tenure.

The training was generally received with positive and optimistic responses by the new committee members, who had been told of past years where solely predecessors carried out handovers. The training consisted of various aspects and was wide-ranging. It began with an introduction by Jennifer Frances and myself, representing the Residential Services team and the Students’ Union respectively. A presentation on the impor-

tance of equality, diversity and welfare by Adam Sandelson, the head of the Disability and Wellbeing service, and Peter Howlett, the Undergraduate Dean, formally kick-started the event.

This then followed into a talk by the school’s sustainability team. The rest of the training consisted of various breakaway sessions focused on leadership, events planning, and treasurer duties. The day concluded with a closing discussion and question session, which involved contributions from wardens, Students’ Union staff and Residential Services staff.

Though the training only took place for a few hours, it in many ways marked the significant beginning of a new period in the relationship between the Students’ Union and halls committees. It marked the initiation of a status quo of increased communication, coordination, and responsiveness. The success of the training demonstrated the mutual understanding that both the Union and committees fundamentally share the same purpose of serving and representing students and that closer ties, therefore, are not only desirable, but crucial to the improvement of the overall student experience at the LSE. This training was, hopefully, a sign of many greater things to come and an increasingly close, harmonious and, perhaps, more structurally integrated relationship.

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News

Tuesday December 2, 2014

‘The European Idea Has Remained Resilient’: BBC Europe Editor Addresses Politics and Forum Jon Allsop Executive Editor The BBC Europe Editor Gavin Hewitt insisted that the European idea remains alive and well across the continent, as he addressed LSESU Politics

and Forum Society on Thursday evening.

Speaking to a healthy crowd in Clement House, Mr Hewitt drew on his extensive knowledge of the European Union and its policymakers to give an engaging talk on the challenges facing the organisation in the wake of the

Eurozone crisis.

Mr Hewitt accepted that a democratic deficit did exist within the European Union, admitting that “time and time again I have heard resentment that officials in Brussels can’t be held to account”. He argued that this dissatisfaction with the bloc was

being felt domestically across the continent as stable pro-European majorities were collapsing, and populist parties like Podemos in Spain and Syriza in Greece were rapidly gaining influence.

Mr Hewitt described the present European political climate as the “era of the upstart” , with a realignment from left-right competition to a new ‘above-below’ cleavage pitting the wealthy ‘haves’ against the marginalised ‘have-nots’. He described how politicians like the French Front National leader Marine Le Pen and Beppe Grillo of the Italian 5-Star Movement have created successful narratives around the goal of repatriating sovereignty from Brussels.

However, Mr Hewitt insisted that the European project as an idea retains support, even if the European Union in its current form does not. He admitted that if Europe doesn’t offer more flexibility and equality then it will be at risk, but equally argued that ‘antiEuropeanism’ wasn’t yet on the rise on the continent. He claimed that France would undoubtedly stay in the EU in any hypothetical membership referendum due to its strong affective links to the origins of the European project, and claimed that British people “absolutely like free movement” even if their history gives them a different perspective on union.

Mr Hewitt proceeded to take questions for half an hour on the culmination of his talk. In a wideranging question and answer session, he first tackled the question of secessionist tendencies within EU member states. Referencing former EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso’s threat that an independent Scotland would not have been immediately re-admitted to the EU, he said that “the bloodstream of Brussels is against countries breaking up”. Speaking on the eve of David Cameron’s major immigration speech in Berlin on Thursday, he moved on to discuss Britain’s currently fractious relationship with the EU. He insisted that the common position is one of wanting Britain to stay in the Union, but of remaining insistent that they should not be given more opt-outs from common policy areas.

Politics and Forum Society President Christopher Hulm said that “Gavin offered a fascinating perspective on the future of the European Union, and in light of shifting economic power bases across the world, he spoke of the challenges that members states face in balancing further integration with growing populism on the left and right”. Mr Hewitt was visiting LSE between official engagements in Strasbourg and Berlin.

Comment Section Editorial: THE COMMENT SECTION this week brings you a broad range of pieces ranging from Sri Lanka to Syria, and Obama to ISOC. There’s a glaring omission from our content however: Black Friday. There are a lot of arguments that could have been made about Black Friday. Why do the British feel the need to adopt American holidays, and for that matter how early is too early to buy my fireworks for the 4th of July? Will George Osborne ever realise that austerity isn’t working? If people punching each other in the face to get £20 off a microwave hasn’t done it then it doesn’t seem like anything will.

Did Baby Jesus really want us to celebrate his birth by annually swapping electrical items?

Whilst these arguments are valid and should be addressed (please do address them, and send them to us in 500 word articles) my main issue with Black Friday is how worryingly close I came to buying a Macbook. Black Friday puts a spotlight on a number of societal issues but the one that shook me most was my own susceptibility to bargains, even if those bargains are a shade away from a grand and barely a bargain at all.

Comment

Ellen Wilkie

Tuesday December 2, 2014

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Section Editors: Sebastien Ash and Ellen Wilkie Deputy Editors: Mallika Iyer, Natasha Su Sivarajah comment@thebeaveronline.co.uk

Break The Silence On Tamil Genocide LSESU Tamil Society raises awareness of human rights violations

Mathu Karu

“To stand in silence when they should be protesting makes cowards out of men.”

– Abraham Lincoln.

SO HOW DOES A STATE successfully commit war crimes, and get away with it? Simple, by ensuring silence. Like a parent guilty of abusing their child, the best way to escape prosecution is to ensure that the child keeps their mouth shut, keeping school teachers and peers utterly oblivious to the daily atrocities which the child is subject to.

While it is wholly questionable that the international community were oblivious to the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka that reached a peak in 2009, it is clear that the Sri Lankan government has taken a similar approach of silencing the voices of the Tamil

Photo Credit: Flickr: C/N N/G

population. Intimidation, the use of sexual torture, and complete state control of the country’s press have ensured that the silence has been maintained since.

“Intimidation, sexual torture, and complete state control of the press have ensured that the silence has been maintained” Pogroms, destruction of homes and attacks against places of worship all culminated in a bloody civil war which began in 1983 and only ended in Sri Lanka as the government ordered the ruthless massacre of Tamil rebels and civilians alike with over 75,000 murdered in 2009 alone. A country whose history is marred with a lengthy record of genocide and ethnic discrimination, Sri Lanka has flown under the international radar for years, using their famed tourist landscapes as a beautiful

veil.

However, in recent times, this void in information surrounding the crimes taking place daily in Sri Lanka has been decreasing due to the hard work of a number of people and organisations. The pressure on the Sri Lankan state to be prosecuted for these human rights violations has been growing and one of the most vital and often underplayed components behind this growing pressure is the voice of the international student body.

Students in Sri Lanka and across the world have all done their part to expose these crimes, through campaigns and protests, and students at the LSE have followed suit. LSESU Tamil Society are for a second year running both an exhibition and student-led discussion to raise awareness of the 2009 genocide and detail the ongoing human rights crisis in the country.

Following this, at the upcoming UGM, a motion will be brought to condemn the Sri Lankan state for their mistreatment of civilians in the North East along with supporting sanctions against the state for their lack of cooperation with the ongoing UNHRC in-

vestigation. We hope that through this we can encourage other university unions to pass similar motions and come together to show that students across the UK want change. The UGM will take place this Thursday 4th of December and we at LSESU Tamil Society encourage all students to vote on-

“Silence strengthens all criminals” line to get this motion passed.

While an exhibition and discussion may seem somewhat insignificant in the fight against human rights violations, the power of awareness should never be underestimated. Silence strengthens all criminals, from petty robbers to genocidal states. Thus, the aptly named ‘Breaking the Silence’ campaign which we are taking part in fights to prevent that. We must ensure that the hard work of students across the world to reveal human rights violations does not go in vain and that we continue to use our positions to benefit those who are forcibly prevented from speaking for themselves.

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Comment

Tuesday December 2, 2014

Charity Week Succeeds Through Unity LSESU Islamic Society’s fundraising success draws on Mandela’s vision for Africa Omar F. Begg MANDELA EXPRESSED ON numerous occasions his vision for a united Africa, where all combine their efforts in an attempt to solve the continent’s problems. Whilst the LSESU Islamic Society (ISOC) certainly don’t have such a broad humanitarian reach (for now anyway), their recent Charity Week endeavours nevertheless give them every reason to hold their heads up high and remain reassured that they’ve constructively contributed to the world we live in and, most importantly of all, accomplished this through unity.

The aim of Charity Week is simple – to mobilise students in University campuses worldwide to raise money for orphans and needy children across the globe, regardless of race or religion.

Whilst the aim is straightforward, the Charity Week representative at LSE (Arif Miah) decided to revive the ‘fun’ aspect of fundraising and plan a number of trips and events, open to all who wanted to play a pivotal part in this most worthy of causes.

If you walked through Houghton Street during Charity Week, the sight of enthusiastic volunteers at stalls, along with the sweet scent of Krispy Kreme doughnuts, would have undoubtedly swayed you to stray from your strict diet. They sacrificed their free time and united to provide us with those sweet rings of joy to help us

cope with the bombardment of election leaflets and manifestos.

“The aim of Charity Week is simple – to mobilise students in university campuses worldwide” The brave men and women of LSE united against relentless rain and fierce flurries of wind to reach the summit of Mount Snowdon in Wales, as well as uniting against fear to go skydiving only a few days later.

The spiritual side was asserted best when the Charity Week team united with SOAS to host an evening of talks and spoken word, inspired by the seminal ‘Conference of the Birds’ which laid down the foundations from which the work of the likes of the legendary Rumi could thrive.

Volunteers even united against the temptation that is the snooze button, to be up bright and early in order to carry out tube collections during the peak hours of the morning at some of the busiest stations in London.

Just as Mandela fervently stood by his vision of uniting Africa and solving the continent’s problems by combining the efforts of the countries, LSE’s

very own ISOC has shown how unity, especially when for a worthy cause, can make unparalleled inroads towards solving many of the most pertinent issues affecting our world.

How, I hear you ask, do all of these activities translate into tangible results capable of benefitting orphans and needy children? In the form of a whopping £33,335.69 raised

by LSESU’s ISOC. Collectively, all the London Islamic Societies involved in Charity Week (yes, even KCL) raised £417,113.19.

These figures were released in the Charity Week Roundoff Dinner which took place on Saturday. This is what unity

produces.

Despite the atrocious weather, despite the inevitable set-

“ Collectively, all the London Islamic Societies involved in Charity Week (yes, even KCL) raised £417,113.19” backs, trials and tribulations faced in the organisation of events, despite the time spent

at stalls and tube stations which meant time away from essays, the ISOC showed how unity overrides ALL obstacles, and a people united by a desire to benefit others they may never even meet, can overcome those obstacles.

Just as Mandela pushed for a platform for future African leaders to unite and make his vision a reality, LSESU ISOC’s efforts throughout this week have demonstrated that when we, as the LSE community, set aside our differences, capitalise on our diversity and unite for a commendable cause, we can produce positive results which are capable of being felt across the world.

Integration or Self-Sufficiency?

Contesting Western Views of Development in Informal Syrian Refugee Camps Jordann Hathaway BASED ON THE INTEGRATION of refugees into western societies, I embarked on trip as a volunteer to Lebanon aspiring to promote the integration of refugees into the economic and social systems of Lebanon. However, upon arrival when examining the preexisting measures’ effectiveness and the prevailing conditions my perspective and approach began to evolve and change. From a western-centric perspective, my initial hypothesis was that in order to better the situation for refugees and its host country was to socially, economically and politically integrate refugees into the host society. I believed that this

would make the refugees less of a burden and more of a contributor to the framework of society.

From working in the tented Syrian refugee camps of the Bekaa valley, I observed that the existing response framework and socio-political situation of Lebanon confines the refugees to organised settlements which causes them to be dependent on the material assistance from the UNHCR/UNDP. This structure completely discouraged integration as the refugees were isolated without sufficient resources, transportation and local employment opportunities. In addition, they faced social conflicts as the Lebanese population’s sentiment is very ostracising which has had ramifications on

their own attitudes and ability to integrate. This is exemplified through some of the attitudes in the camp; one refugee from Raqqa said ‘during the Lebanese civil war we took Lebanese families into our homes and now they don’t want anything to do with us and treat us like animals.’

While others said that ‘we can’t go out at night past 8pm without being arrested’ and when they do go outside the confines of the Bekaa valley they are often questioned by Lebanese citizens asking ‘why are you here and how did you get here?’.

Seeing this arrangement altered my objectives from promoting integration and avenues into Lebanese society to attempting to implement more

sustainable methods to make them more adaptable, resilient, hopeful and self reliant through mobilising a sense of self sufficiency from within their communities. I desired to unlock their potential, which has been so neglected and forgotten since fleeing from hardship. The NGO we volunteered with, Kayany Foundation’s Ghata Schools project promotes this self sufficiency by employing refugees as teachers and teaching refugee children which enhances the level of education of the students and the attitudes of the whole community. To me empowering the refugee youth is so integral as it allows them to embrace their current situation and eventually lead future efforts in Syria

when the crisis passes. Our role in transferring tacit knowledge and inspiring the students is a more durable solution as it allows them to have self-sustained independence making them less vulnerable and more hopeful while making the most of the now.

Looking forward, I ask you to reconsider western views and frameworks when dealing with any crisis. Your ideas or anyones ideas are not always sufficient to conquer world problems; situations have many pressing factors which make response efforts not as black and white. From my experience it’s about promoting durable solutions and encouraging self-reliance, which will have more long-term effects.

Comment

Tuesday December 2, 2014

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Cartoon - by Jack Hodsoll “xxx.”

Thailand’s Hunger Games Reality Social inequality in Thailand reminiscent of Suzanne Collins trilogy Sarah-Stephanie Skjoldevik WHILST KATNISS EVERDEEN is a heroine at the world’s cinematic stage, the Thai army is arresting their citizens.

Following the military coup in Thailand on the 22 of May this year, the three-fingered salute of resistance from Hunger Games has been banned from the public. If a citizen is to demonstrate this sign, the result is arrest and being shipped off to military camp for “attitude adjustment.”

The disappearance of human rights activists has been a continuous occurrence since the

coup in May. When questions involving the whereabouts of the abducted gain enough attention, the army will stage a press conference where an intimidated activist admits that she needed a break from the big city to go out “camping” with the soldiers. The invisible gun is pointed to her head.

“The invisible gun is pointed to her head.”

I can draw many parallels between Thailand and the

Hunger Games. All political power is centralised in “the capitol”-Bangkok. The city contains 17 percent of the population, yet receives 72 percent of the public expenditure. The northern areas of the country measure 34 percent of the population, yet it only receives 7 percent of the national budget. The uneven split leads to increasing inequality in the country and a polarised society.

Armed soldiers are highly visible in the north to mark the military control of the country, whilst in Bangkok there are few signs of soldiers.

The capital controls the nation as the political, monetary and military power centre, whilst the rest of the country is neglected. The economic

“The capital controls the the political, monetary and military power, whilst the rest of the country is neglected. ”

and social inequality is geographical: where you live determines how you live.

While western tourists flourish in holidayheaven, the army is constructing a new constitution, which includes suggestions on making today’s strict restrictions on media and freedom of speech permanent. This gives the Thai people the continuous joy of watching General Prayuths propaganda broadcast. As every other head of state, he exclaims he just wants to make the people happy. I wonder if he knows how the Hunger Games trilogy really ends….

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Comment

Tuesday December 2, 2014

Obama’s Presidency Belies Continued Segregation Ferguson ruling demonstrates the extant racial problems in the US Michael Tavares WHAT CAN THE AUGUST protests in Ferguson. Missouri tell us about Obama’s framing of the American nation?

‘I will never forget that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible’. - Barack Obama This summation of the U.S. and its exceptional history lays at the core of Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign.

Taken to its extreme, it means perceiving the U.S. as a colourblind utopia; as the sole nation which can revel in liberal triumphalism. In these terms the originality of the 2008 Obama presidential campaign was overemphasised; it meant re-hashing the now exhausted American dictum that anyone, from anywhere, can experience personal advancement and success.

A flaw central to notions of ‘American exceptionalism’ is a repeated inability to define success. Is success merely framed in strictly individualistic and material terms, or a feat which can only be garnered collectively?

The fatal shooting of Mi-

chael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri leaves a similarly framed question unanswered: When will the African-American Civil Rights movement achieve ultimate success? There is an indeterminacy to any given answer to this question; an indeterminacy which is paralleled by answers given to questions such as ‘When is a democracy consolidated?’. This comparison highlights the need for Obama to act pre-emptively, introducing practical measures which both complement and surpass his lofty rhetoric on race.

“Ferguson’s police force is 94% white in a town that’s twothirds black.”

The inability of the Obama administration to do just this is underlined by Dina Gavrilos.

For Gavrilos, ‘the long history of oppression was perhaps too incongruous with the muchneeded national pride that was a necessary feature of Obama’s

victory if it was to be palatable to all Americans’. Indeed, Obama’s success in 2008 rested on uniting the nation, redressing ‘problems that confront us all’.

It meant rejuvenating supposedly colour-blind and individualistic notions of ‘American Exceptionalism’ in a post-Bush era.

A person of colour’s success, by virtue of being symbolically lower in the racial hierarchy, has paradoxically signified the potency and assumed universality of the American Dream.’

If the American Dream is able to re-invent and renew itself into the twenty-first century and beyond, perceptions must match reality. In spite of Obama’s presidency, as of 2010, there was only one black U.S. senator, the President’s replacement and, in total, there are only three other non-whites and seventeen women out of one hundred senators in 2010. The very affirmative action which brought Obama’s father to the U.S. needs to be matched by quotas in public services.

The suburban town of Ferguson now acts as a compelling instance of segregation between public services and the very

communities they claim to represent. As Steven Thrasher recently commented, it’s not that Ferguson’s police force is 94% white in a town that’s two-thirds black. What matters is the patent incongruity between an African-American in the White House and unemployment rates among young African Americans. In St. Louis, 47% of the metro area’s African-American aged between 16 and 24 are un-

“Obama’s election has failed to bring meaningful social and economic change” employed’.

Crucially, the added failure of the public sector to invest within African-American communities is even more detrimental. What’s unusual about St. Louis — and goes a long way to explain the tension of the Ferguson protests — ‘is not racism per se but the way the metro-

politan area has chopped itself into bits, remaining socially and economically segregated long after racist laws were erased from the books’.

In situating his own candidacy as evidence of American ‘greatness’, Obama implies that electing him reaffirms the greatness of the United States.

Nevertheless, Obama’s highly celebrated, highly visible racial identity should, ironically, force us to see just how invisible the power of whiteness is and has been. Eduardo Bonilla Silva echoed this conviction, reminding an otherwise optimistic global audience that Obama’s election does not mean the end of racism. It has not only failed to bring meaningful social and economic change, but has fatally blurred the space to talk about race in the public square.

The recent riots and protests in Ferguson can act as a springboard for Obama to launch a lasting legacy on the ever-salient issue of race. As of yet, Obama has failed to take advantage of this opportunity, choosing instead to ‘simplify and stereotype and amplify the negative to the point that it distorts reality’.

A President With Nothing To Lose Obama’s recent reforms have surprised the Republican congressional leadership IT TURNS OUT THAT IT’S FUN watching a President with nothing to lose. Since his party’s calamitous defeat in November’s midterm elections, President Obama has: (1) Announced a major climate accord with the People’s Republic of China; (2) Taken strong executive action to reprioritize deportations to take place under current immigration law; (3) Announced his intention to veto the proposed Keystone XL pipeline; (4) Called for the FCC to adopt strict protections for the principle of ‘net neutrality’; (5) Used the regulatory power of the Clean Air Act to significantly curb emissions across the American Midwest, and (6) Absolutely and completely hijacked the Republican agenda.

This last point is perhaps the most interesting. Republicans had imagined that the next two years would consist of some corporate tax reform (perhaps a flat tax at a lower rate than the

highest current marginal rate?), swift passage of the Keystone XL pipeline, ratification of a number of regional trade agreements, and the slow chipping away at various clauses of the Affordable Care Act. This all, they seemed to assume, could take place within the calendar year 2015, leaving 2016 free to rally behind the presumptive Republican nominee and help them position themselves with respect to Hillary Clinton the Democratic nominee.

It wasn’t a particularly grand agenda, but outside of America’s left wing it also wasn’t particularly controversial. The resurgent Republican leadership team of Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell had every reason to expect that it would meet nominal opposition from a weakened President, but would nonetheless fly through in time to secure even stronger Republican victories in two years time.

How this month has changed things. Republicans now find themselves on the defensive, struggling to gain traction on their agenda before the new Con-

gress has even taken their oaths.

On immigration in particular, the President has challenged them to put up or shut up: if the Republicans want to make his deportation plan illegal, they are free to do so through legislation and he will of course, he claims, respect the wishes of Congress.

There has been, to this point, a deafening silence from the other side of the aisle.

It’s clear that they never really expected him to put up a fight and aren’t sure what to do next.

Faced with the spectre of actual Democratic policy, rather than just the bogeyman, they don’t have an answer.

Significant drops in oil prices – which after the recent OPEC decision look likely to continue for the near future – have taken the wind out of the Keystone XL sails, and after years of crying for Chinese movement on climate change before any US policy is made, the Republicans are faced with the days they thought would never come.

To be fair to the Republican leadership, meaningful reform of the corporate tax system is needed, and if the President is serious about making best use of

his last two years in office, he’ll meet the Leadership halfway on this issue. The Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership should be signed and ratified. He must also recognize that his actions on immigration, while welcome to many, fall far short of a comprehensive reform plan that must include Congress.

Whether he attempts comprehensive reform with this Congress or leaves it to his successor will say a great deal about how his intentions will be read in the future.

Photo Credit: Flickr: John Althouse Cohen

Rian Watt

Still, in the short run there has been meaningful reform made. Millions of human beings have better lives today than they did a month ago because of the actions of this President on immigration. Millions of unborn will live cleaner and healthier lives because of the President’s action on climate change and energy policy. And – if the FCC gets it right, at the President’s urging – the Internet will remain the truest democracy there is for the foreseeable future. That’s a good month’s work.

Photo

Tuesday December 2, 2014

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LSESU ACS President Busayo Twins writes:

LSESU African- Caribbean Society and LSE Students’ Union

Photo

Following the failure to indict Darren Wilson for gunning down an unarmed teenager, who goes by the name Mike Brown, many people world-wide wanted to express their outrage. Seemingly a ‘no-brainer’, the citizens of Ferguson expected that the incident was worthy of a trial yet essentially nothing has come of it.

The LSEACS community wanted to show condolences to the family, not solely in regard to the murder but in respect to the disappointing and racist juridical system of America. At the same time, we

wanted to raise awareness about life as a black person in the US and remind the world that “an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (Martin Luther King Jnr). Everyone wore black and stood together as several pictures were taken. The 100+ turnout of students wearing dark colours was a really humbling experience and showed the true solidarity of the LSE community. Thank you to everyone that showed their support on the day, whether it was their physical presence or their online encouragement.

LGBT+ Officer Alex Leung and LGBT+ Alliance President Rach Bleetman celebrate Pride Week on Houghton Street last week. Read their editorials in edition 820.

The Beaver’s Visual Arts editor Maryam Akram

Pro- The Beaver’s Fashion editor Sanya-Jeet Thandi

Director of Teaching and

The LSESU Palestine Society were also on Houghton Street this week, as part of Right2Education (#R2E) week. Read Adrienne Mahsa’s article in Features on p27

The Beaver 09.10.2012

PartB

Cover credit: Flickr, Paul Stang

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Tuesday December 2, 2014

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TECHNOLOGY

T

THE HYBRID REVOLUTION

HE new generation of hypercars has brought about a technological revolution, shaking up the market and changing our perceptions of how supercars will develop in the future. Specifically, I am referring to the Porsche 918, the Ferrari LaFerrari and the McLaren P1.

You may be familiar with these car manufacturers, but their latest creations at the top of their supercar ranges feature a surprise under the bonnet – all three of these cars have hybrid engines. In each model there is a slight variation:

PORSCHE 918

FERRARI LAFERRARI

The Porsche has a 4.6 litre V8 engine, in combination with two electric motors powered by a lithium-ion battery pack formed of 312 individual cells. The batteries are charged by a plug-in port and by regenerative braking. The two engines in tandem produce 887 Brake Horsepower (BHP). The astonishing impact this has is to propel the car from 0-60MPH in 2.6 seconds and will push towards a top speed of 210MPH, yet this hybrid technology provides for a fuel economy of around 65MPG; an astounding figure for such a blisteringly quick car. Porsche will produce 918 models of the car, each priced at $845,000.

Only 499 units of the LaFerrari will be produced, each costing an eye-watering $1.69 million. However, the price is not the only factor of this car to shed a tear for. The LaFerrari is powered by a 6.3 litre V12 and a KERS system, creating a total output of 950BHP. KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) is a technology developed by the Ferrari Formula 1 team, allowing their F1 cars to collect and store energy upon braking, and using that stored kinetic energy to provide short bursts of power. The KERS system in the LaFerrari provides for an extra 161BHP, brining the top speed to around 217MPH.

MCLAREN P1

The P1 is a plug-in hybrid, like the 918. It is powered by the 3.8 litre V8 found in McLaren’s other road cars, producing 727BHP, in conjunction with an electric motor producing 176BHP (giving a total output of 903BHP). Perhaps the most dramatic looking of the three, it is also fitted with DRS (Drag Reduction System), another F1 technology, to reposition the rear wing according to the most streamlined flow of wind along the car. It is priced at $1.3 million, although you won’t be able to get your hands on one straight from McLaren, as the 375 units are all spoken for.

So what about the future? This hybrid revolution may set the tone for future supercars and hypercars; providing for unrivalled performance figures and acceleration, increasing fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions. However, this may mean the death of the V12 roar that the majority of supercar owners crave. It may be the case that lithium batteries and charging points are the future for all cars, including the supercar elite.

ROHAN SONI

PARTB EDITORIAL TEAM PARTB

FASHION

FILM

Jade Jackman Vikki Hui

Sanya-Jeet Thandi

Jade Jackman Maryam Akram

partb@thebeaveronline.co.uk

FOOD

Dorothy Wong food@thebeaveronline.co.uk

fashion@thebeaveronline.co.uk

film@thebeaveronline.co.uk

LITERATURE

MUSIC

TECHNOLOGY

THEATRE

VISUAL ARTS

Gareth Rosser

Conor Doherty, Will Locke & Dominic Tighe

Rohan Soni

Vacant

techonology@thebeaveronline.co.uk

theatre@thebeaveronline.co.uk

Jade Jackman Maryam Akram

literature@thebeaveronline.co.uk

music@thebeaveronline.co.uk

visualarts@thebeaveronline.co.uk

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Tuesday December 2, 2014

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ART

Original drawing by: Mary-Jane Obodozie

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Tuesday December 2, 2014

16

MUSIC Exclusive Interview with Baritone Laurent Naouri Naouri is one of the world’s leading operatic stars, having starred in opera houses and concert venues across the world including the Royal Opera House and the New York Met. He has a broad opera repertory spanning over 40 roles, from Renaissance to Modern. He also sings classical pieces, musical theatre and jazz.

I MET NAOURI OUTSIDE the BBC headquarters and was quickly escorted into the café at the grand Langham Hotel opposite. In our luxurious setting, we sat and sipped tea and I posed my questions. I began by mentioning that I was a student at LSE, to which I was surprised to hear that he knew the university well; whilst studying in the early 1980s, he had a girlfriend who had studied here. He recounted walking around campus, and riding a bizarrely dangerous, perpetually moving lift at the school (later removed on health and safety grounds). We then moved onto a discussion about his background and inspiration.

Inspiration He told me he had developed a passion for music from his secondary school teacher, but his particular interest at the time was Jazz. While other people were listening to Queen and Grunge, he sang music from the previous generation; the kind of stuff you imagine people crooning to in smoky bars. At the time, he “knew he had a good voice,” but hadn’t had a single

singing lesson and regarded opera singers as “fat people screaming their tits off!” It was only later, after a degree in science at l'École central de Lyon, that he considered this. Describing himself as a “well trained circus animal” when it came to academic work, he said that the school-like nature of training to be an opera singer appealed to him more than the creativity and novelty you need for Jazz.

“I thought Opera was just fat people screaming their tits off!”

Technique The first time I heard Naouri was in Händel’s aria ‘Fra l’ombre gloriori’. It has a particularly ridiculous range; from the low Db at the very bottom of the bass clef, to the tenor high A almost 3 octaves higher. It features ludicrous leaps, and has to be audible over the

string and harpsichord accompaniment. I asked Mr Naouri how he developed his technique to be able to sing a piece as challenging as this. He outlined the basics of what he called the ‘Italian method’.

Firstly, anyone seeking to improve their voice should never work on low notes – these are either there or not, and if you force them out, you will weigh down the voice (basses included); with Naouri, they came naturally. The focus should be on building a strong, even and rich upper middle register, which you can then blend with the top. Secondly, he said the aim was to “maximize the ratio between the amount of air pressure and the voice power”, so that eventually with the “effort of a casual conversation” you can have a full, powerful sound that dominates the room. Finally, he stated that “the body is a microphone” and that by placing the voice in different parts of the head and neck, you can change the balance and timbre of your sound.

“The body is a microphone” Next, I questioned him on what sort of roles he likes to sing.

His re-

sponse was that he has an open mind and doesn’t confine himself to one set category. In his next performances, he’s singing a high lying baritone part in Massenet’s ‘Werther’ and a bass-baritone role in Offenbach’s ‘Tales of Hoffmann’. Nor does he confine himself to just Classical Music. Recently, he’s performed with his wife Natalie Dessay, also an opera singer, in a musical in a Parisian theatre based on the 1964 film ‘The Umbrellas of Cherbourg,’ and is also in the process of recording a CD of Jazz music.

Some opera singers claim that their technique means they cannot sing in any other way? Naouri said this definitely wasn’t the case for him, “Jazz is in my soul”; he can switch styles easily. He suggested it might be because he doesn’t have the “typical baritone sound” people expect. Even now, the Met (New York) will only hire him for French music because his sound is not the typical Italian one.

“Jazz is in my soul”

Debussy Then I asked Naouri about the performance of Debussy’s ‘Pelléas et Mélisande’ I had heard him in the night before at the Royal Festival Hall, and whether he identified with the character he played.

In the role of Prince Golaud, he finds the beautiful Pelléas lost in the forest, and saves her and brings her back to his grandfather’s castle. He is expecting her to take him as her husband, but is devastated when Mélisande is the one who captures her heart.

Naouri responded, “I identify with the character, but not with the jealousy. I try to convey the idea that he tries to be as good and de-

cent and caring as he possibly can, but the more caring he is, the more it takes her away from him. She’s not attracted to the rational, comforting type and feels frightened by him, which drives him crazy. Having status, wealth, and position is already not on Mélisande’s compass. It’s already closed. Decided.”

Which other characters that you’ve played have you felt a connection to?

He replied with Verdi’s Falstaff because “he plays as long as he can and keeps playing… even though it’s the same end for everyone” and Bottom from a Midsummer Night’s dream, who “experiences a neurosis, in always trying to do everything. I see some of that in me.”

Do you have to empathize with a character in order to play it? “No. I don’t empathize with Mephistopheles (a devil figure), and I don’t try to psychologize him. So long as you can act the feelings of the character you don’t need to feel any particular affinity with them.”

I finished by asking about the life of an Opera singer and if he has a routine. He said that there is no routine. Yesterday he performed in the opera at the Royal Festival Hall, today is doing a full day of recording at the BBC, and this Saturday and Sunday he is providing musical accompaniment at another event at the Southbank Centre ‘A Song of Good and Evil,’ about the birth of international law and the Nuremburg trials. He said “I know where my voice lies”, so it’s “easy to wake up the voice”. The only routine he has is the morning paperwork, but apart from that, it’s a “dream job” with a huge amount of variety.

DOMINIC TIGHE Classical Editor

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Tuesday December 2, 2014

MUSIC

M E T A L L I C A : A R E VBy IJackEHodsoll W

Photo credit: All wikimedia commons, and RFH.

LSE IS A SERIOUS PLACE, and LSE students are serious people. However, I'd like to proffer something trifling, something to dilute the serious Beaver. It is a thought I had this evening driving past the Tower of London with my father. The thought is this: Metallica's Enter Sandman is brilliant.

Kant wrote in The Critique of Judgement that geniuses are often unaware of their genius and cannot see its outpouring when they write (or draw or paint or sing or dance etc). Enter Sandman is genius or close to it. It has depths many who encounter it when their sons pull it up on their phone and hold it against their ear while they're driving might easily miss. In ways that Metallica may not have been entirely aware of when writing it, the song deserves more than the dismissive 'pah' my father gave it.

I understand this reaction. It just sounds like noise at first, in the same way that a lot of metal does.

Enter Sandman starts with the plucking of its tune (it does have one) on guitar. Then begins a sonorous drumbeat, followed by a coarse riff. More is quickly added from instruments I have difficulty identifying (I think a combination of more guitar, bass, sound effects, louder drums and stamping). What is produced, just before the singing starts, is a confused crescendo that is also marvellous. In 1991 it was performed in Moscow to an audience of 1.6 million people (so says Wikipedia, which I'm prepared to believe – it looks like there were a lot of people there in the video).

The plucked tune prepares you for the wave soon to break over your shoulders and is softly sinister. Then the drums inform you that you're

about to be engulfed; toppled and held down by the music as well as pervaded by it. Every member of the Muscovite audience must have felt it like a deep and dreadful pulse - a Western blare heralding the collapse of the Soviet Union. When the crescendo waxes, through its noise, at once confused and harmonious, you begin to identify the heartbeat-like riff. From here, without any imaginative effort, you can see pounding blood, shaking earth and stamping feet. Listening to it now, I can see colours: dark purple; deep red; flashes of white; and black. You hear fluid pumping through an artery and then the spirit-curdling lyrics:

Say your prayers, little one, Don't forget, my son, To include everyone.

I'll tuck you in, warm within, Keep you free from sin, Till The Sandman he comes.

Sleep with one eye open, Gripping your pillow tight.

Exit light, Enter night, Take my hand, we're off to Never Never Land. [...]

Hush little baby, don't say a word, And never mind that noise you heard, It's just the beast under your bed, In your closet, in your head.

It's terrifying.

The Sandman, insubstantial, powerful and real, falls like smoke through the window and billows upright into a tall and terrible form. The light shrinks from him, seeps away, and the night billows into the room through the window. He stalks slowly and with firm entreaties to take my hand, and drags me by it through the bed and down into purple and black. The beast in my head is dragging me down by my hand and I'm drowning in the dark.

It's a childhood scenario – lying in bed under a dark window that looks onto the great unknown of the night and, looking into the darkness of the room, fearing the immediate unknown.

Since I was the child looking into the darkness I've recognised that there are scarier things than the dark, and I look forward to the entreaties of The Sandman. (In fact he and I have a healthy and cooperative relationship – I like sleeping.) The song, however, paints the half-distant and still disquieting scene with an ardent and fierce brush. It works because it is so rough and blunt, so like the mere noise it can sound like. It's brilliant.

Find Metallica's performance of it at the 1991 Monsters of Rock concert online. It won't brighten your morning, but if you're sagging in a bleary stupor over a cappuccino in the Garrick, Enter Sandman may well shake you out of it.

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Tuesday December 2, 2014

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PARTB/LITERATURE

BLACK FRIDAY

less, Darabont did what similar productions such as The Purge and Dawn of the Dead were never fully capable of doing: he brought the film to us. Page 1 of 1 1 of 1

When Frank Darabont, director of The Walking Dead, said that he would be shooting his first live- action production in the United Kingdom, no-one could quite believe it. Such a feat had never been conceived, let alone realised. In the aftermath, notable legends of the film world assembled on social media to debate the logistics, acting capacity, and secrecy of what was to be known as Black Friday. Undeniably, Darabont’s next apocalyptic feature would change the way we experience cinema.

On Friday 28th November, Darabont did not disappoint. Though many fans of his work expected a zombie thriller, it seems obvious now that Darabont would use the contemporary social landscape as his setting. Rather than resorting to green-screen technology which would otherwise dilute the performance, he chose high-streets and large supermarket complexes. However, so as to not disenfranchise his older fan-base,

From scenes of consumer carnage to conflicts over discounted televisions and 20% reduced Dysons, Darabont made it a priority to absorb the viewer into his world of bedlam. A large casting only added to the auhenticity of the performance, drawing from an extensive pool of actors to reinforce an atmosphere of confusion and dissent. Darabont worked to convey a story of hopelessness and recession, and as a critique of social decay it was faultless.

Whether Black Friday is nominated for a BAFTA is still to be seen. Though Darabont’s work marks a new chapter in the visual arts, his controversial methods bring to question the merits of interactive cinema. Highly stylised, Darabont portrays humans as blood-thirsty, ruthless, and crazed. Some commentators have further criticised the explicit nature of the content.

Nevertheless, Darabont did what similar productions such as The Purge and Dawn of the Dead were never fully capable of doing: he brought the film to us.

BY Kallum Pearmain

Darabont used spaces associated with zombie ascension, shopping malls taking centre stage in a number of his acts. Initiating the first sequence in the twilight before sunrise, Darabont laid the groundwork for his epic with a mesmerising image of hoards of wide-eyed, unresponsive drones. As though on a pilgrimage, the bargain hunters would swarm into local retailers raiding their wares like bandits, a force that was to be uncontrollable even for local security services. As director, a cornerstone of Darabont’s production was the rush through shop entrances, unsurprisingly reminiscent of his older works. This really gave Darabont the ability to add tension and pace.

With an aim to portray a savagery which exists only when faced with life or death, Darabont’s scenes of confusion are comparable to termites blitzing wood. In a sort of hazy whirlwind, the catacombs of isles would be stripped of their assets, inviting onlookers to engage visually in the hollowing out process.

After being made baron and desolate, Darabont endeavoured to engender melancholy, emptiness and disbelief at the barbaric condition of humanity we long surpassed.

The whole project was sensationally immersive. of social decay it was faultless. Whether Black Friday is nominated for a BAFTA is still to be seen. the merits of interactive cinema. Highly stylised, Darabont portrays humans as blood-thirsty, ruthless, and crazed.

Some commentators have further criticised the explicit nature of the content. Neverthe-

A Carol themed LSE Reading List…

The LSE is proud to announce that its students will no longer be partaking in any form of drunken debauchery. The days of yesteryear, when students would frolic around Regents Park in a drunken haze at 8am are gone, you’ll be glad to hear. The gross misappropriation of the AU by a few individual scallywags has ceased, and the LSE is working hard to show that the majority of the AU simply want to play sport. They have no interest - and let that be repeated, no interest whatsoever - in reckless drinking, stupid costumes, and inane chanting. And on a completely different note, see below our Carol Reading List.

“What should we do for Carol this year?”

“Dunno. Just Google a famous musician” “Cool” Carol isn’t just about looking the part - it’s about acting the part. So read the autobiography of whichever musician you’re dressing up as for Carol. Most musicians are pretty wild - so you may even pick up some tips on how best to throw an ‘all day rager’.(Unless you choose to go as One Direction, in which case there is no hope for you.)

London Maps & Walks by Geographers’ A-Z Map Company Whether you’ve lived in London for 2 months or 20 years, all of your geographical knowledge of London gets thrown out of the window by 3pm on Carol. Don’t be too proud to take a map with you - you can even highlight where you live.

“Greatest Inspirational Quotes” by Dr Joe Tichio Carol takes place on a Friday. The day after Carol is Saturday. If you’re reading this after Carol you may be feeling a little fragile right now. You may be promising yourself that you will make better life choices. You may need some inspiration. This book will help. Probably.

BY GARETH ROSSER

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Tuesday December 2, 2014

FILM

THE HUNGER GAMES:REVIEW MOCKINGJAY - PART 1

"Excellently paced and beautifully captivating. This penultimate film of the franchise lives up to expectations and brings pleasant surprises in visual impact and sound design. It is an excellent tribute to the late Philip Seymour Hoffman and a thought-provoking film in light of current events." 4.5/5 STARS

T

HE fire is catching both in the movie and out in the real world. The Hunger Games franchise is back with the first part to the highly-anticipated finale. As a fan of the book series, I was slightly concerned that by splitting the finale into two, the first part would end up being less exciting and potentially uneventful for the audience. Thankfully, I was proven wrong as I was awestruck by the wonderful cinematography and beautiful sound design. Rather than being boring, Mockingjay - Part 1 is an intense buildup to Part 2, which will be released around the same time next year.

The plot of the movie follows immediately after Catching Fire, when (spoiler alert) our heroine Katniss Everdeen was rescued along with Finnick Odair and Beetee Latier from the Quarter Quell (the 75th Hunger Games) by a hovercraft from District 13. The story centers around the efforts of the Districts in Panem to rise against

the Capitol, while focusing primarily on District 13 and Katniss Everdeen's undertaking as the Mockingjay (face of the rebellion). The acting is greatly enjoyable, with Jennifer Lawrence continuing the role of our strong heroine who finds great difficulty in acting likable without the support of Peeta Mellark.

The pacing of the movie is also excellently done, as the sheer amount of information needing to be delivered to the audience was conveyed elegantly without being too overwhelming. It also builds up nicely to the last scene and to the final movie in the franchise, leaving the audience craving for more.

The music in the movie complemented the pacing perfectly, with a soundtrack thats's both haunting and filled with passion and hope. Jennifer Lawrence has proven herself not only as a talented actress, but also as a wonderful singer. The Hanging Tree, the hauntingly beautiful folk song Katniss sings in the movie, is now a UK top 40 single, a first time for Lawrence. Com-

bined with great editing and haunting scenes, this song draws the audience into the despair and struggle of the Districts against the Capitol. I personally also enjoyed the tune Katniss whistles that is often reciprocated by the mockingjays in the movies. Strangely catchy and slightly creepy, it was stuck in my head for hours after I left the cinema.

The cinematography and special effects in the movie were great. It showed Panem in a state of disarray after the Quarter Quell incident, and the different Districts in decay. My favourite scene was when Katniss visited District 12 and discovering the shocking state it was left in. With the risk of spoiling too much, I will just say it has a great visual impact that is heartbreaking as well as disturbing.

All in all, it is obvious that I enjoyed the movie very much. Not only does it do justice to the books, it also conveys the story with a great impact with impressive visuals. My only criticism would be that there are some scenes that might have been somehow anticlimatic, either because they were unncessary or because the acting was slightly awkward. Overall, however, I liked this movie a lot.

It might also be worth noting that the film is also a hot topic right now because of its theme of fighting for freedom coinciding with some movements going on around the world. Although I would not say it is a reflection of what is going on in the world, the drive and determination to fight for freedom definitely resonates.

VIKKI HUI

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Cover credit: Flickr

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Tuesday December 2, 2014

LSESU CHRISTMAS PUB QUIZ When: Monday 8th December, 7.30pm Where: The Three Tuns (not Suffolk) Join Education Officer Tom Maksymiw for a Christmas quiz. 6-a-team

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO SWING DANCING

CAPTION COMPETITION

Do you know have a witty caption for this cartoon of an EU politician looking out of his window at an angry mob? If so, e-mail editor@thebeaveronline.co.uk to see your idea in print! Cartoon by Jack Hodsoll

Here ye, here ye my luvvers! The LSESU Westcountry Socierty is looking to get started and we need your support!

If you’re from the region, or wish you were, get in touch with Beaver editors Jon Allsop, Liam Hill and Sebastien Ash, or AU President Taylor Rampton with your name and student number. Appreciation of cider and

the Wurzels compulsory. Prepare for sneering if you’re from North of Bristol. No Exeter City fans allowed. Ooo-arr!!!

If you’d like to be on the committee (PoliTruro) then get in touch!

What should I wear?

Swing dance attire is all about finding the perfect medium between looking absolutely freakin’ fabulous and keeping in mind that you will get hot!

Men usually wear trousers and shirts (bring a back-up if you get particularly sweaty) and women tend to wear dresses or skirts (something that will look great during a spin. Wear shorts underneath unless you want your knickers visible to all.) Elaborate hairstyles certainly fit the vintage theme, but our tip is to keep a hairband handy in case it needs to be put up later (it will.) At the many social dancing nights we’ve been to, we’ve seen an array of outfits and the rule seems to be: anything goes... Hawaiian shirts, bowler hats, sequins and tassels. Wear whatever takes your fancy and is comfortable to dance in. A handy tip for the evening: If you feel your own back and are grossed out, chances are your partner will be too!

Who may ask for a dance?

Both men and women can ask someone to dance. Some women assume that only the men should offer and often spend the night tapping their feet alone at the side of the

dance floor (believe me, this is a mistake I have made.) Don’t be shy and just go for it. If you see a man/woman alone as the music starts, politely sidle over and offer them your hand. There’s nothing to lose.

If they only want one dance with you, then you’ve had a few minutes of practise and if they want another, you’ve clearly impressed them with your slick moves! If they say no, you can run to the bar in shame and down a vodka for Dutch courage (I’m joking!

People almost never say no to a dance and wine does a better job anyway.)

How should I act on the dance floor?

If the floor is crowded, then choose your moves carefully.

Keep to what you know and what uses the space wisely.

It’s probably not the best time to practise that adventurous lift where your partner ends up three feet above your head! If you do cause a bump to another couple, make sure nobody is hurt, offer your apologies and keep on dancing. Some moves cause the girl to be sent away from the guy, often in a direction that she can’t see. Our tips are: guys, watch before you fling her out and girls, take a quick glance before you’re flung!

How do I react to the live band?

If there’s a live band when you’re dancing, acknowledge that they’re there. Sometimes when you’re in the moment, you forget about the bunch of awesome musicians tiring themselves out on stage for you. Clap after every song and clap A LOT if you really liked it. Don’t be afraid to holler at them if they do something particularly good.

They’ll love it! That is what swing is all about.

Sounds good, how can I put these tips into action?!

Well, it’s funny that you ask!

We happen to be putting on our own social dancing event, “The Swing Snowball” on the 9th December. There’s a free taster class for total beginners at 8pm, then we have a live band “Nell & the Hot Mess Muggers” and DJs playing until 11pm. Come and join us in The Venue, Saw Swee Hock, to see what all the fuss is about! Non-members and non-LSE students welcome.

Tickets just £6 and available on the SU website.

by Helen Clarke, LSESU Swing Dance Society

The City Section Editorial:

This week we are proving that the City section is not only about finance (though the first piece on banking regulation definitely is), but also unusual projects like ‘Blood Sport’: a gaming system developed by two Canadians, which modifies video game controllers in such a way that when players get shot while playing a game, blood will be drawn from their arm. ‘Blood Sport’ is thereby following trends like Facebook’s Oculus Rift and Sony’s Project Morpheus, which aim to make virtual reality a part of the gaming experience. For further insights and to understand why Kickstarter pulled the project from its funding website, read Camilla Naschert’s article.

Lastly, relating to our recent article on why Google’s monopoly won’t last forever, the European Parliament is now urging regulators to break up Google. Is Europe’s fear of Google’s search engine dominance justified, or is it not more a move to protect European companies? We may have to ask Paul Le Manh to do a follow-up on his article next week. If you have a view, e-mail me to get writing!

Tuesday December 2, 2014

Section Editor: Julia Wacket Deputy Editor: Mika Morissette city@thebeaveronline.co.uk

Features: Sport: Disabled Students’ Officer Christmas Cup Page 26 Page 31

Why are banks fined again and again?

Total fines paid by banks after the 2007 financial crisis have reached £167 billion. Anup Aryal explores the reasons why.

Julia Wacket

The City

22

Michael Duxbury

Anup Aryal City Correspondent Last week, the Financial Conduct Authority fined a group of five banks £1.1 billion for issues in their Forex business, increasing the total fines paid by banks after the 2007 Financial Crisis to £167 billion. These include fines for market manipulation, price rigging, misconduct, anti-money laundering and tax evasion.

The alarming fact is that these fines are not going to stop in the near future, as there are still many investigations under way.

Last week Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan faced scrutiny from American regulators for price manipulation in the commodity market. What has happened in the past 7 years, which caused so many banks to be fined that much? Are the banks behaving worse than before or are the enforcement authorities just doing their job better? Is it because of more effective regulation? The answer is complex.

Are banks too big?

The Financial crisis of 2007-9 gave a strong message: it was not in the interest of the economy to have very large banks. Banks pose a substantial risk to the

economy when they fail. As we have already seen in 2007, even small banks like Northern Rock can cause a ripple effect in the financial markets. To understand just how large these banks are we can compare them to the size of the economies in which they operate, many of which are actually smaller than the banks themselves. For example, HSBC Group’s total assets amount to £1.7 trillion, which is bigger than the size of the UK economy at £1.6 trillion. When the banks are so big, it can be difficult for the managers to understand the risks and for the regulators to supervise them.

banking. Since the 1960s, these laws started being interpreted more liberally to allow investment banking and finally in 1999 the Act was repealed. This allowed banks to expand into investment banking and allowed them to leverage the bank’s capital to engage in many other types of activities. Currently the Volker Rule in the US is in the process of re-enacting these provisions, prohibiting banks from proprietary trading and restricting their investment in hedge funds and private equity.

Why are these banks so big?

We have seen a number of new regulations being passed in the EU, US and other parts of the world. In addition, the institutional framework for supervision and enforcement has been revised. The formation of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the European Securities Markets Authority (ESMA) are examples of these institutional changes. In the US we have the Dodd Frank Act, in the EU there are a number of reforms including the CRD-IV, MiFID-I & II, EMIR and globally the Basel- III Rules. The UK regulators are also in the process of creating more regu-

The traditional banking business model was to accept deposits and to grant loans. Over time, to maximize profit and shareholder returns, banks have ventured out from the traditional scope of banking. Today banks perform other functions like providing venture capital, asset management, securities trading and commodity trading, which fall under the ambit of investment banking. In the 1930s at the tail end of the Great Depression, banks in the US were prohibited from performing commercial banking alongside investment

Is current regulation sufficient?

lations for the Fixed Income, Currency and Commodity businesses. All these regulations aim to make the f inancial markets more stable by increasing capital requirements, restricting investment banking and emphasizing appropriate market behaviour and conduct. However, banks have argued that these excessive regulations have put pressure on their margins.

They are complaining that the cost of compliance is increasing and executives therefore fear to do business. This is partly true as these regulations add to the huge compliance cost and restrict business, despite the fact that their very aim was to contain bankers’ behaviour in the f irst place.

Although politicians have reacted to the bank’s misdeeds by creating more regulation and pushing f ines and levies, this alone will not work. As new regulations are created, banks will continue to f ind loopholes and exploit the system. The problem with banks is partly the result of the larger issue of human greed, and for that there is no easy solution. Stronger regulation, supervision and enforcement will provide some insulation. However, in the long term culture needs to be changed and we can all play a part in doing this.

23

The City

Tuesday December 2, 2014

Assassin’s Bleed: Gaming and Blood Donation A video game that draws blood from players’ arms when they get shot has been pulled from Kickstarter

The usual blood donation experience of lying in a chair, drinking juice and trying not to pass out can be called many things – usually not fun.

That is what two Canadian video game designers are trying to change with their project Blood Sport.

The concept is unusual and controversial: a gamer (noun: person who is someone who partakes in interactive gaming, such as (predominantly) video games or board games) and their friends gather at a blood bank and play a video game that involves taking physical damage.

For every time the gamer loses blood in the virtual world and the controller rumbles, a signal is sent to the blood pump which taps blood corresponding to the amount shed in the game.

The advertising video shows a group of friends using the Blood Sport hardware, which extracts blood throughout the game. The machine is supervised by medical personnel and is equipped with the same limits to blood extraction as regular medical devices. It also takes note of height, weight, age and pre-existing medical conditions.

Blood donations in Canada are far from meeting demand and awareness about the importance of donating is not widespread. This is why Taran Chadha and Jamie Umpherson initially embarked on their mission. “We genuinely want to bring attention to and help blood donation in Canada with our project”, Taran Chadha

Blood Sport, Kickstarter

Camilla Naschert City correspondant

told CNET. Blood Sport planned to make their hardware travel across blood banks in Canada and, with the help of crowd funding, be able to build new machines.

“We are not a charity and we are not a game manufacturer. We are simply creating the gaming hardware that will allow us to get gamers thinking about more important issues while still doing what they love.”

The crowd on Kickstarter, a crowdfunding platform, was not convinced of Blood Sport’s

altruistic potential. The project was suspended from the site within days after its launch, also following a social media backlash. Criticisms remained generic, with the general tone calling the idea “stupid”. Possibly the video failed to clarify that the software is not a retail product, but a way to make blood banks more enjoyable. Some commentators were also concerned about the safety and standards of medical supervision while donating.

Exact reasons for the with-

drawal are yet unknown. Prior to the suspension, funding support was not exactly flowing.

The project could only pick up $3,000 toward a $222,000 goal.

Chadha announced that the team would meet up with blood donation organisations, with the aim of raising awareness and interest in donations within the gaming community, predominantly young men. While the project is stalled, the entrepreneurs urge their audience to “grab your buddies, go down to your local donor clinic, and see

who gets dizzy first.”

It is likely that those who do not yet donate blood will not be induced by the new option. However, the project has already sparked discussion and awareness of the topic of blood donation, and maybe it will make the experience for existing donors more enjoyable. The cooperation with blood banks can potentially build a mutually beneficial partnership, for Blood Sport a more promising alternative than remaining a one-off prototype.

City Society Space: LSESU Entrepreneurs Society Choudhry Azizuddin LSESU Entrepreneurs Society The Entrepreneurs Society hosted a talk by Howard Harrison, who went from being a lawyer in South Africa to starting his own firm. Howard moved to London in 1997, where he worked for Credit Suisse for four years, later pursuing an MBA from INSEAD. However, working in a cubicle from 9 to 5 was not what Howard wanted, life had to be more exciting and meaningful. Thus after a

brief stint at Kimberly-Clark, Howard cofounded Knomo, an accessories brand focused on technology. Lately, Knomo had sales of about £16 million and has received an investment of £1 million. This shows the success of the brand, which has grown steadily in both revenues and recognition.

Howard emphasised starting a business early because it becomes difficult to do it later in life, when responsibilities start to build up. Moreover, he pointed out that fundraising is easier than ever before, especially with the rise of crowdfunding plat-

forms. It is also important to have a detailed plan to accomplish specific goals because that is what investors look for. With regards to growing a business, he talked about how important it is to have the right partners and be focused on the target customer, because that enables the business to develop a lasting relationship with them. It is crucial for a start-up to be focused, because that is how it is going to create exciting products. An Entrepreneur should also use social media to create engagement with customers. An example of this is how Knomo has used Youtube

to create videos showcasing its products, and hence generating publicity. Lastly, Howard stated that starting a business is one of life’s most exciting experiences.

The worse days are much more worse than in corporate life, but the best days are also much more rewarding.

It was exciting to learn that there were Entrepreneurs within the audience, with diverse businesses ranging from fighting bed bugs to an education start up. In response to a question on how Knomo stops copying, Howard replied that it has lawyers to protect its design and

trademark. Another question was concerned about the importance of an MBA in starting a business. The answer was that it is important because it helps to make networks, but one should also weigh the opportunity cost between investing in the program and investing in the business. One of the key takeaways about the Entrepreneurial Journey can be summed up by what Howard says on his website, ‘The last 10 years haven’t been easy - it’s without a doubt the hardest thing we’ve had to do.

But definitely the most rewarding.”

Features Section editorial: WHAT DOES STRUGGLING President Barack Obama have in common with attempting to foster sustainability, the Lithuanian ambassador and nuclear armament? Quite a lot as it happens but, primarily, they are all subjects of analysis in this week’s Features section.

We also feature an article regarding the Right 2 Education campaign, which was very visible on campus over last week, raising many questions. Indeed, we’d love for even more analysis, from even more perspectives, to compliment the diverse political outlooks that currently exist within the Features team. It’s probable that a Features team meeting is the only place in the world where Blairites, Thatcherites and fans of George Galloway can put that all behind them and actually work together for the greater good.

With the term drawing to a close, now is the ideal time to get writing for Features and add your analysis to our current stock; the more perspectives and angles we can get from the student body, the better. As such, we need you to get writing for us, we’d love to hear your perspectives on any global issue. Do you care about what happens in the world? Of course you do, this is LSE after all, so get writing for Features!

Features

George Harrison

Tuesday December 2, 2014

Section Editors: Liam Hill and George Harrison features@thebeaveronline.co.uk

24

Deputy Section Editors: Zita Chan, George Greenwood, and Taryana Odayar tweet @beaveronline

“Russia is an Evil Empire” The Beaver spoke to Lithuanian Ambassador Asta Skaisgiryte Liauskiene about the Ukraine Crisis, NATO and the European Project George Greenwood Deputy Features Editor LITHUANIA IS A COUNTRY at the crossroads of history. For hundreds of years, it has been dominated by either Germany or Russia, as the armies of great powers have swept east and west across Europe. Lithuania has finally achieved sustained and democratic independence, seceding from the USSR in 1990, and acceding to the EU in 2004. Thus, preserving this independence, politically and culturally, is of upmost importance in Vilnius today.

I spoke to Asta Skaisgiryte Liauskiene, Lithuanian Ambassador to London, about both the issues that Lithuania faced in moving closer and closer to Europe, and the growing concerns over Russian revanchism in the east.

Asta was frank on where Lithuania saw itself in the world. “We are a European state, the EU’s values are our values.” Most interestingly, Asta was far from restrained in her depiction of the Ukraine crisis. She painted Ukraine as a fellow “European state” engaged in an “East-West conflict” with the “Evil Empire” of Russia.

The aims of Lithuanian grand strategy are remarkably simple. To tie itself more strongly to NATO and the EU, and to work collectively to contain the Russian

threat. Most notably, Lithuania will enter the Eurozone from January 1st, with Asta responding to my questions as to why Lithuania was doing so in a time of economic turmoil with a claim that “The Eurozone crisis came from poor management rather than a flawed project.” Reading between the lines, it seems the political security benefits of being in the same currency union with big beasts such as France and Germany, far outweigh the potential economic costs that the single currency presents. As Asta put it, unlike the UK, “We do not fear a loss of sovereignty to the EU”.

For the Lithuanians, being part of an empire by invitation, with limited EU interventions in some areas of domestic policy, is far preferable to the empire by imposition that it has faced from the East.

“For you, Russia might be a vague threat just over the horizon. For us, the threat is existential. I remember Russian troops on the streets as I was growing up.

For us, this threat is a lot closer to home.” She even expressed her support for the EU moving even further eastwards, with Ukraine, and even Georgia and Belarus, as future potential members. Lithuania has been very pleased with the outcome of the recent Wales NATO summit, with western exercises in the Baltics, the deployment of NATO fighters to patrol Baltic airspace and the new NATO rapid

Asta Skaisgiryte Liauskiene, Source: Johannes Jansson

reaction force all reassuring Lithuanians of commitment to their defence.

In terms of the growing conflict with Russia, “Russia is fighting two kinds of war: A war on gas and oil prices, and a war of propaganda. It has only just set up Sputnik, to spread its propaganda. Ironically, Kaliningrad (former East German Konigsberg, a militarised Russian territorial outpost to the south of Lithuania) is a lifesaver. As Russian province, with gas pipes passing through Lithuania, if the Russians cut off gas to us they would also be cutting off gas there. Unsurprisingly, they haven’t cut off gas to us.

However, we need to work together on collective energy purchases from Russia.”

The problem of engaging with Russia in a piecemeal fashion, for Lithuania, is that this maximises Russian power over energy resources, and undermines collective efforts to resist them. Likewise, the Lithuanians are cautious to extend freedom of the press to “propaganda” organisations such as Sputnik and Russia Today, for fear of a weakening of European resolve to resist. Thus, containing Russian influence, through further integrating European energy infrastructure, collective purchase deals and action to curb Russian propaganda are crucial in retaining European security.

In terms of future direction, Lithuania seems destined to move further towards Brussels.

“You have to remember that the EU was the ideal for Lithuania.

It was what we looked to when we restructured our state after the end of Soviet Occupation. It is part of the EU as a community that we aspire to be. We want to be in Europe because it is where we belong.

Its values are our values.”

Lithuania takes a starkly different view to that of the UK in terms of potential reforms of the EU. “We agree with Cameron, that there are ways that the EU needs to be reformed. The decision making process is slow, with constant compromise that leaves no one completely satisfied. And we agree that the EU needs to be reformed to be less bureaucratic. However, we do not think that threatening to leave the EU to try to change it is the way to go” When questioning her on why Lithuania was spearheading involvement in international institutions, with upcoming nonpermanent membership of the UN Security Council and recent presidency of the European commission, the ambassador joked, “don’t forget we were an empire once! And we have an ambition to play a major role in the region specifically, but also further abroad.”

The final point that the ambassador was keen to make, was to appeal to the students of LSE, “Don’t be afraid to get into politics. It is fulfilling, interesting career, and if there is one thing that politics needs, it is more young people.” Perhaps given the state of UK politics today, this has a great deal of truth.

Thus, we can see that Lithuania remains a country whose very existence remains tied up with a notion of collective European security in the form of EU and NATO engagement. Lithuania, as with rest of the Baltics, are exerting all the pressure that they can to push NATO and the EU to the very borders of the Russian Federation, to the maximal guarantee of their own security.

We are likely to see Lithuania dive further and further into the heart of the European project, as the best way of preserving their tradition as an independent state for the next 25 years, as it has enjoyed for the last.

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Features

Tuesday December 2, 2014

The Global Nuclear Landscape George Harrison Features Editor AS THE “IRANIAN NUCLEAR crisis” continues, tensions are mounting between the anxious international community and the Iranian government over whether a deal can be reached allowing Iran to continue its allegedly peaceful pursuit of nuclear power. However, there are widespread fears that the nuclear power program exists as a front for a more sinister drive towards nuclear armament. In light of the ongoing crisis talks, it is worth considering the current global nuclear landscape and the implications of nuclear weaponry for the rest of the world.

Officially recognised nuclear weapons states are signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), yet alongside the 5 official nuclear states are 3 other nuclear powers who aren’t signatories to the treaty. In addition to this, Israel is categorised as an undeclared nuclear power, with a nuclear arsenal that is shrouded in mystery; very little is known about Israel’s capacity for nuclear weapons due to a policy of government ambiguity on the

United States Allied with NATO States Tensions with Russia, North Korea, Pakistan and China

Former Soviet States Kazakhstan, Belarus and Ukraine Arsenal absorbed

by Russia by 1996

matter. Historical nuclear powers include South Africa and some former Soviet states, although their arsenals have since been decommissioned.

The United States of America (NPT Signatory) With an active arsenal totalling 2104 warheads, and as the first state to develop and use nuclear weapons, the US is a key party to the NPT. The US boasts a sophisticated array of delivery mechanisms, being able to launch nuclear warheads from the land, air and sea in a delivery system known as the ‘nuclear triad’. As the only state to have used their arsenal in warfare, the US has already proven to the world that it poses a nuclear threat.

The Russian Federation (NPT Ratifier) As the Soviet Union, Russia boasted the accolade of detonating the most powerful explosive in human history, the ‘Tsar Bomba’. With a current active arsenal of 1600 warheads and the nuclear triad delivery system, Russia is the leading Eastern nuclear power; strained relations with the West leaves Russia as NATO’s biggest nuclear headache.

The United Kingdom (NPT Ratifier) The highly sophisticated Trident submarine system is the delivery method for the UK’s 160 active warheads, which are maintained to ensure that the UK has an independent deterrent to Russia and the nuclear East.

France (NPT Ratifier) Currently developing and reforming its nuclear arsenal, France maintains 290 active warheads to be deployed via sea and air based mechanisms. The French nuclear capability was developed as a response to tensions with Russia during the Suez Crisis.

China (NPT Signatory) With an unknown number of active warheads, yet 250 total warheads, China can deliver nuclear weapons via land and sea based methods. Having developed the arsenal as a threat to Russian and Western armament, China maintains a policy of ‘No first use’, meaning that the arsenal is strictly retaliatory.

India (Non NPT Nuclear Power) With a total arsenal in the

United Kingdom Allied with NATO States Tensions with Russia

Israel Suspected former ally of South Africa

region of 90 warheads and dual land and air based delivery systems, India is a powerful nuclear state that objects to signing the NPT. As such, the NPT states are wary of India, whilst trying to foster a degree of cooperation between states. India maintains that it possesses only “peaceful nuclear explosives”.

US, North Korea received official recognition as a functional nuclear power, with a suspected land based delivery system for ICBM’s. Threats to destroy the US and South Korea punctuated the North Korean development of nuclear weapons, although today their arsenal is expected to number less than 10 warheads.

Pakistan (Non NPT Nuclear Power) The covert development of nuclear weapons as a response to the Indian armament of the 70’s led to the development of Pakistan’s arsenal; the US cut off military assistance and imposed sanctions as a result of this technically illegal nuclear development. With an arsenal numbering around 100 total warheads and the same delivery systems as India, Pakistan matches India’s capacity for nuclear weaponry to a potentially dangerous degree.

Israel (Undeclared Nuclear Power) A deliberately ambiguous nuclear policy means that estimates of Israel’s total arsenal vary between 60 and 400 warheads, with a suspected nuclear triad delivery system. It is believed that Israel developed its nuclear capabilities in conjunction with South Africa as early as 1967, in order to deter aggressors in the region and further its stance on the world stage.

Israel is a highly volatile nuclear power, with many enemies and a serious need for nuclear deterrent.

North Korea (Non NPT Nuclear Power) A former party to the NPT, North Korea withdrew in 2003 after accusations by the US of developing a secret uranium enrichment program. After conducting tests to intimidate the

France Allied with NATO States Tensions with Russia

South Africa Arsenal decommisoined by 1991

Pakistan Tensions with India

Russia Tensions with NATO States

Former Nuclear Powers South Africa, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine formerly posessed nuclear weapons, before the decomissioning of their arsenals in the 1990s. All states later acceeded to the NPT.

China Tensions with Russia and NATO States

India Partial Cooperation with the United States Tensions with Pakistan

North Korea Tensions with The United States

26 Features The Pocket Obama: President Turned Emperor?

Philosopher: Tuesday December 2, 2014

Holding Charities Accountable Louis van der Linden Pocket Philosopher THE NON-PROFIT SECTOR is important to every one of us because it attempts to solve the problems we usually consider to be the most important ones, like curing cancer, minimising hunger, and providing shelter. In a lot of these causes, though, that approach isn’t working. The Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that between 1997 and 2009, the number of undernourished people in the world rose from about 800 million to over 1 billion. How come?

Perhaps this is only logical: how can we expect small companies to tackle the world’s greatest problems? But then a skeptic may ask: why do charities have to be small in the first place?

There is a real reason for this.

As Dan Pallotta points out, we hold the non-profit sector accountable to different standards than the rest of the economy. Since charities function through donation, they have to be aware of what donors think.

Donors think that charities should minimise overhead.

In all other areas of the economy, marketing and advertising are accepted to be excellent methods for increasing profits, but the most common reason people donate is to know that the money they donate is making an impact to the cause directly. For some reason, the knowledge that my pound was turned into five pounds from another as to effect a greater change is fundamentally less.

Minimising overhead means not being able to offer higher salaries to incentivise greater production, as is the case in the for-profit sector. Making money through helping others strikes us as wrong, even though making money without helping others is okay. Charities need smart, innovative CEOs, but graduates from universities like ours avoid the non-profit sector since the monetary sacrifice is simply too great.

The key idea that we fail to recognise is that overhead is part of the cause. In all areas of our capitalist economy we accept the idea that it is not the percent, but absolute growth that matters. When we evaluate a charity, perhaps we should not ask about its percentage overhead, but rather about the scale of its goal. Why should we care about overhead if the world’s greatest problems are really getting solved?

Zita Chan Deputy Features Editor “I’M NOT THE EMPEROR OF the United States. My job is to execute laws that are passed.”

These words that Obama so resolutely uttered in 2013 seemed to be massively ironic. President Barack Obama then declared his intention to collaborate with Congress and the Republicans to better the future of the USA. However, on 20th November, Obama shocked the nation, and the world, by announcing reforms on immigration policies unilaterally.

His reform initiatives are particularly relevant to the undocumented immigrant population that amounts to more than 10 million in the country. Obama announced that immigrants who have children that are born in the USA or have lived in the country for more than 5 years are temporarily immune to deportation.

Deportation relief is estimated to affect a staggering 48% of the illegal immigrant population in the country, with more than half of the illegal immigrants from Mexico and Central America benefitting from the new policy.

The main controversies lie in whether Obama should and could have put forward reforms unilaterally. The political argument falls short of supporting the cause. The primary argument stems from the manner in which the reforms are put forth and its devastating impacts on the future of American politics.

Obama bypassed the Congress to put forward reform initiatives.

This is almost as if Obama has single-handedly declared battle against the Republicans, with their opinions essentially disregarded.

This worsens the already strained relationship between the GOP and the Democrats, making it even more problematic for the two to work cooperatively to advance policies conducive to the improvement of the nation in the future. Efficient and effective policy- making is especially imperative as of now, as the USA is at a critical point of economic rejuvenation.

The nation is in dire need of a stable and

efficacious political framework supporting steps towards revitali-

zation. More importantly, this may be deemed to have reinforced, or established, presidential unilateral action as a ‘political tradition’ for future presidents to come. These two possible repercussions would undermine the very fundamental fabric of the USA as a democratic state.

However, Obama’s actions are legally backed by the law and by legal precedents. According to Article 2 of the Constitution of the United States of America, the President possesses executive powers that can be exercised at times of emergency.

Obama’s unilateral action is also preceded by that of Presidents past, such as President George W. Bush in 1990. Therefore, Obama’s actions clearly fall within the boundaries of the Constitution and the common law.

Yet, legitimacy does not stub out doubts and condemnation. This owes to the fact that despite being approved by the law, such executive actions have been rare occurrences in American history. Most of the American politicians and the public found Obama’s action unfathomable and startling. The ‘executive power’ that Obama relied on in passing his reforms is a power whose nature is not dissimilar to the Crown’s Royal Prerogative Power in the UK where the Crown can pass laws without Parliamentary assent.

Therefore, Obama’s reliance on his executive powers has sparked heated debates regarding the ‘corrosion of the democratic fabric’ of the nation, where some critics dubbed Obama: ‘Emperor of the United States of America’.

Obama’s actions also fail to answer the economic concerns

of the American public regarding employment. The majority of the American working population is displeased with the idea of lowcost immigrant labour usurping their loci in the American market.

It is true that immigrants are willing to work at a lower pay. Therefore, manufacturers are, in fact, largely receptive to the idea of hiring immigrants. With Obama’s reforms allowing temporary residence of illegal immigrants, the competition between local and foreign labour will only be brought to new heights.

In Obama’s defence, the social context and the pragmatic situation call for his actions. Debates regarding immigration policies have dragged on in Congres for years.

However, there has not been any constructive proposal for reforms.

As Obama asserted in his succinct speech, the immigration system is itself a “broken system”. The USA has one of the highest immigrant populations in the world, and the questions concerning this group of people need answers urgently.

Obama’s executive actions broke the long wait and offered a solution where, in stark contrast, the angry Republicans failed to put forward a resolution themselves. Therefore, they are essentially coerced into accepting Obama’s daring actions since their opposition is not backed by a satisfactory counter-proposal.

Obama’s actions were certainly unexpected. His bold exercise of his executive authority certainly has conjured up an aura of monarchism. Perhaps the massive controversies surrounding Obama’s reforms will simmer down as the policy pans out, yet this is a time of uncertainty for America.

Disability: The Dangers of a Damaging Prefix Mark Malik Disabled Students’ Officer IT’S UK DISABILITY HISTORY Month at the moment. Wednesday is the United Nations’ International Day of Persons with Disabilities. But what exactly is a “disability” and what does it mean to be “disabled”?

In the UK, you’re disabled under the 2010 Equality Act if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities. At LSE, this could be a mobility difficulty, sensory impairment, mental health issue, or a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia or dyspraxia, amongst other things. So disability is quite a broad concept that covers about 12% of UK students.

But the concept of disability isn’t perfect.

Firstly, unlike some of the other Liberation areas, disabled students are a very heterogeneous group. Whilst we all face challenges, these can be very different. The experiences of a student with dyslexia will be distinct from someone whose mobility problems are exacerbated by inaccessible campus buildings, or someone who, like me, has bipolar disorder. Indeed, there are undoubtedly common themes that unite us all, but disability is so diverse that there isn’t a single disabled community; it is much more individualistic. Whereas we tend to talk about intersectionality between different issues – such as between women’s, LGBT+ and race – each disability “intersects” with issues of daily life in a plethora of different ways. A couple of years ago, if someone had said to me that my bipolar disorder would force me to grow stubble, I’d have said that person

was mad. But it’s true. My medication gives me hand tremors that make shaving with a razor rather hazardous. Disabilities have different and often surprising effects on different individuals.

Perhaps the other problem with disability is the issue of selfdefinition. Many disabled people are reluctant to disclose that they have a disability, especially if it is invisible or not immediately obvious. This may be due to stigma; there are concerns about how employers may react, and unfortunately there is still a social stigma. But the word “disabled” itself can impose a barrier. The word focuses on what someone can’t do. It is inherently a negative word. People tend not to like attaching negative labels to themselves, for obvious reasons.

Unfortunately, there is no other word that is better. We should embrace the word as it is the only one that we have. Acknowledging

that we have a disability does not mean that we lack ability. Clearly, everyone at LSE – disabled or otherwise – is able to, and has already achieved a lot. The same goes for the wider population.

Having a disability does not even mean that one is disabled.

Even though I am Disabled Students’ Officer, I don’t consider myself to be disabled. Yes, I have a disability. But, with the right support, adjustments and understanding, my disability need not disable me.

I know that we are not there yet – either at LSE or in wider society. But I do hope that we are not too far away from a situation where “to be disabled” ceases to be a synonym for “to have a disability”.

In the meantime, forget about the negative connotations. Feel confident to self-define as having a disability whilst concentrating on the root of the word: Able.

27

Features

Tuesday December 2, 2014

The Right 2 Education Campaign Adrienne Mahsa First year postgraduate THE FREE EDUCATION student protest in London reminded us of the importance of equal access to education for everyone and thus, rather appropriately, ushered in Right 2 Education week.

Right 2 Education (R2E) week, taking place this November, is a non-violent, studentled campaign, which seeks to expose Israel’s systematic obstruction of Palestinian access to education in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Originally founded by Birzeit University in the West Bank, it aims to raise awareness of the many obstacles Palestinian students today face, including, but not limited to, Israeli restrictions on Palestinians’ freedom of movement, damage and destruction of Palestinian schools, lack of funding for Palestinian schools, denial of education to young Palestinian detainees, and immigration controls denying academics and students access to Palestinian institutions of higher education.

The UN Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict found that in 2013, 11,935 children in the West Bank were affected by such incidents. In addition, during the seven weeks of Israeli military strikes on Gaza this past summer, 228 schools were damaged to varying degrees and 26 schools were either severely

damaged or destroyed. This impact becomes even more significant given that Gaza’s schools were already overstretched before the fighting, with a shortage of almost 200 schools.

Around 90 percent of schools are now running on a double shift, cutting each student’s school hours to just four hours each day. Israeli restrictions on importing construction materials continue to halt school repair and reconstruction, thus undermining the right to education. The Islamic University of Gaza, which the LSE Student Union is twinned with, was also one of the schools heavily hit by Israeli airstrikes this summer.

Human Rights, describes the difficulties he faced as a student: “Several times while I was studying at Al-Quds (the only Arab university in Jerusalem), the Israeli army stormed the offices, seizing all files and computers, and destroying equipment. I used to wake up for school wondering whether I would make it back home or be killed by the Israelis.

“Education remains an important weapon for us to fight the Israeli occupation. It is the most valuable tool for us to use against the darkness and walls around us. Israel fears education more than anything else.

That is why they are trying to

LSE students take part in a Right2Education week protest.

Of course, R2E week is not far from home. LSE itself is host to many Palestinian students who faced a myriad of hurdles in their pursuit to study here.

Laith AbuZaid, a postgraduate student in the department of

prevent Palestinians from accessing education by limiting their movement at checkpoints, arresting and tear-gassing students on campus, and closing down schools.”

Ahmed Saleh, a postgradu-

ate student in the department of accounting and finance at LSE, describes his studies in Gaza: “In general, living in Gaza is not easy and you cannot be a normal student there. The electricity cuts out often, so you have to adjust your life and studying around that. I lost some friends in the 2009 Israeli attacks, and my neighbour also died, and this really affected my education at the time.

“But, as Palestinians, it is in our DNA to keep going. The guidance work that the R2E campaign does is really important. I would not be at LSE without my scholarship, which came from the R2E campaign. This opportunity has put me on the same platform as someone from anywhere else in the world.”

The primary goal of R2E week is to shed light on the Palestinian struggle for education, by sharing stories like those of Ahmed and Laith, and to call for an end to the denial of Palestinian educational rights.

The right to education is recognized in international law in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Articles 13 and 14 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

It has also been reaffirmed in the 1960 UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education, the 1981 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the 2006 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

“Can I Say Gay?” On Inclusivity, Political Correctness, and Language Tim P Postgraduate Officer, LGBT+ Alliance I HAVE ALWAYS WONDERED if I can say “Dude, that is so gay.”

As a homosexual man myself, I personally have never felt offended when my friends say, for instance, that LSE 100 is “gay”. But I have changed, and so should you.

The point I would like to stress is that the use of derogatory language creates a homophobic atmosphere, regardless of how you mean your statement. Just for a moment, consider not being completely “outed” as an LGBT+ person at LSE. You will be surprised by how often you hear that a lecture is “gay” and your friends calling each other a “faggot”, for instance with regards to their inability to hit on this one

girl at Saucy. LSE is no exception.

According to a study by the NGO Egale Canada, 70% of all students hear “gay bashing” every day at school. Furthermore, “faggot”, “lezbo” and “dyke” are sadly other words in the usual homophobic language. Whether you mean it in a funny way or not - I would not want to come out in such an environment, regardless of how strong minded I am. The word “gay” just has a bitter aftertaste.

But what if you truly mean it as a joke? The problem is that none of this “ironic reframing” of vocabulary is just a joke. In fact, your banter always plays on the times when gays were only seen as people who transmit HIV and where stereotypes guided peoples’ perceptions of LGBT+ people. Consequently, if we use “gay” in a derogatory way, part of it reminds us of those

times and, even worse, makes it funny. Hence, to be truly inclusive, we must acknowledge the fact that the LGBT+ community has not always been as included as it is today and out of respect we should not reinforce outdated and offensive stereotypes.

Now, some of your gay friends – and I could have been one of them – may use the “gay banter” on themselves and on others. Does that make it okay? I fear that some LGBT+ people feel a need to internalize homophobia in order to belong to a social group. We simply want to be a part of society and only have limited time to stand up for our rights. So instead of convincing every one of the fact that using “gay” with regards to LSE 100 is making it harder for LGBT+ people who are not out, we give in and for the moment accept the

rules of the heterosexual game.

Sometimes this includes calling the most benign slips “gay”. In the end, this creates the notion of not even the gay person wanting to be called “gay”.

Overall, I have decided to refrain from calling anything but the identity “gay”. As we are all students of one of the most inclusive and diverse universities in the world, I ask everyone to reconsider the use of their everyday language.

It may not look as if you exclude anyone, but consider all the unraised voices of people who are “in the closet” and note that they may care a great deal about how you “joke” about things. As a step towards more inclusion, I recommend to count how often you and your friends use offending language over a night at the Tuns. I certainly was surprised when I did it.

corner Emmanuelle Andrews RAG Vice President (Comms) I T ’ S B E E N A V E RY exciting week here at RAG HQ. Not only is it nearly Christmas (more insight into our very merry plans later) but James (VP Challenges & kind-of-a-big-deal) has been planning the mother of all hitchhikes, the incredibly infamous JAILBREAK extravaganza.

For those of you who don’t know, Jailbreak involves being let loose for 36 hours and made to travel as far away as possible. No money, and certainly no limits. This is the first time LSESU RAG has done this event we are all buzzing for it. We’ve heard stories of students getting to India, Australia and Canada, so with LSE’s great international links we expect big things.

Interested? Come along to our info session on Tuesday at STC.S221!

Now, onto our Christmas plans as promised. Since Mean Girls is the best movie of our generation/ all time, we thought we’d take a leaf, or should I say, mistletoe (HAH. I’m sorry) out of Regina George’s book and set up our very own candy cane delivery service.

We will also be selling mince pies and maybe even some mulled wine, with several members of the committee promising to be dressed as an elves.

Craig, if you’re reading this, please make our festive dreams come true and don a Father Christmas costume. Calhoun + Santa + Houghton Street + bucket shaking = YES. YOU GO GLEN COCO. Finally, the lovely Houghtones will be singing in aid of Worldwide Cancer Research on the 9th December, 1st Floor Café of the Saw Swee Hock. Expect some wonderful acapella renditions of classic Christmas tunes, as well as some sensational extras they’ve been busy working on. Entry on the door is £2.

If you’d like more Houghtones info, are interested in our Christmas/Mean Girls tribute or want to get involved with Jailbreak, like us on Facebook!

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Sustainable Project Fund WORK HAS JUST FINISHED on LSE’s 2nd Green Roof, which accompanies the 5 vegetable gardens, 2 green roves and the green wall on campus. The project was part of the annual student and staff competition - the Sustainable Project Fund - where staff and students can win funding of up to £20,000 to develop a project idea which advances the sustainability at LSE and aims to engage the campus community in sustainability efforts. The project places emphasis on carbon management, biodiversity, waste reduction, sustainable agriculture, sustainable water use, education and awareness.

The green roof was the idea of Professor Teddy Brett & Cathy Boon from the International Development department, with the goal of supporting biodiversity on campus. The installation enhances thermal insulation to the roof, and will also assist in absorbing air pollutants.

The green roof, supported by Martyn Fisher in the Estates Division, is located on the east side of Clement House. Teddy Brett said “I had already installed two [green] roofs in my wildlife garden in Brighton, with one above my own office in Connaught House, as well as the two active beehives that have been there for the last couple of years. Thus it seemed like a good idea to grow some nectar-rich plants nearer to home and reduce [the bees’] journeys to work!”

Previous winners of funding include Oliver Lysaght—a BSc Environment and Development student who was awarded £1,200 for his project to install Bike Maintenance Stands. The Bike Maintenance Stands, which are situated in the basement of Tower 2 and the basement of the

NAB, provide a pump, secured tools and a stand to support the bike for easy repairs.

Sustainable Project fund supported Timeless, London’s largest student production group, in sourcing their costumes from an ethical and environmentally sustainable supplier, in an outstanding example of envirnomental, social and economic sustainability. With over 100 performers, and links to over twelve different SU societies, the project founders want to ensure that as many of their costume purchases as possible were from a supplier that was entrusted to uphold sustainable values. This message was sent to all the groups willing to become involved, raising awareness and education on the matter of sustainable clothing.

Funding has also been awarded for a student led project to enhance the existing garden at Passfield hall of residence. The plan aimed to create a better environment for the existing bees and to attract additional wildlife such as birds and insects.

The herb gardens and raised beds are a shared resource for both staff and students alike, with an informal community garden club allowing for individuals to gain insights into gardening and enable them to contemplate and preserve wildlife collectively.

Furthermore, £3,085 was awarded to Mathematics Department to introduce environmental sustainability into some the Maths course modules to raise student awareness of general environmental issues in areas where they might not expect to see them. Around 1,000 students have been reached thanks to this project. Sustainability topics were also included in undergraduate coursework.

juices flowing and apply now.

There is more information available on the LSESU Sustainable Futures Society website at http://www.sustainablefuturessocietylse.com All applications are due Friday, December 19th, 2014.

If you have an idea but are not sure if you would like to put the idea forward, or have any ideas for activities related to sustainability, then you can send in the idea and the society may carry it forward. Alternatively, you could also become part of the executive committee.

Staff and Students at Passfield garden

THE SUSTAINABLE PROJECT Fund is jointly over seen by the LSE Estates Division and the LSESU Sustainable Futures Society. Sustainable Futures was founded as a student consultancy project whose members carried out an audit of the school. Since then they have evolved year on year. Their mission is to manage the Sustainable Project Fund and promote environmental sustainability on campus.

The Sustainable Project Fund is financed with the 10p 'tax' on bottled water sold across LSE catering outlets introduced on campus in 2008. Money is also raised from the end of term ReLove event, in which students in halls of residence donate their unwanted items and they are resold to new students at the start of term.

The funding is allocated by an independent panel representing a cross section of the School, including students and senior academics.

Julian Robinson, Director of Estates, said, “We are delighted to support these projects, which will positively contribute to the life of the School whilst improving its environmental impact. The strength and variety of all the applications was a testament to the huge wealth of talent and creativity at the School.”

The innovative project, established has been recognised by the Green Gowns Awards where the LSE won Highly Commended in the ‘Student Initiatives and Campaigns’ category, and was recognised by the People and Planet Green League in 2013 for ‘Staff and student engagement ’ a highly competitive award.

There are plenty of other ways to get involved in sustainability on campus; you can join one of the green societies, such as the Bee keeping society, where you can find out how to keep a bee hive and get involved in harvesting honey, the Food Cycle society which works to reduce food poverty and awareness around food waste, or join the Geography and Environment or the Energy society. There are many great volunteering opportunities throughout the year too, for example environmental auditing, becoming a Green Impact Project Assistant and helping a department green up their office.

Recent Projects

The project fund is now open for new applicants, so if you have an idea that you think would improve sustainability on campus, however big or small why not apply and you could win funding to develop your project. Sustainable Futures are holding a Sustainable Projects Fund workshop on Thursday, 4th December, 6-7pm in room 32L.LG.18 to help people develop their ideas for the fund, fill application forms and answer any questions regarding the fund.

So get those creative green

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New Green Roof, Clement House

The Basics

Tuesday December 2, 2014

Getting Involved with LSE Sustainability THE LSESU SUSTAINABLE Futures Society has other events throughout the year; including public lectures, debates and a sustainability themed art competition to be held in the Lent term. Even if you don’t want to put in an application you can join the society and get involved in many other ways. See their website or the Facebook page ( https://www.facebook.com/ sustainable.futures.lse ) to keep updated on activities and find out more.

There are many great volunteering opportunities throughout the year too, for example environmental auditing, becoming a Green Impact Project Assistant or helping to establish Green Offices at LSE.

The Beekeeping society offers the chance to get involed with LSE’s bee population.

Oliver Lysaght’s Bike Maintenance stands are on campus as a result of the SPF.

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LSESU Stories

Tuesday December 2, 2014

It’s the people of LSE who are interesting. And every person has a story behind them.

Telling that story can change lives – even change the world.

At LSESU we’re creating a space for the stories of LSE. It’s where you can show the world who you are: where you’ve come from, what you’re passionate about, or the one experience that changed everything for you; everyone’s got something.

Maybe your journey to LSE has been full of hurdles, maybe you’re a talented artist, maybe

your study group has a method that can rescue last-minute essays, maybe you want to introduce people to a sport you love.

The first two stories are here in this issue of The Beaver.

We’re calling for entries now. They can be any length, any level of detail, and include as many pictures as you like.

The best will be featured on lsesu.tumblr.com, on LSESU’s social media and in our email newsletters.

Send your work to lsesustories@gmail.com.

What are you waiting for?

George Harrison on Being a Busy Beaver George Harrison Features Editor

‘THE BEAVER’ IS A BIT OF an odd name for a newspaper.

When I told my mum that I was “in The Beaver” her response predictably involved a double take. And searching for “Beaveronline” sounds considerably racier than the reality.

However, as I found out, The Beaver is a historically significant yet relevant component of LSE life, and avoids many of the clichés that plague student journalism. Amongst the chaos of my first week, I found time to read the Freshers’ edition, and was impressed. I decided early on that I wanted to get involved.

Despite having no prior experience (other than being an avid Telegraph reader), I had

come to LSE with something of a desire to try my hand at journalism. It was early into the term when I decided to take a break from my Geography reading and try my hand at writing an article.

Following on from the neverending tide of news about the Scottish referendum (remember that?), I wrote an analysis of the so called West Lothian Question, and its political implications. This was published the following Tuesday.

Writing the article was such an enjoyable break from studying that I fell in love with journalism. I contributed articles for the following five weeks.

When the opportunity arose, I jumped at the chance to be-

come a deputy editor and get more involved with the Features section. I had come to uni with no real experience of journalism and by week 8 I was a section editor, working alongside the mighty Liam Hill.

As a first year, people are routinely surprised that I’m part of the Beaver team. But if people knew how easy and rewarding it is to get involved, I’m sure that we’d be flooded with even more content every week.

As many of my friends know, I enjoy prompting debate and getting reactions from people; what better way is there to do that than to write for a newspaper? Likewise, I hate the stranglehold that apathy has on our

society, and what better way is there to fight against apathy than through the press?

Crucially, however, I came to uni to have a good time; getting involved with The Beaver has been a real experience which has resulted in some amazing opportunities, like an invite to an overnight “behind the scenes” press event at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst – something which I’m very much looking forward to.

If you care about improving as a person, seeing your name in print, expressing your opinion, politics, the world in general or having a good time, then you’d find writing for The Beaver a worthwhile experience. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Taste The SU Pudding, says Mahatir Pasha Mahatir Pasha News Editor THE COMMONLY BELIEVED concept that students like myself who live at home are unable to truly benefit from the ‘student experience’ at university was, I’ll admit, playing on my mind throughout Summer. However, upon arriving at the LSE for the first time during the eventful week zero, I had the pleasure of meeting the Sabbatical team for the LSESU. The four friendly faces were hospitable and provided a good insight into what we could expect once university began. They also talked about the many opportunities students have to get involved with the Students’ Union. This was reassuring, but as a wise woman always says (my mother), “the proof is in the pudding.”

I’ve got to say, when things kicked off, there really were numerous things to get involved with. That’s right mum, this

pudding tastes good! I was drawn towards student politics firstly and so ran in the Michaelmas Term Elections. Whilst my position as a Governor and a member of Council is a part of the school, the SU played a huge part in putting together the election. My artistic skills, or rather, lack of artistic skills came to the surface when I was obliged to create posters and plaster them around campus.

Houghton Street was the spot for campaigning, my selfie stick and I embarked on a formidable process to capture snaps of me with random people on campus holding my poster. It goes without saying, many people ran away when they saw me hurriedly approaching them clutching onto a large stick. It was not long before the candidates running for election made the ARC on the first floor of the Saw Swee Hock into a playground. Paper, glue and utensils were scattered around the place and the beautiful brown floor

of the room looked like it had something to do with the LGBT movement by the time we left.

I’ll never forget the butterflies that were in my stomach on Results Night. The evening was packed with music, drink and a lot of suspense! I will admit that the scream I let out when I heard my name called out as a winner, resembled a prepubescent One Direction fan girl.

This was just the beginning of my SU experience. It gets better. A few weeks ago I was elected to become the First Year News Editor for the wonderful publication that is The Beaver. As an aspiring journalist, I cannot be happier and really look forward to the upcoming year. This week was my first week as an Editor and I had to spend practically my entire Sunday in the office. Excessive reading, awfully slow computers and hysterical attempts to meet deadlines may sound like a bad thing to you, but (call me a saddo), I’ve loved it and look

forward to doing it again next week!

A big thanks goes to the SU for allowing me to embrace such experiences and of course the Executive Editor of The

Beaver, Jon Allsop for holding my hand throughout this hectic time! I guess it goes without saying that my SU experience has been amazing and I couldn’t be more sure that the idea of students living at home being less likely to have a proper ‘student experience’ is nonsense!

Sport

Tuesday December 2, 2014

30

LSE Mixed Hockey First Team Beats UCL

Krishna Aswani LSE Mixed Hockey Captain AS THE UNBEATEN REIGNING champions of the mixed premier league the LSE Mixed Hockey 1st team felt that we had a high reputation to uphold. This was especially after a disappointing draw the previous week against our opposition across the water, Southbank University. We arrived at the Olympic Park Hockey Pitch, Stratford with huge anticipation. Having never played the UCL team before we were unsure about how strong they were as a mixed side. As individual teams, the men’s and women’s teams in

SUN, SEX AND SUSPICIOUS looking Dancers. This week saw the launch of TOUR in typical AU style with a rather shoddy raffle and questionable Karaoke all round. Friends old and new waltzed down to the Zoo for the start of the fun and games.

Odds on returning an un-

UCL are in much higher leagues than our two 1st XI sides so we knew that we would be coming up against tough opposition.

After arriving at the pitch to a 15 strong UCL side having been warming up for the last half an hour, we were pretty anxious to start. At the start of the game we had a few strong opportunities up front and after two minutes, Tessa managed to slot in the first goal after some good build up play and some very unselfish play from our midfielders. The first half was then pretty even with both teams having many opportunities with penalty corners given to either side.

After giving a half time talk,

changed (wo)man? Never in your favour.

The Sil-baby gave an old romance the Green light. He made the Executive decision to leave with another. This Molti-talented ‘baller claimed two more; looking for a full house, closer to a Neigh-Bahar-Hood?

A fresh FC-er was left feeling the drought and questioning if he’ll ever walk two by two. And a netballer up’ed her caps and rode out to his house with a 1st team birthday boy.

A little man tried once again and was Livid to only re-

we were ready to take the positives out of the first half and convert our chances. Our lead continued into the second half with India scoring a blinder from a penalty corner, putting us two in front. Throughout the game we utilised our full subs bench, allowing players to have quick 10 minutes bursts on and off in order to max the effort as a team.

UCL had a few missed opportunities and then the match intensified when they managed to put a goal past our south Sensation, Dugan, with only ten minutes to go. This gave us the boost we needed to give one final push to ensure we stayed ahead and in the process our resident Dutch

ceive a polite decline. WRFC captain spun a Web to catch a man and landed several. A hockey lady wet the tongue of a newbie - what a way to TESt the waters. And ex-FC why-are-you-still-here, i’mstill-social-sec-I-swear-Dowie returned to relive his glory days from Salou with several rather messy freshers; more in one night than 3 years? Don’t be silly, this man is (not) a true Animal. (We could mention a Strom and very withered Face, but we reckon we’ve Maxed that one out. It’s like they were named for the Jungle).

international scored a final victory goal two minutes before the final whistle. When she turned 180 to face her team after scoring this goal she could see that the whole team charge towards her to celebrate. Even with only two minutes left a UCL guy tried to go the whole way on his own, only for Matt Philips to badly foul him putting a stop to his solo effort and subsequently receiving a green card.

Once the final whistle went the whole team was ecstatic to have beaten our bigger rivals as of yet. Having a win against such huge opposition was a fantastic birthday surprise for myself especially as we ended the week top of

So if you love the Zoo, war m climates (think Zoo Bar without the A/C) and the sheer terror of the post Wednesday night wake up, why not TOUR this year?

Hazy memories, unwise decisions, and a lot of Salou ‘sport’ - what’s not to love?

We do advise packing extra deodorant though.

Despite being omnipotent and benevolent, the Bev Report lacks omniscience. Send in the escapades you witnessed to sports@ thebeaveronline.co.uk

the table, as well as still remaining unbeaten.

Overall, our victory was due to our great mixed team chemistry, as we not only socialise together as a club, but we win together. The mixed team is a growing part of the hockey club, taking our club from strength to strength and we hope to retain the Premier League this year, moving onto the European circuit next season. I genuinely hope that our current successes continue and encourage more mixed team competitive sport in the future amongst other clubs within the AU, especially as its dynamic is extremely unique, further advancing on-the-pitch success.

31

Sport

Tuesday December 2, 2014

Michaelmas Christmas Cup Seb Chan Active LifeStylE AS WE APPROACH THE END of Michaelmas term, it is a good time to look back at an eventful first term of the Active Lifestyle football section. Before the programme was introduced, 100 male students were turned away at FC trails each year after being told they were not good enough. Having been part of the FC last year, I understand the sheer competition there is just to secure a place. Part of the objective of the Active Lifestyle programme is to engage students who missed the cut and provide them with regular football.

One such initiative is the Wednesday League at London City Power League. In its inaugural year, we have 13 teams enrolled in the competition which equates to around 100 players. However, the most pleasing aspect is the league has engaged different parts of the

university with our data revealing a 50:50 mix of postgraduates and undergraduates. In terms of the competition, Bankside Athletic currently are sitting top of the league with seven straight wins. Nonetheless, with another 6 rounds of fixtures and playoffs to go, it is safe to say the League is far from over.

The league is only one such initiative in place to increase participation in football. We also run biweekly football drop-in sessions at Shoreditch London Power League.

This is opened to all students who can simply turn up to the pitch and play two hours of football with their peers. The last session will be this Friday (5/12) from 6 to 8pm.

So if you are not involved in Carol then do sign up and enjoy two hours of football.

So far emphasis has been placed on the men’s game. However, as we know, the women’s game is also growing at a rapid pace. When England ladies took on the Germans the other week,

attendance was significantly higher than the men’s game against Norway in September. It is nevertheless a shame that the interest in grassroots women’s game remains low. It is hoped that the Active Lifestyle programme can increase participation in the women’s game. Working with Jenny Johanson, the Women’s FC captain, we aim to deliver more opportunities for female students to take part in football. With this in mind, we have set aside one pitch for women during our biweekly drop-in sessions. Moreover, we will be running our first ever Women’s Christmas Cup on the 12th December. Entries cost £1 per person and prizes will be awarded to the winners. The same applies to the men.

We are hoping students from different parts of the school will sign up to the Christmas Cup. So if you are free on the Wednesday afternoon on the 12th December (Wednesday) from 1:30 to 4pm

then why not consider forming a team? The event will be at London City Power League which is opposite Shoreditch High Street Station. You can sign up from the SU website under events listings.

If you need additional information, feel free to contact Seb Chan (s.m.chan1@lse.ac.uk) or James

Ralph (j.ralph@lse.ac.uk).

Looking forward, we want to continue to make the programme all inclusive and accessible to all.

We are actively looking to collaborate with different societies and interest groups. So do let James know if you have any ideas to improve the programme.

Active LifeStylE: Upcoming Events Candace Gawler Active LifeStylE

Send results to sports@thebeaveronline.co.uk

FROM FENCING, SKIING and golf lessons to the five-a side football league knockouts, Active LifeStylE has had a busy few weeks. Only eight weeks into the programme, in partnership with Sport England, Active LifeStylE has brought to LSE students an array of sports activities, dancing taster sessions

and once off events. The focus is on providing for students who are looking for recreational, fun and flexible ways to stay active.

A big event this month was a fencing taster session. It included an impressive demonstration and every student had a chance to free fence after learning the basic techniques. It was entertaining to say the least. With roots as old as Egyptian swordplay, fencing proved to be a hit.

Classified Results Women’s Volleyball LSE 1s 3 - 0 UAL (Cup) Men’s Volleyball LSE 1s 3 - 2 UEL 2s (Cup) Mixed Volleyball LSE 3 - 1 SOAS (League) Mixed Hockey LSE 1s 3 - 1 UCL 1s

Every Wednesday, the weekly five-a-side football league has taken place. The games are held at the Shoreditch High Street pitches from 1pm to 5pm. 13 teams are competing for the trophy and coming up soon is the Christmas cup. Monday and Thursday the relaxed running group run to and around to London’s best spots.

Active LifeStylE in partnership with the LSE Snow Sports took a group of students for

their first Skiing lesson in preparation for the December ski trip.

Active LifeStylE is subsidising the lessons so that each student pays 50% of the normal price.

UPCOMING EVENTS: Disability Sport Wednesday 3 December Belly Dancing Taster Session Friday 5 December (women only)

5 a side men’s and WOMEN’S FOOTBALL Every second Friday Also look out for ICE SKATING on 10 December at Somerset House. Active LifeStylE will be subsidising tickets.

Next term look out for the chance to sign up for Golf Lessons and Swimming among loads of other activities.

FANTASY FOOTBALL UPDATE

by Robin Park

Join online: 1923555432233 Habib Rahman continues to dominate in The Beaver Sports League with Black Hand Gang, but a close second is Dynamo Chicken Kiev, managed

by Shintaro Miyazaki, who won the November league table.

Jon Allsop continiues to top the editorial charts, mostly due to a fortunate reliance on Danny Ings.

Red’s XI continue to languish in mediocrity, much like Liverpool FC in recent weeks. Hopefully the fortunes of LFC (and my team) will improve after the inevitable loss to Basel and subsequent exit from the CL. Languishing in the wooden spoon position are the Celtic Tigers, managed by Gareth Rosser. Dejan Lovren? Seriously?

Sport

SUBMIT A MATCH REPORT AND GET YOUR TEAM’S ACHIEVEMENTS IN PRINT

the

Beaver

Editor: Robin Park Email: sports@thebeaveronline.co.uk

LSE Triathlon Competes In BUCS Jaime Sim LSE AU Triathlon Team LAST SUNDAY WAS THE BUCS Duathlon, which was also the first race of this academic year. Taking place in the chilly weather at the Castle Combe Circuit, this beginnerfriendly race consisted of a 2 mile run, a 10 mile cycle ride and another 2 mile run. Only in our second year of operation, the Triathlon team has already gained wider interest: we had 11 athletes competing in the Duathlon this year, compared to only 4 last year.

The Duathlon crew was comprised of 10 male athletes, with Jaime Sim (Captain) being the remaining female athlete. Considering that this was the first race for the majority of the members, our team achieved excellent results, with all members completing the race in less the 1 hour 14 minutes.

Our postgraduate athlete Mathias Mortensen, who won the Rollapaluza Spin Challenge at the Saw Swee Hock Grand Opening last month, finished strong with an impressive time of 47:24.1, and positioned himself at 69 overall, out of 600 competitors from different UK universities.

Florian Griesmeyer, being the only first-year student in the team, was the second in the team to finish.

Being a long-distance runner, Florian had no experience in Triathlon before joining the LSE, apart from some competitive cycling experience when he was “very young”.

With such a short training period, 56:04.5 was an impressive time for Florian to achieve.

Being one of the first members of the team last year, Jack Winterton was the third to finish within the team. Jack took part in the Duathlon for the first time last year but could not finish the race, due to the

lack of a suitable racing bike, and a lack of physical fitness (according to Jack himself). With his strong determination and dedicated training regime, Jack made an incredible improvement this year and finished the race with a sub-hour time.

Athletes from the tropical Asian weather, including Kevin Teo, Seok Hyun Lee, Chuck Chua, Josias Goh (Vice Captain) and Muizz Aziz, fought, ran and cycled through the wind in the British winter weather, and finished their first Duathlon with three ‘S’s – Sweat, Smiles, and Satisfaction. Despite being on his mountain bike due to a shortage of team bikes, Miraj Shah accomplished the race faster than many of the competitors who were on proper racing bikes. Lemuel Fong, an experienced triathlete who was recovering from a leg injury, was able to fight through the pain and proudly ran through the finishing line.

Being the only woman representing the LSE, Jaime gained a middle position within the team and finished her first Duathlon 10 minutes faster than her estimated finishing time. She would like to dedicate her success to her teammates who were supporting her (‘Goooooo Jaime!’) while she was racing.

All in all, LSE Triathlon achieved a strong performance at the warm-up race of the year, and made a good start for our competitive year. Members who competed

in the Duathlon have showed an increased interest in Triathlon, and a dedication to competing in future races. Before recovering ourselves with the warm Christmas mince pies (festive carbs), we have to set our hearts on training for the upcoming spring Aquathlon series, in which we hope more members from the LSE community could join us (it’s never too late to join the Team).

The complete race result can be found on: http://dbmax.racetecresults.com/Results Members’ thoughts: Chuck I signed up for the duathlon on impulse and told myself I would train for it. I didn’t. It was my first time on a racing bike, as well as the first time I had run in months. Although it was unsurprising that I didn’t perform well, what was surprising was that I managed to pull through and complete it. I hadn’t expected lactic acid build up in the final 2 miles to be so painful, and neither did I anticipate endurance training to be more mental than physical.

Maybe next year I’ll better myself.

Josias This was my first race in the UK and it was a bittersweet experience.

I did not achieve my desired timing, but got to experience racing in the wet and cold weather. Nonetheless, it was a great experience and I

would definitely encourage anyone to join us next year.

Lee When I first heard the word ‘Duathlon’, I thought it was cool and I signed up for it. It did not seem too hard until I rented tri-bike. It was so different from what I thought it would be and I had a hard time getting used to the bike until the day of competition. On the day of duathlon, I got excited after looking at more than 600 people waiting and warming up for the race. I went around so that I could get familiar with the course and transition area to prepare myself not to make any mistakes.

After some warm-ups with our LSE teammates and race guideline briefing, the race started. The run was fine. The course was flat and dry. After a 2 mile-run, I headed for the 10 mile-bike in which I struggled a lot. Being inexperienced at cycling, I had to see other cyclists overtaking me. I managed to get my pace after the first round but, as I checked in my record slip after race, my first cycling round was awful. After cycling, I had to run two more miles. I felt pain in my legs, but thought that I had to overtake as many people as possible in running.

After overtaking a few people, I finally crossed the finish line. I felt so happy that I finished duathlon in such a beautiful place. It will surely be one of my best memories in LSE.

Another Big Win for Women’s Football, as they Smash SOAS Jenny Hovland Johanson LSE WFC Captain LSE WFC HAD ANOTHER great win last Sunday, smashing SOAS 8-0 at their home pitch in Regent’s Park.

Represented by players from 12 different nationalities, the LSE Beavers started off strongly with an early goal by Jennifer

Hook, followed by three more in the first half - 2 more by Jennifer and one by Lucía Llosa.

The girls stepped it up in the second half, controlling the game comfortably. Zoe Oakley and Lucía scored one each, while Jennifer scored another two.

SOAS did fight until the very end, but it was not enough to get through our bulletproof defence.

Anna Koolstra was awarded Coach’s most valuable player of the match for her consistency in defence making the goalkeeper’s job incredibly easy.

Captain’s player of the game was Jennifer Hook for her great skills and eagerness to score - she had 5 in the end!

The result puts LSE in second place in the LUSL premier league. GO BEAVERS!

Photo credit: Tiziana Polis