Issue 1376

Faith in focus, p6

A Comment & Features special on religion and secularism.

Including an interview with Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks

Redbrick

The University of Birmingham's Student Newspaper since 1936

Most Outstanding Society 2010 AU Outstanding Contribution to Sport Friday 5th November 2010 Volume 73 | Issue 1376 redbrickonline.co.uk

R.O.N wins first Guild election Anna Hughes News Editor

For the first time in Guild history, R.O.N has won an election for a cross campus position, as students voted for the Guild to re-open nominations rather than elect an eighth councillor for the role of Open Place Guild Councillor.

Guild elections took place between the 25th and 29th of October, with a record number of 1042 students voting online for Guild Council Chair, Deputy Chair, Post Graduate and Mature Students Officer and three cross campus positions, of which Open Place Councillor is one.

304 students voted for the 27 School Guild Councillor positions, with paper ballot stations set up around key university buildings throughout the week. Robert Sassoon was appointed Chair of Guild Council, narrowly beating Rachel Chetwynd-Cowieson, who took the role of Deputy Chair by eight votes.

Mr.Sassoon said that he was 'delighted to have been elected as the first Chair of the Guild Council elected by a cross campus vote.

I'm really looking forward to our first meeting.'

Guild Councillors meet monthly to discuss and vote upon motions brought forward by students. The Chair and Deputy Chair order and organise these meetings, with Councillor representatives from each school bringing their ideas and opinions.

First Year Councillors represent freshers and make sure that they don't go unheard, while Postgraduate Guild Councillors work with the student officers to

represent those in further study.

There are eight Open Place Guild Councillors who represent the student body as a whole; it was in this group that voters decided it was preferable to re-open elections.

A new election will take place to secure the eighth position. This will incur further expenses for the Guild, who will have to fund the new campaign.

This year's election saw more positions being contested than ever before, with 62 nominees for 41 positions.

According to the Guild of Students Election Report: 'Whereas previously virtually all Guild Councillors were elected unopposed, these elections have seen nearly two-thirds of Guild Councillors come through contested elections.'

In the closest of races, Chris Nash was elected as the new School Guild Councillor for Geography after a coin-toss.

Four positions were left vacant this year, including the post of Satellite Site Officer, responsible for representing sites away from the main University campus.

Guild Councillors for the schools of Infection and Immunity, Cancer Studies and Metallurgy and Materials were also left uncontested. However, this is an improvement on last year where there were nine unfilled school positions.

This year was also the first time students had the opportunity to vote for R.O.N in elections with only one candidate.The final Open Place Guild Councillor position and Satellite Sites Officer will be re-opening for nominations on

Monday 8th November.

Coventry stunned in 79-76 thriller Sport, p27

Birmingham’s Premier Private Hire Company

Tom Flathers

414 0000 472 2222

INSIDE Sociology Dept update >> 5 | Nick Clegg's idealism >> 9 | CBSO competition >> 14 | Grace Kelly >> 20 | Five pages of Sport >> 24-28

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November 5th 2010

News

The Coalition's reaction to the Browne Review Owen Earwicker, page 3

Thomas Walters

Redbrick Editorial Editor Samuel Lear Deputy Editors Victoria Shires Sam Langtree Online Editor Micaela Winter Treasurer Jonathan Craven Art Director Thomas Walters Chief Photographer Mike Roberts chiefphotographer@redbrickonline.co.uk Technical Director Jeremy Levett News Editors Helen Crane Glen Moutrie Anna Hughes news@redbrickonline.co.uk Features Editors Rosa McMahon Seb Mann features@redbrickonline.co.uk Film Editors Elmley de la Cour Matt Davis film@redbrickonline.co.uk Arts & Culture Editors Sian Gray James Reevell arts@redbrickonline.co.uk Music Editors Will Franklin Charlie Bailey music@redbrickonline.co.uk Television Editors Natalie Timmins Joe McGrath tv@redbrickonline. co.uk

Travel Editors Ed Gordon James Cull travel@redbrickonline.co.uk Sport Editors James Phillips Simon Hall sport@redbrickonline.co.uk Technology Editor Stuart Gittings Manpreet Pangli technology@redbrickonline.co.uk Crossword Editor John Rizkallah Editorial Assistants Victoria Bull Rochelle Balach Laura Hewitt Vikki Jeff Will Hunter Kate Selvaratnam Online Editorial Assistants Charmaine Katz Becky Sibson Danielle Fox Sophie MurrayMorris Junior Art Directors Lauren Wheatley Jazzarie Lee Photography Editor Bethany Richardson Copy Editors Amber Alexander Sian Stanfield Olivia Wilson Charlotte Goodwin Lucy Haffenden Amy-Melissa Saul Caroline Mortimer Anna Lumsden Sophie Laurence Liz Murray Becca Evans Emily Haseldine

Lifestyle Editors Briony Singh Rob Lewis lifestyle@redbrickonline.co.uk Food Editors Harriet Constable Dami Olugbode food@redbrickonline.co.uk

Copyright (C) Redbrick 2010 Redbrick strives to uphold the NUJ Code of Conduct. The views expressed in Redbrick do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, the Guild or the publishers. If you find an error of fact in our pages, please write to the Editor. Our policy is to correct mistakes promptly in print and to apologise where appropriate. We reserve the right to edit any article, letter or email submitted for publication.

M

iami at night. Florida will now be represented in the US Senate by Marco Rubio, the 39-year-old Tea Party favourite beat not only his Democrat rival to Florida's Senate seat, but also the Republican Governor, Charlie Crist, who ended up campaigning as an independent.

Send your pictures and a brief summary to pow@redbrickonline.co.uk

Redbrick Calendar

Full events listings available online redbrickonline.co.uk/events

Music & Nightlife

Theatre

Sports

Talks, & Workshops

Diwali Show

Performance

xpLosION

Interfaith Lecture

DEB HALL, 10 NOVEMBER, 6.30PM Birmingham and Aston University Hindu Societies present to you UJALA 2010, a Divali production comprising theatre, a display of dances from all corners of India and a delicious Indian meal.

Price is £6 for members and £8 for non-members. For tickets and more info contact Sandhya: on 07593654573.

THE TEMPLE, HMV INSTITUTE, 7 NOVEMBER, 7PM Touring their second album, Red Brick Heart, Performance will be playing the HMV institute this weekend. Tickets £5

BOURNBROOK PITCH, 6 NOVEMBER, 6PM Catch the Birmingham Lions American football team playing against Leeds Carnegie, with the additional entertainment of the multi-award winning cheerleaders the Pussycats. Also featuring a half-time firework display, dance show and refreshments.

MECH ENG G29, 5 NOVEMBER, 3-4PM The Guild of Students Interfaith Association presents Jenan S. Mohajir, an internationally known expert on interfaith activities, speaking at their opening event. Students of all religious traditions and none are welcome. The talk will last approximately 45 minutes, free refreshments will be provided.

Band Night URBAN VILLAGE, 7 NOVEMBER, 7PM Performances from 3 unsigned live acts; Calum Pratt, Andrew Michael and The July Days. There will also be appearances from the Uob Comedy Society. Free Entry, cheap drinks.

To contact us: Redbrick Guild of Students Edgbaston Park Road Birmingham B15 2TU 0121 251 2462 editor@redbrickonline.co.uk www.redbrickonline.co.uk Redbrick is printed through www.quotemeprint.com: 08451 300667.

Advertising: Contact Aimee Fitzpatrick in Guild Marketing on 0121 251 2524 or a.fitzpatrick@guild. bham.ac.uk

NUS

Infinity xpLosION

Infinity Open Mic night

Men's Hockey versus Leeds

BRISTOL PEAR, 7 NOVEMBER, 7.30PM There will be a series of live acts, a raffle and cakes. All the proceeds will go to Acorns Children's Hospice. Entry is £4 for non-members

Band Night

BOURNBROOK PITCH, 10 NOVEMBER, 2:30PM Catch the first home match of the season for the University's Men's Hockey team against Leeds. Admission is free for all.

NUS University Cuts demo LONDON, 10 NOVEMBER, 8AMLATE Tickets are available for £3 from the Student Voice department, which includes coach travel and free T-shirt. Coaches leave the Guild at 8am, and there will be a social at Joe's upon the return to Birmingham.

Redbrick

Editors – Helen Crane, Glen Moutrie and Anna Hughes

5th November 2010 www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Coalition cap fees to £9,000

Uni

News 3

Watch Portsmouth

Owen Earwicker Reporter

The University of Portsmouth Library has won the Solent Design Award for best new building on the south coast. This competition is run on the basis of how not only the building looks but how people interact with and use it. This is the fourth time that the University library has won a competition like this.

In two years undergraduate courses will cost £6,000, with an upper tier of £9,000. This was announced

by Universities Minister David Willetts in a statement to Parliament on Wednesday. The proposals are the Coalition's response to Lord Browne's Review published in October.

The rise in fees is intended to cover the funding gap created by the Spending Review, which sought to cut the university budget.

In what he stated was 'a good deal for students', Willetts also announced a £150 million scholarship scheme for poorer students who apply for courses where the university has chosen to max out the fees to £9,000.

This was welcomed by

South Carolina The University of South Carolina has developed a sociology course dedicated to the life, work and rise to fame of pop star Lady Gaga.

The course will start in 2011 and is to be taught by Professor Mathieu Deflem, who claims to have seen the singer in concert 30 times. The course also has its own blog, which can be viewed at http://www. gagacourse.net/ Oxford

David Willetts at the University of Birmingham

If those Liberal Democrats don't stick to their pledge we will go around the country and chase them down Aaron Porter Labour's Universities Spokesman Gareth Thomas; however he also voiced concern that students will be forced to apply for the 'cheapest course' rather than the one that is best for them. He argued that it would be the middle income families who would be hit hardest.

Rejecting Lord Browne's suggestion of uncapped fees, the Government will establish a cap at

£6,000.

This is seen by some as an effort to strike a balance between appeasing Liberal Democrat backbenchers, and finding a sustainable system for funding higher education. However some Lib Dem MPs did not see this as an acceptable compromise.

Julian Huppert, MP for Cambridge, voiced concerns that he was worried that these measure would put people off going to university altogether, because of the level of debt they will incur.

Many other Liberal Democrats used the debate in Parliament to confirm that they cannot support the proposals, based upon promises they made in the election campaign.

Indeed, former Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy stated that the Government will

Equal pay day on campus Janine Rasiah Reporter

Over 200 signatures calling for the gender pay gap to be abolished were collected by members of the Women's Association on Tuesday as part of the nationwide Equal Pay Day. Members of the society aimed to raise awareness of the 17 per cent gap in full-time pay between men and women by asking students around Mermaid Square to sign the petition.

It is hoped that the signatures will put pressure on the Coalition Government to implement section 78 of the Equality Act, which is currently being considered. If enforced, all businesses who employ over 250 employees will have to conduct gender pay audits from 2013.

This would highlight the gender pay gap as it would result in greater transparency, which may in turn lead to less inequality.

The pay gap currently varies

greatly according to sector and region, but has risen to up to 55 per cent in the finance sector and up to 33.3 per cent in London alone.

Deborah Bazeley, co-chair of the Women's Association, said that she hoped that the event would ensure that female students realise that they are still living in an unequal society as many of the students that she had spoken to seemed to be 'convinced that they would be paid equally.'

Interestingly, male students were more inclined than female students to sign the petition, which Deborah suggested may be due to female students preferring to ignore the issue as a defensive mechanism rather than admit that the barrier is still there.

A first year Physics student was shocked at the discrepancies between pay and revealed that she will try to find out more as a result, as she admitted that she 'had heard about inequality in pay between the sexes, but not to this extent.'

understand why he cannot support the proposals, having been opposed to any rise in his election manifestos of both 2001 and 2005.

Any Liberal Democrats supporting the proposals must be 'held to account' according to Labour's Andrew Smith, a view shared by Aaron Porter of the National Union of Students who said in an interview with the BBC: 'If those Liberal Democrats don't stick to their pledge we will go around the country and chase them down.'

The announcement also included plans about how graduates will pay back their loans.

Willetts stated that graduate payments will not be like credit card debts; students will not have to pay until they are earning a certain amount.

flickr @ bisgovuk Currently, a graduate will does not pay until he or she is earning £15,000. This threshold will now be increased to £21,000, in a move seen by some as progressive.

Graduates will have to pay 9 per cent of their earnings, and interest rates will be set at the maximum of inflation plus 3 per cent.

In the House, Liz Kendall (Labour) asked for a guarantee that those on middle incomes will end up paying less than those on higher incomes over a lifetime.

Willetts confirmed this, which for many was welcome as the squeeze on the middle appears to be a big concern.

The proposals will be debated further in the House of Commons, and are expected to be enacted for the academic year 2012-2013.

How will this affect you? news@redbrickonline.co.uk

17-year employment low Freddie Herzog Reporter

The Higher Education Careers Service Unit (HESCU) has announced that Graduate unemployment level has risen to a seventeen year high.

A study of the graduate class of 2009 found that 8.9 per cent were out of work in January 2010, a total number of 21,000.

21,000 No. of 2009 graduates unemployed as of January 2010 The President of the National Union of Students Aaron Porter said: 'These latest figures show that students are graduating from university into the bleakest employment market for decades.

This is yet further proof that the radical proposals in Lord Browne's review to remove government funding for the majority of subjects, and simply transfer this cost to students, is unfair and illogical.'

However Charlie Ball of the Higher Education Careers Services Unit (HECSU) argues that: 'Graduate unemployment hasn't risen as high as we feared and is some way off the levels of the last recession in 1992, when it reached 11.6 per cent.'

The study has also shown that students studying certain subjects had a far better chance of finding a job after graduating than other subjects.

IT graduates had the worst chance with an unemployment rate of 16 per cent and engineering. Media Studies and Architecture graduates were also over 10 per cent.

However, graduates with Geography or Psychology degrees are considered to have a far better chance of finding a job.

Oxford University's international fundraising campaign Oxford Thinking: The Campaign for the University of Oxford has reached the milestone of raising one billion pounds, despite the current economic climate. This campaign is one of the biggest in the world and is the largest campaign in European University history.

Yale Researchers from Yale University in America have found a gene which they say can be a trigger for depression. The researchers have discovered a gene called MKP-1 in the brains of depressed individuals, and they say the number of these genes found was more than double of those found in the brain of a person who is not suffering from depression. Researchers have also found when experimenting on mice that when they extract the MKP-1 gene, the mice become resilient to stress, and when the gene is again present they show signs of depression.

Queensland Medical Students from the University of Queensland in Australia are volunteering to visit Queensland primary schools, and are encouraging children to make healthy life choices by 'Teaching with Teddies', a free and mobile service. The volunteers encourage the children to use their own teddy bears in active role-play. During their visits the volunteers cover issues such as sun safety and dental hygiene.

Warwick Sociologist Dr Karen Throsby at the University of Warwick has swum the English Channel, which is 21 miles long, in order to aid her own research on what motivates someone to attempt to swim the channel. She is also looking at how the body changes during training sessions for an event such as this, and also what is revealed about the human body's limitations.

Laura Frost

4 News

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5th November 2010 www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Editors – Helen Crane, Glen Moutrie and Anna Hughes

This week in statistics 1 million The number of Take That tickets that sold in less than 24 hours after going on sale for their first tour since Robbie Williams return to the band

15

The minimum sentence in years for Roshonara Choudhry, who was convicted of a murder attempt on East Ham MP Stephen Timms alledgedly because he voted for the war in Iraq

60

10 Age in years of a girl who has given birth to a healthy baby in Southern Spain, according to Andalusia's social affairs minister Micaela Navarro.

Seats won by the Republicans from the Democrats in the US Midterm elections – the biggest exchange since 1948 and a severe setback for Obama

Talks on campus this week Former Foreign Secretary on German Reunification Lord Douglas Hurd visited the University on Tuesday to give a talk about German Reunification as part of the Graduate Centre for Europe's events programme.

The former Foreign Secretary, also the President of the British German forum, spoke of his appointment to Baroness Margaret Thatcher's government as the

Edwina Moorhouse

result of no other alternatives.

The talk, entitled 'Welcoming the Inevitable: Reflections on German Reunification', focused on the British reaction before and during the process, which saw the amalgamation of East and West Germany.

Lord Hurd spoke about his role as Foreign Secretary and what it entailed, often referring to the strong views of Baroness Thatcher about Europe and her reluctance to see Germany reunified.

Describing the Reunification process as something that Britain was unable to prevent, he explained that a divided Germany had become a platitude of Europe and Baroness Thatcher feared that a united Germany would become an uncontrollable super-power.

He concluded by stating that both those who advocated and those who opposed reunification did not anticipate Germany's current situation.

When taking questions from the audience, he condemned the Iraq war as 'an inexcusable mistake' and emphasized the impor-

tance of ensuring that the declaration of war is absolutely necessary and will leave those affected in a better situation.

Stefan Collini: 'The Idea of a University' Cambridge academic Professor Stefan Collini spoke at the University on the topic 'The idea of a university'.

The talk was based upon a book of the same name by Cardinal Newman published in 1852 which was a volume of lectures he gave.

After an introduction by the University of Birmingham's Vice Chancellor, Professor David Eastwood, Professor Collini began by declaring he would not be touching upon the 'unholy trinity' of funding, access or impact.

Instead he chose to focus his lecture on the high standards Newman set for universities and his history.

Newman's book was described as an 'archaic treatise', which Professor Collini believes 'still speaks to our present condition'.

The English Literature and Intellectual History lecturer provided an insightful debate upon Newman's idea that the achievement gained from university is the 'liberation for the student from all forms of one sidedness.'

Furthermore he talked about the longevity of Newman's text, attributing it to the justification of university not being tied to 'any subject or canon' thus the rhetoric is 'portable.'

Professor Collini did manage to touch upon universities in a more contemporary light, raising concerns that 'universities have been backsliding into uselessness' because of the economic situation.

He also referenced Keele and Sussex as institutions which are losing what made them 'revolutionary' in previous decades, and spoke of the 'academic drift' that has come about because of personal ambition and self interest amongst scholars.

Samina Amin Edwina Moorhouse

Poll

Edward Robinson asked 100 Birmingham students: Are/ were you happy with your RAs?

Unfortunately we have been unable to continue our coverage of the RA's expenses this week as Redbrick is still awaiting the full disclosure of the complete records from Guild officials. We apologise for this inconvenience.

Birmingham Sociology Department: one year on Charlotte Lytton investigates the effect of significant structural changes to the department on current students and staff

This time last year the future of Sociology at the University of Birmingham looked uncertain.

With the proposed reforms threatening to axe staff, merge the department and eliminate certain courses altogether, students furiously campaigned to save their school.

Falling numbers of undergraduate applicants, problems with the supervision of postgraduates and limited research grants were cited as the main reasons for the reorganisation of the department, which despite widespread student objections was finally decided upon in November of last year.

The discontinuation of Media, Culture and Society (MCS) as an undergraduate degree has been one of the most crucial changes, along with the merging of the Sociology department with that of Political Science and International Studies (POLSIS).

Tom Goodridge, a third year MCS student, said: 'I would love to see the course back at the university once again. It's a real shame to see it go and for the identity of the department to be lost.'

Several campaigns and an online petition signed by over 7,000 people did little to combat the cuts, which were put in place this year.

Second year English and MCS student Caitlin Horne expressed her upset at the alterations within the department, saying: 'Our campaigns obviously weren't listened to as they cut the degree anyway.

The only reason I came to the uni-

versity was because it offered one of the best and most unique courses in the country. The fact that they axed it almost immediately after I started makes me very angry.'

Further confusion arose after the MCS undergraduate course was still offered on UCAS in the 2010/2011 academic year, before potential applicants were eventually sent a letter informing them that the degree was under scrutiny.

the quota set, a tribute to the hard work of the Sociology staff. We have worked extremely hard to minimise dislocation and uncertainty as a result of the programme shift to POLSIS.' The new structure seems to have paid off, with students agreeing that the teaching has seen a marked improvement. The unrest amongst staff and students last year was largely due to the nature of the plans, which seemed to many to be drastic and unclear.

Third year MCS student James Wickett-Whyte recalls: 'I agree something had to be done with the Sociology department, but the pro-

posals that were originally offered to us were simply unacceptable.'

Tom Goodridge adds, 'Their measures were never justified – the process was ambiguous and patronising and they used scare tactics to try and split staff, students and postgraduates apart.'

Many students still harbour resentment towards the faculty for the way they dealt with the situation.

Some believe that the University of Birmingham's reputation for progressive sociological research has been compromised and that the real reasons for cutbacks were blamed on other fac-

tors.

The University is a wellrespected research institute and the failure of staff in dealing with the over subscription of Masters students is said to have been what triggered the departmental shakeup.

Mr Thain responded to these comments, saying: 'We all understand that many students, especially those in their final year or taking MCS, may feel resentful. It is our job to do our best by our students and build a secure, longterm future for Sociology at Birmingham. We must focus on the future rather than the past.'

It is our job to do our best by our students and build a secure, long-term future for Sociology at Birmingham. We must focus on the future rather than the past Sociology is now taught by the department of Political Science and International Studies (POLSIS) under the new reforms, yet the undergraduate intake is higher than ever.

Head of Department Colin Thain defended the measures, stating: 'This year, we have recruited more first year students than

Students protesting against the changes last year

Tom Flathers

Redbrick

14%

The ratio of people who say they would rather use a mobile phone than a watch to tell time

8.9%

The 2009 graduate unemployment rate, based on a survey performed by the Higher Education Careers Services office

10 hours 30 minutes The time difference between Barack Obama and David Cameron being informed of the Yemen cargo bomb threat

Law lecturers dye their hair for Cancer Research Corinna Thompson Reporter

On Monday 1st November 7 members of the Law Schools academic staff dyed their hair in various bright colours to raise money for Cancer Research UK. Participant and lecturer Martin George said they wanted to do an event 'with an impact'.

Dyeing their hair was an idea raised by fellow participant Stephen Smith, who added that 'students will support anything

which makes us look silly.'

The law school have a history of original fundraising ideas with a previous fundraiser involving growing moustaches during the month of November for a testicular cancer charity.

Similarly, all staff will keep their hair colours until the end of the month.

The charity Cancer Research UK was selected as it is a cause which has affected the friends, family, students and colleagues of the law school.

Lecturers show off their newly dyed hair

Samm Lewis

Higher fees would not benefit Oxford Thomas Byrne Reporter

The University of Oxford has stated that they believe the Coalition Spending Review could actually be detrimental to the financial status of the University, despite the possible incorporation of the Browne Review and its proposals to raise tuition fees.

Speaking to the Guardian, Oxford's Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Hamilton argued that, despite there being a high possibility of an increase in the tuition fees paid by students, this would not be enough to counter the cuts to the higher education budget that have been put forward by the coalition.

The University of Oxford

News 5

5th November 2010 www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Editors – Helen Crane, Glen Moutrie and Anna Hughes

Spending cuts mean that education spending will fall from £7.1bn to £4.2bn. However, Hamilton claimed that it costs £16,000 a year to educate an undergraduate at Oxford. This means that even with the rise in fees the University would be left with a shortfall of around £8000 per student.

Bringing into consideration the finances of other niversities that have neither the prestige nor the amount of private investment that Oxford receives, Hamilton has stated that cuts could 'significantly narrow the gap, and in some variations, actually increase it' in terms of higher education accessibility.

Bachpics on flickr

Some staff members have been affected directly, having parents who have passed away, whilst others have had experience of counselling students who have either had or known someone who has had cancer.

One in three people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime and every two minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with cancer.

Dr Gavin Byrne said that 'a lot of work is needed' in the field of cancer research.

He and the other participants are hoping that during the course of the month their extravagant hair colours will provide a topic of conversation through which they can highlight the cause of Cancer Research UK. The event has raised over £1300 for the charity and Professor Rob Cryer is 'delighted people have been very generous'.

Staff and students voted for the colour, out of a choice of three, that they wished the participant to dye their hair by donation through the Just Giving site.

After their hair had been dyed, the participants showed off the results in Joe's Bar that night to fellow staff and students.

87% The percentage drop in visits to The Times Online after a subscription fee was introduced

Scottish fee system under question Jennifer Anderson Reporter

Universities Scotland, the representative body of Scottish higher education, has this week said that higher education should remain 'free at the point of entry' but that graduate students earning reasonable salaries should now be asked to pay for their courses.

The concern behind this move is that the standard of Scottish universities are falling behind those of the English.

At an education conference in Edinburgh Alastair Sim, Director of Universities Scotland, disagreed with this, claiming that students should not pay until they had graduated.

He said: 'A contribution sought from graduates must be set at a level that does not discourage participation and students from all backgrounds must be able to study any course at any institution.

Academic potential, and not the ability to pay, must be the determining factor.'

Earlier this month, Sir Andrew Cubie, who chaired a landmark inquiry into student funding a decade ago, argued that Scotland's current system of university fund-

ing, which has been in place since the year 2000, was unsustainable without some contribution from graduates.

He expressed concern at the suggestion of short-term budget cuts, saying: 'if we see major cuts in university funding in this year's budget bill, there will be effects which damage Scotland economically and socially.'

Minister Alex Salmond told Members of Scottish Parliament that a 'Scottish Solution' was needed with regards to university funding.

However, he said that 'no decision will be made until all those who have an interest, including students, the universities and staff, have offered their views.' It was however asserted that there would not be a return to a tuition fees.

Salmond added: 'The Scottish government will publish a green paper by the end of the year laying out the options available to us with a view to reaching a solution by the second half of 2011.'

The debate about the funding of Scottish universities has added fuel to the political debate in Scotland, especially between the Scottish National Party and Labour.

Online 'webinars' trialled to replace lectures Judith Hawkins Reporter

Several UK universities are exploring how the latest technology could allow students to receive lectures via video link.

Over the past few years more and more technology has become an integral part of higher education courses, with virtual learning environments such as the University of Birmingham's WebCT used every day by students and tutors alike.

Royal Holloway, University of London, is trialling video technology which enables collaborative learning. Duska Rosenberg, professor in Information and Communication, says: 'We're wasting huge potential if we don't seek to engage people from a broader base.'

Many expect that there will be an increase in the number of parttime and distance-learning students following fee rises from spending cuts to higher education.

Such technology could provide the key to ensuring that these students still have the same resources available to them.

According to James Quales, general manager of the public sec-

tor at Dell, such technology would mean that 'field specialists can teach at more than one institution at once when the classroom is virtual, and students can watch a lecture via laptops or mobile phones.'

Others are skeptical that students will continue to receive the benefit of working collaboratively with their peers if they are watch-

ing a recorded lecture or are only chatting virtually in so-called 'webinars'.

To ensure that the introduction of new technology is not a hindrance to university courses Rosenberg says, 'We need technology sophisticated enough to be able recognise each other, like each other, laugh together, do all the things you'd do face to face.'

Would you be happy to receive lectures through video link?

Jeremy Crampin

Daniele Haney

'No. A lecture grabs your attention, whereas watching a video you could fall asleep. You're paying a lot for your course so you don't want less contact hours.

'I think so, as it would get the best out of the teaching. You can't always hear the lecturers and sometimes the location of lectures can be a problem.

History and Politics 1st year

Maths 2nd year

6 redbrickonline.co.uk

5th November 2010

Redbrick

Comment & Features

Editorial Seb Mann

Comment and Features Editor

We mustn't let our intuitions cloud our judgment of what is just and fair

Outrage and confusion met the revelation this week that UK prisoners were to be allowed the vote for the first time in 140 years. Even David Cameron was said to be 'absolutely horrified' by the idea, his hands tied on the subject by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

The intuitive – and admittedly rather sensible sounding – argument which legitimises this horror I expect goes something like this: prison is supposed to be a punishment, and the forgoing of one's civil liberties associated with civil disobedience should thus act as a deterrent.

It's true that prisons are, and should remain, a place where one's liberty is restricted – by its very nature incarceration limits the rights of the individual. You can't just pop down the road to pick up a newspaper when you're in prison; you can't see your friends and family when you wish to; and it's hard to feel like you're contributing to society in any positive way.

And it is for these reasons, along with many others, that for many prison is an exceedingly powerful incentive not to commit crime.

But this isn't all prisons serve to be. A sentence of incarceration has come nowhere close to being successful if, on release, an individual reoffends. The justice system should aim not only to punish individuals but to treat society's ills, and this includes minimising the volume of repeat offenders.

Currently more than half of those jailed for their crimes reoffend within two years of their release. So clearly something is not working; something is preventing prisoners from reintegrating themselves into society as law-abiding citizens.

Campaigner and former prisoner John Hirst has said that allowing prisoners to vote has the potential to 'improve the extent to which prisoners come out better people than they were when they went in'. This is not a hard concept to fathom; give someone a voice and they're much less likely to rely on other means of expression.

Brought about by the 2005 ECHR ruling and despite what it may look like at first glance, permitting prisoners the vote (perhaps with exception of those who have serious psycho-social or mental problems) does not constitute a soft stance on crime.

The knowledge that committing a crime may entail the sacrifice of your vote I doubt crosses the mind of a potential criminal, but a society putting faith in you and allowing you the small but significant right to vote might just prevent you from reoffending.

Science and religion must be kept distinct How much room is there for religion in today's society? Amanda Callaghan talks to Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks

I

t is a great task to ascertain the relevance of faith in society in a fifteen minute interview. However, it is one which I had been assigned to and, as I prepared for the interview, I formulated some questions I felt could tackle the heart of the matter. In one corner we have Lord Sacks defending religion, in the other we have what I see as three major criticisms of religion in our society.

Firstly, the evidence that religious institutions contravene equal rights and the autonomy of the individual – liberal values that modern society holds so very dear.

Secondly, religious fundamentalism, the evil ideas it espouses and the damage it poses to humanity.

And finally, the scientific critiques of religion as a nonsensical tradition, one which modern Britain would be better off without.

Students tend to be interested in the pursuit of equality and human rights. Sometimes it appears that religion and religious institutions can contradict these. What do you think? Does religion in the 21st century uphold the notions of equality and human rights?

Human rights are based upon a religious foundation. The most profound statement is at the beginning of the Bible, God creates man, should I say man and woman, in his image and in his likeness. Historically, human rights rest on a religious foundation. There are points of conflict today in both Britain and America between human rights legislation and religion for one very simple reason. Religion tends to look at us in relationships, family, marriage, community and so on, whereas the particular form of human rights that have prevailed in the modern world are secular and are based on the individual.

However, for human beings to have families, to have children and be part of a community you have to look at broader issues and that is where the tension is today.

Whenever a religion attempts to attain power the results are disastrous, for others and for the religion itself ... Religions must have influence and not power

Lord Sacks is the Chief Rabbi of the mainstream British Orthodox synagogues A big concern for many people today is fundamentalist religion and the danger that poses to us as a society. In some of your work you look at the difference between power and influence and how religions can exert power rather than just influence and this can be a very negative thing for society. How can we avoid religion in society becoming a force for evil?

I once defined fundamentalism as the attempt to impose a single view on a plural world. We are a plural world and I think this belief is common ground between religious and secular people. All life from the most primitive bacterium, all the way to, well, I suppose we'll have to say Lady Gaga – all life has a single origin. So, the way I put it is unity up here creates diversity down there. Religion and power must always be kept separate. Whenever a religion attempts to attain power the results are disastrous, for others and for the religion itself. All religions eventually have to go through a sobering experience that teaches them that religions must have influence and not power.

Some scientists argue that religion is an irrelevance in our society today, notably Stephen Hawking. Why is he wrong?

The point is religion and science are two very different things and we need both. The simplest way I can explain it is that science takes things apart to see how they work.

Religion puts things together to see what they mean. The two are related to separate hemispheres of the brain. The left brain, which is analytical and linear, is what you use for science. The right brain which is holistic and integrative is what we use when thinking about religion, or art. There is a fundamental duality in the bicameral nature of the brain and this is not by accident.

So there is perhaps a level of interpretation that religion offers us that science cannot?

Science cannot explain the why of things; it can explain the how and when. Sometimes scientists make the mistake of thinking that because science cannot answer the 'why' question, there may be no answer. But since the birth of civilisation there have been attempts to answer the question, making it no less important, despite it not being scientific.

So, do you believe science and religion can complement one another?

They must! If you get science trying to be religion you get some very, very bad results such as so-

Freddie Herzog

cial engineering and trying to control human beings. When religion trying to be science you get what is known as myth. You have to keep the two [disciplines] distinct.

And then, once you do, they enter into serious conversation with one another.

Lord Sacks' eloquent argument for the relevance of faith in society is more than just pleasant rhetoric.

It is substantiated by the work he does, which also justifies his 2005 knighthood for his services to the Community and to Inter-faith Relations. Perhaps more importantly, he understands the divisive elements some interpretations of religion can cause. His talk at the University was punctuated by references to trust and the importance of trust in modern society.

Lord Sacks summarises his overarching philosophy on faith as the belief in an entity of some description, 'believing in you more than you believe in yourself.' This trust can be of a celestial nature in the form of organised religion but can also manifest itself in communities. Such a holistic explanation gives us an insight into the true nature of faith and how it plays more than just a role in our society; it is a necessity in a complex and ever changing world.

More comment on the value of faith, page 7 >

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5th November 2010 www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Editors – Rosa McMahon, Seb Mann

Sacred and the secular: a fine line Laura Hewitt Commentator

In the modern age of a secular state, how does faith still dominate the political sphere? This is not an argument against this condition, but rather a questioning of how this manages to be the case in post-Enlightenment Western societies, which endeavour to respect religion, but also to keep it in private, rather than public, realms.

Thankfully, theocratic states are now an absolute minority, and the few that persist in integrating religious doctrine into their power structures and law courts, such as the Vatican and Islamic states such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, are often decried for their practices by international politicians, press and/or human rights groups. But it would seem that religion is still a divisive issue in countries that have an agreed separation of state and faith.

Close to home, it would seem that the sacred is not so separate from the secular. Anglicanism may be seemingly innocuous in terms of political influence, but many forget that twenty-six bishops sit in the House of Lords. This summer, the split public opinion over the visit from the Pope was largely because the bill was paid for by the state.

This week, Obama and Cameron had a telephone conversation over an attempted terrorist

plot by fundamentalists; yet not so long ago the British government offended Muslim communities in here in Birmingham by erecting security cameras funded by antiterrorist initiatives.

From the subtle to the violent, tensions abound globally. War is political, and the number of religious wars in history is unthinkable. For a practice that preaches moral unification, its divisive nature is one of its key criticisms. But which is more divisive, religion or politics?

It is impossible to determine which is the truly predominant factor. Is Middle Eastern fundamentalist anitpathy motivated by the Qu'ran or by Western cultural and economic exceptionalism? Are the Tea Party and their followers driven by Republican politics or by their beliefs that America should be ruled by a Christian (and all the far-right ignorance that that belief entails)?

But faith is an integral part of human experience, and we cannot eradicate or remove it in the same way that we cannot remove politics from the societal equation. Inevitably, then, the two will intertwine.

Whether religion informs political decisions or whether the state exercises control over religion, the two will continue to interact and tread on each other's toes.

The line should stay, but we should accept that it will frequently be blurred.

Comment & Features 7

A good person doesn't have to be a religious person Crystal Crawford Commentator

Does a religious person equate to a good person? People may argue that religious people are more charitable, generous, and compassionate. As an atheist I don't believe this to be true.

After spending time in The Democratic Republic of Congo I witnessed the more excessive aspects of faith. The intensity of worship throughout the country is unavoidable; you can't walk down a street in Kinshasa without seeing Pentecostal churches on every road. Once we saw a market stall which sold altars for people to start their own churches.

Many people do not have welllit houses but there always seems to be electricity for speakers to blast out gospel music. People have to prove their 'loyalty' to God through worship or they would start to appear immoral in the communities in which they live; a strong sense of accountability to God prevails all over the country.

These arguably irrational attitudes towards religion exemplify the base for religious extremism.

Throughout the past ten years there have been an alarming amount of examples of such extremism. 9/11 and the 7/7 attacks are inescapable instances of terrorism with undertones of religious fundamentalism.

This faith-based fundamental-

ism is repeatedly linked with Islam in the media. However, it is important to remember that it is present in many faiths, like the Christian extremists in the USA who protest outside gay bars and even funerals with homophobic propaganda insisting homosexuals will 'die and burn in hell.'

If an individual decides to help people in the name of God, why does it make them a better person?

Religion often generates guilt.

The idea of sin compels people to try to do the 'right thing.' Many religious people may feel obliged to pray, be charitable, and act in a moral way, in turn forgetting what they actually want for themselves and the real reasons behind their actions.

If an individual decides to help people in the name of God, why

does it make them a better person than someone who wants to help people because they simply believe it is the right thing to do?

When the topic of religion was brought up in the Congo, the Bible wasn't discussed but quoted as an accurate account. A friend who studies Medicine at Kinshasa University admitted that he felt like he was lying in his exams when writing about evolution in a factual way. I attempted to explain my beliefs regarding science and evolution with little success.

The historical realities which demonstrate how Christianity was used as a means to gain control over colonial societies was not remembered or even acknowledged.

This Orthodox Christianity appears to have disallowed people to consider alternative beliefs or explanations. When people are brought up with religion as fact, surely this is a form of indoctrination.

We should all be given the opportunity to think for ourselves, to make our own decisions and to live our lives with or without religion.

If people want to have religion as part of their lives then this should always be respected. However, you don't need to be a religious person to be a good person.

A 'good deed' isn't made better by claiming it was done in the name of God. What are your views? redbrickonline.co.uk

The fight for fairer funding Cuts to university funding are unnecessary, unfair, and endanger the existence of less 'prestigious' courses, argues Rob Hunter We find ourselves in exceptional times. The student movement has never before had to react to an attack on Higher Education that is so radical and so dangerous. Of course, you will hear people say that we live in an age of austerity, that cuts are unavoidable and that HE has to take its share of the pain. Such arguments are a mere cover for a policy that seeks to pick on the vulnerable. There is a popular negative stereotype of students, just as there is of welfare claimants and all the other groups that are to be hit hardest by the government's spending review.

Hardly any other areas of public spending are being attacked with the same vigour as Higher Education. Let us be clear, this is not a case of inevitable cuts but of students being seen as an easy target because not enough people value the huge contribution that students make to society. Whilst claiming to be taking 'difficult decisions' this government is in fact taking all the easy options when it comes to dishing out the

'This is not a case of inevitable cuts but of students being seen as an easy target because not enough people value the huge contribution that students make to society'

pain.

It is certainly difficult when we are privileged enough to attend an institution as great as ours to envisage the danger we are in but the University of Birmingham is not immune to cuts. When times are hard areas that will receive most protection from universities are those that are central to their prestige: research, buildings and world class academics. We must consider where this leaves some of the spending that makes the biggest impact on student's lives.

How, for instance, will student support services shape up in harder times? Will there still be enough money to carry on running all the societies and sports clubs? How will the events and services that the Guild puts on be affected?

Sadly this is only part of the story. We are likely to see weaker institutions close, as the cuts mean their books no longer balance, and less well funded courses dropped across the country. The government itself has admitted that there will be very little money left for

'non-essential' subjects. Students wanting to study subjects in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences are going to have a very tough time indeed. Cuts combined with the proposals of the Browne Review are likely to mean that, at best, students will be paying vastly more money for an education which sees little improvement and at worst will be paying a lot more for an education which is stripped of crucial resources. That is, of course, the students who are lucky enough not to have been excluded entirely from Higher Education as a result of reduced places due to cuts and seemingly unaffordable fees.

You only have to look across the channel to see how foolish and avoidable this situation is. Few other European countries are cutting back on the education of their citizens. In fact, most other developed countries are investing more as they see education as a route not only to a better society but as a way out of recession too. Our government's attack on Higher Education is nothing short of outrageous and

in these unprecedented times students need to take unprecedented action to fight back. Please join me and thousands of other students on the 10th November as we march against cuts in London. Please get involved with our letter writing campaign to MPs and petition, and all the other activities we will be pushing over the coming months, and together we will fight this government's deeply harmful assault on Higher Education.

Tickets for the National Demo on the 10th November are on sale at the Student Voice counter in the Guild and residents of University halls can book a place on their hall's own coach via guildtickets. co.uk/demo. Tickets cost ÂŁ3 and include a free t-shirt.

Rob Hunter is Vice President for Education and Access at the University of Birmingham Guild of Students

8 Comment & Features

Redbrick

5th November 2010 www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Editors – Rosa McMahon, Seb Mann

University Special

A view from across the pond: why we should pay more Neil Chanchlani Commentator

Most British students cringe at the idea of having to pay for university.

It's not the 'get a loan, wait until you earn above £15,000 pounds, and then repay your loan at a minuscule rate over dozens of years'. But rather the 'sign a cheque for tuition that comes straight out of your parents' bank accounts'; the way it's done in North America.

That's because a great deal of students would probably not be able to be in university today without the help of tuition fee loans. A grim conclusion, I'm sure you'll agree.

However, is the current system working? And more importantly, is it sustainable? At the moment, tuition fees are capped at £3,290; however, only a few years ago the figure stood at £1,100, and a few years before that, it was free.

See the trend?

Slowly, tuition fees are on the rise, and necessarily so. In a coun-

try which is pulling funding from virtually every public sector – welfare, jobs, education – how can we justify funding every higher education student on loan?

Conservative Minister Phillip Hammond consolidates the argument by stating that: 'We can't go on, as we have done in the past, taxing people on low incomes in order for the taxpayer to meet the greater share of the burden of financing higher education.'

We must re-evaluate who we're sending to university, why we're doing so, and who's going to pay for it. I don't have a problem with contributing to Bob's golf management degree or Sally's Erasmus year abroad, but I do have a problem fully funding it.

Since when did it become my, or rather my parents', responsibility to fund every other member of society's life choices?

In North America, loans are given on a means-tested basis, as opposed to automatically granted, and bursaries are given to lower-

income families, like in Britain.

Tuition is not completely paid for by the student, but is subsidised slightly by the government and taxation, much less so than here.

However, admission is slightly different; everyone is guaranteed equal opportunities, meaning that they go through the admission process first and then apply for financial aid, if need be. Often, strong grades can supply a sustainable scholarship, and part time work is commonly sought out after.

While you may think that this system deters people from entering university at all – with mounds of debt to look forward to – it does make one seriously consider whether going to university is right for them, what they want to do in life and how to go about achieving necessary qualifications. In the UK, there is the aim to get 50 per cent of teenagers and young adults into higher education. And we must think, why?

Are all of these people fit and

right for university, and more importantly, will they gain something valuable from attending higher education?

In our apathetic attitude of accepting two to six hours a week as valid, our neighbours across the ocean get fifteen to twenty. More contact time, higher staff : student ratio, and better employment opportunities post-graduation are just a few advantages of completing an undergraduate degree that you've paid for.

Across the pond, you're expected to take control of your education – use your four years to the best of your ability, question lecturers, and even fight for your marks. But here, there seems to be more indifferent view regarding achievement; people feel safe as long as they're in the 2:1 zone.

They may drink their university years away and pull all-nighters and get away with it, after all they're not paying for it. But in time, that may change, and for the better.

Cambridge University

Education: enriching the mind or a means to an end?

Joe Jervis Commentator

The recent Browne review has once again re-opened the debate surrounding the role of education in British society. The impending increase in tuition fees, whether through a higher cap or a free market, will undoubtedly initiate a decrease in numbers of university applications. Whether this consequence is considered desirable will depend largely on each individual's slant on the function of higher education.

Earlier this year, statistics released by the Association of Graduate Recruiters revealed that graduate job competition has now reached an all time high with an average of 69 applicants for each position.

Thousands of young people are now leaving university in an average of £25,000 worth of debt, and for the third of graduates who leave university with a 2:2 or lower it appears highly dubious whether they have served to gain any significant return on such a substantial investment.

78 per cent of employers now claim to disregard any application from a graduate with anything less than a 2:1 qualification which begs the question of whether those

students who are only scraping through A-levels or are undercommitted to the idea of a degree will proceed to reap the rewards of education.

Certain politicians, most notably Nick Clegg, have used the aforementioned evidence as an opportunity to ridicule the previous Labour government's target of sending 50 per cent of young people to university as undesirable to Britain and detrimental to the future of many young adults who would be better suited to pursuing a career elsewhere.

However, I can't help but feel that many commentators are simply missing the point. And the discrepancy is testament to a difference in the reaction to the question, 'what is the purpose of education?'

Leaving economic practicalities aside temporarily, there appears to be two viable answers.

The first is the broad philosophical answer that education is an essential part of human development and – without sounding too clichéd – serves to 'enrich the mind'. The other is that the education system should serve to simply streamline each person into a career which will suit best the abilities of him or her.

In other words, is the enhancement of knowledge invaluable in it-

self or is education simply a means to an end?

The current populist argument points firmly in the direction of the latter. Yet, using the education system to solely tailor students into jobs appears rather one-dimensional. Education has been considered for decades and centuries – and certainly long before Tony Blair's infamous 1997 election slogan – as paramount to the 'enhancement' of every society, regardless of the corner of the globe or the era of time.

Therefore, the ever-increasing notion that it is desirable for higher education to be a so-called 'privilege of the few' – and thus only the elite minds should reap the rewards – is somewhat in contrast with the history of the development of education over the past couple of centuries. It appears regressive to actively encourage those who slip below a perceived level of intelligence to abandon attempts to fulfil their academic capabilities.

Unfortunately, as the large majority of us realise that an idealistic model is unattainable and this article would appear immaterial if the pragmatics of higher education funding were to be disregarded. As emphasised in the Browne report, the notion that Britain's universities must strive to lead the way

in future academia cannot be ignored.

Neither can the fact that a further increase in the number of students would serve only to increase the already substantial weight upon the government, and thus the tax payer, which is caused by student loan and grant expenditure.

Funding for these areas must come from somewhere and there is a lot to be said for the Browne report, much of which is covered in Oliver MacArthur's article in last week's issue.

Nonetheless, it is one thing to resign to this concept as a matter of economic necessity, but it is another to pursue this outcome and the ever-expanding notion in Britain that university is becoming a 'waste of time and money' represents a growing concern.

This will only serve to discourage 18 year olds from enjoying the benefits of higher education for what it is; an enrichment of the mind which is essential to human progression.

Surely as a nation it is desirable to move further towards, rather than further away from, a society in which the choice to enhance knowledge through education should be readily available for all, and not solely for the 'educationally elite'.

How do you solve a problem like...

Misrepresentation

by Victoria Shires

If we all sign up to live in a world where fast-paced button pressing is our main way of communicating, then surely we must be open to the occasional misrepresentation.

The way that we live and learn today means that we set ourselves up for misconstruing situations, taking something as it isn't meant to be and misunderstanding intentions, leading us to perhaps believe caricature over truth.

We come across misrepresentation in our everyday lives, my most recent encounter being as a result of some illegal use of Wikipedia in an academic piece of work. Apparently John Milton wasn't alluding to flatulence when he introduced wind into his Paradise Lost descent into the Underworld...

But this is misrepresentation on a lowly scale; no one is following my every move and it hasn't caused too much public outcry (my literature tutor perhaps being the exception). My run in with misrepresentation is minor in comparison to that of Stephen Fry, who denounced The Observer's interpretation of an interview he gave to Attitude magazine last week. He suggests that his comments regarding female sexuality and women's enjoyment of sex were highly misconstrued; through the spoken-word to written-sentence transition, they did not come across in the jovial, jolly, gay uncle manner that we would usually associate with the intellectual tweeting fiend.

Perhaps we should try to be articulate and concise when it comes to communicating a message, checking and checking again before deciding upon something as being fact. We should be more aware that anything we read, especially online, could be falsification and should be taken with a pinch of salt. Misrepresentation leads to huge misunderstanding and in order to avoid both, one should read open-mindedly, not jumping to conclusions and clinging on to the wrong end of the distorted stick. Although I hate to admit it, maybe our tutors are right for scaring us off of Wikipedia due to the lack of accurate, scholarly authority; if recent stories of misrepresentation have taught me anything, it's to go against Wikihow, pre-date Encarta 2000 and go back to the books and real encyclopaedias.

Redbrick

Comment & Features 9

5th November 2010

www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Editors – Rosa McMahon, Seb Mann

Nick Clegg and the demise of Lib Dem idealism

Nick Clegg: from glimmer of political idealism to disillusionment Alison Hendy Commentator

Six months ago, Nick Clegg walked the streets of London for the Liberal Democrat's Party Election Broadcast. Framed by scenes of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, he strolled along a pavement littered with scrap sheets of paper, blowing disconsolately in the breeze.

Upon each A4 blank is written a simplified political policy in bold typeface, ascribed to the Labour or Conservative parties: 'We'll clean up politics'; 'We'll abolish boom

and bust'; 'No student tuition fees'.

Amidst these visual piles of unfulfilled policies, Clegg looked directly at us and said; 'I believe it's time for promises to be kept'.

Indeed, back in May, Nick Clegg and his 'substance over spin' approach received a tornado of hype; his repeated calls for 'fair politics', including a radical sweeping away of the current voting system in favour of proportional representation, and promise of tax reform, led to him being hailed as a British Obama.

The X Factor-style Prime Min-

Beth Richardson

isterial debate broadcasts sold his personality; he was the third way in a tired political landscape, a golden ticket to a country which achieved equality through straight-talking politics.

The 23 per cent that the Liberal Democrats received in the General Election, although lower overall than polls had predicted, was bolstered significantly by their targeting of the traditionally untapped student demographic.

Clegg told young people to 'take charge of your country', and unprecedented numbers did so, with

students queuing for hours in his Sheffield Hallam constituency. As much of an attraction as his notbeing-Brown-or-Cameron appeal, a motivating factor for student voters was Clegg's pledge to oppose any increase in university tuition fees.

However, in the short few months since the Lib Dems acquiesced to a Tory coalition, the reputation of Nick Clegg has plummeted to icy depths. U-turns and brush-offs of the policies which formed the axis of his appeal (tuition fees, proportional representation, support of industry in Sheffield, housing benefits, et cetera) have radically slowed the May momentum. He can now do no good, irrevocably branded the sleazy politician and breaker of promises he vehemently badmouthed during his election campaign. Even his nicotine addiction, which was once marketed as an honest imperfection, is now being pilloried for 'promoting' smoking.

Erstwhile Lib Dem voters have flung themselves hurriedly off the Clegg-bandwagon in hoards, while Tory and Labour supporters sigh 'I told you so'. A recent Guardian / ICM poll gave hard evidence to this national tide of disfavour, with 45 per cent of Lib Dem voters stating that would not make the same political choice if faced with the ballot paper now.

The man who withstood invisibility and 'who is Nick Clegg?' jokes since the late-nineties has undergone a drastic image shift, from political messiah to Faustian figure, his soul firmly in Tory possession. However, Clegg's recent revelation that anonymous haters have been posting dog foul through his letterbox poses questions about his legitimacy as Britain's let-down. As deputy Prime Minister, Clegg has enough power to receive national reproach over spending cuts and dropped promises, but he lacks real power to enact change driven by his own ideologies. More cynically, viewed with a post-election hindsight, Clegg's policies appear as substantial as puffs of smoke.

Even in a time of economic boom, complete tax, education and voting reform are at the fringe of British capability to be radical.

Taking in a broader political perspective which views the recent Republican tide against Obama, it becomes clear that both he and Clegg have fallen foul to a combination of the fashionable politician-bashing in hard times and the fickle nature of political celebrity culture. They distinguished themselves as being different, offering a charisma and 'change', and accordingly, the media-constructed pedestals unsustainable through recession.

Erstwhile Lib Dem voters have flung themselves hurriedly off the Clegg-bandwagon in hoards, while Tory and Labour supporters sigh 'I told you so' Disillusionment hangs over the national political mood. The fallout for the Liberal Democrats is their loss of student trust, a demographic who, with on average sixty years of voting in them, it's dangerous to lose favour with. However, whether tuition fees could be cut or not, the underestimated political repercussion represented by the fall of Nick Clegg is a fall in the belief that political change is possible, or that political change can be influenced by the public.

Nick Clegg's reputation may be floundering, but as a symbol to voters of the emptiness in faith that things can get better, he marks the depressing hibernation of political idealism.

Home sweet home, but not quite yet...

As a first year, the thought of moving into a house can be a daunting experience, but there's no need to rush into it Olivia Thomson Commentator

Freshers at the University of Birmingham may already be thinking about second-year accommodation, despite having been at University for barely two months.

Whilst there's no harm in entertaining early considerations, students in other years can identify, with hindsight, this eagerness as a problem.

Freshers may feel pressurised to commit to a house and housemates before new friendships have had time to fully develop, rushing into agreements with landlords when there is no need for haste and causing later stress from unforeseen problems.

There is a misconception that the 'best' houses will be taken early, but unless you have exceptional demands (such as a house for six or more, or numerous en suite bathrooms), decent houses are available within Selly Oak.

Despite attempts to change this panic mentality by organisations within the University, such as the Guild of Students 'Don't Rush!' campaign, VPHC Jonny Kirby there indicated that he had already been visited by many first year students from as early as Freshers' Week back in September.

Lack of experience makes first-years easy prey. Landlords 'will insist that they sign for a house as soon as possible', in order to secure a deal, but SHAC, the Guild's centre for housing consultation, advises that choosing too early is a mistake.

I fell into this trap myself; in Freshers' Week 2008 our flat decided we got on really well, and by 3rd December, (prompted by a November Housing Fair) had signed for a house. However, as the year progressed it became apparent that one or two future housemates were not inherently tidy, particularly in bathrooms

and kitchens. Cue mass mess, hygienic disorder, and finally rats, able to enter via imperfectly insulated piping.

Unfortunately, the 'Don't Rush' campaign was not an instant success – Kirby indicated that many Freshers last year still went looking for houses in November and December, and that a mad rush still occurred immediately after the Housing Fair; this time in January rather than November.

This year there is still evidence that first-year students are thinking about housing prematurely; one student I spoke to living in Mason Halls stated she had already confirmed with two current flatmates that they 'definitely' wanted to live together (having only met at the end of September).

However, when questioned she said she had not been aware of any literature or advertising regarding housing around the University or on The Vale stu-

dent village – indicating that the opinion to secure a house so early can be formed independent of University influence.

If you are a first-year student, remember the golden rules; patience and pragmatism. With housemates, remember that your new best friends in Freshers' Week and best friends by the end of the year may not be the same; people who are fantastic fun on a night out might not be fantastic to live with.

Visit the Guild of Students' read-it-in-an-ad-break webpage of excellent tips about housing at www.guildofstudents.com/househunting. Don't be afraid of asking landlords probing questions, and remember to take an inventory of any new place so that damage which exists when you move in will not be attributed to you when you move out.

There are more houses than there are students – you won't be left on the streets!

'You are likely to come under early pressure from the private sector to start looking for accommodation […]

Beware, this is marketing puff to suck you in to paying over the odds.'

10 redbrickonline.co.uk

Redbrick

5th November 2010

Film

James Nesbitt is the latest addition to The Hobbit The Northern Irishman will play Bofur, the dwarf, in Peter Jackson's upcoming sequel

The Sorry State of Cinema

Film News

Eleanor Dodson wants more good bits and Genevieve Taylor wishes we weren't told them in advance

Cinema has a magnificent heritage as an art form. Presently, though, it seems that it has degenerated into to a purely commercial vehicle, diverged from all the original invention and artistry that permeated its earlier origins.

The 1930s, the so-called Golden Age of cinema, was a period in cinematic history littered with progressive spirit, such as Garbo's first 'talkie' Anna Christie (1930) as the silent film became an archaism.

This was an age where a film's aesthetics had the potential to cause hysteria. Rumours of men throwing themselves at cinema screens still survive to this day.

In addition, the era saw the physical ingenuity and creative vision of early comedy stars such as Charlie Chaplin, the Marx Brothers and Laurel and Hardy.

Who knew you could spurn so much wit from the inanimate, such as ladders and coats with rather large pockets?

The Golden Age is, perhaps, incorrectly named as colour also began to filter into cinema screens with early Technicolor films such as The Wizard of Oz (1939), a production characterised by its inventive use of colour and distinctive visual palette.

Directors existed who would attempt to create the 'perfect' lighting composition by throwing flairs into the air and capturing in

these quick moments some of the most beautiful scenes of the film.

As a result of this artistry and drive, many early films have been considered to contain some of the most sublime aesthetic compositions of all time, with the exquisite photography of Gone with the Wind (1939) being a potent example.

Now, however, it is commercial appeal, no artistry, that drives the industry with shameless product placement, as with General Motors in Transformers, quick-fix transformations to 3D like Clash of the Titans and the naked profiteering of the whole barrage of spoof-style releases such as Vampires Suck.

Will we ever be able to replicate the feeling of the indelible, romantic and sublime within the hazy shots of old camera lenses in the 21st century? Unfortunately, it seems unlikely. film@redbrickonline.co.uk

Once upon a time, in ancient film history, it was possible to watch a movie and actually be surprised by the 'surprise twist'. You might actually get through the whole of The Sixth Sense without finding out that _____ ______ was a _____ all along, or that the final victim in Seven was ___ ______ _______.

But this time of happy innocence is coming to a close, as a new phenomena plagues the world of film: the spoiler. Aided by the evergrowing World Wide Web, this addictive virus is spreading fast and polluting the world of film while doing so.

But is this really affecting our enjoyment of film? I think so.

Films of the horror and thriller genre in particular rely on surprise endings to wow viewers, but it's difficult to be thrilled when you've already read online what's coming.

The quality of these films can often be judged by their unpredictable nature and much enjoyment can be gained by guessing the ending correctly, but a viewer can't appreciate this if it's negated by prior knowledge.

The recent Shutter Island was one such notable victim. Directed by master filmmaker Martin Scorsese, the film was peppered with intricate clues to the final twist, but Internet buzz around the release carelessly infected the net with spoilers. As a result, a simple

Top Ten – Characters From Page to Screen

and scornful, Snape remains a scintillating character on both page and screen.

6 The Tom Ripley, Talented Mr Ripley Lucy Steiner Film Writer

Book adaptations are often scrutinised over recreating literary treasures, but how about the individual characters? This week's list compromises some of the best portrayals of fictional characters brought to life on the big screen.

tling his desires and self-loathing.

The performance by Heath Ledger remained true to the character's restrained nature, rarely allowing us to glimpse his emotional side.

10 Marcus, About A Boy

The introverted and geeky kid with the worst dress sense ever became a lovable and engaging character with Nicholas Hoult's depiction in his pre-Skins innocence.

9Brokeback Ennis del Mar, Mountain The awkward and shy portrayal of this unconventional cowboy truly reflected the desperate man bat-

8 Bridget Jones, Bridget Jones's Diary The girl who entertained us all with her disastrous escapades was translated to screen by Renée Zellweger's hilarious performance.

A combination of comedy and real empathy of the character brought this twenty-first century heroine to life, big pants and all.

7Harry Professor Snape, Potter

Only Alan Rickman could play the sneering and loathsome Snape to such perfection. Consistently drôle

The sociopathic nature of the sinister Tom (Matt Damon) is perfectly created as we witness his demise into murder. It left a resoundingly disturbed impression, especially after the unsettling rendition of 'My Funny Valentine'.

5 The Mr Stevens, Remains of the Day Less well-known for his role as the emotionally cold butler, Anthony Hopkins nonetheless gave an impressive performance of a man full of regrets, yet unable to change.

Incessantly reserved and emotionally stifled, Stevens continued to be as frustrating for the viewer as the reader.

4 Briony Tallis, Atonement

Not an easy task to recreate three versions of one character, yet all performances (Saoirse Ronan, Romola Gairi, Vanessa Redgrave) gave their own unique interpreta-

Avatar Sequels

'google' could tarnish your viewing experience.

Then again, maybe we can learn to live with spoilers. After all, there are some films which, quite frankly, should be spoiled. When a friend recently told me that she was put off the new Saw film by knowing the identity of the 'secret' helper, I guiltily applauded the spoiler which had prevented her from spending a hefty wad of student loan on a second-rate 'tenquel' (see Heather's review for further discouragement).

But maybe spoilers can also excite filmgoers. Literary adaptations such as the Harry Potter series are steadily gaining popularity, and people seem to be just as happy to fork out the cash for a film of which they already know almost the entire plot.

Essentially, spoiler avoidance is a matter of self-restraint. Applause to anyone who has it, but this writer certainly does not!

It's official: the franchise's second and third instalments will be coming to our screens soon! Production begins next year and the release dates have been established for 2014 and 2015 respectfully.

MGM Fortunately, Avatar wasn't produced by Metro Goldwyn Mayer, otherwise, there might not be any sequels planned. Rumour has it, the corporation has debts of over £2 billion, and will declare itself bankrupt this week whereby up to 95% of the company will be seized.

After decades being the king of Hollywood it seems MGM's crown has finally fallen.

tion of the foolish child who became the repentant adult.

3 Stanley Kowalski, A Streetcar Named Desire

Marlon Brando epitomised the brutish Stanley, literally smouldering on screen, as he swayed between reason and rage. Despite the danger of over-playing the character, Brando's controlled performance found the perfect balance that conveyed Stanley's unhinged nature.

2 Lisbeth Salander, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

The ultimate anti-heroine was brought to life in all her gothic glory. Infinitely resilient but with vulnerability that really conveyed the emotional complexity of Stieg Larsson's epic creation. Can Hollywood replicate this?

1ToAtticus Finch, Kill A Mockingbird

Men in Black 3 Speaking of Hollywood icons, it's been reported that everybody's favourite grandma, Betty White (of Golden Girls fame, and more recently The Proposal) will appear in Men In Black 3 alongside the Pussycat Dolls' Nicole Scherzinger.

Perhaps Nicole can give Betty some dance tips so they can join Will Smith in 'gettin jiggy wit it'.

Goonies 2 Whilst we're talking sequels, despite hope for another Goonies outing, the understanding among the film's creators is that it's not going to happen. According to Corey Feldman, who played Mouth in the original, 'we're all getting too old.' But fear not fans, there is talk that there may be Goonies: The Musical released in the future!

Mission Impossible: IV As a small town lawyer fighting against the inherent racism of the Deep South whilst raising two children, Atticus Finch is one of literature's unsung heroes. Gregory Peck gave a stunning performance that deservedly earned him an Oscar and Atticus Finch a place in our hearts.

Last but certainly not least, it has been announced that the upcoming Mission Impossible sequel will be named Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Hoped to be filmed in Dubai, it will feature British favourite, Simon Pegg, alongside Cruise's Ethan Hunt.

Lucy Adamson

Redbrick

Film 11

5th November 2010 www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Editors – Matt Davis, Elmley de la Cour

Reviews

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Let Me In

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TRAGIC

Due Date Director: Todd Philips Cast: Robert Downey Junior, Zack Galifianakis Cert: 15

Director: Matt Reeves Cast: Chloe Moretz, Kodi Smit-Mcphee Cert: 15 Set in 1980s New Mexico, Let Me In follows 12 year old Owen, bullied and tormented at school and trying to cope with the breakdown of his family. His loneliness is heartbreaking to watch, with a cryng mother who drinks too much and a social life that consists solely of three high school bullies who constantly terrorise him. That is, at least, until Abby walks into his life.With her encouragement, he strikes back at the kids at school, which for the first time gets them off his back.

Owen finds what he sees as true friendship in his new neighbour, however, there's something not quite right about Abby. As you've probably guessed if you've seen the trailers, she is... a vampire. His frightening and gruesome discovery is blinded by adoration for his only friend, leading to gory murders and a pact of sinister companionship that will quite literally last his lifetime.

As the first big vampire film

since the Twilight fixation launched into the world two years ago, Let Me In reverts back to conventions of what a 'real vampire' should be: no sparkling, diamond skin, but skin that burns in the sun... not just burns, but sets alight. No vegetarianism, but an absolute need for human blood.

Chloe Moretz gives an amazing performance as Abby, only outshone by Kodi Smit-Mcphee, who plays the socially awkward and heartbreakingly pathetic Owen, incredibly well. As a duo, the relationship is very endearing to watch.

Knowing the general plot line before I watched the film, I'll be honest, I was expecting a lot more blood, gore and jump out of your seat moments. The trailer and movie posters are quite misleading, this is not a particularly scary film. However, it does have its tense moments that had me hiding behind my hands, which, combined with the ridiculously sweet if a little disturbing romance/friendship plot line, made Let Me In worth a watch... even if it is only the once. gemma fottles !

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Recommending Hard Candy Brought to us by British director David Slade (30 Days of Night, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse), Hard Candy is an independent, visually striking psychological thriller, which is both intense and disturbing, offering breath-taking performances from Patrick Wilson (Watchmen, The Phantom of the Opera) and pre-Juno Ellen Page.

The twisted, unnerving plot follows the first 'real life' encounter of cyber-flirters Hayley and Jeff. The fourteen year-old schoolgirl and thirty-something high fashion photographer meet in a cafe and go back to Jeff's house where the anguish begins.

During the teenager's violent mission to expose Jeff as a paedophile and murderer, he is vulnerable and desperate in his attempts to escape the mentally unstable, crazed female, who refuses to let him forget his past. In a collection of disorientating scenes, including a castration sequence, we are constantly encouraged to question whether or not Jeff is innocent.

Shot on relatively inexpensive digital film, Hard Candy grossed over $1m – only just

recouping low production costs.

Whilst being cheap, this digital technology contributes to the stunning visuals, emphasising director Slade's unique artistic style. The film received good critical acclaim but had a limited theatrical release, and only earned back production expenses through the DVD platform.

Averagely successful at the box office, it is relatively unknown due to its young-adult niche target audience.

Hard Candy portrays Page's indisputably spectacular performance as a psychopathic teenager, Hayley Stark. With such contrasts between Page's role here and in 2007 cult film Juno, audiences who watch Hard Candy will appreciate the extraordinary talent of such a young actress. She is powerful, convincing and incredibly intense.

Hard Candy is a must-see for those who want to see Page at her best, and anyone ready for a clever, unpredictable narrative. olivia nichols !

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Hollywood's latest gut-buster teams up Robert Downey Junior (Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes) and funny man Zack Galifianakis (The Hangover) for the latest road-trip comedy.

I was unsure of what the pairing would produce, but the actors are very entertaining and the movie plays well on their complete mismatch of styles. The dichotomy between Robert Downey's highlystrung and irritable father-to-be Peter Highman, and Zach's crazy, obnoxious stoner Ethan Tremblay as they travel by car from Atlanta to Peter's pregnant wife in LA is worth the price of admission alone.

Due Date hits many genres, including road movie and buddy comedy, and the influence of director Todd Philip's previous work is clear. It is by no means an even split between The Hangover's craziness and the subtle humour normally associated with Robert

Downey's previous characters.

However, it is the witty jokes consistently hitting the mark that overshadow the absurd craziness within the film. The mishaps along the route are broken up nicely by tender exchanges between the two leads, and this aspect of the film is what struck me the most.

I found that I was empathising with the troubles of both men more and more as the journey continued. Of course Ethan can be relied upon to cause chaos but he is not a one-dimensional character, and Peter is similarly well fleshed out.

Their quieter moments create an emotional attachment and some of

the lines 'Dad, you were like a father to me' are equally touching.

Every other aspect of the movie amounts to window dressing and very few of the isolated sequences serve any purpose beyond a bit of cheap humour.

Other characters float in and out and I never really felt that the lead pair was ever in any serious peril.

That said, the insanity ramps up nicely, even if it peaks a little bit too early leaving the movie feeling a bit deflated.

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Film of the Week: Another Year Director: Mike Leigh Cast: Jim Boradbent, Ruth Sheen, Lesley Manville Rating: 12A Another Year and another classic delivery from director Mike Leigh.

Set over the course of four seasons, the film centres on couple Tom and Gerri (Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen) as they deal with the pitiable lives of their friends, whilst remaining encouragingly contented in their own. These are people who relish in the simple pleasures but seem destined to be plagued by the failures of life.

The chief 'loser' of the piece is, Mary, superbly played by Lesley Manville. Mary's character personifies desperation. She is the antithesis of a heroine: needy, self-obsessed with an ability to knock back the booze that would impress any student. Yet it is difficult to feel any genuine sympathy for her, clinging on to the couple so frantically that you wish

they would just grow some backbone and send her packing.

One of the main problems with this film is that most of the characters lack any real depth or likeable quality to keep you focused on the story, let alone care about their outcome. Having said this, with Another Year Mike Leigh has succeeded in doing what Mike Leigh does best: a film about ordinary people and their ordinary lives. The main characters of Tom and Gerri are touching to watch, because of their genuine and positive outlook on life. Fortunately, Leigh leaves you knowing that despite the human

car crashes around them, they will remain happy.

Another Year is no blockbuster, more a cup of cocoa than an adrenaline fix, but if you want to invest some time in a staple of British cinema then this film is a prime example.Bittersweet and heartfelt, it is both touching and exasperating. Nonetheless, it is the charms of Jim Broadbent that essentially carry the film, and for me any opportunity to watch this master at work is time well spent.

feel sympathy for a new character in the space of hour and a half, which really wasn't happening.

Not to mention the random characters with no point to the plot thrown in to mix it up like a bag of horrendously bloody haribo.

3D in this film is as helpful as a chocolate kettle. There aren't even many of those cheesy moments where you'd expect blood splattered at the audience. What a disappointment.

The ending eventually comes full circle in epic style, and, whilst it's surprisingly effective, it is very predictable. With those final overused words of 'Game Over', one does wonder whether this is the end of the franchise. Since it would seem to any passionate viewer of the horror genre that there is a still a slight chance of Game On.

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Saw 3D Director: Kevin Greutert Cast: Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell Fans should by now know the drill (perhaps the wrong choice of hardware to mention) of this repetitive horror franchise. The film grabs a random character to call it their protagonist and puts him or her in a variety of positions that involve horrendous traps that usually contain squeamish squirts of blood.

The core character this time round comes in the form of Bobby Dagen who claims to be a survivor of one of Jigsaw's games. He has become a 'self-help guru' who portrays wisdom on how to continue life from surviving a Jigsaw trap.

Any avid fan would guess his dirty little secret off the top of a hat.

The new character was the one big problem for Saw 3D. This meant that the audience needed to

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Redbrick

5th November 2010

Arts

Birmingham rocked by 7% cultural cuts across the region.

Will art survive? page 14

Just how genius is British art?

Hidden Venue: James Reevell Arts Editor

The National Gallery Sian Gray Arts Editor Settling down last Sunday evening with a glass of red wine from a bottle that had been opened the night before and an extensive list of things that should have been done that week, the last thing I expected to feel was a sense of inspiration.

However, flicking through the channels aimlessly I came across Channel 4's documentary The Genius of British Art and in that moment (perhaps it was a weak one) I found myself hooked, amazingly, to the ever resonant voice of Janet Street-Porter.

The problem with any documentary is that it is somewhat feared, even more so when Janet is hosting. Fortunately, my only other option was to watch a barely conscious Anne Widdecombe being flung like a wet rag across a dancefloor in Blackpool and so, I stuck

with Janet, the lesser of two evils perhaps.

The Genius of British Art is a six part series in which each episode is authored by a well known writer, journalist or presenter who, in their show, takes a somewhat personal journey into a particular theme or period in British art and translates this onto our screens.

In this latest episode Janet displays, without cliché the effect Art can have on youth. Taking us back to the 1950s she invites us into her traditional teenage world and speaks of her perpetual desire to escape suburbia. Through the works of Patrick Heron she broke away, found the alternative and has never looked back. Within the film she speaks to Damien Hirst, Grayson Perry and Tracey Emin to name a few, all of whom, whether loved or loathed, are undoubtedly inspirational.

Although not all the pro-

grammes are as retro to watch as this latest one, they are united in their message. They make art personal and offer a way out from the numb society we are all living in, creating something provocative and exciting.

These films are revelatory, not revolutionary and in no way intend to be definitive. Indeed, what is so refreshing about these six films is that, as Nicolas Kent, the producer says; they show that 'you don’t have to be an expert to appreciate art'.

Standing out against cheap, reality TV shows the films are Art in themselves harking back to programmes such as the iconic South Bank Show and Omnibus. The genius of these Sunday night films is that like art, not only are they worth viewing but quite evidently, they’re worth talking about as well.

Squirreled away just down the road from the University, lies the adorable Mac. Its unpreposing the exterior conceals a venue that is at the heart of cutting edge art in Birmingham.

Subject to £15 million refurbishment in 2008, the Mac now has a modern venue to complement it forward looking ethos to art. And believe me, the art is forward looking, whether it be last weeks Black Passage, a blacked out sound installation, taking up the whole of the gallery, or this weeks Colour of Nonsense, a show that despite repeated Youtube viewings still makes no sense but looks wonderful.

The Mac also has reasons to boast about its excellent community links, frequently being used by local drama schools and hosting events for this months LGBT

festival Shout!

In some ways the Mac is a venue that is the Cinderella of Birmingham. It is a venue that is in some ways at the bottom of the pecking order when shows come to town, but by embracing this and taking on shows that are considered too risky by other venues allows it to put on shows that are thrillingly original.

Admittedly not every show is a success, but more often than not you will stumble upon a real gem.

A prime example was a production of Macbeth, performed by a Polish company, which although sounds unnerving on the surface, actually reinterpreted the work in an entirely new, and enlightening way.

So, if new, original and affordable art is your bag you could do far worse than spend an evening at mac, a place where originality has its true home.

mac

The Meaning of Art: Redbrick explores two contrasting exhibitions in Birmingham A Rage for the Lakes at The Barber Sam Langtree Deputry Editor

A powerful display of romanticism, A Rage for the Lakes is the latest collection of paintings to hit the Barber, showcasing the commanding landscapes of the Lake District as viewed by some of the country’s finest watercolour painters throughout the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Although it initially took some time to get used to the delicate and pale paint strokes, which were precise and scrupulously detailed; by circling the exhibition a few times and acclimatising to the techniques in the context of their time, it becomes clear that the Barber’s latest exhibition is a strong display of some of the period’s finest artists.

Though initially appearing to be rooted within a traditional sense of painting and sketching, it soon becomes obvious that these artists are more interested in the romantic movement and are unquestionably making use of older techniques in an attempt to experiment within the genre. Most noteworthy are the drawings of Edward Lear and the sketches of John Ruskin, many of which have bright and vivid paints splayed over them. The intense and height-

ened use of colour, popping out amid the graphite, leaves the question of how much opium was consumed during these long painting sessions up in the Lake District.

Though I doubt this is what either the artists themselves, or the curators of the Barber would have wished, some of the paintings have a strong psychedelic haze to them.

This exhibition can be seen as an important acquisition for the Barber considering it is set in the time and location of poets Wordsworth and Coleridge, who took refuge in the landscapes these paintings document, solidifying their reputations as 'The Lake Poets'. It is within these scenic backdrops that works such as Lyrical Ballads were produced.

That these paintings have been labelled a perfect visual accompaniment to the works of these two great poets may be a bit overstated but these paintings are undoubtedly a creative and refreshing reading of the one of the UK’s most beautiful regions and a collection worthy of fitting within the canon of romanticism.

Catch this exhibition at The Barber from now until Janurary 2011

A Good Chair is a Good Chair at The Ikon Gallery

Stuart Whipps Freya Gosling Critic

Are you sitting comfortably...?

An exhibition that should most definitely not be mistaken for an IKEA show room, despite frequent comments from Ikon Gallery visitors, Donald Judd's A good chair is a good chair is a display of furniture as a post modern sculpture and is a development of Judd's later career.

The exhibition on the second floor galleries at the Ikon demonstrates work from Judd's later stages in his life, and the furniture

he was designing in Marfa, West Texas.

The superbly diverse array of design expertise, materials and craftsmanship is progressively becoming a long-term favourite for me, as well as many others who have had the privilege of seeing it.

Whereas in other contemporary artist’s work this could begin to appear self-conscious and laboured, Judd’s seemingly effortless use of straight lines and perfect planes seems to reveal what critics have called 'the profound and enduring nature of vital, universal themes that are shared by

the artefacts of the highest art and simple, useful objects.'

The gallery is even making plans to have some of the pieces X-rayed, as no-one can work out how such immaculate joints could possibly be achieved without visible nails or glue.

Indeed, what is so interesting about this exhibition is that it is everything you don't expect it to be and is far from the warehouses of Ikea.

A Good Chair is a Good Chair is at the Ikon until November 14th

Redbrick

Editors – Sian Gray, James Reevell

November 5th 2010 www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Arts 13

14 Arts

5th November 2010 www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Redbrick

Editors – Sian Gray, James Reevell

Arts Council – Dead or Alive?

With Arts Funding cuts of 30 per cent announced this week, will art in our region survive?

In for the chop...Delaroche's masterpiece lost due to cuts Jessica Bull and Katie Dancey Critics Recently announced spending cuts are set to hit Arts Council funded organisations next April after the government's recent review, meaning an overall 30 per cent cut for ACE (Arts Council England).

The cut comes as a huge blow to arts organisations who are starting to find ways to accommodate for the cuts whilst maintaining a good reputation. Even larger companies such as The National Gallery in London are beginning to

auction off monumental paintings because they are too expensive to keep, or will raise funds to sustain the gallery. However, the effect of these cuts are particularly worrying for smaller companies who may lose funding altogether and who do not have the means to fund themselves.

The West Midlands is set to be hard hit by the cuts and students in particular will feel the effect as ticket offers and opportunities in the Arts are to be diminished. With this in mind, it is important to consider just how this will affect

Surviving the Arts Cuts James Reevell Arts Editor Your one stop guide on how to see good theatre, even when the theatres have less money than you do.

A Night Less Ordinary : By far the best option for any cash strapped student, this promotions offers free tickets for anyone under 26. A victim of the cuts, and finishing in March, so take advantage of this while you can.

Fit the theatres to your needs: Birmingham is littered with small, excellent theatres, where the truly innovative theatre takes place.

With a bit of luck you'll see the next theatre giants, whilst they're still small enough to be original.

Let them come to you: If you are determined to see a blockbuster, don't go to the expense of a trip to London, wait for the National Theatre to bring one of its superb touring productions to Birmingham. Alternatively see West End shows on tour at the Hippodrome.

Get Involved: With Birmingham hosting a myriad of festivals, including film's Flatpack Festival or this months Shout! Festival, volunteering is a great way to make contacts, have fun and most of all see great events for free.

Get a job: Combine your natural student poverty with your passion for the arts and get a job at a venue. Great for your CV if you're going into the arts world and better still gives you behind the scenes access to rehearsals and exhibits.

Find free events: Theatres like young people, and like students even more. Look out for free art exhibitions accompanying shows, or talks put on buy theatres asking nothing more than your presence and pretension.

Write for Redbrick: Come and review a show for our Arts section. Get free tickets to events and interview actors. Best of all your mum will doubtless by you food out of pride from seeing your name in the paper.

the West Midlands and the arts opportunities we've taken for granted so long.

Regularly funded organisations such as the Royal Shakespeare Company, will take 15 per cent of the damage. Further to this, in November it is believed that an announcement will be made to the effect that every single arts organisation in the West Midlands will have to reapply for funding. The question is raised as to where these companies will get their funding.

Sara Clethero, head of voice at London College of Music and

founder and director of OperaMint says that 'grants will dry up for organisations like ours' and that 'companies who are not professional fundraisers are going to suffer'. She believes that 'the appetite for creative arts is greater in times of recession' and that despite economic hardship theatres will continue to sell out and will not suffer from low sales. However, for smaller venues that rely on sponsorship from businesses the future is not looking positive.

OperaMint is an organisation that strives to commit to new and old repertoire, performing to a high standard with access for all regardless of age, ability or income, engaging in various projects throughout the West Midlands. On speaking to Sara Clethero I asked why she felt Arts education was so important. She stated 'it's what makes everything else possible if people are educated through imagination and the arts, they can believe in ways of maintaining access to the arts in an economic crisis.'

OperaMint are an inspirational company that make a very small amount of money go a long way and as a small organisation they have the advantage to get to know the people they work with. But, like many smaller Arts organisations that rely on sponsorship, local support from businesses is simply not enough to help organisations like this continue successfully. Like many, OperaMint will be trying their best to obtain a grant this year from ACE before its budget is cut in April.

The scheme A Night Less Ordinary is due to end in March 2011. This project works with theatres to give free theatre tickets to those under 26 with the hope of encouraging more young people to attend theatre productions.

The project manager Caroline Griffin stated that the decision to end the scheme was made under the new government, but is separate to the cuts following the

spending review. The scheme has apparently been successful in encouraging young people to attend the theatre and more frequently.

With the end of this scheme, it begs the question how theatres will continue to encourage young people. There are no current plans for a similar scheme, but with reference to the future, Griffin said, 'we hope that the arts sector will learn from the successes of the project, and we are working with participating venues to help them continue to develop their own initiatives for attracting young people.'

Times are set to be tough, however the creative director at the Royal Opera House and former member of the ACE, Deborah Bull, states that 'arts organisations need to look for creative solutions and approach this challenge with the creativity we bring to everything we do; the priority is to preserve the art and continue to support the artists.'

Finding the 'opportunity within the crisis' is something she states is key and by taking time to 'restate and refocus' a company, it can come out at the end of this 'with a renewed sense of purpose and clarity of what's core to that particular organisation'.

However, with these cuts comes the danger of losing our most innovative and new forms of theatre and performance for fear of low ticket sales ,which are now vital with cuts to overheads and administration. Will we see an end to experimental art forms, created to stretch boundaries and challenge theatrical conventions? Will high art forms be compromised in a bid to increase mainstream popularity?

Currently a huge variety of arts are available to us, but with many small organisations being cut altogether I can't help but wonder whether we will see a surge of performances with only one intention – to make money.

Competition for all CBSO lovers!

This week City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, otherwise known as CBSO, begun the celebrations for their 90th birthday, and celebrations they are.

Kicking off in style the CBSO have held an array of astounding events at Symphony Hall, all of which have gone down an absolute storm with critics, fans and even those who aren't usually fans of classical music.

In conjunction with these celebrations, CBSO are giving away 2 pairs of tickets to their birthday party on 10th November and to the stunning Mozart's Requiem on 16th November.

If you're one of the lucky winners receiving a pair of tickets to the 90th birthday party on Wednesday, not only are the tickets free but you are also invited to a champagne reception before the show where you will be given the chance to meet some of the players before the show.

All you have to do is write to us at arts@redbrickonline.co.uk to tell us why you should be the lucky winner! Entries must be received by Monday 8th November.

Symphony Hall

Redbrick

Arts 15

5th November 2010 www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Editors – Sian Gray, James Reevell

The Day the Waters Came at The Rep Rum & Coca Cola at The Drum

The Rep Jo Thomas Critic 'I thought it was Katrina that ripped the roof of our lives, but it was people who let us drown.'

Five years after the fifth strongest storm in US history hit the southern coast of Louisiana, many have allowed the memories of some 1,836 Americans who lost their lives to remain buried beneath the waters of their negligence.

Mine certainly had. For most of us these stories have been replaced by the headline faces that prise themselves from Haitian wreckage, or by Pakistanis exiled from mountainous rubble. Mother Nature herself remains the most brutal of all murders.

Lisa Evans sensitively weaves the personal stories of invisible lives into an eye-opening stage production, recapturing moments where nature is no longer the biggest enemy, but mankind itself poses the most menacing threat.

Following the story of one girl lost in a tapestry of broken homes, the four-strong cast transforms

the stage to become an intriguing documentary.

It was not merely the sophisticated sound or sensitive lighting that depicted the atmosphere of devastation which hit New Orleans that day. The dexterity with which each actor relayed the lives of the black community and their fight for survival amidst what appeared to be surprising prejudice and neglect on behalf of America’s rescue mission that maintained my heartfelt attention throughout the performance.

Despite a minimalist set and very few props, each member of the cast manipulates the stage with power and assertion, taking the audience on a journey through the eyes of one central character to relive the day that cost the United States more financially than any other natural disaster to date.

The Day the Waters Came is a moving and insightful piece, lasting only an hour but rekindling countless months of unshared truths that were washed away with the devastation of Katrina and those who failed to rescue in a time of desperate need.

Lexie Wilson Critic From the opening song, it's clear to everyone at The Drum tonight that Rum and Coca Cola understands perfectly both calypso and how calypso can deliver a hard-hitting message with a breezy Caribbean sense of humour.

Mustapha Matura's play comes to life itself on the stage tonight. We watch Slim and the Professor's triumphs and troubles in the gorgeous Island of Trinidad, as the Professor relives his youth as the 'three time Calypso champion' by schooling his protégée with, of course, frequent breaks for their refreshment of choice.

The light, frothy first act is punctuated by people laughing aloud at some brilliant one-liners, and the sweet but unfailingly mischievous songs After the interval, it loses some of the joviality, but never the tongue-in-cheek sensibility, as the tension heightens between our two favourite musicians as there seems to be a very real chance the rum might run dry and they might not have a happy ending.

Also, let's be clear here, from the get-go the actors absolutely have the audience eating out the palm of their hands. Both are funny, poignant and just perfectly suited to their roles. What's more they harbour a desirable collection of Hawaiian shirts. What more could a girl ask for on a rainy

Thursday?

It's the directorial debut of Don Warrington MBE , best known for roles in Rising Damp and Doctor Who, and he makes the transition from centre stage to director's chair fluidly, as smoothly as his own voice or the sound of the waves on the shore.

Really, the one downside I can come up with is that the potent mix of a fabulous set design and gorgeous lilting calypso songs only made the cold, overcast weather outside feel even more of a bitter disappointment. Well, that and the fact that you'll have said songs firmly wedged in your head for the next few days. Even that's not so bad... Is it?

The People show's 121st production is a satire of the detective genre. The troupe is regarded as England's first experimental theatre company, formed way back in 1966 and specialised in turning artistic conventions inside out.

Hence, The Detective Show, set in 1976, is a pastiche of Agatha Christie-like popular mysteries.

Performed by only 3 actors, the play switches between characters in a confusing but also entertaining way. Gareth Brierley is the detective, the boyfriend and even the director, who addresses the audience, revealing secrets from behind the scene. Founder, Mark

Long also undertakes weird transformations, including two hilarious impersonations of a pushy Italian waiter and a silence-obsessed librarian. Even Hercule Poirot makes an appearance in key moments in the form of Fiona Creese with a paper bag over her head.

Although The Detective Show successfully manages to entertain, there are a few downsides. The play comes across as a low-budget production and sometimes switches between acts in an annoyingly confusing way. The plot would have been rather flat if it wasn't for the director's regular explanations of what goes on. The professionalism of the actors is what makes it enjoyable, not so much their

Aside from being a break from giving rich tea biscuits to little kids and having my house egged, tonight's showing of Wallace Worsley's 1993 The Hunchback of Notre Dame, accompanied on organ live by Nigel Ogden, is a dark, stunningly beautiful experience.

This early film adaptation of the novel by Victor Hugo follows the story of the Quasimodo (Lon Chaney), though it focuses more on the object of his affections, daughter of King of thieves, Esmeralda.

While she falls in love with the heroic, goatee-sporting aristocrat Phoebus de Chateaupers (Caption: 'Men yielded to his sword – women to his smile'), dirty old man Jehan

Frollo tries to bribe her father into marriage, stabbing Phoebus and framing our gypsy heroin in the meantime, prompting a rescue attempt and mass uprising.

The first thing the audience notices is the million dollar budget at work, as thousands of Festival of Fools goers are contrasted with an all-out war between the thieves and the aristocrats, that puts the CG of contemporary battle scenes to shame.

The translation onto a modern crowd is mostly positive, the extremely slow pace of a captioned silent film instead materialising as a vehicle for immense moments of prolonged sorrow, tension and pain, aided powerfully by Chaney's energetic yet melancholy style and Ogden's haunting score. Whilst the visceral imagery, molten lead poured on a crowd for instance, is

Symphony Hall 9th November With a sell out national tour and his own BBC show Rhod Gilbert has officially made it. Oh and did we mention he's Welsh.

Tickets £20

The Rep 10th November The Drum

This highly original and critically acclaimed play makes it's Birmingham debut. With violence and psychological drama forming a potent mixture, entertainment is guaranteed.

Tickets £10

Post Show Party Show

attempt to deconstruct the detective genre. The point is that the clues to the murder mystery reveal nothing and no one could have guessed the denouement. The truth is exposed after an accidental discovery of a left luggage with the most random content. The deliberately silly ending proves that the play isn't about crime-solving, but

The Rep about making people laugh behind Agatha Christie's back. Yet the mess of ideas and approaches could have resulted in a more refined satire of the detective drama. Even though some of the jokes miss their intended targets, you leave entertained and the sarcasm, as whole turns out to be fairly successful.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame at The Town Hall Ben Hewitt Critic

Rhod Gilbert

The Author

People Show 121: Detective Show at The Rep Theordora Barzakova Critic

Previews

Recreating a post show party 30 years on sounds like an extremely unfruitful endeavour. This hyped show however aims to challenge your perceptions.

Tickets £7

Birmingham Tango Festival

Town Hall certainly still shocking, the overacting, exaggerated cuts and action sequences do translate inevitably, though unfortunately, as humour to much of the audience.

However, this cultural gap is a small side-effect of an absorbing

Mac 11th November

horror, which elicits chills through the film's superb and sinister black and white lighting every time a character skulks into or out of the shadows, sitting almost as creepy as the grim reaper costume skulking through the foyer post-show.

The Guild 12 – 16 November Whether a beginner or enthusiast this is the event for you, with world renowned dancers putting through your steps. Whether you are a Matt Baker or an Anne Widdecombe, you'll soon be a pro.

16 redbrickonline.co.uk

Television The Top Ten Reality TV Stars

5

10

Jeremy Spake

Perhaps no longer a household name but forever etched into our hearts, Jeremy Spake was the poster boy for the BBC's first stab at reality TV, Airport.

After a few reality shows of his own, the harsh glare of the spotlight soon sent him back to his day job, and he now works for British Airways.

9

Lizzie Bardsley

Remember that obnoxious scrounger from Wife Swap with those pink bits in her hair? Lizzie, famed for claiming £38,000 worth of benefits for her eight kids, thrust herself into the limelight, appearing in a vast array of reality shows. However, failure to declare her new found earnings to the tax office landed her in hot water, being sentenced for benefit fraud and several counts of child cruelty in the space of a few years. Ouch.

8

Whitney Port

California girl Whitney impressed the big bosses at The Hills so much, they gave her a show all to herself. The City documented her move to the Big Apple and successful launch into the world of fashion. With her foot now firmly on the career ladder, she is one of reality TV's biggest success stories.

7

Cheeky Girls/ Jedward

Of course, I am not suggesting that these manufactured, bizarre sets of twins resemble each other, but they certainly have a few things in common. This fame hungry quartet have managed to stay in the headlines, with broken limbs, miscarriages and failed relationships with MPs keeping them

4

Jordan

3

Chantelle Houghton

Jordan, Katie Price, Mrs. Reid – whatever she's calling herself these days, her name is never absent from the gossip pages. This bare naked lady shot to fame after appearing in I'm a Celebrity – Get Me Out of Here! which began her never-ending reality career.

Everyone loves an underdog, and as the first ever non-celeb to enter the Celebrity Big Brother house, Chantelle has barely left the spotlight since. With her relationship with fellow contestant Preston, the ditsy blonde won the nation's hearts two times over, coming

third in Ultimate Big Brother in the summer.

2

Lauren Conrad

Effortlessly stylish and ridiculously over-dramatic, Lauren was catapulted to fame as the teen star of Laguna Beach, and its spin-off The Hills. Since then her career has skyrocketed and she can now add actress, author and fashion designer to her CV. Ms Conrad has made a name for herself for all the right reasons. Take note, Speidi.

Syed Ahmed

Oh, Syed. When he wasn't shouting at people or impregnating fellow contestants on The Apprentice, he seemed like quite a nice guy. Desperate for his 15 minutes of fame, Syed graced the likes of Cirque de Celebrité with faded hopes of superstardom.

6

Darius Danesh

Can you guys feel the love in the room? Free-loving Scot Darius Danesh first hit the small screen in 2001's Popstars before competing in the Pop Idol final the following year. Distancing himself from his reality roots, Darius has since appeared in several West End hit plays and is now breaking into the opera world.

Redbrick

5th November 2010

1

Jade Goody

The late Jade Goody is undoubtedly reality TV's biggest example of overnight superstardom. Appearing in the second series of Big Brother and just about every reality show since, no one can deny that this loveable lout was a tabloid dream and fully deserving of her title as reality queen.

Charlotte Lytton

Silence is Golden The Big Silence review, redbrickonline.co.uk

TV Gold Freaks and Geeks Sarah Murphy Reporter

The Eighties: a period of downturn and prosperity, Bowie and Baywatch, Pacman and Pop Tarts, but also Freaks and Geeks.

Yet despite a twenty year timelapse, or better yet a time-warp, it would appear that the era of shell suits and big hair is upon us once again. With all things vintage and retro at the height of this year's fashion, some eighties – inspired TV seems to fit the bill!

With a stereotype having been developed over the past decade or so by shows such as Clueless, Saved by the Bell and more recently 90210, the American high school experience can be seen as little more than a popularity contest amongst the jocks and the high school cheer squad.

Yet one show in the late nineties sought to change that and to instead represent the 80s underdog, the wallflower and the kid in the Ché Guevara t-shirt. That show was Freaks and Geeks.

Based on life at a 1980s high school this one-season programme – broadcast in late 1999 and concluding in early 2000 – has become something of a cult classic.

Portraying the lives of a group of unruly misfits, giving it all they've got before graduation, this show features a young all-star cast who these days are more likely to be described as chic rather than freak.

The Hollywood line-up includes Spiderman's James Franco (Daniel Desario), Linda Cardellini (Lindsay Weir), Jason Segel (Nick Andopolis), and lastly Seth Rogan (Ken Miller) who was more supergeek than Superbad.

The show focuses primarily

upon the lives of Lindsay Weir and her brother Sam (John Francis Daley), whose respective friendship groups give the show its name and whose interfering parents play a role in every episode.

The pilot centres on the nonchalant Daniel and his set of idle cronies, and their bid to adopt mathlete and good girl Lindsay as their latest pet, whilst her brother Sam continues his everyday fight to save his teenage dignity and avoid the 'wedgie of disgrace' from the local bully.

With a great soundtrack to boot, Freaks and Geeks is a thoroughly easy watch

This brutally honest and fantastic coming-of-age programme boasts not only a highly humorous and skilled cast but also the ability to relate to the everyday life of a student.

The show covers a wide range of experiences, from throwing your first underage house party to discovering the art of French kissing and the best ways to hide scratches on your Mom or Dad's car.

With a great soundtrack to boot, Freaks and Geeks is a thoroughly easy watch and there's not a moral lesson in sight. It is a mustsee for any 10 Things I Hate About You fan, or anyone just a tiny bit bored of Gossip Girl.

I thoroughly recommend this show – its cancellation was a travesty.

Bringing back the 80s: Freak and Geeks

Stephen K: hilarious host, or just OK? Cheyenne Bunsie Reporter

Since Jonathan Ross left our screens earlier this year, the BBC have been looking for shows to keep us in on a Friday night and talking about them the next day.

BBC One debuted The Rob Brydon Show, and now BBC Two have given us The Stephen K. Amos Show. A well-known comedian at festivals such as the Edinburgh Fringe and a regular panelist on shows like Mock The Week, Amos' show is a mix of stand up, sketches and special guests.

The show got off to a cheery start with Amos' warm personality and mischievous energy doing sufficiently well to entertain both myself and the live audience.

The issues, however, began when it came to the real substance of the 30 minute production.

Whilst Amos raised a decent amount of laughs, he isn't the most outrageously funny comedian currently on the circuit, with Live at the Apollo highlighting this.

Much of Amos' material wore thin quite quickly and some of his sketches such as his 'Mother Buki' (Amos dressed as a woman with a heavy Nigerian accent) seemed like

nothing wildly new or innovative.

The sketches also reminded me of Little Miss Jocelyn, a once quite popular sketch show by Nigerian comedienne Jocelyn Gee Essien.

Amos' take on this was less exciting – not completely unfunny but with few laugh out loud moments.

Special guests on the show were Tom Allen and Lucy Mont-

Stephen K Amos

gomery (perhaps best known as the voice of Destiny in hilariously funny adult puppet show Mongrels) starring as Candie Carmel, a cross between a Broadway singer and stand up comic. The less said about that, the better.

Amos' show did have some genuinely funny moments, such as a sketch about a Take That track softening the blow of being given a terminal diagnosis – let's face it, their songs really do make us smile. Even Mother Buki had a few one liners that made me chuckle.

Overall, whilst I had many issues with the show, I find it difficult to slate completely. Amos is a likeable host who delivers a kind of comedy which isn't desperate to offend or create controversy, and it did include some really good sketch ideas. However, the quality of the special guests left much to be desired. They were, unfortunately far less funny than could be expected. Perhaps the show could benefit from featuring newer, up and coming comedic talent such as Kevin Bridges.

Whilst it has potential to improve, based on this week's episode I'd suggest that The Stephen K. Amos Show may not be worth staying in for.

Television 17

5th November 2010 www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Redbrick

Editors – Natalie Timmins, Joe McGrath

I Wanna Be Like You?

Box Bites: The Latest TV News Wilhelmina Gyimah rounds up this week's top telly news.

If you know any Mad Men fans, this might just be the ultimate Christmas present: The fictional autobiography that Roger Stirling has been writing is set to be fictional no more, with a plan to publish a real-life copy of the character's book, Wit and Wisdom of an Ad Man now in the works. We hope the book will be as witty as it's fictional author!

Our American cousins will soon be in for yet another very special treat, with the November launch of the eight-part documentary series Sarah Palin's Alaska.

Along with various other members of the Palin clan, the programme will capture a snapshot of the Alaskan way of life through the eyes of one of America's most notorious vice-presidential candidates. It's going to have it all: salmon fishing, hiking, climbing, and of course, those quiet family evenings in front of the fire chez Sarah's. All those 'hockey moms' and 'Joe Six-Packs' must be delirious with excitement…

Glee fans have got a lot to be excited about. For those who appreciate a bit of Terri Schuester, she will be strutting her way back to centre-stage after a somewhat relegated role this season. The character's unpopularity, due to her sneaky ways, has resulted in Mr Schu's estranged wife going AWOL. And what's more, it is reportedly planned that none other than Susan Boyle will be gracing Glee in a cameo role. With her pair of lungs, she'll be giving the cast something to talk about.

We might be in for another exciting return, this time in the form of Sharon Osbourne for Britain's

Sarah Welsby

Essex bound: Drama on and off-screen for ITV2's hit drama.

Got Talent. Mrs O has allegedly been involved in talks regarding filling the Piers Morgan-shaped hole in the reality show's judging panel. With some luck, we'll be seeing her back in her rightful place in April next year, possibly alongside one Paul O'Grady, who is thought to be replacing Simon for the audition stages.

This week in X Factor another group bites the dust, but this might have no bearing on Belle Amie's future success, if Geri Halliwell's got anything to do with it.

The Spice Girl and former Popstars: The Rivals judge has reportedly shown interest in man-

aging the foursome after the series ends.

And finally, The Only Way Is Essex has had a shock to the system. What appears to have been an arson attack led by some jealous Essex boys and girls, has raised some questions about its future, after the bar (where parts of the show are filmed) was set alight (is it a coincidence that Jack Tweed owns the bar...?)

Luckily no one was hurt, but something this serious has obviously shocked the show's bosses.

Fear not: shaken, but not stirred, there have been no definitive plans to alter the future of show.

Cracking Invention, Gromit!

Russell Webb looks into the cracking new show featuring everyone's favourite animated duo.

Wallace & Gromit's World of Invention Our favourite plasticine pair are back on the small screen, but with a slight twist.

Instead of entertaining us with a short film, they actually have their own series. The duo have been given the opportunity to host a BBC One show, highlighting the best inventions that have shaped the world that welive in.

The new Ant and Dec of the BBC will be introducing films about inventions from as far away as Brazil, to as close to home as

Bristol. This is a very differet and brand new role for the pair, but one that is refreshing and could potentially be a great success.

Although, we are used to seeing them at their ever changing day jobs as either window cleaners, pest controllers or bakers, they are taking another new direction in their careers. This is something that is obviously close to Wallace's heart, and a great choice to have to host such a show.

If you are thinking that the

series will be all about Wallace and Gromit and the great inventions that they have come up with, then you will be mistaken, and maybe perhaps a little disappointed. But, the good news is that the duo hosts the show and will be commenting on some of the greatest inventions the world has seen and their opinions, and if you're lucky, may even demonstrate some wacky inventions of their own.

Obviously this will not be able to be broadcasted live, which is a shame, but very few shows are these days anyway. Unfortunately Gromit gets "stage fright" and respectfully requested that it be filmed beforehand in order for him to feel more comfortable in his role.

The series will also be involving the general public; the show is going to be touring Britain in search for new inventions that will assist the double act in their everyday lives. The tour is designed to promote the new show and encourage kids, 'big kids' and adults to make be creative and invent a'useful product', by simply using bits and bobs from around the house.

It also appears to be another media attempt attempt to prevent children from becoming

Mad Men's Roger Sterling

6

UK shopping centres have been encouraging shoppers to channel their in-

ner inventor.

couch potatoes, and opens a door to an artistic industry. It won't be so much as a Dragon's Den setip, but will involve the BBC has teamed up with Aardman for the World of Invention, and will put on a roadshow which will visit six UK shopping centres in November and December of this year.

Not only does this give young budding inventors and entrepreneurs be creative , but gives them a chance to step into the world of Wallace and Gromit. Although we hopefully won't get an appearance of any incidents involving the wrong trousers!

Accompanying this is a website which explores the world of Wallace and Gromit, for viewers that just can't get enough. For these dedicated fans, there is an opportunity to access Wallace and Gromit related games and news.

Personally I think that this is a brilliant experiment that the duo has agreed to take part in. They never shy away from a challenge, and I shall eagerly await the first installment of the World of Invention that will air on Wednesday 3rd November.

But until then I think I'll have some crackers with a smashing bit of Wensleydale. Stick the kettle on, Gromit.

Freak Like Me is a brand new series on BBC Three that explores the weird and wonderful obsessions and habits of the UK. Presented by stand-up comedian Russell Kane, who confesses to planning everything in his life 'with military precision', the show interviews various people of all different backgrounds to find out how truly eccentric Britain can be.

Russell Kane travels up and down the country asking the British public whether being a bit peculiar is actually the norm and are you a Freak like Me? The first person we meet is 29 year-old Carly from Birmingham.

She introduces herself as a 'normal' person who loves your average things such as the cooking, but then moves on to introduce her obsession with squeezing spots.

When she runs out of spots to squeeze on her own face, she uses her poor boyfriend as the guinea pig on which to carry out her disgusting habit. Squeamish people look away now as what is truly disgusting is the camera zooming up on the spots to reveal yellow puss oozing out like, as Carly states herself, 'a wiggly worm'. As Carly reveals her fantasy would be to be in a room 'full of spotty teenagers', Russell Kane informs us that 8% of the population would in fact squeeze the spots of a complete stranger. And I thought squeezing your own spots was bad enough.

Eww. The second guy we meet is called Jay and his habit is that he loves to clean his car. Now I think it is understandable, if you're a guy, to want to take a pride in the appearance of your car but to take between eight and ten hours to clean it is a bit much. OCD to the extreme! His justification is that he 'doesn't have a person to take care of'. Well no mate, what girl is gonna want to go out with a guy who is that anal about a car. Seriously, these people are strange. According to Russell Kane there was only found to be one other person who washed their car as much as Jay. Yeah, kind of figures.

Next we meet Ashleigh, who likes to dissect her food and eat each individual part separately in order to fully appreciate the individual flavours. Now with that, at least there is some kind of logic.

Just like with 23 year old Dan who likes to correct incorrect spelling anywhere that he finds it. Annie from Essex is 18 years old and still likes to suck on a dummy every day.

Finally Kurt likes to buy a new pair of pants every day. Well I suppose it's better than wearing the same pair more than once.

It is rather entertaining to hear of the strange habits of other people, and at the same time quite comforting to hear that you're not alone in the world of the weird – somebody else in the universe may share the same or similar funny habits to you!

Freak like Me exposes the strange and surreal obsessions that people have in a humorous way.

If you've missed the first episode, catch up on BBC iplayer now.

Think you rival Freak Like Me? Comment at www. redbrickonline.co.uk.

18 redbrickonline.co.uk

Redbrick

5th November 2010

Music Jukebox

Members of Interpol, Four Tet & TV On The Radio to collaborate on rap album. pitchfork.com/news

Album Reviews The Quails

Master Of Imperfection Sam Langtree & William Franklin

Daft Punk – Derezzed One of the first official songs from the upcoming Tron: Legacy, this track debuted on Youtube last week with a new trailer, complete with Daft Punk Tron variants. A fiddly, electic track that jumps about and has the same electronic crunchiness as Justice, with several remixes already appearing online.

Twista (feat. Raekwon) – The Heat One of the absurdly fast rapper's better songs; a smooth backing track and even smoother accompaniment by Raekwon ensures that the speedy execution doesn't fall flat. Instead Twista's raps come out like percussion with Raekwon adding a glossy sheen to the song.

Elliot Smith – Needle In The Hay Featured on a new posthumous 'Best Of', this is one of Smith's finest songs, showcasing his delicacy and intensity simultaneously.

This song will always be heavily integrated into Smith's legacy for its use in an attempted suicide scene in Wes Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums, which mirrors Smith's own tragic end.

8

A Genuine Freakshow Oftentimes

The Reading seven-piece, A Genuine Freakshow here move away from their days as an epic, driven post-rock group, to something a little more mainstream with new album Oftentimes.

Hardcore fans will be a little disappointed by this turn of style, but new fans will emerge from the woodwork Gone are the dramatic and powerful instrumentals which hark back to a Hope Of The States-esque sound, for they are here replaced by slightly twee and more conventional tracks that bumble along pleasantly. I feel hardcore fans of AGF will be a little disappointed by this turn of style, but new fans will emerge from the woodwork of mainstream Indie.

'I Can Feel His Heartbeats'

is an ally beguiling and bouncy track with a truly catchy chorus, whilst the lilting 'You Cut Me Out' is a number for those contemplative and pensive moments, which actively portrays the true lyricism of the band. Tim Sutcliffe's great vocals and falsetto throughout the album are complimented by the strings and trumpet which add to the classic band line-up. The simplicity of concluding track 'Warning Shot' is a brave but interesting choice.

Influences of bands such as Mogwai, Arcade Fire, Sigur Ross and The National can be heard through different aspects of the album including the instrumentation, fusions of genre, and epic changes in tempo and dynamics used. Old fans of AGF should give the album another chance, and new listeners will hopefully appreciate the creativity and pleasure gained from listening to this album in its entirety.

Rachael Hogg

Single Reviews

6

They say time passes slowly in Devon – people catch on to fashion a half-step late. It is the same with The Quails, who could have been the latest overnight-success indie sensation if we were still living in 2004. Unfortunately, their debut came out in 2008, and the band missed the boat. They earned some major support slots in 2009 including The Kooks, Muse and Motörhead but they seemed to stall there. Apparently floppy hair, beige clothes and a sound like The Libertines doesn't make you a huge hit like it did a few years ago.

Master Of Imperfection is generic, cookie-cutter indie pop.

It's catchy but the band accepts its limitations: producing stomping music for a little hall, or providing something to nod along to at a big concert before the headliner comes on. It puts them a huge step ahead of many other indie bands hoping to make it – too many of them mimic big names and write arena anthems despite lacking the required audiences. The Quails won't get everyone singing together at a house party, but they'll make you smile. And that's an authentic indie aspiration – keeping their little fanbase satisfied.

Richard Warrell

Sufjan Stevens Impossible Soul

The soaring orchestral layers and cavalcades of digitalised bleeps give rise to the best song of Sufjan Stevens' new album, The Age Of Adz, and at twenty-five minutes long, it's six times longer than Katy Perry's California Gurls. Maybe he should marry Russell Brand.

Matt Saull

The Quails Fever

Unfortunately 'Fever' is incomparable to the quirky, Americandwelling bird the band takes its name from. First up is Steer's crooning of the predictably twee lyrics accompanied by equally tender guitar strings. But wait – the bass picks up, the guitars brave a few more chords, a yelp is exclaimed and we have a chorus. Repeat the formula with a lukewarm guitar solo and what do you have?

An average single – inoffensive, but equally dull.

Amy Davidson

Is The Record Label Dead?

Essential Albums

Lykke Li – Get Some This marks a new direction for the Scandinavian songstress. Leaving behind her jazz-tinted piano pop for bulldozer-folk straight out of Florence & The Machine's mould, 'Get Some' is visceral, promiscuous and satisfying.

Avey Tare – Lucky 1 Tighter and more accessible than his previous work, Animal Collective's backing vocalist has produced something immensely enjoyable here. The video is also a treat for the eyes, showcasing Avey's obsession with alligators.

Imaad Wasif – Priestess Grungey introspective rock with a mystic bent from the Yeah Yeah Yeah's touring guitarist. Tender but zealous, its lined with ardent guitar work and elegant lyricism: 'learn to accept/how far we are from perfect/slowly undress the priestess'. follow us: Redbrick Music on facebook email us: music@redbrickonline.co.uk

Jeff Buckley Grace (1994)

Anluan Hennigan Critic

'I was sweating like a June bride when I first heard him. Music has never done that to me before.' The sentiments of Cocteau Twin Liz Fraser are a small window into the reverence that Jeff Buckley's only fully realised LP demands.

It is an album that takes you to places you have never been before.

A place where punkish darts, psychedelic swirls and Nina Simone sit side by side. A place that, in an age of imitators and self-imitators, lays its own heart-stopping path.

It would be simple to dismiss the lofty perch on which Grace stands as one created from posthumous, glinty-eyed revisionism.

In truth, it was an album so wideranging – angry yet mournful, visceral but nuanced, vulnerable but extroverted – that the dead-eyed music business would never be

#6

able to fully engage with its jagged edges.

Unfortunately, it would take Buckley's premature denouement to remove this barrier.

Buckley could capture songs such as his cover of 'Corpus Christ Carol' simply on the strength of his angelic, prayerful voice. When combined with arrangements so fraught and delicate as heard in several songs including the title track, the album creates ethereal experiences which stay with you forever: the final minute of 'Grace', the apocalyptic drums of 'Eternal Life' and the hurdling octaves between the verses of 'Mojo Pin'.

By the time he was tragically claimed by the Wolf River, Buckley had already created a legacy through ten pieces of folk-rock which defined and inspired a decade.

Not bad for a self-styled piece of 'rootless trailer trash'.

Charlie Bailey Music Editor

The short answer is no. However, the ongoing controversy at EMI has raised further concerns that the business model created by the music industry is not relevant in today's market.

Following the sale to Terra Firma Capital in 2007, we saw a historic British music institution move into the hands of an American investment company who were supposed to reinvigorate the struggling company. In reality, Terra Firma were saddled with a business that more closely resembled a black hole than a profitable cash-cow.

Reporting losses of approximately £1.75 billion before tax in the year ending March 2009, EMI has also seen major artists such as Paul MacCartney and the Rolling Stones jump ship, damaging their future earnings even more.

But this is not the root of their problems. More important is the shifting environment that the mu-

sic industry inhabits – the advent of social networking and digital downloads spelled out the demise of the traditional music industry long ago.

Instead of moving with the times and evolving, the industry in general has remained firmly stuck in the mud.

Keen to stick with physical releases and marketing, major figures within the music business have railed against piracy as the anti-christ when, in reality, piracy is more symptomatic of the major labels' failure to recognise the changing face of the media.

Reactionary tactics like arbitrary fines and law-suits do more to alienate the consumer than tackle the root of the problem – old style media is just not relevant, or perhaps more importantly is unprofitable today.

Whilst EMI languishes in financial meltdown, entrepreneurial labels should recognise that the world has changed, and they have to adapt accordingly if they want to survive.

Music 19

5th November 2010 www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Redbrick

Editors – Charlie Bailey, William Franklin

Live Reviews Train

Dillinger Escape Plan

O2 Academy 22/10/2010

O2 Academy 2 28/10/2010

During our conversation about his erectile disfunction, one Dillinger fan informed me in the toilets (deemed too clean by another fan), that 'this was gonna get mad'.

Two hours later, with my ears ringing from the incessant mathcore noise that is Dillinger Escape Plan, I tore myself away from the absorbing spectacle at Academy 2.

Support came from one of the brightest sparks in the UK alternative music scene, Sheffield fivesome Rolo Tomassi, whose angular math-metal has drawn admirers from across the musical spectrum.

On this evidence, it's easy to see why. Affable front-lady Eva Spence's reserved apology for technical issues did nothing to prepare us for their brilliantly raw half-hour set.

The ease with which Tomassi dovetail different time signatures mid-song and fuse synth and metal is at times breathtaking, and had the crowd stumbling over their feet in various attempts of nodding, dancing and moshing, whilst the highlight of their set, the superb Kasia, seemed like the legitimate lovechild of Enya and Bring Me the Horizon. Despite the farcical analogy, it worked.

The headliners were welcomed on to stage to chants of 'Dillinger!

Dillinger!', as they immediately launched into a set full of energy and guile.

It's easy to dismiss Dillinger as gimmicky, what with their encore involving guitarist Ben Weiman on

Music Diary

the bar and vocalist Greg Puciato's gorilla-like antics on the lighting rigs, but DEP's power had their army of loyal fans in raptures for the majority of their hour long set.

Weiman is the sole remaining member from the original Dillinger, who trailblazed their way through math-metal in the early 21st Century and tonight's gig felt like a farewell tour in many respects.

The band seemed to lose the at-other-times-partisan crowd during the somewhat self-indulgent middle part of their set whilst playing material of most recent album Option Paralysis, although crowd favourite Lurch was a tour de force.

It seemed pertinent to me that I was watching the baton change from one genre-leading-band to a younger model. I'm probably wrong though; never trust a folk fan.

Matt Saull

When I say Train, you think – what platform? Or when I say the band Train, you think – stupid name.

When I sing Drops of Jupiter, you know who I'm talking about. They are 90s Americana trio who, after a three-year hiatus, re-formed to make best-selling album Save me, San Francisco this year.

Their new album definitely encompasses their old sound, so instead of chart-listeners (aka fans of latest single, 'Hey, Soul Sister'), the audience were mostly over thirty. Hence, I was with my mum.

I can't say I was as excited to see Train as I was for the Gunnies afterward; my only thoughts were of long car journeys and my dad's love for their song about scrambled eggs, but it was good.

Actually, really good. Pat Monahan's energy could have been compared to the likes of Freddie Mercury, or his hero Robert Plant.

Everything that you wish a band

would do at a concert they did, and even some things that haven't been done before. He got ten teenagegirls on stage to sing 'She's on Fire' and gave them 'Trainettes' t-shirts (a moment in which I wished I was under 18 again). And, of course, he crowd surfed (yes, even the 02 Academy can do rock and roll).

Everything that you wish a band would do at a concert, they did Before I knew it, my mum got giddier and began air fisting; off came Pat's top and he walked among the audience singing 'Marry Me'. As he could see the crowd loosening, he demanded requests, including covers, which didn't seem necessary with their eightalbum repertoire.

I guess self-indulgence gets less heightened when you've been touring for fifteen years. They performed like it was their last gig.

Maybe it was. Well played.

Eva Hibbs

5th – 11th Friday 5th Mystery Jets HMV Institute Chromeo O2 Academy 2

Saturday 6th Less Than Jake O2 Academy Magnetic Man HMV Institute

Sunday 7th Failsafe The Flapper

Monday 8th

Cheap Trick Wolverhampton Civic OMD Symphony Hall

Tuesday 9th

Devildriver Wulfrun Hall, Woverhampton Nouvelle Vague HMV Institute

Wednesday 10th

Job for a Cowboy Slade Rooms, Woverhampton

Thursday 11th Goo-Goo Dolls O2 Academy

God is an Astronaut O2 Academy 2

Spotlight On... Keith Richards

Jennifer Anderson re-examines the impact of a living fossil and Rock'n'Roll legend Last week on the Culture Show, Andrew Graham Dixon had the honour of interviewing rock legend Keith Richards in light of the publishing of his autobiography.

Dixon referred to Richards as 'the enigmatic beating heart of the band' who 'wielded his guitar like a weapon' and went on to delve into the deep, complex and often dark history of the Stones, with particular focus on Keith's role in the band.

Sitting opposite Dixon, Keith Richards resembles a rock 'n' roll Indiana Jones. He's certainly come a long way from his days as a choirboy! Fedora perched at a jaunty angle a-top his bandana clad head, and he still sports the trade mark smudge of eyeliner on his lower lids.

As he speaks, he gesticulates with arthritic fingers, swollen from over half a century of epic guitar playing, while the lines etched into

his face and rasping voice speak of a lifestyle few could survive. As Jack Sparrow says in Pirates of the Caribbean, he really has 'seen it all, done it all'.

Born in 1943, Richards talked about how he was influenced by the war and the atmosphere of the years that followed. For him, music was an escape from all the pent up repression and he spent his days listening to 'the greats' as he calls them: Buddy Guy, Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters.

One of the significant moments in his life according to Richards was when he heard Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel: 'the world went from black and white to technicolour'.

For him, the Rolling Stones were an antidote to post-war depression as they rode the revolutionary wave of the 60s, battling with race riots in America and political unrest in the psychedelic

hippy years.

It all started happening for Keith when he went to art school.

It was here, amongst fellow artists, that his guitar playing really took off. He met bassist Dick Taylor there and soon met slide guitarist Brian Jones at the Ealing Jazz Club. Keith and Mick Jagger had been childhood friends and a chance meeting on a train reignited their friendship as they learned they shared a love for Chuck Berry and the Blues.

Within a year they were all living together, owning very little and studying the music of Blues genius'. Popularity happened for the Stones overnight and before they knew it, they went from playing at the jazz club to performing in front of thousands of screaming girls. By 1964, they had their first top ten hit with 'Not Fade Away' and from '62 the band hurtled through the decade with no time for thought.

Their first international hit was 'Satisfaction' and Richards admitted to Dixon that the version they released was actually the demo version but that it was released due to the demand for new material.

In fact, the record, with its crude sound, was what renowned American saxophonist Bobby Keyes called 'Balls to the wall rock 'n' roll'. Keith then went on to talk about how he never liked big production and wanted the band's music to sound like it was recorded in a room rather than in a studio, which explains the rough edge to the Stones' records.

On a more subdued note, everyone knows Richards and the band for their drug use. Heroin got the better of Jones who died in 1969. Looking back on his own heroin addiction Keith said, 'I used it as a wall between me and fame'.

Richards comes across as a very private and surprisingly shy

individual in interview in contrast to his intense, dominating presence on stage.

The drugs couldn't get him though, nor the police, nor the crazy groupies – not even his near fatal fall from a coconut tree!

He reinvented the sound of the electric guitar and the Rolling Stones' music is as important now as it was then. Richards was the real musical drive behind the band and his pride in the band and the music they made comes across as he speaks.

Still together now, despite all that they've been through, Dixon wondered, 'Maybe after fifty years they're just getting into their stride!'

Keith has the final word in the interview: 'Cool', which just about sums him up. The man with '5 strings and 9 lives'; arguably the greatest rock 'n' roll artist to have emerged from Britain.

20 redbrickonline.co.uk

Lifestyle

5th November 2010

Redbrick

Style icon Hollywood princess: Grace Kelly

Rosie Hatch Reporter

Think 'Old Hollywood' and Grace Kelly is one of the first names that springs to mind. Although she only took to the silver screen in eleven films, Kelly has had a lasting impact on fashion as well as film.

Kelly started her career as a model before making the switch to movies. She is also well known for her marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco, after which she stopped making films but remained a fashion icon.

Understated elegance is perhaps the best way to sum up Grace Kelly's style. She was never a fan of fussy garments and stuck to clean lines. Grace was a pioneer of the 'All-American' style, favouring casual shirts and jeans which are

considered a staple for women all around the world today. She also wore trousers at a time when not many women did and, along with others such as Katherine and Audrey Hepburn, managed to bring them into mainstream fashion.

Another of Grace Kelly's favourite pieces was the shirtwaist dress that became synonymous with her era. A modern version of this can be seen all over the high-street today in the simple shirt dresses that are present in many women's wardrobes.

Grace also helped bring the loafer to the forefront of women's fashion. This practical yet stylish footwear has been in and out of fashion since Grace's time and is currently stocked in high-end stores such as Kurt Geiger.

Grace Kelly was not one for

frivolity, she loved clothing but shunned fast-moving trends, choosing to wear her favourite items over and over again. She was however, a huge fan of accessorising.

Grace's wedding dress is one of the most iconic dresses of the century Shoes and gloves were her specific vices and she shopped for them often. One story tells of how she once ran out of money whilst shopping, a woman after my own heart! Grace is also famous for her love of scarves. In fact, a scarf wrapped around the neck and knotted at the side or the nape of

the neck is called a 'Grace Kelly'.

Grace has also lent her name to a Hermes bag. The 'Kelly' is a box-style bag that was carried by Grace to conceal her pregnancy.

The bag still has the longest waiting list in the world and has been carried by celebrities such as Victoria Beckham.

Grace is also credited with establishing large bags as a fashion staple. She carried a giant tote on her honeymoon and days later thousands were in production all over the world. These days, what woman can say she doesn't own an oversized bag?

Unlike other stars of her day such as Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly is noted for her wholesome look. She was never overtly sexual and preferred much more conservative outfits than a lot of the other actresses of the Hollywood heyday. This philosophy of less-ismore is arguably more alluring and enthralling than the Katie Price look so popular today. A number of celebrities, as well as the rest of us, could take a leaf out of Grace's book.

Grace's wedding dress is one of the most iconic dresses of the last century, up there with Princess Di's. Her lace sleeves, long train and wide waistband gave the dress a beautifully timeless look.

Top wedding designer Vera Wang made an adaptation of the dress in 2009, calling it 'majestic' and 'demure'.

Grace's style ultimately reflected her personality and she was a huge advocate of avoiding clothes that wear you. She is quoted as saying 'I think it's important to see the person first, and the clothes afterwards.' I know I'll be considering Miss Kelly's wise words next time I'm outshopping.

Save or Splurge? Heels, heels, heels!

Emma Debruslais & Lauren Russell Reporter

The female equivalent of Viagra, finally we get to review the one thing women obsess and lust over 24/7: shoes. High heels, in fact!

We checked out the latest offerings from New Look to Kurt Geiger in the hunt to have that Cinderella moment and find the perfect shoe…

New Look – Bargain heels for just £10 in the current sale!

These gorgeous courts look amazing with their shiny satin fabric and textured velvet trim with a bow. Although the platforms are very high (15cm!), they were surprisingly comfy, and are available in a wide-

New Look, £10 fit option too. The only downside is that due to the low price, they don't have quite the same finish as the more expensive brands. They're also available online if you can't be bothered to trawl to the Bullring; however we think these courts are well worth the trip! Overall Rating: 7/10 Topshop – At only £55 for genuine leather, we don't feel this is too bad a price. These low slingback points embrace three key trends in just one pair of shoes: kitten heel, nude and patent leather.

What more could a girl ask for?

With a heel height of approx 2", these cute mini-heels won't have your feet screaming for mercy after 10 minutes. Another bonus is that they'll easily go from day to

Topshop, £55 night, and you won't have to pack a pair of foldaway flats in your bag, meaning you can take out your tiniest clutch and it won't even matter! Overall Rating: 8/10 Kurt Geiger – Priced at £140, we always knew KG heels came with a hefty price tag. Unfortunately this doesn't stop us drooling over them at every opportunity, and paying a little bit extra does result in a higher quality finish.

These cute platform courts with 14cm heel and peep toe delve into three hot trends of this season: ladylike glamour, bows and metallic finish.

Sadly, these shoes did make our arches ache after 15 minutes of walking around, eyes glued to our beautifully-clad feet. But with this

Fierce or Finished?

Fierce Misfits The imminent return of E4's fabulous series that has it all - less than a week to go, people!

The Snood Winter is fast approaching and soon everyone everywhere will be sporting this fabulous trend. We at Lifestyle are investing in ours now.

Ideal for staying warm and chic this winter.

Lipsy It's finally here. The new store has opened in the Bullring and with 10 per cent off in their magazine we are taking advantage of the offer (and our overdraft) by investing in that lusted-after dress seen on our fave C-list celeb.

Katy Perry's 'Firework' The perfect track to dance to while getting ready for those Bonfire Weekend celebrations.

Cher Lloyd So she may be the victim of an internet hate campaign but after last week's show-stopping performance of Shakespears Sister's classic 'Stay', she has proved that she is no one-trick pony and really can sing as well as rap. Simon Cowell even called her performance the best of the series.

Sarah Welsby

Finished Nadine Coyle Just reunite with Girls Aloud, stop feuding with the nation's sweetheart, Cheryl Cole, and don't release the autobiography that the media are saying will include Girls Aloud bashing.

Hat hair We enter a seminar and take our coats off but the hat has to remain on because we have hat hair. Not ideal.

Kurt Geiger, £140 price and our student budgets, it's unlikely you'll be tiptoeing down to Gatecrasher for a casual Monday night Loaded session. So why not splash out for a really special occasion? Overall Rating: 8/10 This week girls, we fell in love with our ultimate label lust heels, the KG courts. But practically speaking, we have to admit the Topshop kitten heel sling-backs are bang on trend this season and are the most versatile shoes we reviewed.

So if you're a little short on cash we'd recommend saving a bit.

But Christmas is coming up and it's the perfect opportunity to add the perfect princess KG shoes to your list!

Roots We all cheered when Lee Stafford coloured Josie BB's hair. Now Katie Waisell is making us frantically check our roots in the mirror.

Americans criticising our accents Cheryl Cole has been told to take elocution lessons if she wants a spot on US X Factor.

Noo pet!

Being caught bitching 'No, I was talking about another Sarah... who has brown hair... and is on my course... damn.'

Scruffy dressers We'd just look a mess, yet they still look good.

We're talking to you, Rachel Bilson – it's just not fair!

Our clothes going into sale I only bought that last week!

Sian Roberts

Redbrick

Issue Get your knit on!

Amy Parsons Reporter

It's fun, it's fashionable and it keeps you warm; yes you've guessed it, knitting is the new winter hobby.

Celebrities such as Julia Roberts and Sarah Jessica Parker have all been spotted knitting in between takes, even my 19 year old brother has been known to have a go. Boys do not fear, this is not just for girls – apparently Russell Crowe dabbles. Knitting is making a comeback, row by row, stitch by stitch and is no longer a granny pastime.

In an industry that thrives on fast, disposable fashion and keeping up-to-date with the current trends, knitwear rebels against this by reappearing on the catwalk every Autumn/Winter. The world of fashion has gone crazy for knit.

Models have even taken up knitting as a form of relaxation during and after fashion shows. This month, Vogue are welcoming back 'old granny knits' and encouraging its readers to retrieve that 'nostalgic knit'.

In a BBC article, Gerard Allt, owner of, I Knit London, a knitting shop near Waterloo station says, 'Nothing you knit will be identical and you are your own production line, which for people concerned about the ethics of cheap child labour is very satisfying'. People are embracing the concept of DIY fashion in order to express their own personal style. We have all experienced that awful moment when you spot someone on campus wearing the same jumper and to make things worse, your friend comments, 'look she's got your jumper on!' So why not get knitting and express your individuality?

Go knit crazy and start with something simple such as legwarmers or why not be daring and follow Vogue's knitwear trend this month 'furry armlets', which are an unusual take on traditional legwarmers. Don't worry boys, here's something for you: why not knit a simple, warm beanie for those afternoons on the touch line supporting your team? Knitting is ideal for a student budget as it is cheap, easy, very relaxing and you can knit whilst watching X Factor on a Saturday night. You can create exactly what you want and most importantly be certain that you will not spot another one. This winter hobby has now become trendy

Fashion Ink, ink baby and can be conveniently carried around in that oh-so-large bag which is a must this season.

As if I haven't persuaded you enough, not only is knitting the new fashionable trend but it even has many health benefits. Fashionistas say knitting is 'the new yoga' and it has been directly compared to meditation. The Guardian also states that knitting can help improve memory and the repetitive action of knit one, pearl one has also been found to combat stress.

Knitwear will certainly keep you warm this winter and is a solid investment of your time and money. So if you've been fashionably persuaded to jump onto the knitting bandwagon, here are my 5 top tips for getting started.

1. Start with something simple.

2. Buy your needles from a charity shop (they are much cheaper).

3. Unravel old jumpers and buy wool from the local market. Also pop down to Stitch Perfect at the Custard Factory, which sells wool and offers knitting lessons.

4. Use cheaper wools, such as acrylic as its machine washable and you won't have the drama and expense of 'dry cleaning'.

5. Chunky knits are a must have this season so use thick wool and bigger needles.

Culture Bikini politics in The Emirates

Lindsay Brown Reporter

Dubai is often regarded as the most progressive state of the United Arab Emirates, however there have been numerous news stories recently about women being arrested for dressing inappropriately and unmarried couples being scorned for holding hands in public.

After spontaneously booking a flight in the summer, I was immediately faced with concerns about the number of laws which can affect young people. Unlike other Emirates, in Dubai the drinking age is 21; however, the consumption of alcohol is restricted in public to the hotels and bars (which is very expensive) and to drink at home you need a special resident's licence, which even ex-pats living there cannot always get. There are also customs restrictions which mean you should not bring certain medications into the country, including many painkillers and contraceptive pills.

However, my biggest concern was how to dress appropriately in order to abide by strict rules of

Lifestyle 21

5th November 2010 www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Editors – Briony Singh, Rob Lewis

modesty, while facing the forty degree desert heat. I looked at internet blogs for advice, but opinions on what is suitable varied; some people said that in public places it is offensive to have any skin on show except your neck and face, and that men should also wear longer trousers, whereas others claimed it is acceptable to wear anything you would on a beach holiday in western countries.

When I landed in Dubai airport the difference in what people were wearing shocked me; some girls had obviously not thought anything of the cultural differences and arrived in tiny skirts and very low tops, provoking the guards to comment loudly about the 'very nice' Western girls.

At the pools and on the beach it is acceptable to wear what you normally would, yet my first trip to Dubai Mall, the largest in the world, showed me the real diversity of the state. It was brimming with tourists from all different parts of the world, some of whom were walking around in shorts and strappy tops, contrary to others wearing maxi dresses or full length skirts with short sleeved tops.

The malls themselves are mostly full of well-known European shops such as H&M and Mango, as well as designers like Gucci and Louis Vuitton. This highlights the lack of traditional culture in the centre of Dubai.

The major tourist stops are the hotels and malls, pinnacles of wealth yet also Western culture, and even the Souks which you see in main Dubai are all modern built resemblances of traditional markets, full of American style snack stands and cash machines for easy spending.

Yet the local people showed me a different side to Dubai; in the malls and hotels there would be groups of men and women in traditional dress, and it was common to see women fully covered with only hands, feet and eyes showing.

Although some women wore plain black Burkas and Niqabs (head scarves which only show the eyes), many were embroidered in bright colours like turquoise and some of the most exquisite were jewelled with Swarovski crystals.

I also saw many women taking advantage of their eyes, as the only part of their body showing, and use dark kohl pencil to decorate with Arabic style designs. These women represent how Arabic tradition remains in Dubai, but complements modern style and the wealth culture, showing off their own taste whilst still abiding by the modesty of their religion.

In Dubai, the influences of Western tourism and modernisation are unavoidable, and it is clear that Arabic culture has been slightly eroded. Nevertheless, the strict laws based on religious principles stand as a reminder of the traditional culture that is still very much alive.

When thinking about tattoos, it is easy to imagine some burly mid40s sailor covered in inky topless women, anchors and swallows (think Popeye). However, modern culture is shamelessly proving that you don't have to be of poor standards to wear ink on your skin. Celebrities, for example, frequently show off their imaginative little gems of rebellion, swiping away any chance of an innocent, squeaky-clean image.

People in the public eye parade their tattoos proudly, as do more and more frequently, members of the public. So why should models turn down the opportunity to appear hard-core and individual? Fashion models, supposedly the blank canvas clothes-horses of designers, are adorning but occasionally concealing designs, words and symbols on their blemish-free skin.

Being the edgy fashion-forward women they are, the idea that models can have tattoos has spread and it is now tricky to find a model without one. While most might be discreet (Kate Moss has a small anchor on her arm), many chose to expose them at all times, with the designers' approval (such as Freja Beha Erichsen).

Fashion bloggers must certainly get some credit for this too.

With off-duty model snaps on blogs such as jakandjil.com/blog, model style is more hyped and criticised than ever, making models more known for their individual fashion hits and blunders than the designers they walk for, and all the while, sporting tattoos to push their funkiness over the edge.

However, the common acceptance of tattoos seems to have affected designers' thought process, and this time I'm not talking permanent. Karl Lagerfeld introduced in his ever-stylish and chic Chanel collection temporary tattoos.

These were worn around model's legs, necks and arms. Surely this proves quite simply that tattoos are socially acceptable?

It is now common to see, a young woman walking down the street in a skirt, heels, rock tee and tattoos around her wrists. It would be foolish to deny fashion's current adoration of tattoos as a possible influence on the average person, especially if that person is under twenty-five.

Models, just like celebrities and fashion designers, are making tattoos trendy once again. To have a tattoo is to apparently be fashionable, and remember, you're never more fashionable than a super-model.

In 2004, Jessica Morgan and Heather Cocks from Los Angeles started up a blog that today is one of the most popular in the world. The premise of the website was to slate celebrity paparazzi shots with biting and satirical effect.

'Go Fug Yourself' gets the latest pictures and, much like the Mean Girls' Burn Book, slags off all and sundry. The 'Fug Girls', as they are called, are shamelessly shallow and ruthless.

The blog posts dress down celebrities pointing out their 'fugly' fashion faux pas, and without fail manage to make amusing puns to include their trademark, such as: 'Bleeding Fug' for Leona Lewis, 'Fugarazzi' for Lady Gaga and, a personal favourite, 'If You Fugged It, Then You Should Have Put a Ring On It' for Beyonce.

They even catalogue down the side of the homepage all their 'Fug Favourites' so you can browse to your bitchy heart's desire, where all those hot celebrities went drastically wrong in the past.

The cutting remarks are always tongue in cheek of course.

The last post listed for Alicia Keys singing live in a pink, satin mini dress (it already sounds incriminating) says, 'I hope to God you don't get too close to the edge of the stage, because we're all going to be able to see straight up it.

Everyone's happy you're having a baby, but none of us are so happy that we actually want to act as your OB-GYN'.

To give the bloggers their due, they do give some stars the benefit of the doubt in their 'Well Played' posts. Under one photograph on Taylor Swift, who is dressed in a polka dot tea dress and heeled brogues they bitterly comment, 'I have to say, it's possible that I am enamoured by this, because the photo is sort of great'.

Sometimes the star's stylists get it half right and this is when the 'Unfug It' posts comes into play. The bloggers break it down into what is right, what is wrong and how it could be improved.

Let's face it, not everyone is perfect and sometimes you might slip up and pair that gorgeous Valentino dress with some bloody awful shoes.

The Fugsters have recently expanded from blogging and written a book called The Fug Awards. The blog's content is undeniably funny but a book detailing celebrity fashion disasters is something that would go out of fashion itself and therefore paradoxically screw the whole concept of their site over!

My final analysis: the blog is handily updated several times a day and makes you feel so much better when your own self-esteem is ebbing.

Vicky Hodgkinson

Rachael Pountley Reporter

Blog review: Oh fug!

22 Travel

Gobi marches on

Monique Hansen

A pair of good running shoes, seven days, 250 kilometres and the Gobi Desert; not a combination that would appeal to the masses.

However, this summer I joined 153 arguably insane members of our society who voluntarily chose to be a part of this surreal challenge that takes place every year.

This year the Gobi March saw participants trek through the harsh, unmerciful and breath-taking terrain Xinjiang's Turpan Basin area in China has to offer. The race is one of four annual 250km ultramarathons that RacingThePlanet organize for the more fearless and adventure-craving souls out there.

The Gobi March, contrasting its sister races which take place in Atacama, Sahara and Antarctica, is unique in that it takes place in the windiest desert in the world, with its hairdryer-esque attributes and frequent sandstorms.

More alarmingly, and a point I was taken by surprise, was the range of temperatures that the Gobi is victim of. With parts of the race running through the Turpan Basin, home to the second lowest point in the world, being 156 metres below sea-level, the unforgiving cold made it feel more like the arctic than a desert. However, during the day, temperatures would reach blistering heats of over 55 degrees celsius, which came hand in hand with the pains of the burning blisters on the competitors feet.

The race itself is self-supported, which means that each competitor has to run, or walk, with everything they will need to sustain themselves for the seven days that they are in the desert. The desperate attempts to reduce the weight on their shoulders made it clear that even half a kilogram makes the biggest difference. Food consisted of questionable freezedried substances which you simply add hot water to. Whilst the menu around the campsite ranged from freeze-dried chicken korma to freeze-dried all-English breakfasts; they all shared one element;

5th November 2010 www.redbrickonline.co.uk

being that they tasted surprisingly good to start with, but after the third day of three freeze-dried meals, the thought of your next meal became more of a mandatory fuel provider.

The only two things provided were water and tents, which were haphazardly pitched up in, seemingly, the middle of nowhere. The remoteness of the campsite locations were surreal. With the horizon appearing to show no other sign of life, it was almost scary how out of touch we all were from the 'real' world in this most picturesque part of the world. With no trespassers other than scorpions, snakes and the mass of flies the increasingly smelly runners attracted, we were essentially alone.

On one occasion our pit stop for the night was situated in Peach Village, a local community of no more than half a lecture-roomful of people. I attempted to ask those villagers who spoke Mandarin what they thought of roughly 200 odorous fitness fanatics invading their village, but in response I simply got smiles and a few freshly picked peaches.

However, the most significant aspect of this race is, of course, the 250km of desert passed by foot.

The physical and emotional drain that these participants put themselves through is beyond comprehension. As they hobble into the checkpoints this drain is instantaneously recognizable. While the fast competitors will not even stop for more water, with us volunteers having to run alongside them trying eagerly to pour water into their water bottles, the slower participants will take a seat and relax at the checkpoint before once again disappearing off into the nothingness that is the horizon.

Having chatted with some of the competitors whilst at the checkpoints, it seems the general consensus that though inevitably fitness is key, what is more important is the mental determination.

Once you stop believing that you can do it, and mentally give up, your feet soon follow. This is proven through the witnessing of many

top runners having to pull out, with lesser runners completing.

Where they get the motivation, differs between individuals. While some do it for charity, others do it to test themselves and others simply do it for the adventure. Regardless of whether they can pin-point exactly the driving force for them being there, they have 250km of isolation in a desert to reflect on it. With the number of life-stories that I was privileged to hear about, I realised how well you can get to know someone when you are in a desert with them for 7 days.

With no outside factors meddling with personalities, people are open and take off the masks that they may wear back in the 'real' world. 250km gives competitors time to think about everything from what really matters to them, what their purpose in life is, to simply what they are most looking forward to once they get home again; I blame this aspect of the race for the many marriage proposals that take place after the race. With 250km of thought, it becomes clear what matters most to you, and surely, it must make you realize who you want to see at the finish line and just how much they mean to you.

The finish line in itself is an emotional phenomenon. Tears of joy spread like wildfire as more and more competitors reach the end of this endurance race. There is nothing like witnessing the completion of such an extraordinary goal. The tears that pour from the competitors are mirrored by the loyal family members who have come from across the globe to share this moment with them, and as clichéd as it may seem, love is all around as people embrace the accomplishment.

Engulfed and intoxicated by the absurdity of the event, many of these athletes already grace the thought of the next desert challenge with an enthusiasm that I would usually only reserve for scandalous nights at Oceana.

Admirable or insane, it's up to you to classify.

The Gobi March

Monique Hansen

Redbrick

Editors – Ed Gordon, James Cull

Check out: www.redbrickonline.co.uk for Redbrick Travel's look at the death of the package holiday...

Debate Tickets to ride INTERRAILING

WINGING IT

Ed Gordon

Ellen Fitzpatrick

It turns out you can put a price on freedom; it is however much an InterRail ticket costs these days.

Stuck in Warsaw, not a word of Polish at my lips, trying to book the last train to Krakow, I found myself longing for an InterRail ticket. While in the strictest sense, some bookings are still required, producing that slender green slip of paper is like a shield to all inspectors; a barrier against ignorance. This, in effect, lets you clamber aboard the train you know you need and worry about sorting things out with the man in the hat later on.

Interrailing, however, is expensive. One month of continuous use would set a youth, 26 or younger, back by £325. The particular ticket that I used a few years ago has increased by £70, if my memory serves me correctly. Which it does. Travel without the pass can be found cheaper, though this is dependent on being an organised little beaver and booking trains and times in advance. There isn't much denying this. The bookings though, would have to be made weeks previous, trip planned and itinerary sorted, and who can be bothered, really?

Another flaw in the grand plan comes in northern-ish Europe.

They don't really do trains too well, in fact, almost at all. From Tallinn to Warsaw there wasn't a train to be had – coach travel all the way.

While the interrail pass gives you a discount on the coach journeys, there is still some cost, and you can't just 'jump on' a coach like you can a train – bookings are to be made.

Interrailing then is far from perfect. It's not as simple as the website may make out; booking fees still apply, and there are all kinds of terms and conditions that may complicate the issue further, but being an average student the ticket that lets you decide when and where you want to go is key.

'It's the Journey not the Destination.'

At first, I dismissed this statement as a cliché. One of those statements people tend to say when they have screwed something up. But after travelling in Europe this summer I could not agree more.

We didn't purchase an InterRail pass on the grounds that the prices had risen and we were hopeful that we might be able to navigate our way from Athens back to the UK for less. This wasn't the case. Admittedly, our hopes to foil the system with our canny money saving techniques were not entirely successful and, financially, the three week trip probably cost us slightly more than if we had purchased the pass.

Yet I don't think any of us would change our decision given the chance. Our choice forced us to navigate more modes of transport (think planes, trains and automobiles with the occasional ferry thrown into the mix) and to interact more with the locals. Also, the need to find ourselves the cheapest transport mode would lead me to advocate coach travel (applicable at times on the InterRail pass too) as both a more comfortable way to travel and one which takes routes really allowing you to see the countries you travel through. My recommendation for impromptu travelling is not quite as care free as it seems though and I would encourage scouting out internet cafes en route to book your next journey online if possible. Though the thought of sprinting across Bari in Southern Italy to reach the coach station, or attempting to utilise your language skills in Florence to return the incorrect train ticket sounds daunting, the adventure we experienced from being completely independent on our travels was something that I couldn't put a price on.

Redbrick

Travel 23

5th November 2010 www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Editors – Ed Gordon, James Cull

Safety In Ibiza

Multi-Kulti? Nein, danke!

Sébastien Reynaud looks at whether German multi-culturism can really work or not.

s V

Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria

One country, two very different views.

The German chancellor, Angela Merkel announced last Saturday that multi-culturism (Multi-Kulti in German) has 'failed' in Germany. This declaration gave rise to big controversy there, much of it relayed by the international press.

Indeed, she said that the 'multicultural approach' – saying that we simply live side-by-side and are happy with each other has failed, utterly failed. This is why she wants the immigrants to make efforts in order to integrate 'to learn to speak German'. But the German chancellor also admitted the necessity of immigration for the economy of her country: 'We should not be a country either which gives the impression to the outside world that those who don't speak German immediately or who were not raised

speaking German are not welcome here.'

To understand why Merkel came to such a declaration, let's try to define multiculturalism. According to Dictionary.com, it is defined as, 'the acceptance or promotion of multiple ethnic cultures, applied to the demographic makeup of a specific place, usually at the organisational level, e.g. schools, businesses, neighbourhoods, cities or nations'. More specifically, Multi-Kulti is a German public policy approach about the immigration experienced around the 1980s, claiming that different cultural populations can live side-byside in the same country without being integrated into the culture of the country of origin. According to the Daily Telegraph, 'they need

Rachael Hewison

Neukölln, Berlin

not integrate, learn the language or adopt the customs and practices of their new home.'

So, what is the outcome of this approach of immigration based on 'live side-by-side' or as Ms Merkel said, did it really fail? All that we can say is that this model contributed in creating a violent feeling of xenophobia all around Germany.

A recent survey showed that 30 per cent of the population believed that the country was overrun with foreigners.

This debate first heated up in August when Theo Sarrazin, a former executive at the Deutsche Bundesbank, published his highly controversial book Deutschland Schafft Sich Ab ('Germany Does Away With Itself') in which he claims that Muslims decrease the

vtveen/young-germany on Flickr level of intelligence in the population and also states that 'no other immigrant group other than Muslims is so strongly connected to claims on the welfare state and crime'. His highly controversial book has already sold over 700,000 copies in Germany alone.

So, the question is, how do we face such a feeling of xenophobia?

Anetta Kahane, a German journalist claims that 'education systems have to be improved and immigrants have to make an effort to learn German and integrate'. She concludes by saying, 'there are no more only Swedish, or only French, or only Portuguese; there are now many multicultural places in the world. Immigration is the future in our globalized world. Anyway, we have to face it and deal with it.'

How effective is airport security?

Has airport security become too lax? Claire Chinn comments...

British Airways chairman, Martin Broughton, is likely to have irritated a lot of people that have spent hours queueing in airport security for US bound flights, removing items of clothing that could be seen to be dangerous, by saying that many security checks are 'pointless' and calling for their revision.

Broughton branded parts of the UK security system as 'redundant' and stated that American airports are not employing the same level of checks on their own internal flights that they demand from UK airports. He claims that the UK should stop 'kowtowing' to every

Dubai police discovered parts of a computer printer with explosives loaded into its toner cartridge found in a package onboard a cargo plane coming from Yemen.

A woman was arrested in Yemen accused of posting the two bombs found on the planes

US security demand.

The Transport Secretary, Phillip Hammond, added to Broughton's remarks, suggesting Government intent on creating a new regulatory system that would set the security outlines in line with EU requirements. Does this mean the end of removing our shoes and having our laptops scanned for whatever we might have managed to hide in them?

It seems, however, that recent events may cast doubts on these reforms as two bombs were found on flights from Yemen, intercepted at East Midlands and Dubai Airport. The finding of the bombs shows that not only are the threat of terrorist attacks are as relevant as they were over nine years ago, but that the current system of security checks work. Do they need to change?

The bomb was hidden inside a printer, undetectable by the naked eye and was reported unlikely to be picked up by x-ray screening. Only after a tip off from Saudi Arabian authorities was the Metropolitan police's counter terrorism branch alerted by US and UK intelligence authorities.

It seems to me that current airport security is sufficient, but if, as Broughton and the rest of

Britain's aviation authorities are wanting, checks are to be streamlined, will they be able to cope with these situations? Rather than pulling back security measures, should there not be more steps to ensure there is a worldwide minimal level of security in all airports?

Not only has this brought the world back to a frightening reality that the terrorist threat still has a ubiquitous presence, it shows that we should not slip into a false sense of security; just because the current system is holding up, we shouldn't wait for the next time it fails for more development in se-

Liverpool John Lennon Airport

curity.

Surely, more checks are going to be for our benefit? We probably complain because of the seemingly unnecessary inconvenience; perhaps because we do not see the effects of these checks, and hopefully will never have to. Hammond's department has said there are currently no plans to stop the checking of shoes or laptops. Even so, I hope any plans made are not to match the US's lack of conscientious checks but to ensure this weekend's nightmare is not repeated.

BuhSnaf on Flickr

Ibiza always seems to get a bad reputation these days: drugs, carefree sex, enough alcohol to make a horse pass out, drunken fights, rapes and robbings are just some of the delights on offer. The Times reported that out of 1,500 people questioned returning from the island, almost half took illegal drugs and half the people that had sex hadn't used a condom. No wonder my parents were shocked when I told them my holiday destination for this year! Just before I left, I got the drugs talk from my friend Holly, the safety talk from my brother and my dad put condoms on the list of stuff to take on holiday with me; it seemed like everyone else was more worried about my safety than I was.

I spent two weeks there in September and it was not as bad as it is made out to be. Yes, there are the obvious problems such as the men selling 'sunglasses and watches' on the beach. We all knew what they were really selling but all you had to do was say no and they left you alone. Other people asked if we wanted some of their drugs but were fine when we declined.

There were also some break-ins in our hotel where money got stolen but it was always in rooms where the residents didn't loan a safety deposit box – rookie error!

Aside from that we had no problems. There were only two of us who went (both girls) and we didn't have any trouble with the locals and the other holiday goers couldn't have been nicer.

The clubs, which are described as being full of druggies and alcoholics, were fine. Everyone was there just to have a good time and see legends like Armin Van Buuren.

The alcohol is always quite expensive in the clubs, so many of us just drank the free/cheap drinks offered on the 18-30yrs packages and then didn't drink in the club, which meant a lot of us were in a much better state than if we had been to a standard night at Fab! There were also many standard pubs and bars so if you fancied a night off to have a few pints there were loads of places to chill out.

My advice to any of you who do fancy going to Ibiza- do listen to the lectures about your safety and do buy a safe. If you're not into drugs just say no. No one is going to force you. Don't get yourself so drunk you have no clue where you are, it is a foreign country after all.

But above all enjoy yourself. Go to as many of the bars and clubs you can and definitely visit Priviege and Amnesia (especially when Armin is there). Buy the club 1830yrs package – not great but a good laugh. Above all HAVE FUN. There is no place in the world like Ibiza; everyone should go there at least once in their lives.

Flights to Ibiza from London Stansted are available for next June from around £85 per person including taxes and 1 piece of luggage with EasyJet. Union vs Ibiza Rocks (www.unionibiza.com) offers student-orientated packages including accommodation and free admission into some clubs for around £159 for 4 nights.

24 Editorial

5th November 2010 www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Redbrick Editorial

E

Time for change?

Thomas Walters

arly Wednesday morning I sat in front of the television enthralled by the BBC News channel as the first results of the US mid-term election became clear. I'm not normally one to follow American politics closely, despite being in my third year of a Political Science degree, but this week's elections have been no less than fascinating.

You can be forgiven for knowing little about the events of the last few days; after all, their system is not exactly easily transferable to ours. But to sum up in an incredibly crude fashion, Obama and his democratic party have lost control of the House of Representatives (this is the lower house of Congress, the same part of the legislature as the House of Commons in the UK; however, the distribution of power between each part of the legislature differs between each country).

This is biggest exchange of seats since 1948. Essentially, the events of November 2nd have made it a whole lot harder for Obama to pass any legislation.

(Breathe, the brief politics lesson is over.)

Not only does the President now face an opposition-dominated lower house, but a lower house which now includes several 'Tea Party' backed Republicans. Whilst the 'Tea Party' movement have not made huge gains, the low taxes

Art Director small government campaign movement could still drive the Republican party further right, potentially causing paralysis in policy making.

In essence, they want to block and undo what they have labelled as Obama's un-American agenda. An empty term, but one that carries a lot of weight amongst many American voters who are disillusioned by his healthcare reforms and economic policies.

God knows why, the healthcare reforms make sure those with existing conditions receive insurance, and at the same time protect the health insurance industry.

Although several 'Tea Party' backed candidates won seats in the senate, the group that has labelled President Obama as both a socialist and a fascist have seen many of their most controversial figures defeated where Republican gains had been expected. For one thing, Christine 'I'm not a witch' O'Donnell, former WWE CEO Linda McMahon and multi-millionare Meg Whitman failed to impress voters despite an array of publicity stunts which included an array of sketches on WWE Smackdown.

Many in America must be wondering where the movement will go next. They have already attacked more moderate conservatives with Marc Rubio the new 'Tea Party' backed Senator for Florida

laying the blame of both health and economic policies at the door of both the Republican and Democratic party despite being a member of the former.

More worryingly, Sarah Palin and her 'God Warriors' (the term she supposedly uses to describe her supporters) have spearheaded this movement and swing some serious political clout. Despite her lack of knowledge of policy, and national politics and complete na誰vety when it comes to foreign policy, this paints a worrying picture for the next presidential election in 2012.

Clearly Guantanamo Bay will remain open with Obama unable to push through any legislation closing that stain on the country's record, but it is likely to make other foreign policy and ecomonic decisions difficult to handle too, and of course all of this has reverberations around the world.

Despite our incredibly out of date electoral system, I thank God no one as insane will ever be picked to stand for election by either main party in the UK. However, this incredible display of democracy has taught me two things; firstly, that I should stand up and be counted, get involved, fight against injustice and fight for what I think is right - not sit back displeased with how things are, letting those at the extremity of society drown me out.

Secondly, and perhaps on a lighter note, it has informed me of the potential for a lot more interesting and charismatic characters on the British political scene. Gone are the days of fantastic speakers, but we can still have a genuinely exciting electoral campaign if we

The Redbrick Crossword

Mordo Nahum Puzzles Editor This week's prize is a choice between either Gate at the Stairs by Laurie Moore or Week in December by Sebastian Faulks

=1=2=3=4=5=6= 7_____=8_____ =_=_=_=_=_=_= 9___=0_______ ===_=_=_=_=_= ab_____=c____ =_===_=d===_= e__f_=g__h___ =_=_=i=_=_=== j_______=k_l_ =_=_=_=_=_=_= m_____=n_____ =_=_=_=_=_=_= Across

7. Lectern, platform (6) 8. Captain ______, Patrick Stewart's character in Star Trek (6) 9. Lied (anag.) (4) 10. Wes ________, director of The Royal Tenenbaums (8) 11. Internet browser made by Mozilla (7) 13. Noah and the _____, British indie/folk band (5) 15. Semi-aquatic carnivorous mammal (5)

17. Taverns (anag.) (7) 20. Ambient musician who played keyboards in Roxy Music (5, 3) 21. Fruit and bird of New Zealand (4) 23/24. Most succesful German football team (6, 6)

Down

1. Silent (4) 2. Demon; brand of soft drink (6) 3. Chemical name for alcohol (7) 4. Shovel (5)

5. Scald, singe (6) 6. Borough of New York City (8) 12. Break, hiatus (8) 14. Distorts, warps (7) 16. The ______, Thom Yorke album; article of stationery (6) 18. Invader wearing a horned helmet?

(6) 19. Jules _____, sci-fi author who wrote Around the World in Eighty Days (5) 22. Cord used in a candle (4)

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took an americanised approach.

Imagine the television advertisements in the run up to election day. Teresa May taking a leaf from Christine O'Donnell's book and declaring that she has never ever even dabbled in wicca. Nick Clegg being lambasted by Harriet Harman in television advertisements calling him out on his tuition fee U-turn, and adding a sly on his smoking habit in for good measure.

Perhaps this would inject some passion into voters. After all, everyone keeps moaning about electoral turnout steadily decreasing. Who doesn't want to see politicians slug it out? No? Just me?

OK then...

Sudoku

Apologies and Clarifications Apologies to those that filled out the crossword this week as there was a minor error. However, we have received a correct entry.

Please send all letters to letters@ redbrickonline.co.uk Letters for publication must be marked 'for publication' and include your name and course title. Letters without these details will not be published. We reserve the right to edit letters.

Video of the week

The objective of the game is to insert the numbers 1-9 into each row, column, and 3x3 box once Medium

T -Mobile Welcome Back This advert is popping up all over the place. To check out the full length feel-good clip, search 'lifesforsharing' on youtube.com

Did you know?

Hard Last issue's solution: =oyster=bliss =c=u=l==a=n=e bamboo=abacus =r=j=q==e=i=a rice=unclesam =n=c=e=r==o=e =altontowers= m=e==c=c=l=e= alterego=edam l=i=o==d=g=g= luthor=icarus e=b=m==l=n=l= Last issue's winner was Alex Jaggard, 4th Year, Economics with French. We will email you to arrange a time to collect your prize.

Finished crosswords to be submitted to the Redbrick office.

Deadline 10/11/10.

English is the third most spoken language in the world by total native speakers, behind both Mandarin and Spanish.

London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo and was the site of the world's first Insect house, Reptile house and the first public Aquarium.

On this day Scribble box

1605 - Guy Fawkes is discovered in a cellar under the House of Lords, acting rather suspiciously.

1931 - Ike Turner is born; twenty years later he invented rock and roll.

2006 - Saddam Hussein is sentenced to death for his role in the massacre of the 148 Shi'as in 1982.

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redbrickonline.co.uk

5th November 2010

Sport

25

Men's basketball take on Coventry's first team Success for Birmingham, page 27

Sport scholars setting standard at Brum In a year that has seen UoBSport double their investment in Birmingham's elite athletes, Redbrick Sport takes a look at the scholarship system in place and two of the students enjoying its benefits

About the scheme The scholarships are allocated on a three-tiered basis with gold, silver and bronze packages available.

Those on the gold package have usually played international sport at a senior level, those on the silver package have usually played at junior international level or higher while the bronze package targets sportsmen and women who the university feel have the potential to represent at international level.

Varney (left) trains for the season while Leonard (top right) and Scholarship Manager Gunn (bottom right) take to the track Simon Hall Sport Editor

As the third placed university in the British Universities and College Sport (BUCS) rankings, it is fair to say that Birmingham carry some weight in terms of sporting achievement. However, UBSport are not prepared to stop there and this year they have doubled their sport scholarship budget to give Brum's top athletes the very best facilities and opportunities.

Luke Gunn, UBSport's Scholarship Manager, this week paid testament to the scheme and believes it has come a long way since its humble beginnings 16 years ago: 'The scholarship scheme has been running since 1994 and it's grown tremendously in that time. With the help of the doubled funding this year, the scheme has grown by 30%. We now have 42 individual scholars across 25 different sports,

Scholar profile Name: Alison Leonard Age: 20 Course: Biological Sciences Year of Study: 3rd Years as athlete: 10 Inspiration:Kelly Holmes Best Sporting Moment: Winning silver medal in the 2007 World Youth Championships

which range from the team sports like American football to the individual disciplines like athletics.

As well as the extra scholars, we are also able to offer a much more attractive package to our scholars with great staff and facilities available for every sponsored athlete.'

He went on to say: 'The point of the scholarship system is simply to help our elite athletes. We want to see our teams crushing the likes of Loughborough in the big games; there really is nothing better. We hope that the scheme goes some way towards achieving that.'

Gunn also explained the university's new 'team scholarship', which has been invested in the rugby union team this year: 'Rugby union is one of the university's focus sports and they had no individual scholars this year. They are a team that has severely underperformed in recent years and yet they draw relatively big crowds for their home games, making them the team most in need of our investment.'

The scholarships appear to have borne fruit with a number of Brum's scholars, past and present, representing the university at the recent Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Louise Hazel, the heptathlon gold medalist, was on the scholarship scheme for four years during her time at the University of Birmingham. In addition to the scholars, Gunn himself represented Great Britain at the Games, coming home in an extremely creditable seventh place in the 3,000m steeplechase.

The talent within the scholarship scheme is still on show at

the university today and two of Birmingham's brightest stars gave their thoughts on how the scheme has helped them progress at a crucial time in their developments.

Alison Leonard is one of Birmingham's most decorated young athletes, scooping up indoor and outdoor BUCS gold medals in both

"In terms of strength and conditioning, the scheme has really allowed me to grow"

the 800 and 1500 metres last year, an impressive feat by anyone's standards. She puts a lot of her success down to the financial and physical help she has received from the university: 'I'm a third year now and have been on a scholarship since my first year and it has helped me massively. In terms of strength and conditioning, the scheme has really allowed me to grow to a huge extent thanks to the performance gym, lots of physio work, sport psychology, VO2 max testing and much more behind the scenes.'

Leonard is an example of where the scholarship can enhance performance in an individual ca-

UBSport

pacity but that does not mean those partaking in team games are not able to benefit as well. Tristan Varney is the Birmingham Lions American football team's quarterback and he is also one of Birmingham's hottest prospects for the future. Now in his third year, Varney has only entered the scheme for the first time this year having lit up the British Universities American Football League (BUAFL) for the last two years.

Varney has arguably been the main driving force behind the Lions' back-to-back undefeated seasons. He claims that he is already seeing the benefits of earning his well-deserved scholarship: 'I'm already noticing the difference this year with the help of the scholarship. The mentoring, advice and physio sessions have made training so much easier for me and the improvements I'm seeing are phenomenal. I really wouldn't want to be anywhere else when it comes to sport. The support and facilities you have access to here are incomparable with anywhere else in the UK.' With the new American football kicking off with the spectacular xpLosION event tomorrow, Brum's fans will be hoping that Varney can demonstrate this improvement on the field with an explosive performance to start the season with a bang.

However, while Birmingham has come an extremely long way in terms of the scholarships they offer their elite performers, it is still dwarfed by the attention and investment on offer in the USA, a point which Gunn emphasized:

'We're still 20 to 30 years behind America in terms of scholarships so we've certainly got a lot of catching up to do. Their university games are on national TV, they pay scholars tuition fees and generally take their University and College sport very seriously. It's something we should be aiming for in the UK but at the moment it's a long way off.'

Despite this gulf between the two countries, it is most definitely fair to say that Birmingham is one university looking to put it right.

In a time of financial constraints, it is extremely reassuring to see that the sporting future has not been neglected at Birmingham. And with superb athletes like Leonard and Varney coming through the ranks, that future seems to be in very safe hands. Only time will tell whether the rewards will come but if past results are anything to go by exciting times may lay ahead.

Scholar profile Name: Tristan Varney Age: 21 Course: Environmental Science Year of Study: 3rd Years playing: 6 Inspiration: Tom Brady Best Sporting Moment: Winning the national championships in first year, completing an unbeaten season

26 Sport

Redbrick

5th November 2010 www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Editors – James Phillips, Simon Hall

Fencers foil Loughborough Men's Fencing

Birmingham 1sts

135

Loughborough 2nds 72 Stefano Goosey Sport Reporter

Birmingham's fencers continued their unbeaten season on Wednesday with a comfortable 135-72 victory over Loughborough's second team. Having already beaten Nottingham and Cambridge's second teams, this time Brum secured the victory by the time the sabre category had ended.

The team seemed in good spirits ahead of the clash against the University renowned for its sporting prowess. They were confident and it wasn't surprising that each of the three weapons were won and very few matches were lost.

First up was the foil category, which was competed by captain Tom Potterton, Michael Baillie and Matthew Fitzsimons. A calm and collected Potterton began the rout with a 5-0 win, which was followed by a three point victory by Michael Baillie. Birmingham continued their strong form throughout the foil section and a secured a comprehensive 45-17 victory, losing

En Garde! Birmingham's fencers defeated their Loughborough opponents

only 2 out of the 9 contests.

Next up was the sabre category, competed by Luke Frostick, Lawrence Reid and Josh Unsworth.

Despite experiencing a landslide defeat in the foil category, the away side remained upbeat about their chances. After the team admitted being slightly hungover after a fencing social the night before, they contested throughout with the scores very close for the majority of the time. Loughborough's James Mitchell proved to be better suited in the sabre category than the foils as a 9-4 win over Josh Unsworth pulled the away side ahead.

This was followed by a closely

Tom Flathers

fought and exciting 5-5 battle between Birmingham's Reid and Mitchell of Loughborough, which left the away side with a one point lead. However an animated Frostick provided the break Birmingham needed with a 6-0 victory, which allowed the home side to continue their lead.

The hosts gained confidence and battled away to win the Sabre category 45-34 which left the them in a great mood ahead of the next round. The sabre victory just about confirmed their overall win with the Epee category still left to fight over.

Next up for Birmingham were Tom Parkin, Bryan Mills and Greg Carty who were confident about their chances especially as all were rested and fresh for their battles compared to the away side who had to make do with using some already tired fencers. Carty started off with a 5-1 win against Paul Healy and it seemed as if more wins would follow. However, the next battle between Mills and Dominic Bosher was a fragile contest as both fencers strived for a cautious approach as in the epee round, any hit on the body counts as a point. In the end time had to call this nail biting match and Bosher won 1-0.

Birmingham finished with a landslide victory of 45-21 in the last category to confirm the overall win at 135 points to Loughborough's 72. Captain Potterton was understandably happy with the victory: 'It was certainly our best performance in the foil category so far this season, however the match in two weeks time against the Loughborough 1st team will be much harder.' Now 3 matches unbeaten in the Midlands 1A league, Birmingham will have to be ready for their toughest battle yet against Loughborough's first team.

Peak success for cyclists at Hill Climb Championships Mark Brown Cycling Correspondent

BUCS cycling events span the entirety of the academic year, running from October to as late as June.

First up this year was the Hill Climb Championships on the 30th October at Curbar in the Peak District. Riders had to complete just over a mile of a course that averaged around a 10% gradient, with some sections proving considerably steeper. Each rider set off at a one minute interval from their predecessor, riding unaccompanied to the top of the hill where a finishing time was recorded.

Uphill races are governed by gravity, and so it is always a mad scramble to reduce the weight of the bike (and rider) before the start – removing bottle cages, putting on lighter wheels, and in some cases building up complete bikes from scratch solely for the event.

Birmingham had one of the largest entries of any university, with eight men and three ladies competing.

Having recently returned from a weekend's training camp in Snowdonia as preparation for the event the steep gradient didn't seem to have any affect on the eleven strong team.

Supporting the team was Will Bamber who was racing in the Na-

tional Hill Climb Championships the following day in Chipping Campden.

The ladies were first off, with Elle Hopkins swapping her track cycling bike for a standard road bike and finished just 5 seconds outside the top 10 in 12th place, with a time of 9:10. Louisa Blamires and Emily Carter both put in excellent times of 10:35 and 10:57 respectively, in their first ever attempt at the hill climb championships.

For the men, the early leader for much of the event was Josh Miers with a time of 6:13, faster than last year and enough to take a top 10 placing, finishing 9th.

Right on his heels was Neil Dallaway in 10th with 6:15, who was also competing in the National Championships the following day, so made a quick exit to go home and recover!

Oliver Wilson raced in his first BUCS event and finished strongly in 6:35 for 25th place, followed by Will Rudgard with 6:40 and 28th place, who required a swift front wheel change before the start due to a puncture! Henry Knott came in just under seven minutes with 6:56 (48th), with Nils Gustaffson in 7:03 (54th), Jack Peasgood 7:42 (89th) and Alex Saunders 8:23 (118th). Xavier Disley unfortunately suffered a bad crash two nights before, injuring his hip and

was unable to complete the entire course.

The packed field saw many close finishes, with sometimes up to five riders recording exactly the same time! The winner was Matthew Pilkington from King's College London with a very impressive time of 5:39, with Luke Dunbar of UWE and Henry King of Leeds rounding out the podium spots. In the women's event Lois Roisindale (Leeds Met) took the top honours for the second year running, with silver and bronze being snatched

by Jess Coulson (Manchester) and

Jess Roberts (Loughborough).

In the team event, a very strong Leeds team took the gold medal, but thanks to the excellent rides by Miers, Dallaway and Wilson, Birmingham took men's team silver for the first time in the history of the event, a fantastic result which shows how far the club has progressed this year.

With such a great effort exhibited by the team we can only expect great things for the upcoming BUCS track cycling championships which take place in Manchester this weekend.

Sports Shorts Archery

Birmingham's Archers took on Loughborough in a friendly last weekend. Team recurve came 1st.

Men's recurve came 1st and 3rd and women's recurve came 2nd and 3rd. Men's longbow achieved 1st and 3rd place. As Loughborough finished 2nd last year, four places ahead of Brum, this is a good sign of improvement.

Relays

The University's Athletics & Cross Country Club are hosting the 10th Annual University of Birmingham RLF Campus Relays on the 20th of November. Get in touch with the club if you are interested in getting a team together and taking part. Club captain Chiedu Ufodiama can be emailed on chieduufodiama@gmail.com. In conjunction with this the club have negotiated a 20% discount at 'Up & Running' in the city centre for all University of Birmingham students from 13th November, on the production of your ID card.

So if you need new trainers then check it out.

Louise Hazel Birmingham alumni and recently crowned Commonwealth Games Champion Louise Hazel has been nominated for European Athlete of the Month, please take 30 seconds to vote for her at: www.european-athletics.org/ athlete-of-the-month

First team fixtures Support our clubs!

Game of the week: Men's Hockey vs Leeds.

Bournbrook 2.30pm Men's Basketball vs Wolverhampton.

Munrow Sports Hall 8pm Men's Lacrosse vs Cambridge Metchley 3G 2pm Women's Netball vs Cambridge Munrow Sports Hall 4pm Men's Rugby League vs Nottingham Metchley 2pm Men's Rugby Union vs Durham 2nds Bournbrook 3pm Men's Tennis vs Warwick 2nds Priory Club 1pm Women's Volleyball vs Cranfield Munrow New Gym 5.15pm

Elle Hopkins in action at Curbar.

William Bamber

Men's Volleyball vs Oxford Munrow New Gym 7.15pm

Redbrick

Sport 27

5th November 2010 www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Editors – James Phillips, Simon Hall

Leeds hold firm as Brum crash out Men's Rugby Union

Birmingham 2nds Leeds 2nds

6 14

Rory Millar Reporter

Birmingham men's rugby second team crashed out of the BUCS knockout cup at the first round stage after narrowly losing to Leeds' second team 14-6 on a wet Wednesday afternoon at Metchley Park. Prior to kick off, a close game was expected as both sides play in BUCS Division 1A within their respective regions.

Birmingham will be disappointed to have lost the game, after dominating for long periods. From the half hour mark onwards, the hosts were camped in the Leeds half and only some fine defending by the visitors, who showed grit and determination, prevented Birmingham from scoring on several occasions.

The match got off to a slow start, with the opening 15 minutes being a scrappy and largely uneventful affair. Although, another 15 minutes on, Leeds opened their account with a brilliant try that was scored following a great piece of running rugby which was finished well by winger Peter Claussen. The move started in their own half after the visitor's inside centre George Strang powered his way through a couple of tackles before off-loading to Rob James who passed out to Claussen on the right wing who scored in the corner. The try was then converted well by Rob White from the right hand touch-line to make the score 7-0.

Birmingham responded positively and hit back almost immediately after the away side were penalised for being offside. Peter Gizauskas made no mistake with the resulting penalty just left of the centre of centre on the Leeds 22.

Just as Brum started to take control of the game, Leeds scored their second try of the afternoon out of nothing. It started with fullback Rob Taylor in his own half who burst through a gap in the Bir-

Despite some strong runs, Leeds' defensiveline simply couldn't be broken mingham back line, before passing out to Robbie Spence who showed great hands to keep control of the ball, especially given the wet conditions, to score a fine try despite still having so much to do. He took the ball just inside the Brum half on the right wing and with limited options chipped the ball over Will Hatch before beating full-back Matt Smith to the ball and waltzing in under the posts, leaving White with the easiest of conversions to make the score 14-3.

The home side again responded well to conceding a try and dominated the remainder of the first half. Gizauskas kicked a penalty in the corner, turning down the opportunity of three points and the decision looked as if it would pay off as Will Knight took the line-out well and the Birmingham forwards drove towards the line.

However, despite the constant pressure in the opposition 22, Leeds remained strong, prevent-

ing Birmingham from crossing the line. Ultimately the home side had to settle for three points, after winning yet another penalty, this time directly in front of the posts.

This signalled the end of the first half, with the score at 14-6 but there were promising signs for the hosts.

The second half began in the same way that the first had finished, with Birmingham putting the Leeds defence under pressure but they dealt admirably with the waves of Birmingham attacks that

Penalties Conceded

Birmingham Leeds

4 17

came their way. The first 10 minutes of the half saw Gizauskas, who was successful with two of his four attempts in the afternoon, miss two difficult opportunities to reduce the deficit to within a try.

Just before the hour mark, the Birmingham number 8 Ed Burton almost crashed over after picking the ball up from the back of a scrum on the five metre line, but again the Leeds defence remained resilient and prevented the hosts from crossing the line.

Leeds were then reduced to 14 men, when second row Callum Turner was sin binned, which gave Birmingham a perfect chance to make a late comeback into the game, but they failed to make the most of this golden opportunity.

Ironically, it was actually 14men Leeds who nearly extended their lead during this period with Rob White missing for the first time in the afternoon, dragging a penalty wide of the left-hand post

Dmitry Trushchenkov from a central position just outside the 22, after what was Leeds' only visit to the opposition 22 throughout the entire half.

With just a couple of minutes to go, Turner was reintroduced after spending ten minutes on the sidelines and Leeds ultimately saw it through with no further scares.

The final whistle sparked jubilant celebrations amongst the travelling side who will undoubtedly be delighted with the win on their way back up the M1 to Yorkshire.

After the game, Birmingham captain Tony Oxley could not hide his disappointment at the early competition exit saying: 'It's hard to take going out in the first round, we just didn't show nearly enough heart or desire.' Will Taylor, the Leeds skipper however, admitted that it was a tough game but he went on to say: 'We defended fantastically today and the win definitely makes the long journey worth it.'

Basketball boys composed as Coventry collapse Men's Basketball

Birmingham 1sts

79

Coventry 1sts

76

Jay Rowe Reporter

Wednesday night saw the Birmingham Lions basketball team wipe out their local neighbours Coventry University in an end to end game which provided as much electricity in the huge audience as it did on the court. The home team's high pressure defence and clutch shooting were the keys to victory and saw them run out as winners by a margin of 79 – 76.

Birmingham were able to rely on the impressive speed of Demi Ademuson and Andy Blakeway to spread the floor in the first quarter and collect easy points on the fast break, but six shooting fouls at the

defensive end gave their opposition eight easy points to keep the game competitive.

The steadfast defence played by the Lions was highlighted by a painful charge taken by Blakeway towards the end of the first quarter.

His brave defence gave Ademuson the chance to take the ball up the other end of the court and thrill the spectators with a fierce drive and lay-up. The home team led 26 – 18 at the end of the first period.

Five points in quick succession and a plethora of impressive passes by talented ball handler Jake Barr enabled the home team to open up a lead of fifteen points midway through the second quarter. The half time score was 46 – 32 in favor of the Lions, and the team seemed in control.

The biggest cheer of the night went up when Coventry's Jacob Akinoso missed an easy layup; only to be punished on the break

by Birmingham's guard Salisbury.

However, at the midpoint of the quarter, the home team only led by five points before a three-pointer from Barr stretched the lead to eight, which would rise to thirteen by the end of the third session.

In a very nervy final quarter, clutch baskets from Barr and Blakeway stopped the away team in their tracks, just as it looked like Coventry were on the verge of taking a shock lead in the game. Two missed free throws by Brum's Ademuson kept the lead at four points with a minute to go, leaving the game on knife-edge.

Two successful free throws with thirty seconds left on the clock gave the home team the edge over their local rivals, before a steal and two more lucrative free throws by Barr sealed the win for the mighty Lions of Birmingham. The win should act as a helpful springboard as Brum look to climb the table.

Every ball was battled for as Brum came out on top

Rita Toth

28 Sport

Redbrick

5th November 2010 www.redbrickonline.co.uk

Sport

Editors – James Phillips, Simon Hall

Super Sports Scholars Redbrick Sport find out about the University's sports scholar scheme with American football's Tristan Varney and athlete Alison Leonard, p25

Nightmare at New Gym as Nottingham produce stunning comeback Women's Volleyball

Birmingham 1sts

2

Nottingham 1sts

3

25-17, 25-16, 22-25, 21-25, 14-15 Patrick Surlis Sport Reporter

Birmingham women's volleyball first team succumbed in incredibly disappointing fashion to a competent Nottingham side 3 sets to 2 on Wednesday evening in the Munrow New Gym. After racing into a 2-0 lead in less than 40 minutes Birmingham imploded losing the final three sets narrowly to remain

winless after three games of the season. Against a Nottingham side also looking for their first victory of the campaign the hosts looked assured and confident in their ability to get their season moving.

Instead, this crushing defeat sets back a side that find themselves at the wrong end of the table.

Things started brightly enough, Birmingham winning the first set in comfortable fashion, with Elise David-Bordier, acting as the hub of Birmingham's attacking play. Looking to be aggressive on their serve and targeting weaknesses within the Nottingham side, Birmingham were able to maintain momentum throughout the set by remaining

on serve for long periods, the result of their powerful serving and the away team's ineptitude defensively at the net. As the second set began Birmingham continued in much the same way, pressuring the visitors' defence into committing errors and coughing up cheap points. Brum captain, Ildegrada da Costa Cabral was producing perfect sets for Nadine Mayer and David-Bordier to put away, meaning the hosts swiftly raced to a 10-4 lead. Nottingham staged a mini-revival late in the set but the home team cruised to a 25-16 second set victory in less than 20 minutes, giving them a 2-0 lead, at that stage a seemingly insurmountable one.

The volleyball girls were devastated as Nottingham turned the game around.

Rita Toth

However, straight from the start of the third set, Birmingham seemed complacent and quickly found themselves 2-7 down. After managing to regroup and tie the set at 14-14 it seemed as though the hosts would kick on and wrap up the victory but instead, the opposite happened. The visitors remained in control and impressively closed out the set, taking it 22-25 and giving themselves a way back into the match. Brum needed to take that setback as a wake-up call and initially did so, opening up a 7-1 lead from the start of the fourth set. But Notts stormed back, winning the next 9 points and completely shifting the momentum of the match their way.

Birmingham responded bravely, briefly taking a 20-19 lead but to Nottingham's credit they battled impressively at the net cord and dominated the final few points, winning the fourth set 21-25 and sending the match to a fifth set tie-break. With 15 points enough to seal the victory in the tie-break both sides started cagily, conscious of avoiding mistakes that could give precious points away.

The set was tense throughout, the teams trading points culminating in a thrilling final point standoff.

Tied at 14-14 the next point would produce the game winner, with Nottingham on serve it turned out to be an anti-climatic one, the serve ricocheting off a home player and handing the victory to the away side, 15-14.

The despondent Birmingham players offered their victors deserved congratulations and credit must go to the way Nottingham battled back from two sets down.

Brum captain da Costa Cabral after the match lamented her

team's lack of consistency in the final sets, and attributed this to 'having been together as a squad for only three games, the communication was not always as it should have been. Even so we are incredibly disappointed not to have sealed victory today especially after being in such a strong position'. This match had offered the Birmingham team a real opportunity to put last week's defeat to Loughborough behind them, instead they go to next week's match against a strong Cranfield side desperate for a victory which hopefully will kick-start their season and see them moving in a positive direction.

Rita Toth

Athletes supreme in Leamington Peter Whitehouse Sport Reporter

Birmingham opened their cross country season last Saturday in Leamington with a display of quality, grit, determination and dominance.

Birmingham's supremacy was reflected by the men's team finishing top dogs in first place and the women in second despite some notable absentees such as Nick Goolab and Lauren Howarth. With some stunning performances and with a huge mass of athletes, Birmingham really did decorate the landscape with a never ending sea of red, blue and gold.

The men's team were lead home by one of their flagship runners and Great Britain international James Wilkinson who finished in 4th place. Wilkinson found himself surrounded by some top class runners in the field

including two very experienced African runners. He battled his way over a course which included a challenging hill, lots of narrow paths through woodland and a sizeable ditch.

The next Birmingham representative to finish was fresher Niall Flemming who finished in 11th place and is showing encouraging signs of developing into a fine athlete in the years to come. Matt Jackson, captain Joe Townsend, Alex Cornwell and James Mee finished in 16th, 17th, 18th and 20th places respectively to make up Birmingham's winning team.

Brum's dominance and strength in depth was really emphasised by the fact that 10 athletes finished before Loughborough or Warwick had even had one single athlete cross the finishing line.

Birmingham long distance coach Bud Baldaro was delighted with Birmingham's display stating that 'it was a great way to start the

season and it's always nice to see Birmingham giving Loughborough a really good thrashing.'

Birmingham's women also put in some fantastic performances with Biology student Alison Leonard powering through the finishing line in 6th place with Julia Cooke and Lara Thomas just behind the BUCS 800 metre champion in 7th and 8th. The trio however just missed out on top spot in the league losing out to Loughborough by the small margin of 2 points.

The University take part in the very prestigious Birmingham league which includes not only the top local Universities, but also all the local clubs such as Birchfield Harriers and Tipton.

If they continue like they started in Leamington, then it is entirely possible that Birmingham's men and women could both end the 2010/11 season as champions.

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