EST. 1936
Redbrick Friday 20th January 2012 | Volume 76 | Issue 1403 | redbrickpaper.co.uk
Find out why Redbrick joined the blackout protest against SOPA
Technology, page 24
Guild President faces vote of no confidence Charlotte Lytton Reporter
The President of the Guild of Students, Mark Harrop, is facing a vote of no confidence at the next Guild Council meeting. On Thursday 12th January, Harrop was presented with a petition from the Vice President of Education, Edd Bauer, explaining that 28 Guild Councillors and 22 students were requesting a motion of no confidence to be passed against the current President. The petition was signed for the following six reasons: 'the President's involvement with the disciplinary of a student at the university', 'lying to the sabbatical officer group about his witness statement,' 'chairing of the appointments panel', 'knowingly misleading students on his Officer Blog', 'serious and misleading miscommunication of the bye-laws to Guild Council' and 'failing to implement Guild mandates.' After the occupation of North Gate House in November by members of NCAFC (National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts) and others, Harrop was asked by the Guild to provide a witness statement of events that occurred over the two day sit-in. In his report Harrop identified a student at the University, who is now facing disciplinary action and possible expulsion. The student also alleges being assaulted by a member of the private security team hired by the University to guard the building during the occupation, a claim to which the President responded, 'I did not have the facts, nor did I witness the alleged event and therefore was unable to clarify. I was asked by the interviewer as to my initial reaction upon hearing of this event, which I concede I could have worded better.' The student concerned posted a scanned copy of Harrop's statement on Facebook, which prompted much outrage amongst students at the University of Birmingham and led to the statement being retracted. In a note entitled 'Withdrawal of Witness Statement' dated Tuesday 10th January, Harrop wrote, 'I gave what I believed was a truthful account of my observations of this incident; however I recognise how parts of the statement could be misconstrued.' Following the release of
Mark Harrop, the Guild of Students President Harrop's statement on a social networking forum, Edd Bauer made a number of comments through the official Vice President of Education Facebook account, offering solidarity with the student facing disciplinary action and heavily criticising Harrop's report. The other students present at the occupation have since written a letter to the Vice Chancellor, David Eastwood, affirming their attendance there in a bid to support the student concerned. While they had kept their presence at the sit-in under wraps, their letter, dated 11th January, told Eastwood: 'If you want to discipline [the student involved] you must discipline us as well.'
Jon Robinson, a third year politics student and participant in November's occupation, explained his decision to sign the letter was as a result of Harrop's incriminating statement. He said, 'It's fairly obvious that defending and supporting students is the fundamental role of the President of the Guild of Students, so I'm horrified to learn that he has not only been testifying against a student, but even casting doubts on the validity of that student's own testimony.' The University of Birmingham was also criticised last week by John Rushworth, Deputy Chancellor of the University of West England. Speaking to the Guardian newspaper about the student protests in November
Guild of Students 2011, he said, 'I don't say this in a negative way, but we're not Birmingham – our focus is on our students, whereas theirs is on their research.' Bauer stated in a recent blog that the University of Birmingham 'is getting a reputation for repression in the higher education sector,' and that the decision of students involved with the occupation to write to Eastwood was a means of fighting against this and showing solidarity with the student involved with the disciplinary. Much division has ensued on campus since Bauer has spoken out about Harrop's actions, with a Facebook page being set up in support of the President and much
criticism against him also appearing on the site. The vote will proceed to Guild Council if it passes through the scrutiny committee, in which two out of the three members must decide there is a case to answer. The scrutiny committee is made up of a University representative, a lay trustee and a student trustee. If it is passed, the Guild Council meeting will take place on 2nd February in which a two thirds majority vote of no confidence is needed to oust Harrop from his post. He stated: 'I will continue to do my job as President of the Guild of Students to the best of my ability, as the students who elected me would want me to do.'
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Redbrick Editorial Editor Glen Moutrie Deputy Editors Victoria Bull James Phillips Online Editor Chris Hutchinson Art Director Beth Richardson Photography Editors Freddie Herzog Millie Guy chiefphotographer@redbrickonline.co.uk Technical Directors Jeremy Levett News Editors Anna Hughes Kerrina Gray Rhiannon DoyleMaw news@redbrickonline.co.uk Online News Editor Freddie Herzog Features Editors Amanda Callaghan Oscar French features@redbrickonline.co.uk Online Features Editor Owen Earwicker
Jordan Warner food@redbrickonline.co.uk Life&Style Editors Sophie Cowling Lara Edwards lifestyle@redbrickonline.co.uk Online Food and Life&Style Editor Rosie Sharratt Travel Editors Emily Booth Louise Spratt travel@redbrickonline.co.uk Technology Editors Joshua Lindsey Ruth Bradley technology@redbrickonline.co.uk Sport Editors Sam Price Raphael Sheridan sport@redbrickonline.co.uk Online Sport Editor Joel Lamy Crossword Editor John Rizkallah Senior Editorial Assistant Kate Selvaratnam
News feed ITALY
Extra time given for murder questioning
Concordia death toll reaches 11
The Artist leads BAFTA nominations
Police have been given a further 12 hours to question the third suspect in the double murder of Avtar and Carole Kolar, who were found by their son Jason, a serving officer. He is the third in a string of suspects, one who is currently on police bail.
A further five bodies have been found inside the wreck of the cruise ship that capsized after hitting rocks last Friday. The news comes as judges question the Captain, Francesco Schettino, over charges of manslaughter.
Silent film The Artist is leading this year's BAFTAs with 12 nominations, including best film and best director. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy has eleven nominations. The ceremony, hosted by Stephen Fry, will take place next month.
Girl dies during PE lesson Lily Webster, 15, of Stowmarket High School, died during a trampoline lesson after she suddenly felt unwell. Counsellors are being sent to the school and decisions will be made in regard to potential investigation.
Music Editors Will Franklin Tamara Roper music@redbrickonline.co.uk
Online Editorial Assistants Rosie Pearce Josh Taylor Eimear Luddy
Abu Qatada wins deportation appeal
Junior Art Directors Lauren Wheatley Sophie Rogers Akhil Kothari
The European Court of Human Rights has ruled against the deportation of Abu Qatada from the UK to Jordan, where he has been tried in his absence for acts of terrorism. Abu Qatada has been linked to al-Qaeda and labelled 'very dangerous'.
Online TV and Film Editor Matthew Clemens Food Editors James Morrison
Proofreaders Nicola Barton Rachel Ashe Jenna Kirby Hannah Ennis Catherine Holding Community Manager Sophie MurrayMorris
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.
Who is your president?
Moorey
Co-chairs Natalie Nakkas and Hannah
What is the society all about? STAR aims to promote positive images of refugees, volunteer for local refugee projects and campaign for refugees. Your society's highlight?
JORDAN
POLITICS
Miliband defends pay rise cap Designed and typeset by Redbrick. Copyright (C) Redbrick 2012
Spotlight on Societies: STAR
SUFFOLK
Editorial Assistants Ellie Jarvis Isabel Mason Sarah Musgrove Elisha Owen Ravina Khela
Film Editors Genevieve Taylor Isidore Sanders film@redbrickonline.co.uk
ENTERTAINMENT
BIRMINGHAM
Arts Editors Lexie Wilson Alexander Blanchard arts@redbrickonline.co.uk
Television Editors Charlotte Lytton James Moore tv@redbrickonline.co.uk
Redbrick
20th January 2012
Despite the move being criticised by union leaders as potentially crippling for election prospects, Labour's leadership has supported the one per cent cap on public sector pay rises, angering some of the party's biggest financial backers.
Last term we raised £170 thanks to our music and comedy night at Urban Village. Unfortunately due to cuts to the Refugee Council, they have not been able to provide as much support to hostels and centres, thanks to STAR Birmingham we offer five voluntary projects. Your society in five words? Passionate, committed, diverse, voluntary and it makes a difference
1. According to the convention, a refugee is someone who: '…owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country…' 2. STAR last year had around 20 members and we are proud to now have 110 members.
Redbrick is printed through www.quotemeprint. com: 08451 300667. Advertising: Contact Aimee Fitzpatrick in Guild Marketing on 0121 251 2524
STAR offers a variety of opportunities from volunteering to fundraising to campaigning. Volunteering with children, teenagers and adults - you make a huge difference to the refugee's lives. The children, particularly, at the centre can be extremely bored, STAR makes a huge difference in providing not only recreational activities but educational programmes too. How can we get involved?
3. Asylum seekers are often kept in detention, despite the fact that claiming asylum is not a crime.
Please email star1@guild.bham. ac.uk and join our Facebook group: STAR Volunteering for more details!
MONEY
GOVERNMENT
UK inflation falls to 4.2 per cent
Disability allowance changes backed
A 0.4 per cent drop in inflation in December has supported the Bank of England's predictions of 2 per cent inflation by late 2012. The figure was the largest monthly decrease since August 2009. Further drops are expected.
The Government's plans to replace the Disability Living Allowance have found victory in the House of Lords. Plans to delay the scheme, which calls for more up front medical tests and a loss of benefits to 500,000, were rejected.
Are you following the US elections?
EDUCATION
ENTERTAINMENT
Student mocks Oxford University
Ricky Gervais quits Golden Globes
A student has sent the University of Oxford a letter of rejection in parody of the University's own rejection letters. Elly Nowell, of Winchester, withdrew her application, stating such institutions are 'rarely mocked'.
Ricky Gervais has announced that he will not return to host the Golden Globes next year, after viewing numbers dipped during last week's ceremony. It comes after rumours that Gervais would not be allowed to host this year.
Three facts about your society?
To contact us: Redbrick Guild of Students Edgbaston Park Road Birmingham B15 2TU 0121 251 2462 editor@redbrickonline.co.uk redbrickpaper.co.uk
Why should we get involved?
Tom Kendall asked 100 students: Are you following the US elections? For more information as it happens, visit Comment & Features' microsite on the US elections at redbrickpaper.co.uk
News 3
20th January 2012 redbrickpaper.co.uk
Redbrick
News shorts compiled by Zahra Damji
Sabbs on the week
EMPLOYMENT
Compiled by Patrick McGhee
Unemployment increases to 2.685m The unemployment rate in the UK has risen by 118,000 in the three months before November, taking the unemployment rate to 8.4 per cent, the highest since January 1996. Youth unemployment is also on the rise, up to 1.043 million.
Editor
WORLD POLITICS
Hamas to step down as leader The Palestinian Islamist Party leader is thought to be stepping down at the party's upcoming leadership elections. The move comes after a rift between him and the party's leadership in Gaza over the party's support of armed struggle. ENVIRONMENT
Greenpeace against Arctic oil race In a special House of Commons hearing, the environmental activist group warned ministers against supporting drilling in the Arctic region. They said there was potential for any oil spill in the region to be catastrophic to the surrounding landscape and wildlife. TECHNOLOGY
MEDIA
LAW
TERROISM
Wikipedia blacks out in protest
Guardian editor criticises PCC
Whole life tariff deemed as fair
Five tourists killed in Ethiopia
Millions of users were met with a black screen when they tried to access the online encyclopaedia on Wednesday as part of the website's protest against the anti-piracy bills SOPA. Redbrick's website also blacked out for the day.
Alan Rusbridger described the Press Complaints Commision's investigation into the phone hacking scandal as 'worse than a whitewash'. However, he also said he would not be against the use of statutory powers to regulate media ethics.
The European Human Rights Court in Strasbourg dismissed an appeal from convicted murderers Jeremy Bamber, Douglas Vitner and Peter Moore. They claimed their whole life imprisonment amounted to 'inhuman punishment'.
A group of foreign nationals were attacked in the Afar region of Ethiopia by gunmen thought to be from the nearby region of Eritrea. Five people were killed in the incident and at least four people have been kidnapped.
PROTEST
ENTERTAINMENT
Bid to evict Occupy London is won
Spider-Man director sued
The City of London Corporation won its bid to evict the Occupy London protestors from outside St. Paul's Cathedral. They have obtained a possession order, however the protestors have vowed to appeal the decision.
The producers of the SpiderMan musical are suing the show's former director, Julie Taymor. Michael Cohl and Jeremiah Harris claim that she developed a 'hallucinogenic' and 'disjointed' show. They added that she was unwilling to make changes.
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Overheard on campus 'I know someone who goes to Birmingham Resevoir' 'Do you mean Conservatoire?'
'Apparently there's no food in the house, starvation it is then'
'Do we live in the British Virgin Islands?'
'If you kick the back of my chair all through this lecture, I'll kick you all through the next.'
'I heard they have WebCT here, how cool is that?!' - A prospective student 'I don't know, do you even have a penis?' 'China aren't really that important, they're just big' 'It was obscene, I had to use a printer!'
'...and that was the first time I got my balls caught in a sliding door.' 'See that sick? That's mine from last night' 'If you were a fruit you'd be a banana...no, a spring onion... you know, like a banana but different.' Overheard anything funny on campus? Email us at news@ redbrickonline.co.uk
Thanks to all email, Facebook and Twitter contributions.
RACING
Facinators banned at Royal Ascot Facinators will be banned from the Royal Enclosure at Royal Ascot this summer. Other new rules state that skirts or dresses must be of 'modest length' and for men waistocoats and ties will be compulsory, cravats have also been banned.
Vacuous Guild beliefs Glen Moutrie Democracy is not a binary state. I would even go as far to suggest that creating a democracy in its purest form, giving an entire population an equal say and control over its own governance, is an impossible theoretical and practical challenge. I believe that a democracy is a concept that a body can only seek to be yet will never truly become. Given these beliefs that I hold, I would hope most could understand why I would think that an organisation which states in their beliefs and commitments that it ‘is a democratic organisation’ with such certainty and overconfidence probably has little value for the concept. Yet this is exactly what the Guild of Students does. I honestly believe that the Guild’s lackadaisical use of the term is symptomatic of many of the problems it has today. Problems that stem from the charity's weak understanding of the principles by which it stands coupled with an under-appreciation of complexity and detail. For example, the Vice-President of Democracy and Resources has recently stated that another Sabbatical Officer’s suspension benefited democracy because the disciplinary policy was voted in by students. His opinion, also implied through his blog, has been consistently voiced by the Sabbatical team through their opposition to Guild Council motions which aimed to change the policy. Even if you agree with the disciplinary policy (some do) the stance that the Sabbatical Officers hold is indicative of a failure, perhaps even refusal, to publicly recognise opinion that there may be something fundamentally wrong with the disciplinary policy. A policy that allowed an elected officer to be suspended for almost half his term without consulting those who voted him in. That would mean the Guild may not be democratic, but its aims and beliefs suggest that could never be true. A serious case of an absence of democracy was when a senior member of staff told me that they did not feel accountable to students. I believe it is not the fault of that particular staff member, who later corrected the statement, but it is indicative of the Guild's failure to train their staff to uphold the principles which it claims to stand by. I should clarify that these problems are not simple with serious legal difficulties surrounding them. Still, these fundamental issues must be resolved. So where does Redbrick fit in to ‘Guild Democracy’ and what could we do to better it? I think that we should try to act as any free press should, providing balanced, impartial and responsible journalism. I hope we have achieved this goal this year, and that this edition successfully conveys recent events in such a manner. That does mean asking tough questions of the Guild, not an easy task as many see us as a Guild publication. Over the years there have been incidents where the Guild, acting as legal safeguard, has evaluated what content we publish based upon how it would affect reputation, not what is legal to publish. We will aim to change that; working with the Guild to do so. I can only hope that our efforts make your Guild more accountable.
4 News
20th January 2012 redbrickpaper.co.uk
Redbrick
Lecturers at University of Birmingham paid the most
Redbrick has uncovered lecturer pay rates Judith Hawkins Reporter
Lecturers at the University of Birmingham are paid the most, according to details obtained by Redbrick of salaries from top UK universities. Freedom of Information requests were sent to the Universities of London, Manchester, Nottingham, Bristol, Sheffield and Leeds, as well as to
Millie Guy
the University of Birmingham, asking for the average pay of their lecturers, including the salaries of their highest and lowest paid lecturers. All universities provided figures based on staff with 'lecturer' included in their job title. At the University of Birmingham, the average full-time lecturer salary was £50,222, with the highest pay being £100,446 earned by a Clinical Senior Lecturer, and the lowest £35,596
earned by a Clinical Lecturer. The next highest average salary came from the University of Bristol with £47,462. The lowest average salary was from the University of Leeds with £40,539. In addition to their salaries, academic staff at the University of London receive a London Weighting allowance of £2,134 per annum, to help with the cost of living in the capital. This allowance remains the same for those who are paid the highest salary of £60,928, and those who are paid the lowest of £32,750. However their average salary is still nearly £5,000 less than Birmingham's with an average wage of £43,390. This information follows the disclosure of how much ViceChancellors earn at Russell Group Universities. The Times Higher Education magazine revealed that on average the heads of these institutions received £317,742 in pay and benefits last year. Professor David Eastwood, of the University of Birmingham, is the second highest-paid Russell Group Vice-Chancellor, with a total pay package of £419,000. In reaction to the release of these figures, the University and College Union (UCU) general secretary, Sally Hunt said, 'Higher education staff will be baffled that in the current climate some VCs are still pocketing substantial salary and benefits increases, seem-
Edd Bauer reinstated as Vice President of Education Dominic Jackson Senior Reporter
Edd Bauer has been reinstated to his position as Sabbatical Officer at the Guild of Students following his suspension from the post earlier this academic year. A statement on the Guild website on Tuesday 20th December stated that the Vice President (Education) was invited into the Guild that afternoon to meet with the President and formally hear the outcome of his case. The Officer Disciplinary Panel concluded that he would be issued with a final written warning. Upon hearing the news, Edd Bauer posted on his Twitter account: 'Finally reinstated. I'm back in office and I will be fighting cuts, fees and for a democratic @ GuildofStudents'. Bauer, Vice President of Education, was arrested on 16th September last year, charged with causing danger to road users after dropping a banner reading 'Traitors Not Welcome – Hate Clegg Love NCAFC' over Broad Street whilst protesting outside the Liberal Democrat party conference. He was held without bail for 10 days before it was granted on 26th September by Birmingham Magistrates Court. Upon returning to work the next day, Guild President Mark Harrop handed Bauer a letter informing him of his immediate suspension of work pending an investigation. Bauer was called before a disciplinary panel on the 29th of November. The panel reached its decision regarding his disciplinary
on the 14th of December and a week later on December 20th the VPE was informed that he would be issued with a final written warning and reinstated. The final written warning will remain on his record until the 13th of June 2012. On Thursday 22nd December the Guild of Students released a full statement regarding the disciplinary procedure of the VPE. The Guild says his suspension 'was deemed necessary whilst various allegations were investigated.' This statement was later withdrawn by the Guild following Bauer's disapproval at its content. The allegations against Bauer were bought before the investigation panel who believed there was sufficient evidence that four of the five allegations should be considered by the Officer Disciplinary Committee (ODC), with an additional allegation being brought forward. The case was then heard by the ODC. As the disciplinary process was a confidential HR investigation, at this time it is unclear what the specific charges brought against Bauer were. At the ODC hearing the VPE denied four of the five allegations and accepted one of them. He maintained, however, that he did not believe this action was gross misconduct. The ODC reached a decision that all five allegations were proven with three of the allegations amounting to gross misconduct and the other two considered to fall short of and breach the Officer Code of Conduct. The ODC reached the decision to give the VPE a final written warning. The Guild admitted that the process took longer than expected
because of the complex nature of the case: 'The Guild acknowledges that the process took longer than originally anticipated. However, given the complexity of the matters under consideration the Guild of Students believe that a fair and thorough process was employed within the quickest time frame possible – taking into consideration the number of people who were involved with the process and the requirements of the Officer Code of Conduct and the Guild Officer Group Discipline and Appeals Policy.' Bauer's appeal against the decision to issue him a written warning was rejected last week.
Glen Moutrie
ingly with little regard to how such increases look both to other less well rewarded employees and to the wider world.' Sarah Musgrove, a third year English Language and Media, Culture & Society student asked on Twitter, 'In that case, why on EARTH do I only have six hours of
uni time a week?!' Sarah Wright, a second year medical student, said 'I was really surprised when I found out how much the lecturers were getting paid. Some of our lecturers are brilliant and really engage everyone but others certainly don't deserve £50,000 a year.'
A graph representing average lecturer pay
Students return to high crime rates Zak Bentley Reporter
The arrival of the new term and the return of students to Selly Oak brought reports of up to 12 muggings in the Selly Oak area in the morning of Sunday the 14th of January. It has been confirmed that the police are currently investigating a robbery which took place on Tiverton Road at around 2.30am. Nobody was hurt in the incident, however a female involved was knocked off balance. A group of five women were returning from a night out when approximately three or four males ran past them, stealing handbags from the shoulders of three members of the group. A witness of the crime, third year English student Anya Hunter said, 'A group of men ran past me on the way home from Fab, which was really scary. If I had been alone I'm sure I would have been attacked too. I went to the police to give a statement and it's made me much more aware of crime in Selly Oak.' Although no arrests have yet been made, an investigation has been launched and the police are advising people to come forward with any information that could aid the investigation. Members of staff working in Joe's Bar were walked home after Fab'n'Fresh by members of the security staff due to reports of further disturbances within the area. There were at least two reports from Saturday night of attempts to persuade people to get in a
stranger's car. One of these came from a girl who wished only to be identified as Lucy. She told Redbrick: 'I was walking back from Fab at 3.30am on my own and a man started talking to me near Omco. I managed to get away from him fine but he followed me up Dawlish Road in his car. At the top of Dawlish he pulled up in front of me and got out his car and started coming towards me saying that he could see I wasn't with any friends.' Lucy added: 'Dawlish was deserted apart from me and this man, and my phone had died of battery so I panicked and started ringing the door bell of a random house on Dawlish desperately hoping that someone would answer. Luckily as soon as I rang the doorbell he panicked and ran back to his car and drove away.' Police have stated that these appear to be isolated incidents and contrast from the year to date figures that indicate a reduction of 17.8% to robberies in the area. There are 45 fewer victims of robbery in comparison with last year. This follows the student safety campaign launched in November where amongst other advice, students were warned not to walk home alone from nights out. DCI Darren Walsh of West Midlands Police warned, 'At this time of year, shorter days and darker nights present criminals with a greater opportunity to commit acquisitive crime. That is why we are encouraging students to remain vigilant.' Vice President of Housing and Community Zuki Majuqwana failed to comment.
Better Forums give you the chance to raise any issues, discuss any ideas, or make any suggestions to shape your experience here in Birmingham.
Better Forums are open to all University of Birmingham students who want to have a say.
What have the Better Forums done for you? Lower drinks prices in Joe’s Introduced a loyalty card, Joe’s Plus, which entitles you to discounts on various beverages and meals.
Improve signage around the building New signage for the Guild has been designed and installed with a plan to introduce more signage over the coming year.
Personal Tutor system Gained feedback from students on the Personal Tutor system and met with the Director of Student Support to discuss issues raised.
When do the Better Forums take place? Wednesday 25th January
Rosa Parks Room (Guild of Students) – 2pm Whether it’s Guild events and campaigns, or housing, community and safety issues, in this forum we want to hear how we can best represent you.
Wednesday 1st February
Rosa Parks Room (Guild of Students) – 2pm
From course content to representation and plagiarism, the Better Education and University Forum covers every aspect of your university experience.
Professor Karen O’Brien, the University’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education, will be coming along to the Forum to hear and discuss with you any issues or concerns you may have about your education. This is also your opportunity to feedback on the University’s Student Charter for 2012/13.
Want to know more? studentvoice@guild.bham.ac.uk
@StudentVoiceGOS
6 News
20th January 2012 redbrickpaper.co.uk
Redbrick
Students criticise opening of Santander
Education News
Emma Roberts Reporter
Ryan Jones Senior Reporter
Education Reform Government reform of the education system will mean that it will be much easier and faster to sack 'poor-performing' teachers. The announcement made by the Education Secretary, Michael Gove, detailed that the plans will come into effect from September 2012. Gove later said that the reforms would make it simpler to 'dismiss more quickly those teachers who, despite best efforts, do not perform to the expected standard.' However, teaching unions have responded angrily; the NUT General Secretary, Christine Blower, said that 'what the government proposes is potentially a bully's charter.'
A new branch of Santander has been opened in the retail area of the Guild, replacing SHAC, which has been moved. Some students are unhappy that the choice to allow Santander to open was taken without consulting the student body. Guild Council was not asked about the decision, even though its role is to represent the opinions of students on Guild policy. It is the fourth bank to open up a branch on campus, joining Natwest, Barclays and Lloyds TSB, although these are around the University Centre. In its financial summary for last year, the Guild of Students gave the reasons for opening the branch as generating more funds for the Guild so that it can provide a better service for students, stating 'to ensure value for money for its members, the Guild has...investigated ways it can make money to
help run membership activities and services, it has secured the presence of a high street bank'. This is also the reason given for opening a Costa Coffee outlet in the Common Room. Edd Bauer, the Vice President for Education said 'I do not see the move in a positive light, unfair house prices and bad landlords are serious issues for students. I was still undemocratically suspended while the decision was being made, however if had been in office I would have objected strongly. I also object to the decision being
made behind closed doors, the matter should have been taken to Guild Council for student scrutiny and decided by vote. The Guild is a charity and the interests of students should be its prime motivation not increasing profits. As the Guild is already operating on a healthy surplus I do not see moving the SHAC from its high profile location to make way for a highstreet bank which will generate a small amount of revenue as necessary for the financial sustainability of the Guild.' Hugo Sumner, Vice President
A new branch of Santander has opened in the Guild
Jo Thomas
of Democracy & Resources said: 'Historically there has always been a bank within the Guild, the previous bank, HSBC, was at the Guild for 30 years. Since HSBC's departure in 2009, it has always been the Guild's plan to find a replacement. The elected Sabbatical Officer team made the decision to accept Santander into the Guild after considering research conducted a couple of years back which showed that 65% of students used the banking facilities in the Guild, and 85% of these did so at least once a week. Santander has moved into the retail area of the Guild, and the SHAC, a year ahead of schedule, has relocated to larger premises. Having established itself as a successful student lettings agency, it was felt larger premises for the SHAC were necessary.' An online poll conducted by Redbrick revealed that 66 per cent of students believed that SHAC will suffer due to its relocation.
Vote of no confidence called against EMO educationgovuk on flickr Higher Attainment at UK universities Figures from HESA have shown that more UK students are achieving firsts and upper second class degrees. The data collated reveals that last year 64 per cent of the UK student population achieved a 2:1, whilst 15 per cent got a first.
ringsofasaturnrock on flickr Independent popularity
schools
gain
There has been an increase in the number of boarding school pupils. These private boarding schools are traditionally the most expensive form of schooling within the UK, with data from the January ISC census showing that the average annual charge was £25,152. However, in the period 2010-11 there was an increase of 1.7% in the number of boarders; and a particularly notable increase of 3% in the number of female boarders.
timelapsed on flickr More schools abandoning traditional GCSE exams More and more schools are abandoning the orthodox GCSE exam, and are instead choosing the International GCSE exam which was created by Cambridge International Examinations. This exam is now sat in over 650 schools, which has been a three-fold increase in the past two years. The exam itself focuses more upon open-ended exam questions to challenge critical thinking; and avoids the reliance upon coursework.
Patrick McGhee Reporter
A petition has been initiated calling for the removal of Carl Gayle, the non-sabbatical Ethnic Minority Students' Officer at the University of Birmingham. Gayle was censured at Guild Council on 6th December after posting a Bible passage on his Facebook page that read: 'If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death. Leviticus 20:13'. In response to comments posted about the status, Mr Gayle stated that he was 'merely quoting
God's word'. John Hilliard posted a statement on the Guild of Students 'Better Guild Forum' Facebook page. 'I have decided to take this a step further and initiate a petition against the Ethnic Minorities Officer on several grounds,' he said. 'Furthermore I will be sending a formal letter of complaint to the President with a view to an investigation into the general conduct of the EMO and to further invoke a vote of No Confidence.' The petition describes Gayle's online comment as 'outrageously homophobic', and calls for his removal on the grounds of 'Open
displays of homophobia and chauvinism, both of which fly in the face of what the Guild stands for'. It also describes Mr Gayle's approach to his Officer role as 'negligent and lackadaisical'. According to the petition, Mr Gayle was censured on the 6th December as a result of his Facebook status, as well as for failing to participate in blogging and 'for answering 'non-applicable' on a form in which he was asked to state his objectives before the next Guild Council'. On the petition, Mr Hilliard added: 'As someone who represents a large proportion of the students at this University I feel
that this is an outrageous way to behave and as such I do not feel that he should be in charge of representation of any level until he can conduct himself appropriately.' The online petition has 27 named Guild councillor's signatures. Carl Gayle was unavailable to comment on the allegations brought against him. Hugo Sumner, Vice President of Democracy and Resources said 'I can confirm that a petition to trigger a Vote of No Confidence in the Ethnic Minority Student's Officer was received on Monday. Due process will now be followed.'
£32 bn high speed rail link given go-ahead Rhian Lubin Reporter
Transport Secretary Justine Greening has given the go-ahead for plans to commence on the new high-speed rail service to run between London and Birmingham, costing the Government up to £32 billion. High Speed 2 will be an almost direct service from London to Birmingham, only making one additional stop in West London and another stop near to one of Birmingham's National Exhibition centres. The construction for the new service will begin in 2016 for the link from London to the West Midlands and will be completed in 2026. It will eventually be extended further north to Manchester and Leeds but won't be completed until 2032. A Conservative constituency are opposing the plans for HS2 and claim that the rail service will have a damaging effect on the Chilterns in Buckinghamshire. In response to the objections, Greening is considering plans to construct a tunnel to run underneath the Chilterns to minimise noise pollution and any disruption to the countryside, however this will come at an additional cost of £500 million. If the current plans do go ahead as they are, campaign-
ers in Buckinghamshire have said that they will fight for a judicial review led by the county council. The Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan sold her home in Amerhsam, Buckinghamshire, 500m from where construction will take place. This was two months before the plans for HS2 were confirmed. This decision has caused some residents of the area to respond by saying that she should not desert her constituency and she should 'fight against HS2'. However the Telegraph reported that Gillan responded by saying that she has sold her home due to her husband and herself struggling to climb the stairs. A press release from the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce regarding the significance of HS2 on the economy stated that 'The development of a high speed transport network with Birmingham at its crux has the potential to transform our regional economy, driving commerce and productivity forward.' However, some believe that the £32 billion would be better spent on refurbishing current rail services. Another argument is that the service from London to Birmingham would only cut the commuter's journey by 34 minutes and not everyone will benefit from it.
I live in London, so the connection would be useful for me personally as it would also impact the amount of time I spend using the Underground service. It would also encourage people to use the train instead of using your car, but I'm not entirely sure that cutting 34 minutes off the commute is worth potentially ruining the Chilterns. Ayla Estreich, 1st year Maths and Philosophy If you look at all the cuts the public sector are facing, this is such a bad use of money, considering it doesn't take that long to get to London from Birmingham anyway. However, future graduates will benefit from it because it connects so many more places and makes them more accessible, but trains are far too expensive as it is so unless rail travel gets cheaper students won't be able to afford it! Aimee Southward, 2nd year Geography It's a good idea in theory but it's a very expensive project. Until it eventually begins to expand further North it is only going to benefit two cities. Personally for me, it won't be useful at all and the fact that it will be tearing through the countryside doesn't appeal to me either. They should use the money to subsidise rail-fares in the UK instead, because they are the most expensive within Europe. Dan Kelsey, 4th year Modern Languages The main reason I don't regularly travel to London is because I can't afford it. It will make it easier for business people to start commuting longer distances, and it will be good for graduates, only if the price is cheap enough for students and graduates to benefit from it. In the current economic climate it's difficult to comprehend spending £32 billion on it. Emily Duffy, 1st year English and History
20th January 2012
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Comment & Features
Comment & Features 7
Edd Bauer: Back in Power
For nearly four months, Redbrick's Comment and Features have had to avoid publishing articles about Bauer's suspension and the ongoing investigation. Now, Matthew Hewson speaks to the reinstated Vice President for Education to discuss his future in The Guild
There are few, if any, figures at the Guild that divide opinion quite like Edd Bauer. The Vice President for Education has his supporters and detractors in abundance. All however, would agree that his time as a sabbatical officer has not been quiet. At the time of our interview, he's been back in office for just over a week, having lost much of the previous term to his suspension. The matter of the moment is the proposed vote of no confidence in Guild President Mark Harrop. Does Bauer think the move is justified? 'I think there has to be a public debate' he begins. People have, he says, taken umbrage with him for criticising one of his own team members. His response is sharp; 'when an officer sees a student being attacked, they have a duty to defend that student, no matter who that person is, even if it's the president of their own student union'. 'I don't think Mark needs to go, if he were to apologise fully and humbly, I think he [could] stay. 'I think the councillors insisting on a vote of no confidence were absolutely right to instigate a public debate on this issue.' We question him about his views on the value of the Guild's relationship with the University.
It's something about which Bauer is particularly scathing; 'The value is what they get out of it, and what do the Guild actually have to show for their relationship with the university?' He is dismissive of the reduced printer credit costs, suggesting that any savings the students recouped was taken from them in other areas, by the University. Similarly, he is sceptical of the extended library hours, arguing that 'it wasn't the Guild asking repeatedly, politely in meetings' that caused the change, but was instead 'the release of the information that the University of Birmingham was sliding in the league tables, it has one of the worst library opening hours in the Russell Group sector'. Asked whether his role was fulfilled by the other officers during his the period of his removal, the VPE appears caught slightly off-guard; 'I haven't really touched on that before' he remarks. 'I can say no that I don't think the aims of my role were covered adequately. But I do think it would be unfair for me to launch an attack on the team for not picking up on issues, for not doing certain things, because I know they had their own things to be get-
ting on with.' If his role hasn't been fully covered, does any of his manifesto now look unachievable? He identifies a single pledge; 'I think the hardest one was the Birmingham Student Assembly. I promised to set up a coordinated Birmingham–wide campaigning organisation that would fight for students in the city'. 'In Birmingham we've got all the youngest students and it's the highest student population outside London and we need exactly the same thing here'. Despite having a grant from the NUS and the support of other student unions in Birmingham, he suggests that to create it so late in the Academic Year will be 'extremely difficult'. Whilst suspension may have prevented him from carrying out his role formally, it seems he remained committed to his manifesto pledge to be 'a campaigning officer' throughout the autumn term. Indeed, when asked about how it felt to be separated from his electorate following his ban from campus grounds, he is overtly defiant. 'I can't say I know what you mean; I was on campus repeatedly throughout that time. It was a ban which I openly flouted and openly ignored. I don't believe it had
any legal grounding, and I think I was quite right to say that because when I openly flouted it and openly went round lectures, not only did lecturers welcome me into lecture rooms and asked me to do shout outs, the university did nothing'. We talk extensively of the distinctions between his private life and his public, elected role. He is clear; 'As VPE, I would always attempt to draw from Guild policy ... However, I am also an individual at the same time, I'm not always at work, and I don't stop campaigning just because it's not my 9 to 5'. It's a point that we return to later in the interview, and his response would suggest that his next term may polarise debate in the way that the last did. Where is the line between Edd Bauer and the Vice President for Education? 'The line is where I draw it'. If he does things as VPE then he'll identify them as such, he tells us, 'and I expect students to hold me to account for it'. Again, if he does something as Edd Bauer then he'll identify that, but believes he wouldn't then be accountable to the student body. 'That', he says, 'would be absolutely outrageous'.
Timeline of Events 10th March 2011: Edd Bauer is elected as the Vice President for Education with 2390 votes in the second round. 16th September 2011: Bauer is arrested following a banner drop from a bridge outside the LibDem party conference at Birmingham's International Convention Centre. He is charged with causing danger to road users and pedestrians traversing Broad Street below. 25th September 2011: An open letter calling for Bauer's release is published on the Guardian's website. 26th September 2011: Bauer is released on bail after ten days imprisonment. John Hemming, Liberal Democrat MP for Yardley speaks in court on behalf of the student's bail application. 27th September 2011: The Guild of Students suspends Bauer from his duties as VPE pending a formal investigation. He continues to be remunerated. 30th September 2011: The University of Birmingham suspend Bauer's status as a student with immediate effect. He is banned from entering campus, and all University accounts are closed. 12th October 2011: Political groups, unions, and personal friends of Bauer gather outside the Guild to protest against his suspension. 31st October 2011: At the Birmingham Magistrates Court, Bauer is granted unconditional bail.
Edd Bauer at his desk – photo taken by Freddie Herzog
20th December 2011: Bauer is reinstated as VPE. Officer Disciplinary Panel conclude that he will be presented with a final written warning.
8 Comment & Features
20th January 2012 redbrickpaper.co.uk
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The terrible legacy left behind by Kim Jong Il Giles Longley-Cook Commentator
When the news of Kim Jong Il's death was made public on December 19th, the usually silent North Korea exploded with the wails of millions of malnourished, stunted people. Viewing this hysterical, disturbing display made many people question the validity of the grief, it seemed far too forced, dramatic and orchestrated. The similarities with the public mourning following the death of Kim Il Sung, the nation's founder, gave even greater reason for the bizarre display being insincere, but such suspicions fail to take into account the great lengths the Kim dynasty has gone to ensuring the devotion of their abused subjects. Despite being called the final communist bastion, there is scarcely anything communist left in Kim Jong Un's nightmare state. Even the usual lip service paid by corrupt, posturing regimes is gone, with all mentions of communism written out of the constitution in 2009, replaced by the profoundly un-Marxist and obviously Machiavellian Songun, or 'military first' policy, that gave precedence, both in revolutionary status, and more importantly now, in food rations, to the huge Korean People's army. Much of North Korea's state ideology can instead be traced back to ancient Confucianism, including its 'Juche' philosophy of self-reliance, a rigidly structured social order, and of course the omnipotent Kings. It is precisely this exploitation of ancient custom that makes the grief very possibly genuine, and Kim Jong Un looks likely to have little trouble establishing his own
Kim Jong Il waving to crowds in Pyongyang grip of power. Fear alone cannot keep people subordinate for so long, especially in such terrible conditions. In light of many, supposedly tame, populations throwing off their oppressors recently, particularly in nations where tradition is extremely strong, it would seem that this regime that denies
culture and religion should easily fall. This view completely forgets that North Korea is the most religious country on the planet. Its people have been brought up believing that the Dear Leader's birth was predicted by heaven, with birds singing in Korean and a star
shining above the log cabin where he was supposedly born. Muslim despots had the bad luck of being subordinate, no matter how zealous they were in their worship, to Allah, and therefore their population's loyalty was still divided. The Kims made the genius decision to tap into East Asian
god-king beliefs that made them the sole focus of worship, with a population fresh from the credulity of living under Japanese Godemperors and with so little knowledge of the outside world that they never question that a life starving and terrorised is not universal normality. In such circumstances of devotion, any attempt by the Army or Party to stage a coup against Kim Jong Un must prove futile as the very legitimacy of the regime now resides solely on a medieval hereditary monarchy with mystical powers. Combined with this is a resistance to intervention from all outside parties. South Korea doesn't want to ruin its economy by having to deal with 23 million indoctrinated, starving people. China wants to secure its buffer to the South, and the United States will need stability to continue justifying a huge military budget by having the supposedly terrifying threat of a nuclear North Korea on the horizon. In an absurdly insulting article in the Times last year, Simon Winchester claimed that 'for all its faults' North Korea had kept its culture, unlike its globalised southern cousin. This culture may be primarily focused around the Kims, but it does utilise the most ancient traditions of the Peninsular, and this, more than terror, is what ensures the support of North Koreans and, very possibly, an easy reign for 'The Great Successor'. If this article has intereseted you. Why not check out B.R Meyers' book? North Korea 'The Cleanest Race: How North Korean see themselves and why it Matters'
BBC 'impartiality' is under scrutiny Ellie Fewings Commentator
Essentially we all own a small share of the British Broadcasting Channel; the funding for which is spent to entertain, inform and generally baffle us. The BBC spends an average of ÂŁ2,350 million a year. This is funded by the television licence fee which is paid by every legal television owner in the country. The creative types then design shows that appeal to such a wide range of audiences that we all feel we are getting our ÂŁ145.50 worth.
With 10 channels broadcasting almost 24/7, the sport's fans can watch their snooker, the students can watch their Rastamouse – there's something for everyone. Now, that is value for money. However to encompass the many different political stances of the audience poses a more difficult problem. The most efficient way to represent the public is often to represent no one at all. We find that opinions are hidden from us in an attempt to balance an article. A few minor details can escalate and leave us feeling
BBC reporter John Simpson
BBC Charter 'The Agreement accompanying the BBC Charter requires us to do all we can to ensure controversial subjects are treated with due impartialityHowever, its requirements will vary. The term 'due' means that the impartiality must be adequate and appropriate to the output, taking account of the subject and nature of the content, the likely audience expectation and any signposting that may influence that expectation. Due impartiality is often more than a simple matter of 'balance' between opposing viewpoints. Equally, it does not require absolute neutrality on every issue or detachment from fundamental democratic principles.'
like the outsiders to a private joke. The BBC is quasi-autonomous, so officially separate from the government and required by the BBC charter to remain neutral. However, the government often encourages nationalism on issues of war. The Thatcher government accused Peter Snow, a journalist for the BBC in 1982, of being 'almost treasonable' after he stated in relation to the Falklands War, 'if we believe the British'. Of course by this he did not mean 'if we believe the British citizens; women, children and miners, an untrustworthy lot!' He was referring to the British government. Barring Snow from commenting on the dubious intentions of the British government stopped the public hearing that there was controversy over the war. It is implied that the British public are unable to form their own opinion. More recently, Panorama covered the Stephen Lawrence case. The journalists took to the streets to find out if racism has changed in the past 20 years. When the reporter unexpectedly found a man
who, abhorrently, openly used a racial slur in front of the camera, he could taste the journalistic gold. However, the BBC later apologised after receiving complaints that the racist man was being 'harassed' by the reporter. The BBC should not be made to feel guilty for presenting us with public opinion. The BBC must feel as if it cannot upset its bill payers and so once again its journalistic abilities are stunted. I cannot help but feel cradled from the real world by having my news delivered by a corporation that is constantly walking on egg shells. In the Panorama case we were lucky to receive the interview before it was labelled 'too controversial' for our naive ears. However on several occasions the BBC has been known to release a whisper of an opinion before being once again politically gagged. We could conclude that it is not the fault of the writer whose hands are tied. Perhaps it is us who tied that knot with our inability to listen to any opinion other than our own.
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10 Comment & Features
20th January 2012 redbrickpaper.co.uk
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Time to address the absence of computer science in the curriculum? Sam Jones Commentator
It's not uncommon to hear someone remark on how easily young people today learn how to use new technology. When your boss or lecturer's Powerpoint presentations suddenly begin to feature some entirely tasteful animations, there's a high chance that they learnt it from their teenage son or daughter. Clearly, today's young people are unlikely to have a problem using any software in the average office. Yet it is this one goal, one that has already been achieved just through the very nature of growing up in the modern world, that ICT teaching aims for. Nothing else. I made the mistake of choosing ICT as one of my A Levels. I'd found the ICT lessons in previous years tedious, but had somehow developed an interest in web programming of my own accord and I was naively convinced that, being a proper A Level, the subject would be elevated to a level where I could learn skills that I'd value. I couldn't have been more wrong. The ICT of my sixth-form years was the same as the ICT of my first years in comprehensive. It was a mix of training in documentformatting, business studies and project management. The most depressing thing was when, after teaching myself in my own time PHP and writing a website to calculate a student's progress towards
Katrin Busch achieving their grades, I found the skills I had learnt in doing so irrelevant when it came to both the coursework and exams for my ICT A Level. Instead, the course specification demanded that I practise writing project reports and identifying client requirements. I did do this and I did achieve a good grade, but I remain bitter that not only did I learn skills that I struggle to imagine who be of use to anyone who
couldn't easily learn them without taking an A Level, but that valuable skills I did wish to develop were, as far as my sixth-form education was concerned, unavailable. So should ICT be replaced by proper computer science teaching, as the Education Secretary has suggested and is apparently soon to announce? Well yes of course, but I've realised there's more to the issue. It may sound overly-dramatic, but I feel the school system betrayed me and
continues to betray all those who go through it. Not only had it prevented me from developing skills of great value in our technology-driven world, but it had also actively encouraged me not to consider that I could develop them. Computer science wasn't just absent from the highest level computingrelated qualification available, it was also absent from the entire curriculum. The world told me that comput-
ers could be made to do anything, but the education system told me that I couldn't make them do anything more than make a spreadsheet, and even then only in the ways that someone else's software would let me. As far as Britain's schools are concerned, normal people can learn how to use software and a few impossibly gifted nerds can craft software from unintelligible lines of code and magic. The modern world has shown us that computers can be involved in almost every aspect of life, so why can't computer science? Computer science, or elements of it, can and should be integrated into any subject that involves computers. Students can be taught to write simple programs to run equations, process results, output detailed analyses and perform simulations in mathematic and the sciences. Even away from the computer screen, problem sheets could involve calculating the output of encryption algorithms. English and Media studies students can be taught how to use and create tools for analysis and emerging arts like data journalism. Even in citizenship lessons, students can be helped to understand the threats that modern technology poses to their privacy and how to limit them, instead of just being told that they exist. Those who want to go on to study proper computer science should be able to, but more importantly, every student should know that they can if they want to.
As the BRIC economies steam ahead, our alliances need reassessment Alexander Ross Commentator
Last year saw Brazil become the sixth largest economy in the world, overtaking the UK in the process. This is the first South American country to do so and is a sign of how things are changing. The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) forecasts that by 2020, Germany (currently the largest western European economy) will fall to 7th in the world rankings below the so-called BRIC nations: Brazil, Russia, India and China. This poses some interesting questions with regards to the UK and its position in the world. These include; What does this show about the state of the British economy? Why has the UK been unable to capitalise upon the likes of Brazil to maintain growth? And the one that I find most interesting, what does it suggest about Britain’ current status as a global power? There seems to be a perfect storm brewing for the British economy, one that will further inhibit growth. The UK is becoming more and more isolated; it is detaching itself from Europe-as seen through David Cameron using his veto over the proposed EU treaty changes, whilst at the same time losing favour from the US whose president appears to have little sentiment for the UK, something which will further be eroded with British defence cuts. Meanwhile, by ignoring the vast potential of the BRIC’s and other developing nations Britain is missing the opportunity to take advantage and prosper from their growth. The bloc to close its ports to ships flying the Falklands Islands flag by Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, is some indicator of
South American feelings towards Britain- one that needs to be addressed. This is not to say the Islands should be given to Argentina, but that work should be done to strengthen diplomatic ties. Instead Britain lacks individual diplomatic objectives and are subordinate to the U.S global policies, acting as a quasi-imperial ally. This sabre-rattling in recent years has done Britain little good. It may have won her a few brownie points with America, but has the UK’s ‘special relationship’ really done it any favours? One of the major aspects inherited from the US in recent years is massive paranoia from extremism and national security.
For example, at the Olympics, defence secretary Philip Hammond has stated that surface to air missiles will be available if necessary, despite the fact that British borders have not been threatened since at least the end of the cold war. This sort of paranoia costs the country money that could be better spent elsewhere, instead of using it as a justification to commit acts of violence to gain commercial advantage. A cynic may suggest Libya as a case in point, the premise that the country is deposing a despot for the good of the civilians does not wash when leaders like Syria’s President Assad continue to kill their own. Why? Because Libya
has oil and Syria does not. I would also like to point out how much America has taken from the UK. After World War Two Britain received huge amounts of monetary aid from the Marshal plan, which I do not deny was necessary. However, what was taken in return was incredible, only in 2006 was the loan finally paid off, admittedly at the low rate of 2% interest. But this combined with how much was given for free, including designs for the computer designed by Alan Turing as a code breaking device and also most of the Naval and army positions around the world does not seem an entirely fair deal.
Perhaps it is time Britain starts looking for friends elsewhere and not to rely on America. Britain is a country that has always needed allies; they should be the right ones. In the words of Hugh Grant in Love Actually (a friend suggested the quote) he describes America as a bully, 'I fear that this has become a bad relationship; a relationship based on the President taking exactly what he wants and casually ignoring all those things that really matter to, erm... Britain.' The speech finishes with what I think many will agree with, 'a friend who bullies us is no longer a friend.' Maybe it is time for Britain to make some new ones.
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12 Comment & Features
20th January 2012 redbrickpaper.co.uk
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New Year's Resolutions: Don't kid yourself! James Dolton Commentator
When I was around 6, I distinctly recall solemnly trooping down the stairs on New Year's Morning and informing my mother that for my New Year's Resolution, it was my intention to 'quit smoking', 'walk the dog more often' and 'stop driving everywhere'. It should be noted that my family has never owned a canine, and the juvenile pursuits of joy riding and nicotine had not yet tarred (pardon the pun) my mind. When pressed on these clearly unsuitable suggestions, this immortal response, ringing with the smug logic only a child can pull off, was offered: 'If I haven't started them then I don't need to stop them, and I've won!' This was
the only New Year's Resolution I have ever made, and to this day I am strangely proud of it. Hey, you! Did you make a New Year's Resolution? Sad fact is, at this point two weeks on, you've probably broken it. I'm not trying to make you feel bad, but it is just the way it is. Many I know have flocked back to their hitherto deleted Facebooks like moths to an inane, intoxicating and infuriatingly time-consuming flame: the joggers that streamed past the window of my flat have dried up to a trickle, and the ground is as awash with guiltily dropped cigarette ends, as it always has been and I suspect always will be. There are various breeds of the beast. The first type read more as excerpts from a speech by a Miss World Contestant than genuine life goals: vague and faintly spiritual offerings like 'Be more generous' or 'Be nicer to people'. These often last the longest, mainly because they are so indistinguishable and unquantifiable that it is difficult to definitely declare exactly when one has failed. Then there are the more tangible efforts, which can be grouped into two categories: the 'so-simple-Idon't-know-whyyou-bothered' and the 'absurdly-difficult-and-unrealistic (and probably totally unprepared for)'. The former include the mundane delights of 'read more books' or 'call home every week', whilst the second is the
more outlandish: 'run a marathon', 'learn an instrument' or the classic 'quit smoking'. The first type are so straightforward they will probably be tiresome by Chinese New Year
The whole concept has devolved into a national institution of abject failure. and abandoned along with the seasonal decorations, sent back into the loft for another year of brooding. Meanwhile, the second type is such a vast undertaking (and usually one totally unplanned) it is unlikely to even be attempted with any enthusiasm. The whole concept has devolved into a national institution of abject failure, like Southwest Trains, our national football team or our entries into Eurovision. We all get away with these idiotic and ambitious promises to ourselves, safe in the knowledge that breaking them is not only accepted but positively encouraged. I object to the very premise of a New Year's Resolution on simple grounds. Should someone be unhappy with their life, there doesn't and shouldn't need to be a national holiday designed to kick them into action, and the permeation of this belief is unhealthy and unhelpful. It seems entirely probably that many citizens fail within a few weeks of New Year, console themselves
with the thought that 'Well, at least that's my self-improvement done for the year!' and merrily go on as they had before. Either these decisions are irrelevant follies whose practice should be abandoned to save the inevitable depression their failure causes, or they are important pledges that deserve the chance to flourish and g r o w throughout the year and not just on January the 1st. As it is, this annual demented fit of sudden self-furtherance aids nobody but private health club owners in January as the freshfaced flocks sign up with honest but naive intentions, and chocolate manufacturers in February, as the same droves dine liberally on Dairy Milk in depressed solitude, staring down at their barely used running shoes and their sagging bellies, waiting for December and Auld Lang Syne, when they can go through the same bloody charade all over again.
Quit smoking? Start jogging?
Comment Cartoon: Guild Wars Starring Edd Bauer and Mark Harrop Returning from the far off land of suspend-ia. Sir Edd of Education duels King Harrop for Guild and glory! He may posess the (some) people's sword of No Confidence, but Harrop bears the armour of Silent Majority. Who will triumph in the duel of the century?
Illustrated by Josie Byrne
N E P O W O N S N O I T A N I M NO 2b
Outstanding Student Staff (Student Community) Outstanding Student Staff (Guild Contribution) Outstanding Student Led Volunteering Project Outstanding Resident’s Association Sponsored by University of Birmingham Hospitality and Accommodation Services
Outstanding New Student Group Most Improved Society Outstanding Society Best Event Community Impact Outstanding Guild Councillor Outstanding Student Representative Outstanding engagement of hard to reach students Individual Outstanding Contribution
NOMINATIONS DEADLINE: FRIDAY 10TH FEBRUARY To download the nomination form, please visit:
www.guildofstudents.com/guildawards
14 redbrickpaper.co.uk
Television
20th January 2012
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Unlocking the secrets of smash hit Sherlock Emma Harding and Lucy Mulgrew meet Benedict Cumberbatch and writers Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffatt
Benedict, you are one of the more febrile and neurotic Holmes' we've seen for the last 100 years... Benedict Cumberbatch: I don't know – I think they've all had their fair share of idiosyncrasies and psychotropic usages. Mark Gatiss: The great thing about starting with Holmes and Watson as young men is that they are not fully formed. They've only recently moved in together and there's an awful lot of fun to be had from that. This is not Sherlock Holmes at 55 who is absolutely definite about his world view. He is still capable of having it challenged or shaken, so across these three stories we wanted to do Sherlock and love, Sherlock and fear and Sherlock and death, and that's what we described it as. How did you go about choosing which stories you would fasten upon for this series? Steven Moffat: Everyone was asking, 'When are you going to do the Hound?' We kept saying, to hell with deferred pleasure! Let's just do it now! Let's just have the three biggies and absolutely hit them with it. 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' is the most filmed story in literature. So what kind of surgery did you know you had to perform on it? SM: Open heart.
MG: The biggest challenge with that episode was that, as it's one of the most filmed stories ever, everybody has probably seen a version. It's an intractable story. But we realised that one of the reassuring things about it having been done about 75 times is that, since 1902, people have sat in rooms going, 'How are we going to do the bloody dog?!' What is it like being Sherlock? BC: You play someone like this and you really want to be able to do it. It's not like playing Superman and wanting to get your pants on the outside of your trousers and jump off buildings, it's about something that is achievable, that's the real magic of this, like magicians' magic. You feel that it is real, and with him it is the power of deduction, it is an ability to observe the world in absolute detail as it is and to construct a logic and an understanding out of that. I do sometimes wish I was a bit more like him, which is a dangerous wish, isn't it? I really love an awful lot of him and I like where he's going. It feels like there is an evolution to him. It's not just about repeating the same magic. It's about seeing him grow and mature and change as much as anyone can be changed by another person in a relationship, but not
This week on redbrickpaper.co.uk 90210's return gets a timely review by Hannah LloydDavies
'in a relationship', and that's what Watson does, amongst other things, to bring Holmes more into the world and that part of it is always fascinating to play. MG: I remember your mum saying, 'you can't play Sherlock Holmes, you've got such a lovely little nose!' What about the early developmental stages of the show? SM: There was an odd thing which we noticed and we've strayed from which is that Doctor Watson never makes any jokes. He's absolutely humourless in the stories and in fact our Doctor Watson is very funny, so I suppose we've strayed. Luckily what we've done is get, in Martin (Freeman), one of the funniest and most brilliant actors you could get. At his core he's a funny man but he can be absolutely heartbreaking, like all the best Watsons. How do you react to claims that Sherlock is sexist? SM: I don't have a sparkling or witty response to that, if I'm very honest. I think it's one thing to criticise a programme; it's another thing to invent motives out of amateur psychology for the writer and then accuse him of having those feelings. I'm certainly not sexist or a misogynist. I think that's beyond the pail. I think that's strayed from criticism to defamation and it's wrong.
There's a wonderful incident in 'Case of Identity', where a stepfather is really mean and cruel to his step-daughter and Sherlock Holmes grabs a riding crop off the wall and chases him. He just cannot bear it. So far from being a misogynist, he's chivalrous. I think he's frightened of women, if we're being very, very honest. And maybe with Irene Adler we saw why. I don't think there's any misogyny in those stories at all – he's decided he wants to stay away from women, but that's not my fault.
I do sometimes wish I was a bit more like Sherlock – BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH And what about the outrage over nudity in the show? SM: I think it's worth saying, very definitively, there was no nudity. Apparent nudity, she wasn't naked. From a creative point of view,
The latest series of Desperate Housewives is covered by Jenna Kirby
how much of a back story do you have for characters in your own heads? Do you find yourself being a bit over inventive? BC: I did that typical actor-y thing of trying to find out some childhood trauma – there must be some with Sherlock – beyond him deducing affairs that his father had and ruining Christmases. I think I wanted to have those sort of hooks into him and I have come up with a few, but we're keeping them very close to our chest because there's still an awful lot more of that to explore. MG: It's also very true, I think, that even if you've got them in your head, if you just open a window onto it, it's much more fun. BC: Exactly. SM: Sometimes backstory can be a bit of a false lure, in terms of understanding a character. You understand what they are now. I've known Mark a very long time, we've known each other a long time and I know almost nothing of Mark's back story. Did you ever expect the show to be so huge? MG: Right from the beginning, and from the pilot onwards, we were very proud of it. It's born of love. The extent to which people have gone for it though, is absolutely extraordinary and very humbling.
Emma Harding looks at the new series of Lost Girl
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16 Television
20th January 2012 redbrickpaper.co.uk
Redbrick
What to look forward to in 2012 Eliott Rhodes takes a look at some of the most exciting television highlights of the year ahead It's going to be a good year for SciFi, but TV is no different, and seems to be pulling out all the stops to make this year a great one on the small screen as well. In Awake a man spends his life trapped between two alternate realities. Following a terrible crash, detective Michael Britten (Jason Isaacs, Lucius Malfoy in Harry Potter) wakes up in two contrasting realities, one where his wife died and another where his son died but wife lived. He spends his time wandering between the two worlds. This looks like a gripping psychological thriller of a show, with perhaps more heart and character than the short-lived FlashForward.
The soap drama world is taking another hit this year with the famous return of Dallas taking place 20 years after the end of the original series. In its day Dallas was a phenomenon, and this revival probably won't have as much success as the first, with over 90 million US viewers tuning into the now famous 'Who shot JR?' story line – but there are hopes it will be around for some time to come. Something to look forward to later in the year is the Sky1 reimagining of Sinbad, which will sail onto our screens in 2012. Interestingly,
the young lead Elliot Knight went to school with this intrepid critic, and looks set to catapult his acting career by starring in this massive series. E4 has began showing hit US show The New Girl, with the everdelightful and beautiful Zooey Deschanel bringing Twitter/Facebook to a furore. There's no escaping this one – but then again there's no reason why we should avoid it.
Russell Webb Critic
Everybody's favourite conmen (and woman) are finally back on our screens for the eighth and final series. Micky 'Bricks' Stone (Adrian Lester) and his gang of grifters treat us to a six part series, beginning with a scam right up with current affairs. The gang have a mark that is a 24 carat loser: Dexter Gold. He is a 'cash for gold' businessman who takes advantage of old women. The
Playing it Straight Charlotte Goodwin Critic
Returning for a second series, the revived show now has a new presenter, Jameela Jamil, and the addition of comic voice over Alan Carr. Filmed from the romantic setting of the Hacienda de los Hombres in Spain, the dating show follows one girl, Cara, as she seeks to find love with one of the
Suits Emma Harding Critic
Witty and slick, Suits is a law drama custom made for the young. Charming Harvey Spector is one of New York's best lawyers and on the hunt for a new associate. He's looking for someone smooth and sophisticated but stumbles across Mike Ross – a college dropout with a briefcase full of weed. What Harvey soon discovers, however, is that scruffy Mike has an eidetic memory and once passed the bar exam without taking a single
Charlotte Lytton Television Editor
As
Also on the horizon are shows like Alcatraz, which stars Sam Neill and Sarah Jones as they investigate the paranormal reappearance of the infamous prison's inmates 50 years after they vanished. For those more interested in American culture, there's always GCB, in which a former high school top-dog returns home after her divorce, much to the amusement of her old victims. No matter your tastes, no matter your favourite genre, it seems 2012 has something for everyone. Hopefully more highs than lows will follow in the next 12 months.
Reviews: This week's hottest shows Hustle
Telly Talk
team manage to convince Dexter that they have stolen £3m worth of Colonel Gaddafi's gold bullion and happen to need a buyer. Posing as ex-special forces commandos the grift is done to perfection until Dexter tracks them down. The writers are on top form with a coherent and comical story line that uses current affairs to make it relatable and more enjoyable as the team take down the crooks of our time. It's been revealed that Jaime Murray who played Stacey Monroe will be returning for the finale keeping fans contemplating a spectacular and potentially sticky end. 11 male contestants on a show she thinks is called Dream Date. However, some of the boys are actually gay. Cara's task is to work out which of the boys are straight, and which are not. This might seem an easy mission, but these boys don't exactly make it easy. Cara's task is made easier through comic challenges set for the boys, with the winner, who Cara chooses, being taken on a date with her. However, this week we see Cara making a wrong decision and actually choosing a straight guy to be sent home. The show will make addictive viewing for the next eight weeks.
class at law school. After a tiring day of sifting through Harvard clones, Harvey decides that Mike is just what the firm needs. But how long can they keep Mike's lack of a law degree a secret? With beautiful shot-work and fast paced dialogue, Suits makes the world of law become a vibrant and entertaining place. Far from the intense drama of programmes like The Good Wife, this show is warm-hearted, playful and intelligent. Its addictive mix of one-liners and great characterisation is sure to make the show a hit.
telly addicts know, Celebrity Big Brother stalked witheringly onto our screens last week after just a six month hiatus. Since its move to Channel Five this year, everything's even more low rent than it had been in the years leading up to its C4 axe, including the supposed celebs. There was a time when putting well-known faces on TV had a strange kind of voyeuristic allure – where finding out what that one out of Boyzone who clicked in the background had for breakfast seemed like hot gossip. But now the novelty's worn off, and there are so many 'celebrities' around that the contestants on the latest CBB may as well be my neighbour's grandma for all I know. As someone who keeps abreast of a reasonable amount of both current affairs and entertainment news, I can honestly say that I had heard of less than half of
Contestants on the latest CBB may as well be my neighbour's grandma this year's bunch. And the ones I had heard of? A washed up rapper, an ex-alcoholic and someone who cheated on her husband for eight years with his Premiership footballer brother. Charming. Of course, celebrities who aren't washed up wouldn't dream of committing career suicide and getting involved in such trash, but what really struck me about my brief encounter with the latest series was how freely we use the word celebrity these days. I would never dream of calling an X Factor reject with a coke habit a celebrity; the fact he is getting paid to boost his profile is frankly, embarrassing. We should be castigating these people, not throwing money and fame at them, and yet CBB seems to have thrown dignity out of the window. It must be hugely difficult for Channel 5 to recruit big names to the series, but had these nonentities been placed o n the non celeb version of the show, I genuinely would not have been able to tell the difference. Celebrity television is fine in theory, but it does require actual celebrities. Otherwise it's just, well, television.
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Redbrick
20th January 2012
Music
Kasabian release new demo www.music-news.com
Michael Kiwanuka – BBC's 'Sound Of' 2012 Josh Holder Critic
The BBC's 'Sound Of' award is one of the most prestigious accolades for upcoming artists. With past winners including Jessie J, Adele and Ellie Goulding, it's a huge indication of who will go on to top the charts in the forthcoming year. This year, the highly coveted 'Sound Of 2012' prize was awarded to Michael Kiwanuka, who, armed with just an acoustic guitar, could be responsible for the next soul revival. Whilst the charts are currently full of pop beats and synth layers, Michael Kiwanuka's voice succeeds in cutting through the noise to provide us with an alternative to the chart's current flood of Pitbull songs. Kiwanuka is of-
ten compared to Bill Withers and Otis Redding: no coincidence as he cites them as his biggest influences. Kiwanuka manages to ride the same soul wave whilst taking a more mellow approach. His soothing voice gently compliments the picked melodies of his acoustic guitar on his 'I'm Getting Ready' EP, released shortly after finishing a slot supporting Adele. Title track 'I'm Getting Ready' was wonderfully performed on Later With Jools Holland last November. With its glorious melody and heartfelt delivery, the performance stole the spotlight from other guests, including Noel Gallagher and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Despite introducing himself last year, 2012 appears to be the year where Kiwanuka's music will really enter the limelight, starting
with a UK tour covering most major cities, including a sold-out show at the Birmingham Glee Club. His debut album Home Again is released in March, with the lead single already out in preparation for the album's arrival. Featuring soothing vocals and a light string accompaniment to his acoustic melodies, the track gives a strong indication of what is to come from one of the most highly anticipated albums of the year. Kiwanuka revealed recently that he considered changing his name before signing a record deal due to concerns his 'difficult to pronounce' surname would hinder his career. Eventually deeming this unnecessary, it's now difficult to imagine what could possibly prevent 2012 from being the year of Michael Kiwanuka's triumph.
Redbrick's most anticipated albums of 2012 The Killers Battle Born
Josh Carvell Critic
After a two year hiatus, The Killers are finally set to make their triumphant return with their fourth album, Battle Born. The band that gave the world 'When You Were Young' and 'Mr. Brightside', The Killers are no strangers to success. It's hard to imagine, for a band with members all in their early to mid 30s, that The Killers have been around for eleven years. Despite it being far from complete, we've already been given an insight into what to expect from Battle Born. Frontman Brandon Flowers has promised fans that the new record will be original, yet distinctly a Killers album, stating, 'We don't want to make Hot Fuss 2, Sam's Town 2 or Day & Age 2. We'll maybe take all that stuff, the best of all of it and do what we know how to do.' With the band still hard at work in the studio, don't expect Battle Born until later on in the year, but when it does arrive, it's sure to be a strong contender for album of the year. After three stellar albums, its hard to see Battle Born as being anything other than a great album with fans and critics alike eagerly awaiting Flowers and co. to reclaim their place at the top of Indie music.
Bloc Party TBA
Tamara Roper Music Editor
The last 12 months haven't been the most stable for Bloc Party. After one solo album, various side projects and a high profile spat with NME, lead singer Kele Okereke has confirmed, somewhat reluctantly, that the band will be releasing a new album this year. Amongst his usual repertoire of tame lies in an interview with Zane Lowe, Okereke confessed that the band have recorded two tracks and demoed 17 . The album, which is yet to be named, will be the fourth from the band, coming seven years after their groundbreaking debut, Silent Alarm. Said to be recorded and partially written in New York, the fourth album will be the most anticipated of them all, after a two year break that certainly saw the future of Bloc Party in jeopardy as Okereke claimed that his three bandmates were auditioning a replacement lead singer. As a follow on from the synth driven Intimacy, the new album has led fans to wonder in what direction the versatile four piece will head, having digested three albums that have featured tracks such as 'Helicopter' and 'Flux'. We can only hope it will be in the direction of solidarity.
Lana Del Rey Born To Die
Richard Higgs Critic
The biggest buzz-artist of 2012, or shoddily slapped together pop artifice? A celebration of Americana or a gimmicky sepia-toned construct? The perfect alternative poster girl or a whining hipster Ophelia? With what she describes as 'surf/glam/sad-core', Del Rey (or Elizabeth Grant – woah – a popstar with a stage name? Sellout!) is set to be one of the most critically divisive artists of the year. Having already charmed Daniel Radcliffe on America's Saturday Night Live and been surreally sandwiched between the unintelligible John Bishop and adorable Brian Cox on The Jonathan Ross Show, her live performances have been panned and praised in equal measure. Her ethereal/flat voice was championed/laughed at last summer with haunting tales of domestic abuse in 'Video Games'. Her latest single, 'Off To The Races' is equally divisive – the most mundane of pop verse beats, coupled with a fresh/rotten vocal style. Depending on which side of the fence you're sitting, the properly real, anti-autotuned princess/shy malfunctioning fembot is going to turn heads in 2012.
Crystal Castles Crystal Castles III
The xx TBA
William Franklin
Laura Schofield
Just look at the contrast up there. Whereas Lana Del Rey was sculpted into the Baroque pop queen she is today, Alice Glass was simply unleashed. And you get an idea of the mania she transmits as the vocalist for Crystal Castles in their two eponymous records. 2012 should see the third, safely assumed to be titled Crystal Castles III. Alice and Ethan's 2008 debut was hectic to the point that casual listening could be punishing. Vocals danced between screechy punk and echoing crooning, and the sampling was nostalgic, bringing tortured 8-bit video game sounds to mind. 2010 saw their follow-up, which expanded the formula with frothy-mouthed hardcore. It exposed some holes, like a complete inability to show moderation, but ultimately, that was what Alice and therefore, by extension, Crystal Castles were all about. The temptation now is just to assume that they'll carry on in the same fashion. But the third album is usually when artists decide to consolidate their sound, rather than evolve it. And a polished, balanced combination of CC's past records could make for one of the most exciting electronic albums of the year.
Two years after the release of their Mercury Award Winning album, The xx are back. The band has already released a demo, 'Open Eyes', on their new blog, created especially for the forthcoming, second album. Jamie xx told NME that their new album would be heavily influenced by 'club music', yet 'Open Eyes' is in the same mellow vein as their debut. That being said, the demo is somewhat more haunting than the band's previous songs, and it is, after all, only a demo and not necessarily a sample, so the album may be a long way from what the band have already created. Whether the second album turns out to be similar or completely removed from the first, it is almost certain to be a success. Jamie xx is rapidly becoming an unstoppable force within the music industry, having produced hit remixes like Florence and the Machine's 'You Got The Love' and Adele's 'Rolling In The Deep', not to mention the number one track from Drake's album 'Take Care'. The xx's new album is certain to be one of the most highly anticipated of 2012, but won't be released anytime soon as recording has, reportedly, only just begun.
Music Editor
Critic
18 redbrickpaper.co.uk
Redbrick
20th January 2012
Arts
UoBlogfest is a new, official University of Birmingham blogsite covering events and festivals across the city, brought to you by student bloggers. Find out more at http://uoblogfest.wordpress.com/
Happy 21st Birthday, Symphony Hall
Alexander Blanchard Arts Editor
Birmingham's musical history is perhaps lesser known than that of London or Liverpool but over the years it has been no less vibrant and vivacious. After the first musical festival in 1768, held to raise money for the General Hospital, and the subsequent construction of Town Hall in 1834, many musicians, such as Mendelssohn, Saint-Saëns, Grieg, Sibelius, Dvorák and, of course, Elgar came to involve themselves in the city (Elgar, incidentally, held the post of Peyton Professor of Music at the University of Birmingham from 1905 to 1908). Consequently, The City of Birmingham Orchestra was founded in 1920, with Elgar
directing their first performance at Town Hall. Though, by the 1980s, with Town Hall falling into disrepair, the need for service industry and jobs to quell rising unemployment, as well as the burgeoning international reputation of CBSO under director Simon Rattle, it was evident that Birmingham was in need of a new concert hall. And so, after a considerable sum of money from the European Community (the then Conservative government being reluctant to contribute to the project – how times have changed) the development that was to weigh around 32,000 tonnes, founded on 120 concrete pillars interspersed with 800 rubber cushions to reduce vibrations from the railway line be-
low, began. In 1991, over 4000 people amassed within the translucent glass facade to witness Simon Rattle conduct the CBSO in the inauA Retrospect: Highlights from 21 years
B.B. King, Berlin Symphony Orchestra, Chuck Berry, John Williams, Lou Reed, Ludovico Einaudi, Michael Nyman, Rufus Wainwright Russian State Symphony, Tim Minchin, Tracy Chapman, UB40, Yo Yo Ma ...and Peter Andre
gural concerts at Symphony Hall. It is said that the unique relationship and symbiosis between acousticians and architects during the construction of Symphony Hall –rather than have the acousticians wait until the end – is the fundamental reason why it is such an acoustic triumph. On the opening, The Sunday Telegraph wrote 'It is not only easily this country's finest concert hall, but also assuredly among the world's best'. On Symphony Hall turning 21, Andrew Jowett, Director of Town Hall & Symphony Hall said, 'I remain immensely proud that 21 years on, Symphony Hall is still at the top of the list of the world's greatest concert halls and is still cherished by the people of Birmingham. We look forward to
connecting many more people to music through this ambitious and exciting festival. 'Since 1991, over 10 million people have come here to enjoy, participate in and learn more about music. We've welcomed hundreds of the greatest artistes on the musical stage – from Placido Domingo to Alison Krauss, Cecilia Bartoli to Tony Bennett and Bruce Springsteen to Ravi Shankar.' As part of the 21st celebrations Symphony Hall will be holding an eclectic festival of arts and culture, including two nights of comedy from Bill Connolly, a performance by Elvis Costello, and the return of Sir Simon Rattle with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Find out more at thsh.co.uk.
Article 19 presents: Hamlet at the AE Harris Building Alice Young Critic
Alice Veitch
In their avant-garde interpretation of debatably Shakespeare's most famous tragedy Article 19 gave a commendably bold performance. Under the direction of Jack Robertson, the intricacies of the plot were captured and communicated with an impressive level of clarity and without compromising the integrity of the original. Hamlet's spiralling descent into darkness was portrayed with great skill by Bill Pasterfield; he astutely captured not only the hyster-
ical side to the character, but also his charisma and charm. Perhaps surprising in a young actor was his ability to tease out the meaning of every line he delivered with careful thought and sincerity. Article 19 shrewdly drew upon many of the subtle witticisms in Hamlet which could otherwise be easily overlooked. This was particularly evident in Joe Hinds' performance as Polonius, who embodied the classic Shakespearean fool in his bumbling, blustering mannerisms. So popular was he with the audience that his mere appearance on stage was enough for some to
titter. Such emphasis on the humorous elements, particularly in the first act, created the perfect antithesis to the progressively more sinister nature of the play, and formed the suspense necessary for the tragic conclusion. The interactive techniques used in the production were also intriguing. Upon entering the building, some of the actors were already in character, giving directions or silently handing out programmes; this cleverly set the eerie scene even before the audience was seated.
The interaction continued into the play itself, at points surprising, and sometimes horrifying, audience members by addressing them directly. The backdrop of a dystopian Denmark was remarkably well represented by the production's setting in an unheated warehouse – far, far too cold for comfort in the middle of December, but arguably rather fitting. Equally, the mere fact that each night an audience was willing to put up with these arctic conditions for an entire evening spoke volumes.
Redbrick
Arts 19
20th January 2012 redbrickpaper.co.uk
The T.S. Eliot Poetry Prize The Shortlist 2011-2012 John Burnside – Black Cat Bone Carol Ann Duffy – The Bees Leonita Flynn – Profit and Loss David Harsent – Night Esther Morgan – Grace Daljit Nagra -Tipoo Sultan's Incredibe White-ManEating Tiger Toy-Machine Sean O'Brien -November Bernard O'Donoghue – Farmer's Cross
, 2012, January 14 a cloud sk of finding a.m. . where the ta ld y or da w e of th nd of champion It was the ki y sp ie th en would fox ev has come directly ckwards. air s happen ba Where the all your sigh d an e, ac pes from sp st night esca Unchaste, la ps of alcohol is almost in breathy w p: semi-dreams that ee sl of ck ily and la smiled, happ had you. You e minus-six-degree th h at odds wit ripped ning, and st dle Sunday mor underwear in the mid ur yo u. to yo n dow bathe – letting it of the street . w No one sa
Lexie Wilson Arts Editor
First awarded in 1993, as a celebration of the 40th year of the British Poetry Society, as well as honouring founding poet, the T. S. Eliot Prize is designed to revel in the very apex of British poetry. The kind of poetry that can wonderfully and somehow simultaneously awkwardly jar with you; that can change how you see the world or yourself and give an entire room a collective case of the goose bumps. The work of this year's winner, Scottish poet John Burnside's collection Black Cat Bone, described by the judges as 'haunting', does nothing to lessen this electric reputation. Over the last two decades, the T. S. Eliot Prize has been won by some household names, such as Ted Hughes and every GCSE English student's anthology favourite Carol Ann Duffy, as well as a few welcomed curveballs. The winner gets not only the prestige and accolade of being included in such a hallowed literary heri-
tage, but also £15,000 cold, hard prize money. The source of this cash prize, however, has seen this year's race come to be regarded as the most tense and contentious in recent years, as the Poetry Society controversially took on a three year sponsorship deal with fund management company Autrum, in an attempt to bridge the craters that the retraction of their Arts Council grant had left in their funding. Consequently, two of the prize nominees, Alice Oswald and John Kinsella, dropped out of the running in a protest against what they regard as the commercialisation of their art. The remaining candidates this year, however, were particularly strong with the nominees including the Poet Laureate herself. Her latest collection, The Bees, deftly proves that 30 years on, her poetry still has an atmospheric importance to it; along with the latest work from other poetic heavyweights Sean O'Brien and David Harsent. And yet the list did not overlook relative newcomer Leontia Flynn, whose star we now see firmly positioned in the ascent. The themes of this year's poems are equally diverse, dealing with everything from the whimsical to the winner's exploration of 'human longing and loneliness'. It is in this we see Burnside's intensely unique and moving treatment of commonplace ideas, of childhood and loss, will ensure he remains regarded as a worthy winner.
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Musical Picnic
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Student Poetry Exclusive
Attempting the Impossible. Rene Magritte Here I am. I can see from your expression that you've achieved perfection. You've solved the equation of creation and now your imagination exists in solid form. You can touch me. Feel with the tips of your fingers my porcelain skin, unblemished by years I never had to see, no stretch marks or scars have invaded its surface. It is new born, wrapped tightly around an older form my breasts rest round and pert; gravity has not had time to pull my nipples towards it's ground and they point, cylindrical cherries smiling at the sky. You move your fingers up my taught neck to my pastel lips you can't resist pressing your tips into their tissue. They crack. A map of lines breaking their egg shell surface, ashes to the floor, you pull back and stare at the fracture in your hollow masterpiece. s ri You've captured me exquisitely an exact imitation of the painting Ben Nor in your mind. The ideal women born into existence but not reality. Your brush stroked everything it wanted to see. Death ir, fa t n' is a rd it Bonnie Roberts Post Ca r behind and Night b nd the Maide he g in av le s rings his n You're alway so I mu st bury breath to my c she only stares w at the street. heek, m I y a s m e lf in m inke do out of the win ces she'll hear, guide her, and as I d with a new b y hands. en nt la se li e ck e I hear Form th it strike blood, g her back, hed soul. my vein find her. Brin d her unfurnis road again, H an d s. e in m p le u pa lls e with her clear e howls, the bin lid is in th and trac me from the fa id ts ll ou e s o et f re th st slumbe e knots The n. they ris r, of m ng a whipping her heart is on its own agai e the car is getti teasing and sink, as lu y spine – le rain, ed . ne of of ro ts e n b ee th ar tides e h a ug d ro s th s o from the sh he f , fever fro ht never reac m my b And the sunlig rd, a thought spent, He pois row. ca a o , n nd s ha r d e. reams o In he nam r. softly ta f cor t masking her ed down to he k a stamp almos eyes speak of worlds hand and uns ing others for h nflower n w e is own, do tt Hand-me“Where ling hours of ,” he wh tangled . rs . rs he ot ve to fto Le ed ispers, “ s sistance belong where a heets. eful. The plat de ré re you to I forget their to share, es by, and grat on t liv y go rr it e th y ca go?” sh or d l e st al an e d elica and th vague, Ink was as he ca ssers-by look e time it steals lms the cy of warm fin ink enjoying th so smudged the other pa g h w e a ith carv rs ir on my ters head A few charac he clutc ed hands – h e s a n . d my m way ttle my cage. uscles w e gist. g sobs that ra aste. But she got th Night b uge disgustin H s. ie r in cr e g sh s his bre And now and so I ath to m must bu y che ry myse lf in his ek, e arms. Lucy Ro Megan Kissan wland
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20th January 2012
Film
'Enchanted? Ha-ha ha-ha! Who said anything about the castle being enchanted? Ha-ha-ha...'
Is
David Gluckstein Critic
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Film News
GOLDEN GLOBES SPECIAL
YES!
Prepare for fanfare, prepare for fun, because 2012 is going to be number one... for film. By the end of the year we may even know if John Cusack and the Mayans were right. If so, for film, this is a good year to end. First and foremost our screens are going to be dominated by some of the biggest cinematic releases from the world of comic book, action and fantasy. The Caped Crusader, a suave English spy and a little person with hairy feet are all set to make additions to their already fantastic franchises. The fact that I can allude to these films simply by denoting aspects of the central characters highlights how successful these films have been and therefore how big this year is set to be. And that is before we even consider The Avengers and The Amazing Spiderman. Also, when The Dark Knight alone earned in excess of $1billion, this is going to be an incredibly lucrative year for film. The value of this to the industry as a whole should not be underestimated as it can allow for a far greater range of originality in the future. Though it's not all about your pulse rate; if sophisticated cinema is what you desire, 2012 will deliver. The year kicks off with Shame and Coriolanus and later on; The
Genevieve Taylor Film Editor
the best year for movies ever? Great Gatsby and On the Road. So, get to your nearest projection booth and enjoy the veritable feast of cinema that awaits in 2012. Natasha Lavender Critic
As the curtains open on excited movie lovers everywhere are eagerly anticipating some future classics; it seems that 2012 is set to take gold for the best year for film. But let's not jump the gun. While films such as Ridley Scott's sci-fi epic Prometheus, hotly
NO! 2012,
awaited Batman sequel The Dark Knight Rises and Middle Earth adventure The Hobbit are already sending ripples of anticipation across the internet, no one has actually seen them yet. As such, it is rather hasty to declare them better than the movies which preceded them. Prometheus is said to be greatly influenced by Scott's classic Alien, The Dark Knight Rises is the sequel to the highly popular The Dark Knight, and The Hobbit must live up to the celebrated Lord of the Rings trilogy. While the promo material for these and films such as The Woman in Black show some promise, others range from dubious to down-
right wrong. Although Avatar 2 has mercifully been delayed until the post-apocalyptic date of 2016, there are still plenty of suspect sequels set to pollute our screens. Alongside the recurring nightmare that is the Twilight series come Scary Movie 5, Madagascar 3 and Resident Evil 5. As such, a more accurate film forecast for 2012 suggests a combination of the good, the bad and the aesthetically challenged. Therefore, it would perhaps be wise to reserve judgment on the year's true credentials until we have survived both the impending apocalypse and some dismal-sounding sequels.
Sunday night (or the upsettingly early hours of Monday morning for us Britons) saw the brightest stars of Hollywood tighten their constellation as they came together to attend the Annual Golden Globes. The ceremony was preceded over by the dreaded Ricky Gervais whose jokes this year were decidedly less derisive than last. The undeniable sweetheart of the night was The Artist, reviewed by Rosalind Fursland in this issue, which won three awards for Best Actor, Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, and Best Soundtrack. Sadly though there wasn't any recognition for the film's true star, Uggie the dog, who did attend the red carpet, wearing a black bow tie of course.
Five of the Best: Sci-Fi Hunks
Ellie Dobson ogles the best man candy... or, um, respected male actors, that sci-fi has to offer
Ewan McGregor
#2
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It's true what they say: you always want what you can't have. The Jedi vow of celibacy may keep him from us, but nothing can stop us dreaming about puppy-eyed Ewan McGregor as Obi Wan Kenobi (at his most handsome in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. Trust me – I've checked). Is it the beard, the cloak or his way with a lightsaber? Definitely all of the above.
David Duchovny
factor' in The X Files: #4 'XI Want to Believe four Proving he still has the
years ago, Duchovny is responsible for the sci-fi icon that is Fox Mulder. He still has the twinkle in his eye that made Mulder so endearing in the TV series. The sexual tension between him and Scully (Gillian Anderson) is still perfect, and with persistent rumours about a third X Files film, there may be more to come.
The other big winner of the night was Alexander Payne's The Descendants (to be released in the UK on the 27th January) which won the final award of the night, Best Motion Picture – Drama. The film's star, George Clooney, referred to by Gervais as the 'Cloonmeister', also took home Best Actor – Drama. Meryl Streep unsurprisingly won the equivalent award for Actress for her role as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.
Zachary Quinto
#
He may have been best-known for his portrayal of smouldering badguy Sylar in Heroes, but there's no doubt about it; the moment Zachary Quinto stepped into Leonard Nimoy's shoes and played Spock in Star Trek he made movie history. While the trademark pudding bowl haircut and pointy ears don't do it for everyone, the writers' decision to create a romantic relationship between the famous Vulcan and Nyota Uhura (Zoë Saldana) made us see Spock in a whole new (and very flattering) light and set nerd-girl heartrates skyrocketing everywhere.
#3
Will Smith
Will Smith is no stranger to the sci-fi scene. And in every effort from Independence Day to Men in Black he never fails to charm with his sarcastic wit and classic goodguy likeability. Men in Black III is out in May this year and After Earth – an alien film also starring Smith's son Jaden – will be released in 2013, so there's plenty more opportunity to see him at his best.
Nathan Fillion
Nathan Fillion re#5 when sumed the role of Captain
Fans of Firefly rejoiced
Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds in Serenity. The very epitome of the troubled hero, Fillion oozes rebel charisma which, with his biting humour and classic goodlooks, has earned him an incredibly loyal fan base. Like Han Solo, he's a bit of a space cowboy – breaking all the rules in all the right ways.
Film royalty was also recognised in the form of a Best Director award for Hugo's Martin Scorsese and the Cecil B. DeMille award for Morgan Freeman. Freeman's accolade was presented by acting legends Helen Mirren and previous winner Sidney Poitier, who Freeman said the award would be named after in his house. Other awards included Best Screenplay, won by Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris, Best Animated Feature for The Adventures of Tintin, Best Supporting Actor for Christopher Plummer in Beginners and Best Actress – Comedy for Michelle Williams's take on Marilyn Monroe in My Week With Marilyn.
Film 21
20th January 2012 redbrickpaper.co.uk
Redbrick
Reviews The Artist
UNMISSABLE
EXCELLENT
GOOD
Critic
Critic
Director: Michel Hazanavicius Cast: Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman Cert: PG The Artist is a glistening supernova of raw beauty. This silent movie homage epitomises a cinematic masterpiece, containing each ingredient in perfect quantity. It is funny but not farcical, tear-jerking but not tragic, simple but not simplistic and sweet but not saccharin. In short, few of the basic emotions are left un-felt, as the film teases the eyes and ears with its classic but unpretentious visual and mellifluous musical accompaniment. The heart-warming plot revolves around the amiable protagonist, George Valentin (Jean
TRAGIC
Dreams of a Life
Kate Ferris
Rosalind Fursland
POOR
Dujardin), a silent movie actor, battling decline subsequent to the emergence of 'talkies'. The film features outstanding performances from Bérénice Bejo as Peppy Miller, Valentin's career rival and love interest, and John Goodman as Al Zimmer, the studio boss. A more compact, but just as integral talent also takes a starring role, in the form of Jack (Uggie) the dog, Valentin's dependable companion. In an age where 3D has added extra complexity to filming and additional facial appendages for the viewer, The Artist offers a refreshing return to the elementary origins of cinema. It leads one to the optimistic hope that film may come full circle and productions like The Artist will become a trend. The 'silent' aspect is explored provocatively, with the absence of audible speech pervading as a leitmotif into the essence of the story
itself. The rise of 'talkies' initiates the demise of silent movies, thus causing the protagonist's dreams to be haunted by invasions of noise, which, in this exception, are emitted from the movie itself. This is the first instance of the ingenious manipulation of sound and its seamless interaction with the film's narrative. The visual chiaroscuro of the black and white picture enhances the timeless aesthetic and emphasises the beauty of archaic cinematic simplicity. Viewing The Artist in style at Birmingham's Electric Cinema, it is easy to be transported back in time to mourning the death of silent film, however with the hindsight that the Golden Age of Hollywood was to follow. The Artist is a cultural and historical experience, without being inaccessible or passé. It exudes class. !
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Director: Carol Morley Cast: Zawe Ashton Cert: 12A Dreams of a Life is a moving documentary, in which filmmaker Carol Morley attempts to piece together the life of Joyce Vincent, a young woman who died in 2003, but wasn't discovered until bailiffs broke into her flat to chase up her debts in 2006. Through placing adverts in newspapers and the sides of cabs, Morley connects with people who knew Joyce, to try to discover why nobody realised she'd gone. What results is a fascinating and emotional journey through fragmented memories of Joyce's life. Old workmates, ex-boyfriends and housemates talk to Morley about their memories of Joyce, the things she achieved, and speculate on what they think could have happened to her. What emerges is a vision of a beautiful, desired and
beloved woman, but one with trust issues, who was always moving house and disappearing. Men wanted to be with her, women wanted to be her, and no one can work out how this happened to her. Morley recreates the essence of Joyce through imagined scenes acted by Fresh Meat's Zawe Ashton in a breakout role. Although these scenes bulk up the film, and add a certain amount of audience connection with Joyce, it is the interviews which really provide the poignancy and emotion. Morley also makes a feature of her research notes, showing the complexity of Joyce's life, and the many webs of secrets in need of deciphering. Dreams of a Life is aptly named, as what this film achieves is not the full story of Joyce's demise, but pieces together remembered fragments of her life. You will leave the cinema with as many questions as answers, yet inevitably will be moved by this extraordinary and tragic story. !
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The Beginner's Guide to... James McAvoy James Dolton charts the career of one of Scotland's best and rising talents
James Andrew McAvoy was born on 21st April 1979 in Glasgow. Raised in the region of Drumchapel, he appeared in youth theatre but never seriously considered acting as a career, instead debating a Catholic priesthood and even being accepted into the Navy before being offered a place at the Royal Scotland Academy of Music and Drama, eventually graduating in 2000.
First Roles
After moving to London, he played roles in a multitude of small TV shows and low budget films. Most notable of these was his role as a Private in an episode of Tom Hanks' groundbreaking Sec-
ond World War series Band of Brothers and as a renegade journalist in the excellent BBC political thriller State of Play. He also garnered British attention for playing a lead on sleazy comedy Shameless. In 2002 he starred in Bollywood Queen, his first appearance as a romantic lead. Despite being disparaging about his own looks, once remarking 'I'm 5 foot 7 and I've got pasty white skin... I'm not your classic lead man', he has since gone on to play romantic roles on a number of occasions. What was perhaps his mainstream breakout came as Mr. Tumnus, the fawn
in 2005's The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. This Hollywood adaptation of C.S Lewis's classic children's book was a commercial success and confirmed McAvoy's status as a versatile young performer and one of British cinema's hottest prospects.
Career Highlights
Perhaps his finest performance to date came in 2006 in The Last King of Scotland, the haunting biopic of Idi Amin. Forrest Whittaker eventually won the Best Actor Oscar for his mesmeric performance as the Ugandan military dictator, but McAvoy won many plaudits for his portrayal of fresh-faced Doctor Nicholas Garrigan's descent from optimistic aid worker to the stooge of a corrupted state, as well as a BAFTA Scotland for Best Actor and nominations from the British Independent Film and European Film awards. In the same year he also starred in University Challenge-themed comedy Starter for Ten as bookish Brian Jackson. This role saw him play alongside fellow British actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who also featured in 2007 wartime heartbreak romance Atonement. Opposite Keira Knightley, he played
Robbie Turner, a servant wrongly accused of a terrible crime, with a grace and delicacy that earned him an Empire Award as well as furthering his burgeoning reputation for sympathetic characters. However, not content on resting on the niche he was creating as an archetypal romantic lead, his next significant r o l e was in 2 0 0 8 action film
Wanted which co-starred Hollywood heavyweight Angelina Jolie. He played the unwitting son of a professional assassin with aplomb and even performed the majority of his own stunts, twisting his ankle in the process.
Now
2011 saw him further enhance his repertoire by playing a youthful Professor Xavier in the big-budget prequel XMen: First Class, whilst his most recent role on UK
screens was voicing the lead in animated Sony effort Arthur Christmas. In 2012 he is due to star in big-budget thriller Welcome to the Punch as well as upcoming Danny Boyle crime drama Trance. The future looks bright for the selfdescribed 'Scottish vacuum of charm'.
22 redbrickpaper.co.uk
Life&Style
20th January 2012
Ahead of the trend: S/S Fashion... this Winter
Choice Awards. The Girl with Writer the Dragon Tattoo star and girl-ofChristmas may be only the-moment, just behind us, but Rooney Mara, most stars are sayalso hit the mark ing goodbye to their on several ocshimmering party casions, somedresses or winter times opting for looks, and stepping more adventurout onto the red carous pieces, such pet in the new Spring/ as Givenchy's Summer collections. peplum Khaki This week gave jacket, as well as us the first flavour classic styles like of award-season Louis Vuitton's looks where seemLBD at the Paris ingly red carpet veteran, premiere of her Carey Mulligan, shone new film. in a 1920s style Lanvin With the fringed dress for the Nafirst few award tional Board of Review shows proving Awards. Jennifer Morristo be very sucson also channelled Elle Fanning, Emma Stone, Jennifer Morrisson, Rooney Mara, Alexa Chung c e s s f u l , this key Spring trend keep an in a beautiful silk, who took away the award for Best eye out fringe-trimmed Oscar de la Renta Actress, went against the mould in following weeks for a run down number for the People's Choice with a fabulous monochrome YSL of the best looks from the Golden Awards. suit for the Critics' Choice Awards, Globes. Budding actress, 13-year-old while Alexa Chung kept festive Elle Fanning, not only managed with a Marc Jacobs silver coat, re- Trends to watch out for this to achieve a style which was both flecting Spring's trend of brodérie Spring: fashionable and youthful, but also anglaise for a Jimmy Fallon ap1. Pastels – Forget the bold gave us a taste of Spring's florals in pearance. colours of Summer 2011, this seaRodarte's sunflower-embroidered Best dressed list frequenter last son is all about the subtle palette. dress. She may have missed out on year, Emma Stone, complimented 2. Fashionistas are going crazy the award for Best Young Actor, her red locks with a green Jason for paisley, the pattern to invest but certainly wins for this week's Wu gown for the Critics' Choice in. best dressed teenager. Awards and with a Gucci look, in3. Gatsby glamour – ChanIt wasn't all florals and pas- cluding an emerald green cropped nel your inner flapper. tel colours though. Tilda Swinton, tuxedo jacket, for the People's Megan Jones
L&S's Top 10 Events of... into the process behind the product. 5. The Queen's Diamond Jubilee: From June 2nd to 5th. We just can't wait to see what Kate Middleton will be wearing for the occasion. April Shacklock Writer
1. Ballgowns: British Glamour Since 1950: Starting on May 19th, this is set to be the most glamorous, unmissable exhibition the Victoria & Albert Museum has ever seen! In celebration of the revamping of the fashion galleries, this exhibition will display ballgowns, red carpet dresses and iconic catwalk pieces. 2. First Pictures of Baby Blue Ivy Carter: definitely the celebrity baby of 2012, but when will we get a peek at her? 3. The Great Gatsby: Still a while to wait for this one, set to be released at Christmas, but with a line-up including Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire and Carey Mulligan, how could we not already be excited? Until then celebrate the Great Gatsby style with lots of pearls, sequins and fur. 4. The Christian Louboutin Exhibition: starting on March 28th, the London Design Museum is showcasing the designer's 20 year career as an innovator of the shoe industry and giving an insight
6. The Olympic Games: Of course we're excited about this for many reasons, the biggest being how apt it is for the sport-luxe trend for Spring/Summer '12. 7. Snow White and the Huntsman: Set to open on June 1st, this is going to be one stylish fairy-tale, with Kristen Stewart playing the heroine and Charlize Theron playing the evil queen. 8. The Met Ball: Always the most stylish event of the year. The 2012 ball is hosting the opening of the 'On Fashion' exhibition by Miuccia Prada and Elsa Schiaparelli. Chairs of the exhibition are Anna Wintour, Carey Mulligan and Miuccia Prada and Baz Lurhmann will be the creative consultant for the exhibition. 9. Isle of Wight Festival: June 22nd – 24th. Last year Kate Moss went there for her hen party; we can't wait to see what high style of low maintenance is there this year! 10. Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel's Wedding: Finally! I predict this wedding will be subtly sexy and very, very glamorous.
Horoscopes, writers' New Year's resolutions & advice from the L&S Agony Aunt Read online at redbrickpaper.co.uk/lifestyle
Blog of the Week Fierce & Amy Wakeham Writer
A blog for everyone who wishes their life was a perennial round of cocktail dresses, dinner parties and Californian sunshine (that's all of us, right?), this week's choice is the lifestyle blog of the fabulous Emily Schuman. Featuring style advice, interiors, inspiration, make-up tips, recipes, chic DIY projects… this blog has it all! Cupcakes and Cashmere provides the perfect escape for every poor, stressed student stuck in chilly Brum to a world of walk in wardrobes, Louboutins and meticulously stylish interiors. I think I want to be her. www.cupcakesandcashmere.
Writer
So it's come to that time of year when exercise DVDs and nicotine patches start flying off the shelves. You would struggle to find a postChristmas indulger who wouldn't mind shedding a few pounds, or quitting smoking after their Christmas 'lapse'. As we stare down at our decidedly plumper tummies or remember back to those drunken Christmas parties, we all feel the compulsion to drastically rethink our lifestyles and resolve to do things differently. But how deeply do we really think about this? If we closely evaluated our lives, I doubt that a perfectly toned stomach by summer would truly be the most worthwhile goal we could aspire to. In any case, since no-one I know has ever been able to keep their New Year's resolutions, the ones we come up with are clearly impractical and unrealistic. Do we really expect 'no carbs' diets and daily visits to the gym to last longer than a week? Surely with the manic pace of our lives – made worse of course by the looming January exams – we can hardly commit to some silly aspiration. What people forget is that how they were living before they were swept away by Christmas wasn't actually that sinful. Why has our culture developed where all the treats we allowed ourselves at Christmas are seen as mistakes which we must strive to correct for
Finished Fierce Tiffany Bowers Writer
January sales – Yes, there is still shopping to be done girls. House of Fraser and Debenhams are always excellent for bargains. Essay deadlines – With the end of the first week of term came deadlines, now we are into week two we feel free as a bird! Enjoy it while it lasts. Pale and interesting – January is the month to embrace our lack of glowing, bronzed skin. So step away from the self-tan and rock opaque tights instead. Downton Abbeyonce – This innovative tumblr account uses Beyonce lyrics to illustrate Downton Abbey clips – hilarious and bizarrely effective! Fans of the two will appreciate the ingenuity behind this concept, and it is an excellent way to procrastinate. http://downtonabbeyonce.tumblr. com/ Versace's second range for H&M – Exclusively available online from January 19th. The bold colours will work much better for the S/S season and will ignite excitement for your summer wardrobe!
cupcakesandcashmere.com Sleek up-dos – In particular, ponytails. The hairstyle is back, but this time the look is much more sophisticated; swept up high and slick, with minimal accessories and lashings of red lipstick. once and for all? A deadly hangover which we must cure? Indeed, why must we overreact by comFinished pletely depriving ourselves of pleasure when really we have nothing Rhiannon Johns to apologise for? Writer This has all got rather out of hand. What we are facing here is a contrived, media-led frenzy which convinces us to enter into January sales – We can't be guilt-driven schemes to optimise bothered to thrift through piles of ourselves. We scorn those who clothes that contain every size bar claim that they “can't think of a our own any more, bring on the resolution this year” or who “re- spring collection! solve not to make a resolution”. To us they seem like 'kill-joys' who House hunting – Forget 'Zuki think they're perfect. We might re- says relax', I'm a fresher looking think this when we realise just how for a house, and I'm panicking! many agonising hours in the gym we have let ourselves in for. Those Christmas bath bombs – 'kill-joys' may have a point. Yes, Thanks to those Santa shaped they have been extravagant over bath bombs from your distant the holidays, but they simply don't relative, your bath now resembles feel the need to punish themselves a crime scene. If anything they're for it. TOO much fun… Ideally we should just slot back seamlessly into our relatively Refresher's flu – Like the one in balanced previous lives. If we do the summer. But worse. feel the urge to make a New Year inspired lifestyle change (rather American TV breaks – We than a hasty resolution) then why don't want to have to wait a month not let it be something worthwhile to find out what's happened in our like Skyping the family more often favourite TV shows! Grr… or planning a summer internship. We don't need to feel bad about Weight loss adverts – please having those extra helpings of save these for a time when we Christmas pudding and let's face don't have piles of selection boxes it, that mystery guy at the Christ- to still get through! mas party was clearly not a mistake! So relax everyone. No need to CBB – The Celebrity Big Brother become a nun just yet. And should house is filled with wags, failed your friends ask, tell them that a talent show contestants and Sonia girl is nothing without her guilty from Eastenders. Enough said. pleasures!
Realistic Resolutions Maddie Kilminster
Redbrick
Redbrick
Travel
redbrickpaper.co.uk
20th January 2012
Travel Quote of the Week: 'The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page' St Augustine
January 2012
Travel's dream resolutions revealed for 2012
Chloe Osborne, Sian Stanfield, Will Spence and Louise Spratt tell us their travel goals and offer planning advice
Trek Malawi Why: For hiking and extreme safari through the Nyika Plateau National Park and plains; visiting Calendar Lake for scuba diving, snorkelling; Mumbo islands. When: Summer 2012, two weeks. How: Trekking and safaris throughout Africa generally require pre-booking through travel companies; navigating large areas of the plateau landscape can be difficult, particularly if relying on the scarce public transport system. However, combining time in the National Park and a visit to the stunning Lake Malawi, where tours and trips can be organised at the ports, I will need to find transport overland between the two. Citizens of Commonwealth countries do not require a visa, though I will need to sort out insurance and ensure I have the necessary vaccinations before I go. Flights, transfers, money, trekking boots.... and my camera. Check!
Sight seeing in Jordan Why: To experience a different culture and cuisine, and see some of the most well-preserved classical sites in the world. When: Early summer, as temperatures in Jordan can reach over 40 degrees mid-July to August. How: It is necessary to do a lot of research on the customs of any Middle Eastern country, especially Jordan. A holiday like this can get incredibly expensive, so I have decided to stay in hostels to keep the cost down. This seems the most practical way to save money as I do not want to scrimp on visiting attractions. For a country so immersed in history, I'd rather stay in cheaper accomodation than miss out on seeing where Lawrence of Arabia fought his sand battles! I need to obtain the currency and a visa is required to enter the country. Medical insurance is essential and loose clothes that cover arms and legs are vital to prevent unwelcomed looks from the locals.
Motoring around Canada Why: For that true North American experience; without Disney. When: July/August 2012. How: The great thing about motoring around Canada in a campervan means you can kill two birds with one stone; accommodation and travel mode in one. There's no stress of having to find accomodation or worrying about public transport. No pre-arranged visa is required for British nationals, but I'll have to make sure I have at least six months remaining on my passport after the date I plan to leave and a pre-booked return ticket. Having checked six months in advance, return flights from Heathrow to Vancouver are around the £450-£500 mark; a bargain I'll need to snap up quick. Fuel prices are less than half of those in England, but food and alcohol can be equally as pricey, so I'll keep essential items such as bread, milk and chocolate in the van's fridge at all times to save money.
Yoni Lerner on Flickr
archer10 (Dennis) Slow on Flickr
MSVG on Flickr
Useful websites: Travel information: www.go2africa.com/malawi/african-safariguide/travel-tips-malawi Health advice: www.traveldoctor.info/vaccinations/malawi.73. html Cheap flights to and from Lilongwe -www.travelzoo.com/uk
Useful websites: On practical advice: www.jordanjubilee.com Jordan tourist board: www.visitjordan.com Up-to-date information political action, weather conditions:www. fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-livingabroad/travel-advice-by-country
Useful websites: For van rental : www.statravel. co.uk/america-motorhomes.htm For the best fuel prices: www.gasbuddy.com/ For the best camping spots: www. campingtourist.com/campingspots/top-ten-canadian-camping-destinations/
Berlin: The ultimate New Year's Eve destination Fina Charleson
Moving to Spain Why: For a sunnier, cheaper, less stressful life outside of the UK. When: Summer 2012– unknown. How: Before I leave I'll need a home and a job, and the cliché of it's not what you know but who runs true. Emailing those people I met last year whilst living in Spain is therefore key and finding potential flatmates and sending emails to language schools will help to get my foot in the Spanish door. Financially, wages will need to be kept in a bank preferably with connections between the UK and Spain, to avoid transfer charges and on arrival I'll be expected to register with the national police to obtain an ID number for foreigners and driving licenses should be registered with the Guardia Civil. As an EU citizen, no visa is required but I need to ensure my EHIC card is up to date for medical services. Once that's all done, it's no more Selly Oak and rain, but Sangria and sun!
photo by Louise Spratt Useful websites: Flats to rent: www.easypiso.com Website advertising for accommodation, jobs, language courses :madrid.loquo.com/es_es Lloyds Bank International: www. lloydsbankinternational.es European Health Insurance card – www.ehic.org.uk
Reporter
German capital city to experience its highly liberal attitudes towards life. The city is dense with underground nightclubs, hidden in all sorts of retreats, from old train stations and post offices, to gigantic post-war factories. Talented DJs come from around the world, with music ranging from House to Techno, Reggae to Dancehall. However, if hours of constant beats are not your style, Berlin revels in bars; from the plush cocktail lounges by the riverside, to warming grottolike pubs serving you biers from all over Germany. Considering it's a capital city, you will be pleasantly surprised by how affordable everything is. €70 will treat you well for a long weekend, plus hostels cover the city
Rosa McMahon with low rent prices, averaging €10 a night. You will find plenty of restaurants with various cuisines that offer generous portions for around seven euros. The streets are also littered with food stalls selling giant pretzels and currywurst – 'curried sausage', the defining German delicacy which warms up the icytemperatures. Waking up on New Year's Day (or evening with an understandably sore head) to see the city's artists waking up to the New Year , penning down or drawing the postmodern era in cosy cafes and bars you forget what a huge city this is. When you look around, people are setting off fireworks on every free space of the city's streets, hugging strangers snd it is easy to see how visitors are seduced by its warming sense of unity and hope.
Gemma Fottles Reporter
Ati-Atihan Held every third week of January, Ati-Atihan is the Phillipines' largest and wildest Mardi Gras celebration. Lasting a full week from dawn to dusk, the festival is a religious event, paying particular worship to Santo Niño, or literally 'infant Jesus'. Sundance Film Festival Running from January 19th right through to the 29th, Sundance is the world's biggest independent film festival held every year in the state of Utah, USA. With cult classics such as Tarantino's Pulp Fiction being thrown into the public eye for the festival, Sundance attracts thousands of visitors every year. Chinese New Year and Losar Even though most of the western world will be far into the recovery of their New Year's frivolities, some countries in this will barely have begun. January 23rd welcomes in the Chinese New Year, and is arguably the most important celebration of all the traditional Chinese holidays. Tibet often celebrate Losar on or very close to the same day as the Chinese New Year, and as another New Year's event, is one of the most significant events in the Buddhist calendar. Australia Day Australia Day is celebrated annually on the 26th January, somewhat controversially celebrating the advent of the first fleet of ships to arrive in Sydney in 1788. The controversy surrounds the injustice of colonisation of land previously occupied by the indigenous aboriginal people. Despite this though, this national holiday is celebrated in large and small communities and cities all over the country. Australia Day has become the biggest annual civic event in Australia.
International View: Cardiff Joseph Li
Reporter
Fancy trying something different to welcome in the next New Year? Whether you've been left unsatisfied by the celebrations welcoming 2012, or you had such a great time that you can't wait to do it all over again, why not plan a trip to kick off 2013 with a bang? An excellent way to conclude a year is to party in the cultural hub that is Berlin. As a local Berliner once said to me, 'the city's night is always young' and he could not have been any more right when it came to New Year's Eve; fireworks were being set off on the streets by residents from dusk till dawn, spreading good cheer whilst glugging down mugs of steamy Glühwein. To say Berlin is a cultural experience would be an extreme understatement. There is an incredibly strong sense of art and philosophy in response to the devastating upheaval Berliners have experienced in the 20th century. When you celebrate the New Year in Berlin, you are surrounded by people who truly cherish their lives in the twenty-first century. People from all over the world come to the
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The red dragon emblem and signs covered in a strange language told me I had arrived in Cardiff. Although it was cold, I received a warm welcome from a friend who said the wind and heavy rain were typical of South Wales; so far, so like England. In the heart of the city, a large castle built upon the foundations of a Roman fort showcases 2000 years of history. Open to the public, tourists can step back in time for an admission price of £9.50 for students. As a foreign student studying in England, the most interesting thing for me was the Welsh language. The spellings were totally different from English, with phrases such as, 'ffordd allan' meaning 'way out'. Cardiff University boasts a Welsh Language Teaching Centre and professors encourage students to write their dissertations in their national language. Cardiff Bay is also worthy of a visit. Small boutiques in the heart of Mermaid Quay selling handpicked selections of gifts, including jewellery and British teacups or
pots are perfect for the foreign visitor. After purchasing some teacups for myself I chatted with the owner, a young Welsh girl studying in the city, and asked her to teach me some Welsh; however, she couldn't speak it. She explained that many youngsters had not been given any formal education in the Welsh language and Welsh people believed that their culture was fading, so have started to teach the language in primary schools again. A short walk from Cardiff Bay, there is the Millennium Centre Opera House. Here you can catch opera and ballet performances, West End shows and musicals. What struck me most about my visit was the realisation that within the relatively small collection of isles, British people are separated into different groups with such strong local cultures. It reminded me of the situation in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. I visited the country wearing a cap stating 'England', and was told by someone that Wales was a better country. When you travel, it is always rewarding to talk to the locals about their nation, learn about their culture and see what makes them proud.
24 redbrickpaper.co.uk
20th January 2012
Technology
In review this week we look at the Lumia 800. For a full review go to: redbrickpaper.co.uk
Redbrick
US SOPA & PIPA bills threaten freedom online Tom Armstrong examines the controversial Bill currently under debate in the US
In the US the Stop Online Piracy Act looms over the internet, threatening its core ethos. While its intentions are good, it stands to change the face of the web in some very negative ways. The Stop Online Piracy Act was introduced to the US House of Representatives in October 2011 and has garnered widespread criticism in the following months. SOPA is intended 'to promote prosperity, creativity, entrepreneurship and innovation by combating the theft of U.S. property', but its critics fear that it could prove severely detrimental to the internet, damaging the values it seeks to protect and impacting free speech. Lamar Smith, architect of the bill, is also the chairman of the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) which is a major proponent of the bill. Its most staunch defender is the US Chamber of Commerce, a major lobbying group in Washington. SOPA is primarily aimed at combating so called 'rogue sites' such as 'The Pirate Bay'. These sites are based outside the US and are accused of infringing US copyright law. At the moment they are relatively immune to legal action from the US, a situation which SOPA seeks to challenge. The bill would allow the US Attorney General to seek a court order against these 'rogue sites' requiring US service providers to block access to them. Offending
sites would also be struck from search engines, potentially saddling firms like Google and Yahoo with responsibility for policing copyright. The US Chamber of Commerce argues that piracy and counterfeiting costs Hollywood studios, record labels and publishing houses the astronomical sum of $135 billion per year. Some estimates also state that as much as 45 per cent of software running on computers worldwide and a staggering 95 per cent of music is illegally downloaded. Unsurprisingly perhaps, pornography is the most pirated media online, followed closely by movies. One study found that 70 per cent of internet users have no problem with online piracy and, despite studies which show that those who pirate music also tend to buy more music legally, there is no doubt that piracy has a palpable effect on the creative media industry. PC gaming, for example, has been severely affected by piracy over the past decade, with piracy rates running between 40 and 80 per cent depending on the country in question. Movie studios are also facing declining revenues due to piracy and as a result are becoming less likely to take risks with new ideas, being more likely to plump for sequels which ride the wave of previous box office successes instead. While online piracy is clearly a problem, an ever-growing coalition of companies and organisations are arguing that SOPA is not the way to deal with it. 'Net Coalition', a group that represents global internet and technology companies such as Ebay, Wikipedia, Google and Yahoo, is arguably the most significant opposition against the bill. They fear that the bill could seriously harm the innovative nature of the web, as well as inviting 'an explosion of innovation-killing lawsuits and litigation.' Much of the concern springs from the vague wording of many articles in the bill, which could lead to service providers being required to closely monitor the activities of their customers and to block web-
sites even suspected of copyright infringement. One part of the bill in particular states that action can be taken against any site whose owner 'has promoted' copyright infringement. Using Youtube as an example, does hosting an amateur music mash up video amount to promoting copyright? With the bill in its current state, there is potential for websites consisting of tens of thousands of links to be blocked simply because of a complaint about content on a single page. The bill also holds the owners of websites responsible for any content posted on them and places the burden of proof on these website owners in the event of a site being blocked. Because of this, it's easy to see how open content sites like Reddit, Youtube or Wikipedia, not to mention the myriad of smaller websites like them, stand to be adversely affected. The negative effect on legitimate US businesses could also be significant. Due again to the vague wording of the bill, companies could become vulnerable to a broad range of liabilities. This in turn may lead to a dramatic increase in the number of lawsuits, coupled with a decrease in investment and job creation. Opponents argue that the bill would amount to a 'blacklist' of sites which could be effectively removed from the internet after being blocked by both search engines and service providers. This effect has been likened to an 'internet death sentence'. In protest of the bill, sites such as Reddit, Destructoid and the Cheezburger network are planning
to go offline on the 18th of January, the date of the bill's next Judiciary Committee hearing. Wikipedia is also strongly opposed to the bill and may enter in to some kind of co-ordinated action with Reddit, but the real giants of the internet such as Google and Facebook are yet to announce any kind of similar action, despite voicing strong condemnations of SOPA. There is talk from some Google employees about what measures the company could take, but it is important to stress that nothing is concrete at this point. There are also rumours that Google may leave the US Chamber of Commerce over the issue, a step which Yahoo has already taken, though again this is unconfirmed. Following a two day debate in December, it became clear that SOPA supporters make up the majority within the House Judiciary Committee, suggesting that the bill may go through. Another hearing was due on the 18th of January when Wikipedia blacked out its website along with many other sites joining the protest. Google and Flickr also drew attention the issue. Following this, the direction of the bill is unclear, some support was lost, and possibility further hearings about the effects of the bill on internet security. This would delay a final vote for a time, but is unlikely to stop the bill completely. As things stand, the bill has a fair chance of being passed. Thoughts on what that would actually mean for the Internet remain informed speculation, but the outlook is bleak.
Redbrick & SOPA Glen Moutrie
the policy. We do recognise that media law does need to be protected; but this must be implemented correctly. For this reason we feel that it would be irresponsible for us not to put our name in support of those who have taken a stand against the bill. Additionally we blacked out our own website on the 18th as a part of the the strike against the SOPA and PIPA bills.
Editor
Redbrick is one of many hundreds of thousands of organisations that has benefited from the internet. Our online presence and dayto-day operation is currently dependent on the tools provided by firms such as Google, Twitter, Wordpress. It is these organisations that would be impacted by
British designer knighted for work at Apple Joshua Isaac Writer
Sir Jonathan Ive is the Senior Vice President of Industrial Design at Apple. He was the leading designer behind a host of Apple products, including iMac, MacBook Pro, iPod, iPhone and iPad. His name is on many of the patents for these products along side Steve Jobs. Jonathan Ive was born in Chingford, London in 1967, and studied Industrial Design at Newcastle Polytechnic. At college, Ive found computers frustrating and difficult to use. On discovering the Mac, he was 'astounded' by the user experience, and found that Apple's values appealed to him. After finishing his studies, Ive co-founded a design agency called Tangerine. Apple was one of Tangerine's clients, and offered Ive a full-time position. Ive accepted the position and moved to California, where he worked closely with Steve Jobs to develop the iMac. He went on to design the iPod and the iPhone, for which he received the 2007 National Design Award. Other products Ive was involved in designing include the G4 Cube, Mac Pro, MacBook Air and Eve from WALL-E. The Telegraph and The Sunday Times rated Jonathan Ive as one of the most influential Britons overseas. It was speculated that Ive would succeed Steve Jobs as CEO of Apple, though this position was eventually taken up by Tim Cook. In recognition of his work, Ive won the Designer of the Year 2003 award from the Design Museum. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2006, and was elevated to Knight Commander (KBE) in 2012.
World's first £16 computer set for January release
Stuart Ritchie Feature Writer
This month sees the release of the Raspberry Pi, one of the cheapest computers ever released to mass market. At only £16 the Raspberry Pi is designed to educate children further in Computer Sciences. Two models will be on offer, named
imaginatively Model A and Model B. Model B, at a slightly higher price of £25, will precede the £16 Model A version, which will be released later this year. The Pi is based on an incredibly simple design, which not only makes it cheap to manufacture and sell, but also makes it accessible for children to learn on. Early concepts and designs began
back in 2006 and were taken up by the Raspberry Pi Foundation, a charitable organisation, in 2009. The Raspberry Pi may be cheap but still offers a huge range of services and hardware. Its simple single-board computer consists of an RCA video input, audio jack, USB 2.0 port, 10/100 wired Ethernet, HDMI jack and an SD card slot. Although not wireless in itself, it will be possible to use a USB wireless receiver to enable wireless capabilities. Model A will not have wired Ethernet capabilities, as it is primarily intended for school use. The tiny computer is still relatively powerful as early tests indicate it is able to play Quake III successfully and play Blu-ray discs. What's more, at only 45g it is light and easily portable. The computer will be as small as a credit card and have the ability
to be plugged into a TV and keyboard. It will be able to play Hi-def videos as well as all the standard functions of other computers, including spread-sheets and wordprocessing. It also has the ability to be plugged into a touch screen to provide a low cost tablet PC. A pre-release fundraising auction for initial versions of the Raspberry Pi has attracted bids of over £3,000. The Charitable Foundation will also expect to raise a huge amount of money, as 50,000 people are currently on their mailing list. With pre-release interest as attractive as this, the computer will surely sell hundreds of thousands of copies. The Pi shares a number of similarities to that of the BBC Micro, a basic computer used to encourage an interest in computers for children in the 1980s. It has been
claimed that many current IT experts and analysts trace their early interests in computing back to the BBC Micro. If the Pi lives up to its promise, then it suggests a bright future for a computer literate generation. Although originally intended for UK manufacture, production has now been moved to China and Taiwan because of problems with the time frames UK manufacturers offered. What's more, there would be greater tax bills on the foundation if it were manufactured in the UK. This would lead to higher prices for the consumer, something the Foundation is clearly trying to avoid. The Raspberry Pi has the potential to lead to a whole new generation of cheap and portable computers that inspire children and adults to take up I.T.
Redbrick
redbrickpaper.co.uk
20th January 2012
Sport
25
Squash girls prevail in close encounter
Josh Hunt reports on the third team victory over Oxford, p26
Trampolinists come on leaps and bounds Redbrick Sport writer Tom Harvey caught up with the University's trampolining club captain Nat Caughtry, to find out about the club's extraordinary success this season...
The trampolining club is the most rapidly expanding club at the University On Mondays and Fridays, however, things get serious as the Competition Squad trains for regional and national events across the country. As the numbers suggest, more people than ever are representing Brum at a competitive trampolining level, as Caughtry explains, ‘we have 45 people as part of our competition squad, and while they are mostly female we also have some very talented male trampoliners’. Caughtry admits it would be nice to see more males take up the sport. ‘I think it’s just not seen as a stereotypical male sport’, she says. ‘But the fact that we now have five or six guys who take part will hopefully encourage a few more males to come and give it a go.’ In terms of competing, Caughtry is serious when she says, ‘you get out what you put in.’ Whilst a relaxed atmosphere is maintained between the club’s more casual trampoliners, before a competitive event members of the Competition Squad will train twice a week to polish their routines. With more trampoliners at the University than ever before,
The Week In Numbers
93.4 5 7-55 1000
Passing accuracy percentage of Swansea City's Leon Britton this season, higher than Barcelona's Xavi!
Brits knocked out in the first round of the Australian Open, leaving Andy Murray as the sole representative in a Grand Slam once again. Spinner Saeed Ajmal's impressive figures in the first innings of Pakistan's first test against England.
69
Tottenham Hotspur last week became the first club to concede 1000 goals in the Premier League.
Australian opening batsman David Warner hit the fourth fastest Test match century ever at Perth last week, on the way to an innings of 180 to help the Aussies inflict another crushing defeat on India.
the competition team is looking very strong. This year, for the first time, the club joined the Northern English Universities Trampolining League (NEUT). Established in 2010, the league is a competition involving 17 universities across the north of the country, with five competitions held throughout the year at Loughborough, Manchester, UCLan, Hull and Liverpool. At these events, NEUT participants compete within their respective categories based upon their ability: Novice, Intermediate, Intermediate/Advanced, Advanced, Elite and Uber, in solo and or synchronised routines. On the day, trampoliners are permitted a controlled 15 minute warm-up before they perform two routines in front of a panel of five judges. The first routine, set by the event organisers, strictly lays out a 10-jump routine that must be performed. The competitor then performs a second routine, one in which they are encouraged to showcase their own style of trampolining. Whilst the second routine does hold certain stipulations as to
what competitors can and cannot do, it is here where the trampoliners can really express themselves and attempt to win favour with the judges, who score marks out of 10 on categories such as technique and execution. Birmingham’s team has made a blistering start to the league, having won both NEUT events of the year so far, at Loughborough and Manchester. ‘Obviously we’re delighted with how we’ve started’ says Caughtry. ‘It’s a very positive and solid start, putting us at the top of the league, and we want to maintain that same level of performance across the remaining competitions this year’. Stand-out performances at Loughborough belonged to Hazel Thornton and Laura Newman, who both came second in their respective categories, the Intermediate/ Advanced Ladies’ and Advanced Ladies’. Rachel Jones came first in the Ladies’ Intermediate category whilst James Comber also finished in first place in the Men’s Elite category. Results were equally as posi-
The Week In Quotes 'I done wrestled with an alligator, I done tussled with a whale, only last week I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick. I'm so mean I make medicine sick.'
A classic quote from the legendary Muhammad Ali, now 70, whose way with words was almost as memorable as his boxing style.
'Everybody is ecstatic. Everybody knows we have been fighting so hard for a real chance in Formula One and they are thrilled that Williams has given me that opportunity.'
Bruno Senna, nephew of legendary driver Ayrton, will line up on the grid for Williams next season and was delighted by the news.
tive in Manchester, with Tom Baker and Helena Boryslawskyj both placing second in their respective categories - the Men’s Novices and Ladies’ Elite. Hannah Timms and Nathan Comber both impressed, finishing first in the Ladies’ Intermediates and Men’s Elites respectively. The NEUT runs alongside BUCS trampolining competitions, which culminate at the finals in Bristol on 25th March. With 40 people competing, another UB Sport trampolining record, Caughtry has her sights set on success. ‘After the start we’ve made to the NEUT league we want to carry that form throughout the year, into every competition we enter’ she says. Things definitely seem to be moving in a positive direction for this rapidly growing sports club, with competition successes already under the belt this year. Be sure to look out for the club’s up and coming ‘Bounce On Our Beds’ invitation in February, where for a couple of pounds you can give the sport a go for yourself.
The Redbrick Sport Quiz 1) Who won the women's Australian Open in 2011? 2) In December Amir Khan controversially suffered his second professional defeat to Lamont Peterson. Who was his first defeat to? 3) Who retained his PDC World Darts Championship in early January?
'I am aware of the huge importance of the number nine shirt and, when I spoke with the manager, he made it very clear how important this shirt is.'
4) Which golfer topped both the European and PGA tour money lists for 2011?
'He wants to go to a club where he can fight for titles and win championships.'
5) Which Russian heptathlete beat Jessica Ennis to the gold medal in the 2011 World Championships?
Newcastle new recruit Papiss Demba Cisse recognises the privilege afforded by wearing the shirt previously sported by the likes of Alan Shearer, Jackie Milburn and Malcolm Macdonald.
Mark Hughes' agent Kia Joorabchian explaining in June why Hughes decided to quit Fulham. Last week he took over at QPR, where the prospects of winning titles don't seem any better.
1, Kim Clijsters 2, Breidis Prescott 3, Adrian 'Jackpot' Lewis 4, Luke Donald 5, Tatyana Chernova
As I sit down and chat to Nat Caughtry, captain of the University’s Trampolining Club, it is clear that this is a sport rapidly becoming more and more popular on campus. This year, the club boasts more than 70 members; a marked increase on previous years, as Caughtry tells me ‘This will be my 4th year involved with trampolining at the University, and in that time numbers have grown dramatically’. She estimates that in the last two years alone the club has seen an increase of more than 50 members which places it, combined with the Gymnastics Club, as the third most popular sports club on campus – a great achievement considering their relatively modest numbers in past years. Their popularity can almost certainly be attributed to the inclusive nature of the sport, with the club catering for complete beginners through to ‘elite trampoliners’. On a Wednesday and Saturday, the club runs relaxed sessions where members practice their techniques alongside more experienced trampoliners, who coach their progress.
The club performed exceptionally in both NEUT events this year
26 Sport
20th January 2012 redbrickpaper.co.uk
Redbrick
Brum buoyant despite defeat Women's Rugby Union
Birmingham 1sts Leeds Met 1sts
0 20
James Newbon Sport Reporter
As first games back following a Christmas break go, a fixture against a Leeds Met Carnegie side with a 100% winning record could hardly have been any tougher for Birmingham women's rugby team. Beaten 56-19 in the corresponding away fixture, there was no place for any post-Christmas lethargy as the home side looked to avenge that result. And, whilst Leeds Met once again came away with victory, Brum can take solace from the fact that this time it was only by 20 points. Four tries from Sophie Luxton, Charlie Collard, Vicki Pinks and Natasha Collins were enough to give the away side a 20-0 victory, as the hosts defended well to ensure there were no repeats of the heavy scoreline. Leeds Met were ahead after two minutes as Claire Garner burst through the Birmingham defence before spreading the ball out to the right wing where Luxton was on hand to go over the try line. And, with Leeds Met adding a second try through Collard just seven minutes later, Brum must have feared a repeat of the earlier season rout. But it was the hosts who enjoyed the next spell of pressure as Aislin Byrne and Ash Aiston both crossed the tryline only to be held up by the Carnegie defence. This pressure was to be shortlived, however as Leeds Met were given a chance to extend their lead
through a penalty directly in the front of the posts. But Garner was unable to take advantage of this opportunity, missing as she had in her two previous conversion attempts. This did not set back the away side too much, as they went on to add a third try two minutes later when Pinks was able to find space on the left to score with the Brum defence stretched by a fast moving Leeds Met line. With Garner once again failing to convert, the half time score was 0-15 to the visitors. A series of turnovers marked a scrappy start to the second half as the ball swapped hands during a frantic quarter of an hour characterised by dogged defending from the home team. But Leeds Met eventually found a way through the defence on 18 minutes when Collins evaded tackles from Aiston and Emma Boyd as she powered down the left touchline to score. Birmingham appeals that she had been pushed into touch fell on deaf ears with the score now at 0-20 following Garner's failure to convert. The last 20 minutes of the game were Birmingham's in terms of possession but in truth they failed to threaten the visitors' tryline as the game drew to a conclusion. But their performance did draw praise from Carnegie coach Chris Stafford. 'They [Birmingham] have got a good side. It was a good performance by both sides. They put us under pressure at the break down but I thought we stood up well.' And Birmingham coach Jon Critchlow was also upbeat about his team's performance in defeat, suggesting that his side should be happy with the progress they've shown. 'That was our hardest fixture. They taught us a lesson
Pussycats on TV
Tune into Sky One or Sky Sports One on the morning of Saturday 21st January to see our very own Birmingham Pussycats cheerleading squad perform a oneminute routine on popular football show Soccer AM. The girls will be in the Soccer AM studio from 10am, and will perform their brand new routine at approximately 11.40am. The Pussycats, who have performed live at xpLosION for the last few years as well as competing in competitions, will be excited to execute their routine on their television debut, make sure to watch it!
Hay takes on elite
The Leeds Met defence stood firm throughout up there and so the 20 point loss is a massive improvement. It was a shame not to get a score but it was a good defensive effort and shows good improvement.' And he suggests the efforts shown today mean his side can take heart into the remaining fixtures of the season. 'We're targeting sec-
Meurig Gallagher
ond place. We've already beaten Loughborough in pre-season and away. We've got a big game against Durham in our next home game and a long trip up to Edinburgh next week so if we can get points from those two then second place is achievable.' The game in Scotland may well prove crucial.
Squash girls edge out Oxford Women's Squash
Birmingham 3rds
3
Oxford 2nds
2
Josh Hunt Sport Reporter
Brum took the win through number of games won Hannah Macdowell
Sport Shorts
Birmingham women's squash thirds came away from the Munrow Centre victorious on Wednesday, after a narrow victory over Oxford's second team. Birmingham hadn't played together for a while before the clash; 'It's our first game back so we're not too sure about how it'll go' explained Amrisha Ondhia before the start of play. Considering the lack of recent game time, Birmingham looked remarkably polished and Aytem Ozkuk got the hosts off to the best possible start, winning her tie in straight games despite a far from one-sided match against Jojo Scoble. Scoble had only recently returned from a leg injury and struggled with her movement throughout, in particular when chasing down drop shots, a tactic used by Ozkuk to great effect on a number of points. On court two, Jennifer Mashford was unable to match Oxford's Amanda Yu, losing the first two games 11-6. The third game was a closer affair, with both players moving each other around the
court with equal degrees of success but it was Yu who eventually found the extra quality needed to take the final game 11-9 and level the contest. With two matches still to play, the tie was firmly in the balance. Josie Adams took on Rachel Duffy on court two and moved into a 4-2 lead in one of the best rallies of the day, bringing Duffy in close and putting the point away with a powerfully driven shot to the back of the court. The first game was tightly fought right up to the last point when Adams once more got the better of her Oxford counterpart to take an 11-9 victory. On court one, Ondhia took her first two games against Lucy Wyatt 11-9 and 1311, making a brilliant comeback from 9-3 down in the second, and Birmingham looked good for the victory. Wyatt, however, went on to win the next three games 11-9, 12-10 and 11-8 to take an unlikely win, despite a nasty blow to the head when 8-7 up in the final game. However, Adams completed Birmingham's second 3-0 victory of the day, and with Ondhia's two games proving decisive, the win had been secured. 'It was a good effort, we haven't been playing together as a team all that long' said an understandably happy Adams, as Birmingham wrapped up another success in a thoroughly entertaining meeting at the Munrow.
University of Birmingham first year and elite athlete Jonny Hay continued his outstanding progress in athletics with superb Cross Country performances in the last three weeks. He took the international scene by storm on the 7th January when finishing second behind Kenya's World and Olympic champion Absel Kiprop in the men's 3km Great Edinburgh Cross Country race, clocking 9 minutes 25 seconds to leave other athletes such as 5000m and 10,000m Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele trailing in his wake. His supreme form and characteristic late bursts continued with a second place at the McCain Cardiff Cross Challenge behind Birmingham alumni Frank Tickner last weekend.
Next week's fixtures: Wednesday 25th January Game of the week: Men's Rugby Union 1sts vs Nottingham 1sts Bournbrook 6pm Women's Netball 2nds vs Warwick 2nds Munrow Sports Hall 6.30pm Men's Squash 2nds vs Cambridge 1sts Munrow Squash Courts 2pm Men's Hockey 3rds vs Worcester 1sts Bournbrook 2.15pm Women's Squash 2nds vs Nottingham Trent 1sts Munrow Sports Hall 2pm Men's Tennis 1sts vs Warwick 1sts David Lloyd TC 1.30pm Women's Tennis 2nds vs Aston 1sts Priory 1pm Men's Table Tennis 2nds vs Loughborough 1sts Munrow New Gym 2pm Men's Football 2nds vs Cadburys Athletic Reserves Munrow Track 6.30pm Men's Rugby League 2nds vs Derby 1sts Metchley 2pm
This week in... 2008 Enigmatic Chess Grandmaster, American Bobby Fischer, died aged 64. He was widely considered to have been one of the greatest players of all time and in 1972 defeated Russian Boris Spassky in a battle of both sport and Cold War politics. 2010 Following revelations about his private life, Tiger Woods was rumoured to have been spotted in a rehabilitation 'sex addiction' clinic in Mississippi. He returned in time for April's Masters, where he finished tied for fourth.
Couldn't make it up Two-time darts world champion Ted Hankey crashed out of this year's semifinal in hilarious fashion. During the final leg, the air conditioning caused his darts to waiver midflight. A furious Hankey turned from vampire to child and threw his darts away in frustration.
Following the controversy surrounding recent refereeing discrepancies over two footed tackles, James Dolton and Felix Keith discuss whether the FA is too heavy handed in its approach, or whether the approach is necessary for the evolution of the game.
African Footballers
Where are they now? Weekend Wager
Classic Goal...
The Rovers return
Club in Focus... Jitsu The University's jiu-jitsu club train in the dojo and is run by black-belt James Owen (who the students affectionately call 'Hippy'). The club is open to all levels, from novices to advanced practicioners. Beginners are likely to find themselves taught the basics by club captain and PhD student Ole Kock. His patience and friendliness is embodied throughout the club, who have also competed at a national level. Their senior student, Tom Van Dongen, won gold in the nationals last year.
The Redbrick Crossword
Blackburn have undergone something of a renaissance recently. They've won at Old Trafford and have (at least temporarily) escaped the relegation zone. They look good value to beat Everton at Goodison Park tomorrow, with some bookies offering odds of 13/2.
Club Captain - Ole Kock Training Times: Monday 8.30pm - 10.00pm Thursday 8.00pm - 10.00pm Contact: www.uobjitsu.co.uk www.facebook.com/uobjitsu Email: jitsu@uobjitsu.co.uk
Mordo Nahum Puzzles Editor
Completed crosswords to be submitted to the Redbrick office. (Redbrick Office located in the basement of the Guild)
Email Address: Phone Number:
Scribble box
Across
Down
5. Nonsense poem by Lewis Carroll (11) 7. Persistent pain (4) 8. Opening (found in camera) (8) 9. Biblical character who was raised from the dead (7) 11. Sweet orange fruit, native to India (5) 13. ______ Bowman, BBC Radio 1 DJ (5) 14. Material protecting a wound or injury (7) 16. Quentin Tarantino film starring Uma Thurman (4, 4) 17. Change (4) 18. Fat-removal surgery (11)
1. Woodwind instrument (4) 2. Winged horse of Greek mythology (7) 3. Endow (anag.) (5) 4. Country where 13 Across was born (8) 5. Nursery rhyme involving a hill (4, 3, 4) 6. First person to go into outer space (4, 7) 10. Horned mammal found in Africa (8) 12. Sir William _______, knight who fought for his country's independence (7) 15. Foremost (5) 17. Vacuum; null (4)
The return of these Premier League legends caused much excitement last week. Scholes had regretted retiring in the summer, whilst Henry is on loan from New York. Their return to their respective clubs wasn't simply to make up the numbers, either: both players have already scored.
Swansea City
Who'd have thought? Having been predicted for the drop at the start of the season, The Swans are flying high and playing scintillating football (including a 3-2 victory against Arsenal last week). Their stadium is a fortress, and in Leon Britton they even officially have the best passer in the world.
Christian Kist
Youtube search: Matt Le Tissier lobs Peter Schmeichel In October 1996, Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier received the ball thirty yards out, beat two players and floated a delightful lob over the hapless Peter Schmeichel. It was to be their second goal in what would end as a 6-3 victory for the Saints.
This week's prize is a ÂŁ5 Waterstones Gift Voucher
Name:
Luis Suarez Affair Ross Highfield analyses the fallout from the controversial Luis Suarez racism scandal, and considers whether Liverpool and Kenny Dalglish have lost credibility over their questionable handling of the situation.
Olympic Countdown
Please complete this form before you hand in your completed crossword into the Redbrick office.
Scholes and Henry
On the eve of the 2012 African Nations Cup, 10 Redbrick Sport writers put forward their cases for the greatest African-born footballer of all time, including the likes of Drogba, Weah and Eusebio.
What's in a tweet? Well quite a lot if you're Lee Steele, a 38 year old striker, who was fired by Oxford United after tweeting a homophobic remark about Celebrity Big Brother contestant (and former Rugby player) Gareth Thomas.
The United Arab Emirates won their first ever Olympic gold medal in 2004. Ahmed al-Maktoum, a member of Dubai's Royal Family (and, bizarrely, a former national squash champion) won the medal in shooting with an Olympic record score of 189 points.
Heroes...
This week on the Redbrick website... Tackling Debate
Well known for his extensive property business ventures, Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler recently surprised many by agreeing to move from Australia to feature in an Indian competition that also includes the likes of Robert Pires and Fabio Cannavaro. The league's format is based loosely around cricket's IPL and football's MLS.
189 days to go
Sport 27
20th January 2012 redbrickpaper.co.uk
Redbrick
Unseeded Dutch rookie Kist arrived at the Lakeside darts World Championship just happy to be competing. However, the parttimer proceeded to beat seasoned professionals (including tw0-time champion Ted Hankey) and finished the week with the trophy after beating Tony O'Shea in the final.
and Villains... Ray Wilkins
When Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye went down under a challenge by Shaun Derry, Wilkins (he of the 'stay on your feet' mantra) castigated him for going down too easily. Cabaye was then stretchered off, having been fortunate to escape a long-term injury.
Kelly Tilghman
Whilst leading the Sony Open, Matt Every was interviewed by The Golf Channel's Kelly Tilghman. What followed was supremely uncomfortable for all parties as Tilghman questioned Every on his 2010 suspension for drug possession (later proven to be unfounded). His response? 'There's a lot worse stuff that goes on out here.'
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28 Sport
Sport
20th January 2012 redbrickpaper.co.uk
Redbrick
Bouncing in Brum Turn to p25 to meet Nat Caughtry, the University of Birmingham's trampolining club captain
Trent trounced by Lavarello's ladies
Tom Flathers
Birmingham's tennis girls were all smiles as they overpowered their rivals from Nottingham Trent Women's Tennis
Birmingham 1sts
12
Nottingham Trent 1sts
0
Frankie Conway Sport Reporter
In a thoroughly one-sided encounter, Birmingham kept up the pressure on league leaders Warwick after an emphatic 12-0 victory over bottom side Nottingham Trent. Currently lying in second place in the league, the hosts knew that there was no room for complacency and that a professional job was required to claim maximum points. This was exactly what was delivered. Nottingham Trent were hamstrung from the outset, owing to the fact they arrived at the venue a player short, meaning they had to forfeit two matches before a ball was struck. To compound the visitors’ misery, captain Rachael Scott could only watch from the sidelines, having fractured her wrist back in October. Scott lamented a lack of training as the main reason for the squad’s poor season. Things soon turned from bad to worse for the visitors, as the first singles players took to the court. In
INSIDE
an assured display, Birmingham’s Megan Cunningham never allowed her opponent a foothold into the contest, dispatching her 6-1, 6-0 with the minimum of fuss and registering two points for Birmingham. Cunningham was able to latch on to some weak ground-strokes from her opponent, and succeeded in controlling the vast majority of the baseline exchanges. Speaking after her match, Cunningham said her strong first serve coupled with her greater consistency were the key factors contributing to her win. In an equally dominant display, the home doubles pairing of Laura Gilbert and Lucy Roze combined well to brush aside the away challenge of Jessica Cain and Becky Whittaker. In an efficient performance led by some formidable serving, the Birmingham duo were good value for their comprehensive 6-0, 6-2 victory. The pair were very adept at pulling their opponents out of court with a series of serves out wide, before converting with some clinical net play. Despite a mini-revival from Nottingham Trent, which saw them reel off two successive games in the second set, Gilbert and Roze were quick to quash their opponents’ brief flurry, soon regaining full control. The shot of the day arguably came in the
fifth game of the second set where Gilbert, from her position on the baseline, was able to dance around her backhand with some dynamic footwork before silkily dispatching an inside out forehand winner in true Federer-like fashion. In truth, Birmingham were hardly required to produce such brilliance and after a solid win they had reached an unassailable eight-nil lead. The two remaining singles contests provided more joy for the hosts. The respective number ones were first to square off, in what once again turned out to be a mismatch. Gilbert delivered a serving master class in her contest with Cain, which built the foundation for her 6-0, 6-0 win. The constant changes of direction and spin, coupled with ferocious speed and bounce, enabled the home player to reel off seventeen unreturned serves. In stark contrast, Cain struggled with her own service action, which lacked the penetration of her Birmingham rival. Gilbert’s tendency to attack short serves put immense pressure on Cain, leading to her conceding twelve double faults. The host players’ superiority was also apparent in the rallies, where a barrage of fierce forehands had Cain scampering to all parts of
the court. As the away player tired in the second set, Gilbert was able to unleash her full array of attacking strokes. In apt fashion, she ended the match with a characteristic forehand cross-court winner. A successful afternoon’s work was completed after captain Marina Lavarello recovered from a slightly sluggish start to record a convincing 6-3, 6-1 win and round off a well deserved 12-0 victory for Birmingham. After the match Lavarello expressed her pleasure at the team’s performance. ‘It’s
a really good start to the second half of the season. We can build from here. Considering we’ve had Christmas off, to win twelve-nil is very positive.’ Lavarello sounded optimistic ahead of the remainder of the season, ‘we’ve beaten everyone who we’ve still got to play, so there’s no reason why we can’t beat them again. If Warwick slip-up, we’ll be there to take advantage.’ The tests ahead will undoubtedly get harder, but the ruthlessness of today’s performance bodes well for Birmingham’s ambitions in 2012.
Gilbert vs Cain Comparison of double faults and unreturned serves
See how the squash team performed against Oxford, and how the women's rugby union team did against Leeds Met on page 26