Issue 1491 by Redbrick

Redbrick Issue 1491, Vol. 82

Friday 16th February 2018

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With room to study seeming ever more scarce, Redbrick asks...

Redbrick

The Official University of Birmingham Student Newspaper, est. 1936

UoB Marches to Reclaim The Night

Are We Running Out of Space? pages 4&5

Sophie Woodley News Contributor @sophie_woodley

On Tuesday 6th February a large crowd of campaigners marched through the snow around the University of Birmingham’s campus to say no to sexual violence, street harassment and victim blaming. The campaign against sexual violence “Reclaim the Night”, started in 2004 and is an annual national march ‘standing against all forms of male violence against women’. This year it came to Brum for the first time. The evening began at Mermaid Square at the Guild of Students at 6:30pm with various speakers making short speeches. There were 3 main attendees - firstly, WANBA (the University’s Women’s and Non-Binary students Association, which represents all women and non-binary people on campus. WANBA is an activist association which partakes in protests, creative workshops and intersectionally awareness events. They also hold weekly tea and coffee events and organise campaigns which directly affect the lives of their members, aiming to work with the wider feminist community in Birmingham. Secondly the University’s ‘NotOn’ campaign had one of its Ambassadors speaking at the rally. The campaign works to combat sexual harassment both on and off campus and as well as raising awareness, aims to provide a ‘deeper understanding’ of consent. Also, a representative from RSVP (Rape and Sexual Violence Project) was in attendnece to speak about the work they do as an organisation - setting out to provide confidential services to those of all genders who have been affected by sexual violence and abuse. After the speeches, the march commenced at 7:15pm. Chants such as “2,4,6,8, stop the

violence, stop the rape” and “Feminists unite, reclaim the night”, as well as a number of banners and signs filled the campus paths. Marchers returned to the Guild's Joe’s Bar for 8pm to enjoy an evening of live music. Performers included singer and songwriter Hannah Pawson, who is particularly focused on americana/folk music and part of ‘Rainy Day Woman’. The second set came from UoB's own The Uptone Girls, an allgirls A Capella group who also arrange and choreograph their own music. Finally, a DJ set performed by Yasmin Ibison closed the evening of entertainment. Redbrick spoke to a NotOn ambassador who attended the event, who stated that one of Not On’s main aims is to highlight the ‘bad stigma’ of sexual harassment happening at night, as this is not the only time when it takes place. The idea that sexual harassment can happen anywhere, at any time, to anyone is something NotOn ‘touch upon in our workshops’, and is thus where they aim to inform and support victims. Another NotOn ambassador stated that it’s important to recognise ‘that sexual harassment doesn’t just affect women as it affects everybody, and so tonight was another reason why we wanted to be here as a NotOn campaign, to highlight that sexual harassment does affect everybody and not just one gender’. Considering that ‘Reclaim the Night’ took place on the 100th anniversary of some women getting the vote, the NotOn ambassador also claims how they were ‘proud to be standing next to them tonight’ as ‘for it to be 100 years for women to get the vote I think it shows how far we’ve come, but unfortunately, we do face draw backs - it’s not just women who are sexually abused, so it’s not time to stop campaigning and pushing forward’. More information on the NotOn campaign can be found on the Guild of Students website at www.guildofstudents.com.

Comment: Poll of the Week: Will you vote in the Guild Elections?

Features: Guild President Ellie Keiller's first piece for Redbrick

Phoebe Christofi: Reviews figureskating biopic I, Tonya

Travel: Helen Locke escapes The Urban Jungle

Comment page 16

Features page 17

Film page 20

Travel page 31

REDBRICK

Friday 16th February 2018

redbrick.me

Letter from the committee... It’s hard to believe that we’re halfway through second semester, which not only means that my time at university is slowly coming to an end, but so is my role on the Redbrick committee. When I was a mere little fresher I wanted to join every society there was, but no other society managed to have such a positive impact on my university experience as Redbrick. I started out by writing mainly for the Life&Style section before becoming the online editor for that section in second year. I always wanted to be a part of the committee but I never thought I was capable of it. Despite that, I pushed all my nerves aside (there were a lot of them), took the plunge and here I am, writing my editorial just under a year since my election as Marketing Secretary and Treasurer. My role basically involves organising adverts that go into the paper and on our website. I also ensure that Redbrick doesn’t go broke with the many expenses that are involved with running such a big and complicated society. So, whilst I don’t have any direct involvement in the creation of this beautiful paper, I do have the important role of ensuring that we have the money to produce it every fortnight, as well as there being money left over to host some of

the epic events that we have put on and have planned. It is safe to say that this year has not been easy on Redbrick’s current account and I think everyone on the committee will agree that it has felt like as soon as one problem is resolved, another one arises. But the constant high quality created both online and print by our talented team of writers and editors has made it all worth it. No matter what the future holds, Redbrick is here to stay. Redbrick isn’t just about writing and editing. We offer so much more to our members, like the chance to be on our radio show every Friday from 9-10PM or the chance to try and beat BurnFM in our upcoming charity football match on 3rd March. We are even taking part in our own Family Fortunes game against Burn in order to raise money for charity on 22nd February, as well as to showcase who the superior media group is. Redbrick does it all and that’s why I am so proud to have been involved with the newspaper at university. If you’re reading this and thinking ‘wow, Redbrick sounds like a magical utopian society that is perfect for me!’ then please do join! Whether it’s writing an article every week, every month or once a year, we welcome everyone.

And if you are already a part of the society and thinking about how great it would be to write an editorial like this (it is one of the main reasons why I wanted a committee role), our AGM is on Thursday 8th March. It not only looks amazing on your CV but you also have the perfect opportunity to really get involved in the society. If you have always thought about what the committee should do or what the society should be like, then now is your time to make that change. Running for a committee position was terrifying but I have never looked back since my decision to stand up in front of that crowd in the Guild Council Chambers. Being part of Redbrick has created some of my favourite memories when looking back at my time at university, so if you feel like something is missing, it’s never too late to fill that hole with a whole lotta Redbrick love.

Kamila Geremek, Marketing Secretary

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Online this week at redbrick.me... FOOD&DRINK

GAMING

COMMENT

Review: Natural Healthy Foods

Switch Ports - a Force for Good?

Review: Coach Snoop

Teachers With Guns?

Redbrick Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief William Baxter editor@redbrickonline.co.uk

Deputy Editors Holly Carter Kirstie Sutherland Harry Wilkinson deputy@redbrickonline.co.uk

Print & Features Editor Joe Ryan print@redbrickonline.co.uk

Digital Editor Alex McDonald digital@redbrickonline.co.uk

Lead Developer Tom Galvin developer@redbrickonline.co.uk

Marketing Secretary Kamila Geremek marketing@redbrickonline.co.uk

Social Secretary Laura Burgess social@redbrickonline.co.uk

News Editors Erin Santillo Grace Duncan Phoebe Radford Gregory Robinson Emily Roberts John Wimperis

Music Editors Emily Barker Issy Campbell Luke Charnley Thom Dent music@redbrickonline.co.uk

Travel Editors Iesha Thomas Phoebe WarnefordThomson Olivia Woodington travel@redbrickonline.co.uk

news@redbrickonline.co.uk

Comment Editors Alex Cirant-Taljaard Alex Goodwin Kat Smith

Television Editors Amelia Bacon Matt Dawson Abbie Pease

comment@redbrickonline.co.uk

tv@redbrickonline.co.uk

Culture Editors Olivia Boyce Hannah Brierley Rebecca Moore Natalie Welch

Gaming Editors Nick Burton Jack Cooper Emma Kent Roshni Patel

culture@redbrickonline.co.uk

Film Editors Patrick Box Emillie Gallagher John James film@redbrickonline.co.uk

Life&Style Editors Tara Kergon Nia Roberts lifestyle@redbrickonline.co.uk

Sport Editors Alex Alton Olli Meek Leanne Prescott sport@redbrickonline.co.uk

gaming@redbrickonline.co.uk

Food&Drink Editors Caitlin Dickinson Adele Franghiadi Dean Mobbs food@redbrickonline.co.uk

Sci&Tech Editors Phoebe Glass Katie Jones Emilia Rose tech@redbrickonline.co.uk

Editorial Assistants Issy Lewis Tara Kergon Luke Charnley Roshni Patel Jake Bradshaw Harry Hetherington Olivia Boyce Greg Woodin Aish Chandran Rebecca Cutler Bethan Parry

Redbrick Guild of Students Edgbaston Park Road Birmingham B15 2TT 0121 251 2462

editor@redbrickonline.co.uk

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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.

NEWS

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbricknews

UoB Rewarded for Sustainability Erin Santillo News Editor

The University of Birmingham was the 2017 Global Bronze Winner for Education and Training at the recent Green World Awards. The ceremony, held in Dubai, saw only Indonesia’s Padjadjaran University and the Daejeon University of South Korea beat UoB in this category, which commends teaching institutions for high quality sustainability work. Through environmental projects – including the construction of A-class energy efficient buildings, the retrofitting of preexisting faculties and the introduction of alternative-fuel vehicles for the university fleet – UoB has managed to hit its target of a 20% reduction in carbon emissions four years early. Reflecting on the global recognition of this sustainability success, Director of Estates Trevor Payne said: ‘I am really delighted with this award. It represents the work of operational and academic

colleagues across the institution, and the roll out of some really innovative solutions. [...] The University is proud to be a global leader in environmental sustainability’.

"The University is proud to be a global leader in environmental sustainability" The Green World Awards require the companies, organisations and governments entering the competition to submit a 2000word submission proposal explaining their sustainability projects, and pay a £600 entry fee. This award coincided with Go Green Week 2018, a seven-day annual programme organised by

UoB and the Guild of Students to ‘help raise awareness of environmental issues and promote more sustainable lifestyles’. Events, such as a low-energy lightbulb giveaway and a discount on vegan and vegetarian food, were held in the Guild from the 5th February and promoted with Old Joe’s clock face turning green. Publicised on social media with the hashtag #BrumGoesGreen, the week also saw a large cardboard structure featuring sustainability facts and energy saving tips on display in Guild reception. Nat Crawley, the Guild’s Ethical and Environmental Officer, spoke to Redbrick about Go Green Week, saying, ‘I think it was really successful, and we had a great variety of events [...] I really think we did well to raise awareness! Especially with the launch of the Fossil Free Campaign and getting over 300 people putting their names down on our open letter! What makes it even better that was only after 2 days of

campaigning!’ A spokesperson for UoB Environmental Society also commented: ‘Go Green Week is all about bringing the environmental degradation crisis into the mainstream, while giving everyone practical ways they themselves can make a difference – as a collective, the smallest everyday actions can have the biggest impacts’.

Old Joe turned Green to promote #BrumGoesGreen The yearly environmental programme is not specific to UoB, however, with over 140 universities across the UK having signed up to Go Green Week since its inception in 2012. The project aims to educate students on how to reduce their carbon footprints, alongside encouraging universities to introduce sustainability teaching into their curricula.

Support for Vocational Students Liam Taft

News Reporter

Half of white working-class and black British students in the UK gain university places with vocational qualifications, but new research argues that more support is needed in order for more students with BTEC or equivalent grades to access higher education places. The report from the Social Market Foundation (SMF) titled ‘Vocation, Vocation, Vocation’ suggests that these students are at risk of ‘institutional snobbery’ from universities who fail to recognise the validity of their post16 qualifications. UCAS data from students in 2016 who did a BTEC, A-levels, or combination of the two was analysed in order to reveal the disparity between those who took vocational courses and those who followed the more traditional A-level route. SMF found a regional divide

in the figures, with 48 percent of white working-class students in the north-east of England and Yorkshire accepting a university offer with at least one BTEC. 35 percent of this group went to university solely based on BTEC grades.

"The report calls for a ‘national conversation’ aimed at raising the profile of vocational qualifications" The results were similar for black British children; 48 percent of those progressing onto higher education had at least one BTEC

and 37 percent had no A-levels. The report calls for a ‘national conversation’ aimed at raising the profile of vocational qualifications. With the introduction of T-levels in 2020, SMF warns that a lack of support for vocational students could exacerbate the bifurcation of post-16 education. SMF is keen to point out that a binary choice between academic and technical education would only increase the ‘snobbery’ from universities who value a more traditional route into their institutions. Little attention is also given to combined courses such as Applied Generals, which could prove popular with employers looking for a workforce with a range of intellectual and practical skills. Most universities – particularly those in the Russell Group – do not publish their requirements for students with vocational qualifications, creating a ‘barrier for entry’ for white-working class and black British students.

UoB does publish vocational requirements for students looking to study subjects such as Engineering and Computer Science, although they stress that places will only be awarded with a combination of A-levels and BTEC qualifications. When asked about the report, one third-year Mechanical Engineering student said: ‘We have such a great engineering department at UoB. I’d hate to think that college students doing diplomas and BTECs in engineering were being shut out of coming here, purely because they didn’t take the ‘traditional’ route into university’. The report sets out how universities can combat this issue in order to ensure that people from poorer backgrounds and ethnic minorities can still gain university places which, as the Director of SMF James Kirkup suggests, will ‘make Britain’s world-class university system truly fair and open to all’.

UoB in £2.3m Clinical Trial John Wimperis News Editor

The £2.3 million clinical trial will test which is the better of two currently available different approaches to preventing deadly bleeding in patients with liver cirrhosis. One approach is the use of a drug while the other is concerned with treating the places that might bleed using an endoscope. The trial, known as CALIBRE, is the first large scale clinical trial to combine these two treatments. Dr Dhiraj Tripathi, who is the Chief Investigator of CALIBRE as well as an Honorary Reader at the University of Birmingham

(UoB), said that ‘the results could lead to a major shift in the management of patients with liver cirrhosis and varices, with significant implications for the NHS’. Director of Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit at UoB, which is coordinating the trial, Peter Brocklehurst said he was ‘very optimistic that it will help us to find an answer to this really important research question in about six years’ time’. Cirrhosis is when the liver is scarred by long-term liver damage, and can cause fatal liver failure. In the United Kingdom, it kills over 4,000 people a year. Though there is currently no cure

for cirrhosis, it can be treated through methods such as those this trial deals with.

Cirrhosis kills over 4,000 people a year in the UK The trial is being funded by the National Institute of Health Research and research is being done by Birmingham Health Partners, a strategic alliance between UoB and several Birmingham NHS trusts, as well

as other hospitals and universities. The trial will be conducted nationally and all hospitals and research facilities equipped with gastroenterology and hepatology services will be able to participate. A liver surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital was recently fined £10,000 and ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work after pleading guilty to branding his initials on livers he translate.

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UoB Lecturers Don’t Approve Strike Action John Wimperis & Emily Roberts News Editor

Lecturers at the University of Birmingham (UoB) will not be joining the teaching staff of 61 other British universities for 14 days of strike action throughout February and March. The University teaching staff union, University College Union (UCU), balloted members as to whether a strike should be held in response to proposed changes to teaching staff’s pensions which they claim will ‘leave a typical lecturer almost £10,000 a year worse off’. The Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) has over 390,000 members, covering staff at 68 universities, including UoB. It is to this pension scheme which changes are being proposed. The scheme reportedly was running a deficit of £17.5 billion, but this has been disputed by UCU. Sally Hunt, General Secretary of UCU, had threatened ‘levels of strike action not seen before on UK campuses if a deal cannot be done over the future of USS pensions’. However, talks between Universities UK, which represents universities, and UCU failed to reach an agreement before ending on the 23rd of January. Lecturers at UoB cast 416 votes in favour of industrial action and 79 votes against. However, only 48% of those eligible cast their votes which means, under legislation introduced last year that mandates a minimum 50% turnout for a strike ballot, any action at UoB would not be legal. Nevertheless, at 61 British universities, lecturers will be going on strike. The 14 days of industrial action will begin with a walkout on Thursday 22nd February which will see teaching staff not return until Wednesday 28th. They will also strike from Monday 5th March to Thursday 8th, and again for the whole of the next week. Out of the Russell Group universities, only at UoB and the London School of Economics will there be no industrial action. Speaking to Redbrick, University of East Anglia third year student said, ‘If both of my lecturers strike I won’t be in uni for four and a half weeks’. She added that, at the time, the university had released ‘zero information’ about the strikes, resulting in widespread confusion amongst the student community.

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NEWS

Friday 16th February 2018

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Redbrick News Investigates: Is Our Campus Too Crowded? Josh Hamilton investigates complaints that the university, with an ever increasing student population, is running out of study spaces. Josh Hamilton News Reporter

study spaces by the growing number of students securing places at the university.

Huge concerns have been raised over the amount of study space available to staff and students on campus. Even with the completion of the state-of-the-art library last year, the university continues to operate at what students believe to be maximum capacity. As more desks continue to be installed, does this problem still need to be addressed? Redbrick investigates. The £60 million-pound Main In reply to the possible permaLibrary, which was opened nency of new seating, Goldstone September 2016, is often critiqued said, ‘the general library plan will for being unable to sufficiently change dependent on the time of seat enough students. Complaints year’. Seating supply will vary to persist, even after installing new keep up with the demand, which desks and chairs. January saw 102 changes based on whether deadtemporary desks and 18 perma- lines or exams are imminent. He nent ones placed in the one-year- added that ‘certain areas will be old building. Soft seating, includ- silent during exam period’, suging sofas and large chairs, were gesting a desire for a flexible replaced, raising capacity to over work environment. 2,000. The new library could conWith around 34,000 students tain just 1,818 students when it now attending the University, the first opened, allowing the univer- Main Library can only house 6% sity to boast that it controlled ‘one of all students. In light of this, of the largest academic libraries in Redbrick conducted a survey to the country’. This figure is set to uncover student opinions on rise with the completion of whether there is sufficient space February’s plans to replace group on campus to study. study tables with individual The survey revealed that desks. 77.5% of students do not The move towards believe that there is private, rather than enough study space group, study offers on campus as a a drastic change to whole, and a furthe Main Library’s ther 80.2% feel original vision. that there is not The first floor enough space in Students think originally offered their study space that there is not a ‘quiet reading of choice. Opinions enough study room’ and a space are mixed over in which researchers whether the space could collaborate and University is doing network, this is no longenough to increase study er the case. spaces. 64.3% disagree, Adam Goldstone, Education whereas 22.1% remain neutral. Officer, commented that the Greater division exists over library staff’s surveys indicate whether the recently-added seatthat ‘students prefer “typical” ing in the Main Library has made seating, so seats and desks rather it easier to find a seat. 54.9% disathan couches’. Individual desks gree, whereas 24.4% remain neucould also suggest a need to keep tral, and 20.6% agree that seating up with the demand for private can now be more easily located.

"Students prefer 'typical' seating, so seats and desks rather than couches"

77.5%

The findings of the surfact that 63.8% of survey, therefore, indicate veyed students that campus overreported studying crowding remains a more on campus pertinent issue. than at home. If To tackle the the survey was to perceived overbe taken as accucrowding, staff reorate for the entire Spaces in the new pened the Harding student populalibrary study space, prevition that would ously known as the mean that of Harding Law Library. 34,000 total stuIt had been closed as dents, 21,692 prefer the texts it housed are now to study on campus, located in the Main Library. relatively speaking. If all The refurbished study space 21,692 students were to study on brought more than 150 seats and campus at the same time, the 30 computers into student usage. University would be unable to Our survey, however, indicates accommodate for 18,487 people mixed reactions. One student in their most popular learning resented the room’s general use. spaces. Respondents fear that In the past, it had only been open overcrowding like this will ‘really to law students, but now it is become prominent’ during exam ‘increasingly difficult’ to find an season. appropriate study space there. On On the other hand, contention the other hand, another responded indicates that the study space crithat the university are ‘doing their sis ‘has been sensationalised by best to create more seating’. people that aren’t willing to work Moreover, the student claimed outside the library’. An English that there are many places to and History third year agreed, study on campus ‘which are most believing that most students were often completely empty’ because unaware of the multitude of placstudents do not wish to go further es to work on campus. than the Main Library. To promote these additional spaces, staff now track occupancy levels online, at http://uoblivestudy.space/. Data is only measured between 9am and 6pm on working days, but advises students on where to study during the week to avoid crowded areas. The online tracker also lists the total occupancies of each space, listed below:

2,082

Main Library (2,082) Barnes Library (218) AW Hub Study Lounge (67) Harding Study Lounge (150) Mason Lounge (178) Nuffield (67) The Learning Centre (108) The Link (160) The Loft (175) The occupancy of the above spaces totals 3,205, representing just 9% of all students, despite the

"Study space crisis has been 'sensationalised by people that aren’t willing to work outside the library'"

Redbrick’s survey reinforces this view. While 96.2% of respondents were aware of the Main Library, and 81.2% were aware of University Centre as study spaces, only 5.2% of respondents could say the same for the Garner Learning Suite. Equally, 11.3% knew that the Sport Science study space was

usable, and 52 Pritchatts Road remained known by a pitiful 25.8% of respondents. This suggests a pressing need for greater transparency of available study spaces, and that staff should advise students on where else to work.

"The quality of other spaces does not compare to that of the library, specifically naming its cafe, plug sockets, book access and twentyfour-houropening, as standout features" In contrast, one respondent, whilst aware of The Guild and University Centre, denounced them as inadequate, ‘loud and disruptive’. Another student argued that the problem was not a lack of awareness, but an unwillingness to work outside of the Main Library. They said that the quality of other spaces does not compare to that of the library, specifically naming its café, plug sockets, book access, and a twenty-four-hour-opening as stand-out features. Claiming that, these factors make the Main Library ‘a much more desirable place to work.’ ‘The only thing it doesn’t have is seats’. Currently, the Main Library is the only dedicated, twenty-fourhour work space on campus. Many buildings remain closed in the evenings and on weekends, which may hamper students’ abilities to study more flexibly.

NEWS

Friday 16th February 2018

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Joseph Timan

Goldstone commented that this was to ensure that staff had time to fix potential problems and amend issues if necessary. It is therefore not feasible for every study space to be open 24/7. Historically, staff have acted

"The only thing [the Main Library] doesn't have is seats"

but not enough staff members can one – was deemed more cost-efbe seen roaming the building – fective. especially not in the Wolfson Others echoed that the Room, where many peoProject was ‘a monumenple leave their belongtal waste of money’, ings. It would be stating that ‘we need interesting to know places to study, whether anyone green space is usewould actually be less to us for that’. brave enough to Moreover, they More seats in the move someone said that Green new library else’s possessions, Heart will provide compared to the or if staff members the greatest differare only willing to ence to campus life old one threaten, not enforce.’ during the summer Many respondents when the majority of suggested shorter time students have returned periods for the space-claiming home and are unable to make scheme, offering as low an amount sufficient use of the area. as 15 minutes. They believed that Additionally, concerns have this was adequate time to go for a circulated regarding the library’s occupancy. Theories stated that the old library’s total occupancy was higher than the new Main Library’s. Redbrick can confirm that the new Main Library’s study spaces represent a capacity increase of 40% against the old library’s. Even when factoring in the closure of site-libraries, this represents a total increase of 9% across campus. Our source stated that the new venue has the appearance of overcrowding because of its improved facilities: more people are likely to attend the new

40%

on students’ concerns. Last year’s Free the Tea campaign resulted in the allowance of the consumption of food and drink in many spaces in the library where this had previously not been permitted. Staff are endeavouring to fix faulty plug sockets and update the Wi-Fi services to improve internet access and create a more robust, reliable service. Their installation of new furniture indicates a continuation of these attitudes towards resolving complaints. Moreover, to improve access to study spaces library staff have enacted the #StopDeskHogging initiative. The scheme, which first surfaced during exam season last year, allows students and staff to remove an individual’s belongings if they have been absent for more than 60 minutes. Our survey shows that 70.4% of students agree that the scheme is a good idea. 6.1% of respond- walk or to use the toilet, and reitents, however, strongly disagreed erated that ‘if you’re going for with the initiative. One comment lunch... you should give up your offered that ‘no student would space’. actually move someone else’s Others were more concerned possessions... in fear of creating a over the Green Heart Project’s conflict’. They suggested appropriation of study that staff instead record space. Opening the centhe offender’s name, tre of campus across and repeat offenders 12 acres, Green be asked to study Heart replaced the elsewhere. Old Main Library S i m i l a r l y, when it was another respondent demolished in the Students agree with final quarter of complained about being ‘punished for One #StopDeskHogging 2017. leaving your seat to respondent scheme get food or coffee’ believed that this after having searched building could have the library for 45 minbeen left open to make utes for a free space. use of its study space Another student commentalongside the new library. ed that the scheme was ‘simply However, investigations indicate not practical’. They praised the that the old building required a idea’s conception, but criticised mass-overhaul to leave it at a suitlibrary staff for not enforcing the able quality for staff and students; rule. the current plan – building a new They said, ‘I am all for this, library and demolishing the old

"I am all for this, but not enough staff members can be seen roaming the building – especially not in the Wolfson Room, where many people leave their belongings."

70.4%

library than the old one, offering the appearance of a decreased total capacity.

"Green Heart will provide the greatest difference to campus life during the summer when the majority of students have returned home and are unable to make sufficient use of the area." Regarding the old library, one student commented that it was ‘old and dull... not a comfortable environment.’ They said, ‘the lighter, more open new library is far better, especially during revision where most of the daylight time is spent in the library’. A University spokesman said ‘The University is committed to

providing appropriate study space for all students,’ citing the recently opened Harding Study Lounge and ‘considerable recent investment in The Loft and the Mason Lounge, both of which offer increased capacity and greatly improved facilities.’ ‘There are a wide range of study spaces on campus that are open to all students...Trying a variety should enable students to find a space that best suits their needs at particular times.’ ‘Live occupancy [of study spaces] can also be accessed at www.uoblivestudy.space...saving students from having to look around campus themselves for somewhere to study.’ ‘As part of the investment in the University campus, work on a new Teaching and Learning Building will begin later on this year.' This will include ‘a social learning environment for more than 515 students’. Redbrick’s investigation shows that division over the University’s approach towards increasing study spaces still exists. Efforts must be made into improving work space visibility, to utilise other areas and reduce perceived overcrowding of the Main Library.

NEWS

Friday 16th February 2018

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News Analysis: Grid Girls Protest

News Writer Tom Leaman reports on a protest in Birmingham against the decision to remove Grid Girls from Formula One The announcement in the last fortnight that Formula 1 will be following the example of darts in removing scantily-clad women from purely ceremonial jobs has been met with backlash from both fans of the sport and the wider modelling community. Consequently, Saturday 10th February saw a protest march in the Bullring in Birmingham, attended by fewer than one hundred people. Despite 249 stating on the event’s Facebook page that they would be attending the protest and two thousand showing an interest, a quick headcount during the final part of the march showed that fewer than thirty stayed until the end. Despite the lack of numbers, the chant of ‘hashtag grid girls, save our grid girls’ stayed strong for the duration of the march from the Bullring to Temple Row. The protest was peaceful throughout, with a limited police and security presence needed to maintain order within the crowd. The event was primarily promoted on a Facebook event page by Racewars GBR. The West Midlands-based motorsport company expressed anger at ‘the extremists ruining a perfectly harmless industry’ and told their two thousand ‘interested’ followers ‘IF WE DONT [sic] NIP IT IN THE BUD IT WILL SPREAD LIKE WILDFIRE!’. In the run-up to the event, the movement piqued the interest of both local and national news outlets, with the Birmingham Mail and the Metro

running stories on the protest. Speaking to Redbrick, protest organiser, Shane Lloyd, said his aims are ‘to stop the spread of nonsense stopping the girls working in the promo industry’ but says he would be happy to see men working alongside women if they get ‘reinstated in their grid jobs’.

"Women should have the right to choose the line of work which they go into, and this includes choosing to work as a ‘grid girl’ or ‘walk-on girl'" The controversy in the media has caused a divide in public opinion for those in favour of and against the ‘grid girls’ and ‘walkon girls’. The University of Birmingham’s Women and NonBinary Association issued a statement to Redbrick outlining their stance within the debate; ‘We believe that women should have the right to choose the line of work which they go into, and this

Tom Leaman

includes choosing to work as a ‘grid girl’ or ‘walk-on girl’. We totally condemn the people online and in the press who have been slut-shaming these women, and criticising the work that they do. Women totally have the right to reclaim their bodies and sexuality, and this is not something that should be berated; in fact, it should be celebrated.’ With regards to the objectifying nature of the work, the Association argue that ‘there are ways of questioning the systems of oppression surrounding the objectification of women that don't result in the literal unemployment of women’, pointing out that the women are exercising their choice in picking these roles and ‘claim to love their jobs’. The Association’s statement does echo some of the sentiments from Saturday’s protesters in allowing female models to retain their jobs, although the rather male-dominated nature of the protest may undermine this aim, with few models voicing their concerns at the Bullring. As Shane Lloyd would accept male models working alongside women on the grid, the Association is in line with his perspective in the possibility of removing the objectifying nature of the work while maintaining the tradition and keeping the ‘grid girls’ in employment. Internationally, F1’s ‘grid girls’ and professional darts’ ‘walk-on girls’ have faced a lot of criticism. Some have accused them of promoting the objectification of women, although key names in both sports have voiced their displeasure at being forced to replace what they view as a traditional staple of the events (‘grid girls’ first appeared in F1 in the 1960s). The Chairman of the Professional Darts Association, Barry Hearn, accused the ‘PC brigade’ of bringing around excessive changes, and claimed ‘it’s probably going to get worse’ Meanwhile, the outspoken exchief executive of F1, Bernie Ecclestone, told Sky News that ‘these girls did nothing harmful to anybody. They were smartly dressed. We might as well say we don’t want people to go to a fashion show because, basically, that’s

Tom Leaman what happened’. With regards to Liberty Media’s ownership of the motorsport, Shane Lloyd is ‘totally against’ their changes and ‘would like to know who is really making these decisions’. The models themselves are, understandably, more concerned about their modelling careers following the decision. Former grid girl, Charlotte Gash, has pointed out that for some women, the role is their major source of income which has

"Some have accused them of promoting the objectification of women" been severed almost overnight. Of course, there are arguments to the contrary which ultimately the pushed the decisions through in both sports. A vital argument against grid girls in Formula 1 came from Managing Director

Ross Brawn, who said in an interview with 5 Live that ‘this custom does not resonate with our brand values and clearly is at odds with modern day societal norms’ - it is no longer ‘appropriate’. Similarly, World Number 1 in darts, Michael van Gerwen, believes that darts is ‘just a sport’ and said ‘[the custom] does not interest me’. Such arguments have led to the reforms, with Formula 1 introducing ‘grid kids’ for the 2018 season, which will see twenty young go-karting enthusiasts and next-generation driver hopefuls being given the opportunity to stand on the grid alongside their heroes, a move which has been welcomed by the likes of Brawn but resented by some. Based on the low turnout and lack of national media coverage after the protest, it seems unlikely that Racewars will be turning heads in the worlds of Formula 1 and Darts with their efforts. Despite the fallout from the decisions made by both the Darts Association and Formula 1, plans are currently still in place to have ‘grid kids’ appear at the first Grand Prix of the season in Melbourne on March 25th.

UoB Hotel to Open this Summer Erin Santillo News Editor

The University of Birmingham Edgbaston Park Hotel and Conference Centre is set to open its doors in summer 2018. The four-star, 185-bed facility will replace the university’s current three-star conference accommodation in Lucas House and Peter Scott House. Located behind Gisbert Kapp and off Edgbaston Park Road between main campus and the Vale, the multi-million pound

hotel will enable UoB to host international academic conferences that have previously been held off site in central Birmingham. Purpose-built rooms will be able to be configured to seat between 20 and 200 delegates. It is hoped that the hotel and conference centre will also be used as a wedding venue. The new development will make use of Hornton Grange and the Grade II* listed Garth House, both of which have been restored for additional conference space. Described by UoB as a ‘distinc-

tive, sophisticated and tranquil place to meet and stay’, the centre will also feature free WiFi across the site, the latest audiovisual technology for meeting rooms and a spacious restaurant and bar. Richard Metcalfe, formerly a hotelier for Holiday Inn and Hilton Hotels, has been appointed general manager of the site, commenting, ‘You couldn’t dream of a better location. Birmingham is already a brilliant destination; vibrant culture, big sporting venues, great for families – and of course an incredible academic reputation.

‘This multi-million pound investment means conference and visitor accommodation that really matches up to the prestige and personality of a world-class university’. Nevertheless, a second year English student told Redbrick, ‘I understand that the university has to make its money somewhere, but opening a hotel really makes it look like UoB is being run as a business instead of a higher education institution. Surely university management could invest more of its funds into the struggling mental

health services instead of on vanity projects like this’. At Vice Chancellor Question Time on the 25th January, however, Professor Sir David Eastwood said that the new facility was not funded by students’ tuition fees and will be run at no cost to other university services, such as mental health support.

Do you have opinions on this article? Tell them to us: @redbrickpaper

NEWS

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbricknews

An Audience with Sam Gyimah MP Phoebe Radford News Editor

On Friday 9th February, Sam Gyimah, Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation, visited the University of Birmingham (UoB). Gyimah met with the Vice Chancellor (Sir David Eastwood) and the Guild Officer Team, and held an audience with students in Elgar Concert Hall. The Universities Minister is undertaking a tour of some of the country’s higher education institutions after he recently took over the position from Jo Johnson in January’s cabinet reshuffle. UoB

is the first university the minister has visited outside of London.

"I hope he comes back to speak with us and takes on board what we had to and have to say!" Writing on Facebook, Guild President Ellie Keiller said she and the other officers ‘talked to

Angus Gillan

him about the Teaching Excellence Framework, Postgraduate Students, Freedom of Speech and the cost of living driving students out of higher education’. She added, ‘It was great to be listened to at this stage and I hope he comes back to speak with us and takes on board what we had to and have to say!’ Postgraduate Officer, Rose Bennett, similarly wrote a post on Facebook saying that she was ‘Looking forward to seeing what he has planned for Higher Education and hope we can continue to work together’. Following the audience with students, Keiller commented on a Facebook post praising the ‘great questions from students in the audience’. Gyimah also commented on a post shared by the Guild of Students, thanking students for ‘thoughtful feedback on government policy and how it’s impacting students’. A second year student in attendance was impressed that Gyimah asked questions of the students; ‘He made it seem like he actually cares, like he wanted to listen and act on what he was hearing’. She added that Gyimah said politicians spoke about young people, but did not talk enough to them. In a longer statement posted to his official Facebook page, Gyimah described the day.

Rose Bennett

"He made it seem like he actually cares, like he wanted to listen and act on what he was hearing!" ‘A superb visit to University of Birmingham today to meet with the Vice Chancellor and speak directly to students about the issues they care about and had a

really thoughtful meeting with the Guild of Students, University of Birmingham about the impact of Government policies on students’. ‘Thank you and looking forward to visiting again and carrying on the discussion’. Gyimah also noted some ‘interesting’ facts about Birmingham, including the fact that Old Joe is the tallest freestanding clock tower in the world at 100 meters.

Do you have opinions on this article? Tell them to us: @redbrickpaper

News in a Nutshell... News Editor, Phoebe Radford, looks at the biggest stories from the past fortnight Cape Town Day Zero Cape Town, South Africa’s second most populous city, is facing such a severe drought that the water supply may be switched off when the city’s dams reach just 12 per cent capacity. This is predicted to happen on May 11th, which has been dubbed ‘Day Zero’. If the city is forced to turn off the taps, it will be the first city in the world to resort to such a measure. The city’s dams are currently at about 22 per cent capacity due to prolonged drought. Citizens rejoiced when a small amount of rain fell this weekend, but it was only 8mm. ‘Day Zero’ had been predicted for April 12th, but has been pushed back as residents have been using less water. Currently, citizens are being advised to use no more than 50 litres of water a day. Average water use in the UK is 150 litres of water.

Winter Olympics The Winter Olympics, which are being held in South Korea, officially began on Friday 9th February with the opening ceremony. Following months of mounting tensions between North

and South Korea over the former’s missile tests and nuclear weapons programme, the situation has seemingly thawed (for the time being), with the two nations entering under a joint flag. Additionally, Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un, was in attendance at the opening ceremony. Not all Koreans have been celebrating this new-founded unity, with some South Koreans protesting her presence. The unity theme continued throughout the ceremony, with two members of the North and South Korean ice hockey team, one from each respective country, carrying the Olympic torch up to the cauldron, which was lit by renowned South Korean ice skater and key campaigner in bringing the Games to PyeongChang, Yuna Kim.

Russia jet crash A Russian jet carrying 71 people crashed on Sunday 11th February, not long after taking off from Moscow's Domodedovo airport. The plane was headed for Orsk in the Ural Mountains. It is the first passenger jet crash in over a year, after 2017 was declared the safest year ever for commercial aviation with no passenger jet crashes documented anywhere in the world. All 65 passengers and 6 crew were killed. Contact with the

plane was lost four minutes after take off, with the tracking website Flightradar24 saying it descended at 1,000m per minute. Eye witnesses say they saw the plane plummet whilst on fire. One of the planes flight recorders has been recovered. Investigators said they are considering human error, weather conditions, and technical failure. They did not mention the possibility of terrorism.

German coalition Four months of deadlock ended in an agreement for a coalition between Germany’s conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the centre-left Social Democrats (SDP). Elections in September had resulted in a hung parliament, with Angela Merkel’s party, the CDU, winning the most seats but not enough to form a government. The party had been unable to reach a deal with the SPD, the party with the second most seats, until now. The coalition is not yet certain, as SPD members will vote on the agreement in a postal vote. The result will be announced on March 2nd.

SpaceX launch On 7 February, SpaceX, the private space technology company, successfully launched their new rocket, the Falcon Heavy, from

Florida’s Kennedy Space Centre. The Falcon Heavy has the most powerful payload to low-Earth orbit, capable of lifting 64 tonnes (equivalent to five London double-decker buses) into space. The Falcon Heavy is also set to cut the cost of space travel, as two out of the three boosters, the lower segments of the rocket, successfully returned to Earth in controlled landings. In precious rockets, the boosters are lost after detaching; returnable and reusable rocket boosters will drastically cut the cost of space travel. The combination of reusable boosters and a heavy payload creates new opportunities in space, including the possibility of heavier satellites. Elon Musk, SpaceX’s CEO, said the chances of a successful launch were around 50/50, and he had been imagining ‘a giant explosion on the pad, a wheel bouncing down the road. But fortunately that's not what happened’.

Cheddar Man Britain’s oldest skeleton, dubbed Cheddar Man, after he was found more than a century ago in Gough’s Cave in Somerset, underwent DNA analysis and has been found to have had ‘dark to black’ skin. Cheddar man lived over 10,000 years ago, just after the first humans crossed from conti-

nental Europe to Britain after the last ice age. The discovery of his dark skin is significant because it had previously been thought that the development of lighter skin genes in European populations had happened earlier. The revelation of Cheddar Man’s skin suggests this change happened much later.

Oxfam Crisis The UK charity Oxfam has been accused of covering up an inquiry that looked into claims that staff used prostitutes. The charity denies any cover up. The accusations suggest that the organisation’s director for Haiti, Roland van Hauwermeiren, used prostitutes whilst in the country following the 2010 earthquake. Oxfam’s chief executive has acknowledged there were failings to act on rumours of van Hauwermeiren’s conduct, who was allowed to move to another post after allegations emerged. There is now suggestion that Oxfam could lose their government funding over the crisis, which has seen the deputy chief executive of the organisation resign.

COMMENT

Friday 16th February 2018

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Spotlight On: LGBTQ+ Students February is LGBT History Month. We spoke to the University of Birmingham's LGBTQ+ Society to hear their stories... 'Being angry is exhausting. I always seem to have a lot to be angry about' I’m tired: It’s time to come right out (no, that wasn’t a pun, but you can have it) and say it. Queer people are probably sick of your nonsense. It’s not personal, really. We’re just tired. I’m tired. I’m exhausted, because honestly wearing my identity some-

"Wearing my identity sometimes feels like a fulltime job" times feels like a full-time job. There’s labour: constant emotional, intellectual, safety-conscious labour. As an openly non-binary, trans, queer person I am under scrutiny and pressure so often to conform where I cannot, to justify what comes naturally to me, and to educate wherever I encounter ignorance. I encounter a lot of ignorance. More often than not it

isn’t malicious, and certainly almost never aggressive. I recognise as a white, middle-class student at a largely liberal institution that my existence is comparatively charmed. Trans people, women of colour particularly, face the highest levels of violence internationally. Given the staggering rates of assault and murder I am frequently reminded how lucky I am to only have the problems of explaining my gender does, in fact, exist on occasion. Physically, I have never felt unsafe on campus. The fact that for a trans person this seems to constitute a privilege and not simply a basic expectation of rights is, of course, infuriating. Being angry is exhausting. I always seem to have a lot to be angry about. I read the news, hear the latest out of Trump’s America or May’s Britain, I get angry. I hear a throwaway microaggression or two from an acquaintance, I get angry. I learn about the university’s policies for LGBTQ+ students at the new Dubai cam-

pus, I get very angry. I attend a lecture on queer theory and spend the subsequent seminar debating the basics of identity, I get angry. I’m tired. I’m tired from being angry and I’m tired of being angry. I’m tired of explaining myself and I’m tired of feeling that I need to educate others at every turn. Obviously, I’m not obligated to educate people. And yet if I don’t, casual erasure and a multitude of small hurts goes unchecked. Either you take on the teaching, or you take on the discomfort of the ignorance. As a non-binary person this is particularly stark. Every time I correct someone’s use of pronouns I face the probability of them denying the functionality of the singular ‘they’, of needing to turn a simple request into a full lecture on the nature of gender and the fallacy of the binary. I’m tired. It’s not any one person’s fault, but I’m very, very tired. Finn

"Either you take on the teaching, or you take on the discomfort of the ignorance. As a non-binary person this is particularly stark"

"I wasn't sure whether my ideas would be taken as seriously by my peers if they knew my sexuality..." 'I worried about conforming to stereotypes about gay women' I think that, for me, although being gay is not an expression of who I am fundamentally, this aspect of my identity is in many ways fundamental to my experiences. How I see the world and engage with people is often shaped by my understanding of myself, which includes (among many other things) my sexual identity— an identity that has often been received by others with complete acceptance, sometimes criticism or some reaction in between. I’ve taken on these responses to my identity, internalised the best and worst parts, felt ashamed of who I am, then experienced assurance and confidence in myself, cycled back again, and even felt both extremes at once. As a student, I wasn’t sure whether my ideas would be taken as seriously by my peers if they knew my sexuality, whether I’d be seen as one-dimensional in my

identity. As an athlete, I worried about conforming to stereotypes about gay women. Even though there hasn’t been stability in my level of comfort with my identity over the past year since I’ve come out, some things have stayed constant: most notably, how thankful I am for the people whose opinions of me haven’t changed. When I told one of my best friends that I’m gay, she smiled and said ‘Okay.’ This is the kind of loving attitude towards nonheterosexual, non-cisgender identities that should be universal. I think that the goal should not be merely tolerating LGBTQ+ people but rather honouring and celebrating various sexualities and genders, however we choose to understand the role of our identities in our lives. Lauren

COMMENT

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbrickcomment

'It's like a shadow, the way it almost follows me' Sometimes, when I walk through campus or down Bristol Road, I wonder if everyone I pass can smell it on me. Whether, somehow, they can tell simply by looking at the way I walk in my boots or the way my coat hangs off my shoulders. And then I wonder when it will happen. Every turn around a corner becomes a game of chance, a possibility that someone will say something or ask something and then I’ll freeze in my bones and they will know. Wednesday nights are the worst, and on Wednesdays I won’t leave the house after 9pm and I won’t pause at campus for longer than I absolutely need to, and I won’t let myself breathe again until I’m safe, away in my room and the chances are at zero. It’s like a shadow, the way it almost follows me, how it

waits to creep up at my ankles and snatch at them, tugging me backwards until I fall.

"Wednesday nights are the worst - I won't leave the house after 9pm" Every time I’ve rolled the dice, nothing has happened. Every time the shadows get a little too close, nothing has happened. Every time I pause around a corner, nothing has happened But I am terrified that something will. Avery

‘I’m not gay’ I was pretty convinced that if I said that enough times it would be true and this nightmare would be over. Growing up I was different. I was the weird kid, the kid you didn’t want to have at your birthday party but your parents made you invite them. So I certainly didn’t need this ‘dirty secret’, this ‘liking girls’ business to be yet another thing that set me apart from everyone else. I’ve drawn enough short straws in my life. I suppressed the thought for as long as I could and over time my spirit suffered. My mental health spiralled downwards and eventually all the lying, the hiding and the secrets started to become painful and frankly it was exhausting.

"Having to hide something that big ruined me and I knew I needed help"

80% Rise in attacks on

Having to hide something that big ruined me and I knew I needed help. Being bitter wasn’t going to make things better. So I took a chance. I enrolled onto an LGBT support group on campus which happened on a Monday evening. I still remember how I felt that Monday morning - I’d never been more scared in my life. Mentally I backed out of going a million times knowing that this was either going to be the best or

LGBTQ+ individuals in the last four years (Stonewall)

'I've had the opportunity to face my identity head on' In the last 16 months, I’ve learnt more about my identity than I ever expected to, when I thought I was an expert before I even arrived. I’ve built a community of LGBTQ+ identifying friends and made myself a support network. It was what I looked forward to when I thought about finally going to university – a chance to settle myself into a group of people who understood what it felt like to be LGBTQ+. What I didn’t expect was the result of joining a group like that. I’ve seen death threats, hate-filled graffiti, leaflets for conversion therapy, all thrown towards the collective group that is LGBTQ+ people on campus. I’ve seen LGBTQ+ students have their safety ignored for the sake of money; our opinions banned as ‘controversial’ just because of our identity. I might have built a support network,

'Coming out was one of the best decisions I've ever made'

I’ve left myself facing the hatred that anonymous groups and people throw at any collective with LGBTQ+ in its title.

"There is so much more good than bad" I don’t regret any of it, though. There is so much more good than bad. I’ve had the opportunity to face my identity head on and acknowledge how I feel about myself and my community. I’ve made friends I would never have had a connection to, if it wasn’t for the LGBTQ+ Association. I wouldn’t swap any of them for the world. Ellie

"Even if it doesn't feel that way right now, trust me when I say this: to love and to be loved for who you truly are is what we all deserve. It really does get better, not by chance but by change"

worst decision of my life. I ended up going because I knew, for the better or worse, something had to change. This first step, little did I know, was the first step to the rest of my life.

"Having to hide something that big ruined me and I knew I needed help" The impact of this first step was incredible; hearing other people’s stories and being around people who were going through the same struggles made me realise that I was not alone. I then enrolled onto an LGBT mentoring group on campus where I was mentored for a year by an LGBT member of staff in UoB who helped me explore my fears and concerns about being gay. Then I joined the LGBT society on campus, I made new friends, I went out and for the first time I felt like I was living my best life. I felt this massive weight come off my chest, the weight of lies and paranoia that I didn’t even realise I was carrying. The LGBT community is amazing and I don’t say this lightly. They gave me the confidence and support to come out. I finally decide that my friends and family are too important for me to keep such a big part of myself from them. I owed them the truth as a tribute to our relationship. I owed it to them to

believe that they would be capable of continuing to love and support me. In the months that followed I told one friend and then another and then another and each coming out process became easier than the next. There was so much magic in honesty and openness. Coming out was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve been so lucky. My friends and family have been extremely supportive and through coming out our bond has grown infinitely stronger.

"My rock bottom became the solid foundation I have today" I’m a happier, prouder, stronger and more confident person because of it. Turns out my rock bottom became the solid foundation I have today. So as I am writing this, on the other side of all that pain: if I have learned anything from being out is that we all deserve to love and be loved with pride and without shame. It really does get better but not by chance but by change. Please don’t let such important words be unspoken. Happy LGBT+ history month. K. Asavisanu

'You're stronger than you would have been' Being Queer is queer, to say the least. ‘Queer’ as in ‘strange’, ‘abnormal’, or ‘weird’ (That’s not OED-certified, I’m just going by experience). And for a good few years, most LGBTQ+ people are queer. Out of the ordinary. The Gay Kid. A mere queer full of fear. Pseudocelebrity of the school for the Unspoken Reason. And then, you get to university.

"Suddenly, you're not the Gay Kid anymore" Which is weird (or queer), because you’re not queer, as in ‘abnormal’, because there are (pause) Other Queers! And then you’re a group of queers, which is somehow the most normal thing in the world. A queer crowd, being normal. (Liberal

air brackets for everything considered ‘normal’ - it’s a shorthand for ‘popular’, let’s be real.) And so you’re there, with the hitherto-mythical Other Queers. And suddenly, you’re the not the Gay Kid anymore. You’re just you (Chris, in my case, though [insert name] is applicable). But you’re still Queer. Just changed. Transformed. Because you’re stronger, than you would have been. Self-consciously unconscious of your difference. Queerer, if you like. As you can tell, it’s very confusing. All this, by the way, is hardly extraordinary. My revelatory revelations are more normal normalisations. To us, anyway; the Other Queers, one of which I now am (???). We’re all very queer, and together we’re all very Queer. And in that, we’re normal. Normal but Queer. Chris

COMMENT

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbrickcomment

History: The Art of Storytelling Madeline McInnis argues that the fall of the Berlin Wall's enduring significance proves the importance of remembering our history Madeline McInnis Comment Writer

When I was in high school, my favourite teacher was a priest that taught world history. Despite his small income, he travelled around the world every summer break to take pictures of the places he taught about in order to show the class that they are real places that exist outside of a textbook. Considering I am now a history major who has also come abroad to study the past and take pictures of its relics, I think his method really worked. One of my favourite stories he told was about the collapse of the Berlin Wall. He just happened to be in mainland Europe at the time, and as soon as he heard the news, he bought the first train ticket he could to Berlin. He chipped off a piece himself and kept it around long enough for it to be passed around in my grade 12 politics class. All over the world last week, the Berlin Wall was still making headlines. As of Monday 5th January, the wall has been torn down for just as long as it stood. It was 10,316 days since they tore down the wall and the East and the West were united once more — if, perhaps, only physically.

If anything, this shows the prominence of history in daily life. This is an event that took place nearly three decades ago, but it holds so much cultural significance that an amount of days can make international news. People call history boring and I do not think that is fair. History is an art of storytelling, just reconstructing that story rather than making it up. Every period film you’ve ever watched — every museum you’ve visited, every building you’ve ever been inside — holds a piece of history. Some events, like the dismantling of the Berlin Wall, for example, are admittedly larger than others. Perhaps the eating habits of peasant farmers in Medieval France is boring to you, but I wouldn’t believe you if you told me that the exploits of renownedly great men — Julius Caesar, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Maximilien Robespierre, Horatio Nelson — don’t intrigue you. These are the best stories ever told, and they are all the better because they are true. These people really existed, these events really happened, and it’s just proof that we, as regular humans, can achieve anything we set our minds to. Excuse the Harry Potter reference, but they had to start

somewhere too, so why can’t we? Holding that piece of history in my grade 12 politics class was a life changing experience for me. I had enjoyed history all throughout high school, but the connection to the Berlin Wall — a connection to a history that ended well before I was born — made me realise that history is actually important. There’s a reason that we carry these people, their achievements, and the events that they were involved in with us into the present. The human condition and motivation doesn’t change. Julius Caesar’s ambition can still be found in all of us. We still look at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in absolute awe. We still value democracy and fight for freedom of speech and expression. In short, we are living tomorrow’s history today. Especially in England, we have history all around us at all times. We are so privileged to live in a society that values its historical monuments. And even if you are one of the people that claims not to like history, the timelessness of the monuments here is incredible. When you walk into an old cathedral, do you think about all the millions of people who were there before you? What were their lives like, and what

will people think about me a few hundred years down the line? That’s the power of history — to capture life as it was and remember what got us into our positions today. The collapse of the Berlin Wall is momentous and we can still feel the ripples of the Cold

War today. The divide is obvious between the United States and Russia, especially. Nothing really changes except for the circumstances, and the more we understand about the past, the more we can start to make a change today and be prepared for tomorrow.

Poll of the Week: Guild Elections

With the Guild Elections on the horizon, candidates are preparing to campaign for your votes. However, for many students, Guild elections are not a priority. We asked the students of UoB whether they plan to vote, and why...

-3

"Mostly to try and stop candidates I don't like from winning"

Will you vote in the Guild Election?

Yes

% 5 .1

"Guild elections are an excuse to litter our campus with crap"

"To increase the chances of my university being run addressing my needs and those of my peers" "Exercising my student voice, even if only in a small way"

"Although this is my final year, I am an active student within the Guild and want to make sure that the people helping to run it are the most capable for future cohorts" Take part in our polls:

@RedbrickComment

Redbrick Comment Contributors

Kat Smith

Comment Editor

Our poll was quite divisive, with ‘Yes’ ultimately winning across our survey and Twitter vote. However, it’s interesting to see that the Twitter poll saw ‘No’ receive only 21% and ‘Yes’ won with 79%. With the online survey, the split was more even with only 54.2% stating their intention to vote. Perhaps this was because of the lack of deliberation required compared to a survey, where we asked for the reasoning behind respondents' answers. The main reason for why people voted was to have some say in the way their student union is run and ensuring that, even if they are graduating, future students have a strong group of officers representing them. There was also a lot of indifference, with one person claiming that it depends on how much free stuff they offer, and while

they wouldn’t just vote at random, they would not stress over deciding. Those against voting felt that Guild officers do very little in changing our university experience or find the campaigning to not be taken seriously enough. As it takes very little time to vote in the Guild Elections, I believe we should all exercise our democratic right. Even if we doubt the power given to each role, we know that there is some scope for our officers to change things. People are very vocal on Facebook about Guild officers and their actions and policies, and just like with government politics, we cannot complain if we don’t bother to get involved in their election. Perhaps the Guild needs to be clearer on what is being changed by the officers in order to counter the perception that they are ineffectual, as there seems to be a vast disillusionment with the impending campaigns.

COMMENT

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbrickcomment

De-Nile of Democracy

Thomas Moran questions why, seven years after the removal or President Mubarak, Egypt has yet to see meaningful change Thomas Moran Comment Writer

Seven years on from the fall of President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, meaningful change seems to have been lost. Whilst Mubarak has been removed from power and there have been democratic elections, we seem to have come full circle since Field Marshal Abdel Fattah el-Sisi took power in 2013. With little opposition to Sisi’s re-election in May, nothing looks to change soon. So, what went wrong? Or more, why is Egypt back at square one? There are a plethora of factors at play but to fully understand you have to go back to the revolution. After two months of protesting, President Mubarak, who had run Egypt for nearly thirty years, was removed from power on 11th February 2011. Before Mubarak was even removed from office, the revolutionary coalition had its limitations. By virtue of its nature, it was a rather cobbled together,

disorganised and decentralised movement with no clear leadership or proposals for a new regime. However, disagreement between the people is just democracy, is it not? So arguing that this is a major problem seems rather counter-intuitive. Indeed, it’s the implications of the disorganisation that become problematic.

"If they don't like the change that has taken place, they can and will do something about it: which is exactly what happened" The legacy of Mubarak’s presidency is the deep state that exists in Egypt. With a large

security force and bureaucracy and an even larger military, Egypt has a deeply embedded group of people who are meant to ensure that all change is smooth. The flip side is that, along with business elites, if they don’t like the change that has taken place, they can and will do something about it - which is exactly what happened when the democratically elected President Muhammed Mursi was removed from power in 2013 by General Sisi’s military coup. But whilst Mursi’s removal was in a way a reversion to authoritarianism, Mursi had already begun to roll back the process of democracy. After around 60 years of being suppressed in Egypt, Mursi’s party, the Muslim Brotherhood, could become prominent actors. Indeed, they won the election in June 2012 and Mursi took office. Being a religious party, they planned to make numerous changes to Islamise the constitution: namely ending the secularist policies put in place in the 1950s. Which

is why the military stepped in; they had for a long time been the defenders of secularism in Egypt. Also at play though were other Arab states: namely the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Qatar are long term supporters of the Brotherhood across the whole region and so they hoped that with their allies in power, Egypt would too be their ally. The Emirates, on the other hand, stood firmly opposed to any democratic movement in Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood is seen by many of the Gulf monarchies as an existential threat. If Egypt had shown the Brotherhood to be successful and democracy to be an alternative, that could have major implications for the elites in the UAE. Unsurprisingly, the Emirates were more than willing to sponsor Sisi’s coup. But for all the foreign interference, there was popular support for the coup. The public were not keen on Mursi’s attempt to end the long-standing secularism of Egypt, and neither was there a great amount of support

for his moves preventing the court from blocking him. Moreover, Sisi has begun to provide the economic opportunities and security that the Egyptian public wanted and lacked towards the end of the Mubarak regime. He has set a course for rebuilding the ruling bargain in Egypt, the trade-off between democracy and military/economic security. Indeed, there is a tendency in the West to see these protests as being about democracy and not economics. For all the failures and complications with democracy that went on between the end of Mubarak and Sisi’s rise to power, Sisi has managed to secure himself through a relative amount of consent. With little opposition, Sisi is poised for seemingly inevitable re-election in March – he may even increase his vote share, which is impressive considering he won 96% of the vote last time. What is for sure is with the structure that exists in Egypt and the support for Sisi, significant change will take some time.

Stormi In a Teacup?

While many are perplexed about the hype surrounding the birth of Kylie Jenner's baby, Helena Shaw argues her business savy shouldn't be understated Helena Shaw Comment Writer

It’s time to face facts. As much as the world tries to deny it, the Kardashian’s are businesswomen, and Kylie’s pregnancy has just got her promoted to CEO of their omnipotent empire. Whilst there has been scandal before - a robbery, sex tapes, multiple memes - a hidden pregnancy really takes the cake. Kylie could never shove her sister Kim from the crowning position in the family, but the fact that staying out of the media has increased her popularity definitely shows her as a force to be reckoned with.

"Every aspect of these women's lives is orchestrated to build interest and money - is that not what business is?" I know, I know. You’re sick of hearing about the Kardashians; they’re vapid, talentless, annoying, and any other insult you can think of that demeans their feminist empire. But I will defend

the Kardashians to my dying breath, because they are businesswomen through and through, and this pregnancy only goes to show that they are here to stay. Having hidden the pregnancy since rumours started in September 2017, her radio silence broke during the Super Bowl on 4th February 2018. Despite the fact that Kylie had barely been seen for nine months, she was still the talk of the town. Yes, I know it all started with a sex tape (not even Kylie’s) and they’re all living off that fame, blah blah blah. But it is one thing to release a sex tape, it is another to still be relevant 16 years later! The fact of the matter is that Kylie, along with the rest of her family, used the first boost to create an empire that only the savviest of business women could have imagined. She is now the richest sibling, with a £278 million empire and increased demand for her makeup brand since the birth of her daughter. Fame alone cannot make an empire like that. Fame may pique interest, but hard work goes into it. Every aspect of these women’s lives is orchestrated to build interest and money - is that not what business is? Kylie’s pregnancy is the prime example of this. With rumours for months, and enough snippets of her face and subtle hints, the public was captured,

obsessed. Even if you don’t follow the Kardashians you ‘knew’ Kylie was pregnant, or at least you wanted to know for definite. The confirmation of the birth was strategically planned; despite being born days earlier, the announcement came during the Super Bowl, America’s biggest sporting event. Don’t be naïve enough to think this was a coincidence. Travis Scott, the father, planned to perform on that night yet pulled out. The family would have been well aware of the date yet chose to wait till that moment to announce their new addition. Kylie knew what she was doing. I’m not suggesting any foul play during the sporting event, but I wouldn’t put it past them to have induced the birth for the event, or at least prayed it would pop out fast.

"Fame alone cannot make an empire like that" But even before that, we were obsessed with a 20-yearold girl who could possibly be or possibly not be pregnant, yet had no confirmation. No one had photos, no one had proof. Kylie couldn’t have been cooped up in a house for nine months to hide it. In fact, we know she was

at the Kardashian’s annual Christmas party, yet there was no confirmation. The level of cover up was so intense, I think the governm e n t should really take note. Hire K y l i e Jenner, and your secrets w i l l never g e t out.

Everything these women do is for attention, true. That is because they are running a business, one of the biggest in the world. I implore you to find another business with as many followers or the most liked photo on Instagram. Please stop underestimating these women, because I’d like to see you create what they have from a simple sex tape.

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Friday 16th February 2018

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The Box Office Paradox: Will Cloverfield Be The New Normal? FILM

Alex McDonald Online Editor

On Sunday 4th of February, Netflix stunned the world by debuting the trailer for their recent acquisition from Paramount, The Cloverfield Paradox, during the Superbowl. But not only did they shell out the estimated $5 million just to air the ad during ‘The Big Game’, but they announced that you could stream it as soon as the game was over. While trailers for Solo: A (Poorly Titled) Star Wars Story and Mission Impossible: Fallout have to sow the seeds and continue the hype train for months to come, Netflix could turn interest into an audience immediately. It’s an unprecedented move, and it’s a shame that the film doesn’t live up to the marketing genius.

"It's not a terrible way to spend two hours if you have Netflix" But we aren’t here to discuss the merits of the film. Although if you’re interested in my take, I’d say it’s not a terrible way to spend two hours if you have Netflix, but I wouldn’t subscribe just to see it. Instead we’re here to get into the nitty gritty world of box office returns and profit margins, and whether this unprecedented move by Netflix could change everything forever. Boy, are you in for a treat this afternoon. First things first, a little bit of context: The Cloverfield Paradox was not initially written with the intent to tie it into the Cloverfield universe, much in the same way that 10 Cloverfield Lane was its own project until it was absorbed by the franchise machine. The film was originally to be called God Particle, yet early in its shooting, Paramount Pictures decided that it would be the next Cloverfield film, in the hopes that it would make more money. Rewrites and reshoots ensued and the third instalment of the series wrapped shooting in September 2016 and slated for a January 2017 release. And then an October 2017 release. And then February 2018. And then April 2018. Paramount’s lack of confidence in the project was evident.

"We're here to get into the nitty gritty world of box office returns and profit margins" Last month, rumours began to surface from Deadline that Netflix were looking to purchase the dis-

Online Editor Alex McDonald goes full stream ahead into Abram's Cloverfield cash-pie

tribution rights to the film but there was no official confirmation from either party. This would be the second deal between the two companies, following Netflix’s deal to stream the Alex Garland’s sci-fi film Annihilation worldwide just 17 days after it’s US release later this month. A deal was struck in secret and the release date of the film was also set in secret. So, why did Paramount make this deal? The Cloverfield Paradox is estimated to have cost Paramount around $45 million to make, and, again according to Deadline, the deal with Netflix made the film “instantly profitable.” Ultimately, Paramount cashed out on its investment. Looking back at the box office returns of their tentpole films of 2017, it’s easy to understand why they made this decision. They are estimated to have grossed $1.72 billion at the international box office last year, having spent $823 million in the accumulated budgets of their films. At first glance, this looks like a good year for Paramount. But the general rule of thumb when calculating a film’s profitability is its budget times two and they only exceeded that by just over a combined $70 million; that is buttons to a major movie studio.

"Doing a deal with Netflix can seem like the best option" For a company in desperate need for a win, doing a deal with Netflix can seem like the best option. It certainly removes any element of chance in an already crowded blockbuster market. If Paramount knew that they had a bad film on their hands, which I suspect they did, the chances that it will be profitable would be severely damaged. Netflix were able to dodge a lot of the damage of early reviews that could cripple a film like this at the box office. At the time of writing, The Cloverfield Paradox only has an 18% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which compared to its predecessors (Cloverfield has 77% and 10 Cloverfield Lane has 90%) is embarrassingly low. The cult status of the franchise certainly wouldn’t carry it to profitability, and word of mouth wasn’t going to help either. Netflix has already launched, according to staunch defenders of the cinema experience, a wholesale attack on film itself. Could this be the next step? Are we about to see a wave of mediocre films with little hope of box office success finding their way to streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime? It definitely represents an exciting prospect for studios; if you can instantly turn a profit without having to worry about which superhero film you will have to compete with for box office, it seems like a no brainer.

In an age that is seeing Disney monopolising all of its competition as they struggle to keep up, selling to streaming services, and in doing so side stepping an expensive marketing campaign, could be the new normal. Personally, I think this is only beneficial to film fans and filmmakers the world over, those who want to have their cake and eat it too, without worrying about how expensive the cinema can be these days. Films shouldn’t be shelved and left to collect dust (or worse still released in January!) because a studio doesn’t think that it will be a big money earner. That’s how creativity is stifled. With this new model, studios can take more risks knowing that it will pay off in the end regardless.

"Studios can take more risks knowing it will pay off regardless" The only loser in this scenario that I can see is Netflix: This was an ingenious marketing campaign for sure, but it’s a trick they will never be able to pull again. The Cloverfield Paradox would not have the attention that it does on merit alone, even if I feel some of the criticism is unjustly harsh. And if Netflix plans to sweep in and take the distribution of films that studios aren’t confident in, they could be awash with middling films at best, and that is unlikely to draw in any new subscribers. If they want to be taken more seriously at film festivals and during awards season, they can’t just go around buying any old rubbish. Netflix may have changed the box office game forever, but they won’t be winning it any time soon.

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Friday 16th February 2018

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Into the Fold: How Your Student Paper Works on the Inside As we approach the Redbrick Annual General Meeting, Editor-in-Chief William Baxter runs us through the inner workings of UoB's biggest media society William Baxter Editor-in-Chief @williambaxter2

"[The Guild] does a fine job with the resources it has"

With the Redbrick AGM just around the corner on Thursday 8th March, now seems a perfect time to give something of an explanation as to how exactly Redbrick runs. As a society made up of nearly 350 people, Redbrick can certainly seem more than a little intimidating, not only for those who have recently joined but for readers who want to know exactly what all the different titles and positions actually do. This article will hopefully clarify exactly how both the print and online sections of the society work whilst explaining what each role entails. As such, it is the perfect way to find out more about the paper if you have ever wanted to get involved or get a head start on understanding a committee position if you are considering running at next month’s AGM.

"We cut down trees because we’re going to plant more"

Writing for Redbrick At its core, Redbrick is a society of writers. The vast majority of the 345 people who have joined Redbrick, at the time of writing, come on board as writers. Some may choose to write just one piece about a particular passion or special interest, while a very dedicated few may be writing several articles a week. Most members tend to find themselves somewhere in the middle, though the most important thing to remember is that there is absolutely no commitment to write articles all the time.

"At its core, Redbrick is a society of writers" Most writers tend to find that they write a lot when their schedules are quiet and very little when they have exams or deadlines, which is one of the main reasons Redbrick does not publish a print edition during the university exam period. Of course, all writers are encouraged to write for as many sections as they like. Each section has a slightly different tone and feel, so regularly writing for different sections gives writers the opportunity to develop a fantastically diverse portfolio of work. Remember that nearly everyone on the current committee and practically all Section

The 2016/17 Redbrick Team at Redbrick Awards, June 2017 Editors started out as writers or Editorial Assistants, so if your heart is set on rising through the ranks of the Redbrick team, it is vital to get some writing experience. Every article written will go online at www.redbrick.me, with every section having their own part of the website to display their content. Far more articles are published online than in print, so remember that if you love the paper you will probably love the website too. As a writer there is something of a prestige associated with being chosen to go in the fortnightly paper; with space at a premium it is often only the best pieces that make it. Writing really is for everyone - I have lost count of the number of people who’ve argued that they are ‘no good at writing’ who go on to produce excellent articles. Whatever your interests or experience level, there is a place for all of Brum’s students at Redbrick. For more information on how to become a writer, please email any of the sections directly, join one of the contributors groups on Facebook or email deputy@redbrickonline.co.uk

Our Sections Redbrick is comprised of twelve sections which, for the print edition, take up the bulk of the newspaper. Each of the sections is managed and run by a team of Section Editors, who are responsible not only for editing writers’ articles, but also for uploading them to the website, laying out page designs and planning and running the regular section meetings. As such the teams usually have dedicated roles for the digital side and the print side, with some sections also having a crossmedia editor. Every section works a little differently, but being a Section Editor usually means an individual has a lot of experience with that particular section. Editors are chosen through interviews with the outgoing Section Editorial team, then serving for as long as they desire. If you think you have got a natural style, eye for detail and design and would love to take the lead running a Redbrick Section, keep an eye on all the contributors groups for positions that will be becoming available soon!

Redbrick sections for 2017/18 :

News Comment Culture Film Television Gaming Food&Drink Life&Style Travel Sci&Tech Sport To join any of these sections or to find out more, search for section contributor pages on Facebook or have a look at the ‘Contact the Team’ page of the website.

Editorial Assistants The Editorial Assistant team, run by the Deputy Editors, is responsible for ensuring the quality of the paper just before print. Essentially, EAs run through the pages just before we send the completed PDF version of the paper off to the printers. It is their job to spot any errors in spelling, punctuation or grammer that Section Editors may have missed, as well as making sure the paper’s layout complies with our style guide. Ten points to the EA who spots any ‘deliberate’ mistakes in this piece! There is no experience necessary to join Redbrick as an EA other than a keen eye for detail, although a preference for occasionally unsociable working hours is a real bonus. EA sessions run on a print week: Sunday evenings from 5pm, Tuesday mornings from 9-10:30am and Wednesdays from 11am-12.30pm and 1-2.30pm. For more information on how to join as an EA, join the Redbrick EAs 2017/18 group on Facebook or email deputy@redbrickonline.co. uk.

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the Print and Features Editor is also responsible for sending the paper to the printers. Where necessary, the Print and Features Editor is responsible for laying out articles and designing feature pages when the articles do not belong to any particular section. As such, the Print and Features Editor can be considered the ‘on the ground’ manager for Redbrick’s print edition. They must have a full knowledge of the contents of every section for each print in order to quickly correct any last minute errors and occasionally communicate with the Guild on the Editor-in-Chief’s behalf. The ideal candidate must have a good eye for design and be very confident with Adobe InDesign, so experience as either a Section Print Editor or Editorial Assistant is highly recommended. Joe Ryan is the current Print and Features Editor and has overseen some major design changes for Redbrick, most important of which is the addition of copy to the front cover.

Marketing Secretary and Treasurer

The Redbrick Committe, dressed for a typical day in the office

The Committee This year the committee is comprised of nine roles that each have a specific focus on particular aspect of managing Redbrick. Next year this will be reduced to eight roles, whilst one of the roles will have its remit expanded. The committee is responsible for making sure that everything comes together as a whole. Whether that is ensuring the paper is stylistically consistent and sent off to the printers correctly or ensuring the website is bug-free, the committee is ultimately there to make sure Redbrick continues to operate as one of the best student newspapers in the country. Every year, all roles are elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), where any member of the society is able to stand for a position. It is worth noting that while no committee member may also be a Section Editor, all committee members are still regular contributors to the paper.

Editor-in-Chief

This role is the equivalent of President of Redbrick, so is in charge of not only the newspaper but the society as a whole. This means that they oversee the print newspaper, the website and the running of the society as a group of students. Reporting to the Guild of Students directly and responsible for overseeing all aspects of Redbrick, the role of Editor-inChief is fairly demanding. However, as I can testify myself, all of the hard work is most definitely rewarded by the immense pride the Editor-in-Chief is able to take in the sheer quality of Redbrick. Whilst the role is certainly a natural fit for aspiring journalists, it is not necessarily the reserve of those who are looking to pursue a career in news; neither me nor Anna Griffiths (2016/17 Editor-in-Chief) are looking for careers in the media. In terms of experience, there is no one set approach to being prepared for the role. I had already served on the 2016/17 committee in the role of Marketing Secretary and Treasurer, though most Editors-inChief have previously been Section Editors. A good understanding of the demands of print is beneficial, though not absolutely mandatory to

the role. Likewise, an understanding of how the website’s publishing software operates is helpful, but do not feel like you cannot run if you lack this experience. The confidence to stand in front of the whole society, make difficult decisions and regularly meet with Guild staff and officers is probably the most important requirement to be Editorin-Chief, along with a great deal of enthusiasm for Redbrick.

Deputy Editors

The Deputy Editors are Redbrick’s equivalent Vice Presidents. They support the Editor-in-Chief, Print and Digital Editors in meetings, and with general decision-making for the running and progression of the paper. They must be versatile and ready to step into any role (including Editor-in-Chief) in case of absences to keep everything ticking over. This means the job description is very broad and may involve anything from responding to email enquiries, organising distribution of the paper, promoting Redbrick at Societies Fair, publishing content online and helping with paper design. The Deputy Editors are also responsible for the Editorial Assistant team - this means recruiting EAs and organising and running proofing sessions every other week. Experience-wise, it is useful to have a little knowledge of print (as either a Section Print Editor or Editorial Assistant) so you have a keen eye for design, familiarity with InDesign (or a comparable software) and ability to proofread content for errors in grammar, fluency and spelling. Deputy Editors also assist Section Editors if they require any training. You must be able to work as a team of two to make decisions with the fellow Deputy Editor, and be good at working with different teams of people. In short, Deputy Editors need to be the best all-rounders on the committee. Currently, the positions are held by Holly Carter, Kirstie Sutherland and Harry Wilkinson.

and submitted by the Section Online Editors and schedule its publication on the site. To do this, you have to check that each article adheres to the Redbrick style as well as make sure that the article is up to the standard that we set ourselves as a newspaper. This also means making sure that all pictures are credited to avoid any legal action as well as being on hand to publish any articles quickly that have strict deadlines. Aside from the website, the Digital Editor is in charge of sharing articles on social media as well as sending out mass emails to our mailing lists. As it is a pretty timeconsuming job, patience and attention to detail are the key attributes required, as every article deserves an equal level of care and attention. Previous Digital Editors have often been Section Online Editors, though this is not mandatory for the role. Alex McDonald is Redbrick’s current Digital Editor.

Print and Editor

Features

The Print and Features Editor is responsible for the printed paper’s overall look and feel. This means creating every issue’s front cover and ensuring that all of the feature pages are not only claimed but demonstrate a diverse spectrum of content in the paper. Additionally,

As the name suggests, the Redbrick Marketing Secretary and Treasurer is responsible for sourcing all of the advertising in Redbrick. They are also responsible for managing our account balances to make sure we can pay for our fortnightly print run - despite some hiccups this year it does not look like we will have to resort to charging the 1976 sum of 4p per paper any time soon! They also have to coordinate with the Lead Developer to ensure the cost of web hosting, server maintenance and domain name can be maintained. Working alongside the Social Secretary, the Marketing Secretary and Treasurer also gets involved in organising Redbrick events, usually making sure costs are kept under control. No experience is strictly necessary for the role of Marketing Secretary and Treasurer, but confidence in negotiating with businesses and other societies is ideal. Kamila Geremek is currently fills this position.

Lead Developer

The Redbrick Developer is possibly the most ‘behind the scenes’ role of the Redbrick Committee. In short, it involves the technical aspects of running and maintaining the Redbrick website. This includes the Wordpress setup, the web hosting, web mail and ensuring things like domain names do not expire. The Developer has to have close co-operation with the Digital Editor to make changes to sections or the website’s appearance as required. In terms of experience, the Lead

Digital Editor

The Digital Editor oversees all of the content that gets published on the website. This means that they read all of the work that is written

Some of Redbrick's Editorial Team ready to distribute

Developer role requires certain skills not usually possessed by the average writer. As such, the role is usually occupied by a Computer Science student who happens to have either a passion for journalism or a desire to be involved with one of the biggest societies on campus. Experience operating a Linux server and knowledge of HTML, CSS and the PHP/MySQL stack to maintain the site is somewhat essential for the role, as well as good problem solving skills to set things right should they go wrong. Some knowledge of Wordpress will help, but the current Lead Developer, Tom Galvin, went into the role this time last year with minimal knowledge and was able to pick it up quickly. Most importantly, the Lead Developer role is a great opportunity to join a committee and make a real difference.

Social Secretary

The Social Secretary’s primary role is to plan events, both of the ‘night out’ variety and other socials to cater for everyone’s idea of a good event. This includes researching venues, negotiating a good price, communicating with other societies Redbrick might be collaborating with and marketing the event to members. This year the big event has of course been the first ever Media Ball held just before Christmas, but throughout the year the Social Secretary is still responsible for organising and ensuring the smooth-running of smaller events. This includes planning predrinks for Societies Nights (including sorting a venue, planning games and deciding a theme), organising fortnightly Pub&Papers on print Fridays and generally making sure everyone is having a good time! For next year the role will expand to include managing all of Redbrick’s social media accounts, including Instagram and Twitter. The ideal Social Secretary is outgoing, organised and friendly - as well as being very fond of a good party! Laura Burgess is currently Redbrick’s Social Secretary for 2017/18. So that is it - Redbrick from the inside! I hope this feature has helped to clarify exactly what goes on in our dark dungeon in the Guild of Students basement. If you have been inspired to get involved, remember to speak to any of the sections or drop an email to anyone on the committee. And if you are considering running for a role at next month’s AGM, remember to speak to the current holder of the position for some advice!

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Friday 16th February 2018

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The Oxfam Sex Scandal & the Need to Protect Foreign Aid

The actions of aid workers in Haiti and around the world are too serious to be used to play politics with the work of NGOs in the world's most desperate situations Joe Ryan

Print & Features Editor @JoeRyan130212

Women in Haiti are being sexually abused by Oxfam workers whose operations are being funded in part by the UK government. It is difficult to begin this article with anything other than that sentence, trust me I tried. Oxfam receives £32 million a year from the Department for International Development (DfID) for its work in international crisis zones. Rather than being predisposed to be a ‘shithole’ as some would have you believe, Haiti itself has a long a storied history of being exploited and abused, beginning from its very conception in 1804, after a revolt that removed it from the French Empire, as a nation of freed slaves, unrecognised by France until 1825. Since then it has undergone French financial exploitation, US invasion, constant political upheaval and, most recently, a catastrophic earthquake in 2010. At least 100,000 people were killed and the arrival of foreign aid marked the beginning of a cholera epidemic in the country that lasted for 7 years. Charities in the aid sector, including Oxfam, arrived to deliver aid and have done some fantastic work. Oxfam themselves claim to have helped 532,000 people in their earthquake response and it

cannot be said that this has provided no benefit to the people of Haiti or that it should not have been funded in the first place. However, the actions of Oxfam workers in Haiti will forever be undermined by the litany of abuse and inappropriate behaviour that is being uncovered. The use of prostitutes by aid workers has mostly centred on Roland van Hauwermeiren and his illegal use of prostitutes in his role directing the relief effort in Haiti after the earthquake. His dismissal after this was discovered was handled quietly and without much publicity, much like his previous dismissal from Merlin (now part of Save the Children) after allegations of illegal ‘sex parties’ which may have included underage girls (although this is strictly unproven at this point). Hauwermeiren went onto to work for Action Against Hunger in 2014, with the details of his behaviour at Oxfam not being disclosed. Of course, Hauwermeiren is not the only aid worker to engage in such activities. In fact, Julie Bindel has cited that many men working to deliver aid in developing countries see their ability to use women in this way as ‘as a perk of the job.’ Beyond this however, in a shocking interview with Channel 4 News former head of safeguarding at Oxfam Helen Evans detailed evidence she had received of

Secretary of State for International Development Penny Mordaunt

widespread sexual abuse of the women being provided aid by Oxfam. In what is being dubbed the ‘sex-for-aid’ scandal, she details cases in which women in Haiti were coerced by men working for Oxfam to have sex with them in order to receive preferential treatment for themselves and their families. Further, she claims to have received reports of inappropriate sexual conduct towards volunteers in Oxfam stores in the UK. Upon reporting this to her colleagues, she was met with silence, with a face-to-face meeting between her and Oxfam CEO Mark Goldring in 2014 being cancelled. Her language is measured and technical and so I do not suppose to draw inferences from the details she provides, but if nothing else this speaks to serious abuse of power that fundamentally undermines the excellent work NGOs such as Oxfam are capable of doing.

“Oxfam workers in Haiti will forever be undermined by the litany of abuse... that is being uncovered” So is this an endemic problem within the aid sector or another case of the ‘few bad apples’ defence? Should we boycott Oxfam, demand further resignations after their deputy chief executive Penny Lawrence quit on Monday or wait for criminal prosecution for those involved? However, even at the end of all this, what is being done for the victims and how can further abuse of those in the most desperate of situations be prevented in future? The answer to all of these questions is, I am sorry to say, ‘I don’t know.’ The internal workings of charity NGOs like Oxfam and their relationships with DfID are somewhat mystifying and I suspect, given that everyone is falling over themselves to claim that they knew nothing about what was going on, that it will be a long time before the full picture of accountability becomes clear. However, the current political sensitivities of the aid budget thanks to the ridiculous Rees Mogg’s delivery of a petition to No. 10 to undermine the ringfenced 0.7% of national income devoted to foreign aid. This explosive story has understandably captured the attention of politicians, specifically within DfID. Former International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell claimed in a Newsnight interview that he simply couldn’t remember being informed of the incident during his tenure, amending this in an LBC interview to saying that the incident was dis-

Tents erected to provide shelter in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake

closed by Oxfam but that they omitted details that meant he, as minister, was never informed. Another former International Development Secretary, Priti Patel, on the other hand, seems all too aware that sexual abuse is prevalent in the aid sector, claiming that she had attempted to bring light to it during her time in the position. Conversely, as much as it pains me to say this, current Secretary of State Penny Mordaunt’s actions have been admirable given the situation. She has met with Goldring and demanded that Oxfam submit a plan to DfID by Friday that outlines how they propose to submit details of offenders to the relevant jurisdictional authorities. Further, her threats to withdraw government funding for Oxfam is a politically wise move, the alternative being untenable given her planned reforms for foreign aid. It is these reforms that now pose a crucial problem for the UK’s attitude to foreign aid. Mordaunt plans to expand the percentage of aid provided to people in the form of cash transfers from the current 10.6% to around 40%. Instead of giving those in need food and items bought with aid money, the plans are to distribute cards to groups such a Syrian refugees which would allow them to withdraw set amounts of money at designated cashpoints. The hope is that this will better protect the dignity of those receiving aid and avoid wasting the money raised. However, this approach has been criticised as ‘exporting the dole’ and could be open the same criticisms as the social justice (benefits) system in the UK from the same sections of society how see direct financial support as state handouts. As mentioned before this system of cash transfers would reduce waste, but also tackles fraud, excessive bureaucracy and ensures that the full sum ends up going to those who need it. The political

objections are, in my opinion, short-sighted and self-serving and are difficult to uphold in the face of recommendations from the Independent Commission for Aid Impact’s recommendations that the government scale up its use of cash transfers for the reasons cited above. The proponents of cutting foreign aid and those who quietly resent the openness of DfID and wish to see it subsumed once again into the shadowy operations of the Foreign Office therefore need something to point at to undermine support for the aid sector. And so, we return to the Oxfam sex scandal. Is it not perfectly positioned to rubbish any attempt to protect government funding for the work of NGOs in countries such as Haiti? The alleged actions of these aid workers is criminal and cannot be understated. However, criminal responsibility is typically placed upon individuals and this is no different. The structural failings at Oxfam are another matter and may necessitate its collapse as a precedent for other organisations doing the same work; Mordaunt has to remain firm on allowing Oxfam to fail if needs be. With the reforms to foreign aid and the opposition therein, there are bigger things at stake here than the existence of one NGO and with the potential severity of the crimes in the aid sector, no political maneuvering is more important than dealing with these allegations seriously. Change the culture of exploitation, change it now and never forget that there are abuse survivors whose interests are not served by being abandoned by the international community. Can we expect that people trust aid workers in light of this scandal? It is not up for us to decide, but it is our responsibility to begin to repair these relationships. I only hope that DfID and the aid sector is competent enough to achieve this.

FEATURES

Friday 16th February 2018

www.redbrick.me

Never Have I Ever... "Never have I ever kicked a toilet door down at Fab; Never have I ever smashed a window in the Guild; Never have I ever broken into a locker room and destroyed groups' equipment; Never have I ever damaged a fire door, putting people's lives at risk; Never have I ever broken a shutter on a bar, meaning that student groups lost access to a room whilst it was being repaired; Never have I thought it would be funny to pull a hand dryer off the wall."

Redbrick Revisits Bryony Parsons Redbrick Archivist

This piece for Redbrick Revisits is one I have been really looking forward to writing, because the topic in question is just so ridiculous. On this day in 1961, an article was published entitled ‘Geologists Hate Women: Root of All Evil’. My partner is a Geologist, so I have enjoyed teasing him on the patriarchal and bigoted history of sector.

“If it wasn't so funny, you'd cry” It is a remarkably forceful and outspoken article – if it wasn’t so funny, you’d cry. Written by two geologists, they declare that women are entirely ruined by a university education, losing all their charm and ‘female characteristics’. Essentially, if you chose to attend university, you would become fat, ugly, get ideas above your station and never find a suitable husband. They did concede that 1 per cent of the university’s female population wasn’t all bad, and that they could apply for interviews to meet the authors - because what respectable lady wouldn’t want to meet such charming gentlemen? The pleasant article was signed off by this lovely sentiment: ‘Parliament’s greatest mistake was the emancipation of women. Why should we have followed

suit? Oh for the days when women knew their place’. That’s me told! Unfortunately, it took a while for things to get any better for women within the pages of Redbrick. In February 1962, a historic win for the Women’s Badminton team was met with the headline ‘Thank Heaven for Little Girls’. I thought there was a breakthrough in June 1962 when the paper introduced a ‘Women’s Corner’, but the first article published was ‘Tall Girls, Remember that Nice Knees are Important to Short Men’. Luckily, I am only 5 ft 2, so maybe I would have been able to focus on my degree rather than obsessively moisturising my knees.

Ellie Keiller

Guid of Students President @Guild_President

To everyone who thinks it’s funny or ‘banter’ to vandalise the Guild at Fab, Sports Night, or even just day to day, last year we spent a total of £13,000 on vandalism repairs – whilst just last term that was already up to £9,000. This Guild belongs to us all. That’s your money that we could’ve spent on you. That's money we could’ve spent on student groups, money that we could have spent improving your student experience or money we could have spent providing students with mental health and wellbeing advice.

“This Guild belongs to us all” This isn't a telling off, because we're all adults, but if you’d be drinking to any of these 'never have I evers' then please consider the long term effects of your behaviour. To the vast majority of people who come along and enjoy our events without vandalising the building – A GREAT BIG THANK YOU!

Sam Bernard BurnFM Deputy Head of Station @SamBernard01

Like many people who have spent most of their free time at university in the unofficially named ‘media dungeons’, a future in the infamously exclusive media industry was always an attractive prospect for me. I initially joined Burn FM as a rather excitable yet unsettled fresher who wanted to make as any friends as possible in the scary new environment that university entails. My trepidations were soon quelled when I embraced the air waves for the first time. I now had a career path in mind, to the delight of my mum, to become the next Greg James. It soon became apparent that, for all of Birmingham’s excellent facilities, media-specific career advice was hard to come by. Unbeknownst to me at this time, Burn FM and the wider university had a plethora of alumni that had ‘made it in the media’ so-to-speak. Upon realising the power of LinkedIn, I was determined to offer Burn FM’s members an opportunity to access the wealth of experience that these alumni had to offer. As a result, Burn in Conversation was born. An open Q&A session with Sam Mann (presenter and producer at ITV), Ian Myatt (former Head of Product, Knowledge & Learning at the BBC), Tom Garry (BBC Sport Correspondent), and Riyah Collins (BBC Correspondent) took place in the Guild Council Chambers on the 2nd February. The intrigued audience were inspired by the unique insights provided by the guests in topics that ranged from their initial steps into the industry to the less glamorous aspects of their career. The success of

the event is perhaps most apparent in the voluntary decision of the four guests to remain in the Guild for an hour after the Q&A had finished to offer their details and tailored advice to individual audience members keen to know more. Burn in Conversation, therefore, served as more than a purely career-orientated conversation but rather a network event that, maybe, might serve to open previously locked doors into the media industry for some. If you’d like to be on Burn Committee for next year, our AGM is on the 2nd of March at 6pm in the Guild council chambers. Good luck!

CULTURE

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbrickculture

Review: Brief Encounter

Culture Critic Alice Kiff reviews Brief Encounter at the Birmingham REP Alice Kiff Culture Critic

Blending Vaudeville inspiration, classic music hall hits and wonderfully eccentric staging, Kneehigh Theatre have brought Brief Encounter back to the stage, from where it originated, and most importantly, to be seen by new audiences. Based on Noël Coward’s play Still Lives, Brief Encounter tells the tragic tale of a married man and woman who, due to a chance meeting in a train station refreshment room, embark on a deeply passionate, secret love affair. Though the basis of the show is tres doom and gloom, the show is anything but, as Rice employs an excellent ensemble to offer comic relief and musical interludes between scenes. The ensemble are the highlight performers in the show, particularly Beverly Rudd who skips seamlessly between her roles, and

Lucy Thackeray who plays the exasperated owner of the cafe with a fond fancy for the train conductor. The slapstick was a little overdone, but the ensemble excelled in their musical contributions, performing an array of Coward’s tunes throughout the show. Live music on stage is often something which raises the calibre of a show, and the ensemble’s employment of instruments from upright bass to electric guitar was stellar.

"Classic music hall hits and wonderfully eccentric staging..." Jim Sturgeon was loveable and inoffensive in his portrayal of Alec, the leading man, and Isabel Pollen played a charming Laura. I

was however left underwhelmed a little by the leading couple; it was no fault of the actors at all that the main two characters of the show are, well, a little thin. There were definite moments where they captured the attention of the theatre - from their forbidden, longing gaze at each other after an excursion on a rowing boat, to the sadness of the goodbye which was stolen from them, these felt more like expressions of emotion rather than an expression of who these characters were. At times the emotion can be a little misplaced, and there are parts where the production could have been scaled back, and characters who could have been more developed. However, scene after scene Rice pulled something new out of the bag, and Brief Encounter left me with an excitement for the productions Kneehigh is capable of, and very eager to see their future work. Photo: Birmingham REP

Review: Strangers on a Train

Culture Critic Ruth Horsburgh enjoys Craig Warner's "fantastic and enthralling" adaption of Strangers On A Train at the New Alexandra Theatre Ruth Horsburgh Culture Critic

Craig Warner’s stage adaptation of Strangers On A Train is based on the 1949 novel by Patricia Highsmith, which was brought to a wider audience in the classic Alfred Hitchcock film adaptation of the same name. The fateful encounter of two young men on a train makes you question the dark potential of chance encounters. The remarkable opening of the story promises much, and this whole production goes on to deliver. As we took to our seats in the New Alexandra Theatre, a whitewashed American flag was projected onto a series of adjoining panels. As trumpets herald the start of the play, the stage was set for a portrayal of the American Dream. Or was it? As the blood red of the flag’s stripes became more prominent, the audience felt a sense of foreboding. American

coolness would soon turn to coldness. A life-changing meeting occurs between two men whilst on a train. Guy Haines is an ambitious architect whose professional career is going from strength to strength. However, his personal life is in turmoil, and he is seeking a divorce from his adulterous wife. Charles Bruno, a wealthy urbane socialite has his problems too – not helped by his drinking habit. Bruno confides in Haines that he hates his unloving and money-obsessed father, and wishes he were dead. Bruno concocts a fatal pact between himself and Haines, which soon spirals out of control. Familiar faces from popular TV dramas lead the cast. Christopher Harper as Charles Bruno is the standout performance of the evening. He perfectly captures the fine line between a psychotic, calculating villain and a vulnerable, child-like figure. Harper does not overplay the character, with the audience not

knowing whether to laugh or gasp at his audacious plotting and infantile behaviour. Jack Ashton’s Guy Haines acts as a strong contrast to Harper’s Bruno. Ashton’s Haines moves from an assured confident man to a paranoid, conflicted shell of his former self, who is ultimately corrupted by his relationship with Bruno. Hannah Tointon’s Anne (Haines’s mistress turned fiancée) increases in depth of character as the play goes on, as she unravels the secrets surrounding her new husband. Bruno’s mother, Elsie (excellently realised by Helen Anderson), is a faded Southern Belle who is aware of, but does not want to accept, the fragility of her son.

"...an intriguing examination of the evil that can lurk just beneath the surface of everyday life" When John Middleton arrives in the Second Act, as the loyal private investigator, Arthur Gerard, we, as an audience, suspect that the elaborate crimes will soon be discovered, and the perpetrators will receive their comeuppance. But once again, all is not as it seems. The strength of the entire cast ensures that as their characters become more uneasy and volatile, the audience moves ever closer to the edge of their seats. The set design by David Woodhead is ingenious. It is like an intricate puzzle of eight different sections, four on each level,

which can be used in numerous configurations. From, the fateful first meeting in the railway carriage, to dingy bedsits to Bruno’s elegantly furnished home, different scenes are revealed by these sliding compartmentalised segments. The scenes in which only one section is revealed create a claustrophobic feeling adding to the unease of the characters who inhabit them. At other times, we are able to have split scene locations on stage at the same time. The scenes are often evocative of Edward Hopper’s art, especially in the exchange between Haines and Bruno which takes place at a dimly lit bar. The set is mostly sleek yet shadowy, nicely mirroring the false, menacing facades of its protagonists. The scene in which Haines finally gives in to Bruno’s pressure and starts to climb the moving, half glimpsed staircase towards Bruno senior’s bedroom is particularly memorable. As the story reaches its climax, all the sliding segments are

drawn back from the stage, and hazy train lights emerge through billowing smoke towards the audience. There is a conflicting sense of release but also an overriding tension, as the two central characters are freed from the small set. Haines and Bruno had met on a train, and it seems fitting that their relationship should reach its tense and dramatic climax in the misty railway yard. It is here that their bizarre but absorbing relationship, comes to an end. A fantastic and enthralling thriller, I would highly recommend going to see this production. True to the spirit of Highsmith and Hitchcock, this is an intriguing examination of the evil that can lurk just beneath the surface of everyday life. Just be careful who you talk to, next time you are on a train! Strangers on a Train continues on its tour of the UK until March 24th. Photos: New Alexandra Theatre, ATG

CULTURE

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbrickculture

Review: Mamma Mia!

Culture Critic Holly Reaney reviews the 'beautifully life-affirming' touring production of Mamma Mia! at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre Holly Reaney Culture Critic @Holly_Reaney

I am not the biggest musicals fan - I have nothing against them, and I’ve seen the films of Mamma Mia! and Les Misérables, but I don’t know the words and scores of every musical on Broadway or the West End, nor do I have that passionate die-hard adoration that musical theatre often generates. Until seeing Mamma Mia!, I just didn’t totally understand it, but now I have the firm belief that everyone should go and watch at least one musical on stage. The spectacular production of Mamma Mia! currently playing at the Wolverhampton Grand is beautifully life-affirming, and the perfect antidote to the stresses of uni life. Opening with a warning of white Lycra and platform boots, obviously to prepare those of a more nervous disposition, you know you’re going to be in for a fun-filled evening that only 70s throwback and some classic ABBA tunes could provide. A simplistic rotating set accompanies a backdrop which brings the beautiful Mediterranean ocean to the middle of Wolverhampton.

"Beautifully lifeaffirming, and the perfect antidote to the stresses of uni life" The story of the dynamic duo, single mother Donna and daughter bride-to-be Sophie, is well known and most people will have already seen the 2008 film. Helen Hobson’s performance of the infamous Donna is superb, carrying the performance forward with a fierce independence paired with her struggling reality, which brings a fascinating level of changeability to her character. Lucy May Barker is a likeable Sophie, who simultaneously encapsulates a gentle innocence and the aggressive spunk of her mother; there is a fire to her character which is refreshing to see. The leading men, Donna’s three reunited ex-es, Harry, Sam and Bill (Jamie Hogarth, Jon Boydon, Christopher Hollis) were hilarious and each had a clearly defined personality and sense of humour, with Boydon’s singing significantly superior to his onscreen counterpart. Whilst the men offered a solid trio, it is the women that really steal the show. The Dynamo’s, consisting of Donna (Hobson), Rosie (Rebecca Seale) and Tanya (Emma Clifford),

had a brilliant chemistry and really rocked some of the musical’s most famous hits, especially 'Dancing Queen' and 'Chiquitita'.

"Concluding with rousing renditions of Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen and Waterloo, the cast had everyone on their feet, singing at the top of their voices, clapping joyously and dancing along" With an explosion of flippers, feather boas and fabulousness, the touring production of Mamma Mia! is electric. With plenty of laugh out loud moments, it was much funnier than the film, most notably throughout 'Does Your Mother Know', which might just be my stand out performance of the evening. It was effortlessly cool and casual, with Clifford’s Tanya teasing and mocking the talented yet cheeky Pepper (played by Louis Stockil) as he attempts to flirt with her, despite the fact she’s ‘old enough to be his mother’. Concluding with rousing renditions of 'Mamma Mia', 'Dancing Queen' and 'Waterloo', the cast had everyone on their feet, singing at the top of their voices, clapping joyously and dancing along - even the inevitable sceptics in the room. It was a moment of collective release as throughout the entire production there was a concerted effort by each audience member to hold back from singing along with every classic hit (though on occasion a few people did get caught out, notably in the pause whilst when waiting for one character’s response to the proposal though I shan’t spoil the plot in case you haven’t seen it). Trading a cold, bleak night in Selly Oak for an evening of singing, dancing and a paternity mystery on Greek island, Mamma Mia! offers the perfect heartwarming escape before the ‘here we go again’ of lectures, seminars and the dreaded assessments. Mamma Mia! plays at the Wolverhampton Grand until Saturday 24th of February, before continuing on its tour. Images: Brinkhoff Mögenburg

Culture Corner Natalie Welch Culture Editor @natwelxh

Culture Editor Natalie Welch tells us about her culture favourites this week in our regular feature, 'Culture Corner'. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath The Bell Jar is a semi-autobiographical novel by Sylvia Plath. Although concealed by fictitious names and set in different places, The Bell Jar is the exploration of Plath’s own experiences with clinical depression and underlines the problems with the oppressive patriarchal society in 1950’s America. The novel is raw and confessional, completely open about how the character/Plath was feeling and what she was thinking as she becomes completely disillusioned with society, out of touch with reality and attempts suicide multiple times. One of the most jarring parts of the novel, is when Esther (the protagonist) looks at herself for the first time after a suicide attempt. Her face is ‘purple’, she can barely tell if the reflection is a ‘man or a woman’, and yet her face ‘cracked into a grin’. The first time we see Esther feel herself, be aware of the moment and is happy is when she barely resembles anything human. It has remained one of the most heart breaking and touching moments that I have ever read. Van Gogh Museum For a long time, art was something I just really didn’t understand. I could appreciate it for how wonderful it looked, but my appreciation didn’t go much further than that. Despite being clueless with anything to do with art, when I visited Amsterdam last year the Van Gogh Museum

seemed to be a must-do attraction. I expected to see a lot of interesting and beautiful paintings. I did see a lot of interesting and beautiful paintings. What I didn’t expect was the emotional impact that came along with these artworks. The exhibit has two parts: the personal history of Van Gogh, and his paintings that illustrate that history. We learn about his family, his work and his mental illness; we are given a thorough understanding of the life of Van Gogh. After you have that understanding, the art works seem to mean so much more. You can see what they represent. You can see what might have inspired them, or how they might have been affected by his life. When I left the museum I not only felt moved by the story of Van Gogh, but I also left with a new appreciation for art. I got ‘the point’ of it a little bit more. If you find yourself in Amsterdam, I would fully recommend taking a couple hours to go and experience the Van Gogh Museum. King Lear at the Globe 2017 When I studied King Lear at A-level, my English teacher prefaced the lesson with the sentiment that we will either love

Shakespeare, or we just won’t. He said that it takes a certain realisation to ever properly understand the appeal of Shakespeare, and until you have that realisation you can see the importance of Shakespeare but you just won’t ‘get’ him. The 2017 production of King Lear at the Globe was my realisation. I left thinking: ‘Oh, this is why Shakespeare’s a bit of a big deal’. Obviously, after studying King Lear for a year, I thought I had a thorough understanding of the play. After watching this I realised there were so many nuances that I just didn’t pick up on. For example, how hilarious the play is for a tragedy, or the utter heartbreak you feel when you see Lear hold Cordelia for the last time. These are elements that you could probably pick up on when reading Shakespeare, but something that you need to watch to properly get. Whilst Shakespeare might not be for everyone, if you’re interested in theatre I would fully recommend going to see a play at the Globe. It is a quirky and unique theatre experience that I think you have to do at least once.

FILM

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbrickfilm

Review: Phantom Thread

Film Critic Luis Freijo bemoans Daniel Day-Lewis's tedious goodbye Luis Freijo Film Critic

In 1988, Daniel Day-Lewis landed one of his first major roles with the film adaptation of Milan Kundera´s The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Thirty years and three Oscars later, Day-Lewis has played what is (supposedly) his last performance in Phantom Thread, which could have been easily named The Unbearable Transcendence of Making Dresses. Because his Reynolds Woodcock, and other characters, spend an unreasonable percentage of the runtime dedicated to the elaboration of pieces of cloth; because, apparently, that activity is involved in a blaze of transcendence; and because, above all, the film is unbearable. Do not get me wrong: it is not a terrible film. After all, Paul Thomas Anderson is directing and he proves, once again, that he is an exquisite narrator. The camera flows easily and elegantly during the movie, choosing wisely when to move between the workers that sew for Woodcock, the dresses or the parties, and when to stop to witness the usual exchanges between the designer and Alma (Vicky Krieps). The cinematography (Anderson´s work as well) catches perfectly the pale light of the house and

of that fancy and, yet, dark world. The first scene where Woodcock is introduced stands as an example of how good Anderson is at his trade: the comings and goings of the ladies allow the camera to travel throughout the workshop and reach the brilliant designer. It reminds of the impressive longtake in Magnolia that showed the insides of a TV studio and states that the director´s abilities remain where they were.

"Above all, the film is unbearable" Nevertheless, the great attractive of the film, a priori, was Daniel Day-Lewis, especially since he announced that he would retire after this film. Let´s remember, for the record, that he did something similar in 1997 after The Boxer and moved to Florence to learn how to make shoes. Five years later, he came back as forceful as ever with Gangs of New York. Let´s just hope the same now. In any case, there is little doubt that DayLewis is the best actor of the last three decades, and one of the very best that ever stood in front of a camera, and yet this doesn´t appear as a memorable goodbye. Maybe this opinion comes from the fact that I was unable to connect with the film at any point,

but his Woodcock lacks the strength and the subtleties of several of his previous roles. He is too good to be bad, obviously, but if we are comparing between obsessive creators I prefer his Guido Contini in Nine. Vicky Krieps and, especially, Lesley Manville give solid performances to accompany him but, and I never thought I would say this, Daniel Day-Lewis has been outdone by Gary Oldman, Daniel Kaaluya and, above all, Timothée Chalamet, a 22-year-old with all his career in front of him. What is the problem, then, if the film is well directed and performed with professionalism? The problem is that there does not seem to be any point at all. Is it a film about making dresses? Not quite interesting. Is it a film about a toxic relationship that turns into a ruthless fight for power? It is not well written, then. Scenes of confrontation and reconciliation, of Alma being charming and Woodcock being rude, repeat themselves all over the film. Only the two final sequences bear some interest, when their love turns out to be a sadomasochistic relationship in a psychological level. However, if I have to choose another film about the same topic, I would very much prefer the bold, bizarre, and brutal approach that Darren Aronofsky crafted for Mother!. And if we compare this film with There Will Be Blood, the previous work by the tandem

Anderson-Day-Lewis... well, the feeling after leaving the room speaks for itself.

"Only the two final sequences bear some interest" The result of all this is a tremendously boring film. It is not a matter of slowness. There Will Be Blood was slower and longer than Phantom Thread. Call Me by Your Name also takes its time this year, and it is by far the best film of 2017. It is a matter of

slowness combined with emptiness and the depiction of a rich and elitist world that does not speak about anything rather than just a sick relationship. Daniel, it is not worth retiring over Phantom Thread. VERDICT: Although Phantom Thread is an elegantly and exquisitely made film, its formal beauty clashes with a transcendent emptiness. It is not slow, it is just boring. It is nothing close to viking funeral that the last performance by Daniel Day-Lewis should have been.

Review: I, Tonya

Film Critic Phoebe Cristofi has an 'ice-day' watching I, Tonya Phoebe Cristofi Film Critic

Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie). The fierce and arguably trashy figure skating champion who took the world by storm in the 1990s; and not necessarily for the right reasons. Documenting the story of her skating career from ages three to twenty-three, we see the heartache, the humour, the abuse, and the achievements of a young Tonya Harding, paired with the recounts of a Tonya in

her late forties. The film is an artistic representation of a single person versus all of society, and the expectations which are imposed on a person from a young age. Harding never had a fair chance though: the judges were prejudiced, her mother was an a**hole, she was in an abusive relationship, was extremely poor, and was expected to be an ice princess – no easy feat. With an Australian actress and Australian director, both Margot Robbie and Craig

Gillespie managed to portray the stereotypical American whitetrash family that Harding was so well known for perfectly. The film shows the different perspectives of the skater, the husband, the mother, the coach, and the bodyguard. Gillespie artistically integrated these by having Robbie narrate the film as the scenes were happening. By breaking the fourth wall, the film morphed into the style of a mockumentary. This was further enhanced as the main characters re-enacting the

interviews of the real people recounting the events which occurred, but years later. It was funny, but serious, and the comedic elements did not detach the audience from the serious components, and vice versa. It kept you waiting in anticipation – was Tonya going to make you laugh, or would Jeff make your hand go to your throat? Robbie was tough, delicate, all neat, sharp edges, and subtle softness – everything a figure skater should be. Both on the ice, and when she was her mother (Alison Janney) and husbands (Sebastian Stan) private punching bag was when Harding’s character was at its strongest and most vulnerable, and Robbie did well to portray that. With a performance like that, it’s no wonder that she’s been nominated for numerous awards, not to mention the Oscar.

"It's no wonder she's been nominated for numerous awards" A further outstanding performance was that of Janney, who portrayed Harding’s mother: the alcoholic, abusive, and fiercely sassy, LaVona. Janney was the complete embodiment of a showmum turned psycho. Every sec-

ond word out of her mouth was crass, her behaviour was damaging, and yet she absolutely owned the screen. Just like Robbie, Janney brilliantly displayed the strength that would ultimately build Tonya into a star, but what also arguably brought her crushing back down. Furthermore, Sebastian Stan as the husband of Harding, Jeff Gillooly, was unlikeable, abusive, evasive, sexual, and yet strangely considerate – everything you imagine the real Gillooly to be like. Believe me when I say it was because his portrayal of the character was so believable and not because he was psychologically unhinged and made me lowkey uncomfortable... but that would be a lie. VERDICT: Overall the film was worth the hype. It was clever, it was fun, it was sad, and it was shocking. Basically it covers all bases, but more than anything, it was raw in its alleged truth (despite it potentially being false...), which in this day and age, and furthermore in the film industry, is perhaps the hardest thing to rely on.

FILM

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbrickfilm

Review: Insidious: The Last Key Film Critic Megan Whitehouse looks under her bed Megan Whitehouse Film Critic

For anyone who has seen the Insidious movies it will come as no surprise when I say that the fourth instalment is about as ridiculous and bizarre as the franchise’s previous efforts. Although this is the fourth film that has been released it acts as the second film in the franchise’s chronology, making it a direct prequel to the original Insidious movie, and a sequel to Insidious 3. So just to run through, the order is Insidious 3, then 4, then 1, then 2. Glad we got that all straightened out. Anyway, this film follows everyone’s favourite parapsychologist Elise Rainier

(played by the wonderful Lin Shayne) as she returns to her childhood home to confront the demons and spirits that continue to haunt it. Flashbacks to Elise’s childhood make up the first twenty or so minutes of the film and in all honesty these scenes are pretty terrifying. Elise’s mother attempts to reassure her daughter that she is special and that she has a gift, her father on the other hand attempts to beat this gift out of her: it’s pretty hard to watch. After being locked in the basement one-night, Elise finds herself communicating with the various spirits and ghosts that reside down there. One thing leads to another and she unwittingly unleashes the demon that will haunt her for the

majority of the film.

"In all honesty these scenes are pretty terrifying" Flash forward 60 or so years and Elise is a working parapsychologist come ghost hunter complete with two comic relief sidekicks, who if anything come across as rather creepy themselves. She is called to action after receiving a phone call of a haunting that happens to be, shock horror, taking place at the house where she grew up. Cue road trip to Elise’s childhood home in the town of Five Keys,

New Mexico (Five Keys, see what they did there?). Elise’s home remains almost unchanged even down to the toys Elise and her brother played with as children, surely over 60 years someone would have redecorated? The film builds nicely though with some pretty impressive jump scares as Elise roams around her old house. There’s also a pretty awkward family reunion with Elise’s brother and his now grown up, very attractive daughters, who Elise’s sidekicks take every opportunity to flirt with, even in the final act when there are probably more important things to be thinking about, like, you know, the fate of everyone’s souls. I don’t know, maybe that’s just me. In typical Insidious style, the film’s final act follows Elise and her also psychic niece wandering around the ‘further’ in search of the big bad demon that’s been giving them grief for the whole film. Some pretty laughable moments ensue as well a frankly ridiculous resolution involving a whistle, which I won’t even go into. The whole thing is a strange blend of funny and bizarre, although that doesn’t take away from the fact that the monster is in fact quite scary, having keys for fingers is actually kind of creepy, who knew? The film ties into the original Insidious, with some cameo appearances and some flashbacks thrown in, that would probably be quite clever

if you can remember anything about the original movie. I mean it came out 8 years ago now, which is kind of terrifying in itself. This film is ridiculous, the writing is pretty poor and some parts are really quite laughable, but, and this is a big but, it is fun. You know what you’re going to get and I’m telling you, you will not get through it without jumping at least once. What more do you really want from a standard scary movie? Plus you might as well get used to them because based on the amount of money these films make at the box office, they’ll keep churning them out regardless. VERDICT: If you’re looking for a truly terrifying, intelligent horror then you’ve come to the wrong place. But if you don’t mind a fairly enjoyable but average scary movie with a farfetched storyline and some pretty decent jump scares then Insidious: The Last Key will not disappoint

Netflix Review: The Cloverfield Paradox Film Critic Matt Taylor blasts off into the crapmosphere Matt Taylor Film Critic

These Cloverfield movies are an interesting bunch. The first, released in 2008, was a straightforward found-footage monster movie, and was a hit with critics and audiences alike. Instead of opting for a simple sequel, the writing/producing team (composed at its core of Drew Goddard, JJ Abrams, and Matt Reeves) decided to work outwards rather than forwards, and March 2016 saw the release of 10 Cloverfield Lane, a claustrophobic thriller that worked brilliantly until its ending, when we’re left wishing it wasn’t a Cloverfield film. Now, nearly two years later, Netflix have suddenly dropped the third film in the franchise: The Cloverfield Paradox. And, as much as it pains me to say this, it’s rubbish. But let’s start with some positives, of which there are two. Firstly, it looks pretty: it’s set almost entirely in space, and exterior shots of the spaceship (the Cloverfield Station – which isn’t a name that makes sense within the established parameters of what “Cloverfield” is within this universe) are really quite something. The design of the ship feels new, and as a whole it’s just rather nice to look at. The film also has a decent score, thanks to The Walking Dead’s Bear McCreary; it certainly isn’t

memorable, but it does what it needs to and it does it well. Sadly, those are the only two good things to say about the film. The rest of it is, frankly, awful. In keeping with the film’s unusual marketing, I won’t reveal any aspects of the plot here, but it’s safe to say that much of it doesn’t make a lick of sense. It’s as if logic has been jettisoned from the airlock and left behind in an alternate dimension; as one of the characters herself admits “logic doesn’t apply to any of this”. At times it’s so unbelievably stupid for so many reasons that are (unfortunately) too spoilery to go into, but there are many instances where we’re left either scratching our heads and thinking 'hang on ... what?' or screaming at the TV in frustration that the film is almost unbearable to watch.

"The film is almost unbearable to watch" Having said that, it isn’t boring. It’s a far cry from being as exciting or tense as it thinks it is, admittedly, but the film somehow manages to avoid being dull – that’s something that makes about as much sense as the film itself. The characters, then. Is there a saving grace to be found here?

Sadly not. Despite a great cast (including Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Daniel Bruhl, Chris O’Dowd, Elizabeth Debicki and David Oyewolo), none of the characters are at all memorable. The script is so poor that we barely get to know them at all before they start getting bumped off, and any attempts at emotion feel contrived and forced to the point where we don’t feel a thing when one of them dies. On top of this, their motivations are all over the show. One character eventually becomes a sort of villain, because for some reason the film thinks it needs one, and, while their motivations for being so are understandable, their actions come completely out of nowhere; they haven’t even been hinted at before they start shooting people. The actions of David Oyewolo’s captain are also extremely questionable, particularly those in relation to Mbatha-Raw’s Hamilton, the film’s true main character. She’s supposed to be what grounds the film, and is the only one given any kind of backstory, but this just feels so dry and predictable that we can’t invest anything in it, and the parts of the story that follow her husband back on earth go absolutely nowhere, apart from letting Roger Davies do some aggressive shouting right at the end of the film. The abysmal script does nothing to help the situation.

Aside from its poor development of characters, it has a tendency to explain things that should be obvious to a team of scientists, purely for the audience’s sake. Granted, exposition needs to be delivered somehow, but Paradox seems to be completely unaware of the golden rule of “show don’t tell” (apart from when it shows things that aren’t explained in the slightest, and then it becomes frustrating). In addition, it contradicts so many things set out in the original Cloverfield. The explanations offered here go entirely against what we’ve previously seen, and the cliffhanger that the film tries to end on loses its impact because of this. And not only does it fail to do the most basic things, a lot of it is just ridiculous. A sentient arm is

a plot device. A sentient arm. If anyone can offer an explanation as to how and why this got through so many levels of production, then I’m all ears. All in all, a poor show. VERDICT: A bumbling, shambling, shameful mess of a sci-fi that feels like a cross between Prometheus, Oblivion, and Alien, but isn’t a patch on any of them. While the efforts that it makes to expand the series are almost admirable, they fall entirely flat and have no impact whatsoever. Man, I miss the days when Cloverfield was just a monster movie.

MUSIC

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbrickmusic

A Beginner's Guide To: David Bowie With a celebrated discography that spans decades and almost every genre, getting into Bowie is a daunting task. Luke Atkins gives us his guide to the Starman Luke Atkins Music Critic

There have been few figures as bewildering as David Bowie in the history of rock music. Even other 20th century greats such as the Rolling Stones or Genesis could not compete with the dazzling array of sounds and genre bending innovation that Bowie was capable of at his height. This means, however, that there is an intimidating discography confronting the aspiring Bowie fan, spanning the best part of 50 years. Going through all 27 of his studio albums is a huge undertaking, and even more so for somebody who is only vaguely aware of him. Writing a comprehensive guide to Bowie would be an exhaustive affair, requiring dedication from the writer and the reader, as well as more paper space than the editors are willing to give me. On the other hand, it would do him no justice to rattle off a list of his greatest hits. ‘Changes’ is a great song, but it doesn’t come close to representing the full spectrum of Bowie’s music. This being the case, what I will try to do here is give a good overview of the styles Bowie has used over the years, and how his sound has morphed from his late 60s debut to his death in 2016. The first album with a recognisably ‘Bowie’ sound came two years after his rather embarrassing 1967 debut, with another album called David Bowie. This album is most famous for having ‘Space Oddity’ on it, a brooding space epic most recognised by the line ‘Ground control to Major

Tom.’ The next album Bowie released was The Man Who Sold The World (the excellent title track was covered by Nirvana on their acoustic album, MTV Unplugged in New York). The style of this album is much more towards hard rock than Bowie’s previous work. It has an eerie edge to it that marks a distinctively Bowie touch. A year later, Bowie released Hunky Dory, which has both ‘Changes’ (easy going enough to be covered in Shrek 2) and ‘Life on Mars?’, a melodic string-led hit that is both a bit mad and oddly touching. Bowie also nods to his influences, with a song called ‘Andy Warhol’ and another called ‘Song for Bob Dylan’. Personally I like ‘Queen Bitch’, a raucous tribute to The Velvet Underground. Bowie’s first massive album was 1972’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Titular song ‘Ziggy Stardust’ is a stone cold rock classic, with an instantly recognisable guitar hook and typically Bowielike storytelling. The album has a mix of sounds: ‘Suffragette City’ and ‘Star’ provide unchained energy; ‘Rock and Roll Suicide’ and ‘Starman’ are more acoustic ballads. A real stand out, though, is ‘Moonage Daydream’. Bowie’s instinctive knack for melody really shines through here, with rich production and a wide variety of instrumentation. Moving into the 70s, Bowie’s discography really starts to accelerate, and get

increasingly messy. By all accounts this has to do with his love of cocaine, and the infamous late 70s Berlin era, where he moved to Berlin and made three of his most ‘out there’ albums. Aladdin Sane (1973) returned to a harder sound, with songs like ‘Jean Genie’, and ‘Watch That Man’. The title track is a driven and erratic piano track, well worth your time, but one of the more interesting songs is ‘Drive In

Saturday’, a bluesy track with cryptic lyrics and a great saxophone section. Diamond Dogs (1974) and Young Americans (1975) saw Bowie move towards a funkier, more soulful song. ‘Rebel Rebel’ represents the classic Bowie rock and roll style, but there is foreshadowing of the soul sound encapsulated by ‘Fame’ in Young Americans with songs like ‘Sweet Thing’ and the title track, which bleeds soul from every note. Station to Station (1976) is the epitome of Bowie’s funk sound. ‘Golden Years’ is the most famous track from the album, but the sound works best on ‘Stay’, a 6 minute funk odyssey. The ‘Berlin Trilogy,’ of which this record was the first, is considered by many to be the height of Bowie’s creativity, but also contains some of his weirdest work. 1977’s Low, a futuristic electronica album, at points seems years ahead of its time. ‘Breaking Glass’ could easily be released by an indie band today. ‘Speed of Life’ and ‘Sound and Vision’ showcase Bowie’s unhinged take on late 70s electro. Heroes (1977) has more avant-garde instrumentals like ‘Sense of Doubt’, but also the title track, which is one of Bowie’s all-time great rock ballads. In 1980, Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) was released. This album has less of the insanity of its predecessors, but still has an unusual feel to it. The song ‘Ashes

to Ashes’, one of my personal favourites, is erratic, yet catchy and melodic. It reflects Bowie’s drug-fuelled darkness, with recurring character Major Tom described as a ‘junkie.’ ‘Fashion’ and ‘Teenage Wildlife’ stomp along with gusto as well. 1983’s Let’s Dance marks the last of the great albums before his patchy 90s period. The title track could be played at any party; at least early on in the night anyway. ‘Modern Love’ is a fantastic, driven funky rock and roll song that is almost impossible to dislike. ‘China Town’ was a big hit from this album but I prefer ‘Criminal World’, a funky masterpiece with a stunning bass part. The Next Day, Bowie’s big 2013 return to form, is an album worthy of the man, with classic sounding songs like ‘I’d Rather Be High’, and ‘The Stars (Are Out Tonight)’. The lead single, ‘Where Are We Now?’ is a deeply meditative, powerful song that proceeds at a stately pace. Tragically, Bowie died of liver cancer in 2016, but he did have one final gift to offer. Blackstar, released just two days before his death, is one of his most ambitious and best albums. From the sombre jazz of ‘Lazarus’ to the aggrieved funk of ‘‘Tis a Pity She was a Whore’, it is a breathtaking reflection on mortality made all the more powerful by its proximity to its creator’s death. There is a lot of excellent music here, but there is still a lot I have had to leave out. Give Bowie’s music a bit of time, though, and you will discover a whole new galaxy of sound.

Album Review: Wild Beasts - Last Night All My Dreams Came True Greg McCallum Music Critic

Towards the end of September last year, Wild Beasts announced that after 16 years together, their time as a band was ‘coming to an end.’ Though, not by usual breakup standards: there was no statement about conflict or contrasting visions, just simply that ‘for our own reasons and in our own ways,’ the band had run its course. In their announcement, Wild Beasts indicated that they plan to celebrate with a few final shows and a final EP, Punk Drunk and Trembling, released last October. Their final ever release, Last Night All My Dreams Came True, is a career-spanning album containing 13 of their most powerful tracks, recorded live at RAK Studios. The live studio recording perfectly captures Wild Beasts during ‘Wanderlust’, from critically acclaimed release Present Tense, with the lyrics ‘Don’t confuse me with someone who gives a f*ck’ belted out harder than in the stu-

dio album version. This lyric fits the album well, with guitarist Tom Fleming saying in a press release ‘It’s us as tight and slick as we ever have been.’

"Last Night All My Dreams Came True encapsulates Wild Beasts at their peak" With nearly half the songs coming from 2016’s Boy King, the album has emphasis on their most recent album. The band have described Boy King as their ‘most direct record yet.’ However, though still achieving good reviews, Boy King was the band’s least acclaimed album, with frontman Hayden Thorpe suggesting that it marked a point for the band ‘where the snake begins to eat its tail,’ stating that Boy King felt just like their first record in its ‘selfdestructive’ nature. The highlight of the album is

‘The Devil’s Palace’, a song which beautifully blends ‘The Devil’s Crayon’, from the band’s debut Limbo, Panto, with ‘Palace’ from Present Tense. This track perfectly combines Fleming’s baritone with Thorpe’s falsetto, making a haunting masterpiece that is a joy to listen to. This interplay between Thorpe’s and Fleming’s contrasting singing is further accentuated in the penultimate song on the album, ‘All The King’s Men’, from the Mercury Prize nominated Two Dancers. Although missing some of their best songs, such as ‘Mecca’ and ‘Albatross’, Last Night All My Dreams Came True encapsulates Wild Beasts at their peak. The selection of songs captures not only their unique, eccentric style of rock, but also the themes they have tackled on all their previous albums – from toxic masculinity to conflicts surrounding class and politics. And whilst it does show them at their peak, it does feel like they are just fizzling out with no big bang, emphasised in closing track, ‘Celestial

Creatures’, with a dramatic buildup throughout slowing down and ending the band’s career with the whisper, ‘These are blessed times that we’re living in / Down here on Earth all is forgiven.’ Wild Beasts will be greatly missed, and have made it very clear that this is no ‘indefinite hiatus,’ this is it for the band – but

they are happy to be ending whilst hitting the peak of their powers. ‘We get to leave our desk by our own accord,’ concludes Hayden, ‘and that makes us very lucky. Whoever gets to do that?’

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MUSIC

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbrickmusic

Valentine's Day: Love or Loathe Whether you are celebrating love this Valentine's Day, or trying to avoid the memory of an ex, Redbrick Music is supplying you with the perfect playlist for either mood

Top 5: Love Songs Top 5: Break-up Songs No. 1: The Beach Boys - the music and lyrics. The ‘(Naive No. 1: The Streets - 'Dry Your Eyes’ he displays a touching your broken/breaking heart. Many vulnerability that he had not find that Skinner’s unpolished Melody)’ part of the title refers to 'God Only Knows' shown before. The lyrics spoken vocal delivery is a bit of the unusual use of identical guitar Your Eyes Mate' ‘God Only Knows’ is undeniably the greatest love song of all time, as over 50 years of popularity have shown. This iconic Beach Boys track has been credited with reinventing the love song, covered by David Bowie, and was famously used in our favourite problematic noughties film, Love Actually. It also broke the barrier of using the word ‘God’ in a popsong, making it onto radio despite the controversy of its title at the time. The song first appeared on the groundbreaking 1966 album Pet Sounds, and has since become a Valentine’s favourite. The psychedelic rock ballad takes us to the depths of existential love with beautifully dramatic lyrics that no one would dare write these days; Brian Wilson questions ‘what good would living do me?’ if his muse left him. The uplifting melody and chorus remind us that we need not to worry — for now, the pair are safe in the hands of fate. This perfectly written love song is bound to continue to be millions of couples’ first dances, ‘as long as there are stars above you’...

No. 2: Hall & Oates - 'You Make My Dreams' Ah, that boppy guitar beat, that magical voice, those oo-oos. Welcome to the best love song of all time, and not just because Joseph Gordon-Levitt happened to dance through the streets of Los Angeles to it in 500 Days of Summer. As someone who finds a slow, mushy love song often hard to stomach, ‘You Make My Dreams’ is perfect as one of the most upbeat romantic classics. Despite literally revolving around the Disney-esque lyric ‘You make my dreams come true’, it somehow avoids being cheesy, or over sentimental, or frankly anything less than perfect. It is the perfect first dance banger. But it is not just for weddings – it has been there through road road trips, house parties and Sunday morning breakfasts. In love or out of love, get playing this Valentine’s season, I challenge you to find someone who wont smile when the first chord hits the speakers.

No. 3: Talking Heads 'This Must Be The Place' A love song from a band known for avoiding writing love songs, Talking Heads’ ‘This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)’ is a masterpiece. Released in 1983 at the height of the band’s career, the effect of the track was increased by its inclusion on their fantastic concert film Stop Making Sense and its genius comes from both

and bass rhythms throughout the track and its stripped-back sound reflecting the peaceful sentiment of the song. Despite its theme being completely uncharacteristic of the band, the alternative approach that ‘This Must Be the Place’ takes to love songs makes it a perfect summary of one of the 1980s’ biggest new wave groups.

No. 4: Al Green - 'Lets Stay Together' We all have that go to song we listen to when we want to think about a certain someone. But what makes this song so perfect for the occasion? Love is timeless. Despite being released in 1972, the song continues to sound and feel totally relevant. The main lyric, 'I just want to love you whether times are good or bad, happy or sad' is an indisputably fitting way to describe that feeling. Love is uplifting. 'Lets Stay Together' will genuinely make you feel elevated by the end. It is the simple guitar melody and minimal instruments that really let you focus on the amazing lyrics and beautiful message. Love is passionate... as is soul music. So, who better to deliver raw emotion than one of the greatest soul singers of all time. To put this song to the test play it while you think about your boyfriend/girlfriend, crush, soul mate, tinder match, whatever and watch how you subconsciously start browsing for engagement rings.

Poor Mike Skinner. The standout track from A Grand Don’t Come For Free was a brave departure from The Streets’ punchier garage sound. Skinner’s lyrics have always been to the point and very personal, but on ‘Dry

Authors in order: Ellie Koepke, Holly Carter, Jake Killshaw, Pablo Doyle & Alex Carmichael

an acquired taste – but the rough and ready delivery is what makes this song connect with so many. You can hear the delicate pain and frustration in his voice that comes across without need for the classic shouty, sustained notes that have become breakup song tropes – which puts it streets ahead of the rest.This song is just straight up sad; served best with a bottle of wine, pictures of your ex and solitude. Happy Valentine’s Day.

No. 2: Leonard Cohen - Shrek soundtrack (by proxy, the no chorus will ever be written that version that introduced my entire has more potential to utterly ruin 'Hallelujah' generation to heartbreak) is gor- a person than the one-word chant You have heard ‘Hallelujah’ before. Everybody has. It has been covered more times than you could count, by everyone from Bob Dylan to Alexandra Burke. And yet, despite its ridiculous oversaturation since Leonard Cohen first wrote the song in 1984, as a song it somehow manages to retain every last molecule of its indomitable power. Even the version John Cale did for the

geous. Most know Jeff Buckley’s stunning 1994 version best, but all credit must go to the late Cohen, whose legacy will be immortalised through this stunning piece of songcraft. Every lyric is its own work of art, painting the most broken picture of love you can envisage; and I am positive that

of ‘Hallelujah.’ No other piece of music is more powerfully ingrained in the wretched human experience. This is the greatest broken love song ever written; it may well be one of the greatest artworks ever created. 'Hallelujah' has resonated with every generation since its release; it is a truly timeless heart wrencher.

Maybe I am reading too much No. 3: Fergie - 'Big Girls Fergie’s sultry tones. The pain of being in love but into it. Maybe Fergie is not really Don't Cry (Personal)' knowing that, for your own good, that deep. Or maybe, just maybe, ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry (Personal)’ is not your average breakup song. It is about a particular type of breakup, one where you do not want it to be over but you know it has to come to an end. Although I have never experienced this, I have been able to vicariously live through this ordeal thanks to

No. 5: The Maccabees No. 4: Radiohead 'Toothpaste Kisses' 'True Love Waits' Where love songs are usually powerful proclamations of overwhelming love, The Maccabees manage to create the gentlest and purest confession of love in the wonderfully charming ‘Toothpaste Kisses’, from their 2008 debut album Colour It In. The track's success in the brash battlefield of love songs lies in its stripped back nature with minimal percussion, all the while bursting at the seams with adoration and tenderness, making it all the more brilliant. Vocals from the band’s frontrunner Orlando Weeks, and his delightful whistling solo at the end, provide the record with a sweet and delicate sound. However, it is lyrics like ‘lay with me, I’ll lay with you, we’ll do the things that lovers do’ that are subtly marvelous in being reminiscent of that intense first love joy. It is these intimate moments that make us fall in love and they are exactly what ‘Toothpaste Kisses’ expresses, making it the perfect modern love song.

are gently poetic and touching, there are no frilly words dressing it up – this is just direct, unfiltered pain. The weepy strings and wistfully strummed guitar lull you into a contemplative daze and leave space for the vocals to burrow into

The only thing more heart wrenching than the ‘Just... don’t leave’ refrain of Radiohead’s 2016 album closer is the story behind it. Originally written as an acoustic ballad in the mid90s about singer Thom Yorke’s flourishing relationship, various

you need to ‘get a move on’ with your life is translated into a song that is impossible not to sing along to. This is especially true of the chorus, which bombards you with energy after a relatively lowkey first verse. The eclectic tone reflects Fergie’s inner conflict, and her struggle to find peace and serenity.

Fergie is a lyrical genius on par with Shakespeare, capable of weaving a heart-wrenching tale of complex emotions, unearthing deep human truths about love, labour, and loss. To be honest though, the most likely explanation for my affinity to this song, is that it is simply a great tune.

attempts to record the song were aborted, until it finally saw an official release as a minimalist piano effort 20 years later on an album recorded about the end of the same relationship. The lyrics remain the same, yet the difference in instrumentation, atmosphere and delivery suggests finality and grief where once the song could have been called one of Radiohead’s

most optimistic songs (even more so than Kid A cut ‘Optimistic’). In a way that feels as much an (un) happy accident as it does artistic perfectionism, ‘True Love Waits’ is a breakup song like no other: it hits hard with its confessional and personal lyrics, yet holds itself above cliché and in doing so achieves an uncomfortable realness. It captures the essence of a bad day in the form of a song. A hard listen after a breakup, to be sure, but at times that is just what you need.

No. 5: Amy Winehouse - lance, pain leaks through every syllable of Amy’s 'Back To Black' somehow simultaneThe lyrics of ‘Back to Black' speak to the song’s brilliance; never has a break-up been encapsulated so savagely and yet heartbreakingly. No fancy metaphors, no colourful imagery needed, I defy you to find a more cutting opening than, ‘He left no time to regret / Kept his dick wet / With his same old safe bet’. While retaining her trademark noncha-

ously soulful delivery, making it a song for that immediate aftermath of a relationship, long before you have reached any acceptance or forgiveness. The entire album makes for a perfect break-up record, but the title track is the one that hits the hard-

est, especially in the context of Amy and Blake’s intensely media-covered, tempestuous relationship. It is well worth taking three minutes out of your day to watch Amy and Mark Ronson put the track together in the studio, if only to hear Amy’s acapella vocal recordings, which are, if possible, even more haunting.

Authors in order: Adam Jackson, Thom Dent, Alex Criant-Taljaard, Luke Charnley & Emily Barker Follow 'Redbrickmusic' on Spotify to listen to the extended Valentine's Day playlists.

TELEVISION

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbricktv

James Bulger: Was Justice Done? Why has the James Bulger documentary sparked outrage? Hannah Sheffield

Television Writer

The broadcast on Channel 4 of a documentary reflecting on the James Bulger murder case has sparked an outrage amongst viewers. The documentary entitled James Bulger: Was Justice Done?, which aired on 5th February 2018, shows interviews with solicitors, journalists and prosecutors involved in the prosecution of John Venables and Robert Thompson, both aged ten, for brutally torturing and murdering twoyear-old James Bulger on February 12th, 1993. As the youngest criminals ever to be imprisoned by the legal justice system in England, the case holds a great deal of controversy. Many viewers responded negatively to the show, saying Channel 4 were “defending” and “sympathising” with the killers. An interview with journalist Blake Morrison, who covered the trial for the New Yorker in 1993, showed empathy and concern for the boys in question. Morrison defended the two criminals, referring to them as “two small boys”. He claimed that “to look at them in the court room and to hear them on tapes was to realise that they were small boys”. As well as this, John Venable's

solicitor Dominic Lloyd attempted to get the trial thrown out as he argued neither boys could be tried fairly because of the jury being prejudiced by following mass media reports. He claimed that the boys would not have been prosecuted if the crime was committed a few months earlier, as the legal age of criminality in England is age ten. This inspired a burst of outrage on Twitter with people using the hashtag #TheBulgerKillers to voice their disgust in such empathy.

“This documentary failed to address whether justice... was done” Many people united with disbelief in how anyone could sympathise with such brutal murderers, with one person saying; “at ten years old, if they can murder an innocent child, they can spend life in prison. They knew right from wrong”. People questioned if it was a joke that anyone could try and justify what the boys did to defenceless James Bulger. However, the tapes of the boy’s confessions confirmed that it was a premeditated crime.

The programme also called into question whether their mental capacity was damaged by bad domestic backgrounds, as Thompson came from a broken home, or their general misbehaviour at school could have caused them to become psychotic killers at such a young age. This documentary, produced twenty-five years after the crime took place at Merseyside shopping centre, arose following James Bulger's mother petitioning to lengthen their minimum sentences of eight years. The judge described

this crime as an act of “unparalleled evil and brutality”, which makes it less surprising that the public's reaction then and even today was full of hatred and anger. It baffled audiences that a show could side with the killers. Instead of playing the role of a neutral medium, this documentary failed to address whether justice really was done for James Bulger's death, but rather questions whether the system and the public have considered the sheer juvenility of the perpetrators. It shies away from the question on most peo-

ple’s lips, which may be due to the popular view that the justice system failed him. It could be their way of justifying the bad decisions they made almost twenty-five years ago when handling this case and the leniency shown when condemning the killers. The bias shown towards the boys gives a paradoxical view of the case, and the conclusion drawn from the audiences perplexity is that under no circumstance should the young killers be shown forgiveness or sympathy.

have no doubt that to delve deep enough into her character would bring up something questionable in her presentation too. C l e a r l y Friends is problematic, however to say that it is offensive would be to merit the viewpoints that run through the show with a level of relevance that they certainly no longer have. Friends is a product of its time. We should therefore judge the offensiveness of it's content on the time in which it was released. Running from 1994 until 2004, a lot of the issues discussed above that we now regard as central to societal thinking and representation in the media were not central concerns at the time it was made. Whilst it would be excellent to rewatch Friends and have no issue with its presentation of society, it would be unreasonable to assume that it would reflect such ideologies that did not permeate popular thought at the time. In fact, it

would be difficult to examine any TV show from almost 15 years ago and find it to be up to that level. Undoubtedly if Friends was made in 2018, it would handle issues of sexism, sexuality and race in a way that reflects society now, if not, we would not see it on our screens. Just looking at more recent sitcoms such as Brooklyn 99 shows just how far societal awareness in comedy TV has changed in fourteen years. Yes, these issues were just as important in 1994, but they weren’t part of a critical conversation that was widely occurring. Perhaps now is ok for us to simply watch Friends from a more educated point of view and reflect on where it misses the mark. Instead of debating over whether Friends is offensive or not, or boycotting the show altogether, we can take the show at its face entertainment value, identify where the problems lie and be glad our values have come so far since then. You can watch any of the Friends episodes on Netflix now.

Is Friends Offensive? Niamh Brennan Television Writer

With Friends being released onto Netflix once more, a new wave of viewers have begun to question the social politics of the plot lines and character-arcs throughout the ten-season span of the show. The problematic nature of Friends can be seen most obviously in the clear lack of racial diversity throughout the show. The inclusion of only one significant black character, Ross’ girlfriend Charlie, does not reflect well on the importance of including a variety of people from different racial backgrounds for the creators at the time. Not only does the show restrict racial representation, but also the representation of gender, sexuality and relationships in New York, one of the most diverse cities in America. This attitude can be summed up most aptly in the characterisation of Ross. Whilst he was a fan favourite for many, much of Ross’ central plot lines revolve around his

undoubtedly sexist and regressive gender attitudes. He has an emotional crisis when his son Ben wants to play with a doll instead of a ‘manly’ GI Joe, and rejects his male nanny, as he doesn’t believe it is an appropriate ‘masculine’ career. In addition, his rejection of his ex-wife Carol’s lesbian relationship from the very offset of the series connotes an almost homophobic attitude. Carol and Susan’s relationship is an unnecessary punch line for many of the ‘friends’, but Ross specifically degrades the couple on the basis of their lesbian relationship. It is unsettling to say the least, and evidently Ross should have been examining his own controlling and manipulative presence in relations h i p s instead of the personal relationship of his ex-wife. Chandler is another popular character with a very problematic anti-homosexual determination to not be viewed as gay. Chandler problematises the idea of being gay, rejecting the common perception people have of him as gay in a very derogatory manner. Of course it’s natural to deny

being something that you are not, but his relentless mocking and disgust when it is mentioned is a tasteless way of approaching the subject. It rejects an entire sexuality for the sole purpose of selfassurance. In addition, the depiction of C h a n d l e r ’s father as a transgender woman was clearly only introduced to be another way to mock Chandler. What should be a sensitive subject is disrespected on many levels; the pinnacle of which being Rachel’s ‘A-manduh’ reference, denying the legitimacy of a transgender identity. Evidently the Friends writers were not interested in tackling such a sensitive subject with a respect that the transgender community deserved. The other ‘friends’ all bring their own questionable elements onto the table. Young Monica is relentlessly fat shamed; Joey is often mocked for appearing to be feminine, whilst treating females like objects made for his pleasure; and Rachel does nothing for feminism in hiring Tag purely based on his looks whilst denying other well-qualified women the job. At the surface level Phoebe is the only character that is not overtly problematic, but I

Tell us whether you think elements of the popular series Friends are offensive @redbricktv

TELEVISION

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbricktv

Review: Altered Carbon Finally Netflix finds the answer to immortality Roshni Patel Gaming Editor

Since the release of Blade Runner 2049, it seems the cyberpunk genre is coming to the forefront once again, with the increase in techno-noir once again making an attempt to flood the media, as even CD Projekt Red’s newest game, Cyberpunk 2077, rears its head to show signs of life in this golden age of neo-noir. Netflix’s latest original, Altered Carbon, is no different, based on a book of the same name by Richard K. Morgan, it's a show only made possible by the lingering interest in the cyberpunk dystopia, which was re-awoken by big budget films like Blade Runner 2049 and Valerian. Produced and written for Netflix by Laeta Kalogridis (Terminator: Genisys, Shutter Island), the show is a refreshing change from some of the many post apocalyptic shows popular today.

“Shed bodies... like snakes shed their skins” Set thousands of years in the future, in the 24th century, where finally you can put your mind and memories into a computer chip and live forever. Inserted into your spine like a spinal disk, these ‘stacks’ allow you to be downloaded and transferred between bodies, to shed bodies, or ‘sleeves’, like snakes shed their skins. Of course there’s a disparity caused by wealth, with the poorest citizens doomed to experience ‘real death’, while everyone else get whatever sleeve they can afford, which for the rich often means exact clones of themselves. They can swap between them at will, as they store their consciousnesses on online servers,

to be downloaded into any of their clones in the across the galaxy. It's upon this concept that the mystery is built upon, with rich immortal, Laurens Bancroft (James Purefoy, The Following) hiring our protagonist to investigate his own murder. Famed for his ability to see the details and his resilience in any situation, Takeshi Kovacs (Joel Kinnaman, Robocop) is the man that Bancroft wakes from a 250 year prison sentence in storage, tasking him to find the truth, in what looks to be an obvious case and forcing him to navigate the world of the ultra rich, while leveraging the resources of the shadows below, to piece together what actually happened. Dogged by the police department’s finest, Kristin Ortega (Martha Higareda, Street Kings), whose clear distaste of Kovacs seems to suggest a determination to put him back on ice and out of trouble. Aided by an AI hotelier, who goes by Edgar Allan Poe (Chris Conner, American Crime Story: The People v. O. J. Simpson), and has been likened to a possessive crazy girlfriend, as well as others he befriends along the way, Kovacs begins to unravel the mysteries of his past, his present and finds out there’s more to the case than Bancroft’s murder. Brilliantly led by Kinnaman who’s tough, caustic renegade, Takeshi Kovacs, perfectly balances his struggles against his past and his attempt to get through the present, feigning nonchalance well, as others try to catch him caring. Complemented and challenged by Higareda’s strong willed Ortega, the plot progresses at a fair rate, with each episode ending leaving you hungry for the next one, which Netflix helpfully

offers to play after a five second breather. The show is very clear with it's distinctions between the unbelievably wealthy in the ‘Aerium’ above the clouds and those on the ground, or Bay City, a dystopian San Francisco. From their clothing to their posture and lack of emotion, the Meths; in reference to the Biblical figure Methuselah, show their age, as their long life spans have burnt away the fragility of life, leaving cruel, hedonistic and often depraved monsters behind. In contrast, on the ground the colour pallete does a 180, creating the neo-noir setting that we’re familiar with from previous cyberpunk films and media, where the setting looks almost like a darkened present day, except for the harsh glow of a thousand neon lights and the prominence of technology, which eludes to a slower and more expensive advancement into the future. While the lead characters are fairly well fleshed out, and the world and premise quite intricately woven, the show is not without its flaws. Despite showrunner Kalogridis’ best efforts, Altered Carbon did often fall into the trap of focusing solely on it's main cast and forgetting to fully flesh out the world around them, missing easy opportunities to pose moral questions upon the viewer about the ethics of this near immortal future. For instance, early on in the first episode, we see a 7 year old’s ‘stack’ transferred into the body of an older woman and hear the anguished cries of her parents at her callous treatment, knowing they’d never have the money to resleeve her in a body fitting of her age. While this might seem intriguing, Altered Carbon never

The Dark Truth of Domestic Abuse in Russia Abbie Pease

spends more than a moment on it, as Kovacs passes on by, the moment forgotten. A similar issue is brought up later when the show mentions cross-sleeving, the practice of putting a consciousness within the body of the opposite gender, but again, it's never more than a needlessly explained concept. Ethics are continually abused and ignored as the story goes on, with the rules behind ‘religious coding’, that supposedly prevents a ‘stack’ to be revived should the host body die, often bent and made vague for the sake of the plot, allowing characters to easily denounce their coding or even circumvent it later; leaving the viewer confused as to what was real and not.

“Netflix have thankfully ended the series well” However, if you liked Blade Runner and similar cyberpunk neo-noir films or shows, Altered Carbon is sure to hit the spot. While not perfect and no Blade Runner sequel, the show brings the genre to life on the small screen, across ten easily binged episodes. Already set to be renewed for season 2, and likely to follow the second book in Morgan’s trilogy, rumours are already surfacing as to which of the cast might return. But should Altered Carbon not return, Netflix have thankfully ended the series well, giving us a measure a closure in the finale, which is a refreshing surprise in an era where every show tries to live as long as the money will last, with each season often worse than the one before. With it's well choreographed action, big budget effects and subtle and often sarcastic humour, this show is in my opinion a must watch.

Television Editor

As well as sending the first woman to space, Russia was the first country in the world to legalise abortion. Since 1917, women have propelled Russia forward, fighting in its armies and producing its goods. Yet in recent years both the government and the Russian Orthodox Church have cast an increasingly dark cloud over Russian society, pushing back on women’s rights. In her latest documentary, Stacey Dooley investigates the knock on effect of an increasingly disengaged government; the escalating problem of domestic violence against Russian women. In 2016 the Russian government amended the law, decriminalising certain forms of violence. The result has been a doubling in the number of incidents reported in cities such as Moscow, and a significant rise in abuse against women by family members. In her revealing documentary, Dooley speaks to a number of women who have been the victims of violence and assault. Speaking to a woman on the run from her husband, Dooley delves into the Russian mantra that “If he beats you, it means he loves you.” Such a belief has meant that women have become isolated by the rest of Russian society. With nowhere to turn, and a government that tolerates such abuse, women are being forced to choose between a life of abuse and a life of poverty. A city of thirteen million people, Moscow has near-to-no shelters helping women running from domestic abuse, with the shelter that Dooley visits only just housing seventeen women. The new law means that those charged with assault are given just a measly fine. This means that women wishing to report abuse have to take into account the money that may be taken from their family. For women who are financially dependent on their husbands, and who have no shelter to escape to, there appears to be no alternative to abuse. Despite an undeniable focus on the depravity of life for women being abused, Dooley’s investigation also takes a look at the women fighting back. Visiting an active feminist organisation in Moscow, she sees the precautions that women are taking to protect themselves, forming an underground fight club through which they learn different forms of physical self-defence. For those of us living in progressive societies, feminism and the empowerment of women seem like fundamental parts of social policy. For Russia, society is going backwards, both legally and culturally. As insightful as ever, Dooley manages to expose and explore one of Russia’s darkest secrets. She is both passionate and empathetic towards the women she meets, helping to offer a platform upon which they can speak out against the hardships they face. Stacey Dooley Investigates: Russia’s War on Women is available on iPlayer now.

GAMING

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbrickgames

Impressions: Kirby: Star Allies ent control schemes; most notably the single Joy-Con, the dual JoyCon or the Pro Controller. Star Allies can be played either solo or multiplayer, but collecting In 2017 we saw Mario, Zelda, allies seems to be an integral part Splatoon and Fire Emblem all of the experience whichever way land on the Switch; this year, you play. As well as inhaling and among a wealth of others, comes copying, Kirby can throw a friendKirby in Kirby: Star Allies, first ship heart at an enemy to add announced at E3 in 2017. them to your party, after which When I first saw Star Allies, I they be controlled by the AI or was reminded of Kirby’s Return to another player, up to a total of Dreamland on the Nintendo Wii; four. This means you can incorpoindeed the E3 trailer showed off rate a myriad of different abilities Kirby working with a variety of without the need to laboriously other characters in multiplayer swallow one enemy, then discard situations, which was greatly it, and swallow another. exciting to me, since Return to Star Allies isn’t just about runDreamland was a game my friends ning from left to right and seems and I used to love playing togeth- to have a surprising amount er. Teams of up to four can of depth compared travel through traditionto other Kirby ally designed instalments. Kirby stages, There is plenty of Kirby 1st utilising (in footage to watch typical Kirby from preAppeared in online style) the abiliview events and ties of your enetrailers, and the mies through majority of the Kirby’s trademark puzzles require inhaling and mimcareful use of icking, which is your abilities, as still very much well as your present in the allies’. One can game. Star Allies only imagine also supports a these will number of differincrease in difGaming Critic @samjnason

1992

ficulty and complexity as the cially considering Nintendo’s recent flirtation with the Unreal game progresses. While you may expect those Engine. It’s understandable that a playing single player to have a game like DOOM runs at 30FPS, but Star Allies is a comdisadvantage given the pletely different genre alternative being compuwith far less demandter-controlled allies, it ing graphics. This, has been reported that of course, is all the AI is actually just nit picking rather intelligent - at the end of and easy to the day Kirby work with, Kirby being 30FPS is meaning either certainly not play style is Games the end of the perfectly valid. world. Friends can drop Kirby: Star in or out of playAllies looks to be ing any of your an impressive, partied allies at any joyous and exciting point, reminiscent of new instalment in the franchise. the Super Mario Bros series. Some critics have rightly noted The four-player interactivity is a that the game is able to maintain a nice mechanic and sets it apart smooth and stable framerate at all from other Kirby titles, while the times. Visually, it looks beautiful, core mechanics of the series and is a playful yet striking por- remain. With more depth and an trayal of Kirby on the most pow- adventure that seems to cater to erful Nintendo system yet. Even both new and veteran audiences, from the trailers, the world of Kirby’s debut Switch outing cerKirby is brought to life in all its tainly looks like a treat. I’ll be watching this one with excitevibrancy. The gameplay runs at 30FPS ment! Kirby: Star Allies releases - fine since it’s not too fast- however, I can’t help but feel that if worldwide on March 16th 2018. the Switch can’t produce a higher frame rate for a platformer, we Image Credits: Nintendo, Emma ought to be concerned about its Kent capabilities going forward, espe-

Remakes

Vicarious Visions

Sam Nason

Redbrick's Top 5

Crash Bandicoot N-Sane Trilogy

Nintendo

4 Super Mario N64 (DS)

Impressions: Death Stranding

Even having only played one Metal Gear Solid, and that one being Ground Zeroes for only a few hours, it has been fascinating to see the development of Kojima’s next game Death Stranding. This is the first Kojima game I am extremely interested in, and although it probably won’t be out until 2019/2020, I wanted

Solid. What we didn’t know until the end of last year, is that when you die in-game, you will be transported underwater in 1st person, and will have to make your way through whatever obstacles are in your way to make it back to your body or perhaps a different a body. This is what got me really excited about the game; Kojima is changing the foundations of a well-known concept in gaming. ‘Game Over’ is no longer game over. It is part of the gameplay. The result: something that changes the concept of what is in almost every game. Another result being a game you probably can’t put down. Literally. These unique gameplay facts alongside the interesting world of Death Stranding, the thoughtful music pieces, and extremely talented cast involved with the project (Mads Mikkelsen's character standing out as the best in a trailer I’ve ever seen) makes this game one of the highest on the priority list. Even without the reputation of Kojima, this game looks fascinating to me. Everything seems so thoughtout, different, and exciting. At this point in time it is hard to guess the over-arching story and gameplay, so I’ll leave you with all the trailers we’ve had until now. Feel free to conjure conspiracies by the dozen. Any could be right.

Sony

details of Death Stranding. Apparently, the babies are what you actually are, and you are inhabiting the bodies of people. There is an alien/monster like virus spreading throughout the world, which is sometimes invisible. This opens up an element of horror and suspense. Not always knowing where the enemy is vital to work out so as to navigate to safety. We’ve known for a while the game is a 3rd person action game, in similar vein to Metal Gear

Shadow of Colossus

Insomniac Games

Gaming Editor @nic_the_thinker

to talk about what we might expect from the highly anticipated title. Death Stranding looks unique for several reasons. The world looks fascinating, with black and white taking the stage as the primary colours. Although bleak, the world is inhabited by what looks like babies inhabiting humans, or human bodies. In the first trailer we saw Norman Reedus hold a baby close to him, and Kojima has since gone on to explain some of the first gameplay

Kojima Productions

Nick Burton

2 Ratchet & Clank

Nintendo

As Hideo Kojima announces his first game since parting ways with Konami, editor Nick Burton dissects the latest news and trailers

Pokémon Heart Gold & Soul Silver

GAMING

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbrickgames

Review: Slay The Spire

Zack Solomon reviews the latest roguelike cardbased indie game Gaming Critic

For the past few years, the roguelike genre has been the everbankable indie darling of the games industry. We’ve had roguelike everythings, from platformers to arena fighters and beyond. And yet, it was with great pleasure that last week I found a roguelike game that felt fresh, that surprised me. That game was Slay the Spire, a new early access game by indie studio Mega Crit. At first this game seems like a regular dungeon crawler, but this quickly falls away to reveal delightfully horrific monster designs, and unique mechanics that will keep you coming back time after time. The concept is simple enough. Pick from one of two current heroes (the juggernaut Ironclad or the sneaky Silent, with a third hero promised before release), and struggle your way through a randomly generated dungeon, fighting monsters, triggering events, buying upgrades, and trying to keep enough health around to stand a chance against the areas boss. Where things start to differ, however, is in the way the dungeon is navigated. You see, Slay the Spire is actually a PvE card game. Every turn, you must carefully manage your three mana to balance attack and defence, generating enough ‘block’ from cards to resist the enemy assault, whilst finding time to strike back. Enemy patterns are perfectly managed, giving just enough variation to stay interesting, while still allowing you to plan ahead and learn from experience. You draw five cards every turn, and can see enemy tells in advance, meaning every turn is a delightful puzzle where you weigh up how much damage you can block against killing enemies quickly, as buffs and debuffs can rapidly make the fight a nightmare. Or, at least until combat

eventually turns into a puzzle. This is because of the other key mechanic of Slay the Spire: the deckbuilding. Your starting deck is a pile of garbage, but every fight holds the promise of earning a new card from a pool of around 75. You can take on powerful elite enemies for the chance of earning a more powerful card, or visit the merchant to buy cards, always-on passive abilities, or one-use potions. This led me to a brilliant first few runs where I grabbed everything I could, eager to try out all the different cards in interesting combinations.

Spitfires Fly Under the Radar to Steal Stage 1 Roshni Patel Gaming Editor @roshofalltrades

“Gameplay is quick and addictive, making short sessions more than possible” However, as seasoned cardplayers may already be able to tell, those early few runs didn’t get very far. That’s because the more cards you have, the less consistent your deck gets, meaning better strategies involve avoiding fights, using the merchant’s card removal service to thin your deck, and choosing a single strategy. These are pretty varied, with both classes having offensive and defensive options, figuring out what works and if it’s worth making your deck bigger or smaller, has been some of the most interesting time I’ve spent with the game. Now, all this makes Slay the Spire an incredible game, but it’s not without fault. The classes feel off-balance at first, as the starting deck for the Silent is much stronger than the Ironclad’s. This does eventually even out as you gain experience, but a much greater proportion of my Silent runs have ended up going somewhere. For all the build-up (and the

MegaCrit

Zack Solomon

introduction of some excellently done eldritch horror), the enemies of the final area are pretty nonintimidating, as, at this point your deck is usually built to withstand anything. The random nature of the card choices means some runs are over before they begin, but that’s just the price you pay for randomly generating levels. And although I do think the game is well worth the price, as to be expected of an early access game, there is a slight lack of features, and as a result I stopped playing after a mere 15 hours (after finishing the game 3 times of course), as I felt I’d seen pretty much all the game had to offer. I still drop in for a few runs here and there though, as harder modes keep me entertained, but I still think the game’s content pales in comparison to other roguelikes. I

would have probably played longer if there was an ‘endless’ mode of some sort, as you often felt like you had to part with your carefully-sculpted deck just as it reached its perfection. Regardless, I’m very pleased with the time I spent with Slay the Spire. Gameplay is quick and addictive, making short sessions more than possible, but longer sessions all the more rewarding. Deck Building provides the perfect wind-down after a fight, giving you enough of a breather to prepare for the next bout. The art is delightfully original, much different from your standard dungeon crawling fare. I’d keep an eye on this one; it has the potential to take the gaming world by storm when it finally leaves early access.

Another One Bites The Dust

George Hopkins reports on the shut down of Epic Games Paragon George Hopkins Gaming Critic @georgehopkins25

Epic Games, the developers of the MOBA Paragon have announced that the game’s servers will shut down on the 26th April 2018. This decision is particularly dramatic because its open-beta was only released in February 2017. In a statement published on its website, the development team apologised to its “incredible community” for not being able to fulfill their ambition of making “Paragon into a MOBA that retains enough players to be sustainable”. This failure has a number of possible explanations, ranging from the difficulties of its free-to-play beginnings to the dominance of

competitors like League of Legends and Dota 2. The imminence of its closure can also be attributed to the fact that many of its development team have been moved over to work on Epic Games' more popular Battle Royale game, Fortnite.

“Epic Games have offered a full refund” In the announcement, it was stated that the game will still be playable up to April 26th, however it was also acknowledged that “as the player population continues to decrease, matchmaking times and quality will further degrade.” To show its gratitude to its

loyal player base, Epic Games have offered a full refund to anyone who has bought the game and/or purchased items within it. This is a very generous move, particularly considering that Gazillion, and their publisher Disney, did not offer the same thing when they closed Marvel Heroes in November 2017. To receive this refund a player must use/create an Epic account and apply on their refund request form, which can be found on their shutdown announcement

on the Epic Games website. Many are now fearing that the same fate awaits Epic Games upcoming Unreal Tournament, however, given that its development appears to be n e a r i n g completion, any immediate action or information s e e m s unlikely. Image Credit: Epic Games

In a surprise upset, the London Spitfires swept through the stage 1 finals to take home $100,000 from the two teams who had beaten them earlier that week. Coming into the first stage playoffs after 2 straight losses, the Spitfires had a lot to prove, as they attempted to adapt to their opponent’s aggressive play styles and fight back through the finals. Starting the day bright and early at 11am, after their Thursday night loss to the Houston Outlaws, the Spitfires fired up their engines to battle the New York Excelsiors for the position of first place and the bye in the stage play-offs. However, while they started off well, they were soon falling behind, despite pushing the match to a map 5, where the control maps swung heavily into NYXL’s favour. Undeterred by their first defeat of the day, the Spitfires spent the day strategising for their return, while the LA Valiants looked on with horror as the Houston Outlaws pulled it out of the bag to defeat the Boston Uprising and win themselves the last place in the play-offs, knocking the Valiants out through their much higher map differential. But round two against the Spitfires proved to be far harder than their first meeting, as the Outlaw’s DPS were expertly zone out and shutdown by Spitfire’s Birdring and Profit, to lose to the semifinals 3-1. Waking up from their nap, the Excelsiors returned to the stage, fully rested and ready for a repeat performance of the morning. However, despite a excellent first start, where their Tracer, Widowmaker and Genji play secured them both escort and assault in the first half, it was not be, as the Spitfires returned with a vengeance to sweep the series from behind. Walking away victorious after playing a total of 14 maps, the London Spitfires have established themselves as the best all-Korean roster in the league. As stage 2 sets to kick off next week, we’ll be sure to see a whole new battlefield as the maps are changed, the nerfing patches are added and rosters grow with the addition of newly inked talent. Image Credit: Blizzard

FOOD&DRINK

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbrickfood

Review: Royal Watan Lauren Vick Food&Drink writer

Being only a short walk away for students currently living in Selly Oak, there is no excuse to not visit the Royal Watan Kashmiri Restaurant. Regularly featuring as one of the best curry houses in Birmingham; the restaurant boasts excellent reviews from customers. Although initially sceptical that I was walking in to eat what may be the best curry of my life, I was quite happily proven wrong. As a recent vegetarian I was almost certain that the menu would, like many other curry houses, have a limited range of

suitable dishes. I again found myself being proven wrong; I struggled to choose from the wide variety of main courses, but ended up choosing the Balti Spinach and Mushroom dish. It rapidly became clear why so many customers had hailed this restaurant as the best curry house in Birmingham. The curry was sublime! With reasonable prices, excellent customer service and naans so large they’re presented on a hook (to alleviate table space), the Royal Watan is without fault. The restaurant itself is not licensed but they do encourage customers who would like to drink alcohol to bring their own beverages, which also helps in keeping

costs down! The restaurant has recently undergone a refurbishment, and so far has received high praise for its new look and atmosphere. I haven’t yet returned to the restaurant since its refurbishment but am eagerly anticipating my next visit. I would highly recommend this restaurant to any curry enthusiast, however, if a meal out isn’t your cup of tea they also provide a takeaway service which can be found on Just Eat. I cannot stress enough how delicious the food they serve here is!

Review: Kabbabish Adele Franghiadi Food&Drink Editor

Disclaimer: this is my favourite restaurant in Birmingham, if not my favourite restaurant full stop. I’ve been to Kababish many times since first visiting in 2016, and not once have I been even vaguely disappointed. Most immediately striking about the restaurant is its modern and stylish interior, especially the subtle addition of beaded textiles which line the tables. The restaurant has a very laid- back atmosphere, owing to the ambient music and dim lighting, which all makes for a very enjoyable dining experience. In my most recent visit, my partner and I shared samosas and onion bhajees to start, which come with a fresh side salad and lemon wedge. We also opted for popadoms which come with some delicious dips – my personal favourite in the trio is their chutney, which I haven’t come across anywhere else.

For mains, I chose Brinjle Milaana, a curry dish made from aubergine, green beans, peas, potatoes, and carrots. This is a surprisingly colourful meal, with a rich flavour, meaning it is incredibly filling despite looking quite light. This curry is one of Kababish’s many vegetarian options from their table menu, so any veggies will be well catered for at this restaurant. We also ordered pilau rice to share, and a naan each, which admittedly may have contributed to how quickly I felt full! As for drinks, Kababish spoils you for choice. The restaurant has a full bar, kitted out to cater for their varied cocktail menu, and diverse wine and beer menu. The bar service is very speedy, much like the table service in general, without feeling rushed. As a fairly small restaurant, you are almost always seated in view of the kitchen entrance. Whilst seemingly an insignifi-

cant feature, this is surprisingly entertaining when someone orders one of the meat sizzler dishes. These are still-sizzling marinated meats, which are rushed out the kitchen to the table. They make a great noise, and also a great smell, so maybe it’s just me, but it’s always exciting to see these dishes being presented, even if you don’t eat meat. To top off the fantastic experience, Kababish won’t break the bank. Whilst not the cheapest restaurant around, it’s friendly for a student budget, and is especially justifiable for special occasions. Our final bill came to just £40.90 and included: two starters; popadoms; two mains (Brinjle Milaana and Sag Paneer with optional extra mushrooms); two naans; rice; one large wine; and two beers. This trip to Kababish was – as always – well worth the money, not only owing to the great food, but the overall experience.

Recipe: Nutella Day Food&Drink writer Lia Rodgers goes nuts over World Nutella Day by giving us recipes and ideas Lia Rodgers Food&Drink Writer

With a jar of Nutella sold every 2.5 seconds, the world’s obsession with this nutty sensation is multiplying. The amount of Nutella jars sold each year is enough to cover the Great Wall of China. As of 5th February 2007, American blogger, Sara Rosso, established the first World Nutella Day: a long-anticipated day, devoted solely to the rich, nutty, sensual chocolate-spread. Satisfying people across the globe, Nutella has been a humble companion of the human race since 1964. With a growing fan-base of like-minded Nutella devotees, this chocolatey sensation receives online appreciation on World Nutella Day each year. Nutella can be combined and incorporated into many a chocolatey treat, from crepe toppings to milkshakes, this delicacy is incredibly diverse. In celebration

of this day, it seems only fair to share a couple of my most favourite Nutella recipes:

Nutella Coffee Mug Cake A recipe for those who enjoy hearty home bakes with minimal washing up. 3 tablespoons plain flour 3 tablespoons caster sugar 1 tablespoon cocoa powder 1 tablespoon instant coffee ¼ teaspoon baking powder 1 tablespoon Nutella

Review: Burns Bar, Jewellery Quarter Matt Dawson TV Editor

TV Editor Matt Dawson experiences Scottish delights in Birmingham's own Burns Bar As you headed down Vyse Street in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, you could hear the striking sound of bagpipes through the evening air. This was not some opportune busker, but a signal heralding our destination, since it was Burns’ Night (25 th January) and the opening of the Birmingham Whisky Club’s newest bar dedicated to serving the Water of Life. Soon to be opening to the public, the owners have transformed part of the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter into their pop-up bar in time to celebrate Scotland’s most famous son. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a single malt Glen Grant that was smooth and easy to drink, which was just a taster of the over 100 varieties on offer from all over the world, from all regions of Scotland, to American bourbons and even whisky from Japan. Prices started from £3.50 a dram right up to £50 for the higher quality spirits. Their range will expand to over 300 types of whisky when it fully opens, alongside its own tasting room. The building itself has a prestigious heritage, being a converted jewellery factory now educating the public about Birmingham’s industrial past. However, the interior design of the bar felt a little lacking, almost as if some parts of it were incomplete. The walls were quite sparse despite some tartan bunting, and they probably could have done with some more elaborate furnishings to add that missing homely touch. The Scottish elements were a little disappointing, as apart from the bagpiper (who

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 egg

175 g caster sugar

Method: In a mug of your choice, add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, coffee powder and baking powder, then mix. Using a small bowl, stir together the milk, Nutella, vegetable oil and egg. Then add this to the dry ingredients in the mug and mix. Put the mug in the microwave and sat the timer for 1 minute and 30 seconds on 800 watts. Finish with a dusting of icing sugar and my personal favorite: a generous dollop of ice cream.

Nutella Fudge Oil (for greasing)

2 tablespoons milk 150 ml milk

50 g Nutella Method: Grease a baking tray or plastic container with oil Stir the milk, butter, and sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat, until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low heat and leave simmering for 15-20 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Take the pan off the heat, then add Nutella and mix, leaving the mixture to cool for 5 minutes. Whisk the mixture, then pour into the greased baking tray or plastic container. Leave this to set for 2 hours at room temperature before cutting into squares.

went home surprisingly early) and some functional but otherwise forgettable smoked salmon canapés, you’d be forgiven for just thinking it was an average bar in Birmingham. But the wood panelling on the front of the bar was very much appreciated and reminiscent of whisky barrels, and the staff more than made up for any shortcomings, contributing to the buzzing atmosphere. For those who are not the biggest fans of whisky, Burns’ Bar might not be for you, but even with their preview menu, they had a surprising amount of alternative drinks options, ranging from gin, vodka, rum and Scottish liqueur from £4, barrel-aged beer from Scotland or locally sourced from £4 a bottle, wines from £6 and mixers and tonics to be added to drinks or drank by themselves from £1.50 each. I was impressed with their cocktail menu given that they didn’t advertise them as their speciality, but at £7 each they were reasonably priced. I tried an Afton Water (a mixture of Glen Grant, ginger beer and grenadine) that had all the spices of the ginger beer, but a nice warm aftertaste brought on by the scotch. Although there were only four cocktails on offer, it was only their introductory menu, so here’s hoping they expand on that when they open next month. Burns’ Bar will be open permanently to the public in the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter from 14 th February 2018.

For those who are on a budget, but still crave that nutty sensation, Aldi provides a worthy alternative. At just £1.09, a third of the price of Nutella, Nutoka is a worthy substitute to satisfy your cravings. If you’re searching for a vegan-friendly option, Biona Organic dark chocolate spread, is a perfect fit, at £3.60. Waitrose also offer a dark chocolate spread for £2.79, containing less fat and calories than traditional chocolate-based spreads. So don’t fret, if Nutella just isn’t for you, there are many alternatives, which can be substituted into the recipes I have shared. Don’t forget to join in the celebrations and share your favorite Nutella recipes online. Use #worldnutelladay and tag @redbrickpaper so we can marvel at your mouthwatering creations.

FOOD&DRINK

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbrickfood

Food On Tour: When In Ireland...

Food&Drink Editor Adele Franghiadi whisks off to Dublin's tempting Temple Bar Adele Franghiadi Food&Drink Editor

This past weekend, my partner and I took a short break to Dublin to celebrate our anniversary and forget about those things called 'dissertations'. Whilst taking in all the sights of the city, we were able to sample a wide range of food during our stay. Sadly, the first night was a culinary write-off. Arriving to our hotel at 8pm on Thursday night, we ordered Domino’s to our room as it felt too late to bother with going out for a sit- down meal. I’m usually more of a Papa John’s fan, but I can now vouch that Irish Domino’s isn’t half bad, so if you’re ever at a loose end in Dublin, at least you can rely on a student staple. Friday was more exciting. We’d made it a priority to visit Bewley’s, Dublin’s famous 'Oriental Café', as it’s one of those things you 'simply must do' or so I’d been told. When I last visited the city in 2015, Bewley’s was undergoing refurbishment, so this also added to my excitement as it was finally open. However, I had mixed – but overall positive – feelings. The building is gorgeous, as is the food and drink, but something about the atmosphere was tense. It was admittedly busy, and I really felt for the staff who did seem quite stressed, but even so, the atmosphere itself was awkward, and the area we were sat in was quite cramped – I had to move our table as it felt like we were sitting on the laps of those next to us. We ordered a pot of Irish breakfast tea; one glass of fresh orange juice; a slice of apple pie; and a pain au chocolat. This only took around 10 minutes to come, which I was impressed by given how busy it was, and that we’d been warned of a wait. I’d gone for the apple pie as it looked the best value for money. On the plate, however, the slice looked a lot smaller than I was expecting, but even so, it was delicious and went really well with the tea, which came with a label saying what time it had started brewing. This was a great feature, as I like a longer-brewed tea.

"The pie was delicious - I would definitely recommend this option if you're ever in the area" Later that day, we stopped for coffee at Brick Alley Café in Temple Bar. This is a quaint stop, and was quite quiet despite being in a busy area, but this was definitely a good thing after coming in from the general hustle and bustle. I just ordered an Americano to pick up my energy, but my boyfriend ordered a pear and cinnamon hot chocolate. It was really thick and dark, yet very smooth, making for a comforting drink on such a cold afternoon. After our coffee, we braved finding a restaurant for our anniversary meal. We didn’t have

much luck, however, or at least not for a long while. The restaurant we planned to visit was fully booked, so we set about finding a new place. We stumbled upon Toscana and booked a table. Returning later that day for dinner, the restaurant was packed and rowdy. However, we were surprised to be led downstairs by our waiter into a cellar room. Again this was packed, b u t

much q u i e t e r, so we were happy to sit and eat. But no! We were led along further, around a bend masked with mirrors, into an almost silent and near-empty second cellar. We were sat in the far corner, surrounded by their ceiling-high wine racks; it was a beautiful little spot, and I couldn’t believe it was in the same building as the heaving upstairs area. The restaurant was fairly pricey, so we skipped starters and went to mains. We ordered a margherita pizza, and their gnocchi alla sorrentina to share. The pizza was pizza – very enjoyable – but the stand-out dish was the gnocchi. It was served in a creamy tomato and basil sauce, but had a surprising garlic kick. Usually I’m not a fan of overly garlic-y food, but this was a really well done dish. For desserts, we shared a tiramisu – my favourite pudding – which again, was delicious. It was served with a mixed berry coulis, and a strawberry half on top, so it was also very nice to look at (albeit momentarily before tucking in). On Saturday, we had breakfast at Cornucopia – an organic vegetarian and vegan restaurant. Another busy venue, we managed to find a seat and ordered a veggie breakfast to share. We opted for a portion of their homemade beans, which were like baked beans but in a less sticky sugary sauce and made with cannellini beans. We also

had veggie sun-dried tomato sausages, hash browns, and some fried eggs, all served with a side of homemade bread, which I think may have been a soda-bread that day. As we were flying back late that night, we had a very late lunch at the Pieman Café in Temple Bar. We went here twice back in 2015, and had to go again because it’s just so good. I

ordered the sweet potato and feta pie, with a side of mash and vegetarian gravy, which came to €8.50. I was a bit apprehensive to try this flavour – on my last trip, I wasn’t a vegetarian, so went for my old favourite of chicken and leek, but this time, I was forced to try feta, something I didn’t think I’d like. I could not have been more wrong though, as the pie was delicious – I would definitely recommend this option if you’re ever in the area. Overall, if you’re in Dublin looking for places to eat, I would say don’t be surprised by the prices. There are many seemingly over-priced restaurants, and the nearer to Temple Bar you are, the more expensive it’s going to be. Temple Bar is the rowdy tourist area, which consists of many (supposedly traditional) pubs, which all have live music. Whilst it’s a fun area, I would recommend avoiding it for food – especially meals – as it can be expensive, and it’s also busy at all times of the day. I’d recommend taking the time to research and book your restaurants before taking the trip, which is something we didn’t do and caused us problems along the way.

One restaurant, for example, required weeks ahead of booking, despite not seeming all that special, so definitely make sure you plan, especially as Dublin has such a great food scene to begin with.

Teeling's Whiskey Tour I recently had the joy of touring the Teeling Whiskey Distillery in Dublin. Founded in 2015, this distillery is the first one to open in the city in 125 years, after the whiskey industry suffered major blows in the early 20 th century, until its eventual demise in 1976. Therefore, Teeling Whiskey represents an exciting revival of the Irish Whiskey business, which might explain how passionate the staff at the distillery seemed. The tour began with a short video, explaining Teeling aims to revive not only a national industry, but a family one too – the Teeling brothers established the business to revive their own f a m i l y ’s history in distilling. We were then moved on to the actual factory room, where we saw the entire process in action. I won’t spoil the surprise of how whiskey is made, mainly because it is slightly beyond me, to tell the truth – you’ll just have to visit for yourself! After a tour of the process, we were taken to the barrel room, which is actually purely decorative, but for me, was the most interesting part of the tour. I say it’s decorative purely because the barrels on display are empty – they full barrels are stored offsite as they pose a fire risk due to being made of wood, which is filled with very flammable alcohol.

"If you wish to sample Teeling’s 33-year matured whiskey, it’ll set you back €3,300 a bottle" We learned that whiskey is matured in wooden barrels for a minimum of three years and a day – if it’s to be classed as Irish whiskey, it must be matured for one day longer than the Scottish minimum of three years. Another way the Irish try to out-do the Scottish in whiskeymaking is by adding an “e” to the word “whisky” – apparently, if it’s not got an “e”, it’s not Irish, although American whiskeys also add an “e” (don’t ask me why). Another interesting relation between American and Irish whiskey is the use of barrels. In America, it’s illegal to use a

wooden barrel more than once for whiskey maturation, so these oneuse barrels are sold to Irish distillers, who reuse them over and over to get a rich flavour. Whiskey partly matures through gaining colour and flavour from the wood, so if it’s been used several times, it’ll have more of both. Something I didn’t realise is that whiskey goes into the barrels as a clear liquid – called “poitoín” (more commonly known as moonshine) – and over the years, gains colour and flavour, plus levels out in its alcohol content through evaporation. Leading on from this, one of the reasons that older whiskeys cost more isn’t only to do with the time put into maturing them – it’s also to do with how little is left in the barrel after years of evaporation, or “angel share” where supposedly the angels steal a bit of the drink for themselves. However, if you wish to sample Teeling’s 33-year matured whiskey, it’ll set you back €3,300 a bottle. After the barrel room, we got to sample some of Teeling’s mostsold whiskey – the Small Batch. This was a very smooth, caramelscented drink, but as someone not used to whiskey-drinking, it did burn slightly. Even so, the aftertaste was very sweet and moreish, so I kept sipping despite the initial burning sensation. We then got to sample their “Winter Spice Tea” cocktail. This was dangerously drinkable, owing to how sweet and festive it was – it was like drinking lemonade injected with Christmas. I’m glad we were only allowed one small glass included in our ticket price, otherwise I would have been in trouble. But, I did manage to note down the recipe for future reference. This drink is well worth making, especially if you already have the required spirits.

Winter Spice Tea Recipe 40ml small batch whiskey 10ml vanilla liquor 10ml camomile tea 20ml lemon juice 30ml apple-cinnamon syrup This recipe only makes around 100ml, so this “parts” recipe might be of more use for largerquantities. 4 parts small batch whiskey 1 part vanilla liquor 1 part camomile tea 2 parts lemon juice 3 parts apple-cinnamon syrup The distillery didn’t provide a method, but – as a total cocktailmaking novice – I’d say just shove it all in a glass and mix it well. It’s so delicious that it’d be hard to mess up based on lack of skill anyway.

TRAVEL

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbricktravel

Travel Diary: The Pyrenees Hal Keelin Travel Writer

This is day three, and part 2 of Hal's story. Catch up online at www.redbrick.me/travel Descending pic de Madamete, we soon found that trekking downhill was no less easy than a steady ascent. It was harder on the knees, and Dan taught me to lean back slightly into the mountain which alleviated some of the strain of each thudding step. It was fairly isolated this side of the mountain. The scree slopes fell away from the path on our left while streams trickled down on our right; feeding into not too distant pools at the base of a new range of peaks in front of us. It was early afternoon now, the sun's glare dipping in and out of faint swirls of cloud above. We continued the descent, dropping some hundreds of metres below our previous high point of 2509 metres. With time, we came across two lakes which shared their namesake with the mountain now to our backs, rising high behind us. A craggy crest to the south. Dan suggested we try swimming as the guide indicated it was a good spot; cautious of the time however, we agreed we should head on. We were still only halfway in terms of distance. By late afternoon we came across a bothy, Cabane d’aygues Cluses according to the guide-book, originally a shepherd’s mountain shack. On top of a small verge and overlooking another shallow lake. It was a pretty setting, but other hikers’ clothes were already hung on a line on the outside; hikers like us, using it as a humble shelter. It was nevertheless a good spot to check the map and we sat down beside it, sipping from our two-litre bottles. We were 13 kilometres into our day's trek, and the sun was dipping lower and lower in the sky ahead. “Shit! I thought we were nearly there mate!”, Dan exclaimed as he looked at the handy time/distance graph Mr

Johnson had kindly added to his guide. I grimaced, I too had thought we were closer to our destination than we were, but I felt a pang of guilt when realising that I had done little to inform Dan who had been without the guide for some time- that we still had a long way to go. “It’s a long way!” I replied, my grin shadowed by slight concern at the distance still to cover with fading daylight. We had had a great walk so far, up and over hills, mountains, valleys, woods, and lakes, but were still 10 km short! The pleasure we had taken in walking was gradually being eaten away by our growing concern at the distance still to cover and the time in which we had to do it. Fail to get to Bareges today and our costly refuge reservations for the higher ground ahead would be uncoordinated with our progress. “We need to press on mate, up for a run?” Dan grinned and I couldn’t tell if he was joking at first, but he was deadly serious, just as concerned if not more so than I was at the lateness of the day. I nodded, grinned back, and replied with a 'sure!' The trail from the bothy passed over a grassy meadow where wildflowers sprouted, interspersed with shrubs and bracken, before it entered a deep wood, to where I presumed Bareges lay some distance behind. We hurtled swiftly passed startled late ascendants coming up the opposite way, through the woods, beside a now gushing river to our left. I was thankful for my sturdy, yet flexible boots as I placed relentless amounts of trust in their grip; hurdling rocks and sidestepping fallen woodland debris. Dan had clearly run down mountains before and I struggled at first to keep up with his fast-moving feet. It reminded me of a similar time when we were much younger, running down the scree of Cader Idris in Wales. Running was easier than walking. Gone was the strain on my knees, no longer having to do my utmost to relieve the jarring on the joints with each step. Running we were graceful, and the rush of wind on my face as we accelerated

reminded me of playing on the wing in football matches, head down, dribbling over the rocks; at least in my head anyway. We made great progress, and after half an hour or so we had covered almost five kilometres, half the time we would have spent covering the same distance walking. We reached a clearing and the glinting yellow light that had shimmered off the green leaves and rushing water in the woods were gone, replaced by a hazy grey mist that had encased the valley. It was nearing 6 pm as we left the woods and stepped into the mist that surrounded us. Our run had slowed to a jog, our jog then slowed into an amble and our amble slowed until we stopped, knackered. We sat down beside huge rocks adjacent to the stream we had followed for the best part of 3 hours. The water beside us had had the same journey as us this afternoon, flowing down the mountainside to our backs, passing the same lakes and the shepherds’ refuge hut above, and now trickling beside us. We were tired

now and our feet were sore. Dan had the walking guide, I looked up at him and as soon as I did so my half hope that Bareges lay just around the corner was dashed. The ground was soft underfoot as the hard mud track we had pounded in the wood behind gave way to the soft marshy ground; fed as it was by the trickling waterways that meandered from the nearby river we had followed. We were hungry too, for the chorizo and bread had only lasted so long, despite our attempts at rationing. The high spirits on top of Madamete, flushed as we were back then with the success of having conquered our highest point; now gave way to a sullen mood, as we trenched along, sore, tired, and hungry, while surrounded by a relenting mist fitting for a Scandinavian-noir. We had dropped down some distance now and were glad to finally reach a valley floor running perpendicular to the one we had just descended. This was the Valley of the Bastan. I made out a smooth coiled shape on the hill-

Best of Britain: Cardiff Alys Haswell Travel Writer

It is often not until someone visits your hometown and you become a part-time tour guide of the city in which you grew up that you really appreciate how much it has to offer. Or you discover new favourite corners of the city which you may previously have overlooked.Cardiff has something to please everyone’s interests, with its city centre filled with sporting, shopping and historical experiences. Here is a brief guide to a few of my favourite parts of the Welsh Capital. Planted beside the medieval Cardiff Castle, Bute Park is a lovely green space to visit should the sun be shining. Pettigrew Tea

Rooms, located within the park’s grounds, offers traditional afternoon teas in a newly restored gatehouse and is also worth a visit. Take a walk along the short stretch of the River Taff from Bute Park to the Principality Stadium (or the Millennium Stadium as many Welsh Rugby fans still adamantly call it), with Brains Brewery just ahead. The Castle Quarter, consisting of Victorian and Edwardian Arcades, provides a welcome change from the multitude of high street and designer shops which make up the St David’s shopping centres. The Castle, High Street and Duke Street Arcades are all filled with independent coffee shops, delis, and speciality retailers. My personal recommendations would

include New York Deli (well worth the possible lunchtime queue), Madame Fromage (ideal for any cheese lovers), and Fabulous Welshcakes (because you cannot visit Cardiff without trying one). Cardiff Bay Barrage connects the city’s cultural waterfront development to Penarth Marina, and is unsurprisingly popular with locals. The 20-minute stroll is an easy but breezy one and it provides views of both the beautiful coastline and the Bristol Channel. So, with Cardiff being just under a two and a half hour drive away from Birmingham, and the Six Nations season adding an extra little bit of patriotic atmosphere to the streets, what better time to visit the city?

side opposite and struggled for a few seconds to work out what it was. I realised it was a road, making its own contours as it climbed up and over a ridge now to our right. The valley floor was that lush green colour that had surprised me so much as we looked upon the French Pyrenean foothills for the first time. Our packs were heavy now at the end of the day and we were relieved to find the path's gradient lessened as the mud and stone underfoot found tarmac, and we followed a road to Bareges for the last three miles. We arrived in Bareges worn, sullen, and tired two hours later, and checked into a cheap hotel. We would not camp tonight, and then found a deserted bar. As evening turned to night, we rounded the day off with a full meal and a couple of rounds of beers. It felt like I was sleepwalking when we got up to return to our room, and without so much as a word we slumped on to our beds, knocked out by the day's efforts.

TRAVEL

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbricktravel

How To: Escape the Urban Jungle Helen Locke

picnics and sunbathing. Alternatively, Edgbaston Reservoir is also great for some balmy summer walks, watching the sailing boats crisscross across the water. If you do get the chance to venture out of the city on the weekend, the Lickey Hills are about a half-hour drive from the city centre. Walk up to the historic toposcope on top of Beacon Hill for a panoramic view. Other places to unwind and explore include the Malvern Hills, which are truly beautiful. Recently I climbed the Worcester Beacon, the highest hill in the area, with a friend from Wyoming. The Malvern Link station was ideal, and we found that a short walk past Link common brought us straight to the foot of the Worcester Beacon. Although it was cold, watching the clouds passing over the bright

Travel Writer

Living in a big city can be exciting, but I often miss the farmland and woods around my hometown in Oxfordshire - especially seeing wildlife such as red kites and foxes in the fields. Birmingham’s built up environment sometimes feels claustrophobic, but fortunately there are some refreshingly green spaces within the city. A little further afield you can also find expansive hills to explore. The Malvern Hills are especially beautiful, and transport links from the city centre are good. Cannon Hill Park is the most popular park in Birmingham, and boasts a mini golf course, tennis courts, a lake with pedal boats, and an arts centre. The grassy bank overlooking the lake is perfect for

green slopes made a refreshing change from urban grey. At first it looked as though the slopes were covered in white flowers, but it was dewdrops left by the clouds. Finally, food and drink by a roaring fire at the cosy Nag’s Head pub on the way back to the station was a highlight.

Top Spots Around Birmingham: - Malvern Hills - Cannon Hill Park - Edgbaston Reservoir - Lickey Hills

Insight Into: Canadian Cities Madeline McInnis Travel Writer

Thinking of stereotypes of Canada, you could probably list a dozen off the top of your head: kind, polite, apologetic, peacekeeping, and respectful of wildlife. But how far does this myth of acceptance really stretch? Canada has recently been in the news for adopting a gender-neutral national anthem. And while the 'True North, strong and free’ has its own share of problems with marginalisation, but overall, it’s a great place to work, live, and visit. Regional differences are even more apparent in Canada than they are in Britain. If you’ve ever been to Canada before, you’ll be sure to remember just how massive the country is. Toronto has a completely different climate to Vancouver, and they both have a culture that is entirely different to Halifax. To put it in perspective, if you fly six hours west from Montreal, you end up in Vancouver. If you fly six hours east from Montreal, you end up in London — United Kingdom. It is a huge country, and you should not expect to see it all in one trip. For that reason, it’s also impossible to talk about it all in one article. There are several Canadian cities which are accessible from the United Kingdom, with Toronto and Montreal being the most obvious choices for their cultural significance. There is an entirely different way of life on the West Coast, however. Vancouver is one of the thriving cities in Canada. It is situated in a temperate rainforest, right in the Rocky Mountains and on the Pacific Ocean. All in all, it is probably the most gorgeous city you will ever visit if you’re into nature. The stereotype of Canadians really stands up in Vancouver. You should find that the people are really nice, apologetic, and

into the environment. You also get the perfect mix between the bigcity scene and being surrounded by the natural world. Remember, however, that Vancouver has the most expensive real estate in all of North America — even more so than in New York and Los Angeles. With money being such a huge factor, you can expect to see a large divide in the population. In West Van, for example, you’ll get the designer stores and expensive houses. But on the east side, there are a lot of drugs, and people who are really down on their luck.

“Canada, like every country, isn't as shiny and bright as it purports itself to be but it is still an amazing place to be” Nothing is ever as shiny as they make it out to be in the adverts. There are obvious problems with gangs and drugs in some parts. That said, I have never felt unsafe in the city, even on the east end at night. Just like anywhere else, if you keep your wits about you, you should be fine. However, Vancouver is very expensive. Converting Pounds to the Canadian Dollar should be easy on your wallet, but you can expect to pay a lot for accommodation and food while you’re there. Air travel is also very expensive to and from Canada, but there are newly emerging discount airlines to keep your eye on. Taking the train around is also virtually impossible unless you have an unlimited budget, so I would recommend bussing between cities if you can. From Vancouver, there is a bus that you can catch into Washington State for $5 a stop — meaning you can get to Seattle for $15 and airfare is so much cheaper out of the States.

Vancouver Island — not to be confused with the city of Vancouver — is just a ferry ride across the water, and there you can find a slower pace of life. Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, is supposed to be one of the best places in Canada for students. Nanaimo is also a popular attraction on the island. Getting around is not always so easy, though. Traffic gets worse the closer you get to the bridges. Vancouver is divided in half by the harbour, with downtown on the south, and the mountains on the North Shore. Transportation gets really hectic as everyone is trying to cross via the very limited amount of ways. If you are just travelling as a pedestrian, I would definitely recommend taking the Sea Bus — a ferry that crosses every fifteen minutes or so. It is right on the subway line on the south side and brings you into a bus terminal on the north side. The subway system itself is fairly comprehensive in Vancouver as well. It takes you directly from the airport into the city, and I’ve never found it to be unbearably busy. Don’t go expecting the Tube though, as even Toronto only has three underground lines — for 3 million people! The system will get you around, you just might have to walk a little or catch a bus until you get to your actual destination from there. There are a lot of must-hit destinations in Vancouver. For the stationer in your life, the Vancouver Pen Shop is well-known in the area. There is a lot of shopping downtown and especially on the west end. Right at the base of the Lionsgate Bridge, you can find Stanley Park which holds dozens of attractions in itself. On the north shore, you have Capilano Suspension Bridge, which is not for the faint of heart. It’s a simple suspension bridge up above the canyon, but situated in a beautiful park. While you’re there, pop up the mountain a little more to get a great view of the famous

'Lions' — the twin mountain peaks that comprise one of the most recognisable landmarks in Vancouver — from the Cleveland Dam. It’s a great spot for a photo opportunity. Many of your favourite films — the original Jumanji, Juno, Twilight and Fifty Shades, just as examples — were filmed in Vancouver, and if you’re looking for it, it’s not difficult to spot even more films and TV shows which have featured major Vancouver landmarks. Vancouver isn’t the only hotspot for film in Canada, however. Toronto often stands in for New York, and it can be seen in films such as A Christmas Story, American Psycho, and Camp Rock (both of them); even Mean Girls was filmed in Toronto. For all you Hannibal television fans, Hannibal’s house is actually right downtown, across from Roy Thompson Hall. Just down the road in Cambridge, you can see filming

locations from The Handmaid’s Tale, the 2017 film version of It, and a plethora of Canadian television programs. Hollywood filmmakers often use Canadian cities to stand in for expensive cities in the United States, as it’s much more cost-effective to shut down a freeway in Vancouver than it would be in Los Angeles. For all these reasons, Canadian cities have a lot of emerging film talent and creativity, and you may even just stumble upon a set. Last time I was in Vancouver, we had to be diverted because Deadpool was filming that iconic limitedbullets-on-the-bridge scene. How cool is that? Canada, like every country, isn’t as shiny and bright as it purports itself to be — but it is still an amazing place to be. Don’t go there expecting a utopia, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless. There is a lot of room for creativity, passion, and exploration. The ‘True North’ welcomes you.

LIFE&STYLE

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbricklife

Freda: The Eco-Friendly Period Brand

Life&Style Writer Ellie Watts interviews Affi Parvizi-Wayne, the founder of friendly feminine products company Freda Available online as a one-off or as a monthly subscription to correlate with your period, Freda feminine products not only provide women with a high-quality product, but they also aim to normalise periods and raise awareness surrounding the stigma. Not to mention, a portion of the money from the subscription goes towards helping those in need of feminine products both here, and internationally, by working with worldwide initiatives to tackle period poverty. Freda sent me some free samples, and I was overwhelmed by the presentation and thought that had gone into the set I was sent. The box easily fit through my letterbox, and the products were wrapped in tissue paper. The towels and tampons in varying sizes came with two different sized ‘Freda’ bags for storage of the products. I thought instantly that if I received one of these each month, I would be very pleased. Whilst looking at the products, I noticed that there was no distinguishable fragrance, and that they were far softer than other period products. This made me realise just how much typical brands are altered and filled with unnecessary fragrances and chemicals. The idea that I was putting these into my body was immediately alarming, and through speaking with friends, I realised I wasn’t alone in overlooking the negative aspects of period products, that Freda has targeted and drastically improved upon.

Ultimately, the combined ideology and product that Freda has created, represents a move towards a consumer market that is increasingly aware of both the underlying social problems concerning periods, in this country and elsewhere, and of the impact that they are making on the environment, and their own bodies. Why was it important for you to ensure that your products were eco-friendly? Consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of the environmental impact of their purchases. Period care products are a non-negotiable and essential part of a woman’s life for about 30 years each. Due to their disposable nature it made sense to me to try and limit its impact on the environment. Freda has the added benefit of being able to track when the subscriber's period is due, but just how accurate is the prediction it makes for women that have irregular periods? The accuracy of the algorithm depends on the amount of information that our customer inputs. We ask women for the length of their cycle, the length of their period, and the start date of their last period. We can then form a clearer picture of what their period is like over time. We formulated our Period Calculator with the insight of my husband, a gynaecologist, and his colleagues. We use similar technology to that

of fertility apps to measure a woman’s cycle, but we use it to deliver their products when they need them. Using the Freda subscription, the customer receives an organic and eco-friendly product, whilst a portion of the money from the subscription goes towards helping those in need of the same products. For you, which is more important, the helping of those in need or the creation of new, good quality products for women in general? These two elements are at the core of what Freda stands for, and both are extremely important to me personally. It was social responsibility that initially inspired Freda, but I was struck by the need for improved, simplified products and very early on this became another priority for me. Our subscribers really value both. Do you believe that businesses like yours, that make money whilst giving back to those in need, are the way forward and will be becoming more popular? I think that companies like Tom’s have really paved the way for Freda and other brands to do business in a more ethical way, and for consumers to rethink where they’re spending their money. It’s a viable business model, so why not?

How did you find the process of building your own business? Did you encounter any difficulties at any point? Building Freda is a really inspiring, collaborative process and we’re learning lots every day. We’ve had teething problems as any new startup does but no major difficulties. Freda states that your products are created by women for women; do you think there are enough women in this industry, or is it male-dominated? And if so, do you see this changing? Surprisingly, or perhaps unsurprisingly given the state of the period space, this industry is dominated by men. To me, those at the top are quite out of touch with what women actually want, and that’s evident from the over-engineering of the products, the garish packaging, the patronising advertising. I’m hopeful that as women stop buying their period products on auto-pilot and begin to demand more, women will become more prominent within the industry. Normalisation of periods is another mission that Freda has, and there has been a move towards this. For example, Bodyform changing the blue dye used on adverts to blood or a blood-like substance. Is enough being done to normalise periods? What do you think could be done? It’s encouraging that progress is being made in destigmatising

periods, but there’s a lot of work still to be done. We want society to regard menstruation as what it is: a natural and healthy process, rather than a shameful embarrassment. We need to ditch the euphemisms. We also need pads and tampons to be recognised as an essential rather than as a luxury. The inclusion of period products in public spaces would go a long way towards addressing this, and at Freda we’re directly approaching workplaces, gyms, hotels, and encouraging them to stock them just as they would toilet paper and soap. There are plans to have these products available on the high street, but how will the move from the online to retail marketplace affect the price of your products? Our business model is based on subscription, and in the medium term we don’t aim to be in traditional retail spaces like supermarkets and chemists where we’ll will be fighting for shelf space with the big brands. For now, we’re stocked in niche spaces like yoga studios, gyms, and specialist lifestyle stores. Check our their products for yourself at https://myfreda. com/ Do you have opinions on this interview? Tell us via Twitter: @redbrickpaper

Raising Awareness: Toxic Shock Syndrome

What there is to know about the rare, yet potentially deadly, infection - and how to avoid it Bethany Ball Life&Style Writer

Have you ever forgotten something? Car keys? A packed lunch? Or to take a tampon out? If you leave a tampon in for more than 8 hours, you are putting yourself at risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). According to BBC advice, there are roughly 40 cases of TSS in the UK per year, and 2-3 of those cases result in death. So yes, it is rare, but it is also extremely deadly. Either the Staphylococcus or the Streptococcus bacteria causes TSS by releasing harmful toxins in our bodies. These bacteria usually live harmlessly on our skin, but can enter the blood stream if exposed to deeper parts of our body. According to Dr Sherry Ross, about 50% of the cases of TSS

occur in menstruating women who use super-absorbent tampons. You are also more at risk if you leave your tampon in longer than recommended or use female barrier contraceptives. Additionally, childbirth, nosebleeds and open wounds can result in TSS, meaning it is not a female-only infection, 25% of cases are men. The indicators of TSS include flu-like symptoms, high temperature, diarrhoea, sickness, a sunburn-like rash and confusion, to name a few. If you feel that you might have TSS it is extremely important that you seek medical attention before it becomes worse. If it’s mild, see your GP or call NHS 111 immediately; however, if you have severe symptoms call 999 or visit A&E. Please make sure that you explain to the medics how you believe it developed e.g. tampon use, open wound or nosebleed!

Luckily TSS is very treatable, and the type of treatment depends upon the severity or variety of your symptoms. Best-case scenario, a course of antibiotics is all that is required, but in some cases pooled immunoglobulin, dialysis and surgery are needed. Luckily, it is easily preventable - so here are the recommended precautions, according to the NHS: •Always use a tampon with the lowest absorbency suitable for your menstrual flow. •Alternate tampons with sanitary towels during your period. •Wash your hands before and after inserting a tampon. •Change tampons regularly. •Never insert more than one tampon at a time. •When using a tampon at night, insert a fresh tampon before going to bed and remove it upon waking.

•Treat wounds quickly and hygienically; seek medical advice if concerned about infection. •Avoid packing a nosebleed. •Always follow the recommended instructions in tampon boxes and with female barrier contraceptives. •If you have had TSS before, avoid tampon use and female barrier contraceptives all together. Unfortunately, Toxic Shock Syndrome is so uncommon that most doctors will not encounter it during their medical careers. If everyone continues to practice the precautions listed above, it will remain a rare infection. For more information about Toxic Shock Syndrome, visit the NHS website: https://www.nhs. uk/conditions/toxic-shock-syndrome/

LIFE&STYLE

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbricklife

Kylie Jenner's Best Kept Secret

Following the birth of Stormi Jenner, Life&Style Writer Madeline McInnis discusses her curiously un-Kardashian pregnancy Like every other twenty-something Buzzfeed addict in the world, I was absolutely obsessed with Kylie Jenner and her rumoured baby for the last few months. Now little Stormi has been introduced to the world, and I think we all have a lot of feelings. I don’t follow any of the Kardashian-Jenner clan on social media, nor watch their shows, but I read nearly every article that comes up about them and I’m guilty of tweeting on their latest drama. This story was particularly tempting because of the mystery and the sheer amount of time that it took to come out — an entire pregnancy, in fact. There’s no point in reiterating that the Kardashians live in the limelight. Every move is recorded and displayed on screens around the globe, so the hum from Kylie’s pregnancy was not only unprecedented, it was frustratingly dull. If anything, this whole thing just proves that the family is completely in control of their public image. They can feign sympathy from paparazzi shots and they can capitalize on feuds and drama, but they are also completely in control of their own lives. Someone with as high a profile as Kylie Jenner shouldn’t be able to conceal a pregnancy like that. There should be no way for her to stay hidden away for nearly

ten months without a single good photograph of her pregnant. But she managed to do it. She managed to somehow hide away and protect herself from the media glare. If she can do that, then she really can do anything to control the way she is presented in day-to-day life. The fact that she controlled the narrative of her pregnancy is also interesting. It wasn’t announced through leaked photos or a television episode, just a simple post like any

“Women don't have to share their pregnancies with the world” mother would do. Like everyone, I was expecting some kind of big reveal on social media or on Keeping Up With the Kardashians. It’s not like the family to do anything small or out of the limelight, so I thought they were waiting for a calculated opportunity to capitalize on the news which kept us all gripped for months. I also totally bought into the theory that Kylie was Kim’s surrogate. When we got the truth, it easily could have been disappointing. It was a simple post, nothing extravagant that really

screamed ‘Kardashian’. However, it just made it sweeter that she didn’t use her baby as a marketing tool. She stated that she didn’t announce her pregnancy because she just wanted to enjoy this time with as little stress as possible. She claimed she loved being pregnant, and released a video of all her happy pregnancy memories after Stormi was born. On top of starting a huge bout of baby-fever in my Twitter feed, she also really humanised herself and her child. She’s not just a star to model the best maternity fashion and talk about what her ‘secret body tricks’ are for the world. She was just like every other mother that wants to have as safe and happy a pregnancy as she can for the sake of her family. Women don’t have to share their pregnancies with the world. Especially after the public eye on Kim and her physical troubles while pregnant, no one can blame Kylie for wanting this time to herself. It also shows that she’s not ashamed of her choices, nor is she regretful like young mothers are told they should be. Kylie will be able to provide for her child for the rest of her life. I’m confident that Stormi will be spoiled in all the best ways – and if her pregnancy was any indication, Kylie is going to make an amazing mother.

named their son Milan; Victoria and David Beckham have a son named Brooklyn; Mariah Carey and her husband chose Moroccan as their son’s name; and Irishman Alex Baldwin suitably chose Ireland for his daughter. We have also seen a variety of imaginative celebrity baby names. Apple, Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin’s daughter, was a memorable choice, as was adventurer Bear Gryll’s fittingly named son, Huckleberry. By the time Blue Ivy came around, we were arguably more than used to this bizarre trend. Jamie Oliver, however, needs to put a lid on his extravagant baby naming. Petal Blossom, Poppy Honey, Buddy Bear, Daisy Boo, River Rocket -

By Yatin Arora

Hair. Men can have it, gorillas can have it, and so can chimpanzees. If a woman dares to go without shaving, however, all hell breaks loose. I often wonder: why is this the case? Why is it that men can bare square metres of ‘carpet’ but women cannot have anything but ‘lamination’? To understand why I thought I’d ask Birmingham’s boys whether they think a woman should be hairless and why!

“I think body hair (like most things) if just a matter of preference. If I had to choose, I'd say I find shaven women more attractive - but I'd never make a partner feel any shame over something completely natural. Being around a lot of women as I've grown up, I understand that body hair is a really personal thing so you should always tread carefully some women might have hormonal imbalances, others might not shave to make a statement etc. For me, when a woman has shaved I feel she has made more of an effort which is really complimentary, maybe even a little intimidating since we don't feel that same pressure”.

Name: Gurpreet Singh Course: Mathematics (first year)

In the wake of Chicago West, Life&Style Writers Anna Wise & Milly Veitch discuss imaginative baby-naming unique, or plain ridiculous? Whatever your thoughts Chicago West cannot be separated from the family into which she is born. With Kim Kardashian as a mother, Kanye West as a father, and North and Saint as her kin, she is not entering the conventional world. Yes, it’s different, and an ordinary child may struggle with the ramifications of such an unorthodox identity; but who is going to give the offspring of two of the wealthiest and most wellknown names on the planet grief for her name? Plus there can be no confusion with spelling - a weight that comes with many unusual names. Naming children after places is not a new concept – Shakira and Gerard Pique

Manthropology

Name: Nigel Clough Course: Political science and international relations (third year)

Unusual Names: A Gift or a Curse? First came love, then came marriage, then came a baby with a stupid name... 2013. North West came along and the world was shook. But we got used to it, and she became an icon of our generation. 2015. Saint West came next and the world cared less. We were more accustomed to the wild ways of Kimmy K and her clan by this point. 2018. The third Kardashian-West baby is brought into the world via surrogate, and she goes by the name Chicago West (shortened to Chi, pronounced ‘shy’). So, Kim and Kanye’s unconventional choices have got us thinking – are unusual names a gift or a curse? Is Chicago imaginative and

need I say any more? Unusual names have not been confined to the celebrity sphere. French courts famously banned a couple from naming their daughter Nutella in 2015, ruling that the name ‘can only lead to teasing’ More recently, a woman divisively voiced her distaste on Mumsnet for a friend who named her baby Chip. So why should Nutella be disallowed, but not Apple? There have also been recent studies that suggest unusual names have a negative impact on job applications, with name-bias disproportionately affecting women and non-British ethnicities. Although, I am doubtful that any child of the Kardashians would struggle to find employment in later life. Ultimately, though, I believe that unusual names are much more of a gift than a curse. They have the power to give a child a unique identity, and can set them apart. As for Kim & Kanye, I hope they continue to break barriers and dominate headlines and that Wild West will come our way soon.

“I think it's up to the woman. However, just like doing something over and over again becomes habit, seeing something over and over again seems to validate it. I’ve always seen my mother, sister, and female relatives have hairless arms and legs. Likewise, I always see celebrities being hairless too. Since I’m surrounded by hairless women all of the time, I think this is the way things should be. We all say ‘opposites attract’, so maybe hairy men are made for hairless women?!”

Name: Stanley Leadsomme Course: Law (first year) “I consider a woman shaving on a regular basis as a natural habit of hygiene. Letting hair grow, not only on their legs but also armpits is definitely unsightly. There's slight consideration for the winter months since they are not normally on display but summer cannot be an exception. Skirts and shorts look better with shaven legs - that’s universal. If hair growth is sparse I can bear it, but if the surface of the skin resembles my leg, it's another story. It's a reasonable thing to ask of a woman to keep a smooth surface, the skin is the largest organ so it must be maintained to a good degree. And it’s the feminine thing to do!” Interesting! Whereas some believe thair removal is ultimately a matter of choice, others believe considerations of hygiene and appearance should take primacy. Given the lives that we are leading today, especially with the media transmitting aesthetic values, one can understand where such pressure stems from. We’d love to hear your views on the matter; let us know by tweeting us @RedbrickLife!

SCI&TECH

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbricktech

Why Go Vegan?

The truth about the lifestyle change Ellen Heimpel Sci&Tech Editor

With Veganuary having recently drawn to a close, have you considered extending your veganism? Or if you didn’t take part in the official one month of veganism, why not do one of your own? For those of you that have been living under a rock, veganism is a diet that rejects all forms of animal products, including meat, cheese, and honey. Vegans also reject wearing any clothing made from animals or animal products, such as wool or leather. The number of vegans in the UK has increased by 360% in the last 10 years and there are now over half a million people following this diet and lifestyle (Daily Telegraph). Veganism has also recently become popular in the celeb world with Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande and even Beyoncé joining the swarms of vegans. So, all the cool kids are doing it, but what are the actual benefits of veganism? The main advantage is obviously to prevent the exploitation of animals. Vegans believe that

animals deserve the right to life and freedom. By opposing all animal products, they are standing up for animal cruelty and mistreatment everywhere. More than 6 million animals are killed for food every hour and a vast majority of these animals are kept in harsh cramped conditions for the majority of their lifetime before being slaughtered. Animals that are farmed for their products of eggs or milk often do no better. More than 300 million hens are raised on factory egg farms every year (Cowspiracy Documentary). Even products advertised as ‘free-range’ expose animals to awful conditions. Most hens on cage-free farms still have their beaks cut off with a hot blade and are crammed into sheds to never see the light of day. They suffer from the same lung-lesions and ammonia burns as hens kept in cages and often get blisters from sitting on urine and faeces. Vegans believe that by not buying into the animal industry completely they are protesting this gross mistreatment of animals. Each vegan saves the life of approximately 100 animals per year (PetaUK). Another major reason to go

vegan is to do your bit in saving the planet. Climate change has been described as human’s greatest challenge and many people have tried to reduce their carbon footprint by taking public transport and using energy-efficient light-bulbs. However, one of the best ways to fight climate change is to turn vegan. Animal agriculture is responsible for 18-51% of greenhouse gas emissions, which is more than the combined exhaust fumes from all transportation. Feeding huge amounts of grain and water to animals and then killing them, processing and transporting their flesh, takes a huge amount of energy. These animals also themselves produce a huge amount of greenhouse gases, especially methane, through the excretion and gas they release. Cows produce 150 million gallons of methane per day (Cowspiracy Documentary). Additionally, huge areas of forests that could absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere have been cleared to make room for livestock. The UN say that rearing animals for food is one of the top drivers of environmental problems. Therefore, the most powerful way you, as an individual, can reduce climate change is to turn vegan. Additionally, by going vegan you help tackle the major problem of food security worldwide. To feed the human population in 2050 we will require food supplies to increase by 60% globally and 100% in developing countries (FAO). This just isn’t likely to be possible if the animal agriculture industry continues on such a large scale. Livestock covers 45% of the Earth’s total land and consumes 56% of the water available in the US (Cowspiracy Documentary). A massive number of crops and water are needed to sustain this livestock production with 5.6 mil-

lion acres of land in Brazil being used to grow soya beans for animals in Europe (Vegan Society). Considerably lower amounts of crop and water are needed to sustain a vegan diet, which requires only one third of the land needed to sustain a meat and dairy based diet. Therefore, vegans often argue that the only way to tackle food security is to use this land to produce food for us rather than for our livestock.

“Animal Agriculture is Responsible for 18-51% of Greenhouse Gas Emmissions” Another reason to go vegan is that it provides some major health benefits. It is claimed that going vegan provides increased energy, better skin, and eternal youth. Eternal youth is perhaps going too far, however, it has been scientifically proven than vegans tend to have a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity. A major factor contributing to this is the reduction in the amount of saturated fat in their diets. Vegans are on average 20 lbs lighter than meat-eaters and have a lower BMI (PetaUK). Vegans also tend to have more fibre in their diet so have improved digestive systems. So, there you go. Veganism is a major trend and is only going to increase as people discover these amazing reasons to try it. So why not give it a go yourself? Even if you just do it for a month or for one day a week, you will still make a difference to animals, the planet and even to yourself.

The Super Blue Blood Moon: How Special can a Moon Be? Sonal Tandon Sci&Tech Writer

Many people who saw the Moon’s magnificent display on Wednesday 31st January, would have questioned how it was blue or a ‘blood Moon’, when it appeared a normal grey. However, this Moon was far from normal. Despite the fact that super moons, blue moons and blood moons occur every few years, the combination of all three celestial events has not happened for more than one hundred and fifty years. A Super-Moon is simply when the moon is at its closest point to the Earth, due to its slightly elliptical orbit. As a result, it appears around 7% larger and 15% brighter on average and dominates the night sky. A blue moon has no reference to colour, but to the fairly rare occurrence of

a second full Moon in a calendar month (hence the phrase ‘once in a blue Moon’). A blood Moon, however, does refer to the red colour that the Moon appears during a lunar eclipse, when the Sun, Earth and Moon are aligned so the Moon becomes shadowed by the Earth. Unfortunately, the UK was outside of the lunar eclipse viewing area so was unable to see the red colour, with Asia and the US benefiting from the best views. The red colour occurs due to the refraction of sunlight as it passes through the Earth’s atmosphere before reaching the Moon, filtering out any blue light. The event allows NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to learn more about the Moon. As the surface of the Moon will cool quicker than some of the rocks on the surface, a thermal camera will be able to detect details and features that we may not have previ-

ously seen. All of the new knowledge gained can be utilised to understand the history of the Moon’s surface, and to identify new suitable landing sites. The latter is particularly relevant due to crewed lunar missions being planned by the US, and China’s Chang’e 4 mission along with India’s own rover, planned to land on the moon later this year. An increasing focus on international collaboration to explore the possibility of a lunar base has helped

to revive lunar exploration. Of course, celestial events like these also increase public engagement into astronomy and the sciences – particularly because, to see the Moon, no telescope or specialist equipment is required. And thankfully for us all, neither the reports based on bible prophecies about a blood moon signalling the end of the world, nor the conspiracy theories that the Moon would start a nuclear war have been proven true!

Creature Feature Talking Killer Whales Ellen Heimpel Sci&Tech Editor

Killer whales are known for their impressive communication abilities. They can talk to each other in a combination of whistles, clicks and songs at distances of up to 100 miles apart. Some clicks are even thought to represent individual names. However, it has recently been discovered that killer whales also have the ability to mimic human speech. A 14-year-old orca, called Wickie, has been taught to mimic words through her blowhole. She can be heard in recordings saying the words “hello”, “bye-bye”, “one two three” as well as her trainer’s name “Amy”. These words are created through a mixture of squawks, whistles, and raspberries. Wickie copied 11 new sounds in total from her trainer. These involved a combination of human words and other sounds such as a wolf howl and the creaking of a door. She was given a treat in the form of a fish or an affectionate pat to positively reinforce correct pronunciations. This mimicry behaviour has been observed before in birds and primates. However, it is especially remarkable in whales considering they do not have the same vocal ability as us, having evolved to communicate underwater. Humans use the larynx to speak whereas whales produce sounds by forcing bursts of air through their nasal passages. However, Wickie was able to effectively mimic sounds produced in air not water. Killer whales live in pods with unique dialects and can recognise other members in their group from this dialect. A plausible explanation for how these dialects develop is that the young learn then through imitation of surrounding adults. This idea that killer whales teach sounds to each other suggests that Wickie may potentially be able to teach these human words to others of her kind. Killer whales have also been observed mimicking sea lions and dolphins. Dr Jose Abramson, from Complutense University of Madrid believes it may one day be possible to have basic conversations with killer whales. This begs the question should we still keep killer whales in captivity when they have the capacity and brain power to learn elements of human speech?

SCI&TECH

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbricktech

The Irritating Side of Skincare

This Week in Francesca Benson reveals the harmful effects of common cosmetic compounds Sci&Tech... Francesca Benson Sci&Tech Writer

The skin is the largest organ in the body, so taking good care of it is a great lifestyle choice. Widespread interest in doing so is reflected by the massive popularity of cosmetic products, with the skincare industry in the UK projected to be worth 2.9 billion pounds by 2021 (Euromonitor). Despite the seemingly miraculous claims of many cosmetics companies, skipping out on reading the label of the new wonder cream may actually lead to more harm than good. Foaming cleansers are a staple item in the daily routines of many. However, one main ingredient in most products of this type has been proven to have adverse effects on skin. Sodium lauryl (or dodecyl) sulphate - labelled as SLS or SDS - reduces the surface tension of water, helping to form a good lather. Another reason SLS is used in products is the fact that as a detergent, it makes dirt and oil more soluble, therefore easier to wash off. SLS is a known irritant,

causing cell damage by denaturing proteins in cell membranes. Frequent exposure has been associated with a condition known as contact dermatitis; symptoms of which include inflamed, cracked, and even blistered skin in response to an irritant or allergen. The link between SLS and contact dermatitis is strong enough that it is in fact used to induce the condition in some studies. Ethanol - often referred to as alcohol denat - is one extremely common addition to skincare products. It is used due to it being a powerful solvent and emulsifier, which helps active ingredients in the formula penetrate the skin efficiently, enhancing the desired effects, and giving a matte appearance to oily skin. Unfortunately, these effects are down to the compound damaging the tissue. The alcohol removes essential fatty acids from the membrane of the cells it encounters in the epidermis, weakening the ability of these cells to form an effective barrier against harmful substances. As well as this, it also reduces the water content of cells, and therefore has a dehydrating effect.

UK scientists have revealed

Much like SLS, frequent exposure to ethanol is also linked to contact dermatitis. As these irritants and others with similarly negative effects such as strong fragrances are so prevalently used in skincare, avoiding them may seem like a herculean task. Luckily this is not quite the case, as many brands offer products which are either free of or contain a very low concentration of them. A good thing to know is that the higher up the ingredients list a substance is, the more of it there is in the product. The harmful effects of these substances are often dose-dependent. So, if one of these substances is included but is right at the bottom of the ingredients list, then the concentration will be low compared to other ingredients and there is a chance that its drawbacks may be diminished slightly. Looking forward, hopefully these irritants will be used in moderation and alternatives more suitable for sensitive skin will become more mainstream. In the meantime, being mindful of what is in the products we use is a must.

from the DNA of a stone-aged Briton that he had dark brown skin and hair with blue eyes. Although these looks may be quite surprising today - it is thought that these might have been quite common, and mutations later on could have made humans have paler skin.

Microplastics are threatening the larger creatures of our oceans through accumulation in the food they eat. One of the ways the UK could cut down on its plastic waste is if it adopts the ‘Norway System’, by making each person

Where TLC Goes a Long Way Katie Jones Sci&Tech Editor

Recently, a study on a new scheme for parents has been introduced into Australia, Canada and New Zealand to help premature babies and their parents. This new method (Family Integrated Care or FIcare), which was first discovered to be used in Estonia, relies on parents to help with the care of their prematurely born babies in the hospital for the duration of time that they are in hospital for. How to feed, dress, bathe and take the temperatures of their infants are a few of the things which parents were trained to do in order to help. On top of this, parents were also involved in the decisionmaking of their baby’s treatment and were able to see their baby’s charts and progress. The parents had to commit to six hours a day for five days per week and over

Sci&Tech Writer

Sleep Cycle is an alarm clock which claims to provide the ‘natural way to wake up’. The app uses your phone’s microphone to monitor sleep movements and is supposed to wake you in the lightest stage of your sleep cycle. You set the alarm for a halfhour time slot in which you would like to wake up, turn your phone screen down and that’s it, just like any other alarm! The app has a few

bottle purchase - which would then be returned if the bottle were

25 hospitals were involved (The Guardian). Although the initial training of parents would be more expensive and there would have to be careful supervision in place to make sure this scheme was safe, the overall costs of nursing would go down. In the context of introducing this to the UK, this would provide a crucial advantage in the challenge to keep a struggling NHS afloat. Another reason why the UK might want to consider introducing FIcare to the NHS? Numerous advantages were recorded by the studies for both participating parents and babies. According to the Lancet Child and Adolescent Health benefits experienced by the parents included mother’s

being more able to breastfeed and parents generally feeling less stressed and depressed about their situations. Some parents went even as far as to say that they felt more ready for parenthood and confident, as they had had more experience dealing with things in the safe environment of a hospital. According to the study, it was not only the parents who experienced the advantages of FIcare. Babies were also reported to have put on more weight after 21 days than the babies that had not had this integrated parental care. In the context of the fact that these babies were all prematurely born and weight is an important issue in these situations, this is a really encouraging result. As well as this, there might also be some

App Review: Sleep Cycle Spencer Forbes

pay a small deposit for their plastic

snazzy features, which are not offered on standard phone alarms too. If you’re feeling too lazy to look at your phone in the morning, then you can simply knock on the bedside table to snooze the alarm. When you wake, you’re presented with a graph of how well you slept and even snore time (apparently, I snore). I have been using the Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock every weekday for over a year, and it has not disappointed. There are a few downsides to using the app. The biggest problem is getting up half an hour earlier than I intended, this has occasion-

ally lead to me turning off the alarm and going back to sleep. Also, there are only 4 choices of alarm tone, which can instil that feeling of dread when the same tone has been used for months on end. Since using the app, I have found that I wake up feeling less groggy and more refreshed – it’s much easier to make my 9am lectures! Sleep Cycle is available for free on iOS and Android.

««««

unmeasurable mental health advantages to this. It is widely known that the first few months of a person’s life are some of their most vulnerable. However, not a lot is known about the effects mentally, if a baby does not receive the right care at this time. Studies have shown that babies who don’t receive constant nurturing by their parents are more likely to experience mental health issues when they are older (Psychology Today). As the NHS struggles with the costs of a growing population, although it is reasonable to assume that they would go to great lengths to keep babies well, it would not be unexpected that the infants would not receive the same amount of care as they would at home (Daily Telegraph). Since the effects on mental health of babies which are prematurely born in hospital have not been recorded, this advantage will never really be truly appreciated, but it will still be there.

to be recycled.

For the first time, human eggs have been grown in the lab from the earliest stage of maturity. This has massive implications for maintaining

the

fertility

children with cancer who are treated

radiotherapy

chemotherapy,

which

or would

normally make them sterile.

Facebook are trialling a new ‘downvote’

button

hide

offensive or unwanted material from people’s newsfeeds. This downvote button would look like a dislike button, but would not work in this way and would only hide the unwanted content from the individual’s feed, but not from anyone else. Some people have called this new feature an act to avoid responsibility of Facebook

SPORT

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbricksport

Is Size All That Matters?

Sport Writer Thomas Leaman gives his view on Tottenham Hotspur's new London stadium Thomas Leaman Sport Writer

‘Our stunning new stadium design and wider scheme will deliver an unrivalled fan experience and significant community benefits – creating a world-class sports and entertainment destination for all and in our birthplace of Tottenham. It will be our new home for generations to come and we want it to be exceptional.’ These are Daniel Levy’s encouraging words on the new Tottenham Hotspur stadium, currently in development in North London. The stunning 62,000-capacity stadium is set to be in use for the 2018-19 Premier League season and will host Raiders vs Seahawks in NFL in October. While Spurs are optimistic about their new home, they will have to be careful to avoid the unhomely feel of West Ham’s Olympic Stadium and the bankrupt Nou Mestalla, while perhaps seeking inspiration from Atlético Madrid who have only lost twice at the Wanda Metropolitano. Redbrick have analysed the winners and losers of their risky stadium moves to assess whether Spurs’ New White Hart Lane will benefit the club’s form and finances while maintaining the vital matchday experience for The Lilywhites’ supporters.

"They will have to be careful to avoid the unhomely feel of West Ham's Olympic Stadium" At a glance, the new White Hart Lane (or, officially, the less catchy Northumberland Development Project) will be an incredible venue on the same patch of land that Spurs have played on for 118 years. At the time of writing, the club has applied for permission to add an additional 441 seats to the new stadium to take the overall capacity to 62,000. Their former ground held a comparatively mere 36,284. The 9-storey arena will con-

tain a single-tiered stand behind one goal to be a hub for the active supporters, which the club hopes will provide an atmosphere unequalled in the Premier League. For more passive and moneyed fans, there is the option to become a member of the ‘Tunnel Club’, allowing fans unprecedented access to the players before kickoff. For £230 a game, there will be two ‘Sky Lounges’ on either side of the stadium, offering views both within and outside the ground. Add into the mix Britain’s longest bar, a retractable pitch for NFL games and its own microbrewery; the early signs are promising that Tottenham really will have an unrivalled home stadium both in the league and in Europe. However, analysis of success stories and stadium disasters in recent years shows the possible perils faced by Spurs both on and off the pitch from the beginning of the 2018-19 season. A recent success story for a club moving into a new stadium is Atlético Madrid and their new Wanda Metropolitano stomping ground. Besides being a stunning spectacle, Madrid’s second side are unbeaten in La Liga at home so far in 2017-18, having achieved respectable home draws to Barcelona and Real Madrid. In fact, at the time of writing, only Chelsea and Sevilla have left the home of El Pupas victorious (in the Champions League and the Copa del Rey respectively). Furthermore, the increased capacity from just shy of 55,000 at the Vicente Caulderón to over 67,000 from the beginning of this season could bring the club an extra €767,760 per game, assuming an average ticket price of €60 when the stadium is filled to capacity. Looking at Atlético, things are certainly looking positive for Spurs when they move to their new home later this year; Galatasaray’s Türk Telecom Arena is also an excellent example of stadium-moving done right. The Turkish club added around 28,000 to their capacity in 2011 while taking measures to ensure the noise made by their ultras reverberated inside the ground instead of being carried away into the air of Istanbul, making for an intimidating atmosphere. Their ‘welcome to Hell’ banners are cer-

tainly justified on European nights or against trans-continental rivals Fenerbahçe. While there are clear examples of successful stadium development, there are some examples which Spurs may be taking caution from to avoid an irreversible and costly mistake.

"Once you've lost your home, you've lost your identity" Near the centre of Valencia stands the concrete shell of a project that has suffered over a decade of setbacks which serves as a stark reminder of the financial troubles of the Spanish club. When it broke ground in August 2007, the Nou Mestalla was billed as the futuristic replacement for the Estadio Mestalla, which will have hosted professional football for 95 years in May 2018. The demise of Valencia, which was caused by debts of up to €230 million, has delayed the construction of the new stadium as the club was forced to sell its best players - David Villa, David Silva, Jordi Alba and Juan Mata to name just a few - just to stay afloat. Luckily for Spurs, Daniel Levy provides wealth for the club and his strict (and often controversial) control of the club’s transfer and wage policies ensure the club’s financial stability, meaning the Lilywhites should never suffer the same problems as Valencia. Away from Spain and much closer to home, the much-debated decision for West Ham United to leave the Boleyn Ground for the London Stadium provides an argument that may make Spurs fans that bit more nervous about their stadium project.

"A recent success story for a club moving into a new stadium is Atletico Madrid" West Ham United’s arduous trip to Stratford from the Boleyn Ground is the most recent warning to clubs considering moving on from a historic stadium to harvest the financial possibilities involved in moving to a bigger, more modern home. In their final season at the Boleyn, the Hammers won 9 of their 19 Premier League home matches and picked up 34 points at home in the 2015-16 season, losing only 3 home league matches. Their home form has been less impressive since moving into the Olympic Stadium; in 31 home league games across a season-and-a-half, United have picked up only 41 points, losing 12 and winning only 11. Alongside the worse results on the pitch, West Ham fans are unhappy about the tarnished new matchday experience. In a Copa90

documentary, One Weird Trick to Ruin a Football Club, supporters cite the increased distance between the pitch and the stands, increased fan trouble from the larger crowd and the quieter atmosphere as possible reasons for the downturn in form that the club have experienced away from East London. Asif Khapedi of Copa90 puts the problem in more simple terms: ‘once you’ve lost your home, you’ve lost your identity.’ Furthermore, the loss of bi-weekly football at the Boleyn Ground has caused a downturn in local business on Green Street, an unfortunate by-product of West Ham’s need to grow their own financial interests.

"Near the centre of Valencia stands the concrete shell of a project that has suffered over a decade of setbacks" With that being said, Spurs should be able to avoid such difficulties when they move from Wembley back to Tottenham High Road. Their new stadium is being built on the same site as the

demolished 36,000-seater, so the players and supporters will be optimistic that they will not experience the same teething problems. Furthermore, Levy’s club has taken significant steps to ensure the atmosphere remains imposing for visiting clubs. Based on Borussia Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion, the new ground’s single-tiered stand made up of 17,500 seats aims to replicate the notorious ‘yellow wall’. The importance of Spurs remaining on the same site should also not be overlooked; they should be able to avoid some of the issues they had at the beginning of this season at Wembley, and there will be a sense of familiarity in the matchday experience for the supporters which should maintain the atmosphere in and around the stadium. The verdict? Tottenham have put the foundations in place to be incredibly successful at their new home and thus should avoid the issues encountered by both West Ham United and Valencia to have a fortress much like Atlético’s Wanda Metropolitano. Therefore, this new stadium gives Tottenham a new platform for success. With exciting times ahead for the Lilywhites, perhaps a move to a bigger, modern stadium can persuade the golden triumvirate of Mauricio Pochettino, Harry Kane and Dele Alli to stay in North London.

SPORT

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbricksport

VAR: All it is Cracked Up to Be? Sport Editor Olli Meek and Sport Writer Jake Bradshaw discuss the first trials of Video Assistant Referees in English football and whether or not it is a good thing Olli Meek Sport Editor

The latest Marmite issue in the football world is the introduction of Video Assistant Refereeing (VAR). Where to start is the first of many issues that VAR currently faces. It has been rolled out in various competitions across Europe, from Serie A in Italy through to the FA Cup in England and Wales, to varying degrees of success. The flow is arguably interrupted, but it seems as though many fans are being too quick to criticise.

"The TV audience who are viewing the match have access to the replays, but the fans in the stadium do not" Social media explodes whenever there is a perceived injustice in football, let alone when there is an injustice that goes against the codified laws of the game. Sports fans are on a whole new level of

angst when their team or favourite player is dealt a hardship, and in VAR, there is the definite opportunity to significantly reduce such instances.

"These teething problems must be dealt with swiftly by the powers that be" It will take time. No-one has said that the use of technology will transition immediately or completely smoothly into the game. Surely football fans should be able to recognise this. The rate of managerial change, influx and exodus of players and undulating form all contribute to a sport that is in constant flux - and this flux is not always easy, nor the results instantly successful. It is exactly the type of argument where many fickle keyboard warriors would be on one side of the fence when their team is disallowed a goal or an opposition player is not sent off for example, but they then become football purists who dream of a silky, angelic, flowing game. A game in which controversy becomes somewhat of a sought-after factor... like an art

but much more infuriating. It would certainly give pundits less to argue about; most of the television industry surrounding football is designed to be controversial. If it was not, nobody would watch it. I am in no way a staunch advocate of the current model however, and these teething problems must be dealt with swiftly by the powers that be at Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the company responsible for training and overseeing the referees used by the Premier League. It is headed up by former professional referee Mike Riley, one of the most qualified men in the game to be able to discuss and review the practicalities of such a system. The way it has been trialed in the FA Cup at least means that the TV audience who are viewing the match have access to the replays, but the fans in the stadium do not. In recent examples, such as Liverpool vs West Brom, this has given fans the excuse that it detracts from the atmosphere of the game. Hopefully, the issues associated with VAR can be remedied to ensure that football can move with the times. If not, it should be argued that football can do without technological assistance for now, at least in the shape of VAR.

Jake Bradshaw Sport Writer

The video assistant referee, known affectionately (or not) as VAR, is being phased into major football competitions to prevent referees from making poor decisions. A VAR review begins with the actual incident, but then things get somewhat complicated. The video assistant referee(s) can recommend that a review is undertaken, but the choice rests with the onfield referee. If the on-field referee decides a review is necessary, the video assistant referee(s), located in a video operation room (VOR), review the necessary footage and relay their verdict to the on-field referee. So far so good. However, there is also a video assistant referee on the touchline in the stadium. This referee provides the on-field referee with a view of the incident in an on-field review (OFR), should the on-field referee wish to see the replay himself. After this, the on-field referee may then choose to reverse or keep his original decision.

"What for one person is a perfectly timed tackle, may be for someone else a straight red" Moreover, there are only four types of incident which VAR can review: goals, penalties, red cards and cases of mistaken identity. For goals, VAR is used to decide whether an infringement took place which should disallow the goal; for example, a player being in an offside position before shooting. For penalties and red cards, VAR is used to ensure the decision made by the referee is correct. Finally, mistaken identity when a player is booked or sent off can be reviewed by VAR. This all seems very sensible, but the jury is still out on whether VAR is worth the hassle. For many decisions, people have differing opinions. What for one person is a perfectly-timed tackle may for someone else be a straight red. The number of occasions on which I have found myself disagreeing with pundits on Match of the Day shows that, even with the help of replays, football will

VAR FACTS Used in only four instances: goals, penalty decisions, red card decisions and cases of mistaken identity. First ever usage in the Australian A-League in 2017 Used for the first time in the UK in friendly between England and Germany in November 2017 always be a game of opinions. VAR has also been criticised for the atmosphere it creates. A game that comes to mind is the FA Cup fourth round tie between Liverpool and West Brom at Anfield on January 27th. Due to the use of VAR, the first half of the game lasted fifty minutes with each of the three reviews taking minutes to decide upon. Although the general consensus is that the decisions made were correct, the fact that fans had no clue what was happening, and that the reviews took so long, led to many calling for VAR to be reformed or even abandoned, such as BBC 5 Live’s Danny Baker.

"VAR has also been criticsed for the atmosphere it creates" Despite its flaws, VAR has the potential to be game-changing (quite literally) in a positive sense, yet, when looking at how it is conducted compared to other sports such as rugby or cricket, it is clear football’s VAR needs serious work. I believe simply allowing fans to watch the replays on large screens would go a long way to changing how it’s perceived. For now, VAR will continue to be divisive. With a little work, it could create fairer football for all.

Selected BUCS Results - 07.02.18 Our Men’s Rugby Union 1st Team bagged themselves a second home victory in a row, keeping Bishop Burton 1s at bay with a final score of 27-22. Also, after losing away to Leicester 1st team by 29 points, our Women’s Basketball 2nd team had an impressive turn around and won by 9 points at home. The Women’s Volleyball team put in yet another solid performance and came away with another 3-0 win, this time against NTU 2. Remaining undefeated in their league, they’re undoubtedly fancying their chances in the Cup.

SPORT

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbricksport

YouTube Fights: The Future of Boxing? Sport Editor Alex Alton takes a look at the recent fight between YouTubers Joe Weller and KSI, examining whether events of this kind have any future in mainstream boxing Alex Alton Sport Editor

Joe Weller vs KSI. In a boxing ring. Although to many novices of the YouTube scene this may sound like contrived teenage nonsense (which it arguably is), the effect of this boxing match between two boxing amateurs should not be underestimated.

Why the Beef? The 'beef' between the two YouTube stars happened a very long time ago, with Joe Weller fighting fellow YouTuber and childhood friend Theo Baker. KSI, which is short for 'Knowledge Strength Integrity', otherwise known to everyone offline as Olajide Olatunji, commented on Joe Weller’s Instagram post promoting the fight, saying 'let me fight the winner'. Joe won convincingly, and this is where the drama starts. Shortly after this, KSI became embroiled in a 'diss track war' with his fellow members of the YouTube group The Sidemen. Seeing that this was simply contrived nonsense designed to manipulate the YouTube algorithm, Joe Weller took to his channel to begin slating KSI for getting involved in something which arguably brings the class of YouTube down. From this, the two began a volatile relationship, with a whole host of tweets, Instagram posts and Twitter DMs confirming that the two, who had formerly been on holiday together, did now not like each other. However, the veritable intensity of this boxing match was to increase when the two had a press conference to promote the fight in September. Both KSI and Joe Weller, with their 18 million and 5 million subscribers respectively, had massive crowds following

their every move at the event. During the event, they both had separate Q&A sessions with fans. In the process of one of KSI’s sessions, Joe Weller interrupted KSI, bursting on stage and causing a ruckus. This then built up to the main event of the day, the press conference for the fight. Because of earlier aggravations, both 'fighters' were fired up and ready to trash talk the other. Ten minutes of the two going at each other ensued, with KSI playing the aggressive, 'McGregor' role of trying to antagonise Weller by calling out a previous leg injury amongst other things. Then it came to a face off between the two, with 23 stone YouTuber The True Geordie stood between the two making sure there were no premature punches thrown. During the face off, KSI called out Joe Weller on admittance that he takes medication for depression. This intensified the press conference to new levels, with Joe Weller finishing his monologue criticising KSI for 'taking the piss out of depression', consequently pushing KSI to the side of the stage. KSI frantically responded by trying to come back at Weller. He was unable to push past security, however.

The Build Up Following the press conference, it was clear that regardless of their talent for boxing, both fighters would be going in to that ring wanting to hurt each other. They were given just under 5 months to prepare for the fight itself, with KSI arguably needing to do more to shift weight, get fit and learn how to box properly. Weller also had to train significantly, given the weight difference between the pair, along with a knee injury that had stopped him from running in preparation, a key focus for pro@nick.w.minter

fessional boxers in their training pre-fight. @jackupson

"It has to be noted that KSI should be given immense credit for whipping himself into incredible shape before the fight " The night before the fight, both fighters stepped up for another press conference and the mightily anticipated weigh in. Unsurprisingly, Joe Weller weighed in at 4kg less than KSI, who had reportedly lost around 7kg to make the weight at 83kg. Although 4kg difference in weight may sound minimal to some, it can be a difference between two weight classes in professional boxing, so perhaps could have had a massive effect on the eventual result. It has to be noted that KSI should be given immense credit for whipping himself into incredible shape before the fight. In the previous press conference, the muscular differences between the two were massive, with Weller appearing to be in prime physical fitness. However when the two stripped down to shorts, KSI appeared to be showing off impressive abdominals, with Weller the same. All in all, given the absence of the 10/10 trash talking that dominated the earlier press conference, both YouTubers were ready to step into the ring and demonstrate their capabilities.

The Big Fight Although this article only focuses on the main event, there was a undercard to the fight. This included a fight between two YouTubers who explore abandoned buildings, Uosof Ahmadi and Exploring with Josh. Then came perhaps the weirdest fight of all time. Two twins, Jake and Liam from the duo TWiiNSANE faced off in the ring, concluding in a very drab affair between two guys who evidently could not box. After this were two fights, one of which included a fight between one 6ft5 man, JMX, and his opponent, 5ft10 Mike Fox. Following his loss at the hands of a giant, Fox proposed to his girlfriend, who promptly said yes. Up to this point, the evening of the fight had lacked hype, given the lack of animosity between most of the fights so far. This would all change at around 6pm when KSI and Joe Weller eventually stepped in to the ring. The pair had previously agreed to six three minute rounds, with head guards on. Both came out, looking prepared and ready to give the crowd a good fight. Both fighters, were ready, briefed by the referee, and it was off. Weller failed to

throw a punch in the first 30 seconds of the fight, perhaps displaying a tactic, lack of boxing ability, nervousness, or a mix of all three. Eventually, he did land a punch on KSI, albeit one which did nothing to affect the power of the Watford born FIFA YouTuber. By the end of round 1, it was evident that if the fight was to go to a decision, KSI would be the winner given the amount of punches he managed to land in the first three minutes. The second round began in the same way, with KSI launching an all out assault of constant jabs on Weller, keeping anything Weller that had at bay. KSI was consistently varying his punches, leading to him taking down Weller shortly before the end of the second round. Weller was hanging in there, knowing that he needed to do knock out KSI to stand any chance of winning the fight. However, the third round displayed Weller’s state, with the Brighton based man failing to land a punch on KSI. Shortly after, the referee called the fight, giving KSI the win on a technical knockout. Although you’d be hard pushed to find many who really wanted KSI to win the fight, given his sheer confidence in an interview, credit where credit is due. He demonstrated that he had real boxing ability, something which he may be able to utilise in future. After the fight, he was asked if there was anyone he wanted to call out. He spoke up, saying that if either of the Paul brothers (Logan and Jake) wanted to fight then he’d be happy to do so.

Future for YouTube boxing? Given the fact that this was the biggest white collar boxing event of all time, we should debate whether YouTube fights may hold a place in the future of boxing. Collectively, Weller and KSI possess 23 million subscribers, a figure which is bigger than most boxers out there. Also, at the time of writing the fight stream has had 21 million views, with around 3 million actually watching live, making it the most popular live event ever hosted on YouTube.

"The referee called the fight, giving KSI the win on a technical knockout" From this, it can definitely be said that fights of this kind may become incredibly profitable for promoters in future, if they can stomach the fact that most of the people stepping in the ring will have very basic boxing ability. Although promoters would be unlikely to charge the same kind of figures demanded for pay-perview fights (usually in the £15-£20 region), they would definitely be able to make money by charging smaller amounts. All in all then, it must be said that this fight, whilst lacking in aptitude for boxing, may have had a massive effect on the future of YouTube and it’s relationship with sport.

SPORT

Friday 16th February 2018

@redbricksport

The Life Of an Official

Sport Editor Olli Meek and Music Editor Issy Campbell reflect upon their time as football referees Issy Campbell Music Editor

As the saying goes, if you can’t do, teach; and that is exactly what I did when I became a referee. Playing football for me definitely started as a social thing, a way to have fun with my friends twice a week. I certainty wasn’t good, so really it couldn’t be anything more than a bit of a laugh on a Saturday morning. As I got older however, my friends actually got better whilst I still stood in goal, once towering over the others, but now watching them tower over me, learning how powerful they really could be when they had a good shot on target. That being said, I soon realised my playing days were long over, but I still wanted to be a part of the game; a game which girls and women can find as equally thrilling as our male friends. Luckily for me, you can become a football referee at as young as 14, so that’s exactly what a did. Yes, that’s correct, I am a girl and I referee.

"I probably received a bizarre form of ironic sexism" I enjoyed almost every part of refereeing: from the tough decision making, to the gripping atmosphere of a top of the league decider, but also watching players improve over the seasons. In fact, I found it far more enjoyable than playing, it turned into being a great part-time job. But, there was definitely moments where I questioned why I didn’t just get an actual job, a job where random strangers on the side-line couldn’t scream at me. When you primarily referee U15 and below, that is probably your biggest issue. Parents supporting their kids in whatever endeavour is always important, but supporting them by screaming at the poor soul without whom the game could not go ahead, only embarrasses your child; trust me. Interestingly, the only time I ever gave a red card, was to a parent. I was forced to stop the game, to remind all those on the side that telling their daughters to ‘play rough’ and ‘give the referee a hard time’ because I ‘deserved it’, in between swearing every other word, whilst their children, even younger than the girls on the pitch, were in earshot, was not really the atmosphere we were trying to achieve. It is funny to think things like that really do happen during an U13 girls game, but they do. Being a girl referee comes with the obvious drawbacks, the shock on the faces of players, parents and managers, when you turn up and introduce yourself as the official, is something I tired of very quickly. I had it all, from a general lack of trust to correctly award a foul, to concerns over my ability to command the pitch, and of course the age-old sexist com-

ment ‘do you really know what the off-side rule is?’. Although the latter was often meant as a lighthearted joke from men who were overly impressed by the fact I wore a black kit with an FA badge, it was always guaranteed to miss the mark. Part of the fun, for me anyway, was then proving them all wrong. Not to blow my own whistle, but I soon became a favourite referee in the league, rewarded with refereeing the cup final in my first season- an achievement I was pretty proud of.

"Refereeing girls was what I often found most challenging" There were also a few unexpected downsides, as well as perks, of being a girl referee. I often found I got a lot of respect from the younger boys. I am not really sure why, but until U15 I faced no sexism from the boys on the pitch, nor managers or parents. In fact, I probably received a bizarre form of ‘ironic sexism’, where I was respected more because I was a girl. This was only apparent in the first few games I refereed for a team, and after that I was respected for my decision making and actions on the pitch, instead of people thinking they were sparing my feelings, which must have obviously been delicate as a woman. Conversely, refereeing girls was what I often found most challenging. Having played girls football at a junior level, I know it is far different to that of boys. Not in terms of skill, I played and refereed many girls who could run rings around boys their age, or even older, but there was a clear difference in approach. Bitchiness prevails over slide tackles and I found girls were more likely to challenge my authority.

"Interestingly, the only time I ever gave a red card, was to a parent" During the pregame line-ups, it wasn’t just boots you had to check, but jewellery. The amount of times I must have reminded, even asked, players to take out their earrings, remove bracelets or necklaces (for their own safety may I add), and then found them wearing them again by the second half amazed me. Eye rolling, sighs of disapproval and mutters of ‘bitch’ were common, but all spurred from their genuine passion for the game. Where I could I’d stop it, but as any ref will know, it is hard to know who said what when your back is turned. I often found myself more amazed at the girl’s games, mostly because I noticed many girls did not realise just how good they were,

shrugging off the incredible tackle or goal from the outside the box, as if embarrassed by the cheers. Boys were more arrogant, ball hogging was more common and selfish plays far more typical; sometimes in a girl’s game, two players would go for the ball and both would stop before they reached it, politely allowing the other to take it on; even if they were on opposing teams. I could give you hundreds of hilarious stories from junior football games, from a goal-keeper heading the ball out of the box because her manager was promoting defenders to do it, and she thought he was also talking to her, to a boy diving so blatantly and telling me ‘he saw Ronaldo do it on TV’, to under 7s celebrating own goals because they got confused which way they were shooting, there was always something I walked away from a pitch laughing about, which was definitely why I enjoyed it so much.

Olli Meek Sport Editor

They are supposed to be the everyman, the indistinct shadow whose presence, in a perfect world, should be without comment from the observer. We do not live in a perfect world though, and referees are often the focal point of a football match. It is, therefore, an intimidating atmosphere for all referees, whatever the level, because in the most part there is no one on the sidelines cheering you on, unlike the other 22 people around you. Few will jump to your defence and often you will incur the most negative emotions from the crowd. Whether or not these emotions have grounding in

the laws of the game is questionable on a lot of occasions, and it is like having the equivalent of a back-seat driver on the touch line. There could be 20 of them, there could be 20,000, however many spectators of the same opinion there are, the riot act will nevertheless be read to any and all officials that stand in the way of those who believe that they possess football omniscience. I am painting a negative image of football fans, granted, and as a fan myself I know all too well that it is the few who tar the names and reputations of the many, but this aggression towards officials is a plight throughout the game, whoever you are, wherever you may be.

"Few will jump to your defence and often you will incur the most negative emotions from the crowd" Simply put, I got into refereeing through my love of the game. I was never that able as a player, but the appeal to me was in the rarity with which one will find a football fan who has a detailed knowledge of what the laws actually are. I thought I could make the decisions that the Match of the Day presenters I had watched as a child would argue relentlessly about. One still gets a buzz from crossing the white line, despite being the person in the middle rather than the striker who will

gain plaudits for scoring the winner, or the goalkeeper who makes the save in the penalty shootout. With this view, few at any level will excel as a referee, if one has a good game they will very often be ignored, and if one makes only one or two mistakes, they will be in the firing line as the antichrist. Again, one could be forgiven for thinking that refereeing is a hiding to nothing, a tightrope from which the fall is significant and the reward at the other end minimal. Not so. For young people interested in football, or any other sport for that matter, I couldn't recommend it enough. To be able to step out on the pitch and take responsibility develops a strength of character that one will find in very few other places. To stand up and be openly critiqued on your strength of judgement early on a Sunday morning does significant benefit to one's own personal integrity. It conjures images of Rudyard Kipling’s “If” in many ways, so in my experience can do far more good than harm to take up, considering that qualified referees at grass roots level are always wanted.

"I got into refereeing through my love of the game" I would recommend refereeing to anyone, male or female; you may need thick skin, but don’t be put off by the negative side, because there are plenty of rewards, including a good sum of money for a maximum of 90 minutes work.

Second City Derby Win Sends Villa Second 16.02.2018 Thomas Leaman assesses Tottenham's move to their new stadium Page 36 Jake Bradshaw and Olli Meek examine VAR so far Page 37 Alex Alton examines YouTube's first ever boxing match Page 38 Olli Meek and Issy Campbell reflect upon their time as referees Page 39

For more, follow us on Twitter @redbricksport

Deputy Editor Harry Wilkinson reports on Aston Villa's victory against rivals Birmingham City Harry Wilkinson Deputy Editor @harry_wilks

Sunday the 11th February was a fantastic day for Aston Villa, beating Blues 2-0 in the Second City Derby to go second in the league. Villa scored two goals in the second half through Albert Adomah and Conor Hourihane to win their seventh win in a row and go up to second. The result means that of the last 14 derbies Villa have only lost one, and have not conceded in Birmingham's last 5 visits to Villa Park. Blues' last goal at the ground was in Villa's 5-1 victory in 2008. The game started very quickly, with Villa dominating the first 20 mins or so, and were frustrated not to be a goal ahead with Hogan hitting the woodwork. But Blues fought you back after soaking up Villa's early pressure, with Gallagher latching onto a ball played forward which Terry failed to intercept. The striker, on-loan from Southampton, struck the ball across goal, which rebounded back into his path, but he could not react quickly enough and diverted the ball high over the goal into the relieved Holte End.

"This is the highest position Villa have been whilst being in the Championship" This would be Blues' best chance of the game, and if Gallagher were to take it, one could only imagine how the game might have turned out. Villa were lucky to not concede there, however, it was probably their only mistake of the game, and they would go on to earn that luck. Villa dominated the second half.

Grealish continued his brilliant form of recent games, producing a performance between midfield and attack with quality a class above anything else on the pitch. And eventually one of his many moments of quality produced a goal. Grealish pierced the Birmingham defence with an exquisite, beautiful sideways pass; made with such precision that it landed perfectly in the path of Adomah, who struck the ball home off the post in 60th minute. Adomah ran towards the Holte End, standing on the sideboards whilst the fans went delirious before him. One of such fans was me on the front row, and by chance Adomah's celebrations happened directly in front of me. All the players came over, and it was amazing to just hear the shouting and see such raw emotion from the players and be so close. There was a moment where Hourihane and I made eye-contact, celebrating with a connection, waving our fists in the air, just delirious- I think I briefly fell in love with the man. Following this Birmingham tried their best to get back into the game, creating a few half-chances, but they never really looked like equalising. It was just a matter of time before Villa doubled their lead, and happily enough such a goal came through what has to be one of the best strikes of the season, from the man who I had been celebrating with just half an hour before. After a headed clearance out to the left of the box Hourihane chested the ball towards the ground, and on the bounce unleashed a powerful, looping volley into the top corner from about 25 yards. An unreal moment for the Irishman which sent Villa Park into raptures. Arms spread wide, Hourihane jogged towards the Holte End and basked in the glory of scoring such a massive goal. Not long after Snodgrass worked himself a decent chance to make it 3-0, but the Scotsman dragged the ball just wide of the far post. Just before the game ended Cheikh N'Doye received a second yellow card for a scuffle with

John Terry, which rounded up a funfilled afternoon for the Villa fans, and compounded a miserable one for Blues. It has to be said though that Blues should take a lot from the game. It was a brave performance- they came out to win, not to put men behind the ball and defend, even after Villa dominated the early stages. It was a decent performance by Birmingham, but it just wasn't enough to beat a Villa side in their best league form since 1990, with seven wins in a row now. Villa have now moved up to second the league on 59 points, one point above Derby County in third, and 12 points behind Wolves. This is the highest position Villa have been whilst being in the Championship, and hopefully we can stay there. With Derby losing away to Sheffield Weds on Tuesday it puts Villa in an even better position. There is still a lot to play for though, with plenty of tests ahead including Fulham away next Saturday, Wolves at home next month and Derby at home at the end of April.

"There was a moment where Hourihane and I made eye contact... I think I briefly fell in love with the man" Blues currently sit in 20th, 2 points and 2 places above the relegation zone. Few people can see Birmingham going down this year though, as they should have enough quality in players like Jota and Boga to produce the results they need to stay up. Overall it was an incredible day for Aston Villa- seventh win in a row, up to second in the league, convincing win against Blues, and some moments that the fans will never forget.