Redbrick
18th - 24th October 2013
Est. 1936
Vol. 78. Issue 1434. www.redbrick.me
Freshers' Housing Crisis Olivia Beesley discusses the media and its hidden agenda
News / Pages 4-5
Comment / Page 8
Jessica Flanagan on travelling alone in South America Travel / Page 12
Rochelle Stanley asks if the show can go on in Glee
Over
100 Freshers in Selly Oak
TV / Page 21
Ed Tyler on Birmingham mens football 1st's opening day win
150
fewer bed spaces than expected
Sport / Page 30 Photography by Katrin Busch
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News
Photo of the Week
Spotlight society: Buddy a Granny
by Sam Tunnicliffe
Tweet of the week Lecturer in Land Law at the University of Birmingham. Superhero.
Buddy a Granny is a volunteering project that visits both St Stephen's Day Centre and Bournbrook Residential Manor, Selly Oak, every Wednesday afternoon. They organise a variety of events, ranging from Bingo, to crafts, and quizzes, all with the aim of providing entertainment and companionship to the elderly residents. To contact 'Buddy a Granny' email buddy@guild.bham.ac.uk
Redbrick Editorial Team Editor Josh Holder editor@redbrick.me Deputy Editors Charley Ross James Kinsey deputy@redbrick.me Digital Editor Ashley Kirk digital@redbrick.me News Editors Zahra Damji Izi Hicks Beth Clarke Adam Rowe news@redbrick.me Comment Editors James Phillips Daniel Baird Sophie Tollet comment@redbrick.me
Arts Editors Katherine Keegan Stuart Found Benjamin Carver arts@redbrick.me
Life&Style Editors Marianne Lampon Victoria Haworth Alexandra Landes lifestyle@redbrick.me
Film Editors Becky McCarthy Tom Lofkin Ben Jackson film@redbrick.me
Music Editors Lily Blacksell Susie Dickey Sam Dix music@redbrick.me
Travel Editors Hannah Stevens Elizabeth Waind Tamara Silver travel@redbrick.me
Sci&Tech Editors Soumya Perinparajah Claire Harris
Television Editors Hannah Mason Daisy Follett Jo Kendall tv@redbrick.me
Food Editors Gemma Bridge Lynette Dakin Millie Walker food@redbrick.me
technology@redbrick.me
Photography Editors Charlotte Wilson Emily Hickey-Mason photography @redbrick.me
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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.
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Demand for University Counselling on the Rise University of Birmingham
Sabrina Dougall Reporter
@Sabrina_Dougall
The number of students seeking counselling services at the University of Birmingham has risen by 23.76% since 2008, according to the Help Me survey. 114 British universities responded to the survey, which focused on the number of students accessing mental health support services. The story, first reported by The Guardian last week, showed that The University of Birmingham was 44th on the list of universities with the greatest increase in demand. At the top of the list were the University of Glasgow, Lancaster University and the University of York, which each saw an increase of over 100% between 2008 and 2013. The demand for welfare services at the University of Birmingham has, however, fluctuated in that time period, with the university reporting 1151 users of counselling services in the year 2011-12, - which actually marks a 1% decrease in demand from
the previous year. However, when contrasting the latest figures with those from 2008/9, the overall trend is towards a greater number of students taking advantage of the services in place. Speaking about the trend, the university's student-run listening service, Nightline, while stressing that they were not a counselling service as they do not provide advice,
"A decreasing stigma about mental health leads to more students being open to the fact that they may be suffering from such disorders" said, ‘We have also noticed a considerable rise in contacts in the past year, by almost 50%. We actually have a positive view
about this rise, as we believe it reflects a greater awareness about services such as ours being available to students, and a decreasing stigma about mental health leading to more students being open to the fact that they may be suffering from such disorders. 'We get contacted about a whole range of issues, but academic stress, relationship problems and loneliness are particularly common.’ Nightline is UoB’s official student-run listening service. Open 6pm-8am every night of term, they can be contacted at nightline@guild.bham.ac.uk Vice President (Welfare) at the Guild of Students, Jethro Lee, also welcomed the increase: ‘I think it is a really positive thing because it means more people are seeking help.’ He puts the increase down to two key reasons. Firstly, that since 2010, the University and the Guild have engaged in ‘a really strong drive to advertise student support services’ through mentor representation and leaflet drops. The second reason he gave was the
changes that the university has made to its approach to mental health since the official review of its counselling and guidance provisions at the end of last year. A result of this has been that services have shifted to ‘a drop-in model,’ which, according to Lee, has meant that they have been able see a lot more people. He added that as a result, low-level concerns can now be dealt with more rapidly. Lee also noted a ‘more proactive approach’ of Elms Road counselling services which now contacts students directly following referrals from personal tutors through a disclosure procedure. More counsellors have also been made available for peak times such as during the exam and results periods. He also pointed to the increase in external initiatives, such as the NUS's Time to Change campaign, which has increased the openness around the discussion of mental health more generally. ‘As more people are prepared to talk about mental health, they are more willing to put the stigma surrounding it behind them, and actually talk about it and seek help.’
UoB Vice-Chancellor Comments on Tuition Fee Rise Supported by Russell Group Adam Rowe
Online News Editor @adamrowe93 Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, Professor David Eastwood, who is the current Chair of the Russell Group and was also Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England, comments on the Russell Group’s view that the tuition fee cap should be raised for top universities. The Russell Group, which consists of 24 of the UK’s most research-intensive universities, of which the University of Birmingham is a member, has agreed with Professor Andrew Hamilton, ViceChancellor of University of Oxford, that the fee cap should be raised to £16,000 per year and that the ‘ceiling’ of £9,000 is prohibiting universities such as Oxford from improving its standards. Professor Hamilton argues that tuition fees should be ‘clearly aligned with what it [the institution] offers’ and therefore as Oxford spends £16,000 per year on each student it should be allowed to impose this rise in fees in order to reduce its current yearly deficit of £70 million and provide a better standard of education. Hamilton argues that the cap of £9,000 works unfairly for the ‘first-rate’ universities.
Professor Hamilton explains how some institutions are ‘comfortably covering the cost of what they want to provide for their students’. Despite supporting a rise in the cap, he does make clear that the rise should not act as ‘a barrier to student access’ and that ‘robust and generous financial support [still] remains readily available for students who most need it.’ Professor Eastwood released a statement via his press office supporting Professor Hamilton on the view that 'the current funding model does not necessarily reflect the actual costs of delivering the kind of degree that research-intensive universities like Birmingham want to offer'. However, Eastwood does explain that the University is ‘fortunate to be able to address to some extent thanks to the generosity of our many alumni and donors who support our Access to Birmingham programme'. On whether he supports a rise, his statement explains how universities must have ‘had a chance to reflect on the impact of the current fee structure over a longer timeframe, and at least the full undergraduate cycle, it would be premature to start any meaningful debate on this.’
Millie Guy
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News Vedika Bahl News Reporter
Zahra Damji News Editor
@itsmevediaka @zahra_damji
The number of first year students applying for student accommodation places has seen a significant increase this year with hundreds of students being housed in private accommodation. Many first year students have also had to find housing in Selly Oak. This includes 281 students who have been housed in Liberty Court, 163 students in Liberty Close and 51 students in Opal 1. Some students were even pointed towards accommodation near Aston University. The University of Birmingham has reported that the number of first years who have had to rent houses in Selly Oak reached 100 based on the number of students who had come forward and attended their house hunting event. However, the Guild of Students estimates that this is more likely between 150200 students, basing their numbers on the
Adam Rowe
Online News Editor
Izi Hicks
News Editor
@adamrowe93 @izihicks
data collected by the Selly Oak Support group, student mentors and wardens. The Vice President (Housing & Community), Dave Charles, explained that these numbers are only approximates because the letting agents are under a confidentiality agreement not to give out personal information about their tenants, which means that the Guild are unable to meet with these students and it fears that they may not know about all of the services open to them. While the ‘Freshers’ Guarantee Scheme’, which guarantees ‘all first-year undergraduate students a room in University accommodation or nominated bedspace in third-party accommodation’ does mention the possibility of students being housed with private providers, many students have complained about being offered places outside their price range or too distant from campus.
Increased costs Rianna Nicholas is a first year student living at Liberty Court, who despite applying for accommodation within the ‘guarantee period’, did not receive any of her six choices. She said that she had visited the Vale, Tennis Court and Pritchatts Park on the University Open Day and ‘based my decision to come to Birmingham on the accommodation that I saw and was happy with. I didn’t think that I wouldn’t get any of my six preferences as I did everything correctly’. She also told Redbrick of her concerns about living in a busy part of town and how it ‘takes me 40 minutes to walk home along a main road’.
"I have got none of my choices and I cannot afford the one I’ve been given" Another student, who chose to remain anonymous, explained to Redbrick that she had had to organise accommodation at the Pavillion, a third-party student residence located about 40 minutes walking distance away from the University. She is now one of approximately fifteen UoB students in the block of 147, living in a studio flat costing £6,800 per annum. She added that ‘it was my only choice left if my family couldn’t have financially supported me. I would have either had to defer my university place or looked for a private rented house in somewhere like Selly Oak’. She also mentioned how the Pavillion contained ‘no communal areas like Halls - you have to literally knock randomly on doors if you are to meet people’. Manira Khan, a first year student who was assigned housing in Pritchatts Park said, ‘I felt extremely lucky to be given university accommodation considering I transferred here from Durham University just last week. I was expecting to be staying off-campus given that I came here late but I was given a space in Pritchatts Park, which is so lucky’. Students who were placed in third-party accommodation faced not only higher costs but also different payment options, with one first year student telling Redbrick that they had been asked to pay over £5,000 upfront to secure their place after being allocated accommodation in Victoria Halls, with the choice of paying three separate installments beginning with £1000 on the 1st September, which she also found unreasonable because it was before student loans had come in. However, the University insisted that upfront fees were not ‘the standard terms’ that are supposed to be offered by thirdparty providers through the University.
Even students who were offered accommodation by the University have spoken about facing increased prices after being assigned accommodation outside of their preferences. This is particularly true of those who were placed into catered accommodation. On a Facebook group made up of University of Birmingham first years, one student talked about their total living costs reaching £8,000 for the year after being assigned catered, en-suite accommodation in Mason Hall, which costs just over £7,300 even though it wasn’t what they had applied for. They added that ‘I have got none of my choices and I cannot afford the one I’ve been given, plus it’s a meal plan which I didn’t want!’ One student commented that it was ‘unreasonable to dump an extra 2 grand on you’. This was similar to another student, who said ‘I cannot afford the place I’ve been given, it’s around 7 grand and all my choices were about 4!’. While some students have been able to transfer into more affordable housing, many appear to have had to pay the extra cost. Otherwise, they faced being placed in offcampus accommodation. One student said, ‘I was told if I didn’t accept what I’d been given, I’d be positioned off campus, which I didn’t want’. Another student, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Redbrick that he had applied for Jarratt Hall in March this year but was now living in Liberty Court because ‘after ringing the accommodation office a week after my A-Level results, they noticed an error. They placed my application for accommodation in last year's list’. He goes on to explain how ‘I wonder sometimes if I did not ring at all, would I have been able to get any accommodation’. While the University has said that most
"I was told that if I didn't accept what I'd been given, I'd be positioned off campus" accommodation offers were sent out within 48 hours of A Level results day this year, a number of students have reported still being without confirmed accommodation a week before the move in date. A first year from Opal 1, told Redbrick that ‘I anxiously waited for an accommodation offer, only to be told repeatedly that I was still in the system and to wait. I was given a space at Opal 1 just a week before moving in - barely enough time to sort myself out.’
University H Shortage In a statement to Redbrick, a spokesperson for the University has said: ‘The University of Birmingham is among the best universities in the country and as such is an extremely popular choice. We provide a guarantee scheme for first year undergraduate students who apply for accommodation by the end of May. A small number of undergraduate students were not part of this scheme and we have worked with them to find accommodation, taking into account location preferences and budget. While not all students have their first choice of accommodation, we are confident that by the start of the academic year all of our new students had arrangements in place. We have a significant investment programme in place to ensure that we can meet future demand, which includes an additional 150 beds in 2014.’
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Housing Katrin Bush @kabulein
VPHC Dave Charles has said: ‘As a result of the University’s strong recruitment drive and the subsequent shortage of bed spaces in residences, the Guild’s primary focus has been to do what we can to assist these students in getting the best from their time in Birmingham. We’ve instated an emergency RA committee to deliver services to the additional residences the university have placed students in and we’ve been using the community warden scheme to reach out to students in private housing in Selly Oak to highlight the services on offer and next week, the Guild will be running the first of a series of events for students who have fallen outside of the University’s fresher accommodation guarantee’.
Emergency RA Committee set up Charles pointed out a number of Guild services that are still available for students outside campus such as Selly Watch, SHAC, student mentors and the Sabbatical Officers, all of which are able to give advice and help to all students. The Sabbatical Team have also arranged a series of RA-style socials, which are being funded by the University. The first of these is on 21st October, offering any first years who are not represented by an RA the opportunity to meet the Sabbatical team over pizza in Joe’s Bar. This will be followed by a meal and night out to socialise and raise awareness of the services in place for them. The VPHC has said that these events were planned because of concerns about the welfare of those students living in private accommodation including Opal 1, Pavillion and Selly Oak, who are not represented by an RA committee due to the location of their residence. The Sabbatical Team also set up an emergency RA committee in the last week before term began with responsibility for those Freshers living in Liberty Close and Metchley Halls. In the last academic year, 2012-13, the University under-recruited and the majority of students were able to secure accommodation in university-owned halls. Due to this, there were no elected candidates for the FOCSOC committee and so there was not a RA committee ready for the incoming freshers this year. In comparison to last year, the
Government’s removal of the cap on the number of AAB students that Universities were able to accept this year meant that a higher number of students were allocated places at the university through clearing, which resulted in the strain on accommodation services. However, the University has insisted that the increase was not significant compared to the admission numbers of 2011. The University’s drive for Clearing and Adjustment students meant that around 100 places were assigned to students who chose to come to Birmingham after Results Day, but a university spokesperson explained that this was only done in exceptional circumstances. A resident of Shackleton Hall spoke to Redbrick about being ‘over the moon’ that he got allocated his second accommodation preference despite coming late to the system, through the Adjustment process. The shortage of accommodation spaces was in part attributed to the unfinished extension of Jarratt Hall, which was originally due for completion over the summer, meaning that there were 150 fewer bed spaces available than expected in university owned halls for the student intake of 2013/14. This is expected to be completed for Autumn 2014, with a further 700 University accommodation spaces set to be available in another location the following year. It is nonetheless estimated that 15-20% of students will be in private, third party accommodation next year.
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News
Death Row Exoneree Speaks at UoB Ray Krone speaks to students to mark World Day Against the Death Penalty Adam Rowe
News Editor
@adamrowe93
Sofia Karttenun News Reporter
University of Birmingham
Ray Krone, who was placed on Death Row after being wrongly charged with the murder, kidnap and sexual assault of Kimberly Ancona, visited the University of Birmingham on the 10th October, the World Day Against the Death Penalty. He delivered a talk to around 400 students and staff from a variety of disciplines about his experiences of being wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death. The talk was held in the new Bramall Music Building, organised by the Law School’s ‘CEPLER’ (Centre for Professional Legal Education and Research) group. ‘Have you ever been blamed for something your brother or sister did?’ Ray asked the audience. ‘That’s what my story is about’. Giving some context to the situation, he began by describing how Ancona had been discovered stabbed in the men’s toilets at the bar that she worked in, at which Ray was a regular. Shortly after this discovery, two police detectives in suits confronted him in his driveway, the first of several meetings in which the police ignored all his claims to innocence. He was soon brought to trial, where he was found guilty after an expert’s testimony linked him to a bite mark on the victim’s body. He spoke about his shock at having to mitigate a crime he had not committed and then being taken to a special facility reserved for the worst criminals, who the state had decided deserved to die. He explained that for most, death was welcome escape from the conditions of the prison, which he described as a ‘living hell’, with poor food and limited recreation opportunities. Ray was the 100th death row inmate
freed since the reinstatement of capital punishment in the United States in 1976. He was released after a DNA bank was opened up in the U.S. and a new law was passed that made it easier for DNA tests to be submitted in retrials. The new evidence led to a known sex offender who had lived 600 yards from the crime scene. Intentional tampering of the evidence in Krone’s case was found after his release. The footprints from the scene were measured at size 9, yet Ray’s were an 11, but the prosecution modified the reported shoe-size to make it appear closer to Ray’s. Ellen Hitchman, a first-year Law student at the University, told Redbrick that she was particularly moved by Krone’s speech. She said that ‘it definitely made me think more about the death penalty’ and explained that the talk had influenced her opinion and had greatly opened up the negative side of the death penalty on a level that she had never considered before. A final-year Environmental Science student also commented, ‘the American justice system is like their health system, it serves the rich’, which echoed what Krone had said about the problem of lower and middle-class citizens being represented by inadequate, state-provided defence attorneys. Ray now works for Witness to Innocence, a group that represents exonerated death row prisoners and campaigns against the use of the death penalty in the United States. ‘I didn’t go to my high school guidance counselor saying that I want to become a motivational speaker who sits in prison for ten years but maybe that was the path I was supposed to take’. Concluding the lecture, Ray encouraged the audience to ‘fight for change’ and ‘take strength’ from his story. ‘At the end of it, you’re not going to be a victim, you’re going to be a survivor’.
Tara Dein reports on the results of UCU's ballot on strike action
Anna Kirk
Higher Education Strikes Planned
Following the refusal to improve a 1% pay offer, which would include work on gender gaps, casual contracts and flexible working hours, 69% of union-affiliated academics and university staff backed a national walkout in a ballot opened last month. Union leaders, particularly members who work in higher education, are demanding an enhanced offer from universities, threatening imminent strike action if there is a failure to compromise. Announced on the 10th October, the UCU argue that unless employers meet to resolve the issue, and engage in 'meaningful negotiations', a walkout and further disruptions are inevitable. Academics and other union-affiliated staff, including librarians, administrative staff and technicians, claim to have not received an effective pay increase since October 2008. Since then, they argue that the cumulative one billion pound surplus surely leaves room for an improved pay deal. According to UCU statistics, overall staff costs have fall from 58% in 2001 to 55.5% in 2011. In addition to this, the cuts become effective directly in conjunction with the increase in pay and pension packages for University Leaders, exacerbating the anger and frustration of union-affiliated staff.
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Comment
Remembrance Day Needs to Evolve Meg Tapp argues that we need to approach Remembrance Day with a secular attitude As we draw closer to November 11th 2013 – the ninety-fifth anniversary of the Armistice which ended the First World War – the poppies spring out in shops all over the UK and councils in every town make plans for the annual commemoration of those who have died in warfare. The manner in which we use this day to remember has changed somewhat since 1919, when the very first Day of Remembrance was observed. There was only one war in mind on that occasion, and since then many other conflicts have increased the number of losses in whose names we observe the two minute silence. However, some aspects of the event have not changed, and the wholly Christian nature of the Cenotaph ceremony has left some people thinking that perhaps we need a new approach to a day of international remembrance. In 1919, the overwhelming majority of people in the United Kingdom would have considered themselves to be Christian. As such, it would have been totally appropriate for a ceremony of remembrance to have had a largely Christian nature. However, even in 1919, when Edwin Lutyens designed the Cenotaph, it was acknowledged that the monument itself should have a nondenominational inscription, so as to apply to all those who served and died, no matter
what their take on religion. He was met with much resistance from Church leaders, who wanted a quote from the Bible to adorn the Cenotaph, but he recognised that to create a symbol for universal remembrance, the inscription had to be universal, too. As the years have gone by, and the UK has become more multicultural, that sentiment seems more important than ever.
"Remembrance Day ceremonies...still adhere to the traditions of the Church of England" Despite this, the way in which Remembrance Day ceremonies are conducted around the country still adhere to the traditions of the Church of England. According to the 2011 census, 59.5% of people in the UK consider themselves Christian, but not all of these will be Anglican, given the enormous amount of different denominations of Christianity that are present in this country. 25.7% of people
stated that they were non-religious, and those with other non-Christian religions amounted to 7.7% of the population, the largest group in which was Muslim, totalling 4.4% of the UK. This means that at least 33.4% - one third – of the UK population is non-Christian, and within those who are, the enormous variations within Christian belief in the UK suggests that around 80% will be Anglican. With such a significant fraction of the United Kingdom having a religious belief other than Anglicanism, is it wholly appropriate that the Cenotaph ceremony should be so dominated by Anglican sentiments? Many people argue that the ceremony acts to exclude anyone that does not align themselves with the Church of England, and that perhaps a far more inclusive approach to Remembrance Day would be a secular one. This would involve the readings at the ceremony having the same ideas of grief, respect, remembrance and the sacrifices made by those who have died, but without any mention of a particular religious thought. When the time comes for the two-minute silence, anyone with a religious belief could use that opportunity for their own silent prayer. The United Kingdom is now a melting-pot society of
different religious attitudes, so why do we only acknowledge one viewpoint in an event that was always intended to be an inclusive day of international remembrance?
"Remembrance Day should be a day in which we can all share in the experience of respecting the war dead" Whatever our attitudes towards religion, we all feel the same emotions of grief and loss. Remembrance Day should be a day in which we can all share in the experience of respecting those who gave their lives, and yet for many, whether at the Cenotaph or in their local town, the inclusion of prayers is an aspect of the event in which they may not wish to participate. Perhaps it is time to remember Lutyens’ original sentiment behind his simple inscription on the Cenotaph: giving everyone the opportunity to remember those who have served, regardless of their religious belief.
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Comment
Hidden Agendas of the Media The Daily Mail's article on Ralph Miliband has highlighted their hidden agenda Olivia Beesley Commentator
@Oliviabeesley
Yet again, it seems that the Daily Mail tabloid newspaper has succeeded in offending the public. While this is no rare occurrence or show stopping headline (‘Mail: Offending Never Ending’), there was something about the recent attacks on Ed Miliband and his family that made me more passionate about their pushing of hidden agendas than usual- it had been widely detected by the public, verbally exposed by the government and led to the
"The irony that this article has attracted more support for the Labour Party leader is one I find highly amusing" backfiring of their medieval mudslinging approach to politics. Many people gave sympathy to Miliband in light of this attack, therefore creating the complete opposite reaction to what the Mail had intended. The irony that this article has attracted more support for the Labour Party leader is one that I find highly amusing. Furthermore, without stooping to the same mudslinging approach of the Daily Mail, many others have recently recognised the
paper’s hypocrisy. The highlighting of not only Lord Rothermere’s father’s legacy as a tax exile in France but Lord Rothermere’s own tax avoidance, and the paper’s fascist past (‘Hurrah for the Blackshirts’) has been topical to say the least. However, what I found to be particularly interesting in this debacle was that it placed the spotlight on hidden agendas (or not-sohidden agendas as the case may be). It seems that the Miliband-Mail debate has not only done wonders for Labour Party support, but for the enlightenment of the public mind. Realisation of hidden agendas of the media is starting to dawn upon the everyday tabloid reader. The Mail’s determination to portray Miliband as apart from British culture seemed to trigger cases of déjà vu among the public. Apart from British culture, where have we heard this before? The larger picture is media manipulation of the public’s minds to promote their own personal, political imperatives. Tabloids have become weapons of public conditioning, subtly fear-mongering readers into certain political persuasions. The ever-occurring case can be seen in the British tabloids’ relentless attacks on multiculturalism- it seems that Ed Miliband is not alone in being targeted as ‘apart’ from national culture. The Mail’s targeting of multiculturalism spans across their history, with a notable case being seen in their article covering the group of men who were grooming girls near Rochdale: the paper’s primary focus was on the men as an ‘Asian Grooming Gang’ and their affiliation with Islam. The promotion of Islamophobia is one that has been exhausted in the papers, yet
continues to push the British public into a mentality of ‘us’ and ‘them’- a mentality that I find all too worrying. With a quarter of 18-24 year olds declaring that they “do not trust Muslims” in a recent BBC poll, I question how much of this lack of trust has sprung from media fear mongering. More recently, The Sun’s headlines read ‘1,200 Killed by Mental Patients’, playing on the already present stigmatization of mental health patients. I argue that isolation and attempted separation of those of minority health issues, ethnicities, religions, classes
and sexual orientations via the media is not acceptable and I take great pleasure in the public’s recent realisation of tabloid tactics. In response to such attempted separation of groups and individuals from British culture, I look to journalist Mehdi Hasan’s question on the BBC’s ‘Question Time’: “Who hates Britain more?” Is it those who are the victims of stigmatisation at the hands of biased papers? Or perhaps it is those very same papers that continue to isolate minorities that play an integral role in our modern British society.
The Power of Technology Julia Bayer Commentator
@Jay10Bay
During the summer, I got speaking to a relative who was trying to convince me that upon finishing university I should leave the UK for a while. He then proceeded to tell me all about his year abroad in France and the wonders he experienced. After highlighting all the obvious great things about the country - the Eiffel Tower; the constant flow of baguettes and the endless amount of snails served at every restaurant, he proceeded to tell me that the best bit about the whole experience wasn’t actually France but rather that he was in a foreign country and knew no one. He was entirely alone, in a country he had never been to before, barely speaking the language, with the nearest phone so expensive that the idea of calling home was laughable - and, yet, ultimately he felt freer than even
before. It sounded great but for some reason I just couldn’t picture his vision, it sounded so contradictory. As I replayed my summer, which had consisted of a fair bit of travelling to foreign countries, I had realised I had never really felt that freedom. At each destination, I had spoken to my family pretty frequently, my friends from home had continued to text and WhatsApp me, I was still on Twitter and I was pretty up to date with everyone’s Instagrams. More importantly I didn’t even have to describe my work in Washington to my dad because I just picked up my iPhone and FaceTimed him, showing him all round the office, while I watched him drink his cup of tea in the garden. I may have been halfway across the world but technology had me trapped and, in hindsight, I was far from free. This then pushed me to assess our reliance on technology today as a whole and forced me to realise that we’ve slowly become a generation who can’t actually access this
freedom because technology has us whipped. We wake up, check Twitter, Facebook, the news, our texts, WhatsApps, emails, Instagrams and fifteen minutes later, you’re finally up to date enough with the world to get out of bed. Then the day continues and you find yourself checking these social media outlets numerous more times. By the time you go to bed that night, so much has changed, you don’t even remember what you
"We've slowly become a generation who can't actually access this freedom" read four hours ago, let alone when you woke up that morning. Now, going back to the original question of whether a year away would give me the freedom I craved when technology had
become so invasive, I got thinking back to my last summer during which I had gone to a close friend's wedding in Argentina. After the wedding I had decided to leave my friends and went to Iguazu Falls, only a plane ride away, for 3 days. There was no WiFi for the entire duration of the trip and, although (according to my relative) that was so called freedom, I had never been more scared. No one knew my flight times, I was staying alone in a tent in the middle of the forest and I could have died by falling down one of the waterfalls; the headline would have been about some British tourist because in this Spanish speaking, ridiculously humid land, I was nameless. What I really could have done with, was some WiFi! Overall, this led me to the conclusion that there is a balance of technology to be found in this world. Leaving the UK still sounds like the freedom I am looking for, but my phone and the rest of technology will still very much be at my disposal, just hopefully a little or, even better, a lot less!
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Heckling Is Not a Compliment Shouting at people in the streets is an ineffective method of seduction Hannah Stevens Travel Editor
@hannahshewans
How many times have you been heckled whilst walking down the street? Let me guess: if you’re a girl you lost count years ago, and if you're a guy you can probably count on one hand. Heckling is a worldwide issue and one that I have experienced constantly from the moment I grew a pair of boobs. Every woman I know has struggled with the stress of feeling victimised and ogled by complete strangers. It can make you feel like a child again; small and incapable of protecting yourself, particularly if you’re on your own. I wish I could understand what goes through the minds of hecklers when they decide that shouting at a complete stranger is an acceptable thing to do. The problem is that the people who deem this as an appropriate act cannot appreciate how much they can intimidate their victims, especially when they consider their shouts of ‘sexy’ or ‘nice ass’ at an innocent bystander a compliment. However, if that is what the person thinks is the perfect
compliment then they clearly need a lesson in seduction. Furthermore, generations after generations have become so accustomed to this behaviour that it has become a social norm. I’ve witnessed women completely ignore a heckler and simply walk faster, or even laugh it off. Are we so used to it that we have become immune to its effects? It amazes me that some women blow it off by saying that it's 'just men being men'. Excuse me, but that is pure bullshit. The fact that it has become such a frequent occurrence does not mean it is okay, 'just a joke' or even a compliment. So please wake up ladies and realise that this should never be seen as a
"It amazes me that some women blow it off by saying it's 'just men being men'" normal occurrence, but an insult. In comparison to the jeering and the shouted ‘compliments’ I often receive in England, whilst visiting Turkey I became a
witness to an entirely different side to heckling. I was there for only a week and I’ve never been complimented so much, so frequently, in such a short space of time. Granted, the praise was usually followed by requests to check out their stores, but when a heckler is complimenting you with ‘you’re beautiful’ you are far more inclined to forgive their intrusion; whereas a screamed ‘hot ass’ is not exactly going to warm you to a person, let alone a complete stranger. Despite this friendlier tone it still didn’t warm me to the idea of accepting a heckler. If you want to compliment a person please attempt to do it in a more socially acceptable manner – screaming at an innocent bystander is not tolerable and there are no excuses. Above all I cannot fathom why a heckler would think that a stranger wants to be ‘flattered’ in such a way. I don’t know a single person who wouldn’t rather be called ‘beautiful’, or ‘handsome’ over ‘hot’ or ‘sexy’. It’s not praise that I’d particularly like to hear from a stranger, that’s for sure. So take a hint from the Turkish and if you want to compliment a girl, compliment her! Don’t scream at her or intimidate her. Just tell her you think she’s beautiful and it’ll be a lot less creepy, that’s for sure. Well, as long
as it isn’t on a dark street corner while you are holding a can of beer. Besides, in the world we live in today you are far more likely to end up with someone you met completely randomly, in comparison to the generations before us who were more commonly married to childhood sweethearts and old friends. Due to the way our modern romantic lives function, first impressions are very important, so what do these people think is going to come out of heckling perfect strangers with their supposed compliments? It’s a mystery to me, that’s for sure. Everyone must be aware of what they say to people, because heckling anyone is an ugly thing to do, and no one wants to be that creepy person. So just remember: heckling a stranger is not a compliment; it is not a way to boost someone’s confidence and it is definitely not okay. So just stop it, already. I could go on forever informing you what is so inherently wrong about heckling and the impact it has on people today, but I won’t because otherwise this article will never end. If you want to further understand the impact some ‘innocent heckling’ can do, go and have a look at this revolutionary project: http://www.everydaysexism.com/.
An Intrinsic Failure of Democracy Adam Isaacs Commentator
It’s quite perverse really: one faction of one party controlling one half of one branch of government, through nothing other than gerrymandering really; shutting down the entire government, after holding one law hostage. As of October 1st, parts of the US government shut down owing to the failure of Congress to agree on appropriations to fund the government. The Republican-run House would only agree to a budget deal if major Obamacare provisions were struck down, whilst the Democratic-held Senate unequivocally stated that Obamacare would not be up for negotiation: not such an easy gap to bridge, even if the politicians were trying. It’s estimated that 800,000 federal employ-
ees now face unpaid leave. So what can be seen is all-round negligence; but the intrinsic failure of US democracy doesn’t stop there, not by a long way. This one aforementioned faction, the infamous Tea Party, is funded largely by ‘special interests’. Essentially multinational corporations buying into the political system- after being allowed to do so by the unelected Supreme Court, in the ruling Citizens United v. The FEC. This reduced the cap that the McCain-Feingold law imposed on campaign finance donations by big business that had existed since 2002: a democratic law passed by Congress (easier said than done) overturned by the unelected. Either way, ‘ the one per cent’ have their hands on Washington, and after a long hard year of making sure nothing passes through Congress, they’ve seen to it that the
Republicans hold hostage the government as leverage in repealing ostensibly the piece of ‘world ending legislation’, the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). The unfathomable here is what the Republicans are fighting so hard against. Maybe, and just maybe, if the fight were over appropriations for an unjust military intervention, the call to shut down government might be merited. In reality, Republicans are stomping their feet like bratty children because the federal government are allowing the millions that are uninsured, living in poverty, to have premiums made affordable. Being objective, the effects of the shutdown are meek- a slight drop in the GDP and a stock market decline around 2% are the main nationwide outcomes; the real issue is whether government will be recon-
vened in time for ‘debt ceiling showdown’, if not, the US will be forced to default on all its debts; plunging the world into some sort of cataclysmic recession- because we hadn’t had enough of that fun. The Affordable Care Act is law. Passed by Congress in 2010, signed by the man elected in 2008 on the premise of passing a bill such as this. Upheld by the Supreme court in 2011 and re-affirmed by the reelection of President Obama in 2012. Inexplicable stupidity, delinquency and intrinsic failure of democracy has brought the US to the brink over this law. There’s only one side responsible for this quagmire, and it’s the persnickety, juvenile party. The party of anti- intellectuals. The ‘take us back to 1776’ Party. Government problems are the fault of a broken democracy and an evil Republican Party.
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18th - 24th October 2013
redbrick.me/comment
Comment
The politics of the centre ground is dead – at least for now George Reeves Commentator
So it’s back to business as usual in British politics after the ridiculously long summer break that MPs are lucky enough to enjoy. However, although the mundane daily proceedings of the House of Commons may appear to be the same, the events of the summer signify a remarkable shift in the tactics of all three main party leaders. It would appear that David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg have all simultaneously decided that the nice, cosy, moderate politics of the centre ground is no longer in fashion, and that what the public want, indeed, what the public need, is a more polarised and extreme form of politics. Think Britain during the 1980s, or the current situation in the USA. They may still look the same, but Cameron, Miliband and Clegg have suddenly been transformed into revolutionaries. From David Cameron, the appeals to right-wing Thatcherism at the Conservative Party Conference were only too obvious; maybe the Iron Lady’s death was necessary for Tory modernisers to realise that Thatcherism won three elections, whilst Cameron’s compassionate conservatism can’t even produce a majority. Ed Miliband, meanwhile, seems to think that living up to his ‘Red Ed’ image will persuade Middle England swing voters that they need to switch to Labour, although I don’t quite think his call to socialism will resonate amongst the cobbled streets of the Home Counties and the Cotswolds. By simulatenously purging his frontbench of the few remaining Blairites such as Shadow Education Secretary Stephen Twigg, it would appear that Miliband is in fact trying to prove to trade unionists that he is, in fact, 'one of them' after all. But do these apparent changes actually mean anything, or are they just pieces of red meat for the party faithful on both sides? We will find out over time, but maybe we really are witnessing the end of the moderate politics that we’ve grown used to in recent years. With UKIP on the rise, the Conservatives are realising the importance of its right wing in order to win elections, and know that a majority in 2015 will be impossible without these votes, whilst Labour and the Liberal Democrats are desperate to prove that they are fit to govern, and won’t just blindly support Conservative policies, such as spending cuts and public service reform. However, we have seen events like this before; back in the late 1970s, a newly elected Tory leader sought to break with consensus by shifting her party to the right, whilst a Labour Party dominated by trade union issues was steadily moving further to the left. Maybe the politics of the centre ground is dead for now, but you can guarantee that it will return.
News News
Views
Andy Mitchell. Charlotte Church’s recent attacks on the music industry as ‘sexist’ and ‘demeaning’, whilst smacking slightly of – ahem – jumping on the bandwagon, are undoubtedly true. On the whole I agree with the comments she made. Should music videos have age ratings? Yes. Does the music industry put an emphasis upon unrealistic, cartoonish female sexuality? Yes. Is Rihanna gyrating for four minutes art? Probably not. However, her victimisation of women such as Cyrus and Rihanna, with claims they are ‘forced’ into selling themselves, annoys me. These are grown-up women with the right to decide how they present themselves. There are many reasons why Cyrus probably shouldn’t have gyrated around in that latex bikini. But she did. And it was her decision. And anyone who saw the performance could see she was enjoying the whole thing.
ENTERTAINMENT
LEGAL Dan Baird. The news has just come through that the Supreme Court has rejected the appeal of two British prisoners (Peter Chester and George McGeoch) who have been campaigning for their right to vote. It was previously stated by the European Court of Human Rights that Britain's blanket ban on prisoner voting was in breach of human rights law. David Cameron argues that by being sent to prison people have broken the law and therefore have lost the right to vote. However, is this not an incredibly heavy handed approach? There is no distinction in the current system between people who have been sent to prison for minor theft and those who have been sent to prison for murder. Since it has been found in breach the UK Parliament will have to change their legislation. The question is: how much will they drag their feet before they do?
18th - 24th October 2013
redbrick.me/comment
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Malala Yousafzai: The Birmingham School Girl who wasn’t awarded the Nobel Prize Jonathan Simpson Commentator
The Nobel Peace Prize is a long-standing and prestigious award for those who have made outstanding contributions to making the world a safer and fairer place. Anybody who needs convincing of the award's importance need only look at the list of former winners, which include Dr. Martin Luther King and President Barack Obama. This year’s award had several controversial favourites to win, which included President Vladimir Putin (an odd nomination, as he seems to be most often in the news for his medieval stance on homosexuality), Edward Snowdon and Julian Assange (both of whom are wanted by various Western Governments) and, on even longer odds, Facebook. The outstanding, and widely thought most deserving, candidate was 16 year old schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai, who eventually won the award for her incredible commitment to women’s rights activism in Pakistan. No, wait, hang on, that’s what should have happened Instead, the award went to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons who, though completing vital work to support those in Syria who have been devastated by President Assad’s regime, seems to have won for doing its job. Without begrudging the OPCW’s attainment of the award, which symbolises the international community’s gratitude to those who have been helping people in Syria, I have to express my disappointment for Malala. Malala has demonstrated courage and political leadership on a scale almost unlike any other at her age and has become an inspiration world-wide for people to stand up for their beliefs. At the age of 16 nobody would have blamed her for being scared of the Taliban, but her voice has grown louder and louder, despite receiving a bullet to the head, and now people all over the world have heard the call for women to be educated from an incomparable schoolgirl. Some argue that she’s still too young to bear the weight of prestige and expectation which seems to come as a side order with a Nobel Peace Prize. But surely she has proven herself worthy? Hasn’t she already demonstrated her competence at handling the spotlight? Two things are for sure, nobody has heard the last of Malala, who is completing her education in Birmingham and aspires to one day become a politician in Pakistan. She still has plenty of opportunity to win it. Despite not winning, Malala claims not to care about the award. After such an incredible journey, which recently included a visit to the Oval Office, Malala’s goal isn’t a Nobel Peace Prize, but peace itself.
Michelle Bachmann. Will they? Won't they? It's reminiscient of the worst TV drama. However, this soap opera is one being played out for all to see in the United States Congress. At the time of writing this piece the US government had been shut down for precisely 15 day 11 hours 7 minutes and 20 seconds. With various deals being bounced back and forth (and each of them being subsequently rejected) it is hard to see the Democrats and the Republicans kissing and making up anytime soon. The problem is that the key Republican sticking point is the President's healthcare reform, which is also something that Obama will never back down on. This healthcare bill has already gone thorugh both houses of Congress and a Supreme Court decision declaring it Constitutional. It's just a shame the Republicans are brow-beaten by the Tea Party.
USA
FASHION Sam Dix. David Bowie has been voted the best dressed Briton in history. In a recent poll by BBC History Magazine, the musician, who released his first album in 10 years in March, beat competition from other famous figures, including Queen Elizabeth I, dandy Beau Brummell and diarist Samuel Pepys. Gaining 48.5% of the public vote, Bowie, who was once banned from Blackburn for wearing one of his costume changes, some white sumo knickers, was praised for his sartorial style and impact on British fashion. Designer Wayne Hemingway described Bowie as a ‘creative genius who understood art and design, looked cool, inspired us and upset the establishment. All these attributes lead to things that drive humankind forward, change.’
Christopher Wallace. It is a disturbing reality for many who have felt the full force of the government's swinging benefits axe: having to make the choice between heating and eating. It should now then be viewed as a national disgrace that the amount of people visiting Food Banks in the UK has increased 170% in the year 2012-13 to 347,000 people. This has come after the Red Cross has announced it plans to distribute food aid to the poorest people this winter, the first time this has happened since the Second World War. Cuts in various welfare progammes have led to this sorry state of affairs, with the disabled among the hardest hit. How can a country, which regards itself as being a First World Nation and has a fairly decent safety net for the nations neediest, allow this to continue? When people cannot afford to feed themselves or their families, changes need to be made.
WELFARE
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redbrick.me/travel
18th - 24th October 2013
Travel
On travelling alone in South America
Travel Stats
Jessica Flanagan negates the myths of travelling alone around South America...
Most popular family
Sure, my mum cried every day for a month before I left for South America, but I merely put that down to the fact that the woman suffers from a case of nerves every now and then. In hindsight, perhaps I should have had more sympathy when her nineteen year old daughter decided to disappear to South America for several months by herself. But having come back unscathed, and with no bad experiences to boast, I wholeheartedly encourage any determined traveller or future graduate wishing to take that longed after (yet slightly belated) “gap yah”, to take the plunge. I am determined to negate any unnecessary fears or myths that people have about the South American continent. Here, I feel the need to squeeze in a disclaimer that. I cannot guarantee, after an influx of confidence from reading this motivating, and somewhat inspiring (modest from me) article, that no harm will come to you. However, be sensible, follow the beaten track, and I am happy to [almost] promise you that you will have the time of your life. So this is where the myths begin. “You’re going to South America? Oh you’ll definitely get kidnapped. Be ready to get mugged and have all your things stolen. Prepare to fall head over heels in love with a beautiful Brazilian person and then have your heart broken when you have to fly home.” Ok the latter is more positive thinking, but there’s no harm in hoping this good fortune comes your way. The former two,
holiday destination
however, are nothing but hideous misrepresentations of a continent that is heaving with generous and fascinating people. Sure, if you’re going to walk around Rio de Janiero flashing your iPhone, or strolling the streets of Buenos Aires boasting your edgy Canon DSLR camera, you can’t be all that surprised if either are taken. With these 5 pointers, I hope any destined explorer will find solace in the fact
"The first day is always the hardest. You've just landed on the continent; the realisation and dread is slowly sinking in." that there is no big obstacle standing in your way, simply because you have “nobody to go with”. Firstly, start somewhere safe. My travels started in Costa Rica. Supposedly a safe haven of the world, and home to the friendliest people on the planet, I didn’t bat an eyelid once while bumbling around this Central American paradise. You won’t impress as many people as you think when you say you spent your first night in a drug den, which later turned out to be a police cell. The first day is always the hardest. You’ve just landed on the continent; the realisation and dread is slowly sinking in.
There is no shame in hiding under the covers for the first 24 hours in your safe hotel room, but make sure this really is only a day. Take a long hard look in the mirror, give yourself a slap in the face and don’t regret wasting any more time of what is going to be a crazy adventure. The best place to stay is in a hostel, and South America is full of them. They are the cheapest and most readily available accommodation, useful not only for finding people to accompany you on your journey, but also to save yourself the hideous task of eating in a restaurant by yourself. Stick to the beaten track and don’t go wandering off into the Amazon or try to row from Patagonia to the South Pole. Stick to the route you’ve planned before, or go where other travellers have recommended on the way. Finally, be respectful of South American tradition and culture. In fact, immerse yourself in it. But simply watch your back at the same time. Remember, while travelling by yourself, you’re probably not going to be someone else’s priority, so look out for number one.
"Stick to the beaten track and don't go wandering off into the Amazon or try to row from Patagonia to the South Pole."
for Britons...
Spanish Mainland Number of tourists to visit the UK each year...
31 million (2012) Number of students to go abroad to do their postgrad each year...
1590 (2012) Most popular gap year destination...
Thailand
Percentage of Britons who have never been abroad...
15% Average amount spent by Britons on holidays each year...
£40 billion
18th - 24th October 2013
redbrick.me/travel
The 5...
Ways to nab a bargain in Morocco Robert Baldwin Travel Writer
Imagine a special episode of Bargain Hunt, set in the labyrinthine corridors of a Moroccan Souk, and replace the ever-orange David Dickinson as head bargain seeker with you and your new Moroccan tan. It is easy to get ripped off in the Souks. The tight atmosphere, pushy shopkeepers and your own English politeness tend to limit your chances of walking away with a real deal. However, the deals are out there, and with the right foresight, state of mind, and information on what to expect, the deals are yours! So here are my top 5 tips to becoming the most enviable of all tourist stereotypes: the well-travelled bargain hunter.
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Always go into the shop with an idea of what you want to buy, and more importantly, what you are willing to spend. There were a number of times when I left the market with several bags full of useless trinkets, and my mind straining as I tried to work out what 500 Dirham is in sterling.
Never settle anywhere above half of the shopkeeper’s asking price. You can get bargains in Morocco, but the locals know that the tourists’ knowledge of Moroccan prices is very limited. If the opportunity is there, they will take you for all you’ve got.
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Look elsewhere before settling on a price. Often, simply stating that you want to look elsewhere first pushes the shopkeeper to offer that low price that suits your wallet. This way you're sure to get the best bargain possible!
Invest in a bum bag. Aside from looking very cool, this accessory will prove a practical lifeline in the Moroccan markets. The Souks are always bustling with locals and tourists alike; it can be very disorientating, and a bum bag gives you that level of security that a rucksack just can’t provide.
5 Enjoy it! Shopping in the Souks is a fantastic experience, a chance to meet the local people and to dive into an integral part of Moroccan culture, not to mention the goodies you'll come back with!
"If the opportunity is there, they will take you for all you've got."
The year that everyone else went abroad Tamara Silver Travel Editor
A sunny beach in Spain, an American football match and the interior of a Parisian cafe are now all regular images that fill my Facebook news feed. Much as I love the beauty of Strathcona and soaking up the non-existent sun on campus, I can't help but feel a bit jealous of my friends who are lucky enough to have gone on a year abroad this year. They are all supposedly studying or teaching English but to me it looks like they spend 100% of their time having fun. Bombarded with 'my life is better than yours' type photographs, I have been forced to try and appreciate what we have here in Birmingham. I often forget that there is a world outside Selly Oak, but we do live in the country's second city, and you only have
to take a seven minute train ride to remember that. Birmingham has everything a student could ask for: good night-life, culture, a great music scene and the best shops outside of Central London. My way of getting around my ‘I’m not on a year abroad’ induced depression is to make a bucket list. Being in third year now, time is of the essence, and making a list of thirty places to go or things to experience before Graduation will ensure that I make the most of this year. So if you’ve been left behind by your jet-setting pals, then swap your dissertation reading for a day out and get exploring. Who says you have to be abroad to have fun?
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redbrick.me/tech
18th - 24th October 2013
Science & Technology
The Importance of the IPCC Hannah Findley discusses the findings of the latest IPCC report... Over the next few months we are likely to hear a lot about the IPCC. Their report on the scientific evidence for climate change which made the news on 27th September was effectively part one of four. The release of the other sections is expected to keep the IPCC in and out of the headlines until October 2014, and this is why we should be paying attention.
So what exactly is the IPCC?
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is the world’s leading authority on: you’ve guessed it, climate change. Every four or five years they produce a weighty report summing up all scientific knowledge related to climate change, and present it in a form easily understood by what it calls “policy makers” and the public.
"For the last 15 years, there has been no rise in global average temperature" However, the IPCC has only 12 full-time members of staff and a budget this year of just €9.3 million (roughly the same as West Midlands Police spent on their new helicopter). This is because the reports are written by more than 800 specially selected scientists from 85 countries, who volunteer their time alongside their day jobs. To make this task more manageable, they are split into four groups, each producing their own report on a different area of
climate science. A final “synthesis” report brings together the findings from all the groups.
Why does the IPCC matter?
The work of the IPCC is considered so important that in 2007 it was jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Its key value lies in its ability to bring together the work of thousands of scientists, and make it accessible and relevant to governments and the general public alike. One of the most important findings of the recent report which might have remained buried in the scientific literature is this: for the last 15 years, there has been no rise in global average temperature. It’s a startling development, which clearly shows an urgent need for more research. While this may not seem important to your day to day life, the work of the IPCC impacts us all.
Take the recent rise in energy prices; these are due in part to the government requiring companies to pay for loft insulation where customers can’t afford it themselves. Insulation cuts energy use, which is needed to comply with EU laws on the reduction of carbon emissions, which are based on the recommendations made by the IPCC.
What does the future hold for the IPCC?
As the field of climate science balloons out of all recognition, the size of each report (and the workload for the scientists) is becoming unmanageable; the last report was thousands of pages long. The basics of climate change are now well established, and probably do not need to be repeated year on year. There are calls to move to shorter, more targeted reports,
Fed up of hangovers? Want a cure for 60p? Our updated top 10 hangover cures (try in this order): 1. Sprite – get a can with your Rooster’s! 2. Water – it’s an old one, but drink enough to flush out those Vodbulls 3. Hair of the dog – go on, I dare you! 4. Greasy food - full English or a bacon overload? 5. Headache pills & vitamins – get up on your vitamin C 6. More sleep 7. Jeremy Kyle – to make us feel better about ourselves 8. Coffee 9. Self-pity 10. Dare you say it, ‘I’ll never drink again!’
"Acetaldehyde is the cause for all those hangover effects" wanted to look at the causes of a hangover. They suggest that it is the breakdown of alcohol (ethanol) within the body that causes the sore heads and stomach we feel the morning after. This breakdown produces acetaldehyde, which is then converted
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Beth Carney explores a cheap new hangover cure A recent study conducted in China has found out that Sprite could be a potential reliever for all your hangover nightmares! And what is best, it can be brought from any take-away on the way home from Fab! Scientists at Sun Yat-Sen University, in Guangzhou China first
which are more likely to be read. They have the added benefit of being relatively quick to compile and can therefore be more responsive to changes in the field. But for now, the scientists have done their part and it’s up to politicians, industry leaders, and ultimately us to decide whether we agree with the IPCC and if so, what we’re going to do about it.
to acetate. This is what happens to alcohol in our bodies after a night out. The final product, acetate, is harmless and could actually have a few potential health benefits. Unfortunately the acetaldehyde is the cause for all those hangover effects. The chemicals in Sprite have been found to reduce the activity of the enzyme that oxidises ethanol to acetaldehyde. In addition, it boosts the second enzyme that converts acetaldehyde into acetate, causing a rapid breakdown and reducing those hangover woes. In this study 57 drinks were tested, from teas to fizzy drinks. Approximately 52 were found to seriously decrease the breakdown of acetaldehyde to acetate. Surprisingly these were herbal tea infusions. Another 4 brews, mainly green teas, slightly inhibited the breakdown of acetaldehyde. Only taurine and Sprite were found to increase the breakdown.
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& GUILD
COUNCILLO R ELECTIONS 2 013
Becoming a Guild Co uncillor giv opportunity es you the to represen t students, them a say giving on issues th at matter m ost.
S N E P O G IY N T O V M A 0 1 T A R E B O T C MONDA 21 O ST
pm) th 4 t a r e b to c O 5 2 y a (Voting closes on Frid
For more information visit guildofstudents.com/elections or drop into Student Voice on the guildofstudents.com/elections
elections@guild.bham.ac.uk
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redbrick.me/lifestyle
18th - 24th October 2013
Life & Style
Midlands Fashion Awards Friday 11th October saw the fifth annual Midlands Fashion Awards at The Loft Lounge in central Birmingham. Our very own Life & Style editor Marianne Lampon and writer Elizabeth Green were there to catch all the action. Here at Life&Style we were excited to attend the annual Midlands Fashion Awards for their fifth year of celebrating local fashion. With a talented spectrum of designers, makeup artists, stylists, and more, we were treated to the very best the Midlands has to offer at The Loft Lounge in the city centre – and boy were we impressed! Before the fashion show we were given the opportunity to talk to and explore some of the work of the local designers. Amongst our favourites, we were seri-
"a talented spectrum of designers, make-up artists, stylists and more." ously impressed by accessory designer Yu Shan Li, whose innovative and individual multi-purpose accessories combined practicality with chic seamlessly. Her pieces, which were unisex and could be a backpack,
scarf, cape or satchel, were so innovative and useful. Her evident talent was later rewarded when she was given the award for Accessory Designer of the Year. Other accessory designers that stood out for us were Scarlett Louise Jewellery and Suzanne Kugler, who both used unusual materials to make stunning jewellery pieces. Scarlett Louise Jewellery cast her pieces in brass and used the idea of turning flowers into metal in order to create beautiful nature inspired rings and necklaces. In contrast, Suzanne Kugler used delicate ceramics for her pieces, which combined classic materials in modern shapes with beautiful effects. We were also impressed by the talent of previous A-Level students Lily Bevan and Vanessa Gott. Vanessa Gott focused on the idea of a premium range of clothes and created a stunning jacket as her final piece. Bought from a charity shop, Vanessa cut, sewed and altered the jacket until it included a fur collar, tribal tassels and more. Top marks from us, Vanessa! Lily designed an amazing two-piece final design that reflected her brief of how tech-
nology had advanced fashion. Her design used dance gear fabrics, deep blue tie-dye and a dark hood, which had small LED lights handstitched into three layers of fabric. The result was a delicately illuminated dark fab-
"delicately illuminated dark fabric that captured the idea of modernity." ric that captured the idea of modernity. We were then treated to the fashion show and awards ceremony. Amongst the sheer range of talent, our personal favourite designer under the Young Designers Showcase was Danielle Warren. Mixing wearability with effortless clean lines and clean colours - the clothes looked beautiful in movement. The prints were reflections of photographs which created a kaleidoscopic effect and, combined with beautiful tailoring, the collection was simply stunning.
Kate Moss for Topshop Natasha Wolf Life & Style Writer
We also loved Alexandra Hughes’s designs, which featured in the Emerging Designers category. Showcasing Resort Wear, these pieces were incredibly well fitted. The block colours of fuchsia and bottle green panelling followed the lines of the body effortlessly and created a low-key but super-chic look when combined with the clean white in the rest of the outfit. We fell in love with a one-piece swimming costume that is probably the most flattering shape and fit that you will see for a long time. Overall, the motifs that kept popping up throughout the designers’ works were photography prints, sportswear elements, laser cut detailing, embellishment, lace, muted, earthy tones and Asian prints with influences including kimono style wraps. Plus, we were also extremely surprised to see a dress made entirely out of orange train tickets! Amazingly, designer Aleah Leigh managed to make it work as Haute Couture! Our writer Elizabeth even bagged herself a Dinner for Two at Hampton Manor in the charity raffle! It was definitely a successful night all round.
Britain's most infamous super model, Kate Moss is back, with her new line at our favourite High Street store. After a three year break, Brit icon, face of Rimmel and good friend of Sir Philip Green, Kate Moss is back, and it is safe to say a lot of people were pleased to hear the news that she will be launching a new collection for Topshop in April (2014). A slight six month wait, but I’m sure it will be worth it in the end if her other collections are anything to go by. The model, who has previously designed for Topshop between May 2007 and November 2010, is said to already be working on the range that will be sold in over 40 countries. Like her other collections, it will be inspired by her personal wardrobe and will include womenswear, accessories and footwear. If that wasn’t enough, apparently Topshop’s Creative Director and Vogue’s contributing fashion editor, Kate Phelan, and mega stylist Katy
England, are also involved with the project. This sure is going to be one highly anticipated collection! It is rumoured that the idea started while Sir Philip Green and Kate Moss were on holiday together in the summer, but it is unknown how long the collaboration will last. Green has commented, saying: “I am personally thrilled that Kate wanted to come back to Topshop to work with us again”. Highlights from previous collections included a floral tea dress which naturally started a whole series of copies all over the high street and Kate’s signature Glastonbury look of denim shorts. In a time where celebrity and designer collaborations are so prominent within high street stores, I for one can’t wait for another Kate Moss for Topshop collection.
18th - 24th October 2013
redbrick.me/lifestyle
The Long Distance Taboo Charlotte Spence talks frankly about the realities of long distance relationship at University. Manthropology: Natalie Persson asks the men of UOB: Do you think relationships work at uni? Ben Till Sports, PE and Coaching Answer: 'The majority don't. I broke up with my girlfriend of 3 years for uni.' Andy Pull Business Answer: 'It depends on the relationship, I have two friends, one at Bournemouth uni and one at Newcastle uni, and they make it work. But it is harder if one person is at home while the other is at uni.' Ben Mooney Physiotherapy Answer: 'Yes, they can work with the right person. I have been with my girlfriend for a year and two months.'
Coming to university with a boyfriend seems to cause much controversy. There seems to be vast waves of people who immediately condemn any relationship to death when one or both parties head off to university. I realise now, no matter what I say on the topic, I will be wrong in the eyes of someone. I’ve been at university, and a really long way away from my boyfriend, for three weeks now. And it seems like forever. If I’d been writing this last week I’d have said, 'YES! Long distance relationships can 100% last and work,' but now I’m not so sure. The thing is both my partner and I are building entirely new lives, which by no means is a bad thing. However, these new lives don’t always leave a lot of space for each other. So whilst I try to set aside time to Skype or talk on the phone to him most days, he seems permanently too busy. So, point one, of how to make your relationship work at uni: make sure BOTH parties are willing to make time for each other. Otherwise you will end up in a huge Skype fight and then next thing you know, you’ll be crying on your flatmates and generally being a wet blanket. I’ve been with my partner for about a year and a half now (don’t ask me exactly, I’m not entirely sure) and so I’d definitely say that we have a strong base to support our long distance relationship. We both know each other’s flaws and therefore we should be able to deal with the distance, right? I’m sure there are some couples out there who can sit and work things out over
Skype, but not in my case, as I feel like all my partner's slightly annoying traits are exacerbated by the distance. Which leads nicely to point two of how to make your relationship work at uni: don’t pick fights over ridiculous things your partner has done. If they are doing something that is really bothering you, think out what you are going to say and calmly explain it to them. Which is certainly much easier said than done. A key question to ask yourself at a time like this is: Do I really see my partner and myself together in the future? If you don’t, it’s not a heinous crime; just how you feel. But can I just ask why you’re staying with them? You’re at university; at no other point in your life are you going to be so surrounded by likeminded people than those on your course. Also, you’re being exposed to such a diverse group of people your own age through your societies or sports or just through socialising. You could meet that special person at any point. Do you really want to be held back by someone you aren’t even convinced you want to be with forever? But what if we don’t meet that special someone, I hear you cry; well, you shouldn’t be afraid of being single. It’s not scary, no one will judge you and, most importantly, it gives you the chance to do whatever you want, whenever you want. So my final point for making a relationship work at uni: make sure you both really want it. Good luck!
What to wear, where: Seedy Sonics
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Fierce UoB Hoodies Baby, it's cold outside, so we need to warm ourselves up a little.
Isabel Marant for H&M Finally! The first images of the whole collection are published- Parisian Boho-Chic for all! November 14th, here we come!
Eye Like! Autumn’s hottest print: Eyes. They are everywhere; on skirts, sweaters and shirts, they even come as accessories. Go get your hands on one of the hot pieces.
Pumpkins Autumn has come and it’s getting colder so comfort yourself with a hot, delicious pumpkin soup. Go, grab one from our little Uni market.
Made in Chelsea Season 5 premiered this week and the drama is back people. New cast, new love and new lies. Perfect for rainy Mondays!
UoB T-Shirts It's wayyyy too cold! As of now, just for underneath a hoodie.
Kim Kardashian
Katy Cottam advises us on the best casual looks for a crazy night out at Rainbow Warehouse Choosing your outfit for a night out is always a dilemma, especially if you haven’t been there before and don’t know what kind of style is best-suited for where you’re going. Seedy Sonics, hosted at the Rainbow Venues in Digbeth, is an up-and-coming popular night out that has just celebrated its third birthday. However, if you’ve recently bought a new sequin dress or Ralph Lauren shirt, this is not the night to be wearing it. Nights out here are all about being casual and wearing something comfortable, particularly if you’re going to be there til 6am! Here are a few ideas for both girls and guys as to what kind of thing people tend to wear for a night out here:
For guys
For girls
T-shirts and vests, particularly in tie dye, are a popular choice. This Topman number is just £20 and fits the bill perfectly. Pair this with dark jeans like these River Island pair, £25. Colourful trainers are all the range and these maroon trainers will see you through the season. Schuh £67.
Crop tops are all the range at the moment, whether you want to stick with something plain and simple or dare to be bold and pick a print. Keep it plain with this £10 Topshop find. Shorts or leggings are the perfect choice, just like these zipped New Look leggings at just £12.99. For another great casual and practical touch to your outfit, finish with Converse or Van style shoes. These £44.99 Converse, from Office, could not be more practical.
After all the plastic surgeries, she doesn’t look like herself anymore and she is not acting like a mum at all! Partying around the world, and leaving little North back home. You have no choice, Kim; it’s diapers, not dancing!
Less is more This season, it's more, more, more! More accessories, more patterns, more colours. So get your massive earrings AND statement necklace on now.
Twogging Twerking with your dog, called twogging is the new YouTube hit. Seriously, what’s wrong with you people?
Lady Gaga’s Aura It is her second song in a row, in which she repeats only one word, over and over and over again. First: Applause, Applause, Applause; now: Aura, Aura, Aura-ra-ra. Here is one word for you: boring!
By Katharina Hartwich
Finished
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redbrick.me/arts
18th - 24th October 2013
Arts
Becoming an Image Tim Romain Critic
The ‘image’ is an inflated commodity in contemporary life. Most of us spend a huge proportion of our lives staring at images emitted from various screens that fail to inspire any real emotion or curiosity, the prevalence of cameras means that pretty much everything is recorded and kept somewhere to see again and again should we want to (which we rarely do), and we are ourselves photographed by friends, family or CCTV on a daily basis. Creating or looking at an image have become quite uninspiring acts. It is to this background that Heather Cassils plays with the possibilities of the image and the act of being photographed in her performance piece ‘Becoming an Image’, brought to Birmingham last Saturday for Fierce Festival’s threeday celebration of Live Art. Cassils, a genderqueer amateur MMA fighter, attacks a 2000lb block of clay in complete darkness only intermittently lit up by the flash of a photographer. The brightwhite flashes in the blacked-out room illuminate Cassils and the clay giving the spectator a splitsecond action shot that burns onto the retina and creates a static image that lasts a few seconds before fading back into the darkness. Thus, the artist creates a series of “live” photographs for the audience, ephemeral images that cannot be recorded or faithfully reproduced, and nor can they be ignored.
"It also questions our own obsession with images." Circled around Cassils, hearing nothing but grunts, heavy breathing and the slap of a fist, knee, foot or elbow meeting clay, the spectator is attacked by the sight of sweaty, bulging muscles momentarily frozen against the dull grey block. In the darkness Cassils creates an image of violence that vandalises our own gender conceptions – the grunts we hear are feminine, the body we see is not. Slumped on the floor in a holey mess at the end, the clay that stood as a solid totem before is as beaten and worn out as the audience’s former concepts of ‘man’ or ‘woman’. After that performance, how could those words signify anything beyond biological make-up? The images we saw are not available for mass production. Looking at a printed photograph of the piece cannot reproduce the visceral experience of having the sight
branded onto your eyes. This absolute immediacy of the performance creates an intimacy between artist and audience that allows a momentary glimpse at the battles GQ people have to fight when faced with gender preconceptions. It also questions our own obsession with images. The photograph of Heather Cassils on this page is most likely just one of hundreds that you will browse past today, and you will forget it soon enough. I probably will too, because it is a failed image. It is an attempt to capture and record something that cannot be captured. And aren’t most photographs exactly the same? They try to reproduce moments that can’t be reproduced; they are failures, vacant of the true essence of their object. By burning a transient photograph onto your eyes, ‘Becoming an Image’ stresses the significance of presence and the moment over looking at empty reconstructions divorced from the meaning of the occasion.
Fierce Festival A "collision of many dialogues, ideas, slow cooked ambitions and unexpected twists" - this is the fierce festival, an annual festival held in Birmimgham that offers a diverse group of artists the opportunity to showcase their work to the wider community. This year was the 15th Anniversary of the festival and it was celebrated by diving back into the archives as well as looking forward into the next incarnation of performance art. The festival has a growing global out-reach and has increasingly involved artists from Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, Spain, Netherlands, France and Switzerland. This year the festival promoted itself as a "weekend of one-off's" and it's fair to say that the sheer range of activities that were available meant that it lived up to this claim.
18th - 24th October 2013
redbrick.me/arts
19
Club Fierce Tim Romain Critic
The electro-acoustic trio from Cork ‘Eat My Noise’ headlined Fierce Festival’s evening of Live Art at AE Harris last Saturday after pieces by performance-artist veteran and Rhythm ‘n’ Blues aficionado Bob Parks, and the internationalcollective ‘The Wolf in The Winter’. The grey haired and moustachioed sexagenarian Parks took to the stage first wearing a Hawaiian shirt and lashings of fake-tan on his face. His piece was excellent. There is something incredibly refreshing about an artist who uses humour in their work, and Parks is hilarious. His performance was split into three sections that can be titled by the costumes he wore for each: The ‘California professor’ (hence Hawaiian shirt/fake tan), followed by the ‘Assyrian monk’ (fake tan removed, then re-applied) and lastly the ‘naked old man’.
"It was shocking. Obviously it was."
Knights of the Invisible Harriet Henderson Critic
Bizarre, random and odd are just some of the words I could use to describe 'Knights of the Invisible', an outrageously contemporary dance performance from Iona Kewney, featured at Birmingham Hippodrome as part of the 15th Annual Fierce Festival. Instead I’ll settle for a far more diplomatic choice of word: interesting. Kewney is described as a ‘dance-theatre artist’, three words that are dangerous when combined. Often the word ‘artist’ is bandied about too much when describing a performer; however, there truly is nothing else that Kewney could be labelled as. Her dance style was a series of visceral movements evoking images of hysteria, fits and contortionism. Kewney also had the most remarkable body that, despite her miniature frame, had muscles big enough to shame most athletes, and was capable of flexibility beyond the realms of human
imagination. Ultimately it was her fascinating physicality that captured the audience as she took us through her score of movement.
"They were the sorts of sounds you can hear if you're holding your breath underwater" Although she was undoubtedly the focal point, to say it was a performance solely from Iona Kewney would be incorrect as she works in equal partnership with Joseph Quimby, who provided the soundtrack to the piece. The moment I walked into the performance space I could feel the weighty bass of the
music coursing through me as it was mixed live by Quimby on the minimalistic stage. The live sound score is described as ‘heavy with distortion and electric noise’. They were the sorts of sounds you can hear if you’re holding your breath underwater. This all added to the undeniably surreal nature of the performance. Against my better judgement, I have to say that my inner artiste enjoyed 'Knights of the Invisible', although I can’t think of many people who would share the same feeling. I think it’s one of those things that you either ‘get’ or you don’t. Regrettably, I fell into the latter category, as I still don’t really know what the purpose of the performance was; however I’d say that I obtained a certain appreciation for Kewney and Quimby and the statement that they were trying to make. My initial observation of interesting still stands.
He began with a mini-lecture on the historical development of RnB, that was simultaneously ratiocinative and borderline nonsensical, making the overall point that everything is connected, and that everything moves in cycles. For the second section he changed into his monk’s outfit and read a few verses of incoherent scripture, all the while engaging with the audience, cracking little jokes and generally making everyone feel quite at ease with him. This only made it all the more shocking when he stripped completely naked, save for a climbing harness, and started screaming and retching on the floor until a couple of stagehands hoisted him up on a pulley leaving him limp and suspended in the air for a few minutes before lowering him back onto the ground so that he could start hollering again, rub brown paint over himself, and spread his rear cheeks open for the Fierce camerawoman. It was shocking. Obviously it was. At first there were a few laughs when he stripped – his bronzed face looked rather ridiculous atop his raw-chicken skinned body – but it was actually distressing when he started screaming. It must be a rule that performance art isn’t performance art without some sort of nudity or self-flagellation, so we were already prepared for something weird, but by breaking the fourth wall between him and the audience with humour he created an artificial détente that only made it more traumatic when he
unleashed his graphic finale and demonstrated the tyrannical power of the performer over the spectator. The atmospheric contrast to the other sections couldn’t have been more different, but reviewing them after the outburst at the end they now seem like abstract outlets for the same emotion expressed in the finale: the terror of ageing and death. His mad-professor lecture, his staged senior moment in the monk’s habit and his running joke about time and the order of things became symptoms of the same disease that left him naked and psychotic in the end. The contrast between hilarity and horror made the performance evermore thought provoking, and while we were left scratching heads at the end, it was engaging throughout – which is where 'The Wolf in The Winter' disappointed in their sequence after 'Parks'. Seven artists from the collective performed spooky solo pieces that made great use of AE Harris’ rugged ‘America’ space, each exploring different themes in complete silence intermittently broken by use of props (and a bit more screaming). Their general use of smells, lighting and space was inspired, but the individual performances were static and long to the point of tedium: they either constantly repeated actions or completed one painfully slowly, and with very little development. A girl plugging headphones into medieval leg stocks and head banging certainly galvanizes thought but it’s difficult to watch for more than a few minutes. Their pieces would have been more effectual as live sculptures that could be inspected at one’s own speed; instead they forced the audience to endure them just to see what came next, making their art inaccessible to much of the audience – when the final Wolf shuffled off stage the room was noticeably emptier than at the start. 'Eat My Noise' finished the night providing trippy musical distraction accompanied by a simple but effective light show. Their mixture of acoustic instrumentation, a full drum-kit and Macbook looping effects had heads bopping to thickly layered surges, which they interspersed with meditative moments of atmosphere, testing and developing motifs throughout. After the turbulence of 'Parks' and the Wolves it was nice to relax to some wellproduced aural mysticism that provided time to think about the night. Sitting on the floor, gazing at the swirling colours projected onto the wall, connections between the three pieces danced and developed in our minds, as abstract and as fluid as the music itself.
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redbrick.me/television
18th - 24th October 2013
Television
Review: The Great British Bake Off Forget essays, real pressure is trying to produce a good crumb for Mary Berry
This Week in Telly Despite two weeks in a row in the bottom two, Julien Macdonald has survived to dance another week as Vanessa Feltz was booted off Strictly Come Dancing this week. The 51-year-old TV presenter became the second celebrity to leave the show, being unanimously voted off by all four judges. Following her exit, Vanessa said, 'I'm disappointed because it was a great, great pleasure to be part of the programme.' However she also said 'I don't think it's a great personal tragedy, I was never exactly set to win the show, was I?' With two celebrities gone who will be the next to leave the show?
Gary Barlow has revealed that he will be leaving the X Factor at the end of the current series in order to focus on his own music career. The initial announcement was casually made during the first live show when Barlow was discussing Ryan Copy's performance. An X Factor spokesman has thanked the Take That star for his 'amazing contribution' whilst Barlow himself stated, 'A show like this needs to stay fresh and exciting, so it's a great opportunity for someone to come in and take the show past it's incredible ten year anniversary.' So with Gary moving on, who will step up to fill his almighty shoes?
Daisy Follett TV Editor
I really didn’t think I was going to like The Great British Bake Off. Like the Spelling Bee and the Sewing Slamdown and the one about Kirsty Allsopp's cushions, I wrote it off as being far too twee to sit and watch for a solid hour. And, to be honest, I also consider baking to be the lowest common denominator of cooking programmes, hardly a match for Rick Stein's India or Raymond Blanc’s How to Cook Well (which preceded the Bake Off on BBC2). At the end of the day, I could go and bake a decent cake myself in the hour it’s on. But that’s not really the point of The Great British Bake off. Seeing their skill is only half the programme; the rest comes from getting to know the people, something those other shows lack. There's a uni student, a “creative one”, and of course there’s a weirdo or two, but the back stories don’t really matter, because it’s all about the baking. You’ll be heartbroken if your favourite’s kicked out, and filled with pride if they’re crowned Star Baker (it’s an actual thing) and what’s great is, unlike The Apprentice or Big Brother, you’ll actually like these people. The basic formula is that each week has a different theme (pastry/desserts/cake) and they do three challenges related to that theme. One is their signature dish, one is a new - and technically difficult dish - and the last is a 'Showstopper'. The technical challenge is usually where one or two of them have a complete car-crash and forget how to use a spoon or something, which is great TV, and the 'Showstopper' is always amazing, like the episode where someone made a
Dalek. Their efforts are judged by Mary and Paul, and at the end one of them goes home. Admittedly it’s a kind of similar format to Masterchef, with the challenges and eliminations, but the feel is so completely different. Firstly, there are only ten episodes, rather than the hundreds that make up Masterchef, so it’s a lot easier to follow and get attached to the contestants. And because it’s baking, every single episode is mouthwatering to watch (although fans of the show will remember Howard’s troubling green flapjack). What’s more, there’s no hollering at the camera about how massively important this all is. Mel and Sue don’t really “present”,
"If you get your housemates into it, I promise someone will develop a crush on Paul The Bread Man and his piercing eyes" they just sort of waltz around stealing icing and making terrible cake-puns (who knew there were so many?) and generally being completely chillaxed in a way that would drive me insane if I was competing. My genius idea is that Greg Wallace should be introduced as a guest judge - we all know how much Greg loves his puddings; he should come along and do some yelling. They could pay him in cake. No one can deny Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood are high quality judges. Mary is like a kindly grandma, gently scolding par-
ticipants for producing a heavy crumb or soggy base, while Paul hits them where it hurts, using words like 'undercooked' and 'tasteless' and watching the participants crumble (to see an actual crumble, watch week 5). If you get your housemates into it, I promise someone will develop a crush on Paul "The BreadMan" and his piercing eyes. Also how are they not fat?!? I swear there’s a treadmill round the back and Mary Berry is just ripping off her jazzy pink jacket between takes and sprinting like her life depends on it. You’ll be inspired to make something at some point in the series, which I think is the best you can ask from a cooking programme. Favourite in my house was the white chocolate custard, but the Pina Colada trifle came a close second. I learnt a few things about baking I didn’t particularly want to, like: did you know that to make puff pastry you literally have a slab of butter between two slabs of dough. It’s disgusting, look it up. An article in The Telegraph last weekend actually listed all the ways in which the Bake Off has "changed Britain". While I think the author was maybe getting a bit over-excited with the title, some of the stats she mentions are quite impressive. In the last year sales of cake stands at Marks and Spencer have gone up 243%! It's not going to end the recession but it's a start. My advice for those tempted to watch the Bake Off is to catch up on iPlayer first; choosing your favourites and following their rise or fall is what makes it great, so it’s worth the time. When it’s over, make sure to switch straight onto Channel 4 for Embarrassing Fat Bodies, it’s the only thing that keeps me from jogging to Tesco for Millionaires Shortbread and buying as much Battenberg as I can carry.
Perhaps the most exciting, (or depressing depending on personal opinions) piece of news to come out of this week is that Miranda Hart has confirmed that she will be releasing a fitness video featuring maracas. Hart has said, 'Maracattack is based on one key concept. Fun. Bear with me as I coin a compound word- Funness.' The DVD will also feature fitness expert Amelia Watts, as well as brand new sketches in which Hart will be joined by her 'Miranda' co-stars. The DVD is available from the 19th of November, so for all you Miranda fans, get ordering!
18th - 24th October 2013
redbrick.me/television
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Goodbye Glee?
After the tragic death of Cory Monteith in July, last week saw Glee air a moving tribute episode to the star. Can the show really go on? Rochelle Stanley
TV Critic The slogan for Fox’s memorial episode to the late Cory Monteith’s character, Finn Hudson, is ‘the hardest word to say is goodbye’, yet this is what we all may be saying to the much-loved show that began in 2009. The longevity of Fox’s all-singing, all-dancing show choir comedy has been questionable since the close of season three, following the graduation of most of the original characters, along with the self-proclaimed star of the New Directions and Finn’s love interest, Rachel Berry, whose move to the Big Apple sparks hope of a career on Broadway. Perhaps the only part of the show that seems slightly realistic (unlike bursting into spontaneous song by the lockers on a weekly basis), the graduates parted ways and began new lives. The producers’ attempts to keep the actors on screen and moderately interesting has, sadly, spawned lacklustre plotlines and offputting clichés to what began as a fresh new angle on the American high school show choir. There is no doubt that Glee has become popular with the masses and won over the hearts of teenagers and adults alike all over the world, promoting the underdog, encouraging talented youngsters and helping those with low confidence by way of using the actors’ real insecurities on screen and allowing ‘Cheerios’ coach Sue Sylvester’s brutal honesty to make it that little bit worse. Strange, yes, but it worked. Glee’s honest portrayal of the teenager had breadth, ranging from Sue’s feisty sidekick, Becky Jackson, who has Down’s syndrome, to mean it-girl Santana Lopez to parapalegic Artie Abrams. Not only was there somebody for everybody to relate to, the show kept up to date with mash-ups and covers of classic and current artists, such as Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, The Beatles, Fleetwood
Mac, Justin Bieber and Florence + the Machine; there was a song for everyone. Now in its fifth season, the loss of their male lead, regrettably, highlights the decline in the originality that made the show great. Pre-season four included the memorable Journey renditions, daily slushie facials, the ‘Who’s the babydaddy?’ storyline concerning head cheerleader Quinn Fabray, and Kurt Hummel becoming the junior prom queen – not forgetting the heart-warming romance and tension over whether New Directions would win the show choir sectionals, regionals, nationals or whatever competition they were attending that specific time. Unfortunately, the new season four additions appear to be disappointing knock-offs of the previous bunch (Jake mirroring his brother Noah ’Puck’ Puckerman, Marley singing sorrow like Rachel, and Unique belting out the last note like Mercedes and so on). Are the dramatic
"What began as a fresh new angle on high school has spawned lacklustre plotlines and off-putting cliches" shootings and eating disorder storylines too much, covering up a lack of depth and unavoidable unfamiliarity? And is it not enough that the remaining original characters like Tina Cohen-Chang have been pushed aside to pave way for the newbies? Glee helped eradicate the bitter taste of High School Musical and has done so with style, flair and witty dialogue, but how much longer can the show last, especially now that ‘The Quarterback’ is gone?
Wossy Weturns Jo Kendall TV Editor
This Saturday saw the return of TV chat show host great Jonathan Ross. The new series got off to a flying start, as Hollywood superstars Sandra Bullock and Tom Hanks found themselves playing Blind Date with Cilla Black as a part of their appearance on the show. When asked to describe herself as a kitchen appliance Bullock said 'I’d be a mixer, because I like to mix it up', whilst Tom Hanks was asked 'If you were stood in front of a full-length mirror, what nickname would you give yourself?' He promptly responded 'The Hidden Sausage' ,referring to Bullock's earlier revelation that she has continued her mothers tradition of smuggling German sausages into America for Christmas, to which Ross responded 'I do not want to know why it’s hidden or where it’s hidden.' Both Bullock and Hanks were promoting their new films, both of which will be released in the UK next month. Bullock's
new film Gravity has already got critics talking and Bullock herself is rumoured to be in line for another Oscar nomination for her performance. Ross described the space thriller as one of the best films of the decade, but stated how it should come with a warning, as his wife nearly had several panic attacks whilst watching due to the high levels of tension. Whilst talking about shooting the film, Sandra described how she and costar George Clooney had to spend hours suspended in what she called the 'torture box' in order to create many of the film's special effects. She told Ross how one of the films ground-breaking pieces of technology, a camera that rushes at the actors face at 25mph, had malfunctioned and crashed into a dummy's head the day before she arrived on set, to which Ross responded 'Is it ok for you to talk about your co-star like that?' Ross also asked her about her on set relationship with Clooney, and Bullock described how she and her co-star spent their free time impersonating their Mexican director and seeing who knew the most words from 'Rappers Delight', which she
then went on to perform after a lot of encouragement from Ross. Tom Hanks' new film Captain Philips tell the true story of a cargo ship captain held hostage by Somalian pirates. Hanks was in high spirits as he constantly talked to the audience and made quips about the NHS and his sausage. When talking about his family and his newly arrived grandchildren he said 'its great, you can just throw them around like bean bags, they love it.' After briefly discussing Hanks' new film, Ross moved on to discussing some of his previous films, including Toy Story and Big. At the mention of Big, Hank proceeded to perform his rap from the film, and Ross rolled back a section of carpet to reveal a giant floor keyboard. He and Tom proceeded to recreate the music
from the film, and later Sandra Bullock joined them to perform chopsticks, despite wearing incredibly high heels and a tiny pair of shorts. Cilla Black also made an appearance on the show to discuss her new programme, celebrating 50 years in showbiz. A British national treasure, she and Ross looked back over her sparkling career reminiscing over gems such as Surprise Surprise and Blind Date. Ross himself had all his usual charm and humour, acting as the perfect host and keeping his live audience entertained. The Jonathan Ross Show is an all-time classic: great host, great guests, great banter. If you are going to watch a chat show, this is the one to watch!
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redbrick.me/film
18th - 24th October 2013
Film
Will Superheros Survive? Critic Hannah Stevens discusses whether Superhero movies have a place in the future of film Illustration by Hayley Allanson
Review: Sunshine On Leith
Details Release date: 4th October 2013 Director: Dexter Fletcher Cast: George MacKay, Jason Flemyng, Antonia Thomas Running time: 100 minutes
´´´´´ Hannah Skolnick Critic
Superheroes have permeated every inch of the Hollywood film industry in recent years, but how long can their glory days last? We’ve already seen vampire and werewolf movies fade out of the limelight after the frankly disastrous Twilight films (destroying the traditional Dracula legends in seconds), so how long will it take for superhero films to follow the same path? The 2000s have been churning out DC and Marvel films year after year with consistent success and reviews that peak at outstanding and drift to downright awful (Fantastic Four anyone?). But are superhero films a sustainable market?
"Are superhero films a sustainable market?" Despite a rocky start to superhero films with disasters like Daredevil, Catwoman and Elektra defining the early period of the decade, DC and Marvel market superheroes have been on the up. The public still called for more even after these massive flops and their needs were met with Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy which blew all other superhero films out of the water. The trilogy went on to gross over 2.5 billion at the box office and gave birth to a new brand of dark superhero films that have continued to dominate the cinemas for the last decade. So what was it about the trilogy that caused the mainstream audience to fall in love with superhero films all over again? One explanation is that as audiences matured, the need for a new take on the superhero films rose and with it a whole new brand of cinema. The unbelievable success of the Batman films was swiftly followed by Hollywood snapping up the rights
to every comic book character who was remotely marketable. The Iron Man trilogy fed off the success of Christopher Nolan’s work and redesigned the new superhero phenomenon with a perfect touch of comedy.
"How long can these action heroes keep soldiering on?" This touch of inspiration has led to the reboots of both the X-Men and Spiderman franchises. These triumphant reboots have exceeded expectations on many levels, however how long can these action heroes keep soldiering on? Especially with an audience who always want something more, and something different. Even the rumours for the upcoming Justice League have failed to peak interest; the online buzz isn’t remotely close to the anticipation the Avengers Assemble picture stirred up. It just goes to show that after a jam-packed last few years it’s hard to get excited about the next big superhero film when there are ten more round the corner. There are only so many ways an epic battle scene can play out and we all know the good guy wins so surely it’s inevitable that audiences are going to lose interest soon; the glory days can’t last forever after all. The comic book universe is endless and fans would love to see an enduring genre that can reinvent itself over and over to meet the expectations of the dedicated audience of comic book readers and the mainstream audience. But, even the sequel to Avengers Assemble is struggling to build as much hype as the first one, so what hope does another generation of superheroes have for success in comparison?
Perhaps this argument is wrong and the next ten years will greet the latest wave of superhero films with open arms and instant success, but after watching the last few generations of popular genre films flop after just a few years of success it’s hard to see that happening. They are unlikely to endure despite the endless cash injection from Hollywood executive giants like Columbia Pictures. Money can only do so much when mainstream audiences bore so easily and are always clamouring for something new and exciting. Furthermore with superhero film budgets’ soaring the need for an eager audience has become apparent, but with such a saturated market is there really enough room for everyone? The next few years are facing a tidal wave of superhero reboots including the next Spiderman film and a (needless) Batman reboot.
"The next few years are facing a tidal wave of superhero reboots." Moreover, there are countless rumours of films for every superhero imaginable from Aquaman to the Teen Titans, showing that the market doesn’t seem to want to slow down anytime soon. As much as it pains fans to admit, superhero films have an unstable future. Perhaps if Hollywood hadn’t latched on with such ferocity to their success, they might be in with a chance of lasting through cinematic history. Instead, it looks like we’re in for a mass of box office flops and bad reviews before the executives finally decide to shelve them for a while; giving mainstream audiences a chance to recover from the unwavering stalemate of dry story lines and poor casting.
Admittedly, viewers with a limited knowledge of The Proclaimers’ back-catalogue may approach this film with some trepidation. But not to worry. Sunshine on Leith is a gem of a film. It tracks, with a helping hand from The Proclaimers’ greatest hits, the threestranded storyline of a family living in Leith, Edinburgh. The first storyline focuses on the son who is returning from active service in Afghanistan in which a budding romance ensues. The second focuses on the daughter, who has become disillusioned with her life in Scotland and is looking to travel. The third follows their parents whose marriage comes upon stormy seas as they approach their silver wedding anniversary.
"This is an old-fashioned feel-good film. The music is ridiculously catchy..." These stories are, of course, neatly contrived around The Proclaimers’ lyrics which did lend a certain inevitability to proceedings. However, this is not to the detriment of the film. Each song is delivered with gusto and coupled with some so-terrible-it-becomes-brilliant choreography meaning the musical numbers cannot fail to put a smile on your face. This is an old-fashioned feel-good film. The music is ridiculously catchy, the characters are likeable, and it makes Edinburgh looks truly gorgeous (the tourist board must be thrilled with the multitude of panoramic views scattered throughout). Whilst this film shouldn't be made a priority if you have two hours to spare, it is well worth it and defies you to leave the cinema not humming ‘500 Miles’ (perhaps to the annoyance of your housemates).
18th-24th October 2013
redbrick.me/film
23
Film News Lamide Danmola Critic
Charlie Hunnam has disappointed scores of fans after dropping out of the eagerly awaited Fifty Shades of Grey film adaptation. Universal Pictures said that this was a mutual agreement, and that the actor was limited by his busy schedule. Both Dakota Johnson and Sam Taylor-Johnson still remain tied to the film.
It seems that money is not a problem for Peter Jackson. The Hobbit trilogy is said to have amassed a bill of just over half a billion dollars and is still rising. The movie’s advanced visual effect is the main reason for this bill, and may lead to higher ticket prices.
Review: The Fifth Estate The Wiki Leaks scandal of 2010 gets the Hollywood treatment with a big screen adaption starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Daniel Brühl.
Details Release date: 11th October 2013 Director: Bill Condon Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl, Carice van Houten Running time: 128 minutes Watch if you're a fan of: The Social Network, Mona Lisa Smile, The Reader
´´´´´ Daisy Edwards
Critic @HaDaisyLOL The Fifth Estate opens with a well-edited montage of how the printing press and global news has developed over time, starting right with Egyptian hieroglyphics and bringing the audience right up to the present day. The overall editing and camera work in this film is fantastic and is styled to fit the code and computer based nature of the Wiki Leaks website. Once in the present day, we are launched into a 2010 press conference, hosted by Julian Assange (Benedict Cumberbatch) covering the latest, and biggest, leak the Wiki Leaks website has host-
ed. Those familiar with the Wiki Leaks scandal will know which event he’s referring to, but for those unaware or unfamiliar with the scandal we are then taken back to 2007 and we follow Daniel Berg (Daniel Brühl) along to his first face to face meeting with Julian Assange. It is from here we witness some of the first leaks, mainly from Berg’s perspective, with Assange giving in depth detail into the number of people involved in the leak and how it will be received. Cumberbatch and Brühl have brilliant screen chemistry, as we get to slowly see their friendship begin and later devolve into something darker. During one of their first conversations, the script allows the characters, and audience, to get to know them more as people, which is refreshing as it’s a rare occurrence to see a decent friendship on the big screen. The script is excellent, though there are a few stumbles regarding the subtly of a character's backstory.
"Cumberbatch and Bruhl have brilliant screen chemistry." Considering that the script was adapted from two novels, one being written by Daniel Domscheit-Berg, I was surprised at how minimal the knowledge on the Wiki Leaks movement was. Although this naturally means the audience won’t be thrown in at the deep end, I feel that some further references to the codes and hacking could have been made. Other actors involved such as David
Thewlis, Carice Van Houton and Laura Linney all act on top form, with their characters allowing different points of view of the Wiki Leaks movement to be displayed. This can be said for the whole cast, despite being led by the Cumberbatch/Brühl figure head, every character is realistic and believable to watch. Despite the dark matters, such as politics and morality, that the film discusses, there are lighter moments, such as Assange dancing in clubs and Berg getting caught hacking in a supply closet, which are well placed within the first 45 minutes. One scene which is repeated throughout shows what Wiki Leaks would look like if it were an office, similar that to The Guardian, at some point we see Benedict Cumberbatch working at every desk, other times we see Daniel Brühl kicking over chairs. It is also within the first hour that the dramatic tone of the film truly establishes itself, as we are introduced to how far people will go to keep whistle blowers quiet. As the film progresses and the leaks slowly get bigger, the audience gather that there will be fewer comedic moments. This fits with the nature of the real life events, and so those who are looking for comic relief will be disappointed. As the events slowly get closer to 2010, Assange develops into something of an anti-hero, ultimately leading the audience to side with Berg and his actions. As a political and journalistic drama, The Fifth Estate is a great film in its own right. The acting, scripting and camera work were all excellent, however prior knowledge of the Wiki Leaks scandal and events may have proven helpful to certain audience members.
Speculation has arisen about a possible sequel for Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner. There is uncertainty surrounding whether or not the original's lead actor Harrison Ford will make an appearance. Ford has recently confirmed that he has been in discussions with Scott for a possible reappearance.
Nicole Kidman’s production company Blossom Films has obtained the rights to the critically acclaimed novel The Silent Wife by Asa Harrison. The book has received a similar buzz to another recently announced adaptation of Gone Girl that will be directed by David Fincher. Kidman is said to take on the role as both lead and producer.
24
redbrick.me/food
18th - 24th October 2013
Food
Resturant Reviews Food editor Gemma Bridge taste tests some of Birmingham's best eateries
Review: Woktastic Woktastic is a noodle and sushi bar located in Paradise Forum in Birmingham, close to the newly built Birmingham Library, the Bullring and the ICC so is a great place to eat after a day out shopping, working or before going to a concert. Woktastic brings an authentic taste of the Far East to the heart of Birmingham. It serves an array of food such as Japanese, fusion, noodle and sushi dishes. When you visit you can see the chefs at work, so you know the food is fresh! Woktastic is located in vibrant surroundings and has outstanding service, and as a result you can relax and enjoy the healthy, freshly prepared food that is claimed to promote a sense of well-being. The philosophy of Woktastic is simple: the dishes are freshly prepared on site using locally sourced produce (where possible). For example- the fish used is delivered within 72 hours of being caught. Woktastic is also dedicated to being environmentally friendly, only choosing suppliers who help to manage and conserve resources. So you can feel good that the food you are eating is good for you and for the environment. I ventured in last week.and when I saw the extensive menu filled with delicious sounding dishes, I didn't know what to choose! Here are a couple of items that Woktastic offers, just to give you a sample of what you could get, all of which can be take-aways: If you fancy a lunch time treat, Woktastic offers a fantastic Japanese bento box. For £5.99 you can get a healthy and filling lunch. One box offers: Teriyaki chicken served with white rice, salad, Japanese pickles, sushi and miso soup! A similar box is on offer in the evenings, however this is served
as a set meal, and can be eaten in the restaurant. I decided to go for the unlimited Japanese fusion buffet! It was branded as 'eat as much as you like' but to me that means 'eat way too much' and I did! The buffet was like a sushi bar, with a conveyor belt of food. There were loads of dishes and you could just pick up whatever you wanted! The buffet was priced at £13.99 and for that price I was able to get a range of dishes including sushi, noodles, tempura etc. I was amazed at the quantity of food you could eat!
"I've seen the light and it is Woktastic" I particularly liked the stir fried noodle dish with vegetables as it was really tasty and the vegetables in the dish were still crunchy. Additionally, I would recommend getting the chicken noodle soup! It was so warming and tasted so so good! Although the buffet was great, there were not that many hot dishes on offer, with the majority of the food being sushi. I didn't mind this as I love sushi but it would have been nice to have had a bit more variety so that I could have tried more dishes. Additionally, although there were pudding plates, there was little choice; I only saw a crumble type tray bake and a lemon tart, but I guess they don't eat much pudding in Japan so I shouldn't really complain about that! The food was so good; my favorite
dishes from the buffet were all sushi and I particularly liked the salmon, tamago and inari tofu ones. In addition to the amazing food, the service was exceptional. For example, one of the waitresses noticed that I was struggling with the chop sticks so she brought over a special device to help me! Woktastic has a range of drinks. I had unlimited green tea, which was amazing and was literally unlimited. We were given a jug of tea and it was filled up as many times as we wanted! In addition to tea, there were also lots of freshly squeezed juices on offer, including flavor combinations such as mango and apple or avocado, apple and orange! If you fancy something alcoholic, Woktastic also offers a range of wines and beers, some of which are Japanese! Furthermore, when we went to Woktastic we sat by the window so we were able to watch the world go by outside and also watch the chefs at work inside, which was a real treat and added to the pretty unusual dining experience. Furthermore, the waiters were really smiley and friendly and were more than happy to help us with choosing dishes on the menu or on the buffet carousel. In addition, the manager was walking around on the restaurant floor making his own recommendations for dishes, etc. which was really great and made us feel welcome in Woktastic. Finally there was Japanese music being played whilst we ate which was really nice and added to the ambiance. I would definitely recommend Woktastic for a healthy lunch or a satisfying supper. I will be going back next time I am in Birmingham and I am going to try a Bento box as they were recommended to me by the waiters and by other diners!
I have seen the light- it is Woktastic!
was a little dry, it was easily by improved by a squirt of ketchup! The soup was spicy root vegetable, it was thick and tasty but maybe a little too filling to go with the relatively large sandwich, but it was still really nice! I think next time it may have been better to have ordered chips or salad to go with the ciabatta. The decor in Red Peppers was really cool, with lots of posters, and nice quotes to read whilst waiting for the food to arrive (despite not having to wait long at all as the service was so quick). My favourite quote was: 'Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.'
Overall, we both had a really great lunch, and it was under £10! To top off the great food, the service was exceptional throughout our meal and as a result I will definitely be going back. It is definitely worth a visit to Red Peppers. So what are you waiting for? If you like Red Peppers, or think that you might like Red Peppers then why not sign up to their 'e-club' ? You will receive all the latest offers and news. To sign up you must be over 18, and they promise not to rent, share or sell your information.
Review: Red Peppers Red Peppers in Birmingham is located in the Mailbox. It is a grill and cantina that is relaxed and welcoming. Red Peppers has a varied menu offering dishes from around the world, with Asian inspired dishes such as Thai chicken curry or sesame crusted salmon sitting comfortably next to old favourites like ribs, Mexican burritos, pasta dishes and pizza. The staff at Red Peppers are friendly and attentive so what better place to go for a casual meal at the weekend with friends or for a late night candle lit dinner with your partner? The great value for money makes Red Peppers the perfect venue for parties too with a private reservation area downstairs for groups of up to 100 guests! Red Peppers offer a great lunch time deal, with meals from only £4.50. (Perfect for students!) This offer includes specialty sandwiches and wraps served with fries or a bowl of soup. I wanted to try some of the food on offer and so I recently went to Red Peppers to take advantage of their lunch time deal.
I went on a Saturday lunchtime and the restaurant was packed which is always a good sign of a good place to eat. The waiter who greeted us when we arrived was really friendly and knowledgeable about the food on offer. He guided us to a great spot within view of the kitchen so that we could watch as food was prepared. It was great to be able to see how fresh everything was. Taking advantage of the lunch time deal, I ordered a guacamole, sundried tomato and mozzarella pizzetta with fries. I enjoyed the meal, however, there was a little too much cheese on the pizzetta and the guacamole made it a bit wet, but the chips were tasty! If I were to have ordered again I think I would have rather have had one of the salads or maybe tried the pesto and tomato pizzetta. My friend ordered chicken salsa ciabatta with soup. The ciabatta was fresh, and really nice, with crunchy breaded chicken and spicy salsa (apparently a bit like a posh chicken legend from Mc D's). Although it
"Great value for money makes Red Peppers the perfect place for parties"
18th - 24th October 2013
redbrick.me/food
Fierce Food Fights Follow our column to find a weekly winner! This week: Ready Meals - Aldi vs Tesco Charlie Moloney Sport Reporter
@charliemolo-
In Aldi you can buy 79p ready meals, but I’m not that much of a martyr, so for the purposes of this article I bought two £1.49 ready meals from the Simply Bistro range. I picked them based on what I thought would be the least terrible, but I’m not sure that I made the right call. You could spend your whole life analysing the different options and you’d never really be able to decide which one you hate the most, so abhorrent are these meals. Sweet and Sour Chicken Maybe this was a rookie mistake, because it’s so easy to get sweet and sour chicken wrong. The picture on the box shows a lightly sauced selection of chicken breast pieces, with a generous selection of vegetables sprinkled around. When I poured it on to a plate, the first thing that struck me was that the whole thing was submerged in a greasy orange sauce, and there was nowhere near enough rice to soak it up. The ingredients tell you that the chicken strips are 98% chicken, but it tastes like polystyrene. The chicken will make the skin of your teeth writhe; you get the feeling that you’re chewing tissue paper. The vegetables are hard and chewy; imagine the worst carrots
you ever got served with a school dinner (if you had those). The rice is pretty inoffensive, but it just ends up tasting like the sauce, which is tangy and sickly sweet. You won’t be able to finish this one unless you are really hungry. Thai Chicken Curry This one suffers from similar problems to the sweet and sour chicken. The chicken has the same unnatural and overcooked texture, and the vegetables are the same production line garbage. The curry sauce isn’t too bad, which is probably because you can’t really taste it as it’s spicy. If you look at how many ingredients there are in the sauce then you might feel a bit queasy, but looking at the ingredients section on a ready meal box is as stupid as looking down when you’re about to abseil off a skyscraper. As you get towards the last forkfuls you may lose the will to go on. There’s nothing which rewards your taste buds for continuing, and as your stomach begins to make strange groaning noises, you should start to pour this in to the bin and drink some herbal tea. Tesco to the Rescue Just because Aldi has done a terrible job of their ready meals (honestly, don’t buy them) that doesn’t mean that it’s time to dig out your chicken.com menu just yet. If you go across the road to Tesco Express there’s a range of far better, albeit slightly more
expensive, options. The Tesco's Indian selection of ready meals is perfect for a quick and easy dinner that isn’t going to make you depressed. Whereas Aldi’s Simply Bistro leaves you feeling bloated, greasy and unfulfilled, Tesco’s Indian selection leaves you full and only slightly greasy. The chicken that you get in the Tesco ready meals is still bordering on unacceptable, but that is almost impossible to avoid with these pre-packaged, preservative infused foods. Unless you’re getting Marks & Spencer’s ready meals, you know what to expect. The question you have to ask yourself is why you are bothering getting ready meals when you could just cook for yourself at around the same cost. If it’s because you can’t be bothered then get a takeaway from Adam’s Place, because only someone with no taste buds could say they enjoyed these ready meals, and even then I think their body would beg to differ.
If you would like to have your Fierce Food Fight in Redbrick, please email us: food@redbrickonline.co.uk
Weekly Features Millie Walker Food Editor
@millicent_x
I'm female, and I like to bake, I am a walking talking, self-raising embodiment of one of our most prevalent stereotypes. It is quite simply an addiction and there are hundreds of people out there suffering the same fate while the rest of the population are suffering expanded waistlines as a result! For me, the joy comes not only from the therapeutic qualities of the process but also from making a treat for other people. There’s a submerged maternal instinct within me that cries ‘feed everyone’ and a little French queen that ends the sentence with ‘cake’. After that I like to indulge in the decorating process and I’ll admit there’s a ‘show-off’ in me there... it’s crowded in my head! Charity baking competitions have seen a Phoenix spread its wings on top of a monstrous victoria sponge and a turreted Christmas castle emerge from a winter wonderland. Birthdays have led to Olympic podiums, cocktail cup cakes and an entire jungle complete with waterfall and animals. In the last fortnight alone I have baked five times, much to the amusement of my housemates, but there really were valid reasons to try that recipe again! Today I would like to share a cup cake creation that was invented in the early hours of a restless night's sleep and made the following morning before breakfast. I had named them Passion Fruit Cupcakes, however, a housemate quite rightly compared them to a favourite ice cream and therefore they also bear the title Solero Cakes. I do realise that most people will not have passion fruit curd sitting in their university food cupboard as I did. The poor jar
Ingredients For The Cake 250g Butter 250g Caster Sugar 200g Self-Raising Flour 4 Large Eggs 1 tbsp Curd (Jam) For The Hidden Icing 50g Icing Sugar 1tsp Curd (Jam) - Use Water or Greek Yoghurt to thicken. For The Frosting 140g Butter 280g Icing Sugar 2-3tsp Curd (Jam) Method Cake •Pre-heat
the
oven
to
160C
and
line
a
muffin
tray with twelve cup cake cases. •Whisk
the
butter
and
sugar
until
smooth
and light in colour before adding in the curd. •Whisk
the
eggs
in
a
separate
bowl. •Alternate
adding
the
eggs
and
flour
into
the
butter and sugar, always mix fully before moving on to the next addition to prevent curdling. •Once
all
of
the
ingredients
are
incorporated
and the mix is even, separate it into the cases and put into the oven for 25-30mins •When
you
cakes
are
golden
brown,
even
in
To suggest ingredient issues that you want solved, email: food@ redbrickonine.co.uk
Ingredient Ideas
When you just don't know what to do with your last....
Red Onion
01.
To make a quick and easy greek salad, just add: - Lettuce - Feta - Olives - Tomatoes - Balsamic Vinegar 02.
Produce a simple pasta sauce
Crazy About Cake: The Musings of an Addict was an unfavourable purchase of my Mum’s that was speedily offloaded – not an infrequent occurrence! However, the recipe will work just as well with jam (any variety) or lemon curd, so long as you have a good fruity flavour to help ease you from summer’s ice creams to autumn’s cakes.
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height and pass the ‘clean knife’ test, remove them from the oven and leave to cool before icing. Icing Hidden – Place the sugar and curd into a bowl and add very small quantities of water or yogurt to create that is thin enough to be drizzled into the centre of the cakes but not so thin that your cakes will be soggy! Personally, I find that yoghurt gives a nicer flavour to plain icing than water and the very slight bitter tang can remove the sicklysweet quality of many butter-icing mixes. Frosting Mix the butter, curd and sugar into a bowl until you have a smooth, pale frosting to pipe/spread onto the top of your cakes. Assembly •Take
a
sharp
knife
to
your
cold
cup
cakes
and carefully remove a small cone of sponge from the very centre •Into
this
hole,
spoon
your
thin
icing
as
a
surprise treat for the consumer •Spread
or
pipe
your
frosting
onto
the
cup
cakes, hiding the newly filled hole and decorate at will.
- Chopped Tomatoes - Mushrooms - Peppers 03.
Try goat's cheese and red onion tarlets for a lovely lunch 04.
Enjoy a dinner of chicken breast stuffed with red onion chutney
- For stunningly simple but scrumptious recipes, look out for Andrew Longstreet's articles in our online edition.
Look out for our reporters around campus asking you for your ideas on how to empty out the fridge!
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redbrick.me/music
18th - 24th October 2013
Music
Album Review: Live Review: Johnny Flynn @ The Institute Library Yuck - Glow and Hannah Skolnick Behold Music Critic @hannahskolnick James Garrington Music Critic
Following guitarist and singer Daniel Blumberg’s abrupt departure from the London based quartet, fans have speculated over whether this new release could match Yuck’s previous effort. In Glow and Behold, the band focus less on guitar-driven hooks and provide their listeners with floating waves of melody, allowing Mariko Doi’s basslines to shine through. Yuck’s rhythm section are exceptional throughout, maintaining a solid groove underneath Bloom’s guitar playing, even though frequently Doi’s bass lines are as melodic as the guitar. Primary examples of this stylistic shift are ‘Memorial Fields’ and ‘Somewhere’, both include heavy instrumentation, adding trumpets, glockenspiels and synths, embellishing Bloom’s shimmery guitar tone. These songs in particular seem to have a very introspective feel conveyed through the layers of melodies, although neither of the songs come across as overly busy.
It was with great excitement and some nostalgia that I headed to the Institute Library to watch the angelic Johnny Flynn. It’s been five years since his debut album A Larum was released, a seminal moment in my album-buying experience, and I was finally getting to see him live. Not only this, but my companion for the evening was a 2 2 - y e a r - o l d - f i r s t - t i m e - g i g - g o e r. Expectations were high. As we know, size isn’t everything, and the less-than-bursting crowd did nothing to diminish Flynn’s performance which was, in a word, transcendent. Preceded by Marika Hackman and the wonderfully eclectic Cosmo Sheldrake (who later joined the Sussex Wit on stage), the sense of anticipation grew steadily as the evening progressed. Eventually opening, Flynn launched into the B-side ‘The Ghost of O’ Donahue’ complete with its delicate melody and ringing refrain, ‘this is the calendar, these are the dates’. From there, the rapt audience was swept along for two hours of near-perfect live
namely ‘After Eliot’, inspired by the words of T.S., and ‘Fol-de-Rol’, a Latin American little number which differs somewhat from his usual style. And finally, after the World’s most polite heckle ('thanks for playing!'), Flynn finished with the anthemic ‘Eyeless in Holloway’.
"Meandering through three albums' worth of material, Flynn played many a crowd-pleaser" All in all this was a brilliant gig, which left me grinning from ear to ear, not unlike a Cheshire cat. For my friend, well, it was a pretty good way to lose his gig-going virginity.
Album Review: Panic! at the Disco - Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die
"Glow and Behold is an album of two halves from a band beginning to reinvent Andy Cashmore themselves" Music Critic
However, with this album, Yuck do not reinvent themselves entirely. Frequently Bloom’s writing lapses back into the 90s sound from their eponymous first album. Whilst this is not necessarily a criticism, the songs where Bloom returns to the band’s original style are considerably weaker than the debut.‘Middle Sea’ and ‘Rebirth’ by themselves are good enough to warrant a few listens, but when listened to in the context of the album they do disrupt the overall flow. The weakest track is ‘How Does It Feel’, with its jarring trumpet line and Bloom’s vocals bearing a striking similarity to Damon Albarn’s, the track could almost be a Blur B-side. Glow and Behold is an album of two halves from a band beginning to reinvent themselves. Fortunately, there are enough good songs here for some of the album to make it onto your Spotify playlist. The new direction Yuck are taking sounds promising.
music. Personal highlights include the sublime ‘Bottom of the Sea Blues’ and a duo taken from 2010’s album Been Listening namely ‘Howl’ and ‘Barnacled Warship’ which show off both his range and accomplishments as a multi-instrumentalist.‘Howll' in particular has vaguely Tom Waitsian vocals, and a rousing trumpet call which Flynn plays with virtuosity. Meandering through three albums' worth of material, Flynn played many a crowdpleaser - notably ‘The Wrote and The Writ’ and ‘The Box’. Eliciting perhaps the largest cheer of the evening was a gorgeous rendition of ‘The Water’. This song, best known as a duet with Laura Marling, was performed beautifully by Flynn and his sister, Lilly. The harmonies were mesmeric and the connection between the two innate, in a way only siblings can be. It was amidst shouts for more that Flynn played ‘Tickle Me Pink’ - and of course there was more, a brilliant three-song encore. This included two off his latest album, Country Mile, which came out last month,
@AndyJCash
On the surface, everything appears to be going swimmingly for Panic! at the Disco; the release of their fourth studio album in eight years would suggest a solid group building on the foundation of their previous successes. Sadly, the road leading up to Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! has been turbulent. Just months before the release of the album, drummer Spencer Smith wrote an open letter to fans about his battle with addiction and decided to leave the summer tour in order to continue his recovery. This isn’t the first time Panic! have dealt with off-stage problems, having kicked out founding bassist Brent Wilson in 2006, and then parting company with guitarist/singer Ryan Ross and replacement bass player Jon Walker in 2009. Both of these line up changes were followed by albums that varied greatly from their predecessor and Too Weird to Live is another unique sound that can now be attributed to the group.
With the band having more pack shuffles than a deck of casino cards, it seems appropriate that the new album is inspired by Brendon Urie’s home of Vegas. Urie has said the album was influenced by hiphop artists like A$AP Rocky in the way it’s ‘doing the new rock thing; there are no rules’. This ‘new rock thing’ has created a synthpop album that utilises synthesisers, keyboards and voice modifiers, taking a step
"Too Weird to Live may just require some time for us to grow accustomed to this new sounding Panic! at the Disco" away from Vices and Virtues which was less reliant on studio polish. This isn’t a criticism however: the first song and second single ‘This is Gospel’ builds quietly through a lyrically interesting first verse before explod-
ing into a loud chorus. This is followed by the first single ‘Miss Jackson’ which has a strong resemblance to former record label mates Fall Out Boy. However, where Fall Out Boy use guitars to create a rock sound, Panic! opt for electronic effects to make something closer to pop. What follows is a mish-mash of electronic and synth experimentation that appears to lack imagination and exciting drive. The sexy ‘Girls/Girls/Boys’ is the pick of the mid-album slump. This doesn’t mean you should turn the album off after two songs. ‘Collar Full’ lets the emo/pop-punk roots of Panic! push through. The finale ‘The End of All Things’ closes the record with unenhanced pianos and violins, layered by Urie’s heavily autotuned voice. It summarises the mission Panic! seem to have with each album; create something new while retaining extracts of their old flavour. While it doesn’t appear to be their strongest album to date, Too Weird to Live may just require some time for us to grow accustomed to this new sounding Panic! at the Disco.
18th - 24th October 2013
redbrick.me/music
27
Tweet of the Week @MichaelEavis1: Sometimes predictive text can be a right aunt
Album Review: Jason Derulo - Tattoos
Album Review: Drake - Nothing Was The Same
Beth Coveney
Joseph Fuller
Music Critic
@bethcoveney
Since his debut album back in 2010, Jason Derulo has achieved massive success in the R&B world, and now he's back with his third offering Tattoos. He’s gone in a different direction with this album – it’s less dance-orientated, much deeper, more melodic, and features a more romantic theme than the modern-day Lothario style of the previous two. It’s great to see his softer side on tracks like the ballad ‘Marry Me’, where his silky smooth vocals can be shown off. Derulo can boast an incredible voice, with all the slickness of the next Justin Timberlake, and it’s on tracks like this that it’s really brought to the fore. One particular highlight is the soppy duet ‘Vertigo’, featuring Jason’s incredibly talented other half Jordin Sparks. Her powerful voice merges perfectly with his vocals. Some would call recording a duet with your girlfriend sweet, some would call it sickly, but it makes for a great listen, but I guess you’ll have to decide where you stand. ‘Vertigo’ is one of many brilliant collaborations on the record, which also features R&B gods 2 Chainz and Pitbull, amongst others. Unsurprisingly, the most dance-led track on the record is ‘Fire’, featuring Pitbull and with beats so massive you’ll wonder why you’re not out partying right then and there. Sure, Derulo’s taken a more chilled and romantic direction for Tattoos, but the classic ‘Ridin’ Solo’ style club tracks we know and love him for are still coming in thick and fast, with sure fire hit singles ‘The Other
Music Critic
Side’ and ‘Talk Dirty’ starting the album off with a bang. Title track ‘Tattoo’ sums up the romantic theme of the record with romantic lyricism and the catchiest chorus of the lot. While my personal favourite ‘Trumpets’ is another catchy track full of fun, light-hearted lyrics, witty pop culture references, exceptionally versatile vocals from Derulo and brass riffs that Rizzle Kicks would envy. Closing track ‘Rest of Our Life’ is a perfect upbeat pop song that closes the album in an effortlessly happy and loved-up mood. From party anthems to mellow ballads,
"The club style tracks we know and love are still coming in thick and fast" Tattoos is a great record full of unashamedly addictive pop songs – and the fact that he’s dropped that irritating habit of singing his name at the beginning of every song is definitely worth bonus points. It's not exactly bold or adventurous, but it’s packed with hooks and with its mix of smooth ballads, catchy pop songs and fun dance tunes, it is nothing short of a massively enjoyable listen.
@helloiamjoseph
'My life's a completed checklist' brags Drake on 'Tuscan Leather', the opening track from his troubled and triumphant third album Nothing Was The Same. Drake sounds like his usual self-aggrandising/self-loathing self on this number, but with a new sense of urgency. With the album becoming a more important concept to the modern rap game (Kanye's controversial Yeezus and Danny Brown's recent Old stand as a testament to this), Drake has staked his claim to hang in the major leagues. Even if Drake's subject matter and nasal flow will still prove divisive, the lush production and depth of Nothing Was The Same should ring universally. 'Started From The Bottom' is a case-inpoint as it drapes an eerie piano figure over a simple, propulsive 808 beat and infectious hook. 'Wear every chain even when I'm in the house' intones Drake, chronicling his rise in the song's hook: ‘now the whole team's here'. Despite the triumphant refrain, paranoia still lurks as 'fake friends still show up in the lyric sheet. 'Started From The Bottom' is indicative of Drake's mindset as a whole: despite images of packed stadiums, his bravado is always a few steps away from breaking down into loneliness. It's this fine line that's made him such a unique and contentious name on the scene. He's fully aware of his reputation as he explains he's been told to be 'less aggressive and pessimistic' over the album's most buoyant rhythms in 'Pound Cake/Paris Morton Music', though this time around he totally owns his negativity.
The album is meant to flow as a whole the whispered sample from the 'Wu-Tang Forever' creeps into 'Own It' which flows from a clicking, sparse beat into luscious R&B, for instance – and riches will be found for those willing to stick around. Drake's ego may be huge, but he's exploring all parts of it. ‘Lobster and Shrimp' and 'Wealth' show Drake's wallet as fulfilled, but as ex-girlfriends ('Courtney from Hooters' is directly named on the slow-burning 'From Time'), father issues, and funerals fill the lyrical concerns, Drake's still having a hard time figuring out who best to share his success with.
"The album is meant to flow as a whole, and riches will be found for those willing to stick around" Mortality also rears its sobering head on the sombre, beautiful 'Too Much' as Drake's mother is 'too sick to get dressed up' and his friend considers giving up on his bucket list over a wonderful vocal contribution from Sampha. These concerns make Nothing Was The Same a deep, sprawling and rewarding listen and is sure to win over some of the nay-sayers who still haven't forgiven Drizzy for birthing 'YOLO'.
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redbrick.me/sport
18th - 24th October 2013
Sport
Durham rain on Brum's parade
Michael Jevon
Birmingham 1sts Durham 1sts Ellie Jones
Sports reporter
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@EllieJones_bham
On an extremely damp Bournbrook pitch, Birmingham ladies rugby 1sts took on Durham 1sts in their opening home match of the season. An optimistic Birmingham kicked off but straight away the wet conditions were playing havoc with the handling, giving an early knock on to Durham. After a few scrappy passes, both sides had a lot more chance to practise their scrummaging skills, as the ball was knocked on four more times in the first five minutes. Birmingham finally got going in the loose and had a strong line, if a little slow due to the wet grass. Good runs also led to successful breakdowns and quick clearing by scrum half Leilah Mills. After a few
passes, the wet ball again interfered and a scrum was awarded to Durham. The visitor’s pack had little trouble in pushing the
'the wet conditions were playing havoc' home team off the ball, with no real contest. A clean break from the halfway line by Durham’s winger Meg Ellery saw the opposition go 5-0 up. At the restart Birmingham seemed determined, with Mills winning a sloppy Durham scrum for her side. A high tackle by Durham’s number 10 gave the home side their first penalty, which was kicked convincingly into the corner for Birmingham’s first line out. Unfortunately the wind made the line out particularly difficult and the ball floated into Durham’s hands. The ball reached their outside centre who made 10 metres, pushing off the Birmingham defence. Another knock on by a blue hand meant Durham were in a great position and again Ellery had a chance to break. A second try for Durham under the posts and a successful conversion by captain
Laura Hind put their side 13-0 up after 20 minutes. As the game started up again, Durham looked like they may break with a big push on the halfway line but Birmingham’s captain Fran Strong covered back and won the ball in the ruck. The referee awarded a penalty to Birmingham but a bad kick put extra pressure on the already strained line out. The visitors again won the lineout with ease, but a mixture of sloppy play and a wet ball led to knock ons from either side. Birmingham however won the scrum and created a huge driving maul, slowly carrying on for 20 metres, well held by Liz Ewen in the middle. Brought down by a purple hand Birmingham were awarded a penalty scrum just over the 22 line. The scrum looked hopeful but again scrappy play saved Durham before the halftime whistle blew. With the second half under way the home side started positively with Emma Boyd and Mills again pushing forward. Some very good passing and excellent running by the forwards saw Birmingham on the Durham line with options either side. But again the defence of Durham was too strong, pushing the attackers off the ball and
with a high kick from their scrum half, Ellery was off again, this time running 70 metres to complete her hat-trick. Unfortunately as the play wore on the Birmingham Ladies looked tired and the play became very laboured. Durham took advantage of every opportunity they had and
'Durham took advantage of every opportunity they had' ruthlessly scored five more tries, with both wingers helping themselves to three tries each in the game. The home side fought on regardless and showed some great skill in the rucks and were successful with a few driving mauls. However Durham were able to cope with the conditions better and through relentless pressure ran out 51-0 winners.
18th - 24th October 2013
redbrick.me/sport
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Perfect start continues for Birmingham Birmingham 1sts
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Durham 2nds
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Tom Kelly
Online Sports Editor
@tom_tk_kelly
Birmingham men's rugby 1sts continued their impressive start to the 2013/14 BUCS campaign with a comfortable 33-24 victory over Durham on the Bournbrook pitch. Coming off the back of a victory over Loughborough the week before, the hosts started strongly with Sam Corlett working well with Andy Matthews as Birmingham found easy metres in the outside channels. An inaccuracy at a defensive five meter line out from the visitors enabled Birmingham to set up camp on Durham’s line, Sam Dowell-Bennett dived over after a series of pick-and-go drives to give Birmingham first blood. The ever reliable Dan Wood soon converted from the tee to give his side an early seven point lead. The game settled after Birmingham’s impressive start as the next twenty minutes were dominated by rather lateral attacks from Durham. In homage to last week,
Matthew Williamson
Birmingham’s discipline was to stunt their own progress as the visitors took a stranglehold on possession and territory. However Durham’s problems at the lineout continued as Sam Markey and Tom Vooght continuously put the visitors’ set piece under pressure. Durham’s failure to capitalise on field possession proved costly as Wood soon slotted over his first penalty of the game to stretch the lead to 10-0, after strong work at the breakdown from Vooght. However signs were beginning to show that Durham were finding their attacking edge as the influential Josh Thorneycroft began to find holes in the Birmingham midfield. Indeed it was Thorneycroft’s initial break which brought the visitors back into the game. Jamie Clements came off his wing to glide his way past a despairing cover defence to reduce the deficit to three points with Jack Barker’s simple conversion. Durham’s comeback seemed to rejuvenate a rather subdued Birmingham offensive display and the physicality of Birmingham’s loose forwards began to dominate. Ciaran Moore in particular was beginning to make his presence felt as Birmingham took control of the battle on the gain-line with Fred Gulliford marshalling his pack well. After a series of threatening attacks, some beautiful hands from the second row pairing of Jamie
Rose and Markey along with Vooght sent Birmingham into the visitors’ 22. Following a quick recycling of the ball, Birmingham moved out wide where the ever-threatening Andy Matthews beat his opposite man to slide in at the corner. Another magnificent conversion from Wood, this time from right on the touch line, regained Birmingham’s ten point lead on the stroke of half time. The second half began brightly for Durham who once again gained the upper hand on territory and it was Clements who crossed the whitewash after a turnover had left Birmingham woefully short of numbers out wide. Jack Barker followed in Wood’s footsteps by knocking over another beautifully struck conversion to bring the score to 17-14. Birmingham, however, were once again inspired by Durham’s fight back. The hosts’ front row began to turn the screw and Durham’s scrum soon disintegrated. Dan Wood turned pressure into points on 50 minutes with another penalty to stretch Birmingham’s lead to six. From there on in the result rarely looked in doubt. A well-executed set piece move saw Moore cut down just short of the line, but captain Vooght drove over a few phases later to stretch Birmingham’s lead to 27-14. Durham came back with three points of their own from Barker but two more Wood penalties, taking his personal tally to eight-
een points, with 7/7 from the tee, meant there was no way back for the visitors. A well taken individual try from Nick Lovell proved little more than a consolation for Durham after the replacement scrumhalf had sniped well around the fringes. By that point though the game was already won. After victories over Loughborough and Durham, Birmingham now sit at the top of the BUCS Premier North B League. ‘We couldn’t really have asked for a better start to the season to be honest,’ said captain and try scorer Vooght. ‘These two games against Loughborough and Durham are probably the two hardest games we’ll play this season, and we’ve done the job in both of them.’
"We couldn't really have asked for a better start to the season" It may only be two games in, but this was a hugely impressive Birmingham display and one which hints at this side being right in the mix for promotion come the end of the season.
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18th - 24th October 2013
redbrick.me/sport
Sport
Brilliant Brum take advantage of Oxford slips Birmingham 1sts
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Oxford 1sts
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Ed Tyler
Sport Reporter
@Tyleed05
They say there are no easy games in sport, but Birmingham men’s football 1sts took their Oxford counterparts to pieces in their opening fixture of the new season. A very wet Tally Ho pitch was the scene for what will surely be one of the more comprehensive victories in the long season ahead. Just one goal in the first half was followed by a dominant performance in the second period, which saw four more goals for Birmingham. This, as well as an away side consolation, was more than enough to satisfy the home coach and his players. The outstanding performances of striker Will Richards and left-winger Charlie Connor in particular added to the post-match optimism. There was clear belief in the home side’s camp right from kick off, with Birmingham dominating the opening exchanges and bringing about the first chance of the match. A useful cross from right-winger Seb Bowerman was almost inch perfect to the head of target man Richards up front, and the header was matched by the Oxford centre-back before the ball fell nicely for number 11, Connor, who could only manage a weak effort on goal. Birmingham continued in this vein for the next few minutes, pressurising Oxford whenever they got the ball and attacking effectively, particularly through the impressive Connor out on the left-wing, with Richards holding the ball up well. Attempting to play football on the ground was clearly not working for the away side, and it was a long ball from their keeper which led to their first half chance. The ball fell to their number 9 twenty-five yards out,
"There was clear belief in the home side's camp right from kick off" but his speculative shot went well wide of Jonny Pigott’s post. This first effort however seemed to inspire confidence in the Oxford ranks and they finally managed to start conducting play, creating several decent chances. Just as they began to look like the team on top, a goal from nothing for Birmingham turned the game around. From a punt upfield Sam Graham gave the hosts a scarcely deserved lead. This would be the last time in the game that Birmingham could be described as undeserving of their lead, however. Although the visitors showed a lot of energy in trying to equalise as the first half wore on, strong defending from centre-backs Jack Hulin and Seb Gho kept Oxford at bay. Meanwhile for the home side, the left flank in particular looked like it would bring further joy, with Connor dizzying defenders with his runs, and working well with left-back Greg Shone.
George Evans It was on the opposite side that the next big Birmingham chance of the half was created. Another Oxford long throw was again defended well and the ball broke to Bowerman. The winger seemed clean through, but his cheeky attempted lob over the keeper was well saved. Bowerman again had a chance to double his side’s advantage when a brilliant low ball across the face of goal from Connor fell to him at a tight angle, but he was only able to put it into the side netting.
"It seemed it was only a matter of when, rather than if Birmingham would extend their lead" At half-time it seemed it was only a matter of when, rather than if, Birmingham would extend their lead. The visitors’ defence was beginning to show gaps and their offensive play showed no real threat other than from set pieces and throw-ins.
This proved to be the case within minutes of the restart when Richards put the hosts 2-0 up, controlling the ball well, turning beautifully and slotting low past the goalkeeper. At two goals to the good, Birmingham looked more than comfortable and could have very easily seen the game out from there, but you never sensed they would settle for just two with the game so one sided. When Connor’s stinging shot was palmed out by the goalkeeper, Matt Thomas was on hand to put in the rebound to make the score 3-0. This was cue for the substitutions to get their chance. Thomas and Bowerman were two of the players to make way after both putting in solid performances. One of the replacements, Ibrahim Jabbie was instantly involved, crossing for Richards to put away his second. With only ten minutes or so remaining at this stage and a more than comfortable 4-0 lead, the previously untroubled home defence was caught napping to allow an Oxford consolation. Almost straight from the kick-off after the hosts’ fourth, Oxford
"Brum can reflect on clinical finishing and solid defending for the most part" went for a long range effort which struck the top of the bar with the rebound finding the net. The goal seemed to breathe new life into Oxford who almost totally dominated the final exchanges. In the dying moments though, shambolic defending from the away team allowed Birmingham another goal. A Pigott goal-kick went over everyone allowing Connor to head past the onrushing ‘keeper for a well-deserved goal. The final whistle blew soon after. Brum can reflect on clinical finishing and solid defending for the most part. Harder tests will come than this Oxford side who were lacking quality all over the pitch, but for now the Birmingham boys can celebrate a more than satisfactory start to this year’s campaign.
18th - 24th October 2013
redbrick.me/sport
Things to look out for this weekend
Performance of the week
Tweet of the week
1. Arsenal and Liverpool will both look to continue their fine starts to the season as the Premier League returns. The Gunners host Norwich in what looks like a straightforward win, while Liverpool face a potentially tricky visit to Newcastle.
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@androstownsend 'Great win tonight! Can't believe I've played a part in helping my country getting to a world cup!! #getin #imustbedreaming'
2. Current Heineken Cup holders Toulon are away to Cardiff Blues on Saturday. Will they be able to live up to Jonny Wilkinson's prediction that they will win every game?
Photo of the week
3. How will Rory McIlroy fare on his return to golfing action at the Korean Open after a month out?
The lighter side of sport
Roy Hodgson, the England manager, got his tactics and team selection spot on in both of the must-win World Cup qualifiers. His decision to pick Andros Townsend was particularly inspired as the 22-yearold scored on his debut and proved a threat throughout both games. Hodgson can now boast an unbeaten qualifying campaign and look forward to Brazil 2014.
Weekend wager
1. Australia wicket-keeper Brad Haddin had to go off the field of play to receive treatment in the first ODI against India , after team mate James Faulkner poked him in the eye, attempting a high ten after taking a wicket.
5/2 Rory McIlroy returns to action this week in the Korean Open. In a field largely dominated by unknown participants, this small tournament presents the perfect opportunity for the Northern Irishman to return to winning ways.
2. A 10 year-old fan initiated a pitch invasion after Irish side St Patrick's Athletic won the league title for the first time since 1999. The young fan was hoisted in the air by goalscorer Anto Flood, before being joined by other jubilant fans.
Sport quiz 1. How many London-based teams are there in the football league?
Online this week
2. How many Grand Slam titles has Novak Djokovic won? 3. Which county cricket side have a tree in the outfield of their home ground? 4. Who is shorter: Manny Pacquiao or Frankie Detorri? Tuesday debate: Is it the beginning of the end for Roger Federer? Constaninos Akrivos and Tasha Son discuss.
Heineken Cup: Ellie Jones reviews the first week of the competition in which the minnows put up a fight.
The Redbrick Music Crossword This week's prize is a candlelit dinner with our music editor, Sam Dix, who's a really swell guy! Completed crosswords to be submitted to the Redbrick office, located in the Guild basement. Crossword by Sam Dix.
Please complete this form before you hand in your completed crossword to the Redbrick office. Name: Email Address: Phone Number:
Scribble box
Across
Down
1. Album by Lou Reed, also ‘robots in disguise’(11) 6. Winner of the 2013 BRITs Critics’ Choice Award (5) 9. Everything ______ (10) 10. Rolling ______ (6) 12. _____ Shakes (7) 16. Nelly is in a dilemma, even when he’s with his ____ (3) 17. Barlow, not Gary (3) 18. _____ Ooh honey honey (5) 19. Jumping jack flash, it’s a ____ (3)
2. Goddess of flowers and the season of Spring (5) 3. ___ No.5 (5) 4. Band with Jack White that isn’t The White Stripes (10) 7. These monkeys are freezing (6) 8. Plug in this not heavy set of musicians (3) 11. He’s in a band that’s only going one way (5) 13. Band name, kind of laugh (3) 14. Lead guitarist of Guns ‘n’ Roses (5) 15. _____ From The Bottle (8) 20. _____ Spice (6)
5. Which basketball side has won the most NBA titles? 1. Fourteen 2. Six 3. Kent 4. Frankie Dettori 5. Boston Celtics
Top 5: After Tom Biggs switch from rugby union to league, Felix Keith and David Morris select their top 5 sporting switches.
~~1````2``3`4 ~~~~~~~`~~`~` ~7~~8~~`~~`~` ~6````~`~~r`` ~`~~`~5`e``~` ~`~~~~~~`~~~` ~9````````i~` ~`~~~~~~`~`~` ~0``-`w~t``~` ~~~~`~`~`~u`` =`q````~`~`~~ ~~`~`~y````~~ ~~`~`~`~~~~~~
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redbrick.me/sport
18th - 24th October 2013
Sport
Rugby match reports P28-29- Ellie Jones and Tom Kelly report on a Durham double-header for the men's and women's 1sts.
Birmingham shocked by opening day defeat
Charlotte Wilson
Birmingham 1sts
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Northampton 1sts
10
Owen Dunne Sports Reporter
Birmingham men's lacrosse 1sts suffered defeat in their opening league fixture as they went down 10-6 to Northampton 1sts in a hotly contested match on the Metchley 3G. The match saw a number of debuts for Birmingham with the likes of Andy Knox, Will Reis and George Stafford-Webb all looking to make a good impression on their first starts. After a bright opening that saw midfielder Tayo Webb force the Northampton keeper into a good save, Birmingham were caught on the break, with the visitors scor-
ing on their first venture into the Birmingham half. Their lead was swiftly doubled minutes later and after some good possession a shot came in from the right leaving the Brum Goalie and captain, Dave Nash, little chance of saving it. However, Birmingham were back in the game when debutant Andy Knox was able to work his way into a shooting position and buried his shot into the top right corner. The hosts continued to work their way into shooting positions but both Liam Donelly and Adam Sherlock saw their respective shots well saved by the Northampton keeper. The hosts made the quicker start to the second quarter, equaling the scores after some good pressure forced a mix up in the Northampton defence, resulting in Jamie Mcharg pouncing on the loose ball, keeping his composure and finishing well. Birmingham then took the lead after some good work by Sherlock in the middle of the park, which resulted in a powerful shot that found the top shelf. However,
again, Brum were pegged back as Northampton took advantage of some slack defending and levelled the match. The last five minutes of the first half was all Brum, eventually ending up with Tom McMullin scoring, putting the Hosts 4-3 up as they went into half time. After the restart, good defensive work from the hosts put them on the front foot and Pete Cahill was released on goal to finish well extending the home team’s lead. However, a couple of quick goals from Northampton levelled the scores and after some more good work on the right by the visitors they were able to create another scoring chance, leaving the score 5-6 going into the final quarter. Northampton were now full of confidence, dominating possession and they were able to capitalize on some indifferent defending, to extend their lead to 5-8. Realising they were on the back foot Nash called a timeout, asking his players for a big push in the final 10 minutes of the match. Initially, this seemed to work as
McMullin was again able to pick up a good attacking position and finished well for his second of the game. However, after some ill-discipline Northampton were able to take advantage of an extra man in attack and fire in a low flat shot making it 6-9. After some more sustained pressure from Northampton as the game was coming to a close they were again able to get into a good position and finish well, making the final score 6-10. After the game Captain Nash explained ‘They played well and they were able to finish their chances better than we were’ stating that it was the ‘little mistakes’ that cost them. However Nash remained rightly optimistic ‘I’m very pleased with the freshers that played. Anyone can beat anyone in this league and I am pleased with the squad that we have.’ Despite the result, expect a good season for the Birmingham lacrosse boys, with much brighter results in the offing.