Redbrick
28th February - 6th March 2014
Vol. 78. Issue 1445. www.redbrick.me
Guild Elections 2014 Campus awash with colours and slogans as Sabbatical and Non-Sabbatical candidates run for ofďŹ ce News / page 4
Who will you elect? Voting open: 3rd March - 7th March Adam Rowe
Charlie Moloney on adopting in America
Laura-Beth Green looks at Eating Disorder Awareness Week
Jessica Flanagan tells us why to scuba dive abroad
Hannah Stevens discusses the future of cinema
Comment / Page 7
Life&Style / Page 14
Travel / Page 23
Film / Page 14
OFF IC
VOTING TAKES PLACE MONDAY 3RD MARCH UNTIL FRIDAY 7TH MARCH
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GUILD OFFICER TEAM ELECTIONS 2014
M ELECTIO TEA N ER
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M ELECTIO TEA N ER
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OFF IC
EXCLUSIVE: 12-PAGE CANDIDATE MANIFESTO PULLOUT INSIDE
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28th February - 6th March 2014
News
Redbrick is about more than just words Website Developers
Multimedia Producers
Designers & Illustrators
Redbrick's website needs developers. We need people who are savvy with Javascript and PHP to develop brand new features and article designs. You'll work with the digital editor and our editorial team to help produce content for our website that reaches over 30,0000 people every month.
Our multimedia team has upped its game this year and we're looking to expand it further. You'd be in a team in charge of filming, editing and promoting videos and audio recordings.
We put so much work into the design of our newspaper and online articles, but we could really do with help of some talented designers & illustrators to create unique content to accompany our articles.
We're really interested in longform articles and would love your help in producing media-rich, interactive articles for our readers to enjoy. Have a look at the Guardian's 'NSA Files: Decoded' feature for great examples of this kind of article.
You'll be our go to team when large events are happening on campus, whether that be protests, Guild Elections campaigning or sport matches. Our section editors will also work with you to produce content for their sections such as a 'what are you listening to?' feature for music or our regular 'Comment on Campus' video for our comment section.
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Interested? Email digital@redbrick.me Redbrick Editorial Team Editor Josh Holder editor@redbrick.me
Comment Editors Julia Bayer Charlie Moloney Jonathan Simpson
Multimedia Editors Molly Garfoot Julia Yan Max Powley
Deputy Editors Charley Ross James Phillips deputy@redbrick.me
comment@redbrick.me
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Sport Editors Alex Kronenberg Tom Kelly David Morris sports@redbrick.me
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28th February- 6th March 2014
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UCU development: possible marking boycott
Duncan Kenyon News Reporter
@DuncanKenyon1
The UCU (University and College Union) have threatened to boycott marking final exams, courseworks and dissertations in a row over pay. This 'ultimate sanction' has been given a green light and could potentially be implemented from April 28th offered by university employers. If the boycott occurs, examiners and markers may refuse to discuss exam and coursework preparation or marks obtained. This could be a potential hindrance to stu-
dents seeking employment soon after their course ends because they will not have final marks. Additionally it may see a fall in the number of students doing well because examiners will not necessarily give tips or help to those who struggle with exams. This move could make it hard or impossible for all final years to graduate. Graduations will have to take place later than normal, after the pay settlement is resolved. Boycotting marking has been a tactic implemented by university unions before. The last instance was in 2006, which led to a multi-year above inflation pay rise for several years.
Sally Hunt, UCU general secretary has commented: 'No member I have spoken to wishes to see this dispute escalate, but in the continued absence of meaningful negotiations from the employers, we are left with no alternative.' The UCU have rejected a 1% pay rise for the 2013-2014 financial year. They claim that in real terms wages have decreased by 13% since 2009, and want a higher pay rise. The union have asked for 'meaningful talks' with university employers, and have demonstrated their unhappiness with several strikes within the last few weeks. The UCU are also angered by the pay
rise vice-chancellors received last year. On average, vice-chancellors received a 5% pay rise, which is above the union worker’s pay rise. They think it is unfair that their workers’ pay rise was below the vice-chancellors’ one. Employers are threatening to withhold pay for staff that take action this way. They have said they want to discuss future pay rises, not ones from the past. The negotiations for pay rises for the next financial year begin in March, and employers are looking to those to negotiate a better deal for staff then. They say that on average, pay has increased by 3% each year since 2009.
Tough Young Teachers star speaks to students Adam Rowe
Online News Editor @adamrowe93 Teach First, the teaching charity that aims to remove the correlation between family wealth and school achievement, hosted a debate in the Guild Council Chambers last week. The debate was slightly different to what would normally be hosted at the university, as one of the six candidates on the BBC3 documentary, Tough Young Teachers, was on the panel having been a student at the University of Birmingham. The documentary follows six Teach First candidates as they are placed in poor performing schools, after just six week’s
training, as opposed to the year-long conventional teacher training. Teach First recruits the best graduates throughout the U.K. and places them into poor performing schools with the intention of inspiring students with high-quality teachers and that the new graduates can bring new ideas and thinking that can help raise the school’s standards. Alongside Claudenia Williams, also present were Francis Childs, Director of Initial Teacher Training at King Edward’s Consortium of schools, and Fiona Bousfield, another Teach First candidate that now works for the organisation. The debate ranged from discussing the potential causes of the disparity between children from wealthy families and those
from poorer backgrounds, to discussing generally why students struggled at school and misbehaved, to discussing whether selective schools (public and grammar schools) should be abolished. Francis Childs firmly believed that if a child fails to finish primary school without knowing the ‘three Rs’, reading, writing and arithmetic, that ‘it just goes downhill from there’. She said that the effect of this is ‘mega’ and that it is so humiliating for a child to reach secondary school and be unable to read or write, and that it is extremely difficult for a child to catch up by this stage and that this greatly affects performance. Interestingly, when the panel were asked
about whether they believe selective schools should be abolished, Claudenia, who herself came from a state school, said that ‘private education did help those [students] get to where they wanted’, and mentioned her fellow Tough Young Teachers candidates, most of which attended prestigious public schools. She explained how without their private education they may not be where they are now. Claudenia also gave her own personal view of what she thought students thought about exams, saying that ‘students couldn’t think past the present’ and saying that trying to convey to students that their exams mattered in terms of getting university places and jobs was very difficult.
Local demand for food banks on the increase Tara Dein
News Reporter Demands for food parcels have increased by 50% in a year, following government welfare cuts.In record numbers, citizens of Birmingham on low income, benefit delay, welfare cuts and sudden crisis such as redundancy are turning to food banks as a resource to feed themselves and their families. The Food Bank sees people of all ethnicities, backgrounds, cultures and ages, people who are both employed and out of work. The Birmingham Food Bank has seen a spike in demand for their parcels since its opening last April. This organization provides emergency food and support to people who are suffering a temporary financial crisis. Run by local churches, grass root community organizations, statutory agencies, run line-care professionals and schools and businesses, there were 4,169 parcels handed out by the food bank in the 12 months up to February 13 last year. That figure rose to 6,062 in the following 12 months. One food parcel contains a provision of
nutritionally balanced, non-perishable goods, packed according to the number of children and adults in the family. The charity is staffed by volunteers and all food is donated. This is through techniques such as ‘supermarket collections’, where volunteers give shoppers a ‘food bank shopping list’ asking them to buy an extra one or two items. At the moment, the food bank works on a voucher referral system, which can be obtained from various organisations. Other options for struggling families are the local welfare provisions, where a family must demonstrate that their need cannot be met by another source, which mean they may have to first try to seek help from other agencies or parts of the council. On the application page, Birmingham city council states, “The scheme is not intended to replace the council’s statutory obligations, in any way” and “each applicant will be treated on an individual basis”. The Food Banks are seen as a temporary help,prevent family breakdown, housing loss, crime and mental health problems. However, taking into account the upsurge in need for support, leaders admit that they cannot be considered a permanent solution to the issue of poverty in Birmingham.
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28th February - 6th March 2014
News Guild Elections 2014
Who will you choose for your next President?
Maximillian
George
Poppy
Edward
Benjamin
Re-Open
Shapiro
Derbyshire
Wilkinson
Sainsbury
Puusta
Nominations
Campaigning Kicks Off Lucy Moseley
Elections Correspondent
@L_Moseley
Campaigning for the 2014 officer elections began at 10am on Wednesday 26th February. Candidates, reporters and onlookers gathered at Mermaid Square on Wednesday for the drop of the candidate banner that would mark the opening of the Guild Elections. As cameras were positioned waiting to get the shot, the word soon spread that due to a last-minute approval of a VP Education candidate last night, the dropping of the banner would have to be postponed and would make it’s first appearance at 10am on Friday. Despite this underwhelming moment for reporters, the candidates quickly lifted the mood by posing for a photo on the fountain as the countdown began, and cheers of excitement rang through the square. Campaigners then dispersed, clothed in painted t-shirts and armed with makeshift signs, to transform the university campus into an array of coloured
cardboard. Bewildered freshers ambled along their regular walk from the Vale reading pleas for a vote. In a short space of time every tree, barrier and patch of grass on campus and even the face of the library was covered with campaigning material. On a beautifully sunny day with the accompanying smells of the food market it couldn’t have been a more perfect atmosphere to kick start the elections. The presidential candidates include current president Poppy Wilkinson, third year archaeology student George Derbyshire, second year political science student Edward Sainsbury, war studies student Maximilian Shapiro and third year social policy student Benjamin Puusta. All of these candidates will be taking part in a presidential debate on Saturday 1st March in the Guild Council Chambers which is open to all students beginning at 7pm. To find out who is running for all other Vice President positions visit www. guildelections.co.uk for coverage from all media groups of campaigning.
Comment on campus "I wasn't really aware of the elections until I saw all the signs" "I think a lot of students who don't make the effort to find out about the policies end up voting for the campaign that stuck out most in their mind from walking around campus" "It seems like the candidates put themselves through an awful lot - I wonder if it is all worth it in the end?"
Position
Candidates
VP Welfare
Francis Greenwell Connie Parkin Julie Ledesma Themistoklis Pagoudis Helena DunnettOrridge Wadim Wesolek Stuart Found
VP Activities and Development VP Democracy, Resources and Sustainability
Bethan Dovey
VP Education
Joe Armer Daniel Bellamy Deborah Hermanns
VP Housing and Community
Jack Mably
VP Sport and Nutrition
Molly Browne
28th February - 6th March 2014
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Students come together for start of campaigns
Matthew Jenkins
Student Opinion Polls Did you know that 26th Feb was the start of Guild Elections?
Yes - 31%
No - 69%
Do you intend to vote in these elections?
No - 36%
Yes - 64%
Matthew Jenkins
Too much cardboard? Keep up to date with our coverage online "It's a good idea Students on campus have expressed varying opinions about the prevalent use of cardboard to promote the campaigns of Sabbatical and Non-Sabbatical candidates around University Square, on the way to the Vale and at the South Gate. One student commented, 'They look messy, but I can't see another reasonable way of campaigning.' Some students have suggested that the campaigning should be done online and via social media, in order to reduce the physical waste produced. Another person reasoned that cardboard is a useful way of bringing the Elections period into student consciousness. 'Otherwise people won't know that the elections are happenning,' the student added. A current Sabbatical officer told Redbrick that the community wardens come out and recycle the cardboard signs after the end of the campaign period each year.
but they should clean up properly" "The cardboard is cool until it starts raining"
www.guildelections.co.uk - Full manifestos - 60 second profiles - Exclusive interviews
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28th February- 6th March 2014
News
UoB Bhangra Society win National Championship Championship is the third year of success for team Vedika Bahl News Reporter
@itsmevedika
On Saturday 15th February, The University of Birmingham Bhangra team brought home the title of Best National Bhangra team at the Bhangra Showdown 2014 at London’s Eventim Apollo. This is the third time that Birmingham have won gold, after also winning the 2011 and 2013 champions. The team were in competition with seven other teams for the title, with the main competition coming from Imperial College London and Aston University, who took second and third place respectfully. Initially organised by the Imperial College Punjabi Society, the Bhangra Showdown is the country’s only inter-university Bhangra tournament in which the most elite teams in the UK battle for first place. Bhangra itself refers to the music and dance that originates from the Punjab region of India. By origin it is a celebratory folk dance to welcome the harvest and coming of spring, but has continued to evolve into a hugely popular culture after being fused with genres like hip-hop, house and reggae. The University of Birmingham Bhangra
society began in 2008 and has grown and currently boasts over 300 members. The 2014 team consisted of 16 students from a variety of years and courses. The team have previously tasted national success; after being crowned the champions for the first time in 2011, they took home 2nd place in the 2012 competition, losing out to Queen Mary’s University. However, the team went on to triumph in 2013 as they won gold for the second time, and have now won for the third time. They are the first team to have placed first for more than one consecutive year. Arondeep Singh Bhuller, first year Mathematics student and Bhangra team member, said ‘Winning the Bhangra Showdown 2014 has been one of the proudest moments of my life - on behalf of the whole team I’d like to thank our families, friends and everyone from UoB who selflessly came to support us. We’ve been training 25 hours a week for about 3 months and it’s all paid off, it’s been especially emotional for the older teammates as we’ve been the champions thrice in four years! It’s also brilliant to get the art of bhangra noticed on a more national platform’. Shiva Sapra, first year International Relations and ‘This was my first time at Bhangra Showdown and the atmosphere was amazing. Intense competition but quite the show. Congratulations UOB!’
Shiva Sapra
UoB Bhangra Society
Team from Birmingham take on the annual iQuiz UoB team place fourth in 2014 iQuiz
Ella Cohen News Reporter
Last week, the University of Birmingham's team competed in the nationwide iQuiz final held at the Herbert Art Gallery in Coventry. The team from Birmingham, ‘Quiz it to me Baby,’ came in a respectable fourth place with 74 points, although failed to continue the winning streak set by last year’s team. Oxford University’s team, ‘Cherwell A,’ came in first place with an impressive 84 points, Pinball Quizzard from the University of Kent came in second, and third place went to Hips Don’t Lie from the University of Southampton. The iQuiz was set up by The Independent last year, and brings together universities from all parts of the country, competing to win a 14 day holiday in Europe. Questions posed in the final were split into six rounds which included questions on topics such as news, history and Europe. The questions for the final were set by the ‘i’ quizmaster Simon O’Hagan, setter of the Independent’s Saturday Magazine Quiz for the last five years. Oly Duff, editor of the i, stated that ‘The
iQuiz is organised by the i newspaper, with help from their student brand ambassadors, and brings together teams of the brightest and best students from all over the country to compete against each other in a battle of wits, grit and bottomless general knowledge for their chance to win prizes - and generally be recognised as the geniuses they are.’ The regional heats were held in November at various campuses across the UK, and the winning team of four went through to the final which took place last week in Coventry. Oly went on to discuss the benefits for the Independent of running and sponsoring the quiz. ‘The editors and journalists of i want to get out on the road and meet the students. They are our next generation of opinion informers, so they're interested in meeting them and covering issues they want to see covered. The iQuiz is an ideal opportunity to meet students from across the UK, and have a fun night out in the process.’ Although the Birmingham team lost out on first place this year, there is always the chance to rank higher next time and bring the title of iQuiz champions back to the University.
Andrew Fox
28th February - 6th March 2014
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Comment
Asking the Hardest Question Jonathan Simpson
Comment Editor Euthanasia. It's not fun to write about any more than it is to talk about in public. However, as Belgium legalised child euthanasia this week, now is as important a time as ever to voice an opinion, controversial by its very nature though it may be. When I first heard the news I thought that it was the parents who were to make the decision, which made me as angry as I have been in a long time. But as I slowly learned about what child euthanasia involves, who it involves and the process which is undergone I have softened my position, though not to the point where I agree with it. Children aren't allowed to drink, drive, vote, watch violent movies or buy lottery tickets because experience and common sense has led humankind over the centuries to realise that children simply do not have the capacity to handle such decisions. They require a certain decision making process which is reliant on previous experience. Children can be coerced, bullied and frightened into making decisions which do not benefit them and that they don't truly understand. Therefore, surely, it is immoral to ask a child if they want to die because, as an infant, they can not make an informed answer to the most important question that they will ever be asked. Supporters of child euthanasia inevitably at this point resort to perfectly reasonable argument that it is kinder to let a child die rather than prolonging inevitable pain. I agree with them on this when discussing adult euthanasia; it is kinder to let people die who truly can't go on anymore- but how can a child of just a few years be expected to decide whether to live or die?
What if a child is asked by a parent if they want to die and, quite naturally, the child replies that they don't? The potential mental and psychological repercussions then only add to the child's suffering- the feeling of being unwanted now resonating horribly with the illness with which they contend. All human life must be cherished. A child has to feel that nurses, doctors, friends, siblings and parents all want them desperately to live and support battling their illness more than looking for the 'easier' way out. Similarities have been drawn between euthanasia and Nazi Germany, which I completely reject simply because nobody in Hitlers Germany was asked if they would like to live or die- the decision was most certainly predetermined by who they were and what they looked like. However I do feel that over the next decade or so euthanasia could prove a bit of a slippery slope, because there is no line to be crossed. The issue is so contentious, so blurry, so grey that people will ask why those who are not terminally ill but in pain cannot die, why do they lose the right to choose? How about people who want to make the decision for those who they love who aren't able to make the decision any more? In this sense it must be better to ban euthanasia all together, making the law black and white. I hope that the issue itself dies over the coming decades, reduced to nothing more than a hypothetical argument, a moot question, thanks to the ever-evolving and expanding fields of illness which we have control over, making them bearable. In the meantime society mustn't allow itself to condone the killing of children at an age where they can't be expected to decide any major life decision simply because they have been told that they have the option to die.
The Perils of Adoption in America Charlie Moloney
Comment Editor @charliemoloney I recently visited America and stayed with family in Long Island, New York. When talking to people there, I found that there were three things which had personally affected every single person, or somebody that they knew. The first was 9/11. Everyone knew someone who had died, or had lost a family member. The second thing was Hurricane Sandy. The marks of destruction were still prevalent in Long Island, where the storm had put entire communities under water, and I’m told that Wall Street in Manhattan was completely shut down. The third thing, really surprising me, was that adoption was a buzzword for heated discussion. In the UK, couples can adopt children who are in care through adoption agencies. However, in the USA the waiting list for adoptions can often be eight years long. This leads to many couples choosing a risky alternative. In New York, people who are looking to adopt can contact a pregnant mother and agree to support her through her pregnancy. After the baby is born the potential parents will sign adoption papers and become the legal parents. However, if the birth mother's maternal instincts kick in, she can change her mind and choose to legally keep the baby. This is without having to compensate the adoptive parents for the money and time which they invested in supporting the mother throughout the pregnancy. One can only imagine the emotional and financial harm which this could cause a cou-
ple who had hoped to change their lives by adopting. Imagine the emotional and motherly Vanessa Loring from Juno, having just split up from her moronic husband, turning up to the hospital expecting to finally fill the hole in her life with a child, only to be told that Ellen Page and Michael Cera had decided to make a go of it. It’s a lighthearted film to reference, but the reality is that that scenario often ends very differently, and adoptive parents are left disappointed. Is it any wonder that, since 1991, Americans have adopted well over 60,000 Chinese babies. In 2012 Vladimir Putin actually signed a bill banning American couples from adopting russian babies, after the number of Russian babies taken to America reached just over 60,000 in around two decades. So how can it be that America, with all of its poverty stricken, abandoned children, can’t provide children for couples who don’t have any? Well there’s huge numbers of issues surrounding adoption. There are heritage laws in some states which prevent caucasian parents from adopting African American or Indian babies. Many children who are in care are seen to be from drug abusing parents that will have given them serious mental issues for life. It is also incredibly difficult for homosexual couples to adopt across the USA, and equally hard for single people. Ultimately though, there are more children who suffer horribly neglected and lonely lives from lacking adequate care and support. Hopefully the government will take some of their 600 billion annual defense budget and go some way towards fixing this problem.
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28th February - 6th March 2014
Comment
Protest Power James Bowker Commentator
@jhbowker
Last week, in a debate about the London tube strikes, respected history professor David Starkey condemned the protest action as ‘extortion’. His argument was simple: because the country needs the tubes to function, the strikes essentially held London to ransom, meaning that authorities are forced to concede to the demands of protestors. This argument is reducible to the idea that it is unjust for any group to have an unfair monopoly of power in any supposedly free contract discussion. This idea seems reasonable: how can any agreement, formal or informal, be considered just or fair if the parties involved were part of an asymmetric power balance? Arguably there is some leeway, because in any given relationship there is likely to be an uneven power dynamic, in that one party usually holds greater persuasive or coercive power than the other. However, this can only be just if the weaker party has the effective freedom to accept or reject a contract regardless of a recognised power imbalance. For example, if a bully offers to not beat me up on the way home from school in return for my lunch money, I do not have the effective freedom
to reject this contract, because in the instance where I did this I would be beaten up. I might give her my lunch money, but remember: this is not consent. How does this relate to protest, and specifically the protests we’ve seen on campus recently? When students come to the University of Birmingham, they are unlikely to know about the cuts to courses being undertaken by the university, the lack of channels to influence university policy, or the pay disparity between university higher management and support staff surviving on salaries below the Living Wage. How, then, can incoming students be said to be consenting to this power asymmetry? They cannot. Students then come to university, observe problems in the status quo, attempt to resolve these problems, and ultimately discover that the ‘legitimate’ options available to them consistently fail to lead to change. This is not consent. The university has all of the cards, all of the power. The deal they propose to students and staff is this: consent to the policies we pursue, or you will be suspended, or fired. This is not a fair deal, the power imbalance is clear. In reality, students and staff are not holding the university to ransom, the university are holding us to ransom. Is it extortion? Perhaps. We are, after all, paying them thousands of pounds each year for the privilege of this contract, and once we have consented to
that contract (admittedly not really knowing what we are signing up for) there is little real freedom to remove ourselves from it, because most of us cannot afford to. They have no effective freedom. So what is a student protest at heart? Is it extortion? No. It is an attempt to rebalance the playing field. Not necessarily
such that it’s in anybody’s favour, merely enough that students and staff have a voice that is heard. The student protests on campus have been the opposite of extortion: they aim to make extortion impossible by anybody, by allowing all students and staff a chance to influence the contracts they are party to.
was a threat to the US security/supported terrorism, military actions should be taken. Good point, people. Having witnessed a few more similar examples from personal experience, I began to worry about the direction in which the modern world was heading. In times when you are expected to be some kind of a superhuman, not only excellent as a student, but also brilliant in team working, sociable, flexible, interested in a variety of things, etc., it’s strange to think that (in our worship of the sense of community), we appear to have second thoughts about everything and everyone. We suspect, anticipate and tremble before prospects of nonexistent dangers – where will the back-stabbing come from? Who is going to try to trick us into an unfair deal? What is the government planning? Are the neighbours intending to poison the dog? Again, and again, and again. Blindly and wholly, we appear to believe that everybody is out to get us. Our children are in danger, our minds can be manipulated, the pharmaceutical companies are spreading viruses to boost their sales - and that’s not all. Global conspiracies. Inevitable disasters of unspeakable proportions. Even someone you’ve known for years might turn out to be a
serial killer in disguise. We are alienating ourselves from each other while paving fake frames and skeletons to politeness and etiquette. Parents teach their children values that they, themselves, cannot follow. In USA, it’s reached the point where if you don’t have a gun in your house, this is almost equal to leaving your door unlocked for anyone to just randomly wander in. The rest of the greatly developed countries on the planet are not too far behind. It is true that in many ways the East is still staggering a little behind the West. We are not that advanced economically and in some ways our manners of behavior, our emotional outbursts and tendency for attachment seem crude and unpolished. It is, however, also accurate to say that we are not that afraid...Gaining more, developing technologically, it’s all led to a swelling fear that more can be taken away, more can be endangered. Society is constantly changing, becoming paralyzed by ever growing extents of paranoia which start with accepting a little help and ends where wars are born. A fair question to ask now is, how far are we willing to let this go? How long before our beloved democracy splits around the edges and in our equality, we become equally alone?
Social Paranoia Kristine Bagdassarian Commentator
I arrived to the UK in 2012 with the reasonable understanding of the fact that there would be things – hopefully not too many and not too big - that would strike me as odd until I got used to the way people thought in this new world. Apart from the daily discussions of the weather and some other purely British quirks, there were few traits that made an immediate impression, though one particular confusion kept accumulating, and there was no exact way to express what I was feeling. I still remember one incident that keeps coming to me whenever I have to drag my grocery shopping home on my own. In my first month here, my (now former) flatmate and I had to tackle the trek from Pritchatt’s house to Harborne and back, carrying all the food we’d need for the week. At some point during this undignified journey, having being forced to stop a few times because of the weight I was carrying, I made a complaint how nobody that was going in our direction seemed to be even remotely inclined to offer us any help even when they clearly saw we were struggling. For that comment, I got told
off immediately. Nobody does that, she explained to me like one would address a child, because if you’re offered help, the person obviously wants to steal your shopping. Obviously. I stared at her for a second, glanced down at myself (may I point out I’m a rather small person) and then asked her in a very similar fashion if she thought that if someone really wanted to steal from me my precious loaf of bread, butter and tomatoes, they would be deterred by the fact that I would not accept their help in carrying my shopping. She had no answer for me, but she didn’t back off from her point, either. On a more recent note, I happened to stumble upon a video on YouTube, featuring a survey carried out by an Australian TV show. In the 5-10 minute footage, the host revealed just how willingly Americans accept the possibility of other countries endangering the deeply beloved cliché ‘national security’ that we all constantly hear about. In the show, a few passersby’s were asked what they thought of the president’s stance on starting a war against a fictional country. Although there was never such a statement and the place did not even exist, pretty much all of the people who were addressed repeated the same bland claim that, since in their opinion said country had nuclear weapons/
28th February - 6th March 2014
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In Defence of Liberation Officers Rio Dougherty Commentator
@mduob
With elections season rolling round once more, a recurring question seems to be “what is the point of liberation officers?” Assuming, of course, that people even know what the Liberation officers are. For those who don’t know, they’re the elected representatives for each of the protected classes – Black and Ethnic Minorities, Disabled, LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bi, trans* and queer) and Women. Broadly speaking, they’re appointed to protect the hard won rights of people who identify within these categories, and continue the good fight to try and bring a more equal society for those who don’t have as many privileges and find life that little bit more challenging due to oppressive societal norms which favour white hetereosexual cisgender able bodied males.
"Broadly speaking they're appointed to protect the hard won rights of people" “But isn’t that what the representation associations are for?” I hear you say. In theory, you’re right. The officers are elected to co-chair each of their respective associations and help organise the annual general meeting for the election of each committee. But their role is much more than that. They
are the ones who work with the Sabbatical and other Non-Sabbatical officers to ensure that each interest is properly represented from the top down, rather than the bottom up. Liberation officers sit on meetings of the Guild Officer Group and help to make sure that the Guild isn’t breaking it’s own Zero Tolerance Policy. They also interact with the Guild’s welfare services, and help make them as inclusive and welcoming as they can be. In addition to this, a cross campus ballot elects the Non-Sabbs annually. Whereas the association committees can tend to be quite cliquey and non-inclusive for new students, making turnout to meetings low and elections at the AGMs decided by mere handfuls of people, the liberation officers receive hundreds or indeed thousands of votes from within their particular intersection. Taking last years results for the Women’s Officer as an example, in 2013-14, Mae Rohani, received 1823 votes in support of her policies. Liberation officers then have a certain democratic legitimacy, which only comes as a direct result of their popular support. Having the backing of hundreds of students, and being able to directly reference this in meetings, gives both the Guild and the University far more evidence of reasons to enact the manifesto promises they have successfully campaigned on. Every year we see this coming to pass, as the platform for events and activities such as Consent Week or self defence classes is created, having been proven to have enough
42% of those asked knew what Liberation Officers were
58% of those asked did not know what Liberation Officers were
89% of those asked thought LIberation Officers were important
11% of those asked thought Liberation Officers were not important
64 students were asked as part of this survey
demand to be worthwhile developing, and perhaps most importantly, brought to the attention of those who would benefit from attending. Furthermore, Non-Sabbatical officers deliver liberation training to groups as varied as new committees, existing student staff and those running for future elections, helping to make sure that our next generation of representatives keep all their constituents in mind. Non Sabbatical Officers are a valuable asset to the Guild as they are hugely visible in comparison to the associations. Safe space socials and other events have their place, but the perception surrounding them can be that you need to be an activist committed to fighting inequality on a daily basis to be welcome. Conversely, the officers are an accessible point of contact for students
"Non Sabbatical Officers are a valuable asset to the Guild as they are hugely visable in comparision to the associations" who need support, but don’t have the confidence to attend a physical meeting and speak about their concerns to a group of strangers. The officer, being the expert in the routes to challenging whatever problem it may be, can use their experience to successfully guide the student through the
"They are an essential part of University" Fourth Year Engineering Student: I don't see how you could have a guild that didn't represent the special interest groups. University is such a difficult time in people's lives, and especially for people who are at risk of discrimination - there needs to be people who are looking out for them. I don't personally feel that I need much support from the guild, but I'm glad that the help is there for the people who need it.
proper channels and get them the support they need. Anecdotal accounts from previously elected officers suggest that this happens far more than one would assume, and my own experience has been that those holding non-sabb office are far more approachable and responsive than the associations can be – not to mention far more likely to actually change anything. So why have I written this article? The Democratic Structures Review, recently completed by a management consultancy firm on the behalf of the Guild, has argued against the non-sabbatical officers, instead saying we should defer everything to those same Committees. If we let this happen, the proud and strong liberation record of the Guild will be destroyed. Made toothless. Inaction and inefficiency will ruin the rights of the less fortunate students at this university, and already overworked Sabbs will simply not have the time or the insight to
"Don't be fooled into thinking we need to abolish these positions" break down structural oppression. Don’t be fooled into thinking we need to abolish these positions, because they are as hugely important now as they have ever been. If you self define as any of the protected groups, I can only implore you to use your vote and make sure that liberation remains at the very heart of your Guild’s actions.
"I feel that I'm not represented" Second Year French student: I feel like it's a bit unfair that there's an anti-facism officer, but there isn't an anti-communism officer; and that there's a women's officer, but there isn't a men's officer. That's a particularly sore point for me actually. It's buying into the stereotype that because we're men we'll never need help and support. It's like anybody who talks about mens issues and the growing difficulties for males in society just seems weak, or they're dismissed by people advocating feminist issues. The fact is that most men are just as vulnerable as women.
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28th February - 6th March 2014
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Comment
George Reeves Commentator
The past week has seen Prime Minister's Questions run into some criticism, not for the first time, over its rowdiness and the image this gives of British politics. Many, including Speaker John Bercow and Labour leader Ed Miliband, have complained that the weekly session is eroding the public's trust in politicians, and that seeing the nation's MPs shouting and getting a bit heated every Wednesday undermines our political system. I wholeheartedly disagree with this argument, as I believe PMQs strengthens modern British politics. In many countries, it is not uncommon for MPs to brawl and fight in Parliament, and so in comparison PMQs seems rather tame. But I believe the beauty of a weekly question time is that it encapsulates what democracy is all about. The Prime Minister is subjected to questions from MPs of all political parties, questions which he or she must answer. One of the reasons why the Americans love PMQs so much is because they have no equivalent; the president is not a member of Congress and so is never held to account by America's elected representatives on a regular basis. Far from being inappropriate or vulgar, the drama of PMQs is what makes it such an enduring and important part of British political life. Only a very select group of political
anoraks watch any other form of parliamentary debate, despite the presence of the BBC Parliament channel. It would be unthinkable to imagine most ordinary members of the public, let alone anyone overseas, taking time to watch and enjoy the vast majority of parliamentary activity. So why can't we indulge ourselves in some shameless populism and take pride in the fact that, once a week, our elected representatives get the chance to yell, scream and shout at one another? Many on the left (and even a few on the right!) claim that PMQs does nothing but perpetuate the kind of public-school, masculine culture that David Cameron supposedly personifies. They argue that it further disillusions working class voters, and creates an intimidating culture which puts women off the idea of entering politics. I'd like to see the proponents of this argument try making their case in front of Margaret Thatcher, because I don't think she seemed to mind it. It is patronising garbage to suggest that women are put off by passionate and healthy debate; indeed, I have seen many women among the most vociferous and loud MPs during PMQs. If people can't handle the heat of these sessions then they clearly don't have the temperament to serve in Parliament, regardless of their political party, gender or anything else. PMQs is democracy in action; it's rough, it's loud, and it's sometimes uncomfortable, but it works and must not be stifled.
I Can't Hear the Question, Mr Speaker! Jonathan Simpson Comment Editor
The problem with Politics is that it has an innate ability to disenfranchise itself with everybody on the outside of its small circumference of popularity. It can’t seem to relate to the problems which people struggle with every day or solve the simple issues. Too often it’s instinctively associated with egos and posh, privately educated representatives who have become disconnected from what it is that they were elected to represent. And at no time during the week is this more obvious than during Prime Ministers Questions. All too often people talk about what they have witnessed from the House of Commons on TV and say that MP’s remind them of school children - too petulant to allow a classmate to answer and obsessed with being the loudest and most obscene. It’s always said with a wry smile as if to say “But I guess that’s just the way it is”, which is just as worrying. Not only are MP’s not being held to the conversational standard of polite and respectful adults but their yobbish behaviour is being endorsed because we’re so used to it. We need politicians who inspire school children. Politicians who ask a question forcefully but not loudly, and who win debates with the words spoken within a dialogue and not the intensity with which it is presented. Instead all we see on TV every Wednesday is a group of Labour MP’s gesticulating and ranting at the Prime Minister as he tries, desperately, to make his argument heard. What’s the point of asking a question if you’re going to shout over the answer? We don’t do that in everyday life with everyday decisions, so what makes it
acceptable that the House of Commons does it with critical political and economic issues? I would say it’s the ugly face of politics and that it's just showboating for the audience at home, but I worry that it is scarily representative of the scene within Parliament. Structured verbal debate is the concrete foundation which democracy is built on, and holding our leaders to account respective pillars of it. At a time when the British public is crying out for someone or for some party to truly embody a higher moral standard and get something done all which they are given is the screaming match which
"Structured verbal debate is the concrete foundation which democracy is built on, and holding our leaders to account respective pillars of it" wouldn’t look out of place in an angry football crowd. If the House of Commons would discuss normally the progress which has both been made and is yet to be made then surely its productivity would increase? Surely it would encourage a new generation of thoughtful, articulate, intelligent young people to step up and make a difference? At the very least it would mean that I don’t have to cringe every week at the shouting match between Ed Miliband and David Cameron, standing in front of their parties who are both shouting like gangs on each other’s territory.
28th February - 6th March 2014
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The Cameras Don't Lie. (Or Do They?) Joanna Kay Commentator
In light of recent controversial documentaries I have enjoyed watching, Tough Young Teachers (BBC3) and Benefits Street (Channel 4), I was surprised to read interviews from those featured, in which they claim to have been ‘misrepresented’ or falsely led to believe they were part of a documentary of a different nature. But why have these claims been made, and are they justified? Can we really side with those who have knowingly consented to being a part of a programme made for the entertainment of its viewers, or do we have to scrutinize the producers of such shows for misleading their subjects, and in turn, perhaps giving us a false impression of our own society? BBC 3’s Tough Young Teachers portrays the struggles of a group of recent graduates who have enrolled onto a teacher training course, receiving only six weeks of training. Following this, they are thrown into secondary schools with a difficult teaching environment, located in various areas of London. The show primarily focuses on a few of the school’s ‘trouble-making’ individuals, paying particular attention to their distracting behaviour. This certainly provides entertainment to viewers, particularly those who remember witnessing similar conduct from classmates at school. Nonetheless, recent articles surrounding the show reveal the discontent expressed by teachers about the representation of their schools. This was certainly the sentiment expressed by David Clark, Headteacher at
Archbishop Lanfranc in Croydon. Less than happy about how the show had focused on just a few misbehaving individuals, as well as the school’s failure with poor GCSE results, Clark expressed: “I was asked to do a programme that was never made. We agreed to do a series about how Teach First teachers grow into the great teachers they become and I’m not sure the programme did that.” He goes on to state: “I accept that if you allow a film crew into the school for a year they are likely to see things you wouldn’t put in your prospectus, but I still believe - and naively I suppose - that they would make the programme they said they were going to make” (Croydon Advertiser). Whilst it may be true that the focus of Tough Young Teachers transformed over time, we cannot escape the fact that even with editing, what is shown to us on the screen did happen in the duration of filming. Although perhaps not painting the complete picture, we are not blind to the fact that not all school children are meticulously well behaved. It seems that Clark’s main objective is to protect his own ego and reputation as Headteacher. As TV producers have proved time and time again, they have the power to reveal the most interesting (and oftentimes negative) footage they capture, as this creates the most watchable content. Agreeing to participate without acknowledging this fact beforehand proves Clark correct in his self-proclaimed naivety. Interestingly, similar claims of ‘naivety’ are expressed by the individuals featured on Channel 4’s Benefits Street. The programme’s protagonist, outspoken White Dee makes a similar claim to Clark’s, in that
the portrayal was ‘one sided’ (Daily Mail), and stating: ‘"I think we went into it very naively to be honest. Obviously we went into it believing it was community spirit” (Digital Spy). The show notoriously concentrates on the worst aspects of the street, including its benefits culture which has particularly stirred up controversy in the press. But, as was the case with Tough Young Teachers, although residents of James Turner Street were unhappy with the final result of filming, what the British public were exposed to was real footage of people’s lives, good and bad. White Dee may too have been naive, but it cannot be emphasised enough that by allowing the cameras into your life, you also hand over the power of your own representation; what should you expect, and to what extent can you really complain?
Nonetheless, and as applied to the entirety of the media industry, these documentaries should always be received with a pinch of salt. Viewers realise that the purpose is to gain viewers and entertain, not always to expose a whole truth, even if some are uncovered along the way. Channel 4 and BBC3 are stations that provide predominantly easy-viewing and somewhat amusing television shows, which manage to hook in a massive audience each week. If this means highlighting interesting but slightly misleading facts about societal issues to keep us watching, then so be it. If we remember to look beyond the surface when watching our favourite documentaries, then we can relieve ourselves in the knowledge that our society is not entirely going to the dogs.
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28th February - 6th March 2014
Science & Technology
0% vs 100%: The Full Fat Paradox Beth Carney looks at why full fat products might be good for us While wandering around the aisles of Aldi looking for a cheap treat that’s not too naughty, I often pick up their 0% fat vanilla yoghurt. Mixed with a few blueberries, it feels like a healthy indulgence. However after reading some recent research, I may start to pick up the full fat version to avoid getting that dreaded muffin top. Studies from the Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care and the European Journal of Nutrition have echoed similar reports that full fat milk products aren’t as bad as we may think and eating them could lower the risk of developing central obesity, a.k.a the muffin top! The theory that whole milk is bad for you comes from research in the 1950s and 60s which showed that cholesterol levels were increased by saturated fats. Dairy fat has a high level of saturated fats, in fact it’s around 65%. As a result, low fat milk products started to be stocked
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on the supermarket shelves and have remained popular since. However, these two recent studies and many others are trying to change the public’s perception that all fats are bad fats.
One of the reasons for reduced fat dairy products being bad for the diet is that the fat is actually replaced by sugar, and will most certainly help put on the pounds. But what is perhaps more interest-
ing is why the whole milk products are good for us. Firstly there is the satiety factor, the satisfaction of being full. Full fat products making us feel fuller and consequently, consciously or unconsciously, we eat less. A second reason has been proposed by Greg Miller of the National Dairy Council; within whole milk products, there may be bioactive substances that alter metabolism in a way that helps our bodies utilize fat for energy rather than allowing it to be stored. Despite these interesting and eye opening discoveries, it’s still not fully clear what the effects of low fat dairy products, or even full fat ones, have on the human body. The study is a complicated one and like with many nutritional studies, further investigation is required. Nevertheless, this recent insight on dairy fats has got me questioning: is low fat really good fat?
An avid watcher of Te c h n o l o g y, Entertainment, Design (TED) talks, I recently came across a talk by Judson Brewer, an addiction psychiatrist and neuroscientist at Yale University. Entitled ‘You’re Already Awesome. Just Get Out of Your Own Way!’, he spoke of the neuroscience behind ‘getting in the flow’. We use this phrase so frequently nowadays, along with others such as ‘beasting it’, and being ‘on a roll’ or ‘in the zone’. Can you remember the last 3 hour stint you pulled to finish that essay? Such time periods are extremely productive, with the individual being completely focussed and immersed on the task at hand. You lose track of time, distractions go unnoticed, and you don’t even realise your stomach is grumbling. You stop thinking and you’re just doing, whether it’s writing, painting or playing music. Best of all, you feel immensely happy and positive throughout. It is a beautiful thing when it happens, but unfortunately, flow is not reached often by most people. Interestingly, it does have the potential to throw you off when it does happen. A famous example of flow being interrupted happened at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the
110m women’s hurdles final. The American Lolo Jones was leading the field, but suddenly, lost her footing, tripped over a hurdle and finished in seventh place. So what is happening in our brain when we are in flow state? The default mode network in the brain is most active during wakeful rest and is responsible for activities such as daydreaming, memory recall and introspection. These include thoughts about the future, or reliving memories and regretting past events. Brewer’s lab have used fMRI, a neuroimaging technique, to visualise the activity of the posterior cingulate cortex, a component of the default mode network. When comparing novice meditators with experienced meditators, they saw that the activity of the posterior cingulate cortex gets deactivated in the experienced meditators. They are ‘feeling’ the breath and are in flow as opposed to the novices, who are actively ‘thinking’ about the breath, and don’t reach flow. In a clinical setting, mindfulness training to reach flow state can help people trying to quit smoking and those that are depressed. If flow state were to be reached more often, the benefits would be incredible; people would be more productive at work, athletes can enhance their performance and musicians can get totally lost in bring a piece alive. So master your mind, and here’s hoping that we all ‘get in the flow’ more often!
"The fat is actually replaced by sugar, and will most certainly help put on the pounds."
Get in the flow Soumya Perinparajah Science and Tech Editor
Creature Feature: Pistol Shrimp
With claws that produce a snap of 218 decibels, the noise of these nifty creatures is comparable to a concorde or even a sperm whale! They snap their shotgun-like claws at fish and other prey in order to stun them before they go in for the kill. Although native to warm mediterranean waters, they have sometimes been found off the British coastline.
28th February - 6th March 2014
redbrick.me/tech
The Next Generation of Shoe Yvonne Malewski Writer
We are now living in the decade of Back to the Future 2 – hover cars and fingerprint locks should be installed in our everyday lives. We have already seen the release of Mattel’s hoverboard in 2012, and Nike’s design replica of Marty McFly’s power lace shoes, the ‘MAG’, in 2011. Nike are taking it a step further to create the world that the Back to the Future writers envisaged. The brand have recently announced plans to produce self-tying shoes, ready for 2015. It’s hard to imagine how much these shoes will set you back; the price of Nike’s regular shoes start at £80, and the design replica, MAG, from £5000 on eBay. Nonetheless, it’s still cool. Maybe they’ll even experiment with clothes and create the self-fitting jacket too!
Man's Best Friend, Or Mood Reader? Claire Harris
Science and Tech Editor
Have you ever wondered how our canine companions seem to know just what we’re feeling? That happy wag of a tail at the end of a long day, or those doleful eyes when we start to raise our voice? A group of research scientists at Eötvös Loránd University in
"Dogs and humans share a similar region of their brain which can aid in sensing the moods of others" Budapest think they have the answer. The reason we can tell a friend’s mood just from the sound of their voice has been largely attributed to the ‘voice area’ of our brains. It is this part that identifies who is speaking and helps us pick up on their emotional state; something that has never been found before in non-primate animals.
The team of neuroscientists trained a group of 11 dogs to lie in an MRI scanner, whilst being delivered various emotionally stimulating sounds. The study, published in Current Biology this month, revealed that dogs and humans share a similar region of their brain which can aid in sensing the moods of others. The study also picked up on the dogs’ ability to process sound in a similar way to their human counterparts. Apparently, ‘happy’ sounds such as a baby’s giggle lights up the primary auditory nerve much more than ‘unhappy’ sounds. This goes some way towards explaining their uncanny knack of reacting to vocal cues, which is now thought to exist in other animals aside from dogs. It is interesting to note that, until now, the ‘voice area’ in human brains was thought to be linked to the evolution of speech. Therefore scientists were surprised by its presence in dogs, concluding that these specialised areas may have evolved earlier than previously thought. Ever since dogs were domesticated around 20,000 years ago, we have shared a similar social environment to our pooches. So it is perhaps unsurprising that these faithful friends should be able to interpret our state of mind.
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redbrick.me/lifestyle
28th February - 6th March 2014
Life & Style
Eating Disorder Awareness Week
Life&Style writer Laura-Beth Green takes a look at the wonderful work done by the charity Beat on their 25th year anniversary, which coincides with eating disorder awareness week. Eating disorders are increasingly prevalent in today’s society and we think we have heard it all before, but how much do we really know about eating disorders? Eating disorders are a mental illness and affect 1.6million people in the UK, claiming more lives than any other mental illness. However, with the right support recovery is very much possible. The eating disorders charity, Beat was founded twenty-five years ago and has grown ever since. They set up the charity to provide information and support to those suffering
eating disorder. Sometimes an eating disorder can be triggered by stress or depression, but it can also develop following normal dieting. Many people who are a healthy body weight feel the need to diet unnecessarily and in some cases develop an eating disorder and this is becoming an increasing problem that becomes prevalent once people move away to University. Apart from the obvious symptoms such as a rapid change in weight there are behavioural symptoms as well; such as secrecy and having ritual or obsessive behaviours traits. Physically, eat-
ing disorders can affect a sufferer’s skin and concentration, as well as causing many other health concerns. If an eating disorder is prolonged, the effects can be much more serious and it can begin to affect internal organs. Although sufferers often see their condition as an escape or a way to have control within their own lives, it frequently becomes the opposite. The eating disorder controls their life and consequently causes the desire to withdraw from social situations. Knowing someone with an eating disorder is almost as difficult as having one. It
"Help is available at every level, from online help, to your GP, to our very own Guild." eating disorders appear to primarily affect a person physically, they also impact on a person psychologically. They can have underlying causes, which it is helpful to address but anyone worried about eating disorders should remember that help is available at every level; from online help, to a GP, to our very own Guild. . People have recently become more open about eating disorders and it is certainly not a subject to be shielded from, but it is important sufferers do not feel alone and have someone to talk to, even if they cannot completely understand. If you are worried about eating disorders in any way you can look at the Beat website which is www.b-eat.co.uk, consult your GP or use the student support services available at the University. There is more information about these on the Guild website. If you are interested in knowing more, eating disorders awareness week is from the 24th February to 2nd March.
"Eating disorders are a mental illness and affect 1.6 million people in the UK, claiming more lives than any other mental illness." from eating disorders. The charity offers support to sufferers of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. They also offer support for the families of sufferers. There is considerable pressure nowadays to be skinny and many people will have known someone who has suffered from a
Rent a Boyfriend How far would you go to get a boyfriend? Would you pay for one? Life&Style writer Bethany Barley discusses the boyfriend trade, which is becoming big news in China.
Sometimes it can feel like everyone in the world is in a relationship. Valentine’s Day gets shoved down our throats from as early as New Year, magazines are more concerned with the latest celebrity wedding than what’s happening in the real world, and we probably can relate to Bridget Jones’s singing drunk in her pyjamas, while staring into the bottom of a tub of Ben&Jerry's, much more than we’d like to admit. But with the number of single women having doubled in the past three decades, is it really such a big deal to be single in your twenties or thirties in today’s society? Women in China seem to think so, with the new trend of ‘Rent a Boyfriend’ sweeping the nation. Unmarried women in their late twenties are labelled by Chinese society as ‘Sheng Nu’, or ‘The Unwanted’. This has caused many to have turned to the services of boyfriends-for-hire, trawling through online adverts to find the perfect man to present to their families. These men act as anything from dinner dates to fiancés, with some going as far as marrying their female employer in fake wedding ceremonies! And such services certainly are not cheap. The women are expected to cover travel and accommodation costs, as well as pay for the agreed fees, which can range from $10 an hour for shopping time, or even $1 for a hug! Would such a system work here in the UK? We certainly don’t face the same marital problems as China, whose one-child policy has left the country with 20 million more men than women under the age
seems no matter how many times you say "you’re not fat" it has little impact. Although,
of 30. Although we still seem to live in an age where the question “Are you seeing anyone?” is enough to make the only single person in the room feel uncom-
"But with the number of single women having double in the past three decades, is it really such a big deal to be single in your twenties or thirties in today's society?" fortable, somehow the trend of hiring boyfriends taking off in Britain seems somewhat unrealistic. Perhaps we’re too stubborn and would rather face the awkward questions than have to fork out hundreds of pounds for a fake partner. Or perhaps our acting skills aren’t up to much when we introduce our families to long-term partners: “This is John – whoops, I mean Joe, this is Joe!” Either way, we can be thankful, as it does not seem likely that the ‘Rent a Boyfriend’ scheme will be arriving in Britain anytime soon. Back to the Ben&Jerry's it is then.
Topshop for Adidas Want a new boost for your exercise and diet regimes? Then look no further than the Topshop for Adidas Life&Style Writer capsule collection. Topshop has delved into the holy grail that is the Adidas archive in order to create a fashion forward 20-piece collection, through the re-imagination of some of Adidas' classic pieces. With the sneak peak of the collection recently released, we can hope for a collaboration which evokes sports chic and femininity- perfect both in and out of the gym. The collection consists of pieces such as coral coloured silk-effect shorts, as well as a drop sleeve vest and a fitted take on the classic three-stripe tracksuit. The sportswear classics have also been given refreshing twists with both on-trend colour palettes of grey and coral as well as luxe materials of silk which will add a quirky edge to anyone's wardrobe. One other stunning addition to the collection is a print inspired by the London landscape which graces the garments adding depth and texture to the capsule collection pieces. The collection launches 20th of March, and despite it being possibly the best thing to grace sportswear in recent years, here at Life&Style we're starting to think that it's possibly too good to waste on the gym!
Lizzie Green
28th February - 6th March 2014
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London Fashion Weekend Spring/Summer 2014
In the height of the ready-to-wear show season, Life&Style writer Pippa Rice was lucky enough to attend the most prestigious consumer event in the British Fashion Calendar. Between 20th - 23rd February, Somerset House welcomed over 60 designers to host the most stylish consumer fashion event in Britain: London Fashion Weekend. This biannual event showcased not only catwalks from designers such as Julian Macdonald and Amanda Wakeley, but also trend shows, giving the audience a glimpse of what is in store for this years Spring/ Summer style. Overly excited and armed with a new floppy hat and a purse (which contained the majority of my student loan), I made my way down south to take up my second row seat at the 10.30am trend show. This was followed by casual stroll around a maze of pop-up shops which offered new season clothing at exclusive prices. The trend show was made up of the four major sections which are to dominate the 2014 fashion market and it only seems fair that I let you in on the secrets, first of which was ‘Precious Metals’. From baroque to metallic and incorporating vibrant greens and royal blues, you mustn't be afraid to sparkle in this trend.
"Overly excited and armed with a new floppy hat and purse, I made my way down south" Floral textiles are an age old tradition in Spring/Summer style, so it comes as no
suprise that the second of the trends was ‘Flower Power’, exhibiting a combination of oversize floral prints and delicate posies.
"From baroque to metallic and incorporating vibrant greens and royal blues, you musn't be afraid to sparkle in the Precious Metal trend." The spring feeling continued into the third catwalk: ‘Lace Embrace’. This emphasised the lady-like trend of both textural lace and lace print, both of which were incorporated into all the outfits. Look out for what was suggested to be the key piece of your spring wardrobe: The Lace Skirt. Last, but certainly not least was ‘Good Sport’. The Sports Luxe trend continues to rule the runway, paying close attention to exaggerated silhouettes and rounded shoulders. For any fashion lovers this event is for you and with tickets starting at just £20 it is definitely unmissable. The dates for the Autumn/Winter showcase are yet to be announced but it has taken place every September in the past so keep an eye out after Summer for tickets to be released.
3 Top Tips to make your Student Loan Go Further Life&Style writer Hebe Hatton has found three sacrifice-free ways to stretch out your loan. Whether you are only just out of your overdraft or luxuriating in the pleasure of being ‘in the black’ as soon as our loans go in we always seem desperate to spend! It’s obviously okay to treat yourself to something small in the early weeks of term, but being half way through now you may be starting to feel the pinch, so make these few lifestyle changes and we promise you will see the difference.
Unidays Unidays.com is a great way to gain huge student discounts both online and in stores. It offers discounts on a range of well-known high street shops such as Topshop and Urban Outfitters all year round, however you can also get one off discounts on brands like Apple, Benefit Makeup and even My Protein. So, before you splash out online, sign up to Unidays to save a few pennies. Buy a flask Despite being lucky enough to study on a campus that has so much to offer in the way of tasty food places, it can get pretty pricey and the cost of a coffee a day can build up! The cafes on campus offer some great places to study and perhaps this is why we are enticed into spending money, however this is easily rectified by making your own drink! Don’t be put off by hauling lukewarm coffee into uni every day; perhaps invest in cheap treats to stop you being tempted, a cute flask maybe or some coffee syrups to add your own barista like twist. Time for a fill up? Costa offers a discount for all of those bringing their own flasks. Volunteering at a festival When it comes to planning a holiday on a student budget the pickings can be slim, whilst there are some great deals out there you could save money by looking into alternatives. Working at a festival is completely free and speaking to people who have volunteered it sounds like an amazing experience. You can definitely have that festival holiday without having to fork out hundreds of pounds.
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Fierce Hangover Heroes McDonalds, KFC, Nando’s or Subway delivered straight to your door to satisfy the post-night out munchies...what more could you ask for!?
FROW Fashion Season may be drawing to a close but we can still cherish those spectacular looks from the FROW. Alexa Chung, we love you!
New series of TOWIE All those in need of a bit of Essex entertainment are in luck as the new series started last Sunday (23rd February). Sunday nights in may now be complete again.
Sunshine I don’t want to jinx anything too soon but what a novelty it is to see the sun shining. Dare I say it but, maybe, just maybe, spring is within sight.
Rita Ora’s Haircut Always one for changing her hairstyle, but this time she’s cut it short again and it’s looking pretty good.
Deadline Panic The last six weeks of term (for most) is approaching and the work load is not going anywhere. Panic mode commences! . Only flattering on very few people, yet there's still a spotlight on this style. When will it end?
Moyles’s Tax Avoidance Claiming to be a second-hand car dealer whilst being a Radio 1 presenter in a bid to save £1 mil in tax is just not okay.
Peplum Only flattering on very few people, yet still a spotlight on this style. When will it end?
Simon Cowell & Baby Eric If you haven’t yet seen a picture of the music mogul and his son, then I’m guessing you’re in the minority – I get that he clearly loves fatherhood but enough is enough.
Ex MIC ‘Marilyn’ moment Ironically (if you can call it that) Kimberley Garner had her very own Marilyn moment conveniently timed as she was leaving the Cocktails with Monroe exhibition in London. She was only in MIC for one season but has certainly kept herself in the limelight.
By Natasha Woolf
Life&Style Writer
Finished
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redbrick.me/television
28th February - 6th March 2014
Television
Ooh err... Sexting Teacher Cutting Edge are known for their provocative and thoughtprovoking documentaries, but is dramatising child abduction a step too far? TV Critic Shannon Carey takes a look, and isn't impressed. If you watched or read the news at all last summer, you will have heard the story of Jeremy Forrest, a 30-year-old Maths teacher, who ran off with his 16-year-old pupil to France, leading to an international search for the pair until they were caught after just a few weeks. It is this news story that Channel 4 bases much of its documentary 'Sexting Teacher' on. The concept of inappropriate student/ teacher relationships is one that we are all
"The documentary seemed to be more juvenile than gritty, with real-life people portrayed as careless and immature" too familiar with: it fills soap storylines, drama plots and news features on a regular basis. So, by creating a documentary on this subject, Channel 4 really had the opportunity to delve deep into this matter of public interest, to look at the psychology of these doomed relationships and to perhaps provide unknown background to the case of Jeremy Forrest. This is what Channel 4 could have done, but instead they seemed to turn the chance for a potentially hard-hitting documentary into a silly, childish look into annoying teenagers and even more annoying teachers who fall 'in love'. Much of 'Sexting Teacher' was made up of reconstructed scenes played out by actors - understandable, as most of the real-life people involved are either serving prison sentences or are living anonymously. But these reconstructed scenes often seemed farfetched. Forrest's sixteen-year-old girlfriend was portrayed to have little concept of the
severity of her actions, not to mention the several of her friends who seemed quite happy to accept a crush on a teacher and not remotely concerned about the well-being of their friend. The low point of show had to be the sequence of texts shown between Forrest and the school girl, filled with lots of 'omg's, 'lol's and plenty of 'xxx's. And the playing of Carly Rae Jepsen's 'Call Me Maybe' over this sequence didn't seem childish at all. Reconstructions are meant to be based on reality, but I couldn't help but feel that the programme stuck more to the stereotypes of teenage girls in love rather than dealing with the reality of the situation. Nothing proves this more than the fact that 'Sexting Teacher' may have used the word 'like' more than any other programme in history. The actress playing the school girl seemed unable to utter a full sentence without 'like' appearing somewhere. Because that's how all teenage girls speak, even under police questioning, right? 'Sexting Teacher' did not stick only to Forrest's case: we heard the point of view of
"They turned the chance for a hardhitting documentary into a childish look into annoying teenagers" Kat, a girl who had also appeared in the news after running off with her teacher, and Ross, a teacher accused of sleeping with an underage student. The problem here was that the documentary seemed to jump from one story to another without much explanation, and often the point of these stories seemed to
be lost. Was channel 4 condemning these relationships? Was it suggesting pupils can be as guilty as teachers? I have no idea. What was clear was that the theme of annoying characters continued here, with Kat having learnt no lessons for her past relationship and Ross determined that texting someone 'babe' was completely normal, even if they happen to be your 15-year-old pupil. Not so much, Ross. Usually I am a fan of these documentaries based around real-life news stories. They often offer an insight into the minds of those in situations beyond your imagination and shed a new light on prominent new cases. But Channel 4 seemed to completely miss the boat here. The documentary seemed to be more juvenile than gritty, with actors consistently portraying real-life people as careless and immature to the point of complete irritation. There seemed to be little worthwhile information to take from this documentary, which, as documentaries go, render it pretty useless. In fact, 'Sexting Teacher' may have only one good purpose: if you're looking for a new drinking game, pop it on and drink every time you hear the word 'like'. You'll be drunk in no time at all.
"This Cutting Edge
documentary probably could have done with a less sensational title but it is, nevertheless, interesting" The Guardian
"It highlights how
technology can facilitate relationships between teacher and their underage pupils. Disturbing stuff altogether, but an interesting watch" Entertainment.ie
"Provides an insight into how what appears to be an innocent friendship can escalate into something entirely different" The Sentinel
redbrick.me/television
28th February - 6th March 2014
17
No More Mr Nice Guy Fleming He may be the creator of the most famous spy in the world, but Sky One's portrayal of Ian Fleming reveals a harsher and more sordid past than the fans could ever guess. Rochelle Stanley asks if it's any match for his creations... ‘Martini. Three measures of Gordon’s, one vodka, half a Kina Lillet, shaken not stirred, served in a champagne goblet.’ Sky 1 aired the premiere episode of BBC America’s mini-series 'Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond', which gives a measurable insight into the life behind the writer and creator of MI6 spy James Bond with a bit of melodramatic fiction thrown in. Starring Dominic Cooper (The Duchess, Captain America), Lara Pulver (Spooks, Sherlock), Rupert Evans, Anne Chancellor and Samuel West, the first episode draws upon the beginnings of World War II and emphasises Fleming’s (and possibly Bond’s) penchant for smoking cigars, drinking vesper martinis and charming women. I’m slightly shaken by this episode and certainly not stirred. Ian Lancaster Fleming (28 May 1908 12 August 1964) wrote the semi-autobiographical Bond book series, from Casino Royale (1953) to Octopussy and The Living Daylighters (1966), stories which highlight the conflicts between love and death, hero and villain, good and evil, duty and sacrifice, and excess and moderation. Well, this show contains visual excess and must be
Moone Boy Roanna Burt Tv Critic
The second series of Irish sit-com 'Moone Boy' returns to Sky this week, staring and co-written by Nick Vincent Murphy and man of the hour Chris O’Dowd, known for his roles in IT Crowd, Bridesmaids and Girls. First aired in 2012 and reportedly based on O’Dowd’s own childhood, 'Moone Boy' has snowballed in popularity since its inception, much like O’Dowd’s recent Hollywood comedy career, and this long-awaited new series is proving to be the best yet. Set in the sleepy, rural and ‘practically non-existent’ town of Boyle, County Roscommon in 1989, the show follows the trials and tribulations of plucky 12-yearold Martin Moone, played by brilliant newcomer David Rawle, and his imaginary friend and confidant, O’Dowd. A dry satire peppered with clever animations, 'Moone Boy' is a unique coming-of-age story, which is both uplifting and hilari-
seen in moderation if at all. ‘Everything I write has a precedent in truth’, an assumed direct quote from the man himself, quickly becomes an abstract for the entire series and precedes the opening scene in Jamaica at Fleming’s home, Goldeneye, where he wrote the books. It flashes back thirteen years to 1939, first to Kitzbühel, Austria and then to London where we suffer Fleming’s arrogant boyish ways, shameful innuendo, a petty fist fight and a few edgy expletives thanks to writers John Brownlow and Dan MacPherson. Not only this, the clichéd chance meetings with Ann (who we know will be his future bride) requires a rolling of the eyes along with the slow-motion sex scenes trying to class themselves up with the addition of violins to create pointless tension. We are treated to an education of Fleming’s privileged upbringing, horrid personality, overbearing mother, dead ex-MP father, and his brother and author ‘Saint’ Peter Fleming. He drinks, he smokes, he flirts and, in the next episode, he gambles. He is Bond. We understand this, yet surely there could be something more to be added to draw the viewer into this old-fashioned
ously depressing for the ‘accident, not mistake’ of the family, Martin. O’Dowd proves to be the perfect sidekick by giving the worst possible advice in helping Martin negotiate the troubles of being the youngest and only boy in a chaotic, female-dominated family. The intersibling abuse is one brilliantly written element of the show and easily relatable if you have older brothers or sisters (let the flashbacks commence). As well as this, Martin has to contend with school bullies named Jonner and Conner, his first sexual awakening during Wimbledon, awkward confirmations and infiltrating the crime ring that is the church altar boys. Absurd and absorbing, this touching and upbeat comedy is just what was needed from Ireland, filling the gap left from worn home-grown favourites like 'Mrs Brown’s Boys' and 'Father Ted'. Its originality surpasses anything before it and the cameos from Johnny Vegas and Steve Coogan prove that the charm of this show is certainly catching. Despite its nostalgic feel, it is wonderfully current and reminiscent of most upbringings in dysfunctional families, full of mayhem yet still full of laughs. An alltime favourite of mine, be sure not to miss all the great craic in this much-anticipated new series.
and glamourous drama. It reeks of the past, and, if possible, fails to stress the seriousness of the War – especially when a bomb tears through London and all Fleming does is snog married Anna O’Neill while the
"Surely something more could be added to draw the viewer into this drama" walls crumble and debris avoids them completely. Filipa Jodelka (The Guardian, 8th February 2014) says: ‘So I dunno WTF this is. Maybe it's an exquisitely wrapped gift to people who believe the "PC brigade" have stopped you from saying anything any more. The ruddy good old days. I'd prefer to think of it as a swansong, though, because Fleming belongs
in the past, gold-plated or not.’ Highly agreeable. His recruitment to Naval Intelligence is tackled with little effort, the humour is more-than-slightly pants and the fear of the swastika takes a back seat to Fleming’s philandering. The books which produced 25 films (the second highest grossing film series behind Harry Potter), which gave copious amounts of cash to seven actors playing the protagonist role and to the writer himself, has been re-drafted into a mediocre television series for no reason at all. 'Fleming' is unnecessary. We could live without it. If anything, the depiction of Ian Fleming in this series is disappointingly predictable. Ann describes Bond as who Fleming always wanted to be, as well as a sadistic brute. So clearly, we’re not supposed to like Fleming or even his cheating lover but, according to BBC America, we’re supposed to like the show and tune in next week. It’s up to the individual whether they want to waste around an hour of their lives watching when they could instead watch one of the films and visit Fleming’s Wikipedia page. Daniel Craig or this nonsense? Not such a difficult decision.
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redbrick.me/music
28th February - 6th March 2014
Music
Essential Albums: Kanye West - The College Dropout
Single Review: Anna Calvi - Piece By Piece Jack Crowe Music Critic
Anna Calvi’s new single 'Piece by Piece' exchanges the dramatic rumblings of earlier work for a quieter, more nuanced sound. The song, in contrast to its elaborate production, is quite simple, the main melody following a delicate piano riff, with the song’s title repeated to form a hook throughout. However, from the plonks of a tuning orchestra that open it, to the unhinged, ragatinged laughter that intersperses the verses, there is a neuroticism to this lost-love record, an eerie conviction that is matched in its lyrics: The resolve with which Calvi whispers 'I will forget, piece by piece' (the line that comes closest to a chorus) feels less woeful than threatening.
"There is a neuroticism to this lost-love record, an eerie conviction that is matched in its lyrics"
Alex Ekong Music Critic
@andthenalexsaid
Allow me to set the scene for you. The date is February 13th 2005. It’s Grammy night. A young and visibly excited rapper, dressed in an all-white suit ascends the podium to give the unlikely presenter duo of Kevin Bacon and Ludacris awkward man-hugs while claiming his prize – the validation of his life’s work up to that point. This, of course, is the night that Kanye West won the 2005 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, beating off stiff competition from established legends such as LL Cool J, Beastie Boys and his own mentor, Jay Z. As West looked out at an audience of his musical and celebrity peers, he exuded the confidence which comes with having a torch passed to you, he promised to take advantage of his time, his moment. ‘People have been asking me what I would do if I didn’t win.’ He pauses for effect. The world waits. ‘I guess we’ll never know,’ he says, raising his golden gramophone to the sky to a raucous standing ovation. The ascension was complete. How does a lower middle class black kid from Chicago complete the treacherous journey from Southside to super producer to Grammy Award winner in a matter of years? In The College Dropout – which many believe to be West’s magnum opus – one finds the answer to this and more. Though as the title suggests the record is largely autobiographical, Kanye does much more than just tell his story. The College Dropout is a musical variety performance, showing you assorted scenes from the story of the African American’s search for the American Dream
in the 21st Century. As with every good production, some of these will make you laugh, others will move you to verge of tears (your challenge is to listen to ‘Family Business’ without feeling anything. You won’t succeed.) Every scene, however, will lure a reaction from you – be it down to Kanye’s frank and playful lyricism or refined, innovative production. This is a record with many faces; uncompromising, idealistic and sometimes just plain rude to the face of society but honest, introverted and self-deprecatingly witty behind its back. All at once, it’s fearless, harmless, flawless and timeless. As prolific as the album is, one can also attribute its success to the evolution of tastes in hip-hop. The early 2000s was a time when rap music was underpinned by the culture of 'the hood' and gangsters ruled the industry, roaming the earth in throwback jerseys. There was little room for so-called 'producer-rappers'. However, the explosion of rap music as a mainstream medium over the course of the 90s meant that it was also appealing to a myriad of other demographics; those who couldn’t directly relate to the story of the streets. In response to this, West challenged the contemporary image of rap music with backpacks, Ralph Lauren polo shirts a compulsion to tackle a wealth of issues that affected these new listeners, drawn from experiences in his own life. Whether it is a question of religion, family, work, courtship, black culture, consumerism, self-awareness or self-improvement, Kanye takes them all on, not with the deft scholarly approach that predecessors like Common and Talib Kweli used, but with the enhanced world view that comes from being in a near-fatal car accident. This ardent fer-
vour for the here-and-now can be heard on challenging songs like 'All Falls Down' and 'Jesus Walks' as well as on the particularly inspiring 'Through The Wire', a song he recorded with his jaw, broken through impact with the steering wheel, wired shut.
"Kanye's idiosyncratic production style... became the sound that characterised hip hop of the '00s" 10 years on, the impact is apparent. Kanye’s idiosyncratic production style, the use of sampling and lush live instrumentation and gospel choirs became the sound that characterised hip-hop of the '00s. Furthermore, his eschewing of the gangster stigma attached to rap music enabled rappers from a variety of backgrounds such as Drake, Chance The Rapper and Tyler, The Creator to thrive and prosper. Music fans may have felt the wrath of vengeful Yeezus over the past year, but the message behind The College Dropout is: 'Ain’t no tuition for having no ambition / And ain’t no loans for sitting yo’ ass at home'. In other words, don’t let society dictate what you can achieve. For this and everything else, The College Dropout stands out in a genre famed for its brilliant debut albums as one of the best ever, making it essential listening for music fans everywhere.
This destructive tone continues in the first refrain, where the sun and moon parallel the rise and inevitable decline of an unspecified relationship. In the second, Calvi's vocals are especially sumptuous, a string section bearing them up to a register of pain and fragility that declares 'the trace and decay' leaves her with 'worthless love'. Any innocence in the singing, though, is undercut by its backing’s sheer weirdness, preserving a charged, unsettling atmosphere to the last. Calvi’s music has always possessed a certain darkness, but if 2011's debut was a straightforward horror flick, this creation carries newfound chill – we never hear the monster, and yet things are even scarier. Complete with curious farting synths and a catchy syncopated drum sample, 'Piece by Piece' sounds as striking as its subject does weary. Its subtlety, wedded with production values that her work has never lacked, render this a step forward for Calvi that rewards repeat listens.
redbrick.me/music
28th February - 6th March 2014
19
#BRITs2014 Tweet of the Week: @RudimentalUK: Nandos
Live Review: Tom Odell @ Wolves Civic Hall Liv Rafferty Music Critic
Although a relatively new artist, with only one album released in April 2013, Tom Odell has already had vast success, becoming the first male artist to win the critics' choice award for the Brits last year, he was also long listed for the BBC's Sound of 2013 and has again been nominated for the Brit Awards 2014. After seeing him live at the Civic Hall in Wolverhampton you could definitely see why. The support act was a four man band called 'Fryars', who awkwardly stumbled on stage where the very unassuming frontman named Ben Garrett took centre stage on the keyboard. He introduced the band and the sound that followed was glorious. They produced a quirky electric sound cleverly layered up with vocals, piano, electric backing track, and guitars. Textured symphonies made up the song 'Power' which is a great pedestal for 'Frayrs' intriguing musical arrangements. An exciting new band that everyone should listen to. Half an hour after their set had finished, Tom Odell's band walked on, the jampacked hall let out an almighty roar, the band began playing very dramatic music building suspense for Odell's arrival, making the crowd swell with excitement. Tom Odell jogged onto stage and waved at the crowd before sitting at his piano. After some further musical interludes which couldn't be further from his classical soft sound of the
Album Review: The Family Rain Under The Volcano Beth Coveney Music Critic
Opening with upbeat, high-energy rock'n' roll track 'Carnival', Bath brothers The Family Rain seem to set the scene for exactly what they were trying to achieve from debut album Under The Volcano – intense, exciting, straight-up rock and roll. This album’s been a long time coming; after a year of relentless touring, an EP and a handful of singles, the short, sweet 10-track record is exactly what fans of the band could have expected. The Family Rain’s trademark bluesrock style, which has earned them comparisons to such rock greats as The Black Keys, Jack White and Kings of Leon, comes through at many points in the album, including recent single 'Feel Better (FRANK)' and 'Binocular' – a quirky standout track that showcases the Walter brothers’ songwriting talents with clever lyrical wordplay like 'I’m always on watch but never on time'.
piano as it was loud, boisterous and almost rocky. He then hollered 'one, two, three, four!' at the beginning of the emotional 'Hold Me', before bursting into an energetic performance with the audience singing along to every word perfectly. Odell then spoke to the very enthusiastic crowd, of which one rowdy man was insistThe strongest points of the album come in the heavier moments – such as fistpumper 'Pushing It' and exhilarating debut single 'Trust Me' I’m a Genius' – where The Family Rain can show off just how full of energy and vigour they are, reminiscent of their adrenaline-fuelled live shows where they are clearly on top form and seemingly most at home. What the band do best is strike a perfect balance between heavy, sweaty rock riffs and melodic choruses, like in standout tracks 'Reason To Die' and 'On My Back' which boast arena-ready melodies, while frontman Will's rich, raw vocals add a new layer of intensity. Undoubtedly, Under The Volcano is a great live album - something that’s come across in the production from Jim Abiss (famous for his work with the likes of Kasabian and Arctic Monkeys) which leaves it sounding raw, real and honest, but perhaps some of the raucous rock'n'roll swagger the boys are known for in their live shows got lost in translation on the way to the record. With The Family Rain trying to cut their path in an already overcrowded genre, there’s nothing particularly ground-breaking about Under The Volcano – and at points its short, snappy crowd-pleasers can even come across as formulaic – but packed full of confidently catchy riffs and bursting with energy and adrenaline, it’s certainly a solid debut and teases us with the potential of bigger, better things to come.
ent on asking Tom Odell's hand in marriage. At just 23 years old, Tom seemed very modest and almost shy, nevertheless ensuring he interacted with the crowd throughout, his meekness seemingly going hand in hand with his moving ballads, making the young artist even more intriguing. In light of this fact, you could have been
almost apprehensive how Tom Odell would conduct the stage. However, his showmanship was surprising, and the musicality of the show along with the lighting made a huge difference, meaning that from his dramatic entrance the show continued its electrifying theatricality throughout. Odell then went on to play, 'Sirens', and 'Grow Old With Me' from his debut album, each a love song and ballad, yet each remotely different in meaning and always memorable. One thing Odell does superbly is portray the emotion through the rise and fall in his voice and the journey each song embarks on. Specifically the song 'Grow Old With Me' that tells the tale of falling in love and the desire to dedicate your whole life to one person, with poignant lyrics like 'And our hands they might age, and our bodies will change, but we'll still be the same as we are.' Compounded with his incredible voice explains how he has so many loyal fans, received much recognition and predictably a very successful future ahead, perhaps beginning with the release of his second album, which he hinted would be soon. His talents were exemplified best in his performance of 'I Know' with just him and the piano, the gorgeous rendition illustrated his unique voice perfectly. A surprisingly brilliant performance and show from this young, yet very proficient artist makes him a great musician to see live in smaller, more intimate venues. Before long he will most definitely be playing arenas, where he will be a mere pinprick in the distance.
Live Review: The 1975 @ O2 Academy Alex Ekong Music Critic
@andthenalexsaid
A colourful crowd converged on a sold-out O2 Academy last Wednesday night to see Manchester indie-pop darlings and Loose Women descendants The 1975 play their biggest headline show outside of London since their meteoric rise to prominence last year. It was a jovial affair from the word 'go' as supporting acts – acclaimed up-andcomers Wolf Alice and Californian dreamboats The Neighbourhood – were well received by a largely young and rowdy bunch that was itching to dance. At around twenty past nine, they were happily obliged. Backed up by plain bright lights and a minimalist stage set-up, which complemented their trademark black-andwhite aesthetic, Matt Healy and co. got straight down to business, warming the masses up with debut single 'The City' before sending them into raptures with fan favourite 'Milk'. Healy was a timid frontman at best; emerging hunched over the microphone with the hood of his sweatshirt pulled over his head, he was reminiscent of a child in a school play. All signs of this disappeared when he picked up his guitar and began to really enjoy himself, only stopping to briefly acknowledge the frenzied audience after the first 4 songs. 'Can I assume you know who we are?' he asked, seemingly oblivious or simply incredulous his band’s own fame, proven by the unequivocal belting of lesser-known album and early EP cuts like 'Talk!', ‘She Way Out', 'Fallingforyou' and 'Heads.Cars.Bending'. If the crowd was lost at any point it was during the tender, more atmospheric
moments in the set, where they seemed to be more content with taking it all in (principally through Snapchat, admittedly) than getting involved. Nonetheless, tracks like 'Me', 'You' and 'Menswear' went some way to showing The 1975 to be a band with substance as well as style – particularly when they brought out their touring saxophonist and when the sweeping chords of instrumental track 'HNSCC' washed over the 3,000+ heads of their faithful Birmingham supporters (called an 'ear orgasm' by one of my fellow gig goers). Highlights of the night were not hard to pick out. Newest single 'Settle Down' was a perfect storm of soul and synth-pop and once again was a big hit with the shufflers and two-steppers in the building. When it finally came down to it, Matt barely had to sing any of Top 20 single 'Chocolate' as the whole building was more than happy to pick up the slack. Raucous set-closer 'Sex' wrapped up a neat and tidy performance and proved that whether the game is synthlaced R&B or guitar-driven indie howlers, The 1975 currently have the monopoly on the market. Expect these guys to send people home happy from much bigger venues in the near future.
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redbrick.me/arts
28th February - 6th March 2014
Arts
'Three of a Kind' Ciaran A. Campbell and Diana Murgulet Critics
The Birmingham Royal Ballet's Three of a Kind is a triple bill of three short comedic ballets. Following the relative success of this season's earlier triple-bill Penguin Café, the BRB have had high expectations to match and the combined efforts of Card Game, Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, and Elite Syncopations make a solid attempt to do just that.
tumes and a confident attitude. The only drawback of this cheerful performance is that the plot is uneventful, thus rendering the piece less gripping. Three of a Kind isn't the BRB's strongest show this season by any means, but it does exactly what it sets out to do, amusing its audience and showcasing three lesserknown, widely unappreciated dance numbers. It's certainly worth booking, as it is an accessible, easily humorous, ballet.
Card Game, or a ‘ballet in three deals’, gives life to the cards in a poker game. The star of the piece is the joker interpreted by Jamie Bond. The music parodies the typical cadences of a classical ballet, combining and twisting bits of Rossini, Strauss, Beethoven, Ravel and Tchaikovsky. The rejection of the joker in the second deal by the imposing hands of the poker player in the background turns this entire section into a light-hearted, different view of ballet.
Closer look at:
Slaughter on Tenth Avenue by contrast isn't technically a ballet, rather an extract from the 1936 musical ‘On Your Toes!’ and follows Frankie Frayne, (Tyrone Singleton) an unfortunate multi-talented dancer who learns that the mafia intend to assassinate him during his final dance of the night. As logic dictates his only option is to keep dancing as long
Providing quality theatre, dance and a base for the Birmingham Royal Ballet since 1990
as possible, until the police can arrest the hitman. Opened by an unusual and surprising spoken piece, Singleton takes the number in his stride, incorporating a somewhat unexpected (though warmly welcomed) tap dance to finish, his movements becoming more frantic and complex the further the number presses on. It's a piece that doesn't take itself too seriously, a ballet within a ballet, but is overall possibly the strongest piece of the night.
"the plot is uneventful, thus rendering the piece less gripping" The episodic work in one act, Elite Syncopations, brought a change in the atmosphere. It is hard to decide what the most spectacular element of this part is. The twelvepiece band, the pianist and the conductor are moved onto the stage and dressed in costumes resembling those of the dancers, including ridiculous hats, recreating the atmosphere of a New Orleans dancing competition. The duets and solos are designed to parody, with forced turns, artificial, clumsy and ungraceful movements, wide smiles, bright coloured cos-
Rosie Waspe Critic
"a light-hearted, different view of ballet"
"It's a piece that doesn't take itself too seriously, a ballet within a ballet"
Cinderella on Broadway
Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre Trust Ltd is an independent, not-for-profit registered charity established in 1979. Situated on Hurst Street, next to the Chinese quarter of the city, the Hippodrome is regularly host to touring WestEnd shows and provides a base for partner company DanceXchange, with which they co-produce the biennial International Dance Festival Birmingham. The theatre is unsubsidised, not receiving revenue grants from Arts Council England or Birmingham City Council, instead securing funding from both of these organisations especially for support towards special creative, educational and access projects. Their free outdoor programme Six Summer Saturdays played to an estimated 100,000 people last summer; and the theatre recently produced The Voyage, part of the London 2012 festival and the Cultural Olympiad. The Hippodrome’s resident partners are the Birmingham Royal Ballet, formerly Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet, who came to the city in 1990. They remain the only English venue to present all of the Welsh National Opera's repertoire.
How can I describe my surprise at the AMAZING performance of Carly Ray Jepson in the title role of Cinderella I had the utter delight of seeing on New York’s Broadway last Saturday night? Perhaps the title of my favourite number from this newly adapted Rogers and Hammerstein’s musical sums it up best; ‘Impossible!’ Spending my year abroad in Montreal, a quick weekend visit to New York is not hugely out of my way and in a price range which was a pleasant surprise, so as someone with a quite frankly worrying knowledge of musicals I was desperate to catch a show on the famous thoroughfare and quite literally danced along the length of Broadway with my tickets (purchased at the student price of $32 – approximately £20) clutched to my chest like an invitation to a royal ball. From the very first number Miss Jepson’s command of the stage, as well as her musicality and believability, captured the audience’s imagination. It was quite literally ‘impossible’ not to be swept along in the magic.
"Whoever designed those ‘inside-out’ rags–to– ballgown numbers, I’d like two please. Size 10 and liberally sequinned." Similarly, as one of ‘those’ Strictly fans who watches the show purely for the dresses, I was hoping the costumes would live up to my expectations. They did. The ugly sisters dresses were delightfully hideous, the evil stepmother looked like Cruella DeVil dressed up for ladies day at Ascot and both of Cinderella’s ball gowns (yes both – the story follows a somewhat different track to that of the Disney version with more satire and less singing mice) were just beautiful. I still can’t quite work out how they engineered the on-stage dress transformations but whoever it was that designed those ‘inside-out’ rags – to – ball gown numbers I’d like two please. Size 10 and liberally sequinned. Watching this show was a welcome escape from reality and for the 2 hour and 10 minute duration, I was totally transported to another world. This, I think, was largely helped by the undeniably genuine happiness with which Miss Jepson was overflowing throughout the entire performance. You could see it in her face and hear it in her voice and such tangible delight was easily projected over the whole audience, hence the standing ovation at the final curtain. So, it seems, that for this young lady at least, dreams can and certainly do come true. See more pictures in our online article at redbrick.me
redbrick.me/arts
28th February - 6th March 2014
'Brand New Ancients'
An incredible storyteller brings a mundane saga to real life Gary Romain Critic
Hi. Everybody. It's me, I'm Gary. I just want to say—thanks. For reading this. For opening this page. And I just want to say—because I'm a human being, too. Just like you. This is not really an article. This is me, writing. Struggling. This is you, reading. We're here. We're alive. Thank you. Kate Tempest opened her performance of Brand New Ancients this way on Saturday at the mac. Maybe the huge success of the whole thing comes from the fact that, incredibly, Tempest can pull it off. She's got charisma and stayingpower, her performance is there in a bad-posture, faded-tattoo sort of way; it's not polished, it's raw, and thanks to her obvious gift in talking to you, it works. God, it really works. Whatever the material—the performance is top-notch. Tempest with a microphone, fourpiece soundtrack band and a little lighting creates scenes so vivid you might have just watched a film. Her talent for the spoken word provides a technicolor dimension. (The fourpiece do a good job with Nell Catchpole's great composition.) She tells a simple story, a series of sketches tracking a handful of characters through telling scenes of their lives. She tells of day-to-day love, parenthood, revelations, growing up, dreams. Her characters are outlines, memorable, visible, but perhaps without interiors; Tempest has filled them with humanity, but not of any specific kind. This was a strength, since they became relatable, and made great vehi-
cles for the show's central conceit: that every person, every day, is something mythical and huge; not divine as in pure, but divine as in epic. It comes up again and again. It's in the tradition of the ancient Greek myths, as she explains: the gods are human, too, and by extension to be godly is to be human. Occasionally she seems to stray: rather than showing that the godly is on our level, she points up and celebrates us as if we were on a godly level. But it's a subtle thing, only arising again when she takes a minute to break the fourth wall and rail against the way TV celebrates, or portrays (or doesn't) people, and although the difference to her treatment isn't exactly clear, it sounds convincing. The writing has these kinds of flaws. Tempest might be indulging in a sort of nostalgia for the simple life in the lower classes: her characters all come from poor backgrounds with obviously difficult lives. It's probably a world foreign to most in the audience, and perhaps that distance is why the simple, unsubtle, dramatisation works. More obviously, she can't help that hallmark of spoken word: there's a far-fetched, rhyming, unnecessary analogy to describe anything that wasn't quite interesting enough on its own. But those are fun, so that's about as much of a problem as marshmallows preventing you from getting to the hot chocolate on which they float. Critical examination isn't the point of the show, anyway. The point is to legitimise everyone's feelings and everyone's daily days, and she does it. She does it wonderfully. It entertains and enthralls, too. Tempest's Brand New Ancients has had rave reviews everywhere, and they're deserved. Look up the tour dates to see if you can still catch her somewhere else in the country. It's a performance worth travelling for.
'Tap Factory' @ New Alexandra Katherine Keegan Arts Editor
'The world tour of Tap Factory stopped off in Birmingham’s New Alexandra Theatre last weekend for some fingersnapping, toe-tapping fun: with dancers and musicians, acrobats and slapstick comedians, this was definitely an evening filled with circus-style acts and good old-fashioned family entertainment.
"the floor was fitted with microphones that amplified every rhythmic sequence" Set in a working factory, sounds of construction and rather a lot of smoke filled the theatre as the stage came alive in a scene of scaffolding and oil drums...with a drum kit in the middle. It was apparent that a STOMP-style performance was imminent. Percussion and rhythm played a huge part in this extravaganza, and it helped that each cast member could play the large oil drums that were on each level of scaffolding with a sufficient amount of manliness and aggression. The all-male cast put on a spectacle that really showcased their various talents. The group of tap dancers were particularly impressive with their charisma and charm, the dynamic between the four of them proving effective, with one playing the stereotypical fool and the
other three ganging up on him. They certainly knew how to play to the audience and earnt a fair amount of laughs. The staging worked well for them too, as the floor was fitted with microphones that amplified every rhythmic sequence and balanced them out to enhance the complexity of the routines. The main dance numbers were interjected by various solos, sometimes performed by one of the tap dancers, sometimes by one of the other cast members: including a break-dancer, a gymnast and a contemporary/interpretive dancer. Personally I’m not entirely sure whether all of this was really necessary, or even if it fitted with the mood of the show. Whilst it was certainly impressive to see this guy lift his whole body weight onto one hand, swing from the ceiling on ropes and take his shirt off in an over-dramatic unveiling (much to the appreciation of some members of the audience). A part of me had to restrain myself from rolling my eyes and hiding my face from the cringe factor.
"a part of me had to restrain myself from rolling my eyes" The incorporation of props was interesting though and definitely added to the factory setting with a fantastic routine performed using a step ladder, mincing around with a broom and a cheeky little comedy sketch with a tin bucket. Without a doubt, each performer had to be admired for his skill and although it was a little awkward in places, the overall effect left the audience with smiles on their faces and tap dancing in their shoes.
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What's On: Penny for your thoughts: free tickets for reviews Join us Wednesday at 2pm in Student Development When I Grow Up Play @ Crescent Theatre Fri 28th February 7:30pm 2 Free Tickets (or £10.50) Never Try This At Home Play @ Birmingham REP Mon 3rd March 7:00pm 2 Free tickets (or £10) A Life of Galileo Play @ Birmingham REP Tues 4th March - 7:00pm 2 Free Tickets (or £13.50)
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28th February - 6th March 2014
redbrick.me/travel
Travel
Nightmare in Naples Hope Brotherton shares her mixed experiences of a trip to the famously bustling Italian city of Naples... See Naples and die. A phrase stuck in many travellers' minds, including my own. This phrase originated in the 16th century and that’s where it should stay. Many travel sites describe Naples as 'gritty' and 'chaotic'. And that’s the best compliment Naples could ever hope for. My harrowing journey began in Sorrento on a sweaty train, with windows that just simply would not open. Then there were the buskers who wouldn’t stop busking on their
"Many travel sites describe Naples as 'gritty' and 'chaotic'. And that's the best compliment Naples could ever hope for." untuned accordions, hoping to have money thrown into their polystyrene coffee cup on every repeat. After the two hour train journey that, according to the timetable, should only take 40 minutes, we arrived in Naples, expecting all the glamour and history that Rome has to offer. Walking through the busy station we emerged outside, still the ever-hopeful tourists with cameras slung around our necks and sunburn etched on the corners of our skin. Needless to say, we were shocked. The streets surrounding made Selly Oak look like the grounds of Buckingham Palace. Yes- they were that bad; dirt, graffiti and yet more highly annoying buskers and street sellers lined the streets. Regardless, we decided to press on and head to the national archaeological museum, home to some of Pompeii and Herculaneum’s most desirable relics. After a long hour or so walk through the grime and many unsuccessful trips to notso-nice toilets - which you have to pay for?! - we arrived, and after inspecting the perimeter to find a grand entrance we were well and truly shocked to find it closed. Eventually, we found one bumbling old security guard who told us the museum was not opening today. It was a Tuesday. A Tuesday. This frustrated us all greatly – who shuts a museum on a Tuesday, during peak season? The logic is clearly beyond me. Not only was the museum closed, it took us an hour on foot to get to, away from the port where all the other attractions where situated. Thus ensued another hour or so walk through the back streets of Naples. Everywhere we looked the streets where covered in grime, bin bags lined the streets and graffiti tags submerged buildings. Family members were insistent we tucked all valuables into a tightly zipped rucksack, but whilst the streets seemed filthy, the people seemed friendly. I knew very few Italian phrases and many Italians knew little English but were happy to help as much as possible. Eventually, we stumbled across a piazza that led onto a main road. This was not like other bustling Italian piazzas, but was rather lined with newspaper shops and one small cafe. In Italy, even paying customers of restaurants have to pay to use the toilets – I wouldn't mind if they were nice and had commodities like loo roll, hand soap and a lavender scent. Many times I just simply refused to go. From here we carried on again. After hours of harrowing
quiet followed by short bursts of mopeds trying to run us over, we found the Naples we expected. Well the ‘busy,’ and ‘chaotic,’ part at least in the form of a bustling high street lined with designer, high-end shops. A completely different Naples to the one we had just experienced. But the family spirits had already been damped and tempers were running high after all the walking in the midday sun. Nevertheless, I was determined to make a day of it yet. Ok yes, the phrase ‘see Naples and die,’ was not all it was cracked up to be, but I was still determined to have a pizza there. Naples is famous for its glorious stonebaked pizza and I was determined to try some. A perk that the Italians offer many tourists unknowingly is cheap, good food; in this case it did not disappoint. After being fed and watered for a princely sum of 5 euros, we carried on. We were now approaching the port, which homed some of the most glorious castles I have ever laid my eyes upon. One of these was Castle Nuovo, an exquisite 13th century castle on the Port of Naples. The entry fee is a small sum of 6 Euros and in my opinion is well worth it, as underneath the castle is a Roman villa visible through a glass floor. The second castle we visited was where disaster struck. On route along the harbour walls I was stung by a monstrous insect, and keeping to my pale British name, my skin didn’t take too nicely to it. At first, I just thought it was a small bite and carried on walking, but after a while it formed into a horrific pus-filled blister that just would not stop growing and started restricting the movement in my ankles. But, I still wouldn’t let this overcome me. No; I soldiered on. And, in the blistering heat, we made it to the second castle on our itinerary, this time much closer to the port. It had a terrific sea view of the sparkling blue waters and a triumphant Vesuvius stood tall in the background. The sunlight was bouncing off the walls so that the castle looked like it was covered all over in crystals. Below the castle’s towering walls we sat and had a drink in the shade of a parasol and admired the view, for the first time on that long day. We decided to call it quits, and checked our train schedule – something I did not rely on in the UK, let alone Italy. A power-walk to the train station thus ensued, as we were worried that if we missed this train there would be another
"Everywhere we looked the streets were covered in grime, bin bags lined the streets and graffiti tags submerged buildings." hour’s wait – a wait no one was prepared to make. Arriving in the nick of time – I was not shocked by the fact that the train was late; the platform was heaving and when we eventually made it onto the right train, we had to stand – injured leg and all. Naples was a horror, in a country full of wonders. But looking back, the pizza wasn’t all that bad.
Brum students abroad This week we hear from Down Under as Liam McConkey shares his experiences studying in Aus... Most of my friends will vouch for my incessant desire to go on a year abroad- the politics department can do too, especially with the headaches I gave them to let me go! As a Brummie boy, living on Dawlish Road, I hadn't that sense of adventure I imagine so many students feel when venturing far from the nest! However, Australia, the farthest place from Birmingham you can get, does just that. From July until December I completed my first semester at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), found in the suburb of Randwick, Sydney. Only a 10 minute walk from Randwick’s is the suburb Coogee (pronounced C-u-jee) and with its beautifully crystal seawater and flour-like sand, I found the place where I wanted to be. Following a 9 day stay at a Coogee beach-
side hostel I found a reasonably priced flat to live- 0 minutes walk to the beach, 15 minutes walk to uni. Not too short of being perfect, there was a downside. The shock horror I and fellow European student’s faced when arriving to Australia was the cost of everything- it is unbelievably pricey, and what Australian’s call cheap, I call an extortion! In my flat in Coogee I share a room with another guy, with a total of six people in the flat. Odd at first, I quickly adapted, and sharing with my Swiss roommate until December was fine. Rent is not the only thing pulling on the purse strings; living costs are so high that I wondered if I would have money to travel during my Aussie summer holidays! Therefore, patrolling the streets with CV in hand and a determined head on my shoulders,
I searched for a job. After many ‘no’s’ or ‘apply online’ I decided to try my luck at the Sydney Opera House; what had I to lose? Underneath the Opera House are several restaurants, one of which is called the Opera Kitchen, and an authoritative Aussie sheila decided to give me job as a waiter. This lasted for about 4 months, providing money for my rent. Juggling uni life with a part-time job was a bit of a stress, especially with the constant work UNSW sets. The weekly essay deadlines that filled the pages of my course diary shattered the perception of laid-back, beer drinking Australia! However, I’ve enjoyed my course here so farAustralian politics is enriched with so many issues, especially regarding campaigns for greater indigenous rights and the persistent
‘stop the boat’s’ asylum seeker policy. Now on my second summer holiday in a year, I’m currently travelling this vast and overwhelming land.
28th February - 6th March 2014
redbrick.me/travel
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Why to... Scuba Dive Travel writer Jessica Flanagan tells us why scuba diving is the perfect hobby for an avid traveller... 'Down where it's wetter, that's where it's better' is the famous line of the Disney classic, “The Little Mermaid”, and in regard to scuba diving, this couldn't be more accurate. Whether you’re a fan of marine life, need something more than just a beach holiday, or even have impressive lung capacity that you’d like to show off; open water diving is one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences out there. This 'how to' of scuba diving will hopefully encourage any budding divers to take the plunge.
amongst schools is high, so average prices for the course are as shockingly low as £200. Wherever you learn, expect to spend a couple of days in the classroom and pool learning the basics (no one wants to be 10m under water without the slightest clue). The last two days of the course will usually entail 4 dives, at increasing lengths, before you’re handed your open water certificate and the celebrations on the beach commence.
To learn. PADI are the four letters that you should firstly be looking for. A worldwide certified association of diving instructors, most good diving schools will teach these internationally recognised diving courses. Narrowing down the search to a particular school will depend on your location, and also, your budget. You can scuba dive in just about every continent, so location wise, the world is your oyster. Equally, there’s nothing to say you have to travel thousands of miles to get a decent dive; Spain, Greece, (or even Scotland and Ireland!) are all popular spots for divers. Do some research on the area once you’ve pinpointed one, in order to find a reputable diving school. Check out reviews from previous customers and be sure it has the correct equipment and licence. If budgets are tight and you’d prefer to learn ‘on a shoestring,' head East! Sure, flights will be more expensive, but if you were planning to backpack through South East Asia anytime soon, then its worth taking advantage of how cheap it is to dive there. The most infamous location is an island off the East Coast of Thailand, called Koh Tao. Competition
To master. Equalising, buoyancy, navigation, signals, or even breathing, are all diving abilities that are harder to grasp than most people would assume. These skills are taught at the most basic level in the Open Water course, but there is wide scope to improve and perfect these skills through different diving qualifications. Levels continue up from the Advanced and Rescue diving courses, then all the way up to becoming a Dive Master. In a location such as Birmingham, “mastering” it could prove somewhat problematic. Ideally, you'd need constant access to a dive site, and enough time and money to put into the hobby. It is the not the easiest hobby to pursue whilst also studying full-time. Having said that, if the grad scheme doesn’t go quite to plan, and a life of travel seems more appealing, becoming a dive master or instructor on a beautiful island could rival the office job. A fear of water or fish should be the only two things holding you back from trying out scuba diving; it is such a unique way to experience the natural world and there seems no greater way to combine a love of travel and adventure.
To explore. Similarly to deciding where to learn, your choice of dive spot will depend on what it is you want to see. You may be accustomed to the odd goldfish in your room, perhaps a coy carp in the garden pond, or even a dolphin if your parents splashed out and took you to Florida as a kid, but scuba diving truly will deliver on the best of marine life. As a beginner, it’s unlikely that your instructor will encourage you to swim into a family of hammer-head sharks, however, you can expect to see anything; puffa-fish, sting ray, clown fish, sea snakes, coral, jelly fish, eels and more. Were you to see a turtle on one of your early dives, you'd have truly struck gold. If there is something in particular you wish to see, then contact your desired diving school and they can tell you when the best opportunity would be. Whale shark seasons, turtle egg hatchling and humpback whale migration are just some examples of the extraordinary things you could see beneath the surface, you just have to get your timing right!
The 5...
Best music festivals abroad
Ellicia Pendle Travel Writer
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Coachella, Califonia (11th - 13th, 18th - 20th April)
Open’er Festival, Poland (2th - 5th July)
Benicassim, Spain (17th - 20th July)
Sziget, Hungary (11th -18th August)
Outlook, Croatia (3rd -7th September)
Arguably the USA’s most famous festival. Outkast, Muse and Arcade Fire will play to tens of thousands in the desert this year. Tickets sold out in less than 3 hours.
Headlining are the Foals, Foster the People and MGMT. Silent disco, ferris wheel and theatre shows included. Four day camping pass: €151.
Spain’s top music festival is set on a beach and boasts an enormous line up, including Kasabian, Tinie Tempah and Ellie Goulding. Camping pass €149.
Held on an island on the Danube river and headlined by Macklemore, Queens of the Stone Age, Calvin Harris and Bastille. Week camping pass: €209.
Europe’s biggest bass festival is set in a 2000 year old amphitheatre. Ms Lauryn Hill headlines this year. Standard tickets: £140.
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redbrick.me/food
28th Fabruary - 6th March 2014
Food
Make The Perfect Pancakes Millie Walker Food Editor
@millicent_x
Issy Turner Food Writer
@Issy_turner
Rosie Twells
Millie Walker
Food Writer
Food Editor
Protein Pancakes
American Pancakes
'Crepe' Pancakes
The Pancake Survey
Shrove Tuesday is one of my favourite dates in the calendar; it’s a real wonder I don’t make them more often, and they’re definitely worth the minimal effort! Traditionally, I’m a lemon and sugar kind of girl, though I can be persuaded to make Scotch pancakes with blueberries - they are divine! This week I chose to make protein pancakes. A perfect start to a day, or a cheeky treat after dinner, these pancakes are so tasty you’ll want to have them time and time again. There are several different versions of the protein pancake; my gym-monkey friend gave me her favourite recipe but I put it in with my dissertation notes and now can’t find it again so we'll go with the ones I invented!
To make the best American pancakes I usually turn to Nigella (you can find her recipe online by typing 'Nigella American Pancakes' into the Google search bar):
Pancake Day for me is always a special event. Partly because I never have pancakes at any other time of the year so all things sugary, lemony and chocolaty are brought to the table in celebration. Partly because also the evening is turned into one of experimentation and surprises. Who can eat the most pancakes? Who adds the strangest topping(s)? Answers to questions which rarely change year on year, myself taking the crown in the former challenge and my Dad in the latter. Peanut butter and marmite were never going to be a match made in heaven. Above all what I love the most about Pancake Day is the fact you can personalise everything, from the choice of batter, to the toppings, even down to the way you eat your lovingly tossed creation. So, sticking to a firm family favourite recipe, here is
Using the wonderful resource that is SurveyMonkey, I put together a set of questions to determine the most popular pancake of UoB students... and here's what I found out: How do you like your pancakes served up? Think enough to eat with a fork or thin enough to roll up?
Shrove Tuesday is one of my favourite dates in the calendar Ingredients 170g Greek yoghurt 1 large egg white 32g plain flour 2g protein powder 1 tsp baking powder Fruit. I used banana, but blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, dates, apricots..peanut butter (not a fruit but ought to be in order to easily fulfil my five a day) Method 1. Mix all of the dry ingredients together in one bowl. 2. In a separate bowl whisk the egg white and yoghurt. 3. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir as the mixture becomes thick. Then add the fruit. 4. Heat a frying pan and melt butter/oil on the base to stop the pancakes sticking. 5. Drop a couple of spoonfuls of batter into the pan, leave for a minute until solid on the bottom and flip as you would a normal pancake. 6.Repeat until you have finished the mix!
Another favourite is Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Ingredients 225g plain flour 1 tsp white sugar 1 tbsp baking powder (the key component for American pancakes) A pinch of salt 2 eggs (whisked) 300ml milk 30g melted butter Method 1. Mix together the dry ingredients, then in a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients. 2. If you have a blender, I would use this to mix everything together but a tip from Nigella for those mixing by hand is to make a well in the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Then beat the eggs, melted butter and milk into it. 3. Pour mixture into a jug to make it easier to transfer to the pan. 4. Heat a pan on the stove with a knob of butter and add a ladle of the batter mix to the pan. It will look quite thick but this is how it should be. 5. Leave pancake to cook until the top begins to bubble and blister, this means its time to flip it over. Once golden brown, it's ready to eat! You should be able to get about ten fairly large American pancakes out of this recipe. I have always favoured lemon and sugar as a topping in the past, or cream and blueberries, but I had an epiphany last weekend when my housemate told me to try maple syrup and streaky bacon. I was a bit dubious, but it was so good! Another old classic of mine is pancakes with strawberry cheesecake ice cream. Haagen-Dazs does a great version which you can get from most supermarkets.
27% Thick 73% Thin Well, that answers that...most of you like to cram the filling into the middle, roll up and eat with your fingers!
Peanut Butter and Marmite were never going to work! Ingredients 100g plain flour A pinch of salt 1 egg 300ml milk. Method 1. Mix flour and salt in a bowl and make a hollow in the centre before adding the egg. 2. Stir with a wooden spoon and add milk gradually, until all the flour is worked in. 3. Beat well and add remaining milk. The consistency of the batter should be like single cream. 4. For each pancake, heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan. When it begins to smoke, stir the batter and place approximately 3 tablespoons into the pan. 5. When golden brown underneath, flip the pancake and cook the other side. Turn out onto a plate and serve with your favourite toppings. Traditional sweet choices include golden syrup, sugar, lemon or orange juice, although savoury toppings such as tomato and mushroom are also great.
How good are you at flipping a pancake?
80% of you pride yourselves on being better than average at flipping.
20% of you certify that you're excellent! How true this is I couldn't say, we'll just have to wait for the big day!
What is your favourite combination of fillings?
40% of you chose lemon and sugar. An outright winner! 30% of you will be having some sort of fruit with your pancakes. Even if it is smothered in cream/syrup/chocolate!
Our Editors' Favourite Fillings Lynette- 'It's a bit boring, but I'm a syrup kind of girl.' Millie- 'For me, it has to be lemon and sugar! Though this year I am thinking of dabbling with peanut butter and banana.' Gemma- 'Peanut butter, jam, banana and ice cream. It's fool proof!'
Really can't cook?
Tweet your a picture of your perfect pancake on Tuesday to @redbrickfood and we'll choose our favourite to put in next week's issue.
Why not head down to the Selly Sausage and indulge in a helping of their American Pancakes! There's always a Pancake of the Week to experiment with but our online editor Lynette ensures us that the apple and cinnamon option is divine. Extra fillings only cost 30p so create your own combinations without the mess of making them yourself!
24% of you chose chocolate in some form, mainly with banana. 5% of you would have America's favourite... Bacon and Maple Syrup! We then had a number of peanut butter fans, a minimal number of jam fans, a handful of people who would eat savoury pancake and a good 4% who would go for a very decadent choice of strawberries and cream! Extra ingredients that I missed off my survey included ice cream, currants, custard and fudge.
redbrick.me/food
28th February - 6th March 2014
Review: Henry Wong Gemma Bridge Food Editor
@glbridge1
Location Henry Wong is easy to find and easy to get to from University. 283 High Street, Harborne, Birmingham, B17 9QH. Close to Waitrose and opposite the Tower Ballroom in Harborne.
To follow we were given a Dim Sum Platter. This included deep fried panko covered Tiger Prawns, sticky pork dumplings, chicken on skewer with spicy peanut satay sauce, crispy vegetable Won Ton and edemame beans. The platter came with salad and crispy noodles which added a freshness and crunch to the starter. The food was presented beautifully as well.
Food To start the evening off we were given Pork Yuk Sung, which were very interesting lettuce leaf cups filled with a mixture of pork and prawns. The lettuce cups were fresh and full of interesting Cantonese flavours. To eat them the lettuce leaf is rolled up and eaten like a wrap.
Following the starter board we were given a range of special Henry Wong main courses with fried rice and noodles. The rice was great with vegetables, egg and prawns. The noodles were similar to Singapore noodles with a range of vegetables and a sweet marinade. Both the rice and noodles went perfectly with the main dishes we were given. The main courses included chilli pepper king prawns, which were lightly fried making them crispy served with salad. Honey pepper chicken was also served. This was sweet and crispy, and so moreish. We also had sizzling Beef Fillet Cantonese Style, which had a sticky, sweet pepper sauce.
Service The service was exceptional from the start with welcoming staff, which was great following a long day and a cold and windy walk to Harborne. We were greeted by the restaurant manager and our coats were taken and hung up. We were then shown to our table and our napkins were placed onto our laps. The menus were given to us and we were able to ask about the dishes that we were unsure of. The staff were really friendly and helpful. We had a lovely evening. Overall My evening at Henry Wong was exceptional. The food and service were both out of this world. To finish the evening off well, an electric classical violin player came to play for the diners. This was great and made the evening really special. I would thoroughly recommend Henry Wong to students, and to their friends and family. The restaurant is worth a visit. It is a perfect location for a birthday celebration.
Safiyyah Gareebo and Sarah Dickinson, Redbrick Food Writers, try out the delights on offer. In the end, she chose a waffle with ice cream and Oreos, and found that the waffle was certainly 'fluffy enough' for her liking! Helena ordered a waffle also, and slightly regretted not getting ice cream when she saw how much came with Sarah's!
Helena certainly regretted not ordering ice cream once Sarah's arrived!
The only issue we had, was the driver not being able to find our door number and having to call us. However, a few minutes later we heard a ring at the door and it was pointed out to us that there was in fact no number on our door, something we will try to bear in mind when we next order a takeaway!
Sweet treats in the heart of Selly Oak. The perfect place to satisfy your sweet tooth. What more could you want after a hard day of studying?!
Millie Walker suggests ways to use up your last chunk of....
Cheddar
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Cheese on Toast Not just any cheese on toast, however; the best cheese on toast requires extras! Grab two slices of bread and bury under a mountain of grated cheese. Grill two slices of bacon or use a couple of slices of ham, cut them into little pieces and balance on top of the cheese. Finally, slice an onion or leek for that extra kick of flavour and add to your mountain. Grill until the cheese bubbles and serve with your favourite cheese on toast condiment.. tomato ketchup? HP sauce? BBQ sauce? Personally I'm an advocate of Lea and Perrins. Cheesy Veg Cauliflower cheese is a well-known dishbut why stop there? Choose your peas, carrots, broccoli...even your potato wedges, and make a cheese sauce to cover them. Its never been so easy to eat veg! Over a gentle heat, melt 40g of buttered then add 40g of flour until you have a thick mixture. Remove from the heat and add 400ml of milk gradually. Return to the heat and bring to the boil before stirring in 100g of grated cheese and a tsp of mustard. Pour over your vegetables and bake for ten minutes until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling. This is quite a large recipe so any leftover sauce you can freeze for later.
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Cheese Straws These may sound like an adventurous thing to try on a quiet night in, but cheese straws are so simple to make and definitely worth the effort! Sift 375g of flour and a pinch of salt in a large bowl before using your fingers to mix in 225g of butter until you have a breadcrumb consistency. Stir in 200g of grated cheese, a tsp of mustard, two egg yolks and 4 tbsps of water until you have a firm dough. Wrap this in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the over to 190C, line a baking tray and then roll out the dough into a rough square. Cut into strips (however thick or thin you like your straws) and bake for 10-15 minutes until crisp.
Safiyyah instead opted for a milkshake, and ordered the Ferrero Rocher one, which tasted just like more expensive ones from other places. It was really creamy and thick, as well as being full to the brim, so she certainly got good value for money.
With the desserts and drinks averaging around £3.50 each, this was easy enough for the three of us to do. It was hassle-free ordering through Just Eat, and the website clearly showed the range of toppings...The hardest part of it all was for Sarah to choose what she wanted!
Ingredient Ideas
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Review: Cheeky Joes We discovered Cheeky Joes on the streets of Selly Oak earlier this year and were happy to see something other than the regular fast food outlets. They specialize in desserts, which seems to be the one thing that was always missing from Bristol Road, and can satisfy your sweet-tooth craving. We were too lazy to walk down the road, so the two of us and our house mate decided to group together and reach the £10 minimum spend for delivery.
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4. We were amazed to see just how much choice there was across the milkshakes, smoothies, crepes, waffles and sundaes, and will definitely have to order a lot more often to try it all.
The desserts at Cheeky Joes were so good that after writing this article we had to make an impromptu visit!
Cheese and Broccoli Soup Quick, simple and hearty. Cook one chopped white onion in a large saucepan until golden. Then add four cubed poatoes and continue to stir for a few minutes. Add 1litre of chicken stock and bring to the boil before adding entire broccoli (split into florets). Continue to simmer for around twenty minutes, and if you prefer your soup without bits, blend until smooth. Stir in 250ml of single cream and then 175g of cheddar. Simmer gently until the cheese has melted. Season and serve.
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redbrick.me/film
28th February - 6th March 2014
Film
Focus on: The Cinema
Critic Hannah Stevens discusses how emerging technology is affecting the cinema industry
Review: The Lego Movie
Details Release date: 14th February 2014 Directors: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller Cast: Will Arnett, Elizabeth Banks, Alison Brie Running time: 100 minutes IMDB rating: 8.5
´´´´´ Is cinema going to be the next industry to fade away? Over the years, with all of our new fangled technology, the music industry has steadily begun to become almost entirely a digital market. With illegal copies consistently available online, is the film industry going the same way? With Blockbusters going into administration, could it be signalling the beginning of the end for DVDs? Fewer and fewer people are willing to pay the extortionate prices for cinema tickets, and illegal downloading is booming. Despite attempts by the government to shut down numerous sites for illegal downloading, proxy sites are still popping up every hour to replace them. They may have succeeded in inconveniencing a vast amount of people, but downloading is an ever present and ever growing business that can never be stopped entirely. So it is unsurprising that DVD sales have dropped so significantly in recent years. Few people have the desire to buy them when they can simply watch them for free online. Only those dedicated to their collections seem to have a desire to support the market. Moreover, the end of Blockbusters has signified the apparent end of the popularity of DVD rentals. Even though companies like Domino’s have attempted to revive them by combining rentals with takeaways, it doesn’t appear to be having the desired effect. The decline of CDs and DVDs has left stores like HMV desolate and declining, so is this loss in danger of translating over to the cinema box office? Sure, the film industry is still churning out endless films, but fewer of them are making an impact. Nowadays, a film has to crush the box office in order to be considered a success, even critical success isn’t good enough if it doesn’t make the money. With budgets for films rising every year, the need for a massive profit is more pressing than ever before. Box office hits are more often judged on
their monetary success than any level of artistic impression, which is a tad depressing when great films get completely ignored at the cinema. Ultimately, with such high cinema ticket prices, is it really surprising that so many films are flopping, especially with such a competitive market? Indie films barely stand a chance these days, with superhero giants and teen adult films dominating the market. With the Avengers making north of $1 billion dollars at the box office and most super
"Luckily the Internet has performed some countermoves with the appearance of LoveFilm and Netflix, giving us the opportunity to legally watch films with ease." hero films doing especially well, other franchises barely stand a chance. In today’s market, you have to be a phenomenon to threaten the success of any of these film series. Is that what our film market has dissolved into? A competition? I suppose it has, and numerous films are being left at the starting line with nothing to give them the momentum they need. Sure, the awards ceremonies like the Oscars may be seen to give a chance to those in need of a little spark to improve their box office earnings, but even they appear to be more about popularity than talent sometimes. Moreover, with the amount of films being churned out week by week it is unsurprising that the box office victors are so few. Unless you have a Cineworld card, most of
us can only afford to go to the cinema every few weeks, if that. So, even for those of us who want to support the industry it’s growing harder and harder to do so. With a combination of rising prices, easy accessibility to illegal downloads and the saturation of the film market, it is unsurprising that the film industry has begun to struggle considerably. We live in a digital age and the public wants everything at the tips of it's fingers, and why would people go the cinema when they can watch it online for free? Some say it’s for the cinematic experience, and I would agree, but sadly too few people feel this way for it to make a difference. No wonder cinemas are continually raising the price of admission, when fewer and fewer people are going, they are simply doing what they have to in order to survive. Luckily, the Internet has performed some countermoves with the appearance of LoveFilm and Netflix, giving us the opportunity to legally watch films with ease. However, as useful as these sites are, they are also further negating the need for DVDs, not exactly helpful for that particular industry. Although there is never a perfect answer for fixing a problem such as this, we’ve seen what the Internet has done to CD sales and book shops, so is it really surprising that DVD sales are heading the same way? We live in a digital age, and I’m sure in the next few years the film industry will swiftly become an entirely digital one. Some films are still managing success in the cinema, but it’s getting harder and harder for films to make an impact. Furthermore, with eBay and Amazon, providing such cheap DVDs the need for stores is decreasing rapidly. All we can do is support the industry in any way we can, whether it’s buying a film for a penny online or making better use of our Orange Wednesdays.
Anthony Keen Critic
The Lego Movie is a hilarious use of the mammoth franchise, and definitely a film made for adults with kid-jokes thrown in, instead of vice versa. As soon as the film opens, you’ll be in awe with just the look of it. What looks like incredibly smooth stop-motion is in actual fact CGI, and the animators have clearly taken a lot of care to produce the distinct look of Lego. Sunlight shines off plastic, Lego buildings are assembled as they should, and even explosions and lasers are made completely of Lego. Literally everything in the movie, down to the waves of the ocean, could be built from Lego, if you had the time and the patience. But it’s not just the look of the film that will get you. The writing of the characters and story is stellar. Joke after joke will hit you through the modest 90 minutes of its run-through, and none of them will leave you with a breath in between. The huge reach of the Lego franchise being what it is, the cameos that appear throughout will leave you laughing all on their own – from Gandalf and Dumbledore all the way to Batman and Han Solo, and they’re all in there. The cast too do a great job of keeping the energy and enthusiasm up at all times, with star-studded names such as Morgan Freeman, Will Arnett, Liam Neeson, Will Ferrell, the list goes on. All in all, The Lego Movie is a film that will leave you laughing throughout its run, and carries a surprisingly heart-felt and endearing message within its story. Whilst a premature statement with it only being the first few months of the year, this could well be one of the best films of 2014.
redbrick.me/film
28th February - 6th March 2014
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Film News Becky McCarthy Film Editor
Reports about the casting of the eagerly anticipated Fantastic Four remake have dominated film news over the past few weeks. As of yet, Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara, and Jamie Bell are the favourites to star as the superhero dreamteam which will add to Marvel's ever-increasing cinematic universe.
Edward Norton's passion project Motherless Brooklyn may finally be set to hit the screens. The film will be an adaptation of Jonathan Lethem's novel, which follows a lonely private detective with Tourette's syndrome. It will star Norton himself, who has been trying to get this project off the shelf since early 1999.
Review: The Monuments Men Capturing one of the best treasure hunts in history, The Monuments Men follows a platoon who are on a mission to rescue artistic masterpieces
Details Release date: 14th Febuary 2014 Director: George Clooney Cast: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray Running time: 118 minutes IMDB rating: 6.4
idea of how to get there. Beginning with an obligatory recruitment and training montage, the film begins in earnest when the men are sent to France where they immediately split up and go on their own individual searches. Because of this, The Monuments Men consists of merely a bunch of loosely connected vignettes and montages. Which would be fine if these segments were interesting or charming in their own right. They are not. Huge swathes of the film are tension free chasms and all too often feature Clooney warbling on about the importance of art. Thanks George, we get it.
Critic
"Clooney's charisma as an actor is enormous but his skill as a screenwriter leaves a great deal to be desired..."
Another year, another World War II film. Nearly 70 years on, our society is still transfixed by that period in history, perhaps because it represents the last time in recent memory where the lines between good and evil seemed wholly unambiguous. The latest film to latch onto that wistful nostalgia for innocence past is The Monuments Men, which details the real life exploits of the titular Allied squadron’s attempts to protect valuable European art from Allied bombardment and to retrieve stolen artistic masterpieces from the Nazis. George Clooney co-writes, directs and stars, along with an all-star cast including Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Hugh Bonneville, Jean Dujardin and Cate Blanchett. With a cast like that and such an intriguingly offbeat premise, The Monuments Men seemed extremely promising. It is a shame to report that this promise is squandered on an incredibly weak script that has no idea where it is going and even less of an
One feels that Clooney has become a slave to history here and rather than crafting an exciting story he's devoted himself to the replicating the beats of the past, resulting in a narrative that slumps around like a drunk trying to find their way home. Clooney really is filmmaking by numbers. With so many characters and so little time (though it feels like an age) the script can only muster up the flimsiest of characterisations. We never really get to understand who these people are and what drives them to do what they do. The characters are sketched so thinly they barely qualify as caricatures. Worst of all is the usually stellar Cate Blanchet’s dire ‘Allo Allo' accented Frenchwoman. Her character is totally perfunctory and feels like a cynical attempt to graft a token female onto the film whilst crucially forgetting to give her a character or any real meaningful relation to the plot. A relationship between her and a Monument
´´´´´ Vafa Motamedi
Man comes from absolutely nowhere and eats up valuable screen time which should have been used developing the characters rather than heaping a poorly realised romance on a couple of poorly realised characters. The burning question at the heart of the film’s problems is: what does Clooney want his film to be? A Guns of Navarone romp? A Saving Private Ryan meditation on the cost of war? A philosophical film, musing on the value on art? A comedy? The Monuments Men tries to be all of these things and does none of them particularly well. The film is tonally confused, ranging from farce one minute, to tragedy the next with no attempt to try and balance the two, which leaves the film stopping and starting like a stalled car, never really building enough momentum to grip the audience in the way it wants to. This problem is exacerbated by a series of bad editing choices, often intercutting scenes that are meant to be tense with comedic ones thus completely ruining the intentions of both. The film desperately needs more cohesion and focus, with a stronger idea of what it wants to be. A tighter, more direct story with a clear McGuffin or goal would have helped greatly, giving the film a sense of propulsion so that the protagonists are moving towards something rather than meaninglessly wandering round in circles until that something falls into their lap. It's hard to truly hate The Monuments Men. Despite the weak script, the cast is mostly superb, there are several funny moments and the film’s heart seems to be in the right place. The direction, in of itself, is well done and the twee innocent nostalgia is rather endearing. However the weakness of the script only overwhelms what good is present and without that solid foundation the whole film collapses. All in all a bit of a formless and uninspiring mess. Clooney's charisma as an actor is enormous and his eye as a director is promising but his skill as a screenwriter leaves a great deal to be desired.
The date has finally been released for Guy Richie's new project Man from U.N.C.L.E. Starring Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer the eagerly anticipated film will hit cinemas in January next year. As an updated version of the hit spy series screened on television during the '60s, this promises to be a film to look out for.
It has been announced that Meryl Streep will play Emmeline Pankhurst, the activist and leader of the Suffragette movement in the new film Suffragette. The film will also star Carey Mulligan as a central character named Maude, a young feminist in the early stages of the movement. Will this be another Oscar-winning performance from Streep? With her history of successful, award-winning biopics, it isn't difficult to imagine.
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redbrick.me/sport
28th February - 6th March 2014
Sport
Sport View Football punditry - A game of two halves With an ever growing number of pundits offering their insight on the 'beautiful game,' Felix Keith looks at the good and the bad of the punditry world. As we are often reminded, football is a game of two halves. There is the first 45 minutes, which is invariably followed by another 45 minutes. Similarly the analysis, commentary and punditry of football falls into two distinct halves – the good and the bad. Good punditry can stem from insight, analysis, research and eloquence; bad punditry from cluelessness, clichés, guesswork and inarticulacy. With the sheer amount of football available on TV and the plethora of ex-players seeking media careers, football fans are bound to encounter both. Good pundits can come in many different forms. Roy Keane, as a pundit on ITV is often furious, edgy and not very likeable, but is still eminently watchable. After Manchester United’s 2-0 defeat to Olympiakos, viewers were actually compelled to stay beyond the Gazprom-powered adverts just to see if Keane’s eye balls would pop out of his head in the midst of rage-filled analysis. Would he be able to
"Keane is a perfect example of 'good' punditry. He may not be likeable or particularly articulate but his passion for the game, frank, angry and often vociferous on screen presence makes for compelling viewing." Charlotte Wilson form coherent sentences whilst boiling over thinking about Tom Cleverley’s errant passing or Antonio Valencia’s lack of passion? In the event he certainly tried his best to make up for two hours of turgid entertainment provided by the actual football. Keane is a perfect example of ‘good’ punditry. He may not be likeable or particularly articulate but his passion for the game, frank, angry and often vociferous on screen presence makes for compelling viewing. Then there is the other kind of good. Gary Neville, since taking up punditry a few years ago has received widespread praise for his work on Sky. Five years ago it would have been hard to imagine that a duo of Manchester United’s Gary Neville and Liverpool stalwart Jamie Carragher would provide interesting analysis and insight on TV. But it is true – Neville combines his knowledge as a player with concise analysis and makes good use of technology to add something to the match the viewers have just seen. Another enjoyable on-screen personality, but for completely different reasons, is Gordon Strachan. His job on ITV’s FA Cup coverage is chief provider of whimsy anecdotes. Unlike Neville he produces little analysis, instead relying on a dry sense of humour, digressions about his playing days and his role as Scotland manager. His likeable personality, quick wit and status in the game make him an enjoyable pundit. Then there is the bad side of sitting on a sofa and talking about football. Everyone who likes football watches the BBC’s Match of the Day. We watch for the highlights, but we now also watch to complain. Every
Saturday night twitter is alight; Mark Lawrenson’s shirt choice and the running order are the most popular complaints, but for me the sweeping generalisations, lack of analysis and clichés are much more tiresome. The assumption that ex-players will make good pundits is one of the main problems. Peter Schmeichel is undoubtedly one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, but on a recent episode of Match of the Day 2 he was so ineloquent and ill-informed it made for excruciating viewing. He is far from alone though. Alan Hansen, the designated Match of the Day defence expert, has a dozen or so stock phrases that he wheels out when providing analysis. There are only so many times you can hear phrases like ‘consummate ease’ and ‘clinical finish’ without thinking there is some kind of ‘Alan Hansen bingo’ going on behind the scenes. The whole point of the analysis in
"The assumption that explayers will make good pundits is one of the main problems." between games is to add something interesting to the game or to highlight something to the viewer, but rarely is this the case. When the camera pans across you notice that Hansen is holding a pen to suggest he has been taking notes whilst off camera. The air of self-satisfaction and smugness does little to lighten the mood in between the highlights. Hansen’s partner in crime on Match of the Day is Alan Shearer, who himself was a wonderful striker and is all time Premier League leading goal scorer. He is, however, a terrible pundit. The striker’s equivalent of Hansen, he regularly chips in with '...and he should actually score there’ after every
missed chance, hedges his bets and displays an incredible misunderstanding of the laws of football. We may complain but we still watch every week. Programmes like Match of the Day provide us with what we want: blokes kicking a ball into a net and a reason to shout at the TV. Viewing figures for live matches and highlights shows will never take a turn for the worst and this is perhaps why the pundits do not see the need for change. Complaining about TV entertainment is nothing new but there has been an increasing call for higher standards in analysing football. As the internet gradually becomes more obsessed with pass completion rates, performance scores and heat maps, television punditry seems to be going in the other direction. The tried and tested format of the same ex-pros spouting clichés, muttering Charlotte second hand opinions and exudingWilson self-satisfaction will continue.
redbrick.me/sport
28th February - 6th March 2014
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Birmingham edge past Southampton Birmingham 1sts
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Southampton 1sts
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Constantinos Akrivos Sports reporter
In front of a very energetic crowd, Birmingham women’s 1sts edged past Southampton 1sts 63-53 in a fiercely contested game of basketball at the Munrow Sports Hall. In the first quarter both teams struggled to find their way to the basket, with turnovers and travelling frequent themes early on. When the sides did reach the basket, too many attempts were going astray. This made the game low scoring in the early stages, with the scores tied at two apiece after five minutes. However, Birmingham’s pressure began to tell and the home side finished the quarter with a lead of 13-8, after a magnificent two-point buzzer beater from the height
"Beautiful plays and tough defence kept Birmingham in front in the final minutes of the third quarter" of the three-point line. Southampton upped their game during the second quarter and managed four unanswered two pointers. Birmingham on the other hand found their plays being intercepted and as in the previous quarter missed many open shots. The defensive performance, however, helped the home side to close the quarter only two points behind at 27-29. Birmingham bounced back in the second half putting pressure on Southampton, stealing balls and landing easy lay-ups which gave them the lead 30-29. Beautiful plays and tough defence kept Birmingham in front in the final minutes of the third quarter with the score 42-37. However, Southampton took advantage of the hosts’ missed offensive opportunities and levelled the score at 43-43. In the final quarter of the match, Birmingham showed their true capabilities and dominated over their opponents. Smart offensive choices, quick and successful transitions, and strong defence forced Southampton into frequent mistakes, giving Brum an eleven point lead with eight minutes remaining. From this point the hosts scored at will with lay-ups and close jumpshots. The visitors put up a brave fight, landing two three-pointers. But by this point the match was already over with Birmingham emerging victorious with a scoreline of 63-53. This was a performance in which Birmingham grew as the game drew on, with the strong defence proving particularly effective in blunting the Southampton attack. The results of this continuous pressurising were easy baskets which guided the hosts to a relatively easy win.
"The results of this continuous pressurising were easy baskets which guided the hosts to a relatively easy win."
Will Siddons
Will Siddons
Charlotte Wilson
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redbrick.me/sport
28th February - 6th March 2014
Sport
Judo team make club history at BUCS Emily Snell
Judo Vice Captain
On the weekend of 22nd -23rd February, the University of Birmingham Judo club stormed to success at the British Universities and Colleges Sports Gatorade Nationals, winning three silver medals, two bronzes and a gold for the women’s team, the first team gold at BUCS in the club’s history. The fighting began on Saturday with the individual championships. UBSport scholar Lucas Rowe was first up in high grades under 60kg category. Having won gold last year the pressure was on and he did not disappoint progressing to the knockouts with ease coming top of his pool. Fighting hard throughout the knockouts Rowe even-
"The knockouts saw Thompson storm his way into the finals losing to an ippon from a more experienced player to claim the silver" tually made it into the finals narrowly missing out on the gold to claim the silver. Rebecca Telfer, O78kgs high grades another Scholar, was faced with a very tough challenge with several nationally ranked players in an unusually large weight
group. However she was in impressive form, winning all her fights to progress to the final. In the last few moments a slight loss of focus gave advantage to her opponent meaning Telfer had to be content with a silver medal.
"In true style she threw her opponent within ten seconds, securing Birmingham's gold medal" Next up was Fia Barnes in the women’s U63kg high grades. In her last year at BUCS Fia was striving for success, and after some tough fights her chances looked high as she made it through the pools to the knockouts. Fighting through into the semi finals, she claimed the bronze, an excellent result to round off the girls individual fights. The low grade boys were next to compete. Gavin Thompson was first up in the 73kgs, an extremely large category of 33 competitors. Winning his first fight in a matter of seconds the odds were looking in his favour after carrying on to win his pool. The knockouts saw Thompson storm his way into the finals losing to an ippon from a more experienced player to claim the silver. Guy Walsh fighting in the under 100kgs won the silver in his category dominating his pool. Walsh won all his fights, storming
through the pools and the knockout stages, before coming up short in the final, leaving Birmingham with yet another silver medal. Assen Babachev U73kg high grades and Michael Feldman O100kg also did well in the pools both progressing into the knockouts but were unfortunate to miss out on medals to much more experienced players. Sunday saw the women’s team headed by Vice Captain Emily Snell, Fia Barnes and Rebecca Telfer competing. As the highest seeded team from last year having won bronze, all eyes were on Birmingham throughout the pools. After several nail-biting moments the team successfully won all of their matches coming top in their pool which included Imperial, Warwick and Strathclyde. Moving into the semis facing Glasgow, a familiar opponent, some intense fighting left the team in a draw with just Telfer left to fight against a much heavier competitor. She was able to overcome her opponent though,
"Walsh won all his fights, storming through the pools and the knockout stages, before coming up short in the final, leaving Birmingham with yet another silver medal"
"Since I started coaching at the club 12 years ago we have been working towards a team gold at BUCS. The girls result is the icing on top of an excellent year for the club" moving Birmingham into the final. The final saw the girls re-fighting Strathclyde, their closest match in the pools. Going into the second match Strathclyde were one point up meaning in order to secure the gold Birmingham had to win the next two fights. Emily managed to triumph in her fight, leaving Telfer with the deciding match. In true style she threw her opponent within ten seconds, securing Birmingham’s gold medal. Coach Fitzroy Davies said, ‘Since I started coaching at the club 12 years ago we have been working towards a team gold at BUCS. The girls result is the icing on top of an excellent year for the club.’ He added, ‘I have high hopes for the team next year, especially if we can get a men’s team together.’ The BUCS results leave the club in good stead for USIST their final uni tournament of the year where they will be defending their title from last year.
UBJudo
redbrick.me/sport
28th February - 6th March 2014
Things to look out for this weekend
Performance of the week
Tweet of the week
1. The first piece of major domestic silverware will be won this weekend as Sunderland meet Manchester City in the League Cup final. City are the favourites to lift the trophy, but Sunderland have already shocked Manchester United in the competition and will be looking to do the same to City.
@Louis_Tomlinson 'Come watch me play footie tomorrow at the Keepmoat :)'
2. England return to the international cricket arena as they take on West Indies in a ODI series. After the Ashes debacle they will be eager to return to winning ways.
Team GB were left reflecting on a very successful Winter Olympics, after they finished the games with a total of four medals. Lizzy Yarnold secured gold in the skeleton, with the men's curlers winning silver. There were also bronze medals for the women's curlers and Jenny Jones in the snowboard slopestyle. This total surpassed the three medal target set by UK Sport.
3. Britain's cycling team will be looking to better last year's haul of nine medals as they partake in the World Championships
The lighter side of sport
Weekend wager
1. Tunstall Town FC were this week celebrating their first win since September 2007. Having lost 169 of their last 171 games, the Staffordshire outfit defeated Betley reserves 2-1, causing scenes of jubilation at the final whistle. The win means the side are now only nine points adrift at the bottom of the table.
4/1 England will be looking to bounce back from an awful tour of Australia when they take on the West Indies in a One Day International series starting this week. With several players looking to impress, bet on Eoin Morgan to be the side's top run scorer.
2. An American Minor League baseball side have this week launched a new range of merchandise for the club's fans. Lehigh Valley IronPigs have released a new set of logos with bacon at the forefront. The new merchandise was introduced with the hashtag smellthechange.
Photo of the week
Online this week
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Sport quiz 1. How many games have Manchester United lost in 2014? 2. Which Six Nations side has received the most wooden spoons? 3. Which nation won the most gold medals at the Sochi Winter Olympics? 4. How many wickets did Mitchell Johnson take in the last Ashes series?
University Sport Catch up on how the university's sport teams are doing by reading the online match reports.
Six Nations team of the week: After another exciting weekend of action, Tom Kelly selects his stars of the week.
1.Six 2.Italy 3.Russia 4.37 5.Roger Federer
Safe Standing debate Alex McKenna tackles the contentious issue of safe standing at football grounds.
5. Who has won more singles titles, Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer?
The Redbrick Crossword
Successful completion of this week's crossword could win you a glass of water, because it doesn't do to be dehydrated. Crossword by Matt Robinson
Please complete this form before you hand in your completed crossword to the Redbrick office or send a scan or photograph to crossword@redbrick.me Name: Email Address: Phone Number:
Across
1. Facebook think it's worth $19 billion (8) 7. Feminine 3rd person pronoun (3) 8. Very foolish, stupid (7) 9. Tightly rolled tube of tobacco (5) 10. W. B. ______, poet (5) 14. An unfathomable chasm (5) 15. _____ Heep, Dickensian character (5) 16. Vladimir ________, author of Lolita (7) 20. Substance gained from oil or coal (3) 21. Bird, specifically a type of finch (8)
Down
1. Can be found in the ground, in a computer, or a book (4) 2. Slightly open (4) 3. Bird, can be white or black (4) 4. SI unit of pressure (6) 5. Practice of teaching (8) 6. Nickname of the Academy Awards (6) 11. Artistic ability (8) 12. BBC drama starring Idris Elba (6) 13. Yellow fruit (6) 17. Adjective meaning convivial (4) 18. Physical strike with a foot (4) 19. Both a man and a diagram (4)
1`2`3`4`~~5~6 `~`~`~`~~~`~` `~`~`~7``~`~` 8``````~~~`~` ~~~~~~`~9```` 0`-``~`~~~`~` ~~`~~~~~~~`~~ =~`~~~q~w```` e````~`~~~~~~ `~`~~~r`t`y`u `~i``~`~`~`~` `~`~~~`~`~`~` `~`~~o```````
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redbrick.me/sport
28th February - 6th March 2014
Sport
P 30 - Emily Snell reports on a very successful weekend for the university's Judo team at the BUCS national championships.
Brum dumped out of cup by clinical Trent Birmingham 2nds
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Nottingham Trent 1sts
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David Morris and Alex Kronenberg Sports Editors
Birmingham men’s hockey 2nds tasted defeat in the quarter finals of the BUCS trophy, finding themselves on the receiving end of a clinical performance by Nottingham Trent 1sts. Heading into the match, expectations were that it would be a close affair, with Trent sitting only a few points behind Brum in third place in the league, and this is largely how the game proved to be. The game started very tightly on what was a crisp afternoon at the Bournbrook pitches. Both sides were closing each other down in midfield, meaning chances were few and far between. The hosts came closest to opening the scoring inside the first ten minutes, with Joe Hiliyer firing over after good work in attack. However Trent began to turn the screw and soon found themselves as the dominant force in the game. With the game opening
up Trent came close to opening the scoring, but a good chance was fired wide. The warning signs were there for the hosts, and on the 14 minute mark the visitors took the lead. After good work in midfield, a neat touch sent the visiting attack in on goal, with the chance being fired past into the Birmingham goal. Trent, now filled with confidence from opening the scoring, set about trying to extend their lead and only smart defending and tackling, by Sam Tombs in particular, prevented the visitors from doing so. It therefore came as a surprise when Birmingham equalised. A rapid move starting in defence saw the ball pushed out wide, before being fired into the box, where Matt Pacey was on hand to fire into an empty goal. The attack was Birmingham’s first real foray into the Trent final third, but the speed and precision of it caught out their opposition. Just as had been the case with Trent’s goal, this drove Brum on and began a dominant ten minute spell for the hosts in which they were thwarted several times by Trent’s defence and keeper. Josh Hood was the first to be denied after a quick break from midfield, before a
penalty corner saw Birmingham frustrated twice in quick succession. Tombs was the first to be denied by a brave block, before Hood was prevented again by a smart save. In what had very much been a half of two halves, Brum were unable to make their dominance count, something which they would rue by full time, as the first half ended level at one apiece. Birmingham started the second half quickly too and were again thwarted by Trent’s keeper, who was single handedly keeping his team on level terms. Then, for the second time in the game, one of the teams scored against the run of play with Trent taking full advantage of a penalty corner. The ball was sent into the middle where a very scrappy spell of play saw the ball bouncing around, before it was clinically finished by a Trent player. From here on in it was very much one way traffic, with the visitors looking much more likely to score the game’s fourth and potentially decisive goal. Ashwin Raj in the Birmingham goal was in inspired form, stopping Trent from extending their lead beyond Brum’s reach. Raj made two quick fire saves with the second particularly impressive,
palming away an effort to safety with several opposition players bundling in. The hosts meanwhile were struggling to impose themselves on the game, and when they did have possession it was quickly lost. Heading into the final moments of the match, Birmingham wasted a couple of penalty corners, before the sucker punch came. With the hosts desperately trying to find their second equaliser of the game, Trent countered. Taking full advantage of the gaps being left by their opposition, Trent spread the ball wide and produced almost a carbon copy of Birmingham’s goal to extend their lead to an unassailable 3-1 with only a minute left. This was a harsh lesson in how to be clinical for Birmingham, with the hosts paying the penalty for not being able to take advantage of their dominant spells. Indeed by the end they were thankful for Raj, who kept the scoreline lower than it could have been. This defeat means Birmingham’s sole focus is now on the league with the team hosting Loughborough 3rds next week, a match which will go a large way to determining their final league position.
Charlotte Wilson