Redbrick
Est. 1936
November 29th - 5th December 2013
Vol. 78. Issue 1439. www.redbrick.me
News / Pages 4-5
SPOTLIGHT
Protesters evicted on day 8 of occupation Redbrick's brand new culture focused pullout
Interviews
Rebecca Maynard discusses her nightmare when travelling in China
Sons of Pitches Emma Crowder Travel / page 13 Cassiah Joski-Jethi Shannon Carey welcomes the Reviews long-awaited return Spring Awakening of Dr Who Blue/Orange The Process of Painting TV / page 22
Anna Gunn reviews Arctic Monkeys at the LG Arena Music / page 20
Mark Reeves reviews the latest installment of The Hunger Games Film / page 27
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29th November - 5th December 2013
News Tweet of the Week
Ashley Kirk @AshleyKirk92
Society Spotlight
Capoeira Capoeira is a martial art integrated with dance, music and acrobatics. Capoeira incoporates the intricacy of movements and beauty of acrobatics as well as being a world of music, culture and respect accumulated through generations of insight and experience. Capsoc train twice a week, on Tuesday and Thursday, in a friendly atmosphere. There is something for everyone at Capoeira with music, dance, singing, acrobatics and history - everyone is welcome! To contact Capoeira - email capsoc@hotmail.co.uk, tweet UoB_Capoeira or Facebook BirmUniCapoeira
Online in Redbrick News
Redbrick's coverage of the occupation See online for Redbrick's full coverage on the Defend Education occupation of the Senate Chamber over the last week and a half, including exclusive interviews and updates.
Yes 70% Photo of the Week: 'Carousel Capers' Charlotte Wilson
Redbrick Editorial Team Editor Josh Holder editor@redbrick.me Deputy Editors Charley Ross James Phillips deputy@redbrick.me Digital Editor Ashley Kirk digital@redbrick.me News Editors Zahra Damji Izi Hicks Beth Clarke Adam Rowe Sabrina Dougall Vanessa Browne news@redbrick.me Crossword Editors Matthew Robinson Thomas Hutchinson
Comment Editors James Phillips Julia Bayer Dan Baird Charlie Moloney Jonathan Simpson
Multimedia Editors Molly Garfoot Julia Yan Max Powley multimedia@redbrick.me
comment@redbrick.me
Arts Editors Katherine Keegan Stuart Found Benjamin Carver arts@redbrick.me
Life&Style Editors Marianne Lampon Victoria Haworth Alexandra Landes lifestyle@redbrick.me
Music Editors Lily Blacksell Susie Dickey Sam Dix music@redbrick.me
Travel Editors Hannah Stevens Elizabeth Waind Tamara Silver travel@redbrick.me
Television Editors Hannah Mason Daisy Follett Jo Kendall tv@redbrick.me
Food Editors Gemma Bridge Lynette Dakin Millie Walker food@redbrick.me
Sport Editors Felix Keith Tom Kelly David Morris sports@redbrick.me
Senior Editorial Assistant Isabel Mason
Editorial Assistants Molly Garfoot Film Editors Bethany Tilston Becky McCarthy Ellie Jarvis Tom Lofkin Ella Parsons Ben Jackson Sabrina Dougall film@redbrick.me Toria Brook-Hill Michael Smith Sci&Tech Editors Lucy Moseley Soumya Perinparajah Emily Trivette Claire Harris George Bearman technology@redbrick.me
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29th November - 5th December 2013
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New £6.8 million Biomedical Hub to open next summer Duncan Kenyon News Reporter
@duncankenyon1
The University of Birmingham will be building a new biomedical hub to open in 2014. The project is expected to create 600 jobs in total, 100 directly and 500 indirectly. The university announced the £6.8m project on November 21st, which will be built in the new Life Sciences campus. The Life Sciences campus will be placed on the former Birmingham Battery Park. Although the campus was approved last April, the biomedical hub was not approved until the European Regional Development Fund promised to match any funding the university approved of. The project will contribute to wider plans for Birmingham to be a focal location for European medical research. Small businesses employing 50 to 100 people can rent lab benches and work from here, growing their businesses. Research will also be a key part of this project. Birmingham’s life sciences have seen
a boom over the last decade. Life sciences have grown 45% since 2005. Its development, research and business output contributes £180 million to the region’s economy at present. The new biomedical hub will hopefully create a greater contribution to the region because of all the new business and research opportunities.
"Its development, research and business output contributes £180 million to the regions economy " It is hoped that more opportunities for medical businesses to grow and expand will come from this hub as well as the running of more patient trials. This project will be one of many that will begin in the new Life Sciences campus. The campus expects to create around 2,400 jobs in the region. Future projects also include an institute for Translational Medicine, which will open in 2015.
Birmingham awarded Best City to Visit in the UK Birmingham is voted the best city over London at annual travel awards Samiha Sharif
News Reporter @samiha551 The award ceremony was held at the Hilton Hotel in Birmingham on Wednesday and was given to the Visit Birmingham programme for encouraging greater tourism. Emma Gray, director of marketing services at Visit Birmingham has deemed the award 'a tremendous accolade for Birmingham... and further evidence of its popularity as a leisure tourism destination, particularly within the group travel market.' Birmingham has had a record number of visitors in 2012. New York Magazine has also advised their readers to holiday in Birmingham rather than London. In this article they mentioned the Birmingham Royal Ballet, the variety of cuisines offered and the new public library. Success has been attributed to the Second City's wide range of historical and commercial outlets. Birmingham's
Hippodrome attracts over 520,000 visitors a year, making it the UK's most popular theatre. The New York Times also released an article in 2012, describing Birmingham's history and prominent residents such as J. R. R. Tolkien, raising awareness of the city and encouraging more of their readers to visit. This is a big boost to increasing tourism in Birmingham. It remains largely overlooked by tourists in the favour of England’s biggest and most famous city, London. Birmingham has previously suffered due to its reputation as a manufacturing area and its decline after these industries closed down. However, the city has undergone a transformation and revitalization and is now beginning to be known for its cuisine and nightlife. Rob Yandell, managing editor of Group Leisure, added that he has seen a 'positive change in what Birmingham offers the leisure traveller in recent years.'
Photography by Katrin Busch, Sam Tunnicliffe and Olivia Wilson
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29th November - 5th December 2013
News
Police evict protesters on day 8 of occupation Zahra Damji, Josh Holder and Sabrina Dougall report as students leave protest peacefully following court
Students from activist group Defend Education have been evicted from the Senate Chamber after the University was granted an injunction by the Birmingham Priory Court on Monday afternoon. Defend Education claim that ‘bailiffs and police gained entry after breaking down barricades into the occupation with machine tools’. Many of the occupiers left with their faces covered, and were not asked for any form of identification by security staff or police. Speaking to Redbrick anonymously, a former occupier said that the protesters were pre-warned of the arrival of bailiffs and police earlier on Thursday morning. Following a meeting, the occupiers decided unanimously to leave the protest peacefully once the police turned up at the scene. Defend Education have posted a message on Facebook this Thursday morning saying, 'This has been the longest occupation at Birmingham in living memory, and one of the best protests that many of us have been involved in. The important thing to remember now is: this campaign is not over! This occupation was only the beginning of a long term campaign. The University has not
started negotiations with us yet.' A spokesperson for the University said, ‘regrettably, as a last resort, the University went to Court on Monday 25th November to obtain possession of the building. The court order was carried out this morning (Thursday 28th November) and the Senate Chamber and surrounding area have been returned to the University.’ In a court hearing on Monday evening, it was decided that the defendants, including Hattie Craig, Simon Furse and the other unknown occupiers, who were known as ‘persons unknown’, would be required to give back possession of the Aston Webb building. Following the court ruling, the protesters have been prohibited from taking part in future unauthorised occupational protests. Occupations will formally become ‘unauthorised’ once the University serves a letter to protesters, ordering them to leave. Despite this injunction, occupiers chose to remain inside the Senate Chambers. Shortly after it came into effect at 5pm on Monday evening, Defend Education released a statement saying that the occupiers had ‘voted to stay for the foreseeable future’.
Occupation Begins
Wednesday 20th
Your Tweets
Occupation Time Line
Friday 22nd
Saturday 23rd
Protest outside Senate Chamber
March on Vice Chancellor's house
29th November - 5th December 2013
redbrick.me/news
They added that the decision was made in order ‘to ramp up the pressure on the University to take seriously the hitherto ignored demands they have issued to university management.’
"The important thing to remember now is: this campaign is not over!" The occupation began at around 7pm last Wednesday with Defend Education releasing a list of demands, calling for the University and Vice Chancellor to withdraw their support of higher fees and to lobby against the privatisation of student loans. They have also demanded that all staff affiliated to the University and Guild be paid a living wage and that the pay disparity between the highest and lowest paid staff be brought down to 10:1. The University has argued that ‘the 15
occupiers, who are not representative of the wider student body, have been free to leave the occupation over the last week but have chosen not to do so despite repeated requests from the University. Their action has caused disruption to more than 4,000 students by preventing them from accessing parts of the building used for teaching, prevented disabled staff and students from accessing the first floor of Aston Webb and prevented staff from leaving their offices.’ The statement goes on to say that ‘We remain committed to engaging with students on key policy issues, and there are a variety of democratic ways in which the legitimate concerns of students can be raised and responded to, for example via the 115 students who sit on key University committees.’ The occupation has also sparked a solidarity campaign at the University of Sussex. Students at Sussex have occupied the Bramber House on the main campus at Falmer since Tuesday of this week. They have also received statements of support from the University of Birmingham Amnesty International Society and Young Greens’ National Committee.
Charley Ross
Injunction Granted
Occupiers leave Senate Chamber
Monday 25th
Demonstrations around campus
Demonstrations held in support of occupation Sabrina Dougall and Samiha Sharif report on the protests held by supporters of the occupiers
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A number of demonstrations have been held by students to show their support of the Defend Education occupation. The first protest was held outside the Senate Chamber on Friday afternoon. One student, who was at the demonstration, said, ‘This is one of the most successful occupations we’ve ever had’. On Saturday, campaigners from the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts Conference, which was being held over the weekend at the University rallied by the clocktower after they were unable to gain access into the Aston Webb building. Later on Saturday, a group of students marched to the Vice Chancellor David Eastwood’s house to deliver the demands of their occupation. Defend Education has released a statement in support of action directed personally at the Vice Chancellor. They describe him as ‘the personification of the corporate agenda for the reform of higher education in the UK.’ A further demonstration was held on Monday at 2pm in support of the Defend Education’s occupation of the Senate Chamber in the Aston Webb Building. Around 75 people - made up of students and graduates from UoB and UCU - turned out in support of the direct action. After an initial demonstration at the foot of the clock tower, protesters marched around the back of University Square chanting and holding a banner. Efforts to enter the Aston Webb Building were delayed by the University locking down all entrances to the main building. Protesters then attempted to enter the Senate Chamber through the Lapworth Museum. Following their failure to access the occupation, a minority of protesters entered the Staff House building, ascending to the Astor Suite on the top floor. Despite protests from agitated members of support staff and security, students decided to occupy a conference room and hold an impromptu meeting to discuss tactics.
Thursday 28th
Whilst at Staff House, members of staff began to lock doors between adjoining corridors. When one student attempted to hold a door open, he was pulled away from the entrance and restrained on the ground by a security guard. The student resisted, and the member of security staff proceeded to use force to pull the student away from the door, swearing repeatedly as he did so. After around half an hour inside, protesters opted to leave Staff House, chanting with megaphones as they left the premises. Leaving the Staff House, the protestors were met by Hattie Craig (VPE), who made a speech about her appearance in court earlier that day. She told the people who were gathered that the University of Birmingham ‘would drop the cost [of legal fees]’ against those students who were named in the court proceedings, adding that the ‘judge was incredibly sympathetic towards us.’ She urged students to continue to support the direct action of the occupiers. Following an attempt to access the Senate Chamber via the Bramall Music building, protesters were finally allowed entry into the Aston Webb building at around 4pm where a door was unlocked by security staff. Running through to the occupation barrier, around a dozen students rushed to join the occupation as the occupying students briefly unlocked and relocked the barrier. Tom Wragg (VPD), who attended Monday’s demonstration, and has been supporting the direct action of the students, has defended claims that the occupiers' demands are unreasonable. He states that the aims of the occupation are clear, that the University should ‘not lobby for the privatization of tuition fees’ and ‘the rise of tuition fees to sixteen thousand per year’. Defend Education will also be supporting UCU's strike action this Tuesday, stating that 'We seek, as they do, a more democratic university that values education over profit, and fair pay and good working conditions for its workers.'
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29th November - 5th December 2013
News Birmingham
Armed Robbers Target German Christmas Market Rowanne Conway News Reporter
West Midlands Police are appealing for information after two men were robbed in Birmingham over the weekend. At approximately 10pm last Saturday night, three men armed with knives accosted two men, making off with tens of thousands of pounds as market trading closed for the day. The victims, aged 50 and 47, were vendors at the popular German Christmas Market held on New Street and in Victoria Square. Both are German. On Saturday night they were threatened by the armed men while loading their lorry trailer on Suffolk Street, near to the Mailbox.
One of the robbers threatened the victims at knifepoint, demanding the vendors hand over their earnings. The trio then escaped in a vehicle with an unconfirmed amount of money. The robbery took place in a councilowned car park under the Suffolk Street flyover nearby to the Mailbox, but the police are unable to give any description of the attackers or their vehicle.. The robbery is an escalation from several thefts already reported since the market’s opening on November 14, including the theft of a woman’s purse which led to the sentening of two culprits. West Midlands Police have told Redbrick that the two suspects are not currently being held in custody and are appealing to the public for further information.
Charlotte Wilson
Objections to fourth lap dancing club on Broad St. Ellicia Pendle News Reporter
Katrin Busch
@elliciapendle
Mike Olley, manager of the Broad Street Business Improvement District, is fighting plans for a fourth lap-dancing club to open on the city’s ‘Golden Mile'. Olley's objection resulted in Birmingham City Council rejecting Eutony Limited’s bid for a premises licence for the venue, which would be called ‘Paradise’, but the club has launched a new application for a Sexual Entertainment Venue. Eutony Limited said in a statement that ‘in light of the single objection to the licence application and support of the police, the applicant does not consider the objection raised to have merit.’ It claimed West Midlands Police did not have an issue with the proposal as such venues are considered low crime risk operations. Olley announced, ‘we are very disappointed with the police as they didn’t
oppose the application however the councillors were right in as much as it would create crime and disorder and create a public nuisance.’ He also admitted that ‘we are baffled by the latest application. They have got some strategy which they think is very clever – I do not know what it is. We simply do not want another lap dancing club because it will lower the standing of Broad Street.’ He is determined that Broad Street will not become like Hamburg's red-light district, Reeperbahn, stating that ‘this is a mixed, familyfriendly economy.’ Olley added that there are already enough lap-dancing clubs on Broad Street, with Rocket and Cyclone competing for business with Legs 11, and doubts there is trade for a fourth one. Birmingham City Council announced that the club’s application will be considered at a future meeting of the licensing sub-committee. Objections can be made until December 1 and the earliest the application can go to licence is January.
Library of Birmingham spend £1.2m on new website Ellicia Pendle News Reporter
@elliciapendle
Council bosses have been criticised for spending £1.2million on the new Library of Birmingham’s website. A Freedom of Information Act request from a city web designer also revealed that the website will cost £190,000 a year to run. The website was launched in conjunction with the opening of the £189million Library of Birmingham, in Centenary Square, on 3rd September. IT supplier Capita-Service Birmingham acquired the website creation contract without a competitive tender. Digital experts believe the site could have been created for a fraction of the cost, leading to doubts over the value for money taxpayers are getting from the contract. The expenditure also occurs whilst the
city’s 39 community libraries are under review, with council leader Sir Albert Bore admitting library closures are a ‘possibility’. Director of the Library Brian Gambles defended the contract, stating it is ‘scrutinised corporately by the council.’ He added that since the library opened ‘page views of the website have increased tenfold, so it is vital that the performance of the system is robust.’ He justified the cost of the website given the complicated procedures involved in its creation, including ‘integration with other library systems’ and the ‘process of publishing and moderating content.’ Former council deputy leader, Paul Tilsley, agreed that websites ‘are very, very complicated things... you need professional people doing it full time and coming up with a product on time and to budget.’
Olivia Wilson
29th November - 5th December 2013
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Comment
Lincoln and Kennedy: Two Very Different Presidents Commentator George Reeves dispells the JFK myth on the 50th anniversary of his assassination
Last week, the world joined the USA in remembering John F. Kennedy, on the 50th anniversary of his assassination. Some commentators tried to draw parallels between Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln. Both were described as ‘great Americans’ and a quick Google search will tell you that most people rank them side by side among the greatest US Presidents ever. However, Lincoln and Kennedy were two very different men, and have left very different legacies. The very reasons why these two men have been in the headlines says a lot about their presidencies and the legacies they’ve left behind; Lincoln was being remembered for his Gettysburg Address and the Civil War speech delivered 150 years ago, which summarised the values that America still holds at its core to this day. Kennedy, on the other hand, was remembered mainly for his assassination, a tragic moment in US history which inadvertently sealed his image as a great President. Since that terrible moment in Dallas, historians have worked slavishly to build the myth of John F Kennedy. Today he is an iconic figure who is easily as prolific as Lincoln, Martin Luther King and the Founding Fathers. However, a quick look at history presents a very different John F Kennedy to the man most people are familiar with. Yes, Kennedy was young, glamorous and charismatic, but he was also indecisive, opportunistic and a notorious womaniser who would make Bill Clinton blush. Although often credited for the raft of civil rights reforms implemented during the 1960s, it was actually his successor, Lyndon Johnson, who passed these laws through Congress. In contrast Kennedy spent most of his brief
presidency capitulating to the southern racists in his party who wanted to preserve segregation. He saw civil rights as a political problem that needed to be resolved; indeed, as a Senator he had voted against the 1957 Civil Rights Bill introduced by his Republican predecessor Dwight Eisenhower. Moreover, with criticism being levied at David Cameron today for his privileged background, it is worth remembering that Kennedy too was born with a rather large silver spoon in his mouth. The Kennedys were a hugely wealthy family of high social status, and JFK’s father Joe Kennedy was an ambassador, Washington’s man in Britain during World War II. Contrast that with the inspiring story of Abraham Lincoln, a man born and raised in a one-room log cabin in Kentucky. Before becoming President, Lincoln was unsuccessful in seven elections, lost his job, went bankrupt, spent 17 years paying off debt owed to a friend, watched his fiancé die, suffered a nervous breakdown and endured an unhappy marriage. His problems didn’t end after reaching the White House; he fought both military and political battles over the issue of slavery, and ultimately was successful in ensuring the victory of the northern states in the Civil War and the outlawing of slavery in the USA. He was, and always will be, a true hero of world history. Lincoln and Kennedy both had their presidencies cut short by a madman, and so it is only right that we remember both of these tragic events together. However, let us also remember what both men were actually like and what they actually achieved.
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Comment
The Demands of Defend Education are Extremely Comendable Tara Dein
Commentator
Despite court proceedings, which resulted in the occupation being deemed officially illegal, ‘Defend Education’ has sworn to continue defying the university and remain in occupation. The activists, and many who have steadily continued to show solidarity with their demands, have remained in residence of the Senate Chamber since Wednesday night claiming, after the court appearance, they are ‘resisting an unjust, aggressive injunction’.
"Opinion on campus, with regard to the protest, has been noticeably split" Already a student who is generally apathetic towards the student representative body, I have found arguments criticising the occupation demeaning, dismissive and generally wanting in their argument. When asked in a debate whether the University of Birmingham should be more democratic, a senior member of staff said they didn’t think the university should become a ‘Soviet republic’ and that the most important thing is ‘good governance’. It is clear, therefore, that a democratic, transparent decisionmaking body is clearly not going to be given to us through simple discussion, and we need to start concentrating on why the demands of this (peaceful) protest are disregarded as so unrealistic. Lost in the ultimate “excitement” of direct action the university rarely sees, the basis of demands and the key objectives of what the occupiers hope to gain have been shamelessly overlooked. I strongly feel that the demands of Defend Education are not only moderate and reasonable, but also extremely commendable. Those who have fully read the proposals will know that they are straightforward to
enact, non-controversial and entirely relatable. The occupation, if nothing else, should mark the beginning of long-awaited empowerment: by focusing on the contentious debate and continuing the discussion that society has raised, despite split opinions, we should now be beginning to focus on key issues that affect all of us on a daily basis, realising that we will no longer accept the quality of our education decreasing, and ultimate power over our decisions concentrated at the top. Opinion on campus, with regard to the protest, has been noticeably split. Many criticise the group for exacerbating and widening the already extensive gap between the university and its students. Others have expressed anger at the way the occupiers seem to have taken it upon themselves to act ‘in our name’, and a lot of students remain generally apathetic, claiming that the only impact it will cause is campus disruption. The general disregard for the actual concrete demands, laid out in the list of proposals given by the group, is not only frustrating, but also extremely disheartening to all who are concerned with the progressive, democratic running of our university. Whether we show solidarity with the activity of Defend Education or not, direct action as we see on campus today, unsurprisingly to those who follow university politics, has been the last resort. Progress through negotiations and meetings has tried and has failed. Remembering that many of Defend Education’s leading members have had countless meetings with the university, have attempted negotiating through discussion, have calmly talked through their proposals, we should be inspired by what these students are now doing. In a decreasingly apathetic student political world, they have taken action into their own hands in a courageous attempt to progress democratic values that are under threat. We should fully respect the sabbatical officers and students who, in full knowledge of the limited debate, the inability to make any real change and the absence of a proper voting system, take it in their own hands to represent us outside of the university’s discretion.
News News
Illustration by Josie Byrne
Occupation: Fo
Jonathan Simpson. The Christian couple who denied a homosexual couple a place at their bed and breakfast because of their faith's stance on same-sex mariages have lost their Supreme Court Battle, and have been forced to pay damages. Good. Leviticus 18:22 has no relevance or importance in a 21st century society which is based on the values of equality and acceptance (and perhaps somebody should remind the couple that so is Christianity). How can people like the Bulls expect anything but outrage? Those who support the Bulls say that people are now scared to speak out against gay rights. I'm sorry that they feel scared to discriminate against others, I really am. This closing episode seems to have resulted in favor of the voice of reason.
Views
DISCRIMINATION
CELEBRITY Charlie Moloney Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo may succesfully contest charges that they defrauded Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi of £300,000. Their case was strengthened after it was revealed that Lawson was a daily user of cocaine, cannabis and prescription drugs. Elizabeth Griller's defendant, Anthony Metzer, made his case that 'because the defendants were fully aware of her illicit drug use, she consented to their expenditure on the understanding there would be no disclosure to her husband of her drug usage'. Nigella's dark side certainly shakes up her public image, particularly after her dramatic divorce with Saatchi. Celebrity culture presents people like Lawson as above these kinds of failings, but clearly they are more susceptible than anyone.
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This Occupation Was Built on Shaky Foundations Derek Campbell Commentator
or and Against Dan Baird The entertainment world was this week rocked by the death of one its best loved characters. It was an untimely end that has left many viewers questioning whether things could ever be the same again. I am of course talking about Family Guy character, Brian Griffin, as you’ve probably picked up from the picture below, and therefore my first two sentences attempting to mislead you were fairly pointless. However, this actually has caused some fan activism. 25,000 people have signed an online petition on change.org in an attempt to resurrect the character. The Griffin family however, have moved on fairly quickly, having a new dog by the end of the episode. Will people power bring Brian back? Watch this space. (Probably not).
ENTERTAINMENT
The occupation of the Senate Chamber at the university by Defend Education is a high-profile way of publicising a number of student grievances. However, this particular protest appears to be built on shaky foundations, with an incoherent set of demands and dubious tactics. According to Defend Education, the senate was historically the place where the academic community met to essentially run the university. It has few academics, and even fewer students. On the other hand, the university describes the Senate as the principal academic body of the university, responsible for academic policy and practice, comprising 60 members. It is questionable whether students should be members of the senate, nevertheless, six members are students. Defend Education would be on firmer ground in criticising a lack of student representation on the University Executive Board (UEB). However, it is not clear that the Guild of Students has ever considered or passed a resolution requesting representation on the UEB. If not, then Defend Education cannot claim that the university is actually opposed to democratic representation. It is clear that Defend Education are against the privatisation of university education. Quite what this means is difficult to ascertain. The University of Birmingham was incorporated by Charter in 1900, so this protest is a late rearguard action if incorporation is to be resisted. Defend Education demand that a body should be set up of elected students, academic staff and support staff with ultimate oversight. Since the Council is the supreme governing body of the university and is made up of management, academic staff, students and lay members, it seems that this demand has already been met. Calling to establish a body that already exists is moot. It is right to expect the university to pay the living wage, and an attempt can be made for this expectation through pre-existing
FASHION Julia Bayer This week Stylist Magazine decided they wanted to produce a weeklong issue, in 24 hours. The day was scheduled with different challenges and fun things to keep the team motivated. There were different foods delivered to the office throughout the night, pizza at 1am went down a treat, as did yoga classes, fashion competitions and best-selling author Sophie Kinsella writing a short story in the office. A factual trial was also carried out to see what keeps us awake. Sadly for us students, the best solution was working out and the worst, power naps! However I refuse to believe this and will continue to take those naps because they’re bloody great! The team completed the issue in the allocated time and produced a great headline: 'We made this article in 24 hours and now we’re tried, tiled, TIRED!'
structures. The Guild of Students have passed a resolution to campaign for all university staff to be paid a living wage. In the same way, the 10:1 pay ratio could also be campaigned for. The point here is that there are plenty of ways this group can pursue their aims without occupation. But, the suspicion remains that the aim of Defend Education is to fight just for the sake of fighting. There is little to be gained by the university entering ‘negotiations’, since Defend Education have nothing to offer and their incoherent demands can never be satisfied. The occupation of the senate, or any other university buildings, is not a right conferred on students when they join the university. Defend Education appear to have lost sight of the fact that students freely join an already existing education institute. If students don’t like aspects of the institution, it is not duty bound to accept their suggestions, particularly if they are debated in Council and rejected. Students are free to leave. The fact that the university went through the courts to secure an injunction suggests that Defend Education’s approach was ill-advised. That Defend Education should demand that the university foot the bill is hypocritical and naive. Defend Education wish to start a debate about the sort of institution the university should be, and how to bring it about. That debate is welcome; the university has plenty of channels to conduct such a debate. But an ill-advised, ill-founded, expensive and (now) illegal stunt does not contribute meaningfully. The self-appointed Defend Education have not undertaken consultation, even less are they representatives of the broader student body in any legitimate way. Consequently, their claims about democracy are hypocritical. My suggestion to Defend Education would be to use every forum and opportunity to air their concerns. Suggest credible alternatives, propose an alternative university budget, challenge the pay of top management, press for a living wage for all staff and seek an explanation if denied. However, one thing is sure: Defend Education will not achieve much from a locked room.
Chris Bacon. On Tuesday Prince William engaged in one of the more cringe-worthy charity events ever to be blasted over the internet. He was invited to sing 'Living on a Prayer' with none other than Jon Bon Jovi himself, and was also joined by American pop princess Taylor Swift. Caught in the awkward middle ground between not being able to walk off stage at a charity event and not being a drunk pop-star, the Prince preserved his dignity and shyly sang along. I have a sneaking suspision that his presence on stage was nothing more than him 'taking one for the team' and would have loved to be a fly on the wall that night when he went home and had to watch his awkward rendition on YouTube. Less Prince Will.I.Am, and more dad dancing.
(POP) ROYALTY
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Comment
An Era of MiddleEast Peace Begins? Samiha Sharif argues that negotiations with Iran will improve Middle-East stability Jubilation filled the streets of Tehran, as Iranian negotiators arrived after successfully reaching an agreement with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany. Iran agreed to reduce uranium enrichments; in return it will receive no new sanctions related to its nuclear program for six months if it continues to respect the agreement. This is only a temporary measure, allowing time to form a more permanent agreement. Iran has been portrayed by the media and world powers as the deceiver, whose intentions could never be fully trusted simply due to enrichment of uranium, which many spectators believe will be utilized to produce nuclear weapons. Iran has always assured the world its uranium enrichment is for peaceful purposes. But, with dwindling oil supplies it is still an essential supplier in the global oil trade. In fact, after the nuclear deal was announced oil prices fell in the market. The strained relationship between Iran and other actors in world affairs was arguably at its lowest, since the Iranian hostage crisis in 1979, during the reign of former President Ahmadinejad. An example of this was when diplomats - outraged by the accusations expressed by Ahmadinejad - left
during his speech at the UN. He argued various theories about 9/11, and in one he did not directly accuse the US of orchestrating 9/11, but highlighted this theory. He was also very critical of Zionism, stating that they are responsible for murders against Palestinian people, and that the Western powers continue to ‘pay fine or ransom to the Zionist’ due to the Holocaust, even though he had continuously denied the Holocaust occurred. He further referred to Western states as ‘arrogant powers.’
"The wariness of Iran's neighbours is understandable" However after the election of Hassan Rouhani, foreign spectators were cautiously optimistic, as he presented hope for a more moderate President. Unlike his predecessor, he pursued cordial relations with world powers; he even utilized Twitter to wish ‘all Jews’ 'A Blessed Rosh Hashanah’. This is extremely significant because Israel was long seen as the adversary of Iran, championed by Ahmadinejad with his constant barrage of anti-Semitic discourse. Encouraging
pleasant relations with Israel and a nuclear deal are significant factors in normalizing relations in the region. Israel remains sceptical about Iranian aims, referring to the nuclear deal as a ‘historical mistake.’ Furthermore, although Saudi Arabia supported the deal, they were angered because they were not consulted in negotiations. They remain worried about Iranian influence in the region and have taken measures to protect themselves if necessary. The wariness of Iran’s neighbours is understandable, after decades of hostile relations and the continued support for Assad regime in Syria further straining relations. But Iran can form a new example for more
harmonic relations in the Middle East. For instance, Iran may take a more leading role in the negotiating table, to secure a peaceful resolution in Syria. Relations with former foe Iraq have been warming; one example is the fact that Iran and Iraq have reached an agreement to improve naval cooperation. Iran could also aid in greater development of Iraq. It does not mean Iran will necessarily be the harbinger of peace for the Middle East, but any measure to secure peaceful relations should be encouraged. It may prompt other states in the region to seek greater ties and reduce hostilities. Any action that will enhance greater relations should be fostered, because peace serves all.
Rape Culture: Enough is Enough Hannah Stevens Travel Editor
@hannahshewans
I know we were a little late jumping on the bandwagon but the other day I was discussing the 'Blurred Lines' debacle with a friend, when they stated that the argument that the song may act as a trigger for victims of sexual violence is, and I quote, 'ridiculous'. Now, I was particularly shocked, as I know that this person has had no experience of sexual violence, but does know victims, so I asked how they think they are qualified to make that judgement. They had no answer unsurprising really. Most people who make such sweeping statements assume that they are wholly unaffected by the impact of song lyrics like 'Blurred Lines'. I’ve spoken to victims myself and found that, unsurprisingly, that there isn't a general consensus of whether this song is a trigger or not. For every individual reacts in a different way, so it is impossible for anyone to say such a thing with complete conviction. However it is apparent that our present rape culture acts as a significant trigger. Welcome to our rape culture, people. We should be so proud that we live in a time that loves to use the word ‘rape’ as an adjective, a place where we enjoy making paedophile jokes, and a world that casually dismisses the trials of those who struggle when faced with such jovial attitudes toward rape. It is not surprising that our sexual culture has progressed in this way when we think about how attitudes to sex have evolved over the last few decades. We once lived in an age where it was shocking if you were not a virgin for your wedding night, whereas nowadays that decision is met with derision and mockery. We are constantly met with imagery that degrades the value of sex, and
the value of our bodies, and I'm talking about both sexes here. Women aren't the only victims of sexual violence and objectification; it just so happens to be more common for women. Therefore it is unsurprising that our rape culture and attitudes toward sex have developed into what they are now. So, let us all think for a moment, when was the last time you made a rape joke, a sexist joke, or even a remark that belittled someone because of his or her appearance? I can honestly say that I have done so recently, and with great regret when I really started to think about the impact of my actions. And I can almost guarantee that most of you have done the same in the last week, or the last day, or even the last hour. I for one am fed up of it.
"If you speak out, you are considered a prude, or no fun at all" But what is it that makes it so impossible to stop? Good old-fashioned peer pressure. I think we all believe that when we leave high school that mythical peer pressure will simply melt away, and all of our choices will become our own. That is not true I'm afraid folks; peer pressure will follow you through each stage of your life, from your Fresher’s week to when you start thinking about buying a house - it is all influenced. Which is precisely why we cannot seem to stop promoting our rape culture, because it just turns into a chain reaction as most are too scared to speak out. I hear rape jokes, sexist jokes and every offensive joke under the sun on almost a daily basis amongst my friends. I know that
they don't mean it literally and that it is not something they will act upon, but it is still a serious issue. Think about some of the jokes you have made in the past, and then remember that 1 in 3 people are victims of sexual violence. Imagine how funny that rape joke was to them. It is incredibly hard to stop this, particularly amongst friends, because if you speak out you are considered a prude, or no fun at all, or you just need to suck it up. But no one should have to get used to attitudes like that; just because something offensive has become the norm never makes it acceptable. I think we all know that it is absolutely ridiculous to expect people to just ‘suck it up’ and ignore it, when it is the person making the joke who should be more aware. Those who stand up to attitudes like that are not prudes, they are aware of the effect their actions can have. Aware of the effects a joke like that can have on the mind of a victim, aware of the way jokes like that enable the lack of belief when a victim speaks up, aware of how this can impact how little people respect each other's sexually, and most importantly aware that a 'joke' can have severely negative connotations on our rape culture. Every damn time I hear a rape joke it makes my blood boil, but sometimes I am too afraid of what people will think of me if I say something, and I have been guilty of making such jokes myself. I need to stop, and so does everyone else. For what hope do we have for improving the conviction rate of rapists and paedophiles when we mock the acts themselves so relentlessly. We will never progress; we will never respect sex again if we can't dispel the way rape culture has embedded itself into every aspect of our lives. We have to learn to control it, and it will take time, and there will always be a
minority who think that rape is an adjective, not something to feared and convicted for. But, a change can always be made with enough concerted effort. Think about the effect these attitudes will have on generations to come if they are raised in a world that blames the victim, not the rapist, in a world that does not teach people to respect others, but instead tells victims to dress more appropriately. I for one don't want to live in a world that is going to raise its next generation on rape jokes, and with the ideals that sex is worthless, and that you in turn are worthless if you don't give it up, and even more so if you are overly sexual. Why do we insist on making people believe that sex is tantamount to your worth? Sexual experience is irrelevant when there are so many more important things in the world; our sexual prowess isn't going to make us complete. But in our society, that's certainly what we're made to think, which simply feeds the rape culture, letting it grow and grow. We are reaching a point of no return. Unless people become more aware of the impact their words can have on victims and on rape culture we will be lost in a world that glorifies rape as something to be mocked, and victims as something to laugh at. Wake up people, sexual violence is not something to be laughed at; it is something that we need to learn to prevent, by teaching the perpetrators to curb their actions not by teaching the victims to dress and act properly. Rape is not the victim’s prerogative to prevent, it is the rapist's. And it is our responsibility to stop triggers like rape jokes, and songs that make light of misogyny, and focus our attentions on teaching our generation, and the next generation, how to respect sex and to prevent triggers.
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redbrick.me/travel
29th November - 5th December 2013
Travel
Cheap getaways: Budapest History of Art student Nelle Jervis tells us about her short trip to this beautiful Hungarian city... My motivation for visiting Budapest was that I just had to see the painting that I am writing my dissertation on. Of course, I could have easily chosen a painting in Birmingham, or London, or anywhere closer than Budapest. But, as a travel-thirsty student I decided that Budapest would be the place to go. First of all, it’s cheap. The rumours are that Budapest is getting more expensive, but whilst there I found it very cheap to eat out, pay for a couple of tourist ventures and come home with a few souvenirs (tacky fridge magnet included). Eating out for lunch and dinner was very affordable, and an absolute delight! As well as this, the people are incredibly friendly and will attempt to talk to you in Hungarian at any chance they get. The city has a very vibrant, youthful population with many colleges and universities, meaning lots of upbeat bars and vintage shops to visit. Budapest has an excellent public transport system which enables you to travel easily through the entire city as well as being able to work out where you're going without getting drastically lost and confused. The trams run across the city very regularly and are an easy way to travel along the long boulevards with the locals. The intercom even tells you the next stop in English and its relation to the metro as well as useful connections from there.
"The city has a very vibrant, youthful population with many colleges and universities, meaning lots of upbeat bars and vintage shops to visit. " A highlight for me was the ticket system. I never managed to work it out as I never saw anywhere to buy a ticket from or a tram guard checking for tickets so we just hopped on and off the buses and trams whenever we wanted to go somewhere! As well as being a quick, easy and cheap way to travel, the trams and buses were a nice vessel for 'touring the city' and they whizzed passed neo-baroque and art nouveau buildings, copious amounts of street art and graffiti, and unique and intriguing sculptures testifying to Hungary's recent and long past history, as well as its quirky style. No trip to Budapest would be complete without a visit to the medicinal baths which the city is famed for. The Szechenyi Bath and Spa House is situated in the picturesque City Park next to Heroes Square where you can pay an entrance fee of 4000 HUF, which is around £11 for an all day ticket and access to 24 indoor and outdoor thermal pools, ranging in temperature from 20c to 40c. It is the perfect remedy for tired feet after lots of sightseeing, and the neo-baroque building with classical fountains and sculptures make you feel like you are in absolute luxury. On the way there you take a tram to the bottom of Andrassy Avenue, grab yourself a Starbucks (of which there are endless watering holes) and walk up through the wide boulevard, past the 1956 Hungarian Uprising Memorial,
which is permanently held outside the House of Terror museum, which contains exhibits related to the fascist and communist dictatorships in 20th century Hungary. Glass jars with burning candles inside all nestle on a ledge along the building, illuminating framed black and white photos of young men and women lost in the year 1956. It is a truly touching and graceful recognition of the difficult recent history which is woven into the character of Budapest. The walk along Andrassy Avenue also passes the foreign embassies with eclectic and decadent art nouveau buildings, with so many different things to look at I guarantee your walk will not be boring! To get to the baths themselves, you walk through the iconic Heroes Square which provides an excellent viewing point of City Park and access to the Museum of Fine Arts and the decadent Palace of Art. I would definitely recommend a visit to both art galleries and, most importantly, a visit to the cafe on the porch of the Palace of Arts, where I had the best honey, lemon and ginger tea of my life! It's a great place to sit and observe the square and the details of the city without the long tour guides. A highlight for me was The Gastro Strip near the Liberty Bridge on the Pest side, and is a road full of the best array of restaurants and eateries around! We ate at different restaurants there three times, and each meal was more delicious than the last! As well as that, the food is actually affordable so you can splurge on a few courses and wine. I would recommend sitting outside where the tables are set up on the cobbled street and you can sit with a blanket and enjoy looking around at the students spilling out of the nearby art schools and pick out the eccentricities of the street, of which there is an abundance. Margaret Island is also an absolute must see. You can catch a tram to Margaret Bridge and walk along the island, which sits in the Danube River in the middle of Buda and Pest. The island is popular with joggers and romantics and had beautiful fountains, sculptures and gardens which are perfect for spending an afternoon wandering around in. It is also a nice and quiet spot to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a few hours. Overall, I would definitely recommend Budapest if you fancy a short, cheap trip away with your friends. Hostels are affordable, and are very youth-focused so you can meet new people easily, drinks are cheap and the bars are eclectic and interesting. Aside from that, the city has a lot to offer, without having to spend hours walking around attached to a guidebook, wondering when it is acceptable to bail and go for a drink.
"Walk through the iconic Heroes Square which provides an excellent viewing point of City Park and access to the Museum of Fine Arts."
Brum students abroad This week we hear from Katie Gardner about the difficulties of settling in as an international sudent, but why it's worth it... To begin with, life as an international student in Lyon was tough. The language spoken by the younger generation is, in effect, an entirely different language – ‘le verlan’, basically meaning slang – so communication, and thus making friends, was very hard to begin with. I felt that I received very little support at university; the international relations officer was frankly rude, and I felt like ‘just another international student’ that had to be dealt with. And my living arrangements made it all even harder. I chose not to live in a student residence with other international students because I wanted to improve my French by living with French locals, but finding somewhere to live was much more difficult than I’d imagined! The need to provide a French guarantor made it virtually impossible to
begin with. The 8am starts and 8pm finishes were a shock to the system. Luckily I don’t have many lectures! Prices were also a shock, with most things almost double the price of those in England. But once I’d got past all of this I definitely reached a turning point. It was a good feeling to know that I’d battled the initial
"I'd battled the initial challenge that moving entirely independently to a foreign country is." challenge that moving entirely independently to a foreign country is. I’m passionate
about French, and I love to speak the language, especially with the local people. Lyon is a beautiful city, and is the gastronomic capital of France. A personal highlight was definitely being taken out for dinner by a top banker who’s running a young ambassadors' programme that I’m involved with, eating crêpes and cider whilst everyone else was eating goose liver. There’s so much culture to discover here, and there are many things to see and do for free, which is great for the student population. There’s no end to the number of festivals that take place in Lyon! So, although my time in Lyon took off to a slightly shaky start, I’m really enjoying myself now, soaking up the culture and the language, and I’m excited for what the rest of my time here has to offer!
29th November - 5th December 2013
redbrick.me/travel
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Nightmare in China Seasoned traveller Rebecca Maynard shares with us her mixed experiences of going it alone in this undiscovered country... I don’t remember exactly how I decided China was the place for me. All the twenty-slash-thirty somethings I met out there seemed gobsmacked that I’d decided, aged nineteen, to go backpacking alone around China in the middle of winter. I’d decided to go with a ‘fly-by-the-seat-of-mypants’ approach to backpacking in a country where I didn’t speak the language, or know anything or anyone; other backpackers were few and far between. In retrospect it was foolish. Everything started off fine in Beijing; nice people, nice hostel, appalling weather. I got a bit cocky, a bit complacent. ‘I have this down’ I thought to myself. I basked in the praise of the Australian foursome I met, early thirties and veteran backpackers. ‘Yes, yes, I am rather wonderful, aren’t I? So young. So brave.’ No. Fast forward a week or so and I’m sitting in the luggage compartment of a twenty-six hour train from Shanghai to the middle of nowhere. I’m crying. I have faeces on my face and urine on my leggings. It is four o’clock in the morning. I am losing my mind with exhaustion. I have spent the last fifteen hours having kind but overwhelming Chinese locals try and force feed me chicken feet, duck embryos, sheep intestine ramen and all manner of other delicacies.
"I’ve seen Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and half of Africa and I haven’t met a culture quite so amazingly different." I had limited myself to 500ml of water and two slices of bread for the journey, I'd be damned if I was going to need to use the toilet. But finally nature calls, I run to the loos and am half way through the quickest pee of my life when the train jolts into motion. I go flying into the poo-smeared wall, I pee on my leggings and burst into overwhelmed tears. I had no change of clothes, and all that was waiting for me back at my seat was a small Chinese boy with a wind-up toy that sang Happy Birthday on repeat, the locals spitting into a tray, placed for our convenience on each table, and lots of students talking at perfectly normal volume, neither loud nor quiet enough for it not to drill into my head. It’s really hard to explain the feeling of being so depressed by my situation that I wanted to be sick, cry and laugh all at the same time. Maybe it would be funny if I hadn’t spent the last week locked in my hostel dorm (with two nymphomaniac Canadians who used to have sex all over our room, never mind who was watching) because it was minus twenty-five degrees outside and there were no backpackers to hang out with. If I’d known what was coming for me at the end of the twenty-six hour journey to the middle of nowhere - five days with no access to train tickets because of the Chinese New Year, stuck in a city with only outdoor pursuits, when it had been raining non stop for a month, in a hostel full of Chinese people and no one to speak to, I would have jumped off the train then and there.
Maybe my real mistake was not trusting my instincts to get the first plane out of Shanghai after I was stopped by the police and questioned on why I was in the country, who I was speaking to and what I was doing.
"An American couple took me out for chicken feet and beer fish and it was just fantastic." Recently I’ve been trying to persuade a friend to go travelling with me. I’ve told her what I’d tell anyone: travelling is fun if you always have someone to laugh with. In most places in the world you’ll meet so many people you won’t know what to do with them all and they’ll be the ones to laugh with you. I loved Vietnam and Cambodia, even though some pretty messed up stuff happened, because I had the safety net of other backpackers I had met. But in China, in winter, quite frankly there is no-one to share the experience with. The days I did meet people in China, the days I spent in Beijing and a day in Shanghai, were some of the best of my travels. But the days I sat alone in that Guilin hostel, cursing waking up at eight-thirty because I was just desperate for more time to have elapsed, to be just a couple of hours closer to leaving, were some of the worst of my life. An American couple arrived on day five in Guilin, I went to speak to them and they invited me to sit down. I burst into tears. They thought I was insane so they took me out for chicken feet and beer fish and it was just fantastic. However, and call me a glutten for punishment, despite all this I’m actually desperate to go back, knowing what I know now. The summer palace in Beijing is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. On the final night of Chinese New Year, a friend and I snuck into the Shanghai revolving restaurant and watched the fireworks explode across the city, and then sat and ate steamed dumplings and dried squid in a FamilyMart for hours. I spent a day bike riding in Yangshuo around the hills that rise out of an otherwise completely flat horizon (Google it) pretending to be lost to get chatting to other cyclists. Tobogganing on my coat down an empty and snow covered Great Wall of China was a ‘pinchme’ moment. The people are wonderfully kind and generous and funny. I’ve seen Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and half of Africa, and I haven’t met a culture quite so amazingly different. They have table service in Burger King. The street food is so good, sometimes I still dream about it. It is truly a beautiful country, and you do feel amazing for having done it. When I left Guilin I had to trek across town, I managed to suss out the man trying to scam me - his English was too good to be a genuine ticket rep - queued, ordered my ticket with no Chinese but a lot of hand gestures (they don’t even count on their hands like we do, they have a whole different system of ‘hand numbers’) and felt like a winner. So, on China: plan ahead, find people to laugh with and most importantly, always carry a change of leggings.
China Travel Facts The Great Wall of China is 13,170 miles long!
Beijing is China's most popular destnation for overseas tourists.
Over 57 million tourists visited China in the year 2012.
China is bordered by 14 countries.
October 1st is Chinese National Day, a big national holiday.
The population is equal to 134 people per square kilometre!
The 5...
Best Christmas Markets Eleanor Pugh Travel Writer
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Birmingham
Winter Wonderland, London
Cologne, Germany
Bath
Champs-Elysee, Paris, France
Stay at home and enjoy the UK’s largest market! Brum is twinned with Frankfurt and the market runs from November 14th to December 22nd.
Hop off the tube at Hyde Park Corner and experience German food, a fun fair, ice rink and even a ‘Magical Ice Kingdom’.
The city offers many markets, but Cologne Cathedral Christmas Market is legendary: treat yourself at the heart of the German Christmas culture, with stollen and spiced German biscuits, Aachener Printen.
The city puts emphasis on a Georgian Christmas and holds its market at Abbey Churchyard. When finished shopping, why not warm up at the Thermal Bath Spa?
Walk down one of the most iconic streets in the world: a gala of lights, sounds and seasonal traditions. The market runs from 15th November 2013 to 5th January 2014.
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redbrick.me/arts
29th November - 5th December 2013
Arts
Laughs at 'Grizzly Pear' Georgia Tindale and Matt Bullin Critics As I ascended the steps of something that looked more like a storage container than a pub, you get the impression of entering an illegal fight club or a crack den. But no, nothing that safe, this was a poetry night. It’s hard to find words to describe Writers Bloc’s latest event, but a few that came to mind were: loud, raw, passionate, epic and perhaps even a little grizzly.
introduction for each poet became increasingly entertaining and imaginative (which I’m sure had nothing to do with the everincreasing percentage of alcohol in his bloodstream). Highlights included an unexpected recital of the ‘Fresh Prince of Bel Air’ rap by Sam Walker, a love poem that concluded in Meg Tapp lifting her shirt up to reveal a picture of Snoop Dogg and entertaining double act ‘Lucy and Sipho’ joining together to produce a devastatingly demonic voice. Another memorable highlight was first-time reader Tom Cosans’ poem about childhood epilepsy which was both comic and poignant.
"The cool vibe of an eighties jazz club, with "A fantastic and raucous evening; a more refined and passionate, raw and intellectual polish" The Bristol Pear (Heeley Road, Selly perhaps even a little Oak) was the chosen location for such an grizzly" event. The low lighting, wooden beams and controlled, chaotic nature of the seating gave the place the cool vibe of an eighties jazz club, only with a more refined and intellectual polish. Music of all genres blasted out pre-poetry, drawing all these features together seamlessly to create a chilled and honestly awesome atmosphere. The predominantly student audience had already filled up all of the seating space before it had even started.
"Highlights included an unexpected recital of the ‘Fresh Prince of Bel Air’ and a firsttime reader’s poignant and comic poem about childhood epilepsy." The night began with a typically energetic and quick-witted opening from Ben Norris, who was to be our host for the evening. I found as the night went on, his
There were also many fantastic contributions from Writers Bloc’s own, including a questionable yet unnervingly arousing dance from Charlie Dart and a naturally flamboyant poem from Ben Jackson, which saw his persona change mid-performance into Rastamode, enabling him to launch into a ferocious jungle rap. Eagerly-awaited headline act Jonny FluffyPunk also didn’t disappoint. Although his anarchist politics may not have been to everyone’s tastes FluffyPunk’s poetry about dysfunctional childhood, with its frankness and humour, was met with an enthusiastic audience response. At times they also groaned, mainly due to his more cringe-inducing material about ‘sexual awakening’. His stand out poem entitled ‘Towels’, about the death of his controlling mother, was delivered with the ideal balance of laughout-loud comedy and feeling whilst ‘War on the Home Front’, a poem on the teenage discovery of politics, was both hilarious and relatable. Grizzly Pear was a fantastic and raucous evening. Even if you’re convinced that you don’t like poetry, the next Grizzly Pear (due to take place after Christmas), is certainly set to change your mind for good.
All photographs taken by Elisha Owen
Creative Minds: Bernard MacLaverty Olivia Renshaw Critic
Belfast-born MacLaverty, brought up a strict Catholic, takes his place at the pulpit (the stage of the Barber Institute) after a warm introduction from Michael Toolan, introducing MacLaverty as the ‘writer’s writer’. He has excelled in multiple genres; from short stories to radio and writing libretti for Scottish Opera (he adores music and eagerly recommends Rachmaninoff). Having failed his A-levels, MacLaverty tells us that Dostoyevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov changed his life, and since picking it up by chance he went on to read as much 19th Century Russian literature as he could find. MacLaverty begins by acknowledging that today is the 39th anniversary of the Birmingham pub bombings of 1974, part of the violent legacy of The Troubles. He says he feels ashamed, as we will discover and there is an endearing humility below MacLaverty’s confidently cheery exterior. It is not clear if he cries ‘for shame’ on behalf of those involved on both sides, the incident having stirred up potent anti-Irish sentiment in the Midlands, or if he is ashamed on behalf of the human race for the universal occurrence of such atrocities. Either way it was a selfless and very appropriate reflection with which to start his reading.
In his soft rumbling tone, MacLaverty leads us with a gentle hand through two of his short stories. He identifies his first piece, Walking the Dog, as being Aristotelian. ‘I’ll not explain anything about this,’ he says, pulling a quote from he-can’t-remember-where: ‘If you’re not confused, you don’t fully understand’. There is nothing like hearing a master present his own text–I’m lucky enough to have experienced the late Seamus Heaney reading aloud from Station Island, and MacLaverty is similarly mesmerising. He takes his time, swaying slightly as his character is walking along the Lisburn road. He is so involved in the piece that one almost expects him to step out from behind the pulpit and act out the entire scene. Indeed, MacLaverty’s writing is drenched in direct speech, which creates a compelling immediacy as he reads. He makes seamless transitions between the various voices he’s written with the fluidity of someone who knows his characters like close family. His second piece, The Clinic, is punctuated with a classic grumpy-old-man humour and yet it speaks to us as directly as his first. His writing style is very literal, bringing the quotidian alive before our eyes by close description and sharp witted commentary. Cold street-shufflers have ‘Moscow-white faces’; pages in an old book are ‘the colour of toast’. The fictitious narrator of the tale praises Chekov, adding that he writes as if the event is unfolding before your very eyes. This compliment, in turn, makes for an apt appraisal of the author himself.
redbrick.me/arts
29th November - 5th December 2013
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The Birmingham Royal Ballet NEXT Perform: 'The Nutcracker' WEEK... Bethany Barley and Imogen Stuckes Critics
Birmingham Royal Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker is nothing short of brilliant. A steady parade of exquisite costumes, beautiful staging and enviable talent; the show was visually stunning, using everything from fireworks to flying birds to enchant the audience. One look around the theatre at the open mouths and gasps of surprise confirmed the performance’s success from the moment that the curtains lifted. The ballet began with a very traditional Christmas setting, but the modernisation of this performance soon showed itself through the excellent effects and scenery. As soon as the clock struck midnight and the magic began to happen around Clara (Iohna Loots), so did the dramatic changes of scenery. The room grew as she shrank whilst the rats and soldiers fought, then widening as the spar-
"if you go expecting a children's fairy story, you'll be suprised! You will experience something far more dramatic than that!’
kling gauze transformed the stage into a magical land. Director David Bintley captures this ethereal world of beauty, fun and a dizzying number of pirouettes perfectly. Snow fell as the fairies danced and the second half began with Loots descending through the clouds on a moving swan. The orchestra were not only note-perfect, but created a magical atmosphere that Tchaikovsky himself would have been proud of. It is clear how dedicated the dancers were in their flawless poise, sweeping and gliding across the stage effortlessly. Each of the exotic characters in this fantasy land managed to infuse hints of their backstories into their dances, such that you wouldn't even need their fantastically elegant costumes to know exactly where they came from. The Arabian dancers were particularly distinctive, with their dance reminiscent of gymnastics. The best dance, of course, had to be that of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Supposedly the most challenging technical dance throughout the ballet, Nao Sakuma did not disappoint as it was impossible to take your eyes off her, pirouetting and leaping to perfection. The choreography was brilliantly composed: fresh and new but staying within the boundaries of the traditional story. Sir Peter Wright's production is really for any age; if you go to see it expecting a children's fairy story, you'll be suprised: you will experience something far more dramatic than that! If you wish to truly get in the festive mood this term, a visit to The Nutcracker is exactly what you need. The Nutcracker is on at The Hippodrome until the 12th December and it is sure to be the talking point of the arts scene for many weeks to come.
'The Grinch' in 48 Hours Ciaran Allanson-Campbell Critic
Watch This' 48 Hour performances are plays which are rehearsed, directed and generally set up over a single weekend. The performance happens at hour 0; full of cardboard props, unprepared actors and tongue-incheek staging. Obviously, with such a short span of time for rehearsal, many lines may be missed, and a play can either be riotously funny in a partly intentional way, or a complete disaster. Thankfully their Christmas production of the Dr. Suess’ classic ‘How The Grinch Stole Christmas’ is the former.
"The hands of writers are very evident; their dry and slightly surreal sense of humour never far away, spoofing Titanic, The Lion King and Toy Story for no evident reason." From the moment our narrator/line-reminder, the Cat-in-the-Hat (Jake Williams) steps
on stage, as a cardboard cut-out of Universal Studios' Logo is *ahem* arranged, the hands of writers Jacob Lovick, Tyler Harding and Megan Turner are very evident; their dry and slightly surreal sense of humour never far away. Williams, a 48 Hour regular, makes for a fully competent narrator with a smooth delivery of the script and its rhymes (even the bad ones). The story of The Grinch centres around fictional town Whoville, a town in fact with an inexplicable and admittedly slightly nauseating love for Christmas. The exception to this rule, in a cave high on Mount Cornet, is the Grinch (Nick Williams painted green, with leeks taped to his fingers), a Who filled with loathing and contempt for himself, the town far below him and most of all, Christmas. As with all of Dr. Suess' works, it's a surreal concept and story which involves the Grinch stealing all of Whoville's presents, done in this production using an unplugged Henry hoover, with members of the cast hurling wrapped boxes from off stage. Being quite a short original story to work from, much of the play (like the film), is extended to fit a two-hour slot. Therefore, although Nick Williams' slick if unoriginal Jim-Carey-esque Grinch steals the title of the show, the plot is mainly centred around Whoville's commercialism, and the attempts
of young Who Cindy Lou (Hannah Sharp) to get the town to accept the Grinch. Sharp is perfectly cast in this role; with an innocent energy and enthusiasm combined with a suitably innocent look, she is possibly the strongest performer in this production. Though most other parts aren't named, special mentions need to go to John The Frey, who frequently engages in banter with the Cat-in-the-Hat, and Grace Hussey-Burd, the racist Who, as both are examples of the little touches that make this a great show. Other moments which stand out are the “other snowflake” scenes, where stories such as Titanic, The Lion King and Toy Story are spoofed for no evident reason, as well as an interview on the Grinch's origin with his aunts Carnella (Florence Schechter) and Rose (Katie Goldhawk). There isn't really enough space to comfortably say everything good about this show, so I'll summarise it to this: The Grinch is well acted and directed with an energetic and offbeat sense of humour which, for a student comedy, doesn't diverge into many sex jokes (though Goldhawk's comments about “Euphemisms for full penetrative sex” to a shaken-looking Sharp are priceless). It is both thoroughly enjoyable and hilarious and, in the end, not many lines were forgotten at all.
With Christmas just around the corner, all the festive events are kicking off here in Birmingham. To make sure you don't miss out on anything watch out for next week's issue when we preview all the seasonal excitement that's available in the city... Every venue in the city will be celebrating the festive cheer... Traditional classics such as Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' will be beautifully remastered and childhood memories will be recreated with 'The Snowman' at The REP. Also, don't forget the German Christmas Market - a must see to get yourself into the festive spirit! Many of us students will be heading home for the holidays, but there's still plenty of time to go and start clebrating Christmas early with your mates in and around Birmingham...
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redbrick.me/lifestyle
29th November - 5th December 2013
Life & Style
Redbrick does Tinder Life&Style tries the new dating app, Tinder, for a week. For those who don’t know, Tinder is a fussfree, dating app version of hot-or-not. You basically cast a snap judgement on someone and in a rather shallow but satisfying process, you swipe right for the people you want to connect with, and left for the ones you don’t. It is linked to facebook, so each profile shows mutual friends, common interests and more importantly, a few pictures. Like many others, I was faced with the curiosity to see who was on Tinder, whilst at the same time embarrassed to make my own profile - writing a review for Redbrick was the perfect excuse.
‘Hey Tinderella – show me boobs?’ – very unsuccessful attempt at flirting but I liked the pun. ‘Would you rather be chased by 10 duck sized horses or one horse sized duck?’ – I’ve read that off the back of a juice carton, so not a very original opening line there.
Day 1
Day 2
Choosing photos for my profile was stressful. In the end I went for two photos of me taken on a really, really good day, and then a few more honest ones, just in case I actually saw any of my potential ‘matches’ round Selly Oak. I sorted the settings to only find boys within a 5 mile radius, and up to the age of 24, which filtered the profiles down to mainly UOB students. Within a few hours I had ten matches, conversation was more like small talk and I was starting to hate the app already. It was awkward discussing mundane topics such as course modules, with people I had essentially just told are hot. A few opening liners from my matches: ‘So, straight up, we both swiped right, why don’t you give me your number and we can text each other naughty things, you know what I’m saying?’ – urrr no thank you.
I woke up to lots of matches, which was a bit of an ego-boost and a good start to the day! Came across a former romance and it has never been more satisfying to swipe left and see ‘Nope’ branded across their face. One profile had an interesting tag line, ‘well like im beaa easy to gehh along wif J lovee hangin out wif all maa friends jus lieek havin FUN =D x’ – can’t tell if this is supposed to be funny or not but either way it was a very easy no.
"Hey Tinderella - show me your boobs."
Day 3 Nearly every boy I was matched with today seemed to be using Tinder purely as a hookup app. I decided to start being more careful about who I swipe right, taking into consideration their facebook activity. I stopped discarding boys simply if they had a mutual
facebook friend I didn’t like, and I stopped accepting boys if one of their photos was a selfie. Day 4 It is easy to forget that Tinder is not a game – so I decided to make the most of my penultimate day on the app. I’ve arranged to meet my favourite match next weekend, we have been chatting for a couple of days. It will be interesting to see if he looks like his Tinder pictures. I spotted one of my matches whilst walking to uni today and instantly panicked. I also used Tinder as a verb. I’m starting to feel paranoid about me being on this app.. Day 5 Tinder has started to get boring. The fun has gone from swiping profiles and when my phone buzzes to inform me of a match I realise I don’t care that much anymore. I also think I might have gained a repetitive strain injury from the constant swiping. To summarise: At first it was fun, but just like every app craze (Angry Birds, Temple Run etc) it quickly got boring. The ease and control of it is fuss-free, but maybe too fuss-free. I found myself blocking profiles for petty reasons like an elongated ‘heyyyyyyy’ or too much facial hair – which are not fair reasons to completely disregard a person. But Tinder doesn’t try to disguise that the basis of the app is all about judgement. I can see how people can come down with ‘Tinderitus’, as it’s easy to get used to
the ego boost you get when matched with someone hot. Personally, the app isn’t for me. I feel exhausted by 5 days of scrolling and judging, not having the patience to hold a conversation with a stranger is a reflection on my lazy personality. The company claim to be responsible for over 50 Tinder engagements, so it must work for some. But whether Tinder leads to anything or not, it is just a bit of fun.
The Power of the 'Cara-Brand' With Cara contending to maintain her crown as 'Model of the Year' at next weeks British Fashion Awards, Lizzie Green asks can our fave model do no wrong? Unless you’ve been hiding on the moon for the last year, it’s been almost impossible to avoid the bushy-eyebrowed face of Cara Delevingne. The it-girl, singer-actor and celebrity-model extraordinaire has been gracing pages of our magazines and TV screens (as well as our twitter feeds) for months now and it’s hard to escape what can only be described as the Delevingne onslaught. With my adoration of her growing more everyday, I’m starting to wonder whether there will ever be a peak, or in fact fall of Delevingne- it can’t last forever
right?
"Models aren't superhuman, apparently they eat burgers too" Winner of the Model of the year category at last years British fashion Awards and nominated again this year, it seems that the
Cara-brand will only grow, but to assess this it’s surely necessary to understand her background too? She must have got her magicalmodel powers from somewhere. With recent pictures of a young Delevingne, still funny-faced and bushybrowed circulating the web, it’s debatably hard to see where the model instinct came from. Her older sister Poppy is also a model, her mother a personal shopper in Selfridges, so she obviously has some knowledge of the industry, and with a face so striking and unusual, maybe it really was inevitable. And it’s this ‘weird’ face that has got us so excited. It’s not unusual for a model to be a bit strange looking but it’s her complete versatility that has us astounded. With looks ranging from rather raunchy black and white stills taken by Peter Lindbergh, to her innocent English-rose appearance in the TV campaigns for Burberry’s fragrance Body Tender, she’s evidently an amazing model. However her face isn’t always flawless and beautiful- she like me is a fan of pulling a stupid face. Her down to earth, laid back attitude and accessibility has taught me something new- models aren’t superhuman, apparently they eat burgers too, and not just a bite, the whole greasy thing. So how is Cara’s popularity ever-growing? It isn’t unheard of for a model to have continual popularity (often gaining the accolade of ‘Supermodel’) but is it normal for an it-girl to be ‘It’ for this long? My answer is no- but I think it will be, and Cara is arguably the first of her kind. More than
"I'm starting to wonder whether there will ever be a peak, or in fact fall of Delevigne?" ever the rise of social media can be thanked for her infiltration into not only the pages of our fashion magazines but also our celebrity ones. With her onslaught of celebrity friends, BFF Rita Ora amongst others such as Rhianna and Harry Styles, it’s not surprising she’s so popular. Much like the popular group in school, the more fun they seem to be having together, the more you want to be part of it. Is this the reason she’s so ubiquitous? It also seems that Delevingne is untouchable. If we take the fact that drug rumours (Cara spotted dropping a dodgy-looking packet of white powder), were swept under the metaphorical media rug it’s easy to see her longevity in the model market. It could even be said that her reputation is indestructible; after all it’s a fact that models do drugs, so move on- right? So does Delevingne define the new-generation model? A model that’s closer to us than ever before? A model that can get away with both good and bad and still make a generation jealous? In answer to that I have one final thing to say, putting Cara on a pedestal is fair enough, but from the top there is only one way to go- down, I’m just hoping this doesn’t happen any time soon.
29th November- 5th December 2013
redbrick.me/lifestyle
Meadham Kirchhoff for Topshop Greta Geoghegan
Life&Style Writer The designer duo’s fourth collection for Topshop arrived online and in selected stores on 21st November, giving us another chance to grab a piece of their outlandish creations at a more affordable price. The collection is based on the pair’s
imagined girl band, The Cherrys. Just like the Spice Girls, each Cherry has their own style personality. There’s something for everyone. If you’re brave enough to wear it, that is. Prices range from just £8 for a pair of frilly socks or lurex legwarmers to £400 for a pair of ludicrous pentagram print over the knee boots, not bad for one of the hottest
brands around. Despite only being conceived in 2006, Meadham Kirchhoff is one of the most talked about and coveted labels. And this latest collaboration continues to prove why. It is uncompromising, wacky and individual, reminiscent of the Harajuku girl style. So if you’ve got the guts (or if there’s any left!) snap up a pink fur-trimmed PVC skirt today, it’ll probably change your life.
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Fierce Lily Allen’s new music video Her single ‘hard out here’ hilariously encapsulates the over-sexualisation of the female music industry. Seeya Miley and co.
Christmas adverts I can’t remember when Christmas adverts became so emotional... saying that though, I can’t help but love every single one!
Jolie-Pitt Rosé Is there anything this power couple cannot do perfectly?! Their bottle of Rosé Miraval won best rosé of the year award and it will only set you back around £20... what’s not to love!
Markus Lupfer His tiara diamante encrusted beanie hat is to die for, it makes wrapping up in this cold weather so chic. Cherry Cherie is the sophisticated, grownup one of the group, and offers the most wearable items of the collection. Long printed dresses with pretty lace trims are the stand out pieces. Think doily necklines, numerous underskirts and floral prints.
Cherry Pikka, described as the ‘most mischievous’, clashes both colours and textures, mixing knits with PVC and incredible shoes. Expect to see frilly PVC shorts, in clashing shades of turquoise and red paired with burnt orange knitwear.
Cherry Blossom epitomizes that sickly sweet femininity that Meadham Kirchhoff do so well. If you’re a fan of pastels, cute accessories and all things fluffy and frilly, Blossom is your girl.everyone. If you’re brave enough to wear it, that is.
Dressing for Success Interview Wear tional and corporate or modern and artistic? You should try and tailor your look accordingly. Secondly, remember to make sure you feel comfortable and confident in whatever you pick. For the future city slicker a suit is still probably the most suitable attire. Boys, invest in a good shirt- there is nothing that screams dodgy salesman like a shiny shirt.
My new favourite TV show on Channel 4... who knew watching other people watching TV would be so damn funny!
Kanye West: Bound 2 This Nick Knight directed music video should have been brilliant, but Kim K’s feature has made it just become weird and cringeworthy. We get it loud and clear, you love her Kanye...
With the grad' scheme nearing completion, the next step is preparing for those dreaded interviews. Life&Style writer Emily Rushgrove runs us through dos and don'ts of dressing for success It’s that time of year again, the grad’ scheme applications have opened and many of us third years are desperately trying to balance applications with getting our uni work done. If you do manage to get them in and get through to interview, the question may well be what on earth am I meant to wear!? Firstly, have a think about what kind of a company you’re applying for. Are they tradi-
Gogglebox
Girls, a simple suit or tailored dress is always a good choice. Pair with some low-ish courts and a blazer to finish the look. If you’re interviewing for a more creative industry it might be nice to show off a bit of your personality. These jobs are often about your flair so don’t squash yours into a black, fail-safe box; make sure it stays professional though!
Chris Brown Once again perfectly displaying his anger problems as he throws a rock at his mother’s car window. Let’s hope he stays in rehab for a long time and doesn’t go to Ri-hab again. Ever.
Kate Moss for Playboy Yes I can see she looks amazing as usual... but for Playboy Kate, really?
Miley Cyrus’s Eyebrows They appear and disappear as fast as Chris Brown’s anger problems, dye them back Miley!
Club Queues I do not feel the need/want to queue for longer than 10mins, to get into a mediocre club in this weather. Risa is not worth hypothermia, it is not Mahiki.
By Daisy Holden A colour block dress in a simple shape is a smart but more interesting option. This one from Warehouse is a great shout (£38). Alternatively, what about teaming a high-waisted skirt in a textured or patterned design with a crisp white shirt? Whistles have a great selection of skirts although the prices are a little scary, but for a student friendly price there is this blue jacquared style skirt from Zara (£29.99).
Guys, why not pair a simple white shirt with a blazer and trousers for a less corporate alternative to the classic suit. Ted Baker has a great selection of both which are safely out of the ‘raided Dad’s wardrobe’ zone. Elsewhere H&M have a great range of smart trousers such as this slim fit chino (£24.99), and Topman are well worth a looking at for blazers like this one (£85).
Finished
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redbrick.me/food
29th November - 5th December 2013
Food
Crazy About Cake The Musings of an Addict Millie Walker Food Editor
@millicent_x
This week I met a stranger. Bermudian Stranger. In our day and age this is nothing out of the ordinary, except that my stranger and I are intrinsically linked for a short period of time on account of the fact they (no gender clues) have taken a book out of the library on my account. A rather trusting move, I suppose, given the fines our university bestows on lackadaisical borrowers, but where would we be without trust and charitable goodwill? We are British and it is the festive season after all. Plus, Bermudian Stranger was polite, apologetic, grateful and friendly, which was all I really needed. She (or he) waited patiently for me to take out a silly number of Shakespeare texts and we walked back to Selly Oak together at around 11pm, exchanging all manner of niceties about literature and politics. Unsurprisingly, I managed to drop Redbrick into conversation and soon discovered that he (or she) doesn’t bake. Pasta, apparently, Bermudian Stranger is great at making; cakes however, aren’t in the repertoire. Which made me think about the recipes I have posted so far this term and those I have yet to try out. They haven’t really been that simple, have they? They’ve not exactly been complicated, but each has required an unusual ingredient or an excessive amount of decoration, and none of them would be suitable for a first time baker.
"Should Bermudian Stranger fancy an Italian evening in, pasta followed by cheesecake wouldn't make a bad combination" Bermudian Stranger and I parted ways at The Goose with smiles and best wishes and a parting shot of ‘I’ll pick up the paper some time and skip to Food’, so I wandered back to my house considering the kinds of recipes a first-time student baker might attempt. Naturally my mind drifted and, if I can get hold of some marzipan in the next fortnight, I have a cracking plan for a Christmas creation but eventually I came to rest on cheese-
cake. They’re not my favourite, and a simple cheesecake requires no baking so I’m cheating myself out of my own therapy, but they are notoriously easy. Owl Housemate received a baked chocolate orange cheesecake for his 21st birthday and The Little One is rather fond of a no-bake lemon cheesecake. Also, should Bermudian Stranger fancy an Italian evening in, pasta followed by cheesecake is not a bad combination! (The Greeks may have invented the cheesecake slightly before the Romans but I just met a friendly stranger and, for their sake, don’t mind smudging history by a couple of decades BC). Personally, when I’m not gorging on raspberries, I’m a ginger-fiend and it just so happens that I have crystallised ginger left over from my bonfire night recipe. Therefore, in dedication to my Bermudian Stranger and in the hope they return Writing Society, before I start being charged for it, this weeks recipe is for a Ginger Cheesecake with roasted pear topping. Ingredients -400g Full Fat Cream Cheese -70g Icing Sugar -100g Greek Sugar -50g Crystallised Ginger -1tsp Ground Ginger -200g Ginger Biscuits -100g Butter -2 Pears -3tsp Caster Sugar -the juice of one lemon Method 1. Crush the biscuits in a sandwich bag with a rolling pin. 2. Melt the butter gently and then coat the biscuit crumbs before pressing them firmly into the bottom of a pringform cake tin. 3. Mix half the lemon juice, the cheese, yoghurt, ginger and icing sugar together in a bowl and then spoon over the top of the biscuit. 4. Put into the fridge for a couple of hours to cool. 5. Core the pears and chop them into slices. 6. Place them on a baking tray and coat them with caster sugar and the rest of the lemon juice and roast for half an hour until soft. 7. Mix with a little ginger jam, if you have any, then simply let them cool and layer them on top of the cake.
Join us next week on our tour of the BBC Good Food Show!
Review: Zizzi Gemma Bridge and Laura Briggs Food Writers
@glbridge1
A unique Italian eating experience right in the heart of Harborne - just a 20 minute walk from campus! The Harborne Zizzi is located at the top of Harbone high street, making it the perfect location for students at Birmingham to enjoy a sophisticated meal out. In addition, the food on offer is top quality, with a wide range of Italian dishes available, the staff are welcoming and friendly, and the decor is modern but cosy. So what reason is there not to visit?! So we visited Zizzi on a wet and windy Wednesday evening. When we got inside, we were instantly warmed by the Italian decor and the smell of cooking. We couldn't wait to try the food on offer! To start, we got the Cicchetti Platter to share. This was a hot platter of arancini risotto balls, chicken and pepper skewers, oven baked king prawn skewers, mini calzone with spicy n’duja sausage, and a tomato and bufala mozzarella salad with a chunky peperonata dip. This platter was a great choice as we got to try a little bit of some of the best dishes in the starter menu. Every component was delicious, and they all worked well together. The dishes on offer for main course were as varied as the starters. We wanted to try some of the 'customer favorites' and so went for the Calzone Pollo Spinaci, which was like an Italian Cornish pasty pizza pie, brimming with chicken and spinach in a creamy cheesy sauce. We also ordered the Rustica piccante pizza, which had lots of spicy meats on it also topped with mozzarella and rocket. The pizza was pretty large, probably big enough to feed a family of four, but this didn't deter me - and I managed to eat the lot. However, this pizza isn't for the feint hearted, as it was pretty warm - a spice lover's dream. The stand out dish of the evening was the Pollo focaccia. This dish was new on the Zizzi menu, but certainly deserves a place at the top of the dishes on offer at Zizzi. I don't often go for a meat dish when going to an Italian, usually sticking with a trusty pizza, but this time I branched out - and I am glad
that I did. Finger licking good! The dish was made up of a deliciously moist and garlicy half roast chicken, which was served on top of a tomato foccaia bread. This absorbed the chickeny juices perfectly. A green bean, rocket and parmesan salad finished this amazing dish off. I will definitely be ordering this again! Sticking to our sharing plan (not because we couldn't make up our minds) we decided to get a range of deserts, just to see how good they were. So, we ordered the Pannacotta- a traditional Italian desert. The one served here was perfectly wobbly, with a fresh berry compote to contrast the vanilla creaminess of the pudding. Great way to end the evening.... We also got the mela croccante which was basically an apple crumble however this understates how good it actually wasthe apple was perfectly soft, and the crumble topping was crunchy - just how I like it! It was topped with vanilla crema gelatowhich was so creamy and smooth - a perfect accompaniment to an otherwise awesome desert. The tartufo al cioccolato was a rich, dark chocolate mousse served with crushed hazelnuts and amaretti biscuits with a dash of frangelico hazelnut liqueur.
"I don't know how to put it into words - the mousse was mmmm!" It was so chocolaty and smooth and then the hazelnuts added a welcome crunch. The liquor that bathed the mouse hit the back of my throat, but in a warming way, and it wasn't so strong that you felt like you were consuming alcohol - it just enhanced the flavours of the dish. Perfect. One of the best puddings I have ever eaten - and that is saying something! The whole Zizzi's experience was enjoyable and affordable. The food was phenomenal - not what you would expect from a typical high street restaurant! So get on down to Zizzi's. What better time to go than at Christmas, when there are some amazing deals on offer?
29th November - 5th December 2013
redbrick.me/food
Review: Handmade Burger Co. Gemma Bridge
Caramelised Onion Quiche
Safiyyah Gareeboo
Food Writer @SafiGaeeboo Quiches are a great way to use up leftover baking ingredients to form a meal in themselves. This recipe can be used to make one large quiche or approximately 20 in muffin tins. They make great starters or party snacks, and the onion filling can be replaced with other ingredients to give you many more quiche options from the same basic recipe!
For the pastry: 125g butter 200g flour 5tbsp water 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
For the caramelised onions: 500g onions 3tbsp olive oil 5tbsp sugar
For the quiche filling: 2 eggs 300ml single cream 100ml milk 25g cheese chuncks
Make the pastry by forming the butter and flour into a crumbly texture, then slowly adding the water until it forms a dough. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes. Roll out the dough and cut out circles to fit the muffin tins, flour the tin before fitting the pastry into each cup to form the bases of the mini quiches. If you're making one large quiche, then roll out the pastry and put in a large dish. Cook the bases in the oven at Gas Mark 5 for 15-20 minutes. In the meantime, begin preparing the filling by slicing the onions. Place the sliced onions with the olive oil in a hot pan and sprinkle with the sugar. Stir frequently till they are golden brown then leave to simmer on a low heat. Mix the ingredients for the quiche filling in a jug and whisk. When the bases are cooked, half-fill them with the caramelised onions, then carefully pour over the quiche filling to just under the top. Sprinkle with grated cheese and put back in the oven at Gas Mark 6 till the quiches are browned and set.
Handmade Burger Co. are passionate about great food. Their new and improved menu is full of fresh food & the finest ingredients. I recently visited handmade burger co. with two friends. We went to the restaurant located on Brindley Place in Birmingham, and were excited to see what was on offer in the new menu, especially as we went after a very long day at university when we were hungry. The staff were friendly, the restaurant was warm and the food was amazing - what more could you want after a long day at uni? We were warmly welcomed and shown our table. We then read over the menu, and came up with our meal choices. I decided to go for the new stuffed burger, which was stuffed with mozzarella and sun blushed tomatoes. The burger came with pesto, rocket and red onion - and, although already delicious, I decided to go for a flat mushroom on top. I also ordered a side of Cajun chips and coleslaw - both of which made the meal even better. A burger, stuffed with cheese and sun blushed tomatoes - what could be better?! One of my friends ordered a slider, which are a new type of burger experience at Handmade Burger Co. whereby the diner chooses a selection of 3 mini beef burgers or chicken burgers (out of 6 on offer) that are served on fresh mini brioche buns - amazing! My friend went for the American beef cheese burger, the sweet chilli chicken burger and the chicken cheese and bacon burger. The slider came on a large plate and looked incredible! To go with the slider, my friend ordered the piri-spiced fresh cut chips, which, although a little spicy went perfectly with the 3 burgers that were chosen. My other dining companion decided to go for the vegetarian sweet potato and bean burger that came with mango and ginger salsa, and salad. She decided to go for the plain and simple fresh cut chips to accompany her burger.
"Quite possibly the best vegetarian burger I have ever eaten!" Although we were all pretty full from our main courses, we couldn't resist the new sundaes! We decided to go for two: the Banoffee Pie sundae, which was made up of decadent layers of vanilla ice-cream, banana, crushed biscuit and caramel sauce, all topped off with whipped cream; and the Brownie and Waffle sundae which was made up of layers of vanilla ice-cream, rich chocolate sauce, gooy brownie, crunchy waffle and toffee sauce again all topped with whipped cream. We demolished these desserts and left feeling very satisfied indeed. Handmade Burger Co. Brindleyplace, The Waters Edge Birmingham B1 2JB Tel: 0121 665 6542 Opening Hours: Monday: 12pm – 10:30pm Tuesday: 12pm – 10:30pm Wednesday: 12pm – 10:30pm Thursday: 12pm – 10:30pm Friday: 12pm – 11pm Saturday: 12pm – 11pm Sunday: 12pm – 10:30pm
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To suggest ingredient issues that you want solved, email: food@redbrick.me
Ingredient Ideas When you just don't know what to do with your last...
Parsnip
01. Spicy Parsnip Soup 6 Parsnips, 1 Onion, 2 Carrots, 1 Garlic Clove, 1tsp Mild Curry Powder, Jug of Stock. Chop all vegetables and sweat with butter for 20 mins. Add the stock and curry powder and boil until the veg is soft. Blend (or not) to taste and season to serve.
02. Parsnip Chips 6 Parsnips, Olive Oil, Seasoning. Cut the parsnips into strips, cover in oil and season. Cook for up to half an hour until crispy and cooked through.
03. Winter Root Veg Slaw 3 Parsnips, 3 Carrots and a tablespoon of Mayonnaise. Peel the veg, grate and mix with mayo.
04. Honey Roast Veg 3 Parsnips, 3 Carrots, 1 Onion, 1 Red Pepper, 1 Courgette, 2tbsp of Runny Honey, 1 tbsp Olive Oil Cut up the vegetables and lay them in a baking tray. Mix the oil and honey and coat veg. Season and then roast for around 30minutes.
05. Parsnip and Cheddar Mash 3 Parsnips, 3 Potatoes, knob of Butter, 50g of grated Cheddar Cheese, splash of milk. Chop and boil the veg until soft. Drain and mash. Stir in the butter milk and cheese.
Lynette Dakin Online Food Editor
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redbrick.me/music
29th November - 5th December 2013
Music
Live Review: Arctic Monkeys @ LG Arena, 20th November Anna Gunn Music Critic
With an extra 3 weeks’ worth of audience anticipation upon their shoulders, Arctic Monkeys had amends to make when they performed in Birmingham on Wednesday. As a band renowned for their down-to-earth attitude, cancelling their Halloween gig after fans had already been allowed to enter the arena was an unprecedented move. It didn’t take long, however, for the band to find themselves secure again within the affections of the audience as they delved into all corners of their eclectic back catalogue. Although each of their 5 albums is bestowed with its own distinctive sound, the band’s astute takes on day-to-day life are present in songs throughout their career, meaning their setlist was able to flow seamlessly whilst flitting between albums. The sultry tones of the popular ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ proved to be a successful launcher as frontman Alex Turner greeted the audience with the opening lyrics, ‘have you got colour in your cheeks?’, the direct address of which created an engagement with his audience that would be retained throughout the set. A taster of what latest album AM has to offer filtered into a display of what is often considered some of the Arctic Monkeys best work, each as gratefully received as the last. The band spurred on the audience
through the infectious energy of ‘Brainstorm’ and ‘Dancing Shoes’ before treating them to the teasing witticisms of ‘Teddy Picker’ and ‘Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair.’ It was at these early points that Turner was most attune to the showmanship he has acquired, performing with an understated flamboyance as he even managed to pull of hip swivels whilst still maintaining an air of coyness. Turner remains grounded enough to still make the band as relatable as they have always been, whilst being interesting enough to command a stage.
"Arctic Monkeys had amends to make when they performed in Birmingham on Wednesday" The fresh delights that are to be found on AM were represented here in the unmistakable thrills of ‘Arabella’ and the haunting atmosphere created by ‘One for the Road.’ Consistent with what the band have achieved so far, the live performances of these showed that their new tracks have the potential to be as resistant of a shelf life as their older work has done.
Alex Turner is often regarded as one of the best lyricists of his generation; his ability to poetically depict reality makes this a notion that is difficult to dispute. The slower, stripped back performances of ‘Cornerstone’ and ‘No.1 Party Anthem’ allowed him to flaunt his talents. Both he and his audience were simultaneously serenaded as the tangibility of his lyrics became ever more resonant. The band was welcomed back triumphantly for their encore which included a semi-acoustic rendition of fan favourite, ‘Mardy Bum,’ the endearing nature of which still came across well in a large arena. Turner appeared to be genuinely humbled by the crowd as they sang his lyrics back to him, it was at this point he took the opportunity to apologise for the cancellation and was met with a forgiving applause. When he then posed the question ‘R U Mine?’ the positive reply was inevitable and the song provided an explosive conclusion to the performance. On reflection, there were notable songs absent from the set such as ‘When the Sun Goes Down’ and ‘Fake Tales of San Francisco’ that most fans would probably have wanted to see. That said, the set didn’t miss them at the time and it comes with the realisation that they can’t play everything. The more the Arctic Monkeys' career has progressed, and the more successful songs they have attributed to their name; choosing which of these to play is an enviable dilemma any band would want to toy with.
Single Review: These New Puritans - V (Island Song) Amar Desai Music Critic
@AmarDesai_
A rock band that draws on influences as diverse as the Wu-Tang Clan, Aphex Twin and The Smurfs (not a band name) will always be interesting. The latest single by These New Puritans, the 9 minute epic 'V (Island Song)', proves this. The fact that a band would choose a single that lasts over 9 minutes tells you that things could potentially get bizarre. The track begins with sparse instrumentation and Jack Barnett's voice, which almost drawls in the way a drunk man sings to himself. It builds schizophrenically as Barnett becomes more aggressive; some sections aren't easily describable. Doomy orchestral sections, an organ and haunting choirs all join and leave the party, all the while underlaid threateningly by Barnett's voice and skittering beats. The track grows to its dissonant climax just past the seven minute mark, and then fades away like waves. It's rare that a band would choose such a song to be a single, even one such as These New Puritans. It is too long and misanthropic to fare well in the charts. In spite of this, it's well worth a listen because of the incredible atmospherics that never recede throughout the track.
Single Review: Enter Shikari Rat Race Matt Moody Music Critic
Everyone’s favourite post-hardcore environmentalists Enter Shikari are back with a new single – their third of an album-less 2013 – and, as always, it’s bound to divide opinion. The band’s rabid fan-base might see it as keeping up the good work, but the truth is there isn’t much progress being made here. as much fun as the frenetic verse/unexpectedly melodic chorus/dirty drop/euphoric singalong outro structure is in a live setting, it gets tired pretty quickly on record, and 'Rat Race' feels decidedly like a B-side. Most frustrating about the lack of fresh ideas here is their abundance on the band’s last record. While ‘A Flash Flood of Colour’ saw them build on their sound with innovative synth work and adventurous musicianship, ‘Rat Race’ fails to break any new ground, borrowing the synthesized brass fanfare from ‘Jonny Sniper’ and the frenetic opening from ‘Juggernauts’ (except this time devoid of melody). Frontman Reynolds’ lyrics can go either way – refreshingly earnest call to arms or cringe-inducing cliché, depending on where you stand – but it doesn’t get much more unoriginal than sampling a news reporter; even Muse couldn’t get away with that one. Here’s hoping they’ve been saving all their new ideas for the next album.
29th November - 5th December 2013
redbrick.me/music
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Tweet of the Week: @katyperry: Yes, unconditional love sometimes feels like being hit by a car... Or being on fire... How does it feel to you?
Album Review: M.I.A. - Matangi Charles McAlindin Music Critic
@chlindin
Fiery dance/hip-hop diva M.I.A. has had a controversial few years, with her previous album Maya being somewhat of a flop, accusations of her politics being naive, and of course we can’t forget that middle finger she stuck up to millions of people watching The Superbowl. However, none of this controversy has caused M.I.A. to give into the fat cats in black suits who, ever since her smash hit 'Paper Planes', have been telling her to become a mainstream success. Instead ,she has come back with attitude and style in her new album Matangi.
"The mesmeric rhythm of her music gives it that edge that we were all desperately wanting" She sees this as her ‘spiritual album’, having taken great influence form the goddess of music herself, Matangi. This influence is seen through various Hindu references, as well as through the move she has made away from forceful politics in order to explore her personal and spiritual side far more. M.I.A. has said that she doesn’t pay attention to what's going on in the world anymore, as her own journey is of greater interest to her at the moment. The sentiment of this statement can be appreciated, although it is clearly not entirely true when lyrics such
Live Review: Palma Violets @ The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton, 18th November Mimi Bowron Music Critic
@MimiBowron
With a line up consisting of Palma Violets, Childhood and Baby Strange, this gig could have no doubt sold out the likes of the The Institute in Digbeth if it had come to Birmingham. Yet, strangely, Palma Violets decided to kick start the first night of their Rattlesnake Rodeo Tour in Wolverhampton. Brummie patriotism aside, the venue was brilliant; a rock bar cum small intimate venue cum montage to the Wolverhamptonborn band, Christmas-favourite Slade. Palma Violets strutted on to the stage; Chilli (the guitarist) casually smoking a fag and Samuel (the lead singer and guitarist) wearing glasses inside like they were timetravelling indie stars from early 2000s Camden town. After Chilli had handed over his cigarette to a lucky member of the audience, they burst into 'Rattlesnake Highway' and the whole crowd got going before they blended into a blasphemous, sing-a-long cover of 'Oh Happy Day'. Their “stadium anthem” 'Best Of Friends' was by far the most popular hit for the crowd, alongside other classics such as 'Chicken Dippers' (despite the hilarious name, this is actually a really deep song that's great to belt out after a breakup). Throughout their set, Chilli kept stagediving into the crowd. At one point, the crowd lifted him so high that he was able to
hold onto the vent hanging from the ceiling and swing back down into the hands of his adoring fans. This rock'n'roll act was naturally followed with the upbeat 'Step Up For The Cool Cats'. With all the howling and 'oooing' and 'aahing' that make up a lot of Palma Violets' lyrics, there was a lot of shouting along with the vocals that are almost reminiscent of The Ramones or The Clash. 'Johnny Bagga' Donuts' was the peak of the night and the crowd went wild to its erratic bursts of mayhem.
"They were time travelling indie stars from early 2000s Camden Town" After working the crowd up into a frenzy, the anticipation for the encore was unbearable. Though, without disappointment, they remounted the stage with an angst-fuelled cover of The Hot Nasties' 'Invasion of the Tribbles' (an old, underground, Canadian punk band) which was met with confusion, but their unwavering energy overrode. The air was thick with perspiration and there was a united atmosphere of being on the same level as the band, despite their rock star aura; they even brought their merch guy up on to the stage to join the party.
as ‘There's trillions of cash, and there's billions of us, and there's millions of things that can happen with this stuff’ are dotted all around ‘Matangi’. In fact, the album has a perfect balance between personal and political lyrics. On this record M.I.A.’s strong political views aren’t being forcibly jammed down your throat in every line of every song. They are clearly present, but well balanced with refreshing, personal lyrics. The spiritual journey which M.I.A. claims to have taken by making this album seems to have broadened her musical horizons, with songs such as ‘Exodus’ and its reprise ‘Sexodus’. On these tracks M.I.A. manages to divert her sound away from garish upbeat dance music towards something more peaceful and melodic, which could be considered her first big success at writing a ballad. The mesmeric rhythm of her music, portrayed through the pulsating east-meets-west beats on Matangi, gives it that edge we were all desperately wanting. Lyrical rhythm is also a quintessential part of the album, with phonetics giving a pulsating beat on tracks such as ‘Matangi’. In this track she starts the song by simply listing countries in such a way that gives the track a compelling throb definitive to M.I.A. and her ‘in your face’ attitude. This, combined with lyrics such as ‘My words are my armour and you’re about to meet your karma’, show that the fire in her belly is ever-present. So M.I.A. is clearly far from going soft on us. She has produced an album which is fearless and exhilarating, but which also has elements of beauty and peace. Her ability to combine the two is a testament to her being one of the most creative and interesting artists of 2013.
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redbrick.me/television
29th November - 5th December 2013
Television
It's Back... Dr Who
For some, the return of Dr Who for its 50th anniversary special was the TV event of their year. TV Critic Shannon Carey joined the excitement
When Doctor Who was first rebooted in 2005, I was a massive fan. And when David Tennant took over the role towards the end of the year, I became an even bigger fan. You often hear people speaking of their ‘favourite’ doctor and mine has undoubtedly been David Tennant since his
"You could genuinely believe that all three characters, despite their differences,.were the same man" first episode. However, when David Tennant left the show in 2010 and the role was taken over by Matt Smith, a relatively unknown actor at the time, my interest in the show fell. I don’t know if it was the recasting of the Doctor, the new companion or the new storylines, but I found myself less and less keen to watch the show, to the point where I stopped watching altogether. But when I heard there was going to be a mass 50th anniversary special, shown in cinemas and featuring not one, not two, but three Doctors, I was excited. The news of this special seemed to
bring out the old Doctor Who fan within me, and soon I was counting down the days to the 23rd of November. And, unsurprisingly, the 50th anniversary special didn’t disappoint. Although I hadn’t properly sat and watched the show for many series, the 75 minutes brought back many references from the past that made sure even old fans didn’t feel left out. From Rose Tyler, daleks, the repeated references of the ‘Bad Wolf’, the return of David Tennant and even the appearance of the fourth Doctor, Tom Baker, the show made sure that everyone’s old favourites had their chance to shine in the special. While it was nice to see what has been so special about Doctor Who in the past, it was also important that the special showed what is so good about the show now. I will admit that I have never given Matt Smith a true chance as the Doctor, and, as glad as I was to see David Tennant back in the role, the interplay between the three doctors also showed how capable Matt Smith himself is as the Doctor. Throughout the special, he offered a child-like eccentricity that juxtaposed the seriousness of the ‘War Doctor’ (played by John Hurt) and Tennant’s unpredictable tenth Doctor. It is credit to him, as it is each of the actors and writers behind the special, that three actors all playing the same role worked so well in the episode – you could genuinely believe that, despite their differences, all the characters were the same man. In this sense, the special truly brought together the new and the old, using the perfect mix of
past r e f e rences a n d actors alongside the present day characters and set-up. Whether you’re an old fan (like me) or you’ve joined the mass
"The episode is a prime example of what Dr Who does best"
What the Critics Say
Doctor Who fandom more recently, there was most definitely something for everyone in the special. Moreover, the show represented what makes it such a big show across the world – after all, in what other show would you see three timelords, two Queen Elizabeths and shapeshifting aliens in the middle of a wood? The episode is the prime example of what Doctor Who has always done best – bringing people together, whether young or old, no matter who their favourite doctor is or what their favourite part of the series is, all to celebrate 50 years of one of the best shows on television. And, judging by the viewing figures of Saturday’s special, ten million people agree with me.
The Independent "It satisfies the needs of the fans and feeds their hunger, as well as consolidating some of the show’s mythology" Mashable
"The episode was
both funnier and more poignant than many fans were expecting" Den of Geek
"The Day Of The
The Doctor: Sofa to Cinema Jo Kendall TV Editor
With Dr Who fever sweeping the nation, last weekend saw a record 10.2 million people tuning in on Saturday to watch the 50th anniversary special: Day of the Doctor. However for extreme fans there was the opportunity to undergo huge levels of stress to purchase tickets to experience the special in 3D at selected cinemas across the country. Whilst some have been praising this as a stroke of genius, others have been question-
ing whether this is a step too far? Don't get me wrong, I love going to the cinema, but to see films. Is this the start of a slippery slope to the end of 'Saturday night in front of the tele'. Perhaps this is an over reaction, but with the YouTube culture ever increasing and now the cinema starting to branch out into television, how long will it be until we can only watch big TV events on the big screen, excluding those who either can't afford steep cinema prices or frankly just want to watch the TV in their pyjamas. I realise I am coming across as a bit of a scrooge as the cinema provides a fantastic watching experience whilst creating a community spirit. However,
cinemas are already giants within the media world monopolising a huge part of our entertainment and charging us horrendous prices for the pleasure. For me, and probably many others, part of the fun of watching such an iconic piece of television is a glass of wine, a takeaway and a comfy pair of slippers, I pay my TV license and I want to enjoy it! The point of cinema for me is to watch things I can't watch at home. I don't want to pay to watch something I can see in my own living room for free! I'm not saying that we should ban all TV speicals from cinemas, I'm just saying in the future I want to make sure we still have a choice!
Doctor had a lot of fun with the past, and left quite a lot to explore for the future" The Mirror
"Its 50th birthday
turned out to be a bash bigger than even the most hopelessly romantic Whovian could ever have expected"
redbrick.me/television
29th November - 5th December 2013
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Time to Switch Off? With our attention spans dwindling and the internet behemoth that is YouTube branching out into more and more domains, Hannah Stevens wonders how much longer TV will last... As one famous YouTuber (CTFxC) calls his daily vlog channel, ‘Internet killed the television’, is this true? One thing is for sure, we are living in a world that is developing gradually shorter attention spans, which is one of the reasons I think television programmes have so many breaks; it gives zone out time without missing anything crucial. When it comes to TV we want something entertaining quickly, if we want something long and drawn out I'm sure most of us would pick a film. If we are choosing to watch a TV series we want episodes that jump straight into it, grabbing our attention from the moment we decide to sit down and watch. We want action, and tension and everything in between, but I think TVs time is limited. So many TV shows are struggling to do so now, with very few of them portraying the longevity that 90's programmes like Friends and Will & Grace mastered. Although we do have a few series that are showing that they can last, like Supernatural and Grey's Anatomy, we are still starting to see them decay as original storylines are becoming harder and harder to come by, and audi-
This Week In Telly
ences are growing bored. Ratings are falling and interest is faltering, as we want something quicker and easier to satisfy our boredom, and with less adverts. So is that why YouTube has broken into mainstream audiences so well? It is an industry that has been developing steadily before really exploding in the last few years, and allowing countless YouTube stars to make their living purely off three minute videos. With YouTube selling its advertising space with little trouble, YouTube stars are milking it for all its worth. They work hard, and most of them self-produce incredibly well shot work that entertains millions in just a few minutes, so really it’s no wonder that YouTube is achieving hundreds of millions hits a day. In comparison to YouTube’s continually rising views, TV is struggling more and more every day. It helps that there are so many different brands of YouTuber, from the every day vlogger like CTFxC and the nomadic vlogger FunForLouis, to the beauty vlogger, the comedic vlogger, the filmmakers, the musicians and those who just do it for fun. Every brand has a niche, and all of these stars are
certainly making it work, with comedic YouTubers Smosh topping 10 million subscribers recently. It is unsurprising why so many opt for a quick spurt of video watching over trying to follow a series on TV. Moreover, audiences are given much shorter adverts and they can skip any dull seconds they wish to save.
Oh Joey
Top Tweeter Ad Gaffe
"It's unsurprising so many of us avoid trying to follow a series" Our attention spans are so short that a quick four minute video is perfect for our generation. This general four minute limit stemming from the VlogBrothers whose global fame started when they committed to vlogging four minute videos to each other
for a year, has now grown into their worldwide franchise, DFTBA (don't forget to be awesome). With viral videos becoming a regular occurrence, and money still to be made it is no surprise that YouTube has exploded the way it has. Moreover, with YouTubers now having immensely successful events like VidCon and Summer in the City that are dedicated to their fans getting to meet them, it just goes to show how quickly YouTube has caught up with TV. It took years for TV shows to get involved in conventions like Comic Con, but YouTube has sprung up quickly and is showing no sign of slowing down. YouTube has opened doors for countless people who have been able to create their own platforms, produce their own works and make their own money, which is invaluable in a job market that is faltering so much. So it is no surprise that they have done so well, it is a fast growing industry that I'm sure will soon be encroaching on the success of TV shows, and eating into their numbers. Will TV rise to the challenge? Watch out television, there's a new kid in town.
'Essex is an easy understanding language!'
@MaryRBerry 'I learnt to do my laces, but blowing your nose, you don’t need to do it the professional way, say, you can just do it the Joey way.’
Whether you're a Bake Off fan or not, if you've ever heard of Mary Berry, you should be following this account. The tweets are frequently filthy, but always hilarious, and often centre on her "mates" Delia Smith and Paul Hollywood. She also live-tweets to X Factor, in a style that would bring even the cockiest contestant to tears. Well worth a follow. "Slut dropping shots with Delia. She can high kick a ramekin off the top shelf of my pantry when she's wasted."
'I feel like when you put stuff in the dishwasher it’s dirty and when it comes out it’s clean.’
"Don't forget I'll be in the #DailyMail tomorrow sharing some recipe secrets. I'll be on page 3 with my roulade out." "I've just had Mr Kipling"
Sainsbury's has been cringing this week after eagle-eyed viewers noticed three Co-op products featuring in their brandnew Chritmas advert, including a lemon torte, a Christmas pudding and a Christmas cake. Sainsbury's said the goof occured because the advert is made up of home videos, and they wanted to allow director Kevin McDonald complete artistic freedom on the project. Meanwhile, a Co-op spokeswoman said the company was pleased 'even Sainsbury's can't resist our lemon torte.'
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redbrick.me/tech
29th November - 5th December 2013
Science & Technology
From Bargaining to Banks to... Bitcoin? Amelia Perry discovers the new currency craze which is sweeping the net! Since the beginning of time, money has been advancing, and the way we buy and trade items has changed significantly. Bitcoin – an online cryptocurrency – is now perhaps set to revolutionise the way we sell, save and spend.
"They merely exist online, almost like a decentralised and digital form of gold" Thousands of years ago, humans began bartering - haggling for goods and services in return for other items, which later morphed into a type of prehistoric currency, with salt and weapons and animals being used as a medium of exchange. The very first coins came into circulation around 600 BC, with the creation of bronze money in the shape of small knives
and spades, which later progressed into the silver and gold coins, close to the ones recognisable in society today. A key turning point in the evolution of money was the shift from the coin being a unit of weight to a unit of value, representative of a certain amount of wealth. It was soon deemed impractical to carry around large quantities of heavy coins as well as dangerous, and thus the first bills of exchange were fashioned. These developed into banknotes – paper money – with no real intrinsic value, valuable solely because everyone recognises the worth it represents. The shift to paper money led to the creation of currency markets, opening up the world to increased international trade, allowing the exchange of British pounds to Japanese yen, from Turkish lira to American dollars. In the present day in the UK, we are accustomed to our crisp banknotes, gold pounds adorned with sovereign faces and
those annoying copper pennies. We also have astonishing technology that allows us to draw cash out of a hole in the wall, using only a bit of plastic card covered in code.
But n o w there is a new currency hitting the
Flexible Phones:
Made of Tougher Stuff Claire Harris
Science and Tech editor
We have all been there; the moment when you drop your shiny new Smartphone and the screen instantly shatters. 'My old Nokia brick was made of sturdier stuff’, I hear you cry, ‘I dropped it in a cement mixer and it still wouldn’t break!'. In a time of increasingly fragile phones, the innovation of LG’s flexible display is like a breath of fresh air. Launched earlier this month in South Korea, these screens are made from bendy plastic substrates as opposed to glass. Leaked photos showed LG’s latest creation, G Flex, which utilises this technology to incorporate a curved screen. However, this idea is still in its infancy. Despite users benefitting from a more durable display, the phone is still essentially static in its curved position. The Technology giant is competing with Samsung’s newly unveiled Galaxy Round, who as yet have no plans to expand beyond the Korean market. Both already use this technology in curved tele-
vision screens, but how effective can it be in a phone setting? Despite news leaks all the way back in October for this design, the first official press conference for the LG phone was held in South Korea this month. They were released shortly after to the South Korean market, but the rest of the world may have to wait until 2014 to grab these supple screens. This was the very first time that the device had been on show, giving an opportunity to see how exactly the OLED (organic light emitting diode) display works. However, those present were left feeling underwhelmed by the current nature of the screen, noting that the phones overall gigantic size was more notable than the curvaceous screen itself. LG hopes that, in the future, screens for phones and tablets alike will be able to roll, fold and bend. Experts have predicted that fully foldable phones could be available as early as 2016/17. So, with flexible phones set to hit the market in a big way, it could be the end of all our gadget- breaking nightmares!
market, Bitcoins (BTC). Dubbed a ‘cryptocurrency’, Bitcoins (BTC) are not a tangible thing that you can put in your purse, pay for a drink with or store in your piggy-bank. They merely exist online, almost like a decentralised and digital form of gold. Transactions do not have to go through a bank as they are exchanged directly from person to person via the net, they can be used in every country without the need to convert to a different currency and there are no limits. Generated all over the internet by computers running an application called ‘Bitcoin miner’, BTC are produced when people connect to the network and set them to work on a cryptographic puzzle – so-called ‘mining’. When a puzzle is cracked, a digital ‘block’ is added onto the public record of all transactions, known as a ‘blockchain’ and miners are rewarded with a certain amount of BTC, that are
stored in an online wallet. The currency started in 2009 and has since soared in both popularity and value, increasing 50 times in value over a year, up to $500 US dollars per BTC. Those who bought when prices were low are now online millionaries. Many companies now trade in this currency and accept this virtual money for legitimate goods and services (one man even put his house on sale in return for BTC). Bitcoin is a revelation to the banking industry, and many investors believe it has the potential to overthrow banks entirely, cutting out the ‘middle-man’, allowing people to be more in control of their money. However, many argue that it will never be recognised as a stable form of currency as its value fluctuates so wildly and wallets of BTC can be lost if a user’s hard-drive crashes. They are a risky investment but for those with the guts and the knowledge of the currency, the payout can be incredible!
Follow us online www.redbrick.me/tech @redbricktech
29th November - 5th December 2013
redbrick.me/tech
Claire Harris & Soumya Perinparajah Science and Tech editors
The new kid on the block, Xbox One, has certainly exceeded expectations, selling over a million copies in just 24 hours! As the third version in the ever popular Xbox series, it certainly had a lot to live up to. Making its debut last week, the new console was eagerly put to the test by fans. Thousands of people descended on the shops late Thursday evening, many of whom stayed open late for the midnight release. However, the release date was marred by reports of failures on the Xbox official website as well as Microsoft sites. Already, users have reported errors with the disk drive, a problem which has already been acknowledged by Microsoft. So it hasn’t all been plain sailing for the gaming giants so far! Subtle and sleek, the new Xbox console has gone for an understated effect, running quieter and cooler than its 360 counterpart. Additional new features - for example, the ability for Kinect to log you in automatically by scanning your face, and blu-ray drives - are big hitters. They also pave the way for smaller alterations such as the design of the controllers. There will be less of those annoying moments with low battery life too; a week and a half of constant play couldn’t even fully deplete these new controllers. Here, the larger Kinect box seems to rely more on voice commands and, whilst the system isn’t perfect, it appears to work more consistently than previous versions. Incorporating the function of cable TV (only available in the US as of the moment), and infrared connections to your devices around the living rooms are also major plus points! Most of the Xbox apps can be snapped to a
Battle of the Boxes mini window alongside current gameplay. So no more worries about catching up on your favourite TV show on Netflix - multitasking can be yours! But, have these jazzy extras compromised the integrity of what for many should just be a gaming console? Worries about the balance between games and snazzy features aside, the Xbox One has tried to incorporate all your devices to be streamed into one place. In doing this, Xbox has strived to stay ahead of the game, in the face of the launch of the new Playstation 4 console. Already it seems as if Microsoft have tried to tip the scales in Xbox’s favour, with several games exclusive to this console, such as Forza Motorsport 5 and Dead Rising 3. Coming in at a pricey £429.99, this may not be the cheapest option, but a well written letter to Santa this Christmas may snag you this nifty console!
The Xbox One and the Playstation 4 have hit the shelves How will the battle between these technological giants play out? Only time will tell!
Following the Xbox One release comes the eagerly-awaited Playstation 4 console, which launches this Friday in the UK. Whilst incorporating the well-received features of past Sony consoles, notably the Playstation 3, it also brings new extras that will delight gaming fans. The DualShock4 controller, which is argued to be the best controller Sony has ever made, will surely be preferred over the problematic controllers that the PS3 experienced. That said, the console can be stood up vertically and stored discreetly when all the gaming fun is over, just like the PS3. In an attempt to improve the user ID login system, user profiles can now be downloaded directly onto the console, making it easier for guest players to be added temporarily. Perfect for having all your mates around for a session of serious gaming! An internal power
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supply reduces the wiry mess that usually accompanies a console, and display options can be changed as you please without having to quit your game. Also, when in standby mode, controllers are prioritised for charging over USBs, letting you play longer!
"There are a few features that might dishearten users." There are a few features that might dishearten users. The PS4 does not have an IR port for universal remotes, and does not support a Bluetooth headphone audio support, unlike the Xbox One. In an attempt to break free from the multimedia aspects first introduced in the PS3, there also seems to be less importance given to Bluetooth features, as the new PS4 does not support Logitech’s PS3 Bluetooth adaptor or the PS3 Bluetooth Bluray remote. However, a massive attraction is the price which at £349.99 is considerably cheaper than the PS3, which would have set you back £425 at launch in 2006. Surprisingly, a question mark has been left with regard to games, as Sony have yet to release a software library to accompany the console. Although existing Sony games such as Killerzone: Shadow Fall and Sony Japan's Knack have not been impressive, the sheer technological power of the PS4 is predicted to beat the Xbox One in terms of resolution, as can be seen with Battlefield 4. For now, Sony seem set to have a successful launch this Friday, with many excited fans sure to clamour to get a piece of the action and that all important first play. The arrival of some new games, as well as people trying out the console, will indicate just how successful this new updated console will be.
Surgery: Now in 3D! Rachel Taylor explores the medical applications of 3D printing Surgeons are now able to not only see, but touch and experiment with body parts before their patient has even gone under anaesthetic. This quickly reduces the time and com-
plexities that surgery can have, as a 3D printed copy of their body parts can be experimented on beforehand. This came in very handy in a
recent surgery at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital for a set of twins who were conjoined by their facial bones. Doctors were able to do an MRI scan and print a copy of their skulls showing any blood vessels that could complicate surgery. This recreated the joining corridor that the twins shared and surgeons were able to pin-point any exact cuts on the models. This experimentation made the surgery faster and safer as it reduced the chance of error in paper-printed scans.
"This is not the first time that 3D printing has helped to save lives" This is not the first time that 3D printing has helped to save lives; surgeons at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in London made a replacement skull for a Nigerian man,
using the cells from his shoulder blades to craft the bone tissue. The 3D printing of his skull ensured that the jawbone had the exact dimensions needed to fit the rest of his face, so it could be grown to shape. Other smaller body parts have also been printed, such as the ear. This was developed by scientists at Cornell University, America, using a computer programme called SolidWorks CAD to print the specific 7-part mould taken from an MRI scan of a patient. This was then injected with a high density gel containing 250 million bovine cartilage cells and collagen for structuring the ear. After just minutes, the ear was then removed from the gel fluid and incubated in a cell culture where it would spend almost a week building up the cell numbers. It could then be attached to the body in surgery and after only 3 months, the ear would be well incorporated into the body. The ear cannot be fully synthetically 3D printed as there is a high chance of rejection by the body,
"There is hope that scientists will be able to print a fully functional human heart within 10 years" but by using a cell-culture the ear would have the same texture and flexibility as a real ear! 'There is hope that scientists will be able to print a fully functional human heart within 10 years', says Dr. Stuart Williams, who has already patented the use of fat-derived stem cells in a therapeutic sense. He discovered, during his research at the Cardiovascular Innovation Institute in America, that even taking a sample of 50 cm3 of fat from a patient would be able to produce enough stem cells for all the major blood vessels in the heart.
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redbrick.me/film
29th November - 5th December 2013
Film
Focus on: Teen Movies
From Twilight to The Hunger Games, Hannah Stevens discusses the ingredients of a successful teen movie and what the future holds for this popular genre
Review: The Family
Details Release date: 22nd November 2013 Director: Luc Besson Cast: Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dianna Agron Running time: 111 minutes
´´´´´ Ciaran Cresswell Critic
Illustrated by Hayley Allanson The Hunger Games: Catching Fire marks another in a long series of young adult book adaptions which have slowly crept into the mainstream cinema market over the last decade. The Hunger Games franchise is definitely proving to be a roaring success so far, and with an estimated opening weekend projection of 138 million, it is lined up to join the success of similar franchises such as Twilight and Harry Potter. Only time will tell if it will equal these series of films, but it definitely has all of the ingredients: a beautiful leading lady, a die hard fan base, attractive men, drama, and most importantly, the love triangle.
"Teen audiences are picky. In comparison to the novel, success appears to come far less easily on the silver screen..." Oh, the love triangle. The easiest path to success for any film, particularly when your key demographic is the teen audience. However, teen audiences are picky, and in comparison to the novel, success appears to come far less easily on the silver screen. The success of the silver screen is elusive and it can prove to be difficult to transpose the critical and monetary success of a book into cinema. Particularly when fan bases are so brutal. If you look at the mountain of attempted book adaptions that have accumulated over the years, the pile of failures far outweigh the triumphs. With films like Stormbreaker, Eragon and Cirque Du Freak proving to be
both critical punching bags and box office failures, despite enormous fan bases. These disasters undoubtedly have something to do with their downright awful screenplays and even worse casting. But ultimately it is more than likely that it was their lack of romantic interest which led to their downfall. Even the eagerly anticipated Ender’s Game has flopped massively at the box office after months of hype. Perhaps that is the problem, our expectations are built beyond comprehension with endless teaser trailers and preview footage, and then nothing can quite match our anticipation. With audiences always wanting more, it’s not surprising to see so much disappointment on the cutting room floor, and no doubt there is much more to come. With Divergent failing to produce buzz, and the recent Mortal Instruments failing to impress critically, it looks like audiences are quickly growing bored. More importantly, wider audiences are showing a lack of interest, and teen audiences can only be relied upon for a portion of the ticket sales. It’s clearly harder for films to appeal to a larger audience when their themes are specifically aimed at young adults, but in today’s market a film cannot afford to be that picky. It is unsurprising that films which don’t appeal to wider audiences are flopping so impressively; teens only have so much money after all. Although this logic doesn’t apply to the Twilight franchise that was driven by its rabid teenage fans, when we consider the roaring success of the Harry Potter series, it is apparent that ticket sales have to be driven by more than just obsessive fan girls. The Hunger Games franchise is definitely delivering. With Lionsgate pushing all of its profits back into the second film, it is clearly meeting its viewers desires. The cin-
ematography and the effects on the recent instalment blow its predecessor out of the water, proving that you really do have to put the money in it in order to get it out. Even though it clearly doesn’t take an expert writer to make a successful book, it is certainly crucial to making a successful film. The art of the screenplay is a difficult one at the best of times. When it comes to adapting a book, it is even harder, especially when you have such a large fraction of your audience just waiting to criticise. Every cut from the book is a crucial decision that could make or break the fanbase. Films like Stormbreaker go to show that harsh editing can be fatal, but too light and you end up with a film marathon like Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
"The love triangle rests at the core of every successful teen movie..." Still, it is clear that although The Hunger Games has gained a broad audience due to its wide array of themes, which are relatable to people of all ages, it is not its key ingredient. This is the ever elusive love triangle. To draw in that teenage fanbase, which contributes to the majority of ticket sales, the love triangle is key. It peaks the interest of every obsessed teen around the globe. It has become evident that in order to have a success story, a romantic interest is crucial to box office results. So brace yourselves for the next endless procession of simplistic teenage love stories with a few supernatural or dystopian twists thrown in.
Synopsis: An ‘Ex’-Mafia family are relocated to a small town in Normandy under the witness protection act, but with their old amici Italiani after them and their tendency to solve most of their daily problems with violence, will their FBI babysitters be able to keep them hidden for long? Ever wondered what happens to the protagonists of all those mafia movies after all the crime and excitement subsides? In France? Well then, watch The Family or as it’s also known Goodfellas 2: Day of the Cheese Makers (ok, so it was Ray Liotta’s character not DeNiro’s that went into witness protection, but DeNiro and that guy Vincent Pastore are in both of them, and Martin Scorsese was an executive producer so if you squint your eyes it’s basically a spiritual sequel.) The film feels as if the cast of a mafia film have been relocated into a comedy, making for some brilliant comedic crossgenre juxtaposition. There are several hilarious occasions where members of the family takes drastic measures to get their own back on the locals, including rejecting a boy with a tennis racket, hospitalising an unpunctual plumber, and blowing up a small shop for just being plain rude. As well as the comedic parts, there is also a very tense finale which feels like a genuine mafia film. However, due to this collision of genre, there are parts where it is not sure what it wants to be, where the sense of direction was a bit weak, and there were one or two convenient plot points that are difficult to swallow. All can be forgiven though, as it really is a very enjoyable film, especially for Mafia fans or francophiles. Verdict: Great laughs, great script, and great editing. Just a few flimsy plot points that stop it from being fantastic. It’s DeNiro from Goodfellas, Lee Jones from The Fugitive, and a much more violent version of Dianna Agron from Glee. Avec du fromage.
29th November - 5th December 2013
redbrick.me/film
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Film News Lamide Danmola Critic
A sequel to the 1946 classic It’s a Wonderful Life was recently announced. The film is to follow the grandson of original protagonist George Bailey who encounters his own angel, supposedly played by original cast member Karolyn Grimes. The film is scheduled for December 2015. =
Gravity has already become a blockbuster hit, and is a favourite for the Oscars in February; and now a spin-off short film has just been released online. This seven minute short film, directed by Jonas Cuaron, depicts what happened 'on the other end of the line' from a certain memorable scene and beautifully ties in with its parent film.
Review: Catching Fire
Jennifer Lawrence returns as Katniss for the second instalment in the hugely popular Hunger Games franchise
Details Release date: 21st November 2013 Director: Francis Lawrence Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth Running time: 146 minutes IMDB rating: 8.3 Rotten Tomatoes rating: 89%
´´´´´ Mark Reeves Critic
‘Remember, girl on fire, I’m still betting on you.’ Katniss Everdeen’s stylist is not the only one who has strong hopes for our young heroine, as whispers of rebellion are heard during her victory tour across the oppressed districts of Panem. Following closely from the successful adaptation of Susan Collins’ young adult novel, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire quickly submerges the audience into this dystopian world once again as the tensions and stakes are even higher. Whereas last time we saw Jennifer Lawrence play the bow-wielding tribute as a solitary figure pitted against other children in a brutal tournament, this time the seeds of revolution are being sown, with Katniss unwittingly becoming the figurehead of the
rebel force against a tyrannical state. In a format that mirrors that of the first film, Catching Fire sees Katniss and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) thrown back into the dreaded Arena, with the big twist being they are up against the skilled and ferocious set of previous victors as part of a Hunger Games special – the Quarter Quell. The tributes, parades, training sessions and arena battles should seem too familiar, but director Francis Lawrence crafts this tale successfully with layers of political unease, interesting character developments and stunning visuals.
"Director Francis Lawrence crafts this tale successfully with layers of political unease" A post-Oscar J-Law once again proves her worth as the girl on fire, beautifully adding depth to a character that in less able hands could come across as hard and emotionally void. One stand-out scene is the announcement of the Quarter Quell, where we see the life force drain from Katniss’ face with the realisation that – as the only girl victor from District 12 – she must face her demons of killing her peers once more. Compared with other attempts at adapting teen novels to the big screen, you are thankful that Lawrence is capable of carrying this franchise to success. Of course it is not entirely a one woman show. Welcoming back favourites such as Elizabeth Banks’ eccentrically dressed mentor Effie Trinket and Woody Harrelson’s bitter drunk Haymitch as they help guide Katniss and Peeta through what could be their last battle, the audience are offered another side of these two seemingly selfobsessed characters. Banks especially shows
that amidst the Lady Gaga inspired outfits and glamour-filled life, she truly cares about her tributes, with a touching scene where she presents her team with small, thoughtful gifts. Not everyone is on top form though. A character better developed in the books, Peeta comes across as soft and a bit too lovey-dovey. Hutcherson plays him the best he can with the script he is given, but we hoped his character’s intentions would be better represented in the film. Plutarch Heavensbee is also someone who did not really succeed in the transference to the big screen with - the usually wonderful - Philip Seymour Hoffman playing the head games maker with such subtlety that it unfortunately sometimes comes across as too understated, leading us to hope that the next two films explore his character with better success.
"The harsh themes here are used not to just shock people but to aid the story" What is most impressive about Catching Fire is its ability to not shy away from the harrowing content of its source novel. Blood rain, public lashings and the execution of an elderly man are just some of the things this 12a rated film manages to include; a bold move after the backlash The Hunger Games faced after claims of gratuitous violence. The harsh themes here are used not to just shock people but to aid the story, layering it with a mature feel not often found in movies aimed at young adults. ‘Stay alive’, Haymitch says as his last words of advice to Katniss. As a sequel, Catching Fire does this and more in a bid to make this a truly incredible franchise.
Fans of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's collaborative efforts will be pleased to hear that the duo are working on a film adaptation of the comic book Sleeper. Although a script is yet to be written and a cast yet to be signed, this collaboration looks promising. Fingers crossed it lives up Oscarwinning Good Will Hunting.
Nymphomaniac caused a stir when it released its sexed-up film posters, and has now released its first trailer. The sexually explicit film features an all-star cast: Christian Slater, Shia LeBeouf, Uma Thurman and Jamie Bell, and is directed by the controversial Lars Von Trier. The trailer has since been removed from YouTube.
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redbrick.me/sport
29th November - 5th December 2013
Sport
Birmingham cruise to easy victory over Manchester
Michael Jevon
Birmingham 1sts
6
Manchester 1sts
2
Constantinos Akrivos Sports Reporter
The University of Birmingham men’s badminton 1sts secured a comfortable 6-2 victory over Manchester 1sts at the Munrow sports hall on Wednesday afternoon. After a defeat by the same scoreline last week against Loughborough, the hosts were keen to make up lost ground in the table. Speaking before the game, Birmingham’s captain Nathan Walker stated “It’s obviously a top division so it is going to be a tough match, but we hope to repeat our away success against Manchester from earlier in the season.” And they did, as the hosts ran out 6-2 winners. The first singles match was between
Birmingham’s captain Nathan Walker and Manchester’s Andy Chen. The hosts never faced any real problems as Walker put in a solid performance handing Brum an easy early win, without the need of a third game, triumphing 21-7, 21-11. Using a clever technique, the captain played long shots to the back line before running into the net for an easy smash. He was also faster and showed more flexibility than his opponent, illustrating his true class. In his second singles game, Walker was once again on fire winning easily against Rohan Shah 21-18 and 21-7. Like Birmingham’s captain, Jonathan McDonald never faced any serious difficulty against the same two challengers Rohan Shah (21-7, 21-14) and Andy Chen (21-5, 21-15).
"The hosts never faced any real problems as Walker put in a solid performance handing Brum an easy early win"
Moving into the doubles Birmingham’s Eric Pun and Brian Li fought against Jame Kee and Davidson Ching. The hosts continued their great performance and won overall , despite requiring the third game for the first time, securing the win with a 21-19 victory. However, in the earlier doubles tie, the hosts’ pair lost to James Kee and ZhiLun Ng 3-2. Manchester’s Kee was in excellent form, hitting winner after winner. Lastly, Birmingham’s Doug Furze and Bear Hackett played against Simon Chiverton and Davidson Ching for the second doubles game, winning easily as a result of organised plays. Again, the hosts did not require a third rubber, after securing 21-9 and 21-12 wins in the first two games. As had been the case in his first doubles game, Manchester’s Kee was in fine form and together with partner Ng was too much for Birmingham’s pair of Pun and Li securing a 21-14, 21-18 win. Unfortunately for the visitors, the form of Kee was not enough to give them an overall win as Birmingham eased to victory. The difference in class between the two universities was evident throughout the tie
as Birmingham’s players were more athletic, quick, accurate, confident and determined to succeed.
"Birmingham's players were more athletic, quick, accurate, confident and determined to succeed." Commenting after the win, Walker said: “It was a good result and we can be happy. It would have been nice to have won a few more games but in this league every one counts so I am pretty pleased.” The captain also commented on Birmingham’s game next week when they will meet Sheffield Hallam University men’s 1st, stating “It will be a big game. I am quite confident though. We have a lot of training this week, and that will hopefully prepare us for an important match. “For us our goals are always to get to the semi-finals of the BUCS Championships. This year could be tough but we have good players working hard to achieve that.”
29th November - 5th December 2013
redbrick.me/sport
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Brum downed by late show Birmingham 2nds Leeds 2nds
14 26
Ellie Jones
Sports reporter
Birmingham men’s rugby union 2nds took on Leeds’ 2nds for a chance to progress to the next round of the cup in a hard fought match on the Metchley Pitches. Despite sitting fifth in the BUCS league Midlands 1A, Birmingham certainly showed that they were more than a match for their opponents. The home side made an energetic start with scrum half Will Isaacs recycling the ball quickly. The fast pace helped Birmingham camp on the Leeds 22 metre line from the start. Some great passing by Nick Hearn, John Lee and Isaacs gained more and more ground but Leeds' defence held firm to calm the game down. The first scrum came and Birmingham looked a little shaky as Leeds easily won the ball, with their winger making a blistering run down the right hand side. The attack was saved by a last ditch tackle by James Kettle but Leeds came away with a penalty and made the score 3-0. The restart did not look promising for Birmingham, with instant pressure applied in the centre by Leeds’ forwards. Sloppy passes from the opposition gave Gordon Parker the chance to break away, a short pass found Ollie Webb, then James Dingle, who set Phil Earl up beautifully for a wellconstructed try. The conversion was successful and Birmingham looked on track at 7-3. From the offset, it was clear Leeds liked the inside ball but caused themselves problems by running into the sturdy Birmingham defence. Unfortunately, schoolboy errors in the breakdown gave Leeds another shot at goal and their full back didn’t look like missing, to put them back in touch at 7-6. In the loose, Birmingham were rapid, shutting down any attacking running with ease. The scrum had also become more dominant, executed by Isaacs and steered well by the front three, but again the errors from the home team remained and Leeds were now 12-7 up, with no real attacking chances. After half time, the Birmingham pace seemed to have slowed and Leeds stepped up a gear. The away side won nearly all the advantage and this put constant pressure on the Birmingham defence. Luckily, the centres stood up to the challenge with numerous big hits to the oncoming attack. Despite Brum keeping Leeds off their line, it was constant deja-vu with the kick to safety being met with an instant riposte. In the last ten minutes Leeds kicked into Brum’s 22, where it was picked up by Brennan who called a mark. Using the ball quickly he ran nearly 20 metres with his team in close support. The Leeds defence scrambled back but a succession of short passes from Kettle, Trace, Brennan and back to Kettle resulted in Birmingham’s second try in remarkable fashion. A successful conversion from the try scorer saw his team 14-12 up with seven minutes to go. With celebrations from the crowd still going on, Leeds intercepted and their big number 8 barged through the now tiring Birmingham defence to score. The conversion was added by the full-back to give Leeds a 19-14 lead. The home side kept positive with Lee, Trace and Earl pushing harder than ever towards the try line.
Charlotte Wilson
"the constant pressure from Leeds just gave the visitors the edge"
However a kick to Brum’s backs and a mistimed pass meant Leeds wrapped the game up with an interception three metres out. This left the score at 26-14 and Leeds saw the game out from there.
Birmingham played some outstanding rugby, displaying the quality of players and coaching within the team. Unfortunately, the constant pressure from Leeds just gave the visitors the edge in a thrilling match.
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29th November - 5th December 2013
redbrick.me/sport
Sport
Sport View The Lance Armstrong fallout The most hated cheat in sport may yet have a reason to feel hard done by. Tom Dodd argues that the Armstrong fallout has seen one man become a scapegoat for the actions of many. Tom Dodd Sport writer
@TomAlexDodd
The villain in a superhero movie will more often than not receive his comeuppance in an explosive and fiery ending that leaves viewers walking away from the film satisfied that the evil, no-good counterpart to the story's hero has got what he deserved. But what if there are no real heroes? What if even those who appear to be on the right side of good and evil have prior convictions or a dark past that could easily be likened to that of the main baddy himself? It is often quite easy to relate sport to a movie, magical endings and unexpected changes in the course of events but just sometimes there is a further twist in proceedings, which goes well beyond the screenplay of the standard run-of-the-mill Hollywood blockbuster. Before his fall from grace 12 months ago, Lance Armstrong’s life was such a blockbuster. That was until everything fell apart, and the revelations about his toxic past were revealed through investigations, testimonies and books. Stripped of all tour wins, dropped by all his sponsors and given a lifetime ban from all forms of elite competition (in the Texans own words a “death penalty”), Armstrong hit rock bottom. An open confession to chat show host Oprah Winfrey in January of this year followed, and that seemed to be the final nail in the coffin for the man who once epitomised the term ‘living legend’. However, the fallout is still very much being written. Since the confession, Armstrong has started a long process of apologies and financial settlements as he seeks to try and regain any sense of respect from the community of people he conned and bullied for so long.
"why should a man who also deceived the public be lauded as some kind of hero" This week, in a café in Texas, Armstrong met with Emma O’Reilly, his former team masseuse and the first person to publicly testify against the American in 2004. She would be the first of many to come out and openly name Armstrong as a consistent doper in the sport of cycling at the turn of the century. O’Reilly wasn’t a racer, she never used performance drugs. But Tyler Hamilton was. And did. In mid-2012 Hamilton published The Secret Race a book that laid out exactly how Armstrong and his US Postal Service teammates had cheated so effectively during the glory years. After his own confession, Hamilton was given a twoyear ban from cycling, one that barely serves as a sanction given his retirement from the sport. Several more high-profile former teammates were handed 6-month bans (the punishment for a positive test in the Armstrong era). Yet, some continue to compete worldwide on two wheels today. Hamilton’s book has sold millions of copies worldwide, and he has no doubt collected a majority of the royalties received from each sale. So a man who cheated to try and gain success is now cashing in on his
confessions, purely because it helped to bring down the man he helped to cheat. Perhaps in the microcosm of professional cycling this would seem fair (the amount of money Armstrong won from his Tour victories is staggering, certainly in comparison to the rest of the peloton at that time). But, in the grand scheme of things, why should a man who also deceived the public be lauded as some kind of hero and even make financial gain through admitting that he did so? Floyd Landis, former Armstrong supporter and disgraced ‘winner’ of the 2006 Tour, is now filing a law-suit against his exteam leader in an attempt to regain some of the money given to Armstrong for his successes on the US Postal Service Cycling team. In what world should Landis deserve such financial settlement? After all this is a man who used drugs to win a Tour de France that Armstrong did not even compete in. This is merely a bitter former cyclist who
simply seeks money as compensation for the fact he could not find a team to ride for after serving his two year ban. It is nothing short of vindictive.
"If the world of cycling in the early 2000s were a film it wouldn't have any protagonists" I am no fan of Armstrong, but it would be nice to see some consistency in the proceedings of reprimands being handed out by the cycling governing body. It is fair enough to strip Armstrong of his tour wins, and strike them from the record books, but why are Bjarne Riis, Jan Ullrich and Marco Pantani allowed to keep their titles from the 1996-98 Tours in the Grand History book of Cyclings greatest race, when they too all retroactively tested positive for EPO. Off
the bike, Armstrong may have been the bigger villain, ordering and bossing people around, but on it he was no more of a liar than anyone else and, in cycling terms at least, back then, it was a pretty even playing field. Yes, the Texan may have denied the allegations on several occasions, but how is a verbal denial any different to hiding on the floor of your own home from a drug tester (something that Hamilton admitted he did during those dark years). If the world of cycling in the early 2000s were a film it wouldn’t have any protagonists, at least none worth looking up to anyway. Hamilton stated in a documentary earlier this year that he thought it was possible to finish the Tour de France riding clean in those days, but only in 80th or 90th place. But nobody ever remembers those riders, who chose to ignore the temptations and ride fairly. Perhaps they are the real heroes of this whole story.
29th November - 5th December
redbrick.me/sport
Things to look out for this weekend
@StuartBroad8 'Love Trotty. Absolute champion of a man. He knows he has all the support of all the people around him. Puts cricket in perspective.'
2. Jonathan Trott departed from England's tour of Australia. The number three spot in the batting line-up is open. Who will the selectors choose to replace England's former 'Mr Reliable'? 3. After several weeks of action, the rugby league World Cup final will be contested this weekend between New Zealand and Australia in what is sure to be a lively and brutal encounter.
Performance of the week
Tweet of the week
1. After a 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Manchester City last weekend, there have been reports that Andre Villas Boas is on the brink at Tottenham. How will Spurs get on at home to Manchester United on Sunday?
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Photo of the week
The lighter side of sport
Previously the butt of many jokes, Australian fast-bowler Mitchell Johnson made critics eat their words when he blew away England's batting line up in the first Ashes test in Brisbane. He took match figures of 9-103 in two showings of aggressive and destructive bowling. After a good performance with the bat as well, partly holding Australia's first innings together, Johnson was deservedly awarded man of the match.
Weekend wager
1. Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari this week provided assembled journalists with more than just a press conference, taking the opportunity to have a shave at the same time. 'Big Phil' has been chosen as a Gillette ambassador ahead of the 2014 World Cup.
9/1 The snooker UK Championship gets underway this weekend with a very competitive field. Reigning champion Mark Selby looks good at these odds to beat off the likes of Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd Trump to retain his crown.
2. Former disgraced Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu landed himself in further hot water this week when he was banned from playing for the Romanian national team, after comparing manager Victor Piturca to comedy fool Mr Bean.
Sport quiz 1. Which former snooker player is currently on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here?
Online this week
2. Which team are the only Canadian side in the NBA? 3. Which tennis player is the current British men's number three? 4. Who is the longest serving football manager in the Championship? Tuesday Debate: This week Redbrick Sport writers debate which league is the best in the footballing world.
SPOTY: Nicola Kenton takes an early look at this year's contenders.
5. Which golfer won this year's Race to Dubai? 1.Steve Davis 2.Toronto Raptors 3.James Ward 4.Chris Powell 5.Henrik Stenson
Top 5: After New Zealand's last gasp win over Ireland last weekend, Aman Harees chooses his top 5 sporting comebacks.
The Redbrick Crossword This week's prize is a luxurious Marks & Spencer's meal for two with our ex-Deputy Editor, James Kinsey, who is a spiffing gent. Crossword by Matt Robinson
Across Please complete this form before you hand in your completed crossword to the Redbrick office. Name: Email Address: Phone Number: Preferred Meal:
1. Roman god of wine (7) 5. Tease; _____ examinations (4) 8. Agricultural labourer (4) 9. Philosophical tradition emphasing harmony (6) 10. Country of South East Asia (8) 11. Introducing Audrey Hepburn (5,7) 15. Fox-like (7) 17. Eastern food, made from chickpeas (6) 18. USA wine region, ____ valley (4) 19. Classical Greek instrument (4) 20. Marcel _____ ; artist (7)
Down
2. Noble gas (5) 3. Lloyd-Webber musical (4) 4. Chicken Little was afraid it might happen; last Bond ďŹ lm (7) 5. Condiment; can be French or English (7) 6. Author of 'The Trial' (5) 7. Visually distinctive ďŹ lm maker (6) 12. Pacify; placate (7) 13. Transcript of parliamentary debates (7) 14. Opera by Puccini (5) 15. PVC; hipster's method of choice for music listening (5) 16. Creature from Jewish folk tale (5)
~12`3``4~5``6 7~`~`~~`~`~~` `~`~`~~`~8``` 9`````~`~`~~` `~`~~~0`````` `~~~~~~`~`~~~ -``=`q``````~ ~~~`~`~~~~~~w e``````~~~r~` `~~`~`~t````` y```~`~~`~`~` `~~`~`~~`~`~` u```~i``````~
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redbrick.me/sport
29th November - 5th December 2013
Sport
P 30 - Tom Dodd looks at villain of the moment Lance Armstrong and why he may be coming in for some unfair criticism in this week's Sport View
Brum narrowly beaten in fiery encounter Birmingham 1sts
1
Leeds Met 1sts
2
Aman Harees Sports Reporter
The University of Birmingham men’s 1sts endured a third successive defeat in a bruising cup tie with high flying Leeds Metropolitan on a chilly Wednesday evening. Under the bright lights at Metchley Park, Birmingham were drained both physically and mentally in an enthralling affair as Leeds cancelled the home side’s opener and forced extra time, before going on to snare a winning goal in the first half of extra time. Prior to the game, Birmingham’s manager, Rob Williams, claimed that his side subscribed to football tenets of the continent – a 4-3-3 formation, a passing game and keeping the ball on the floor. However, the succession of aerial challenges, crunching tackles and clearances made you well aware that this was to be a typically British tussle. At kick off, first touches and passing were wayward from both sides which was expected from two teams who had not faced one another before. In the early minutes of the game, it was apparent that Leeds’ athletic right winger, Simpson, was the player Birmingham’s defence needed to watch closely. For the home side, towering centre half Jack Hulin, was justifying his nickname ‘Vidic’ by nullifying early Leeds threats with his aerial dominance. Despite the early scare of a deflected free kick, it was Birmingham who drew first blood. In the fifth minute, John Pykett flew down the right wing and picked out an on rushing Matt Thomas who trapped the ball well and finished aplomb past the hapless Leeds goalkeeper. Leeds’ response was swift. A few minutes later, some intricate midfield play by influential skipper, Greenhalgh, led to their first gilt edged chance but Simpson, winger, could only hit the far post. Only minutes later, the cagey affair erupted into life as a poor tackle by Simpson on Birmingham's fullback, Dan Westmore, nearly led to a flare up between the pair. Midway through the first half, chances were carved out by both sides. Birmingham goal scorer, Thomas, embarked on a mazy run on the left hand side which nearly came to
fruition and next, it was Leeds’ turn to stream forward as a slaloming dribble by centre-forward, Cartman, began to ring the alarm bells but as ever, the Birmingham centre half pairing of Hulin and Seb Gho thwarted the chance. Shortly before half time, Leeds were able to level, largely down to the growing influence of their captain Greenhalgh. He was involved in their equaliser playing a ball over the top which was controlled and finished with precision by the explosive Simpson. From the outset of the second half, the home side attacked through their wide men and moved the ball about in dangerous areas in Leeds’ half. Within 10 minutes of the restart, fleet footed Thomas was at it again from the left byline, nearly putting the home side ahead
Charlotte Wilson
after some patient build up play by the midfield trio of Declan Kirby, Charlie Connor and Sam Graham. The match became bogged down with feisty tackles as both sides ensured they would not concede again, making extra time inevitable. Extra time was an eventful affair with both sides being denied by fine goalkeeping, but it was to be the visitors who took the lead. Captain Greenhalgh timed his jump well and headed in a well a stood up cross from the left wing. One could argue that the goal should not have stood as he used a defender for leverage but it was well deserved for his determination. The second half of extra time saw a series of 50/50 challenges go in favour of Leeds, much to the dismay of a smattering of home fans. As the half progressed, it was
becoming apparent that Leeds had some more gas in the tank as their wide forwards roamed in search of another goal. However, with less than ten minutes to go, the home side began to dictate the play as they searched for an equaliser. Streaming forward, they were awarded a string of free kicks and corners but they could not fashion a worthy chance. In the dying minutes of the game, a poorly executed tackle by a Leeds fullback sparked a violent confrontation between both teams but it was quickly quelled by the referee. Following the end of the match, Thomas, arguably the home side’s brightest spark, reflected that the 120 minutes of play was ‘mentally and physically tough’. This was a fiery game in which the hosts were narrowly beaten.