Issue 1512 by Redbrick

Redbrick Issue 1512, Vol. 84

Friday 6th December 2019

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Redbrick News Look at the Eight Days of UCU Strike Action

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pages 4&5

The Official University of Birmingham Student Newspaper, est. 1936

Guild Part-Time Officer Team Revamped Tom Leaman Editor-in-Chief

As part of an ongoing democratic review within the Guild of Students, there will be a different line-up of part-time officers in place next year. In an exclusive interview with Redbrick, the Guild of Students President, Joshua Williams, and the Activities and Employability Officer,

Ryan Ginger, revealed changes to the shape of the part-time officer team for the 2020-21 academic year. At this year’s Guild elections, students will no longer be able to run or vote for the roles of Anti-Racism and Anti-Facism Officer, Mature Students’ Officer or Commuter Students’ Officer. These roles will be replaced with a new Campaigns Officer. This is a nonportfolio role that will be based on the mandate of the candidate who gets

What are the The best films games of 2010? of the decade

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elected in February’s Guild elections, making it less restrictive than the current part-time roles. Williams and Ginger told Redbrick that this role ‘could be anything,’ and could completely differ from one year to another, depending on the priorities of the student elected to the position (for example, sexual harrassment policies or a manifesto safeguarding student workers). They also told Redbrick that the role could be used to support minorities who have not been specifically represented by a Guild officer in the past, such as care leavers. One of Williams’ manifesto points during his election campaign, was for the introduction of a part-time officer role for students who come to the University after leaving the care of a local authority. Non-portfolio positions in sabbatical officer teams are already common at other students’ unions, with the Guild being one of the few unions without one. Despite three positions being removed from the officer team next year, Williams made it clear to Redbrick that the entire full and parttime officer team supports the change. This has emerged as part of a democratic review within the Guild, which began under Jess Levy, the 2017-18 Representation and Resources Officer (a now defunct position). The review continued last year under the presidency of Reece Patrick

Roberts and is now being overseen by Williams and Ginger. The changes to the part-time officer team were also influenced by an external review by Temple Farmer Ltd. A review of the full-time officer team, which led to the the Housing and Community Officer and Welfare Officer roles being merged to create the Welfare and Community Officer role in 2018, instigated the democratic review by highlighting the need to review the part-time officer positions and the Guild’s democratic structures. Williams and Ginger told Redbrick that the democracy review has encouraged the shift to the new Campaigns Officer role to allow funding and resources to be better distributed to the part-time officers. However, Williams was quick to stress that this change has not been caused by a funding shortfall, though the two officers did say that the Guild is ‘significantly underfunded.’ The Guild’s democracy review is still ongoing with the intention of giving students a new platform to engage more effectively with the Guild to meaningfully influence how decisions are made within a more transparent union. This could include changing or replacing Your Ideas to make the process of students presenting their ideas faster and more flexible. It is likely that there will be a series of student referenda on the proposed changes once the review is complete.

The history of the roast dinner

The Brumski experience: Beginner vs Professional

Food&Drink 29

Travel 31

INSIDE: Redbrick Food&Drink Take A Festive Glance at the University Roast Dinner

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Letter From the Committee: So this is Christmas, and what have you done? Well although it might not technically be Christmas yet, this is the last editorial column before the big event, and I feel like we can say we’ve all done a lot for the paper so far. Coming from the lowly position of writer to Deputy Digital Editor this year has been a massive shift for me, but I can wholly say I’m loving (nearly) every minute of it, and only regret not getting involved with this lovely bunch sooner. Reading over all of your fantastic articles has reminded me of the power of student journalism – I’ve laughed, I’ve cried (well not actually, but only because I reserve all my tears for cute pictures of cats), but most of all I’ve been engaged with new and fresh conversations that I wouldn’t have otherwise been part of. Of course, I’m not doing this alone – working as part of a team with Lucy has helped me through this transition, and I feel I’ve really got to know her, both as a colleague and a friend. For example, I’ve learned that she has a mild obsession with rats, loves Revels (much to my disgust), and geeks out over the same weird digital things as me (shoutout to Joe and the ‘ready to publish’ button on the spreadsheet). But Redbrick isn’t just about the website, and we have Natalia to thank for our beautiful bi-weekly paper. Since she has been Print & Features Editor there isn’t one pa-

per that hasn’t come out looking absolutely gorgeous, with a personal favourite of mine being the 1511 for its vibrant pink theme. Emily and Lydia are the brains behind Redbrick’s newsletter (sign up if you haven’t already) and of course, the mythicised Redbrick fleeces which I’m sure everyone is very excited about. Tom’s commitment as Editor-in-Chief/Sheriff has been astonishing, though I’m sure his degree is feeling the brunt of this. The office wouldn’t be nearly as festive as it is at the moment without Becky, who really went to town on the decorations this year; on a more serious note, Becky and Theo have both worked tirelessly to ensure Redbrick’s social media presence has remained on the up this year. Finally, I want to thank Joe for putting up with my constant messages about all things digital (and yes the irony isn’t lost on me that I’m useless with technology). With all of the thanks out of the way then, there’s nothing left to say but Merry Christmas! I can’t wait to see what 2020 brings for Redbrick. From the dungeons, etc...

Holly Pittaway Deputy Digital Editor

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Online this week at redbrick.me... LIFE&STYLE

GAMING

FILM

TRAVEL

Matt Kennedy/ STX Films

Kojima Productions

Free-Photos Catcalling: Are Women Really Asking For It?

News: Death Stranding PC Release Announced

Jakob Owens Review: 21 Bridges

Redbrick Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief Tom Leaman editor@redbrickonline.co.uk

Deputy Editors Emily Calder Lydia Waller deputy@redbrickonline.co.uk

Print & Features Editor Natalia Carter print@redbrickonline.co.uk

Digital Editors Lucy McCann Holly Pittaway digital@redbrickonline.co.uk

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News Editors Aneesa Ahmed Alex Boscott Christina Manns John Wimperis Rhiannon Wood news@redbrickonline.co.uk

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Comment Editors Emily Chapman Hannah Lay Alice Macfarlane Abby Spreadborough

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Culture Editors Grace Baxendine Luca Demetriou culture@redbrickonline.co.uk

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Marketing Secretary Theodore Wrigley

Film Editors Amy O’Neill Matt Taylor Todd Waugh Ambridge Sam Zucca

Gaming Editors Alex Green Tom Martin Sam Nason gaming@redbrickonline.co.uk

Music Editors Freddie Clark Gemma Elgar Daisy Kirkaldy Dylan Lucas

Food&Drink Editors Harriet Laban Beth Sadler Gabrielle TaylorDowson

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Travel Editors Josie Hart Katie Norris Fern O’Shaughnessy travel@redbrickonline.co.uk

Life&Style Editors Estelle Dragan Frankie Rhodes Ellie Silcock Elizabeth Winter lifestyle@redbrickonline.co.uk

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Sport Editors Luke Bosher John Rogers Kit Shepard sport@redbrickonline.co.uk

From Screen to Reality: Movie Setting Destinations

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Editorial Assistants Daniel Bray Aimée Calvert editor@redbrickonline.co.uk Roberta Carro Amber Cater Izzy Frost Catrin Jackson Isabella Lewis Bethany-Jo O'Neill Redbrick is printed through Lucy Perrior www.mortonsprint.com Ché Scott 01507 523 456 Rebecca Sibley Becky Watts To advertise in Redbrick, get in touch with Lauren Watson marketing@redbrickonline.co.uk or visit www.redbrick.me/advertise-with-redbrick for more details, and to see our rate card. Designed and typeset by Redbrick Copyright (C) Redbrick 2019 The views expressed in Redbrick do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, the Guild or the publishers. If you find an error of fact in our pages, please write to the editor. Our policy is to correct mistakes promptly in print and to apologise where appropriate. We reserve the right to edit any article, letter or email submitted for publication.

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Josh Williams Guild Bans Political Visits UoB's Societies from Dubai Campus Campaigning Aneesa Ahmed News Editor

Redbrick spoke to Guild President Joshua Williams about his time at the University of Birmingham Dubai campus alongside Jo Park, International Officer and Amanda Sefton, Education Officer. The officers took a short trip to Dubai in November, where they met staff and students at the Dubai campus, including attending a graduation ceremony of the first cohort of Dubai campus graduates. Williams outlined how the team spent much of their time with the Student Leadership Team in Dubai, who operate in a similar way to the Guild. He highlighted meeting the Student Leaders as highly significant in understanding the Dubai campus and Dubai living experience. Williams highlights how he felt ‘dubious about going to Dubai’ as the laws in Dubai do not align with his own personal view, however once going to Dubai he told Redbrick that he was ‘glad’ that he did go because it was an ‘enriching experience.’ When speaking to Redbrick, Williams described how at first, he felt incredibly apprehensive about visiting Dubai, especially due to being a gay man himself, and stated that at first he felt ‘very uncomfortable going.’ However, he outlined that his decision to go in the end was prompted by him wanting to use his status as Guild President to understand and help enrich the student experience on the Dubai campus. Williams outlined that while he is aware that he cannot change the laws and customs of Dubai, he can do ‘whatever possible’ to enrich the campus and university experience of UoB Dubai students. He stated how he wanted to ‘make sure [his] judgements are with an open mind’ despite his

own hesitancies, and he wanted to use the opportunity to understand the student experience on the Dubai campus. ‘I had my hesitancies, however I wanted to understand Dubai within its cultural context.’ Williams highlighted how the team wanted to use this opportunity as ‘more than just a photo opportunity’ and that their main goal was to ‘try our best to make sure we take in their feedback to ensure the uni represents all students.’ He said that despite the university being a global top 100 university, he wanted to make it ‘more than about just academia,’ by enriching the student experience across all campuses as he states ‘getting a student feedback is helpful and has more weight.’

“I wanted to understand Dubai within its cultural context” ‘We are students with a lot of questions and concerns and voicing them is the biggest thing we can do.’ Regarding having a campus on Dubai, he is ‘happy this conversation has been started’ and states that ‘we should continue to ask questions.’ He added that, ‘if I had it my way, there wouldn’t be a campus in Dubai, it would have been a decision with the collaboration with the students.’ However, Williams clarified that due to that not being the reality of the situation, the most he can do is use any feedback to learn. Williams finished by stating that his favourite part of the experience was witnessing how much of a ‘vibrant community’ the campus had and seeing how ‘everyone supported each other.’

John Wimperis

dents and get them involved politically - whether it's trying to encourage people to campaign, or not being allowed to run a register to vote drive in the Guild. What's the point of political societies if we're not allowed to be political?’

‘This is legal advice provided to groups to ensure that the Guild does not break charity law,’ Ginger continued. ‘Each political group was invited to come and talk about the advice given and discuss how each group can continue to be active during the election campaign.’ ‘It’s been great to see all the activity that groups have been up to during the election campaign particularly encouraging students to register to vote.’ The Guild is not the only student union to have taken this position. In early November, as reported by Palatinate, Durham Students

Union (DSU) suspended Durham University Labour Club (DULC) Co-Chairs Zoe Haylock and Jack Pearce for organising canvassing. However, following a response from the Charity Commission DSU reinstated Haylock and Pearce to their positions and allowed political societies to resume campaigning. DSU CEO Gareth Hughes said that ‘[the Charity Commission] were clear that our reading of the law and regulations was correct, but were comfortable with a broader interpretation of how these rules should be applied in regards to student groups than we expected.’ Asked by Redbrick whether the Guild would be reconsidering their decision to ban campaigning at Birmingham in light of DSU’s u-turn, Ginger said that he had now reached out to DSU ‘to get more information on this. ‘The advice we issued to Groups was in line with the latest guidance we had from the Charity Commission, the NUS and other Student Unions’ he continued. ‘If new guidance has been issued then I want to make sure this is given to groups quickly. The Guild wants to enable groups to do activity rather than restrict them. Any new guidance which does this will be welcomed.’ Some members of political societies voiced their frustration with the Guild’s current position to Redbrick. Birmingham University Labour Students (BULS) Publicity Officer Róisín Finn said that she understood charity status meant the Guild had to implement these rules, ‘but if charity law means they have to limit their students' freedom of speech to this extent, then I think that status needs to be reassessed.’ ‘These rules are making it incredibly difficult to reach stu-

of the court costs. In a win for the protestors, Warby lifted an earlier ban on Christian protestor John Allman, who was criticising LGBT education on social media, on the argument of online free speech. Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson, headteacher at Anderton Park, said outside court: ‘We will carry on doing what we do. When people say things about you that are not true, that is very difficult. It has taken us to come to the high court to clear that up.’ The protestors have said that an appeal is very likely and that they will continue to protest on the edge of the exclusion zone. Afsar and Ahmed have argued that the protests, held directly outside school gates, were ‘peaceful.’

The protests had a negative effect on the school environment, with educational psychologist Amanda Daniels being urgently called in to help 21 members of staff who were experiencing symptoms of stress, including anxiety and trouble sleeping, as a result of the protests. Saima Razzaq, a queer Muslim activist and member of Supporting Education of Equality and Diversity in Schools (Seeds), told Redbrick: ‘The recent decision to ban anti- LGBTQI protests outside schools is a welcomed one but we mustn’t be under any illusion that these protests are simply going to go away, or that those spreading misinformation and hate will simply stop. ‘If anything this hearing is going to stoke up more anger

amongst a community trying to make sense of what’s actually happened. ‘These are the same communities that were brandished extremists on the actions of a few during the unfounded Trojan Horse saga. The need for community cohesion is more important than it’s ever been.

News Editor

The Guild of Students has banned political societies from campaigning in the upcoming general election. Political societies were told by the Guild that they could not use their social media presence in a political way or campaign as a society. Ryan Ginger, Guild Activities and Employability Officer, told Redbrick that ‘as a registered charity the Guild has to follow certain rules, like all student unions, on what it and it’s societies can and cannot do during a general election. This includes not endorsing or campaigning for a political party or candidate.’ The Guild of Students has interpreted this to mean that societies explicitly affiliated to political parties cannot campaign for those parties in the upcoming election.

“The advice we issued to Groups was in line with the latest guidance we had”

“What's the point of political societies if we're not allowed to be political?” Ginger said that the Guild had not told BULS that they could not encourage voter registration. He told Redbrick, ‘the Guild has actively encouraged students to register to vote and groups to get their members to register to vote.’ Charis Bartley Co-Chair of University of Birmingham Green Students also expressed issues with the Guild’s position, telling Redbrick that ‘we are not happy about the ban on campaigning.’ She said that she had taken on her role ‘under the impression that our main aim would be to push the Green message, particularly in the event of an election.’ She continued, ‘surely [campaigning] is the whole point of our society’s existence? Otherwise we might as well just join the Politics Society!’ Michael Curzon, President of University of Birmingham Conservatives, took a different view however. He said that ‘it is unfair to criticise the Guild for its decision on society campaigning. It is simply following national laws on charity campaigning. ‘That other student unions might not follow these laws should reflect negatively on them, not on unions which do meet their legal obligations.’ Students in political societies continue to campaign as individuals.

Anti-LGBT Protestors Ban from Primary School Made Permanent Cerys Gardner News Reporter

The protests outside Anderton Park Primary School, in the Sparkhill area of Birmingham, have been permanently banned in a ruling by Mr Justice Mark Warby. This ruling was announced on Tuesday 26th of November. The protestors were campaigning against the LGBT inclusive relationships education at the school. The ruling is the culmination of a five day trial that happened in October, between the protestors and the school. The school wanted to make the injunction against the protestors, which was originally granted in May, permanent. The injunction stops chief protesters Shakeel Afsar, Rosina Afsar (who has withdrawn her

two children from the school) and Amir Ahmed, from taking part in or co-ordinating protests in the exclusion zone around the school. They are also stopped from distributing leaflets, being abusive about school staff and teaching and from using amplification devices.

“When people say things about you that are not true, that is very difficult” Delivering the ruling, Warby said that the protestors had ‘grossly misrepresented’ what was being taught at the school. He also ordered the protesters to pay 80%

“Community cohesion is more important than it’s ever been” ‘We must work with communities to ensure parents know what’s being taught to stop the misinformation being spread.’

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UCU Strike for Eight

Universities’ ‘Strong UCU Calls Arm’ Against Strikers for Eastwood to Resign as Chair of USS Becky Gelder News Reporter

Universities have been accused of using ‘strong arm tactics’ to disrupt the strike action that has been taking place across UK campuses this week. The eight day strike, which began on the 25th November, was organised by the University and College Union (UCU) in response to discussions over pensions and working conditions at higher education institutions. The industrial action is predicted to impact over one million students, with members of staff from sixty different universities participating in the strikes. At the University of Birmingham, provost and viceprincipal Tim Jones reportedly stated in an email to striking staff that they would be trespassing if they were to set up picket lines on campus, due to the fact that the university campus is ‘private land.’ This communication has been met with outrage from members of staff taking part in the industrial action, with members of the UCU labelling his response to the strikes as ‘disgraceful, heavyhanded and counterproductive.’ Over 1,000 people, including ten law professors, have signed a petition requesting that the viceprinciple provide legal grounding for his claims or otherwise withdraw them. A spokesperson from UCU said: ‘We are disappointed that the University continue to refuse

to allow peaceful pickets or protests on campus. We have yet to receive a full response to the open letter and petition, which called on the University to respond by Friday 29th November. The current position of senior management puts them in breach of human rights legislation, while threats made against the BUCU committee are unlawful under the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1992. We continue to call on the University to drop their bullying tactics and engage with the core issues of equality, casualisation, and workload at the heart of the pay dispute, and to take a positive position on protecting our pensions.’ Other notable examples of university ‘strong arm tactics’ are at the University of Liverpool and Sheffield Hallam University. In Liverpool, students have been told that it is unlawful to join pickets, that attendance would still be taken during the strikes, and that the university ‘will not give consideration at exam boards’ for those who joined the pickets. Liverpool has also warned that if international students choose to join the strike they will ‘risk jeopardising their visa.’ At Sheffield Hallam, students have been asked to fill in forms about the strike action entitled ‘Industrial Action: record of teaching activities not taking place.’ These forms have been provided so that the university may ‘monitor and record the teaching activities that are affected by staff taking industrial action.’ They have not been well

received by all though, with some students feeling they are being asked to ‘snitch’ on the staff who have decided to take part in the industrial action. Regarding the trespassing declaration, a UoB spokesperson said: ‘We have worked with UCU’s designated picket supervisor during the current industrial action and Alex Boscott pickets have been held every day at the locations agreed with UCU, News Editor which are at all of the main entrancDavid Eastwood has faced a call es to campus. ‘There is a long tradition of to step down from his role as chair pickets being held safely and of the Universities Superannuation peacefully at these locations by a Scheme (USS), a position he holds in addition to being Vicenumber of unions. ‘This is what they have pro- Chancellor of the University of Birmingham (UoB). posed to do in line with the In a letter sent to Government’s Code of Universities UK Practice on Picketing. Chair Phil This approach to the Harding, UCU location of pickets have called being outside of for Eastwood premises is comto ‘stand mon across the down early HE and other with immesectors. diate effect ‘Our focus or, failing remains on that, to recensuring the use himself safety of all our from the board staff irrespective pending a full of whether they are investigation into striking, as well as BUCU his conduct.’ that of students and visiThe letter also claimed tors.’ Strike action ended on the 4th that ‘it is a travesty that student December, however staff are con- education is being heavily distinuing to participate in ‘action rupted’ because of the ongoing short of a strike.’ This means that pensions dispute. UCU reaffirmed that the disstaff are working strictly to their contracts, and refusing to resched- pute ‘would be resolved if employers are able to keep total contribuule any missed lectures. tions to 26% or, failing that, to hold member contributions to 8% of salary,’ a condition that UCU have upheld since 7th June 2019, whilst claiming that ‘so far you [UUK] have been unable to come close to matching these demands from our members.’ This call for Eastwood to stand down from his role as Chair of the USS comes after eight days of strikes across the country by university staff and students over Alex Boscott disputes regarding pay and pen-

sion contributions. The letter concludes by stating that ‘the points set out above are entirely fair, realistic and well overdue demands of the employers which could allow progress to be made in this entirely avoidable dispute. ‘We are amazed at the lack of urgency on behalf of the employers to find a solution to the situation we are in. Our students deserve better.’ At a UCU rally at UoB this week, the Labour candidate for Birmingham Northfield Richard Burden addressed strikers and encouraged them to ‘keep the pressure on’ the University, regarding pay and pensions. Speaking to Redbrick, Burden called on the University to ‘negotiate and negotiate seriously’ with UCU. ‘They [University Staff] are saying that their workloads have increased whilst the real value of their pay has dropped.’

“This dispute will only be settled by negotiation” ‘There needs to be sensible negotiation over pensions because staff are complaining that they are seeing their contributions go up but at the same time the benefits in retirement for staff affected go down. ‘My message to the University is this: nobody came to the University to go on strike. They came here to teach students and to do world-class research and this dispute will only be settled by negotiation.’

Students Attend BUCU Teach-Outs Dylan Morgan News Reporter

During the recent eight-day University and College Union (UCU) strike, University of Birmingham UCU members put on 60 free ‘teach-out’ afternoon workshops for students, staff, and the public at Selly pubs the Bristol Pear and the S'oak, and the art venue/cafe Artefact in Stirchley. UCU objectives in staging ‘teach-outs’ were to show that ‘we care about students’ education’ and to have a way for participants ‘to show support for the strike.’ UCU also claimed that ‘the

sessions are there to build ideas, capacity, and community; this is what higher education is really all about.’ The Artefact arts venue had around 20 participants for one afternoon session. The pub lounge sessions were well attended. The UCU strikers key themes of fairness, equality and resistance were often addressed by the session tutors. In the ‘Shakespeare the Activist’ session, Nelson Mandela was shown to have used a smuggled book of Shakespeare’s Works to help sustain himself during imprisonment. Mandela’s favourite passage was ‘cowards die many times

before their deaths/The valiant never taste of death but once.’ The session participants then painted a Shakespearean quote, suitable for the strike onto placards which were then used on the pickets. Another session on ‘Student Lives in Crisis. How higher education is reproducing inequality’. highlighted the students’ increasing difficulties who have limited or no family financial support. The conclusion was that substantially more grants are needed. The session ‘Speaking truth to power’ showed that unequal social relations in education can create a ‘culture of silence’ which

can have negative health consequences for the participants. A first-year Economics undergraduate commented that he had learned about the ‘complicated relationship between the Guild and UoB.' During one musical session, participants listened to and discussed protest music including a song from the largely-forgotten British songwriter, Jake Thackray. A first year Politics undergraduate said the ‘teach-outs’ were a ‘fantastic opportunity to interact with people I wouldn't normally meet’ and ‘the Extinction Rebellion event was outstanding, brilliant discussions with like-minded pas-

sionate people.’ The University press office told Redbrick: 'We have worked with UCU's designated picket supervisor during the current industrial action and pickets have been held every day at the locations agreed with UCU, which are at all of the main entrances to campus. There is a long tradition of pickets being held safely and peacefully at these locations by a number of unions.' Our focus remains on ensuring the safety of all our staff irrespective of whether they are striking, as well as that of students and visitors.'

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Days at UoB

Students Go Back to School for Counselling Essex Vice-Chancellor Says Universities Can Do Better on Pensions “The girls are Ella Kipling News Reporter

Becky Gelder News Reporter

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Essex has commented on the planned eight day strikes, saying ‘we can afford a better pensions deal for striking staff.’ In a recent article for The Guardian, Essex Vice Chancellor Anthony Forster addressed the causes and consequences of the industrial action, which he labelled as ‘inconvenient truths.’ The article called for the joint expert panel, made up of members of both the UCU and Universities UK, to speed up negotiations and find common ground before the strikes took

Billy Bragg Joins the Picket Lines Alex Boscott & John Wimperis News Editors

place. Forster also criticised the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) for being ‘overly cautious in their calculations’ of what is necessary to sustain pension arrangements. He maintained that a ‘better deal can be available for staff.’ The Essex Vice Chancellor clearly stated that the University of Essex would be willing to contribute more to the scheme ‘to sustain critical features of the USS.’ He also acknowledged that staff would ‘not have voted for this lightly,’ stating that ‘staff are deeply committed to their universities and the success of their students and the vote reflects the

strength of feeling about the future of their pensions and working conditions.’

“We can afford a better pensions deal for striking staff” In response to the negative impact of the strikes on students at the University of Essex, Forster explained that a mitigating payment will be made to students who have lectures and classes cancelled due to next week's industrial action.

The headteacher of a private school has said that their former pupils at university are returning to their old schools to receive counselling. Julie Keller is headteacher of the £14,000 a year Nottingham Girls’ High School. She explained that ‘The girls are used to being able to get advice from us, so we have a school nurse, we have a school counsellor. That's what we believe the girls need.’ While ‘universities are getting better at providing all those services,’ sometimes ‘the girls want familiarity and what they know.’ Keller also adds that the girls ‘just don’t know who to speak to, you’ve got tutors, different academics, different people.’ According to data published last year, the number of students reaching out to mental health facilities is up by 50 per cent, and rose from 50,900 in 2012 to

78,100 in 2017, yet budgets for mental health services increased by 40 per cent.

used to being able to get advice from us” The reason lots of students are struggling, she said, is due to the expectation that university is supposed to be ‘the best greatest thing.’ ‘There's a lot of pressure to have a great time,’ she said, ‘and social media is making it worse. They are sat there at university looking at all their friends supposedly having the best time of their lives. And they're sometimes thinking, I haven't made any friends, I miss home.’

Modern Slavery is on the Rise in Birmingham Amy Lakin News Reporter

Left-wing singer-songwriter Billy Bragg The Birmingham Mail joined the UCU has revealed that picket outside there have been University 293 potential vicStation on tims of modern Tuesday slavery in the December West Midlands 3rd. in 2019 alone. Bragg Over 70 per cent played three of the victims songs, ‘Who’s who suffered Side Are You exploitation are On?,’ ‘Waiting children. For The Great John Wimperis The Home Office Leap Forwards,’ and ‘There Is Power In A Union,’ before leading the strikers in a rendition of ‘Solidarity Forever.’ Speaking to Redbrick, Bragg said that he had come, ‘to give some solidarity to UCU. I talk about the struggle, I talk about the unions on stage. I think if I wasn’t actually taking part in actions as well, that would be hypocritical. ‘So when I have the opportuDiana-Andreea nity to come out and show soliManduic darity with the workers who are News Reporter striking for better conditions, better pay and better pensions I try to get out and do that if I can.’ Large barriers made out of metal Bragg’s performance for the and concrete have been installed UCU strikers came on the penulti- to prevent vehicles driving into mate day of strikes, which saw people, such as happened in Berlin many staff picketing and protest- and London in previous years. ing over pensions, pay and workPatrols of police could be seen ing conditions. within the perimeters of the fesBragg also called on University tive markets since their opening. bosses to ‘sit down with the UCU A closer cooperation between and work it out.’ He also added: ‘I the officers, market staff and stall think right is on the side of the holders is expected, as stated by Union - I don’t see why the bosses West Midlands Police, whose aren't working with them.’ plans are to monitor public trans-

released statistics showing that the number of modern slavery cases has risen across the West Midlands area in 2019. The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is an organisation which identifies victims of modern slavery and refers them to the West Midlands Police. The organisation also works to help rehabilitate victims of modern slavery. The NRM found that in the period starting from July and ending in September this year, there has been over 127 cases. The cases included 35 accounts of adults and children being

exploited for labour. In addition to this, there were four cases of sexual exploitation: two adult women and two female minors. The figures come after a Polish gang were arrested in July this year for operating an extensive modern slavery network within the West Midlands area. The investigation found that over 400 people were trafficked and forced to live in extremely poor living conditions in return for virtually unpaid manual labour. The victims were made to live in vermininfested properties in the areas of West Bromwich, Sandwell, Smethwick and Walsall.

Senior Investigating Officer for West Midlands police, Detective Chief Inspector Nick Dale, said: ‘What they did was abhorrent: they subjected victims to a demi-life of misery and poverty. They forced them into work and, if they objected, they were beaten or threatened with violence and told that family members back home would be attacked.’ The anti- slavery organisation estimates that a harrowing 40.3 million people are currently in modern slavery worldwide. These figures include children, people in forced labour, forced marriages and in forced sexual exploitation.

‘Rings of Steel’ to Protect the UK’s Christmas Markets port and unnatural behaviour. For the first time in five years, the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre has lowered the terrorism threat from ‘severe’ to ‘substantial.’ It means the eventuality of a terrorist attack is ‘likely’ rather than ‘highly likely,’ and security measures are still in place. Jack Hadley, Superintendent, affirms: ‘I want to reassure the public that my officers will be in and around the market, keeping the public safe and will also be on hand to help anybody who has any concerns. ‘As always, we can’t wait to

welcome the Frankfurt Christmas Market and the millions of visitors it attracts each year [...] I want everyone who comes to visit to have a good time.’ Even though officers are present during the markets’ opening hours, Hadley advised people to remain alert and keep their personal belongings safe and enjoy the atmosphere. In Scotland the situation remains similar, with police officers patrolling around Edinburgh’s busiest Christmas Market, which attracted a million visitors last year. ‘Edinburgh is undoubtedly

one of the best cities in the world to celebrate Christmas and New Year in and Operational Winter City helps us keep the capital a wonderful place to stay in,’ declared Inspector David Brady. Brady assured the visitors that police patrols are highly visible throughout the city and will assist anyone in need during the festive period. While police attention increased, people are advised to keep an eye out because of their ‘vital role to play in helping with this,’ stated Brady.

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Friday 6th December 2019

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Redbrick Meets: Hope Projects UK Amy O'Neill Film Editor

Asylum seekers in the UK are particularly vulnerable to homelessness, as the conditions they are left in in between making claims for support from the government leaves them with ‘no recourse to public funds’: unable to access any form of benefits, housing or relief. According to the Red Cross: ‘the most common reasons for asylum seekers becoming destitute are problems with asylum support payments, or support being stopped or suspended when an asylum claim is refused.’ The Hope Projects is a charity based in Balsall Heath in Birmingham, which provides well-rounded support for homeless and destitute asylum seekers, who have had their asylum cases rejected often due to flaws in the asylum decision process. Phil Davis, the charity’s Coordinator, stresses the importance of the work that Hope does. He told Redbrick News: ‘Something that's important to me is that people are aware of asylum destitution. So often when we talk to people, they say: “I had no idea that was happening”, “that's terrible”, “that shouldn't happen.” ‘The frustrating thing is, generally speaking, homelessness is a really complex problem. And the reasons why people become homeless as a whole mix… but in this, we've got homelessness that

is that is actually created; we go out of our way to create this. You could stop it just by passing legislation in Parliament. It would be so easy to stop and say, actually, you know what, we're going to stop making people destitute.’ ‘The asylum system is designed to knock the fight out of people. So how do you help rebuild people’s sense of self?’ he asks. The Hope Projects aim to give people the support they need to be able to successfully fight their asylum cases. To do this, they fund legal advice for asylum seekers to mount new cases to overturn flawed asylum refusals by the Home Office, a place to stay - a firm base where they can live in safety, and activities to help people with their mental wellbeing and morale whilst fighting gruelling, sometimes yearslong legal cases. Part of their work involves improving people’s mental wellbeing, which they explain is to help people have the strength to fight their cases fully. Louise, Hope’s Wellbeing Officer, says that many people would like to volunteer or take part in group activities, and that it is important for their wellbeing to give their time and energy to others and to feel part of a community, not just like a beneficiary. This, she says, can decrease mental health risks and can help people feel strong enough to understand and fight their cases. Student Action for Refugees Birmingham, a student society at

Uni Interviews Used As 'Marketing,' Says Headteacher Christina Manns News Editor

Russell Group universities are using interviews as marketing opportunities rather than as part of the admissions process, a headteacher has claimed. Liz Hewer, headteacher at the prestigious £23,490 per year St George’s Ascot school, has suggested that universities are struggling to fill places and are using interviews as marketing strategies to entice students. Speaking to The Telegraph, Liz Hewer said: ‘If you get asked for an interview you are going to say yes if it’s one of your five choices. But it definitely feels, from the feedback from the pupils, like a marketing day. ‘It’s “come and have a look and meet us, we have an opportunity to show you what a great place this is as well as having an interview.” ‘Whereas in the past it would only really be for the very competitive courses or particular subjects like medicine which would require an interview.’ Many universities have expanded rapidly since the cap on

student numbers was lifted in 2015, leading to increased competition between universities to fill more places. This has led to criticism that universities are using marketing strategies to entice as many students as possible, rather than following more rigorous admissions processes. This can also be seen in the recent rise in unconditional offers, used to encourage students to place a university as their first choice. Indeed, students are now 30 times more likely to receive an unconditional offer than five years ago. A third-year University of Birmingham student, who was given an unconditional offer to study at UoB, told Redbrick: ‘I think unconditional offers are good because they reduce pressure and you can actually start planning because you know which uni you’ll be at.’ However, the universities watchdog has warned universities that ‘creating an impression of urgency’ in their offers, such as by making offers unconditional only if the university is placed as a student’s firm choice, is a potential breach of consumer protection law.

the Guild of Students, has worked with the Hope Projects over the last couple of years, notably running a women’s choir who performed at the Women For Refugee Women’s 2017 conference, an example of the benefits of asylum seekers getting involved in the community. Hope’s work makes a tangible, long-lasting impact on the lives of the people they work with, and often produces a happy ending. Agnes arrived in the UK in 2011. She fled her country after a coup, but inexplicably was not granted refugee status like other people in the same position as her. Hope took on her case in the end because they didn’t think her solicitor was doing a very good job. Once she was living in Hope’s accommodation, she began volunteering, particularly helping pregnant women, to whom she became a sort of ‘grandmother.’ Agnes was granted leave to remain in 2018.

“The frustrating thing is, generally speaking, homelessness is a really complex problem” Davis told Redbrick: ‘She still comes back on the bus to Birmingham to volunteer with Hope Projects because she thinks she should give something back as though she owes us anything. Sometimes it's a long fight, but it was always clear to us that she would be in real danger if she was to be deported.’ Hope asks students to write to their prospective parliamentary candidates to ask them ‘why is this happening’, and ‘what are they going to do to stop it?’

UoB Criticised Over Response to Rape Complaints Nathan Clarke

Birmingham has issued a statement in which it stated that the safety and wellbeing of their students is ‘of paramount imporThe University of Birmingham tance’ and that they have ‘invested has been heavily criticised for significantly in taking a proactive allegedly refusing to investigate approach to supporting students various rape complaints from stu- who have suffered sexual abuse.’ dents. Millie Gibbins, Welfare and One recent graduate twice Community Officer at the Guild, asked the University to launch a has formed a group of both staff formal investigation into her com- and students to review the plaints, having been allegedly ‘University Code of Conduct’ and raped in university-owned student ensure the system is ‘fit for puraccommodation, but was told that, pose for all students.’ since there were no procedures in She told Redbrick that she will place to deal with complaints of also review the ‘You Report, We this nature, no action would be Support’ tool in light of recent taken. incidents which have ‘highlighted In a similar incident, another some gaps in the process.’ graduate revealed to The Guardian The University of Birmingham that the University had refused to commended the courage of all investigate her complaint since victims of sexual assault and rape the incident had taken place in for coming forward. The privately rented accommodation University apologised ‘if any stuin Selly Oak. She told The dent [felt] that the support offered Guardian that ‘it didn’t feel like by the University fell short of the University believed me... it their expectations.’ felt like they were blaming me In response, they pledged to because I brought [my alleged open a dedicated suite later this attacker] home.’ year to provide support to stuShe also commented on how dents who may have been the UoB counsellors lacked specialist victims of sexual assault. The training to deal with the trauma statement stressed and stress she experienced that academic staff after the incident and that across the uniher grades 'really suffered' versity are as a result. asked to ‘recThe End Violence ognise and Against Women camrefer’ stupaign, a coalition of spedents to relOf UK students in cialist women’s support evant bodies RSA's report had services and activists to ensure experienced described the University they receive sexual violence of Birmingham’s stance on the right supoff-campus sexual assault as port and advice. a ‘glaring gap in protection.’ A report pubIn an interview with The lished last year by Guardian, one of the victims Revolt Sexual Assault revealed claims to have gone to her per- that out of 4,500 students sursonal tutor for help but, upon veyed in the UK, 62% had experirevealing the incident had taken enced sexual violence in line with place in a privately rented accom- the definition used by Rape Crisis; modation, the tutor ‘clapped his with 8% of female respondents hands and said, ‘ah well, we can’t saying they had been raped at do anything.’ University. However, the University of News Reporter

62%

Universities Cut Ties With Prince Andrew Over Epstein Scandal Eve Darby News Reporter

Universities have cut ties with Prince Andrew and others are also set to review the Duke of York’s patronage after his past connections to Jeffrey Epstein were revealed. On November 16th, Prince Andrew was interviewed by BBC Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis concerning his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and sex abuse allegations. Since then, both the University of Huddersfield and London Metropolitan University have decided to review the Duke’s involvement in their institutions. On the following Tuesday, Huddersfield University’s Student Union motioned for Prince Andrew to resign as chancellor, with students sharing #notmychancellor on social media. The

motion stated that the University and its students ‘should not be represented by a man with ties to organised child sexual exploitation and assault.’ The University responded by saying: ‘We listen to our student’s views and concerns and we will now be consulting with them over the coming weeks.’ Since then, the Duke of York has resigned from his public duties, announcing that he does not want his past connections to Epstein to distract from the work of the royal family. According to The Independent, Prince Andrew has expressed regret towards his relationship with Epstein, and says he is ‘willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.’ As reported by The Independent, following the prince’s resignation as chancellor,

Huddersfield University’s Student Union released a statement offering ‘sympathy to the victims of Epstein and all those affected by sexual abuse across the world.’ London Metropolitan University has also severed ties with the prince following his resignation, saying: ‘The University opposes all forms of discrimination, abuse, human trafficking and any activity that is contrary to the University’s values.’ This comes after Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre, 35, gave an interview to Panorama which is expected to be televised in the next few weeks. According to the Press Association, Giuffre repeats claims that after being trafficked, she had sexual relations with Prince Andrew when she was only seventeen years old. Despite these claims, the duke has denied sleeping with Giuffre on three different occasions.

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Friday 6th December 2019

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News Analysis: The Manifestos News Reporter Rachel Gittins takes a look at how each parties manifesto deals with the biggest issues dominating this election Rachel Gittins News Reporter

Immigration

All parties are pledging to make major changes to the current immigration system. The Potentially the most contentious Conservative Party propose to issue of the 2019 general election introduce an Australian-style is Brexit. The Conservative Party points system that would prioripropose to pass Boris Johnson’s tise people who: speak English, Withdrawal Agreement through have good education and qualifiParliament before Christmas with cations and who have been law the aim of leaving the EU in abiding. They also want to January 2020. They have stated increase the NHS international that the implementation period surcharge and prevent any more will not be extended beyond foreign national offenders from December 2020. They propose to entering the country. take the UK out of the EU Single Labour’s manifesto proposes Market and Customs Union, to end the ‘hostile environment’ whilst ensuring that businesses in and close all immigration detenNorthern Ireland have ‘unfettered tion centres. They pledge to proaccess’ to the rest of the UK. tect freedom of movement rights The Labour Party on the other in future Brexit negotiations and hand, propose to renegotiate a secure the automatic right of EU Brexit deal within three months nationals to remain in the UK and hold a second referendum without the need to apply for setwithin six months – offering vot- tled status. ers a choice between their renegoThe Liberal Democrats also tiated deal and remaining in the pledge to end the ‘hostile environEU. This renegotiated deal will: ment, abolish indefinite detention protect citizens rights, honour and reduce the responsibilities of international obligations (includ- the Home Office in policy-making the Good Friday Agreement), ing. They want to introduce a ensure an appropriate transition There flexible, were ‘merit-based’ immigraperiod, along with environmental tion system and plan to resettle protections. They would aim for a 10,000 unaccompanied refugee customs union and a close rela- children over the next 10 years tionship with the EU Single and resettle 10,000 vulnerable Market, with no hard border in refugees each year. Ireland. They will rule out leaving The Greens' plan to remain in the EU without a deal. th EU will result in freedom of The Liberal Democrats plan movement remaining, ensuring on revoking Article 50, and if not immigration with Europe would elected as a majority government, not be restricted. they will conduct a People’s Vote Farage's Brexit Party's plan to with the option to stay in the EU. leave the EU without a deal would The Green Party will cam- also bring to end freedom of paign for a second referendum in movement. They also plan to which they would advocate bring in a points-based immigraremaining in the EU. tion system with a view to reduce The Brexit Party, however, are annual immigration. campaigning for a 'clean-break' form of Brexit - which involves Trade leaving without a formal agreement with EU. With regards to trade, the

Brexit

Hugh Grant Advocates Tactical Voting Aneesa Ahmed British Actor Hugh Grant has called out the Liberal Democrats over a tweet where they suggested that they are the only party to stop Brexit. Grant retweeted the tweet and added ‘Second para not true,’ referring to the suggestion made by the Lib Dem party in their original tweet which showed pictures of Grant supporting Lib Dem Candidate Luciana Berger over the weekend. Since then Grant retweeted a tweet which suggests that Grant’s actual intention was to advocate tactical voting against the Conservative Party. He captioned this retweet ‘Correct. And here’s a great site to help vote tactically’ and linked a website associated with tactical voting.

The Aftermath of the London Bridge Attack Alex Boscott After Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, were killed in a sickening terrorist knife attack in London

last week, questions remain over how the attacker was allowed to be released from prison back in 2018. However, it is the politicisation of their deaths that has divided opinion - with Merritt’s father calling out politicians for using his son’s death to ‘perpetuate an agenda of hate that he gave his everything fighting against.’ Both Jack and Saskia were co-ordinators for 'Learning Together,' a programme which encourages students and offenders to study The together. Our thoughts at Redbrick are with Jack a and Saskia's family and

Conservatives aim to have 80% of UK trade covered by free trade agreements within the next three years. The Labour Party plan on remaining in the customs union and thus benefiting from EU trade deals. Their trade policy emphasis high environmental and social regulations, whilst furthering human rights. The Liberal Democrats have proposed scutinising trade deals to ensure they do not worsen inequalities or undermine human rights and support an international-rules based system. While the Greens pledge to fight to remain within the Customs Union and Single Market, The Brexit Party have promised to take back control of Britain's trade policy.

NHS Another hugely important issue parties have discussed in their manifestos is the future of the NHS, with all parties promising to increase funding for the NHS. The Conservative Party pledge to increase funding for NHS England by 3.1% between 2020 and 2024, as well as funding and building 40 new hospitals over the next 10 years. Labour also pledge to increase funding, however by 4.3% and propose to end and reverse the privatisation of the NHS. They also plan on spending £1.6 billion extra per year on mental health. The Liberal Democrat manifesto promises to increase funding for NHS England by 3.8%, which would come from the 1% income tax rise, and plans to develop a health and care tax. All parties are committed to hiring more GPs and reducing waiting times. The Brexit Party want to ringfence the NHS budget whilst protecting it from privatisation.

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The Greens wish to increase spending by £6bn per year whilst rolling back privatisation.

Education With regards to education, the three main parties: Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats are committed to reversing the cuts in per-pupil spending. For higher education, the Conservative party plan on assessing interest rates on student loan repayments and propose a Shared Prosperity Fund to match the funding that would be lost through leaving the EU; £500m of this fund would be used to support disadvantaged people. The Labour Party wants to abolish university tuition fees and bring back maintenance grants whilst developing a new approach for funding higher education. The Liberal Democrats plan on reviewing financing for higher education and restoring university maintenance grants for the most disadvantaged students. The Greens are pledging to increase spending by at least £4bn a year whilst reducing class sizes. The Brexit Party promise to abolish student loan interest and expand school choices for parents.

Security In the field of security and policing, all parties are committed to reversing the cuts to police numbers. Conservative and Labour manifestos pledge to hire over 20,000 new police officers. The Labour party wants to reform the current policy funding system and wants to increase police training on sensitive issues such as domestic abuse. The Liberal Democrats pledge to spend an additional £1 billion on community policing, with a 2% pay rise for police officers. dence of forced labour in terms of local civilians working on the project.’ The construction of this ‘model’ town also comes at a time when North Korea is under strict sanctions and, according to the National Committee on North Korea, many people ‘suffer from shortages of food, fuel, electricity, running water and other necessities.’

Round-Up Redbrick News team take look at the news where you aren't

friends at this time

'Epitome of Modern Civilisation' in DPRK Christina Manns North Korean dictator Kim Jongun has recently cut the red ribbon to unveil a new town in the area of Samjiyon, which the state media

has called the ‘epitome of modern civilisation.’ The town contains new apartments for 4,000 families, and even includes a stadium and a ski slope. However, Colin Zwirko, a correspondent at specialist website NK News, told BBC News: ‘We have seen evi-

World Leaders Have 'Summit' to Gossip About John Wimperis

A video shows world leaders gossiping about an unidentified figure over drinks during the NATO Summit. Boris Johnson asked ‘is that why he was late?’ to French President Emmanuel Macron, to which a jovial Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau chimed in that ‘he was late because he takes a forty minute press conference.’ Macron then cut him off to make an inaudible comment and share a laugh with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. After a break in the video,

They also want to replace police and crime commissioners with accountable police boards. The Brexit Party have pledged to increase police numbers and target county lines drug dealing and maintain the UK's NATO commitment. The Greens promise to reduce the numbr of short-term sentences and enchance rehabilitation projects. They also promise to invest in youth services.

Tax, Environment & Workers' Rights The Conservative Party have proposed modest tax changes, whilst Labour and the Liberal Democrats have proposed significant tax increases. The Conservatives have said that there will be no increases in income tax, national insurance and VAT for five years. All parties have proposed policies to strengthen worker’s rights – minimum wages would increase under both Labour and Conservative governments. Labour plan on raising the living wage to £10 an hour for over 16s, eliminating zero hours contracts and creating a Ministry for Employment Rights. Whilst the Liberal Democrats will conduct an independent review of the living wage and ensure that all government departments and agencies adhere to this. They also propose creating a Worker Protection Enforcement Authority. Labour propose nationalising the major sectors of rail, water, energy and mail. On the Environment and Climate Change, all parties have committed themselves to achieving net zero carbon emissions: for the Conservatives in 2050, Labour in the 2030s, Lib Dem by 2045 and the Green Party by 2030. Trudeau jokes that ‘I watched his team’s jaws just drop to the floor’ and Princess Anne comments that he had ‘a pretty dry voice as well.’

Polar Bear Spray-Painted Rhiannon Wood A video shared on Instagram has emerged this week, which shows a polar bear in Russia with ‘T-34’ spray-painted in black on its side. Experts are concerned for its wellbeing as it creates problems for the bear’s ability to camouflage in its surroundings, leading potentially to an inability to hunt effectively for food. Anatoly Kochnev, a scientist at the Institute of Biological Problems of the North, suggested that the incident may have taken place in Novaya Zamlya, given that a team of specialists had been sedating polar bears there when they had been wandering into populated areas. Therefore, Russian Media have considered that the spray-painting was a response from locals, as they become increasingly aggravated by the rise in the number of polar bears encroaching on communities in Arctic Russia.

COMMENT

Friday 6th December 2019

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Defining the Decade 2010-2019: The As the 2010s come to an end, Redbrick writers and editors come together to Jonathan Korn Comment Writer

When the history books come to be written, they will surely note that the 2010s have been a decade of inter-connectedness on a scale hitherto unseen. Globalisation and advances in technology have brought us closer together than ever before, and events which occur in one part of the world are rarely confined there. Nothing illustrates this better than the fallout from the Syrian Civil War. Saudi Arabia and Iran jostle for control of the Middle East, Russian intervention raises the spectre of renewed Cold War hostilities as America dithers, and the UK finds itself side-lined as the reality of Britain’s diminished role in the post-imperial age begins to hit home. The refugee crisis which followed the outbreak of war in 2011 has gripped and toxified political debate across Europe, with right-wing populists on the precipice of power in France and Italy nine years later. Some have argued that Brexit and Trump are in part the result of a renewed wave of anti-immigrant rhetoric. Whether this is true or not, Nigel Farage’s ‘breaking point’ poster, depicting a queue of refugees attempting to invade

Britain, is a stark reminder of the way in which the refugee crisis has amplified divisions and turned the world against itself. The Syrian Civil War may be an internal conflict, yet its effects have been felt everywhere. What better metaphor could there be for the age of inter-connectedness?

Gabrielle TaylorDowson Food&Drink Editor

Even before the 2012 tragic shooting that rendered Malala Yousafzai hospitalised in critical condition for several months, she was an activist. She began by writing blogs for the BBC about her life under Taliban rule and her views on the importance of education for girls all over the world. But it was the point-blank shooting of Yousafzai by a Taliban gunman on her way to school that thrust her into the international spotlight. Immediately, this story put the plight of, not only the girls in the Swat Valley where Malala is from, but the plight of girls all over the world who want nothing more than the right to learn, front-and-centre. This is a significant cultural moment of the last decade because it exemplifies that anyone can bring about change at any point, and that any action you take is valuable towards inspiring change. This is a mes-

sage that I feel lots of people anguish caused by so few to so should be taking with them many, but instead reflect on the European and global response throughout the decade, and to acts of terror; moments beyond. Apathy is rife; of genuine kindness we are so overloadand humanity in ed with news, times of heartache with disaster and and distress. destruction, After a night of that we feel attacks in Paris hopeless and in November useless. 2015, English People don’t players and vote because supporters at they think it Wembley sang won’t make a 'La Marseillaise' difference, and in solidarity with people won’t Flickr/DFID France and its peotake steps to help ple before a match the environment between the two nations’ because they think it’s too late. Malala’s story empha- teams. In Brussels in 2016, sises the power of voice, on the thousands of mourners created importance of speaking out for spontaneous tributes to rememchange and having the courage ber those who lost their lives at to not accept what is forced Brussels Airport and at upon you. Maalbeek metro station. Many left their tributes to just one word: ‘peace.’ At a time where Hannah Lay Europe started to divide, our Comment Editor leaders came together once more after the awful London Zoe Sugg, who across Instagram Bridge attacks in 2017: Macron and YouTube has a combined and Merkel both demonstrated following of over 26 million that they were ‘more than ever people is the a t Britain’s side’ name of in the one of aftertoday’s math most o f well

known ‘influencers.' Sugg starte d her career from her bedroom, making videos about her fashion favourites and vlogging her daily life. As she’s matured she has also featured videos about tips for dealing with anxiety and a live Q&A during her smear test. The reason people like Zoe are called influencers is because they do just that they influence their followers. Brands pay big money for sponsorship deals with influencers and a mention of a specific product on an influencer’s social media can see its popularity skyrocket. Gone are the days when TV or pop stars are the prime choice for advertising and big money deals, these days it is more common to see the faces of these online stars in shops or big marketing campaigns. Zoe started her online career in 2009 and has spent the last decade building her empire and influencing millions. The world of the celebrity has definitely changed and these influencers have become part of the mainstream pop culture.

Tom Leaman Editor-in-Chief

In writing this piece, I’ve chosen not to focus on the pain and

o n e of the darkest days in our recent history. Though individually small, every tribute and act of kindness in response to these acts amounted to an insurmountable demonstration of defiance. This decade has been marred with an inexplicable loss of life caused by acts of terror. These acts have proved only one thing; when tested and threatened, we will not fall divided.

which the public decide political outcomes, rather than parliament. Though this has its drawbacks, it has greatly encouraged people to get more involved with the political system - particularly young people. In the following general election, the turn out for voters aged 18 to 24 increased by over 23%, with more young people interested in using their voice and their vote. Whether you want Brexit or not, it has come to characterise British politics, causing splits, divisions, and even anger. It will be a political event which will be discussed for decades to come.

Christopher Hodges Comment Writer

A hallmark of our age is the collapse of the political centreground. At home, Boris Johnson has descended on this as an opportunity, only further widening the rift between the extremes of the political divide. All is not well at home and abroad, and it is impossible to discuss this decade without men-

tion o f a man who unfortunately defined it. As I sat agog one morning in November 2016, the terrifying rise of the 45th President was painful, yet also somehow farfetched. In a movement that broke the floodgates that contained the far-right, Trump tore up the rulebook and redefined the meaning of 21st century political campaigning. How did this happen? I’m still convinced we’re in a dystopian conclusion Danielle Murinas to The Apprentice U.S. Comment Writer I could discuss the plethora of angry diatribes that the The 2010s saw the British supposed ‘stable public decide on one of genius’ tweets, or the biggest political any of his most verdicts in living recent rammemory. On June bling phone 23rd 2016, 52% of calls to Fox people voted to and Friends. leave the European But I’d Union (EU), and it rather not. has been a central Any attentopic in Britain ever tion is a vicsince. Forty-six years tory for the Flickr/Teameister of integration between b l o n d e Britain and Europe need wigged, thinto be unravelled before skinned embodiwe leave the EU, and though ment of everything negotiations continue, the wrong with contemporesulting deal will decide the rary politics. In these final future of Britain, and its citi- weeks before 2020, we must ask zens, for decades to come. ourselves what we will take into The referendum was an the next decade, and more example of direct democracy, in importantly, what we’ll leave

behind.

Rebekah Birch Comment Writer

The #MeToo movement, for many, came to define the latter years of this decade. Its repercussions will be felt well beyond the 2010s. While the phrase itself was coined by Tarana Burke in 2006, the movement gained traction in 2017 following articles exposing widespread sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein. Following the Weinstein allegations, many people came forward. Some famous, with stories from within Hollywood, but mostly these stories were everyday regular people, sharing stories that almost all of us could relate to. It wasn’t just rape and assault allegations, but also sexual harassment—in workplaces, bars, on the street. It was something many women, and some men, had experienced. It got people talking about something that had long been taboo. No longer were women expected to put up with harassment in silence. This is not to say that the #MeToo movement fixed society’s problem—it did not. In terms of statistics, not much has

changed—one in three women are expected to experience sexual assault in their lifetime and rape prosecutions are at an all-time low. But it sparked a cultural conversation. And maybe by the end of the next decade, this conversation will have sparked some real change.

Abby Spreadborough Comment Editor

I distinctly remember hearing the news that a 24 storey tower block had caught fire in North Kensington killing 72 people. Suddenly ‘Grenfell’ was no longer the name of a tower block in London indistinguishable from the hundreds that populate the London skyline, it became a byword for austerity and social division. First came shock and grief as local residents searched for the friends and family on social media then attended memorial services. Then came panic as people living in similar housing raised concerns about the fire safety of their homes. Outrage followed and two years later outrage is still palpable and will likely linger for many years to come. This tragedy’s victims had been from low income backgrounds, with the majority from ethnic minority groups living in the richest borough in the country, demonstrating a shocking

COMMENT

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbrickcomment

Biggest Stories of the Last 10 Years reflect on what they consider to be the most impactful news stories from the era divide. Residents had been raising concerns to the council beforehand and corners had been cut in terms of the quality of the cladding and the ‘stay put’ policy. The first report into the causes of the fire was released just over a month ago, confirming the cladding was not up to standard and the London Fire Brigade did not act quick enough in terms of ordering an evacuation. Over nine months following the fire, half of the tower’s households were still in temporary accommodation. Since, that number has fallen, but some still remain without security. The shell of the tower, now covered over and topped with a banner reading ‘forever in our hearts,’ is a troubling monument to inequality, a reminder that Britain must do better.

Rebecca Sibley Comment Writer

means, and that this data had been used to create personality profiles in order to better target political advertisements in the 2016 Trump campaign. The Pandora’s Box of how social media companies exploit user’s data was torn open. Users reacted with outrage, legislative institutions floundered, and Facebook’s reputation was badly tarnished. Given that Facebook now has over 2.45 billion active members, the importance of this episode cannot be understated. The nature of political advertising, surveillance and privacy in the digital and social media age were all under scrutiny, and still are. The fact that third parties posing as campaigners could serve political advertisements on social media with next to no transparency, the degree to which companies can gather and exploit your data, the level of technological illiteracy among elected officials, and a growth in support for regulation of these platforms were all part of the fallout. Furthermore, they serve as reminders that the internet and social media have changed rapidly and massively since the beginning of the decade, and a warning that

One of the most uplifting trends of the last decade has been the legalisation of gay marriage in many countries. In the 2010s, 21 countries achieved marriage equality, compared to seven in the previous decade. England, Wales and Scotland legalised same-sex marriage in 2014, and Northern Ireland is on track for official legalisation in early 2020. In the past ten years, the world has achieved several major marriage equality milestones. The first they Latin American and will continue Asian countries legalised sameto do so. sex marriage (Argentina and Natalia Carter Taiwan, respectively), and in 2015, the Republic of Ireland Print&Features Editor became the first country to legalise gay marriage by popular refBack in the day, Vine was erendum. one of the first shortAlthough this form video platincreasing legalisation forms allowing of same-sex marriage creators to post has undoubtedly six second been a defining fealooped videos ture of the 2010s, to the platthere is a long way form. It was left to go. Today, massively popsame-sex relationular with our ships are still crimigeneration, and Flickr/Stock Catalog nalised in 72 counarguably a defintries, and can be puning feature of our ished with the death teens. Owned by penalty in 12. Hopefully, Twitter, the video platthe 2020s will see even more form was a great match for countries reversing these laws, the quick style of their social achieving marriage equality. media’s original 140 character After the advancement of limit. However, the day came LGBTQ+ rights in many counwhen, on October 27th 2016, tries over the last decade, things Twitter announced the discontinare looking optimistic. uation of the Vine app. Finally, on January 17th 2017, the platform was officially shut down. Luke Wheeler This was a huge turning point Comment Writer in the social media world. Shortform content was pushed aside in In March 2018 Cambridge favour of the longer content Analytica was exposed as having available on platforms such as obtained access to the Facebook YouTube. Creators who were data of 50 million Americans previously popular on Vine gradthrough somewhat circumspect ually moved over to YouTube,

following the trend of marketers have been too high, as England who favoured other platforms, ultimately came fourth and the leaving Vine to post only 4% of country returned back to rain and branded content. reality. Longer content has become increasingly popular, as eviMemoonah Hussain denced by the huge success of Comment Writer Shane Dawson’s documentary style series which has been credited as ‘reviving’ the platform. On a fatal afternoon on 16 June YouTube has developed as a plat- 2016, Labour MP Jo Cox was form and seems to be following announced dead at 1.48pm after suit, with many videos of popular a domestic right-wing terror YouTubers increasing in attack. Her life was taken length. All that being at the height of racial said, I would argue and immigration that short-form contension during Wikimedia Commons/MX tent is coming the EU back in full Referendum force. campaigns. As TikTok is a mark of one of the fastrespect, all est growing official camsocial media paigns susplatforms in the pended their world. TikTok activities. She has 500 million was the first active users worldMP to be killed wide, making it more while sitting since popular than social netMP Ian Gow of works such as Snapchat. Eastbourne’s murder in Much like Vine, it’s primary 1990. The most striking aspect of focus is on short-form content. her murder was the media’s use, The similarities are evident, with or rather lack, of the word ‘termany compilations rorism.' The appearing on Daily Mail YouTube focused on the perpetrator’s mental health

being labelled as ‘TikToks that radiate Vine Energy.’ Vine might be dead, but I think TikTok might be Vine round two.

Catrin Osborne Television Editor

The last few years of the 2010s were by no means joyous for our country. However, in the summer of 2018 there was a brief period when it seemed that optimism was not just an aspect of the past. The perfect combination of a heatwave and England’s moderate success in the 2018 FIFA World Cup provided a blissful break from Brexit. Whether you were an avid football fan or didn’t know the difference between attack and defence, it can’t be denied that every time England scored, there was an outburst of euphoria across the country. I distinctly remember hearing the cheers from the pub up my road when England won the penalty shoot-out against Colombia. Not an evening went by without someone drunkenly chanting ‘It’s coming home.’ Patriotism is a complex issue in modern-day England. However, this was arguably a time when England’s previous feeling of importance met with our modernday values as our 2018 squad were the most diverse yet. Unfortunately, our hopes may

and realise we have more that unites than divides us. A humanitarian activist who chaired Friends of Syria and was working on an Islamophobia attacks report prior to her death, even in death Jo Cox is continuing to inspire and bring people together.

Katie Norris Travel Editor

‘Obviously, 70 years ago, Meghan Markle would have been the kind of woman the Prince would have had for a mistress, not a wife.’ In this quote, The Spectator embodies the tabloid narrative that surrounded the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. After the announcement of their relationship, they were hailed as a ‘modern’ and ‘progressive’ couple, words simply coded by the fact that Meghan Markle is a mixedrace woman, and this is evident in the different treatment Kate and Meghan received by the press. Pitting women against each other is no new phenomenon in tabloids, but it is obvious that here there is a racialised aspect. When Meghan wears dark nail polish, it is a ‘vulgar fashion move’ that breaks royal protocol ‘again’, whereas Kate is hailed for opting for ‘subtle’ shades, in keeping with a ‘protocol’ that doesn’t exist. As a result, the cov-

rather erage of their marriage than his exposed the quiet, uncomextremist fortable racism of many political in the association of a ideology symbol of Britishness, the monand Nazi archy, with a woman with black memorabilia heritage. Despite this, Meghan which sparked the debate of what continues to own and express kinds of people are classified as pride in her heritage, instead eduterrorists. Some argued that cating this quiet racism by speakbecause he was white and ing at length about the experiEnglish he wasn’t labelled a terence of having black heritage in rorist but had he been Muslim it a prejudiced society. would have been a different story. Even when he was eventuEmily Chapman ally labelled one by the police, he wasn’t even charged with terrorComment Editor ism. The debate still exists as to whether we label all political acts As we look back on the decade, such as this one as ‘terrorism’, or it's easy to see all the bad things by doing so we are overusing and that have happened. And 'diluting our sense of evil' behind although it's important to take such acts. Over three note of the things that years later, we’re still have happened, it's in the midst of the worth thinking racism and about all the right-wing good things as nationalism well. As I that was look back behind this on the dectragedy ade, I see and loss the of innoLondon cent and 2012 good life. Olympic Her Games as positive being one legacy lives of the most on through significant Flickr/Garry Knight the Jo Cox moments. This Foundation set represented a up by friends and culmination of all family to ‘create the brilliant things something positive from this country's culture, and the tragedy that was her murder’ the people in it, can achieve.

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Friday 6th December 2019

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Stop Stigmatising Single Women Danielle Murinas Comment Writer

Emma Watson: 'I’m Very Happy Being Single. I Call It Being Self-Partnered.' This was British Vogue’s headline following an interview with actor Emma Watson, who is best known for portraying Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter franchise, and more recently for her advocacy for gender equality. The article discusses how Watson chooses to call herself ‘self-partnered’ rather than single, and how this relates to her character Meg in the upcoming film adaption of Little Women. But it is interesting that they choose to focus on this part of the interview, which only reflects around two minutes of a half-an-hour conversation. The interview itself is a wonderful watch, giving a glimpse into the real Emma Watson. She discusses a remarkable number of important topics: from her recent acknowledgement of needing to avoid

being a ‘white feminist,’ her own insecurities about playing the symbol that is Hermione Granger, and how she needed therapy over her guilt about being in the limelight. There is also a poignant discussion about transgender issues and wider activism with interviewer Paris Lees drawing on her own experiences as a fellow activist and trans-woman. There is such a wealth of material on why Emma Watson is such an incredible role model, yet Vogue chose to focus on her declaration of being happily single. Although this can be seen as an inspiring sentimentencouraging women to not worry about the pressure of marriage and children- it does feed into a wider issue about the stigmatisation of being single as a woman, especially when nearing thirty. There are so many tropes about being a single woman in her late twenties, all of which present the idea that a woman’s worth is measured by her relationship status. Through doing

this society is undermining females’ experiences away from their relationships; dejecting a woman’s choice to not get married or have children, in a way that is different from their male counterparts. Here are some of the worst stereotypes of a single woman. ‘She must be desperate.’ For some reason there is a common idea that a single woman must be desperate because they absolutely need to find a partner, and that this means she will throw herself at the first person that shows any interest in her. Not only is this another way of slut-shaming women, it encourages women to engage in bad relationships, simply because it is somehow better than being single. ‘Oh, she must be completely miserable.’ Society believes that if a woman is single it must mean she’s unhappy because she can only gain happiness from a relationship. But this completely undermines the enjoyment you can get from friends and other life experi-

ences. Yes, you may miss out on some things, but that does not mean you are unhappy. A wonderful group of friends can give you so much happiness, even if you are not in a relationship. ‘She’s single and unwanted.’ People seem to think that if you are single, it is not out of choice, but because you have been passed over by so many different people and must have such a low self-esteem because of it. This just completely undermines women’s choice. Sometimes women choose to stay single because they need time for themselves, or just because they want to. ‘She’s too much of a career woman.’ If a woman has a fulfilling career at thirty but is single it means she has spent too much time on her job rather than on finding a partner. The term ‘career woman’ has connotations of being selfish and cold-hearted, presenting the idea that it is bad for a woman to choose her job over a family. But why is it so bad for a woman that worked years for

her dream job, or just any job, and paid thousands for her education to want to focus on that? It is not the same for men, who are instead encouraged to have a high-flying career and be a breadwinner to their family at home. I am sure that if Watson were a man, we would be having a different conversation. The media is seemingly obsessed with female celebrities’ personal lives, and how they manage their career with their home life. Keira Knightley once called out a reporter for focusing on this, replying “will you be asking all the men that tonight?’. And Vogue’s headline just speaks to these wider sexual double standards. Of course, there are pressures on men too, but they do not quite reach the level of stigmatisation that comes with all the tropes of being a single woman. Whether women define as single or ‘self-partnered’ society needs to stop obsessing and branding single women.

Digbeth Fights For Democracy Alice Macfarlane praises a local pub's drive to get the homeless to vote, highlighting that the housing crisis should be the defining issue of the upcoming election Alice Macfarlane Comment Editor

With the deadline to register to vote having recently come to a close, the electoral register has seen some 3.1 million people signing up to have their say in the upcoming general election. For most, it requires just five minutes, some simple personal details, and very little thought to gain the right to mark their cross on the ballot paper this December. But what about those who don’t have the basic details needed to register, for whom this process is far less simple than it seems? The homeless population in the UK is estimated to be around 320,000, a number that has increased by 13,000 over the last year. This translates to 320,000 people living without a fixed address - one of the basic pieces of information needed to register to vote. This is

just one of the many barriers that homeless people face when it comes to being involved in politics and social change.

“The pub has offered up its address to the homeless, enabling them to register to vote” However, unbeknownst to many, there are ways around it. Whilst rough sleepers do not have a fixed address, they are still entitled to register to vote via a ‘Declaration of Local Connection’ form, where you can give details of somewhere you spend a lot of your time. This could range from a night shelter or a day service, to even the closest address to a park bench or bus stop, as long a s

the owner or management allows it. This is where Digbeth’s oldest pub came in to offer its services. The Old Crown is Birmingham’s oldest secular building, standing since 1368, and this year, the pub has offered up its address to the homeless, enabling them to register to vote. Customers working in the city centre helped to gather details of the homeless in order to fill in the voting forms, providing them with an essential chance to ballot. Digbeth’s beloved pub is not the only place to open its doors to the rough sleepers of the UK, with the Bristol Beer Factory a l s o offering o u t i t s

address, as well as charities such as Crisis and Homeless Link encouraging and aiding them to register. The significance of these organisations providing essential details to those who need them cannot be overstated. In a society where the homeless population is ever-increasing, but only 2% of them are on the election roll, with 48 councils in the UK not having a single rough sleeper signed up, those without a fixed address are being stripped of their fundamental right to democracy. This difficulty to register only contributes further to the widespread dehumanisation of the rough sleeping community that we see in the UK today. Homelessness continues to be a neglected issue in politics, with a shocking lack of policy surrounding the issue in the upcoming election. Why, in the face of growing precarity and street-side deaths, is the horror of homelessness not the election issue of 2019? This is the first election since the Office for National Statistics has started releasing the number of homeless that die in England and Wales each year, with the total hitting a devastating all time high of 726 in 2018, a 51% hike in just five years. We are in the midst of a wave of rough sleeper deaths as the harsh winter temperatures draw in, and yet, politicians are too bogged down with Garry Knight Brexit to care. Those

in the most vulnerable part of society, the ones who desperately need representation and social change more than anyone else, are the ones who have the most difficulty accessing their voice. And with Conservative Party plans to make showing ID at the ballot box a necessity, it seems that they are only being met with more obstacles as time goes on.

“We are in the misdt of a wave of rough sleeping deaths” Steve Lee told The Guardian that Crisis has seen homeless people having ‘an increased appetite to vote’ in this year’s election. By offering up their addresses, places like The Old Crown are facilitating this desire to be involved in politics, giving much-needed access to what is a fundamental human right. However, with the vast majority of the homeless population still unaware that they are even able to register, the issue remains largely untouched. The bottom line is that the homelessness crisis should be the subject on everybody’s lips during this election, especially the candidates that are coming into power in December. Euroskeptic politicians argue that delivering Brexit will help protect our home country, what about those who have no home in our country?

COMMENT

Friday 6th December 2019

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Poll of the Week: Boxing Day Sales With Christmas just around the corner, this week we asked Redbrick readers whether they believe retail workers should be made to work on Boxing Day Danielle Murinas

Ye s

% 17

Comment Writer

Should the shops shut on Boxing Day? (Poll conducted on 27th November)

“The festive season already has enough opportunities for shopping and overconsumption” “Retail workers deserve a break and to not have to work for the same hourly rates over the holiday period” “I think people should be able to enjoy Christmas, you can always go shopping on the 27th!” “Having worked for John Lewis for two years as a teen, I was always so grateful that they kept closed for boxing day ” Take part in our polls: @RedbrickComment Redbrick Comment Contributors

Boxing Day has been a bank holiday since 1871, with its name deriving from boxes in churches welcoming donations from parishioners, and the boxes servants took home to their families, gifted to them by their employers. More recently however, Boxing Day has become synonymous with the start of the holiday sales. Instead of them beginning in the New Year, they now start bright and early on 26th of December. Major retailers such as Next open their doors at 5am, with some committed shoppers even queuing from 2am to secure the best deals. This frenzy started in 2008, with companies believing that it was an opportunity to counter the economic recession. But the results of Comment's poll this week show an overwhelming aversion to this new tradition, with 82.80% of participants believing that shops should shut their doors this Boxing Day. Many feel that it is unfair on the staff, who sacrifice a day with their family and friends to cater to keen shoppers. One contributor wrote that, as a bank holiday, Boxing Day should not be for working. By sacrificing

time spent with family to work also sends out the message that work comes before all else. Considering the current crisis of stress and mental health, this is a step in the wrong direction. Many workers are not even paid time for working on a bank holiday. I worked at McDonalds for two years, and during this time I worked Boxing Day, but was paid my standard wage of £4.50, meaning no extra incentive was given by way of an increase in wages for workers. Many explanations on our poll this week also allude to the massconsumption and materialism that have now come to be associated with Christmas. One contributor wrote that 'we could all do with a little less mass consumption in our lives!' The current climate puts emphasis on materialistic values rather than on family and friendship. It is encouraging commerciality, which sometimes eclipses more humble Christmas traditions. It would not hurt for sales to begin on the 27th, or even January 1st, to give retail workers some extra time off to spend how they wish. And perhaps to send a message to wider society that Christmas need not be centred around consumption.

Finding it Cold Outside? #MeToo Emily Calder delves deeper into John Legend's choice to revise a Christmas classic in light of the #MeToo movement Emily Calder Deputy Editor With Christmas just around the corner, we inevitably are hearing our festive favourites blaring on the radio, in shops, and even on nights out. Yet one song that has come under a particularly frosty gaze this year is Frank Loesser’s classic ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside,’ released in 1944. If you have not heard the song, the lyrics essentially involve a man’s attempt at persuading his female companion to stay over, supposedly due to the weather. The song jumps back and forth throughout reasoning why she should stay, and the classic has been covered and reinterpreted by countless artists, including Tom Jones, Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra.

“In 2018 numerous radio stations in the US refused to air the song due to problematic lyrics”

John Legend, recent EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) winner and People’s ‘Sexiest Man Alive 2019’ has sparked debate over the song once again with his recent cover of it featuring Kelly Clarkson, in which controversial lyrics have been rewritten to be more in line with the #MeToo movement. In 2018, numerous radio stations in the US refused to air the song due to problematic lyrics, including the generic ‘The answer is no’ nature of the song, alongside ‘Say, what’s in this drink?’ which many have interpreted as a date-rape attempt. Legend has rewritten these questionable lyrics in his 2019 version, including alternative lyrics such as ‘It’s your body and your choice’ and ‘I’ll call the car and tell him to hurry, / Your driver, his name is Murray.’ I can see the benefits of a more inclusive and consensual rewrite, and completely understand why Legend has felt the need to rewrite this song. With the backlash that the song faced last year, combined with how well he is currently performing in his career, it is no wonder that the artist felt the need to reshape the song into a version that caters more to a society in which we promote equality and consent. Yet I can’t help but think that perhaps John Legend is only, or maybe mostly, doing this to conform with an argument that has

possibly taken things a little too far. Of course a song with lyrics as questionable as ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ would not, and should not, be written and released today; the criticism that Robin Thicke received for ‘Blurred Lines’ in 2014, which can possibly be linked to the arguable downfall of his career since, is an example of a modern society that refuses to tolerate ‘rapey’ lyrics.

“A song with lyrics as questionable as 'Baby, It's Cold Outside' would not, and should not, be written and released today” I do believe that it is important to consider that the Loesser classic was not, like Thicke’s song, released in our current decade, but in 1944. The lyrics can, and perhaps should, be better understood when considered as a product of their time, and I feel that we might be better off interpreting this song in this light. Kelly Clarkson herself, who sings the ‘female’ part on Legend’s remake, said on her talk show

Tuesday that the original version of the song personally does not offend her; ‘We like the original. But we noticed that a lot of people didn’t. So we’re like “Oh, let’s just give them another option,” or whatever, and apparently, we killed Christmas!’ I would not go as far as to say that Legend and Clarkson have ‘killed Christmas,’ I entirely appreciate their attempts to keep peace during a festive time of year, and I can’t help but think that perhaps in a society where Piers Morgan dubs our generation as ‘snowflakes,’ we may be better picking our battles elsewhere. Yes, I think that ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ and its original lyrics would not have a welcome or

rightful place in our modern society if released nowadays, but I personally will not be attacking any artists for covering the song with its original lyrics. In a world where the #MeToo movement is extremely necessary, I do believe that we have bigger fish to fry than this Christmas classic.

Flickr/Steve Banfield

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How To: The University Christmas Dinner Food&Drink gives us ideas for creating both the best and most budget-friendly university Christmas dinner to share amongst friends, complete with all the trimmings Harriet Laban & Gabrielle TaylorDowson Food&Drink Editors

Centrepiece Phoebe Holdsworth Food&Drink Writer

Nut roasts have a bad rep. They’re either too dry, too bland, or just too dull to even be considered for a Christmas centrepiece. Well, not anymore! This recipe repels the dreary, reinventing the humble nut roast as a delicious and exciting filling for an impressive Christmas wellington.

“Delicious filling” For too long, vegans and vegetarians have begrudgingly accepted a Christmas dinner of solely veggies and stuffing, and

Roast Potatoes Toby Fenton Food&Drink Writer

For me, a roast dinner, let alone a Christmas meal, is not complete without roast potatoes. They are a

Christmas is coming, and Redbrick are getting very excited. Food is one of the most prominent aspects of the festive season because it brings everyone together. Flats,

houses and groups of friends from coursemates to sports teams will want to host a Christmas dinner before term ends, but some of you may have no idea where to start!

Food&Drink’s writers have put together a fool-proof guide to the key aspects of this important meal, and even included a cheat-sheet for those of you who don’t think

you have the culinary skills to manage these scrumptious feats. Merry Christmas!

this is just not good enough. This nut roast will wow even the most carnivorous of relatives, with the festive sweetness of the potatoes giving a Christmassy twist to the robust mushroom flavour. With the delicious filling encased in the buttery puff pastry, what’s not to love?

Salt and pepper to taste Slice of bread 2 knobs of butter or non-dairy butter 1 tbsp plain flour Approximately 1 cup of milk or non-dairy milk alternative Puff pastry of choice (Jus-Rol pastry is often dairy free)

Ingredients: 130g walnuts 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped 2 finely diced onions 2 finely diced cloves of garlic ½ stick of celery, finely chopped ¾ tray of button mushrooms, finely chopped ½ tsp oregano ½ tsp turmeric 1 tsp cumin 2-3 tsp garlic powder ½ tsp dried basil

Method: 1. Preheat oven to 200C fan. 2. Place the walnuts on a baking tray and sprinkle with salt. Roast them for approximately 10 minutes, or until slightly charred. When they’re done, break them into small chunks. 3. Peel and roughly chop the sweet potatoes. In a large saucepan cover them with water and bring them to boil for roughly 15 minutes, or until they’re soft. Drain the water and roughly mash them with a fork, adding a knob

of butter and salt and pepper to taste. 4. While the sweet potatoes are boiling, heat two teaspoons of olive oil on a medium heat, and add finely chopped onions and garlic. When they become fragrant, add the roughly chopped celery and mushrooms. Mix in the spices and allow this to fry for around seven minutes, or until the mushrooms are soft, stirring constantly. 5. Take your slice of bread and blend it until it becomes breadcrumbs. 6. Mix the sweet potato mash, the walnuts, the mushroom mixture and bread crumbs in a large bowl, adding a knob of butter if needed. Season to taste. 7. To make the béchamel sauce, heat one tablespoon of butter in a saucepan on a low heat until soft. Then add one table-

spoon of plain flour and mix until it becomes a paste. Then, slowly add around a cup of milk, or a non-dairy milk alternative, whisking constantly until the mixture reaches your desired thickness. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. 8. Take your puff pastry (preferably pre-rolled) and place your filling lengthways along one half. Brush one half of the pastry’s edges with non-dairy milk and fold the other half over the filling. Crimp together the edges of the filled pastry with a fork and pierce the top with some air holes to allow for steam. Feel free to use excess pastry to create a Christmassy design! 9. Place the wellington on a baking tray and bake for around 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with your favourite Christmas veggies and gravy.

key part; they’re crispy yet soft in the middle and they soak up the gorgeous gravy. Usually, I would cook my roast potatoes in rapeseed or vegetable oil, but at Christmas I go all out and cook them in duck or goose fat to be extra indulgent. Christmas is all about enjoying good food with family and friends, after all!

“Extra indulgent”

3. Par-boil your potatoes for about 10 minutes until just cooked, then drain and shake the potatoes to create those ruffled edges. 4. Add goose fat or veg oil to a roasting tray with a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme, as well as 4 garlic cloves, squashed slightly under the back of a knife. Heat up your choice of fat for 10-15 min-

utes. 5. Carefully add your potatoes to your fat. Roast until crispy for about 50 minutes to an hour, turning the potatoes over halfway through. 6. Serve warm with the rest of your roast or Christmas meal!

the veggies, Sainsbury’s sell ‘Vivera Veggie Bacon Pieces’ which are a perfect replacement for the pancetta/bacon aspect.

roughly into 1cm cubed pieces, using either scissors or a knife. Keep the rind/fat to the side for later. 4. Put the cubes of pancetta/ bacon into a frying pan with the vegetable oil. Stir these with a spatula and as the pieces become golden, scatter on the sugar. Continue to cook these until crisp (not dry!) then remove into a separate bowl. 5. Add the butter and the chestnuts to a pan big enough to fit all the ingredients. 6. Using a spatula, press on the chestnuts to break them up gently. When they’re warmed through, and the butter has melted, turn up the heat and add the pancetta/bacon fat so that a savoury syrup forms. 7. Add the steamed sprouts, pancetta/bacon, and parsley, mixing them well so they’re covered in the savoury goodness. Give a good grinding of black pepper on top – you shouldn’t need salt, given the pancetta/bacon. 8. Spoon into a warmed dish and watch everyone’s perception of their least favourite vegetable change!

My method for making roast potatoes is as follows: 1. Preheat your oven to 200C. 2. Peel and cut your potatoes in half (allow 2-3 potatoes per person).

Veggies Katie Norris Travel Editor

BBC Good Food

Despite my grandfather constantly proclaiming that potatoes are the only ‘vegetables’ necessary for Christmas dinner, I disagree – a hearty selection of seasonal British veg is essential on Christmas day. To offset the saltiness of gravy, stuffing, and roasties, most families opt for a variety of veggies. Think red cabbage made with festive spices, glazed parsnips, and buttery carrots. However, nothing is more suited to a Christmas family gathering than Brussels sprouts, a vegetable that divides most people – providing yet another good old family row on the day. You can convert the most stubborn Brussels sprout haters with this recipe, which pairs the detested veg with crisp pancetta, parsley, and roasted chestnuts. To make this more affordable the pancetta can be switched out for bacon – and it’s just as tasty. For

Posh Brussel Sprouts (serves 6): Ingredients: 500g Brussel sprouts 125g pancetta/bacon (remove rind and cut into small cubes) ½ tbsp vegetable oil 240g chestnuts (the vacuumpacked ones – they are pre-cooked and peeled) 30g butter 1tbsp light brown sugar Black pepper A bunch of chopped fresh parsley – as much as you see fit. Method: 1. Trim the bottoms off the sprouts and cut a cross into the bottom of each. Discard of any wilted or discoloured leaves. 2. Steam them over a pan of boiling water for about five minutes, depending on size, until just tender. Make sure they retain a bite – there’s nothing worse than soggy vegetables! Pop these in a bowl on the side when finished. 3. Meanwhile, cut the rind off the pancetta/bacon, and cut them

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Stuffing Emma Woodhouse Food&Drink Writer

Get stuffed with this stuffing! It is easy, it makes the kitchen smell bloody phenomenal and so scrumptious that I could easily sit down and eat a bowl of it on its own while watching awful Hallmark Christmas movies. Ingredients: 180g roasted chestnuts 445g sausage meat 100g bacon lardons 1 large onion – diced 1 bramley apple 50g bread crumbs 1 tsp sage 1 tsp parsley 1 tsp thyme 1 tbsp butter Salt and pepper Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 180C. 2. Rub the chestnuts into a large mixing bowl. They don’t have to be even, crumbs and large or chunky bits are fine as they are

Dessert Toby Fenton Food&Drink Writer

With regards to dessert at Christmas, we traditionally reach for Christmas pudding, Christmas cake or even mince pies. However, I feel that the first two desserts in particular are past their time and are now rather boring options - as exciting as burning brandy over a Christmas pudding is. In my opinion, there are better, more interesting options. The dessert I wish to advocate here is the delicious sticky toffee pudding. It is perhaps my favourite dessert of all time, and I think it sits well as a finale to Christmas dinner. My recipe for sticky toffee pudding is

Low Effort, Low Cost Alternatives Harriet Laban Food&Drink Editor

The next few weeks of term will be full of people scrambling to fit in a Christmas dinner with their flats and friendship groups. However, what if you’re terrible at cooking? What if you really don’t have time? Well, most supermarkets will not only provide you with all the elements of a gourmet feast, but also those of a lazy person’s dreams. I’m going to give you some ideas of how to make the best of the easy options supermarkets have, so you can still have a delicious meal. Centrepiece Whether this be a meat-lover’s paradise or vegan heaven, the centrepiece is arguably crucial. However, buying a turkey can be

incredibly soft. 3. Add the sausage meat, herbs and seasoning. 4. On a medium heat, fry the onion in butter until soft. Once soft, add to the mixing bowl. 5. On a medium/high heat, fry the bacon lardons. Once cooked, add to the mixing bowl. 6. Grate the apple directly into the bowl, skin on. 7. Add about 40g of bread crumbs and give all the ingredients a really good mix. 8. Spread out the mix into a rectangle or square oven dish. I personally use a shallow square dish as a like to have more of a crunch around the edges. 9. Pour the remaining bread crumbs evenly over the top and add a bit more seasoning if needed. 10. Place in the oven, on the top shelf, for about 40 minutes. 11. If you want the topping to be a little crispier, place under grill after the oven for around five minutes. 12. Once out of the oven, serve immediately with lashings of hot gravy, or leave to cool and refrigerate for later stuffing-based boxing day sandwiches.

Condiments Emily Calder Deputy Editor

BBC Good Food

rich and delicious, with extra toffee sauce, because you can never have enough of it.

300ml double cream 50g butter 50g soft dark brown sugar

Ingredients: For the sponge: 175g dates 1 rounded tsp bicarbonate of soda 50g salted butter, plus extra for greasing Pinch of salt 150g soft dark brown sugar 2 large eggs 175g self-raising flour 1tsp vanilla extract

Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 180C/ Gas 4. 2. Place your dates into a mixing bowl and pour over 275ml boiling water, then allow to soak until the water is lukewarm (this takes about 10-15 minutes). 3. Meanwhile, measure out all your other ingredients, and put into a food processor. When the water has cooled, add the dates and the water to the other ingredients and blitz until nearly smooth and the dates are reduced to small specks. Alternatively, if you don’t have a food processor or blender, finely chop your dates and then mix with the rest of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

For the sticky toffee sauce (to go on top of the sponge) 250ml double cream 80g butter 80g soft dark brown sugar For the extra sauce:

pretty expensive, and likewise might be buying meat-free alternatives. To beat the budget, go for a chicken instead; a bit smaller, more moist and definitely cheaper. To really add flavour, rub in and stuff with herbs and spices of your choice. Rubbing in a stock cube can do wonders to add flav o u r . As for the meatless

pigs in blankets - buy them ready made! There are some weird and wonderful options out there that all mean that you don’t have to spend hours wrapping them up by hand.

Potatoes You might be a potato snob at home, but at uni there is little room to be picky if your culinary skills don’t match those of whoever does the roasties at home. The perfect roast potato is hard to achieve, but buying them frozen is a good option. You can skip the hours of peeling and par-boiling, and you needn’t fear the spitting oily pan. Just empty them onto a baking tray, whilst frozen, and follow the instructions on the packet. You may wish to sprinkle with a little rosemary to give them some extra pizzazz, but otherwise leave them be. They come out crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle. Just remember, if they’re BBC not up to your standard, then you have still saved yourself a lot of time and energy.

option, you can’t go far wrong with a homemade nut roast, which is easy to make and tastes wonderful. I will also put in a mention for

Yorkshire Puddings There are two options on the table here to substitute making them from scratch - either buy pre-made pancake mix (as this is also the same batter used to make

4. Generously butter a baking dish, then pour in your sponge mixture. Bake for 40 minutes, or until firm to the touch. 5. Meanwhile you can make the sauce. Add the topping sauce ingredients to a pan and cook over a gentle heat until the mixture briefly boils. In a separate pan add the extra sauce ingredients and repeat the instructions of the other sauce. You can either make the two sauces in two separate pans or make one after the other. 6. Turn your oven up to 220C/ Gas 6/moderate grill. Pour the topping sauce over the top of your sponge and place the sticky toffee pudding back into the oven, until the sauce is bubbling on top. 7. Serve up with cream, or even better, with a scoop of ice cream.

Cranberry sauce is, in my opinion, the true unsung hero of the Christmas dinner. A delicacy borrowed from our American friends and their traditional Thanksgiving spread, Brits adopted it pretty quickly as a partner for turkey. I think, however, that cranberry sauce is complementary to just about anything on your plate. As a vegetarian, it remains one of my favourite parts of Christmas dinner, and it definitely doesn’t need the turkey to make it special! The tartness it adds to the meal really enhances the flavours of the stuffing and veg on my plate, and the bright red colour it brings to a dish quite often overpowered by beige potatoes and parsnips (and heaps of gravy, of course) is just delightful. It is so easy to make from scratch, and is one of my favourite things to prepare every year alongside my Grandma – as soon as the smell of fruit and spices fills her kitchen, I am more than ready for the festivities. Whether you prefer to buy it in a jar or make this sauce yourself, I think it’s a true staple to Christmas dinner, and definitely has an important role on our plates.

Alex80

Yorkshire puds), or feel free to buy frozen! Both options are great as they save the messy process of making batter, which is a massive relief in a student kitchen full of a semester’s worth of washing up.

“A drizzle of honey over parsnips” Vegetables At all times of the year I am a firm believer in buying frozen veg. It saves time and storage space, and is far less expensive than buying fresh. Of course, certain things like Brussels sprouts do taste better in their fresh form, but compromising by adding in a frozen mixed veg medley won’t do any harm when combined with other elements. If you do choose frozen, a drizzle of honey over parsnips and carrots, or a sprinkle of chilli flakes in your sprouts, can elevate your vegetables from plain to the talking point of the meal. Gravy and Stuffing My recommendation for these items are to use gravy granules and a packet mix. Sounding a little dull? Well, to improve your

gravy, feel free to add a spoonful of cornflour, which instantly thickens the liquid. Also, a dash of gravy browning can do wonders for making the colour look richer and more appealing. As for stuffing, the trick is to make packet mix as normal, but then to add a chopped onion to bulk it out. Either red or brown onions work, but they make a little go a long way and add some much-needed flavour; a squeeze of lemon wouldn’t go amiss either. Dessert There is a lot of pressure on puddings to wow guests, but for a student Christmas dinner, all you really want is something yummy and sweet. Raid the frozen section (a definite theme of a cheap Christmas) and discover an array of cheesecakes, oozy roulades and fruity crumbles just waiting to be warmed up. With the addition of fresh custard, and a mince pie or two, you can do no wrong. By no means are these suggestions prescriptive, as what I aim to show you is that no matter what, you can make a shared meal fun and flavoursome on a very tight budget. The most important part of having a Christmas meal at uni is to spend the time with friends; even if your roast is a disaster, always keep this in mind.

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Thinking of Joining Redbrick? Looking to join a new society in 2020? Go to the Guild’s website where you can buy your annual membership for £10, you can then contribute to our 12 sections. Head to www.redbrick.me and click ‘Login’ and then ‘Register.’ You can then create your own account, which will become your online portfolio. Once your account is made, feel free to join the Redbrick Hub on Facebook to find out more. You can then join different sections’ Facebook groups to find out about meeting times and article opportunities. Then you are set as a member of Redbrick 2019-20!

Emily Youlton Station Manager @Burn_FM

Georgia Long Deputy Head of Production @Burn_FM

It has been a long-awaited ambition of ours to record a Christmas single, maybe it’s our desire to be in band and sell out stadiums. Or maybe we’ll try and claim that our aim for fame is more moral with the sentiment of charity - we’ll let you decide. In the last few weeks across the corridor at Burn FM, we’ve been getting into the festive spirits a few weeks too early, recording a charity cover of the Christmas classic, 'Do They Know it’s Christmas,' (of course the original version, although we did debate wanting to cover the brilliant Sinead O’Connor lines). Somehow, we’ve persuaded our

22-strong committee to get into tune and give singing a whirl, when really the only time any of us are comfortable behind a mic, is more of a talk situation and a far cry from karaoke! We also managed to get some of our Burn FM members to come and join the chorus in their best festive wear, singing their hearts out, covered in sequins and jumper that could’ve been knitted by an elderly relative all in the name of charity. Somehow, it’s not the most awful rendition of this charitable tune that we all kind of thought it would be. Instead, its a mash of chanting, attempts at singing and some cringeworthy video clips that we hope may make a difference this Christmas. Our single will be released with an accompanying video, this Monday 9th December and you can donate through our GoFundMe page. This isn’t just about belting Bono’s line or pretending the paparazzi might actually care about us, we hope we will encourage donations this Christmas to our chosen charity, Crisis. They are a national charity working to end homelessness in the UK. Their Crisis at Christmas campaign allows homeless people the chance to access centres in cities across the UK. These centres offer (just to name a few) podiatry, hairdressing, dental care, and IT skills sessions. Most importantly, the centres provide three hot meals a day and a safe place to sleep over Christmas. Just £28.87 pays for one guest at a Crisis centre over the Christmas period, so we hope that with our questionable singing and the donations of anyone who can, we will be giving at least a couple of people a Christmas off the streets this year.

This ad space will be seen by over 1,000 students across campus. Make it yours. Discounted advertising for University of Birmingham societies, only in Redbrick. Contact marketing@redbrick.me for details.

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Mind+Solve Sudoku (Easy)

8 7 7 9 8

6 1 1

3 9

4 2

2 1

Across 1a. This icy friend was a jolly soul (6) 3a. The 25th of December (9) 4. Archaic term for Christmas (4) 5a. Santa's animal satnav (7) 6. They are beginning to sit on shelves (3) 9. Derogatory term for an overly sensitive person, falls from the sky (9) 10. A legendary festive figure (5) 11. Historic county and crispy pudding (9) 12. Decorative sparkling material (6) 14. You decorate these with lights (4)

Down 1b. A related group (6) 2. String of glowing fairies you hang (6) 3b. A woman's name you can sing (5) 5b. A festive tundra animal (8) 7. A cold representation of a human (7) 8. You can find these roasting on an open fire (9) 13. Cheerful and jovially celebratory (7) 15. These can be kept in a sack, in hiding, or under a tree (8) 16. Small showy trinket you can hang (6)

9 6

8 5

Issue 1512 Puzzles compiled by Natalia Carter

Sudoku (Hard)

2 7 1

3 6

2 7

3 6

7 8 1

The Redbrick Crossword 1 2 3

5 4

First Lines The premise of First Lines is simple: each issue, we supply a selection of opening sentences from various novels,

songs and films. All you have to do is tell us which novels, songs or films the lines come from.

‘Marley was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that.’ ‘On Christmas Eve, may years ago I lay quietly in my bed. I did not rustle the sheets.’

‘They're singing “Deck The Halls” / But it's not like Christmas at all / I remember when you were here / And all the fun we had last year’ ‘We're walking in the air / We're floating in the moonlit sky / The people far below are sleeping as we fly’

Anagrams Christmas is fast approaching, and it's time to prepare for Christmas dinner. Can you unscramble these Christmas dinner essentials?

1. APES TOOT 2. BAKES SPLINTING 3. SURPLUS SORBETS 4. HUNGRY SPIKED DIOR

10 12

5. ANUS TORT 6. FUN GIFTS 7. ABASER CURRENCY 8. COR TARS 9. NAP RIPS 10. DISPATCHING DRUMS

LAST ISSUE’S ANSWERS | Crossword: 1. Venomous; 2. Experience; 3. Contradict; 4. Adaptable; 5. Quaint; 6. Grape; 7. Tendency; 8. Defeated; 9. Surmise; 10. Imperfect; 11. Disease; 12. Mature; 13. Uproot; 14. Veil; 15. Envious; 16. Stranger | First Lines: Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck); Shrek 2; 'The Best' (Tina Turner); Love Actually | Anagrams: 1. Conservative; 2. Labour ; 3. Liberal Democrats; 4. Green Party; 5. Brexit Party; 6. Debate; 7. Government; 8. Ballot; 9. Administration; 10. Campaign Get in touch with Redbrick Mind&Solve by sending all answers, applications and queries to print@redbrick.me

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Round-Up: Abertoir 2019 Film Editor Matt Taylor gives the low-down on Wales' biggest horror film festival, hosted annually in the seaside town of Aberystwyth Matt Taylor Film Editor

Vivarium (2019): What a first film to see at the festival. Imogen Poots and Jesse Eisenberg play young couple Gemma and Tom who find themselves trapped in a suspicious housing estate with seemingly no way out. As a basic synopsis that doesn’t really do Vivarium justice; what director Lorcan Finnegan has crafted here is a consistently and creepily unsettling horror/ thriller that is anchored by perfect performances from its two leads. Gemma and Tom are instantly both likable and relatable, and when they start to lose their grip on both reality and each other, we realise that we really do care about them. The film’s gorgeous cinematography and water-tight script keep us constantly engaged as things slowly descend into a level of madness that needs to be seen to be truly comprehended. It certainly isn’t a film that will please everyone, but if you can stick with it, the rewards are well worth reaping.

Death Line (1972):

Achoura (2019):

Synchronic (2019):

Blood Machines (2019):

It isn’t uncommon for horror films to get political, but very few are as vocal as Gary Sherman’s directorial debut Death Line. The film is a damning indictment of capitalism, and feels just as relevant now as it did in 1972. It follows two students who find themselves at the centre of an investigation to find a missing OBE, only to discover that what took him was far more terrifying than they could have imagined.

Foreign horror is one of the many things in the film industry that sadly never gets enough coverage in the UK. It’s a shame, because without that coverage, gems such as Talal Selhami’s Achoura will largely go unseen – a particularly shame because this is a truly excellent film. The first ‘traditional’ horror I saw at the festival, it follows a group of friends in Morocco who are reunited after decades apart to deal with an evil spirit that haunted them as children. If that sounds familiar to you, then good: the Moroccan/ French co-production calls to mind recent films such as IT or The Babadook in its tone, feel, and themes. It also stands excellently on its own; many of its scenes are genuinely scary, while the dialogue, acting and character work are utterly magnificent. But what really stands out is the creature itself. The Bougatate is brought to life via some beautiful special effects – something of a rarity in a genre that usually relies on practicality. The visualisation of it is stunning, and results in it feeling both real and distinctly ‘other’ when on-screen – the perfect combination for a good creature feature.

The fact that this was billed as a ‘Mystery Screening’ because the film’s distributors wouldn’t let the festival organisers announce that they were showing it tells you all you need to know. Synchronic sees directors Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson come out with their best film yet, in a sci-fi/horror flick that, like all their other films, is ultimately about the bonds we share as human beings, and how far we’d go for those we consider family.

You know those films that come along, seemingly out of nowhere, and just blow you away with how visceral and sensory they are? Seth Ickerman and Carpenter Brut’s Blood Machines is one of those films. It is also a film that is extremely hard to describe, but as an experience it is both unparalleled and unshakeable. Taking cues from cyberpunk canon, it follows the crew of a ship tasked with retrieving the wreckage of another ship – a task that becomes increasingly difficult when unknown assailants attack them and free the downed ship’s soul from her body. That synopsis doesn’t at all do Blood Machines justice. The final short film (around 45 minutes long) is a blood-soaked, neon-drenched, operatic fever dream of a movie that simply demands to be seen. Its synth soundtrack works perfectly in tandem with its visual aesthetic to create a sensory experience unlike anything I have ever seen. The pair’s previous short, Turbo Killer, was also screened and is available to stream on YouTube – find it on the biggest screen possible with either some headphones or a killer speaker, and play it loud. I guarantee it’ll stay with you.

“Wickedly smart” Sherman’s film is wickedly smart and surprisingly funny, thanks to a career-best performance from Donald Pleasence. His cockney copper, while not quite the film’s beating heart, is certainly at the narrative centre. Inspector Calhoun is a cynical police officer whose every line is hilarious, and who guides us through the film’s ever-weirder events with a smile. The actual heart of the film comes from a completely unexpected place, but ties in perfectly with the metaphor that Sherman is using. For any horror film, let alone a directorial debut, Death Line is about as smart, funny, and unsettling as they come.

Event Horizon (1997): To be completely honest, I don’t quite understand all the hype around Event Horizon. Somewhere within Paul WS Anderson’s cult classic is a truly fantastic movie – but sadly this isn’t it. Although built on an extremely intriguing premise, the final product reeks of studio interference, with many aspects of it feeling off in some way, as well as it being rather obvious that there are a good deal of scenes missing.

“It's a film that is absolutely worth seeing, but don't believe the hype” On the plus side, many individual moments in the film are brilliant examples of sci-fi/horror done right, balancing shock and excitement beautifully, and held together by some reasonable performances. But what stitches these moments together is no good – the fact that there is very clearly so much missing (around half an hour, according to Anderson) results in the film feeling halfbaked. Its brisk runtime of 96 minutes (including credits) simply isn’t enough to do the film justice, leaving the great parts that survived the studio culling wallowing in nothing, surrounded by an emptiness as vast as that that surrounds the ship Event Horizon. It’s a film that is absolutely worth seeing, but don’t believe the hype.

Diner (2019): Japanese cinema has a reputation for being utterly barmy: after watching Mika Ninagawa’s Diner, it isn’t difficult to see why. Her latest is a neonsoaked, actionpacked powerhouse that calls to mind films such as Battle Royale – if Battle Royale was bathed in neon lights. T i n a Tamashiro’s Kanako runs into debt, and is commanded to work in a diner for assassins to pay it off. Things quickly turn crazy when we meet some of the regulars, and Ninagawa never even stops to slow things down; in the best possible way, her film doesn’t think, it just does, and it’s all the better for it. The action, when it arrives, is brutal and frenetic, shot and scored to perfection with a style that’ll make your jaw drop. The only place the film stumbles is in the pacing of its gangster subplot, but even this is only a minor quibble that does admittedly have a fantastic payoff. Combine all of that with superb character work and performances, and we’re left with an utter riot that will leave you flabbergasted.

“[The pair's] best film yet” Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan play New Orleans paramedics who discover a new drug on the street that leaves users with unexplainable injuries. To say more would be to take away from the sheer power of the film, because Synchronic is not only the directors’ best film, but it is one of the best, most enthralling genre movies this decade. Mackie gives an astounding lead performance and Dornan backs him up beautifully; the pair breathe effortless life into Benson’s dialogue, while Moorhead’s breathtaking cinematography takes the film to ethereal heights. If you haven’t heard of Moorhead and Benson, dig out their other movies on disc – you will not be disappointed.

First Love (2019):

Sarah Taylor

“A blood-soaked, neon-drenched, operatic fever dream of a movie that simply demands to be seen”

Takashi Miike’s latest is about as bonkers as we’ve come to expect from the cult Japanese d i r e c t o r. Following the escapades of various people after a shipment of drugs goes missing from a Yakuza safehouse, First Love is one of the funniest non-comedies of recent years. The dialogue is whipsmart, and when coupled with the film’s superb performances results in that extremely rare film where every joke lands. Match all of that with Miike’s signature over-the-top action (taken to new, crazier heights here) and we’re onto a true winner; much of the comedy comes from the combat, particularly during a scene towards the end where the film turns into an animation for no other reason than the fact that it can. It goes on for about ten minutes too many, but in the grand scheme of things that doesn’t matter too much; First Love is a total hoot.

Colour Out of Space (2019): There could not have been a better way to close the festival than with this. Richard Stanley’s latest is based on a short story by HP Lovecraft, and follows the Gardners, a rural family who find themselves at the centre of some chaotic goings-on after a meteorite crash lands in their yard. ‘Chaotic’ is one word to describe the events of the film; another might be ‘crazy’, or ‘insane.’

“A masterpiece” There are no compromises with Stanley’s film; he simply does. He slowly dials up the weirdness until we can barely take it anymore, and then unleashes everything with some superb moments of both body and psychological horror that takes inspiration from everything that Lovecraft himself inspired, including such icons as The Thing and Annihilation. The film is helped along by Nicolas Cage going full Nicolas Cage, throwing everything he has into his perfect performance, including a bizarre but captivating Donald Trump impression during his moments of madness. Add in beautiful performances from the rest of the family, an earth-shattering score from Colin Stetson, and some truly gorgeous visuals, then combine these with the mood of Annihilation, the colour palette of Mandy, and throw in a dash of Close Encounters for good measure, and we’re left with a true masterpiece of sci-fi/horror.

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Q&A: Director Gary Sherman & AD Lewis More O'Ferrall (Death Line, 1972):

Abertoir

Colour Out of Space (XYZ Films)

Death Line (Rank Film Distributors)

Blood Machines (Seth Ickerman & Carpenter Brut)

Death Line is an unapologetically liberal film. Fittingly, its director is an unapologetically liberal man. Gary Sherman’s Q&A is filled with damning statements about both US and UK politicians, as is the film itself. When he wrote the script he had been living in the UK for four years, and wanted to respond to anti-American sentiments by the British, by suggesting that Britain had its own issues. On a technical level, the work that went into making Death Line is astounding. Sherman and AD Lewis More O’Ferrall made their feature debuts with the film, having previously worked on commercials for television. As a result, their working speed was hitherto unheard of by the financiers. More O’Ferrall tells a comic story of their reaction when he told them that they’d filmed 22 setups in one day (the average at the time was between six and eight). Due to this extremely high number of setups being completed, you can imagine their shock when More O’Ferrall told them one day that they hadn’t filmed a single one – but there was method behind the madness. The crew had spent the whole day setting up a gigantic long-take, that serves as an introduction to the people living underground, but due to this they hadn’t actually managed to film anything. The financiers were concerned, but this lessened when the crew came in the next day and knocked the shot out in two takes. Filming nearly a whole movie underground requires a special kind of skill. On a technical level, the tunnels underneath London are really dark, so to work around this issue the film in the cameras was flashed before filming began, leaving it pre-exposed and slightly brown, resulting in the dark colours of the tunnels popping more than they would have with artificial lighting. There’s also the issue of getting permission to film something that wasn’t easy to work around. The tunnels themselves belonged to British Rail, who were apparently ‘great’ to work with, but the sequences on the platforms of the Underground belonged to London Transport, who denied their request for filming based on the script the crew sent in. Their solution to this problem? They sent London Transport a false script, got the approval, and filmed Death Line anyway. As a result, all the tube sequences were completed in a single day. The pair are fantastic stage presences, setting the audience immediately at ease and leaving them chuckling on more than one occasion. This is never better than when Sherman discusses his disillusionment with current politics, both at his home in the UK and his birth country of the US. He feels, more than the rest of us it seems, that Death Line has become terrifyingly relevant again with the state of international politics, citing reasons such as austerity and a failing NHS for this unfortunate relevance. The highlight of their Q&A is fortunately lighter in tone; Sherman reveals to us the best piece of advice he has ever been given on a film set: ‘stand there and make them think you know what the fuck you’re doing.’ It’s a tactic that clearly works; as is evident from both the film itself and Sherman and More O’Ferrall’s words about it. Death Line is a solid hit.

Poltergeist III (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)

Director Q&A: Talal Selhami (Achoura, 2019): It took a long time to get Moroccan/French horror flick Achoura off the ground. Director Talal Selhami and his crew originally shot the movie in 2015, but when one of the production companies went bankrupt shortly after, the film remained unfinished until late 2018. The idea of a creature feature such as this has been an ‘obsession’ of Selhami’s since he was a child, having grown up watching late-night monster movies on television. He is also a self-proclaimed fan of the Gothic, his love of which very clearly shines through in the finished film, as does his love of Stephen King (parts of the film play out like an homage to IT, but without ever feeling derivative). Perhaps the biggest success of Achoura is its phenomenal creature design. Based on a nightmare Selhami had as a child, the Bougatate is brought to life via visual effects rather than practical, for the simple reason that the practical costume they had was too heavy and unwieldy for an actor to wear it comfortably onset. These visual effects were part of the reason why it has taken so long to get the film into cinemas, but Selhami is extremely grateful to the Moroccan state for providing the funding to get the film finished. Not only that, but the Bougatate looks absolutely gorgeous when it is on screen, and is a true landmark for visual effects in horror movies.

“A resounding success” An aim of Achoura was to ‘shine a light’ on legends and stories from parts of the world that don’t get attention. Yom Ashura is a major holiday in Islam, and through the film Selhami wanted to widen awareness of Arabic culture, aiming to show another side to the culture and ‘break the image’ that many people have of the religion. He does this in several ways, perhaps the most prominent of these is to have the film’s root of evil as ‘the French House,’ spotlighting Morocco’s colonial past that so many people are unaware of. All of the film’s locations, too, are old French colonies rather than built sets, lending Achoura a feeling of authenticity that very few films of its type manage to acquire. The idea behind this, Selhami says, was to ‘tell [this story] without making a political movie.' Like the film itself, this commentary is a resounding success.

Masterclass: Director Gary Sherman on the Practical Effects of Poltergeist III: Content Warning: This article contains a mention of child death which some readers may find upsetting. Poltergeist III (1988) is a film tinged with sadness. Its post-production was heavily overshadowed by the sudden and untimely death of 12-year-old star Heather O’Rourke, a tragedy that still weighs heavily on director Gary Sherman. In his masterclass on the film’s practical effects, he stated multiple times that he loved O’Rourke as his own daughter, and as a result of her death he never wanted to finish the film (studio pressure prevailed, and the film was finished with a new ending without Sherman’s presence). Nevertheless, he remains extremely proud of her, of both her performance in the film and her work ethic around it, and she remains one of only two aspects of the film he says he likes. The other is the film’s unparalleled use of practical effects. In the masterclass he takes us through some of the film’s key scenes, asks us how we think they achieved the effects, then walks us through the scenes again, shot by shot, with his original shooting script as a guide, and explains how they did it. The effects themselves are clearly a passion of Sherman’s; his excitement is palpable, and he is very clearly grateful when one particularly breathtaking scene inspires a round of applause from the audience. He is particularly proud of the fact that every effect he shot was done incamera, with no tinkering in postproduction. The effects used ranged from mirrors and body doubles to shooting in reverse and attaching glass sheets to the camera lens, in order to give the appearance of moving through a window. The number of double sets used in the film is staggering; when Sherman asks the audience how a particular shot was achieved, no one was able to guess. When he reveals that there was, in fact, no mirror, but a double set, gasps and applause ensue. Sherman’s love for the genre shines brightly through in his lecture, and the effects he and his team achieved left the audience aghast on more than one occasion. While it is a terrible shame that the film was poorly received at the time, those effects deserve all the praise they can get.

Best of the Rest: Nicko and Joe's Bad Film Club: What’s the one thing better than pointing and laughing at a really bad movie? That’s right, pointing and laughing at a really bad movie with commentary from comedians and Abertoir regulars Nicko and Joe. The only way to make 2000’s Spiders bearable, really. Silent Shorts, Vol. 5: Turn-of-the-century silent short films put to original music by composer Paul Shallcross. Some funny, some creepy, but all thoroughly enjoyable. Blood and Flesh: The Reel Life and Ghastly Death of Al Adamson (2019): Interesting and insightful documentary about 70s B-movie legend Al Adamson: part 'schlockdoc,' part UFO-flick and part true crime mystery that does lose its way a little towards the end, but is stil wholly entertaining. Prince of Darkness (1987): A John Carpenter horror flick set in an abandoned church, screened in an abandoned chapel? Yes please. A poor script and schlocky performances hold it back from being Carpenter’s best, but his knack for horror is so well tuned by this point that it is still utterly terrifying. Four of the Apocalypse (1975): Grisly but straightforward Spaghetti Western that reads almost as a prequel to Sergio Leone’s iconic Man With No Name trilogy. Challenging in mood and themes, but restricted by a slow and meandering plot. Planet of the Vampires (1965): Creepy and fascinating 60s horror that served as an inspiration for Ridley Scott’s seminal Alien. Amusing in all the best ways and genuinely unnerving when it needs to be, with a kicker of an ending to boot. Alien (1979): What even needs to be said about Alien that hasn’t been said already? This marks the third time I’ve seen Alien since March, and it’s still perfect – end of story.

BagoGames/Flickr

CULTURE

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbrickculture

Review of Anjali Dance Company’s Genius and Beethoven

Culture Editors Luca Demetriou and Grace Baxendine experience the extraordinary talent of Anjali, a dance company for people with learning difficulties Luca Demetriou Culture Editor

The Birmingham Hippodrome was honoured to feature Anjali Dance Company for their production of Genius, a double bill performance that comprises two original works by award winning choreographers, Gary Clarke and Lea Anderson. Bringing dance development opportunities to people with learning disabilities across venues in the UK, Anjali Dance Company is unrivalled. One of the first companies providing a framework in which people with learning disabilities can create professional work, they have been producing high-quality performances for 20 years.

“This piece was highly stytlised, redolent of German expressionist theatre... exquisite staging, the dancers performed in a three-sided box ” Having toured in the UK and abroad in 2017 and 2018, Genius returns, revised and refined. The first of the double bill performances was ‘Bloodsucker,’ previously named ‘Nosferatu,’ choreographed by Lea Anderson. This piece was highly stylised, redolent of German expressionist theatre. With exquisite staging, the dancers performed in a three-sided box that was enclosed with iridescent lametta, transporting the audience into different carnivalesque senses. Through lighting from this genius stage styling, each lighting reflected off of the lustrous metallic foil. Aesthetically charged, each performer wore striking satin formal red gloves that allowed the dancers to foreground their expressionist movements. Based on the vampire Nosferatu from the renowned film, the performance involves five distinct tales of horror. Engaging in expressionist dance theatre and mime, this piece negotiates between different styles to present a stylised performance that required learning 72 cues. ‘Beethoven’ was the second in the double bill performance, comprised of touching and humorous sketches looking at the personal and musical life of Ludwig van Beethoven, choreographed by Gary Clark. Gothic, cinematic and highly theatrical, dance gestures

were prominent in the making of this performance. T h e sequences used t h e

memories of the performers in order to generate highly emotive stylisations, calling on naturalistic methods to inform stylised dance practices. Creating beautiful silhouettes, this piece featured formal dance

aspects interlaced with theatrical expressions. One particularly captivating part was when all the dancers were

sat in a line, holding

Anjali Dance Company

each other, connected. They vacillated forward a n d back,

breathing in sync, enhancing the sequence as they became one body. This recalling of emotional memory as a means to express the performace is clear as Clark comments: ‘Each company member brought their personality, skill, and above all their hearts and generosity to the process, which resulted in some strong, poignant and beautiful work.’ This epitomises the Anjali ethos that the dancers evoke. Representing differently abled bodies on stage is vital, but doing this so poignantly articulates something human about these performances. They were both tenderly and thoughtfully performed.

“Representing differently abled bodies on stage is vital but doing this so poignantly articulates something human... tenderly and thoughtfully performed ” Each company member had something to say, and this asserted their aesthetic voice on stage, claiming space and expressing emotions through movement just as anyone else. In a Q&A postshow, company member, Alex Hyde, stated that performing with Anjali enables them to ‘feel powerful to express feelings through dance.’ This is an important aspect of Anjali, in not only producing work that allows the audience to feel something, but for the performers to feel liberated and autonomous. Something emphasised during the Q+A was a question raised by the show: when will the world wake up to the talent and creativity of performers with disabilities. Anjali is doing something to change this.

Anjali Dance Company

CULTURE

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbrickculture

Interview: Artistic Director of Anjali Culture Editor Grace Baxendine interviews Nicole Thomspon, Artistic Director and founder of Anjali, after their performance at the Birmingham Hippodrome Grace Baxendine Culture Editor

How did you come about founding Anjali? I had been inspired by seeing the work of the Strathcona Theatre Company in London, which produced professional-quality performances with actors who had learning disabilities in the 1980s. At the time, nothing existed that was equivalent in dance. I began teaching integrated dance classes for people with and without learning disabilities in the mid 90s, and by the end of the decade had pulled together our first company of dancers and obtained funding to develop our work. Did you come across any resistance at the time? I can’t imagine there were many companies for people with learning disabilities? The biggest challenge was, and has always been, obtaining funding to develop the work and provide security and continuity for those involved. Professional open classes are not often accessible to our dancers, so their training with us needs to be consistent. The project-by-project funding model used by other small-scale dance companies therefore doesn’t work well for us. We often face misconceptions. There is unfortunately still a prevailing attitude around disabled-led art work which results in the majority of our audiences being incredibly surprised at what our dancers have achieved. This can also make it hard for us to broker new partnerships in the

arts sector, although attitudes and awareness are definitely shifting. Beethoven was a beautiful piece. What is special about Genius? Thank you! The idea behind Genius was to explore what it means to be genius, who can be genius and why. For Beethoven, based on the personal life of the legendary composer, choreographer Gary Clarke was particularly struck by the fact that this incredible artist had a disability which most people would assume to be an imperative to the craft to making music. This was something that our dancers could respond to quite personally.

Anjali Dance Company

Can you tell us a bit about the dancers? How have they come on since joining etc? How did you come about scouting them? Our dancers have gained in personal growth, confidence and artistic skill during their time with

us. Alongside performing with their colleagues and creating their own work, they have also spoken at conferences, appeared on TV and co-delivered workshops across the country. They have performed with Anjali across the UK as well as in Spain, Portugal, Germany and most recently Mexico.

“Dance provides a safe and nonjudgmental space in which everyone is accepted and valued ” People with learning disabilities can sometimes be isolated. Dance provides a safe and nonjudgmental space in which everyone is accepted and valued, and in Anjali, the dancers have the company of like-minded people and positive support in a nurturing and creative environment. Their mental and creative horizons are broadened, they acquire or improve life skills such as working as part of a team, they develop confidence and social skills, they are able to form bonds and friendships, and they have their talents as performing artists respected and appreciated. We have a progression route that runs from open classes, to a youth company, and finally onto the main company. Most of our

dancers have come to us via that rienced artists, skilled in working route, however is is also possible with dancers to craft choreography for a dancer to join the main com- and produce what they’re looking pany directly should their previ- for. It is important for Anjali that ous experience be appropriate. the choreographers we work with How and why did you get Lea communicate effectively and have Anderson and Gary Clarke on ambition and high expectations. Lea board the project? and Gary definitely have these Through discussion with attributes. the dancers, we collecWhat does the company’s tively decide what success mean for disabilikind of work we’d ties in the arts? Do you like to produce, think that, for example, and particular some of your dancers artists we’d would be accepted like to work into a mainstream with. It’s dance company, or important is there still a long for us to test way to go? out working There is defiwith a chonitely still a long reographer way to go, howbefore we ever, there are commit to a many more intefull commisgrated groups of sion, so we both professional tend to hold a dancers and comnumber of munity classes than workshops there were when with choreograAnjali began. There phers, checking are now options for our Anjali Dance Company that we’re the dancers to work in right fit for each dance outside of Anjali, other, ahead of schedulalthough still limited. ing in a creative period. Hopefully we have contributed to The dancers were particularly this through demonstrating what is interested in working with Lea possible given appropriate context, and Gary, due to their skill in por- support and training, and through traying character and drama inspiring people across the country through dance. We also hoped that to reconsider misconceptions and they would create two contrasting traditional models. pieces, so that our audiences could Although their tour has concludenjoy a varied programme, and ed, Mark Barber, a dancer within they certainly have done so! the company, claims that they aim How were they to work with to tour Europe, appear on TV and as choreographers? make a film in the future. Both Lea and Gary were great to work with. They’re very expe-

Spirited Bodies at the Barber

Culture Critic Will Taylor reviews an evening of life drawing and discovery Will Taylor Culture Critic

On a slightly foggy November evening, I wandered through the tall doors of the Barber Institute in search of a life drawing session that promised to be different from the ones I’d been to before. I was offered a beer (nice touch), and encouraged to chat with fellow life-drawing enthusiasts before we were whisked up to the galleries, for a quick tour of the works on show. As we entered the third gallery, we were greeted by the enthusiastic, rainbow toe-sock sporting Esther Bunting, who showed us a selection of materials to choose from, before leading us all to a large ring of chairs. The models for the evening, Lanie and Geeta von Tease, were perched on bean bags in the middle of it all, smiling in their robes. Once we had all sat down, and assumed our best artist postures, Esther welcomed us all officially, telling us a little bit about Spirited Bodies and encouraging us to ask questions

at any time. She explained that in this organisation, one which ‘champions body positivity, feminism and personal empowerment through the practices of life modelling and life drawing,’ we would have a chance to speak with our models and learn about their experience.

“In this organisation, one which ‘champions body postivity, feminism and personal empowerment” Immediately, the thought of active participation was a nervous one for me, but as we began sketching our first pose, it became apparent to me that the reality was rather different. The models introduced themselves and began to tell us their stories: when, how and why they started

modelling; what friends and family had thought about it, and right away I began to loosen up. The atmosphere was cosy and relaxed, with bits of laughter here and there as amusing questions were asked. It’s a surreal experience chatting away to someone who is completely naked, but with the barrier of silence broken, it wasn’t awkward or embarrassing. Rather, it filled the room with a sense of creativity I have experienced very few times. Both women shared their own experiences with issues such as negative body image, one of the key problems Spirited Bodies aims to tackle with their sessions. Hearing them both talk so freely, all whilst in such a vulnerable position, was not only fascinating, but really quite inspiring. Geeta said something that stuck with me: ‘It’s nice, as a life model, to be heard as well as seen.’ It’s easy to forget that the models we draw in art classes are real people, but having the chance to interact with them in a way that wasn’t

simply one sided was an incredibly refreshing experience. My time with Spirited Bodies made me wonder why this isn’t more common, why life models continue to be silent objects in art schools across the world. I think we could all benefit from this kind of interaction, and that’s exactly why Spirited Bodies do what they do. The implications of body and self-image on our minds are huge, and I could see the implementation of these

kinds of sessions in schools and communities being incredibly helpful in allowing people forge a kinder and healthier relationship with their bodies. We are all living in a society which increasingly places importance on the outward expression of beauty, so taking the time to experience and take in the wonder of the human form, whether it be alone or in sessions like these, is something we all should be doing.

Lily Lemaire

MUSIC

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbrickmusic

Redbrick’s Albums of the Year 2019 The People’s Choice:

Hannah Massey Music Critic

Polydor

Benjamin Monro Music Critic

Lana Del Rey Norman Fucking Rockwell

Lana Del Rey has always aestheticized her world with Americana, desire, and isolation. But the songs that make up her 2019 album, Norman Fucking Rockwell, create scenes so heartrending that they occupy new space entirely. On NFR she takes her powerful lyricism and once-in-a-lifetime voice to dizzying new heights. NFR brims with feeling, and Lana’s songwriting leaves you breathless, utterly suspended in her portraiture. The opener begins with an instrumental that feels reminiscent of 1940s cinema, only to be interrupted by solemn piano chords, and Lana’s unmistakable voice: ‘Goddamn, man-child,’

Elizabeth Carpenter Music Critic

time stands still with these halfspoken, half-sung words. NFR is filled with sublime moments, from the lustrous and winding ‘Venice Bitch’ to the intimate remorse of ‘California.’ Every emotion is palpable, every loss tangible. What makes NFR stand out in Lana’s discography is how she presents herself. Instead of the detached loner we’ve heard before Lana reveals herself as a vulnerable romantic, gentler and multifaceted. Nowhere is this clearer than on ‘Mariner’s Apartment Complex.’ Rarely does an artist so flawlessly crystallise their own vision. In the track’s four minutes, Lana achieves a portrait of herself, and a statement of intent in these trying political times. She stands tall against the chaos, sanctified. In an increasingly confusing world, Lana offers herself as our guide.

Hannah Massey Music Critic

Dylan Lucas

Music Editor

Colombia Records

Tyler, the Creator - IGOR When compared to his dismal 2011 debut album, Goblin, IGOR feels worlds apart. Each Tyler album has been better than the last, as if he’s been thematically building to finally release his opus. IGOR is that opus. It’s slick, soulful and expertly produced from beginning to end; IGOR is a

Daniel Badger

mature album which fully embraces themes of romance and sexuality, a theme Tyler had been far more apprehensive of on prior releases. Opening with the booming rhythms of ‘IGOR’S THEME,’ the record sets a tone akin to the soul elements incorporated on Tyler’s 2017 release, Flower Boy. IGOR is also notably less of a hiphop record than its predecessors. ‘I THINK’ is dance-funk banger with an unforgettable hook and tracks such as ‘EARFQUAKE’ and ‘GONE, GONE/THANK YOU’ are much more defined by their pitch shifted vocals than they are by their rap verses. However, Tyler has not abandoned rapping entirely and includes some of the greatest beats and flows of his entire career. ‘WHAT’S GOOD?’ is a notable highlight in managing to be one of the hardest tracks in his discography, yet still fits thematically with the tracks surrounding it. Kanye’s low-fi verse on ‘PUPPET’ is a standout too. IGOR is the album which makes doubters of the now-decade-old Bastard tape eat their words about what the young rapper would achieve.

Music Critic

Jake Sandy Music Critic

Partisan Records

Fontaines D.C. - Dogrel Dogrel wastes no time, its eleven tracks are succinct and political; it is an homage to the band’s native Ireland and a potent criticism of the world they bear witness to. The album thunders open with ‘Big,’ frontman Grian Chatten declaring ‘Dublin in the rain is mine / A pregnant city with a Catholic mind’ amidst a haze of post-punk guitar riffs and drums, and doesn’t lose its momentum until the closing ballad ‘Dublin City Sky’ ten tracks later. Discordant slide guitar accompanies ‘Too Real,’ and the fantastically muddy riffs on ‘Hurricane Laughter’ demonstrate Fontaines D.C. as masters of their craft, despite Dogrel being their debut LP. On ‘Chequeless Reckless’ the band launches at first into a polemic against sell outs and phonies before taking the track in a more sinister direction, ‘Well the suits are running, and it won’t be long / Until the blues cop, what’s really going on.’ The album here demonstrates its scope as both a personal reflection on growing up in Dublin and a pointed depiction of modern life. ‘Roy’s Tune’ stands out too, a nonchalant delivery of menacing lyrics: ‘There is no warning and there is no future / I like the way they treat me but I hate the way they use her.’ The record stands out further for its polish in light of its recording process, live to tape in fourtrack blocks. Dogrel’s excellence is bare-faced; it’s a honed collection of post-punk tracks, and absolutely worth listening to.

Colombia Records

Universal Records Community Records

Marika Hackman Vampire Weekend - Any Human Friend - Father of the Bride The anticipated release of Vampire Weekend’s fourth album Father of the Bride marks a new wave for the post-punk band. Since 2008, their indie-rock loving fans will have morphed from angsty sophomores into fully functioning adults. Its 18 tracks accompanied me on my travels this summer, ringing with poignancy. The band has not lost the tone of their AfroPop inspired early music, but there is something less self-conscious about this latest release. ‘I take myself too serious / It’s not that serious’ main man Ezra Koenig murmurs in the opening of ‘Sympathy.’ Maybe it really isn’t that deep, yet after multiple listens, this woven patchwork of easy tunes proves to be a surprisingly emotional journey. A narrative is followed throughout; one of a relationship seemingly broken and put back together. Warm, country duets between Koenig and guest Danielle Haim appear as mini interludes, framing an album about the passing of time as much as it is about living in the moment. From the bouncing Van Morrisonlike rhythm of ‘This Life,’ to the melodious guitar motif of Harmony Hall (which nods to Paul Simon), we meander into slow electro jams. Soft synths whisper in ‘2021,’ a ballad about the projection of time. A masterclass in versatility and creative collaboration, Father of the Bride is a glorious breeze, shifting the band into exciting new territory.

Marika Hackman’s Any Human Friend is an explicitly sexual exploration of queer romance. At times angry and tinged with obsession, Hackman’s personal and blunt lyrics describe sexual encounters, relationships and heartbreak with extreme clarity. Female and queer sexual perspectives are repeatedly excluded from the contemporary music scene, and Hackman cuts through this with songs that address female sexual desire and the male gaze head on. She grapples between desiring attention and pushing it away, singing whimsically in ‘send my love’: ‘did you love me tonight / or any night of our lives?’ A song about pining for love from someone when you know the relationship is ending, this is the most heart rending and poignant on the album. The transition between ‘send my love’ and ‘hand solo’ is seamless. The repetition of ‘creased sheets / leave my right hand free / it’s hard to be alone’ is at first use sad and distorted, but then morphs into an upbeat mantra. The shift from the ending relationship to the freedom of being alone is flawless. At its core, this is an album about desiring meaningful relationships, its title taken from a documentary about four-year-olds interacting with dementia patients. Throughout, Hackman searches for any human friend, lamenting in the title track ‘Everybody’s looking at me / like I’m made of stone’. Any Human Friend is therefore both deeply personal and powerfully sensual.

Transgressive Records

Julia Jacklin Crushing The themes on Jacklin’s sophomore album Crushing deal with her past relationships and trying to heal from them, especially in relation to her body. She has a proficiency for writing personal and often narrative-focused lyrics wrapped in beautiful melodies. Inspired by the New Zealand folk scene and her training in classical singing, her vocals have an effortless beauty. An album highlight is ‘Head Alone’ where Jacklin confesses ‘I don’t want to be touched all the time / I raised my body up to be mine.’ The honest defiance combined with her pristine voice is both soft and powerful. The instrumentation seems only to be there to support her delicate hypnotic vocals. It holds her on course so she can sail over the sometimes gentle, sometimes tumultuous chords of her Telecaster. The album concludes with the aptly named song ‘Comfort,’ a melancholic yet soothing closer where she sings ‘You’ll be ok / You’ll be alright / You’ll get well soon / Sleep through the night / You’ll go outside / Enjoy the sun / Soon you’ll feel fine to see everyone.’ It is an album that confides in you. A raw, beautiful and comforting work, Jacklin has overcome the difficult task of equalling if not surpassing the quality of her debut.

Future Classic

Flume - Hi This Is Flume On his first release since 2016’s Skin, Australian music producer Harley Streten was given carte blanche to lay out his sprawling vision for the future of electronic music, and he has delivered with much aplomb. From EDM to wonky - even to industrial Streten has pulled strands from all manner of genres and masterfully woven them into a harmonic tapestry. The album manifests Flume’s stream of consciousness as each disparate influence and track seamlessly blend into the next track. As well as its avantgarde musical style, the record also features collaborations with an eclectic mix of the world’s most exciting and innovative artists such as rappers Slowthai and JPEGMAFIA, and producers SOPHIE, KU�KA, and EPROM. It’s in these moments that Streten showcases himself as a master of the musical form – sketching outlines with auteur-like precision that work to accentuate his guests and bring out the most in their performances. Running in at just under 40 minutes, the mixtape’s pacing is spot-on. At times, this record is as challenging and confrontational as it is rewarding, but this is what makes it such an enthralling listen.

MUSIC

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbrickmusic

2019: Year of The Reunion Bethany Jo O’Neill Music Critic

2019 has been a pretty bleak year for many people with the everlooming presence of Brexit, extreme weather signalling the speed of climate change and the growing fear that Kanye could actually run for president. How on earth have we lasted through the year? My answer: The Jonas Brothers. Well, not just The Jonas Brothers but the sheer amount of band revivals this year has helped keep the emotions of the world leaning towards the cheerful side of the scales.

Spice Girls The year began with anticipation for the newly reunited Spice Girls’ UK tour; we all secretly wanted to see if it would be a flop or whether ‘Spice Fever’ could once again infect the nation. It didn’t quite have the success that was hoped for, either because of technical issues with sound or purely because they were missing the indispensable vocal talents of Posh Spice. Either way, the videos that emerged of Adele living her best life at the sold-out Wembley date made all the negative press fade from memory.

Jonas Brothers February 28th saw the unexpected but very welcome announcement that the world’s favourite brothers (sorry Hanson fans) were ‘getting the band back together’. The Jonas Brothers released the potential song of the year ‘Sucker’ which appealed to their original fanbase, now in their 20s, as it was clear their music style had also matured. The Jonas Brothers celebrated the reunion with a weeklong residency on The Late Late Show. James Cordon did a sketch where he revealed a fake plot to kidnap Nick, Joe and Kevin and force them

to reunite as ‘a symbol of peace and harmony for all mankind,’ because since they broke up in 2013, the world has admittedly seemed to get worse and worse. Although this was said in jest, it seems to be a common theme in all the band reunions: they are getting back together to spread some joy in the world at a difficult time for everyone.

Sugababes The Spice Girls weren’t the only girl group to steal this summer, a Sugababes reunion was also on the cards with the release of their cover of Sweet Female Attitude’s summertime garage anthem ‘Flowers’ with DJ Spoony. The line-up was comprised of the original trio, Keisha Buchannan, Siobhán Donaghy and Mutya Buena after they won the battle to perform under the name ‘Sugababes’ after years of line-up changes caused some controversy. With the disputes of the past firmly behind them, Buchannan confirmed on Series 2 Episode 5 of quiz show Don’t Hate the Playaz that the original trio are in fact ‘working on something’ so hopefully 2020 will see new music from the noughties pop icons.

McFly Fast forward to 10th September and there is another boyband coming out of hiding after a longer than anticipated hiatus. The nation’s sweethearts, McFly, announced a massive comeback show at London’s O2 - somewhere they have never played before as a band. The show sold out within minutes and proved that love for the band is still as strong as ever. To reward their fans, the band released

a previously unheard track every week leading up to the show from their Lost Songs collection. The concert took place on Wednesday 20th November and did not disappoint. Drummer, Harry Judd took to Instagram to write, ‘We have such an amazing connection with our fans and that’s why shows like last night are so special. At one point the whole of the O2 was singing along to a B side that we released 15 years ago and that says it all [...] can’t wait to do it all again ... forever.’ It definitely seems like Harry, Tom, Dougie and Danny are back for good and it doesn’t seem like anyone is complaining.

My Chemical Romance Halloween 2019 was less spooks and more thrills as emo heartthrobs My Chemical Romance announced a comeback show for December in LA. Gerard Way stated ‘I don’t know if it would’ve happened if it wasn’t now.’ With members of the band having various side projects such as Way’s comic book series ‘The Umbrella Academy’ and Frank Iero’s solo material, there was the worry that the members could have become too detached from their MCR past. Some have said that this present reunion seems like the first reunion-sized gap their schedules allowed after their 2013 split. But, in MCR’s defence, the band’s last album Danger Days was set in 2019 so it seems only right that this would be the year they finally got back together.

Rage Against the Machine Although not quite in time for another shock Christmas

Number One, Rage Against the Machine announced on November 1st that they were to reunite for a 2020 tour. With lots of fake tour dates making the rounds on the internet, it is hard to be certain which will be happening however it is very strongly rumoured that they will be taking a coveted slot in next year’s Coachella festival. Perhaps the strongest hint at the reunion is that their side project, Prophets of Rage, ended in November allowing for Rage Against the Machine to perform again together for the first time in nine years. Although eager for this reunion to be true, fans will have to wait and see what the new year brings.

The Pussycat Dolls Rumours of a Pussycat Dolls reunion have been circling the internet for a while now but on Monday 25th November, Louis Walsh of all people confirmed on ITV’s Lorraine that the band would be performing at the final of The X-Factor. The UK are now not only aware of Scherzinger, after being properly introduced to Melody Thornton on Celebs Go Dating and Ashley Roberts on nearly every game show ITV has to offer. This new-found fame could mean The Pussycat Dolls have even greater levels of success than before. It has been said that Simon Cowell has ‘told Nicole to pull out all the stops to make sure their routine gets people talking’ therefore the performance will definitely be one to look out for.

Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe contentiously announced their reunion on November 18th after their farewell tour in 2015. Fans would usually be ecstatic to see their favourite band get back and perform with each other again, however some fans are feeling hard done by after spending lots of money on the farewell tour think-

ing it would be the last opportunity they would have to see them live. The band have justified this however by explaining the success of The Dirt (a Netflix biopic made about them featuring Machine Gun Kelly) meant ‘a whole new generation of Crüeheads are demanding for the band to come back together’. This new generation of fans should get to see the old-school metal rockers whilst they can still do what they do best as after all, they are ‘the band best known for breaking the rules.’

JLS ‘Let’s just get back together, we should’ve never broke up.’ Although nothing has been officially confirmed by the band, rumours of a JLS reunion are rife. Heart radio reported that an insider claimed ‘The time is finally right for a comeback, now that everyone has had the chance to try out other things and fulfil some personal goals.’ The quartet have flourished since their break up, with Marvin becoming a presenter on The Voice as well as husband to the incredible Rochelle, whilst JB has started a farm and Aston is testing a solo career and becoming a father. If the reunion shows are as huge as have been rumoured, fans could be in for a big treat in the not too distant future. This unprecedented number of band revivals has not only kept happiness alive in 2019 but also increased hope and excitement for what 2020 could bring. Maybe there is still hope for Oasis yet... Image credit: Jonas Brothers - Chuff Media Pussycat Dolls - Twitter: @pussycatdolls MCR - Artist Website JLS - Adam Bielawski Mötley Crüe - Method Shop R a g e Against The Machine Scott Penner Mcfly Twitter: @ mcflymusic Spice Girls Twitter: @ spicegirls Sugababes @sugababes

FILM

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbrickfilm

Redbrick's Picks: Films of the 2010s Redbrick Film unite to give their individual favourite films of the decade Peri Cimen

Film Critic

2014 was a particularly outstanding year for cinema. It only takes a quick look online to see how many incredible films from that year have dominated the decade in talent and originality. For me, the absolute best has to be The Grand Budapest Hotel. Wes Anderson’s whimsical ensemble comedy is not only a stand-out in his own eclectic filmography, but one of the best films of the decade precisely for encompassing everything there is to love about cinema. The Grand Budapest Hotel is ingeniously funny, beautifully crafted, and features an immensely talented cast. What’s not to love? At the heart of The Grand Budapest Hotel are the characters, with the unconventional friendship between eager lobby boy Zero Moufasa (Tony Revolori) and meticulous hotel concierge Monsieur Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes) taking centre stage. When Monsieur Gustave is framed for murder, he and Zero are caught in a whirlwind

Samuel Zucca

Film Editor

What makes Arrival so incredible is the context in which it came out. It’s a climactic moment in two cinematic developments; the trend towards modern, intelligent science fiction films, and the career of Denis Villeneuve. There have been smart science fiction flicks since the medium existed, but the genre arrived in the 21st century with the remakes of War of the Worlds and The Day the Earth Stood Still. These both took a darker spin on the classics, evoking the global panic of a post-9/11 world. By the 2010s science fiction was sold as an intellectual, serious genre. There were exceptions, like the monsters vs. giant robots romp of Pacific Rim, but the trend has been towards films which are not just revered for their effects and technology, but for the ideas they bring forward. Her and Ex Machina are obvious examples, but smart, serious cinema was a style that infected even blockbusters like the Planet of the Apes and Star Trek films. This is a trend Villeneuve has also embraced since Arrival, with his takes on Blade Runner and the upcoming Dune remake.

“Arrival is a gorgeous film with an eerily plain design” I admired a lot of Villeneuve’s films before Arrival, but I found most of them lacking in different ways, and always thought he had a better film in him. Enemy and Prisoners for example, both released in 2013, had opposite problems, with the former being too slow and empty, and the latter overflowing with narrative threads. Sicario is masterfully edited, with a strong central per-

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) of embarrassing scandals and secret societies. Along the way, Zero falls in love with a baker named Agatha (Saoirse Ronan) and we, like Agatha, join the pair in their misadventures with complete awe and amusement. The film is decorated with an enormous range of exciting characters and overlapping narratives, and whilst all are compelling in their own right, they come together to create something downright special. Ralph Fiennes, Saoirse Ronan, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel, Jude Law, Tilda Swinton and Edward Norton are a mere few of the stellar names that grace The Grand Budapest Hotel, showcasing a remarkable range of talent. Tony Revolori’s performance as the dutiful and doting Zero is especially worth noting for his debut amongst such a well-established cast, and his

deadpan delivery creates a compelling dynamic between Zero and the eccentric Monsieur Gustav, who is played to perfection by Ralph Fiennes. Wes Anderson displays exemplary use of genre and comedic timing throughout; from Zero and Agatha’s starryeyed romance to the dramatic revelations that occur throughout the murder plot, The Grand Budapest Hotel has it all. Having won Oscar awards for Best Original Score, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Production Design, it’s hardly an exaggeration to say that every department is flawless. It’s also safe to say that I fell in love with colour after watching it for the first time. From the muted reds and regal violets, all the way down to the pastel pink Mendl’s confectionary boxes, every scene

Arrival (2016) formance from Emily Blunt, but is almost unbearably grim. Then comes Arrival, which I feel is perfect in both its substance and style. From the very first minutes it is bursting with impactful, efficient storytelling. It also has a cracking twist, and subverts the language of cinema in a way I haven’t seen before or since. Arrival is a gorgeous film, with an eerily plain design for the alien spaceship which dominates the landscape, and an interesting take on the alien language that is central to the film’s dilemma. Then there’s the late Jóhann Jóhannsson’s incredible score towering over the film. The music blends into the sound design, tying the themes of language and inter-species contact together with animal noises and loops of human voices, mimicking and responding to the aliens. It also reaches colossal crescendos which shake you to your bones. What makes it a cut above though is the script, which edges it past its contemporaries like Interstellar or Gravity. I am a sucker for a well written film, and Eric Heisserer’s script untangles Ted Chiang’s abstract short story into something tight and elegant. It’s also great seeing a linguist as the protagonist, as Amy Adams’ Louise Banks offers a unique and empathic approach to the extra-terrestrial encounter. It's Adams and Jóhannsson who make the heart of this film, and it’s a shame that neither of them were even nominated for Academy Awards. There are films I appreciate more that have been released this decade, and others which I’ve had more fun watching, but seeing Arrival was undoubtedly the most emotionally impactful experience I’ve had in the cinema in the last ten years.

Sam Denyer

Film Critic

Boyhood (2014) Richard Linklater's Boyhood sounds like a gimmick. He shot it over twelve years, recruiting the same band of actors to return annually to shoot new snatches of the film. We watch mother, father, sister, and brother age in real-time, experiencing a fairly ordinary life which feels extraordinary because Linklater, one of cinema's greatest naturalists, strings it together with a quiet lyricism which makes even mundanity sing. Ellar Coltrane portrays Mason, the boy whose journey we follow most closely. As the film progresses, time slips past, often unnoticed, bringing new meaning to 'oh how you've grown.' The physical transformation is dramatic, but his emotional and intellectual maturation is endlessly rewarding to watch. The sensitivity and curiosity of the precocious child from the film's beginning are not lost on Mason as he goes to college towards the film's end. They are merely tempered by experience. We know - we saw it happen over twelve years. Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke as warm, mediative parents anchor the film whatever year it finds itself in, offering the same stability which their children seek in them. Their performances are contemplative and often heartbreaking; experiencing twelve years of life in twoand-a-half hours is overwhelming, but none more so than when you see these two go from bickering divorcees to friends united

with pride in the children they raised. The amity between them and their subsequent partners is heartfelt, but we are never allowed to forget how hardfought such developments were, having witnessed them advance from the messy separation to now. They are affecting throughout the film, but become increasingly less central as it progresses, symbolising how Mason relies on them less and less as he grows older. In one scene, he comes home on the eve of his sixteenth birthday, having spent the night smoking with a girl. His mother, hosting friends, remarks that he has been out late and smells of smoke. He does not deny anything, nor make any apology. Arquette's 'huh,' tells us everything. This boy is no longer her's: there are parts of his life she will no longer know about straight away and parts she will never know about at all. It is a small moment, but one which Linklater strings together with dozens of others to create a timeline of growth which affects everyone, not just those going through boyhood. Each person's growth is inextricably linked to the other and there is often little they can do about it. The film speaks to a communal experience, but one which educates and connects us instead of limiting or isolating. As Mason and a new friend remark at the film's conclusion, it is moments which seize us: things that seem normal at the time can prove formative. In this sense, Boyhood is a kaleidoscope of retrospect, reflecting its specific memories back onto its audience to convey feelings and relationships which are universal. Far from a gimmick.

feels like a hand-painted dream. The attention to detail throughout is unmatched (except, perhaps, by Monsieur Gustav). With all the quirks of a typical Wes Anderson film piled on top of each other, the director himself deserves applause for the sense of community he creates out of chaos, overseeing all of the moving parts and wrapping them up neatly with Mendl’s bakery bow. The Grand Budapest Hotel is among the best of what this decade has to offer – and it’s delectable.

Ellie Burridge

Film Critic

Gone Girl (2014) Gone Girl was the first film I ever snuck in to the cinema to see. It was the autumn of 2014, I’d just turned sixteen, and I’d never seen anything like it before. In point of fact, I’d never seen a David Fincher film before, and was still at the age where most of my cinematic exposure was to rom-coms, action franchises and family animation. There was a sense of liberation watching a film that was so deliberately cold, keeping its audience at arm’s length so that the mystery could unfurl before them and thrill in turn—a film that revelled in ambiguity. Neither of the lead characters could simplistically be categorised as ‘good’ or ‘evil,’ and were in turns likeable and detestable. To this day, Amy Dunne is my favourite anti-hero of all time, and her triumphant monologue still makes my heart race every time I re-watch it. Gillian Flynn’s razor-sharp script (adapted from her own novel) complements Fincher’s direction and is topped off by a score-of-the-century from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Every moment of the film is deliberate and captivating— which is why it’s my favourite film of all time, let alone the decade.

FILM

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbrickfilm

Antonio Aguila

Film Critic

Your Name (2016)

Have you ever been weighed down by that longing for something that seems so pre-ordained yet so lost? If so, the remedy I urge for you to take is the sensationally perfect movie that is Your Name by Makoto Shinkai. After creating this film, Japan essentially labelled him as the new Miyazaki, who is responsible for many of the famous Studio Ghibli films. For example, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. As much pressure as that is, I think they are correct. As a fan who has watched and loved all of his movies (I recommend Garden of Words), personally, I believe Shinkai could even surpass him. Your Name is a vicarious masterpiece that manipulates your heart with adept skill. It is primarily a body-swap comedy between two teenagers, but it hurts to reduce it to that. The director imbues his utmost unique poetic visions onto this generic cliché to convert it into a classic beyond classics. It also ties in themes of long-distance romance, fantasy, religion, adventure, natural disaster and Japanese culture. The out-ofbody experience you go through alongside the characters is undeniably emotional. Your Name has exceptional animation with magnificent

Todd Waugh Ambridge Film Editor

Inception (2010) In 2010, Inception hit the screens and has since become the poster child for mind-bending cinema. Countless comments and quips have been made about the movie’s complexity and fast-paced exposition; but I think what makes this my film of the decade is its subtle simplicity. Despite the dreams-within-dreams and the pages of expository dialogue, this is a movie about a father trying to get his family back after tragedy. Christopher Nolan assembled an all-star cast to deliver a heart-pounding, intoxicating sci-fi action thriller and utterly delivered. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Cobb, who leads a team of dream-delving misfits who are hired to perform corporate espionage by Mr. Saito (Ken Watanabe). What follows is a heist movie that happens entirely within the mind of their target, as they navigate his dreams deeper and deeper in order to ‘incept’ him with the rogue idea

lighting that surpasses the screen and glares its rays and diffractions straight into your spirit. I’ve never seen an animated film conjure a twilight with such a hyperreal mesmerising quality. We get a strong clear juxtaposition between metropolitan and countryside lifestyles. Both landscapes shimmer and shine with impeccable detail. Next, its phenomenal narrative transcends traditional storytelling balancing the comedy, mystery and heart incredibly well. An amazing script and storyboard that at times favours pillow shots, which I am a massive fan of. I adored that the visuals were so dazing it skews the concept of time and simultaneously pierces the storyline with a powerful sense of loss. As also a big fan of the animation genre as a whole, it is wonderful

to dissolve his business empire. Rounding out the cast is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page and Tom Hardy in perhaps his most charismatic role to date. Many may now feel that Nolan is overrated – Interstellar’s a bit bloated, Dunkirk’s a tad thin – but Inception is every one of his signature elements firing on all cylinders. His script is sharp, smart and witty while his directing is masterful. Nolan knows exactly how a scene comes together, and how to string those scenes into edge-ofyour-seat sequences by knowing exactly when to crosscut between various points of action. Hans Zimmer’s score swells in these moments to make the whole orchestra of cinema come alive. When reviewing action movies, many critics talk of ‘set-pieces’ and the breathing room between them, but here, once the heist has begun, Inception becomes a single hour-plus long set-piece of gunshots, car-chases, iceclimbing and the physically impossible. The film’s sci-fi setting is clearly a means to an end: Nolan wanted to have characters running up walls and fighting upside down. But it is the simple elements of this film that work best. Cobb’s tragic relationship with his wife (Marion Cotillard) is explored through the film’s bizarre premise, but it is itself grounded in real emotions that are expressed by DiCaprio and Cotillard to perfection. Film of the decade is a prestigious title, but Inception deserves it. It may be notorious for being complex and confusing, but its value is in its simplicity: it is a perfectly choreographed action movie that has brains and heart in equal measure.

to see another exception that doesn’t just distract from but can overpower logic and reality with just pure heart. Accompanied by songs with heart-warming and at times heart-chilling lyrics that help drag you even further into an astral plane. It is a very wellpaced movie that takes time first enthralling you with its intriguing premise, then builds astonishing momentum especially with its half-point celestial event that will keep you on edge until its tear-jerking climaxes. Through all of this we are able to vicariously live the carefree nature of adolescence saturated with the melancholic feeling of letting a summers day pass by. Your Name questions arguably the biggest and most human questions there are: What am I searching for? Who am I searching for? This isn’t just my favourite film of the decade. It is the best film of the decade. A must watch.

Matt Taylor

Film Editor

It’s a true shame that most people will remember Moonlight only because of the fiasco at the 2017 Oscars ceremony. A reputation such as that does a huge disservice to Barry Jenkins’ transcendental film that marked a magnificent return to the screen for the director after an eight-year hiatus. Moonlight is a film that is simultaneously bold and subtle, breaking into unforged ground yet never overstating itself.

“[Moonlight is] a gorgeous, subtle, moving masterpiece of modern cinema” It follows the life of Chiron at three crucial moments of his life, played in each by Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders and Trevante Rhodes as the film progresses. We see Chiron trying to come to terms with how he experiences his life, as well as his own identity as a black, gay man. Jenkins’ film is beautifully understated, always trusting the audience to know what is being left unsaid with only a look from one character to another. There is no one single aspect of it that stands out, as the whole piece comes together to create a gorgeous, subtle, moving masterpiece of modern cinema.

Alex Green

Film Critic

This decade of film has been defined by many changing attitudes and new filmmakers. However, one of the greatest aspects has been the exceedingly high-quality animation. Enhanced by the proliferation of Japanese animated films being released in the West, it truly has felt like a golden age has occurred in this decade. When it comes to Pixar’s best, there is nothing like Inside Out. Pixar has released some truly classy films over the 2010s. From Coco to Toy Story 3, they have a brilliant filmography. But whilst they are great, they also fall into some of Pixar’s classic storytelling tropes and their preferred format. Inside Out is the rare film that breaks out of the conventions of a Pixar film and creates something completely original and with a freedom that goes beyond its own storytelling. Don’t get me wrong, this is a film with the classic Pixar blueprints on it. A gorgeously colourful visual style provides the film with a colour palette stuffed to the brim with variation. Accompanied by Michael Giacchino’s wonderful score and beautifully simplistic leitmotifs, Inside Out is a technical delight. Of course, that is the Pixar standard. Where it breaks out as a gem is in its storytelling and direction. In order to make Inside Out, director and co-writer Pete Docter turned to psychologists when it came to exploring the changes in a young

Moonlight (2016) Having said that, there are still many things that make it as good as it is. A good deal of credit can be given to the performances across the board, as everyone imbues Jenkins’ dialogue with a raw and real humanity. Jenkins himself feels so confident behind the camera; James Laxton’s cinematography is gorgeously fluid, almost ethereal at times; Nicholas Brittel’s score is achingly beautiful; and Hannah Beachler’s production design leaves the entire experience feeling as real as possible. Films like Moonlight are so unbelievably rare. This is an experience that will creep up on you, embrace you, hold you tight, make you feel emotions you never thought you could feel in a film, then leave you sobbing by the time the credits roll. From its opening long take that oozes confidence to its beautifully subtle Holy Moment of a closing shot, Moonlight is undeniably the best film of the 2010s. Image Credits: Grand Budapest Hotel courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures, Arrival courtesy of Sony Pictures Ltd., Boyhood courtesy of Universal Pictures, Gone Girl courtesy of Gone Girl Twitter, Your Name courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd., Inception courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures, Moonlight courtesy of A24, Inside Out courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Inside Out (2015) child’s mind as it progresses, in particular looking to Dacher Keltner of the University of California. From that, we get to examine the inner workings of the 10-year-old Riley as everything in her life changes around her.

“It's nigh-on impossible not to cry” This examination provides us with some utterly brilliant ideas to drive the narrative along in order to keep the audience engaged. Concepts such as the subconscious, imagination, long-term memory and the core of our personalities are all constructed in fascinating ways that provide insight as well as some great laughs. On top of that, following the five core emotions as Riley’s brain starts to change is a great journey with some brilliant humour and excellent writing alongside strong voice acting performances from Amy Poehler and Phyllis Smith among others. Speaking of emotions, Inside Out packs a heavy emotional punch in it’s third act. Going back to Pete Docter, his inspiration for the film was observing the changes in his own daughter as her mind developed. That level of personal filmmaking is so incredibly apparent as Inside Out brings together its story so completely satisfying, and so beautifully it's nigh-on impossible not to cry. Any film to bring together all these ideas is genuine cinematic excellence. To do so as uniquely as Inside Out is a feat worth praising in a decade. To steal a phrase from TripleDent Gum, it will make you smile.

TELEVISION

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbricktv

Let it Show, Let it Show, Let it Show This year our Television Critics tell us all about the shows that make their Christmas Abby Spreadborough

Katie Norris

Emily Calder

Comment Editor

Travel Editor

Deputy Editor

Call the Midwife

Father Ted

Vicar of Dibley

Celebrating new life being brought into the world, watching nuns squabble over stolen cake, and heartbreak as well-loved characters leave. These are three of the main things that characterise my Christmas viewing – Call the Midwife. The Christmas special is possibly my favourite to watch, with recent times seeing our favourite characters go somewhere special for Christmas – South Africa in 2016, and this year to a remote Scottish island! Each year brings a cathartic journey through heart-warming storylines and those tinged with heartbreak whilst following the midwife team, facing anything from romantic difficulties to pregnancy complications. This Christmas seems no different, with the BBC announcing that they will be working 'in bleak conditions with limited access to water and electricity to help their patients.' Although Christmas is a time for celebration, this harsh reality is a welcome break from the fuzzy feel-good Christmas musical films that fill our screens, truly making its viewers grateful for the advances in technology and society we have made. The episodes never fail to have compelling storylines, with the midwives confronting drug abuse, tuberculosis, and cancer. However, this is balanced with the moving, funny relationships amongst the midwives themselves and the locals – a comfort which has me returning to watch it every Christmas.

Somehow, every Christmas Eve, I inevitably end up watching Father Ted. This may seem strange seeing Father Ted ended before I was even born and totals only 25 episodes. You would expect on Christmas Eve there would be plenty to choose from as BBC, ITV and Channel Four compete for ratings, yet my family always end up dismissing these offerings and scrolling endlessly towards Dave and Alibi. These channels exist as a time capsule as they rerun Father Ted along with other British comedies from the late 20th Century. Although not particularly festive in my opinion you can’t beat classics like the Eurovision special 'My Lovely Horse' and equally hilarious 'Wrong Department Store.' Perhaps this show endures in the same way the more seasonally appropriate Gremlins and Home Alone endure, as classics from the past that stir up nostalgia for a simpler time. With nostalgia driven films and television more popular than ever, it’s no surprise that we return to the 90s and 80s as Christmas rolls around.

Every Christmas Eve, my family sit together to watch the Vicar of Dibley Christmas Special ‘The Christmas Lunch Incident’ (1996). If you haven’t seen the show, I would hugely recommend doing so, purely to watch Dawn French’s brilliant performance and enjoy genius writing from Richard Curtis (who you will probably know best from writing Love Actually). In this episode, we watch Vicar Geraldine Granger spend her second Christmas in Dibley as she tries to prepare her sermon for Christmas day. After many painful drafts, she sits among her numerous advent calendars and eventually utilises a Spice Girls biography given to her by her fantastic best friend, Alice, who is played by the late Emma Chambers. The Vicar, out of politeness, accepts invitations to four Christmas lunches. As someone who barely manages one Christmas lunch on the big day, it's baffling how she manages to stuff down all that food. Her over-indulgence is hilarious, and definitely fits in with our modern day mukbang culture of watching others consume huge amounts of food. My particular highlights are her participation in a brussels sprout eating competition and watching her get a taxi home – when her house is literally across the road - because she has eaten so much that she can no longer walk. The jokes never get old, and nothing makes me feel quite as Christmassy as watching Dawn French stuff herself to the point of major indigestion – something that I think many of us can relate to as a part of our Christmas day.

Catrin Osborne Television Editor

Morecambe and Wise Not a Christmas is complete in my household without frantically skipping through the channels and ultimately deciding to watch a compilation of Morecambe and Wise’s sketches. A lot of 1970s humour seems out-of-place in our modern culture. However, these iconic sketches never fail to make all generations chuckle due to their inoffensive content. Throughout the decade, a new Christmas episode would play each year causing it to become a quintessential aspect of a British Christmas.

“These iconic sketches never fail to make all generations chuckle”

Sian Allen

Television Critic

Doctor Who There’s a strange association between Christmas and time travel in my family – Back to the Future and Muppet’s Christmas Carol always make an appearance, but there is no greater festive staple than the annual Doctor Who Christmas special. The specials have evolved over the years from killer Christmas trees to more sophisticated drama. It gives a chance for the beloved show to have some fun (2014’s 'Last Christmas' comes to mind as a fantastic homage to Alien) or a platform for The Doctor’s final bow.

“They have always provided an extra present to look forward to” Like many, I have had the pleasure of growing up loving Doctor Who; I’ve spent a fair few Christmas Days either excusing myself from the table because the special was starting or shushing my extended family, trying to make sure they don’t notice me crying during regeneration speeches. They have always provided an extra present to look forward to during the late afternoon lull when some of the excitement has worn off and you're stuffed with food. I’ve definitely felt their recent absence officially announce that the campaign to bring Christmas specials back starts here – but until the BBC return my calls, bring on the New Year.

Although it sounds absurd, there is something so funny about the double act completing their breakfast routine to the tune of 'The Stripper.' They incorporated celebrities in brand new ways such as news presenter Angela Rippon’s report turned dance routine. The gem of them all is the 'Mr Preview' sketch in which André Previn holds back his fits of laughter caused by Eric Morecambe’s quick-witted humour. Christmas is a time for joy which is perfectly captured in the double act’s theme song so let’s hope that this holiday brings us fun, brings us sunshine and brings us love.

Illustrations drawn by Amrita Mande

Web Series of the Week: Unravelled Sian Allen

Television Critic

Craving a deep dive into a rabbit hole of super niche, thoroughly researched and above all, ridiculously quotable content? Look no further than Polygon’s Unraveled, the most chaotic use of a creative writing degree showcased on YouTube yet. Unraveled is branded as ‘absurdly comprehensive game lore’ and its absurdity is easily its biggest and most unique selling point; where else are you going to find a slightly unhinged English major passionately argue that Mario is technically a war criminal? Unraveled is a web series hosted by Brian David Gilbert on

the YouTube channel Polygon, best known for its content surrounding video games and gaming culture – yet you don’t have to be a prolific gamer to enjoy the show (or be either impressed or concerned about how much research, time and effort goes into making it). Most of Unraveled’s appeal comes from Gilbert’s slow mental unravel as each episode goes on – he has an incredibly endearing chaotic energy that makes him easily the best presenter Polygon currently has to offer. Since September 2018, episodes have varied from solving the notoriously complicated Zelda timeline to creating the perfect Pokerap to finding Mortal Kombat’s best cuddler.

“Unravelled is branded as 'absurdly comprehensive game lore' and its absurdity is easily its biggest and most unique selling point”

YouTube may have its pros and cons, but it’s definitely a blessing that it gives a platform to a show like this one that skilfully entertains and engages its audience with only a host, a plain black background and a lot of paper. Unraveled may be low budget but with great writing and editing, Gilbert’s immaculate three-piece suits and his seemingly infinite charm, you barely notice it. Its appeal may seem niche at first glance, but you soon realise that it appeals to anyone who has ever cared very deeply about something objectively insignificant. Especially in the intense age of the internet fandom, that’s a significant portion of people, and it

does have a comforting effect. In his incredibly catchy musical video essay application to work at Polygon posted on his own channel in 2017, Gilbert describes the channel’s content as a ‘harmless source of joy,’ inadvertently summing up what makes Unraveled so entertaining. The things that Gilbert gets so passionate about may have little meaning, but they also provide welcome and refreshing escapism. It is no coincidence that Unraveled has evolved into one of Polygon’s flagship shows, and there are no signs of it slowing down any time soon.

TELEVISION

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbricktv

Review: Green Eggs & Ham Antonio Aguila Television Critic

Yes, you read the headline correctly. Dr. Seuss’ rhyming children’s book of sparse content has been adapted by Netflix into an animated 13-episode series. To sum it up, it is absolutely whimsical. The story keeps a corny vibe with its well-written rhyming sequences, slapstick, colourful animation that brings to life Dr. Seuss’ whacky and absurd style. It doesn’t let its cheeky and imaginative side run too loose as silly moments are balanced with actual dramatic conflicts, tensions and moments. Green Eggs and Ham plays to its strengths. One thing I found interesting was the heavy use of meta-humour. One would complain that, while, the pop-culture gags and self-awareness were actually hilarious and helped establish a uniquely zany tone, they might go over children’s heads. However, they would not be put off due to the amount of whimsy that floods the show. The only thing that could almost have ruined it was the overdone gag of completing sentences across different scenes. Green Eggs and Ham gets repurposed into an actually fleshed out buddy road trip between a grumpy curmudgeon with abandoned dreams and an excitable

bubble of energy trying to find a friend. As the journey becomes a wild fast-paced adventure taking them through different fun scenarios, obstacles and challenges, it keeps its themes of purpose and friendship on the visible forefront. To add to this, the animation and characters are done fabulously; watching them traverse beautiful h a n d drawn 2D landscapes with

Youtube/ Netflix

an energetic and vividly bright palette was nice. Their character developments are believable and executed with much care. As for the cliché aspect, it acknowledges its and the audience’s awareness of the ending in

a playful and funny way to keep the viewer engaged in an otherwise sour way of storytelling. One thing that is surprising is its wellstructured plot; the way it weaves it together with a focus of character arcs and interactions is where the heart of the series lies. I hated how it had a few

dram a t i c moments that kept me captivated. Something as dumb as this shouldn’t have had any vaguely deep moments, but somehow it did. After the iconic ending, there is a suggestion of a continued story surpassing it. If Netflix does allow for a second season, I would honestly be happy to watch it. My curiosity has to question though where the series would go now that it has exhausted the original source? As satisfying as it was to watch the climax it was the playful, invested journey that gave reason to get to that climax and made the

moment feel complete. The gag is purposefully overdone to extend the comedic effect instead of losing it. It is strange and amazing that out of all the themes, characters and motifs the unifying principle is none other than the verdant breakfast meal. It is even stranger that it somehow draws out the meaning of ‘how will you know if you don’t try’ not only towards picky children but to people too shy to ask that guy or girl out or those with never pursued or abandoned dreams. As an adaptation, it is fascinating how much the writers and animators were able to draw out as much whimsy and drama from a basic, kind of dumb concept. In terms of entertainment it's bingeable, depending on the viewers sense of humor. If you hate anything that contains a remote amount of cheesiness or clichés, then I wouldn’t recommend this to you. Otherwise, if you find yourself over the winter holiday catching a break from all the essays and exams and want some nonsense to make you laugh and giggle, then go ahead and indulge yourself. Gobble down some delicious Green Eggs and Ham!

Top TV Picks for the Season

BBC

A Christmas Carol BBC One This December

BBC

Review: The Novels That Shaped Our World

Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special BBC One 25th December

TV Critic Sam Wait reflects on this docu-series that will have you hitting the books Sam Wait

Television Critic

To celebrate the 300th anniversary of the English language novel, BBC Two has created The Novels that Shaped our World. The series consists of three hour-long episodes, dedicating each to a unique perspective: women’s writing, the British empire, and class struggle. If you’re not immediately fascinated by people talking about books to a camera – which admittedly, most people on a Saturday evening are not – do not look away just yet. The series is a commemoration of a multitude of voices from all classes, races and genders. The show succeeds in showing us that the novel allows us to

Twitter/@BBC

walk in shoes we wouldn’t be able to otherwise. Commendably, the series does not shy away from modern literature – spanning from Samuel Richardson’s Pamela (1740) to Malorie Blackman’s Noughts and Crosses (2001). Among others, novelists Anthony Horowitz and Phillipa Gregory speak emotively on the books they love and their effect on them. To develop this standpoint, countless academics discuss novels in terms of their literary and social impact such as UoB’s own Fariha Shaikh, who features in episodes two and three. Alongside this, notable actors’ performances to bring the text to life. Despite the canon of English Literature being saturated with male writers, the novel began as a primarily female form of expression such as Jane Eyre (1847). The novel is discussed as a form of expression for those who wouldn’t otherwise have a voice. The series displays how

society and perspective moulds novels, and how these novels create social change. Themes of female autonomy and independence as well as the fluidity of gender is considered in Virginia Woolf’s Orlando (1928).

“The novel allows us to walk in shoes we wouln't be able to otherwise” Episode two focuses on how the novel depicts the rise and fall of the British Empire, and the experiences of those caught within it. The brutality of slavery is detailed in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s anti-slavery novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) and the series witnesses the change in literature throughout the liberation of slaves. In literature, the long-standing effects of racism and the colonial empire pervade literature as it does society. This is brilliantly shown in a re-enactment of the novel Noughts and Crosses (2001), which centres in a reality where white people are oppressed whilst

darker skin tones are seen as superior. Classism is discussed in episode three, spanning Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist (1837) to Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting (1996). The relentless labour of Victorian workhouses and the struggle for social mobility is considered in earnest. The series considers the difficulty of being trapped in a divisive social structure, where what class you’re born into can decipher whether you will succeed. The message at the heart of the series is that of acceptance as it displays how three hundred years of the novel has spanned decades of progressive social change, but these mini-documentaries imply that we still have a long way to go. We are not living in a post-sex, post-race or postclass society. The series indicates that to continue to progress, we must value the novel and the insight it gives us of marginalised groups. This series is thoughtful in its consideration of underrepresented groups and will have you adding a lot of novels to your to-read list.

Twitter/@ YouNetflix

You Netflix 26th December

Twitter/@ bbcpress

The Trial of Christine Keeler BBC One 29th December

GAMING

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbrickgaming

Redbrick Picks:

In a decade filled with innovation, surprises and fun, Redbrick Gaming writers Kieren Platts Gaming Writer @KPFakeAccount

Sam Arrowsmith Gaming Writer

Breath of the Wild is a big deal. No one could dispute that. A game that took five years to make and sold 16.04 million copies cannot be considered small fry. OpenWorld games have always had a certain appeal to me, I always love the freedom of having a big map to spend hours just wandering around, taking everything in. Breath of the Wild appeals to that spirit more than almost any Zelda game to come before it. The map is vast and dynamic, the tedious early game tutorials non-existent. If you feel like it, you can leave the Shrine of Resurrection and go straight to fight Ganon and nobody would stop you (I don’t personally recommend it, but that’s just me). Loadouts are remarkably customisable, with endless weapons, shields, armour, and even a Magitek motorbike (which doesn’t feel as out of place as you’d think in a medieval environment). There’s obviously a story that runs through all of this, with Link uncovering the reason why he was put into suspended animation 100 years ago, and how that connects to the world he finds himself in now. The revelations you find make for a riveting story, but the true draw is exploration - Nothing beats the thrill of climbing up sheer cliffs and then gliding off them into a gorgeous grassland vista. If ground travel takes your fancy, you can try and catch horses, of if horses aren’t your style, you can try to ride deer, or even bears. Then, you can experience the thrill of seeing one of the divine dragons: Dinraal, Naydra or Farosh, arcing slowly through the sky, as a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack plays in the

background. That’s before you unpack the tools offered by the Sheikah Slate, which can create some epically versatile combinations. YouTube offers many examples of people using the time freezing function on a boulder, hitting said boulder to build up kinetic energy and, when time unfreezes, using the momentum to ride the newly formed missile into the sky. Using the Magnesis function can also create some fun opportunities for sneak attacks. Many a Bokoblin has met an untimely end through being unceremoniously crushed, or else batted off a cliff with a nearby metal sphere. Combat itself is a lot of fun, with endless creative ways to defeat your adversaries, and many genuinely tough bosses in the open world. It is hard not to hear the frantic music that signals the approach of a Guardian without feeling an urge to run, particularly if you’re still early in the game. Of course, this isn’t just anarchy, as I have mentioned before. There are still the four Divine Beasts which serve as the main dungeons, providing some structure to the story, but even these can be completed in any order. Each one makes the fight with Ganon a lot easier by removing one of the Blights from the order of the final battle. There are also 136 mini dungeons called shrines scattered across the map. Each one tests your skills and tools to their very limit. They’re immensely satisfying to complete, particularly if it’s a puzzle you’ve been stuck on for ages. This just gives you a flavour of the vast sandbox Nintendo have created, and it rightly ranks among the best Nintendo has to offer. That makes it my Game of the Decade. The 2010s wouldn’t have been the same without it.

Nintendo

Let’s not undersell what Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is. Apart from being an extraordinarily fun fighting game, with accessible entry for casual players, and a ludicrous competitive scene for professional players, apart from the fact that it became the bestselling fighting game ever eleven months after release - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a celebration of games from the 80s, to today. It’s a triple-A passion project, and is the embodiment of the vibrancy and life of computer games. Ultimate started development in December 2015, shortly after director Masahiro Sakurai sneakily used a fighter ballot to gauge interest for new fighters - not for Smash 4 DLC as was assumed, but for a brand new iteration for a brand new console. Keep in mind, the Switch wouldn’t be announced for another seven months. And that’s how a community that kept dreams of a playable Ridley, a resurrected King K. Rool (after 10 years of absence!) and a reclaimed Banjo Kazooie (18 years away from a Nintendo console!) ended up with their most beloved memories of games being represented by the Smash Bros. family. 81 playable characters, 107 stages, 956 songs, 36 franchises, 9 game companies, and over 240 series are present in not insignificant forms. And in a few weeks time, these numbers will need to be updated. Sakurai has directed a dream project, and if his video presentations and creativity in character reveal trailers are anything to go by, he’s loving every moment of it. We’re talking about

a man who has worked full-time on Smash Bros. since 2013, single-handedly resurrected Kid Icarus, and treated Solid Snake with more respect than Konami ever will. We live in a world where Nintendo, Gamefreak, Sega, Bandai Namco, Capcom, Konami, Square Enix, Microsoft, Atlus, Platinum, SNK are willing to contribute to one single title. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a playable hall of fame.

“81 playable characters, 107 stages, 956 songs, 36 franchises...” The game is primarily about fighting, but when you have 81+ playable characters, each standard match plays completely differently to the last, even without factoring in stages, items, and battle styles. Mario Kart has always had it right - make losing just as fun as winning, but Smash has a beautiful approach. The game is chaotically fun to mess around in, addicting to play competitively with friends, and features a skillceiling so high that professional players can make a living off tournaments. Sakurai called Ultimate a miracle, very unlikely to happen on this scale ever again. If that’s true, then Super Smash Bros. Ultimate could stand as the epitome of developers, publishers, and players of different skill levels uniting under a game that’s just pure joy to play, with new characters and franchises being added all the time. If so, I might not be looking at my game of the decade - it could be my game of the century.

Nintendo

Sam Nason

Gaming Editor @SamJoshuaNason

No game has defined the 10’s like Minecraft has. Though released in 2011, it somehow feels like it’s been present for much longer such is its influence upon this decade. Around my school, Minecraft was always the product of memes and snide ridicule. Classmates had no idea what kind of game they were missing out on; because (secretly) Minecraft has always been fantastically fun, robustly built and an absolute delight to explore. Minecraft’s initial release was the first time I encountered the term ‘indie game’, and what a foot forward Mojang’s creative sandbox was. While it can’t really be classed as such nowadays, Minecraft was my first exposure to a game that wasn’t pumped with money, didn’t look glamorous, was only modestly advertised – and yet hit the world by storm. Of course, modern day Minecraft defies each of these factors, but that is just a testament to the success and influence of such an innovative game. Most are familiar with the various ways one can ‘Minecraft’. My personal favourite is in its creative mode, where you are given free reign to build to your heart’s content with a huge variety of blocks, contraptions and AI to place into your world. There’s something beautifully therapeutic about constructing a model village, visiting another user’s creations, or even trying to replicate your own neighbourhood in-game (that was a long weekend). C418’s music playing in the background makes what some might consider a monotonous task mesmerising. The electronic twangs of each track

GAMING

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbrickgaming

Game of the Decade and editors join together to explore their favourite games of the last ten years! Ellen Hill

Gaming Writer

are fantastic to build to. Of course, this isn’t the only aspect of the game to enjoy. Minecraft also boasts its more objective-based, perhaps more popular survival mode, which sees you begin with nothing but your fists as you explore, build and battle your way through an incredibly vast, diverse and randomly generated world. Many became introduced to this mode through YouTube creators, and here lies the beauty of the mode – that each survival adventure is different, and will always offer a unique experience to each intrepid explorer; fun to watch, but even better to take part in. Perhaps most recognisable about Minecraft is its look. The game’s graphics are – dare I say – iconic, showcasing the beauty of a stylised world over attempts to appear more ‘realistic’, something that still remains relevant today. Minecraft is an example of a game with such a solid premise and enjoyable execution that its graphical capabilities almost becoming irrelevant; handy, due to the amount of devices this game has cropped up on. At this point, Minecraft is essentially a platform. No matter where or what you’re playing on, a huge community innovating with boundless mechanics is waiting. One look at Minecraft’s Wikipedia page shows the scale of its evolution – and what’s pressing is that its fanbase appears to have grown with it. For a game with such a colourful aesthetic and family appeal, it may be easy for some to dismiss it as superficial or ‘for kids’, like those at my school used to. But the fact it has maintained its appeal while welcoming many new creators to the fold is a testament to the masterful gameplay and accessibility of a game that will define the next decade like it did this one.

Microsoft

Who could forget one of the most heart-wrenching tutorial sequences, which left us all devastated. Within the first half-hour of The Last of Us you experience a mixture of intense fear, adrenaline, and emotional suffering as you rush to escape the initial outbreak of an apocalyptic infection that transforms humans into zombielike creatures, known as the Infected. The main story of the game comes 20 years later, following the journey of Joel and Ellie - an unlikely partnership between a broken father and optimistic young girl - as they trek across post-apocalyptic America in hopes of a cure. This relationship becomes the focal point of your gameplay, with moments of spontaneous dialogue and emotional cutscenes emphasising their strong paternal bond, even in their early interactions. The realistic characterisation and importance placed on family sets The Last of Us wildly apart from other survival games – you become so heavily invested in Joel and Ellie, in their success and their well-being that they become almost like your family. This is what makes the final chapter so harrowing. This year-long journey, tens of hours of gameplay, culminates in a revelation that so perfectly parallels the devasting opening, and in that moment you are not simply a player controlling a character in a video game but you become Joel, experiencing his emotional turmoil as he desperately tries to prevent the

past from repeating itself. This genuine connection between the player and the main characters is developed subtly throughout the game. The variety of confrontations you face with both Infected and other humans, from dark sewers and underground metros to abandoned towns or expansive forest, means it never feels like you’re just repetitively killing enemies for the sake of moving the plot forwards. Every sequence has weight and meaning: it reveals something about the main characters or about life post-infection, immersing you deeper into their world. Despite not feeling like your typical horror game, The Last of Us features some of the most genuinely terrifying enemy encounters I have ever experienced. The variation in combat situations, from stealthily picking off enemies one by one to being charged by packs of Infected, provides an interesting game dynamic that leaves you constantly on edge even during apparent moments of peace, echoing the experience of the characters you play as. This level of immersion and realism, where your priority is simply to survive scene-toscene, protecting those you love at all costs, makes The Last of Us so special. It’s one of the rare RPGs where the story hasn’t become lost in the gameplay, but is enhanced by it. The personal connection you develop with the story and the characters, combined with the stunning visuals and challenging action sequences, leave players wanting for very little and is why it’s my game of the decade.

Sony

Alex Green Gaming Editor @AlexGreen9898

Few games this decade have achieved what they set out to accomplish so brilliantly and confidently as Portal 2. Since its release in 2011, we’ve had a haul of great games, but Portal 2 still is as enjoyable to play in 2019 as it was eight years ago. Finding a criticism is near impossible. One of the greatest testaments to Valve’s puzzle sequel is how it avoids every pitfall imaginable for a puzzle game. The learning curve is excellently plotted as the game progresses and steadily introduces new mechanics such as the propulsion and repulsion gels. The variation in puzzles late on and the increase in scale prevent the gameplay from becoming formulaic. Signposting of how to complete the puzzles is perfectly balanced to make the game accessible to the player whilst not revealing the crux of the puzzle too much. On top of the masterful puzzle design and expertly paced gameplay, the story is one of the most satisfying of the decade. Every aspect of it works. GLaDOS returns and continues her signature dry humour and even gets surprising character development. Stephen Merchant brings his typically oafish comedy to Wheatley, who proves to be a perfect fit to the writing of the game’s comedy. We even get to hear from Cave Johnson voiced by the typically amazing J.K Simmons. Less pictures of Spiderman here, more ranting about lemons. It’s an underrated and amazingly done role. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Portal 2 is the ingenious

addition of multiplayer. For a series that always seemed perfectly suited to a single-player experience, it breaks out of these confines to provide a whole new set of puzzles that change up the dynamic nicely with the addition of a friend, but don’t hurt the core gameplay at all. That’s a rare feat for any game in any genre this decade, let alone the puzzle genre. We’ve seen numerous series try to add multiplayer to varying degrees of success (Dragon Age and XCOM come to mind in this regard) but Portal 2 did it so seamlessly that it feels like a natural fit.

“Portal 2 [added multiplayer] so seamlessly that it feels like a natural fit” Even in 2019, the game’s visual style, with the clinical white walls of Aperture Science Labs combined with its disused inner workings, have prevented it from aging when it comes to the eye test. With the support of the Steam Workshop adding additional content and the effortlessly replayable core game, Portal 2 is a genuine timeless classic. Seeing it fire on all cylinders and hardly making a misstep is one thing. Doing that and being so absurdly fun is another. So as we head into the new decade, let me quote GLaDOS herself when I say: “I hope we can put all our differences behind us. For science. You monster.”

Valve

FOOD&DRINK

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbrickfood

It’s Not Better Being Bitter

Food&Drink Writer Emma Woodhouse reveals why some picky-eaters have no hope of ever changing Emma Woodhouse Food&Drink Writer

So, here we are again. Baubles and Bublé jingle in the air, bank accounts plummet across the country and calorie consumption skyrockets like a delectable chocolate covered shooting star. As we get ourselves into the festive spirit, we also prepare, both mentally and physically, for the main event - Christmas Day Dinner. Meats galore, lashings upon

Lance Cheung

lashings of hot, filthy gravy, and stuffing that will stuff you silly. But nothing on the table compares to the diversity that is displayed by the plate-fillers themselves – the vegetables. These glorious delights, in a variety of colours, textures and tastes accommodate everyone at the dinner table; the most hospitable of foods. Yet, there are those who turn their heads in disgust at our plant-based friends. But what is the reason behind their poor table etiquette? According to a recent study conducted by the University of Kentucky, genetics are a key influencer when it comes down to taste. Whilst we all inherit TAS2R38, also known as the taste gene, there are variants of it that can lead to very different outcomes of sensitivity to bitterness. Those who inherit only AVI (nontasters) can gobble down dark chocolate and black coffee without a flinch. But those with only PAV (supertasters) feel the bitter sting more than others. The results of a questionnaire taken by 175 participants unveiled that certain foods, including Brussels sprouts, cabbage and broccoli, were reacted to negatively due to a taste of sulphur-like bitterness. Even the addition of flavour enhancers like

Tea Time

Food&Drink’s Phoebe Holdsworth spills the tea on the universal appeal of this drink Phoebe Holdsworth Food&Drink Writer

Tea: there’s nothing like it. Warming, mild and homely, its has been a staple of British culture for many years. The classic cuppa transcends the rise and fall of fads and trends, and is enjoyed on a multi-generational scale. Be it by your elderly grandmother, your slightly strange neighbour, or your friends from school, here in the UK, cups of tea are enjoyed on a universal level. But this is only the case for the classic builders. Tea, like many popular cultural symbols in the western world, has its off-springs. But in a country where George Orwell described the classic tea as ‘one of the mainstays of civilisation,’ will these variations last? We’ll begin with herbal tea. Popular in many Asian countries where it can be accompanied by intricate customs and cultures, herbal tea drinking in the UK has, in the past, been reserved for when there’s no more Tetley in the cupboard. But this could be changing. Recent studies show many health benefits related to the flowery drink. Blends of chamomile, ginger or peppermint have been shown to aid sleep, relieve stress, and even help reduce chronic pain. Herbal tea is healthy, especially compared to its caffeine-infused counterparts.

So, in a world obsessed with health trends such as Veganism or Keto, watch this space. We will be seeing more from herbal tea. Now we turn to herbal tea’s less healthy brother, Boba. This Taiwanese drink seems a long way from the UK’s cup, but has been extremely popular nonetheless, even being sold in the Topshop on Oxford street! The original drink combines tea with milk, sugar and honey, and is topped with small tapioca pearls. Now, thanks to companies like Bubbleology, the options are endless. We have flavours such as Oreo, Caramel, Banoffee and even Pina Colada! Mirroring the rising popularity of Kawaii and K-pop, Boba tea represents another facet of Asian culture that we love in the UK. Delicious, fun and aesthetically pleasing, I hope it’s here to stay. Clearly, tea in its many forms is a constant in every culture. It is one of those rare things that is shared and enjoyed on a global scale, and every single variant is delicious. Tea goes beyond cultural boundaries, and while each country has its individual tea customs that should be respected, they can also be enjoyed universally. So, start your day with the British beverage, enjoy a bubbly Boba on the go and settle into the evening with a healthy herbal. Tea has no limits, enjoy it!

sugars, salts and fats had no impact on combating the unpleasant flavour that was experienced by participants.

“Brussels sprouts and broccoli, that tend to fall into the Marmite category of vegetables” However, as much as it would suck to be the chef who slaved away over a hot pot to get the greens ready in time for dinner, it sucks more for those who inherit this particular variant of the taste gene, as they may be missing vital vitamins and nutrients. Brussels sprouts and broccoli, that tend to fall into the Marmite category of vegetables anyway (you love them or you hate them), are rich in antioxidants and fibre, and are great for your heart. They even act as beauty aids, according to some nutritionists, who explain that sprouts have the ability to assist hair growth and strengthen

weak and brittle hair. So, is there a way to fight the bad, bitter taste of the super veg for the supertasters? Well, the cooking process has been noted as one. Some vegetables become more bitter the more they are cooked (they also look sloppy and vile, which is more unappetising), thus having a little bite of your vegetables could make them a little more inviting. Tonia Reinhard, Senior lecturer at Wayne State University in Detroit, explains that some individuals may be able to explore the idea of using their cognitive functions to understand their own tastes and potentially override them. Furthermore, age is a contributing factor to taste. You may have hated sprouts as a child and still refuse to eat them as an adult; yet it could be worth re-visiting foods you disliked as an adolescent, due to taste-sensitivity lessening the older we get. I mean, six-year-old me would have shuddered at the concept of coffee and present me shudders at the idea of life without it. The perception of taste is therefore extremely complicated, with different variables affecting individuals in a multitude of ways. It can cause a deep-rooted hatred and a hardcore addiction, yet, it is

worth being mindful and taking note of our eating habits, especially of the foods we love and hate. Food sustains us but can also end us, being one of the biggest killers to this day. So, as we all stuff ourselves to the brim on chocolate, potatoes and turkey, let us have a toast to the vegetables, as you never know when they might save your life.

Eric Hunt

Colder Nights, Bigger Appetites? Food&Drink’s Rubaya Zaman explains why lower temperatures create cravings for carbs Rubaya Zaman Food&Drink Writer

Fewer daylight hours, the colder temperatures and more time spent indoors can really impact the way we eat. Our appetites seem to change when the days grow shorter. Truthfully, with the chilly weather,nothing sounds better than curling up on the sofa with a mug of delicious hot chocolate or staying warm with a creamy soup; or anything warming and filling really!

“Why is it that we crave more comfort foods during the colder months?” Most people would agree that winter is the time to indulge in carbloaded dishes and rich, hearty meals in comparison to the warmer months. But why is it that we crave more comfort foods during the colder months? One of the reasons

for this is due to our biology, ments on this particular point in explains Laura Cipullo in Everyday The Guardian, saying that: Health. For those who have stud- ‘Complex carbohydrates take ied the effects of eating in correla- more energy to digest, so will be tion to the colder months, they both satiating and warming, which “Making an inexorably to the stew or have found that the nippy weather leads may trigger our bodies to fatten up hearty soup’. informed decision is in order to survive the rough enviAlthough there are biological crucial by tothe success, ronment. A study conducted reasons as as to why we consume European Journal ofmust Clinical more food during the colder you understand Nutrition found that participants months, the custom of eating did eat more calories autumn hearty, filling the in consequences of foods in winter is than in spring and consumed more something which is deeply rooted cutting out some fat during the colder months. in culture. Festive occasions like Another reasonmajor why we tend to groups” Christmas and other winter holifood crave more comfort foods during days are associated with celebrathe darker winter period may be tion and feasting. because winter gives us the blues. As well as this, the appearSunlight helps our bodies release ance of special treats, drinks and serotonin – a neurotransmitter that foods in shops and supermarkets significantly increases your mood. that are only available at the fesCarbohydrates also release serot- tive time of year lead people to onin and people may want carbo- consume a lot more than they hydrate-rich foods to boost their usually would. Also, as we tend mood in winter when there is a to spend more time at home in the reduction in daylight hours. This is winter months when the weather especially for people who experi- is rough, we generally don’t parence seasonal depression. take in outdoor activities, so have Relating to this, eating these more opportunity to mindlessly types of foods in winter signifi- snack whilst lounging around, or cantly helps our bodies to feel even snack out of habit when we warmer. In the winter when we are are bored or when watching a exposed to the cold weather, our movie. body temperatures drop and this Fundamentally, our winter can trigger our appetite, as eating time eating behaviours are shaped is one of the ways your body by our genetic makeup as well as warms itself. Zoe Williams com- our surrounding environment.

FOOD&DRINK

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbrickfood

A Very Merry History Lesson

Deputy Editor Emily Calder and Food&Drink Editor Gabrielle Taylor-Dowson provide the foodie history of the festive season, from familiar staples to traditions from further afield Emily Calder Deputy Editor

Christmas dinner is my favourite part of Christmas Day, to the point where I think I look forward to it more than any other part of the season. I love the anticipation of it, preparing it as a family, and having everyone sit down to celebrate togetherness and spending another year with your loved ones. There is also nothing quite like the post-Christmas dinner food coma, in which many of us take to the sofa to half-consciously watch the Queen’s Speech, and raid the celebrations tin in spite of having just eaten our body weight in roast potatoes. But where did it all begin? The idea of a large meal on Christmas day goes back to the tradition particularly popular in the Elizabethan era of feasting on huge meals during festivities. Across the years, the traditional English Christmas dinner has moved through various centrepieces; from boar in the medieval times, through various birds in the 16th and 17th centuries, to the turkey which was supposedly popularised by Henry VIII. The various components that make up the traditional meal that we know and love today, however, do seem to have come along in dribs and drabs to form the final product. Mince Pies: Perhaps not a traditional component of Christmas dinner, but a Christmas food item so important to British history that I couldn’t possibly leave it out. Mince pies made with real mince date back to the medieval times, but they also contained dried fruits, spices and sugar a lot of the time. They became sweeter in the 18th century, with the import of sugar from slave plantations. The mince pies that we know and love today, which contains no meat at all, became more popular in the 19th century, and are now a true staple to the Christmas season. Supposedly their original ‘oblong’ shape resembled Jesus’ cradle, earning them the term ‘crib pies’ for a while.

Turkey: of a side and can even be made Turkey didn’t originate as a vegan or vegetarian. centrepiece of Christmas dinner Christmas Pudding, or in spite of its popular origins in ‘Figgy Pudding:’ Victorian Britain – until fairly This famous pud dates back to recently. Traditionally, goose or Medieval times, and was traditionbeef was a common centrepiece ally made on ‘Stir-Up Sunday,’ the (think A Christmas last Sunday before Advent. Like Carol!), but in the mince pies, the original puddings 19th century, more contained meat, but this was evenwealthy families tually phased out. Their first form would have was known as a ‘Frumenty’ porturkey, and by ridge, and was typically eaten as a the 20th cen- fasting meal in preparation for tury, it was Christmas. the most Christmas puddings tradicommon tionally contained, and somecentretimes still do, charms’ for piece. good luck in the new year Nowadays, e.g. coins and thimbles – over 90% certainly add a nice bite! of families They became a festive go for turdessert in 1650, but were key, with banned by the Puritans in some of us 1664 until King George I Pixabay opting for alter- instigated their triumphant native meats, or return in 1714. for vegetarian alterCranberry Sauce: natives. This aspect of Christmas Pigs in Blankets: dinner has flown over to us The history of pigs in blankets from across the pond in is a little harder to pin down, but America. Cranberry sauce was their first written mention is in a first offered to consumers in Betty Crocker cookbook in 1957. North America in Massachusetts Whilst our version of in 1912, and appeared as a a sausage wrapped canned variety that could in bacon is seen be sold all year round as a in 1941. Americans Christmas discovered it to pair essential, excellently with the Turkey – making American it a staple for version is their comThanksgiving pletely celebrations, and different, now also a staple and more in the British like a sauChristmas dinner. sage roll, Gravy: _Marion usually the Gravy is tradisausage is tionally made from a wrapped in mix of meat juice, pastry. stock and a thickening Brussels Sprouts: agent, and has been around This glorious and green friend for as long as the idea of sauce of ours is probably the most conhas. As a traditional component troversial item on your plate on to meat, most people assume that Christmas day. Whether you it has almost always been a comserve them as a novelty or ponent of the traditional because you actually enjoy the Christmas dinner. Today, it is a taste, over 750 million are eaten staple to any Sunday roast, an in December alone every year essential on Christmas day, and worldwide, so they definitely can be enjoyed with chips all year aren’t going any time soon. This round. could in part be due to the fact that they are one of Gabrielle Taylorthe oldest components Dowson of the British Christmas dinner, Food&Drink Editor arriving on our doorstep via France as a Belgian import in The British idea of what a perthe 17th century. fect Christmas should be is very Stuffing: specific. Ideally, it would be the Stuffing dates white Christmas that Bing back to some time Crosby dreams of. Unfortunately, between 2nd century that is guaranteed not to be the BBC BC and 1st century AD, case; luckily, there are some when a chef named things the British public can conApicius created a cookbook trol when it comes to engineering containing recipes for stuffed Christmas into the best day it can animals, ranging from chicken to possibly be. Bubbles from 8am dormouse. It can be assumed that, onwards, your Christmas chocoas a component traditionally lates for breakfast, and a full made to be stuffed into an aniChristmas dinner (I don’t have to mal’s carcass, this probably dates describe the components, you back to as early as we have been have already read our feature) cooking and eating birds. between 2 and 4pm before eveNowadays, stuffing can be more ryone falls asleep on the sofa to

the Eastenders Christmas special. This, of course, isn’t the case for other countries across the world who celebrate the holidays. With Christmas being a more secular holiday than ever as religious aspects of the holiday decline more and more every year, the only

to have theirs after dinner as dolce with a good sparkling Moscato. In Italy, giving a panettone to another isn’t just an offering of food, but a gesture of love and kindness. Japan Every Christmas season, an estimated 3.6 million Japanese families treat themselves to fried chicken from the VerySadFood American fast-food chain KFC, in what has become a nationwide tradition. The first Christmas campaign was rolled out on December 1, 1974, pushing the theme of ‘a day to please the children,’ and the rest is history. Yes, that’s right, KFC. Getting the KFC special Christmas dinner BBC means ordering it weeks in advance if you don’t want to wait thing for hours in line. that is still a ‘Christmas Party Barrel’ feaconstant about the tures a bucket adorned in the patfestive season is food. terns of your best Christmas Food at any time of year sweater and brimming with brings people together. Coming KFC’s standard chicken derivatogether and sharing a meal is the tives: fried chicken pieces, nugmost communal and binding gets, and tenderloins. Sides thing in almost every place in the include a Christmas salad (yelworld. So if you take that pre-ex- low, green, and red brightly isting spirit of togetherness and colored vegetables, cheddar blend it with the themes of cheese, and bacon bits), family and generosity chocolate cake, and festhat pervade the tively decorated holiday period, plate. With the then no matter ‘Premium where you Series,’ you get are, you are a whole roastguaranteed ed chicken to feel that’s got a warm and Parmesan fuzzy over crust. a table of Sweden whatever No food is Swedish traditional Christmas is to that complete location, so without a I’ve gathjulbord. ered together Julbord means a list of my ‘Christmas Petr Kratochvil favourite foody table,’ so basicaltraditions that take ly, Swedes prepare place in other parts various types of tradiof the world. tional foods in a big table Italy on Christmas Eve and celebrate Panettone is a traditional cake- until Christmas day, indulging in like bread stuffed with dried rai- the foods and centring family sins, and candied orange and time around the act of eating. The lemon peel from that has burst custom of julebord originated in from Italy to become something the Middle Ages, when it was embraced by people all over the customary to leave the food all world. Modern versions replace through the Christmas period so the fruit with chocolate, however poor people and vagrants could traditionally, it should be citrus feed themselves. A julbord norflavoured fruit bread - aromas of mally has lots of courses, in a lemon and orange should fill your buffet style. The number varies, senses. Some Italians will have it but five courses are a common with coffee in the morning, while style of Julbord, which include others prefer it as a mid-day treat pickled herring, a fish course, with a glass of Marsala wine and cold meats, a hot course, and desthen, there are those who choose serts.

TRAVEL

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbricktravel

One For The Bucket List: My Gap Year Adventure in Borneo Lauren Hayward Travel Writer

As someone who was lucky enough to visit Borneo this summer, I can wholeheartedly say that I can’t recommend it highly enough. My highlights were visiting the orangutan sanctuary, Sepilok, exploring the jungle, and climbing Mount Kinabalu, which reaches 4,095m above sea level. This was not only a highlight of the trip, but also one of the most rewarding (and difficult) experiences of my life. Sepilok was founded in 1964 and was the first centre in the world to dedicate itself to the rehabilitation of orphaned orangutans, with Borneo being one of the the only two places in the world where orangutans are found in the wild. It was a particularly exciting visit for us as my Dad was one of the volunteers who helped to build parts of the sanctuary when he lived on the island over 20 years ago. Two essential stops are the nursery (where you can watch the youngest orangutans playing, eating, and getting up to ‘monkey business’) and the feeding platform, where we were fortunate enough to see

Lauren Hayward

a mother and her baby feeding for quite some time. The whole experience was incredible, and given the rate at which orangutans are disappearing from the wild, something that we may not have long left to enjoy. Plus, the staff and guides were some of the friendliest and most welcoming people I have ever met - they are clearly so proud of their home and so honoured to have people visiting and learning about their culture and wildlife. In the jungle we stayed in an eco-lodge and embarked on two river cruises, which was another amazing experience. We saw orangutans again, this time completely in the wild, and hundreds of macaque monkeys, some which were just a few weeks old. There were also crocodiles – a baby and its mother – and a variety of different birds. When my dad asked me and my sister if we wanted to climb Mount Kinabalu, I naively thought it would be a chance for a bit of a walk and a few photos. Perhaps when he started to ask if I’d been doing any training I should have realised this was a serious mission, or when locals on the island would make comments like ‘Oh wow good luck!’ or ‘Get

ready for the pain!’. Pain? Surely they were being overdramatic? I can confirm that they were not. As we approached the mountain on the morning of our climb, my dad excitedly pointed out the peak that we’d be ascending, and it was at this moment that some words popped into my head that I won't repeat. 4,095 metres is high. It’s also worth noting that the majority of the climb up Mount K. is steps –thousands of very steep steps. Nonetheless, the first few hours of the climb went well, the weather was great, and the sense of anticipation was rising. With around an hour of climbing for the first day still to go, we encountered the worst weather in my life – perhaps the word ‘rainforest’ should have served as some kind of warning. It was the kind of rain where within seconds it’s already soaked through the three layers of clothing your mum told you you’d need to wear even though it’s a tropical country in July. However, we eventually made it to the lodge and the views were more amazing than we’d even expected. We left the hut at 2:30 am the next day, in order to ensure that we’d be at the summit for sunrise. Despite the fact that getting up in

Susanne Karl

the middle of the night to embark on an intense physical challenge wouldn’t usually be at the top of my holiday to-do list, we were all so excited, and the view of the stars as we climbed was breathtaking.

“Despite the fact that getting up in the middle of the night to embark on an intense physical challenge wouldn't usually be at the top of my holiday to-do list, we were all so excited” The temperatures plummeted and the effects of the high altitude started to set in, but sat on the top of the highest peak in southeast Asia with my dad and sister, watching the sun rise, was one of the most surreal moments of my

life. It’s something that will stay with me much longer than the achy legs did (although I did have the 'Mount K walk' for a few days after). It sounds like a cliché but it really reminded me how small I am, and how incredible the world is. Quite literally, the climb was tough – but the view was great. On the way down we completed the ‘Via Ferrata’ course, which is essentially when you are absolutely shattered after coming off the summit, they attach you to a ropes course and have you scale across bare rock face and clamber up rope ladders that are hanging over sheer drops – aka, the most terrifying thing I’ve ever done. It’s like Go Ape’s bigger, scarier brother - on steroids. But we did it, and it reminded me how rewarding getting out of your comfort zone can be. So, definitely visit Borneo! There is so much to discover on this magnificent island – travelling southeast Asia doesn’t just mean going to beach parties in Thailand on your gap year. Trips like these change your life, reminding you how incredible the world is, and how blessed you are to have the opportunity to experience it.

Lauren Hayward

How To Organise a Group Holiday Harriet Laban Food&Drink Editor

Some of my favourite memories that I’ve had with friends over the years have been the group holidays we’ve been on. From staying in a hostel in Ilfracombe fresh out of Year 11, to going away to Prague with friends from university when we were still in the beginnings of friendship, holidays with friends can provide fun and bonding experiences. There are of course many ways to organise a trip with friends, and for each of mine we have approached it differently. When we went to Ilfracombe, we took it day by day. Arriving on the coach and excited to be away

without adults for the first time, we absorbed everything the Devonshire coastline had to offer. Chatting over breakfast and dinner each day, we would decide what our activities would be, and took a very spontaneous approach. We stayed very local, content to just be in one another’s company, which is, after all, the point of going away with people who are special to you, whether it be a partner or your friends. True organisation was minimal, but this didn’t seem to matter. The second group holiday I went on was a bit further afield, as we travelled to Taormina in Sicily, which required a little more thought. It presented a whole new set of challenges; everything from sharing luggage without tipping it

over the baggage weight limit, to balancing time spent in the burning sun with cooling off in our cool casa. Throughout the holiday, it took some degree of interpersonal navigation to keep everyone happy, as our outlooks on what we wanted to do differed. This is the beauty of going away with others; it forces you to be more aware of their needs, and oftentimes you will have to compromise. Every time you do, you experience something new and learn to be forgiving, which ultimately reinforces the foundations of your friendships. For my first trip away with friends newly made at university, five of us decided to go to Prague. The organisation of this holiday was a big contrast to what any of

us had done before, as we all had different travel backgrounds. Fortunately, we were able to make compromises, all sitting together to choose where to stay and the more intricate planning details. For some, it was difficult to concede to staying in an AirBnB rather than a hostel, but for others it was the obvious choice. It grants you privacy, space, and worked out to be the same price as a hostel anyway! We learnt that when on holiday, everyone in the group tends to take on a different role. Accepting that some of you will be the detailed planners, and that some of you will prefer to push for all the fun trips, is an amazing thing. It helps you to relax, and allows everyone to figure out the

role they play in the group in general. It releases you from the pressure of having to be the one to do it all. At such a key time in blossoming friendships, it reinforced what we had begun to witness whilst living together at uni, and brought us closer together in a shorter amount of time. On each of the holidays I have been on, there have been wild differences. However, each was always incredibly enjoyable, both in terms of the travel experience and the time spent with friends. It is always worth remembering that the point of going away together is to bond and make fun memories, so all the compromises and challenges you face with one another only ever serve to make your friendships stronger.

TRAVEL

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbricktravel

Brumski: The Skiing Holiday Experience as a Pro vs Beginner Georgina Tait Travel Writer

Skiing holidays are an exciting time of the year. There’s nothing better than that invincible feeling you get when you’re flying down a mountain next to friends or family members, with a breathtaking view of never-ending snowy mountains ahead of you. At the end of an exhausting day, if you’re lucky, you might go back to a luxury chalet, pull off your boots, helmet, sallopettes and goggles, grab yourself some cake and prosecco, and jump in the hot tub. If you’re on a budget, accommodation is probably a cheap AirBnB to compensate for the bank-breaking costs of flights, a ski pass and ski hire. Whatever accommodation you’re in, the more important question is, who are you with? A group of beginner-level skiers, a group of advanced skiers, or a combination of the two? As a beginner, it’s quite demoralising to watch your fellow skiers, all far more experienced than you, sail down a piste like it’s second nature, and do a big jump as they pass you falling over for the 27th time. On the other

hand, it’s not always pleasant to have to wait five minutes in the cold, at the bottom of each piste for the slower skiers who are still learning. Perhaps, as a first-time skier, it is easier to keep up with the professionals, as you can simply just bomb down the small hills (this is not recommended). On a snowboard however, there is no easy way around it; you simply have to learn. Bombing down a piste at beginner level on a snowboard will almost guarantee you a nasty fall in the space of about three seconds. That being said, the diversity of having a mixture of both skiers and snowboarders in a group is more advantageous than disadvantageous (despite the ever-lasting rivalry between the two). When there’s a slight upwards hill preceding the chair lift, snowboarders are stuck and have to awkwardly one-foot it up the hill, usually resulting in a nice leg cramp. If you’re with a skier, though, providing they use poles, you can just get them to pull you up, holding onto their ski poles. Similarly, after a dramatic fall from a skier, their poles and skis are likely going to have fallen off

half way up the piste, leaving the skier below to have to trek back up the hill to retrieve them.

Brumski and Board Society

Snowboarders though, have no poles or anything to hold, so they can easily pick up some skis and ski poles on their journey down, and drop them off to the slightly bruised skier below. Surely, if there are advantages to the diversity of having skiers and snowboarders together, there too must be benefits to having a

range of levels within a group. Having a more experienced skier/ snowboarder with you provides you with the opportunity to watch and learn from them, ask them for tips and receive some muchneeded motivation after you’ve fallen down one too many times. Natalia, a second year who went on Brumski in Christmas 2018, agrees that having a group of various levels enables everyone to ‘challenge each other’ and makes the whole trip a lot more ‘interesting,’ as long as the runs that the group do are reasonably suited to everyone’s capabilities. Having a less experienced skier or snowboarder with you provides you with the rewarding opportunity to assist and teach them, which can then in turn help you to reflect and improve on your own technique. In addition, it means all the epic falls, funny moments, and beautiful scenery can be captured in the video sessions, whilst waiting patiently for the others. Further to this, some people go on ski holidays without skiing at all. At face value, this may appear pointless, or a waste of money, yet it is still a holiday. Whether you’re

in France, Switzerland, Slovenia, Canada, or somewhere in the U.S, you’re still able to go on solo adventures on foot through the mountains whilst the others are busy bruising themselves, as well as explore the culture, go sightseeing, experience the amazing views, try the new foods, all whilst avoiding the bruises, aches, and costs of ski hire! With all this being said, Brumski, the University’s biannual ski trip is coming up soon (although unfortunately the deadline for booking this event was a while ago). The sixnight trip begins on the 13th of December, allowing skiers to settle in back home just in time for Christmas on the 21st. They will travel to Tignes in France, home to an impressive 300 km of pistes. Their next ski trip runs in Easter, with information regarding the trip being released in January, on their Facebook page: Brumski and Board. Whatever level you may be, it is a brilliant opportunity, so if you’re lucky enough to have a spare £415 in your savings, do it! A university trip is the most convenient way to go, as everything is organised for you, whilst keeping student prices in mind.

Dangerous Travel Series: Experiencing Paris In Protest Zoe Willis tells us about her visit to Paris and how she navigated the city during the gilet jaunes protests Zoe Willis Travel Writer

On Saturday 16th November, the French protest movement gilets jaunes celebrated one year of protests. Ever since the first demonstration in November 2018, protestors have been demonstrating outside symbolic governmental sites in both major and minor cities, notably in Paris. It began in response to French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposed reforms which would cut taxes for the rich by 70% and increase fuel prices. However, the protests still continued when Macron scrapped the tax rise for fuel: this movement is now primarily driven by a more general desire to give power to the people than in protest of any specific reform. When I arrived on a day trip to Montpellier on Saturday 16th November, one of the first things I heard about while with my friends was the gilets jaunes protests and we slowly saw the responses to it over the city. Our tram into the centre of town stopped in advance of the central station

because of the demonstrations, and several public gardens with monuments were shut and locked. While looking for a restaurant to eat before getting our coach back to Aix-en-Provence, we saw a group of people in Place de la Comédie chanting and becoming rowdy at 6.30 pm. They set off a couple of fireworks into the sky, which provoked a round of applause from onlookers, and soon dispersed. Although I was feeling slightly uneasy, we chose to eat at a restaurant in this square as no other was yet open and we had a deadline to make. Our meal over with time still to spare, we ordered dessert. Within five minutes, everything changed. The gilets jaunes, who had their jackets tucked into their pockets due to the cold, returned, still rowdy. More fireworks were set off, this time across the square rather than into the sky; a tear gas canister went off outside Monoprix – a prominent French shop. Just as the Maître D ordered the other waiters to get everyone in the restaurant to pay and leave, a lit firework scattered across the front of the outside eating area, and a tear gas canister was slipped under the tented sides. We were

all told to run, and went panicking into the restaurant interior, where the waiters shut the doors and guarded the entrance. Even though we all made it in within a couple of minutes, the tear gas was already very strong and made it hard to breathe. We watched as the riot police marched outside. Having seen in the news the scale of the gilets jaunes riots in Paris earlier in the year – fires, defacing monuments, clashes with the police – I called my family to let them know where I was, what was going on, and to tell them I love them in case the protestors became more violent and something happened. It was a nightmarish experience. Thankfully the only people who came past the inside restaurant door were other frightened members of the public, whom the waiters let into our safe space. One of them at the bar offered water to us to help ease the effects of the tear gas. Once the gas cleared and the waiters couldn’t see any people nearby, they let everyone go and pointed us in the direction away from the main square – but not before they made us pay for our dinner!

Koshu Kunii

LIFE&STYLE

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbricklife

Head Over Heels: High Heel History Life&Style Writer Mehar Anaokar illustrates the past, present and future of high heeled shoes Mehar Anaokar Life&Style Writer

The earliest heel can be traced back to 15th century Persia, when soldiers would wear them to secure their feet in stirrups. These heels were short and made from sturdy materials.

1400s

1420s1780s

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, heels have been a significant part of women's footwear for the past 100 years, gaining both popularity and notoriety as different types of heels catwalk in and out of fashion trends. Here’s a brief timeline of heels from their conception, and more importantly, as they are known today.

The heel was brought to Europe by travellers, where they were worn by upper class men and women to appear taller and more formidable. This era also saw the rise in the chopines, a type of platform shoe worn by women to protect their dresses from the dirt and mud. These were up to 54 cm high and were completely covered by the skirt.

1830s The heel was rediscovered with innovations in sewing technology. Shorter heels were used to symbolize sophistication, with Queen Victoria trying on her first pair of boots designed for females in 1840. Heels also became an erotic symbol, which led to the decline of men wearing them.

1830s -1910s With the French Revolution came the decline of the heel. They were viewed as a symbol of abundant wealth and were commonly only up to two inches in height.

1920s -1940s

Short heeled shoes were still predominantly worn, with elongated toes and crisscross detailing of the straps on the front of the shoe. By the 1940s, pin-up images became more popular, and the heel became an even sultrier symbol. It was upgraded to being sleeker and taller.

Heels have always been hailed as a confidence booster, an instant upgrade for any outfit, a must-wear under dresses despite the aching feet they lead to. But even influencers and models have been photographed pairing trainers with dresses or skirts, increasingly in the past year. Does this mean the heel is slowly being worn out? Will the return of the roaring 20s bring back shorter heels from the 60s? Maybe Taylor Swift was right: high heels are out, sneakers are in.

1955 The kitten heel gained popularity, with actresses such as Audrey Hepburn and Marylin Monroe leading the way.

Higher heels are back in style, with women claiming back their confidence and style. Stilettos are most common, with celebrities often gracing the red carpet with them, and fashion icons such as Lady Gaga changing the idea of a heel to suit their own expression.

1960s The stiletto was invented by designer Roger Vivier.

2000s

ts:

lli

Shoe Illustrations by Mehar Anaokar

LIFE&STYLE

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbricklife

Appropriation or Appreciation? PrettyLittleThing x Little Mix

Life&Style Writer Naomi Bruneel discusses the controversial PrettyLittleThing collaboration with Little Mix, and outlines why it has received so much criticism Naomi Bruneel Life&Style Writer

At the beginning of November, PrettyLittleThing (PLT) launched their campaign with the pop girl band Little Mix. In preparation for the upcoming festive season, the collaboration introduced a range of partywear - from glitter and sequins to colourful animal prints. However, a few of the garments produced by the fast-fashion chain were questioned for their supposed cultural appropriation of traditional Chinese attire. The 2011 X-Factor winners were modelled head-to-toe in clothes that were promoted as ‘Eastern-inspired’ and labelled as ‘oriental.’ Co-ord sets, handbags, and heels all used intricately embroidered traditional silk dresses known as the qipao or cheongsam. The Xinhai revolution in 1911 saw a progressive step towards female liberation and women began wearing the qipao,

developed from a garment worn by men, as a sign of gender equality. Come the 1950s and 60s with the rise of the Communist government, there was a stricter approach to what women could wear in mainland China, meaning that the qipao only continued to be worn in the British colony of Hong Kong. Since then, the traditional outfit has become increasingly westernised and continues to have its symbolic and historical meaning overwritten through the means of appropriation. This is the case with the PLT’s clothing line in question, which has been criticised for sexualising the qipao by transforming it into crop tops and mini skirts. Many have taken to the debate through Twitter and Instagram, claiming that there had been a lack of consideration and education which had led to the ‘fetishisation’ of a traditional Chinese garment, politically charged with a history of both oppression and liberation. Unfortunately, others also took to

Instagram to obliviously praise and support the launch, some claiming that they were ready to buy the whole collection, others patronising the angered to ‘get over it.’ This level of ignorance demonstrates how many Westerners are blind to their imperialist history and the damaging effects of cultural appropriation.

“This level of ignorance demonstrates how many Westerners are blind to their imperialist history and the damaging effects of cultural appropriation. ”

The criticism also stems from PLT’s choice to label the particular items as ‘oriental’ - using this word ultimately generalises all Eastern cultures to the derogatory and exoticised idea of the ‘other.’ Historically, this has been a prevalent ideology in Western discourse as well as a subject and aesthetic seen in literature and art. However, this is not just a thing of the past but an ongoing issue as demonstrated by PLT. PLT may not be entirely to blame, however, as Little Mix had an equal responsibility in the creation of this collaboration. In recent light of Little Mix member Jesy Nelson’s documentary on the effects of online bullying and abuse, it comes as a shock that the girls had not considered the likelihood of their collaboration causing offence and disrespect. On top of this, the issue of cultural appropriation had been overlooked by Jesy Nelson when she faced backlash for styling her hair in dreadlocks. In the current celebrity

limelight, Little Mix are hugely influential towards young audiences, and for those who are naive, their cultural appropriation could simply come off as harmless cultural appreciation. Posting her outfit on Instagram this month, Kim Kardashian-West had also culturally appropriated the traditional Chinese attire in the red dress she wore to attend the 2019 Influencer Awards ceremony in Monaco. Although it was a more adapted take on the traditional Chinese dress than what PLT had produced, Kim had evidently not learnt from her previous controversy of originally naming her shapewear collection ‘Kimono.’ Clearly, the deep rooted racial implications that continue to exist in today’s multicultural society are masked under the veil of equality. Instances like the PLT x Little Mix collaboration ultimately uncover that the modern world may not be not as progressive as we’d like to think.

It Takes Two to Tango: The Male Contraceptive Void

Life&Style's Kathryn Langford interrogates the reluctant nature of pharmaceutical companies to invest in male contraception and discusses the gendered politics surrounding contraceptive use Yet, even condoms remain an infrequently used method of contraception. According to a YouGov Life&Style Writer poll in 2017, nearly half of under25s never use a condom with a Birth control has come a long way new partner. This may seem a since the use of crocodile dung as shocking statistic, but I am sure a sperm blocker in Ancient Egypt. that a mere few of us are strangers The first female birth control pill to excuses such as 'I forgot to buy became publicly available in the any' or 'I want sex to feel natural' 1960’s, with over 3.1 million or simply 'I don’t like them.' women in the UK now using this So, why is the onus on women form of contraception. Other to be responsible for preventing forms of female contraception pregnancy? Professor of gynaeinclude the implant, the patch, cology, Herjan Coelingh the coil and the injection. Bennink, believes the With such a wide cause to be the relucrange of birth control tance of big phar“ When it comes to options open to maceutical comwomen, we are panies which are male contraception forced to ask the 'run by white, question, why are middle-aged there are only two there no similar males who have viable options: a options available the same feeling for men? When it that they would vasectomy or concomes to male connever use (male doms.” traception there are birth control).' only two viable options: Bennink claims that, a vasectomy or condoms. 'if those companies Whilst vasectomy is a safe were run by women, it and minor surgical procedure, it is would be totally different.' usually permanent, making it both Perhaps Bennink is right, perunpopular and impractical. haps men simply do not want the Condoms on the other hand have responsibility of birth control, or an array of benefits, including do not wish to deal with the side protection from sexually transmit- effects. Whilst the side effects of ted diseases. female birth control are usually

Kathryn Langford

“If those companies

were run by women, it would be totally different”

relatively minor, such as mood swings or headaches, some individuals may suffer major changes in their mental health. It would be easy, therefore, to assume all men simply don’t want the burden of birth control and all the negative side effects. In fact, this isn’t necessarily the case. In 2016, the World Health Organization commissioned a trial of male contraception. Across the world, 320 men received injections every eight weeks to suppress their sperm production. Whilst the injection proved 98.4% effective, participant numbers dropped, and the trial was halted due to side effects such as acne and mood disorders. When news of this became public knowledge, many women took to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to criticise

and mock men for their inability ple - money. to cope with side effects that they The worldwide market for themselves had been suffering female contraception is estimated with for years. at $6 billion, which risks being However, over 80% of partici- halved if male birth control is pants who remained in the 2016 made publicly available. Could trial said they would continue to big pharmaceutical companies use the contraceptive injection if who profit from the female conit was made publicly available. traceptive industry be blocking Furthermore, when speaking to developments? Or perhaps comfellow university students, I panies simply do not recognise discovered this is not an the incentive in investing unpopular opinion. millions into research A fellow student for the developtold me that he ment of a new would definitemale contracep“The worldwide market ly use male tive when birth control there are prefor female contraception if it became existing is estimated at over £8 publicly female equivavailable, a l e n t s . billion, which risks being stating that Regardless of halved if male birth con‘you can't the motivajust expect a tions behind trol is made publicly woman to have it, the develop” available. to take contrament of more ception�it's not varied male conjust the responsibiltraception could ity of the woman.’ have a profound effect So, if men aren’t lackon women. ing the mental and physical Such developments could crestrength or willingness to take ate some sense of reproductive contraceptive responsibility, why equality in which men would are pharmaceutical companies finally be able to take equal reluctant to invest? What moti- responsibility in preventing vates any company to do any- unwanted pregnancies. thing? The answer could be sim-

SCI&TECH

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbricktech

Should This Be the Climate Crisis Election? Sci&Tech writer Luke Wheeler highlights why this election is crucial for determining future climate change policy and where the parties stand Luke Wheeler Sci&Tech Writer

It has been a bad week for the climate crisis. First, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) published its findings that over the course of 2018, the level of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased in line with the trend of the last decade, and that atmospheric levels of Nitrous Oxide and Methane had increased at a rate greater than the decadal average. Then came the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) 2019 Emissions Gap Report, giving a damning indictment of the international community’s ambitions on climate change as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continue to rise, targets continue to be missed and the measures required to redress this grow increasingly drastic. Last, but by no means least, a comment article in the journal Nature was published stating that ‘we are in a state of planetary emergency’ and that an ‘emergency response’ is required if the initiation of fundamental changes to parts of the Earth are to be stopped. This slew of news comes as the EU is in the midst of discussions on whether or not to declare a climate emergency, as well as the build up to COP25 in Madrid. If the recent floods across the Midlands and the North and record breaking summer temperatures here in the UK were not evidence enough that something is not quite right, the aforementioned stories may well confirm that suspicion. It is evident that stronger action needs to be taken on the climate crisis, and the international reach of Extinction Rebellion and School Strikes show that the public is increasingly aware of this. The UK is very quick to pat itself on the back when it comes to its climate ambitions as great national changes have been made, but that isn’t to say that problems do not remain and that ambition cannot be greater. A large focus is on renewable energy, and rightly so, but the decarbonisation of heat is a massive problem for the UK as the majority of heat is generated by Natural Gas, and often goes

unmentioned in public debates on climate policy. Furthermore, whilst ambition and achievement at home are to be commended, the fact remains that action within the international community is necessary in order to instigate widereaching change. This could be achieved through a variety of means: leading by example, providing expertise to other countries or through a commitment to climate diplomacy. Indeed, the UK has an opportunity to make its mark, given that Glasgow is hosting COP26 in 2020. 2020 is a pivotal year for the international community, as countries are expected to present their new national climate action plans in order to reach the temperature limits established by the Paris Agreement. The Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) - plans to reduce GHG emissions in sufficient amounts by 2030 that countries originally presented have repeatedly been found to be inadequate in combatting the climate crisis, not least by the UN itself. For instance, the Climate Action Tracker projects that continuing with current policies would lead to 3 - 3.4°C of warming above pre-industrial levels, and the UN says that with current policies GHG emissions are on course to reach 60 Gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent, yet if the limit should be 1.5-2°C of warming emissions should be between 25 and 41 Gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent by then. Subsequently, it is clear that the UK must not only commit itself to more ambitious climate targets over the next ten years, but that other nations need to follow suit if the worst of the climate crisis is to be avoided. The role that the UK could play in these discussions means that the nation's current and future political context is of paramount importance. Hopefully, the issues above demonstrate that the current general election could prove to be a turning point for how the UK seeks to address the climate crisis, and that it should perhaps be paid greater attention. Nevertheless, the parties running in Selly Oak do have a range of environmental policies:

Conservatives The Conservatives are aiming to remain on the current net-zero by 2050 path, looking to improve energy efficiency in buildings and continuing the ban on fracking unless it is deemed safe.

Lib Dems The Liberal Democrats are aiming for net-zero by 2045, 80% renewable electricity generation by 2030, a ban on fracking, a halt on airport expansion, increased tax on frequent fires and a reforestation program of 60 million trees per year.

Labour Labour are aiming for net-zero by in the 2030s, generating 90% of electricity and 50% of heat through renewable and low-carbon means, phasing out fossil fuel based cars by 2030, removing the ban on onshore wind turbines and investing in new renewables as well as investment in mitigation measures through spending on flood defences.

Brexit Party The Brexit Party aim to make it illegal for waste to be exported to be burnt, buried or dumped at sea. They also state that they will plant millions of trees and promote a global initiative at the UN.

Aneesa Ahmed News Editor

The variety in these policies demonstrates that there is not one direct path towards reaching the UK's climate change targets and commitments, but also that ambition varies across the political spectrum.

“It is evident that stronger action needs to be taken on the climate crisis, and the international reach of Extinction Rebellion and School Strikes show that the public is growingly aware of this”

Greens The Green Party are aiming for net-zero by 2030, phasing out coal by 2023, banning fracking, ensuring that all new homes are built to zero-carbon standards by 2020, and moving towards an ecologically sustainable farming system. They also say they will remove subsidies to oil and gas industries, as well as applying a Carbon Tax on imported and domestic fossil fuels.

Creature Feature: The Russian Tortoise

The urgency of combatting the climate crisis is evident, and the next decade leading up to 2030 is going to define to what extent nations across the world will be affected by it. Given that the new government may well be in power for the next five years, it is evident that the policy framework it introduces will come at a pivotal moment in tackling the climate crisis. Subsequently, this really should be considered the climate crisis election, the population at large should scrutinise environmental and energy policy, and the climate crisis should be considered a major factor at the polls. The future of not only the country, but the world as a whole is at stake.

Microchip08

Brendan Ryan Yuriy75

The Russian tortoise, also commonly known as the Afghan tortoise, the Central Asian tortoise, Horsfield's tortoise, and the steppe tortoise are a species of Tortoise native to Central Asia. T h i s t o r t o i s e ’s h a b i t a t consists of dry steppe and it prefers dry areas with sparse vegetation. They are currently a th r ea te n e d s p ec i es , a k e y factor for this being the human activity in their native habitat. They are a small species of tortoise, with a size range of 13–25cm (5–10 inches). F e m a l e s a r e o f t e n l a rg e r than males so that they can accommodate more eggs, and average between 15 and 25cm. They are sexually dimorphic with their most notable difference being their tails. Males generally have longer tails which are tucked to the side and longer claws, while females have a shorter, fatter tails, with shorter claws than the males. They can be d i ff e r e n t i a t e d f r o m o t h e r similar tortoises as they only have four toes on each foot instead of five. They spend long months hibernating, with some reports showing they can hibernate for up to nine months a year. They also have a life expectancy of up to 100 years. Russian tortoises are also diurnal, and are mostly active during the day and sleep for long hours. During the space race, two Russian tortoises circled the moon and returned safely to Earth on the Russian Zond 5 mission. Russian tortoises have now become popular pets due to their easy maintenance and plant based diet. Their captive diet typically consists of dandelions, lettuce and other dark leafy greens.

SCI&TECH

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbricktech

Australia Continues to Burn

Sci&Tech Editor Ellen Heimpel delves into the causes of this extreme burning and why the Australian Government refuses to acknowledge climate change Ellen Heimpel Sci&Tech Editor

Most people are aware to some extent that there have been terrible bushfires raging across Australia. However, this news really hit home to me when my Aunty called to let us know that they had been evacuated from their house in Adelaide, all their animals had temporarily been rehoused and they were preparing for the worst. Bushfires are a regular occurrence in the Australian calendar, but the blazes that currently rage across New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland have never before occurred on such a scale and so early in the season. So why are Australia’s bushfires so catastrophic this early into summer? Bushfire season in Australia normally peaks in January and February, however fires have already burned through 1.65 million hectares in the state of NSW, more than the state's total for the past three years combined. This year’s fires in NSW have cost six people their lives so far and more than 500 homes have been destroyed. Not only is the tempo and frequency of these fires increasing, but their spatial scale is also spreading. Fires have occurred in tall wet eucalypt fires that rarely burn and even in areas of Tasmania, where fire is only seen normally about once every 1,000 years.

The spread of fire has not been helped by powerful winds, which are currently fanning around 130 fires burning across NSW and Queensland. These strong winds also carry smoke which has blanketed Sydney, increasing air pollution levels to eight times the national benchmark. This can cause many serious health risks, and health officials have advised people who suffer from asthma or other respiratory conditions to stay indoors and avoid physical activity. It is estimated that 1/3 of Australians have been exposed to dangerous smoke levels. The seriousness of this year’s bushfire season is largely due to a lack of rainfall, which has been completely deficient in many areas over the last 19 months. The east coast especially has seen some of the lowest rainfalls on records. This dryness is exacerbated by the fact that Australia has also been warmer than usual over the last 12 months, with eastern Australia seeing anything between 1.5 and 2.5°C above normal. The Bureau of Meteorology states that a major region for this extended dry and warm period is a climate mechanism in the Indian Ocean called the positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). This occurs when the western part of the ocean is significantly warmer than the eastern part, creating a temperature gradient. This generally means that there is less than normal moisture in the atmosphere to the northwest of Australia, chang-

ing the weather systems coming into Australia from the West and resulting in lower rainfall and water temperatures across winter and spring. Why is the IOD having so much of an effect this year? Experts say that climate patterns could cause the IOD to appear more frequently and intensely as the sea surface temperatures continue to increase. This brings us to another explanation for why the fires are so extreme this year in Australia: climate change. Last summer was Australia’s hottest summer on record, averaging 2.14°C above the long-term average. Whilst it is impossible to say that climate change is the only reason that the fires have been so extreme, experts highlight that the average temperature in Australia is now 1°C above the long-term average and fire seasons are now starting earlier. Any natural variation in bushfire intensity will sit on top of this increased base level. Therefore, whilst climate change does not create bushfires, it can and does make them worse. However, fires are also burning politically in Australia, with government officials refusing to acknowledge the impact, and in some cases the existence of climate change. Prime Minister Scott Morrison claims there is no 'credible scientific evidence' that cutting Australia’s emissions could reduce the severity of bushfires. Australia’s target under the Paris Agreement was a 26-28% reduc-

tion in emissions by 2030. They are currently not on track to meet this commitment. Morrison also refused to answer press questions about climate change, instead stating, 'my only thoughts today are with those who have lost their lives and their families.' Critics have compared this to US lawmakers that oppose gun reforms responding to mass shootings. When faced with the same question, NSW premier Gladys Nerejiklian told reporters 'Honestly, not today.' These are not the only examples of a refusal to acknowledge the impact of climate change on bushfire risk. Deputy Prime Minister Micheal McCormack dismissed people daring to link the fire extent with climate change as ' p u r e , enlightened and woke capital-city greenies' and 'inner-city raving lunatics,' going on to claim 'we’ve had fires in Australia since time began.' Whilst some think

this reaction is hardly surprising from Australia, the world’s largest coal exporter, others have taken action to try and get the government to act on climate change. An alliance has formed between 24 former state fire and emergency chiefs who are working to create awareness surrounding the impacts of climate change and increased bushfire risks. These chiefs claim that the government is ignoring their advice because it does not want to talk about climate change. Friday (Nov 29) saw activists and schoolchildren picketing the headquarters of the ruling party, demanding stronger action on climate change. Protesters brandished signs stating, 'You're burning our future' and chants of 'we will rise' could be heard. The current situation is not looking promising, however. Australia is on fire like never before and the fire season is only really beginning. Ryan Cryar

The Climategate Scandal: Looking Back Joseph McGrory Sci&Tech Writer

At this point, it is difficult for anyone to credibly deny the fact that our climate is changing. We can see the effects around us. Changing weather patterns, melting ice caps, habitat loss all show that the world is changing and not for the better. We still have sceptics, and the people heavily involved in producing the emissions have a vested interest in playing down the massive impact that it will have on the planet. However, most people understand that it is happening even if they do not fully grasp the implications. Ten years ago, the situation was similar. Sceptics were losing the battle and various pieces of research and films were coming to the cultural fore demonstrating to the public what we can expect from this runaway change. In 2007, Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) were jointly awarded the Nobel peace prize for their work in sharing information about climate change. Everyone thought this was a big step towards more acceptance for the work that scientists were doing. However, an event would take place just two years later that would undermine all of this success. It became dubbed by the media as Climategate. The Climate Research Unit

(CRU) at the University of East Anglia was established in 1972 to investigate human-driven global warming and to collect and analyse the data associated with it. It was one of the first of such teams and became one of the leading climate investigators, collaborating with many other bodies in providing data and scientific insight. They even worked with the IPCC to publish a famous figure that showed the rise in global temperatures due to industrialisation and human impact. It became known as the ‘Hockey Stick Graph’ due to the fact that the relatively stable temperatures pre-industry looked like the shaft of the stick and the sudden rise post-industry looked like the blade. This graph was created by a member of the CRU and was used in one of the IPCC’s most famous reports on climate change. The CRU was therefore a major player in climate change research. The scandal began on the 17th of November 2009 when someone at the University discovered that the servers had been hacked and 160MB had been stolen. This was discovered after a website called RealClimate was hacked and a copy of the data taken from the CRU was uploaded to this website. RealClimate is a website that provides scientific information about climate change from actual climate scientists. The data was therefore

already out onto the internet and climate change skeptics were already getting excited about it. The data began to appear on various blogs around the world as the stolen information circulated. By the 20th, the story reached the mainstream press.

“The researchers recieved a slew of violent death threats” The data consisted of more than 1,000 emails and 2,000 documents. They were immediately pored over by journalists and skeptics, desperate to glean as much information from them as possible. It seemed that the hackers had filtered the emails, searching for words such as ‘climate’ and ‘temperature.’ This resulted in almost all of the emails coming from four scientists; Phil Jones (head of the CRU), Keith Briffa, Tim Osborn and Mike Hulme. Most of the emails came from or to these four researchers and many of them were discussions of technical aspects of their research. Most of the emails were discarded by skeptics and the scandal only concerned a set of them. The

deniers took sentences out of context from these emails and made wild accusations because of them. One such example is when Phil Jones referred to a ‘trick’ to ‘hide the decline’ in proxy temperatures. This actually referred to the decline in temperatures recorded by treerings and their difference to actual global temperatures, which was a well known problem in this field. ‘Trick’ was used here to refer to a mathematical technique which is a common vernacular. This was apparent from the rest of the email but when these things are taken out of context, it is easy to see how misinformation spread. Many people jumped on the bandwagon with this information, tailoring it for use for their specific end. It ranged from simple climateskeptic bloggers to US senator Jim Inhofe and infamous former Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin. The suggestion was that the scientific community had some kind of grand conspiracy to exaggerate the extent and scale of climate change in order to scare ‘the people’. What exactly they had to gain from this is never really discussed. There is some suggestion that the hacking was part of a deliberate plan to undermine the climate community just as it was making headway in the public eye. The researchers involved, as well as other climate scientists across the

globe, received a slew of violent death threats levelled against them and their families. This seemed to be engineered to keep them from speaking out and to discourage any other scientists from coming to their aid. Independent investigations were set up that cleared the scientists of any wrong-doing and claimed that all of their research was sound. The scientific community still held the same consensus on climate change. However, that was never really the point. The skeptics did not care if the research was sound or not, they would not believe in it even if it was. What they needed out of these emails was to undermine the researchers just enough to plant a seed of doubt in the heads of the public. Whenever someone reads something about climate-change they want some small part of them to be unable to forget the climategate scandal. It is hard to put a measure on how much the scandal actually affected public impressions of climate change, but it cannot have been positive. Today, climate change is really in the fore of collective thought, but it was having its day in 2009 too. Perhaps if this scandal had not occurred, we might have had far more interest in the subject long ago. In an emergency so time-dependent, that might have been all we needed to make a change.

SPORT

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbricksport

Your Guide for Running in Winter With the temperatures dropping and the days getting shorter, Sport Writer Max Kelly shares his four top tips for running in the cold weather Max Kelly Sport Writer

Taking the first step out of the door when going on a run can be difficult at the best of times. As the winter months start rolling in, it can seem like an impossible task. Nevertheless, running in winter can be an excellent way to keep you physically and mentally healthy, particularly when a tub of Ben & Jerrys becomes impossible to ignore. Here are some tips and tricks to making the most out of your winter running sessions:

1. Motivation! The cold weather can often become an excuse to stay inside your warm house instead of facing the elements. However, if you can find something to motivate yourself, it makes getting out into

the cold a lot easier. This can be as simple to telling a friend that you would go on a quick jog with them when you get back from campus. If you prefer something more long-term to focus on, the Birmingham 10k (Sunday 31st May 2020) is a great event to train for. Having something to work towards in the colder months does wonders for your motivation!

2. Don’t over-layer When you are thinking of going on a run, it can be tempting to bundle yourself up in as many layers as possible, as you would any other time. However, it is important to forget the big winter coat and instead wear just a few thinner layers. Your body temperature increases during exercise, meaning you’ll start to feel warm during your run even when the temperatures are plummeting. Despite this, in freezing temperatures, a hat and gloves is

essential to prevent cold fingers and ears!

3. Get the right gear Wearing the right shoes for running is particularly important in the colder months. Certain brands make winter-ready versions of their most popular running shoes (Nike Pegasus 36 Shield, Brooks Cascade 14 and Hoka Speedgoat 3, for example). However, these shoes can be an expensive winter-only outlay, so any pair of running shoes will serve a more casual runner just fine in most wintery conditions. It is important to note that you should only ever use trainers designed specifically for running. Using anything else will increase the risk of injury, particularly on icy or slippery surfaces.

only colder days, but also fewer hours of daylight. This means that it is often difficult to find the time to run whilst the sun is out, particularly if you don’t feel like leaving your bed an hour early so that you can still get to your 9am lecture. Therefore, if you find yourself running whilst it is dark outside,

high visibility clothing is very important. It can be as simple as opting for a light-coloured shirt instead of a black one, or you could go out and get a fancy luminous yellow running jacket. Whether you run once a month or every day, hopefully you can use some of these tips to make the most of your winter runs.

4. Be seen

Pexels/Ana-Maria Roseanu

The winter months bring not

West Brom Season So Far: Bilic's Men Pushing Hard for Promotion

Sport Writer Jack Wooldridge analyses the Baggies' form under new boss Bilic Jack Wooldridge Sport Writer

Slaven Bilic’s reign as West Bromwich Albion manager could not have gone much better after six months in the hot seat. The Croatian has led Albion to the top of the Championship table, losing only one of their first 19 league matches. West Brom edged out 2-1 winners against Nottingham Forest in their first game of the Championship season. After suffering an early exit from the League Cup, West Brom went eight games unbeaten before losing 1-0 away to Leeds United. Since then, the Baggies are unbeaten in nine and are currently on an impressive five-match win-

ning streak, finding themselves two points ahead of Leeds and seven points ahead of third place. With the top two teams being automatically promoted to the Premier League, this seven-point buffer means Baggies' fans can dare to dream of a return to the top flight. There can be no doubt that a large part of West Brom’s fortunes are a result of their exceptional recruitment. The club let go fourteen players including long-serving centre-back Craig Dawson and forward Jay Rodriguez, whilst on-loan Mason Holgate and Dwight Gayle returned to their parent clubs. Bilic acted swiftly in his first transfer window, bringing in ten new players. The additions have given a fresh and more youthful Instagram/wba

look to the team. The permanent signings of Semi Ajayi and Romaine Sawyers (below) have proved successful, whilst Bilic dipped into the loan-market bringing in Grady Diangana from West Ham and Mattheus Pereira from Sporting Lisbon.

“Baggies' fans can dare to dream of a return to the top flight” Not all of Albion’s standout players have been the new arrivals. Bilic managed to retain most of Albion’s key footballers from last season and has reinvigorated the original crop of players. The transformation of centre-back Kyle Bartley is evident from his performances this season. After a man-of-the match performance against Sheffield Wednesday, Bilic was full of praise for the exSwansea man: ‘he is one of the reasons why we are where we are.’ Meanwhile, Hal RobsonKanu has made an impact in recent games. Having been something of a super-sub earlier this season, the Welshman has been rewarded with a place in the starting eleven and has a steady return of goals with five in his last eight matches. Bilic sets up his players in a fluid 4-2-3-1 formation, encouraging his team to play out from the back and dominate possession. The attacking players are

also given licence to play with freedom and the link-up play between the likes of Diangana, Pereira and Robson-Kanu has been a joy to watch. The pace and power in attack pose constant problems for defences. There is no finer example of Albion’s attacking threat than in their 4-1 victory over Bristol City. ‘The only negative is that we didn’t score enough,' Bilic exclaimed. No team has scored more in the league this season, with a total of 36 goals thus far, and it is no wonder that Bilic has been delighted with his attackers’ performances. West Brom have even managed to find ways to win without being at their best. It shows that the team has the character and quality needed to get results on an off-day. Bilic will be happy to grind out results, especially against promotion rivals like Preston. This is a typical trait of title-winning sides, which bodes well for the rest of the season.

“West Brom are in good hands under Bilic” Albion, however, have been vulnerable to careless mistakes at the back. Yet, this must take nothing away from their defence, which has been excellent this term. Despite conceding goals at home, the Baggies have notched up four consecutive away clean sheets. Bartley and Ajayi have

been imperious together at the back, whilst goal-keeper Sam Johnstone and young Nathan Ferguson have also impressed. West Brom are in good hands under Bilic and it is hard to see West Brom not returning to the Premier League, especially after winning their last three games, all against top-eight opposition. With Swansea, Brentford and Leeds coming up, they will look to carry on their strong form into the busy fesitve period and remain in contention for promotion.

Championship Top Half Pos. Team

GP Pts.

West Brom

Leeds

Fulham

Notts Forest

Bristol City

Preston

Brentford

Swansea

Sheffield Weds

10.

Cardiff

11.

Blackburn

12.

Hull

SPORT

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbricksport

Curtain Comes Down on 2018/19 Formula 1 Season

John Rogers wraps up the big talking points from a dramatic Formula 1 season which saw Lewis Hamilton victorious again John Rogers Sport Editor The curtain has fallen on the 2019/20 Formula 1 season, and fittingly it was Lewis Hamilton who took home the victory in the finale from Abu Dhabi. It caps another championship-winning season for Hamilton, his sixth, where he won 11 out of 21 races, and finished 87 points above his teammate and closest rival Valtteri Bottas. The season has put Hamilton on the precipice of history. Next year he chases Michael Schumacher on two fronts in the all-time list, race wins and championships, sitting only seven behind the former and one the latter. Comparing eras in motor racing is not easy, nor absolutely necessary, but from a statistical point of view catching Schumacher next year would catapult Hamilton to greatest-driver-ofall-time status. It was a season made all too easy for Mercedes by the failings from across the paddock. Ferrari had a competitive car on track this year, and yet ended up a massive 235 points back in the constructor’s championship. Their driver line-up of Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc is also one oozing with talent and pedigree, so what went so wrong? In short, inconsistency and indiscipline. It took them until Belgium and race thirteen for their first race win,

the first of three straight which demonstrated the car’s quality. But that run was all they would get from the year, with Mercedes starting and finishing in dominant fashion.

Instagram/lewishamilton

“The season has put Hamilton on the precipice of history” Qualifying in Abu Dhabi was a microcosm of the Ferrari season, with timing errors from the team messing up the Ferrari pair’s chance at a flying final lap, while Mercedes grabbed the one-two. Mistakes also came from the drivers themselves; in Brazil, the pair made contact in the closing stages to both record DNF’s. And of course, who can forget Vettel’s braindead driving in Italy, spinning himself and then subsequently ploughing into Lance Stroll? It was not the only mistake from Vettel this year and has prompted the four-time champion to say he 'must do better and can do better' in 2020. Max Verstappen, driving at Red Bull, had another impressive season. Still only 22, the Dutchman racked up three wins, the same as both Ferrari

drivers combined, and finished third in the championship. Meanwhile Carlos Sainz performed above and beyond expectations for a rebuilding McLaren team, clinching a sixth-place finish, and outscoring every team other than the big three (Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull). His teammate, rookie

Englishman Lando Norris, also had a solid season, and McLaren will hope to make the switch from sleeping giant to contender in the near future. The first Formula One race of the 2020 season will take place on Sunday 15th March in Melbourne, Australia.

Luka Magic: The Slovenian 20-YearOld Tearing Up the NBA for Dallas Instagram/lukadoncic

Luke Bosher Sport Editor ’It’s Luka Magic!’ is a phrase basketball fans have become accustomed to hearing quite regularly in the last year. Coined by the Dallas Mavericks’ play-by-play announcer, Mark

Followill, it seems certain that it will be a phrase heard with increasing regularity, such is the nature of the upwards trajectory that Luka Doncic is on. Doncic was drafted in 2018 by the Mavericks, who traded up two places with the Atlanta Hawks to get him. Time will tell who got the better

of that trade, with the Hawks taking the outstanding Trae Young last year and Cam Reddish with Dallas’ pick this year, but no-one around the Dallas organisation will have any regrets about how the deal has panned out thus far. After an MVP season for Real Madrid in the EuroLeague, many pundits questioned whether a not particularly athletic 19-year-old from Slovenia could compete in the NBA and justify such a high draft pick. The very same pundits have long since eaten their words, and are now undoubtedly eulogising about what a special talent Doncic is. To be doing what he is doing at the age of 20 is truly remarkable. In the month of November, Doncic averaged a 30-point triple double, and at the time of writing is close to averaging that across the entire season. What is perhaps most shocking about this feat is just how unremarkable Doncic appears physically compared to his peers. Whilst players like Lebron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and even Zion Williamson have the profile of physically imposing monsters, Doncic is deceptively unassuming by comparison. The deception lies in the fact that Doncic’s balance and body control are almost second-to-none, despite

being a sophomore in the league. The young Slovenian can pull the breaks in an instant to easily create space for himself in the paint or outside the arc. He also possesses above average pace and strength for someone of his height (2.01m), thus giving him an advantage against almost any defender he faces, especially when you factor in his incredible handles and vision on the court. Doncic makes you want to watch the Mavericks just to see what he will do on any given night; he is a natural entertainer on the court with an exceptional basketball IQ whose unpredictability arguably makes him more fun to watch than someone like James Harden. Following on from his Rookie of the Year campaign, he is putting up close to MVP numbers a quarter of the way into this season, and it would not be surprising to see him collect the individual award sooner rather than later. Only time will tell whether Doncic will struggle if he gets double-teamed regularly, or if the previous 4 years of professional basketball in Europe catch up to him, or even if Dallas are capable of building a title-challenging team around him. But for now, he is a joy to watch and looks set to light up the NBA for years to come.

Column: Sport that Stuck With Me Jack Wooldridge Sport Writer

Altrincham FC’s FA Cup run will undoubtedly stick with me for the rest of my life. I am a born-and-raised Manchester United supporter, but I have followed Altrincham for many years now. My earliest recollection of an Altrincham game was a 4-3 loss to Eastbourne Borough on the last day of the 2010-11 National League season, which resulted in the team’s relegation. It was not the best start to life as an Altrincham fan, but it opened my eyes to the harsh realities of the sport. I have continued to experience the ups and downs of football with Altrincham: playoff heartbreaks, further relegations, promotions and FA Cup giant killings. In my opinion, little can beat watching your local side on a Saturday afternoon – win, lose or draw. This season, Altrincham have enjoyed a marvellous FA Cup run and I am delighted that I have been able to attend most of the fixtures. Entering in the Second Qualifying Round, Altrincham have seen off Chester, Halesowen Town, Southport and York City (all away from home) to reach the Second Round. I had seen Altrincham lose away to Southport in the league in September. Fast-forward a month and we were 3-1 winners. It was certainly worth making the journey once again! Defeating York City, who had been unbeaten for 18 matches, was unreal as Altrincham had been completely written-off before the game. As the team celebrated in front of the supporters after the final whistle, the tangible connection between the players and fans was priceless, and I was so proud to be part of it. All that stood between Altrincham and a place in the Third Round was a trip to Portsmouth, who won the FA Cup just 11 years ago. Watching my local team walk out at Fratton Park in front of 8,000 spectators and go toe-to-toe with players of such a huge club gave me an immense sense of pride and happiness. Moreover, the team rose incredibly well to the challenge and played on the front foot for large parts of the game. Sadly, our FA Cup dream came to an end as Altrincham lost 2-1 with a 94th minute winner from Pompey. It was gutting to lose so late on after playing extremely well and as an FA Cup replay seemed a strong possibility after we equalised with a penalty in the 82nd minute. Despite the result, it was a brilliant day out on the South Coast. I am impressed that we managed to give Portsmouth a game and glad the vocal 622 away fans had a goal to celebrate. I will treasure the experience of cheering on my team at such a historic stadium and above all, I have loved travelling the country, following this epic cup run. With the positivity and confidence flowing, I am excited to see what the rest of the season will bring.

SPORT

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbricksport

Sports Personality: Ben Stokes RedHot Favourite After Incredible 2019 Dan Hague Sport Writer

A shortlist of contenders has been announced for BBC Sports Personality of the Year and the winner will be announced on Sunday 15 December. There have been some sensational sporting moments in 2019, with many individuals producing historic performances. Let's take a look at some of the contenders and see who could be in the running for the title. Instagram/yorkshireccc

The Favourite: Ben Stokes The front runner for Sports Personality of the Year 2019 is inevitably Ben Stokes. This summer has been dominated by cricket and the allrounder is the main reason the England team have been in the headlines. In an enthralling Cricket World Cup final, they needed 15 runs from the final over to defeat New Zealand, and were in desperate need for a hero. Stokes duly responded, hitting a six before benefitting from an extraordinary ricochet off his bat when diving to avoid a run out, to score 14 from the final six balls and take the tied match to a super over. In the super over, Stokes and Jos Butler again scored 15, which proved to be just enough for England to win the World Cup on boundaries scored, as the Black Caps also scored 15 in the decisive over. However, Stokes was not done there. He kept the Ashes series alive with an incredible 135* in the third test. Much of that innings was spent with no.11 batsman Jack Leach, with Stokes blasting the Australian bowling to all parts of Headingley. Furthermore, Stokes' story is one of redemption. He was found not guilty of affray in August 2018, after an incident outside a Bristol nightclub, and subsequently has

managed to revitalise his cricket career. Former England captain Andrew Strauss said ‘What struck me was his character because he stood up and said: 'I've got this horribly wrong [and] I apologise sincerely for what I've done.’ The Outsider: Lewis Hamilton It seems strange to say that Lewis Hamilton is an outsider but his achievements have been somewhat overshadowed this year. Nonetheless, they have been remarkable. He won his sixth Formula 1 world championship and has passed Michael Schumacher’s Instagram/mercedesamgf1

total of 68 pole positions; reaching a spectacular 87. However, the 2019 Sports Personality of the Year may have come one year too early for the 34-year-old. He is undoubtedly one of Formula 1’s greats, but is he the greatest? Hamilton is eight race wins behind Schumacher, one entire race lead behind Ayrton Senna, and one championship title from overtaking Schumacher’s record of seven. If Hamilton has a similarly outstanding season next year, then it may be impossible to deny him the title of greatest of all time. The Dark Horse: Alun Wyn Jones Alun Wyn Jones may not have had the standout year of Stokes, but he has been one of Wales’ greatest sportsman for over a decade. His record as a rugby player is unmatched. He has the most international caps of any Welsh player with 134, has played in all three Lions test matches in three consecutive tours, and has won four Six Nations championships including three Grand Slams. Alun Wyn Jones has played a massive part in one of the Welsh Rugby Union’s best seasons. He was awarded the player of the Six Nations in their 2019 Grand Slam winning championship and

Instagram/welshrugbyunion in the World Cup he led the his side to a semi-final, where they lost to eventual champions South Africa by just three points. A fitting summary of Alun Wyn Jones was given by South Africa legend Francois Pienaar: ‘I think he's the best captain in the world.’ The smart money would be on Stokes. He captured the public’s imagination with his fantastic performances over the summer. However, do not discount Hamilton, who this season has elevated himself into the conversation for greatest of all time. Similarly, Alun Wyn Jones is coming to the end of a fantastic career and will recoup the entire Welsh vote.

England in New Zealand: Silverwood's Test Tenure Starts with Series Defeat

Sport writer Owain Pryce reviews England's first two tests of the winter where, despite some positives, a new look side showed that they have a long way to go Owain Pryce Sport Writer

England's Test match series away against New Zealand was meant to be a new dawn, with new coach Chris Silverwood, as well as a host of young, fresh players joining the squad. After a focus upon one day cricket over the last few years, the new coach was meant to signal a new emphasis upon the longer form of the game, but despite all this novelty, England have lost the series 1-0. The first Test in Mount Manganui saw many tropes that have plagued English Test cricket for years, especially away from home. New Zealand were rampant victors, winning by a wide margin of an innings and 65 runs, with the visitors unable to bat out the final day to earn a draw. This was despite a promising start to the match, with England’s top order batters setting a promising platform to post a big first innings score. However, as has been so common during Joe Root’s tenure as captain, the batting somewhat collapsed, and England could only reach 353 on a pitch that was

offering little for the bowlers.

“This was a series which brought up as many questions as anwers for England ” This was paled into insignificance by New Zealand’s mammoth total of 625, with England’s bowlers struggling once more to find ways to take wickets in foreign conditions, despite taking the first five New Zealand wickets relatively cheaply. The Black Caps were led by maiden Test centurion Mitchell Santner, and player of the match BJ Watling, who amassed a huge score of 205, his first Test double hundred. England were subsequently skittled out for less than Watling’s individual score, with Neil Wagner picking up a five-wicket haul, condemning Chris Silverwood to a heavy defeat in his first test match as coach. The second and final Test of

the series in Hamilton was a much closer affair, however rain meant that the game drifted inevitably towards a draw. England captain Joe Root got a long-awaited big score, with a classy 226 in their first innings. Having once again looked laboured in bowling New Zealand out for 375, England built upon the promise they had shown in Mount Manganui with the bat, passing 400 for the first time since December 2017. The eventual score of 476, which included a hundred from Rory Burns and a maiden test match 50 for Ollie Pope, gave England faint hope of a victory, if they were able to take quick wickets. However, a dead pitch and hundreds from New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor stunted any chance of an England win. Despite some positives, this was a series which brought up as many questions as answers for England. They went into the second Test without a frontline spinner after dropping Jack Leach, and so England are still unable to find a slow bowler that can be a threat in foreign conditions such as New Zealand. Looking forward

to the upcoming Test series in South Africa, the window has been left open for a return for allrounder Moeen Ali. The composition of the squad will still need some attention too, as novice Pope was forced to deputise for injured wicketkeeper Jos Buttler in Hamilton due to a lack of an experienced replacement in the squad. The question around an opening partner for Instagram/blackcapsnz

Rory Burns will continue into South Africa, with Dom Sibley still to show his talent on the international stage. The potentially returning talents such as James Anderson and Jonny Bairstow will give England hope going forward, but this test series has started what was meant to be a fresh era of English cricket in a rather inauspicious manner.

SPORT

Friday 6th December 2019

@redbricksport

BUCS Sports Club of the Fortnight: Taekwondo Kit Shepard Sport Editor

UoB taekwondo enjoyed their most successful season to date last year and, in their first competitive tournament of 2019/20, they look poised for another memorable campaign. Travelling down to London for the BUCS/BTSF Autumn Championships last weekend, the team returned to Birmingham with an impressive 13 medals, with Rachel Higgins, Marianna Hurst and captain Fabian Burkhardt all winning gold.Also last Sunday, another squad member, Eleanor Warrington, won gold in the P80 category at the

British Taekwondo Poomsae Nationals in Worcester. With success across the country, the team

has a strong platform to build on. Skipper Burkhardt, speaking to Redbrick earlier this year,

Marianna Hurst

emphasised how the sport is forever evolving. ‘[We] try to be up to date with everything, you don’t find that in other martial arts, they try to stay a little bit more traditional,’ he revealed. ‘We’re probably faster and more agile than other martial arts.' According to Burkhardt, taekwondo offers something different to other martial arts clubs at UoB. ‘Last year we had more than 60 members, which is a pretty good number for a martial arts club’. However, newcomers should not find the size of the squad daunting: ‘we have everything, from beginner to advanced.' For more information on how to get involved, visit the UBSport website.

A Note From the Sports Officer: Josh Dooler Sports Officer

Last weekend, the University of Birmingham taekwondo club headed down to their first BUCS Autumn Championships in Ilford. On day one, the team came away with a fantastic five medals, including one gold and four bronzes, while day two saw even more success, with our competitors bringing home three golds, a silver and four bronzes for Birmingham. These are certainly results that the club can be proud of. The club have worked exceptionally hard over the first term to achieve these amazing results and are very keen to add to their medal tally in future competitions in the new year.

BUCS Track Championships 2019: A Review Elliot Keen Sport Writer

The weekend’s proceedings began with qualifiers for the individual events. Birmingham’s Louise Scupham produced an impressive display in the Women’s Flying 200m Time Trial (12.960) to secure seventh place and qualification into the quarter finals. Birmingham was well-represented in the Men’s 1km Time Trial, with Tiago Fougo, Matt Clegg, Curtis Maltby, Jonathan Allen, Hal Ryan-Gill, Chris Hicks, Tom de Vrijer and Patrick Mackie all clocking respectable times in the event. In the Women’s equivalent, Poppy Wildman was unlucky not to finish higher, as she suffered an issue when her bike was

released from the gate that the commissaires failed to spot. Birmingham’s success in the individual races reached a maximum when Gaby Homer earned a place in the Minor Final of the Women’s Individual Pursuit with a time of 3:44.246, just 3.62 seconds off the time of the eventual gold medallist Francesca Hall of Loughborough. Gaby proceeded to catch Loughborough’s Bobby Clay in the IP Minor Final in just under three-and-a-half minutes, winning a bronze medal in the process. Sunday brought the first of several team events. Birmingham clocked a time of 3:42.815 in Team Pursuit qualifying, which put them into the Minor Final against Cardiff’s women’s team.

Cardiff rode with ruthless efficiency, leading to Birmingham finishing over nine seconds down on the Welsh university. Regardless, it was a commendable performance from a team containing Emily Larwood, Gaby Homer, Louise Scupham, Madeleine Gammons and Nicola Greenwood. In the Men’s TP, Birmingham entered two teams, though unfortunately neither was able to finish in the top four. Support for riders from the UoBCC team was audible during every event, with friends and family accompanying the squad to the velodrome in Manchester. Cheers and screams of “UP UP UP” echoed around the venue on several occasions during Day 2, not least during the Women’s Elimination

race - in her third and final event of the weekend, Madeleine Gammons raced to victory on the final lap and won Birmingham’s second medal of the weekend. Tiago Fougo survived several close calls in the Men’s Elimination Final before winning a bronze medal - after being boxed in on the inside for several laps, Fougo put in a huge effort to place himself on the front of the pack until he crossed the line in third on the second-to-last lap. The big winners were Loughborough – whose team won the overall women’s prize – and Nottingham, who blew away the opposition in both Team Pursuit finals, setting two BUCS records in the process. Overall, the weekend can be considered a success

for Birmingham, with the club taking away several medals having produced numerous strong individual and team performances. Elliot Keen

The View from the Sidelines: What University Sport Offers for Spectators Roseanna Conway Sport Writer

Despite loving and playing many sports throughout my time at school, I soon learnt once arriving at university that the commitment and dedication required for sport allowed time for just one. After deliberating about which sport I would pick, I opted for hockey, trialled, got into the club and was a proud member of the University of Birmingham Hockey Club (UOBHC) for my first two years at university. I played and trained four times a week, attended numerous weekly socials with my teammates and spent each Saturday travelling around the Midlands playing matches. When I wasn’t playing hockey, I was most likely involved in a group chat, discussing matches or the latest team news. Though

I decided not to live in a ‘hockey house,’ this was a popular option for many of my teammates. In my second year, I was elected as social secretary of the club, so spent any spare time I had organising our weekly sports night or the end of season ball. Before I knew it, university had become synonymous with hockey and it very much defined my first two years at Birmingham. In my third year, I went abroad for the year as part of my course. Upon my return, I chose not to play hockey in my final year. With Wednesdays - a day I always associated with playing sport now free, I decided to take the chance to watch some other sport taking place around campus. I have always loved watching sport and took any opportunity I could during my year abroad in Madrid to watch live sport. This

included spending a Monday night at Athletico Madrid’s Wanda Stadium, to watching world-class tennis at the Mutua Madrid Open Tennis championship, or Real Madrid’s basketball team in the Euroleague. Yet during my time at university, I had spent so much time playing my own sport that I’d neglected the chance to watch any others.

“BUCS Wednesdays can be enjoyed by the whole university” My love of netball, a game that I had played at school but had not played since starting university, was reaffirmed after watch-

ing the women’s 2s in their BUCS Wednesday fixture against Manchester. With the ball fizzing around, the balcony full of spectators, and the score soaring, I realised how much I had missed it. I decided at that point, that I would join my English Language and Linguistics society netball team. I have been playing intermural netball for my society ever since and so look forward to my weekly Thursday matches. I spent a previous Wednesday evening on the side of the swimming pool watching the men’s 1’s playing in a water polo match. What a sport that is! Combining the shooting skills of handball, the ball-handling skills of netball and the speed and stamina of swimming, it was fast and so impressive. Today, I stood on the balcony in Sport and Fitness and watched the Netball 5s beat BCU 107-11. On the court beside them, the bad-

minton team were playing an enthralling match against their Nottingham rivals. Further along, the women’s volleyball team were battling in an emphatic match against Anglia Ruskin. I was worried that would struggle not playing sport on a Wednesday, but I am thoroughly enjoying watching the victories and supporting the successes of other university sports players. I encourage other students, whether you’re playing yourself on a Wednesday or not, to take the time to walk around campus and check out the different sports going on. You certainly don’t have to be taking part in sporting fixtures on a Wednesday to be able to enjoy what they have to offer. Undoubtedly, BUCS Wednesdays can be enjoyed by the whole university, whether you are a player or a spectator.

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06.12.2019

Joshua v Ruiz II: AJ Fighting for Redemption in Riyadh Rematch Sport writer Rachel Higgins previews the ‘Clash on the Dunes’ in Saudi Arabia Rachel Higgins Sport Writer

Anticipation is building for the heavyweight boxing rematch of Anthony Joshua against Andy Ruiz Junior on Saturday night. Opinion is divided among commentators and fans alike. The first of its kind, the ‘Clash on the Dunes’ will be held in Saudi Arabia, broadcast by Sky Sports and DAZN. Joshua lost the first bout earlier this year and hopes to reclaim the IBF, WBA and WBO world titles. After what has been labelled one of the biggest shocks in pugilistic history, fans are eager to see how the rematch plays out. Looking back to the start of June, AJ was to make his US debut against Jarrell Miller for the Heavyweight World Championship title. Miller was forced out after a failed drugs test in March, and Ruiz came in as replacement. The then 29-yearold was vastly overlooked due to his size

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and stature in the shadow of AJ the Adonis. Odds were as large as 25-1 in Joshua’s favour, so clearly no one saw this coming.

“The shorter fighter was a stylistic nightmare for Joshua” During the Sky Sports pre-fight press conference, Ruiz claimed he was ‘going to make history’ and he certainly did. Initially, it was business as usal as AJ managed to knock Ruiz down in the third round with a beautifully executed right upper-cut followed with left-hook. Yet, against all expectance, Ruiz got up and maintained an element of calm perseverance, evidently able to hold his own. This led to Joshua’s own fall in the third-round from which he never really recovered. Again, the Brit was rocked through the seventh round (left) and Ruiz showed no mercy. A right-hook behind the ear ultimately ended the fight. The TKO stoppage claimed Ruiz the current unified heavyweight champion of the world. As referee Michael Griffin officially signalled for AJ unable to continue, the crowd and watchers around the world were left in disbelief. How could this possibly have happened? Whilst there will always remain strong support for AJ, this fight proved that despite appearance, you should never judge a book by its cover. Additionally, there were warning signs. The shorter fighter was a stylistic nightmare for Joshua, and he struggled to make clean connection with straights. Could this problem recur tomorrow night? Either way, it is now all to fight for. The hope is that Joshua will have learned from his stunning loss and come back

stronger this time around. However, the effect of defeat on a champion of this calibre has undoubtedly raised the stakes for the rematch. Upheld as a national hero, there is now a magnifying glass over his rematch performance. Joshua needs to win, or his career, which has promised so much since he won Olympic gold in 2012, is essentially over. If he fails, there will be serious doubts about his ability to continue a high-level future and hopes of a title unification fight will simply die. In an interview with Sky, AJ backs himself, saying there is ‘too much at stake.’ On the other hand, Ruiz also knows how much AJ has to lose, and will surely be planning to use this pressure to his advantage. Tyson Fury predicts the rematch will be like the first fight. Joshua was not winning the fight when he faced his final knock-down and it is not as if Ruiz got lucky. University of Birmingham’s boxing club coach Bradley Savage also predicts a Ruiz victory and puts money on a seventhround TKO.

“It is clear that AJ has the drive to win due to taking on the rematch so quickly” AJ has to show intent early on because remaining sluggish will invite trouble. Undoubtedly, it is clear that AJ has the drive to win due to taking on the rematch so quickly, I have every faith he can pull through from defeat and reclaim glory in Riyadh. For students, you can catch the match live at any of the Duck and Scholar, Goose, and the S’oak on 7th December at 9pm.

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