Issue 1492

Redbrick Issue 1492, Vol. 82

Friday 2nd March 2018

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This Sporting Life

Redbrick

Peer pressure, heavy drinking and bullying tactics?

Sports initiations uncovered

The Official University of Birmingham Student Newspaper, est. 1936

pages 4-6

Strike While the Weather's Cold?

Erin Santillo News Editor @ErinSantillo

With teaching staff at 64 universities across the country voting to strike after pension changes, only the University of Birmingham and the London School of Economics (LSE) remain fully open out of the elite Russell Group institutions.

Last month, the University and College Union (UCU) asked its members twice to strike all teaching, administration, research and conferences – and any other work for their respective universities – after talks with Universities UK (UUK) to reverse pension changes collapsed. However, members of the Birmingham branch of the UCU failed to make the 50% quorum threshold, and so despite up to 92% of those staff members voting in favour of industrial action the ballot does not legally provide a mandate for it.

The issue stems from UUK’s plans to change the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), the higher education pensions programme currently chaired by our VC Professor Sir David Eastwood, from a ‘defined benefit scheme’ to a ‘defined contribution scheme’, which would see lecturers’ guaranteed retirement incomes replaced with pensions liable to changes in the stock market. This alteration was proposed to cut the alleged £6bn deficit in the current USS, which UUK argue could result in rising pension contributions, cuts to university spending and redundancies without reform. The UCU estimate that this could leave higher education teaching staff up to £10,000 a year worse off in retirement, with their savings subject to inflation.

Out of the 68 universities that are members of the USS, 64 voted in favour of industrial action, meaning that UoB is only one of four institutions not participating.

The UCU estimate that over one million students nationwide will be affected by the strikes – which are planned to continue for a month – and over 575,000 teaching hours

Previous UCU strike action outside the UoB Guild of Students

will be lost. Despite this loss of contact time, a poll conducted for the Times Higher Education magazine found that 51.8% of the 1,500 students asked supported lecturer strikes and only 29.3% did not.

Over 80,000 students from 30 institutions have, however, asked for compensation for the lost teaching hours, citing consumer law that has not yet gained precedent in relation

to industrial action. The petitioners are in support of the UCU strikes but believe that universities are profiting from the dispute, in that they are not paying lecturers but still collecting tuition fees.

Despite the damage that the strike could have on students’ learning approaching exam season and dissertation deadlines, a compromise seems to be a long way off. The two

sides met again this week, but they are not yet agreeing on the facts; UUK claims that it is ‘inaccurate and misleading’ of the UCU to tie the proposed changes to significant falls in pensions, whilst the union argue that the current system works well and say that the government’s measuring of the deficit is ‘recklessly prudent’.

Speaking to Redbrick, one senior UoB lecturer said: ‘no educator ever wants to withhold teaching, but Birmingham faculty can understand the desperation that has driven their colleagues across the country to strike, and many support their decision and are grateful for the stand they’re taking on behalf of us all’.

Following the most recent round of negotiations, President of the Birmingham branch of the UCU, Dr Roland Brandstaetter, told us: ‘While it is disappointing for the local branch officers and almost 500 branch members who voted for strike action that we were not able to join the strike we stand in full solidarity. We are supporting the strike in every possible way including social media presence and financial contributions to the UCU hardship fund which has already received more than £85K. We are amazed by the enormous solidarity and support shown by students all over the country which shows that staff and students are a unity and form the core of Universities. 17 Vice Chancellors, the media, and politicians, including Jeremy Corbyn, have taken the side of UCU and called for further negotiations.

‘The group of stubborn hawkish VCs who have taken control of some Universities and UUK are becoming more and more isolated. They have now agreed to further talks.

But the question is why now and why not earlier? Why did they wait for a nation-wide escalation until they admitted that their USS figures and data analysis were wrong? This strike is not just about pensions; it shows that the time of autocratic VCs, like our own who is the Chair of USS, and anti-democratic governing bodies which cannot be trusted, including UUK, is over.’

Features: Film on the Wills, Shoulds and Snubs of the 2018 Oscars

Features: Celebrating International Women's Day

Music: Are UK festivals better than festivals abroad?

Life&Style: Discuss inclusivity in the cosmetics industry

Features page 12

Features page 14

Music page 22

L&S page 32

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REDBRICK

Friday 2nd March 2018

redbrick.me

Letter from the committee...

As anyone who has been a part of it will know, every paper that Redbrick puts together is a labour of love for our whole team. However, this issue is particularly close to my heart. In 1975, the United Nations adopted a Russian tradition of taking a day, 8th March, to celebrate women. Originally a celebration of Russian female suffrage, International Women’s Day has grown and grown beyond its humble beginnings to become one of the most important celebrations of equality in the international calendar.

With 2018’s International Women’s Day less than a week away, we decided to take some time and page space in this issue to celebrate women of all kinds.

From long celebrated civil rights figure Rosa Parks to modern day phenomenon Kris Jenner, with many more both recognisable and niche names in between, our International Women’s Day feature gives space for our female editors to wax lyrical about their favourite women, their achievements, and what they’ve taught us. Take a look at pages 14-16 for a boost of girl power, and a chance to learn about some incredible women that you may have never even known existed.

Celebrating the noted and famous is of course, important, but

I would like to take time in this editorial to celebrate some women a little closer to home, women without their own Wikipedia pages, but no less important. Here at Redbrick, we are incredibly lucky to have 33 incredible women on our editorial team and committee.

Representing every single one of our 12 sections (some of which are run solely by women) and holding both online and print editorial roles, as well as four committee roles, the women of Redbrick are a powerhouse without whom this paper would not function.

As one of two female Deputy Editors alongside Kirstie Sutherland, I am lucky enough to have been able to get to know most of these amazing women on a personal level both in and out of our office, and I couldn’t ask for a more dedicated, hard working and driven team with whom to work on this paper, and celebrate when it is finished every fortnight. With their degrees and other commitments, I am astounded week on week by these 33 women and the work they do for Redbrick, and working with them on this feature, reading their pieces and hearing their enthusiasm for inspirational women has been a true pleasure.

So many of our female editors were new to the team this year, and watching them thrive and

grow in both confidence and skill as each paper goes by has been an absolute joy. We are also proud to have a ton of fantastic female writers, supplying Redbrick with both regular pieces and sporadic contributions. Without them, these would just be half blank pages. I am so proud of every single one of our female editors, writers and committee members, and I hope to see them continue to flourish as a new teams assemble post-AGM, which, incidentally, happens to be on International Women’s Day. This is my second and last editorial for this mad, often stressful and fantastic paper, and I’m so grateful for the opportunities it has given me. Not only have I been surrounded by both an incredible Music team and, later, committee to encourage me to grow in confidence and skill, but have also met so many inspirational women, and, with the risk of sounding like an overly proud mother, I can’t wait to see what you will all go on to achieve.

From the dungeons, we salute you.

Holly Carter, Deputy Editor

Online this week at redbrick.me...

Follow us on Instagram @redbrickpaper Want to be featured? Send us your photos at: deputy@redbrickonline.co.uk and/or tag us in your photos by using #redbrickinstagram

CULTURE

MUSIC

GAMING

FOOD&DRINK

'Easy Reading is Hard Writing': Q&A with Mills & Boon

Redbrick Meets: Laura Misch

Microtransactions Here Are (Red) Dead Wrong

Review: Buonissimo, Harborne

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

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

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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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Friday 2nd March 2018

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UoB Paedophile Jailed for 32 Years Tom Leaman News Reporter

Matthew Falder, a 29-year old former geophysics researcher based at the University of Birmingham (UoB), has been sentenced to 32 years in prison by the Birmingham Crown Court.

Operating on the dark web, the Cambridge graduate manipulated 46 victims into performing humiliating acts to trade images sent to him by the victims on socalled ‘hurtcore’ websites on which Falder had multiple accounts.

He was arrested on campus in June 2017 after four years of FBI and police investigations, becoming the first person in the UK to be convicted for ‘hurtcore’ paedophilia offences.

Falder claimed that his favoured victims were aged up to

18 on a (now closed-down) dark web site, Hurt 2 The Core. The ‘hurtcore’ sites used by Falder aim to humiliate underage victims, thus ‘hurting them to their very core’.

"The Cambridge graduate manipulated 46 victims into performing humiliating acts" His offences included hiding cameras in public toilets and family bathrooms, and coercing victims to send him indecent images which he would then use to blackmail them to force them to send

more explicit, degrading material.

One victim, Beatrice Mayhew, told the Daily Mail that Falder had targeted her advert on Gumtree offering her services as a babysitter. Using the alias name Liz, Falder offered Mayhew (then 15) £800 to send images of her to be used for life art drawings to - as Falder claimed - help deal with Liz’s depression.

When Mayhew did so, he threatened to show her images to her family and friends unless she followed his predatory demands.

Mayhew was forced to send photos of her licking a toilet seat and eating dog food naked on the floor, because she felt she ‘had no other option’ but to obey Liz’s demands.

He had approximately 70 online identities which he used to contact his victims (four of whom attempted suicide) some of which were under disturbing usernames

such as ‘evilmind’ and ‘666devil’.

He built a reputation on the dark web for his sickening behaviour to gain ‘VIP status’, with one site giving him the membership status of ‘rapist’. He also encouraged the rape of a two-year old child by his own father in a decade of committing such offences.

"He had approximately 70 online identities which he used to contact his victims" Scott Crabbe, from Homeland Security in the United States, said there is ‘some closure to be had

with a sentence like this’, and that he had never seen ‘someone willing to go to these lengths to torment people’.

After four years of investigations by the FBI, GCHQ and the National Crime Agency, the accounts were linked to Falder’s address on Harborne Park Road, which was raided after he was arrested in his office at the university.

Following three days of questioning, it became clear that Falder was behind the anonymous accounts, and in October he was charged with 157 initial offences, with 51 still to be investigated.

Judge Philip Parker described him as ‘warped and sadistic’ and summarised his double-life by telling him that ‘no one who knew you above ground had an inkling of what you were doing below the surface’.

Barber Displays Ophelia Painting for the First Time in 144 Years Madeline McInnis News Reporter

For the first time in 144 years, the painting of Shakespeare’s Ophelia

by William Quiller Orchardson is on display to the public. The painting currently hangs in the Barber Institute of Fine Arts on the University of Birmingham campus.

Starting on 16 February, visitors to the Barber can find Ophelia, next to Orchardson’s painting of his wife, a permanent fixture in the gallery.

The painting of Ophelia, commissioned for a private collection, has not been hung since 1874. It is currently owned by the FlemingWyfold Art Foundation which ‘promotes Scottish art nationally

and internationally’, the Barber revealed to Redbrick in a press release. The collection features over 750 pieces by Scotland’s greatest artists and takes these oils and watercolours to the public throughout the year through loans and touring exhibitions.

In the picture, Orchardson has captured Ophelia in the iconic scene from Act IV, Scene VII of Hamlet, as she sits on the edge of the stream. Other notable characteristics include the flowers and the trees that surround her in the picture.

The foundation's director, James Knox, said that bringing Ophelia to the Barber helps to fulfill the organization’s initiative: to bring the best Scottish artwork to premier UK galleries.

Nicola Kalinsky, the director of the Barber, is similarly optimistic

about the display, stating that she anticipates it will be very popular.

Orchardson was one of the most acclaimed artists in the High Victorian era. According to Art UK, he was known to use 'large empty spaces to create feelings of psychological tension or despair’ and was known for his historical costuming and depictions of upper-class married life.

Ophelia has been a popular figure of art since her emergence in 1609. She was an especially popular subject in Victorian art.

Now, this picture is being reintroduced to Ophelia’s canon, alongside other famous works such as those by John Everett Millais, John William Waterhouse and Arthur Hughes.

The arrival of Orchardson’s Ophelia at the Barber coincides

with its new exhibition called The Rhythm of Light: Scottish Colourists from the Fleming Collection. This exhibit replaces the winter exhibition, Pride and Persecution: Jan Steen’s Old Testament Scenes.

Alongside Ophelia, The Rhythm of Light features many other works on loan from the Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation and provides an opportunity to see the works of the Scottish Colourists — SJ Peploe, JD Fergusson, FCB Cadell and Leslie Hunter — together in the West Midlands for the first time.

The exhibition runs until 13 May 2018 and can be found to the immediate left as you enter the Barber off of the stairs. The Barber is free to enter and is open daily 10:00-5:00 on weekdays and 11:00-5:00 on weekends.

Barber Institute

UoB Conducts Teenage Sleep Study Sophie Woodley News Reporter

Experts from the University of Birmingham (UoB), as well as the Universities of Aberdeen and Oxford, are researching teenage sleep patterns.

On Wednesday 21st February at 8:30pm a programme investigating teenagers’ sleep patterns launched on BBC Two. Evidence suggests that adolescents need a minimum of nine hours of sleep, however, it has come to light that many are functioning with far less.

The BBC Two programme focussed on the issue, Trust Me I’m A Doctor, aired on Wednesday

21st February. It examined why teenagers’ body clocks in particular are wired to stay up later than everyone else’s.

Lead researchers in the field, or ‘sleep experts’, would be testing if a teenager’s school work and overall well-being could be benefited by a later start to the day. Previous research suggests that teenagers do not get enough sleep due to both physical and social factors. Changes in melatonin, staying up too late, and getting distracted by TV and computers all contribute to this lack of sufficient sleep.

Researchers are recruiting secondary school students from across the country to take part in their study. Lead researcher from the University of Birmingham,

Professor Paul Montgomery, states that they want ‘people to be aware that sleep deprivation in adolescents is a real problem which affects their functioning, their well-being, and even their academic performance’.

"Sleep deprivation in adolescents is a real problem which affects their functioning" Speaking about the programme, Professor Montgomery added, ‘we want to work with

parents, pupils, teachers, head teachers, support staff, local education authorities, and civil servants to run a number of studies to find out what the ideal starting time is, and how schools can manage this’.

The stated aims of the project are to communicate the researchers’ results and assess: 1) how feasible it might be to change school start times in practice, 2) the potential differences in mental health and academic outcomes for teenagers whose school start time changes to those whose school start time does not change, and 3) the cost of making these changes.

The study is aimed at a particular group of students, those currently in Years 10 and 11 (GCSE level). Secondary schools

are being encouraged to get in touch with researchers if they would like to be a part of the programme, and help discuss what needs to be done in order for later starting times at school to become a reality.

Schools are also being encouraged to look out for any problems that their pupils may be experiencing such as over-tiredness, and try to address these issues through improving their alertness and mental well-being. The following website discusses how schools can get involved and help implement change: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/socialpolicy/research/projects/schoolsleep.aspx.

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NEWS

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbricknews

"We were in dark rooms just getting shouted at..."

"I would do it again in a heartbeat."

Rumours of bullying, intimidation and drunken behaviour. Redbrick investigates what is really happening behind closed doors within UoB's biggest and most infamous sports teams After hearing rumours that a UB Sport team was asking their freshers to partake in a non-disclosure type agreement before attending socials, Redbrick decided to investigate wider sports culture to see if such practice was widespread.

UB Sport have a zero tolerance policy towards such practices. However, a survey carried out

by Redbrick with 250 responses showed that 60% of people felt that initiations and ‘welcome drinks’ do have a place in team club culture, perhaps indicating that the problem is inbuilt and that UB Sport can only do so much.

Redbrick has found that rumours about sport initiations are prevalent among the student body, with interviews suggesting there is a belief that some sports carry out severe initiations. A member of women’s basketball said ‘I’ve heard that the bigger clubs' initiations are a lot more intense.’ Another student said that ‘stories from my housemate on initiations put me off joining’ any sport.

A campus-wide rumour that several individuals told Redbrick is in reference to netball. The rumour suggests that they made ‘freshers strip naked, sit on newspaper and watch porn’, with the member most visibly aroused facing a punishment. Another student remarked ‘it seems like everyone knows about that’. Redbrick approached a former member of

netball, who dismissed these claims, saying that whilst they hosted welcome drinks and it was a ‘messy night’, there was nothing comparable to the nature of the rumours surrounding the club.

Similarly, a member of rugby union said that ‘the outside perception of rugby - that it’s disgusting, unfair and bullying - isn’t true’.

"The outside perception of rugby - that it’s disgusting, unfair and bullying - isn’t true" Redbrick’s survey found that 46.6% of respondents had been discouraged from joining a sport due to the supposed ritual of ‘welcome drinks’ or initiations. Whilst the majority, 50.4%, said that they had not been put off, the perception that ‘some sports have awful initiations’ and consideration of ‘how bad they were rumoured to be’ is influencing a significant proportion of students.

Redbrick investigated the sports culture at UoB by interviewing members of various sports teams to see what their

experience had been like.

Many of those that Redbrick spoke to highlighted the prevalence of alcohol within team initiations and socialising. A member of women’s hockey described how their ‘second initiation is called L plates, and its where they first get you on Frosty Jacks’, a 7.5% cider. ‘You have to turn up with two litres.’ ‘No one remembers their L plates night’, but ‘the seniors are on the ball with’ drunk freshers, knowing how to handle situations ‘because they’ve been through it’, with ‘at least one senior from each team’ taking ‘freshers home [from sports night] every week’. According to this member, ‘after L plates, the seniors know how much the freshers can take... so they don’t push them’ as much after. On men’s hockey, she said ‘I don’t know much about the boys but I do know they make them drink as much as possible until they throw up’.

"No one remembers their L plates night" A member of rugby union also told Redbrick about the encouragement to drink. ‘Freshers are always asked to bring Frosty Jacks, partly because it’s not very nice but also because it’s pretty cheap - it’s not fair to make peo-

ple spend too much money’.

Senior members ‘will tell them to bring three litres and there are punishments if they don’t... they’ll usually just be told to down a few pints or drink something else alcoholic’.

Other rugby union drinking initiation-style socials described to Redbrick included a night called ‘The Lashes’ which is ‘about downing as many pints as possible, with players getting more ‘runs’ if they do it naked’.‘I’d say freshers do definitely end up doing most of the drinking. It’s an hour and a half of solid drinking.’

Other teams also talked about drinking as part of their initiations, with a member of women’s basketball saying that their initiations began with ‘drinking games by the sports pitches’, but people weren’t ‘particularly forced to do anything they didn’t want to’. A member of cheerleading similarly described how members drink ‘as much or as little’ as they want whilst playing drinking games like VK races and beer pong. This more relaxed approach to drinking was echoed by men’s basketball, with a member telling Redbrick ‘you don’t have to drink, we have so many non-drinkers’.

‘Those that drink will drink what they’re told to, but if there is an issue then they can say no, we wouldn’t force it.’ This was echoed by a korfball member who said ‘there is an expectation to drink but not pressure to drink in

excess. We wouldn’t encourage someone who couldn’t handle their drink’. Cool Runnings also said that whilst ‘there was some encouragement to drink... they were not forced’, instead they played ‘drinking games that you didn’t have to participate in if you didn’t want to’.

"More rowdy than other nights, but at the same time, you are still representing, not only your uni, but also your team" Drinking also plays a part throughout the year, with many sports teams socialising every week for Sports Night held at the Guild, or sometimes ‘On Tour’. A member of football said that sports night ‘is probably more rowdy than other nights, but at the same time, you are still representing, not only your uni, but also your team, and so you need to be respectful’ adding that ‘rowdy’ behaviour happens on other nights out too.

A member of the Joe’s Bar team shared her experience with Redbrick telling us ‘I’ve had VK

NEWS

Friday 2nd March 2018

VK bottles thrown at me, been called a bitch multiple times for not serving quickly enough, and somebody once told me to go die for the same reason’. However, she also said that ‘working a sports night is not always bad’ and that ‘sports night is actually better than working at Fab’, the student night at the Guild held every Saturday. Another former member of student staff deemed the postSports Night clean up to be the worst thing, claiming that ‘if those at Sports Night had to clean up the mess that they make the next morning, there would be a huge shift in the behaviour that is shown. The building is caked in empty VKs and it seems like students piss on everything in sight’.

However, a member of staff at the S’Oak, where rugby union hold many of their pres before sports night, said that despite the reputation of rugby and ‘apart from the gross stuff with them being sick in buckets, the weirdest thing is how polite they are and they all clear their tables and bring the glasses up when they're done.’

@redbricknews

ently resulted in punishment in the past, with a student telling Redbrick that one sport had their ‘5th team cut’ and has not been ‘able to go on tour for two years because freshers were made to jump in a pool naked and drunk’, consequently running across campus naked.

"Their fresher trials, after selections, they get covered in fake tan and fish oil"

Some sports opt for less physical non-drinking related initiation tasks, with a member of lacrosse describing how they were required to write and recite a poem about their love of the sport and a member of History netball describing how they had to sing a song in front of seniors. Rugby union apparently also run a social called ‘UBRFC’s Got Talent’, where ‘all the first years have to present an act... The weirder the better’, although drinking still plays a role, with members achieving ‘more points for taking all your clothes off and downing lots of pints’. Second and third years take part in this social too, also presenting an act.

Redbrick has also found that food-based initiations are common place within sports teams.

One aspect of hockey initiations was alleged to require having ‘fish guts put in your mouth’ as well as Besides drinking in initiations, having ‘sick put in your hair’ as those that spoke to Redbrick about part of what was called ‘fresher initiations also described the vari- hop’. This member of hockey ous physical elements to the trials, described the event as ‘quite scary with a hockey player stating that because we were in dark rooms during ‘their fresher trials, after just getting shouted at.’ A similar selections, they get covered in initiation was apparently carried fake tan and fish oil’. One mem- out by men’s football, with a ber of hockey also described member suggesting they how ‘apparently a senior were encouraged to player spat in their [a down a bottle of wine fresher’s] drink and in five minutes made them drink it’, before eating dog something that was food which apparently reported. resulted in many An extreme story throwing up.

Said that they reported to Cheerleaders thought initations Redbrick regarding apparently have physical tasks came ‘different stahad a place in from one of the foottions’ of games or club culture ballers we interchallenges to comviewed, who claimed plete, with some that he ‘had to piss myself involving cornflakes in or be pissed on’. bowls of cider and vodka Other examples of the physi- gummy bears and another where cal side of initiations came from canned cream was squirted on men’s basketball, who described their faces while others threw how they ‘got drafted as an NBA wotsits at them, trying to make team, like ‘Clippers’ for example’ them stick. who then ‘had to shave an eyebrow’ but one boy went further when he ‘volunteered to have his head shaved’. Volunteering to go the extra mile in such rituals was not unique. One student told Redbrick that they had been told by a rugby fresher that he’d willingly volunteered, without influence from older players, to set alight a firework from his bottom during a pre-drinks, consequently suffering from burns. Although this incident was apparently without peer pressure, one sports member said they’d been ‘made to kiss someone I didn’t want to and didn’t know’ but ‘didn’t feel I Rugby union boys, on ‘babies could say no’. Another footballer night’ have similar eating tasks, that Redbrick spoke to said they’d ‘essentially all the seniors can been forced to do the bleep test bring baby food and go around and shot in the head with a BB spoon-feeding the freshers. It’s gun from close range. These more pretty grim, all things you don’t extreme initiations have appar- really want to eat, like pilchards

"Apart from the gross stuff with them being sick in buckets, the weirdest thing is how polite they are"

60%

"All the seniors can bring baby food and go around spoonfeeding the freshers. It’s pretty grim"

05

from the tin and milk with a few Some respondents offered differ- that while the first two hours are bits mixed in or even some hot ent views, claiming that it is ‘not of getting drunk and hierarchy, chillies.’ essential but it definitely helps ‘the last hour is just like being Members of both men’s with bonding’ and ‘it’s really with friends, and the night out is basketball and women’s important, but people too. Once you’re at Sports Night lacrosse encouraged wouldn’t be excluded it isn’t like “fresher do this,” members to eat for not going.’ One you’re friends.’ She also said that things such as respondent said that you would be ‘massively’ left out onions or horsepersonally, ‘I have if you did not attend as ‘everyone radish. A male never been and do talks and jokes about it.’ When basketballer said feel left out for asked if she thought that extreme they were ‘spoonnot doing so, but initiations should be stopped she Said that Sports fed horseradish’. at the same time said ‘no’ because it ‘makes you Night attendance Women’s lacrosse there are lots of closer to your freshers and makes was key apparently encourpeople on the team you understand the hierarchy’ aged their freshers to who don’t go.’ adding that ‘stopping it would drink ‘shit mix’, a As Redbrick’s sur- ruin the ethos’. concoction of liquids vey demonstrated, the This view was echoed in rugby found in the fridge, which majority of students feel union, with a member claiming while not alcoholic were designed there is a place for the culture that ‘the freshers enjoy bonding to be disgusting. within sports and many people together through things like initiaSome individuals that Redbrick that Redbrick spoke to empha- tions and everyone supports each spoke to highlighted that initia- sised just how much they enjoyed other.’ He said that ‘you can see tions were not something their the social aspect of their sport the friendship on the pitch too, all clubs practised, with Cool experience. of the socials make a very closeRunnings, BrumSurf, korfball and knit group of people which defidodgeball all saying they did not nitely is vital to having a good run initiations. A member of Cool team.’ He even claimed that ‘as a Runnings said ‘I didn’t experisenior myself, I know plenty of us ence any form of initiations.’ who’ve said they miss the fun of Similarly, a member of Brumsurf, being told what to do - they wish a society, not an affiliated UB they could go through it all again.’

Sport, claimed that they didn’t do Dismissing the idea that the initiainitiations in favour of ‘chill pres’ tions are extreme, he said ‘if they as they ‘think initiations can be were that bad, surely we’d get kinda peak for some freshers... it’s complaints every week?’ That a sexy chilled out surf vibe thing I they don’t get complaints ‘shows guess.’ that the socials are working on the Of those teams that do particiinside for the people going to pate in initiations or ‘welcome them’. Apparently, most comdrinks’, Redbrick spoke to some plaints over sports socials tend to members who missed their initiacome from parents rather than the tions in women’s lacrosse, netball, students themselves. and rowing, but each told us that they did not face any backlash for A member of dodgeball told doing so. A rower told Redbrick Redbrick that although they don’t that ‘they encouraged everyone to do initiations, they do attend go but nothing happened because sports night and said that she I missed it.’ The lacrosse player thought ‘the social aspect is very was clear to emphasise that she enjoyable and important. did not think attendance was Dodgeball is a relatively small essential as ‘it was only one night club which means we can all go and I think as long as you go to on nights out together and get to other sports nights then you’ll still know each other better.’ Similarly, feel part of the team’. a korfball member said that ‘attending sports night is important to become part of the team.’

She added that ‘a lot of people will come to pre-drinks but not drink if they aren’t coming out, [because] attending the social is more important than the drinking itself’.

One member of men’s football said that although you ‘dread [iniWhilst this current member of tiations and pres] a bit’ as a fresh- rugby union defends the practice er, ‘it’s just kind of funny’ when of initiations, a former UoB rugby you get there and helps you to union social secretary and cricket A member of rugby union said bond. He added that you probably club captain has reflected on his that they ‘have what we call "The would feel excluded if you didn’t experience less favourably. Chris Big Four"’. Continuing, he said take part, expressing that ‘there Hemmings’ book, Be a Man, sugthat these are ‘the only four socials are some lads that probably strug- gests that a culture of toxic masthat you have to turn up to - by gle with it more than others’ but culinity feeds the sports culture that I mean that if you’ve been added that ‘socials are only a that he experienced within teams. going to any of the socials, these small side of it, we train three He told Redbrick that his initiafour are the ones that are compul- times a week.’ tion ‘lasted 12 months, there sory.’

A former cheerleader empha- wasn’t one specific occasion. It He added that ‘some members sised that the initiations and was relentless. By the time I was of the club choose not to go’ but socials were important because social sec in my second year I’d ‘the overwhelming majority do they are joint with the American had enough and was embarrassed attend these four’, describing the football team, helping to build a by it all.’ four socials as ‘a rite of passage to cross-team relationship which He also wrote an article for the be in the club.’ Acknowledging was vital when attending big Mirror, claiming that, ‘it was that ‘if you really won’t do any- games throughout the always about proving thing [at socials] you’ll definitely year. She argued that it something to the start to get exiled a bit’, he added was ‘more to build a group. My ability to that ‘that’s just at socials’ and that good relationship drink more than the ‘not going to socials definitely within the team other, to have more won’t affect the main part of the rather than to do sex or be more club - that is playing rugby.’ ‘No horrible things’. outrageous.’ one would stop someone playing One member Hemmings Have been rugby because they don’t want to of women’s hockclaims that toxic discouraged from socialise or don’t enjoy that aspect ey that we spoke masculinity perjoining a sport of socials.’ to said that while petuates this culMost people reiterated the idea they often had peoture, citing an examthat attendance at Sports Night, if ple who dropped out ple when he was not at initiations, aided a feeling each year or found forced to tip a drink over of inclusion within a club. Out of excuses not to go to pres and a friend who was on her way the respondents to Redbrick’s sur- just play she said, ‘I still miss my to a party, prompting chanting, vey, 40.3% believed that sports fresher year, I would do it again in laughing and high-fiving at her night attendance was essential. a heartbeat.’ She went on to say expense.

40.3%

"I have never been and do feel left out for not doing so, but at the same time there are lots of people on the team who don’t go"

"If you really won’t do anything [at socials] you’ll definitely start to get exiled a bit"

"You can see the friendship on the pitch too, all of the socials make a very close-knit group of people which definitely is vital to having a good team"

46.6%

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Hemmings was so ashamed by that afternoon that he did not speak to her until his second year when she told him that not only was she annoyed at him for ruining her clothes but also that the incident left her feeling degraded as she was mocked by a room full of lads who had basically just ‘attacked’ her.

He went on to say that ‘not only did we share naked videos of the women our club mates had slept with and start fights with anyone who dared to cross us, we did it in the full knowledge that we could act with an almost utter impunity towards everyone else on campus.’

However, Hemming’s experiences date back almost a decade, and do not reflect the experience of rugby described to Redbrick by current members. Another student shared an anecdote with Redbrick that showed almost the opposite of Hemming’s experience, as her friend in rugby was not allowed to talk to her or her friends before a certain hour on a sports night, because they were girls.

The University of Birmingham is not unique in witnessing initiations within sports. Reports of initiations from various universities have made national news in recent years. Most recently it came to light that rugby freshers at the University of Manchester were made to apple bob with dead rats in initiations at the start of this academic year. Manchester gave a statement to the Tab regarding these incidents saying, ‘The University and students have worked hard in recent years to make all of our sports teams inclusive and our policies, which all teams must agree to, specifically ban initiation ceremonies. If we find out about such incidents we would take serious action against the club and organisers.’ Like the University of Birmingham, Manchester has a strong stand on such exploits.

According to an article in their student newspaper, The Boar, Warwick University allow for some form of welcome drinks that follow guidelines to make sure they are inclusive, non-threatening and safe, requiring teams to fill out ‘a risk assessment and a plan of the night’s events in order for the initiation to occur’ and have two sober members present.

Yet footage emerged of an initiation that saw students half-naked being shouted at to perform certain tasks by masked men. The university released a statement saying that it was investigating the issue with the student union and that it would take appropriate action.

One of the most shocking incidents of sports initiations hap-

pened in 2008 at the University of Gloucestershire where students were made to wear plastic bags over their heads and take orders from a fellow student dressed as a Nazi. They were made to throw up into a bag and walk down a residential street. Understandably this received backlash from the media due to its political insensitivity and extremity. The university said that disciplinary action would be taken once students could be identified from the footage.

"The University and students have worked hard in recent years to make all of our sports teams inclusive" A student from Liverpool John Moores University told Newsbeat about the initiations that he had to go through, speaking of how they ‘were stripped down in the changing rooms and made to get in penis size order’ before playing ‘rugby with a raw chicken.’ They then proceeded to ‘put a piece of tissue paper between our [bum] cheeks. They’d set it alight and before we could take it out we’d have to finish a can of beer.’

However the student was clear to emphasise that it was a benefit on the field as ‘you were willing to go the extra mile for your teammates’.

Though nothing equivalent has reportedly happened in Birmingham, such events have encouraged most universities to take a zero tolerance stance to any sort of initiation.

Clearly, the practice of initiations within universities is not isolated to the University of Birmingham, suggesting that it is indicative of a wider issue within sport. Indeed, incidents of hazing or involving excessive alcohol consumption at the national level has made news in the past. Former England cricket captain Freddie Flintoff’s pedalo scandal in 2007 is perhaps the most famous of these incidents, with the player receiving a ban following an eight-hour drinking binge.

Mel Sterland, former Sheffield Wednesday defender, claimed that when there were new signings he would ‘get a really hard toilet brush, shove it in their buttocks and twirl it around.’ Chris Ashton, a rugby player who has repre-

sented England, once claimed that the ability to drink at least 21 alcoholic beverages in one go was an essential if you wanted to play for England.

The RFU, the English governing body for rugby, have previously stated that the precedent of hazing and excessive drinking is ‘totally unacceptable and there’s no place for it in our game’ but emphasised that is not ‘unique to rugby but that’s where we’ve got to focus.’

Team club culture is clearly present on all levels of sporting activities and is not just limited to universities or specifically UoB. UB Sport have a zero tolerance policy for any kind of welcome drinks, initiations, hazing, or peer pressure of any sorts. UB Sport state that social activity should not be a requirement for membership of a club or team.

Despite this, events like these have still taken place at the University of Birmingham.

Redbrick met with UB Sport, who outlined their approach to the culture of initiations in sports.

UB Sport acknowledged that zero tolerance policies do not work without education to inform clubs why these policies are in place. They work to educate club committee members throughout the year as to why initiations or hazing of any sort is not tolerated.

"Get a really hard toilet brush, shove it in their buttocks and twirl it around."

Before running for committee positions, club members have the opportunity to attend a prospective committee meeting, where the social events policy, alongside other responsibilities of the committee, is made clear. Once new committees have been elected, they are invited to attend Club Conference, a mandatory two day training event held in the last week of term three, with sessions on welfare, social responsibility, and workshops by the Not On campaign ambassadors. The social responsibility session is designed to create a wider understanding of the zero tolerance policy; in the past this has been delivered in ‘shock tactic’ style, discussing past events at other universities where initiations have resulted in tragedy. This has been revised, now being delivered by the Sports Officer to create a peer-to-peer atmosphere, rather than being lec-

tured by a member of staff.

UB Sport back up this message with material on the Club Development Canvas page, which includes a declaration signed by every member of committee that covers social events policy, financial responsibility, sportswear, and general responsibilities. If committee members do not sign, then they are not recognised by UB Sport, cannot use the role for the Personal Skills Award, and it will not appear on their transcript.

Throughout the year, clubs attend development meetings, acting as another opportunity for UB Sport to address any concerns directly with clubs.

UB Sport has a policy of imposing sanctions on clubs or teams found to be participating in any form of initiations or hazing.

This can range from individual or club probations, through to clubwide sanctions including being banned from sports night, sports ball or sports awards, or even being removed from BUCS. UBSport also work closely with Student Conduct to investigate and provide support to people who do report any experience of peer-pressure.

The department wants to ensure that sports are inclusive and welcoming, and encourage wide participation at all levels in the many clubs and teams at UoB. However, a former social secretary of a sport told Redbrick that they had not attended Club Conference nor ever read the social events policy, saying ‘I didn't read it at all. We got sent stuff but I didn't read it.’ Another social secretary told us they believed UB Sport would sanction those that did not attend Club Conference.

Helena Bailey, Sports Officer, told Redbrick that, 'This year I have been working hard with Henny, the welfare officer, around mental health and welfare. I think this is very important within the sports culture and this is why I am hoping that this year every club will have a Welfare position appointed within the committee.

This position would be supported by the Guild and receive training before the year starts. Hopefully this will make sure clubs are regarding the welfare of their members and thinking more carefully when it comes to socials and ‘welcome drinks’ or ‘initiations’.

Socials are fun and a great time for teams and clubs to bond. Its important that all members have the opportunity to have a good time with in their sports without having to worry that their health or wellbeing.'

When asked if a zero tolerance policy was appropriate, a member

of men’s football said ‘No, because it’s [initiations] more or less ingrained in sports culture and sports teams, because people enjoy it. I guess its to cover the university’s back’, so that if anything happened ‘they aren’t liable for it.’

"I agree with the idea of initiations.

It unifies the club and I look back and laugh at my own experiences" However, a former social secretary told Redbrick that a policy of allowing approved initiations might work but ‘it would ruin the night and I don’t think many clubs would follow it. It would ruin the ethos [of the club]’.

Despite the zero tolerance stance of UB Sport, a member of men’s rugby argued for the practice of hazing, saying ‘I agree with the idea of initiations. It unifies the club and I look back and laugh at my own experiences’.

‘They’re all in good spirit and noone is out there trying to bully anyone or harm anyone. It’s just a culture that’s been running down the club for decades and decades’.

Redbrick’s survey would suggest that students would speak up if they felt adversely affected by issues in sports, with 39.9% saying they would speak up on welfare issues, and a further 33 people identifying someone that they would turn to.

Furthermore, students are given a two-week grace period to experience every aspect of the sport and after this period UB Sport told Redbrick that most requests for refunds were based on injury or timetable clashes, rather than social activities.

The stance taken by UB Sport, along with many other universities and national sports governing bodies is at odds with many of those that participate in sports.

Although, some say that the social aspect of sports would deter them from joining a sport, 60% of respondents to Redbrick’s survey did believe that initiations held a place in club culture. Furthermore, many individuals personally defended the culture. This appears to be inherent in sports, making it difficult for organisations like UB Sport to tackle, despite their extensive efforts.

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Redbrick Talks with Kris Ali, HCO John Wimperis News Editor

William Baxter Editor-in-Chief

On Wednesday 21st February, Redbrick Editor-in-Chief William Baxter and News Editor John Wimperis met with Kris Ali, Housing and Community Officer at the Guild of Students.

When asked what he thought about figures recently reported in The Tab claiming that Selly Oak was tied with Hyde Park, Leeds, for being the most burgled student area in the country (with 293 burglaries reported in 2017), Ali questioned where the student news site had taken these figures from.

‘Selly Oak, as an area on crime stats’, Ali said to Redbrick, ‘includes down Bristol Road towards town, up to Edgbaston, past Raddlebarn Road, all the way down towards Pershore Road, going past Sainsbury’s, and towards Harborne, towards Weoley Hill and all those residential areas there’.

"When you get into place, you realise that you can’t always just focus on your manifesto objectives because it’s a lot more about the job that does occur on a day-to-day basis" Ali claimed that, in meetings with police, it had been established that out of this number of burglaries, the amount that affected students was ‘less than a third’.

When Redbrick pointed out that students do live outside Bournbrook, Ali insisted that this was taken into account and that this statistic covered ‘95% of students’ but that he was unable to give specifics due to restrictions.

On what crimes he felt most affected students and what he had done to tackle them, Ali said that he thought people were most worried about break-ins, though he claimed that these usually happened because of unsecured doors and windows.

Ali credited the ‘great work we’re doing with the community wardens and the police on our allout patrol where we’re checking all the doors to make sure all doors are locked’ as the reason why no break-ins or front door burglaries have been reported to him yet in 2018. However he did acknowledge that people still would ‘quickly open and grab something through the back door and run out, which is unfortunate’.

He also admitted that ‘there are some that will occur as a result

of breaking in’, and claimed that group with just under 600 memhe had been working with security bers as an interim project where and the police to tackle this. He spare rooms can be advertised added that he would like more before a new page, ‘I Love Selly security patrols throughout Oak’, is worked on with the Selly Oak, but said that community wardens. this would have to be a According to Ali, this ‘long-term’ goal as would provide sturesources could not dents with more be increased quickinformation, such ly. as ‘informing stuNumber of Reported ‘We all live in dent tenants of Selly Oak; I wish their rights’.

Burglaries in Selly that it could be Ali told Oak in 2017, done ever so sudRedbrick that, According to The denly’, Ali told ‘when you come Redbrick, emphasisinto elections weekTab ing that any change end, you have your would take time. policies; you don’t have Redbrick asked Ali what a real understanding of evework he had been doing and he rything. You feel like you want to responded that ‘a lot of it is obvi- change what you think there is to ously private’ but he did have change, but you don’t understand plans. everything. And what I’ve realOne potential plan was for a ised is that there is a lot more to ‘Street Watch’, a scheme Ali said the issues than just having a houswas used successfully in other ing app to deal with housing. [...] university communities and would A lot of the things I want to work consist of student wardens with on are hopefully going to be police training and support patrol- implemented over a long term’. ling Selly Oak. Ali claimed this He said that he wanted next year’s was in its ‘embryonic stages’ but Welfare and Community Officer he hoped it would be rolled out (a new hybrid role) to continue towards the start of the next aca- working on what he had started. demic year.

When asked whether he When asked what achieve- thought an officer who has to take ments he had made in terms of on the responsibilities of welfare safety, Ali said ‘I question myself as well as housing would be able every day. What have I actually to achieve anything, Ali said ‘it done?’ depends how you measure achievAli claimed that he had almost ing something’ and said that it implemented security patrols in would be ‘all to do with prioritisaSelly Oak in September and that tion’ as well as relying on the core trials were done, but that this staff. He emphasised that next could not go ahead due to issues year the community wardens which were ‘confidential’. Ali would be there to ‘help the officer said he would liaise with UoB’s deal with the stuff that they want new director of security services to in Selly Oak’, though they had to implement this in the ‘long- been largely absent this year due term’. to a ‘restructure’.

The HCO also said that he was Ali said he believed ‘the one ‘re-planning our community strat- thing’ he could change directly egy’ with the community wardens, but that ‘students have left the community wardens so we haven’t been able to implement as much as we would like’. However, he said that this was ‘finally now starting up again’ and he planned for regular campaigns ‘working on some of the stuff that’s already being done’.

Ali claimed that crime in Selly Oak ‘is better than where it was before. It's not where we want it to be; it’s getting there but it needs to be important that people know what’s happening and they’re not left in the dark about it’. Redbrick asked Ali for statistics but he said they were ‘in a restricted document’.

Redbrick then spoke to Ali about how much of his manifesto he had achieved. On his ‘Safer Selly’ policy, Ali said that police had increased their presence in Selly but was unable to say by how much. He said that this was something that ‘should be worked on a lot more’ and that he would ‘keep pushing for’ it, with the aim of getting a ‘commitment on paper from different bodies’.

Another of Ali’s policies involved creating a ‘Housing App’ to ensure ‘everything is easily accessible’. He said that though he came up with the idea while running, he had not considered the ‘functionality’ of the idea and had since decided that ‘something like a housing website or a platform would be better’.

University of Birmingham As a result, there is a Facebook

293

was students being taken advantage of by letting agents, by getting ‘data from students about their housing experience’ when their tenancy agreements come to an end and using this to assess the performance of different agents, giving ‘codes of practice’ to those that do not perform well, and ‘trying to push people towards better agents’.

Returning to his manifesto and his policy of restructuring the Resident Association (RA) scheme, Ali said that a review had been done and there would be ‘a change in the system’, with RAs longer no being elected but appointed.

"I question myself every day. What have I actually done?"

Asked about his abandoned manifesto policy to set up a shuttle bus to the Vale, Ali said it was not needed now there was a ‘really safe path’ between campus and the Vale. When it was pointed out to him that this path had been there last year while he was advocating for a bus, Ali claimed he had not been aware of it. When asked if he thought people would feel as safe walking down the path as in a bus, Ali said ‘you would have to ask those people’ but added that ‘personally I don’t feel that unsafe’. He told Redbrick that the university had told him the path was safe and the Vale was close enough to walk, ‘so [the bus] wasn’t viable’.

In response to being asked if there was anything from his mani-

festo that he could say he had achieved, Ali mentioned ‘getting information booklets out to students moving into the community at the beginning of the year’, making the Meal Plan ‘opt-on’, trying to get Meal Plan students reimbursed for the price rise, and setting up the housing platform Facebook group.

‘At the moment,’ Ali admitted, ‘there isn’t many out of all of them that I’d say that I’ve 100% ticked off but again, it’s only 60-70% of the way through the term and it takes time to understand how to get things done effectively with that year’. He claimed, ‘things have been quite similar for a lot of time [in Selly] and to be able to change you need to start something off that’s different but you can’t just do it in one year’.

Ali confirmed that, in regards to the increase in food prices across campus, he was working with HAS (Hospitality and Accommodation services) to ‘get some reimbursement for the Meal Plan card that’s equivalent to the percentage of increase in the food prices’ because, though he understood why prices had to increase, he believed students on Meal Plan ‘don’t really have an option’.

As a final remark, Ali wished luck to all the candidates running in the Guild Elections and said ‘it’s a great honour to do this role and to represent students. When you get into place, you realise that you can’t always just focus on your manifesto objectives because it’s a lot more about the job that does occur on a day-to-day basis’.

Ali said he would put out more information about what he was trying to achieve in his last few months ‘so that some real change is seen’.

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Meal Plan Balance Rises After a £1 increase to the weekly Meal Plan balance, News Reporter Tim Abington spoke with the Catering Team to find out more Tim Abington News Reporter

Following Redbrick coverage and lobbying by Kris Ali, the Catering Team has increased the weekly balance for food that is offered to Meal Plan after the inflation of campus food prices in January.

The Catering Team has informed students on the Meal Plan scheme that the decision was made to increase the weekly balance by £1, to £56 a week, for the remainder of the year. The increase is to be implemented free of charge and came into effect from Monday 26th.

Many students have been critical in their response to the change.

‘Water has gone up 50p, and they’ve offered us another pound a week’, one student told Redbrick.

‘I don’t know whether to laugh or cry’ stated a resident of Elgar Court. ‘They’ve literally given us an extra five prawn crackers a week’ responded another. ‘How generous’.

Nic Mander, Director of Catering at the university, offered justification for the two per cent increase by outlining how all aspects of the supply chain have raised prices. ‘The price of a product reflects all the elements that go into it’, including not only

ingredients, but also the waste stream, staff, and packaging.

Mander explained to Redbrick that the catering services expect to be profitable, but that the 1.4 percent fiscal surplus generated stood in contrast to the 20 to 30 per cent enjoyed by the commercial sector. He went on to outline that the surplus is used to offset the cost of refurbishment and construction of new outlets so that university funds remain for academic purposes.

According to Mander, the aim

"The university website claims that ‘the Meal Plan budget is to spend from Monday to Sunday’" of the catering services is to keep items labeled as a main meals, such as lasagne or chow mein, at or below the £5 price mark.

However, an Elgar Court student noted that the sandwich and salad lunch items remain priced above those of commercial competitors in Harborne and Selly Oak.

Some have drawn attention to what has been described as ‘misleading’ information offered to university applicants. The material that details the Meal Plan scheme fails to state that catered accommodation is only part time.

The university website claims that ‘the Meal Plan budget is to spend from Monday to Sunday’.

However, when Redbrick interviewed Mander, he claimed that the Meal Plan is designed to cover only two meals a day for five days a week. One first year student reflected that, ‘if you’re offered catered accommodation, you generally perceive it to be fully catered, not for only a few days a week’.

The material states that ‘with Meal Plan you don’t need to spend your time worrying about what to cook every night or what groceries to get in’ and that it will ‘save you the hassle of preparing and cooking meals’. Yet many catered students feel that it is a necessity to organise uncatered meals for at least two days a week. Some have explained to Redbrick that they are frequently catering for themselves over the weekends, despite living in catered accommodation; ‘I easily cook for myself for at least three times a week’ stated a first year.

The examples offered within

the Student Accommodation booklet given to all university applicants describe ‘a typical day on Meal Plan’ as one that could include ‘a full English breakfast at InFusion’, ‘a jacket potato with cheese and beans’ and a dinner of ‘fajitas at Infusion or a takeaway pizza’. It goes on to add that Georgie, a Medicine student, will ‘grab a coffee from Starbucks’.

Some students feel this is perhaps an inaccurate representation of how the money can be spent.

The comment that ‘in general

Meal Plan covers two meals a day with student’s self catering for breakfast’ is only available in small print on a separate piece of sales material.

The partial catering arrangement has resulted in some students skipping meals in order to avoid using up their balance. In one case, a student has said they have ‘salads from the library cafe’ for dinner due to the lack of vegetarian options provided by outlets on the Vale.

Kris Ali, Housing and Community Officer at the Guild of Students, urged the university to offer an increase to the Meal Plan balance equivalent to food price inflation. Whilst satisfied with the timing of the response, ‘a testament to the pressure that has been put on by the student body’, Ali believes that the wider concern of ‘the quality and value for money of Meal Plan’ is to now be addressed. He explained, ‘I want to make sure students get what they deserve from choosing to be catered at the University of Birmingham’.

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

News in a Nutshell...

News Editor Emily Roberts provides a brief summary of some of the stories that have dominated the world’s headlines for the past two weeks

UK hit by Siberian Snow Blast The UK and other countries across Europe have been hit with freezing weather recently, with some areas experiencing temperatures that feel as cold as -15C. As the cold breeze continues to sweep westwards from Siberia, weather forecasts have put yellow and amber warnings for snow in place across the UK. Rail firms have also warned passengers of potential disruption to their services as some timetabled journeys have been cut short in preparation.

It is thought that the next few days will bring some of the coldest weather of this winter, with places such as Rome experiencing snow for the first time since 2012.

Winter Olympics Come to a Close The Games officially came to an end on Sunday 25th February with the closing ceremony held in the host county of Pyeongchang in South Korea.

This year’s Olympics saw Team GB bring five medals home, beating their previous record and meeting their pre-set target in the process. Three of these achievements were made in one day – something Team GB had never done before – with athletes Izzy Atkin, Lizzy Yarnold and Laura Deas each winning medals in their respective sports. Norway finished first place overall, gaining an impressive 39 medals, fourteen of which were gold. In second place was Germany with 31 medals, followed by Canada with 29.

17 Killed in Florida School Shooting On Wednesday 14 February, tragedy struck the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida after a gunman entered the building and opened fire, killing seventeen people and injuring several others.

The suspect, identified as 19-year-old expelled student Nikolas Cruz, was arrested by police shortly after the incident

and has since been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder.

The shooting is thought to mark the eight school shooting resulting in death and/or injury this year in America, a statistic that has helped to reignite the debate surrounding gun control laws in the U.S. On 21 February teenagers in schools across America staged walkouts in protest against gun violence and for more far-reaching and effective legislative reform.

In the wake of the event, President Donald Trump sparked controversy by suggesting that arming teachers with guns could act as an effective deterrent, an idea that has since been widely criticised in the mainstream media.

Death Toll rises in Syrian rebelheld Eastern Ghouta Reports claim that the besieged enclave has been hit by more air strikes and bombs in recent weeks as Russian-backed Syrian forces continue to attack the area near

Damascus.

Activists claim that in just one week at least 500 civilians have been killed, including 121 children according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

In response, a UN Security Council resolution ordered ‘all parties [to] cease hostilities without delay’ and insisted upon ‘a durable humanitarian pause for at least 30 consecutive days throughout Syria’. However, Russia has since stated that this truce can only commence once an agreement on how peace can be restored is reached.

In the meantime, doctors continue to struggle to treat the casualties with a lack of fundamental medical resources.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights Groups, since the Syrian civil war began in March 2011, almost 13,000 civilians have been killed following attacks by Syrian government forces and their allies.

Australian Deputy PM Resigns It was announced on Friday 23

February that Barnaby Joyce, who has been plagued by scandals for the past fortnight, would step down from his position as Deputy Prime Minister of Australia on the morning of 26 February.

Earlier in the month it was revealed that Joyce had had an affair with his former media adviser, Vikki Campion, which led to allegations that Joyce had misused his position and breached ministerial standards.

A sexual harassment complaint has also been made against Joyce by another woman, an allegation he denied.

The politician also faces backlash with regards to his use of travel expenses, after it was reported that he had used taxpayers’ money to travel to Canberra whilst Parliament was not sitting fifty times, considerably more often than his colleagues.

It has also been revealed that Prime Minister of Australia, Malcolm Turnbull, ordered an investigation into Joyce’s conduct, but this will be dropped now that the politician has stepped down.

COMMENT

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbrickcomment

09

KFC Crisis: A Wake-Up Call

Kat Smith proposes that the ‘crisis’ label given to KFC’s recent events shows how dire consumerism has become and the inevitable effects of the meat industry on the environment Kat Smith

Comment Editor

Last week, the KFC ‘Crisis’ hit the UK, with chains across the nation running out of chicken.

Along with most of the population, I initially found it somewhat amusing that a chicken shop had run out of chicken and felt a pang of sympathy for those having to deal with it. But it became a bit more real upon reading that the police have had to ask people to refrain from calling them about the tragedy, countless tweets have been sent and the headlines are swarming, days after the initial problem began. In fact, I was going to recall how many BBC stories there have been since the saga began and I realised after scrolling for a few minutes that there were just too many to go through.

This stuff really is a national crisis, guys.

"It has long been instilled in us that, if we have the money for a product or service, then we are entitled to it" But, let’s be real for a second. The only crisis KFC has caused is for the animals they kill, and the environment they

are helping to destroy, and their encouragement of consumer entitlement. The only tragedy is that this was seen as an outrage because of the lack of chicken (how can someone cope without their bargain bucket?) rather than the entitlement displayed towards the earth’s resources.

‘It’s not that deep’ I hear you say, resenting that I am slowly hinting towards the classic veggie/vegan angle of ‘I love animals and this planet, can we please stop hurting them?’

But sorry, it is that deep. And I’m glad they finally ran out of chicken for a while.

Whether you care for animal welfare or not, it all boils down to that we are living on a planet.

We are not self-reliant and are dependent on resources that are external to us to survive. These resources are finite. It has long been instilled in us that, if we have the money for a product or service, then we are entitled to it.

The word ‘chicken’ seems to have altered from the name of an animal to solely the name of a type of meat, it’s separated from the fact that this ‘food’ product derives from a living being. And these living beings need to be housed, slaughtered and processed in order to go from a plucky animal to a feature on your dinner plate. The methods by which this process occurs is simply unsustainable, if not also grossly inhumane. The Human Slaughter Association estimates that 2.6 million cattle, 10 million pigs, 14.5 million sheep and lambs, 80 million fish and 950

million birds are killed for human consumption every year.

There are 900 KFC stores in the UK and countless other fastfood chains; it should come as absolutely no surprise that there would be a shortage at some point.

The problem is multidimensional, and it feels important to note how sickening it is to see people getting angry over KFC lacking chicken and simultaneously despairing over the state of the environment. According to PETA, 51% of greenhouse emissions are a due to animal agriculture. We are told to save water, turning off taps while we brush our teeth and take short showers instead of baths, yet animal agriculture uses 34-76 trillion gallons annually. The stats are clear, yet the meat industry still gets pass because ‘meat tastes good!’ - it has become so much of a part of our culture that we don’t realise how badly we are treating the planet in order to get that flavour.

Burger King’s ‘trolling’ of KFC, selling 9 chicken nuggets for 99p, makes this into a funny game where fast-food companies see what the lowest price they can sell goods for. These goods should be at a ridiculously high price, if they’re sold at all, due to their effect on the planet, us and obviously the animals who are exploited for these products. The ridiculously low price we put on meat and selling it as convenient fast-food not only perpetuates the message that animals have no value, but also emphasises the ignorance

of the meat industry on the environment. Fast-food meat products, like fried chicken and cheeseburgers, emphasise this idea that meat is cheap and easy, but it’s a dangerous convenience to have.

"It's time to start taking responsibility for our planet in a way that is not just retweeting a viral video of an emaciated polar bear" I tried so hard to not make this a rant against the meat industry, but it is pretty difficult when such an industry is reflective of damages to the environment, out of control consumerism and general ignorance.

It’s time to start taking responsibility for our planet in a way that is not just retweeting a viral video of an emaciated polar bear. It’s time to stop seeing protecting animal welfare as signing a petition against animal testing while eating a 99p cheeseburger. We need to question the messages and assumptions we’ve been fed since birth and take some kind of responsibility.

Perhaps it’s a case of educa-

tion, and these events and companies need to be presented as reflections of the current state we live in, in order to show the public and shame the companies that enable such exploitation of the earth’s resources and encourage an entitlement to whatever you can stick a price on. Though I always see that attempts at educating people on the harms of the fast food industry, and the positives of a meatless diet, are met with offence, because it’s up to us what we eat. There’s also a misconception that vegetarianism and veganism demands an abundance of quinoa, avocado and tofu. It’s important to educate how our dinner plates can be conscientious without costing a fortune and without requiring too much time or thought. I know that, especially amongst young people, veganism, vegetarianism and a general environmental conscience is growing.

But it’s not growing fast enough and it’s not wide enough in a world where convenience is king.

Although KFC’s apology was hilarious, it was definitely appropriate. Their not-so-hidden ‘FCK’ rearrangement on a chicken bucket should instead be a wake-up call that we are seriously messing with our world. I hope these kind of instances, where money and efficiency can’t demand the immediate presence of resources and satisfaction of demand, is a huge lesson to consumers, companies and the government.

COMMENT

10

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbrickcomment

Stop Explaining Away Shootings Natalia Carter implores us to focus on the Florida attack itself and how it can be stopped from happening again, rather than the context preceding it Natalia Carter Comment Writer

Nikolas Cruz: violent, an orphan, a loner. The usual headlines plastered across social media have arrived, and they all tell the same story. The story of the 19-year-old white male who everyone knew was troubled, everyone had reported, and, hey presto, everyone ended up telling their story to the big newspapers. The newspapers looking to pull out the tiny details of his tragic past to make it look like

guns aren’t the problem.

According to the media, and the American government, it’s not guns that are the problem - it’s mental health.

Before the rampage on his former school in Florida, Cruz was struggling with depression and had been seeking help from a mental health clinic. He was struggling with the death of his mother, and to no one’s surprise, these were the facts plastered across social media headlines. It seems that the media is all too happy to jump on the bandwagon of depression being the cause.

My question is why? What does this achieve?

A shooter’s unfortunate background is always used to soften their image, to provide a reason or a motive for what they did. Well, sometimes there isn’t one. Just because someone has had an unfortunate upbringing, it does not provide reasoning for them to shoot 17 people. This merely reinforces another stigma; economically and socially poorer citizens are more likely to shoot innocent people because they got dealt a rough hand.

"Do not let the appeal of the glossy magazines lure you over to say how you knew all along" Admittedly, mental health is indeed a factor that needs to be considered. But it needs to be considered in terms of guns.

Guns are not an acceptable thing to be floating around in society regardless of who owns them.

America needs to seriously interrogate their gun laws; they need to see the fact there have been 18 shootings since the start of 2018 and address the problem. But this is nothing new.

This is only the first step towards preventing tragedies like Florida happening again.

We need to start discussing stigmas, stereotypes, prevention methods and what I can only describe as ‘joy riding’. By this, I mean the swarms of people who rush to the news cameras to tell all about their creepy classmate who they knew was trouble.

I do not believe that a single person, bar those closely related to the victims or the school, could recount all 17 names of those killed in this travesty. I do not believe that a single person could tell me about the family history of those 17 victims; yet everyone who has read the news is aware of the family history of Nikolas Cruz. People have been brainwashed with quotes and videos of people saying how they aren’t surprised that he was the shooter, that he was always a strange child, and how he was always a high-risk individual.

The focus is taken away from those who died, and they are lost in the ever-growing list of people who have lost their lives at gunpoint. Don’t make shooters like Cruz the poster boy for the latest school shooting. It’s time that we stopped humanising the shooter and anonymising the victims.

But it isn’t about the shooter, it isn’t about his history. Do not make him infamous. Do not let

the appeal of the glossy magazines lure you over to say how you knew all along - talk about something constructive.

Many of the victims have taken to social media to do just that. They are having the conversations and debates. Gun control laws are being challenged; the survivors are holding rallies, writing speeches and organising protests. Students are staging walkouts, walking out of school to protest gun laws in wake of the Valentine’s Day shooting. They are doing everything they can to make as much noise as possible, to get noticed, to make a change.

Do I think it will work? No. There are not enough people behind the movement to make enough noise. Schools are saying they will punish people who walk out, claiming they are there for education and not for political reasons. Gun nuts all over America are still claiming that the solution to guns is more guns. Providing there are people praising guns – nothing will change. Trump isn’t about to change any of the policies he seems to love. In fact, it seems like he’s more than ready to arm the teachers, claiming that attacks would end.

The question is, how many more school shootings do there need to be, before people realise more guns are never the answer?

Poll of the Week: Social Media

%

Yes

"It's really damaging to mental health and even though it feels like it makes us more connected, we are infact N disconnected by it" o % 6 6 "It brings people together and transcends the borders of nationality and language" "Social media is good for Is social media convenience in terms of communication (imagine a force for organising events etc. without Facebook)" good?

"It is often used to bully, attack and isolate those who are different from the expectations of society"

34

-

Social media gets criticised for its impact on mental health, fake news and productivity.

However, in the wake of the Florida attack, it has provided a voice for the survivors and their call to disarm... Do UoB students find social media to be fundamentally good?

"Social media can be used for both good and bad purposes, depending on the person sat behind the screen" Take part in our polls:

@RedbrickComment

Redbrick Comment Contributors

Amelia Hiller Comment Editor

This week, Redbrick Comment asked whether social media is a force for good. Our Google and Twitter polls ended with almost equal results, with 66.7% of those responding on Google stating that social media is beneficial to society, compared to 66% on Twitter. Reasons for this were that it helps us to stay more connected both locally and globally, and provides easy access to a variety of resources. One respondent stated that it ‘allows those from every walk of life or minority group to have an equal voice on an equal platform,’ and assists in forming a sense of community to those who may feel marginalised. Additionally, many people commented on how it is an excellent way to encourage social change as it is so far-reaching, with charity campaigns by those such as Stephen Sutton being

noticed and shared by celebrities.

However, 33.3% of those answering the Google poll disagreed that social media is a force for good, with cyber-bullying and trolls being the main reason for this, alongside the damage that social media can do to mental health.

Sometimes people have a tendency to substitute social media use with everyday interaction which can lead to a sense of social isolation. Others mentioned how social media can often spread false information and can function as ‘an echo chamber for extremists.’

One response which summarised the debate successfully stayed that ‘social media is simply a reflection of society as a whole, so it’s a grey area. It has done some positive things but also caused a lot of harm.’ Basically, it depends on the person sat behind the screen, though overall it is clear that the majority of people believe social media is a force for good, as long as it is used responsibly.

COMMENT

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbrickcomment

11

Fiddling with Fees Fixes Nothing

Damian Hinds proposal that degrees should be charged based on their value to society has dangerous implications, argues Emelia Lavender Emelia Lavender Comment Writer

The higher education funding review launched by Theresa May and education secretary Damian Hinds this week promises to re-evaluate the current tuition fee system. However, I believe that the scope of this review will not be enough to accommodate the necessary changes.

In comments made on the Andrew Marr show, Hinds suggested that universities should charge different fees from one course to another, rather than sticking to the £9,250 maximum all round. When quizzed as to how this variation should be calculated and justified, Hinds offered three factors: the cost to the university to deliver the course, the value to the student and their future earnings, and the value to the economy and to society as a whole.

Regardless of how much you think students or graduates should/shouldn’t contribute to university funding and by what means, adjusting the current system to varying fees according to these criteria will not achieve what is promised in terms of fairness and equality.

If fees were to be varied according to the cost of course delivery and according to the value to the student and their earning potential, the general move would be towards higher fees for STEM subjects with

high-tech equipment and high contact hours, and lower fees for arts and humanities courses, which tend to have fewer contact hours and less specialist equipment.

"The promotion of arts and humanities as non-beneficial to society is shortsighted and overlooks the idea that anything other than generation of capital could possible be beneficial" This might at first seem like a logical approach that might appeal to students who worry that the fees paid by arts students are subsidising lab-based science degrees. However, varying course fees in this way would incentivise students from disadvantaged backgrounds to restrict their options to more affordable humanities courses, leaving wealthier students free to pick their course based on interest or

career potential. When you combine this with the different earning potentials of arts vs. science degrees, it is clear that this would only serve to entrench socioeconomic inequalities and reduce social mobility by restricting the training needed for high-earning jobs to those that are already well-off.

To try to avoid this replication and reinforcement of inequality, we might turn to Hinds’ third factor. Hinds told Marr that fees might be varied according to the value of different degrees to the country’s society and economy. This may lead us to understand that fees for courses such as medicine, teaching, or technical subjects might be lowered in order to incentivise students to pick these careers. This would be informed by the government’s value judgements about what sort of person or profession is most beneficial to society as a whole, or about what careers will contribute more to a technology-driven and/or economic ambition.

With this I take issue on two counts: firstly, I think the promotion of arts and humanities as non-beneficial to society is short-sighted and overlooks the idea that anything other than generation of capital could possibly be beneficial to society.

Secondly, to force higher fees and higher debt to be repaid - on students who will go on to earn less seems blatantly unfair, and goes against Hinds’ own second factor.

So, Hinds’ proposed criteria for differential fees according to course all flat on their face.

What of the other suggestions as to how the current system might be revised and tweaked? One possible suggestion is to lower the tuition fee cap. However, while it would reduce the burden on students and graduates overall, the idea of a lower tuition fee cap would also entrench inequalities, with low-income graduates reaping less benefit than the better-off. Higherearning graduates, or those who were better-off when they entered higher education and therefore required smaller maintenance loans, would finish paying sooner and pay less overall.

Lower-earning graduates, or those from low-income backgrounds and with larger maintenance loans, who wouldn’t finish paying back their loan before the cut-off regardless of the lowered cap, would experience no change to their situation.

Perhaps, as claimed by Angela Rayner, tweaking the current system is too little too late, and a much more comprehensive and urgent overhaul is required.

My main issue, however, with the above discussion about how to weigh up the value of a university degree against tuition fees paid by individual students is its contribution to the prevailing perception of education recast as a consumer commodity. With students treated as consumers, and universities run as businesses, quality of education is no longer a priority.

UoB may have escaped the widespread UCU strike over pension changes, but with teaching staff on zero-hours contracts, a horrendously over-salaried Vice-Chancellor, and the launch of an oil-funded money-machine in Dubai, it is clear that our university is sadly no exception to the devaluing of education in favour of profit.

Solidarity Forever With many students lamenting the UCU strike, Alex Cirant-Taljaard argues why we should stand alongside striking academic staff Alex Cirant-Taljaard Comment Editor

The University of Birmingham is one of two Russell Group university not taking part in the ongoing UCU strike over changes to staff pensions, something many UoB students are happy about.

Across social media I have seen scores of students from other universties lament the missing lectures and seminars, arguing that the faculty should not make students' lives more difficult due to changes to their pensions. It's not fair. After all, we are paying an enormous sum to be here, and deserve to get the level of teaching that we signed up for. Right?

It makes me so sad to see so many students take this stance. and leads me to be believe that we have started to forget, as a country, the power of taking direct action to affect change.

The press coverage of the strike and comments from government officials is all part of the attempt to frame this as a faculty versus student debate.

Our lecturers are being painted as selfish for wanting to strike while the actual perpetrators of this disruption get off free.

"Nobody in this country was ever given rights" In reality, students and faculty are on the same side. We both want a better standard of education, fairer wages and pesnions, more accountability for those who run our universities. We are on the same side of this fight, but those who wish to commodify and marketise education are, at the moment, managng to turn quite a lot of students against their lecturers.

Narratives like this, painting

trade unions and strikers are disruptive and corrupt, have allowed successive governments to strip working people of rights that have been hard fought and won over the last few centuries.

Because really, nobody in this country was ever given rights. Women were not given the right to vote, workers were not given the right to strike, gay couples were not given the right to marry; they fought for these rights and took them. People have given their lives in the struggle for basic rights, and that should never be forgotten.

This is especially pertinent in contemporary Britain, plagued by insecure and zero hours contracts, where at least 60% of those in poverty are in working households. And with advances in technology, more and more jobs, which are almost always low income, are being automated, leaving those who rely on them for their basic needs out in the cold.

Our current government clearly do not care, but it is not just a matter of political party. It is an ideology that has underpinned every government since 1979, and reinforced in almost every international institution, from the UN to the EU. The only way that change is ever going to come about is if we all, as a collective, take a stand.

"For most of us currently studying, striking seems like a thing of the past" Not everyone has to strike, just support those who are, and understand that it is not selfish greed that drives them - it is a desire for a more equitable society. Many of those who have lived through large periods of

industrial action already understand how important striking is, and what a difference it can make. However, for most of us currently studying, striking seems like a thing of the past.

Many young people are already hitting the streets and making their voices heard through marches and protests, and while these do help to raise awareness, they are largely ignored by politicians and the press barons who support them.

The very fact that strikes do disrupt every day life is what makes them effective. And yes, it may be that striking, like the rubbish collectors striking last year, is a bit inconvient in the short term, but it forces the government to listen.

I wish the University of Birmingham staff were able to strike, and I would fully support them in doing so. Only when all groups suffering from injustice band together in solidarity does real change occur.

12

FEATURES

Friday 2nd March 2018

www.redbrick.me

Best Actor

Best Actress

Best Supporting Actor

Best Supporting Actress

John James (Editor)

Tom Smith-Wrinch (Critic)

Matt Taylor (Critic)

Megan Whitehouse (Critic)

Nominations

Nominations

Nominations

Nominations

Daniel Day Lewis - Phantom Thread Timothee Chalamet - Call Me by Your Name Daniel Kaluuya - Get Out Denzel Washington - Roman J. Isreal, Esq.

Sally Hawkins - The Shape of Water Margot Robbie - I, Tonya Meryl Streep - The Post Saoirse Ronan - Lady Bird

Sam Rockwell - Three Billboards Woody Harrelson - Three Billboards Christopher Plummer - All The Money Willem Dafoe - The Florida Project

Lesley Manville - Phantom Thread Allison Janney - I, Tonya Laurie Metcalf - Lady Bird Mary J. Blige - Mudbound

Gary Oldman - Darkest Hour

Frances McDormand - Three Billboards

Richard Jenkins - The Shape of Water

Octavia Spencer - The Shape of Water

Will Win

Will Win

Gary Oldman

Frances McDormand

I’m not a fan of Gary Oldman in most things. I’ve always found his voice irritating and his range limited. In most of his films he’s invariably a beleaguered walrus faced leader of some kind - a leader under some sort of severe pressure which allows Oldman to shout exposition in his aforementioned irritating tone. He was however very good in Darkest Hour. I forgot it was Gary Oldman, and whilst the prosthetic cave head he wore may have helped in that regard, it really was an excellent performance. Well done.

With this being my first viewing of Frances McDormand I couldn’t estimate for certain just how powerful an actress she could be. Throughout this rather upsetting film she seems to provide an eloquent balance of both humour and tragedy, portraying the grieving mother of her murdered daughter she seems to transcend her emotions through the screen in her own subtle way. Hard-hitting, uplifting and certainly captivating, her screen time does not go unnoticed. McDormand seems to have mastered the art of raw emotion, her stone-cold and crude quips throughout the film entice the audience into wanting more, seeing more and feeling more from such a dynamic character. Let’s just hope that she can translate her billboards into Oscars.

Should Win

Should Win

Will Win

Christopher Plummer Following allegations against Kevin Spacey, director Ridley Scott chose to reshoot much of his film at the eleventh hour, with original choice Christopher Plummer in the role. In an unprecedented feat for last minute reshoots, they worked. Plummer is both ice cold yet surprisingly vulnerable in his role as J Paul Getty. For someone who refuses to pay a ransom on his grandson’s head he’s remarkably human and is easily the best part of Scott’s film. To deliver such a performance in such a short space of time and under such pressure makes him a sure-fire win for this year’s Oscar.

Will Win

Allison Janney Allison Janney without a doubt. The Oscar win would be the cherry on top of an already impressive collection of accolades that she has swept up this awards season. With Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, Critics Choice and Bafta wins already under her belt it would almost be rude for her not to complete the set.

Should Win

Daniel Kaluuya

Sally Hawkins

Sam Rockwell

That Get Out is nominated for four Oscars this ‘season’ should be considered all the more remarkable considering it broke perhaps the Oscars golden rule: it had the audacity to release itself in March and for all intents and purposes wasn’t aiming for the recognition of the academy. Jordan Peele’s thought provoking piece is of course, more than worthy of it’s recognition as is the performance of its lead Daniel Kaluuya, who anchors the film with an almost knowing uncertainty. Would be great to see him win, but he probably won’t.

Expressing emotion onto the screen can be hard enough simply through dialogue. However, when one actress is presented with the challenged of mirroring an infatuated yet equally inquisitive individual through a mute character, this should often border on near impossibility. For Sally Hawkins however, she seems to immerse us completely into the fantastic world of Guillermo del Toro. By way of subtle facial expressions and indeed, her sign language she is able to transcribe her emotional pain of being, torn between a world of the mundane and fantasy. It is due to such challenge thus that she presents herself as such an exquisite actress, engrossing the audience into such a conflicted character.. It’s fair to say this mute speak volumes.

In a film spearheaded by Frances McDormand, to say that Sam Rockwell is the standout is a testimony to his acting ability. His police officer Jason Dixon is racist, unstable, violent, and thoroughly detestable, but also incredibly funny. Dixon is the butt of many of the script’s jokes, given that he’s slow on the uptake (‘Hey! F**khead!’ is the highlight of these), but Rockwell gives as good as he gets as he puts his superb comedic ability to use. In a surprisingly human performance, he makes us feel so many different emotions to a character who could have been so straightforwardly evil. He’s nothing short of exceptional.

Snubbed

Snubbed

Snubbed

Snubbed

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson

Mila Kunis

Patrick Stewart

Tiffany Haddish

Dwayne Johnson has been playing a role his entire life. Where other actors merely inhabit characters, Johnson has been consumed by his in the most cynical way imaginable. To all the world, Johnson is a hard loving, hardworking, salt of the earth family man; a smile never far from his face and a dumbbell never far from his engorged arms. This is because his brand demands him to be. He is a lie, he is Kim Kardashian in gym-gear. It is frankly disgusting the Academy holds two hours of Day Lewis’s signature tediously impressive fare in more regard than the 365-day circus of a year that Johnson oversees.

When I think of an Oscar contender for this year only one name really seems to spring to mind: Mila Kunis. Her performance in Bad Mom’s Christmas borders closely with that of mastery, an artistic exposition for only the adept performers. Within Bad Mom’s Christmas she seems to become the exhausted, depraved yet equally sexy mother, she certainly is a ‘Bad Mom’ indeed, enticing the audience into her own twisted world. Her perpetually sullen face and cackling laughter within the movie are notable highlights, demonstrating to the audience the plight of these mothers. Exhibiting pain, laughter and eminent ‘badness’ she transgresses the laws of the screen, time and even space itself throughout such a powerful piece of art.

Comic-book-Western masterpiece Logan is fronted by three incredible performances. Of these, any could have been nominated this awards season, but to see Stewart snubbed purely because the Academy refuses to take comic book movies seriously is heart-breaking. His curtain call as Charles Xavier is by far his finest turn in the role; it’s upsetting and harrowing to see a character we love so dearly be on screen for the final time in such a horrific state, as Charles fights dementia with failing medication. Stewart’s incredible performance packs enough emotion to bring us to tears several times over, and it’s frankly criminal that he wasn’t recognised by the Academy.

Should Win

Allison Janney Allison Janney. Her performance as the acerbic mother of disgraced figure skater Tonya Harding is a masterclass in acting and Janney’s perfect combination of sheer cruelty and fierce ambition for her daughter is sublime. It would be a first time Oscar for Janney but very well deserved nonetheless.

Possibly Tiffany Haddish for her role in raunchy comedy Girls Trip but its hard to justify a place for her amongst competition as strong as Janney and Laurie Metcalf.

FEATURES

Friday 2nd March 2018

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Best Director

Best Picture

Luis Freijo (Critic)

Todd Waugh-Ambridge (Critic)

Nominations

Nominations

Guillermo del Toro - The Shape of Water Jordan Peele - Get Out Greta Gerwig - Lady Bird Christopher Nolan - Dunkirk Paul Thomas Anderson - Phantom Thread

Will Win

The Shape of Water; Darkest Hour; Dunkirk; Phantom Thread; Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri; Get Out; The Post; Call Me by Your Name; Lady Bird

Will Win

Guillermo del Toro

Three Billboards

The most powerful argument that leads me to think that the director of The Shape of Water will be awarded is that he has won all the previous significant awards. The Oscars have been known to provide surprises from time to time, but Guillermo del Toro stands in a very strong position. The Shape of Water is full of nice details, small moments that become thoughtful and moving because of the director´s attention to detail, and it will probably be appreciated by the Academy. It would be the fourth Oscar for Mexico within this decade.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is the film on everyone’s lips.

Already a major hit at awards shows, Martin McDonagh’s dark comedy just last week picked up both ‘Best Film’ and ‘Best British Film’ at the BAFTAs. Three Billboards is a film about anger, loss and justice. It speaks to the current political outrage – something the Oscars will definitely be intending to get in on with the recent scandals in Hollywood.

That’s not to say it’s undeserving for the award, however. Three Billboards is utterly unpredictable and full of fresh ideas. It’s characters and world are completely captivating and is a film that demands – and deserves – as much attention as its titular billboards.

Should Win

Should Win

It would be a very nice surprise if the director of Get Out won the award. Out of the five nominees, he has been able to create the freshest and most intelligent film. Get Out challenges the heritage film in the tradition of 12 Years a Slave from the standpoint of meanness and sarcasm toward white progressive racism. Peele´s work is extremely clever, and his camera plays with double meanings and cheating in a good sense, so that the film´s message can only be fully understood on a second viewing. We need this kind of smart in Hollywood.

Jordan Peele has proven himself a special breed of visionary director. His directorial debut, Get Out is a film that defies genre – comedy, horror, drama.

Peele’s witty, slowly unravelling script is filled with both social satire and atmospheric horror in equal measure.

The Academy may shy away from Peele’s satirical view of the world at the crunch. Get Out may not be their sort of movie with their sort of structure and their sort of characters. But, in truth, it is the most original film to be nominated in years.

It deserves more, however: it deserves to win.

Jordan Peele

Snubbed Luca Guadagnino & Martin McDonagh The fact that the people responsible for the two best films of the year are not nominated speaks by itself. As opposed to Christopher Nolan, who failed massively in executing his good ideas, Guadagnino adapts James Ivory´s script with wisdom, smoothness and beauty.

McDonagh has provided a film that relies on well-known Western and Southern iconography, but turns it around in a way that complicates and problematizes so many issues about violence and identity. Nothing is easy in Three Billboards, whereas Phantom Thread by Anderson is just annoying. A complete disaster in this category.

Get Out

Snubbed The Florida Project It is outrageous that Sean Baker’s The Florida Project has only received a single derisory nomination (Willem Dafoe for Best Supporting Actor). The style of The Florida Project is probably not what the Academy is used to – there’s no real narrative to entertain you as it’s far more interested in painting a world that you can feel and not just touch. Sean Baker has created a film about childhood innocence and optimism in a community of poverty and near-homelessness. Its framing of a bleak world through the eyes of adventurous children is nothing short of genius. If the Best Picture nominations show the year’s full range of cinematic spectacle, then this years have failed by snubbing one of the most powerful, incredible and unique films of the year.

13

Oscars 2018 Who will win?

Who should win?

Who has been snubbed?

Redbrick Film guides you through the nominees The Oscars Aren't Everything...

Emillie Gallagher (Editor) The Oscars are undeniably too established to be going anywhere any time soon, and admittedly, in many ways, they are a lot of fun.

Who can deny loving the glam and the genuine (though shameinducing) excitement that arises as we eagerly watch the best and worst dressed take the red carpet by storm?

But speculation surrounding the validity of the Oscars often turns to their lack of diversity; deserving candidates have been snubbed as issues of race, gender and nationality infamously hinder their chances of both winning and even being recognised.

Opportunities are lacking for foreign language films, since they can only submit one film for consideration from each country.

This means that countries that generate multiple Oscar-calibre movies a year are missing out on their opportunity to showcase this - and there is little scope for women to be voted in the best director category with only four female directors ever being nominated, diversity is severely lacking. And it is no longer the elephant in the room that t h e

Academy’s lack of recognition for candidates of colour is an issue either, with two successive years of no recognition of black actors at all, and the beginnings of public movements to tackle the racist tendencies with the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite coming into use during the 2015 award cycle.

And it is easy to argue against the hype of the whole event. Do these actors even deserve this ridiculously elevated celebration of their ‘talent’? The film industry is essential to the world of Art, but the Oscars seem to go a bit overboard on the recognition actors actually deserve. ‘Academy Award Winning’ in front of your name is a pretty elevated title, but what are these people actually contributing to our lives to deserve it? When and why did acting get so far ahead of and so much more publically beloved than other forms of expressive art?

Great attention has already been paid to these inequalities however, and my biggest issue is with the fact that these awards are completely subjective and as a result, essentially, irrelevant. Art in itself is subjective so deciding the ‘best’ is already almost impossible. The selection process of the Academy Awards means the decision process feels both completely arbitrary, and after growing social awareness, fuelled problematically by political motivation. Rather than being driven by what makes the ‘best’ in the industry, whatever that means, the awards are instead either successfully snubbing anyone that isn’t white and male, or they’re purposefully engaging with ‘equal opportunity’ and causing the legitimacy of the award winners to become problematic.

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The Women Who Inspire Redbrick 2018 has already seen women defy gender boundaries and achieve great things. To celebrate all things women and wonderful, Redbrick's female Editors from all our sections come together to celebrate International Women's Day

Issy Campbell Music Editor

Thursday 8th March 2018 is a day to celebrate. It is International Women's day. Now more than ever women are shutting down, standing up, and speaking out against gender inequalities. Most recently, campaigns like ‘MeToo’ and ‘TimesUp’ have opened the door to conversations about sexual assault in and outside of Hollywood, and it is movements like these that show the power of female solidarity.

We have seen women march all across the world for all different reasons, be it the sexism of Trump’s America or for

#FreePeriods. Individually, or together, we stand united in the face of oppression.

International Women’s Day epitomises how far we have come, but also how far we have left to go. Women have achieved so much already in these first few months of 2018, yet alone the last year, and whilst some have been noticed for their achievements, there are still so many women being silenced and their efforts are going unrecognised. It is important to remember that we do not have to do something out of the ordinary to make a difference. We can make a conscious effort to notice and pick up on sexism in the workplace, work together instead of fighting one another, stop using language that degrades us, like

Rebecca Moore Kirstie Sutherland Vicky Featherstone Shakira As a Culture Editor, perhaps there is no surprise that the woman who inspires me the most is theatre director and artistic director of the Royal Court Theatre, Vicky Featherstone.

I admire Featherstone so greatly because she sees theatre as having the potential to encourage social change, and tell the stories of those who would otherwise go unheard. Not only does she create incredible stage productions (most recently, Gundog) but last year she was voted the most influential person in British theatre on the Stage 100 Power List, following her response to the Harvey Weinstein scandal.

In October 2017, Featherstone held an event called ‘No Grey Area’ to ‘confront the abuses of power that have been occurring in the theatre industry for years’. In just 10 days, Featherstone was able to organise a safe environment for people to share their experiences.

Featherstone is brave, using her position of authority to help others, and uses theatre to respond to the pressing issues of the present day.

Shakira is the true queen of Latin pop, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. Not only is she a multi-award winning singer-songwriter, producer and dancer, the Columbian superstar is also an activist for the improvement of access to education for poor children around the world through her Pies Descalzos Foundation. She has worked as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for a number of years, and was appointed to Barack Obama’s President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics in 2011, increasing opportunities for Hispanic Americans in educational programmes.

She has sold billions of records around the world in both Spanish and English, and continues to represent strong-willed, independent women across the globe. Her music is undeniably perfect for any occasion, whenever, wherever you are, and most importantly, her hips most certainly do not lie. Shakira embodies everything I aspire to be as a young woman, and never fails to deliver on all fronts, musically and philanthropically.

‘bitch’ or ‘slut’, and welcome a debate about feminism. It is 2018 afterall.

This year’s IWD is all about '#PressforProgress', a movement that is hoping to inspire and encourage women to speak up about the gender pay gap. This is an issue that has gained a lot of momentum in recent years, with women openly shining a light on their employers who fail to pay equally. It is women like BBC Journalist Carrie Gracie, who publically resigned from her position as China Editor over unequal pay, that show women that regardless who you work for, equal pay should never be optional. In 2017 it was reported that on average women practically worked 51 days “for free” due to the pay gap. A gap

which has been reported not to close until 2186. Whilst the gap is closing, it is not enough.To wait over 100 years for the gap to disappear is over 100 years too late.

Whilst the pay gap remains ‘small’, but still clearly existent, in younger adults, it begins to widen as we turn 40, and peak between 50-59, as recorded by the Office for National Statistics. This brings me the other aspect of the #PressforProgress movement, to promote women to be ambitious, to climb the career ladder, and to call for gender-balanced leadership.

There are many ways to take part in IWD, from pledging on the website, to getting involved on campus, but whatever you choose, be loud and be proud.

Katie Jones J.K Rowling

Caitlin Dickinson Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

J. K. Rowling is a woman who has influenced so much of my life. You would have had to live in a cave to have not heard about Harry Potter and his magical world that she created. What many people aren’t aware of, however, is her struggle to even getting published and her philanthropic work.

From having to deal with a mother suffering from multiple sclerosis and being estranged from her father, to living as a single parent in poverty, she truly is a role model in perseverance. In addition, her charity work has seen her become one of the few people to lose their billionaire status through the amount of work and donations she has made over the years for charities. On a more personal level, myself and many of my peers might not have been as inspired to read without her beautiful books.

After recently seeing Adiche on a Yo u T u b e - r e c o m m e n d e d TedTalk, I immediately impulse-bought her book We Should All Be Feminists.

This little volume is packed full of strong ideas as to why men and women should be socialised equally in society, and Adiche calls for equality in all areas.

I managed to read this short book in just two hours as Adiche had me hooked and inspired from the first word.

I believe Adiche is one of the most inspirational writers I have come across. Her own personal story of being a Nigerian woman who has overcome racism in society makes me feel truly proud and inspired to be a fellow woman.

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Abbie Pease Ava DuVernay

Issy Campbell Cassie de Pecol

Grace Duncan Marie Stopes

Natalie Welch Carrie Fisher

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay is a black woman in a white man’s world. Being the first African-American woman to win the U.S. Directing Award at the Sundance Film Festival, Ava makes films that not only break boundaries, but speak up against inequality.

I first learnt who Ava was in 2016, after the release of her breathtaking documentary 13th, which takes a look at the history of racial inequality in America. Since then I have been inspired by the work she does both off and on screen. With women making up just 11% of the directors working on the top 250 films last year, women like Ava are crucial in pushing change in Hollywood.

She was also the first black woman to direct a film with a $100 budget, and since then has used her success directing films such as Selma to set up a company called Array, which distributes films by women and people of colour.

Her mission extends beyond the realm of film: not only is she committed to onscreen equality, but she is committed to changing the attitude of Hollywood as a whole.

Ever dreamt of travelling the world? Well, Cassie De Pecol has literally done exactly that. From Bhutan to Russia, Oman to France and Syria to the Antarctic, Cassie has travelled to every single sovereign country, totaling 196. Completing this mammoth challenge in only 18 months, Cassie also holds two Guinness World Records for being the fastest ever person (and female) to visit every sovereign nation, and she did it all on her own at only 27.

There are so many reasons why Cassie is an inspiration, not only to me, but to all every woman (and man) out there. Firstly, her courage and determination to finish what she started, even when she ran out of money halfway through, forcing her to go home to raise more funds. But she also inspires me for another reason. It is all too easy to focus on the serious parts of life: careers, relationships, money, but we should never forget what make us happy. I want to travel, but it seems like something always gets in the way. Cassie and her journey remind me that life is about living and not all about the grind - something that can be too easily lost as you grow up.

Following Stopes’ own traumatic birth experience, she began research into contraception and how mothers can help keep themselves safe. Ultimately, this resulted in the foundation of the first birth control clinic in Britain in 1921. The free clinic was run by midwives and offered mothers birth control advice and dispensed methods of contraception developed by Stopes. With the clinic as a base she continued research into contraception. What she developed was free for all women, unlike previous services which only supported married mothers and often would not provide abortions. She pioneered a new way of thinking about contraception and maternal care, offering women a choice about whether they wanted to have children and how to look after themselves if they did.

The clinics, which are still in operation, help women to have children ‘by choice, not chance’, giving women more options about how they want to live their lives.

Carrie Fisher is a woman who is held dear in a lot of people’s hearts. Infamously known as Princess Leia from Star Wars, she redefined what it meant to be a woman in film. Not only was she representative of this strong woman that defied the ‘damsel in distress’ stereotype, Fisher was awe-inspiring in herself. Leading by example, she taught women to be unapologetic for who they are. She always spoke frankly, regardless of what people might think. She was brave enough to stand against sexually-assaulting Hollywood producers ten years before anyone else, even sending one a cow’s tongue. Most importantly, for me, she was totally open about her struggles with mental illness, preaching it as something to be proud of surviving, not ashamed of having. Carrie Fisher inspires me, as she should many women, to be outspoken, strong-willed and proud.

Tara Kergon Lady Gaga

Iesha Thomas Laverne Cox

Lady Gaga is unapologetically herself: unafraid to take risks with fashion and music, she pours her soul into her creative career to constantly push the boundaries, and is not scared to grow, change, and inevitably shock. ‘Born This Way’ is an iconic, inclusive song that encourages everyone to put down their shame, and not just accept, but love themselves. And she doesn’t just sing about it.

From reading fan letters on stage, to pushing through fibromyalgia to perform (and documenting it in Five Foot Two), to creating the Born This Way Foundation, Gaga has created a culture of self love, acceptance, and strength amongst her ‘Little Monsters’ which the world so desperately needs. She is a reminder of what we may survive, an inspiration to never give up on your dreams, and an icon that proves it is (more than) okay to be exactly who we are.

Few women are as inspiring and empowering for me as Laverne Cox. Her role on Netflix’s long-running series Orange is the New Black voices the struggle of how being transgender and a woman of colour intersects, which really opened my eyes to a community I admit that I had little understanding of at the time.

She is the first openly transgender person to be on the cover of Time magazine and win a Daytime Emmy as an executive producer. In 2014, she received the Stephen F. Kolzak Award from non-governmental organisation GLAAD for those in the entertainment business working to eliminate homophobia.

As if this wasn't enough, in 2016, Cox was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from The New School in New York City for her important, progressive work in the fight for gender equality.

She was also recently featured amongst the faces of the AW17 Ivy Park marketing campaign, and if Beyoncé approves, then enough said.

Adele Franghiadi Laura Burgess Gaytri Spivak Mary Jayne Crabbe Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak has been a great source of inspiration during a crossroads in my life. She is a leading postcolonialist and feminist scholar, and I draw heavily on her thought-provoking ideas in my own research.

As an aspiring postcolonial academic, I find her hugely inspirational, not only because she operates in such a male-dominated field, but thanks to her distinct and groundbreaking influence, shaping the field itself and challenging its former conclusions.

Women in academia are continuously undermined intellectually, and whilst they are encouraged to ‘speak up’ by male counterparts, little is done to actively advance their position or make this any easier in practice, which is a daunting prospect.

Therefore, whilst deciding if this is the path for me and a challenge I wish to face in my own career, I find Spivak – both for what she represents intellectually and for female academic status in general – to be a continually valuable source of inspiration and motivation.

Hannah Brierley Kris Jenner Kris Jenner may not be the first woman to come to mind when we think of inspirational female figures in the world - she may not even be the hundredth, but why is that?

Her Kardashian clan are arguably the most influential family in the world; they’re constantly creating new fashion trends, phrases, makeup looks, and regularly ‘break the internet’. Whether it’s with a famous booty shot or well-timed baby announcement (seriously, whose idea do you think that was?), the Kardashians have got this social-media obsessed era wrapped around a wellmanicured pinky. Like any mother, Kris has had to deal with her children’s rebellious behaviour; from viral sex tapes to crazy exes desperate for a slice of that Kardashian fortune, she has gracefully manoeuvred them through it all. Kris Jenner; the ‘Momager’, millionaire, mother and inspirational, successful businesswoman we could all learn a thing or two from.

Megan Jayne Crabbe, aka @bodyposipanda, is one of the key members of the body positivity movement on Instagram, and a best-selling author. As well as posting her own photos, she raises awareness for other body-positive accounts from people of all ethnicities and backgrounds. She isn’t just a keyboard warrior, however, and regularly takes part in protests against the modelling industry and diet culture. What I find most inspiring is her frankness about mental health issues; she’s recovered from anorexia, and speaks openly about this on her page, promoting mental health above all else. However, she does not pretend she is happy all of the time, because not letting yourself experience negative emotions is just as unhealthy. She promotes a well-rounded, happy, healthy life that we should all aspire towards.

Kat Smith Michelle Obama

There are countless praises to sing about, almost objectively, the most stellar First Lady the US has ever had. In a nation with a notable absence of female leaders in its history, her strength of character, compassion and charisma was, and is, empowering. She’s a champion for physical and mental health, feminism, the impoverished, education, and much more. Obama launched the ‘Let’s Move!’ initiative in the US to aim at ending the epidemic of childhood obesity, has advocated on behalf of military families, volunteered in homeless shelters and soup kitchens, and inspired young Americans to continue their education past high school. The list could go on - and her influence has surpassed her husband’s time in office, writing books, giving speeches and continuing to support the Obama Foundation.

Michelle’s inspiration and strength is somewhat of a remedy to the lack of women Presidents in the Oval Office, though I am hoping to see her there soon.

Olivia Woodington Emma Kent Billie Jean King Icelandic Women When challenged to a ‘Battle of the Sexes’ by male chauvinist Bobby Riggs at the height of her competitive career, six-times Women’s Tennis Champion Billie Jean King defied all misogynists in her audience of over 90 million people and won.

She won not for the money, or to simply prove a man wrong. King won for equality, for all women before her and all women to come.

Encouraged by her victory against Riggs, Billie Jean upped her campaign for equality and in the following year she started the Women’s Sports Foundation.

After her sexuality was publicly outed, she continued to work tirelessly on behalf of women and the LGBTQ community despite losing all her endorsement deals. In 2009, President Obama awarded King with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. For all women that have ever been told ‘you can’t’, she did it - and you will.

Maybe it's the Viking blood, maybe it's the hot springs, but there is something truly fiery about the women of Iceland, who have been fighting for equality since the 70s and have not looked back since. In 1975, 90% of Icelandic women went on strike for a day, stopping all paid work, cleaning and childcare to demonstrate their importance in society and promote equality. Naturally, the whole country ground to a shuddering halt. By 1980 Iceland had elected Vigdis Finnbogadottir as President, who became the first female democratically-elected head of state. Then, when the 2008 economic crash destroyed Iceland's banking sector, women spearheaded reforms in the financial system to 'feminise' the system and prevent the dangerous testosterone-fuelled risk-taking that had caused the collapse. Within three years Iceland's economy was back on track, and for the past four years Iceland has been ranked the most equal place in the world for women by the WEF. Hot stuff indeed.

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Emillie Gallagher Alice Walker

Roshni Patel Hayley Williams

Holly Carter Ruby Tandoh

Sophie Kesterton Rosa Parks

Believing ‘activism is my rent for living on the planet’, Alice Walker dedicated her life to civil rights and feminist movements, protesting against, to name a few: the South African apartheid, the Iraq war and female genital mutilation. She focused her work primarily on working for rights for African American women, successfully coining the term ‘womanism’ in 1983 to mean ‘black feminism’, and creating a sense of unity for P.O.C feminists. Walker is most famous however, for her writing, directly connecting political activism with the process of writing and publishing activist novels including Meridian and The Colour Purple.

Sacrificing her own academic aspirations of studying in Paris, she dedicated herself to teaching poetry in Southern universities, allowing those she taught to utilise art to tackle injustice as she did. Alice Walker is an easy choice for an inspirational woman, as her desire for connection between activism and art has made huge progress towards equality and creative freedom. She has not only inspired those she has taught, but also those she has not due to her dedication and passion.

Hayley Williams has been part of my life for almost as long as she’s been part of Paramore. Beginning her career at 14, and growing exponentially since, she has spoken her mind through her lyrics and actions, inspiring others to do the same. Throughout her albums I, along with many others, have found ourselves within the tracks, as her voice soothes souls and encourages us to speak out, as she herself goes through her own journey, losing members, and redefining herself and the band.

Vocally expressing her choice not to drink, smoke or take vocational drugs, she’s a role model to others that success does not mean that you need to conform to the norm. She’s been the soundtrack of my life, with Paramore’s latest album After Laughter, which touches upon exhaustion, depression and anxiety, cementing Hayley Williams as a an inspirational artist in my eyes.

Since making it to the 2013 Great British Bake Off final at the age of just 21,whilst simultaneously studying for a philosophy degree, Ruby Tandoh has never stopped being an inspiration to me. From dealing maturely with sexist Bake Off backlash rumours to taking a stand against the body shaming, classist ‘clean eating’ obsession that has gripped the Western world over the past few years, Ruby has always stood up for herself and what she believes in with such grace. Not only is she a fantastic chef but she encourages a healthy relationship with food, which is so important in the Instagram age of gold-dust supplements and unnecessary free-from wankery. For me, the most important parts of her work are her book, Eat Up, a bible of food and body positivity, and her fantastic Twitter account (@ rubytandoh) which provides daily doses of 280-character sass and love. Power to Ruby, the world needs more like her.

Often referred to as the ‘First Lady of Civil Rights’, Rosa Parks is best known as the woman who refused to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery bus during the turbulent US civil rights movement of the twentieth century. While Parks suffered hugely as a result, her refusal to be wrongfully mistreated sparked what became known as the ‘Montgomery Bus Boycott’.

Led by Martin Luther King Jr., hundreds of African Americans avoided using public buses for over a year, but more remarkable than this was the US Supreme Court ruling declaring bus segregation ‘unconstitutional’. Though this by no means resulted in total equality, Parks showed how powerful the smallest of acts can be, and her bravery, determination, and resilience have been rightfully praised ever since, through numerous highly-acclaimed awards and being named one of the most influential people of the twentieth century by TIME magazine. Unfortunately, racial prejudice still plagues our society today, but we should be looking to figures like Rosa Parks for inspiration to continue the fight and not let racism slip under the radar.

Emily Roberts My Mum

Ellen Heimpel Emma Watson

Helena Roberts is the most humble, selfless, sweet-natured person I know. She’s also a powerhouse; overcoming various hardships since adolescence (and undoubtedly some I have no idea about) time and again she has demonstrated to me her immense strength and power of will. She helped support her family from a very young age and when she started a family of her own she continued to do the same, always putting myself, my sister, and our dad first.

Throughout my childhood I was lucky enough to have her raise me full-time, and without her motivation, encouragement, and endlessly positive outlook on life I sometimes wonder if I’d be where I am today. There are a lot of powerful women in the world, but if I was to name the one that has the most profound impact on me on a daily basis, it would have to be my mum.

Emma Watson is truly a feminist inspiration. As part of her role as UN Women Goodwill Ambassador she launched the 'HeForShe' campaign to unite men and women in the fight for gender equality.

Emma believes that the only way to tackle inequality is to get everyone on board. She aims to challenge typical male stereotypes, arguing that ‘If men don’t have to control, women won’t have to be controlled’. She is also a major inspiration for self-love, stating ‘I don’t want other people to decide who I am. I want to decide that for myself’.

Hermione Granger taught me to be a warrior, but Emma Watson taught me to be myself. She’s even got her own ethical clothing line and is a certified yoga as well as being a meditation teacher! She is simply amazing, and that is why she is my inspiration.

Alex Goodwin Elizabeth Garrett Anderson

Phoebe WarnefordThompson Mhairi Black

Emily Barker Courtney Love

Olivia Boyce Mariska Hargitay

Imogen Lancaster

Phoebe Radford Amika George

Probably an unpopular choice for this list, Courtney Love nevertheless embodied for my teenage self the idea of female power and defying inhibition, and the sometimes overwhelming pressure to conform. It pains me that she is so often only remembered for her association, and not exactly a positive one at that, with Kurt Cobain, when her talent and unbelievably relentless hard work deserves its own limelight. Fresh out of a childhood so troubled that honestly, a decades-long heroin addiction seems like an understated reaction, Love quickly became iconic in her fashion, attitude with the press and other celebrities, song-writing and musical skill, front-woman charisma, and frankly underrated acting ability.

Despite her flaws, Love’s talents do not deserve the shunning they have seen, and I would encourage anyone this International Women’s Day to take the time to listen to Live Through This. Not only is this an outstanding album musically, but Love touches on many relevant themes of the female body image, pregnancy and motherhood, as well as career success as a female running throughout.

Fans of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit will be familiar with the now iconic Olivia Benson, the no-nonsense cop played

by Mariska Hargitay, who has been chasing justice on television screens for twenty years. Benson’s complex character coupled with a desire to help every survivor makes for an inspirational figure, but Hargitay is just as inspiring offscreen. Hargitay trained as a rape crisis advocate to prepare for the role, and is also the founder and president of the Joyful Heart Foundation, established to provide support to survivors of sexual assault and violence, helping over 5000 women and children. Hargitay continues to portray Benson, and recently campaigned to raise awareness around the statistics of untested rape kits in the USA, as well as petitioning for the authorisation of the Violence against Women Act. Hargitay, and the character she portrays, have and continue to help survivors and inspire change today.

Reese Witherspoon is a familiar face in Hollywood, but her most recent endeavours deserve just as much recognition as her on-screen appearances. We all truly recognised Reese’s impact during her inspirational speech at Glamour’s Woman of the Year awards in 2015, where she addressed her recent entrepreneurial accomplishments. Her Production Company ‘Pacific Standard’ and Multimedia Company ‘Hello Sunshine’ strive to counteract the lack of female roles in both acting and producing. With many production companies claiming that films with female protagonists are neither worth producing nor lucrative, making a stand against this alarmingly male-dominated industry is both necessary and important. Reese is a proactive example for our generation for promoting female empowerment, equality of opportunity and ambition. She is an inspiration whose work in telling the worthwhile stories of women via film not only sets an example in Hollywood, but does so for the worldwide workforce as a whole.

Garrett Anderson single-handedly smashed a number of glass ceilings for British women. She was the first woman to qualify as a physician (and practised medicine without having to pretend to be a man to gain the respect of her colleagues). She struggled through sexist rejections from medical schools and further battled against workplace prejudice throughout her career.

Nevertheless, Garrett Anderson did not quit. She donated her time to ensuring poor and underprivileged women and children received proper healthcare, as well as co-founding the London School of Medicine for Women, ensuring the career became gender neutral for generations to come. She continued on to become the first British woman elected to a school board, and in 1908 became the first female to be elected Mayor. Of course, she was also an active Suffragist throughout her life and for me, she is a truly badass, feminist hero.

Reese Witherspoon

When Mhairi Black ran to be an MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South in 2015, successfully knocking Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander out of the seat, she was just 20 years old. Black was yet to finish her final exams at the University of Glasgow when she gained the title of Member of Parliament! How many people can say they gained a first class degree whilst canvassing, doing press interviews and networking with constituents? Now, as ‘Baby of the House’ in the Commons (she’s the youngest MP since 1880) and as an LGBT MP, Black brings much needed diversity to Westminster.

Her maiden speech in the commons in July 2015 received 11 million views online and proved a breath of fresh air for parliament. So, if you hadn’t heard of Mhairi Black before now, watch this space!

Despite being only 18 years old, Amika George started the '#FreePeriods' campaign, a movement that proved the power of social media by organising peaceful protests that took place in London on 20th December 2017.

Amika decided she wanted to start the campaign for '#FreePeriods' after reading that some girls in the UK struggle to afford basic sanitary products, resorting to ripping up old t-shirts or using toilet roll from public bathrooms.

She started a petition and started to spread the word. Amika told Vogue that she 'felt sickened that this was happening in a wealthy country like ours, and worse still, that no action had been taken'.

Personally, I love the fact that she is also fighting the taboo around periods, saying that the '#FreePeriods' campaign is also about breaking down the ridiculously outdated stigma around menstruation.

Honestly, it has to go - we need to embrace our periods and be proud to bleed. It is about time we began to celebrate and not hide our periods!

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A Trip Down Memory Lane A reflection on University life upon returning to UoB nearly 30 years after graduating Dawn Mulcahy UoB Alumnus

As you look back on your life there are people, places, and experiences that fundamentally forge you into the person you become.

My three years studying Biological Sciences at the University of Birmingham between 1987 and 1990 was such an experience, viewed fondly for the many years since through what I thought were rose tinted glasses.

Having lived in Dublin for many years, and having lost contact with all but one of the many and much loved people I knew at that time, the years have often made me wonder how things might have changed and how it would feel to return after almost 30 years. And so when I found myself back in the UK and with a day to myself I decided to spend it in B15, reminiscing.

My trip down memory lane began at The Vale, having been a resident of then Wyddrington Hall for first year 1987/1988. I was surprised to see what was then High Hall replaced by Chamberlain, although delighted that one tower had been replaced by another - somehow very appropriate. Wyddrington was now

Shackleton but was extremely familiar, even the space in the car park where someone from High Hall once put a toilet on top of my old Renault 4. The view across the lake in 1987 was surprisingly similar to today. The Vale has grown into itself with the trees and shrubbery more mature, but the layout fundamentally unchanged. The same, only different.

Campus was next on my list. I entered from the West Gate, walking past a train station that was not there when I graduated in 1990. Walking down towards the Biological Sciences building was eerily familiar - some new buildings, but Old Joe still standing tall in the distance. My walk took me into University Square where I stood dumbfounded, looking at the gaping hole where the library used to be! That building was the anchor of my memories of the heart of campus and seeing it gone was a shock. I spoke to students around the square who all expressed sorrow that the old building had been replaced, 'the new one isn't the same' said one.

Apart from the open sore of the missing library, the rest of campus was achingly familiar, with slight upgrades and and the odd new building. Even The Guild

was familiar, the mermaid fountain where friends had jumped in after graduation was still there, albeit protected from celebrating students by a metal grid. Where's the fun in that?

As I wandered around campus, I was struck by a glaring difference to my time at the University. I remember University Square as a place teaming with groups of friends chatting, crisscrossing the square and in front of the library. On my return, I noticed that there were many solitary people, insulated from those around them by earbuds plugged into their phone, isolated in their own digital world. Finding someone without earphones, say to ask about a new building, was almost impossible. Don't people talk to each other anymore?

I lived in Selly Oak on Tiverton Road for 2nd and 3rd year, so my journey took me down the back of campus. I was delighted to see the sports pitches still there, before walking down into the very familiar and much loved seediness of Selly Oak. Surprised by a new fork in the A38 and shiny new Tesco and Aldi, I was again amazed to find so many similarities with my memories. I used to work at the Old Varsity Tavern from 1988 to 1990, and was

Redbrick Revisits Bryony Parsons Redbrick Archivist

In March 1969 Redbrick had a fairly turbulent time, resulting in the resignation of the then-editor, Peter Ullathorne.

Ullathorne had a respectable Redbrick career, editing 15 editions and 1 emergency edition – his last edition was the first ever full-size edition of Redbrick, making it only the second British University paper to do so. Ullathorne claimed he was leaving his post to prioritise his university work, but he had made a controversial change to Redbrick that provoked a student backlash. Concerned about the level of secrecy within the University Administration, Ullathorne made Redbrick a University Paper, rather than a student paper, to allow greater access to the internal workings of the administration. However, this decision politicised a newspaper that for so long had been proudly neutral, and meant that the paper could no longer publish articles

that outwardly challenged the University.

The change was unpopular and short lived, with the new editor, Jenny Wickham, returning Redbrick to a student paper.

Redbrick politics can seem a little tame however, when looking at the wider social stories that the paper was actually covering. On this day in 1961, Redbrick published a racist hate letter that had been sent to the Chairman of SCARS, the Student Campaign against Racial Segregation, from a local Birmingham man. Mike Thickett had forwarded the letter to Redbrick to raise awareness about the deep-set racial hatred held by many local people. The language of the letter is shocking, referring to the dangers posed by ‘half-breeds’ and claiming that the majority of Birmingham locals ‘detest the Blackies’. Particularly charmingly, the letter states that if Thickett himself is a ‘Blackie’ he should ‘get homesick and get out’. While Birmingham might be proudly multicultural now, it certainly wasn’t an easy process getting there. Luckily, SCARS were not the least bit put out by the letter, and continued to do valuable work for many years, including contributing to the anti-apartheid movement.

The Vale circa 1990 with High Hall across the Lake

pleased to see it was still there, although now called The Goose at the OVT. The bar layout had changed - one long bar used to stretch the full length of the pub, not the L-shaped one there now.

But echoes of the past were still there.

I found the houses where my friends and I lived, all as grimy as I remember and still full of students who didn't care about the grime and were just enjoying the freedom of living away from home, just as we did.

My trip down memory lane ended here. I had been apprehensive about returning, somehow feeling that too many changes would erase my hugely fond memories of my time at University

in Birmingham. My visit left me with a feeling of having fallen into a parallel universe, one where things were slightly out of kilter, but basically the same. But I left with a warm feeling of belonging and familiarity, of remembered friends and fun, of familiar places and with memories of a time that fundamentally changed me for the better.

My advice: create as many varied experiences and memories as you can whilst you study here.

Cherish your friends, unplug from your phone on occasion to look at what surrounds you, have fun and work hard. And don't leave it as long as I did before you return after graduation.

Jack Fantham

BurnFM Studio Manager @JackFantham

As my four year affair with Burn FM comes to a close, I can truly look back on the progression of this fine society and say the development which has been made is staggering. Year on year increasing memberships, an exceptionally diverse schedule of shows, a comprehensive calendar of socials and perhaps most excitingly, a new studio refurbishment to be completed (hopefully...) by the end of the Spring term.

“Guild media groups... provide Birmingham students with something the university cannot actual experience” What I believe to be most special about the Guild media groups is that they provide Birmingham students with something the university cannot – actual experience in the world of journalism. Whether that be through Burn FM, Redbrick or Guild TV, providing an outlet through which to pursue a career in media at the university is important because, if we didn’t, who would?

In this regard, the recently passed annual school trip Burn FM hosts, whereby we take up to 90 students from a local school into the studio and give them real-time experience of using broadcasting equip-

ment, as well as developing additional media skills, is a unique event. It is a rare opportunity for students to interact with the local community; an opportunity I feel the guild as a whole should look to invest in more.

Now approaches one of our favourite events of the year – the Burn ball. A chance to dress sharp, eat well, and enjoy a night celebrating the achievements of our members as a society. I feel now is a good point to plug the event, and if I didn’t, I’m not sure our president Dan Wootton would forgive me - so grab your ticket online from the guild website before they sell out. Not one to miss.

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CULTURE

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbrickculture

Preview: This House

Madeline McInnis previews This House in rehearsals before it appears at the Birmingham REP in April Madeline McInnis Culture Critic

This House, a smash hit in the West End, is finally coming on tour around the United Kingdom.

The play will be stopping at The Birmingham Repertory Theatre from 17-21 April and it is really not to be missed.

At a rehearsal event, the theatres and the press were treated to a glance of what the play will look like when it is complete.

Though the cast had only been rehearsing together for about three weeks, it looked like they were ready to hit the road already.

‘It has long been an ambition to take this to all of the places named in the play. It has always felt like a national play even though we set it in the corridors of Westminster,’ said James Graham, writer of This House.

The play is a political drama set in the 1970s hung election.

The characters and plot points are based on real historical episodes, and the politicians themselves have come to see the characters based on themselves in the past,

even providing some real-life lines and inspiration for the script to be tweaked.

Furthermore, the scene of parliament is more of a backdrop for the drama and dynamics between characters rather than the focus of the story itself. This isn’t a play disguised to teach you the inner workings of parliament - they’re telling you a great story that just so happens to have parliament as the backdrop.

‘The play gives you just enough information that you know what’s going on. By the end of the evening, the audience feels like they’re experts,’ said Jeremy Herrin, director of This House on tour.

"By the end of the evening, the audience feels like they’re experts" Even if you’re not into politics or history, this play is not for a niche audience. As a Canadian, I know next to nothing about

British politics, especially from the 1970s, but it was more than easy enough for me to follow.

"This story has more relevance now than it has in previous runs" The director and writer of the play both stressed that this story has more relevance now than it has in previous runs. As much of the plot centres around parliament fighting tooth and nail for their goals, Brexit was brought up several times as an example of this in the modern-day.

And how exciting can it be?

Seventeen parliamentarians die.

How’s that for exciting?

Furthermore, the play is a lot of fun. ‘It’s like a big night out at the theatre,’ Graham said. It should provide an opportunity to laugh — really laugh — relax, and feel excited and intelligent all at the same time.

If you liked the Oscarnominated The Post, I would def-

initely recommend This House. You need to know next to nothing to understand the plot and it will have you inspired.

Among other things, it takes a nostalgic look at the importance of parliament and its traditions. It shows the quirky, complex relationship between tradition and current day in Britain.

‘Some of these processes are 200, 300, 400 years old and they’re what govern our democracy,’ Graham said. ‘Some of them are quite touching. Some of them are about decency and gen-

tlemen's agreements, as they call them. Others are just utterly, utterly bizarre and ludicrous and feel quite elitist, but here they are working together in this building and I wanted to understand that and make a play that felt light on its feet and accessible for an audience to enjoy.’

Tickets can be purchased online, and I would recommend purchasing as soon as possible — This House is sure to be a full house at the rate that they are going.

Photo: REP, National Theatre.

Review: Shrek The Musical

Holly Reaney reviews the 'must see touring show' Shrek: The Musical at The New Alexandra Theatre Holly Reaney Culture Critic

There will be very few people reading this for whom Shrek was not an icon of their childhood, and there’s even fewer who would not belt out ‘I'm a Believer’ at full pelt given the opportunity. This point was perfectly proved by the rendition of the hit film tune after bows, which saw audience members giving it their all alongside clapping hands and tapping feet.

It felt like a massive party – which I guess it was.

Despite being based on the Oscar-winning (who knew) film, Shrek: the Musical was a stand-alone success filled with laughter, romance and that essential bit of musical sparkle. This all-singing, all-dancing spectacular was truly fabulous.

Advertised as ‘fun for all the family’, it did not disappoint with adults and children alike laughing at the slapstick humour and the rather impressive competition of farts and burps that accompanied the ‘I Think I Got You Beat’ song – which was one of the catchiest in the show.

However, it was (hopefully) only the adults that chuckled as some of Lord Farquaad’s slightly less child friendly and slightly more crude innuendo humour, alongside the jokes about fairy-tale conventions and the incredible technicality of the staging and complex dance rou-

tines.

There was no star of the show.

Steffan Harri was transformed into Shrek through the incredible costume designed by Tim Hately and Harri’s own fiercely independent, lovable ogre personality.

I can’t imagine anyone else taking on the role with such an energy and enthusiasm, Harri really brought everyone’s favourite ogre to life. Call the Midwife star Laura Main (better known as Shelagh or Sister Bernadette) starred as Princess Fiona and was the per-

fect companion to Harri’s Shrek.

She matched his energy, enthusiasm and feistiness, as together they propelled the narrative forwards. The pair were accompanied on their quest by their noble steed. Marcus Ayton was Donkey.

He completely embodied the fasttalking, interrupting, sassy character that we all know and love, a character only improved by Ayton’s incredible singing and dancing, and for those numbers, Donkey was definitely centre stage.

A commendation must be made to Samuel Holmes for his performance of Lord Farquaad since he spent the majority of his time on stage marching about on his knees. I was worried this obvious trick would feel a little bit pantomime (not that there’s anything wrong with that but there’s a time and a place), however the disguising worked well and I was able to enter into the belief that Lord Farquaad really was only two-feet tall. Holmes provided an excellent antithesis to the three heroes, he was egoistical and slightly repulsive, though the addition of the backstory which the musical

provided gave him a depth of character that was slightly missing from the original film.

Though there was no star of the show, there is one character of whom I am still in awe. Operated by four people dressed in black, the fourteen-foot puppet brought the misunderstood Dragon to the New Alexandra Theatre as though it had come straight from the screen. Voiced by the incredibly powerful Lucinda Shaw, Dragon was a beautifully realistic and fragile looking creation, with papery skin that rippled in a truly reptilian way, again a product of amazing design from Tim Hately.

"A fabulous evening, jam packed with big, toe-tapping musical numbers and even bigger heart" What surprised me most about Shrek: the Musical was how incredibly like the film it was.

Visually, characters looked incredibly similar to their onscreen counterparts, though more fascinatingly, they sounded exactly as they do in the film. A particular shout-out must be made to Joseph Dockree whose Pinocchio could have been lifted from the screen.

Whilst we are talking about Pinocchio, I must say, I am still

unsure as to how they made his nose grow, the only explanation I have is fairytale magic!

The upbeat and catchy songbook by David Lindsay-Abaire with music by Jeanine Tesori provided a brilliant sense of personality to each character. The musical is also littered with a variety of playful yet subtle references to other broadway classics including Wicked, Chicago, The Lion King, and Les Misérables – definitely keep your eye out for those. The addition of ‘I’m A Believer’ and the ‘Welcome to Duloc’ song is in touch with the popular film, and provided nice touchstones. The ‘Welcome to Duloc’ scene was identical to the automated wooden scene within the film, except the small wooden characters were realised as wooden style people, dancing as though they were made of wood. The style and inclusion of this specific scene really fitted into the feel of the musical and was a lovely reference to the film.

Throughout the whole show I was amazed at how the animated world of Shrek was so flawlessly translated onto the stage with no compromises.

A fabulous evening, jam packed with big, toe-tapping musical numbers and even bigger heart, Shrek: the Musical is a must see. After its run at the New Alexandra Theatre, where it played its last performance on February 25th, it continues to tour around the UK. Image: Helen Maybanks.

CULTURE

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbrickculture

19

'The Rhythm of Light’

Natalie Welch reviews The Barber Institute's newest exhibition, 'The Rhythm of Light: Scottish Colourists from the Fleming Collection' Natalie Welch Culture Editor @natwelxh

The Barber Institute recently opened the doors to its newest exhibition, 'The Rhythm of Light: Scottish Colourists from the Fleming Collection'. The exhibition introduces and displays four artists: Samuel John Peploe, John Duncan Fergusson, George Leslie Hunter and Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell. These four artists are known collectively as the Scottish Colourists. Selected pieces of their work are being shown for the first time in the West Midlands, kindly lent to The Barber by the Fleming Collection.

As an introduction to the exhibition, The Barber hang two magnetic frames on a wall, with magnetic shapes on the floor. Visitors could experiment and have some fun making their own ‘Scottish Colourist Masterpiece’ without the need for paint and an easel.

Art exhibitions - especially ones that focus on a very specific artistic movement - could feel alienating for anyone lacking a history of art degree. The Barber tackles this problem rather creatively with these magnetic frames. As you’re playing around with the shapes you’re able to grasp what the artists might have been doing in their paintings a little more than you would without the exercise.

Alongside the magnetic frames are a few text books on the Scottish Colourists scattered on a table, useful for having a quick flick through before entering the exhibition or reading a little further on something that intrigued you at the end of the exhibition.

"The Rhythm of Light ... is both aesthetically and intellectually pleasing" Their experimentation and exploration of colour is something quite obvious to any viewer of the artworks. However, the exhibition is fairly comprehensive one. I left the gallery feeling like I had a good understanding of who the Scottish colourists were and what they were trying to do, not just what their work looked like.

Essentially, Peploe, Fergusson, Hunter and Cadell were reacting to ‘sentimental realism’ that was traditional in Scotland during their formative years. Instead, they looked to French artists for inspiration. Quoting Ferguson, ‘Paris is simply a place of freedom it has always been a centre of light and learning and research.’ They aimed to explore colour in their pieces, in an emotional, decorative and structural sense. The

Colourists’ developed the idea of ‘rhythm’ to describe their work.

The ‘rhythm’ is demonstrated by their use of colour and defined brush strokes.

The exhibition displays the work thematically. It begins with still life, then figure studies and townscapes, and finally a section demonstrating how the French influence affected their approach to capturing the Scottish Landscape. Whilst all the pieces were wonderful and thought-provoking, my favourite section would be still life. Peploe’s 'Roses' and Cadell’s 'The Feathered Hat' (pictured) were the two pieces that caught my attention the most.

The vivid colours, and lack of bold outlines in 'Roses' was something that I found captivating and hard to move away from. Because of the blocks of colour, the painting is flattened out, yet, in my opinion, it still manages to capture the life of the roses. 'The Feathered Hat' is vastly different, but still just as charming. The harsh brushstrokes give the woman’s reflection as much attention as the actual woman in the painting, and it is incredibly interesting. The only pop of colour in the painting is the flower on the woman’s coat. I walked away from that painting wondering about what that pop of colour meant within the painting. Whilst these were my personal favourites from the exhibition, you’ll find plenty more fascinating and intriguing pieces

there.

I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Rhythm of Light'. It is both aesthetically and intellectually pleasing. My only criticism would be that there was not more to see. I would definitely recommend (and encourage) viewing the exhibition

before it ends. It is free admission to the gallery and all exhibitions in the Barber, and 'The Rhythm of Light' will be running until the 13th May 2018.

Painting featured with permission of The Barber Institute and Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation.

portrait composed by Basil Hallward, an artist who is impressed and infatuated by Dorian's beauty. Through Basil, Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton, and he soon is enthralled by the aristocrat's hedonistic worldview: that beauty and sensual fulfilment are the only things worth pursuing in life. Knowing his beauty will fade, Dorian expresses the desire to sell his soul, to ensure that the picture, rather than he, will age and fade. The wish is granted, and Dorian pursues a libertine life of varied and amoral experiences, while staying young and beautiful; all the while his portrait ages and records every sin. Igniting controversy after its first publication, the book, and the moral dilemma it presented, was raised

in the trials occasioned by Wilde’s homosexual liaisons that resulted in his imprisonment. Discussing Dorian Gray’s relationship to autobiography, Wilde noted in a letter, ‘Basil Hallward is what I think I am: Lord Henry what the world thinks me: Dorian what I would like to be—in other ages, perhaps.’ Lord Henry’s seductive observation that ‘the world calls immoral . . . books that show the world its own shame’ is alien to Wilde’s own philosophy of aestheticism, which holds that art cannot be either moral or immoral. Lord Henry’s praising of Dorian makes him seem hopelessly naïve, the victim of a philosophy whose consequences elude him, and I feel that this collates the key paradigms touched upon in this novel.

being what I consider to be one of the quaintest music venues in Birmingham, perfectly suited Brian Fallon’s performance. His audience interaction and quickwitted humour - not to mention his undeniable musical talent resulted in it being one of my favourite gigs. My favourite songs from the new album that he performed included ‘Forget Me Not’, ‘Her Majesty’s Service’ and ‘See You on The Other Time’, all of which encapsulate uplifting folkrock jams fused with heartland rock alongside Fallon’s rousing vocals. The most distinctive moment of the concert was when the band accompanying him left the stage, leaving Fallon alone and singing to a lonely piano. You could have heard a pin drop as the audience were silenced and drawn in to share the same instant. It was such a powerful and overwhelming moment. Just Fallon and his microphone, crooning and crowing over rhythm and blues-focused rave-ups, holding court over an old-school rock revival to match his restless mood. If you enjoy this genre of music, I would totally recommend you listen to the album Sleepwalkers, which straddles the line between grandness and outrageousness, and perfect, soulful rock'n'roll. It is laced, as usual, with the wry melancholy that distinguishes Fallon's style, which you need to watch to properly get.

Photo: Twelfth Night, photo by Manuel Harlan (c) RSC.

Culture Corner Hannah Sheffield Culture Writer

Culture critic Hannah Sheffield discusses three of her culture favourites in the Culture Corner.

Twelfth Night at the RSC (2017/18) After avoiding much of Shakespeare’s work during my time at high school, I jumped at the chance to watch one of his most prolific comedies at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford upon Avon. As an English student and feeling slightly inadequate with my lack of Shakespearean experience, I was not left disappointed. Starring former EastEnders actress Kara Tointon playing the role of Olivia and Adrian Edmondson as Malvolio, this tale of unrequited love, set in 1890s England, encompasses raw heartbreak and humour. Victorian references are scattered throughout the script injecting it with new, intriguing ideas. Following twins Viola and Sebastian after they are separated in a shipwreck, the play features complicated love triangles and concealed identities that lead to much confusion. The preservation of language and narrative, paired with an exuberant set and costumes, makes this production a source of fascination as well as an emotional catalyst. The production is as alert to status as it is to

sexuality and cleverly addresses the various power imbalances within the characters’ relationships. He makes it clear that some of them have more choice than others, something that pigments the play’s ‘happy’ ending. Even if you are not the biggest fan of Shakespeare, I would recommend this production. Its musical interludes, in such an intimate venue, create a unique experience you won’t forget.

Oscar Wilde – The Picture of Dorian Gray The Picture of Dorian Gray, first published in the July 1890 issue of Lippincott's Monthly Magazine, is a philosophical novel

by Oscar Wilde. Dorian Gray is the subject of a full-length oil

Brian Fallon at the O2 Institute Brian Fallon is the former frontman of the rock band The Gaslight Anthem who recently released his second solo album Sleepwalkers, which made it straight into the top 20. He’s playing a total of 17 dates with his band The Howling Weather, which kicked off at Birmingham’s O2 Institute on February 20th and is wrapping up with a set at the Limelight in Belfast on March 11th. As my boyfriend is a huge fan of his music, even drawing on him as an influence in his own song-writing, we both had to go and see him live. The O2 Institute,

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FILM

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbrickfilm

Multi-Review: Black Panther

Opps on the radar! Redbrick Film teams UP to talk UP Black Panther Luis Freijo

with Captain America: Winter Soldier, but something more could have been done with the starting points of Captain America: Civil War and Black Panther. Yes, at some points the discourse about oppression and the need to break the chains works, but the feeling is that the advanced Wakandan technology is more a metaphor of AfricanAmerican issues than African desires.

The film appropriates "Africanness" in the colourful looks, exotic traditions, etc., but

only answers to a Western framework of race, resulting thus in an involuntary offensive film for a great percentage of the nonWestern audience it might be intended for. Issues of representation in film are always muddy waters, and Disney stands in an ambiguous place with Black Panther.

villain ‘Killmonger’. Jordan strikes the balance between raw emotion and careless apathy perfectly, elevating any scene he appears in. The costume design of this film must be singled out for praise; it is absolutely outstanding and Ruth E. Carter deserves an Oscar on the spot for her work.

The real gem of this film however, is the performance from newcomer Letitia Wright as Shuri, the younger sister of our hero.

She is full of witticisms and most of the film’s comedy falls to her

to deliver, her timing is perfect, she is definitely one to watch.

what in terms of pacing towards the final act, the performances from the cast and the brilliant direction by Ryan Coogler ensure that it remains a brilliant and thought-provoking addition to the ever-growing MCU.

started in Civil War but having more room to breathe and develop his character. Michael B. Jordan’s Erik Killmonger ranks easily among the best Marvel villains to date; he’s extremely physical, allowing for some excellent fights between him and T’Challa, but he also has entirely understandable and sympathetic motives, making him more human than many characters we’ve seen in this universe.

The other standout is Letitia Wright’s Shuri - T’Challa’s younger sister - who possesses such a childish glee that it’s hard

not to become wrapped up in it, and her chemistry with Boseman is just wonderful. The rest of the cast (including Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett, Daniel Kaluuya, Forest Whittaker, Martin Freeman and Andy Serkis) are also on top form.

Everything about the production of the film feels incredibly fresh – an African setting allows for an entirely new feel and aesthetic to the film. The city of Wakanda is gorgeously realised, and it all feels so authentic, right down to the smallest details. It’s fantastically shot, too – Coogler directs with a bold and superb vision, leading to some superb cinematography (the Ancestral Plane is particularly good-looking), and some fantastic fight sequences (a mix between sharper, quickly edited ones and longer takes that are just breathtaking).

The film’s music is also brilliant – it’s an interesting mix between a score from Ludwig Göransson and original songs by Kendrick Lamar, which is dramatic when it needs to be, but also feels fresh and epic in the film’s cooler moments.

Ryan Coogler directs the the nearly all-black cast – front-lined expertly by Chadwick Boseman – in a film that is as important Black Panther may be the eight- and timely as it is charming and eenth film in the ever-expanding entertaining.

Marvel Cinematic Universe, yet its arrival utterly rejuvenates the franchise. Any feelings of fatigue or boredom have been reignited by this instant hit that tells a deep, resounding and socially-responsible story while staying true to the MCU style.

After so many entries, the MCU is always improving, with Black Panther delivering the best villain the franchise has ever had – and not just by default. Michael B. Jordan portrays Killmonger as a fanatic, but one whose views you can fully trace back to understandable, believable and socially-intriguing origins.

His character arc in the film is as strong as the Black Panther’s and both go all the way back to the idea that “with great power

comes great responsibility”.

Despite this, the truth is that Black Panther doesn’t feel like an ordinary superhero film. Sure, it’s got the obligatory action scenes and quick-fire quipping, but it is something more. In a fully-packed theatre of kids, elders and everyone in between, you could feel the waves Coogler is making. This is a film that will mean a lot to a lot of people, and if the MCU continues to pump out films of this quality, there are

no signs of it stopping – nor any need of it.

Film Critic

Much hype preceded Black Panther, the film that, supposedly, would open the path for the inclusion of diversity in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a problem that had been largely criticized in the Disney franchise. I wonder, however, until what point they have succeeded.

Black Panther is, first and foremost, a Marvel movie. That means, of course, that its main goal is to provide entertainment.

Objective achieved. Not even a shadow of boredom appears in the film, with the beautiful Wakandan designs, spectacular action sequences, some amazing long-takes and badass dialogue.

many of its predecessors (particularly Thor: Ragnarok), but it features a couple of them vis-à-vis between Andy Serkis and Martin Freeman (a.k.a Gollum and Bilbo Baggins) and the glorious scene where a white character (Freeman's) is going to explain something to the Wakandans and he is rudely and rightly shut up.

However, the circumstances of the film created the need of having a sharper political edge than most of Marvel films, and Disney is not very good at craftIt lacks some of the jokes of ing that kind of film. It worked

"Not even a shadow of boredom appears in the film"

Megan Whitehouse

rise and fall of an unsuspecting hero and Iron Man dwelled on the conscience of a billionaire With a Rotten Tomatoes score of playboy, Black Panther delves 97% it’s hard not to have impos- into deeper issues, focusing sibly high expectations when instead on the notion of oppreswalking in to see Black Panther; sion and the discrimination of although with Ryan Coogler at minorities. the helm of this latest instalment It’s refreshing to see a film in the Marvel Cinematic with such pull at the box office Universe, one can rest assured tackle such important and relethat the film will deliver. vant issues. Chadwick Boseman Black Panther takes on a dif- delivers a decent performance as ferent direction to the franchises’ the eponymous hero but it is previous instalments. Whereas Michael B. Jordan that stands out Captain America looked at the as the power hungry, remorseless Film Critic

Matt Taylor Film Critic

Marvel’s Black Panther, from director Ryan Coogler continues the trend of Marvel movies while also being a new beast entirely: it’s the first mainstream superhero movie to feature a predominantly black cast, making it one of the most important films of the decade. And, thankfully, it doesn’t disappoint. The cast are simply perfect. Chadwick Boseman is excellent as T’Challa, being able to carry on what he

Todd Waugh-Ambridge Film Critic

"A film that is as important and timely as it is entertaining"

"Boseman is excellent as T'Challa"

"Jordan strikes the balance between raw emotion and careless apathy perfectly" This film is an impressive celebration of African culture and although it staggers some-

FILM

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbrickfilm

21

Review: Lady Bird

Film Critic Ellen Macleod laughs, learns and relates with Lady Bird and friends

Ellen Macleod Film Critic

Coming of age, not only as the subject of hundreds of films, but a shared experience of every adult is hard to pull off well.

Lady Bird not only manages to make an enjoyable but starkly realistic portrayal of this turbulent time, it also makes you forget you have seen this plot many times before. The plot, set in 2002, follows teenager Christine McPherson in her last year of school before college, navigating that transition, as well as a difficult but close relationship with her mother. The film itself seems so much more than that however. Excellently played by Saoirse Ronan, Christine’s refusal to be called anything other than Lady Bird is where the film gets its name from.

"Ronan captures perfectly the determination of the adult and the fear of the child" The transition from school to college may seem inane as a plot, and too relatable. Everyone in the audience has had to make the transition from dependence to independence but Saoaiorse Ronan captures so perfectly the determination of the adult and fear of the child that watching this film is wholly enjoyable. Its relatability makes the film feel more like a shared experience with the characters rather than force-fed déjà vu. The film is set in Sacramento where Lady Bird repeatedly assures us nothing happens. Maybe nothing does, but in the context of her life, some of the most important events of her life happen in Sacramento. She has her first job, her first relationship, she loses her virginity, she loses friends. Although she refuses to stay in Sacramento for college, her college application essay reveals how much she truly loves Sacramento. The film mixes opposites, blending them together with emotion and Soooorise Ronan’s skilled acting; Lady Bird’s refusal to stay,

her fear of leaving, her desire to fit in but her refusal to change.

The film is powerful not in its plot, but in how it’s story has been lived by its audience.

"Lady Bird is a beautiful marriage of script and acting" The film succeeds most in its portrayal of a mother-daughter relationship. Laurie Metcalf plays Marion McPherson, Lady Bird’s long-suffering mother.

She is a nurse who, after her husband loses his job, must support her family: her husband, daughter, adopted son and his girlfriend. The size of the family alone and her determination to support them and stay emotionally resilient is admirable. Her and Lady Bird’s relationship is heartfelt but volatile. One scene sees the two dress shopping, spitting insults at each other, and aiming to hurt one another, which is immediately forgotten when they find a dress. The quick tempers but clear love and familiarity with one another is one of the most accurate portrayals of family life seen in film. The film’s focus is really

on their relationship and we see them screaming at each other one minute and supporting each other the next. Without overtly doing so, the film, and Saioeiaeosrse Ronan’s performance, soon make you realise they are very similar people. This is a hard task to pull off as the film relies more on their acting and less on plot points or script.

Lady Bird is a beautiful marriage of script and acting where neither infringe upon one another, and together create a family dynamic that is a pleasure to watch.

The female director and protagonist, and focus on female relationships give a feminist quality to the film, prompting the guardian to ask: 'Is Lady Bird the first truly feminist teen movie?' If we qualify feminist as passing the Bechdel test, then it passes with flying colours. There are many instances where two female characters talk without mentioning men. The sheer amount of strong female characters also qualify it as feminist; men exist as secondary characters: boyfriends, husbands or brothers, which is a refreshing gender reversal. Although it does qualify as feminist, this is certainly not the focus. You do not notice that it is so focused on women, director Gerwing

(known for Mistress America, Frances Ha and Greenberg) quietly giving a great story to some incredibly strong characters, most of whom happen to be women.

"Is Lady Bird the first truly feminist teenage movie?"

The film sees powerful performances from Timothee Chalamet, Beanie Feldstein and Tracy Letts. Chalamet plays Kyle, a t*** who thinks cell phones are a conspiracy and underage smoking is cool; a 2002 stud. Feldstein, known for Bad Neighbours 2, performs well in the role of ‘friend of protagonist’, something we have seen her do before. It would be nice to see her step out of her typecast and show off her obvious acting talent. The film is full of skilled actors and Soeijeoijirse Ronan is no different. Known for Brooklyn, Atonement and Hanna, from a young age the American-Irish actress has shown talent, but this film is a small step out of her comfort zone. Playing a young high school student with charisma and humour is a new role for

Solisugeeeeeehirse Ronan but she shows no sign of inadequacy for the role, and possibly even suits comedies more than dramas.

The only problem with this movie is no fault of its own. As it is a high school coming-ofage film, a strong sense of déjà vu smothers this film. Though stunning and one of the best of its kind, there are already many of its kind. Coming-of-age films are rife and Lady Bird struggles to escape its many, many fellow films. Lady Bird stands out in terms of acting and script, but the plot as a whole is smothered by the other thousand comingof-age plots.

VERDICT: Though ‘relatable’ seems to be the most used word in this review, this is only because it is simply so relatable.

Yes, there are hundreds of coming-of-age films, but they pale in comparison to the realism, emotional strength and vibrancy of this film. Nominated for Best Achievement in Directing and Best Original Screenplay, only two Oscars does not seem enough for such a film.

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MUSIC

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbrickmusic

Festivals: Remain or Leave?

With the summer fast approaching, Redbrick Music asks whether it is worth risking the mud of UK festivals, or splashing out for a more continental experience

Alex Carmichael Music Critic

I have been to my fair share of UK festivals. In fact I am an avid fan of them. It all started back in 2014 when 17-year-old me headed off to Scotland’s T in the Park, now sadly no longer running, just to see music gods Arctic Monkeys.

After camping for four nights, running on little to no sleep and feeling incredibly fragile, I realised that it had been one of the best experiences of my life.

Nevertheless, I do feel like I was thrown into the deep end regarding my first festival experience: we were camped next to a group of about 20 rowdy Scottish boys who regularly argued about who had gone to the toilet quite literally outside the tent or who had lost the cocaine. Little old me was, quite understandingly, wary.

The drug problem at festivals is alarming and I am shocked to see how many people die as a result but thankfully times are changing and things are starting to improve.

Radical drug testing schemes have been introduced to about ten UK festivals now, including the hugely popular Reading and Leeds, in order to ensure a better awareness

Charlotte Russell Music Critic

At a festival the weather really does make a difference. I barely survived Bestival last year; thanks to the thunderstorm and my bad choice in camping gear, I can 100% say that I am now scarred for life.

Yes, my tent cost me £3 from a boot-sale and looked like it once belonged to a group of boy scouts in the 1920s. But, had the weather

concerning the effects of drugs. I think it is a necessary step in the war on drugs and I hope many more events follow suit.

Another considerably less concerning issue for UK festivalgoers is the weather. It was miraculously sunny in Scotland for 3 glorious days, however it is a different case for every other UK festival. Camping is great fun, but camping in mud is an indisputable hell and so a hotel bed and a shower for Parklife was bliss after managing to get covered head to toe in Manchester mud. The fact that you're drunk 100% of the time makes the weather much less of a problem however. Now, being a bit tipsy and the need for delicious food go hand-in-hand, so luckily festivals always have the most amazing food on offer.

Whether it is a burrito for breakfast or a pizza at four in the morning, festival food seems to solve all your problems – even if it is a tenner for a box of noodles.

I have seen so many brilliant

"The fact that you're drunk 100% of the time makes the weather much less of a problem" bands play at festivals, as well as unknown artists just starting out.

Even though UK festivals seem to be the less glamorous version of their hot and sunny European been good, I might not have been spending the weekend with wet feet, or the final night wandering the campsite at 4am in the pouring rain hunting down any abandoned tents thanks to the collapse of mine.

The year before last I went to MELT in Germany, and it is a farcry from anything I have endured on our horrifically debauched little island. Gone is the tent-burning and the p*ss-throwing that I have experienced first-hand at Reading.

cousins, we still manage to have a hell of a good time. And that is the true essence of a festival: dancing with your mates to some tunes and having the time of your life.

Thom Dent Music Editor

At the end of the day, festivals are only partly about the music. If I am desperate to see a band live, I will go to a gig. That is what gigs are for. Festivals, on the other hand, are an entirely different beast: one caked in the crust of days-old mud and snarling through Strongbow-stained lips.

Or at least, that is what the British festival is supposed to be.

Glastonbury and Bestival may now seem to be a little too seeped in the aura of hippy psychedelia, but this is all mere advertisement.

Beneath this veneer remains the gristly beating heart of the UK festival - a collective mass of degenerate teens (and sometimes adults), fuelled by a heady soup of horse tranquiliser and the Carling they had for breakfast (followed by another to wash it down).

Britain may not quite have the same international appeal in 2018, with Glastonbury taking a fallow year in order to fix their tattered fields, but rest assured that for those of us who know what the UK festival is all about, this summer is still going to be just as exciting. Sure, Reading and Leeds may have left fans bemused at the announcement of their ‘worst ever’ lineup, but this is no cause Instead it is replaced with amicable Dutch and Deutsch festivalgoers who just think it is funny that the UK voted Brexit.

At MELT the first act does not come on until 7pm, which means you can spend the day sunbathing by the lake instead of mustering up the courage to see a band perform at 2pm and then subsequently missing it due to the severity of your hangover from the night before. The headline act can be expected to come on at about 1am, so you can party through the night whilst enjoying some quality live music instead of suffering through ‘Mr Brightside’ through a tinny silent disco headset, or barging your way through an overcrowded DJ set in one of Bestival’s twee forest stages.

As a bonus, this year MELT (and many other European festivals) has Tyler, the Creator performing - which, considering that he is banned from the UK as a courtesy of Mrs May's time as Home Secretary, is definitely a good enough reason to go in itself.

Emily Barker Music Editor

Festivals across the globe are stepping up their game for 2018: it is one of those beautiful years when all the right people have released albums and now have festival sets lined up that are going to blow our minds. Although I am positive the UK has a stellar festi-

for concern when punters are more likely to sleep through Fall Out Boy than to actually want to stand in a bog watching Patrick Stump embarrass himself.

The beauty of the British festival is that the real fun begins once all the pesky artists have finished clogging up the stages. It begins in the early hours, when you are val summer ahead of it, there are a few things you can only count on if you go a bit further afield: Firstly, sun. It may be that the UK gets two glorious months of 30-degree sunshine, and you may drive down to Wireless, windows down, warm breeze blowing through your hair, ready for J. Cole to jump off the stage to serenade you personally with ‘Wet Dreamz’, but this is unlikely.

Imagine packing for a festival without having to take up valuable outfit space with your wellies. Or attending with the certainty that you will not end your night face down in Dark Fruits-encrusted mud... you get my drift. If sunsoaked festivalling takes your fancy, Portugal and Spain’s Primavera and NOS Alive, or Croatia’s Outlook, Dimensions or Hideout are worth looking at.

"Immersing yourself in a foreign audience can be an exhilarating, completely unique way of watching an artist's set" Next there is the contentious issue of Tyler, the Creator. As Charlotte mentioned earlier, Tyler is not playing any UK festivals,

knee-deep in a silent disco tent or stumbling through the campsite carrying an industrial tub of mayonnaise that you stole from a burger van, pouring condiment over the tent of the ex-marine who is camping next to you. Simply put, there is no better way to spend a summer evening.

owing to him having been banned from the country by the Tories.

Reason number 136,764 to hate Theresa May, and reason number 2 to get yourself to the continent.

The European festival is all about seeing your favourite artists in a new environment. Crowds can completely change the experience of a set, and if you pick a country where you feel an affinity with the culture and people, immersing yourself in a foreign audience can be an exhilarating, completely unique way of watching an artist’s set, even if you have seen them before.

Crucially, it can be just as cheap as going to a UK festival.

Obviously, this depends on where in the UK you are and where your festival of choice is, but the average festival ticket is cheaper on the continent (usually €120-165 for a weekend), and coaches over to France or The Netherlands, booked well in advance, start at around £15.

Do not just take my word for it, though; if you fancy a changeup, or a holiday with a bit of a kick, festivalling abroad might just be for you.

MUSIC

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbrickmusic

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Spotlight On: Gengahr Preview: NSR Gengahr's unique take on psychedelia makes them one to watch, argues Katie Leigh-Lancaster Katie LeighLancaster Music Critic

Blurring kaleidoscopic melodies with haunting falsetto, Gengahr’s debut album, A Dream Outside, marked one of 2015’s most intoxicating dream-pop ventures. The North London quartet, consisting of vocalist/guitarist Felix Bushe, bassist Hugh Schulte, guitarist John Victor and drummer Danny Ward, joined indie giants Foals and Two Door Cinema Club on Transgressive in 2014. Four years on, the band’s much-anticipated second offering, Where Wildness Grows promises to push the boundaries of psych-pop further than ever before.

In the wake of Deerhunter’s Fading Frontier and in the shadow of Tame Impala’s Currents, the success of A Dream Outside is as much a product of 2015’s thirst for psychedelia as it is a glimpse at the genre’s future. Yet Gengahr have never been a band intent on blending in with the scene. Their debut reconciles infectious pop hooks with melancholic shoegaze, layered beneath Felix Bushe’s unique falsetto whisper.

Throughout the album, the band test the borders of genre, oscillating between shadowy guitar riffs on ‘Powder’ and ‘Where I Lie’, and soft acoustic beats on radio-

friendly hit ‘She’s A Witch’. Met with critical acclaim, Gengahr’s debut spawned excitement within the industry from the likes of Wolf Alice and George Ezra, and secured them support-act slots for Alt-J and labelmates Dry The River.

"Gengahr has never been a band intent on blending in with the scene" If A Dream Outside is a comfortable exploration of dreampop, then the fluidity of Where Wildness Grows marks a transition into a truly experimental Gengahr era. ‘Carrion’ is the atmospheric lead single; Bushe’s once-gentle vocals snarl over cinematic melodies with newfound thunder. The tangled opening guitars, knotting up between erratic pauses, anticipate a metamorphosis into a sharper, matured tempo.

Victor’s guitar solo in the bridge, spurred on by Ward’s pounding drums, produces the heaviest moment in Gengahr’s discography, veering on rockier territory than their debut.

In conversation with The Line of Best Fit, Bushe described the track as having been ‘born in part out of frustration, the song crashes

on, an embodiment of the resilience we’ve found essential in getting to where we find ourselves now.’

‘Mallory’, the band’s followup single, plays on poppier conventions, shifting between playfully clunky verses and glossy chorus riffs. The band’s latest single, ‘Before Sunrise’, also flaunts an unusual sunniness, swapping pensive sounds for breezy, sunsoaked riffs. The direction of the remaining Where Wildness Grows tracks is left much to the imagination, playing further into the glorious mystery of the new Gengahr era.

The whimsical appeal of the band is echoed in their album artwork, painted by bassist Hugh Schulte. A Dream Outside’s striking cover art, which depicts a whirling of blue-toned circles towards a bursting pink centre, has since become iconic.

Following the success of the ‘Gengahr and Friends’ exhibition at Hackney’s A-Side B-Side gallery in 2015, which showcased Schulte’s artwork alongside that of Alt-J’s Thom Green and Slaves’ Laurie Vincent, a follow-up exhibition is scheduled for 15th-20th March 2018. Schulte’s Where Wildness Grows-era artwork is, like Bushe’s vocals, a shadowy beast, adopting a darker palette and more nature-based influences.

Presents...Power Kirstie Sutherland Deputy Editor

Your favourite student-run record label is back with a bang for another dose of musical fun. To celebrate International Women’s Day next Thursday 8th March, New Street Records invites one and all to POWER, a night of celebrating girl power and independence, under the glossy lights of Digbeth’s The Night Owl. POWER features an exclusively female line up of musical talent, ranging from a live band to funk, disco and techno genres on full display. New Street Records signing DAME, lead by current Activities and Development Officer Shannon Farmer, will be bringing a synthand-groove fusion together with Farmer’s gorgeous vocals.

Besides this, resident Tektu DJ and current UoB postgraduate student Hadler will be spinning her signature sound on the decks and fourth year languages student

Y4S will be wowing us with her brand of disco and funk. More acts are expected to be announced very shortly, so keep an eye out on New Street Records’ social media. With early bird tickets selling out almost immediately, make sure to bag one of the £4 general release before they are gone!

Following the roaring success of last semester ’s SUBMiSSiON, a night that gave students a soulbased respite from their imminent essay deadlines, it is safe to say that New Street Records have proven their capability when it comes to putting on a show and know how to guarantee UoB students a good time.

If you want to guarantee yourself a night you will never forget, head on down to POWER at The Night Owl next Thursday for some galstatic grooves.

To find out more, or to purchase tickets, visit the event on Facebook or on Skiddle.

Redbrick Meets: Sunflower Bean

Bassist and singer Julia Cumming sits down to talk politics, the BBC and fry-ups Pablo Doyle Music Critic

So, you are back in the UK since your last tour... nice to be back?

As always. It’s raining, it’s cloudy, I’m drinking a coffee... yeah, it’s great, I love it.

You are just getting into the swing of promoting your new album Twentytwo In Blue, which is coming out 2 years after your debut. Where did the new record originate from?

Only some tiny aspects and ideas were written on tour. We finished the tour in November 2016 and we said to each other ‘we’ll take some time off... we’ve never really had any time off,’ but as soon as we got back to New

York we realised we didn’t want any time off at all.

I think it started with Nick (Kivlen, guitarist & singer). I always admire his guitar playing approach by going away from what everyone else is doing. He felt that the ‘chorusy’ and ‘jangly’ guitar sound had been overdone despite it being a huge part of our sound. So he pulled it back and tried a more classic approach of playing. This then gave me the opportunity to try out new things as a bassist or as a vocalist. It felt liberating and exciting.

It basically took us from December 2016 to December 2017 to just work on it. We didn’t do anything else. We stayed really quiet and didn’t tell anyone we were working on it. I’m ecstatic for the world to hear it now.

It seems like you are also more at the forefront of every song, especially vocally. Did that happen naturally? Did you find yourself simply writing more lyrics?

I think when we pulled away from all the effects, I realised I could do more as a singer. It also has to do with trust from your band mates. The way I’m singing now is definitely closer to who I am as a person, and to let that out into the world is really scary, so having your band mates by your side supporting you is really incredible. It definitely took time for me to be okay with myself and the things I wanted to say artistically and vocally.

I first listened to your debut Human Ceremony in the shower.

Where and when would you ideally like people to listen to Twentytwo In Blue?

I would like fans to listen to the record when they’ve had a really bad day. Like when you get into a fight with someone and you just need something with you, to help you get by. When you’re looking for a friend or a little help.

All three of you are turning 22, so does the new album title have to do with your age?

When you’re making a record you’re always living these different thoughts, feelings and images.

And the colour that kept coming back to us was blue.

Blue generally has a ‘sad’ or ‘melancholy’ connotation to it but Jacob said that, to him, blue was the sky, the ocean and it was hopeful. This reflects what the record is – resilient and hopeful.

"The way I'm singing now is definitely closer to who I am as a person" You drew quite a lot of inspiration from the crazy political environment. Political albums are very rarely done nowadays, so how did you end up writing one?

I think you’re always going to be affected by what is going on around you. I used to be extremely political as an early teenager; I used to have my own political radio show and my activism was also present. When I joined Sunflower Bean I pulled back a bit from it all. At the time things in the US seemed okay on the surface... at least for a little white girl like me, you know. I had the privilege of not having to pay attention, but I don’t think that’s fair anymore. So sometimes you have to use art and music to help express other parts of yourself. At

the time it was really affecting all us.

It’s quite easy to get it wrong.

But hopefully those who listen to the album will see what we’re trying to say without us coming across as cheesy or going all ‘POWER TO THE PEOPLE’ on them.

You are going to start your UK tour soon. What is your favourite thing about Britain?

Is it wrong if I say fry-ups?

You guys really know how to fry food here. You really value breakfast, in the US it’s not so much of an occasion. Also Sunday roasts are amazing!

There are a lot of things to like here. Like the BBC is really cool.

You’re very lucky having centralised radio. The US is so big you don’t get something which covers everything like the BBC does.

If you could bring: 1 person, 1 record and 1 meal on tour what would they be? I am guessing the meal would be some sort of fry-up?

Yeah for sure, a fry-up covers a lot. I would bring my mate Matt because he makes a lot of bad jokes and he would be really fun to have around in like a bad situation. I would also bring Transformer (Lou Reed) ’cause I’m looking for humour. I need some Lou and some hash browns.

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TELEVISION

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbricktv

Why Stacey Dooley Deserves More Credit

Kat Smith argues that Stacey Dooley does not receive the appreciation she deserves.

Kat Smith Comment Editor

I remember watching Stacey Dooley’s documentaries in PSHEC in the later years of primary school, thinking she was the coolest, most intelligent girl I had ever watched. Ten years on, I still get excited when I see her latest instalment on the ‘Most Popular’ tab on BBC iPlayer. At only thirty and having made sixty documentaries within a decade for BBC 3, I think it’s time she gets the appreciation she deserves.

As an investigative journalist, Stacey is getting better and better.

Having always immersed herself in the experiences she goes into, she attempts to empathise with hunters and pro-life campaigners and impressively remains diplomatic whilst talking to paedophiles. I don’t think that’s an easy

feat for anyone. Her refusal to return their ‘nice to meet you’ greetings is pretty satisfying, while her calm approach to talking to the men means we get a real insight to their lives. I think it’s safe to say she’s mastered the art of empathy without sympathy and knows when to let her emotions show and motivate her actions.

"She is an inspirational educator" In one of her latest documentaries, Second Chance Sex Offenders, Stacey investigates the life-long punishment experienced by sex-offenders. I liked how it was not just the extremely evil cases of sexual predators (though there were plenty of them), but

also the case of a man who asserts that he was eighteen when he had sex with an underage girlfriend who claimed that she was also eighteen. He claimed he was deceived by fake IDs and her manipulation of his friends. Their sexual encounters led to his arrest.

The frustration you feel for him, if he’s telling the truth, is conflicting with the instinctive attitude towards sex offenders. Watching him be on curfew past 10pm and be limited in his options for moving in with his girlfriend is oddly heart-breaking, and simultaneously made me uncomfortable that I was starting to sympathise with someone that had, fundamentally, had sex with a child.

This is in stark contrast to other documentaries I have watched. I remember seeing one of Theroux’s more recent programmes, ‘Talking to Anorexia’, and being disappointed at the narrow representation; those suffer-

ing with eating disorders are not all hospitalised, severely underweight women, and I worried that it was a dangerous portrayal that could invalidate the experiences of those who don’t fit this stereotype.

"Where are the viral Stacey Dooleyappreciation tweets?"

But Stacey lets us see the spectrum of issues that are so often displayed as extreme. It is not a black-and- white world and the complexities of the issues she explores, from abortion to the DUP party, are well-explored and

represented.

It is saddening that she rarely features in the hype around documentary makers on social media – I don’t see anyone sporting Stacey Dooley merchandise, and I was surprised to not find any online. As she’s climbing the ranks I can see her alongside the likes of Louis Theroux, who has mugs, pillowcases and t-shirts galore. Where are the viral Dooley-appreciation tweets?

Quite simply, the scope and importance of her documentaries make it pretty sad she’s lacking the cult following that her male counterparts possess.

Although she started out at twenty one and has aged better than a fine wine, leaving me a little bit jealous, she’s an inspirational educator. She’s my definition of ‘goals’, so catch me wearing a Stacey Dooley t-shirt when someone finally makes them (hint hint).

Review: Riverdale Season 2 Finale Madeline McInnis gives her view on the underwhelming mid-season finale.

Madeline McInnis Television Writer

This season of Riverdale promised us dark storylines, a disguised murderer, and a thicker, scarier plot than the first season.

It has delivered that, but a lot of frustration along the way. The show always has its share of annoying subplots, but this season it seems hard to tell what the main plot actually is. The first season had the murder of Jason Blossom, the second was supposed to be the Black Hood. But with the ‘Black Hood’ killed off a quarter of the season ago, we’re stuck riding along with the (admittedly quite dark) daily lives of the characters instead.

Does anyone actually believe that the Black Hood is dead? The explanation is way too convenient. His purported ‘reveal’ involves a man who murdered another man by misidentifying him. The Black Hood warns other characters to ‘think on their sins’ or else, so it’s too much to believe that the mirroring of the situations is actually true.

"It's not really an intellectual watch" It’s not terrible that Riverdale has such predictable writing. But holding that the ‘Black Hood’

has been caught for this many episodes, it will seem cheap when they bring him back now and I’m expecting it to happen on the season finale, by this point. The season has really dragged in the middle, but the last few episodes have been intense — so much so, they’ve included a dead body and a mob boss. Just a typical day in the town of Riverdale.

The show is a teen soap opera with its own share of teen drama to go with it. It’s not really an intellectual watch. If the big reveal from the first season is anything to go off of, there won’t be very many hints as to where (and who) the loose ends are until the big reveal. But the theories are fun and creative to get into.

Despite it not being the best

written or the most engaging show in the world, it is highly addictive.

When I went to watch it on

"Despite it not being the best written or the most engaging show..."

Wednesday (7th February) and it wasn’t up yet, I nearly had a meltdown. They always leave the episodes on a cliffhanger and they are never really fully concluded either. Within a few episodes, the old plot points are

usually resolved and replaced with something new. It makes for a quick turnover, but also keeps it interesting. It gives it a crime soap-opera feel, but there are definitely worse things that it could do.

For the remainder of the season, I’m waiting to hear about Hermione Lodge, the Black Hood, and what mischief Cheryl gets up to. I’m most excited for what happens with Chic and who he really is. Only time will tell, especially for these characters.

With it still being so popular, I think it’s fairly safe to assume that some of those questions will remain unanswered until season three.

TELEVISION

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbricktv

Review: Coach Snoop

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Top TV Picks For March

Madeline McInnis Television Writer

‘The kids are never the problem’.

That is a passing line from one of the referees while the coaches are fighting in the first episode of Coach Snoop. It was just a passing line and there was no real implication of it, but I think it sums up the series really well.

Coach Snoop is a documentary series about the Snoop Youth Football League, an American Football team for at-risk teens in the Los Angeles area. The young boys practise every weekday and travel for games on the weekends. This series follows them over one season. The series itself is a Netflix original, and it has eight episodes, each around a half-hour in length. It is a pretty easy show to marathon, but the episodes can relatively standalone if you want to take some breaks in between.

"Content wise, it is a tough watch at times" Content wise, it is a tough watch at times. I really do not agree with some of the values that the coaches are putting on these boys and the way that they are treated by some of the people who claim to love them. They are teaching the boys that they have to control their emotions and be hard all the time - even encouraging the other boys to target a specific kid because he is too nice. It seems like they place the boys on some sort of spectrum with gang activity at the bottom, but they are not expected to be high-achieving citizens at the top, either. It seems like they are expecting these boys to fall somewhere in the middle - hyper-

Flint Town Documentary Series Netflix 2nd March

masculine and not respecting women or authority, but at least not selling drugs.

Though I do not agree with it, I can appreciate it because it is raw and real. They are not just catering to what their audience wants to hear when the cameras are turned on. They are really showing what they are like with these kids and how the kids - and their parents, at times - respond to a grown man shouting ‘go fuck yourself’ into a thirteenyear-old’s face. Snoop and the other adults are a support system for these kids, even if sometimes a flawed one. Each episode highlights a few kids on the team and their personal lives beyond the game. They range from J-Roc, a boy whose mother was killed in a hit and run, to Big Max, a boy who is reunited with his father on the show. The only real connections between them are their geographic area and the broken families they come from.

The regular conversations of these kids should not have to involve death and drugs, but a lot of them do because it is their lives. Hearing those stories from twelve and thirteen-year-olds really humanizes gangs and gang activity. The show never has to hold your hand and tell you that people get into gangs because of their common circumstances, they just show you by seeing how close all of these boys are to the edge.

Furthermore, talking to their parents really shows that gang members are not just hard guys looking to make a quick buck.

One father, an admitted gang member, cries on camera when talking about his daughter. Often, the parents say that they are trying to make sure their kids have a better life. They want them far away from their own gang scenarios, and do not want to make it a family business like the stereotypes. American football, on the

surface, is something to keep them too busy to join a gang. In the show itself, however, it just serves as a backdrop to tell the stories of Los Angeles as it really is for the people who are not glamour and glitz. For that reason, anyone who is interested in crime shows or sports shows more generally should enjoy this. I only know the basics of American football from my high school’s team, and I did not need to know any more than that to understand it.

It is certainly not the best crafted television show and I do not think it will win any awards, but it is certainly worth the watch, simply for the insight into a world of crime from the perspective of a child.

Jessica Jones Superhero Netflix 8th March

Good Omens Heads to Amazon Prime Roshni Patel reviews the new adaptation of Good Omens.

Roshni Patel Gaming Editor

Based on Neil Gaiman and Sir Terry Pratchett's best selling collaborative novel of the same name, Good Omens is the second of Gaiman’s work to be adapted for Amazon Prime.

"Famed for its humorously British take on the end of days" Famed for its humorously British take on the end of days, Good Omens was partially written on the phone, as Gaiman and Pratchett checked that lines were actually funny through long transatlantic phone calls (as

Gaiman was living in the US at the time), while sending floppy disks back and forth.

Now nearly 30 years on from its original 1990 release date, Gaiman has written and adapted the book, as a post humorous favour to his dear friend Pratchett.

Set to be a 6 part mini-series on Amazon Prime, David Tennant (Doctor Who) and Michael Sheen (Masters of Sex) are set to play the leading roles of Crowley and Aziraphale, the two leading characters, who seem to have misplaced the antichrist before the main apocalyptic event. Going the extra mile for their roles, Tennant has dyed his hair flame red, while Sheen, who read the book as a teen, has gone blonde.

Previously a Radio 4 show, Good Omens is also set to have Josie Lawrence (Humans) reprise her role as Agnes Nutter. She’ll also be joined by a whole host of familiar faces, who were also flown down to Cape Town, South Africa, for the filming. Names such as Jon Hamm (Mad Men),

Mark Gatiss (Sherlock), Jack Whitehall (Fresh Meat), Steve Pemberton (The League of Gentlemen), Lourdes Faberes (Grantchester), Yusuf Gatewood (The Originals) and Mireille Enos (World War Z), to name a few.

"I am really excited to see the excecution of this show" As the suspense and hype has been building since Gaiman’s announcement in 2016, Gaiman himself has been fueling the fire, with funny tweets and behind the scenes photo posts. Images such as behind the scenes looks into some of the set, such as Aziraphale; where a stack of Pratchett books are lovingly piled

up, or Hell; where there are funny and unusual motivational posters such as “This office has gone 3 days without saying the “The road to hell is paved in good intentions”” and “Please do not lick the walls”.

Together with the casting announcements, I am really excited to see the execution of this show, as like Sheen and so many others, I read this book and instantly loved it, forcing it upon my friends at birthdays and Christmas. In comparison to other adaptations, I’m relatively calm about the accuracy to the source, as I’m sure Gaiman will do it justice in Pratchett's name.

Due to premiere on Amazon Prime near the end of 2018, I will certainly be counting down the days.

Deception Drama abc 11th March

What do you think about Good Omens? Let us know @redbricktv

RuPaul's Drag Race Reality Show VH1 22nd March

GAMING

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbrickgames

“My extreme excitement is also riddled with a sense of apprehension” The Kingdom Hearts series is infamously convoluted and difficult to keep track of. With nine unique games spread across seven different platforms, it is easy to see why the franchise is so daunting to approach. While the recent HD 1.5 and 2.5 ReMIX

Before Christmas’ Halloween Town have become staples and as a result many fans have got tired of them. This seems to be rectified by III, where a wealth of new worlds have been introduced; revealed so far have been worlds based off the Disney films Tangled, Toy Story, Big Hero Six and Monster’s Inc, though more could very well be revealed in the future. These are extremely exciting not only because its their series debut, but also because it is the first time the series has delved in to Pixar properties; the worlds look vibrant, colourful and true to their source material.

The worlds themselves also look to be much more expansive, with lots more to do than previous games; one trailer showed Sora jumping down from a cliff into a whole other section of the world with no loading screen in between. Recently shown off at D23 2018 was how alive the worlds felt, with the market in Corona (Tangled’s world) being filled with lots of NPCs to give the hustle-and-bustle impression, quite major for a series focused around world building.

Graphically the game looks very good and it’s amazing to see characters from the Kingdom Hearts series in HD. The cartoon style of the game is a great fit for the PS4. Notable is that graphical changes have taken place from trailer to trailer, and therefore if something doesn’t look quite right in one trailer, you can usually count on it being adjusted and changed for the next. This kind of adjustability is great to see and gives the impression the fans really do have a voice throughout its

development.

Perhaps my biggest worry for the game is in its battle system, that I can only describe to be a mish-mash of all games prior.

Trailers have shown Square Enix have added a myriad of new moves and abilities to Sora’s arsenal, some new like the Keyblade Transformations and Attraction Flow, while others are revised versions of past mechanic like Drive Forms and Flowmotion.

While these all seem to be very nifty abilities, I cannot help but feel the battle system will become too cluttered with all of these different options.

“Square Enix have added a myriad of new moves and abilities to Sora’s arsenal” The developers have commented previously that they are altering the combat from Kingdom Hearts II and the flowmotion system from Dream Drop Distance to create a unique one for III; both games had very satisfying methods of battle so I look forward to hopefully being proved wrong.

All in all, Kingdom Hearts III is one of my most anticipated releases for the year. Not only to finally learn the ending to a story sixteen years in the making but relive that childlike wonder I experienced when playing the first game for the first time. Any apprehensions I have are only there because of how much I really, really want to like the game. While the various side titles before this one have been a blast, III looks to be a huge step for the franchise and provide a totally unique and distinct experience.

The Brothers Chaps

When Kingdom Hearts II was released, I was six years old. Italy won the FIFA World Cup. Freddos cost 10p. Suffice to say, fans have been waiting a very long time for the next numbered entry in the series. Luckily, such a thirst looks to be quenched very soon as Square Enix recently reasserted once again that Kingdom Hearts III was still set for a 2018 release.

Being a huge Kingdom Hearts fan myself, Kingdom Hearts III cannot come soon enough. In a nutshell, the series follows Sora and Disney icons Donald and Goofy, as they help and explore a number of world with fellow Disney, Pixar, Final Fantasy and The World Ends with You characters. Given its lengthy development and the systematic release of new information throughout the years (the first teaser for the game was all the way back in 2013), there is certainly a large amount of hype surrounding the release. Yet as I comb through the trailers, and think about the game in relation to the rest of the series, my extreme excitement is also riddled with a sense of apprehension.

titles on the PS3 and PS4 have compiled most of these games in two convenient collections (you may have noticed it is quite difficult to defend the names of some of these games, particularly 358/2 Days which I still haven’t wrapped my head around yet), it is undeniable that the series has certainly taken some twists from its humble beginnings on the PS2. A game about friendship, Disney and a simple fight of good vs evil is now about time travel, prophesies and possession.

Thus comes one of my main concerns with Kingdom Hearts III; lots of people playing will be incredibly lost as to what is happening.

There have been five titles between II and III which, you can imagine, cover a wide range of story; time will tell whether Square Enix feel it necessary to provide some kind of recap for new adopters (to their credit, they did something similar in Dream Drop Distance, so it is not completely out of the picture).

With that grievance out of the way, there is a lot to look forward to in Kingdom Hearts III. Since 2013 Square Enix have periodically provided previews as to the game’s progress and the journey has been wild. From the discovery of the Toy Story world to the return of many fan-favourite characters, to the constantlyimproving graphics and the beautiful score, Kingdom Hearts III looks to be a spectacle.

Most noticeably is their expansion of the Disney worlds you can visit; in previous games worlds like Aladdin’s Agrabah and The Nightmare

5

Strong Bad: Strongbadia the Free

4 Broken Age

3 The Curse of Monkey Island

Image credit: Square Enix

2

Terrible Toybox

Gaming Critic @Samjnason

Thimbleweed Park

Square Enix

Sam Nason

Point & Click Adventures

Double Fine

As the hype train for the long-awaited sequel to the Square Enix franchise rumbles on, Sam Nason rounds up the latest news

Redbrick's Top 5

LucasArts

Impressions: Kingdom Hearts III

1

Double Fine

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Grim Fandango

GAMING

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbrickgames

Ultimo Hombre Brings Social Gaming to Birmingham James Law previews Ultimo Hombre, a gaming paradise coming to Birmingham's PRYZM this March James Law Gaming Critic @Jamesmaclaw

On March 18th 2018, Birmingham’s PRYZM nightclub will become the venue of Ultimo Hombre, a massive gaming session that will allow visitors to play a huge variety of games including FIFA, Overwatch, Mario Kart, Pac-Man, and Call of Duty. It’s a chance to turn gaming into a more social experience, playing with friends and meeting new ones whilst showcasing your (above average) skills. All gamers are welcome there, and hopefully it will be a good opportunity to meet like-minded people you may not have come across otherwise!

Throughout the day there will be a variety of different gaming tournaments that are broadcast all

around the event in a format similar to eSports. Players will be able to compete or spectate, seeing the most intense and high-level gameplay Birmingham has to offer (I’ll hopefully be roasting my opponents on FIFA). It will also be streamed on the Ultimo Hombre social media and YouTube channels, so if I play well enough I will probably be scouted by a pro team, drop out of university and become a professional gamer.

Which is exactly how it works.

Regardless, even if I don’t make it big, there will be leader boards and prizes throughout the event, so, even if you aren’t a hashtag gaming genius such as myself, you’re still in with a shot at

glory.

There will be two sessions throughout the day, which starts at 10am, with the evening session being 18+ only, allowing you to neck VKs to numb your sorrows about being worse at video games than me.

PRYZM being the massive club it is, there will be a variety of rooms to choose from to suit all your gaming needs, including a dedicated stage to try out the latest in virtual reality technology – something I’m looking forward to, given that I haven’t ever been able to use VR. It’s also a chance for players to play games on a wildly powerful PC that blows

anything I have ever owned out of the water. The organisers want Ultimo Hombre to be the start of a new age of social gaming, bringing people of all genders, ages and backgrounds together to share our hobby. Whether you are a wild fanatic or a casual player, Ultimo Hombre promises to be an amazing day for all.

“Ultimo Hombre promises to be an amazing day for all” I will hopefully see you there, and will be back with a review of the event after it is done! Looks like it will be a fun as hell day.

Image credits: Ultimo Hombre

Preview: Insomnia62 Emma Kent Gaming Editor @GoneEFK

Despite the unseasonally cold temperatures and chilly Arctic winds (thanks Russia), spring is almost upon us, which can only mean one thing: the return of Insomnia, the UK's largest gaming festival. Taking over the Birmingham NEC from the 3rd of March to the 2nd of April, Insomnia62 is set to be a real Easter treat, particularly for students holding NUS cards who can claim a tasty 10% discount on their tickets. With plenty of goodies for gamers of all types, Redbrick Gaming is here to help unwrap all that is on offer.

Insomnia62 looks to have a great line up of Youtubers who will be engaging in stage shows, panel talks and meet and greets over the four day festival. Big names from the extensive list include Syndicate, 8-BitGaming, Caspar Lee, Hat Films and the

Yogscast. You can find the jampacked schedule and full line up on Insomnia's website.

In the realm of eSports, Insomnia62 is set to be a truly electrifying event. On the main stage, the best Call of Duty players in the world will be battling for glory in the 2018 COD World Circuit. For those eager to try their own

luck, U K Masters are staging a number of BYOC tournaments: including Counter-Strike, Overwatch, League of Legends, Rocket League and Hearthstone.

Make sure to purchase a BYOC ticket so you are all set for tense matches and the possibility of winning several thousand pounds.

Within the vast halls of the NEC, the latest AAA titles will be on show in the Expo zone, alongside student favourites such as the Jackbox series. Up and coming developers will be displaying their games in the Indie Zone, including quirky games such as MaoMao Castle and Misadventure of Melon.

In the VR Zone, visitors will be able to try out the latest virtual reality technology for themselves, along with other cutting- edge g a m i n g technologies due to shape the industry in the coming years.

For those with simpler tastes, Insomnia62 has also kindly provided a space for nostalgia-fuelled gaming in the Retro Zone.

After a few hours of gaming, visitors can get a screen break in the Tabletop Zone for a relaxing board game session, or discover some of the wacky and spectacular costumes on display in the Cosplay Zone.

“Insomnia62 is set to be a real Easter treat”

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KotN Defending Champions UOB Zeus Qualify With Ease Roshni Patel Gaming Editor @Roshofalltrades

King of the North 2016 champions, UoB Zeus, have a lot to prove as they return to defend their title. Featuring a new roster to the previous year, the team proved that they were a force to be reckoned with: regardless of substitutions.

Kicking off the morning with a resounding 2-0 win against the University of Manchester No Merci, Zeus showed them no mercy as they cut short Manchester’s Dorado attack run and turned their safe quad-tank composition against them, decimating their defence on Kings Row to win the match.

In the next match, Birmingham took on Keele University, as the Keele Kings also attempted to dislodge the defending champions, even going as far as choosing an escort map that Zeus had not practiced. Zeus, however, showed them how well they could adapt and defend, stopping the King’s Eichenwalde push moments before the capture, and clutching themselves a win in the tie-breaker rounds of Junkertown, after a stunning initial draw from both teams.

Their place in the live finals in Manchester already secured, UOB Zeus played on for standing and bragging rights, as they finished the afternoon with a challenging best of 5 match against Swansea University’s Rogue Swan. Despite starting off strong with a clean win on Nepal, Rogue Swan decided that they were not going to let Zeus have an easy 3-0 victory, viciously taking control of Illios. From then on, however, the scales tipped in Zeus’ favour; claiming two easy victories on their favourite maps Dorado and Eichenwalde, as they pushed the cart continuously on attack and forced the Swans to waste their own attack time on defence.

Logging off on a high, the UOB Zeus team now looks forward to their stage finals in Manchester on the 18th March, where they hope to defend their title and come home Kings of the North once again.

But most importantly of all, have you even been to a convention if you haven't spent all of your money on plushies?

Feel free to spend the last of your student loan in the Retail Zone to make the memories last forever (or at least own a cool t shirt).

It would seem that Insomnia62 has something to make every gamer jump for joy: the very latest games, biggest Youtube stars, epic eSports tournaments and more. Pick up your tickets online to join in this Easter extravaganza.

Image credit: Multiplay Events Image credits: Blizzard

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FOOD&DRINK

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbrickfood

Overview: Food Fashion

Food&Drink Editor Caitlin Dickinson explores the weird and wonderful food fashion trends that have taken social media by a storm SAUERKRAUT

POKE BOWLS

FLOWERS

You may at first look at this word and think it is a typo on my behalf, or believe that I have started to write in a different language.

In fact, sauerkraut is actually a finely cut cabbage that has been pickled and fermented. It blossomed in popularity after it appeared at nearly all Christmas markets around the country. Since then, bloggers and foodies have been desperate to get their hands on this product. The popularity of this product may stem from the fact that it is suitable for all diets; vegan, gluten free, vegetarian, paleo. However, it may also be because it is 0% fat when homemade. It is great for your gut health and is so easy to make.

Sauerkraut tastes delicious as part of a salad, or in a sausage sandwich.

Recipe; Thoroughly wash a large tub or bowl, then rinse with boiling water from the kettle.

Make sure that your hands, and everything else coming into contact with the cabbage, are very clean. It’s wise to use a container that will comfortably fit the softened cabbage, allowing several inches of room at the top to avoid overflow. Shred the cabbage thinly – a food processor makes light work of this. Layer the cabbage and the salt in the tub or bowl.

Massage the salt into the cabbage for 5 mins, wait 5 mins, then repeat. You should end up with a much-reduced volume of cabbage sitting in its own brine. Mix in the caraway seeds and the peppercorns.

Instead of smoothie bowls filling your insta feed, the new trend is ‘Poke’ bowls.

This is the Hawaiian way of saying fish salad, but instead of cooked fish it is usually raw tuna or salmon with sesame oil and chilli. Although the bowls may look small and not filling, they surprisingly leave you feeling more satisfied than if you had a meal deal.

What’s more is that the poke bowls can have fish substitutions with avocado or cucumber to suit vegetarians and vegans. The only concern I have with poke bowls is that the demand in yellowfin tuna has dramatically increased due to this new trend, which has led to too high demands on fish stocks around the world.

The trend has taken over instgram with small coconut veganfriendly bowls being decorated to look colourful and healthy. They may be healthy with the low fat quinoa and fresh fish, but there are concerns from health experts that for pregnant women these bowls present a health risk. Also, it is advisable to only buy poke bowls from a trustworthy source that has a high level hygiene standard, as there have been reports of day old fish, which causes food poisoning, or stale vegetables. It is best to go to a renowned restaurant for the dishes, or a suitable chain supermarket to purchase the ingredients in order to ensure your diet safety with a poke bowl.

This seems like a strange suggestion since many of us, including myself, have never properly eaten a flower. The tradition originates in India where edible flowers are used to decorate food.

The only time I have ever encountered flower food is lavender flavoured cupcakes, but even with these were harshly criticised for being too ‘soapy’ in flavour.

But food experts are claiming that flowers will be the new fashionable food trend in 2018. Elderflower gin, lavender lemonade, and lavender tea are definitely coming into bloom this year. Hibiscus teas or hibiscus style ice lolly's are an easy, but still unusual, way to try this trend.

Flowers may be pretty to decorate your food, but unfortunately, they are not readily available in most places to purchase, and when they are, they do come at a cost.

So I would not recommend looking in Aldi for these. I would also not recommend going out and foraging for flowers yourself, as you may mistake certain flowers for their poisonous types.

Flowers have also found their way into food supplements and diet remedies. Although usually overpriced, and most likely a fad supplement, flowers do contain minerals and certainly have some health benefits. There have however been worring bloggers and vloggers posting videos with poisonous flowers for aesthetic purposes to 'look pretty' despite the dangerous implications for their health.

TRANSPARENCY FOOD Yes, that is right, food you can see straight through. I do not mean physically look through the food, but metaphorically, you can see through the company and product to know it is from a clean source.

After 2017 being the year of clean eating, this trend has developed into being one whereby the whole product has to be clean.

Foodies are wanting to know more and more about the product and where it has come from, especially with organic, Fairtrade foods, and animal welfare standards. With greater calls from government organisations to put more information on food product contents and the origins of the ingredients they have in them, this may be a big change you will see happening in 2018.

With horse meat scandals, rubber in Quorn packet meals, and plastic pellets found in rice, its no wonder the public is calling for greater transparency with food we buy.

In the wake of Brexit and uncertainty in what was once trusted food brands, there is dubious thoughts surrounding what we put on our plate. The threat of chlorine washed chickens, GM crops or steroid injected meat is what many consumers want to avoid. This is calling on many consumers are calling for all food brands, especially those that sell meat, to become more transparent in their marketing and treatment of food we eat.

TACOS COME OUT OF THEIR SHELL Tacos are a favourite food for many. Mexican food in a wrap is part of a student staple diet, if you are anything like me. But with the craze of taco street food during 2017, 2018 has brought about a different type of taco vibe.

They are shredding the usual flour tortilla wrap and exchanging this for seaweed wrappers, lettuce wrap, or even paleo style wraps.

The classic ingredients that are used in a taco are not going too far, but poke style tacos and vegan ingredients are on the rise. There is also a demand for grain free tacos and hyper authentic heirloom corn wraps - taco ‘bout coming out of their shell!

What has very recently been a new invention in the taco trend has been the 'tacro'. This is a combination of a croissant-taco hybrid.

The trend has started in San Francisco and the pretty looking taco has a mixture of meaty, vegan and vegetarian food. The food is very high in calories, and few places have a vegan option available. However, their are many vegan fillings around for you to sample.

These tacro's are available for breakfast, and lunch, but I am yet to find a place round Birmingham that sells these weird and wonderful food delights.

Review: Curry Wednesday, Joe's Bar Food&Drink Editor Caitlin Dickinson decide to spice up her week by sampling the new specials introduced by Joe's Bar for 2018 Caitlin Dickinson Food&Drink Editor

For many, 2018 has been the time for change, healthy diets and starting afresh. This idea of renewal has further applied to Joe's bar with the introduction of their new weekly specials menu.

The new offers of Monday ‘Pie, Chips and Mushy Peas’, Wednesday ‘Curry’, Friday ‘Fish and Chips’ are available each week for under £7. The new assets to the menu at Joe’s certainly have given it a fresh start to the year and give you more of an excuse to have a posher lunch during a busy day at uni. I decided to go to Joe’s bar on the ‘Curry Wednesday’, as this seemed the most exotic of the days they have on offer. On the new menu, there was four choices of curry- all of which come with a plain naan and white, boiled rice.

You could opt for a sweet potato and chick pea curry (suitable for vegetarians and vegans), chicken korma, chicken tikka masala, and lamb rogan josh. The mildest of

the curry would be the chicken korma, if spice is not for you. On the other hand, if spice is the route you wish to take, then I would recommend getting the lamb rogan josh.

We ordered two curries, one of which was the lamb rogan josh and the other was the chicken tikka masala. Both are traditionally medium to hot spiced curries, and traditionally on most Indian restaurant menues. The food came on pastel grey platters with the mound of rice and toasted naan seated next to the mock-steel curry dish. The presentation of the food was incredibly appetising, and the space given through the grey platter allowed you to dip your naan into your curry without getting it all over the table! A great bonus in my clean freak eyes. The rogan josh was slightly spicier than the chicken tikka masala, however they both did have a milder spice level than what I would usually go for.

Considering the flavour of both the curries, there was a base of rich tomato and onion in both. But

the rogan josh had undertones of pepper, in contrast to the chicken tikka masala which had a strong garlic flavour throughout the dish.

The rice, presumably basmati, was cooked well, but it was slightly disappointing to not have a choice of rice e.g. pilau, whole grain, or a low-carb alternative.

Unlike the other dishes on Joe’s bar menu, which have options to swap for different types of fries or salad, the curry did not have this option. Likewise, the naan did not have a swap option either. This did limit the dish and its flexibility. I further noticed that the other special dishes on the menu did not have optional room to change the accompaniments that came with the main food.

However, this is the only criticism I have of the dishes we had. I thoroughly enjoyed the food we ate and the accompaniments it came with. The dishes we had were £6.50 each and have the quality and quantity for the worth of the dish. This curry special happens every Wednesday and I

would definitely recommend taking yourself and some friends to spice up your midweek meals. If this is not your thing, then Joe’s

bar is introducing breakfast from the 27 th of February, so go and treat yourself to a bit of morning nosh!

FOOD&DRINK

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbrickfood

29

Review: Cappadocia, Jewellery Quarter Food&Drink Editor Caitlin Dickinson samples traditional Turkish cuisine Caitlin Dickinson Food&Drink Editor

Cappadocia is location in Birmingham Jewellery Quarter at 33 Frederick St. The cuisine is based upon traditional Turkish Cappadocian cuisine.

This involves grilled meats, bulgur wheat and fresh salads. I have never been to Cappadocia myself, nor had I been to a Cappadocian restaurant at home or in Birmingham. This was certainly a new experience for myself on Valentine’s Day. The restaurant was delicately decorated with love hearts on the tables and had a pleasant music on in the background.

Once we had sat down at the table, there was an extensive menu

presented to us. I was truly surprised to discover that there was an eclectic array of vegan food available from patilican soslu- a mixture of aubergine, peppers, onions stewed in tomato sauce- to broad bean falafel. If you are vegan or vegetarian, do not be put off by the Turkish grill exterior of the restaurant as it caters extensively for your dietary needs.

For starters we ordered the mixed hot starter for two to share.

Before this even came to the table we were greeted with some freshly baked focaccia style bead and dips. The dips were cacik (yoghurt, mint, cucumber and some secret flavours) and a spicy chilli and pepper sauce, which was a delicious appetiser to begin with. This

generous portion of food included houmous, calamari, feta spring roll, falafel, grilled halloumi and aioli dip.

The different flavours and textures the dish involved in this dish, made this a delight for the palate. I would definitely recommend for the excellent price of £11.95. We were recommended to have the ‘Chefs Special’ for our mains, and seeing as it was Valentine’s Day, why not share with your date? The chefs special for two had spiced chicken kebab, a skewered lamb kebab, Adana kofte, four chicken wings, four lamb ribs, served with rice and bulgur, salad on a large platter.

This was all cooked fresh on their in- house grill for a reasona-

ble £29.90. The selection of meat we had was all succulent and flavoursome, I believe that there may have been a secret spice added to the meat, however, I am yet to figure out what the smoky but sweet grill taste of the meat was.

My favourite element of the meat was the lamb kebab that was served. This kebab was subtly spicy and tender cooked, this made the dish absolutely amazing. A surprisingly tasty part of the main course was the bulgur wheat. I would never usually cook this food, or order it at a restaurant so it was pleasant to have a different texture on my palate.

The bulgur wheat was cooked to have a spicy tomato undertone

and included chickpeas and pomegranate chunks.

I have never sampled bulgur wheat like this before and thoroughly enjoyed the wholesome tomato flavour it gave to the predominantly spicy dish.

The food here, although not necessarily cheap, certainly was packed with flavour and texture variety.

I would definitely recommend this for you and a loved one at any time of the year, not just Valentines.

It is worth the extra spend for an independent restaurant that values fresh food and fresh cooking. So if you happen to be in the Jewellery Quarter, you must drop by and have a taste of Cappadocia.

Recycle: Eco-Consumption On Campus Food&Drink Editor Adele Franghiadi explains how to be more eco-friendly

Recently, there has been a significant – and long overdue – effort to consume food and drink in a more environmentally friendly way, both across campus and the wider country. Whilst this isn’t a comprehensive list of ways to improve your environmental impact, these smalls and simple steps are a great start to reducing consumption in student life, and will even save you a penny or two.

Water bottles I would argue that there’s really no excuse to not buy a reusable water bottle. Whilst some water bottles can be expensive at face value, you quickly make a return on your investment. When I used to buy bottled water, I was paying around £1 for 750ml, and whilst I reused these bottles, I’d still buy a fresh water each week for hygiene reasons, or whenever I forgot to pack my previous bottle. Over a term, I’d therefore spend at least £15 on disposable water bottles, and therefore at least £45 a year (three terms, not including holidays!). In the end, it’s been more

economic to buy my current reusable bottle, which cost £14.99 at time of purchase.

Also, it really does encourage you to drink more water! Knowing you’ve spent more upfront on an empty bottle is motivation in itself, but you can also buy bottles with features that make drinking water more enjoyable. I really hate when my water isn’t cold, so I’ve gone for an insulating metal bottle which keeps cold liquids in a cold state for up to 24 hours.

Additionally, it doubles as a thermos, which keeps hot drinks hot for up to 8 hours. I’ve genuinely noticed my water intake improving since buying my bottle, so not only do I feel better environmentally and financially, I also feel more hydrated and healthy.

Coffee cups This year, the University of Birmingham have been selling eco-cups at selected campus food outlets in an effort to reduce disposable cup consumption. At £3.50 a pop, they’re quite the bargain, especially as you get a free

drink when you buy the cup.

Additionally, they reduce the cost of your drinks after that by 10p.

However, if you already have a reusable coffee cup, then this 10p discounted incentive also applies!

Having bought my cup in first term, it’s reached a point where I won’t buy a hot drink if I haven’t got my cup with me. I have genuinely started to feel guilty using disposable cups on campus – there are so many reusable cups about that it’s quite obvious when someone is using a disposable one.

Again, I see no reason why students would continue to use disposable cups, when campus has started such an incentivising scheme against them. What with the free drink, plus 10p off per coffee, it’s again very easy to earn your return on investment whilst reducing your disposables consumption.

In the kitchen Whilst obvious, and sometimes easier said than done, bulk cooking is a great way to save money and reduce waste. Curries,

Pie Week: Pieminister Sophie Rashley Food&Drink Writer

The beginning of March does not only signify the end of this frosty winter, it also means British Pie Week will soon be among us.

British Pie Week this year is 5-11th March, and whether you are vegetarian, vegan or love a meaty feast, a pie caters for all your dietary needs.

However, if you are not the best at baking pies yourself you are still in luck. Pieminister, located by Victoria Square, is running daily different offers on their pies to celebrate.

Pieminister embodies everything I want from a dining experience: pies, mash and gravy, for not too much money.

With a wide range of different pies to choose, including a vegan pie (the Kevin), a vegan skillet,

and many gluten free options, there is something for everyone.

On Monday, the Mothership deal (includes any classic pie, mash, minty mushy peas, and cheddar & crispy shallots) is only £5, discounted from £9.40. Tuesday – all vegetarian pies are £2 if you buy a side.

On Wednesday, pies are buy one get one free, so you can bring along a friend for no extra cost.

Thursday’s offer means that all pies with mushrooms in are £2.

Although the price of this offer is very good, this does limit the choices to only three of their pies: the Fungi Chicken, the Wild Shroom, and the Kevin.

Friday’s offer means that a pie is donated for every pie bought, meaning you can eat happy in the knowledge that you’re helping to provide a meal for someone else.

On Saturday all ‘Tower of Power’ deals are discounted by

£4, (stack of any two classic pies, served with mushy peas) making them £10 each. And on Sunday all pies are 50% off before 1pm.

Due to the pies usually costing around £5.50, the Tuesday and Sunday offers are very enticing, and I will definitely be dragging my friends along on one of those days.

Pieminister is one of my favourite places to eat due to its wide range of options on the menu and the casual, friendly feel to their restaurants. Plus, these cheap deals mean you can splash out and get more of their great sides as well: I usually go with mash and onion rings.

It is disappointing that their other options, such as their skillets and their puddings, aren’t also on offer. Yet, it is British Pie Week so this isn’t really unexpected.

Bolognese, soups, shepherd’s pie, and many other staple dishes freeze brilliantly after cooling down, and it means you’ll always have a healthy ready-meal when you need it.

Furthermore, fresh herbs and leafy greens can be frozen and chucked straight into a dish whilst it’s cooking, so no more wasting that inexplicably large bag of spinach (looking at you, Aldi).

When it comes to freezing, try to reuse plastic sandwich bags, or if you can spare the space, freeze your food in takeaway tubs which are even easier to wash and reuse.

Paella is helpful for using up vegetables, and keeps in the fridge for around 3 days. Similarly, “rice and beans” makes a fantastically cheap and versatile meal.

As long as you have the pantry basics (rice, kidney beans, chilli flakes or powder, paprika, cumin, vegetable stock, and tomato puree) you can basically chuck in any vegetables or meat you want.

Again, this keeps for around 3 days in the fridge, and it great as a

packed lunch.

Lastly, pasta sauce is an effective way to finish off your leftovers, and requires very little effort.

Any old sauce can be improved with some left over cheese or cream, almost any vegetables, and even spare sandwich meats. In general, the most basic meals are the most versatile, and end up being the most enjoyable with the surprise of added extras and no waste.

Paper straws Lastly, several establishments in Birmingham have ditched plastic straws in favour of paper ones.

These include Wetherspoons, the Prince of Wales (Moseley), the British Oak (Stirchley), Fumo in Selfridges, and San Carlo.

Hopefully more venues in Birmingham and the rest of the UK will follow suit, especially on student nights out where singleuse straws are used a lot more.

However, in the meantime, it’s a good idea to turn down plastic straws when out and about, because ultimately they’re not needed.

30

TRAVEL

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbricktravel

Hidden Gems: Il Veneto Flick Hemming Travel Writer

In the beautiful north-eastern Italian province of Il Veneto dwells a diverse range of art, natural treasures and traditions.

Alongside the fame of its romantic regional capital Venice, the medieval city of Verona and the magnificence of the Dolomites, there are lesser-known gems, bursting with glorious views, food and culture. But this perhaps only adds to their charm.

The northernmost gem would be the historic city of Bassanodel-Grappa, located just below the Prealps, astride the river Brenta. As you can imagine from the name, the town is known for the Italian dessert wine, grappa, which definitely has the ability to clear the palate - if the spirit doesn’t singe off your taste buds!

Many a grappa shop can be found amongst the streets, selling locally distilled grappa in a range of peculiar shaped glass bottles. The myth is that the drink itself was named after the city, but history shows that grappa was indeed invented before the founding of the city.

Strangely enough, white asparagus is another delicacy of the area, which is a rare vegetable that can be bought at the market in Piazza Garibaldi every Thursday. What may be more up the average person’s flavourstreet is the gelaterie, where you don’t have to splash out much cash at all to enjoy a cone full of happiness, as you stroll along the

Ponte Vecchio.

Also known as Ponte degli Alpini, the bridge over Brenta is Bassano-del-Grappa’s most famous landmark. It was originally built in 1209, but after being destroyed numerous times after floods or French troops set it alight (to name a few), it was redesigned in 1569 by Andrea Palladino. It has been destroyed and rebuilt time and again, most recently after anti-fascist partisans sabotaged it in 1945 during World War II. As you walk across it, you can really feel the history of this town. The atmosphere here in the evenings is creative and exciting; little bars and restaurants stay open til late, and live music is often being played in the Piazzi. It is satisfying to know that, although Shakespeare may not have made it here, the likes of Hemingway drew inspiration from this classically Italian yet quirky town.

A little to the south-east of Bassano-del-Grappa, you can find Marostica. This quiet charming town was previously enclosed by the walls of two castles either side of the centre: the Castello Superiore at the top of the hill and Castello Inferiore situated at the bottom. The structure of the latter still remains, perched just off the main square, Piazzi di Castello, and is home to a restaurant. A

local summer arts fesival is held annually where various events take place, featuring music, dancing and historical re-enactments.

Although they may not do student discounts, entering the castle itself costs only five euros.

This will take you around the interior and even up one of the original towers, where you can find some great views of the surrounding towns. However, these sights cannot compare to what you can find up the hill at the site of Castello Superiore. The building may no longer stand, but climbing the remaining steps of the battlements affords brilliant views from the top. Here, during daylight, you can gaze across the entire valley to the mountains on the horizon. At night, the lights of the towns and villages means you can see a starry sky even on the cloudiest nights.

Another walled city, sometimes known as ‘the pearl of the province of Treviso’ or ‘the city of a hundred horizons', is Asolo.

Although much smaller than the others, it still lays claim to enough charm to bewitch the British poet Robert Browning into naming his last volume of poetry ‘Asolando’ after it. Its original existing walls may not all be intact, but you can still walk through the old town up to the remaining battlements for

some breathtaking views. Nestled at the edge of the mountains, it is quite the honey-pot for avid hikers, but the charm of the place lies at the heart of the town. Here, the architecture and community are home to such history, culture and kind Italians, who will interrupt their evening drink at the bar to open up their ice-cream shop for some weary young children, wandering around late in search for gelato.

Perhaps the most impressive of these ancient Italian towns is

Best of Britain: Bridgnorth Chris Burden Travel Writer

Bridgnorth is a hidden gem in the centre of England and home to some of the best views in all of the Kingdom. Don't just take my word for it; Charles I, who founded the industrial town, thought it eclipsed the more famous views of the lakes and peaks of the North.

And he isn’t alone. Britain in Bloom regularly gives gold awards to Bridgnorth, situated just 20 minutes away from Wolverhampton and a 45-minute drive from Birmingham. True to its picturesque nature, the best way to approach Bridgnorth is certainly not by road.

From central Birmingham, take the train to Kidderminster,

where you’ll find the best way to get to this hidden town, poised perfectly above the Severn Valley.

The Severn Valley railway runs a regular service from Kidderminster to the town using their fleet of heritage vehicles. Tickets are rea-

sonable; for a return at £19.50, you are ferried in the luxury of an authentic steam locomotive through idyllic surroundings and, bizarrely, through a Safari Park.

Expect a glimpse of elephants as you steam through the woods.

A cheaper, though definitely less picturesque, approach is to take the regular bus service from Wolverhampton Interchange, which will deliver you to the Low Town in no time. When you arrive, be sure to use the Cliff Railway, the steepest and only inland funicular in the country, before exploring this bustling market town.

The town is full of culinary delights, from Black Country style fish and chips to independent ice cream shops and cafés.

Regular markets bring the town to life along the historic high street. You will be confronted with so many timber-framed pubs that it will be difficult to pick one!

Whatever you choose to do, it is certain that this small market town will steal your heart.

Cittadella. This is a miraculous medieval city, founded in the thirteenth century as a military outpost of Padua, because it still has its exterior walls intact which are almost a mile in circumference. You can even take a tour of the ramparts around the entire perimeter of the city, affording you the most brilliant views both inside and outside the walls. It really is like touring Roman cities right out of a history book with the tiny sentry posts and the encircling moat. When you descend down into the town, you will discover it is dotted with jewels of ancient and beautiful architecture that are still in use today, such as the Duomo and the theatre.

Cittadella is neither lacking in restaurants nor bars serving good Italian cuisine and, of course, gelato.

Wherever you go, and if you, a hot and sweaty traveller, stumble across a city or a quiet town, the Italian gelaterie will light up your eyes with the sheer volume of ice-cream and diversity of flavours, providing you with the perfect refreshment.

Although these places may not have inspired any Shakespearean tragedies, these Italian secrets are spectacular and definitely justify a trip to northern Italy.

TRAVEL

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbricktravel

31

How To: Study While Travelling Madeline McInnis Travel Writer

The last thing we want to do over reading week is actually read, right? Many of us are jetting off to fabulous places, experiencing new things and barely finding the time to sleep, let alone do any studying.

If you are like me, because of the added weight and carrying an expensive piece of technology puts a target on your back to thieves, you rarely bring your laptop on trips. Therefore, working off your phone can be a great alternative.

Ensure you have your course websites bookmarked so you can access them easily.

Avoid bringing heavy books with you. Chances are that you are not going to crack them open anyway, and they will just be another thing to lug around.

Instead, take pictures of the pages that you need and read them off of your phone.

If you do not want to deal with the inconvenience of that, look to see if there are any podcasts, audiobooks or eBooks on the topics you are reading about. Aim to get one bit of reading done a day from Canvas, which takes

minimal effort before bed.

If applicable to your course, try to stop by relevant attractions wherever you are travelling. Look for museums and tourist sites that will get you excited and motivated about your work.

My main suggestion is to start a note in your phone, outlining your plan for the upcoming weeks.

Start thinking about your deadlines and how you want to structure them. They will catch up with you really quickly, and you will thank yourself for your plan when it comes to that time.

Read at lunch, as you are sitting down anyway. If you are

travelling with other students, meet in your downtime and support each other in your studies.

You can help to keep each other accountable and get work done, even while you are away.

Insight Into: European Carnival Matt Dawson TV Editor

When anyone mentions Carnival, normally the first things that come to mind are the samba parades in Rio de Janeiro, the street parties in New Orleans or the celebration of Afro-British heritage that is the Notting Hill carnival. But what is often overlooked is the celebrations' religious roots regarding Easter and Lent (which the latter does not conform to, as it takes place later in the year).

Seen as a final hedonistic celebration before the fasting period, it is extremely popular in countries and regions of Europe with a strong Catholic presence. Carnival is essentially a bombastic and over-the-top Pancake Day, but instead of using up ingredients to make batter for the delicious dish, the aim is to gorge yourself on sweets, fine food and alcohol over several days, all while wearing (sometimes really elaborate) fancy dress.

Of course, Carnivals in certain cities and regions are more renowned than others: in Europe alone, the celebrations of Cologne, Germany, Cádiz, Spain and the Canary Islands all spring to mind. However, the beauty of the celebration is in its ability to draw the local community together, and the smaller-scale celebrations are so often passed over.

One such example is that of Münster in Westphalia, Germany.

Much like in the surrounding cities, Carnival is an important event in the local social calendar

but often overlooked by tourists.

It is characterised by an enormous street parade on Rosenmontag, the day before Shrove Tuesday, by the local schools, institutions and Carnival clubs, featuring elaborately made floats that are sometimes satirical. A highlight this year was a depiction of Angela Merkel in a princess dress with Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un in bird cages.

The local Carnival greeting of “Helau!” is accompanied with the joyous distribution of sweets, chocolate and even roses to parade-goers. The procession winds its way around the ancient city, set against the backdrop of the majestic Dom cathedral, the diocesan seat of the bishop of Münster. The historic town hall is at the centre of the celebrations, in which the Peace of Westphalia

was signed in 1648, giving birth to the nation that is now the Netherlands. From the town hall’s balcony, the Carnival Princes overlook the revelry as music fills the square, people eat and, especially, drink and even form spontaneous conga lines. Once the parade ends, people seek shelter in Münster’s many bars to avoid the cold given that, depending on when Lent falls, temperatures have been known to plummet to below freezing – something to consider when preparing your costume!

If you prefer to head to slightly warmer climates, another renowned Carnival city is Badajoz in Extremadura, Spain. A region frequently forgotten about (even by native Spaniards), the dry plains of Extremadura come to life during Carnival season. Declared as a festival of national interest by the Spanish government, approximately 80,000 people flock to the largest city of the autonomous community. It is easy to see why.

The distinct town squares of Plaza Alta and Plaza de España fill up with costumed people partying away the weekend before Shrove Tuesday. Plaza Alta’s moorish architecture is a stark contrast to the variety of fancy dress on display and the distinctly yellow town hall, with its statue of the painter Luis de Morales (one of Badajoz’s most famous sons) welcome the wave of botellones that crash over the city.

These Spanish street parties involve lots of public drinking and dancing, and they are propped

up during Carnival by touring buses that blast out music. As these parties can go on to the early hours of the morning, thankfully there are plenty of eateries selling tapas and street food, so you can keep your energy up to keep the fiesta going.

For a less-alcohol heavy alternative, one city’s celebrations for the arrival of Lent is so unique, it has gone on to form part of its identity: those of Venice.

Even throughout the year, the celebrated Carnival masks adorn the narrow streets of The Floating City. But it is around the period of Martedì Grasso where the masked Venetians' food flood the capital of the Veneto region.

At the centre of all the attention is the famous Piazza San Marco, where a daily pageant for the most beautiful masks is held, with the

winners competing against each other in the grand finale at the end of the Carnival period. Over the course of the week around the celebrations, a diverse range of public shows happen in the main square, overlooked by the spectacular buildings of St. Mark’s Basilica, the jewel in the crown of Venice’s Italo-Byzantine architecture and the imposing bell tower, a striking symbol representative of the city.

Apart from some celebrations in pockets of the country, including that of Cowes on the Isle of Wight, Great Britain doesn’t celebrate this tradition as much as our European cousins. So if you desire an alternative late winter or early spring break, why not head to the continent to celebrate Carnival?

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LIFE&STYLE

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbricklife

A Call for Diversity in the Beauty Industry Does Tarte’s new Shape Tape foundation represents an industry-wide lack of inclusivity?

Yasmin Kennedy Life&Style Writer

Following the incredible success of the Tarte Shape Tape concealer, the long-awaited sister product, the Shape Tape foundation has recently been released. It comes in both a matte and hydrating formula to accommodate for different skin types - however, it seems to be missing half of the shades.

The marketing of the foundation on the Tarte website includes images of women with fair skin to extremely deep skin tones, implying that the foundation is inclusive and available to all. This is extremely misleading as in fact the initial release contained fourteen shades and now contains a still limited eighteen, only three of which are catered to people of colour. From an extremely successful beauty company with a great ethos of cruelty free products, it is shameful and upsetting for an assumption to be made that a total of three shades will successfully accommodate all people of colour.

Thankfully, after the backlash on socia media from Instagram influencers, beauty bloggers and YouTubers, Tarte did address the issue - with a statement claiming that lighter shades were to be released in winter and darker shades to be released in summer. I find this a poor and confusing excuse to attempt to cover up the fact that, for this particular foun-

dation, black people were an afterthought and not in any way a priority. There can be no logical reason to explain why lighterskinned people should have the privilege to try the foundation first.

In a time when high street brands such as L’Oreal carry the True Match foundation in 30 shades at under half the price, this is truly inexcusable. Tarte also mentioned that they like to take time and to find perfect shades with the exact undertone before they are released. In response to this, if the shade range of the foundation is not yet complete then the foundation should not have been released unfinished.

With the iconic release of Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty line came foundation in a staggering 40 shades, with a range of different undertones for the palest skin tones to the deepest no matter what the season. Rihanna is of course a music artist and makeup and beauty is not where her expertise lies, however her initial release of the foundation included all 40 shades, and was not in any way unfairly staggered.

“It seems to be missing half of the shades” This is from a startup beauty company with no previous foun-

dation releases or experience, in comparison to Tarte, a company founded in 2000, eighteen years ago, with a history of more than five foundation releases in the past. The instant success of Fenty Beauty should stand as an inspiration and be a massive reminder to all beauty companies that women and men of all skin tones should have equal opportunities to try any new products on the market.

“It is empowering to see the disapproval of the release”

followers not to buy the product to take a stand against the lack of inclusivity. This is detrimental for Tarte’s sales, and will be especially noticeable after the tremendous success of the concealer which is currently the number one concealer in America.

It is empowering to see the disapproval of the release and should encourage an overdue and necessary step forward in the industry for all foundations to include diverse shades and to no longer alienate certain skin tones.

Such a complete erasure of multiple races is offensive, and this mistake needs to be corrected and ensured not to be repeated by Tarte or any other beauty company in the future. It is crucial and essential for all women and men to be represented in every release, every time.

Share your opinions on this controversial release with us via Twitter @RedbrickLife

It is extremely hard to understand the logic of beauty companies clearly excluding men and women of colour in their foundation releases. African American women spend an average of $7.5 billion each year on beauty products, so the demand and the business is there. Social media is arguably the most useful resource for companies to utilize to advertise their products. Black influencers like Patricia Bright, Jackie Aina, Nyma Tang with a combined following of over 5 million, have actually positively reviewed the formula of the foundation even though there is no shade that perfectly matches any of them.

But they have explicitly advised

100 Years of Votes For Women

Life&Style Writer Bethan Lewis discusses how far women have really come in the fight for equality February 2018 marks the 100year anniversary of women first gaining the vote in Britain with the 1918 Representation of People Act, which allowed approximately 8.4 million women to vote. 100 years ago women were restricted on so many levels, often in terms of what they were allowed to wear and which professions they could have. Inequality was so evident in the 1900s, with women restricted on the simplest things which we take advantage of today, such as opening a bank account without a male relative’s permission, taking birth control and even wearing trousers.

Although we are definitely much more equal than we were one hundred years ago, women do still face problems and inequalities in everyday life. Sexism, pay gaps (although this is narrowing) and fewer women working in government, media and technology careers are just some examples of inequality today. With many movements such as ‘Power to the Polls’ and ‘#MeToo’ gaining momentum and raising awareness for women’s rights, the struggle for equality has become a worldwide issue.

Fashion, and the freedom to express yourself through what you wear, has also come a long way over the last 100 years.

Women used to face a lot of pres-

sure from society to dress in a certain way, with some places legally restricting their clothing.

For example, Utah in the USA fined women for wearing skirts higher than three inches above the ankle, and during WW2 a regulation imposed that women in the United States had to have their skirts exactly 17 inches above the floor.

Modern society may be a lot more accepting of women’s clothing than it used to be, with trousers and mini dresses being the norm, but there are still problems with regards to clothing restrictions today. Women are often blamed for rape or sexual assault due to their outfits, as exposed skin or tight clothing may be seen as a provocation, and rape victims may have to tell juries what clothes they were wearing before the verdict is decided. This shows that while a lot may have changed over 100 years, there is still a long way to go to reach genuine equality.

Political rights have also changed drastically for women over the last 100 years, with the work of the suffragettes leading to some (property-owning) women gaining the vote in 1918. However, it wasn’t until 1928 that women achieved full suffrage on the same terms as men, where all people in Britain could vote if they were

over the age of 21.

Finding jobs was very difficult for women 100 years ago, with ‘protective laws’ regulating where and when they could work. Some places even refused to hire women as it was simply believed that men could do the job better than any woman could. Legal protection for working pregnant women also didn’t exist until 1978, with many women being fired from their jobs when they became pregnant. This shows a huge difference compared to now, with New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern recently announcing her pregnancy. She plans to continue to work and only take six weeks of maternity leave after the birth of her child.

Comparing women’s rights from 100 years ago to now, we can see the incredible changes that have happened because of the work and perseverance of so many women. These women are the reason we can now work in the same jobs as men, wear whatever clothing we want to and not feel ashamed, and be seen as people that are not inferior to men in any way. It shows how much of an impact the dedication to women’s equality can have – it changes our lives and shapes today’s society.

And hopefully, it encourages others to continue this fight for true equality.

LIFE&STYLE

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbricklife

To Shave or Not To Shave?

Life&Style Editor Tara Kergon discusses the divisive double standard of female body hair In the last print edition, our L&S 'Manthropology' columnist asked Birmingham's boys whether they preferred women to remove their body hair, whether they believed it was necessary, and, most importantly, why. As one of the section editors, part of me thinks I cannot - or should not - get so frustrated by the responses to a question which we asked. But another, much larger part, simply cannot believe that in 2018 there are still men who believe women should remove what is a naturally occurring part of their body, and all this while men can wander around sporting the Amazon rainforest on their chest (or legs, or chin, or arms, or anywhere really) without raising an eyebrow.

It’s yet another double standard which proves that women’s equality is only nominal.

How can body hair be so divisive? First and foremost I’m confused as to why exactly what a woman chooses to do or not do with her own body can send all hell breaking loose. When discussing shaving, as with many women’s issues (such as abortion, wearing makeup, or that wage gap), I’m inclined to quote Rachel from Friends: no uterus, no opinion. But we did ask the men, because in spite of the liberated, happy-looking girls splashing around on the Venus ads, the societal expectation is

that women shave - or wax, or epilate, or thread, or pluck - in order to appear more beautiful and attractive. In short, women are expected to remove body hair for men. The societal pressures of beauty are worthy of another article in themselves, but it is true that women specifically are now expected to shave in order to be beautiful.

And if you don’t? Outrage.

I first shaved my legs aged 12, believing that I had to: firstly, because I saw that my mother did and thought it was all part of being a woman; secondly, because I had been led to feel that the darkening fuzz was ugly (and I couldn’t be ugly, oh no!). One of the boys questioned in the original column cited this unrelenting pressure upon women, an expectation which simply does not exist for men – and astutely mentioned its normalization within the media, and in turn within society. And it’s true.

From the already seeminglyhairless woman shaving an invisible layer of hair in adverts for razors, to the counter-intuitively hair-free armpits and legs of women in dystopian or disaster films (while men grow beards down to their ankles freely), representations of women are almost always smooth, shiny creatures with hair only in the “correct” places.

As well as normalization,

and the idea that shaving is simply the feminine thing to do, par for the course when you’re assigned the gender of female at birth, another man stated that shaving was simply hygienic. I could have almost understood this train of thought, if it hadn’t been sent careening off the track by two words which reinforced the double standard: for women.

The belief that men and women’s body hair is so different that one is hygienic and the other not was so ridiculous and narrow-minded that I was almost speechless. Almost. I immediately, amidst groans of disbelief, pushed back from my computer screen to exclaim: If it’s unhygienic for women then it is for men too!

I can only imagine what lurks within an unkempt beard, for example, and as for the rest it’s exactly the same on any body at all – male or female.

Now, I’m hardly burning my bra or throwing away my razors in order to smash the patriarchy. In fact I regularly (or not so regularly) shave my underarms and legs – but the point is not in doing or not doing. To state, for example, that any woman who shaves is not a feminist (or that to be a feminist requires letting your body hair grow) is reductive, the flip side of the coin of patriarchy. Feminism is intended as liberation, but to contin-

ue to dictate what women should or should not do with their bodies hardly seems liberating to me. Whether it’s media-reinforced, societallycreated, a product of the image industries of perfection, beauty, or even pornography, we have got to destroy the idea that hair on a woman is unnatural, disgusting, dirty, or unwanted.

True liberation would be allowing women to do whatever they want, and not judging them for it. Whether she wears makeup every day or never so much as touches mascara; whether she’s totally au natural with hair or perfectly plucked, waxed and shaved; whether she’s wearing a dress and heels or a boiler suit – the point is that women should be free to do as they please, without such negative comments and without public debate.

And this last part is just for the men out there. If you think a woman should have to do anything for you, especially something like taking twenty extra minutes in the shower and risking slicing her legs to remove her naturally-occurring hair simply for aesthetics, unless you’d regularly do the same you need to check your male privilege. And if you think body hair on a woman is gross, or unhygienic, then you need to grow up.

Eating Disorders: The Truth Lottie Wistow uncovers the common misconceptions in time for Eating Disorder Awareness Week According to the BBC, more than 165,000 people in the UK have an eating disorder.

However, very little is known about them from the layman's perspective, with many assuming that they come from a person’s desire to look thin and have the model-like figure constantly promoted in the majority of fashion magazines.

This misconception is not the only one - it’s important to ‘set the record straight’ in order to help those affected.

Many assume that eating disorders are simply a result of a strong, and perhaps vain, desire to be slim, but it’s much more complicated than this.

Studies have shown that eating disorders tend to affect a certain personality type, which includes people who strive for perfection. What most people would think of as a minute physical flaw, such as the coined term ‘bingo-wings’, may be a major concern for someone with an eating disorder. Eating disorders can also affect people who feel as though they have no control over a situation. For example, a person going through a very stressful time may latch onto food as a way of grappling for

some semblance of control. In this way, they can attempt to concentrate their efforts and energy on one aspect of their life, and protect themselves from the stresses of the outside world. Finally, a change in life circumstance, such as a death, can also result in a change in eating habits - grief is a lot more common in sufferers than you may think.

Do you have that annoying friend who can eat as much as they like and always stay the same size? Well, as surprising as this may be, eating disorders are not always only to do with weight. In fact, those who suffer with bulimia tend to have the cyclical pattern of binge eating and then starving themselves, or even forcing themselves to be sick afterwards. In this way, although the repercussions of this pattern could be losing weight or even gaining weight, many may not change size at all, making it very difficult to notice from an outsider’s perspective. And, while many people (myself included) love a bit of comfort food now and then, many people with eating disorders will consistently use food to make themselves feel

better and relieve stress, which will adversely affect them by substantial weight gain.

Therefore, the common misconception that eating disorders only result in a dramatic loss of weight is not true. In fact, they encompass more than just anorexia, with symptoms also including the dangerous health effect of obesity.

Another common misconception comes from the perception that the sufferers are only young girls. The BBC found that one quarter of sufferers are in fact male. This statistic allows us to be sensitive to the needs of men, as well as women, when it comes to certain eating behaviours.

Whilst beauty and fashion magazines promote women as unrealistically slim and beautiful, men’s magazines also put emphasis on being overtly masculine by obtaining a muscular and toned physique. So, these differing social pressures could suggest why both genders are affected by eating disorders; against popular belief, it is not just a woman’s disease.

A final misconception of eating disorders is that they

cannot be cured; a sufferer will always be a ‘recovering anorexic’. With professional help, and the vital support from friends and family, eating disorders can be controlled and even cured. It is a lengthy process, with counsellors giving advice on how to break the cycle of thoughts that leads to this obsession with counting calories and eating habits. It’s important to recognise if someone has an eating disorder as soon as possible, as this will make treating them a whole lot easier. Also, the desire to change has to come from the sufferers themselves and so, in your approach to helping them, make them aware of your support gently without aggression.

By starting the conversation, you could help raise awareness, and you may even save a life by doing so. #SockItToEatingDisorders If you are affected by any of these issues, visit https:// www.beateatingdisorders. org.

33

Manthropology

By Yatin Arora

Barclays and the Royal Bank of Scotland have revealed gender pay gaps of 48% and 37%. Reading this made me wonder whether all of these cases share a common denominator: does this disparity boil down to male insecurity? Every man wants to have the biggest biceps in the gym and the most expensive car on the road, but do men also want to have the biggest salary in their household? Are men truly insecure if they are not in ‘power'?

Name: Jagdeep Grewal Course: Mathematics (first year)

“This might be a bit of a cheeky answer, but I don’t really mind. At the end of the day, both my wife and her money is coming home! I’m not saying this from a possessive and controlling standpoint, but I am being practical. If she earns a lot and buys an expensive car, I’ll be able to sit in it. If she earns a lot and can afford to go to expensive restaurants, I’ll be joining her. In no way am I being disadvantaged. I can understand that some men may have their ego come in between but I don’t really mind. My dad earns more than my mum and it has made no real difference in my upbringing. Those who are more educated or skilled get the better paying jobs and if my wife is someone who falls into that category, I'll be proud to be married to someone successful."

Name: Prabveer Singh Course: Business Management (first year)

“I’m not insecure about being the main breadwinner in the household as long as everybody is putting in their fair share in terms of work and money. I think a man’s insecurities are shown through his wife; a man whose wife earns more than him shows that he’s not insecure and his masculinity isn’t affected by it. Earning money should be a joint thing not a competition. But I can understand why men would feel insecure about woman earning more because society makes them believe that they have to fill that role. Be a joint thing not a competition”.

Name: Stanley Leadsomme Course: Law (first year) “Personally, I would be uncomfortable.

Historically, men have always been the breadwinner. This is not by choice – it’s obvious! It is ingrained and should not be subverted. I see my role as the protector and that in turn also encompasses financial responsibilities. I align with this view as it not only inspires me to work harder but it also inspires me to work better. With regards to my partner, I do not mind if the margin is small so long as it is below mine. If I were to have a partner that earned more than me, I would expect it to be transient. It is not a matter of egotistical pursuit but it is a matter of principle”.

In 2018, not only are more women outearning their partners – 25% according to insurance company LV – but most male mindsets have changed too. Most of Brum’s boys are comfortable and confident in their partners earning more – an outcome that is refreshing, reassuring, and one that we should all be extremely proud of. Some of them, however, still hold rather archaic views. We’d love to hear your views, let us know on Twitter @RedbrickLife!

34

SCI&TECH

Friday 2nd March 2018

@redbricktech

Ground-breaking Discovery of a New Class of Antibiotics Ellen Heimpel Sci & Tech Editor

Despite the wide availability of antibiotics in our everyday lives, infectious diseases remain one of the biggest causes of death worldwide. In particular, drug-resistant diseases are increasingly becoming a problem and kill over 700,000 people a year (BBC News). In the absence of new therapies, these untreatable diseases are likely to increase 10-fold by 2050 (Nature Microbiology).

However, there is new hope in the antibiotics arms race in the form of the discovery of a new family of antibiotics from the soil.

Dr Sean Brady and his team at Rockefeller University analysed more than 1000 samples of soil and found a new class of compounds called malacidins present in many of them.

They tested the use of these

compounds as antibiotics and found that malacidins annihilate several antibacterial diseases which have become resistant to most current antibiotics, such as the superbug MRSA. Malacidins were tested on rats that had been infected with MRSA and they eliminated the infection in skin wounds.

Drug-Resistant Diseases kill over 700,000 people a year The drug appears to work by attacking a fundamental step in bacterial growth. Malacidins interfere with a major building block that bacteria use to construct and maintain their outer membrane.

Malacidins therefore show great potential for use as an antibiotic, and appear to be non-toxic in humans. Scientists are working on testing this drug and making it more effective. However, malacidins have only shown antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria (bacteria with only one membrane).

According to Professor Colin Garner from Antibiotic Research UK it is not these gram-positive bacteria that are the main problem, but rather gram-negative bacteria (with two membranes) are the critical issue.

These bacteria cause diseases which are difficult to treat, and where the biggest resistance is seen, such as pneumonia, or blood, skin, and urinary tract infections.

However, this discovery highlights a new area for drug discovery. The soil is full of lots of species of microorganism, many of which produce potentially therapeutic compounds, including antibiotics. Finding new strains is

critical in the arms race to tackle antibiotic resistance, but, according to the Independent, before this discovery, scientists had only found one new strain of antibiotics in the last 33 years, an antibiotic called teixobactin that is used to kill Mycobacterium Tuberculosis.

The discovery of a new strain of antibiotics represents an exciting advancement in science. New technology has made it easier to rapidly comb through the DNA of different soil organisms and identify potential antimicrobial compounds. Hopefully more useful compounds such as this will be discovered in the near future.

University teams will continue to be the major drivers in this kind of research, because pharmaceutical companies struggle to make money in this area. This is because courses of antibiotics only last 5-7 days and bacteria soon become resistant, fast rendering the drug useless.

Anti-depressants DO Work Emilia Rose Sci & Tech Editor

The results from a pioneering study into the efficacy of antidepressants have demonstrated that they are indeed effective.

This comes after long-stand-

ing scepticism regarding their usefulness in treating depression, which resulted in pharmaceutical companies ceasing research and development into new antidepressant drugs.

Researchers from across the globe examined evidence from 522 trials on twenty-one different antidepressant drugs in a study

which took six years to complete.

They found that every single drug was more effective than the placebo although the efficacy of each drug varied somewhat, with amitriptyline and venlafaxine among the most effective drugs.

Prozac, now known by its generic name fluoxetine, was listed as one the least effective although it is

easily tolerated by patients.

These findings are particularly important as they will hopefully help to dispel the popular myth that antidepressants are no better than the placebo, whilst encouraging patients to try, or persevere with, antidepressants as a viable form of treatment for depression.

Space For Hire Will Nunn reports on why the recent space-related decisions and innovations are things to be excited about Will Nunn Sci & Tech Writer

“We want a new space race”, says Elon Musk, following the successful test flight of the Falcon Heavy rocket, now the most powerful in the world, at the beginning of the month. This comes as the latest breakthrough by private space venture SpaceX. The Heavy breaks ground in the modern rocket scene, more than doubling the potential payload of its nearest competitor (to 63,800kg) at a third of the cost.

Alongside impressive raw power it manages to cut these costs by being reusable. Two of the three boosters were successfully landed vertically with pinpoint accuracy.

This is the type of smart, forward thinking characteristic of Musk’s companies and makes perfect sense. As Musk explains: you wouldn’t want an aircraft you had to throw away after each trip.

The exact application of these new capabilities is down to SpaceX’s customers. The company website lists bookings by NASA, the US Air Force, and private interests over the coming years, which could take advantage of a whole new class payload.

In the calling for a space race,

Musk is hoping his company will stimulate the private space sector and public sector organisations to follow suit, and it looks like NASA might be on board.

President Trump’s 2019 budget proposal for NASA illustrates the administration’s plans to shift the dynamic of space exploration, if the bill is approved in Congress that is. Announced on the 12th of February, the budget allocates $19.9 billion to the agency, and highlights a clear focus on encouraging the growth of space commerce. Among the new plans detailed was the aim to defund the International Space Station entirely by 2025. This would not mean the end for the base, as the bill

makes no mention of bringing it out of orbit, but could spell it transitioning into a piece of orbital real estate for commercial purposes.

Perhaps most excitingly, the budget sets out plans to establish a more permanent US presence on the moon, with a view to expand this type of long-term habitation towards Mars in years to come.

This was first set out back in December, with Trump signing what he called “Space Policy Directive 1”.

Moving away from NASA, the competitors in Elon Musk’s private space race are largely other like-minded billionaires. Where in Cold War space agencies raced for more tangible goals, such as space-

walks on the moon, today we could see a more broad bloom in developments. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin is pushing for industrial space bases, Microsoft’s Paul Allen’s Vulcan is looking to clamp down on costs to reach orbit and Virgin Galactic is seeking to open up space tourism. Competition is honed in on niches. Efficiency will be crucial in securing government contracts and attracting customers.

All of this points to the next decade being one of the most exciting for space in a long time.

Each new development is opening up yet more possibilities for new technologies, exploration and discovery.

Creature Feature Pigeons How do they navigate?

Will Nunn

Sci & Tech Writer

The homing pigeon is a subspecies of the rock pigeon, a species most people now consider pests.

Historically, however, their unique ability to navigate back to their roosts has led to some interesting uses.

The birds have been used in war as messengers, as couriers for stock prices, and their flight home has been made a sport. It would be reasonable to think that after depending on their navigation for centuries we should have some understanding of how it works, but the scientific community is yet to agree.

The popular “map and compass” model suggests the birds navigate using magnetoception, using iron particles in the beak to tune into the Earth’s magnetism like a compass. Though widespread, this has failed to gain sufficient experimental evidence to be fully accepted.

Nearer to their homes it is likely that pigeons use local landmarks. A 2004 study by the Oxford University Department of Zoology used GPS trackers to demonstrate pigeons following roads and turning at junctions. GPS studies have also shown they do not take the fastest routes, preferring to repeat familiar directions if they have made a journey before.

Another argument suggested pigeons are able to memorise the atmospheric odours of their nest sites to literally smell the direction of home, since inhibited sense of smell has been linked to difficulty with orientation.

The jury, however, is still out.

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A Hot Cup of Tea a Day can Increase the Risk of Cancer Aisha Dahir Sci & Tech Writer

A study spanning nine years followed over 450,000 people in china has found a clear association between drinking hot tea, in combination with alcohol consumption and smoking, and oesophageal cancer.

165 million cups of tea are drunk daily in Britain, but the study by Canqing Yu in Peking University Health Science Centre has shown the downside of this national pastime. Drinking hot tea without also consuming alcohol, or drinking tea less than once a week with less alcohol consumption was seen to lower the risk of developing oesophageal cancer.

The study also took into account the temperature of tea drunk, varying between “warm”, “hot” and “burning hot”.

Individuals who drank one burn-

ing hot tea on a daily basis along with one alcoholic beverage were five times more likely to develop oesophageal cancer than individuals who drank tea at hot, warm or lower once a week.

However, the temperature of "burning hot" could be varied due to different people believing different temperatures are safe to be drinking tea at. In countries such as Russia, Turkey and South America people tend to drink tea at temperature above 65 degrees Celsius.

The oesophagus is the tube in the digestive tract which carries food from the mouth to the stomach. Whichever food or drink we consume, the oesophagus is the first place that it passes through.

Any potentially harmful substances can damage the cells lining the oesophagus. Alcohol has molecules which cause damage to cells, and drinking hot liquids, such a cup of hot tea, can disrupt

the healing process of the oesophagus. Accumulation of these damages is what can cause the cellular changes in the oesophagus which can eventually allow oesophageal cancer to develop.

Oesophageal cancer is diagnosed to 9,000 people in the UK and the 5-year survival rate is 15%, however this depends on the stage of the cancer too. It is the 14th most common cancer in the UK for adults. This relationship of hot tea with alcohol can affect these numbers in the future.

However, the study does not say that tea itself is an issue, as it is known for its herbal and advantageous agents in which it can help protect the cells against tumours in the digestive tracts – this study has shown the tempera-

The Government has lost a clean-air court case to campaigners over their inadequate and unlawful plan to tackle air pollution. The Royal Colleges of Physicians and of Paediatrics and Child Health say that over ture of tea must also b e regulated. Typical risks are alcohol, smoking, diet, age, being overweight, and other medical conditions. The new insight into temperature regulation along with alcohol beverage quantity will affects people in many cultures and all over the world.

Love at First Sight: Fact or Fairytale?

Katie Jones

40,000 people die early each year due to air pollution.

Drug errors, according to BBC News, could cause up to 22,000 deaths each year due to incorrect doses being given, delays in the administration of medication and the wrong medication

being

given.

Jeremy Hunt says that the introduction of a new electronic system to the NHS could

Sci & Tech Editor

Your eyes meet from the corner of a crowded room and everything else melts away - love at first sight is usually the key event for the protagonists of many fairy tales and stories. What fates would have met Cinderella and Prince Charming, if the sparks had not flown so quickly between them before midnight? Even out of fiction, many people still have claimed to have either witnessed or experienced it, with one in three people saying they had personally felt this, according to New Scientist. The concept is certainly very appealing, but is it entirely accurate to say that you can fall in love with someone after just a glimpse? Unfortunately, the answer to this is probably not.

So why do so many people think that they have felt this way about someone? Well they probably did feel something...but it was not love. Love is felt through trust, commitment, passion, and intimacy; it is a bond that usually takes people a considerable amount of time to form deeply. So while many people have said they loved someone as soon as they saw them, it was probably just a very strong physical attraction. By this logic, therefore, the more physically attractive or beautiful a person is, the more likely it is that someone might experience this phenomenon towards them.

It is also true that this feeling does not have to be mutual. A recent study assessed the feelings of participants when speed dating: The Independent reported that of the people who thought they had experienced love at first sight, none of their feelings were reciprocated by their desired partners.

In fact it is actually quite rare for

This Week in Sci&Tech...

reduce these errors by 50%.

Kylie Jenner has seen the app, snapchat, lose over a billion dollars after a tweet she sent. Once a prominent snapchat user, she tweeted about the fact that she did not use it anymore. This comes after the new app redesign, which many users were not satisfied with.

A mutation found in an

Lily James as Cinderella (2015)

people to mutually feel this same attraction.

Another harsh reality is that love at first sight is more likely to be experienced by men - and no one is really sure why. Some suggest that it might be because women are more selective and men might experience this with many potential partners, but this is more speculation than fact.

In addition to physical attraction, another way people could be fooled is with false memories.

Hindsight changes your perceptions of events with the retrospective light of what follows after.

People who are in happy and committed relationships are more likely to believe that they experienced love at first sight, if love is what the initial meeting leads to. Another factor playing into this, according to New Scientist, is that misremembering the first stages of a

relationship further down the track can help to strengthen and maintain the relationship, as it helps to reassure the partner of their affection and keeps up the romance.

The ‘Halo’ effect may also play a part in helping the sparks fly, as people are more likely to assign positive attributes to people they are attracted to. The ‘Halo’ effect actually occurs very frequently, and can sway people’s judgements in a lot of environments. Examples of this include in the workplace - if a supervisor sees an employee as enthusiastic, they will usually mark them higher on work assessments, even if their abilities are not as good as others.

Another example is in adverts where celebrities are used to endorse the products. Their successfulness and popularity make the audience think that the product is linked to these traits, making

them more likely to then purchase it.

In the dating world, the ‘Halo’ effect works positively for more attractive people, because their beauty is not only associated with increased fertility, but also with being of higher intelligence and better character. This can bias people’s views, therefore making them think of their potential partners in a more generous light.

Love at first sight is a really good story which we have all bought into wholeheartedly.

Despite the fact that it is probably a romanticized exaggeration of a strong physical attraction, many relationships are formed this way, so it is not something to simply dismiss. Sure, the Prince may have been a little superficial when seeing his Cinderella, but they do live happily ever after in the end.

immunity gene, called Sting, has been found to give bats resistance to the ebola virus. It does this by lowering the levels of interferon in the body, which is used to signal when the body is under attack. At higher levels, interferon contributes to the more extreme symptoms for ebola. The hope is that by knowing this, we can find new ways to protect ourselves against ebola.

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Success For Team GB

Sport Editor Olli Meek reviews all of the action from the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea Olli Meek Sport Editor

The Winter Olympics proved an unprecedented success for Team GB, gaining the record medal haul ever achieved at a Winter games.

The five medals placed the UK as 19th in the medals table, but was an improvement of 25% on the total haul from Sochi 2014, and is five times that of 8 years ago in Vancouver.

This is a welcome result for UK Sport, who have recently invested over £28 million on Winter Olympic sports off the back of the recent increases in medal totals, with Chair of the organisation Katherine Grainger calling the achievements of the team “a brilliant job”.

"The five medals placed the UK as 19th... and is five times that of 8 years ago in Vancouver" Lizzie Yarnold was arguably the star of the show, retaining her Gold medal, the only one that Team GB won, in the skeleton. It was not just Yarnold who flew the flag on ice however, with her

teammates Laura Deas and Dom Parsons taking Bronze medals as well.

The two athletes who rounded off the group were Izzy Atkin who took Bronze in the ski slopestyle and Billy Morgan who rode his snowboard to Bronze in big air.

One of the aspects that Grainger emphasised in her comments was the longevity of British achievements in such sports, saying that the funding that has recently been given to the team should not only be judged on this games.

The contribution was made by UK Sport with the view to preparing for the Beijing games in 2022 as well and setting foundations for sustained improvement rather than one singular blowout. From the efforts of multiple teams who competed, this looks like a reasonable target, with both curling teams coming close to medalsthe mens and womens in fifth and fourth respectively- along with a shock exit for promising speed skater Elise Christie who was victim of two unlucky falls and a disqualification.

Chef de mission for Team GB Mike Hay was nonetheless very positive about these teams, expressing his pride at their performances and optimism for their future competitions. This is in the context of a lacklustre alpine scene in the UK, with training facilities lacking and many athletes needing to seek colder climes to find an adequate training envi-

ronment.

The nation that really stood out at these games was Norway.

Is anyone surprised?

The Scandinavian environment boasts some of the best conditions in the world for developing their winter sports prowess, and it showed.

They topped the medal table with a total of 39, 8 in front of second placed Germany.

"The Norwegian team were level with the Germans on Gold medals, each with 14" The Norwegian team were level with the Germans on Gold medals, each with 14, but pulled far ahead of their central European rivals on Silver and Bronze, with 4 more medals in both categories.

Another feather to their cap was that Norway broke the record for most medals won at a Winter Olympic Games.

The previous record was held by the USA who managed 37 at Vancouver in 2010. The feat was made even more astonishing given the comparative population size of Norway and their initial target of only 30 medals. The population of Norway totals just over 5 million people, a mere drop in the ocean compared with that of

Germany, who weigh in at a tasty 82 million.

There are multiple ways that Norway seek to achieve this success, aside from the obvious measures of including Marit Bjorgen, the most decorated Winter Olympian of all time, and just generally being pretty damn good at winter sports. There is no financial incentive for performing well or winning medals, because instead their sporting federation reward them with Gold coloured shoes and cake. Many also have other jobs rather than being fulltime professionals in their chosen sports, as well as there being a "no jerks" rule on the skiing team, who spend 200 days a year together. Cross-Country Skiing was where the Norwegians excelled, gaining 7 Golds here compared to the most in another competition being just 2 from Ski Jumping and Speed Skating.

Coming a a close third were Canada, who emerged from the competition with 11 Golds as part of their 29 medals. This placed them in the same spot as was predicted for them by sports data analytics company Gracenote, Norway and Germany having been predicted to swap places.

They also predicted that Norway would benefit the most from the absence of an official Russian team, state-sponsored doping having been discovered at the 2014 games.

Roger Federer: Greatest Of All Time Sport Writer Evan Yabsley discusses Roger Federer's recent run at the ATP Rotterdam, and why he is the undisputed G.O.A.T. Evan Yabsley Sport Writer

Friday 16th February saw Roger Federer defeat Tommy Haase in the quarter-final of the ATP Rotterdam to become the world’s oldest Number 1 seed in singles tennis ever.

The 36 year old Swiss beat Andre Agassi’s record of 33 years of age, and replaced Rafa Nadal at the top of the ATP world rankings.

This marks an impeccable start to 2018 for Federer, having won a record 20th Grand Slam title at the expense of Marin Cilic at the Australian Open in January.

With all his accolades, there’s no doubting that Roger Federer is the single greatest tennis player of all time, and despite being 36 years old, he’s showing no signs of slowing down. However, there is no need to limit to his superiority to just tennis.

Since the turn of the millennium, the world has witnessed some of greatest athletes to ever grace the world of sport. Usain Bolt, Lionel Messi, Michael Phelps, Tom Brady, Lebron James and even Mo Salah, the 21st century has seen some true sporting greats who have changed the face of

their sport forever. However, none have done so quite like the Goat himself, Roger Federer.

2017 for Roger Federer was supposed to be an epilogue to a tremendous career. Federer had other ideas. Instead of being ‘finished’ like his critics said, he went on to start a new chapter in his illustrious career, winning three of the last six grand slams, all at an age where Pete Sampras had been retired for over half a decade. This is no mean feat.

Over the past 45 years, only 5 players have won a grand slam over the age of 30, and not one of them went on to win multiple grand slams. Since turning 30, Federer has managed to win a truly sensational four Grand Slams, three of these coming since turning 35, including a record tenth Wimbledon title and a joint record sixth Australian. Not to mention from 2004 to 2008 he won five consecutive US Opens.

The numbers alone stake Federer’s claim as one of the best athletes of the 21st century, but anyone who has watched this man play will understand why I think he is the best. No tennis player has ever been quite as graceful as Roger on the court, and no one in any sport has ever made being the

best look so effortless.

His trade mark one-handed back hand is one of the most aweinspiring sights in sport, and plays as if the racket is a natural extension of his hand. His footwork mirrors that of a dancer from the Moscow State ballet, and his between the legs shot in the 2009 US Open against Novak Djokovic, dubbed the shot of the century, really proved why he’s one of the most exciting men in sport to watch. Not only this, he does it all without breaking a sweat.

It’s not clear how long Federer can keep up this spectacle, he is still, believe it or not, a human being.

No matter how many or how few years it may be, sports fans of this generation have been truly blessed to witness Roger Federer in all his sporting glory. It is unlikely that any sports star will be able to replicate his sheer skill and talent for decades to come, and it’s likely that in 50 years’ time, we will still be talking about Federer as the greatest athlete of the 21st Century.

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Wolves to Slip Up?

Sport Writer and Wolverhampton Wanderers fan Haydn Dupree gives us his take on their season so far and whether they will be promoted Haydn Dupree Sport Writer

After a winless run of three games, Wolves have seen their 12-point lead at the top of the Championship halved, with Cardiff now only 2 wins off the leaders. Wolves’ key problems of late seem to revolve around complacency and a lack of a ruthless edge which has meant that Wolves were held at Preston and at home to Norwich.

"The Championship is without doubt one of the most challenging and competitive leagues in the world" Although, at Craven Cottage, Wolves performed poorly and were well beaten by an in-form Fulham side, this transformed the frustration of Wolves fans into fear. Against Fulham, it was not just Wolves’ struggle with the final ball and the finish, it was simply that Wolves were not able to control the game like they are used to. Wolves’ lack of control may have been largely down to

the absence of Ruben Neves who was suspended for this fixture. It is fair to say that his work effort, creativity and range of passing was sorely missed by Wolves.

"Teams are now setting up to play differently against the side" With blatant defensive and offensive issues on the pitch, it is imperative for Wolves to improve, fix their problems and bounce back against Reading to ensure that the team can remain confident while eradicating some hope that Cardiff may have of catching them.

"Wolves' lack of control may have been largely down to the absence of Ruben Neves" It must be appreciated that the Championship is without doubt one of the most challenging and competitive leagues in the world and the Wolves players will have to show a large degree of character to improve and find their previous brilliant form. All things

considered, Wolves still have only lost one of their last six and indeed do have the necessary quality to charge on and win the title.

Wolves full back Matt Doherty has commented that given the imperious nature of their form, teams are now setting up to play differently against the side. This means that sides like Preston and QPR have set up in an ultra defen-

sive manner against Wolves, stopping the fervent attacking combinations of Bonatini and Jota.

To be caught, it demands Cardiff continue their winning ways, as though that is an easy task. Although the gap has been chopped over the last three games, it must be said that a substantial gap still remains and therefore, although we may have witnessed

poor performances recently, this is not Wolves bottling the league.

Also, given the lack of recent positive results for Aston Villa in third, Wolves fans can rest reasonably easy knowing that the very least of our expectations should be automatic promotion this season.

We Don't Need A Winter Break

Sport Editor Olli Meek looks at the proposals being discussed by the Premier League for a winter break being introduced Olli Meek Sport Editor

New discussions emerging from Premier League bosses in recent days are making evident their plans to implement a winter break in February, and frankly I can't understand why.

The idea currently is to have a 2 week break at the start of February whereby the fifth round of the FA Cup would be moved to mid-week without replays, and teams would go for around 13 days without a match. Five fixtures would be played on one weekend and five more on another to bring about a staggered layout to the gap.

One of the main voices calling for such a break has been Catalan maverick Pep Guardiola, who has come to the English game from Spain, where the winter rest has been a fixture for a long time. He has made a repetitive complaint of the fact that his players are suffering from unrelenting fatigue due to the congested nature of the winter period- you can understand my scepticism when you see how significant their current lead at the

top of the Premier League table is.The winter congestion is one of the best aspects of the Premier League hands down. Much as many football fans are unable to watch all of the fixtures due to the monopoly that Sky Sports have over the market, having games coming thick and fast throughout the festive period makes the table exciting. It has been a feature of the English game for as long as anyone can remember and it would be ludicrous, in my opinion, to try and dumb this down or temper it.

Naturally players will get more tired than usual, but surely what tests the true mettle of champions is at what point they hit the wall in such a period. Surely the emergent champions at the end of the season will be more deserving having been the ones who could hold out when the clock is closing in on 90 minutes and they are under pressure. Some make the point that having a congested calendar detrimentally affects our form in Europe and ability to win the biggest club competitions on the world stage such as the Champions League. It is not as if an English team has never won

the Champions League, even in recent seasons Chelsea and Manchester City have had forays into the semi-finals of such competitions, Chelsea being the last actual winners from England in 2012.

With the fixture schedule as it is, it makes it an even bigger achievement when English teams do win European trophies. I am thoroughly against the attempt to make the schedule pander to those at the top of the league who are competing in Europe. The Premier League is the most competitive league in world football, and it needs to be kept that way. Your smaller teams go to big grounds on the Saturday after a Champions League match knowing that their opposite numbers are going to be feeling the effects, and they may come out with a result. This is why fans watch football, for the upsets, the trials and tribulations wherever that may come from.

They do not watch for the league to acquiesce to those privileged few at the top trying to create the perfect season for whining managers whilst the lower clubs have no idea what to do with a warm weather training camp.

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Wenger's Last Chance Sport Editor Alex Alton gives his view on the Carabao Cup Final, what this means for City, and whether Arsenal's loss may be a seminal point in the removal of Arsene Wenger Alex Alton Sport Editor

"It's like witnessing the ageing Muhammad Ali or watching Brazil's Ronaldo when he got fat" - these were the comments from renowned football pundit and Arsenal legend Ian Wright, regarding Arsene Wenger's decline at the club. For many, Sunday's cup final against Manchester City was the nail in the coffin for Wenger, displaying all of Arsenal's inadequacies in microcosmic form.

The Final Arsenal lined up against City with a back 3, consisting of the inconsistent Calum Chambers and Shkodran Mustafi, alongside Laurent Koscielny. Many Arsenal fans are tired of the trust that Wenger puts in players who simply are not up to the required level.

Although Chambers didn't have a bad game, he is way out of his depth in a game at this level.

Wenger's trust has repaid him on numerous occasions, with examples through Arsenal's side such as Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey. Both have been blighted by injuries and other clubs of a similar level would have undoubtedly released the pair by now, but Wenger sticks by them.

Wing backs for the game were Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal, both OK performers.

These two can be excellent on their day but can succumb to the same catastrophic lapses in concentration that Mustafi displayed yesterday. Moving forward, in midfield were Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey.

Xhaka has yet to prove to fans why he cost the club £35 million, which is still a handsome fee even in this era of massive inflation of transfer fees. Ramsey on the other hand is a solid player, who rarely disappoints in big games.

The front 3 consisted of the

aforementioned Wilshere, Mesut Özil and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Arsenal's glittering new signing. Both Wilshere and Ozil lack the necessary pace to be effective in these zones, so it was baffling to see them both played behind the striker. Aubameyang on the other hand has pace to spare, and needs excellent delivery from wide players in order to thrive.

"I had gone into the game knowing that we would lose" Arsenal didn't really have any players who utilised the width on the day, though, and perhaps that was their downfall. Or perhaps it was Arsenal's opponents, the allconquering Manchester City (aside from the FA Cup). City look truly unstoppable this season, and as an Arsenal fan myself, I had gone into the game knowing that we would lose the match.

The Match The game was a very strange affair to start, with Arsenal having an excellent chance in the 8th minute. The ball got through for Jack Wilshere, who eventually scrambled the ball across the goal to Ozil.

The unselfish German playmaker then passed the ball across the box to Aubameyang, who had run offside in the process. Saying this, Aubameyang still could not get a touch on the ball before the referee blew for the offside call.

The game settled down after this, with Arsenal playing mostly on the break, unable to match City's build up play and overall passing style.

It was not City's@nick.w.minter passing style which enabled their first goal, however. Claudio Bravo unleashed

a goal kick up the field, with the ball making its way to the final third. Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi looked to be handling the situation with a header back into City's half. Sergio Aguero had different ideas, stepping goalside of Mustafi and nudging him just as the ball reached Mustafi's head, meaning that Aguero was through on goal with only Ospina to beat.

What did Aguero do? He chipped Ospina from the edge of the box, the ball nestling in the net to the celebrations of City fans, who surely realised that they had won the game.

Arsenal were never going to get back into the game from this point. Gary Neville, rightly hypercritical of Arsenal throughout the game, posited that Mustafi's defending was that of an under 12 side.

It would be hard to disagree with that. City's second goal came from an unlikely source, captain, leader and club legend Vincent Kompany. He won a corner through sheer determination, popping up in the right place at the right time to seal another goal for Pep Guardiola's men. The ball was fizzed in to the 6 yard area by the mercurial De Bruyne, with Kompany reacting quickest and sticking a boot to the ball, which glided past David Ospina into the net.

The game was City's now and Arsenal had truly surrendered to the better side. 7 minutes later in the 65th minute, salt was rubbed into the wounds of the ailing Arsenal by the new Stephen Ireland, David Silva. Silva converted with an easy chance from close range, meaning the game was now a dead rubber.

Where newer players to City's all star side such as De Bruyne, Sterling and Ederson have taken the reigns, it was quite fitting that in this season, three absolute legends in Aguero, Kompany and Silva scored the goals on the day.

The triumvirate cost the club around £70 million, but have

repaid that figure time and time again with their dedication, temperament and sheer class for this City side. Perhaps it would be appropriate to contrast this to the Arsenal side, who currently lack any form of identity.

If Wenger does not leave the club, fans fear that Arsenal will slide out of the prestigious top 6 club, meaning that the lucrative rewards for Champions League qualification will be hard for Arsenal to come by.

Should Wenger go?

I feel like somewhat of a broken record when it comes to discussing whether Wenger should leave the club, as it often goes round in cycles. We start the season reasonably well, fall off slightly, then have a terrible game away to a minnow, or capitulate against a big side, and everyone is calling for Wenger's head.

"I think Wenger is currently destroying the legacy he has built at Arsenal" After a while the loud voices of the likes of Arsenal Fan TV die down, with Wenger reinstalling some passion and positive football within the team. After this, fans become quite hopeful, and idealistic about the team's chanc-

es.

This happened last year, where Arsenal could still mathematically qualify for the top 4 on the final day. Personally, I think Wenger is destroying the legacy he has built at Arsenal, and would do well to step down once the season finishes. It is a real shame that it looks likely he won't go out on a high, given the FA Cup exit and Premier League position.

If Wenger was to win the Europa League, this would be rather symbolic of what the last 10 years of his reign actually represents at Arsenal; not failure, but far short of excellence. The Frenchman's obsession with Champions League qualification is highly admirable, but the fans are not looking at a balance sheet.

Due to their history in the Premier League era, they believe that they are a truly great club, and I think that Arsenal fans are right to believe that. But the man who built Arsenal into this great club has now stayed too long to watch it fall by the wayside.

Wenger must go before it gets much worse.

He isn't the only problem at Arsenal, with majority shareholder Stan Kroenke also a large part of the issue. However, on balance, this cup final told you everything you needed to know about Arsenal and Arsene Wenger; tired, dilapidated, and in need of a different philosophy to achieve success.

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Promotion for Villa?

Deputy Editor and Aston Villa aficionado Harry Wilkinson, and Sport Editor Alex Alton, examine the Villains' chances of regaining their top flight status Harry Wilkinson Deputy Editor

Alex Alton Sport Editor

Going into this weekend Villa sit 3rd, 4 points off Cardiff in 2nd and 10 points off Wolves in 1st.

After a dramatic comeback against Sheffield Weds last week, Villa are still very confident in getting that second place. 4 points may seem like a fair amount, but when you consider Villa still have to play Cardiff at home, and there are still 12 games to go, that 4 point gap is almost negligible.

Some Villa fans even still fancy their chances of winning the title.

Winning the title really doesn’t matter though, because all we care about is going up. Whether that’s via 1st or 2nd no-one cares; tt’s the same reward.

Villa cannot complain about the difficulty of their run-in, and should go into every game hoping to win. The biggest games Villa have to play are at home: Wolves on 10th March, Cardiff on April 10th and Derby April 28th. It’s not vital, but if we win all of those games, I reckon we'll go up.

What is vital in order for us to go up is that Jack Grealish and Albert Adomah stay fit. These two players are absolutely crucial to Villa and the way we play, but for the last three games they have been injured. We have just about

scraped through the last three games without too much damage, losing at in-form Fulham, drawing to Preston and beating Sheffield Weds away. The lack of Super Jack and Uncle Albert has been so gapingly apparent, as they are two of the major sparks that light our attacking fire. Snodgrass is the other spark, and thankfully he stepped up his performance against Sheffield on Wednesday, helping us to the win.

"If Villa fail to gain promotion this season the financial consequences will be quite severe" Prior to Grealish and Adomah’s absence, Villa had won 7 games in a row. This was achieved by playing a pretty much unchanged 11, with the front four being Hogan at number 9, Adomah on the left, Snodgrass on the right and Grealish in a free, creative role behind. This worked very well, and Grealish has been in his best form since the 2015 FA Cup run under Sherwood. Hogan can be swapped out for Keinan Davis (an impressive young, strong centre-forward) or Lewis Grabban (technically the player who has scored the most goals in the

Championship on our team, most coming for Sunderland), but the other three are vital to our attacking power.

"All we care about is going up" As I've already mentioned, a vital component of this Villa side and their resurgent run to the automatic promotion positions has been the form of both Albert Adomah and Jack Grealish. When Adomah was swapped for Adama Traore, many Villa fans felt incredibly short changed, especially considering the age difference between the pair and the relative lack of difference in quality. Over the last two seasons, it looks to have been an incredibly shrude move by Tony Xia. Adomah has been the main man for goalscoring due to the absence of Jonathan Kodjia, stepping up and scoring whilst also playing out of position.

Grealish, on the other hand, has shown signs of the player he was during the end of the 2014-15 season under Tim Sherwood. In the FA Cup semi final against Liverpool, Grealish ran the show, using his excellent vision to great effect. At one point Grealish was highly rated enough to change his international allegiance to England, believing that his career trajectory would see him playing for the Three Lions rather than the Republic of Ireland. However, it hasn't all worked out for him, with a number of injuries and bad runs of form preventing Grealish from returning to former heights. This season however has been a completely different story for Grealish.

In recent times the side has looked so poor, simply down to the absence of Grealish's creative flair, which opens up gaps and provides goalscoring opportunities.

Another player who has aided Villa signifcantly is Robert Snodgrass. This opinion may be slightly outlandish, but I would say that if Snodgrass had electrifying pace, he would be one of the best players in the Premier League.

His technical ability trumps that of any other Villa player, with his passing and crossing abilities thaose of a seasoned top flight player.

This showed against Barnsley, where the Scotsman picked out a truly sublime pass to put the ball on a plate for Scott Hogan to score.

@JackGrealish1 Sam Johnstone has been outstanding in goal for us this season, along with Chester and Terry being the most consistently good player. Whether we’re in the Premier League next season or not, we’d be very lucky to hold on

"I would say that if Snodgrass had electrifying pace, he would be one of the best players in the Premier League" to Johnstone, who is on-loan from Manchester United.

Our other Manchester United loane Axel Tuanzebe has arrived, and being put straight into the side, has proved his quality immediately. I've been impressed with the solidity he offers the defense.

For a team of Villa's average height, we do concede an awful lot of goals from set pieces, and Tuanzebe's combination of height and strength may really help us in stopping the rot in that department.

Joshua Onomah, on the other hand, has become less and less important in this current Villa

side. It is strange to think that Steve Bruce had enough trust in the Spurs loanee to throw him in at the deep end, playing behind Keinan Davis against Birmingham at St. Andrews. He failed to impress in that game, and has showed little else this season to prove that he can hack in the Championship, never mind the Premier League.

Finally, on an incredibly souring note, if Villa fail to gain promotion this season, the financial consequences will be quite severe.

Due to the Financial Fair Play rules, which require clubs to be within a certain limit of breaking even, Villa can only afford to make a loss of £39m next season if they are in the Championship.

Given that their maximum losses for 2017/18 are £61m, there is significant wriggle room for the club to spend big to go up. Couple this with the notion that if the club are not promoted this season, the parachute payments given by the Premier League will also be cut, meaning that the club will receive less money, and also have reduced opportunity to spend it. This would almost certainly mean that the club would have to sell first team players, in order to restructure club finances to comply with FFP regulations. On all levels then, it truly is now or never for Villa.

Selected BUCS Results - 21.02.18 There were some dominant performances in the first round of the Championships, the most significant being Women’s Football 1s 5-0 win over Cardiff 1 and Women’s Lacrosse 1 beating Bath 1st team 27-2. After claiming a 22-12 victory over Harper Adams 3s, Men’s Rugby Union 4th team have now reached the Final of the Plate.

After once again claiming a 3-0 victory, the Women’s Volleyball team have secured the league and promotion with a game to spare. The Men's Football 1sts also gained a 2-1 victory against Chichester, unable to quite match the scoring feats of their female counterparts.

Clash of the Try-tans: Varsity Rugby 2018 02.03.2018 Olli Meek investigates the successes of Team GB at the Winter Olympics Page 36

Sport Editor Olli Meek previews the upcoming Varsity Rugby match between UBRFC's First XV and the Brum Medics 1st XV Olli Meek

Haydn Dupree examines Wolves' recent Championship slip up Page 37 Alex Alton reviews the Carabao Cup Final Page 38

Harry Wilkinson assesses Aston Villa's promotion chances Page 39 For more, follow us on Twitter @redbricksport

Sport Editor

One of the most keenly anticipated events of the sports calendar at the University of Birmingham returns on Saturday 9th March when Varsity Rugby is set to grace Bournbrook.

The University of Birmingham Rugby Football Club 1st XV will take on the Medics Rugby Football Club 1st XV at 6:00pm on the Bournbrook 4G pitch.

Entertainment starts from 5:30pm and an electric atmosphere is sure to brew before kick-off, if nothing else in anticipation of the post-Varsity Fab which is always a special occasion.

Last year saw the UoB Bhangra Society and the UB Pussycats take to the field as well to entertain the mass crowds, along with live music and the Red Bull team spreading their caffeinecharged goodness.

"Last year UBRFC were keen to regain the bragging rights and put on a show in front of the expectant crowd" This year will be no different, with Brook's Bar in the newly opened pavilion added to the mix offering special deals in what will be one of the first significant run-outs that it will have

had since opening.

It is also the first time Varsity will have been played on the new 4G pitch, which has been well used already but still presents a change from the norm.

Two years ago in Varsity 2016, the Medics team had taken the spoils, so last year UBRFC were keen to regain the bragging rights and put on a show in-front of the expectant crowd. They duly did so, and ran out 26-7 winners in what was, in truth, a harsh scoreline on the Medics but a deserved win for the University side nonetheless.

The University side have had a less than ideal run up to this game, with their performances in the first half of the season placing them in a perilous position in the league. They started out with four losses from five matches, the only reprieve to this streak being a home victory against Durham.

Redbrick reported on that game maybe we should attend more of their matches as they were then subjects of an away drubbing to high-flying Newcastle. Consecutive losses to the likes of Bishop Burton College and Loughborough were testing for the University side, who came out of that run of fixtures needing a morale boost, wherever that may come from.

Eventually, however, they found their feet and rounded off a previously-dismal November with a convincing win over the University of Leeds and a subsequent triumph in the Midlands derby at home to the University of Nottingham.

Since Christmas however, their form has improved significantly, their only loss having been in the first match back to a strong Durham side.

They have since turned over consecutive wins against Edinburgh, Bishop

Burton College, and Newcastle.

This takes their place in the BUCS Rugby Union North A, at the time of writing, up to 5th out of 8 on 30 points, with their Vase fixture against Exeter 2nds having taken place on 28th February.

"Consecutive losses [...] were testing for the University side" Recently there has also been a fruitful run of fixtures for the Medics side.

Just prior to the winter break they played Nottingham at Sutton Coldfield RFC and came out 21-8 winners. They will also be buoyed by their recent victory against Moseley Academy, where they emerged 38-5 victors at the start of February. The Medics have, however, finished their cup run for the season now unfortunately. Last season they enjoyed a successful campaign all the way to the final, only to be beaten by the now back-to-back National Association of Medical Schools (NAMS) Cup Winners Cardiff.

Winning against Brighton in the quarter finals they then went through to face Nottingham in the semis, but could not overcome their Midlands rivals to make a second Final in two years.

We are looking forward to another spectacular Varsity - if you see any of the Redbrick team down at Bournbrook be sure to say hi. May the best team win!