Forward 11

THE RICHARD HUISH COLLEGE MAGAZINE SUMMER 2015

MUSIC SPORT FILM POLITICS TECHNOLOGY CREATIVE WRITING MEDIA

Goodbye and thank you to everyone on the editorial team who is leaving college and progressing onto university, Apprenticeships or work. All the rest of you, see you in September.

Liz Williams Marketing Manager

WELCOME MOHAMMAD LONE

Another academic year is over and another stunning issue of Forward has been produced by our talented students. This issue covers a wide range of topics; cars, politics, Apprenticeships and feminism…..

Something for everyone to read on the beach. Producing a magazine of this quality is a team effort and thanks also goes to Liz Webb and Matt Williams from the marketing team.

Welcome to the Summer 2015 edition of Forward Magazine! A time to say farewell to some and welcome others, we are excited to present to you an issue that is as diverse and fascinating as ever.

Whether you’re interested in philosophy, science, film, politics or pretty much anything else, there is sure to be something for you in this edition.

We’ve got fantastic content on topics as diverse as human settlement on Mars, the roots of all our different accents and dialects, the ‘Quiet Place Project’, and the recent rise of UKIP in British politics. You will also find the second part of our fictional series ‘8 Days A Week’, and a fascinating review of wonderkid director Xavier Dolan’s new film ‘Mommy’.

opportunities with Active Huish, the widening range of Apprenticeships and Traineeships becoming available, and a personal insight into what it’s like doing a BA Business at Huish.

This is just a taste of what is in store for you in this edition, there is so much more! We are fortunate enough to have an incredible team of writers, but also editors. We’d like to thank Liz Williams, Liz Webb and Matt Williams from the marketing department for making Forward possible.

So, feel free to read on. We hope you enjoy reading Forward as much as we did writing it.

Mohammad Lone COVER: Ollie Troup, Red Room at Live & Loud 2015 Friday 19th June

And there’s also a great opportunity to learn more about life at the College – we’ve got features on casual sports

Harry Boulton

Jack Dennehy

Diogo Santos Ganga

Hannah Govan

Emma Hills

Shonah Reece

Sam Rooks

Imogen Snell

Richard Huish College South Road, Taunton, Somerset TA1 3DZ forward@huish.ac.uk www.huish.ac.uk The College exists to provide routes to higher education and the professions through close tutorial support.

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4

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4 | WHAT MAKES GERMAN CARS SO SPECIAL? 6 | FICTIONAL CHARACTER THERAPY 8 | BLURRED LINES: OUR MORAL COMPASS AND THE ANTI-HERO

CONTENTS SUMMER 2015

18

11

26

14

11 | FEMINISM

20 | SPORT

12 | AND MAN SAID: LET THERE BE LIFE

22 | THE QUIET PLACE PROJECT

14 | APPRENTICESHIPS & TRAINEESHIPS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

24 | WHY HAS THERE BEEN A RISE IN UKIP?

15 | MAKING STUDYING & MOTHERHOOD WORK

26 | FILM REVIEW: MOMMY 28 | WHERE’S THAT TO?

16 | 8 DAYS A WEEK (CONTINUED) 18 | LIVE & LOUD

FORWARD | 3

CARS MOHAMMAD LONE If you were to ask someone on the street what car they would like to own, without doubt among the most popular brand selections would be BMW, Mercedes and Audi.

These three manufacturers have taken the global car market by storm in recent decades, and are now the epitome of the well-built, high quality yet massmarketable luxury car. Of course all of their cars are not necessarily of the best quality on the market – the likes of Aston Martin and Ferrari to name just two produced cars that are closest to perfection – however the crucial aspect to why BMW, Mercedes and Audi are more successful and relevant to this discussion is because they are open to the massmarket. The average middle-class family cannot afford a four-door £150,000 Aston Martin Rapide; though a £23,000 BMW 3-Series is within the reach of many, an achievement highlighted best by how it has consistently maintained a spot in the ten topselling cars in Britain since 2004.

The success of the German car industry is abundantly clear when compared to that of Britain’s.

In 2011, Germany produced 5.9 million cars, the highest number in Europe – Britain a paltry 1.3 million – many of these were not British brands but foreign ones such as Nissan and Honda.

And the domination of the Germans extends much further – two typical ‘British’ car makers, Bentley and Mini, are in fact far from British; Bentley is 4 | FORWARD

owned by Volkswagen, Mini by BMW. There are in fact no longer ANY mass-market ‘purely British’ brands – Jaguar, Vauxhall, Land Rover, even Aston Martin, are all foreign-owned.

Germany’s success in the car industry must also be put into perspective – consider that less than a century ago the nation was facing huge economic turmoil, the sort that provides textbook examples of hyper-inflation: the wheelbarrows of cash, the 200 million mark loaves of bread, the extremely volatile prices, the lot.

Post-war reparations had put Germany in a terrible state in the early 20th century but looking at Germany now, with such economic might that makes it the most influential state in the EU, it is clear that the German system has produced fantastic results.

There are numerous reasons for the Germans’ successful car market, but one key reason is the industrial mindset, the ‘manufacturing culture’ that is fostered by the Bavarians.

Britain’s manufacturing industry has had a rough last 30 years – in this period shrinking by two-thirds.

Many believe Margaret Thatcher’s time as PM during the 1980s killed the secondary industry in Britain.

I’m sure you’ve seen the images of striking factory workers, unhappy at Thatcher’s crushing of workers’ unions and the closures of numerous car factories throughout the nation.

This system, making workers a part of the running of their factories, increases the workers’ morale, making them feel more empowered as part of a democratic operation.

CARS MOHAMMAD LONE

German factories will have members of the regular workforce on the executive committee of the factory – as a result the workers are given a voice in the running of the factory, and have the power to suggest changes that may improve efficiency.

To those who may believe this system can be abused to benefit the workers at the cost of the company, the German system really makes a difference. Loyal German workers who are decently paid already are more likely not to abuse their power to push such agendas.

The education system is arguably the biggest factor in German industrial success. In Britain all youths are pushed through the same educational system until the age of 16, after which they are offered either further education or the option of vocational education – such as BTECs or Apprenticeships.

Meanwhile Germany offers more choice to specialise at an earlier point. After the age of 10 (or 12 in some areas) students can study at the Gymnasium to pursue higher education such as university, or can opt for the Realschule or Hauptschule, schools that will provide education in core subjects such as Maths but have a heavier focus on vocational education and practical work experience.

Meanwhile, Germany has only been growing since the Second World War – whereas British car factories became a battleground for a class war between management and labourers; German factories were tight-knit, harmonious and therefore far more efficient.

The closer relationship between workers and management is part of Germany’s attention to what is known as the ‘social market economy’- a type of capitalism that does not co-ordinate market activity itself, but at the same time provides support for society – be it in the form of universal healthcare, unemployment insurance and, most relevant in this discussion, trade unions. German workers enjoy among the highest secondary sector wages in the world, and are provided good working conditions.

In contrast to the system in the USA for example, where entry-level factory wages were halved from $28 to $14 an hour. The Germans’ higher investment in the workers pays off, creating a more co-operative and committed environment, where workers develop loyalty to their company, an idea almost lost in the US labour economy.

These extra years provide a head-start for German workers and have created skilled, respected workers, ready-made to enter the world of manufacturing at the age of 18. German factories have had no shortage of skilled workers – and as a result the production lines are efficient and smoother than most others in the world.

Germany has certainly set the benchmark for efficiency in the manufacturing industry. It must be noted that Japan are similarly capable in car production.

Worker empowerment, the social market economy and an established, effective specialist education system have propelled Germany to the top of the global car industry – and while other countries may not be able to fully translate German practices into their own car industries, it is certain that they can learn lessons from it.

German workers are in fact the most loyal in Europe – the job market is far more stable, meaning companies can afford to invest more in long-term training, and crucially it means workers on the production line are experienced and efficient in their job.

Output is also helped by the power given to the workers on the German production line. Almost all FORWARD | 5

THERAPY IMOGEN SNELL

During any series, we all get attached to characters. It’s something we can’t help, it comes naturally and we can’t stop it, or for that matter want to.

We follow their story, encourage them from above the pages or in front of the screen and we feel as though they are part of our lives. However when we actually realise how involved we have become it is always too late, they have been hurt by someone, a relationship has been severed or the goal that they have been aiming for has been lost and they are emotionally wounded. This is the point when I cry and many others join me in a chorus of wailing over the fate that has befallen them. We all feel like we need therapy.

The issue of course with fictional characters is their tendency to be fictional, a quality that separates them from our world of reality. We are helpless in getting them back on their feet; they have to struggle on without us because we can’t help them from where we are standing. It is the crux of what makes fiction gripping but what also makes it so cruel.

Recently I was thinking about this having been streaming Video Game High School for a week and loving every minute of it. It got me thinking that there are almost ‘types’ that distinguish our negative feelings as the result of our character’s journey.

For example, VGHS didn’t end in the way that I wanted it to and my favourite character didn’t get

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the ending that I thought he deserved. This meant that I didn’t feel that he had fulfilled his potential and it made me upset that he hadn’t shown what he was really capable of. This is my first type, Type 1, and it’s all about the rawness of unfulfilled ideas and how they can eat us up inside like Pac-Man in a maze.

I consider Type 2 to be a relationship one. It’s the turmoil we go through when we believe that we should be in a relationship with a character because we are better for them than the person they have at that point in time or have feelings for. This happened to me whilst watching The Vampire Diaries as I was fully aware of the fact that I should be Stefan’s girlfriend not Elena, as to start off with I’m not attracted to his brother (I still stand by that). This imaginative relationship is perfectly fine up until the moment when you realise that it is doomed and have come to terms with the idea that actually it will never, and can never, happen because you aren’t in their world and they aren’t in yours. It is then that a breakdown ensues and you lose it. Completely. I think this happens most commonly in that creative community of fangirls that make their homes on Tumblr.

Type 3 can only be described as the death category.

It is when after the death of a character you have loved, you experience an overwhelming sense of loss as though they were real and you knew them as a person. This is a particularly common problem to Game of Thrones fans with that grand issue of death potentially looming over any character you invest interest in. This situation can be thoroughly heart

THERAPY IMOGEN SNELL clearly we have issues, but having thought more about it I came to the conclusion that maybe we don’t need therapy at all, maybe fiction is a kind of therapy in itself. Fiction seems to take us on a continuous cycle of loss and heartbreak, pushing us from extreme to extreme but maybe that’s why we choose to read it, because of the way that it makes us feel and the opportunity of immersion into that escapism that we desperately crave to make our lives more exciting, because when it comes down to it, that’s what it’s for. So sometimes we may feel like fictional characters are giving us a slap around the face with all the emotions that they cause us but maybe that’s all part of enjoying the ride.

The other thing that it influenced me to consider was what the real overall result of being wrenching especially when you feel as though there unnecessarily Sellotaped to fictional characters was and what kind of effect that has on readers was injustice in their death. and watchers. My conclusion was that I have often learnt from them. Living through someone else’s The last type that I came up with was Type 4 which experiences can, I think, help you to understand is similar to Type 1 and I figure would probably link your own and prepare for things in the future. It up to it quite a bit. It’s the sense of emptiness when a series has come to an end and you want it to go on might be looking too far into this but I am also under forever. You are left with that feeling of ‘what do I do the impression that it shapes people into who they are. now?’ and it haunts you that the world that you ran away to so many times has finished. So much so that Therefore my therapy for you, in your fictional you form an outlook of denial that it ever ended. difficulties, is to just submerge yourself in more A prime example of this would be Harry Potter, as fiction. It may seem like it will just cause you more the fandom behind it will never accept that it has pain, which it probably will, but it will be worthwhile entirely ended and for that matter nor will I. pain that allows you to escape whatever is going on in your life but also prepare you for it. Fiction is What was screaming at me as I thought through all of this was that we all need therapy for this because therapy for fiction.

FORWARD | 7

Hannah Govan explores audiences’ perception of the good, the bad and the ugly realities of escapism.

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After finishing the trilogy, I started reading City of Bones by Cassandra Clare before its film adaptation was released. In this book, I had been innocently following these characters as protagonists, trying to solve the enigmas of ‘Who’s Jace? What does he do?’ But through the story I realised that the protagonists or more specifically, Jace and his group, were Shadow Hunters. As a reader, I was positioned on the side of Shadow Hunters who were given a slightly different definition to the ones I had learnt about previously and honestly, I stopped reading. I was slightly thrown by the fact that what I regarded as Harry-Potter-death-eater-like evil beings in Heaven, were what I was now siding with in City of Bones. It then dawned on me that it’s fiction. I got so caught up in the plots of these stories to satisfy my need for escapism, I believed for a small portion of my life that a fictional thing, created purely by words and a reader’s imagination, was evil and would always be evil. Clearly, that isn’t the case. A different author with a completely different story subverted by previous perceptions, and I accepted it based on the fact I enjoyed this book too much to let my fictionalised knowledge ruin it.

her stir naturally. The woman turned to the window to shut the red curtains… A man sauntered in waiting to see his wife with a cup of tea in his hand for her, the cup clattered on the wooden floor bounced onto the carpet... nearby was a red pool, tracking back to a small hole in the woman’s head where she lay stiff. Her eyes unaware and bleak. The last thing those eyes saw was of their child, resting in peace….

But what can I say, it wasn’t easy to get a silencer for the rifle. And that window wasn’t the widest of ones either. I packed away the weapon into the carrier as I heard large footsteps on the roof climbing to my direction. It was time to disappear again.’

This is a small extract from a personal project I have been writing after I was inspired by my media studies coursework and the research paper I did: ‘How far can it be argued that Hollywood biopic genre films, such as Pain & Gain (2013) and Coach Carter (2005), manipulate narrative conventions to appeal to a mass audience?’ Prior to the essay, I watched Pain & Gain and I was intrigued by it. IMDb outlines the plot as ‘A trio of bodybuilders in Florida get caught up in an extortion ring and a kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong.’ This anti-hero biopic had humour in it and what made the story all the more disturbing was that the film was based on fact and Michael Bay (director) exaggerated all the dark humour in it to appeal to a mass audience, an audience who like comedy, i.e, me. I had been targeted among the masses to watch this film and I laughed, I thought the violence was too good to be true, but that was the point. Two examples that can summarise the tone of the film is on YouTube

ESCAPISM HANNAH GOVAN

Whilst reading the third and final book from ‘The Halo Trilogy,’ Heaven by Alexandra Adornetto, I was introduced to these beings called Shadow Hunters, partly fallen angel, partly human (that I can recall).

They were presented as antagonists, beings that were set out to destroy ‘star crossed lovers’ and their relationship. In this, I was positioned on the side of the couple and their romantic journey and the narration inferred that Shadow Hunters are bad.

My effort as a reader went into hating them as the journey progressed.

My ‘confirmation to the rules of conduct,’ my moral compass or ‘anything which serves to guide a person’s decisions based on morals or virtues,’ had been in a somewhat insignificant and yet, personal way, had been tested. I constructed in my head my own sense of betrayal from two narratives when really, I just read two books that called their own thing ‘Shadow Hunters.’ I needed to detach myself from Heaven the same way I had to detach myself from 1959’s Sleeping Beauty, in order to actually enjoy Maleficent. Even then, I was frustrated by the portrayal of the fairies and other things, I just couldn’t let go of from my experience of a made-up world. But essentially, I was punishing myself from not separating the same character into two films for different generations.

This is one of many examples of how the perceptions of a ‘goodie’ and a ‘baddie’ can rationalise our moral compass, our sense of right and wrong, ‘the good and the bad.’ This means ‘the ugly’ must be when our moral compass is subverted into unknown territory that as rational people, we can’t figure out the “why?” of the situation presented to us by the creator. The most recent and personal example for me is: Pain & Gain.

‘The woman tucked her small baby into the soft yellow blanket. Her arms gently cradled the newborn and lifted the hood of the blanket away from its face… She cushioned the child into the cot and let FORWARD | 9

ESCAPISM HANNAH GOVAN

The creation of an anti-hero is most popularly known in the form of Breaking Bad’s Walter White, a chemistry teacher and meth dealer, dying of cancer.

Walter is ‘a protagonist who lacks the attributes that make a heroic figure,’ someone who lacked the behaviour, actions and attributes we often see in Superheroes such as The Man of Steel (but even with for example, The Avengers, no super hero is perfect and we like that human attribute in the superhuman). However, audiences are positioned with what in the law and order’s eyes would be an antagonist, with an imperfect protagonist. In the first season, we see an innocent man, trying to pay for his cancer treatment and his only option left is creating the bluest form of meth (which, spoiler alert, isn’t truly possible…apparently…). It isn’t until Season 5 where dedicated audiences see the transformation in Walter, physically, emotionally and mentally. Best example being his lack of sympathy and naivety (which we previously saw in Season 1) when he basically blows up half of villain, Gus Fring’s face, killing him and in doing so becoming the villain himself. No escape of rationality this time.

called ‘Honest mistake’ and ‘Wood bat’ provided

by MOVIEScomingsoon and Paramount Pictures (respectively).

In this essay, I write that ‘Hollywood’s conventional narratives make audiences ‘feel inclined to warm’ towards protagonists as ‘the concerns are so important’ for the characters; there is also a strengthened sense of personal identity.’ Essentially, sometimes we can’t help but side with the people we have gotten to know, we were purposely positioned that way. In Pain & Gain, the first person we see and get to know is Mark Wahlberg’s character, Daniel Lugo, who in real life and at the end of the film was sentenced to death. This was shocking for myself and for a focus group I did for my essay, because we had gotten to know a bit more about these ‘protagonists’ and so we felt a strong inclination for them to get away with their crimes, as funny, violent and horrific as they were.

This means that our expectations for a satisfying ending in terms of them still being alive, is challenged with their demise. But as an audience, we are brought back into reality, the side of law and order, the side of people we have grown up with: criminals get punished for their crimes (putting aside whatever opinion you have about capital punishment). Killing people is wrong, torturing people is wrong, grilling severed hands from people you smashed on the head with a dumbbell…is disturbing and wrong.

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Audiences go through their own turmoil with their morality, Walter has transformed into an anti-hero before our very eyes, and we can’t help but still sympathise and try to rationalise his actions as avenging Gus’ awful nature. This is because of the journey we have been through with him. We want him to live, to succeed, but reality gets in the way.

People change and the audience know inevitably that Walter will die. And when he does, despite the person he has become, it is still emotional because of the person we saw him as, a Chemistry teacher, a rational and decent person who didn’t deserve to have his life end. But let me remind you, this is fiction. This was created to put you in turmoil whilst at the same time be entertained and have a fresh, innovative sense of escapism. That is why Breaking Bad was given the Guinness world record of ‘Highest-Rated TV Series’ for a Metacritic score of 99/100. Audiences had their moral compass put to the test and loved it.

So if this is to have a conclusion, it would be that we choose whether to accept the side we are positioned with, hero or anti-hero. We can choose to oppose it (i.e. I could have stopped reading City of Bones altogether and refuse the idea of goodintentioned ‘Shadow Hunters’) or we can negotiate our morality. What these characters are doing is morally wrong and punishable but for the purpose of entertaining ourselves, we still want to watch it and get to know them and personally identify with them.

Our morality can be played with like a devil’s advocate by the creators of a book, or a film or a TV series. But in the end of it, our moral compass is ours to control, and it can be refreshing to have it challenged from time-to-time. It can make us reevaluate our perceptions, ideals and belief systems and check the validity of our own moral compass….

The eternal debate of bad versus mad. Ironically, anti-heroes in our life: not such a bad thing.

The definition of Feminism is simple -’The advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes’.

However, some disagree. In my opinion, I look at Feminism as an aid in helping to balance the equality of the sexes. Picture a set of scales which are imbalanced.

In order to bring the scales back to balance we must add weights. I feel that these weights are essentially representative of feminism - a movement/object put in place in order to achieve equal measures. This definition and my argument seem only too simple however, many disagree and say that feminism is just an excuse for women to gain more publicity, power and influence over men through this medium.

It does seem that feminism only promotes the mistreatment of females however, we must accept that this is because women are at a disproportion with men and have been since, well, throughout history. Figures show that women earn 10% less than men in full time employment and 34.5% less in part time work in the UK therefore displaying, that even in the diverse western culture that we live in, asymmetry of the sexes still occurs. This imbalance is exaggerated even more when we look at the eastern world and discover what else is being hidden from the world. In China, we see parents aborting babies, for only the single reason that they are girls, causing serious demographic problems for the country of 1.3 billion. According to some researchers, the growing imbalance means that forced prostitution and human trafficking has become rampant

FEMINISM SHONAH REECE

Politics. Rightly or wrongly so, I know each of us tends to bring a political view to the table which normally causes anger and disagreement (to be quite honest, both in heavy proportion).

So as a result of some of our other friend’s annoyance at us and for our own sanity and temper, we have tried to contain our conversation on political viewpoints to a small percentage.

So far, so good. However, due to the lack of discussion, another concept was brought up and this is also one which many of my friends agree with and many of my friends totally disregard. The concept of Feminism.

My friends and I often have ‘debates’ and quite serious conversations when we’re together and these are normally fuelled by a topic which we all have conflicting views on. in some parts of the country.

In Saudi Arabia, the 1992 Basic Law does not guarantee gender equality. Article 8 requires that the government be premised on equality in accordance with Sharia law, but under Sharia law, women are considered to be legal minors. In the news recently, Saudi Arabia proposed to host an all male Olympics and that the women’s version of events be held in neighbouring Bahrain.

As well as this, when Saudi women athletes attended the last Olympic games, hard-line clerics denounced them as ‘prostitutes’.

Whether feminism does or does not promote the inequality of women more so than men, surely this argument should be totally left behind when it comes to the hard line facts. In 2014, women are prohibited from driving; Saudi clerics argue that female drivers “undermine social values”. Saudi Arabia is the only other country in the world, apart from the Vatican City, where women are not allowed to vote, but men are.

In Saudi Arabia, women are not

allowed to try on clothes when shopping. ‘The mere thought of a disrobed woman behind a dressing-room door is apparently too much for men to handle’, says Vanity Fair writer Maureen Dowd in ‘A Girl’s Guide to Saudi Arabia’.

Yes, this is perhaps a very onesided argument but it has to be said. Feminism is the idea and concept which tries to achieve the equality of both sexes; whether you feel that it sides with women’s rights or men’s rights more, it is about creating a balance between both. I think it is fair to say that the reason feminism promotes women’s rights more so, is due to the fact that they need more help. There are more laws against the equality of women than there are for men. In a hypothetical society where men were at a disadvantage to women, I would hope that feminism would act as a platform for them too. Until we see that happen, I cannot see feminism being needed or used as much for men as it is for women.

I suppose we’ll have to wait and see.

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MARS DIOGO SANTOS GANGA

April 12, 1961 saw Yuri Gagarin become the first human to complete one orbit around the globe.

July 20, 1969 bore witness to Apollo 11 bringing the first humans to the surface of the Moon.

rover reported that approximately one litre of water can be harvested from a cubic metre of Martian soil.

These visits would remain temporary until nearly three decades later, when on November 1998 the first component of the International Space Station was launched into orbit – now part of a fully habitable satellite that holds a permanent human presence outside the planet.

Furthermore, Mars’ atmosphere is very similar to the atmosphere that existed on Earth billions of years ago – composed largely of carbon dioxide and nitrogen. In spite of this, Earth became a planet for life to survive and thrive on. If the same process that turned the Earth’s atmosphere into breathable air could be recreated on Mars, it would be possible to make the Red Planet habitable for life.

The 20th Century saw the beginning of an emphasis not only on space travel, but potential colonization of the worlds within our solar system. In recent years, attention has turned to Mars; seemingly the next great frontier. Could humans ever inhabit a home beyond home?

On initial inspection, the Red Planet appears desolate and lifeless, with little signs of life and barren desert covering almost all its surface.

However, Mars is a key candidate for extra-terrestrial settlement as it shares many attributes with Earth: • The Martian day is very close in duration to days on Earth, at 24 hours and 37 minutes.

• Mars’ axis is tilted at roughly 25 degrees (Earth’s axis tilts at 23 degrees) allowing Mars to have seasonal cycles just like Earth. Having an orbit twice that of our planet, however, means Mars’ seasons are twice as long.

• Ice has been found on Mars as far back as 2002 – the ice caps at both of Mars’ poles are an average of 2 miles thick, and the soil itself, though appearing barren, contains plenty. In 2013, NASA’s Curiosity

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However, there are problems. As far as we know, Mars does not hold an environment in which life as we know it can survive. Mars’ atmosphere is 95% carbon dioxide, a quantity lethal to both animal and plant life. The absence of a magnetic field and a thin atmosphere mean Mars’ surface is bombarded by lethal solar radiation, making the planet hostile to life. Surface temperatures range from 24 degrees Celsius to -73 degrees Celsius – in contrast, Earth’s average surface temperature is 14 degrees Celsius.

In its current condition, Mars cannot support life... but what if it could be made to do so?

Terraforming is the process of transforming a hostile environment into one suitable for human life. Currently theoretical, it involves deliberate modification of an entire planet in order to turn it into an Earth-like habitat fit for human life. With more than seven billion people on Earth, this growing population will inevitably force us to look for new homes in our Solar System, and Mars is right on our doorstep. Much theoretical work has been

The first phase of terraforming is to warm the planet and thicken Mars’ atmosphere. To combat Mars’ freezing surface temperature, the atmosphere would need to be thickened to the point where it would be able to serve as a barrier against solar radiation and create a greenhouse effect which would heat the planet up to conditions fit for humans. The three most promising methods for warming the planet are: large orbital mirrors to reflect sunlight and heat the planet, greenhouse gas-producing factories to create an atmosphere and trap solar radiation, or the capturing of ammonia-laden asteroids to hurl at Mars and raise levels of greenhouse gases.

Orbital mirrors would reflect solar radiation onto the surface of Mars, slowly heating the Martian surface. These mirrors would have a diameter of 250km – no such engineering project has been or could be attempted on Earth. The sheer mass of such installations - 200,000 tons - means that the mirrors would need to be built in space, potentially with resources from neighbouring asteroids. Aimed at the reservoirs of CO2 in Mars’ polar cap, the heat produced by these mirrors creates a positive feedback effect – more CO2 released means more heat is trapped, releasing more CO2, and so on until necessary.

Another option for warming the planet is to build greenhouse-gas producing factories on Mars or even simply transport them already made from Earth. Releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. A single factory would require the output of a large nuclear power plant.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are key candidates as they are some of the most potent greenhouse gases available, able to trap large amounts of heat in a timescale of several decades. In time, Mars’ atmosphere would thicken to the point that the effects of solar radiation would be lessened, making life more tolerable on the surface.

vast amounts of water out in a quick and controlled fashion; a more preferable solution to using thermonuclear weapons or asteroids to break the ice. Oxygenating the planet, however, is a more daunting prospect.

Technologically, creating sufficient oxygen in Mars’ atmosphere to support animal life would be the most challenging aspect of a Martian terraforming programme. Mars’ soil is filled with nitrates and iron oxide, the substances that give it its distinctive red tint. Through heating of these oxides, oxygen and nitrogen could then be released into the atmosphere – however, this still requires great deals of energy to release oxygen and nitrogen from the soil. Plants, on the other hand, are able to propagate themselves once established on the surface and create oxygen.

Genetically-engineered variants capable of surviving on Martian soil with high photosynthesis, if able to achieve global coverage, would theoretically be able to produce enough oxygen for humans to breathe in 900 years. The timescale could be accelerated accordingly with more efficient plants or more powerful artificial energy sources, though what manner of technology would be used is largely hypothetical.

MARS DIOGO SANTOS GANGA

done in regards to the idea of “seeding” a planet for future colonization – and here is how it could be done.

As with any new proposal, there are objections. Key factors to take into account are the ethics involved in terraforming - by making the planet habitable for humans, potential Martian ecological systems are potentially wiped out in the process. The technology required for the later stages of the programme is hypothetical at best, and the material for the project will need to be acquired off-planet in order for the project to succeed. If this project ever commences, the timescale of such an operation could be at best decades or even centuries. At worst, entire millennia could be necessary to make Mars habitable. The most pressing objection is that any attempt at terraforming would be our first and only attempt to modify Mars’ environment. There are no retakes, no wiping clean the slate – we would only have one shot at terraforming Mars.

Such a project would the greatest in mankind’s history; not only making a planet habitable for life but colonizing it ourselves. The cost of such a project – estimated to be near $2-3 trillion, is The last and most extreme method involves similar to current climate change policies. Global attaching nuclear engines to icy ammonia-laden investment in renewable energies alone is $6 trillion, asteroids. Propelling to Mars at 4km per second nearly a quarter of the $40 trillion that governments over a period of ten years, a single impact from are willing to spend combating climate change. one asteroid would raise the temperature of Mars’ With a willingness to invest in the long-term, surface by 3 degrees Celsius. The downside here is that each object would hit Mars with a force equal to why not take the leap? Using late 21st century technologies, the Red Planet might become Green, 70,000 1 megaton hydrogen bombs, meaning this and man might step foot beyond the Earth. project may be incompatible with the future aim of No task would be greater or more unifying than human colonization. Ammonia molecules also have a lifespan shorter than a century, meaning asteroids creating a home beyond home. would need to be continually imported to Mars in order for a greenhouse effect to be established.

Now that the atmosphere is sufficiently thickened, now two steps remain: the activation of the hydrosphere and the creation of an atmosphere made breathable for certain plants and animals.

The first step can easily be done with the orbital mirrors mentioned earlier – the heat concentrated by the reflector on the Martian poles could drive FORWARD | 13

ESSENTIAL INFO MANDY BRIDGE If you are leaving school or college, already left or looking for work, then there is a good way to earn money and learn at the same time.

On an Apprenticeship you will be employed in a real job and receive quality training to help you get a nationally-recognised qualification.

If you’re not quite ready for an Apprenticeship, then on a Traineeship you can improve your Maths, English and work skills whilst getting work experience too.

Even though the participating in education age has gone up, you can leave from age 16 if you’re going into training or employment.

The government has stated its commitment to apprenticeships and highlighted the continued success of apprenticeships since 2010 in giving people the skills they need to get on and in supporting businesses of all sizes to grow their talent. Skills Minister Nick Boles has pointed to apprenticeships as a solid route into some of the country’s most prestigious professions and the driving force behind getting young people the skills that employers want and the economy needs.

There has never been a better time to do an Apprenticeship. Apprenticeships give you the experience and top-quality training you need to get the career you want. After finishing, the majority of apprentices (85%) will stay in employment, with two-thirds (64%) staying with the same employer.

A third (32%) of all former apprentices had received a promotion within 12 months of finishing, and of those in work, three quarters (75%) reported taking on more responsibility in their job. Employers think that qualified apprentices are 15% more employable than those with other qualifications.

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What is an Apprenticeship?

An Apprenticeship is a real job with training so you can earn while you learn and get recognised qualifications as you go.

Your employer provides your on-the-job training and pays your wages. You will work alongside them and learn from some of the best in the business.

As a college we will look after the rest of your training via day release attending one day a week, we will also visit you in the workplace to carry out work based and on the job assessments throughout the duration of your Apprenticeship.

Which qualifications will you get?

• Intermediate – work-based learning towards level 2 • Advanced – work-based learning towards level 3 • Higher – work-based learning towards level 4 and higher Who can apply for an Apprenticeship?

• you need to be 16 or over • depends on level: for an Apprenticeship at Advanced level, most employers want level 2 or level 3 qualifications including level 2 maths and English, or a pass in literacy and numeracy tests What sort of experience will you need?

You must be: • out of work with some work experience • working for less than 16 hours a week • leaving school/college • confident you have the skills to start an Apprenticeship.

How much will you earn?

• at least the minimum wage of £2.73 an hour • most pay more – average is £150 a week

LIFE FEE GRAMMAR

If you have A levels, or level 3 vocational qualifications, and decide not to go to university, you can still do an Apprenticeship. Depending on previous qualifications, you can do a Higher Apprenticeship that can take you all the way.

TRAINEESHIPS Who are they for?

You must be: • out of work, with little or no work experience • aged 16-24 • not in possession of a Level 3 or higher qualification.

You can expect three things from a Traineeship: • high quality work placements – where you can learn what’s expected of you in the workplace, and develop links with local employers • flexible training - in other relevant areas to help you get ready for work, such as job search and interview skills, time-keeping and team working • study in English and Maths (if appropriate) – employers value these essential skills very highly.

At the end of your Traineeship, if there is a job or Apprenticeship vacancy with the work placement host, you are in a better position to get an interview.

If there isn’t a job or Apprenticeship opportunity at that time, you will receive an exit interview with the employer who provided the work placement. In this interview you can discuss what you’ve learned, and how it might help you with things like updating your CV and getting into a job or an Apprenticeship.

How long does it last?

Six weeks to six months.

How much will you earn?

Traineeships are unpaid voluntary work experience.

The 16-19 Bursary Fund may help – it depends on your circumstances whether you get it or not.

How much will it cost?

Nothing – there aren’t any fees.

What are the benefits of a Traineeship?

• A Traineeship will put you in a better position to compete for an Apprenticeship or other job.

• The opportunity to build your CV and get vital experience with local and national employers.

• Improving your English and Maths skills will boost your chances of getting a job, as well as improving your long term prospects and earning-potential over your lifetime.

• Employers are at the centre of Traineeships to ensure they give you the skills you need to secure a job and succeed in employment.

• At the end of the work experience placement you’ll get a job interview with the company if a role becomes available or a reference and an exit interview.

Applying has never been easier. To find out more contact us now and you will be one step closer to starting your journey to become an apprentice or a trainee.

I made the decision when I finished my A Levels not to go away to university but rather to start working. I completed an Apprenticeship in Business and Administration and when this ended, I was lucky enough to be sponsored by my employer to complete the Business and Management Foundation degree. I fell pregnant during the first year of this course but the tutors were very supportive of me splitting my modules to spread over an extra year. I balanced work, a small child and studying and whilst it had its challenges, it was a valuable experience. At the end of the Foundation Degree I had always thought I would not continue and top this up to a BA Honours as the only courses offered were not convenient for me, but when Richard Huish

College decided to offer the top up I felt it would be a wasted opportunity not to complete my full degree. I already was comfortable with the environment and facilities and knew I was able to rely on the tutors for interesting, stimulating and supportive input. In total, studying part time, the full degree has taken me just over five years. Working and raising a small child alongside studying has obviously been difficult at times, but I can look back now and feel immensely proud of all that I have achieved during this time.

It is important that in these strained and competitive times to strive to be the best we can be and achieve our full potential becoming as attractive to potential future employers as possible, as well as inspiring our children to do the same!

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CREATIVE WRITING HANNAH GOVAN

‘Follow me,’ she muttered. She became a steam engine, puffing out the occasional breath to keep going. Each time I tried to help she just batted me away, crinkling the wrappers in her pockets that looked deflated and not filled with the humbugs.

It felt like a day of just watching and following Mrs. Gram. Other pedestrians were spectating critically at this predicament I was in. I was officially walking a turtle. I was on the other side. She then arrived at the same pedestrian crossing we met at.

‘Help me out dear; it’s a pain and a half to get to the other end’. It was a pain and a half watching.

But I was bewildered. After all this I was to help an old lady cross the road. She whipped her arm out and fastened herself to mine, restricting any chance for me to make any getaway. All I wanted was my house key. I was directed by the gently threatening tone of her voice to a cluster of five trees that led to the park. I gave her my guidance and had to mimic the same pace because of the death grip she had hold of me with. The pathway was no more than a stretch away but it became an eternity’s quest to reach it and my patience was running as low as the blood flow to my poor arm.

When we reached the trees Mrs. Gram tutted unapprovingly and said thank you. I hoped this was it and she had the key out of kindness. She moistened her colourless lower lip and puckered ‘Officer Peeler has a job for you. Don’t keep him waiting’. I was dazed by the familiarity of her saying and the note I received. I knew where Peeler would be.

Key. Key. Key. The only thing to drive me forward. So was the thought of Jeanette. My steps tugged my joints and the grey ground radiated a feeling that made my body as heavy as lead. I was propelling my body onwards but it became a separate part to my being. I was observing myself transporting a load of organs encased in skin, bone and blood. The fountain was not very far from here. A great angel called The Guardian inspired the name of the pub and it was beaming its monitoring eyes like a light house. It was a ‘protector’ of the park. There I saw Peeler. Waiting ‘Here are the files, burn them and tell the people to go home.’ He lumped onto me a wad of files, containing different identities of small images and names. But they were just folders. I didn’t recognise any of them.

‘Who are they?’

‘It is none of your concern.’

‘Well if you’re asking me to destroy someone’s

existence then isn’t it my right to be concerned?’ I braced myself to throw them back at him.

‘Don’t do that. It would be a shame if you didn’t get your key.’

I paused midway to actually comprehend what I just heard. I was going to lay on some serious questions to Peeler but the two hiding shadows got there before me.

‘You see, this town should be perfect. It is. But no one is going to visit if there are lawless realms within.’ Greener poked out, hands behind him and joined Officer Peeler.

‘Everyone has a group of us. To protect the sanctity of law and order. To be civil and an example, not a hazard.’ Mrs. Gram scuttled oddly quicker than before, looked at both Peeler and Greener and then looked at me. As if I have become an extension to the fountain. A few photos drifted out of a fold of a file and my face was plastered on each one. Some with Jeanette. Peeler bent down and picked up the infamous photo that documented my speeding. I was doing them a community service.

CREATIVE WRITING HANNAH GOVAN

Mrs. Grams’ house wasn’t very far from The Guardian. The cottage had been refurbished to accentuate the garden features but brambles hung over the wicker archway. Thorns reached out to catch me and obscure my sight with these acute prickles that could have hooked a slice off my mortal flesh. She didn’t say much and she might as well have communicated with testosterone filled grunts because her manner was more authoritative than the past few years I’ve seen her. She got out of her chair and began shuffling to the door.

Peeler pointed at me and the photo.

‘We aren’t to tolerate recklessness and outlaws in this town’. I was an ‘outlaw?’

‘I was speeding. It was hardly a felony and I paid the fine.’

‘But you didn’t do the time. You need to be made an example of.’

‘Who are you anyway? It looks like the worst attempt of a senior marching band ever.’

All three paced themselves forward to confront me further. Greener was breathing on me. Ironic.

‘Organisation V is the guardian to this town and there are more of us. The future is shiny, new and a crime free utopia. These men are to not exist.

Neither should have you.‘ ‘This is absurd, the one time.‘ ‘That shall not happen again. We decided to give you a chance. To redeem yourself. Just get rid of the files, tell them in the station to go home. You get the key and Jeanette is free. Don’t make it any more complicated’.

I didn’t want to turn this into some sort of Liam Neeson situation. I just needed the key and again I would be completely bliss in ignorance. You’d think I knew too much. Something needed to be done. *** After walking back from the park, I checked the car.

Wriggled the key into the lock and Jeanette thrust herself into my arms. I was home.

‘Thank you for the flowers’. The daisies were placed into water in a green and silver vase. Five daisies in fact. I washed my hands clean and joined Jeanette on the sofa, strategically grabbing some of the photographs that floated out of my pocket and the car. We cuddled together onto the sofa; I began regaining some colour from the cold.

‘You got red on you,’ she pointed out. A pen also leaked in my jacket so I took it off and checked the pockets. The green velvet box was still there.

Part 1 available to read here http://hui.sh/8daysaweekpart1 on page 20

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The Square & Compass Inn, Ashill was this year’s venue for Live & Loud

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MUSIC HUISH LIVE

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ACTIVE HUISH TIM LEGG

Hockey National Finals Richard Huish College Men’s Hockey team saw their national glory hopes shattered in the dying stages of their National Cup final against Birmingham MET on Wednesday 29th April. Their amazing journey began way back in September when they began their league campaign, balanced alongside numerous other competitions. In November they beat Brockenhurst College 5-0 to set up an encounter with Exeter College who knocked the boys out at Regionals. The boys recovered well to beat Exeter 3-1 in the second round of the cup, before beating Gower 8-0 in the quarter finals. This meant that Huish met national champions Peter Symmonds in the semi-final, the team that knocked them out in last year’s competition. A strong performance saw them win 1-0 which led them on to face Birmingham MET in the national final.

A tense first half saw the scores tied at 1-1, Adam Miller scoring the Huish goal in the 32nd minute following a superb lofted ball from Sam Nutt, for Miller to round the keeper and coolly slot the ball home. Huish again found themselves behind in the 2nd half following a well taken goal from the Birmingham MET number 9. This meant that Huish needed to rally again which they did through yet another lofted ball from Oscar Harrington to Max Beale. He finished emphatically from a tight angle just inside the MET D. Following a tense period of extra time the game eventually made its way to penalty flicks, unfortunately the boys lost out 4-3 with Oscar Harrington, Sam Nutt and Adam Miller scoring their penalties. Despite the setback, the boys have had yet another brilliant season with a 2nd place finish in the National Cup and finishing their league campaign as unbeaten champions.

There has been an ‘Active Huish’ in the summer term During the summer term, there has been plenty to get involved with. Activities include Athletics, Rowing, Lacrosse, Rounder’s, Archery, Water sports, Tennis, Cricket, Golf, Insanity workouts, Circuits, Cycling club, Swimming and Cross-Fit.

Many students have taken up this opportunity to try something new or enjoy some activity out in the sun!

Huish Sport Moving ‘Forward’ Huish Sport, Active Huish and Performance Development programmes have a fresh new look .

Performance Development Programmes There have been some exciting changes to the Performance Development Programmes. We welcome MindSport Consulting Ltd, who will work with individuals and teams to design bespoke programmes in order to enhance mental strength to achieve their full sporting potential. The Huish Sport department has also been working hard on the philosophy and aims of the performance programmes, to give the students the best possible chance to fulfil their potential. Emphasis will be put on developing technically, physically, socially and mentally with a huge focus on effort and application.

Coaching Courses Huish Sport has put on courses to help develop coaching and officiating. Keep an eye out in the Huish Shop for more coming soon…

THE FA Coaching Futsal; Level 1 1st4sport Level 2 Award in Multi-Skill Development in Sport (QCF) Basketball Table Official Level 2 Basketball Referee Level 2 Huish Sport Pre-Season Training Camp 2015 Huish Sport are looking forward to pre-season training where new students will be welcomed into the College to meet their coaches for the season.

Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd September 2015

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WELL BEING EMMA HILLS Exams. Relationships. Friendships…family…the future, work, health, studying, pressure, pressure, pressure – life, basically.

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Four years ago, Amitay Tweeto, a then 28-yearold user interface designer from Israel, created the wonder that is The Quiet Place Project. The project aims to give young people an outlet for emotions and to get us away from the constant socialnetworking which has become all but a way of life for us. The Quiet Place Project is not against socialnetworking, but draws attention to the amount of pointless things that grab our attention and, ironically, uses the familiar social-networking format in order to allow us to let go of the stress that we perhaps don’t realise is linked to the constant checking of phones, notifications, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and everything else that clutters our minds. Although this began as a simple relaxation exercise, the need for the project surprised Tweeto and it quickly developed into much more than that and has helped thousands of people. The project now consists of six separate concepts: “The Quiet Place”, “90 Second Relaxation Exercise”, “The Thoughts Room”, “The Dawn Room”, “It will be okay!” and “The Comfort Spot” which have been translated into over 30 languages by volunteers to help this magnificent and life altering marvel reach as many people as possible.

The Quiet Place The Quiet Place simply aims to relax you, to draw your attention away from stress, from notifications and emails; all those “meaningless little things” purely by directing your attention to the fact that those things don’t run your life and by trying to focus you on the pure white screen and relaxing music for 30 seconds. The Quiet Place provides some perhaps often lost perspective and allows you to breathe and relax.

90 Second Relaxation Exercise Similarly to The Quiet Place, as it says, this 90 Second Relaxation exercise aims to relax you, again by taking focus away from your surroundings, from the internet, from the stresses in your life and refocusing you on yourself. It uses a form of mindfulness (the practice of the non-judgemental focusing of oneself on the present moment) to return peace and perspective to your outlook.

The Thoughts Room Unlike the first two concepts, this room allows you to actively interact with it and to unload every small or overwhelming thought that clutters your mind with absolutely no fear of being judged. In fact, The Thoughts Room presents you with a familiar status bar into which you can type your every thought,

whim and fear before the words burst into stars and fill the page. Despite what it may sound like, clichéd or cheesy, this is actually a really effective tool for relieving stress, anger, guilt, fear and anything you have no where else to put or no idea what to do with.

The Dawn Room The Dawn Room is built and purposed entirely for comfort and reassurance. If life is becoming all-toooverwhelming and you feel like you’re sinking, or if you’ve just had a really awful day this is the perfect place to come. This room asks you to think of the person you love and care for most in the world and asks you to think of the best line of comfort you could give them. Although still anonymous, thus removing all aspects of fear of guilt or judgement or just fear itself, your words of comfort are then used to help and reassure anyone else who is using The Dawn Room and others’ are used to help you.

As you receive your messages of comfort and reassurance, the screen turns from night to day with the simple animation of a flower growing, a simple image with relaxing music that really does work wonders.

WELL BEING EMMA HILLS

Sometimes, day-to-day (and I know its a cliché, but) life can really just suck and the pressure gets on top of you and friends don’t understand and your family don’t understand and half the time neither do you and then you get that panic or resolution or acceptance of what you feel is your own imminent failure and you’re told it’s just stress or it’s a just a phase or it’s just hormones and it will pass. *Breathe* But, what if you just need to feel what you feel without being told you’re wrong, without being told that it’s not real, but still no one understands?

Well, then if you’re feeling any or all of this, I suggest you turn to The Quiet Place Project. I’ve been where you might feel you are and it helps, I promise.

It will be okay “When a moment is too hard for you – come here.” ‘It will be okay’ was created for those who are perhaps amidst darker times where it may be difficult to see a way out. Working on the simple concept of familiar instant messaging, the dark screen focuses all attention on white text that appears, talking to the user directly and focusing their thoughts on acceptance and positivity. ‘It will be okay’ aims to reassure you that what you’re feeling is okay; the anonymous empathy allows you to feel as you do whilst reassuring you that you are not alone in any way, encouraging you to return whenever you need with an unwritten but unconditional promise to always be there for you.

The Comfort Spot As a complete contrast to the rest of the project, and as its larger counterpart, The Comfort Spot is almost a form of social networking designed specifically for those who need someone to talk to, for those who need some reassurance and for those who simply need some advice. By becoming part of The Comfort Spot you have the option to post one of your own problems, worries or fears or to respond to the problems, worries and fears of others, to reassure them as they would reassure you.

This part of the project, as with it all, allows you to remain anonymous and is free of judgement entirely but offers a more human interaction for those who prefer something more personal or tailored to their own fears.

This project really is amazing and if you’re in any situation where you’re panicking, you’re stressed, you’re unhappy, scared or just need someone; I encourage you to use any or all of it. The Quiet Place Project has helped me so much, constantly restores my faith in humanity and generally reminds me that life is okay, I hope it can do the same for you.

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But how and why do some people have this image of UKIP as the party of the people and how has Farage and his “People’s Army” begun breaking up the establishment ready for the 2015 General Election.

Lib Dems and even the Conservatives at creating a united front towards the electorate.

After the 2014 Local Elections, UKIP are now taken seriously as a political party. It is viewed by some as an alternative to the more centralised Conservative Party. The issue of immigration, of which UKIP has been pressing, can be related to by many voters across the United Kingdom. Supporters who back the view that a limited number of immigrants from abroad should be allowed into the UK were once the stalemate of Labour but are now in their masses moving to UKIP. The anti political and antiWestminster vote is also a target for the SNP, and there is no stop to the rise of this political party in Scotland.

A rise in a nationalistic view towards the United Kingdom is reflected in the substantial rise in the SNP, Plaid Cymru and Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland. This shows there is a rise in feeling in the conglomerate of the EU and self-governance over their respected territory as seen in the Scottish Independence vote in 2014 and scheduled EU Referendum in 2017.

POLITICS JACK DENNEHY

Since their establishment in September 1993, UKIP has always been viewed as the party of nationalists and extremists. However, recent election campaigning has shown that UKIP are successfully targeting the working class vote and as a result the party has got MPs inside the House of Commons.

Countless photo ops have been staged where UKIP leader Nigel Farage is perfectly sat in a pub with many locals, making him renowned for having a drink or two. A section of his manifesto included the reversal of the smoking ban in favour of the many smokers in this country.

An attribution to the rise of UKIP is that there is an increase in feeling against the ‘Big Three’ political parties.

This has led the party to be associated with the party of the antigovernment vote and anti-politics vote which once was integrated Their image is very into the values of more different in comparison radicalised parties. UKIP to the ‘main’ is seen by the public as political parties. The having a Eurosceptic reinforcement of not viewpoint; the party are being on the far-right using this as an answer of politics ensures their for many problems such policies are realistic and as the mishandling of can be achieved, instead immigration and the of lying to the electorate crisis facing the NHS. which can be associated The 2010 coalition made with all parties by the up of the Conservatives general public. and the Liberal Democrats created a Polls are indicating a wave of voters that were surge in votes for UKIP fed up of ‘two party’ Before the General Election in May which in the future. However, politics. The rise of UKIP saw the Conservatives confidently win by believably the party and the Green Party an overall majority and David Cameron will not have a big caused a split in the left impact upon the votes wing and right wing vote. returning as Prime Minister, Jack Dennehy at this year’s General This would lead people examined the rise in support for UKIP. Election. 51% of voters to speculate that this are probably more likely year’s General Election to vote Conservative when seeing the ballot box. is going to be very tight and unlikely that any party People are fearing UKIP being more influential in is going to make a majority unless they join up with the 2020 General Election when people have the smaller parties like UKIP. courage to vote UKIP, following their predicted Many people can see the leadership of Nigel Farage success at this election and not being fearful of voting purple instead of blue. The fall of the Liberal as a powerful tool for the success of UKIP. The Democrats since the coalition government ensure outspoken nature of Mr Farage can be seen as UKIP are likely to become the third biggest political scare-mongering but in all it has pushed voters to turn purple instead of Conservative blue. The leader party if everyone goes right in the future. is often seen with a pint of beer and a fag in his hand instead of babies as seen by other political leaders.

People can judge him and view him as a ‘regular bloke’. He can be seen as an effective leader and his leadership skills are far better than Labours, the

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FILM HARRY BOULTON “Life with Steve’s a roll of the dice, you get lucky, until you don’t.”

An exploration into the extremes of family life, Mommy creates a breathtaking juxtaposition of idyllic dreams and harsh realism.

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For his fifth film in as many years (discounting short films), Montreal born ‘wunderkid’ Xavier Dolan gives us what might be his finest film yet in Mommy. Following a central narrative of a son, Steve (Antoine Olivier-Pilon) returning to his single mother, Diane (Anne Dorval) after being expelled from boarding school. In a struggle to both teach Steve what he needs, and balance work and home, Diane enlists the help of Kyla (Suzanne Clément), a former teacher currently on sabbatical. The trouble lies with Steve’s sporadic and violent temper due to ADHD, as all three characters aim to deal with life ‘beyond the normal’. Mommy is also set in a very near future Canada, where a law has been passed allowing parents of ‘socially unstable’ children to offload them to institutes, acting as a ‘way out’.

The strongest theme explored within Mommy is the contrast between liberté and restraint, and how we as individuals perceive the two. Almost every major point or decision in the film can be seen as both an act of freedom and an act of constraint, for example – Steve’s expulsion from boarding school can be seen as him being freed from a place he didn’t want to be in, however, he’s possibly being trapped by rejoining his mother. This ever so thin line between the two allows Dolan to wonderfully tip the audience in whatever way he wants, truly immersing and involving watchers into the drama of the Després family life. Its utterly cheap and a cliché to claim that a film ‘takes you through a rollercoaster of emotions’ but it’s so hard not to be thoroughly and emotionally affected by Dolan’s tragically endearing tale. It possesses the youthful

The almost exclusive number of characters in the film (with only really one or two named characters beyond the trio) allows strong focus of the ideals and principles of human relationships and connections. We are given characters that constantly clash beyond rudimentary familial arguments yet their connection is always the focus.

This focus on relationships despite hardship has become one of Dolan’s career strong-points, where people push each other to the utmost limits, yet they still care as much as they did at their happiest.

In Mommy however this pressure is extended upon the audience, because you care so much about the film. At points Mommy makes you want to hate it because it’s just not doing what you want it to, but you still can’t and don’t want to abandon what you see on screen. This all culminates in a ferocious final act, where faux-endings take you to emotional highs, only to throw you back on the hard concrete of reality and consequence.

Similar to two films of last year (The Grand Budapest Hotel, Ida) Mommy is shot in an unusual aspect ratio. Where differences lie between the aforementioned films and Dolan’s work is that whilst both were shot in a slightly rectangular 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Mommy is shot in a perfectly square 1:1. Another significant difference lies in meaning, as Grand Budapest Hotel’s ratio signified time, and Ida’s paid homage to classic Polish filmmakers, in Mommy, the aspect ratio almost becomes a character of its own. The aspect ratio amplifies emotion, as shortening the space for the characters only leads to them trying to do more to push it back out. The constraint on an audience as well as the characters adds to the idea of connection in relationships as it seems like they are being pushed together by the boundaries of life, whilst we watch outside in an open world. There’s also interpretation of claustrophobia and imprisonment again going back to themes of freedom and constraint as we see people trapped within their troublesome lives, confined to their current situations in a picturesque way. Its unorthodox nature has to be applauded as it’s far more than just a gimmick to make it look ‘innovative’ and ‘different’, playing as a conscious antagonist in a villain-less world.

Even though Xavier claims that Mommy put substance over style, it’s hard to ignore how good the film looks. Although it’s not as photographically cinematic as Yves Bélanger’s work on Dolan’s 2012 feature Laurence Anyways that plays out visually like a three hour art gallery, Mommy holds a more subtle and sophisticated approach, moving away from the grand displays of previous efforts. André Turpin brings a feeling of suburban spring in the warm yet washed out colours, whilst also giving a wonderfully human perspective through strong intentional depth of field choices. What’s most commendable however is the level of control and finesse Dolan holds over the pacing. Whilst almost invisible to a wandering eye, Dolan is able to capture and pull you into the scene through honestly electric

direction and editing, mixing long takes through quick pans and choppy sporadic editing in its most explosive moments, yet a style that I can only connect to family videos in its happiest parts.

Music, in some scenes almost dictates the direction and actions of the characters. Whilst the music is ever so varied, being brilliantly dated in some cases, it carries meaning for the characters. The songs playing act beyond non-diegetic sound, bringing them into diegetic territory, because the characters themselves have chosen them, not the director. I know that sounds silly or stupid, but their choice to play the songs when they do, and what they mean to the characters gives them life beyond sound.

Some scenes will be known as ‘that scene when Wonderwall plays’ or ‘when Ludovico Einaudi’s Experience plays’ because the music is the scene, moving from the unnoticeable backdrop to the significant foreground.

FILM HARRY BOULTON

excitability of teenage innocence in its heights, yet the harsh reality of experience that really does hurt in its lowest moments.

Yet, despite all that I’ve mentioned in this review so far, the single greatest part of Mommy are the three performances given. It seems that Dolan has already found his muses, as only Tom a la Ferme doesn’t feature any of the three actors. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that these are the finest performances of all three actors’ careers, and one of the strongest front threes I’ve ever come across. The sheer level of ferocity and emotion the actors throw at each other and the audience rendered me speechless as we see the development of both acting and character. Antoine Olivier Pilon (previously of Indochine: College Boy, and a minor role in Laurence Anyways) gives a performance that redefines over-the-top, as it really should feel like it, but it doesn’t. He performs with confidence, power and cheek, yet so easily can fall into tragic broken status. Suzanne Clément’s (J’ai Tué ma Mère, Laurence Anyways) gives a staggered and subdued performance in relative comparison with her counterparts, yet this is exactly what’s needed for the damaged and fragile character of Kyla. However the star of the show is found in Anne Dorval (J’ai Tué ma Mère, Les Amours Imaginaires) as her finesse shown through motherhood justly encapsulates the strength in weakness of her character, dealing with life the best she can. The performances are the superglue, fixing together what would be fine parts individually, but as a collective thanks to the actors it turns into something confidently remarkable.

Xavier Dolan has created something positively moving within Mommy, and there’s absolutely no doubt that it’s his finest film to date, eclipsing his previous greats. There’s something so raw and original pulsating from the film that it’s so hard to ignore and so easy to like. It’s astonishing that someone of the young age of 25 can exude such confidence and experience in their production, but Mommy truly signifies Dolan’s progression into substantial narrative focus, as his practice has led him to such a strong final product. I only dream what comes next for young Xavier.

See more at: http://themediachronicle.blogspot. co.uk/2015/04/mommy-review.html#sthash.

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LANGUAGE HAYLEA MARRIOTT

‘Breeks’ – Trousers ‘Piece’ – Sandwich ‘Barnie’ – A bit of bother ‘Lugs’ – Ears ‘Skuddy’ – Naked ‘Maw’ – Mother ‘Bannock’ – Biscuit ‘Bap’ – Bread roll ‘Howay’ – Let’s go ‘Beltin’’ - Good ‘Clamming’ – Hungry ‘Geet’ – Big ‘Nettie’ – Toilet ‘Stotty’ – Bread roll ‘Paggered’ – Tired ‘Bait’ – Packed lunch

‘Made up’ – Happy ‘Mam’ – Mother ‘Do one’ – Go away ‘Divvy’ – Stupid person ‘Barm cake’ – Bread roll ‘Boss’ – Good ‘Bizzies’ – Police ‘Butty’ – Sandwich

‘Lush’ – Fine ‘Cwtch’ – Hug ‘Batch’ – Bread roll ‘Ramping’ – Very Painful ‘Tidy’ – Good ‘Popty ping’ – Microwave ‘Wilber’ – Wheelbarrow

‘Gambol’ – Forward Roll ‘Cob’ – Bread roll ‘Deff it’ – Forget about it ‘Scrage’ – Cut/Graze ‘Jasper’ – Wasp ‘Mom’ - Mother ‘Blartin’ – Crying ‘Bostin’ – Good LONDON TAUNTON

‘Gurt’ – Big ‘Where’s that to?’

– Where is it?

‘Proper job’ – Well done ‘Ow bis?’ – How are you?

‘Grampher grey’ – Woodlouse ‘Gist’ – Give it to me

Being a ‘wee’ island in such a ‘gurt’ world, you’ve got to admire the fact that no other country can boast as many accents as the UK.

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With every unique accent, there comes a wide variety of sayings and colloquialisms; from rich to poor, from North to South, there is considerable diversity in the way people say words that have the same meaning. It’s hard to work out exactly where a word originated from and whether it moved outwards from a particular area or was brought in from elsewhere in the first place. Some pronunciations and spellings can differentiate between certain words, whether it’s when you’re waiting for the ‘buzz’ or if you’re midway through a ‘sarnie’, you could almost guarantee that your accent will lead someone into confusion or create hilarity. Below I have selected a few of my favourites, specifically associated with particular regions.