Ripple Dec 11

December 2011

University of Leicester student magazine

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Student’s Union Directory EXEC

• Alex Nutt, Academic Affairs: su-academic@le.ac.uk • Suzi Burtenshaw, Welfare: su-wiofficer@le.ac.uk • Fénian Ó Dughaén, Activities: su-activities@le.ac.uk • Lily Davis, Strategy & Communications: su-services@le.ac.uk • Thom French, Campaigns & Involvement: campaign.involvement@ le.ac.uk

EDUCATION UNIT

• Ian Bruce, Student, Education & Representation: irb2@le.ac.uk • Alysoun Hancock, Education Officer: amh52@le.ac.uk

ACTIVITIES RESOURCE CENTRE

• Ian Read, Student Development Officer Sports: idr4@le.ac.uk • Holly Roberts, Student Development Officer/ Transport: hmr7@le.ac.uk

INFORMATION POINT

(Fax: 2231160) • Laura Donne, Box Officer Supervisor: lu@o2academyleicester.co.uk

1923 (RESTAURANT)

• Maria Massey, Restaurant Manager: mm473@le.ac.uk • Helen Coombs, Administrator: hc43@le.ac.uk (room bookings)

WELFARE

• PC Harvey Watson 10-12 Wednesday Queens Hall Foyer Facebook- Campus Cops, twitter- @campuscops

• Pro Bono: probono@le.ac.uk • Choices Clinic 11-2 Monday - Friday term time (First Aid Room) • Nightline 8pm-8am: 0116 2231230 • Abode: lm116@le.ac.uk, af113@le.ac.uk • Welfare Dept in Union Building: welfare@le.ac.uk • Martin Cullen: mail@rockstarpromotions.co.uk (society event tickets)

EDITOR’S NOTE I cannot believe I am signing off for the year already; with only two weeks left of the term I really have no idea where the time has gone. It seems just yesterday that our first issue of The Ripple graced the stands of the Union, but I believe we have come a long way since then. Some people are unaware of the situation we found ourselves in at the beginning of the year; we began with no media training, no design templates, no handover. Nada.

So the first issue was a bit of a miracle in itself. However, after spending countless hours on the first publication, it landed on the doorstep fresh from the printers and we couldn’t help but feeling underwhelmed and disappointed with the finished product. What worked on screen didn’t translate on paper and so we had to reassess our layout ideas and mine and Hayley’s separate roles.

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Capitalising on our strengths, we have decided that from now on I am to be in charge of the magazine’s content whilst Hayley will now take on the design side of things. We fully believe that these alterations will ensure we produce a better quality Ripple that is accessible and relevant to all students.

I really hope you like the minimalistic look we have adopted for this issue and here on in, and if you have not checked out our wesbite yet then visit www.tingoleicester.com. Our very own Chris Everett has been working exceptionally hard on this ever- expanding project to ensure you are kept up-todate with the latest news; you can also find fixtures, press releases, photographs, polls and more on here.

Here at The Ripple we have been inundated with exciting opportunities and I myself have interviewed Kasabian, Zane Lowe and stand- up comedian Dave Spikey just in the last month, with Hayley getting an up close and personal Q&A session with David Miliband. We are all extremely thankful for these opportunities and are looking forward to what the rest of the year has to offer.

All that is left for me to say is good luck with the exams and deadlines and we shall see you all again in February.

Emma

Sabb Page p.7 University News p.8 Current Affairs p.14 Opinions and Debate p.18 Music p.22 Reviews p.29 Travel p.32 Art and Creativity p.36 Fashion p.40 Health and Wellbeing p.42 Sport p.45 Fixtures p.50

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Well, what a hectic time it has been, but the good news I’d like to report is that, overall, society, club and association takings at Freshers’ Fair are all up on previous years. Indeed some student groups have reported record fundraising from membership takings, leading to a strong beginning for the Union’s academic year. A particular mention should go to our Media Groups, whereby all three have done exceptionally well this year fundraising wise.

For my part I have been busy assisting the setting up of new societies, editing constitutions and general administrative prudence. In fact we, as the Union, now have 199 student groups, but there is much hard work still to be done. With our efforts to be focused on enlarging our block grant (and thus having more money for sports and societies), maybe there is one final win to bring back to the Union. It will be hard but we shall try.

Anyway, I am trying to set the administrative side of the job on the back burner for now in order to move on to major policy objectives – student group financial deregulation, the Olympics, and continuing to restructure the ARC’s bureaucracy. I am always open to thoughts on these issues. If you ever need me, you will all by now, know where to find me.

Suzi

Lily

Since the last issue of The Ripple, I’ve been working on my feedback campaign, which hopefully you will all have done by now, but if you haven’t then please do! The link is: http://www. surveymonkey.com/s/studentsunion. It has got off to a great start and I hope it continues right until the end of term.

Other than this, I have been working on engagement with student groups and helping them to Photography:Hayley Symington get their events out there and I’m working on a set of alternative nights out which started with ‘Surf Club presents….Shampoo!’ If you‘d like to hold an event such as this please get in contact and we can get you set up in the New Year.

I hope everyone is enjoying the 12 days of Christmas offers from the calendar and has a wonderful end of the year. Merry Christmas everyone and I look forward to seeing you in the New Year!

SABB PAGE

Alex

The Ripple finds out what the team have been up to this month:

First of all a big thank you to everyone who took part in the ‘Sort it Out’ campaign a few weeks ago. It was a fantastic success and I will be reporting the problems and issues that arose to the Senior Management at the University.

So it’s leading up to Christmas and there is plenty of fun and excitement to look forward to over your four weeks off. But of course lots of you have exams after the break so make sure you plan your time wisely over the holidays. Make sure you balance relaxing and reenergising with some revision so you don’t come back to Leicester panicking about your exams. Look out for our exams revision sessions and tips coming up as well before term ends!

All that’s left for me to say is have a great Christmas and good luck with those exams and essays!

I hope you’ve all settled into term and got over freshers’ flu! Currently I’m halfway through my campaign, Rate your Landlord. I have received loads of responses- some shocking- and I can’t wait to publish the results and begin to tackle accommodation problems in the private rented sector. The campaign finishes on the 16th December, so make sure you fill in the survey at http://www. surveymonkey.com/s/rateyourlandlord for the chance to win a week’s worth of food and rent!

Go Global week will be kicking off on the 5th December. The week will include a jam-packed agenda of opportunities to study, work and travel abroad, try new foods and tea from different cultures, learn new languages and much more!

Check out the Students’ Union website for more details on how to get involved.

Don’t forget to pop in if you ever have any worries or concerns that you want to talk about- I work for YOU so make sure you use me! Happy holidays everyone.

Thom

Tar sands, sustainable travel, ethical eating and recycling are major issues that anyone interested in the environment (or aren’t stupid enough to ignore science) are currently concerned with. Your Students’ Union is, and being one of the greenest Students’ Unions in the UK, we try to be ahead of the trend and work to create a positive change in student behaviour.

Green Impact is a NUS award scheme to make Students’ Unions all over the UK greener and more ethical. Green Impact is a part of my role as Campaigns and Involvement Officer that takes up a lot of my time, but it’s a worthwhile activity and really gives us a chance to see how green we are and give us the tools to go further in environmental aims.

If you would like to help out with Green Impact and help your Students’ Union achieve its goal of being in the top five greenest Students’ Unions in the UK then email: campaign.involvement@le.ac.uk

The Ripple 7

University News

Zane Lowe Speaks to The Ripple in The Scholar!

Emma Kempson, Chief Editor

Editor: Daniela Murphy Writer: Sarah O’Callaghan

On 26th October, Radio One’s Student Tour came to Leicester and 100 students were fortunate enough to get tickets to be a part of Fearne Cotton’s show broadcast live from no other than The Scholar. Alongside her was the ever- energetic Zane Lowe; I had the chance to speak to him ahead of his live radio show alongside Kasabian in the evening.

Emma: So, how are you feeling about the tour; are you enjoying it?

Zane: Yeah it’s been great, it’s good to get out of the studio and play some records and hear some bands.

E: You said earlier that this is one of the best gigs to play, you’ve been here three years in a row and you were only here two weeks ago- so what is it that keeps bringing you back to Leicester?

Z: I mean you said it all, the venue’s great, we always get a really good crowd in and everyone always seems really open to great music. It’s just a great sound system and it’s a great shape and just a really great place to play.

E: Out of the line- up, which artist are you most looking forward to playing alongside?

Z: You can’t really answer because whatever you say you feel like you’re insulting someone, and each is so different. Noah and the Whale gave a real sense of style and grace to their performance, and it was a really nice atmosphere in that room with the band, whereas last night was a real sort of jump up and a more ravey atmosphere with Example and Flux and tonight is the hometown gig with Kasabian- one of the biggest bands in the country playing in a room that they probably haven’t played in the size of for four or five years.

E: What do you think we can expect from their set tonight?

Z: Tonight: hits. Nothing but just massive hits, I mean they’ve got so many singles now, so many tunes, and I would just imagine they’re going to rattle through those in quick succession. And then you’ve got tomorrow, Coldplay (and I’m a lifelong Coldplay fan) in the UEA- big venue for me, small venue for them.

E: So you’re excited about all of the bands then really?

Z: Yeah, well we wouldn’t have picked an artist or a band to perform on the tour if we hadn’t been looking forward to it and each one just brings something different.

E: You’re a big proponent of up- and- coming music: what’s on your playlist at the minute?

Z: There’s lots of new and exciting things! There’s a really great beat maker- I think he’s from Scotland- and he’s called Rusty, who’s doing really interesting things, very sort of analogue, old school sounding dance music but done in a very modern way. Skrillex is obviously going to be really big and I’m a big fan of Frank Ocean- it’s an exciting time.

E: Exciting indeed! Now I’ve seen you’ve got some more tour dates lined up straight after the Radio One Student Tour; do you prefer being in the studio, or being on tour, or both?

Z: It’s just different, and it’s just a balance. Playing gigs has a lot of exciting things about it- being able to play and watch crowds react to music is a really great enhancement to what I do on the radio, but then again I feel incredibly

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comfortable at Radio One behind that desk with those gadgets and those records. That’s probably where I feel the most comfortable, so each one is very different to the other but they carry with them consistencies.

ple ‘“The venue’s great, we always get a really good crowd in and everyone always seems really open to great music”

E: Have you had a great response from the students so far?

Z: Yeah, a lot of real music fans that are just really into new records. What’s really encouraging about the DJ tour I did and also doing this and watching Flux Pavilion DJ last night, was seeing how we enter the new aggressive clubbing experience, not sort of overly aggressive but the riffs, the new riffs, the new rock and roll with bass attached- that seems to really be making a connection with DJs like Skrillex and Flux Pavilion and artists like Magnetic Man. They’re all part of this new rock and roll movement that’s existing in clubs and that’s been really encouraging and the audiences have really connected with that.

E: Have you got anything else planned for the rest of the day? Obviously Fearne did the house tour this morning, so are you hanging around campus?

Z: I’m actually going to catch up with a friend who lives here which I’m really excited about so I’m going to go round his house for a bit of a catch up and then I’ll be back here in the afternoon, just prepare for the show and play a bit of music.

E: How do you prepare yourself for each of the shows?

Z: Well we sit down and work out what kind of order we want the records and what we’re going to play.

E: So do you not know that before?

Z: Not really. We sort of just judge it on the day really, and I’m like ‘okay well it seems like it’s sold out’ so we go look at the room, what’s going to work, when we’re going to play the new stuff, when we are going to put in some classics. We’ve got a solid hour before Kasabian tonight so that’s a good amount of time for me to settle into DJ rhythm, because on these gigs we’re trying to make a radio show that lives like radio show programming in terms of lots of different styles that chop and change BPM and feel, and try and make it flow. So that’s what we will do, we will take a lot of time to do that.

E: Do you ever have a fixed playlist and completely change it when you’re on stage?

Z: Yeah yeah all the time, and on radio all the time. We have a list of songs that keep us sort of grounded for that two hours but then that will inevitably change as soon as we get on there because it’s about how everyone feels in the room, and as a radio show we’re at our best when we are reflecting the mood within the room as much as it is around the country.

E: You obviously really love what you do but have you ever done a really bad gig when you can’t wait to get off the stage?

Z: Yeah I had one the other night in Bristol. Well I mean the crowd were amazing, I just had a really tough gig. I just wasn’t really in the centre of it, I kind of felt detatched and I wasn’t enjoying it so much. Time can go slow and it can be uncomfortable because you want to make sure that everyone has a good time, but sometimes your confidence gets knocked but it can definately happen; it’s natural, isn’t it, to have a bad one.

E: Well hopefully tonight will go well for you!

The Ripple 9

Fearne Cotton visits Leicester Students Hayley Symington, Deputy Editor

Fearne in front of our photo wall.

From a group of students innocently listening to Radio One to opening the door to Fearne Cotton and a camera crew in just six days...sounds crazy really, but it became a reality for us, the residents of a humble yet slightly mouldy house on Queen’s Road. Hannah, my housemate, was absoutely determined we were going to win the competition to be Fearne’s adopted house for the morning, participate in her show and win tickets for Kasabian’s evening performance. The rest of the house completely shrugged it off, expected it to be one of Hannah’s moments of madness; a few of us were pressurised into also submitting an application, without any hopes of hearing anything else at all.

Before I knew it, I was at the other end of the phone to Hannah, screaming her head off that she’d been spoken to by Cornish, Cotton’s producer, and they were considering our application. Frankly, I thought it was hilarious and expected an alternative bunch of crazy, fun-loving students would tip us from the top spot.

However, I couldn’t have been more wrong...

I walked into the house, as normal, put my bag down and strolled into the kitchen; Hannah was frantically online shopping whilst commisioning a house meeting, Richard was bouncing around more boyantly than usual and James was sitting in the corner shell shocked. Everyone had forgotten to tell me that we’d actually won, and Fearne Cotton would be arriving on The Ripple 10

our doorstep in just six days time.

Time moved so slowly waiting for the day to come, many of the boys ended up seriously nervous and concocted a plan to down shots at 7am before the visit, but Hannah and myself focused our energies on decorating the house and thinking about all of the funny stories we had to share. The night before was beyond nerve wracking; we had a manic house tidy, got everything out and ready for breakfast (which we have never done before, nor since) and laid out shot glasses ready for our early start.

We all woke up excitedly, greeted by our potent shots and random pancake breakfast, before we knew it, there was a knock at the door. We squealed alot, composed ourselves and went to open the door, expecting only the producers to be standing there, ready to brief us. However, we were wrong. Fearne Cotton eagerly shoved a microphone in our faces, the cameras were rolling; we had been propelled into a wierd world where we had to be really careful what we said, cover up logos on our t-shirts and make sure we were holding a microphone everytime we spoke.

Straight away we worked on the introductory film, going around the group and telling a little anecdote or fact about ourselves. Then it was time that we’d really been waiting for: the golden ticket game! The show

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were providing each housemate a golden ticket to see Kasabian in the Live Lounge IF they could find it hidden around the house. The day previous to us, one housemate got left behind, so we were determined that no one would be left out from our house! I was the last person to search for mine; the wardrobes, toaster and cereal boxes had already been hiding places so I was anxious that I could be the one left behind.

Fearne told me that my ticket was hidden somewhere on Cornish’s body, so as soon as I was told I could go, I stripped him as fast as I possibly could to no avail.

The clock was ticking and only ten seconds were left until the ticket would be taken away and I would be left home alone. Cornish turned around and a sneaky flash of gold caught my eye; wedged down the back of his pants was the ticket to an afternoon of fun! It was quite embrassing but thank goodness I managed to find it! We were all going to the Live Lounge and the night-time gig with Zane Lowe and Kasabian.

Before we knew it Fearne was off to prepare for her radio show, to be broadcast from the Scholar, and we were just a few minutes behind. We were hurredly ushered into the building and told to stand right in shot of the camera, just behind Fearne’s head. Through the course of the show Fearne and Zane and the producers were chatting away to us, and we were unaware that we’d actually be interviewed live on Radio One! The live interview was nervewracking, a bit embarassing, but ultimately really exciting. We all recieved loads of messages from unsuspecting friends hearing us blare out of their speakers; surreal.

After Kasabian’s incredible Live Lounge set, we were lucky enough to actually interview Tom and Serge for The Ripple (see page 25). The weird thing was how normal everything seemed after a while; hanging out with Zane and two of the world’s most popular

rockstars just felt casual, everyone was lovely to us and it was definitely one of the best days of all of our lives. James especially had a good day: as our only single housemate he was selected to feature on Love Lounge, Fearne’s dating section, in which James had to ask Blind Date-esque questions and select a girl to take to the night time gig with him! It was really fun and even though James was nervous, he had a good time!

After the show was over, we reluctantly went back to normality; lectures, essays, David Wilson Library. Not for long though, in the evening we had a ‘family’ meal as we always do, and got ready to set off to Kasabian’s epic homecoming gig. The crowd was absolutely mental and the band were fantastic live. Having not been a massive fan before, the gig definitely got me interested; to see a band so well received and so passionate about entertaining their home crowd was quite inspiring and moving at times (see page 24 for the full review).

From the experience the main thing I’d say I’ve taken from it is a really keen interest in the world of media; from the Q&A that Zane Lowe’s producers ran in the afternoon, it was evident that in the current media world, the essential thing is to gain cross- media experience. As a keen journalist this kind of insight was absolutely invaluable; I not only watched the full production of one of the country’s most popular radio shows, but I could interview celebrities, network and ask some of the world’s most well respected producers my questions. I’d never realised how essential it is to really meet and engage with people who have inside knowledge, and I’d say to anyone now, apply for competitions, apply for placements, e-mail people, phone people; just get your name out there because the world of media is very, very exciting indeed.

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Teach First- A Brilliant Graduate Opportunity Laura Amy Johnson

Whether you have heard of Teach First yet or not, be sure to know that you will be hearing and learning a lot more about it over the next year. Teach First is an amazing graduate scheme which takes exceptional graduates, like students here at Leicester, and transforms them into leaders, equipped with the invaluable skills to deal with any situation. It is ranked as 7th in the Times Top 100 Graduate Employers and has links with outstanding companies such as PWC, Ernst and Young and Proctor and Gamble, amongst many others in every career path.

Beyond this, Teach First makes a difference. It makes a difference to the lives of young people trapped in the cycle of educational disadvantage. It helps school students, held back by their social and financial situations, to realise they can achieve their full potential in education and that doing well at school and maybe going on to higher education is achievable, regardless of your background. All of this is done through a Leadership Development Programme over the course of two years- a fantastic programme which gives you numerous skills that will benefit every area of your career.

This year on campus you will be hearing a lot about what Teach First does. There are three Teach First Brand

Managers working at Leicester; myself-Laura Johnson, Fatimah Conteh and Abisola Sanusi. Our aim is to develop students’ knowledge regarding Teach First and the amazing opportunities it holds for you. You will often see us around campus in our hoodies or t-shirts, doing lecture shout outs, holding events and attending various career fairs. I, Laura, am a third year History student; Fatimah is a third year Medical Physiology student, while Abi studies Biochemistry and is also in her third year. All three of us became Brand Managers as we feel very passionately about what Teach First does and want to ensure that every student at Leicester gets the chance to hear about us. We want to raise the profile of this amazing charity, one that is working to change the future of educational disadvantage using outstanding graduates from Leicester University.

We hope to see and get to know as many of you as possible throughout the year. If you have any questions regarding Teach First please do not hesitate to ask one of us. But for now please check out the fantastic Teach First website, www.teachfirst.org.uk to find out more information about this graduate scheme that will benefit both yourself and others in many ways.

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Oxfam Society Land Grabs The Union Sarah O’Callaghan, Writer, University News On Tuesday 25th November, the University of Leicester Oxfam society donned their hard hats and picked up their banners in order to stage a land grab outside the Scholar. Members cordoned off areas and handed out notices of eviction to passing students. To those who did not come to investigate, this was to raise awareness for part of Oxfam’s Grow campaign, launched in February of this year.

More specifically, the new society wished to raise awareness of land grabs carried out across Africa where local people have been intimidated into leaving their homes by Western investors’ ‘frenetic competition’ in seeking land; this has left many homeless and unable to grow enough food to subsist. Indeed, up to 227 million hectares have been sold or leased worldwide since 2001, half of which is in

Africa. The NGO states this situation is only set to worsen as food prices rise, due to climate change and agricultural land being progressively used more and more for bio fuels.

Surprisingly, the Oxfam society is fairly new to the university, only gaining official society status this year. Consequently, as well as campaigning, Oxfam hoped to encourage new members. By handing out leaflets and talking to students, enthusiastic campaigners got people to engage with the issue and encouraged them to sign the online petition.

Moreover, despite some minor ‘controversy’ which meant relocation for the land grabbers, the members felt they had got their point across, with one person commenting “even the Union don’t like having their land grabbed”.

World Stroke Day-Leicester Mega Raid

Daniela Murphy, Editor, University News On 29th October, World Stroke Day, volunteers from the University of Leicester and DMU joined forces with The Stroke Association to take part in a mega raid in Leicester town centre. Dressed in royal blue, the volunteers braved the poor weather conditions to help raise money for stroke victims around the world. It was the first event of its kind and the team raised £222 across the day. Although strokes are usually associated with older people, it is actually the fifth leading cause of death in people aged 15-59- a statistic that is both unexpected and shocking. By organising events such as this, young people will be made aware of the dangers of strokes. Robbie Cowbury, Graduate Trainee at The Stroke Association was also keen to raise awareness of The Stroke Association’s ‘Ask First’ campaign on Atrial Fibrillation (AF). AF is a type of irregular heartbeat that significantly increases the chances of having a stroke but by visiting a GP and asking first about their risk, people can help prevent a stroke happening later on. Check out their website on www.stroke.org.uk/askfirst.

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Current Affairs

Editor: Mary Isaac

Writer: Hayley Basford

LEST WE FORGET Hayley Basford, Writer

At 11am on the 11th November 2011, scenes of patriotism swept the nation as Britain fell silent, honoring those who have fallen in international conflict defending our country. The annual event, in which a two minute silence is observed, echoes the silencing of gunfire along the western front, marking an end to World War I in 1918.

This year, the poppy, ‘a universal symbol of remembrance’, has caused a wave of controversy after FIFA banned the English and Welsh football teams from having the symbol embroidered onto their shirts for the international matches, taking place over remembrance weekend. FIFA argued that by allowing this, it would break the rules regarding the promotion of political symbols, ‘jeopardising the neutrality of football’. This caused outrage and fury amongst society, and called both Prince William and Prime Minister David Cameron to intervene, directly addressing FIFA on the absurdity of this ruling. Speaking during Prime Minister’s Question Time, Cameron stated the emblem is not rooted in political discourse, but should be worn with ‘pride, even if we don’t approve of the wars people were fighting in … to honour the fact that these people sacrificed their lives for us. It’s absolutely vital for Fifa to understand that and I think a

clear message going out of this house and from this government can make them think again.’

Indeed it did make them ‘think again’, resulting in FIFA retracting their ban, allowing the symbol to be etched onto their black armbands, worn in honor of British service men and women who have lost their lives in conflict.

So is the poppy really a political symbol?

Or is it simply a mark of respect for the fallen soldiers who have lost their lives fighting for this country?

The poppy first became a national symbol of remembrance in 1921 when it was adopted by the Royal British Legion, and is sold in order to raise money to assist retired and injured soldiers. However, the emblem is not just circulated within Britain, but ‘sent to 120 countries outside the UK’ thus emphasising the universality of the symbol. The symbol is a silent, sombre reminder of the historical events that make up the history of Britain. A fitting tribute to the fallen, due to the fact that it was the only plant that grew in the war torn fields of Northern France and Flanders during World War I. The poppy is indeed a silent emblem, yet at the same time embedded with the most powerful discourse, steeped in historical significance.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

By John McCrae, May 1915

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WHAT A YEAR! Oliver Coleman, Writer

There are many dates that go down in history as world changing and I for one think that 2011 will certainly receive much attention in years to come.

It has been a year of political upheaval and revolution. The Arab world has gone through a momentous transformation forcing out the dictators of Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. This mass uprising led to Egypt’s Mubarak going on trial in August, Tunisia holding its first ever free elections and the death of Gaddafi in October.

The wave of revolution provoked a wave of liberty, such as Saudi Arabia granting women the right to vote. Meanwhile, back in the West, France was taking some away by banning full face coverings in April. The British media being exposed to phone hacking, leading to the closure of The News of The World newspaper, was another shocking revelation.

To add to the list of dictators and political extremists that found this year particularly tough was Laurent Gbagbo, former president of the Ivory Coast who was ousted from power in April. Additionally, Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan in May and Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, head of Al Qaeda in East Africa, in June. However terrorism reared its ugly head again in July when Anders Breivik murdered 77 fellow Norwegians.

Nationhood being a particularly prominent theme of the year ushered in the independence of South Sudan in July and the Palestinians followed suit in September when they officially requested UN membership.

Accompanying these events was the issue of the world economy still being on the verge of collapse.

No amount of advertising by the BBC about the marriage of Prince William to Kate Middleton could hide this.

Aside from the arrest and subsequent resignation of head of the IMF Dominique Strauss Kahn after fake allegations of rape, France and Germany have been trying to save the Eurozone, with the likely chance that Greece and Italy will have new leaders by the end of the year.

Of course it wasn’t just humanity that was tearing itself apart this year, mother nature also decided to get in on the action. North-Eastern Australia experienced terrible flooding through January and Japan was subjected to a tsunami causing huge damage and threatening the Fukushima Nuclear Plant in March.

The US faced some of the deadliest tornados and record forest fires, provoking New Mexico’s nuclear facility scare - a bad year for advocates of nuclear power! Additionally, in August, East Africa was subjected to the worst drought in 60 years.

However BP started a fight back against mother nature as it resumed its drilling in the Gulf of Mexico - thanks BP! So theres a summary of 2011. A pretty eventful year that was so shocking it caused St. Paul’s to close its doors for the first time since WW2. May 2012 be a great year for you even though the Mayans predict the world will end - but I suppose that’s a yearly tradition!

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DEBT, DEBT AND MORE DEBT Tariq Rahuma, Writer

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A-level students are being put off from applying to university due to increased tuition fees, a study by BBC Inside Out has shown. The survey of 1,009 A-level students by ComRes has shown 10% were “definitely put off”, whereas 54% said that they were “a bit” put off “but will probably still go [to university]”.

UCAS applications for 2012 entry have fallen by 9%. The 9% factors in an increase in applications from foreign students, and applications from UK students have fallen by 12%. Mature students have also been put off, as applicants aged 40 and over have fallen by 27.8%.

This could be down to the increase in the cap on tuition fees announced last November, from £3,375 in the 2011/12 academic year to £9,000, with the majority of universities charging the full amount. This could mean student debts of around £43,500 become standard for a three year degree including maintenance loans, and the British Medical Association last year estimated that medical students could see their debts increase to £70,000.

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Postgraduate study is another concern, as it could lead to further financial problems. Postgraduate students could struggle for funding given that the government does not provide student loans for them, with all their funding being private or from research councils. Earlier this year, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) announced a 2.8% cut in the research budget.

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Around half of students surveyed by ComRes say they would apply to universities closer to home or abroad to save money, and two-thirds would consider apprenticeships as an alternative. Applications for Oxbridge and to study Medicine, for which the deadline was 15th October, have only fallen by 0.8%, however.

Toby Hughes, Managing Director at Blue Speck Media states “in today’s society, with students under such financial pressure and facing the possibility of leaving university in serious debt, we felt that offering a service providing important money saving tips and listing organisations that provide free debt counselling services was something we could do to make a difference as a company...we don’t feel comfortable making money out of people who are already struggling financially...debt is a huge problem to many in our society and the sooner they act to clear their debts the better off they will be in the long term”.

Additionally, Independent Financial Advisor (http://www.independentfinancialadvisor.co.uk/debt-help/student-debt) has just launched a not-for-profit student debt service. The website offers quality financial information on a whole range of financial products including savings, investments, mortgages and pensions, offering debt advice to students as a free service to give something back to people in need.

Any revenue gained from referrals is given to support the work of debt charities that provide help and advice to people for free.

The student advice section offers many useful tips and money saving ideas, covering all aspects of student life.

Nevertheless, the government will certainly be hoping for an increase in applications, as youth unemployment, as of October, stands at 2.57 million- the highest total since 1994.

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“ We felt that offering a service providing important money saving tips and listing organisations that provide free debt counselling services was something we could do to make a difference as a company”

CLIMATE CHANGE? Hannah J. Tian, Writer

Despite general and widespread acceptance over the last decade of climate change as textbook facts, the research has been continuously marred by scandals including the high profile ‘climategate’ case in 2009. The most recent independent study led by Richard Muller, a prominent climate change sceptic, however, reviewed and examined the data and confirms the warming trend. The Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature project (BEST) concluded in late October that the changes in temperature could have been a result of variations in sea temperatures in the north Atlantic.

The ‘climategate’ scandal in 2009, which sparked the BEST study, raised concerns that climate change scientists were concealing and manipulating crucial data. E-mails from UEA’s Climate Research Unit were hacked and published online, and statements such as ‘(T)he fact is that we can’t account for the lack of warming at the moment’ from Kevin Trenberth were taken out of context and highlighted by sceptics as proof of their claims.

Further incidences of possible falsification of climate change data include the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) acknowledgement of the mistakes made in a 2007 report, where an estimation of the lifespan of Himalayan glaciers was off by more than three centuries. More recently in October, one of the scientists involved in what has now been dubbed ‘polarbeargate’ has been requested to undertake a lie-detector test. Jeffrey Gleason and his colleague Charles Monnett were the scientists behind the discovery of polar bears drowned in the Arctic apparently due to melted ice caps and rising water levels. Their research was widely referenced, including in the

Al Gore production ‘The Inconvenient Truth’, and served as leading evidence for a suggested global warming epidemic.

Doubts have since been cast on the integrity of their findings and the US Department of the Interior initiated an investigation into their claims and possible scientific misconduct.

The Berkeley Earth study set about to investigate and potentially challenge concerns raised by the sceptics, and published their preliminary findings in October 2011. Its main aim was to make climate change research transparent and the results available to stand peer review [draft papers can be found at http://berkeleyearth.org” http://berkeleyearth.org.]

The study focused on main areas of doubt regarding climate change data, such as the urban heat island effect and unreliable station readings. The urban heat island effect had been said to skew temperature readings and bias global warming research, since urbanisation meant certain areas became significantly warmer.

The study found this issue invalid in terms of data as the effects were local and did not contribute to the average temperature rise as urbanised areas only account for less than 1% of land, and that average land temperature have risen by almost one degree Celsius over the past 50 years. In terms of temperature sites, two thirds were found to reflect a warming trend.

As with any matter of such scale and uncertainty, the Berkeley study is by no means definitive - debate is ongoing and the sceptics remain.

“The study focused on main areas of doubt regarding climate change data, such as the urban heat island effect and unreliable station readings.”

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Opinion &Debate

Editor: Rhys Williams

The Right Direction Gemma Houlton, Writer

Student Parliament gathered for the latest Annual Members Meeting on the 8th of November. For those of you that don’t know, the AMM is an annual meeting whereby Student Parliament gathers and considers proposals for the upcoming year.

They discuss everything from the budget to campaigning.

Anybody can attend these meetings and have their say; an excellent way of getting your opinion heard. All the minutes from the meetings go up online for you all to read, and keep updated on.

Scrolling through these, I noticed an interesting piece on an overhaul of the LGBTQ policy. The policy itself has remained unchanged since 1993, but the Parliament have striven to make necessary updates, such as holding a campaign in support of gay rights every year, and also securing a meeting room for the group within the Percy Gee Building for their sole use.

Personally, I was shocked that arrangements such as these weren’t already in place, with LGBTQ being one of the major societies, and being a University in a city such as Leicester which thrives on its acceptance of diversity, an association such as LGBTQ would have high demand. And although the Parliament is obviously committed to bettering the society, how ‘gay friendly’ is the University of Leicester? According, to Stonewall, a charity for lesbians, gays and bisexuals, not immensely so. We don’t even appear on the list of the top 10, which currently, Manchester Metropolitan presides over.

Approximately 65% of university students who consider themselves gay, lesbian, bisexual or trans gender suffer some type of bullying during their time at university. And with student fees on the rise, it is no wonder that students may be even more cautious over their choice of university on the basis of their LGBTQ values: students will not want to be spending £9,000 to attend somewhere that they, potentially, will not feel accepted in. Universities that establish their belief and support of gay rights is becoming an increasingly important aspect of what a university has to offer.

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Photography: Kostantinos Lipsos

Writer: Gemma Houlton

The website www.gaybydegree.org.uk proves this with the 23,000 unique users it received last year, where students visiting can compare the checklist of each university, giving them an overall view on how gay friendly the university is. Leicester’s own personal profile suggests that we only comply with six out of the ten elements. Currently, the university does have a policy which protects LGB students from bullying, a society for LGBTQ students, information, events and specific career advice; but we still lack explicit welfare support for students as well as consultation with LGBTQ students.

Obviously, we cannot avoid the fact that meeting six of the criteria, and the University striving to improve on the policies (such as compulsory staff training on specific LGBTQ issues) is a fantastic thing, and I don’t at all feel that the University, in my experience, is an unsafe environment for LGBTQ students.

But you only need to look at cases such as Tyler Clementi who killed himself just last year in the States over homophobic bullying to realise the importance of this issue, and that educational institutes all the over the country- not just universitiesneed to aim to improve the situation in regards to treatment and attitudes towards homosexuality.

The Telegraph highlighted that even young school pupils in Essex are being bullied for their sexuality, and there was “anecdotal evidence of students being told to act less gay or to wear their hair differently as teachers felt they were making themselves a target for bullies”. With children becoming increasingly exposed to matters of sexuality via the internet it is clear that support systems for gay individuals needs to be strengthened through education and training made available in order to avoid cases such as Tyler.

Therefore, my argument is that yes, the University of Leicester is well above average when it comes to supporting its LGBTQ students, but we can always aim for improvement and the Parliament’s idea of putting up a permanent rainbow flag in the Union as a public display of support is definitely a step in the right direction.

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A Faceless Threat

Emma Kempson, Chief Editor Cyber bullying affects one in four people between the ages of 11 and 25. This is a simple fact. There is no need for me to embellish this in an attempt to make it sound more serious or hard- hitting than it is, as the figure speaks for itself. Cyber bullying is the act of threatening, teasing or abusing via digital technology, and in this sense a victim can be followed by their predators twenty- four hours a day, seven days a week.

The bullying does not stop when the individual finishes work, leaves the lecture theatre, or gets off the bus from school- they are constantly followed and abused by their tormenters.

Although sending harmful SMS messages and threatening e-mails also falls under the bracket of cyber- bullying, it is through the use of social networking sites such as Facebook that the majority of abuse occurs, with 71% of cases relating to such sources. With the ever- increasing urge to document our whole lives and publish it for all of our ‘friends’ to see, it is often the case that nasty comments can appear online without any real intention of spite. It is easy for someone to post something in the heat of the moment with unlimited and instant access to the Internet, and more often than not they will deeply regret their actions. However, once the ‘Post’ button has been clicked, the damage has been done; with two million people logging onto Facebook each second, it is highly likely that someone will see the post, regardless of whether you later decide to delete it.

So, we could actually all find ourselves being the cyber- offender by making one off- hand comment. But what about those who consistently use the Internet as a way of tormenting others? The fact of the matter is that cyber- bullies are weak. It is very easy to hide behind a computer screen, using the keyboard as a weapon to lash out at others. The chances are that if ever anyone confronted those that were causing them so much pain, they would be defenceless and unable to emulate this nasty character they can so easily create from the safety of their own homes. With the ability to use pseudonymous names to leave harsh comments on forums or belittle other users, cyber- bullies do not even have to reveal their true identity. Or perhaps it all boils down to the fact that the bully has no real friends to share such wickedly cruel opinions with, and lacks the social skills necessary to discuss these?

Whatever the motive behind the bullying, whether intended in a spiteful manner or not, this becomes irrelevant when we see what damage such an act causes.

Robert Mullaney, father of Tom Mullaney who hanged himself at the age of 15 after being threatened by online bullies, says “we need a starting block” and by this he means “a piece of legislation saying cyber bullying is an illegal act”. But would this really stop the predators? In a word: no. The only sense of hope that we can hold on to is that it is not the victim who is weak, but in fact it is actually the cyber- bully.

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Photography: Harley Drury

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The Big Debate

Rhys Williams, Editor On the 3rd November the University played host to ‘The Big Debate’, a Q&A session organised by the Labour society featuring a panel of speakers influential to our student political systems: Aaron Porter (former President of NUS England); Luke Young (President of NUS Wales); Thom French (Campaigns and Involvement Officer for our Union) and Rob Hicks (former sabbatical officer for our union). The debate centred on the political opportunities and involvement that young people experience, predominantly whilst at university but with some discussion on more grass-roots issues.

Discussions began with a consideration of young peoples’ political representation with Luke Young affirming his belief that whilst youth political groups, such as the youth parliament, have a role to play in our political understanding and development ‘we currently have a system of representation that doesn’t actually engage young people en masse’. Aaron Porter built on this to talk about the old-school, excessively bureaucratic, system of continuous meetings that characterises politics but fails to coincide with the actual day-to-day schedules that young people have. And I am inclined to agree; it is all too easy for the parties to point towards social media as the most effective way of engaging young people in politics but how practical is it to believe that the long-standing machinations of government, that many perceive as closed-off, can harmonise with the fledgling, and apparently transparent, community which defines social networks?

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Perhaps the solution lies with earlier engagement. Whilst I regularly read about current affairs, the appearance of a political party’s manifesto on Facebook or Twitter would be but a drop in the ocean of statuses regaling me with last night’s antics and would be unlikely to make an impact at a stage when I’m used to this system; I think it would be fair to say that this would apply to many other students as well. The time to start is the first years of our education. As Luke Young opined, we go to school ‘to learn about the world around us’ and whilst the arts and the three core sciences are evidently essential it is imperative that the democratic systems that we, and much of the world, have in place are understood by progressive generations in order to make clear how they work and how change can be properly affected.

But what of our generation that has been raised with no direct exposure to politics until a solitary option block during A-level, one year before becoming enfranchised? The answer lies in a personal contemplation of what you are involved in and what you wish to achieve. As put forward by Thom French, when discussing the supposed complacency of some FE colleges with regard to student political participation, ‘it’s not that people don’t care but they don’t use the word politics when they discuss big issues’. So maybe this is where a change in us, the university student body, can come about. By further considering our role in the Union, be it in the Union Parliament, a member of a society or fundamentally a student, we can begin to seek a greater understanding of our students’ union workings in order to bring about the changes that we would otherwise consider inconsequential or impossible to alter.

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The Problem With Being A Girl Gamer Claire Sullivan , Writer

Videogames are for boys. This is constantly hammered into us through posters, shop fronts and game covers that are aimed solely at males. Well, not entirely: some games are aimed at little girls too. The videogame industry is proud of its ‘games for girls’ but these are often repulsive and regressive. How do fluffy animals, cooking and endless pink represent modern girls? These sell in bucket loads but only in a mass of single-use Christmas presents.

When girls have tolerated these long enough, where can they turn? Not to ‘boys’ games’. Any girl that’s joined an online match of Call of Duty with boys knows their response- jeering when you die within twenty seconds because you’ve never played before. This frequently puts girls off gaming. Girls should still try ‘boys’ games’ but the videogame industry should also stop taking the easy stereotypical approach and make games for girls that have as much thought and complexity as ‘boys’ games’. This means accepting that what girls like might be different to what they think girls like.

FPS (First Person Shooter) is usually considered the favourite genre among boys whereas girls generally prefer puzzle/adventure. Amazon.co.uk has 6,282 listed shooter games, 1,354 adventure games and 811 puzzle games, which proves the videogame industry predominantly targets boys. John Romero, designer and programmer of FPS Doom, said “Men design games for themselves because they understand what they know is fun. They don’t understand what women find fun.” If most developers are male and make games for themselves, naturally more games are aimed at boys and this just makes a vicious cycle: the fewer games aimed at girls, the less appeal for girls to join the industry, and the more male dominated it becomes.

Ultimately girls, it’s up to us. Nothing will change if we accept what we’re given.

‘Games for girls’ exist to make money; buy other games and they might stop making these abominations. Then they might realise that to make money from girls they need to make exceptional, well-designed games. Meanwhile we have to rummage through bargain bins of bad representations for gems of equality.

Until such a time comes, try online game reviews instead of impulse buyinguk.gamespot.com is fantastic for print and video reviews. They also have web series like ‘Appetite for Distraction’ which reviews android and IOS games. There are fantastic games for every genre. My favourite is fantasy adventure Fable III which is a great example of gender equality. Arguably, Portal 2 is the best puzzle videogame in history- it is unique, clever and witty with fantastic voice acting. If you’re after mobile gaming, Angry Birds, Peggle and Doodle Jump are worth every penny for sheer replay value. Finally, look to the future, keeping your eyes and ears open to what’s around the corner. I highly recommend looking up the new Tomb Raider trailer. It depicts breathtakingly stunning graphics and a protagonist, who is usually the target of over-sexualisation, toned down to create a more believable heroine.

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Editor: Alexander French Writer: Aidan Rylatt

In this issue: - Billy Bragg interview - Kasabian live review & interview - University bands feature - The Horrors live review

MUSIC Billy Bragg speaks to The Ripple Alexander French, Music Editor and Aidan Rylatt, Resident Writer

Last month, legendary singer-songwriter Billy Bragg brought his ‘Leftfield in Motion’ tour to Leicester’s O2 Academy. With support from Akala and Sound of Rum, the tour is intended to stimulate enthusiasm for political music. The Ripple caught up with Billy prior to the tour to discuss pop and politics.

Tell us how the ‘Leftfield in Motion’ tour came about.

I’ve been running a stage at Glastonbury Festival for the last couple of years called Leftfield. In 2009 when the stage had taken a year off, Michael Eavis called me and said, “I’m worried we’re going to have a Conservative government next time the festival comes around. I really want Leftfield back.” I said, “That would be great, if you can get us a tent and give us a budget I’ll put some bands together.”

I try to encourage young musicians that are trying to make political music. It’s sometimes difficult for young bands to get that kind of platform, so I’ve been trying to put them on in front of audiences that are going to respond to them.

Glastonbury is probably the most political of the major festivals, but the politics need to be more verbal. What we’re trying to do with Leftfield is to focus more on what’s going on in the UK, as well as around the world.

What made you pick the other artists who will be joining you on the tour?

Sound of Rum played Glastonbury this year at Leftfield. I have a lot of respect for their frontwoman, Kate Tempest she’s an amazing poet and an amazing performer. Akala, while I’ve not worked with him before, is an artist who is doing really, really good work. I wanted to work with people from hip-hop because I think, for all our love of the Clash and everything, it’s not white boys with guitars that are making the most political music at the moment. It’s clearly happening in urban music, and Akala represents that.

Do you believe it’s a problem that guitar bands are no longer engaging with politics?

It’s not my problem! I’ve never stopped doing it. I don’t think we can blame them; if you’re a 25-year-old you’ve grown up in a political atmosphere that is simply not as ideological as it was in the 1980s. There’s no Berlin Wall any more, no Soviet Union. The main political parties are all trying to get on a narrow strip that they perceive to be the middle ground. As much as I hated Margaret Thatcher, she knew what she stood for! Whereas with David Cameron or Ed Miliband it’s difficult to tell what makes them different, so I don’t think you can blame young people for that.

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What I want to do with this tour is try and remind people how powerful music is as a medium for spreading, not just

ideas, but a sense of solidarity. The other thing that wasn’t around when I was doing this in the 80’s was the Internet.

Now you have the ability through social media sites to talk to one another. In 1977 when I was pissed off about the world, I picked up a guitar because that was the only medium I could access with which to talk to my generation and to my parents’ generation. Now you can set up a blog, go on Facebook or Twitter, make videos and put them on YouTube. There’s a number of different outlets, so people don’t immediately turn to music. I think people are just as angry – you saw that on the student marches last year – it’s just when it comes to articulating it they’re not thinking in the same way that we did.

So you don’t think contemporary artists are afraid to speak out for fear of being divisive?

I don’t think it’s about being divisive. Speaking to young musicians that I respect, I think they worry about showing their concerns if they don’t know enough and they don’t want to sound ‘stupid’. I was the same when I started off – I haven’t got a degree in politics, I just tried to talk about the things that I saw and the things that made me angry.

I do worry that economically things are going to be really bad for your generation. Already, unemployment for under-25 year-olds is higher than it’s been for donkey’s years, and that’s going to take some turning around. We need to be hearing from your generation, and soon. One of the ways to talk to my generation is to pick up some instruments and start singing about it.

Do you think that as the cuts set in people will go back to expressing themselves through music, or is the change now irreversible?

Well, I think it’s just another way of doing it. People are definitely writing songs about this because they’re sending them to me. It’s whether or not something like [Bragg’s 1985 EP] ‘Between the Wars’ could ever get in the charts again like it did in the wake of the miners’ strike. Part of the problem also is that when I was making music there were three weekly music papers, and the editors were all what you might call ‘children of 1968’. They believed that musicians could say something, other than just being selfaggrandising.

Is it possible that publications like the NME turn a blind eye to political artists these days?

That is a problem. The NME’s circulation is plummeting, and you can’t help thinking if they were to grab hold of what’s going on at the moment, it might galvanise their readership a bit more. It’s a difficult music scene, and they could soon find themselves becoming even more marginalised. There’s only so far you can go with the Vaccines...

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“We need to be hearing from your generation, and soon.”

- Billy Bragg

What do you make of the current ‘occupy’ protests taking place in London and around the world?

I’m very encouraged by it. Obviously you can’t change the world with that sort of thing and it’s ridiculous to expect them to come up with the answers. What I think they’re trying to do is generate media to change the agenda of the debate about the economic situation. There’s a lot of very important issues which our three mainstream parties will not touch with a bargepole. A simple one would be that the EU, led by France and Germany, want to introduce a ‘Robin Hood tax’. Cameron’s resisting that, Obama’s resisting that. What has Ed Miliband got to say? Nothing.

One of the problems we’ve had over the years is that when you try to put something together like this, the Marxists turn up and they seek to define what you’re doing by their set of rules. That’s not really helpful because their answer to every single problem you have is, “Oh bloody hell, my laundry hasn’t turned up on time. We’ll have to overthrow capitalism.” You want to oppose your local library being closed – “We can’t do it till we overthrow capitalism.” It’s a ridiculous way to proceed. Your generation is the first generation to have the opportunity to articulate a radical left-wing idea that isn’t tainted by the totalitarianism we’ve inherited from the 20th-century Marxist narrative.

I’d like to think the ‘occupy’ movements are attempts to find a new way to articulate those ideas in a way that doesn’t allow the Daily Mail to tell us all to “go back to Cuba.” On Question Time on BBC1 I said something positive about the EU and I got an email from someone who told me, “If you like Europe so much, why don’t you fuck off back and live there?” There are people out there who are a bit confused about geography…

What was your reaction to the riots we saw over the summer?

Obviously I think they were a negative response to the economic situation. It does seem to be that they were motivated by greed, but the point is that until we start to hear from those people out there we don’t really know. It may be that there is a much more coherent link between the economic situation and what happened, but we need people who were there to start explaining that to us. Until we hear from those people, the agenda is going to be dictated by people like David Cameron.

I think the negative reaction to the August riots is why there wasn’t any trouble at Occupy London Stock Exchange. People recognise that that sort of activity was self-defeating. This may be a real step forward in the way that we articulate our critique of the economic situation. The Americans in New York [at Occupy Wall Street] have been absolutely determined not to have violence. They’re allowing the police to be violent to them and passively resisting, and I think that’s a really good tactic.

I’ve long believed you can’t change the world by smashing up branches of McDonald’s and Topshop.

How can we encourage more young people to be involved in politics and political music?

I wasn’t really that interested until it actually hit me and I started to understand how it was going to affect my life. I think as they try to go out into the job market and there’s nothing there, as they can’t get to college because the EMA’s been cut, I think people will start to say, “Well, what am I gonna do?” There are a number of ways to confront that. One is to sink into cynicism and give up on things. Another is to engage, and I think one of the most beautiful ways to engage is through writing, being creative, making some sort of art out of it. That model for the 1960s of speaking to the world still seems to resonate with young people. I think you just need to work out your way of doing it, that’s all.

Finally, do you have any plans for a follow-up to your 2008 album Mr Love and Justice?

Yeah, I’m sure. Next year the albums I did with Wilco [1998’s Mermaid Avenue and 2000’s Mermaid Avenue II, which feature the lyrics of Woody Guthrie] are going to be re-released with an extra album of as-yet unheard songs from the same session, plus a DVD of the documentary we made about the project.

After that I will be putting out a new Billy Bragg album – if people still put albums in 2013, who knows? It may be that we have all decided it’s a waste of fucking time and we think of easier ways to communicate!

Billy Bragg’s new compilation Fight Songs, containing standalone downloads released over the past decade, is available now via www.billybragg.co.uk

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Kasabian return to Leicester Live review by Alexander French, Music Editor Interview by Emma Kempson and Hayley Symington, Editors

On October 26th, Kasabian played their first hometown show since 2009 at the O2 Academy Leicester. We were there to watch the action unfold...

It’s been a couple of years since Kasabian took the baton from Oasis to become England’s premier ‘good-time’ rock and roll band. The only downside to their success, from the perspective of their Leicester fan base, was that they seemed to have outgrown the venues in their hometown. When it was announced that the band would be playing an intimate one-off homecoming show at Leicester’s O2 Academy, fans were so enthused that many queued outside the venue overnight to ensure they would obtain tickets.

Come the day of the gig, Kasabian begin their duties by performing on the Radio One Live Lounge in our Scholar bar.

The select few lucky enough to be in attendance are treated to an acoustic rendition of the band’s latest single ‘Re-Wired’ in addition to a reinterpretation of Lana Del Rey’s mellow ‘Video Games’. Those unable to gain entrance watch through the fence outside, prompting an amused Fearne Cotton to call them ‘caged animals’.

With echoes of Kasabian’s soundcheck bouncing around the walls of Percy Gee throughout the day, the sense of anticipation for their evening performance can be felt across campus.

When the band eventually takes to the stage that night, the response from the crowd is deafening.

Even in the intimate setting of the O2 Academy, it’s easy to see why Kasabian gained the live reputation which enabled them to

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sell out arenas. Frontman Tom Meighan exudes a charisma rare amongst contemporary rock stars; during ‘Shoot the Runner’ he demands that everyone “Raise your hands in the fucking air!”, either oblivious or indifferent to his words being broadcast live on radio. Meanwhile the tight musicianship of the band, led by guitarist ‘Serge’ Pizzorno alongside the band’s unsung rhythm section, ensures the energy on stage never wanes.

Most vitally, Kasabian can now lay claim to a back catalogue to rival those of their heroes. Over the course of four albums, the band has accumulated enough great songs to perform a completely filler-free headline set. Trump card ‘Club Foot’ is bravely used as opener, paving the way for a succession of hits including ‘Where Did All the Love Go?’, a fierce ‘Empire’ and a euphoric ‘Underdog’. Songs from recent album Velociraptor! are interspersed amongst the classics, with its title track and ‘Days Are Forgotten’ already becoming anthems in their own right.

Once the crowd is satisfied and each pair of lungs is worn out from screaming the chorus of ‘Fire’, the set concludes with much-loved early single ‘L.S.F.’ Before leaving us, however, the ever-confident Meighan gives us a rare glimpse of his sensitive side. “Leicester, we love you so much. It’s very emotional right now.” His words confirm what is clear to everybody present: that for Kasabian and the people of Leicester, today has been incredibly special.

Following their performance for the Live Lounge, we chatted to Tom Meighan and Serge Pizzorno about their gig taking place in the evening. Despite being slightly untalkative, they were both a pleasure to speak to.

How are you doing? That was a very intimate gig, how was it for you?

Tom Meighan: It was alright, yeah.

Did you enjoy it?

TM: Yeah, it was great.

Do you prefer doing bigger venues or smaller gigs like that?

TM: Both.

What’s it like playing back in Leicester, then?

TM: I live here so yeah, it’s great. It’s the best thing in the world.

What have you got planned for your set tonight?

TM: There’s some new songs in there, as always, from the new album. It will be great. It’s going to be quite an emotional return for the fans.

Well, we’re all really looking forward to it.

TM: Thank you very much.

For those that haven’t heard your new album Velociraptor! which was out on 19th September, describe it in three words.

TM: Boombastic. If you break it up, though: boom-bas-tic. There you go!

How are you mentally and physically preparing yourselves for your set tonight?

TM: I don’t know. I will probably just have a few drinks. Just have a few drinks and it will be nice.

With you being such massive football fans, I’ve been told by all the boys to ask you how you feel about Sven leaving Leicester City F.C.?

TM: It’s not a very nice decision is it, but the owners have made a decision now so what can you do? I feel sorry for Sven because he’s very polite and well-mannered, and he seemed like he did care for the club and he was really upset about it, so I

(Photography by Hayley Symington)

don’t know. Maybe it might have been a tad too soon.

Back to the Radio One Student Tour, who is your favourite other artist playing?

TM All of them. I’m not allowed to say.

What sort of music do you like at the minute?

TM: Er… Coldplay, Example.

Why did you choose to cover Lana Del Ray’s ‘Video Games’ today?

TM: Because we heard the song and it’s beautiful. We heard it on the radio and it sounds amazing and we just thought we would go with it - so yeah, it’s just a beautiful song.

(Serge Pizzorno joins us) How are you managing to balance family life and touring, Serge?

Serge Pizzorno: Easy: one’s one and one’s the other. I miss my family when I’m here but I also miss my other family when I’m with my family.

TM: Good boy!

Touring together you’re on top of each other all the time aren’t you, so it’s important that you get on well.

TM: All the time - I try and have sex with Serge every day!

(Their manager promptly tells him off).

We were just asking about what music you’re into at the minute, the kind that you see as the future of music, so what do you think about that?

SP: There’s a band from San Francisco called The Wooden Shjips that are amazing, so watch out for them.

Have you ever met them before?

SP: No, just listened to their music.

Have you ever been starstruck by anyone famous you’ve met?

TM: Yeah, sometimes you go ‘wow’, you actually do say that.

Starstruck? I mean [Paul] McCartney’s pretty big, y’know, that’s quite a big one.

Well, we’re all buzzing for tonight. Best of luck!

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A guide to some of the outstanding musical talent within our University.

Interview by Alexander French, Music Editor The University of Leicester is the proud home of countless talented musicians. On these pages you’ll find the names of just a few of the artists from our university. To find out more, get in touch with the UoL Band and Gig Society or head down to one of their regular gigs.

To kick off our feature we chatted to Rose Island Republic, a band consisting of four Leicester students and their Sheffield-based bassist.

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Rose Island Republic Upbeat alternative rock with catchy riffs and melodies. Since starting out in halls of residence last year, the group have spent two weeks at the top of the unsigned chart for their song ‘Casual Nicotine’ and have received airplay on BBC Nottingham.

1960s, based on an oil platform, called the Republic of Rose Island. This guy who ran it declared sovereignty as a nation, but the Italian government didn’t like that very much so they removed everyone from the platform and blew it up.

Does that reflect you as a band?

For fans of: The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs Hear them at: facebook.com/roseislandrepublic

AK: Yeah, we’re expecting the Italian SAS to drop by one of our shows and bomb us! (All laugh)

How would you describe your band’s sound?

What do you think of Leicester’s music scene?

Adam King (rhythm guitar): We come from quite different directions. Leo (C.B., bass) plays a lot of jazz and blues and he’s into his folk music, and Kuba (Olender, drums) is into psychedelic rock. Leigh’s a bit more poppy.

Leigh Hayward (vocals): Yeah, I grew up with ABBA! AK: That’s not to say you’ll like us if you like ABBA! I’d say we have quite a full, North American sound, as opposed to a more British ‘indie’ sound.

Mikey Davies (lead guitar): Decide for yourselves when you come to see us at a gig!

LH: There’s a really good metal scene in Leicester, but there aren’t many bands like us, which is disappointing. It would be nice if more freshers got involved in music this year. I think the University could do a bit more to support music - for instance, they ought to make more music rooms available on campus.

There’s a great music room on top of the Attenborough Tower, but it has no drum kit or amps.

AK: I spent a year at the University of Reading, and I struggled to find anybody who was interested in playing in bands. Leicester’s not bad! Without Leicester’s Band and Gig Society we would never have got going.

Which artists influence your music?

LH: I adore old jazz singers like Joni Mitchell, Ella Fitzgerald and Peggy Lee. I loved Amy Winehouse’s voice. Proper female singers that sing with heart and soul, who have had horrible lives and put their pain into their music.

AK: My idols tend to be singer-songwriters with great lyrics such as Elliott Smith. At the moment I’m really into Los Campesinos!

They’re fantastic lyrically.

What are your long-term ambitions?

‘Rose Island Republic’ is an unusual name – care to explain?

MD: The ultimate dream would be to be able to make a living from music – not necessarily to earn loads of money, but to comfortably get along.

LH: If I don’t do this I’ll end up as an IT technician and I can’t accept that fate.

AK: It’s a danger for any band to want to be famous. A lot of people go on The X Factor and say they’d like to be singers because it looks like a nice lifestyle. That is not why people should do it – you’ll fail if you’re not concentrating on the music.

AK: There was this micro-nation off the coast of Italy in the

Read an extended version of this interview at tingoleicester.com.

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Other University-based acts you may enjoy...

Hybrid Trend Female-fronted metal quintet with a diverse array of influences, blending heavy metal with melodic rock. Since forming two years ago the band has released a self-titled EP, in addition to winning a ‘Battle of the Bands’ competition which featured various artists from the University.

For fans of: Paramore, Dream Theatre Hear them at: facebook.com/hybridtrend

EP ‘A Thousand Voices’, in addition to headlining the ‘Heavy Stage’ at the Oxjam takeover and supporting high-profile acts including Glamour of the Kill and Sonic Syndicate.

For fans of: Metallica, Killswitch Engage Hear them at: facebook.com/silentresistance

Smige

James Barry

Angry and often comical songs performed by an outspoken singer-songwriter. Regularly amusing and bemusing audiences at gigs around Leicester.

Laid-back and melodic folk with impassioned personal lyrics.

James performs regularly at open mic nights around Leicester.

For fans of: Frank Turner, Billy Bragg Hear him at: facebook.com/foregroundmusic

For fans of: Nick Drake, John Martyn Hear him at: jamesbarry.bandcamp.com

Thomas Elliott

Scott Adams Mellow, indie-fused folk. Scott has performed at festivals including Glastonbudget and received airplay on Stoke-on-Trent 6 Towns Radio. He also serves as president of Leicester’s Band and Gig Society.

For fans of: Matt Costa, Joshua Radin Hear him at: scottadamsmusic.co.uk

Silent Resistance Hard-hitting, energetic metal. Last year the band released debut

Enigmatic and articulate pop songs, performed with an acoustic guitar and a distinctive deep voice. Supported Rose Island Republic at their recent gig at the Soundhouse.

For fans of: Johnny Cash, Elliot Smith Hear him at: soundcloud.com/thomas-elliott

With Winters At times theatrical, at times delicate rock from four talented multi-instrumentalists. Their debut EP, recorded in the band’s home-built studio, was released last month.

For fans of: Audioslave, Rush Hear them at: withwinters.co.uk

(Band photo by Tom Morris)

Live review: The Horrors Nottingham Rescue Rooms, 26th October 2011 Review by Aidan Rylatt, Resident Writer

In the BBC’s recent documentary about Creation Records, Upside Down: The Creation Records Story, Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie reflected on My Bloody Valentine’s seminal 1991 album Loveless: “Maybe that was the last great rock album, you know? It was going somewhere new and since then everybody’s just went... it’s gone backwards.” Now, I’m not saying music has to be looking forwards to be great, and I’m certainly not saying there hasn’t been a great rock album since Loveless. Some of the best bands of the last twenty years (Oasis, Blur, The Strokes, The Libertines, Arctic Monkeys) have clear influences but, crucially, draw on these influences to create bloody good records. However, as 2011 draws to a close it seems like an opportune time to reflect on the current music scene. And the most striking conclusion is the notable absence of innovators of the ilk of Primal Scream themselves. This isn’t to say there are no good bands around but when The Vaccines (essentially The Strokes but not as good) are being fêted as music’s biggest hope, something is seriously amiss.

Enter the Horrors. After debut album Strange House, most (admittedly including myself) wrote them off as cartoon goth-punks who wouldn’t last. Happily, the follow-up, Primary Colours, proved that this judgment couldn’t have been more wrong. And this year’s Skying succeeded in proving this further, an astonishing record that used rhythm and waves of synthesizers to devastating effect. In fact, there is no more accurate a description of the Horrors’ sound than that given by the 2009 Mercury Music Prize judges who justified nominating Primary Colours for its “exploration into melodic noise”. Alright, so they sound a little bit like My Bloody Valentine but when most other bands still sound like Oasis, The Strokes, The Libertines, or a mixture of all three, this is no bad thing.

Opening with ‘Changing the Rain’, The Horrors’ set excludes any Strange House material, instead focusing on Primary Colours and Skying. This decision is justified - as fun as, say, ‘Count In Fives’ is, songs like ‘Dive In’, ‘Still Life’ and ‘Scarlet Fields’ (tonight containing an exhilarating guitar solo from Josh Hayward) are on a different level altogether. Particular highlights are a ferocious ‘I Can See through You’ and set-closer ‘Moving Further Away’ which seems to incorporate about three different songs in its 9 minute running time. If you’re looking for a band to invest your hopes in for a new game-changing record, look no further than The Horrors.

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Reviews

Editors: Tamsin Crouch Jamie Megson Writer: Kirsten Sweeney

Stephen Merchant at DeMontfort Hall

By John Hetherington Striding onto the stage of the Apollo, even from the balcony seat, it’s obvious that Stephen Merchant is a mountain of a man. Standing at six foot seven, he explained the name of his stand up tour, ‘Hello Ladies’, by telling us, rather sadly, that despite his fame and fortune, due to his gangly appearance he hasn’t always found it easy to attract female attention, and much of his routine revolved around his height and the unfortunate interest, or lack thereof, it generated.

Never a lull in the laughs, hilarious moments included him setting up a video camera at five foot four, (the height of the average woman in England, so we’re told) so the audience could experience first-hand, via big screen, the truly terrifying spectacle of Stephen Merchant approaching a woman.

Merchant also co-hosted ‘The Ricky Gervais Show’ podcasts, alongside Karl Pilkington, and unfortunately regurgitates some of this material, but also delivers fresh amusing anecdotes that outshine Gervais’s tiresome shock humour.

Merchant himself can’t help having a small dig at his cowriter at the beginning of the show, explaining the main reason he’s doing stand up is so he can make money without ‘you know who’ taking a cut. While Gervais’s last offering ‘Science’ was plain dull, laden with expletives and politically incorrect humour tailored to shock the audience into laughing, Merchant’s tales of awkwardness and honesty struck a chord with everyone and had the Apollo roaring with laughter from start to finish. Merchant will be touring nationally throughout November and December.

By Andrew Nicholds With award-winning shows such as The Office and Extras, a long list of successful podcasts, and travelling documentary An Idiot Abroad, Stephen Merchant is a man who has accomplished a lot. It would be fair to say that he has always been second to his long running comedy partner Ricky Gervais. However with this new stand-up show Stephen Merchant aims to forge his own name in the comedy arena.

The aim of this tour is, as Stephen Merchant puts it, is to ‘find a wife’. The whole show is built around this simple premise with the two major themes of his height and stinginess with money running throughout. What may sound as quite a simple or even crude topic for humour actually spins out into several hilarious tales. Highlights include the unnecessary Venn diagram, annoying kids at weddings and the challenges that height can present potential relationships with women. The school play encore provides the highlight of the evening and anyone foolish enough to leave before it would surely regret it.

It is not often that a comedian makes me cry with laughter but Stephen Merchant succeeded. I can only hope that he does another UK tour, and to those not fortunate to catch his show you should definitely buy the DVD of the show. You will not be disappointed.

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WHAT’S ON FILM 2nd Dec The Thing 9th Dec Puss in Boots 3D 16th Dec Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows 26th Dec The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 6th January The Iron Lady 13th January War Horse 20th January J. Edgar DVD RELEASES 5th Dec Captain America: The First Avenger 12th Dec Rise of The Planet Apes 12th Dec The Inbetweeners Movie 26th Dec Cowboys & Aliens 26th Dec Final Destination 5 26th Dec Misfits: Series 3 9th Jan C.S.I. New York: Series 7 30th Jan Crazy Stupid Love 23rd Jan Merlin: Series 4 23rd Jan Melancholia LIVE PRODUCTIONS The Curve 2nd Dec -14th January 2012 42nd street 6th-17th December 2011 Room on the Broom The Phoenix 10th Dec Human Rights Film Festival: RSC The Heart of Robin Hood: showing until 7 January Stratford-UponAvon Measure for Measure: showing until 10 March Stratford-Upon-Avon Written on the Heart: showing until 10 March Stratford-Upon-Avon The Taming of the Shrew: 19th January-18th February StratfordUpon-Avon BOOKS 13th Dec Tom Clancy- Locked On 5th Jan Elizabeth George - Believing the Lie (Inspector Lynley Mysteries) 19th Jan James Patterson- Private Games 5th Jan Stuart MacBride- Birthdays for the Dead 5th Jan Kathy Reichs- Seizure 5th Jan Karen Rose -No One Left to Tell GAMING 2nd Dec Mario Kart 7: Nintendo 3DS 2nd Dec Super Pokémon Rumble: Nintendo 3DS 3rd Feb Final Fantasy XIII-2- Limited Edition Collector’s Edition PS3/Xbox 360 2nd Dec Assassin’s Creed Revelations: PC 27th Jan Resident Evil Revelations: Nintendo 3DS

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Book Review- Covering McKellen: The Real Life of an Understudy Tamsin Crouch, Editor, Reviews The life of an understudy is often silenced, but David Weston’s diary Covering McKellen, offers a behind-thescenes peek into the true experience of being Ian McKellen’s understudy in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2007 controversial tour of King Lear, directed by Trevor Nunn.

The diary follows the cast from the first day of rehearsals right through to the live tour, as debut author Weston reveals the chaos and commotion that really goes on behind the curtains.

Weston provides an unedited account of the highs and lows of being an understudy, while battling with obstacles such as illness and irate disagreements between fellow cast members.

His personal anecdotes are certainly entertaining, written in a frank, witty and conversational style, making for a refreshing read.

However, this diary is by no means discreet, as he provides an honest account of his experiences during the tour.

Weston sheds light on an understudy’s dedication to the role they play in a production and sadly this often goes unnoticed in the harsh world of acting. Weston refers to the actor Naomi Capron, who understudied the Duchess of York in Richard II, and having religiously warmed up her voice every night, wasn’t given a single line.

While Weston unashamedly records all facets of an understudy’s life, writing about recurring ‘pee breaks’, is amusing but seems crude at times.

Covering McKellen, priced at £8.99, is an essential tool for aspiring students set on becoming actors, providing powerful insights which are seldom discussed with outsiders.

Game Review- Batman Arkham City

Kirsten Sweeney, Writer, Reviews

Following on from 2009’s hit Arkham Asylum, Rocksteady’s Arkham City changes little from its predecessor in terms of style and tone, but greatly expands upon the original’s scale and capabilities.

Set in a new ‘super prison’ (the Arkham City of the title) the game works on a more open world format than Asylum. The player is able to explore a richly detailed environment whilst dropping in and out of side missions and completing challenges left by the Riddler. Rocksteady have fleshed out the fighting style since Asylum too, now complete with additional moves and an increased range of tools at your disposal- the smoke pellets, particularly, are in sync with the whole ‘I am the night’ look.

Scripted by Paul Dini (perhaps most well known for his work on Batman the Animated Series, as well as the wider DC Animated Universe) the main plot plays out with a depth of storytelling usually reserved for film, rather than the videogame medium. The story revolves around a dark secret at the heart of Gotham’s new super prison, as well as the gang power-struggles inevitable when you house super-criminals too close together. That’s one of the main selling points too: pretty much everyone is in this game. The large majority of the ‘Rogues Gallery’ feature, or are at least referenced, in the game; it doesn’t matter if you didn’t like the last boss fight- there will be another completely different one, round the corner. The only downside of this is that some of the villains remain underdeveloped as they race by, leaving those with little knowledge of comic-lore slightly hard done by, but any confusion could be cleared up through the un-lockable character sheets. It’s dark and brooding yet dazzling, demonstrating what the public expect from Batman, whilst featuring enough nods and references to the wider Batman canon to appease even the most seasoned comic fans. It’s got an absolute kicker of an ending too.

The Catwoman side narratives are a little weak, but the addition of a second playable character is such a bonus over Asylum that it seems petty to complain too much. If you find Batman a little clunky sometimes then you’ll be glad for the option: Catwoman’s movements and fighting style are a lot more fluid and graceful- but you will have to sacrifice the Bat’s advanced gadgets and toys. All is not lost however, as Catwoman has her own version of ‘detective vision’ (aptly titled ‘Thief Vision’), which means you’re still at an advantage to the goons you fight- albeit a little less well armed.

A few of the side plots hint at a possible future game which, if the progression between these two games is anything to go by, should be astounding- but until then you’ll be hard pushed to find a better comic-book game than this: a definite contendor for “game of the year”.

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Resturaunt Review- MORE, London Road

Hayley Symington, Deputy Editor &Tamsin Crouch, Editor, Reviews

With a spacious interior, sophisticated design, funky lighting (including a waterfall effect behind the bar) and more culinary dishes from around the world than you can imagine, the new restaurant More on London Road offers students the ultimate all-you-can-eat experience.

More provides food from all culinary tastes including Chinese, Indian, Mexican, and American; the mouth-watering desserts and the waffles with ice cream is a particular favourite of the Ripple team. The variety is the most remarkable we’ve seen in an around the world buffet, which is an attribute embellished by specialist chefs preparing the food right in front of you.The dishes are separated into sections around a central island, where the chefs cook and prepare the meals at different cooking ‘stations’ right in front of your eyes, ensuring only the freshest food possible is served and is always of the highest quality. This is a really beautiful idea as it enables certain dishes to be cooked to your taste; that’s not to mention the freshly skewered kebab meat, which is a must-try!

The restaurant is in the perfect location, with the rail station just a stone’s throw away, and it only being a ten minute walk from campus. With lunchtime prices of just £7, what more can the over-stretched student budget want?

More offers a unique dining experience; playing on the concept of Oliver Twist asking for more in Charles Dickens’ novel, the company strives to enable its customers to always go back for more to ensure that those hunger pangs are always fully satisfied. It’s also noteworthy that all of the staff are extremely friendly, helpful and clear your plate after each sitting so you’re free to grab a clean one the next time you go up and serve yourself which really makes an enjoyable and fulfilling dining experience. With a committed and driven management team, it is unsurprising that the resturaunt has been completely re-designed. The impressive interior has already been mentioned, but it has been tailored specifically to student requirements; long tables prepared for in excess of twenty people provide a brilliant facility for socials, and small booths are perfect for an intimate first date or evening out with friends. Boys, don’t forget to check out the colour changing urinals which have been a talking point amongst the Ripple team for weeks now!

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Students get an added bonus of a 20% discount when you purchase a drink and eat at More in the evenings, which means you’d get an all you can eat, around the world buffet and a drink of your choice for around £15. Bargain really! After all, students have to eat and we need to have a good time after the stress of coursework and exams, so treat yourself!

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To visit a new, revolutionary culinary experience make sure you pay a visit to More, for varied and delicious main courses with scrumptious desserts. In the run up to Christmas, More are also taking bookings for Christmas meals; maybe your society could book a Christmas social there? Although booking early to avoid disappointment is a must!

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Travel Editor: Emily Pither Writer: Kate Moxon

CouchSurfing: The New Way to Travel?

Kate Moxon,

Resident Writer, Travel

In a society where communicating with strangers via the internet has become the norm, Casey Fenton, the founder of the CouchSurfing project, hit upon a way to take it a step further and has created an exciting, new idea using social networking.

The concept is simple but brilliant; you register for free on couchsurfing.org, specify your destination, select a host, and off you go! As well as giving you a bed for a few nights, your host spends the days with you, showing you around their favourite places in the city and inviting you into their lives for the time you are with them.

Since the project’s relaunch in 2006, there are now 3 million registered users in more than 80,000 towns around the world, and one thing its members are adamant about is that they are a community- it is not just a way to get a free bed for a night. The CouchSurfing mission statement says that ‘we envision a world where everyone can explore and create meaningful connections with the people and places they encounter’.

The idea is that both host and guest contribute something towards a shared experience; in return for hospitality, the guest must be prepared to throw themselves into whatever their host has planned. By doing so, the rewards you reap are way beyond what a tourist guidebook can offer.

Of course on the face of it, skipping off across the world to spend a night in the house of a total stranger could seem like the fastest way to get your face on the side of a milk carton. However, the project has several systems in place to verify its members, including personal references from other surfers and a vouching system, whereby members who have been vouched for three times can then vouch for other members who they know and trust. Although I would personally feel more comfortable surfing in a pair, the project seems perfectly safe, providing you make full use of the verification systems in place.

As someone planning a gap year after graduation, couchsurfing seems to me to be an extremely fulfilling way to travel. Instead of relying on a commercial guidebook to send you to the regular tourist spots, you have the chance to experience a city in a completely unique and authentic way through the eyes of a local who has made a life there.

The project allows you to immerse yourself in a new culture instead of viewing it from the outside, and must surely leave you with a much more lasting impression than those who choose to stay in a glossy hotel.

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December in New York

Emily Pither, Travel Editor

I thought New York would be completely out of my budget as a student, but there are so many free attractions and alternatives that allow you to save on unnecessary expenses.

There’s no hiding the fact that flights can be expensive, but by choosing those at ridiculous times in the morning and booking well in advance, it’s possible to cut a few extra pounds and arrive within the 12 days of Christmas.

Although aiming for a winter wonderland experience, one slight flaw to the plan was the unexpected blizzard that arrived on the first morning which left a blanket of calf-deep snow across the city. After ignoring advice to pack appropriate footwear, there’s no denying that it was hard to get around, especially when finding the Subway closed then having to walk home with only the glow of fairy lights, and a dodgy free map to guide the way. After the initial panic though, the blizzard left everyone high in winter spirits and gave us the opportunity to build a snowman with the locals in Central Park.

Whilst trying to cram in the sightseeing, do try and take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life by taking a boat trip. To avoid the premium price, opt for the free ferry to Staten Island which, although not being quite as close to the Statue of Liberty as the organised tour, you go past it all the same. Another great experience is to visit an art exhibition. The Met is a great choice, and proved to be a great afternoon alternative to sightseeing, and blagging your way as students means cheaper entrance fees.

and the fairy light encrusted dinosaurs guarding the Museum of Natural History were visual highlights of the trip. Even the shops had gone all out in their festivity; Tiffany’s and the Disney Store were two of the most impressive as was the never-ending queue of children waiting to meet Santa in his grotto aka. Macy’s.

So if you manage to save enough to afford the flights, It’s certainly possible to explore New York on a budget, and going in the winter will rekindle any doubt you’ve built up about Christmas since discovering the true identity of Santa Claus.

“Crossing Manhattan Bridge at night by foot results in an incredible view of the bright city lights”

With hotels being horrendously overpriced in December, choose a reasonably well reviewed hostel beforehand. Despite sharing a corridor with some rather strange Swedish men, the free breakfast, central location and low cost made our stay worthwhile (even if the owner was a bit too enthusiastic about the power of the American Dream which he preached to us over our cereal.)

To save even more pennies, walk as much as you can. Crossing Manhattan Bridge at night by foot results in an incredible view of the bright city lights which is a perfect photo opportunity. Without being hidden underground in the Subway, there was something seasonal to see on every corner; the huge Christmas displays and sculptures along 5th Avenue; the giant Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Centre

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Experience Erasmus with...

James Steptowe, University of Helsinki, Finland

A great place of interest that I’ve had the chance to discover is the Kiasma Art Museum located in the city centre. As well as the handy free entry offer, it’s worth a visit to observe the extensive range of art exhibitions from around the world, which aim to showcase and promote contemporary art.

I’ve also had the privilege of watching an international football match between Finland and Holland, held in the city’s Olympic Stadium-the main location of the 1952 summer Olympics.

First and foremost, I think it needs to be said that Finland is a fantastic country. I’ve been here for over two months now, and I can say for certain that I’m completely at home in Helsinki with its saunas, landscape, and language like no other on the planet.

I’ve been studying at the University of Helsinki which offers a diverse range of courses; the highlight this semester has been ‘Finnish Literature’ which has been a highly challenging, yet enjoyable change from previous modules I’ve encountered in England.

Helsinki itself is rustic, industrial and a million miles away from what you see and experience in Leicester, and compared to other cities rather small, you could almost see it all in a day if you wanted. However it’s also scattered with little islands which surround the city harbour. These landforms are extraordinary, some actually having houses built upon them where it’s possible to be self sufficient and live a life of total isolation away from the mainland. Others are home to historical places of interest including Suomenllina, which for me is the most notable as it plays host to a maritime fortress.

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Another perk of living in Finland is the accessible travel opportunities, some of which are even manageable in a day. Within a 90 minute ferry ride you can be in Tallin, Estonia, which is a charming medieval town, offering a stark contrast to Helsinki in appearance. I’ve also taken the chance to visit Stockholm via ferry from Helsinki Harbour. Stockholm is without doubt one of the best cities I’ve visited in my life; nowhere is there such a mixture of modernity and tradition within one beautiful location.

On the 15th of December I will be going to Rovaniemi in Lapland for 5 days of husky sledding, ice swimming and exploring. I also plan to visit Riga in Latvia and various places in Lithuania at some point next year, but for now I’m preparing myself for the lack of light, plummeting temperatures and the impending snow. Winter is definitely on its way, the hours of daylight are decreasing and it’s already dark by mid-afternoon. I’ve even had a little taster of the Northern Lights the other evening which was truly spectacular.

When the snow comes, this city will be transformed into a real winter wonderland which I’m waiting for with true excitement!

“Helsinki itself is rustic, industrial and a million miles away from what you see and experience in Leicester”

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Winter breaks are usually associated with skiing, Lapland, or escaping to the sun if you’re not a fan of the cold. I however would like to suggest an alternative break: my homeland, Edinburgh.

A Scottish Festive Break

Lauren Tait, Writer

A thriving capital city, Edinburgh has it all, and during the festive period it adds bright lights and a star on top.

Easily accessible by rail, and with flights available from East Midlands Airport, it’s certainly an alternative trip that won’t break the bank and there’s a lot to keep you busy.

Starting on the 24th November the city centre is abuzz with a Christmas fair, Ice rink, snow dome and a giant Ferris wheel to take in the city and all the Christmas lights. If the festive period sets off your taste buds, then sample the array of foods available at the German and Ethnic markets within the city centre, or stick to what Scotland does best and try some Haggis, tatties and neeps.

Scotland won’t even disappoint you with weather as it will be traditionally cold and snowy – everything a real Christmas should be! So you can wrap up warm, and if you’re still feeling chilly, you can undertake The Scotch Whisky Experience along the Royal Mile and let that take the edge off the crisp winter weather.

With the majority of festive fun taking place right in the heart of Edinburgh- namely Prince’s Street and the Gardens- you’ll be surrounded by history, architecture, and the hustle and bustle of a burgeoning capital city. And with the Christmas lights twinkling, and the renowned castle on the hilltop, Edinburgh will be sure to bring you a festive break that’s full of all the joys of winter.

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Arts and Creativity Editor: Lou Boyd Writer: Holly Sharpley

Poetry by: Shamika Shabna merry In search of necessities to make a pie out of cherry I had gracefully planned that after the sunshine Comes the serene moonlight under which my dearest and I will dine I went happily hopping to a cherry cart nearby Where in the midst of deep sunlight, stood a woman singing a lullaby Eyeing the cherries which looked ripe and sweet I walked towards the woman, veiled in a thick velvet sheet How much for twenty bunches of those reds I asked pointing at the cherries from which a vibrant glow sheds The woman looked up, her eyes narrowed and crinkled As she unveiled her face, heavily wrinkled Do not touch those cherries love, for the red in them is a sham Snapped the old woman, without the utmost glam Instead have these, which are fleshy and rare Said she, handing me a peach dressed in fuzz and hair My suspicions soared as I began to wonder One fuzzy peach, seemed like a devious blunder I stumbled back, as she persisted on the peach Eager to stay out of her reach.

I tried to escape, without saying a word But she hooked her claws into my flesh, like a vicious bird Dabbing her brutal claws, which made me bleed She took out her peach, which she forced me to feed She squirted the peach onto my tender lips Through which its cruel, poisonous juice drips Slicing my tongue like a guillotine It tears through my throat like a shredding machine Sorry love, I could not fulfil my promise As I lay in front of the cherry cart, feeble with no bliss I just came to the market, calm and merry In search of necessities, to make a pie out of cherry search of necessities, to make a pie out of cherry

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Beautiful Bedroom

Holly Sharpley, Writer

For those of you who have a nice new room this year, or just fancy a change, this might just be the article you are looking for. Deanna is a third year History of Art student who hopes that her growing interest in interior design will one day become more than just a hobby and perhaps turn into a profession, and here are her tips when it comes to decorating and organising your university room!

As a student it can be exciting to have your own space, so why not create a harmonious world to relax in after a hard day at university? Deanna explains that, firstly, a colour scheme should be established. Once this is understood the shopping can start! However, if you are on a budget one option is to look at all your things and decide which colour is more prominent and then check that it does not clash with the shade of the walls. It is also a good idea to find a second colour to work with, for example red and white, pink and blue or, as Deanna has chosen, warm brown and light turquoise.

After you have your colour scheme confirmed the next step is to integrate them into your space. For Deanna the key is to hide all clutter, so some great objects to invest in are storage boxes and baskets; with your colour scheme in mind start looking out for the perfect containers. For Deanna these round boxes from Wilkinson suit perfectly and are large enough to fit in all those extra fashion bits that we never have a place for. She has bought baskets from Oxfam in which she can hide away all her make-up and whilst searching for these she found a beautiful jewellery box to go with them.

Deanna emphasises how great charity shops are for finding bargains as well as inspiration. In particular her favourite is the Oxfam on Queens Road and she explains that you just have to look carefully for these as they are often hidden amongst a lot of junk.

If you are unhappy with the colour or condition of your room then it is worth talking to your landlord. The best way to go about this is to have a chat with them and explain that what you are proposing will improve your room and the house, and then they are more likely to accept. Although, Deanna believes that improvements can be made to any room without taking such measures.

To sum up, the two most important rules when creating your heavenly space are recognising a colour scheme and hiding as much clutter as possible. Deanna also recommends purchasing an indoor plant if your room is feeling particularly dull. They are not expensive and really make all the difference! Another tip is to make sure you buy pretty sheets and colour coordinate with some scatter cushions which are so cheap from places like Primark and make all the difference.

So take Deanna’s advice and get creative!

Society of the Month: Art and Aesthetic From hearing or reading the words ‘Art and Aesthetic society’ you may feel that this is a society which caters only for the creative. However, this group offers a lot more than you would first think! We caught up with their president Hannah Wainwright to find out what they are all about and what they have on offer over this term.

The new year was kicked off with an ‘artist’ themed bar crawl which ended in Mosh. Since then the group have come together numerous time to go to the theatre,to take the train to Nottigham and explore art galleries, as well as attending talks and presentations from up- and- coming artists and curators. They have also organised a very successful series of life drawing classes for those who are creative or just want to try something new.

This society is unique in that it caters for all who are interested in discovering the arts or just fancy some interesting outings with some fun people. Because of their diversity the committee is also very relaxed and students can attend as many or as little of the events as they choose and simply drop in on the occasions that appeal to them. This chilled out idea is brilliant for those with a busy timetable who feel they would like to get invloved with a laid- back society who have a lot going on.

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Student Photography...

‘Supervise’ by Emma Saynor

Got photographs or art work you want to share? E-mail them in to lkb11@le.ac.uk

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‘Safari Days’ by Lou Boyd

Short Story: ‘One Last Assignment’

by Richard Fallon By that point, it looked like it was too late. Things hadn’t panned out the way I had hoped they would. I limped across the road, my black leather shoes rattling rhythmically as I went. Behind me dripped a trail of red. My left hand clutched a dark wet patch in my coat. In my other hand was a battered briefcase. I ignored the pain the best I could and continued onwards. Yeah, I was in a pretty bad state.

Before me was the tower block, partially obscuring an early moon. It was dusk and I was the only person around, with the only sounds being my footsteps and heavy breathing. Grey clouds spiralled overhead. With great difficulty I surmounted a small cluster of steps and approached the building’s entrance. Thankfully, the door was electronic and opened willingly when I pressed a bloodied palm onto the button. If the door had been locked, I don’t know what I would have done.

My wound was a single bullet-hole, inflicted at a range that was neither big nor clever. I had instinctively swung my briefcase around and broken his jaw. But I knew he was not alone. I had a job to do, and it seemed like a lot of well-dressed people didn’t want me to succeed. They were pretty close to that goal. I had already missed my original target – midday yesterday – and now this new time of 7:00pm was my last chance. I had only five minutes now, and could barely walk. Every step shot pain through every vein of my body. Truth be told, I hadn’t counted on company.

Inside the briefcase, which was as leather as my shoes and fastened by a zinc rotary combination lock, were the documents my pursuers were after. If the documents reached my destination, there would be nothing they could do about it. There wouldn’t even be any point killing me. I held all the cards, but they held all the guns.

The foyer was as silent as a cemetery. There were, in my opinion, far too many stairs. I was nearly at the top when I heard the noise I had really been enjoying the absence of. It was the screech of a car pulling up somewhere outside. There was no question that its passengers were here for me. Up the stairs; the doors opened when I leaned on them; down the walkway. There was the elevator, in plain sight. If it was waiting on the top floor, then it wouldn’t reach me before my pursuers did. If there’s one thing I hate, it’s leaving things up to fate. I slumped against the wall and activated the ‘up’ button. At the exact same moment, a group of people entered the foyer. As if they’d have any trouble finding me here when there was a trail of blood to follow better than any trail of breadcrumbs.

Even I had to stifle a gasp of despair when the doors didn’t immediately open. Fate was still playing on my side though, because the elevator seemed to have been waiting at the floor just above. The doors did indeed separate and the elevator let me in. I slammed into the wall mirror and shattered it. Glass dusted my feet and I pressed the button for the fourteenth floor. Footsteps racing towards me, frantic shouting. The doors began to close. Someone fired a gun and I smelt the smoke. But I had made it. They’d have to take the stairs.

The elevator glided up, up to heaven, up to the fourteenth floor. I burst out into the moonlit hallway. A group of people were racing up the stairs, swearing and panting, but they were still far below me. Through eyes that were being overtaken by the mosaic distortion of fleeting consciousness, I looked at my watch. Then I crashed to my knees. Fingers fumbled through the number code on my combination lock. The papers spilled out. Voices got closer. I gathered my papers, smudging them with blood in the process, and crawled towards my target. With the only remaining strength in my hand I raised up my BA English coursework and placed it into the Assignment Box.

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Fashion

Editor: Helen Hayward Writer: Charlotte Rudman

Frocks and Frivolities Rosie Blocksidge, Writer

Swagger Block Heel Platforms £62. Topshop

Lyla Concealed Platform All Over Glitter Court Heels £25. boohoo.com

Festive fever has well and truly hit and the party season is just around the corner. The high street has been showcasing its fanciest frocks for quite some time now, but if you’re still unsure as to what to wear over the Christmas period, fear not! Below are a few seasonworthy trends to inspire your look: Faux fur It’s never a surprise that fur becomes increasingly popular as the weather gets chillier; it injects an instant touch of glamour to any lack-lustre outfit.

But it doesn’t just have to be for outerwear - how about teaming your festive frock with a faux fur stole for an alternative party look? (see H&M, Topshop and Dorothy Perkins for the best high street offerings.)

Sequins Christmas is the perfect excuse to act like a magpie and adorn yourself with glittering garments. Topshop and Miss

Save and Spend The Ripple 40

Selfridge probably do this trend the best, but if you’re looking for something a bit more original (and more importantly, cheaper!) head to ebay or better still, check local vintage shops: Pink Pigeon, Dolly Mix Vintage and Gold Rush can all be found in Leicester City Centre and are bound to have party-ready, sequin-clad treasures galore!

Velvet A material synonymous with the party season – something the high street seems to have firmly latched on to this year. Walk in to pretty much any shop and you can find tops, dresses, skirts, shorts and even accessories in this winter-worthy fabric. (I managed to pick up a velvet skater dress from New Look for £13.49 after student discount this week– bargain!)

Hopefully this whirlwind trend report has sparked inspiration for your party looks!

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Incoming: Girl With A Dragon Tattoo at H&M Helen Hayward, Editor

Since the turn of the century, the high street has been saturated with a previously unseen phenomenon: designer and celebrity collaborations. From Kate Moss’s impressive fourteen collections with Topshop, to H & M’s extensive list of designer collaborations such as Lanvin, Karl Lagerfield, Stella McCartney and, more recently, the mighty Versace, this meant that everyone could get a little taste of high-end fashion, previously out of their price range.

However this December H & M will be launching a collaboration with a difference. From 14th December, shoppers will be able to snap up clothing influenced by the successful book and film franchise The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

The range will contain thirty pieces designed by the film’s costume designer Trish Summerville which will be moody, wearable, slouchy and in neutral grey and blacks. Inspired by the film’s lead character Lisbeth Salander, Summerville states “Salander's look is very real and very lived in, with pieces that her character has worn for a long time”. Summerville believes she has taken “[Salander's] basic pieces that we used throughout the film and did a little more fashionable version for H&M.” However is this really what we want from an ‘exclusive collaboration’? Have H & M lost the crucial ingredient that made these collaborations so covetable for women across the globe: the designer or celebrity behind the range that made you feel like you were part of a brand, be it a fashion house’s easily identifiable aesthetic or a celebrity’s sense of style? The public will be the critic on December 14th 2011.

Heritage Chic Paige Holloway, Writer

We’ve had the revival of the 60’s with the return of mini dresses and bouffant hair, the 70’s makes a comeback every year with pussy bow blouses and floppy hats, and the 80’s with block colouring and wayfarer RayBans. But now it’s time for the countryside and military to merge and make a stand, revealing the hourglass figure with nipped in waists, grandma knits, tartan and chequered patterns and ensuring you layer up these looks to impress the fashion elite. It was not too long ago that Barbour jackets were only worn by the cast of Emmerdale, tweed was only worn by grandparents and sheep skin coats were only seen on the infamous Del Boy. But recently, fashion designers have mixed together the country and military styles to bring back the ladylike look, wheth-

er you are dressed head to toe in traditional heritage or you mix it up to promote English eccentricity like fashionista Alexa Chung. A muse to the likes of Karl Lagerfield, Chung manages to assemble this innovative elegance by mixing together layerings of silks and tweeds, with vintage dresses, a Mulberry satchel, black leather Victorian- style ankle boots, and then vamping it up with her messed up bob to ensure she modernises the heritage trend, hailing her as one of the country’s best dressed women. With a close focus on what the Middleton sisters are wearing and the up- and- coming 2012 Olympics, all eyes are set on Britain to show the world that we’ve redefined heritage and made this look effortlessly chic and we are here to make a stand.

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Health & Wellbeing Editor: Eloise Levey Writer: Charlotte Rudman

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Let’s Get Going!

Charlotte Rudman, Writer, Health and Wellbeing

Calling all you lazy students. To those who have actively avoided getting a sports card and those who haven’t managed to join a sports society, and for those who would rather stay in bed: it’s boring trying to get fit isn’t it?

Too much effort if you ask me. However, there are ways to keep up your health and fitness without having to break the bank buying a gym membership. It’s the little changes that will make all the difference.

Speed up your walk to uni and try to avoid taking the bus (although I agree the bus is perfectly acceptable when trying to make it in for a 9am.) Walking stimulates the cardiovascular system, boosting endurance of the lower muscles, including legs and hips. The average person can burn up to 400 calories by walking 10,000 steps in a single day. Carrying your shopping back from Asda or Morrisons will not only get you moving but will also tone those arms. Don’t want to walk? Bring your bike up from home- a quicker journey means longer in bed, so it’s a win-win situation.

Gentle cycling will burn about 300 - 600 calories an hour while a more strenuous cycling session could burn off up to 1300 calories an hour. Or better yet, pull your shapes on the dance floor- you won’t even realise it is exercise!

Okay, so cycling and running are hardly winter enjoyments and with everyone tucking into advent calendars and watching Christmas films, going for a jog on a

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dark and cold evening isn’t what I would call tempting. So here are some good ways to keep fit in the comfort of your own home! Get on Twitter and get free fitness tips and inspiration: @fitnessfirstuk gives motivational tips and practical advise on how to get the most out of your workout, while @askthetrainer is direct from personal trainer Mike Behnken who dishes out daily workout tips. @healthydotcom links you to a range of health and fitness articles across the internet, for helpful ideas and activities.

Make use of the ever expanding variation of apps available for you to download. The British Military Fitness app (iPhone) allows you to create personalised workouts while also motivating you through a virtual instructor. The iFitness app (Android) pushes you to the next level providing you with videos and instructions to ensure your workout is correct. Something a little less active but a little more strenuous is the Pocket Yoga app, (iPhone and Android) including detailed descriptions and verbal instructions which make sure you are positioning yourself correctly.

Medical professionals advise that we do at least 2 hours a week of 30-minute, moderately intensive aerobic workouts to keep our bodies fit and healthy. So, if you are serious about getting fit then I would join the gym, here at the University. Just £75 for a sports card lasts you all year

(£45 after Easter)– giving you access to a number of dance, yoga and fitness classes along with being able to use the gym facilities. Manor Road Sports Hall and the Charles Wilson Sports Hall are the main centres. For all you fresher’s, that is just a two minute walk down the road from halls, so there’s no excuse! For further information about what facilities are available to you – ranging from toning studios to tennis courts see the University website: “http://www.le.ac.uk/sports/”. If you didn’t already sign up at fresher’s fair there are a huge variety of sports societies on offer for you to have a go at. Make it a social activity; exercise doesn’t have to be boring. Have a laugh, meet new people or drag your housemate along. There are no restrictions on ability so give anything you fancy a go. From Basketball to Volleyball there will be something that catches your eye, all of which can be found on the Union website: “http://leicesterunion.com/ clubs” So, if you’re burning calories from your mad dance floor skills or taking the next step in becoming an Ultimate Frisbee expert or simply speeding up your walk to Uni then you will be keeping up your levels of fitness. Just try not to over indulge on takeaway, alcohol, or treats from the corner shop. But then, that Chinese looks too good, it’s just too tempting – maybe I will go to the gym tomorrow after all.

Boots 15 eye

£2.54

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Save and Spend This Works, tired eye serum, 15ml

£32.00

At £32.00 this is definitely not within the average student’s budget!

However, if you can save the pennies this remedy for tired eyes will definitely aid those late nights and 9am lectures.

Boots Vitamin E SPF 15 eye cream, 15ml

You’re Beautiful Winter Skin Saviours Samantha Tapson, Writer

Worrying about your skin is probably the last thing that you’ll be thinking about at the moment - but it is important, especially with many of the Christmas and New Years parties looming! Believe it or not, you don’t have to spend a fortune on the best rejuvenating masks or exfoliating scrubs; some of the most effective treatments can be made at home with the cheapest ingredients. Try blending some oats, bananas, honey and milk to make a fresh face mask: the oat milk is a great moisturiser and honey is excellent for healing and repairing dry and dam-

aged skin.

Make sure that your Vitamin E intake is high; found in almonds, it can help skin to look refreshed even on the coldest of mornings. There are some great moisturisers out there for less than you would expect; look for one that is skin-type specific, so if you have oily skin, look for a light moisturiser. The best ones will also have an SPF protection and although the sun might not be shining it’s important to wear an SPF all year round, as the skin on your face is so delicate that sun damage can still occur.

£2.54

What more could you want for under £3.00? Brimming with vitamin E and with the added bonus of SPF protection this eye cream is a firm favourite.

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P.C. Harvey Watson tells The Ripple what CampusCops have been up to, how to get in touch and how to stay safe this festive season!

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Dear Students, I hope you are enjoying the student experience at the University of Leicester. Lots of things have been going on since the start of October: Freshers’ Fair, bar crawls, Kasabian coming with BBC Radio One with Fearne Cotton and Zane Lowe, just to name a few things, and work has started now so you are on your way to getting that degree.

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I want to say a big thank you to all who have engaged with us over the last few months and joined my Facebook and Twitter pages “Campuscops”; don’t forget I also have a YouTube page accessible by typing in “watchcampuscops”. On here I have published videos about personal and property safety and we will continue to add videos as the year progresses.

Don’t forget every Wednesday morning between 10am and 12 noon, we will be in the Queens Hall foyer for you to come and see us, discuss any issues you may have and we will offer you any advice you may want.

Christmas will soon be with us and you will be leaving to enjoy the festivities either with family or friends. Can I please ask that when you do go home you take all of your valuables with you, laptops being on top of this list, and make sure that you regularly back up your work- a simple email to you is the quickest way to do this.

When you get your new gifts at Christmas can I please ask that you take just a few minutes to register your property on a free online property register that the police all over the UK use. This can be accessed at www.immobilise.com. This will really help us return your property to you if recovered; we recover vast amounts of property but can never return it because we don’t know who it belongs to. By registering your property it greatly increases the chances of getting it back!

May I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

“Every Wednesday morning between 10am and 12 noon, we will be in the Queens Hall foyer for you to come and see us” The Ripple 44

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Sport Editors: David Lee

Steven Slayford Writers: Charlie Croasdale Dean Rudge

The Ripple Sport meets...

Club’s 8-game streak smashes all records

by Dean Rudge If you’re anything like me, then the thought of lacrosse only raises the rather idealised image of Abercrombie-and-Fitch-clad, all-American jocks running rampant across a field with sticks, celebrating victory with overelaborate high-fives and ice cold ‘brewskis’. Call it a cliché, or unfair stereotyping, but one can see in this mental image a sense of verisimilitude, with the sport being very much a Northern American tradition. There is little doubt now, though, that lacrosse is spreading across the Atlantic at a rate of knots, infecting universities nationwide with its demand for physical fitness and the lure of pure, unadulterated social enjoyment.

“I remember when I first started playing a couple of years ago, we could hardly get the numbers together for a mixed team. Now our society has over sixty members,” says Jamie Nicholson, a third year Geography student and captain of the Men’s lacrosse team.

“It’s really very simple,” he continues, “a game played with sticks and a ball where you both try and score by putting the ball in the net, and at the same time stop your opponents from doing so.”

Jamie then quickly explains that the lacrosse club splits into three categories: Men’s, Women’s and Mixed. “Men’s lacrosse is played as a full contact sport, so we’re allowed to hit each other!” he laughs. “Women’s is half contact so they’re only allowed to whack each other’s sticks. Mixed is played with no contact, so it provides probably the most social and enjoyable game.”

But what of the aforementioned spurt of interest in the sport? “Lacrosse was a non-existent force in the UK a decade ago,” says Rob Nichols. “But in the last three years, there have been over one hundred teams formed in the UK alone”. Rob also provided me with a short anecdote that quashed my earlier stereotype. “I grew up playing a variety of sports, and lacrosse is arguably the hardest and yet most enjoyable of all the sports I’ve played. Lacrosse is growing all across the country, and we now enjoy fun and competitive games all across the Midlands, with Loughborough, Nottingham and Birmingham all having teams at university level”.

So now you’ve been reeled in, what does it take to play the game? “Speed is useful, but not essential,” explains Steph Ramsdale, captain of the Women’s Lacrosse team. “It’s like most sports really; strength, stamina and hand-eye co-ordination help a lot. You need to be able to play as a team as well”.

As a collective Leicester are currently on a run of eight straight wins and morale is high heading into the remainder of the season. As the interview wound to a pleasant conclusion, I couldn’t resist asking about when we can expect to see the next big Varsity game. “DMU don’t currently have a Lacrosse team,” says Jacob Cuddeford, “but we’re in the process of helping them to organize a ladies team, so hopefully varsity is just around the corner.”

The University of Leicester Lacrosse teams are always looking for new members and if you are interested in joining a lively, active and growing sports club, email su-lacrosse@le.ac.uk and ask for details.

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Sports Investment Not On Track

Thomas Snowden, Writer: Running Club Captain The first day of training came for Team University of Leicester Running Club; everything was going well with a number of new members.

This was until a fresher came up to me and asked me "is this it?" as he looked down at the cinder running track. With this comment I had to think to myself how a university ranked in the top two percent of QS World University ranking has such a disgrace of a surface; even handing it the label of “running track” could be seen as misleading.

The circuit is far from fit for purpose with grass growing out of it in parts and a lack of marked lanes. It isn’t even of accurate measurement having been marked out in imperials decades ago.

You would think that a university that is currently building ‘a 25m swimming pool, huge gym with large free weights section, sauna and steam rooms, spa pool and posh changers’ (Leicester University Sports and Recreation Service) would invest at the same time in a modern athletics track.

“How can we be a real team when the University does not provide us with many of the opportunities afforded to others?”

Furthermore, next year’s sports card, which will be charging five pounds a week, won’t be offering any form of track: this new higher price, combined with raised tuition fees, will lead to next year’s freshers expecting much more for their money.

Last year, before the track was out of use, the running club had little in the way of choice: a muddy track with the stud marks of numerous football teams in it in the winter, or a cracked, dusty track in the summer. This year we are being called Team University of Leicester, but how can we be a real team when the University does not provide us with many of the opportunities afforded to others?

A running track will not just be exclusive to runners but will also be beneficial to every sports club, staff member and local resident that needs to improve fitness. It will also allow for staff and all students to engage in a healthy workout in an outdoor environment. With the London Olympics around the corner, should this not be the time to push for great sporting facilities so that the legacy of this great event can live on at the University of Leicester?

I do agree that the cost of the track will be high, particularly in this age of austerity: but personally I, not only as running club captain but also as a student, believe that the building of a new track will be of great advantage to the whole University and local community.

Team University of Leicester’s Running Club atop a surface that they say needs to see significant investment and improvement

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Nigel Pearson Returns David Lee, Editor

It seems only yesterday that The Ripple was drooling over Leicester City’s big ambitions, big money and big prospects. However, once again the English managerial merry go round has shown exactly why fans should expect the unexpected, with manager Sven Goran Eriksson departing and former Leicester boss Nigel Pearson returning for his second spell at the club.

Whilst a manager of international pedigree and an open cheque book seemed like the perfect recipe for success, Leicester’s hierarchy omitted that crucial ingredient so rare in the modern game: time. The glitz, glamour and marquee signings of the Eriksson era promised a lot, but ultimately left the Thai owners disillusioned regarding Leicester’s prospects of reaching the promised land of the Premier League come May. The reappointment of Pearson represents an investment in practical experience and although Pearson’s CV is not littered with the star studded teams of his Swedish predecessor, there can be no doubt over his knowledge of what it takes to succeed at Championship level.

After suffering playoff heart break at the hands of Cardiff City in 2009, there is a sense that Pearson’s return is a case of unfinished business as the ghost of Yann Kermogant still looms over the club. The question is whether Pearson will be able to galvanise a squad so markedly different from that of his previous tenure. During Pearson’s absence, Leicester’s revolving door has been in full flow.

The ever dependable Jack Hobbs and talismanic Matty Fryatt, both cornerstones of Pearson’s success, have since moved on to Pearson’s former employers Hull City and they have been replaced by players possessing both significant egos and salaries. The likes of Kasper Schmeichel, Matt Mills and Jermaine Beckford could undoubtedly grace any Championship team but whether they embody Pearson’s ethos of hard work and team ethic remains to be seen.

Installing a team ethic amongst a squad composed of ambitious individuals will undeniably take time. However, with the sound of Christmas bells quietly creeping up, time is a luxury Pearson simply does not have. Eriksson’s removal has highlighted the fast track timetable the owners have set for success and if Leicester continues to remain adrift from the upper echelons of the Championship table the murmurings of discontent within the King Power may well begin to circulate.

Ultimately, City fans’ optimism must remain unwavering. Although Eriksson failed to fulfil his fairytale plans for the club there is certainly still a burning desire for success within the city. With a talented playing staff, ambitious owners and support of the fans Pearson has all the tools at his disposal to succeed. However, he must remember that with big money and big ambition comes big expectation. Only time will tell whether Pearson will be the man to steer Leicester back into the big time.

“There is a sense that Pearson’s return is a case of unfinished business”

nt

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Wheeling to Victory: 2011 saw Cav increase his career total stage wins in the Tour De France to 20- an incredible effort in only his fifth Tour

The Remarkable Year of Cavendish Charlie Croasdale, Writer

On 22nd December, the BBC Sports’ Personality of 2011 will be crowned. The following names will no doubt be on the shortlist: Andy Murray, Darren Clarke, Dai Greene, Mo Farah, and Alistair Cook. However, I believe one man stands out from the crowd of British sports high achievers in 2011.

Throughout the year he has won everything he set out to win at the start of the campaign, and more.

The man in question is Mark Cavendish, the jewel in the crown of Britain’s current crop of road cyclists.

In cycling terms, Cavendish has had his greatest year to date. In May he won stages 10 and 12 of the Giro d’Italia before leaving the race (a common occurrence for sprinters). In June he was appointed an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. In September’s Tour of Britain, “Cav” won two further stages in Dumfries and London, before sensationally ending his year with the World Road Championship Gold medal, alongside his seven British teammates, in Copenhagen. To put this achievement into perspective, he became only the second British cyclist to win the race, the other being Tom Simpson in 1965.

Despite this list of honours, “Cav’s” greatest achieve-

ments in 2011 were in the blue riband race: the Tour de France. He won five stages of the Tour, with the support of his fantastic HTC team. This brought his career total stage wins in the Tour to 20- an incredible effort in only his fifth Tour. Cavendish was sensational throughout and completed the Tour in Paris with a stage win and thereby holding onto the green jersey for best sprinter. He has dominated his discipline of his sport like no other Brit in 2011.

Yet what I like about Cavendish more than anything else is the fact he’s got a personality. Reverting back to the list of Sports’ Personality candidates at the top of the article, it is hard to remember any one of those names making me laugh or being controversial with a microphone in their face. On the contrary, “Cav’s” interviews are worth watching as much as his races.

He clearly cares about the sport he loves, and isn’t afraid to criticise the authorities when he feels necessary. He is often described as arrogant, and this may be true to a certain extent, but when you’re the best in the world at what you do, it can be excused.

More than anything, Cavendish is a winner. As soon as he steps on his bike, he has one goal: victory.

As th Fran for th the 1 confi had the c the t one abru walk Jess inten play throu had inten this acco delic deci Such in th than the g of m argu footb claim is co any shou asse time the g coun crim Blatt top s bein of pa spat ers h on T

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Tour h the ught n inwas ur in o the ated 011.

hing back e top hose with av’s” aces. isn’t necthis e the sed. soon tory.

As Long as People Like Blatter Are In Charge Racism Will Never Go. Steven Slayford, Editor

As the American team’s final runner Frank Wykoff crossed the finishing line for the 4x100m men’s relay race during the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, it was confirmed; his teammate Jesse Owens had collected his fourth gold medal of the competition. Scenes of jubilation on the track were not matched, however, in one section of the stands as Adolf Hitler abruptly turned his back on the field and walked towards the exit. Why? Because Jesse Owens was black. The dictator had intended the 1936 games to be a display of Aryan aptitude and success and, through his athletic supremacy, Owens had usurped each and every one of those intentions. The controversy remains to this day the earliest overtly publicised account of racism in sport and thrust the delicate relationship between the two decisively into the public domain.

Such a relationship was placed firmly in the spotlight once again when, less than a month ago, Sepp Blatter, head of the governing body FIFA and in charge of much of the legislation in regards to, arguably, the world’s most popular sportfootball- astonished the sporting world by claiming to CNN that, as far as his sport is concerned, “there is no racism” and any such behaviour on the field of play should be resolved by a handshake. To assert that such a statement was poorly timed would be an understatement of the grandest kind. In England alone, a country known for its tough stance on discrimination in sport, the weeks preceding Blatter’s comments had seen two of its top stars in Luis Suarez and John Terry being on the receiving end of allegations of participating in such behaviour, and a spate of incidents in which top-level players have been the subject of racial abuse on Twitter.

Certainly not the last misjudgement Blatter will make

Owens was himself snubbed by the President Roosevelt upon his return to the States despite his success

Such controversies are not just confined to football. Last month the golfing world was stunned as Tiger Woods’ former caddie Steve Williams, during a dinner at the HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai, stated that his notoriously overzealous celebration of Adam Scott’s win, his new employer, in Akron earlier that year was in order to “shove it right up that black a—”, a comment that rendered his audience speechless; this only served to bring a sport infamous for its white dominance into further disrepute.

“The sporting world is still unwilling to make moves that will completely eradicate the problem”

Even in the NBA, a sport dominated by African-American players, coaches and referees, and thus seen as exempt from such prejudice, a controversial University of Pennsylvania study that took place from 1991 through to 2004 showed that white officials were more likely to make foul calls against black players than those of white origin.

To arrive at the conclusion that, in any sport, racism does not exist is a level of ignorance displaying perhaps that, despite its many advancements in eradicating discrimination based upon race, the sporting world is still unwilling to make moves that will completely eliminate the problem. Sepp Blatter’s comment is one of a reluctance, a reluctance borne out of an ideal that it is simply easier to ignore and accept racism – or shake hands if you will – than tackle a complicated and convoluted issue through firm, decisive actions, and as long as that ideal is held by persons in positions of power it is an issue that will not be disappearing any time soon.

Follow us on Twitter: @TheRippleSport The Ripple 49

BUCS Fixtures and Results BUCS fixtures commencing Wednesday, 7th December 2011 Association Football University of Leicester Mens 1st

V

Oxford Brookes University Mens 1st

University of Leicester Mens 4th

V

Bishop Grosseteste University College Mens 2nd

V

University of Leicester Mens 1st

V

Nottingham Trent University Womens 4th

V

University of Leicester Mens 1st

V

Nottingham Trent University Mens 2nd

University of Nottingham Mens 4th

V

University of Leicester Mens 1st

University of Leicester Mens 2nd

V

University of Nottingham Mens 6th

V

University of Leicester Womens 1st

V

University of Leicester Mens 1st

Basketball University College Birmingham Mens 1st Hockey (Womens) University of Leicester Womens 2nd Lacrosse University of Nottingham Mens 2nd Rugby League University of Leicester Mens 1st Rugby Union

Rugby Union (Womens) University of Warwick Womens 1st Squash University of Nottingham Mens 3rd

BUCS Mens Football 2011-12 - Midlands 2B

P

W

D

L

GD

Pts

Cambridge 1st

4

4

0

0

8

12

Coventry 1st

4

2

2

0

6

8

Leicester 1st

6

1

2

3

-5

5

Northampton 1st

3

1

0

2

-1

3

Bedford (Bedford) 2nd

4

1

0

3

-7

3

Bedford (Beford) 1st

3

0

2

1

-1

2

For all the latest news on Team Leicester follow us on Twitter: @TheRippleSport

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BUCS Mens Rugby Union 2011-12 Midlands 2B

P

W

D

L

GD

Pts

Bedford (Bedford) 1st

6

6

0

0

161

18

Leicester 1st

6

5

0

1

222

15

De Montfort 1st

6

5

0

1

121

15

East Anglia 1st

6

3

0

3

71

9

Nottingham 4th

6

3

0

3

-18

9

Bedford (Beford) 2nd

6

2

0

4

-107

6

Oxford Brookes 3rd

6

0

0

6

-165

0

Nottingham 5th

6

0

0

6

-285

0

BUCS Womens Basketball 2011-12 - Midlands 1A

P

W

D

L

GD

Pts

Nottingham 1st

5

5

0

0

104

12

Nottingham Trent 1st

5

4

0

1

88

8

Birmingham 1st

5

3

0

2

115

5

Leicester 1st

5

2

0

3

6

3

Bedford (Bedford) 1st

5

1

0

4

-140

3

Lincoln 1st

5

0

0

5

-173

2

BUCS Womens Lacrosse 2011-12 - Midlands 2A

P

W

D

L

GD

Pts

Nottingham Trent 1st

4

4

0

0

55

12

Leicester 1st

4

3

0

1

-8

9

Nottingham 2nd

3

2

0

1

41

6

Warwick 2nd

4

2

0

2

15

6

East Anglia 1st

3

1

0

2

-9

3

Staffordshire (Stoke) 1st

2

1

0

1

0

0

Lincoln 1st

3

0

0

3

-33

0

Northampton 1st

3

0

0

3

-61

0

BUCS Womens Netball 2011-12 - Midlands 3B

P

W

D

L

GD

Pts

Nottingham Trent 2nd

5

4

1

0

47

13

Cambridge 2nd

5

4

0

1

34

12

Leicester 1st

5

2

1

2

0

7

Northampton 1st

5

2

0

3

-3

6

Nottingham Trent 3rd

5

2

0

3

-33

6

Nottingham 4th

5

0

0

5

-45

0

Tables updated as of Wednesday 23rd November.

For full fixtures, results and match reports go to www.tingoleicester.com.

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