The Seaside Standard
HOLIDAY TV GUIDE TELEVISION By Jane Simmons This holiday season will certainly be different, and with festive parties and get-togethers offthe-list, cosy nights in are a must. Although the airing dates are yet to be announced, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite festive picks, which would pair perfectly with mince pies, fluffy socks, and a steaming mug of hot chocolate.
ISSUE 2 CHRISTMAS 2020 The magazine of the students
The Great Christmas Bake Off Channel 4 Even if you are not a regular GBBO viewer, this festive baking competition is bound to delight, and inspire your own bakes this holiday. Previous, much-loved contestants will return to the tent and battle it out for the title of Christmas Star Baker. But admittedly it just isn’t the same since Mary, Mel, and Sue have left. Just saying.
Strictly: The Christmas Countdown BBC 1 The NHS is working towards using more personalised healthcare
Personalised Medicine – could this be the Future of Healthcare? SCIENCE By Bella Howell
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magine the typical hospital experience: along with many others, a doctor takes hours to diagnose you, before then giving you the same treatment as he gives everyone else with the same problem; later, you get side effects from that treatment. But what if it could be different? What if your diagnosis was swift, and your treatment tailored specifically to you, with no side effects? Perhaps, even, this illness was predicted and treated beforehand. Sound too good to be true? Fortunately, this is very real. This is personalised medicine. This is the future. Personalised medicine, also called precision medicine, is the concept of customising healthcare so that treatment and practices are tailored to the specific patient, CONTINUED »
Whilst we may not be treated to the usual Strictly Crimbo episode, Tess and Claudia are switching it up this year with a countdown of the nation’s 25 favourite dances, revisiting 16 years of the programme. This is well worth a watch, even it is just for the spectacular group performance, with stunning choreography, lighting and glitzy costumes.
Meerkat: A Dynasties Special BBC 1 For those who haven’t decided to switch their brain off, nothing is better than a bit of Sir David Attenborough, this time reporting on meerkats living in a salt pan in Botswana. We follow Makgadikgadi as she fights to raise her pups in one of the most unforgiving environments. CONTINUED »
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From page 1 PERSONLISED MEDICINE
or subgroup of patients. Have you ever thought it strange that everyone receives very similar treatments when they have an illness, despite how complex and unique our genomes are? Often referred to as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, this has many disadvantages. It doesn’t take into account what treatment plan would be most successful on the patient as a unique individual. This is why clinicians are now working to tailor medical care to the patient’s individual needs. By analysing the human genome, scientists can identify patterns which can help them determine an individual’s risk for certain diseases, among many other benefits. For starters, illnesses can be detected earlier on. If doctors can treat this before the symptoms even appear, the chances of a speedy recovery vastly increase. In addition, interventions to improve a person’s health can be identified. A person’s lifestyle choices and diet can have an
enormous impact on their overall health and risk of disease. If the most effective interventions are identified sooner, the risk of developing any illnesses then decreases, which allows the focus to be placed on the prevention, rather than treatment. One way that the UK’s NHS is moving towards personalised medicine is the 100,000 Genome Project. Focusing on rare and infectious diseases, as well as some types of cancer, this project involves sequencing genomes from
IF YOU ONLY READ ONE BOOK THIS CHRISTMAS, TRY ONE OF THESE…
patients. This project involves around 85,000 NHS patients, with the aim of transforming patient care. The data produced by sequencing the genome is combined with medical records to provide a resource for researchers. They can then interpret and study this data, with the hope of determining which variants cause which diseases. You may be wondering how effective this has been. Well, after the 100,000th genome was sequenced in December of 2018, some impressive findings include the fact that around 50% of cancer cases now have the potential for a clinical trial or a therapy. In addition to this, there are actionable findings for almost 1 in 4 rare disease patients. Personalised medicine certainly has enormous potential to significantly improve healthcare. I have no doubt that the current efforts of the NHS, such as the NHS Genomic Medicine Service, will prove to be a remarkable step towards even more effective healthcare.
Book reccomendations are suitable for Year 9 upwards
BOOKS By Megan Turtle
If you liked ‘One of Us is Lying’ but can’t bear to read a book longer than two hundred pages, read… WE WERE LIARS by E. Lockhart I’m not a fan of gooey romance or anything vaguely like a literary chick flick but ‘We Were Liars’ took me utterly by surprise. The story revolves around Cady’s family, the Sinclair’s beautiful, blonde, and powerful - who gather together once a year to spend the summer on their private island. At first glance, the Sinclair’s may seem flawless but like all families, they are afflicted by failures, deaths and addictions. Tucked away behind strong chins and perfect smiles, is a secret that, when revealed, will consume Cady and her whole world along with it. Her friends, the ‘liars’, won’t tell her what happened two summers ago, when she found herself alone on the shore, the sea lapping at her feet. The broken, messy, fractured narrative is truly tragic but allows the reader to hold Cady’s hand ever so gently as her memories slowly return. If anyone asks you how it
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ends, lie, for the ending will leave you wanting another two hundred pages, and then another two hundred after that. I very rarely reread books but this one demanded a second reading and so after finishing the last page, I immediately returned to the first. If you want to read an immensely powerful novel written by a contemporary black author, read…
If you want to try a classic (and I recommend you do) but are scared by anything pre-1900, read… THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J. D. Salinger Originally intended for adults, ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ is often read by teenagers as its themes of angst, rebellion and alienation transcend time. Its narrator is 16-year-old Holden Caulfield – a New Yorker wise beyond his years, who abandons his prep school in Pennsylvania in favour of spending three days in the city. When Holden is asked what he wants to be when he grows up, he answers “the catcher in the rye” – a person he imagines as responsible for “catching” children before they “fall” off the cliff into adulthood. Many readers don’t like
Holden as a character. Some might go as far as to say they despise him. He is hypocritical and at times, truly unlikeable. But for many, he’s also really relatable. He suffers from anxiety and depression. He doesn’t know whether he is still a child or already an adult. He is also grieving for his dead brother. The last thing I want to do is to tell you to read this book because I know you will love it. I am recommending this book because I want you to decide for yourself if you like it. I want you to see if you can find little pieces of yourself stitched into the universal fabric of teenage angst that Holden wears like a cape.
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD by Colson Whitehead My last recommendation is short as this book needs little introduction. I read this book in the summer and I encourage you all to read it this Christmas. ‘The Underground Railroad’ tells the story of a teenage slave, Cora, who flees the plantation where she was born, in favour of risking it all for the possibility of a life free from imprisonment and brutality. Cora’s ferocious will to escape the horrors of slavery coupled with Whitehead’s clever use of multiple narratives and flashbacks, offers the reader a chance to begin to understand the history we all share, the past and the present, the then and the now.
From page 1 HOLIDAY TV GUIDE Vanessa Hudgens plays not one, but three roles!
FILMS By Emily Manders
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nce again, Netflix’s festive spirit has delivered and this time, a sequel to the 2018 “Princess Switch”, starring Vanessa Hudgens, “The Princess Switch: Switched Again”. The Netflix original won many hearts last year, with both the fairy-tale life of Princess Margaret and the more ordinary life of baker Stacey De Novo. Familiar to anyone who has seen any adaptation of ‘The Prince and the Pauper’, Princess Margaret wishes to see what a normal life looks like and once she meets Stacey, the ever so coincidental resemblance leads to her concocting a clever plan, involving the classical (and definitely not overdone in every look alike story ever) changeover of their lives. Although never being attracted to his high-school best friend Stacey, Kevin finds himself falling in love with her look-alike Margaret, and Prince Edward (Margaret’s would-be husband) with Stacey. Their romances lead to an unexpected turn in their plan, but ultimately to both their happiness’s. This year, their journey continues even more unbelievable complications (and by that I mean un-believable), and a plot to confuse anyone! Watching this film
three times still left me clueless as to what really happened, but certainly put me in the festive spirit. With the talented cast, gorgeous and regal costumes and the snowy setting, this film, however awful the British accent was by the otherwise flawless Vanessa Hudgens, doesn’t fail to tick off all the Christmas film criteria. The plot follows on two years later in the magical Belgravia, newlywed Stacey worries about Lady Margaret, as her relationship with Kevin has been tumultuous. They reunite, and of course, switch once more in order for Margaret to spend more time with Kevin. But, true to the rom-com genre, trouble arises, with Cousin Fiona and her servants embarking on a devious scheme to become rich once more. The film is fun and comedic, suitable for all ages and a great family film for anyone looking for an escapist holiday fare. Containing an unexpected cameo from another well-known Netflix Christmas original, this film is full of surprises and problems that the girls have to overcome, but with the help of their friends and of course, Christmas spirit, they are able to defeat the devious opposition and have a happy ever after. Merry Christmas!
Image: Netflix
THE PRINCESS SWITCH: SWITCHED AGAIN
Being Bridget BBC 2 For those who have decided to switch their brain off but are after something that isn’t a cheesy Netflix original, this documentary explores Helen Fielding’s romcom character of Bridget Jones in her best-selling novels and classic movie series. And who knows, it may feature a bit Colin Firth and Hugh Grant.
Motherland Christmas Special BBC 2 Motherland, in my opinion, is the most underhyped comedy to grace our screens, and this Christmas special won’t disappoint. Local ‘yummy mummy’, Amanda, holds her annual Christmas drinks, when Julia (drained from hosting the in-laws), Liz (suppressing the Christmas spirit), and Kevin (the professional Christmas-er) rock up uninvited chaos ensues.
The Goes Wrong Show: The Nativity BBC 1 The Cornley Drama Society take the genre of farce to the next level, and in this perfectly imperfect retelling of the Christmas story expect far more fire, collapsing barns, and wardrobe malfunctions than mentioned in the Bible.
Ghosts Christmas Special BBC 1 The original cast of Horrible Histories recently returned to our screens with a sitcom series about the co-habitation of the ghosts, and 21st century couple, Alison and Mike, in the inherited Button Hall. This year, Christmas is set to be difficult, with a bunch of picky spirits to entertain, but with a water-tight plan in place, what could possibly go wrong?
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WHY SHOULD YOU CARE? What will Biden do about Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp?
The big questions that have arisen from Joe Biden’s victory in the US elections have so far focused on civil rights, climate change and his policy on China. But what is he going to do about the Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp? WSYC? By Lara Sellins
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irstly, what is it? The Camp is a prison that was set up in 2002 to hold suspected terrorists, following the 9/11 attacks. The purpose of the Camp was to detain and interrogate terrorists, captured both in the US and from around the world, predominately from the Middle East. The Camp is located in Cuba, a country which is one of the US’s staunchest enemies since the successful overthrow of the US backed Batista regime in the 1953 to 1959 revolution and is part of a US Naval base, which was first set up on the island in 1898. Why, then are some of the US’s most hated prisoners on a communist, Caribbean island and not in a prison on the US mainland? The main reason is that if they were kept in US prisons on the mainland they would be subject to the US legal system and strict scrutiny under international human rights laws. Having the prison in Cuba gives the US leeway to do almost whatever they like, with little or no danger of being prosecuted for any indiscretions, as it isn’t US sovereign territory. To start with most of the detainees were mainly from Afghanistan and Pakistan but as time went on, they were taken from many different countries, including Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the UK and from the start the Camp has been at the centre of many controversies with a reputation for the ill treatment of inmates plus some bizarre practices, including rumours of a reward system involving cooperative inmates being given Happy Meals from the McDonalds on the Guantanamo Bay US Naval Base.
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The prison was set up under President Bush and although it was him who filled the prison to 779 at its fullest, by the end of his administration he was already in the process of reducing the numbers as international pressure, public opinion and lack of evidence against many of the inmates started to make it more and more problematic for his administration. When President Obama came to power in 2008, he promised to empty the Camp, which unfortunately he failed to do. The main reason was the US Congress being predominantly Republican and therefore against trials of Guantanamo Bay inmates taking place on US soil. Obama did, however, manage to reduce inmate numbers by several hundred, predominantly by resettling them overseas. By the beginning of 2017, when President Trump took office, there were forty one detainees, with only ten under-going trial. These prisoners are known as ‘forever detainees’, due to the uncertain nature of their position. ‘Military Committees’ were set up to try detainees but have been seen as a widespread failure. Problems including judges who are biased, what counts as admissible evidence (much of it was the result of torture), detainees with little or no access to lawyers problems with conversations between lawyers and their clients being bugged in order to gather intelligence all made the system unworkable. However, arguably the biggest failure of all is that the trial of those suspected of the 9/11 attacks have not even begun. Most infamously, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who before his capture was considered the No.3 commander of Al Qaeda and is a suspected mastermind of 9/11 has still not been tried, nineteen years after the attacks took place. President Trump never had a clear plan for the prison and early in his presidency announced that he would keep Guantanamo Bay open indefinitely, a proclamation he consolidated by signing one of his many and now infamous ‘executive orders’. Trump stated he would fill it up with ‘bad dudes’ but he has not actually increased the population of the prison, possibly because the Defence Committee opposed it or perhaps because it costs US$13 million per inmate, per year to incarcerate. The prison is costly, ineffective and has not resulted in any meaningful justice. In Trump’s four years, just one inmate was resettled overseas and this had been arranged under the Obama Administration. So, what is President Biden’s plan? He will most likely follow a similar path to President Obama and will probably face the same obstacles. Biden’s position is quite clear, previously stating that it was an ‘advertisement for creating terror’, a powerful statement, which is not exactly a ringing endorsement of
the US Army, who run the Camp. The need for Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp has long ceased to feature in the mainstream media as the wars associated with it have lost their appeal to US citizens, the US media and the US military wanting revenge after 9/11. In the past Biden has said he wants the Camp closed but he didn’t manage it as Obama’s deputy and he may be equally ineffective as President as he needs the authority of Congress to do so, something they have not been willing to give in the past. It is unclear what will happen to the forty ‘forever detainees’ languishing often miles from home in a strange legal limbo created by a US legal and governmental system that has other things to worry about. It looks highly unlikely the detention camp will close any time soon and what is most likely is that Biden will continue with a painfully slow overseas resettlement programme that will do nothing to calm the anger of current and future jihadis around the world.
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Two minutes on the American election The election of 2020, Republican president, Donald Trump, versus Democrat candidate, Joe Biden, was arguably the most important election in the history of America, the very heart of democracy was at the forefront. WSYC? By Eden Wingate
Protestors outside of the US embassy, London in 2008
Aerial footage of the mililtary base
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or many Americans, it seemed Trump wanted to rule rather than govern. More than two hundred years ago, the first president, George Washington, was offered a kingship. He chose to turn that down and instead offered an alternative leadership style, a kind that was governed by the will of the people. It gave the people the right to determine who would lead their nation, four years at a time. It was a historic vote because it not only have the most voter turnout in the history of an election, with over 150 million votes cast, but also because the American people voted for a team which included the first ever female vice president, but more than that, a woman of colour, of African-American and Asian descent. A huge victory for so many groups. The race was tighter than some expected, with rumours circulating in the midst that there could be the first ever tie. During a pandemic, most people felt scared, and rightfully so, to stand in long lines along with people they didn’t know, to register their vote. Biden asked his supporters to stay at home, understanding the discomfort of being in public along with people who may carry the virus, which had forced state-wide lockdowns. Instead, he asked people to send in mail-inballots. It was this strategy and the passion of protecting the people which greatly helped the former vice-president in securing the votes needed for victory. Of the people who used the alternative mail in ballot voting system, there was overwhelmlingly more support for Biden than Trump. When you see the map of the United States, and you see just as far more states bearing the red colour of the Republicans, but it was the larger in costal and city populations (and hence more electoral college points) that decided this election. So, despite the apparent appearance of Repulican dominated map, in reality many of the red strong holds are sparsley populated and lacking in any substantial number of electoral college points, which at the end of the day is what counts. So, it is the cities that spoke louder in this election. The places that have access to higher education, cultural diversity, the arts and current trends. But most importantly, it is the people who have spoken and made their voice count.
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IS THERE ANY TRUTH BEHIND THE POPULAR TELEVISION SHOW ‘PEAKY BLINDERS’? TELEVISION By Thea Redmill
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lone figure on a horse pulls up, parting the path in front and pushing onlookers aside. A thick Birmingham accent emerges, and we instantly feel under the command of the mysterious voice, who has managed to create such dominance through such little action. The man is clearly a thug, with intimidation encircling all those nearby. Yet, the cool authority of his leadership and Cillian Murphy’s good looks has had audiences enchanted by the supposed glamour of the so-called Peaky Blinders over recent years. But how far has our image of the ‘Peaky Blinders’ strayed from the ruthless gangs of Birmingham? Victorian Birmingham was ruled by organised brutes. Violent gangs dominated the working classes of the city, supposedly wearing hats containing hidden razor blades that could blind a man with a swift hit, hence the name Peaky Blinders. But contrastingly to the popular BBC drama, the height of these groups occurred in pre-war Britain, specifically the 1870s. The 1919 start of the show neglects the impact that World War I had on organised crime, where it reduced dramatically. With the creation of the police force under the 1829 Metropolitan Police Act, the concept of state law enforcement to such a widespread extent was still fairly
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foreign when ‘slogging’ (deriving from the verb to slog, a sharp and wild hit) gangs began to emerge. This created an antagonistic public perception of the police which increased occurrences of violence through gangs feeling the need to establish their superior position to the police. Following World War I, policing began to be seen as a necessity for state order, with their role becoming much more respected after services at war, decreasing episodes of gang violence. However, the 20’s setting of the series is understandable. With any jazz age setting comes mystique and allure, and this adds to the unpredictable and exciting atmosphere of the show. It also helps show how the 1920s had flaws, especially in lower classes. Contrary to the Great Gatsby myth, working class families were ruined by war and left in desperate situations that partially excuses the crime we see, offering a different perspective to the textbook portrayal of twenties glamour. At the turn of the century, gang crime had been rife; it was violent, viscous and merciless. The show does get this right, depicting the roughness of banditry, but it fatally glamorises its leaders. The BBC represents its leader, Thomas Shelby, as a hard-working hero, despite the illegalities of his ‘trade’. Yet, in reality, these men were wife-beaters, thieves and murderers. Accounts of a certain Edward Derrick
agree with this. Derrick was born in 1880 and would’ve been a so-called Peaky Blinder. His family were criminals, and he was raised upon the influence of gangs. Throughout his lifetime he was convicted of numerous crimes such as: petty theft, vagrancy, breaking into a counting house and bodily harm. He was known as an abusive bully, as opposed to the sense of honour we see with the cast. Throughout his marriage there are many accounts of physical violence resulting in his wife eventually leaving him, an uncommon occurrence in the early 20th century. His life was spent loitering from alley to alley, terrorising others. There was no integrity in his lifestyle but simply random spouts of intimidation, which seems to have been mistranslated into the exciting craft of street crime under the show. Despite the displays of terror, it’s impossible to not feel sentimentally attached to the characters. This can be argued as helpful for the show; it’s certainly preferable to become engrossed in a misunderstood criminal rather than an abusive drunk. However, the legacy becomes wrongly perceived and somewhat dishonours the victims of such brutal crimes. Ultimately, the show is fast-paced and definitely a good watch. But on a closer analysis the misrepresentation of our heroes neglects those whose lives were tormented by gang violence and affected by street crime.
THE BATTLE OF THE CHRISTMAS ADVERTS ADVERTISING By Jane Simmons
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hristmas isn’t Christmas without the much-anticipated seasonal adverts, and this year they did not disappoint. I’ve put 2020’s adverts head-to-head under the gruelling categories of music (a festive tune is imperative), cinematography (it will be tough to beat Sainsbury’s 2014 football advert, I’m just saying…), and message (asides from promoting capitalism, Christmas spirit is the whole point of these, right?). May the best ad win…
Tesco MUSIC 5/5 CINEMATOGRAPHY 5/5 MESSAGE 5/5 Tesco’s ad ticks all of the boxes; it’s humorous without resorting to clichés, has a diverse cast, and doesn’t mess around in getting it’s message across, preaching that after the year we’ve had, we deserve to indulge in good food (something which I can always get on board with). Before entering the realm of Christmas 2020 adverts, I had my reservations around the inevitable theme of Covid-19; I had been dreading reels of videos featuring masks, and social distancing, and as they say, ignorance is bliss, so please just let me have normal Christmas ads. However, the comedic confessions of “I may have bought too many loo rolls”, and a shot of a toilet roll snowman are absolutely spot on. Along with the fitting instrumentals of Britney’s vibrant “Oops!... I Did it Again”, Tesco’s forgiveness of those of us on Santa’s naughty list couldn’t have been executed better, and this one-minute video should be remembered in the Christmas ad hall of fame.
Aldi MUSIC 4/5 CINEMATOGRAPHY 4/5 MESSAGE 3/5 Kevin the carrot has returned to our screens, however, I feel Aldi may have taken the carrot family franchise one step too far. This time, Kevin finds himself lost in the snow, and with a little help from an utterly adorable hedgehog, and Santa, he manages to make it back home to Katie and the kids in time for a mouthwatering Christmas dinner. However, there is something rather cannibalistic about a family of carrots tucking into a spread of veg… The backing music, aesthetic, and message of this video are undoubtedly Christmassy, but that’s part of the problem; there is nothing that hasn’t been done before, and Aldi has played it all to safe for my liking. Kevin has been around since 2016, with his most memorable appearance being in a Gretest-Showman-esque advert which was in no way affiliated with the film (has Aldi even heard of copyright law?), but could this be his final performance?
John Lewis MUSIC 2/5 CINEMATOGRAPHY 4/5 MESSAGE 3/5
Sainsburys MUSIC 4/5 CINEMATOGRAPHY 5/5 MESSAGE 5/5 Sainsburys released a series of three adverts, all of which are in the style of nostalgic home videos. The Gravy Song advert stands out, where the speaker reminiscies about her dad’s signature gravy and mum’s roasties, and over a call with her parents shares how she longs to spend the holiday season at home. I’m not crying, you are. The understated delivery does exactly what John Lewis’ ad misses, providing an intimate glimpse into this family’s happy memories of Christmas Day. Put simply, it strikes the fine balance between being melancholic and uplifting, which sounds cynical, but this tone features in a number of the Christmas ads we hold close to our heart, such as The Bear and the Hare. It’s great to see a long-needed shift in the inclusivity of casting, however, it’s tragic that the ad has been a target for vile, racist comments, and Sainsburys should be praised for their response, pledging to be “the most inclusive retailer”. Sainsburys’ track record is shining, featuring the 2014’s Christmas football game ad, entitled 1914, and 2015’s Mog’s Christmas Calamity. Move over John Lewis, Sainsburys is back, and they are here to stay!
Now onto the reigning champion, and the brand with arguably the most iconic adverts. This year’s video showcases a plethora of animation styles and loveable characters to demonstrate how any act of kindness, however big or small, can make a difference. The transition between each of the eight styles is clever, although I’d argue it actually distracts from the overall message, and the aesthetic could have been more cohesive. Saying this, I am a fan of the consistent imagery of love hearts, which adds some linkage to this otherwise overpowering mishmash. In the ad we meet many characters; a group of snowmen, a generous boy, and a young girl among others, to convey the message of the universality of the joy we get from giving. In previous years, John Lewis’ forte has been in creating empathy for a central character, such as Edgar the dragon, or the man on the moon (which seems particularly apt this season), and these may be more successful when appealing to the hearts of viewers. The video is accompanied by a track reminding us to “give a little love”, with beautiful vocals, but the tune of which I actually found rather depressing. It would be fair to say that this ad is a little disappointing, but I may just be harsh given the brand’s pristine Christmas ad reputation. This is far from being a bad ad, but its just ‘nice’.
THE VERDICT This year’s competition has been tight, but Sainsburys was pipped to the post by Tesco. Honourable mentions must be given to Disney, McDonalds, and surprisingly Barbour, however, these videos are incomparable to the standards set by the UK’s supermarkets. Whatever way you choose to spend your holidays, these seasonal adverts will certainly bring some festive cheer to those pesky ad breaks.
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WHAT TO WEAR
Coats
Mia Regan
OUR RESIDENT STYLE GURU AND MINOR PINTEREST CELEB, SOPHIA, BRINGS US THE LATEST IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY. THESE SEASONAL TRENDS AND CURRENT MUSES ARE THE PERFECT INSPIRATION FOR YOUR WINTER WARDROBE. STYLE By Sophia Clyde
Shoes
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Coats Moving into the coldest, darkest and shortest days of the year, a new season of fashion is steadily approaching. I’m going to go straight into what is currently in and start off with my absolute favourite! Afghan coats, or otherwise known as penny lane coats, are my current addiction. And of course, brown is still in. Tan and brown Afghan coats come in short and long versions; I think both look great. In terms of where you can buy these coats, I don’t think they’ve quite hit fast fashion yet, but vintage items are always the nicest anyway! You can try vintage stores on Depop, as well as eBay. The proper Afghan coats can be on the pricier side, but if you look for the faux suede and faux fur ones, you can find a good bargain. Keeping up with the jacket theme, faux fur coats, leather jackets and puffer jackets are also really in right now. For leather jackets and puffer coats, it’s still the classic black or brown, and for faux fur, leopard print is my favourite style.
Mia Regan Mia Regan has become the reason that I live. Some of you may know her as the girlfriend of Romeo Beckham, or as a tiktok star, or perhaps as a model for Victoria Beckham. I’ll have to admit, picking out just a few of my favourite outfits of hers was a difficult task. I’ve noticed that Mia loves to pair neutral colours with really bright ones. You definitely can’t say that her style comes from anywhere, and that’s what I love about it the most. Here are also a couple of gorgeous pictures of Mia Regan last summer. The bright coloured maxi dresses look so good in the sun and the shoe colour goes so well with her dresses! In a recent article about Mia by Vogue, she explained how she loves to wear her mum’s old clothes and is passionate about buying from small businesses. She promotes a fashionable and eco-friendly approach to clothes. Sadly, many of the vintage places she shops at
are on the pricier side, but you’re in luck, as I’ve decided to do some research for you, and here are some small businesses I found on depop, which you should definitely take a look at. @Troublechild Troublechild is a store on depop which resells vintage stock at very decent prices! Their pieces are very trendy, which makes them even more worth the price. They have an especially nice stock of in blazers, jackets and jumpers so I recommend you check them out. @imzgarms If you don’t mind spending a bit then check out this store on Depop. They sell gorgeous branded items such as Burberry, Von Dutch and Juicy Couture. Their vintage collection is the nicest, and they stock an impressive range of zip-up hoodies. Thrifting My last recommendation is simply to hit up the charity shops and get bidding on eBay! I have found some absolute gems in charity stores, such as a black leather jacket for £16 and a Nike hoodie for £6, both in perfect condition. And trust me, on eBay, the possibilities are limitless (disclaimer: bidding is the most stressful experience. My legs shake and palms sweat in the final fight of the last 10 minutes of an auction).
Shoes I will admit that I am not really a shoes person, and I have quite rubbish taste (but I’ll let you be the judge of that). Up first we have the Nike Uptempos, which seem to be the rarest item on the internet. Some of you may have seen Billie Eillish’s debate on her Instagram story as to whether or not the mint green uptempos are pink or mint green (which again, I’ll leave you to be the judge of). I personally love the black and white Uptempos, as well as the white and gum sole Uptempos. These have also been my dream shoes for years now, I can never find them in stock! They are the New Balance 530s, popularised by Scandinavian influencers, such as Amalie Bladt. My attraction to these shoes compels me as they are eerily similar to a regular pair of sports trainers. But I can’t help what I like to wear.
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Thiago Silva
Kai Havertz
Frank Lampard
BLUES BRING HOME THE TROPHY? Chelsea are off to a good start being third in the table, but two questions come to mind; will they keep up this standard, and can they rise to the top? FOOTBALL By Serena Clyde
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lue is the colour, football is the game, Chelsea wins the Premier League. You’ll be seeing this on all the headlines in a few months. Catch us at the victory parade by Stamford bridge. So, what makes me think I’m entitled to make such a statement? Well, as an ex-primary school footballer, a top female scorer and a dedicated Premier League enthusiast, I believe I have the professionalism, as my dear Frankie would say, to make this judgement. £222.48 million. A big figure, right? With this huge sum of money I could buy three mansions in central London, three Lamborghinis, book a
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5-star resort (all-inclusive, of course) in Dubai for a month, as well as all the shopping and still, I would have at least 100 million left to spare. After last season where Chelsea faced a transfer ban, Frankie’s side were limited and instead worked with the youngest squad to ever play in the Premier league; many coming from the Chelsea Academy, to place a respectable fourth at the end of the season. However, this season looks bright for Chelsea with Roman Abramovich providing the funds to bring in the likes of Kai Havertz, Timo Werner (aka Turbo Timo), Hakim Ziyech (The Wizard) and many more football masters.
Furthermore, the early evidence is that it was money well spent, with goalkeeper Édouard Mendy racking up five consecutive clean sheets, in his first six games (more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper in the Premier League). Aside from those top players, Chelsea have also managed to sign Brazil’s top defender, Thiago Silva. That’s right, the world class Thiago Silva, who some of you may know by the song “oh Thiago Silva” by AJ Tracey and Dave (you may also know Alex’s rendition from Glastonbury). The 36 year old world class defender has been particularly influential for Chelsea for the improvements at the back, after they faced difficulties in defence last season. The new signings have also been influential in adding new avenues to attack to their offensive game, with Ben Chilwell proving balance on the left and Thiago Silva using his experience to help the team. Therefore, not only do Chelsea have a young fit squad, they also have experience on their side, and this looks to be an ideal combination seen as the blues are currently the Premier League’s top scorers with 20 goals. The blues have found an encouraging blend in recent matches, with
Édouard Mendy
A note from the editors
Hakim Ziyech crossing balls to Timo Werner, honing himself into a prime reference point centre-forward. Moreover, I feel it would be appropriate to briefly mention the previous winner (although not for long) Liverpool, who in my defence I think have had ample time, I’m talking years and years to sort themselves out after not winning the title for decades, hence it would almost be humiliating if they hadn’t won. Having won last season’s title, Liverpool will believe that they are the favourites to win. However, if we analyse their squad, a lot depends on the futures of Salah, Van Dijk and Mane, and although Liverpool fans will not admit this, they are players that Liverpool heavily rely on and without being too assertive, quite frankly I’m not so sure how successful they would be without them. Anyway, moving swiftly on to Chelsea, because who wants to hear about rubbish Liverpool; I can certainly assure you Chelsea is an
exciting squad in the Premier League, one to look out for, with one of the Premier Leagues most potent attacks, there is no stopping the ultimately best football club. Frank Lampard’s side have been a dominant force and after 10 games, Chelsea are third in the table, just two points adrift of leaders Spurs and so if I were to conclude I believe Chelsea have all the right ingredients for a title charge. The blues are already looking sharp, with new players beginning to gel with old players and of course super Frankie Lampard (the epitome of a legend) managing the squad, I believe Chelsea are simply going to flourish and thrive this season. Although this was quite a brief overview, I hope this was somewhat of an informative insight into how phenomenal Chelsea football club are. To finish, I thought I would end with the near future: Blue is the colour, football is the game, Chelsea wins the Premier League.
Here we are again, issue 2! We hope you guys have enjoyed reading the articles which have been brilliantly crafted by our team of journalists, who, despite their ridiculously busy lives, took the time out to research and write such great stuff. By now, I hope you get the idea of what we’re all about at The Seaside Standard; we set out with the plan of providing you, our readers, with fascinating articles away from what you learn in the classroom. As with last time, we really want to ask you, the students, if you would like to become a journalist and submit a piece for The Seaside Standard, and writing or drawing a something would be a great way to spend a lazy afternoon in the holiday. We would love to help you along your way, so if this sounds appealing please contact either ls40@roedean.co.uk or js37@roedean. co.uk. And lastly, merry Christmas!
EDITORS: Jane Simmons js37@roedean.co.uk Lara Sellins ls40@roedean.co.uk JOURNALISTS: Marina Bowden - mb37 Serena Clyde - sc39 Sophia Clyde - sc40 Bella Howell - gh39 Molly Maclean - mm41 Emily Manders - em52 Thea Redmill - tr37 Megan Turtle - mt38 Eden Wingate - ew61
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TAKE A LISTEN TO OUR TOP SONGS
MINIMALIST TECHNOLOGY By Marina Bowden
Is your to-do list out-of-control? Marina recommends an app to keep you organised this year! Minimalist is a free app that allows you to create a To Do list to stay on top of all your 3000 tasks and preps; it also includes a focus mode, which prevents you getting distracted by your phone while you work. I’ve been using this app for a while now and I can definitely say it has helped me become more productive.
LISTEN UP! Have you checked your Spotify Wrapped? Anyone who can beat Lara’s staggering 92,631 minutes of listening time will win a bar of Dairy Milk! Email us if you have!
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WIN CHOCLATE! Can you answer these fiendish questions? The first person to email the 10 correct answers to Lara at ls40@roedean.co.uk wins a bar of Dairy Milk! QUIZ By Lara Sellins 1. What 2. Who
is the capital city of Argentina?
was the first Brit to discover Australia?
3. If
you travelled south from Italy what is the first country you’d hit?
4. What 5. Is
is Boris Johnson’s first name?
Mecca closer to Riyadh or Jeddah?
6. What
is the only US state beginning with D?
7. In
Home Alone 2, who does Kevin run into in the hotel lobby?
8. Who 9. The
painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling?
Volga river runs through which country?
10. What
modern-day country was St Nicholas from?