theTeam
Alex Westerberg ‐ Writer
Jessica Dodgeon – Writer
Annie Little ‐ Writer
Josh McStay ‐ Editor/Writer
Ashley Latimer – Writer
Matthew Riley ‐ Writer
Ben Bancroft ‐ Writer
Meg Handley ‐ Writer
Chris Ahart ‐ Front Cover/Writer
Puja Gurung ‐ Writer
Daniella Ansell – Writer
Rebecca Henrys ‐ Writer
David Anderson – Writer
Samuel Bancroft ‐ Editor/Graphics/Writer
Elizabeth Robbins ‐ Writer
Sarah Drozdz – Writer
Eloise Scott ‐ Writer
Shannon Johnston ‐ Writer
James Phillips ‐ Website
Stuart Astle – Writer
theEditorial
Welcome back to theREVIEW, a Sixth Form publication.
As the New Year begins, we bring you the latest series of wide-ranging articles. From infantile behaviour at Prime Minister’s questions, to investigating ways to enable our youth to become world leaders in computer science; we resolve to bring you engaging analysis of the issues of today’s world. We also look to the future, gaining an insight into the current areas of research in the scientific world. This includes the reversal of the global magnetic field, to the looming energy crisis. In addition, we bring you the reviews of the latest films, books and games to reach our attention. Remember that you can check out the publication’s website. The website can be viewed at: www.thewhsreview.co.uk As ever; if you want to be involved, or have any feedback, please do not hesitate to contact the editors at: editors@thewhsreview.co.uk, or use the contact form on the website. -The editors, Samuel Bancroft and Josh McStay Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of William Howard School. Front cover produced by Chris Ahart. Front cover image sourced from Assassin’s Creed IV (Publisher: Ubisoft)
theContents
World News
The West has got Egypt all wrong The Insults and Insinuations of PMQs Upcoming Sochi Winter Olympics Against all odds: Labour are backing a winner
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Student News Computer Science education needs to be fixed Settling in to Sixth Form
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Science/Tech Energy Crisis Are we on the cusp of a Geomagnetic Reversal?
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Media A Season of Sequels Django Unchained Review The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer Review Legend, by Marie Lu Review Safety not Guaranteed Review Anchorman 2 Review Eurotruck Simulator 2 Review Assassin’s Creed IV Review
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Sport Joost van der Westhuizen – Rugby Champion
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Fashion Fashion Wishlist
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Creative The World is your Oyster Dependent
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A Holiday to Morocco 2013: Year in Review Quiz Logic Puzzles Crossword Cryptogram
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Misc
The fall of a dictator by popular revolution was music to the west’s ears. But a Pro-Islamist president with runaway sectarian policies, plus a military coup? Terrifying!
The Arab Spring is a period of history which does not suit a classical historian’s interpretation. The ideals the west so fervently clings to have gone awry in state after state: Libya (armed militias now causing unrest); Syria (the awful civil war speaks for itself); Yemen and Bahrain (protesters silenced); only in Tunisia is democracy taking hold. And of course, Egypt is certainly not a model of success.
Popular Protest: 2011 To recap: it all started in late 2010, when the spirit of revolt started to reverberate around the ‘twittersphere’ of the Arab world. The autocratic president of 30 years, Hosni Mubarak, rigged an election against the main underground opposition movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, but this time, he tipped the scales. By January 2011 Egyptians took to the streets to demand all the rights they fully deserved. That month, the news from Tunisia was that popular uprisings did work, and spectacularly: Ben Ali had been toppled. Mubarak tried to play it cool; he
said he’d resign by the coming November, and subtly reshuffled his cabinet to remove the more contentious faces. The Egyptian people weren’t satisfied; as you wouldn’t be with an infamous cunning dictator. The huge marches in Tahrir Square were some of the largest demonstrations in the whole of the Arab world: up to 300,000 by some sources gathered there to show their support for democracy. On 11 February, by which time the name and meaning of Tahrir Square had been reported around the world, the army decided popular sentiment was enough reason to usher President Mubarak out of office. Having an army in charge of your politics was certainly not what you imagine as transition to democracy, and neither did Egyptians; so the army promised constitutional reforms and elections. Meanwhile, they tried to quell the ongoing widely felt anger at the previous regime by arresting Mubarak and his sons as scapegoats. The following year, the aging and ailing Mubarak was imprisoned for life on the basis of complicity in the killing of protesters during the uprising. In this crucial period of regenerating the
The square on the 9th February 2011, two days before the Egyptians won their freedom.
Jonathan Rashad via Flickr
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theREVIEW World News
The West has got Egypt all wrong By Alex Westerberg
The actual elections to give Egypt an elected representative body came in December-January, 11 long months after the revolution. To the distaste of the west, the main winners were Islamist parties, symbolising a concern, especially in the United States, that the new Egypt would no longer play along in the world order, due to treatment of Islamic Countries by the USA in the recent past. In June 2012, the Muslim Brotherhood became outright winners of the democratic process; Mohammed Morsi was the new president. Some Egyptians received an unpleasant shock that their government was not a secular one, and the fault was perhaps their own. There had been startlingly low voter engagement in the electoral process with just 43% turnout. By August of 2012 the situation was becoming more extreme; the new cabinet excluded Liberal politicians in favour of technocrats and Islamists of the former regime. In November, Morsi tried changing the constitution so he was no longer accountable to the law. Protests saw it changed back soon enough. Some say he felt a real threat from the military who could arbitrarily depose him if he acted against them. However, if this
Anarchic Fallout: 2013 Egypt was by this point becoming strongly polarised, with secular groups pitted against Islam, and neither side believing they were at fault. The destabilisation was by now affecting daily lives, and causing Egyptians to question whether the right man was in charge. The army made a threatening statement in January 2013 that political strife (implying it was caused by Morsi pressing for reforms) was almost too bad for democracy to continue.
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Democratic Experiment: 2012
More demonstrations through the summer showed that people were dissatisfied with the slow rate of change. In August 2011 the high sentiments of the revolution turned sour. The army, who had played the moral force in the first revolution, couldn’t deal with the protestors in Tahrir square criticising their own administration. Tanks moved in to disperse the crowds that month. Soon after, clashes with Coptic Christians left dozens killed.
seemed too far, Egyptians polled to accept changes to their constitution that came in December, which strengthened Islam in the constitution while taking away rights to speech and public assembly.
state, the old pro-Morsi media was allowed to continue with their role, so influential on the public. As the staff of the old regime continued to broadcast, their outdated views and influence were still felt and resented. And the police were a confused institution; some treated it as a paid leave, refusing to carry out their duty.
Sensing the critical situation, Morsi asked elections to be brought forward; however the Supreme Court rejected this. In Tahrir Square, renewed protests showed disdain for Morsi akin to that for his predecessor. The military stepped in to topple him on 3 July, arresting him, as well as suspending the constitution. However, in a polarised country, this appeased only half the population. The rest were furious that the army had sabotaged the democracy; after all there were indications that Morsi would win a re-election. Almost immediately pro-Morsi rallies gathered across Cairo. Then, on 8 July a peaceful sit-in was raided by the army where 51 were killed including children. The street battles continued for weeks leaving around 100 dead, pro-Morsi and Army blaming each other for the majority of deaths. On top of that there were a huge number of severe casualties as inexplicably, the army used live rounds rather than blanks or rubber bullets. It is telling that the army has been so unnecessarily heavy handed in its response.
Hope for the Future? In spite of continuing protests there is a glimmer of hope for Egyptian Democracy. The replacement President Mansour put
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into effect a timetable whereby 10 legal experts amended the flaws in the 2012 constitution (such as re-permitting Mubarak’s party) followed by a larger, more general committee which went further in the secular direction, forbidding parties with a religious basis. It is an interesting consideration that after two years of an imperfect government, Egyptians turn to the same conclusion that America’s founding fathers did some 200 years previously: overt religion and politics do not sit easily side by side.
Happily, the timetable was maintained and President Mansour received a final draft on 3 December last year. This very month, Egyptians are once more presented with an opportunity to vote. The European Union has accepted responsibility as a monitor. Egyptians may not be able to accept a perfect constitution, but one that, with the benefit of more time spent on it, will surely go further to enabling stability for their future. Point of View: Dr H Mohamed I had the opportunity to interview an Egyptian born and raised in Egypt, who came to the UK for medical training. The Egyptian Government financed this, but after completion he decided to continue his services in this country specialising as a consultant in female health. He now trains junior doctors. His wife, Shahinaz, graduated in Egypt in Commerce, Banking and Accountancy. Since moving here with her husband she is involved in many community events.
What is the religious makeup of society in Egypt and what effect does this have? Egypt is predominantly a Muslim country with over 90% Muslims and between 7-9% Christian Orthodox (rather than Catholic) following the eastern type of church called Coptic (Egyptian). There is no consensus about what proportion of Egypt are atheist. Although many of the ordinary people are strict in their religion the majority are moderate. Some do not
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practice the religion in everyday life as you may imagine.
How is unemployment viewed - is it frowned on, or is it accepted as much more common in a more globalised world? The unemployment issue is a totally different concept in Egypt. The understanding is if the person cannot get any type of work doing what they trained in, they pick up another job to get by, regardless of what work they deem themselves worthy of. In other words you may find qualified accountant work as an electrician because there is no opening, or a qualified solicitor may work in a shop to feed their family. There is no benefit system to guarantee a basic living support therefore people need to do any type of work. Again the statistics are unreliable and usually incorrectly presented. I wouldn’t say it reflects the true picture because the majority of young people work in two different jobs at the same time to cover the cost of living.
When for example Britain launched a strike against Gadaffi’s forces in Libya, 2011, were they overplaying their role as a "global policeman"? The political views in Egypt are diverse and differ according the social class and degree of literacy. You need to remember that many people cannot read or write, so they are much guided by the media propaganda but they are emotional in their decision, and try to look for the positive side. They are very upset to see that the outside world cannot do anything to stop the Assad regime from killing his own people and the international community allowed every weapon to be used except chemical ones. In Libya they were very happy when NATO interfered but they would be very angry if the Americans entered Libya in similar way as they did in Iraq.
Were you elated or fearful when you heard of the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in February 2011? Were you/was anyone you know in Tahrir Square for the mass
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He wasn’t a big name in Egyptian politics before, only when he put himself forward for election did we hear about him. We did not vote for him the first time but only the second round of election as we felt that the opponent from the old Mubarak regime [was a threat who needed to be voted out].
Did you support increasingly Islamic policies and reforms of the constitution — why or why not? You need to remember that media propaganda has a very powerful effect on the Egyptian people as I mentioned before, and the majority of media is controlled by old regime members. We did not fully understand his policies. He did not explain to people clearly through any official channels what he is doing. To us, they didn’t seem to be comprehensive policies. Morsi did not get any help from the Ministry of Interior to support and implement his policy and instruction of reform. In fact they were working against him even to share the conspiracy to overthrow him in the near future. In fact we did like the new constitution and we read it over the internet in detail. It was the first time to have a proper and diverse constitution so we voted for it by post through the Egyptian embassy.
In our view he did not have the chance and time to allow people to see what he could do or how he could help the country – only after the coup against him were there strong signs that the economy had been stable and improving. The media kept distorting his figure and undermining his authority to a degree of ridiculing him and he did not shut their channels or prosecute them or even stop them by force. Freedom of speech and expression were ideals which people abused for personal gain.
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When did you first hear of Morsi as a politician?
Definitely we were very happy and enthusiastic about a new government and that Mubarak’s regime was gone forever. We wish we would have been at Tahrir Square as a few of our friends' family were there at the time demonstrating. Yes, at that time we did trust the army completely but unfortunately they misused this trust for their own benefit to build up their autocratic state once again [from 1952 the military elite ruled under Nasser, Sadat and lastly Mubarak].
In early 2013 people were treating Morsi with the same disdain as they had for Mubarak. Was that fair?
demonstrations? Did you trust the army to return power after taking it from Mubarak?
On 3 July last year, Morsi was toppled. Was that an unconstitutional act to be worried about, or were they necessary means because he had gone too far? Definitely it is very unconstitutional and unlawful way of changing an elected president in a new spirit of democracy and they should have asked for an early election.
There have been many, violent street protests cropping up in cities across Egypt. Was the army too violent in its crackdown or is this just Western journalists reporting isolated cases? We cannot believe what our [armed forces] have done and [are] still doing to their own people. In fact they are not far from the Assad regime in stopping people to express their views about what happened in July 2013 as a military coup. Thousands of people and university students are being treated badly or kept in custody without fair trial only because they marched peacefully in protest.
In changes to the constitution drawn up in the last few months, under President Mansour, the National Democratic Party (Mubarak's) was allowed to stand for election again. Is that a bad idea, does it link to Egypt's less democratic past? It is a very bad idea and we are returning back to the old days of the Mubarak era.
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Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) can be seen to epitomise the excitement of British adversarial politics or represent an outburst of an adolescent immaturity of public schooled privilege.
The sound of Ed Balls trying and failing to put forward an audible response to the Chancellor George Osborne’s autumn statement amid the jeering and laughter of the Commons appeared to highlight the counter-productive nature of PMQs. Such a confrontation tradition of politics can be seen to be standing in the way of the efficient running of the House of Commons. Some point out that the Prime Minister rarely directly responds to the question that has been asked, and that the aim increasingly seems to be to produce a witty one-liner against the opposition, rather than shed enlightenment on an issue of concern. In short, the chamber’s function as a debating room appears to be being disregarded during this session. Recent PMs, Cameron included, have expressed resentment at the stress PMQs puts on them. This resentment led Blair to change the session’s structure from twice weekly 15 minute sessions to one 30 minute session, a change which critics of PMQs say has made the unruly atmosphere worse. This type of pressure can be seen to hold the Prime Minister accountable in such a way that even the far more powerful US president isn’t subjected to. Thatcher’s memoirs speak of PMQs as being “the real test of your authority in the House, your standing with your party, your grip of policy and of the facts to justify it.” Although PMQs represent the public’s exposure to the workings of Parliament, in legislative terms, it is not the most significant. Much of the everyday running of the country is invisible and efficient. Our political system is consistently situated around the centre of politics, and as such in reality the ideological difference between the three dominant parties is more minimal than the disorder of PMQs might suggest.
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theREVIEW World News
The Insults and Insinuations of PMQs By Elizabeth Robbins
bbc.co.uk The public sees Parliament working at its most argumentative, and at its most memorable. Jibes and nicknames that are used in the session have been known to reverberate through history, determining a politician’s legacy often more than their policies could. Despite this, history suggests that superior performance at PMQs can have little impact on the outcome of general elections. For example, William Hague who is renowned as one of the best parliamentary performers very often got the better of Blair at PMQs when Hague was Leader of the Opposition. PMQs provide an opportunity for us to judge our leaders with minimal effort, as we see them at their most vulnerable, and sometimes, at their most undignified. Cameron has recently been criticised by Labour MP Michael Meacher for his manner during PMQs as being “patronising and arrogant” and his “calm down dear, calm down” comment directed at Angela Eagle caused outrage. Such a manner is thus exposed to public opinion. If a PM fails to politely answer a question posed by a backbencher, the action will become part of his legacy. The general mood regarding PMQs seems to be one of disgust. But the excitement it brings to politics, which would otherwise simply host relatively homogenous policies between the parties, is preferable to the comparatively dull politics of elsewhere. Crucially, elections are not determined from PMQs, however it holds Prime Ministers to account. PMQs are potentially as much a test of character as of leadership.
Upcoming Sochi Winter Olympics By Alex Westerberg
But underneath lie some contentious stories. The Russian leader as of 2012, Vladimir Putin, has staked his reputation on this event, so for starters this is going to be a showcase affair for his model of a world superpower. But how admirable is this superpower - one where homophobic discrimination is state policy? In terms of his attitudes to minority rights, formerly he believed gays were “fully fledged members of our society”, albeit having fears about gay marriage (population growth is a terse conversation in Russia, its population shrank by 3m 2002-2010).
Bloomberg Businessweek
While homophobic laws respecting the whole of Russia have not yet been allowed through the Duma, from 2006-2012 local government took matters into their own hands, where an act of promoting homophobic activity (i.e. even holding hands in public) could result in a fine of up to $160,000.
to pay them back the biggest percentage as an “appreciation gesture”, only using the remainder for the actual project.
With 74% of Russia Orthodox Christians who generally accept that homosexuality is a sin, there would be some groundswell against equality measures.
During the breakup of the Soviet Republics in the 1990s, Chechnya and Dagestan failed in their bid to claim freedom, with the Russian military fighting a bitter and protracted war to keep them in the federation. However hopes for an Islamic Republic have not died out and the female bomber in the first metro bombing is supposed to be the widow of a militant from that period.
Whilst no-one is contending a full-scale boycott over these worries (the last 3 major boycotts in Olympic history were 1976, 1980 and 1984, in the highly politicised atmosphere of the cold war climax); Obama and the Vice President Biden have notably declared their absences already. Obama is cited saying he will “have plenty of chances to go to many games after 2016”. In other respects, the events surrounding the games symbolise the corruption which originated in the Yeltsin era (1991-2000) and has clearly never left. With the games being a pride project, no real cap is set on the price tag. So, organisers offer $1bn for a road project and offer it to the contractor who promises
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Sochi 2014 is going to be a great event setting the scene for quite a sport-filled year; we have the World Cup to look forward to in the Summer.
Finally, the overbearing Volgograd bombings which occurred 30-31 December last year are a worry, as they are closely tied to the politically fragile region where the games are hosted.
With respect to the Olympics, few sources believe there is much threat to the athletes or spectators. Despite the fact that there were thorough, IOC-approved precautions already taken (such as patrolling drones and even special guards for food outlets like McDonald’s!), Putin has promised further personnel surges. On balance, the security challenge posed by the most metropolitan city of the world in 2012 was much more daunting, yet was a dazzling success. The games start February 6th 2014.
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Against all odds: Labour are backing a winner Following the financial crisis of 2008, Britain’s high streets have experienced a period of unending decline. However, in stark contrast to the harsh conditions experienced by most high street outlets, one industry is thriving: the bookmakers.
Since 2005, a further 600 bookmakers have been established across Britain. Whilst some may argue that the payday lenders, pawnbrokers and bookmakers are damaging due to their poor aesthetic value, this should be one of the least concerning aspects in comparison to the damaging impact of the bookmakers upon society. It is highly indicative that twice as many new bookmakers have been established in areas of high unemployment than in areas of low employment as these areas offer considerable scope for exploitation as the chance of an easy profit off the horses, or the football, becomes increasingly attractive amidst an area of economic strife that is severely lacking in opportunity. The greatest opposition to gambling stores comes from those who are aware of the dangers of FOBTs (fixed-odds-bettingterminals). Defenders of the gambling community argue that the industry provides jobs and taxes for the community, but in-depth studies upon these machines (in isolation) have clearly stated the detrimental impact of these devices upon individuals and society. Firstly, the rise of FOBTs reduces the number of employees required in a betting shop as the human element to processing bets is removed by this computerised format. Additionally, whilst the element of skill to sports gambling enables some talented individuals to apply their knowledge of sport and statistics in order to make considerable profit, the fixed nature of the computerised machines ensures that even the most successful gambler is certain to eventually lose out. But whilst the prevalence of gambling stores has increased over the past eight years, it is actually the advertising around the industry that has witnessed the
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theREVIEW World News
By Josh McStay
Alex Segre / Rex Features greatest increase. As every sports fan knows, it is now impossible to watch a football match without being bombarded with the latest odds, be it prior to the game on Twitter and in newspapers, or the television adverts both prior to kick-off and at half time. Studies have shown that since gambling laws were relaxed in 2005, the amount of gambling related adverts shown on British television has risen by over 1300%, with the majority being shown during daytime hours. Professor Sue Bailey of the Royal College of Psychiatrists has called for stricter regulations on gambling advertisements, warning that ‘it is often the vulnerable who are the most susceptible’ to gambling addictions that can ‘spiral into depression and bankruptcy’. However, perhaps such concern over the re-emergence of bookmakers is illfounded. Neil Goulden, the chair of the Association of British Bookmakers, has argued that the current level of 8,700 betting shops is considerably lower than the 16,000 outlets found in British towns and cities in the 1970s. Furthermore, as 12% of British shop space is currently unused, overall tax receipts from commercial outlets are falling year-onyear. Therefore, the resurgent gambling industry provides a welcome source of income to local authorities that are being forced to be increasingly stringent in managing their resources. Betting shops are filling the gaps left by the businesses that have closed, leading many to argue that the rise of bookmakers is the ‘lesser of the evils’ between empty shops that cannot make any contribution to the local economy and the bookmakers who help to sustain community initiatives through tax contributions that average out at £10,000
The considerable decline of high street gambling stores over the last four decades cannot be overlooked, yet this measure blatantly disregards the considerable presence of the online gambling industry and ever-expanding mobile gambling market. There may well be fewer bookmakers on our streets than in the 1970s, but the overall presence of bookmakers is considerably larger at the end of 2013 than it was in 2005, a year representing both the height of the ‘boom’ years of a growing economy and the year of the introduction of relaxed gambling laws that have helped to facilitate the resurgence of the gambling industry. Furthermore, the suggestion that the revenue raised through gambling stores has a trickle-down positive impact upon local communities is untrue. It is somewhat clichéd to note that there is no such thing as a poor bookmaker, but this suggestion is based upon the basis upon which the industry relies: bookmakers making almost continuous profits from illinformed punters. Yet the rampant gambling industry may be halted as the 2015 General Election nears. Opposition to gambling covers a wide range of the political spectrum, providing a rare source of unity between Ed Miliband’s socialism and the Daily Mail’s own agenda for improving society. The Labour Party have made their antigambling stance one of their few clear policies for 2015 and have recently pledged to empower local councils to have
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for every betting outlet. In addition, Goulden hails bookmakers as one of ‘the biggest employers of young people in the country’ as over 25% of the industry’s 40,000 employees occupy the 18-24 age cohort.
John Stillwell / PA
the potential to ban ‘Fixed-Odds-BettingTerminals’ if a Labour majority is achieved. Unlike sports betting, users of these machines do not have to wait until the final whistle - or final furlong – before the desire to place another bet may resurface. By contrast, the process is almost instantaneous as up to £300 can be wagered and then lost or won every minute. For the majority, gambling is a costly addiction to suffer, but for those who become addicted to these machines, the impact upon individuals and families is particularly severe, making Labour’s opposition particularly admirable. As yet, the coalition government have ignored all calls for tighter gambling regulations. Therefore, the onus is upon the Labour Party's policy makers to determine if they wish to ensure that gambling remains a crucial election issue. Considering the widespread support tighter regulations could receive, and the positive subsequent impact that the banning of FOBTs would achieve, one can only suggest that for Labour to further escalate their demands for this policy would be an astute move to make.
2015 Voting Intentions Labour Lib Dems Conservatives UKIP Other
Source: YouGov Poll, 7/1/2013 Odds on who will win the most seats at the 2015 General Election:
Labour: 8/13 Conservatives: 5/4 UKIP: 100/1 Liberal Democrats: 150/1
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Computer Science is reported to have the worst graduate unemployment rates according to a Guardian report, stated to be currently at 14%.
This statistic may at first to be rather daunting, but when you look at the bigger picture, it becomes even worse. The IT and telecoms industry employs 1 in 20 of the UK’s workforce, with 9 out of 10 firms suffering from shortages of people with the required skills for the job. Something must be going wrong, as it appears that the computer science education system is failing graduates. If you go onto most university websites, and look at their computer science degrees, you will find that they will explicitly state that “you do not need any previous programming experience to take our courses”. This is true, as for undergraduate courses; the first year is about getting all the students up to speed with computer science. This in itself is a big issue, as you wouldn’t apply for a degree in Mathematics, without having done Maths before. Why should Computer Science be any different? The answer is, it shouldn’t be, but there has been a long standing period of neglect towards computer science education, as instead there has been a focus on ICT based subjects. It is also worth mentioning that computer science is nothing like ICT, as understanding how computers work, and being able to programme them is not about using the latest Microsoft Office. For this reason, universities cannot say to their applicants that they need computer science experience, as they would end up with no one on their course. And after all, universities are all about marketing themselves, especially at 9K a head! So why is there not a bigger incentive to fix this mess? The government have included computer science in their English Baccalaureate, which is a step towards this
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target. However this is just a measure to shift the pressure onto schools. The real issue comes back to skill shortages. This means getting people who are actually qualified to teach computer science to educate the next generation is an issue. And then there is the question of a competitive wage, since most computer science jobs pay decent wage (ranked in the top 50 in the UK). There is therefore no incentive to go into teaching computer science.
So why not make computer science A-level compulsory for undergraduate courses? Even if you had a computer science Alevel, it really would not be much of an advantage at all, as it is so abstract from a computer science degree. What they should be teaching is fundamental programming, as well as the background computer science of compilers, CPU architectures and managed and unmanaged programming. This would be so much more relevant to the computer science degree. But then it comes back to the issue of building on what you already know, as you wouldn’t teach a primary school student calculus, would you? What needs to happen is a gradual weaning process, starting at a very young age. So to answer my very first question, it all comes down to university courses being far too basic for jobs available in the industry. Too many people attempting to get a job in computer science naively think that their degree will be enough, without having the passion for their subject to be able to develop and consolidate their knowledge. And those who can demonstrate themselves by working on the computer science project (such as a PhD) worthy of recognition, in addition to their degree, will get snapped up by a starved industry, leaving no one available to educate the younger generations. And so the cycle goes on. Or can this be fixed?
theREVIEW Student News
Computer Science education needs to be fixed By Ben Bancroft
Settling in to Sixth Form By Jessica Dodgeon and Annie Little
Right now, to most 6th formers, year 11 seems miles away and GCSE looks far easier than A-levels in comparison. The transition from year 11 to year 12 is pretty big and for most new year 12s stress is starting to build up, our year 13s are also making a big transition as they prepare their applications for university. Year 12s have settled in well, considering the massive step they had to take, and one whole term has already passed by. Soon enough exams will start and the peaceful nature of the 6th form block will be bombarded with stressed out teenagers studying like there’s no tomorrow. Stressing about exams causes you to panic and you take in less information when stressed, you also lose sleep. And waking up in a grumpy mood doesn’t help anyone. Have you ever wondered why you get a cold during exam time? It’s quite embarrassing to have to cough out loud in the middle of the exam hall because you have a sore throat. Well stress causes your immune system to become more vulnerable. That means that the more you stress, the more likely you’ll get a cold, so little stress is good but a lot of stress doesn’t help you at all. However if you are stuck with something or you are getting worried about a certain topic then don’t hesitate to ask for help, for example, teachers, friends, mentors are there if you need to ask about anything or discuss anything. So far this year, we have already done many events that have let year 12s settle in to sixth form. Firstly at the start of the year, year 12s took part in a sixth form induction day which is where year 12s participated in many challenges throughout the entire day. Even though the weather was terrible, which to be honest is typical in Cumbria, the point of the day was to improve our social skills. We got to know the new people in our forms and made memories. Another event was Children in Need day in which everyone took part in and raised a
substantial amount of money through a variety of ways, for example, wearing pyjamas, selling cakes, etc. Everybody’s contributions, no matter how small helped. Form groups all worked together to raise money which allowed forms to make more memories and more friends.
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It’s been 5 months since we all started a new year in 6th form.
It’s now the start of a new year, and everyone’s come back feeling refreshed and ready for exams… Hopefully. But all in all, the transition from GCSE to AS and from AS to A2 still was a massive change but year 12 and 13s seemed to have adjusted to it just fine. Happy New Year Sixth Form!
Sixth Form Top Tips: Get a UCAS student card. Get some revision cards. Balance your workload. Research university open days as soon as possible. Plan ahead and spread out past paper revision over a long period. Look up year 12 ‘masterclass’ opportunities online. They will help a lot for personal statements! Consolidate your learning by reading through your textbook in line with your lessons.
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theREVIEW Science/Tech
Energy Crisis By Ashley Latimer
thinkpress.org How often do you hear about fossil fuels? It seems to be constantly drilled into our brains; they’re going to run out, and soon. The thing is though, this isn’t true at all. In 2012 fossil fuels made up around 85.1% of the UK’s total energy production. This number has only decreased by 3% in the last decade, clearly then we are very dependent on fossil fuels. You may think that this isn’t a huge drop but surprisingly the energy consumed by the UK actually dropped 13% between 2004-2010. This pattern is true for most other developed counties too. Overall the fossil fuel consumed by the developed world is dropping at a steady rate, but is it enough? Developing countries are where the problem lies; they don’t have the infrastructure or resources to cut down consumption. These countries aren’t short of fuel though; they’re buying it from the developed countries. They have the infrastructure and resources to deplete their oil reserves with ease, but apparently they’re running out, aren’t they? Well no, not really. In 1977 the US had 32 billion barrels of proven and useable oil reserves, but between 1977 and 2010 they extracted 84 billion barrels. This is 2.6x the estimated amount left in 1977, and since 2011 the reserves have increased by over a third. Billions every year are spent developing new technology to extract and use oil in more obscure places. As a result more and more oil becomes available. We may have only ’50 years’ of oil left at the
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moment, but it will last considerably longer. Clearly then the problem isn’t the amount of oil, coal or gas we have left, it’s how they will impact our environment. That’s another thing constantly reinforced in our mind, climate change is happening and it’s having a big impact. We’re told to cut down on energy consumption, recycle and use renewable products. Therefore it’s not the fact we are short on energy or its supply, but rather that the way we are getting it is having such a negative impact on our planet. That’s the real problem. China for example produces 18% of the world’s CO2 which is on par with the whole of the EU. Looking at that, you start to realise that even though we in the UK are cutting down out fossil fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, that’s such a tiny part of the whole picture. On our own it’s very difficult to make a difference, every country needs to agree and work towards realistic goals. The planet as a whole needs to start doing something radical, because we don’t really have any other option except to destroy our climate. Since the industrial revolution the average global temperature has risen by 1OC. To put this into perspective, during the last ice age the global temperature dropped only 1OC. Think about how different the climate is during an ice age, we’re currently there but the other way round. We’re getting hotter. The latest information suggests it’s impossible to stop the temperature increasing by 2OC, that’s one point of no return we have already crossed. We literally have to start finding alternatives
By far the biggest undertaking of any
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We’ve already started working towards clean and sustainable energy supplies. The industry is currently worth billions of pounds. Innovation and colossal creations are common, with everyone wanting to discover or create the next big thing. One such creation is the PS10 Solar Power Plant in Spain. It’s one of the world’s first ‘concentrated’ solar power plants, generating power using 624 movable mirrors. It took a total of 4 years and 35 million Euros to create, however it now produces 11 MW which generates 6.3 million Euros every year. 11 MW is actually almost nothing for the space it takes up, as its total area is around 70km2. It’s efficiency when converting energy is only 17%, but the plant is still generating energy and money which is what’s important. The plant works by concentrating the sun’s rays to the top of a 370ft high tower, where the heat generated is used to make steam and drive a generator. Many other solar plants are planned in the same area as PS10, to create a total of 300 MW of electricity.
project which was in the name of renewable energy was undertaken by China, in the form of the Three Gorges Dam. The plant is still under construction, producing 18,000 MW out of its planned 22,500 MW. It’s cost in total 16 billion pounds, causing China to borrow money to cover the costs. The creation is a massive powerhouse of energy and tourism in China however there was a lot of controversy around its creation. Massive flooding and pollution has arisen in the area, as a result a few towns were completely submerged. Renewable energy can have just as many downsides as traditional fossil fuels; it’s not all black and white in the world of energy.
to fossil fuels, or die. Man works best when it has no other option. This in itself means we will work towards a solution at all costs; we just need it to happen before we cross the final point of no return.
However, in my opinion smaller scale production is the way to go. Imagine if every home in the UK had solar panels on it, 60,000 MW would be generated which is similar to the county’s biggest power station. Add a wind turbine as well? Start putting generators in rivers? The potential of micro-generation is amazing; it makes energy cheaper and more accessible to the consumer and creates plenty of clean available energy. The only problem is the economics behind it, on a large scale it gets complicated. However the innovations and new inventions need to keep coming if we want to make a difference, and that’s down to us.
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Over the last 150 years the overall magnetic field of the planet has weakened significantly. The north magnetic pole (which is actually a magnetic south pole) is drifting from northern Canada towards Siberia at an accelerating rate. At the beginning of the 20th Century it migrated around 6 miles per year. It migrated over 25 miles in 2003.
This rapid weakening is indicating the upcoming renewal of an approximately 200,000 year cycle. The reversal of our world’s magnetic field is overdue. Geological records show that the geomagnetic field undergoes a complete reversal approximately every several hundred thousand years. This is a dramatic event where there is a steep decline in field strength, before the magnetic north and south poles swap places. Earth’s magnetic field is generated by the movement of molten iron within the planet’s outer core. Because of this, it is susceptible to changes over time and undergoes reversals at random intervals. Geological records have shown that these have occurred many times in the planet’s history. Discussions amongst researchers are mounting - with speculation that we are on the cusp of a polarity reversal. There have been no catastrophic consequences directly associated with previous reversals. The process itself can take many thousands of years. The effects of such an event, which would be the first in human history, are hard to predict. This could mean big news for modern society. As Earth's magnetic field begins to collapse, the magnetosphere can become disorganised. The Aurora could even occur at mid-latitudes. The field would not vanish completely, but magnetic poles might form in a chaotic fashion during the process, before eventually stabilising. This would certainly affect anything that uses a compass for direction.
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Are we on the cusp of a Geomagnetic Reversal? By Samuel Bancroft
NASA An extended decline in field strength would expose Earth’s upper atmosphere to a barrage of charged particle from intense solar radiation, causing greater production of radioactive isotopes Beryllium-10 and Carbon-14. High energy charged particles from deep space, known as cosmic rays, will have further opportunity to erode the atmosphere here, including the ozone layer which protects us from harmful levels of Ultra-Violet radiation. It is likely that Mars’ atmosphere was stripped away and lost to space by this exact process because it had no substantial magnetic field to protect it. The major hazard to modern society would be the effects on our technology. Satellites could have their communications scrambled, and power supplies could be knocked out. However there’s no need to panic. An impending geomagnetic flip certainly ignites fears about what it means for us, but there is no indication that the field has ever completely disappeared. If it did, the planet would become completely vulnerable to solar flares and coronal mass ejections from the sun. Recent spacecraft have been launched; most notably in the SWARM mission by the European Space Agency. This involves numerous satellites mapping the entire planetary field from orbit, hopefully providing scientists with a detailed idea on the current situation. Whether or not such an event will occur in our lifetimes - is practically impossible to predict. All we know is that something is going to happen, at least in geological terms, very soon.
A Season of Sequels By Eloise Scott
It all kicked off in April with the top grossing film of 2013, Iron Man 3, a great addition the Avengers saga and faultless finale to the incredible Iron Man trilogy. Just a few weeks later, Star Trek: Into Darkness was released, a fantastic follow up to the 2009 take on the legendary sci-fi franchise. As we came into summer, the animation took the spotlight. Firstly there was Despicable Me 2 – no matter what you’re into, you can’t help but smile at this film, and I would recommend it to people of all ages. Then came the long awaited prequel Monsters University, released 12 years after Monsters Inc, an amazing addition that was done perfectly by Pixar. Then, come Mid-August, when everyone had just about forgotten about superheroaction-comedy Kick Ass, Kick Ass 2 was released out of the blue. Based around Batman-style ‘superheros’ who don’t actually have any real powers and are trying to keep the streets safe, it showcases a thrilling mixture dark humour and ultraviolence.
lionsgatepublicity.com been described by many as ‘the new Harry Potter’. This flawless follow-up followed the original book perfectly, but still stood out as its own film, making it mine, and many others, favourite film of the year. Finally came December with The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug, second in the trilogy of star wars style prequels following the infamous Lord of the Rings franchise. A hobbit, a wizard and a bunch of dwarves carry on their quest to reclaim the lost dwarf kingdom of Erebor, which leads to the encounter of a rather terrifying dragon – it’s worth watching just for the astounding special effects. Then, to end the year, we had Anchorman 2. The storyline is utterly ridiculous, but if you manage to look past this, there are some good laughs.
September gave us another surprise sequel, Insidious: Chapter 2. Directed by James Wan, who is most well-known for his work on Saw, it follows the usual horror movie recipe, a totally far-fetched plot riddled with jump-scares. Definitely not the most pleasant of films, but it’s weirdly gripping and will certainly give you a good fright.
Nevertheless, it doesn’t just end there. As we enter 2014, we have many more promising sequels to look forward to, including; The Amazing Spiderman 2, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, XMen: Days of Future Past and the next Hunger Games and Hobbit instalments.
As the year draws to an end, we are sent back to the Marvel universe in October with Thor: The Dark World. It’s funny, heart-warming and action packed – everything you could want from a movie and more (not to mention the cast are brilliant).
What really stands out about these sequels is that all of them are just as good, if not better, than their predecessors. If there’s one thing we can take from 2013, it’s that the days of worrying about disappointing spin-offs that spoil a good film (let’s not talk about Mean Girls 2) are long gone.
November brought us The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, a highly anticipated addition to the saga that has
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2013 has brought us some sensational films, with hits such as The Great Gatsby, Man of Steel and Gravity. But for me, I will always remember it as the year of the sequel.
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Django Unchained Review By Matthew Riley and David Anderson CONTAINS
SPOILERS
Quentin Tarantino, director and writer of masterpieces such as “Pulp Fiction” and “Kill Bill” released a new film earlier on in 2013; “Django Unchained”.
Django Unchained was destined for big things from the offset. With its all-star cast and the impeccable Tarantino as director, enthusiasts for the film believed that very little could go wrong. They were proved right. The film starts off with a scene in a moonlit forest with Django (Jamie Foxx) chained up with several other slaves being walked to a cotton plantation. However the incredibly quirky German bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Christopher Waltz) frees the slaves as Django has some much needed information about Schultz’s recent bounty, the Brittle brothers. Django agrees to tell Schultz where to find the Brittle Brothers in exchange for his freedom. This leads to a monumental journey across South America where the two men come close to each other and set out to kill the Brittle brothers. However, the plot thickens when Schultz finds out about Django’s German wife, a Broomhilda Von Shaft (Kerry Washington), whom Django was separated from. Schultz feels as if he has an instant connection with Django’s wife as they are both German and really feels for Django, so therefore they set out to find her and rescue her. Broomhilda is a maid at Candyland, a renowned cotton plantation owned by Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), this leads to a historically precise journey to Candyland full of incredibly accurate scenes true to the slave trade. When reaching the cotton plantation, Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson), one of Candie’s highly ranked slaves greets Django and Schultz with a hilarious performance similar to his role in Pulp Fiction 19 years ago and truly proves that he has still got it. Inside the vibrant Candyland the cast present an incredibly tense vibe during a meal where Stephen notices Django glance
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at Broomhilda and notifies Candie who also realises their connection. This infuriates Candy at the realisation that he has been taken for a fool. The atmosphere intensifies as the couple notice Candie’s change in behaviour resulting in the shocking moment when they come to conclusion that they have been rumbled. Tarantino then carefully plays out the scenes that follow, even outdoing himself, to devise a visually stunning conclusion to a terrifically entertaining tale which we do not want spoil for you as I strongly suggest you should watch this film. Overall, Tarantino has created yet another Indie-style film which will blow the minds of anyone who makes the excellent decision to watch this film. He brings across the sinister vibe of the slave trade whilst adding just the right amount of humour to still keep it serious. Everything is executed so professionally that we could find no fault in the entire film. The all-star cast performs stupendously well, as well as Tarantino; they deserved every single award and nomination they received. We loved this film, it leaves me anticipating the next Tarantino classic with unbelievably high hopes and we’re sure Tarantino can deliver.
Released 18th January 2013 (UK) Action, Drama, Western Director – Quentin Tarantino Writer – Quentin Tarantino Features stars such as Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christopher Waltz and Samuel L Jackson Age Rating – 18 Won 2 Oscars, another 35 wins and 53 nominations
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WARNING
from various fictional characters; Edward Cullen’s mystery, Jace Lightwood’s arrogance and Dean Winchesters’ protective nature, but is still an original character that has his own issues, his own personality and his own burdens to bear.
Her doctors suggest she start over in a new city, at a new school, and just hope her memories gradually come back.
Additionally, the sub characters were not as well developed as Noah or Mara but they were well on their way to becoming more realistic than fictional, they don’t brush aside Mara’s issues as easily as they could have done and there is diversity in character profiles. They certainly could have been more refined but I’m sure Michelle will further these characters in the sequel, and will no doubt throw in a few plot twists.
First things first; whatever you expect of this book, I can guarantee you won’t expect this. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer will draw you in, make you fall in love with Mara and then blow your mind. Sure, on some level it is a stereotypical teenage novel; romance, angst and some mysterious occurrences. Yet, the relationship is not the main focus of the novel; it’s more a sub plot that helps shape Mara’s reality and actually has great influence on the development of the main, non-romantic plot. It is filled with twists and turns, and the switches between past and present help the reader understand Mara on a more personal level. Mara Dyer is beautiful and most definitely not as broken as she thinks; she has been through a traumatic event and due to this is dealing with the terrifying repercussions. The author has obviously done a great deal of research into PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and the effects it has, as the reader feels as though they are actually there with Mara having to survive and push through these awful events. Mara is intelligent, witty and can stand her ground which makes her such a wonderful and heart-breaking character to follow. I mean sure, she spends some of her time commenting on Noah Shaw’s character and beauty, but who wouldn’t? He definitely is not the first fictional character that I have fallen in love with because of his arrogance, and he probably will not be the last. But for reasons that I cannot express he is different. Some reviews have likened Noah to Edward Cullen in such a manner that they say they’re one and the same. However, this is wrong, he combines traits
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Mara Dyer wakes up in hospital with no memory of how she got there, or any explanation as to why the bizarre accident that caused the deaths of her boyfriend and two best friends left her mysteriously unharmed.
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer Review By Rebecca Henrys
There is no beating around the bush here, there are some issues with this book but they’re nothing to do with the plot, more to do with the writing and even then I am just ardently searching for issues. There are a few spelling mistakes dotted here and there, some punctuation errors and once or twice the paragraphing seems to be wrong but this is nothing that couldn’t be easily sorted out. There are no plot holes, or at least no major plot holes and Michelle Hodkin left this book open for a sequel through such a jaw dropping ending. If you want to be kept guessing for the entirety of a novel then this is certainly the book for you. I cannot stress enough how brilliant this book is, although I began reading with a lot of doubts in my mind these were soon erased. This book deserves a lot of praise, a lot more than current reviews have given it. So please go and read this book as it will draw you into its clutches and you’ll never want it to let you go.
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Legend, by Marie Lu Review By Rebecca Henrys
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.
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Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteenyear-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in its highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal.
The synopsis paints a picture of the Republic that looks awfully similar to The Hunger Games’ Panem. Well, yes it does seem pretty much the same. They do share similarities - a large nation bounded together by a government that is awfully corrupt but really, that’s a relatively common feature of young-adult dystopia novels. Or at least quite a few of the dystopia novels that I have read. The setting of Legend actually takes place in a city familiar to most people; Los Angeles. It isn’t an undisclosed location that the readers have to take a stab at placing or picturing, rather it is a place that a hefty majority of the readers will have at least seen pictures of. Granted, it has changed quite a bit from the glamorous city we know it to be. The way Marie Lu has formed the LA of the Republic as both beautiful and so run down to show stark contrasts of how June and Day live - helps you understand their characters and how they have been sculpted. As for the characters themselves, they are everything you would expect from the stereotypical teenage fictional characters.
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What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbours.
marielu.org An intelligent heroine with an intelligent, sassy hero at her side. But something about these two protagonists seems different. With many heroines, they have a special skill set but with June she is an allround intelligent character. She is quick to assess the situation around her and whilst some readers have criticised this because it is unrealistic, you have to remember that stupidity is being bred out of the humans in this novel. People need to be intelligent and athletic because it’s the only way to survive and live a good life. Personally, I found June to be a strong, independent character that held herself well in a way that would make her a strong asset to the Republic. And as for Day - he is what many love interests and heroes in young-adult novels are; sassy, attractive, stealthy, troubled and strong. Although that’s not to say his character is a copy of many before him. Day is ridiculously intelligent and even though he consciously mentions this, it seems like he underestimates just how intelligent he is.
Safety Not Guaranteed Review By Meg Handley
But don’t worry - it is. It’s safe to say the cast work flawlessly together to create an offbeat yet sweet movie you’d never have imagined yourself enjoying… It’s not every day you read an ad in the paper requesting a time travelling companion to accompany a stranger on a unpredictable adventure, or at least it’s not in the real world… But in this world, set in Seattle, two acquiescent interns, who originally just change toilet rolls around the office loos, and a goofy magazine journalist stumble across exactly this. All odd, all quirky and all lonely, the inquisitive trio make a perfect combination to tackle the weird sci-fi invitation and find out exactly what’s going on and so - the road trip begins. Darius (Aubrey Plaza) and Arnau (Karan Soni) follow the orders of Jeff (Jake Johnston), who happens to be slightly superior to them in terms of management status at the magazine, but not so superior in terms of his maturity. Immediately, the group get to work and embark on a mission of finding exactly who authored such a bizarre and random ad. Are they male? Female? Are they old? Young? Are they even sane? Without giving too much away, I can tell you the individual is called Kenneth (Mark Duplass). He’s a wearisome local supermarket worker on the surface and a frustrated mastermind underneath; whether he’s sane or not, however, is another matter! Darius particularly becomes engrossed by what this guy is up to, whilst the others seem more interested in pursuing romantic relationships with local girls, establishing the ‘rom’ part of the film’s genre, but not concluding it. In fact, Darius particularly, as well as the audience, become increasingly fascinated by Kenneth and the depths of his character; we are sometimes a little creeped
As the film develops, we are still no closer into finding out whether or not the film will end with everyone fixed in a different time era, or even abandoned on a different planet: no clues are ever given. No clues, that is, until two typical FBI agent-looking men turn up asking about the mysterious Kenneth and his propensity to steal lasers (we still have no idea why) and it’s not until the very end that we find out exactly what’s been going on.
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With a cast constructed of mainly unfamiliar individuals, the imagination and shrewdness would need to be even better than your average sci-fi rom-com.
out by his odd obsession with lasers but we also feel genuine sympathy for him when he speaks of his past bullying experiences. Mark Duplass certainly shows off his acting skills whilst playing this emotionally diverse character.
Director Colin Trevorrow was quite clearly working on a low budget during the filming of this zany 2012 movie.
By this point, Kenneth is completely attached to Darius and her witty sarcasm whilst the other two in the group always seem to be pre-occupied; he trusts her completely which creates even more sympathy for this guy as we know it’s just all for a story. Or is it? On the surface - yes. But actually, what’s realised is that an actual friendship, even a romance, has weirdly blossomed over just a few weeks. Whilst Kenneth is determined to go back in time to win back his old girlfriend Belinda (Kristen Bell), we wonder whether he really needs to anymore. Maybe this whole film is about making the most of what we already have, and yes it’s cheesy, but it’s something we all forget to do. What’s striking about this film is how real it seems: the cast do use some semiimprovised dialogue, but that’s not what does it. The characters are just effortlessly real themselves and although we may not all know of an eccentric mad scientist, we do all know of a hopeless romantic, a pretty shy girl and a smug yet lovable boss. Not only this, but we do all feel fear, happiness and regret too, so we just enjoy being drawn into the journey ourselves. Without giving the ending away, I can say that the film doesn’t suddenly end with an alien invasion crisis to tackle or deadly event to undo but actually what happens is… Well you’ll just have to watch it and find out.
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Anchorman 2 Review By Puja Gurung
The sequel released in December 2013 continues with the life of Ron Burgundy, played by Will Ferrell. However this time he’s not just competing with other news teams, but also with a loved one.
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‘Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues’ is the follow-up of the previous Adam McKay’s comedy film ‘Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy’. With its unexpected, pleasant box office opening in 2004, this comedic film was a huge success.
Gemma LaMana Due to the series of events Ron Burgundy ends up in New York doing something he never thought was possible. However he can’t do this task alone. He therefore decides to call back his old Channel 4 news team, Champ Kind (David Koechner), Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) and of course the beloved Brick Tamland (Steve Carell). As soon as the actors make their appearances, it was as if they had just filmed the last film not so long ago. They were able to portray their character well both emotionally and physically. The chemistry between the team members was on point as we could see the development compared to the first film. The film kicks off with comedic scenes instantly setting the mood. However as we get further into the film, the storyline seems to have been sacrificed for emphasis on humour. Although these scenes were amusing, at many particular points the comedy felt forced and unnecessary. The excessive use of racial and sexual humour almost made it seem like they had ran out of material so they had to use the last
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Ron Burgundy is back - and it’s kind of a big deal.
Gemma LaMana resort. Nonetheless there are still some scenes worthy of applause that flow well with the storyline, but unfortunately it’s only a minor portion and is usually only delivered by Steve Carell’s character. Despite the characters being portrayed well, the storyline didn’t do them any justice, as it was incoherent and mostly unnecessary. There were too many things contributing towards the plot. The absence of the scenes would’ve made no difference to the ending except for the fact that it would’ve only come a lot earlier. The lack of ability to follow a theme also baffled me throughout the whole film as the scenes were all over the place. There was no focus. As a big fan of the first Anchorman, it saddens me to say how much of a disappointment this was, especially when it had been advertised so much by the media. Unless you have money to throw, I wouldn’t recommend spending any money to go and watch this film.
Euro Truck Simulator 2 Review By Ashley Latimer
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geekenstein.com Do you have a strange urge to drive through a virtual world for hours with no real aim? No? Well this game might not be for you. Euro Truck Simulator is exactly what it sounds like. You spend your time driving from location to location, all over Europe, just like a real trucker. This game is one of the leaders in truck driving simulation, but it’s much friendlier than the hard-core titles out there. From the driving mechanics right down to AI which doesn’t know how to drive, this game is brilliant for a realistic experience. One part I was thoroughly excited about was the availability to start in Carlisle, who wouldn’t want to see the place they live in a virtual world? Unfortunately, the game isn’t as detailed as I hoped. Carlisle looks just like any other English city; a few factories, roundabouts and truck companies. You do find it hard to be let down however, it was only a small team who made this game after all. The great part about this game is that you don’t have to be a truck enthusiast in order to have fun playing. I feel this game is best suited to people who simply want to relax while gaming. With the ability to listen into internet radio streams, or add your own music library, you can simply sit back and drive for hours. Having no experience with this type of game, like in my case, means you need to spend a bit of time getting used to the mechanics. I was forever having accidents causing my truck to become more and more damaged. Once
you know what you’re doing you will become strangely addicted to simply driving down roads as normally as possible. You won’t even want to go GTA style. Believe me I tried! Purposefully crashing into other cars isn’t very rewarding, other than a dull thud followed by a £400 fine. The game even incudes a simple campaign where you use the money earned from jobs to buy trucks and drivers, slowly building a trucking business. This game is extremely slow-paced compared to most other games around these days. If you get hooked, expect to be spending a lot of time on it. A single job takes at least an hour, and you will earn between £5,000 and £14,000 for that time, whereas the most basic truck is £120,000. That means a whopping 10 hours before you even get the freedom of your own truck. Of course, you can take a loan from the bank and get it almost immediately. This way will leave you to pay the loan off, but you won’t be stuck working for other companies. For me this game isn’t really about being the best, earning the most money or driving perfectly. It’s more than that, this game is radically different to any other game I play. It’s the realism which makes it different, no violence or monsters. It’s simply a chance to sit down for an hour and relax. You can download the trial here: http://www.eurotrucksimulator2.com/
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Assassin’s Creed IV Review By Chris Ahart
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All article images are in-game screenshots. WARNING
CONTAINS
SPOILERS
Assassin’s Creed 4 is an action RPG, and the latest instalment in Ubisoft’s top franchise. This review focusses on the changes from AC3 (edition 3).
Naval Experience and Jackdaw (his ship) where resources are obtained by the plundering of enemy (British and Spanish) ships and hunting, including of marine life such as whales.
Assassin’s Creed 4 is set in the Golden Age of Piracy, and as such revolves heavily around the naval experience that was first introduced in Assassin’s Creed 3. Increasing the freedom from previous titles, the addition of ‘free roam’ mechanics means that you are free to sail and explore the expansive world as you desire. With many new features such as a highly developed trading and crafting system; including upgrade management both for Edward Kenway (the protagonist)
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Naval combat has also been improved with the addition of front and rear cannons, mortars turrets, powerful rams and swivel guns which can be bought for Jackdaw. New enemies include forts which can be partially destroyed and then captured by docking Jackdaw and killing the leaders of the fort, neutralising the surrounding area. Dynamic weather systems have been improved; with heavy storms, rogue waves and water spouts that threaten to destroy both enemy ships as well as Jackdaw itself. This contrasts well with the normally tranquil and beautiful Caribbean vistas.
Land Experience
New Storyline
However this combat still relies heavily upon the simplistic ‘counter’ system that is inferior to many similar systems such as ‘Batman Arkham’ franchise. Overall, like many reviewers, I have found that the more traditional land experiences can remove from the more ‘epic’ elements of being a pirate, which the naval sections of the game are excellent at doing.
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Land combat has been slightly modified, such as with the addition of dual wielding swords which allows for a few unique combat moves, such as dual counter attacks against enemy soldiers. Guns also feature more heavily, as would be expected for a pirate game. Up to 4 pistols can be carried at a time, and can be fired in both typical free-aim for range shots as well as auto-aim of certain enemies in combat.
In addition to the new and vastly improved naval experience, the normal Assassin’s Creed land experience is still prominent. These are the same as the previous titles and have not had any major changes, involving the tailing and eavesdropping of guards prior to the assignation of targeted Templars.
Following the ending of AC3 and the dramatic conclusion of the Desmond storyline, Ubisoft decided to change the perspective of the ‘real world’ narrative of the game. In AC4 our new protagonist is actually an employee of ‘Abstergo Entertainment’, who by taking DNA samples from Desmond following his death are able to continue exploring his genetic memories. This time however, they are not directly using these memories for intelligence gathering and instead using them to create VR gaming simulations. This does create some quite hilarious moments as Abstergo Entertainment are essentially acting as Ubisoft in their own game, and are not afraid to make ‘jokes’, such as their shareholders actually being Templars, the enemy of the Assassin’s. The pirate storyline is also strong, featuring famous pirates such as Edward "Blackbeard" Thatch and Benjamin Hornigold. The actual Assassin’s Creed storyline is lacking in the pirate setting, as Edward Kenway never actually an Assassin but instead works with them.
Conclusion
After the overly ambitious and thoroughly disappointing game that was AC3, AC4 has managed to become an excellent pseudo-historical pirate game with seamless and highly rewarding exploration. Although limited by some of the land experiences, this is not a game to be missed by any excuse.
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Joost van der Westhuizen - Rugby Champion All sports performers have to accept that, no matter how unrivalled their abilities may seem, or how invincible they may appear, their bodies will slowly begin to fail them, toppling them from the peak of their sporting prowess.
Yet it is one thing to no longer be able to compete with newer members of the sporting elite, and another to find that your muscles no longer obey your brain, that you have no more than five years to live, and all before the age of 41. But despite this horrible discovery, World Cup winning South African (“Springbok”) rugby player Joost van der Westhuizen feels that the pitiless, terminal illness of motor neurone disease has made him a better person. Having grown up in South Africa during the Apartheid era, “Joost” spent his entire playing career for his beloved state side, the Blue Bulls. Despite his position of scrum half (typically the smallest player on the field), he was noted for his powerful 6’1” frame and his fearless tackling,
lightning pace and ruthless ability to exploit gaps in the opposition defence. During his international career, from 1993 to 2003, he racked up 190 points, including a sublime pair of tries against Scotland in 1994. Few dispute his claim to have been the finest scrum half of the 1990s, and many would describe him as the greatest player on Earth. The high point of his illustrious career was undoubtedly his role in the World Cup winning side of 1995. Having reached the final against tough odds, South Africa found themselves facing favourites New Zealand, blessed with their own starlet, the legendary giant Jonah Lomu, who, despite standing at 6’5” and weighing 19st could still run 100m in under 11 seconds. Lomu had already set the tournament on fire, demolishing England’s defence in the semi-final. Midway through the first half, with three points separating the sides, Lomu burst through the Springbok line and looked set to give New Zealand a comfortable lead. With a heroic dive, van der Westhuizen produced a terrific solo tackle, bringing Lomu down and keeping South Africa in the lead. The Springboks would go on to win the game by 3 points, a victory which could not have been achieved without that last gasp tackle of van der Westhuizen’s.
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Yet one can never remain invincible forever. In 2011, he was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, a condition which slowly causes the degeneration of nerve cells carrying nervous impulses from the brain to muscles around the body. This leads to loss of control of limbs, speech, swallowing, and, eventually, death. He was told he had only a 20% chance of living to see the New Year. 30 months later, in November 2013, van der Westhuizen
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By Stuart Astle
Heyneke Meyer, the current South Africa coach, described van der Westhuizen as “a fighter”. That much is clear, flying 6500 miles to raise money and awareness for the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research of Edinburgh. His days are savagely numbered, but it is clear he is determined to fill them as productively as possible. As he said “he has no time to worry about death...I now know what life is all about.”
Stuart Nicol In an interview with the BBC, van der Westhuizen spoke of the effects of MND on him and his life. The physical effects were plain for all to see – he had to strapped into a wheelchair as his abdominal muscles could not hold him in place, whilst when speaking his mouth would slur his words horribly. Yet MND does not in any way affect the mind or the determination of a man. You could see in his eyes the same determination that had won him a World Cup Medal and numerous other accolades throughout his career. Here was a man who was determined not to give into a disease which he knew would, ultimately, claim his life.
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as him. He also showed his fierce love for his friends and family, coming close to tears when talking about MND’s effect on his two young children. “I am determined to fight it”, he said. “I’m fighting it for them.”
visited Scotland with the South African team to raise awareness for his charity, J9, which helps those with MND and funds research in the hope of finding a cure for the disease.
Joost’s charity, J9, is a foundation dedicated to providing help to those suffering with MND, and to the families, friends and carers of these people. The charity is also actively involved in fundraising for research into finding a possible cure for MND. To find out more, or to donate, visit: http://www.joost.co.za/
He spoke of how this was “the most important tour of his life, bringing together international research partnerships”. During his career, he was always described as arrogant, a supremely talented individual who, unfortunately, was never shy to tell the world about his talents. But now, he says, he no longer cares for himself, but instead for others around him. Clichéd though it sounds, it was clear in the interview that van der Westhuizen was committed to helping those suffering in the same way as him, but without the access to the same support
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them, or loathe them, let us know your opinion at:
The World is your Oyster By Sarah Drozdz was the lumpish, gawky child that couldn’t
been and what will be. Our whole life is a
tie my shoe laces until I was ten. I was the
documentation
of
shy and introverted girl that couldn’t find
be
the guts to raise her hand in class. I felt
embarking on a whole new adventure,
the sting of the children that got full marks
braving
the
in their tests. I wasn’t far behind but it felt
unknown. I am plagued by the awful
far enough. Seven years later I am here, in
butterfly sensation that hangs in my
this present moment. I am dreaming of
stomach and the nerves outweigh the
what university is like. It becomes a
excitement… Almost.
stressful, surreal blur but it is my future
memory.
In the
and a
few
world
an
evocation
months, and
I’ll
braving
I shut the book at night, saying goodnight to Shakespeare and let my brain rest. My
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space in a diary, a log of things that have
solve quadratic equations in my head. I
Life is obscure. The future is an empty
and I am not afraid to grasp it in my hands.
wall becomes a jungle of multi-coloured
I don’t care for how many people follow
sticky notes, shouting ‘Treaty of Blois’ and
me on Instagram or who posts a picture of
‘The Spanish Armada of 1588’. My head
their ‘mirror selfie’, or their ‘Starbucks
aches from another busy week. I want to
Coffee’. I care about all of the exciting
sleep but I don’t want to shut the door of
things that are going to happen when I
the world just yet.
leave home or enrol at university.
I was never the athlete or the mathlete. I could never melt metals in Chemistry or
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Dependent
By Shannon Johnston
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The rouge winter coat you wore all year round The pockets that stored all our needs, As though you were prepared. And your hands, they always felt so dry. You always had an answer for everything. Where is the answer to this? That tiny bar of soap that remained in our bathroom, Untouched for weeks, scent still detectable. It’s finally worn away to dust. Your mother’s ring that you gave to me. And promised you would never leave, Is still wedged on my third finger. And that hideous jumper. You always wore on Sundays, Is folded safely inside your draws - waiting. The wooden chair that hurt your back, That’s where I sit. And reminisce... And let’s not forget the headscarf, That we had multiple arguments over. You always thought it made you look weak. The hospital corridor that led up to your room, It always felt so cold, I hated it. I can’t sleep with the stair light turned off. A part of me still thinks you’re going to come home. I suppose I am dependent?
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The lands of time, where we walked Holding on to each other, As though I was dependent.
A Holiday to Morocco By Daniella Ansell
We got in the car and asked the driver to take us to our hotel a few minutes away. It was about 7pm so it was dark outside and there wasn’t much to see, but the dusty main roads and slightly chaotic driving kept the journey interesting. Soon enough we pulled up through the big double gates of the Kenzi Menara Palace hotel. The language barrier made it difficult to know how much we were to pay our driver but after a few minutes of gesturing and counting fingers in the air, we were able to pay him and check in to our hotel. The impressive and grand hotel was a large juxtaposition from the sandy brown vastness beyond the high hotel walls and we were greeted with a freshly poured glass of sweet mint tea. I’d recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Marrakech. It was very stylish and clean and although the staff were a bit slow at times, (which seemed to be the case for anywhere we went in Marrakech) the 5* facilities (pool, spa, bars, and restaurants) made up for this. We were only visiting Morocco for a few days so as soon as we were shown our room, we dumped our luggage and went back out to get another taxi to take us over to the main square of Marrakech. Getting out of the taxi this time seemed like a matter of life or death as we were dropped off right in the heart of the hustle, bustle and chaos… This, I did not appreciate. When I go to a foreign country I like to suss it out and find my bearings but we were thrown in at the deep end and
The street leading to the market square was laced with beggars, people selling their goods and reps trying to get people to eat at their restaurants. This is all part of the amazing experience but after a long day of travelling the last thing I wanted was to be bombarded by people trying to sell me all kinds of goods from iPhones to packets of tissues.
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The taxi ranks outside the airport are always busy with keen drivers in old cream yellow Mercedes. Their taxis are like their homes. Decorated floor to dashboard with Moroccan rugs and cushions. Not at all like our drab grey and black City Cabs.
having not seen this place in the daylight, I admit that I was a bit alarmed. Of course the locals just get on with it by pushing past the traffic. Furthermore, the locals don’t seem to care who they run over with their cars, donkey-pulled fruit carts, horse-drawn carriages and mopeds. It was like a game of frog crossing but soon enough we made across the road.
When you step off the plane you know that you are no longer in the UK. The air is warm and makes a nice change to the not-so-great British weather back home!
We went for a brief look at the main square and it was heaving with people, food stalls and entertainers. It was murky but at the same time it was beautiful. Steam and smoke from the food areas formed a halo over the stalls which was mirrored on the floor by people selling candle filled lanterns. To complete the whole ambiance, music from snake charmers and local story telling bands filled my ears. After half an hour of being in awe of the square we left back down the street we came from to find a place to eat. On our right was an incredibly welcoming restaurant with richly coloured tiles, heavy wooden doors, glowing lanterns and a water feature in the back – so of course we decided to go there! I wasn’t feeling to up to eating anything that night so I ordered something very bland and unadventurous but my dad ordered a lamb tagine. Tagines are traditional dishes from North Africa and are actually a meat filled dish named after the triangular lidded pots they are cooked in. When it arrived, hot and covered in black olives and juices I certainly wished I had chosen that but instead I pinched an olive or two when I could.
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2013: A Year in Review Quiz By Josh McStay
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How much can you remember from 2013? This quiz tests your general knowledge, with questions related to the categories in this publication. Compare what you know against the recorded answers on the next page. Good luck!
In December, the world mourned Nelson Mandela’s passing. But how old was he? Margaret Thatcher died in April last year. But which of these foods did she help to invent? A. Wham Bars B. Polo Mints C. Mr Whippy Ice Cream What links Istanbul, Cairo, Rio de Janeiro, Kiev and Bangkok? David Cameron was criticised for not knowing the price of supermarket bread, but how much does a loaf cost? Who said: “What’s the real difference between Cromwell and Stalin? None whatsoever,”? SnapChat’s rapid growth led to Facebook making an offer to purchase the company in November. The offer was rejected, but how much was the offer? Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson went on trial over allegations that they engaged in phone-hacking during their term at which media organisation? Of all the films released in 2013, which film made the most money at the UK box office? Which famous author was revealed to have written a series of books under the pseudonym (pen name) of ‘Robert Galbraith’? The most watched British TV broadcast in 2013 took place on BBC One during the afternoon of July 7th. What was it? Which of these DVDs (released in 2013), sold the most copies? A. Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2 B. The Hobbit: Part One C. Skyfall Who beat Manchester City to win the FA Cup final? Andy Murray won the Men’s Singles title at this year’s Wimbledon... But who won the Ladies’ Singles title? -
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D. A disposable camera E. An eyebrow tweezer kit F. An iPad mini Who did Russell Brand criticise for their role in making Nazi uniforms? Who finished top of the Sunday Times rich list? A song called 'Pompeii' was one of the best-selling songs of 2013. But who sang it? At the end of 2013, fighting broke out in the world's youngest nation. Name this African country? -
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Wales won the 2013 Six Nations title. But who were the only side to beat them? Why was Chelsea’s Eden Hazard sent off against Swansea? Which of these items cannot be found in Cara Delevingne’s handbag?
Answers: 95 C All four cities experienced street protests at some point in 2013. Approximately 47p. Vladimir Putin – current president of Russia. 3bn US dollars (£1.8bn) News of the World/News International Despicable Me 2 J.K.Rowling Andy Murray’s final victory at Wimbledon (Source: Sky News) A Wigan F.C Marion Bartoli Ireland He kicked a 17 year old ball boy in the ribs. iPad mini Hugo Boss Alishmer Usmanov Bastille South Sudan
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Puzzle 1:
A father and son are chatting when the son asks: “Dad, I’m 22, but how old are you?” The father replies “I’m as old as your age, plus half of my age.” How old is the father?
Puzzle 2: A boy and his big sister are chatting when the boy asks her “You know, if I took away two years from my age and gave them to you, you’d be twice my age!”
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Logic Puzzles By Eloise Scott
She replies “Well, if you gave me one more year on top of that, I’d be three times your age.” How old is each sibling?
Puzzle 3: Bob and Sarah have in their possession different quantities of 20p coins. Bob says:
“I will have twice as much as you in my possession if you give me 40p.” Sarah says:
“We will have equal amounts each in our possession if you give me 40p.” How much do Bob and Sarah have each?
Solutions available upon request.
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Crossword
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theREVIEW Miscellanous
By Samuel Bancroft
Send us the codeword that is formed from the grey boxes read from left to right using the contact form found at:
thewhsreview.co.uk/contact for a chance to win a £15 Topshop or iTunes voucher
ALL ANSWERS HAVE NO SPACES
ACROSS 3 What is the name of the ship that features on the front page of this publication? 5 What month was Django Unchained released? 6 What does FOBT stand for? 8 What is the name of a mission by the European Space Agency, which will take measurements of Earth’s magnetic field? 9 What is the last name of the actor who plays Brick Tamland in Anchorman 2?
DOWN 1 What is the last name of the Labour MP who has criticised David Cameron for his manner in Prime Minister’s Questions? 2 What is the name of the project in China which aims to produce up to 22,500 megawatts of power? 4 What is the last name of the Egyptian acting president who took over from the previous president, Mohamed Morsi? 7 What month last year did Joost van der Westhuizen visit Scotland? 6 How many years old are two main characters in the book ‘Legend’, written by Marie Lu?
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Cryptogram By Samuel Bancroft __ __ __ 6 13 24
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A B C D E F
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Congratulations to those who successfully completed last edition’s Cryptogram! Please email the correct answer to editors@thewhsreview.co.uk
Hints will be posted on the website at www.thewhsreview.co.uk
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