4
Friday 09.11.12 Volume 61
Issue
What’s inside? Debate
Restrictions on free speech?
Miliband visits University Sophie Elliott
On Wednesday 7 November, Sir David Bell and the University of Reading played host to David Miliband MP. Visiting Reading as part of a tour around Britain’s universities, Mr Miliband took part in a conversation with the University’s ViceChancellor before taking questions from the audience. Tackling domestic issues such as tuition fees, youth unemployment and the economy, Mr Miliband also commented upon the recent US election. He talked of Barack
Photos courtesy of Sam Winslet
Obama as a ‘rational, calm and strategic’ leader. Speaking to Spark* after the event, the former foreign secretary said he was “surprised” that only 259 students had voted in the recent RUSU referendum on the planned NUS London march. Yet he also stated that he didn’t see it as a problem and that, elsewhere, people shouldn’t be ‘namby-pamby’ when talking to young people about politics. See the next issue for Spark*’s report and interview or go to www. sparknewspaper.co.uk.
Archaeologists uncover Anglo-Saxon feasting hall Laura Mckenna
Earlier this year, archaeologists from the University of Reading, headed to Lyminge, Kent, to start a dig. They set out to find AngloSaxon artefacts. What this group of professors and students found instead was the first Anglo-Saxon feasting hall in over 30 years, and one of the biggest to have ever been found. Dr Gabor Thomas, from the University of Reading’s Department of Archaeology said: “This hall is remarkably well preserved. With a ground-plan in excess of 160m square, the hall is comparable in scale and importance to some of the largest Saxon timber halls previously excavated in England.” Measuring 69 feet by 28 feet, the hall was far bigger than the archaeologists expected. A ground
penetrating radar had tipped the them off to the fact that there were structures underground. The hall, being big enough to hold 70 people comfortably would have been predominantly used by royalty, aristocracy, and the wealthy for day long feasts and plenty of mead.
The hall would have been predominantly used by royalty This type of hall was usually the central point of a society. Old English poems of exile display that what they long for most is the feasting hall and everything it represents. We can see by all of the animal bones found around the
area, how grand the feasts would have been. More than just sheep skulls were found. Several artefacts of worth have also been found. Members of the dig discovered a golden horse harness, precious glass vessels and rare bridle fittings that have so far only ever been discovered in graves, and even then, only the graves of those revered for their behaviour in battle. This hall can be dated back to the late 6th century, perhaps early 7th. It is assumed to be over 1300 years ago. Due to Christianity becoming more prominent within the UK, it is believed that this hall only stood for a few years, no more than one generation. We can see that it has partially been destroyed through fire, and whether this is accidental or not cannot be confirmed. It was not
uncommon for wooden buildings with an open hearth to suffer the plights of fire.
9
Fashion 24 Luxe-leather?
Travel 34 Vietnam - from South to North
The foundations show the last flecks of Pagan rituals in this country The foundations of this hall show the last flecks of Pagan rituals in this country. It would have been a Paganist hall, but the tribes would have gradually left it as they turned towards Christianity. The group are planning on returning to the site next year to continue their research. For more stories go to www. sparknewspaper.co.uk.
Spotlight English society 36
2 News
Friday 9 November 2012 Spark*
news.spark@reading.ac.uk
Research cuts Health Service money
Reading begins its Top 1% campaign Zari’aat Masood
The University of Reading have recently launched their “1%” campaign, after The Times Higher Education named them as one of the top universities in the world. Important figures from across town were present to celebrate the new ranking. They were all extremely positive about the benefits, and they hope it will bring benefits to both the university and the town.
Royal Berkshire Hospital: Dr Horwood’s research could help those at Reading’s hospital Zoe Crook
A researcher from the University of Reading’s psychology department will save the health service money. Dr Anna Horwood is in her final year of study, following her four year grant, which is funded by the Medical Research Council. She has been studying the development in children’s eyesight. The study has involved approximately 150 children. Although she does not lecture in Reading, she teaches clinical orthoptics to undergraduates at the University of Sheffield and optometry to postgraduates in Norway. She has developed a camera, which is able to look inside a baby’s eyes, and also where their
eyes are pointing. Outside of her studies, Horwood works as a part-time orthopist at the Royal Berkshire Hospital. Her research came at an appropriate time, as the National Eye Health Week occurred only recently, in September. With the slogan “Vision Matters”, they aim to raise awareness of the importance of vision, and also support research in assisting sight. Horwood’s research has been widely recognised, having won six awards in her field. These include an International Orthoptic Association Research Award and a Squint Forum Prize. Dr Horwood stated: “Babies are born with their eyes more or less straight but they can sometimes
get it a bit wrong. It should be gone by four months and anything that develops after that should be seen for testing.
“We’re saving the health service money” “Babies are born seeing quite blurred images and they learn to see quite quickly. By six months they have usually got quite good eyesight, not as good as an adult but good enough for everything they need to do. “Previously we’d get a lot of false referrals at the hospital. We’re saving the health service a bit of money.’.
The Times Higher Education named it one of the top universities in the world The rankings were based on 13 factors, with the University’s academic reputation, research influence and quality of learning environment all being taken into account. Vice-Chancellor Sir David Bell highlighted the University’s recent development of the Malaysian campus as a sign of Reading’s initiative and desire to remain a leading world university. University of Reading Chancellor and chair of Reading FC, Sir John Madejski, highlighted the important contributions the University
makes to the area. He stated: “The more we can tell everyone in the area about the University and what it does, then the more the feel good factor can spread which is good for everyone - good for commerce and good for the people that live here.”
Reading brings a lot to the local community Reading brings a lot to the local community, with its museums, film theatre and gardens. This most recent accolade will help to boost public awareness of all the university has to offer. To celebrate being named as one of the top 200 universities worldwide, Reading have launched a new advertising campaign which has been unveiled across campus, in the town centre, and at Heathrow.
“build our international reputation” Sir David Bell suggests that being named in the top 1% will “build on our international reputation to attract even more business, funding and leading experts from around the world.”
Upcoming Reading Research explains wet summers police and crime commissioners vote Zoe Crook
The elections for Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are coming up. Reading’s elections are included in the Thames Valley area, and will occur on 15 November 2012. The elections will determine who has the power to decide who will be the police’s Chief Constable. They will also have the authority to choose the aims and intentions of the force. In order to assist the voters, RUSU have been in contact with the Thames Valley election candidates. They have questioned them on what they believed that we, the students, are most likely to ask. These questions included combating racial equality and the negative associations held about young people, whether they have signed up to the Youth Charter,
Correction: In the last issue, we stated that the last NUS student demonstration, in which Reading students were a part, was during the RUSU
how they will tackle sexual harassment, and if they will work with student unions. Tayo Awe has vowed to: “encourage youth to get involved in voluntary and community activities to make a positive difference and erase negative perceptions.” John Howson, of the Liberal Democrats stated: “I would encourage the University to conduct research into methods of reducing crime levels.” Conservative candidate, Anthony Stansfeld believes that: “much of the legislation is somewhat unclear, and that whole area of law needs looking at again”. Tim Starkey, a member of the labour party shared his desire to form a “Youth Advisory Panel”. For the full set of questions and answers, from all six of the candidates, visit www.rusu.co.uk/news. presidency of Karl Hobley. It was, in fact, during Jess Lazarczyk’s time as RUSU president in 2010. We apologise for this error. For any more information contact editor.spark@reading.ac.uk.
with far less rain than normal. Professor Sutton explained: “We know that a higher sea surface temperature in the ocean warms the air above which affects the weather systems and their path, shifting the Jetstream, but we don’t yet know the full details of how this works.”
The wet weather was due to a recent warming in the Atlantic Ocean This summer’s weather had its effects felt worldwide Hannah Comisini
Each year, the news during summer will be dominated by Met Office warnings of heavy rain throughout June, July and August. This year was no exception. We were predicted 399 hours of sunshine until 28 August. That is a total of 16 days and 15 hours of sun. And yet, the BBC Weather Centre defined summer 2012 as the wettest summer on record for one hundred years. Professor Rowan Sutton, director of climate research at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science at University of Reading discovered that the
wet weather drowning Northern Europe is due to a recent warming in the Atlantic Ocean. His research investigated a phenomenon known as the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, a cyclical pattern of rising and falling ocean temperatures. These have been found to be highly influential on our weather. Researchers compared three periods in the cycle, consisting of a warm state from 1931-60, a cool period from 1961-90, and the most recent warm period starting in 1990, and continuing now. Although this research is still in progress, their studies have so far unveiled that the warmth of the
“We also don’t know the length of these periods of warmer or cooler conditions in the Atlantic Ocean in the past they have varied a lot, from 20-50 years.” Professor Alan Thorpe, head of the European Centre for Mediumrange Weather Forecasting supplemented these results. He revealed: “Earlier research at the European Weather Centre had indicated that both the sea surface temperatures and the decreasing summer Arctic sea-ice may in combination have played a role in poor UK summer weather in 2007 and 2008, and one can speculate also in 2012.” For a weekly weather update, turn to page four or go to www.sparknewspaper.co.uk.
Spark* Friday 12 October
news.spark@reading.ac.uk
News 3
Depelopments are to begin Reading goes green on the Malaysian campus for Green Week Tom Yearley
The University’s fourth annual Green Week is coming up. This year, it spans from 12 – 16 November. The week is a great opportunity to celebrate the environmental achievements on campus. It will have numerous events and activities, ranging from the Battle of the Bins, a Skip Cinema and a Green Debate on shale fracking. There is also Green Week Photo Challenge on their Facebook page, where you could win a fold up bike.
Universiity of Reading’s Malaysia Campus Avnita Shergill
More construction work is to begin early next year on the University of Reading’s third campus in the sunny region of Iskandar, Malaysia. The campus is a green 350-acre complexion based in ‘EduCity’, near the town of Johor Bahru. It is expected to welcome students from 2015 onwards.
The campus is 350acres of green space The institution has been designed as a dynamic, educational complex. It is shared by eight other international universities, including Newcastle and Southampton. The aim is to combine many of the features that the universities can provided, such as research and development, as well as sport and leisure activities.
The project itself is being funded Education Iskandar Sendirian Berhad (EISB), as well as a supplement of the commercial part of the Malaysian Government. The University will also have control over the operational costs of the campus. This could involve anything from expenditure for staff, hardware or software maintenance, electricity or security. It has been considered that the universities within EduCity will share their services, and in turn this should distribute the financial responsibilities more.
The UoR will have control over the operational costs Vice-chancellor Sir David Bell visited the Malaysian campus last month to explore the site and offices in Johor Bahru. Here, he learnt that the university has
already begun offering short courses to students. He spoke highly of the university grounds, as he explained: “It is in a prime location at the entrance to EduCity and will, I am sure, become a landmark building in the area”.
“It is in a prime location at the entrance to EduCity” This week, the exciting news emerged that the new Chief executive officer of University of Reading Malaysia is deputy Vice-chancellor Professor Tony Downes. He is chair of the University’s Malaysia project board and has been closely involved in the development plans of the campus, and has spoken of his excitement as he prepares for his visit to the new campus this month.
It aims to celebrate environmental successes from last year Green Week has become a key event during the University calendar and is always well supported by students and staff. It aims to celebrate environmental successes from last year and looks forward to the next In the last academic year, the University recycled over 50% of all waste produced. Since 2008/09 we have reduced the carbon footprint by 16.5%, which has saved close to £4,000,000.
Last year, the university recycled over 50% of all waste To start the week, James Fletcher will challenge the Vice Chancellor, Sir David Bell in a Battle of the Bins. This will be on at 1pm on Monday 12 November in the Palmer Foyer. The competitors
will race to separate and recycle as much waste as possible. The Shale Fracking debate will occur in Café Mondial at 5pm on Wednesday 14 November. Delegates will be discussing the merits of shale fracking. Shale fracking is a chemical process used to extract natural gas from deep in the earth’s crust. Some debate that it pollutes water courses and will lead to environmental disaster, others will argue that it’s essential for the UK’s fuel security.
Delegates will be discussing the merits of shale fracking During the rest of Green Week there will be plenty of opportunities to get involved. There is a Skip Cinema, where fine art students will be showing videos of their interpretation of green, in a skip.
Fine art students will be showing videos of their interpretation of ‘green’ There will also be a supplier’s exhibition, where partners of the university will show how green they are. Prizes will also be given out during the event, including a pair of Eurostar tickets from Ian Allen Travel, a Fairtrade tea and coffee hamper from Office Depot and a Kindle from Parsons Brinkerhoff. For more information regarding the events occuring in the week, visit www.reading.ac.uk/cleanandgreen.
LGBT join Obama with the “It Gets Better Campaign” Sophie O’Neill
The University of Reading’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) society have joined the “It Gets Better”. They have posted a video on YouTube, sharing their experiences of coming out and coming to terms with their sexualities.
8% of all British gay and lesbian people attempt suicide Society can sometimes place importance on human rights and equality. Yet, young homosexual men are thirty times more likely to take their own life than heterosexual men. Research shows that 8% of all British gay and lesbian
people attempt suicide at some point of their life. 67% of suicidal young people also say they have nowhere to turn for emotional help. Reading’s LGBT society have tried to tackle these statistics, releasing their “It Gets Better” video on YouTube. This campaign has been growing enormously over the past couple of years, with multiple celebrities, organisations and companies showing their support through videos posted on social media sites such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, as well as in television adverts. It is based around “the pledge”, which focuses on eliminating sexual discrimination, and providing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people with the optimistic slogan “It gets better”.
Thousands of supporters have submitted videos detailing how it got better for them, as well as famous faces including Barack Obama, Perez Hilton, and Ellen DeGeneres pledging their own support of the project. The newest group to pledge their support is the University of Reading’s LGBT society, which is one of the largest societies on campus. Their video details their own experiences, and urges others to remember that there is support, both in the form of this campaign, and in the LGBT Society themselves. So far, the campaign has 543,158 pledges and counting, and the university’s LGBT video has 880 views. To check the video out on YouTube, search for “Reading University LGBT ‘It Gets Better’”.
4 WEATHER news.spark@reading.ac.uk
Friday 9 November 2012 Spark*
Spark* weather forecast for the week ahead northerly wind and less overcast skies. Looking also into the week ahead, it seems that in the early week we may be affected by a deep low pressure system from the Atlantic, which will bring wet and windy conditions to much of the UK. Conditions will be worst in the North of England and Scotland, but we could see some heavy showers further South on Monday, with a break on Tuesday.
Rebecca Emerton
The weather outlook for this weekend is relatively mixed, becoming colder as the weekend progresses. Friday will be dry but overcast until evening, when showers will appear, with a moderate band of rain predicted to move across the Reading area at around 9pm.This should clear up in the early hours of Saturday morning, leaving Saturday dry with the possibility of some light showers, and Sunday rain-free.
Friday will likely be windy, with an occluded front passing over in the late afternoon, and winds predominantly westerly. This will change moving into Sunday when flow will be from the North, which will bring colder temperatures, but brighter conditions associated with a ridge of high pressure off the West coast of Ireland. Daytime temperatures this weekend will average at around 7-째C, with night-time minimums of just 4째C. It will likely feel a lot colder than it is on Sunday due to a cold
Currently, prediction models estimate some extremely heavy rainfall on Wednesday morning, possibly lightening through the day, with further heavy rain overnight. There could be another short dry spell on Thursday and Friday, with just some showers, but the wet weather looks as though it could continue for several days to come. Follow @SparkWeather on Twitter for more regular updates,
news, photos and more! Ask weather-related questions and send your photos of interesting weather and sights around campus! Reports can also be found at www.sparknewspaper.co.uk/news/ weather. (Note: This is a student project and forecasts are not a product of the Department of Meteorology at the University of Reading)
Spark* Friday 9 November 2012
editor.spark@reading.ac.uk
HOUSING 5
HOUSING
Student house hunting - Spark*’s advice for your first step ZOEY O’BRIEN
So, you’ve nearly come to the end of your first term at University – you’ve barely got over the initial nerves of moving out of your parental home, and the prospect of moving into your own house and becoming a fully responsible, billpaying, adult, has been thrust upon you. Put down the stress ball! This guide will talk you through the main issues involved in the student house hunting process. When to look The very earliest time you should start house hunting would be after housing talks which are held in the spring term, as they provide essential information to help you make the right decisions. Make sure you are certain of who you want to live with before even thinking about a house for next year – there’s nothing worse than
living with people you don’t like! If you’ re not sure yet, don’t worry, it’s perfectly normal -one month is not a long time at all to decide who you want to be spending the next year sharing your personal space with. New houses are also always being put onto the market, so there is no real rush. Sometimes playing the waiting game pays off, as the houses being snapped up first by frenzied students may not be the best deals. However, do bear in mind that you may be competing with students from Thames Valley University as well, so if you are looking for one of the more popular house sizes, such as a seven bedroom, then don’t leave it too late! Where to look Ensure any houses you visit are within walking distance to your lectures and also the town centre,
for obvious reasons. On average, you’ll be about a 25 minute walk either way to lectures or town. Take time to look round the local area, does it appear safe? What about transport links? Are there any local amenities such as shops? Reading is good in the sense that there are shops all over the place a popular student area, Cemetery Junction, has everything you need on one street; a Co-op, independent newsagents, a fruit and veg stall, post office, pharmacy, takeaways and a cafe where you can buy all important hangover fry-ups. Make sure you look around and out of the main ‘student areas’ as there are some real gems. What to look for Be careful what you sign up for! Make sure you check the house for common student housing problems such as damp, mould and pest problems. Some important ques-
tions to ask on your viewing; • Does the house come fully furnished? • Does the property have a working burglar alarm? • Does the property have a current HMO Licence for the number of people seeking to share property? • What bills (if any) are included?
Don’t forget to ask the current tenants questions regarding the landlord! A good landlord is just as important as the house itself – they need to be reliable in order to fix problems that may arise. You may often hear something along the lines of, “there are a lot of people interested in this house”, in some cases this may be true, but it tends to be a tactic to rush you into making a hasty decision. Don’t fool for it – never sign a contract until you are thoroughly satisfied with who you are living with, the condition of the house, the land-
lord and the contract. There are student advisors on hand at the Students Union, who will see you on a drop in or appointment basis. They will be able to check your contract for you and explain any tricky terminology you don’t understand to ensure you know exactly what it is you are signing. To start your house hunting or for more in depth guides on the student house hunting process, and a viewing checklist, please visit http://www.accommodationforstudents.com. You can also pick up a housing guide compiled by RUSU at the spring term accommodation talks or view it online at http://www. rusu.co.uk/advice/housing_advice/. Good luck! This article was contributed by Zoey O’Brien, a Brand Manager for accommodationforstudents. com.
Do you have any helpful housing tips?
Or perhaps some housing horror stories?
Get in touch at editor.spark@reading.ac.uk
Spark* is now online!
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6 Political comment
Friday 9 November 2012 Spark*
politics.spark@reading.ac.uk
POLITICAL COMMENT Disaster averted! Obama takes victory, but now what? Adam Roberts
They thought it was all over and now it finally is. As these words are typed the final ballots in Florida are still being counted; but the overall result has been known for hours. President Obama is set for another four years in the west wing, and poor old Romeny is left carrying a party that many thought had a serious chance of victory. With a new mandate and having a somewhat unexpected popular mandate (around 3 million excess votes and over 100 in the Electoral College), President Obama is now tasked with the hardest of tasks in politics, living up to ones promises. This gives Obama nearly the whole
four years with free political cover for his actions; electability is, for the time being, not an issue, not that he is by any means out of the woods.
“Electioneering is a graveyard of promises, policies and poetry, and governing is all about press, pragmatism and certaintly prose” The party itself is in dire need of regeneration, one can only hope this victory will buoy them from their stupor, and there is always the ninth year to think about. But
YOUcomment: what did you think?
I am looking forward
I would hope that we have learnt from the election and ask why if the younger generations can be so engaged with American politics, then why not British politics TOm - 20
to reaching out and working with leaders of both parties to meet the A predictable outcome, but an outcome that was for the best. Glad to see Obama back and ready to get some real change done, we hope ayrton - 20
Glad to see Barack is back in power and hope he decides to stick to his word and stop with party bickering and try to join forces with the republicans barbera - 23
It matters less who is President and more why. The democrats got it right this time, will be interesting to see if the republicans can find anyone better in four years Rebecca - 18
Shame to see after four years of no change, Obama slides easily back into power. The right result, but there should have been more of a fight James - 21
Stayed up all night to watch and actually enjoyed it for the first time in a long while! Well done Mr President Thomas - 28
Obama didn’t win this election, Romney lost it. He screwed up, or it would have been his for the taking... and I supported Obama Callum - 21 spark* dep. editor
all that can wait for now, as many look with some trepidation towards his next steps in office. Unfortunately, electioneering is a graveyard of promises, policies and poetry, and governing is all about press, pragmatism and certaintly prose, and with so many promises given in a campaign that has spanned nearly 18 months how does one determine which are priorities? Fortunately we don’t have to, the President of the United States has done it for us. In his victory speech early Wednesday morning, Obama restated his biggest promises; “I am looking forward to reaching out and working with leaders of both parties to meet the challenges we can only solve together: reducing our deficit; reforming our tax code; fixing our immigration system; freeing ourselves from foreign oil. We’ve got more work to do.” And right he is.
challenges we can only solve together... We’ve got more work to do.” The code in here is simple, and easiest is “reforming the tax code”, short for tax increases for the rich. The simplest change to manage and the quickest to achieve with the Bush tax reforms coming up once again; it would be unbelieveable if this is not mismanaged, although given the campaign that seems surprisingly likely. Let’s not forget this is his last chance to make a good impression. There is a huge and visionary history to second inaugural addresses, and the second term gives him the chance to build a legacy that can last through time, not an easy task when you consider his predecessors have names like Lincoln and Roosevelt. In his acceptance, he has laid his heart on the line and promised that “the best is yet to come!”. Legitimate promise or cleverly poll-tested scripting, it’s the the line that has been picked up by every commentator from myself to the Washington Post, just keep faith that he can live up to it.
Cameron’s no poodle It was nice to see was that despite much of the British public being consumed by the USA elections (or at least force fed a constant diet through the media), Cameron was conducting the business of the country in the Middle East and not sat like a lapdog by the phone, waiting to call whichever master came back from the hustings. This is not to say he still did not call, obviously congratulations were in order for his victory, but for once we were not forced to stand on ceremony and wait in line. Currently in negotiations with Saudi Arabia on a diplomatic tour of the Middle East, he sent his congratulations mostly through the media, unlike in recent years when our subservient selves have been desperate to get phone-time with their most important ally. Significantly, he was sure to move the conversation towards the diplomacy, a nod to our Arab allies at a time when one might imagine he would be keen to ingratiate himself with the newly mandated President.
Is it possible that this is a mild gesture towards the USA, after all, the special relationship is feeling less and less special. Both the French and the Germans have recieved courtship in the past couple of years, and despite more recent closeness we have yet to feel the loving embrace of our partner in quite some time. In Obama’s first speech as President, he referred to the war of independence, refering not to the British but “the enemy”, and when Brown visited the White House he was sent packing with nearly no media time and a box of DVD’s, which wouldn’t even play on British players! Whether this is a matter of diplomatic intrigue or just a overthought by the media, there can be no doubt that Cameron has his priorities in order. This tour of the Middle East is far more than a publicity exercise, indeed its barely recieved coverage, and at times like these we have to wonder if our relationship is truly special after all.
Spark* Friday 26 October 2012
politics.spark@reading.ac.uk
POLITICAL COMMENT 7
POLITICAL COMMENT
RUCA - Making a stand against the NUS Ellis Wiggins
Over the last couple of weeks, Reading University Conservative Association led a successful bid for a ‘no’ vote on RUSU’s referendum to march on 21st November. Our ‘Make a Stand Against NUS’ campaign called for a rejection of
plans to again take students away from their libraries and classrooms and put them on the streets of London. This would be a pointless show of defiance against a necessary decision that has already been made. The mature response of Reading students has ensured
that our university will not be part of NUS’s opportunism. RUCA is determined to work within the university to promote the needs of students. We hope to be able to do more to improve the student experience.
Unlike those in the NUS, we won’t mindlessly shin those at the top. We keep in constant contact with the hardworking local MP, Rob Wilson, and try to meet, when we can, with some of the most important figures in government..
“A pointless show of defiance against a necessary decision that has already been made” Next year, we will be hosting an event for Theresa May, the Home Secretary, maintaining the vital communication between the people and their politicians. Refusing to be part of the process, as the NUS intends to do, won’t help the situation of students, and will succeed only in deafening our leaders to the plight of their citizens.
‘Unlike those in the NUS, we won’t mindlessly shin those at the top.’
Unlike those in the NUS, we won’t mindlessly shin those at the top. Meeting once a week, we not only keep people up to date with what’s happening in politics, but also continue a range of interesting events throughout the year. These include our Absolut Politics evening (a vodka-based debate) and a trip this year to see the stage version of Yes, Prime Minister. Reading University Conservatives will always be looking out for the interests of Reading students, and working with people of all politics to achieve a better university.
On behalf of the Reading University Conservative Association
Agree or disagree with this weeks comments? Have a point of view you’d like to see here? Want to write for Spark* Political Comment? Email us at SparkPolCom@gmail.com We look forward to seeing you in next weeks articles!
Where did that come from? Adam Roberts
Watching Prime Ministers Question Time has become a tedium, theres no denying. The proud oratorial traditions of the House (such as they were) are all but extintict, becoming a crowing and cawing nest of squabbling birds. Its become a matter of watching Camoran ruffle his blue feathers, front bench packed with his fellow lovebird Nick Clegg and a host of preening parakeets rounding out the cabinet, while red-bellied Millibird sqarks and bounces in the opposite box, with little or no effect.
Not so any more it would seem! Last week there was a significant change in the jungle, although not the kind of change Nadine Dorries was hoping for!
Cameron was in for a shock this week as Ed went from budgie to hawk. But turning back towards those in Parliament who only want to be on TV when they’re working... Cameron was in for a shock this week as Ed went from budgie to
hawk. Apparently, a little bird had told him there was some flip flopping on the EU budget by the PM. Either that or there had been another cut in the Commons bar price. Either way someone knew what was up, as Ed rose to a roar from the benches and streched his wings with a certain glee. For all that, the first question seems oldly benign, asking why the Prime Minister hasn’s sought a “mandate..for real term reductions” in the EU Budget. Canary Cameron siezes the chance to show off, pushing out his chest and repremanding his opponent for “playing politics”,
which has become a crime in the House of Commons? Even so, big mistake David. Ed throws down the gauntlet, tossing a direct quote from Hansard from Camerons time in opposition and theres nothing in responce! Hovering over his prey, Ed piles on to jeers from his feathered friends. “The Prime Minister is certainly getting very angry, Mr Speaker, but perhaps he is worried about losing the vote this afternoon”. This pleases the flock greatly, and so he moves to strike for the last time, with the greatest of all insults for Thatcherite Cameron, “it’s John Major all over again.” Nice to see some real passion in the house for a change, and the Prime Minister is forced to hide behind complimentary questions
from his own backbenchers as he regrouped from the assault.
“Playing politics”, which has become a crime in the House of Commons?” A new fire from the Labour leader, maybe theres hope for him yet! In the meantime, with the Prime Minister away from the flock in a Middle Eastern tour this week, its up to Nick Clegg to hold down the fort against old hadn Harriet Harman, either way its not going to be the Roman Senate by any standared. I wouldnt expect all that much for the time being.
8 INTERVIEW
interview.spark@reading.ac.uk
interview give the students as many opportunities as possible. [ConstructionChat project] as soon as we introduced Ian to Milan and Tabarak, it was never a question of whether we could do this project, but instead a question of how!
ing to fund the project and, most importantly, locating a region that required our help and expertise. Who helped make this happen?
Ian Stapleton, founder of Football Gambia, has been so supportive of the idea from the start. His continued confidence and enthusiasm made the project possible. Football Gambia have close ties with the village of Cheesay - they know that a school/community centre is a requirement in the village. The proposed school will be home to the village’s Education, Community gatherings and important health checks for the local people and their livestock.
Conor, Ashley, Raggy and Ian ELLIS WHEATLEY
The ConstructionChat project is the first of its kind. It is an opportunity for Construction students to participate in a life-changing module, the first of which will operate in Gambia. Interview speaks to co-founders, and UoR Construction Management Undergraduates, Ashley Davidson and Conor O’Connor about their ConstructionChat project. What have you two been planning? The ‘Projects’ module is compulsory for all Part 2 students studying in the School Of Construction Management and Engineering and begins next Tuesday. The students will be taking part in a life-changing practical project. Students will be challenged to design, cost plan, project plan and evaluate a school for 500 students that will actually be constructed in the village of Cheesay in Gambia!
Raggy, a project manager from Gambia, will be the project manager for the build. Football Gambia will be purchasing the materials and hiring a number of skilled labourers, however community involvement is key to making sure that the project is sustainable. The UoR School of Construction and Engineering have been fully supportive of our ideas, including our student notepads. We created the first student-designed notepad to equip students with vital information on module options, incuding a recommended reading list. This huge project means that every construction student now has a copy for free!
We designed notepads to equip students with vital information on module options
It was never a question of whether we could do this project, but instead a question of how! What inspired this idea? We have always wanted to travel to Africa and contribute some of the skills we have been privileged to learn. This experience will offer the Part 2 students (and ourselves) a once in a lifetime opportunity: the chance to change the lives of others and have a positive affect on a whole community. The students will be able to visit the site in Gambia and the winning project will win tickets to fly to Africa and help on-site. We think it will be a great chance for students to see how the construction process in Gambia is so different!
How has news of your project been received in Cheesay?
The community is a rural village with limited services at the moment, so they are extremely excited! They are in need of school/ community centre. We are excited to offer them something that we take for granted... an education.
We are excited to offer them something that we take for granted ... an education When will you be in Gambia with the project?
We hope the students will come up with new sustainable methods to benefit the school and the local small construction firms. We believe that we, the construction professionals of the future, will come up with the most original, innovative and sustainable methods of construction. This project will benefit everybody involved. Have you faced struggles so far? We have had very few struggles, so far. Managing university work and the work we are doing on our site has proved difficult but we feel it is time well spent and, most importantly, we are enjoying it.
The school will be built by the community, using only local resources. The winning design will win flight-costs to Gambia to help build the project! Students from every discipline will be encouraged to get involved with the charity project - we are so excited!
Have you visited the Cheesay community? We have not been to Cheesay yet, although we did plan to go at the end of November. Our university work has kept us really busy and its been a shame that we haven’t been able to visit the guys yet.
How long have you been working on this development? We focused our efforts at the end of our second year, on completion of our exams. We worked full time on ConstructionChat throughout our summer, speaking to a number of different charities and Construction companies, try-
What is Cheesay like, at the moment, before your project? The village is located in the Lower Niumi District of the North Bank Region, 20 miles off the ‘Atlantic Ocean’ (west coast of Gambia). Cheesay is the main village within a cluster of neighbouring villages with an overall population of ap-
We must thank Dr Milan Radosavljevic, (Director of Teaching and Learning, School of Construction and Engineering) and Dr Tabarak Ballal (Director of Undergraduate programmes). With their backing, we have been working tirelessly to
proximately 1000 persons. There is no electricity in this part of Gambia – this has a major impact for the orientation and form of buildings to ensure ‘comfort in use’ is achieved through natural ventilation; natural lighting and passive heating and cooling provision. Furthermore, drinking water is sourced from hand-bored wells. The village has two wells on the far-side of the village centre. A third - improved system - borehole well together with a hand pump connected to the well are to be provided in the centre of the village which would be much closer to the proposed building site.
We aim to visit the site in January and once it is completed! We will take advantage of any opportunity we get to go out and visit the people of Cheesay; we have heard that they are fantastic hosts!
Friday 9 November 2012
Spark*
an informal platform: discussing assignments and seminar notes. So far we have had an excellent response from students and lecturers! This idea is something that we are keen to release and test. We hope to offer placements and graduate jobs in the future to construction students. We are currently negotiating with a number of construction companies and we have already found a number of placements to offer to students. We have also just launched Politicschat.co.uk. So far we have 155 likes on our facebook page. Using ConstructionChat as a template we have been able to create a ‘PoliticsChat committee’.
We have just launched PoliticsChat [...] using ConstructionChat as a template We believe that PoliticsChat can create equally impressive projects for the politics students. Finally, we would like to thank everyone who has supported and been involved in this preoject, your help has been essential. If you, too, wish to help with the project, or contact ConstructionChat you may do so via: constructionchat@hotmail.co.uk or www.constructionchat.co.uk where you may find details of our Twitter and Facebook page, too!
We will continue our work with Football Gambia and the people of Cheesay. Our next project will be to develop the village and try to construct places where people canoffer services. This project will run every year and we will remain heavily involved with the academic project itself and the work Football Gambia are doing.
Next week: An interview with the University of Reading security team and a representative of Thames Valley police for our readers. We will be discussing safety issues and social media!
We will remain heavily involved with the academic project
woudd you like to write for Spark* Interview, we are looking for exciting you writers Interview just Would liketoto write for abpout anyone
Is this project something which the Construction Department will maintain in future years?
What next for Construction Chat?
We are working to bridge the gap between academics, students and professionals. We are excited to launch our chat forum on our webpage, this will allow students to communicate with lecturers on
Interview Spark*? Email us
for more information!
interview.spark@reading.ac.uk
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DEBATE 9
Debate
Is it ever right for governments or organisations to restrict free speech? Yes No
Mat Greenfield
Many proponents for total free speech point out that free expression is a cornerstone of the democracy we live in, which could scarcely have come about without it. Whilst accurate, this fact tends to be misused as an argument in itself, as though all instances of free speech being encroached are inherently wrong. The call to defend free speech in all its forms is admirable but often overlyidealistic, ignoring the current socio-technological context. As a prolific blogger, I’m fortunate to live in a country where free speech is treasured and I, like many, would be loathe to see authoritarian censorship become the norm. Although, because of how this question is worded, the counter-argument must demonstrate that it is absolutely never acceptable to censor someone. While I agree that it should be avoided as much as possible, there will always be cases in which censorship could be justified for reasons of legality and safety. In recent years, social media has fundamentally changed the national discourse on free speech, as it reclaimed technology as a medium for its exercise to the masses. Indeed, the microblogging service, Twitter, is a prime example of where free-spirited communication can have its most mean-spirited consequences. Data collected by Google suggests that around 9% of Twitter users are under the age of 17 and it’s a rare moment when some tween pop star or other isn’t trending, so it’s clear that the online population of actively-tweeting children is significant. Which means thousands of immature and potentially unsupervised children being subjected to the full force of the Twitosphere’s apparently inexhaustible malice. Whilst adults and public figures are usually thick-skinned enough to brush this off, younger users may be ill-prepared to handle the vitriol one can encounter on Twitter. This has given rise to ‘cyberbullying’; a serious problem that must be addressed. However, setting up a minimum
Peter Marshall
age to join Twitter would be ineffective since there’s no way to capably enforce it. A survey by Consumer Reports suggests that, despite requiring a minimum age of 13 to sign-up, Facebook has around 7.5 million users younger than that. Its current enforcement is to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) which Twitter (as it collects very little personal data) is not subject to. But, protecting children isn’t the only reason free speech should be curtailed. A few weeks ago, BNP chairman Nick Griffin tweeted the home address of a gay couple who’d recently won a high-profile civic case against a Christian B&B owner who’d discriminated against them. Griffin stated that he intended to stage a BNP demonstration at their home and ominously warned that “a British Justice team will come up and give [them] a bit of drama” for their “heterophobia”. Mr. Griffin was temporarily suspended from Twitter and, upon his return, had deleted the tweet containing the couple’s address. Griffin was quick to play the martyr for free speech. His right to free speech was indeed restricted, but there were pertinent legal reasons (including the personal safety of the couple) to do so. Twitter is an independent organisation, so users are permitted to speak freely only insofar as the terms of service allow. However, Twitter has business interests in providing both a non-restrictive, but also, safe environment for its users. You wouldn’t use a website so reactionary that your lightest controversial word could get you banned; nor would you frequent a site that allowed users to spit constant venom at you unimpeded. A social network without a strong, active user-base is about as useful (and profitable) as a marzipan cutlass, so Twitter has to find the right balance between these two mutually-exclusive priorities. This should defend free speech in its most modern form, but also prevent its misuse.
The call to defend free speech in all its forms is admirable but often overly-idealistic
A government only exists to serve the needs of the individual
Younger users may be ill-prepared to handle the vitriol one can encounter on Twitter
In this argument I will give context using a principle then an example. I will concentrate on governments because they could control organizations; not visa versa. Of course, a government only exists to serve the needs of the individual and as soon as they no longer do this, the government no longer has the right to exist. Now for the individuals on whom the government relies for its right to exist, the right to free speech is central because, as much as we are a species that is defined by our ability to think, that is based entirely on our ability to create and to argue; after all “diversity of opinion about an art show it is new, complex and vital” (Oscar Wilde- “The Picture of Dorian Gray - Preface”). One fascinating statistic is that the 1950s was a time when the press was most free (and sold most copies) and was also a time when politics was most divided, so people’s diverse reading habits reflected the diversity of the political choices for which they voted. But, of course, if you look at the modern press you find these days that political diversity has gone down (people’s ability to vote for change) so people these days read magazines that reflect their individual creative impulses and their desire to be informed. So, in order for individuals to be in accord with themselves, a complex subculture needs to be around them which creates the proper environment to allow all of them to manipulate their inner world, whilst they refine their outer world; none of this can happen if free speech can’t be taken for granted and, if individuals can’t advance their interests then the right of any government to exist becomes increasingly slim. Now this is the theory (I would argue an extremely pertinent theory) but let’s look at the practice in this example: the secular state is an invention of the reformation and the name implies it favours no religion. But, it creates a hierarchy of religions, which actually weakens those at the top as its protected status causes
resentment from other religious groups (which has the potential to erupt into violence). The one a government favours varies according to the country; traditionally in England it is Church of England. If you want proof it comes in various forms: we have C of E bishops in the House of Lords, the Queen is the nominal head of the C of E, there’s hardly a village in the country without a C of E church. (I am using Christianity because I know about it, not because parallels can’t be found in other religions). Now I will go through the two intrinsic problems with this; firstly, the religion at the top loses its “killer instinct”. This means religions can’t motivate their followers to do truly astonishing things. Historical examples include the Civil Rights movement in America, and the introduction of learning throughout Europe in the dark ages. These are things which religion should be doing all the time, but if they rely on the State then they are not acting in obedience to their mandate but just living off past glories. This weakens them and makes them more reliant on the government. The friction is also a very tricky thing to manage; historically, the way around this was ignoring most religions and banning those that are powerful enough to pose a risk (in Britain this was the Catholics until 1829). Currently in this country, banning religions is not something a government could get away with, and the modern result is mass-dissatisfaction by all other groups, because of the hypocrisy of respecting one group’s right to free speech and not others. This causes outcries about the system’s illegitimacy and so civil disobedience can sometimes ensue (not that I am defending the indefensible). Basically, I would argue that it is our Government’s job to maintain our right to free speech and, even in the argument over religious tolerance (which is generally used as an argument for curtailing free speech), an argument can be made for the right of total freedom of speech.
10 COMMENT
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comment Poppy: a choice, not a moral obligation
Alfie Brierley
Before I begin to write this piece, I should say that I am wearing a poppy. It may also be appropriate to tell you, my reader, that I am not wearing the poppy because it’s the right thing to do, but rather
it’s what I want to do. Thus for a poppy to actually mean anything, it must be worn out of choice and not out of obligation enforced by society. And so the run up to Remembrance Day has begun and no doubt all major political figures, celebrities and members of the
public will be rushing to go buy their poppies. In fact the Prime Minister himself has already got his with Nick Clegg and co. soon to inevitably follow. Having said this, it is also inevitable that at some point there will be controversy as someone will not be wearing one. But the question I intend on
raising in this article is whether or not this yearly rigmarole is necessary. Despite me thinking that everyone should wear a poppy at this time of year, does not mean to say that everyone will wear one out of choice. It would be me simply forcing everyone to wear one and thus the wearing of the poppy becomes meaningless to those who would usually not wear one. Of course in an ideal society, for everyone to care enough, that when they wear a poppy, they actually mean something by it that would be great, but also incredibly far-fetched thus is an incredibly idealistic view of society and simply unattainable. And so is it right that the edia launches scurrilous attacks on the people that choose not to wear poppies? No. The accusations of being disrespectful to the dead or whatever the allegations may be are unjustifiable and unfair. And so if we take David Cameron as an example, the point should be that we praise him for wearing one, not that we watch closely for the people that do not wear one. And so in recent years it seems that there has been a change in emphasis: no longer is it seen as an admirable act to wear a poppy, but
the top crust of the government and business sector, Oxbridge educated old Estonians create a feeling of a Con- Dem -Nation, unrepresentative and out of touch with society. This leads to a much wider and more important question; are we seeing a move away from democracy in Britain? A lot of focus is centred around the government blaming them solely for all of the country’s problems; however do they have that much direct influence on the decisions they make? The economy is globalised and beyond all the propaganda surrounding the deficit, we are in a time of economic uncertainty and we are in debt, thus cuts must be made. Most governmental decisions are pre-decided within the “corridors of power” in Whitehall by forces a lot more powerful than David Cameron; multi-national interest groups. However the government only holds power in this country based upon popular consent, thus regardless of other factors they have a duty to listen to public or there’s
no point in a democracy at all. Yet, it’s not all negative; studies show that the government is very sensitive public image especially if the issue may be viewed negatively, as illiberal, externally. For example further to the cuts on Disability Allowance, ATOS sees 40% of complaints overturned. After all, who wants to say that they were responsible for cutting funding for disabled children? In addition public protests help to raise awareness of issues; the demonstrators outside St Pauls Cathedral were never going to be able to bring down the Capitalist system, however, through grasping public interest, they were probably responsible for the loss of Stephen Hester’s bank bonus. Thus the ingredient to successful political protest is to be smart about it. An example would be to get all the Trade Unions together and concentrate on one small, narrow issue at a time via pointed, organised protest. Britain is a liberal nation and political activism is embedded within our national culture and his-
tory, for example the suffragettes fought for what they believed in and thus achieved universal suffrage. To ignore public protests is to ignore our national heritage and our democratic way of life, issues which are too important and far reaching to leave to the politicians and interest groups in their over-
rather it has become morally unacceptable to not wear one. As soon as we start “expecting” people to wear a poppy, the meaning of the whole act is completely lost and without substance. And so if we are to go without wearing a poppy in November, we are not remembering the dead, but if we are to wear a poppy in November, we are seen as avoiding the social stigma that comes with not wearing one. And so we all face a no win situation, and the only way to get out of it is to wear a poppy with true meaning with a vehement belief in its cause. None of this article is intended to dismiss the fantastic work that the Royal British Legion does because what they do is incredible. In fact, anyone who is reading this, I urge you to go out and buy a poppy and remember the very real sacrifice that our men and women have made for our country both past and present; but only if you really mean it when you walk around wearing the poppy. Let’s admire the people that wear a poppy, but not criticise the people who don’t.
heated corridors of power. As citizens we need to have greater confidence in our own power and ensure that this is reflected in what we do by marching those first steps of the journey to take back Britain. For this article and more visit www.sparknewspaper.co.uk.
Is it time for us to take back Britain? Natalie Harper
The advancement of the liberal nation across the western hemisphere has gone hand in hand with a rise in individualism; citizens are “bowling alone,” disconnected from politics and the real world around them. It’s evident to see that their position of helplessness is not without a reason; a million people marched against the war in Iraq, yet troops were still dispatched. Closer to home, thousands of students took to the streets to protest against the hike in tuition fees, among the masses were members of the University of Reading, on which RUSU spent £8,000 getting to London and back. Yet the fees still went up. Among public opinion there is a general feeling of “distrust of careerist politicians,” an opinion which events such as the senses scandal in 2011 and the false promises of the pre- coalition Lib- Dem party (that there would be no increase to tuition fees) did not help to bolster. Instead elitism within
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Human trafficking in America what is being done to stop it? Jessica phillips
At first glance, you wouldn’t be blamed for believing that slavery ended with President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. You wouldn’t be alone if you thought that modern day America was a model for the world, ‘land of the free and the home of the brave’. But when looked at with an ice cold eye it comes to light that behind Uncle Sam’s smile and the illusion of the ‘American Dream’ lurks a dark shadow of deceit and exploitation.
“Today, America is faced with a prolific problem, the taboo of human trafficking” In the USA today there are over 250 million registered passenger vehicles, its GDP is estimated at over $15.09 trillion, it has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, yet there are still at least 40,000 people enslaved within its borders. Yes, in the 21st century, the world’s current superpower is still faced with the issue of enslavement and inequality. Behind the façade of modernism and liberation, is the disturbing truth that for some US citizens, the basic human right of freedom is too far out of reach. Today, America is faced with a prolific problem, the taboo of human trafficking.
“Many assume human trafficking to be a problem specific to less developed countries” This form of enslavement is a growing phenomenon, a phenomenon which is unbeknown to most of the general public. It is this ignorance which creates a major barrier which prevents the crackdown on this shady underworld. It is common knowledge that America still attracts an influx of in-migration each year, its shore an illusion of work, stability and security. Yet, little information is volunteered when referring to the thousands of women and children trafficked from Mexico, East Asia, Africa and Europe to the USA against their will. Many assume human trafficking to be a problem specific to less economically developed countries, under dictators or unjust leaders, but this is not the case. This is often happening right under our noses, in the ‘civilised
world’, even in our communities. Until awareness is brought to this serious issue, the cycle of exploitation will continue. We need to accept that this unscrupulous trade is expanding globally and face that there are now more slaves on this planet today than ever before in human history, and they need our help. Many vulnerable young girls become prisoners of birth and circumstance, and are often thereby forced into the sex trade; trapped in the cycle of imprisonment, enslaved to a human trafficker. This predicament is one that is all too common in many of the United States’ most prestigious and wellknown cities such as Boston and Miami, with cases being reported in all 50 states. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children there are at least 100,000 children across the country being trafficked each year!
“There are now more slaves on this planet today than ever before” Only recently has this issue begun to build steam in congress, with President Obama enforcing new initiatives to end worldwide trafficking, but more action needs to be taken. Greater awareness needs to be drawn towards young girls on the fringes of society, who in the dark of night are sold to preying and perverted men, smothered with copious amounts of illegal drugs, and forced to perform indecent sexual activities. But trafficking doesn’t end there. It is not only sexual exploitation which falls into this bracket. It is not only young girls who are targeted. Human trafficking also connotes to forced begging, being involuntary exposed to sacrificial worship and even the removal of human organs.
“Greater awareness needs to be drawn towards young girls on the fringes of society” Every minute over ten people are trafficked across borders and are vulnerable to being exposed to these entrapments. Innocent people are controlled and manipulated by human traffickers who exercise power over them; trap them in silence for fear of reprisal. Trapped are these victims by
fear of physical and mental abuse, the fear of rape and torture, and the fear of threats made against their families. On September 25, 2012 President Obama made a poignant speech relating to the treatment of human beings as objects, able to be sold and bought, abused and degraded. He targeted the American community, families and businesses alike and urged them to stand with him, united, in the battle against trafficking. He spoke of how human trafficking threatens ‘common humanity.’ He shed light on the true magnitude of the problem by stressing that in order to tackle the issue at hand, it needed to be addressed and referred to in its truest sense, as ‘modern slavery’.
“According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, there are at least 100,000 children being trafficked each year” But is it too late? Has the problem escalated so far out of hand that government is now powerless to prevent its existence and expansion? Why has it taken until now for the American government to address such a serious issue which threatens the fabric of all American communities? Maybe it was the intervention of Jada Pinkett Smith, who sparked the crackdown on the trade by using her star power to urge the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to take immediate action. But why had it taken this long to amount to an issue of significance? Why has the issue been silenced and marginalised in modern government? Maybe it was in the hope that ignoring the matter would prevent it becoming a hindrance to government, or maybe the President was too fearful of staging an unfamiliar, costly and dangerous war within his border. Only time will tell if the American government is serious in its promises to abolish the horrendous and archaic traditions of slavery or if the issue will fall from favour as the Presidential Campaign continues. Soon we will uncover whether the United States government truly cares about its people and their well-being, or if political gain and the illusion of a strong and idyllic America outweighs the cost of human life.
COMMENT 11
Comment and Debate want YOU!
Have you always wanted to write for a newspaper? To see your name in print? Or just have an opinion on something that you want heard? Well if so Comment & Debate is the section for you! Here at Comment & Debate we are always looking for opinionated, new writers to get in touch and involved in our section. Perhaps you want to write but don’t know what about, or maybe you have an idea for an article but are not sure how to start it, whatever your situation we are keen to hear from you. The great thing about Comment & Debate is that we cover a huge
range of subjects. If you feel that something is of interest to students or relates to student life then it usually means it will fit in perfectly with this page! You don’t need to be an English student either, as long as you have something interesting to say the go for it. Don’t worry, we’ll make sure all the spelling and grammar is correct - after all, that’s what editors and proofreaders are for! If you’d like to get in touch then send us an email at comment. spark@reading. We look forward to hearing from you!
The weight of responsibility Sophie Harrison
A couple of weeks ago I joined SportsPark gym. After paying up my fees and completing a very brief induction I am now free to use the gym as and when I want which is great. However the first time I stepped inside the changing rooms I noticed an obviously, very under-weight girl who was so weak after her work out she was struggling to get changed. I couldn’t help but wonder whether a university gym should hold some degree of responsibility when it comes to the health and welfare of its customers. For example, the gym back home where I live will complete a basic health check when you join which involves having your height and weight measured and if using the
gym would be detrimental to your health they wouldn’t allow you to join. While SportsPark is a business with an interest in joining up as many customers as possible, perhaps it should take into account that the majority of those customers are students, some of whom may be vulnerable. I hadn’t really given the issue much thought until I saw that girl, but the university environment, with its added stress of work and deadlines, potential homesickness and no fixed family meal times may increase some people’s chances of developing an eating disorder. It is a tricky issue to raise, but one I think SportsPark has a moraland professional responsibility to look out for.
12 ADVERTISEMENT
marketing@rusu.co.uk
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careers Careers and Placement Fair 2012 The Careers, Placement and Experience Centre hosted their “best ever” event on Thursday 1 November, the Careers and Placement Fair 2012. Over 2,100 students turned out to meet with 100 exhibitors, representing employers from across the region, as well as national and international firms.
“The graduates we spoke to were informed and keen!” The feedback from employers was exceptionally positive, with
Gerry Wyatt, Operations Manager at graduate-jobs.com commenting that it was “Probably the best graduate fair we have attended in the region during the autumn season. The graduates we spoke to were informed and keen!”. Don’t forget - information about all the exhibitors is still available on the website www.reading.ac.uk/ careers/events/fairs/autumn. If you attended the fair and have any comments then please do get in touch – email us at careerscentre@reading.ac.uk. We are already starting to work on the Careers and Placement Fair for 2013, so we want your thoughts and feedback.
CAREERS 13
Careers events There are plenty of events coming up through the Careers, Placement and Experience Centre over the next couple of weeks – for a full listing, as well as booking and location details, visit My Jobs Online – linked from the Careers, Placement and Experience Centre website www.reading.ac.uk/careers/events
12 November, 5pm – Civil Service presentation 13 November, 2pm – Headstart: Spotlight on work experience: political research and lobbying 14 November, 1pm – HSBC presentation
Careers queries Each week we will feature a question from a student in our new agony aunt column, so please send us a question to e.l.sowden@reading.ac.uk if you have any careers queries you’d like answering in Spark*. Dear Careers, Q: I’m in my second year and really don’t know what I want to do when I finish University and starting to get stressed, where do I start? A: First of all, please don’t panic, whatever year you’re in, whether you have some ideas or none at all, the careers team can help get you started. Firstly, pop in to see us for a ‘Quick Query’ with a careers advisor. These 10-15 minute clinics are held every weekday from 11.30-2pm in the Careers Centre, 1st floor Carrington Building, where you can have an initial exploratory chat to start the ball rolling. Our careers advisors will chat to you and give you some general ideas on how to start thinking about your future career options and show you methods of how to identify what careers might be right for you. They may recommend doing some careers re-
search, get some work experience or, for you to attend sessions we run through our Headstart Skills Programme.
“I really don’t know what to do when I finish university” Once you’ve had an initial appointment with a careers advisor, you can book in for a longer appointment for 30 minutes as a ‘Careers Discussion’ to discuss the next stages of your career development and you will also, take part in Career Learning sessions as an official part of your degree programme. These sessions help you identify what jobs are appropriate for you, where students from your degree typically go after graduation and how to make it happen. You can also book a Placements Discussion with a placement officer to help you plan some practical work experience as part of your course or during your own time. For more information on how to access the Careers, Placement and Experience Centre, please see http://www.reading.ac.uk/careers/.
Graduate Barometer 2013 The Trendence Graduate Barometer 2013 is a large-scale, independent piece of research into students’ views on graduate careers and recruitment and is actively supported by the University of Reading. Your views provide valuable insights for the University to plan our future services and also helps Trendence decide who makes the Guardian UK 300 top graduate employers.
there are five prizes of £500 and ten £200 Amazon vouchers up for grabs
Join in and enter the prize draw. There are five prizes of £500 and ten of £200 in Amazon vouchers up for grabs! So why not get involved? The survey takes just 20 minutes to complete. To take part, please go to: www.trendence-gradbarometer. co.uk
20 November, 1pm – PwC: Internships 20 November, 5pm – Vodafone presentation
a large-scale, independent piece of research into students’ views on graduate careers
Job Shop news update With over 55 jobs currently being advertised in the Jobshop and many organisations currently taking on Christmas staff, it is a great time to look for part time work. The Jobshop is open Monday to Friday 10am – 4pm where you can get help with your CV and general advice on part time and vacation employment. The latest jobs we have at the
15 November, 5pm – Nestle presentation
moment include: Bar staff at Ascot Racecourse, Summer Camp Leaders in the USA and Football Coaches for Manchester United’s Soccer Schools. To find out more about any of these opportunities, come along to the Job Shop in the Students Union, opposite Cerealworks or visit myjobsonline.
22 November, 1pm – Associated British Foods 22 November, 5pmKPMG skill session For more careers information and events visit www.reading. ac.uk/careers
14 FILM&TV
Friday 9 November 2012 Spark*
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FILM&TV
Skyfall: Bond back at its best! Directed by: Sam Mendes Starring: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Judi Dench Running Time: 143mins Genre: Action, Thriller Matthew Crowe
Hopefully Skyfall finally means the end of “shaky-cam” for Bond. Containing a grand opening chase to compete with the parkour stunts in Casino Royale, and a fantastic hand-to-hand combat scene shot in one take, Bond proves that buying a tripod is the best thing to do for your action movie. But, although Sam Mendes induces Skyfall with the pithy one liners, stunning cars and beautiful ladies, this movie attempts to be more than just a string of action set-pieces and on this it succeeds spectacularly in a way Quantum of Solace failed. Many critics have compared the films plot and themes to Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, but in many ways Bond was the first cinematic superhero; Nolan is clearly influenced by Bond (Anyone reminded of The World Is Not Enough at the
end of TDKR?) and Skyfall simultaneously precurses and is indebted to those films. Taking the concept of Bond and ex-agent in a way that is more like Batman/Joker than 006 in Goldeneye, the plot revolves around Bond and his metaphorical ‘resurrection’. After being shot in Istanbul and left for dead, James Bond (Craig) returns to help find the stolen hard-drive containing the identity of undercover agents, and in doing so uncovers a plot more personal to him and M (Dench) than he could possibly realise,
in the form of rogue computer hacker Silva (Bardem). Bardem again proves that he is the go to man for Hollywood villains, giving a character as memorable as Anton in No Country for Old Men (maybe it has something to do with the hair). Craig however refuses to let him steal the show, giving a suave performance that gives Sean Connery a run for his money. As for Dench, she is given her biggest role since Goldeneye, and is in some way the true Bond girl of this film. Her relationship with
Silva is fascinating and takes a strange ‘mummy-dearest’ route that results in the movie’s shocking climax. Whilst much has been made about the film’s product placement, for me the film’s two main advertisements are for China and digital photography. Roger Deakins’ cinematography is phenomal, turning China into a sub-Blade Runner wonder. Towards the end of the film there seems to be a need to get to days of old, with the classic Bond theme playing as the old Aston Martin is revealed, and an amazing final fight in a Scottish mansion that’s like a demented Home Alone. Sometimes, however, this nostalgia for classic works to the films detriment, with one misplaced zinger after a character’s death being particularly uncomfortable. Skyfall combines wonderful escapism and an emotional core wonderfully. Welcome back Mr. Bond. Oh, and Q is awesome and will remind you of every geeky friend you have.
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Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted: fun but repetitive Directed by: Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath and Conrad Vernon Starring: Ben Stiller, David Schwimmer, Sacha Baron Cohen Running Time: 93mins Genre: Animation
loved up this film. One of the funniest moments in the film had to be Julian’s infatuation with a big hairy bear, prompting one of the best lines ever used in film!
Talking of romance, it wasn’t just Melman and Gloria who were all loved up this film
Charlotte Coster
So here we are again. Another escape mission gone wrong, another wrecked plane and yet more running away from bad humans/scarily unfriendly animals! Somehow I think we have visited this plot in one, or possibly both, of the previous Madagascar movies.
It had some really funny moments that had me literally laughing out loud This third instalment of the four friends’ adventures sees Alex, Melman, Marty and Gloria (with King Julian and the penguins of course) still trying to get home
FILM NEWS IN BRIEF
and back to their zoo in New York – a little ironic considering how much they wanted to escape from it in the first place. And they do it through a very roundabout route going via Monte Carlo, Rome and London. . . with a circus. All very random. But somehow they manage to string it together in such a way that it seems to make sense. No one asks, is it possible to get from Africa to monte carlo with only a snorkel? Nobody asks how does a monkey learn to write well enough to pass off as
a human? And definitely nobody asks how can a hippo fall in love with a giraffe? I suppose the audience was mainly made up of children though, so they don’t really care about the BIG questions of life!
It’s somehow manages to make sense Talking of romance, it wasn’t just Melman and Gloria who were all
Despite being very slow at the start and having a few too many chases than is quite necessary, I did end up enjoying this film. It had some really funny moments that had me literally laughing out loud and an extremely satisfying ending that tied up all the loose ends in a fulfilling way which means that even adults taking their offspring can enjoy this movie. And I believe the children themselves will absolute love it. Which is the main thing really.
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Special edition Bond Top 10 Ollie Fitzgerald
10. Dr No Perhaps should be higher due to being the first Bond villain. Steel handed with a cool persona, and dramatic death scene to boot.
9. Mr Big Appears in Live and Let Die, often forgotten, but nonetheless ruthless enemy of Bond. Left lamenting the irony of his name when he is inflated to death.
8. Le Chiffre The only villain on this list from the post-Moore movies. Decidedly creepy, he justifies place through his punishment to Bond - knotted rope to the crown jewels.
7. Rosa Klebb Portrayed by Lotte Lenya in Goldfinger, Klebb is one nasty piece of work. Weapon of choice is a poisoned dagger hidden in her shoe. Sheer originality.
6. Scaramanga A golden-gun-wielding-threenippled-communist, I introduce you to Francisco Scaramanga. A smooth talking assassin played by the almighty Christopher Lee.
5. Jaws At seven foot one, Richard Kiel cut an imposing figure as Jaws. Metal teethed and enormous, Jaws bites through steel cables, and ironically kills a freaking shark.
4. Red Grant One of the other classic villains appearing in From Russia with Love. One tough cookie, he takes a brass knuckle punch to the chest without even flinching.
3. Oddjob Silent henchmen to Goldfinger with a killer steel rimmed bowled hat. Apparently Sean Connery was badly injured fighting him in real life for the film, kudos to him.
2. Auric Goldfinger His complex character is sometimes overlooked. Millionaire businessman who spoke the infamous lines: “No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!”
1. Ernst Stavro Blofeld He is first partly for staying power but also for being a damn nuisance. Head of SPECTRE, He is rich, ruthless and deceitful.
- Nicholas Cage was been
Spark* Friday 9 November 2012
film.spark@reading.ac.uk
FILM&TV 15
Fun Size: the jokes are crude and the ‘fun’ is a lie! Directed by: Josh Schwartz Starring: Victoria Justice, Jackson Nicoll & Thomas Mann Running Time: 86 mins Genre: Comedy
hint, they open up with a handful of poo & fart jokes. This is Nickelodeon’s first attempt at a 12A-rated feature and, boy, does it show. The jokes are crudely written even when they aren’t cheap, and you’re much more likely to cringe than laugh when the lead female starts dancing badly or the cat has an asthma attack, and that’s when they remember to even make a joke. By about half an hour into the film the comedy becomes little more than an intermission between the characters driving to wherever Spidey (the kid) was seen last and him leaving just as they get there.
Nathan Taylor
Fun Size is a teen comedy about a teenage girl whose mute brother goes missing on Halloween night. She spends the next sixty minutes looking for him and eventually finds him, and then everybody lives happily after. Except the audience. The audience suffers.
The jokes are crudely written To be fair, the film does warn you from the start that it’s going to be bad. The first thing you see is a music video. Not a music video from the film or about the film or with lyrics pertaining to the subject matter of the film, just ‘This Kiss’ by Carly Rae Jepsen. Pre-
The cast is entirely un-notable. The lead, Victoria Justice (her actual name) was simply picked out of a pre-existing Nickelodeon Show called Victorious while the other actors (barring Johnny Knoxville, who only has about ten minutes of screen-time), are just unknowns. The quality of their acting isn’t bad at all, nor good. It simply doesn’t bear mentioning.
To conclude, Fun Size is about as entertaining as working in an Emergency Room. Occasionally someone will come in with an amusing injury or a lightbulb in their ass but the rest of time is nothing but car-crashes and stabbings.
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The film does warn you from the start that it’s sumably someone paid someone else to have it featured before the film like one of Pixar’s Shorts. So after making me spend five minutes trying to figure out whether I’m in the wrong screen-room, the Nickelodeon Logo splashes onto the screen, the credits are spelled out in an orange font designed to resemble goo and then, just in case you hadn’t taken the
going to be bad... To be fair, there are a few, scant moments that are genuinely funny, but they are so drowned out by the plethora of moronic gags surrounding them that by the time the film does something legitimately entertaining the viewer is too brain-dead to notice.
Silent Hill - Revelation 3D: Halloween treat! Starring: Sean Bean, Kit Harington and Adelaide Clemens Directed by: Michael J. Bassett Running Time: 94 mins Genre: Horror
ers about the history of the village rather than a chance to get you to feel something for the characters. Revelation fundamentally misunderstands the appeal of its source material. What’s of course a striking and great-looking aesthetic isn’t grounded in anything more than a desire to rustle up some novel effects, and that emotional neglect shows.
Oliver Fitzgerald
‘Please do not return to Silent Hill' is something I would say to any director wanting to potentially make a third in the Silent Hill franchise. Christophe Gans' Silent Hill, although flawed, at least attempted to translate more from its source than merely a polished CGI look or feel.
Revelation fundamentally misunderstands the
Demons which, in the context of the games, resonated because they were understood to be projections of a mind distraught by guilt and suffering, appear in Revelations for literally no reason except that they look interesting or scary, which is a great misunderstanding of why they were scary in the first place. Bassett is clearly a poor fit for material that ought to be more contemplative than frenzied, and he is far more suited to doing showy last-act set pieces and more blockbuster action. Revelation trades the moody, satisfying first act of Silent Hill for one overloaded with exaggerated splatter and special effects.
appeal of its source material
The script does not
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seem to allow for any character development The first act is a good example of how to apply the horror elements of the games with a degree of wit, and for around 35 minutes, it's an atmospheric film about a mother whose maternal instincts to protect her daughter inadvertently lead her into danger, and at this stage, the film still remains creepy. It is however, the weaker second half of this movie that Silent Hill:Revelations seems to have ba-
ed itself upon. Although the ensemble of actors has plenty of potential in the likes of Sean Bean, Kit Harington and Adelaide Clemens, the cast never really connects with each other; even after 30-plus minutes of shocking pronouncements, no explanation has been offered for why we should care about any of these characters or anything that happens to them. It is not helped by a very weak script.
The ensemble of actors has plenty of potential in the likes of Sean Bean, Kit Harington and Adelaide Clemens The script does not seem to allow for any character development, it seems to be replaced by lengthy speeches, the purpose being what appears to be to educate the view-
FILM NEWS IN BRIEF - Singing and zombies is just a taster of what we can expect from The World’s End - the conclusion of the Blood & Ice Cream Trilogy
16 FILM&TV
Friday 9 November 2012 Spark*
film.spark@reading.ac.uk
FILM&TV
Hotel Transylvania: come for the cast, stay for the jokes Directed by: Genndy Tartakovsky Starring: Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez & Andy Samberg Runtime: 91 mins Genre: Family Comedy Nathan Taylor
Hotel Transylvania annoyed the hell out of me. When I went to see it, I was expecting a crappy animated film that I could then belittle mercilessly in my review and hopefully make Adam Sandler cry. After I laughed out loud five times in the first five minutes of the thing, I was forced to concede that my review was going to have to be a positive one. After losing his wife to an angry mob of villagers, Count Dracula (Adam Sandler) builds a secret hotel as a way to hide his daughter from the humans and their murderous ways – eventually converting it into a five-star resort where all of his fellow freaks can vacation in peace.
Charlotte Coster
A short century later, Mavis Dracula (Selena Gomez) is all grown up and is excited to leave her refuge and experience the real world, while her father is terrified of what the humans will do to her and desperately tries to convince her to stay. It’s like Tangled, except without the emotional abuse. Anyway, a human called Johnny (Andy Samberg) stumbles onto the hotel by accident, he and Mavis fall in love and Dracula spends the rest of the film trying to make Johnny leave and take his humanity with him. The jokes are great and very well-timed, usually just a few seconds long. If you enjoyed the Penguins from the Madagascar series, that’s the kind of humour you can expect from Hotel Transylvania. Like a lot of animated films nowadays, Hotel Transylvania contains a lot of dirty jokes designed to go over the heads of the impressionable children watching. David Spade, in particular, performs a lot of lewdly funny actions and statements that would have surely lost them their PG rating if it weren’t for the fact that the character he plays is invisible.
Which isn’t to say that the film is pure comedy gold. Far from it, you will undoubtably cringe more than once at the more embarrassing bits: the obligatory reference to Twilight shoehorned in at the last minute, the grievous abuse of autotune used to make the cast sing and, hell, the whole final segment is enough to drive a lesser man to leave the theatre before the credits roll. However, the laughs vastly outnumber the groans and
Adam Sandler’s awful attempt at rapping is worth sitting through to put up with the rest of the movie. On that note, the cast of this film features more stars than the hotel it’s named after. Not only is Hotel Transylvania voice-acted entirely by famous actors but, for some reason, it features a bunch of famous musicians such as Cee Lo Green and Selena Gomez.
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As I am studying to be a teacher, I always tend to watch programmes such as Waterloo Road, wishing that teaching was actually like that. Bad Education was no different. I really wish it was possible for a teacher (Jack Whitehall) and headmaster (Matthew Horne) to be that bad and actually manage to keep a hold of their job. But, admittedly, a realistic depiction of teaching would not necessarily make a very interesting programme and Bad Education is anything but boring.
The show, over the 6 episodes followed the trials and tribulations of Alfie Wickers (Whitehall) as he attempted to fulfil his schooling duties which included a disastrous parents evening and a school trip that didn’t quite go to plan. Unless getting drunk off mini bottles of
10) Funny Games (1997) This movie fills the audience with overwhelming dread and horror, despite containing no onscreen violence. Prepare to be asked many questions from Funny Games’ clinical villains. 9) Requiem (2005) A drama based on actual events focusing on a girl who believes she is demonically possessed. The filmmakers make no attempt to judge her beliefs.
7) The Lives of Others (2006) A wonderful spy thriller and human drama that beat Pan’s Labyrinth for the Foreign Language Oscar.
of an abnormally tactless head who is very far removed from the often stiff characters who we have all personally experienced when we were at school. Solemani too must get a mention for her humorous portrayal of her deliciously passionate character who is accidentally very funny throughout the episodes!
Malibu and releasing a pig into the wild was all planned part of the education? At the same time, he was trying to impress Miss Guliver (Sarah Solemani) which of course, backfired in a spectacularly embarrassing way every time he tried. Especially when he was relying on the kids to help him. Brilliantly written by Jack Whitehall; you can see his humour shining throughout the script. He characterises each of the individuals perfectly, giving a realistically
Matthew Crowe
8) Wings of Desire (1987) Come for the cameo by Columbo, stay for the mesmerising story of an Angel wishing to be human again, for the love of a woman.
TV review: Bad Education
The public loved it, even if the critics didn’t!
The Top 10 German movies that don’t mention WW2
human portrayal in their reactions to the events, even if this isn’t likely to actually happen in a school. However, the character that he plays is very similar to the bumbling posh schoolboy that he depicts in Fresh Meat, showing that he is perhaps a little type cast. Matthew Horne, on the other hand, gives a very good performance as the gangster headmaster and is perhaps the funniest character in the series. Totally endearing, the audience loves his representation
Brilliantly written by Jack Whitehall, you can see his humour shining throughout the script Generally, the reviews that Bad Education have received have absolutely slated it. However, I don’t think that this programme deserves the amount of bad press that it has got! Yes, there are some aspects that are not great but the public loved it, even if the critics didn’t! And I for one, will be glad when it’s back on our screens sometime next year.
6) Run Lola Run (1998) Although a seemingly ‘Ronseal’ title, don’t be fooled. This is a time-loop story; a meditation of the consequences of decision making. It’s also pretty badass. 5) Metropolis (1927) Containing spectacular special effects for an age without computers, the message of class warfare in this operatic and influential Scifi is still relevant today. 4) M (1931) Headed by an incredible villain in Franz Becker (Peter Lorre), ‘M’ has inspired everything from social dramas to Detective Thrillers. Still a sight to behold. 3) Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972) A surreal parable of Nature vs. Man, the beauty of “Aguirre” is there from the first shot. Inspiration from Apocalypse Now. 2) Nosferatu (1922) The original Dracula movie. Although almost parodied to (double) death, the image of Nosferatu’s shadow climbing up the stairs still possesses the power to scare. 1) Fitzcarraldo (1982) The 340 ton boat in Fitzcarraldo was pulled up the side of a mountain FOR REAL. This “passion” can be felt throughout Werner Herzog’s masterpiece.
FILM NEWS IN BRIEF - with the news that Disney has picked up Star Wars (more next issue!), Harrison Ford has said he is open to returning as Han Solo
Spark* Friday 9 November 2012
Zoë Annabel Richardson
HBO’s Girls has claimed great critical success in recent months and, with it finally starting its run on Sky Atlantic, it is definitely worth the watch. Whilst obvious comparisons with HBO’s previous ‘4 Females having sex in New York’ show, Sex and the City, are bound to be drawn, the writer is aware of this and references the futility of this comparison in the first episode.
Girls has claimed great critical success In each of the characters there are relatable traits. The show focuses primarily on Hannah, which can be expected as it is the semi-autobiographical accounts of the lead actress/writer/director of the show, Lena Dunham. She is self-delusional, occasionally selfish, sleeping with a man who treats her like a sex toy and plays with her feelings like they’re nothing, as well as struggling to find work. Marni, her best friend and roommate, has a far more together, organised life but is bored in a relationship with an overbearing boyfriend. Jessa, the fun, wild
film.spark@reading.ac.uk
TV review: Girls
English friend with no boundaries, but also no direction in life, is a joy to watch. Her cousin, Shoshanna, comes off as annoying in the pilot but her nervousness and wanting to please and “fit in” with the older girls comes through as the series progresses. It shows girls as imperfect and not shiny, openly talking about their sexual exploits (or lack of in terms of the frustrated and sweet Shoshanna) and doesn’t sugar coat issues like abortion and STDs.
ish nature is often brought up by her friends, coming to a head in a very well-written and performed argument scene with Marni near the end of the series. Rather than these qualities being ignored and the audience accepting that these are rational, lauded ways for a hu-
Heidi Lockwood
To some, acronyms such as TOWIE, MIC and JS make their blood boil. However, for many, these programmes, notoriously labelled ‘trash’ TV, are the ones being series linked, sky plused and religiously watched online. As University students we are expected, more so than other people our age, to feel compelled to watch academic documentaries, to enjoy BBC News and to switch off Big Brother when Naked Science: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Tsunamis starts on the National Geographic channel. I do not doubt that for some this is the case; but for many, myself includ-
friends acted that that, or involved in similar situations. If you want a well-written, humorous and occasionally tragic show to watch, try Girls. This ten episode first series is a joy to watch, with the second series airing early next year.
In each of the characters there are relatable traits Obviously a show called Girls with all the main characters being female may seem like it is alienating its male audience, but the issues covered affect both genders. And yes, whilst the majority of male characters are the boyfriends or sexual interests for the girls, they aren’t just written as “the boyfriend.” They have their own characters beyond that, especially as the series progresses. If Hannah is this decade’s Carrie, she is a far more piteous creature, her flaws are evident and her self-
Feature article: trash TV Your Secret Guilty Pleasures!
man being, regardless of gender, are meant to act. The storylines are relatable and enjoyable, the characters approachable and realistic; you will no doubt see characters or situations and remember fondly, or ominously, times you and your
FILM&TV 17
ed, the prospect of turning off Big Brother or any other ‘trash’ television programme for something considered more educational, seems unparallel. But who can blame us? These educational programmes just do not offer us the thought provoking and inspiring one liners that trash TV does. For instance: ‘Business is a jungle, but I love animals’, are the wise words uttered by Francis Boulle, the millionaire diamond investor in Made In Chelsea. ‘Let’s get mortal’ and ‘It’s T-shirt time’, the intellectual catchphrases offered to us by Geordie Shore and Jersey Shore. Along with everyone’s favourite or most loathed ‘Don’t be jel, be reem’ (Essex 2010).
Who can blame us?! Whether you admit to enjoying or even watching these ‘reality’ programmes, it is undeniable that they have become a permanent fixture in many students’ TV schedule. But why should we feel embarrassed to admit that we are a little bit excited that the new season of MIC is airing soon? Or when we remember it is a Wednesday or Sunday (meaning TOWIE will be gracing our screens at
This fortnight at the RFT... Student Tickets: £4.50 The Reading Film Theatre was established 40 years ago as an independant cinema with a policy to show the best films from around the world. With a mix of mainstream films and independant cinema, as well as foreign-language films, there is something for everyone and all are welcome. Below is a listing of showings for the upcoming fortnight... Tuesday 13th November, 8:00pm Even the Rain (15) Shown as part of University of Reading’s Green Week. Obsessive idealist Sebastian has sworn to direct a film about one of the world’s most iconic figures, Christopher Columbus. Thursday 15th November, 8:00pm Free Men (12A) This true story of WWII occupied France looks at what it is to be French, Jewish or Muslim. But most of all it explores what it is to be true to yourself.
10pm)? With how hard we work on academic essays, exams and dissertations, why should we not be allowed to enjoy this innocent sense of escapism? We should celebrate the fact that we are well-rounded enough to manage the expectations set on us as University of Reading students, yet still appreciate popular cultured television shows. For now however it is okay if these particular programmes remain your secret guilty pleasure.
Tuesday 20th November, 8:00pm The Angel’s Share (15) Robbie is a young new father who vows to go straight after narrowly avoiding a prison sentence. On a Community Service session, he and his new-found friends visit a distillery where he finds he has an aptitude for whisky tasting.
Prices: Members £4.50 Non-members £6.00 Annual Membership £10.00
FILM NEWS IN BRIEF - Skyfall has not only been a huge critical success but it smashed box office records with the biggest-ever seven day gross of £37.2m
18 MUSIC
Friday 9 November 2012 Spark*
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music
REVIEWS
Flying Lotus Until The Quiet Comes Warp
Richard Petty
Steven Ellison started his career off making simple hip hop bangers in the vein of his idol J Dilla, but he’s now adapted his style to follow in a lineage of greats. Flylo’s great aunt was Alice Coltrane, wife of legendary jazz saxophonist John, and their influence has clearly rubbed off on the Los Angeles native here to form a synthesis of free jazz with glitch hip-hop production. Ellison owns one of the most instantly recognisable styles around, and straight from the off you know it’s his work. The first track incorporates several skipping effects, at first making you question if there’s something’s wrong with your copy, and his usual art of not quantinizing his drums, i.e. placing his kicks and snares off beat by a whisker, providing a wonky and unstable feel to proceedings and keeping you on your toes. Whereas elements often sounded cluttered on Cosmogramma, Ellison’s previous album, here he uses space to great effect, keeping things simple and stripped back but still catchy, distilling simply down to what is required. This is often a few piano chords, strings or a wonky synth with his always excellent skittering and spliced drum tracks supporting underneath. Tracks build slowly and Ellis puts his collaborators to good use, weaving their vocals in and out of his tracks, applying echo and filters so that rather than sounding like separate entities they merge into his instrumentals and form a singular soundscape. Thundercat, whose virtuoso bass runs can be heard throughout the album providing the low end of things supplies vocals to the tranquil and beatless piece DMT, presumably an ode to the psychedelic drug, whilst a virtually
FlyLo dazzles on his fourth full-length
unrecognisable Radiohead’s Thom Yorke pops up in Electric Candyman. Heave(n) has been around for a while now in various forms and it finally appears on a fulllength here, lush strings intertwining with skittering percussion. This album solidifies Ellison’s position as one of the most talented, versatile and proficient producers around, and he’s still under 30. His development has been staggering, and long may it continue: May the quiet never come.
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album you can drive around to whilst wearing dark glasses and feeling like a boss, and jazzy vibes performed by a man who’ll make you feel like you’re very sexy (undeniable truth), buy this album. I know I will – I already know half of the words. Eugene McGuinness has truly created a niche for himself in today’s music scene, and I don’t doubt that many avid listeners will be keeping an eye and an ear pointed towards it. Probably blowing kisses in his general direction, too.
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Eugene McGuinness The Invitation to the Voyage Domino
Laura Demaude
If catchy guitar riffs, electro synths and beautiful cockney voices are your thing; The Invitation to the Voyage, the new album from British singer-songwriter Eugene McGuinness, deserves a rather hefty space on your retro musical device. It is clear to me, after listening (repeatedly) to Eugene’s genius tracks that these are the things he truly does best, the cherry on the cake being his lyrical mastery that verges on poetry. Certainly, this is not an album to be ignored if you have ears and you want to treat them. It is forty minutes worth of pure energy, the stand-out tracks being Shotgun (containing a surprise famous movie theme tune, making him even more smooth if that were possible) and Thunderbolt, which successfully heralds all the things I value most in a track – a relentlessly changeable beat, perfect honeyed voice and amazing lyrics that make you skip back to hear them over and over agai. His conviction in his words is incredibly raw in his slow-movers, not as blood-pumping as his faster tracks but still notable in their own right, particularly evident in Joshua this is an artist who truly believes in what he’s saying, an artist that shies away from chart conventions and is solely unique in his expressivity. Always a good thing, particularly so when you want to be on your feet and jiving as a result of what they’ve created. Bizarrely, McGuinness manages to combine his uncontained artistry with logic (something I certainly rarely manage) and each track runs seamlessly into the next. All those looking for potential Bond-anthems, an
Egyptian Hip Hop Good Don’t Sleep R&S Records
Charles Allenby
With the four-piece from Manchester being on the cusp of something big a couple years ago, Egyptian Hip Hop seemed to disappear beneath their own hype, seemingly never to surface again. However, it was announced on the twittersphere earlier this year that an album was finished and it would be coming soon. After an enduring year of being dropped and then signed to the electronic label R&S, the LP from the quartet eventually sees the light of day, but has it been worth the wait? The band have been a ‘one to watch’ since their synth-pop Hudson Mohawke produced EP Reptiles Grew Wings was released in 2010, but are they going to reach the heights of those such as other ‘ones’ Django Django and Alt-J off of the back of this new release? The answer to both of those questions in short: probably not. Within their debut album, the band have attempted to move away from their undeveloped, raw sound that shot them to underground fame two years ago. In its place they have developed a record that doesn’t leave a lasting imprint on
the mind. In the music itself you can hear nods to the forefathers of the deep, moody synth-pop genre - bands such as The Cure and Cocteau Twins. Present day acts such as Foals circa Total Life Forever, fellow Mancs Wu Lyf and the now disbanded Late Of The Pier are also obvious influences. However, rather than picking up the progressive torch and leading the way forward, Egyptian Hip Hop are a poor imitation of the above mentioned; awkwardly stumbling their way through their debut release as though they been forced to write it in no time at all - let alone taking two years to create a final product. Ask me what any of the songs sound like after a couple of listens and I honestly couldn’t even hum you one. I understand that these sort of records aren’t necessarily supposed to be catchy, but you are certainly not left with an urge to go back for a second listen. The best song on the entire album is probably the opener Tobago, with its trippy underlying synth melody that pulsates throughout the song, and its dreamy, repetitive guitar licks, overlapped with the lead singer Alex Hewett’s distant mutterings. But again, there are bands, such as Holy Fu*k, who have done this sort of song before.
The album starts to slide downhill after the opening track The album starts to slide downhill after this opening track, with it losing all consistency and any structure that it may have started off with. Even the first single from the album SYH is a poor attempt to create a poppy song. The Mancunian four piece have stopped doing what they did well in their previous release, and have created an album that leaves you questioning what the initial hype was about. After two years working on this, the band have maybe spent too long on trying to mature their sound. If their debut had been released two years ago at the peak of their powers, this record may make more sense. Two years is a long time in music, and there have been a lot of changes in the style of up and coming producers and bands. Unfortunately for Egyptian Hip Hop, music hasn’t stood still.
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Panama It’s Not Over Future Classic
Rachel Pilcher
Put together the electronic sound of 80s pop and a modern summer anthem and you’ll probably have the sound of Australian five-piece Panama. Creating a sound that sounds both retro and current simultaneously is a hard feat, but Panama seem to have it spot on, with songs that wouldn’t sound out of place in the coolest clubs then and now. From the opening synths of Heartbeat, you’re taken to a place where the sun is shining and the alcohol is free flowing. Though the melody seems simple on first listens, it’s actually packed with layers of synths, keys, drumbeats that mould perfectly together and complement the layered vocals. Magic, the first single from the EP, sounds like something we might expect from the likes of Friendly Fires, and a song you might listen to the morning after the night before. More synth focused than Heartbeat, the vocals, however good they are, seem to take a backseat for this track, the complex and hypnotising music speaking for itself.
you’re taken to a place where the sun is shining and the alcohol is free flowing One Piece brings up the tempo, this is the track that really makes you feel like you’ve gone back in time – in a good way of course. Listen once, and there’s no doubt you’ll be singing “It brings us back together/one piece at a time” for days. Along with title track It’s Not Over, it’s one of the rare songs on the EP that brings variety with the melody, with small breaks in the main melody to break up the song. Ending on a high, We Have Love is an upbeat, happy track that really sums up what Panama seem to be about – fun, dancing and 80s. You can smell the cocktails and feel the sun with every song on this EP – perfect for forgetting those winter blues. If you need to relieve the disco years or are bored with looking at the dreary November skies, whack this on. You’ll be on the beach in no time.
HHHH
Spark* Friday 9 November 2012
music.spark@reading.ac.uk
SINGLES
ing the feeling that you are seeing the band live. The introduction hooks you into the song and then it’s three minutes of catchy choruses and a Pixies-inspired bass line. This is another fantastic single from this young band that already seems to have found their sound, and their audience. We all should expect big things from them.
luv luv luv
richard lewington
Splashh only formed in February of this year, and they’ve already released several singles and amassed a small army of dedicated followers. This London-based quartet blend the melodic vibes of surf rock with understated vocals that bring bands like Yuck or Dinosaur Jr. to mind.
This is another fantastic single from this young band. With this new single Splashh stick with the same formula. The vocals are quiet and echoed, creat-
LIVE
Oxjam Festival Saturday October 20 2012 Lotte Hoebeek Reading, Various Venues
When I got tickets to go to the Oxjam Festival I was excited to go. As an international student I had never heard of the festival and the idea to mix fundraising with music seemed fun. Combine that with the fact that the bands were playing at
over the next five months.
HHHHH Shinies Ennui Dirty Bingo records
jake polden
HHHH Splashh Vacation
Conventional Weapons is set to be released two tracks at a time
My Chemical Romance Boy Division reprise
rhys williams
Beginning with screamed vocals and bursting with thick power chords, this track starts hard and doesn’t let up through its aggressive verses and driving chorus, glorious both melodically and lyrically. This explosive return to form sounds like it could belong on any of MCR’s first three albums and fit like a glove, being both heavy enough for their first, catchy enough for their second and poetic enough for the third. This track has left me very excited about what the rest of this latest album has to offer, and may well be the only song I play for the next week or so.
If you’ve enjoyed the likes of Howler and Toy over the last few months then second single Ennui by new boys Shinies will be up your street. Despite its name the song is far from boring, displaying a distorted and frenetic melody atop almost nonexistent vocals, an effect that, although different, certainly works. Nostalgically channelling a time where “boredom never existed and summers would last forever” the Manchester three-piece have succeeded in creating something modern, without entirely abandoning the musical roots of their home city. If this single is anything to go by then the album is certainly one to look out for. Check out the video which sees 90s DJ Pat Sharp beaten unconscious before being set alight aboard a raft. Make of it what you will.
HHHHH
MUSIC 19
OPINION
A guide to Mercury Prize winners Alt-J Jamie Cherian
From their recent success at the Mercury Music awards, Alt-J (∆) may have completely passed you by without notice, but should you be interested? Alt-J (∆) consists of Gwil Sainsbury all met at Leeds University in 2007. It was an Apple mac that kick-started their vision, with Joe and Gwil recording music in their halls, on the software ‘Garage Band’.
It’s clear that Alt-J have a longevity to them. Pinning down the genre of the music Alt-J (∆) can prove difficult, just as well their style has been labelled with the term ‘folk step’. A blend of acoustic and electric guitars, combined with a heavy synth drive and powerful bass undercurrents, as well as a final layer of intricate falsetto harmonies. What is easy to pin down though, is their attention to melody which makes each song independent from the other. The stand out track of the album is Something Good with its simple drum beat, a looping guitar
riff that leads into hypnotic piano pattern which crescendo’s into an irresistible pop infused chorus. Interlude 2 which preludes Something Good is by contrast a single guitar melody , stripped back from everything else and could easily be an introduction to a folk song with its catchy simplicity. Another hit Tessellate, begins with pronounced sustained piano chords, punchy drumming and progresses with dream like synth effects. Varying even further, ‘Interlude 1 (the ripe and ruin)’ my personal favourite, features haunting harmonies that resonate poignantly and require nothing to accompany their voices. Like the xx, Alt-J (∆) aren’t afraid of using a little silence in places and this adds to their allure. My only criticism is that the album slowly fizzles out after the 8th song; the last 6 lose the intensity of the first 8. You may say Alt-J (∆) are just another indie band attempting something new and to a certain extent there may be some truth in that, but unlike other bands who have tried and failed, it’s clear that Alt-J have a longevity to them. They fully deserve the accolade for best album in the Mercury Music Prize and this should be their spring board for national recognition.
Spark* Music visits the local Oxjam festival all-dayer
six different locations of which I only knew the Oakford Social Club, and I figured it would be like going on a pub crawl with friends for a good cause. The six locations were the Oakford Social Club, Purple Turtle, Red Lion, MILK, Pavlov’s Dog, and Rising Sun. The bands that were playing were mostly from the local area, and the first bands started to play at 12 pm. Diligent as I am I arrived at the Oakford Social Club half an hour
before the day officially started only to find that the club was still closed and that they opened at 12 pm. One of the volunteers noticed the program in my hand, which I cut out of the Spark article on this festival a few weeks ago, and asked me how I got a program, as he did not even have one; perhaps I should have taken this as a sign of the afternoon and evening to come. Walking around city centre the distinct lack of any adverts signalling that this is event was taking place and where it was taking place was perhaps again a sign. Also, how was I supposed to find the other bars now? Luckily they sold a program booklet which included a small map inside with all the locations so I was not completely lost as to where the other locations were and how to get there (I think they were anticipating people like me). However, I think they lost a way of drawing attention to themselves by not doing this. This was evident in the number of people attending during the day. We started off in the Oakford Social Club where The Papers were performing. The
audience was made up of members of other bands who were up after The Papers, friends of the band members, and the few people who like me like are not good at arriving fashionably late at parties. The band was good but not really suitable for a gig at noon without an enthusiastic and engaging audience. After that we went to MILK. The singer songwriter performing there was not that good, and to make matters worse there wasn’t much audience. So leaving would have made a really big statement, one I was not willing to make so I patiently waited until the end before I left. Next location was the Purple Turtle. Unfortunately, it was not the (lack of) audience that caused problems. I don’t know if they used non-professional volunteers to do the sound mixing, but initially the band that was playing appeared to have no vocals. It turns out that the microphone was switched off. Not that it was an improvement when it was switched on. Luckily things started to turn around when we got to Pavlov’s Dog. There were a decent amount of people and the
music was good. Marisa Rodriguez was one of the few noteworthy performers of the festival. She alternated between her own songs and covers of among others Damien Rice. She is definitely one to keep in mind if you like singer songwriter music. We closed the day off with a visit at the Rising Sun. By then, people were finally starting to arrive and the atmosphere was good. The music was really good as well. Especially The Jar Family (pictured left). Their performance was lively and fun to watch and their indie folk influenced music was really good, and I certainly recommend them! All in all, this day was not as much fun as I hoped it would be. The idea is good, the music was not all bad, but the organisation and advertising could have been better. According to their website, their goal was to raise £8,000. As of now, no final amount is mentioned either on their Facebook page or their website. I hope they at least managed to reach their goal and perhaps they will do better next year.
20 MUSIC
music.spark@reading.ac.uk
LIVE
Friday 9 November 2012 Spark*
Our exSpectationsor were met - they were good rowdy crowd even creating what the band claims to be their first moshpit.
Spector are a band benefitting from the hype machine
Spector Friday October 26 2012 adam szpala sub89, reading
Returning to Reading not long after playing the NME tent at the festival, Spector arrived with their own album released and two very capable bands in tow. First up were LULS, who only recently released their debut single, yet played with confidence to a supporting, albeit small crowd due to their early stage time. For a three-piece band they create a big sound – the dual vocals working well adding layers to each song. There is a lot of potential in this band, and Swing Low, their single,
Labrinth Saturday October 20 2012
showcases their talents, one of their few songs already sounding a lot better than most bands output throughout their entire careers. From the flourishing Birmingham scene, the main support act for the night was Swim Deep. Recently signed to a subsidiary of RCA, Chess Club records, the group of 20 year old boys take this gig to the next level. This is not to say LULS weren’t good, quite the opposite, but Swim Deep play to a much larger crowd and keep them bouncing throughout. Their grunge influenced sound seems very familiar, meaning the songs are instantly likeable. The largest reaction is saved for their most well-known song, Honey, with the
which, I am sure, they will become famed for.
siobhan maguire
He has a capacity to brixton academy, london
When I arrived the venue was packed. The main hall was already full around the stage with the biggest fans asserting their position for when the main act appeared. I took my place, now feeling the atmosphere beginning to soak in. The opening support act, Etta Bond burst onto the large stage, and for a single artist, did not fail to fill it. Joined by DJ Emergency Room, the two performed a brilliant set which showcased their music and asserted their style for
elevate the mood and unite his audience After such an energetic opening I can safely say that I expected to wait patiently for the main act to appear, early though it was. The second support act of the night, D’Banj followed. Not being a massive fan of his hit, Oliver, I was not entirely bothered about the set, until he began. It is easy to see why D’Banj is such a popular act in his home country. He has a capacity
Last to take the stage were the band everyone had been waiting for. Spector arrive in groups of two, before charismatic frontman Fred McPherson takes the stage. He is known for having the crowd in the palm of his hand and it is instantly clear that this gig was going to be no exception. In between songs the crowd hung on his every word before going into the next song. Spector are a band benefitting from the hype machine with their meteoric rise in the past year, and it is remarkable how tight they sound. With most songs played at a lightning pace, slower numbers such as Lay Low provide a respite for the crowd and allow Fred to show off his vocal abilities that are often forgotten in place of his stage patter. Personal favourites of the night were Celestine and Chevy Thunder, but from the reaction of the almost rabid crowd, Spector could have played almost anything and got the same wild response.
to elevate the mood and unite his audience as he darted around the stage, willing us to clap and sing along to his songs. After two sensational acts I was definitely in a better mood, and the main stage was gradually becoming busier as the suspense built around the main act, Labrinth. The stage itself was packed with various equipment. Guitars, keyboards, even Macs and the crew were darting on and off the stage in preparation. And then, Labrinth exploded onto the stage, and the audience exploded with him. Beginning with Last Time, the crowd immediately joined Labrinth, singing every word and jumping with excitement, myself included.
Our writers Adam Szpala, Rhys Williams and Jake Hansle had a chat with Swim Deep backstage before the show.
members but now we’ve all been together for a while. We know what to do with our sound. And now we’ve got an album to record.
How has it been touring with Spector, any personal highlights? Zachary: It’s been so amazing Austin: We stage dived to Chevy Thunder the other night in Leeds, best stage dive I’ve ever done. That was probably the highlight.
How much have things changed since you signed to Chess Club Records? Austin: Not much, I mean I’ve changed my boxer shorts. [Laughs] I guess the motive has changed a lot because before we got signed the motive was to get signed. Zachary: I think we’ve become less lazy as a band. We act more like it’s our jobs now rather than something alongside our jobs. Austin: Yeah, it’s more serious now. We want to make an album. Before, there was no way we could have made an album so now since we got signed we can focus on moving forward past there.
How did it all start for you guys? Austin: I met Higgy in Morrisons and we just wanted to get out of that hole so I started a band, and then I asked him if he wanted to be in it. We were in lots of sh*t bands. Then we met these two [Cavan & Zachary] on a night out. We came together, made the band and now we’re here.
I met Higgy in Morrisons and we just wanted to get out of that hole How did you find your sound? Austin: We took influence from a lot of things, but when we started jamming and writing our own songs, that’s how we got to our own sound. We’ve had interchanging Labrinth put on an impressive performance. Feeding off the crowd’s energy, he did not lapse once, providing a spectacular show. He performed a set of thirteen songs, most of which were from his debut album, Electronic Earth, however it was refreshing to hear a selection of them performed differently. Labrinth displayed his range of musical talents by mixing his sound throughout the gig, and eliminating the techno vibe for which he is so well-known. He performed the song Sundown simply sat on a stool with an acoustic guitar; the set slowed for just a bit, and allowed the audience to catch their breath.
Labrinth exploded onto the stage As the gig continued, Labrinth persisted with unrelenting vigor, playing some of his most wellknown songs, like Express Yourself and Let The Sun Shine. He also surprised the audience with his personal renditions of Tinie Tempah’s Pass Out and Frisky, on which he featured and which contributed to his stardom. As the gig was drawing to a close, I was waiting for the two songs which I had come to see performed, but then Labrinth left the
As well as the end of this tour, you’ve announced your own headline tour and dates supporting Mystery Jets. Where are you most looking forward to playing? Austin: We’re playing a date in Italy on my birthday weekend next year but we don’t think we’ve announced that yet, but we’re looking forward to that. Cavan: Also the last day of our tour in Brighton as headliners, too. We’ll make that a big one. stage, inevitably pushing for an encore. So the audience chanted, and after just minutes, he returned to finish with two songs. Starting with his number one single, Beneath Your Beautiful, there was anticipation over who would join him to perform the part of Emeli Sande. But on this occasion, there was no replacement as the lady herself joined Labrinth for a spectacular rendition of the beautiful single. It could not have got any better until the final song and crowd favourite Earthquake, began. The fans erupted and I was swept along with the rise and fall as it bounced. Labrinth could have easily pulled off the performance without any further surprises; however he impressed everyone when Wretch 32 joined him on stage, and then Tinie Tempah himself emerged to perform the rap section of the single.
He displayed his range of musical talents The buzz was unbelievable, and I could not believe how elevated the whole crowd seemed. An incomparable atmosphere and epic performances made Labrinth’s gig at the O2 Academy in Brixton a truly memorable evening.
marketing@rusu.co.uk
ADVERTISEMENT 21
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Spark* Friday 9 November 2012
22 ARTS&BOOKS
arts.spark@reading.ac.uk
Friday 9 November 2012 Spark*
Arts&BOOKS Pre-RaphaelitesVictorian Avant Garde Tate Britain, 12th September13 January 2013 £15.50 (£13.50) – Free for Members and Patrons Ellen North-Row
“The Tate Britain’s commanding exhibition flourishes with artistic brilliance while exposing the underlying themes of sin, corruption and power in the Victorian era”
the Brotherhood were successful in bringing a new beauty and vision to British art The Tate Britain has been taken over this autumn by the politically radical and socially charged PreRaphaelite exhibition. Founded in 1848 by William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, known as the PreRaphaelite Brotherhood (PRB), the movement attracted the attention of the art world. A romantic display of vivid colour, meticulous attention to detail and the desire to ‘…return to Nature and a renunciation of academic practices’, the Brotherhood were successful in bringing a new beauty and vision to British art. Their ‘artistic aim was to return to the simplicity of paintings before the time of the Italian High Renaissance artist, Raphael’. Pre-Raphaelite art focused on realism, symbolism and expressed ‘…poetic, moral or religious subject matter’. The movement was said to be avant-garde in its highly experimental state, with William Morris describing it as a revolutionary campaign against the age. The exhibition re-introduces a vast array of over 180 different works of the sensual, sensitive and sincere masterpieces of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. From
Millais’ haunting, romantic escapism in his grand detailed oil painting of Ophelia, which is one of the most captivating works in the exhibition, to William Morris’ beautiful patterned textiles in which he communicates the principles of nineteenth-century design into the material realm of social reality and experience Morris wanted nothing more than to convey the pleasures of a simple life and worked with tiles, furniture, embroidery, stainedglass, printed and woven textiles as well as carpets and tapestry. The exhibition has many dimensions to it with its large Morris carpets, Christina Rossetti poetry and ethereal paintings by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Rossetti was trying to revive ‘the purity and sincerity in British painting’. His exceptional portrait reveals the power of woman’s beauty in The Beloved and the way in which the light falls illuminates her skin with ‘emotional clarity’ that is expected of Pre-Raphaelite art.
appreciate the sheer amount of talent and beauty all in one exhibition The Pre-Raphaelite exhibition is divided into seven rooms; Origins and Manifesto, History, Nature, Salvation, Beauty, Paradise and Mythologies, demonstrating the widely encompassing, different sectors that inspire such an admired and respected movement in art history to date, in response to a fast-changing religious and political backdrop. It is definitely worth a trip to the Tate Britain, London, to appreciate the sheer amount of talent and beauty all in one exhibition!
Top five Pre-Raphaelite paintings 1. Ophelia John Everett Millais 2. Beata Beatrix Dante Gabri el Rossetti 3. Lady of Shalott John William Waterhouse 4. Proserpine Dante Gabriel Rossetti 5. Beguiling of Merlin Edward Burne-Jones
Top five Pre-Raphaelite painters 1. Dante Gabriel Rossetti 2. John Everett Millais 3. John William Waterhouse 4. William Holman Hunt 5. Edward Burne-Jones (In accordance to the Tate poll)
Spark* Friday 9 November 2012
arts.spark@reading.ac.uk
ARTS&BOOKS 23
Economics and animal spirits... Review on ‘Animal Spirits’ By George A. Akerlof and Robert J. Shiller John Williams
Animal spirits is an economic term that refers to ‘a restless and inconsistent element in the economy’. Akerlof and Shiller use the first part of the book to describe five aspects of animal spirits and the effect that they are capable of having on economic decisions. The first chapter of the book is named ‘Confidence and Its Multipliers’. Confidence is described as ‘implying behaviour that goes beyond a rational approach to decision making’. The book suggests that confidence is key to how much people consume as well as being important in how much they withdraw and sell. Historical economical events are used to support this claim, for example The Tulip Bubble of the seventeenth century. Standard economic theory suggests that people make important decision based on rational thought, however Animal Spirits suggests otherwise. The authors suggests that confidence is a far more important factor in decision making, quoting John F. Welch the CEO of General Electric who said that the most important decisions are mad “straight from the gut”. Later in the chapter the authors describe the Confidence Multiplier and the work of John R. Hicks that argues that when people overreacted to a stock market crash, which causes a in loss confidence, it will act like a negative government stimulus. Chapter two is titled ‘Fairness’. The authors suggest that fairness is very important to people and can sometimes exceed the influence of pure economic motives, supporting there theory with the work of Daniel Kahneman, Jack Knetsch and Richard Thaler. Using a questionnaire they showed that people on average are willing to pay 75% more for beer in a nice hotel than from beer in a rundown grocery store even when the two beers are identical. People do this because they see it as unfair for the grocery store to charge the same price as the hotel. This is a powerful example of how fairness can overpower rational economic thought.
particularly interesting because it suggests that one of the most important factors in saving is not economic at all. Chapter eleven is titled ‘Why Are Financial Prices and Corporate Investment So Volatile?’ During this chapter Akerlof and Shiller use a metaphor to explain one reason for this volatility. The metaphor explains that if competitors were to pick the six prettiest faces from a hundred photographs and whoever choices came closest to the average preference would win. In order to win in this situation it is better to pick the faces that you think other people would have picked. The authors then draw parallels between this and the stock market. As in the beauty contest, ‘in the short run one does not win by picking the company most likely to succeed in the long run, but by picking the company most likely to have a high market value in the short run’. This seems likely as people are far more likely to take risks if the reward for doing so is great, especially if the reward comes in the short term. This is similar to the perverse incentives provided by banker’s bonus, why be concerned with the long run if you can make millions in the short run?
Chapter three address the third aspect of animal spirits which is ‘Corruption and Bad Faith’. The chapter begins by describing one significant down side with capitalism. A capitalist system will produce what people think they need and not what that they actually need. The goods and services that people think they need and what they do need could be one and the same however there is no reason why this must be the case. Ankerlof and Shiller use the example that capitalism created chocolate milk and that ‘The commissars of Soviet Moscow would never have deigned to produce chocolate milk’.
Animal spirits must adapt as human behaviour changes and people can be unpredictable Later in the chapter the authors use the example of Enron Corporation to illustrate how corruption can affect a company. Even though Enron suffered from corruption an economist using standard economic theory would say that the situation was operating in equilibrium. This situation shows how an equilibrium situation does not have to be mutually beneficial for all parties involved. In the penultimate chapter of part one of the book the authors discuses Money Illusion. Money Illusion is seen by Ankerlof and Shiller as ‘another missing ingredient in modern macroeconomics’5 and is said to ‘occur when decisions are influenced by nominal dollar amount’. The chapter begins with a case study of a sign on a Boston commuter train that reads that smoking on the train is punishable by imprisonment for 10 days or by a fine or $50 or both. The regulation was first used in 1968 and since then the real value of the fine has fallen by 80%. According to the authors modern macroeconomics runs on assumptions that people do not have money illusion, this sign on a commuter train is the embodiment of this assumption. Ankerlof and Shiller conclude the chapter by saying that macroeconomics assumption the people can see through inflation ‘seems to be an
extreme assumption. It also seems totally implausible’. Evidence to support this view can be found on page 68. This page shows that during the Great Depression prices fell however real wages continued rise, even above trend growth. This implies that people cannot see through inflation or deflation. The final chapter of part one is called ‘Stories’, stories are the fifth and final aspect of animal spirits that the authors examine in the book. The chapter explains how the human brain ‘is built to think in terms of narratives’ and how human conversation ‘tends to take the form of reciprocal storytelling’. The importance of stories to people is illustrated on page 52 which describes a National Geographic Society project to classify migration patterns of the people of the world using DNA analysis. However aboriginal people do not seem concerned with the genes
they share with other people or the dating of their arrival. This is because the stories that aboriginal people tell would be contradicted by the DNA analysis. This resistance to the DNA project is echoed by other indigenous people around the world. The second part of the book is about eight questions that the authors consider ‘central to our understanding of the stability and functioning of the economy’. In this review I shall examine chapters ten, elven and chapter fourteen, which is the conclusion of the book. Chapter ten, ‘Why is Saving for the Future So Arbitrary?’, uses economic theory as well as psychology to answer this question. One of the most interesting theories in this chapter can be found on page 128-129. The authors suggest that national identity is of major importance when explaining the low saving rate of the US. The author suggest that ‘an American feels that it is fully appropriate to partake of the goods that capitalism provides and make him want to buy’. This contrasted sharply with China’s national identity which is highly pro saving. These differences are reflected in the saving rates of the two countries, China has a far greater saving ratio than the US. This theory is
This theory is particularly interesting because it suggests that one of the most important factors in saving is not economic at all. Chapter fourteen is the conclusion of the book. Akerlof and Shiller believe that it is important to incorporate animal spirits into macroeconomic theory, the reason for this being that the eight questions asked in the previous chapters are easy to answer when animal spirits are taken in to account however there near impossible to answer when relying on standard macroeconomic theory alone. The question must now be is it possible to integrate animal spirits into macroeconomic theory? While I agree with many, if not all, of the theories that Akerlof and Shiller presented in this book the implementation of these theories seems debatable. Animal spirits must adapt as human behaviour changes and people can be unpredictable, can a theory that would have to be incredibly fluid become part of macroeconomic theory?
24 FASHION
fashion.spark@reading.ac.uk
FASHION Luxe-leather: how will you wear it? cicely groom
Ever since Julia Roberts strutted onto the big screen in a pair of thigh-high leather boots in the iconic romance Pretty Woman, this daring, hard-wearing material has become synonymous with bold fashion statements that are oh-so-wrong-they’re-right. In recent years, leather trends have focused more closely on ‘rock chic’ and a sense of dressing to rebel; however, the catwalks of AW 12/13 saw designers give leather a more feminine revival. Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent and Alexander Wang all opted for clean chunks of leather that suggested a move towards purism and androgyny. Here’s three ways to channel leather-luxe: 1: The pencil skirt
Pencil skirts have been huge this season, whether worn casually with an over-sized knit, or paired with a crisp, tailored shirt for classic femininity. Leather seems an unlikely choice for such a sleekfitting style of skirt, however, by contrasting a leather pencil skirt with a delicate blouse and elegant heels, Valentino showed us how versatile leather can be, even in the most classic of outfit combinations. To make this look work for you, choose a simple skirt in a matte-leather finish and don’t overaccessorise! 2: The skinny trouser This interpretation of the leather trend is by far the most accessible to a younger generation and an essential addition to any student wardrobe. Leather skinnies are bound to turn heads on a night out and are just screaming out for some killer heels and a great
pair of legs. Since this is most certainly an evening style, don’t be afraid to opt for a high-gloss, patent finish and a sparkly top – you can’t be too bold with this look. Heels are essential, so leave your flats at home!
One of this season’s biggest staples is the return of faux-fur. Milan fashion week saw the comeback of timeless classics, paired with cutting edge designs. Mulberry’s new A/W collection headlined silky furs, bringing them together into tailored silhouettes, a feminine take on the classic fur coat. Beautiful on the catwalk, yet a wearable concept. Synching fur in at the waist eliminates the risk of looking overdressed, and creates a more feminine silouette. Look for a coat that gives scope for a belt, or has inbuilt panelling to fit the curves of your figure. Try Topshop’s Long Faux Fur Belted Coat, £98. Another new look this season is the introduction of coloured furs (and yes, we’ve all lusted over that TXMaxx advert coat…), which brings together autumns staple hues; burgundy, forest greens, charcoals and mustards, whilst
continuing the classic winter furs. To make this super-wearable, keep the rest of your outfit minimal, in contrast to where the catwalk blends colour throughout, in the real world, everything other than the coat can be toned down. For a season’s best, try Dorothy Perkins’ Red Chubby Fur Jacket, £65. Or, similarly, choose a hue that doesn’t overwhelm you, like River Island’s Brown Chelsea Girl Faux Fur Coat, £65, which is the perfect combination of rustic copper shades to debut this look without oversizing it. Keeping to tradition is always in the background, too, as demonstrated in Gucci’s Fall collection. Truthful colours and warm, flowing fabrics looked effortless and classic paired with translucent skin and a burgundy pout. In the use of accessories, wearing fur is much more simple, a hint of fur without a full-on piece makes fur wearable for all confidence ranges.
10) www.wheredidugetthat.com An Englishwoman in New York, Karen’s approach to blogging sees her splice street style with DIY and daily outfit posts for the ultimate in all round fashion blogging.
3: The statement jacket If you invest in one statement piece this season, make it a leather jacket. The high-street has been quick off the mark when it comes to providing affordable leather jackets that look more Prada and less Primark and this year has produced an exciting array of styles. If you want to summon your inner dominatrix, choose a jacket with dramatic stud-detailing and zips that are anything but functional. For a more conservative take on the look, opt for a sleeker, collarless style that will ooze understated glamour.
Nicole correia
Brace yourselves; the weatherman is talking about minus temperatures. So, it is my time to talk about hats, scarves, ear warmers, gloves, mittens and -of coursecoats! As far as investment buys go, many fashionistas will make excuses about investing in a lusty £500 designer handbag, or those notorious red heel Louboutins. The sad thing is that most of us aren’t yet lucky enough to grace events and occasions worthy enough to wear the beauties. However, spendaholics, fear not; you cannot have more of a great reason to use the “investment buy” excuse than in a good ol’ coat. I have been on the London underground a fair bit this week and it is always a great place to source fashion inspiration. I probably have a strange reputation on the Victoria line as it is often so hard not to stare - some strangers have serious style. I adore the sharp and ready-to-rumble looks that women (and men too!) wear on their way to work. We are once again welcoming the sight of the classic trench coat that many London commuters are sporting this autumn. I prefer the classic beige- burberry style and have fallen for the pictured; I must add, though, that I have seen a handful of red trench coats, which really do stand out in this season’s neurtal pallette. If you’re feeling the need for
Top ten bloggers Samantha YAtes
9) www.businessoffashion.com More like a newspaper than a blog, it does what it says on the tin. Constantly updating with snippets from the most popular and interesting online fashion articles. 8) www.letmefeelikeadoll.com A student from the continent, Laia mixes Barcelonian styles with a vintage twist for a unique look.
Classic faux-fur Trench coats Jessica Headon
Friday 2011 Spark*
something fresh I would say that a different coloured trench coat is especially worth looking for as berry colours seem to be very popular this autumn/winter. If you have the time, I would advise also to scour eBay for trench coats as it is such a traditional look that there are loads of different brands and types out there. However, be sure that what you’re buying will endure our fine British weather. So, drag out the winter woolies, winter boots and hunt down your investment buy coat.
7) www.fashiontoast.com Rumi Neely is the one that started it all, the root of my fashion obsession; a little taste of LA since 2009. 6) www.bryanboy.com His Anne Hathaway ‘Can you please spell Gabbana?’ impression is flawless! Bryan has the caricature, stereotypical attitude everyone associates with fashion and it’s fabulous, darling. 5) www.befrassy.net A modern day Carrie Bradshaw, Audrey Leighton Rodgers’s posts are so visually compelling as she twirls and jumps through the beautiful city’s scenery. 4) www.thesartorialist.com The critically acclaimed street style blog has made it every girl’s dream to be shot by Scott. After all, his work is featured in the V&A Museum; he’s kind of a big deal. 3) www.shewearsfashion.com The lowest-budget blogger on the list. The vintage-lover’s Ebay store, YouWearFashion, sells thrifted, rejuvenated statement pieces at student-friendly prices. 2) 5inchandup.blogspot.co.uk This blogger combines Finnish and English fashion to create elegant minimalist outfits. Recently graduating from London College of Fashion, the blogger proves that you can rock both brains & beauty. 1) www.manrepeller.com “Man Repelling” is dressing in a way which does not attract male sexual attention. The endlessly hilarious Leandra Medine gets me everytime.
Spark* Friday 2011
fashion.spark@reading.ac.uk
FASHION 25
RBL rememberance poppies The power of purple Nicole Correia
The Duchess of Cambridge has appeared the media non stop in the past year or so for a variety of reasons; from her charitable deeds, trips across the world with her Prince William and, of course, what she is (or isn’t!) wearing. The life of a princess comes with many pressures and hardships, but in proudly representing our country Kate makes no mistake. This year the Royal British Legion have launched a new kind of remembrance poppy and our Duchess, The Saturdays and Mr Simon Cowell to have all been seen wearing one. Kate has even been seen wearing two poppies at the
same time, at the Remembrance Sunday ceremonies. Brace yourself, it is pretty. According to the Legion’s online shop, it is 18 karat gold and laid with red and black crystals making this brooch a really beautiful statement. They are expected to raise more than £40 million this year, which is really promising as, of course, it is so important to raise awareness. If you are interested in making this a fashion statement for all year round, designers have created a tie pin and bracelet too. The brooches are a little outside our student budget but ebay, (as always) saves the day with some for a little under £20. If not, a student alternative is available from
http://www.crystalparade.co.uk for £22, with also the option to add a presentation box. These could really make for a nice gift! Add a little glitter to this autumn and wear your poppy with pride!
USA: Stars and stripes Charlotte Coster
We all know that New York is the fashion capital of the world but I think the UK has taken their obsession with everything American just a little too far this time. Although, for some time we have opened our doors to American shops (such as Forever21 and Urban Outfitters), this is not the only invasion we can witness. Now we can barely glance at a clothes rack or shelf without those recognizable stars and stripes waving down at us. So, what has prompted this wave of disloyalty? Yes America is a lot
bigger and (probably) better than us but it isn’t just their outgoing styles we are now copying. Instead we have decided to litter our highstreet with the symbol of America themselves. Any patriotism leftover from the Olympics, has obviously been forgotten. Whether you are looking for jewellery, hoodies to slob around in, tight tees or even denim shorts the American flag can be found absolutely everywhere! Republic is one of the biggest culprits, mostly in the T shirt department but also within the Soul Cal range you can find a number of differently styled jumpers (priced on average
around £15-£25) and a rather cool satchel priced at £20. New Look is also offering a huge number of American items, my favourite being a onsie that is priced at £24.99. Might have to add that to the collection of American contraband which is slowly but surely taking over my wardrobe. Just like America is to our beloved highstreet. Let’s just hope that we have a royal wedding (or something similarly British) soon and then maybe our patriotic clothing will return!
Rebecca Thompson
Purple was once a colour only associated with royalty; it is a colour that connotes indulgence and princely passion. Purple is a combination of red and blue, the hottest and coldest colours, and therefore, purple is often referred to as the ideal colour. What is ideal for us fashion followers is that purple appears to be the reigning colour this season, bringing a touch of luxury to all our wardrobes. When the top fashion designer’s brought their collections to the catwalks earlier this year earthy burgundy, rich mauve and electric purple shades dominated the shows, and thus made a vivid statement for our high-street fashion this autumn. If you have hit the high street recently, you might have noticed that the purple hues have stormed our shops. What’s great news is that purple is a great colour for us all to wear and it can be as bold or as subtle as you wish. Chanel’s Autumn/Winter 12/13 catwalk range combined darker shades of purple with electric purple accessorizes to demonstrate a wear-able, yet glamorous look. In a similar way, we can take inspiration from the catwalk, by either choosing sumptuous shades of purple; for example, Miss Selfridge have brought in a nice selection of dresses in ‘plum’ which ooze sophistication. Or follow this trend by investing in chunky knitwear in rich mauve this season. Alternatively,
for a subtler fashion fix consider purple accessories, in softer pastel shades, for a prettier look. High street stores such as Assessorize have brought out some fantastic accessories in keeping with this trend including bags and scarfs. With the weather turning colder, perhaps you would like to discover the ‘power of purple’ online. ASOS are always a firm favourite with students, we are able to take advantage of our NUS cards and browse a huge collection of fashion without even leaving our beds. ASOS have really done us proud this autumn with over 80 glamorous dresses and statement purple jeans in a variety of shades, all at affordable prices. Purple is starting to storm our campus, so when you are out shopping this autumn and winter, bare in mind that purple is the musthave shade this season.
MMM collection for H&M Oversized scarves sabina rouse
After months of rumours and an eagerly anticipated build up, the wait is finally over: it’s been officially announced that Maison Martin Margiela will be collaborating with H&M. Known as one of the most avantgarde fashion brands out there, the prospect of Margiela at affordable prices will undoubtedly excited all fashionistas, and with over one hundred pieces in the collection there’s something that is bound to catch your eye. With the full collection already having been released online, the line definitely doesn’t disappoint. Forward thinking fashion is what’s on display here; new fashion meets old fashion, classical minimalism meets an architectural, feminine swag, an Alexander McQueen / Chanel clash. The collection embodies a very unique and classic element, with the garments fashioned first and foremost around the silhouette. From draped dresses with clean cut lines to a trousers mini skirt,
this collection has pushed the boundaries beyond anything H&M has ever seen before. Architectural oversized blazers and jackets, traditional white collared shirts are at the centre of the collection and wouldn’t look out of place as work wear, yet the real gems of the collection are the dresses. Horizontally worn dresses in the palest powder blue, a lining dress in a nude sheen and the dress comprised of a fusion of two dresses complete the collection and in a twist that is unique to Margiela. One of the most must-have features of the collection is undeniably the Candy Clutch (see photo). Not since the Christopher Kane liquid filled jelly clutch has a bag looked so good. A rectangular shaped clutch bag available in either a hot metallic pink or silver, this clutch sums up the whole collection: chic, cheeky and must have. Not only will this clutch will complete any outfit, but just by looking at it you can tell that only Margiela could have invented such
a high-profile, sugary must have accessory. The Maison Martin Margiela Collection will be available in H&M stores nationwide from November 15th 2012.
Avnita shergill
‘The bigger, the better’ was the motto embedded into the winter 2012 runways in New York as designers showcased their models sporting a lot of oversized outdoor garments, and when it came to the topic of scarves, they didn’t hold back. An underlying theme throughout the show seemed to be based on items found in your ‘grandmother’s closet’ – a term that has been widely used to describe this season’s eclectic trends. It includes a rather diverse collection of retro-inspired prints, floral detailing, tweed, gothic, black lace and crocheted shawls. A particular favourite that had everybody talking was Marc Jacobs who incorporated exaggerated, cartoon-like accessories (including extra-large safety pins) into his collection of knitted wools adding a somewhat comical twist to the usual winter styles. Ralph Lauren, Mulberry, Missoni and Hermes extended this look further by adding fur and sheepskin to a hue of brown and red featured
knits for a more rustic, earthly vibe resembling the British countryside. As intended, the high street has a lot to offer as we mentally and physically prepare ourselves for the below-zero temperatures that await us in the coming months. Urban Outfitters, All Saints and ASOS all display knits and woolly wrap-arounds in a multitude of block colours and emphasised shapes and patterns… and best of all it’s within budget, too. The fox knitted scarf from Topshop is a must-have if you’re in need of a few endearing winter accessories. It especially makes use of the animal woodland theme we’ve become accustomed to on the runway shows this season, accentuated by the urban colours of deep greens and burgundy. Team with a knitted tweed jumper and your comfiest pair of jeans to feel and look cosy and cute whilst you’re out and about this winter.
26 BEAUTY
Friday 9 November 2012 Spark*
beauty.spark@reading.ac.uk
BEAUTY
Protect your skin this winter Trick or treat? SABINA ROUSE
With summer definitely over and winter well and truly here, it’s time to start thinking about protecting your skin from the bitter winter cold, and retaining a healthy summer glow. Firstly, a good face wash or exfoliator is needed, gentler than the one you normally use all year round. H02’s Gentle Creamy Cleanser cleans the skin without reducing the level of moisture in it, and additionally helps to reduce redness caused by the cold. Be careful to only exfoliate once a day, otherwise it will dry the skin out. A good moisturiser is definitely
in order over the winter months, not just for your face but for your whole body. Nivea creme provides plenty of moisture for the skin and will leave it feeling soft and supple. For the face, a night time moisturiser is a must-have, No.7 Beautiful Skin Night Cream will gently moisturise your face overnight and combat any effects of the cold weather, without leaving skin feeling greasy and oily. Apart from protecting your skin over the winter, it’s important not to neglect the over parts of you that still feel the cold. Lips are prone to becoming extremely chapped and dry, and by carrying a moisturising chap stick this will help to protect them, Chapstick
Original SPF 15 not only helps protect lips from the sun’s harmful rays, but also the harsh winter sun and cold. Similarly, the soft skin on your hands experiences the winter’s cold the most, L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream will create a soft moisturising sheen to keep your hands protected from the cold. Hair also feels the drying affects of the cold air, with the ends especially becoming brittle and extremely dry, a restorative mask and leave in conditioner is in order. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstruction will not only retain the moisture but also leave hair smelling lovely and fragrant too. So follow these simple steps for beautiful skin this season.
onto “dare”. Those I saw, had to do a chicken dance and the rodeo in the middle of the Oracle. But, they did win something so it wasn’t all loss. Auntie Anne’s offered free pretzels and the staff, as you can imagine, were non-stop all night! Beautywise, Debenhams do a cosmetics line called Urban Decay which had a 10% discount offer. The product that stood out for me was Urban Decay “Dew Me” Make Up Setting Spray, £19.00, which stops make up running in the heat and cracking in the cold whilst also moisturising skin. It’s definitely a cosmetics line worth looking at. LUSH were also generous in giving students the chance to have free facials and participate in in-store workshops, whilst Lashious were offering discounts on lashes. If you did not go, try and go next year. It’s an event not to be missed and it’s a night of shopping… with discounts… and freebies… what’s
better than that?!
The Oracle Student Takeover Lindsay Coles
On Tuesday 16 October, I went to the Student Lock-in at Reading’s Oracle. Students could enjoy the discounts, freebies and prizes offered there. For instance, H&M, which does not do student discount, meant the 20% discount offered was very attractive. I think many students needed to stock up on winter clothing as jumpers and coats were a popular purchase. Topshop had a 20% discount and it was so popular there was a queue all night to enter it. BANK offered free lanyards which had offers and competitions to enter . There were many freebies on offer, such as Lola Lo handed out bags including a watch, discount offers, sunglasses and Hawaiian lei’s. I can’t forget the free drinks offered as well. Nandos also had a “spin the wheel” game. ! Unfortunately for some people, they span
Georgina Kaur Pasricha
Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn, cauldron bubble...it’s that time of year again where we want to create the perfect Halloween look. Some of us spend weeks trying to put together the perfect Halloween costume; however the focus isn’t so much on what you wear anymore, but on the finer details. So, instead of forking out your student loans on a costume, it’s more about spell binding nail art, spooky-yet glam eye makeup and back combed and over the top hair styles! For a quick nail fix, try out nail stickers which transform your nails into the spooky spirit! Try out Nailtopia’s instant nail art: Or if you like to be a bit more adventurous, you could try designing your own nail art using Nailtopia’s nail art striper. With a thin brush, it allows you to create different designs, which come in a variety of colours, such as Nailtopia’s, ‘Lumi Orange’ for only £4.99. Possible miniature pumpkins?! We all love a bit of OPI, so with their new So So Skullicious Mini Nail Polish Set with Free Nail Transfers for £12.95, how can we say no?! The set includes, four miniature Day of the Dead in-
spired Halloween shades in a longwearing, chip resistant formula. A deep orange ‘Hi Pumpkin,’ an intense pink ‘A-Rose from the Dead,’ a dead of the night black, ‘Morning Glory,’ and lastly a ‘Candlelight,’ yellow. Although quite expensive, the kit also includes a set of sugar skull nail transfers for a customisable manicure! This can transfer yours nails from gothic glamour to sexy vamps in an instance! Eye makeup is also key for any Halloween look, (unless you are wearing a mask of course!) and it’s probably the only time of year, where we can go extreme without looking too ridiculous, so girls... the bigger the better! Try Carine Roitfeld jungle camouflage eye palette, £37, from MAC cosmetics, for that smokey-eye affect on this spooky night! To finish off and to perfect the mix of sexy and gothic, we will have any excuse to wear some dark velvety purple lipstick, so with Ck one colour lipstick in velvet, £13, from Debenhams is ideal! Or even, Dark side of nude lips in Wicked, £9, from Topshop So now it’s time to nail that spooky, yet beauty look that’s pretty enough to even walk out in daylight too!
Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate Moss! Nicole Correia
Kate Moss is not one of those big names around today that we question “why are they famous?” Kate Moss’ iconic face is plastered across magazines, buses and TV screens all across the world and we all know that she is inevitably recognised for the years spent modelling her – somewhat controversially slim figure, her exciting A-list love life and, of course, those “is-she-or-isn’t-she” rumours that Kate was adorning to a rockstar’s drug use habits. Aside from all the negativity associated with Kate Moss’ modelling career and private life, she is also a mother who worked through
her maternity leave, the collaborator of a Topshop collection, a woman nominated 8,000 times for “World’s Best Dressed Woman” and now, more recently, our Kate Moss has launched a lipstick collection. Even the formula used in the lipsticks seems to sum up Kate Moss’ rock star chic lifestyle with its “black diamond pigment complex” of which I promise allows the lipstick’s colour to last even on a heavy night out. I bought the colour Bordeaux, which is exactly as you imagine, that dark red wine colour. I have olive skin and so in the past red lipsticks have made me look like a
wannabe stage performer with no place in the limelight. However, enticed half by the sophisticated name and the impulsive hope that I would someday be able to achieve the sexed up look that red lipstick gives, I bought one. No, the colour does not fade on the inside after two drinks and leave your lips looking stained only around the lip line. No, I assure you, it won’t make your teeth appear more yellow. For under a fiver, Kate Moss’ lipsticks are quality and just as hardcore as she is. Bordeaux has put colour back into my face after a draining crazy few weeks, and I for one am very grateful. Thank you, Kate Moss!
BEAUTY
Friday 9 November 2012 Spark*
beauty.spark@reading.ac.uk
27
BEAUTY
Interview with Alice-Hart Davis!!!
********************************* I would like to thank Alice for her time and also for providing me and other teenagers and young adults with a winning combination, which is both gentle and smells good enough to eat! The Fresh Start creamycleanser was the last piece in my skin care puzzle and after years of troubled skin, I have finally found the perfect skin care routine. Alice truly deserve the many, many accolades and awards the beauty industry have bestowed on her!
Elle Turner
I can’t tell you how excited I was when Alice Hart-Davis, beauty journalist and creator of the Good Things range for young skin (www. goodthingsbeauty.com) agreed to an interview with Spark*. She has years of experience and an inside knowledge of the beauty industry, plus she is a total expert when it comes to skincare! Check out this exclusive interview for tips and tricks on how to achieve beautiful skin, as well as Alice’s personal recommendations of her go to products! Now that you’ve cracked skin care, as well as writing several books would you like to venture out into other areas of beauty such as a fragrance line, makeup or beauty tools? That’s so kind of you but I think I’ve got quite a way to go with skin care. I’d particularly like to launch a range for teenage boys. They don’t have many choices at the moment.
********************************** Check out Alice’s latest book, written with her teenage daughter Beth, 100 Ways for Every Girl to Look and Feel Fantastic for an incredible array of top tips for confidence and wellbeing – and masses of beauty secrets. (Walker Books, £9.99). **********************************
If you could collaborate with anyone else in the industry, who would it be? A big company, who can put a big marketing budget behind Good Things, and take it global! Outside the industry, I’d love to work with the One Direction boys on that skincare range for teen boys. With them as advocates, we could get a whole generation of young men into the habit of looking after their faces. What is your holy grail product? An ‘intelligent’ skin-balancing tinted moisturiser that can provide extra hydration for dry bits while absorbing oil from greasy patches.... with decent SPF and UVA protection, and which gives a radiance-boosting finish, for good measure! Who is your beauty inspiration? Er, pass. Any independent-minded, grown-up women who look great in their own way, rather than feeling they have to conform to one of society’s various stereotypes. If you were stuck on a desert island and you could only take three beauty products, what would they be?
A moisturising sunscreen for daytime protection, a dry oil like Nuxe Huile Prodigeuse that can condition your hair as well as moisturise your face and body, and a sturdy pair of nail scissors --just think how useful they’d be! What is your personal favourite product out of the whole range? Hmm, I feel I shouldn’t have favourites, but I’m particularly fond of the Fresh Start creamy cleanser - it does a great job, is lovely to use and leaves skin feeling soft and fresh. What makes your products better suited to teenage skin than other products? They’re gentle, so they will clean and exfoliate and moisturise skin
without either stripping all its natural oils or overloading it with ingredients that could block pores or make it break out in spots. And they’re packed with superfruit beauty-boosters to help skin there’s raspberry and cranberry, which have a calming action on the skin; moisturising fig, anti-inflammatory licorice... I could go on... What are your best tips to prevent blemishes in the first place? Start with basic good skincare habits and use appropriate products - clean your face morning and evening with a product that will remove excess oil and dirt from your skin without stripping it and moisturise with a non-oily moisturiser (even skin that is prone to spots needs hydrating). Lifestyle factors help - so eating well, drink-
ing lots of water and getting plenty of sleep is always a good idea. But bear in mind that what makes you get spots is your hormones, so don’t beat yourself up too much if you’re doing everything right and you still get breakouts. If skincare isn’t keeping them under control, go and see your GP who can prescribe stronger products, or refer you to a dermatologist. If you weren’t in the beauty industry, what would you do instead? Really good question (which means I haven’t a clue as to an answer!) I suspect I would still be sculling around writing general features and dreaming ofwriting a novel.
Try out these products and many more from Alice’s range!!! Above left: Good Things Fresh Start Gentle Creamy Cleanser, £4.99, is enriched with moisturising mango-seed oil to clean and comfort your skin without drying it out, while skin-calming cactus extract and skin-boosting antioxidants from grapes and pomegranates will help to give your skin a fresh start. Above right: Good Things Stop That Spot Gel, £4.99), keeps spots under control with this anti-bacterial gel which contains active extracts of willow bark, liquorice, papaya and acai to help tackle unwanted breakouts.
28 HEALTH&FOOD
Friday 9 November 2012 Spark*
health.spark@reading.ac.uk
HEALTH Spark*’s top tips: foods to fill up on Andrzej Lenartowicz
absorbed.
for good health - are also removed.
Nowadays we’re used to seeing a plethora of diets, including ones that aim for weight loss, muscle building or even improving your ability to memorise. But no matter what you’re looking for, there are some foods that are so nutritious that they are always a good choice, and some that it might be better to avoid. Here’s my pick of the best and worst foods in each category.
Fill up on… oat cereals
Fill up on… lean beef
Containing a huge variety of vitamins and minerals, oats are a good source of complex carbohydrates, which will help give a slow release of energy throughout the day. Other benefits include reducing the risk of heart diseases, cancers and high blood pressure.
If you aim for a lean cut, beef can contain only 115 calories per 100g, less than 4g fat and 20g protein. It is a great source of iron, which can help to give you energy, and B vitamins, which play an important role in preventing many diseases.
Cut back on… white bread
Cut back on... processed red meats
Fill up on… eggs Rich in high quality proteins, eggs are also cheap and versatile. Although many people avoid eating eggs due to the fact that their yolks contain high amounts of cholesterol, it is mainly HDL cholesterol, which is actually beneficial to health.
The simple sugars in processed white bread give only short bursts of energy, and by processing the wheat, dietary fibre, iron and essential fatty acids – all important
Researchers at the Harvard Medical School found that for every extra portion of red meat eaten per day, the risk of heart
problems increases 21%, and cancer increases 16%. The government recommends eating only 70g per day, which is less than two average pork sausages.
Fill up on… salmon Salmon is rich in protein and omega-3s, which are vital for a normal metabolism. Because the levels of fat is satiating, it can help to reduce weight and high blood pressure.
Cut back on… tuna Although tuna is a good source of protein, it can contain high levels of mercury, so it’s best to limit your intake to two meals a week. Salmon and haddock are a good alternative instead.
Fill up on… watermelon Refreshing and delicious, watermelon contains 15 calories per 100g, so you would have to eat 1.5kg of watermelon to consume same calories as two bananas. It’s a great source of B and C vitamins and a plethora of minerals, including magnesium, potassium and phosphorus.
Cut back on… low-fat cottage cheese It may not contain fat, but lowfat versions can contain more sugar and salt. By removing the fat from regular cottage cheese, plenty of important vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, potassium and phosphorus are less easily
Cut back on… dried fruits
Although they are rich in vitamins and minerals, the high calorie and sugar content means that dried fruits are less satiating than eating the same fruit when it’s fresh. However, they can be useful to those that are very active or trying to gain weight.
Fill up on… spinach
With a high content of iron, calcium and potassium, spinach is also a great source of such vitamins as A,C,E and K, with 460% of the recommended intake of vitamin K in 100g.
Cut back on… potato snacks
Yes, a potato is a vegetable, but according to the government, it doesn’t count as one of your fivea-day. Although there’s nothing wrong with using potatoes as part of a meal, snacking on potato crisps and chips adds a lot of fat and salt to an otherwise healthy ingredient. Lastly, if you’re looking for something sweet, try munching on some dark chocolate - it’s full of antioxidants and healthy fats, really!
Just like mum said: get in your greens! Ania Wronski
Last month I was in North Wales for the weekend, and I got a bit of a shock by what some of my friends had for dinner. Two of them shared a kilogram of beef, fried off in a spice mix, on tortillas, and that was it. I know for a fact that they can cook, as one of them made me a delicious chocolate birthday cake! Therein lies the problem: a lot of students who can cook still eat convenience food and staple meaty dinners. I am not here to try and persuade you all to ditch the meat and fish, but I think that we rely too much on flesh as convenience food. There is no denying that eating more veg is both good for you and the planet. Yet, some people are so convinced that meat has to be at the centre of any ‘proper meal’, that the veg are forgotten about. If you try cooking at least one vegetarian dinner a week, you will see that vegetables are just as satisfying, and can make a hearty plateful of food. For some inspiration, check out ‘Campus Central’s’ new line of fresh fruit and veg. Frozen veg can be convenient, too - I always
have a bag of peas and frozen spinach in the freezer, for my emergency store cupboard suppers. There are lots of ways of integrating tasty vegetables into the staple student dinners, which are not any more time-consuming than their original meatier selves.
The garlic butter trick Improve your bland greens in any meat and potato dish with this simple trick. Gently melt some butter in a frying pan and crush in small amount of garlic. You want the garlic to cook, but not to brown, as it goes bitter. Finally toss in some cooked veg.
Curries A true staple of the student diet, and there are so many vegetable varieties! Try using some curry paste with a tin of chopped tomatoes, instead of the jarred sauces. My absolute favourites are spinach and potato and dhal (lentil curry). Check out the BBC Good Food website for some inspiration.
Veggie Pizzas Put that take-away menu down! Making your own dough is actually really easy. You can even buy bread flour mixes now, to which
you just add water. So you have no excuse not to try it and when you do it will really impress your housemates. Once you’ve made the dough, just throw on whatever veg takes your fancy. My favourite combination is caramelised onion and spinach (frozen). Last week I tried beetroot pizza, which was amazing, I highly recommend it.
Spag Bol
Everyone knows that red meat is not so good for you, and should be eaten on occasion. To reduce the amount of meat, you can add all sorts of vegetables. Try mushrooms, courgettes, celery, leek or peas. If you are a little timid of vegetables, grate in some carrots. They add a wonderful sweetness and you won’t even know that
you’re eating them! Once again avoid buying jarred sauces try using passata, with a little garlic and herbs. This is also much cheaper. In bigger supermarkets you can usually get a carton of passata for under 30p!
Chilli The mother of all comfort food. Again, you can reduce your red meat intake by bulking it out with peppers, mushrooms and red kidney beans. You could also try a vegetarian chilli with lentils and mixed beans.
Risotto Simply fry off some onion in a heavy base pan, add the risotto rice, add vegetable stock a few ladlefuls at a time, at the end add your veg with a chunk of butter and a handful of cheese. There are loads of fabulous combinations – mushroom and leek, pea and courgette, roasted tomato, roasted butternut squash and sage. Finally my top tip is to actively try new veg. A lot of negativity towards vegetables sparks from boredom of eating the same ones every week. So don’t be scared to explore the world of vegetables that lies beyond the norm!
Spark* Friday 9 November 2012
health.spark@reading.ac.uk
HEALTH&FOOD 29
Food Restaurant review: Wagamama Sarah Lienard
Considering that I always found the canteen at school extremely unappetizing, I’m pleasantly surprised to find that Wagamama, although similar in layout, is cozy, welcoming, and smells absolutely amazing. After a short wait in the cold, during which our appetites are awakened by the enticing aromas wafting through the door each time it opened, we were taken inside and seated at a long table amidst the clatter of plates, chatter, and delicious looking dishes being served up all around us.
My boyfriend and I decide to choose two dishes from the new autumn menu: the chicken and prawn Wagamama pad thai, and the grilled fish ramen. As everything is cooked fresh to order, the dishes arrive as and when they’re ready. The pad thai arrives first, along with the seaweed salad that we’ve ordered to share, which is delicious - vivid green and glossy, with a refreshing kick from the chilli dressing. I watch my partner gobble up his pad thai; his only complaint is that using the chopsticks, he can’t get the noodles into his mouth fast en-
Fry-up pasta Simona Angelini
Fancy a full english, but it’s dinner time? This bacon and egg pasta reicipe for one should hit the spot.
Ingredients
80g dried pasta bows 2 rashers bacon 1 or 2 eggs 1 tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper Shavings of parmesan
Method
Boil the pasta in salted water for 10 minutes. On a baking rack, grill the bacon until crispy, and cut into small pieces. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs together with a pinch of salt and pepper, and scramble in a non-stick pan until just cooked. Drain the pasta, then mix with the bacon, egg, olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper, and sprinkle with parmesan if desired.
ough. I have a bite, and am impressed by the rich array of flavours. The lime garnish adds freshness and zing to an already powerful dish, while the vegetables add a satisfying crunch to the soft rice noodles and succulent chicken. My ramen arrives, saving my partner from having his entire plate devoured, and it doesn’t disappoint. Served steaming from enormous bowls with wooden ladles, this is healthy comfort food at it’s best – silky noodles topped with juicy prawns, mussels, clams, and grilled white fish, garnished with spring onions and coriander. While it can’t compete with the bold flavours of the pad thai, the delicate stock has a subtle appeal of its own that keeps me slurping right down to the last ladleful. For dessert, we opt for a plate of tasters, three bite-sized portions of Wagamama’s most popular desserts: two cheesecakes and a chocolate fudge cake. By far the best is the white chocolate and ginger cheesecake, which we spend a good few minutes arguing over who gets to finish. Each bite is lovelier than the last; the ginger warming up my mouth for the
chilli toffee ginger sauce that tingles the back of my throat, which is then soothed by the creamy cheesecake centre. The passion fruit cheesecake is foamy and light, but a bit too sweet for my taste. My only disappointment is the chocolate fudge cake, which is too insubstantial in texture to be called ‘fudgy’, and not chocolatey enough to stand out against Wagamama’s other offerings. For good measure we also order three scoops of chocolate, chilli and ginger frozen yogurt. Like the chocolate cake, it lacks an intensely chocolate taste, but completely makes up for it with an impressive chilli kick that hits you after swal-
lowing, and pieces of crunchy ginger that contrast with the cooling frozen yogurt. Prices average around £9 for a main and £5 for a dessert, but bear in mind that the portions are more than generous. Wagamama don’t do bookings for fewer than 6 people, and given their popularity they managed to seat us relatively quickly, although they could perhaps use an indoor waiting area. The service was prompt and friendly, and overall we had a fantastic dining experience. My only change would have been to order an entire portion of the white chocolate and ginger cheesecake – or ask for the recipe!
Place in an oven preheated to 180degrees and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the tray using a spatula – take care as they’re still soft and may fall apart – and transfer to a cooling rack. If you don’t fancy plain butter biscuits you can substitute 50g of flour for cocoa powder and make chocolate ones, or add flavoured essences, chopped nuts, chocolate drops for other interesting flavours. My personal favourite is
walnut and honey. Add chopped walnuts once gravelly texture has been achieved and mix in well. Then continue the recipe as above until you take them out of the oven. Once they’re on the cooling rack, before they cool down, drizzle lightly with honey. An indulgent and simple touch is to drizzle melted chocolate over the plain biscuits once they have cooled down – as seen in the picture. Try it with milk, white, or dark chocolate. Yum!
Butter fork biscuits Louisa Cowell
This recipe makes 12 - just try not to eat them all when they’re hot from the oven!
Ingredients 250g plain flour 200g caster sugar 100g butter, cubed
Method Sieve the flour in to a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and cubes of butter. Use the rubbing in method to achieve a consistent gravelly mixture. This means using the tips of your fingers to rub the ingredients together. Try to take the mix from the bottom and lift it up so it is aerated. Continue this process until there is no clumps and the texture appears gravelly. Shape the mixture into 12 small balls in the palms of your hand – slightly smaller than a ping-pong ball – and place them on a baking tray, about 5 cm apart from each other. To flatten them, dip a fork in a cup of water, and press down from the centre to the edges, taking care not to separate the mix.
30 GAMING
Friday 9 November 2012 Spark*
gaming.spark@reading.ac.uk
GAMING
In Patnership with www.ZiiP.co.uk
Dishonored - Thief meets Hitman How important is a reputation? Quite, apparently
Iain Farquhar
Will you be a terror in the dark, striking down all who stand in your way? Revenge is a powerful motivator. Everyone has a story where they have acted almost purely out of spite or a sense of slighted honour. But fortunately (or unfortunately depending on how much you like the Harry Potter series) very few of us have gone on supernaturally powered killing sprees; although none of us have suffered a personal attack as Corvo Attano, who was the Royal Protector until he is framed for the Empresses murder and imprisoned to await his execution. But is Corvo’s hunt for revenge a quest for Justice, or more a case of a temper tantrum. Well, read on to find out. While the story of a wronged hero setting out to clear his name is nothing new, the world in which Dishonored take place is. The city of Dunwall is a place of glories long past and new horrors, as plague and the tyrannical rule of the new Lord Regent drags the city into walking nightmare. And boy does it feel like it; with the ominous, brooding Elizabethan architecture striking a wonderful contrast to the guards roaming the streets wearing giant, steampunk inspired armored suits, Dishonored manages to look better with its washed out, almost watercoloured, art style than almost all of the recent deluge of ultrarealsitic games. No only that but Dishonored manages to still look
gorgeous on our rather outdated hardware, a pleasant surprise considering the hardware requirements of most recent releases. When you play Dishonored, you step into a world full of people that seek to manipulate you to their own ends. But you will not remain uninformed for very long. The city is full of lore for you to find: books, extracts from religious debates, letters and diaries, all of which add huge amounts of depth to the world, making Dunwall feel like a (once) living, breathing city. Even if you start out with the half-hearted of exploration, you will soon find yourself exploring for the simple pleasure of discovery: supply caches that have been abandoned by survivors desperately trying to escape the plague. Long forgotten shrines to The Outsider, who has once again started to interfere in the affairs of men once more. To this end, The Outsider, for reasons only known to himself, has gifted Corvo with the powers of the Void and a wide range of abilities to hunt down his targets. Need to get past a guard? You could use Blink to teleport from hiding place to hiding place until you are safely past. Or you could summon a swarm of rats to devour the helpless guard, which has the added bonus of removing the body from sight as well. Or if you are feeling a little more... confrontational you
could summon a blast of wind to smash doors or knock an opponent off their feet, allowing you to close for the kill. These powers can be augmented and upgraded by Bone Charms and runes scattered around the city. The Outsider has given you a tool to help you hunt them down, but you might not be so keen when you realize what he has given you...
If you don’t feel comfortable using this potentially double edged gift then you don’t have to. This supernatural arsenal only ever augments, never replaces your more mundane skill set and can be set aside in favour of more conventional tactics. Want to be a silent assassin, striking unseen from the shadows? Then tranquilizer darts and a sleeper hold will keep you out of the way of the guards or you can be a loud, careless thug wielding a pistol and throwing grenades if that is more your idea of a party. No matter how you play, Dishonored never places any arbitrary limitations on the player, even subtly prompting the player to try out inventive new strategies: Out of ammo and can’t be bothered to hunt for more? Use Corov’s slow time ability and pickpocket the guards before they even know you are there. Need a distraction to get through a checkpoint? Why not place a razor mine on the back of a rat wondering around near a guards patrol route? Guard sees rat. Guard tries to stamp on rat. Boom. One instant distraction (and a headache for the unfortunate individual who has to wield the mop and bucket). Even if things go horribly wrong and you are caught out by several guards, changing from one style of play is easy and fluid and the only hard part (in our case, at least)
Or will you pick a more benine play style?
being the sense of disappointment that you were caught in the first place. But the best thing about Dishonored is that it is willing to let you choose how to play and is not afraid to punish you for your mistakes. Dishonored is a game that is filled with potenital . There is a limitless supply that we could tell: tales of adrenaline filled chases though the street as guards closed in on all sides. Or the time that we stealthily made our way through the headquarters of a religious order to place poison into a man’s wine only to find a way to forcibly excommunicate our target from the order without the need for bloodshed. The fact that some of the most gripping moments of we encountered during our time with Dishonored can when we deviated from our plans, either due to mistake or due to discovery, is a wonderful change in todays environment of tightly controlled, Hollywood-esk scripted scenes where control is snatched from the player at the sign of the first mistake. No matter you view of stealth games are, get Dishonored. Beacuse it is not a stealth game. It is whatever you want it to be. Dishonored has been release on xBox 360, Playstation 3 and PC and is avalible for £25.99 on ZiiP.co.uk (PC), on Steam for £29.99 (PC) or £31.00 from Amazon (PS3).
Spark* Friday 9 November 2012
gaming.spark@reading.ac.uk
GAMING 31
Borderlands 2 - back to Pandora More guns, more monsters. But is it more fun? Callum Duffy
Just when you think that it can’t get any more over the top, you find something that means you have to pick your jaw off the floor The first Borderlands had been described as crass, tasteless and lacking originally. But it was also described as a one of the best multiplayer shooters ever made. Selling over 4 millions copies and with four sets of DLC, it is clear that gamers were happy over looking the games flaws. Now we have Borderlands 2, promising even more guns, more enemies to use them on and 96.5% more WUB WUB (for you dubstep fans). But does it deliver on these promises? Well, read on. Set 4 years after the first game, the player gets to step into the shoes of four new vault hunters who have been drawn to the planet of Pandora by the rumors of a second Vault, full of ancient and mysterious (and valuable) alien treasures. Soon after arriving on Pandora they are attacked by Handsome Jack, the mysterious CEO of the Hyperion Corporation, who is hunting for the vault to reinforce his self imposed rule over the planet. You have the chance to play as one of four vault hunters: A grizzled commando who can deploy a turret that can be custom-
ized with a shield to keep you and your friends safe, or can be fitted with a nuclear bomb (don’t worry, its only a small one) to help rapidly clear the battlefield. Or Salvador, who can wield any two guns at the same time whenever he gets any angry, so try not to stand in they way. If you fancy a more stealthy approach there is Zero, a futuristic Ninja who can phase shift in order to get close to people before stabbing them with his sword. Or there is Maya, a Siren who can control the elements themselves to burn, shock, melt or just immobilize her foes. With a new vault hunter, called the Mechromancer, being released as DLC soon there should be a character to suit everyone. Each character even has their own skill trees, allowing the player to customize the game to their own, individual playing style. Borderlands 2 introduces a new Badass system which means that you can permanently boost the stats of all of your characters (past, present and future) by compeleting the usual “shoot 10 of a specic enemy type in the face” type challenges. But lets be honest, you haven’t are
not thinking of getting this game because of the story or how much tweaking you can do. You are going to get the game because of simply how ridiculous it is. From the mind melting number of guns (the game can randomly generate over 17 MILLION unique guns) and the huge range of enemies unfortunate enough to have that arsenal pointed at them, this is a game that is not going to tkae itself seriously and encourages you to to do the same. Ranging from giant, four armed Bullymongs to giant constructor robots that will keep building wave after wave of attack bots until destructively turned off, Borderlands 2 will just keep throwing new and more bizarre enemies at you to mow down as you struggle to work out what exactly is going on this armpit of a planet. You won’t be alone on your quest; the game is full of characters, both returning from the first game or new to the series, each offering a range of side quests to help you learn more about Pandora and it’s history. Or so you can find new guns. If you want the really powerful guns, you are forced to fight a wide range of (occasionally) unfairly tough bosses, which forces you to play the sotryline and prevents you from just vanishing off into the sunset surronded by the corpses of anyone who get in the way. And there are so many
You might need a bigger gun. But don’t worry, the game has literally thousands for you to choose from ways to ensure a fresh supply of corpses. From submachine guns that shoot acid to a shotgun that fires lighting, the weapons on Borderlands 2 are just like the enemies: Just when you think that it can’t get any more over the top, you find something that means you have to pick your jaw off the floor, perhaps a grenade that spawns seven other grenades when thrown. Or a sniper rifle that missiles. Yup, missiles. If you can drag yourself away from all of the shooting for a few seconds you will see that Borderlands 2 has the same gorgeous cell shaded, almost comic book like, art style that is instantly recognizable, whether set in a acid swamp or a arid and bandit filled desert. This
deliberate choice of art style also has the advantage that the game can still look amazing while running on older hardware, always a nice feature. Recently, there seems to be a trend for games to be ultra realistic and ultra-serious. Borderlands 2 shows that you don’t have to serious to have a great time. And if you are looking for a new multiplayer game for you and your friends for some (nearly) mindless fun, I can’t think of a better game then Borderlands 2 to fit the bill. Borderlands 2 is avalible for £19.99 on ZiiP.co.uk (PC), on Steam for £29.99 (PC) or around £37.00 from Amazon (PS3 and XBox 360).
Deal of the week: Magicka Collection
The first 125 to spend over £15 at ZiiP Gamestore get the Magicka collections free With the end of the bizarre patch of nice weather ZiiP Gamestore can cheer everyone at Reading up with an EXCLUSIVE deal for Spark* readers. Yes, that is right, this deal is completely exclusive to Spark*, so please head over to ZiiP.co.uk to show how much you appreciate their generosity by spending £15 and getting TWO games. Not only that by the Magicka collection is about £20.00 on Steam, saving you a stupid amount of money right off the bat. Currently ZiiP Gamestore have over 30 games for less than £10, Including Shogun 2, Saints Row The Third and Just Cause 2. And seeing as Saints Row costs £ 29.99 on Steam you would be almost certifiably insane not to shop at ZiiP instead, where you could get three for the much less than the-price
of one. The games are delivered as a activation key, so you you will need a Steam account in order to redeem your purchases.
ZiiP Gamestore currently have over 30 games for less than £10 To take advantage of this offer, go to www.ZiiP.co.uk and use the voucher code SPARKMAGICKA. But hurry, this is a limited time offer so tell your friends. Or don’t, because they might get there faster than you. Just a small bit for the legal team: Only one voucher per customer and is only avalible while the stock lasts and ZiiP Gamestore has the right to change this prmotion without notice.
Magicka has been described as one of the most fun multiplayer games ever made, with critics describing it as on of the most enjoyable multiplayer experiences in the last few years. Play with up to 3 friends as you try to help Vlad (who is defiantly not a vampire, apparently) to save the world from the Wizard Gimnir and stop his evil plan to spread eternal peace across the land of Midgård. If that does not sound like your cup of tea, why not challenge your friends in a duel of magical powers? Blast them with fireballs, drop meteors on their head or even summon Death himself to crush anyone who dares think that they are superior in wielding the Magical arts. TERMS AND CONDITIONS MAY APPLY FOR THIS COMPETITION
Spark*
SCIENCE&TECHNOLOGY scitech.spark@reading.ac.uk 32
Friday 9 November 2012
SCIENCE&TECHNOLOGY
Editorial Will eating right keep you bright?
Hi all, Welcome to another two pages of your science and technology fix. Over the time between issues we’ve seen some hilarity on the tech scene, with Apple having to reprint an acknowledgement that Samsung did not copy the iPad after the UK court found their [court ordered] first attempt, well, no more than a childish tantrum. Please note those are my words not the court’s-We wouldn’t want to get on their bad side. Oh and I think there were some high winds and heavy rain somewhere, but we aren’t the weather section so... Within our pages today we have a bit of a theme going of man against nature. Frances Mckean looks into the link between Alzheimer’s and diabetes, and the noble ongoing battle scientists wage trying to trump all that nature throws at us. Echoing this notion, we have an article by Charlie Dormer outlining the current disease threatening our treelife and the UK’s attempts at reducing what could be some devastating damage done to our natural landscapes. We also have the return of our Wildlife on campus segment where our resident zoologist, George Holliday, will take you through all that scuttles across campus when you aren’t watching. Be sure to look out for a new critter every issue. Keep reading, or die trying. Vinay
Want to contribute to Spark* Science & Technology? We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch: scitech. spark@reading. ac.uk and also our facebook page www.facebook. com/groups/ scitech.spark/
Frances Mckean
Recent studies reported in the September issue of New Scientist suggest that type two diabetes may be a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease. It has long been established that insulin is used by the body for energy regulation, and in type two diabetes, levels of insulin in the blood and tissue are higher than normal, as cells have a resistance to the hormone. However, insulin also has roles in monitoring neurotransmitters in the brain. In particular, insulin may regulate acetylcholine- a neurotransmitter crucial to neural plasticity and memory formation, the latter can be seen to decrease in individuals affected with Alzheimer’s.
Subjects given insulin shots via the nose have increased memory recall compared to control subjects Indeed, a study by Suzanne de la Monte, at Brown University, used rodents to demonstrate this phenomenon. Interfering with rodent insulin levels caused the rodents to forget basic survival routes. Upon dissection, protein bundles, termed plaques, were visible in the brain in areas where neurones would have once been. The discovery that insulin alterations in rodents cause changes in memory that can be compared to that of human
dementia has led to Alzheimer’s disease being termed ‘Type Three Diabetes’. But what is actually happening here?
Scientists must be careful when using animals to model human behaviour Alzheimer’s disease was termed after the scientist who discovered the disease, Alois Alzheimer, found protein deposits, or ‘plaques’ which formed fibrils (groups of these plaques) in the areas where neurones had previously been. These findings are similar to De la Monte’s findings in the rodent models. It is unknown how the plaques form, but scientists suggest that high insulin levels in the brain, like those found in Type Two Diabetes, may play a role. These plaques are formed of a protein called ‘Beta Amyloid’, which is a precursor to a protein found in ganglion cells in the brain. Interestingly, it has been suggested that insulin and beta amyloid protein are substrates for the same cerebral enzyme, and that this could be where the link between Alzheimer’s and Type Two Diabetes begins. When insulin is high, the enzyme in the brain becomes saturated with insulin, allowing beta amyloid levels to increase. Alone, beta amyloid can lead to plaques and neurone disintegration, but beta amyloid may further exacerbate the progression of the dementia. Beta amyloid
Image: HowStuffWorks has been found to block insulin receptors, thus preventing insulin from triggering acetylcholine transmission, which is required for forging memories through neural pathway development. Beta amyloid may also prevent renewal of insulin receptors, leading to an increase in insulin resistance, and once again raised levels in the brain. This mechanism forms a very toxic cycle. Although the findings may be scary to the general public, scientists stress that the process can be reversed. Suzanne Craft has shown that normal subjects given insulin shots via the nose have increased memory recall compared to control subjects, opening up a possible avenue for further research into therapies.
Scientists are unsure exactly how Craft’s insulin shots work
Image: www.allwomenstalk.com
Although the findings are indicative, they are by no means conclusive. Firstly, scientists are unsure exactly how Craft’s insulin shots work. Secondly, although de la Monte’s findings using rat models are startling, scientists must be careful when using animals to model human behaviour. However, the findings may well be transferable to humans, Steven Arnold, at the University of Pennsylvania, took brain cells from cadavers of both patients with and without Alzheimer’s, and added insulin to the samples. Non-diseased neurones responded to insulin
and grew pathways, whereas Alzheimer’s infected samples did not.
The message is this: to not give up the fight against such a destructive disease
Image: Isla Social So what can we take from these findings? Well, it’s not new to suggest a healthy diet that is low in unnecessary calories will promote a longer life. Although such findings provide yet more evidence of the importance of looking after our bodies, perhaps the greater take-home message is to the thousands of people affected by Alzheimer’s daily. The message is this: to not give up the fight against such a destructive disease. Scientists are coming increasingly closer to providing better therapies, as their understanding of the disease deepens.
33 SCIENCE&TECHNOLOGY scitech.spark@reading.ac.uk
Friday 9 November 2012 Spark*
Wildlife on campus: profiling the grey squirrel impacted the red squirrel, which rarely descends from the canopy to feed, and has a preference for pine cones which are not commonly found on campus. Thus it would appear that grey squirrels do not directly outcompete the reds, but alteration of habitats by humans has definitely favoured them.
George Holliday
The grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is almost certainly the most common mammal seen on campus, excluding of course, humans. They were introduced in the late 1800s from the broadleaf forests of Eastern North America by keen Victorians due to their appealing looks, and later escaped, rapidly spreading throughout the country.
Human activity has clearly had a role on the endangering of the red squirrel Part of the reason you may see them a lot is that they aren’t nearly as shy as other mammals, due to having few predators outside their native range, as well as being well-suited to our climate. They are also diurnal (active in daytime) as their sharp senses and agility means they can quickly scurry up a tree if disturbed. Whereas most other
The Reading campus is one of the greenest in the country mammals are nocturnal (only active at night). Grey squirrels are commonly considered pests due to the damage they cause to trees, as well as visiting bird tables and scaring birds away, but perhaps most importantly, for their contribution to the decline of the native red squirrel. In North America it is likely that they are preyed on - at least to some extent - by bobcats, grey foxes and red-tailed hawks, which helps keep the population in check. Other American squirrel species may also stop them becoming dominant. However in Britain their population has exploded in the last 100 years and
they have even reached Southern Scotland.
Woodland clearance has thus favoured the grey squirrel Grey squirrels thrive on campus, likely due to the similarity of our woodland to their native habitat. Compared to red squirrels, they are more disease-resistant, vigorous, and better suited to foraging on the ground and digesting high-tannin foodstuffs (like acorns). Woodland clearance has thus favoured the grey squirrel and negatively
Image: http://www.petermoorewildlifephotography.co.uk
Disease threatens UK ash trees Charlie Dormer
A fungus that has devastated ash trees in continental Europe has now been found in wild trees in the UK. Government departments, research organisations and the public are all being called to prevent the further spread of the disease. The wind-spread fungus, Chalara fraxinea, has killed 90% of ash trees in Denmark. It was first recorded in the UK infecting imported ash saplings in February, and has since been found in imported stock across the country. Last month, the disease was found in trees in East Anglia with no connection to the nursery trade, indicating that the wind spread the fungus to wild trees. One expert has warned that it could spread across the country within a decade, threatening one of the UK’s most important tree species. The problem is so serious that the government’s emergency committee, Cobra – usually associated with terror alerts and national crises – has met to discuss the issue. The government has taken other steps, such as banning the import and movement of ash saplings at the end of last month, destroying infected trees and carrying out a nationwide survey.
Because of this many say it is not fair to attribute the reds’ demise entirely to the greys’ success, and that we should apportion some of the blame to ourselves. To find out more about how you can help mammals in Britain please visit the Mammal Society website: http://www.mammal.org. uk/.
“We’re now working together right across government at the highest level,” said Owen Paterson, the environment secretary, “using expertise in every department to bear down on the disease.”
Crisis committee Cobra has been consulted on the problem The nationwide survey, being conducted by the Department for
the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) aims to establish whether the deadly fungus has spread into native woodlands. Scientists are extracting the DNA from the fungus at a research lab outside York to confirm infection in suspected trees. The public can also help reduce the damage caused by the fungus. Authorities are urging walkers to wash their boots, dogs and children after visiting woodlands to prevent the spread of spores on leaf litter. Anyone who thinks
they have spotted the symptoms of ash dieback, which include dark sores in the bark around branches and dead branches at the top (crown) of trees, are asked to report the cases to the Forestry Commission. A team of academics and developers have produced an app, AshTag, which allows iPhone and Android phone users to submit photos and locations of suspected cases to a team of experts.
The public can also help reduce the
The ash tree and some of its dependents. Image: http://www.bbc.co.uk
The protection of this important species depends on preventing its transmission. Tree vaccinations and fungus-killing cures would be too expensive and carry extra risks. “We cannot immunise trees to special pathogens,” said Mike Shaw, an expert in plant diseases here at the University of Reading. “We may be able to control die back with fungicides but we would need to spray every few weeks over the whole country. It
damage caused by the
is inconceivable that you could
fungus
do this without disastrous side
The common ash is the third most abundant broadleaf tree in the UK, covering 129,000 hectares. It can be very important to ecosystems, and a decrease in ash trees will harm insects that are dependent on the species. “Dusky Thorn is a particularly good example, the larvae feed on ash, as do the larvae of another moth, the centre-barred sallow.” Explained Chris Panter from the University of East Anglia. “Both species are quite widespread but are designated rare or declining.”
effects.
The hope of chemical
control is extremely unlikely.” Experts warn that this disease could be as disastrous as Dutch elm disease, which decimated elm
populations
in
Northern
Europe in the 1970s. Ash dieback is potentially the most serious of one of a number of recent tree diseases to reach our shore. Scientists are calling for more academic research into plant pathology to counter the growing number of threats.
34 TRAVEL
Friday 9 November 2012 Spark*
travel.spark@reading.ac.uk
trAvel Vietnam|journey from South to North Hannah banks
After many previous experiences within this beautiful region, we embarked on our journey south to north on the Vietnamese peninsula. We took a short tuk tuk ride to the bus station and waited hours for our night bus to leave - we found out later that the driver had taken a nap. To pass the time, Cat and Miri and I pulled faces, ate snacks until we felt sick, watched the other trail members attempt to sleep, and contemplated taking sneaky photos (of their open mouths, drool, and random subconscious movements...), which kept us entertained for the hours we endured on the non-air conditioned bus. Eventually we set off and reached the Cambodia-Vietnam border at 7:30am and proceeded through passport control. The journey from the border to Ho Chi Minh City was over in no time and we arrived around lunchtime. As we sleepily plodded off the bus we were hounded by taxi drivers urging, pushing and pulling us to get in their taxi. Luckily for us, Miri knew they would rip us off by charging too much for the distance we would need to go. Our hostel was a five minute walk away from where we had been dropped off so, we walked. By this point I was getting fairly good at swiftly hoisting my over-sized pink bag onto my back and trekking after the others towards our new home for the night. When we arrived in the hostel we were all ecstatic to be sharing a room. The trail was officially reunited and so we could begin our adventures again! We chilled in the room for a bit before heading down the road in search of food and exploring the city - we visited the huge central
market, a Cathedral which was meant to look like Notre-dame and the post office.
I loved cycling around and seeing the most beautiful beaches I have ever experienced The following day we all went on a ‘Temple and Tunnels’ tour. The temple we visited was a mixture of religions and had an eerie feel - perhaps due to the various images of an eye reduplicated around the place, which followed you around as you walked through the intricate brightly coloured architecture. The tunnels on the other hand were very interesting. In the few hours we spent there I learnt a lot about Vietnamese history and their view on the War. Some of it I found upsetting and could not believe the terrors they went through, and the strength the nation has and holds today; much like their neighbouring country Cambodia. But I also felt disturbed by certain things displayed, all of which were forms of defense against the Americans. However, I did very much enjoy the opportunity to crawl through the “euro” tunnel they have created for westerners - we being bigger and all! For the second time in my life I also relished the chance to eat cassava or taro leaf - yummy! I really liked Ho Chi Minh and definitely wished I could have spent more time here to explore and really soak up the history and culture. Alas, maybe on another trip. Next we headed north to the town of Mui Ne which is on the coast and in my top places to visit again in South-East Asia! Here
we sampled Vietnamese wine, ate freshly caught seafood in a restaurant overlooking the beach, surfed and sunbathed to our heart’s content, went sand-boarding and ran, jumped, rolled, skidded down the sand-dunes, and ran away from a vicious cow in a mini red sand dune canyon. We only stayed here for a few days but I was desperate to stay longer, to surf more and work on my tan! After yet another mammoth bus journey, we arrived in Nha Trang which again I loved, particularly the nightlife. I think I had some of my best nights out here filled with drunken hilarity and mishaps. Our first evening in this wonderful, vibrant city was spent in a lovely Indian restaurant after which we swiftly checked out the clubs we’d heard many stories about. I hadn’t intended on getting so drunk, but, it happens. The next day I woke up hungover and feeling ill, knowing I was about to continue drinking on the booze cruise we had arranged. And so ensued two days of drunken blur and anarchy and the trail bonded EVEN more. It was really nice (after the time apart) to reconnect and I felt our friendships were stronger by the end of it due to this. The next day, we were all a hungover mess and cured this by visiting a Vietnamese cinema and watching films before climbing back onto a night bus and heading for Hoi An. Hoi An is a beautiful, quaint little fishing town and felt so French! I absolutely loved cycling around and seeing the most beautiful, pristine beach I have ever seen as well as all the stunning French architecture of the buildings. Here we said goodbye to one of our additional trail members, Becca, who joined us in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
The hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh’s city centre This moment really honed in to Alex and I that our time in SouthEast Asia was also drawing to a close. My experience of Hoi An, although an aesthetically pleasing town, wasn’t entirely pleasant and I experienced some trouble with motorcyclists attempting to grab people’s bags. Luckily for me I wasn’t carrying one and I was with a whole group of people I knew. This slightly tainted my experience here as, for the rest of the time, I became wary of motorcy-
clists, particularly at night and didn’t feel up for going out at night and partying like the others. After Hoi An we moved on to Hue. We only stayed here for a night and visited the deadly Brown Eyes bar. Cheap vodka, red bull buckets, and free shots every five minutes are not a good thing. Needless to say, it was very messy. After the events in Hue we moved on to our final stop, Hanoi. I hope to write about that for a future issue of Spark*!
Facebook: facebook.com/travelspark
Twitter: twitter.com/travel_spark twitter.com/charlieallenby (Travel Editor)
Email: travel.spark@reading.ac.uk Part of Ho Chi Mihn’s ‘Temple and Tunnels’ tour Left: The Temple. Right: One of the Tunnels.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Spark* Friday 9 November 2012
editor.spark@reading.ac.uk
LETTERS 35
Letters & Events Spark* is now online! Go to our website at www. sparknewspaper.co.uk Follow us @SparkNewspaper ‘Like’ our Facebook page at www. facebook.com/SparkNewspaper Get in touch!
A note from the Campaigns and Supporter Engagement Office The 17th Annual Fund Telephone Campaign has begun! Over the next five weeks, our office will be working with a team of current students to raise money for the Annual Fund, which provides invaluable bursaries and hardship grants to students who would otherwise not be able to continue their studies at university. Maybe you know somebody who is working with us? See if you can spot any familiar faces in the photo! The team will be telephoning graduates from across the decades
– from the 1950s through to the 2000s – to compare notes on how the University of Reading student experience has changed over the years, and of course, to invite them to make a donation to the Annual Fund. In the past, we’ve always found that our graduates have very interesting (not to mention hilarious) stories to tell, so we’ll make sure we save up any ‘gems’ and share them with you here. During the campaign, we will be raising thousands of pounds every
day. All of this money will support amazing projects which will benefit current and future generations of Reading students. To keep up to date with how much we’ve raised join in the conversations on our Facebook page (search ‘University of Reading Alumni’) and Twitter (@UniRdg_Alumni). We can’t wait to report on all the fundraising success! Laura Garman
Communications and Supporter Engagement Officer Campaigns and Supporter Engagement
P.O. Box 230, Whiteknights, Reading, RG6 6AZ Vol 61. Issue 4
Editorial Staff
Editor:
Sophie Elliott editor.spark@reading.ac.uk
Deputy Editor:
Calum Rogers deped.spark@reading.ac.uk
News Editor:
Zoe Crook news.spark@reading.ac.uk
Comment Editors:
Jess Cropper and Sophie Harrison
comment.spark@reading.ac.uk
Political Comment
Adam Roberts and Ellis Wiggins
Editors:
politics.spark@reading.ac.uk
Interview Editor:
Ellis Wheatley interview.spark@reading.ac.uk
Film, DVD & TV
Ellie Holland and Jack Marshall
Editors:
film.spark@reading.ac.uk
Music Editors:
Jamie Milton music.spark@reading.ac.uk
Nia Thomas music.spark@reading.ac.uk
Science & Tech
David Thai and Vinay Chauhan
Editor:
scitech.spark@reading.ac.uk
Gaming Editor:
Iain Farqhuar gaming.spark@reading.ac.uk
Arts&Books Editor: Lucy Snow arts.spark@reading.ac.uk
Reading calling: the students taking part in the Annual Fund telephone campaign. Photo courtesy Laura Garman.
Express Yourself on the 30 November! Photo courtesy Michelle Walter
Come along to Reading University and see a spectacular range of dance in an hour and a half of pure entertainment. Hosted by Reading University Tap and Modern Club the show will include over 15 performances in 10 completely different dance styles. Watch Tap, Modern, Ballroom, Latin, Ballet, Belly dance, Irish, Swing, Break dance and even Capoeira – we didn’t realise it was a performance art either! Join us at 7:30pm in 3Sixty for a fun filled evening! Tickets only £4 or with a valid NUS card they’re just £3. What better way could there be to kick off the festive season? Buy your tickets online at rusu.co.uk/ents or head down the students union box office. See you all there.
Fashion Editors:
Katey Watkins and Poppy Nowicka
fashion.spark@reading.ac.uk
Beauty Editor:
Elle Turner beauty.spark@reading.ac.uk
Travel Editors:
Simon Truscott and Charlie Allenby
travel.spark@reading.ac.uk
Health Editor:
Sarah Lienard health.spark@reading.ac.uk
Fun&Games Editor: Paroma Guha
fun.spark@reading.ac.uk
Sport Editor:
Cameron Humphries
sports.spark@reading.ac.uk
Head of PR:
Charlie Allenby pr.spark@reading.ac.uk
Art director:
Piers Rudgard-Redsell
Design editor:
Sam Winslet
Proofreaders:
Jessica Hodges
Katey Watkins
Spark* is written, designed & typeset by students at the University of Reading. Printed by Newbury News Limited, Newspaper House, Faraday Road, Newbury, Berkshire. RG14 2DW. Published and funded by Reading University Students’ Union vp.studentactivites@rusu.co.uk. Spark* is completely editorially independent. Complaints should be made to the Editor, in the first instance, and thereafter to RUSU. All complaints should be made in writing. All articles, letters etc. must include a name, address, and contact number/e-mail address. These may be withheld from publication at specific request. Spark* or RUSU can take no responsibility for products or services advertised herein. Spark* reserves the right to reject or edit any submissions. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the Editor. The views expressed in Spark* do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor, particularly those expressed in the comments pages, which are often the opinions of the specific authors. Photographs in Spark* are copyright to the photographer concerned.
36 SOCIETY SPOTLIGHT
pr.spark@reading.ac.uk
Friday 9 November 2012 Spark*
Society spotlight
ELLEN NORTH-ROW, VIREN MISTRY,
LIBERTY JACKSON, ELLIS WHEATLEY
We have revamped and reformed for this year! Check out our English Society mascot - The Boozy Bard - by joining the group and adding us on Facebook! Fancy a night out or a film-night in? I thought so. We have lots lined up for the next year, not just socials - organised by our fun-loving Social Secretary Viren, but work experience and cultural trips too! Previously we have hosted a Book Fayre on campus which enables our members and UoR students to sell unwanted books (related to your course or purely for pleasure).
Previously we have hosted a Book Fayre on campus which enables students to sell unwanted books
...Spark*’s Spotlight is on the Boozy Bard 11), Peer Support, Graduate-jobs, Course representatives and part of networks of other societies which makes socials very fun and diverse! We have previously organised formal boat parties aimed at joining like-minded students from the Drama Society - for our last Christmas social - and have attempted to address our slight gender imbalance within the English Department, by joining with the UoR Construction Society. With an upcoming film night this Friday 9 November and another social just around the corner we’ve got your social calendar covered! For those who wish for a night in, a great film and (in our opinion) GREAT company we have planned
a film-night to celebrate the release of the amazing new James Bond film, Skyfall. We have decided to tease you with Casino Royale instead on our BIG screen. If that’s not your cup of tea, then why not attend our joint social with the Fine Art Society on Monday 19 November? There’s a great Bombay Bicycle Club DJ set on at Skint Mondays, Sakura, it would be great to see everyone out and dance the night away!
Why not attend our joint social with the Fine Art Society?
Our committee is made up of wellconnected individuals with links to: media streams (such as Spark* Student Newspaper and Junction
Above: members of the English Society on their stall at this year’s Freshers Fair
Stay tuned to the Facebook page, for news on our up-and-coming December Christmas Social and watch out for our revamped mascot - The Boozy Bard on your newsfeed! To contact your Part Two Course Rep - directly - you may email our committee member, Liberty Jackson, if you have any questions or concerns contact Liberty at liberty. jackson@student.reading.ac.uk For more information, look us up on facebook ‘English-Society Reading Uni’.
Next time...
Want your Society featured in next issue’s Society Spotlight? Why not send us an email and your Society could be in the next issue! Spotlight email pr.spark@reading.ac.uk
Spark* Friday 9 November 2012
fun.spark@reading.ac.uk
FUN&GAMES
Dinosaurs word search
FUN&GAMES 37
Sudoku Last week’s answer...
This week’s sudoku
answers coming in our next issue!
Word fit two
Meanwhile, a ghost...
Wheel amazing
Cryptogram
Solve the phrase from a famous movie.
TU 285x330.pdf 1 29/08/2012 11:47:54
38 ADVERTISEMENT
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Friday 9 November 2012 Spark*
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Spark* Friday 9 November 2012
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SPORT 39
SPORT COMMENT
Rampant ‘plastic tribalism’ leaves football on the brink Chris Porter
Rivalry has always, and will always, be an integral part of any sport. A sport devoid of rivalries simply won’t survive; and doesn’t deserve to. Competition is the fundamental cornerstone upon which sport stands; however it is the longevity of competition that provides the context for meaningful rivalries to develop - meaningful being the operative word.
Competition is the fundamental cornerstone upon which sport stands The greatest rivalries across all sports throughout the ages have evolved through time, cultivated by geography and circumstance, heritage and previous encounters, of course.
Liverpool and Manchester United; McEnroe and Borg; England and Australia; the list goes on. Each side of the rivalry is billed to represent something to both supporters and neutrals alike – a clash of beliefs, values and character that embodies the superiority they are seeking to assert over the opponent. Barcelona versus Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final last season was “Beauty against the Beast” due to the perceived merits of their playing styles, whilst cricket’s Ashes battles between England and Australia will always be played to the now distant historical backdrop of colonial rule and the desire to use sport as an escapist proxy for supremacy. These brief examples are why so many of us love sport. There is a sense of theatre and occasion felt through the importance we attach to the outcome of historic sporting encounters. However, it has become hard to ignore that the culture surrounding the game of football is increasingly toxic, through the development of
Shameful: The mindless attack on Chris Kirkland last month
what can be referred to as “plastic tribalism”. It appears no longer socially acceptable amongst football enthusiasts to merely support your team. Now, you are treated as some sort of pariah unless you are prepared to direct cheap vitriolic hatred toward any opposition you face. Gone are the days when a rivalry used to be moulded or mean something special to the fans of either side. At least back in the footballing dark ages a quarter of a century or more
ago, fans beat seven bells out of each other for a bit of regional pride. Nowadays, especially as the average fan is more middle class than ever and has little true attachment to their club (such as geographical proximity or heritage), it has simply become the norm to demonstrate a rather pathetic ‘plastic’ and, importantly, faceless hatred to absolutely everybody who has the audacity to play for or support another team. It is a development that is beginning to force away true fans of the game, who respect and enjoy great football from any team, regardless of their personal affiliations. Though petty and somewhat pitiful, if the “plastic tribalism” remained as just a few cheap and harmless words, the football juggernaut could continue unaffected. However, events in recent months have brought to light that something needs to be done to curb the “anything goes” culture accompanying this mentality. The attack by a Leeds United fan on Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Chris Kirkland in October surely
should be (but won’t be) heeded as the key wake up call for the sport’s governing bodies, before something very, very serious occurs. Fans appear to have developed a growing belief that they have a right to say or do anything in the name of “supporting” their team. It has to stop.
A sad reflection on the culture that is now prevalent within football Racist incidents creeping back in to the game is another sign that football crowds are once again leaving absolutely all of their collective morals and brain cells at the entrance gates – a sad reflection on the culture that is now prevalent within football and perhaps even provides potentially a worrying nod towards a return to boorish hooliganism in a discontented society. What do you think? Email sports. spark@reading.ac.uk.
How long must Reading wait for a victory? Tim Underwood
At the time of writing, Reading haven’t won a single game in the Premier League. Even QPR, a side also struggling to get points, could not be beaten. So I ask: why have Reading started this campaign so badly? It’s always difficult to pick up points as a newly promoted team. For striker Adam Le Fondre, the move up to the Premier League is even greater, having played for lower league sides Rotherham and Rochdale before joining Reading. The transition is proving to be a tough one – he has netted just once.
Pavel Pogrebnyak, who scored a handful of goals on loan at Fulham last season, has also not been as prolific as Brian McDermott would have hoped.
Even QPR managed to stave off a Reading defeat despite their points struggle A lack-lustre attack may be at fault, then, for Reading’s worrying league position. But McDermott doesn’t
even seem to know his best forward partnership. Leaving Pogrebnyak on the bench at Loftus Road, for example, was a strange decision considering he’s the leading goal scorer for the Royals. The manager made four changes to the side that drew with Fulham – at first, they seemed to work against QPR. They led the game for 50 minutes. But defensive sloppiness meant they could not see the game out, just like at Chelsea earlier this season where they gained a surprise lead early on.
Finishing the job is something Reading must learn, and quickly, if they are to win any games this year. One need only look to the incredible game against Arsenal in the Capital One Cup to see how catastrophic it can be to ease off against good opposition. Reading are by no means a bad side; they were unlucky not to grab a point against Liverpool. They haven’t lost a match by more than two goals, either, so they haven’t been comprehensibly thumped. However, they are yet to play either of the Manchester teams, and it’s hard to see Reading getting any
points, home or away, to United or City.
The win against Chelsea had moved United to within one point of the Blues at the top of the table. The win over Arsenal last weekend however ensured United’s place as the leaders when Chelsea were held to a draw at Swansea. Other rivals also suffered blows as champions Manchester City were held away at West Ham, and fourthplace challengers Tottenham and Newcastle dropped points. It is Everton who are the surprise package so far this season. Lying in fourth place they have lost just one game, and their impressive record includes a win over current leaders United. The race for fourth looks to be as intriguing as ever with West Bromwich Albion sitting in a shock fifth place, and Arsenal and Tottenham not far behind.
The challenge for the title however is almost undoubtedly between the three current pace-setters. United, Chelsea and City are situated within three points of each other, and although United are the current leaders, there is likely to be many twists and turns to come.
The issue for Chelsea is squad depth. A loss in Europe and a tiring Capital One Cup adventure has meant fatigue in players, and the key to Chelsea’s season is keeping their best players fit and fresh. Manchester City on the other hand have looked out of sorts at time this season, compounded by a horrendous European campaign. Roberto Mancini’s team are still unbeaten in the league however, and too close to United and Chelsea to be taken lightly. Manchester United however have a squad depth, an attacking talent, and a history to be feared. It is they who have worked their way to the top of the table, and the odds are on them to regain their title. The season ahead, and the competition between these three heavyweights, is a feast in waiting.
Finishing the job is something Reading must learn, and quickly This means that they badly need to pick up points this month against Norwich (H), Wigan (A) and Aston Villa (A) to stand any chance of survival – otherwise, they’ll find themselves back in the Championship next year.
United in pole position as season takes shape Tom Newbold
Manchester United brushed aside Arsenal to go top of the Premier League table last weekend as their closest rivals all dropped points. It is the first time United have been at the summit since last April, and by beating Arsenal they took full advantage of their rival’s slip-ups to reassert themselves as leaders of the pack. United’s victory over the North London side was a match of serene domination. The 2-1 scoreline failed to give justice to the ease with which United disposed of their adversaries. Robin van Persie once again showed his star quality as he opened the scoring against his old club, adding a further goal to the two he scored against Chelsea the week before.
The flying Dutchman has become something of an immediate hero at Old Trafford and will be looking to continue his scoring run.
The flying Dutchman has become something of an immediate hero The feisty encounter between United and Chelsea the week previous was anything but as one-sided as the game with Arsenal. It was full of excitement, incident, controversy, and a lot of very good football. The team from Manchester eventually prevailed 3-2, but Chelsea will feel aggrieved after dominating for large periods and having two players contentiously sent off.
The competition between these three heavyweights is a feast in waiting Current European champions Chelsea have started this season better than expected. The attacking trio of Juan Mata, Eden Hazard, and Oscar are as good as any combination in the league.
40 SPORT
Friday 9 November 2012 Spark*
sports.spark@reading.ac.uk
SPORT Goals Galore at Reading
Inside... Comment: rampant tribalism
Reading held by Fulham and stunned by Arsenal Saturday 27 October Reading 3-3 Fulham Leigertwood
26’
Ruiz 61’
McLeary
85’
Baird 77’
Hal Robson-Kanu 90’
Berbatov 88’
Attendance: 24, 093 Cameron Humphries
When will Reading win a game?
Before the game one Reading fan proclaimed ‘every game feels like a cup final’ and with the Berkshire side still looking for the season’s first victory the atmosphere on show certainly indicated the desire for McDermott’s men to improve on results. Having led for much of the match Reading eventually had to twice come from behind in order to secure a point against a strong Fulham side. The home sides’ performance in the opening 45 minutes suggested they may well get that elusive victory. It was Mikele Leigertwood who fired the Royal’s in front after good work from Jobi McAnuff, the central midfielder drilling his shot into the top right corner. While Reading were far from outstandng they were certainly the better side. Martin Jol duly changed things following a spell of Reading pressure after half time and it was the substitue Bryan Ruiz who changed the game, firing a thun-
derbolt past Alex McCarthy in the Reading goal. Fulham were now in the ascendancy and it came as no surprise when Ruiz found Chris Baird from a corner to head in front with just over ten minutes remaining. The last ten minutes contained extraordinary drama. McLeary equalised from twelve yards. Berbatov finished a classy team move with a classy finish, leaving Fulham a matter of minutes to protect a lead. And then, in stoppage time, Hal RobsonKanu got on the end of a Nicky Shorey cross to secure Reading a point. Reading remained without a point and defensively McDermott will have his worries but in their never say die attitude and attacking threat Reading will hope they can drag themselves to safety come the end of the season.
Tuesday 30 October Reading 5-7
Arsenal
Roberts
12’
Walcott 45’ 90’ 120’
Koscielny
18’ (o.g) Giroud 64’
Leigertwood 20’
Koscielny 89’
Hunt
37’
Chamakh 103’ 120’
Pogrebnyak
115’
Attendance: 23. 980
Cameron Humphries
4-0 down after 37 minutes the only question was whether or noi Arsenal could salvage some pride against Reading. Yet, on an improbable evening at the Madejski the North London side eventually left Berkshire with a place in the last eight of the League cup and some unforgettable memories. Reading were entirely dominant in the first half and Roberts, Leigertwood, Hunt and a Laurent Koscielny own goal left them on the brink of a famous victory. Yet a Theo Walcott hat-trick and a flurry of late goals
left Brian McDermott ruing the ‘worst night of his career’. Walcott scored in the final minute of the first half, with the last kick of the second to take the game to extra time and finally in the last minute of extra time. It was a virtuso performance from the England forward whom Wenger must surely offer an improved contract offer. In a match that resembled an under 11’s game it is hard to overanalyse, indeed both sides will have nightmare’s over their defending. It will live long in the memory of those in attendance however and Arsenal nowwstand a chance of ending that seven year trophy drought.
Rampant Reading make it three in a row Reading 34 - 19 UWIC Seb lear
Reading 1st XV made it three wins on the trot, with another sensational comeback against UWIC 2’s in the Premier B South fixture on Wednesday afternoon in Cardiff. Following a second half turn around against Imperial, and a strong win against Hartpury, Reading were looking for 3 wins in a row, whilst UWIC were looking to get back on track following a defeat to Bath last week. UWIC kicked off the game, and two physical packs were at each other from the start. The game began frantically, with the play going from end to end. A great break from scrum half Will Clark allowed Reading to gain some field position, before a break from the fast UWIC left winger looked like a certain try, only to be denied by some scrambling Reading defence. The game continued in the same manner, with both sides unable to convert try scoring opportunities. However, a driven maul and a try in the corner from the UWIC winger
gave the Cardiff side the accendacy, going into half time 12-0 ahead. Frustrated by some refereeing decisions, especially at the scrum, Reading aimed to pick up the pace of the game, to release the fast backs who had seen little action in the first half. But a great grubber through from the UWIC fly half allowed the inside centre to go over for a try immediately after half time, to go 19-0 ahead with 30 minutes to go. The Berkshire side did not panic, with the successful comeback against Imperial still fresh in the players minds, they picked up the pace of the game, and a quick fire try in the corner from Joe Grindle, and a penalty from Toby Spark brought Reading back to 19-10, sniffing a comeback.
The Berkshire side did not panic A fantastic driving lineout allowed club president James Hughes to dive over-before a incredible length of the pitch try, going through pretty much the entire teams hands, allowed centres Seb Lear and Ethan Wright to
put the pacy Will Rasbridge over for Readings 3rd try, and also the lead for the first time in the game. UWIC were shell shocked, and unable to keep up with the tempo, and a darting break from man of the match Will Clark, and a try from Captain Dave Synnott, gave Reading five tries and a resulting bonus point. Reading had scored 34 unanswered points in 30 minutes, to leave Wales with an emphatic 34-19 victory, to propell the Berskshire university to 2nd in the league.
Reading had scored 34 unanswered points in 30 minutes Reading now have a three week break, where the team will still need to work hard and play friendlies, in order not to loose the momentum that has certainly built up in the last few weeks. Exciting times for Reading.
Right: the rest of the week’s Knights results. Team of the Week: Squash Men’s First