Tuesday January 27 2009 | Week 3
FILM
studentnewspaper.org
Warm reception for Frost
Obama's Inauguration: A Diary
Scotland's favourite son
p21 »
p13 »
p9»
MAGAZINE
COMMENT
S I N C E 1887 T H E U K ' S O LD E S T S T U D EN T N EW S PA P ER
Edinburgh student life fails to impress
Edinburgh University's reputation has taken yet another hit, after the release of last week’s Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey results revealed a fall of 11 places for the institution. Whereas student opinions placed the university at number 32 in the previous table, the latest set, based on the responses of over 12,000 undergraduates nationwide, ranks Edinburgh at 43 out of the 101 institutions polled. The results, gathered between October 2007 and May 2008, were calculated based on weighted scores for everything from academic provisions to facilities to social life and atmosphere. The rankings portray satisfaction ratings at Edinburgh as lagging behind those at the majority of other Scottish universities, with only two of the 11 included in the survey (Napier and Glasgow Caledonian) faring worse. St Andrews, meanwhile, came out 5th and the Universities of Dundee and Glasgow achieved 12th and 13th place respectively. Although it is worth noting that the results rely heavily on respondents’ personal expectations and standards, Edinburgh came out this year with below-average scores in three out of 21 areas, namely course structure, security and relationships with teaching staff.
11 places
by which the university has fallen since last survey The first of these three will come as no surprise to one third year studying Music Technology, who told The Student how an organisational lapse at the university left those on the course facing up to twice as much work during last semester as they will during the current term: “During meetings with our Directors of Studies at the start of last semester, several music students were advised not to take 80 credits’ worth of classes as it would be too much work, whereas us Music Tech students were told we had no choice. As a result of the workload, we had to ask for extensions a
couple of weeks before deadlines. “While we were grateful for these extensions, it did however mean working all throughout the Christmas holidays, so our semester effectively finished last Friday.” The department has since announced that this particular error will been addressed in time for next year’s programme. There were, however, some more encouraging signs of improvement in the latest poll results. Responses gathered at the University of Edinburgh indicate that students are happier with industry connections, library facilities, course workload and the way in which the university caters for personal requirements. Interestingly, EUSA has come forward admitting some accountability for the slump, despite the fact that most of the attributes in which the university performed best – societies, activities, facilities, unions and sports – are largely the Student Association’s responsibility. Guy Bromley, Vice President Academic Affairs, told The Student, “We recognise that EUSA hasn’t exactly boosted Edinburgh’s score”, but insisted that recent reforms within the Association would help to remedy the situation: “This year we have introduced the Student Union Evaluation Initiative, designed to allow us to reflect and react on areas for improvement; in addition we have launched a new student feedback system which allows students to suggest areas for improvement”, he explained. “Our latest internal survey shows that students think EUSA is already doing a better job than last year, but further to this we have recruited a new Chief Executive, Anthony Blackshaw, who will be joining us in March. We are making changes, and we challenge all parts of the University to do the same to make sure Edinburgh becomes an even better place to study.” Despite what may come as a disappointing result for Edinburgh, it was by no means the worst performance by a university in the Russell Group, the members of which are typically seen as the leading institutions in Britain. Seven of the 20 Russell Group universities ranked below Edinburgh, with the London School of Economics and Political Science at number 87, Imperial College London at 60 and the University of Manchester at 59.
43
8
Scottish institutions ranked above Edinburgh
Edinburgh’s position in the Times Student Experience Survey
KATY KENNEDY
Lyle Brennan
MyEd: access denied for late-paying students Neil Pooran A number of students have been left unable to access their university web services after the University closed down several MyEd accounts. The university disconnected the accounts after a deadline passed for payment of
tuition fees. Though the exact number of students who have been affected is unclear, the University told The Student that any student who is overdue in payment of fees could be denied access to online resources. For students on some courses the
inability to access MyEd could prove disastrous, with a large proportion demanding the electronic submission of essays and assignments. In the School of Divinity alone, which has 300 students, Continued on page 4 »
Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
2
News Editors: Lyle Brennan & James Ellingworth news@studentnewspaper.org
The Student Newspaper | 60 Pleasance, Edinburgh EH8 9TJ Email: editors@studentnewspaper.org
What’s in this week »
Ramsay bids for online voting on EUSA issues
NEWS »p1–7
Teaching Threatened p4
Falling recruitment may damage graduates prospects.
Website cost causes divide p5
Cost of EUSA website divides students.
'Class Wars' p5
‘Class war’ claims over English university funding row.
Award Nominations p6
Over 800 nominations for EUSA teaching awards.
Humans not fruit-flies p7
Edinburgh researcher analyses fruit-fly genetics.
Trams delayed....AGAIN p7
More hold-ups with the Edinburgh tramlines.
COMMENT »p9–11
Scotland's favourite son p10
Susan Robinson looks at the dark side of Robbie Burns.
S 2 MAGAZINE »p12–25
THIS WASN’T SPARTA: The last EUSA AGM failed to reach the required quorum of 300 students after the first two votes
Obamalleujah p13–14
Sam Carlysle was just one of the four million present at Barck Obama’s inauguration, but managed to get exclusive access.
Indepedent Solution p15
Lyle Brennan talks to the people standing up to the entertainment monopoly.
FILM p18–19
It’s a good week for political films, with Milk and Frost/Nixon getting a good reception
It’s all in the MUSIC p20–21
Bruce Springsteen doesn’t quite live up to his title of The Boss, whereas Lady Gaga turns out to be perfectly gaga.
TECH p22
Reviews of Fallout 3 and Call of Duty: World at War
TV p23
Skins slinks its way back on to Channel Four, but can it match the heights of last season?
SPORT »p26–27
EUSA President Adam Ramsay aims to allow the student body to vote on issues online, as opposed to voting physically in the association’s General Meetings. A motion he has submitted to next month’s General Meeting will also lower the attendance quorate for GMs and AGMs to 100. The move will break with decades of EUSA protocol, but comes after many recent meetings have been sparsely attended and failed to reach the quorum of 300 members. Last semester’s AGM was only quorate for the first two votes, after
Stalemate for Edinburgh footballers
Coaching Week P27 Martin Domin looks at the university's upcoming coaching week.
Index 1 9 12 13 17 18
Film Technology TV Life & Style Puzzles Sport
20 22 23 24 25 26
which students began to trickle out of the lecture theatre. Ramsay told The Student: “EUSA is run by student, for students. This means that it’s really important that students have every chance to set our policy. Online referenda will mean that every student will have the maximum chance to engage in setting the key policies of the Association.” Ramsay’s proposal will be voted on at the General Meeting on February 18th, though the vote will only be binding if over 300 students vote in its favour. Attendance of General Meetings has followed a rough trend downwards from a notable peak in November 2003
when almost 1,000 students turned out to vote in favour of making Edinburgh University a fair-trade institution. Since then, attendance at General Meetings has been patchy. No resolutions passed at the March 2008 General Meeting were binding due to lack of a quorum.
Universities occupied by pro-Palestine demonstrators Zeenath Ul Islam
Mens Football p26
News Comment Editorial Features Culture Music
Neil Pooran
A sit-in protest by Oxford University students protesting against Israeli military operations in the Gaza strip has ended peacefully, while protests have spread to other universities across the country. The Clarendon building, where the Oxford University Press is housed, was occupied by over 80 students for seven hours last Thursday. This protest is part of a string of UK-wide student activism under the banner of “Occupations” that began with protests at the School of Oriental and African Studies and the London School of Economics. As The Student went to press on Sunday night, 17 institutions had been or were currently hosting some form of sit-in protest, including the Universities of Exeter, Birmingham and Bristol. Around 100 students at the University of Cambridge occupied the law faculty last Friday, making it the latest target of the student protestors.
The protestors have tended to select a building on campus and prevent university activity in the vicinity with a sit-in protest, while a delegation presents the university’s Chancellor with a list of demands relating to the situation in Gaza. The protestors’ demands range from asking the University to publicly condemn the recent Israeli bombing of the Islamic University of Gaza and to donate resources to donate resources to reconstruction efforts at universities in Gaza. The students at Oxford had also called for the cancellation of a series of lectures at the university that had been inaugurated by Israeli politician Shimon Peres. Juliette Harkin , one of the students who had been negotiating with the Oxford University faculty, told The Student: “We consider this to be a major step in promoting justice for Palestine within the British academic community.” Omar Al Shehabi, student at Pem-
broke College, Oxford, added: “This is truly a great achievement. The war crimes of the Israeli-apartheid regime in Gaza must be confronted by civil society.” At the occupied lecture theatre former Labour MP Tony Benn stated, “I have seen the statement of intent that you have made and I agree with it one hundred percent. “Don’t think that you’re an isolated little group at the LSE. In my judgement I believe there is mass support for what you are doing from all over the world.”
News Editors: Lyle Brennan & James Ellingworth news@studentnewspaper.org
Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
News 3
Anger at MP’s dyslexia ‘fiction’ claim
Josh King An MP’s recent comments that dyslexia is a ‘cruel fiction’ created to cover up poor teaching have provoked outrage
on campus. Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that affects around 6 million people in the UK. Graham Stringer, Labour MP for Blackley, made the comments in a column he wrote for the Manchester Confidential website. The article, which also draws a link between illiteracy and criminal behaviour, has sparked indignation across the country. “I was outraged by Graham Stringer’s comments and his ignorance on this subject.” Melanie Scott, from the University of Edinburgh’s Disability Office, told The Student. At the University of Edinburgh alone 810 students are known to have specific learning difficulties, and they receive a wide range of support, from
extra time in exams and permission to record lectures, to extended library loans and, if relevant, the use of PCs in exams. “All students receiving reasonable adjustments have been assessed by an educational psychologist to identify whether or not they have specific learning difficulties,” Scott added. Finlay Craig, a second-year student, labelled Stringer’s comments ‘somewhat offensive’, and told The Student, “The problem arises when your intelligence is ranked above your listening skills and writing and reading speed. “This causes me a lot of frustration, because when the problems I’m trying to work on are more mentally based then I do better, but on the flip side when I try to understand and express issues in writing I do it very slowly.
Hence why I get extra time in exams.” But backbencher Stringer remains unconvinced, calling the status quo ‘perverse’. “There has been created a situation where there are financial and education incentives to being bad at spelling and reading,” he said. Judi Stewart, Chief Executive of the British Dyslexia Association, condemned Stringer, saying, “It is concerning that an MP does not recognise dyslexia, which affects 10% of his constituents, even though his government have taken steps to make sure dyslexic children and young people with dyslexia are recognised and supported.” A spokesman for the Department of Children, Schools and Families stated that the government was still fully supportive of children suffering from learning difficulties.
“We understand the distress and frustration that many parents of a dyslexic child feel so keenly,” he said, “often they have endured years of struggle trying to get extra help to overcome their child’s difficulties with reading and writing.”
LYLE BRENNAN
University’s Disability Office and dyslexic students angered by MP’s claim that dyslexia is a ‘cruel fiction’
AN EYE FOR DETAIL: Dyslexia is said to affect one in ten people in the UK, and manifests as a difficulty with written language
NUS reforms passed amid protests Liz Rawlings Radical reform and protest marked this year’s Extraordinary Conference of the National Union of Students’ (NUS) in Wolverhampton last week. Last Tuesday, as Barack Obama was being sworn into his new role as President of the United States, student politicians achieved a milestone of their own – voting to overhaul the way in which the NUS is run in what is being described as a ‘landmark’ vote for the UK’s student representative body. The proposals had previously split the organisation, having been voted down at the NUS annual conference last year. They will see the current elected national executive committee replaced by a governing board, which will be advised by a senate of student representatives. There will also be five policy ‘zones’ which will feed into the senate, holding
their own conferences to identify areas of consensus and improve efficiency. NUS President Wes Streeting said he was ‘ecstatic’ at the vote, stating that “the gravity of the decision taken today is without doubt the biggest shake up of NUS’ democracy and status in its history. “The student population has changed dramatically in the past decade, but NUS has stood still. Today, that inertia comes to an end. It’s the most radical turn NUS has taken for a generation and one that will put students’ interests and students’ needs at the forefront of a dynamic, relevant and effective campaigning organisation.” The changes will reduce the current influence of hard left and other minority groups who have campaigned heavily against the reforms. In particular, before the vote concerns were raised by campaigners for black representation, who are worried that the reforms will reduce the influ-
ence black students will have in the new NUS structure. Doreen Lawrence, the mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence was drawn into the political row stating: “I am disappointed to hear that, as the 10th anniversary of the Lawrence inquiry approaches, the NUS is planning to roll back black students’ representation.
“
This is without doubt the biggest shake up of the NUS’ democracy and status in its history.” Wes Streeting, NUS President
“I was proud to support the creation of a black students’ officer in the NUS. The position is vital in ensuring the NUS properly represents black
students, and challenges institutional racism.” LGBT groups were also against the proposals arguing that an impact assessment should have been carried out before any vote took place. However, Streeting labeled these arguments ‘cynical political ploys’ to block reform, pointing out that representatives of other minority groups such as feminist campaigners and disabled students supported the proposals. The final count of the vote could not be completed because student members of the radical left group Respect stormed the stage to protest against NUS’s stance on the current crisis in Gaza. They were protesting against NUS’s refusal to take any position other than calling for an immediate ceasefire in the region, and demonstrated these views by occupying the stage. As a result, Streeting confirmed that about 90% of NUS members ratified
the new proposals, but an official figure could not be given due to ‘disruption on the floor’.
Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
News Editors: Lyle Brennan & James Ellingworth news@studentnewspaper.org
4 News
Teaching jobs threatened Falling recruitment may damage graduates’ prospects Rachel Hunt Concerns have been raised over employment prospects for students training to become teachers, after Scottish Labour once again criticised the Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop in the debate over the current state of probationary teacher employment. A General Teaching Council (GTC) report published last month signalled a drop in the number of teachers finding jobs after completing their year of induction, further adding to the growing feeling of pessimism among graduates across the board. Shadow Education Secretary Rhona Brankin has reiterated her calls for the ‘crisis’ among probationers to be solved, accusing the SNP of denying the falling employment rates. Brankin cited a Times Educational Supplement Scotland report, which
indicated that permanent teaching jobs had dropped by 50 percent in 20072008, with only 770 out of 3426 probationary teachers finding work. Hyslop disputed the accusations, referring to a GTC report to show that the number of respondents in full time employment under the SNP had risen to 55.3 percent, up from 54.7 percent under Labour. The same report also suggested 74 percent of probationers at secondary schools had found permanent work, compared to 40 percent of those in primary schools. With such conflicting information, Fiona Hyslop dismissed the motion as ‘hot headed attacks on the Scottish education system’. However, in October last year, a Government publication from the Teacher Employment Working Group, recognised that ‘there was some evidence that it was becoming more difficult for post-probation teachers to find permanent posts’. The group, headed by Hyslop, conducted a detailed investigation into teacher workforce planning across Scotland. A lack of coordination between national and local bodies, as well as delays in retirement and the occupation
of supply positions, have been suggested as factors behind the imbalance between supply and demand for new teachers. The findings correspond with this latest GTC survey, which demonstrates reductions in both general and permanent employment by 8.8 percent and 7.1 percent respectively. Although only a snapshot of employment patterns, it is recognised by the Government as a useful indicator on which to base predictions. Stepping away from the current situation, however, the GTC maintains that, with as many as 6,000 teachers reaching the end of their careers, the ‘medium and long term prospects are good’ for final-year teaching students.
Students denied access to MyED » continued from page 1 five students found themselves unable to access their MyEd accounts. The university has urged anyone with outstanding fees to contact the income section of the Finance Department urgently. Late payment fees of £50 can also be charged, and the university can deactivate matriculation cards if funds are not received. Some student representatives described the shutdowns as ‘drastic’, but the university maintains that all stu-
dents were warned of the impending action. A note posted on Wednesday January 14 on the MyEd news feed warned that accounts could be disconnected ‘on or soon after 16 January 2009’. Chris Champion, a second year Religious Studies and Philosophy student who had his account shut down, told The Student: “I didn’t receive any warning of this, and I’m not the kind of person who doesn’t check their emails. “I appreciate that the University only sees a non-payment of fees but this is very heavyhanded. This is definitely a step backwards in terms of relations with students.”
monday
tuesday
February 18th 2009, 7pm George Square Theatre Motions Deadline >February 4th 2009, 5pm Amendments Deadline >February 11th 2009, 5pm For more info contact: president@eusa.ed.ac.uk eusa.ed.ac.uk
Edinburgh University Students’ Association is a Registered Scottish Charity (No.SCO15800)
News Editors: Lyle Brennan & James Ellingworth news@studentnewspaper.org
Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
News 5
Cost of EUSA website divides students
What £26,000 means to EUSA:
James Ellingworth
2.6
times the amount raised in the 2008 Charities Week
8,667
trips to the Big Cheese on Saturday night at Potterow LYLE BRENNAN
There has been anger within EUSA over the association’s recently relaunched website, after it was revealed that the work had cost £26,000. The deal covers the new design of the website, which is modelled on the style of EUSA’s The Voice publication, and will keep it operational for three years. However, questions have been raised about the wisdom of spending the money. According to EUSA’s financial results, the association barely broke even in the past year despite large grants from the University. In addition, £10,000 was spent on a rebranding package launched in Freshers’ Week, featuring a new logo and a poster campaign. EUSA President Adam Ramsay defended the cost of the new design, telling The Student: “The old website was little more than a signpost to EUSA services. The new website is a EUSA service.” He added that he expected the assocation to benefit from increased revenue from selling university merchandise online, and said he had already noticed greater interest from potential advertisers. The association’s External Convener Thomas Graham has attacked the decision, saying: “It’s a huge amount of money to spend on a website. “It is important that when EUSA is in financial difficulty that we spend the money wisely. £26,000 is a lot of money.” Oliver Mundell, a member of the Committee of Management, told The Student: “£26,000 is the level of debt
many students leave university with, and is not a sum to be taken lightly. “While I agree with the new website, given the wealth of talent at Edinburgh, this should have been looked at before outsourcing.” He added that he was concerned
about delays in the website launch, which had been scheduled for Freshers’ Week, meaning that the new site launched approximately four months later than planned. The decision to update the EUSA website was originally made at the
General Meeting in spring 2006, with the associated spending decisions made by union sabbaticals officers then and in the last academic year.
15,294
pints of Carlsberg at the Teviot Library Bar
‘Class war’ claims over English university funding row Kelly Stroh The results of the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) fuelled tensions in British higher education last week, sparking what soem have called a ‘class war’ between English universities. The RAE is the key document used by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), as well as funding bodies in Wales, Northern Ireland, and England, to help determine the allocation of funds for universities. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) sparked controversy with its recent budget proposals based on the RAE findings, which in effect suggest a redistribution of funds from elite universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, to new universities and former polytechnics. With £1.5 billion in the balance, critics have accused the HEFCE of ‘promoting mediocrity’, while Wendy Piatt, director-general of the Russell Group, reportedly said ‘It is essential we bolster Britain’s critical mass of research
excellence, rather than try to spread limited cash more thinly’. The funding forecast for Scottish institutions is not yet clear. Despite the divisive effect of its English counterpart’s announcement, the SFC hopes its budget decisions, expected to be made public in March, will unite Scottish universities. The SFC is supporting further adoption of a ‘research pooling’ strategy, whereby universities combine resources and pursue joint projects. The SFC attributes many improvements in the RAE results to current collaborative efforts. For the 2008 study, the University of Edinburgh submitted joint work with Heriot-Watt University in Pure Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, and Statistics and Operational Research. It also submitted chemistry research conducted with the University of St. Andrews and work on architecture and the built environment conducted with the Edinburgh College of Art. The SFC has further plans to incentivise joint research as part of its effort to implement the recommendations of
the ‘New Horizons’ report. It intends to split university funding into 2 funding streams—the General Fund and the Horizons Fund. The former would cover operational costs, while the latter would be allocated to universities according to alignment with goals set out by the council and the Joint Future Thinking Taskforce. NUS Scotland has declared concerns that the Horizons Fund would accompany cuts in current budgets and that the council’s strategic priorities may undermine efforts to maintain high quality teaching, through its emphasis on research goals. The NUS is supportive of the general goals stated in the ‘New Horizons’ report, but calls for greater student involvement in the decision making process.
DREAMING SPIRES: Universities such as Oxford and Cambridge are set to lose out under new funding plans
Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
News Editors: Lyle Brennan & James Ellingworth news@studentnewspaper.org
6 News
IN
Brief
Careers service reassures students
Medical students and doctors are becoming deadly serious about a lack of human corpses on which to carry out medical research. Scottish medical colleges are regularly falling short of the 300 cadavers needed for training purposes, and have resorted to importing some body parts from America, feeling that advertising for donors might be ‘counterproductive’. In 2008 only 163 people donated
their bodies to medical research in Scotland. The Scotsman has reported thatsurgeons who specialise in operating on arthritic joints are in particular need of bodies to practise on, in order to avoid having to import any more remains. The University of Edinburgh’s procurement procedures have moved on considerably from the nineteenth century, when a professor at the University’s medical college notoriously bought dead bodies from murderers Burke and Hare. Donation of one’s body to medical science is now a strictly voluntary affair. NP
Living legend given posthumous medal in blunder Eddie Turnbull, the 85-year-old Hibernian FC legend, was honoured with a posthumous award last week - despite being very much alive. Turnbull, who also represented Scotland and went on to manage Aberdeen and Hibs, was made the recipient of a ‘Pillars of Leith’ award during a ceremony in South Leith Parish Church last Wednesday.
After the incident, Turnbull told the Edinburgh Evening News: “I have got a long way to go yet. It was rather funny – I would have been there but, because I was ‘dead’, obviously no-one told me about it.” Turnbull, a Leith resident who still attends every Hibs home game, was later presented with the medal in person after the event’s organisers realised their mistake. Rev. Ian Gilmour, who set up the awards, in which residents voted for their heroes, said: “I was worried. I do a lot of running and I thought from now on Eddie Turnbull would be chasing me.” JE
Help us make consulting clear. It makes you think.
Over 8000 nominations for teaching awards EUSA’s recently launched teachign awards, aiming to honour outstanding academic staff, have received a major boost as the number of nominations received from students surged past the 800 mark. As of January 20th, the total number of nominations stood at 802, with 58% coming from students in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, with the College of Science and Engineering in seocnd place with 33% of the total vote. 86% of nominations have so far come from undergraduates. The awards, which are in their first year, were set up to offer recognition of exceptional teaching, following concerns that a focus on research was leading to teaching excellence being overlooked. Nominations for the EUSA Teaching Awards remain open until March. Any student can nominate an academic, a course or a department for a prize using the EUSA website. JE
Opportunities for Campus Consultants Position: Campus Consultant Location: University of Edinburgh Role: Strengthen the Accenture profile on campus Incentive: First-class training support with real Accenture consultants Deadline: Friday 6th February 2009 Accenture would like to invite three students to become campus consultants for a year. To work together with us as the eyes, ears and voice of the brand at the University of Edinburgh. This is a unique opportunity not only with one of the world’s leading management consulting, technology services and outsourcing companies, but to work with our consultants and put Accenture on your CV. You will help us strengthen the Accenture profile on campus. In return we will coach you on how
to perform your role and you will be able to liaise with our consultants on a regular basis. All of which gives you plenty to think about. To find out more and what the requirements are, visit our website and submit your application. Accenture is committed to being an equal opportunities employer. Please apply to: Helen.oritis@accenture.com
© 2009 Accenture. All rights reserved.
Following reports of a bleak outlook for graduate job seekers in the national press, the University of Edinburgh’s Careers Service are keen to offer some hope to those searching for placements. Disputing the reliability of surveys such as one published last week, predicting ‘one of the worst years of the last two decades’ for graduate intake, students are being encouraged to look beyond the headlines. The Careers Service has moved to reassure 2009 graduates that ‘recruitment has not stopped’, claiming that the picture has been skewed due to media focus on a small percentage of employers. Law firm Clifford Chance is one such example, having pledged their commitment to continue ‘engaging fully in graduate recruitment’. Furthermore, it is important to note that there are many other routes into employment, other than through formal graduate schemes. The Careers Service does recognise that the graduate job market is ‘tough and the competition fierce’, but added that a degree from the University remains valuable. Graduates have been advised to to focus on responding to the situation by concentrating on getting a good degree, gaining work experience and showing participation in societies and clubs. Thorough research into employment options, as well as a flexible approach to work are also recommended. RH
Medics hit by cadaver palaver
News Editors: Lyle Brennan & James Ellingworth news@studentnewspaper.org
Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
News 7
Edinburgh's trams delayed again The long-awaited laying of Edinburgh’s tram tracks has been postponed yet again, sparking an angry response from local business owners. Tram bosses admitted that the £512 million project, which had been due to commence on Leith Walk at the end of January, will now start on Princes Street in April. According to a spokesperson for Edinburgh Trams, Princes Street will again be closed to all traffic “from late February until early December 2009 with a planned break in work during the Festival period”. Edinburgh Trams have acknowledged that some festival activities may under go some “alteration” during the construction work, while Transport Chiefs have already begun consultations into the continuation of the Tram works throughout August if the project runs behind schedule. Edinburgh City Council remains optimistic that the trams will be in full operation by July 2011. In the meantime, high street and independent businesses are continuing to suffer with prospective consumers put off hitting the shops not only because of the credit crunch, but also because of the traffic problems and the unsightly setting created by the tram construc-
tion. Richard Dowsett, owner of Leith Cycle Co on Leith Walk, has been badly affected by the tram works that have been going on right outside his business for the past 14 months. He said: “I’m absolutely fuming. We’ve had to put up with over a year of carnage and it is still dragging on. “It has affected all of the businesses really badly, with the current economic climate and the lowest consumer confidence for 30 years; the trams just remove any feel good factor.” According to Dowsett, the Leith Traders’ Association does “not care enough” and the financial support for businesses that are affected by the tram construction is negligible to the overall loss. Closing Princes Street was a disaster when first attempted in October 2008, with traffic diversions onto George Street that caused chaos with bus routes and congestion. Rhona Kennedy, a student, is not looking forward to the second closure of Princes Street. She remarked that “The tram work so far has been nothing but disruptive.” “It remains to be seen whether the trams are worth it, but from a personal point of view, the planned route isn’t at all necessary as it’s covered already by the buses.”
KATY KENNEDY
Sara D'Arcy
'Humans not fruit-flies' Guy Rughani The long-awaited laying of Edinburgh’s WE HAVE a similar number of genes to fruit flies, yet we are vastly more complex. The University of Edinburgh’s Professor David Tollervey and his team at the Wellcome Trust have used yeast to discover the possible mechanism behind this biological conundrum. RNA is a molecule which helps turn our DNA into the protein which makes up our bodies. The RNA was once thought of as fairly passive, being a “go-between”
molecule merely aiding the proteinmaking process. Prof. Tollervey’s work suggests that whilst some RNA is purely used to make proteins, other RNA molecules have the sophisticated job of controlling the amount of protein produced. “Our findings suggest that RNA plays a role in adding layers of complexity to the regulation of expression of our genes,” says the Professor. Scientists noted that when the sophisticated RNA was involved, the resulting yeast was more complex and better able to adapt to changing environments.
Yeast was used for the experiments as its genes are considered sufficiently biologically similar to those of humans as to make the comparison valid. The University’s School of Biological Sciences is renowned as one of the UK’s top performing research institutions, with 15% of its output classed as “world-leading” in its significance.
OUT OF THIS WORLD: Edinburgh research suggests RNA may explain the differing complexity between humans and flies
New university department slammed Jordan Campbell The recently formed Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills has been heavily criticised by a select committee of MPs who say that ‘it has not yet found its feet’ and that it may be sometime before it makes a considerable impact on the British education system. After scrutinising the department’s annual report MPs felt that the language contained within it was ‘impenetrable’ and full of needless jargon, concluding that the department was using this to cover up a lack of policy and any clear vision for the future. Examples of such language within the report include, “An overarching national improvement strategy will drive up quality and performance underpinned by specific plans for strategically significant areas of activity, such as workforce and technology.” The committee also raised questions about the quality of the statistics used by the department, advising that they should instead be reviewed independently. Overall, committee chairman Phil Willis MP stated that the report was ‘very unhelpful.’ The department was created in June 2007 to take over certain responsibilities from the disbanded Skills and Trade Industry Department. Its stated responsibilities are adult learning, higher education, skills, science and innovation. The department aims to make Brit-
ain a world leader for science, research and innovation, and has been described by Gordon Brown as at the forefront of plans to combat the current economic downturn. In response to the committee findings, Ian Whatmore, permanent secretary for the department, accepted that some language was ‘inaccessible’ and promised to review its writing procedures for next years report after even he was unable explain to MPs what some sentences meant. The department’s response to the criticism was muted, with a spokesperson pointing out that it has, “massively expanded apprenticeships, reached our target of 2.25 million people achieving basic skills two years early, increased the number of students entering higher education and continued the record investment in funding for science and research.”
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Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
Comment
9
Comment
Scotland's favourite son
In the thick of Scotland’s Homecoming Year Susan Robinson examines Robert Burn’s chequered past
The Ploughman’s Son is perhaps the best self-promoter and poet Scotland has ever produced. Even 250 years after his death, Robert Burns still manages to provoke controversy. You don’t have to be an expert on the culture or literature of the nation (He’s a contemporary of Chaucer, right?) to know that he has come to represent all things stereotypically Scottish. Tartan, bagpipes, sheep entrails and lashings of whisky are the trappings of any self-respecting Burns’ Supper. Burns would seem an obvious choice as the figurehead for Homecoming 2009. However, the Bard’s hedonistic lifestyle has been a source of contention. Historian Michael Fry denounced Burns as ‘a drunk, misogynistic, racist philanderer’ though he did concede that “Perhaps he was not untypical of Scots, but we have to wonder whether this is the right image for the modern Scotland. By all means, let us celebrate the poetry according to its merits. But, in the same critical spirit, let us deal honestly with the man who wrote that poetry.” Although I agree with the
sentiment that Burns’ poetry should be viewed critically - and its implications on our interpretation of national heritage - labelling him with such emotive and incendiary words does appear to be an attempt at grasping column inches. Fry would hardly be the first academic to try and heighten his media profile by making apparently controversial statements. Fry may be taking a leaf out of Burns’ book, the Kilmarnock edition of his first collection of poems, to be exact. He is advertised as ‘natural poet’, a prodigy from humble beginnings who ‘if inspired, ‘tis nature’s pow’rs inspire’. Through this calculated public persona the Ayrshire poet gained reputation in Edinburgh’s elite literary circles when it was convenient to champion Burns as the voice of the working classes. At a time when Scots was stigmatised, Burns voiced both domestic and universal concerns in the language of the ‘common man’ from familiar yet unique perspectives (‘To a Mouse’, ‘To a Louse’). However, Burns was not a prodigy. His work shows familiarity
with the Scottish canon, he was highly literate and self-taught. If anything, his story offers hope: regardless of background and wealth, if you’re ‘canny’ enough and prepared to work hard, you too can leave a mark on history. Burns’ later life may mean that he is not an icon for social mobility but his words are still on the lips of thousands of people, centuries after his death. Poets have rarely been a point of reference for how to live a virtuous life. However, their reflections upon their own, human foibles can lend a deeper understanding of the human condition. Burns may not be a role model but he certainly inspires debate. Perhaps this does make him the ideal figure--now more than ever Scotland needs to revise what it means to be Scottish and Burns’ poetry certainly offers plenty of food for thought. Last year Burns reputation as a ‘Socialist hero’ was disputed by Dr Gerard Carruthers, lecturer of Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow. Burns’ near-emigration to Jamaica, purportedly to work as a slave driver, casts
a very bleak shadow over his supposedly humanitarian views. Carruthers believes ‘it was a fantasy he harboured, based purely on his injured class pride.’ He cites three poems in particular: ‘The Slave’s Lament’, ‘For a’that and a’that’ and ‘On a Scotch Bard, Gone to the West Indies’. One is a rather lacklustre attempt at imagining the misery of enslavement in a foreign land, another mentions a ‘coward-slave’ and the last fails to make any reference at all to the exploitation of his ‘fellow’ man. In November last year, Dr Geoff Palmer of Heriot-Watt University criticised both Edinburgh’s recently founded Centre for Diaspora Studies and Homecoming 2009 for their lack of recognition of Scotland’s colonial past. He told The Guardian: ‘This event is being marketed in Canada, New Zealand, Australia. Why are they not inviting people from Jamaica with Scottish names?’ Michael Fry suggested that William Wallace or Robert the Bruce would be more appropriate to promote Homecoming. The Scotland of Braveheart bears little resemblance
to the one we’re living in today where the legacy of Scots who moved abroad to profit from the suffering of others is still living and breathing. As Dr Palmer said: ‘I’d rather have an honest truth than some false pride.’
“
Oh, wad some power the giftie gie us to see oursel’s as ithers see us! It wad frae monie a blunder free us, and foolish notion” Robert Burns
In defence of Burns: Bard, parttime ‘racist drunk’ and father of fourteen illegitimate children, (According to Charles Kennedy’s nothing if otherwise uninformative biography on The One Show), his hotly debated status as a cultural icon should prevent Scotland
Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
Comment Editors: Mairi Gordon & Zeenath Ul Islam comment@studentnewspaper.org
10 Comment
Beware of the yob Are you feeling anti-social? Alistair Shand examines the rise of the yob ccording to a recent survey, almost A half of Scots believe that children are ‘behaving like animals.’ The YouGov
poll revealed that 43 per cent of people questioned in Scotland agreed with this statement and 36 per cent went as far as to say that measures have to be taken to ‘protect people from children.’ Despite the obvious unfairness of grouping all children together in this study, when it is a certain type of person who engages in this behaviour, the results are nonetheless startling. The knowledge that close to half of those Scots questioned live in fear of today’s youth is an arresting thought and one which merits investigation. The best way to tackle emerging yob culture is to identify and neutralize its primary causes. However, coming up with a comprehensive, and comprehensible explanation of deviancy among young people has proven problematic for years. There is no one causative factor for the ‘feral’ behaviour of many young people and a myriad of valid explanations have been offered without any visible success in quelling Britain’s yob culture. American political scientist Robert D. Putnam claimed that the roots of this collapse in society could be found in a lack of social interaction and participation. He asserted that a decline in social capital, defined as: “the connectedness among people, their social networks and norms,” was the primary factor for the crumbling social situation among young people. Excluded from participation in social and political norms, such as voting in elections, Putnam argues young peo-
ple become cut off from the community in which they reside. This alienation and subsequent lack of social interaction with members of the community means that merging into the yob culture is an escape route, a way of feeling valued. Despite these insights being valid, they form only a piece in a much more complex jigsaw. Other attempts to investigate the key reasons for this growing culture of yobs have diagnosed the problem as symptomatic of as the ‘poverty of opportunity.’ The growing polarisation between ‘feral,’ unruly youths and the rest of society means that opportunities to escape this spiral of social decay all but disappear. With gateways out of gangs, drugs and crime blocked off or non-existent to start with, there is no escape from the inexorable descent into yobbish behav-
iour and inevitably crime. The importance of the latter and
other efforts to analyse reasons for the growing number of yobs cannot be underestimated. Howe ver, with polls displaying high levels of fear amongst adults in Britain, one is compelled to believe that the growing number of young offenders is due to a deeper, cultural problem. The worry is that in many communities, and microcommunities such as high schools, yobbish behaviour is becoming normalized. To loiter and cause unrest is something to boast about to peers rather than an illicit activity to be ashamed of. This disquieting reality reveals an attitude problem when it comes
a growing culture of aggressive youth. Just as young people’s desire for weekly inebriation may prove insatiable, the aspiration to be ‘one of the boys,’ (forgive the gender bias) and to go in search of trouble may prove equally alluring. Becoming embroiled in unruly behaviour and deviant activities, and being proud of it, is what forms the basis of today’s shameful yob culture. Just as Britain’s banking crisis did not arise overnight, neither has the emergence of a yob culture. Instead attitudes towards yobbish behaviour have been carved and moulded over decades to a level where they are embedded in contemporary British society. The reality is that Gordon Brown is not going to come up with a sudden political panacea in the form of a four point plan to solve the problem of yob culture once and for all. The deep-rooted cultural problem is not going to be solved in one political term or one premiership. Conversely, it is going to be the responsibility of successive governments, regardless of party lines or archaic policy biases, to work together to gradually alter the attitudes of young people. Politicians need to look at smallscale, inner city projects, started by selfless, innovative individuals, which actually work in plucking young people off dingy street corners and back into social normality. It is these projects which deserve funding and incorporation into a wider policy agenda to change the attitudes and aspirations of young people.
Since you've been gone Eight years on: Ian Powell paints a more flattering portrait of the George W Bush legacy To say that George Bush is leaving office under a cloud is an understatement. His detractors, of which there are countless, ridicule him for being either downright incompetent, or a malicious warmonger attempting to imprint his form of neo-conservative American imperialism as far as his arm could stretch. Nevertheless, the question must be asked, how will history see George W. Bush? Blaming the current world economic downturn on America and more specifically President Bush is unfair. Few actually complained about market deregulation whilst billions of dollars were being made over the last two decades. The seeds of the meltdown of Fannie May and Freddie Mac were sown years before Bush came into office. The appointment of Alan Greenspan to the position of Chairman of the Federal Reserve, a position which is meant to regulate the financial markets, was actually made in 1987. The subprime mortgage debacle of 2008 can be traced to the stewardship of President Clinton who enacted legislation to prevent banks and mortgage lenders from ‘discriminating’ against those whose poverty would make them a bad risk for loans. The combination of Bob Geldof and President Bush may sound like an unlikely one but the former Boomtown Rats singer and political activist has openly praised President Bush’s efforts
to combat AIDS and malaria in Africa. President Bush has spent more money on poverty and disease-alleviation in Africa than his predecessor Bill Clinton. While world leaders dragged their feet, Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief brought lifesaving antiretroviral drugs to millions of Africans. However it is unlikely that history will judge George Bush on his AIDS policy in Africa, or even on the economy. History will forever link his name with 9/11, the attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq, and of course the now infamous malapropisms that have become affectionately known as Bushisms. It will be a shame if history really does remember Bush as an intellectual lightweight. Here is a man who not only became the first president to have an MBA but also had a higher grade point average at Yale than his 2004 opponent John Kerry. Bush’s problem is that he is a poor orator, and especially weak at making off-the-cuff statements. Yet those who knew him closely describe him very differently. Sir Christopher Meyer, the UK ambassador to the US from 1997 to 2003, remarked that in private and when discussing matters of great importance “the portrait of an ideological, religious simpleton is wildly off-beam.” Bush’s reaction to 9/11 will forever be regarded as the defining moment of his presidency. Few could have believed that the Americans murdered
on that tragic day would have been the last to die at the hands of terrorists in the US, from that day to this. This is a significant achievement, and cannot be emphasised enough, in what fundamentally remains a dangerous world. Guantanamo Bay will rightly fester in the memories of many as one of the main atrocities of the Bush presidency and one of the reasons for America’s diminished moral standing on the global stage. Bush and Cheney believed that, in the climate of post 9/11 America climate, a compromise between civil liberties and security had to be made. Lincoln may have suspended habeas corpus during the Civil War but in the twenty-first century world, Americans wanted their polticians to act as moral leaders and not merely as military leaders. Bush undoubtedly misunderstood this.
“
It will be a shame if history really does remember Bush as an intellectual lightweight.” In President Obama, America has elected a leader who can inspire and improve their standing on the global stage. In President Bush they had
one who was willing to make tough and controversial decisions. It was his defence of America in the seven years post 9/11 that enabled Barack Obama to stand up in his inauguration speech and state with defiance to his foes, “Our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken. You cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.” However, Bush did not appreciate the American people’s respect for human rights and demand for the truth
over Iraq. This generation will never forgive him for it. Ultimately Bush’s longterm legacy will be inextricably linked to the outcomes in Iraq and Afghanistan and whether America remains safe from future terrorism.
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Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
Comment 11 Hey Big Spender Henry Birkbeck ccording to The Times, psyA chologists conducting research at Newcastle University believe that
It's a Mad Mad World Suffering an aberration of the brain due to recent political proceedings Zeenath Ul Islam looks at what former President Bush will get up to now that he is no longer Commander-in-Chief eorge W Bush 43rd President of G the United States Of America now belongs to the most elite club in
the world: living former US Presidents. They number four, which is less than the number of living astronauts that have walked on the moon. Although it would be the pleasure of many to strap him to a rocket and help him try to join that other elite club. The question on many a political commentators lips is: what will “Daddy’s boy” do now? Can he plausibly join the $1000s an hour lecture circuit and the lucrative publishing deals that accompany it? Before one enters the dense fog that surrounds such rumour and speculation there is unequivocal evidence suggesting that in order to facilitate such a venture Mr Bush would need to acquire a veritable sanctuary akin to the “Pope Mobile” to guard against hurled shoes. Having polarised public opinion like a bear painted with tipex one wonders if Obama will invite him round for dinner: “Thanks for the **** you landed me in George!” “My pleasure Barack. Hey these burgers are goood!” Leisurely George can gorge himself on burgers between rounds on exclusive golf courses. His first lady stands nobly by him as did the unerring Hilary with her Bill. “My husband saved the life of
a million people,” she claims proudly of the attack on Iraq. And indeed we will see an Oliver Stone movie depicting dear old George in his shirt sleeves diving through the crossfire as he drags to the waiting Apache helicopter the injured and maimed of Iraq. Bush intends to try new sports now that he has more time on his hands; some have suggested waterboarding. Sadly the ex-president thinks he’d look naff in a lycra bodybag. So perhaps he will join Bill with his saxophone and form a band. What instrument does George play? The fiddle or maybe the lyre. So as he departs will Mr ex- President give us a ‘Rendition’ of one of his favourites? But he refuses to sing claiming as a shaky baritone he’d like to save us the torture. Shooing him out has been productive for some, destructive for many. But the American Dream lives on in the 44th President, the embodiment of hope. The first black President in America’s colourful history. Two million people attended the inauguration, compared to less than 500,000 when Bush was inaugurated four years ago. Perhaps that could be due to the circumstances that have arisen since: four years ago they were employed. Obama has signed the Executive
Order to review Guantanamo Bay within this next year. All well and good, but how swiftly will the detainees in the other secret CIA prisons be dealt with? But lets not put down Obama’s achievements: having managed to get elected after the start of the attack on Iraq. But one has to admit that Obama seems genuine enough as he mollifies supporters by gripping the podium and nodding solemnly. Indeed Britain has managed to have a female premier before a Black PM. How has that come about? Our analysis shows that female chemistry graduates can marry, have twins and ruin the country because women are good at multi-tasking. The British do not put people and roles such as PM on pedestals. The American kindergartens are full of “Anyone can grow up to be President!” Whereas in Britain the kids would prefer to be estate-agents since the role of PM has been so tainted that it will take a long while before it can be sold as a desirable aim for our nursery children whatever their colour or gender. Reform of our political system and legislation has been called for after Britain’s disastrous skirmishes in Foreign Policy. The streets are teeming with shoe wearers and more importantly both potential and actual shoe-
throwers, “Die –in” shroud wearers and not to mention the grey disenchanted silent majority that are, amazingly, for the first time signing petitions left, right and liberal. Can the current PM wrest control of British interests away from America? Why has there been such a euphoria here over Obama’s victory? Obviously because Britain’s fate has so long been tied to the actions of the US that we’ve almost forgotten what its like to have our views represented and acted upon by our MPs. With Obama in the Whitehouse maybe Gordon Brown can move on to a diet of solid politics of Britain without being dependant on the US umbilical cord. The British populace is unified in its censure of foreign policy and deserves to be represented truthfully by its own government. This is a heady mixture: Truth and Politics. Will we be able to swallow this cocktail? At least it would be refreshing to allow the palate a tentative sip.
the frequency of the female orgasm is directly associated to the size of their partner’s… financial assets. In other words, the wealthier a woman’s partner is, the more likely she will be to orgasm, or so Dr Thomas Pollet and Professor Daniel Nettle claim (note: both men). The primary reason for this, apparently, is that women have evolved psychologically to seek security in their partners, and these days that goes beyond just having someone to guard the entrance to the cave, and fend off sabre-toothed tigers. This “evolutionary adaptation” is meant to be a sign of loyalty: women will seek out a financially secure mate, and then prove themselves worthy of childbearing by being very satisfied in the bedroom. At first, these claims seem sexist, over-simplified and—for any young man planning to earn a humble but honest living—somewhat depressing. Worse still, a lot of the reasoning behind this controversial claim does make sense. Studies in America and Germany have shown that “body symmetry and attractiveness” also play key roles in satisfaction frequency, but this study argues that money matters more. Which is disheartening, certainly, and to many people, rather offensive. However, most accept that, among other things, sexual satisfaction is generally thought to be facilitated by a relaxed, stress-free environment, both in terms of surroundings and mental state. Financial worries tend to increase stress, and thus it can be induced that such worries are, so to speak, orgasm-inhibitors. My first objection to these claims is the source of the data. For the basis of their study, Dr Pollet and Professor Nettle used in-depth information from The Chinese Health and Family Life Survey, about 1,534 Chinese “women with male partners”. Yet there are no further details provided, so this portion of a particular population could actually distort the statistics, overlooking external factors for the sake of a solid conclusion. The implications of the study are also objectionable. Scanning the headline, readers think: “rich partner = more orgasms = happier life”. But there is no direct link to overall happiness in this study—in fact, no mention of it whatsoever—so most readers form conclusions that aren’t necessarily suggested. This study fits nicely alongside other scientific endeavors hoping to gain an understanding of human sexual practices: no doubt these “discoveries” will either be replaced or rendered obsolete by the next. So there might be hope for those poor, unattractive, physically asymmetrical bachelors among us, after all.
Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
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Editorial
Low student satisfaction could be costly
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T the cusp of a very big problem. again is the problem, while interestingWe're always It can only be a matter of time before ly security was another area Edinburgh continued student dissatisfaction, this came up short. In many ways then the looking for week evidenced by a survey in The survey underlies what we already knew. But there is another reason these reTimes (see the front page), begins to creative and affect both the quantity and calibre sults should worry Edinburgh. Archrienthusiastic of students applying to Edinburgh. If vals St.Andrews came sixth in the surstudent satisfaction begins to have this vey, and indeed only two of the eleven people to join impact on Edinburgh’s reputation, the Scottish universities polled finished university could find itself on a danger- lower than Edinburgh. The results of our funky this could be significant. ous downward spiral. At present, the lower fees in ScotThe exact content of the Times surteam. vey offers few surprises as to why stu- land provides a strong incentive for students are unhappy. Edinburgh scored dents to study in Scotland, a fact Edinpoorly in three categories in particular, burgh has benefited from for as long as If this is you here's how to track us the ‘relationships with teaching staff ’ has been perceived as one of Scotland’s category, from which we can largely in- best universities. As Edinburgh falls down » fer feedback, and ‘course structure’ both further behind St. Andrews, and perPentland Room, Your Letters Pleasance he University of Edinburgh is on
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A good read think it is only fair if I have the chance to respond to Mitchell TeIdesco’s letter which you published last
week. I was stunned by the aggression exhibited by Mr. Tedesco is his assault on my intelligence, integrity and character. Personal attacks, exclamation marks and capital letters aside, allow me to defend my position and respond to his points. Firstly, I do not get to choose which films get what stars. Since each film is reviewed by a different student, there is obviously going to be some discrepancy. As it happened, Role Models received a higher rating than The Reader. I have seen both films and do not believe for a single second that the former is ‘better’ than the latter by any objective measure. I would ask Mr. Tedesco to reserve his vitriol for the editors of the section if this upsets him. Which brings me to another point: the star system is largely arbitrary and, in my view, words not numbers should be used to express opinions about art. Secondly, I was not looking for an opportunity to, as Mr. Tedesco puts it, ‘Nazi-bash’. I have great admiration for films such as Judgement at Nuremburg and Schindler’s List that have attempted to assuage the guilt of an entire generation of Germans forced to live under Nazi rule. Yet, as I made clear in my review, the SS was not the Hitler Youth. You were not forced to join. It had rigorous application procedures of which I’m certain that literacy was one – let’s not forget that every little detail was noted in the death camps and those records still survive. I think Mr. Tedesco should acknowledge that some people are ‘bad’: they have existed, they still exist and they will always exist. I hope that I never become one, or an apologist for one. Thirdly, though a person should not need to seek support from others when defending his own actions, I can enjoy some encouragement from critics as diverse as Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian, Mike McCahill in The Daily Telegraph and Kim Newman from Empire. Indeed, Bradshaw and others have been ever harsher (note The Guardian and Time Out
gave poor results, indicating teaching
gave the film one star). Yet I appreciate the different views that many of my friends and family have about this film. I have never denied that it is beautifully constructed. I have only argued that its morality smacks of banality. I would be delighted to discuss this opinion with anyone who can muster an argument without lowering themselves to petty character attacks and irrelevant statements. Sam Ross University of Edinburgh student
Rector ruckus online he following comments were posted on www.studentnewspaper. T org in relation to the news of the final
candidates for Edinburgh University Rector being announced. Well this looks like a no-brainer. On one hand we have George Galloway, ridiculous champagne socialist, creationist Christian (not sure how those two fit together in his head) and seemingly a personal friend of Saddam Hussein, a public joke of Biblical proportions. On the other we have George Faulkes, faithful member of the Labour herd of zombies who’s voted in favour of the War in Iraq, top-up fees and identity cards (clearly he can identify with the student population, then). The only tenable choice appears to be Iain Wotshisface. Mike Williamson University of Edinburgh student
G
eorge (Galloway) does try hard, but I dont think that is a bad thing! However, I think its important to remember that we really need somebody with a high profile for the role- it gives a great oportunity to promote the Uni across the country and across the world. A vote for Galloway sends a strong signal out that the Isreali attacks against civilian areas, UN compounds and refugee zones is an unnacceptable breach of international law. Its not just a flawed, but a dangerous policy, and will make the region more unsafe in the long run. As students, we can follow in along tradition of rectors and chancellors in Scotland like Nelson Mandela, and Mordechai Vanunu.
haps now even Glasgow and others in people’s minds, this advantage will surely start to disappear, giving even more reason still to tackle this problem with urgency.
Equally however, as George said today, ‘education is an investment, not an expense’, and having not had the opportunity to go to Uni himself, he is very keen that nobody should be denied the best education this country can provide, and no student should have... 'Mr Jack' University of Edinburgh student
orgive my drunked 4am antics, Jack, but I fail to see how it’s more F important to vote for someone with a high profile (not sure Celebrity Big Brother counts as that), rather than someone with whose policies (and to a certain extent personality) you agree with. I also don’t see what a university rectorial election has to do with the conflict in Gaza, much less what Galloway has to do with Mandela and Vanunu. Neither do I understand the comment about education being an investment to be a positive one. Surely this comment justifies higher fees for education if he thinks graduates will reap the rewards later. Rose-tinted glasses, man. Mike Williamson at 0342hrs
with Mike- surely it would send out a better message to vote Iforagree someone on the basis of merit, not
profile. Especially when George Galloway’s resume includes “pretending to be a cat on TV while still getting paid an MP’s salary”. 'Alan W.'
studentnewspaper.org Tuesday January 27 2009
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THIS WEEKIN STUDENT
INDEPENDENT SOLUSH'N P15
KEEP YOUR PRIVATE'S PRIVATE P16
GOT MILK? P20
TOO SKINNY LEVIS P24
Peace and Love in D.C. Almost four million people took to the streets of Washington to witness Barack Obamaʼs swearingin. Sam Carlisle was among the lucky minority that had tickets to the parties and ceremonies which marked the historic event. JANUARY 16TH to Washington DC. Local time is 4.45pm and the “temperature W elcome today is a chilly minus 11”.
The Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama, will take place in Fahrenheit. That’s minus 24 celsius. My flight is full of African-American women. Worn copies of ‘Dreams From My Father’ rest on almost every lap, including my own. The buzz is palpable. The crew organises a competition for the passengers to write a poem about Obama. I don’t win but I like the poem that does. After passport control I go outside, while my mother stays behind the glass doors to shelter from the arctic cold, leaving me to search for her cousin Marguerite’s Volvo. Marguerite and my mother grew up in Mississippi. My mother was a civil rights activist in the 1960s, and Marguerite is a passionate Democrat and wife of the Dean of Washington’s National Cathedral. Their son, Gabriel, worked as a field organiser in Pennsylvania for Obama during his gap year, then worked on the transition team in DC. They’ve been waiting a long time for today. Driving into Washington I see the Potomac river is frozen over. Suddenly the dream of standing for hours in icy cold to be a part of history feels less appealing. A good coverage on a wide-screen TV and hot coffee sounds good to me, but I don’t confess this sin.
JANUARY 17TH We arrive at the Smithsonian
Portrait Gallery at 9.30am for the unveiling of the iconic Obama portrait by Shep Ferry. This street artist, just turned thirty, sprang to fame when his portrait of Obama (red and blue to symbolise bipartisan unity) became a symbol of the campaign. As the line grows longer, I get my first glimpse of Obama mania. It is electric and what you miss on the news is how amazingly good-natured it is. Everyone is smiling, no matter how weary or how long their journey. We’re fortunate enough to have a private tour with the gallery’s curator, who takes us to the Presidents Hall to see the portraits of the last 43 Commanders-inChief, including the new George Bush portrait. The portrait, by a friend of the exiting President, is marvellously painted; but his dopey grin, open shirt and relaxed pose all underline how much gravitas Obama carries, even when he is captured by an artist whose medium is spray-paint.
JANUARY 18TH A Church service at Washington’s National Cathedral, the centre for Christian worship in the U.S. A grace note in American history: the national holiday, Martin Luther King Day, is the day before Inauguration Day. On the eve of the first African-American taking the presidential oath, Dean Sam Lloyd tells us that it was here–in this Cathedral, from this pulpit–that Martin Luther King Jr. gave his last ever Sunday sermon, just days before going to Memphis where he was assassinated. It is strange to hear the boundary of politics and faith so deftly bridged. I keep
thinking of Alastair Campbell’s “we don’t do religion”. They do here, and it feels natural.
JANUARY 19TH Time to pick up the Inauguration tickets from Tennessee Senator, Lamar Alexander. It’s early but the line outside the Dickson Building already goes around a large Washington block. We stand next to a black man from Chicago wearing a cap inscribed “Relax, God is in control”. The crowd is calm, serene, happy. When we finally reach the Tennessee senator’s office my cousin hears a man from Memphis asking if there are any tickets left. Is he crazy? This is the hottest show on earth. But Marguerite, my cousin, somehow has two extra. She quietly asks him to meet her in the lobby. When she gives them to him I see tears in his eyes. He tells us ‘this is a gift from God; proof that He provides for our every need.’ It transpires that his wife is a minister; they’ve been praying for this for a long time.
JANUARY 20TH Inauguration day. Bundled up against the cold like characters in South Park, we set off at 6 am on the six mile walk from the Cathedral to Capitol Hill. It’s cold and dark. The streets are empty. A small miracle: after two miles an empty cab stops. As we discuss who should ride, if we dare split up, an SUV pulls up and offers the rest a lift. Do Brits do indiscriminate acts of kindness? Four miles later we join the ‘sea of
humanity’: the 240,000 lucky people with tickets. The less fortunate flood the streets and the Mall. In England crowds quickly turn tense with people pushing and swearing but here all is peace and joy. Everyone is at the pinnacle of excitement, and we seem to have made a silent collective vow: that we owe it to each other and to our new President to unite as one. We sing songs together. Strangers feel like friends. Perhaps Obama’s rhetoric – “we are not a collection of red states or blue states, but the United States of America” – was realised when he was elected. A greater achievement than any legislation can provide. There is the same feeling when we finally cross through the Blue Gate, even when we realise that we will only see this ceremony on the large screens. Screams of joy erupt when Sascha and Malia appear. And, at last, here are Michelle and Barack Obama. Californian evangelist Rick Warren opens with a prayer. Then Obama then places his hand on the Bible held by his wife. It is the Bible used by Lincoln at his own inauguration. Obama repeats the 35-word oath, then adds “So help me God.” A million voices breathe a sigh of relief. When the cheering dies down and Obama begins to speak, people all around me begin to cry. He is sombre as he speaks the politics of renewal for a broken country. The last eight years of Bush re-play in my head, years of ignorance compounded by inarticulacy, an inability to judge the seriousness of any situation, a form of political autism. Can the damage be undone by this brave new leader? Continued on page 12 »
Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
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Features Editors: Jonathan Holmes, Rosie Nolan, Ed Ballard & Catherine McGloin features@studentnewspaper.org
Magazine: Features » continued from page 11
He squashes the cynic’s claims that his policies are wishful thinking, reminding us of “the improbable story that is America”, a land which spread “under the Grace of God”. A place where “the son of a man who only 60 years ago could have been refused service at a local restaurant, is able to stand before you today and take your most sacred oath of office”. Without looking at Bush he says, “we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.” The next day the Washington Post will claim that 3.8 million people were on the streets to witness this moment. There was not a single arrest. The evening brings the first ever inaugural Youth Ball. It’s not a ball in the British sense of the word. It was a black tie concert, with Kanye West and Fallout Boy among the acts. But the highlight comes when Obama walks in, telling us how important young people were to his campaign, before dancing with Michelle. The man who just hours ago was so stoic now shows his humanity Watching the highlights on ‘Larry King Live’ from a bar later that evening I saw that in the first few hours of his administration he had already called a halt to prosecutions at Guantanamo Bay.
JANUARY 21ST The day of the Presidential Prayer Service. Before I left for DC a friend asked me why there was a prayer service for Presidents. I’m not entirely sure. With Bush it seemed his religion had a lot to answer for; the Christian right hijacked his team.
But here it seems that a new faith has emerged in politics, focussing on compassion rather than gay-bashing and abortion.
“
Eight years of Bush re-play in my head, years of ignorance compounded by inarticulacy, an inability to judge the seriousness of any situation, a form of political autism. Can the damage be undone by this brave new leader?”
laugh with the crowd. Popular culture and inalienable truths merge into a speech that is moving, funny, and sophisticated. As he leaves he looks out over the crowd and says ‘God bless you all.’ At this point Jay-Z appears, the final act. I’ve never been to a rap concert before and Jay-Z doesn’t feature on my iPod at all. He soon will. It’s the
greatest show I’ve ever seen. After a few songs a huge image of Bush comes up on the giant screen. Good-bye, chants the crowd. The backdrop changes: images of Obama merge with shots of Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and JFK. The crowd sings, “O-BAMA...O-BAM-A”, and to this beat Jay-Z sings a new song, a lyrical expression of hope composed for this occasion.
“Peace and love to D.C.”, shouts Jay-Z when he’s done. I look around thinking of the very Christian message of Obama’s campaign, the ‘God bless’ he said again at the end of the evening, and the subliminally biblical message that Jay-Z has just espoused, and wonder whether a country’s prayers have just been answered.
Sam Carlisle | STUDENT Reporter
Now it’s time for the main event: the Staff Ball. This really is the ‘In’ Ball, and I’m here because of a rare, spare ticket. We’re gathered in the vast D.C. Amoury. When Obama comes out to speak he says, “It’s so nice to see you all here in this...place.” It’s like a vast aircraft hanger, but this is the only space that could hold his campaign’s 9,000 employees. We eat dinner, drink from the open bar and dance to the opening act, Arcade Fire. Biden and David Plouffe, Obama’s campaign manager, warm up the crowd, before Obama speaks. It’s magical: off-the-cuff, natural, witty. His wife teases him, and they
“The best show I’ve ever seen.”.Jay-Z was the last act to perform at the Inauguration Ball
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Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
Magazine: Features 15
An independent Solush'n
Lyle Brennan talks to the people standing up to an emerging retail monopoly aking up last Friday, Britain was faced with what was possibly W the most predictable piece of news
sonality; as such, when Fopp went under, the public reacted with the kind of loyal lamentation usually reserved for a one-off local retailer. In stepped entertainment goliath HMV Group, reopening a core of eight branches with a takeover bid that was heralded as the crucial factor in preserving Fopp’s celebrated ‘identity and 25-year-history’. Kevin Buckle, owner of what is probably Edinburgh’s most recognisable independent shop, Avalanche Records, has a slightly less sentimental view of the takeover. ‘HMV are just buying up the opposition where it suits them’, he says, and looking at the company’s recent record, it certainly seems that way. In the past decade, HMV Group has swallowed Waterstones, Fopp, and the bookseller Ottakar’s - and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. Earlier this month, Zavvi, having gone into administration on Christmas Eve, sold 14 branches to HMV. In this case, nobody would bemoan the loss of indie integrity. The 269 jobs saved are not to be sniffed at, but with yet another rival so irreparably weakened, the path looks clear for HMV to expand further still. Aside from running almost 700 stores across the world, the HMV Group empire extends into online shopping, MP3 downloads, an entertainment-based social networking site and, as of this month, ticket sales and live venues (London’s iconic Hammersmith Apollo will soon be known as the HMV Apollo, while joint ownership of Edinburgh’s Picture House has also been secured).
LYLE BRENNAN
JULIA SANCHES
LYLE BRENNAN
to hit headlines and screens in years: the country is officially in a recession. While relatively few of us are able to pin down its exact causes, we’re all familiar with the symptoms – shares plummet, unemployment figures skyrocket and the high street descends into a chaotic scramble for scarce profit. With livelihoods in the balance, the personal cost is great but there’s something else at stake here. As one business falls, another, larger business almost invariably swoops in to fill the gap; opportunistic expansion strategies may prove a smart choice in today’s climate but when they’re employed in the music retail industry, the element of diversity, essential in a market so tied up in endlessly varying tastes, comes under threat. To remedy this is the challenge faced by every independent record shop in the country today. Over the past 18 months, what appear to be the beginnings of a music retail monopoly have taken shape. In 2007, long before the term ‘credit crunch’ had so tediously saturated the public vocabulary, it emerged that all 81 branches of Fopp would be closing their doors due financial difficulties. What was unusual for a company of its size was that, whether it was down to a genuine concern for indie credentials or nothing more than clever marketing, the chain that took root in a former Virgin Megastores employee’s Glasgow market stall had retained an air of per-
So when the market looks set to become so completely dominated by a franchise that not only dedicates a meagre two shelving units to ‘specialist music’ but then fills that section with such cutting-edge artists as Katie Melua, Cliff Richard and Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown, an alternative is much needed. In Edinburgh at least, that alternative is alive and well. At the centre of it all, bookending Cockburn Street and facing off across the rail tracks from two HMVs, a Fopp and a desolate Princes Street unit formerly occupied by Zavvi, are the celebrated Avalanche and vinyl experts Underground Solush’n. According to the latter, they’re the last two independents in the city primarily selling new music, currently existing as something of a double act; as far as contemporary music goes, what one doesn’t stock, the other usually will. While Avalanche has built its reputation on an eclectic yet discerning range of largely guitar-driven music, Underground Solush’n specialises in hiphop, jazz, funk and virtually anything electronic – but there’s a common sentiment on which the two appear to be built. I ask Underground Solush’n’s Gavin Sutherland what the independent record shop stands for today. He replies with vehemence, speaking of a duty “To promote music outside of the mainstream - music which is produced and distributed by people with an all consuming passion for the music over and above profit; to be enjoyed by people who prefer not to be told who they should be listening to this week, or which format they should be listening to it on.” A few minutes’ walk up the hill, it’s a similar story. Avalanche’s Kevin Buckle tells me about his shop’s ethos, a sort of code of honour: “We try to treat people right. We assume the best in people until we are proved wrong. We won’t take any shit if we are mucked about. We try and give customers what they want rather than con them into buying something just because we can buy it cheaply. We know our customers have a choice and aren’t stupid so we always try to offer good value.” With the high street currently witnessing one of the most competitive battles for survival in recent memory, both of these attitudes display a refreshing sense of steadfast integrity that some might expect to be the inevitable first casualty of a recession. Such sacrifices are already in full swing elsewhere. Anyone scouring Fopp’s shelves during last month’s frenetic Christmas shopping season may have noticed a few departures from the chain’s indie image of old; an entire display dedicated to TV-advertised compilations in one shop, the sudden appearance of Xbox games in another, while newly released music received little more shop space than did accessories for that supposed antithesis of its independent record shop roots, the MP3 player. It all points to an increasing pressure to maximise profit that has seen the typical philosophy of the discerning specialist retailer (i.e. defining itself by what it doesn’t stock every bit as much as
what it does choose to sell) confined exclusively to shops like the Cockburn Street duo. Meanwhile each of the two has retained its own unique speciality: at Underground Solush’n, it’s an unapologetic loyalty to vinyl that, although it’s balanced out with the obligatory selection of CDs and their associated DJ equipment, Sutherland says is fuelled by the fact that “many people, both young and old, still prefer the feel, the look, and above all the warmth of sound which can only be got from good old fashioned wax”; over in Avalanche, it’s the promotion of Scottish, local and upcoming bands that Buckle says will be reflected in a forthcoming stage area, to be fitted next month in order to make in-store performances possible. While neither appears to be the most obviously profitable choice, this commitment to the niches neglected by high street chains ensures a level of choice and variety that is vital to any city that prides itself on culture. “Artistic culture”, says Sutherland, “is a hugely important aspect of society, and shops like ours - whether they sell music, books, clothes, art - represent a part of the city’s heart and soul.” However, considering the potentially smothering presence of such an enormous franchise as HMV Group, no one independent will be able to guarantee this diversity alone. While it would be unrealistic to expect independent businesses not to compete among themselves, both Buckle and Sutherland agree that some degree of cooperation is essential. “We frequently refer our customers to other outlets nearby who might cover areas of music we don’t - we might even shop there ourselves”, says Sutherland. “This goes for all types of independent shops which encourage the creative output of free thinking individuals, not greed driven corporations.” Buckle, meanwhile, tells me that “There was a time when the ‘big’ indies acted at the expense of the small indies. As Avalanche got bigger we tried not to do that and now I would say that is true of most of the shops most of the time.” It’s this sort of collaborative sentiment that last summer prompted Buckle to form The Coalition, a UK-wide collective of 26 likeminded independent record shops (including London’s legendary Rough Trade) set up in order to keep them not only afloat but reinforced with a strength in numbers that will hopefully allow them to provide a truly attractive alternative to online and national-level giants. With a mission statement introduced by a quote from High Fidelity, Nick Hornby’s tale of the archetypal indie record shop, The Coalition promises exclusive bonus releases, featured independent labels and a
healthy support for the preservation of vinyl. It’s early days yet but if Buckle’s efforts pay off, The Coalition could play an important part in supporting these shops through some of the most challenging times they’re likely to face. He remains confident that Avalanche and its contemporaries will prevail, insisting that “People are spending less money but some will always need their fix of music and be prepared to pay for it”. Underground Solush’n is putting on a similarly brave face: “We are fairly confident in the future of the record shop, despite what naysayers may say, but ultimately nobody can predict what’s going to happen.”
THE RECESSION IN NUMB3RS
Businesses employing < 50 people comprise over half of the private sector’s workforce. As of December 2008, 280 small businesses were going under every week. The failure rate for small businesses in the retail sector increased by 24% in the third quarter of 2009 over the same period last year. The Federation of Small businesses recently announced a 214% rise in calls about redundancies to their legal advice helpline. Economists expect the recession to last at least until the end of 2009.
Federation of Small Businesses
Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
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Features Editors: Jonathan Holmes, Rosie Nolan, Ed Ballard & Catherine McGloin features@studentnewspaper.org
Magazine: Features
Keep your privates PRIVATE!
As information on Facebook increasingly ends up in unscrupulous peopleʼs hands, Natasha Barr argues that we should be taking identity theft much more seriously These days, everything we do seems to put us at risk of ID fraud. The average student - signing up to new services and societies, living in halls or a shared house and with an all-revealing Facebook profile page - becomes a gift to identity fraudsters. With so many of us on Facebook and other revealing networking sites, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is urging students to protect their personal information this academic year. The ICO is the UK’s independent public body set up to promote access to official information and protect personal information. The ICO has produced specific advice for students on how to take control of their personal information, urging them to think before giving it away, read small print and to ask organisations what their personal information will be used for. By safeguarding your personal details, you can lower your chances of falling victim to identity fraud. The ICO has also commissioned a Student Ambassador to raise awareness of information rights at Edinburgh University. David Smith, Deputy Commissioner at the ICO, said: “A number of factors combine to make students particularly vulnerable to identity fraudsters in the early weeks of the academic year. Almost every day they give out personal details, which can leave them open to identity theft, unwanted marketing and other intrusions into their privacy. Students form a key section of the market for some brands, and it can be very irritating being pestered by unwanted marketing calls, text messages and junk mail, particularly if this means you unwittingly sign up for a service that you are then charged for.” With ID fraud on the increase we are all more vulnerable. A poll carried out on behalf of Fellowes showed that 81% of the British public were afraid of becoming a victim of identity theft. The survey also showed that identity theft was more concerning than other crimes, including burglary, mugging and pickpocketing . Get Safe Online recently conducted a survey to find out whether these fears were justified. Using data from 2006-2007, when there were 29 million adult internet users in the UK, it was found that 12% (3.5 million) had experienced online fraud. The average amount lost was £875. Although actually losing money because of the theft or loss of personal information seems like the worst-case scenario, it is not the only way identity theft can harm you. It could affect your career too. One ex-Edinburgh student knows this all too well. Some of James Middleton’s personal photos, which were posted on Facebook, were splattered
all over the Daily Mail this summer. The photos, of fancy-dress parties and tongue-in-cheek posing, caused a stir–because James happens to be the brother of Kate Middleton, whose on-off relationship with Prince William is tabloid fodder. The photos made a national weekend newspaper and although he probably wasn’t ashamed (the photos weren’t incriminating and in fact are pretty similar to those many students will have on Facebook), he might have felt slightly naive. Fortunately, these photos were used for fairly harmless gossip, but what if they had been found by some graduate recruiters? Perhaps then James may have felt a bit more worried about how easy it was to gain access to the pictures, his profile and a whole load of other personal information. In the eyes of a potential employer the photos are not a great first impres-
date of birth, name and address can go a long way for an ID fraudster. After finding your address they can then search through your rubbish and get any other personal details you may have thrown away. Therefore the question of who should be allowed to look at your profile should be in mind when setting your privacy controls, and also when deciding whether or not to add someone as a friend.
“
66% of young people said they would accept a friend request from someone they did not know”
vidual details can be sold for £5. Sadly, we ought to be suspicious of people of unknown ‘friends’ on Facebook. Other than social networking sites the internet is a hotspot for fraudsters to gather information. Adverts on websites are definitely worth being wary of. Unless you have got clear trademark symbols, terms and conditions and know the website selling you
details would have been extracted), the police raided the operation and the students were luckily saved from one of the so-called ‘boiler room’ scams. Scams such as these, where victims are lured into a false trustworthy environment where they part with their details willingly, are becoming more common. The lesson is if you are applying for a job, do some research on the company and check with as many people as you can before you apply. A survey conducted in July by CIFAS, the UK Fraud Prevention Service, found that the police investigate fewer than 1% of identity fraud cases, because such cases consume more more police time and resources than they are able to allocate. Also the criminal activity often crosses police authority boundaries and just one case can involve the investigation of hundreds of bank accounts, and the tracing of the same number of victims.
“
However much we do to protect our identities, the government seems to be doing its best to sabotage our efforts”
sion! Then there are the silly comments made on people’s walls and the rude status updates. Employers won’t disregard you simply for your choice of social activities, but they might question the judgment of someone who carelessly posts personal information in public. And this is not the only danger. Another was illustrated bluntly when 13 Virgin Atlantic cabin crew were dismissed in October, after being caught by their employers slagging off some of their customers on a Facebook group. More worryingly, ID fraudsters can hoard reams of information from an open Facebook profile or group. A
The ICO commissioned a survey late last year to record the views of young people about social networking sites. Interestingly, 66% of the young people aged 14-21 said they would accept a friend request from someone they did not know. Although the internet’s revolutionary capacity to connect people is one of its benefits, unfortunately its openness also opens the door to unscrupulous people, who can make a lot of money from gathering and selling personal details. According to The Get Safe Online group, packages of personal information can be sold for as much as £80 and even minor indi-
something is totally legitimate, don’t risk giving out any personal or payment details. A story run by the BBC over the summer reported of criminal gangs targeting students who were job hunting. They set up job adverts recruiting graduates that were posted on the university careers pages at Bristol and Manchester. The company didn’t actually exist and the students involved had telephone interviews in which they handed out some of their personal details quite willingly. However as the second round of ‘face-to-face meetings’ in London were about to take place, (where more crucial
Fraudsters know not only that the police cannot do very much to catch them, but also that if they are caught the penalties they face are comparatively lenient. Sentences in the UK have tended to be too light to deter criminals, although as the issue of identity theft becomes more prominent, and with the implementation of The Fraud Act 2006, this might be beginning to change. However, even if the criminals are caught it remains difficult to retrieve the funds obtained by the fraudster or to extract compensation from them. It also seems unfair that, however much we do to protect our identities, the government seems to be doing its best to sabotage our efforts, by losing USB sticks and laptops on what seems like a monthly basis. We all have to be fully responsible for looking after our personal information, since the people and institutions which are meant to be protecting us from crime seem to be unable to deal with ID fraudsters.
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Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
Magazine: Culture 17
BURNS SPECIAL
WHAT ELSE IS ON?
Burns, baby, Burns
ZIG-ZAG: THE PATHS OF ROBERT BURNS
The Student looks at some of the exhibitions celebrating the life and work of the bard Robert Burns Until January, 31 , 2009 st
SCOTTISH STORY TELLING CENTRE
or Rabbie is one of the many shows taking to the stage to celebrate the O legacy of Robert Burns at the Scottish
Storytelling Centre this month. Actor, writer and director Andy Cannon, and Wendy Wetherby one of Scotland’s most acclaimed folk musicians, have teamed up as ‘Foolish Notion’ to present us with a laugh-outloud approach to Burns’ poetry. This fun and lively show takes you on a whirlwind tour of Burns’ life, from when he was just a wee laddie, to his dedication to a mouse, louse and haggis, right through to the ‘best bits’ of Tam O’Shanter. The stage is informally set for an hour of storytelling, with a portrait of the man of the hour “Rabbie” as the centre piece. More like your Granny’s living room, it reeks of warm, Scottish hospitality. With an imaginative use of props, Cannon recites his Burns along to the folky cello accompaniment of Wetherby which proves to be a welcome accompaniment rather than distraction. Cannon has great stage presence and his camp, gag-a-minute humour, with one more for the cheap seats at the back - which would otherwise make you cringe - rallies the audience into reciting Burns out loud without them even knowing it. “I love doing Rabbie Burns” says Cannon, “and because we want chil-
dren in the audience, we’ve made sure the show is accessible and entertaining for them.” Unless it’s Panto season nobody likes audience participation, however in this case it works, and with tickets at £8/6 and £24 for family tickets ‘oor Rabbie’ would certainly have approved. The show is certainly not a typical student night out - despite the theatre’s proximity to many a watering hole and is definitely more of a family affair, but this light-hearted production will leave student and child alike feeling high-spirited and, frankly, quite patriotic. Lois Mcanulty
I AM EVER YOURS, ROBERT BURNS Until April, 18th, 2009 WRITERS' MUSEUM
ituated in a small square just off the Royal Mile, the Writers’ Museum S oozes atmosphere like Robert Burns
oozed Scottish dialect and the heavy smell of drink. With enough turrets and windy staircases to make Teviot look like an Ikea catalogue, the museum crams portraits and exhibitions into each of its bizarrely shaped nooks and crannies. I Am Ever Yours, Robert Burns, is a small display of letters by the man who the museum describes as ‘arguably the
world’s most famous poet’. Although only taking up two cabinets, the letters give visitors a surprisingly wide-ranging glimpse into many different aspects of his life. During his lifetime Burns corresponded with over two hundred people, yet many of his letters have since been lost. The importance of these letters is highlighted further when you consider that Burns never kept a journal or a diary and, with the exception of his infamous stay in Edinburgh, is rarely mentioned by his literary contemporaries. What is most striking about his letters is that they are all written in Standard English, rather than Burns’ characteristic style – I had half expected to find a series of letters addressed to either a mouse or a louse. Yet after being urged by the Earl of Buchan to ‘fire [his] muse at Scottish story and Scottish scenes’ (advise which he presumably took), Burns passionate song of the Scots shines through in his prose: ‘I wish for nothing more than . . . to sit and muse on those once hardcontended fields where Caledonia, rejoicing, saw her bloody lion borne through broken ranks to victory and fame; and catching the inspiration, to pour deathless Names into Song’. However my personal favourite letter was addressed to John Tennent whose family went on to find fortune in brewing everyone’s favourite lager persuading him to enter the distilling business with the wonderfully ironic justification that ‘the whisky of this country is a most rascally liquor, and be consequence, only drunk by a most rascally part of inhabitants’. Although this exhibition is small it is definitely worth the free admission. If you still need persuasion, why not take a can of Tennent’s with you? The museum staff may kick you out for being a ‘rascally inhabitant’ but Burns would surely approve. Jenni Smout BURNS IN THE BOTHY Until January, 31st, 2009 SCOTTISH STORYTELLING CENTRE
Turbitt’s colourful collection of is being shown at the ScotItishanpuppets Storytelling Centre’s exhibition
Burns in the Bothy to commemorate Turbitt’s original performances of Robert Burns’ ‘Tam O’Shanter’ from over twenty years ago. Encased in a series of glass boxes accompanied by the words of his own modern adaptation, he reconstructs scenes from the famous ballad. The cases are behind numbered doors so you can have fun unravelling the story and wondering whether the puppets come alive under the cover of dark. ‘Tam O’Shanter’ is the tale of a man who stays too long at the pub and on his way home on his horse encounters a vision of fire, witchcraft and satanic ritual. Terrified, he flees, pursued by Nannie, a witch who is particularly attractive by virtue of wearing a skirt that is too small for her. Tam escapes, but in a final desperate struggle, Nannie grabs
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND
or Zig-Zag: The Paths of Robert Burns, the National Library F of Scotland have united a horde of
CECILY RAINEY
OOR RABBIE
Until February, 1st, 2009
the tail of his horse, pulling it off before Tam returns home to his long-suffering wife. There is an abridged version of the original poem on display, which gives an interesting point of comparison with the adaptation. It’s nice to see that Turbitt loses none of the Scots dialect. His version is fresh and in line with a more modern sense of humour without losing any of the original sense. The puppets themselves are both comic and sinister, reminiscent of the garishly coloured hook-nosed Punch and Judy you expect at beachside shows. Tam’s horse Meg and the seductive witch he encounters are particularly well captured with bulging eyes and clashing clothes and it is easy to see how well they would bring the poem to life in performance. As much as these puppets can be appreciated as works of art, it is frustrating not to see them fulfilling their original purpose. Each glass case illustrates a section of the story which is interesting to follow, but it is a shame to not see the puppets in action. Burns in the Bothy is a nice way to conclude an afternoon wander down the Royal Mile but will leave you fired up for an impassioned recital. Lisa Parr
key artefacts from the nation-wide Burns Collection. The migration of these objects to the capital mirrors Burns’s own journeys throughout his native land; hence the exhibition’s title. A potentially interesting premise then, but is Zig-Zag more than just a curatorial pun? The answer, in short, is yes. The assembled artefacts range from the banal - the ‘dipping rods’ used by Burns during his time as an Excise Officer - to the evocative - the piano on which Burns first heard played the folk songs that would inspire his best verse; the wedding ring he gave to Jean Armour; original manuscripts of numerous masterpieces. Evocative certainly, but perhaps a little cultish. More incisive are the large wall texts, drawn from a letter Burns wrote to Dr. John Moore, in which the poet succinctly analyses his own work and life. In a clever conceit, the exhibition has been structured around this letter, with 5 key phrases providing titles for the show’s sections. Some of the more imaginative textual displays work well - the tree trunk carved with phrases related to Burns’s infernal mock-epic ‘Tam O’ Shanter’ conveys a Romantic sense of the poem’s foundation in the rustic and the natural. Less successful is the shoddily animated version of Alexander Nasmyth’s famous portrait of the bard, which nonetheless contributes a comedic element to the show. In addition, Zig-Zag functions as a mini-retrospective of Burnsrelated painting and drawing, primarily from the mid-nineteenth century. Alongside the original 1787 portrait by Nasmyth, standout works include John Faed’s atmospheric engraving ‘There sat Auld Nick in shape o’ beast’ and the gloriously untutored ‘Willie brew’d a peck o’ maut’, produced as a gift for the bard himself by an unknown painter. It is however the clever curating, perhaps more than the objects on display, that makes this such an acute and enjoyable exhibition. The thematic display does justice to Burns’s multifariousness, managing to convey every one of his many sides: lover, radical, self-publicist, picaro, ruralist. Poetry-phobes wishing to get acquainted with Scotland’s national bard could do worse than to visit this show.
Luke Healey
Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
18
culture@studentnewspaper.org
Magazine: Culture
ALBUM OF THE WEEK
MUSIC
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN Working on a Dream SONY BMG
s Obama arrives in office, the Boss has ditched his political A angst for romance. Produced by
Brendan O’Brien, Working on a Dream couldn’t be further from the dark and raw Devils & Dust of 4 years ago. This is Springsteen’s pop album, his attempt to reproduce the classic 60s sounds of The Beach Boys, the Mamas and the Papas and The Byrds. The opener, ‘Outlaw Pete’, is an 8-minute spaghetti western epic about an evil bandit born in the Appalachian mountains. However, with its dramatic strings and do-do-dos it comes off as a piece of cinematic decadence, a Hollywood take on the Wild West stomp. ‘This Life’ opens with an explicit reference to Pet Sounds, and shifts in to the theatrical as Bruce sings the typically playful line: “This life and then the next/I finger the hem of your dress”. In fact, the real problem with Working on a Dream is its complete lack of substance; its insistence that life itself is one big fluffy bag of optimism and sentimentality. In a time of great strife and unemployment, an overriding sense of hope is a great thing, but this album is unapologetically one-dimensional from start to finish. The Boss really has been working on a wet dream. ‘My Lucky Day’ is a poorly mixed, throwaway piece of radio-friendly MOR, ‘Kingdom of Days’ sounds like a saccharine Christian Rock song, and ‘Queen of the Supermarket’ veers dangerously close to ABBA karaoke territory. This album will undoubtedly divide Springsteen’s fans. Some will love its exuberance, energy and overflowing romantic statements– “surprise, surprise, come on open your eyes/And let your love shine down” he sings on ‘Surprise, Surprise’–but many will find it sickingly decadent, OTT and melodramatic. These are the fans who will have to put on a grizzly Tom Waits LP to compensate for the glossiness of Working on a Dream. The true indication of this album’s weaknesses are shown in the best song here, ‘The Wrestler’, an understated, beautiful narrative of failure and humility. Its telling position as a bonus track only serves as a reality check, highlighting the artificiality of the album’s grandeur, and its blind rejection of those characteristics that made Springsteen so great in the first place: grit, balls and determination.
Jonny Stockford
YOUR ICE CREAM’S MELTING: Gi'es a smile, luv. EMMY THE GREAT First Love ABSOLUTE
ight now female singR er-songwriters are about as common as newborn Kenyans called Barack. If
LADY GA GA The Fame INTERSCOPE
he [the T album
Fame debut from New York-based singer-songwriter Lady GaGa] is at first glance a hackneyed collection of superficial electropop. But for its creator the album is much, much more than this: the Lady has claimed that its launch symbolises the start of an Andy Warhol-style pop art revolution of the music industry. Already the revolution has caught the imagination of the mob: Lady GaGa’s creative blend of R’n’B beats and camp europop has ensured that The Fame has enjoyed global commercial success - with the lead single, ‘Just Dance’, currently sitting comfortably at Number One in the UK Singles Chart for a second week in a row. Indeed, the likelihood of further hit singles from the album is high: ‘Poker Face’ is hypnotic Cascada-like
you want to succeed, you need a gimmick, the voice of an American diva for example or some very witty wordplay. So, with that in mind, meet Emmy the Great, folk-singing associate of Lightspeed Champion and Noah and the Whale. In terms of voice, Emmy is no great talent; she has a sweet voice, perfect for folk songs but without any edge or versatility. Lyrically, she is talented but inconsistent, with twee Kate Nash-style lines referencing ‘Hallelujah’ dance-pop at its best; ‘Paparazzi’ sounds like something the Pussycat Dolls might release, which is understandable given that the Lady did indeed used to write for the Dolls; ‘Beautiful, Dirty, Rich’ has all the trappings of a Gwen Stefani hit; while ‘Boys Boys Boys’, despite its alluring dark verses, has a camp chorus deserving only of Britney Spears; and Starstruck and Paper Gangsta are both reminiscent of J-Lo’s work. Whilst the commercial success of the album seems certain, the Lady’s claims of a cultural revolution seem disingenuous or, at the very least, misguided. Whilst it can be said that each track seems like it could be a future hit, it can also be said that each track sounds like a past hit from another popstar. Indeed, the theme of fame and fortune is clichéd; synthesiser-heavy tunes have been popular since the 80s; and the shallow hedonistic lyrics are ten a penny in modern pop songs. In short, there is nothing particularly original about The Fame – in fact even the Lady’s name is borrowed from the camp Queen classic ‘Radio GaGa’. The Lady may have the masses on her side; but they are so not because
and MIA cancelled out by embarassing, rhyming dictionary couplets. So what about the actual songs? Emmy’s penchant is for jaunty folk ballads and while ‘MIA’ and ‘Musuem Island’ are nice, there can be too much of the same good thing, especially on a 13 track album. The standout tracks are literally that; the tracks that are a bit different. ‘We Almost Had a Baby’, Emmy’s best attempt at a pop song, is wonderful, while ‘Dylan’ and ‘We Are Safe’, with
their galloping drums and celtic sounds, are very welcome surprises. ‘First Love’ is not going to change the world but it does perhaps have enough charm to stay afloat in a crowded sea. Matthew John Oldfield
DOLLAR VISION: She’s GaGa gagging for it. of her pretentious allusions but because of her ability to produce good pop. That is after all why the Pussycat Dolls, amongst others, previously employed her. And the Lady is good at pop. In The Fame she takes the best elements of recent pop songs and repackages
them into a concise compilation that is - neither a hackneyed collection nor a cultural revolution but – a pastiche to all the camp pop queens that have gone before. Dan Sharp
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Magazine: Culture 19 STAR RATING Don't miss it!
Enjoyable
So-so
Yawn
IS THIS NEWS?
A real stinker
WAVVES So Bored YOUNG TURKS
A
rresting and irreverent, Wavves sounds like catchy beach punk being blasted over cheap, tinny speakers. Contrasting the high gloss production of mainstream pop, 22 year old blogger Nathan Williams piles on the distortion in an attempt to make his fuzzy brand of ‘noise pop’ sound effortless. Unfortunately effortless is sometimes the effect produced; compared to superior discordant melodies, like that of Broken Social Scene, Wavves lacks necessary refinement. Not stunning, but promising. Alan Roberts
YOU’RE SO WHITE: Nathan Williams (AKA Wavves) demonstrates his enviable hand skills. Gangsta, mate, gangsta.
EVENTPREVIEW
BALKANARAMA STUDIO 24 FEB 6TH 2009
THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS
THE LONELY ISLAND
Gives You Hell
Jizz In My Pants
INTERSCOPE/DOGHOUSE
UNIVERSAL REPUBLIC
» emember ‘Swing, R Swing’? Top
hilst the Balkan music scene is growing fast everywhere in EuW rope (it is already very big in Berlin,
Amsterdam and London, and huge in France—they’ve got whole festivals going over there), Balkanarama is essentially the only night of its kind in Scotland—fusing virtuoso live performance on traditional Balkan instruments with DJs spinning electro Balkan beats, all accompanied by films, visuals, spontaneous table dancing and free shots of plum brandy. Balkanarama takes place every few months. This time we are excited and proud to present Hungary’s Kalman Balogh (pictured), the world’s most accomplished cimbalom player. He’ll be playing together with Jani Lang Band (based in Aberdeen but comprising of Hungarian, Scottish, Irish and Egyptian musicians— see www.
janilangband.com)—supported by Black Cat and followed by Balkan beats DJ from Turin, Italy (DJ DD). There is usually always an early live session upstairs (starting 9.30)that gathers amazing talent from across Scotland, but this time it will also feature Ivor Krgo from Norway, and the incredible Lis Murphy from Manchester—Edinburgh University Music Graduate from many years ago—who has since been involved in many music projects across the Balkans! As always February Balkanarama will also feature Gypsy belly dancing performance, Balkan visuals, unmissable free shots of tasty rakija and loza (plum/grape brandies), and a few other little surprises... Saska Haramina
tune that, well catchy... I was fourteen and into commerical pop-punk quite a lot. I still am, but not that sort. The AllAmerican Rejects evidently still are, as they’ve hardly budged from the formula of their first album. Funny really seeing as their second was called Move Along. Yes perhaps there’s the odd string section here and there, but really, nothing’s changed. If anything it’s become more generic and more formulaic, two things they always were. ‘Gives You Hell’ induces that strange sense of familiarity, the one where you feel like you’ve heard it hundreds of times before. You have, perhaps sung by a different well-coiffed pretty-boy, perhaps in a slightly different packaging, but really it’s just the same song over, and over, and over. AC
‘filmmakers’ from LA who have written shorts for Saturday Night Live. That’s about as much as I can surmise from their Wikipedia entry, along with the fact that they’ve had three full-length television pilots rejected, which gives us a glimmer of hope that there is a braincell or two knocking around at least one TV executive’s cranium. The same can not be said for the record company suits that let this monstrosity slip through the net, although I can hardly say I’m surprised. Coming on (heh! - Puns Ed) like an unspeakably weak and talentless version of Flight of the Conchords, this ode to premature ejaculation can be best described by two of the words in its title, I’ll leave it to you to guess which ones, I don’t imagine it’ll be too taxing. AC
VIDEOOF THEWEEK SKY LARKIN Beeline
The video to ‘Beeline’ (single released on January 26th on Wichita) features the band called into action like Charlie’s Angels, wearing tracksuits and being driven through the night in shopping trolleys, playing their instruments.
he Lonely Island are T three wanky
009: a brave new world of unemployment and despair, where 2broken down guitar bands litter the
streets begging for “a couple bob towards a casio keyboard”. Now they know why every print journalist squirms when people insist on giving the news away for free. Obsolete! Unwanted! And worst of all: uncool. It may be many years before NME decide the tide has turned again. Grim times for the military tunic industry are foretold in the City, trilby suppliers slash staff and Toni & Guy report the toughest winter since records began. Reports reach the Is This News? offices of the latest figures from copyright stormtroopers the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry regarding the continuing scourge of internet music piracy. According to the IFPI over 95% of the music downloads made on the internet in 2008 were in violation of copyright law. But spare a thought for the poor lambs, the 5% share they claim this leaves them with is worth a measly £2.5 billion a year. Terrible: I expect all right-thinking music fans to swiftly make forth with that missing £47.5 billion. Is This News? watched the unfolding drama of the Christmas No.1 with no little professional interest. After all, even though our once proud top 40 has been reduced to a sad shell of an institution that any half-arsed act can scrape onto with a few thousand digital sales, the race for the Christmas number one still has a certain magical allure and an almost genuine public interest, a bit like the Grand National or the Boat Race. Unfortunately, Simon Cowell, as befits the Prince of Darkness, is determined to monopolise this celebrated battle. In recent years he has carefully engineered his raft of TV ‘talent’ shows to ensure he has at least one shortlived, publicity driven act to mop up the valuable Xmas market. Yet this year some bold taste warriors decided that Alexandra Burke’s dire cover of Cohen’s classic ‘Hallelujah’ was a step too far. Accepting that Cohen was too niche to challenge the might of Cowell’s war machine the campaigners decided to try and catapult Jeff Buckley’s much-loved version to the Christmas top spot. Orchestrating the campaign through facebook and no small dose of press exposure the just cause so almost prevailed but eventually had to settle for second behind X Factor winner Burke. Nevertheless the attention lavished on Buckley by Burke’s cover has given him some well-deserved attention. A victory for good music, then? Perhaps. But who owns all the rights to Buckley’s music, you might wonder? That’d be Simon Cowell’s paymasters Sony BMG, of course. Plus ça change.
Thomas Kerr
Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
20
culture@studentnewspaper.org
Magazine: Culture
FILM
DIRECTEDBY
GUS VAN SANT
us Van Sant’s celebration of the tragedy-tinged triumphs of G Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) and fellow
gay-rights campaigners in 1970s San Francisco appears to put a new, welcome spin on the tired formula of the Academy award-induced biopic. Skilfully centred on recurring snapshots of Milk’s final testament, Van Sant portrays his steady rise to public prominence through a mix of political debate and personality politics, whilst simul-
VALKYRIE DIRECTEDBY
BRYAN SINGER
rom the moment I heard about Valkyrie the idea of Tom Cruise F playing a Nazi, with no attempt at a
German accent, sent chills down my spine. I was expecting another Oliver Stone Alexander fiasco of distracting, inconsistent accents and pomp over quality. But I must say that I was some-
taneously recording the birth-pangs of a localised, homosexual counterculture and the personal relationships within the close-knit friendship group of activists working out of Milk’s own shop, Castro Camera. Whilst Penn brilliantly exudes the charisma that ensured both Harvey Milk’s personal success and focussed opposition against anti-gay legislation, he is not portrayed as the isolated hero of an otherwise voiceless minority; indeed, Van Sant’s recreation of crowd scenes at the character’s speeches and in spontaneous protest (including several extras involved in the events themselves) evoke a community united, yet isolated; excited for change, yet repelled
what surprised. Valkyrie is far from being a great film, yet has moments and qualities that make it worth watching. Firstly, the story is undeniably fascinating. Depicting the last known assassination attempt of Hitler, Valkyrie introduces Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Cruise), a man discontent with what Hitler has done to Germany and its people and who believes that “Hitler must die”. Stauffenberg teams up with other dissenters and hatches an intricate plan to kill Hitler and take over the govern-
(often violently) by ‘the machine’. Sean Penn has been rightfully lauded for his excellent portrayal of Harvey Milk, yet Emile Hirsch and Josh Brolin are equally impressive as idealistic activist Cleve Jones and Harvey’s fellow supervisor and eventual assassin Dan White. Indeed, Van Sant’s treatment of Brolin’s villain is a prominent example of the film’s success; whilst Milk clearly revels in the togetherness of Castro Street’s gay culture, the conservative forces aiming to derail their progress are not demonised but rather granted some sympathy, shown as traditionalist figures whose ludicrous moral judgements are merely a sign of their struggle to find the words to voice their ment of Germany using Hitler’s own Operation Valkyrie. Life on the other side of WWII is not something most are overly familiar with, which makes Stauffenberg’s story particularly interesting. Unfortunately the film shows us almost nothing of who Stauffenberg is as a person or how he came to hate Hitler. He and the other characters enter into the film fully-formed, with little depth or personality. This doesn’t leave the actors with much to work with, resulting in mediocre acting from an accomplished cast. As for the unsure accents (one of my pet-peeves in films), Singer worked around that problem quite inventively in the opening scenes of the film. The titles first appear in German then slowly transform into English. Then the same is done with Tom Cruise’s Stauffenberg, who begins his narration in German that slowly transforms into English. Because of this set up the rest of the film’s mixed up accents (American, German, Northern and Southern English) are more forgivable and rarely distracting. Despite lacking depth and adequate character development, Valkyrie is an enjoyable film with a good cast who, though they do not shine, tell the story well. Maya Groon-Glaspie
unease at a society being transformed by groups they cannot understand. Milk is no mere Hollywood prestige picture, an Oscar-aspiring historical rehash appealing to American nostalgia; the issues so movingly portrayed through the lives of activists such as Harvey Milk draw direct parallels with both the inauguration of the nation’s first African-American president and the nation’s ongoing struggles with homophobia, the most poignant reminder of this being Harvey Milk’s fellow Californians’ recent vote in favour of banning gay marriage. Whilst Milk portrays an iconic figure and local community defined by its own cultural epoch, the sense
of dignified perseverance in the face of blind bigotry rightfully celebrated by the film appears as pertinent now as it was for those who experienced it in Milk’s Castro Street; the director’s inspired use of riveting dramatic reconstruction and contemporary newsreel footage creates both a vivid picture of a momentous (yet short-lived) episode in American political history, as well as the captivating, moving story of those directly affected by a form of social oppression still to be fully eradicated from the ‘land of the free’. And this remains Gus Van Sant and Milk’s greatest accomplishment. Stephen Mitchell
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Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
Magazine: Culture 21 STAR RATING Don't miss it! Enjoyable So-so Yawn A real stinker
UNDERWORLD RISE OF THE LYCANS DIRECTEDBY PATRICK TATOPOULOS
FROST/NIXON DIRECTEDBY RON HOWARD
rost/Nixon, adapted with only F subtle differences for the screen by Peter Morgan (The Queen) from
his own play, dramatises the legendary encounter between disgraced ex-President Richard Nixon, and failing British talk-show host, David Frost. For three years Nixon had been silent about his tenure as President-cut short by his resignation following the Watergate scandal-earning a pardon from President Ford and causing many Americans to wonder whether his crimes against democracy and the American people would ever be brought to account. Driven by greed and a renewed search for power, Nixon surprises everybody by allowing an all-inclusive interview with the breezy Frost. Nixon believes he can easily subdue any difficult questions, as Frost appears as nothing more than a performer and a showman. All believe Frost will fail to deliver anything of substance from the interview. Even his own investigators and
producer cannot fully believe that he can hope to master the great politician. However, a drunken telephone call from Nixon to Frost turns the tide of the interviews, and as cameras roll on the last subject, Watergate, a battle of wits ensues. Morgan’s dramatisation highlights the pressure on both men to succeed on a highly personal level. The greater part of the film focuses on the interview itself and the days surrounding its conception and execution. This heavy emphasis upon the interviews forces the audience to feel much of Frost’s frustration and desperate hope for success. We also begin to feel a surprising sympathy towards the cunning Nixon, now trapped and aging, an exile to the people and yet still adored by those around him. Kevin Bacon plays Jack Brennan, Nixon’s Chief of Staff, who has unfailingly followed him through thick and now thin. The great respect and love that he holds for his President is truly touching, and we feel his pain and exhaustion when Nixon finally gives in to Frost and condemns himself to retirement and an isolated existence.
The casting of the film is no different from that of the stage show, with Michael Sheen playing David Frost and Frank Langella as the infamous ex-president. Langella, in an excellent performance of subtle poignancy, has earned himself an Oscar nomination for his emotional portrayal of Nixon, pitching him against Hollywood heavyweights such as Brad Pitt and Sean Penn. The story has managed the transfer from stage to screen beautifully, earning the two main actors the recognition they deserve. Their chemistry and interaction brought from the intimacy of the stage is intriguing and involving, lending the film a sense of thrill in that drive for the winner’s glory. Well acted and ably directed by Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon is a hugely enjoyable and engaging battle of wits. This is not a history lesson, it is two failing men, trying to throw the last punch and win once more. Only one can emerge victorious, the other must be condemned forever.
’m not going to lie: I secretly quite Iepics. enjoyed the previous Underworld They lacked substance but they
were visually quite impressive and just downright entertaining. This most recent offering is however, to put it bluntly, simply very boring. There is nothing in Underworld: Rise of the Lycans that is new or inspiring. It is that age old story of the oppressed rising in rebellion against their oppressors, in this case, the Lycans (werewolves) against the Vampires as we are taken back to the beginning of the supernatural feud. As always in Hollywood, the rebellion is the result of that (also age old) for-
bidden love story: the defiant princess and the heroic slave Sonja (Rhona Mitra), daughter of head vampire Viktor (Bill Nighy), is consorting with the powerful, but enslaved Lucian (Michael Sheen). In saving Sonja’s life, Lucian breaks the rules and the grateful Viktor has him imprisoned. With Sonja’s help however he escapes, but only to return again to save Sonia from what is clearly a trap meant for him. Recaptured, he finds himself prisoner to the vampires once more. Although this time at least his vampire princess is there to keep him company after revealing that she is with child (obviously the mixing of vampire/ werewolf genes to make baby is possibly the greatest crime ever). As a result, Sonja is sentenced to death and this marks the beginning of the great battle as Lucian takes his revenge on Viktor. The whole film is tragically predictable and it certainly does not take a genius to anticipate each character’s next move. Rise of the Lycans lacks substance just as the previous films in this posited trilogy did but unfortunately does not make for enjoyable viewing. The ending also, and inevitably, hints at the possibility of a fourth Underworld, but really, it might be best to let dead vampires lie. Laura Peebles
Claire Cameron
Public outrage as Frost licks Tricky Dick in TV interview Tom MacDonald tackles television’s timely trial of that toothsome tampering tergiversate ne of the major strengths of Peter O Morgan’s script for Frost/Nixon, and Frank Langella’s performance in the role of Nixon, is a willingness to portray the shamed president as man rather than caricature. It has become far too comfortable for individuals-and indeed filmmakers-to recognise Nixon as a comically awkward conflation of slumped shoulders, swinging jowls and sweaty brow, and in doing so fail to acknowledge his presidency beyond the infamy of the Watergate affair. When Richard M. Nixon came to power on January 20 1969 the nation was painfully divided, with violent turbulence in the cities, pervasive economic worries affecting every corner of society, and an increasingly unpopular war continuing overseas. During his Presidency, Nixon succeeded in ending American fighting in Vietnam,
engineered a dramatically reinvigorated economy, desegregated thousands of schools and made huge strides forward in the promotion of civil rights generally, vastly improved relations with the U.S.S.R. and China, and oversaw the first moon landing. But, sadly, Watergate is what, for most people, will truly define Nixon’s period in office. The scandal brought fresh divisions to the country and led to a resignation that was essentially forced upon Nixon by the spectre of looming, inevitable impeachment, something that no President before or since has faced. The release of the socalled ‘Smoking gun’ secret recording, revealing Nixon to have been aware of the Watergate Hotel cover-up from its inception, was what, after almost two years of denials, finally ensured his leaving office. Public approval rates for
the presidency slumped to just twenty per cent (still their lowest ever point), Nixon left office disgraced and was seen internationally to embody politics at its very worst. But a trial never came, and Gerald Ford’s issue of a ‘full, free and absolute pardon’ just months later-actually leading to a massive fall in Ford’s own approval rate from eighty to fifty per cent-seemed to effectively absolve the former president of any blame. It was Nixon’s interviews with David Frost in 1977, the latter seeing the broadcasts as an opportunity to regain public sympathy, that offered America, as Michael Sheen’s Frost states in the film, ‘the trial Richard M. Nixon never had’. Over the course of the interviews, Frost’s easy manner seemingly luring Nixon into a false sense that he was confiding in a friend, the man who had once denied any knowledge of the Wa-
tergate scandal conceded that “I did abuse the power that I had as President” and that he had “said things that were just not true”. Although the ex-president adamantly denied any criminal intent or wrongdoing, Frost really did succeed in giving Nixon the interrogation that so many had clamoured for upon his resignation years previously. As Nixon said at the time “I brought myself down. I gave them a sword and they stuck it in. And they twisted it with relish. And, I guess, if I’d been in their position I would have done the same…”
Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
culture@studentnewspaper.org
22 Magazine: Culture
TECH TALK hanks to the recession, there T has been plenty of upheaval in the gaming world. Let’s take a
minute to remember the following companies who have either closed or had to downsize in the past few weeks: EA Black Box (Need for Speed, Skate), EA Tiburon (Tiger Woods) Microsoft ACES (Flight Simulator), Ensemble Studios (Age of Empires), Free Radical (Timesplitters) and Sega. Of course, one thing that hasn’t downsized is corporate ego. Playstation overlord Kaz Hirai commented this week that the Xbox 360 ‘lacks longevity’ and PS3 would eventually reign victorious. This was swiftly rebutted by Xbox head honcho Aaron Greenberg who said that their corporate penis was not only longer, but had a much larger girth. Or at least, I think that’s what he said. Sorry to break the news to Sony and Microsoft, but you’re both losers. US Wii sales through December were double that of Xbox and four times that of PS3. Now that’s what I call tumescence. While staring slack-jawed in amazement at the Killzone 2 trailer the other day, my girlfriend asked why millions of pounds are spent developing hyper-realistic visual violence, yet nice games don’t have nice graphics to match. It’s a fair point: Cooking Mama looks like it was drawn by an alien race who had never seen human food before, while Beautiful Katamari is as ‘beautiful’ as a box of Duplo half-chewed by a three year old. That said, given how awful I am at playing Cooking Mama, my hyper-realistic culinary disasters would probably induce equally real vomiting. Alan Williamson
ADVERTOF THEWEEK
TECHNOLOGY
War of the Worlds...
Richard Lane goes once more unto the breach with Call of Duty: World at War
COD: WORLD AT WAR PC | XBOX360 | Nintendo Wii £29.99–£49.99 ACTIVISION
fter the brilliance of Call of Duty: A Modern Warfare, the decision to roll back the series to a World War II
setting for World at War was about as welcome as a grenade in an exhaust pipe. Having played through World at War I’m happy to announce that while still a decent entry in the series, my initial scepticism toward it is well founded. World at War throws you into the heat of conflict in two intertwining campaigns – as Private Miller during the USA’s battle for the Pacific and Private Petrenko on the Russian Army’s march toward Berlin. The action is typical Call of Duty with intense missions, stunning set pieces and the larg-
est, deadliest game of hot potato you’ll ever experience. However, it isn’t all familiar territory. Developers Treyarch have clearly tried to make the game as unique as possible: the grassy islands of the Pacific are new to the series and the Japanese a ferocious adversary, with more banzai charges and underground ambushes than you can shake a Molotov at. In tandem with this particularly brutal conflict, the game differs in another important sense. The Call of Duty series has always emphasised action while minimising gratuitous violence. World at War changes this with considerably more detached limbs and charred corpses than its predecessors. While it certainly makes the combat more visceral, it’s something of an acquired taste. At times it feels as if the series has grown up, handing you some uncomfortable and disturbing moral choices. Yet in other instances, the game has simply dyed its hair black and had its lip pierced.
The hit-and-miss nature of the violence marks something of a trend in World at War. While the Pacific campaign has some stellar moments such as an assault on a heavily fortified hilltop, it is let down by unimaginative level design. Moreover, the combination of a flamethrower and the bizarre enemy tactic of running directly into it make dispatching enemies all too easy, making the missions repetitive as a result. Somewhat ironically it’s the more traditional Russian campaign that contains the most exhilarating levels, including the hunt for a German officer in bomb-battered Stalingrad. Despite the blatant Enemy at the Gates rip-off (you start off hiding in a crumbling stone fountain) there are enough fantastic set pieces in this one level to make it feel like a game in itself. Unfortunately, in a recurring theme, this brilliance is counterbalanced by a execrable tank mission which feels more tacked-on than the plot of a porn film. Treyarch have also included a
cooperative mode and a level that involves four players defending themselves against waves of Nazi-zombies, suspiciously similar to a certain other game involving a team of four players defending themselves against waves of non-Nazi-zombies, demanding teamwork to avoid being ‘left for dead’. Both could be derided as gimmicks, but they are enjoyable enough. World at War is another bombastic ride through the heavily trodden path of the Second World War and a worthy addition to the Call of Duty canon. It is not, however, the stride forward that Modern Warfare was. The setting is simply too well covered to allow enough opportunity for originality and for every pleasure it provides, there are seventeen suicidal Japanese soldiers just desperate to cuddle the business end of your flamethrower.
...Or how Craig Wilson learns to stop worrying and love the bomb FALLOUT 3 PC | XBOX360 | PS3 £29.99–£49.99
BETHESDA SOFTWORKS
just saved young Bryan Wilks. Iwas’veGreat kid, great kid. His hometown overrun with mutated beasts and Alan is currently running a social psychology experiment for his dissertation. Could you spare half an hour to play some games? We are looking for both gamers and people who have never played before (especially females). All participants will receive delicious sweets. If you’d like to participate please email: tech@studentnewspaper.org Don’t worry, next week we’ll be putting something else instead of shameless self-promotion!
sadly, his parents didn’t make it. After locating and destroying the horde’s nest with the help of Doctor Lesko, who didn’t make it either, I’m now charged with finding a new home for orphan Bryan. I could reunite him with his cousin, leave him to rot in the sun, or worse, sell him up at Paradise Falls as a slave worker. That’s where I bought my slave companion, Clover. Regardless, in Fallout 3 your decisions matter, so choose wisely. As nuclear bombs rain down on 1950s America, a small percentage of the population take refuge in VaultTec shelters leaving everyone else to die, mutate or barely survive in the shrouded fallout. Two hundred years later, you escape Vault 101 and enter the wastelands of Washington DC in
search of your missing father. From the moment you are bornliterally- through the glimpses of your childhood until breaking out into the badlands, Fallout 3 poses decisions that have real consequences in a time where gamers are allowed to have their cake, eat it and then have seconds. Games claiming mature themes and moral choices tend to pimp the same binary selection: save the baby or eat the baby,
two extremes with no grey area and the option to switch sides at the next opportunity. The town of Megaton has the notable distinction of an undetonated atomic bomb in its town square. You can defuse, detonate or do nothing to the bomb. As a hub for quests, it’s in your interest to complete them and gain wealth, experience and items. Should you blow up the town immediately,
all characters and possible quests vanish. Forever. For once being evil is now viable, with cash rewards for selling a young orphan to the slavers or blowing up Megaton. You can, of course, detonate the bomb just for the fun of it. Although it has the nimble body of a modern first-person adventure, Fallout 3’s heart and mind are undeniably from its role-playing past. That means creating a character with discrete skills: a gun-touting bruiser may be a great shot but completely useless at hacking a computer, unlike the charismatic scientist (corroborating years of research conducted at King’s Buildings). Thankfully you can evolve your character, more forgiving than the previous Fallout games where low Intelligence would produce incoherent baby-talk rendering any progress impossible. A bleak future awaits if the bombs were to fall. The atmosphere is a blend of serene sadness and undeterred optimism that bears down relentlessly. Wandering the wastelands and discovering a populated town or a shrine to Honest Abe is a brilliant feeling. Bethesda have created a beautifully rich world and then bombed the shit out of it, allowing something even more incredible to surface.
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Magazine: Culture 23
TV Already had a Skinful?
Gregor Cubie saw the new series of Skins, or was someone in the way of the remote control? he edgiest show in the whole of Bristol returns this week with an T almost entirely new cast and a fresh
set of storylines. Or so they would have you believe. The only character who remains from the previous series is Effie, Tony’s sister. She is depicted as being every bit as cool and rebellious as her brother; in fact she is so cool that she does not even have to be interesting, or talk in proper sentences. I‘d hate her if she wasn‘t the embodiment of all that is beautiful about the female form. Effie is joined by Pandora, who instead of suffering from fatal curiosity is just plain thick. They are joined at college by twins, the sensitive, clever and long suffering Emily and exhibitionist Katie who is (hilariously) always stealing her clothes. The male cast comprises Freddie, a straight version of Max and to alert us to the fact that the new Max likes girls, he’s a skateboarder instead of a dancer. His friend Cook is a bit of a lad, he has four pints and a joint before exposing himself to a room full of people in the opening scenes. He is probably the most convincing depiction of a teenage boy in that he thinks of nothing other than sex. Their nerdy friend JJ is a woefully unrealistic depiction of a geek with no social skills. The final character introduced is Naomi Campbell. No, not a high profile cameo from the hot
tempered supermodel. This Naomi is a possible lesbian, who steals covert glances of Emily whenever possible. The main storyline involves a race between the three boys to win the affections of Effie. Freddie immediately falls in love and attempts to garner her affections with Hugh Grant like awkwardness. Effie then decides that human emotions are overrated and decides she will ‘get to know’ whichever boy breaks every rule in college. Freddie thinks this lacks romance so Cook, haven broken all the rules in about three minutes claims his prize in the nurse’s office. Although the teenage characters might as well be cardboard cut-outs there are funny moments provided by aging comics Ardal O’Hanlon, as gruff Irish professor Kieran, and Harry Enfield. All in all, a fairly mindless and amusing start to a rehashed show.
SKIN UP: (l-r) male geek, token lesbian, unfeasibly attractive male and female leads, Guy Ritchie , female geek, twins representing the split consciousness
The power of Christ
the queen’s hall presents
Maya Glaspie was compelled to watch C4ʼs Christianity
lthough Christianity, and religion as a whole, can seem a thing of A the past for many of us in Britain, it is
very much alive. This age-old religion is omnipresent in the politics and cultures of countries like the US. In President Obama’s inaugural address alone the power of Christian rhetoric is evident with lines such as, ‘in the words of Scripture’ and ‘God’s grace upon us’. To quote Michael Portillo, ‘No president could say he wasn’t religious’ without seriously compromising or outright destroying his position. Countless countries are still heavily rooted in religion, an informed understanding of one such
religion is highly relevant. Christianity: A History examines the origins, development and influence of the Christian faith through the personal perspectives and questions of eight high-profile British presenters. Presenters such as Howard Jacobson, Michael Portillo, Kwame Kwei-Armah and Cherie Blair explore their own personal questions. Subjects such as Judaism and Jesus, science and the future of Christianity are examined through interviews, historical fact and biblical history. In former politician Michael Portillo’s episode, Rome, he explores the relationship between the
Roman Empire and Christianity and what he calls the beginning of politics and religion. Portillo argues that Christianity as we know it is the legacy of the Roman Emperor Constantine who, following his conversion, adapted Christianity to his needs as emperor. Constantine transformed Christianity from an altruistic, pacifistic religion based solely on the teachings of Jesus into the political powerhouse it is today. With Constantine, Christians went from being ‘the persecuted to the persecutors.’ Portillo’s episode alerts you to the great shift in Christian thought and action, and its effect on history as well as its still-present footprints. Despite crass moments with presenters staring pensively into the horizon and some dated editing, Christianity: A History is a well-made, engaging series that appeals outwith history nerds and my dad. The presenters pose thought-provoking questions to a wide range of experts ranging from Turkish academics to Irish priests to rabbis which result in well-informed conclusions. The use of old film footage and sequences of beautifully shot landscapes and ruins from around the world gives the series an aesthetic quality not always seen in documentaries. When asked what the point behind creating the series was, Howard Jacobson answered that ‘knowledge is everything...know in so far as you can what actually happened’.
apocalypse in the asylum An amazing amalgamation of witchdoctors, voodoo acrobats, a pickled person, bendy bodies, demon dwarfs, blood curdling stunts and flying lunatics!
monday 9th & tuesday 10th February 2009 at 8pm tickets: £16/£20
concessions aVailable 16 years+ only
booking hotline: 0131 668 2019 online booking: www.thequeenshall.net
clerk street edinburgh
Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
24
Life & Style Editors: Kimberlee Mclaughlan & Maddie Walder lifestyle@studentnewspaper.org
Magazine: Life & Style
Too skinny Levis?
Itʼs no wonder the jeans donʼt fit, says Summer Crombie. he denim jean. A classic item to be found in almost every wardrobe, T and a garment which has survived the
test of time and emerged unscathed due to its versatility and suitability to those of all shapes and sizes. Around since the mid-eighteen hundreds, they were originally working breeches worn because of their durability against wear and tear. But when did this practical wardrobe necessity jump on to the fashion band wagon, and become yet another aesthetic item created solely for the skinny generation. It was in the nineteen sixties that jeans became a fashion item, worn by male and female alike. But, as I spend the weekends striving to hit sales targets by selling these items to customers desperate to own jeans created by arguably the biggest denim company in the world, I can’t help but wonder when, as with every other fashion garment it would seem, they became available only to those woman smaller than a size fourteen. When did availability become passé? In the fashion and retail industry, it would seem that brand image has overtaken even the need to make money. The amount of customers turned away each week simply because they aren’t a size ten seems ludicrous when considering the fact that the primary function of a business is to turn the largest
possible profit. When I enquired as to the reasons for this, I was met with an extremely dissatisfactory explanation- ‘They don’t want short, fat people wearing their jeans’. The first problem with this is as follows – we ain’t talking the clinically obese. Perhaps not stick thin, but certainly not hideously fat. Secondly, the fact that the tall and thin are all who can represent their brand well seems a shallow and callous assumption. The vast majority of woman who can’t find anything to suit them are young and stylish – vastly more suitable as brand ambassadors than many of the thin woman who leave with three pairs. Perhaps the worst element of this is that it is drastically female-orientated. The male jeans, where the majority of the company’s income comes from, are available up to a 42-inch waist, and even the trendier, seasonal stock can be found up to a size 38. What is it about the female sex that encourages this sizest attitude? One could complain all day about high fashion and size zero models, but that is another debate – I am merely bewildered at how a once practical garment has undergone the transformation to a fashion item that, although still coveted and searched for by women of all sizes, has become a slave to the skinny ideal. How long will it be before the practical woman, indifferent to fashion, or even the fashion-
conscious size fourteen, has nothing left to wear? We live in a time where the average female is by no means shrinking, and yet, from year to year the image aspired to by brands attempting to stay young
Get you eye on the catwalk
and cutting-edge remains to be chiefly unattainable to the masses, even at the expense of their earnings. As I attempt to sympathise with customers, embarrassed after failing to close the zip on a pair of barely-there size twelve’s, I
Emma Leah Segal takes a good look at the high-fashion trends of 2009 s we welcome the New Year, it is A helpful to pause for reflection. We learn from our mistakes, lament losses (including the late Yves San Laurent) and celebrate the good in the past year. What have we learned from 2008 and what can we expect in 2009? The economic downturn affected designers, with opulence and extravagance being toned down. A new emphasis was placed on investing in quality as opposed to disposable fashion. This became evident in the maturation in style of the rich and famous, most notably Sienna Miller. Normally daring fashionistas like Alexa Chung and Daisy Lowe toned down their wacky style (still adding a cool twist to things, naturally). Yet perhaps the most impressive makeover of 2008 was the Olsen Twins’ bid to be taken seriously in the fashion world. Not only did Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen produce Elizabeth and James, a line for their fashion house The Row, they
also released a coffee table book citing their fashion influences. Their personal style became less grunge, more polished and mature. 2008 also introduced us to some new faces. Whilst no one denies Kate Moss her title as fashion’s reining queen (she had a book written about her unique sense of style this year), it was Jourdan Dunn who added a dose of cool to Topshop’s advertising campaigns, and she deservedly picked up a British Fashion Award. We were also introduced to Agyness Deyn, a beautiful model with an extraordinar y sense of antifashion style. With her crop being emulated by all who could get a w a y w i t h it, she w a s t h e success
story of the year. Special mentions also go to Gwyneth Paltrow with her flawless public appearances and the new national treasure that is Cheryl Cole, reminding us of the flirty side of fashion. Finally, 2008 was a great year for collaborations. Comme Des Garcons and H&M was a complete success selling out in hours, but the collaboration of the year was undoubtedly Lanvin and Acne’s denim collection. Alber Eraz created a stunning range of jackets, jeans and shirt dresses that left many fashionistas swooning. As for collaborations in 2009, it has recently been reported that Topshop boss Philip Green wants Christina Aguilera to create a range for a young audience. Model Erin Wasson is also collaborating with RVCA on a range of classic American clothing. Finally, Peaches Geldof has signed on to do a range for fashion powerhouse PPQ following her small collaboration with them in 2008. The ones to watch in 2009 are heiress and newly signed model Lydia Hearst. The girls from the new 90210 series, namely Jessica Stroup and Shenae Grimes, are also quickly becoming trend setters. Finally, the welcome news that Rosin Murphy, a singer and friend of Victor and Rolf, will be modelling next year means she will also continue to be a force to be reckoned with. Bring on 2009!
joke, telling them how I stick to dresses because ‘tights always fit’. But I grit my teeth, not knowing if even that will be true this time next year.
Puzzles
“
Just as iron rusts from disuse, even so does inaction spoil the intellect." Leonardo da Vinci
Teasers
This Week's Horoscopes CAPRICORN Dec 22—Jan 20
D not be afraid to let go of a
certain situation or to take the road less travelled in the year ahead. From January 6, when lucky Jupiter, the planet of career success, takes charge of your finances, you can leave problems in the past, so be ambitious. Draw up constructive, realistic plans this week and put them into action after the New Year. AQUARIUS Jan 21—Feb 19
The
TAURUS April 21—May 21
Your most ambitious career
goals are due to come into much sharper focus in the year ahead. With Jupiter, the Lord of Luck, in charge, the stars are on your side, so do not let a friend or loved one pour cold water on your plans. The Moon's eclipse in early August also brings important changes. Insist that others take account of your real needs and feelings then.
Zodiac's luckiest planet, optimistic and successful Jupiter, is due to spend the year ahead travelling through Aquarius. This is your chance to bring about important changes that you have postponed, and to build secure foundations for the future, so trust your judgement and enlist support from friends and colleagues. A close relationship also enters a more stable phase from May.
ver the past few months, what you want from life has been undergoing subtle but far-reaching changes. The Sun's eclipse on January 26 sets the tone for the whole year ahead, and will help you find a way forward. A positive new phase in your home life begins in early May.
PISCES Feb 20—Mar 20
CANCER June 22—July 23
Changes in the company you
keep are due from early in the year, so be prepared to cut loose from a situation that has held you back and be open to new people and ideas. A close friendship could become a great deal more important to you in late March. Because you are in tune with your real needs and feelings then, you will make the right decisions, so trust your judgement and your intuition. ARIES Mar 21—April 20
With both Jupiter and Pluto
helping you to forge new friendships, and to use your creative gifts more fully, the year ahead is due to bring important changes that will make you feel more confident about the future. If you let go of situations that you find restrictive, and concentrate on long-term personal goals, you can transform your chances of success. Be positive and forward-looking.
GEMINI May 22—June 21
O
With optimistic, easygoing
Puzzles VIRGO Aug 24—Sep 23
O
ver the past two years, the realistic and hard-working planet Saturn has been travelling through your sign. This October it moves on and you can begin to reap your just rewards for all your recent labours, so do not change course or give up on a current project now. Your private life is also due to enter a more positive, fulfilling phase in early spring.
Hitori # 1
Sudoku is a logic-based number-placement puzzle. The objective is to fill the 9×9 grid so that each column, each row, and each of the nine 3×3 boxes (also called blocks or regions) contains the digits from 1 to 9 only once..
The object of Hitori is to eliminate numbers by shading in the squares such that remaining cells do not contain numbers that appear more than once in either a given row or column.
5
7 1
9
Pluto, the planet of creative growth and change, in charge of your home life this year, better times lie ahead. Do not be afraid to welcome the unknown, or hold on to situations just because they are familiar. A new career plan has the stars behind it, so talk your options through with someone in a key position after the New Year and do not hedge your bets.
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ROUGH PAD
Riddles
SCORPIO Oct 24—Nov 22
Your home life is due to enter
a more relaxing phase from January 6, when lucky Jupiter takes charge. If you take full advantage of the stars early in the year, you can solve financial problems and build firm foundations for the future. New people who are on your wavelength could also give you unexpected support this spring. Accept the help they offer.
LEO July 24—Aug 23
SAGITTARIUS Nov 23—Dec 21
close relationships and friendships are under lucky stars this year, so do not let doubts about the future, or your need for independence, make you over-cautious. The Moon's eclipse in Leo on February 9 also brings important changes in a close alliance. Your financial situation enters an upbeat phase from late July. Postpone all major choices and decisions until then.
people and exchanging ideas should be your priority in the New Year, so do not let financial worries limit your horizons. The Sun's eclipse on January 26 suggests that doors will open. With the wealth planet Pluto now in charge of your finances, you can also bring about important changes that will put you in a very strong position later in the year.
Something a little different to get that hamster wheel between your ears turning:
1 Labyrinth #1
Having trouble focusing during that Quantum mechanics lecture? Yeah we thought so....so here's a puzzle to get you fired up again. Reckon you've got what it takes to beat the Labyrinth?
Cryptic Crossword
DOWN 2 Horselaugh sounds negative (5) 3 Report a European nobleman verbally (7) 5 Top classes' area isn't concrete (8) 6 Venomous conveyance (7) 7 Put sound measure back in afterthought for common folk (5) 8 Keep tug (5) 11 Ouch! Sin corrupted support (7)
SOLUTIONS
13 Peak charge before time out ends (7) 15 Article about joining up to exist (3) 16 Wheat maybe useful for communication (3) 18 He leaves huge heap right at the start. Yuk! (3) 19 A wake begins and ends with great respect (3)
20 Trades staff died in Miller's tale (8) 22 Ruling body's section (7) 24 Accompaniment for nose flute and mouth organ? (7) 25 Razor man backs firm eccentric (5) 27 Sailor remains to embarrass (5) 29 More recently than I state, in a quarter (5)
It walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon and three legs in the evening. What is it?
2 3 4 5
I am the beginning of the end, and the end of time and space. I am essential to creation, and I surround every place. What am I?
What always runs but never walks, often murmurs, never talks, has a bed but never sleeps, has a mouth but never eats?
Meeting
ACROSS 1 Internal place for patient? (6) 4 Broke rank quietly, but in confusion (8) 9 Sport holds one competitive chance initially for a small player (7) 10 Spread traces round junction (7) 11 Heard play on behalf of driver (9) 12 About to fail nearby (5) 14 Ice dancer dithers after cards (6) 17 Power priest is spot on (8) 21 Chill the best cold food (3,5) 23 Breathe hard where no king has zeal without a late start (6) 26 Metal girl about warships (5) 28 Service characters reach suit (9) 30 Wobbly stomach—some chopped entrails inside (7) 31 Offend a powerful militia (7) 32 Pleasant fish takes time to start gladhanding (8) 33 General memory man (6)
Filled-in cells cannot be horizontally or vertically adjacent, although they can be diagonally adjacent. The remaining un-filled cells must form a single component connected horizontally and vertically (i.e there must be no isolated numbers).
6
6
8 4
With
3
6
LIBRA Sep 24—Oct 23
Jupiter in charge of your close bonds with others, recent tensions or misunderstandings can be left behind in the months to come. Knowing that you can rely on others also helps you take a more confident approach to your career. The Sun's eclipse in Cancer in July suggests that you can bring about a breakthrough. Take decisive action then.
Your
Sudoku #1
RIDDLES 1 Man (or woman). Crawls on all fours as a baby, walks on two legs as an adult and uses two legs and a cane when they're old. 2 The letter e. End, timE, spacE, Every placE. 3 A river. 4 The stars. 5 A coffin.
At night they come without being fetched. By day they are lost without being stolen. What are they?
The one who makes it, sells it. The one who buys it, never uses it. The one that uses it never knows that he's using it. What is it?
Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
Sports Editors: Martin Domin & Misa Klimes sport@studentnewspaper.org
26 Sport
Uni held in league stalemate Lindsey Tien
MEN'S FOOTBALL
Edinburgh Uni AFC
0
Whitehill Welfare 0 Edinburgh University were back in action in the East of Scotland Premier league on Saturday, looking to continue their recent advance up the table against Whitehill Welfare. Last season’s East of Scotland Premier League champions came to Peffermill looking to get their own title bid back on track. Indeed it was the visitors who started the game the brighter and controlled the play early on. Whitehill looked to play the ball into the feet of their strikers at every opportunity while the home side were still finding their feet in the game. A foraging run by
Whitehill’s Mark Ellis saw him bypass three Uni players, but the midfielder hit his shot tamely wide. Edinburgh slowly gained a foothold in the game largely down to the holdup play of forward Michael Hazeldine. The first chance for the hosts came in the form of a disallowed goal as Jamie Redman slid a ball through to Hazeldine, only for the strike to be chalked off for offside. After the sluggish start Edinburgh began to dominate the first half and a glorious opportunity for the opener fell to midfielder Scott McFarlane on 25 minutes. The skilful Hazeldine found his way to the by-line and delivered a tempting cross into the box. However, the on-rushing McFarlane blazed his over the crossbar as he stretched to reach the ball. The hosts were starting to win individual battles across the pitch, meaning more and more possession in the Whitehill half. A Scott Fusco free-kick was missed by keeper Yousseff Bejaudi and as the ball was headed back across, a backtracking defender was all that prevented the opener. A rare opportunity for Whitehill in the first half came via a delicate chip from the edge of the box, for which Uni goalkeeper Mark Tait had to scurry back to tip over the bar. Edinburgh’s dominance in the first half was causing
unrest among the Whitehill ranks and Hazeldine’s stellar job as the lone front man continued to draw reckless challenges in promising positions. However, despite the territorial superiority of Edinburgh in the opening period the score at half-time remained 0-0. There were agitated shouts for a penalty not long into the second half as Hazeldine appeared to have been chopped down in the box. The referee waved away the claims and may have been vindicated by the 50/50 nature of the challenge. The second half was a far more even affair with both teams enjoying spells of goalmouth pressure. Whitehill had a driven free-kick parried just wide by Tait while Uni winger Steven Maxwell had a snap-shot well saved. As the second period wore on further chances were spurned. None more so than a glancing header from Whitehill forward Scott Gormley which rebounded off the post and was cleared to safety. In addition, a swerving drive from the same man flew narrowly wide of Tait’s post as the keeper scampered across to cover. Tait, in the Edinburgh goal, was forced into action again soon after as he brilliantly parried a point blank header from Ross Johnston. It was a reaction stop right out of the top drawer as the Whitehill players were ready to cel-
ebrate. Edinburgh had their chances too, late on, with Redman making room in the box only to fire his hurried left footed shot wide of the mark. Also, central defender Scott Fusco had several free-kicks threaten the visitor’s goal but failed to find a way past Bejaudi. There was time for one last attack for Whitehill as another scoring opportunity was squandered. The ball was volleyed powerfully towards the Uni goal from the edge of the box and looked to be heading into the top corner for a late winner. However, McFarlane was in the right place at the right time as he headed calmly off the line to maintain a clean sheet. All in all, a draw was a fair result for the game but a scoreless one was not. Both teams had chances to win the game and Uni particularly will be ruing missed opportunities which could have seen them win the game and pick up a valuable three points. This result leaves Edinburgh in seventh place, eleven points behind league leaders Dalbeattie Star, despite losing just three games this season. Their failure to turn draws into victories has cost them dearly so far. Dougie Samuel’s men face eighth placed Coldstream at Peffermill on Saturday as they look to string some results together in a bid to move up the table. The side is also in
action tomorrow (Wednesday) as they face Robert Gordon University in their final Scottish Conference match. With Stirling having already wrapped up the league, Edinburgh will be looking to secure second spot ahead of the knockout stages later in the semester. After catching the high ball on the full, fullback Anna Fleming was
Write about something 'sport' sport@studentnewspaper.org
Tuesday January 27 2009 studentnewspaper.org
Sport 27
Loughborough ladies lose
Injury Time
Polly Day on a triumphant defeat of Loughborough by Edinburgh University WOMEN'S RUGBY
University of Edinburgh
7
Loughborough
3
A triuphant defeat over Loughborough University last week saw Edinburgh University Ladies move up to 2nd place in the BUCS Premier North League – a feat which, if maintained, would ensure a seeded position in the BUCS Knockouts. A sunny day with almost no wind gave near perfect conditions for the match held at Peffermill. Loughborough kicked off and quickly regained possession. They attempted to kick up the field to gain ground but lost possession as Edinburgh winger Cat Ward successfully charged the ball down. Several penalties against Loughborough brought Edinburgh up into their opponents’ 22 but they were swiftly pushed back into the middle of the pitch by a good kick from the visiting fullback. After catching the high ball on the full, fullback Anna Fleming was
high tackled and another penalty against Loughborough ensued. This was kicked out by scrum-half Maddy Grant but Edinburgh lost the lineout and Loughborough once again kicked the ball up the field. Loughborough continued to make good ground and, after a penalty against Edinburgh in their 22, Loughborough decided to take the points, opening the scoring to take a 3-0 lead. After the re-start Edinburgh quickly regained possession and yet another high tackle from Loughborough saw their hooker sin-binned. Edinburgh then gained ground after a break by acting Captain Fiona Majorin but again the ball was lost and Loughborough were awarded a penalty. Majorin managed to intercept a pass on Loughborough’s 22 however and made a speedy break to the try line where, after being tackled just before reaching the line, she managed to get the ball over – scoring Edinburgh’s first try. Grant then made an easy conversion taking the score to 7-3 to the home side. After the restart the game continued to be played in the middle of the pitch. A chip from Edinburgh’s stand-off Celia Hawthorn put pressure on Loughborough but the English side dealt with it well and then began to make ground up the pitch into Edinburgh’s 22. Another high-tackle and penalty from Loughborough saw Edinburgh regain possession and another player sin-binned, in this instance Loughbor-
ough’s outside centre for the tackle on winger, Katy Fleming. A strong scrum saw Loughborough regain possession and after several rucks in the middle of the pitch Edinburgh’s loose head prop Roz Murphy was sin-binned for coming in from the side. Loughborough began to push back up the field and ended up on Edinburgh’s 10m line. Under extreme pressure Edinburgh’s hooker Eleanor Sim kicked the ball into touch and after a successfully won lineout Edinburgh regained possession. A break down the field by Hawthorn looked promising for Edinburgh but it was cut short due to a lack of players in support. With only a few minutes remaining Edinburgh again capitalised on Loughborough’s errors. A quickly taken penalty by Edinburgh was driven up into Loughborough’s 22 but, having done all they needed to, full-time was blown as the ball was finally kicked out by Hawthorn into touch. The award of forward of the match was given to Fran Mockford while Anna Fleming took back of the match. The final result was all the more impressive given that Loughborough had won the reverse fixture 34-0. Edinburgh has two remaining fixtures in the Women’s North league. They face Sheffield at Peffermill tomorrow (Wednesday) before travelling south to take on Northumbria in a weeks time. Edinburgh experienced a brilliant victory against a university that is seen by many as the most revered and
renowned sport’s institutiton in the country; perhaps even the world. Our side has demonstrated that camaraderie, courage and hard work are the tools for victory. If Edinburgh can continue to play to this standard in its two remaining fixtures of the season the team will lay a good foundation for the coming years. Although I end on a personal and perhaps sentimental note, I am very pleased that Edinburgh will be increasingly competitive in the future The team can look forward to many victories that will form sweet memories for the team and spectators alike.
Coaching ahead
Martin Domin looks at the university's upcoming coaching week The Edinburgh University Sports Union (EUSU) and the Centre for Sport and Exercise (CSE) have announced that they will once again be running their successful Coaching Week in May. The event, which will run for five days between the 25th-29th May, gives students the opportunity to gain qualifications in sports including basketball, football, hockey, rugby and volleyball. Also on offer are first aid courses, lifeguard qualifications and two sports workshops; ‘Fuelling Performance’ and ‘Introduction to Core Stability Training’. EUSU’s Sports Development Officer Claire Cruikshank outlined the benefits of the week and explained why this is the best path for students who wish to gain these qualifications. She said: “Last year was the inaugural event, during this week we qualified over 150 people, allowing them to gain National Governing Body recognised sporting qualifications “The courses are great value for money. They are subsidised by EUSU, making them affordable. We have had great backing from National Governing Bodies who will deliver the courses in order to get these course as cheap as possible and also from the CSE for the use of their fantastic facilities. Students will find it hard to find these courses anywhere for cheaper! “Coaching is a fantastic addition to a CV, it demonstrates amongst other things; leadership, teamwork and above all communication. In today’s current market it is vital to have that something
extra over the next candidate and these awards allow students to get that step ahead. “EUSU also has good links with Edinburgh’s Active Schools Network and many of our coaches from last years event are now coaching in local schools and promoting the University.” Anyone who is interested in Coaching Week is required to fill in a booking form available from www.eusu.ed.ac.uk and return it, with their deposit, to the Sports Union Office. Places are available on a first come first served basis and more information is available at the above website.
A GREAT COACH: Fergurson giving orders
'S WRY LOOK AT THE WORLD OF SPORT
The three musketeers gunning for success: Strauss, Hamilton and Murray Ed Senior With Australian day last weekend, does this mark a year in which Australia will play a crucial role in the world of sport? Andy Murray is undefeated so far this year but is the hype justified and can this really be the year that a Brit wins the Australian Open? The last British male to win the prestigious competition was Fred Perry way back in 1934. Yet, after Murray won the Capitala World Tennis Championship and the Qatar Open titles earlier this month, beating Roger Federer in both tournaments, surely this is going to the Grand Slam victory British tennis fans have been waiting for. Both Federer and Novak Djokovic have been critical of Murray’s new found ‘favourite’ tag and with the seeds currently cruising through, the tournament looks set to provide plenty of entertainment as it enters the final week. Unlike Murray though, there is one Brit who is returning to Aussieland to start his campaign to regain his mantel in the world of motorsport. No, not Lewis Hamilton, who, incidentally, will also be returning to Melbourne where he got his first race victory in the 2008 season, but the one and only, Murray Walker. Unfortunately, the former ITV legend and everyone’s favourite race day commentator will not be commentating on the BBC channels although he does have a good replacement in Martin Brundle. Walker will instead be adding his expert opinion over to the BBC website as he gets to grips with the world of blogging. Hopefully with Murray and Hamilton in form, silverware will be flying out of Australia, rooting itself back here on British soil. Let’s just hope we can say the same thing about the Ashes when the Aussies bring the ancient relic back to us this summer. The Australian side are no longer invincible, having suffered recent defeats to South Africa, yet the current state of the English game means it would take a brave man to predict that Andrew Strauss will help his side regain the Ashes.
Sport
studentnewspaper.org Tuesday January 27 2009
Coaching
League stalemate
Could you coach like Alex Fergusan?
Edinburgh draws equal
p27 »
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Edinburgh gains sweet revenge This week saw the title clash between the Edinburgh University Snowsharks and Glasgow University at the top of the BUCS Scottish Conference Premier League. Edinburgh came out on top to ensure they would sit at pole position. The Glasgow side were previously undefeated and had beaten Edinburgh at home in early November, coming away winners by a mere seven points (68-61). Edinburgh were, however, notably missing four of their starting five regular players on that occasion. The re-match last week saw Edinburgh field a full strength team intent on reversing that result. The home side came out deserved winners 88-70 against a strong and confident Glasgow opposition in front of a large crowd. The game started with Glasgow winning the tip-off, with play fairly evenly matched for the first few minutes. Soon enough, however, Glasgow gained an advantage to go 19-13 up through a number of well taken free-throws. Despite some good defensive work by Edinburgh, Glasgow continued to lead for the remainder of the first quarter. Both sides continued to make their shots
which kept the points difference fairly constant until a foul allowed Glasgow the opportunity to break away and open up a 24-17 lead. Edinburgh responded well with a spectacular intercept by Irish cap Paul Cummins, giving them a chance to reduce the gap before the end of the first quarter and to capitalise on some of Glasgow’s handling errors, with the score sitting at 27-23. The start of the second quarter saw a number of errors from the visitors which allowed Edinburgh to gain free points at the basket levelling the score at 29-29. Subsequent play saw some great teamwork from the home side who regained the lead at 34-29. A well timed break and series of play from American import Yannick Matthews saw Edinburgh build up the first signs of a gap in the scoring at 40-33. Just minutes before the break Edinburgh took the initiative and after some creative play, they found space on the court allowing Cummins to make a number of vital three-pointers leaving the score line 46-35 to Edinburgh at the halfway mark. Play was again pretty even after the break with each side scoring baskets
when in possession. Glasgow then made a nice interception and remained close behind Edinburgh who managed to stay 52-46 ahead. Glasgow continued to make progress however and pulled some crucial points back to reduce the deficit to just the one point at 52-51. Edinburgh though, spurred on by the rousing home crowd were determined not to lose their concentration and scored some jaw-dropping three pointers, leaving Glasgow trailing in their wake. In the final seconds of the third quarter Glasgow pulled back some points through a well timed intercept leaving the score 64-60 to Edinburgh heading into the last quarter of the match. In the final quarter of the game Edinburgh took full advantage of their lead and grew in confidence. With less than five minutes remaining on the clock they were up 78-66 as the game progressed. A series of three pointers increased their lead and by the final minute all Edinburgh had to do was count down the clock. The game finished with Edinburgh emerging as deserved victors.
EDINBURGH IN VINDICTIVE MOOD: A player goes for a basket
Netballers experience a painful loss Lindsey Tien
WOMEN'S NETBALL University of Edinburgh
40
Birmingham
43
Edinburgh were pipped to the post (figuratively and literally) in their crucial Premiership away tie against Birmingham which finished 43 – 40 in favour of the home side. The state of affairs at the bottom of the BUCS Northern Premiership currently resembles another English Premiership with teams locked on points, the fear of relegation rife and the unnerving possibility that anything could happen. Consequently, a win for either team would have helped stifle the horrors of
taking the plunge. Regrettably, it was Edinburgh who were beaten. The postponement of this decisive match from November until this month brewed the tension and amplified the expectations which were already riding high. As the 14 players took the court, it was a harsh reality that an hour later, one side would be ecstatic; the other, devastated. Winning the toss provided Edinburgh with an auspicious start but this was short-lived as Birmingham came out with all guns blazing. From the first whistle, noise from the Birmingham players on the court and the din of their supporters in the stands was overwhelming. Edinburgh did well to suppress the adversarial racket and settle into the game. Edinburgh failed to utilise the natural advantage of having the first centre pass and it was worrying to see them go two goals down within the first minute. However, an intercepting tip of the ball from Harriet Young (Goal Defence) provided Edinburgh with a quick remedy to the
unfavourable start. Edinburgh pulled three goals back to take the lead but sadly, this advantage proved short lived. Each team capitalised on their centre passes and to say that the first quarter was end-to-end play would not be far from the truth. At the end of the quarter, Edinburgh found themselves up by one goal. There was a lot for captain and coach, Holly Johnstone (Centre), to say at the first break but Edinburgh’s chief target for the next quarter was to eliminate the irksome mistakes that had crept in from the start of the game. The second quarter started just as the first had done, with Birmingham putting two consecutive goals on the board. Edinburgh trailed by two for some time until Kate Cooper (Goal Keeper) made her first, and by no means last, clean interception of the game which the team used effectively. A combination of this defence and the accuracy and movement of Frankie Grieve (Goal Attack) and Sophie Carmichael’s (Goal Shooter) input and rebound
rate bought Edinburgh a few minutes of respite. Both shooters played well considering that their shots were being put under immense pressure by a very physical Birmingham defence. The quarter ended at 24-22 to Birmingham. The second half saw one change; Megan Rutherford (Wing Defence), who had done well to suppress the movement of Birmingham’s speedy playmaker, was replaced by fresher and ‘Player of the Match’ Charlotte Newell. Her position at Wing Attack was filled by Lisa Morrison, who made her debut for the firsts. The third, and usually pivotal, quarter of the game saw a change of atmosphere, instigated primarily by the constant penalisation of the Edinburgh circle defence, often without justification. It was this quarter that saw Edinburgh’s captain, Holly Johnstone, call injury time. The reason: two broken fingers. The remedy: play on. The quarter finished with Edinburgh five goals down. The last quarter saw one last change. Edinburgh introduced a new Goal
Shooter to provide some variation in the attacking circle as the Birmingham defence had grown accustomed to the team’s style of play. For a wavering moment it seemed that Edinburgh might make a comeback but the home side pulled away and at one point gained a lead of eight goals. With a minute and a half to go and six goals down, there was a colossal sense of urgency but Edinburgh could only put three more on the board. The match finished 43-40 to the home side and it was no surprise that a few tears were shed by the visiting team. This result means that the current Scottish University Champions, Edinburgh, presently sit at the bottom of the BUCS Netball Premier, relying on other results within the league. If they do not win in their final league match against Newcastle at home next Wednesday, Edinburgh will face relegation and dwell the Scottish Premiership next season.
HOLLY WEBSTER
Holly Webster reports on the basketball teams’s triumphant win