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Tuesday 26th November 2013
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University Staff on Strike Liam Cassidy Contributor
mainly about telling the senior management to wake up”.
On October 31st, Queen’s University staff belonging to the University and College Union (UCU) and UNITE staged a strike in order to protest several issues, with the threat of pay cuts being their foremost concern.
Catherine Mallon, who has been working as a cleaner in the university’s Peter Froggart Centre for nearly 22 years, spoke to us about how difficult she’s finding it to make ends meet: “I’ve seen a lot of changes over the years, a lot of cuts to our jobs. Over the past five years we’ve had a 1% pay rise. As one of the lower paid members of staff it’s hard, when you’re struggling with mortgages and everything else, to take this, and take this for 5 years in the face of austerity”.
Taking their place in front of the Lanyon and Students’ Union buildings and forming a picket line in front of gates to the quad, education and support staff exercised their right to strike in response to the offer of a 1% pay rise. Such a rise, protesters and unions have argued, is not sufficient to compensate for the rate of inflation – with UCU suggesting that university staff have suffered, on average, a 13% pay cut since October 2008. Other concerns voiced by those partaking in the strike included the demands of coping with increased workloads, and, for educational staff, the pressures of meeting higher targets for grant income, having to increase the volume of research publications they produce, and the push to increase their impact on the wider economy.
John Barry, a lecturer in the School of Politics, feels optimistic about the strike’s potential to effect change, stating, “Today is the start; this won’t be a one strike wonder. There are going to be three strikes before Christmas, building up to bigger industrial action if we don’t get a decent, negotiated settlement. So today is the start…a good start is half the finish, and today’s a very good start”.
Academics, students, union representatives and support staff all participated in the strike.
Strikers assembled in the Students’ Union Snack Bar at 1pm for a rally led by Professor Mike Larkin (president of UCU at Queen’s), who introduced QUBSU’s Vice President Campaigns and Communications Connor Daly, UNITE’s Hugh Lewsley, and Linda Moore from the University of Ulster.
Hugh Lewsley, a member of UNITE, had been outside Queen’s since 6am and told The Gown, “The strike is
Queen’s did not support the strike action, and emails were sent to all students outlining the University’s
The Lanyon Building, in front of which a picket line formed. Photo by Desmond Eastwood. position. Students were assured that Queen’s would take “all necessary steps” to ensure it was “business as usual” on October 31st, and to limit the impact of the industrial action. Despite this, many classes were cancelled across many modules, within many schools. No statement was released from the Students’ Union on their stance regarding the strike, to inform students of the reasons behind the strike, or to communicate that the strike was taking place. However VP Campaigns and Com-
munications Connor Daly, speaking at the rally, professed the Union supported strike action: “Today…we extend our solidarity to the strike action. Students and student representatives expect value for money from the university...today we encourage our student members to back their colleagues and academics, and support staff. We support this strike because we value higher education. Today, as VP Campaigns and Communications, I commit to bringing forward at our inaugural council meeting an official motion of support”. The impact of October’s strike has
proven difficult to gauge. No further statements have been released from either the University or Union. However at a meeting of Student Council on November 19th, a motion – proposed by Union President Niall McShane – to extend solidarity to staff members in the event of further strikes, was passed. A second strike is scheduled for Tuesday December 3rd, with the possibility of further strike action. For further coverage of strikes, check out both thegown.net and our next print issue.
QUBSU Student Council Votes to Ban ‘Blurred Lines’ The Gown Staff Members @thegownqub
The Student Council of Queen’s University Belfast’s Students’ Union (QUBSU) last week voted to ban controversial pop song ‘Blurred Lines’ from the Union’s airwaves. QUBSU joins over twenty other UK Unions to have banned the song. The motion to ban ‘Blurred Lines’ was proposed by Vice President Equality and Diversity Caoimhe MacNeill, who stated that “The issues raised by this song are serious, and affect students.
Constitutionally, our SU has pledged to be a safe space”, and seconded by Student Councillor Odhran Devlin. At a meeting of Student Council on Tuesday November 19th, the motion was passed by a margin of 26 votes in favour, to 22 opposing. The song, by American-Canadian artist Robin Thicke, has in recent months generated intense debate due to lyrics that some critics have interpreted as condoning sexual assault. Coupled with a video which depicts three (fully dressed) male singers dancing provocatively with female models in various states of undress,
‘Blurred Lines’ has raised concerns about the propagation of rape culture in mainstream music – concerns which have echoed across campuses throughout the UK. In September, Edinburgh University Students’ Association became the first Students’ Union to ban the song, and was quickly followed by a host of others. St Andrew’s and Durham Universities are amongst a minority who have decided to continue to allow the song to be played on their campuses, following votes at their respective student councils. The motion proposed to student
councillors at Queen’s stated the following: “This Council believes that there are no ‘Blurred Lines’ when it comes to consent. A Students’ Union should be a safe place for all students. The language used in ‘Blurred Lines’ can be interpreted as rape apologetics and some of the phrases can be triggers for victims of sexual abuse. The playing of the song is dangerous and compromises the safety of our students”. The motion went on to propose that the, “Students’ Union bans the playing of the song ‘Blurred Lines’ throughout the building, including all bar / club
venues, Queen’s Radio, cafés, Clubs and Societies’ events, external events and within commercial outlets, adding that, “Where an external radio station is being played and ‘Blurred Lines’ is on their playlist, the station [should be] changed immediately”. Those to speak against the motion included Vice President Education Eoin Deeney, who stated his belief that banning the song would not be an “appropriate remedy” to the issues it poses, and further argued that the song contained no “explicit reference” to rape culture, rendering the debate around it “a matter of interpretation”.
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02 The Gown Editorial The Gown is the independent student newspaper at Queen’s University Belfast, established 1955. The Gown Team 2013/ 2014 Editor Tara McEvoy editor@thegown.net General Manager Megan Liddy business@thegown.net News Editors Kylie Noble Fiachra O’ Maolcraoibhe news@thegown.net Assistant - James Douglas Arts Editor Peter McGoran arts@thegown.net Assistant - Conor Kerr Correspondents Film- Patrick McAnea Music - Hayley Gault Theatre - Colm Doran TV - Adam McAllister
Tara McEvoy Editor @tara_mcevoy
If you’ve been in the vicinity of a radio, or indeed on the internet, in the past few months, it’s safe to assume that the controversy surrounding Robin Thicke’s song ‘Blurred Lines’ won’t have evaded your notice. And now, with the latest meeting of Student Council, the debate inspired by the track has once again been flagged up to members of the student body.
Sports Editor Michael Doran sports@thegown.net Assistant - Conor Coyle Opinion Editor Brian Martin info@thegown.net Photography Editor Darragh Hobbs Assistant - Desmond Eastwood Business Manager Orry Robinson business@thegown.net Web Manager Anna Growcott Social Media Manager David Stewart Design Editor Matthew Morete Contributors Liam Cassidy Charles Cook Claire Murray Hannah Greenfield Peter McLaughlin James Smith Ross Thompson Joe Gilson Michael McAlinden Rebecca Hunt Katie Matthews Michaela Clarke Kaity Hall
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Regardless of how you may seek to answer the above questions, one thing’s certain: the motion – and resultant ban – has reignited the
spark of student activism on campus. Whether or not you agree with how the vote panned out, there’s something to be taken away from last week’s council meeting: the ‘Blurred Lines’ motion generated a debate the like of which is rarely witnessed, with numerous councillors stepping forward to voice their strong opinions on the subject. This reinvigorated interest in student issues comes at a time when, quite frankly, we’ve never needed a healthy dose of fervour more. With any luck, the passion displayed in Tuesday night’s discussion will ex-
tend beyond the confines of Student Council in the coming months, and inform the wider student body’s actions – as we’re confronted with issues from the grievances which have led to the continuation of UCU strikes, to the sale of student loan debt and the threat of the cap on current student loans being lifted. You may or may not agree with the VP Equality and Diversity’s campaign to have ‘Blurred Lines’ removed from SU playlists. Yet, undeniably, it’s refreshing to see a campaigning spirit making a return to Queen’s.
The Hood The Hood The Hood is The Gown’s anonymous whistleblower cum satirist. Founded in 1976 by a generous donation from the Sir Humphrey Hood Foundation, the Hood has consistently broken news of wrongdoing in the elected officials of the Students’ Union, as well as the wider student movement and the university itself. Loved by people who care too much about SU politics and despised by officers who should care more, the Hood delivers the news and the schmooze on those who waste your union dues. @upthehood
Features Editor Matthew Law features@thegown.net Assistant - Níamh Marley Lifestyle Editor Sonia Benhassine lifestyle@thegown.net Health Correspondent Michael Grant
As ‘Blurred Lines’ is taken off general rotation in the union building, the vote which prompted this action has been met with a myriad of questions: is this the best way to deal with a song whose lyrics have provoked much unrest? Does the council’s decision equate a form of censorship? Does a focus on such issues risk overlooking the greater undercurrents of gender inequality that pervade our campuses and society?
We are, as I sit writing this, in the middle of both the DUP’s annual conference, and USI’s 21st annual Pink Training weekend. Doubtlessly, there are some members of the former cursing the poor timing of the second. Our sabbatical officers are mostly at the latter event, incidentally the biggest of its kind in Europe, presumably to win some favour with the pink mafia and eat all the delicious cakes. Although they’re not all there; at least one opted instead to attend the DUP conference. In other news, as the anniversary of the downing of the ‘fleg’ draws close, we can perhaps understand the VP Campaigns’ reluctance to organise any actual flesh-and-blood campaigns
Letters
against the likely-looking fees hike. Doubtlessly, this is compounded by the desire to separate himself from the pandemonium which will break loose on December 3rd when the UCU strike descends into hundreds of elderly academics setting fire to the Lanyon building and hurling anthropological tomes at police helicopters.
coming bored enough to vote to end his suffering. Surprisingly absent from the questioning were any enquiries into QUB’s ‘The Apprentice’ scheme, confirming my hypothesis from last year that it was a dreary cash sink that nobody gave a jolly jenkem about (see also SU MAG, SU Lets, SUTV and most other things associated with SU).
Asides from being the month of the moustache, November was also the month of council, after an inaugural meeting which provided little interesting to write home about. This time round, one of our beloved sabbaticals was lightly toasted over shady dealings regarding hospitality while the other was darkly roasted over accusations of ineptitude, with council be-
At that same council meeting, the VP for Right-on-ness had a motion to ban ‘Blurred Lines’ passed, much to the despair of the conservative faction of the council, including some of her colleagues, who presumably resent having to listen to the song on MP3 players. Criticism of the ban has seeped into mainstream society, although most critics just say the word
‘censorship’ with a torch held under their faces. In fact, two of the main critics are a link-bait site (who have also proudly declared that blacking up for Halloween is inoffensive and that use of the word ‘gay’ as a derogative is cool) and the Bel Tel, in an article that uses the word ‘fascist’ with the wild abandon of someone five minutes from deadline. I, of course, always hold the moral high ground, with the surety of someone who comments anonymously in print. To be fair, the banning of the song isn’t really robbing of it of its awfulness. To properly do that, you’d have to issue a redubbed version with all of the lyrics changed into adverts for various SU activities.
Want to have your say on the issues covered in The Gown or those matters affecting students more broadly? Get in touch with us at info@thegown.net!
Letters reflect the personal beliefs of their authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gown’s editorial team. ‘Blurred Lines Ban to be Applauded’ Dear Sir / Madam, I was very proud upon hearing the welcome news that Queen's University Students' Union had voted to ban Robin Thicke’s misogynistic song 'Blurred Lines'. Through banning such a controversial song, the Students' Union is promoting an atmosphere and providing a platform that engenders a thorough, progressive dialogue on the wider issue of language and lyrics influencing the way society views sex, consent and harassment. Far too many times I have overheard (mostly male) students in bars or nightclubs either talking about or directly to women saying that they can tell, "they are gagging for it" or that they are definitely, "having a piece of that later on" - this is the type of ideology that lyrics in songs can perpetuate and it creates a culture where people think it is an acceptable norm.
Don't just take my word for it. That we live in a culture where male students think there is nothing wrong with the type of language or ideas promoted in Thicke's 'Blurred Lines', can be illustrated perfectly when looking at the fact it was the QUBSU Equality Officer, Caoimhe MacNeill (a female student), who proposed this motion, which was then disappointingly opposed by three male sabbatical officers who all voted against the proposal. Looking at the vote on the motion itself, whilst delighted it passed, I am nonetheless extremely concerned that only 26 Councillors voted in favour whilst 22 were against. I'm under no illusions about the Student Council and do not think it is necessarily a true representation of oncampus views from the majority of students, but I do find the numbers very frightening. To me, this demonstrates a clear need to promote alternative thinking and
Robin Thicke, whose hit song ‘Blurred Lines’ will no longer play in the Students’ Union. Photo from Flickr. appropriate education surrounding sexual assault and consent on campuses throughout the UK and Ireland. One way in which the motion passed could have been improved is through the inclusion of one of the very apt parodies made in response to Robin Thicke's promotion of misogyny. The most appropriate that comes to mind is the ‘Defined Lines’ feminist parody song created by members of the Auckland Law Revue group in New Zealand. Yes: it really does appear that outside Queen's University
Belfast there are some law societies that actually respect and endorse Women's Rights and equality. I would like to see the Queen's Students' Union play ‘Defined Lines’ because of its very powerful lyrics, which highlight harassment, sexual assault, body shaming and most crucially consent. Sincerely yours, Gary Spedding
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FIACHRA O’ MAOLCRAOIBHE | QUB Hosts Annual Pink Training KYLIE NOBLE | VC Pays Tribute to Father Alec Reid CLAIRE MURRAY | Queen’s Lecturer Nominated for 2013 T.S. Eliot Prize HANNAH GREENFIELD | Triumph for Queen’s University Challenge Team KYLIE NOBLE | Rare Seamus Heaney Manuscript Go on Display
News
FIACHRA O’ MAOLCRAOIBHE | NUS President Condemns Sale of Student Loan Book
Iconic Student Pub Shuts Down The Elms bar is set to be transformed into a Tesco convenience store following a recent takeover bid by the supermarket chain. Charles Cook Contributor
The Elms Pub, formerly The Globe, has closed its doors for the final time. The University Road public house and long-standing student haunt (a rock bar in its most recent lease of life) shut up shop on Saturday November 11th. The group that owned the bar, Botanic Inns, went into administration earlier this year. At that time, the group was reported to have an estimated £14 million of debt on its books, yet the Elms is the first of its venues to close. The property was reportedly sold for £1.15 million to supermarket
giant Tesco, and is expected to be gutted and transformed into a convenience store. Included with the purchase was the neighbouring off-license Drink, which is also set to shut in the near future. Old pubs make attractive purchases for supermarkets as they can use the existing - and often hard to obtain - alcohol license that come with such properties to sell beer, wine and spirits. Joe Gilson, a Queen’s student who frequented the venue, said of the Elms’ closure: “It’s a terrific shame. The Elms had a great atmosphere, great music and great staff. It’ll be sorely missed”.
Sale negotiations are currently underway for a further four of Botanic Inns’ venues in Belfast, including the historic McHugh’s. The Parador, The Apartment, The Kitchen Bar and Ryan’s are also on the market. It’s intended that all four shall be sold as a group, and are likely to remain pubs and restaurants upon resale. Although the first casualty of the Botanic Inns’ group, The Elms is not the first Belfast bar to close since the beginning of the current economic downturn. Earlier this year, the famous Auntie Annie’s was forced to shut when no buyers came forward to purchase it, having been under the control of an administrator since 2010.
The Elms Pub. Photo by Desmond Eastwood.
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The Gown
04 News QUB Hosts Europe’s Largest LGBT Pink Training Event This weekend, Queen's played host to the 21st birthday of USI's Pink Training initiative, the largest such LGBT training event to be held in Europe. Fiachra O’ Maolcraoibhe News Editor @fiachra1992
From Friday November 22nd to Sunday November 24th,Queen’s University played host to the largest ever LGBT ‘Pink Training’ event in Europe, in collaboration with the Union of Students Ireland (USI). With delegates from USI-affiliated colleges from across Ireland participating, some 330 people attended the event over the course of the weekend. The keynote speaker for Pink Training was Jeffrey Dudgeon MBE, LGBT advocate and campaigner against discrimination in Northern Ireland. The event was primarily aimed at LGBT students, but was also open to LGBT allies. Events held over the weekend included coming out workshops, classes on “Supporting a Friend Who’s Coming Out”, sexual empowerment, running an LGBT Society, being an LGBT ally, lobbying
and media skills, sessions on looking after your mental and sexual health, and seminars devoted to trans* and bisexuality awareness. In a press release made by USI prior to the event, Laura Harmon, VP for Equality and Citizenship said, “USI is proud of the diversity of our membership. Students have played a huge role in the campaign for LGBT rights across the island. Pink Training is an immensely positive event, it’s about empowering students and student activists to campaign for their rights and to learn how to look after themselves. This is the largest training event that USI runs in terms of attendees and we are proud to celebrate the 21st Anniversary of Pink Training this year. Pink Training provides a safe space for LGBT students to network and share ideas. The level of interest in this year’s event has been exceptionally high, as it has been in previous years”. QUBSU VP for Equality and Diversity, Caoimhe Mac Neill noted, “It’s
The logo of the Union of Students Ireland. a great honour to be hosting such a prestigious and important event in the LGBT+ calendar and we’re delighted to welcome the delegates from across Ireland to Queen’s this weekend”. Indeed, Queen’s Students’ Union can be proud of the hard work and effort that was put into the event by everyone involved. Many delegates were extremely happy
with the friendliness and community atmosphere that was prevalent throughout the whole weekend. Students from the Republic of Ireland were also more than happy with the relatively cheap bar prices in the SU’s Speakeasy!
weekend! It was such an amazing few days and was so great to see 330 delegates from all across Ireland come together! Everyone had an amazing weekend, with one delegate saying it was the best Pink Training they had ever attended and another saying she had never felt so empowered!"
In the wake of the event, Ms Mac Neill stated, "Although I didn't think it possible, Pink Training far exceeded all expectations I had of the
Vice Chancellor Pays Tribute to Father Alec Reid Father Alec Reid, an honorary graduate of Queen’s University widely regarded as one of the pivotal figures in Northern Ireland’s Peace Process, passed away in Dublin shortly after 6am on Friday November 22nd. Kylie Noble News Editor @Kylie_Noble94
Father Alec Reid will be remembered for his key role as a negotiator between the IRA and the SDLP in the early years of the Peace Process. He came to global prominence as an image of him - praying over the bodies
of murdered British Army corporals David Howes and Derek Wood, administering their last rites – became one of the most iconic photographs to emerge from Northern Ireland during the Troubles. Alongside Methodist minister Harold Good, he oversaw the decommissioning of IRA weapons in September
2005, and more recently lent his expertise to the Basque region, aiding the brokering of an end to ETA’s campaign of violence. Paying tribute to Fr Reid, Queen’s acting Vice Chancellor, Professor James McElnay, said, “Queen’s University is deeply saddened to hear of the death of its honorary graduate, Fr Alec Reid,
and extends sincere sympathy to his family, friends, fellow priests and Brothers of the Redemptorist Order. A brave, humble and exceptional human being, Fr Reid touched the lives of all those whom he encountered. Trusted and respected by people from many walks of life and across the political spheres, we will always remember his immeasurable contri-
bution in helping to secure peace for Northern Ireland”. Fr Reid, 82, was a native of County Tipperary and joined the Redemptorist Order before spending 40 years preaching at Clonard Monastery in West Belfast. He will be buried at 12pm on November 27th after requiem mass in Clonard church.
QUB Lecturer Nominated for 2013 T.S. Eliot Prize Dr Sinéad Morrissey, Reader in Creative Writing at the Seamus Heaney Centre at Queen’s University Belfast, is one of ten poets to have been shortlisted for the 2013 T.S. Eliot prize. Claire Murray Contributor The prestigious T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry is annually awarded to “the best collection of new verse published in the UK or Republic of Ireland", by the Poetry Book Society. On October 24th, it was announced that Dr Sinéad Morrissey of Queen’s had received a nomination for her fifth collection of poetry, Parallax, which may see the poet scoop what has been described as the “most coveted award in poetry”. Dr Morrissey has defined the title of her shortlisted collection as: “Parallax (Astron.) Apparent displacement, or difference in the apparent position, of an object, caused by actual change (or difference) of position of the point of observation”. Parallax, Dr Sinéad Morrissey’s latest collection. Published by Carcanet.
In a review of the collection published by The Guardian, Professor Fran Brearton named Dr Morrissey a, “compelling advocate, and exemplary practitioner, of both seeing and doing things differently”. Speaking to The Gown, Dr Morrissey noted, “I am very pleased to be shortlisted for the T S Eliot Prize this year. My last three books were all shortlisted as well, so I've now been shortlisted four times for this award. The readings in London in January of all ten shortlisted poets are the biggest poetry event of the year in the UK, and I'm looking forward to taking part in that especially”. To date, Dr Morrissey has received a string of awards for her collections, including: the Patrick Kavanagh Award, the Rupert and Eithne Award, the Michael Hartnett Poetry Prize, the First Prize in
the UK National Poetry Competition, and the Poetry Now Award. The winner of the 2013 T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry will receive an award of £15,000, with each of the remaining nominees receiving an award of £1,000. Esteemed poets Ian Duhig, Vicki Feaver and Imtiaz Dharker will judge this year’s competition, and the winner will be announced in a ceremony in London on January 13th, 2014. Previous winners of the prize include Seamus Heaney, Carol Ann Duffy, Michael Longley, Ted Hughes and, in 2012, Sharon Olds for her collection Stag’s Leap. This year, Dr Morrissey will compete alongside contemporary poets such as Michael Symmons Roberts, Anne Carson and Daljit Nagra in hopes of being crowned the prize’s winner.
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News 05 Triumph for Queen’s University Challenge Team Queen’s University’s University Challenge team have secured their place in the quarter final heats of the famous BBC quiz programme. Hannah Greenfield Contributor Having battled 130 universities for the chance to appear on University Challenge, the Queen’s University Challenge team have another accomplishment under their belts after that initial victory: following their defeat of Downing College, Cambridge 210-135, they’re on their way to the quarter finals. Widely regarded as the most difficult quiz on television, University Challenge pits four students from a university against four from another, as they are grilled on a huge variety of topics ranging from the general (chemistry, geography, music and history etc.) to questions
as specific as the following: “Add together the number of letters in the surnames of the Prime Minister who came to office after the 1945 general election and his two successors. What prime number results?” (It’s 19 – Attlee, Churchill and Eden). Adding to the challenge is, of course, the biting quiz-master Jeremy Paxman. But even the show’s sardonic host was unusually impressed by Queen’s student Gareth Gamble’s knowledge that flour, eggs and butter make a Victoria Sponge cake, exclaiming “How did you know that?”. (Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Gareth acknowledged that he just got lucky: “That was a complete guess. I just thought what
could you make with flour, eggs and butter, and Victoria Sponge was the first thing that came to mind… I'm not particularly fond of Victoria Sponges, although after this I maybe will be”). The final year medical student, from Lurgan, went on to say that he felt that the chance to appear on University Challenge was a “once in a lifetime experience”, adding, “I saw it advertised on the Queen's website almost a year ago, for a series of heats, and thought I might as well have a go, what's the worst that could happen”. Gamble informed the Belfast Telegraph of the team’s game-plan: rather than each attempting to learn everything, team members would focus on their strengths
The title card of popular BBC2 show University Challenge. when revising. Having been chosen following a series of heats attended by around 80 pupils, hosted by Queen’s University, the team also consists of the Captain, Irish Theatre PhD student Joseph Greenwood, Undergraduate
History student Suzanne Cobain, and Plasma Physics PhD student Alexander Green from Lytham. The next episode of University Challenge to feature Queen’s University - in the quarter finals - will be shown on BBC2 after Christmas.
Rare Seamus Heaney Manuscripts Go on Display Visitors to the Naughton Gallery at Queen’s are being offered a fresh insight into the work of late Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney with the exhibition 'Changing Lives: Our Specialist Subject'. Kylie Noble News Editor @Kylie_Noble94
'Changing Lives: Our Specialist Subject' (which focuses on how Queen's staff are bringing Northern Irish work to a global audience, and the impact the university has on the world around us) will run in the Naughton Gallery in Queen's University’s Lanyon Building until Friday 29th November. Notebooks from Seamus Heaney's time as a student and professor at Queen’s - alongside rare handwritten drafts of several of his poems and examples of his work on the translation of Beowulf - feature in the exhibition. Belfast's first Poet Laureate and Writer-in-Residence in the School of English at Queen’s, Dr Sinéad Morrissey, has donated a giant handwritten inscription of a poem from her fifth collection Parallax.
Also included in the exhibition is an extensive overview of Professor Phil Scraton's research on the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, in which 96 men, women and children lost their lives. The primary author of the Hillsborough Independent Panel, Professor Scraton led a research team at Queen’s which reviewed over one million documents on the tragedy. The report the panel produced brought about an unreserved government apology, new inquests, an unprecedented criminal investigation and reviews of emergency services' disaster response. Other objects of interest include one of the original portable defibrillators developed by Professor Frank Pantridge. Striking images of Queen’s researchers from photographers Christopher Heaney, Paul McErlane, Simon Kirwan, Martyn Boyd and Ivan Ewart are also on display. Admission to the exhibition is free. Handwritten notes by the late Seamus Heaney, now on display at the Naughton Gallery at Queen’s. Photo by Desmond Eastwood.
NUS President Condemns Government Sale of Student Loan Book
The President of the National Union of Students has spoken out on the government’s £160 million sale of the student loan book.
Fiachra O’ Maolcraoibhe News Editor @fiachra1992
Toni Pearce, President of NUS, condemned the government's sale of the student loan book - which comprised of loans taken out by students between 1990 and 1998. The loan book, which had an overall value of just under £900m, was sold for £160m by the government to private consortium Eurdio Student Loans, which is led by the investment fund manager CarVal. In an interview with The Guardian, Ms Pearce described the sale as "extreme-
ly alarming". The sale of the loans effectively means that the public are subsidising a private company which will profit from the government debt. Ms Pearce went on to note, "The impact of this sale won't only affect borrowers but will affect everybody. Selling off the loan book at a discount price to secure a lump sum now doesn't make sense”. The plans to sell off the remaining debt were revealed in March of this year. The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills argued that the private sector was best placed to collect the outstanding debt.
It has also been revealed by the Office for National Statistics that only 14% of borrowers are paying back their debts, while 46% of borrowers earn less than £28,775 (the current repayment threshold). However David Willets, the Universities and Science Minister, defended the decision to sell off loans: "The sale will allow the Student Loans Company to focus on supplying loans to current students and collecting repayments on current loans”. In June of this year, The Guardian released details of a secret report commissioned by the government
which proposed a redrawing of the terms of student loans taken out in the past 15 years. The Whitehallcommissioned study proposed lifting the cap on interest rates. In the same month, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander said, "We [the coalition government] will take action to sell £15 billion of public assets by 2020. £10 billion of that money will come from corporate and financial assets like the student loan book”. The interest rate cap currently sits at RPI (Retail Price Index) +1.5%. A removal of the cap could see that figure rise to 3.6%. Lifting the cap would
certainly prove enticing for private investors who may be reluctant to buy the loan book, yet the effect such action would have on borrowers is devastating. In short, removing the cap would mean extra years of repayment, lasting, in some cases, to the end of peoples’ working lives. At the time the report was made public, The Guardian’s Higher Education analyst Andrew McGettigan warned that, "Under these proposals, this government will get cash now but borrowers or future governments will pick up the tab”.
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PETER MCGORAN | Gown About Town PETER MCLAUGHLIN | Gig of the Month: Frightened Rabbit HAYLEY GAULT, PETER MCGORAN, HANNAH GREENFIELD, JAMES SMITH | Reviews CHARLES COOK | Belfast’s Nightlife, Off the Beaten Track
Arts GOWN ABOUT TOWN Peter McGoran Arts Editor @PeterMcGoran
“It’s too cold”, “There are protests going on outside”: these are common complaints as winter comes around again. You may be tempted to stay at home, kindle a fire and stick on Netflix, but fight that urge: here are some great things to do in the run up to Christmas! Belfast’s Christmas Market An obvious choice, I know, but worth mentioning at least once a year. Belfast’s Christmas market returns this month and is absolutely packed with variety. Old favourites like the massive Lavery’s bar tent, the Dutch pancake stall and all manner of other food stalls are joined this year by some fascinating newcomers (there’s one called “Ugly Christmas Jumpers” – selling exactly what you’d expect). Needless to say, it’s worth checking out.
JOE GILSON | A Musical Pioneer Remembered: Lou Reed
Gig of the Month: Frightened Rabbit There are few bands (or artists for that matter) that have such a naturally strong connection with their audience as Frightened Rabbit. Peter McLaughlin finds himself bowled over by their November Mandela Hall performance. Peter McLaughlin Contributor
One song into their latest show in Belfast it was clear to Frightened Rabbit’s lead singer, Scott Hutchison, that speaking at all between songs was going to be somewhat superfluous – the love felt by the crowd for the band and their songs being so immediately vociferous.
Reviews Album (Virgin EMI) Lorde - Pure Heroine \
This is no small credit to the band. Their songs contain raw, unflattering emotion. They are honest, unadorned, and intensely relatable. In an exclusive interview he gave to The Gown at the beginning of the year, Scott spoke candidly about the issues which inform his work. “The whole challenge of being a guy”, he said, “is supressing certain [traits]… you know, trying not to be that c**t”. In many ways, that statement sums the band up – they explore, in songs like ‘Acts of Man’, ‘The Loneliness’ and ‘Keep Your-
self Warm’, for example, the many internal conflicts that exist within the individual. That the crowd at their gigs show such unreserved appreciation proves that Frightened Rabbit are in touch with the pulse of modern thought in a way of which most bands could only dream. What’s more, the band showed a wonderful humility to their reception – they stood at times awestruck between songs, faces full of sweat and frank gratefulness. This is where the
root of the bond stems from – a feeling of connection expressed honestly from both the stage and the stands. There were moments of legitimate transcendence in the live realisation of some of their songs – I literally lost all self-awareness or self-consciousness… and by the encore, I had even lost my shirt. This was an entirely unexpected, and hitherto unexperienced, feeling of emotional freedom at a concert: unique and brilliant.
The Gown gives you the run down of the music and cinema to check out over the coming weeks (and what you might want to avoid)! Gig (Waterfront Hall) Van Morrison
Album (Sonovox Records) Arcade Fire - Reflektor
Film (Esperanto Filmoj / Heyday) Gravity
Music Following the release of their debut EP Metal & Dust and forthcoming single ‘Wasting My Young Years’, London Grammar have announced their first headline tour and will be playing at Limelight on Monday 2nd of December. The band’s live performance is already being praised: this is not one to miss! Film Some argue the Lord of the Rings franchise is being flogged to death by excessive sequels and prequels, however I think more than a few people will be excited to see the latest release – myself included. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, runs from December 13th at the Movie House Cinema. Theatre 2012 witnessed the first instalment of Forget Turkey (We’re going to Phuket this Christmas), a hugely popular comedy by local funny men Colin Murphy, Dan Gordon and Gary Mitchell. It’s making a return this year – and will see the year’s news stories get sent up. Check it out at the Lyric Theatre from December 8th onwards!
By Hayley Gault Lorde, otherwise known as Ella Maria Lani Yelich-O’Connor, has been making waves with her no-nonsense, stylishly minimal new album Pure Heroine. Hailed as the champion of a new brand of contemporary teen pop, she is not afraid of voicing her opinions through lyrical accounts of teenage life, love, boredom and anxiety. Her brand of electro, bass and sultry spoken word has piqued the attentions of adults and teens alike. On single ‘Royals’, she provocatively lists the clichéd and unrealistic expectations that are placed on young people by the American media machine: “Every song’s like gold teeth, grey goose, trippin’ in the bathroom”, even audaciously referring to herself as “Queen Bee”, pitting her own pop sensibilities against those of powerhouse Beyoncé. The only danger of her stripped back style is that the album can get monotonous, bar the highlights of ‘Royals’, ‘Tennis Court’ and ‘Glory and Gore’, her melancholy murmurs can become samey. However, this début album is effortlessly refreshing and cool, marking Lorde as an artist to keep an eye on.
By Peter McGoran Mired by controversy over ticket arrangements and with a persona as divisive as Marmite, Van is evidently not everyone’s Man. But everything about his character aside, he’s an incredible musician. We begin our expedition into Van’s Celtic, jazz-tinged brand of soul with instrumental opener ‘Celtic Mist’. By the time the first song is finished the crowd is waiting to hear the lion roar, but Van is more than timid as he shakily begins the vocals of ‘Moondance’. From here, however, all things are golden. Following tune ‘Brown Eyed Girl’, Van’s greatest hit, drips of nostalgia yet shimmers with all the power of the anthem it is. Not to hear any songs from Astral Weeks was a shame. But it would be difficult, in spite of this, to say that Van didn’t excel. All in all, this concert truly was the perfect way to celebrate one of Belfast’s greatest treasures.
By Hannah Greenfield Reflektor is exactly the album you would expect if you were to throw Arcade Fire into a thirty year old Jamaican castle and then allow James Murphy to clean up afterwards: proving that the band are capable of reinventing themselves, yet on the whole remain the same poignant indie rockers who hit the scene ten years ago with their EP The Arcade Fire. The title track serves as the perfect opening to the album: the call and response from Win Butler and Regine Chassagne working effortlessly. ‘Here Comes the Night Time’ marks a definite high point as the song bursts open, revving up the pace before slowing back down to a pleasant electric beat as the vocals start. The second disc marks a distinctly more melancholy sound; ‘Afterlife’ is potentially one of the best songs on the album, with heavy drumbeats, gentle synth and chilling lyrics. As a whole, the album is a masterpiece that reflects a change in sound for Arcade Fire. They replace strings with synths, but it’s a welcome transformation and in no way diminishes the likeability of the band – each of whose five albums have brought something new to the table.
By James Smith Gravity balances story and visuals resulting in an aesthetically pleasing, but also emotionally involving ride. The story follows Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Lieutenant Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) aboard a U.S space shuttle that’s struck by debris from a falling satellite, and their resultant battle for survival. This simple plot allows the film to focus heavily on character, in particular Sandra Bullock’s. Nonetheless, by the end of the film, the plot becomes a little ham-fisted and falls back on clichés. Bullock is pretty darn good - in many scenes she recalls Sigourney Weaver’s work in the Alien franchise. George Clooney may be a fine actor but he’s here been typecast - as your generic charming, funny, sexy guy. Nonetheless, Gravity really is a must see movie. Spectacular visuals, A-list actors working with a solid script, an original idea: what more can you ask for?
The Gown
PEN POINT POETRY In a new recurring feature, The Gown invites Pen Point Press’s Colin Dardis to select an original poem by an up-andcoming local writer.
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Arts 07 Belfast’s Nightlife, Off the Beaten Track Disillusioned with the student scene in Belfast and itching to experience something new the next time you’re out? The Gown runs down the finest alternative nights and venues the city has to offer. Charles Cook Contributor
Samuel By Ross Thompson
Cool and still as a cornfield at first light, the bedroom hummed in contented silence. Eli napped fitfully in the chamber next door, each weak breath catching in his throat before partly tearing free. His hacking and whistling rang inside the washing bowl by the window, which in turn made the moon shiver and bend: the whole vault of the sky cradled inside three or four stale ladles of water. The lesser light, a half-spent taper, quavered when the room changed texture. I heard something like a voice, tingling both within and without my ear, like the wind whispering softly inside a glass bell.
And for the first time, I truly listened.
Ross Thompson is the winner of last week’s Funeral Services Northern Ireland National Poetry Competition. His output includes a PhD thesis on the Beat Poets and the body of work generated during his time as a freelance journalist.
Feeling dis-Connected? Finding Sketchy a little sketchy? Is Rain raining on your parade? For most of us there comes a time when the weekly jaunt out starts to feel stale. But don’t fret! Away from the mainstream clubs, Belfast has a thriving alternative nightlife scene waiting to be discovered. Here are few ideas to help you think outside the Box, so to speak: One of the cornerstones of the alternative Belfast scene is the Menagerie. Hidden away in the basement of an old warehouse on University Avenue, you could walk past without realizing it was a venue, or maybe without even noticing it at all. Specializing in hip-hop and house music with a clientele as vibrant as the graffiti scribbled on its exterior, catching the Menagerie on the right night can be a truly blissful experience. Even Further from the beaten track is monthly club-night The Floating Speakeasy. Hosted on the Lagan Legacy, a barge moored on the river by the Waterfront Hall, stepping down into the hold is much like stepping onto the steerage deck of the Titanic. A 1920’s theme runs throughout, and dressing up is very much encouraged. Music is provided by two of the best electro-swing DJs on the scene, accompanied by live drums for extra soul. Oh, and did I mention you can bring your own drink? Tickets always sell-out in advance, so be sure to book online before you go.
The Menagerie Bar in South Belfast. Photo by Desmond Eastwood. A short walk from the barge is another littleknown hideaway. Love and Death Inc. sits inconspicuously above Little Wing Pizzeria, near Victoria Square. Serving meticulously crafted cocktails augmented with funky tunes, it’s one of Belfast’s best kept secrets. The best night to attend is a Saturday: if you’ve a discerning ear you won’t be disappointed by the selection of music or by the phenomenal DJs.
Contrary to some people’s beliefs, you don’t need a sleeve tattoo, an encyclopedic knowledge of The Velvet Underground or a woefully misproportioned beanie hat to enjoy these venues. All you need is a little sense of adventure and the will to have a wild, eye-opening experience. So go out, mix it up, and have fun. Don’t settle for boredom.
A Musical Pioneer Remembered: Lou Reed Legendary musician Lou Reed passed away last month. In tribute to the cult star, Joe Gilson considers the impact of debatably his most famous album, The Velvet Underground & Nico. Joe Gilson Contributor
“My expectations are very high”, Lou Reed once said: “To be the greatest writer that ever lived on God’s earth”. This, he stated following his departure from The Velvet Underground, the avant-garde proto-punk band which he’d founded with John Cale in 1964, and whose music would define a changing New York City in the mid20th Century. Quitting the band, he left behind four brilliant albums and the part of his life remembered as the most creative, influential and downright momentous, even if few knew it at the time. By the late sixties, The Beatles were already running from flocks of screaming teenage girls, The Rolling Stones were stirring senses and controversy, and soon thousands of hippies would flock to a field somewhere and lose themselves in music at the inaugural Woodstock Music and Art Fair.
Lou Reed, who passed away last month. Photo from Flickr.
But there was an altogether more fascinating musical storm brewing. One found in the dingiest, darkest depths of New York. One shrouded in drugs and sleaze. One encased in the mind and soul of Lou Reed. Reed and his bandmates were on the brink one of the most influential albums of all time: The Velvet Underground & Nico, released in March 1967.
From the rhythmic, excited chords of ‘I’m Waiting for the Man’ to the screeching viola of ‘Heroin’ and the sinister lyrics of ‘Venus in Furs’, it’s among the most groundbreaking LPs recorded. (To truly remember Lou Reed, please do yourself a favour and listen to ‘Heroin’, at least: bask in the glory of one of the greatest songs ever made). Brian Eno once said of the album: “It only sold 10,000 copies, but everyone who bought it formed a band”. And some of those bands became big. From Iggy Pop to David Bowie, The Sex Pistols to The Strokes, musical heavyweights have consistently cited this album as an inspiration. White Light/White Heat followed. So did The Velvet Underground and Loaded. All pioneering, all classic albums, all with Reed at the centre. His biographer Victor Bockris would write, “Modern music begins with the Velvets, and the implications of what they did seem to go on forever… The only thing I think would be a mistake would be romanticising them too much”. For this brief period, let’s make that mistake. Let’s revel in the brilliance that Lou Reed and his bandmates created in the studio. Let us indulge the belief that not one of Reed’s contemporaries has made something – or will make something – quite as good. Because it might just be true.
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MICHAEL MCALINDEN | Belfast’s Christmas Market Returns for 2013 REBECCA HUNT | A Student’s Experience of Working at Camp America NIAMH MARLEY | A Interview with Flour Power’s Jonny Taylor NIAMH MARLEY | Love, Text and Magic MATTHEW LAW | Gotham Saved By Brave Batkid
Features
JAMES DOUGLAS | Google Launches Online Uni
Belfast’s Christmas Market Returns for 2013 A year since Belfast’s Continental Christmas Market was marred by the controversy of 2012's 'flag protests', it’s back – but will it prove a success in 2013? Michael McAlinden Contributor It’s exciting, every November, to see the work at Belfast City Hall that signals the imminent arrival of the ever-popular Christmas Market, and this year is no exception. It seems impossible not to be drawn to the bright lights of the market - but in the wake of last year’s Christmas season, a shadow may still loom over festivities. Loyalist protesters began to demonstrate in front of City Hall – which was then hosting the annual market - in the early days of December 2012, following the decision of
Belfast City Council to limit the number of days on which the Union Flag would fly from the building. From there, protests escalated rapidly, stretching into summer. The demonstrations caused a significant loss to Belfast businesses in the final quarter of last year - usually one of the busiest shopping periods for local stores. As small pockets of riots erupted around the city, the shopping district, tourist industry, and the markets themselves bore the brunt of the financial damage sustained to the economy. With the announcement that anniversary protests have been planned to take place later this
month, we’re faced with the very real possibility that such disruption will once again dissuade people from attending the markets. However, First Minister Peter Robinson has urged potential protesters to abstain from any activities that would adversely affect much needed Christmas business for Belfast. It seems fair to note that in the face of any possible repeats of the flag protests of a year ago, the Belfast Christmas Market will carry on regardless, as it did in 2012 - if you go to the City Hall today you’ll see that as long as the lights are lit and the stalls are manned, people will attend.
Belfast’s Christmas Market. Photo from Wikipedia.
A Student’s Experience of Working at Camp America Former Camp America Councillor Rebecca Hunt offers her opinion on why the programme is a great way for students to spend their summer months. Rebecca Hunt Contributor With the average student’s summer holidays spanning almost four months, it’s natural that we’d seek to use this time to go travelling or boost our CVs: Camp America offers the best of both worlds. The camp’s popularity has boomed amongst the student population in the past few years, as it offers the chance to explore the USA alongside the
security of a temporary job. This may constitute acting as a councillor to the groups of children who avail of the camps, or behind the scenes as ‘campower’ to ensure operations run smoothly. The responsibility of the job seems daunting, and there’s no denying the fact that its execution can be tough. But it’s always fun - the duties vary, and often activities you engage in can be altered to suit your
individual skill set. Ultimately one of the most rewarding aspects of the programme is the opportunity to help the children deal with their individual problems. Both leaders and children learn to face fears and overcome anxieties. Leaving technology and creature comforts at home, you rely solely on social interaction as a means by which to entertain your group (all day, every day). Guiding the children through homesickness and nightmares, you become
invested in each individual – often leading to some teary goodbyes! Becoming a pseudo-parent for the week forces you to become selfless, responsible, pragmatic, fair and observant. You become a master planner, considering every outcome possible. You have to ensure the wellbeing of the children with whose safety and happiness you’re entrusted. As you come to care for them more, you learn about your
own limits. You learn to hike without complaining; push your group to relish the space outside their comfort zone, and, in turn, learn the same skill yourself. It's difficult to adequately quantify the tremendous extent of how worthwhile this experience is. If you have an interest in adventure or just the spark of curiosity, then Camp America is the experience for you!
An Interview with Flour Power’s Jonny Taylor Fond of a sarnie and looking for a new sandwich bar to try out? Read on to get your taste buds tingling and learn more about the student discount offered by Flour Power! In an interview with The Gown, the youngest of the siblings - coincidentally called Jonny - talked frankly and excitedly about his trade: “When we started this business, we were both at loose ends. As cheesy as it sounds, at that time food was the new rock ‘n’ roll. We saw a window of opportunity and we took it”.
Photo by Desmond Eastwood. Níamh Marley Assistant Features Editor @GownFeatures
What do you get when you cross a First Class Honours Chemistry graduate and a Business graduate
who looks a bit like Johnny Marr from The Smiths? The answer is the Brothers Taylor, the brains and taste buds behind Flour Power, an original Belfast sandwich shop nestled into the shop fronts on Donegall Pass.
Ever since, the boys have stayed committed to their ethos – to bring something new and flavour-packed to Belfast. “You have to care about what you do”, says Jonny, “We cook our own chicken, make our own sauces and marinades, and as far as possible use local suppliers, like Kirk’s on the Shankill Road for our bread. We are a business born and bred in Belfast and we’re proud of it”.
When asked about riding the recessional storm and battening down the business hatches in tough economic times, Jonny says it’s about controlling costs, not just cutting them, “Being in a recession is no excuse for poor quality ingredients. The mayonnaise we buy, for example – we could buy a different one for a lot less money but it’s not worth it”. He admits that every business owner has felt the pinch, but the reason why Flour Power has come out the other side relatively unscathed is obvious – the staff’s rapport with customers. He talks about how the best part of his day is when he’s out on the road doing direct sales and having “banter” with the customers: “We are a very fortunate business – the people of Donegall Pass have always supported us,
and our corporate customers have been very loyal. What’s important is that you never lose sight of those customers coming in and spending £2 or £4. You have to be passionate about what you do, otherwise you shouldn’t be doing it”. Leaving Flour Power, it became obvious that it’s one of the university area’s hidden gems. An extra five minutes added to your journey time brings you to one of the city’s most vibrant and exciting establishments. “We don’t want to be the biggest – we just want to be one of the best”, says Jonny. Take it from us – they’ve already achieved that. All hail the power of flour! The Taylor Brothers are offering a generous 20% student discount for anyone who produces their student card to a member of staff.
The Gown
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Features
09
Love, Text and Magic Does your love life have you in a tizzy? Níamh Marley reports on the romantic wisdom to be extracted from a few choice works of 19th Century literature. Níamh Marley Assistant Features Editor @GownFeatures
A few weeks ago, the BBC’s sumptuous adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice was screened for the millionth time. The ladies wore their hair in corkscrew curls that Leo Sayer would be proud of, and the men pranced around in jodhpurs and riding boots. The most striking part of the whole film, however, wasn’t the elaborate style of dress - but the manners of the ladies and gentlemen at the turn of the 19th Century.
on in, the most ridiculous game of cat and mouse unfolds – a game that epitomises life in the 21st century. For those of you shaking your heads in disagreement, ask yourselves this: have you ever agonised over how long to leave it before replying to his or her text? Has your mind ever started working overtime when you notice one less ‘x’ at the end of a message? Have you ever hesitated on whether or not you’ve typed one ‘lol’ too many? If you answered ‘No’ to all of the above, then you either don’t own a mobile phone or you really should publish your secret somewhere.
Nowadays, relationships generally start in the same way: you see someone you like, numbers are swapped and you start texting the object of your affections. From here
In Pride and Prejudice, you either liked someone or you didn’t. People spoke face to face or, at the very least, sent a detailed and elegant letter. There was conversation and communica-
Gotham Saved By Brave Batkid One young boy’s dreams came true recently when he got the chance to become Batman, or, more accurately, Batkid for a day. Matthew Law Features Editor @Nantan_Cochise
It is society's worst nightmare. A thought that none of us want to cross our minds: Gotham getting attacked in broad daylight by the deadliest of humanity’s foes. Thankfully, when it happened recently, Batkid was there to save the day. This is the story of the greatest day in young Miles Scott's life. Five year old Miles is currently in remission from Leukaemia, and thanks to the generous donations of over 10,000 people, the Make-A-Wish Foundation was able to make his dream come true. What was that dream? The same as most other peoples’: to be Batman for a day. San Francisco was turned into Gotham City for 24 hours as brave young Miles dawned his Batman costume to fight crime across the city, in front of the eyes of thousands of locals who came out to watch the heart-warming event take place. Local Police and even the US Justice Department joined in on the act, and created a memorable day for both Miles and the city of San Francisco. First, Batkid had to save a damsel in distress from the train tracks. It was a close call, but our caped crusader didn't let down local citizens as he swooped in to pull her off of the tracks right in the nick of time. Then, it was on to stop The Riddler
from robbing Gotham's bank, before thwarting the Penguin and saving the day just before bedtime. How was Batkid getting around? In one of two Batmobile-style Lamborghini's of course. At the end of the day, Miles was given a key to the city by San Francisco Mayor, Ed Lee, and was even cheered on by President of the United States Barack Obama - who gave the young boy his support in a video release from the White House. President Obama said, "Way to go, Miles! Way to save Gotham!" Miles is recovering from Leukaemia, with which he was diagnosed at just 18 months old. His mother, Natalie, stated the following: "This wish has meant closure for our family and an end to over three years of putting toxic drugs in our son's body". Over 7,000 people came out on the day to lend support to the event: a turnout that has really shown the good that mankind can do when it puts its mind to it. The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children and young people fighting life threatening conditions. Since being established in the UK in 1986, they have granted more than 8,000 wishes. If you would like to make a donation to the UK Make-A-Wish Foundation you can do so at www.make-a-wish.org.uk, or by texting WISH to 70111 to donate £3 a month. Check out Miles Scott’s adventure through the streets of San Francisco by searching for ‘Batkid’ on YouTube.
tion, leaving no room for misunderstanding. Nowadays, the odd text is enough to send a lovestruck teenager into a frenzy. Was that my phone vibrating? Did he text? Is it her? What does she/he mean by that? Whilst it would be completely impractical to go around bowing and curtseying when you bump into someone in the Union, there’s a lot to be learned from Ms Austen and her contemporaries. It is impossible to always accurately convey feelings and emotions through the medium of texting, or any other type of instant messaging. If we spent as much time actually conversing with our love interests as we do torturing ourselves over what they mean by signing off a message with an ‘x’ instead of ‘xo’, our love lives would be in much better shape.
Photo by Desmond Eastwood. Even in the 90s, your only option was to call someone or visit them in person. In 2013, the much-advocated ‘chase’ that we are supposed to hold in such high esteem has boiled down to leaving a text to stew in your inbox for an hour or three. Whilst some aspects of 19th Century life really are backward and ar-
chaic (Having your dad pay someone to marry you? Perhaps not.), it wouldn’t hurt to weave some of Austen’s wisdom into our daily lives. How about a phone call instead of a text? Or why not just go crazy, let loose and actually meet up? Maybe it’s time to loosen the iron grip around the phone and rediscover the lost art of conversation.
Google Launches Online Uni November saw the launch of tech giant Google’s ‘video university’, which provides customers with video lessons in a range of areas, from cosmetics to cookery. Lesson prices will be set by the provider, opening up a wealth of possibilities for company-client interaction. James Douglas Assistant News Editor @JCDouglas11
The new service, named Google Helpouts, allows companies and individuals to sell their services directly to consumers via video uplink. These ‘field experts’ will be able to charge for their advice, and it is a system which has benefits for consumers as well as providers - who are quick to attach themselves to the service. At the time of writing, Helpouts has over 1,000 industry partners, including culinary experts, cosmetic advisors and musical tutors. Helpouts was launched in response to web users’ diminishing use of Google when seeking advice or opinions. Whilst it is still the search engine of choice for many, users are increasingly looking to social media for, for example, fashion tips, or advice on restaurants at which to eat. The system will also provide a new medium for YouTube’s many tutors to monetise their tips videos. Helpouts has the potential to profoundly impact how some industries interact with their client base. One such example is that of makeup company Sephora, which will use the service to give tailored makeup advice to customers. Other expected uses include personal training and dietary consultations. The distinct advantage of Helpouts is convenience and ease of use. Customers will be able to perform global searches of lessons being offered, irrespective of time of day or geographic proximity. Customers will pay for the lessons
Photo by Desmond Eastwood. with Google’s wallet service, with prices being set by the provider. Profit will be generated through commission. Google will retain 20% of the fees charged by providers, which could represent a substantial amount of money in the cases such as medical consultations and fitness training. Google’s enthusiasm for the service has, however, been met with some concern. Many are anxious as to which organisations and individuals will seek to become involved in the scheme. The San Franciscobased company has pledged to vet providers where necessary. Medical experts, for example, will be subject to qualification checks. There are certainly difficulties in implementing such an ambitious system, and
it remains to be seen if Google can adequately manage companies or individuals who might seek to exploit the service. Undoubtedly, the introduction of Helpouts will present difficult legal challenges, an inevitable consequence of continually evolving business practices. The launch of the system represents another significant departure from Google’s traditional search-engine service. It will be some time before its merits can be assessed, but Google Helpouts is a clear statement of intent to compete with the company’s long list of competitors, which grows by the day as the multi-billion dollar firm continues to diversify its services.
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The Gown
10 Lifestyle
KATIE MATTHEWS | Seeking University Financial Aid MICHAEL GRANT | Are You Feeling SAD? MICHAELA CLARKE | How to Make a Healthy Burger
Seeking University Financial Aid “Money, Money, Money”. For most students, after Fresher’s week this mantra simply becomes “Poor, Poor, Poor”! Katie Matthews Contributor
Money makes the world go round, and as students we are fully aware of this. Whether it’s funding our academic commitments, paying a mountain of bills or the irresistible, post-hangover trip to Maggie Mays, we all love the occasional splurge and we all have financial commitments. However, for some of us, a less-than-desirable financial situation means we have to ruthlessly count the pennies, stick to rigid budgets and master the arts of reducing, recycling and reusing. Throughout our time at university, many of us will encounter issues with money. However, within the
university, there are resources available for anyone who finds themselves in extreme financial difficulty. Queen’s has three sources of financial aid: the Student Support Fund, the Hardship Fund and the Emergency Loan. Each of these funds has specific criteria and before you avail of them, require you to fill out an application. Nobody likes paperwork but when it comes to a decision between being able to afford to eat and a few forms, the paperwork suddenly doesn’t look quite so bad! The list of criteria students must meet in order to be considered for this support can be viewed on the Queen’s website, eg: “Students from low-income families, Mature students whose return to full-time study
has resulted in financial hardship or Disabled students who are not in receipt of Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)”. The Hardship Fund is available to those students who do not meet the criteria for the Student Support Fund, stating that, “There is a smaller amount of money in the Hardship Fund, so circumstances must be exceptional for an award to be made”. If you are experiencing such significant financial difficulties, don’t hesitate to go and utilise the resources that are available to you. If you are unsure as to whether you qualify, go and speak to somebody in the Student Guidance Centre or drop them an email and get the help you need! Every student has the right to a
Are You Feeling SAD? There may be more to your post-summer blues than just the unwillingness to return to 9am lectures and mountains of coursework.
What to do when money’s tight. Photo by Flickr. fantastic student experience and deserves to enjoy their time at Queen’s. Struggling with financial stress only impinges on your experience.
If you have any queries about any of the issues discussed it is worth visiting the QUB website’s financial support section at: http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/ finance/StudentSupport.
How to Make a Healthy Burger The humble burger, whether for its convenience, or as the cure for your hangover, is a staple of the student diet. Michaela Clarke Contributor To offer you an alternative to grabbing a burger from the frozen section of the supermarket or your favourite fast food outlet, here at The Gown we’d like to suggest the best alternative to a bread bun – and of course, a recipe for the burger itself: The Bun
The change in seasons may be having an impact on your mood. Photo by Flickr. Michael Grant Health Correspondent @mickgrant
Seasonal Affective Disorder – or SAD – is the condition sometimes referred to colloquially as the “Winter Blues”. Only officially recognised since the 1980s, SAD refers to reoccurring depressive episodes that display a seasonal periodicity. Despite its official recognition, a significant proportion of psychiatrists still doubt that the severity of SAD justifies its current categorization as a genuine medical illness. Medical politics aside, the majority of people can relate with the feelings of fatigue, lowered energy levels, irritability, reduced sociability and increased appetite during the winter months that are the classic presentations of SAD.
While theories as to the exact biochemical and physiological causes of SAD range from altered circadian rhythms to genetic factors to neurotransmitter abnormalities, the current consensus is that a chemical called Melatonin is what provokes the onset of the “Winter Blues”. Melatonin is secreted from the pineal gland in the brain and forms part of the system that regulates the sleep cycle, by inducing drowsiness. It has been suggested that those who are afflicted with SAD produce an excess amount of Melatonin as the seasons change. This may be an artefact of an early earlier period in our evolution, during which our behaviour was dictated to a greater extent by the changing environmental conditions throughout the year.
Research has shown that people who do not suffer from SAD show no seasonal change in the night-time secretion of Melatonin, while those with SAD exhibit longer nocturnal secretion in winter than in summer.
Recent publications have suggested SAD sufferers may be closer to their mammalian ancestors than others.
It is important to contact your GP if your symptoms are particularly persistent.
With this in mind, current treatments for SAD include:
Pre-heat oven to 180C. Grate a head of cauliflower, enough for 4-5 cups. Add 4 tablespoons of almond flour. Add 4 large eggs. Add 1-2 teaspoons of garlic powder for flavour. Add a ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix all ingredients together. Grease baking tray (coconut oil might be healthier than the alternatives).
Light Therapy - This utilises artificial sunlight to try to emulate the longer light hours of summer. Increased exposure to daylight Whilst studying, find a bright working environment such as a spot by a window during daylight hours. Regular and moderate exercise To help produce endorphins.
Photo from Flickr.
Mould mixture into circles on the baking tray. Cook for 30 minutes, until golden brown and firm to touch. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, enjoy while still warm. The Burger Use lean mince. Put mince in bowl with an egg. Add a finely chopped onion. Add seasoning such as garlic and herbs. Combine mixture. Separate into individual burgers. Place burgers in oven for 20 minutes, or until cooked to your liking. (Alternatively, you could fry them in a pan with coconut oil). Top with cheese – cottage is a good alternative for cheddar – and anything else you wish!
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Opinion
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The following articles are based on the personal beliefs of their authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gown’s editorial team.
Snowden, Leveson and the Dangers Facing Free Press As the government appears to clamp down on press freedoms, what does this mean for news outlets carrying the mantle of “social responsibility”? James Smith Contributor
ity of the press is again the subject of intense debate.
Even back in the 1800s, no lesser men than John Stuart Mill and Thomas Jefferson judged that the time had passed when any defence of the liberty of the press was necessary. However, amidst the fallout caused by the double whammy of a) the Leveson Inquiry, and b) the government lambasting news outlets for publishing leaked GCHQ/ NSA documents courtesy of NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, the notion of the social responsibil-
Questions over our trust in the media have been compounded by the indignation felt over recent press displays of unethical behaviour – namely: phone hacking, bribery and other questionable tactics in the pursuit of stories. Furthermore, there has been an emergence of general sympathy towards restricting the power of the so-called “press barons”, who many feel run the press as their own personal propaganda outlets.
The danger is that in our rightful anger and distrust of the major media outlets, we unwittingly allow what little good is left in them to be extinguished. Within the space of a few months - after playing the role of press saviour (arguing against government regulation of the media) - David Cameron was calling on the press to show "social responsibility" in reporting leaked NSA/GCHQ files, threatening intervention with High court injunctions or D notices. Now, from where I’m sitting, the press showed perfect social responsibility in pub-
lishing these files and informing the public about the mass surveillance programs we face. Not only that, but it was very careful about what it published. The Guardian’s Glenn Greenwald - who published many of Edward Snowden's disclosures - has said that of the thousands of documents released by Snowden, "We have published a tiny fraction of them, not a single name has ever been disclosed, not a single detail operationally of how any these programs function has been disclosed".
What social responsibility means evidentially differs depending on your viewpoint, and it is clear both the US and British governments permit a “free press” only as long as it does not investigate them too thoroughly. Where the press’s loyalty lies is a debate that apparently needs to be ignited again, and perhaps that is for the best. But whatever we decide, we had better remember that the controversy over press responsibility is, at its core, a controversy over the desirability of lying by omission.
Rebranding Politics In the weeks since Russell Brand discussed his disenfranchisement with the current UK political system in a Newsnight interview, commentators have praised and lambasted the controversial comedian in equal measure – has he really had an impact on young voters? Kaity Hall Contributor
Russell Brand’s recent appearance on Newsnight generated an unprecedented amount of hype. Becoming a YouTube hit, it received almost 20 times Newsnight’s average views. In his interview with anchor Jeremy Paxman, Brand slammed our current government, told the public not to vote and called for revolution. For many, it seems somewhat ridiculous that the three-time winner of The Sun’s “Shagger of The Year” award is suddenly standing up and demanding political change. However, the sheer number of views the interview has received shows that people are interested in what Brand has to say. So can something valuable be taken from his words?
Noted for the controversy that usually follows in his wake, who is Brand to be taken seriously as a political activist? The comedian has stated that he “said nothing new or original”; that his call for change comes from the view that our current system simply isn’t working – that it’s “our responsibility to be more active if we want real change”. I can’t say that I know of anyone who has a firm and unwavering faith in the government. Maybe such a thing isn’t possible: every day we hear of unemployment rates rising, deepening economic divisions between people and are confronted with buzzwords such as “spending cuts” and “austerity”. Everything on the news has become a monotonous blur, with people’s disillusionment with politics
growing. To paraphrase Brand, why indeed, would we vote for a party in whose policies we have no faith? It makes sense, when you pare things down to their constituent facts, that it is our government and nation that is being represented; so it should be the prevailing, collective ideals of the majority we see demonstrated in the government’s actions. It’s this sense of disenchantment toward the government that Brand so artfully articulates – a despair that kindles the revolutionary fire which lies at the heart of his argument. Of course it is all too easy to get caught up in Brand’s oratory of idealism. Listening to him speak is like listening to a pep talk, but walking away unsure as to what to do with ourselves. Should we return to our inert political arena or should we look
Russell Brand by Joel Telling. Photo from Flickr. elsewhere for alternatives, do what we can to make the change Brand talks about actually happen? Right now, to me, his talk of a grand shake-up seems a little too vague, and a little too idealistic. Maybe it isn’t practical to call for revolution, but I do see this: Brand has opened
up an ardent discussion on change to our political system, which has piqued the interests of myself and others. It may be idealistic, granted, but it resonates with us because it’s earnest. And that discussion he’s initiated? I think that’s undoubtedly something we need right now.
Sports Queen's Ladies Gaelic Football Club Makes History A record-breaking season for Ladies Gaelic Football at Queen’s has seen the team rack up the trophies, securing two major wins. Michael Doran Sports Editor @MichaelDoran_
On November 20th, Champagne corks were once again popping in South Belfast as Queen's Ladies GAA completed an historic double - adding the Division One league title to the O'Connor Cup. In sodoing, they rounded off undoubtedly the most impressive calendar year ever for the club. Having won all three of their games in the league section, with a 28 point destruction of Jordan-
stown’s Ladies side a particular highlight, Queen’s overcame University College Cork on a 3-12 to 4-4 scoreline in the semi-final to set up a final clash with the University of Limerick. UCD's sports centre played host to the clash, wherein the two evenly matched sides were forced to play into extra time before a winner could be decided. A goal and a point in the second half of the extra period, from Tyrone forward Louise Kelly, proved just enough for Captain Sinead McCleary to receive the trophy, with the Belfast
side victorious by 4-10 to Limerick's 2-12. Having already hoisted the O'Connor Cup by upsetting DCU back in March, this also marked the first time the league trophy had been brought back to Belfast. Like that Championship triumph, it was made arguably more impressive by the fact that once again Queen's took home the trophy in their first final appearance. It provided a little revenge for Queen's over a Munster side which had knocked them out at the semi-final stage of the league last year.
The team will no doubt look on with optimism to the 2014 O’Connor Cup campaign, with their new tag as competition favourites not the only thing which will be unfamiliar to them. They will have to deal with the added pressure that comes with playing on home turf - at the Dub - in the second weekend of March, as part of the University’s unprecedented hosting of all four major Higher Education GAA tournaments in a single year. However, based on league form, this is a challenge the defending champions are more than equipped to face.
Meanwhile, their male counterparts will hope to follow in their footsteps and add more silverware to Queen’s cabinets with their play in the Men's Intermediate League Final, after qualifying with a 2-11 to 0-10 win over UCC (which also required extra time).
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