WWW.JOURNAL-ONLINE.CO.UK
ISSUE XLIV
EDINBURGH'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER
WEDNESDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2011
Drunk or child? Over half of Scottish teens admit to drinking alcohol regularly - so can a new initiative which uses role-play to teach kids about the dangers of drinking avoid inadvertently sending out the wrong message?
QMU president ousted by union
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EDMUND FRASER
Election must now be held for a new president to serve until 10 June Al Innes & Marcus Kernohan
THE PRESIDENT OF Queen Margaret University Students’ Union (QMUSU), Blain Murphy, has been unexpectedly dismissed by that union’s Student Parliament, following a successful vote of no-confidence for “non-fulfilment of responsibilities” last week. QMUSU’s Student Parliament met on Thursday 17 February to debate the no-confidence motion, which it later passed. Under union by-laws, presidential recall requires a two-thirds vote in the Parliament. On Monday vice-president Christie
McMonagle, who is understood to be leading the union while the presidency lies vacant, attempted to allay concerns about the absence of a student president at QMUSU. She told The Journal: “I am completely confident that that the Students’ Union will continue to continue to function as normal and provide the best service for the students.” Ms McMonagle would not elaborate on the reasons for Mr Murphy’s sudden departure. Little is publicly known about the exact circumstances of Mr Murphy’s removal from office. Students who spoke to The Journal reported only Continued on Page 2
Major shift in applications to Edinburgh's universities New trend towards smaller universities Sarah Purvis
THE LATEST FIGURES have revealed a major shift in the number of applications received by Edinburgh’s universities this year, with the University of Edinburgh being the only university in the city to experience a drop in interest. Applications to the University of
Edinburgh fell by 15 per cent, despite UCAS applications reaching a record high. The University received 45,258 applications last year, compared with only 38,329 this year. Edinburgh Napier University saw a 25 per cent leap in the number of applications they received, while applications to study at the Edinburgh College Continued on Page 2
IN NEWS >> 4/5
IN NEWS >> 9
Election selection
Naughty naughty
The Journal introduces you to the student election candidates from Edinburgh’s five unions
The Edinburgh Charity Fashion Show's great regression
New figures released by the University of Edinburgh show a sharp increase in disciplinary measures against its students
IN COMMENT >> 14
IN COMMENT >> **
Tweet for freedom In the Arab democratic spring, social media blossoms as useful weapon in the activist arsenal
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IN COMEDY >> 17
From courtroom to comedy club Glaswegian lawyerturned-comic Susan Calman tells The Journal about her new show Happy Place
2 News
The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011
This week in The Journal
Attenborough’s appraisal
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Sir David Attenborough gives his backing to Heriot-Watt’s environmental website which focuses on cold water corals
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»8
QMU president ousted by union Continued from p1 unsubstantiated rumours, and Mr Murphy himself could not be reached for comment over the weekend. A statement from the union emailed to all students and staff by QMUSU general manager Neil Rolland on Friday said only that “following the procedures of the Students’ Union constitution, Student President, Blain Murphy has been removed from office. “The Student Parliament met this morning and gave a vote of noconfidence for non-fulfilment of responsibilities.” In an embarrassing gaffe, however, Mr Rolland included with the union’s public statement an earlier email, marked ‘Confidential’, that was sent to a university vice-principal by QMU spokesperson Lynne Russell. In a message to Professor Alan Gilloran, Ms Russell wrote: “We are aware that a student has already started commenting on his personal Facebook site, so we would wish to get a statement out... as soon as possible. We take it that our lawyer will need to cast her eye over this first.” The leak has sparked anger among some students, who feel that university and union administrators bungled the announcement of Mr Murphy’s
sacking. In a comment on the union’s public Facebook page, one student wrote: “I don’t think the way the email was worded was fair or professional, as there are now rumours going around the uni that are just unnecessary and unfair.” Students also called for an apology from the union and university, amid claims that administrators have not been forthcoming about the reasons for the president’s dismissal. QMUSU are due to hold student elections on 14-15 March. According to Schedule 6 of the union’s constitution, an election must now be held for a new sabbatical officer to serve out Mr Murphy’s term. However, the winner of this by-election will serve for little more than two months before the president for the academic year 2011/12 takes office on 10 June. Recent elections have been plagued by low turnout: last year’s contest saw only 16 per cent of QMU’s 4,500 students voting. Mr Murphy and Ms McMonagle won comfortably, however, with a majority of over 200 votes. The Journal is currently seeking clarification from QMUSU officials regarding the timing of the constitutionally-mandated by-election. Additional reporting by Hannah Raine.
Major shift in applications to Edinburgh's universities Continued from p1
Class cancelled Contact time between students and teachers has decreased again according to a new NUS survey
Beatles + Starwars = Ringo Deathstarr
Ringo Deathstarr blast eardrums and bald dandelions at Cabaret Voltaire
Hacker: Striking a nerve
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The malevolent sport column decries the increasingly bitchy world of professional football
of Art also rose by 13 per cent. HeriotWatt and Queen Margaret University experienced a more modest increase of around seven per cent. Several of Scotland’s oldest universities experienced a decline in interest. Applications to the University of St Andrews were down ten per cent, and there was a seven per cent reduction at the University of Glasgow. The figures are thought to reflect the growing demand for vocational degrees in the difficult economic climate, as graduates struggle to find work. Of Edinburgh’s higher education institutions, the biggest increase occurred at Napier University. Edinburgh Napier is one of the UK’s top universities for graduate employment, boasting an employment rate of 93.7 per cent. Speaking to The Journal, a spokesperson for Napier University said: “The rise in applications that we are currently experiencing can be partly attributed to our strong reputation for graduate employability and our close
links with industry.” The University told The Journal that the largest increase was in applications for Midwifery, Nursing, Engineering, Business Management and Journalism. UCAS figures show that the biggest overall increase was in applications to study Medicine and Veterinary Science, closely followed by Creative Arts and Design. The Edinburgh College of Art saw a sharp increase in the number of applications. A spokesperson told The Journal that they are attributing the increase to “the appeal of a small, specialist institution, the high standard of teaching and the quality of the student experience in a beautiful city.” When asked about the possible effects of the merger with the University of Edinburgh, they said: “It is unlikely that the merger with the University has resulted in an increase in applications, because we saw such a dramatic increase in applications last year and this was before the merger proposal was announced.”
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General News 3
The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011
UK prisoners denied voting rights and compensation As the government refuses to comply with a European Court of Human Rights ruling, inmates will still be prevented from voting Paul Foy PRISONERS IN THE UK have been dealt two blows this week, as they failed to get compensation for being barred from voting in the last general election and continue to be denied of voting rights. On 18 February, the High Court in London blocked compensation bids by prisoners barred from voting in last years general election. The claims were launched by 585 serving prisoners who said that their human rights were breached. This came just a week after parliament voted to reject the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)’s ruling regarding Britain’s ban on prisoners voting. Currently, only prisoners on remand have the right to vote in the UK. Minsters have intimated that they may restrict any vote given to prisoners to those serving sentences of four years or less. The ECHR ruling, originally made in 2005, branded the UK’s stance on the issue as unlawful. The Council of Europe, which is responsible for upholding the rulings of the ECHR,
had put pressure on the coalition to finally resolve the issue, warning that it could possibly face fines worth tens of millions. Speaking to The Journal, Peter Nicholson, editor of the Scottish Law Society Magazine, expressed his bemusement at the situation: “This seems a strange issue for MPs to take a stand against the role of the European Convention and the ECHR. I can’t see that allowing some prisoners to vote will make a difference to the outcome in any seat. “The whole debate has been marked by an extraordinary level of exaggeration, and a government that purports to believe in the rule of law should just get on with observing it.” The Council of Europe’s parliamentary body, made up of delegates from 47 countries, has been vocal in its criticism of the actions taken by MPs. Christos Pourgourides, chair of the body’s Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights said: “I had hoped that the parliament of one of Europe’s oldest democracies, regarded as playing a leading role in protecting human rights, would have encouraged the United Kingdom to honour its international obligations.”
The petition was created by OUSU’s Living Wage Campaign and aims to raise wages to meet the so-called living wage rather than minimum wage standards, which, in Oxford, are calculated as £7.01 per hour and £5.93 per hour, respectively. Living wage is the minimum level of pay required to maintain a decent standard of living in a certain area, calculated using a formula from the National Income Standard. Students are reported to be supportive of the initiative, with one undergraduate commenting: “Scouts, waiters, and other college staff work hard to make our college experience easier, and their pay should reflect that. I would not be comfortable with having my room cleaned by someone who is paid the bare minimum.”
Prisoners serving less than four years may retain their power to vote in future elections
13 European countries have partial electoral disqualification, i.e. depending on the crime or the length of the sentence For example Malta, Italy and Poland only ban prisoners who have committed serious crimes. Greece bans anyone sentenced to life from voting. Germany encourage prisoners to vote, as long as the conviction is not regarding a crime undermining the “democratic order” Austria lifted its electoral disqualification for all crimes unless particularly relevant – such as electoral fraud – in 2006. This after a convicted murderer challenged the ban and won. • The only other countries in Europe apart from the UK to altogether ban prisoners from voting are: Russia, Armenia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Luxembourg and Romania.
Gaelic may be introduced to National Galleries Critics of the proposal deem Gaelic signs "superfluous" in the current financial climate
THE NATIONAL GALLERIES of Scotland are holding public consultations over whether to provide signs for their visitors in both English and Gaelic. The plans to erect the bilingual signs in their five institutions across Edinburgh have been met with criticism. Critics of the proposal claim that the signs are a misguided use of money at a time of severe austerity and cuts to the arts industry. Less than two per cent of the Scottish population speaks Gaelic and these speakers are concentrated in the highlands. They have estimated the cost of the bilingual signs at £1 million. Conservative MSP Ted Brocklebank has ridiculed the scheme as “superfluous” and campaigned that “there are better things to spend our money on”. The proposals of bilingual signs have been made in accordance with the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act of 2005 and have support from Holyrood. It has long been part of SNP policy to encourage the use of Gaelic as a key education
of heritage and tradition in Scotland. The National Galleries of Scotland said in a statement: “Any measures that we take forward will have to be proportionate, appropriate and absorbed within existing budgets. The speculative figures of the Gaelic Language plan costing £1 million are complete nonsense.” A spokesperson for the National Galleries told The Scotsman: “We are halfway through the consultation. We haven’t made any firm decisions on what we’re doing.” However, there is strong speculation that the plans will go ahead. In an earlier statement the Galleries outlined their key objectives to preserve Gaelic as a language. The proposals include “incorporating Gaelic into the corporate logo and signage” whilst “introducing Gaelic awareness training for staff and building internal capacity”. The Galleries expect visitor numbers to increase as a result of the new signs. They are also offering Gaelicawareness training for all staff.
Edinburgh 1. A petition has been launched at Oxford University demanding an increase in salary for college and departmental staff employed by the university.
• • • • •
Greg Bianchi
Beyond
2. Tuition fees appear to be on the rise globally, as Washington University’s Student Life reports an increase of 3.9 per cent to $40,950 for the 2011-12 academic year. Even traditionally lower-cost options such as public universities have been affected. The University of Missouri system, with campuses in four cities across the state, will see its fees rise between 5 and 6.5 per cent with further cutbacks in the form of staff redundancies and reduced maintenance costs as a result of budget deficits. The Governor of Missouri, Jay Nixon, was quoted as saying: “Universities should look first at achieving every efficiency in their operations before taking this type of action that affects families’ ability to pay for higher education."
3. Leeds Primary Care Trust (PCT) has also seen the effects of the recent financial turmoil as it could not muster the funds to carry out its annual Chlamydia testing. The PCT oversees the sexual health of students but this year had to settle for more pro-active measures. Just in time for Valentine’s Day 29,520 condoms and 4,800 bottles of lube descended upon Leeds University Union as part of a sexual health campaign and promotion of a website providing information about contraceptives and STIs. Jack Cheyette, LUU Welfare Officer, was quoted as saying: “It’s essential to always use the correct protection, the Union offers condoms, they are free and readily available, why wouldn’t you use them?” Students feeling frisky were encouraged to follow Jack’s advice and stay safe. Amanda Svensson Falk
Bilingual signs could potentially boost visitor numbers
4 Student Politics
The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011
EUSA PRESIDENT Ian Buerger “If elected I will fight against fees, discrimination against international students, and make the sabbatical positions more accountable to all students. I've seen both sides of the union, both as a representative and as an employee, so I know what needs to be improved and how it can be fixed.”
Tom Crewther Hello, I’m Tom Crewther, and I want everyone to be able to have a say in a new, exciting, and most of all, fun EUSA. That sounds ridiculously cheesy, but I have a cunning plan to make it work. Check out my website to see all my videos and what I’m planning.
Gavin ‘Mr T’ Hume
EUSA VPS Kristen Atkins "Hi, my name is Kristen and I’m an International Post-Grad. I’m hoping you will vote me your next VPS. I want to see better disability access; improved facilities; increased bus service to KB; lower prices in EUSA outlets; and a Bike Hire Scheme. Find out more at www.kristenatkins.com."
Jacob Bloomfield
I am running for EUSA president because I think it’s funny. I do have some policies I think are valid. For my full manifesto check out mrtforeusapresident on facebook. It includes my plans for trimming the budget and making the EUSA outlets profitable. I want to push for 24 hours libraroies and a 24 hours shop in Pollock, and I will not tolerate any political jibber jabber!
"Hi, I’m Jacob Bloomfield and I’m running for VPS. As VPS I will dedicate myself to the following: lowering on-campus polar bear attacks by 25%, providing famous actors to narrate students’ day-to-day lives, koi ponds, turning George Square into a 24/7 roller disco, and more. Please visit jacobbloomfield. com for more info."
James McAsh
Philippa Faulkner
“Our student union needs to be looking out for us. I want to make student life cost less, and I will fight to protect the value of our degrees. Rent shouldn't be extortionate. Textbooks should be cheap. Good quality food should be for everyone! We need to defend Edinburgh education, let’s start by making it affordable.”
Matt McPherson This is a challenging time for students, and I'm running for President because I believe that despite damaging cuts and a bleak job market, it's also a time of great opportunity for us all. I'll oppose cuts to our education and make our University more accessible, with more free buses between our campuses and more money in your pocket.
Ben Trueman
"I think EUSA should be a one stop shop for students, the first place you come to. The place where you know you’re going to get the best service, value, entertainment and representation. I want to give you more for your money, make good services into incredible ones, create new services that will make your life easier and continue ethical business practices."
Ashleigh Hunt “I would be a good VPS because I have first hand experience working in all the EUSA buildings. I want to make the unions more accessible to societies, get higher quality acts in the unions, have regular student consultations and much more. Join the Hunt!”
A vote for Ben Trueman is a vote to abstain, a chance to say that the way EUSA is currently run is not representative of the students at Edinburgh University. If elected, I do not intend to fill the position, I only intend to hold it until there is complete system reform. I want a system where the students are in control by allowing them to do the work.
Imola Varga Vote Imola for EUSA president because SIZE MATTERS. I believe practical changes, however small, can have major impact on our university experience, our education. I stand for: satisfaction, feedback and employability to adequately support both undergraduates and postgraduates, saving you money by setting up a University of Edinburgh Summer Festival and putting letting agencies and utility companies under the spotlight.
EUSA VPSA
Anna Forrest t. I've had an amaz"I'm a fourth year social anthropology studen es, volunteer projects ing time here and my involvement in societi also experienced welfare and EUSA have all contributed to this. I've ensure that all students issues and this has given me a real drive to to help all students to get the support they deserve. I really want have the best possible university experience."
Emma Meehan I believe that university “I'm running for this position because studying for; it is a 24/7 are you degree the than is so much more e, and volunteering welfar es, societi our orm transf will experience. I ver their passion, whate ts, studen all that ensure to s opportunitie h.” flouris to chance are given the
Harriet Page candidate with the expe"I'm running to be VPSA because I am the t make the most of our rience and the vision to help every studen for DoSs, innovative sociUniversity. Whether it’s pastoral training business, I have the ideas ety funding or help in setting up your own matter to you." and the passion to make the changes that
EUSA VPAA Andrew Burnie "I will challenge the high hidden course costs that students are forced to pay. The cost of textbooks, important field trips and printing are getting far too high and this must change. I shall fight for high quality web access and Sunday morning opening for the library. Students are customers, they pay for their studies. The university’s customer service must be top quality. I will make holding the university to account far easier."
Mike Williamson "I'm running for VPAA because I think EUSA has let students down in some ways. The same promises we're given in every election are not being kept because no-one knows what their representatives are doing. I'll push for much more transparency in EUSA, and I'll make sure we stand against fees, and against graduate tax."
Tianyun Ye "I am Tianyun Ye, running for the role of VPAA and I am going to fight for better academic affairs for you. With my enthusiasm and energy, I will devote myself to improve your union – whether that’s getting better support, creating a better community, building a better feedback system or providing a better service. Vote for me, make a difference!"
Student Politics 5
The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011
Student elections 2011: The Candidates As the student election campaign gathers pace, The Journal asked sabbatical candidates at Edinburgh's unions to state their case DAVID SELBY
Megan Taylor News Editor
Election Dates
IN LESS THAN two weeks, students at Edinburgh’s universities will be introduced to their union presidents and other elected officials for the 2011/12 academic year, and the campaign is already well underway. A total of seven candidates are contesting the presidency at Edinburgh University Students’ Association. Meanwhile, two-candidate presidential races have emerged at both Napier Students’ Association and Heriot-Watt University Students’ Union. The identities of candidates at Queen Margaret University Students’ Union and ECA were yet to be released as The Journal went to print. With a 25 per cent participation rate at the last election, EUSA currently have the most popular student elections in Scotland and among the highest turnout in the country. Students’ unions have traditionally struggled with low voter turnout, leading some to question their legitimacy in representing the entire student body. The National Union of Students and its regional wings will also be holding elections over the coming months. NUS elections typically take place at their annual conferences, with union delegates voting for executive candidates. Current NUS Scotland president Liam Burns memorably won the 2009 election via coin toss after delegates’ votes were split 50/50. NUS Scotland will hold their conference in Irvine on 5-6 March, while the NUS UK meeting is scheduled for 12-15
HWUSU
NSA
EUSA
ECA
QMUSU
23-25 February
28 Feb - 4 March
2-3 March
4 March
14-15 March
State of the Unions
EUSA
April in Newcastle. After two years in office, Mr Burns has now announced that he will run for the NUS UK presidency. Embattled incumbent Aaron Porter, who has faced mounting criticism over his handling of the recent student protests, is believed to be running for a second term after his draft manifesto was leaked to conservative pundit and former EUSA presidential candidate Harry Cole. At NUS Scotland, current depute president Jennifer Cádiz and Aberdeen University Students’ Association president Robin Parker have both announced their candidacies to succeed Mr Burns. The depute president position is being contested by Stevie Wise, currently Vice President Academic Affairs at EUSA, and Graham Kirkpatrick, vice president of Aberdeen College.
This year’s EUSA elections see significantly more competition than usual for the four sabbatical positions. A glance down the list of nominations for all positions shows that, unusually, few are uncontested. The current sabbaticals must be commended for their work on union participation, but this explosion of interest is not unexpected. With this pivotal academic year for students nearing its end, it is unsurprising to see stuents increasingly interested in their union. Whether recent elections' record turnout, which saw almost 25 per cent of the student body voting, will be beaten remains to be seen. With the number of hopeful candidates in the running, it is bound to be a tight race.
NSA
After two controversial years under current president Kasia Bylinska, few sure predictions can be made at Napier. Just two candidates for the
presidency is perhaps disappointing given the interest NSA has attracted over the past year. However, the 2010 election controversy has subsided, and NSA is now well in the swing of election season. They are known for their quirky campaigns, with most candidates choosing to parody popular films and television shows. As the Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Top Gun’s Goose battle it out in a weeklong election beginning next Monday, hopes are high that whoever wins the union campus at Merchiston Place will be improved.
HWUSU
As previously reported in The Journal, HWUSU have suffered grave financial difficulties this year, to such an extent that their old union building was shut down. With plans in place for a new one, it is the presidential election that will ultimately shape the future of the union. Simon Eltringham steps down after two terms in office to allow two hopefuls a shot at the job. With the
future of the union hanging in the balance, voting turnout is expected to be higher than in recent years. The results of this election will be decided earlier than the others, with results expected on Friday. Be sure to check The Journal’s website for the first interview with the new president-elect.
ECA
Nominations were officially finalised last Friday, but the candidate list is yet to be released. The winner of this particular election has a hard task come 1 August, when the merger with the University of Edinburgh is expected to take effect. At this stage, the future of their job is uncertain at best.
QMUSU
The deadline for nominations closes the day The Journal goes to press. Check the website for a full candidate list. It is unclear how president Blain Murphy's sacking will impact the election.
NSA President Andrew Wildgoose My name is Andrew Wildgoose (Goose), and I want to help make Edinburgh Napier the Best place it can be. I’m honest, open and always available. I want to work to improve all aspects of Napier – academic, social and sporting. Vote Goose, vote for your voice to be heard!
HWSU President
Tom Zanelli
Michael Bottom
I'm a fourth year studying event and festival management with entrepreneurship. I ran my own student event company over the past three years. I feel Napier has lost it's way and the student's aren't proud to attend the Uni. The contacts I have throughout Scotland will make Napier the university that students thrive to attend.
Whether it's on the sports pitch, in the union or in the university, I have been representing Heriot-Watt students on key issues for nearly 4 years now. I think my experience combined with my drive to represent the views of my fellow students, makes me the ideal candidate for President.
Paul Murphy There is a real need to restore the sense that as a Union we provide what students want. We need to consult with our membership about exactly what it is they require from us. I believe that I am the only candidate who can lead strongly on these issues, and ensure that our Union becomes a vibrant, principled, campaigning organisation.
6 Local News
The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011 ANDREW GASS
Renewable energy to be produced with food waste Scotland's Zero Waste Plan sets agenda for councils to turn food waste into sustainable energy Liam Bolton
Users will be able to contribute their own cycling routes and interact with other cyclists online
Cycling website to encourage off-road biking Edinburgh will have its first online and printed map of the city's cycling routes Assa Samaké A MAP OF Edinburgh’s cycle paths will be launched at the end of this month to promote off-road routes. The Edinburgh Inner Tube map will closely resemble the London Underground map and uncover 100 kilometres of bike routes in the city. The cycling map will be printed on paper and also available online. Acclaimed Scottish journalist Tom Allan will manage the Edinburgh Inner Tube website. Speaking about his job, he said: “My role will be to create a social media version of the map. We’re going to have ten volunteer ambassadors who will each be charged with different routes. I’ll be training them to use social media tools like blogging, tweeting and podcasting and also multimedia tools
using a 3G mobile phone.” The website will allow members of the public to see a real time evolution of the traffic and to foresee problems they may encounter on their biking route. Users will be able to post comments, images and videos on the website from their mobile phones and they will be automatically geotagged. By allowing users to participate and contribute ideas and problems with cycling routes, it adds a revolutionary element to the project. The cycle network website was granted £98,100 from the People’s Postcode Lottery. The funding comes at a time when ecological behaviours and social networks are important and the project incorporates both concepts. It encourages bike owners to interact with other cyclists and suggest alternative routes which avoid peak time or
on-road traffic. Mark Sydenham, manager of the Bike Station and project initiator, said: “Without the support of the People’s Postcode Lottery, it would just be us making maps and giving them out and that would be that. We want this to be a whole lot more dynamic and longterm and to evolve into something even better.” Mike Pringle, the MSP for Edinburgh South, was delighted with the project, saying: “The Bike Station is a great community organisation in my constituency, which has been going for a considerable number of years, and as a result of its workers’ enthusiasm and initiative has probably done more for Edinburgh than anybody else to promote the use of bicycles and bike usage in the city.”
EDINBURGH AND MIDLOTHIAN Councils’ proposal for a contractor to deliver anaerobic digestion (AD) facilities is being prepared to meet the requirements of Scotland’s Zero Waste Plan. The Zero Waste Plan, which is expected to come into effect in 2015, has been implemented to impose bans on source-segregated food waste and recyclables. The Councils of Edinburgh and Midlothian insist that anaerobic treatment will meet these prerequisites and hope that the AD contract will be awarded in 2012. At present, most food waste in Edinburgh and Midlothian is sent to landfill. This unsustainable practice wastes resources and contributes to the production of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. AD is the process where plant and animal material is converted into biogas, in the absence of air, by micro-organisms. The biogas can then be combusted to produce electricity and/or heat. The contractor who provides AD facilities will treat 20,000 tonnes of food waste collected by the Councils. At the facilities, the waste will converted into biogas to produce renewable energy. This development is a significant step towards a sustainable future in the UK. Kenny Boag, SEPA head of Waste
Policy, said: “There is significant and growing interest in the use of anaerobic digestion technology in Scotland. It is a technology that can help maximise the recovery of value and resource from source segregated biodegradable wastes, principally through the recovery of biogas and high quality soil improvers.” With rising demand for bioenergy and AD, Scotland will be at the forefront of renewable energy. Edinburgh and Midlothian Councils are set to commence a separate procurement process for mixed waste treatment facilities later in the year. This will be in time for the proposed ban on the disposal of biodegradable waste to landfill in 2017. AD recently came under some scrutiny with critics citing high costs and the contamination of water as disadvantages. David Reay, lecturer in Carbon Management at the University of Edinburgh disagrees with the claims, saying: “There should be no water contamination issues with well-run AD plants - they are subject to stringent environmental pollution regulations. “With efficiency of scale, AD is a financially viable option.” The Millerhill site has been purchased by Midlothian and Edinburgh Councils. Moreover, an application for planning permission to build a 30,000 tonne per year AD facility will be submitted by spring 2011.
*The plan is set to aid the reduction of harmful greenhouse gases
King's Theatre reduce show times
Read more local news online @ www.journal-online.co.uk
Production programme slashed due to budget cuts
Council clamps down on traffic offenders
Rebecca Low THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL Society of Scotland, which owns Edinburgh Zoo, have finalised a deal with the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Association to bring two giant pandas - Tian Tian and Yangguang - to the capital. The bears’ arrival will mark the first time a panda has resided in the UK for 17 years. But the venture is a huge risk, and it may well not pay off. As exciting as it is to have such rare and beautiful animals being shipped to Scotland from far-flung corners of the world, it is hard to ignore the cost of hosting the pandas in Edinburgh:
estimated at some £6 million. Even in exuberant times for zoos - which these are certainly not - that is a vast sum to raise. Edinburgh Zoo, in particular, is in no such purple patch. RBS have shied away from their initial offer of corporate sponsorship; meanwhile, First Minister Alex Salmond, though he championed the deal, has now categorically ruled out any government subsidy of Tian Tian and his mate. The zoo are relying on the whirlwind of publicity around the pandas’ arrival to help cover the significant cost of keeping them, but it is doubtful whether this panda-monium will last long enough to revive the zoo’s
dwindling ticket sales - or to ensure for Tian Tian and Yangguang the high standard of living necessary for there to be any chance of them breeding. But perhaps worst of all is the lingering question of whether Edinburgh Zoo is a suitable home for the pandas. Edinburgh City Council recently issued a highly critical survey of living conditions at the zoo, and failure to pass their next inspection in 2012 could see the zoo lose its licence. Surely it would be advisable for the zoo’s administrators to ensure that their current wards are well cared-for before bringing the crown jewels of the zoo world to the city?
DAVID SELBY
Edinburgh City Council is granted power to clamp regular offenders' cars if they fail to pay outstanding parking fines
New scheme launched to tackle substance abuse
Edinburgh Alcohol and Drug Partnership announce their new five-year strategy
Whole Foods Market to bring fresh produce to Edinburgh
The world's largest organic food retailer is proposing to open a store in Edinburgh
Academic News 7
The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011
AQUA-PHOTOS
Inauguration of UHI greeted by both support and concern Despite support from the government, key bodies are concerned about the financial ramifications Lily Panamsky Academic News Editor THE RECENT INAUGURATION of Scotland’s newest university, the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI), has generated both praise and concern. A collaboration of 13 colleges, specialist institutions, and research centres throughout the northern regions of Scotland, UHI was granted final approval to gain official university status by Education Secretary Michael Russell, a firm supporter of the move. Supporters of the university’s creation are hopeful that UHI will encourage local students to remain in northern Scotland while attracting more international students. Speaking in Parliament, Mr Russell said: “For generations, the Highlands have seen some of their brightest and best young people head away to go to university. Now, at last, the creation of a
university in the Highlands and Islands can help reverse that brain drain.” However, several key bodies have revealed concerns over the establishment of UHI. An anonymous source respondent questioned Scotland’s ability to financially sustain an additional university in the wake of government budget cuts. Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) warned that the university could generate increased competition in the higher education sector and in supply. The Highland Council warned that the merging of different colleges could lead to courses being repeated and students being left confused. Groups that have supported the university’s creation include the Federation of Small Businesses, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and Northern Constabulary. The SQA has also voiced its support, despite giving out warnings. UHI Principal James Fraser has
argued that the university offers a unique contribution to Scotland’s higher education sector with its specialized courses in Scottish history and Gaelic history. UHI currently hosts approximately 8,000 students on campuses in Argyll, Ross-shire, Inverness, Isle of Lewis, Morayshire, Shetland, Caithness, Orkney, Perth, Isle of Skye, and Inverness-shire. Mr Fraser hopes that the number of overseas students at UHI will rise from 250 up to 800. The creation of UHI has been 20 years in the making, with major delays due to difficulties that arose regarding the establishment of a research department. Teaching universities can be established easily and quickly, but adding the research element to a university takes additional work.
Genes dictate how 'nice' you are Genes affect how nice a woman is by 50 per cent, but men only by 20 per cent Hannah Raine A NEW STUDY carried out by researchers at Edinburgh University has revealed that genetic factors play a significant factor in determining whether some of us are ‘nicer’ than others. It was discovered women in particular were much more affected by genetic factors than men were, with regard to social niceness. The study compared almost 1,000 pairs of identical and non-identical twins who had both been brought up in the same home environment and asked them to rate their sense of obligation in a number of different social areas. The twins were asked a number of questions in areas such as work and welfare, ranging from ‘How much obligation would you feel to testify in court about an accident you witnessed’, to ‘How much obligation would you feel to do more than most people would do on your kind of job’. The study, which has been published in the journal Biology Letter, measured the participants’ responses on a scale of 0 to 10 in order to work out their ‘prosocial personality’. Scientists were surprised to find that
women’s social personalities were made up of 50 per cent environmental factors and 50 per cent genetic factors. Men’s social personalities, on the other hand, were influenced 80 per cent by the environment and only 20 per cent by social factors. Leading the research at Edinburgh University, research psychologist Gary Lewis suggested that a possible explanation for the major differences was that men are perhaps more helpful when they are content with their social environment, for example when they are married, and are less helpful when they are competing for social resources. Speaking about the new findings, Mr Lewis told The Journal: “Initially we weren’t interested in sex differences; we were simply interested to see if obligations to be prosocial in one social domain would be related to other
domains, and if common genes underpinned a common prosocial sense”. The scientists, who are looking at genetic influences on a range of social traits, plan to further their research by looking at whether personality traits predict prosociality.
Professors aim to encourage conservation of the vital organisms
David Attenborough endorses HeriotWatt website Cold-water corals can be found all around the world, including in the Western Isles of Scotland Sophie Marion de Procé
A NEW WEBSITE about cold-water corals created by Heriot-Watt University professors has been recently designed as a result of increased popularity and support from key figures like broadcaster Sir David Attenborough. Unlike their tropical counterparts, cold-water corals are not well known, even though research has shown them to be a very diverse group which plays an important role in ecosystems. They are found all around the world’s oceans, including in the Hebrides in Scotland. The Lophelia.org website provides a wealth of information about cold-water corals and the threats they are facing, such as ocean warming and acidification or deep-sea trawling fishing techniques. Dr Murray Roberts, from the School of Life Sciences at Heriot-Watt University, told The Journal: “The Lophelia.org website is aimed at anyone from around the age of 7-8 upwards.” The website has been designed in a way that allows everyone to find adequate information about these sea creatures. “The first page of each section is free of scientific jargon” for the general public, Dr
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Roberts explained, “then the ‘Go Deeper’ sections take readers through progressively more detailed information until they arrive at a list of primary information sources, mostly peer-reviewed scientific papers and technical reports”. Although the website was originally launched in 2005, Dr Roberts explained: “Recent advances in social media such as Youtube, Twitter and Facebook have revolutionised the Internet, so the website had to be totally redesigned in 2010 to include these features.” Informing people about this group of very diverse yet poorly known organisms is “the first vital step for people to care and take action toward its conservation”, remarked Dr Roberts. “Raising public awareness will also help swing the democratic process into action and encourage politicians to take measures to prevent damage to the corals”. The website has obtained the support of the most popular naturalist in the UK, Sir David Attenborough, who recorded two videos for the website. Speaking of Mr Attenborough’s videos, Dr Roberts commented: “His support certainly attracted many more people to the website.” The website is now widely used by researchers as a source of information.
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8 Student News
The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011
Universities reduce teaching hours Average teaching hours drop across the UK, with the University of Edinburgh badly affected Jessica Abrahams Student News Editor UNIVERSITIES HAVE REDUCED the amount of time students spend in direct contact with their lecturers over the past year, an NUS survey has revealed. UK students received an average of just 13.4 hours of contact time a week in 2010, compared with 14 hours a week in the previous year. The data also shows that student satisfaction has fallen sharply amongst first year undergraduates. The biggest decrease in teaching hours was at Russell Group universities, a group
of the most prestigious universities in the country, including the University of Edinburgh. On average, contact time at Russell Group institutions fell from 15.6 hours a week in 2009 to 14.7 in 2010. At the Million+ group of universities, a collection of newer institutions that includes Edinburgh Napier, students received only 12.4 hours of teaching a week. The research comes as universities struggle to balance funding cuts with the pressure to deliver a better experience for students ahead of the rise in tuition fees next year. Although satisfaction with the quality of teaching remains high, the proportion SCOTTW5 ON FLICKR
of first year students rating their course as ‘excellent’ fell by 20 per cent. Students identified more teaching hours as the main factor that would improve their university experience. At the University of Edinburgh, which last year received the lowest student satisfaction rating in the country for feedback, many final year humanities students have just four hours of contact time a week. Charlotte Lemaigre, a fourth year philosophy and psychology student, told The Journal: “This year I have had only four hours of contact time a week, and I had my last lecture today. For the rest of the year I
won’t have any contact time – no lectures and no tutorials. It’s frustrating to feel that I have no direction in my studies and haven’t been able to get the most out of my university experience academically.” Liam Burns, president of NUS Scotland, told The Journal: “It is astonishing that at a time when fees are going up, contact time is coming down. Education should never be a ‘value for money’ exercise but these results will understandably be difficult to swallow for students south of the border who are seeing their tuition fees triple.” Mr Burns added that it is not just a question of the number of hours that students
have with their lecturers but how those hours are spent. He believes universities should be focussing on teaching in small groups and tutorials, rather than big lectures where students act “as human photocopiers” and receive little feedback on their work. Lectures currently make up more than half of the contact hours a student will receive. Last year’s Browne Review, which recommended raising tuition fees in England and Wales, suggested that prospective students should be informed about the minimum number of contact hours they will receive.
HHHH HHHH The Scotsman The Herald
The economony could suffer in the face of new visa regulations
International students slam UKBA plans Edinburgh University protests new restrictions as NUS survey reveals 75 per cent would be dissuaded Ruth Jeffery THE MAJORITY OF international students would not have come to the UK if new visa restrictions had been in place, an NUS survey has revealed. As previously reported by The Journal, the UK Border Agency (UKBA) is proposing to change the visa regulations for international students meaning that students from outside the EU would no longer be able to stay in the UK to work after they finish their studies. Under the current system, international students are allowed to stay for up to two years if they have found work. A recent survey conducted by the National Union of Students has revealed that 75 per cent of international students currently attending universities in the UK would not have come if they did not have the option to stay and work afterwards. 94 per cent claimed that post-study work visas had been a deciding factor when deciding where to study. Aaron Porter, president of NUS, said: “Allowing students the option to work in the UK after they have finished their courses is an important incentive when encouraging what is vital foreign investment in our higher education system. “The money those graduates earn often goes to paying back student loans that might not have been covered by salaries in their home countries.” The UKBA also plans to limit the
amount of places available to international students and to increase the level of English language skills needed to obtain a visa. International students are worth around £5 billion a year to the UK’s economy. Their fees constitute between 10 and 30 per cent of a university’s annual income. NUS have raised concerns that losing them may compromise the quality of UK universities, particularly at a time when they are facing severe budget cuts. Mr Porter continued: “International students are a vital part of the campus community bringing huge amounts of money and passing on cultural knowledge and links that better equip graduates to work in a globalised economy. “This is surely the final nail in the coffin for a knee-jerk policy that will deny universities billions of pounds of much needed income at a time when they are also removing the majority of the teaching grant.” Leading figures in higher education have opposed the proposals. Five of Scotland’s most prestigious universities, including the University of Edinburgh, spoke out against the proposals in a letter to Home Secretary Theresa May, following a protest event on 27 January. The UKBA said they are still analysing the results from their consultation and will announce their final decision in due course.
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The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011
Student News 9
Edinburgh's universities launch new degrees
Disciplinary action soars at Edinburgh University
Napier announces pioneering BA in Youth Work as Edinburgh University launches three new law degrees
EDINBURGH’S UNIVERSITIES HAVE announced a host of new degrees to be launched in September 2011. The University of Edinburgh will be launching three new specialised law degrees, while Edinburgh Napier has created Scotland’s first degree in Youth Work. The University of Edinburgh’s School of Law will be adding LLMs in International Economic Law, Competition Law and Innovation, and Comparative and European Private Law to the list of 20 postgraduate law degrees that it already offers. An LLM is a Master of Law degree which offers an academic rather than a professional qualification. The University of Edinburgh does not require applicants to have completed an undergraduate law degree in order to be accepted onto the course, which is unusual for Law degrees. The School of Law said: “The new programmes join the many specialised taught LLM programmes already offered by the university. They offer advanced study of a range of law and law-related subjects, with an opportunity to develop more detailed knowledge, understanding and research skills through pursuing a chosen dissertation topic.” Edinburgh Napier University is also launching Scotland’s first Youth Work degree programme, to cater for the
estimated 4,000 people working and volunteering with young people in Scotland’s capital. Napier has joined forces with Telford College and the City of Edinburgh Council to help fund the pioneering model of the BA in Youth Work, addressing the current need for training amongst youth workers. Rosemary Allford, head of Napier’s ‘Skills for Scotland’ project, said: “The main benefit of the course will be its impact on service users. Young people who have received support from well trained youth workers have claimed their intervention has been nothing short of life-saving.” A spokesperson for Napier told The Journal: “With 4,000 people in Edinburgh alone working or volunteering with young people, the funding bodies viewed it as a much-needed qualification to build upon the skills of youth workers. Students will receive training and support, which will re-enforce their existing experience, as well as gain an understanding of wider youth work issues. “As it is studied part-time it will allow Youth Workers to continue to work and gain experience as well as undertake study at their own pace. Professional Bodies and Standards Councils are increasingly requiring employees to meet defined standards and the new qualification helps the youth worker to demonstrate this level of competence.”
Napier hopes to support amd further the skills of youth workers
The new degrees EDINBURGH NAPIER UNIVERSITY BA Youth Work
UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH LLM International Economic Law LLM Competition Law & Innovation LLM Comparative & European Private Law
Undergraduate tuition fees may almost double after government U-turn
UNIVERSITY TUITION FEES in Northern Ireland are set to rise to £5,750 following a government U-turn. As previously reported by The Journal, employment and learning minister Danny Kennedy suggested last month that Northern Ireland could not afford to peg tuition fees at current rates. This was despite last year’s government report, overseen by chairman of the Institute of Directors Joanne Stuart, which recommended freezing tuition fees. Ms Stuart has updated her report following Mr Kennedy’s comments, proposing that fees should be raised to £5,750 for an undergraduate degree from September 2012. Students from outside Northern Ireland would be required to pay the full £9,000 proposed by Westminster. As fees are currently capped at £3,290, this represents a rise of 75 per cent for Northern Irish students and almost 300 per cent for students from other parts of the UK. Ms Stuart warned that freezing fees at current levels would leave the Northern Irish higher education sector with a shortfall of over £40 million a year. Speaking to The Journal, Ciarnan Helferty, president of NUS in Northern Ireland, said: “There is no ambiguity on
the issue of a potential fee rise in Northern Ireland... The Minister [Mr Kennedy] can remain on the wrong side of public opinion if he wishes - but if he does I doubt he will remain a Minister very much longer.” The maximum grant available for students from low-income households would remain at £3,475, which is not enough to cover the cost of tuition. However, Mr Kennedy stressed the importance of maintaining accessibility for disadvantaged students. Graduates would not need to begin repaying student loans until they were earning a minimum of £21,000. A spokesperson for the Department of Employment and Learning told The Journal: “The Department for Employment and Learning is committed to finding a solution to the issue of student finance which is affordable to both the public purse as well as to the students, whilst protecting Northern Ireland’s record as having the best higher education participation rates in the UK for those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and also allowing our universities to secure appropriate investment and maintain the excellence of our Higher Education Institutions.” A public consultation on the proposals is due to be published next month.
Latest figures show two per cent of University of Edinburgh students face disciplinary action Jessica Abrahams Student News Editor
Northern Ireland's fees set to hit £5,750 Jessica Abrahams Student News Editor
PIXELSANDPAPER
Polly Dallyn
Projected fees for higher education: USA - £5,500 - £25,000 England - £6,000 - £9,000 Australia - £6,250 - £8,500 Northern Ireland - £5,750 Wales - £3,290 France - £125 - £600 Scotland - nothing (but graduate tax) Germany - Free
NI ASSEMBLY
Danny Kennedy (above) has claimed Northern Ireland cannot afford to maintain current fee levels
CASES OF DISCIPLINARY action at the University of Edinburgh have more than tripled over the last five years, the latest figures show. The news follows last month’s revelations that plagiarism by Scottish students is at a record high. The University disciplined 384 undergraduates in the 2009/10 academic year, compared with 111 during 2005/6. The figure represents two per cent of undergraduate students at the University. Roughly half of these were for plagiarism. As previously reported by The Journal, cases of detected plagiarism at Scottish universities have risen dramatically since the introduction of specialised software. The University of Edinburgh had the fourthhighest number of plagiarism cases in Scotland last year. 174 students were disciplined for plagiarism during the 2009/10 academic year, compared with just 68 in 2006/7. However, no students have been expelled for plagiarism during the last five years. Students setting off false fire alarms or covering up the smoke alarms in University-owned accommodation are also prominent in the figures. In 2008, fire crews were called out to the University of Edinburgh 512 times, costing fire services hundreds of thousands of pounds. Only four of these were for real fires. This has caused fatalities at some universities where students failed to evacuate the building during a fire, believing the alarm to be false. The figures also revealed a small number of criminal offences, including students found using illegal substances, damaging property or participating in violent, disorderly or indecent behaviour. In such cases, students are fined £250 by the University. A spokesperson for the University said: “Although the number of students subject to disciplinary action has increased in recent years, it is important to note that this still represents a very small minority of the student population.” Unlike other universities, Edinburgh has not taken disciplinary action against students involved in campus protests over tuition fees earlier this year. Ten students at the University of Birmingham are currently facing disciplinary action for participating in an event similar to Edinburgh’s Appleton Tower sit-in.
National Politics 11
The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011
Scottish Parliament approves £33bn budget Two months before the parliament's general election, John Swinney's last-minute budget has been approved CALLUM MACLELLAN
Marcus de Wilde
THE SNP GOVERNMENT’S budget passed through Holyrood with the aid of the Tories and Lib Dems. The need for support of the budget prompted eleventh-hour spending commitments from the Lib Dems and Tories. The Finance Minister, John Swinney told Holyrood that he found £45 million of extra spending money. The Lib Dems demanded £15 million extra for college bursaries and the Tories got £16 million for housing programmes. Mr Swinney responded to criticism of the SNP’s plans outlining the government’s aim to protect public services and boost the economy in the face of a billion pound spending cut. Mr Swinney said: “The Scottish Government has listened to the calls that others have made and we have responded in the spirit of building consensus across the Chamber.” Labour voted against the proposals, which were branded as ‘half measures’, for failing to create more jobs and resolve housing problems. Scottish Labour Deputy Leader Johann Lamont said: “The SNP has made housing the biggest loser from successive budgets and now we are seeing the consequences. The most recent figures show the second lowest number of
Green MSP Patrick Harvie was one of two MSPs to vote against the budget new houses being built since 1981. “The Housing Minister’s solution is to put up council tax on empty homes.
But they are also cutting the grant to housing associations for new homes, which will push up rents and prevent
AV referendum passes The UK is a step closer to voting reform Jonathan Baldie National Politics Editor THE BILL TO enable a referendum on adopting the new Alternative Vote (AV) system has been passed through the Houses of Parliament. Members of the House of Lords attached an ammendment to the Deputy Prime Minister’s bill by passing a proposal that required low abstention rates for the new system to take effect. Westminster MPs had previously rejected this proposal - which required a 40 per cent voting turnout for the AV system to be used in general elections yet it passed with the bill. The referendum on the Westminster voting system will be held on 5 May. Cabinet Office minister Mark Harper said there was a “compelling” case for voters to make the final decision. He also said that the 40 per cent threshold plan for the referendum would “encourage people to stay at home” and flew in the face of the principle that people “should get what they vote for”. MPs managed to overturn a proposal from the House of Lords, which would have allowed the Boundary Commission to allow constituencies to deviate by up to 7.5 per cent from the proposed standard 76,000 size in exceptional circumstances, instead of the 5 per cent figure supported by the Government. Leader of the Labour Party Ed Miliband spoke in support of AV: “AV is a first step to end the disconnect between politicians and people. Next comes the House of Lords.
“AV offers an opportunity for political reform, ensuring the voice of the public is heard louder than it has been in the past. And given the standing of politics that is an opportunity we should take. It is a system that combines the direct representation of firstpast-the-post with one that will make the votes of more people count. “We should be in no doubt. If Britain votes yes in May’s referendum it will be a vote to challenge the status quo.” Speaking to The Journal, political blogger Mark Pack implied that the 40 per cent threshold could lead to “cherry-picking”: “I’m not a fan of turnout thresholds for two reasons. First, they can provide a perverse incentive for people not to vote if they oppose a measure, as not voting reduces turnout and so can take the result below the threshold. That may be a more effective way of trying
to oppose a measure than turning out to vote against it. This means you both have a set of rules that encourages people not to vote in some circumstances, and which also requires people to second guess even more what others might do in order to work out what they should best do. “Second, turnout thresholds get cherry picked and suggested where people want a No vote - hence opponents of AV being the overwhelming source of support for a 40 per cent threshold, just as opponents of union strikes calling for strike thresholds. If there is going to be a turnout threshold, it should be applied much more widely and not simply be a tactical device that people call for some other people to have to meet.” The AV referendum will take place across the UK on 5 May.
How does AV work? • Instead of voting for a single candidate, voters rank candidates in numerical order of preference. • If a candidate secures more than 50 per cent of first-preference votes, they win the election. • If there is no outright majority, the candidate with the lowest number of votes is eliminated and their second-preference votes are allocated to the remaining candidates. • This process continues until one candidate has over 50 per cent of the vote.
KARLO
new projects from going ahead.” Opposition parties recently voted against the Finance Minister’s plans
for the ‘Tesco Tax’, a tax predicted to raise £30 million from supermarkets and large shops. The Electoral Commission states that from 2003 the Labour Party received £10,942,808 from Lord Sainsbury and £99,056.50 from Tesco, while the Liberal Democrats received £35,684.50 from Tesco, and the Conservatives had £30,000 from Selfridges. The two Scots Green MSPs voted against the budget, telling the Chamber that taxes need to be increased to sustain public spending. Patrick Harvie, MSP Glasgow, told The Journal: “The UK government’s agenda of public service cuts and corporate handouts is a national scandal, and the Scottish Parliament should not simply follow suit.” The Scottish Green Party’s opposition to the budget has prompted a package of alternative revenue and spending proposals. Mr Harvie said: “The Greens believe that these cuts will squeeze the most vulnerable Scots, and slash vital public services for everyone. “We’d make £400m of changes, both by raising revenue from those who can afford to pay, and by saving money on wasteful vanity projects. “It seems that only the Greens are interested in standing up to the Tory cuts, and in the election this May we’ll be offering Scotland the only alternative.”
Four-day school week proposals dropped Proposals to reduce school weeks to four days have been rejected, following intense criticism Jenny Kassner PLANS FOR A four-day school week proposed by North Ayrshire council were dropped immediately after receiving harsh critique. Leader of North Ayrshire Council David O’Neill said: “As part of the council’s budgetary process, officers were asked to come up with some radical ideas for efficiencies which we might consider exploring in the coming years.” However, the proposed scheme will not be pursued any further as it did not find any support from either the council members or the critics. “The mere thought of this proposal shows you the sad state of affairs this council is in”, said Paul Arkinson, speaking for the GMB Scotland Trade Union. Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA) told The Journal: “Since opening the school for additional days at the end of the term would not result in any savings for the authority we have to assume North Ayrshire were suggesting a possible increase in the working day, with pupils having classes for seven hours instead of five and a half.
“Pupils are tired at the end of the school day at present and increasing the length of the day would only result in poorer retention and performance, and would be detrimental to education.” In Scotland, the law states that children have to attend school a minimum of 190 days a year. It is up to the individual councils how they spread them throughout the year. Another option that has been discussed by education professionals has been to start school at age six, which is already in operation in several European countries. While this bid found more support, it is not believed to be a sustainable budget saving scheme. SSTA told The Journal: “Studies have shown this to be better for pupil learning, and to have a positive effect on literacy and numeracy. “However, to be effective, the year of formal education would have to be replaced with high quality nursery education, which would probably not fit the money-saving agenda.” Councillor O’Neill added that any changes in the current education system would be thoroughly investigated before they were implemented.
12 Editorial
The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011
ISSUE XXXVI
EDINBURGH’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER
Proposed ECA and Edinburgh University merger
A marriage of convenience?
EDINBURGH’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER
ISSUE XLIV
Tuition fees
The clue is in the name THE CIRCUMSTANCES Of the proposed merger of the University of Edinburgh and the Edinburgh College of Art are notLAST entirely fortuitous. IN THE fortnight, threeEarlier of Brit-this summer, we were promised a thorough ain’s top universities have announced consultation and thatdomestic 2013 was the their intentions totold charge earliest possible date £9,000 for a merger students the maximum per yearto take place. Now, however, we culprits hear that tuition fee rate from 2012. The financial expediency may -have forced here are the usual suspects Oxford, the acceleration of these plans. ECA’s Cambridge and Imperial College lack of transparency aboutwho the state London: the research titans all tooof their tend balance sheets has led rumours often to set the pace for to British of fiscal instability atannouncements lauriston Place. academia. The flood of The negotiations thus farmade haveby taken followed closely comments place behind closed doors, leading to Russell Group chairman Professor claims that we -are witnessing a “hostile Michael Arthur who is also vicetakeover”. of the University of Leeds chancellor The merger not,ofinthe itself, a bad - suggesting thatis most Group’s idea; who can argue with a free and members would raise fees to the maxiegalitarian exchange mum permissible amount.of academic expertise and resources? But As rushing This is all much as expected. the process, and cap attempting to force soon as the £9,000 was mooted, the
two very different institutions together mindless of their histories and their traditions, has the potential to prove a costly mistake. ECAout is rightfully deafening, drowned only by theproud of its small, collegiate community and chorus of students and wideningits well-respected academic stature. Its access advocates crying foul. Were staffatand will not take kindly this leaststudents to be sugarcoated by the to becoming the University’s Departprospect of improved teaching hours, ment of students Art. perhaps would be less prone The question of representation is to baulk. a crucial one.appears ECA’s student Sadly, this unlikely.president An NUS acknowledges thatanher survey released the this possibility week suggests position drop may in disappear as abetween result of alarming contact time the merger. is yet toOn be avera frank students andThere their teachers. andBritish open discussion of how ECA’s 1,600 age, students now spend 13.4 students, with their distinct location hours a week in lectures and tutoriandcompared representative culture, will ago. be repals, to 14 hours a year resented the new unified institution. Among theinRussell Group universities priority mustnobe to ensure -The a title borne with small pride bythat they possess an equal voice; they must all of our aforementioned institutions notdecrease feel disenfranchised the is even larger. or outcast. The campuses may less remain A shift of slightly thanphysically an hour
divided, but in spirit there can be no division. In principle, The Journal supports the merger - as long as itsense is a union what rationale does it make ofincrease equals,the properly to cost of aconsidered university and carefully while executed. If money truly is education reducing the time the force driving thistheir merger forward, academics spend with students? thenargument so be it: we must actput to protect The repeatedly forwardthe future of art of education in Edinburgh. by proponents the increased fee cap In any case, access to various has been thatimproved it is an essential measure resources for students at both instituto preserve the high academic stantions of can only make their educational dards Britain’s universities. That experience richer. atThe two basic already logic is undermined the most share a close bond, and there is realevel by any decrease in teaching no time. son this do cannot continue to grow and Students not shell out thousands of developintouniversity the benefit all students pounds feesofsolely for the and staff. pleasure of reading: that luxury carries therecost. is resentment a farIflighter It is the timeabout spent the nature of this marriage-cum-bailout, being tutored that make tuition fees a however, wepaying. run the risk of ending up in price worth a ‘staying together forshould the kids’ The message here be scenario abun- a situation that rarely ends happily. dantly clear: universities can either
sound of vice-chancellors clamouring to hike degree prices was almost
may not seem vastly significant, but in context it is cause for concern. By
slash teaching hours or raise fees. To do both is ludicrous.
JK Rowling MS donation Blain Murphy's dismissal
Harry Potter and the QMU's cloaked daggers Regenerative Neurology Clinic ON FRIDAY NIGHT, an email was passed to The Journal by a student at Queen Margaret University. The The Journal APPlAUDS K.staff Rowlmissive, sent to all students J. and ingthe forQMU her Students’ altruism Union’s in donating £10 by general million to the University of Edinburgh manager, baldly stated that the the to establish a new Student Parliament hadresearch removed centre their studying Blain treatments for office. multiple president, Murphy, from sclerosis. The reason for this impeachment was Rowling is likely of the most his Ms apparent “non-fulfilment responsuccessfulNo author our generation. sibilities”. furtherofexplanation was The current Sunday Times Rich list given. estimates her fortune at some £512 JourFurther investigation by The million. Of all possible uses for such nal over the weekend has left no one wealth and status, there are few repmore any the wiser as to why a student worthy. Her hailed bybythe resentative wasbequest, summarily ousted co-director of the University’s Centre his union. When pressed on the matter, for Multiple Sclerosis as a QMUSU officials declinedResearch to give any
information beyond the agreed party line - the formulation of which was embarrassingly clear, thanks to the “generous forwarding and far-sighted donation”, accidental of a confidential will undoubtedly advance our message from QMU’shelp communicaunderstanding tions staff. Noneofofthe thedisease. students we Multiple sclerosis lacks the profile contacted, nor any of the outraged few of cancer. Toonmany, it is seen as less commenting the union’s Facebook damaging. But is not. It is a beyond terrible page, seemed toit know anything illness; a protracted degeneration of rumours. theThis human that destroys families is abody misguided way to run a and compromises the sufferer’s union. Sabbatical officers are demo-ability to liveelected comfortably andfrom indepencratically - their falls dently. In the UK alone, 100,000 people grace should be equally transparent. suffer from the that disease. Ms Rowling’s It is improbable two-thirds of the mother, Parliament after whomvoted the clinic is Mr to be Student against named, died fromgood the disease aged Murphy without reason, but ofjust 45. course that is pure speculation because
the Parliament meeting took place behind closed doors and has not had its minutes published. At leaving this stage, with noatcure yet in By Mr Murphy the mercy sight, focus must on treating of the our rumour mill, thebe union do boththe disease’s effects; on mitigating, where him and their members a disservice. atMr allMurphy’s possible, its worst If failure was so excesses. great, This can only happen through careful, surely those about to stand for election clinical research, properly -methodical and those about to vote - deserve to funded and he supported. WeAlternahope and know where went wrong. expectIfthat the Anne Rowling Regenertively, he was sacked for some minor ative Neurology Clinic a sigtechnical infraction, andwill hismake ousting is nificant toparliamentarthat research. liable to contribution make the QMU has already iansMs lookRowling petty, then they deservelost to bea loved one to MS. Her commitment labelled as such. In neither case is The to ensuring that others will notjust have advocating a witch-hunt: Journal to is fundamentally and undeniably honesty. praiseworthy.
Edinburgh’s uniVErsiTY nEwspapEr Publisher General News Amanda S. falk Publisher Deputy Editor (News) DevonWalshe Walshe LocalTaylor News Melissa Wong Devon Megan National Politics Jonathan Baldie Editor-in-chief General News Amanda Svensson Falk Editors (Acting) Features Emily Johnston Marcus Kernohan Local News Melissa Wong Marcus Kernohan Creative Director National Politics Jonathan Baldie Megan Taylor Deputy Editor Dorothy Butchard Academic News Lily Panamsky (Arts & News Entertainment) Design Team Student Jessica Abrahams LeadLangdale Designer MarcusPolitics Kernohan Joni Student Al Innes Dorothy Butchard Lisa Henderson Deputy Editor (Comment & Features) Theatre Amy Taylor Production Manager Richard Martyn-Hemphill Deputy Editor (News) Art Rachel Cloughton Bethany Ridley-Moran Comment Joe Coward Megan Taylor Comedy Emily Carson Picture Editor Features Alexa Caldecott David Selby Interview/Profile Robbie Marwick Chief Subeditor Picturing your name in this box? Jen Owen
MusicEditor Kane Mumford Deputy (Arts & Fashion Jessica Heggie Entertainment) Food & Drink Ben Kendall João Abbott-Gribben Theatre Amy Taylor Deputy Editor (Sport) Art Matthew Macaulay Jonny Brick Comedy Emily Carson Food & Drink Ben Kendall Photography Editor Music Saskia RothsteinEdmund Fraser Longaretti Fashion Jessica Heggie Deputy Editors (Sport) Jamie Timson, Mark Simpson, Sean Gibson Subeditors Ruth Jeffery, Jenny Kassner
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Across: Down: 1. Vibrate along a plane (9) 1. Pertaining to the rules of a legislature 5. Evil person (5) (13) 8. American-German 2. Degree of thinness (8) a team ofcomedy threeinjunior and reporting directly 3.With Two _______, British 1970s editors pharmacologist (4,5) 11. Soft fabric (5) to(7)the editor-in-chief, the Deputy Editor (Comment & 4.features) Exhibiton (8) oversees the commissioning 12. More (8) of informed, incisive 6. Ghost, Polish (3) 13. Extra-terrestrial (2) opinion pieces and in-depth features that are relevant to 7. A rich vein of precious ore (7) 14. Beer made with topboth our audience and the key issues of the day. 9. Body of water (5) fermenting yeast (3) 10. Across different countries (13) 15. Special forces unit of Royal Navy (abb.) You be:in Edinburgh (8) 18. Best must newspaper (3) 19. 'Be happy' (8) 16. Buddhist's aim of wisdom (3) • relentless in chasing public figures for comment, 20. Measured guess (8) 17. Ernie ___, South African golfer (3) whether politicians, journalists, academics or artists 21. Punctuation mark (5) 18. Game played with wooden blocks (5) 22. European bird (7) 20. Producers of all the James Bond films (3) • adept at writing and editing thoughtful, balanced 28. Night before (3) 21. Soft noise made by a pigeon (3) commentaries on tight deadlines 22. Official name of MI6 (abb.) (3) • tuned in to current affairs23.on a local,(3) national and Miscellanea 24. Chopping tool - American spelling (2) international plane 25. Chief antagonist, Sherlock Holmes books (8) 26. Space between life and afterlife (5) Looking for the answers? 27. Ancient Hebrew version of the name Find them at www. 'John' (9) journal-online.co.uk/ 29. Odd (5) crossword 30. Chain of bookstores in UK (9)
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Let’s beunderstanding civil about this table.on Myinsexuality is not a lifeof what’s going Edinburgh sports I still find it unreal that in the 21st style choice; it’s how I was born, yet (particularly at the universities) century I have to hide who I am for legally I am deprived of basic human fear my children rights. Yes thingsfrom are moving • ofgood writingbeing skillsbullied. in a range of formats, match forWhilstreports racism and religious intolward butpieces not nearly quickly enough. to interviews and opinion erance are now tackled within the - Jane Foster, via web • great ideas about how to develop and enhance the National Curriculum, homophobia publication’s sport coverage is ignored and brushed under the
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Due to an editorial oversight, the article 'A new phase of Scottish politics' (Issue 43, p12) failed to include a disclosure noting that the author, Evan Beswick, is a regional campaign co-ordinator for the Scottish Green Party.
Comment 13
The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011
Discussion&Debate
Comment Scottish, not British The Scottish solution to higher education is unique, but it is also dangerously misguided TOM PARNELL
Marcus De Wilde
B
EFORE THE 2007 election, the SNP made a promise to the electorate to abolish ¬£1.9 billion of Scottish student debt. The ‘Yoof voter’, a demographic with a short political memory, overwhelmingly supported the policy, a rare legitimate articulation of the SNP’s muchprofessed social democratic vision for Scotland. But once the SNP had settled into government, the time quickly came for them to break that commitment and allow Scotland’s universities to continue on a path of mute decline. The University of Glasgow has proposed to cut courses in German, Russian, Italian, Polish, Czech, anthropology, nursing and social work, and to stop offering adult education courses altogether. It is a sign of the times that the need to pursue ‘cost savings’ leads to deep cuts in the humanities and languages and a general tendency to overlook academia’s obligations to wider society. In December 2010 Alex Salmond made another promise specifically constructed to engage younger voters, when he pledged the continuation of free tuition for Scottish students. Once again, the pattern of pre-emptive voteswinging policies carefully timed for the election is emerging into full view. With their tuition fee pledge, the SNP’s intention was to shift focus onto the response of the opposition parties to a problem that has become a political shibboleth for our generation. The Scottish wings of Labour, the Tories and the Lib Dems all repeat the
The SNP's higher education policy only reinforces the divide between Scotland and the rest of Britain
same hollow rhetoric voiced by the opposition at Westminster, pointing out that with an imminent election the SNP has little to offer that is novel or different. Student political movements mimic their more mature political role models with more eschatological slogans: ‘There is a better way’. Scottish education minister Mike Russell’s green paper on higher education introduced a novel maxim for those concerned about the possibility of egalitarian opportunities for future generations: the Scottish solution. The green paper agrees with Universities Scotland that ‘the Scottish solution’ will be different from the measures being taken south of the border. Reading between the lines, however, it is obvious that the difference entails nothing more than the introduction of a graduate tax and a reliance on the ‘fee refugees’ and their willingness to pay ¬£7,000 instead of ¬£9,000. The SNP have committed themselves to preparing a statement of policy before the election, which will prompt the opposition parties to issue their own tentative crowd-pleasing promises. The Scottish solution will be popular with nationalists who get to see the Sassenachs foot the bill, but it will wholeheartedly disown the tradition of robust humanities faculties that gave Edinburgh the nickname ‘the Athens of the North’. Instead, it will renew concern for degrees that serve industry, in the process killing off any belief in education for education’s sake. Whoever is elected to Holyrood in May will be able to affirm the graffiti that is ubiquitous in Scotland: Scottish not British.
Why do Napierites stand small? Many pride themselves on their university's age or prestige - but there should be no stigma about former polytechnics Carrie Lyell
A
UNIVERSITY OF Edinburgh hoodie is the most popular item sold in the university gift shop and will set you back £26. It’s not just an item of clothing - it’s a status symbol and tells people something about you. Going to Edinburgh is, for some, as much about the badge of honour on your chest as it is about the first class education. Whether that’s a hoodie
or participation in some society or another, it’s about feeling part of something significant. I studied at Edinburgh Napier University, and I wouldn’t be seen dead wearing a hoodie with that name emblazoned across my chest. I could get one in blue or pink; a T-shirt or a sweatshirt; a massive logo in the centre or a discreet red triangle in the corner. They’re nice enough, and 100 per cent cotton - so why not? Despite Napier being one of the largest universities in Scotland, with nearly 18,000 students and some of the
best courses in the country, many of its students - including myself - still feel stigma for attending a former polytechnic. In the four years I spent at Napier, I frequently found myself defending the decision to study there, even to my own parents. For me, how old or prestigious the university I chose was didn’t matter - it was about the course, and the journalism degree I wanted to do wasn’t offered at Edinburgh, Glasgow or St Andrews. And it’s not just Napier. Students from the ‘other’ universities in the
capital often feel the same, and with little good reason. Napier gained full university status almost 20 years ago and has become Scotland’s top-rated university for graduate employability. Almost 94 per cent of graduates are in work or further study within six months. So what is there to be embarrassed about? What do I care if people scoff when I tell them where I studied, and why should I have to justify myself? The University of Edinburgh has had 427 years to establish its reputation as one of the best in the world.
That’s 407 more than Napier. It’s only natural that there’s going to be a little catching-up to do. But the university has to work with the relevant student bodies to make sure that the Napier expeirence is about more than just the course: that students are there to feel part of something; not just to further their own development, but that of the university too. Carrie Lyell is a freelance journalist and Napier University graduate.
14 Comment
The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011
Tahrir Tweeting: A revolutionary force? Commentators have been quick to credit social media as the motor behind the Egyptian revolution - but the internet is only one weapon in the activist's arsenal Kate Beioley
JONI LANGDALE
O
N THE 6 June 2010, Khaled Said was dragged from an internet cafe in Alexandria and beaten to death by Egyptian police. An anonymous Facebook group was set up to spread the news of Said’s murder and was ‘liked’ by nearly 600,000 people. Many have heralded this outburst of Egyptian online dissent as the key to the later protests in Tahrir Square, providing a platform for a disparate and disgruntled people to rally against Hosni Mubarak’s dictatorship. The toppling of President Mubarak is certainly a sign of the resurgent power of popular activism, but has the media focused too heavily on the role of technology in a fight which was won by people on the ground as well as online? According to Facebook statistics analysts SocialBakers, only 7 per cent of Egypt’s total population are registered on Facebook, and even among those with internet access only 31 per cent are signed up. Writing for the BBC, Anne Alexander was quick to point out that the 2-day technology blackout engineered by the Egyptian authorities did nothing to quell the unrest, and that the opposition movement had existed on the ground for years before it ever went digital. Human relationships, trust and debate are still central to protest movements. But Dr Hugo Gorringe, a sociologist at the University of Edinburgh, argues that the internet is nonetheless having a tangible effect on activism, albeit only when connected to events happening on the ground. The biggest impact of the blogosphere, he argues, has been organisational. This was clear last year in the student protests: the decentralised, flexible nature of social networking meant that activism flourished outside of the traditional protest hierarchies like the NUS. Furthermore, the internet commands a far greater audience than traditional methods of pamphleteering: more than half of 24-44 year olds regularly post content to blogs and discussion sites. The speed and immediacy
STEVE RHODES ON FLICKR
of information sharing is also having a major effect, seen most recently in the development of the anti-kettling technology Sukey. the app, developed by
students in London, enables activists to dodge police cordons and kettles using continually-updated smart maps of protests, enabling highly flexible
and responsive activism. Dr Gorringe claims, however, that it is this combination of people on the ground and online which unlocks the potential of
the internet in activism. Yet many argue that this online activism is merely an easy option; a marketing deception rather than a real motor for political change. Those fighting the more pessimisitic corner even claim that ‘clicktivism’ is ruining activism, prompting a move away from ideologically-driven protests towards mindless petition-signing and number-counting. Evgeny Morozov, a contributing editor for Foreign Affairs, also warns that we should not slip into ‘cyber-utopianism’; that the internet may be a liberatory tool, but equally in the wrong hands it can fulfil repressive and authoritarian remits. It is worrying to note that the internet is as much at the hands of techsavvy dictators as it is pro-democracy activists. This is something the Egyptian protesters, whose online activity was subject to constant monitoring by the state, were careful to note; often using Facebook and Twitter tactically, as diversionary measures rather than communications tools. The fact also remains that no matter how strong an online community or an offline drive for change, the use of direct violence by the state may still be a much more powerful force, as seen in the Tiananmen Square protests. Despite this, there is still cause for optimism. Stella Creasy, a Labour MP, argues that the aim must be to bring together the mass benefits of online activism with a real sense of political efficacy. She claims that a disconnect has emerged between political channels and the will of the people, a point amply demonstrated by the fact that 37 per cent of people who did not vote in the last election were members of community or campaign groups online. Clearly new social media and technology are having an impact on activism, but it is far from a direct or utopian path from internet access to revolution. Perhaps the most prescient message here comes from the website of campaign group UKUncut: “Spread the word online - and then get off the internet and talk to people in real life.” Kate Beoioley is a fourth year geography and anthropology student at the University of Edinburgh.
Social networks must smarten up As our lives move online, social media struggles to keep up Andy Ollove
E
VERY DAY WE put more and more of ourselves online. It’s the undeniable state of affairs. You can try and fight it, but it’s clearly a losing battle. Everything is moving to the internet: our bank accounts, jobs, shopping, entertainment, and most transformatively of all, our social interactions. But until now those interactions have generally been shallow soundbites. On Twitter and Facebook can we throw cows @ one another and raise imaginary lettuce,
but do we ever really move beyond that superficiality? In everyday life we expect so much more out of our experiences: why aren’t those expectations been recreated online? Lately I have become enamored by a unique type of online engagement, one which takes meaningful exchange as the starting point for social interactions. THINQon is a content-based community for, well, thinking. It is a world of intelligent dialogs akin to late night conversations with friends, or those we have after stimulating classes and lectures. It’s a type of social networking that wards off online
numbness and truly activates my mind. Most importantly though it’s a real community, one where the contributors (they are not ‘users’) challenge each other to grow, change, and think. This depth of interaction is the basis for relationships, not status updates and 140-character fragments. Whether it’s politics, movies, or books, I like that I’m talking with people the world over who I wouldn’t otherwise ever meet. And not only people from different countries, but also people of different ages and religions and from every different walk of life imaginable. It’s these differences
which provide the unique contexts by which we can form real relationships that move beyond the limits of a friend’s Facebook wall. I think this is the most pivotal opportunity an intelligent web has the potential to offer us: meaningful relationships with people we would never get the chance to meet. I’ve enjoyed reading the tweets of young Egyptians from the streets of Cairo, but what’s more interesting to me is engaging them in a meaningful conversation, one where they can truly develop the discourse of their new Egypt. The world of our generation is
going to be an online world, and I feel it is up to us to decide what that world will look like. Is it going to be a meaningful space where we challenge and grow together? Or are we going to waste away endlessly on Facebook and Twitter? Do we want to understand; do we want to ask why? I feel we are at a crossroads, no less than the Egyptians, and we need to act to create the world which we want to inhabit. Our lives are what hang in the balance. We can’t assume an intelligent life exists unless we make the effort to create it.
Feature 15
The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011
Twinkle, twinkle, little star, is alcoplay a step too far? A new initiative developed by two QMU alumni uses role-play to encourage alcohol awareness in primary school children - but does the programme send out a dangerously mixed message? CYTOON ON FLICKR
Alexa Caldecott Features Editor
T
O VISIT ONE of the seven East Lothian schools piloting a new scheme to promote alcohol awareness through role-play, you might be forgiven for thinking someone had spiked the children’s milk and biscuits. The programme, Alcohol Interactive, was devised by two former Queen Margaret University drama students, Kimberley Bale and Kirsty Hunt. The pair developed the idea based on the premise that children would be more receptive to this engaging method of education, and thus more likely to absorb its serious message. The first - and slightly surprising - thing to note is that these children are only 10 or 11 years old. A slight on their innocence, surely? Why are they not sitting in the beanbag corner reading Narnia tales and modelling Play-Doh? The fact that my computer is currently trying to autocorrect PlayDoh into Playboy is perhaps a poignant reminder that the world is not as innocent as it once seemed. According to a recent survey by the Scottish government, just over 51 per cent of young people admitted to regularly drinking alcohol when they were just thirteen. These year sevens are not naïve: they are all too aware that Mum isn’t drinking Ribena - and moreover that they’d get more than just a sugar rush if they copied her. So 300 school children across the region found themselves revisiting the dressing up box and digging out some glasses and a corkscrew. Ms Bale explains that, “We used different methods to encourage children to feedback their understanding of alcohol while also helping them to learn about what is socially acceptable and what behaviours can lead to negative situations.” Among the various scenarios are adults drinking at a dinner party; a family enjoying alcohol at a wedding; teenagers getting drunk in the park and drinking games getting out of hand in a nightclub. On the face of it, the scheme seems vaguely absurd. One would hope, if naively, that these children wouldn’t be setting foot in a nightclub for another eight years. I’m distracted by the vision of them replacing the annual nativity with a coordinated Eminem ensemble… “So crack a bottle, let your body waddle,” as 30 ten-year-olds lurch across the stage. However, there is a valid point to the method. Children are sick of just being told “no”: it doesn’t register. To get involved in a dramatic process is certainly more stimulating, and one would hope more effective in getting the message through. Irvine Allan, the assessor of the scheme and a drama lecturer at QMU commented: “The students were very skilled at encouraging pupils to engage in the work and creating opportunity for open discussion. The feedback from participating schools was excellent with teachers very clearly seeing the
Kids are already exposed to alcohol at a young age: does the Alcohol Interactive project stand to exacerbate the problem? benefits of the project.” The teachers seem to have approved the technique, though it is hard to measure any tangible benefit at this stage. Though innovative, the initiative is fraught with risks. In turning life into drama, it becomes accessible - but it may also become trivialised. In the
very act of making alcohol into theatre it creates entertainment. The advantages in broadening the children’s drink consciousness are obvious. Yet if they find some of their friends performances amusing, which is very likely, the project becomes a farce. There will always be that child, vying for their
seat in the comedy club, turning the whole process into a hilarious charade and in turn making the scheme a comedy of errors. Acting out alcohol was fun; drinking it must be too. A number of organisations are already voicing concerns over Alcohol Interactive. Alison Todd, director of
According to a recent survey by the Scottish government, just over 51 per cent of young people admitted to regularly drinking alcohol when they were just thirteen. children and family services at the charity Children 1st, told Scotland on Sunday that: “Great care must be taken when embarking on this type of work. The materials presented may invoke strong feelings or memories for young people who have had negative experiences relating to alcohol and this needs to be handled with sensitivity. It is vitally important to ensure that these young people are safeguarded and that the immediate and adequate support is provided.” Indeed there are many for whom Alcohol Interactive may be just a little too close to home. A child growing up under the strain of alcohol abuse could well find having scenes from a turbulent home life re-enacted at school a harrowing and distressing experience. But perhaps it is the closeness of alcohol to home that means the problem cannot be ignored or bubble-wrapped. The idea becomes more interesting and also more complicated when we take it out of its fairly conservative East Lothian trial area. Introducing it on a national or even international scale again drags up questions of efficacy. How would primary school children who had been particularly exposed to alcohol - for example, those from inner-city areas where drinking on the streets is commonplace - handle it? Would they just act-up in a way that was detrimental to the aim of addressing a serious subject? Once again the element of acting creates a very real risk: of sensationalising drink; making it amusing and making it appealing. That is not to say education shouldn’t be fun, but it is part of children’s copycat culture to imitate. They see drinking on television and they copy it. They see drinking in class and why not copy it again? These children know alcohol; they’ve seen it already. The words of warning are forgotten but the action remains. Allowing children to interact and giving them the chance to participate is valuable educative resource. But is play-acting really enough to put children off?
Arts & Entertainment 17
The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011
The Journal On the horizon THEATRE MON 28 FEB – SAT 5 MARCH
The Haunting KING’S THEATRE, £14.50- £27.50
Paul Nicholas and Charlie Clements star in the stage adaptation of some of Charles Dickens’ classic ghost stories THU 17 FEB - SAT 12 MARCH
Marilyn CITIZENS’ THEATRE, £10.00 - £17.50
An intimate portrait of one of the 20th century’s most infamous stars, written by Sue Glover. THU 10 -SAT 12 MARCH
Northern Ballet’s Cleopatra FESTIVAL THEATRE, £12.00 - £32.50
Cleopatra explores the life of the Egyptian queen and chronicles her love affairs with Marc Antony and Julius Caesar, choreographed by David Nixon. FRI 18 FEB - SAT 12 MARCH
Age of Arousal ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE, £12.50 - £28.00
The Lyceum and Stellar Quines present a new look at the suffragette movement.
ART UNTIL 3 APRIL
Jean-Marc Bustamante FRUITMARKET GALLERY, FREE
An eclectic mix of materials and media from one of France’s senior artists and a major figure in the international art world. 12 FEBRUARY – 10 JULY
Artist Rooms: August Sander DEAN GALLERY, FREE
August Sander has dedicated his life to photographing the German people, and his work forms an important social document. UNTIL 1 MAY
French Drawings: Poussin to Seurat NATIONAL GALLERY COMPLEX, FREE
From its first showing at the Wallace Collection in London an eclectic exhibition of French drawing comes to Edinburgh. 18 FEBRUARY - 3 APRIL
White Knight COLLECTIVE, FREE
Show investigating the concept of architecture as a frame. FRIDAY 25 FEBRUARY – SUNDAY 5 JUNE
Marcus Adams: Royal Photographer THE QUEENS GALLERY, £5 (STUDENT)
An exhibition celebrating the work of Marcus Adams, who depicted generations of royal children overturning the long established tradition of formal royal portraiture. UNTIL 30 APRIL
Rosemarie Trockel: ‘Drawings, Collages and Book Drafts’ TALBOT RICE, FREE
This is the largest display of
works on paper to date by the internationally renowned artist, Rosemarie Trockel.
COMEDY 22/02/11
Steve Williams: Stand up Story Man THE STAND £10 (£8 CONC.)
As seen on Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow and the latest series of Russell Howard’s Good News (BBC3), Steve comes bringing his latest mix of stand up tales and stand out comedy. FRIDAY 25TH FEBRUARY
Daniel Sloss PLEASANCE THEATRE £10 (£6 STUDENTS)
Scotland’s youngest comic prodigy comes to town TUESDAY 1ST MARCH
Jason Paterson and JJ Whitehead PLEASANCE CABARET BAR £5 (£4 STUDENTS)
Whitehead was the winner of the BBC Comedy Award in 2000 and has been hailed as “a natural born storyteller” by The List, flanked by Paterson who has received an excellent write up from Chortle this should prove a poplar evening.
CLUBS THURSDAY 24TH FEBRUARY
Cheese & Crackers SIN, FREE ENTRY
Cheesy pop music. EVERY WEDNESDAY (23RD FEB)
Live-o GRV, FREE ENTRY
House, Garage and Grime 25/02/11
Departure Lounge THE CAVES, £7 ENTRY
Cosmic Beats and Futuristic Funk’
MUSIC 25/02/11
Urban Scot Raw STUDIO 24, £3
Scottish urban musicians perform for a bargain price, go and revel in the heritage. 26/02/11
Kid Canaveral WEE RED BAR £5
Lovely twinkly indie with unexpected lyrical twists, raising funds to go to SXSW. 03/03/11
The Boxer Rebellion CABERET VOLTAIRE, £8.50
Incredible ambient indie-rock quartet, if you haven’t heard them internet them right now! (then book a ticket) 03/03/11
The Spring Fling: A Forest Carnival! STUDIO 24, £7
Live music, expect serious dancing and a good time to raise money for the beleaguered Forest.
Interview
Susan Calman goes to her Happy Place With a new show on the horizon, the Glasgow comedienne shifts gear from morbid to merry Emily Carson Comedy Editor
S
USAN CALMAN HAS become somewhat the darling of Scottish comedy. Leaving behind a lucrative career in corporate law in 2005 in order to pursue her dreams as a stand-up comedian, Calman swiftly rose to stardom, featuring in the Scottish Bafta Award-winning sketch show Blow Out, winning the ‘Best New Comedian’ title at the Real Radio Scottish Variety Awards and becoming the resident compère at The Stand, Glasgow. Her show at last year’s Fringe Festival – Constantly Seeking Susan – was a hilarious and excessively bleak slant on Calman’s own life as she dissected a self-written obituary, an unusual yet effective comedic device that left the entirety of the Underbelly venue in stitches. With her new show Happy Place, premiering at this year’s upcoming Glasgow Comedy Festival, Calman plans to strike a slightly less morbid tone. She hopes the show “will cheer people up as we come through the dark days of winter! It’s all about the small things that make you smile and the strange things that make you laugh. The only thing I want is for people to leave happier than they came in!” Calman has managed to stand apart from the crowd and play all of her attributes as strengths. As a lesbian comedian she gives off an air of supreme confidence which is incredibly endearing, something which female comedians often lack. She strikes a happy balance between good-natured anecdotes and darker themes making her show versatile and human. In terms of her sexual orientation she is pragmatic in her response to criticism saying: “I’m sure some people don’t like it but that’s life. You can feel sorry for yourself or you can just carry on. I’ve always been a ‘carry on regardless’ type of person.” It is this determination that has seen her rise to the lofty heights she enjoys today. During Constantly Seeking Susan she often referred to her past flops at smaller Scottish venues, as well as a disastrous first run at the Edinburgh Fringe: the nature of the Scottish comedy circuit means that “we all tend to know exactly what everyone is doing. As a result it is very supportive but can be a tad pressured. If you die at a gig everyone will know about it the next
day! I do think it’s friendly though, which is something the London circuit lacks because it is so big.” Nevertheless Calman has used this to her advantage, something which she believes is crucial to the continued growth of the Scottish circuit saying: “More gigs outside of Glasgow and Edinburgh would enable more comics to get stage time and give audiences more exposure of live comedy. Unfortunately many gigs in smaller towns succeed for a month or so and then die out. But if you don’t support live comedy when comics are starting out you might miss out on helping the new Frankie Boyle, Kevin Bridges or Jo Brand develop.” For both established names such as Calman and up-and-coming comedians, the forthcoming Glasgow Comedy Festival is an invaluable chance to perform their material to a wider audience. The festival runs from 17 March until 20 April and boasts 400 shows in 51 venues across the city, with many performances from the regular comedians at Edinburgh’s Stand venue and the Pleasance Cabaret Bar. When asked for a personal highlight of the festival, Calman decides to go with female solidarity, proffering: “Apart from my show at the Citizens Theatre I am a great fan of
Caroline Rhea who I met at the Edinburgh Festival last year. She is an American comic who people might recognise from Sabrina the Teenage Witch and I think her show will be amazing.” However, when it comes to her own tip for the next big thing on the Scottish circuit Calman isn’t giving the game away, suggesting we come and sample the festival, and decide for ourselves. If the standards of her previous performances are anything to go by, Happy Place is sure to be a big success and, for those who cast a sceptical eye over female comedians as a collective, it will be an enlightening experience.
18 Arts & Entertainment
The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011
Art
Music
Comedy
August Sander: People of the Twentieth Century
Ringo Deathstarr
Tom Stade
Documenting a nation; early German photography at the Dean Gallery AUGUST SANDER ARCHIV
Secret melodies and pop sensibilities triumph over a wall of sound Saskia Longaretti Music Editor RINGO DEATHSTARR ARE preceded by Pilotcan and Skibunny, both of whom deliver just what you want from support acts; they warm the crowd up nicely without blowing anyone away. However, if the crowd are untouched dandelions, hesitating in the breeze, the appearance of Deathstarr soon balds them nicely. Guitars blast impenetrably from the outset, severely distorted and grinding against your ears in a not-unpleasant fashion. Hailing from Austin, Texas, and having supported the likes of The Dandy Warhols, they’ve come a long way to sizzle through our brains without letting us hear the music, and thankfully the vocals quickly triumph through the fuzzy wall-of-guitar sound. They are Elliott Frazier, Alex Gehring and Daniel Coborn, and they do not let us forget why we are here. Their
pop melodies shine through and have the crowd on their feet, and the breathtakingly paced delivery only heightens the sense of seeing a truly brilliant band who are at their very best live. With a friendly yet imposing all-american stage-stance, the boy/girl vocal duo sound fantastic and shamelessly mimic the early nineties golden age of shoegazing (and it doesn’t hurt that they’re all pretty easy on the eye). A noise-pop extravaganza who are constantly but very justifiably compared to Jesus and Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine, Ringo Deathstarr do not disappoint live; their sets are brief, but blistering. In vocalist Elliot Frazer’s own words, “We are about cool vibes, big sound, Marshall stacks, secret melodies and excessive volume,” and damn, don’t they do it well.
Ali Quaile
Theatre
Master Class The turbulent life of the late operatic legend emotionally recreated onstage Alexandra Wingate
Emily Burke TRYING TO DOCUMENT a nation of people is no mean feat, and would have been substantially more difficult in the early 1900s without the availability of modern technology. However, the new exhibition at the Dean Gallery proves that it was possible. August Sander, one of the greatest and most influential photographers of the twentieth century, made it his life-long ambition to document the nation of Weimar Germany, classifying them into seven groups according to their occupation or position in society: ‘The Farmer’, ‘The Skilled Tradesman’, ‘The Woman’, ‘Classes and Professions’, ‘The Artists’, ‘The City’, and ‘The Last People’. Sander’s aim was to show these people in a historical perspective, so that we could look back and see the groups which helped shape German society. The classification
process may show that it was a varied nation, but the way in which the figures are presented, in front of a neutral background, wearing work clothes and facing us head-on with no expression, gives an impression of collective as opposed to individual identity. The people are presented as a whole, a visual representation of the geographic unification of Germany; a concept that changed dramatically in the turbulent years of war to follow. The images that we are presented with are incredibly raw, but the viewer cannot delve further into the lives of these people. Instead we are left with a stereotypical image of a soldier, or mother. Nevertheless, this exhibition is a brilliant overview of Sander’s work, and is demonstrative of the enormous influence he had on modern photography. Venue: Dean Gallery; Dates: Until: 10 July; Price: Free
THE OPERATIC GREAT Maria Callas was one of the most successful and admired opera singers of all time, whose legend still endures over thirty years since her death. Master Class, directed by Jonathan Church, gives an insight into the retired Callas as she gives lessons to ambitious young opera singers, in doing so reflecting on her famously hard life. Through a combination of imparting knowledge to her students, audience interaction and monologues, Callas’ character and experiences are explored in all their grand yet tragic glory. Writer Terrence McNally has woven a subtle but intriguing insight into Callas’ life, cleverly presented within the confines of a New York classroom, amid a delicate mix of comedy and raw emotion. In his Tony Award-winning play, McNally creates a wonderful bittersweetness through the juxtaposition of Callas’ phenomenally successful career and her isolated and turbulent private life. Much detail about her methods and reasons for success is presented, such as her emphasis on feeling the music and the story instead of ‘just’ acting, as well as understanding and connecting with every single word, constantly referring back to the music and composer. The major parallel between Bellini’s
A confident delivery, but his relentless callousness alienates the audience
operatic character of Norma and Callas herself is touched upon, but nothing explicit is made of the fact that, like Norma, the love of Callas’ life abandoned her to marry another woman. Although alluded to, an existing knowledge of Callas’ life is required to appreciate the poignancy of her interpretation and relationship with the role of Norma, and it’s a shame that such an emotionally heart-wrenching comparison has not been exploited to its full potential. Beacham embodies a woman who is physically present and imposing, with a well-projected and articulate voice which is both likable and incredibly intimidating. The pinnacle of Beacham’s performance comes towards the end with the tragically emotional climax of the play, which appears to move the Golden Globe nominee to tears right into the curtain call. It is impossible not to sympathise with Beacham’s show-stealing portrayal, or to fail to be overwhelmed by the beauty and power associated with Callas’ love and devotion to the arts. This is a fascinating and excellently produced play, and one of the absolute highlights of the King’s Theatre programme. King’s Theatre, Edinburgh; Tue 8 - Sat 12 Feb, 7:30pm, Wed/Sat Matinee 2;30pm;: £14.00 - £27.50
THE CANADIAN BORN “maple licking seal killer” is a comedian whose cheekiness and laid-back delivery make him a likeable man, but one whose comedy ultimately falls short of the mark. Unbothered about his self-confessed love of alcohol and haggard voice as a result of a supposed 20-year pot addiction, the everlasting teen warms to the audience by interacting with a sort of colloquialism that gives the impression he is everyone’s best friend. Stade bases his routine on what he’s fed by the crowd and a fabricated history he shares with a person in the front row he names ‘Jimmy’. He also recounts stories of fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, struggling with a massive drug addiction and buying meat out of a van in Wolverhampton. Whilst Stade is very easy to listen to and offers moments of very funny comedy, his lack of structure combined with an overwhelming feeling of trying to get laughs only through shocking material makes him difficult to truly enjoy. Perhaps it is due to his cowriting of Frankie Boyle’s Tramadol Nights that his comedy has taken on a very harsh nature. Nevertheless, it seems little favour can be found in a man who claims charity can be achieved through the exploitation of others’ misfortunes as it creates “awareness” of their adversities. The self-assuredness at which he delivers his anecdotes, at times even waiting for applause, creates an awkwardness which detracts from his moments that do shine. While it would be unfair to claim that Stade’s performance offered nothing, it seems reasonable to say that his closing sentiment aptly iterates the general consensus of the show: “I did the best I could, seeing what I was given”.
Arts & Entertainment 19
The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011
Art
Theatre
French Drawings: Poussin to Seurat
Kefer Nahum
A not often seen selection of drawings prompts a renewed interest in the NGS's permanent collection Jennifer Owen Chief Subeditor HAVING ESCAPED THEIR customary quarters, a seditious group of drawings is hiding in plain sight among the paintings of the National Gallery of Scotland (NGS). As with The Printmaker’s Art last year, French Drawings: Poussin to Seurat, displays works on paper, but this time, they are on display mere inches from the gallery’s paintings. By reiterating the fact that artworks are products of study, modification, markets and the social conventions of their era, this diminutive exhibition places the entire gallery collection in a refreshing perspective. In conjunction with the chronological display, supplementary information places these drawings in context. Not designed for public consumption, the delicate drawings betray personal
A delicate exploration of creation through the medium of puppetry
preferences while also emphasising the collective, academic spirit which drove much of the art between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. The placement of the drawings amongst the gallery’s permanent collection of paintings permits easy comparison of an artist’s works, such as the illuminating contrast between Poussin’s fluid drawing style and his highly polished paintings of the ‘Seven Sacraments’. Also, quality is not abandoned in favour of reputation, as a respectable proportion of lesserknown artists reflect more accurately the artistic scene of the period. This combination of high standards and the capacity to offer a reflective analysis of the gallery collection is what ensures the exhibition’s success, and hopefully the NGS will continue to draw from their (perhaps overlooked) collection of paper works.
Ali Quaile
Venue: National Galleries of Scotland; Dates: Until 1 May; Price: Free
THE STAND
Comedy
The Thursday Show The cheaper alternative to the Stand's flagship Saturday offering presents a masterful lineup Emily Carson Comedy Editor THE STAND’S THURSDAY Show boasts the same line up as its coveted Saturday Show but at a reduced price; though it would be hard to discern it from a regular Saturday night judging by the atmosphere on arrival. Edinburgh’s dedicated comedy club is filled to capacity with regulars and visitors alike, and it is Jo Caulfield (best known from Mock the Week) who oversees the proceedings. Caulfield can appear somewhat out of her depth on the BBC show, but here her self-confidence hits the right note every time. She easily generates a good buzz amongst the crowd with acerbic but good-natured wit before introducing the first act of the night: Danny Lupone. Lupone launches straight into an off-the-wall set leaving nothing sacred; not even the holocaust. This
Jewish New Yorker dives straight into this minefield with extremely well delivered gags that are reminiscent of Will Ferrell’s style. After the interval we are treated to Wendy Wason. This self-confessed ‘over-excited mum’ delivers a fastpaced and breathless performance, surprising the audience with some barbed remarks amongst her highpitched anecdotes and tangents that leave you feeling as if you’ve been through a whirlwind. She is followed by the altogether more cynical Ray Bradshaw, a young Glasgow native who uses his astute observations of Dundee to draw considerable laughs from the locals. Bradshaw is incredibly endearing and is sure to become a favourite of The Stand. Jo Caulfield comes back to sum up what she has learnt from the crowd (koala bears are not bears) before Simon Munnery takes to the stage,
casting a cynical eye around the crowd. Munnery’s style of humour is a departure from what we’ve seen already tonight, including harmonica numbers and a surrealist take on modern life that is a great ending to
the night. This Thursday night lineup was an absolute tour de force which left us feeling that, with the reduced-price quality, we got incredible value for money.
MOSSOUX-BONTÉ’S PRODUCTION OF Kefar Nahum is a sensual exploration of the turbulent and bizarre nature of creation. In a striking piece of visual theatre, sole performer Nicole Mossoux creates a stunning blend of theatre and dance which leaves the viewer astonished and reflective. There is no exact plot in this piece, rather there is a seamless flow of one creation to the next conjured out of everyday objects as commonplace as clothes or watering cans. Mossoux breathes life into these items of seeming unimportance by giving them ‘being’ and a soul. Born out of nothing, a chaotic incarnation sees each creature arrive inquisitively before being devoured by a subsequent creature. As each monstrosity changes, becoming the next, questions arise regarding the random fortuitousness of existence in a world that is everchanging and cyclical. As each being evolves, similarities can be drawn to our own curious subsistence and how it doesn’t differ entirely from this absurd state of affairs. Mussoux becomes part of the narrative, transforming herself into parts of the characters in a way that is disturbing yet strangely erotic. Changing costume as she goes along, she too embodies seperate identities; each as much a stranger as those she creates. The UK rarely sees puppetry outside of childrens’ performances and it is a delight to see it used here expressing themes that come across as dark and adult, in scenes ranging from the distressing to the comedic. Accompanied by exquisite live music from Thomas Turine, an eerie and macabre element is added through a combination of various synthetic sounds which allows the viewer to be transported into this extraordinary world. Although a relatively short piece at only 50 minutes, any longer may have felt overbearing.The style of the performance made for a sensual onslaught that really tested the extent of the viewer’s imagination and thus made its short length appropriate. For those who find visual theatre cumbersome, Mossoux-Bonté’s production offers a potential rejolting of one’s preconceptions provided you are able to engage your creativity. For anyone else, it offers a stimulating insight into the preternatural method of creation in a performance that is both innovative and gripping. Traverse Theatre; Dates: Wed 2 Feb, 7:30pm; Price: £14.00 (£10.00)
20 Food & Drink
The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011
Eating
Clubs
Tex Mex II
Masquerade
Standfirst
Masks, massages and jazz help make Masquerade a success
Ben Kendall Food & Drink Editor
T
HE VALUE OF authenticity has been discussed in this column before, and it transpires that it has become a decreasingly worrisome issue. Tex Mex II proffers authentically fun Texican fare with an element of theatricality that brightens the face with a smile and the contented glaze of Tequila besozzlement. We start with salt-rimmed frozen Margaritas, effectively sweet and tangy slush-puppies for grown-ups. It’s disgracefully easy to knock these back, but who cares?! You can’t have Mexican without Margaritas. It’s like the Royal Wedding: you might as well join the party. To start, the guacamole (£4.05) was nothing special, just the creamy, sharp, clay-like temptation it always is, with corn-chips so crisp you could split your lip. The ceviche pacifico (£4.75) was a maelstrom of flavour, the star of the dinner. Delicate scallops, prawns and healthy flakes of salmon were soused in lime, garlic and coriander, “cooked” to a tenderness impossible with simple stove work. To eat ceviche is to steer a tumultuous, changeable course through the taste spectrum: first, the raucous vividness of lime, then a lush plateau of coriander – spiked here and there with garlic – and finally the sweet, blanketing, oceany taste of the freshest, simplest seafood.
Offerings for the main course were standard fare, burritos, chimichangas and fajitas all done with convincing panache. One could berate la cucina Mexicana for sameyness – carbs, spices, meat; fried, stuffed, or rolled – but that would be to miss the point. After all, think of Italian cuisine. The tortilla is to Mexico as pasta is to Italy, and enjoys the same variety of application. Tex Mex II takes this pliability to an innovative level with its Veggie Fajitas (£10.95). A neat little dish of butternut squash, mango, peppers and cheese comes theatrically Tequila-flambéed and tasting like the love-child of Thailand’s and Mexico’s kitchens: chilli, mango, squash – hot, sweet, comforting. Pudding was not a triumph of innovation, but of American tradition. The double chocolate brownie (£3.80) was warm and inviting, if a little dry. The banoffee pie (£3.95), however, was a monstrous, beastly success. Crunchy, slightly salty biscuit, fresh banana, rich toffee, and a great swathe of cream, as if applied with a plasterer’s trowel. Perfection. Though the décor style lies somewhere between Latino flair and Gok Wan’s dressing room (all shocking pink and lime green), Tex Mex II is a trendy, entertaining spot for a fun little dinner. Viva Mexico! 64 Thistle Street, 0131 260 9699
Clubs
Musika DJ Maetrik makes Musika magic James Corlett
W
HEN MUSIKA RESIDENT Kirk Douglas proclaimed that DJ Maetrik had torn the Liquid Room a ‘new shit hole’, John Digweed certainly had a tough act to follow. Luckily, Digweed is a favourite in these parts. Along with Timo Maas and Tim Green, Digweed blew apart the Corn Exchange this time last year. With the small exception of a dance floor veteran’s will for him to ‘get on with it‚' The Liquid Room’s capacity crowd seemed thrilled to host another Digweed session. Whilst this petulant heckle served only to illustrate this chap’s narrow appreciation for anthemic tunes, I realised; he may have been on to something. Digweed has always leaned towards the progressive end of the house and techno spectrum, but half an hour in another sub-genre had emerged: ‘pedestrian house’. After well and truly easing into the swing of things, Digweed meticulously plied away at atmospheric techno, but with the odd curve ball, such as Boys Noize and Erol Alkan’s ‘Death Suite’ thrown in towards the end. It was a fine set that
fluctuated, undulated and bobbed around in the realms of techno and progressive, but was eclipsed by an on fire Maetrik. Or is that ‘Maceo Plex’? Without delving into psychoanalysis, it was impossible to discern whether Valencia based Eric Estornel was assuming his evil techno guise ‘Maetrik’, or if he was playing under the moniker of the newly heralded Cross Town Rebels recruit, Maceo Plex. The latter produces deep, sexy, soulful house and it was this sound that really ignited the ebullient party atmosphere. Next minute, the crowd was being plunged into the abyss of an uncompromising Maetrik-esque techno, and the party erupted. Once again Musika delivered, and with Polish House/Disco dons Catz N Dogz accompanying the ineffable talent Nic Fanciulli next month, you’re only ever four weeks away from Edinburgh’s number one House and Techno night. Item: Musika; Venue: Liquid Rooms; Dates: Monthly; Price: £15
Rebecca Monks Clubs Editor
T
HERE ARE FEW events in Edinburgh that promise a night of masked debauchery and decadence. With free massages and soft jazz, you could be forgiven for indulging your cynical side and being slightly suspicious of the Cowgate venue’s offerings. There are few venues that can make a late night massage room a classy affair, but the mysteriously classic décor of The Caves made it not only possible, but positively indulgent. The black tie event featured upcoming jazz stars Le Salon de Jazz Refuse, who kicked off the evening somewhat ironically with their version of The Final Countdown. Couples collided on the dance floor as The Caves was transformed into a theatre of Venetian entertainment. As the band played on the guests poured in, with each elaborate mask exceeding the last. Hidden beneath glitter, velvet and
feathers, revellers swung in appreciation of the exceptionally talented band. Upstairs, guests were invited to pose for a professional photograph, with props ranging from a severed head to a bed of roses. Despite the haunting Alice Cooper effect radiated by the ominous props, the atmosphere was intense and electric. If the appearance of a mutilated head was too much for some, professional massages
were being offered in the comfort of the upstairs seating area. Towels covered modesty and relaxation trumped excitement for fifteen minutes, as this hugely popular room quickly became the hub of the venue. As with most special events hosted by The Caves, the drinks were pricey. A free massage was followed by expensive drinks, which served both to enforce the class of this black tie event, but somewhat hindered the lavish atmosphere. As the night was led to an ultimate finish by DJ Blackwax and DJs Duck and Jacou, revellers were suitably debauched, and the grandeur of the event was suitably splendid. Behind the mask lay great success, late night massage and all. HOLLY MCLAY
Fashion 21
EDMUND FRASER
EDMUND FRASER
The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011
[D]evolution The Journal speaks to creative director Fergus Crook and photographer Ed Fraser, of the Edinburgh Charity Fashion Show 2011 to find the real meaning of Scottish [D]evolution Jessica Heggie Fashion Editor
[
D]EVOLUTION: NOT SOMETHING the Scots tend to associate with fashion; yet Fergus Crook and Ed Fraser enlightened me that it has less to do with uptight, middle-aged men than I first thought. Instead, the idea of [D]evolution developed from a desire to take things back to basics. Edinburgh Charity Fashion Show 2011 is casting its eye back to its student roots and exploring new avenues of student creativity. “The creative direction has followed this desire and has aimed to create more of an arts collective, a creative hub bringing together Scottish talent” said Crook, trying to convince me that the concept of [D]evolution is definitely nothing to do with politics. The committee of the Edinburgh Charity Fashion Show, chaired by Laura Christine, has worked together to develop this vision of [D]evolution. “It was important to make sure everyone was involved in the creative vision to make a cohesive show”, adding “we wanted to make sure we fully utilised the potential of everyone involved”. The Edinburgh Charity Fashion Show, this year supporting Breakthrough Breast Cancer, was set up 10
years ago and since then has raised over a quarter of a million pounds. Over £100,000 of that was raised in the last two years. One of Europe’s largest, student-led fashion shows, ECFS 2011 is one of a kind. In the past designers such as Ara Jo (who has designed for Lady Gaga), Nicole Farhi and Peter Jensen have all donated to the Edinburgh Charity Fashion Show displaying some of the most iconic looks in fashion in the capital city of Scotland. Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC) has announced that they would like ECFS to host its inaugural music event for Scotland. The London event, named ‘FTBC on the QT’ was a huge success, and they hope to recreate the same success in the ECFS Launch Party on 2 March 2011 at The Caves. The launch party promises to be an exciting mix of glamour, models, and music from the likes of ECLAIR FIFI of the LuckyMe Collective, along with BLACKWAX and Heard It Through The Bassline regular COLEBS. The concept of [D]evolution has led to a development of the ‘The Islands’ which has been the running theme throughout the photo shoots. “I think it’s quite a cool concept that’s tied together the website and the shoots” remarked Crook. Shot in some of the most beautiful locations in Scotland, the photographic
campaign struggled against predictably inclement weather to eventually produce some gorgeous photos. “We had to battle with the weeks of snow” commented Fraser “The models were amazing, and still managed to look incredible while absolutely freezing.” The campaign created by Fraser is certainly sexy and stylish - definitely not the first two words that come to mind when discussing the Scottish Parliament, and finally convinces me that ECFS [D]evolution has nothing to do with politics. The two-night event that will take place at Mansfield Traquair, Edinburgh on the 18 and 19 March is set to be a stunner. Fergus’ creative vision is impeccable and will undoubtedly lead to a spectacular performance. (I’ve heard on the grapevine there will be fire breathers. Surely that alone makes this unmissable!) Tickets are now on sale for both the Launch Party at The Caves on 2nd March and also the fashion show at Mansfield Traquair on 18 and 19 March at www.edinburghcharityfashionshow.co.uk Jessica Heggie is currently working as the assistant fashion director at ECFS. Photography: Edmund Fraser
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Sport 23
The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011
Read more sport online @ www.journal-online.co.uk
Spit could be worse for Tiger Woods After a turbulent 18 months Tiger finds he’s not out of the woods just yet
Striking a nerve
A swift glance at the last fortnight's sporting goings-on
There’s been a lot of hostility in football lately; Hacker inspects the damage Sean Gibson Sport Co-Editor
T
HERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING to get your teeth into where football is concerned – particularly in these days of mass media – and you learn to take small bites. However, the fare offered up in the last few weeks has been so irresistible that a serious binge session was inevitable. Football has always been a passionate game and tensions are only heightened these days with each zero added to the players’ wage slips. Even so, it seems that you can’t move at the moment for all the ill-will and complaining. Take the AC MilanTottenham match last week; goodness only knows what got Gattuso’s goat but his behaviour was, at the very least, unwise. It’s one thing to repeatedly harass Peter Crouch, the biggest player on the pitch (even if he does need a few good meals in him), but then to go picking a fight with Joe Jordan – a fearsome fellow, 59 years old or not – enters a realm quite beyond stupid. The big kerfuffle regarding footballers using Twitter appears to be dying down, although doubtless it will rear its head again soon. Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere recently escaped punishment where Liverpool’s Ryan Babel did not, with a hastily-removed comment about inconsistent refereeing. The impression of these footballers simply as naughty schoolchildren muttering under their breath when the teacher has his back turned is one very difficult to suppress. Where do they get it from? At any rate, Wilshere can at least look to his manager as a – er – pillar of professionalism. Looking beyond the Premier League, it is clear that managers are also contributing to this rash of outbursts. Derby County’s Nigel Clough has said that his striker Tomasz Cywka is “not very bright” and “can go back to Wigan or wherever he came from... until he
learns the game”. Unlike the whining of the aforementioned prima donnas, there is something undeniably refreshing about hearing a manager parroting the views of that mad bloke who sits a few rows behind you. Nevertheless, this carry-on can be in neither his nor the club’s best interests. A little closer to home, Kilmarnock’s Alexei Eremenko has evidently been rifling through the pages of his Danny Murphy textbook. In wonder at why the opposition are not prostrate before him, Eremenko hit out at the treatment he receives in the tackle from his SPL colleagues. However, it didn’t receive a great deal of press coverage – most probably because Eremenko is not a national media darling looking to assert himself on the punditry scene in time for his retirement. Moreover, though, he just lacked the conviction of the horribly selfinvolved Murphy; “nutcases” these SPL players may be, but Eremenko doesn’t “think they are going out to deliberately hurt [him]”. The victimised tone is not utilised ad nauseum, and if he wasn’t even going to name any names then he may as well not have bothered. Speaking of nausea, that charming pair Richard Keys and Andy Gray – who last month had a stab at uniting the whole nation in outrage – have announced that they are to join talkSPORT radio, as they
put Sky and that reasonably well-publicised sexism debacle behind them. What better news with which to send you on your way? As if the talkSPORT studio wasn’t already a veritable furnace of bluster and downright bull, it should now have enough hot air to float the whole station and all its ‘experts’ up, up and away – far out of earshot. The Journal has its fingers crossed, anyway.
By Sean Gibson & Laurence Wilson
SPL – all but over? Celtic’s commanding 3-0 triumph in the latest Old Firm derby last Saturday gives them a definite edge in the race for the title. Even should Rangers win their two games in hand, they would still be two points adrift with an inferior goal difference. There is little competition to be found elsewhere in the division though, as Hearts’ nearest challengers for third place and the final European spot – Kilmarnock – are a whopping 18 points behind off the back of a 5-0 thumping by Aberdeen. At the foot of the table, Hibernian pulled 11 points clear of relegation at the weekend with a win over fellow strugglers St. Mirren, who refuse to pull out of reach of bottom club Hamilton. Unless Hamilton can strike up a decent run, or unless the table-toppers implode, is the drama all done and dusted in the SPL for this season?
British athletes hit and miss in Birmingham With the UK indoor championships taken care of a week prior, the Birmingham Grand Prix gave British athletes a final chance to make the qualifying grade for the forthcoming European championships in Paris. Phillips Idowu shined in winning the Triple Jump, although he has ruled himself out of the running for Paris. On track, Mo Farah and Jenny Meadows won the 5000m and 800m respectively whilst both Nigel Levine (400m) and Helen Clitheroe (3000m) set impressive personal bests. However, it wasn’t all positive in the UK camp as Jessica Ennis withdrew with a slowly-healing ankle and Kelly Sotherton failed to make the qualifying cut for the 400m. On top of this, both Mark Lewis-Francis and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey suffered
injuries – the latter with a suspected torn hamstring. On the whole though, the signs for Paris are promising for Britain’s athletes.
Six Nations rolls on In a tightly contested game at the Aviva Stadium Ireland’s attacking game plan backfired as they lost 22-25 to France. Despite outscoring the French by three tries to one their wasteful penalty count afforded a clinical France what could be a decisive victory. Wales, without a win in their previous eight test matches, achieved an accomplished victory over Scotland. Having taken a 16 point lead Wales put themselves under unnecessary pressure by having two men sent to the sin bin. Yet despite this numerical advantage Scotland were unable to capitalise, with the Welsh comfortable 25-6 winners. In the first game of the weekend England laid down a strong claim to the championship with an emphatic performance over a struggling Italy side. Capitalising on some shoddy Italian defending England scored eight tries, four coming from winger Chris Ashton, the first Englishman to score four in a single game since 1914, and were eventual winners by 59 points to 13.
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07/09/2010 18:19:45
24 Sport
The Journal Wednesday 23 February 2011
Fractures appear in Edinburgh camp as Thirds beat Fourths in quarters
Hacker: Striking a nerve
» 23
The closing stages of hockey's Scottish Conference Cup prove testing times for all of Edinburgh's teams TOM BLACKETT
Edinburgh 3rd XI 4 Edinburgh 4th XI 1
League Table FOOTBALL
Calum Deas
BUCS Scottish Conference Men’s 1A LAST WEDNESDAY SAW four Edinburgh hockey teams attempting to stamp their authority on the knock-out stages of the Scottish Conference Cup. On a cold, wet February afternoon, Napier faced the tricky task of Robert Gordon away, Edinburgh University’s 2nd XI took on Stirling’s first team at home and a local derby between the Edinburgh third and fourth teams rounded off the action. The latter rivalry has already been pushed to new heights this year after previous face-offs in both Wednesday and Saturday leagues. The 4s have suffered three defeats at the hands of the 3s, meaning that this afternoon they were out to seek revenge and cut short the 3s’ dream of obtaining the elusive treble. The 3s settled into some sort of shape, and eventually towards the end of the half, space began to open and a number of chances were created. It was only thanks to a handful of superb saves from 4s keeper Alex Fedenczuk that denied the 3s a lead going into half time, and as the whistle blew the 3s were left scratching their heads wondering why they weren’t already in front. However, the re-introduction of the 3s’ stalwart central defender David Munn provided the necessary momentum for the 3s to deliver two goals within a three-minute period, first from Hamish Tate and then from club topscorer Michael Fenelon. The second goal
P W D L F A GD Pts Heriot-Watt 1st 6 3 3 0 15 5 10 12
Edinburgh 2nd
7 2 2 3 7 9 -2
Strathclyde 1st
8 1 1 6 9 24 -15 4
8
RUGBY P WDL F
A
GD Pts
Edinburgh 1st
6 6 0 0 256 43 213 18
Aberdeen 1st
7 5 0 2 282 125 157 15
St Andrews 1st 6 4 0 2 202 133 69 12 Stirling 1st
4 1 0 3 84 193 -109 3
Heriot-Watt 1st 6 1 0 5 70 200 -130 3 Robert Gordon 1st 5 0 0 5 31 231 -200 0
was an exact mirror of the first, proving true the simple mantra of EUHC coach Dennis Hay that “if you can do it on the left, you can do it on the right.” From centre defence on both occasions the ball was spread wide, moved quickly out of defence through midfield to the onrushing strikers, who made quick work of the opposition defence and rounded off a fine display of fluid pass-and-move hockey. The score quickly leapt to 3-0, and the 4s looked dead in the water until the strike partnership of Steven Sedgwick
and Will O’Brien surged forwards into the D. A square ball from Sedgwick which looked to be travelling harmlessly across the face of the goal was accidentally deflected into his own net by 3s midfielder Ali Wilding, to the delight of the 4s and the outrage of 3s keeper Andrew Scobie. But the comeback didn’t last, and the whistle blew on a 4-1 scoreline. Unfortunately, Edinburgh University were not to see two teams progress that day as the 2nd XI lost out 3-0 to an unusually strong Stirling side.
Napier, however, came out on top with a well-deserved 4-2 victory of RGU - and given that they are currently on different sides of the draw with the 3rd XI, the prospect of an all-Edinburgh final remains on the cards. Both teams will now play in the semi-finals on 2 March at Peffermill.
hard to stay in retirement? The pitfalls of coming out of retirement are numerous, Justine Henin, the former women’s tennis world number one lately described her second retirement as like being in “mourning”. She, like her contemporaries Kim Clijsters and Martina Hingis, came out of retirement in search of former wonders but unlike Clijsters, she retired again without winning another Grand Slam. Kevin Keegan retired from football management in 2005 but then famously returned to his beloved Newcastle in 2008. He was given a hero’s welcome but the club failed to win any of the first eight games and he left the following season. Basketball superstar Michael Jordan returned not once but twice and
it was the second of these occasions that demonstrate the problems facing legends reawakening. Playing at the age of 38 in 2001, Jordan’s final two seasons felt much more like a goodbye tour than any serious assault on the playoffs for his Washington team. It seems the 21st century called out to icons who needed the very same thrill that they’d left behind. The return of two of sport’s great winners in the past two years has challenged these failures. Lance Armstrong returned at the age of 37 to finish on the podium in the toughest professional sporting competition in the world while Michael Schumacher, although seeming to have lost his edge, is being talked about as a serious challenger for
HOCKEY BUCS Scottish Conference Women’s 1A P W D L F A GD Pts Edinburgh 1st
8 8 0 0 25 5 20 24
St. Andrews 1st
8 4 1 3 16 13 3
13
Glasgow 1st
7 4 0 3 15 14 1
9*
Edinburgh University 2nd XI 0 - 3 Stirling University 1st XI
Edinburgh 2nd
8 1 2 5 12 25 -13 5
Caledonian 1st
7 0 1 6 3 14 -11 4*
Napier University 1st XI 4 - 2 Robert Gordon University 1st XI
BUCS Scottish Conference Men’s 1A P W D L F A GD Pts
The Journal looks at a sports era that may well be reflected on as the age of the comeback
ON MONDAY 14 February an athlete with a litany of professional glories returned. His awaiting audience gave him a reception that would flatter rock stars and religious icons. The Journal must admit they have an out-dated knowledge of his profession but in the space of two minutes it became clear why in recent years we have seen the reappearance of many a sporting legend. Indeed, the return of this man, Dwayne Johnson or ‘The Rock’ to the world of professional wrestling begs the question many asked of Lance Armstrong, Michael Schumacher and recently Ian Thorpe: just why is it so
6 4 0 2 14 4 10 12 7 3 2 2 15 14 1 11
BUCS Scottish Conference Men’s 1A
Return, Reinvent, Re-Retire? Jamie Timson Sport Co-Editor
Edinburgh 1st Glasgow 1st
the 2011 F1 title. The German’s determination to succeed has certainly not diminished, evident in his infamously ruthless defence of tenth position in Hungary last year. Ian Thorpe’s return to professional swimming is just beginning. His aim of Olympic glory at London 2012 may seem far-fetched when coupled with his five-year absence from the pool. However, it would be tough to bet against the five time Olympic gold medallist reliving his former glories. The story of a veteran returning to his trade is one seen in nearly every Hollywood sports movie, and that it seems is the drive behind every comeback from Armstrong to Schumacher to The Rock; the lure of thousands of people, cheering an icon for one last time.
Heriot-Watt 1st
7 6 0 1 25 6 19 21*
Edinburgh 1st
8 7 0 1 25 7 18 21
Glasgow 1st
8 3 0 5 16 24 -8
Dundee 1st
7 2 0 5 9 24 -15 6
Aberdeen 1st
6 0 0 6 9 23 -14 -3*
9
* = points deducted/awarded
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