The Journal - Edinburgh Issue 045

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EDINBURGH'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

ISSUE XLV

WEDNESDAY 9 MARCH 2011

The internet: where humans dare to tread The CEO of an Edinburgh social web startup tells The Journal how internet crowd-sourcing is redefining how we gather and intepret data

QMU VP sought presidential noconfidence vote

» 13

IN NEWS >> 3

Art imitating life An investigation

by The Journal reveals that as ECA’s finances were crashing, senior staff pay increased

Ousted president Blain Murphy claims Christie McMonagle "did not speak to him for five months" before she initiated disciplinary action Hannah Raine Recently-released minutes from an extraordinary meeting of Queen Margaret University’s Student Parliament show that the disciplinary action which ended with the sacking of union president Blain Murphy w initiated by vice-president and former running-mate Christie McMonagle.

The governing body of Queen Margaret University Students’ Union (QMUSU) voted 12-6 to support a noconfidence motion on the grounds that Mr Murphy had not fulfilled his responsibilities as president, at the meeting on 17 February.

Evidence submitted in support of the motion claimed that Mr Murphy, who was a sabbatical officer being paid a salary of £15,779, exhibited a general lack of effort and poor timekeeping

skills. Members of the Student Parliament also heard that on one occasion in early February, Mr Murphy took time off work due to illness, but that he attended a party that evening and that “pictures from Facebook show [Mr Murphy] drunk and not ill.”

The minutes note that Ms McMonagle “said she assumed, but admitted she had no evidence, that [Mr Murphy] was hungover after the Super Bowl.

[Mr Murphy] is known to be a fan of the Super Bowl.”

In his defence, Mr Murphy claimed that he had been taking medication and had felt much better that evening.

It has also emerged that Mr Murphy had posted negative comments about the National Union of Students on Facebook, around the time of last November’s student protests in Continued on Page 2

IN NEWS >> 6/7

Results revealed Edinburgh’s students cast their votes and elect their sabbatical officers for the 2011/2012 academic year

IN COMMENT >> 15

Yunus' reckoning

Protests in Edinburgh as Universities UK urge the introduction of tuition fees in Scotland

»9

Can beleaguered microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus and his Grameen Bank resist the Bangladeshi government's onslaught?

Scottish Universities fall behind by £200m a year First official figures suggest a larger funding gap for Scottish universities than expected Lily Panamsky Academic News Editor Scottish universities will face an annual funding shortfall of £200 million beginning in 2014, official estimates suggest.

These numbers, released in early March, are the first official statistics to give an estimate of the Scottish funding gap. The Scottish Government has argued that the actual gap would be just £93 million a year, if higher tuition fees for non-Scottish UK students were introduced.

The government has proposed to

increase tuition fees for all UK students outside of Scotland from the current £1,800 to £6,375 starting from 2012.

Additionally, as reported on page nine in this issue of The Journal, Universities Scotland has recommended introducing tuition fees of £3,290 for Scottish students.

Last year, Westminster decided to increase English university tuition fees to anywhere between £6,000 and £9,000 following nation-wide education cuts.

While most high profile universities will hover around the £9,000 mark, it has been suggested that the average tuition fees will be £7,500. This sparked

concerns that universities north of the Border would lag behind in funding and prestige.

Education secretary Mike Russell stated that £93 million, “is a significant amount of money but, critically, it is an amount that allows a political choice to be made. It is nothing like some of the ridiculous scare-story figures [being] bandied about.”

Another proposal to bridge the Scottish funding gap has been to introduce graduate contribution fees.

Liam Burns, president of NUS Scotland, said: “Over recent weeks we’ve heard doomsday scenarios from

university principals including threats to cut university places by 40 per cent next year.

“However, we can now see that some of these warnings have been nothing more than scaremongering, trying to bounce students, parents and politicians in Scotland into reintroducing tuition fees into Scotland.”

Mr Burns remained optimistic that the funding gap could be solved without resorting to higher tuition fees or graduate contribution. A proposal from the Scottish government on how to bridge the funding gap is expected in the next few weeks.

IN FILM >> 17

Walking the Beat A new biopic presents a challenging reexamination of the life and work of Beat poet and literary legend Alan Ginsberg

2 News

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011

This week in The Journal

Rage against the dying of the light

»4

QMU VP sought presidential noconfidence vote Continued from p1

Plans to align Britain with the European time zone has led to fears that Scotland will be too dark in the mornings

» 19

»8 BBC stick their red nose in As a part of their Charities Week events, ESCA’s plans for Comic Relief have drawn interest from the BBC

London. Despite Mr Murphy’s contention that this took place outside business hours, the chair informed him that “any negative comments against NUS, even posted outside working hours, were not appropriate.”

Ms McMonagle told the meeting that she had expressed concerns about Mr Murphy’s performance toward the end of last year, but that the disciplinary panel did not convene until December. Ms McMonagle has since claimed that she was forced to take on additional work in order to complete Mr Murphy’s duties. This suggestion was disputed by Mr Murphy who claimed that she “did not speak to him for five months.”

As previously reported in The Journal, QMU has been criticised by students for its handling of the dismissal, particularly regarding a brief email received by all students and staff on 17 February informing them that he had been removed from office.

Since Mr Murphy’s dismissal, QMU students have been left largely in the dark about the reasons for his sacking. The former president was repeatedly approached for comment

by The Journal, but has declined to speak on the record. Mhairi Steele, chair of the Student Parliament, said she “preferred not to comment”, while presidential candidates have refused to discuss Mr Murphy’s removal until after the present election.

During the extraordinary meeting, one member of the committee claimed that “most QMU students do not know [Mr Murphy] is the student president.”

However, comments left on QMUSU’s Facebook page seem to suggest otherwise. One student wrote: “I think they should have let us decide as students, as we are the ones who selected him to be president. He was fun and approachable and everyone knew who he was.”

In line with the requirements of the QMUSU Constitution, a by-election is to be held in order to elect a new president to serve out the rest of the semester, until the 2011/12 president takes office on 10 June. The union have also confirmed that only students not currently in full-time education will be eligible to stand for election as caretaker president.

By-election nominations will close on Thursday 24 March.

Universities urged to tackle extremism NUS Scotland criticises report by UUK that encourages engaging with extremist voices on campus

Penguin Cafe Arthur Jeffes' mob transcend genres with their special brand of infectious entropy

» 23 England bale out?

England cling to hopes of ICC World Cup glory on the subcontinent - but just barely

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Jenny Kassner

Extremist voices on university campuses must be engaged with and not margalized, a report from Universities UK (UUK) has urged.

UUK, a lobby group that represents university principals, claims that students need to be exposed to extremist views in order to challenge them.

The report was commissioned after it emerged that Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the man who attempted to blow up an Northwest Airlines flight in 2009, was a former member of the Islamic Society at University College London, although it was concluded that Abdulmutallab had not been radicalized on campus.

The report is concerned with how universities can promote freedom of speech while protecting staff and student welfare. Universities and student societies are to be seen as a safe place where students can express and test extremist views without harming other people in the process. It states: “Universities are open institutions where academic freedom and freedom of speech are fundamental to their functioning. Views expressed within universities, whether by staff, students or visitors, may sometimes appear to be extreme or even offensive. However, unless views can be expressed they cannot also be

challenged.”

Surveys carried out by UUK showed that roughly half of institutions have faced difficulties with extremist speakers. Most ideological difficulties were had when approached by British National Party (BNP) speakers.

The report has been endorsed by the Federation of Student Islamic Societies.

However, critics claim that it gives little guidance about how to identify and handle individuals with extremist views and that students might not be equipped with the ability to identify extremist speeches as such.

Liam Burns, president of NUS Scotland, said: “Clearly it’s a delicate line to walk when inviting controversial speakers to campus, but our advice to students’ associations will always be that policies such as “no platform”, which excludes speakers who wish to incite fear and hatred from being invited into a students’ union, are ultimately in the best interest of their members.

“Freedom of speech is a cornerstone of education, one we need to fight for. But we should never let this principal masquerade as an excuse to put fear into students on their own campus. In this regard, UUKs extremism report is dangerous, misguided and naive.”

A “no platform” policy was rejected at Edinburgh University Students’ Association AGM in November 2009.

Investigation 3

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011

ECA: Painting over the cracks As staff cuts force Edinburgh College of Art to start employing students as cleaners, an investigation by The Journal reveals that senior-level pay rocketed while the college's finances were in freefall Marcus Kernohan Editor-in-chief Senior staff at the Edinburgh College of Art received large increases in pay and pensions even as the troubled art school’s finances deteriorated to near-bankruptcy, an investigation by The Journal has found.

Financial records show that by the end of the 2008/09 financial year ECA was left with only £16,000 cash in hand, next to debt liabilities totalling nearly £3 million.

The college is now set to merge with the University of Edinburgh in August, after a damning inquiry by the Scottish Government reported that financial mismanagement had left ECA close to collapse. Education minister Michael Russell told The Journal that “the financial situation at the College should not have been allowed to develop and it points towards very significant weaknesses in ECA’s internal controls and governance structures at crucial stages in recent years.

“The scale of the financial difficulties at the College are such that even with an equivalent injection of funds to those being provided for the merger it would not be able to continue to operate to its current level and range of provision.

“I very much regret that these matters have overshadowed, and had a bearing on my decision.”

Beleaguered principal Professor Ian Howard has now announced his intention to retire a day before the merger takes effect, citing a desire to see a new principal “take the college forward into a bright future.”

Despite significant financial turmoil at ECA, senior-level pay continued to increase even as the art school’s finances were failing. Prof Howard’s salary grew from £94,559 in 2005 to over £125,374 in 2009 – an average yearly increase of 5.8 per cent at a time when the college’s overall income was increasing at just 3 per cent, and its debt at twice that rate. His employer’s pension contribution, meanwhile, increased by 48 per cent over five years, rising from £11,820 to £17,511.

A spokeswoman defended Prof Howard’s pay deal, telling The Journal: “The Principal’s salary is determined by the college’s Remuneration Committee on an agreed set of criteria covering both financial and non-financial factors, and reflects salaries in the sector.”

The official also noted that Prof Howard does not receive ancillary benefits, such as subsidised accommodation or a company car.

However, information obtained by The Journal shows that over a three-year period between 2007 and 2009, Prof Howard made extensive use of an ECA expense account, charging over £17,000 to his college credit card. The documents seen by The Journal did not detail the nature of specific charges, but show that the largest single transaction totalled £2,556.25 in February 2008. The college refused to clarify the nature of this expense.

Challenged on these expenditures, ECA’s spokeswoman said: “We continuously review in detail the expenses of senior staff and we are satisfied as to the validity and necessity of these expenses.

“In light of [Prof Howard’s] role as an ambassador for the College, the level of expenditure is considered reasonable.”

At the same time, there have been reports of cuts to estates services at the college’s Lauriston Place campus, with

An institution in decline?

ECA's debt stacks up Debt due within one year

students becoming increasingly frustrated by declining standards of campus cleanliness and limited out-of-hours access to buildings, including studio space.

In an emailed response to the complaints, sent to students by union president Francesca Miller in mid-February, students were informed that the college had decided to recruit eight students to work as part-time cleaners on a temporary basis. She went on to say that “the students will be paid by the college to clean studios and corridors, working parttime two to three days a week for the next three weeks.”

Speaking to The Journal, Ms Miller defended the use of students as cleaners as a stop-gap measure, saying that the union “would rather students were employed over contract cleaners as we see a constant stream of students looking for jobs.”

It is understood that since November the college has sought to reduce its staffing budget by £1 million, and that University of Edinburgh cleaning staff are now being used at ECA’s campus. However, Ms Miller confirmed that “we are currently of the understanding that the college has not yet reached the £1 million target, and so more cuts are to come.”

She went on to condemn ECA management for their handling of the cuts, saying that she was “unsure as to why the management did not foresee problems” with the staff cuts, and that the union “would encourage the college management to consider the impact of all upcoming decisions regarding staff cuts with greater attention

Longer term debt

The purchase of Evolution House (left) in 2006 has caused major problems for ECA Cash in hand

to detail.”

The college’s accounts show a worrying pattern of financial decline over a five year period, with the most pronounced deterioration taking place since 2007. An analysis of ECA’s balance sheets from 2004/05 to 2008/09 (the most recent available filing) shows that, on average, annual expenditure was increasing at twice the rate of income. By the end of the 2009 financial year, staff costs had increased to 72 per cent of annual income.

ECA would not disclose exact salary information for senior officials other than Prof Howard, but annual reports show that the number of employees being paid over £70,000 a year – the highest salary band – rose from just one in 2006 to four in 2009.

The institution is shown to have experienced a major cash flow crisis, evidenced by a disastrous reduction in its liquidity. In 2005, ECA held cash reserves of £804,000, but over five years that figure dwindled to just £16,000; an average decrease of 54 per cent a year.

ECA officials described the reduction as “a reflection of capital expenditure incurred during an extended period of estates rationalisation.”

The college’s debt, meanwhile, has spiralled out of control. The art school’s endof-year reports show that in mid-2005 they were already facing debts of £1.5 million. By the end of the 2008/09 financial

year, this liability had increased to £2.7 million. In that year alone, its debt rose by some £700,000.

These figures refer only to debt falling due in the coming financial year – the college’s longer term debt by the middle of 2009 stood at just over £13 million. This is largely connected to the controversial purchase in 2006 of the Evolution House building on West Port, in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket area.

ECA secured an £11.5 million loan from Lloyds bank to partially fund the acquisition, and borrowed a further £1.5 million from the college’s Endowment Fund. But a report in the Sunday Herald last October revealed that, despite college administrators pouring £21 million into the purchase and refurbishment of the building, it was recently valued at just half that sum.

The merger deal, which is currently awaiting final approval from the Scottish Parliament, includes a £14 million cash infusion from the Scottish Funding Council. It is predicted that much of this sum will be spent relieving ECA’s debt burden.

Details about the precise mechanics of the merger are still scarce, but government figures have expressed a desire to see the art school’s collegial identity preserved. Mr Russell said that he had “made clear that I regard the University’s expressed commitment to preserve the identity of the College and its ethos and studio-based culture as binding.”

Read more news online @ www.journalonline.co.uk

Northern Lights seen over Scotland

Scots witnessed an impressive celestial spectacle in the highlands

Fall in teenage pregnancies

Reports suggest the number of teenage pregnancies in the UK have dropped, but final targets have not yet been met

4 General News

Beyond

Edinburgh Students at Uppsala University in Sweden had the opportunity to listen to the Israeli ambassador to Sweden, Benny Dagan, at a talk held on 24 February.

The controversial speaker was there by invitation from the Foreign Politics Society, and emotions ran high from the start.

A young man from Communist Revolutionary Youth interrupted the ambassador almost immediately by shouting “Mr Dagan, go home! You are not welcome in Uppsala!” and was subsequently escorted out.

After the disruption the talk went on to discuss Israel’s economy, the recent events in Egypt and the everpresent peace process with the Palestinians. Mr Dagan said the two-state solution was the obvious answer, but that it needs to be two states for the two peoples, with Israel as a Jewish nation.

The Cambridge Student reports that the police arrested two students who had taken part in a peaceful demonstration against the educational cuts on 24 February.

After they had returned to King’s College the police entered through the main gates and arrested one of the students. As his friend tried to intervene he was pepper-sprayed and also arrested. The College Porters repeatedly told the officers to leave; as College grounds are private property police are only allowed to enter if there is a serious incident.

Rahul Mansigani, CUSU President, was quoted saying: “This is an unacceptably disproportionate action: we condemn not only the violence used, but the contempt that police showed towards the College, and that they constantly show towards our students.”

The University of St Andrews launched its 600th anniversary on February 25, with His Royal Highness Prince William and his fiancée Kate Middleton attending the ceremony.

The visit marked the couple’s first official engagement in Scotland, and they were also able to fit in a private reception with University officials. From there they paid a visit to the Museum of the University of St Andrews where they viewed the last surviving Papal Bull, issued in 1413

by Pope Benedict XIII, granting St Andrews university status.

The Prince was quoted saying the visit was like coming home, and he also spoke to some of the students.

Two third-years told The Saint, the university’s student paper, that he had told them “less drinking, more dinner parties”, and the couple was described as being lovely and very friendly.

By Amanda Svensson Falk

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011

New daylight saving scheme is opposed

by Scots

SUMMERTIME

JOHN O’ GROATS SUNRISE

ABERDEEN

SUNRISE 05.15AM SUNSET

Plans to move British clocks forward meet Scottish disapproval over fears of a rise in traffic accidents during dark mornings Aleksandra Jurczak The Daylight Saving Bill, which passed its second reading at the House of Commons in December last year, would put the British time one hour in the summer and two hours in the winter ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

The Bill will now be scrutinised by the Public Bill Committee. The change would mean the British Summer Time (BST) is maintained for winter and a “double summertime” applied in the summer months.

In such circumstances, in John O’Groats, the most northern point of mainland Britain, the sun would not set until after 11 pm in mid-summer but it would not rise until 10 am in midwinter. One Scottish argument against the notion is that darker mornings will mean more dangerous trips to schools for children.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Changing the current system of daylight saving would adversely affect Scotland, which is why we oppose it.

“The impact would be felt by rural communities and outdoor workers and businesses, while reduced daylight between 8 am and 9 am in Scotland could potentially increase the danger for children travelling to school in the dark.”

However, a report by Dr Mayer Hillman of the Policy Studies Institute points out that road crashes are more likely to occur during the evening peak and extending the daylight hours would actually result in reduction in road accidents in Scotland.

The report also finds that in Scotland, the change would mean that children would gain about 200 daylight hours yearly, with roughly half of these falling on school days, whilst adults in nine-to-five-employment would earn almost 300 additional hours of daylight per year.

The plans to change the UK time were made to improve tourism. Malcolm Roughead, chief executive of VisitScotland, told The Journal: “We welcome the debate on daylight saving and what the potential changes could mean for Scottish tourism.

“However, we also appreciate that this is not just about tourism and that there are wider concerns surrounding the proposals. We will continue to seek the views of Scottish tourism businesses on daylight saving.”

The change was made twice in the past, first during World War II to maximise productivity in factories and ensure people got home safely before the blackout, and again between 1968 and 1971. That time it ended with complaints in Scotland and Northern England, many related to an increased number of deaths on the roads during dark mornings. David Cameron is said to only approve the plan if it is clear that it is supported by the British citizens.

However, a Scottish Government spokesman told The Journal: “The Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead has previously written to the UK Environment and Rural Affairs Minister to make his concerns clear, and received reassurances that the UK government had no plans to review current arrangements.”

05.05AM

SUNSET 23.27PM

23.15PM

EDINBURGH 05.26AM

SUNRISE

SUNSET 23.03PM

GLASGOW SUNRISE SUNSET

05.31AM 23.07PM

JOHN O’ GROATS SUNRISE

10.03AM

SUNSET 16.21PM

ABERDEEN

SUNRISE 09.53AM SUNSET

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EDINBURGH SUNRISE

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WINTERTIME The proposals may have a negative impact on rural communities

Breakthrough in breast cancer research Hopeful scientists believe the discovery of a key enzyme could mean improved treatment of breast cancer Leighton Craig A significant development in the treatment of breast cancer has been made as scientists have discovered that blocking a key enzyme could prevent it spreading to other organs.

In studies published on 22 February, The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) found that the action of a specific enzyme is involved in allowing breast cancer cells to progress to other parts of the body.

Dr Caitlin Palframan, senior

information and policy officer at Breakthrough Breast Cancer said: “Although this research is in the early stages, it raises the exciting prospect of a new target for breast cancer treatment. If further research in the clinic supports these results, it could allow for the development of further tools to help reach our goal of a future free from the fear of breast cancer.”

The findings, published in the journal Cancer Research, show that the enzyme lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2) is required in order to allow cancer cells to travel to distant organs.

Significantly, it was found that there was a direct relation between blocking the function of LOXL2 and a decrease in cancer spreading from the breast to the lungs, liver and bone.

ICR researchers found that LOXL2 allows cancer to spread by dictating the amount of two types of molecules, named TIMP1 and MMP9, which have previously been shown to play a part in the process.

Although more research is required, scientists believe that a drug designed to stop LOXL2 could be used in order to treat women with advanced breast

cancer.

The latest figures published by the charity Cancer Research UK have shown that breast cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK with around 46,000 new cases being diagnosed each year.

LOXL2 has also been linked to other types of cancer, including oesophageal and colon, meaning the findings could be significant in the treatment of these other forms of the disease.

Local News 5

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011

Edinburgh takes action for ovarian cancer

Network Rail to hand power to regional operators

Study suggests drinking two cups of tea a day could prevent cancer with high mortality rate Eve Appeal

Melissa Wong Local News Editor March marks a month of raising money for and awareness about one of the most deadly cancers affecting women in Britain.

Ovarian cancer claims the lives of around 4,400 British women every year. In the UK, around 6,600 women are diagnosed with the disease and, on average, only a third of those diagnosed will survive. This makes ovarian cancer the highest gynaecological cause of deaths in the country.

Dr Cameron Martin, consultant gynaecologist at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for the Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders region, said: “If women present ovarian cancer in the early stages, there’s a very high chance of cure.

“We see around 150 patients with ovarian cancer every year. The incidence of the disease is around one in 10,000 to 11,000 so it’s comparatively rare, nonetheless, because of the way it presents, most women who have ovarian cancer won’t survive because they often present late.

“When you’re diagnosed with ovarian cancer, 70 per cent of patients will be dead in five years.”

The Eve Appeal, an organisation which supports research into gynaecological cancer, is launching a ‘Make Time for Tea’ campaign for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

Hannah Noble, fundraising manager of The Eve Appeal, said: “‘Make Time for Tea’ is an annual campaign that we hold throughout Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in March and ask people from all over the UK to organise tea parties.

“It’s something that can be done at school with staff and students, people at work or with friends and family. It’s an all-inclusive campaign and we’re asking people to have a cup of tea, some

In response to customer demands, the UK rail operator announces plans to devolve power to regional operators in Scotland Liam Bolton

Lorraine Kelly is the face of the Eve Appeal's new campaign cake and raise some funds and awareness for The Eve Appeal.”

The campaign was created because The Eve Appeal, abbreviated T.E.A, links Britain’s popular brew with ovarian cancer. Research institutes in Sweden and America have developed theories stating that women who drink at least two cups of black tea a day may reduce their risks of developing ovarian cancer by about thirty percent.

Currently, there are not effective methods of screening for ovarian

cancer and it cannot be identified by smear tests. The UK has a poor survival record and is currently rated seventh for ovarian cancer cases and mortality rates in Europe.

In a move to improve regional services in Scotland, Network Rail has set decentralised plans in place for April this year.

The plans come in response to recent customer complaints which cite communication and delays as major problems during the extreme winter weather. It is hoped that devolving power to local operators will improve operating services and reduce business costs.

These plans come as a relative shock despite the fact that plans to decentralise power have been discussed since autumn; experts were not expecting implementation by Network Rail until 2012.

The government-created firm currently owns and operates most of Great Britain’s rail infrastructure, managing 18 of the largest and busiest railway stations in the UK. David Higgins, who took over as chief executive of Network rail earlier this month, said: “We’re devolving accountability to the route level so that we can get closer to our customers and be in a better position to deliver improvements to passengers and freight users, while reducing costs.

“Each new route managing director will, in effect, be running their

own infrastructure railway business with significant annual turnover and resources.”

Network Rail will transfer responsibility from the company to route managing directors who will manage their own infrastructure. The move will enable route directors to make decisions about rail maintenance, safety, operations and customer service matters.

The programme will preliminarily focus on Scotland and Wessex, which matches the lines operated by South West Trains from London to Surrey, Berkshire, Hampshire and Dorset.

The initial programme will be used to pilot the new structure and its success will determine whether the other seven routes in the UK will follow the devolution process.

During the extreme winter weather, Network Rail failed to deliver sufficient information to customers at Edinburgh’s Waverley Station. Furthermore, over Christmas, significant delays meant that only 81 per cent of trains ran on time in Scotland.

Last year, Tom Winsor, who was the UK’s rail regulator for five years, described Network Rail as a “beast ripe for slaughter.” He urged the new Government to take radical steps towards railway reform, by breaking up Network Rail to form regional companies who were more responsive to customer demands and needs.

John Grey Turner

If you are interested in arranging your own tea party for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and a chance to win afternoon tea with Lorraine Kelly, please visit The Eve Appeal website on http://www.eveappeal.org.uk/maketime-for-tea.aspx

Rose Street to be revamped 'Unloved' street in Edinburgh is being renovated by Prince Charles' architectural charity Alex Thompson Prince Charles’ architectural charity is drawing up plans to revamp Rose Street after it was accused of looking “unloved”.

Rose Street is a prominent attraction for rowdy pub crawls and stag nights. The Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment looks set to reinstate Rose Street, as a pedestrian friendly road, by controlling traffic and bringing business back to redundant buildings.

Set up in 1998 by Prince Charles, the charity helps regenerate towns and cities and assists in the design and planning of new communities.

A spokesperson for the foundation said: “The foundation uses an enquiry

by design approach, which is a community engagement mechanism to discover exactly what local people and stakeholders require from the area.”

She added: “We hope that by listening to businesses, residents and citizens and by paying some much needed care and attention to Rose Street, we might help to restore some of its legendary appeal.”

With the charity’s assistance, Rose Street will host regular street markets and festival events and its transformation will include new floral arrangements, a light display and a clean-up of ‘clutter’.

Rose Street is not the only area to get a facelift. Urban design consultants Gehl Architects have been commissioned by the city council to advise

necessary improvements to the city centre to decrease traffic and reinforce a more people-friendly approach. Their report ‘Edinburgh revisited: Public space, Public life’ sets out a vision for a ‘vibrant, liveable city centre’.

Gehl director David Sim said: “Princes Street is effectively Scotland’s high street and should be a flagship for the whole country but it is a disappointment. Our research found there had been a 50 per cent drop in the numbers of people going there over the last ten years.”

He said there should be a “cultural change in how Princes Street is used, with pubs, cafés and restaurants opened up to give it life at night-time, temporary closures for special events and more cyclists instead of buses.”

Network Rail were criticised for service failures last winter

Read more news online @ www.journal-online.co.uk

Scottish government grants Edinburgh Trams ten year extension

Tram network in Scotland's capital has been given an extension on land to continue project

Vistor numbers for Botanics on the rise

Edinburgh's botanical research establishment says visitor numbers are up after development of the John Hope Gateway

6 Student Politics

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011

Student elections QMU candidates

NUS presidential elections

Melvin Henley

Aaron Porter steps down as NUS President as Liam Burns announces his candidacy for the position

Melvin is a member of the Student Parliament and if elected he promises to continue pursuing matters which are important to students. As an international student, Melvin feels that he will address the needs of the international student body and increase their involvement with the student union. Melvin wants to increase participation in extra-curricular activities such as societies and volunteering and even has plans for a second Fresher’s week at the beginning of semester two. Finally, Melvin hopes to improve communication with students including an up-to-date website and ‘open door’ policy amongst others.

“I want to help make the university a better place for students, those that live on campus or off and further enrich the student experience as much as possible.

If elected I will strive hard to ensure that the issues which affects you (students) or which give rise to concern are addressed and resolved. I will be responsible for representing you, the students, through the various committees and representational systems in place and will do my utmost to assists through my role”

Ektor Tsatsoulis Ektor is a postgraduate student of Arts and Cultural Management. His previous roles have included Marketing and Communication Officer at the union, member of the Student Parliament, union officer and a class rep. His main aim is to bring students back to the union and improve the services within Maggie’s Bar and the union offices. His proposed agenda includes new events at Maggie’s Bar for all students, special promotions, improving communication with students (via Facebook, QMU radio etc). Finally, he plans to introduce an ‘open door’ policy and effectively represent and promote the interests of the union at NUS and the university.

“Vote for me cause we can do it harder, better, faster, stronger! I have a VP and four officers running as a team and we have a strategic plan to revive the union. I believe that the union should be a part of the student’s everyday life, and we plan to make it so.”

Michael Breckenridge

Jessica Abrahams Student News Editor Liam Burns, president of NUS Scotland, has announced his candidacy in the forthcoming NUS presidential elections following Aaron Porter’s decision to step down.

It recently emerged that current president Mr Porter would not be seeking reelection this April, making him only the second president since 1969 not to serve a second term. The decision comes amid claims that the NUS leadership has lost touch with the student voice over the issue of tuition fees.

Criticism of Mr Porter increased after he publicly denounced violence during student protests and was slow to support university sit-ins, at one point finding himself the target of threats of violence at a rally in January.

The announcement that he would be stepping down came just days after his re-election manifesto was leaked, which

Michael Bottom elected with 200 majority as university officials announce temporary suspension of new campus development

Michael Bottom has been elected president of Heriot-Watt University Students’ Union (HWUSU), beating his opponent Paul Murphy by 705 votes to 493. Mr Murphy was, however, elected to be an NUS Scotland delegate. Mike Ross, meanwhile, ran unopposed and was elected Senior Vice President with 1007 votes.

Ross McKechnie, also unopposed, was elected secretary of the union with 894 votes. Poor turnout at the election for Vice President (Scottish Borders Campus) saw Katie Barr elected with just 65 votes - a majority of just 32 over her opponent Emma Pellegrini.

Low turnout was a problem across the election, with the highest turnout for any single race hovering around 10 per cent of the total student body.

Recent months have been difficult for

HWUSU: in September, university officials ordered the union building closed amid concerns over its financial viability.

The election comes as financial pressures have forced Heriot-Watt University to postpone construction of its new accommodation building, which was due to begin last month. Building on the development was due to begin at the end of February, but financial pressures have forced the university to postpone the project until later this year.

A spokesman told The Journal: “HeriotWatt is committed to the Scottish Borders campus, and to the development of new university residences in Galashiels.

“However, given current uncertainties relating to the UK and global economy and discussions relating to university funding, it is considered that it would be prudent to undertake this development in phases.”

The £26 million project is intended to rejuvenate the ageing residential blocks on two of Heriot-Watt’s Scottish campuses.

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draw. He was re-elected in 2010 with a strong majority.

Mr Burns said: “Since November 10, we’ve lacked direction. We’ve allowed ourselves to become wound up in painfully insular, divisive arguments […] I am standing because we can no longer afford to waste time arguing amongst ourselves when people across all walks of life are starting to feel the full effects of the government’s cuts.”

Mr Burns, who is in favour of a graduate tax proportional to earnings above a certain threshold, has already received support from Liz Rawlings, president of Edinburgh University Students’ Association. Mr Cowen and Mr Burns are joined in their candidacy by Mark Bergfeld, spokesman for the Education Activist Network and member of NUS’ National Executive Council, and Thomas Byrne, co-founder of ‘Students for Tuition Fee Reform’.

HWUSU elects president as building plans are postponed Tommy McCallum

Michael is a third year Events Management student so knows how to throw a good party! If elected, Michael would represent students in the best way and make sure that the views and opinions of the student body are heard, both within Queen Margaret and further afield. First on Michael’s agenda is to give the rather dated students’ union bar a ‘makeover’ and he has big plans to get the students of Queen Margaret back to the union, with events running during the day throughout the year. Michael believes that by strengthening the QMU ‘community’ and promoting positive student spirit he will deliver a union the students will be proud of! You can follow Michael’s campaign on Facebook or Twitter (@SU_breckenridge). “‘Michael Breckenridge - the best thing since The King’s Speech!’ I believe I can really make a difference that will benefit QMU and make it a better place to be a student. I believe this is a time for change and that we need a strong president who can bring about reform and represent you the way you want to be represented.”

included claims of a “record breaking year” in the history of NUS. Writing in the Guardian, Mr Porter said: “The last year has been an incredible one for young people and for the National Union of Students […] As a group we kickstarted the resistance to the government’s cuts agenda that came from all quarters.

It is a campaign that I am proud to have been involved in […]

“Unfortunately, attempts to discredit the movement by those who stand to gain by splitting us have threatened to do just that and the politics of personal attacks threaten to turn the campaign inward at a time when our resilience must be at its highest.”

Two prominent figures in the National Union of Students have announced they will be standing for the position: Shane Cowen, who is currently vice-president, and Liam Burns.

Mr Burns initially won his place as president of NUS Scotland in 2009 by a coin toss after elections ended in a tie

I think we pay too much already I think education should be free I think we should pay more

The university plans to replace the existing 1970s accommodation - nicknamed “the ghetto” - with state of the art modern facilities, including en-suite facilities in every room and open space for students to socialise.

Peter Kerr, director of estates for the university, said: “These new residences, the latest phase of the university’s dynamic programme of investment to upgrade its estate, will be a major improvement to our student residences provision.

“They will replace buildings which are reaching the end of their useful lifespan with modern, attractive and welcoming accommodation with generous space standards and facilities, which are at the leading edge of market expectations.”

The first phase of the project, which will provide 218 bed spaces, is now expected to begin in April. The second phase of the project has not yet been scheduled.

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Student Politics 7

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011

McPherson elected EUSA president in close seven-candidate race A divided sabbatical team emerges from a hard-fought election at Edinburgh University Marcus Kernohan Editor-in-chief Fourth-year sociology student and current welfare convener Matt McPherson was elected president of Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA) last week in a close race for the top sabbatical job. Seven candidates contested the position, in an election which saw over 7,000 students vote – but at around 25 per cent turnout was slightly down compared to last year.

Speaking shortly after his election, Mr McPherson told The Journal: “I think the toughest thing about this race was not only that there were seven different candidates running, but that there were divides in our student politics which were not representative of any such divides in our student body.

“We’re one university, and we’re one union, and I’ll represent every single one of the 27,000 students here.”

Mr McPherson is joined on the 2011/12 sabbatical team by Philippa Faulkner as Vice President Services; Emma Meehan as Vice President Societies & Activities and Mike Williamson as Vice President Academic Affairs.

Mr Williamson’s victory was the most successful race for the anti-cuts Defend Edinburgh slate, which won 15 out 31 seats contested by its candidates. However, the alliance faced defeat in the tight presidential race when James McAsh lost out to Mr McPherson by a slim margin in the sixth round of voting.

Asked about his defeat, Mr McAsh said: “I really enjoyed the campaign, and I feel quite pleased that I got so many votes.

I’d quite like to have won, but I don’t see it as the end of the world.”

Mr McPherson and Mr McAsh clashed repeatedly during the campaign on the subject of higher education funding. The president-elect has been vocal in his support for a graduate contribution in Scotland, but Defend Edinburgh have taken a vigorous stance in favour of continued free education.

Speaking to The Journal, Mr Williamson expressed disappointment at his running mate’s defeat. “I’m obviously gutted,” he said, “I’ve been campaigning with McAsh for a long time.”

He also suggested that the graduate contribution issue could be a sticking point for the new sabbatical officers, saying: “If anything about cutting higher education comes up, I think Matt and I are going to be at loggerheads, because I fundamentally disagree with him.”

Mr McPherson denied claims that political disagreements at the sabbatical level would impact EUSA’s ability to represent students effectively. “Of course I’m concerned,” he said. “But if there are no divides and no disagreements within a sabb team, how can you actually expect good ideas to come out and progress to be made in one direction?

“We need clear leadership and clear direction, and that’s not about everyone doing the same thing.”

It is expected that Defend Edinburgh will continue as a force in EUSA politics.

Graham Smith, one of the slate’s architects, told The Journal: “It’s clear that there is a demand amongst the student body for reps that will fight for free, fair, funded higher education, and we will continue to campaign for it both inside and outside EUSA.You’ll see us next year!”

Mr Smith contested the position of academic services convener, but was defeated by Hugh Murdoch.

VPSA-elect Ms Meehan, a third-year English Literature student, won by a margin of around 1000 votes over rivals Harriet Page and Anna Forrest, expressing great surprise at such a significant victory. “I definitely didn’t expect that much of a win,” she said, “Harriet and Anna were both really good candidates.”

IncomingVPS Philippa Faulkner, meanwhile, was keen to defend her manifesto’s achievability. The fourth year biology student told The Journal: “My manifesto was a combination of very achievable and very aspirational things. I am confident that I can deliver on a lot of the things I promised.”

Presidential Election Results

Vice President Services Vice President Academic Affairs

Vice President Societies & Activities

8 Academic News

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011 david selby

New Roslin building design unveiled

New invention will tell you when your food has gone off

World-class centre for animal health research soon to open its doors Sophie Marion de Procé

Facebook anxiety increases with the number of friends you have

Facebook friends cause real-life stress

The new building for the Roslin Institute of the University of Edinburgh is soon to open its doors, after three years of construction on the Easter Bush campus.

The vision for the Easter Bush campus was to create a world-class centre for animal health care education and research. The new building has just been completed by the employee-owned architecture firm HDR. The £60 million building will host the Roslin Institute as well as the Scottish Agricultural College and the university’s Royal Veterinary School, accommodating around 460 members of staff.

In line with the genetic components in some of the research groups, the building’s design was inspired by the shape of a chromosome. To achieve this, on both upper floors, strands of laboratory facilities are combined with strands of office space, linked by meeting rooms, social space and transit routes.

The colourful, modern building gives

out a feeling of spaciousness and light through open plan rooms and large windows. The nearby Dick Vet Community garden, featured on the Beechgrove Garden BBC show, should provide an area to enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

Inside the building complex, a 250seat auditorium is supported by four seminar and conference rooms, a restaurant, appropriately named ‘Dolly’s’, a library, and freezer archive.

The minimal use of infrastructure contributed to push down the cost but means that the main challenge for its users will be to change to an open plan shared work environment, in both laboratories and offices. This should be eased by state of the art acoustic design elements minimising excess noise.

The offices will not be air-conditioned, since their open plan design allows natural ventilation.

The building is nearly ready to welcome the research groups, and the move of all laboratory equipment and staff from previous buildings should be over by the beginning of April.

HDR

An Edinburgh Napier University study links stress levels to the number of friends you have on Facebook Caroline Nguyen A high number of Facebook friends increases the likelihood of negative Facebook-related psychological effects, an Edinburgh Napier University study has revealed.

A team of psychologists found that of 175 participants surveyed, 12 per cent reported that Facebook made them feel anxious. On average, these users had 117 friends each. The remaining 88 per cent of the participants, who did not experience Facebook-related anxiety, had only 75 friends on average.

Dr Kathy Charles, who led the study, said: “Our data […] suggests that there is a significant minority of users who experience considerable Facebookrelated anxiety.

“We found it was actually those with the most contacts, those who had invested the most time in the site, who were the ones most likely to be stressed.”

The results of the study may indicate that a greater amount of friends leads to more pressures to “be inventive and entertain”, which leads to

negative psychological consequences.

“It’s like being a mini news channel about yourself”, said Dr Charles. “The more people you have the more you feel there is an audience there. You are almost a mini celebrity and the bigger the audience the more pressure you feel to produce something about yourself.”

Further, the choice to withdraw from Facebook if it is causing a user stress, is itself accompanied by feelings of anxiety. The site now has over 500 million users worldwide.

“Many also told us they were anxious about withdrawing from the site for fear of missing important social information or offending contacts.

“Like gambling, Facebook keeps users in a neurotic limbo, not knowing whether they should hang on in there just in case they miss out on something good.”

Dr Charles also cited “feelings of exclusion”, “having to use appropriate etiquette for different types of ‘friends’” and “paranoia or envy of others’ lifestyles” as other forms of Facebook-related psychological tension.

The £80 million building at Easter Bush will house over 400 staff

Read more news online @ www.journal-online.co.uk

Earth sphere to complete Edinburgh vice-principal National Museum of in slam poetry triumph Dawkins, the UofE chief Scotland redevelopment Young fundraiser, is crowned national Giant sphere will be the centrepiece of the new Restless Earth gallery

champion at the Scottish Slam Poetry Championships

Italian postgrad receives scholarship boost Italian postgrad scholarship scheme created with the help of Nicola Benedetti

A new smart label could be on supermarket shelves by the end of the year Hannah Raine

Edinburgh scientists are the masterminds behind a new colourchanging label that can tell us when our food is going off.

The new invention, produced by Pete Higgins and Dr Will Shu from the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Heriot-Watt University, has been shortlisted for the prestigious John Logie Baird Award.

The Use Within (UWI) Label, which the team have been researching for three years, can be placed at the side of a jar of food and will change colour when it is unsafe to eat.

Mr Higgins is one of six inventors who made it through to the final round for the John Logie Baird Award. He commented on what makes his label the only one of its kind, saying: “It is the only item that activates a time device when something is opened. I can’t explain the secret behind it because our patent is pending, but it works through a chemical solution.”

Higgins also revealed that he has found a manufacturer and claims that the label could even be on supermarket shelves by the end of the year. The label can also be used on medicines and cosmetics such as mascara which have a limited shelf life.

The new invention could also help reduce the amount of food which we throw away each year. Statistics from the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) campaign ‘Love Food, Hate Waste’ reveal that “8.3 million tonnes of food is thrown away by UK households every year”.

WRAP also claim that if we reduced the amount of food we throw away that could have been eaten “the CO2 impact would be the equivalent of taking 1 in 4 cars off the road”.

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011

Student News 9

Scotland urged to introduce tuition fees Debate continues as Universities Scotland and CBI back tuition fees Kathryn Richardson Scottish students are facing the possibility of tuition fees after a leaked report from Universities Scotland recommended their introduction and lobby group CBI have said fees will become necessary.

The Scottish Government has repeatedly promised that tuition fees are not an option, the only definite assurance given by their higher education funding Green Paper at the end of last year.

However, a leaked report from Universities Scotland has recommended introducing tuition fees at Scottish universities fixed at £3,290, similar to the current level in England, bringing the cost of a four-year degree to £13,000.

Universities Scotland has been clear that it will not be possible to maintain free higher education in Scotland but had previously been backing a graduate contribution. Two previous attempts to introduce fees in Scotland were unsuccessful. £2,000 a year fees were implemented between 1998 and 2000 and a one-off graduate endowment fee of £2,000 in 2008 was also dropped.

The main concern is that up-front, fixed tuition fees will affect the accessibility of higher education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

However, it was recently estimated by a panel of expert economists that Scottish universities will be left with a funding deficit of £200 million

compared to their English counterparts, following the rise in fees south of the Border.

Following the report, CBI, the UK’s leading business lobby group, have also submitted a proposal to the Scottish Government in support of tuition fees. They claim that the average graduate will earn around £160,000 more over their lifetime than non-graduates so that university will remain a worthwhile option for disadvantaged students.

Iain McMillan, Director of CBI Scotland, told The Journal: “If our universities are to remain internationally competitive and continue to deliver high standards of teaching and research to a significant number of Scottish students, then it is reasonable to expect graduates to make a financial contribution once their salaries have passed above a £21,000 per annum threshold.”

The SNP maintains that the funding gap will not be as high as £200 million, claiming that they can make up funds by charging higher tuition to English students. They have estimated the gap could be as low as £93 million.

Liam Burns, president of NUS Scotland, said: “While there is a funding gap, it can certainly be bridged without resorting to charging people for their education, through tuition fees or a graduate contribution.

“We now need to move on from the constant debate over fees or not. We’ll now be asking all political parties to

Official estimate of Scottish funding gap: £200 million per year Scottish government argues that it will be only £93 million per year, if tuition fees for non-Scots rise Proposed tuition fee increase for UK students outside of Scotland: £6,375 Tuition fees in England: £9000 (maximum) or £7500 (predicted average) david selby

Students will march to the Scottish Parliament on 22 March, demanding investment in education Imogen Block

commit to ruling out tuition fees, to maintaining graduate numbers and to improving student support in Scotland.”

The SNP and Scottish Labour party

have both ruled out the possibility of tuition fees, while the Scottish Conservatives have proposed a graduate contribution.

ESCA hosts Comic Relief extravaganza BBC Scotland may broadcast Edinburgh University societies in variety show performance Polly Dallyn

BBC Scotland has expressed interest in covering an event organised by Edinburgh University students in aid of Comic Relief, which hopes to raise over £1,000 in the run up to Red Nose Day. ‘The Big Red Variety Show’, run by Edinburgh Students Charities Appeal (ESCA), will showcase talent from a wide selection of the University of Edinburgh’s performing societies. The show includes two Fringe favourites, The Improverts and the Edinburgh Revue, alongside singing, dancing and juggling acts.

Tabby Gould, ESCA Deputy Fundraising Coordinator and organiser of the event, told The Journal: “Comic Relief is such a massive event and ESCA are really excited to be involved for the first time.

“The combination of societies will really bring together the best of Edinburgh’s home grown talents, all for an amazing cause. With any luck,

the show’s popularity will grow and become a major event in the University of Edinburgh social calendar.”

Other acts performing include the Rock Gospel Choir and Barbershop Society. BBC Scotland has suggested it might be interested in broadcasting the event, bringing widespread recognition to the university societies involved.

Ms Gould said: “If we can get BBC coverage and get lots of people attending this event it has the potential to bring students all over Edinburgh together in a unique event.”

Comic Relief was founded 25 years ago to fund grassroot projects tackling poverty and social injustice in the UK and abroad. It has raised £650 million to date which has been put to work in 76 countries.

ESCA is an independent student charity which runs a number of events throughout the year including the Meadows Marathon and sponsored hitch-hikes to Paris and Dublin. Last year ESCA raised over £70,000 for charity, including Children in Need,

NUS Scotland plans Edinburgh demo

DRUMSOC

The Big Red Variety Show takes place on 15 March at Teviot Waverley Care and Scottish Love and Action.

The Big Red Variety Show will be held on 15 March in Teviot’s Debating

Hall from 7:30pm. Tickets are £4 for students in advance or £5 on the door, and are available from the Teviot booking office and online.

Read more news online @ www.journal-online.co.uk

LSE-Libya controversy claims senior scalp

Legal challenge to tuition fees

London School of Economics director Sir Howard Davies resigns over the institution's ties to the Gaddafi regime

Tuition fees decision facing a judicial review after claims it breaches human rights laws

NUS Scotland has organised a demonstration through Edinburgh on 22 March, calling on the Scottish Parliament to invest in education.

The demonstration, part of the ‘Reclaim Your Voice’ campaign, is aimed at securing Scotland’s tuition fee free education, protecting the number of graduate and college places available, and improving student support for the poorest students.

It is planned to coincide with the last working day of the Scottish Parliament and follows recent calls to introduce tuition fees in Scotland, including a leaked report from Universities Scotland and a submission to parliament by lobby group CBI. Liam Burns, president of NUS Scotland, said: “We’ve seen how students have been let down and betrayed in the rest of the UK. Millions of people invested their trust and their votes only to see their trust entirely undermined.

“The Scottish Parliament elections are a chance for students to reclaim their voice and to ensure candidates, hoping to get elected, listen. However, it’s also a chance for the Scottish Parliament to reclaim its voice, and to choose a different way to the astronomical tuition fees and spending cuts we’ve seen in the rest of the UK.” Students from across Scotland are expected to attend the demonstration.

Several students’ associations, including Aberdeen and Strathclyde, have booked transport to enable students to travel to the event. Paper petitions have also been circulated.

A spokesperson for NUS Scotland told The Journal: “MSPs may claim they will not introduce fees only to change their mind when elected. The aim of the demonstration is to ensure MSPs hold their feet to the fire once the elections are over with.”

NUS Scotland said they were not concerned about the levels of violence seen at demonstrations south of the border. The spokesperson continued: “Our concern is the safety of those students who wish to demonstrate. We are doing a lot of work with the council to ensure this safety.”

Four days later, on 26 March, the Trades Union Congress will be holding a national demonstration in London against further cuts, which is set to be one of the biggest demonstrations seen so far.

Edinburgh’s protest will begin at 1pm at Johnston Place on the Royal Mile. From there, students will march down to the Scottish Parliament to hold a rally.

nfor two i W

ip nd r t ee Irela r f a to

National Politics 11

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011

Libyan dictator 'personally Salmond to hold ordered' Lockerbie bombing summit with Old Firm managers

Muammar Gaddafi faces new allegations from a former cabinet minister turned rebel leader over his role in the 1988 tragedy Nicolette

Jonathan Baldie National Politics Editor Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi has been accused of personally ordering the Lockerbie bombing by former justice minister Mustafa Abdel-Jalil.

Abdel-Jalil claims he has proof that the Libyan leader was behind the 1988 bombing of PanAm flight 103 over Scotland, which killed 270 people.

He told a journalist for Swedish newspaper Expressen that Gaddafi personally conversed with Abdelbaset alMegrahi and ordered him to carry out the attack.

Colonel Gaddafi accepted Libya’s responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing and paid compensation to the victims’ families in 2003. However, this is the first time that he has been seen as directly behind the attack.

Abdel-Jalil claimed that: “To hide it, he [Gaddafi] did everything in his power to get al-Megrahi back from Scotland.”

Al-Megrahi had been in prison in Scotland since 2001 for his role in the attack but was controversially released at the end of 2009 after being diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer.

The motivations behind his release have been at the centre of controversy ever since 2009. Critics have claimed that it was related to an oil deal between BP and Libya.

In Wikileaks cables, released in December 2010, it was revealed that the British government had feared retaliation from Libya if al-Megrahi died in prison in the UK. It was alleged Gaddafi had made “thuggish” warnings to British diplomats.

A US prostate specialist told Congress that the report on al-Megrahi’s health, in which UK doctors claimed he had three months to live, was “ridiculous”.

The Wikileaks cable also revealed

Jonathan Baldie National Politics Editor

270 died at Lockerbie, allegedly on Col Muammar Gaddafi's orders that American diplomats were concerned about the Scottish National Party’s motives.

Robin Naysmith, who served as the SNP’s representative in Washington, said Alex Salmond was shocked by the US outcry. As previously reported by The Journal, there have been increasingly frosty relations between some US senators and the SNP. A relative of one of the American victims last month said the claims confirmed her suspicions about Tripoli’s culpability.

Lisa Gibson, of Colorado Springs, lost her 20-year-old brother Ken in the bombing. She said: “I’m not surprised for him to say that Gaddafi is responsible because ultimately we know that.”

In the UK, anguish over the Lockerbie disaster is still rife. Following the

bombing over twenty years ago, relatives described the experience of hearing the names of the dead as “gut-wrenching” but insisted it was important that every single one was read out.

When the new allegations became public, deputy leader of the Scottish Conservatives Murdo Fraser said: “Given the events of recent days many people will find this a disturbing but believable claim. If true, it makes all the more questionable the role of the last Labour Government’s drive to do all it could to send al-Megrahi back to Tripoli.”

When questioned by The Journal, the Scottish Government were brief in their response to the new allegations against Gaddafi. A spokesperson said of the al-Megrahi sentencing: “Ministers have never doubted the safety of the conviction.”

New bill promises greater rights for patients in Scotland A new bill has some worried that patient treatments will be rushed Jenny Kassner

A bill that would legally force GPs to treat patients within 12 weeks has been passed by the Scottish Parliament. The Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill, unanimously backed by MSPs, is meant to speed up the process of patient treatment.

The bill, that will also introduce a charter of patients' rights and responsibilities within six months of the legislation coming into force, was described as an “important milestone” in the history of the NHS by health secretary Nicola Sturgeon.

However, the bill is controversial and has sparked much criticism. The British Medical Association (BMA) said that a limited treatment time will have “serious

The management of Rangers and Celtic are to meet with the First Minister to discuss greater transparency between the Old Firm

consequences for patients and the health care system” and was more about “political rhetoric that patient rights”.

The BMA raised concerns that a treatment time will force doctors to be hasty with treatment choices and decision, and could put the patient under a lot of stress: “For every patient, there will be different and often unique needs and doctors are concerned that this new target, enshrined in law, will create an inflexible system that forces doctors to rush patients into treatment without consideration of the particular needs of the patient.

“In order to achieve the new 12-week treatment time targets, the bill will require that patients be sent to hospitals often miles away, instead of waiting to be seen closer to home at a local hospital

or peripheral clinic.”

Friends and family may no longer be able to support the patients due to the possible distance.

To hurry up the process of treatment in general is, however, seen by some as beneficial to the patient.

“I think the bill is great. Time is of essence every time when treating an illness and it might speed up the diagnosis of possibly terminal illnesses such as cancer as well”, says Katri Vanhatalo, a student from Edinburgh.

Ms Sturgeon said: “We have a bill that will make a difference to patients in Scotland.

“The measures contained in it will reassure everyone that if they have concerns about care or services, they are exercising their legal rights in raising a complaint.”

Scottish first minister Alex Salmond has called for a meeting between the managers of Glaswegian football teams Celtic and Rangers.

Mr Salmond confirmed the move after player and fan conduct at the Scottish Cup replay at Celtic Park earlier in the month was described as ‘shameful’.

Three Rangers players were redcarded during the match, which also saw several touch-line and tunnel confrontations and 34 arrests inside the stadium.

The Scottish Football Association (SFA) is to investigate events at the match.

El Hadji Diouf, a Rangers player who was the last player to be sent off after the final whistle for dissent, was involved in an argument with the Celtic coaching team in the first half.

Following the end-game, Rangers’ assistant manager Ally McCoist and Celtic manager Neil Lennon argued, prompting fights across the stadium.

Strathclyde Police made 34 arrests inside the stadium for a variety of sectarian, racial and breach of the peace offences.

Chief Constable Stephen House made contact with the first minister after the game, writing to the Scottish Government and pleading for a meeting between

himself, the government and Old Firm management.

Annabel Goldie, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, raised the issue during First Minister’s Questions last week.

In response, Mr. Salmond confirmed that he had decided to hold a summit in order to bring ‘transparency’ between the two Glasgow clubs.

Mr Salmond said football fans were “representatives of their clubs” but noted that players and managers had a special responsibility, being in the public eye.

However, the first minister added that “the disgraceful scenes last night cannot be ignored”, and called the suggestion for a meeting from the Strathclyde chief constable “a welcome one”.

Celtic players were given three yellow cards, compared with 10 for Rangers, which led to three red cards for Rangers.

Peter Lawwell, Celtic’s chief executive, insisted that his players deserved plaudits for their behaviour.

“The team remained composed throughout what was, at times, a difficult game, and the fact that only three of our players were booked is evidence of that composure and discipline which provided the foundation for us to go and win the match.

“They should be congratulated in this regard,” he said.

Police made 34 arrests at the last Old Firm clash in Glasgow

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Lib Dems forced to select a new candidate Parliamentary candidate for Aberdeen resigns over prostitution charges

PM accompanies arms manufacturers to Egypt David Cameron travelled to post-revolutionary Egypt in February, alongside leaders of major arms manufacturers

Welsh vote 'Yes' to greater legislative powers A referendum has been passed in Wales, giving its devolved parliament greater powers to pass legislation

Sarah Armitt

12 Editorial

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011

ISSUE XXXVI

EDINBURGH’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Proposed ECA and Edinburgh EDINBURGH’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER University merger

ISSUE XLV

A marriage of convenience?

An artless pretense ECA's finances

THE CIRCUMSTANCES Of the proWe report today we hoped posed merger of thewhat University of Edininburgh our first editorial of this academic and the Edinburgh College of Art year the case: that it appears are was not not entirely fortuitous.

Earlierthe this decision towe merge thepromised Edinburgh College summer, were a thorough ofconsultation Art with the and University of Edinburgh told that 2013 was the was drivenpossible primarilydate by financial insta- to earliest for a merger bility rather than the spirit of academic take place. Now, however, we hear that fellowship. financial expediency may have forced A sustained examination ECA’sECA’s the acceleration of these of plans. financial records for theabout last five years, lack of transparency the state of alongside othersheets information obtained their balance has led to rumours through freedom of information requests of fiscal instability at lauriston Place. and ECA Theconversations negotiationswith thus farstudents have taken has revealed a startling of eco- to place behind closed narrative doors, leading nomic decline at the college.

Moreover, it claims that we are witnessing a “hostile has shown that senior staff - and most takeover”. particularly the principal, Professor Ianbad The merger is not, in itself, a Howard - feltcan nothing of the college’s idea; who argue with a free and financial ruin inexchange their own pay egalitarian of packets. academic The pattern rising debt,But falling expertise andofresources? rushing liquidity, over-ambitious expenditure the process, and attempting to force and high staff costs which is clear from

two very different institutions together ECA’s account leavesand littletheir mindless of statements their histories doubt as to why ECA found itself traditions, has the potential toon prove a the edgemistake. of bankruptcy. particular,proud costly ECA isInrightfully the of purchasing of ludicrous its small,expense collegiate community and Evolution House - foracademic the sake of which Its its well-respected stature. administrators both pillaged staff and students will nottheir take kindly own coffers by borrowing £1.5 million to becoming the University’s Departfrom the fund, and all but ment ofendowment Art. mortgaged the entireof college to secure a is The question representation £10 million one. commercial loan - is president shown a crucial ECA’s student toacknowledges have left ECA bearing a long-term the possibility that her debt burden almost as largeas as aitsresult total of position may disappear endowment. the merger. There is yet to be a frank Nor candiscussion it cannot beof claimed that 1,600 this and open how ECA’s weighty debt remained in the abstract: students, with their distinct location successful institutionsculture, do not decide and representative will be repsuddenly their staffing budgets resentedtoinreduce the new unified institution. by £1 million, The prioritynecessitating must be toa voluntary ensure that redundancy scheme and major they possess an equal voice;cuts they must tonot support staff.

Nor do those go feel disenfranchised cuts or outcast. unnoticed, as students’ union president The campuses may remain physically Francesca Miller acknowledged to us

divided, but in spirit there can be no this week. division.

ECA spokespeople, Themeanwhile, Journal supports In principle, have denied theas college the flatly merger - asthat long it is was a union “forced” to merge with theconsidered University ofand of equals, properly Edinburgh, that financial desperacarefully or executed.

If money truly is tion role in that In theplayed force adriving this decision. merger forward, annual reports andmust official then so be it: we actstatements, to protect the they haveofpainted a suspiciously rosy future art education in Edinburgh. picture major expenditures asto being In anyof case, improved access various part of an illusive long-term resources for students at plan. bothBut instituthe factscan we only have shown today;educational the facts tions make their that have beenricher. previously experience Thereported; two already the fact athat thebond, merger will require a reashare close and there is no £14 payoutcontinue from the to Scottish sonmillion this cannot grow and Funding the harsh developCouncil to the and benefit of all critistudents cisms offered by Holyrood education and staff. secretary Michael Russell when we the If there is resentment about approached comment this nature of him this for marriage-cum-bailout, week, suggest thatthe therisk time come however, we run ofhas ending up in toadrop the together facade: everything atscenario Lau‘staying for the kids’ riston Place isthat not all right.

- a situation rarely ends happily.

Editor-in-chief Working with a large team of writers, editors, layout designers and photographers the editor-inchief supervises the production of The Journal from commissioning to final layout and proofing. It’s a big responsibility, but it offers an amazing opportunity to take a hands-on approach in shaping the direction of Edinburgh’s independent student newspaper.

What we’re looking for The editor is responsible for making key decisions about the paper’s coverage and development, and so must take an active interest in all areas of the publication’s coverage, from news and comment to arts and sport.

We are looking for a person who: • is a great writer and editor • is confident and comfortable with managing a large and diverse team • has a sense for a compelling and eye-catching story • is passionate about both print and new media Compiler: Jon Baldie | Design: Joni Langdale

Scottish university funding JK Rowling MS donation

Down: 1. A man who seduces women, often to 2. Device measuring acceleration (13) their financial ruin (3) 3. Opposite of down (2) 3. Global (9) 4.Treatment for tb (3) 9. British petroleum (introduction) (2) 5. 45 inches (3) 10. Reverberation (4) 6. Cider (regional british name) (5) With a team of three junior editors and reporting directly 11.The study of existence, knowledge 7. Surface between knee and hips when toand the editor-in-chief, the Deputy Editor morals (10) seated (3) (Comment & oversees the of surrounded informed, 14.features) City in california, usa (abb) (2) commissioning 8. Area of water byincisive land (3) 15.opinion However (4) pieces and in-depth features that are relevant to 9. Bolsheviks follow this ideology (10) 16.both Irritating Introduction (5) day. our(10) audience and the key12.issues of the 19. Member of the clergy (6) 13. Knobbly-headed sea mammal (13) 20. Europe's second longest river (6) 16. Recruited Sir Mansfield Cumming as You must be: 21. Match official in cricket (6) first head of MI6 (7) 23.• To remove (6) 17. One who suffers (7) relentless in chasing public figures for comment, 24. One whether who studiespoliticians, the origin of words 18. Cyclicalacademics (10) journalists, or artists (10) 22. Established doctrine (5) at (4) writing and editing thoughtful, balanced 26.• Stateadept in the usa 25. Pre-columban civilisation in moderncommentaries on tight deadlines 27. He, she, it (in latin) (2) day tabasco (5) 28. Broomstick (10) 28. A container (3) tuned to current affairs on a local, national and 32.• The first manin created by god in juda29. Used to row a boat (3) international plane ism, christianity and islam (4) 30. Alternative name for the ancient egyp33.The journal's student politics editor tian sun god, ra (3) (2) 31. enemy (3) 34. Review positively (9) 33. to (in latin) (2) 35. Japanese currency (3) Across:

Labouring the point

Harry Potter and the Regenerative Neurology Clinic

Last weekend, the Scottish Labour Party performed a surprise U-turn, reversing its stance on university funding and pledging not to introduce any form of tuition fees or graduate contribution for Scottish students in the next parliament. The party’s intentions are laudable, but APPlAUDS in performing a The Journal J. such K. Rowlvolte-face theyaltruism may havein favoured crude ing for her donating £10 politicking practical policy. million to over the University of Edinburgh very recently, Labour to Until establish a newScottish research centre could be heard loudly browbeating the studying treatments for multiple SNP for treating higher education as sclerosis. a “political football”.isLabour Ms Rowling likelyargued the most that the SNP was promising keep successful author of ourtogeneration. university free Sunday in the fullTimes knowledge Richthat list The current such a plan may unsustainable the estimates her be fortune at somein £512 long term.Of If Scottish Labour wants be million. all possible uses forto such taken seriously as a party government wealth and status, thereofare few more again, it must demonstrate how worthy.

Her quickly bequest, hailed by the its stance is more sustainable thanCentre that co-director of the University’s of theMultiple SNP. Scottish universities need as a a for Sclerosis Research long-term sustainable funding solution,

Crossword JOIN OUR TEAM

not a quick patch-up job.

This newspaper has consistently argued in favour of the principle of free education. Access to tertiary education must continue to be on the basis of a student’s ability to learn, not earn. This principle, however, is proving difficult for policymakers uphold when faced “generous and to far-sighted donation”, with floundering economy and rival our will aundoubtedly help advance demands for public spending.

Politicians understanding of the disease. are proving quick to lacks flinch in face Multipletoo sclerosis thethe profile of opinion, and too eager pledge ofpublic cancer.

To many, it is seentoas less what they may able It to is deliver. damaging.

Butnot it be is not. a terrible Very few people favour tuition fees of illness; a protracted degeneration in principle, but it is a brute truthfamilies that the human body that destroys our needthe to besufferer’s adequately anduniversities compromises abilfunded.

Thanks to the cuts in higher eduity to live comfortably and indepencation in England, the amount dently.funding In the UK alone, 100,000 people of money allocated to Scotland suffer from the disease.

Ms through Rowling’s the Barnett formula will continue to to be mother, after whom the clinic is decline. these pages we aged reportjust named,In died from thetoday disease on 45.new estimates of an impending £200 million funding gap between England

and Scotland. If Scottish universities are starved of funding, they will not be able to compete with those south of the border - or indeed, around the world.

Labour, the SNP and the Scottish Liberal Democrats must explain how they will fund our universities without income from fees or with a graduate tax. yet in Attuition this stage, no cure Lib our Demfocus leader Tavish has the sight, must be Scott on treating suggested university funding could disease’s that effects; on mitigating, where be by reducing other benefits at protected all possible, its worst excesses. like prescriptions orthrough free bus travel Thisfree can only happen careful, for pensioners.

In practice, these properly popular methodical clinical research, benefits difficult to cut funded will andbesupported.

We back: hopethe and sight of that pensioners struggling toRegenermeet expect the Anne Rowling travel and the sick unable to afford ative costs Neurology Clinic will make a sigmedicine would shake the political nificant contribution to that research. willMs of any government.

Furthermore, Rowling has already lost a pensioners more voters loved one are to far MS. Herregular commitment than students.that others will not have to ensuring experience of the Liberal Demoto The is fundamentally and undeniably crats in Westminster should remind praiseworthy.

Mr Scott - and his fellow party leaders

Edinburgh’s uniVErsiTY nEwspapEr Publisher General News Amanda S. falk Publisher Deputy Editor (News) Devon Walshe Local News Melissa Wong Devon Walshe Megan Taylor 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 News EditorLily Panamsky Dorothy Butchard Academic (Arts & Entertainment) Design Team Student News 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 Ridley-Moran Editor (News) Art Rachel Cloughton Bethany Comment Coward Megan Taylor ComedyJoe 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 Jenny Kassner, Greg Bianchi

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Deputy Editor Comment & features

Deputy Editor Sport

With four universities and three colleges, Edinburgh’s student sports scene is a busy place. The Deputy Editor (Sport)for is responsible Looking the answers?for ensuring that The Journal continues provide broad, interesting coverage of both Find them atto www.journal-online.co.uk/crossword student and professional sport in Edinburgh and across Scotland.

Corrections You need to possess: •

a wide general interest in a range of sports, and a solid understanding of what’s going on in Edinburgh sports (particularly at the universities)

•

good writing skills in a range of formats, from match reports to interviews and opinion pieces

Student Theto develop King'sand Theatre reduce • great elections: ideas about how enhance the candidates show times publication’s sport coverage Our elections spread (The tight, Due to highly an editorial error, the head• student the ability to turn around readable copy Journal p4/5) did not line 'King's Theatre reduce show onissue tight 44, deadlines include an election statement from times' (The Journal issue 44, p6) EUSA Vice President Services candi- was accidentally placed above the date Jo Smith. We were informed late text from an article about pandas inHead the production process that Mr at Edinburgh Zoo. The actual article to www.journal-online.co.uk/recruitment Smith had withdrawn his candidacy, is available on our website, and we or email recruitment@journal-online.co.uk which turned out not to be the case. would like to cordially thank for the ediWe apologise for failing to provide a tors of the Student for alerting us to more information. comprehensive overview of the can- the error. didates for this position.

Comment 13

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011

Comment Discussion&Debate

Walking in the information footprints of others We should praise, not fear, the way in which the internet has changed how we gather and interpret data Opte Project

Steven Drost

CEO of STIPSO, Edinburgh

I

t can be argued that technologies define their times- and that, by extension, big thoughts use the language of technologies to both unearth and define the metaphors of their times. Descartes, Hobbes and Newton all used the vocabulary of mechanical engineering to describe the self, the body politic and the universe. Indeed, the phrases “ghost in the machine”, and “things working like clockwork” are still used and understood today. In our times, scientists like Richard Dawkins insist that we describe the genome as a collection of “bits of information”, and the economist Niall Ferguson recently framed cross-cultural political debate by speaking of “killer apps” that allow non-Western cultures to “download civilisational software.”

It seems, then, that the vocabulary of information technology and data processing is increasingly used to describe the world we currently live in.

We all probably use this language ourselves and are increasingly aware of how much information and data we have to wade through and the means at our disposal to do so - from finding bus times to looking for football scores via websites, apps, tweets, and so on.

But are we also aware of how much information we create ourselves?

To clarify, let me speak of our “information footprint”. With all our tweeting and Facebooking, Googling, email and texting, we are creating a mass of information the likes of which has never been seen before. The footprints are only getting bigger and bigger; more and more global.

All of this information has a value, and there are countless projects underway to scrutinise these information

Visualising the internet: the image shows how web-pages connect and interconnect footprints; to gather, scrape, compile, aggregate, cross-reference and benchmark this information - and from there to repackage it and sell it on to those who are willing to pay for it. The buyers in this scenario are mostly large corporations looking for consumer feedback and information to enhance and develop old and new products and services, adjust pricing and so on.

I have been in the business of gathering data for over a decade and

have seen that information that was once hard to come by - literally begged and bribed out of people - is now being freely volunteered thanks to new technology platforms and a new understanding of what privacy means.

People’s chit-chatting has moved onto the social web and with that become more open and documented: it can be data-processed, cross-tabulated, integrated, pattern-analysed, et cetera. All of this can sound “creepy” – and indeed,

speaking of Google’s stance on these matters, ex-CEO Eric Schmidt claimed six months ago that “Google policy is to get right up to the creepy line and not cross it.”

It is equally clear, however, that the benefits and convenience, and even the revolutionary political potential of these information platforms cannot be overlooked: from keeping in touch with friends over Facebook, to using Twitter as a documentation tool for

shining a light on old media coverage black-spots: the “creepy” is contrasted with the “liberating”. In short, there is a risk/reward binary at play here.

An information gathering technique particularly close to my heart is “crowd-sourcing”. Put simply, information crowd-sourcing encourages masscontribution to collect data from the web, so the “wisdom” of this crowd can be expressed and measured.

When done right, information crowd-sourcing should include a list of key attributes: it should be a rewarding, open and transparent exercise, only minimally edited; it should provide a robust, user-friendly platform, which helps lend a voice to its data contributors. In this way, a pool of information is created which is actually useful, meaningful and interesting to everyone involved – both the contributors and those who consume the data. It should lead to a win-win situation for all.

In terms of consuming data, there are encouraging signs that transparency and free access to information are growing trends. In 2009, Tim BernersLee, the inventor of the web, was put in charge of data.gov.uk, a project tasked with making government data more transparent and accessible on the web. This constitutes a shift in thinking and of expectation: the default position now is that data “should be in the public domain unless there is a good reason not to - not the other way around.” Some of this government data has already been processed, visualized and published - perhaps most notably by the Guardian’s datastore.

I hope this trend of transparency and free access continues and extends to the collection of data. I look forward to seeing more good crowd-sourcing projects in future that collect and analyze and display interesting, meaningful data so that we can all benefit from the information footprints we create.

Steven Drost is CEO of Edinburgh social web startup Stipso.

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Comment 15

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011

Illustrator Tamsyn Mystkowski recently graduated from Edinburgh College of Art

Microfinance dis-credited?

Tensions escalate between Muhammad Yunus and the Bangladeshi Government

Kirsty McCaffrey

M

www.festivalflats.net

uhammad Yunus, the Bangladeshi winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, is internationally renowned as the pioneer of microfinance, having founded the Grameen Bank in 1983.

Grameen provides financial services to those who are excluded from the traditional banking sector, making small loans available to low-income rural borrowers. Indeed, microfinance has been hailed as a silver bullet for development, enabling poor people to develop their own businesses.

Yunus, however, is facing strong hostility at home, with the Bangladeshi Government making it clear they no longer view him suitable to continue as managing director of the Grameen Bank, an independent organisation.

This follows on from late 2010 when a Norwegian documentary accused Yunus of transferring funds from Grameen to an unapproved project. This claim, however, was unfounded, with the Norwegian government finding that the documentary was incorrect.

There is also a personal dimension to the Bangladeshi government’s intervention in the affairs of Grameen. In 2007 Yunus attempted to set up a new political party, to challenge the Bangladeshi political establishment. Consequently Bangladeshi politicians have sought to discredit Yunus, with Sheikh Hasina, prime minister, accusing Yunus of “sucking blood from the poor”.

Thus far, Yunus has survived these attacks on his character. Recently, however, he has been informed that at seventy he is five years past the retirement age for managing directors in Bangladesh and must vacate his position.

Grameen is yet to respond to this demand, with the outcome remaining

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"The Grameen Bank has 8.35 million clients, of whom 97 percent are poor women." uncertain. What is clear, however, is that this deadlock is not in the interests of Grameen Bank, or the individuals who rely on microloans.

Once hailed as the tool to end global poverty, microfinance has fallen from grace. This fall predates Bangladeshi government intervention with Grameen. Indeed, in recent years there has been a noticeable backlash against microlenders.

The Indian state of Andhra Pradesh found many microlenders to be too aggressive in debt collecting and the movement was blamed for a spate of suicides.

There is, however, a crucial distinction between the practices of aggressive creditors and not-for-profit microfinance.

The Grameen Bank has 8.35 million clients, of whom 97 per cent are poor women. These loans enable the women to start small business, with flexible repayment, allowing borrowers to cope with short-term shocks such as illness.

The ongoing dispute between Yunus and the Bangladeshi government is not serving the long term interests of microfinance, and of the global poor. Indeed, some fear that continued government interventions will undermine the stability of Grameen.

Grameen-style microfinance is not the silver bullet for development but it does aid the poor. What needs to be considered now is the future security of the bank and its borrowers.

Kirsty McCaffery is a third-year politics and social anthropology student at the University of Edinburgh.

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S Single D Double T Twin B Box G Gas Central W White Meter E Electric PG Private CG Communal Z Zone O On-Street P Private UF Unfurnished

Dean Path, 540, 1, G CG Z, 0844 635 4830

Easter Road Cadzow Place, 1300, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Easter Road, 1240, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Easter Road, 1160, 4, 4D G O, 0844 635 9302 Easter Road, 990, 3, 1S 2D, 0844 635 3700 Easter Road, 950, 3, 2S 1D, 0844 635 3700 Easter Road, 900, 3, 3D -1B -1T E, 0844 635 9332 Hawkhill Close, 700, 2, 2D G P, 0844 635 4820 Brunswick Road, 675, 2, 2D G P, 0844 635 9679 Hawkhill Close, 675, 2, 2D G P, Elgin Terrace, 500, 1, 1D G P, 0844 635 9560 Rossie Place, 495, 1, 1B E CG O, 0844 635 9328 Albion Place, 485, 1, 1D, 0844 635 9560 Maryfield, 485, 1, 1D, 0844 635 3700 Easter Road, 475, 1, 1D G CG O, 0844 635 2418

Fettes East Pilton Farm Wynd, 725, 2, 2D G P, 0844 635 8696 East Pilton Farm Crescent, 695, 3, 3D G P, 0844 635 8696 North Werber Place, 675, 2, -1S -1D -1B -1T G, 0844 635 9596 North Werber Park, 650, 2, 2D -1B -1T W, 0844 635 9332 Crewe Road North, 615, 2, 2D G P, 0844 635 2418 North Werber Park, 575, 1, CG P, 0844 635 2010

Fountainbridge Polwarth Crescent, 1700, 5, 5D, 0844 635 3700 Dundee Terrace, 1320, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Upper Grove Place, 975, 3, Z, 0844 635 9352 Grove Street, 670, 2, 1S 1D G CG Z, 0844 635 9560 Upper Grove Place, 650, 2, 2D G, 0844 635 3330 Dundee Terrace, 600, 1, 1D G, 0844 635 4820 Temple Park Crescent, 575, 2, 1S 1D, 0844 635 9234 Watson Crescent, 525, 1, 1D 1B G O, 0844 635 9679 Angle Park Terrace, 495, 1, , 0844 635 9338 Grove Street, 450, 1, Z, 0844 635 9352

Gorgie Dalry Road, 975, 3, Z, 0844 635 9352 Westfield Court, 880, 3, 3D G CG O, 0844 635 1312 Wardlaw Terrace, 525, 1, 1D G CG O, 0844 635 2627 Smithfield Street, 450, 1, 1D W O, 0844 635 9688 Wheatfield Place, 450, 1, CG O, 0844 635 9352 Stewart Terrace, 400, 1, 1D, 0844 635 3700

Grange St. Albans Road, 900, 2, 1S 1D G, 0844 635 9560 Grange Loan, 750, 2, 2D G CG, 0844 635 2418 Grange Loan, 650, 2, 2D G CG, 0844 635 2418 Millar Crescent, 650, 2, 2D 1B G CG, 0844 635 2418

Granton Granton Square, 700, 3, 1S 2D G CG O, 0844 635 9560 Saltire Square, 700, 3, 1S 2D G CG P, 0844 635 9388 Granton Road, 475, 1, 1D E O, 0844 635 6450 Lower Granton Road, 440, 1, 1D -1B -1T G, 0844 635 9332

Grassmarket West Port, 950, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Grassmarket, 775, 1, 1D W, 0844 635 4820 Upper Bow, 525, 1, 1D E Z, 0844 635 4820

Haymarket Grove Street, 1700, 5, 5D, 0844 635 3700 Grove Street, 1700, 5, 2S 3D, 0844 635 3700 Grove Street, 1450, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Grove Street, 1150, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Grove Street, 550, 1, 1D G CG Z, 0844 635 9464 Upper Grove Place, 525, 1, E O, 0844 635 6604

Hillside Hillside Street, 1775, 5, 5D, 0844 635 3700 Blenheim Place, 1700, 5, 1S 4D, 0844 635 3700 Hillside Crescent, 1600, 5, 5D, 0844 635 3700 Hillside Crescent, 1400, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Brunswick Road, 1385, 3, 3D G P, 0844 635 2418

East London Street, 1380, 4, 1S 3D, 0844 635 3700 Earlston Place, 960, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Dalziel Place, 950, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Cadzow Place, 930, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Montrose Terrace, 850, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Allanfield Place, 750, 2, 2D G P, 0844 635 9362 Brunton Gardens, 625, 3, 3D G CG Z, 0844 635 2418 Allanfield, 525, 1, 1D E P, 0844 635 1614

Holyrood Royal Park Terrace, 1200, 4, 4D G CG O, 0844 635 9322 Royal Park Terrace, 825, 3, 3D E CG O, 0844 635 9488 Viewcraig Street, 695, 3, 3D W CG O, 0844 635 9679 Viewcraig Gardens, 660, 2, 2D E P, 0844 635 9302 Dalgety Avenue, 575, 1, 1D 1B G, 0844 635 1614

Leith Walk Elm Row, 2000, 5, 5D G Z, 0844 635 9302 Smith’s Place, 1600, 5, 5D, 0844 635 3700 Antigua Street, 1600, 4, 4D G Z, 0844 635 9679 Leith Walk, 495, 1, 1D, 0844 635 3700 Murano Place, 495, 1, 1D G O, 0844 635 9324 Albert Street, 465, 1, E O, 0844 635 9578 Leith Walk, 450, 1, 1D E O, 0844 635 6450 Albert Street, 420, 1, O, 0844 635 9352

Liberton Old Burdiehouse Road, 650, 2, 2D G P, 0844 635 9460 Langton Road, 625, 2, 2D G PG O, 0844 635 9316 Southhouse Crossway, 595, 2, 2D G O, 0844 635 9390 Dinmont Drive, 500, 2, 2D G CG O, 0844 635 2287 Claverhouse Drive, 450, 1, 1D G PG O, 0844 635 4820

Marchmont Strathearn Road, 1750, 4, 2S 2D G PG Z, 0844 635 9320 Thirlestane Road, 1700, 4, 4D G CG Z, 0844 635 9478 Lauderdale Street, 1600, 4, CG O, 0844 635 9352 Warrender Park Road, 1520, 5, 5D G, 0844 635 9316 Lonsdale Terrace, 1510, 4, , 0844 635 9308 Marchmont Road, 1500, 4, 4D G CG Z, 0844 635 9478 Melville Terrace, 1460, 4, 1S 3D, 0844 635 3700 Marchmont Crescent, 1430, 4, 3S 1D, 0844 635 3700 Meadow Place, 1300, 3, CG Z, 0844 635 9352 Marchmont Road, 1295, 4, 2S 2D G O, 0844 635 9384 Arden Street, 1250, 3, 1S 2D G, 0844 635 4820 Marchmont Crescent, 1200, 3, CG Z, 0844 635 9352 Marchmont Road, 1200, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Melville Terrace, 1200, 3, CG Z, 0844 635 9352 Strathearn Road, 1200, 3, 1S 2D G Z, 0844 635 4820 Roseneath Place, 1130, 3, 1S 2D, 0844 635 3700 Marchmont Road, 1075, 3, CG O, 0844 635 9352 Arden Street, 1020, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Marchmont Street, 995, 2, 2D G CG Z, 0844 635 8696 Marchmont Crescent, 960, 3, 3D G CG Z, 0844 635 9322 Livingstone Place, 925, 3, 1S 2D G CG Z, 0844 635 9334 Roseneath Place, 900, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Marchmont Street, 900, 2, 2D G CG Z, 0844 635 9478 Roseneath Terrace, 650, 2, 2D 1B E O, 0844 635 9324

Meadowbank Wolseley Terrace, 1175, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Marionville Road, 650, 2, 2D G O, 0844 635 2256 Moray Park Terrace, 650, 2, 2D G P, 0844 635 2418 Piershill Place, 645, 2, 2D G CG O, 0844 635 2287 Dalgety Road, 625, 2, 2D W CG P, 0844 635 9312 Restalrig Road South, 620, 2, 2D G CG O, 0844 635 2627 Lower London Road, 600, 2, 2D E P, 0844 635 9594 Cambusnethan Street, 595, 2, 1S 1D G CG O, 0844 635 9422

Dalgety Street, 575, 2, 2D G CG O, 0844 635 9460 Piershill Terrace, 575, 2, 1S 1D G CG O, 0844 635 4820 Dalgety Road, 525, 1, 1D 1B G CG O, 0844 635 9312 Dalgety Road, 495, 1, 1D G CG O, 0844 635 9424 London Road, 490, 1, 1D G Z, 0844 635 9478

Meadows Simpson Loan, 2150, 3, 3D G P, 0844 635 4820 Hope Park Terrace, 1700, 5, 5D G Z, 0844 635 4820 Livingstone Place, 815, 3, 3S G CG Z, 0844 635 2418 Moncrieff Terrace, 595, 2, 2D G CG Z, 0844 635 2418 Buccleuch Street, 530, 1, 1D E CG Z, 0844 635 9434

Merchiston Merchiston Avenue, 2000, 5, 5D, 0844 635 3700 Merchiston Crescent, 1440, 4, 4D, 0844 635 9316 Blackwood Crescent, 700, 2, G Z, 0844 635 2256

Morningside Maxwell Street, 2400, 6, CG Z, 0844 635 9352 Morningside Road, 1800, 5, 3S 2D, 0844 635 3700 Morningside Road, 1800, 5, 5D G CG Z, 0844 635 2418 Morningside Road, 1750, 5, 2S 3D, 0844 635 3700 Leamington Terrace, 1700, 5, 5D, 0844 635 3700 Craighouse Gardens, 750, 3, 3D E CG P, 0844 635 9302 Morningside Road, 725, 2, 2D G CG Z, 0844 635 2418 Falcon Court, 675, 2, 2D E CG P, 0844 635 9558 Millar Crescent, 595, 1, Z, 0844 635 9308 Balcarres Street, 575, 1, 1D, 0844 635 6450 Balcarres Street, 495, 1, 1D G, 0844 635 1614 Morningside Road, 310, 1, G CG Z, 0844 635 3880

New Town Scotland Street, 2500, 5, 5D G, 0844 635 6450 Eyre Place, 1900, 3, 3D G P, 0844 635 9300 Mansfield Place, 1750, 5, 1S 4D G O, 0844 635 9316 India Street, 1750, 4, Z, 0844 635 9308 London Street, 1700, 4, Z, 0844 635 9352 Scotland Street, 1700, 4, 4D G CG, 0844 635 9316 Dundas Street, 1680, 4, 4D G Z, 0844 635 9362 Eyre Place, 1650, 5, 5D, 0844 635 3700 Scotland Street, 1640, 4, 4D G CG Z, 0844 635 9464 Castle Street, 1600, 4, Z, 0844 635 9352 Dublin Street, 1600, 4, 4D G Z, 0844 635 4820 Dundonald Street, 1600, 4, 4D G Z, 0844 635 2418 Royal Crescent, 1600, 4, , 0844 635 9308 Abercromby Place, 1600, 3, 3D, 0844 635 4820 Great King Street, 1600, 3, Z, 0844 635 9308 Eyre Crescent, 1500, 4, , 0844 635 9338 Barony Street, 1445, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Dundas Street, 1420, 3, 3D G, 0844 635 9316 Dundonald Street, 1395, 4, 4D G Z, 0844 635 4820 Frederick Street, 1375, 3, , 0844 635 9338 Cumberland Street, 1350, 3, 3D G Z, 0844 635 4820 Dundas Street, 1350, 3, 3D G Z, 0844 635 9478 Dundas Street, 1350, 3, 3D G Z, 0844 635 4820 Dundonald Street, 1300, 3, 3D G Z, 0844 635 4820 Canon Street, 1280, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Broughton Street, 1250, 4, 4D G CG Z, 0844 635 2418 Great King Street, 1250, 3, 1S 2D G Z, 0844 635 4820 Great King Street, 1250, 3, 3D G, 0844 635 4820 Heriot Row, 1250, 3, 1S 2D, 0844 635 4820 Bellevue Crescent, 1200, 2, Z, 0844 635 9308 Gloucester Place, 1200, 2, CG Z, 0844 635 9308 Hopetoun Crescent, 1125, 3, 3D G PG P, 0844 635 9302 Dundas Street, 1100, 3, Z, 0844 635 9308 Claremont Crescent, 1100, 2, 2D G CG Z, 0844 635 4820 Royal Crescent, 1100, 2, 2D G Z, 0844 635 4820

Broughton Place, 1090, 3, 1S 2D, 0844 635 9316 Gayfield Square, 1060, 4, 1S 3D G Z, 0844 635 9316 Grindlay Street, 1000, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Grindlay Street, 990, 3, 1S 2D, 0844 635 3700 Dundonald Street, 960, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 St Stephen Street, 950, 3, 1S 2D, 0844 635 3700 East London Street, 875, 3, 1S 2D G P, 0844 635 4820 Dundonald Street, 850, 2, 2D G Z, 0844 635 4820 Royal Crescent, 800, 2, 2D, 0844 635 3700 Dundonald Street, 800, 1, 1D G Z, 0844 635 4820 East London Street, 795, 2, O, 0844 635 9352 Cumberland Street, 750, 2, 1S 1D G Z, 0844 635 4820 Eyre Place, 750, 2, 2D G CG Z, 0844 635 9679 Jamaica Mews, 725, 1, 1D E P, 0844 635 4820 East London Street, 700, 2, 2D G CG Z, 0844 635 9679 Northumberland Place, 700, 1, 1D W Z, 0844 635 4820 Perth Street, 675, 2, 1D 1B G Z, 0844 635 4820 St Stephen Street, 675, 2, 2D, 0844 635 3700 Silvermills, 625, 1, 1D G P, 0844 635 4820 Huntly Street, 495, 1, 1D -1B -1T W CG Z, 0844 635 9314 High Riggs, 475, 1, 1S, 0844 635 3700 Jamaica Mews, 475, 1, 1D P, 0844 635 9324

Newington Nicolson Street, 3200, 8, 8D G Z, 0844 635 9679 St Leonard’s Bank, 2400, 6, 6D G PG Z, 0844 635 9302 Newington Road, 2300, 7, 7D, 0844 635 2418 Rankeillor Street, 2125, 5, 5D G PG Z, 0844 635 9302 Brown Street, 2100, 6, 6D G P, 0844 635 9302 Lutton Place, 2050, 5, 5D, 0844 635 3700 South Clerk Street, 2050, 5, 5D, 0844 635 3700 Lutton Place, 2000, 5, CG Z, 0844 635 9352 Newington Road, 2000, 5, 5D, 0844 635 3700 Buccleuch Terrace, 1440, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 East Mayfield, 1400, 4, 2S 2D, 0844 635 3700 Rankeillor Street, 1400, 4, 2S 2D, 0844 635 3700 Dalkeith Road, 1380, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Dalkeith Road, 1380, 4, 2S 2D, 0844 635 3700 Dalkeith Road, 1380, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Dalkeith Road, 1360, 4, 1S 3D, 0844 635 3700 Lutton Place, 1360, 4, 1S 3D G Z, 0844 635 9322 Montague Street, 1350, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Blackwood Crescent, 1330, 4, 2S 2D, 0844 635 3700 Dalkeith Road, 1300, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Dalkeith Road, 1300, 4, 4D G CG O, 0844 635 2418 Dalkeith Road, 1300, 4, 4D G CG O, 0844 635 9302 Montague Street, 1280, 3, 3D G CG Z, 0844 635 9679 Rankeillor Street, 1260, 3, CG Z, 0844 635 9352 Macdowall Road, 1250, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Dalkeith Road, 1220, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Buccleuch Street, 1200, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Lutton Place, 1200, 3, 3D G Z, 0844 635 9679 West Nicolson Street, 1200, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Oxford Street, 1160, 4, 1S 3D, 0844 635 3700 Oxford Street, 1150, 3, 3D G O, 0844 635 9679 Macdowall Road, 1140, 4, 4D G Z, 0844 635 8696 Brown Street, 1050, 3, 3D G P, 0844 635 9302 South Oxford Street, 1050, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Spottiswoode Road, 1050, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 St Leonards Street, 1050, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Montague Street, 1020, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Blackwood Crescent, 1010, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 South Oxford Street, 1005, 3, 3D G Z, 0844 635 9316 Montague Street, 1000, 3, 1S 2D, 0844 635 3700 Rankeillor Street, 1000, 3, 3D -1B -1T PG Z, 0844 635 9314

South Oxford Street, 1000, 3, CG Z, 0844 635 9352 Causewayside, 990, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Montague Street, 990, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 West Richmond Street, 990, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Montague Street, 975, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 South Oxford Street, 975, 3, CG Z, 0844 635 9352 Macdowall Road, 950, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Blackwood Crescent,, 800, 2, 2D, 0844 635 3700 South Clerk Street, 800, 2, Z, 0844 635 9352 South Oxford Street, 775, 2, 2D G CG Z, 0844 635 9334 Nicolson Street, 720, 2, 2D, 0844 635 3700 East Preston Street, 700, 2, Z, 0844 635 9352 Lutton Place, 700, 2, CG Z, 0844 635 9352 Upper Gray Street, 700, 2, 2D G P, 0844 635 4820 Dalkeith Road, 695, 2, 2D G CG O, 0844 635 8696 Causewayside, 675, 2, Z, 0844 635 9352 East Mayfield, 675, 2, CG Z, 0844 635 9352 West Preston Street, 675, 1, 1D -1B -1T Z, 0844 635 9314 Buccleuch Terrace, 650, 2, CG Z, 0844 635 9352 Moncrieff Terrace, 650, 2, 2D G, 0844 635 9424 Drummond Street, 650, 1, 1D E CG Z, 0844 635 9558 Causewayside, 625, 2, 1S 1D G, 0844 635 9245 Buccleuch Terrace, 600, 2, 1S 1D G, 0844 635 9245 Buccleuch Street, 575, 1, 1D G Z, 0844 635 9424 Buccleuch Street, 575, 1, 1D G Z, 0844 635 9558 East Crosscauseway, 575, 1, 1D -1B -1T P, 0844 635 9314 Hermits Croft, 575, 1, 1D G P, 0844 635 9424 Mayfield Road, 575, 1, 1D 1B G CG O, 0844 635 9302 Causewayside, 560, 1, 1D G, 0844 635 9245 East Crosscauseway, 550, 2, 2S G Z, 0844 635 9312 Causewayside, 520, 1, CG Z, 0844 635 9352

Old Town Bank Street, 1800, 4, Z, 0844 635 9308 Broughton Street, 1650, 5, 2S 3D, 0844 635 3700 Castle Wynd North, 1300, 4, 4D G Z, 0844 635 9578 Forrest Road, 1150, 3, 1S 2D, 0844 635 3700 High Street, 1150, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 High Street, 1150, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 St Marys Street, 1065, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Brighton Street, 990, 3, 3D G CG, 0844 635 9578 Bristo Place, 870, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Forrest Road, 850, 2, 2D G Z, 0844 635 9578 Old Tolbooth Wynd, 795, 2, CG P, 0844 635 9308 Old Tolbooth Wynd, 650, 2, 2D G P, 0844 635 4820 Niddry Street, 625, 2, 2D E, 0844 635 9488 Tron Square, 625, 1, 1D P, 0844 635 3700 Canongate, 595, 1, , 0844 635 9338 Canongate, 540, 1, 1D G Z, 0844 635 9320

Polwarth Polwarth Gardens, 1800, 5, 5D, 0844 635 3700 Polwarth Gardens, 1800, 5, 5D, 0844 635 3700 Polwarth Gardens, 1750, 5, 5D, 0844 635 3700 Hermand Terrace, 1700, 5, 5D, 0844 635 3700 Polwarth Gardens, 1700, 5, 3S 2D, 0844 635 3700 Ardmillan Terrace, 1550, 5, 2S 3D G, 0844 635 9318 Polwarth Gardens, 1520, 4, CG O, 0844 635 9308 Murieston Crescent, 1340, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Polwarth Gardens, 1300, 4, CG O, 0844 635 9352 Fowler Terrace, 1240, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Mertoun Place, 1200, 4, G CG Z, 0844 635 9478 Polwarth Gardens, 1100, 3, 3D W, 0844 635 4820 Polwarth Gardens, 1100, 3, 3D G Z, 0844 635 9478 Yeaman Place, 575, 1, 1D G CG Z, 0844 635 4820 Temple Park Crescent, 550, 1, 1D, 0844 635 3700 Polwarth Crescent, 525, 1, 1D E Z, 0844 635 9320

Watson Crescent, 525, 1, CG Z, 0844 635 9352 Watson Crescent, 525, 1, 1D G CG, 0844 635 9245 Watson Crescent, 500, 1, 1D CG Z, 0844 635 9594 Ritchie Place, 495, 2, Z, 0844 635 9352

Stockbridge North West Circus Place, 1600, 4, 4D G CG Z, 0844 635 9312 Clarence Street, 1500, 3, 3D G Z, 0844 635 9464 Cheyne Street, 1060, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Patriothall, 850, 2, 2D Z, 0844 635 4820 Patriothall, 850, 2, 2D G P, 0844 635 4820 Clarence Street, 825, 3, P, 0844 635 9308 St Stephen Street, 775, 2, 2D -1B -1T P, 0844 635 9314 Raeburn Place, 750, 2, 1D 1T E Z, 0844 635 9434 Saunders Street, 730, 3, 3D G P, 0844 635 9478 Hamilton Place, 700, 2, 2D G Z, 0844 635 4820 St. Stephen Street, 625, 2, 2D G Z, 0844 635 9316 St Bernards Row, 600, 1, 1D -1B -1T E, 0844 635 9332 Danube Street, 575, 1, 1D G Z, 0844 635 9362 Perth Street, 575, 1, 1D 1T G CG, 0844 635 2418 St. Bernards Crescent, 575, 1, 1D E CG Z, 0844 635 9320 Comely Bank Row, 540, 1, 1D, 0844 635 3700 Dean Park Street, 525, 1, 1D G CG Z, 0844 635 9392 Dean Park Street, 525, 1, 1D W CG Z, 0844 635 9424 Dean Park Street, 525, 1, 1D G CG O, 0844 635 9456

Tollcross Lauriston Gardens, 1850, 5, 5D, 0844 635 3700 Lochrin Buildings, 1450, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Grindlay Street, 1440, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 East Fountainbridge, 1400, 4, 4D G P, 0844 635 9302 Leven Street, 1400, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Lothian Road, 1350, 4, 2S 2D, 0844 635 3700 Panmure Place, 1320, 2, 2D, 0844 635 3700 Lothian Road, 1200, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Leven Street, 1120, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Brougham Place, 1030, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Glen Street, 1020, 3, 1S 2D, 0844 635 3700 Lothian Road, 1010, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Panmure Place, 950, 3, 1S 2D E Z, 0844 635 9592 Drumdryan Street, 930, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Panmure Place, 925, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Panmure Place, 925, 3, 3D, 0844 635 3700 Grindlay Street, 900, 3, 1S 2D, 0844 635 3700 Lauriston Place, 750, 1, G Z, 0844 635 9478 Lady Lawson Street, 730, 2, 2D G, 0844 635 9478 Glen Street, 725, 2, 1S 1D -1B -1T CG Z, 0844 635 9314 Lothian Road, 600, 1, , 0844 635 9338 East Fountainbridge, 595, 1, 1D, 0844 635 2418 Glen Street, 595, 1, 1D, 0844 635 3700 Fountainbridge, 550, 1, 1D, 0844 635 3700 Lochrin Place, 550, 1, 1D G Z, 0844 635 9578 Drumdryan Street, 525, 1, 1D G CG, 0844 635 2418 Fountainbridge, 520, 1, 1D, 0844 635 3700

West End Haymarket Terrace, 1700, 5, 5D, 0844 635 3700 West Maitland Street, 1500, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Rothesay Mews, 1500, 2, Z, 0844 635 9308 Hampton Terrace, 1400, 4, 4D, 0844 635 3700 Magdala Crescent, 1400, 4, 4D G Z, 0844 635 4820 Palmerston Place, 750, 1, 1D G Z, 0844 635 4820 Dewar Place Lane, 725, 2, 1S 1D G, 0844 635 9245 Randolph Place, 725, 2, 2D E Z, 0844 635 6450 Palmerston Place, 700, 2, 2D W Z, 0844 635 4820 Palmerston Place Lane, 600, 1, 1D G Z, 0844 635 9478 Upper Grove Place, 600, 1, 1D G CG Z, 0844 635 2627 William Street, 550, 1, 1D E Z, 0844 635 4820

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Arts & Entertainment 17

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011

More reviews online @ www.journal-online.co.uk Art

Theatre

Claude Cahun and Sue Tompkins, 4*

Age of Arousal 3*

A Midsummer Night's Dream 3*

Marc Camille Chaimowicz 3*

Peter Pan on Ice 4*

Shadow Catchers: Cameraless Photography 4*

Rambert Dance Company: Awakenings Tour 2011 5*

Francesca Woodman 4*

Rob Drummond: Wrestling 4*

Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 4*

The Blues Brothers Party 3*

Feature

Ginsberg's primal scream The Journal takes a look at the recent filmic representation of Alan Ginsberg’s best-known ‘Beat’ poem

The Company Will Overlook a Moment of Madness 4* The Haunting 3*

The Journal On the horizon Theatre

Marcus Adams, who depicted generations of royal children.

19/03/11

Until 30 April

Theatre Uncut: Bedlam Bedlam Theatre, £1, all proceeds go to the Child poverty Action Group.

The Bedlam Theatre present 7 plays by some of the UK’s best playwrights to protest against the cuts all in World Debt Day. Tue 15 - Sat 19 March

Journey’s End King’s Theatre, £14.50 - £27.50 David Grindley directs R.C Sheriff’s Tony Award-winning First World War drama.

Thurs 10 March – Sat 19 March

Somersaults Traverse Theatre, £8.00 - £12.00 (£5.00) Part of the NTS’ Reveal Season, Vicky Featherstone directs this exploration of language and identity.

Thursday 24 – Saturday 26 March

Smalltown Traverse Theatre, £14.00 - £16.00 (£10.00/£12.00) A polluted water supply turns the residents of a small town crazy in Random Accomplice’s most recent production.

Art Until 3 April

Jean-Marc Bustamante Fruitmarket Gallery, Free An eclectic mix of materials and media from one of France’s senior artists.

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

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 Tuesday 5th April

Simon Munnery - SelfEmployed The Stand £9 (£7 conc.)

A beautifully honed set of nowhere near the knuckle material about life, death, children and work performed with love, while wearing a suit. Munnery uses a mix of impersonations and musical humour to wow the crowd.

Friday 25th February

Daniel Sloss Pleasance Theatre £10 (£6 students) Scotland’s youngest comic prodigy comes to town Sunday 17th April

Scott Capurro Opens Up The Stand £10 (£8 conc.)

This openly gay San Franciscan has graced British television screens on 8 out of 10 cats and promises to give a challenging and cutting performance.

Music Saturday 19 March, 11-3

Hercules and Love Affair The Arches £14/£7 (sign up to Arches mailing list for half price) An unbelievably good live act, combined with the full force of a Death Disco make this a night to remember.

15/03/11

Elbow SECC (Glasgow) £TBC Guy Garvey promotes new album ‘Build a Rocket Boy’ no doubt playing old favourites along the way.

Wedensday 9 March

Napoleon lll Electric Circus £6 Loops, beats and swirling synths accompany one man’s stirring vocals that whirl round your head and make you move your feet. Powerful stuff.

11/03/11

Iron and Wine HMV Picture House £15.50 Sam Beam’s whispers (so as not to wake the kids) define these melodic lyrics and laid-back style.

'Howl' led to its publisher's arrest on obscenity charges when it was first published in 1956

Matthew Macaulay Art Editor

“

I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix..” Howl, Alan Ginsberg.

I first encountered Alan Ginsberg through his photography. I was visiting Washington D. C. and there was a retrospective of his work at the National Gallery of Art. Although I recognised that his photographs were of no great artistic merit, I was nonetheless transfixed by them. These black and white portraits were my first experience of the ‘Beat Generation’; a group of American writers who came to prominence in the 1950s, and who fought against the empty promises of the American dream.

Rejecting white picket-fence living, they experimented with both drugs and sex, and sought an alternative existence in which conformity was spurned in favour of the ceaseless pursuit of creativity.

I recall appreciating the irony that these images, documenting a cultural revolution, were being exhibited in a museum, which in its monumental white neo-classicism, represented a bastion of conservatism. Similarly contradictory was my reaction to Ginsberg’s photographs; I was simultaneously repulsed and enthralled by the hedonism of the people pictured.

Initially, I felt an aversion to the freedom and lack of responsibility Ginsberg and his circle exhibited, thinking it selfish and reckless, but I realised this was just envy on my part.

Envy, that they had had the courage

to break the cycle - to escape the monotony of everyday life.

In a remarkable scene from the new biopic about Alan Ginsberg, Howl, Ginsberg, played by James Franco (of Spider Man and 127 Hours fame), recounts a moment of crisis in his life that every human being experiences in one form or another. Unfulfilled by his job and deeply conflicted about his sexuality, Ginsberg comes to the realisation that what is holding him back from ultimate happiness is the fear of abandoning ‘conveyor-belt life’. He worries that leaving behind a secure job and the material comforts that go with it will result in poverty and growing old alone in a garret with piss-stained pants. This fear of leaving behind comfort in pursuit of what we really want resonates with all of us, but unlike Ginsberg, few have the nerve to do it.

The poem Howl is Ginsberg’s most famous work; its publication led to the publisher’s prosecution in an obscenity trial, and it is this event that the new film focuses on. The poem, a celebration of life as well as a critique of capitalist society, upset middle America which considered words such as, ‘snatch’ ‘fuck’ and ‘blow’ unpalatable, and not conducive to great literature. The film is composed of portions of the obscenity trial, Franco’s recitation of Howl in its entirety accompanied by animation which illustrates the poem and recreations of interview excerpts with Ginsberg, in which he discusses the work in relation to his life.

My initial worries that watching this film I would see James Franco as opposed to Alan Ginsberg on screen were entirely misplaced. Franco may be a pretty face, but he played

Ginsberg with serious conviction.

Then again engaging intellectually with Howl shouldn’t have been too difficult for Franco as he is currently studying for a PhD in English Literature at Yale, and recently published a series of his own short stories. Given Franco’s predilection for excessive role research (he earned his pilot license for his role in Flyboys and spent eight months in the boxing ring for Annapolis), it wouldn’t be surprising if he’d taken on the PhD for a bit of light context.

Franco has done well out of gay roles; playing James Dean in a television biopic, Sean Penn’s boyfriend in Milk and now Ginsberg in Howl.

Though by no means an exclusively gay film, Howl examines in some depth Ginsberg’s conflicted relationship with his sexuality. As Franco says in the film: “Homosexuality is a condition and because it alienated me or set me apart from the beginning it served as a catalyst for self examination or detailed realisation of my environment, and the reasons why everyone else is different, and why I’m different.”

The dominant message in the film is a positive one, with Ginsberg coming to a sense of self acceptance through writing. An excerpt of Howl reveals this: “Who let themselves be fucked in the ass by saintly motorcyclists, and screamed with joy”, this is not just a description of a sexual act but as Ginsberg says: “an acknowledgement of the basic reality of homosexual joy.” The court ruling that Howl was not obscene was a tangible expression of the tolerance and understanding which the protagonist in Ginsberg’s poem, Carl Solomon, so desperately sought.

18 Arts & Entertainment

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011

Art

Theatre

Comedy

Marcus Adams: Royal Photographer

Comedy of Errors

Daniel Sloss

New life for Shakespeare's great farce Alexandra Wingate

From The King's Speech to his photo album, Adams' work inspires

Shakespeare is revered worldwide as the greatest playwright who has ever lived. But he’s not everyone’s cup of tea thanks to the antiquated and complex language, one too many poor productions, and an insistence on sticking faithfully to the historical context of the text. So finding a real gem of a Shakespeare production can be like finding a needle in a haystack.

But look no further – there’s a diamond before us in the shape of Propeller, an all-male ensemble who specialise in reigniting and exploring Shakespeare’s plays.

Propellor perform one of his earliest works, which overflows with farce and slapstick as two sets of identical twins separated at birth coincidentally find themselves in the same town. Unaware of each others’ existence, there are multiple and increasingly worsening cases of mistaken identity, as the ever-complex confusions lead to adultery, accusations of theft and even demonic possession.

Director Edward Hall has pushed his imagination to its absolute limit, from an Elvis-inspired conjurer to a streaker. With the audience in stitches, Hall’s production manages to make the original script feel so fresh and new that it could have been written yesterday, and yet the text is barely altered, with only a few modern-day jokes

or songs thrown in to maximise the humour, making it truly recognisable and enjoyable for a modern audience.

All of the actors are of an incredibly high standard without exception. Missing or not quite understanding every single word doesn’t matter, as the cast bring the complicated language to life by acting everything so clearly and palpably that it is impossible not to understand what’s going on.

As if performing an entire Shakespeare play with huge comic zest isn’t enough, the cast lay on further entertainment in the interval by performing intricate harmonies of popular pop songs to raise money for charity, proving that the cast don’t just act, but sing, too. All of them are full of energy, and their enthusiasm and love of what they do is indescribably infectious.

Propeller’s production is incredibly accessible, and a perfect introduction for those new to Shakespeare. But this accessibility isn’t because the play has been in any way simplified or dumbed down – it is simply a fantastic and hilarious piece of theatre suitable for both novices and Shakespearean academics alike; surely an industry guide of how Shakespeare ought to be performed in the 21st century.

Venue: King's Theatre; Dates: Tuesday 22, Thursday 24, Saturday 26 February; Price: £14.50 - £27.50 Manuel Harlan

Jessica Abrahams

The success of The King’s Speech has inspired a new fascination with a royal family at once so far removed from, and similar to ourselves. Quickly followed by Channel 4’s documentary The Real King’s Speech, the film owes its success in part to the representation of the King as an ordinary man. As a result, one of the many virtues of this exhibition is its timing.

Marcus Adams was a successful society photographer who, over the course of his career, documented the development of two generations of royal children. His London studio opened in 1920 and quickly attracted the patronage of the Duke and Duchess of York. In 1926, the same year in which the Duke enlisted the help of speech therapist Lionel Logue, they brought their newborn daughter Elizabeth to the studio for the first of many portrait sessions. Here, the seven-month-old child, later to become Queen Elizabeth II, appears both by herself and with her parents, with one photo affectionately signed by her father – ‘Bertie, 1926’.

The exhibition closes with a photo from 28 years later; a large portrait of Queen Elizabeth II with her young children Charles and Anne, holding hands and laughing. In between are numerous

photographs which attest to an affectionate and close-knit family, always laughing and hugging, and it is impossible not to be charmed.

Particularly striking is a photograph of Elizabeth taken just four days after the Duke was crowned sovereign following his brother’s abdication. It is a beautiful picture that shows the young heir staring intensely out at the viewer, as if profoundly aware of her new responsibilities. Also included in the show is silent video footage of the four year-old Elizabeth posing in Adams’ studio as she plays with toys and laughs with the photographer. The intimacy is remarkable and the exhibition offers a glimpse of the royal family as real people with whom we can connect and sympathise.

Off-setting this, the public face of the family is displayed in cabinets showing commemorative porcelain, postcards and other souvenirs.

Adams’ vintage photographs are beautiful, charming, and intimate, but the exhibition’s ultimate strength lies in its timing. Hot on the tails of the critically acclaimed The Kings Speech, which showed us the soft side of the monarchy, this show offers a further, extremely enjoyable, insight into the royal family.

Debbie Currie

W ith an ironic Bieber-style flick of the hair and possessing the confidence to match, Sloss manages to win over the audience with a relatable and personal account of ‘his generation.’

The routine presents a typical Edinburgher lad’s view of life, intersected with some cringe-worthy anecdotes about living in Fife which, holding true to its stereotype, provides plenty of incestual, paedophilic material. Cheekily told with a confident swagger, the only thing that lets the routine down slightly is the rather generic quips at some all-too-easy targets including that infamous bald bouncer outside Cabaret Voltaire (good luck trying to get back in there Sloss!)

The routine covers everything that our generation loves to bitch, moan and laugh at, and this is exactly why Sloss remains so likeable and current throughout his performance: his comedy is like listening to a really funny mate down the pub recounting the events of last night, even though you’re paying him to do so!

Between heading to the bar after the show for “a hug or more, so long as you feel you get your money’s worth” and getting his warm-up act, Davie Connor, on stage for a round of ‘unicorn wars’, you can’t help but love him. For Sloss, who clearly loves doing what he does, it is certainly all fun and games on stage (at least until someone loses an eye) and the audience can’t help but feel a connection to his down-to-earth style.

The fact that someone aged 20 already has to ‘retire’ some jokes - now that he’s learnt to shave properly - is testimony to the success and recognition he has achieved so quickly. Despite self-confessing that he hates getting introduced at parties as ‘the comedian’, if Sloss continues on the way he’s going, it seems unlikely that this introduction will be letting up anytime soon.

Daniel Sloss Venue: Pleasance Theatre; Date: Friday 25 February

Venue: The Queen's Gallery; Dates: Until: 5 June; Price: £5.50 (student) STEVE ULLATHORNE

Arts & Entertainment 19

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011

Comedy

Music

Steve Williams: Stand Up Story Man

Penguin Cafe Arthur Jeffes and his talented orchestra prove that even penguins can fly Saskia Longaretti Music Editor

Welsh comedian's boyish humour largely falls flat Gráinne O’Hogan

It’s a rainy Tuesday night in Edinburgh, and inside the jam-packed Stand Comedy Club, Steve Williams is attempting to work up a storm for his audience. Williams gets off to shaky start with his uninspiring warm-up banter as the audience don’t offer up much for him to bounce off. However, what is most disappointing is that he

seems completely unprepared for this eventuality. Leisurely leaning against the wall behind him, unfazed and unenthused, Williams drags out this part of the set for far longer than it merits, before eventually turning the topic of conversation around to his prepared material. This is where things start to improve.

Drawing from his experiences as a working-class Welshman married to an alpha-female lawyer, Williams bases his gags on his aversion and

awkwardness to situations which call for maturity. The laughs begin to flow more freely at the descriptions of his encounters with gnome-like floor staff in the cosmetic stands of department stores, and he brings a whole new meaning to the ‘vajazzling’ craze when he accompanies his wife to the gynaecologist and accidentally lets her use a glitter spray on her private parts to freshen up beforehand.

On this occasion, Williams’ set unfortunately consists of more

forgettable than formidable observations on exhausted topics. With only a few instances standing out among a series of non sequiturs, the Welshman only serves to offer us a glimpse of the potential which one fears might never be realised when combined with his seemingly passive attitude to his trade.

Venue: The Stand Date: 22 February 2011

richard campbell

Theatre

Orlando In their translation from Italian to English, Scottish Opera lose something Derval Tannam

The name George Frideric Handel rarely connotes opera, and so Scottish Opera’s production of Orlando comes as a novelty for even the most steadfast of aficionados. There is something refreshing about going to the opera without bias (excepting the vague idea that Handel employs a pleasing profusion of strings and horns).

Originally written in 1719, this version of Orlando is set in 1939 and tells the story of a brave soldier divided by love and duty, driven mad by the faithlessness of his lover, Angelica (Sally Silver). This fickle woman is in love with Medoro (Andrew Radley), who is in turn loved passionately by the charming Nurse Dorinda (Claire Booth). But when Orlando discovers Angelica’s duplicity he swears bloody vengeance until Doctor Zoroastro (Andreas Wolf) restores him to sanity via electroconvulsive therapy. Orlando is described in the programme as ‘one of the jewels of Baroque opera’, and SO’s production, directed by Harry Fehr, whose previous credits with SO include Cinderella and The Secret Marriage, does sparkle in places.

The orchestra performed magnificently under Paul Goodwin (in his SO debut), the set was simple yet striking and the costumes were superb. However, the pleasure of opera arguably lies in the transcendence of emotion over language, and much of its brilliance has been lost in the translation from Italian to English. With no need to look to the supertitles for plot, one’s eye was drawn to the projections on the backdrop which were heavy-handed, at one point looking more like an advertisement for a jewellers than the appropriate visual accompaniment to the degeneration of a man’s mind.

In translating Orlando Scottish Opera have allegedly made opera more accessible ‘to young people,’ but the result is a less affecting piece of music, as performers struggle to give meaning to their lines. At one point Orlando (Tim Mead) was trying so hard to enunciate that his voice was overwhelmed by the orchestra, a shameful tax on his talent.

He and the undeniably gifted Radley sang countertenor and the falsetto effect was more than slightly jarring, but Booth saved many scenes with her passionate but playful performance. Ultimately there is no doubt that great talent is on display in Orlando but much of

it is undermined by the distracting projections and the folly of translating sublime Italian into sentimental English.

Venue: Festival Theatre; Dates: Thursday 3, Saturday 5 March; Price: £16.00 - £65.00

Restless and excited, tonight’s audience are about to experience the unforgettable sound of Arthur Jeffes’ Penguin Café, a re-incarnation of his late father’s orchestra of the same name.

This is the last date of their UK tour with Portico Quartet under the banner ‘Music Beyond Mainstream’ - a little too obvious a characterisation for the two thrilling acts.

Portico Quartet, with a Steve Reich-inspired countenance, stun the audience to silence with their eerie experimental jazz improvisations. Here it is all about texture; Jack Wyllie’s muted saxophone drone melts itself into the surface of Milo’s dark double bass, as a scattering of trendy electronic bursts, topped with Nick Mulvey’s enchanting ethereal hang drums constitute the ingredients of a sumptuously rich dish.

If that was pudding, then the audience are in for one hell of a feast. Arthur Jeffes’ poignant love for his father’s talent admirably transcends stagnant nostalgia: performances of ‘In the Back of Taxi’ and ‘Telephone Rubber Band’, in which Jeffes plays the back up rhythm via iPhone, blends their blinding creativity with a relaxing confidence.

Jeffe’s hypnotic presence is challenged by the central violinist, Duncan Berry, who, clad in an endearing top hat and waistcoat, infuses the stage with his infectious entropy. ‘Music For A Found Harmonium’ and ‘Perpetuum Mobile’ satisfy followers of Penguin’s better-known compositions, while ‘Swing The Cat’ layers and loops eccentric rhythms until you want to grab the sound and put it in your pocket.

Penguin Café is no doubt an act of orchestrated genius.

From ukulele to cello, the acoustic intensity of their richly embossed arrangements is summarised in Brian Eno’s confident panegyric that their music is all at once “eccentric, charming, accommodating, surprising, seductive, warm, reliable, modest and unforgettable,” stating, “It’s a true friend.” After playing the Penguins on repeat since their stunning performance, I would have to firmly agree.

Venue: Usher Hall; Date: Monday 21 February;; Price: £15 (£12.50)

Feature

20 Food & Drink

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011

The other side of Edinburgh's nightlife

Clubs

Cheese & Crackers

For both raucous and restful live music, Edinburgh's pubs have a lot to offer Caroline Bottger

I

don’t know about you, but I prefer sitting in a bar and listening to music rather than going to club and dancing to it. There are many pubs in Edinburgh which offer live music, some better than others, but having been round the block, I can say with some degree of confidence that I have found two which are worth your time as lovers of alcohol, a cosy atmosphere and drunken sings-alongs to ‘Galway Girl’.

John Leslie’s Bar (45 Ratcliffe Terrace) is a little far afield if you are based in Bruntsfield or Marchmont, but the anticipation (and thirst) built up is rewarded by an impossibly large ale

and whisky selection. Every week they feature ales from one part of Scotland at lower the normal price. Educating yourself about others ales is both fun and cost-effective. John Leslie’s, like your mother, knows best. They also have a whisky menu, which should in itself tell you that John Leslie’s is pretty damn serious about whisky and the consumption thereof. Instead of the standard 25ml dram, the good folk at John Leslie’s increase it by a cheeky further ten.

Enough about the booze, you protest.

What about the music? Adam and Ewan are there every Friday night, playing an assortment of Scottish, Irish and Canadian folk music, and welcome the participation of other instruments and voices. John Leslie’s is the perfect

pub to sit back with a dram and listen quietly.

The polar opposite of John Leslie’s is the White Hart Inn (34 Grassmarket), and is an unabashed favorite among of the cognoscenti of drunk and disorderly. Friday and Saturday nights are the best if you like singing along with the crowd, and trust me, there will be a lot of singing. Expect a hoarse voice the next day. Week nights are pleasant, though, and the White Hart can be a lovely, quiet haven in which to enjoy a good dram or pint with a small group of friends. Come Friday, the small bar is filled to the brim with Edinburgh folk with two things in mind: getting drunk and having a fine time. The live acts are superb, and take most suggestions. But their set lists never change, like the ales

the White Hart serves.

The White Hart Inn has a whisky menu, but unfortunately it’s back to those 25ml measures again. Most drinks are a wee bit expensive, owing to the Inn’s location in a focal area of Edinburgh tourism, but to be surrounded by around a hundred people, all bellowing ‘Country Roads’ by John Denver, is a feeling second to none.

Fact: live music pubs are everywhere in Edinburgh. However, just because they are everywhere it does not mean that they are all good. Any pub can put up a mic and anyone can get up and play the guitar, but the feelings of camaraderie and shared experience generated in John Leslie’s and the White Hart Inn cannot be easily or faithfully replicated.

DAVID SELBY

Drinking

Ecco Vino

Ben Kendall Food & Drink Editor Traditionalism is a food trait of the highest order. Innovation, though progressivist and entertaining, does not render the same comforting flourish of familiarity that a good spot of tradition gets you.

To that end, it is with happy heart that the following review on Ecco Vino – a bastion of Italian tradition – were written.

The delightful little enoteca leaks soothing charm from every pore. The soft lighting, rich oaken furnishings, glistening wine bottles and colossal Italianate bar cohere into a space of warmth and sophisticated repose.

You can dine a on table of rich dishes or nibble on little antipasti and sip

tomatoes.

Such an excitement for tastebuds was this dish that you hardly notice it’s a salad, so substantial is the pleasure derived from it.

Pudding manifested itself in a similar fashion. The chocolate fudge-cake (£4.95) was a rich gooey exercise in self-fulfilment; you can’t feel complete without having tried this cake. The tiramisu (£4.50) was a floating pillow of cream, a soft and yielding foil to it’s espresso-soused biscotti base and cocoa crown.

Ecco Vino is not really a wine bar; it’s a wonderful restaurant with a bloody good wine-list.

19 Cockburn St, EH1 1BP, 0131 225 1441

Rebecca Monks Clubs Editor

C

heese and crackers are a British institution. Their beloved place alongside board games and Sunday lunches has been firmly established through the decades. Sadly, Sin’s Thursday night event of the same name does not carry that same warm feeling.

Cheesy pop music - once an interesting niche market - has unfortunately soured, leaving something of a bitter taste in the mouth of Edinburgh’s club nights. While Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ was once a classic hit, ironically revived for the pleasure of students and crooners alike, it has now come to represent a stale market for cheesy pop music that has far surpassed the realms of ironic pleasure.

Sin nightclub’s ‘Cheese and Crackers’ represents everything that this night has degenerated to. Generic tunes are played repetitively and monotonously, highlighting everything that the 90’s had to offer, thankfully with the exception of parachute pants and union jack dresses. The night is a diluted Big Cheese: taking the student fun out of the classics, it is a mere shadow of a well established event.

Sin has done well to reinvent its image in recent years. Quite literally transforming itself, the church-like venue has become the regular haunt of those in search of a cheap night out.

If the price is right and the drinks are cheap, cheesy pop music is as bearable as it ever will be. But while Potterrow has become a mecca for those in search of Spice Girls, S Club 7 and a shot of sambuca, Sin has yet to achieve the sense of an ironic guilty pleasure that the Big Cheese does. Atmosphere is lacking somewhat, but this is more than made up for by reasonably-priced drinks. If you can’t wait until the weekend for a slice of cheese, then have it with crackers. But be warned, it is a little hard to digest, and leaves a slightly astringent aftertaste.

Cheese & Crackers ;Venue: Sin; Dates: Thursdays;10pm-3am; Price: Free Entry

Italian tradition brings comfort and joy

prosecco at the bar: flexible, affordable, cosyingly pleasurable dining.

We start with honest, simple bread (£3.75) served in that most Italian of ways, with olive and balsamic vinegar.

Nothing beats this combination, acerbic and smooth: so simple, so good.

Progressing through the spaghetti with roast chorizo, peppers and tomato sauce (£10.30) and a salad of roasted butternut squash, goat’s cheese, cherry tomato and basil (£8.95) was a rare delight – such authentic and unabashedly good Italian fare. Chorizo, though obviously not Italian, belongs here with its natural bed-mates of tomato and parmesan, cushioned on a spread of pasta, spiced meatily and slightly sweet. The salad was a heartening symphony of flavour, soft nutty squash, tangy cheese and sharp-sweet

Cheese goes crackers at Sin

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I'm hitchhiking to Morocco over Easter for Link Community Development LCD work to provide free, sustainable primary education for children in Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Malawi and Uganda We'd be exceedingly grateful for any donation, great or small uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/hitchyfeet

Fashion 21

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011

Scottish media gets made up Alexio Manchon

Beauty college north of the border gets an international makeover Anna Warren

S

omething very exciting is happening in Edinburgh this year in terms of beauty and fashion.

Renowned make-up artist to the stars, Allie Smith, and businesswoman Alison Boyes are set to launch the Edinburgh School of Media MakeUp (ESMM). Wednesday 23 February heralded the launch party of Edinburgh School of Media Make-Up. In order to find out some more about the school and what it has to offer, I was privileged enough to attend what turned out to be a fantastic event .

The school is set to open in September in an unfinalised location and will provide first class training in media make-up. Running fourteen week courses, students will be fully prepared for a career in the arena of professional hair and make-up in the media. Allie Smith, make-up artist and Director of the school told me how the school has already been “overwhelmed with positive feedback”, a fact that was clearly echoed by the excellent turnout to the ESMM Edinburgh launch party.

Allie told me how the principles behind the school lay in the “gaps in good training north of the border that are industry focused” illustrated by the majority of successful make-up artists graduating from London based schools. However, there is still hope for us up north, as all involved with the school are passionate about Edinburgh and seeing local people and students make it as the next big make-up artist.

As if this doesn’t sound exciting enough there’s more to come; the school is firmly based on a bank of world-renowned make-up artists and hair technicians as well as having close links to television directors and film producers, providing direct access to the work in the industry.

The Edinburgh School of Media Make-up are extremely privileged to have on board Tina Earnshaw, a twice Oscar nominated make-up artist who has previously worked alongside stars such as Gwyneth Paltrow, also teaching at ESMM ia Jan Archibald, a makeup artist and wig professional who has a repertoire including an Oscar for her work on film La Vie En Rose and eight BAFTA nominations. Both Earnshaw and Archibald helped to design the courses for the school and will provide hands on, industry-focused teaching.

If you’re going to learn why not learn from the best?

Allie Smith herself has worked in films such as Harry Potter, providing a wealth of contacts, preparing all students for the world of make-up in

ECFS 2011

the media. Usually such name-dropping may be viewed unprofessional, but in this context I believe the ESMM provides a fantastic opportunity. When catching up with the girls they told me how many students were coming out of beauty college without any contacts.

With the teachers and make-up artists on board at this school this is what they hope to provide.

They aim to provide hands on teaching from experienced make-up artists who have spent years in the world of press, media, TV and film giving you the tools to prepare you for the industry. But if a career in makeup isn’t something that you wish to pursue then don’t think this isn’t for you. The school is also preparing to put on make-up master classes in which groups of women can learn from some of the best about how to apply your own make-up, whilst picking up some new tips and tricks straight from the screen.

The launch party itself screamed glamour and high fashion, something we can all agree Edinburgh needs and I personally am extremely excited about the opportunities and new chic ESMM is going to bring to this city. Flown straight in from London Fashion Week, Lauren Gollan, MAC pro make-up artist and one of the schools fashion tutors, was at the event and I was able to catch up with her getting the ‘straight from the runway’ tips on this seasons hot looks.

Working with designers such as Nicole Farhi, Mulberry, Vivienne Westwood and Henry Holland, Lauren dropped hints that this season’s makeup was focused on the skin with dewy, 14 year old natural skin, glossy eyelids with a full lip. Models wore MAC C1 on their face with a clean blush falling within the dewy tone, with a “less is more look with the skin” and then a dark lip in deep reds and berry tones. I asked Lauren for her thoughts about the opening of ESMM and she seemed just as excited as everyone else commenting that “this is something Edinburgh has been missing for a long time, I wish there had been somewhere like this for me to train”.

So if a future career in media makeup is something you may consider or whether you’re looking for a fun day learning how to do your own make-up, look out for what is an exciting place to be: Edinburgh School of Media Make-up in September.

For more information about the school visit the website. www.edinburghmakeup.com/

ECFS promises to host a programme of exciting and glamorous events, and it's all for charity

Jessica Heggie

T

he Edinburgh Charity Fashion show is swiftly approaching and, after the huge success of the launch party at The Caves, it is expected to be a big one. With designers such as Pringle of Scotland presenting collections at the show, it’s definitely going to be

one of the biggest events of 2011.

This year, ECFS, sponsored by CityLets and supporting Breakthrough Breast Cancer, is hoping to raise more money than ever before. The theme of the show is [d]evolution, hoping to bring things back to basics by combining the best of student talent with high fashion. The opening, taking place on Friday 18 March, is a student night with tickets priced at only £20. The VIP

night will take place on Saturday 19 March, and is a black tie event with a three-course meal. Both nights promise to be incredible, if previous years’ shows are anything to go by.

The show will take place at Mansfield Traquair on 18 and 19 March 2011.

Tickets are available online. www. edinburghcharityfashionshow.com

22 Sport

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011

Sean Gibson & Jamie Timson

Time for professional sport to come out of the closet The Journal explores homosexuality in team sport and the possibility that change may finally be on the horizon for sport's oldest taboo Mark Simpson Sport Co-Editor Steven Davies, the England and Surrey Wicket Keeper, has this week become the first professional cricketer to come out as a homosexual. It may not appear to be a big deal, and it really shouldn’t be, but to just look at the coverage the story Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas is gaining in America, in a sport Americans don’t even seriously play, shows the scale of the issue. Professional sports stars in teams around the world remain in the closet with ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policies commonly enforced. Gareth Thomas and Steven Davies are the only two openly gay current participants in leading team sports in the world.

The National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (NATSAL) found that 6.4 per cent of males in Britain have had sexual relations with another man. Therefore the number of homosexuals currently playing sport in the UK should be much greater than two.

Homosexuality has only been legal in Britain for 34 years, and around the world in many areas such as Latin America it is still a massive taboo. The term ‘gay’ has even become a slanderous way to describe a homosexual, as

when used by a child it often simply means something is bad, highlighting the negative connotations of the word. Worse still homosexuality is still considered sinful by most leading religions. By some interpretations, the Bible literally tells people they will be punished for eternity for what they are, unless they can pray the gay away. We still have a while to go before we can consider ourselves a truly accepting world.

With championships like the Premier League having an international following, and squads having an international makeup, perhaps many do not feel they can be honest with less openminded team mates. Andy Gray and Richard Keys did their part to highlight problems of exclusion in football with their derisory comments on the selection of Sian Massey as an assistant referee for a Premier League match, and similar problems exist for homosexuals as for women.

Then of course there is the hounding from the terraces. Sol Campbell, perceived to be a homosexual, upon his return to former club Tottenham Hotspur was subjected to horrendous abuse that included references to his gaining HIV from his alleged sexual preferences.

The inclination to stay in the closet could all stem from the plight of the most famous openly gay footballer Justin Fashanu.

During his career he was prevented from achieving his potential by rifts with coaches like Brian Clough who disapproved of his sexuality. Upon publicly announcing his sexual orientation he was disowned by his brother, derided by fellow professionals and many clubs were reluctant to offer him a contract. After his playing career ended he was accused of sexual assault, which led to him committing suicide, the suicide note stating, “I realised that I had already been presumed guilty,” which highlights the inordinate pressure of being openly gay in the sports media spotlight.

So what is being done to change the sporting world for the better and promote inclusion for all?

In 1982 Tom Waddell pioneered the first Gay Games in San Francisco. The games promote inclusion with participants from all sexual orientations. This helps promote

a more open and tolerant attitude towards homosexuals in sport, but more must be done for mainstream sporting events.

Gareth Thomas could be the role model for change.

His story has made news headlines on both sides of the Atlantic with a film in the pipeline starring Mickey Rourke. The film could help change attitudes and stigmas around homosexuality and increase public understanding of the pressures on such individuals.

A role model for change would have to have a huge influence, and be a large success in a popular sport. Two of tennis’ most successful female players are lesbians. Perhaps team sports need a similar inspiration to bring change and hopefully the portrayal of Gareth Thomas by Mickey Rourke wil go some way towards that.

Heriot-Watt's it all about?

After a dismal 0-0 draw against Edinburgh Uni, The Journal caught up with Heriot Watt’s football club captain Chris Donnelly Jamie Timson Sport Co-Editor How’s the season been so far?

The season started off excellently with a 5-0 win at home to Strathclyde in the opening game of the season. Things went from strength to strength with wins away to Glasgow Uni and most importantly a 1-0 win away to Edinburgh Uni. As well as a great start to the SUS league, we also had a great start in BUCS when we picked up the University’s first win in the British Championship in over 6 years against Lancaster Uni at Riccarton. A win away to northern premier section side Northumbria Uni continued our good form before our bogey team Edinburgh Uni 2s put a stop to our winning streak with a 1-1 draw at Riccarton. The bad weather forced us to have a longer break than expected and this was to be our downfall when we started slow in our first game back against BUCs champions Loughborough conceding 2 goals in the first 10 minutes. Although we came back strong, the game finished 2-1

to the visitors. This result put a bit of a downer on the team and we havn’t seemed to be able to bounce back yet. We drew games away to Strathclyde and Edinburgh Uni 2s and at home to Glasgow Uni which we really felt we should have won.

a little more concentration in defence then we would have this league wrapped up already but we have let Edinburgh Uni back into it and we will have to wait and see who takes the glory in next Wednesday’s (16/3) “league final”.

Yes, our final game against Edinburgh Uni will be our biggest challenge yet, a win for either team will see them crowned champions and a draw will leave Edinburgh Uni knowing that a win at home in their last game against Glasgow Uni will award them the title.

Our highlight of the season was probably our 4-2 victory in Newcastle against Northumbria Uni. After going a goal behind at half time the whole squad showed great grit and determination to pull it back and go 3-1 ahead in the second half, with myself getting the equaliser before Gavin Malin, Ricky Burke and Aaron James on the score sheet. The game was also special to many players as it was the first time Heriot-Watt FC had won away in BUCS in a long time and it gave us belief that we could do something great this season.

There’s one game coming up with a lot riding on it?

What were your expectations at the start of the season?

Before the season began we firmly expected to be challenging for the Queens Park Shield. With last year’s champions Stirling University moving up to the northern premier division and the fact that we only lost one player from our squad over summer, we felt that the SUS 1A title was ours for the taking. Maybe if we had been a bit more clinical in front of goal and had

Which was the standout game of the season?

Are there any areas to work on for next year?

As I mentioned before, our lack of composure in front of goal and concentration

in defence have hurt us in the final part of our season and this is something head coach Michael Renwick and assistant coach Ross Campbell have been focusing on in training.

Our hope for the rest of the season is obviously to get a win at home to Edinburgh Uni on the 16th in which is sure to be the game of the season. We have also got ourselves into a relegation dogfight in our Saturday campaign in the East of Scotland League.

How did you arrive at the esteemed position of club captain?

Last year I was elected to sit on HeriotWatt’s Sports Union Executive Committee as an Executive Officer and mainly for this reason I was elected by members of the football club to be the club captain for this season. This is my third year playing for the first team and I am currently this season’s leading goal scorer in both the Wednesday and Saturday campaigns and have been selected for this season’s Scottish Universities 24 man training squad.

Fergie in the thick of it The Manchester United manager last week proved once again that no matter how long you spend in football or how many great successes you achieve, you can never quite have enough. Not content with publicly defending Wayne Rooney’s blatant violent conduct at Wigan the weekend before, Ferguson last week found the gall to accuse Martin Atkinson of being neither “fair” nor “strong” as his side went down 2-1 to Chelsea. And his ‘in-for-a-penny...’ attitude has seemingly compelled him to attempt an appeal of the subsequent FA charge of improper conduct. Perhaps the man responsible for excusing Rooney’s offence, and also, if you remember, for allowing Nani’s ridiculous goal against Spurs to stand earlier this season– referee Mark Clattenburg – should take charge of all Manchester United’s matches?

Klitschko vows to return to his Haye day The fight many boxing fans predicted would never happen has been scheduled. WBA heavyweight champion Brit David Haye will fight the younger Klitschko brother Wladimir in Germany this summer. Announced for either the 25 June or the 2 July the fight will finally bring together the pair who have been on and off more times than Ross and Rachel. On Saturday, Kiltschko withdrew from his title defence against Dereck Chisora seemingly paving the way for the agreement of the Haye fight.

Haye described it as “the fight every boxing fan has to see” and The Journal only hopes every boxing fan gets a better show than the Hayemaker’s last fight against Audley Harrison.

Fallout from Old Firm derby continues Rangers duo Madjid Bougherra and El Hadji Diouf are likely to face further punishment following their dismissals against Celtic last Wednesday as their behaviour has been mentioned in referee Calum Murray’s match report. Bougherra appeared to restrain Murray’s arm as he attempted to show him the red card, while Diouf ignored his dismissal after the final whistle and went over to the Rangers fans and threw his shirt into the crowd. Old Firm managers Ally Mccoist and Neil Lennon also face disciplinary action with the exQuestion of Sport captain looking at a two match touchline ban, while Lennon could spend up to eight matches away from the dugout due to previous bad behaviour. Since Wednesday’s game calls have been made to play the derby outside of Glasgow due to the trouble caused.

Sport 23

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011

England: over and out?

ICC Cricket World Cup stumps up plenty of excitement as Shane fails to heed his own Warne-ings Juliet James

Jamie Timson Sport Co-Editor Many have claimed that the rise of Twenty20 cricket would prove the death of the 50 over game, if not claim the scalp of the five-day game as well.

However, in this ICC Cricket World cup - currently taking place on the subcontinent - one team is singlehandedly keeping alive the excitement.

Set 292 to win by those cricketing powerhouses Netherlands in their first game, England survived a major scare to win with just 8 balls remaining. A match-up with pre-tournament dark horses India then followed, and England’s bowlers toiled as the Indians - led by a peerless century from the Little Master Sachin Tendulkar – racked up a huge total of 338. England’s response was top drawer with Strauss playing a captain’s innings finishing up with 158 from 145 balls and the game ending in the unlikely occurrence of a tie. Unlikely, it must be said, to all but Aussie legend Shane Warne who predicted a tie seven hours before the game on his Twitter account and was then promptly investigated by the Pakistan cricket authorities after the game; a sad indictment of the present day cricketing universe.

This left England entering their game against another Associate nation Ireland on a high, however a combination of poor bowling and fielding allowed

the Irish to complete the highest run chase in Cricket World Cup history with the highlight being Kevin O’Brien – a club cricketer in Ireland – scoring the fastest World Cup century off just 50 balls. Last Saturday, however, England turned the tables and pulled off the unlikeliest of victories, successfully defending the paltry total of 171 against one of the tournament favourites South Africa. Stuart Broad was the hero, taking four wickets for just 15 runs in a devastating display of fast bowling. Despite never really hitting top form in all areas of the game England are still within touching distance of a quarter-final spot and, who knows, maybe even a tournament win should they make it through to the knockout stages.

Of the other contenders, The Journal’s pick would be a West Indies/ Australia final. The Windies have been quietly picking up victories and momentum seems to be with them, although having lost to South Africa they will most probably need a win against England to qualify. The Aussies on the other hand are past masters at these tournaments, the sheer length - some 6 weeks of cricket - dictate that the winning team will most likely be the most consistent. The Journal wonders if maybe Shane Warne could help his former teammates out with his newfound crystal ball.

006548 160x265 Journal Crash V2__ 28/02/2011 15:44 Page 1

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Squash

24 Sport

Edinburgh's racquet finally dies down Scoreline fails to reflect Edinburgh’s spirited fight as Birmingham edge through to the semi-finals

Birmingham 5 Edinburgh 0 Nick Roberts Having secured their Premier League status for next season by beating Newcastle 4-1 in the First Round, Edinburgh’s men’s first team travelled down to Birmingham for the quarter-final.

Hopes of a first-ever trip to the semifinals were eventually quashed with a 5-0 reverse, despite some good performances and close matches.

Alex Iveson kicked off the matches at number five, continuing his recent run of good form playing some intelligent squash and after losing the first game 7-11 he had game points in both the second and third games but didn’t manage to convert any of

Football

The Journal Wednesday 9 March 2011

them eventually going down 13-15 10-12.

Nick Roberts was playing at four and, in much the same way as Alex, he played well but didn’t manage to get any games on the board – losing a tight 10-12 8-11 8-11.

Dan Ward took a break from his football duties to represent the team at three and, despite not really playing squash, put in a great performance. Dan lost the first game 5-11 but hit some strong drives to level at 1-1 taking the second game 11-8.

The third game was tight but Dan was always behind, losing a tight 8-11. The final game was by far the greatest spectacle of the day; both players were fetching well, hitting some nice drives but also some fairly horrendous shots. The game moved to ten-all, with both players needing to win by two clear points, but neither of them were capable of stringing two solid rallies together. Dan saved game ball after

game ball but at the eighth time of asking he couldn’t find the winning drive, finally going down 16-18 and a 3-1 defeat in the match.

At number two, Rik Keating had a very tough match playing a very accurate opponent. Rik tried his usual trick of running around a lot but ultimately his opponent was just too consistent winning 3-11 5-11 3-11.

The final match of the day was between the two number 1’s, Iain Tennant of Edinburgh and Ali Mutch of Birmingham. They were supposed to have met in the BUCS individuals championships the weekend before, but Mutch had had to pull out. Iain started slowly, making uncharacteristic mistakes at the front of the court and losing the opening game 5-11. After receiving advice from his team between games, Iain came out and stormed the second

game 11-2. Mutch’s movement appeared to be slightly laboured but after a game’s recovery he was back on form, taking the third 7-11. The fourth game was very tight with neither player moving more than two points clear. Iain managed to get two game points at 10-8, only to lose his concentration and again play some unusually sloppy shots allowing Mutch to win the next four rallies and the match, 3-1.

As Birmingham decided to stay on court post-match and play their women’s team – rather than offering the customary refreshments to the Edinburgh boys before their long trip back north – there was no doubt who held the moral victory on a proud, but ultimately unsuccessful, day for the men’s first team.

BUCS Squash Men’s Championship Knockouts Quarter Final

Shot-shy Watts short on power

Pro sport comes out of the closet

» 23

League Table FOOTBALL BUCS Scottish Conference Men’s 1A P W D L F A GD Pts Heriot-Watt 1st 7 3 4 0 15 5 10 13 Edinburgh 1st

6 4 0 2 14 4 10 12

Glasgow 1st

7 3 2 2 15 14 1 11

Edinburgh 2nd

8 2 3 3 7 9 -2

Strathclyde 1st

8 1 1 6 9 24 -15 4

9

RUGBY BUCS Scottish Conference Men’s 1A P WDL F

A

GD Pts

Edinburgh 1st

8 8 0 0 333 52 281 24

Aberdeen 1st

8 6 0 2 320 147 173 18

St Andrews 1st 8 5 0 3 274 184 90 15

Edinburgh Firsts the only winners as a grim stalemate keeps the title race tight

Stirling 1st Matthew Hauke

6 1 0 5 115 257 -142 3

Heriot-Watt 1st 7 1 0 6 91 224 -133 3 Robert Gordon 1st 7 1 0 6 55 324 -269 3

Edinburgh 0 Heriot-Watt 0

HOCKEY

Sean Gibson Sport Co-Editor With Edinburgh Firsts not playing, this was a chance for Heriot-Watt to take the initiative in the title race, and leave their fellow contenders with it all to do in their remaining games. But HeriotWatt’s destiny is no longer in their own hands, even if they defeat their title rivals in their final game next week. Although still undefeated, they now haven’t won in four matches.

This was by no means the worst nilnil you will ever see, but the vague sense of despair – seemingly shared by spectators and coaches alike – was tangible throughout the game. The recent relief from relegation fears that the Edinburgh Seconds enjoyed should perhaps have proved liberating in this, their final outing of the season, but alas, no. Andy Cummings’ cheap booking ten minutes from time – for throwing the ball away, and not very far at that – summed up the all-too common lapses into apathy.

Both teams were sloppy in possession; it was a game of overhit passes and little movement off the ball. In fairness, both sides were committed in defence and there were very few errors for the forwards to exploit. Promising wing-play was also stunted somewhat by the conditions of a pitch in need of a serious rolling – players waited an age for the ball to stop bobbling before they could cross it.

Of the two teams, Heriot-Watt started the brighter with big striker Lars Berger dominating the early exchanges.

Although the away side struggled to create anything truly threatening, they certainly offered more than Edinburgh.

Hacker:

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 2nd

8 1 2 5 12 25 -13 5

Caledonian 1st

7 0 1 6 3 14 -11 4*

BUCS Scottish Conference Men’s 1A P W D L F A GD Pts 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 Despite the battling of Tom Timmins and the probing runs of winger Steve Kenny, their play often fell flat.

Edinburgh’s big chance came at 26 minutes, as Timmins was put clear by a punt from defence. As the Edinburgh bench went up for a foul on the provider, Timmins’ awkward chip and narrow miss almost went unnoticed. The teams cantered into half-time with only a burst of life on the part of Heriot-Watt - three dangerous crosses in succession and the forcing of a goal-line clearance – stirring things up.

In the second half, Heriot-Watt’s wide men Gavin Main and Aaron James began to make a more significant impression, coming more into the game as Edinburgh got to grips with target-man Berger and

new avenues of attack were sought. It was James on the hour who showed good strength to wriggle free in the box and hit a trickling shot on the turn, but, with the keeper beaten, it was inches wide of the post.

Several minutes prior, Josh Cannon had better demonstrated Heriot-Watt’s seemingly growing reluctance to score as he bundled his way through and rounded the keeper, only to lose his footing before getting in any meaningful strike. Edinburgh were keen not to be outdone and so issued a sequence of tricky-long throws and flick-ons blithely ignored by teammates. Indeed, by the final stages we had progressed to the stage where Edinburgh were doing their damnedest to score for Heriot-Watt, as first Nick Ghamgosar

sliced a clearance dangerously close to the target and then Dan Patterson went one better and clattered his own crossbar under little pressure.

With two minutes remaining, Aaron James headed a deep cross just wide of the target to spark a surprisingly frantic final scrap in which Edinburgh looked likely to steal it. First David Oswald found himself clean through, but whilst his shot beat the keeper it didn’t have the legs to cross the line. From a corner, Amo Armstrong had his strong header cleared off the line before comically missing his rebound - having already begun to celebrate a goal. Heriot-Watt goalkeeper Craig Saunders had the last word as he brilliantly turned Armstrong’s next header around the post.

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