THE ORBITAL OCTOBER 2012
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THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE STUDENTS’ UNION ROYAL HOLLOWAY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON
Coroner’s verdict prompts renewed calls for A30 safety overhaul - Kayleigh Sugar death ruled “tragic accident” - MEP gives backing to campaign for greater pedestrian safety at crossroads Alex Pegler Deputy Editor AN INQUEST into the death of fourth year geology student Kayleigh Sugar heard that she was fatally struck by a black Mini Cooper as she made her way to the Students’ Union on 2 March. Surrey Coroner Richard Travers ruled that the 22-yearold had run into the carriageway at the crossroads between St Jude’s Road and Egham Hill (A30) in an event described as a “tragic accident”. Mr Travers said Kayleigh had been drinking at a party and had the intention of walking to the Students’ Union for a function night. The incident has sparked fresh calls from safety activists who claim the installation of a
IN NUMBERS
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The number of sign-ups the Orbital received at the start of this academic year.
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The number of candidates who ran in the first cross campus Surhul elections of the year.
pelican crossing would reduce the risk of road deaths in the vicinity of Royal Holloway. There are currently traffic lights at the crossroads although campaigners say they do not provide sufficient breaks in the traffic for pedestrians to cross in safety. The driver of the Mini, Laura Clitheroe, had been out for dinner with a friend and was returning home when the geology student ran into the road. Coroner Travers said: “It was not clear how much alcohol Miss Sugar had consumed throughout the evening. “What is clear is that having left the party she and her friend were anxious to get into the queue at the Students’ Union. “I know that in different continued page 3
- Fourth year student killed en route to SU - College vows to put pressure on Surrey Council to fast-track improvements
The Englefield Green crossroads at rush hour
COMMENT P9: The death penalty Imogen Tyreman and Hannah Russell give their take on capital punishment around the world.
ARTS P23: Music review Angus Wyatt profiles British band Mumford and Sons’ eagerly-awaited second album offering Babel.
FEATURES P10-11: Free speech A debate exploring the merits and potential problems of allowing complete freedom of expression.
P13: Puzzles Try your hand at our sudokus, our crossword and a Halloween-themed wordsearch.
LIFESTYLE P20: “KISS” James Corbyn reveals the secrets behind getting closer to achieving bodybuilding perfection.
SPORTS & SOCS P27: In the spotlight A look at the Historical Re-enactment society and what its got planned over the coming months.
P29: Lance Armstrong An overview of the doping scandal that has shaken global sport to its core this year.
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The Orbital Oct 2012
The Board Julian Farmer Editor-in-Chief
editor@theorbital.co.uk
Alex Pegler Deputy Editor
deputyeditor@theorbital.co.uk
Ramona Saigol News Editor
news@theorbital.co.uk
Stephen Atkinson Comment Editor
comment@theorbital.co.uk
Simon Rawlings Lifestyle Editor
lifestyle@theorbital.co.uk
Vacant Features Editor
features@theorbital.co.uk
Rebecca Hilsdon Arts Editor arts@theorbital.co.uk
Shannon Mizzi Sports & Socs Editor
sportsandsocs@theorbital.co.uk
James Griffen Web Editor
web@theorbital.co.uk
Zosia Edwards Art Director art@theorbital.co.uk
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The Orbital is the official publication of the Students’ Union, Royal Holloway, University of London, and is run entirely by an elected board of students. It is editorially independent of both Royal Holloway and the Students’ Union. If you have any questions or want to write for us, send an email to getinvolved@ theorbital.co.uk, or contact the relevant section editor directly. Design: Zosia Edwards and Julian Farmer theorbital.co.uk @theorbitalrhul facebook.com/ theorbital
Connor Partos Admin Director
admin@theorbital.co.uk
Jamie S Green Executive Editor (VPComCam) jamie@theorbital.co.uk
Julian Farmer Editor-in-Chief
It’s been a bit of a crazy touch-andgo month, with all the madness that comes with the start of term. Hopefully everybody’s had a lot of fun through Welcome Week and managed to avoid doing anything too embarassing! Thank you to everybody who spoke to us at the Media and Societies fayres, giving us over 400 sign ups to kick off the term! I couldn’t quite believe it when I got the number back; I’m looking forward to reading all of the submissions for the next issue. Aside from the Orbital, I’ve been raising money for charity by changing my name to “Shambolic Ninja-
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George Galloway in NUS libel lawsuit
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Mona Eltahawy’s arrest: absurdity, comedy, and a microcosm
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Puzzles
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Make the most of your make up
24 Film reviews 27 2
From the Editors
Student Action For Refugees
Penguin”. And no, I’m not joking. The deed poll’s been signed and people now call me “Shammy”, but I’m going to continue using my previous name in the Orbital. The best part was getting an email from my department addressed to “Mr. Ninja-Penguin”, and my new driver’s license should be arriving soon! If you want to donate, just go to justgiving.com/ changingmyname. All donations go to Cancer Research UK. If you’ve enjoyed reading this edition and want to join in, please do contact us; the details are on the left. Our next edition will be out in the second week of November, so start writing now!
Alex Pegler Deputy Editor
This is my first foreword as Deputy Editor and I must say thanks to all those who gave me a mandate in March’s campus media elections to attempt to churn out something worth reading over the coming year. Talking of the media, British newspapers have taken a battering in the last 18 months with the infamous News International phone hacking scandal. And with Lord Justice Leveson due to release his recommendations on the regulation of Murdoch et al. next month, there are real fears that true freedom of the press in Britain will become a thing of the past.
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But hopefully the recommendations won’t affect the Orbital too much. I don’t want all those payments to Egham Police for a forthcoming exclusive feature to be in vain! I’ve got to say a massive thanks to everyone who signed up to write for us at the Freshers and Media fayres last month. Whilst we were inundated with interest initially, things have dropped off a bit. So if you’re a fresher and see yourself as the next Glenn Mulcaire... sorry, Andrew Marr, drop us an email and we will get the ball rolling. Have a cracking Halloween and be wary of the perils of mixing beer with fireworks. It won’t end well!
Jefferson Frank sexuality discrimination case dismissed
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Debate: Should we have the right to absolute freedom of expression?
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The Sabbatical Files
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Student survival guide
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Art reviews
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Islamic Society charity week
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Egham Hill safety fears continued from page 1
Photo: Diggers 2012
“Runnymede Eco-Village” defiant amidst eviction threat Harry Angers A GROUP of campaigners living on the disused Runnymede campus of Brunel University on Cooper’s Hill Lane are in court fighting an attempt to evict them by the National Trust. The Diggers 2012 group, currently numbering at fifteen, has lived off the wooded area of the Brunel campus since 15 July as part of a campaign to cultivate disused land. According to the Diggers 2012 website, their aim is to “call on the Government and all landowners to let those who are willing, make good use of the disused land”. The group has branded the Brunel campus site the “Runnymede
Eco-Village”. The members of Diggers 2012 have been evicted from the campus three times as of 26 July, and each time they have returned to the site and reoccupied it. A Diggers spokesman said: “Though we may be oppressed for our actions, we will not cease from our efforts until we have achieved our goal.” The campus, owned by the private property developer Orchid Runnymede, was formerly part of Brunel University until 2006 when it was sold to the Oracle Group. It has since been unoccupied and, following the liquidation of the Oracle Group in 2010, passed on to Orchid Runnymede. Orchid Runnymede has
since been granted planning permission to build on the 27 hectare campus. The plans that include the building of 528 rooms of student accommodation, 104 new homes and 59 extra-care apartments, have received opposition from the local community. The National Trust originally sought an injunction to take enforcement action against Diggers 2012 and persons unknown. However, this was rejected by the Slough County Court judge as it could apply to anyone who entered the Runnymede Estate. As of 10 October, the group are still living in the wooded area of the campus with plans for a pedal-powered film night in the near future.
circumstances she would not have crossed the road. “There is no suggestion that Miss Clitheroe was driving badly or speeding at the time. “I am satisfied that Kayleigh Sugar died as a result of a tragic accident. “She was a remarkable young woman and I offer my sincere condolences to the family.” The inquest verdict comes on the back of efforts to improve road safety at Royal Holloway. At the Surhul General Meeting on 2 October, Englefield Green Off-Campus Students’ Representative Rustam Majainah signalled his desire to mount a campaign to install a pedestrian crossing on the A30. The safety calls follow a March visit by Keith Taylor, Green MEP for the South East, who was unequivocal in his support for Mr Majainah’s campaigning efforts. Mr Taylor was damning in his assessment of the dangers faced by students as they cross the A30. He said: “As a member of the European Parliament’s transport committee, I’ve been calling for slower speeds in residential areas. “A pedestrian crossing over this main road, which cars travel on at 40mph, would reduce the risk of more tragic accidents.
“The council needs to take urgent action.” Shortly after Kayleigh’s death in March, initial reports suggested that highways operator Surrey County Council had earmarked £10,000 of developer funding to be allocated to a new pedestrian crossing at the site. Almost eight months later and no obvious progress has been made. College management are keen to stress however that the university is working to prevent future student road tragedies. Simon Higman, Registrar and Director of Operations at Royal Holloway, said: “We are actively working with Surrey County Council to introduce new safety measures along the A30 outside the campus. “This includes reducing the speed limit to 30mph and building a pedestrian crossing at the traffic lights.” Speaking to the Orbital, Rustam Majainah revealed that Surrey Council is to invest in safety improvements soon. He said: “It’s great that Surrey County Council have listened to local campaigners and agreed to look into installing a crossing at the junction. “Although this action should have been taken years ago, it is still good news for Englefield Green residents and a promising step towards our campaign’s goal.”
Image: Diggers 2012 / Google Maps
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libel lawsuit
Ramona Saigol News Editor RESPECT MP for Bradford West and high-profile politician George Galloway has announced his plans to sue the NUS for libel after they labelled the politician as a “rape denier”. Following Galloway’s comments on the sexual assault charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the NUS also passed a motion banning the MP from speaking at any future union-affiliated events or meetings. The motion also banned BNP MEP Andrew Brons and Conservative MEP Roger Elmer, who both made controversial comments regarding rape, from participating in any future
NUS events. Galloway’s heavily-debated statements were made during a video podcast where he claimed that the charges made against Assange did not constitute as rape, instead stating it was a case of “bad sexual etiquette”. The MP went on to claim that the women’s allegations in her case against Assange were “totally unproven”. The politician’s statements were heavily criticised by anti-rape campaigners and many members of his own party including Respect party leader Salma Yaqoob who had described the MPs comments as “deeply disturbing”. In an attempt to clarify his comments, Galloway released a statement acknowledging that he was “absolutely clear
that no means no” and “nonconsensual sex is rape”. A spokesman stated that although the NUS have every right to ban whomever they wish, the comments made against George Galloway were both “offensive” and “defamatory”. Galloway announced on Twitter that further defamatory comments made by the NUS “will be included in the impending action”. Galloway has remarked that any damages recovered from his case against the NUS “will be donated to the defence fund for Julian Assange and Bradley Manning”. Galloway visited Royal Holloway last year as part of a seminar for the Politics and International Relations Society, discussing his opposition to the Iraq War.
Photo: David Hunt
Biker injured in RHUL front gate crash
Photo: James Harrison
Ramona Saigol News Editor A RUSH hour collision involving three vehicles has left a motorcyclist suffering from serious injuries in St. George’s hospital in Tooting. The incident took place on Monday 1 October shortly after 5pm on Egham Hill when the rider’s motorcycle crashed into two vehicles. The 51-year-old local man sustained serious injuries to the left side of his body and was rushed to hospital after
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an ambulance arrived at the scene. The collision resulted in severe traffic delays which brought Egham town to a complete standstill as well as causing disruptions on the Egham bypass, Tite Hill, Prune Hill and Stroude Road as police closed the A30 at the scene of the incident until 9.30pm. After the collision, resident Jordan Power of Egham Hill helped police at the scene alongside a second helper by diverting rush hour traffic
at the junction with St Jude’s road away from the incident. Mr Power stated that the traffic was at a complete standstill “queuing all the way back” an hour after the collision had taken place. The pair stood at the junction just in advance of the cordoned area directing the traffic to choose alternative routes. However, despite their efforts, Mr Power claimed that many motorists chose to ignore their warning and instead continued onto Egham Hill
before being turned away by police officers next to Harvest Road. Frustrated motorists verbally abused both the helpers at the A30 junction with St Jude’s road as their journeys were disrupted, although due to the severity of the incident Mr Power and the second helper ignored the comments. The collision is the latest incident to take place on Egham Hill following a series of accidents which have occurred recently on the A30
near to Royal Holloway. A student of the university was tragically killed after a collision at the junction with St Jude’s Road earlier this year in March (see front page) and two children sustained injuries after a crash in the same area in May. Surrey Police have asked for anyone with information regarding the collision to contact Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111, or contact the collision investigation unit on 01483 639 922.
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COMMENT FEATURES LIFESTYLE ARTS 3-6
London Metropolitan international students allowed additional year CURRENT international students at London Metropolitan University need no longer worry after a ruling to allow those with a valid tier 4 study visa to continue their courses at the university for the 2012-13 academic year was made by a high court judge. The university has also been granted permission by the UK border agency to apply for a judicial review of the revocation of its overseas student sponsor licence. However, in spite of these recent achievements, the longterm future of international students studying at the university after 2013 remains uncertain. The university’s highly trusted status, which allowed for the sponsor of study-visa applications of international students was revoked in August based on a sample of 101 international students out of 2,700. The search found that 25% of the sample did not have permission to remain in the UK. Campaigners in support of
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the international student base at London Metropolitan had raised a petition for the amnesty of the university’s international students gaining almost 8,000 signatures, and a “march for justice” against the UK Border Agency’s decisions took place at the end of September. Chair of the university’s UCU branch, Mark Campbell, stated that the high court’s decision to allow international students to continue was a “good result” for the campaign as it “has effectively given a full amnesty to all existing students to continue their studies”. The Government provided legitimate students with a £2m fund to aid their search for new university places. The decision to allow continuing students to study for another academic year has meant that this fund will be used to meet the increased tuition fee costs for students who will have to transfer from London Metropolitan, as well as assisting students who have incurred extra costs because of the revocation of the university’s licence.
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Mixed reaction to new SOAS rebrand AFTER spending a reported £110,000 on the redesigning of its visual brand, the most recent School of Oriental and African Studies Students’ Union general meeting resulted in a divided opinion on the new look. The recent meeting saw the new logo described as both “outdated” and “expensive to reproduce” according to a SOAS spokesman. The university chose to rebrand SOAS’s visual output by redesigning the logo, replacing the green tree with a yellow one, QMUL
redesigning the website, creating style guidelines, typefaces, presentation and stationery templates and reproducing the colour palette. It spent a reported £57,702 on research and consultancy for the 18 months prior to the overhaul and a further £53,000 on the rebranding. The design of the new logo was inspired by the leaves of the oak tree, to represent SOAS and nine other trees indigenous to Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Racist posters appear at Queen Mary PROPAGANDA claiming that there is an unreported genocide going on against white South African farmers has appeared over Queen Mary’s Mile End campus. The posters, found on Thursday 4th October, have also been spotted at Manchester University and the streets of
Lewisham and Brixton. The material claims that the alleged genocide is deliberately not reported by the “Zionistcontrolled” media. LSE Jewish Society President Jay Stoll said: “The posters have clearly been written to incite tensions and divide the community. Fascist tropes have no place at universities.”
Jefferson Frank sexuality discrimination case dismissed Egham in line for retail revamp Alex Pegler Deputy Editor
AN EMPLOYMENT tribunal has dismissed the case put forward by Professor Jefferson Frank that he had been unfairly treated by the university having made allegations about discrimination. Royal Holloway faced legal action last month from Professor Frank, an openly gay man, who claimed to have been discriminated against by the university. The professor stated he had been unfairly treated by Royal Holloway after previously attempting to sue the College for discrimination due to sexual orientation. Professor Frank’s most recent run-in with the College centred on his claim that despite giving 18 years of service to the university, he was receiving an unjust payscale band of “two-plus”
The Economics department founder also suggested that he had not received a pay rise for over half a decade. Reports suggest Professor Frank believed he suffered unfair treatment because he is gay. More specifically, he was of the view that the alleged prejudice may have originated from his decision to sue the College two years ago because he believed he was being discriminated against on the grounds of his sexuality or his membership of a trade union. Professor Frank aired his grievances to the Daily Mail last month. He said: “It is worth noting that despite the victimisation I have suffered throughout the last two years, I have put in an immense amount of effort on behalf of the College, successfully leading the department in a rebuilding phase. “The department’s PhD programme and MSc
programmes have doubled in size, with undergraduate enrolment growing by 50 students per year. “Particularly in light of all this effort I have been putting in for the college, the victimisation has been very hurtful to me. “At each juncture the College found excuses not to raise my banding. “In addition I was discriminated against and victimised by being asked to step down prematurely as head of department and to have my post as professor threatened if I continue with my grievance.” Professor Frank’s case was dismissed on the morning of Thursday 20 September by Reading Employment Tribunal. The Orbital understands this occurred after the academic withdrew all claims. A statement from the college made clear that no financial settlement was made.
Zosia Edwards Art Director A £17.6m funding injection has paved the way for Waitrose and Travelodge to come to Egham. The development, set for completion in 2014, has been hailed by traders as a massive boost for the town. Despite having been announced several years ago, the project has progressed slowly due to various issues, such as tenants fearing for the loss of their parking spaces and delivery access. It will include an 80-bedroom Travelodge, a 32,000 square foot Waitrose supermarket and a car park with 174 spaces, mostly underground. Runnymede Borough Council bosses say the three separate projects will help “breathe new life” into Egham town centre,
with the Travelodge attracting more visitors to the town and the new supermarket providing variety for local shoppers. In light of this news, hopes are high amongst residents and local business owners that this development marks the start of much needed further regeneration for the town centre. The arrival of the new supermarket in Egham will save many students the regular trip into Staines in search of Waitrose’s food, and the news of potential employment opportunities will be welcomed by students and locals alike. The site is being held on a 150 year lease from Runnymede Borough Council who have been working closely with developers Albemarle Egham LLP in order to bring this project to fruition.
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College update Top authors add literary sparkle to lunchtimes Lunchtimes at Royal Holloway will transport students and members of the public into worlds of adventure when a new Lunchtime Reading series starts on Thursday 25 October. Award-winning authors, including Susanna Jones, Joe Dunthorne and Man Booker-nominated Adam Foulds, will read extracts from their books and host a Q&A session where there will be opportunities to ask questions directly to the authors, as well as purchase copies of the book. The series, which is hosted by the
Department of English, started last year and returns this term following its popularity among student audiences. Susanna Jones will kick off the new season with an extract from her acclaimed fourth novel When Nights Were Cold on 25 October. The Guardian described it as “an atmospheric, beautifully controlled account of intense female friendship and ambition”. Ms Jones is a Senior Lecturer at Royal Holloway, teaching on the Creative Writing MA.
Community Action Making a difference This term, Community Action is on a mission to get students out in the local area, offering their services to a range of projects with community partners. Community Action exists to connect, train and support Royal Holloway students looking to volunteer in the local community. After hosting a successful Volunteering Fair on Wednesday 17 October, a host of opportunities are being provided for students to discuss projects and find out more about fundraising ideas. This year’s Fair saw over 25 community organisations and charities represented including Scouts, Age UK, Alzheimer’s Society, British Heart Foundation, Feminist Library, Greenpeace and Love your Campus to name a few. Getting involved in Community Action not only gives you the chance to make friends, gain experience and develop a broad skill set but also provides the opportunity to gain points towards achieving the Royal Holloway Passport. In addition to the recent Volunteering Fair, the annual ‘Get Involved Week’ is also on the hori-
zon. Taking place from 22 October, Community Action is looking to provide a wide range of partner introduction sessions, volunteer inductions and accreditation talks through the week on campus. The week concludes with a community project day on Friday 26 October, known as ‘Make a Difference’ day. This dedicated day to volunteering offers students the chance to get involved in a number of local community projects either individually or as a group, club or society. Phil Simcock, Community Action Volunteer Manager, said: “Volunteering is a two-way process – not only does the community and charities benefit but the students themselves get a lot out of it, from the skills they learn, the connections they make and also the fun they have. It’s a really rewarding experience.” For further information on the events mentioned above, please contact Community Action, by emailing volunteering@rhul.ac.uk. To find out about any other events, go to Community Action’s website www.rhul.ac.uk/volunteering
Debut novelist Kenneth Macleod will visit on 22 November, when he will read from The Incident, which tells the story of a lifeguard working in 1980s Germany. Dr Katherine Williams, a Lecturer in Creative Writing in Royal Holloway’s Department of English, will entertain the audience with an extract from her haunting Victorian thriller The Pleasures of Men on 31 January 2013. She will be followed by Daljit Nagra, who will read from his poetry collection Tippoo Sultan’s
Incredible White-Man-Eating Tiger Toy-Machine!!! on 21 March 2013. Joe Dunthorne, who saw his first novel Submarine adapted into a feature film in 2010, will visit on 9 May 2013, with his book Wild Abandon. And Adam Foulds will feature in the final reading of the series on 6 June 2013, when he will read from The Quickening Maze. For more information about the time and location of the readings, visit Royal Holloway’s Lunchtime Reading Series webpage.
Support & Advisory update: keeping safe It is not long now until the clocks go back and the dark nights are drawing in, so it is the perfect time for some personal safety tips. Helping you maintain your personal safety is one of the most important areas of student welfare and it is an area we work closely with College Security, the Student Union and Surrey Police on. We are lucky that Egham and Englefield Green are incredibly safe areas with very low crime rates and we want to do our best to keep it that way. We suggest all students carry a personal safety alarm with them and these can be picked up free of charge from FW 148. If you spend time on campus at night, invest in an annual pass for the SSHH! Bus - these are available from the SU for just £20 and allow you to travel home locally safely, quickly and quietly at night. Save the numbers of College Security (01784 443063) and Surrey Police (101) in your mobile and report anything you see on or off campus that you think is sus-
picious. Your information could be the missing jigsaw piece, so don’t consider something you’ve seen as unimportant. Please don’t use routes you think are a short cut – for example the cemetery in Englefield Green or the alleyways leading to Kingswood – these tend to be dark, unlit areas and are best avoided. Learn where the well lit, safer walking routes around the area and to Kingswood are - there are maps provided by Surrey Police online or you can pick up copies from the CL&SO (FW 148). It’s really important to make sure you use the footbridges to cross the A30 at all times. It is a very busy main road and there are areas where it is difficult to judge the speed of the traffic. If you have any concerns or questions, please email community@rhul.ac.uk or speak to College Security in Founder’s East. Helen Groenendaal Community Liaison & Support Officer
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Mona Eltahawy’s arrest: absurdity, comedy, and a microcosm Alex Durrant THE Twittersphere exploded on 25 September with reports that Mona Eltahawy, EgyptianAmerican journalist, had been arrested for “defacing” one of the many pro-Israel posters that have recently darkened poster-frames around New York City. Eltahawy was one of five arrested the same day for similar reasons. The poster in question reads: “IN ANY WAR BETWEEN THE CIVILIZED MAN AND THE SAVAGE, SUPPORT THE CIVILIZED MAN.” Keeping with the most trodden clichés of alarmist propaganda, the entire sentence is rendered in capitals in a presumed attempt to capture attention and stir panic, whilst the text — white against a black background — reflects the intellectual depth of an ultra-reactionary faction evidently unable to think outside the binary. But ignoring the poster’s amateurish appearance, the text by itself is difficult to argue with. Civilisation versus savagery: who could object? Unfortunately for readers feeling uplifted by the apparent moral integrity of this message, it becomes obvious when considering the sentence in context with the footnote underscoring it, which reads, “SUPPORT ISRAEL, DEFEAT JIHAD”, that the “civilised man” and the “savage” are merely shrewd metaphors for two demographic groups.
The “support Israel” line is bracketed by two Stars of David, clearly indicating support not only of Israel as a political entity, but of Judaism as its sole religion. The poster was created by the American Freedom Defence Initiative, founded by the political activist Pamela Geller, whose background illuminates some of the motives behind the poster campaign. Geller felt in the wake of the 2011 Oslo attacks that the racial backgrounds of the victims were perfectly fair game to exploit on her blog for the purposes of entertaining her Tea-Party readership. It turned out that the photo included by Geller to contextualise the racial references was of the Norwegian Socialist Party’s youth wing, and not of the group actually targeted by Breivik: the Labour Party’s youth wing. Geller’s willingness to unflinchingly tell such lies should convince us that she not only holds racial prejudices, but knowingly acts upon them. Combined with the antiquated language of the poster, reminiscent of the colonialist language that characterised racial divisions as “the white man and the savage”, this should dispel any suspicion that it is solely religious Zionism, and not also racial Zionism, that she’s peddling. I can’t be alone in feeling a dark amusement at Geller’s organisation, which supports a state directing all efforts
to crushing the freedoms of the Palestinian people, being titled the “Freedom Defence Initiative”. A video of the arrest, published the following day by Arab news channel, Al-Arabiya, begins with Eltahawy spraying the poster undisrupted, and seconds later shows Pamela Hall, a president of the Freedom Defence Initiative, harassing Eltahawy and physically attempting to distance her from the poster using a tripod. Hall’s remarks during the course of the altercation would be terribly amusing in the unbelievable context of their hypocrisy if the propaganda she was defending wasn’t so disgusting. An example of this blackest of comedy: Hall, whilst herself obstructing the path of the spray paint, repeatedly asserted that, by
“obstructing” the poster’s message with translucent spray paint, Eltahawy was directly violating freedom of speech. The video makes quite clear that the words were still fully visible even whilst covered with the spray paint that in reality added nothing more than a pink tint. The ludicrous accusation becomes less funny when considering that the level of intellectual absence proudly paraded by Hall is typical of not only the bigots endorsing the message of this particular campaign, but of all stripes of bigot. This includes bigots with regard to race, religion, sex and sexual orientation, which in their combined ignorance, form a sizable proportion of the US population. My ideological feathers were also ruffled by the sheer number of repeated requests
the police endured before indulging Eltahawy with even the vaguest explanation for her arrest. Watching the footage, I was reminded of an incident detailed by late Anglo-American journalist Christopher Hitchens, who upon being thrown into a jail cell in the former Czechoslovakia, was chillingly told through the bars that he had no right to know the charges. Although only a very minor incident in the overall context of American politics, the repugnant political agenda with which Eltahawy was engaged in combat, and the totalitarian dimensions of her arrest, are microcosmic premonitions of the system we could see implemented on a grand scale should a party of intolerance gain a voter majority.
Change is paramount on Egham Hill Claire West I AM going to get straight to the point: Egham Hill is dangerous; dangerous for pedestrians, dangerous for drivers, dangerous for motorcyclists. To deny that is to deny the accidents that have happened on the hill recently. The sad case of Kayleigh Sugar is one
which, more than any other, should serve as an indication that something needs to change. Now, I’ve also heard people criticise perhaps a little more than tipsy students for walking out in the middle of the road at night, or for crossing at dangerous points. And yes, it is of course questionable that you might think it a good idea to walk
in the middle of the road, at night, when you’re probably a bit worse for wear. But there are much bigger issues to be considered. Firstly, the reason that people cross the road at dangerous points is that, often, there aren’t any safe points at which to cross! Yes, there are the two footbridges, the traffic lights, the little crossing opposite the
bus stop. Fine, but two out of those things are only safe if the traffic is reasonably quiet, and the other raises important accessibility issues. Anyone that has ever walked to or from Englefield Green will know how tricky it is to cross at the traffic lights, more often than not because drivers are either running red lights or driving way too fast. Looking at the case of
Kayleigh Sugar, the accident that happened on the hill last week, and all the other accidents that have happened before, I’d say it’s pretty obvious something has to be done; speed cameras or proper, pedestrian, lightcontrolled crossings where cars have to stop to let people cross; anything to make the hill a bit safer for us, for locals and for drivers.
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The Orbital Oct 2012
Let’s talk about porn! Sidonie Bertrand-Shelton Equality & Liberation Officer
PORN. We don’t talk about it, despite it being on page three of newspapers and on the adverts that pop up frequently on websites. For something that is (apparently) a multi-billionpound industry, we’d really rather not talk about it. Yet we’ve all watched some. Sometimes it’s as a curious teenager alone, or with friends as a dare. You might even enjoy watching it with your partner. Even if you’re still insisting that you’ve never watched any, modern day advertising is porn by Victorian standards.
Whatever the circumstance, it is very hard to shut your eyes to the sexual images that surround us, whether you’re looking for them or not. So why should we talk about porn? Firstly, there are deep cultural issues rooted in porn. One commonly stated example is the fact that women’s pubic hair seems to be vanishing, and porn is to blame. In its very beginnings, women’s pubic hair was its usual unruly self, yet today this patch of hair is becoming more and more trimmed to the point of banishment. Social acceptance of the downstairs changes with the times; it
should be about what you feel comfortable doing to your body and not what you feel pressured to do. Secondly, sex education here in the UK is like a maths lesson and not a discussion on consent, pleasure, contraception, protection and respect. We are taught that penis + vagina = baby every time. Worst of all, the education you receive is dependent on your sex. I would argue that every single person should understand how their body works, and that of their partner’s. Porn, controversially enough, is the first place where many young people discover the pleasure in sex
that sex education overlooks. Not only this, it is also a place where non-heteronormative sexual couples can discover new ways to achieve their pleasure. Finally, what about feminism and porn? Some feminists, but not all, are against porn for its poor representation of women and campaign against its very existence. Other feminists argue that women should make their own porn, showing the kind of sexual relationships that they themselves would engage in and enjoy. Both perspectives are valid, and many feminists are in fact engaging with this industry
in creating their own companies and material today. So, if you are as curious as I am on this topic, come along to “Let’s Talk About Porn” on Friday 26 October in Arts Lecture Theatre 1 at 6.30pm. We have four amazing speakers coming from London, all whom have studied representations in porn, or the influence of porn on relationships, or even the legality surrounding this controversial occupation. This will be the first in a series of talks, so feel free to get involved with the next ones. Porn is a controversial topic; what’s your opinion going to be?
Mini-debate:
Is Egham a good place to live? Rebecca Elizabeth Smith I FIND myself in my third year at university: my final undergraduate year. That’s pretty scary. But the reason that this devastating fact is utterly terrifying is principally caused by the fact that I love Egham and absolutely everything associated with it! I am well aware of the fact that many Hollowegians hate their natural habitat and wish to move away from what I consider to be a suburban utopia. However, I just cannot fathom why one would be despondent about living in such a sensational town. For a start, Egham is a prime location. A teeny town in Surrey, Egham sits on the River Thames banks, right in between Staines and Sunningdale. The Great South West Road (commonly known as the A30) runs through the town, making it excellently connected to
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the rest of the country. Furthermore, you can stroll into the Royal Landscape’s Savill Garden, Virginia Water and Windsor Great Park – all of which provide luscious green spaces where one is provided with the ability to get lost in the park’s abyss of beauty. Alternatively, you can hop onto a London-bound train and explore the thriving and diverse city. In addition, Egham provides you with the opportunity to partake in a drunk stumble up to Englefield Green which may or may not result in the purchase of a cheeky Village Pizza. (Or if you’re wealthy, you’ll be lucky enough to afford a Domino’s. If so, make mine a Hawaiian!) But Egham isn’t just famed for its easy access or fine Italian cuisine. No. Egham is more; much, much more. It is renowned for its historical importance within British history. The infamous Magna Carta was sealed during
1215 in Runneymede, and an annual festival takes place in Egham high street to celebrate the historical routes. Sometimes there is even free food – good, eh?! In addition, according to Wikipedia (that fine source of credible information), Egham used to hold horse races, which ceased in 1884 due to land interferences. The alternative nowadays it is nearby Ascot that garners the focus of all those inclined towards a bit of gambling and hatwearing. It’s all about the charity shops, the high proportion of old people and flash cars, Caffè Nero, Monkeys Mondays, pool at the Gun, walks around the lake and instagramming your favourite building, Founders (preferably with a big jug of Pimms in the foreground should the weather permit). You know you couldn’t live without it, so just embrace it and confess your love for Egham!
Nicholas Hyder EGHAM is known for two things: a university and a hill. I’m very proud of the university, and if I felt pride about hills I would be proud of Egham Hill, but it is not much to call home. Egham offers enough – just enough – for students, and little for anyone else. Egham lacks fun, convenience, atmosphere – things that make towns comfortable and pleasant. It may have a marginally nicer name than its closest town, but as a place it offers even less than Stainesupon-Thames. Egham has nothing to entertain. In most places one can visit the cinema now and then, catch whichever touring company is at your local theatre, or see which band is visiting. In Egham we barely have buskers. There is nowhere to play or spectate sport. Should your hobbies
not involve dinner, drinking or darting around on trains, there is nothing entertaining in Egham. It has nothing to make life convenient. Living somewhere a touch unexciting is made bearable by the ease local facilities offer. Buy your clothes, buy necessities and perhaps treat yourself to something frivolous. In Egham, life is made bearable by Budgens. I don’t think I’m wrong in saying there are more places to get a haircut in Egham than there are places to get food, and there are more coffee shops than clothes shops. I like coffee a fair bit, but should I tear my trousers espressos aren’t a lot of use. Aesthetically, Egham is less alluring than a box of bran flakes. Not only is there little to do, but just look around! Virginia Water may be nearby, but Egham is as glamorous at as a bag of coal. It is full of
grey roads leading to grey houses. Though the Magna Carta was signed here 800 years ago, any sense of history has been concreted over. There is only one pretty thing in all of Egham: Founder’s, and it is almost like the architects wanted that to burn down. Oh, and we get the sounds of planes from Heathrow. That’s Egham’s ambience: plane engines and concrete. In Egham’s favour, it is a good place to live for Royal Holloway students – a little unassuming spot a short train journey away from more exciting places. It has an excellent campus and it is close to other, nicer places. Beyond that, there is a dodgy graveyard, some grassy splodges, airplane roars, steep inclines, flickering streetlights, over-expensive garages, pubs, pubs, a pub with problematic punctuation and “Rape Alley”. Egham: city of dreams.
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The death penalty: An archaic punishment in a modern world Imogen Tyreman and Hannah Russell
HAVE you ever seen the look on someone’s face whose brother is about to be murdered for a crime he did not commit? I have, and it was one of the most heartbreaking images I have ever seen. Martina Correia is the sister of Troy Davis, and her pain was shared by thousands across the world when her innocent brother was executed a year ago after being subjected to legal and racial misconduct. Not once during her brother’s incarceration did Martina stop campaigning for his release; with the help of Amnesty International she achieved a stay of execution for Troy three times, but the relentless fight for his life against a deeply flawed and unyielding legal system drained Martina’s spirit. She died two months after the state of Georgia took her brother’s life. Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all circumstances without exception. Losing Troy was devastating, sending shockwaves around the world. However, Troy did not want us to stop fighting. He said: “The struggle for justice doesn’t end with me. “This struggle is for all
the Troy Davises who came before me and all the Troy Davises who will come after me.” This is why people are now fighting for Reggie Clemons: a man who is a victim of police brutality, who faced a stacked jury, who had inadequate legal representation, and who may yet pay the ultimate price for his ethnicity in a so called free country. He is a symbol of so much that is wrong and inhuman about the death penalty, and we will continue to fight for him as we did with Troy, but hopefully this time we can save his life. 33 states in USA still hold the death penalty as a legitimate punishment and will proceed to kill people using electricity, gas, hanging, or the lethal injection. Despite the law clearly stating that persons are not to be executed if there is any doubt in the case, since 1973 130 people have been released from death row after DNA evidence proved their innocence; who knows how many more inculpable people have been killed. The lethal injection is the most common form of this practice in America. People are led to believe it is a gentle death where the victim will be overdosed with anesthetic. However, veterinarians in
America have refused to use this cocktail of drugs to put animals down, claiming it to be ‘too inhumane’; its first action is to paralyse the victim so it is impossible to show the pain they are really in. In 2005, 10,000 Chinese people were executed. In China one can be sentenced to capital punishment for economic crimes such as bribery and corruption, for actions against cultural signs, and for many other nonviolent crimes. It is terrifying to think that the people living in Britain who received minimal punishment for similar offences would be dead had they been living elsewhere. The death penalty continues in Iran, where both men and women can be stoned to death for adultery. Iranian law says that the stone must be large enough to be called a stone, but not so large as to kill the victim immediately; suffering must be maximised in all circumstances. This sadistic punishment is a strong concern of human rights activists everywhere, being one of the most sickening and more unnecessary punishments imaginable. This obscene punishment has to end. Amnesty International will always
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Image: Stephen Conn
continue to stand against the death penalty in every situation. Humans have a right to life and a right not to be subjected to torture or any degrading punishment. The death does not deter people from committing crime, it simply creates more murderers. Over two thirds of the countries of the world have already abolished the death penalty, and the use of it in countries that retain capital punishment has strongly decreased over the last few years, proving that raising awareness and putting pressure on governments does make a difference. In the words of Troy Davis, “This fight to end the death penalty is not won or lost through me but through our strength to move forward and save every innocent person in captivity around the globe. We need to dismantle this unjust system city by city, state by state and country by country.”
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The Orbital Oct 2012
Should we have th freedom of e
Yes THIS debate is the continuation of one which has raged for centuries. Every generation brings its censors, who believe that it is only now that liberty can no longer be protected, that this time is unlike any other and that we must now finally give up our freedom of expression. Rivers of blood have been shed to protect it, and we are told, continue to be shed to spread it, yet back home we squander our liberty and would give it away again for nothing. Make no mistake, the leap to the digital realm may have provided us with new opportunities to avoid selfcensorship through anonymity and express our freedom ever more vigorously, but this is nothing new. The same principle that once banned Lady Chatterley’s Lover has once again reared its ugly head, and must be repelled every time it does so. The price of liberty is eternal vigilance, and the continuous exercise thereof. Shirts saying “one less pig” pointedly after murders of policemen, or Facebook posts expressing the wish for British soldiers to burn in hell aren’t considered comparable to art which has been offensive to previous generations because it does not have artistic merit, but whether an idea is subjectively considered “artistic” can hardly be the test that decides whether it can be expressed. Free speech means bad free speech as well as good. The remedy to slander, offence etc must necessarily be more free speech, because our draconian libel laws not only punish slander itself but stifle those
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that might otherwise have spoken out legitimately. What if Ben Goldacre had lost the case the British Chiropractic Association brought against him? The blow to scientific journalism and whistleblowing as a whole would have been massive because of self-censorship for fear of legal action. Similarly, the line between jokes which are criminally offensive and those which aren’t is blurred and makes for less humour altogether. Frankie Boyle is in danger of losing his job because the court process is currently testing the limits of what constitutes sufficiently offensive content, and it will be a great loss to comedy and art as a whole if that case is lost to the nannies of the world who seek to destroy the freedom to be as offensive as you please. Offence is no excuse because people choose to take offence! My right to speak cannot depend on your choosing not to be offended, because that principle taken to its logical conclusion means no speech at all for fear of someone taking offense. Free speech isn’t free only as long as it expresses ideas you agree with. Free speech is the keystone in the arch of liberty! How can it not be? The greatest reformers have always been precisely those who said the most transgressive and offensive things at the time; the Westboro Baptist Church is no different from Martin Luther King or even Jesus Christ in that regard. We can never be complacent enough to think that the values of the present society are those that should be carried on forever and thus pull the brakes
on progress by limiting the rights of the transgressive and offensive to say what they like, no matter how terrible their words may now seem to us. Nothing can ever be offlimits; all views should be subject to scrutiny and the possibility of acceptance or rejection. For how can we say that the views we hold are true or right if they have not been tested against all others in the intellectual battlefield? All views, no matter how reprehensible they may seem, must be subjected not to the Tipp-Ex or “delete” button of the censorious government official, but to vigorous debate. Scathing media condemnation to fight the hurtful words of those who would glorify the murder of policemen included, but never the use of force against them, or else we can never truly say that they have been legitimately defeated. The democratic process is founded on the idea that nobody may be bullied into silence because it leaves us open to more and more infractions of this fundamental right. As it becomes normal to prosecute for some things that cause offence, others too come into question. The “slippery slope” argument is legitimate because it’s happened in so many countries at so many different times: governments claiming that curbing freedoms is necessary to protect the populace and coming to abuse their new power to silence dissent. We must always remember those who died to protect our liberty, and never give it away again.
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Cal Barkovic
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he right to absolute expression?
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Alex Pegler
Photo: Pug50 (Flickr)
No NO ONE could argue against some of the very obvious virtues of freedom of expression. Being able to say what you want (within reason) is surely a vital component of a healthy democracy in which the decidedly dodgy practices of politicians and big-business can be exposed. Society should not be complacent in defending free speech against the excesses of the Putins of this world. American juror Benjamin Cardozo had it right when he concluded: “Freedom of expression is the matrix, the indispensable condition, of nearly every other form of freedom.” However, the fact that the unstoppable spread of Twitter and Facebook has meant social media has spilled over into nearly every part of every day lives, means that never before have so many citizens been given a public platform to broadcast their musings to potentially worldwide audiences. But with great power comes great responsibility. A responsibility that should mean that the championing of freedom of expression shouldn’t be confused with condoning statements which seek plainly to offend in the most vile way possible. Take Olympic diver Tom Daley for instance. The man overcame the death of his father in 2011 to battle his way to a bronze medal in London this summer. You’d think someone who had gained the affection of the mainstream media and public over the past 4 years through his courageous performances would be spared the vicious taunts of individuals exercising their right to “freedom of expression”. You’d be wrong.
In July, a teenager was arrested by police investigating the abuse of Daley. After coming fourth in the men’s synchronised 10m platform diving event, the 18-year-old from Plymouth received a message telling him he had let down his father, Rob. But it didn’t end there, the diver was also subjected to even more personal abuse. Port Talbot Town FC midfielder Daniel Thomas posted a homophobic message on Twitter, which was later distributed more widely, leading to his arrest. But the Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer has said the message was “not so grossly offensive that criminal charges need to be brought”. Another high-profile case that saw an individual personally insulted in the most explicit way possible due to perceived sporting failures is Premier League referee Mark Halsey. The 51-year-old sent off Liverpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey in a recent Liverpool v Manchester United game. Halsey received tweets from disgruntled Liverpool supporters branded as “beneath contempt” that made reference to his battle with throat cancer. We are talking about decent blokes who have demonstrated an indomitable spirit that could never be bettered by the character of their pathetic abusers. To call this a legitimate example of freedom of expression is an insult. It is an assault on basic human decency. Crucially, it taints the very concept of free speech and trivialises the struggle faced by those who want to be given the freedom to talk for admirable reasons. It beggars belief that individuals in this country
believe they have the right to direct personal attacks towards innocent sporting figures while the people of Russia and Azerbaijan cannot speak out against something as serious as horrendous human rights violations. Freedom of expression shouldn’t extend to citizens making statements that seek to incite hatred on the grounds of race. The well documented case of John Terry and Anton Ferdinand is evidence of this. An FA panel found Terry guilty of racially abusing QPR defender Ferdinand during a game at Loftus Road on 23 October, 2011. Terry has since admitted that the expression he used was wholly improper and to the detriment of the game and society as whole. Speaking after being censured, Terry said: “I accept that the language I used, regardless of the context, is not acceptable on the football field or indeed in any walk of life.” In addition, it is not unreasonable to suggest that freedom of expression shouldn’t mean that both citizens and the media are able to make assertions which are false or deliberately misleading. In 2004, the Daily Mirror ran a libellous story accompanied by false pictures that incorrectly suggested that British soldiers had abused Iraqi prisoners. The journalistic piece did huge damage to the reputation of the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment on the basis of false evidence. It undoubtedly serves as a reminder that, if the truth becomes a secondary consideration to ensuring freedom of expression is allowed in all cases, free speech becomes pretty much worthless.
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The Orbital Oct 2012
The gender-neutral toilet dispute
Photo: Julian Farmer
Jessica Goldsmith
THE London Student, a newspaper published by the University of London Union, recently published as one of their “Great Debates” whether it is acceptable — or important or necessary — to install gender neutral toilets on the campuses of the University of London. The articles, written by LSE LGBT officer John Peart, and second-year LSE student Jason Wong, caused great controversy as Wong used his
article to voice offensive and extremely transphobic views. The SU and RHUL’s Feminist Society have written a response calling for an apology from the London Student and that they “ensure that the London Student is not used as a platform for peddling hate speech.” I have a huge problem with the gender-neutral toilet debate, and that is because I simply cannot believe that we should be having this argument to begin with. Not only do I believe in the importance of gender neutral
toilets, but I believe in their necessity to be installed in every campus across London, and I cannot understand why it is such a problem for other students to understand this; Jason Wong not only highlights the gaps in students’ education on gender issues but the downright ignorance of them. His only real line of argument in his article is that gender neutral toilets could result in female students being assaulted. As a woman at RHUL, I do not feel threatened in our gender
neutral toilets, or anywhere else on campus. But even if I were, I could just as easily be assaulted in the female toilets, the SU, or on the poorly lit “Rape Alley” that I had to use to get back to Kingswood, often late at night, and frequently alone. But I notice Mr Wong’s sole concern is about my safety when urinating. Thank goodness for that. He writes that “gender confusion appears to be the latest trend”, a “slippery and dangerous path our society is treading down.” This made me incredibly angry. Gender confusion? Is Jason Wong actually dismissing the fact that my friends have been physically assaulted because they are seen by others to be using the “wrong” toilet? Surely it is the lack of education on LGBTQ relationships and gender politics in general that is more indicative of the ‘dangerous path’ of society. FemSoc wrote in their response to the debate that: “Nobody is being forced to use gender neutral toilets;
that option is only being made available to those who wish to. “These aren’t just for trans students either. They are for students who are wandering past having a chat with mates and want to carry that on in the toilet, they’re for students who might be carers, or have carers, of a different gender to themselves, they’re for student parents who might have a child of a different gender, and they’re for people who just happen to need the toilet. “This is not about segregating trans students… or degendering all toilets, it’s about offering a gender-free option to those groups that might appreciate, benefit from, or require it.” The debate itself has been retracted from the London Student but an apology is yet to be published. Surhul’s statement will be published in the London Student, and you can read FemSoc’s response to the article and copies of both sides of the original debate at rhul-fem-soc.blogspot.co.uk
divine (though it’s worth mentioning that with HIV, this simply does not happen). If unsuccessful, there is a tendency to blame the sufferer; their faith cannot have been strong enough, or else God would have intervened. With this logic, the pastor cannot be proven wrong. When religious circular reasoning starts to claim lives, such as the three HIV positive Londoners who died last year after ceasing medication on the advice of their Evangelical Christian pastors, the real cost of fuzzy logic starts to hit home. Clearly something should be done, but preventing further harm whilst respecting religious freedom is a tricky line to walk.
The AHPN, for their part, emphasise collaborative response and education, working closely with these communities to teach both pastors and followers to stop spreading and listening to this dangerous misinformation. This is an ongoing problem and is unlikely to disappear overnight. The idea of more draconian measures to curtail this practice is not a particularly attractive one, but then neither is the prospect of Aidsrelated death and suffering, especially when medicine is available to help. For now, we must appeal to the reason and compassion of the religious leaders in these communities and hope they soon see sense.
Faith healing menace Matt Elsom
FAITH healing seems an attractive concept. I’m sure people of faith are tempted by the idea of a quick, easy and rewarding fix; a prayer to take away their ills. Unfortunately, many have found it not to work. Yes, there are cases of unexplainable remission and people’s health do tend to naturally fluctuate — a phenomenon known as regression to the mean — but when experiments are run, the power of prayer is a dud, medically speaking. Two points to bring to your attention in the interest of disclosure: 1) I am an atheist, and 2) I absolutely believe in religious freedom,
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that people should be free to follow any system of belief that they choose. However, the point at which one’s faith leads to harm brought upon other human beings is perhaps a step too far. Last month, an organisation called the African Health Policy Network (AHPN) released a summary report on faith healing and HIV in African communities around the United Kingdom. The report begins by acknowledging that prayer can be a source of comfort and strength to those suffering from this awful disease, which is something that I actually agree with. It is not for me to tell anyone else how and where they should seek solace. But as much as priests and
pastors have the power to help their followers, there is potential for trust to be abused. It appears some religious leaders are neglecting their responsibility to their congregation by spreading misinformation about HIV and Aids, promising to heal them by prayer alone, and even encouraging sufferers not to take their antiretroviral medication, a combination of drugs which have been shown in clinical trials to reduce symptomatic disease, to slow or even halt the progression to Aids. In my opinion, faith healing of this sort has a really sinister edge. If, by chance, the sufferer gets better, this is seen as definitive proof of the healing power of the
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Halloween wordsearch L O M L M L V N E A S Y S M
E R A O Y A O A D H H M J E
B D S A M G P E P N A N I N
I A W P H H E E N W H O T S
T R I C K O R T R E A T K I
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Sudoku Fill in the grid so that the numbers 1 to 9 only appear once in 3x3 sector and only once on each line.
Laughable
Scary
BATS, GHOST, HALLOWEEN, MOON, PUMPKIN, SKELETON, SPOOKY, TRICK OR TREAT, VAMPIRE, WITCH
Simple crossword Across 1. Raucous (5) 7. Offensive language (8) 8. Parody (5) 10. Talks down to (10) 12. Young horse (8) 14. Blessing (4) 16. Beer-glass froth (4) 17. Crockery accident (8) 20. Naively (10) 23. Cut (timber) (5) 24. Exhausted (5,3) 25. Performed slalom (5)
Ghoulish
Down 1. Intrusively (6) 2. Buy goods (4) 3. Washstand jug (4) 4. Canonised person (5) 5. Niece (9) 6. Encourages (4,2) 9. Flunks (5) 11. Computer input (4,5) 13. Neither this ... that (3) 15. Formal dances (5) 16. Lifting devices (6) 18. Shook off (pursuers) (6) 19. Corrosive substances (5) 21. Naming word (4) 22. Tug sharply (4)
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Student Abroad
Ask Auntie Hannah!
We have a few Royal Holloway students writing for us on their year abroad. Each one writes in the Orbital every other week...
Mel Gray Essen, Germany
SO MUCH has happened since I last wrote to you guys! I was assigned to live in Essen, my first choice, which now means I’m living with my friend Petar in a city I know and love! I decided to be like “Yes Man” and not turn down opportunities. That’s how, since 31 August, I have met amazing people (especially the language assistants I met in Altenberg in my training); bought a Dirndl and went to the Oktoberfest in Münster (no, not München but still amazing!) which resulted in a picture of me and some other language assistants in the Münster Zeitung; and even performed with the school in front of the Foreign Minister! One thing which has made the beginning of my year so wonderful is the behaviour of the teachers… They are all insanely friendly! I mean “Here have my bike!” and “Been there? No? I’ll take you tomorrow!” kind of friendly.
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Many have asked to spend time with me over the holiday including me being asked to play Handball tonight. The last time I played a contact sport I ended up breaking my nose, so it’s the first time I’m being wary of my “Yes Man” attitude, but I’m still doing it! On a different note, I taught my first class last week on my own. Luckily it was “Welcome to London” so I was in my element and it went really well. After the Autumn holiday I’m going to be doing “In the Outback” and looking at Australia. I know nothing about Australia… Wish me luck! I have also joined the University of DuisburgEssen and will be studying “Germanistik” as of next week. I know it’s early days, but the fact I have nothing bad to say and only dislike one child at my school so far (always gonna be one) means I’m seriously considering staying on another year. See if my opinion changes in a month…
Dear Auntie Hannah, I'm going to a wedding in December and I don't know what to wear! I've not been to a wedding since I was a child, is there an unspoken protocol or dress code for unmarried girl friends? Delilah x Well Delilah, As long as you're in a dress and it's not white I think you'll be fine. Bear in mind that December is cold and wet. So maybe add one of those umbrella hats to complete your outfit. You'll stand out! x
Dear Auntie Hannah, I’ve got a friend with piercing blue eyes and slightly pointy ears. Do you think she might be an elf? Mark x
Well Mark, She definitely is an elf. Now she will be better at using magic but you’re a natural warrior so you will balance out. Find a dwarf and get questing immediately! Bring me back some gold! x
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Dear Auntie Hannah, There’s a boy in my halls that I really fancy but I don’t know what to say to him. He’s brought back three girls already on SU nights. How do I make myself one of them? Susie x Well Susie, Honestly you don’t have to say anything; you just need Auntie Hannah’s game plan: 1. Wear a revealing outfit disguised as a themed costume. 2. Buy him a drink. 3. Wake up in the morning totally ashamed and have to see him every day until the end of term. Have fun! x
Dear Auntie Hannah, One of my new housemates really smells and we don’t know her well enough to tell her so we just talk about it behind her back. How do we tell her to get some deodorant? Tracey x Well Tracey, Subtlety is the name of the game here so you don’t upset her. Have you tried putting pegs on your noses? Or posting her deodorant anonymously? You could also try weekly carpool trips to go swimming so that you know she gets at least one wash a week. x
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Dear Auntie Hannah, I got drunk one night and ended up smashing the window to a guy’s house at a party. He doesn’t know it was me. Should I fess up? Tony x Well Tony, I think you should tell your friend it was you and offer to pay. And then the whole time you should be muttering under your breath about suing him for the pain in your arm. He won’t want to see you again long enough to cause you any trouble. And please drink responsibly x
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Dear Auntie Hannah, My new housemates have been acting really weird around me. They keep holding their breath when I enter a room and I think they’re whispering about me. I don’t like it, what can I do? Millie x
Well Millie, Take a nice long soak in the bath and I’m sure all your worries will just wash away… Solved your problem Tracey! x
In your view... Phil John took this vibrant photo at the St. Giles Fair in Oxford. He said: “I took this during the summer at a fair in oxford. It’s a long exposure of one of the spinning wheel rides. I like it because the light trails are really colourful and bold.” If you’ve taken a photo you’d like us to print, contact us by sending an email to features@theorbital.co.uk with “In Your View” in the subject line.
We’re looking for a features editor! Elections will take place at an upcoming SU general meeting. If you want to get involved with the editorial board, send an email to editor@theorbital.co.uk for information.
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The Orbital Oct 2012
The Sabbatical Files
Doug German President
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SO TERM has begun, and its gone off with a bang! Welcome Week was an unrivalled success, and I can’t thank the volunteers and all those who helped out enough — you made the week incredible. From entertainments to the “squirtle squad” handing out water to students in the SU, to tasters and trials, with over 2,500 students attending the Sports and Societies fayres Weeks two and three saw a fantastic turnout and brilliant elections at the first general meeting of the year, with a lot of new students coming to engage in debate and have their say in their union. I spent a lot of time going to meetings including the bars and entertainments
Ian Stewart VP Student Activities IT ONLY seems like yesterday when I had to submit 300 words to the Orbital for my sabb update, and there was me thinking that handing in my master’s dissertation would mark the end of deadlines! Even though it seems like yesterday loads has happened since my last submission. We started term with the craziness that is Welcome Week. Two-and-a-half months resulted in one week where I managed less than 20 hours sleep. The word tiered gained a whole new meaning for me, but instead of relying on sleep I instead feed off the amazing energy that was floating around. From the hundreds of volunteers that were there to welcome the new students to the great executive committee officers that were there to help
monitoring group where we looked over the events of Welcome Week, the health and safety committee looking at how different departments are working to make things even safer for students, and the SU and College liason committee where we looked at issues facing both the Students’ Union and the university Staff. Most of my time recently has been taken up with preparation for the elections; from getting the code of conduct fit for purpose through the executive committee and reading the rules to lots of keen campaigners, preparing nomination packs, budget packs, filming candidate videos and getting manifestos approved. Last week saw around a hundred campaigners across campus, with Candidates’ Question Time, 24-hour voting and Results Night — now, the first year students have direct representation on the exec committee, and we should have a host of new officer working to make the lives of Students at Holloway even better.
orchestrate the whole thing, and the student activities committee that were ever present and filling in where needed. The highlight of Welcome Week for me had to be the fayres. There were so many people that were behind the scenes putting a lot of work into the fayres to make them happen, but I want to say a special thanks to all the society presidents and their committees for really helping to make it a massive success! So far signups are well ahead of where we were last year, and this year we started a week later. All of the extra effort we put into the fayres, through inflatables, demonstration spaces and the barbecue, was matched and surpassed by the energy and enthusiasm that was show by those on the stalls. After Welcome Week I got into the swing of being a sabb: the constant flow of emails, room bookings, and fixtures were interspersed with GMs, councils and society events, but I guess that’s just the non-stop rollercoaster life of a sabbatical officer.
Jamie S Green
VP Communications & Campaigns I THOUGHT things would have calmed down after the manic rush that is Welcome Week — they have not! Since the last issue I have done many things, including my first general meeting! For those of you who don’t know, this is Surhul’s highest decision-making body which also acts as a mechanism to keep elected officers to account. My sabbatical update was slightly nerve-racking, but more importantly I was part of winning a motion that called for the SU to support the TUC demo against austerity. The reason this was important is because we also won the argument within it that the GM is also a forum of political discussion. I also passed another motion to start a living wage campaign for our student staff!
Kenny Aruwa VP Education & Welfare LAST time I told you that I had organised a way for new international students to get to their residences once arriving at Founder’s from Heathrow. Well, it went fantastically well (thank you volunteers!) and feedback has been really positive. The water has now gone (all 2,496 bottles) and was drunk by many hot and tired SU partygoers, as well as us in the office having a couple too! The chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing packs are proving very popular – I’ve refilled three or four times already. This probably means that there is a lot of “activity” going on, so make sure you’re being safe… condoms are flying too, but I still have many more! I spoke at 13 inductions during Welcome Week and it’s
As well as this, I’ve been working on my Student Workers’ campaign whereby I ran a “know your rights stand” at the jobs fair. With the help of University of London Union and two helpful students we were able to chat to many students about what their rights are in the workplace. As part of Defend Education I set up a successful debate about fighting austerity, a meeting about organising for the NUS demo and a free lecture on “Socially Useless Finance”. Also, after a kind donation from ULU and University College London, I’ve been able to provide transport to the TUC demo against austerity at no cost to the SU! In terms of communications, I’ve been working hard to make sure what we do here at the SU is easy to find and is aesthetically pleasing. An example of this is the slight rebrand of the general meeting that I’ve done. I’ve also worked with our new lettings agency, U Let, to write press releases to the local papers. 300 words isn’t enough to tell you everything I do, so be sure to check my blog on the SU website!
all a bit of a blur, but the week went very well all in all. I think I remember comparing Imagine’s interior to a good trip on LSD… I’ve never actually used LSD, but that’s the kind of thing I’ll say when I’m overtired! We’re making movements in terms of course representative and have so far had 91 students elected as course reps. So far 29 of them have signed up for training, but by the time you read this, we should have elected and trained all our reps. A lot of departments have been helpful and are excited about the changes we have made in order to enhance the system this year and really make a go of it. Our first RAG board meeting (with the acting board) was very exciting. Big things are in the works, so make sure you keep your eyes open for RAG-related activity! All the extra station pickups were a bit of a strain for our drivers, but we’re now running at 9.30pm, 11.00pm and 12:30am which is still a great improvement… champion!
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Simon says...
Love layering this autumn...
Photo: Del Mich
Simon Rawlings Lifestyle Editor CAN you believe it? It’s now autumn and Halloween is just a couple of weeks away (yes, I already have my stockings, suspenders and all things Rocky Horror Picture show ready for that). The cold air has overcome us all and for many, our houses too, where I’m starting to think the speed I can dash from the shower in the glacial cold to my room deserves some type of sporting medal. Although I say the cold has overcome us all there are those on campus that appear to be some sort of militant supporters of summer as they are still casually wearing shorts, and yes, flip flops. I nearly collapsed at the sight of it yesterday, in a space of less than three hours I saw more people wearing the shorts and flip flop combination than I did wearing Hunter wellington boots. Something here is not right (and I’m talking about the wellington boots too...). Did I
not get the memo or has a day spa opened next to the Sports Centre that I’m just not aware of? Has the general love of gilets and chinos on campus now switched to an even more dreadful love of clothes that are going to leave you visiting the health centre with a not-sofresh flu? Let me just also confirm that the numerous shorts I have spotted are not the suave RHUL sports team ones but just general ‘I think I’ll pop to the beach for an hour’ specimens. Please, for the love of Prada make sure you’re not committing this heinous fashion crime against the seasons. There is no beach on campus, the stream is not for paddling and if we even had a sand pit on the sports fields it would be for long jumping, not lounging around in the sun, or should I say, October rain. After all, autumn is the perfect season to truly experiment with layering pieces from your wardrobe, combining earthy tones to reflect this visually beautiful
season that we are in. Which brings me to what I really want to talk about, autumnal layering (cue ‘autumn’ from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons). One of the only joys about the cold weather is that you can now afford to put more than a t-shirt on without wanting to keel over after a walk up Egham Hill with your weekly shopping from Tesco. Try every combination possible with the clothing you have, looking at what matches and contrasts both in terms of pattern, colour and texture. You’ll find you can have so much fun when it comes to experimenting with layering. For example, you’ll most likely find that shirts and jumpers you never wear are given a new lease of life when they are pieced together and finished with a good quality scarf and coat. However, I’m sure you won’t be surprised when I tell you that there is an art to layering and if done wrong you can either end up looking like you got dressed in the dark or like Joey from Friends
when he decides to wear all of Chandler’s clothes (Season 3, Episode 2 for a visual example of what not to do). As the fairy godfather of fashion on campus I’ll give you some fundamental rules to follow when you come to layering this autumn. The first is to never combine more than two prints/patterns unless you are an utter expert, it’s rarely seen on the runways and I suggest you follow this trend, or absence of one. Secondly, invest in two or three good quality woollen jumpers if you don’t already own any. Whatever you do don’t head to your nearest Topshop/Topman and “invest your money in crap” (take a read of my article from June 2012 at www.theorbital.co.uk), you’ll only find that you’ve spent in excess of £50 on a jumper that is made of acrylic and won’t last you longer than two years at most. There seems to be a motto when people go shopping for clothes that more is better, you can spot this misconception on people’s faces as they leave
Primark with four huge bags stuffed with clothes that they know (or if they don’t they should) are made from the cheapest irresponsibly sourced fabrics around that after one wash will look like you’ve owned the item of clothing for a decade. Let’s not forget the poor fit, design and lack of real artistic input however, I don’t want to attack a shop or brand because my word count is best served reminding you to not waste your money on bags of clothes when all you need are a few good quality pieces to alternatively layer garments to your heart’s content which, might I add, should cost you no more than a huge collection of cheaper clothes that will last if an eighth of the time. I hope my seasonal fashion tips on layering really inspire some of you to have a go at this fashion art. I’m sure you’ll all look great and at the least know this; you can’t look any more ridiculous than being dressed in shorts and flip flops in the middle of October...
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Model of the month
Through the lens:
Gyan Gurung, Lifestyle’s resident photographer, reflects on the shoot. It was hard to believe when Sasha told me that he had never done a photo-shoot before. With his chiseled jaw line and dreamy olive eyes, he could easily be mistaken for a professional model. He took my directions very well and was willing to try different things. Sasha is any photographer’s ideal model. www.gyangurung.blogspot. com
The model:
Sasha Isacsson-Subbayya is a second year undergraduate here at Royal Holloway and studies management. A 21 year old from Sweden, Sasha, has now raised the bar for any other aspiring male models around campus. His natural capability shined during the photoshoot where he proved quite simply that if you’ve got it, you’ve got it.
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Making the most of your make up Stefi Mihailova WHEN the first program based on mathematical calculations was developed in Hollywood in order to find out the perfect proportions of the female face, the only person with perfect results was the one and only Grace Kelly. Not all of us can have the perfectly-shaped face, so the best we can do is to take advantage of all the make up tricks in the book to get a result we’re happy with. With just a few simple steps and a little practice, every girl can have a unique, beautiful and glamorous look. The first thing you have to do is to make sure you know what shape your face is in order to pick the right way to put make up on. It will also help you know the right kind of make up to use, so that you don’t end up looking like a clown, as many young girls do around campus lately… If you want your make up to emphasise your natural beauty,
it has to reflect the shape of your eyes, their colour, the colour of your hair, your mood and even your personality. I completely understand that as students not everyone can afford expensive and professional make up, like MAC, Bobby Brown and Kryolan, but there is one thing that is absolutely worth spending money on: your foundation. Without a perfect base, your make up won’t look right. Every make up brand has a wide range of colours. I recommend you chose one shade which matches your natural skin tone and another foundation which is one shade darker. You can use the darker foundation to even your complexion if needed. Another important thing to remember when putting on make up is that you have to take into account the colour of your eyes. It is really important to choose the right eye-shadow colour which can either make or break your final look… For girls with blue eyes, pink
or peachy shades will look amazing during the day, and smoky dark-grey shadows work great during the evening. Girls with green eyes do not have much of a choice when it comes to different colours, but they won’t go wrong if they choose any shade from the red palette of eye shadows, blushes or even lipsticks. And last but not least, girls with brown or dark eyes: This will work with pretty much every colour, so if you choose purple, grey or brown it will look just amazing! The one thing that is absolutely a must when putting make up on is the mascara! Girls, don’t forget about this product; it will make your eyes appear bigger, so you can catch a glance with someone you’ve had your heart set on. Everyone and everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. With the magic of the right make up, every single person around you will be able to notice your natural beauty, and who knows? Maybe it will help you find that special somebody!
Photo: ginparis2002 (Flickr)
The world’s fashion capital: behind the scenes
Photo: Luciano Consolini
Alessandro Valerio Tridico WHEN we talk about Italy there are surely quite a few things that come to mind: the delicious cuisine, the historical monuments and, of course, fashion. Who doesn’t want to own a tailored Armani suit with a pair of Todds or a fitted Dolce & Gabbana dress matched to a pair of Patrizia’s Pepe high heels? In Milan we all have thoughts of ourselves walking the runway like we are perfect, nearly invincible with everyone dazed by our astonishing look. But, as lovely as this sounds, living in one of the world capitals of fashion is not as nice as you might think. Expectation, expectation and expectation. The first thing you realise as soon as you step into Milan is that, no matter where you go, there is always going to be someone that looks at you and what are you wearing with a judgmental eye. Just to clarify,
it is like being in a 24/7 city version of ‘Big Brother’. Walking around the city you will soon realise that this is not just a silly feeling. Business men walk the streets with tailored suits that scream “look at me” and the elderly females strut in fur coats with high heels as if they were still in their late 20s. This is a way of life. How can we blame them though? Since we were children we have always been taught that appearance is important and of course vital in order to succeed in life. You find yourself growing up unconsciously seeking friends that can dress properly and avoid those ones that are “just dressed”, basing your judgment on how people look instead of who they really are. By the time you properly grow up and you realize what you’re going into, it is too late. The crazy and worrying feeling of being left out by your friendship group if you do not own a pair of slim fitted 511
Levis trousers is a real worry. Fashion is not “just something”, fashion will be likely to dictate who your friends are and if you will be liked by other people. After all, what you come to remember on your outings are your suit and the remarkable perfection of your friends. The discos with the selection entry or the strict shirt and denim dress code to go dancing. The endless waiting in front of shops in the fashion district during sale week and even the crazy house party where black tie has suddenly transformed into a Hawaiian underwear party. As crazy as this may sound to you someone who has never been, Milan has that magical spark, kind of like the Instagram filters we find ourselves now putting on our captured memories to make them look beautiful. It has that magic, that atmosphere of the romantic movie and everything is given thanks to the near obsessive fashionistic style of life.
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o Student survival guide: The Orbital Oct 2012
Butternut squash and ginger soup
Photo: Bryony Bowie
THE days are getting shorter, and much, much colder. It’s approaching the time of year when you need food to cheer you up as well as warm your insides, and soup is an obvious answer. Butternut squash is in season, very healthy, and also great for making alternative jack-o’-lanterns for Halloween. The ginger and chilli in this soup give it an extra warming oomph, and will also help beat off that lingering Freshers’ Flu.
Ingredients (4 portions): • 2 butternut squash, peeled and chopped into rough cubes. • 1 onion, roughly chopped. • 1 leek, roughly chopped. • 2 cloves garlic, crushed.
• Thumb-size piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped. • 1 red chilli, chopped. • 800ml vegetable stock. • Few sprigs fresh/good sprinkle dried thyme. • Salt and pepper.
Instructions:
1. Heat some olive oil in a large pot, and melt a generous knob of butter. To this, add the leek, onion, garlic, ginger and thyme and cook for about 10 minutes, until soft. 2. Add the butternut squash and chilli, and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until the squash is beginning to soften. 3. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Then, turn down the heat and put the lid over your pot (use a plate if you don’t have one) and let it simmer for around 20 minutes, until the squash is tender. 4. Attack with a hand-blender. Or a food processor, or anything you have to hand (it’s really worth getting something like this, and you can pick one up for less than £10). 5. Season to taste, then garnish with whatever takes your fancy. I recommend some crème fraiche, along with some chives and toasted sweet corn if you have Any soup left over can be frozen in portion-size blocks – or it’s great to take to lunchtime lectures in a flask. Cooking time: 40 minutes Approximate price per portion: £1.10 For more foody tips and thisisunifood.blogspot.com
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ideas,
check
out
Bryony Bowie
Confessions of a bodybuilder:
KISS!
James Corbyn I AM sure that the above acronym is familiar to most of you, the readers. However, for those who are not aware of the words which combine to form this funny looking composition they are: “Keep it Simple, Stupid!” This no-nonsence piece of advice is no more pertinent than in the realms of bodybuilding and fitness training. Far too many trainees and athletes are forever on the lookout for the most complex and revolutionary systems of training and nutrition which will yield rapid results. Training systems such as “FST-7” — fascia stretch training seven; look it up if you’re interested — are a result of top level bodybuilders who are endorsed by the proponents of these training systems, showering them with adulation and citing them as the root of all their success. They are adopted and clung to by more intermediate level trainees and zealously defended as the only training system that will bring significant results. Similarly, practitioners of the “paleo diet” — a diet based on the way our palaeolithic hunter-gatherer ancestors used to eat — advance their nutritional approach as the only way human beings should eat, condemning those who eat any non-organic produce as
consumers of poison. These are far from conducive attitudes in the pursuit of success in fitness training and a healthy lifestyle. Whilst the above theorems and others must be acknowledged as containing some elements of truth, such as the concept of training to a very high intensity in a variety of repetition ranges found in the FST-7 training system and the rejection of processed foods and refined sugars found in the palaeolithic dietary approach, the proponents of these systems cannot consider themselves as possessing the absolute truths in their fields. With regards to training systems, what all supposedly special yet equally successful theories share in common is their promotion of being productive with your time spent in the gym or on the track. They claim to aid in structuring your training schedule, adopting elements of variety and periodisation in your training, and most fundamentally, training to a very high intensity using the most effective exercises out there, namely compound exercises (movements using more than one joint and muscle group such as the squat, deadlift or pull-up). Similarly, all successful nutritional regimens contain the fundamental tenants of cutting out processed foods and refined sugars in favour of fresh and natural whole foods,
limiting or cutting out toxic substances such as alcohol and employing a measure of control and consistency in one’s food consumption. The utilisation of unorthodox training methods such as single leg squats conducted whilst standing on a swiss ball, supersetted with cable crossovers and isolation curls are totally unnecessary, and you will see far greater results by simply doing the basics with perfect form with moderate volume on a consistent basis. Similarly, one should not feel that the latest and greatest nutritional theory and “allin-one” supplement from Maximuscle holds the key to unlocking their potential in the gym. The claims put forward by these theorists and supplement companies are almost always hyperbolic and not supported by peer-reviewed scientific studies. You’re much better off investing their hard earned money (or student loan) on basic, healthy and nutritious whole foods: lean meats such as chicken, complex carbohydrates such as rice and sweet potato, and foods dense in vitamins, minerals and fibre such as fruits and vegetables. So as the university gym is flooded with new members seeking to improve their physique, fitness or overall health and quality of life, I hope I’ve reinforced the importance of the acronym “KISS”!
The sandwich reinvented Olivia Mulligan SAY no to ham and cheese. Say goodbye to egg mayo (never liked it anyway). Breathe in, resist and turn in the prawn salad, because let’s face it – that’s so last year, darling. It fills me with great excitement that I am about to introduce you to a sandwich / toasted delight / comforting snack (whatever you want to call it), but trust me. It WILL change your university experience for the better. Do you like peanut butter? Doesn’t matter whether you live life on the edge and prefer the crunch; or whether you’re a more delicate being and opt for smooth. Secondly, do you
like green pesto? Whether you’re a traditionalist and like it with pasta, or you’re a daring soul and pop in on your spuds, if you like it, you like it. Finally, do you like hummus? Oh goodness that answer had better be a yes. Bear with me. If the answer to those three questions (peanut butter, pesto and hummus) was a “yes” then you must try my glorious invention. It’s a combination of peanut butter, pesto and hummus. Now, relax that screwed up face of disgust you just made. All my seven flatmates did the same, and now, post introduction to this magnificent concoction of ingredients, they have eaten it every day.
Of course there’s not true method of preparing this dish. However I prefer to use toast to create a sturdy base. I also use granary bread because it’s much better for you. And then, let the fun begin. Firstly apply an even spread of peanut butter, then a thin layer of green pesto. Now it’s decision time – either spread your hummus on top or cut the bread into soldiers and dip, dip, dip away (this is when the sturdy toast is more efficient). White or brown. Granary or crustless. Fresh or toasted. Have fun with your freedom of choice. And then telepathically thank me for creating a party of complementary flavours in your mouth. Give it a go, you know you want to!
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Love London Kirsty Whitford
WANDERING around the side of the Thames during a sunny, cloudless day is probably one of the best things you can do in London. The ever revolving London Eye stands as a stunning sentinel over the water way. The dial of Big Ben shines and the sidewalk bustles with tourists, locals and the ever tempting lure of ice cream trucks. The city’s spirit is alluring. Its museums and cultural institutions reel you in with stunning architecture and enthralling displays. You’ll lose yourself amongst the beckoning boutique stores and cobblestoned alleys. The streets come alive with every step you take. What impresses me most about the city is its ability to make you feel instantly at home, whether
you’re marketing it up in Shoreditch, Spitalfields or Bricklane, taking in the culture and history of the British, Natural History or Victoria & Albert museums or experiencing the rush of peak hour on the tube. A recent (and thoroughly insufficient) three week stint in London had me marvelling over all the things that London has to offer and wishing desperately to share my experiences with others. One of my favourite moments of my trip was the Thames-side promenade that led me to the London Eye. I can highly suggest spending 17 pounds for a trip on this monolithic monument. The 30 minute ride reveals stunning views of London. From the very top of the wheel you can see Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament and much more. It provides a stellar time to sit back
and relax, or if you’re an amateur photographer like me, play around with the picture settings on your new camera. Of course, the London Eye also provides you with a reason to indulge in a little bit of souvenir shopping and more importantly laze about in the rare autumn sunshine. After relaxing on the abundant grass lands surrounding the attraction, I also took the time to meander past Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Tate Modern and all the way down to the London Bridge. Whether you’re a local rediscovering the classic sights or an international student looking to immerse yourself in the best Britain has to offer, I suggest you take a trip to London. I guarantee you won’t regret it and you most certainly won’t ever want to go home again.
Photo: Rian Saunders
Holidaying at home Zosia Edwards Art Director SOME might say that the perfect holiday involves lazing around on crisp white sand in the scorching heat of some tropical location far, far away. In my opinion, a holiday isn’t worth it without dramatic weather, quirky tourist attractions and beautifully rugged scenery and for these three reasons alone, holidaying in the United Kingdom is worth a go. The prospect of the Great British weather may seem uninspiring at best and depressing at worst. But imagine yourself tucked up in a cosy, beach-side Cornish café, sipping a mug of tea and watching a storm roll in off the Atlantic. Bedraggled hikers wander past through the rain while waves the size of houses crash on the cliffs in the distance. With a Cornish pasty for lunch and a cream tea to follow, you’re well set for the day. The weather isn’t always so violent either. We all know that our weather can be warm, sunny and truly lovely, so why not travel to a classic, south coast seaside resort, such
as Brighton, Eastbourne or Hastings for a few days of blissful summer sunbathing. Go to Norfolk and stay by the Broads and waste sunny summer days messing around on boats, and you can while away the balmy evenings with jugs of Pimms and pints of local ale in riverside pubs. Holidays in this country, for me at least, always involve some sort of quirky tourist attraction. There are unending numbers of them, and in my time I have seen the countless writing implements of Keswick’s Pencil museum, experienced the impressive turbines of the Cruachan hydroelectric power station and climbed the Lizard lighthouse in Cornwall. What better way to explore our country than to experience some of its weirdness? As for the scenery, no one
can deny that the British Isles are truly beautiful. We have Scottish highlands, the Norfolk Broads, the beautiful beaches of Dorset and the rocky coasts of Wales, Devon and Cornwall. I could extol the beauty of our countryside for a very long time, but the best thing would be for you to go and see it yourself. The final draw for students is the low cost of holidaying at home. Renting a cottage with a group of friends or staying in a Youth Hostel together is a far more cost effective way of taking time off to enjoy yourself than spending extortionate amounts on flights and hotel rooms abroad. The journeys are easy, the pubs are friendly and it is never hard to find excellent food, so next summer, I highly recommend a holiday at home.
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o Comedy The Orbital Oct 2012
The Firestation, Windsor Alex Pegler Deputy Editor JUST a stone’s throw away from Royal Holloway is The Firestation, Windsor. The contemporary arts centre played host to a “Selah! D’or” comedy, cabaret and burlesque-themed extravaganza earlier this month. The Orbital was on hand to run the rule over the show. The night’s resident compere, Mister Joe Black began by performing devilish acts on the assembled audience along with a plethora of x-rated, blackly comedic songs. After a highly funny burlesque act and some interval beverages on the
house, up stepped comic Jarlath Regan, who brought all the luck of the Irish to Windsor. Regan was undoubtedly a hit, making light work of getting the audience laughing about the economy, dating and blokes’ attitude to nights out. The gig comes on the back of an appearance on the BBC in Russel Howard’s Good News show. Regan is known as one of the most prolific Irish humourists of the past ten years. Producing 5 one man shows for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, publishing 2 illustrated books, appearing as a regular contributor on radio and television while also performing at comedy festivals worldwide, he is
recognised as the leader of a new generation of talented comics emerging from Ireland. In 2010, Regan copresented The Rumour Room, a teen television entertainment series on RTÉ Two. Some highlights from the series included his interview with Chris Rock and Adam Sandler, a series of comedy sketches in which Regan beat toddlers at physical tests of strength and an instudio game called “The €21 Challenge”. Selah! D’or comedy and cabaret nights run on the last Thursday of the month in October and November. Visit www. firestationartscentre.com 01753 01753 866865.
Photo: The Firestation Arts Centre
THE CAREERS SERVICE PRESENTS 5TH TO 8TH NOVEMBER Are you a UK/EU student interested in internships and work experience overseas? Or a Non-EU student interested in learning about UK immigration law and exploring UK internships ? We have prepared a series of events that you can’t miss!
Monday 5th November
Tuesday 6th November
Wednesday 7th November
Thursday 8th November
Mandarin Consulting - for Chinese students 6pm –WINAUD
UK Style CVs and Applications
BUNAC - Internships in the UK 2pm –MLT
CCRC Asia - China Internships, Study Abroad Programs and Consulting services 5pm –WIN
Job-Hunting in India - for Indian students 6pm –HLT2
6pm –HLT2
Parenthese - Summer internships in the United States, Singapore and Australia
3pm –WIN1-04
Japan Exchange & Teaching Programme (JET) 4pm –IN1-05 BUNAC - Opportunities for UK / EU nationals overseas 4pm –WIN 1-04
REGISTER AT www.rhul.ac.uk/careers/internationalweek @rhulcareers
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Clem’s Column
Music
All the fun of the fair
The Vaccines: Come of Age Sara Hussein IN AN interview with Q Magazine, Justin Young stated: “A record is a snapshot of how good you are at a certain point in time”. If we were to take this statement seriously, their second album Come of Age does not fully project the image we were hoping for. After an eventful year and a turbulent summer, The Vaccines have been constantly on the go. Their first single No Hope and Teenage Icon featuring punky melodies — very much imitating The
Ramones and The Clash — are what fans will be more familiar with. Yet other tracks, written later on in the year, do not seem to fully expose their full progress, which is something one would have expected throughout the last eighteen months. Their downfall is evident in songs such as All In Vain and Aftershave Ocean and the closing track Lonely World. Their melodies seem to lack soul and seem to be just useless fillers. A few songs like Ghost Town, intense with dark 50’s rock n roll guitar riffs, and I Wish I Was A Girl, sexually
ambiguous in its content, show a small variation in musical style. With the term Come of Age, it is unclear whether The Vaccines have fully achieved this goal. There is some musical development, but it is not seized upon so it does not reach its full potential. It seems as if the band is stuck in this conversion from an indie to a serious rock’n’roll band. To summarise, the album cover — four androgynous lads, each embodying a member of the group — shows that they are yet to reach their stage of maturation.
Mumford and Sons: Babel Angus Wyatt IT HAS been a long two years since Mumford & Sons gifted us with their debut album Sigh No More, but the wait for the follow up is now over — Babel is here! The last Britain really saw of the folk rock group was when they headlined the Other Stage at Glastonbury in June 2011 shortly before they headed across the pond for their US tour. However, with their niche English genre, Mumford’s ability to conquer America was doubted. That was until Babel became the fastest selling album of 2012 on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as smashing the US Spotify record for most streams from an album in a single week. All too often, bands decide to “reinvent” themselves when they return to the studio, ultimately producing a very different sound which isn’t necessarily what people
want. Thankfully, Mumford have avoided doing this, instead producing a safe second album which doesn’t feature anything wildly different from Sigh No More — but the fans loved that, so they’ll like Babel too. Personally, stand-out tracks include Ghosts That We Knew, Babel and the single I Will Wait, which despite only charting at
number 12 in the UK, has a rousing rhythm and a catchy chorus which I’m sure will be belted out by many a festival-goer in 2013. In short, Babel is nothing ground-breakingly different or better than Sigh No More; it is however on par with their debut and a pleasing follow-up to their early success. Definitely worth buying!
Photo: sazfar (Flickr)
Clementine Salvi-Offer
WELL, here it is again. The Carter’s Steam Fair: everybody’s favourite collection of carnival music, candy floss and light bulbs. It is such an event in the diary of any Royal Holloway student that I felt I needed to dedicate this month’s Clem’s Collumn to it! As I make my way across Englefield Green splodging through slightly wet and muddy grass, everything around me is in darkness. The only beacons of light are the luminescent sticks that two children are using for swords, and the great array of lights that spreads before me manifests into Carter’s Steam Fair. I can distinguish the shape of the “Bomb Diver” twisting and turning across the darkened sky, and the “Steams Yachts” swing past me much to the delight of its occupants. Already I can smell the candyfloss and the doughnuts. I spot the “Paramount
Chair-O-Plane”. It is this ride which I decide to spend my budgeted £2 on. As I twist and swirl, Englefield Green suddenly turns into a mesh of colours and lights. Even five minutes after I’ve left the ride the fair music is still pounding in my ears and the world has not yet stopped turning about me. But as the swing didn’t detach I consider it a good ride and worthy of my £2. Suddenly a plume of sparks erupts in to the darkened sky, signalling the start of my all time favourite attraction: the fireworks! The fireworks are my favourite bit of these two days. Bright and shiny, they explode in to the heavens, like gigantic and elegant fireballs, showering the sky with multi-coloured sparks. Wonderful. If you caught the fair this year, fantastic! If not make sure you keep an eye open for it next year. It is nostalgia filled fun which can be enjoyed on a budget, as I have shown and with your friends.
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Film
The Room at The Prince Charles, London Oliver Morgan THE Prince Charles has a reputation for being one of the best independent cinemas in the UK. The famous venue is offering two special viewings of The Room, a film that’s widely believed to be one of the worst ever made. During the viewing the audience are renowned for spending the 99- minute runtime screaming quotes and cheering at the top of their voices whilst pelting each other with plastic cutlery. So that’s £12 to watch an awful film in a rowdy cinema. Not convinced? Doesn’t sound like such a swell evening right? Well let me dazzle you with the plot, try to keep up; There’s a guy, Johnny, played by the writer and director of the film Tommy Weiseau. Johnny is a nice guy, practically a Jesus figure due to the fact Weiseau wrote the part for himself. He has a fiancée, Lisa, played by Juliette Danielle (you haven’t heard of her), Lisa decides to cheat on Johnny for absolutely no reason with his best friend – Mark, played by Greg Sestero, (you wont have heard of him either). That’s it. Well not all of it, there are
a number of unrelated and unimportant sub-plots that play out over the course of the movie; Denny (Philip Haldiman) is Johnny’s kind of adopted son/strange manchild, who walks about generally being a sex pervert before getting into an out-ofthe-blue drug problem with an angry dealer. Occasionally Lisa’s mother Claudette (Carolyn Minnott) pops into the apartment to complain about real-estate issues, or you know, nonchalantly announce that she has breast cancer (this is ignored and not mentioned or explained in any further detail for the rest of the film). The characters talk, play catch, argue, play catch, have sex, play catch, have a party and then argue. The plot (or lack of) seems to be based on a game of The Sims. ‘And that’ll be £12 please.’ Still not convinced? Well the truth is that The Room has gathered one of thebiggest cult followings ever; “so bad its good” doesn’t begin to describe this film. People literally could not believe that The Room was made as a serious drama to the point where director/writer/ star Tommy Weiseau attempted to re-brand the film as a black
Untouchable Freya McIntosh A MOVING French film Untouchable tells the story of how Driss, an ex-offender from the ghetto becomes a carer for Philippe, a wealthy man confined to a wheelchair by paralysis. An unlikely pair, they soon form a strong friendship, in which Driss brings movement and vitality to Philippe’s once static life and Driss learns patience and empathy. On the surface the film explores the impact that disability can have on someone’s life and on the lives of those
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around them, but in reality the film is about all the things that prevent us from living our lives to the full and thus become our “disabilities”, like a lack of confidence or violent behaviour. Phillipe’s love-letter romance with a woman is challenged by Driss, who helps Phillipe to realise that being in a wheelchair should not prevent him from experiencing love and Philippe, through employing Driss, proves that we shouldn’t let ourselves be blinded by other people’s backgrounds. In fact, Phillipe deliberately chooses scruffy, thoughtless Driss over a host of detached, professional carers
The Room is being shown at the Prince Charles Cinema 7 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BY. Thursday 8 & 13 November, 8:45pm. Tickets £12, £10 concessions. princecharlescinema.com
comedy. I can honestly say this is one of the only films I can watch and guarantee tears of laughter every single time and I am deep into the double figures on views. Watch it, remember the quotes, buy plastic cutlery, then go watch it with a sold out theatre of mega-fans and meet the stars of the movie (They seriously have nothing better to do with their careers but turn up to these special viewings). When I attended last year’s viewing the audience and the beautiful vintage theatre at The Prince Charles made it the single most unique and enjoyable cinema experiences I’ve ever had and I can assure you it is well worth paying £12 for a ticket.
because he sees past his outward appearance to the candid young man who sometimes hands him the phone, forgetting that he is paralysed. Driss does not pity Philippe and that is what makes Phillipe like him. You can see why Untouchable has been a major hit in France, as it is a feel-good film based on a true-life story, that speaks to all of us about relationships and deferring our judgement on other people. It shows that disabilities can be more than just a handicap; Philippe summarises this nicely in his line: “My true disability is not having to be in a wheelchair. It’s having to be without her.”
On The Road Sophie Waddy
AS AN English student I am ashamed to admit I’ve never read Jack Kerouac’s On the Road but with the huge hype surrounding the new film, however, I was eager to see it. The story is easy to follow for those who, like me, haven’t read the book. The central character is Sal Paradise (Sam Riley,) a young and struggling writer in New York who, after the death of his father, distracts himself by befriending the reckless Dean Moriarty (Garrett Hedlund.) Whilst searching for inspiration for his book, Sal embarks on a road trip across America with Dean and his wife Mary-Lou (Kristen Stewart.) I have to warn you, it’s long. The famous three-person road trip only occupies around half of the film, which in total is over two hours in length. As the characters’ journey seems endless, at times the film does too, and the comparative lack of action and dramatic structure
Image: Quad Productions
(other than the odd sex scene) means it occasionally verges on boring. What it does offer, however, are moments of extreme tenderness and genuine explorations of friendship, desire and the pain of love. Accompanied by stunning filming and an excellent cast, these moments in themselves make the two hours worthwhile. Even Kristen Stewart manages to shake off Twilight to play her role with conviction, and in one scene you even see her being happy. Hedlund is the main star though, and his portrayal of the unruly Dean is as repulsive as it is enthralling. On the Road is both emotional and funny, and the issues it explores will linger with you for days. Although, I can’t help but feel that something is missing. Perhaps it’s the sporadic narrative form that Kerouac was so famous for, which is replaced in the film by a voiceover that doesn’t quite work nevertheless I think I’ll start reading the book.
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Image: DMG Entertainment
Looper Thomas McDonald DIRECTOR Rian Johnson’s third feature, Looper, is about Joe, a young man living in 2044 Kansas who works as a hit-man. His job is to kill targets sent from the future by criminal organisations and to dispose of the bodies. His work as a hit-man will end when his future self is sent back for him to kill, closing his loop. Hence Joe, and other hit-men like him, are known as Loopers. When Joe fails to kill his future self, inevitably chaos ensues. A bold, accomplished film, Looper puts Johnson firmly up there with other young directors breaking the mould in recent years by making smart, thoughtful and challenging blockbusters, such as Nolan and Duncan Jones. His fantastic story, clever script and
imaginative direction, coupled with great performances from a strong cast, make this one of the films of the year. It speaks volumes of the film making ability on show that the most memorable scenes are those where two characters simply talk, as opposed to most recent blockbusters where dialogue is ignored for action and explosions. Not to say Looper skips out on the action, this film provides it in abundance, including a fantastic sequence where Bruce Willis reminds us why he is arguably the greatest action hero of all time. One of the core strengths of Looper is Johnson’s decision not to try to close all the loops into a nice little circle. Often the downfall of films involving time travel is that there are numerous plot holes in the director’s attempts to explain it. Johnson avoids this problem,
by simply not explaining it. On two occasions Joe is told by different characters not to think about the complexities of time travel as it ‘fries the brain’. This is not to say there isn’t a logic within the film, the rules of time travel within the story’s universe are shown through a number of clever sequences and sub plots, however the film at heart is not about time travel, and so Johnson leaves much of the time travel logic within the film ambiguous. Looper is about the old adage, evil causes evil. The idea that an evil act by one person, even if made with good intentions, will lead to further evil, creating an endless and horrific loop. Looper delivers action and excitement while never forgetting to both touch the heart and stimulate the brain, making it a must see and one of the best films of the year so far.
Creative Corner The White Cliffs And on white cliffs, the sailor-man keeps guard, Dancing yellow eyes upon emerald Waves that crash and sing and flail as if charred By the still, burning stone, silent herald To the Bard’s “wandering bark” that pass on From one land to new rocks and foreign fields. On these gates “hope” and “survival” are shone As dawn’s rays rest on Albion’s white shields. Jamie-Rose Duke Do you have a poem or some creative writing which you would like to see published in the arts section? Email arts@theorbital.co.uk and you could see your piece published in the next issue!
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The Orbital Oct 2012
Pre-Raphaelites — Victorian Avant-Garde Isabel Sudbury THE Tate Britain’s current exhibition is absorbing, colourful and diverse. It brings together a staggering number of works in many different media from paintings to drawings, furniture to sculpture, and stained glass, produced in a period of about 50 years by the most important movement in 19th century British art. By way of a quick introduction, the PreRaphaelite Brotherhood was formed in 1848 by a group of passionate young artists who shared a love of mystery, literature and Quattrocento (14th century) artists before Raphael, hence their name. The original secret Brotherhood had seven members, the most famous three being Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Holman Hunt, and John Everett Millais. Although within a few years it was disbanded and each was
following his own agenda, the term “Pre-Raphaelite” was associated with the characteristics of the original members and other artists who came into contact with or were influenced by them. The exhibition is vast, and works are organised into seven thematic rooms, grouped by the main Pre-Raphaelite characteristics such as nature, beauty and mythology. There are the more famous paintings which are known for good reason; the delicate beauty of Millais’ Ophelia amidst lush vegetation, the luminous colour and rich detail of Holman Hunt’s pastoral The Hireling Shepherd, and Rossetti’s works on themes from his namesake Dante Alighieri. (He admired the poet so much that he used his middle name, Dante, instead of his real first names, Gabriel Charles.) The exhibition displays works from various points of their careers, as Rossetti and Millais changed their focus, whilst
Holman Hunt stayed most true to the original Pre-Raphaelite spirit. However, there is not much sense of a chronological change: the exhibition shows a relatively small selection of Rossetti’s sensuous women, and Millais’ successful career as a painter of society portraits is hardly shown at all. Other members of the wider movement are well represented, some of which are little-known gems in the collection, such as Henry Wallis’s The Death of Chatterton, and Simeon Solomon’s celebration of male beauty Bacchus. The later Pre-Raphaelites, William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones feature in the last two rooms of the exhibition, and the Arthurian motifs and dreamily mysterious chiaroscuro scenes are hung to great effect in their gold frames and as tapestries on the wall. As a counter to the objectification / admiration of beautiful women in many of these paintings, there is a
Bruno Munari at the Estorik Katherine Devine ANYONE with an interest in 20th art will have probably heard of the Italian Futurist movement: an art and literary group whose founder F. T. Marinetti, passionately advocated the destruction of libraries and museums, and whose glorification of war and machinery seemed to forecast with an unsettling fervour, the outbreak of the First World War. For decades, art history had somewhat neglected the movement and its contribution to the cannon of European Modernism: Marinetti’s later associations with fascism and close personal friendship with Mussolini tainted, I think unfairly, an array of artistic works that fell under the Futurist umbrella. In recent years though, Futurist poets and more particularly, artists, have been
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attributed the significance they deserve and are now seen as a thoroughly influential group of artistic innovators. Giacoma Balla’s capturing of simultaneous speed and dexterity in The Hand of the Violinist, Carlo Carra’s fluid and undulating use of divisionism in Leaving the Theatre, and Luigi Russolo’s ghoulish yet captivating “music” are striking examples futurist works of art, and all are held in the permanent collection of the Estorick Gallery in London. The listed Georgian building which houses this unique collection is a short walk from Islington and Highbury tube. With a small café, shop, and three floors of paintings, sculpture and the odd installation, the gallery seems to double up as a meeting place for Italian ex-pats and Italophiles alike. As well as a fascinating permanent collection, the gallery hosts regular
exhibitions of modern Italian art about which there are regular weekend lectures. It is currently showcasing the work of Bruno Munari: known for his sculptures of “useless machines” and inventive work with mobiles, Munari’s artistic roots lay in his Futurist past and his “kaleidascopic” career owes much to his early experimentalism as a Futurist. The Estorick is displaying a diverse selection of his works, from his initial but conflicting relationship with Futurism, to his independent work as a graphic designer for the leading magazines of the day. Next time you’re feeling in need of cultural nourishment, why not bypass the touristridden galleries of central London, and try something a little more unconventional? Both the permanent collection and the exhibitions at the Estorick are free to full-time students, and are well worth the trip.
smattering of works by various female artists. There are small watercolours by Elizabeth Siddall (Rossetti’s muse and later wife), studies by Rosa Brett (sister of the painter John Brett), and a fascinating satirical painting by Florence Claxton called The Choice of Paris: An Idyll, parodying previous Pre-Raphaelite works and well worth a closer look! Later in the exhibition were some photos by Julia Margaret Cameron and textiles designed and made by May Morris (daughter of the famous William). The exhibition doesn’t go into huge amounts of detail about why the Pre-Raphaelites were the “Victorian Avant-Garde”, and so it’s helpful to know a bit about them beforehand. However, their new thinking gave a fresh approach to the artistic methods taught in the Royal Academy. Their new manner used astonishing realism, bright colours painted onto a white
background rather than the usual brown, painting done en plein air, and literary subjects approached with fervour, as well as weaving contemporary social commentaries into their work. The chivalry and values they depicted often stood opposed to their scandalous romances, drug use and drink, and although many critics attacked their art and lifestyles, they also found enormous success and critical praise. The exhibition is rather expensive, but it is definitely worth the money for such a huge collection of beautiful and varied paintings, whether you are a fan of the Pre-Raphaelites or not. The exhibition runs until January and there’s a lot to see, so for people like me three hours is just enough time to take it all in!
Students £12.20, Adults £14. Two for one offers available.
Tate Modern’s Rothko canvas defaced Katherine Devine ONE of the late Mark Rothko’s Seagram murals , Black on Maroon, was defaced in the Tate Modern according to police. The Metropolitan Police’s art squad confirmed it was looking for a white male in his 20s after one of the murals was seen to have had “Vladimir Umanets: a potential piece of yellowism” inscribed on the lower right of the picture. Umanets had recently posted an online manifesto of sorts for yellowism, and told this to the Guardian newspaper regarding the incident: “I believe that if someone restores the [Rothko] piece and removes my signature the value of the piece would be lower but after a few years the value will go higher because of what I did.” Comparing himself to
Marcel Duchamp, the French artist who shocked the art establishment when he signed a urinal and put it on display in 1917, he continued: “I was expecting that the security at Tate Modern would take me straight away, because I was there and I signed the picture in front of a lot of people. “There is video and cameras and everything, so I was shocked. “I didn’t destroy the picture. I did not steal anything. There was a lot of stuff like this before. Marcel Duchamp signed things that were not made by him, or even Damien Hirst.” Lovers of Art, particularly fans of the late Rothko, made their feelings clear on Twitter once news broke of the incident, with one fan claiming Umanets was “selfish” in terms of not allowing this art to be preserved for future generations.
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In the spotlight...
Historical Re-enactment In each issue, we’ll feature one small or new society that you might not have heard of. The Historical Re-enactment Society isn’t particularly small or unheard of, but do you actually know what they do? things straight. many thousands of men. There is The first is: no, we also fight with What do most people think of no way for a society as small as ours axes! On a more serious note, there Thomas Hibbard when they picture re-enactors? to represent such scenes. The fights is a lot more to what we do than LAST year I had the distinct They picture middle-aged men we would create would be much fighting. Several of our members privilege of being the president with beards and axes standing in a smaller with a handful of people on have not in fact handled a weapon of the Historical Re-enactment field and fighting. either side or even single combat for years, but still come down society here at Royal Holloway. Thankfully, we in the Historical between individual members. because of the sense of fun we have. When I announced this to my Re-enactment Society are quite How dangerous is it to fight like We are also branching out into friends they almost immediately different from such stereotypes. To this? Well, in fact, our society is armour and costume making which got the wrong end of the stick. start with, many of our members probably safer than most sport will be important if we are to put on They seemed to expect a society are women and very few of us have clubs. Everything we do is dictated any performances this year. of hundreds of men in full armour any connections with history as by our own strict guidelines that I hope with this I have provided running up and down hills. That a degree. In fact, being a history have meant in the fifteen years the you with a better understanding was over a year ago now, and I have student puts me in the minority society has been run there have of who we are and what we do. We since stepped down as President amongst my fellows. However, been no injuries bar a bruised are not horn-helmeted barbarians due to other commitments. these are not impediments. Anyone knuckle or two because of weapons. but a civilised cross between drama However, when I was helping with an interest can take part, no The only real injury was a broken and martial arts. I also hope that out at the Societies Fayre this year, matter how inexperienced you toe because some shoelaces weren’t it has allayed any fears that people I noticed that many other people might be. tied. We are justifiably proud that sometimes have about joining us. hold similar misconceptions. What sort of shows can we put on? the society with the most weapons Once you’ve spent a few weeks Therefore when I was given a We do not do massive battles. The has the fewest injuries. learning to heft an axe, you are chance to write about us, I felt it great battles of the Middle Ages such Do we only do sword fighting? unlikely to need to fear anything would be a good idea to set some as Hastings and Agincourt featured Well, there are two answers to this. again.
Student Action For Refugees Nicholas Hyder Star Committee Member WE MIGHT be one of Royal Holloway’s newest societies, but by the end of the year we hope to be one with the biggest impact. We are Star: Student Action for Refugees, and we’ve got lots planned for our first year as a society. From visiting speakers to trips to London, we’ve already had a lot underway, and this is just the beginning. But more than that, we’re setting out to have a significant impact on crucial issues and make a difference in an important area. I don’t know how aware you are of the troubles refugees face, but you’d be surprised just how big an issue — or issues — it is. We look at everything from child detention to right to work. You might have no idea just how vast or important these issues are across the country and the world, but they’re of paramount importance and we’re setting out to do something about it.
The issues might be very serious, but as a society we’re a lot of fun! As well as regular meetings, by the time you’re reading this we’ll have just finished our first (of many, we hope!) London trip to one of Star’s big UK gatherings, where we’ll hear people discuss the important issues and get together with other London Star groups. Star, you see, is a huge network across the UK — there are thousands of members around the country, so not only do you get to meet other Royal Holloway students but also students from London, or if we’re lucky, even further afield. There’ll be plenty of excuses for us to visit different places, meet different people and all work together! Not only do we get up to stuff like this, but we’re setting out to change things for the better. There are plenty of societies with good causes at Royal Holloway, but the sad truth is there are so many causes that need good to be done, and
hopefully we’ll be able to work with Amnesty International and other similar societies to bring out the absolute best in all of us. We’ll be doing lots of volunteering throughout the year, both in Egham and in London, and there are lots of things to get involved with. Also, between us and all the other branches of Star, we should be able to do a lot of good in Egham, in London and across the globe! By the end of the year, even if we’ve only made a tiny difference, we’ll still have done something incredibly worthwhile. But we can only get round to this if there are people to do them and be part of it… We’re just starting out, but we’ll soon be doing a lot of good and having a lot of fun doing it. You’ll make friends, enjoy yourself and make a difference where it counts. Why not come along to one of our meetings or trips or find us on Facebook and see?
Photo: Takver (Flickr)
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Trampolining gets record attendance Livia Bottoni THE year is off to a great start for Royal Holloway’s Trampolining club. The first session of the year, which took place on 4 October, attracted a record number of 45 people. Given the vast interest in the club, the committee with president Caroline Smiley hopes to increase its activities this year to get members more involved. At present, there is one weekly training session every Thursday from 8-10am at the sports hall. Members split up between two trampolines and mats to either bounce or do floor work. Should attendance remain at high levels, membership and session fees could bring in enough
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profit to justify the purchase of a third trampoline, giving the members more jumping time in each session. Furthermore, there are talks about organizing an additional weekly session at Egham Leisure Centre so that members can do more training for competitions. Throughout the year, the club will attend an increased number of competitions, such as in Bristol, and hopes to improve its scores from last year. Whilst not compulsory, competitions and the extra training for them are a lot of fun and help improve moves and routines. The coach, Laura Tamplin, and the captain, Eleanor Parkinson, are working together to make training more efficient and to obtain a qualification for judging.
Photo: Valeria Weerasinghe
Lastly, the committee is planning to get more involved at the Student’s Union and university and is looking into doing some
volunteering as a club during RAG week. If this sounds like the club for you, you can register on the SU website.
Get involved
www.su.rhul.ac.uk/ sports/6277
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Vive la Lance? Armstrong allegations prompt fresh scrutiny on doping in sport Alex Pegler Deputy Editor
IT has been one of the most iconic sporting images of the last 15 years. Lance Armstrong, cancer survivor and serial philanthropist, American hero and cycling great, standing triumphant on a sun-drenched Champs Elysee having unleashed yet another unstoppable tour de force on the world. But, multiple sources say, Lance had a skeleton in the closet, one which will inevitably prompt fervent debate as to how sport (both at grassroots and elite level) can tackle the scourge that is doping, before it’s too late. Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles in August. The decision came after it had emerged that he no
longer had the willpower to fight the accusations of drug taking that have plagued him since his first Tour success in 1998. But surely such Tour de France dominance could only be a bi-product of the Texan’s unwavering determination against unimaginable adversity? If the United States AntiDoping Agency (USADA) are to be believed, it was not just mental toughness that saw Armstrong make the fabled yellow jersey his own, but something that would later pour scorn on his integrity and rip apart his credibility as a worldclass athlete. In a statement released by USADA last month, the organisation claimed it had clear evidence that Armstrong had taken performance-enhancing
drugs. It alleged he used banned substances, including the blood-booster erythropoietin (EPO) and steroid and blood transfusions, as far back as 1996. A USADA spokesman said: “The evidence against Lance Armstrong arose from disclosures made to USADA by more than a dozen witnesses who agreed to testify and provide evidence about their first-hand experience and/or knowledge of the doping activity.” Armstrong has vowed to soldier on and will continue with efforts to raise money for cancer research through his Livestrong foundation. What remains unclear however is whether or not sport can ever truly trust its champions again.
Photo: Angus Kingston
RHUL Gospel Choir Rachel Hartzell
THE Royal Holloway Gospel Choir is an eclectic group of individuals with one great thing in common: a passion for making good music! As a non-auditioning choir, we are committed to involving everyone regardless of natural ability. Our main priority is to make every one of our members feel at home, confident and happy. We love to sing for our own enjoyment but also to give to others. RHUL Gospel Choir isn’t just a place where people come together to sing, it’s a place where people come together as friends and support each other through good or bad. The Choir makes university life for so many of our members, and we are so proud of that fact. It’s
because we have such fun together that our sound has improved so much, which is evident in the fantastic opportunities that we’ve experienced this year. In the last academic year we’ve hosted two major concerts, recorded our second studio EP, enjoyed a third successful international tour to Croatia and were proud to be crowned the University Gospel Choir of the Year 2011. We have appeared on stage at the Royal Albert Hall and as a backing choir on the X Factor on several occasions, including the 2011 Final at Wembley. We have taken the prestigious title of ‘Society of the Year’ in both 2010 and 2012, and in 2011 we won ‘Event of the Year’. We are excited by singing together, whether that’s in rehearsals or at Wembley
Arena, and having the founder of RHUL Gospel Choir as a guest at our Christmas concert last year, 10 years after the choir’s conception, just goes to show how the society creates such lasting bonds. The new academic year brings an unquenchable thirst to improve both musically and socially. We are eager to go above and beyond what we have already achieved, giving the new choir a wealth of opportunities to perform. In the hands of a fantastic new committee, dedicated to the society and its achievements, as well as a plethora of enthusiastic new members, we hope the choir will reach new heights this year and that plenty of new friendships will form. Ultimately, we want to spread the love through music. Have you got soul? Go Gospel!
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The Orbital Oct 2012
What is charity week?
Charity week was the idea of just one student at one university almost a decade ago. He set up a full week of events and activities fundraising for needy children around the world. The charity Islamic Relief built on this and helped him realise his idea on a grander scale, launching an official Project “Charity Week” in 2003. Now, just 9 years old, it is an annual event brought to hundreds of universities all over the UK through their ISOC. It is literally a CHARITY WEEK, this year running from the 29 October — 4 November.
How much has been raised before?
In 2011, all participating institutes raised £378,898.27 in just one week! Each year the money is raised for different projects but always under the umbrella of helping orphans and needy children. The 2011 Projects were: • East Africa Malnutrition Treatment • Chechnya Artificial Limb Centre • Palestine Orphan Home Refurbishment • Iraqi Orphan Health and Education • Kosovo Orphan home water sanitation • Orphan General Fund
by Haneen Ham
RHUL’s 2011 charity week
Royal Holloway came ninth in the London university league table for charity week last year for the amount of £4,000 that we raised in just one week to help children in need worldwide. This year, as we strive to every year, we’re aiming to achieve an even bigger goal: We want to double last year’s figures to match King’s College, Imperial, Westminster and UCL! But we absolutely cannot do it without your help! Make this YOUR charity week by donating a little bit of time or money to help out with this great cause. Together we can achieve far more than we ever could alone.
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#cw2
NEWS
COMMENT FEATURES LIFESTYLE ARTS 3-6
7-12
13-16
17-21
22-26
SPORTS & SOCS
27-31
Scaling England’s highest peak
For the first time in the history of charity week, all universities in the London region are joining for the first charity week regional challenge, climbing Scafell Pike — England’s highest peak! 6 Royal Holloway students took the challenge on Saturday 20 October. So sponsor and get everyone you know to sponsor your fellow students at: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/ showFundraiserPage.action?userUrl=oneCharityWeek
Regional flash mob
On Wednesday 17 October, charity week ENGULFED central London! All London region universities — that’s 40 institutes in total — participated in a huge publicity stunt, forming a gigantic “CW” and “2012” in the midst of busy Londoners! It was amazing; the pure joy of the surprise and everyone’s reaction was inspiring! We had a Royal Holloway representation that we can all be proud of. We certainly achieved our goal of raising awareness for the cause.
mmou (Islamic Society)
olloway’s Charity 2”
harityweek
2012
Carter’s Steam Fair
Carter’s Steam Fair, which comes to Englefield Green every year, is a beautiful, original steam fair still run by the Carter family and still running on steam! Anna Carter allowed the Royal Holloway Islamic Society to collect donations at the fair to support our Charity Week. On Saturday 6 October and Sunday 7 October we spent 4 hours in total and raised form the lovely members of the community £150 for towards our Charity Week Fund! We’d like to thank the fair for allowing us to raise funds and awareness.
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