Issue 6 – Week 5, Michaelmas Term 2014

Volume 71 Issue 6

Thursday 13th November 5th Week

oxfordstudent.com

St Peter’s staff accused of “bullying”

Former bursar claims unfair dismissal from position LUKE MINTZ DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR

Exclusive: the OUSU candidates on their campaigns p.8-9

Marking boycott joined by UCU lecturers

Action over pension plans will mean lecturers refuse to assess exams and coursework ELLIOTT THORNLEY DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR

Oxford University lecturers joined an assessment and marking boycott last week in protest against proposed changes to staff pensions.

The strike, which began on the 6th of November, will be participated in by lecturers who are members of the University and College Union (UCU). The boycott means the lecturers involved will refuse to mark work, set exams or mark coursework.

Over 1.2 million students nation-

Profile, p.10

In a rare print interview, Stephen Fry discusses the relationship between mental health and fame

ally will be affected by the marking boycott, spread over 69 universities.

The boycott follows a decision by Universities UK (UUK) to change the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), a pension plan for academics at the UK’s “old” universities, including Oxford. According to UCU, the changes will mean that lecturers will have to pay more into their pension schemes in the future.

With nearly 10,000 members, Ox-

ford has the largest number of members in the USS pension scheme.

In response to the boycott, some universities have threatened to dock the pay of any lecturers involved.

The University of York has stated that it will be docking 100% of the pay of any staff involved. A UCU statement promised even greater sanctions for any universities choosing to take such action, calling the response “unjust” and promising to

Features, OXII p.5

Defending a mass murderer: interview with Geir Lippestad, lawyer to Anders Breivik

“isolate the worst culprits as pariahs within the global academic community through a full academic boycott”. In a letter to the 69 affected universities, UCU’s head of bargaining, Michael MacNeil, stated that any pay docking will “only serve to exacerbate and prolong what is already a bitter dispute” and “cause long-lasting and deep-seated harm Continued on page 5 »

Fashion, OXII p.4

Behind the scenes at Oxford Fashion Week for five catwalk shows with model Erin Lorelie Young

Staff at St Peter’s College created a culture of racism, sexism, and bullying, an employment tribunal was told last week.

Jean Wright, aged 60, claims she was unfairly dismissed from her job as St Peter’s College bursar after pushing for a fellow colleague to be fired for alleged harassment. Wright is also suing the college for public interest disclosure and disability discrimination.

Last week, former St Peter’s bursar Richard Gordon told the Reading tribunal that staff at the college had launched a campaign against Ms Wright, with Gordon criticising the college’s “unpleasant sexist, racist, and bullying staff”. Gordon went on to claim that another St Peter’s employee had described a female colleague as a “lazy cow” and a “black cow”.

During her time at St Peter’s, Wright made numerous allegations of harassment against fellow employee Geoffrey Fouquet, with an investigation launched in June 2012. Following the investigation’s dismissal of her claims, Wright took time off work. Wright’s case was supported by the college’s former development manager Kate Longworth, who told the tribunal that many staff members “had it in for Jean”.

In his statement to the Reading tribunal, however, St Peter’s college master Mark Damazer CBE described the claims made by Wright and Gordon as “spurious, untrue and misleading”. Damazer went on to claim that Wright was dismissed due to her “hostile, intimidating, and aggressive behaviour”, accusing the Continued on page 5 »

Stage p.12

Michael Billington talks about the nature of theatre criticism and the early days of his career while at Oxford

2 Editorial

13th November 2014

Editorial

T

Slating

he OxStu will not be endorsing any candidate this election. As editors, we feel that expressing support for candidates would affect our ability to report on the elections impartially. It is important to us that our coverage is not skewed by ulterior political commitments, limited by our own personal preferences.

The exposure that elections are given in student publications often acts as a valuable counter to prevalent student apathy.

Journalists however must maintain high standards of accuracy when casting their judgments on candidates. Whilst raising the profile of student politics is News Comment Features Music Screen Stage Arts Fashion Sport

important, these standards must stand up to scrutiny.

It should be made clear that student newspapers have the potential to exert influence over an electoral process that, despite clichéd objections of irrelevance, can have far-reaching consequences upon student lives.

Already, it is clear that this year’s elections will run a very different course from those last year.

Where the slates were overwhelmed

by Louis Trup’s stand-alone campaign – a ‘joke candidate’ who promised the earth in monorails and doublebeds – this year’s cavalier candidate, Sam Wiseman, dropped out in no time at all, brushing off his campaign as “a shit idea.” The tru(m)ping of the slates seems to have brought a

work with us

backlash in the Oxford community, striving to replace irreverence with reliable pledges and mandates.

This issue, each Presidential candidate has submitted a comment piece on their campaign and manifesto (p. 8-9), plus a glossary, for all those electoral terms perhaps a bit recherché for the average Oxonian.

to these political roles will not bring any conflict of interests or impinge on their editorial independence.

Sanctimonious since 1920

W

e also wish Ella Richards, Cherwell Editor-in-chief, and Robert Walmsley, Cherwell deputy editor, the very best with their campaigns for NUS delegate.

We hope that their commitment Are you a photographer, cartoonist, film-maker or just a plain old journo?

With the largest readership and the most national stories of any student publication in Oxford, The OxStu is the ideal training ground for budding student jounalists. In fact, in last year’s Guardian Media Awards we were not only shortlisted for Student Publication of the Year, but, of the five people on the shortlist for Student Reporter of the Year, three wrote for us.

To get involved email

editor@oxfordstudent.com

13th November 2014

News 3

Society members bombarded with irrelevant emails

Email frenzy after members of CapitOx and PPE Society discover ‘reply all’ function on society newsletters NICK MUTCH & MATT COULTER

Members of two Oxford societies have been hit by email controversies over the last week.

Oxford banking and financial services society CapitOx has been thrown into disarray after the ‘reply all’ feature on one of its mailing lists was exploited to add all subscribers to the mailing lists of UKIP, One Direction, the Young Communist League and lingerie suppliers Bravissimo and Pepperberry.

Subscribers received emails from the United Kingdom Independence party stating: “Friend, Thanks for adding your name to stand with UKIP. Are you able to donate £10 to help build our campaign for the 2015 General Election?”

Others thanked subscribers for “their interest in revolutionary communism” and to confirm their fanship of One Direction. One student commented to the OxStu that this use of the mailing list was “incredibly offensive” but that they “could not pick whether membership of UKIP or the official One Direction fan club was worse.”

The thread started when fresher David Miron hit ‘reply all’ in response to a CapitOx email regarding its upcoming event ‘How to get a Spring Week’ which it is hosting in association with JP Morgan. Miron asked “Dear

CapitOx committee I’m really looking forward to the Spring Week event on Thursday. I was just wondering what the dress code is for these events.“ This was followed by a conversation thread shared by all subscribers to the mailing list which has so far reached 50.

An email from an email address ‘committee@capitox.uk’ which is not known to be associated with the society sent to subscribers asks; “Dear Capitox Members, Please stop using the reply all feature of the mailing list. This list’s sole purpose is to allow the committee to inform our members of upcoming networking and employment opportunities.” It then continues however: “Secondly I’d like to draw your attention to the UKIP subscription message that you should now all have received.

We’re very excited to have partnered with UKIP and hope you’ll all consider donating £10 to support the election effort. Best, The Capitox Committee” One message on the thread, sent by Queen’s College student Sunny Jain states: “I am the Warden of Capitox.

I am pleased to announce that Deutsche Bank will be in attendance too. So, in order to create the best possible impression, dress up in traditional German lederhosen dress. This will get you fast tracked to the final stages of selection in no time.

Yours sincerely,

Carbon set to close

Embattled club will host last event on Saturday ADAM DAYAN NEWS EDITOR

Carbon nightclub is set to close, it was announced this week.

Prior to Carbon closing after this weekend, the popular nightclub is holding a final club night on Saturday entitled: “Rave 2 The Grave // The Carbon Closing Party”.

The club posted on Facebook: ‘So, we are afraid to say that time has come .... as some of you may be aware, Carbon Nightclub is soon to close forever… We would like to thank EVERYONE who ever supported the venue or the club nights during their time with us. You’re warmly invited to attend our VERY LAST EVENT on SATURDAY” Carbon was the home of the popular house night Bloody Knuckles and the 2000s dance night Loveshy as well as hosting townie nights.

Student reaction has been mixed.

One Pembroke student told The

OxStu: “I certainly won’t miss the noise pollution but there was something quite pleasant about being able to stumble home in a few easy steps”.

Charlie Silver, a Queen’s second year, said: “It’s a real shame to see Carbon close, there aren’t many clubs in Oxford that offer an alternative to your Wednesday night Park End. Now that Carbon is gone, there are even fewer. Hopefully something will pop up in its place”.

Others were less worried with a Magdalen rugby player commenting: “I only go to Park End; the cheese floor sweeps all its opponents before it and will emerge victorious as the eternal centre of Oxford nightlife.”

Carbon’s closure follows Babylove’s move from the centre last Trinity to a more peripheral location. Carbon did not respond to the OxStu’s request for comment.

PHOTO/Adam Dayan

The Warden” Yet another, from Henry Manson, states; “white tie is the compulsory dress code for these events. If you don’t own a set of tails by now you will never get a career in investment banking.”

CapitOx have so far not given official comment on the matter.

This follows a similar controversy over the PPE Society mailing list, in which members of the society found themselves on the receiving end of over 50 irrelevant emails in 20 minutes on Friday, following a member’s mistaken use of the society’s Groupspaces email.

This began at 11:10 when a member sent a membership enquiry to the society’s secretary, Ayako Fujihara, in which he also cced the society’s Groupspaces email. This meant that the email was sent to the entire PPE Society mailing list.

Whilst the member received a prompt reply to his enquiry from the president, other members apparently realized the potential of being able to send emails to the entire mailing list. This swiftly led to a “domino effect”, whereby some members exploited the device to spam the mailing list with emails on a host of irrelevant topics.

One email asked the president whether or not the society had a “no jews policy”. Another, from the same sender, asked “How do you feel about Benedict Cumberbatch getting mar-

ried?”

Asked to comment, the sender said: “I personally think I’m hilarious and that PPEists [sic] take themselves too seriously.”

Other members didn’t see the joke, with one asking: “Please stop sending me irrelevant emails”. Another email offered an explanation, saying: “Everyone. If you hit reply you are replying to everyone on the freaking list of group spaces. So stop it.”

The thread was stopped after around an hour, when society president Victor Jivanescu changed the Groupspaces settings, allowing only managers to use the reply-to-all function.

Speaking to the OxStu, Jivanescu said: “Basically one of our members had a question regarding his membership status and emailed me, only thing is that he also added the entire groupspaces mailing list.”

“This caused a domino effect and everyone went ‘berserk’ wanting to be removed from the list or making casual comments about anti-semitism…relationships…porn.”

The president stated that halting the thread was “the only responsible action”, after he noticed that “some were actually enjoying the situation”.

He added: “We would also like to apologize to our members for the inconvenience caused and reassure them that measures have been taken so that this does not repeat itself.”

Other members didn’t seem to be too annoyed. One fresher member of the PPE Society stated that: “I thought it was quite funny”.

“It’s just a small mistake by someone that snowballed…it wasn’t that much of a big deal, other than getting a few hundred emails in the span of a short time”.

PHOTO/Capitox

Graduate housing may result in £30m bill Reducing environmental impact of new accommodation expected to be costly SCOTT HARKER

Oxford University could face a bill of £30 million to reduce the environmental impact of its Castle Mill graduate accommodation.

Figures in a retrospective environmental impact assessment published by independent consultants on behalf of the University indicate that the cost of reducing the environmental impacts of the Castle Mill development at Port Meadow, could exceed £30 million depending on the option pursued. One of the three mitigation options would see the removal of a floor from six of the eight buildings, with the loss of 38 rooms. The estimated costs of this include £2.5 million in lost rent during the modifications and a further £15.5 million in loss of rent during the lifetime of the building, alongside construction costs of new accommodation elsewhere.

The work itself would be projected to cost £12 million.

The option favored by the University would see cladding applied to the buildings and the planting of a line of trees to reduce their visual impact. This option is the least expensive of the three currently being considered at £6 million, but has been criticised for not going far enough to reduce the impacts of the development, which overlooks a site of special scientific interest and a scheduled ancient monument. Reacting to the assessment, Toby Porter of the Save Port Meadow campaign said in a statement: “Cosmetic masking with trees and cladding is clearly not enough. The EIA clearly shows that only a reduction in height will substantially reduce the harm.”

Regarding the University’s favoured option of landscaping and cladding, the University’s director of estates Paul

Goffin said: “We believe this approach represents the best option to balance the environmental sensitivities with financial responsibility and the need to relieve pressure on the Oxford housing market.”

The west area planning committee of Oxford City Council will now look at the mitigation proposals put forward by the assessment.

These developments come after a long running dispute over the buildings, which were granted planning permission in 2012 without an environmental impact assessment being carried out. An independent review in December 2013 found the consultation process for the buildings was “inadequate” but cleared Oxford City Council of malpractice. The buildings were also subsequently shortlisted for the Carbuncle Cup 2013- an award issued by Building Design for the ‘ugliest building’ in the UK constructed in the last 12 months.

PHOTO/Jpbowen

4 News

13th November 2014

OUSU election hustings relocated following threat of boycott Oriel College and University College find new venues to host this week's hustings to ensure accessability for all

LAURA KENNEDY DEPUTY EDITOR

Hustings for this year’s OUSU elections have been rearranged following the threat of a boycott by two slates.

Due to the lack of disabled access, members of the For Oxford slate refused to attend the hustings held at Hertford College last Sunday and those due to be held at Oriel College and University College this week.

In a display of solidarity, candidates belonging to the Right to Education slate also announced to The Oxford Student their plans to withdraw from future hustings where wheelchair access was not provided.

Following these withdrawals, both University College and Oriel College are to hold hustings at alternative accessible venues. However, the For Oxford slate has already forgone attending the husting at Hertford College, where a proxy message for their presidential candidate, Will Obeney, a student at Regent’s Park, was read out in lieu of his attendance.

According to Wadham postgraduate student Lindsay Lee, For Oxford’s candidate for Disabled Students’ Officer and a wheelchair user herself, the team decision not to attend the Hertford husting was not an attempt to “indict OUSU or the Common Rooms”.

Rather, members of the slate were unwilling to compromise the ethos behind their campaign – which is rooted in “accessibility in all its forms” – by speaking at an event that was “inherently closed to a proportion of the population”.

Speaking to The Oxford Student about their decision to join For Oxford in refusing to attend all future hustings held at venues without disabled access, Right to Education member and the opposing candidate for Disabled Students’ Officer, Emily Di Dodo, commented: “As Right to Education’s aim is to ensure that education is provided for and accessible to students no matter what their background or needs are, our candidates have withdrawn from these husts in solidarity as nobody should be arbitrarily disadvantaged.”

Since the changes to the location of the Oriel and University hustings, all candidates are now expected to attend.

Reflecting on the outcome of the events, Lindsay Lee stated that she is “very happy that University and Oriel are taking access seriously” and that the “experience only makes [For Oxford] more aware about the access problems Oxford has and reinvigorates [their] desire to fix them”.

Likewise, Emily Di Dodo stressed the urgent need for Oxford to “take steps immediately to make sure that every single building at this University

PHOTO/The Oxford Student

is accessible to all”, suggesting a Disabled Students’ Campaign Committee as a possible means of achieving this goal.

With regard to Oriel and University’s decision to rearrange the hustings, For Oxford’s presidential candidate Will Obeney remarked: “We’re really pleased about the response our move has had, and hopefully it has made a few people realise how inaccessible

– in the simplest form of the word – much of Oxford activity actually is.”

When contacted, Oriel JCR President Kit Owens stated that the original choice of venue for the Oriel husting was merely a stopgap until a more appropriate room could be found. Owens added: “Oriel JCR is dedicated to providing a welcoming and accessible environment for any and all disabled students and I offer my

unreserved apologies to any affected."

Martine Wauben, the Returning Officer for this year's OUSU elections, has given assurances that any students who were unable to attend the hustings held at Hertford due to the lack of accessibility will be able to attend the general hustings at Wadham, St John’s and Balliol to find out about the candidates, their policies, and their manifestos.

Plans to expand Campsfield attacked Christ Church offers students chance to display artwork

Key University figures sign open letter to David Cameron

College members' assistance sought to replace portraits of "dead old men" during renovations

NICK MUTCH NEWS EDITOR

BERTRAM BEOR-ROBERTS

Current and former senior members of Oxford University staff have signed an open letter to David Cameron objecting to the proposed expansion of the Campsfield immigration detention centre in Oxfordshire.

In the letter, they state: “We are concerned with what we consider is a dangerous undermining of democratic principles and the rule of law… we do not find it acceptable that they (detainees) should be detained without trial, without time limit, without proper judicial oversight and with little chance of bail, and thus treated worse than criminals… immigration officials are, in effect acting as a law unto themselves.”

The 70 signatories include nine current and former heads of college, including the Very Reverend Christopher Lewis, former Dean of Christ Church, Baroness Helena Kennedy, Principal of Mansfield College and Will Hutton, Principal of Hertford College.

The letter goes on to state that the government's current policy is in breach of the United Nations Convention on Refugees and the Human Rights Act, citing the case of Alois Dvorzac, an 84-year-old detainee who died handcuffed in hospital shortly after being moved the Harmondsworth detention

centre, despite suffering from dementia and diabetes.

The sending of this letter will be accompanied by a flash mob organized by Oxford University Amnesty International, held at 12pm Saturday 12th November, during which giant versions of the text of the letter and the names of the signatories will be displayed.

The Home Office plans to expand Campsfield's capacity to over 450, up from the 216 detainees it currently holds, and UK immigration detention capacity has increased by 25 per cent nationwide throughout the last year.

Conditions at the camp have been condemned in the past by the Chief Inspectors of Prisons and the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture.

Jo Hynes, Oxford University Amnesty International President, stated: “We’ve had an incredible response from both academic staff and students whilst coordinating this letter, with Oxford University Student Union also unanimously passing a motion to call for the closure of Campsfield House.

"The UK detains more migrants, for longer and with less judicial oversight than any other country in Europe, yet the facts are clear: immigration detention doesn’t act as a supposed deterrent to immigration and contravenes basic human rights.”

Christ Church has invited students, fellows, and staff to submit art of their own creation to decorate the College hall during its refurbishment.

In an email from chaplain Revd.

Ralph Williamson, members were urged to “discover your creative side and draw, paint, photograph, print, collage to your heart’s content”. The project was conceived following the decision to cover or remove the extensive portrait collection while repair works are carried out on the roof until March.

Submissions – one per person – are required to be of a certain size, and are not guaranteed to remain undamaged by the renovation.

Revd. Williamson told The Oxford Student: “The project has generated considerable interest here. It encourages the making of art among our members and will stimulate a healthy discussion about the role of images in our society.”

First-year student Brenda Njiru reported an enthusiasm among students to "have their artwork lying on top of Henry [VIII]’s face". Although a policy against anonymous submissions is likely to deter more risqué artworks, members of all abilities are being asked to contribute and bring the hall to life again, since, as Njiru comments: "Our hall is sad. It looks bleak and really rather boring."

Christ Church hall famously acted

as the model for Hogwarts’ own in the Harry Potter film franchise, as well as containing inspirations for Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland books, and as such is a focal point for the College’s many tourists.

The hall will be closed to visitors during the renovation, and the College's admission fee has been reduced to reflect this. For the

meantime, students have expressed dissatisfaction with the take-away low-grade curry as "plastic cutlery is not quite Christ Church style".

However, others are delighted not to be constantly in the glare of "dead old men", and hope the project will encourage the college to address the gender balance of the portraits going forward.

PHOTO/Chensiyuan

News 5

13th November 2014

Marking boycott gathers momentum Merton surpasses fundraising targets for academic year Pension plan changes provoke lecturer response

Students and staff rejoice at new 30 million for scholarships, development and other projects

ELLIOT THORNLEY DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR

CONOR HAMILTON

» Continued from front page to industrial relations at your institution”.

Sally Hunt, the UCU general secretary commented: “Docking 100% of pay from staff who are continuing to perform the vast majority of their duties is completely unethical and risks causing greater damage to students' education. Punitive pay docking could lead to lectures and seminars being cancelled as members refuse to work for free. Any institution docking full pay and claiming it has students' interests at heart is lying.”

When asked about Oxford University’s stance on docking the pay of striking lecturers, a University spokesperson stated: “The University does not intend to pay its separate marking or examining fees to those who do not take part in examining. The University is not at present making other deductions in pay but reserves the right to refuse to accept partial performance at any future date. In that event, an appropriate deduction in pay would be

made.”

“This is a national issue concerning the pensions scheme administered on behalf of all UK universities. The University will always respect the right of individuals to take part in lawful industrial action. However, it has been making contingency plans to minimise any disruption or inconvenience to students and staff.”

James Blythe, OUSU VP for Access and Affairs, commented: “OUSU is working with the University to ensure that students get clear and early communications about any impact on their assessment resulting from the boycott. In terms of impact, we should be clear that the dispute is between UCU & the University – so college teaching and assessment shouldn’t be affected.

It’s for OUSU Council, not me, to set OUSU’s stance on the issues involved: until such a time as Council sets a view, OUSU officers will be working to facilitate communications and mitigate the impact on students. Three OUSU sabbatical officers have already had a productive meeting with the UCU leadership.”

Merton College has announced that it has met its £30 million fundraising goal ahead of the end-of-year deadline. The “Sustaining Excellence” campaign, which celebrates the 750th anniversary of the College, was run over seven years and aimed to raise funds for the tutorial system, student financial support and preserving Merton’s buildings.

Of the £30 million, half is being invested in the tutorial system, £8 million is being earmarked for scholarships and student support funds, while £7 million will be used in the protection and development of the College’s historic buildings.

However, numerous projects, such as the Law Fellowship, the College’s boathouse and the undergraduate support fund, still need to meet their fundraising targets. Despite this, Merton’s Warden is hopeful that these projects will hit their funding goals, promising that Merton “will continue to strive to ensure that future generations of Mertonians benefit from the same resources which were there for Mertonians down the ages”.

Merton students also seemed pleased with the results. Daniel Schwennicke, Merton’s JCR President, praised the college for being “very willing to receive input on its projects from the JCR” and that the

Sustaining Excellence campaign was “largely beneficial to the college and its students”.

A finalist at Merton also added that “for any College to raise £30 million in seven years is an achievement, especially from a historically smaller College like Merton,” arguing “the objectives of the campaign are those which should put the College in a strong position for the foreseeable future.”

The Warden of Merton identified the success of the campaign as a result of a “shared Merton commitment to our core values” that meant over half of Merton alumni donated to the Sustaining Excellence campaign, which was launched publicly in 2011.

"Bullying" culture at St Peter's Former bursar claims unfair dismissal from position LUKE MINTZ DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR

» Continued from front page power”, and noting that college staff are “much happier” since her dismissal.

The college’s head housekeeper Tracey Pullen also criticised Wright’s behaviour, describing her as a “bully” who would habitually “scream, shout and swear” at staff. Pullen claimed that Wright’s “intimidating” behaviour had caused a female employee to leave her job, telling the tribunal that Wright had then refused to allow staff members to buy a leaving card or flowers for the departing employee.

Responding to claims of the college’s culture of “bullying, racism and sexism”, St Peter’s JCR President Luke Miller stated: “While I don’t personal-

ly know many of those involved in the tribunal, reports of an apparent culture at Peter’s seems miles away from my experience here. St Peter’s is known to be an incredibly inclusive place.”

Miller went on to say: “Were the JCR to ever hear of any forms of discrimination we would take the matter very seriously”.

Responding to claims of sexism at the college, JCR Female Welfare Officer Miriam Stewart commented: “From my experience of St Peter’s …

I can say that it neither propagates not tolerates sexism amongst individuals”.

Earlier this year, the University was sued by former Kellogg College events coordinator Catriona Carter Jonas for age discrimination, with her claim eventually dismissed by Reading Tribunal Centre.

The case in Reading continues.

PHOTO/SPC

PHOTO/Richard Gillin

Trinity JCR rejects motion to overturn arranged marriage

Proposed reforms to allow free, gay and non-gendered college marriage rejected 39-18 MAXWELL RAMSAY & MATTHEW DAVIES

Trinity JCR on Sunday voted against serious reform to their college marriage system, after discussion in two JCR meetings. The current system, which sorts freshers into two groups based on physical sex and joins them in arranged boy-girl marriages, was lambasted in the OxStu for being “antiquated” and “heteronormative”, between contributing to “oppression”.

According to a meeting agenda on the JCR’s website, a motion to “introduce a ‘free marriage’ system instead of the current marriage ballot” fell by 39 votes against to 18 votes in favour with 10 abstentions.

The new system would have allowed freshers to choose their own spouse instead of the current ballot which pairs one man with one woman.

A recent Trinity graduate was surprised by the result of the motion, saying: “I personally don’t see why students need a college ‘mum and dad’. Two parents regardless of gender is fine.” They also cited previous same-sex college marriages which had worked well as an example.

The current marriage ballot was previously criticised by NoHeterox** co-editor Annie Teriba, who stated: “I’m firstly concerned by the implicit suggestion that non-binary and agender people do not exist and

secondly, by the incessant need, it seems, to gender all aspects of College life. I guess whoever is responsible probably didn’t mean it but then that’s how most oppression works isn’t it.”

When contacted by the OxStu, Trinity JCR President Eleanor Roberts commented: “The motion to change the current system was debated openly in a previous JCR meeting, and voted on this Sun-

day. Arguments for and against a change were provided and the JCR students voted as they wished and the outcome returned a no vote, which entails retaining the current system.”

“This system will continue to be kept because the JCR has freely and explicitly rejected proposed changes. I cannot comment on the opinions of JCR individuals regarding the results of these motions.”

PHOTO/Charles Fettinger

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News 7

13th November 2014

Meat-free Mondays mare Oxford study to feature in Big Bang Theory

Queen's and New reject weekly vegetarian meals Show to include research on teen phone contacts and friendship groups MATTHEW DAVIES NEWS EDITOR

A JCR motion to establish ‘Veggie Mondays’ has been passed at Queen’s, while a similar motion has foundered at New. The Queen’s motion, which passed on Sunday evening, resolves to “encourage JCR members to be ‘meatfree’ on this Monday”, and to request that the college buttery serves vegetarian meals as the default on Mondays.

The New motion, which failed by 42 votes against to 29 votes for, would have also sought "to ensure the price paid for the meal is proportionate to the difference in production cost from removing meat."

Opposition to the motion at New centred on the idea that forcing meat-eaters to eat vegetarian food is unfair. Andrew North, JCR Food and Bar rep, was cited in the minutes as saying "forcing people just us [sic] not fair. People do not have the right to dictate what people can or cannot eat on a given day. These motions are not helpful and I only come to oppose these

sort of motions."

Subsidiary issues raised were the impact that the motion would have on MCR members, who eat food from the same menu, as well as misgivings over the quality of veggie food presently served in college.

At Queen’s, however, the response was far less hostile. Charlie Troup, a third-year History and Politics student at Queen’s who proposed the motion, commented: “I was delighted that the motion passed so easily, but was especially happy with the discussion that accompanied it. We considered, for example, how we could make the College’s non-meat options more environmentally-friendly as well, for example by reducing the number of Quorn and tofu dishes.

“This is exactly the spirit we hoped the motion to promote: it is a call for everyone to consider the environmental and ethical implications of their diets, and not an opportunity for current vegetarians to feel smug or complacent."

KATHERINE HODGSON

A recent University study on social interaction is being recognised in an upcoming episode of popular TV sitcom The Big Bang Theory.

‘The Persistence of Social Signatures in Human Communication’, published in January 2014, is a piece of Physics research which analyses the changing friendship groups of school leavers. Dr Eduardo Lopez, Physics lecturer and fellow of Green Templeton and Pembroke College, Dr Felix Reed-Tsochas, Physics lecturer and Green Templeton fellow, and Dr Robin Dunbar of Magdalen College were all involved in the research.

The study began in 2007 when data was collected from the phone

records of teenagers. The study concluded that people can only maintain a finite group of close contacts. When a new ‘member’ is added to one’s friendship group old members are subconsciously replaced. The study goes on to note that it is too difficult – cognitively and emotionally - for most people to commit to close friendships with lots of people.

The episode will be aired on E4 on Thursday 13 November. The Big Bang Theory is one of the most popular sitcoms currently airing on US television, boasting peak ratings of over 18 million viewers.

The show follows the lives of four CalTech physicists and regularly references scientific studies and discoveries.

Dr Lopez proclaimed himself a fan of the show and said: “Generally speaking I have been impressed by how well they have picked up on new research. Years ago a friend of mine, here in Oxford, published a study on magnetic monopoles and they referenced that. The writers must be keeping track of particular types of research.”

Dr Lopez found out about his work being mentioned in the episode from a friend who had watched it in the US. “I’m not sure if I’ll be watching the episode on Thursday,” said Dr Lopez, “there’s a physics night at Pembroke College and I’m giving a lecture. I’m going to try and run back home and catch the E4+1 episode at 9.30pm.”

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PHOTO/ 阿佐田哲也

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OUSU Elections

8 OUSU Election Special

13th November 2014

OxStu exclusive: the OUSU Presidential candidates on their campaigns

A

year ago, I was in the same position as many in thinking that OUSU was ineffective and irrelevant in our common-room dominated university, but having now experienced the Student Union as a JCR President, I’ve seen the great things it can do. From supporting students with the Student Advisory Service, to working with groups such as the Women’s Campaign, to getting big wins with the university such as the UK’s largest university bursary package. Yet OUSU still seems irrelevant to most of us, and I want to change this. More importantly, I think that I and For Oxford have the ideas which can achieve this.

Your Student Union sits on the biggest university committees – so the first way it can become more relevant to students is by getting more of those ‘big wins’ such

as Prelims resits and increased graduate funding. I propose to create a Minimum Expectations Charter which details what we think every student is entitled to from their time here. It can covers issues such as academic provision, accommodation, funding, and welfare. I’ll push the university to adopt the charter, and it will form a long-term lobbying strategy – something OUSU has needed desperately for some time.

The advantages of this idea are significant: not only will it allow your Student Union to achieve more big wins, and to communicate them more easily, but it can stop colleges from failing students in those big areas such as academia, accommodation, and welfare, and it would also reduce disparity between colleges without ripping out what makes them special.

One of the Student Union’s biggest assets is its support for groups interested in making the university a place of equal opportunity. I am committed to this, and I think more can be done. I want to ensure the university, colleges, and tutors are sensitive to all students regardless of gender, background, or specific need. We’ve all had bad days at Oxford, and sometimes the support sim-

Will Obeney

W

hen I was a fresher, a wise woman - my college mother - told me that Oxford is full of opportunities and excitement, but also a whole world of stress. Two years, and an estimated 1176 cups of instant coffee later, I’ve come to realise that she was right. This place can make and break us at the very same time.

I’m standing to be president because I want our student union to focus on the issues that affect students’ lives the most; flawed welfare systems, the cost of living, and divisions within our university community.

I’m standing because our welfare system fails students. I’m standing because only 45% of students are seen within 5 days by our counselling service. I’m standing because there is very little cohesion between colleges, departments and the university on student welfare. I’m standing because I’ve seen – first hand - how easy it can be to fall through the gaps of the current

support systems. I’m standing because Oxford gives the workload and environment to make it academically great, but does not have the world-class welfare provision to match.

If elected, one of my main focuses would be to investigate these problems and propose reforms. I would do this in conversation with students – through surveys, feedback sessions, and discussion forums. Between us all, we have a wealth of experience of Oxford’s welfare system, and suggestions on how to improve it. I want to turn these conversations and research into action.

My second major problem with Oxford is the high cost of living in colleges, and the massive disparities between colleges. Common rooms are best placed to address this problem in their own colleges, but more support should be given. If elected, I will run strategy workshops for students working on rent proposals, and collect all the data and resources available to help common rooms get the best deals for their students.

Thirdly, I want to address the divisions in our university community. Oxford, like every university in the UK, has a problem with gender equality and respect. This cannot be solved without us all facing up to some stark realities, together. ‘Lad culture’ is toxic for all genders and backgrounds. The NUS and our own campaigns are doing some great work on this, but to effect real change, individual universities need

ply is not there. But the issue goes far deeper: both the academic and extra-curricular aspects of the university can be partially or completely inaccessible if you aren’t the ‘traditional’ Oxford student. The university’s access work is improving every year, but when a student arrives, whoever they are, they should be able to make the most of their university experience. I want to work with groups such as the Women’s, Disabled Students’, and LGBTQ Campaigns, and the Campaign for Racial Awareness and Equality to see where the issues lie and what the remedies are. OUSU will then be in a position where it can lobby the university for big changes, and also educate colleges and tutors as to where they are failing to support students most.

Your Student Union received a massive increase in funding this year. With more resources, it should be able to do more, supporting the students it represents, and taking the university to task in areas where students deserve more.

The ideas above form a long-term strategy to achieve this. If you truly want your Student Union to do more for you, please vote for me – and For Oxford – in 6th week.

to involve the whole student body in the conversation. We should be at the forefront of this movement. I want to hold a series of inclusive seminars, forums, speaker events and workshops for all areas of our community, so that at Oxford, everyone is welcome, and everyone is respected.

I’m running with two incredible candidates – Ali Lennon and Cat Jones. That’s why we’re teamABC – Ali, Becky, Cat. There’s so much more to be said, so please, check out

Becky Howe

my manifesto for more pledges – including an Oxford University Festival – and give our Facebook page a cheeky ‘Like’ if you’re so inclined – facebook.com/teamabc2014.

I’m standing to promote a happy, healthy, and cohesive Oxford. Please, stand with me.

OUSU Election Special 9

13th November 2014

L

ast year, 40% of students who voted in OUSU’s Presidential election backed a candidate they either saw as a joke or as someone who could shake up the student union. Barely more than four thousand students voted out of the twenty-two thousand who could, and at the point in the year when engagement with OUSU – the Oxford University Student Union – is at its very highest.

I didn’t run for President expecting to win: I expected strong and well-established groups of candidates, backed tacitly by the JCR Presidents’ Committee or the Labour Club. That hasn’t happened, but my main aim is still the same as it was: to get people talking about how we can make OUSU more engaging and

more open.

Too many Presidents and promising candidates have ignored or paid lip-service to the elephant in the room, which is that the student union has a real problem connecting with the students it’s meant to represent. It absolutely does do great work, but it seems distant and irrelevant, run by cliques and hacks and committee geeks and the like. It’s not because OUSU’s work doesn’t affect them or because students don’t care about anything at Oxford: plenty of people are incredibly passionate about access, or housing, or homelessness, the living wage, the counselling service, or library opening hours. They just don’t feel they have a voice, and, most importantly, OUSU carries on doing what it does whether they try to have a say or not.

That’s why I ran in this election with a promise to start a conversation about how OUSU can change. Every President wants to support every other officer on the issues in their remits, from welfare to lad culture, and can win votes by seeming like the candidate

Adam Roberts

who’s most in touch with or most passionate about this or that problem. But what a presidential candidate needs to do uniquely is offer a way of making students’ voices louder and creating a more dynamic and democratic student union.

Year after year, that gets neglected, until we get fed up and vote for someone completely different: a joke, or a radical.

I’ve proposed that every year we hold a vote on what policies our student union should have.

I’d want to exclude from that liberation policies, which the liberation campaigns should decide how to set, and I’d want, for example, only graduates to vote on graduate issues; graduate engagement is an even bigger problem than undergraduate, and that’s something I promise to look into. Once that vote’s done, we could roll the winning policies into a manifesto which said to the University, to colleges, and to other decision-makers and service-providers exactly what we, the student body, wanted.

It’s an exciting idea, and it’s just meant to be a starting point for a bigger debate about how OUSU can change. If you want that debate to happen, you have a very good reason to vote for me. Please consider doing so in 6th week.

Elections for dummies (with thanks to LJ Trup for the loan of his crayons) OUSU

Hustings

Sabs

NUS

OUSU is the student union that ties all the Oxford Colleges together, and represents Oxford students as a whole.

The face of OUSU is the president, and then there are five Vice Presidents who preside over areas of focus: Welfare, Access and Academic Affairs, Women, Graduates and Charities.

These officers are known as ‘sabs’ or sabbatical officers as they take the year out and become paid employees of the union.

There are also 18 other part-time positions called Executive Officers, as well as three Student Trustees and three NUS Delegates.

Slates

The OUSU equivalent of political parties, sharing specific policy points, although many run independently. The process lasts for a full year before new elections begin and a new wave of slates and sabs begins.

An event where the candidates for different positions make short speeches and answer questions.

The National Union of Students. It’s not directly linked to these elections, but OUSU is affiliated with it. This means whoever you vote for as President will represent the university to them, and other OUSU officers will work with national campaigns.

Hacking

Traditionally a ‘hack’ is someone whose political machinations are only to serve their own ambitions, but in Oxford student culture it’s more typically applied to anyone even vaguely involved in politics. The practice of ‘hacking’ is therefore networking, campaigning and generally seeking votes.

R.O.N

A charming chap who is running for every single position except Student Trustee and NUS Delegate. If you don’t like any of the candidates, you can give this guy your vote.

The Elections Elections take place in 6th week from 18th to 20th November, and all students can vote.

Everyone will be emailed with a code to enable them to vote.

The positions of VP (Women), Women’s Campaign Officer, and Graduate Women’s Officer are voted for by any who, partly or wholly, identify as women or transfeminine (if this differs from the university database then email the Returning Officer to be enfranchised).

A full list of candidates is available on OUSU’s website.

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13th November 2014

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Jessica Sinyor & Jack Myers St Peter’s & St John’s

S

tephen Fry does not do print interviews. “Journalists are fucking scum,” he says, before adding amicably that we are not “quite scum yet”. “At least if you do a TV or radio interview, someone can look at you and say ‘I think he’s a bastard and I really don’t like him’, but it’s you they don’t like, not you filtered through the selective memory of a journalist.” We meet just before Fry is about to speak at the Union, and he is clearly looking forward to the chance to talk about himself without mediation.

“If you’re exuberant, you are all the more vulnerable to doing something stupid”

While he seems at home in the plush surroundings of the Union, Fry has a tumultuous relationship with prestigious institutions. In the latest volume of his autobiography, More

Fool Me, he revealed that he has taken cocaine in a variety of prominent locations, from Buckingham Palace to Fortnum & Mason. Today he is more cautious with his vices: “I don’t like taking sleeping pills, because I think I might get addicted to them; I have such an addictive personality.”

After a 15-year addiction to the drug, Fry is now clean, but he still feels acutely the pressures of fame and its impact on his mental health.

Fry is famously candid about his experiences with bipolar disorder, and today he admits, “at the moment I’m slightly hypermanic.” The pressure on his time is palpable; his two phones ping alternately throughout the interview and a member of his entourage hovers anxiously at the door.

While he is keen to assure me that “it sounds awful to complain about fame”, Fry is open about the pitfalls of being well known. In a characteristic rhetorical flourish, he compares the drawbacks of fame to eating al fresco: “I always say; it’s a bit like a picnic.

Everyone says, ‘Ah it’s a picnic, it’s a really good thing: jam, sandwiches, chicken, bottle of claret – but you get wasps. Sometimes the wasps are journalists, or being stopped for one selfie that turns into a hundred.”

There are the minor irritants of “selfie scrums” – and print interviews – but Fry’s difficult relationship with

Stephen Fry

fame has made him unable to leave the house in fear of being recognised.

“There’s no question that the pressures of fame – which sounds like a pathetic thing to say, because all life is full of pressures – but the particular pressures of fame can occasionally, in the case of bipolar disorder, make it more extreme.

“I want to know why children would do something as awful as to cut a knife into their precious bodies ”

“You’re incredibly reluctant to go out if you’re depressed – incredibly reluctant to see the world, to look it in the eye. If you’re well known it’s much, much harder to go out of the house and not be stopped. There is this awful need to stick a smile on your face because otherwise people will think, “He’s a misery, isn’t he?”

Manic episodes are no easier to manage: “If you’re exuberant, you are all the more vulnerable to doing something or saying something really stupid.”

An intense awareness of his public image characterises Fry’s meditations on mental health and his interactions with journalists. Countless

panel shows and Radio 4 programmes have cemented his reputation as a national treasure, and his persona is one of avuncular amiability. Fry is well liked among children as well as adults; hearing the word “fuck” in the voice known for narrating the Harry Potter audiobooks remains jarring.

Despite this pre-teen popularity, Fry is no stranger to controversy. In the weeks before we meet, he has landed himself in hot water due to a Newsnight interview in which he discussed the historic sexual activities of ex-BBC presenters. Claiming that 14-year-old girls who had sex with rockstars were proud of their sexual pasts, Fry disputed the use of the term ‘victim’. Speaking about Operation Yewtree, he criticises the investigation into his friend Paul Gambaccini: “I was talking to [Paul Gambaccini] who was a victim of Yewtree – and I use that word because the police treated him absolutely abominably – and they eventually told his lawyer that they thought there was a three to five per cent chance of actually getting enough evidence to charge him – not a three to five per cent change of conviction.”

While his comments on Operation Yewtree and Twitter trolls are certain to keep Fry in the public eye for the foreseeable future, he is less sure about his upcoming projects. He sug-

gests the possibility of a BBC series called Sh, in which he would explore what he considers a “unique form of mental distress”: self-harm.

“I’d be really interested to find out why children could do something as awful as to cut a knife into their precious bodies.” He recalls a line of Wilfred Owen’s; those “limbs so dear-achieved”.

“It’s like wasps at a picnic. Sometimes the wasps are journalists, sometimes it’s a selfie scrum”

It was an encounter during a speaking engagement at Bedales, a liberal independent school in Hampshire, which sparked Fry’s fascination with the issue. After discussing Sh, a pupil approached him to say that there was “a fucking epidemic” of self-harm at the school. He admits to knowing little about the problem, but the meeting forced him to question what he thought lay behind the desire to self-harm: “Is it a terrible social thing about poverty?” Or, he asks, bringing the problem closer to his own realm of experience - “is it wanting to be noticed?”

C

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1974-2014

2 Screen

13th November 2014

Screen

Music and maniacal hand waving: the future of the music video PHOTO/Dimitri Hon

Robert Selth

University College

S

eptember last year. You sit awkwardly with your laptop, holding your smartphone in front of your face so that it blocks most of your view of the computer. You’re trying to watch the new Arcade Fire music video. You’ve already been redirected to a seemingly unresponsive webpage and been instructed, if you didn’t have it already, to install Google Chrome. You have laboriously connected your phone to your computer camera, which can now detect the motion of your phone as you wave it around in your hand. As “Reflektor” plays, you wiggle your phone around and discover that the motion creates minor variations in the patterns of lights and colours that play across the computer screen. You peer foolishly around your phone to try to figure out what is actually happening. You wonder whether this is worth the bother.

The interactive Vincent Morissetproduced video was greeted with

rapturous acclamation by certain excitable portions of the music press, and with raised eyebrows by everybody else. The expectation that fans would have both a laptop and a smartphone readily to hand might well have been reasonable, but it was a dubious move to make with a song that so histrionically laments the perils of “staring at a screen”.

And wasn’t it a little bit elitist as well – akin to that notorious formal dress code that the band imposed for one of their concerts?

In the age of the Internet, the music video has long seemed a bit of an anachronism

One is tempted to write the video off as one of those self-important excesses that we grudgingly tolerate from Arcade Fire because their music so often makes up for it. But the video did, however, signify a change in the winds. In the age of the Internet, the music video has long

PHOTO/Jay Kogami

seemed a bit of an anachronism. In the 1980s, when they swiftly became ubiquitous, videos opened up a whole new medium through which musicians could make statements about who they were and how their music should be received. Most casual fans do not read interviews with artists, and only a minority will ever see a given band in concert; but videos could reach anyone who happened to be near a TV. Michael Jackson’s music, to take the classic example, is almost inseparably associated with the image of himself that he cultivated in his earliest videos (he was lucky enough to hit his artistic and commercial prime just as music videos were saturating popular culture). Even those of us too young to have known it first-hand still think of the spangled suits, the moonwalk, the lines of dancers in the background, when we hear those songs. A peculiar brand of glitz and glamour, based in visual fashions and therefore incommunicable through music alone, clung to him because he crafted his image that way in his videos. Likewise alternative rock groups – living in an age when that term actually meant something – could telegraph their self-conscious weirdness and their rejection of mainstream values by releasing defiantly arty and unconventional clips. Videos became a new forum in which musicians could advertise their brand to listeners.

But in the digital age, when multiple lines of communication between artists and fans are constantly operating, when images and text produced by musicians can circulate endlessly on Twitter and Facebook, and when anybody can access a band’s own site with a click of a button and be instantly exposed to their brand, the importance of the video clip has vastly diminished.

Of course it still plays a huge role in music marketing, but it has

PHOTO/Paul Townsend

definitely ceased to be the sole or even the central medium in the business. Thus we have experiments like Arcade Fire’s interactive clip, which arises from the simple desire to find something distinctive and original – something that hasn’t been made partially redundant by other media – for music videos to do. How can music videos be made to feel edgy and contemporary again – not just in content, but in form?

How can music videos be made to feel edgy and contemporary again not just in content but in form?

Perhaps surprisingly, this question may already have been solved by a musician whose career predates the digital age by a solid four decades.

Just a few short months after the Arcade Fire video, another, very different interactive clip emerged on the web: the front page of Bob Dylan’s website suddenly bore host to a music video for his 1965 song “Like a Rolling Stone”. And this one did something entirely original. The video is composed of footage from 15 different staples of American television—from The Price is Right through reality show The Bachelor through the BBC News—all featuring the same people, on the same sets, that you would see if you were to actually switch on your television. The interactive element is that you can change channels at will, again as if you were actually watching television. There is just one difference. Everybody you lay your eyes on is mouthing along to “Like a Rolling Stone”. It takes a while before you realise quite how much effort and cleverness has gone into this project. The most obvious aspect of the video is its

sheer comedy value. Watching a newsreader solemnly inform the camera that “once upon a time, you dressed so fine – threw the bums a dime, in your prime” is, most immediately, just plain funny. But there is a great deal more going on here. A headline announcing that “Occupy is Back” appears behind the BBC newsreader as he asks you how you feel about “having to be scrounging your next meal”. A model strides down a catwalk as a spangle-dressed announcer remarks on “all the pretty people” who are “drinking, thinking that they got it made”. Seeing the animated cat on the kids’ show Zoey and Socks inform the sweet little girl who accompanies it that “You go to the finest school, alright Miss Lonely, but you know you only used to get juiced in it” may seem funny at first. But then, it could also feel bittersweet – and it very quickly turns jarringly and bizarrely dark, as the girl replies to her cat that “nobody’s ever taught you how to live out on the street, and now you’re going to have to get used to it.” To turn Dylan’s sneering sequence of taunts into a dialogue between two characters is striking; to do it with children’s animation is a masterstroke. And as the viewer changes channels, they construct their own pop culture collage out of these fascinating elements.

So the venerable Dylan has found a way to do something with music videos that can only be done on the Internet, and feels distinctively original. Admittedly, he’s done so in a way that will probably remain a one-off. But we can hope that the mere example of such a creative approach might inspire other artists.

There is surely a myriad of fruitful approaches to interactive online music videos just waiting to be explored. And none of them, we may also hope, will require us to wave our smartphones at the computer screen.

13th November 2014

Screen 3

Review: Portrait of Jason

Thomas Bannatyne reports on the screening held at St. Catz

Anti-Pick of the week: Video Game High School

PHOTO/William Warby

Sid Venkataramakrishnan

Pembroke College

T

hree things in life are certain: death, taxes, and the neverending release of shooter games. With Call of Duty taking up the mantle from Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto as the new hitman training programme, the release of the action comedy web series Video Game High School in 2012 seemed like the right parody at the right time. The spectacle of unnecessary, almost cartoonish violence coupled with the arrogance and immaturity of so many of the players meant there was so much to lampoon.

The first season – available on Netflix as a continuous movie of sorts – was confused and confusing. Graphically, it was highly impressive – if anyone needed evidence that KickStarter can make professional videos, VGHS’s battle sequences are great visual candyfloss.

The story line, however, felt like nothing more than a vehicle whose sole existence was to justify the gunfights. Sometime in the not-too-distant future, protagonist Brian D (Josh Blaylock) becomes a student at the prestigious Video Game High School – an establishment for teenagers to live out their dreams and, presumably, develop Repetitive Strain Disorder. Perhaps it’s unfair to judge things by Potter standards, but Brian and his close friends certainly seem to resemble Harry and co: Brian is the chosen one; Ki Swan (Ellary Porterfield) is the genius who lacks social skills and Ted Wong (Jimmy Wong) is the friendly slacker hiding a secret talent.

It has never been so much about people as the action, looking cool, and scoring points

There’s much teenage drama, but this just feels like filler content in between fight scenes, which is why VGHS just feels wrong. There is some critique of the digital world – Brian’s mother is briefly seen absorbed in some sort of media game, and there’s perhaps a hint that VGHS takes place in a kind of

dystopian future where the Internet has destroyed everything but gaming.

However, these hints are swallowed up by the endless gunfire and explosions.

Now, nearly two seasons on and only a month away from the series’ finale, Video Game High School seems to have become a little self-aware. There are jokes at the expense of an industry that happily over-charges for downloadable content, and at the contempt that casual gamers face from ‘real’ players – but the show still falls down because all of this simply feels like an addendum to the action sequences. VGHS isn’t a satire about gaming; it’s not even about “a show about best friends, first loves, and landing that perfect head shot.”

What it is, is a generic bildungsroman tacked on to Michael Bay-like action sequences. It’s oddly likeable and oddly watchable, but it feels disconnected from the actual world of gaming and its problems. VGHS takes place in what seems to be a magical future in which the issue of discrimination doesn’t appear to exist. Jenny Matrix (Johanna Braddy) is head of the FPS team and Brian D’s girlfriend, an extremely talented gamer in her own right. Yet, apart from the general unpleasantry of her ex (and Brian’s antagonist), The Law – played by series co-creator Brian Firenzi – we never get any real sense of the obstacles that face female gamers. Similarly, whilst games are portrayed as having taken over the world and established a cult of celebrity, the emphasis upon the fight scenes suggests that the producers don’t see it so much as a farce, but as a brave new world they want to live in – or perhaps one that they imagine gamers would like to.

Ultimately I think that’s the main issue with VGHS. Even though it has expanded its content over three seasons to show different kinds of games – racing, RPGs, fighting – it still chooses to take a glossy, cinematic view of gaming. It has never been so much about the people as the action, looking cool, and scoring points. It’s a shame, really, because there’s definitely a debate to be had about the vices and virtues of gaming, and a web series is the perfect place for it – easily advertised and accessible to the people who it is about.

The closest we get to a critique on

this world is The Guild, a web series created by and starring Felicia Day (now of Supernatural and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-along Blog fame), which satirised MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role playing games), such as World of Warcraft. Here is a show whose main focus is the players, from start to finish. It is hardly a hagiography of video games – the various members of the eponymous Guild show personality flaws ranging from regular forms of narcissism to being socially inept to stalkerish tendencies: and though it’s played off as comedy, there’s no sense that any of this is healthy. Granted, The Guild features considerably fewer fancy gunfights or driving sequences, but that just means that we get to see how real people can end up addicted to virtual worlds, and the sort of behaviour, which is condoned in an anonymised setting.

Its a generic bildungsroman tacked on to Michael Bay-like action sequences

It’s not all so sombre, of course, and there’s an obligatory character development that sees the characters’ lives all closed up neatly – but there was something satisfying in that. A hope that gaming, for all its negative impacts, social and personal, can bring people together due to a shared interest.

Not as an alternative to real life - we see various Guild members struggling with this throughout the series – but as a communal pastime. An escape from reality, not a substitution for it.

That, in the end, is the bridge, which VGHS either isn’t smart enough or brave enough to cross. The whole ‘future where entertainment becomes everything’ feels hackneyed after the likes of Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! have already tried it (with varying degrees of success.) The world of Call of Duty and its competitors definitely deserves some consideration, between the unremitting violence and the distinctly nationalist tendencies, which tend to arise from such games. It’s just a shame that in the end, Video Game High School doesn’t offer viewers that.

W

hen Ingmar Bergman calls a film “the most extraordinary film I’ve seen in my life”, you have to sit up and take notice. And Portrait of Jason is nothing if not extraordinary. Coming on the back of the cinema vérité movement of the 1960s, Shirley Clarke’s documentary looks at the life of hustler and cabaret performer Jason Holliday, all through the words and emotions of Jason, the sole on-screen presence. It is testament both to filmmaker and subject that a single man’s narration, whether sat in a chair, sprawled on the floor or marching across the room as if it were his stage, is so compelling, and for over 100 minutes refuses to let its audience go.

Jason is a lively presence, but it is impossible to escape the fact that what we see is a performance. From the very start, we know that what we are watching is channelled through both Clarke and Holliday. Not only is it a ‘portrait’, an interpretation of the man, it is also of ‘Jason’, a stage name, which hides some of the truth behind its user, whose real name is Aaron Payne.

But this is very much Jason’s opportunity, with his showmanship coming to the fore, and only as time goes by do his darker emotions and childhood experiences begin to emerge. Though there is a sense of tragedy behind his hysterics, Jason is vivacious and expressive, making the audience laugh almost as much as he does himself. Just as he loves the camera, the camera loves him.

up to his father’s concept of masculinity, and the struggles of his mother in the days when he was Aaron. When he is driven to tears, Clarke continues to probe, and the audience begins to grow unsettled at the possible exploitation going on before their eyes.

If the film does not move them, the transition from deliberate showmanship to unguarded emotion is at least uncomfortable, and Jason’s position is intriguing if nothing more. He is in the margins for his race, class and sexuality, and even when he is the centre, and indeed the entirety, of a film, he is under the pressure of the more powerful, both creatively and emotionally.

With the lights on and previously rapt audience coming to terms with what they have seen and experienced, the panel for discussion was introduced: Topher Campbell, director, writer and founder of rukus! Federation, a BLGBTQ art company; Kanchi Wichmann, the BAFTA-nominated filmmaker behind Break My Fall, one of the BFI’s top ten lesbian films; Ben Walters, former cabaret editor for Time Out London and writer for The Guardian; Tim Robey, film critic at The Telegraph.

Perhaps most remarkable was the discussion over the very presence of a black gay man on screen, and the lack of such a role model to this day. As Walters pointed out, the late ‘60s was a time where Sidney Poitier was a challenging presence in cinema, and so, no matter how charismatic and extraordinary

PHOTO/Eleanor Diamond

His presence is uniquely magnetic, and his stories and character form a detailed and personal picture of his life, shaped both by his sexuality and his race.

Yet Jason’s story is inevitably moulded by director, producer and editor, Shirley Clarke, and another presence behind the camera in Clarke’s partner, Carl Lee. Drifting in and out of focus, and with the probing questions kept in the edited film, in contrast to the fly-onthe-wall style that was more commonplace at the time, Clarke makes her authority felt, though Jason struggles at least to have a share of the power. But he is vulnerable: he is not at home, but has come to the penthouse of a white filmmaker, and as he is allowed to drink and smoke, he is pressed with more provocative questions. As he graduates from drinking from the glass to drinking from the bottle, his eyes begin to close and his guard is down, giving Clarke and Lee ample chance to tease out more effectively the personal tragedies.

“What a childhood,” Jason giggles, but the reality is far from humourous.

He recounts being beaten for not living

Jason was, it was a rare opportunity for him to be on film, and for the film to reach a wide audience. But, Campbell suggested, there has been little progress since then in finding gay, black men in mainstream culture. Even today the paradigms that exist are the violent gangster-figures or the erudite Obamatypes – there is no celebrated homosexual black role model. People like Jason are less marginalised now than then, yet there is still a long way to go to reach a comfortable and independent level.

Jason challenges the narratives of black masculinity, by defying his father, and even turning his violence into a joke.

The debate could have continued long into the night, but was brought to a close with the audience reflecting even more deeply on what they had experienced. A film which started out as entertaining had raised so many questions of sexuality, race, class and power, and had an even more emotional effect on certain audience members. Discussion lived on in the groups dispersing into the cold night, with Jason’s glee, anguish and charisma imprinted on the memory.

Fashion 4 Fashion

Philip Babcock St Stephen’s House

E

rin Lorelie Young, an MSc student in Education, who studied Classics as an undergraduate at the University of Cambridge before coming to Oxford University, has loved fashion since she was a child.

Learning about Oxford Fashion Week (November 3 – November 8) shortly after her arrival at Brasenose College, Erin was jumped at the opportunity to take part. Overjoyed at being chosen to walk for the week-long event, Erin’s itinerary has been very busy over the last few weeks preparing for the challenge ahead.

Her first show was on November 5th at the swanky Malmaison hotel.

Clothed in everything from light blue latex, the work of designer William Wilde – who regularly dresses celebrities such as Miley Cyrus and Kylie Minogue – to a white leather bodysuit, she owned the catwalk at the lingerie show.

“I was so nervous before going on, I was having a dance with the other girls backstage to calm our nerves! But as soon as I stepped out onto the catwalk, I got into character, adrenaline kicked in and I absolutely loved it. The show

looked over the main thoroughfare of the Castle Complex, so the atmosphere was electric.”

For the High Street show, presented at Varsity Club, Young paraded down the catwalk wearing gorgeous outfits from Reiss and Hobbs.

“The catwalk was split into two parts here, which made the walk

I was so nervous before going on, I was having a dance with the other girls backstage to calm our nerves!

more challenging – but all the more rewarding! We also had unlimited green tea backstage to keep our energy levels high.”

The next evening was a two-part event at the spectacularly restored Victorian Pitt Rivers Museum of Natural History. Young walked for both the Independent and the Couture shows.

“All the models absolutely loved the pieces we were lucky enough to wear designs by Daniele Bardis. We

13th November 2014

walked the length of the mezzanine floor next to the cloisters in the Museum, and as I waited for my walks from backstage, I could watch how stunning the prints looked against the backdrop.”

The highlight of Oxford Fashion Week for Young was The Birds of Paradise Show. A black tie affair at the Museum of Natural History, the night was a spectacular finale to an impressive week. Dramatic red and blue lights flooded the runway while models paraded down the aisle, with Erin wearing pieces by Xiaolin as well as many others.

“As I walked the runway between the dinosaur skeletons on the floor of the Museum, wearing a dress adorned with hundreds of real jewel beetle wings, I felt overwhelmed by how lucky I’ve been to have the entire experience. I couldn’t have asked to meet a better, lovelier or more professional backstage team and group of fantastic models, and I have made friends for life.”

And Young’s advice for aspiring models? “Always be kind to yourself and others, and have fun in everything that you do!”

Wise words indeed from a model who is set to go far.

PHOTO/Philip Babcock

One model, five shows: behind the scenes at OFW

PHOTO/Philip Babcock

PHOTO/Philip Babcock

PHOTO/Philip Babcock

Fashion 5

13th November 2014

Trousers & Thatcher: feminism in fashion New College

A

wave of young women, megaphones in hand and pickets held high, marches, skips, and runs down the street to loud applause. Dressed in suits of greys, purples, and tans, some scantily clad others fully covered, they are a formidable crowd. This is not just a riot of fashionable women; this is the finale to the Chanel Spring/Summer 2015 Fashion Show. With Veteran model Gisele leading the pack, the long-legged models marched down the makeshift “Boulevard Chanel” chanting slogans such as “Féministe mais Feminine” and “votez Chanel!” In this dramatic display, Karl Lagerfeld really hit home with what it means to be a Chanel girl. A Chanel girl is more than a pretty face. A Chanel girl is practical, slightly rebellious, and independent. As one of the founders of feminist fashion with her freeing silhouettes and practical buttonholes, Coco Chanel herself would have been proud of the statement made by Lagerfeld in October.

Fashion does not have to confine women, but can liberate them.

Throughout history there has been a tradition that “clothing dictates the role of women”. This was true of the sewn-on leather garments of medieval princesses and the constricting bodice of Marie Antoinette’s court dress and even of the nipped-in waists and ballooning skirts of Dior’s New Look. Such garments defined the

role of women in socie-ty. These constricting, limiting types of clothing most certainly would have made it hard to do much more than sit at home and serve as decoration.

Today, it appears as if the par-adigm has been switched and the role of women is now dictating clothing, rather than vice-versa. And for that we can thank trousers and Thatcher.

This upcoming spring season is littered with subtle references to the 1970s. From a bohemianpatterned mini skirt by Louis Vuitton to the monochromatic pantsuits by Ac-ne, designers are drawing on a whole array of 1970s aesthetics. The colour palette, featur-ing a rainbow of mustard yellows, bright cobalt blues, and caramel browns, is reminiscent of shag carpet and large plaid jackets.

The re-introduction of 1970s silhouettes re-circulates not only the style, but also the statement of the time. Fashion is a system of signification; it does not matter so much what the cut of the dress is or the colour of the sweater, but what it signifies will make it important.

Fashion, like art or literature, serves as a symbol of the world—they are part of the zeitgeist, the spirit of the times. Certain styles are in fashion at a certain time or place because of the significance they hold for that time and place. Therefore, when clothing comes back in style, the whole idea behind those fashions come back in style too.

The 1960s and 70s were a great time in the feminist movement: second wave fem-inism. This era was characterised by demonstrations at a Miss World beauty pageant, where women won the right to serve in combat positions and Margaret Thatcher became the first woman prime minister, as well as other such events leading up to greater social equality.

As women began to gain more power in the work place, the time

came to dress in a manner that reflected the new role—thus a switch in that original paradigm.

Designers such as Thierry Mugler and Georgio Armani epitomised this era with the introduction of power dressing: long, monochromatic suits, with strong shoulders, understated tailoring, and minimal accessories.

Silhouettes similar to these were all over the Paris runway this October.

Haider Ackermann’s elegant suit of taupe and silver, with oversized pockets and one button to clasp the front, was simultaneously fluid in movement and strong in stature.

A model dressed in a navy, threepiece suit by Christophe Lemaire determinedly strutted down the

With the calls for greater equality everywhere, it is only natural that fashion should refelct this.

catwalk with the rigidity and strength of a successful business associate. Raf Simmons showed a suit that, while staying true to the traditional femininity of Dior with an emphasised waist and sloping shoulders, was much sharper and more masculine in stiff grey cotton.

These powerful, masculine designs remind us of the 1970s.

They remind us of Margaret Thatcher in her royal blue suit.

They remind us of tousled hair and Farrah Faw-cett. They remind us of the power of feminism. Fashion does not have to be the enemy of the feminist. Nor does fashion have to be purely feminine. The square, masculine styles create an image of androgyny. Rather than separating the genders by clothing, designers are bringing two into one—is this a sign of greater equality? Fashion

PHOTO/Christoper William Adach

Mary McNeil

does not have to confine women, but can liberate them. Fashion does not have to define us, we can define fashion. With the calls for greater equality everywhere, it is only

natural that fashion should reflect this. The fragility of fashion is that it can transcend time. Where fabric ends, the idea continues. Thank you, Lagerfeld, for reminding us of this.

together in a shop display they can be a little intimidating. All that glitz and glam can seem a bit over the top to the first time buyer.

However, even the most classic of girls can find the right rocks for her style. When teamed with the right outfit, paste jewels and chunky chains can still be elegant. Pair a simple silver or gold one, without any added embellishment, with your favourite little black dress or classic crisp white shirt and for a relatively low cost you can transform a look into something sophisticated yet highly stylish. And trust me, once you’ve put one around your neck, you will never look back.

For those of you who are more daring, it’s all about rainbow jewels. You can find these in an array of patterns and materials, and most high street

shops have a good offering right now. They are the perfect way to add a splash of colour to your outfit and, quite frankly, the crazier the better. If you’re going to make a statement, you might as well make it big.

But a word of warning - although it can be done, some of these necklaces can verge on tacky when pressed against bare skin. Better to keep it tasteful and classy by wearing them over a plain t-shirt, dress or jumper with a reasonably high neck. Whichever style you choose, though, you really have to let the necklace take centre stage. Your bold accessory is the focal point, so don’t make the rest of your outfit too fussy. Keep your top half reasonably simple plain designs work best - and let the eye be drawn to the necklace. It’s time to let the bead take the lead.

The Bigger the Better Kate Tuohy Jesus College

G PHOTO/Maria Morri

one are the days of long, pendant necklaces, right now it’s all about the boom. Bold necklaces are taking the fashion world by storm; sure to transform any outfit, they can make even the dullest of t-shirts look exciting.

These designs have been around for a few seasons now, and they come in an endless variety of styles and colours, so you will have no problem finding the right statement necklace for you. But although the high street is currently bursting with them, it being Christmas party season, when they are all piled

6 Fashion

13th November 2014

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o o u F l h w h n w

The Mod Squad Photographer: Allison Dambrosia; Model: Gifty Okonkwo and John Snape; Concept and Styling: Demie Kim and Jennie Graham; With thanks to Modern Art, Oxford

Music 7

13th November 2014

Music Nasim Asl

Somerville College

S

am Douglas is one fifth of Mallory Knox, one of the British alt-rock’s current frontier bands.

As the popularity of similar genre groups – Lower Than Atlantis, Young Guns and Twin Atlantic to name a couple – increases, Mallory Knox have found themselves on the front lines of a rapidly expanding genre.

“We’re very privileged to be put in the same bracket as those guys. I’m so happy that people like Radio One and Reading/Leeds now put their faith in British rock music. There’s so much talent there and it keeps the other bands on their toes. You don’t want to be left behind, and I think that helps other bands step up their game – it does for us anyway”, Sam humbly explained. “It’s the strongest its been in my lifetime, since I’ve been doing it, and it’s about time that it happened.”

This mentality certainly seems to have worked - the band released their second album, Asymmetry, at the end of October, and so far its singles have been successful, with the videos for ‘Ghost in the Mirror’ and ‘Shout at the Moon’ racking up an impressive 600,000 YouTube views between them already. The response to the latter has been particularly positive; “it’s probably the best reaction to a song that we’ve had so far”, Sam gushed, “I love that song.

It’s definitely surpassed expectations.

I can’t wait to just get out and play it – I think it may be one of the highlights of our set, people have caught onto it really well so far.” Both tracks made it onto Radio One’s A-List, and constantly appeared to be on air throughout August and September.

“I didn’t realise how many songs were about relationships breaking down.”

“I’ll never get used to it”, Sam boldly declared, “the other day I was stuck at a traffic light and the bloke next to me had his radio on – it was us playing at the time, and he was singing along. It was the weirdest thing.” Mallory Knox have strong ties with Radio One, having graced the Live Lounge twice now. “It’s the most nerve wracking thing we’ve done! It’s easier having people there when you can actually see them, a

mistake in a live show goes under the carpet and you can get away with it, but in the Live Lounge it’s obvious to people. There’s normally around 80,000 people listening and when you get your head around the numbers its terrifying but I used to listen to it when I was at work on the building site, so to get to do it now is incredibly cool too”.“I don’t mean to sound awful, but I don’t like music videos – the whole acting thing and having to fake play – I’d rather go out and play a show”, Sam confessed, an audible touch of exasperation in his tone. Along with the bigger fan base, an increase in popularity brings video perks to the band: “It was nice to have professional people at the music video shoots this time. We just turned up and got told what to do. It was stress free!”

“There’s around 80,000 people listening and once you get your head around the numbers it’s terrifying” With some of the band’s killer tracks, such as the popular ‘Shout at the Moon’ stemming from his fingertips (the other half are born of lead singer Mikey Chapman), Sam remained grounded when discussing the process of putting together tracks for Asymmetry. “We don’t follow a certain formula with the writing.

Normally, I’ll have a verse and a chorus on an acoustic guitar then I take it to the band and we all work on it. It becomes a Mallory Knox song.

That’s how a lot of them get started but ‘Piece of My Heart’ was written in an hour at a band practice. I was just fiddling around with a bass line then we all started on it and it was pretty spontaneous. Same for ‘QOD II’”. As with many bands of their genre, Mallory’s main inspirations are from personal experiences above anything else. “We don’t try and fake it. I wouldn’t try to write a song about politics ‘cause I’m not that clued up on it. What would be the point?”

Sam rationally justified. “Signals [their debut] was obviously personal as well, but this album is even more personal purely because we’ve had more life experience in the last two years. Having been on tour missing friends and family, and break-ups ‘cause you’re always away, it’s been very easy to write about certain things because we were really feeling it”, he reflected, “When we finished

Knocking about with Mallory Knox PHOTO/ChuffMedia

the album it blew me away. I didn’t realise how many songs were about relationships breaking down so it taught me a lot about myself by the end. I just want to write about stuff that I’m feeling and going through so that I can get it off my chest”.

Although thematic similarities and personal stories permeate both LPs, Sam sees Asymmetry as a “completely natural progression. Since Signals we’ve been on the road for two years, so its two years of becoming closer as a unit. You can’t help it, you just become a better band. It’s the best album we could have written at this stage in our careers, there’s no doubt about that in my head. I just couldn’t be more happy with how it sounds and how its all come together. We took the time to focus on certain guitar sounds – with Signals it was just one sound throughout the whole record, but I feel each song here has their own personality. They fit and flow together, but they all stand out individually. Signals was recorded in three weeks, and this was done in four months and I really think that that shows”.

Amid much more mature sounding

tracks, and a greater lyrical complexity and emotional appeal, Sam sees ‘She Took Him to the Lake’ as an exemplar of the band as it is now. The seven and a half minute track really showcases the band’s strengths. “I’m dead proud of it. It’s such a cool song.

For the first four minutes it’s chilled, then it builds and builds and then explodes into one of the best chorus’ on the album. It’s still very Mallory but I think it shows how much we’ve progressed.”

“It’s the best album we could have written at this stage in our careers, there’s no doubt about that in my head” Whilst listening to Asymmetry, it’s definitely a track that stands out and really comes into its own. It’s not the only track that impresses either.

“We knew what we were going for on this album and we went into the studio with the mentality of knowing what we wanted and how we wanted

to get it. It just flew by and felt like a couple of weeks. I look back on the recording now and realise just how much I enjoy it and I think we all did”.

Mallory Knox have been knocking about for some time now, yet the group have had some incredible chances since Signals was released in 2013. Yet, like most bands, they definitely never thought they’d make it where they are. “The show that sticks out for when I realised this was Nottingham Rock City last year”, Sam reminisces, “I remember when we started out we played the basement to ten people. Same for a couple of years, then it was 30, then 40. We always wheeled our gear through the main room and imagine playing it one day. Last November we played it and sold it out. It was crazy!

The show itself was insane, definitely in my top five shows.”

As Mallory Knox’s tour looms, Sam is definitely ready to get right back into the swing of live shows. “I’m itching to get back out there, itching to play the new songs, itching to do it.”

Mallory Knox play Oxford’s O2 Academy on November 21st.

8 Music

13th November 2014

Machine Head’s Bloodstone & Diamonds is a new metal jewel With an eighth album, Machine Head poses an interesting question: can there be too much of a good thing?

Stefano Domingues De Castro Pachi Somerville College

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oasting 12 songs that last over 70 minutes in total, Bloodstone & Diamonds is the Machine Head’s longest album by over ten minutes. On a first listen, it may all be too much to take in: the melodies start to blend into one another, the

various ripping guitar solos become indistinguishable, and the band’s trademark aggression seems diluted.

In other words, it may come across as the trash metal equivalent of a sumptuous Christmas feast: it satisfies intensely, but leaves you stretched out on a couch promising yourself never to eat anything ever again. Yet the album’s triumph is that it is not simply long for length’s sake: it is also the most varied album of their 23-year career.

The band’s influence on its own music is clear. Bloodstone & Diamonds includes everything from the string

quartets and choirs present in their previous effort, Unto the Locust, to a nu-metal chorus in ‘Game Over’ that hails back to their middle period, and all the way back to an instrumental track with voice-overs such as ‘Real Eyes, Realize, Real Lies’ from their debut album, Burn My Eyes. While this could be conceived of as the band rehashing their glorious – or, as the case may be, inglorious – past, these elements are never repetitive. The female choir singing “America” in ‘In Comes the Flood’ sounds nothing like the children choir of ‘Who We Are’. The string quartet in ‘Now We Die’ features much more prominently than it ever did in ‘I Am Hell’. The nu-metal moments come across not as an attempt to cash-in on a popular genre, as they often did in the band’s middle albums, but are instead combined with the band’s layered songwriting to become yet another instrument in a symphony of aggression and dissent.

The one moment where previous influence fails to be surpassed is with ‘Imaginal Cells’, which, though a nice break late in the album between more explosive songs and an interesting exploration of human capacity for innovation and evolution, lacks the punch of ‘Real Eyes, Realize, Real Lies’’s socio-political cacophony.

As if all of this were not enough, Machine Head also experiments with new elements and techniques

quite extensively. ‘Damage Inside’ features frontman Rob Flynn singing quietly but movingly into the emptiness, whereas Phil Demmel’s uses of a Whammy pedal in ‘Ghosts Will Haunt My Bones’ makes his guitar sound like a specter screaming in the distance. The most innovation, however, comes in ‘Sail Into the Black’ with the use of Gregorian chanting and an unusual song-structure in which the first half of the song is mostly calm and atmospheric – think the early moments of ‘Darkness Within’ – and the second half explodes into song by adding intensely, dramatically heavy moments.

Amidst all the album has to offer some great songs fade into the background

The innovations also extend to the lyric aspect of the songs. ‘Night of Long Knives’, perhaps confusingly not named after the Nazi purge, is a veritable horror song based on the Manson family murders. ‘Killers & Kings’, meanwhile, uses tarot imagery to explore the band’s core philosophy, namely that “from death comes rebirth”. Indeed, as a whole the album’s lyrics argue rather cohesively for standing up to the evils of society and fighting for something

new. What at first may appear mere self-destructive nihilism is eventually revealed as self-empowering dissent in a world where, as Flynn sings in ‘In Comes the Flood’, “the market may be free, but not for you and me”.

Unfortunately, amidst all the album has to offer, some great songs fade into the background. On their own, ‘Eyes of the Dead’ and ‘Beneath the Silt’ will definitely enliven a shuffle section, but sandwiched between the monumental ‘Sail into the Black’ and the epic diatribe of ‘In Comes the Flood’ they cannot but feel relatively flat. Similarly, album closer ‘Take Me Through the Fire’ provides a call to arms with various interesting elements, such as a brief drum solo, but by comparison to some of the more successfully ambitious songs in the album it seems an odd choice to conclude the album.

Bloodstone & Diamonds may be less focused and slightly lighter than previous releases, yet it is also more varied, melodic and even frenetic. It displays a band able to borrow from their past in interesting ways but also capable of innovating and branching into new sounds. Its one flaw is offering such a sumptuous feast of riffs, solos and melodic mayhem that the listener may become desensitized to some of its dishes. For metal fans everywhere, however, this just means they can indeed have Christmas every day.

Azealia Banks’ surprise album showcases her musical variety Aimee Kwan feels Broke With Expensive Taste’s impressive fusion of musical genres was definitely worth the wait

Aimee Kwan

Magdalen College

I

t seems there are two ways to put out an album these days: 1) you hype it up like a monster Taylor Swift style, or 2) do a Beyoncé and drop it out of the blue. Azealia Banks has done the latter. Just when we thought her debut album would never appear, here it is, all 16 tracks on a platter. But how does it match up with the biggest femcees of the charts?

We’ve been waiting for Banks’s new album since her 2012 mixtape Fantasea which introduced us to why she was being so lauded as one of the new voices of hip-hop. She may have had a few controversies along the way but that should not detract from the fact that this is a great album. It’s sonically coherent and not just an album full of fillers

or random jumps in sound. If anything, Banks can justify why she’s spent so long on this album.

You can listen to it from beginning to end feeling like the artist has put a lot of thought into what they’re creating with the album.

What makes this album so interesting is the direction of music that Banks has chosen to go in. She fuses in sounds from pop on the European side of the pond.

She throws in horns, she even uses jazz influences. I’d even say that (after listening to the album several times now) the album sits in a nice groove through its steady reggaefusion-like funk. It’s a nice and unexpected move which certainly sets her apart. This is music that I can see hitting the clubs on not just the R&B floor due to its seamless intertwining of genres. It’s a great strength in a debut album.

However, what some may see as a strength can also obviously be a weakness. I’d argue the most

diverse section of the album is the first half – depending on your leanings when it comes to listening, you might find the second half more repetitive and this would arguably be through the beats used as opposed to Banks’ vocal performance. It’s something she is interesting enough to push aside. Given that the big names she’s competing with, some might say that her voice doesn’t have distinctive a tone as say, Nicki Minaj. It’ll be up to fans and more experienced critics to decide if this truly works in her favour as a long term artist. Given that she has a great singing voice I’d argue this isn’t a problem. When she works with the music via both her singing voice and with rapping, the overall musical sound is addictive.

Since I’ve done it already (of sorts) I’m going to say to people not to spend more time than is due comparing her with Iggy Azalea or Nicki Minaj (yes, I did just do that

earlier).

I think the sounds of all three artists are different enough that I hope people tire of comparing them. I’ve never really followed Banks in the past but Broke With Expensive Taste is remarkable, almost unprecedentedly so. She justifies the hype to her name and I don’t think I’ve heard any LP like it from a recent ‘femcee’.

It’s a fantastic record which not only establishes her as a serious artist but also as one completely

different in terms of musical direction. Azealia Banks’ debut is a unique and brilliant record, one that certainly justifies the time she’s taken to it and I hope it receives the rapturous attention it deserves.

Music 9

13th November 2014

OxStu tells you which music videos have stuck with us

As our OxStu screen section looks at the future of music videos, we’re revisiting our old favourites Sachin Croker

Run the Jewels

A Christmas Fucking Miracle

L

eaving aside that Run the Jewels have maybe put out the album of the year with their sophomore album Run The Jewels 2, they already have one of the best music videos ever for ‘A Christmas Fucking Miracle’, which closed their debut album (unsurprisingly called Run The Jewels).

Black and white footage of a snowy city reveals Killer Mike playing at being a Scrooge to El-P’s Tiny Tim. This is all interspersed with hilarious moments of the duo taking classic ‘80s style family photos and wearing truly awful jumpers in a tradition most viewers are uncomfortably familiar with, thanks to the prowess of American Christmas films.

What makes the video so effective is how it encapsulates the group’s aesthetic: it is explosively fun and silly, but listening to the lyrics reveals a heavy political message about metropolitan alienation and oppression.

Josh Brown

Nasim Asl

Kiss You

Polaris

Ash

Orbital ft. Zola Jesus

aunting. That’s the only word that can accurately sum up the video for Northern Irish group Ash’s song ‘Polaris’. The plot of the video is simple - within a seemingly peaceful forest a young woman leads a group of children dressed as soldiers through eerily bare trees as they advance on some unknown enemy. Interspersed with these shots of well-acted desperation and turmoil, are the band playing in the same forest. As both the video and the song reach their climaxes, increasingly frequent explosions grace the screen in sync with chilling strings, as the children dodge and the band play on regardless. The song makes the video as haunting as it is - an ambiguous tale of lovers or companions seemingly sacrificing themselves and offering words of hope in poetically poignant terms.

The emphasis of vocals and strings is chillingly heightened by the soldier’s death at the end of the video.

hen Orbital and Zola Jesus collaborated to make the eerie track ‘New France’, it is hard to believe that many people would have envisaged the video that followed.

The song becomes almost background noise as you are taken in by the story which is played out on the screen. It centres around a toy cuddly lion who one night decides to sneak out of its child’s bedroom to hang out with its human mates. Despite being offered Peroni and popcorn, our lion friend looks exceedingly morose and lost, with the video featuring flashbacks to it playing with its owner. As the lion makes it to a club and its so-called mates start trying to pull, the lion decides to head home.

The video is particularly heartbreaking as you watch the lion trying to struggle home, rooting for it. And as you watch the little girl wake up without her cuddly toy. And as you remember all the cuddly toys you loved and probably ended up abandoning somewhere. Until you are just left in a puddle of tears.

One Direction

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t’s been almost two years since the One Direction boys released this cheeky little song accompanied by a music video so adorable even the heart of an Ice King would be melted. Featuring the boys looking almost as fresh faced as the day they walked onto X Factor, but with much shorter hair, they proceed to dress up in a series of outfits which are entirely swoonable. Whether they’re bopping along in vintage cars and motorbikes or dressed up as sailors, they always manage to make music videos look like the most fun ever. Even Liam “boring” Payne looks excited as he pops up in a sidecar. There’s a point where they are dressed up to look remarkably similar to The Beatles, a thoroughly worthy allusion. The prison scenes only reinforce their cheeky chappy image whilst Wham themselves would be proud of the boys’ skiing outfits.

This music video is packed with so much joy, it’d be hard not to smile whilst watching it.

H PHOTO/Wikipedia

PHOTO/Flickr- HindeBen

Jessy PH

New France

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Netsky returns to Oxford’s O2 Damien Rice is back

The Belgian EDM star’s live band elevated his performance My Favourite Faded Fantasy impresses

Mark Poniatowski

Somerville College

T

he night started in inauspicious fashion, with a brief nosebleed the result of a hurtling brute of a public school rugby player seconds after entering our first mosh-pit during Netsky’s second support act, Kove. Such a character was typical of the audience’s composition: white, middle class public school lads and their mid-teen female counterparts in leggings and low-cut crop-tops.

This created an unusual atmosphere, brimming with testosterone fuelled chanting and somewhat lost-looking girls. The night had a rushed feel to it, with us missing the first support act I See Monstas due to an overly-packed schedule. The second, Kove, got the crowd suitably hyped with drum and bass and dubstep classics from the genre’s mainstream peak a couple of years ago. His sound system was poor and overly bass-filled, though this was somewhat expected for a support act. Meridian Dan’s set too seemed a strange juxtaposition with the afore-

mentioned crowd. He grafted hard to feed off the laddy atmosphere, though his flow was typically poor, and he appeared out of place, interrupting the excitement created by Kove.

Finally arrived Netsky and his live band, and his set was indeed very fun! Switching out the juicy liquid rhythms for bass-driven megalithic tracks, the Belgian DJ drove his young audience to rapture. The Rugby Lads’ mosh-pit ability finally came good, whilst the more fragile looking of the females found ad-

PHOTO/HospitalRecords

equate refuge at the sides. As the band’s MC advocated, there was ample opportunity for all sorts of audience members, from the front-bar ravers, to the mid-room moshers, and back area skankers - this was a gig for every sort of fan. Live drums provided by Michael Schack gave the set a raw, earthy feel, whilst Netsky’s frontman Script MC was endearing and often effective, despite frequently sounding like an excitable child. The DJ himself could probably have been more involved, taking a back seat and seemingly relying on his MC alone to encourage proceedings, yet in some ways this added to the Belgian’s mysterious allure.

Visually the show was poor in comparison to several other EDM and D‘n’B artists who have worked hard on creating fully immersive shows by mingling music and visual effects, however this was possibly somewhat limited by the small size of Oxford’s O2 Academy. Nonetheless, the intermingling of deep and driving tracks such as ‘Love Has Gone’ and the drumstep phenomenon that is Netsky’s remix of Rusko’s ‘Everyday’ alongside bouncier tracks such as ‘We Can Only Live Today’ made for an enjoyable evening!

Jessy P H

Jesus College

T

aking back a mantel seemingly handed to Keaton Henson, Damien Rice’s first studio album in eight years feels much grander than before. Gone are the obvious four minute singles and instead we are lavished with gorgeously orchestrated odes.

Whilst the anger and bitterness that has characterised much of Rice’s lyrical writing is still there, it is offset by opening songs with strings and pushing the guitar even further back. It feels holistic as opposed to just being a man sitting down with his guitar.

Opening with the title track which was initially released as a two minute teaser, My Favourite Faded Fantasy starts very similarly to what we know about Rice. Yet the crashing drums four minutes in, leading to all the instruments briefly dropping out, demonstrates

that we are listening to the development of a musician.

At points My Favourite Faded Fantasy lacks some of the excitement that Rice managed to harness on his older output through songs like ‘Rootless Tree’.

Whilst songs like ‘Colour Me In’ do well by being filled with feeling as Rice croons “Come let me love you”, they miss the rawness of his previous writing. It almost feels over produced and seems underdeveloped, more reminiscent of a writer who was trying to recycle their output.

Yet ‘I Don’t Want To Change You’ is a sweeping and allencompassing song which truly shows why My Favourite Faded Fantasy is such a good album. The softly plucked guitar, filled with delicate turns, is quintessentially Damien Rice but the writing is significantly better than before.

The listener is drawn in and taken on a journey through a song which manages to encompass riffs good enough to write three songs, let alone one.

Sometimes it is worth waiting eight years to hear a songwriter mature as well as Rice has.

. . .

N O O S

5 1 S E 0 U ar 2 G L IN RD B lend

M a O C O F X C O ed k a N y t i r a h C

Every penny raised goes directly to four charities elected by the Oxford University student body.

Focused Leadership Training for Women Students

OUSU WOMEN’S

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Programme Aims To develop leaders who are confident in their ability to lead in a variety of contexts, can fully engage with their communities, can speak into and change systems and organisations, and understand the unique difficulties and opportunities that come with leading as a woman.

Applying

PROGRAMME

Structure

The programme has two streams:

The programme accepts current students who wholly or partially identify as women and/or transfeminine from any background.

Community Groups - large group training sessions for all participants on topics such as assertiveness, public speaking and negotiation.

Applications will be available from OUSU’s Vice-President (Women) at women@ousu.ox.ac.uk, from Monday of 6th week to Friday of 8th week of Michaelmas Term.

Family Groups - facilitated small group discussions in which participants explore, exchange and unpack ideas and skills from the Community Group sessions.

sponsored by

Stage

12 Stage

13th November 2014

“I carry around with me a long line of Hamlets”

Veteran theatre critic Michael Billington talks to OxStu Stage about his “turbulent” Oxford reviewing days, the future of the critic, and why we should all know more about German theatre Alice Troy-Donovan

Magdalen College

M

ichael Billington’s Oxford drama career met with a shaky start. In the late 1950s he attempted to stage The Making of Moo, one of the first British atheist plays, and caused an internal row between tutors in his College, St Catherine’s. His stint as an actor was no more successful – “I wasn’t a very good actor; in fact I was probably a very bad actor.”

He turned to reviewing instead, discovering a new-found comfort and ease behind the writing desk.

And he largely stayed there – for over fifty years: Billington is the Guardian’s chief drama critic and has been writing reviews for the paper since 1971.

That isn’t to say that he thinks writing reviews is an entirely passive job, however. “A director once said that critics suffer from an impotence complex – maybe we do. But at the same time I see writing about the theatre as active, not passive.”

Billington estimates that he’s spent around 8,000 evenings sitting in the theatre, but he insists that the critic, though sedentary, is certainly not inert. “The critic has two jobs,” he says, “the first is to record what he or she sees, and the other is to have some ideal vision of what the theatre should be. Widening the repertoire has always been one of my campaigns – that’s part of my mission.”

“A director once said that critics suffer from an impotence complex maybe we do”

With government cut-backs Billington thinks the repertoire is getting ever narrower. “What do we know about contemporary French, German or Russian theatre? Not a lot actually – in fact very little.” When we met he’d just given five stars to a production of Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People at the Barbican, which was performed entirely in German.

New young playwrights like Katie

Mitchell have been more exploratory in this way, but Billington sees plenty room for improvement.

Part of the reason for the neglect of these strands of European theatre is that, according to Billington, British drama looks to America, especially in the West End. “Our bias is always towards America. I sometimes feel that there are other worlds to explore: there’s a world beyond Broadway, there’s a world beyond New York.”

There’s more to Billington’s crusade than widening the America-centric repertoire. He’s also passionate about supporting subsidised theatre, and the role of women in theatre.

Things may have changed a little at Oxford since an undergraduate Billington caused a stir with his Sunday night atheist play staging, but there’s still only one play written by a woman in the West End, Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap. Billington made this point in one of his first articles for the Guardian in the early ‘70s, and things haven’t changed since (although admittedly Christie’s play has been running continuously since 1952).

Billington started reviewing for Oxford papers, going on to write for The Times, the Birmingham Post, The New York Times and the Guardian. At 74, his reviews have an understated authority about them. I ask whether his reviewing style has changed much over the years. “I remember Melvyn Bragg saying to me, in the late 1960s, ‘Michael, why don’t you write like you used to?’ I think what he meant was that when I was at Oxford I was probably sharper in some ways, and certainly more wounding.”

(Billington’s undergraduate self would perhaps have found a kindred spirit in John Carey, the friend who ripped apart his biography of Harold Pinter in The Times – indeed, Billington told me he “admired” the passion and honesty with which his friend slated the book, and for not letting personal relationships stop him from doing so.)

In a close-knit university drama community, the student critic held, and probably does still hold, a considerable amount of direct power and influence.

For a critic there are fewer reviewers and fewer productions than in life as a mainstream critic. Billington remembers relishing the idea that the production team would be

outside in the sense that I’m paid by a newspaper to report and comment on what I see. But, inescapably, one is part of the theatre community – I’m involved in the same business as actors, writers etc.”

After half a century of reviewing, Billington has amassed a fair few memories of past productions – around 8,000 to be precise. He is ambivalent about the effect of this immense dramatic backlog. “It’s both a blessing and a curse. I carry around with me a long line of Hamlets, MacBeths, King Lears. That means I can put shows in context, but it can be a curse because the readers haven’t seen all that. Young readers don’t want to be told ‘if only you’d seen Laurence Olivier play MacBeth you’d understand.’”

“What do we know about contemporary French, German or Russian Theatre?

Very little”

PHOTO/ Graham Turner/The Guardian

poring over his review the morning the paper came out, admonishing himself for his egotism at the time.

“I remembered deliberately ending one review with the line ‘The whole cast was excellent, save one.’ I didn’t identify who the one was, but I knew there’d be people speculating.”

Playfulness aside, Billington remembers his Oxford reviewing days as turbulent and volatile: “the reviews carried such weight, but

you were also colliding with the people you were writing about. The thing about being a national critic on a London paper is that I hardly ever meet the people I write about.

London swallows us up.”

In Oxford Billington was involved in the circles of people which he would sometimes slate in print. Does he still see himself as an ‘insider’ in the drama world, or is he an external observer? “I’m definitely

Nevertheless memory is, he says, part of the critic’s “invaluable armoury”. (Billington’s amiability seems at odds with his choice of metaphor: the critic is evidently a soldier, using his “armoury” to give “wounds” to his cowering victims.)

Does he think experience is key then? “In any field of activity there is always someone who devotes their whole career and life to that particular field, and I think we need those people.”

It’s for this reason that he doesn’t see the democratisation of criticism (“everyone can be a critic now”) as the end to newspaper reviewing.

His attitude towards the comments posted after his reviews is ambivalent: “Sometimes it can be stimulating and lively – other times it is depressingly negative. I don’t mind people criticising my judgement at all, but I just want it to be interesting.” Fair enough, one would think, when his review of An Enemy of the People at the Barbican was met with the comment: “Be more precise – sounds fucking ruined.”

Does he have any advice for young student directors? “Don’t do Waiting for Godot; everyone always does Waiting for Godot.”

Stage 13

13th November 2014

Who’s playing who in gender-blind Orlando?

James Waddell Pembroke College

I

n a quiet, sequestered corner of Worcester, hushed voices and the pitter-patter of fingers on the floor (serving as a rain sound effect) create an atmosphere of soothing tranquility. The plush carpet makes this feel almost more like a meditation space than a rehearsal room, but the calm ambience belies the difficulty and stressfulness of the task being undertaken here, in rehearsal for 6th week’s Orlando at the O’Reilly.

An adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s notoriously complex and labyrinthine novel, directed by established dramaturges Livi Dunlop and Niall Docherty, this production was always going to be challenging.

“They’ve been here since 8am,” a producer whispers in my ear.

Certainly, the progress in the rehearsal is elephantine, moving through the dense text in fits and starts, but the all-star cast (Dominic Applewhite still glowing with the praise for his barnstorming performance in The Pillowman) are certainly up to the task.

As Niall tells me, their character work operates alongside the “narrative aspect, which we’ve brought in with a chorus” (the raintappers), “so we have to rehearse the movement-based chorus parts, and then the character work. There are a lot of elements that are going into it”.

On top of this, honouring the novel’s wild gender-bending, Applewhite and co-star Grainne O’Mahoney will switch roles on alternate performances. So, according to Livi: “The play has to be rehearsed twice over, working over scenes with both of them in it, running it over a couple of times for each.” Not a production that’s afraid of a bit of hard work, then.

But the directors are obviously passionate about their project – Livi practically squeals in excitement as she tells me that “it’s such a beautiful fairytale! And it’s a story about a boy growing up, admittedly over the course of 300 years, but the intense feelings, emotions, and images that we have in our period of life now, that’s what the play is about, that growth from your teens to your twenties, that period of life where so much is like, wow, new and amazing.”

Niall agrees that “it feels fresh”, telling me that “the gender issues are what initially hooked us.

Conventional gender norms are completely questioned, and that still feels relevant – it’s a text for now.” Back in the rehearsal room, Applewhite is tagged in as Orlando, and we’re reaching the denouement of the first act.

Applewhite and O’Mahoney’s chemistry is excellent, and although the integration with the chorus is as of yet a little rusty, the visuality of the scene is smooth, slick, and smart.

With a few more 8am rehearsals, it looks like what Livi called “a very tough but very good” play might just about be pulled off.

Olivia Sung St Catherine’s College

S

PHOTO/Mirren Kessling

Orlando is playing at The Keble O’Reilly Theatre in 6th week

Jerusalem: “a carnival of sensory delights” Anna Shepherd Christ Church

B

arney Fishwick is Johnny ‘Rooster’ Byron in Will Felton’s captivating adaption of Jez Butterworth’s play Jerusalem, an intoxicating concoction of debauchery, anarchy and allegory.

It is St George’s Day in Flintock, Wiltshire, and the modern-day piedpiper, coaxing youths into the forest with alcohol and amphetamines, is facing imminent eviction from his static mobile home. The following 24 hours escalate into delirium, violence and excursions into the recesses of personal and national identity.

The show is a carnival of sensory delights, incorporating a wide palette of elements: fireworks, strobe lighting, live animals, live music, folk songs, resulting in a series of exhilarating vignettes from the chaotic rave scene to the haunting ethereal performance of the allusive Phaedra (Clemi Collett) singing the hymn Jerusalem.

The action unfolds in Rooster’s wood, a green world in which he reigns

as Dionysus, inciting the impulses of anarchy within his adolescent followers, resulting in bacchanal ritualistic chaos. The hedonistic revelry within the green world indicates a lamentation of decaying national identity, epitomised by the ‘Men in Black’ floats at the village fair, and the creeping onset of suburban development threatening to bulldoze this stomping-ground of pagan abandon.

A Puck-like figure in a drug-induced stupor, the fabulist Rooster spins out tales of meeting with Giants and being kidnapped by Nigerian trafficwardens. Enchanted, we humour him, having temporarily suspended our belief as the boundaries between myth and reality become increasingly blurred by a drug-fuelled haze that descends on discourse and action in this stagnant realm where the philosophical ponderings of the Professor (Andrew Dickinson) further accentuate the state of confusion.

Rooster is the fallen anti-hero of this tragi-comedy in which his defiance against convention has ultimately detrimental consequences.

Once an adrenaline-pumped village celebrity, Rooster is now depleted of his empire and left with straggles of teenage disciplines, whose

own loyalties are even called into question.

Effacing truth, Rooster can only approach his desperate situation as a ‘storm in a tea-cup’. Rooster and his closest companion Ginger (Will Hislop) are submerged in a state of inertia; defiant of the prospect of change, with Lee (Tom Pease) as a somewhat anomalous character in his search for a break-out of his social shackles.

Rooster’s bombast becomes subdued in the heart-rendering moments with his young son Marky (Douglas Baird and Austen Phelan), but his incapacity to change restrains any reconciliation with Marky’s mother Dawn (Sammy Glover).

Moments of glowing humanity in this conflicted play do not linger for long before they are under-cut

by Butterworth’s biting humour or by more malevolent movements in the plot.

Jerusalem is as joyous as it is brutal, as hilarious as it is haunting. Will Felton’s last Oxford production is executed brilliantly by all cast and crew and provides a unique theatre experience in its own characteristically rule-defying way: in few other plays will you find Morris-dancing, Girls Aloud, William Blake, and a coconut.

o this is one absolutely harassed costume designer reporting from the frontline of what may be this term’s craziest production: Will Felton’s interpretation of the Butterworth/Rylance smash hit, Jerusalem. There’s nothing quite like Show Week to get a costume designer at her (or his) wit’s end: no matter how many months you’ve spent preparing yourself mentally for the task, you only really ever have one guarantee: that of all the things which could go wrong… about 80 per cent of them will.

To begin with: the OUDS costume department. A weird, wonderful, phantasmagoria of the most random garments you could think of… unfortunately for this production, the bulk of which can only ever really find themselves useful when cycling through the Shakespearian canon.

Nice – until, that is, you try to outfit a play like this one, which relies on an aesthetic that is firmly Bestival circa summer 2012.

The 20th century is just woefully absent from that room. Plus – it’s in a crypt. A crypt. Small, dingy, no air, in the deep basements of a cavernous old Catholic church. Leaves you feeling as though you ought to have costumed yourself with something robbed from the wardrobe of Penny Dreadful before you make your way down there.

Secondly: actors.

Actors, actors, actors. What a beautiful breed of human. Now, that last word is important. Human beings are, it turns out, not the same as croquis (designer’s figures) and are disappointingly dissimilar to mannequins. How odd.

No. They breathe. They eat. They think. They sleep. They have to meet deadlines. They occasionally have a life outside of the play, which – whilst fabulous for their holistic wellbeing – is never good for a costumier’s schedule or mental health. Sometimes this does entail trying to make a twohour costume in three minutes flat; and sometimes that does involve a cast member walking out in maroon tights and nothing else; and sometimes that does mean you’re tempted to stick pins into wiggly people whose dresses you’re sewing onto their body; and sometimes it does also involve blowing your fuse at your director

about the etiquette of the dressmaker’s room (but luckily those directors are usually a lot more level headed than you and, what’s more, actually end up providing half the missing costume pieces themselves, which admittedly does open a whole new set of questions regarding their personal wardrobe… but that’s for another time).

Nonetheless – generally, it’s good fun.

And sometimes it also involves leading men turning up at your door, asking you to paint tattoos onto their body with really awful ink pens in front of the whole SSL (Catz rooms, it turns out, have really large windows) when you’ve awkwardly forgotten to turn off your sassy Pre-Night Out playlist, so saucy Stevie Nicks songs are playing and you sort of feel like you’re giving everyone a sneak preview of a new musical adaptation of Basic Instinct.

Note to self: stop giggling at inappropriate moments. In fact, stop giggling at appropriate ones too. Just stop giggling full stop.

Thirdly: DRESSING ROOMS. Ew. Can we get some ventilators down there, Keble? Please??? And maybe also some Oust?

Fourthly: while I’ve already been accused of some gender bias in saying this, I still feel need to make a general statement about boys and makeup.

Seriously, gents – it’s eyeliner. It’s not going to bite you.

In the end though, I have to admit.

It’s all been so, so worth it. The opportunity to work with such a fun, enthusiastic cast – including a phenomenal lead, who should really just walk into the National Theatre tomorrow – a hardworking team (points to Andrew, Sean and Shandy for being generally amazing), a fabulous assistant (go Adelaide!), and, of course, the consistently incredible Mr Felton, possibly one of the most attentive directors you could ever hope to work with.

It may have cost me a shoulder (a first night dislocation temporarily threw the wardrobe dept. into a bit of disarray, but hey, as they say – the show must go on), and more dressmaking pins than I care to count, but to be honest - standing in the wings, watching the most mesmerising student performance I’ve ever seen draw to a climax in that final half hour?

Unbeatable. And now? To the after party, of course. Well, after I’ve cleaned the dressing rooms. Turns out boys just get their foundation everywhere.

14 Arts & Lit

13th November 2014

Arts & Lit

COLLAGE/JOSEPH, NELE VAN HOUT, ANGELIC HOST & THOMAS BARNETT

The battle between yesterday and today in the two Oxfords Donald Brown Christ Church

“O

xford, England”. That insidious comma and overspecification that serves to immediately identify the tourist, traveller or those otherwise unacquainted with the great medieval town of almost-millennial academic acclaim. However, spare a thought for the ‘other’ Oxford, our bizarrely homonymous transatlantic counterpart. Oxford, Mississippi was founded in 1837, (making it significantly younger than its ancient sibling) and is located in the poorest state of the United States. And yet Oxford, MS has produced no less than four Pulitzer Prizes, a National Book Award, and a Nobel Prize for Literature in the last 65 years alone. Both cities can claim literary prestige and both Oxfords palpably share sense of being loveably in love with their respective literary heritages.

Though both cities take pride in their traditions, this pride can often hinder much-needed progress. In Oxford, UK, for example the “I, too, am Oxford” campaign was started by ‘students of colour’ to “demand that a discussion on race be taken seriously and that real institutional change occur”. In Oxford, MS, many University of Mississippi fans have protested the school’s attempt to distance itself from its racist Con-

federate past. The university banned Confederate flags from their sporting events and changed the lyrics to their neo-Confederate fight song. In response, the Ku Klux Klan led an oncampus rally in 2009, with other protests having followed since. Just this year, the on-campus statue of James Meredith, the first black student to attend the school (who integrated the school in 1962, sparking riots in which two civilians were killed), was desecrated with a noose and a Confederate logo.

Much of the literature coming out of Oxford, MS is about characters who are resilient to progress Of course, the nature and backgrounds of the issues faced by the two Oxfords are vastly different, and to set them as direct parallels and examples of the same problem would be reductive. However, when I visited Oxford, MS this summer, I discovered eerie similarities in the complicated clash of tradition with progress. Ringing in my ears were the words of Lewis Carroll, who once wrote that “It’s no use in going back to yesterday. I was a different person then.”

Much of the literature coming out

of Oxford, MS is, in one way or another, about characters who are resistant to progress. Oxford’s poster child for this theme is their most famous hometown writer, William Faulkner. In this way Oxford, MS, is a microcosm of the American South; a region that arguably still refuses to wholeheartedly accept what Lincoln called America’s “new birth of freedom”, a birth that redefined who was accepted as a full American citizen.

Many Southern writers have focused on this tension. When Mississippi historian Shelby Foote was asked why Southern writers have dominated American literature, he said, “We know what it means to lose a (civil) war,” and thus Southerners “know a tragedy that other Americans do not or have not experienced.” He thinks that Southerners learned more from the Civil War because they “got a true sense of tragedy”. Faulkner himself famously said: “The past is not dead. It is not even past”. Losses sting more than victories, and the South will not - indeed cannot - truly ever forget.

The stubborn, tragic nostalgia of Oxford, MS explains the odd feeling I felt as an African-American Mississippian visiting the city. It is a city that has attempted to maintain and even develop its antebellum traditions despite the end of the Civil War more than a hundred years ago.

In the middle of campus there is a statue of a Confederate soldier with a rifle in his hands. The school’s very nickname “Ole Miss Rebels”,

heard and seen all around town, is an homage to the antebellum period in which slaves called planter’s daughters and wives “ol’ miss.” And “rebels” implicitly praises Mississippi for seceding from the union in order to maintain slavery. One street on campus is even named “Confederate Road,” yet plans have recently been announced to change this to “Chapel Road.” Because of this strangely public prolongation of Confederate history, a new, intellectual civil war is raging in Oxford, MS - a war between the traditions of the past, and the progress that many of its students and residents demand.

The plants brewing in Faulkner’s land told the story of Oxford, MS Faulkner’s antebellum home, Rowan Oak, introduced me to more of those old traditions. His 32 acres of land were filled with oak and cedar trees. Vines coiled and clung to anything upright. Behind and to the left of the main house were the outbuildings, such as the smokehouse used to cure hams, the Post Oak Barn used to milk cows, the Servants’ Quarters that housed “Mammy Callie,” and his stable for his horses. Leading up to his plantation-style home was a majestic walkway lined with cedars on both sides. Inside the house, I viewed

intimate details from his personal life, such as the wall in which he outlined his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, A Fable, in black and red graphite pencil. However, the real treat was walking outside around his land. It was there I discovered why Oxford, MS is a place at variance with itself. The deep-rooted trees had stood there long before the Civil War, and were not coming down anytime soon. The vines could not be controlled; many vines, when pruned, will ironically grow back stronger. The plants brewing in Faulkner’s land told the story of Oxford, MS: a rooted people that come back with more resilence each time they are struck down.

Sadly, many still feel Confederate history is a noble one that should be preserved, turning a blind eye to the oppressive, dehumanizing, and terrorizing truths of that history. The fact of the matter, however, is that having a Confederate Memorial statue on their campus is something akin to having a Nazi Memorial at the Auschwitz-Birkenau State museum. Still many continue to hold on to yesterday—a yesterday before James Meredith integrated the school, a yesterday before the Civil War. For writers who live and witness such tension up-close and personally, it is easy to see why they can so poignantly tap into universal themes and attract readers all across the world. As Ralph Ellison once said of Faulkner, “for all his concerns with the South, he was actually seeking out the nature of man.”

Arts & Lit 15

13th November 2014

“Literally everywhere” Can we survive the figurative epidemic?

Helena Wilson Mansfield College

I

t’s literally everywhere. The fuss about using “literally” when what you really mean is “figuratively” has escalated dramatically since August last year, when the OED added to its entry a sense “used to indicate that some… metaphorical or hyperbolical expression is to be taken in the strongest admissible sense”, in the same way as you might use “completely, utterly, absolutely”. “Literally” kicks up a (figurative) stink because, when used as an indiscriminate intensifier when ‘figuratively’ might be more appropriate, the ‘original’ sense is reversed; the technical term for words like these is “Janus words”, “contranyms”, or “auto-antonyms”, and others exist, like the verb “dust”. But “literally” provokes by far the strongest reaction from grammarians, perhaps because its supposed ‘misuse’ is very easy to spot when it occurs on television and on the Internet – football pundit Jamie Redknapp was lambasted in 2012 for saying that “in his youth, Michael Owen was literally a greyhound” – and because those same platforms tend to circulate the idea that this ‘misuse’ is a new trend in English.

However, this is not a recent development at all. Literary writers including Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Charlotte Brontë, William Makepeace Thackeray, Mark Twain, James Joyce, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Vladimir Nabokov, all used the word in the way labelled “now one of the most common uses” (italics mine) by the OED. What grammarians might describe as a recent trend of linguistic laziness is not, therefore, simply the product of a generation

brought up on tumblr and autocorrect. But why does it affect our opinions to know that the ‘misuse’ of “literally” can be justified and ‘authorised’, by literary writers?

Why is the non-literal use of “literally” so much less bearable and interesting when it appears outside the ‘Classic’ novel?

Moreover, why is the atmosphere of exaggeration which the use of ‘literally’ as an intensifier engenders so offensive to some?

Is it something to do with being British, as Fry and Laurie ponder in their ‘Concerning Language’ sketch – something about our “resistance to false emotion” that instinctively winces when we hear Nick Clegg say, as he did in 2012, that people paying low rates of tax are “literally in a different galaxy”?

“I literally shat myself when a tutor asked me something” The furore around the reclassification and all-pervasive ‘misuse’ of “literally” seems to be symptomatic of a broader attitude towards the ‘standard English’, one which reaches quite frightening extremes in Lynne Truss’s grammar manual Eats, Shoots & Leaves (2003), in which she writes that those who confuse ‘its’ with ‘it’s’ “deserve to be struck by lightning, hacked up on the spot and buried in an unmarked grave”.

If anywhere there is confusion between literal and figurative uses of language, it is here; I cannot quite tell how much grim intent lies behind the mania of Truss’s “zero-tolerance” approach.

One of the more recent developments in Pedants’ Corner is a browser extension designed by Mike Walker, which replaces “lit-

erally” with “figuratively” in all its online instances. Unfortunately for the plugin’s users, Walker’s program cannot identify ‘real’, ‘correct’ uses of the word, which means that “figuratively” is inserted even when the literal sense is the one being indicated. Perhaps the glitch can tell us something; attempting to conclusively spot (sowwrry, to spot conclusively) ‘correct’ from ‘incorrect’ uses of language is often a waste of time and rarely works in the real world, if by “works” we mean changes what people actually say by simply pointing out that it is a non-standard use.

“Metaphor is so basic to our thought that it’s impossible to tell where literality leaves off, nor is there usually any practical reason for trying to do so”, writes linguist Geoffrey Nunberg. I really hope that it is possible to tell where literality leaves off when someone says, as my friend did to me the other day, “I literally shat myself [when a tutor asked them something]”, but Nunberg definitely has a point.

The ‘clarity’ argument that ‘misusing’ language makes everyone confused – likely to believe that an intestinal disaster has actually occurred in a tutorial – doesn’t really hold water.

The fate of “literally” might have created more room for some pretty irritating constructions in the media and in conversation, but its use where “figuratively” might do is already, irreversibly, ‘a thing’; the evolving OED merely describes language use as it already exists in the world. It cannot seriously indicate – as Adam Lewis suggests – that meaning itself is (figuratively) collapsing; “[w]e could find … [the misuse of “literally”] crumbling our most important social construct” he prophesied in The Guardian last month. We could. I think we’ll probably be fine.

Take a second look at that blackboard in your lecture theatre.

What stories does it hold? This is the question that photographer Alejandro Guijarro asks when he captures the blackboards belonging to some of the greatest minds in the world. Guijarro captures Momentum: the momentum of writing, the momentum in the quantum mechanics on the boards, the momentum of the cumulative creation scientific thought. In his attempt to find thinkers who still subscribed to the nostalgic romanticism of the black board rather than modern alternatives, Guijarro travelled across the world including to our very own dreaming spires.

PHOTO/GUIJARO

Words by Natalie Harney

PHOTO/MODERN ART OXFORD

Stuart Brisley at MAO Eleanor Trend Pembroke College

H

idden away in the Pembroke back-streets, you would barely notice Modern Art Oxford was there. But this shy ex-brewery, over-shadowed by a bustling M&S, has been the hub of a number of celebrated artistic minds. The high-flying careers of the current Director of The Tate, Nick Serota and the Director of the National Portrait Gallery, Sandy Nairn, were both seeded in this surprising space, and artists like Cecily Brown, Jake and Dinos Chapman, and Tracy Emin have also all taken to the brewery stage.

Now it is inhabited by yet another big name artist: Stuart Brisley.

Hailed as the ‘godfather of performance art’, Brisley is best known for his disturbing engagements with social and political issues in Western capitalism. Here, though, we see a retreat to the silent, material mode of sculpture as his preferred expressive mouthpiece.

Walking into the main room of the gallery, the effect is striking.

Near the back wall, two imposing royal-blue slabs frame a suspended jagged-metal crown, while at the centre front we are confronted by what reveals itself to be a circle of 226 interlocked chair legs. Particularly interested in demonising the hierarchical British class system, and conveying his republican inclination, this forms an effective visual demonstration of the dislocation between monarchical status, and the gritty reality of the infinite wheel of labour and toil.

Although sculpture is a more fixed form of expression, the malleable, fluid nature of Brisley’s interaction with art is not lost, as is shown in ‘the chair installation’. In the 1970s, the sculpture had taken the form of a tower, but Brisley revised this model when he noticed

that the chairs supplied by the factory had been replaced and the new ones were no longer strong enough to stay up. He reacted by changing the structure to accommodate the new chairs, an amendment which formed an interesting comment on the deterioration of the unions since 1970.

The importance of renewal and revision forms a central part of Brisley’s political, as well as artistic vision. His ‘State of Denmark’ installation puts under pressure the British public’s prevailing passive acceptance of the monarchy.

Behind the solid blue slabs he positions moveable boards on which visitors to the museum are encouraged to write their own opinions about the queen. Once full, these comments are whitewashed by the museum staff so that the original comments are still visible, but more can be added. The final effect will be a palimpsest of debate and discourse which undermines the intimidating, didactic, structure in front.

Brisley is fascinated with the revolutionary moment - a climactic point of huge potential excitement and destruction. On one wall of the main gallery, he displays snapshots from an exhibition focused specifically on the French Revolution and the resultant emergence of the new calendar.

This prefigures the criticism of the British elections, which inhabits the fourth, and final room.

In three dramatic paintings of destruction and debris, and one canvas of actual debris, Brisley presents the failure of the revolutionary moment. The election manifestos, in his eyes, contained no vision for the future, no structure to progress from and as the title of the exhibit suggests, ‘the text’ was missing.

Again the problem exposed here is political stagnation. Despite being in his early 80s, Brisley is one of the most active of significant contemporary artists in pushing for political renovation in Britain.

16 Arts & Lit

13th November 2014

I am here

by Lata Nobes I am here I’ve fallen into this ditch again Raising up someone I’ve know for a day And here I am.

He caught me staring at him this afternoon.

I had to look at something And I chose to look at him.

Concentration bends his face The cur ve of his mouth and one raised eyebrow questioning, motioning: he saw me.

And here I am

And here I am.

I ‘ve brushed my hair over one eye today with hope that he might see my better half I know that If I ask him for coffee or tea or cake or wine or scones Even if he says yes to me Even if he’d confess to me I know that I’m ‘ beholden to nothing and no-one but myself ’ and here I am.

The Doe

Morning

Penang

Each morning rises, for a moment

And the night crept upon the brain

On the other side of the world

by Grace Linden

as if no morning has ever risen before and opens like a porcelain bowl tipped just off its base.

Is there any more coffee?

Or I forgot to buy the bread.

There was rain again last night – it must be this that has made

by Frank Lawton

like a well kept secret slowly leaked under the pressure of intense boredom, or perhaps like a coma slowly forming from a lifetime of wasting lengthy sleeps; the lie-in paying its dues to the lie that the sun doesn’t rise if you keep your eyes closed.

by James Costello O’Reilly

a man split the sk in of a coconut.

Something in the glint and snarl of the golok and the echoed crack of the blow

as sun-caught blade sunk beyond shell left us silent and gaping,

dr y-throated in the wide-eyed sun, not quite believing the f irst sight of shining milk

the light so f ine and impersonal.

Imagine, pallid sparks falling

in the night – and now hold this damp morning to your mouth.

Talk ing as we always sometimes do, low, and almost like silence: then – did you see the deer?

Or was it a doe? Did you see it leap?

Going back from the beach,

in the near dark – I walked behind – my father and my sister, though she is half blind, walked ahead.

They said they saw a doe leap,

or dive, out from the hollow woods

over the path, and into the wide f ield that leads back to the sea.

I cannot say I saw her, but still,

the sight of her will not let me be –

it hangs just there, against the darkness, burning like old ivor y.

PHOTOS/Sophie Sparkes

OxStuff 17

13th November 2014

Ones to watch

If ever there’s a time that Oxford does anything useful, it is when it unites good causes with people who have the drive to get things done. In that vein, meet Ben Kobryner and Ellie Moodey.

This enterprising duo is the organisational muscle behind the Oxford Forum for International Development’s Introduction to International Development conference happening this Saturday.

Ben (2nd Year, Geography) and Ellie (3rd Year, Classics) have masterminded this year’s event after having been attendees of last year’s conference.

Not only do these two have the

power to get in big name speakers like Stephen Brown, Peter Boone and Professor Tony Venables, but they have the command over a number of likeminded students who helped them put the event together. It’s a powerful combination.

Their effectiveness at engaging with the student community and raising awareness of the issues facing the international community, whether this be contemplating an end to poverty, or the potential damages or benefits of aid, is what makes them key people to watch in the Oxford world.

PHOTO/JD Lamb

PHOTO/Eleanor Moodey

PHOTO/Ben Kobryner

Eleanor Moodey, New College Benjamin Kobryner, St. Peter's

OxStuff

Cliterary Theory When Bob Marley sings: “we’ll share the shelter / of my single bed”, my heart always melts – visions of cold Michaelmas nights, wrapped up like a toasty-warm, sexy burrito between the sheets, two neat spoons side-by-side.

Unfortunately, there’s a reason that the university deliberately provides the vast majority of rooms with beds that are big enough for a rough estimate of around 0.84 humans. It’s not because of constraints of space, it’s as a more cruel way of achieving the same ends as a medieval chastity belt. All of a sudden, Bob’s dulcet tones seem a million miles away – the sexy burrito’s tortilla is just a little too small for the Mexican mélange it attempts to contain, squelchy bits of guac ooze from its seams, and it finally disintegrates into a sweaty, cheesy, boggy, duvet-twisted, bad-dream, Iwent-down-on-you-for-like-half-anhour-can-I-PLEASE HAVE THIS CORNER OF DUVET YOU ARSEHOLE mess. There is, of course, the feeling of intense relief when they fuck off in the morning, leaving you to what suddenly feels like vast tracts of bed, virgin lands of cool, refreshing duvet, waiting to be explored and ravaged. You

stretch out your limbs, assuming wildly unorthodox sleeping positions purely because you can – you’re free! Unfortunately, though, single beds aren’t where it ends. It can feel like the whole architecture of Oxford is conspiring against you getting your leg over. The city of dreaming spires becomes a vast, looming, transcendently beautiful, awe-inspiring cock-blocker. Tom Tower’s clearly defined “cock-and-balls” structure, you realize, is specifically designed to cow the men of Oxford into submission and back to the library. And you’re not safe from feeling inadequate if you’re a lady, either – Oxford’s most famous landmark is just one gigantic mono-boob.

As I found out the hard way, the seem-

Every college has it – looming in a dark, forgotten corner of some decrepit quad. Some of us have braved their horrors, for some they are nothing more than a rumour, spread by horrendous tall tales. Yes, that’s right, it’s The 80s Building. For Pembrokian freshers, thrown into the less-than-Hawksmoor MacMillan building, enough was enough – in the spirit of the Catalans and the Scots, they staged a rebellion, producing a JCR motion to secede from college.

Although it was brutally quelled before it ever saw the light of a JCR meeting, rumour has it that the revolutionary document still exists, incubating until the time comes for the Macmillanites to rise again.

MAC Independence Movement

+23

HackDaq -80

Sunny Jain

ingly discreet and tucked away upstairs part of New College’s library is not, as I thought, the perfect location for the acquisition of some carnal knowledge, but features windows at precisely the right height for the top deck of an open-top tourism bus to get a few minutes of light entertainment while waiting at the lights. City of love? Those tourists probably now think so – I’m inclined to disagree.

Roland Wank

Oxford's pre-eminent Hack Without A Cause is back in action this week, with his witty repartee on the CapitOx reply-all thread. It must be fairly quiet for him right now, having been banned from any future Union elections. We hear his latest scheme is to run 'exclusive' club nights, the guest lists of which will presumably be limited to that select group of close personal friends he once asked to vote for him. Undoubtedly the only drink available will be milk; the walls will be festooned with framed phtoos of famous pipe-smokers (half of them Mr Jain himself); the dress code will be Country Gentleman-cum-hipster, and the only excuse for not turning up will be early morning bouts of "vigorous exercise". Be a dear and reserve the OxStu team a VIP table and some dairy shots won't you?

PHOTO/Sunny Jain and Solveig Osk

18 OxStuff 15th - 16th November Dodgeball Tournament: Movember Special at St Cat’s

Societies

15th November OxfID: Introduction to International Development

Sport

Societies

16th November Learn to Code: From 0 to Website at the Said Business School

Presidential Address

OxDigs

Clara-Laeïla Laudette Somerville College

Ding Huang 3D Printing Society President

PHOTO/DING HUANG

OxStuff Pick of the Week

13th November 2014

How would you sum up 3D printing society in 3(D) words?

Dazzling, dreamy, democratic.

Wow - I hadn’t even thought of that interpretation; you guys are pretty switched on. Like a printer. Anyway - why get involved in 3D printing at University?

Would everyone join a steam engine society in the 18th century?

Probably not, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea. Seriously though, 3D printing is one of those technologies, along with the internet, genetic programming, cryptocurrency etc that has the potential to really transform our society as we know it. Actually in some countries, it already is part of the school curriculum, so another reason to get involved is just to not get left behind. Sorry if that sounds scary.

It is fortunate that Clara’s room is something of a safe-haven, since when I visit her she is in the midst of a Doctor-enforced three days of bedrest. Having injured her knee during a BOP (she later came back and continued to own the dancefloor in a wheelchair), she is now taking it easy in her sophisticated kimono. The space is minimal but eclectic pieces - watercolour sketches, art posters, a fantastically well-organised collection of Shakespeares add dashes of interest. There’s plenty to look at, but the natural

I’ll be honest – I’ve felt more scared, but probably not about 3D printing.

What is the average 3D printing enthusiast like?

It sort of various, there’s a bit of confusion and misunderstanding between the enthusiasts for the home printing “maker movement” and the professional/industrial 3D printing people, but in general, I’d say young, a bit geeky, people that like to play around with technology and design-conscious people in general.

light and scent of lavender from the oil burner make it the perfect place to just chill, especially when you’re in need of recuperation.

What’s the most exciting/dangerous thing you’e ever 3D-printed?

An aircraft turbine blisk during an industry internship. Currently aircraft engines use a rotor disk with fan blades attached to it. We 3D printed them as a single component. You’re not gonna see it being used anytime soon, but it’s going through a lot of testing.

Something to look forward to then. Do you know if there is a 2D printing society? Is there a sense of rivalry if so? Or do you do crewdate with them?

If they ever existed, probably 2000 years ago in China. So no sense of rivalry and no chance for a crewdate really. I’d love to talk to Johannes Gutenberg though.

PHOTOS/Alys Key

Wouldn’t we all. Has 3D printing society crewdated with any other societies, and which do you think would be ideally suited for it?

We are probably the youngest society in Oxford, just set up over the summer and the first 3D priniting society in Europe as far as I know, so we haven’t crewdated anyone. I’m guessing OxFEST, CompSoc, MedSoc or the Biomedical Sci (OUSBMS) people since we are working on medical related stuff.

Do you think that the OxStu is failing to reach its full potential by only going to print in 2D? Absolutely! Let me know if you guys want to print some actual physical stuff.

Thanks!

19th November Functions on the Low at Cellar

Clubbing

19th - 22nd November Orlando at the Keble O’Reilly

Clubbing

Drama

Drama

18th - 22nd November Monkey Bars at the Burton Taylor Studio

20th November Deep Cover - The Mouse Outfit at Cellar

See our What’s On Calendar on oxfordstudent. com for event listings

OxStuff 19

13th November 2014

What you were reading on oxfordstudent.com

PHOTO/Rosie Shennan

Rosie's Recipes Rosie's Recipes

1. Sex tape offer for Sommerville Elliott Thornley

Ultimate foodie Rosie Shennan shares some of her student-oriented recipes this term to help you battle freshers’ flu, 5th week blues and get in the Oxmas spirit. Follow her on Instagram @a_scone_atatime or her blog asconeatatime.wordpress.com

Ingredients 3 tbsp olive oil

1 butternut squash (or leftover pumpkin!)

2 onions

½ tsp chilli powder 1 garlic clove

3 tbsp crème fraiche

Heat oven to 200°C. Chop the onions and squash and place in an oven tray, add 2 tbsp of olive oil and roast for 30 - 40 mins.

Chop the garlic and fry in the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil, with the chili powder in a saucepan.

Add the vegetable stock and roasted vegetable mix to the pan and bring to the boil.

OUSU presidential candidacy announced Adam Dayan

3. Union proposes major overhaul to elections Adam Dayan and Nick Mutch 4. Review: Jerusalem Anna Shepherd 5. The rain of kings?

Shakespeare meets the elements in Henry V Charanpreet Kaira

Using a hand held belnder or liquidiser whizz the mixture until smooth adding salt and pepper if required.

Add the crème fraiche and mix until entirely encorporated.

Puzzles

1l vegetable stock

Spicy Squash Soup

2.

Easy

Difficult

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Comment

Comment 14

13th November 2014

Charles Clegg

25 years after the Wall fell, have we learnt our lesson?

Richard Higson

Sommerville College

O

n the night of 9th November, 1989, thousands of East Berliners gathered at the Wall’s six crossing points demanding access to the West. The guards and East German authorities, unwilling to use force, allowed them to pass unchecked. In the days and weeks that followed, the Wall was gradually demolished and East Germany united with the West within the year. The Cold War was over. Amid the commemorations marking 100 years since the start of the First World War, the 25th anniversary of an equally epoch-defining moment seems to have passed largely unnoticed.

The 25th anniversay of an epoch-defining moment seems to have passed unnoticed

The fall of the Wall was only the most telegenic event in an extraordinary period

which saw almost universally peaceful protests topple the entire Soviet empire.

Countless revolutions have begun with the best of intentions, only to turn to civil strife and renewed oppression once the ancien regime was out of the way. The Revolutions of 1989 are almost unique among the seminal events of history in having passed off almost without bloodshed – only in Romania, at the end of the year did serious conflict occur, and there it was mercifully brief. They are also unique in having, at least in Europe, an almost unambiguously positive outcome. Europe is undivided, freer and more prosperous since the Wall fell.

The end of the Cold War and demise of the USSR left capitalist liberal democracy as the only show in town. The transition of Central and Eastern Europe to western-style democracy gave a hopeful model for the future - the triumphalist neoliberal narrative told us capitalism had won. For a short while it was possible, even as a cynic, to believe not only that the world could get better, but that it would do. That Tiananmen was but a set-back and China would soon follow the USSR; that the great ideological conflicts were over; that we might never again be visited

by the horrors of the 20th century.

The last 25 years have seen the slow death of much of that hope. While we have not returned to the worst of the past, the events of 9/11, the Great Recession, the failure of the Arab Spring, the resilience of authoritarianism in China and around the world, and the ongoing Ukrainian crisis have all demonstrated the naïveté of triumph. Despite the successes of European transition and integration, the future looks decidedly gloomy.

Despite the successes of European integration, the future looks decidedly gloomy

It’s easy to accuse the West of failure in the post-Cold-War world - as the last superpower standing, the USA has enjoyed an almost unprecedented military, economic and political pre-eminence.

Misadventures in Afghanistan and Iraq have squandered this power, to say nothing of countless lives, in pursuit of little of substance. But the more general complaint - that the USA could and should

have done more to pursue freedom and democracy - fundamentally misunderstands the nature of power in the modern world. The West can actually achieve much less than policymakers would like to believe – despite what Regan’s hagiographers might have us believe, the Soviet empire collapsed from within and the West’s role in 1989 was minimal.

Nonetheless, that has not been the lesson we’ve learned – in the last 25 years, Western foreign policy has followed the belief that democracy is somehow inevitable and will fall into place without much trouble. The complete lack of postinvasion planning for Iraq is only the most egregious example of this mentality. It was this mistaken lesson that has shaped Western opinion and policy towards the Arab Spring – the hope that we might see the fall of a swathe of autocratic regimes across the Middle East and North Africa has proven sadly misplaced. The ongoing conflicts across the Arab world are a chilling reminder of the perils of transition.

There are myriad differences between the contemporary Arab world and 1980s Eastern Europe, but one feature is crucial: the willingness of the authorities to use any means necessary to maintain the re-

gime. This is the truly remarkable feature of 1989: at the crucial moment, Mikhail Gorbachev and the Soviet leadership were unwilling to use military force to keep the Soviet empire going. Unlike China in the same year, when tanks rolled into Tiananmen Square, the regime was not prepared to kill unarmed protesters to maintain its power.

Western foreign policy believes that democracy falls into place without much trouble

This is where the real lesson lies – the success of democratic revolutionary movements depends not only on the willpower, integrity and number of protesters, but on the regime’s willingness and ability to fight. This is a lesson that holds true both for the recent protests in Hong Kong and for western intervention in the Middle East – we can hope from the side-lines, and support the transition of post-revolutionary democracies. But can help less than we’d like to think. Real change must come from within.

Comment 15

13th November 2014

The Conservatives will cast Britain adrift of the EU Robert Macquarie St Anne’s College

T

he British establishment has its tail between its legs on the question of immigration. The seemingly inexorable rise of UKIP, fuelled by flagging living standards and frustrations with an out-oftouch political elite, has that elite running scared. UKIP’s popularity stems from far more than immigration and the EU, but those policy issues are its main hunting ground.

Accordingly, the main political parties have tried to compete in those areas. This is particularly important for David Cameron, who views a renegotiation of EU membership conditions as both a major challenge and an area in which to prove his ability should he succeed.

He is not succeeding. Labour has been warned against an attempt to “out-UKIP UKIP”, in Diane Abbott’s words, but it is the Tories that are trying the hardest at this game.

A recent paper shows immigrants generally have a positive fiscal impact Mr Cameron’s attempts to manoeuvre around the UKIP threat have been totally futile. He has consistently failed to match his declarations of reform with actual progress. A messy debate haunted by populist bellowing from UKIP has conflated the European and immigration questions in the minds of

the public. But taking on European immigration requires shrewd political manipulation of the situation in Brussels, at which Mr Cameron has so far proved unsatisfactory.

It is remarkable that the immigration issue continues to spiral out of control, given that so many names have called for an extra dose of sense and rationality. Vince Cable wants his party to be the “voice of sanity, seriousness and sense”, Liam Byrne wants Labour to talk more openly about the issue, and no less a figure than Tony Blair has offered his two cents on providing “practical, non-ideological solutions.” To Ed Miliband’s credit, the five-point plan he has recently introduced is a reasonable attempt to slow the uncontrolled arrival of EU migrants who provide cheap labour at the expense of national integration.

But Labour’s ideas haven’t prevented a Tory retreat towards parochialism and suspicion of Europe in general. In other words, Mr Cameron has tied himself to the train of ever greater bluster over the EU, and can’t escape. This is because the conventional wisdom still holds sway: the Tories have more to lose to UKIP in the general election than Labour do.

What is most worrying about this trend is that EU authorities have repeatedly rebuffed Conservative attempts to redress the topic of the free movement of labour. They are correct to do so; nevertheless, it won’t help the situation. José Manuel Barroso’s claim that Conservative quota plans would be illegal, and more recently Angela Merkel’s supposed threat of ambivalence towards a ‘Brexit’, have embarrassed the prime minister and pointed to the obvious flaw in aiming to override a crucial aspect of any common market.

But these floundering negotiations

merely intensify public anger in Britain, both at Mr Cameron and at that so-called faceless European bureaucracy. To appease the public and save face, the government hits back with further measures and declarations, trying to look tougher and harsher.

It is a reinforcing cycle, and one in which the Tories are suffering. The only Conservatives who might be happy about the state of affairs are Eurosceptic backbenchers, who can sit back and watch their maladroit leader drive the country towards the eventuality they have always wanted.

Immigration, on the whole, is extremely good for Britain. We have gained a vibrant multi-cultural society and a host of economic benefits. But there are many types of immigration, some more unsustainable than others. We should never object, for instance, to the numbers of skilled migrants coming to receive education in our universities. Moreover, there are many popular myths about immigration’s effects. This includes the idea of ‘benefits tourism’,

which is nonsense – a recent paper published by UCL reaffirmed that immigrants generally have a positive fiscal impact. It found that immigrants from countries that joined the EU in 2004 contributed £4.96 billion more in taxation up to 2011 than they received in government payments. But negative images persist - a report by Oxford’s own Migration Observatory found that the word ‘immigrants’ is often accompanied by words like ‘terrorist’, ‘suspected’ and ‘flood’ in British tabloids.

David Cameron has tied himself to the train of ever greater bluster over Europe So why do Britons persist in viewing immigration with such hostility and concern? Lasting problems with living standards, caused in part by the

Coalition’s austerity measures, lead the public to search for a scapegoat.

Nigel Farage’s party have adeptly directed them towards Brussels and migrants. An Ipsos Mori poll at the end of October put immigration at the top of the agenda, with concern about race relations and immigration combined at 45 per cent, “the highest level of concern in eight years.”

There is a glimmer of light for supporters of European membership like myself. Another poll on 22nd October found that a majority of 56 per cent of respondents favoured continued European membership. So, current tensions could conclude in an EU referendum where the public opt to stay in. But with a significant lack of clarity and reason in the clamours over immigration in Westminster at the moment, Europe could come under further scrutiny and Britain may continue to drift towards an exit. Mr Cameron claims that he doesn’t want this. He should be more astute if he means what he says.

PHOTO/NUMBER 10

The poppy is about remembrance, not politics Luke Walpole St Hugh’s College

“A

t the going down of the Sun and in the morning, we will remember them”, that’s the old maxim. The crux of the reasoning behind wearing a poppy for

what equates to, in reality, no more than two weeks in a year. As a student of History, I do fundamentally believe that there are lessons to be learnt from the past, even if posterity remains hell-bent on ignoring such truisms. World War One was a game changer, an event which re-defined warfare, the parameters of society, and reshaped the balance of geo-politics.

Nations fell, people died and for 100

PHOTO/OWEN BENSON

years now we have endeavoured to remember them.

There are some who argue that wearing the poppy has become political - a ratification of British foreign policy through the century and a validation for the atrocities of war. This could not be further from the truth. To use the poppy as an opportunity for political point-scoring, or for activists to rage against the political machine, ignores the reason why we actually wear one.

For the soldiers of the First World War, it was a small beacon of hope amongst desolation, the small flower that persisted when everything around it was eviscerated by the terrors of war. For us, it is a symbol of thanks, a gentle nod to those who came before and sacrificed so much. You do not need to conflate the poppy with modern day politics, as you begin to lose focus on why it is pinned to your lapel in the first place.

The ITV news anchor Charlene White has recently refused to wear the poppy on live TV, citing that it puts the Royal British Legion on a pedestal above other charities. I understand that: there are indeed a million and

one incredibly worthy causes that are not allowed to revel in the public spotlight for fear of controversy. True, the profits from sales of poppies goes towards this charity, but is that truly a valid reason for not wearing one?

Because a charity benefits so massively from it? I would rather part with some change and allow this one charity to be raised above others, extremely momentarily, than resign wearing the poppy due to questions over charitable equality.

There is a futility to war, that is undeniable, and the First World War encapsulates this wholly. There was not the necessity to put an end to an erroneous political dogma and its accompanying horrors as in World War Two, yet that does not make the lives that were lost any the less important. World War One has become a touchstone for all conflicts that came after it, the reference point as to how terrible war can get, and if we start to phase out the poppy, then we risk losing our already tenuous link to an event that seems to be moving inexorably towards the distant past.

No amount of Hollywood CGI, bril-

liant acting or historical discovery can truly replicate the conditions of the war. We have seen pictures of the trenches, of the devastation, and of the forlorn faces of the lost generation, yet we will never be able to feel that insatiable terror. So strip back all of the political elements to the poppy, the entanglements of charitable equality, and the claims that it is mere patriotic vitriol, and what remains is a simple flower. A flower that was as helpless amongst the desolation of the war as the grown men who trampled it under foot. Come the eleventh hour of the eleventh day, I will remember them.

Wilfred Owen was right about that old lie. It wasn’t sweet and honourable to die for England, or for any other country - yet die they did, and I find it staggering that something as simple as wearing a small red flower on your shirt can cause such animosity. Although I said that remembrance was personal, the public display of mourning through wearing a poppy keeps the War in the public conscience, and serves as a constant reminder as to what was sacrificed, and what was ultimately lost.

16 Comment

13th November 2014

Poor social mobility is leading to a divided Britain Kathryn Welsh Oriel College

C

ontrary to what it must feel like trying to secure that first job after university, it appears that actually, social mobility isn’t decreasing at all.

According to a recent study published in the British Journal of Sociology, “in the case of women, there is in fact evidence of mobility increasing.” A triumph, it seems, for policy makers and those waiting their turn to break through the glass ceiling.

However, the study, which was conducted jointly by the University of Oxford and LSE, also reports something much more distressing; downward mobility is rapidly overtaking upward mobility. Compared to our parents, the British public just doesn’t seem to be doing any better.

The problem is that all of those middlelevel managerial and analytical jobs we sell our souls to corporate-sponsored societies to be able to walk into, seem to just be, disappearing. Any social mobility experienced by the next generation up simply isn’t translating to increased chances for their children. As the study shows, this is not a new phenomenon.

This has been the trend for the past 40 years and the causes for it can be found in that time frame.

It all comes down to the model of the pursuit of economic growth followed by the vast majority of countries across the world. Compared to recession, economic growth is by no means a bad thing. Yet the way in which it’s blindly being pur-

sued at any cost is why we are seeing trends such as the one uncovered by the BJS. And that is exactly what we are dealing with as a society. Wages have remained relatively static for decades and, in recent years, increases have failed even to match inflation. Compare this to the roughly 100 per cent increase in real wages between 1945 and 1970. The only reason people have been able to secure real economic increases in quality of life is through credit, as we were tragically reminded in 2008. This was bound to hit the less well-off first and has continued to do so with little sign of change. Stretched over such a long period of time, this trend is now much more pervasive, hitting the vast majority of society and, noticeably, the “middleclass.”

Under Labour and the Conservatives, nothing has changed. It is no wonder that UKIP is on the rise

The middle-class is effectively being hollowed out. We are rapidly moving away from a traditionally tri-class society to an asymmetric and insurmountable distinction between the haves and the have-nots. The richest percentage of society is going to stay the richest and the gap between them and the rest of society will deepen. Unfortunately, inequality has been omnipresent in British society.

This new dual system of it is even more pronounced than before and even harder

to overcome.

This is already clear to see in the fact that the UK’s top bosses now earn on average 143 times more money than their employees. Next boss Lord Wolfson earns a colossal 459 times as much as his average employees. That wasn’t even the worst.

Any arguments that this acts as an incentive to those average employees simply don’t stand up any more, particularly in light of the social mobility analysis. The technological revolution we currently find ourselves in is doing exactly what every CEO, shareholder and businessperson wants; enabling us to reduce costs to increase growth.

Any unskilled labour is now easily replaceable with machines. This is hardly a new phenomenon. Yet we are probably just at the very start of the technological revolution and already we are seeing technology so advanced it long ago began replacing people in retail, customer services and even trading. It is more than feasible that this soon will extend to include analysts, accountants, and perhaps, managerial staff. Anything that can be made more cost-effective through the use of the latest technology will be. In many industries there simply won’t be any human beings left in companies to aspire to those top highly-paid positions.

Technology will exacerbate any trend in downward social mobility. In turn, a continuing squeeze on wages is inevitable. Computer and technology based skills will be valuable, but only for some.

A machine can replace multiple staff and certainly won’t keep a high enough proportion of the population employed, even if they are skilled.

In light of this, is it any wonder that

PHOTO/BRYAN ROBB

UKIP are on the rise? Through both Labour and Conservative-led governments, nothing has changed. To a large extent, immigration is a straw man and an easy target for the anger of those facing static wages or unemployment. UKIP seem to be providing the answer the average worker is looking for. Furthermore, they seem to be doing something about it. All this in light of the recent news that the UK gains £20 billion from EU migrants.

Immigration is not the problem, but to many, UKIP seem to be the only party actually providing an answer and taking a stand against the problems of inequality and downward social mobility.

Criticism of the pursuit of short term growth rather than long term structural growth is a well-established economic critique. What this new survey shows however is just how damaging for society this model has been and will continue to be. Companies and the government

alike may be able to extract the last juice from the prosperity of the 2000s for now, but austerity is just the short term fix to an institutional problem.

Inequality is directly linked to poor economic performance, so while keeping wages down may be helping companies turn profits and grow in the short term, in the long run all that’s going to be created is a demotivated population and inefficient workforce. And all of this is at the expense of education, training and personal growth.

Fundamentally however, we cannot accept a dual society with such a large inequality gap and no depth to its prosperity. Rightly so, inequality is the single biggest cause of social and political instability worldwide. Proof of an increase in downward social mobility truly reveals the extent of the problem the UK is facing. Nigel Farage may just be the grisly start of something much, much bigger.

Cameron’s failure to support feminism is worrying Katharine Plummer

Lady Margaret Hall

I

n a change of pace from usual news, a politician has annoyed the public. David Cameron has refused to wear a t-shirt, promoted by equal rights group the Fawcett Society, with the slogan ‘this is what a feminist looks like’. This is in contrast to both Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband, who seemed more than willing to associate themselves with this important cause.

understands the term and perhaps associates it with radicalism. It is a disappointment that the man running our country is afraid of speaking for 50 per cent of its population, and a further disappointment that he has come gotten off so lightly.

The truth of the matter is that David Cameron is afraid to affiliate himself with any core beliefs if there is a chance of it alienating his small ‘c’ conservative voter base. He has sat on the fence about Europe, about the environment and so too now about feminism. After all, it was only this year when his all-male cabinet was

finally broken with women such as Nicky Morgan and Liz Truss.

Accusations are made of hypocrisy against Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband, but they miss the point

The allegations that that the Tshirts were made in sweatshops by migrant women for the paltry sum of 62p an hour is still in dispute, with

The truth of the matter is that Cameron is afraid to alienate his conservative voter base

This is not out of character for the PM. In September 2013, when asked

by Red Magazine if he was a feminist, he replied “I don’t know what I’d call myself... But I believe men and women should be treated equally” - this is the definition of feminism.

There is something about this ‘f’ word that David Cameron seems to have a problem with: he clearly mis-

PHOTO/NUMBER 10 PHOTO/JOHN OXTON

the retailer Whistles about to launch a full investigation, and the Fawcett Society stating that they have all confidence that the shirts were made in ethical conditions. But assuming that these allegations are true, David Cameron will have found a perfect escape route in abstaining from from a ‘feminist’ campaign that oppresses women.

However, anyone supporting Cameron for holding fast is missing the point completely. When he refused to pose in the shirt for Elle magazine five times, his excuse was not about the mistreatment of women or any ethical issues, but was that he ‘did not have enough time’. When he refused to pose in the shirt, he could not foresee the issues that would emerge - to see the PM as some sort of defender of women is a joke. Cameron simply did not want to associate himself with feminism as a cause in any way. Yet Cameron is still being defended for other reasons. Telegraph journalist Martin Daubney argued in a recent piece that Cameron was right to refuse to don the shirt as in Daubney’s eyes, men are scrutinised too heavily for their feminist credentials as soon as they associate themselves with the cause. He argues that some people would have found it patronising for Cameron to wear the t-shirt, as he cannot understand the issues that

women face. Furthermore, he cites accusations made against Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg of hypocrisy, as both their respective parties are far from equal in gender balance.

Allegations that the T-Shirts are made in sweatshops by low paid migrants are still in dispute

Daubney loses sight of the real issues at hand. He complains about how hard it is to be a male feminist, but does not realise that Cameron was not being asked to change the world overnight: he was just being asked to publicly show his support for equality between men and woman. Whether this would have been another politician’s PR stunt or not, it is worrying that our Prime Minister could not even bring himself to support feminism as an idea. It is a shame, though not a surprise that Cameron has failed the feminist movement once again. We can only hope that in May 2015, voters remember who wore the shirt and who didn’t, in the hopes of having a leader of our country who is proud to declare themselves a feminist.

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Features 13th November 2014

James Waddell Pembroke College

I

t seems like an ethical thought experiment, an exercise for a philosophy class – someone who has committed an atrocity of unimaginable cruelty, a despicable murderer, stands in the dock, and has requested you to defend him in court. But, in the early hours of the morning, a matter of hours after Anders Breivik had committed one of the worst massacres in European peacetime history, Geir Lippestad’s phone rang. The man who had just left Norway reeling from the impact of 77 murders, including 69 children, wanted Lippestad as his defence attorney.

In the recordings of press conferences from the time, Lippestad is stonyfaced, prickly, unsurprisingly tiredlooking. His sharp Scandinavian features seemed hard enough to bounce off questions from even the most prying reporters, so I was ready for the same clipped tetchiness. In person, though, he was disarmingly charming, swapping the gruff ‘no comment’ responses for an almost lyrical Norwegian lilt as he leaned back in his chair, turning over each question I asked him in his mind, examining them like pages of case notes.

“Defending Breivik, I had to put myself, my feelings to one side” He’s already picked up the English penchant for self-deprecating humour: “I hope you can understand a word I’m

Features 18

society without it that is secure.’ And for me, who had experienced massive insecurity, it was something I thought about. Law is security.”

It was a philosophy that would serve him well in his debut high-profile case in 2001, defending neo-Nazis who had murdered a 15-year-old boy: “It was difficult, but I had the same idea that, well, they’d done something terrible, but they were human beings, they have human rights, the rule of law must exist. We can’t shoot them, we must treat them as human beings. And I did my very best. The case lasted almost three years. It was a difficult three years, but I worked as hard as I could for these guys.”

“You have to be professional and keep a distance, but you have to do your work” It was this experience that brought him the renown that would attract Breivik, and stood him in good stead for the case: “I learnt a lot in that case, a lot about communication.

Because when people are angry, they don’t understand why you said ‘yes’ to defending these horrible people.

When people are angry at you they don’t listen, and you don’t get any respect.”

This is an understatement – 40,000 people were on the streets of Oslo within days, protesting the way in which the trial was being conducted.

As we move on to talking about the trial itself, Lippestad seems to tense up, flashes of his curt professional self showing as he repeats what seems like a mantra: “I believe in the values of the

Geir Lippestad: Defending the man behind the massacre saying, with my English!” But perhaps it’s not surprising that there are two Geir Lippestads – as he explains, there has to be: “Defending Breivik, I had to put myself, my feelings to one side. It’s all about being professional.”

The division between Geir the man, the father of eight children, the leftwing humanist, and Geir the cog in the justice system stems from some of his most deeply held values. “My father went bankrupt when I was about 15 years old. The house, our family, everything that was secure was thrown away. Then I met a man, a nice, intelligent man – a lawyer. He talked to me about the value of the rule of law, human dignity, human rights, and I remember listening to him and him telling me: ‘Geir, the value of the rule of law is security; you can’t find a

rule of law, and the values of human dignity and human rights. Everyone, even Breivik, has the right to a good defence. It’s one of the most important values in a democracy.”

I try to delve into how he as a person felt about the trial, and he bristles: “I have two daughters who are disabled, I have defended two people, right-wing extremists, who have said ‘if I were the ruler, I would kill all disabled people, because disabled people are not real people’. Of course, I could get hurt from that, but instead I think: I don’t agree with you, but I will still defend you. Because that’s my task. That’s my role, and I think that’s very important for society”.

It was particularly difficult because of the exact nature of the case – almost uniquely, the defence were arguing

that Breivik was compos mentis, and thus that his act was one of political extremism, not insanity. Lippestad explains: “Breivik said to me: ‘I don’t want to be criminally insane, because I’ve got lots of letters from all over Europe telling me that if I’m criminally insane, my action is worth nothing to right-wing extremists. But if I am sane, and go to prison, I will be looked upon as a hero.’ So he wanted to be sane and go to prison.”

And so, the trial hinged not on ‘guilty’ or ‘not guilty’, but on the line between evil and insanity. Working closely with Breivik on this basis would push Lippestad to almost to breaking point: “You have to be professional and keep a distance, but you have to

do your work. You have to know him, learn him, because finding out about his childhood was important for the case. So I asked him: ‘What was your childhood like?’ He talked about that, and then he asks me: ‘What was your childhood like?’.”

“We have to think about the core values in a society: rule of law, human dignity, and human rights”

He lowers his voice, leaning towards me: “You talk to the client as close as

we are now – having seen so much cruelty, the pictures, the funerals on television. And he jokes, he smiles, he thinks it’s okay.”

He pauses, and leans back again. “But of course, I won’t ask myself: ‘Do I like this person?’ If I ask myself that, then I can’t be a lawyer. I have to think: ‘This person has done something terrible.’

Of course Breivik had done something terrible. But, again, we have to think about the core values in a society: rule of law, human dignity, and human rights. I believe in these values, so I’ll do my very best to defend him. And if you think about that all the time, these values, and your part in these values, it’s easier to disconnect from all the antipathy.”

18 Features

13th November 2014

Nostalgia for Florentine festivities

PHOTO/Marcus Li

Marcus Li

Magdalen College

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s I sip away at my morning Brazilian brew, contemplating on the various deadlines I have this coming week, suddenly the delicate scent of coffee hits my palate.

The sensation is overwhelming, and I can no longer see the piles of essays and reading lists on my desk. The Oxonian reality fades away and my

mind drifts elsewhere: where is this place; so familiar, yet so distant?

And the next moment, the memory revealed itself – Florence.

I remember well how cold it was that morning. Wrapped up in scarf and gloves, I arrived in Florence, ready to embark on a two-week intensive Italian course. As an ab-initio Italian student, Michaelmas’ classes provided me with the basics to get by. They did not, however, equip me with the linguistic competency to raise the issue with the stout, scary landlady about

the sulphuric stench from the water pipes, or complain about the lack of Internet connection in my apartment.

Great, I thought, these two weeks were going to be ‘hell’ (‘scuse the very bad Dante pun).

But that was not true at all. For the fortnight to come, the city proved to be a real blast. I loved walking the cobbled streets of Florence, wonderfully decorated with festive Christmas lights. We did all the tourist staples: walked around Giardini di Boboli and posed as bathing gods/ goddesses next to the statue of a tub, posed with the bronze boob lady, took group photos at the top of which the whole of Florence can be seen, visited the Galeria degli Uffizi, walked around the duomo, took numerous photos of it from each and every angle possible, became addicted to Crostatine...

Beyond this, we found lots of eccentric little places, from the hipster bar called “B-Bop” not far from the duomo, to an artisan Venetian maskmaker’s workshop. The bookstores we discovered were like nothing I had seen before. One of the most memorable was a tiny store run by a man called Roberto, just off Via Ginori. Aside from the few shelves in this ‘bookshop,’

the volumes were piled on top of each other so high that they formed a maze.

Some were taller than a person, and we had to be careful not to knock them and crush other unsuspecting customers. The best thing was being able to haggle, giving the place an intimate, personal feel. Despite my meagre range of vocabulary, I managed to bargain a monolingual dictionary down to just €10. It’s quirky places like these that really made Florence special for me.

Our mission was to try out every single gelateria in town. On one of the days, I single-handedly managed eight cups of ice cream. I don’t even regret it. Not one single bit. Amongst our favourites were La Carraia and Grom.

The former, situated just off the Ponte alla Carraia (very close to the Ponte Vecchio), makes the most scrumptious ice cream ever. The pricing, too, was reasonable for the quality of gelato – €2.50 for a cup.

The other students and I went out on the last night to celebrate. After the fortnight of Florentine Steak, pasta, pizza and more pizza, we thought we should try out some other cuisine.

Unbeknownst to me at the time, whilst I was merrily celebrating away, sipping

yet another glass followed by a couple of pints of Peroni, a few miles away from Florence my flight was taking off.

It would not be until late that evening around 1am when I eventually got back to my apartment and started packing did I realise…

Walking the cobbled streets of Florence, wonderfully decorated with festive Christmas lights

Stranded in a foreign land days before Christmas – I’d be lucky to get out! To this day, only a handful of good friends know about this folly.

Especially as the Fifth Week Blues come crashing on us, it’s nice to remember that whatever elitist Oxford commitments we have, there is a magical world out there to be explored.

What would I not give to forget about this monotonous grammar worksheet and this week’s 6-page vocabulary list to go back to the “Bel Paese” right now for a cup of coffee! One can only dream…

5 Week escapism: alternative winter travel th

South Korean street food and snow camera snapping bodies. Winter is the perfect time to visit tech-savvy South Korea because the weather is every child’s vision of a perfect Christmas day: deep snow, clear skies and a brisk chill illuminated by a technicolour wonderland. It’s CocaCola’s Christmas advert embodied in a season.

PHOTO/Sherwin

Christopher Fountain St Edmund Hall

T

he 2018 Winter Olympics will be held in South Korea but you should head 10,000km to the Asian economic powerhouse for more than just the winter sports. You can find deeper snow in France, better facilities in Switzerland, and more fun in Italy, but South Korea has something different to offer: food, weather, and festive fun.

Winter is dramatic in the country’s capital, Seoul. Temperatures plunge well below zero but the ensuing chill brings an endless succession of crisp blue-sky days. It’s a magical place to be if you can withstand the Siberian

chill.

Korean food is slowly emerging from the shadows of its more famous culinary neighbours and gaining the recognition it deserves; winter is the perfect time to experience the country’s fiery cuisine. There is no better remedy to the biting and incessant cold than a heap of succulent meat cooked to perfection on a warm grill at your table. Washing it down with a large glass of so-maek (a particularly potent cocktail mixing beer with Korean vodka) in a cozy side-street joint run by a charming half-crazed old lady will make it a holiday to remember.

Korean summers are stiflingly hot. In spring and summer the flora explodes into a varied palate of stunning colours. The tourists pile in and the country becomes a heaving mass of

It’s Coca-Cola’s Christmas advert embodied in a season So what is there to do in South Korea over the winter other than marvel at the beauty?

(1) Teahouses and tradition in Insadong Charming Insadong in Northern Seoul is a labyrinth of traditional housing and tourist tat. In narrow alleys tucked away off the main tourist strip you can find wooden teahouses selling an array of specialist teas. Try a steaming hot homemade lemon tea for a delicious and medicinal way to escape the cold outside.

On the outskirts of Insadong, Bukchon Hanok Village is a solitary reminder of Korea before the invention of LED lighting. The village, perched at the foot of Mount Baegaksan, is a rare series of historic Korean houses that weren’t destroyed during the

Korean War, Japanese occupation, or late twentieth-century rebuilding.

They are a poignant contrast to the steel and glass of downtown Seoul; the pulse of the modern metropolis is blended with the elegant simplicity of nature. Nestled amongst the wooden houses are tearooms boasting stunning views over the city and nearby mountains. Not to be missed.

(2) Street Food and Food Markets Brick Lane Market eat your heart out: South Korea is awash with delicious and affordable street food. From the red-hot intensity of tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), to cockles warming comfort of mandu (large Korean dumplings), Seoul’s streets are awash with an impressive diversity of cheap and healthy snacks.

Seoul’s multiple markets are also a treasure trove of delicious and sometimes mind-boggling culinary concoctions. Dongdaemun and Namdaemun (east door and south door respectively) markets are particularly good. Dongdaemun has shaken off its historic scuzzy reputation and become a mini-metropolis in itself.

The interior retail and wholesale market is huge so head to one of the perennially crowded and snug shacks outside for a delicious Korean meal.

Namdaemun is better for food.

The covered market’s bustling alleys are packed full of homely corner restaurants selling one or two specialist products. Be brave and follow your

eyes or nose.

(3) A very Korean Christmas and New Year Seoul doesn’t shut down for Christmas and the day isn’t dedicated to tiresome family board games and inevitable quarrels. Young people spend the day walking the streets, shopping, and eating out with their boyfriend or girlfriend. Tradition states that single people should stay inside in shame but tourists tend to be let off. Expect to see a throng of couples in matching clothing and disenchanted groups of sulking singles. It’s a great contrast to a western Christmas experience.

It’s a magical place to be if you can withstand the Siberian chill All Koreans traditionally grow a year older on January 1st so New Year’s Eve is a huge birthday party for everyone. Trendy southern beach city Busan is one of the country’s most famous New Year hotspots. Every year thousands gather on the sands of Haeundae beach to watch the sun rise over the Sea of Japan for the first time. It certainly beats being crushed into a fence on the fringe of Waterloo Bridge. The fireworks are usually a bit better too.

Features 19

13h November 2014

Snowballing out of control in the Alps

PHOTO/ David Domingo

Helen Record Trinity College

F

or those who have never been exposed to winter sports, I expect it is sometimes difficult to see the appeal. Why, I hear the mountain-virgins cry, would anyone voluntarily wake up before 9am on holiday just so they can subject themselves to sub-zero temperatures and precipitation of every variety (how can it rain when it is -5˚C?!)?

Whilst I can appreciate that skiing is not everybody’s cup of glühwein, for me there are few sensations more liberating than carving through fresh snow with mountain air filling my

lungs.

But, of course, a skiing holiday is not just about the skiing. I have noticed over the years that winter breaks have certain characteristics that differentiate them from all other genres of holiday.

Ski resorts have their own set of fashion laws which are unique to them

Each trip to the Alps has its fair share of idiosyncratic events that, in their retelling, unite skiers regardless of ability, experience or colour of

salopettes. Any non-skier readers may at this point raise a sceptic eyebrow; bear with me as I outline some of the many (and often hilarious) off-piste dramas that skiing holidays have to offer.

A major consideration of any holiday is transport. Nowhere is the choice between plane, train and automobile more of a headache than when one is travelling to the mountain. Those who choose to fly to their destination will invariably end up sitting on the floor of a departure lounge at some forgotten hour as their plane is dug out of a snowdrift. Train aficionados will have to develop an immunity to fluorescent lighting if they wish to get any shut-eye on their 8 hour ‘sleeper’. And those who opt for the trusty car soon discover that in the mountains a car is only trusty if it equipped with snow tyres and chains, a giant shovel on the front and is in fact called a piste-basher. In any case, the journey to a ski resort inevitably ends up involving all three modes of transport with a bonus shuttle bus thrown in for good measure.

Having wrestled various travel arrangements and emerged victorious, a prime concern for a winter holidaymaker is what to wear. Ski resorts have their own set of fashion laws which are unique to them – where else can you successfully rock an outfit featuring all three primary colours in their

most garish manifestations? Skiing is also a great excuse to flaunt retro fashions; from salopettes-cum-60sflares to old school jerseys, in the mountain there is no such thing as an anachronism. Just remember the dangers of salopettes with braces if you are cursed with a weak bladder.

Clothes chosen, it’s time to turn to accessories. A problem experienced by all who frequent the mountain, whether skier or not, is the dreaded hat and/or helmet hair.

One witnesses various techniques employed in an attempt to fix the lid, including French plaits, repeated fluffing of the hair with the hand and just plain refusal to remove said headwear. Naturally, striking the correct balance between style and practicality remains an elusive goal for most skiers.

What liquid you don’t end up spilling on your white thermals will inevitably scald your mouth Skiing is hard work and such physical exertion must not go unrewarded.

Food is therefore a very prominent aspect of any mountain holiday.

Mountain cuisine apparently consists

of three core ingredients: meat, cheese and carbs. Fondue, raclette, spag bol, croissants, schnitzel – all just variations on a theme of these three staples. When it comes to beverages, the choice between chocolat chaud and glühwein is a toughie, but what liquid you don’t end up spilling on your white thermals will inevitably scald your mouth in your haste to defrost your core, so in the end the decision probably doesn’t matter.

The final slushy ski run of a holiday is a physical and emotional comedown

The final slushy ski run of a holiday is a physical and emotional comedown. It signifies not only a whole year until the next donning of those happily uncomfortable boots, but also a whole year until indulging in all the quirks that are so particular to a skiing holiday. For those of you have found yourself inadvertently nodding along whilst reading, enjoy reminiscing about all the oddities that skiing trips entail. And, as for any winter holiday virgins, I hope I have inspired you to jump on that funicular and go experience the many mountainside moments that await you.

Indulging in Japan’s forgotten season in Japan include waking up early for the hatsu-hinode, the first sunrise of the year, or going to hatsumode, the first visit to a Shinto shrine in the year. There are also special foods such as toshi-koshi soba and osechi and traditional decorations that can only be enjoyed during the New Year’s season.

bargains 3JapanShopping An additional benefit of being in during the New Year’s season is PHOTO/YukiNumata

Yuki Numata St. Edmund Hall

I

f you’ve ever been to Japan, you might have noticed that the country places a strong emphasis on its four seasons, and with good reason: each one has distinct characteristics that set it apart from others. This means people wanting to visit will inevitably face the question of when is the best time to go. Many will advise against the hot and humid summer and instead suggest spring, for the famous cherry blossoms, or autumn, for its colorful foliage. But how about winter? It is often overlooked, but winter is actually a fantastic time to visit Japan. Here are ten reasons why.

Christmas illuminations 1 The Christmas holiday is met with considerable enthusiasm in Japan, and it manifests itself in spectacular Christmas illuminations throughout the country. With scheduled light shows complete with music and even 3D projection mapping technology, they are no doubt amongst the most advanced you’ll ever see. Some of the most famous ones include the Michiterasu and Midtown Christmas in Tokyo, the Festival of the Light in Osaka, and the White Illumination in Sapporo.

Traditional New Year’s experience 2 New Year’s is even bigger than Christmas and can be a great way

to get to know the more traditional side of Japan. New Year’s celebrations

the massive discounts, Hatsu-uri, that take place in the first week of January.

One of the biggest sales of the year, people flock to the stores to get their hands on heavily discounted items as well as the popular fukubukuro – “lucky bags” filled with often unknown surprises that are worth many times the sales price. It can get wild, but is definitely worth the experience.

Seijin-no-hi 4 Seijin-no-hi is the Japanese coming of age ceremony held on

the second Monday of January, and it is custom for people – especially women – to wear traditional Japanese kimonos. Unfortunately the ceremonies are invitation-only (and they would probably be quite boring even if you could attend) but it is nonetheless a rare chance to get to see kimonos being worn in real life.

Winter festivals Food 5festivals There are also many winter 8 Some of the best Japanese that are held throughout food can only be eaten during the Japan. The Sapporo snow festival is especially famous, featuring intricate snow and ice sculptures of castles and palaces built to scale that are lit up with colorful lights at night. Even in cities where it does not snow, there are many traditional winter festivals and parades that are amazing to watch.

winter, including various types of nabe – Japanese hot pot – and oden, a boiled soy broth with eggs, fishcakes, radishes, konjac, and more. There are also limited seasonal editions of the most popular Japanese snacks, such as Pocky, often in strawberry or white chocolate flavors that are typically associated with winter in Japan.

most famous are the huge ski resorts in Hokkaido and the Japanese Alps, such as Niseko, Rusutsu and Hakuba, but there are also a handful of smaller bases that are designed specifically for day trips from major cities, like the Karuizawa Prince Ski Resort, which is only a short bullet-train ride away from Tokyo.

full capabilities of vending machines of Japan. They’re more than just refrigerated boxes that dispense bottles and cans when you press a button: not only are they capable of serving hot drinks, but many are interactive and can tailor your drink to your desire: One or two sugars? Milk or no milk?

6alsoSkiing Speaking of snow, Japan Vending Machines boasts many great skiing and 9 On the topic of food, winter is snowboarding opportunities. The also a great time to appreciate the

7

Onsen Onsen, or hot springs, are also very popular during the winter.

Of course, onsen can be enjoyed during other seasons as well, but it is particularly enjoyable to soak in a natural hot spring after a cold day.

Especially popular are the outdoor roten-buro springs: there is nothing quite like the feeling of cold air blowing across your face while the rest of your body soaks in the hot water.

Toilet Seats 10 Another thing that you can only fully appreciate if you’re in Japan

are the toilets. You might have heard of the (overly) advanced Japanese toilets that have the capability to wash and blow-dry your bottom, as well as play music to hide the sound of your “business.” Well, another thing to know about Japanese toilets are that their seats can be heated: you won’t be able to sit on your stone-cold toilet seat when you get back from your stay in Japan.

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Sport 22

6th November 2014

The auldest of enemies: a short history of England vs. Scotland Rupert Tottman Balliol College

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sk any England fan who they consider their most bitter rivals, and most would say Germany.

A few perhaps Argentina, fewer still their traditional rivals Scotland. For Scotland however, the Auld Enemy remain top of the list. A poll taken before the 2014 World Cup in Scotland revealed that 25 per cent of Scots said they would support “whoever England were playing”. Despite the fact England vs Scotland is perhaps no longer one of the classic international fixtures, passion for the rivalry burns bright on both sides of the border and the fixture has a long and eventful history of on-the-field drama and for most of its existence, remarkably even games. Few other fixtures have produced as many iconic moments, with Scotland’s humbling of World Champions England in 1967, the Wembley pitch invasion

by Scottish fans after their 2-0 win in 1977 and Paul Gascoigne’s infamous ‘dentist’s chair’ celebration during England’s victory in the 1996 European Championship group stages some of the most colourful moments in the history of the international game.

England vs Scotland is the original international fixture. Started in 1870 after English FA secretary W C Alcock placed an advert in the Glasgow Herald asking for Scottish players who wanted to “aid their country” to volunteer to play in an international match against an English select XI. Interest was lukewarm until a letter was submitted to the same paper by a member of the public stating that “the English devotees of association football will find no foremen worthy of their steel in Scotland”. A flurry of players put themselves forward in response and the game played at the Oval in London ended in a 1-1 draw.

Scotland dominated the early stages

of the fixture, with the development of the passing game by Scottish club Queen’s Park and applied by the national side presenting a massive, and often embarrassing, contrast to England’s antiquated kick and rush tactics, a hangover from the days before rugby and football became separately codified games in the 1850s and ‘60s. Scotland won 10 of the first 13 fixtures including a 6-1 victory in London, which was a major factor in the FA legalising professionalism a year later, and strengthening the structure of the fledgling football league system. Scotland continued to dominate the fixture until the outbreak of the Second World War and while England improved hugely after that point they weren’t able to inflict the kind of humiliating defeat, they regularly suffered at the hands of Scotland until 1961 when they hammered the Scots 9-3 to take the 1961 Home Championships, a game which led the Scottish keeper Frank Haffey to emigrate to Australia out of shame and spawned the English stereotype of the bad Scottish goalkeeper.

England vs. Scotland is the original international fixture

However Scotland were have their revenge and more in 1967. England, fresh from their World Cup triumph and with arguably a better team than the one that won the tournament, went into the Home Championships game as heavy favourites. However they were caught napping by an explosive Scottish attacking performance which at one point gave the Scots 3-0 lead, although England would mount a last ditch fight back to make the final score 3-2. Scotland claimed that the game made them “unofficial world champions” an accolade based on the model of boxing where anyone who defeats the reigning champions takes their titles, still operating to this day (the current

champions are Brazil, who beat Argentina in October to take the crown).

England continued their dominance into the 1970s, despite the fact that Scotland qualified for both the 1974 and 1978 World Cups while England did not and while a 1977 victory over the auld enemy proved a high point for Scottish football it is now seen as a low point for the game at large, with the post match behaviour of the Scotland fans punctuating the rise of organised hooliganism in the British game that would bring it to its knees in the ‘80s.

While Scotland thrived in the 70s, England were hamstrung by entrenched conservate attitudes Indeed the team of the ‘70s are widely considered the best in Scotland’s history, containing a number of world-class players like Kenny Dalglish, Archie Gemmill and Graeme Souness. Scotland thrived while England struggled throughout the ‘70s and early ‘80s, the team strangled by the ultra conservative attitudes of mangers like Don Revie and Ron Greenwood, with players such as Hoddle and Keegan, amongst the most technically gifted England has ever produced being criminally underutilised due to entrenched attitudes in the English games prioritising hard work and strength over skill and a mistrust of creative players.

Scotland have yet to come anywhere near the successes of those glory years.

Their participation in international tournaments petered out during the ‘90s, the 1998 World Cup their last appearance and a succession of negative and defensive managers starting with Berti Vogts in the early 2000s whose reign was punctuated by losses to the likes of the Faroe Islands and

whose reign was ended by a 1-1 draw at home to Moldova in a World Cup qualifier. Recent highs have been a narrow failure to qualify for the 2008 Euros in a qualifying campaign which included two 1-0 victories over France.

However, the root of their decline has been the fact that Scotland have been hamstrung by a lack of playing talent for the best part of 25 years. Where past sides could call on true greats of the game such as Dennis Law and Kenny Dalglish the current squads main attacking threats are Everton’s Steven Naismith and West Brom’s James Morrison. Solid, even talented Premier League footballers, but with seven international goals between them in almost 70 international appearances Scotland’s opponents can be forgiven for not quaking in their boots.

That being said, after recent fallow years, culminating perhaps in Craig Levein playing a 4-6-0 formation in a Euro 2012 qualifier away in the Czech Republic, things are looking better for Scotland. Up to a respectable 37th in the FIFA rankings new manager Gordon Strachan has got a technically limited side playing to the best of their ability, a number of promising young

players coming through and following a solid start to their qualifying campaign have a good chance of qualifying for the 2016 European Championships, especially given the expansion of the format to include 24 teams. Which is almost exactly what you can say about the current England side: technically limited with some decent youngsters playing functional football. England’s perfect start to the campaign and victory over closet threats Switzerland should, barring a collapse that should be beyond even their peerless ability as perennial chokers, see them safely into the tournament in two years’ time.

After recent fallow years, things are finally looking better for Scotland

Scotland vs England looks to be becoming a fixture on the international calendar once again, with England’s thrilling 3-2 vicoty at Wembley last year still fresh in the memory, and with the teams looking as even as they have in decades, the clash at Hampden on Tuesday has all the makings of another enthralling chapter in this classic rivary.

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OxStu Sport Predicts: Scotland vs England

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Dan Smith - Sports Editor

James Yow - Deputy Sports Editor

Emma Williams - Sports Editor

Rupert Tottman - Deputy Online Ed

Every England vs Scotland game promises to be a hard-fought affair, friendly or no friendly. England have had the better of the most recent encounters but I can honestly see a Scottish upset on the cards this time around. Now under the management of the wily Gordon Strachan, Scotland impressed in their recent European Qualifiers against Poland and Germany and were desperately unlucky not to at least get a point in Dortmund. As much as England are in similarly good form, winning their last four games since the world cup; the hosts definitely have the ability to get something from the game in what’s bound to be a raucous Celtic Park atmosphere.

It should a routine game for England, but much will depend on the squad that Hodgson puts out. While undoubtedly feisty, the English defence has looked good so far in qualifying and in Danny Welbeck they have a player in goalscoring form for club and country. The class of the English midfield should win out if England play at a fast tempo suiting wingers Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and potentially the returning Theo Walcott.

Finally, Saido Berahino, a surprise but welcome inclusion hasn’t missed many chances in the Premier League and will be itching to get off the mark for his country too, goals should be expected

England and Scotland have a deeprooted and long-running rivalry which always brings a special atmosphere to the occasion, even when it is only a friendly. Looking at the recent form, England seem to be capable of good spells of play where they can open up teams and punish them, but it is usually inconsistent and they look vulnerable at the back. Scotland have struggled in qualifying for the major competitions and on paper should not trouble England, but with recent strong performances against the likes of world champions, Germany, they have the potential to pull off a shock result here. Having said that, they are also prone to their fair share of poor defending and for this reason I think England will edge the game

Expect to see a feisty, organised defensive display from the Scots, with England, as per usual, lacking the attacking creativity to consistently break them down. They say that in derby games form often goes out the window but if Roy Hodgson can get his players geed up for the game England should win this with ease. Don’t bet on it. With England likely to, yet again, play well below their potential and Strachan’s (who will not fail to have his players chomping at the bit for this one) Scotland playing above and beyond I’m tipping this game to end as a draw. Although I wouldn’t be surprised to see England, not up for the game anyway, intimidated by the Hampden crowd and Scotland to grab a narrow win.

Prediction: Scotland 2-1 England

Prediciton: Scotland 0-4 England

Prediction: Scotland 0-1 England

Prediction: Scotland 1-1 England

Sport 23

13th November 2014

Is football pricing out the atmospheric fan?

James Yow

Balliol College

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ollowing Jose Mourinho’s recent outburst about the state of Chelsea’s atmosphere at home, describing Stamford Bridge as ‘an empty stadium’ and the fascinating BBC study into the Price of Football demonstrating that the cost of being a match-going fan is spiralling out of control; it seems like a better time than ever to look if the two factors are linked and whether there really is any hope for the future.

The tone of the match-day atmosphere is set by the core of home fans - those who show up week-in, weekout, those clutching season tickets who commit to around 25 games a season when cup and league games are taken together. If they make noise, the stadium will be rocking. The problem lies not in attendance. Demand is there. For Arsenal, with the highest priced season tickets in the Premier League at £2,013, 40,000 supporters lie on the Season Ticket waiting list.

The problem lies with the people who actually attend - but whether it is their fault is entirely debatable.

Premier League football is hugely expensive. Clubs throughout the table offer their cheapest season tickets at prices ranging from £329 (Burnley) to £1,014 (Arsenal), and many clubs between the £500-£750 mark. With this in mind, it seems perfectly clear that football is no longer accessible to the masses, to the whole local commu-

nity or to the families. With the cost of living rising for many and budgets tighter than before, few can afford to set aside hundreds of pounds for a single season ticket, especially when a match day will require travel expenses, food and drink, as well as the odd programme or shirt at the start of the season. It no longer becomes realistic to have whole families attending games, and it can be the young, the unemployed or the poorly paid who lose out.

Those fans who have some of the strongest ties to the club are prevented from showing their passion

The problem is not just a season ticket issue. The price of the average cheapest ticket is £28.80 which would mean that a day out for a family of four, all things considered, could be around £150 - or even higher depending on the club and where the game is.

The result is that the regular seasonticket supporting fans are more likely to be older, of a certain economic background, and are likely to have higher expectations when they are there. This is how the atmosphere is affected.

If the passionate local support are priced out of attendance and the young fans - those who decades ago would be swept up by the culture of the club, attending games from childhood and form the hardcore of the clubs support - are unable to go

regularly, those fans who have some of the strongest ties to the club are prevented from showing their passion and building that loud atmosphere that Mourinho claimed was lacking.

Moreover, generally if you pay a lot for something, you feel you are entitled to expect higher quality than if you were to pay less. Is football any different from a normal product? Not really. Paying on average £1 for every three minutes of action in the Premier League in the cheapest seats (the majority are likely to be paying much more), sitting through 90 minutes of watching your team stutter and struggle to a bore draw or uninspired loss, will not leave you feeling like shouting and chanting throughout.

With higher prices comes higher expectations, and statistical comparisons often used in the press that show that it is cheaper to fly to Germany, watch Borussia Dortmund and fly home than to go to a Premier League game do not help. Fans’ demands are increasing. But, with the prices increasing, perhaps this is fair? It is inaccurate to say that all of the clubs in all of the games have this problem. Stoke City’s home support is famous for producing a hostile, loud atmosphere for visiting teams and, while often criticised for being quieter, top four sides like Arsenal and Chelsea have no problem making a racket in games that will make or break their season like the Champions League matches, local derbies or title contender clashes.

That said, the issue is a real one for more and more fans, choosing to save the money, watch the game on TV

and maybe attend just a few games a season.

Depressingly, it is hard to see a change in the near future

Depressingly, it is hard to see a change in the near future. Government ministers have condemned the price of football, but it is a global game, with a global market and massive demand. For the boards and chairmen the ideal fan is not the young, local die-hard who will follow the club for life. Nor are they the season ticket holder in the cheapest seats.

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Blues netball beat Birmingham to go top of the league Dave Buckley

University College

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he Blues netball team entertained the University of Birmingham at Iffley Road on Bonfire Night, emerging as comfortable victors in a thoroughly entertaining game.

Both teams headed into the fixture knowing a win would send them to the top of the BUCS Midlands 2A league. Oxford started the brighter, with their high intensity play forcing early mistakes from Birmingham; the Blues were rewarded with a brace of goals in the opening five minutes.

The remainder of the first quarter was a cagey affair, until a flurry of goals just prior to the interval culminated in Oxford going into the break with a healthy 7-4 lead.

The second quarter began with the visitors on the front foot and, despite a heroic goal-saving interception from goalkeeper Keyser, Birmingham would score first to put them within 2 of Oxford. This seemed to rouse the Oxford team, and any threat of a comeback was soon put to bed with some brilliant approach play leading to three quick-fire goals for the Blues.

With Murray, Coe and Rogers controlling the game, Oxford could have been out of sight if not for the clinical finishing of the Bir-

They are the fan who comes once or twice a season, pays the full matchday ticket, buys a programme, food and drink from the club and stops at the club shop to buy shirts, scarves and whatever club-branded items they desire. Enough of those fans each week and, while the atmosphere may vary hugely game to game, the profits will continue to rise. There is nothing wrong with those people as fans. Of course not - football is for everyone and its great that so many want to attend. The problem lies with the vast number of fans priced out for the majority of games. The fans are being forgotten and clubs need to do something about it.

mingham goal shooter. It ended 13-7 at half-time with Birmingham just within touching distance of the hosts.

They wouldn’t be for long as the third quarter soon turned into a goal-fest for Oxford. The astoundingly high energy levels of their back line saw almost every Birmingham attack snuffed out. The eagerness of goal defence Dixon to swiftly turn defence into attack led to a plethora of goal-scoring opportunities for goal attack Fries and shooter Faull.

Faull in particular was in imperious form, and her near-perfect rate of conversion meant Oxford ended the quarter having doubled their goal tally: 26-13 to Oxford.

Oxford continued to assert their superiority throughout the final quarter, in-keeping with the professional performance they had put on thus far. Keyser was immense at the back, Murray incisive in the centre, and Fries unsympathetic in attack. Oxford extended their lead by another three before the final whistle.

The match finished 35-19 to Oxford with the Blues now sitting top of the league, three points clear of second placed Birmingham and looking in fantastic form going into the remainder of the season.

Team: Ailsa Keyser, Harriet Dixon, Mia Coe, Liz Murray (c), Charlotte Rogers, Anna Fries, Liv Faull.

OUWAFC unbeaten run continues

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he Women’s Blues continued their undefeated streak on Wednesday, with a 2-2 draw away against Birmingham University 2nds. Oxford struggled to settle into the game in the first half and 20 minutes into the match Birmingham grabbed the game’s first goal.

Although momentarily disheartened, the Blues began to up the pressure on their opponents. Oxford’s typical decisiveness wasn’t there though and they ended the first half empty-handed.

After regrouping at the break, the Blues looked a different team in the second half. Kat Nutman was a constant threat in the middle of the pitch and it was little surprise when one of her strong runs resulted in Oxford’s equaliser. After carrying the ball from the halfway line into the Birmingham box, Nutman’s shot rebounded off the post and into the path of Lucie Bowden, who calmly scored on the follow up.

Incredibly, though, despite Oxford’s dominance, it was Birmingham who scored next. A clearance from their defence found its way to a Birmingham forward who sneaked in between the Oxford centre-backs to slot the ball into the net.

Oxford refused to let their heads drop, however, and equalised for the second time soon afterwards. After yet another spell of Oxford pressure in the final third of the pitch, a cross found its way to Sophie Cooper at the back post. The winger coolly controlled the ball and lifted it over the keeper and into the corner of the goal.

13th November 2014

Varsity Match set to honour fallen WWI Blues Dan Smith

Somerville College The Varsity Match at Twickenham is always one of the biggest events on the Oxbridge sporting calendar, but this year it will be even more special as the game is dedicated to the fifty five rugby union Blues who died during the First World War. 2014 marks the hundred year anniversary of the war’s outbreak and the Varsity Match’s organisers plan to hold a minute’s silence before kick-off in remembrance of the game’s former players.

Among the fifty five, there were twenty-six internationals, captains of England, Scotland and the British & Irish Lions and some of the greatest players of their era. Indeed, the 1901 and 1902 Cambridge skipper David BedellSivright was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame in 2013.

Of the players who had played in the final Varsity match before the war in December 1913, all thirty fought for their country whilst nine

of the two team’s starting line ups had been killed before the fixture resumed in 1919. Out of the thirty players who played that day, eight won Military Crosses, two were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross whilst another Blue earned the Air Force Cross. Cambridge ran out 13-3 victors that year and current Oxford captain Jacob Taylor hopes that 101 years on, the score can be reversed in the Dark Blues’ favour.

The idea of paying tribute to the Blues who served in WWI...is a great one The former Australian sevens international and Keble student said that “the idea of paying tribute to the Blues who served in WWI at this year’s Varsity Match is a great one. It is difficult to imagine how things were 100 years ago, but it is easy to respect the decision made by so many

young men to step forward to serve their country,” Taylor, who is a Rhodes scholar studying Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology, will be looking to lead Oxford to their fifth successive victory in the fixture in an attempt to claw back Cambridge’s 61-56 overall advantage.

Taylor goes on to describe how “one of the defining metaphors for the current Oxford University rugby team is to try to replicate the spirit of the Army in all we do. It is more about utilising that spirit and common bond to make the whole team greater than the sum of its parts.

“Even though none of us have any connections to the fifty-five Blues who gave their lives so willingly, we will have something very special in common with them at Twickenham on Varsity Match day. It will be a privilege to pay our respects to them.”

The Varsity Match last year saw Oxford run out 33-15 winners, even after they had been reduced to fourteen men after scrum-half Sam Egerton had been sent-off

following an off the ball incident.

Tries by Egerton himself, Carter, Lamont and Gardner all helped the Dark Blues to a fairly convincing victory over their rivals with Oxford being seen to be particularly dominant at the scrum. However, even though the Dark Blues have had the better of the most recent Varsity exchanges, Taylor is insistent that the team are still more than motivated to make it five victories on the trot.

Going for the record five wins in a row is a big incentive He says, “Going for the record five wins in a row is a big incentive, but that doesn’t really motivate me as much as the task of bringing a new Oxford squad together this season does. I’m really motivated by the players in the squad and the experience of going through a journey together,” Cambridge skipper Harry Peck,

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who is following in his father’s footsteps in also captaining the Light Blues, is determined to put the memories of recent Varsity encounters behind him; saying, “We cannot carry the baggage of previous defeats. The shared goal of a long awaited victory is something we will use to unify and motivate our players.”

Peck will take great encouragement from Oxford’s recent form, that hasn’t been fantastic of late. They narrowly lost 9-5 to Worcester Warriors in a hard-fought game at Iffley Road last Tuesday whilst also losing to Bristol 34-31 in another tight match the week before. They did complete an impressive 24-10 victory over London Wasps on 20th October however and Oxford skipper Taylor will be hoping they can rekindle the sort of form shown that evening, come Varsity match-day in December.

The Varsity Match is being played at 14:30 on 11th December at Twickenham Stadium. Tickets are still available and can be purchased via the Varsity Match 2014’s website.