Issuu 159

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NEWS

Night Club Assault in Sub Zero

LIFESTYLE SPORTS WEDNESDAY 29TH OCTOBER | ISSUE 159

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COMMENT

Feminism Today

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TV

Judgement: The X Factor

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LIFESTYLE

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Halloween worldwide

Demonstraters Say No to Bindel

Full story on page 3

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News

Ed Gove, Content Deputy Editor Emily Townsend Online Deputy Editor Andrew Smith Design Deputy Editor

Jake Stones, News Editor Fiolla Korenica, News Deputy Editor Shaun Quilter News Deputy Editor

Editorial It was one of those exhausting 6 day working weeks when the to do list never seemed to end and getting onto the same wave length with another person was like trying to ride a surfboard. And to top it all off I dropped my toothbrush in the toilet. So why had I taken on the crazy task of doing my Masters while working two jobs? Part of me thinks it is because I have been scared into a panicked world of employability skill buzzwords and the ever-terrifying graduate job market. At times my brain might as well be Fox News with my self doubt dressing up as those fake experts and telling me how difficult it will be to compete with all those other graduates.

And maybe some of the fear is warranted, we live in a world where the threshold of the amount of education you need for jobs is getting higher and starting out as a paperboy and ending up as CEO is no longer possible. However it seems the more experience I gain and the more trainings I go to that are supposed to make me more employable, the more I feel like I have no experience and am never going to be able to stand out to an employer. The more I read about it, the more I realise that being gay and being a woman has now added multiple hurdles in my way and made me even more “undesirable” than my lack of experience already had.

Just like when I was single I clung to the hope that my personality would compensate for my looks, I now hold the hope of my competence outweighing potential sexism and homophobia close to me. But maybe what I lack isn’t experience or education, a beard or heterosexuality, maybe its confidence.

I do two jobs and a Masters because I though I could get something out of taking on each of these tasks. And if experience isn’t enough then maybe the drive for self development will be.

Your Editor, Saga Eriksson

STUDENT

THINK! Seminar Hosted on the Topic of Pornography Last Wednesday, the THINK! debate on pornography took place amid protest and dissent. The THINK! seminars and debates are held by faculty member Dr Jeffrey Howard every few weeks on thoughtprovoking and controversial topics. Last week, speakers Jerry Barnett and Julie Bindel were invited to state their opinions on the question, ‘Does hardcore pornography degrade women and harm our relationships?’ Jerry Barnett used to earn a living distributing porn on the internet, and now campaigns against government censorship of porn through his Sex & Censorship campaign. Julie Bindel is a self-defined radical feminist and co-founder of Justice for Women, a group which opposes violence against women. The debate began with 25 minute presentations from each speaker, then contributions or questions from the audience.

Jeffrey Howard, the organiser of the event, began by indirectly addressing the controversy surrounding the invitation of Julie Bindel to the university, who has been accused of portraying trans- and biphobic views. He said that the nature of politics is that people disagree with each other, and that he understands those who are not happy with the invitation of Julie to the university: “I respect you, I respect your integrity”. Jerry Barnett also stated his views on the matter. Referring to the attempt of some students to disinvite Julie through a petition, he said that censorship was “an incredibly elitist idea”.

He attacked Julie by saying that she was an antisex feminist and also stated that some feminists believed that women “can be anything they choose, except sexual.” Jerry said that porn artists are happy with their work: “this is my choice, this is my right, this is what I want to do”. Later on, when questions and comments were open to the floor, an audience

member commented saying that maybe porn artists do not complain about their work because their pay is so seductive, which is exploitative. He disagrees with the government’s policy of censorship hardcore porn is banned on TV in the UK, a policy only two other EU countries have also adopted.

He degraded the recent furore over ‘lads’ mags’ and Page 3 of the Sun as ‘moral panics’ - making the cynical point that “the very existence of a lad’s mag on a shelf endangers you as a woman”. He also addressed the double standards afforded to men: “David Beckham appears in his pants but noone protests because we don’t objectify men, only women”.

Julie countered all of Jerry’s points by stating that he’s an “industry man”: “this nirvana of opportunity for men and women is based on utter lies and just for profit”. She also countered his point that she is an ‘anti-sex’ feminist, by saying that “there’s no way that my view is anti-sex, but it is anti-pornography from a human rights view”. She believes that women within the industry are harmed and abused, with the consequence of contracting medical problems. She also believes that porn is linked to the rise in sexual crimes: “If we believe that advertising has an effect, then we must believe porn does too”. She believed that the way to solve the degrading of women in society was to install more informed and better sex education.

The debate ended with rapid applause from the full auditorium. The next debate is going to be on another controversial topic: how to combat ISIS. Check out http://www.essex.ac.uk/ss/news/think_ seminars.aspx if you are interested in participating in the debate.

Fiolla Korenica

WEDNESDAY 30th october | ISSUE 159

NEWS

STUDENT

STUD ACTI ENT ON

Protesters refuse to speak to Bindel Demonstrators gathered at the Lecture Theatre Building on Colchester’s campus last Wednesday in defiance of the invitation, extended by the University, to the columnist and co-founder of Justice for Women, Julie Bindel. Bindel, who identifies herself as a radical feminist, came to the University to attend a discussion on pornography as part of the ‘THINK!’ seminar series.

Bindel’s career has been defined primarily by her controversial views on sexuality – resulting in accusations of transphobia and biphobia from some. Last Wednesday she was on campus to take part in the debate between herself and the porn industry entrepreneur, Jerry Barnett, over the degrading effect the industry can have on women (see page 2). Several of the 22 demonstrators gathering outside the seminar room acknowledged her “successful campaign to tackle violence against women,” but were quick to add that “this does not absolve her of her hurtful opinions… and the contribution she has had towards violence against transgender people.”

Others, including student Petar Stanchev, were less accepting and regarded Bindel’s presence on campus as a “breach of safety policy [for LGBT students on campus]” and, having been refused entry to the debate on the grounds of health and safety, accused the University of “bureaucratic tricks to stop this protest”. The group consisted of students from different parts of UofE life, including the President of the Feminist Society, Toni Laporta, and the Students’ Union Campaigns Officer, Adrià Porta Caballe, who arrived in a show of support, indicating the broad consensus on this issue amongst student body representatives.

Security presence was much more noticeable than usual around the building, with several security guards posted on different entrances, the Head of Security, the University Registrar and Communications Office staff all manning doors and checking identification. Photographers and SX:TV camera crew were also denied access to the

building itself, however no reason was given for this. The rumours of the demonstration had clearly caused more of a stir than the demonstration itself, however it did not go unnoticed as protestors held a banner reading ‘Transphobia Kills Women’ in the path of students leaving the seminar room at the end of the session.

A senior member of the protest group reaffirmed the message that this was always to be a peaceful

protest, and all they wanted was to have a discussion with Ms Bindel. However, when she offered to meet with them, the majority of the group defiantly refused. However, one thing they were all united on is that they did not want Bindel on campus. “Anyone who spreads hate speech, no matter which group it is aimed at, should not be allowed on our campus,” said one transgender student, Stefan Bertram-Lee, who then went on to say, “Myself, my friends and other transgender students feel hurt that that University won’t take into consideration our views, or the views of the Students’ Union… the student voice was absolutely clear – we don’t want this event here.”

The UofE Students’ Union President, Chantel Le Carpentier – who herself also identifies as a radical feminist – has publicly opposed Julie

Bindel’s invitation to the University – saying in a statement on Facebook, “She has no place in the Essex community, especially at a time when we have just been awarded 10/10 in Stonewall’s Gay By Degree,” and joining the ranks of online activists who launched a petition to have Bindel’s invitation retracted. The petition gathered just over 250 signatures before the day of the event.

Ms Le Carpentier then went on to add, “Feminist theory is also not as simple as some may like to think. Radical Feminism is a whole spectrum in itself, and there [are] debates within feminist thought that will go on for centuries.”

As for Julie Bindel, her thoughts on the demonstration occurring just metres away, on the other side of the door, were clear: “Everybody has the right to peaceful protest and I support that wholeheartedly, whatever side of any fence they’re on.” But when it came to the online protest against her appearance at the event, she wasn’t quite as accepting – “What has been happening, with the online petition and some of the language used to describe me, has been bullying… it has been intimidating, with the aim to frighten me out of coming.” She then went on to say that she “refutes the allegations made against [her] – that I am somehow a threat to Muslim students, to Trans students, to all LGBT students…

I think that’s absolute nonsense.”

What is clear from ‘Bindelgate’ and the events of last Wednesday is that Essex students will still make their views known if they feel unheard. The group, who had demonstrated passionately for two hours and leafleting any student who passed nearby, rolled up their banner as security began to disappear and the Lecture Theatre Building went back to its normal, tranquil state. But lessons should be learned from this demonstration – on ‘both sides of the fence’, as Bindel would put it.

Tom Hunter

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The First Zero Carbon Business School in the UK In early 2012, the Essex Business School at the University of Essex’s Colchester Campus won planning consent for a new three-storey 5,550 sq. m higher education research and training building. The purpose of the building is to provide students, staff and business partners with innovative spaces and a collaborative environment. The University states that the building will open in the summer of 2015, and that the ‘Landmark new building reflects our vision for growth, excellence and sustainability.’

Behind the design of the building are BDP, who are a major international, interdisciplinary practice of architects, engineers and urbanists. The architectural character of the new Business School aims to keep with the University’s ‘core values of sustainability and ethical business practices which will incorporate several low and zero carbon technologies, making it the first zero-carbon business school in the UK.’ BDP Project Architect Keith Watson claimed “It has been designed to be visibly sustainable at every level, from its orientation on site, choice of structure and materials, landscaping and passive engineering strategies.”

For instance, there will be a winter garden dome that will give the building its own micro-climate, which will allow the building to keep cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The University’s website offers a live construction video of the building that can be found at: http://www.essex.ac.uk/ ebs/building/video.

In keeping with the University’s promise of a stimulating learning environment for students, the building will contain; a lecture theatre, a seminar room with top of the range IT facilities, innovative social spaces, study areas for postgraduates and research students, networking opportunities for businesses and a dedicated office space for student entrepreneurs.

The networking opportunities for businesses are one of the most interesting factors of the Business School. This is because the building will be a hub for ‘local and regional businesses to network with one another, meet Essex students, and discuss the practical application and implications of current organisational research with the Essex faculty.’ Some of the key benefits for business include; large social spaces for academics and students to network,

Upcoming Society Events History Society - Horrible Halloween Quiz Spectacular -

Casual get-together.

Date: 6/11/2014

The History Society president and education officer will be holding a special halloweenthemed quiz. Dressing up is a requirement!

Time: TBC

Date: 30/10/2014

Essex Cypriot Society - On Tour live at Essex

Time: TBC Location: History Common Room

Location: Meet up in the History Common Room.

Greek night with Live music from band On Tour.

Date: 06/11/2014

Essex Cypriot Society - Charity Fundraising Essex Cypriot Society will be fundraising for charities Radiomarathon, Alkyonides and Anemone.

Date: 03 & 04/11/2014 Time: 10:00-16:00 Location: Square 3 History Society - Meal out in Colchester

Time: 23:00 Location: Sub Zero Joint event with the History Society, Sociology Society, and Student Ambassador Society

Time: TBC

The conference and seminar spaces, which are mentioned above, will be available for hire to local businesses and local community groups, which can involve organised meetings and training courses.

The University has further claimed that ‘many of the facilities within the new building are open to bids of sponsorship as a unique way to promote business.’

The University of Essex is adding to its excellence by building the first zero carbon business school in the UK. The building will create many great opportunities for current students, future students and the local community. The University is definitely fulfilling its claim of ‘Watch us grow’, as the Colchester Campus continues to visibly expand.

Shaun Quilter

TEDEsseX ‘TED’ is an organisation known for its vast collection of talks from speakers of all fields and walks of life, from across the world, and on the 21st of October, the University of Essex joined the league of institutes which chose to host and contribute to this mighty collective of knowledge.

The University and its students warmed to the prospect of TED coming to town, after the 200 tickets available- which were free, as TED is a non-profit organisation- were snatched up in a mere thirty minutes. The talks were held in the Lakeside Theatre, and hosted by Professor Todd Landman, who praised the speakers for their “inspirational, thought provoking” and “gripping talks”, which delved into the depths of research projects being conducted at the University.

The talks themselves ranged from the broad topic of feeding the world and the ethics of citizenship, to robot warriors. Meg O’Loughlin, one of the main organisers of the event on the day, and is part of the “Essex 50” team, spoke of the event as a “great success” and felt that to hear the talks was a “privilege”. The buzz on campus is suggesting good things from the event, and with Meg and her team emphasising that this was “our first” TED event, perhaps we can hope to see TED on campus again in the future.

Trip to Colchester Zoo Date: 8/11/2014

business-friendly conference and seminar facilities and sponsorship and collaboration opportunities.

Along side this notion of business networking, the University are allowing the new Business School facilities to be open to the local community. This will allow organisations, schools and interested visitors the chance to see the School in action via a tour, which will show visitors how the eco-friendly building functions.

Jake Stones

WEDNESDAY 30th october | ISSUE 159

Black History Week The University of Essex has created a week of events to celebrate the history of achievements of the black diaspora.

Upcoming events Thursday 30th October - Caribbean Buffet 5-7pm, SU Bar. An all-you-can-eat buffet for only £6.25!

Thursday 30th October - SU Bar Quiz 9-11pm, SU bar.

Friday 31st October - African and Caribbean Cultures Festival - 12pm-4pm, Square 3. Experience African and Caribbean culture. The artwork from the competition will be showcased on Square 3 from 11am to 4pm.

Two women assaulted in altercation in Sub Zero Police are appealing for information 2 students punched in the face by a man at Sub Zero nightclub at the start of term.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “Two females were assaulted. One was punched in the face by a suspect on the dance floor.”

The incident happened at around 1am on Thursday October 2.

Police say the victim sat down after the assault to tell her friend about the incident. The friend then confronted the man and was also punched.

The suspect is said to be aged around 20 or 21, with mousey hair and was wearing a grey jumper and jeans. A representative for the University said: “Our Students’ Union takes incidents of this kind extremely seriously and is helping police with their enquiries.”

Anyone who attended the nightclub that night or who recognises the description is advised to call PC Mike Heslegrave, at Colchester Police Station on 101. Anyone with information can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Emily Townsend

NEWS

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Remember, Remember Fire Safety on the 5th of November With Bonfire night coming up here are some tips on how to stay safe when dealing with fireworks.

Fireworks fire tips If you are thinking about celebrating November the 5th please bear in mind the following advice.

• The setting off of fireworks in or outside University Buildings is strictly prohibited.

• If you are buying fireworks for a private display off Campus please make sure you purchase from an authorised retailer and read and follow all the instructions prior to setting them off.

• Make sure you obtain and read a copy of the Firework code, these are widely available when you purchase fireworks.

E – Cigarettes Fire Brigades around the UK are reporting fires ( one fatal) that have been caused by electronic cigarettes exploding and catching fire, in the main these incidents have been caused by the cigarettes battery being incorrectly charged. Please follow the following advice if using these devices.

• Always purchase your electronic cigarette from a reputable retailer with the appropriate charger supplied.

• Only charge the battery by using the correct charger supplied or recommended for the cigarette, DO NOT charge from any other device.

• Only charge the battery for the recommended time period and never leave it on charge unattended or overnight.

• If you have any doubts about the equipment you are using return it to your retailer or speak to one of the University Fire Officers.

More information on fire safety can be found here http://www.essex.ac.uk/students/campus/ emergency.aspx If you have any questions about fire safety please get in touch.

John Crust and Graham Joy University Fire Safety Officers Email: fire@essex.ac.uk

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Comment

Philippa Dobson, Comment Editor *This issue was edited in collaboration with Andreea Ghita

Why do we still need Feminism?

Feminists are often faced with one question - ‘why do we even need feminism anymore?’ and while many may feel that equality has been achieved (I mean, we can vote...what else could we possibly want?) we still have a long way to go. One area that needs massive improvement is the stage in our lives that we all have found ourselves in - university.

one third of respondents said that they endure unwanted sexual comments about their body.

Two thirds said they have seen students put up with unwanted sexual comments, while more than a third of women students (37 per cent) said they had faced unwelcome sexual advances.’

Sexism is rife in the university environment and it’s a problem that needs to be addressed.

With campaigns such as Oxford University’s ‘I need feminism because...’ gathering nearly 500 participants in just two days with every photo including a different individual with their own unique statement on how sexism effects them, it is clear to see that there is still a massive problem.

These statistics show that unfortunately sexism and sexual harassment have become universal experiences and almost synonymous with student life. This is a norm that should not just be accepted. With statistics such as those above plus The President of the NUS calling for universities to do more to tackle ‘lad culture’ it shows that the often darker side of many people’s university years are finally being addressed.

In a survey recently conducted by the NUS out of 2,156 male and female students ‘almost

I feel like only through discarding archaic misconceptions of feminism being a movement

Stop Objectification Girls grow up and become women, but no one tells them the baggage they have to carry with them through the fast changing society we live in today. Nowadays, issues such as stereotypes, discrimination and objectification still shape society in such a way that we can find extremes in the feminist movement.

Our society has created an ambiguous and negative meaning for feminism and for what this should represent for women, and men as well. Even though there are so many issues to be discussed I chose to talk about objectification, because for most women, and men, it is a part of daily life.

There are many ways in which a woman can be objectified and it starts very young. For instance, in children’s books or TV shows, male characters outnumber female ones. I feel that emancipation for a woman happens when she can fulfill her goals without being stopped by situations that shouldn’t be happening in the first place, such as sexual objectification.

Sexual objectification however, is the most common and most visible. As I am sure is the case for many women, I have been treated as a sexual object by passing men on one too many occasions. I have also heard many of my male-friends voice their wonder as to how I am not taking this unwanted attention as flattering.

of ‘man-haters’ and facing the reality that gender equality is a fight that includes both sexes we will begin to make positive steps forward. Also, we all have to face the fact that a large percentage of the cultures we have harvested in our university environment are damaging and harmful before any progress can be made.

Toni Laporta

The F Word ‘You’re not a feminist are you?’ asked with a tinge of disgust is something I have heard countless times, particularly since coming to university. The usual response along the lines of ‘no, of course not’ is much more disappointing and surprising. When feminism is merely advocating rights for women equal to that of men, it is somewhat baffling why anyone, particularly women, would so vehemently deny being a feminist.

Feminism is not about the ignorant misconceptions that many people have about it, and the sooner that is realised the better. The ‘Women Against Feminism’ trend is made up of mainly female users submitting explanations of why they don’t need feminism, with reasons ranging from not hating men to needing help opening jars. Many of the reasons submitted do not conflict with the goals of feminism - it isn’t about who opens jars or lifts things, and it certainly isn’t about hating men. Gender stereotypes that feminists fight against affects males too. Gender discrimination affects you, male or female, so there is little reason not to support it.

For me it is quite obvious that treating a person as a commodity, without having any regard for their dignity, feelings or personalities has repercussion. Men can be affected too since not all of them objectify women, but sometimes, all men are put, unfairly, in the same category. However as a woman in a society where values and goals change rapidly, talking about women’s rights, feminism, and drawing attention to issues such as sexual objectification, shouldn’t be looked upon carelessly.

If you feel like you have never experienced any form of even mild sexism in your life then I am glad and this is a victory for feminism. However, this is far from a reason to denounce the movement that has given women the right to be considered people, to vote, to use birth control and that has made rape within marriage illegal.

Alexandra Paduret

Rachael Stanton

So unless you oppose these advances or think discriminatory practises (which still happen even in the UK, such as the pay gap) should continue, I encourage you to rethink your answer the next time someone asks if you are a feminist.

Wednesday 29th october | Issue 159

‘He for She’ Campaign It is possible that every woman has, at least once, experienced gender discrimination. Whether it was of a sexual nature, or at the workplace, or even at home, is not particularly relevant.

I am a woman, who acknowledges the basic, real differences between men and women but refuses to recognize the ones created by society, which have no basis in reality.

Personally, I believe that some differences between men and women should be embraced: it is nice when a man opens the door for you, or helps you with your bags. But, there are one too many cases of women not being given the same privileges as men.

UN Women has launched a campaign against gender discrimination, called “He for She”.

Emma Watson is the Goodwill Ambassador for this campaign, and her speech laid out several interesting points.

By definition, feminism means advocating women’s rights and gender equality. I consider myself a feminist, but for some it is shameful to say so, because the word has been associated with man-hating, aggressiveness, or frustration.

The purpose of the campaign brings a completely new approach to gender inequality: the campaign’s aim is to galvanise one billion boys and men to be advocates for gender discrimination, to stand up for the women in their lives.

COMMENT

Toni Laporta This way, the “men” vs “women” battle could come to an end. Every woman is entitled to equal pay, to make her own decisions about her body, and to be given the same social standing and respect as men. Emma Watson’s speech also makes another highly important point: men are also subject to gender stereotypes and by abolishing these, we can stop gender inequality.

Women, go on the “He for She” website and invite the men in your lives to be your advocates for change.

Andreea Ghita

Feminism: A Male View Feminism can often be a scary and awkward subject for men to address. In current society it can often be perceived as ‘man hating’ and a ‘women’s only club’ which men cannot support.

Being a feminist can be seen as being exclusive to women, but what people fail to recognise is that men may agree and share the same values feminists have.

without realising it, and that they too want the changes in society that feminists want.

This speech did wonders in addressing the problems of feminism, because it does have a reputation of ‘man-hating’ in society, due to minorities of women who do use it to express their hatred of men.

It also finally broke the barriers down and can now produce an equal discussion in which men can be involved, as they now do not feel isolated from talks involving everyone’s future.

What men perceive to be women looking to have superiority over men and degradation of male social status is actually an attempt to make both women and men equal in today’s society. But surely if men are being left out of any discussion about gender equality, then we cannot hope to have a society where everyone has equal rights without prejudice. This was until now.

In a recent speech addressing feminism at the UN, Emma Watson invited men to be feminists as well and to have a say in the discussion. She said there are many men out there who are feminists

stereotypical gender role of having to be strong and to be the ‘breadwinner’.

A lot of men, including myself, share feminist values and want gender equality, but have never associated themselves with feminism, but now finally, that can change, and real equality can begin.

She also addressed the fact that men are subject to sexist values as well, and are stuck in the

Aiden Mills

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WEDNESDAY 29TH OCTOBER | ISSUE 159

Arts

ART

Jess Rich, Arts Editor Dani Kolanis, Arts Deputy Editor

WINNER OF THE ARTICLE OF THE WEEK SPONSORED BY ODEON COLCHESTER

How FIERCE can a university be?

Giant white and red arrows and propaganda sized letters shouting “Something fierce” are to be found on the walls of our campus. “Something fierce”? Many students pass by, used to the marketing tricks present in our everyday life.

But, please, follow the arrows, there is actually something fierce to be seen.

What can be so fierce that it deserves the refurbished Hex (the original 60s restaurant on campus) all to itself? The answer to this question is us. Asked to tell a poem, the boxer and black civil rights defender, Muhammad Ali, turned and replied with one of the shortest poems in history: We – Us. So, Something Fierce is an exhibition telling us the story of our University. Why ours and why “we - us”, you might ask?

“Something Fierce” is not what you expect, it is the living, boiling and shaking history of a university founded to be an elite breeder and turned by its own students into a nest of rebellion, unconventional thinking and profound humanism.

The history is rooted in the brutalist architecture of campus that was intended to give us the space to meet, discuss, live and study, ignited by the arrival of the first students in the early 60s.

The very same students who protested against the war in Vietnam, declared the “Free University of Essex” as independent from the state, fought riot police on campus, burned cars on Square 4, struggled against the South African Apartheid or the modern Israeli one; these students and their stories are the core of an exhibition you must see.

And I say our history, because these dreamers

(whether in the ‘60s or nowadays!) dared to go against the rules and the authorities and write the brightest pages of the Essex story, defying any oppression, whether coming from inside or outside academia. All this is just an excuse to invite you to follow the arrows, climb the stairs of the Hexagon and empower yourself with a different vision of our fierce University.

Petar Stanchev

Cradle Me Written by Simon Vinnicombe. Directed by Joe Lyndon.

A study of loss and coping. Simon Vinnicombe’s suburban tragedy of a family struggling to come to terms with a sudden death is back again at the Lakeside Theatre Studio, after its success in the spring. The first student studio slot to be revived, it was regarded as a high point in the universities home-grown shows last year. But how has it fared coming back?

If there’s one thing that Cradle Me can’t avoid, it’s the feeling that a second viewing will almost certainly dilute its impact. Gone is the rush of adrenalin that accompanies seeing a well-made piece of art for the first time.

Instead, with the knowledge of the show’s plot entrenched in the memory, it becomes natural to scrutinise the play with perhaps an even harsher intensity than during its initial run.

The show’s story follows the loss of a son in a

small family, and their changing relationships with the boy’s best friend. Characters find comfort and learning in this new dynamic, with a father trying to see his own son in the youth, and a daughter finding a strange mix of the shadow of a sibling, and someone to help her with her own emerging sexuality.

Out of all these relationships, the most potent and eventually destructive is that which involves the mother. A tale of loss and love which almost drives a family right into the abyss.

With characters and relationships the focus of the play, it’s a success that each actor brings an accomplished sense of believability to the roles. The ensemble and direction are all responsible for crafting a very good sense of realism and emotional connection within the piece. Which is almost a shame, as the script

is by far the weakest aspect of the show.

With believability the root of the show’s power, it often deviates from well-crafted chunks of dialogue and action to conversations and scenes that sound wrong, and damage the moments when it gets it right. To put it bluntly, the script is consistent only at being inconsistent.

All this means that Cradle Me is not a perfect piece of theatre. But it is by no means a bad show. Rather, it feels like a good performance in a bad framework. Yes, there are moments when it gets it wrong. But when it gets it right, it gets it right in a very good way.

Lakeside Theatre Studio. Friday 17th and Saturday 18th October 2014.

Scott Osbon

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Music

Alex Driscoll, Music Editor

Florrie

Coffee House Sessions

Eoin Glackin Florrie’s almost bluesy introduction with the punchy “Live A Little” sets the tone for her setlist, and quickly establishes her as an exceptional rhythm guitarist. She is unafraid to enter the upper register of her voice, which might be described as “pretty” if that didn’t imply a lack of substance and strength – “graceful” might be a better term. It sounds great, especially on “Left Too Late”, where her voice is reminiscent of the 1980s classic “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak.

Eoin Glackin (pronounced “Owen”) is one man with a guitar, some pedals and a huge load of charisma; think a one man Kodaline, or a happier Bright Eyes. He does manage to give his songs a pleasant consistency, and when you listen to his songs, there’s no chance you won’t know what you’re getting into: acoustic guitars, and his soft but dynamic voice.

He’s a versatile musician, yes, but he knows just what works for him.

He provides a blend of bluesy folk with lyrics that, upon first listen, you may miss the meaning of. He does have a way with words, and in “Ninja Turtles” he even manages to throw in a Virgin Mary reference.

He’s not just pleasant vocals and metaphors though, Glackin knows his way around a guitar. This is even more impressive, as he is selftaught. Whether it’s gentle finger picking or strumming, each song is individual, showcasing his talents. It also helps that he’s not afraid to have fun with his songs, and his looping pitch shifting songs on the fly is impressive; this is a man who has the confidence and skill to stick around for a long time, and let’s hope he does.

Anton Greenaway

The combined guitar/cajon arrangement works well for her, and the stripped down one-man arrangements are vastly different to her studio performances, which are markedly more pop-produced. It is a testament to her songwriting skills how each tune holds up perfectly well without the studio shine. Halfway through her set, Florrie performs a cover of George Ezra’s recent hit “Budapest”. Her voice is perfectly suited, and it feels like the original song should have been a duet with her. The set ends shortly after – too soon. It was disappointing when she announced that “Galaxy” was to be her final song for the evening. t was probably the most “pop” of the set, and if not the fastest, certainly one of the fastest. The simplicity of the lyrics make it a good choice for a single, but as the songwriting quality did not dwindle across the whole show, it all depends on the production employed for the process. Well-crafted melodies and some interesting chord progressions prevent her from falling into the boring singer-songwriter trap, which happens far too often.

Alex Driscoll One thing is clear about Britain’s highestreaching country band; their influences are in the right place. Their press event at London’s esteemed St. Pancras Hotel was bookended with covers of country queens; Loretta Lynn’s “Take My Man” started them off, and the welldeserved encore was Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5”.

Ward Thomas

Aside from being a bit of a novelty – country music isn’t something 2014’s UK are very interested in, although things are slowly changing – Ward Thomas are actually a very good band. Their songs are written well, and Catherine and Lizzy’s twin sister harmonies are on point.

The fact that the whole band were dressed only fractionally as posh as much of the audience is ample evidence of their livestock farm

upbringing, and they stick to their ways.

Despite not being a complete renewal of the genre, there’s one thing they’re almost certainly the first to do: write a honky tonk song about Essex. “Town Called Ugley” was the final song of the set before their encore. The town, 35 miles west of Colchester, has only 500 people in it, and so is the perfect UK equivalent of a small-town song that you might hear on the other side of the Atlantic.

The turning point for country in the UK? Quite possibly. Time will tell, but with performances like these, they should inherit praise for generally being a good band, rather than just a genre gimmick.

Alex Driscoll

Wednesday 29th october | Issue 159

MUSIC

ALBUM REVEWS “Standing in line at the grocery store, it’s February as cold as it gets... There’s a little girl in front of me with no coat on, her mama’s buyin’ tampons and cigarettes.”

If Presley has not, in that one simple sentence, provided the most heartbreaking piece of social commentary you’ve heard in a long time, please let me know. I’d love to know of any current artist who can deftly stick a knife in your gut and make you feel so sympathetic for someone you’ll never meet, or even know the name of, as she does with that little girl.

Angaleena Presley – American Middle Class

“I try to catch her eye... Give her a smile, tell her it’s gonna be okay but it might take a while...” This beautifully touching story is one of many told on the album’s

third track “Grocery Store”. Presley (who is not the daughter of Elvis Presley, but arguably has created some similarly perfect ballads here on her debut album) has provided the clear winner of the Americana genre this year.

Stylistically, the album is coherent, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t sporadically rock out. Described as “roots music with a degree”, unique flourishes permeate the album, like her father speaking over the title track, shortly telling his life story, before Angaleena sings of how her mother would buy her shoes from the dollar store, and hot-glue a brand logo onto the back of them so she wouldn’t be bullied at school for being poor. If that doesn’t kick you where it hurts, you may be dead inside.

Alex Driscoll We’re a year and a half on from the official break up of My Chemical Romance, and many people saw the end of MCR’s career as the end of former lead singer Gerard Way’s career too.

However, ‘Hesitant Alien’ has peaked at 14th in the UK charts equalling the last MCR album ‘Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys’.

What can be said about the album itself? Gerard has always been a man of passion when it comes to music, passion that seeps through the stereo, snowballing into the listener, and this album is no different.

However, ‘Hesitant Alien’ takes a step back from the paranoid, anarchic feeling generated by his previous music.

Tracks like ‘Action Cat’ sound like the soundtrack to a summer festival; ‘Millions’ too has an Indie-Pop feel. Both tracks are without heavy guitar distortions and feature lighter, bouncier drum beats.

However, if you are a fan of Gerard’s previous music, fear not. You will still be getting the same great music that you would expect. What sets this album apart can be summed up in one word: variety. Whether you want to chant and scream or dance and sing, there are a host of tracks to suit your mood.

Though this variety may come from an uncertainty of where to take his music career post-MCR – which would at least explain the name – this album is the mark of an artist who wants to grow and progress but still hold on to the style of music that he adores.

With the exception of Juarez (which lacks organisation or aesthetics, sounding like a combination of mismatched songs), this album is a one-sitting listen.

Unlike other solo albums from former frontmen, not only does this album sound completely exclusive of MCR it also varies hugely from song to song, making it one you will want to listen to over and over again.

Gerard Way – Hesitant Alien

Jake Bourgaize

ONE TO WATCH:

The Pisdicables

Bexley’s Six-piece ska-punk band The Pisdicables are impossible not to love. Their sound is cool for any atmosphere, the kind that you may not realise you feel so happy listening to until you do.

Live, they are borderline unmissable, and we can only hope they get some extra traction soon to make that a reality for more people; it’s important that we keep Ska alive in the hearts of the British public, and these guys are a great choice for that. Highlight of their set “I Know I Know” can be found on SoundCloud, and is the perfect introduction to their warm, familiar sound.

Alex Driscoll

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14

Film

Edward Lincoln, Film Editor

Seven Films to Sink Your Teeth into for Halloween

You know that Halloween’s fast approaching when the typical hardcore horror film buff starts brewing up his horror marathon a month in advance. And, while any self-respecting film lover would indicate horror classics such as Friday the 13th, The Shining, Evil Dead, The Exorcist, Halloween, Psycho and so on, we’re sharing some less obvious suggestions to try out during Halloween Night! In no particular order.

Sleepy Hollow (1999)

You’re Next (2011)

Trick ‘R Treat (2007)

The Frighteners (1996)

The Innocents (1961)

What’s Halloween without the Headless Horseman? Tim Burton’s bloody tongue-in-cheek horror fantasy will probably withstand the test of time forever. Misty landscapes, gnarling trees, witchcraft, town conspiracies, murder, mystery and a head-hungry horseriding spook are the highlights of Sleepy Hollow, in which a hamlet Constable Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp, of course) is sent to investigate a string of murders in the late 18th Century.

One of the finest recent home invasion flicks, and definitely an accelerating and tensiondriven one. A partly dysfunctional family, the Davisons, hold a reunion in their vacation house out in the Missouri wilderness... the only next door house is where a double murder has just taken place. Soon, they find themselves trapped as three masked killers start eliminating family members one by one, unaware that survivalist Erin (Sharni Vinson) has the guts and wits to outsmart, trap and ultimately face the killers.

Now a cult classic, Michael Dougherty’s holiday-themed anthology is spooky and morbidly funny. A tiny-sized, seemingly innocent trick-or-treater, Sam, strolls around a town on Halloween Night and, told in four separate tales, follows people who disrespect the holiday: a school principal is actually a serial killer, four kids play a deadly prank on their friend, a young woman dressed as Red Riding Hood finds herself pursued by a stranger on her way to a party in the woods, and finally, a Scrooge-like, Halloween-hating old man gets what’s coming to him.

Scripted and directed by Peter “Lord of the Rings” Jackson, this deliciously melancholic 90s sleeper hit deals with grim themes such as the death of a loved one and the meaning of (after)life, all with an ounce of humour.

This version of the quintessential haunted house story The Turn of the Screw, brought to life in 1961 by director Jack Clayton, is still a surprisingly unnerving experience. Miss Giddens (Deborah Kerr) is appointed as a governess to two young siblings living in a grand yet eerie mansion in the countryside. Pretty soon, she ascertains that not only might the house be haunted, but the children themselves...

Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998) Up until the 90s, the (then comatose) Scooby-Doo franchise had always been kid-friendly... and then came Zombie Island to change everything, giving the franchise a breath of fresh air with its truly frightening imagery, lush animation and intricate story (with its own share of plot twists). After hav-

ing gone their separate ways, Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby reunite in search of actual ghosts for Daphne to feature in her TV show. Their quest leads them to Moonscar Island, a place where people tend to vanish forever. The gang uncovers more haunted stuff than they really wanted...

Psychic detective Frank Bannister (Michael J. Fox) has been using his ability to see and converse with ghosts to his advantage, which means enlisting the help of his ghost partners to create faux hauntings which he’s then called to resolve. But it’s not long before he’s compelled to use his power to help his fellow citizens when the Grim Reaper himself seemingly starts a killing spree!

Night of the Creeps (1986) Scripted and directed by Peter “Lord of the Rings” Jackson, this deliciously melancholic 90s sleeper hit deals with grim themes such as the death of a loved one and the meaning of (after)life, all with an ounce of humour.

Psychic detective Frank Bannister (Michael J. Fox) has been

using his ability to see and converse with ghosts to his advantage, which means enlisting the help of his ghost partners to create faux hauntings which he’s then called to resolve. But it’s not long before he’s compelled to use his power to help his fellow citizens when the Grim Reaper himself seemingly starts a killing spree!

Constantinos Kotrofou

WEDNESDAY 29TH OCTOBER | ISSUE 159

FILM

15

Psycho Despite being over fifty years since its release, ‘Psycho’ still manages to be one of the biggest and most relevant horror films of all time. It is a film that has become iconic with its age, and still manages to scare and thrill audiences to this day. The film was made in a time when movie censorship was more commonplace, and it is therefore a tribute to Hitchcock that he was able to deliver a truly thrilling film despite these difficulties.

We are now in a generation where visual effects determine the scariness of a film, but in a time before green screens Hitchcock had to rely on what he is known best for… suspense. The film begins with secretary Marion Crane ( Janet Leigh) fleeing from her home in Phoenix after embezzling money from her employer, and ending up staying in the now infamous Bates Motel, run by ‘Normal’ Norman Bates (Anthony

Perkins). When Marion is mysteriously murdered by Bates’ psychopathic mother, Norman quickly hides the body in the tar pits, but soon is relentlessly hounded by Marion’s sister and her lover Milton Arbogast, a private detective. The mystery surrounding Norman’s mother creates even more intrigue, and the suspense reaches its climax when the net begins to close in around Norman.

Whilst retrospectively ‘Psycho’ may seem a bit clichéd, (due to its reworked storyline in modern film and television) what it manages to achieve is a marvel, and the film is filled with the genius symbolism and classic narrative flair that shows Alfred Hitchcock at his best.

Aiden Mills

EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW SPONSORED BY ODEON

Nightcrawler The Rabbit were invited a brand new event from Odeon Colchester called Screen Unseen. The initiative allows members of the public to come and watch a movie for £5 - the catch is you do not know what the film is.

The Rabbit’s Tom Phillips, went down to watch the new film Nightcrawler a brilliant thriller based in the heart of Los Angeles.

It stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Lou Bloom, a man desperate for work witnesses a horrific car crash and is amazed by a freelancer getting footage of the rescue mission at hand. Inspired by this Bloom becomes desperate to seek out a career in the industry and teams up with Local News veteran, Nina.

Driven by the success he has experienced, Bloom starts to eliminate

the competition around him by damaging a fellow freelancers car which leads to a horrific and fatal car accident. Ironically making a story for Bloom to film and earn money off.

Bloom’s hunger for success then creates a fantastic portrayal of how desperate and far people can go to make their names known in the media industry as he films the aftermath of a mass murder in a well respected neighbourhood.

From there, the police are intensely monitoring Blooms illegal practises so much we see the death of a loveable character and his intern, Rick.

For all you thriller lovers, this is a definite must-see.

Tom Phillips

The Orphanage If you’re after a film the genuinely earns its scares this Halloween, then look no further than Juan Antonio Bayona’s The Orphanage. Written by Sergio Sánchez and produced by the master of creepy Guillermo del Toro, this movie is for viewers who are sick of Hollywood’s computer generated gore fests looking to startle you into dropping your popcorn, pizza or chocolate all over your lap, computer or cat.

Set in contemporary Spain, this disturbing film takes a look at the idea of children as a source of fear, and introduces us to orphan Laura (Belén Rueda) in a nerve tingling opening sequence. From this chilling start onwards, it is clear that this is a film that fuels an inner sense of terror, rather than making you jump embarrassingly in front of your friends.

After the eerie exploration into Laura’s past, you meet her again 30 years later, happily married to Carlos (Fer-

nando Cayo) with their adopted son Simón (Roger Príncep). Compelled by her need for closure and the fact that she and her son were both adopted, Laura convinces Carlos to buy the orphanage where she grew up. However, this is a horror film, so things do not go smoothly.

What makes this horror movie stand out is not it’s intricate, pulp fictionstyle plot but it’s characters and atmosphere; you will genuinely care about Laura and Carlos, who avoid the ‘nobody believes you cliché that is so abundant in this genre, so you can truly put yourself in their position, and won’t be screaming “DON’T GO IN THERE!” Throughout the film Bayona and Sanchez subtly expose our subconscious fears and ask us to explore them, all by simply setting the scene and letting our imaginations do the rest. This is film that will stick with you long after the credits roll.

Alan Mitchell

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TV

Amy Bater, TV Editor Nisa Khan, TV Editor

The X Factor’s Big Audition It’s a no from us...

Having watched the famed “The X Factor” since almost the very beginning, I think it is safe to say that the show has lost most, if not all, of its originality. It once started as a platform to showcase hidden talents and to give individual a chance at a new life. Whilst that basis is still there somewhere, I can’t help but notice that nowadays the show is there solely to provide members of the public hoping to reach the “celebrity status” a chance to be in the spotlight Year after year we see contestants auditioning to become famous, clearly shown through a record number of bad auditions and divalike behaviour. Whilst the contestants are the life of the show, not all the blame can be put on them for the show’s decline in individuality.

Personalities such as Simon Cowell; head judge on the show, who seem to only revel in the knowledge that their contestants may one day make them a ton of money are part

of the problem. For this fact alone I feel that the show has lowered its standards when it comes to looking for actual talent.

What they now seem to want to find is someone who can sing, but more importantly, looks good doing it. Some may argue that that has not been the case for everyone as “average” contestants have reached a certain level of success in the past, but the fact that they have not sustained that success compared to the people that “look good” says a whole lot about the show and what it stands for.

Ultimately it comes down to the entertainment value for the viewing public but, if we rewind to where it all began; a simple talent show, I would say that the past few years have not been the finest examples of preserving the original purpose of The X Factor.

Nisa Khan

Dave Grohl hates it, Sting hates it, Damon Albarn hates it. Hit-makers who pre-date the show hate it.

But so do today’s hit-makers – Elly Jackson of La Roux, Tom Meighan of Kasabian, and Calvin Harris are few among many who disapprove of the show.

format, the judges and the treatment of contestants if you must – but you cannot fault the raw singing talent of acts like Leona Lewis and Matt Cardle, even if their songwriting talents pale in comparison.

Is that always the case, anyway? In short, no.

Maybe dislike of The X Factor stems from the fact that we have so many televised talent shows now. Or maybe, because it brought us two of the UKs most easy-to-hate groups: Jedward and One Direction. It could be the all-encompassing Christmas #1 winner singles that are soulless, cheesy and admittedly downright irritating – just like the majority of the show’s output. In these cases, I have to admit the hate is well justified.

2010 runner-up Rebecca Ferguson went on to yield two of the most critically acclaimed British albums in recent times, with writing credits on every cut. Kelly Clarkson of American Idol, the most successful talent-show artist ever, wrote some truly outstanding material on her most personal album, My December. Adam Lambert is even the new frontman for Queen – does he deserve flack for his rise to fame, when he clearly has the pipes to pull off Freddie Mercury?

In retaliation though, I have to point out that it is a successful talent show. Anyone who, like Sting, believes that the talent available is just karaoke standard, has either never seen the show themselves or is just a fool. Disapprove of the

The truth is, if you watch the show for the performances, you’ll be treated to SOME great ones. And that is all you can ask of a show like The X Factor.

Alex Driscoll

Wednesday 29th october | Issue 159

TV

...but a yes from us It seems as if I’m fighting a losing battle when I try to defend The X Factor... But I’m going to attempt to anyway. I’ll admit not all of the “talent” to come out of the show is incredible, there have been disasters too long to list, ok; Wager, Chico, Jedward, Cher?! But if you want a lazy Saturday night (and Sunday and Monday and Tuesday) in with a glass of wine and some chocolate then The X Factor is perfect.

For two hours you can guess what combination of clothing Simon is going to wear, who Louis will compare to a young Kevin Costner and watch the panto like rivalry the judges have which leaves you wondering whether the show is actually about the contestants or not.

The X Factor, like it or not, has produced some of the best-selling artists

As The X Factor reaches its eleventh series and has now invaded our televisions, swarming upon our Saturday and Sunday evenings, there was one question that ran through my mind. When will enough be enough? Can we survive without those awful first auditions, the brutal boot camps and the tearful sob stories that drag the contestants through the live finals? Well, we already have – just the live finals to go now and they aren’t without one or two people that – sigh – really shouldn’t be there.

Whilst I say this, and know just how cheesy and bad this show is, I’m not even ashamed to say that I am an avid watcher. So, what makes this series different from the others? Firstly, there may be some memorable people in the live shows for once. Does anyone actually remember Steve Brookstein or Leon Jackson? No. But there are certain characters I will most definitely be rooting for. Paul Akister,

Andrea Faustini, Only The Young, Ben Haenow and the New Boy Band are considered perhaps the strongest, but there is still a couple of months left to go to decide this.

Do I think we could ever experience the ‘next big thing’ again like Leona Lewis, One Direction or JLS? I think the show has been going on for too long now and popularity may be fading despite Cheryl Cole, or Cheryl Fernandez-Versini as she is now known, returning.

Mel B could bring a bit of feistiness and bringing four wildcards back is different to what we are used to.

Either way, it could be said that a lot of TV programmes are getting old now.

However Countdown, Strictly Come Dancing and University Challenge are still going so why shouldn’t The X Factor be? Maybe, just maybe, old is gold!

Gina Dedman

of the decade, lest we not forget one of the bands who whether you love them or love to hate them, would not be around without the show. Yes, I mean One Direction. If you told me you had not found yourself drunk and singing What Makes You Beautiful at 3am at least once, I’d tell you that you were lying. Picture this, without The X Factor we wouldn’t have Harry Styles and his incredibly tight jeans, and by extension that would mean one less bad break up song for Taylor Swift to sing at the Grammys- that is a sad world.

So although I’m sick of the sob stories, and some of the acts this year are mediocre at best, The X Factor is entertainment- and who isn’t a sucker for a cheesy pop song done badly?

Amy Bater

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18

Books

Georgina Dedman, Books Editor

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

by Stephen Chbosky Every book is controversial in one way or another; ment with her boyfriend that resulted in her being some scream in the face of conflict and leave a slapped, and his favourite teacher tells him “we aclegacy of opinions to influence the next reader. For cept the love we think we deserve.” centuries, writers have challenged the ambiguous boundaries of literature through their characters that dare to expose real issues. Literary critics claim that characters are commonly derived from parts of the writers’ self, initiating close comparisons to form an opening for criticism against the creator.

My favourite book as an impressionable teen happened to be in the list of the ‘top ten banned books of all time’. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky is a combination of typical and topical issues that youngsters stumble upon as they mature.

Reading this book at sixteen years old, I ignored the intensity of Chbosky’s scenarios that landed him in a lot of trouble. Maybe I was slightly more naïve than others my age, but the drug use, violence, sexual descriptions and references to mental health blended subtly amongst the emotional rollercoaster of protagonist, Charlie.

BO REVI OK EWS

published fifteen years ago and a recent revival of its storyline came with the film adaptation in 2012.

Stirring the popular opinion that Chbosky idealises the profanities of teen life, the film received much of the same criticism as the book. Personally I believe controversy fuels all literature and positively adds to the satisfaction I receive from reading a good book.

Ashleigh Poole

1. Chbosky is of Scottish, Polish, Irish and Slovak descent.

2.The Perks of Being a Wallflower has I loved this quote for its exterior meaning, never quite understanding the poignancy in the story. Four years older and reading it again, I can now acknowledge the raw authenticity of this book that has been officially banned from many American schools and libraries by the American Library Association.

I accepted the scenarios as undeniably shocking, but more as an ingenious dramatic technique to This book can definitely be classed as risqué but also keep the reader absorbed in Charlie’s world. Char- infinitely relevant to younger audiences. It remains a lie admits to witnessing his sister in a violent argu- consistently disputed plot despite being written and

joined To Kill A Mockingbird to be on a compiled list of the most annually challenged books.

3.

The Four Corners of Nowhere, Chbosky’s first film, was one of the first to be shown on the Sundance Channel.

Gina Dedman

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling When most people hear the name ‘J.K. Rowling’ the first thing to come into their heads will be Harry Potter. It pushed boundaries of typical witch-andwizard stories, and lightened the lives of child and adult alike.

However, not quite so many people will know about her most recent novel: The Casual Vacancy. For those who haven’t read it, it’s a wonderful change from the lighter, child-friendly Harry Potter books, and is refreshingly unique.

There are certain books and films that are conservative and portray life, almost as if it is a constant utopia, where everything and everyone is practically perfect. These kinds of novels and films provide a form of escapism, and are good and credible pieces of work, but Rowling explores reality in such a way that it gives a larger selection of people something to relate to.

It’s this and the inclusion of controversial language that makes it so good. The language and subjects mentioned are not the only thing that makes it a controversial book. As a book, it is so different from the Potter franchise; indeed, it’s aimed at a completely different audience.

It’s not often you see an author make the brave decision to write a book that is completely different from what has been a success for them. The Casual Vacancy is a book that’s incredible in its brutal honesty and ability to enthral its readers. Pardon the use of a shameful cliché but it really is an unputdownable book, for me anyway. Personally, I adore this novel, but I also believe it’s a bit of a niche book. I can imagine some people really loving this book and some people despising it, why not give it a try?

Liam Xavier

Wednesday 29th october | Issue 159

BOOKS

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Charles Baudelaire and his Paradis Artificiels Is too much of a good thing superb? When does something good cross the limit and become something bad?

they’re experiencing – the pleasure of divine – they lose any kind of inhibition, and since the loss of control is a flaw, they crawl back to their human condition. This step is described in the chapter ‘Morality’, which explains the other effect of hashish on men.

Drugs have both a moral and an immoral aspect.

Men tend to quickly absorb the immorality of it because of their nature; if not even “poets” can resist the forbidden fruit, who is worthy enough to assimilate divine?

What is good, and what is bad? Are limits conventions? Are conventions a human characteristic? Are humans inerrant?

In the essay Les Paradis Artificiels, Baudelaire explains how men have a natural inclination towards the infinite and how this can be both a good and a bad thing. What makes an ordinary human a poet is the capability of crossing the borders of his daily life, transcending what is “terrestrial” and flawed.

But what happens when men abuse substances that help them? How far is it before they’re crossing the line? Baudelaire describes this mechanism as a deprivation of the sense of infinite: when they abuse the thing that makes them divine, men fall back again into their ordinary lives. After describing the effects of hashish and the consequences on human behaviour, an entire chapter is dedicated to the ‘God-man’.

This could be understood to be a controversial thought, given that Baudelaire is one of the major spokesmen of the Poètes maudits. So what does he This is the stage of the translation in which men stand for? get to know the infinite through drugs, and consequently, they are not human anymore, because This paradoxical essay tends to pit Baudelaire everything that touches the divine becomes divine against himself and his own beliefs: on one hand he as well. Free of the chains – society and his immo- justifies and encourages the use of drugs to pursue bile structures, such as family - man gets lost in the the divine, on the other he strongly sentences men enlargement of space and time and start to be ad- who abuse them. Were his goals moralistic, or was he just scared by the desolated and infernal reality dicted to his new divine condition. around him?

As they reach the summit of this new pleasure

Fabiana Sforza

Happy Birthday Edward Said!

Born: 27th October 1932 Edward Said was born in in Jerusalem on 1st November 1935 and spent part of his childhood in Cairo. He later moved to the US where he studied English literature and penned an extensive range of critical texts and politically heavy textbooks including Covering Islam: How the Media and the Experts Determine How We See the Rest of the World (1981), Nationalism, Colonialism and Literature (1990) and his 1999 autobiography Out of Place: A Memoir.

occident (the West) and how through the vein of literature and art, these views caused a false portrayal of the East to the West as being the ‘other’. Said identified and provided critique on how the ‘dominating’ West deemed the East uncivilised and irrational.

His work has provided an influential model and many modern critics stand on Said’s shoulders when identifying how certain texts not only inaccurately portray the other with a tainted view but also Few literary theorists have delved into the realm of how these texts were used for the West to identify post-colonial prejudice than Edward Said. A profes- themselves in contrast. sor of comparative literature and pioneer of the ‘Orientalism’ theory, Said’s eclectic background gave Said died of leukaemia in 2003 in New York leaving him a good grounding when discussing matters his solid imprint in the world of literature and literof an international nature. Said’s 1978 book named ary theory which will continue to dominate postafter the theory, explains his views of the artificial colonial studies for years to come. After his death, boundary created by the orient (the East) and the several books were published including Waiting for

the Barbarians: A Tribute to Edward W. Said (2008) edited by Müge Gürsoy Sökmen and Edward Said: The Charisma of Criticism (2010)

by Harold Aram Veeser, as well as a range of tribute lectures at the universities in which Said taught.

Mark Gayton

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Wednesday 29th october | Issue 159

Science This week: A bizarre 500 million year old blind water creature, discovered over 100 years ago has finally been placed on the evolutionary tree. The ‘Nesonektris’ is shaped like an hourglass, unlike similar creatures, it possesses a backbone and therefore makes it a distant relative of ours.

A tiny unmanned US military plane on a secretive twoyear mission in space has returned to Earth in California.

This plane has been in orbit for 647 days as part of the X37B project, yet very little information has been released about what the project has been researching.

A team of IRCM researchers have discovered a protein that plays an essential role in the survival of light-sensing cells, this sheds light on retinal diseases that cause blindness.

New research has found a creature that is three times larger than the lovable kangaroo we know, however the extinct ‘sthenurine’ which lived in the same period as mammoths could not hop as their anatomy suggests bipedal walking.

Wendy Suminska

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Alice Vardy, Science Editor

Dumb to Dumber?

We all live in a world now where we wake up and we check Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Whatsapp, E-mails and wow, I’m getting tired just thinking about it. This somewhat irrelevant but the big question to big asked is: with a tablet, laptop or phone that has access to the internet, are we getting less and less intelligent? Well, maybe so.

If we speak to the older generation today, they will tell us of a day where television was in black and white, there was no Internet or computers, and calculators had just been invented.

An international astronomy research team has discovered the first ‘Ice Giant’ in outside of the Milky Way. Similar to that of our own Neptune and Uranus which are mostly made up of hydrogen and helium, with methane ice giving them their blueish tint. But because of its distance we are unaware of what exactly it is made of.

SCIENCE SCIENCE

They had to do long division in their heads or on paper, and if they didn’t have this information in a textbook or be told by word of mouth then they wouldn’t know the answer.

Back then, people talked a lot more face-to face than they do now. Is the generation of today really as intelligent as their peers?

Our IQ is split up into two, fluid and crystallized intelligence. Fluid intelligence is how we

are able to multi-task and carry out complex tasks on a daily basis. Crystallized intelligence is our individual knowledge, which is all the information we have access to in our memories.

On average, fluid IQ is increasing with each generation but our crystallized IQ is possibly decreasing. Worryingly, there have been no conclusive studies to actually find out whether this is true but this is the theory that researchers have.

But we live in a world today where simple mathematics needs can be done on a calculator, where words are misspelled on a daily basis and where the dumbest questions are asked.

Remember Joey Essex, who apparently couldn’t tell the time on a watch. We don’t, like a computer, download this. We instead temporarily store and immediately dispose of the information, making us, in a sense robotic.

Gina Dedman

Ride the Brainwave One thing’s for sure – our time at university will provide us with some fantastic experiences and maybe a fair few we’d rather forget. But what makes an experience truly memorable?

Why is it that we often commit trivial information to memory, yet forget many things (phone numbers, room locations - and worst of all names) that we wish to remember?

The first step in the creation of a new memory is known as encoding. Objects, places and people are not recorded as single entities, but rather a collection of sensory perceptions which are combined to produce a single memory.

Once perceived, a memory is encoded as a series of electrochemical circuits between synapses and dendrites within the brain.

These connections are constantly in flux, with new circuits being formed and reinforced, as old ones are destroyed.

The ability for the brain to rewire itself, known as “synaptic plasticity” also acts as a novel way for the brain to repair itself if ever dam-

aged. Circuits which are stimulated often have their connections strengthened as a result, evidencing the importance of repetition in learning a new skill.

Once created, a memory is stored in one of 3 ‘stages’. The first, the sensory stage, is brief. It enables a sensory stimulant to linger for a few moments after perception. Following perception, a memory is stored in the short term, which is very limited in capacity. Only with frequent use and repetition does a memory pass into the long term memory.

Dom Whittall

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Lifestyle

Luiza Sandru, Lifestyle Editor

Minimal Resistance I have recently moved house and, as I looked at my worldly possessions, it reminded me how much of a minimalist I am; it took me 45 minutes to pack everything away (into 2 bags and a box). I realised there are many advantages to living minimally. I know having only a few things is not for everyone but hopefully after reading this you can see some advantages to clearing your things out.

I have recently moved house and, as I looked at my worldly possessions, it reminded me how much of a minimalist I am; it took me 45 minutes to pack everything away (into 2 bags and a box). I realised there are many advantages to living minimally. I know having only a few things is not for everyone but hopefully after reading this you can see some advantages to clearing your things out.

Moving day is Grooving day: The first thing mentioned is moving, and moving is stressful and expensive, right? Not if you live minimally - the less stuff you have, the easier it is to pack and the more money you save on storage and moving vans. It’s an obvious advantage, and moving gives you a great opportunity to get rid of those years of clutter. Giving your unwanted things to charity shops is a great aid to this process. A new house is a perfect chance for a fresh start, new beginnings and a new style, so give someone else a chance to enjoy the bits and pieces you don’t need anymore. To them, your things will be original and exciting, while for you, it’s just the same old clutter in a new place.

The Kitchen is the heart of the home: Kitchens are the worst for collecting junk. Most kitchens I visit have so much rubbish it is unreal; countless mugs from countries that you’ve never visited, birthdays you’ve long forgotten and Easter eggs from years ago. You don’t need that many mugs. And that goes for cutlery, plates and glasses too! You only need one per person and a couple of spares for guests. If you have a lot of guests due, then ask one of your friends to bring their crockery, if they have a problem with that then they are more than welcome to miss out!

It’s the same story for appliances as well. There are things you need, but there is no need to be excessive: a cooker – yes; a washing machine – yes; a toaster – maybe; a dishwasher – not essential; a microwave – only if you want bad tasting food; a George foreman grill – you already have a grill in your oven, why

would you want another wonky one with some boxer’s signature on it? Sandwich toasters, blenders, ice machines, electric whisks... The list goes on. If you do own all of these appliances, what are you really gaining apart from a huge electricity bill? Owning one or two of these items to suit your lifestyle is understandable, but you don’t need everything. If you go two weeks without using something, I would question if it’s necessary, there are plenty of places where you can buy an organic smoothie or a flavoursome toasty if you fancy one. It is wasteful to have every appliance on the off-chance you might desire a battered ice cream toasty.

Why be a snail when you can be a chameleon?: Back to moving house: I have moved a few times over the years, and every house I have lived in has been decorated different. Everyone adores new things, and that charming lampshade you picked up from a charity shop for £1.50 is just as new to you as the designer one you paid £25 for in Williams and Griffin. Charity shops make it easy to always have new things, and never break the bank in the process. Not only can you get some amazing things, but it makes getting clear of clutter a lot easier. If you haven’t paid a lot for something the you feel better about giving it away (or recycling it if you’ve broken it, you clumsy fool!) when you want a replacement.

This goes for clothes too. My god! Clothes are a nightmare! If you haven’t worn it in a month, give it away.

Again, this is a lot less traumatic if you buy your goods at charity shops. You can change your style every few months for a bargain price. In addition, by donating and buying from charity shops, you take the demand away from slave traders like Primark. If everyone occasionally bought an expensive, well-made, ethically sourced outfit and the rest of the time bought from charity shops, charity shops would only contain wellmade clothes, there would be less waste, fewer sleazy bargain shops, and more fairly paid employees. It’s amazing how dismissive people are when it comes to

charity shops. Just because a malnourished, poverty stricken Chinese boy made your £2 boob tube doesn’t make you special! But that’s another angry blog for another angry time.

The future is here: Poor electronics aside, generally we live in a world of reliable digital storage. There is no longer a need for thousands of CDs, DVDs and books. Nor, for that matter, wage slips, bills and most significantly - documents. Get rid of it all and buy a hard drive or cloud storage. Photos, home videos and vinyl records are an exception in my opinion because they’re not quite the same in digital but still be vigilant, you probably don’t need a printed copy of your drunken friends feet, nor the greatest Eurovision hits LP that ‘your mum bought you’. But back up the good ones anyway, there’s plenty of room in the digital space. Plus your house could burn down.

You are not a slave to your possessions: Now I understand everyone has their own definitions of what they need, but on a fundamental level all we need is sustenance, energy and, in my opinion, love. However, as we have evolved into complex, selfaware, intelligent human beings we have developed other needs. I ‘need’ a laptop to write this blog, my dad ‘needs’ his glasses to read the paper in the morning, and so forth. As we grow and learn, we must be aware that our possessions do not make us. You are who you are, not what you have. It is important, in my opinion, to recycle/give things away (especially if you think you need them) because when you do, you realise that your happiness is not reliant on your possessions and neither are you. When you realise this, you can appreciate the things you own a lot more, and without fear of losing them.

Alan Mitchell

s ednesday 29th october | Issue 159

LIFESTYLE

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Doing Freshers’ Right Before coming to university, almost every person that congratulated me for getting accepted told me to behave and to not drink too much and to make sure I ate properly. They create this notion that all students are infantile, as though they will never be able to fully function without their parents or guardians, and that university is basically about getting drunk all the time.

question my beliefs and values based on the acts that are regularly occurring around me. The University of Essex is a society, and within this society I see people having awkward conversations, guys hitting on girls and girls hitting on guys. I see people arguing, people laughing, and I question whether what they do truly reflects what other people, like me, do.

As a first year, ‘Freshers’ Week’ was not at all how I expected, I spent most of my nights indoors hanging out with my flatmates, or having a few casual drinks in the SU bar. Nothing crazy or wild like our friends and family believe, and as I sit here now in the University squares, I wonder whether or not it’s just my group of friends that are like that.

Before starting university I, like many others I’m sure, had all of these worries and, if I’m honest, the main fears for me were whether or not people would like me - or if I would fit in with the norms that come with being a fresher. But now I’m here, approaching week four, and I’ve realised that it doesn’t matter. No matter what type of person you are, no matter what sort of stuff you’re interested in, you fit in.

I see people in the SU bar already, I see people looking tired and hungover, but then I also see many people fresh-faced, interacting with other students, and it just makes me question the stigma attached to freshers’ week.

Being a sociology student for the past four years has taught me to constantly question everything within society. It’s just something that comes naturally to me.

I just sit and analyse people, like I’m doing now, and I

You’ll fit in somewhere. Granted, right now there may be students with an unfortunate dislike for the university lifestyle because they haven’t reached out and tried to make friends, or because they don’t really get on with the people in their flat, but that’s not necessarily going to be forever. It is true that, like any society, there are cliques, there are places that you don’t fit in, but that is applicable to everywhere in the world.

Having seen all of the different societies promoted, the activities you can get involved in and the wide range of people, I honestly feel that there is not one person that doesn’t have a place in this society that is the University of Essex.

You don’t have to get so drunk that you’re unable to walk, you don’t have to spend every night in Sub Zero or the SU bar to truly get the freshers experience; being a fresher isn’t about that. It sounds so clichéd, but being a fresher is about starting a new chapter of your life. Although you’re coming to university to continue your education to benefit your future self, you’re also here to meet new people and form friendships with people that will last 10, 20, 30 years.

It’s about truly experiencing life without having the ties of your past, not feeling pressured into doing what everybody else is, but to truly find your place and make acquaintances with people that are just like you; regardless of whether or not you’re into partying constantly, or you enjoy debating about social issues, as long as you’re enjoying yourself then you’re doing Freshers’ right.

Shelsea Waldock

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Halloween around the world When you think of Halloween, you think of kids in costumes, trick or treating and carved pumpkins but most of the times that is because our mind is full of the American scenes that we have seen in the movies since childhood. Even though this Holiday is widely celebrated in the United States and Canada, there are several countries around the world that try to keep the spirits away at the end of October.

Austria Bread, a glass of water and a light is left on a table before the family goes to sleep on the night of 31st October. It is believed that these items will welcome to souls back on a night where Austria has a high concentration of cosmic energy.

China In China, Halloween is known as Teng Chieh. Food and water are places in front of photographs of the deceased while lanterns are lit to help the spirit find their way back to their former homes. Another custom is making “boats of the law” from paper, which are then burned in the evening hours at the Buddhist temple, while monks are reciting sacred verses and fruit is being presented as offering. It is believed that this way the spirits of the deceased will be free of the evil spirits and will find their way to heaven.

Ireland The place where it all started more than 2000 years ago is still celebrating Halloween in a similar way to the North American continent. Children get dressed in costumes and go trick or treating, while in rural areas big bonfires are lit, keeping the Celtic tradition alive. After trick or treating, people are gathering at parties with their neighbours and friends while fun games such as treasure hunting and apple bobbing are being played.

Mexico, Latin America and Spain Dia de los Muertos is a celebration that is designed to celebrate the dead returning to their earthly homes on Halloween. A lot of families are constructing an altar that honours the deceased relatives. This altar is decorated with pictures, flowers, candy and the deceased’s favourite foods and drinks and sometimes a wash basin and a towel is left for the soul to purify before indulging in the feast. This celebration is well known around the world for the skull candy, a candy in shape of a sugar skull that is painted and decorated, as well as the makeup inspired by them.

Sweden Halloween is known as “Alla Helgons Dag” and it’s celebrated from October 31 until November 6 and it is a time of dignity and reflection. The main custom is lighting candles on family graves as a sign of remembrance and it creates quite a beautiful scene in graveyards around the country.

Luiza Sandru

S EDNESDAY 29TH OCTOBER | ISSUE 159

LIFESTYLE

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Sports

Tom Phillips, Sports Editor

And so the BUCS season begins...

Men’s Football Men’s open account in style Line-Up: Lockyer; Redman (C) (Adegbde 65); Johnson; M. Sadler; J. Sadler; Majome; Sweeny; Gary Perry; Goodlake; Robertson (Comm 65); Whittaker (Kenderci 65) Scorers: Sweeny; Perry; Kenderci; Comm The Essex Blades 1st football team got off to a winning start to the BUCS season against Brighton with a 4-1 win. There is a feeling of optimism in the Essex football camp and is not difficult to see why as there was only ever one team in this match. The opening exchanges where evenly contested with both teams opting for one up top.

It was not until 14 minute where anything of any real note happen when the Brighton striker forgot the rules of football and punched the ball into the net which he was correctly booked for. This seemed to spur Essex on with Charlie Goodlake coming close with a clever flick after some good sustained pressure. Patrick Robertson was also unlucky as he was denied by the on rushing keeper.

However it was one of the fresher`s who gave Essex a deserved lead. A well delivered free kick from Gary Perry was taped in Xavier Sweeny.

The second half started with Essex asserting their control once again on the game. Xavier Sweeny almost scored a goal which his name sake would have been proud of with an outra-

geous attempted chip from the halfway line.

However Brighton came back into the game Lewis Lockyer was forced into several decent saves.

Then on 65 minutes the Brighton winger curled the ball into the back of the net leaving Lockyer with no chance. The Essex Manager then ringed the changes in order to restore Essex’s lead. With 25 minutes remaining Matt Sadler played a superb cross field pass to release skipper Luke Redman whose pinpoint cross was finished by Garry Perry.

This took the wind out of the Brighton sails and there were further goals for substitutes Adam Kenderci and Bradley Comm to seal what was a convincing win. All in all a very good start to the season for the Blades my man of the match goes to Xavier Sweeny for his all round midfield play and his well taken goal.

Billy Daus

Wednesday 29th october | ISSUE 159

SPORTS

This weeks BUCS Fixtures (2pm unless stated)

Blades Mens 7th (Southend) V Goldsmiths 2nd

Badminton

Goldsmiths 1st V Blades Mens 2nd

Brighton Mens 1st V Blades Mens 2nd

Suffolk 1st V Essex Mens 5ht (Southend) 1:30pm

Kings College Womens 2nd V Blades Womens 1st

Hockey

Basketball

Blades Womens 1st V East London 1st 1pm

Kent Womens 1st V Blades Womens 1st 2:30pm

Blades Mens 1st V Queen Mary 3rd 3pm

Canterbury Christ Church Womens 1st V Blades Womens 1st

Blades Mens 3rd (Southend) V Goldsmiths 1st

Blades Mens 2nd V Imperial 3rd 5pm

Table Tennis

Football

Lacrosse

Blades Mens 1st V Imperial 2nd 3pm

Blades Mens 1st V St Mary’s 1sts

University College Mens 1st V Blades Mens 1st

Squash

Blades Mens 3rd V East London 2nds

Netball

King’s College Mens 1st V Blades Mens 1st

Blades Mens 4th V Arts London 1st

Blades Womens 1st V London Met 1st 6pm

Queen Mary Womens 2nd V Blades Womens 2nd 4pm

Rugby League Blades Mens 1st V Cambridge 1st

Rugby Union

Essex 1st 35 - 5 Goldsmiths 1st Line-Up: Malik; Spinner (C); Edwards; Hill; West; Vidler; Payne; Maguta; Bassett; Sandford; Mitchell; Walshe (VC); Kane, Manzi; Weir Subs: Meades; Rankin; McPate; Jones; Barber-Pratt; Robinson; Townsend The Blades were looking strong for their first game of the year after being pushed hard through pre-season training by new internationally recognised coach, Danny Ligairi Badham. Captain for the 1st’s, Owen Spinner notes the tough task they faced and insist their feet are firmly on the ground: “[There was] massive physicality in the ruck and at scrum put us on the front foot for some slick hands by the backs.

“There are still things to work on but the boys secured a solid win and a very encouraging start to the season”.

The former Leeds Met coach has made a huge impact in terms of morale and passion for the Blades which was demonstrated on the pitch in this BUCS tie.

Essex’s previous encounter with Goldsmiths resulted in a 42-10 win and so players and spectators were expecting a big win; they were

not to be disappointed. Goldsmiths made early advances but with 15 minutes on the clock the first try was scored by Billy Edwards after a push from the forwards, setting a good pace for the rest of the game and spurring the team to drive for more.

At half-time, the Blades come in with a comfortable 25-0 lead.] Pep talks from Spinner and Badham ensured the Blades kept consistency going into the second half.Soon into the second half, the determination for a win turned up the heat, resulting in a scuffle and Tom Mitchell being sin binned for violent conduct; the only dent in an otherwise dominant Essex win.

Sandford’s kicking ability ensured Essex claimed every point within their reach.

Ami Lake

Tries: Edwards; Malik; Payne; Bassett; Manzi Penalties: Sandford Conversions: Sandford (2) Drop Goals: Sandford

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Delight for U’s Tony Humes has plenty to smile about as U’s boss.

Well seven in actual fact. In the past three games, the U’s conceded first but have come back to claim seven out of a maximum nine points.

The U’s have managed to get two wins at home against Fleetwood Town and Chesterfield along with an away draw against bottom of League One, Scunthorpe United.

The U’s have also been reaping the benefits of Cardiff loanee, Rhys Healey. The young striker made an instant impact in the Chesterfield match with a stunning run and finish courtesy of a Sanchez Watt delivery to open up the defence.

Freddie Sears then continued his fine form with a stunning curling effort from outside the penalty and beating the goalkeeper, Tommy Lee, to claim another win at home.

Speaking after the Chesterfield match Tony Humes spoke of his delight with the squad for showing real determination: “It’s another game [Chestefield] we’ve come from behind in to take the points and it grows belief and a real team spirit.

The U’s will face a tough challenge as they go to play-off hopefuls Swindon Town before returning to the Weston Homes Community Stadium on the 2nd November as they entertain, Port Vale.

“We were on the back foot straight away from the outset and we weren’t as fluent or controlled as we had been. But we battled, we showed character and stuck together and scored two fantastic goals to win the game.”

Tom Phillips