The Student 07/02/2012

Tuesday February 7 2012 | Week 3

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

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MUSIC» P18

S I N C E 1887

C U LT U R E

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T H E U K ' S O LD E S T S T U D EN T N EW S PA P ER

S cott ish S t udent Ne wspaper of the Year 2010

EUSA holds first online referendum

Cab Vol to close

Popular Cowgate nightclub is set for radical redevelopment>> News P3

Edinburgh applications buck national downward trend £36,000 degree has not deterred prospective students from applying to the University of Edinburgh

Hannah Standring UNIVERSITY APPLICATIONS have decreased 8.7 per cent across the UK, figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) showed last week.

Applications from English candidates have suffered most, with applications down by 9.9 per cent on 2010/11 numbers. Northern Irish and Welsh applications have had a less significant decrease, down 4.4 and

1.9 per cent respectively, while those in Scotland been the most consistent with previous years, with a 1.5 per cent fall in applications.

When overseas applicants are taken into account, the total decrease in applications to UK universities has fallen by 7.4 per cent.

Scottish Education Secretary Michael Russell heralded the figures as a “vindication” of the Scottish education sector’s policy on tuition fees.

It has been widely anticipated that the introduction next September of fees capped at £9,000 would have an adverse effect on university applications. While the total applications from Scottish students are down by 1.5 per cent, the applications of these students to English universities have decreased even further by 16.4 per cent.

Scottish universities have largely performed well, with some institutions experiencing major increases in demand. Heriott-Watt University in

Edinburgh has seen applications rise by 20.8 per cent, while the University of St Andrews has received its highest number of applications ever, up 17 per cent on the same time last year. The increase in applicants to the University of Edinburgh has been more modest, at 3.9 per cent, but the consensus on this issue seems to be that any positive increase is encouraging.

Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, has suggested that it is still too early to make a comprehensive judgement on the effects the rise in fees will have on applicants. The dip in numbers that last week’s figures revealed was not, Dandridge argues, as great as many feared and it is likely that numbers will see a recovery in subsequent years, as happened in 2006 when tuition fees were introduced.

Confidence has also been expressed that this year will see greater numbers of students applying after the January deadline.

While there was concern that

poorer students would be discouraged from applying, the figures show that among the groups UCAS classes as ‘disadvantaged’, the dip has been just 0.2 per cent. However, the number of applications from this latter group has always been lower than other, wealthier, groups.

Applications from mature students have declined dramatically, at around 11 per cent lower than at the same time last year. The National Union of Students’ (NUS) president Liam Burns attributed this to financial worries resulting from the fee reforms, telling the BBC that, “debt will be playing heavily in the minds of older students”.

A gender gap has also emerged, with male applicants down 8.5 per cent in comparison to a 6.7 per cent drop among females. The number of female university students is already higher than their male counterparts.

EU applications also increase p5 »

EMILY JARRETT

Sam Bradley

THE FIRST ever online referenda at the University of Edinburgh are being held this week, in a landmark event for Edinburgh University Student’s Association (EUSA).

Fourteen questions have been finalised, and students from across the university will be able to cast their votes on issues ranging from free buses, international policy, and cooperation with the newly-elected rector.

Debates on the referendum questions were stretched over two nights – on Monday, at the George Square Lecture Theatre and tonight (Tuesday), at the Pleasance Theatre. Voting on the referenda will last between February 8 and 9, and the results be published soon afterwards.

Matt McPherson, President of EUSA, told The Student, “Online referenda will happen regularly under our new constitution, and I think it forms a new chapter in our democratic history.

“I think that online referenda will prove to be one of the best ways of getting more people engaged and involved with their student union.”

McPherson’s status as a Special Constable in the local police has caused debates among some students, but when asked about question 11 of the referendum, which pertains to the issue, he told The Student, “I’ve been humbled by the amount of support...I’ve had over the last two weeks about my status as a special constable.

“I don’t know if it’s personally directed at me, because I didn’t write the question. I think that for most students, it’s not an issue. In fact, out of the thousands of emails I’ve received from my time as president from students, only one or two have raised the issue.”

Asked about question four, which asks whether EUSA should support the Rector’s proposed accommodation reforms, he said, “Obviously student accommodation is very important to us.

“However, I don’t think this is something the rector can do on his own, or indeed with the help of EUSA. Students need to become engaged and help out with this specific issue, otherwise it won’t change.”

Peter McColl, the recently elected Rector of the university, concurred with McPherson, saying, “I have heard a great deal of concern when I’ve been talking to students. I’m confident that this will be reflected in the referendum vote.

“It’s exciting to see so much engagement with the referendum process...I’m really looking forward to the debates.”

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News

A greener future?

What’s in this issue

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NEWS »p1-5

NOTHING ABOUT PANDAS p1-5

Praise the Lord, those furry bastards have shut up for a week

COMMENT »p9-11

ONLY 97 TIMES MORE THAN THE AVERAGE SALARY? p 10

Lewis Dunne approaches RBS bonuses from THE DARK SIDE

FEATURES »p12-14

STUDENT APATHY p13

The Student unfortunately finds out that, when it comes to EUSA, nobody gives a fuck

SHUT UP, JUST SHUT UP, SHUT UP p14

Nina Bicket reports on the link between social media and free speech

CROSSWORD & HOROSCOPES »P16

ONLY MARGINALLY OFFENSIVE THIS TIME p16

Discover your fortune with Eggy Egbert, or test your mad word skillz with our Dual Crossword

SCIENCE & SMART OR SNOOTY? p18

Matt Dumont takes a look at the science stereoptype and finds it's pretty accurate, really

CULTURE »p21-23 PUPPETS ARE SCARY p22

But Nicole Adam doesn't think so, when she reviews the Traverse Theatre's Plucked

FILM »p24-25

OFF TO THE BALL VE-GO p24 Shoshana Kessler talks to Aragon.. I mean, Strider... I mean, Viggo Mortensen. Whatever, you get the gist

SPORT »p30-31

MUGGLES ARE BORING. LET'S PLAY QUIDDITCH p31

Ever wanted to run around with a stick between your legs, trying to catch a ball in someone's shorts? Melissa Geere discovers that this now happens weekly on the Meadows

Nina Seale

EDINBURGH IS bidding to host the world’s first investment bank exclusively dedicated to encouraging environmentally friendly investment.

The Green Investment Bank would function in a similar way to regular banks, but invest profits in renewable energy technologies and other low-carbon energy projects.

The bid is part of Government targets to make Scotland the first country to become 100 per cent reliant on renewable energy sources by 2020.

Speaking to The Student, Dr Andy Kerr, director of the Edinburgh Centre on Climate Change, emphasised the potential impact of the Green Investment Bank.

He said, “All countries have struggled to wean themselves off carbon fuels and if you can get a country to show them that you can have a prosperous economy and reduce your emissions and non-renewable fuel usage, that is much more important than physically reducing emissions.

“Scotland definitely has the capacity to deliver 100 per cent of its energy from renewable sources, whether it happens by 2020 or by 2030.

"We could represent leadership to the rest of the world.”

NEW HORIZONS: Edinburgh could become a centre for green industry Edinburgh is competing against more than twenty other cities as the location for the Bank’s headquarters, including London, Manchester and Leeds.

Chief executives from six leading investment banks have jointly written a letter to Business Secretary Vince Cable in support of Edinburgh's bid.

Edinburgh has also received the backing from the City Councils of five other Scottish cities.

Jenny Dawe, City of Edinburgh council leader said, “As a global financial centre at the heart of low carbon innovation, Edinburgh’s reputation, skills base and international reach can help distinguish the new bank and what

it aims to achieve for the whole of the UK." Edinburgh’s proposal emphasises its position as the fourth largest financial centre in Europe in terms of equity assets.

Speaking on behalf of the Edinburgh Green Investment Bank Group (EGIBG), Owen Kelly, Chief Executive of Scottish Financial Enterprise, said, “The response we’ve had to our plans has been overwhelmingly positive and there is real consensus that bringing the Green Investment Bank could be a game changer in accelerating the commercialisation of low carbon technologies both in Scotland and across the UK.”

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News 3

University develops brain cloning technique

Campaign for free Easter Bush bus begins Students place pressure on university to subsidise transport costs for vet students

Stephen Maughan

A CAMPAIGN has been launched this week to put pressure on the university to provide a free bus for veterinary students to travel to the Easter Bush campus.

Veterinary teaching at the University of Edinburgh was consolidated to the Easter Bush campus last year having previously been split between the Easter Bush campus and the Summerhall buildings in Newington.

The university currently pays £14,000 each month to Lothian Buses to divert services to the campus, which lies seven miles from the city centre, but students and staff who use the shuttle service are still charged a full fare.

The campaign has been organised by the Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA) and the Vet School Council.

It will involve collecting signatures from the university’s 400 Vet students and other students around the university.

Matt McPherson, President of EUSA, said, “At £1.30 per journey, or £468 per year for a bus pass, this cost is simply unfair - particularly since Vet students already have significant hidden course costs.”

McPherson also argued that a free bus service should not be considered a “luxury” and was vital for some students’ education.

He explained, “Those who use the

LONG DAY: Students have a 14 mile round trip to and from the Easter Bush Campus King's Buildings bus each day will recognise that they receive no extra funding for travel costs and yet are still required get to classes, and use services, across different campuses regardless of whether they can afford it or not.”

Campaigners hope to get signatures from all students who study at the Easter Bush campus.

Hugh Murdoch, EUSA Academic Services Convenor who will be collecting signatures at Easter Bush told The Student, “This is a campaign that I know we can win. It’s unfair that some students are being forced to pay

hundreds of pounds every year just to get to class, while transport to other campuses is quite rightly subsidised by the university.

“

This is a campaign that I know we can win.”

Hugh Murdoch, EUSA Academic Services Convenor “I know that when the university

GOOGLE / TERRAMETRICS

Alasdair Drennan

hears the case for this change and feels the support that it has, it will provide a free Easter Bush bus.

“This change will have a real impact on the hundreds of students who study at Easter Bush.”

The consolidation of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Sciences was welcomed by staff and students but has led to some concerns of the costly transport bill for students living in the city centre.

The university did not respond to The Student’s request for comment at the time of going to print.

Cab Vol set to become “foam party hotspot” POPULAR OLD town nightclub and live music venue Cabaret Voltaire is set to close and be given a “wholly new look” at the end of this month.

An announcement online said, “We’d just like to let you all know that Cabaret Voltaire will be closing for refurbishment from 20th February 2012. The club is due to reopen in March, following a complete overhaul and change of name.

“Thank you to all of you for your loyal support over the past seven years, it was all of you who made us what we were.”

G1, the owners of the club, have suggested that the six-week redevelopment of the club will address structural issues but fans of the club fear that the club will lose its unique identity.

A statement released by the owners said, “Award-winning Scottish design company Surface-ID will create a new club and bar design for the venue.

“The transformed bar, club and live music venue will champion the best in design, ambience and entertainment.

“The site is one of the best club spaces in the country and the company is excited about the opportunity to

develop the next chapter of this landmark site.”

The G1 group owns a series of entertainment venues across Scotland including GHQ, Ghillie Dhu and The Three Sisters in Edinburgh and added Cabaret Voltaire to their portfolio last June.

The outcry has been most evident online. One disappointed fan of the club posted on Facebook, “Sad times – one of my favourite gig venues. No doubt it is going to be full of bright lights, glitter and walking trust funds.

RIP Cab Vol.”

“

Cab Vol is one of the only genuinely alternative clubs in Edinburgh.”

Third year geology student A post on Facebook by the organisers of the Gasoline DanceMachine Saturday club night said, “Refurbishments will commence from February 20 and within one month the people at G1 will have converted the best underground music nightclub in Scotland into a foam party/hen night

GONE FOREVER?: It is thought that the new club will be very different hot spot. As you may tell, our hearts are broken.”

A third year geology student at the University of Edinburgh and regular at the club told The Student, “It’s lame.

I like that Cab Vol is one of the only genuinely alternative clubs in Edinburgh.”

A series of six closing ‘parties’ have been organised in the lead up to the club’s closure.

Some of the club’s seventh birthday celebrations have been cancelled be-

EMILY JARRETT

Alasdair Drennan

cause of the closure and other special events will be cancelled, postponed or relocated to a different venue.

This news comes at the same time that it has emerged that the Bongo Club is also under the threat of closure.

The building that houses the Bongo club is currently owned by the University and leased to the Edinburgh University Students’ Association but it has been suggested that the university are currently looking to end the lease.

CORRECTION: In last week’s issue of The Student the article “Edinburgh targets low-carbon future” showed an image of the Geography buildings on Drummond Street. This is not where the new Centre for Carbon Innovation will be. The centre will be located at High School Yards.

BRAIN SCIENTISTS at the University of Edinburgh have successfully developed a method to clone the cerebral tissue of patients suffering from mental illnesses.

By converting a sample of a patient’s skin cells to stem cells and subsequently to brain cells, researchers at the university’s Centre for Regenerative Medicine (CRM) are now hoping that these newly created brain tissues will pave the way to enhancing the treatment of illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression and multiple sclerosis.

The project is part of the first ever series of experiments where scientists attempt to replicate brain cells from a living patient, as opposed to extracting donated cells after an autopsy had been conducted.

CRM director, Professor Charles Ffrench-Constant explained to The Guardian that, “essentially we are turning a person’s skin cells into brain cells.

We are making cells that were previously inaccessible. And we could do that in future for the liver, the heart and other organs on which it is very difficult to carry out biopsies”.

Professor Ffrench-Constant is leading one particular experiment examining the neurones taken from sufferers of multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and motor neurone disease.

A separate experiment, led by Professor Andrew Macintosh of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital in collaboration with the CRM, will analyse the neurones of patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Macintosh, speaking to The Guardian said, “once we have assembled these [cloned brain cells] we look at standard psychological medicines, such as lithium, to see how they affect these cells in the laboratory. After that we can start to screen new medicines”.

He added that, “our lines of brain cells would become testing platforms for new drugs”.

Particularly for patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, these groundbreaking experiments will offer vital new insights into the degenerative symptoms which can manifest themselves at differing rates; some patients live for many years with ailment, whilst other patients’ conditions degenerate rapidly.

Ffrench-Constant, leader of the investigation into neurones cloned from multiple sclerosis patients, stated that “we will take skin samples from MS patients whose condition has progressed quickly and others in whom it is not changing very much”.

The CRM director also added that through the analysis of these artificially created neurones a treatment may be found for multiple sclerosis.

Almost two decades after the successful cloning of Dolly the sheep, the same departments at the University of Edinburgh may now be able to offer insights which will introduce a variety of new treatments for debilitating mental illnesses.

Science and Environment: The Student's newest section >>p18 & 19

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4 News

Amnesty stage Guantanamo protest

IN

Brief

Nicholson Street chip pan fire

Row over access fines for unis

THE FUTURE head of fair access for universities has announced that universities that do not promote fair access for disadvantaged students face large fines.

The right to charge £9,000 tuition fees could also be removed from universities that do not encourage poorer students to apply and then stay at their institutions.

Professor Les Ebdon, the Government’s preferred candidate for the position of Director of the Office for Fair Access told MPs that he was willing to “press the nuclear button” to impose serious sanctions on universities which did not meet their access agreements.

Universities looking to charge more than £6,000 per year were forced to submit an access agreement setting out targets for equal access and this right would be removed from universities failing to meet their targets.

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Oxford split over Thatcher honour

ACADEMICS AT Oxford University are divided over a proposal to name the newly-completed business school after controversial former Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher. Thatcher is an alumna of Oxford, having studied chemistry there before her life in politics.

The University has previously snubbed Thatcher, refusing to give her an honorary degree during her time in Downing Street. At the time, the revolt divided public opinion.

However, the sponsor of the new building, Syrian-born Wafic Saïd, called Thatcher a 'lioness' and intended the naming of the building to amend this previous snub.

Professor Niall Ferguson told The Telegraph: “Wafic Said is giving Oxford University a chance to expunge the memory of its earlier insulting decision not to award Margaret Thatcher an honorary degree.

“As Britain’s greatest post-war prime minister, she is long overdue an honour from her alma mater.

“Naming the business school after her seems fitting, as no one did more than she to rescue the UK economy from the quagmire of stagflation.”

SB

THE UNIVERSITY of Edinburgh Amnesty International group staged a series of arrests in Potterrow to mark the ten year anniversary of the establishment of Guantanamo Bay. The event was part of Amnesty International’s campaign to encourage the closure of Guantanamo Bay, and attempted to draw attention to the prison camp’s much-criticsed legal and human rights record.

The event started with Amnesty members anonymously sitting in the Potterow central area.

Without any warning, they were then violently apprehended by other members, acting as guards.

The arrestees were shouted at and forced to change into Guantánamo Bay’s trademark orange jumpsuits.

They were then marched around and placed in stress positions.

Student Julie Ferguson, who saw the event, told The Student, “It was scary, for the first few minutes we had no idea what was happening.”

“I knew about Guantánamo Bay before, but I hadn’t really thought about it.”

Following the demonstration, Amnesty members collected signatures for a petition to secure the release of Guantanamo inmate Shaker Aamer,

PROTEST THEATRE: University students acted out violent arrests to draw attention to the campaign an issue which forms a central part of Amnesty's campaign.

The demonstration also aimed to highlight the plight of Aamer's fellow inmates to the public.

Speaking to The Student, the Chair of the Edinburgh University Amnesty International Society, Laura Shepard, stated the importance of the protest and the need to close Guantánamo Bay. She said, “It is appalling that it is ten years on and we are still calling on the

US government to close Guantánamo.

“Kidnapping and imprisoning people indefinitely without charge or trial, denying them their freedom and human rights, gratuitously denigrating and abusing them physically and mentally - all of this needs to end and it needs to end now.”

Nadia Mehdi, the Edinburgh University Amnesty International Society's Fundraising Organiser, told The Student about the experience of acting out the

A thirst for down under Zoe Valery

AFTER A well-balanced joust, the University of Edinburgh came second to the University of Oxford in the University Wine Championships last week in London.

Eight UK universities, each sponsored by a renowned winery, participated in the first University Challenge-styled quiz on Australia and its wines. Edinburgh and Oxford passed the filter into the final match, held in the Saatchi Gallery on January 26 (Australia Day).

Frederick Botfield, Jared Ehret,

Luke McIlwain, and Robert Potts represented the university with their good taste – and not only in wine: “Most of our preparation was spent deciding what to wear for each competition, which probably explains the result,” joked Botfield, “Other than that, the odd wine book and plenty of Aussie wine kept us in the game.”

The teams travelled the Australian vines with their sharp palates in front of a large audience of supporters, who enjoyed the annual trade tasting after the match. The contestants were put to the test by ‘The Wine Detective’, Sarah Ahmed, with questions that

went “from tartaric acid in grapes to surfing!”, as Botfield describes.

The blind tasting rounds certainly presented a ‘brooding complexity’ for the contestants. The last blend, a Shiraz/Cabernet, did not reveal its identity to either team; a vibrant ‘finish’ to a match in which the wine itself was victorious.

Director of Wine Australia for UK-Ireland-Europe, Yvonne May, remarked on the impressive energy and discipline of both teams, saying “It’s been eye-opening to see how much students know about wine these days.”

part of a Guantanamo Bay guard.

She said,“It felt fairly scary to be shouting at people like that, as it is definitely against my nature to be ... it brought me one step closer to experiencing what life must be like every day for those still stuck in Guantánamo Bay having to undergo that sort of dehumanising humiliation.”

With the campaign ongoing and still gathering publicity, the Amnesty International Group remains hopeful for the future.

In return, these tastings have successfully opened many eyes to the Australian wine industry. By promoting Australian wines as “second to none”, Wine Australia’s strategy is “to educate” young palates, as they harvest a new generation of wine conoisseurs.

The Oxford champions won a twoweek trip through Australia’s wine regions, but the second place left a very good aftertaste to the Edinburgh team. The captain, Jahred Ehret, finished with a high note, “I wish the next Edinburgh captain all the best and expect them to get at least as far as we did this year!”

Holyrood welcomes Equal Marriage Leo Michelmore

THE LEADERS of Scotland’s major opposition parties signed a pledge supporting the legalisation of samesex marriage last week.

The pledge was part of the Equality Network’s ‘Equal Marriage’ campaign, and was followed by a reception at Scottish Parliament that saw prominent MSPs and student leaders speak out in favour of lifting the current ban.

Tom French, Policy Coordinator for the Equality Network, spoke to The Student about the significance of the event.

He said, “[The reception] was organised to give MSPs the opportunity to meet directly with equal marriage supporters.

“We hope that the huge turnout will send a clear message to the Scottish Government that the pro-equality majority of Scots want to see them lift the ban on same-sex marriage now.

“Alex Salmond claimed he wanted Scotland to be a beacon of progressive policy. We couldn’t agree more. The Scottish Government’s response to this issue will be a good indicator of whether they are serious about making that ambition a reality.”

The SNP has already indicated its support for same-sex marriage. In April 2011, First Minister Salmond said, “If a denomination is prepared to accept gay marriage then I’m in favour of it, yes.

“My personal feeling would be to tend towards it.”

In the 2010 Scottish Social Attitudes Survey, 61 per cent of respondents indicated they were in favour of lifting the ban on same-sex marriage.

Same-sex marriage has received widespread support from the student body, with Rae Cahill, Deputy Chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament, speaking at the parliamentary reception supporting a change in the law.

Regardless, some students have questioned the effectiveness of such

a high-profile campaign. A third year business studies student told The Student about his reservations, saying, “I don’t have a problem with [same-sex marriage], but wouldn’t encourage or go round campaigning for it.”

A public consultation by the Scottish Government in 2011 received over 50,000 responses, the most of any consultation since Scottish Parliament was established in 1999.

Johann Lamont MSP, Leader of the Scottish Labour Party and signatory of the Equal Marriage pledge, said, “As someone committed to creating a fairer, safer and more equal society, free from discrimination and bigotry, I am proud of Labour’s action in government to tackle discrimination against LGBT people and in legislating to create civil partnerships.

“I support the campaign for Equal Marriage, and legislation which would allow religious bodies to conduct same-sex marriages should they wish to do so.”

JUSTICE: Equal marriage

EMILY JARRETT

TWO MEN were treated for smoke inhalation following a fire at their student accommodation on Nicholson Street on Friday 3 February.

Both men, who were in their 20s were treated by paramedics at the scene but were not taken to hospital.

Firefighters were wearing breathing apparatus to tackle the fire which was started in a chip pan.

Two fire crews attended the blaze at the third floor flat which was extinguished in less than an hour.

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KATIE CUNNINGHAM

Katie Cunningham

The reception was attended by MSPs from the SNP, Scottish Labour Party, Scottish Conservative Party, Scottish Liberal Democrats, and the Scottish Green Party.

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News 5

University takes step forward Applications increase from European Students in superbug research

Nina Seale EDINBURGH SCIENTISTS have made an important step in understanding how superbugs such as MRSA become resistant to antibiotic treatment.

In experiments that focused on E. coli, researchers from the University of Edinburgh have mapped the molecular structure of an enzyme found in many species of bacteria.

This enzyme protects against attack by other bacteria species or viruses. In a similar way, they allow bacteria to acquire resistance to antibiotics.

The success in mapping these enzymes is the first step in manipulating bacteria to slow or stop the absorption of DNA that may hold antibiotic resistance instructions.

Long-term exposure to antibiotics can lead to bacteria developing defences to block the effects of the drug. These defences are then passed into the genes of bacteria, which can spread quickly through bacterial populations through absorption between species.

Dr David Dryden of the university’s School of Chemistry said, “we have known for some time that these enzymes are very effective in protecting bacteria

from attack by other species.

“Now we have painted a picture of how this occurs, which should prove to be a valuable insight in tackling the spread of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.”

MRSA is the most famous example of a superbug: a bacteria that has developed resistance to antibiotics such as penicillin. Their resistance does not make them more virulent than strains of MRSA that do not have resistance, but because they are difficult to treat they become more dangerous.

Oliver Blatchford, consultant in public health medicine at NHS Health Protection Scotland, told The Scotsman, “the NHS in Scotland has seen a steady reduction in the numbers of MRSA bloodstream infections.

“In the last reported quarter, July to September 2011, Scotland had 48 of these infections, which was the lowest number we have had since the start of the surveillance programme in 2005, when it was 221 MRSA bloodstream infections in a quarter.

“This reduction in MRSA bacteraemias [blood stream infections] has been the result of several different programmes aimed at improving the quality of healthcare services in Scotland.”

SCOTTISH UNIVERSITIES have experienced an increase of 6 per cent in UCAS applications from EU students to Scottish universities.

Applications to the country’s top universities saw the greatest increases.

The University of Edinburgh saw an increase of 24 per cent and the University of St Andrews saw an increase of 35 per cent.

Mike Russell, the Scottish Education Secretary, told The Herald, “these figures will be welcome reading for Scotland’s education sector, and the resilience shown by applications to Scotland compared with the rest of the UK are a vindication of the approach the Scottish Government has taken on student fees and funding the sector.

“The full picture around acceptance figures will emerge later this year, but high levels of applications from abroad reflect the excellent reputation Scottish universities enjoy abroad.”

Russell argues that an increase in applications reflects the renowned international standing of Scottish universities. The University of Edinburgh reports that the university ranks 15th for employability in Quacquarelli Symonds’ (QS) World University Rankings, and that the degree flexibility at Edinburgh draws students to apply.

“We’re pleased that students across the UK and overseas continue to recognise the high quality of education on offer in Scotland,” a spokesperson for Universities Scotland told the BBC. Due to the decreases in EU applications to other parts of the UK, the figures have provoked criticism of the Scottish Government’s policy of subsidising the tuition fees of both EU and Scottish Students.

OLD COLLEGE: Applications from the EU increased Liz Smith, Conservative MSP and the Conservative spokesperson for Education and Lifelong learning, criticised the SNP’s fee policy, telling The Scotsman that, “these figures lay bare the true extent of the inherent inequalities of the SNP’s policy on fees.

A huge increase in students from the

European Union has seen a coinciding fall in the number of students applying from the rest of the UK. “At a time when budgets are tight, the Scottish Government is duty bound to explain to taxpayers why they are being asked to foot the bill for the tuition fees of foreign nationals.”

Fresh Air kicks off broadcast with live launch party

Alasdair Drennan

FRESH AIR, The University of Edinburgh’s student radio station began its second semester broadcast with a house party broadcast live from Teviot on Saturday February 4.

The shortening of the opening hours of the Pleasance meant the station’s live broadcasting hours have been shortened but Jon Parker, Station Manager, promised that this year’s schedule was better than ever.

He told The Student, “Due to the recent changes to the Pleasance opening times, the number of live shows has been reducing, making competition fiercer than ever.

“The result is a higher standard of shows than ever before, headlined by our brand new ‘Live at 5’ shows.

The online radio station has already seen success this year and Parker promised there was more still to come.

Parker said, “This is Fresh Air’s 20th year and to celebrate we have some massive events planned for this semester, including a 24 hour show for charity and our Teviot Takeover.

“In September we won the award for Best Radio Station in Scotland, a fantastic achievement for a volunteerrun station with no university funding to beat the likes of commercial giants Capital FM and Real Radio. Since then there has been a huge level of interest in the station and our members are making better radio than ever.”

LIZ DOUCETTE

MRSA CUCUMBER: Researchers created an enzyme map

SSOOSAY

Anna Brand

Tuesday February 7 2012 studentnewspaper.org

06 Editorial

Editorial

The Student decides to go Comic Sans

Join us!

The Student is always looking for budding reporters, reviewers, illustrators and photographers to join our team. We're also hunting for recruits for our marketing and events teams.

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Track us down: » In person: Meetings every Tuesday in Teviot Dining Hall at 1.15pm. Socials: Tuesdays in The Counting House at 8.30pm. » By email: editors@studentnewspaper.org » On Facebook: tinyurl.com/StudentFacebook » On Twitter: twitter.com/TheStudentPaper » On Tumblr: thestudentpaper.tumblr.com A quick history lesson...

The Student was launched by Scottish novelist and poet Robert Louis Stevenson in 1887 as an independent voice for Edinburgh's literati. It is Britain's oldest student newspaper and is an independent publication, reaching more than 10,000 University of Edinburgh students every week.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Lord Kitchener, David Lloyd George and Winston Churchill are a few of the famous people who have been associated with the paper. In the early 1970s, Gordon Brown worked as a news editor and diary columnist, working alongside Robin Cook who at the time was in charge of film and concert reviews.

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Editorial 07

Letters to the Editors Dear Editors, Last week’s issue of The Student [published January 31 2012] included a news article about Student Council and then a piece in the Comment section which criticised the three motions that I had submitted to improve the accountability and democracy within EUSA. In the interest of balance, I would greatly appreciate it if you could print my response.

EUSA is not a student society. Student reps are entrusted to make decisions that impact on nearly 27,000 students; these decisions should not be taken lightly, so it is vital that reps can be held to account.

A simple way of doing this is to record votes. In addition to minutes - taken for the past century - the votes of senior reps will now be recorded and students able to see what decisions their representatives are making on their behalf.

The idea that this “goes against everything that we’re at university for” is absurd. Representatives have both rights - to vote at council - and responsibilities – to have their records open to scrutiny.

What’s the point of a manifesto if no one outside of student council can check if you followed it or not? Again, EUSA is for all students, not just the people who are heavily involved.

Student Council supported this motion because the majority of people wanted to put the interests of 28,000 students before the awkwardness of being recorded voting against how you said you would in your election. It’s clear

Dear Editors, that Student Council is getting better in terms of transparency and accountability: election turnout is higher, more elections are contested, attendance at Council is higher, and there is more coverage in The Student. Of course, there is still a lot to do but I think that it’s a shame that the article implied that Student Council was getting worse when it’s actually getting better.

Finally, as a minor note, you stated that the voting records motion fell when in actual fact it passed. This factual inaccuracy will presumably be picked up much more easily once voting records are implemented!

All the best, James McAsh

I must protest the horoscope (Cancer) which appeared on page 17 of The Student [published January 24], regarding The Journal and our newsgathering methods.

Your slanderous cosmology has had a detrimental effect on our pursuit of any such scoops - the existence of which we can neither confirm nor deny - because now everyone has changed their voicemail passwords and we have a deadline coming up.

I demand that you immediately withdraw your libellous prediction, and print a retraction informing all relevant parties that everything is alright and that it is now safe to reset their passwords to ‘0000’ so that we can all get on with the business at hand. If you do not, we may be forced to pursue astrolegal action.

Yours, Marcus Kernohan Nincompoop-in-chief, The Journal PS. Also, we are not ‘slimey’. And if we are occasionally slimy, I would ask that you acknowledge this as a private matter, between us and our loved ones.

PPS. We tried to “go whine about it to the Leveson inquiry”, but Hugh Grant has it booked up until Christmas.

Dear Editors, I am writing with reference to the recent controversy that has surrounded Emma Meehan’s visit to Israel, funded by the UJS. As a postgraduate law student, I recently undertook a similar trip organised by an initiative called ‘StandwithUs Israel’, a body who organised an event called ‘Student Conference on International Law.’ I also visited Israel, was taken on a geopolitical tour of the disputed sites, listened to a talk by a senior member of the IDF, met the former President of the of the Israeli Supreme Court and was generally educated about the complexities of the application of International Law in an incredibly difficult situation.

Whilst I appreciate this trip could have been branded ‘Israeli propaganda’ and I listened to the arguments put forward with a healthy dose of scepticism, I undoubtedly left Israel with a far greater understanding of both ‘sides of the story’ and more educated about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This trip was aimed at students of International Law in order to explain how Israel has interpreted International Law and how she has justified her use of force in various situations.

The trip invited robust debate on Israel’s actions, and encouraged tough questions. This letter is not attempting to draw on the legalities of the conflict (there is enough academic literature on the subject!) but it is highlighting the value of the trip for me in furthering my

understanding of a subject that cannot be understood until both sides of the argument are fully appreciated.

For this reason, I am disappointed to hear of the furore surrounding Emma Meehan’s trip to Israel. Having had my knowledge benefit vastly from such a trip, I cannot advocate their value enough, especially as the knowledge garnered may bring balance to the set mentalities of student politicians, who –with respect – may not be fully aware of the legal issues behind the conflict.

In the microcosmic world of student politics, I am saddened that the one person who has had the insight to appreciate the necessity of understanding the Israelis’ point of view has been vilified in such a manner. A key point about my trip was that understanding both points of view is essential for dialogue, and blatantly labelling one side as ‘wrong’ is never going to result in negotiations that may lead to peace.

After having completed such a trip, Emma Meehan will find herself more educated and more equipped to make balanced decisions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict than any of her EUSA peers.

Mhairi Blair

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Comment 9

See no evil, hear no evil...

WE LIVE in an age in which ‘shocking’ exposés are no big deal. It seems that every other day someone blows the lid off a family-favourite company using children to assemble their products in far-flung countries, and we hear so much of 14-hour work days and machineryrelated maiming that we are, arguably, a little desensitised. The media furore surrounding the recent accusations of exploitative labour practices in factories manufacturing Apple products has been exceptional, however.

“

Writing this article on a MacBook, the hypocrisy is particularly poignant" Apple’s status, for so long the progressive ‘underdog’, has added to the story’s selling point. Reports of worker suicides, of legs swollen to a level of incapacitation as a result of long working hours, and mass fainting: these are the issues of importance, and our sense of culpability as consumers should be substantial.

Writing this article on a MacBook, the hypocrisy is particularly poignant.

Consumers should not, however, let their guilt taint their ability to take action. Some of the tired myths used to deny the existence of exploitative labour as a problem are the same as the historical justifications of slavery. The idea that exploitation would be too difficult to abolish, for example, is particularly resonant when compared to the excuses

made by those who condemn reform attempts as doomed to fail because of their complexity. Even worse is the argument that exploitative labour is essential to the survival of industries and the very fabric of our society, an excuse which shamefully puts the need to consume luxury goods ahead of the need for basic human rights. However, the most damaging is the nihilistic view that living in virtual slavery is better than living in absolute poverty, and for this reason, the abuses reported are not really abuses at all, but necessary evils.

How we relate to these issues on a personal basis is of more importance than we might originally imagine. The cynical excuses given above are not only invalid, but serve the purpose of promoting apathy as the status quo. In admitting that the conditions under which much of our consumer products are manufactured are actually substandard - at times even infringing upon human rights - we are admitting that some of the responsibility lies with us, as consumers, and that it comes down to us to do something about it. When the problem is deep rooted, systemic, complicated, and the victims are nameless, faceless and far removed from our everyday lives, where are we supposed to begin? It is far easier to deny that there is a problem, even if this means perpetuating the weak arguments that cast the situation as an unavoidable 'ugly truth'.

However, in doing this, we are not just shunning our responsibility, but also our potential to effect change. American author/monologist/self-confessed

Apple-fanatic Mike Daisey, who flew to China to find out “who made all [his] crap” is a prime example of what can be achieved by a willingess to engage with an issue and bring it into the public consciousness. After spending 18 months speaking with exploited workers in China, Daisey returned to the States to compose his critically acclaimed monologue, The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs. It created a huge media storm around Apple’s manufacturing practices leading to innumerable articles, TV, radio and internet forum debates. This culminated in an online petition gathering 140,000 names in 48 hours as an expression of public anger at Apple for failing to prevent inhumane practices in their supply network.

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In response to public pressure, Apple have agreed to open their doors to independent auditors" In response to public pressure, Apple have since agreed to open their doors to independent auditors, a step which, if implemented properly, will be much more effective in holding the company accountable for its actions. Furthermore, media investigations into the story have revealed what the actual problems are.

The abuses taking place are not simply the common offenders of ridiculous working hours, withheld wages and re-

Dodgy delirium

JUICY: An apple a day keeps the doctor away, don't you know?

petitive tasks resulting in health issues (although these were all revealed to be present in Apple’s supply chain). A large part of the problem, according to reports from the Fair Labour Association, has its roots in a lack of human contact: with workers spending their days isolated at their stations and their nights packed into dorms with roommates who often do not even speak the same dialect.

Without investigations like these, factories could easily continue on with harmful practices, all the while abiding by standard ethical practice requirements constructed around basic human rights.

It is through public pressure that such investigations are carried out. It pays to make a fuss.

It’s promising that Apple is letting us in. What we should do as responsible consumers is to stay tuned, stay interested and keep the results of the following months in the news. For a company as internationally successful as Apple, individual boycotting might not be the best means of effecting change. What could be useful, however, is to follow Daisey’s lead – to initiate and get involved with debate, and address what the problems really are. To curl back up with our heads cosily in the sand would be to teach Apple, and all the other companies paying attention, that the way to deal with consumer uproar is to make a vague placatory gesture, slink off into the shadows and wait for it all to blow over.

Fictitious causes of death and a judicial blind eye towards police officers should be cause for concern, argues Joel Sharples

IMAGINE THE following scenario: a police officer’s home is broken into by a gang of eleven youths, who chase him into the street and beat him to death while his watching family beg them to stop. There would be national outrage, the perpetrators would face lengthy jail sentences and the Prime Minister would be on television talking about Britain’s broken society and feral gang culture.

What if the uniforms were swapped, and the vicious gang was composed of police officers? We don’t have to imagine this scenario: it is precisely what happened to 25-year-old Jacob Michael, who dialed 999 in a state of panic on August 22 2011 and two hours later was pronounced dead. And what about the consequences? The Independent Police Complaints Committee investigation is still ongoing but if you think those responsible for Michael’s death will be brought to justice, I would refer you to one stark figure. Since 1969 there have been over a thousand deaths in police

custody and not a single police officer has been successfully prosecuted. Not only is brutal treatment of detainees systemic in our police forces, there is a consistent failure to recognise and punish it.

What we do already know from the IPCC investigation is deeply concerning and represents an Orwellian obfuscation of the truth which is becoming increasingly prevalent in investigations of police brutality. On Wednesday it was announced that the pathologist investigating the case had identified the cause of death as ‘excited delirium’, a disturbingly unscientific term which is not found in any medical textbook and is recognised as a possible cause of death neither by the Department of Health nor the World Health Organisation. Never mind the torn liver, the broken ribs or the eyewitness accounts of Michael being kicked and punched by police officers before being thrown in the back of a police van “like a piece of meat” – no, he was probably just a bit

over-excited, wasn’t he? This is victim blaming at its most insidious.

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Since 1969 there have been over a thousand deaths in police custody and not a single police officer has been successfully prosecuted" Excited delirium is increasingly being cited as a cause of death in similar cases but try searching for deaths from the condition outside of police custody and you will struggle to find anything.

Though we cannot rule it out as a factor for the deaths of detainees, there is something more than a little shady about an ill-defined psychological condition, diagnosed retrospectively, which

only rears its head when the sufferer is being detained by police officers.

I might have a little more faith in the IPCC’s conclusions if they had a history of rigorous investigation. Sadly, this is not the case. In November 2011 two members of a community reference group set up to monitor the IPCC’s investigation into the shooting of Mark Duggan resigned in protest at the shoddiness of the inquiry, describing it as “tainted” by bias and inaccuracies.

Likewise, the investigation into the death of reggae singer Smiley Culture aka David Emmanuel last year, who supposedly stabbed himself in the chest whilst making a cup of tea for police officers, is so full of lacunae and discrepancies that it is surely nothing more than a whitewash. Why were no fingerprints found on the knife? Why did the police officers handcuff Emmanuel after he had stabbed himself, as they claim? And why did the inquiry treat the officers as witnesses rather than suspects? This shameful masquerade of an investiga-

FLICKR: GAGESKIDMORE

The only way to effect real change in supply networks is to start talking about real problems, argues Rebecca Chan

tion shows how far we have to go to secure a truly accountable police force.

The trial of PC Simon Harwood for the manslaughter of Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protests in 2009 could prove a watershed in this struggle. Harwood will face trial in June this year, but even reaching this stage of proceedings looked unlikely after the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to press charges. An inquest into his death only commenced subsequently to a sustained campaign in the media and by Tomlinson’s family. Is that really what it takes for justice to be served?

A robust system of prosecuting police officers involved in abuse of detainees is essential not just to provide some sense of peace and justice to the families of the victims, but also to challenge the culture of impunity in the police force.

Each suspicious death which goes unpunished is a license to police officers to act as they please, a signal that they are above the law which they are supposed to enforce.

Tuesday February 7, 2012 studentnewspaper.org

10 Comment

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Because they're worth it

Google images: steve fareham

The bonus system exists for a reason, argues Lewis Dunne

WITH THE announcement that RBS Chief Executive Stephen Hester was expecting a large bonus, the British political sphere went into a frenzy. Bonuses have become a buzzword among politicians wishing to score cheap points. Despite all of this, the criticism is largely political posturing and there are good reasons for why we shouldn’t be expecting fundamental reform of the financial system.

The current coalition government was adamant in its refusal to try and use its position as majority shareholder in RBS to rid Hester of his bonus and has also taken a soft approach to the issue of bonuses. The government, like the one before it, is choosing the option of criticising certain individual bonuses when they come up in order to stay in line with general public opinion, whilst simul-

taneously making no grand motions for reform of the system.

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If British businesses don't pay enough, then this will be reflected in the standard of their directors, the success of the business and the British economy."

To give Ed Miliband credit, he has been the most consistent by advocating new rules, restrictions, and taxes for bonuses in order to try and change attitudes throughout society. It’s always easier to take the ideological

route when you’re in opposition, and Miliband can comfortably advocate these tighter rules whilst not having to deal with the economic effects such rules would have. It’s also worth bearing in mind that back when RBS was nationalised, the Labour government (of which Ed Miliband was a cabinet member) felt no need to implement any great changes to the system for fear of unfairly penalising British businesses and discouraging the best from working in Britain.

To a strong extent, the current coalition and previous Labour governments were right not to implement overly strict rules. Regardless of how tasteful many people may find workers in institutions that are practically nationalised taking home such large pay checks; quite simply, businesses need to be able to pay enough to at-

There is an alternative

tract the best people to run them. If British businesses don’t pay enough, then this will be reflected in the standard of their directors, the success of the business and the British economy.

It’s quite possible that the transition to a more “responsible capitalism,” that Miliband hopes greater regulation may encourage, is coming naturally. The financial sector is not oblivious to its public image and is beginning to distribute bonuses accordingly. For example, Hester has been able to bring RBS back from the horrendous situation left by Fred Goodwin, whilst simultaneously providing £20.6 billion in loans to smalland medium-sized businesses. However, he also presided over a slump in the value of RBS shares, which was reflected by his bonus falling short

Amidst ruthless public sector cuts, Alistair Grant explores the idea of a one-off wealth tax

THE DAMAGING public sector cuts and overhauls are, we are constantly told, a necessary evil. Reducing government spending is a harsh reality when faced with a huge national debt; indeed, current government policies are attracting much attention in the media for their drastic approaches to the economic climate.

On January 23 the government’s proposed benefits cap of £26,000 a year was defeated in the House of Lords.

Wednesday of the same week saw the coalition government’s largest defeat in the Lords over proposed changes to child support that would mean single parents being charged to use the Child Support Agency.

Meanwhile, reductions to local authority budgets means huge cuts to projects focusing on young offenders, refugees and the victims of domestic violence, to name but a few. Plans to abolish the social fund, which covers maternity grants, crisis loans and cold weather payments, are also pressing ahead.

But are there alternatives to such drastic policies? You wouldn’t think so looking through the mainstream media, with only a few speaking out against the half-truths peddled by the coalition government. Thank God, then, for the Glasgow Media Group, a group of researchers and academics led

by Professor Greg Philo of Glasgow University, who are focusing on raising awareness of the viable alternatives.

As their website states, Britain is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, with private wealth estimated at £9 trillion. Add to this corporate wealth and resources owned by the state and the national debt of around £1,000 billion begins to look manageable.

Paying off the national debt would alleviate the deficit and reduce government spending because there would be no more interest to pay. This may seem like a flippant thing to say, but the national debt could be paid off by a one-off tax of 20% on the wealthiest 10% of the population in the UK. Such

a Wealth Tax would circumvent the need for cuts, or at least greatly reduce such a need. Around £800 billion could be raised from those who can afford it most, allowing money to be spent on vital public services like education and health. The Wealth Tax doesn’t even need to be paid straight away - it can instead be paid after death - meaning it imposes minimal strain on the wealthy.

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Around £800 billion could be raised from those who can afford it most, allowing money to be spent on vital public services like education and health."

And with a recent YouGov poll showing that 74% of the population would support such a tax, it has public

support behind it. Surprisingly, the rich were even shown to support such a scheme more than the poor.

So why is the Wealth Tax not being considered? Arguments against such a proposal are easy to find. Many say it would be hard to implement, though, as Greg Philo pointed out in an article for The Guardian, it would perhaps be easier to collect than income tax as declared income can be more easily obscured than wealth embodied in property and possessions. Protests that the rich could simply move elsewhere to avoid such a tax also seem founded on an unlikely premise, given the flexible nature of the tax and the public support generated. The tax could even be gradated to make it still less of a burden, with those at the lower end of the top 10% paying less.

The most cutting criticism is that the tax misses the point. Public spending needs to be brought under control, some argue, not just tackled using yet another means of taxation. Even this criticism ignores the simple premise of

of the maximum possible amount he could have been allocated. Had he taken it, he would have only received a few thousand pounds in cash, with a vast majority of the near £1 million bonus consisting of shares. In turn he wouldn’t be able to actually sell these shares for several years – meaning if the RBS share decline continues, he will also lose money.

As a CEO, selling shares is also a tricky business. If you sell your shares and then share prices decline, you could be faced with allegations of insider trading and an ensuing investigation. This means that the only way for Hester to get his bonus is to reverse the current share decline.

This portrays a different picture to the one we often have of greedy bankers rewarding themselves, oblivious to a diving economy.

If we ultimately decide reform is desirable, then it must be done internationally to ensure that no particular country risks either losing business or scaring off prospective employees.

There are fears that even Nicolas Sarkozy’s recent announcement of plans for a 0.1% tax on financial transactions will encourage companies to trade elsewhere. Not all intervention is bad however, and we shouldn’t be scared of using our controlling stake to push for greater private lending by banks. However, any greater lending must be responsible, as it was irresponsible lending that led to the original financial crisis.

The public is still reeling over the banking crisis and this is understandable as the economic effects continue to be felt strongly. But we need to make sure this antipathy doesn’t lead us on some ill-thought-out ideological crusade against banks and the bonus system. There’s a reason that we haven’t seen mass reform by either government to the existing bonus system – it works. It both serves to attract the best and encourages them to work hard at their job. If we want to pay our bankers peanuts, that’s fine, but we shouldn’t be surprised when our new monkey bankers make some pretty bad decisions. With the public as the biggest shareholder in many of the banks, we are the ones who stand to lose out the most.

the tax, however: raising money in this manner generates the means to fund research concentrating on finding new ways to organise our economy and improve efficiency. Why put the burden on the poor and vulnerable while we try to work out where it all went wrong? If, as according to Cameron’s Big Society, we really are all in this together, then the wealthy have a moral obligation to contribute to improving the social condition.

What seems to be at play here is simply the traditional Conservative politics of minimising the state at all costs, dressed up in phoney ‘Big Society’ rhetoric. A nice, shiny new suit is shoved over a familiar ideology, with Thatcher’s tell-tale pearls safely hidden underneath. Perhaps this is the real reason the alternatives proposed by the Glasgow Media Group remain largely untouched in the mainstream political sphere. In such a climate the cuts are not just about reducing the deficit; they are about imposing an ideology.

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Tuesday February 7 2012 studentnewspaper.org

Comment 11

Stalemate in spring

Rosie Stock Jones discusses the possibility of a diplomatic outcome to the crisis in Syria

FLICKR: UNITED NATIONS PHOTO

been central to the legitimacy of Security Council decisions. That isn’t to say that taking firm action with Syria is an easy decision. The experiences of the past year have staked out the potential problems with ‘getting involved’ and as of yet, no fairy tale democracy has emerged as a satisfying end to the story of the Arab Spring. Yet with reports of torture and enforced disappearances, alongside rebel fighting, where “the army has the upper hand”, we cannot sit back and do nothing.

UP IN ARMS: Russia is unlikely to accept tough action on Syria SYRIA IS the straggler of the Arab Spring. Tunisia set the trend in January last year, sending Mohammed Ghannouchi packing after months of popular protest. Hosni Murbarak of Egypt followed in February, with Libya’s liberation from Gaddafi rounding up an eventful 2011 in October. Is it now time for Bashar al-Assad to go? The post-revolution reality of last year’s uprisings has left onlookers feeling jaded.

In Tunisia, two men set themselves on fire just last month in display of hopelessness, whilst in Egypt, the military seem reluctant to return power to civilians and have been violently oppressing all opposition. The persistence of violence in Syria, which has seen previously peaceful protestors form the Free Syria Army, has led to the emir of Qatar and several American thinktanks to call for military action. Yet with the experiences of the past year, the potential for a diplomatic solution is all too tempting.

The UN Security Council is due to vote on a resolution which the com-

mission for enquiry in Syria suggests includes imposing an arms embargo and freezing President al-Assad assets. This suggestion is in line with the recent call from the Arab League call to remove al-Assad from power.

10 out of 15 countries in the Council have supported a draft resolution, but Russia, who has the power to veto the resolution, isn’t on board. Russia and Syria have a long history of diplomatic friendship. Assad is both Russia’s biggest ally and best arms customer in the Middle East, recently purchasing $550m worth of fighter jets so it’s unsurprising that they are refusing to agree on a resolution that calls for a reduced flow of arms to Syria.

Not wanting to seem the bad guy, Russia has spent much time talking about a diplomatic solution, which includes talks with al-Assad in Moscow.

But it’s not like this hasn’t been tried before; last November the Arab League announced a deal to end the violence, just for the terms to be disregarded by al-Assad causing the League to cast

Syria out. It would seem al- Assad has burnt all his bridges except one, and this is where Russia’s upheld ‘diplomacy’ starts to see its limit. The rebels’ Syrian National Council has said that they will accept no talks which include Assad. Russia and the Syrian government have said no talks can progress without him.

When the UN estimates that over 5,000 civilians have been killed since March last year, it is difficult to justify how al-Assad should remain in power.

What’s worse is that since last October, when Russia first vetoed a Security Council resolution, this figure is thought to have risen by 2,600. Can we really allow thousands more to die for the sake of Russia’s arms trade?

The White House has said Assad “will go”, and the presence of foreign ministers at the proposed Security Council meeting shows that the West is committed to a solution for Syria. It doesn’t appear to be a case of imposing western values either; as with Libya, the support of the Arab League has

Alleviating atheism Rebecca Williams argues for a more measured form of atheism

THE DEBATE over religion versus atheism has always been contentious.

The recent death of staunch atheist, Christopher Hitchens, has left the four horsemen one knight down. With the crux of his argument focused on religious atrocities such as the Crusades, child abuse, genital mutilation and religious extremism, his vehement condemnation of religion seems wholly rational.

Although Hitchens’ argument is undeniably witty in his delivery, the disdain with which he approaches the religious can act to undermine the rational argument for atheism. I would agree one is morally healthier and more objective if religion is put behind us, but does not such explicit mockery and scorn of faith undermine the objectivity we seek? Atheism is the scientific side of the debate and proud to be so. Inflammatory witticisms can detract from this scientific argument and the reasoned criticisms of organised religion. We should have enough confidence in our position to remain detached from hatred.

Atheist author Alain de Botton argues we have secularised badly and what we are left with is a spiritual wasteland.

The holes in secular capitalism are only too evident. In the hierarchy of needs, capitalism does not satisfy more than the bottom rung. We can see evidence of an ever-growing social vacuum: a breakdown of community, sympathy and kindness. Leaving God aside, many believers and non-believers alike have been abandoned by capitalism in some way.

The worst hit are not likely to be Hitchens’ or de Botton’s audience, and many do seek some kind of comfort. There is a middle ground to be found: condemn the doctrine, but condemnation of all its followers will not do anything to ease their phobia of atheism.

It is all too easy to dismiss religion as ridiculous and patronising to treat the religious with such disdain. As Philip Larkin puts the predicament in Church Going, “For, though I’ve no idea what this accoutred frowsty barn is worth, it pleases me to stand in silence here.” It is a sort of consolation or support we lack in secular society that used to be provided by religion. Of course, no consolation is better than faux consolation, or to use Hitchens’ analogy, religion is akin to being comforted by the most deceptive of

friends. Religion is not the answer to this void in society, but fear and isolation are prevalent in the modern capitalist model and this is not to be mocked. It is not moronic to fear. By all means attack the ignorance and injustice inherent in organised religion, but when dealing with individuals, scorn and hatred tend not to be conducive to progress.

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Condemn the doctrine, but condemnation of all its followers will not do anything to ease their phobia of atheism" De Botton focuses on what we can take from religion. His message smacks of middle class self-improvement and some of his admiration is misplaced.

However, he states that “community, beauty, sympathy, kindness, a moral structure” can be learned from religion.

Not many would disagree that these con-

“

With reports of torture and enforced disappearances, alongside rebel fighting, where "the army has the upper hand", we cannot sit back and do nothing."

A history of personalised politics in the Middle East has shown that a change of leader can have a dramatic impact. This means that removing alAssad has the potential to turn things around for Syria, especially with the Syrian National Council willing to talk peace with the current government once he has gone.

2011 has reiterated the issues of military involvement, and maybe it is not the way forward, especially as supports like a no-fly zone would be useless in Syria where the damage is being done on the ground. First and foremost, al-Assad needs to leave, and then we can try picking back up the pieces of diplomacy. The UK seems confident that pressure from both Europe and America will be able to persuade Russia to change its mind. Let’s hope they’re right.

cepts are valuable and integral to society.

If we contend that it is not in fact sacred, why not plagiarise from it?

As soon as you offend, people close their ears to your point of view. Atheism needs nothing but reason to support its claims. There is no doubt that the religious side of the debate has been known to display the aggression of a cornered animal when defending its claims, but atheism need not meet it with the same anger. Perhaps ‘an eye for an eye’ is not the most effective strategy here. Isolating the best bits of religion could prove an interesting task. It is perhaps short sighted to think you cannot take anything from faith. Nothing about the beginning of time nor the creation of the universe I grant you, but you will not find love, community, truth or anything of value in the vacuous bosom of capitalism either. The machines of organised religion do not honour the above values, but religious individuals of all descriptions can value them, as do atheists. Labelling religious individuals as morons probably does little to close the gap between believers and non-believers or to reduce the fear of atheism.

Let them eat cake MARIE ANTOINETTE, meet Mitt Romney. After his victory in the Florida republican primary last Tuesday, Romney infamously declared to CNN, “I’m not concerned about the very poor.” Romney is often criticised for giving interviews stiffer than his hair, but when he’s candid, he turns into Gradgrind.

Like his Dickensian villain alter-ego, Romney was quick to emphasise the numbers. He’s worried about “the very heart of America”– the “90-95 per cent of Americans who right now are struggling.” Let’s do the math here. With a net worth estimated at $250 million, Romney is well aware of the one per cent he’s a platinum card-carrying member of. He claimed in the same statement, “I’m not concerned about the very rich.” This leaves 4 per cent of the American population not worth getting a vote from.

Apparently, it’s harder to be in the 95 per cent than it is to be homeless. Get real here, Mitt; if 95 per cent of Americans were ‘struggling,’ The Hunger Games would become reality. The poor aren’t fighting to the death yet because, “We have a safety net there. If it needs a repair, I’ll fix it.” According to Romney, this net has “food stamps, we have Medicaid, we have housing vouchers.” Is he planning on using a chainsaw as his repair tool though?

Romney’s very economic policy doesn’t just snip away away at the safety net, it slashes it. He’s a backer of republican representative, Paul Ryan’s stringent $4.5 trillion budget cut, which finds 2/3 of its cuts from low-income programs. Unsurprisingly, these cuts will be used to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy.

Romney’s not “concerned” about the very rich because he’s keeping money in their secret Swiss bank accounts just like his wife kept $3 million in one. However, Romney is even more of a Scrooge figure than Ryan, with cuts more expansive than his tie collection. In 2016, Ryan’s $94 billion cut expands to $219 billion and his 2021 cut of $303 billion almost triples to $819 billion under Romney. Romney shouldn’t have counted his chickens because under this plan we won’t “have Medicaid,” which would find itself cut by $946 billion in 2021.

Of course, now Romney admits he “misspoke,” but that’s quite a lot of verbal diarrhoea.

Evidently, Romney isn’t eating any more waffles throughout this campaign. He’s sincere on not caring. This is going to be a long nine months of campaigning without any sugar coating.

Tess Malone

Tuesday February 7 2012 studentnewspaper.org

Let's hear it!: features@studennewspaper.org

12 Features

Standing out from the crowd

ONE STEP AHEAD: Graduates need to make themselves stand out WITH THE first semester behind us and the first exam results revealed, it is about now that many start thinking seriously about their future. Long gone are the times when having a university degree could almost guarantee a job after graduating. Nowadays, it is all about standing out from the crowd.

According to the latest figures from the Higher Education Statistic Agency, the number of students having obtained first-class degrees has increased by more than one-third in only five years, and more than doubled over the last decade.

In such an environment, it has become an inconsiderate luxury for a student to rely solely on the power of a beautifully wrapped graduation certificate. Instead, taking direct action might be a better idea to reach your career ambitions.

Shelagh Green, Director of the Careers Service of the University of Edin-

TOMPAGENET

With jobs scarce and competition fierce, graduates need to make the most of opportunities, writes Varvara Bashkirova

burgh, considers a degree an essential, however only a starting point: “Simply having a degree has never been enough.

In the graduate recruitment market having a degree is the baseline or entry-level position, so students need to think about how they can differentiate themselves through their academic and non-academic activities.”

University gives essential knowledge, however, it tends to focus on one specific issue which in itself is not enough to become a good employee.

“These extra activities give an opportunity to acquire transferrable skills that can then be implemented later in a career,” adds Shelagh Green.

There are hundreds of opportunities out there to ‘enhance your CV’. For example, getting involved in a university society – with astonishing 271 of them existing at the University of Edinburgh - finding the right one should not be a problem.

Potentially, it can add a lot to your skill-base. Firstly, simply communicating with people with the same interest can broaden knowledge and provide different views on familiar issues. Secondly, it is a great opportunity to meet ‘useful’ people, if the society organises talks and networking events.

Even if it does not, the other members may well become your potential colleagues, and being on friendly terms is always advantageous. Nowadays, when differentiating yourself is that much harder, connections really might become crucial to sending you on the way to your dream job.

Interpersonal skills developed in a society are in themselves a great gain.

Finally, club membership can provide one with valuable skills to be implemented in a future career.

Savoy Opera society might be just what you need to discover your inner Montserrat Caballé, or the Debates Union might open a road to the Parliament. Who knows if the current editor of The Student is in fact not the next Moira Stuart?

Of course, the benefits one gets from a society completely depend on the individual and the effort they are willing to put in. Because of this, membership in a university club might not be enough, as in itself it does not say much about the potential employee. What the employer is looking for are those who are not afraid to challenge themselves and put their skills to the test.

Perhaps the best way to show this is to get involved in a project or competition outside of the university altogether, as this will demonstrate a genuine interest and desire to get better in their job.

Thus, last summer a group of undergraduates of the University of Edinburgh organised a team to go to the iGEM competition in Boston. They designed a way of processing cellulose into sugar which is needed to produce bio-fuel, and ended up winning a prize for “Best Human Practices”.

One of the team members was Fionn Tynan-O’Mahony, who is currently in his final year of a Product Design degree. “One of the most important things I learned was group work… It allowed me to reflect on my own interaction with other people. This was quite useful given the nature of my studies as I will continually have to work with others,” he said.

Despite the valuable experience, Fionn is not considering taking the path of academic research. For him, the competition became “an opportunity to gain experience and consider potential career paths".

This is another benefit of taking part in such a project. If by the end of it you realise that this was not something you want to do in future, this is a great gain in itself, for it is always better to know sooner rather than later, and the skills you acquire can be implemented in a

field of your true interest when you find one. After all, it can be argued that this is what university life is all about: students are trying to find themselves, discover their passion and the path that they want to pursue.

Not everyone is so lucky as to have a childhood dream to become, say, an astronaut, which would coincide with them having the opportunity and ability to follow this dream. For many, it is not so straightforward and getting involved in various projects and challenges can make the whole choice issue much clearer.

“

Savoy Opera society might be just what you need to discover your inner Montserrat Caballé, or the Debates Union might open a road to Parliament" Another benefit of taking part in a competition is obtaining an objective picture of how good one really is in the field that it provides. Once again, university grades cannot really serve as a reliable reference point as more and more students get a first-level degree.

They also might not reflect how good someone really is in practice, as opposed to theoretical knowledge tested in exams. This makes it hard for students to evaluate their own performance.

For example, you may have a better grade than your classmate. Does this mean you are simply better than them?

Or were you just lucky? And did he put the same amount of effort when preparing for the test? Competition, on the contrary, makes such evaluations much easier, and might have an important influence on the confidence one has in their level of expertise.

“

This is what university life is all about: students are trying to find themselves, discover their passion and the path that they want to pursue" Performing better than others in the same task and under the same conditions might make the fear of failure fade away, which frequently becomes a reason for not embarking on a desired career path if it appears to be too ambitious.

One such opportunity is The Edinburgh Apprentice, the annual business competition organised by the Innovative Consultancy University of Edinburgh (iCUE), one of the city's universities' numerous societies. This year, more than 300 students from all of the Edinburgh universities have applied to take part, only one of whom will get the title of the next Edinburgh Apprentice.

According to the website, the competition will give the participants “a platform of recognition to top companies” as well as “the opportunity to develop real-life, practical business abilities”.

Teresa Schmidt, one of the applicants this year, believes that joining the competition will give her numerous advantages: “I joined because I enjoy doing projects with a team and think it is good practice for future work experience. Plus, of course, I find it very useful for my CV, too! I can’t wait for it.”

The important thing about the Edinburgh Apprentice is that it is not only for students, but also by students. The whole event, including all the rounds, promotion, getting sponsors and judges was set up by 20 enthusiastic people from all four universities located in Edinburgh. Being part of such a team says a lot about one’s personality and taking initiative and genuine interest to find opportunities, apply and take responsibility.

For Martin Hindicky, first-year student from Napier University, joining the managing team meant regular travelling to the University of Edinburgh to attend the meetings and promotion campaigns; however, he says it was worth bothering: “Joining The Edinburgh Apprentice gave me the opportunity to meet new people and I am enjoying dealing with new challenges in the finance team."

Organising a competition rather than actually competing develops similar confidence in one’s abilities, and provides the opportunity to take responsibilities and practice managing people in an effective and motivating way, which is a valuable skill for those aiming at senior management positions in future.

Lots of information on various projects is provided by the University Careers Service. “As part of our work on employability we have developed the EdGE database which pulls together lots of development opportunities for students,” Shelagh Green told The Student.

Competitions and similar projects are also widely advertised on their Facebook and Twitter pages. Whatever your field of interest is, there are always lots of opportunities to look out for: writers’ competitions, fashion shows, musicals and business challenges, and so many more. There is always something for those willing to take their future in their own hands.

Let's hear it!: features@studentnewspaper.org

Tuesday February 7 2012 studentnewspaper.org

Features 13

Who cares about student affairs?

Rebecca Chan and Zoe Blah investigate EUSA's role around campus and find a layer of mystery surrounding its cavernous innards EUSA HAS been in the wars recently, with the controversies of its inner workings making headlines and stirring up debate.

But the battle between EUSA and the students it represents has been raging, quietly, for far longer than the past few weeks. There seems to be a certain amount of mystery surrounding the reasons for this antagonistic relationship, which seemingly develops in students as soon as they matriculate. There always seems to be somebody available to criticise the association for being vaguely insufficient in some way or another, but focused criticisms are few and far between outside of the political groups existent around campus.

We hear the loud opinions of the vocal minority, who feel strongly one way or another, but the majority of students, who are not directly involved in their students’ union, remain silent. Curious to find out what the general feeling amongst students actually was, rather than relying on what we’d heard from the handful of these vocal individuals who seem to have a monopoly on public opinion, we decided to spend a day at Teviot, Potterow and KB House to speak to ordinary students about their opinions.

“

Should the responsibility rest completely on EUSA's shoulders? What more can they do to interact with the university's 24,000 students?"

We started with the basics: What do you think of EUSA? The responses ranged from “I think they’re doing a good job but I don’t really know what they’re doing” to “EUSA, they’re the ones that run the shop, right? It’s too expensive.”

Often, there was a slightly panicked look on the faces of those we approached when we asked about their opinions on EUSA, many double-checking that EUSA is in fact the students’ union. Even those sitting in EUSA-run buildings, surrounded by their marketing posters, seemed unaware of what EUSA actually is, what they do and the services they offer. “I don’t see how they do anything for me personally.

Here in King’s, I feel that there’s absolutely nothing done,” remarked Huw Richards, a fourth year zoologist. A student from the vet school responded similarly, noting that students out on the Easter Bush campus felt excluded from EUSA activity.

This speaks volumes about the fractured communication between EUSA and the students it represents.

It isn’t because the association isn’t trying, many students were willing to admit, but for some reason their efforts at making contact seem to continuously fall flat.

“The biggest problem is that no one knows what they do”, said student Caitilin Hogg. “They could make more of an effort to tell you”.

Such a comment seems likely to send the association’s communications team into a frenzy – but what of the

nection” with EUSA. Perhaps it is down to students themselves to find out about the union they are a part of, but the disconnect between the union and the students is something that EUSA can feasibly address.

The lack of personal contact is, ar-

full-blown cynicism, particularly with regards to the EUSA elections.

“They spend all this time campaigning and then you never hear anything about it ever again, the person disappears. They’re in your face 24/7 for about four weeks and

third year social anthropologist Carla Sayer. “The ones that do vote are voting for their friends, or owe someone a favour or something, that’s why we have joke candidates like RON... people are disenchanted by it all.” A Masters’ student said “I think there’s a general sentiment that EUSA is a bit elitist and that maybe reflects the general mistrust of people who are involved in politics in general”.

It wasn’t all disenchantment and cynicism, however, with students overwhelmingly acknowledging the support that EUSA does offer.

Madeleine Laulund said she felt that the association’s strengths were most apparent in “helping with societies”, whilst second year linguist Hannah Spiers expressed her gratitude for their work, saying “When I’ve gone in for help before I’ve always come out with what I’ve needed.”

“

The disconnect between the union and the students is something that EUSA can feasibly address" WHO CARES?: Students interviewed on campus have vague ideas about what their union actually does email?! The monthly email carefully crafted and distributed into the inbox of every Edinburgh student?

“The email is really unattractive to actually read”, said student Jenny Heyward, explaining that it wasn’t the matter that was uninteresting, but the medium.

“They do lump all the information together,” added third year linguist Melissa Geere, “they say how they’re campaigning against fees in the same email as they announce who’s playing at Potterrow.” This seemed to be the general consensus amongst those interviewed, many admitting that they receive EUSA’s email newsletters, but rarely read all if any of the content. Claire Thompson, a Masters student in EU Studies, suggested that this was because of the format of the emails. “They’re all in block text and there’s no colour, there’s no visual side to it at all, so no one’s interested.”

However, many admitted that even if EUSA did email more regularly with interactive (and colourful) messages, the emails would probably still sit, unread, in their inboxes.

This then poses the question: Should the responsibility rest completely on EUSA’s shoulders? What more can they do to interact with the university’s 24,000 students?

Tom Smith, a PhD student, admitted that his lack of knowledge about EUSA was not simply down to their lack of communication, saying that it was “probably [his] responsibility as much as theirs”, whilst adding that he didn’t “feel a direct con-

guably, conducive to a lack of a sense of personal responsibility, which directly determines how involved a student is in the union. “If you had a point of contact with EUSA that was much more localised,” suggests Melissa Geere, “a welfare rep or something, who you could meet, and who would email you to tell you that your vote was needed on an issue...I would go and vote.”

“

Responses ranged from, "I think they're doing a good job but I don't really know what they're doing" to "EUSA, they're the ones that run the shop, right? It's too expensive'" Will Kemp, alumni, took a similar stance, commenting that EUSA “don’t go about things on an individual basis, talking to students, talking to their friends, seeing what actually needs fixing.” This lack of vital engagement on a one-to-one basis, he argued, has led to widespread apathy across the student body.

Such apathy, summarised in a sentence by third year linguist Alastair McCloud in his comment of EUSA providing “assorted sandwiches, if nothing else”, often spills over into

then as soon as they’re voted in you just never see them again”, said a fifth year mechanical engineering student. Claire Thompson agreed, commenting that “Really the only time EUSA seems visible and active is during election time.”

Those with a keen eye on last year’s elections will remember RON the horse, a mascot for the RON (reopen nominations) option on the ballot forms, which acts as a means of registering dissatisfaction with the nominated candidates whilst still being counted as a voter. Will Kemp, who ran the RON campaign, explained the motivation behind it being that “nobody was trying... it was an easy opening to ridicule it.”

The elections are no longer about electing the person who will do the best job for students, but are “about getting themselves elected,” he continued. “EUSA as an institution should be used as a tool, not an end in its own right.”

A student rep, wishing to remain anonymous, felt that “a lot of the policy currently passed is mostly for the gratification of the person passing it… it’s just grandstanding, it’s people trying to make themselves look good.” This, he felt, was off-putting for any new members of Student Council, adding that “there’s certain political groups within EUSA that are almost like a club behind one person, and if you don’t fit with that one person’s views then basically you don’t get to participate.”

“There’s a very low amount of people voting at the elections” said

Perhaps the seemingly widespread anti-EUSA sentiment is not as far reaching as we had previously imagined. “I think quite a lot of the time people are very harsh on them,” commented Zoe Inkster.

The work put in by sabbatical officers, who notoriously get the roughest deal in terms of being preemptively slated by students, was also recognised, with a first year linguist saying, “It definitely doesn’t look bad on a CV, but I think it’s a lot of effort to be in charge of things, so I don’t think it’s entirely to make their CV look good.”

This support aside, there was an engulfing, undeniable sense of apathy amongst the students we spoke to. However, it doesn’t seem as though this is because students are inherently apathetic. On the contrary, it seemed that the majority of students we interviewed wanted to feel positively about EUSA, but simply didn’t know enough to do so.

Again and again, students admitted that they were sure EUSA does a lot of productive work but felt that they had no idea what that work was.

What tended to continually resurface was the desire for more personal, on-the-ground interaction between EUSA and the student body.

What was generally agreed was that EUSA exists as an entity separate to the students it represents, students who are, ambiguously, aware of its function yet essentially in the dark about what it’s actually doing. Until they “come down from the clouds a bit”, as one former society treasurer remarked, it seems as though they will continue to be greeted with sweeping apathy, punctuated by inexplicable vague expressions of discontent.

Tuesday February 7, 2012 studentnewspaper.org

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14 12 Features

When you say nothing at all Jenny Ajderian explores why less can be more when it comes to film dialogue strates sparse use of sound which offers a challenge to the film makers.

“

SILENT FILM: does Charlie's legacy live on?

WATCH ANY western, any blackand-white adventure film, any ragsto-riches adaptation, and you’ll realise you’ve seen this all before. The guy gets the girl, the evil tyrant falls and the true king rises, be it in Middle Earth or the Mid-West. We’ve seen these scenes repeated across the eras, and we know

TWB1340

It seems that certain stories, be they filmed or danced out for our entertainment, are older than words.

They exist somewhere in the back of the mind and inevitably come to the fore; shaping our expectations and our judgements of right and wrong"

how it goes. Without the speech, the scene still goes the same way. New film The Artist proves this, without saying a word. Aside from the picture-perfect cast and a dog that will reach cult celebrity status any day now, the film addresses the transition between ‘20s movies and ‘30s talkies, and demon-

In one scene, uncharacteristically static, a pair of old friends meet and greet, swap stories, laugh – the details, irrelevant, are replaced by an emotive score and some close camera work, all of which makes us feel no less connected to the characters as we would have done had they been talking.

Every now and then, of course, the black screen descends and a few lines are spelled out for us, but even this isn’t entirely necessary. Far from the big screen, ballet productions do something similar, though often considered a very serious, almost old-fashioned art form. By replacing words entirely with movement and interaction between

characters, emotions are expanded, felt deeper, and seen clearer. The effect is stunning – as in Michael Bourne’s Nutcracker!, which swayed its way onto the Festival Theatre’s stage last December, and whose audience was so young that they would have lost interest in anything that was any less than captivating.

One scene in particular saw the Prince Nutcracker, released from inside an ugly doll, remove his mask and his shirt to reveal why all men should take up ballet. Our heroine skims towards him, and timidly lays her head on his bare chest. As she sighs, the audience laughs knowingly, reminded of a feeling which could have been lost if it were tangled up in scripting.

It seems that certain stories, be they filmed or danced out for our entertainment, are older than words. They exist somewhere in the back of the mind and inevitably come to the fore; shaping our expectations and our judgements of right and wrong. The guy should get the girl, the dance will play out perfectly, the director will yell ‘Cut!’ and everyone goes home happy. Why use words at all?

In removing spoken language, do we gain something else? The ways in which we seek to perceive and understand the events unfolding in front of us come to rely more on our universal instincts, experience and emotions.

The highly choreographed, somewhat contrived movements of ballet become an obvious expression of emotion and meaning; the shaking head of a scolded

Headline withheld

schoolboy is a challenge to authority; the long lingering look from a washedup moustachio’d actor is a cry for help.

“

As she sighs, the audience laughs knowingly, reminded of a feeling which could have been lost if it were tangled up in scripting" Certainly, words add depth to performance (or, so I like to tell myself when I try to justify my choice of degree). But with the oldest, best-known tales of good-versus-evil, running off with a knight in shining armour, or simply a Jack Russell saving a man’s life, perhaps the words could say nothing at all.

It’s plain to see the heyday of silent film is behind us – as recording technologies continue to improve and film becomes ever more advanced, it’s less and less likely that films like The Artist will continue to be made at all. We can call the choice not to use sound a gimmick, a throwback or pure nostalgia, but the critical response to the film shines a light on its own merits. As in ballet, the lack of natural sound is not a handicap but a challenge, a potentially powerful tool which the directors can play with to dazzling effect.

AS WE enter 2012, a year post-Arab Spring and under #occupation, a year in which the inhabitants of most countries have become used to the sight of protest marches every other week and camps in the middle of cities, it seems that one thing is clear: politics has moved from the official sphere into the hands of the people.

More and more ordinary citizens have given up the apathy that is so stereotypical, especially of the youth, to become involved in the condemnation of politicians and big businesses, ongoing revolutions, and the rebuilding of their governments.

One of the more surprising changes that has occurred amongst this global turmoil has been the re-emergence of social media as a significant tool for the politically active. No longer just a medium through which your estranged second cousin can liveblog his progress through the queue at Starbucks to purchase his venti double-shot extra hot caramel macchiato (with whipped cream), Twitter has become synonymous with the Arab Spring, a source of news in a situation where there is no other, and a method of organisation.

Solidarity can be shown with hashtags, and political pressure can be applied by bombarding your local politician with questions. Because

they’re on Twitter, too; everyone from the Hon. MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup to Barack Obama is tweeting these days (or, at least, their team is doing it for them), and are more accessible than ever.

“

Critics of censorship have taken to the internet in outrage, pointing out that Twitter's freespeech credentials have been, until now, very impressive" Over on the other side of the internet, Facebook was once solely a tool for finding just how much a “friend” you’ve never met before likes “jammin’ with my mates” or pushing the boundaries of personal privacy by trawling through pictures to find out whether your ex’s new girlfriend looks better in a bikini than you.

Admittedly, these are all still the most popular uses for the ubiquitous site, but recent months have seen members making use of the page and event features to raise awareness for

causes, and to mobilise groups of likeminded people.

Events such as Slut Walks and occupations can and have been instigated by the simple act of clicking “join”.

Social media has become a key tool for the plethora of political movements and the new generation of the politically active, thanks to its accessibility to huge numbers of people, its ease of use, lack of institutional bias found in many news organisations, and ability to easily bring together groups of people and give their message a voice in countries where state censorship and harsh punitive laws mean that there is no other means to achieve this.

But like so many good things, this was not to last. Facebook’s heavyhanded policy of removing pages and groups it deems inappropriate is already quite well known. Even in the UK the company has been known to delete pages about spending cuts and events organising protests. Now, however, Twitter seems to be getting in on the act. On January 26, on their blog, Twitter announced that it would be allowing country-specific censorship of certain tweets.

The system would work on an individual basis, with tweets being removed following a complaint. The tweet would continue to be visible in other

SPEAK NO EVIL: Or anything at all, if someone complains countries, but in the country where the complaint was made, all that would be visible is the phrase “Tweet withheld”.

In their announcement, Twitter cited France and Germany, both of which ban pro-Nazi content as a defence of their new policy. Despite this, critics of censorship have taken to the internet in outrage, pointing out that Twitter’s free-speech credentials have been, until now, very impressive.

Whether or not Twitter feels it can justify their new system with examples

of anti-Nazi censorship, the fact remains that they have come under huge amounts of criticism for the move.

As a site which has become incredibly influential in many global political movements, and which has been a beacon of free speech in countries where no other option exists, can they really defend snatching away the revolutionary spirit they have helped to foster in so many of the previously apathetic, and the voice which they have given to so many of the voiceless?

CRISTOPH SPIEGL

Nina Bicket on the rise and fall of social media's reputation for freedom of speech

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Tuesday February 7 2012 studentnewspaper.org

Lifestyle 15 The Bedroom Gardener

joanna lisiovec

Soldiering On

QUICHEISINSANE

From up on high

The first in a series, Ben Hoare acts as fashion medium, channeling Kurt Cobain's style outlook Looking back, it’s fair to say that I was blessed with a super fast metabolism, yet it seems my heroin habit will always be used to explain my skinny physique. I’ve been consistently cited in men’s fashion blogs as the wiry framed king of narcotic cool, the detached songsmith who brought a grubby and unbranded bagginess into the mainstream. Did they never

even listen to my records? This is the last thing I wanted!

I don’t mean to write this article with too much teen angst; those days are behind me, but when I wore nerdy glasses and oversized cardigans it’s because I wanted to give the middle finger up to both '90s corporate America, and the big, tough, manufactured rock bands that it harboured, a retaliation to convention.

Grunge was first and foremost about the music, yet in the process of cultural subversion it ended up countering fashion too, grabbing the whole of pop culture by the scruff of its neck and giving it a damn good shake.

It wasn’t even all conscious choices.

The shirts I wore were a staple item of Seattle. I’ve been billed as the father of flannel and the prince of plaid, but I wore them purely to survive the wind and snow of the Pacific North West. Likewise, the Converse chucks were as commonplace then as now, and I wore them for convenience.

Admittedly mine were knackered through actual wear and tear – I find the pre-distressed pairs sold on the high street sickening. Being simultaneously shy and outspokenly selfdestructive, I had a pretty misaligned look. Clashing checks and stripes and odd socks were just because I threw a lot of things on and looking polished was hardly at the forefront of my mind; there’s no point in being polished when you’re about to get all sweaty at a show.

If anything, I embodied inconsistency. My songs were seemingly illogical too, combining the dainty melodies of an impeccable threeminute pop wonder with the overdriven delivery of a wrecking ball. My stained t-shirts and torn jeans hid my scrawny form, but on occasions when I performed in wedding dresses and skirts my anaemic figure seemed swamped and ready to buckle under the weight of my own guitar. Cutting my bleach blonde hair into a bob made me look more sensitive I guess, the introspective thinker and poet;

Isabelle Caro: face of anorexia

yet don’t forget those occasions that I dyed it with Kool-Aid and ketchup too. I had something naturally ‘pretty boy’ about me, something I was always trying to run away from.

“

I don't mean to write this article with too much teen angst; those days are behind me" I know I’ve been instrumental in the frayed slouchy chic favoured by every ‘alternative’ white male under the sun, yet it was this refined tweaking through fearless experimentation that allowed my minimal shapeless statements to work. The upshot of the popularity of these imitative production-lined pieces is a multitude of outfits that lack substance. The look, the music and the lifestyle were chaotic, yet this madness was harnessed and well honed. It could have all fallen apart at any time, as it eventually did.

The messy spirit of ‘Come As You Are’ can live on, yet is unlikely to do so in another glossy two-page spread on my love of cable knits and frayed jeans. Nor is there any chance of it thriving through the frumpy black hoodies adorned with Nirvana logo and boring badges worn by every twelve-year-old kid with a skateboard. My unwashed and untucked exterior found solace in a counter culture. Don’t be afraid to take risks.

A tragic death continues to highlight the need for change in today's media. By Nina Seale With endless television shows, magazines and websites dedicated to publicising how people should look, or people we should aspire to look like, it is easy to see how we can become very image conscious, especially when it comes to weight. Even in our own relatively sporty university, there seems to be an endless stream of people en route to hitting the gym.

Although to some it can seem easy to understand that just because a certain image is portrayed as desirable doesn’t mean it must be emulated, very often this wish to be skinny can morph into an obsession, with diet constantly being monitored and life becoming a perpetual comparison.

Two weeks ago it was announced that Isabelle Caro, a French model who had battled with anorexia for 15 years, died at 28. Despite being unable to save herself, Caro used her condition to warn others against the dangers of a disease that a lot of young women see as glamorous, striving for the self control shown by the slender faces and bony bodies that strut down catwalks.

Caro was featured in a controversial advertising campaign called ‘No Anorexia’ which showed photos of her skeletal form naked on posters displayed

around Milan on the eve of fashion week.

She was reported to weigh five stone.

“

We should strive to put more beautiful and real-sized women in our magazines" In an interview with CBS that year she said, “I’ve hidden myself and covered myself for too long. Now I want to show myself fearlessly, even thought I know my body arouses repugnance.

“I want to show young people how dangerous this illness is. Just because modelling is seen as glamorous, the industry seems to think this is outside normal health and safety issues.”

Anorexia is most common in highachievers, and in the midst of the academic pressure of university combined with the little feedback given by university compared with school, many students feel a drop in their confidence and use an eating disorder as a way of holding control over something in their lives.

A GP from Brunel University told The Student that it can be difficult to notice because patients become adept

at hiding it using baggy clothes and may be able to hide their obsession with their diet.

Most of us have known someone who has had anorexia, with 1 in 100 women between 15 and 30 suffering from the disease. Often it can be a touchy subject to raise if you are concerned for a friend, because direct confrontation may frighten them into denial and secrecy, and also they may feel you simply won’t understand and so will not take your worries seriously.

Some people with eating disorders openly discuss their obsession with food and weight, but it is important to try to remember to treat them as a friend first and someone suffering from an eating disorder second. Even with the best intentions, constantly pointing out problems with someone’s diet will only magnify the issue.

Anorexia is often a cover for a deeper problem and if you have a friend with anorexia it is important to look out for depression and anxiety, as such an unhealthy appearance can be an outward expression of emotional pain and confusion.

Many people fail to see that eating disorders can become a long term problem – a blemish on someone’s medical

history that can cause osteopenia (loss of bone minerals) and osteoporosis (loss of bone density). The disease can tamper with hormone levels and menstruation cycles, and the sooner someone recovers the less chance there is that the bone loss will be permanent.

People who can sympathise with Caro’s condition should remember the message she gave in an interview three years ago, “my anorexia causes death. It is everything but beauty, the complete opposite. [The ‘No Anorexia’ campaign] is an unvarnished photo, without makeup. The message is clear – I have psoriasis, a pigeon chest, the body of an elderly person.”

The most important message that can be taken from Isabelle is that you are not alone, as well as a warning that ultimately there will only be one tragic outcome from a life concerned with the absence of food and sustenance.

Instead of allowing magazines and fashion houses to control our opinions on image, and sometimes our lives, we should strive to put more beautiful and real-sized women in our magazines and on our screens, making the joys of fashion, music and the media feel accessible for everyone, not just for those in single digit dress sizes.

A rather fundamental change has taken place in my gardening life since last time I wrote – I have moved flat. My new bedroom does not lend itself to horticultural activities.

The two glorious bay windows in which I nurtured tomatoes, grew unruly crops of rocket, and watched chillies get riper and redder have been replaced with a window ledge that I can fit four plant pots on at a squeeze, although they wobble worryingly every time I open my window or close the curtain. So I must confess: I am no longer solely a bedroom gardener. But the sentiment behind this column – green-fingered triumphs in a student flat – still stands.

The chillies, rebellious spirits that they are, decided to occupy the kitchen. I’m afraid I haven’t been able to deduce their political aims (beyond survival) but they seem happy enough. The last fruits on them have dried up now, and if I ever have a free afternoon I’ll use some to make chilli olive oil and tie the rest in bunches in an attempt to make the kitchen look like it belongs to an actual grown-up. Regular readers may remember that I am trying to ‘over-winter’ them in the hope of getting another crop of fruits in the summer. I was told to cut them back to give them the best chance of survival but it seemed completely counter-intuitive to me, so I didn’t – and they don’t seem to have suffered for it.

What else? I finally said goodbye to the tomato plants – they were unceremoniously stuffed into the compost bin when I packed up my old flat.

The orchids both have new leaves but are still stubbornly showing no signs of flowering again. Everyone else I know with an orchid seems to have constantly glorious blooms on them – perhaps vegetables rather than flowers are my forte.

Two of the cacti have settled well and look perfectly cheerful, in a spiky kind of way, but the Easter cactus didn’t seem to enjoy the move and is rather droopy. I’ve read that cacti are happiest in soil that is practically gravel – they hate having wet roots and gravel drains efficiently – so perhaps I shall repot if things don’t start looking up soon.

Next time I write, spring will be on its way and hopefully that will bring exciting new developments – or at least a flower or two. I’m also still harbouring dreams of a window box full of herbs, although the associated drilling into a brick wall to secure it unnerves me somewhat, so working out the logistics of that should provide a nice little mental break from the dissertation. Anyway – until then!

Anna Feintuck

Tuesday February 7 2012 studentnewspaper.org

Contact: editors.studentnewspaper@gmail.com

16 Crossword

Dual Crossword No. 5

S

C S O R O

H

Eggy Egbert's soothsaying abilities are said to rest in his fetid, sulphuric stench, the intoxicating fumes of which cause his mind to transcend the bounds of linear cognisance, in the process conjuring wild portentous nightmares which he scrambles and eats with rye bread – benedict style.

Aries

At the Big Cheese, you indulge in some casual sharking with your crew.

You bump into Seal, who tells you all about his breakup with Heidi Klum.

Together you bemoan the Big Cheese and aquatic-based puns.

Taurus

The misty nebulae inspire in you this week a cheeky urge to call up PJ Harvey to ask if people often try to wear her to bed. She says they don’t which, in hindsight, was obvious.

Gemini

Inspired by Daniel Radcliffe’s break from wizardry you too decide to stop horsing around and hang up your damp acting, wand and owl (owls have small hanging tags just behind their ears for this purpose) to pursue a life as The Woman in Black. To your dismay, the critics hate what you’ve done. They’d also hate it if you hadn’t done it. In fact, they just hate you.

Cancer

You are invited to a formal luncheon but mishear the ‘Sunday best’ dresscode. You turn up in your beef braces, sausage shirt and carrot corduroys over potato pants, all drenched in gravy. Upon opening the door, your host frowns at you for 10 minutes solid, blocking the entrance to the building.

You take the hint and leave in your Yorkshire Pudding automobile.

Leo

This week you change your name to ‘Benjamin’ so you can use the Biggy line, "It’s all about the Benjamins baby" as a slightly funny ice-breaker when gunning into girls (and babies).

It works with such aplomb that by the end of the week you are the proprietor of a majorly slutty nursery.

Virgo

This week you realise you have no actual understanding of reality. Like, what are marshmallows made of? Why is Panama both a country and a type of hat? What the frick are legumes? You purchase an encyclopedia. You find out Friends With Benefits is actually a film about retarded children.

Libra

This week, your feet are itchy; you go to Itchy Feet and meet similarly afflicted individuals. Psoriasis is a funny sort of Cupid.

Scorpio

This week, as sexually aggressive Mars crosses the backside of fair Venus (giving her a cheeky slap on the way), you find that like a multilayered Sainsbury’s Basics onion, you will peel back the translucent skin of your problems, to reveal your miserable, onion-y, but finely diced core. Keep the Kleenex to hand.

Sagittarius

Your dissertation on ‘Attitudes to badgers in Mayan literature in 18th Century South Sudan’ faces a set back this week. Your hardline supervisor instructs you to "cut all this badger shit" and get rid of the comic sans font. Your world is shaken: only an edgy serif-less font could possibly convey the necessary gravitas of the subject matter at hand, foot and mouth.

Capricorn

This week, you find yourself in charge of improving the ‘student experience’ at the University. In a brilliantly clever wool-pulling exercise, you decide to get rid of the Director of Studies system. You sack all of the staff and re-employ them at the end of the week as ‘Personal Tutors.’ You instruct them to perform exactly the same task as they did before. No one suspects a thing and you gleefully sit and wait for the ‘feedback.’

Aquarius

What’s the difference between a joke and two cocks? Libras can’t take a joke. (This is a joke.)

Pisces

This week, Jupiter is bigger than Mars.

You continue to secretly propagate your bigotry and devious agendas through an anonymous pseudo psychic column. No one will be any the wiser as long as you add the necessary planetary razzle dazzle.

Oliver ninnis

E P O

CRYPTIC CLUES

BY PICUS

Across 5 Clumsy Lancelot is not ‘a sign in the sky’ (13) 9 Where cowboys worked, partly disenfranchised (5) 10 Slow steady Greek has a double (7) 11 Game requiring hard work and (national) spirit (9) 13 A number of games may be fixed (3) 14 Any number riding around are a joke (3) 15 Tail Winnie half-heartedly, after arranging to set up ambush (3, 2, 4) 17 Scheming wife abandoned for popular sport (7) 19 Western Hispaniola’s hot and first class, with hidden appeal (5) 20 Sympathetic agreement (13) Down 1 Burn with love that is elevated and right, supported by church (6) 2 A hut has been destroyed in this State (4) 3 Many a cad’s honourable, in the long run (8) 4 The French trapped in shattered tank get personal decoration (6) 6 Something to aim at after one over the eight - half a firkin (7) 7 Unimportant boxer (11) 8 Devious promise to pay is hedged (3) 12 Sheepdog on track for the pit (8) 13 His one law is badly expressed in African language (7) 14 Pill oddly associated with old fever and pestilence (6) 16 Shoot young girl initially in reverse, as 60’s model (6) 18 The Creator has to work by day (3) 19 Hard intelligence offers a clue (4)

CONCISE CLUES Across 5 Group of stars (13) 9 Cattle farm (5) 10 Step-by-step (7) 11 Children’s stepping game (9) 13 Group : go hard (3) 14 Play on words (3) 15 Set up ambush (3, 2, 4) 17 Fishing (7) 19 Voodoo country (5) 20 Realisation : sympathy (13)

Down 1 Burn superficially (6) 2 Mormon state (4) 3 Long-distance race (8) 4 Bangle (6) 6 A skittle (7) 7 Boxer (11) 8 Debt marker (3) 12 Coal-mine (8) 13 East African language (7) 14 Epidemic, pestilence (6) 16 Skinny model of the 60’s (6) 18 Deity (3) 19 Helpful suggestion (4)

Solutions to Dual Crossword No. 4 Across 1 MECCA me + C (call-sign) + ca (circa) 4 FANATIC f + a + n (initials) + a tic 8 MAO Ma + O 9 TROMBONES MB in Troon + ‘e’s 10 CHEROOT o (ld) Hector* 11 RATIO contained Ballarat I overlooked 12 HEAD OVER HEELS h over h / completely (in love) 14 DUMPY dump + Y (yen) 16 ONASSIS is after on a ss (ship) 18 ANTIPODES (Spode ain’t)* 20 APE a + PE 21 TORPEDO to + Pedro* 22 LAYER 2 definitions.

Down 1 MIMIC IC after MIM (Roman numerals) 2 CHOLERA C + hol (s) + era 3 ASTROLOGY as + (log inside Troy) 4 FROM THE WORD GO (HM got foreword)* 5 NOB Bon (d) (rev) 6 TENET palindrome 7 CUSTOMS custom (er) s 11 REHEARSAL rehear + Sal 12 HYDRANT Hydra + NT 13 ECSTASY 2 definitions 15 MOTOR moor round (Lu) T (on) 17 SMEAR contained gracious me a racial 19 PIE quotation. * = anagram of the preceding material (rev) = reverse the preceding material

The Chambers Dictionary (2008) is recommended Comments, questions, complaints can reach the compiler via the editors

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OK, SO I know that you have probably been bombarded by stories about SOPA and PIPA over the past few weeks; if not, you were probably really irritated when Wikipedia went down. Well this incarceration is now dead, the internet has won and celebrations are being had by all of the townspeople. These two bills have caused a hell of a lot trouble in a relatively short space of time and here is one more chapter in this ever-growing saga.

The gaming community, especially journalists, have been against this bill from day one. In fact, the first time I heard of either SOPA or PIPA was from online gaming magazine The Escapist, not from my Washington Post. The reaction from gamers has been venomous, and swathes of people, from the designers who make games to the people who play them, have declared their unwavering allegiance against Congress’ cause. It comes as a surprise then that the king has turned all Cepheus on us and is feeding the townspeople to the sea monster – look it up. The Entertainment Software Association, the gaming industry’s lobbyist in Washington, has actively been supporting these two bills. Piracy is a crime, that softly-spoken man before your Disney videos told you that much, and the gaming industry is hurt by that crime, but that is not an excuse for gaming’s biggest shield - the same organisation that got video games declared as an art form in the US to support shoddily made bills that hurt the free internet.

Unsurprisingly, the rest of the gaming community did not take kindly to the ESA’s decision. A campaign was started by Mark Kern, the CEO of Red 5 studios and the brains behind the phenomenally successful Firefall, to boycott the ESA’s biggest money maker: E3 the world’s biggest gaming expo.

This may seem to be the gaming equivalent of cancelling Christmas, yet 32,000 designers, journalists and gamers signed up to not cover, exhibit or even attend the annual megaexpo. Within the same week ESA removed all of its support for both SOPA and PIPA; another SOPA chapter is closed. Although such a reaction was probably uncalled for, the gaming community is proving how much it can do. The next step is to see if anything better comes from Congress as a result of this outcry.

Thom Louis

Status update

Tom Hasler takes a look at Facebook's debut on the stock market FACEBOOK HAS finally made its initial public offering and opened its business to the stock market. With the initial offer at around $5 billion, Facebook’s stock market debut is the largest ever for an internet based company and potentially places the company's value at a staggering $100 billion. In the years since Mark Zuckerberg launched the site in 2004, Facebook has exploded in popularity and become a regular hub for many people's social activities. Facebook terminology has engrained itself into modern culture, with Facebooking, going Facebook official and facebook stalking all coming up regularly in conversations.

It seems unbelievable that a single website could be worth so much money; while Google has a similar market value, its products are much more diverse.

What makes Facebook so lucrative however, is its low cost, high profit operation, its massive user base and the amount of information people hand over on their profiles. Information is gold dust in today's consumer market, but for the moment, this information is only used to enhance the effectiveness of the banner ads that drive the company's revenue, with every ad being sent only to users whose profiles indicate an interest – this means that I for example, usually see ads for games, computers and dating sites.

While the company's ad revenues are still extremely profitable, this is mostly due to the sheer amount of traffic on the site. Facebook has over 845 million users with the average user spending around

FOUR LEAF STUDIOS

OLIVER NINNIS

OLIVER NINNIS

Tuesday February 7 2012 studentnewspaper.org

WHAT A FACE...BOOK: He looks pretty pleased with himself seven hours a month on the site. The actual amount of ads clicked is relativity low compared to most websites, despite the targeted nature of the ads. This may be due to the fact the Facebook’s ads are far more discrete than most websites which bombard users with popups. This attitude may begin to change now that Facebook is going public. Although the company founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has always focused on delivering better products for his users rather than company revenue, pressure from the stock market may change some of the attitudes in the company, making ads a higher priority and thus more

invasive on the end user. Facebook will also have to fend off competition from industry rival Google, who are still pushing their Google+ social network, which will likely integrate it’s ad packages with Googles other popular services such as Gmail and Google maps.

Fortunately, although most of the companies stock is now being publicly traded, Facebook have worked out some legal voodoo which keeps the majority of voting power with Zuckerberg, which for the moment is likely a good thing. A 2004 study from the Harvard Business School showed that founders of privately owned businesses make

decisions better than stock traders and, furthermore, anyone capable of building a $100 billion business by the age of 27 probably has some grasp of how to run said buisiness.

Hopefully, Facebook’s presence on the stock market won’t change the nature of the iconic website for the worse.

The only thing most of us should be worried about is whether we want to invest in the cash cow. But more importantly, this news marks an excellent occasion to repeat what everybody already knows – Facebook is massive and Mark Zuckerberg is disgustingly rich and successful.

How should EUSA ACT(A)?

Melissa Amy Geere arms you with the facts about the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement

THIS TUESDAY, EUSA will be debating the referendum question: Should EUSA stand against ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement)? Whether you’re planning to vote, or just think ‘not another silly internet legislation acroynm’, read on to find out all you need to know about the issue.

The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement aims to prevent international trade in counterfeited material, and to protect intellectual property rights. This applies to rights holders from digital media companies like Disney, to drug companies like GlaxoSmithKline. It has attracted criticism mainly because of the possible implications for internet users. As it stands the internet is a huge threat to traditional business models – according to the European Commission, Europe is losing €8 billion annually in revenue because of counterfeited material flooding the market. ACTA will create a uniform set of rules allowing all countries to deal with copyright infringement of any type in a standardised way. Unusually for a trade agreement, ACTA

contains criminal sanctions– it states when criminal penalties should apply during enforcement of copyright and counterfeiting law.

The agreement has been signed by 30 countries including the UK. However it must now be ratified i.e. become legislation in each individual country, as well as passing a European Parliament vote in June. This means for the first time it is in the hands of democratically elected representatives.

By deciding to stand against ACTA, EUSA can register its opposition and lobby the Scottish, UK and European Parliaments not to ratify the agreement.

Because this agreement tries to cover all types of copyright infringement in all countries, the definitions are uselessly broad. While ACTA does not change existing UK law, it does change the way it can be enforced. According to the European Commission, “the respect for fundamental rights such as privacy, freedom of expression and data protection is expressly mentioned as a basic principle of the agreement”. On the other hand, it in-

sists on criminal sanctions for anyone involved in, or even “aiding and abetting” those involved in “counterfeiting or copyright...piracy on a commercial scale”. It is how these terms are interpreted that worries critics. As Olivia Solon of Wired UK points out, “this is so vague that it could be used against pretty much any website.”

The agreement also lumps together ‘piracy’ and ‘counterfeiting’: a counterfeit is an unlicensed imitation of something which is the intellectual property of another, for profit-making purposes. Piracy is an exact copy of the original thing- made by criminal organisations but also by millions of individuals in their homes who are simply sharing with friends. The two problems must be dealt with separately.

Once ratified, ACTA would prevent individual countries from changing their intellectual property laws.

This would stifle innovation and prevent willing countries from pioneering new business models more suited to the nature of the web.

The secrecy originally surrounding

the agreement, and the significant ‘watering down’ it has undergone means you may hear false or outdated claims about ACTA. Contrary to popular belief, it will not prevent developing countries from buying cheap imitations of Western medicines - ACTA pledges to safeguard access to health treatment. Though negotiated behind closed doors to avoid dissenters, it is not secret and undemocratic ,in fact it has been publicly available since last April, and is now open to scrutiny by elected representatives. And thirdly it will not force Internet Service Providers to monitor individual data usage, by making them legally responsible for the actions of their users. In fact the agreement only obliges ISPs to “promote cooperative efforts within the business community to effectively address...infringement”. This could mean as little as holding the odd conference on copyright law.

If you’re still unclear about the issue, the European Commission website will give you the pro-ACTA side of the debate, and well...the rest of the internet will give you the other side.

Science nerd? Follow us on twitter @TheStudentPaper or on Facebook at facebook.com/TheStudentNewspaper science.studentnewspaper@gmail.com

LISA LANGE

Tuesday February 7 2012 studentnewspaper.org

Allowed to be proud?

Matt Dumont takes a look at the role of science in our society, and whether it deserves all of its bad press THE ROLE of science in society is simple; to progress our understanding of the universe, and convey the findings to the rest of society. However, between the research and teaching there is a fracture in the process preventing knowledge from being passed smoothly on to the masses.

Scientists have been, and are now, perceived by some to be arrogant, self-important liberals who remain estranged from the real world in their ivory tower of academia. This has led to a disregard of science as the path to truth, but rather as a selfish scheme led by intellectuals so they can – as Rick Perry puts it – “have dollars rolling into their pockets.”

a transatlantic problem. Back in 2009, Professor David Nutt was accused of acting irresponsibly when asked for his advice on the legalisation of drugs, with many, including the Daily Mail reporter A. N. Wilson claiming his scientific argument as unfit for the real world. David Nutt was forced to resign as a government advisor for stating scientific evidence that alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous than cannabis.

“

Persistent denialism that serves political, financial or religious interests can be dangerous"

“

The situation is exacerbated by misinterpretation and sensationalism in the media. People are unceasingly told things such as how they must not eat certain foods or they’ll give you cancer, a type of vaccine will give you autism, or genetically modified foods will kill us all. This misinformation, caused by poor reporting and heavy concision, has sprung a following of ‘denialists’ who question the teachings of science. However, one could argue, this is actually not such a bad thing. After all, are they not simply

HORIA VARIAN

Outside academia, scientists can also be counter-productively belittling and patronising to those who dare question the wisdom of scientific rationale" SCIENCE IS FUN : Don't believe me? Just look at all the pretty colours asking the questions that scientists once asked, and above all, reinforcing theories?

Nevertheless persistent, seemingly irrational, denialism that serves political, financial or religious interests can be dangerous, and is no more prevalent than in America’s Republican Party.

In Iowa, only 21 per cent of Republican voters believe Climate Change

is true and only 35 per cent believe in evolution. It is in these two topics that scientists like Richard Dawkins are struggling to teach to the world.

In doing so, Dawkins himself has come under fire by many including scientists and atheists for being too aggressive and arrogant. What’s worse is that few Republican representatives have shown support for scientific

advice. Michele Bachman wrongfully dismissed a potentially life-saving HPV vaccine as ‘dangerous’, Rick Perry has persistently spoken out against climate science and has called evolution ‘just a theory’, whilst both Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich have expressed their doubts about the validity of scientific data.

The dismissal of science is, however,

A heartening discovery

So, are scientists arrogant? Yes. I witness it every day. My friends in geosciences regularly belittle the geography department for their apparent lack of scientific rigour as if they truly want to be ‘scientists’ but cannot.

Outside academia, scientists can also be counter-productively belittling and patronising to those who dare question the wisdom of scientific rationale.

Nevertheless, if the Republicans do succeed in the presidential battle this year, and as a result little is done to mitigate climate change, I doubt the scientists will be the ones screaming ‘I told you so!’ whilst New York is washed away by a gigantic tidal wave (disclaimer: this is unlikely to happen).

I would imagine they’ll be back in the labs, researching away until their faces fall off. Then, like Professor Nutt, they’ll despondently explain to the world what is going on, whilst trying hard not to sound like a smug doctor caring for a disobedient patient.

Despite media claims of spiralling obesity, heart health is actually improving, reports Rhona Auckland According to a recent report in The Independent the number of deaths related to heart attacks in the Western world has halved since 2002. This is somewhat surprising considering that the news is constantly full of reminders that we are in the midst of an obesity epidemic. The key to good heart health is commonly believed to be a lifestyle free from cigarettes, alcohol and fatty foods – not exactly congruous with the type of existence which the modern public has been accustomed to.

So would it be fair to assume that the obesity message is getting through to us? Researchers at Oxford University certainly think so. Yet statistics show that the average percentage of fat in our diets has only decreased by 2%

in the last 30 years, and although fat is cause heart attacks. Even the World ‘healthier’ than it was, as more saturates Health Organisation, (the coordinating health committee of the United Nations), was unable to form any subWould it be fair stantial links in an extensive study into the relationships between levels of body to assume that the fat and heart attacks.

This perhaps provides answers to obesity message is the puzzle of why the French, on a diet getting through to us? high in the saturated fats gained from dairy and meat produce, still manage to Researchers at Oxford maintain healthier hearts than the avUniversity certainly erage Brit. But if fat wasn’t the trigger for our high heart attack levels, what think so" was? Some scientists claim that living are removed, the statistics don’t match life with the motto ‘take everything in up. But then comes the news that there moderation’ may be the answer, sugis little scientific evidence to support the gesting that overeating was what entheory that increased fat levels directly dangered heart health. Yet with close to

“

a quarter of British adults deemed clini- live in a pill popping world, (I am not recally obese, where has this decline in the ferring to the recreational type), where practically every health worry can be set at ease by swallowing a magic capsule.

Some scientists Drugs designed to lower blood pressure and cholesterol have had an impressive claim that living impact on our health, and are a key factor in decreasing heart attack levels. life with the motto But it is not just the scientists who can 'take everything in get a pat on the back; the researchers at moderation' may be the Oxford have credited a large proportion of the success to the average Joe Bloggs. answer to improving So yes, essentially health messages are getting through. Our lifestyles are heart health" improving, and although the obesity number of heart attacks we suffer from epidemic is far from beaten, we can take come from? Who or what can we credit heart from the fact that scientists are on for this promising breakthrough? the hunt to find success in our efforts, Essentially it’s down to science. We to bolster our fight.

“

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Tuesday February 7 2012 studentnewspaper.org

Science & Environment 19

Water, water, everywhere

A WILD LIFE

DISMAL DAYS AHEAD: Flooding will be a primary concern in the Britain of the future THE OXFORD English Dictionary defines risk as: “a situation involving exposure to danger”, so when we heard last week that DEFRA - the government’s Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs – had just released the UK’s first ever Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA), we could not be blamed for fearing the worst. What danger are we to be exposed to? What dramatic new data has come to the fore and prompted the DEFRA to publish a risk assessment that runs to over 1000 pages? After all, the IPCC (The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – basically the UN’s climate branch) released their fourth assessment back in 2007.

“

The opportunities the assessment states that climate change will present will be meaningless if the underlying fabric of society is in tatters" Well, as it turns out, there is no dramatic new data. What there is, however, is an insight into the troubles, but also, opportunities, that the UK could face over the next hundred years. A crucial aspect of the assessment is that it as-

sumes that no sector of the economy will make any effort whatsoever to adapt to the problems that climate change presents. In this regard it can be seen to represent what is projected to be the worst case scenario for the UK, and things, predictably, don’t look too good.

Being a small island nation, it comes as no surprise to learn that flooding is going to be the predominant issue we face. In the long term (the next 80-100 years), the melting ice caps that Sir David Attenborough recently described so wonderfully in the BBC’s Frozen Planet, will cause sea level rise along the coastline that will threaten cities, agriculture and livelihoods across the UK, but particularly in the South East.

Bacteria biting back

GEOGRAPH.ORG.UK

Sam Brear assesses the claims of the UK government's first Climate Change Risk Assessment

The far more prominent issue though, is that of flooding associated with rainfall. Projections show that, especially in winter, there will be significantly more heavy precipitation events of the sort associated with flash floods, and a decline in light precipitation, i.e. drizzle.

Events such as this will affect not only people’s homes, but also their wallets, with the annual expenditure on flood defences expected to rise from £1.2billion at present, to £12billion by 2070.

The other dominant issue that the UK will face is drought. Now, I know what you’re thinking; “Hold on, you’ve just told us we’ll be flooded all the time, we’ll have plenty of water!” Oh, but if only it was that simple. The longer, hotter, summers (bringing with them an increase in the risk of skin cancer, not just tanning opportunities), the increased water demand, and the reduced recharge, will mean that water resources will become much scarcer as the UK’s aquifers dry up. The projections here suspect that the Thames river basin region will face a supply/demand deficit of 940-2550 megalitres per day.

In other words, it will take more than a hosepipe ban to rectify the issue.

All in all, the CCRA shows projected changes in our climate that, at present, we are entirely unprepared for.

We should be in no doubt that whilst these changes are uncertain, many are potentially significant and others, already irreversible.

It is in the acknowledgement of these projected changes that the assessment’s purpose comes to the fore. The CCRA is not the last word on analysing climate risk – it is the start of a process. Though the report tells us nothing new, it raises awareness of vital issues that we all need to prepare for if we are to prosper and thrive in the future.

The opportunities that the assessment states that climate change will present, such as more direct shipping routes, or a boost to the tourism industry, will be meaningless if the underlying fabric of society is in tatters.

Maithili Mehta presents a compelling example of Darwin's theory in action: antibiotic resistance

ANYONE WHO has been to the doctor with a flu has had an antibiotic prescribed on at least one occasion. But what if these drugs that we take for granted suddenly don’t seem to work anymore? This could be a reality if we fail to combat the rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Let’s start at the beginning.

What exactly is an antibiotic?

The term was coined by Selman Waksman in 1942 to describe any substance produced by a micro-organism that inhibits or slows down the growth of other micro-organisms. One of the first classes of antibiotics to be discovered were the Betalactam anti-bacterials, which include the Penicillins (produced by fungi of the genus Penicillium; these kill most bacteria).

How does an antibiotic do its job?

Most antibiotics target a certain function or process of the micro-organism they are aimed at. For instance, Penicillin hinders inter-molecular bond formation in bacterial cell walls. Under normal conditions, specific enzymes produced by the bacteria, called trans-peptidases, catalyse the formation of bonds between molecules called

peptidoglycans, which form the major constituents of bacterial cell walls. The cell forms a protective mesh around the otherwise fragile cell, providing mechanical support. Penicillin (and other Beta-lactam antibiotics) bind to a part of these cementing enzymes, deterring their function.

This weakens the cross-links that hold the bacterial cell wall together, until eventually the pressure exerted by the bacterial cell contents ruptures the wall, killing the bacterium.

The strategy employed by Penicillins has earned them a reputation as effective antagonists to bacterial growth. For decades, Penicillins have found their way onto the prescription pads of doctors, veterinarians, and dentists alike as treatment for a range of diseases, such as syphilis.

And why all the fuss? Certain populations of target bacteria have been shown to have “antibiotic resistance” genes. These genetic mutations have existed since time immemorial. In gram-negative bacteria, these are manifested as genes that code for beta-lactamases, enzymes that cleave the beta-lactam ring of beta-lactam an-

tibiotics like Penicillin. In gram-positive bacteria, the binding specificity of a group of proteins, “Penicillin-binding proteins” (PBPs) is altered, so that Penicillin can no longer bind to the bacterial cells. In both cases, the beta-lactam antibiotic is rendered inactive.

overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Other factors contributing to increased penicillin and methicillin resistance include unnecessary prescriptions, incorrect diagnoses, and overdosing by patients.

Most healthcare personnel believe that restricting antibiotic abuse will reduce the emergence of resistant strains. This idea is being supplemented by research into alternative treatments for infections curWhat if the drugs rently treated solely by antibiotics: passive that we take for immunization is one such avenue, wherein immunoglobulins are inoculated with angranted suddenly tigens (toxins) produced by bacteria. These antigens stimulate the production of antidon't seem to work bodies, which can then be injected into the anymore?" patient concerned to provide immunity. It has been shown to be feasible that passive This has led to the emergence of what immunization can be extended to treat researchers call “MRSA” (Methicillin- infections caused by highly drug-resistant resistant Staphylococcus Aureus), which bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus. was responsible for 37% of fatal sepsis cases in the UK in 1999, and continues While we were trying to edit this article to be widely prevalent in hospitals all over into layman's terms, we realised that we were Britain. laymen. Could you do a better job? Apply to Who is to blame? And where do we be Science & Environment editor at editors@ go from here? The main culprit is the studentnewspaper.org –Eds.

“

HELLO AND welcome to A Wild Life, a monthly column exploring current wildlife happenings, both locally and across Scotland, focusing on things you can enjoy and see in real life.

Winter is nearly coming to an end, the crocuses are poking up

by Melville Drive, and other early signs of spring are becoming apparent. However, winter is still very much affecting the wildlife.

Surprisingly, only three British mammals truly hibernate – hedgehogs, bats and dormice, these will still be hidden away in a deep sleep until the temperature begins to rise in spring. Some bees and butterflies do the same. Other species such as badgers, frogs and toads adopt a state known as torpor, which lies somewhere between a deep sleep and complete hibernation.

However, despite the sleepiness, there are interesting things going on. It’s an exciting time in the badger world. Mating occurs throughout the year, but badgers have evolved a delayed pregnancy meaning that cubs are born around February. The cubs will stay underground for a couple of months, emerging when springtime brings more reliable food sources and warmer weather.

Corstorphine Hill hosts a large population of badgers, but it’s probably not worth going to look for another couple of months – there’s lots of information on the Internet about good watching practice.

While winter brings a slowing pace of life for many creatures, this is not so for squirrels. In early February, females will be actively building their nests or ‘dreys’ ¬- a football of dry leaves and twigs usually up a tall tree, ready for the imminent mating season. Multiple males, attracted by the female’s scent, dart in pursuit between trees with astonishing speed and agility. The fastest male will mate with the female – a means of ensuring the fittest father for the offspring, although he won’t play any part in raising the young.

Sadly, the North American grey, introduced by foolish Victorians, out-competes the red squirrel in pretty much every aspect of life – resulting in a massive decline of our native species. Scotland still holds significant red populations, which may be seen in many forests if you’re lucky. To get really close to greys, head to the Edinburgh Botanic Garden where, for good or bad, regular feeding by visitors has made the squirrels amazingly tame.

Pick a frosty morning and be sure to visit the glasshouses.

Zak Gratton

rEVIEW

COMMISSION #16: katie rowland

Katie Rowland is a 4th Year BA Drawing and Painting student, whose work is fundamentally informed by the way people pass down information. Specifically, Rowland investigates the blurring of the line between fact and fiction which occurs through the constant retelling of certain accounts and stories. Rowland is interested in the way information is recorded in historical carvings and tapestry, which informs her work as a printmaker. Within her prints, Rowland incorporates pattern and symbols in order to present old tales alongside the new.

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Tuesday February 7 2012 studentnewspaper.org

HOLLY JAMESON

21 Culture 21

20

Holding you to Ransome

Thom Louis enjoys a boatload of middle class, nautical nonsense at the Bristol Old Vic's Swallows and Amazons ids playing pretend, that is the main theme of Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons and the musical adaptation delivers just that: a juvenile game of imagination. This ramshackle production, although it takes some time to warm up, provides oodles of innocent fun supported by a strong ensemble, tumbledown set-pieces and fascinating music by Neil Hannon of Divine Comedy fame.

The story is as childlike as its protagonists. Four kids, John, Susan, Titty and Roger Walker, are spending a whimsical, middle-class summer holiday in the Lake District. They have been allowed by their father (via telegram, just to remind us we are in the 1930s) to sail the eponymous dinghy Swallow and camp out on an island. Here they meet the piratical Amazons, Nancy and Peggy Blackett, and together they declare an alliance against all adults and plot against the Amazons’ houseboat-owning uncle James, whom the children dub the evil Captain Flint.

The brave choice to have the kids portrayed by adults at first grates horribly – the bearded Stewart Wright’s

seven year old Roger was particularly guilty of this – but after the first tantrum it is impossible to see these mature actors as anything but infants.

ALLAN SEKULA: SHIP OF FOOLS

warming effect. Sekula’s intention of showing the hardships of life on this vessel shows little promise of hitting home.

There are a few redeeming elements, however, as the exhibition continues.

One particularly striking photograph of a man surrounded by sacks that he appears to be hauling onto the ship shows the intense labour endured by the workers on board. The photograph is dominated by these sacks, which successfully conveys the all-consuming nature of the workload. At this moment, Sekula is successful in communicating his point.

The remainder of the exhibition features various objects from The Dockers Museum, including some memorable ink drawings that depict the struggle associated with the Global Mariner.

However, these brief moments of clarity are just not enough to have any impact or lasting effect.

At the end of the exhibition, an informative little paragraph painted on a dusky pink square reveals that the Grand Mariner sank in 2000. While this information is saddening, it’s just not enough to give the collection poignancy and send you out of Stills thinking about the deep meaning of it all. But then I suppose I’m just not that intersted in ships.

or their big stage production this year the Edinburgh University Footlights have chosen a rather selfreflecting show on the nature of musical theatre, A Chorus Line, which focuses on the arduous audition process for the chorus of a Broadway musical. This presents the performers with a challenge; for a short time they each become the most important person on the stage as they reveal their back stories in an attempt to win over both the audience and the casting director.

It is when these characters are developed as individuals that this production really takes off. Not all performances are up to the same standard, yet overall they manage to provide an engaging display through the striking use of song, dance and dramatic monologue. At one point, when Rebecca Clarke playing Diana Morales sings ‘Nothing’, everything literally fades into the background as she completely engrosses the audi-

dim light and spooky stone walls of The Caves, Chaucer’s charming voice slowly brings to life his fellow pilgrims, nuances their characters and insinuates their flaws. Then, in a burst of sound and light, the “colourful company” takes the lead, plunging you into the merry and loud atmosphere of the Tabard Inn – so much so in fact that you feel like asking for a pint yourself. The evening is quickly planned; each of the pilgrims will entertain the company in a storytelling contest – the prize? A binge for free at the innkeeper’s expense.

The play resembles a set of Chinese boxes: at first Chaucer’s account of the evening unfolds before your eyes, whose protagonists in turn transform this setting for their own tales. This mechanism is well oiled; the various levels are easily distinguished thanks to the different acting spaces (the stage is used for the tales, while the pilgrims use all of the remaining space, moving comfortably among the audience as if they were fellow inn regulars), as well as good timing and clever lighting changes.

The pattern of a pilgrim sitting

Stills Gallery Run Ended

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llan Sekula’s Ship of Fools is the latest in Stills’ Social Documents programme, and claims to explore “economic crisis, protest and the forces of globalisation” through his still portraits of cargo vessel the Global Mariner and its crew members. In reality, it’s a collection of some fairly nice photos of ships.

On first entering Stills the large, dominating photographs of crew members will immediately capture your attention, but upon closer inspection, it turns out that the size of these photographs is their most impressive feature. They’re not a complete loss though – one of the crew members has quite a snazzy jumper.

That aside, there is something contrived about the people featured in these photographs. They’re all happy, smiley, and don’t seem to be suffering from the crushing effects of globalisation. Their neighbouring photograph a stunning view of the ocean beneath a dazzling sunset - has a similarly heart-

THE ROAD TO CANTERBURY The Caves Run Ended

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W

ho said tales are for children?

Storytelling is an essential need and an exclusive faculty of humans; Chaucer knew this well. The Road to Canterbury proves a well-told tale can capture your imagination, no matter what your age is.

While you get accustomed to the

“

The show's music is witty, light and enchanting, if at times lyrically simplistic; not that I would expect anything less from a man who created a whole band centered on cricket puns."

Like its plot, the whole aesthetic is delightfully puerile. The simplistic props and playroom feel of the set, including a parrot made of a feather duster and cormorants made out of bin bags, all emphasise the childish imagination that underpins the show. The ensemble, dubbed the players in blue, interact with these pieces with unashamed glee; the grins on their faces when splashing wa-

DOCUMENT.IS

K

FROWNY FACES: The Swallows and the Amazons attempt to stare each other down ter at the kids when Swallow is sailing or controlling a simple frame to show the vision of a telescope is absolutely hilarious.

The show’s music is witty, light and enchanting, if at times lyrically simplistic; not that I would expect anything less from a man who created a whole

band centred on cricket puns. All of it is performed by the players in blue and adds bucket loads of charm to the performance, without being so overbearing as to overshadow its homemade feel.

The conclusion is appropriately anarchic with a panto-style pitched battle against Captain Flint that seems to sum

up the show perfectly; silly, over the top and riotously enjoyable. The whole production, from the skilled performers to the props that they use, is there to make you imagine like a child and that is exactly what it achieves. Swallows and Amazons forever and death to Captain Flint!

A CHORUS LINE

ence while alone on a dark and empty stage.

This pared down approach is entirely suitable for the portrayal of the backstage world as the auditionees display their talent without the comforting props and glitz that can help to conceal a bad performance.

Contrast is established between this plain backstage world of individuals which dominates most of the show and the closing scene when all the cast members participate in a big glittery number, all symbols of their individuality removed as they move (more or less) in synchronicity.

large cast hurtles across the stage, in something that aims to approximate coordination, things look less Broadway and more Broadmoor.

When the large cast hurtles across the stage, in something that aims to approximate coordination, things look less Broadway and more Broadmoor."

Unfortunately, in a show which has to rely almost equally on all of its actors for its success, a few shaky performances undermine the entire production. The show really necessitates an equally high standard of singing, acting and dancing from everyone on stage; while Footlights should be praised for choosing a musical that gives the greatest number a chance to shine, this decision ultimately weakens the show when some of the actors instead display a rather dim light.

Church Hill Theate Run Ended

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“

Ironically enough for A Chorus Line, it is when the cast are working as a dancing ensemble that the production is at its weakest. When the in a spotlight and having their go is sometimes repetitive and lengthy, as some pilgrims take their time, pace up and down and delay the flow of the evening. However, the audience is saved from boredom by the on-stage actors’ ductility. These performers vary from rhyme to mime, and even a Laurel and Hardy-inspired video clip. A mix of new and old stories, both moral and sacrilegious, put the audience under a laughing spell.

The fiction of the Tabard is convincing (the actors remain in character even during the break,

“

Unfortunately, in a show which has to rely almost equally on all of its actors for its success, a few shaky performances undermine the entire production."

Amelia Sanders improvising and addressing the audience in old-fashioned English) to the point that when the pilgrims retire to bed (a bit abruptly, no winner is proclaimed, a less grand ending than you would expect), you realise three hours have gone by and wish they would stay to tell you some more.

My advice, sit close to the stage if you don’t want to miss the quieter story tellers and bring your own ale to join in the half-drunken, mystic narrative experience.

Paola Tamma

Tuesday February 7 2012 studentnewspaper.org

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22 Culture STAR RATING Avenue Queues around the blockOrville-y good Non-kermit-al Rosie and grim Sooty and made-me-weep

Marvellous marionettes

ROYGBIV This week's cultural spectrum.

Nicole Adam plucks up the courage to enjoy a less-than-wooden festival of puppetry

P

lucked, part of the Manipulate Festival at the Traverse and presented

by Invisible Thread, is a dramatic and gripping piece of theatre that evokes every possible horror and delight of what a ‘true fairy tale’ can be.

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I hesitate to describe anything in this production as inanimate, as the characters were so easy to discern."

THE HOUSE Bedlam Theatre Run Ended

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n this play-outwith-a-play, writer and director David Elms portrays writer and director David Elms on the afternoon of his big debut on the afternoon of his big debut. It’s all a little bit meta.

The House is superficially a play about a play, but also a play about making plays; about the trials of getting actors to turn up on time, deciding who to invite to the big day, and – more importantly – who not to invite. Walking

ne of the worrying things about the digitalisation of literature nowadays is the effect this will have on the public libraries. Amazon, in apparent support of libraries (in the U.S at least), are now allowing Kindle users to ‘borrow’ from a list of books from participating libraries. This seems fairly similar to the way libraries work now, as when you’re done with the book you’ll no longer have it on your Kindle, and if you borrow it again the user specific annotations and folded pages will still be there (not that I’m advising you annotate your library books).

But the librarians are not appeased so easily. They claim literature will closely follow music in the illegal download market, rendering free borrowing near obsolete. There is also a worry that as the demand for paper books becomes less and less, the spaces devoted to them will become more compact. Rows and rows of books will have to be rows of something else.

In light of these worries, this Saturday past saw National Libraries Day celebrated throughout the UK; a reminder of the great resource that libraries are.

Edinburgh Central Library on George IV Bridge, for example, staged an ‘Out Loud in Libraries’ event, where anyone could stand in the foyer and read something aloud to a complete stranger, or just stand and listen to what was being read out.

This is an interesting choice for an event, being reminiscent of literary technology in the Medieval period.

The widespread illiteracy of the time meant most people experienced literature when it was read aloud to a group; this communal experience has almost disappeared nowadays with the ubiquity of the paperback (and literacy, of course). We’re much more likely to encounter The Canterbury Tales alone than we are as part of a group.

To evoke the reading habits of a near dead past at least suggests that changing technology does not destroy reading. Yet the loss of the paperback does mean reading is even more individual, as a borrowed book has not been touched by anyone else, has not been visibly aged or thumbed by somebody sharing the same literary loves as ourselves.

The existence of libraries, and events celebrating them, remind us that there are people out there reading the same things we are, no matter how solitary the reading process has become. Even if we enjoy the ease of downloading cheap books on our Kindles, going to the library is not only cheaper, it can make reading more of a communal experience. With your library card, you're a member of a community that will hopefully survive another few National Libraries Days.

“

A dramatic and gripping piece of theatre that evokes every possible horror and delight of what a ‘true fairy tale’ can be"

WHY DON'T YOU LIKE ME?: Plucked puppet stares at a train I hesitate to describe anything in this production as inanimate, as the characters were so easy to discern. The expert, seamless and unnoticeable manipula-

tion by the three-person cast brought life and empathy into a world with no obvious human characteristics.

The piece follows the courtship of

the fine line between narcissism and self-loathing, David battles his own nerves while at the same time trying to motivate his cast. He manages to keep it together (mostly) until learning his parents will be attending the performance; not the best news to receive when your supposedly autobiographical play is a deeply exaggerated (read “fictional”) tale of child abuse.

Not above poking fun at itself, in addition to more farcical humour, the show frequently references both its own lack of resources and surplus of pretentiousness. David revises the show’s slogan through several iterations, from a humble “by” to the grandiose “from the visionary mind of ” that ultimately graces the poster.

Amusingly, the cast shift from a confident, fluid rapport while playing “themselves” to delivering awkward, stilted lines while rehearsing David’s cliché-ridden “magnum opus”.

“

More than once the play had the crowd roaring with laughter for reasons I couldn't begin to decipher."

Leaving, I was asked what I thought of the play as a “non-Bedlamite”. A very apt question, I think, and not one I was able to properly answer at the time. Typical of Bedlam’s notoriously

TV BOMB

The show combines many forms of puppetry and visual elements across two very different acts: the first introduces us to an idyllic setting that is broken too easily and the second explores loss and the battle between darkness and light. Entwined throughout are allusions to familiar fairy tales, exploring the reality behind them and what drives beings in their desires and destruction.

Our initial characters are two almost life-size puppets; angular top halves give way to flowing, fabricenshrouded bottoms, their heads are bald with bulging eyes and the colours of both the characters and the setting are plain and organic.

Despite being totally androgynous the expert manipulation brought forth gender and personality immediately;

O

this couple with both subtlety and humour. Music is used throughout to create the setting and advance the plot to great effect. The birth the couple share is both bizarre and poignant, resulting in nothing that resembles a human child yet still conveying all the aspects of a newborn life. This acknowledgement of such familiar emotions in such an unfamiliar setting leaves the audience unsettled but enthralled.

The two parts are very varied, with the second decidedly darker. Though clearly a reaction to loss, the change in style and setting occasionally seemed almost too much, as though it belonged in an entirely different production. The puppets are less ethereal and the whole effect is more vulgar, vivid and jarring.

Overall, it certainly evoked a sense of the traditional, haunting fairytale.

In Plucked we see how easy it is to fall into the cracks of fate, how simple it is for the poor princess to become the wicked witch and how nothing we take for granted is really as simple as it seems. tight-knit community, I got the impression that there was an entire layer of in-jokes and subtext that I wasn’t able to fully appreciate.

More than once the play had the crowd roaring with laughter or clapping in appreciation for reasons I couldn’t begin to decipher. The jokes I got were undeniably funny and well performed, but I couldn’t help but feel I wasn’t exactly part of the target audience.

As one of the players concludes before a poignantly awkward pause, “You’ve written a play! How many people can say that?” … At least you haven’t given yourself the main role or anything.

Alasdair Macleod

THE ART DOCTOR with Anna Feintuck This week: a fine solution to a theoretically troubled temperament I am an artist with an interest in critical theory. If there is one thing that critical theory has taught me, it's that people like me do not make good art any more. Really, I belong in the eighteenth century, safely under the patronage of a flirty duchess. I am not made for youtube and performance art.

What should I do? Any art I do produce will be reactionary, but I’m really a revolutionary!

First of all, you need to relax. If there is one thing that curing the woes of students has taught me, it is that critical theory does not make people happy.

Step away from the self-referential intellectualism and you may find your

creativity mysteriously flourishing. As for art to help you do this, I think impressionism may hold the key. My first thought was to prescribe some Matisse or Mondrian – they both use a gloriously deep blue that has something inherently calming about it – but I can’t help but think that you might not be in a state to accept its simplicity without a bit of analytical hand-wringing, which won’t do you any good at all.

There’s a certainty to impressionism, a cheerful belief in the fundamental beauty of the world. You need to let yourself enjoy these paintings and, if worry starts sneaking back in, remind yourself that beautiful fine art is still appreciated – you only have to look at the enduring popularity of David Hockney (who, as your lovely editor

Michael discussed a couple of weeks ago, has actually embraced modern technology with his iPad ‘paintings’) to see that true skill will always win out.

And this may all be a few centuries too late, but eighteenth-century flirty duchesses come with their own problems: solitude and contemplation will be the key for you, I think. And when I say contemplation, I don’t mean sitting around grappling with whether you are a reactionary or a revolutionary. I mean go and look at a tree – look at the shapes its branches make, breathe cold air, and enjoy.

Got a problem? We can cure you! All problems will be treated confidentially. And ever so seriously. Email us at artdoctor.thestudent@gmail.com.

Michael Mackenzie

Look oot for...

MELISSA ALICE WOOD

Dear Art Doctor,

Reading allowed

Avenue-Q is showing at the Playhouse from February 6: Edinburgh is puppet mad!

Minto House is putting on an interesting looking student exhibition this week til Friday.

Theatre buff? Review it! Follow us on twitter @TheStudentPaper or on Facebook at facebook.com/TheStudentNewspaper culture.thestudent@gmail.com

Tuesday February 7 2012 studentnewspaper.org

Culture 23

Handled with care

Troy Holmes enjoys the ceramics and installment art on display at Dovecot Studios

A

way in Old Town, you are greeted with a modern, light and brilliantly curated space. The first piece you see is by Keith Harrison, a huge rig with dry clay discs covering the many lines of speakers. Silent now, but implicit within it is sound playing a physical role; the cracked discs act as evidence of its force like the after effects of an earthquake. In the corner, a video shows the live event and the viewer can watch the clay vibrating, the piece displayed becoming an artifact of performance.

catches the light, yet doesn’t snag the imagination in the same way as the others.

“

Cobblestones is a collection of ceramic squares in different glazes, the hand crafted technique making them all unique yet the same"

“

The Jerwood Makers Open brings together four artists selected from 200 applicants and, although each artist has vastly different styles, bringing them together in a space like this makes them stronger through connection.

Farah Bandookwala’s work explores alien shapes using high tech processes and materials. Interactive,

IT TOOK HIM YEARS TO STEAL ALL THOSE MAIL BOXES: Emmanuel Boos' Cobblestones garish, small-scale sculptures that wouldn’t look out of place in the Men in Black films are sunken into corners or appear through mechanisms from

the floor. Somewhat less subtle than the other exhibitors, Bandookwala’s pieces stick out from the more understated style of the others.

WWW.A-N.CO.UK

Interactive, garish small-scale sculptures that wouldn't look out of place in the Men in Black films are sunken into corners or appear through mechanisms from the floor"

Conversely, Heike Brachlow's cast glass and steel pieces don’t stand out enough. Torus shaped glass, which balances precariously on steel rods,

Emmanuel Boos’ beautifully glazed ceramic sculptures explore surface and colour, playfully searching through depth. Cobblestones is a collection of ceramic squares in different glazes, his hand crafted technique making them all unique yet the same; this draws you in to consider each one in turn. The repetition becomes ritualistic.

If this is not enough to drag you the short walk from Bristo Square, then go for the opportunity to see the weavers upstairs at work. On the third floor, you are able to peek into their studio from the balcony, watch their intricate and skilled work and listen to the silence of concentration, broken only by the muffled radio and quick clicks, as the weavers push thread into place making their exquisite work.

Tuesday February 7 2012 studentnewspaper.org

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JOANNA LISOWIEC

24

The FreudianV-ego

Shoshana Kessler talks to Viggo Mortensen about his upcoming film A Dangerous Method

Mortensen’s thoughts and experiences on his new film. The interview took place at the Freud Museum, former home of the psychologist and his family. There were eight of us at the round table, and as we waited we discussed the film, our questions, and of course the elephant in the room; whether or not to mention Lord of the Rings (we decided against it).

Viggo Mortensen, born in 1958, is not your standard Hollywood actor.

A respected photographer, painter and poet, he has played a myriad of characters, most notably Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings films, and Man in The Road. But even with these different characters under his belt, looking at him, one doesn’t immediately jump to Sigmund Freud, something that Viggo himself relates to, “when I was offered the part, first of all I thought, how am I ever going to look like him?”

Yet he states, “when a script is good – as in the case of A Dangerous Method – and you’re offered a very good part, and you’re not sure you can do it but a director you trust feels you can do it, I feel like I have to do that.” In the film Mortensen undergoes an incredible transformation, embodying Freud to the very pocket watch and cigar. He notes that Freud supposedly smoked 22 cigars a day, but reckons he had to smoke many more than that in the end.

When queried as to whether he is still smoking he replies, “I’m not smoking them any more, but I do like the smell – I have a lot of childhood memories

ON FREUD: “As I started reading about him I realised he liked to make jokes, he was quite funny” associated with them. My grandfather was a farmer in Denmark who always had a cigar in his mouth.”

Mortensen is known for immersing himself in his roles, and this film is no different; “I assemble a collection of materials; objects, books. I read not only books by Freud, but books that describe what Freud was like; his behaviour is just as important as his ideas.

There are a lot of descriptions of how he spoke, his posture, how he held his ci-

gars, how he looked when he wrote – all these things were important”. Freud is typically seen as a very stern figure, yet whilst researching, Mortensen found aspects of wit and humour to bring into the role. “As I started reading about him I realised he liked to make jokes, he was quite funny, and he even wrote a book about jokes. He spoke in very clear German, and often made humorous asides and wasn’t worried if people heard them. In fact, it was a very Eng-

EMPIREONLINE

aving been to the screening of H A Dangerous Method the night before, I was eager to find out Viggo

lish humour. That helped a lot, when I realised he had a good sense of humour and some fun, it made it easier for me to have some fun with it.”

This is the third time Viggo Mortensen has worked with David Kronenberg (Eastern Promises, A History of Violence). What is it that he likes about working with Kronenberg?

“It's fun, first and foremost. David is serious, but like Freud, has a sense of humour and likes to have a laugh. No

CARNAGE

DIRECTED BY JASON REITMAN

DIRECTED BY ROMAN POLANSKI

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here’s a scene near the end of JaT son Reitman and Diablo Cody’s first collaboration Juno when our

oman Polanski’s adaptation of R the stage play God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza is a scathing satire that

eponymous lead walks up to her family home, plucks a tulip from the front garden, and whispers wistfully, “I never realise how much I like being home unless I’ve been somewhere really different for a while.” It’s a touching scene and one which no doubt struck a chord with the audience. It is also a scene that would have Mavis Gary – the pernicious lead in the duo’s new black comedy Young Adult - gagging, seething, and swearing at the screen.

Young Adult’s lead character Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron) is an immature writer of teen fiction who returns to the small hometown she loathes in order to try and win back her high school sweetheart Buddy. This relatively simple plan is complicated by the fact that Buddy just so happens to be happily married with a newborn baby. Mavis, however, is determined not to let this small fact stand in her way.

Mavis Gary is as far removed from the charming character of Juno MacGuff as is humanly possible. She is a

JEFFREYMANDERSEN

YOUNG ADULT

PARTY GAME PRO: Charlize Theron is a dab hand at musical statues

troubled and shockingly insensitive character who seems intent on causing pain and upset to everyone she meets.

This combination, although rather sinister, results in a wickedly wonderful creation who is extremely watchable. Theron’s performance as Mavis is powerful and chillingly convincing.

She dominates every scene in the film and the audience will find it hard not to be entranced by the sheer majesty of her unpleasantness.

The humour in Young Adult is dark but extremely effective. The scenes between Theron and old high school classmate Matt (Patton Oswalt) are

some of the funniest in the film. The pair play off each other excellently and also succeed in creating some dramatic clout in the more serious and affecting scenes near the film’s conclusion.

If you go into Young Adult expecting an uplifting and good-natured film in the same vein as Juno then you will be disappointed. However, if you're after a brave film that refuses to entertain Hollywood clichés and fairytales, then this dark comedy is not to be missed.

Sally Pugh Reviewed at Cineworld

deconstructs the distasteful nuances of the bourgeoisie. An awkward yet intelligent comedy, it caricatures middle-class America through its use of top performers at the head of their game.

Following a playground dispute between two 11 year-old boys that ends in the ‘disfigurement’ of one by a stick, the parents are brought together in an attempt to establish peace between both parties. What begins as a brief visit delivered with politeness through forced smiles, quickly descends into childlike verbal warfare and petty resentment.

Polanski has made no effort to redefine Reza’s play by altering settings or exploring the various avenues made possible through its transition to film. Instead, the focus remains on the integrity of the performances; a combination of sharp dialogue and impressive acting. Though perhaps the characters are a little too clichéd, this appears; necessary for the conflicts of interests and cascading chaos that ensues when civility deteriorates.

matter how serious or how intense the movie is, and how much pressure there is to get the day's work done, he always has a good time. He seems like he’s making his first movie, and just happens to have all this technical knowledge and experience under his belt. He gets very excited, and that’s contagious, makes it fun. He never loses sight that it’s make believe; it’s a game, which he enjoys playing.”

Kronenberg is affectionately known as the ‘baron of blood’, and so this psychological biopic seems a big step away from his usual scene. Mortensen does not feel that this is an issue for the director, stating, “I don’t think he feels trapped by his reputation or his persona, and I don’t think he’s at a lack for good ideas or curiosity. Directors tend to calcify, copy themselves, or seem trapped by people’s perceptions of their movies. But he seems to be liberated from that somehow. He doesn’t seem concerned about it, he takes each movie on as if it’s the first one he’s ever made, it seems to me that’s what makes him interesting, that’s what makes him keep evolving. I think he’ll continue to evolve.”

The same could be said about Mortensen, each role he undertakes demonstrates his considerable range and evolution as an actor. This, coupled with his eagerness to embark upon new challenges is one of the reasons that he is so highly esteemed today, and why he will continue to establish himself as one of the greats.

A Dangerous Method is released nationwide on February 10th.

A slow burner, the film’s opening tension is painful to watch, yet the pay off is definitely worth it. As inhibitions are lost – thanks predominately to the aid of a single malt – and integrity thrown out the window, the niggling criticisms that follow are hilarious.

Christoph Waltze’s turn as a sardonic misogynist delivered in deadpan fashion is fantastic, whilst Jodie Foster’s part as the melodramatic victim constantly seeking recrimination is equally brilliant.

However, one cannot help but feel that Carnage is far better suited as a play. From its simple setting to archetypal characters, it retains an essence that seems to belong in the realm of theatre. Here, existentialist themes can be explored without being criticised for being overly pretentious, and the strong personalities appear more appropriate.

The unrealistic circumstance in which the two couples find themselves at each other’s throats, though entertaining, doesn’t quite transfer to film.

By remaining faithful to the spatial and temporal reality of the theatre production, Polanski limits himself to a piece that is gratingly uncomfortable, but not always in a good way.

Ali Quaile Reviewed at Cineworld

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Tuesday February 7 2012 studentnewspaper.org

Film 25

STAR RATING Any film without Adam Sandler  The Wedding SingerFunny People Don't Mess with the Zohan Click

DIRECTED BY SEAN DURKIN 

fter taking the Sundance festival by A storm last January, Martha Marcy May Marlene has been eagerly antici-

CINEMA AND POPCORN

pated for a whole year. It surpassed all expectations - truly a must-see for any cinebuff.

To talk about the plot is challenging, because one of the film’s main strengths is that it reveals very little at all. It follows the story of Martha (or Marcy May or Marlene depending on chronology) after she arrives hysterical on her sister’s doorstep following a two year disappearance. Through a series of flashbacks, beautifully entwined with the current story, it is divulged that Martha (Elizabeth Olsen) was fleeing an abusive cult in the Catskills led by the charismatic Patrick ( John Hawkes). As the film continues, however, Martha’s paranoia worsens and it becomes obvious that she has not escaped the cult - emotionally and possibly even physically.

Her strangeness is shattering; she can’t eat at a table with her sister’s husband, she says whatever comes into her head (“Is it true married people don’t fuck?”), she goes and lies on her sister’s

bed when the newly married couple are having sex. Yet this behaviour reveals the connections between her current and past lives, thus illustrating how deep the brainwashing has gone.

The cinematography is stunning, the film has a grainy naturalism that is used to bring the audience into the haze between Martha’s two colliding worlds. The prolonged takes make the viewer feel as if they’re intruding on private moments, with the use of countless close-up shots carefully building the psychological dread.

The acting is also to be commended.

Elizabeth Olsen (apart from in face) could not be more different from her sisters, with her wide eyes able to convey a complete spectrum of fragile emotions. It is telling that Martha appears in every scene and is mesmerising to watch, but she still remains a complete mystery. She leads a cast that is excellent all-round. Co-star, John Hawkes, is a master of peacefulness and threat, providing a haunting insight into how a cult leader operates.

Martha Marcy May Marlene is experimental, but enthralling and horrific in all the right ways. You may leave with your head spinning, but it is a film that will have you wondering for days to come.

Eloise Kohler

THE BLACK SHEEP: MK and Ashley went to Barneys...again.

MAN ON A LEDGE DIRECTED BY ASGER LETH  an on a Ledge offers a vaguely enM tertaining, yet one-dimensional and flawed, action-thriller. It appears to

have everything you might expect from a film bearing the slogan ‘you can only push an innocent man so far’: prison break-out; car-chase; violence; corrupt police-officers; diamond-heist; violence; betrayal; more violence; Ed Harris being nasty; semi-naked woman; a surprising (yet rather insignificant) final plot-twist; and, of course, the eponymous man on a ledge.

“

Whereas exploitation and derogation of female characters is so established in films like Bond that it almost goes unnoticed, it definitely jars here".

Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) is falsely imprisoned for the theft of a diamond from the powerful propertytycoon David Englander (Ed Harris).

Cassidy escapes prison, promptly checks into a top-floor hotel-room in New York, climbs onto the ledge outside his window and threatens to jump.

This causes commotion in the street

below. Crowds gather, the street is cordoned-off and a police-negotiator is tasked with persuading Cassidy not to kill himself. However, perhaps all is not as it seems. Could Cassidy be providing a dramatic distraction from something occurring in a building across the street? A building belonging to none other than Mr Englander?

There are certainly moments that work – Kyra Sedgwick clearly has fun playing-up a shallow reporter and the opening sequence is suitably tense and engaging, as are some of the actionsequences – but there are too many problems with this film. The dialogue is terrible at times; especially attempts at witty banter between Nick’s brother ( Jamie Bell) and his girlfriend Angie (Genesis Rodriguez). The latter’s acting is poor and it’s laughable that it’s even possible to write her stripping to her underwear into what is essentially a basic bank-heist sequence. Whereas exploitation and derogation of female characters is so established in films like Bond that it almost goes unnoticed, it definitely jars here. It also transpires that Cassidy’s negotiator (Elizabeth Banks) is a woman finding it hard in the force because misogynistic policemen don’t think she’s up to it; in the end she ‘does good’ and wins the ‘ever so soughtafter male seal of approval’. If you want an average, unimaginative thriller that just about passes 102 minutes of your time, then this is it. If you’re looking for anything more, don’t waste your money.

Jonathan Drake Reviewed at Cineworld

Classic Cult ver since his debut film Being E John Malkovich was released to widespread acclaim, it has been

POP TOWER

MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE

GAGA'S ORDERS: Adam, don't be a drag, just be a queen!

JACK AND JILL DIRECTED BY DENNIS DUGAN  the history of Adam Sandler veIplotnhicles, this film vies for the worst of them all. Jack Sadelstein, played

by Adam Sandler, is an ad-executive with a perfect life: he has a great job, a wonderful family– for all intents and purposes his life is without flaw. Except for one thing, of course: the presence of his maniacal, disruptive twin sister, who is also played by Adam Sandler. Get it?

It’s funny because Adam Sandler plays both roles!

What’s so frustrating is that neither of these Sandler characters is new. Jill is only another incarnation of Sandler in man-child mode, albeit with a female twist. Sandler has played the part, often badly, sometimes memorably, in so many films, including Little Nicky and Billy Madison. Jill is an archetype of the Sandler universe. Jack is only another archetype.

For those who remember the bitter, annoyed character who has cropped up in films such as Click and Happy Gilmore, Jack is a variation on that theme. While there is some evidence of Sandler’s better dramatic turns (particularly George

CHRONICLE DIRECTED BY JOSH TRANK  osh Trank’s directorial debut features Jdiscovery, three teenagers, who, after making a obtain telekinetic abilities.

You should instantly forget any questions about the causal relationship between this encounter and the powers, as the film has no truck with such mundane issues, instead exploring the development and antics of the three teenagers.

“

At 83 minutes, the film abandons any attempt at thorough character development".

This is explored light-heartedly at first, but soon Andrew, a loner with an abusive father and a penchant for videoing everything, begins to crack. Dane DeHaan gives a well-crafted portrayal of a troubled geek given free reign over a world that has wronged him. His search for a chance to overcome his perpetual oppression is compellingly conveyed, if he is somewhat devoid of charisma. His whiny, monosyllabic hostility changes little throughout the film but the audience can understand his need for acceptance and empathise with his pursuit of identity.

Other characters, particularly Matt (Andrew’s cousin), are less than well-

Simmons in Judd Apatow’s Funny People), he is mostly uninteresting.

The real saving grace of the film comes from the several cameo appearances, which include pop culture luminaries Johnny Depp, David Spade, Regis Philbin, and Shaquille O’Neal.

The best appearance of all comes from Al Pacino, who plays himself as helplessly in love with the desperately unattractive Jill. Pacino provides the real dramatic force of the film; he is funny, absurd, and entirely ridiculous. The only lacklustre performance, besides that of Sandler, belongs to Katie Holmes, who plays Sadelstein’s drab wife and provides no real character development.

The best part of this film is arguably not part of the film at all. On either end of the film, director Dennis Dugan has tacked several ostensibly real interviews with real twins. These interviews are interesting and revealing. They provide more insight into the experience of ‘twinhood’ than the narrative manages in 90 minutes.

There are better films out there, but there are also worse ones. Go see the better ones.

Taylor Coe Reviewed at Cineworld explored. This is not a fault with the actors but with the script. At 83 minutes, the film abandons any attempt at thorough character development, and the “humanising quirks” hastily added to the supporting characters feel sadly incongruent. This leaves the audience with a somewhat confusing impression and tarnishes whatever realism remains to a film involving telekinesis.

Shot almost entirely in hand-held camera footage, the film aims at a personal, intimate portrayal of the relationships between the teenagers.

This technique has lost some of its edge since most memorably being employed in The Blair Witch Project and often evokes annoyance rather than any meaningful insights. Some moments also feel suspiciously convenient, like when the protagonist is punched in the face without allowing the camera to wobble at all.

Though short, Chronicle lacks the frenetic pace that found footage requires to carry the audience along with the action. When so much of the action consists of the characters mucking around with their new powers, the audience has enough breathing space to notice the glaring plot-holes and contrived events that string the film together. But neither does it take the time to produce well-formed or wellrounded characters and so it remains stubbornly unsatisfying under scrutiny.

Lewis McLellan Reviewed at Cineworld

almost a cliché to describe Charlie Kaufman as an original screenwriter.

That film focuses on a struggling puppeteer who discovers a portal into the mind of the enigmatic actor, a contrivance that should never have worked, but shows what Kaufman is all about.

His early career was dominated by collaborations with two directors who share his vision, Spike Jonze and Michel Gondry. It was the former who directed Being John Malkovich, as well as his next major success, Adaptation. It was originally conceived as a straight adaptation of Susan Orlean’s book The Orchid Thief, but Kaufman struggled with the source material and went through an artistic crisis. In a move as desperate as it was inspired, he wrote himself and a fictional twin brother, Donald (who shared his writing credit and subsequent Oscar nomination), into a screenplay which would have been regarded as narcissistic and self-indulgent if it wasn’t so good.

Adaptation satirises the Hollywood clichés that Kaufman traditionally avoids, ironically by using them all, yet manages to retain at its heart the poignancy of human relationships.

Kaufman was awarded an Oscar for his next film, the Gondry-directed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Here Kaufman is at his most controlled, and the result is a genuinely moving film that avoids sentimentality but shows faith in those romantic connections that are just meant to be. We are shown the fragments of a broken relationship as they are irrevocably erased from the memory, a process that reveals their intrinsic value however much it might hurt to remember them. The tragedy is that the characters know the relationship is likely to end badly but, having been robbed of a genuine ending, their connection is strong enough that they want nothing more than to go through it all again. To love and all its messiness, they say “OK”.

After Jonze opted to make Where the Wild Things Are, Kaufman chose to direct his latest film, Synecdoche, New York, himself. He is free to be at his most compulsive, and depicts a director, who is obsessed by death and estranged from his wife, attempting to create a vast theatre project that encompasses all human life. It is an attempt to understand who he is, who everyone else is, but it results in violent self-division and ultimately the destruction of the project that could only ever be a grand folly. In trying to understand life in its entirety, he is unable to live it.

Synecdoche, New York is a vastly ambitious and deliberately difficult film. In many ways, it is a synthesis of all Kaufman’s previous work, of which the recurring theme is that need to remember to live, no matter how much we are sidetracked by ambition, how much we fail to understand, how wracked we are with doubt. Kaufman is known for his imagination, but his intuitive understanding of humanity, and ability to find the creative devices to depict it, is what makes him, in the words of Roger Ebert, a “truly important writer”.

Rob Dickie

Tuesday February 7 2012 studentnewspaper.org

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26 Music 26

Thamesbeat Heroes

Joshua Angrave enjoys a cuppa with The Maccabees, and finds out what lies ahead of their mammoth Given To The Wild tour

LANDFILL INDIE DESTROYERS: The White Brothers enlist another, hoods up for Jarvis, wounded Orlando, Sam da man! trategic album releases often S eclipse such a thing as a January album chart hit, so conversely when one

does pop up so early, such as this year’s Given To The Wild, it’s reassuring to know there’s been little label pressure involved. Having edged ever so slowly into the forefront of British guitar music’s best, The Maccabees underlying success over the last six years has no doubt been a recipe for their sustained popularity and organic growth.

Seen now at the apex of their game, on meeting the boys, it was heartening to see that although firmly out of the indie backroom and exposed to a wider appeal, they were still as down to earth and as humble of their talents as ever.

Taken from one green room to another at the back of Glasgow’s QMU, Hugo White, the younger sibling of the band’s guitarists kindly offered to do the midday tea duty, before sitting down to a one to one discussion. Sipping away on one special brew, Hugo explained with some pride the journey they had reached on the third album: “This is the first time we've made a record sound exactly like we wanted it to sound, and it was mainly because we knew how to do it, and did it ourselves”.

Their impact on album production has clearly been an ever increasing learning curve, where they’ve been fortunate enough at Polydor to realise their cre-

ativity, where other bands have since disappeared into the ether of follow up disappointment.

In averting this, patience and persistence have paid off, where Hugo recalls how in actual fact it was a lot of their bedroom recorded demos that made the final cut, where studio time proved only so useful: “A lot of the vocals I just recorded with Orlando in the bedroom, just literally on the computer, and we’d try to do it again in the studio with all the nice set up, but it ended up being that what we recorded a year ago sounded more right”.

“

A lot of the vocals I just recorded with Orlando in the bedroom, just literally on the computer” Hugo White, The Maccabees

Knowing what they wanted, and having the self-determination to achieve this shows a maturity and confidence which has ultimately left them feeling that this has been the album they’ve been building up to: “We’re so proud of it, and of course we’re kind of easing into it but we want to be playing every song off the album live at the end of the year, rather than it being the new

record we only play three songs off ”.

Whether this will prove their seminal piece, only time will tell, but the show at the QMU later that day was much of an indicator of this pursued idea. All dark and electric, they set things off with album intro “Given To The Wild”, moving into the chilling, but entwining, “Child”. A flowing and ebbing start to album and set, Hugo attributes this move out of the comfort zone of jangly racing guitars as a result of working with producer Tim Goldsworthy, and his dance-influenced direction: “it felt like a bit of a risk, as he’s never really recorded a band before, but it was stuff that we were trying to do, that he maybe knew from a different world”.

This daring attitude to the recording of the third album can also be heard on the multi-layered soundscape which has seen an increased incorporation of keys and samples. Hugo emphasised how the album process began from, “four months” of solitary song writing, which came together through an amalgamation of often “10 minute sections of recordings”. For the intro, it was as much of a natural development as anything, as Hugo explained: “We wanted an intro for the record, and Tim set up all these synths and drones and Land was playing around and it wasn’t meant for anything but it sounded nice”.

In scale and diversity, the album and its predecessor have a noticeable cinematic score feel, which comes through most evidently on their videos, both in album teasers and singles. Hugo affirmed the band’s film buff side: “We do all like film I guess and just like incorporating other things, and so we made a short film for the record, but I think that was always in our heads, to make like a film soundtrack thing”.

“

This is the first time we've made a record sound exactly like we wanted it to sound” Hugo White, The Maccabees Third song of the night, and upcoming single, “Feel to Follow”, is a case in point, with its very own video compiled of footage of London’s abandoned underground that the band were keen to use: “We found this group of people based in London, and asked them if we could use their footage, and they gave us a whole archive of material to use”.

Translating this new multitude of sound and influence to the live show has perhaps been the most demanding and on-going project since Given To The Wild’s release. “We really are trying to get our heads around that,

and trying to make the shows have a feel to them and maybe make them less thrashy, although it still is thrashy.

Although we’ve now got an amazing light designer who’s just started doing visuals on a projector screen”. Still In its infancy, the set produces a backdrop film sequence to a number of the night’s songs, including the destructive “Forever I’ve Known”, which pulls and pushes, and a double whammy of “Can You Give It”, and “Precious Time”.

Unfortunately there is no showing of “Go” or “Ayla” on the night, but they do well to play “Went Away”, and “Unknow” during the close, which both rely on heavy sample orientated parts. Help was at hand in third White brother Will, who has been enlisted to The Maccabees call, to fill in for those added extras: “He’s doing all the samples and keys, which is again a new thing for us, and there’s still a couple of songs we’re using backing tracks for, just because they don’t work without, but as a main rule we’re trying to avoid them”.

However, taking nothing away from the night, the set draws to a beautiful end with the voracious builder of “Grew Up At Midnight”, bringing the show to a close in one final blow, with a torrent of guitars, with percussion aided by both Will and Sam.

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Tuesday February 7 2012 studentnewspaper.org

Music 27

STAR RATING  Justin Bieber Lonely IslandLana Del Rey Tay ZondayRebecca Black

Albums

KING KRULE King Krule EP TRUE PANTHER

FIRST AID KIT



The Lion's Roar WICHITA

M

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T

he Swedish sisters Klara and Johanna of First Aid Kit were only 14 and 16 years old when their personal homage to Fleet Foxes, an a capella cover of “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” filmed somewhere deep in the magic Swedish forest, became a Youtube phenomenon. Something about their combination of innocence, grown-up voices, and a striking seriousness hiding behind a childish giggle immediately made them interesting.

Despite this magnetism, a beautifully composed debut album, and an astounding cover of Fever Ray’s “When I Grow Up”, the sisters had a hard time being acknowledged. Some said, quite patronizingly, that their lyrics, filled with stories of long lost love, tales of marriage, anachronistic details, and mythical symbols, became undermined because of their youth and presumed naivety.

I don’t agree. The ability to describe imagined experiences, set in different places and times, so that they feel real,

AKRON/FAMILY LANA DEL REY Born to Die POLYDOR

 izzy Grant aka Lana Del Rey is L anything but new to the business.

Still, it wasn’t until fashion designers started playing her songs at runway shows last summer that the public took an interest in her retro pin-up charm, and DIY music clips. For fashion shows, Lana Del Rey does indeed seem a good fit - but can her music match the looks? After a rather poor performance on Saturday Night Live, critics seemingly enjoyed accusing her of being a carefully created product lacking any authenticity - and probably anticipated her album, Born to Die, even more eagerly than her fans did.

With an impressive musical ar-

Singles

HATS OFF TO YOU: Sisters mix and match their fashions is a gift, and Klara and Johanna possess, undoubtedly, that gift.

The Lion’s Roar is a triumph. Not just because it has led the sisters to acknowledgement, but also because it actually feels like a “grown-up” album.

The stories it holds don’t feel more “real” than the stories on the debut album, but the music does. With help from childhood heroes Bright Eyes – Mike Mogis has produced the album and Conor Oberst has lent his characteristic voice to the upbeat, catchy “King of the World” – First Aid Kit has created something spectacular. They’ve left the deep Swedish forests, entered the dustiest parts of America and travelled back and forth in time in order to feed

their folk music; a wonderful mixture of sources of inspiration, from an echo of Joni Mitchell on “Blue” to a quaint tribute to Emmylou Harris, June Carter, Gram Parsons and Johnny Cash on “Emmylou” (a quartet to which the sisters evidently are in debt).

Now, more than ever, the critical voices saying that First Aid Kit are too young and naïve to tell us anything about the world should be silent. If anything, First Aid Kit are one of the most mature and interesting bands we have today. They possess an imagination so vivid that it’s almost impossible not to get absorbed.

Matilda Källén

rangement, and a fair amount of lyrical tragedy, the opener, “Born to Die”, does a good job at introducing Lana Del Rey’s distinctive voice, and her constantly rather dark storytelling - as heard in, “Dark Paradise”, a dramatic song about loss and love, and, “Summertime Sadness”, which feels like a slightly sadder version of the successful single, “Video Games”.

Once again capturing the melancholy of past summer days, Lana Del Rey is certainly not one to surprise.

Nevertheless, she’s got more than one potential hit on the album: “Radio” sounds almost playfully catchy, and “Diet Mountain Dew” scores with an unusually up-beat melody. “Blue Jeans” has a nice Western Saloon feel to it - and a couple of nice rhymes. On the other hand, some of the tracks like, “Carmen” and “Million Dollar Man” feel fairly unnecessary and a bit forced, contributing to neither the record’s

quality, nor depth.

One can hardly blame Lana Del Rey for not exactly reinventing the concept of being a female singer, but this record feels just a little too carefully calculated. Powerful aural impressions and a clear storyline distract, and leave too little space for Lana Del Rey’s personal voice, and any lyrical or musical novelties.

This does not mean that it’s a bad record- it’s not. If you don’t mind songs about love and love gone wrong with a touch of more or less authentic trailer park romance, and enjoy her breathy singing voice, then this is a solid and actually quite enjoyable record to listen to. You might even catch yourself absent-mindedly humming that one song you just can’t get out of your head.

But then again, that’s even more likely to happen if you hate Lana Del Rey with a passion.

Ilinca Barsan

aturity is the instantaneous and overused point of reference for the music journalist. An artists’ record can no longer be considered on its individual merit, but must be laboriously compared to everything they and their peers have done before. By writing about maturity, music journalists condescendingly categorize and pigeonhole, and dictate that if it isn’t growing in the right way, it’s wrong.

Which makes King Krule a rather difficult matter; Archy Marshall is seventeen, and this is his first proper release. There’s no denying he’s critically adored. Why should you attempt to mathematically deconstruct someone who is so young, who still has so much development to do, yet is striving to sound so very, very different?

So we have to approach it for what it is. “363N63” is a mess of picked electric guitar, minimalist reggae beats, and the hum of extractor fans, radiator groans and snarling road rage. “Lead Existence” is a nihilistic minute long trip, with lyrics taken straight off the scrawling made on a paper pad in the dead of night. “Bleak Bake” sounds

like the vocals have been added at the wrong speed, which, over primary school rainbow coloured chimes, make for a disorientating blur.

“

This record excels by being singularly different.”

At the first listen, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that King Krule has made a shambles. On the second listen, however, you realise the boy is just quite ludicrously unconventional.

“Portrait in Black and Blue” sees the King Krule snarl emerge good and proper; a track of distorted simplicity with the constant sense that every lyric could descend into a tortured and lusty howl, with echo and reverb so thick every drip of confidence becomes assonance. Standout track “The Noose of Jah City” is stoic, gruff and cynical: a wearied riot of influences and drawing board dreams.

This isn’t a perfect EP, but only because it’s so brief. Musically, it’s exceptional. When King Krule returns, we shouldn’t discuss how much he’s grown, and we shouldn’t look to pinpoint where and why and how. This record excels by being singularly different, and that is what we should celebrate.

Ger Ellis

BIT OF BLING: Lana's got a fair few gems

CLOUD NOTHINGS

METALLICA

FEEDER

BON IVER

Stay Useless WICHITA

Beyond Magnetic WARNER BROS

Borders BIG TEETH MUSIC

Towers 4AD









STEEL PANTHER

loud Nothings carry the Lo-Fi etallica’s Beyond Magnetic EP elsh sensation Feeder introduce erhaps the obvious choice of single C torch to new heights with their M features a few of the songs that Wtheir 8th studio album with an- P from Bon Iver’s hugely successful latest release, “Stay Useless”. The didn’t quite make their way onto their other original anthem; “Borders”. Re- second album, “Towers” has a distinctly rough vocals chop perfectly against the stripped-back guitar, whilst the driving bass line gives a worthy salute to post-punk inspiration. Heads are guaranteed to nod whilst fists pump the air to the catchy hooks and addictive guitar melody. Despite the sense of sorrow behind the lyrics, the fervor of the music echoes the optimism embodied by its Lo-Fi originality.

At its core, the song has a Wavves meets Best Coast feeling of uplifting melancholy. The soul of this track sticks its middle-finger up proudly to moody teachers, pretentious cool kids, the girl that never replied and Bruno Mars, championing the truth that life is too short for false prophets and shallow sentiments. Things might not be great, but at least you never released “Grenade.”

Joseff Morgan

last solo album Death Magnetic.

Your first reaction upon hearing them has to be to question: why were these cut? “Hate Train” would have walked onto that album with its simple, undeniably-Metallica riff. Add James Hetfield’s distinctive growled vocals on the top and you have a solid song. Rob Trujillo’s bass sound is still far too low in the mix, but with these having been recorded at the same time as Death Magnetic that’s no surprise.

Beyond Magnetic isn’t a return to the Metallica of old. However it does show that some of that spark is still there hidden away and may well be being affected by the decision-making process going on in the band. If nothing else it’s better than Lulu.

assuringly, Feeder have stuck to their roots, having never strayed far from them. That same consistent, passionate sound of a strong bass-line and drum beat instantly tells you it’s Feeder from the first chord.

On the face of it, “Borders” sounds like your average, upbeat track. Yet, lurking in the lyrics is the message of being lost: “Looking for the answer / She won’t be the last one out.” It’s probably for the best this side remains partly hidden, it just doesn’t fit. While it could be a little repetitive, a little predictable, there’s still something refreshing in Grant’s vocals that instantly gives you the urge to dust off that air guitar.

It’s no “Buck Rogers” but “Borders” still packs an indie-rock punch and the video's pretty funky too .

nostalgic feel to it. Alongside the beautifully gentle guitar and quietly pulsating brass that runs through the track are lyrics telling of the naivety and discovery of Justin Vernon’s own university years. Essentially a story of young love, Vernon’s heavily multi-tracked vocals perfectly capture the bittersweet reflections of both the innocent (“What a mischief you would bring young darling!”) and not-quite-so innocent (ahem, “break the sailor’s table on your sacrum”) aspects of youth.

With delicate guitars and echoing layered vocals; B-side “Bruised Orange” provides the perfect mellow antithesis to the upbeat youthfulness of “Towers”.

The best of Bon Iver, at both ends of the mood spectrum.

Stuart Iversen

Katie Walker

Sarah Timmins

Tuesday February 7 2012 studentnewspaper.org

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STAR RATING Julius CeasarConstantine IMaximus Decimus Meridius Pontius Pilate Roman Abromovich

Sex and Gore = Snore

LOST

& FOUND

Chris Massie is suitably unimpressed with the behaviour of TV's most rebellious historical drama

A

fter a hiatus of almost two years and an anachronistic interlude entitled Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, the Spartacus: Blood and Sand series resumed on Monday night with the premiere of Spartacus: Vengeance. Liam McIntyre plays the role of Sparticus, replacing Andy Whitfield who died of cancer aged 40 last september. McIntyre fills in seamlessly, accurately portraying a character with the audacity to lead a rebellion of gladiators against the mighty Roman Republic.

Unfortunately however, he doesn't manage to capture the range of motives and emotions necessary to evoke awe, admiration, or empathy.

Those impressed by his bulging pectorals, his ability to slay adversaries, and his rhetorical loyalty to his treacherously murdered wife (although much of that rhetoric is uttered earnestly to his new significant other) might argue otherwise. Furthermore, from the entertaining effects in the combat scenes (reminiscent of 300), to the athletic displays of martial skill, to the frequent fountains of fake blood, to the semi-pornographic, sometimes perverted sex, those seeking cheap thrills will discover plenty in Spartacus:

RUBICON

E4 Tuesdays, 11:20pm

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I

nspired by the twisting, labyrinth conspiracy films of the 1970s (think All the President’s Men or The Parallax View), Rubicon is a welcome antidote to all the fast-moving, glossy television currently streaming out of the US. Slow-burning and complex, with a sense of brooding dreariness firmly rooted in interminably grey bureaucracy, this is conspiracy and paranoia at its most gloriously mundane. In fact, the show owes more than a passing thanks to the novels of John le Carre, with its grim, claustrophobic office spaces where no-one can be trusted and its complicated, guilt-ridden characters.

Based in an American think tank in New York called the American Policy Institute, the series follows an intelligence analyst who becomes caught up in murky global conspiracy after discovering shared patterns in several newspaper crossword puzzles.

Fittingly for a programme based on those who study analysis and patterns, the story is almost impossibly thorny and intricate, and as such can be hard to get into. The slow pace means perseverance is necessary initially – but it pays off, with uniformly good acting and interesting plot devices that always remain one step ahead of the viewer. James Badge

“

The plot is rife with the predictable, the meaningless, and the unbelievable" The plot is rife with the predictable, the meaningless, and the unbelievable (in the “do they really think I am stupid enough to believe that?” sense).

Forming a forgettable combination of the former two categories is a scene in which Doctore Oenomaus (Peter Mensah), Spartacus’ former gladiatorial trainer, is stopped in an alleyway.

Wielding knives, three ragamuffins demand the whereabouts of Spartacus, for whose capture a reward has been offered. The greatest surprise of the scene, which promptly ends with the death of the ragamuffins and Doctore leaving the alleyway his virility reaffirmed, is the criminals' loquacity.

If this is not a ringing endorsement by the show’s creators of Ancient Roman inner city education systems, it is an example of their disregard for detail.

An example of the unbelievable is the survival of Lucretia (Lucy Lawless), last seen in the finale of Blood and Sand ailing alongside her dying husband (Spartacus’ overthrown

master) with a gash in her pregnant stomach. Her wound healed, Lucretia has apparently lived for many days without food or water, although Lawless’ physique remains well-nourished.

Mentally disturbed and affected by some degree of amnesia, she has also conveniently acquired the ability to detect Spartacus’ presence. When he walks through a crowd disguised by a blanket draped over his head, she whispers, “He comes", before being hushed. Spartacus does come, along with his comrades, in order to rescue the battered hostage, Aurelia (Brooke

BESTIAL RAGE: And here he's only angry about brothel prices

Dale (previously of 24 and The Pacific) is particularly praiseworthy as Will Travers, the tortured analyst at the centre of the show.

“

This is conspiracy and paranoia at its most gloriously mundane" Initially broadcast on AMC in America, Rubicon might appear small fare when compared with that channel’s other two main shows, Breaking Bad and Mad Men – but such comparisons are perhaps unfair. Rubicon is very much its own show, and when taken on its own merits is more than worth a watch; it may not be as glossy or riotous as the aforementioned shows, but its slow intensity offers a different kind of entertainment: thoughtful, engaging and ultimately rewarding.

Sadly, the show was cancelled after its first season due to low viewing figures, leaving its small but loyal fan base devastated and - crucially - without answers. This may leave the viewing experience of Rubicon frustrating - but hey, it certainly adds to the mystery. With the BBC currently airing it on this side of the Atlantic we, too, can but watch and wonder at what might have been.

Alistair Grant

Williams), whom Roman soldiers were preparing to harm. While, in the previous scene, the slaves did not seem to notice that one of their fellows had been captured, one might as well grant creator Steven S. DeKnight and his team the benefit of the doubt on this inconsistency.

The best way to enjoy Spartacus: Vengeance, which sacrifices the development of narrative tension and character depth for expedient plot advancement and gory spectacle, is to use it to test the mettle of your suspension of disbelief.

BRITAIN'S GAY FOOTBALLERS BBC 4 Tuedays, 10pm

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I

t is a startling fact that in the history of British football, only one professional footballer has ever come out as openly homosexual. His name was Justin Fashanu, and within eight years of his coming out he had committed suicide, after being shunned by his family and the footballing world. Britain’s Gay Footballers, presented by his niece Amal Fashanu, tries to look into the barriers stopping more professional footballers from coming out.

What entails is a very well made documentary, dealing with some extremely emotional scenes with great sensitivity.

Amal Fashanu, daughter of John Fashanu, has had no prior presenting experience, but manages to display that poor presenting skills do not run in the family, with a very credible performance. The only time her lack of experience begins to show is in moments where she lacks the authority needed to push people on difficult issues.

The main strength of the documentary lies in the wide range of factors it explores.

Fan pressure is covered through a visit to a Brighton and Hove Albion match and an interview with Matt Lucas. Openly gay professionals from other sports, such as the most capped Welsh rugby player Gareth Thomas, help reveal how far behind attitudes in football are.

The show is superb at showing how

different atmosphere can allow a footballer to come out comfortably, with a visit to the only openly gay current professional footballer in the world, Anton Hysen. His experience of coming out is a stark contrast to that of Justin Fashanu: his family and team mates are wholly supportive, and it is no surprise that he lives in liberal Sweden.

An interview with John McGovern, a BBC football commentator and a former team-mate of Justin Fashanu, provides an ugly revelation of the attitudes still prevalent in football. It’s incredibly difficult to watch as he laughs in the face of Amal Fashanu when she asks him whether he thought it was wrong that former manager Brian Clough referred to her uncle as a “puff ”.

Unfortunately, the role of the media is glossed over, with very little reference made to how the tabloids would react to a gay footballer. One of the main drawbacks of the show is its failure to speak to more established Premier League footballers. The only established footballer that agrees to speak about the issue is controversial figure Joey Barton. You find yourself shuffling nervously in your seat as he introduces himself. What follows, however, is a remarkably surprising piece of television. Joey Barton is articulate about the subject, and actually seems like a decent human being (I know!), as he describes the archaic figures in the game who are holding back progress.

With prejudice in football returning to the forefront, Britain's Gay Footballers provides a timely insight into an oft ignored issue.

Tom Kinney

BBC

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Vengeance. Those seeking intellectual stimulation, on the other hand, will be disappointed.

CHINESESCHOOL BBC4 (2008) BBC iPlayer

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T

SKY

Sky1 Mondays, 10pm

SKY

SPARTACUS:VENGEANCE

he third in a three-part BBC series looking at education in developing countries, Chinese School is an intimate portrait of lives of the pupils and teachers at two secondary schools and a primary school in Xiuning, a rural town in the country’s Anhui province.

As you might expect, the regime Chinese students face is a tough one.

High school students endure a twelve hour school day with just an hour off for lunch and dinner; sports days are three day long endurance tests designed to teach young people “the glory of winning and the shame of failure”.

When pupils step out of line the response is swift and brutal: in one of the more difficult parts to watch, a teacher inspects each of young charges’ rubbers and hauls up in front of the class the child deemed to have taken the poorest care of his equipment to be rebuked not only by her but by the whole class, who she goads into shaming him.

You might expect that the strict discipline and mechanistic approach to learning knocks a lot of the children’s innate spirit and creativity out of them, but the three schools seem to churn out remarkably well-adjusted kids. Despite the fiercely competitive higher education entrance exams that pit classmates against one another and see half fail to get a university place, the kids have a strong sense of community; bullying appears to be very rare and the friendships that emerge are a joy to see over the course of the five episodes.

The show’s key strength is that it leaves these big questions for us to mull over on our own. It doesn’t push an agenda; instead allowing the children and teachers to tell the stories. We see star pupil Wu Yu Fei - whose mother has taken the entire year off to care for her daughter to ensure maximum revision - tackle the Gaokao and come out top, beating more than half a million other Anhui pupils. The schools’ Communist Party representative, Secretary Jin, a floral hat-wearing, eccentric Miss Marpleish figure, provides some comic relief.

The ability to play host to a whole host of questions from the impact of China’s rise on the lives of its citizens to the great matter of who will win the primary school’s 100m race – and show how they reflect one another is what makes Chinese School so remarkable.

Dan Heap

Tuesday February 7 2012 studentnewspaper.org

Sport fan? Write for us! sport@studentnewspaper.org

30 Sport

Red rose blossoms at Murrayfield Phil Leonard reports as England are victorious against a one-dimensional Scotland side their lack of communication and lack of a cutting edge which continues to define them and to frustrate their supporters.

England, on the other hand, stepped up to the metaphorical plate. Despite their lack of experience and lack of possession they played with a determination and passion that has been missing in recent years. Brad Barritt tackled everything that moved. Mauritz Botha was a presence all over the field and Owen Farrell had the coolest of heads all game, giving England the field position and the platform they wanted to play from.

“

The Six Nations is all about momentum and the dynamics in the Scotland and England camps will be vastly different."

This, though, was not a seamless England performance. They still lack the dynamism in midfield that is needed at international level, not only to change the point of attack but also to provide a platform off which the back three and the more athletic England forwards can really excel and attack into space. They also lack real flair and the ability and skill set to play right on the gain line at pace.

Yet Lancaster and the England team will not be complaining. Although they lacked somewhat in purpose and ideas

yesterday, what they did achieve was a victory. A hard fought victory. A victory made better by the fact that, not only were they inexperienced, but they were not even at full strength.

The Six Nations is all about momentum and the dynamics in the Scotland and England camps will be vastly different. Scotland will come out of this game deflated. They had an opportunity to put on a show and they did not deliver. The performances of Duncan Weir and Stuart Hogg for Scotland A gives Robinson options but with only harder tests to come, Scotland have to play to their strengths and play with more accuracy.

For Stuart Lancaster and England this

was a good start. Not a great one. But the return of Tom Wood, Toby Flood and Manu Tuilagi after the Italy game will allow this England team to develop and improve over the coming weeks.

What they have shown in this first game reminds me, ever so slightly, of the Lions in South Africa in 2009. Ian McGeechan challenged those British and Irish Lions to restore pride in the jersey.

England’s new boys are slowly doing the same for their own jersey. A convincing win against Italy next week is needed but if they are true to those key values of hard work, honesty and discipline which Stuart Lancaster demands then they can really start to achieve great things.

FACE-OFF: England won the battle of nerves in a tight match

CHARLES CUTTERIDGE

STUART LANCASTER, in my humble opinion, is the perfect man for the England job. He is an Englishman with English values at heart. Hard work, honesty and discipline. The woes of England’s recent World Cup need not be recounted and analysed again here, suffice to say that the past is done and the present, for once, looks really quite exciting.

England started with three debutants and two players with one cap a piece, one of whom was the captain, Chris Robshaw.

However, walking into the game at Murrayfield there was no longer a sense of the trepidation an England fan always feels when walking amongst many a kilted man down Roseburn Street. This England team excites the senses. Owen Farrell; Brad Barritt; David Strettle. Speed, skill and even style in abundance. The trepidation lay, on this occasion, not in the prospect of a dull, eighty-minute tug of war but in the thought of the battlehardened Scots really running over these English spring chickens.

The atmosphere at Murrayfield was electric. The piper on the roof of the stadium, the fireworks and the always rousing rendition of “Flower of Scotland” meant that the stage was set for Scotland to, as Andy Robinson had promised, unleash chaos on England. But yet again, Scotland failed to deliver on the international stage. They made enough line breaks to put themselves in front and a second half run from Richie Gray should have resulted in a try but it is Scotland’s inability to support the ball once it breaks the line,

England's No. 1 status already in jeopardy

Phil Smith laments as once again the batting line-up struggles against spin on the subcontinent previously all conquering Englishmen.

So is this just a blip, or does it highlight chronic deficiencies on the side that belie its high ranking? The truth, as always, probably lies somewhere in the middle.

Amidst the hype of destroying the Australians and whitewashing the Indians, three tests against a Pakistan side still reeling from the spot fixing scandal on neutral territory didn’t seem to pose a great challenge. Once more, however, England’s traditional weakness against spin bowling has come back to haunt them, with Saeed Ajmal and Abdul Rehman weaving a web of chaos and mystery around an entranced batting line up so brutally efficient in recent times.

Kevin Pietersen, once world cricket’s

SPIN KING: Saeed Ajmal has tormented England's batsmen

HARRIAS

IT IS the nightmare of every England cricket fan. Groggy and bleary eyed having set the alarm clock that little bit earlier to catch some of the action, the telly or radio is switched on, only to be met with the horror of a stern faced Monty Panesar striding to the crease. You know that when even Monty isn’t smiling, the shit has well and truly hit the fan.

It is, of course, another batting collapse at the hands of a mystery spinner. It wasn’t supposed to be this way anymore.

The cheeky grins of long term tormentors Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan faded into retirement long ago, and this team was supposed to be made of sterner stuff. However the final test plays out, this series has been a stark reality check for the

most prized wicket, is yet again in the headlines for rash decision making at the crease, whilst Ian Bell is in danger of retreating back into the shell that Shane Warne once so memorably made for him.

Captain Strauss is displaying the form that first saw him lose his place in the side four years ago, whilst Eoin Morgan is quite simply, all at sea. He must be removed before any further psychological damage is inflicted on a player whose invention and stroke play make him critical to the side’s fortunes in the one day arena.

Perhaps most worryingly, Jonathan Trott and Alastair Cook, the most reliable run makers in the side, have shown none of the application and concentration that made them the most feared partnership in world cricket. All have been embarrassed

by Pakistan’s inspirational captain Misbah Ul Haq, who has provided a master class in patience and leadership, consistently occupying the crease for frustratingly extended periods of play.

Why England have been so incompetent at playing spin bowling is both a mystery and a farce. In Andy Flower and Mushtaq Ahmed, the coaching set-up contains both the finest player and one of the finest exponents of the art in the history of the game. How the perfectionist Flower must despair whilst watching his charges attempt his trademark sweep shot with the conviction and finesse of an Inzamam Ul Haq quick single. The problem must surely be a mental one, and until it is overcome, this side is a long way off being considered the best in the world.

The bowling, on the other hand, has been magnificent. Remarkably patient and disciplined during difficult periods; explosive and destructive at critical moments. Stuart Broad is finally fulfilling his rich promise, showing the consistency of

Glenn McGrath and the flair of Curtley Ambrose, not to mention a string of swashbuckling batting performances; he truly is England’s golden boy. Jimmy Anderson is finally producing performances overseas to match his unquestioned ability on home soil. Meanwhile the triumphant return of Monty Panesar, outstanding in the second test, is probably the highlight of the series so far, and a delight to cricket lovers everywhere.

“

Once more England's traditional weakness against spin bowling has come back to haunt them."

Never before has an England bowling attack been so utterly dominant and irrepressible on subcontinent soil. It is the best bowling attack in the world, superior even to the seemingly never ending battery of South African speed merchants.

England have not become a bad team overnight. Indeed, they have often produced their finest cricket when their backs have been against the wall. Coach Andy Flower has always been refreshingly frank in his assessment of any shortcomings, and is surely the right man to reverse the current failings. A cool head under intense pressure, he has always shown faith in his players, and in the past it has paid off handsomely, most notably in Alastair Cook and Stuart Broad, now the team’s star performers.

This team can undoubtedly be the best in the world, but not until it conquers its fears on the subcontinent and the game’s most complex of arts: spin bowling.

Injury Time

TAKES A WRY LOOK AT THE WORLD OF SPORT The Student couldn’t be bothered tuning in for seven hours to watch one hour of American Football. We don’t even care who won. But Injury Time thought it would be perverse if this week’s issue didn’t make any mention of the main feature of every Super Bowl – the adverts. Here, dear readers, are the worst of all time: 2010 - Tim Tebow: Miracle baby - Focus on the Family.

Viewers were treated to Pam Tebow being spear tackled by her 2007 Heisman Trophy winning “miracle baby” Tim – whom doctors had urged her to abort due to dysentery complications. The commercial, by conservative Christian organisation Focus on the Family, was aired by CBS despite protests from women’s groups and the fact it was shit.

2000 – Christopher Reeve: Miracle recovery – Nuveen Investments.

The message here was that in the future, new things will be discovered.

No arguments there. Cue paralysed Superman star Christopher Reeve’s head, grafted onto a giant body, being carried onto the screen by giant legs.

So sinister it was that it made Nuveen Investments look like an Alien style evil corporation of the future, rather than whatever it is they actually are.

1997 – Fred Astaire: Miracle resurrection – Dirt Devil.

One of the earliest attempts at resurrecting a dead man to sell a product. What better way to honour the most thoroughly masculine dancer of all time than a Mrs Doubtfire-style vacuum cleaning session.

1997 – Bob Johnson: Transsexual – Holiday Inn. “New nose – $6000. Lips - $3000.

New chest - $8000.” Cost of ruining your company’s image during the Super Bowl – approximately $3m.

Bob Johnson undergoes a sex change much to the dismay of Seinfeld’s Kenny Banya in a budget hotel. Enough said. The commercial resulted in boycotts from numerous gay, transsexual and transgender groups not only for the insensitive portrayal of their people but for the insult of being compared to a Holiday Inn. 1999 – White men: Racist – Just For Feet.

There are few situations in which a large company can commission a group of white mercenaries to hunt down a black African on home soil, drug him, force him into unwanted foreign footwear and not be seen as racist. Unfortunately for Just For Feet, they discovered that a Super Bowl advertising slot was not one of them.

They sued advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi for their ineptitude, who promptly countersued Just For Feet for theirs, resulting in the latter filing for bankruptcy later that year.

2008 – Pandas: Racist – Salesgenie.com.

After a 2007 Super Bowl ad rated by many as the worst of the year, Salesgenie.com returned to once again mop up the competition. It may surprise you to learn that a commercial featuring cartoon pandas set in ‘Ling Ling’s Bamboo Furniture Shack’ ran amidst protest from Asian groups – not only for its cheap stereotyping but for featuring some of the worst Chinese accents ever attempted.

Davie Heaton

Sport

studentnewspaper.org

Tuesday February 7 2012

Give him the job!

Phil Leonard explains why Stuart Lancaster should take praise for England's Calcutta Cup victory �30

Quarter-final hockey heartache

Chris Waugh reports as Birmingham produce a high-class performance to knock Edinburgh out of the BUCS Cup Men's Hockey BUCS Knockout Cup Quarter-Final Edinburgh 1st Birmingham 1st

2 5

Edinburgh Team: D Forrester, D Birse, N Fulton, J Harman, T Swarbrick, P Heron, C McCrossan, N McNiven, C Duke (C), S Morrison, A Campbell, N Bryan, S Laing. K Pathmanathan, T Kemsey, D Harvey.

Birmingham Team: P Smith, T Wild, A Stott, S Hiscock, S Evans, P Jackson (C), T Merchant M Penney, H Loxton, T Beaumont, N Bandurk, J Hood, R Linnell, T Skadden, W Byas, J Cousins.

Scorers: Edinburgh: Fulton (50), Harman (70).

Birmingham: Bandurak (20), Byas (35), Cousins (41), Stott (57), Loxton (59).

MoM: Edinburgh: Duke Birmingham: Bandurak

EDINBURGH WERE dumped out of the BUCS Knockout Cup at the quarter-final stage last Wednesday by an experienced Birmingham side. The visitors were extremely impressive and eventually ran out 5-2 winners against an Edinburgh team who will take a lot from this experience.

This was the first time that Edinburgh had reached the last eight and they came up against a team who regularly compete in the latter stages of national tournaments. The home side displayed a team ethic and work rate that would rival any side in Britain.

The early stages of the contest were dominated by the visiting team on a sub-zero night at Peffermill Playing Fields. Tom Beaumont had the first real opportunity for Birmingham after his shot was cleared off the line in the 17th minute.

This was merely a sign of things to come, however, as just three minutes later Birmingham were ahead. Edinburgh had been on the attack but after a quick counter-attack Nick Bandurak slotted the ball into the net to make it 1-0. This was nothing more than the visitors deserved after dominating possession from the first whistle, constantly pinning Edinburgh back into their own half.

Despite their continued dominance it took Birmingham until right on the half-time whistle to extend their lead.

Will Byas collected the ball in the middle of his own half and ran down the right wing before cutting inside and smashing an unstoppable shot into the far left-hand corner.

Birmingham held a deserved twogoal lead at the interval; Edinburgh had been unable to get their passing game going and found themselves playing far too much hockey in their own half.

Captain Callum Duke had offered some silky skills in the middle of the park but his through balls had not resulted in any clear-cut chances.

The first five minutes of the secondhalf took on a familiar pattern as David Forrester in the Edinburgh goal was forced to make a string of saves. His resilience was broken once again, however, in the 41st minute when a mazy run and finish from John Cousins made it 3-0.

In the next 10 minutes Birmingham had a goal disallowed and a shot cleared off the line, before Harry Loxton missed an opportunity from just one yard out.

This gave Edinburgh hope and, after Tom Kemsey was fouled in the box and a penalty corner awarded, Neil Fulton eventually scored for Edinburgh after a series of rebounds. This was the first shot that Edinburgh had mustered since the break but they were now back in the game at 3-1.

In their desire to place greater pressure on Birmingham, Edinburgh com-

mitted players forward and they were hit on the break when a long ball upfield was crossed in by Harry Loxton for Andrew Stott to tuck past Forrester and make it 4-1 after 57 minutes. And four turned into five just two minutes later as David Harvey’s pass across his own box was intercepted by Loxton who then added his own name to the scoresheet.

Loxton continued to be in the thick of the action as he was yellow carded with four minutes to go for a foul on Duncan Birse. Edinburgh made their numerical advantage tell in the last minute as they scored a consolation through Jay Harman after some brilliant stick work by Duke as the match finished 5-2.

Speaking after the match, Edinburgh Captain and Scotland international Duke explained that “it wasn’t the result we wanted but we’ve enjoyed the journey nonetheless. We’ve probably had our best season for the last five years and that’s shown in our results recently.”

He continued: “We now want to go on and win the Scottish League. We have two games against Dundee and Heriot-Watt and if we win them then we can hopefully go into the play-offs.

The ambition is to play more English teams as we played away at Oxford and loved it and we really enjoyed playing Birmingham today. This is the level we want to play at consistently.”

Overall BUCs Standings 8th Nottingham 9th Edinburgh 10th Oxford

1488 1466 1256

Edinburgh BUCs Points 1st Hockey 2nd Fencing 3rd Swimming 4th Squash 5th Table Tennis 6th Lacrosse

134 128 117 111 108 106

Wed 5th FebruaryResults Aberdeen 2nd 26 - 53 Edinburgh 2nd (Women's Basketball) Edinburgh 1st 16 - 11 Leeds 1st (Men's Water Polo) Loughborough 1st 13 - 4 Edinburgh 1st (Men's Lacrosse) Edinburgh 2nd 110 - 135 Heriot-Watt 1st (Men's Fencing) Dundee 1st 135 - 79 Edinburgh 2nd (Women's Fencing) Manchester 1st 110 - 134 Edinburgh 1st (Men's Fencing) Durham 1st 4 - 1 Edinburgh 1st (Women's Football) Northumbria 1st 0 - 0 Edinburgh 1st (Men's Football)

We've got 99 problems but a snitch ain't one

Melissa Geere investigates quidditch – the latest sport to have taken off at the University of Edinburgh and around the world to those in the book, “apart from obviously the flying.” A quidditch team is composed of a keeper, three chasers, two beaters and a seeker. The chasers try and score by throwing the quaffle (a volleyball) through the goal hoops, which are defended by the keeper. The beaters can force opposing players to drop the quaffle by throwing a bludger (dodgeball) at them. Meanwhile the seeker hunts across campus for the snitch, a tennis ball in a sock tucked into the shorts of the impartial “snitch runner”.

The snitch runner, preferably someone athletic and dressed all in yellow, can go anywhere and resort to almost any tactics to evade capture/entertain the crowd. Famous snitch shennanigans include wrestling moves, acrobatics, escaping on bicycles or throwing water balloons. The thrill of the game arises from the fact that players conduct all these activities simultaneously and one-handedly, running with a broomstick between their legs. The bizarre result, as I found out, is a chaotic amalgamation of rugby, dodgeball and tag. Though the rules are not yet highly formalised (some may find

this refreshing), it is certainly a physically and strategically demanding sport.

This strange game was first cooked up at Middlebury College, Vermont in 2005. Wanting a break from their regular pursuit of bocce ball, a bunch of students invented a gravity-permitting version of the game from the Potter series they all loved. Over seven years it has grown rapidly, mainly among students. The International Quidditch Association was founded and the fifth World Cup took place last November and attracted roughly 100 teams from five countries.

Players can even order officially approved broomsticks from a company called Alivans. For such a young sport, Muggle Quidditch has truly taken off.

It might all seem a bit ridiculous, yet fifteen years ago quidditch was a fantasy in the mind of one woman, and now even those who don’t indulge in playing are still likely to have heard of it. Is it surprising that this sport has become so successful considering the Harry Potter generation have reached university-going age? It may not even remain the reserve of Potter fans for long if it continues to grow,

drawing in serious athletes and becoming a sport in its own right.

At the moment the game has enjoyed success partly because it offers an alternative to more formal competitive sports at university level. Whether the IQA will stay faithful to the unique spirit of quirkiness that has enabled them to rise or embrace a more serious approach which will enable them to grow remains to be seen.

But for the moment it is not an issue, according to Starbuck, who states that: “Whether you get hit by a well-aimed Bludger, get tackled to the ground by someone on a broom or find yourself trying to catch a particularly crafty Snitch that has just climbed a tree, you soon realise that Muggle Quidditch is one of the most physical, yet entertaining sports you can play, even if it does just happen to be adapted from a work of fiction.”

REDUCTO!: A handy spell to blast opponents out of the way

UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH HARRY POTTER SOCIETY

YOU CAN learn to speak Klingon and follow the Jedi faith, but you haven’t truly converted fantasy into reality until you have played Muggle Quidditch: a reallife ball game adapted from the fictional flying sport in the Harry Potter books, which is now soaring in popularity across the world.

In the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, said to be an inspiration for Hogwarts School, the Holyrood Hippogriffs, a faction of the university’s Harry Potter Society, have been meeting to play quidditch according to the official rules of the International Quidditch Association (IQA) since October 2011. They meet on Middle Meadow Walk every Saturday at 2pm, and with the growing opportunity of playing matches against other towns, have extended an open invitation to anyone at the university to come and try it out. You don’t even have to be a Potter fan. I went along to find out whether this was all a gimmick with no more substance than a Weasleys’ Wildfire Whiz-bang, or if it genuinely worked as a sport.

Team Captain, Emily Starbuck, explained that the rules are pretty close